...On Bacon, Teenagers, and MP3 Players

My goodness it's been a long time since I posted! I'm not even going to bother with excuses. I have lots going on but so does everyone and we make time for the things we want to make time for. So...I'm baaaaaack!

• The Bacon Explosion

Oh my! This may be the greatest culinary concoction I've ever seen. Way to rich and unhealthy to be had more than once in a great while, but worth every bite when that great while rolls around. I'll link it in a sec, but just let me tell you that it's a pound of chopped bacon wrapped in two pounds of sausage which is wrapped in another pound of bacon strips. The whole thing is smoked on a grill and then slathered with BBQ sauce. WOOHOO!!!!!

http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html

• Teenagers

If you have teenagers at your house, I feel your pain and your pride. If you have kids who aren't teenagers yet, you have no idea at all what you are in store for in a few years. If you have no kids at all, you may not get what I'm going to tell you but just roll with me.

We have two of the little buggers, Zach is about to turn 15 and Rachel is a solid 12. Their father is an electronics junky so they both have just about every electronic device known to man. Zach games a lot on his Xbox 360. Rachel texts half of the free world on her cell phone while listening to music. They are both really solid kids and Suzanne and I are really proud to claim each of them.

But having teenagers reached a new level this month. You see, my son met his first girlfriend. Now, this girl isn't technically allowed to have boyfriends so they haven't talked on the phone much but text frequently. And this all happened in the weeks leading up to the winter formal at their high school. Soooo...Wednesday Zach and I got to go and rent him his first tux for the big dance. Seeing my boy, who is becoming more grown up by the second, trying on tuxedo jackets and picking shoes was a TRIP! Tomorrow night is the big night and I think his Mom and I have been more excited about it than he has been (or at least shown). So today when I get a call after school that this girl has (reluctantly, I understand) dumped him and going to the dance is off I was heart-broken for him. I guess the first tux/date/dance will have to wait a bit longer.

Such is a week in the life of a high schooler I suppose...

• MP3 Players

If you don't have one, you need one. If you do have one and it's an Apple, you need to seek Jesus and get a Zune! Nah, just kidding...

I asked for, and got, a 16 GB Zune for Christmas and I absolutely love it. Mine came with the FM transmitter car pack so I even get to listen to it in my truck which has no CD player. I knew I'd like listening to music on it and using the FM receiver in it to catch the sports talk station when I'm not near a stereo, but far and away my favorite feature of this thing is listening to podcasts. I had heard of podcasts but never paid much attention. I now know that I was missing out.

I subscribe to a Bible podcast, a daily devotional, and messages from three different churches (one in Australia). And there is a ton more out there! There are podcasts for every occasion and are of interest. Very cool stuff!

Alright, I suppose that's enough rambling for my first post in eons. Take care and I'll check in again very soon.