Raymond is sentimental....

Raymond is a certainly a great kid. He just is. He is happy, smart, loving, and more than all of that, Raymond is sentimental. Oh my god, is he ever. It's so awesome to see and experience it, but sad too.

Today, we obtained tickets to the Disney on Ice at NRG Stadium. So the whole Tribe made the trip out to see it. The kiddos loved it. Even Raymond for it being so Disney Princess heavy, hey...he is kid still. We watched the show and decided to have a family dinner at Barnaby's Café in River Oaks. His first time there since he always spends the weekend at Little Grandma's and never wants to leave, even when she wants to go out to eat, he simply refuses. A nice dinner and it was time for him to go back to Grandma's house because he wanted to and he needs to keep her warm when it is cold outside he always says.

Ruby dropped off me and the girls and then went to take him to Little Grandma's house. When she came back home, Ruby told me that Raymond started to cry because he didn't want to ever forget today. They tried to assure him that if he always thought about it, that he never would forget. He is just like that. It's what he does.

A while back when talk of possibly moving started heating up, Raymond didn't want to move and started to cry because Elke (the family cat) was buried in the backyard. He couldn't think of us leaving her. Now, I have to figure something out on that front, but there are countless other instances of this kind of events.

Anyway, since I had sometime, I wanted to type this up since it was fresh on my mind...this just happened about an hour or so ago.

...and I was running...

Wow....another three months passed,huh?! Whoops. Anyway, there is a lot going on in the Gamboa Clan so there may or may not be updates...hell, even if there is just a sentence, I will update something...

Well, I went running tonight. Yep. Running. In 40 degree temperatures ("felt like" 30-something), and the wind was howling. I did not enjoy it. I felt uncomfortable. I dressed for the occasion but I didn't like it. Although, I am glad I did. Just hit the 1.5 mile mark today. I am following a training schedule, and I know it is going to be challenging to keep on it, but I am going to try.

I also didn't like the fact that I went running after 8:00 p.m. Dark, alone, a little bit creepy. I went though. I didn't like it, but I went. I will have to go late again I am sure. I would like to keep it no later than 7:00 p.m. but there are going to be "late night" runs. Hopefully work will calm down, and I will get to go in the mornings again. That is the ideal run for me, but work sometimes gets in the way.

So, there is a plan to my running. If I can go three times a week, for about 12 weeks or so, I will be running 6 miles. I would like to hit that. It's just a little goal to keep me going. I do hope I can stick to it. That's the plan anyway.

A New Week, a fresh beginning...

...has it really been 8 months? Wow, sorry. I knew that some time had past since my last post, but I did not realize that it had been 8 months. Damn it. It's funny that two different people asked me about blog posts and/or photography in a short span. Made me actually feel like I should continue to do it. I struggle with it sometimes, because I know that only like one or two people actually tune in, but I do enjoy it. I also run out of topics to type up about and don't want to bore the person or two that read. I have to do a better job of finding interesting, relevant topics....

Anyway, as one could imagine, a lot has happened in 8 months time. The loss of the family pet, end of school years, family trips, and a birthday...that's right, I am 38 now. 38? How did that happen? Doesn't seem right, or logical. I mean, I don't seem like I should be 38 years old. I'm still good ol' Nick, aren't I? (Boy do I have thoughts on that topic, more on that in future postings) I certainly don't feel like I am 38. Sure, I am not as spry as I used to me, every once and awhile I feel like I am wearing down a bit. I certainly don't bounce back from long nights of drinking like I used to...sometimes, but I don't feel like I am a 38 year old father of 3. But I am. Nothing wrong with that, just saying.

That being said, I have always thought on Sunday Nights that the dawn of the new work week is like a fresh start. Tiny fresh starts that happen every week. Kind of a mental thing I suppose. I always say, "That's it!! I am getting back on track this week!" But Alas, things never pan out like I envisioned them, they never do. I always look at the beginning of the week for the chance for me to start eating right, working out, reading, and other things that I want to get into. Somewhere down the line (like on Monday Morning) something goes horribly wrong. I hope to change that this week, this being a tiny hint of proof of that.

Being that I am 38 now, I do need to start taking better care of myself. I do go through periods where I work out consistently, eat well, and feel good, but always seem to get derailed somewhere. My goal is to keep it up and just change the lazy lifestyle. I might be at the heaviest weight that I have ever been. No joke. So tomorrow, I start fresh. Going to start by eating right. There is a payoff there, so I figure that's a great place to start. I want to stick around for a while. I want to see Raymond, Lylah, and Zoe grow up some, you know? Can't do that eating fast food, and just being plain unhealthy. See?? The motivation is there, I just have to get up and do it. I hope to tomorrow....

