To post to our blog more regularly!  We seem to get so busy and neglect little things that we start and rarely see through on a consistent basis… So - I will make a promise to get on here and do something at least once a week - hopefully we will get more video online of Allen - he is getting SO big - starting to talk… he can feed himself (kind of)… he has an amazing personality and I AM Blessed to have such an amazing family.

Talk to you in a week!

No I didn’t cheat!  I just happen to be sitting in front of a 50,000 point target for awhile!  Whoop Whoop - #1 for the day at Disneyland! I can’t tell you how many times we have been on this ride… I think Allen is breaking 100k already!

Some of you know that I (Chris) really enjoy the Christmas holiday - well - last year we really out did it with the house and the lights… But this year is a completely new level - and with it - I launched a new website dedicated to the lights!

http://www.rhrchristmas.com

Enjoy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Tonight Summer and I setup our Fall decorations - nothing to crazy - just fall leaves and pumpkins throughout the house… But while I was getting out the decorations - My eyes obviously connected with the much larger upcoming project!  Our Christmas decorations!!! Now - this year I have about 12,000 new lights to add to the mix - with full arches under the awnings by our front-door - as well - I am sure that I will add even more lights to what will be our “ocean”.

The them this year is Candy Cane Island - I have a few amazing ideas - I just hope that I can find the time - actually pull it off - and of course afford it!  Amazing how expensive this hobby is!  However - like I have said in previous posts about this addiction of mine - if it just makes one family’s holiday experience better - than it is worth every minute, every dollar spent.  Some of my best memories were looking at houses which just went all out for the holiday.

There will be a few changes this year - I don’t want to all of the lights, glitter and shine to over shadow the reason we celebrate Christmas.  I haven’t figured out how I will tie the Birth of Christ into our scene this year - but it will go beyond the lights themselves - it may be inside or outside… Only time will tell and I know that we will figure out the best way to honor Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

- God Bless

Well - Summer and I spent 2 amazing days at Disneyland and California Adventure!  We haven’t really been able to ride the “big kid” rides for almost 2 years!  Allen Who is 15 months today! + 10 months of pregnancy! well - over 2 years!  Grandpa and Grandma Shelley stepped up and watched our little guy so we could have some alone time - and it was absolutely amazing.  Disneyland is Disneyland - always amazing and it truly just pulls you away from the real world for awhile!  This was the first time that we actually spent any real time in California Adventure - we road Soaring California and California Screaming and WOW!  Just WOW!  Soaring California is absolutely amazing - and California Screaming is one of the fastest roller coasters I have been on in quite sometime!

Anyways - here is a photo - I have another one out there where I place #7 - so far that is the best I have placed!

You know - there are days which I must go to work - leave Summer and Allen behind so that I can basically earn a living.  But I realize more and more, as Allen grows that I am beginning to miss out on so many little events… In the beginning, changes happened at a slow pace - now they are to the point that they happen regularly.  I am just GRATEFUL that Summer is able to stay at home and raise our little guy!

Wish I was with them…
Not bad… 65 while holding a 1 year old!

Well we made it.  We made it through Allen’s first week without his bottle.  We decided to detox him since he wasn’t eating any food and was relying only on formula. And since he’s one now, we thought we’d give it a try.  It was difficult but totally worth it.  I have to admit though, I did feel a brief moment of sadness when I was packing up his bottles and cleaning out the cabinet where I kept them all. I realized that his baby-hood is officially over.  For so long I have carefully washed and cleaned all of his bottles. They were a permanent fixture on my kitchen counter.  And now there gone, replaced with little Gerber bowls and sippy cups, tiny forks and spoons. I loved feeding him his bottle. It was usually just him and I in a moment when all was peaceful because he was being fed, and I was relaxing with him.  But now, he is a big boy with sixteen teeth, walking…running really, talking more than ever and is able to play and interact with us.  Another milestone has passed and all I can do is wave it goodbye.  

Some of you know that Summer and I officially switched over to MAC vs. PC.  We are loving it - well - in the process I lost an image from my PC that has been on the desktop of my laptop for YEARS!  Well - I found it tonight and I wanted to share it with everyone.

I just want everyone to take a moment and think about their lives - and how fortunate you truly are… and to remember that no matter how bad something seems - you are not alone.

I have lived my life by my 72 hour rule for quite sometime - that is that sometimes seems grave, dark or bleak - but give it 72 hours - and in most cases - you’ll have an answer to the situation.  This came in handy when I waited for lab results, or upcoming news, etc.

However, I have recently discovered something else that I feel I want to share.  The original “tactic” came from Jim Cramer from Mad Money CNBC.  He mentioned that as an investor - you should never invest in something thinking of the possible upside - you should focus on the possible downside.  Ultimately - don’t think you are special enough to just be handed a reward… Well - I realized that the statement goes much further then investing.  

In LIFE! With every relationship, friendship and more - don’t think about what you may ultimately gain out of a situation - think about what you would lose if that person was no longer with you.  Ultimately be grateful and recognize that those around us - typically make us better people!

We have posted 2 videos from the party! Enjoy - Click Here to Watch!

Summer and I have lived in Chula Vista since 2003!  I first bought a condo in Otay Ranch just off of La Media - at the time that I purchased it, I remember the frenzy of the housing market - sellers getting 12 or more bids on their home - within a WEEK!

In 2005 we sold the condo and purchased our first home together in Rolling Hills Ranch - yes - that is the house which you can see from space because of the Christmas Lights!

But I wanted to chat more about the changes I have seen in the time I have lived down here (some of you know I graduated from Hilltop High School - so I remember when this entire area was dirt fields).

When I first moved in, our only “dining out” option in the Eastlake area was D’Lish and Alejandro’s - nothing against those restaurants - but we burned them out!  Then came Island’s, Johnny Carino’s, and Miguel’s… we wore them out!  So, just a recap - we started with just 2 places to sit down and eat (I don’t include IHOP - just because we rarely go there! however we did run into Kassim Osgood of the San Diego Chargers there!) - so then we can 5 or so… then the Otay Ranch Towne Center opened and BAMN!  we have a ton of restaurants - then more malls gave us Brigantine, Broken Yolk and SO many more - with more slated on the horizon.

The sad thing - that as I write this post - there are 2 homes in foreclosure on my street - on the cross street - 4 more!  One just recently had the occupants uproot and leave in a single day - one day it was someone’s home - today a vacant and empty box.  I am truly concerned about our home, and my neighbor’s homes - the values are getting hammered because of the foreclosures and short sales - these were loans that were basically given to people who knew they couldn’t afford them.

Jim Cramer recently taught me a valuable lesson (Mad Money host) - whenever you purchase a stock you should never consider the upside - you need to be aware of the downside!  This applies to the housing market - everyone was an amateur trader - only thinking of the gains - never thinking of the potential losses.

I am tired of thinking and saying - we are reaping what we all sowed.  But that isn’t the case - my family has suffered a loss in our home value because or irresponsible - and greedy people.  That is sad - we are reaping what they sowed - a giant time bomb - which is causing market explosions everywhere.

In times like this - I pray for everyone that is struggling - everyone that bought too soon - or too late… for everyone duped into bad loans, and rising interest… I pray that my community’s suffering will end soon - so the stress is lessened during these very challenging times.