With that, maybe my goal of the "Social Media Monday" makes a bit of a come back. Photo ops for me have been few and far between since work has really skyrocketed this calendar year. I've got to figure out how to squeeze picture time somewhere. For now, maybe the update on photography and blog posting will be slow and steady, once a month??! Every two weeks?? Something like that.

Whew! Looks like I came out swinging, right?!?! I hope so! Maybe this is a good sign for my tiny fresh beginning this time around. Let's just hope that it sticks and a trends accidentally forms. I really do need it. Here's to a great week!

Life

With these updates, I have quite a bit of things that I do want to touch up on this blog, but with some things going on in the last week, I would be remissed if I didn't write about this funny and unexpected thing called life.

Over the last week or so there have been life changing, tragic events that have happened to people around me. It hadn't really directly affected me, so to speak, but I have felt bad about the events. It makes you stop and relect on life around you. I always love to soak in moments, and I do realize that life is a wonderful thing. I appreciate everyday life. I am able to not let work, or business, or stress weigh me down. I have been lucky about that. Receiving news before a football game, even a Texans game (which is a big deal around these parts), made me realize just how trival and small a game is in the game of life (sorry for that phrase).

Yet it is in some trivial things that can make life that much better. Now a football game might not be the greatest example, but different strokes for different folks, right?! If someone can get a little relief, even if for a brief moment during a football game, then it did its job. For that, some might not realize that a football game can be comforting to someone, no matter what the outcome.

At the time, I didn't know if I was going to be able to enjoy the game, or even if I should, but I watched the game of course. A little ironic that during said game, a coach had to be taken to a hospital via ambulance, again making the game seem small. He now going through tests and will no doubt think about life.

I may be going in circles here, because I am having a hard time getting my thoughts down. I hope that this is coherent.

I say sometime that I am getting soft in my old age. I think that is true, or maybe I have always been a big ol' softy?! I am not sure which it is. One thing is that with the arrival of our kids, I have become much more of a homebody. I never really was the clubbing, going out all of the time, but now I choose to be home. There are times that I would like to go to different events, meet people for drink, what have you, but instead I think I would much rather be home. It's funny to say, or even weird to think, but it is fun being home. Oh sure, the occasional night out if very nice, but while the kiddos are small I want to spend as much time as I can with them because I know one day....the ain't wanna hang out with ol' Mom and Dad...maybe. I am of the opinion that we are building strong bonds and values now, that way when they are older, we have done our jobs. Does this make sense? I feel like I am rambling for some reason....

Anyway I can go on and on, but I may break it for there. I really hope that my thoughts came out a little clear and you can see a little into what I think and feel about life. Until next week....

A Day Late....

...ok, yeah...whatever...so I am a day late on updating my dumb little blog here, I know that. At least I am trying today, right?! Better late than never, I like to say...

To be honest, I had a little bit of writer's block...big whoop. I wouldn't really say writer's block, but I don't know how else to put it. I even had a hard time trying to pick images to post on the tumblr and the flickr but in the end, I got it done. I am a little bit proud of myself for keeping it up (kinda)...for what!?!? Three weeks now! A bit of a moral victory there. In the end, the Social Media Monday is doing it's job of keeping my attention. It's just a little goal that is very attainable. I just have to keep it going....I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

Well now...what to write about? How about Raymond, Ruby, and I going camping for the first time ever. Well, as camping as we are gonna get. It was a Boy Scout's event at Camp Strake just past the Woodlands. We were able to park right where we camped, they fed us, and there were restrooms everywhere...camping?! Well, we did have a tent, and slept in it, so yeah...camping. They had archery, sling shot shooting, crafts, and bee bee gun shooting. Poor Raymond, so small, it was hard for him to really get off good shots or efforts. He loved attempting to do these new things, but gets down and discouraged when the outcome reveals itself. I know one day he will catch up and do as well as everyone around him, hell...even better, but for now he just has to keep his head up. It's hard, I know. Hard for him and hard for Ruby and I to watch, but one day...one day....

I can even see the anticipation in his eyes when his turn comes up. I see it, I know what he is thinking. In his mind, it's going to be the best thing ever. He is going to be the best, he is so excited, but then...reality sets in. Oh poor kid. It's a little bit crushing for him, but he just goes along to the next thing. One day...

Camping was pretty cool...well, check that...fuckin' cold. In the overnight hours, it dipped to about 49 degrees. Waking up in the middle of the night and feeling your face just cold as hell...damn!! Making sure Raymond was ok (he tends to kick off the covers) was a constant challenge, but when it was time to wake up, we all had the covers over our heads. It was a fun weekend, and it is the very reason he wanted to join the boy scouts..camping!!! He loved it and he can't wait for the next camp out...in March. To be honest, we can't wait either.

Not to be lost in all of this? The Girls stayed at Little Grandma's house over night! A first there!!! They were a little disappointed in not being about to go camp, that Ruby fixed it and bought them their very own Disney Princess Tent in which they actually slept it! Boy, did they love it!! So success all around!!! Hooray!!!

A few odds and in's to finish off.

Work picked up for me, so much so that I missed running all of last week. Don't worry, I picked it back up on Monday morning and hit 2 miles. I will not go under that anymore!! I should be at almost 4.5 miles now! Damn getting off of routine!!!

The person that was going to make us some raised gardens out of cedar (I am not the most handy person to do it on my own) kinda flaked on us. Garden is delayed. In the end, we might have to make our own....grrrrrrrrr!!!!

On Thursday, I pull Raymond out of school early, make him nap a little, and off to see Gwar for the second time for him!! So exciting!! For me....and for him too! He has permission to miss school on Friday since we will be mixing it up in the pit and will be too worn out to go to school....not really, but kind of!

The primetime Texans games has really screwed with Family eating and drinking Sunday...it kind of sucks...Go Texans nonetheless!!!

Ok, done...it's 22:20 now...I have done my round of updates!! Enjoy! Please give me feedback on all fronts!!! I need it, good or shitty...

"Social Media Mondays"

I have now deemed Monday, "Social Media Monday" in the hopes that I can update my blog, flickr, and possibly Tumblr accounts. It's just a little something that I thought up to help me be motivated, or just to keep up what I want to keep up. I am trying to have much more of an effort to take pictures and just to do a whole lot more that I have wanted to do, and I hope this helps me keep it going.

If you guys can check back and give me feedback, suggestions, I would really, really love that. This is the first Monday that I am actually trying it, so the scheduling of it is a bit off. I hope to have it done in the mornings, but sometimes...just sometimes...work (or other things) can get in the way. But alas, here I am trying to live up to my new little goal here. I know they aren't going to be earth shattering or mind blowing at first, by they should improve as I go on...again, I hope....(a lot of hope here, isn't there?!?!!?)

I have quite a few pictures that I need to share, but I am trying to keep the updates to a minimum in hopes that I can stretch out the updates while I keep taking more (hopefully, right?!---there we go again).

For now, I will leave it at that. I will leave you with the links, just in case. Please feel free to share them, or not. But I do look to you guys for encouragement, criticism, and motivation. I need your help here!!

Thanks!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71811077@N03/

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/alonebad

Back from Nashville...

We took a long weekend in Nashville to visit some friends and we returned with a couple of things that I never envisioned we would. First and most importantly, we came back with life long friends. Stuart had always been a friend, once introduced by Mike, and now he and his wife, Melissa (corbininthedell.com) are now friends that Ruby and I miss so dearly already. They were wonderful hosts, and the weekend was perfect. I just wish that I could move into their patio, but that being their favorite room, I probably couldn't. I almost think that we need to go visit them annually from here on out. At least, I would love to.

Secondly, we came back with inspiration. Ruby has been more and more of a proponent of a life style change, which included organically grown foods and meats. I fully support this. The trip to Nashville was a real eye opener and is fully inspiring us to take on the challenge of gardening. Seeing Stuart and Melissa's garden just kind of showed us that it is 100% possible. I mean, we see someone that we know, and they have a bad ass garden. It shows us that we can too, it is different than reading about it first or seeing something on television. We have seen it first hand. Now, I know that it is going to take a lot of research and time, but I really want to do this. I know, I know, I am king of procrastination and I hope that I lose my crown on this very subject and get to it. For sure, we will definitely benefit from this.

The trip out there just got us excited to do something different, do something that we thought that we could not do. After having a pretty healthy last couple of months, we have gotten way of the tracks, sort of a personal train wreck so to speak, but this event is a great way to get back on track. There are so many things coming up here towards the end of the year, and a few of them will be life changing for sure, and this is just one more thing to add to it. It is so very exciting for us though, I almost cannot wait to get going. There will surely be blog updates and photos of progress on the gardening adventure!

My procrastination knows no bound, as I have started this blog on our first full day back from the trip, but here a week later, I barely finish it. I originally thought it was going to be a super long post, but some steam was let out and it was severely shortened. (and I don't know why I just typed this up)