ear·worm – ˈi(ə)rˌwərm/ – noun – informal – a catchy song or tune that runs continually through a person’s mind

Last week Wednesday I heard a song for the first time that’s been stuck in my head ever since.  The video is fantastic and there’s an incredible message in it.  Check it out here:

During the end of yoga I can usually get to a fleeting moment of silence and peace in my mind.  This Saturday as I laid with my eyes closed and slowly relaxing all I could hear is this song repeating in my head, and I loved every note of it.

I played it for the boys and they enjoyed it, I’m sure one day they’ll get it.  In the meantime, I’m glad it’s stuck in my head!

Thanks!!!
The Nights – Avicii

Lyrics

Hey, once upon a younger year

When all our shadows disappeared

The animals inside came out to play

Hey, when face to face with all our fears

Learned our lessons through the tears

Made memories we knew would never fade
One day my father—he told me,

“Son, don’t let it slip away”

He took me in his arms, I heard him say,

“When you get older

Your wild life will live for younger days

Think of me if ever you’re afraid.”
He said, “One day you’ll leave this world behind

So live a life you will remember.”

My father told me when I was just a child

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

When thunder clouds start pouring down

Light a fire they can’t put out

Carve your name into those shinning stars

He said, “Go venture far beyond the shores.

Don’t forsake this life of yours.

I’ll guide you home no matter where you are.”
One day my father—he told me,

“Son, don’t let it slip away.”

When I was just a kid I heard him say,

“When you get older

Your wild life will live for younger days

Think of me if ever you’re afraid.”
He said, “One day you’ll leave this world behind

So live a life you will remember.”

My father told me when I was just a child

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

These are the nights that never die

My father told me
Songwriters: Ash Poumouri / John Feldman / Gabriel Budin-Smithers / Tim Berling / Jordan Matthew Suecof / Nicholas Michael Furlong

The Nights lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

I know, it’s been a bit of a broken record lately, but how awesome is this weather?  Seriously, this has to be one of my favorite Novembers ever!

Today we were out at Hixon Forest hiking for Cub Scouts.  It was so nice that by the time we got to the top of the bluffs I had already taken my jacket off.  As per the norm for events like this I had a lot of fun.  It was so relaxing to go for a nice walk with the boys.  

A good time was had by all, the fresh air felt amazing, and it’s always nice to wrap up a weekend with a little active time.

Thanks!!!

Yoga felt great this morning and I’m glad that we did the 75 minute session for my first time in a couple of months 😉  

We cleaned the garage for winter and got everything away which was a great sense of accomplishment.

Less than 40 minutes before Fantastic Beasts was playing we spontaneously decided to take the boys to the matinee.

Spending our first full Saturday at home with no agenda was awesome!

All that said, there’s just something about delicious stick to your bones food on the first truly cold day of the year that just feels so right!  Becky fired up a recipe that I’ve loved since childhood…  Mexican Hero Sandwiches!

Delicious strips of bacon under Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, all atop a fantastic mix of ground turkey, onion, and chili peppers…  ahh…  cold weather lunch perfection!

Thanks for soothing the savage beast that is my appetite Becky!

Thanks!!!

Since our run this morning the temperature has dropped about 20 degrees and the wind has increased by almost 20 mph.  How crazy is that?  Hello Mr Cold Front!

The way this morning started off was pretty awesome.  Our normal early morning run and it was 58 degrees!  That’s like PERFECT running weather, not too hot, not too cold.  The moon was still bright so I was able to shut off my headlamp most of the way.  

As the run started it just felt right.  I played an excellent tune by Avicii and felt everything click right away.  My legs were loose and feeling great and I hit my rhythm quickly.  We shot the bull for a while and then fired up another song.  Back to quiet and talking and then back to another song.  It felt wonderful!  Nice dose of Gaslight Anthem to bring it home and 4 miles were in the bag.  So peaceful, relaxing, and serene in a state of flow.

It was one of those “that’s why I run” runs.  The ones that just feel right and that I hope to feel every single time I lace up the shoes.  Of course that’s not realistic and the painful and torurous runs remind me of how much to appreciate the fantastic ones like today.

As an interesting side note, this pic was in my Facebook feed from 5 years ago…

It cracks me up to think that it was below freezing then and this morning it was almost balmy…  I am very thankful for the great weather!

Thanks!!!

During our planning session today Norm busted out a video that we’ve watched before.  As normal there was hardly a dry eye in the room by the time it was over.  This is one powerful presentation made by a man with only months to live.  With his own mortality looming behind him there is tremendous insight he offers us.

In the chaos of our daily lives this is well worth the 10 minutes.  Trust me, you’ll be happy you invested the time in it.

Thanks!!!

This one might sound a little strange, but I just love escape rooms!  Talk about an activity that covers pretty much all of my favorite things.  I get to take things apart, solve puzzles, find clues, make sense of chaos, and get a great feeling of accomplishment.  Throw in that it is in a small enough period of time to hold my attention (1 hour), and I don’t have to clean it up when I’m done, and it is one of my favorite activities.

As a part of our planning retreat we did them as teams this evening.  Just like past experiences I enjoyed the entire thing and was smiling pretty much non-stop.

If you have no clue what I’m talking about please let me know and I’d be happy to go to one with you so you can experience it too.  😉

Thanks!!!

With the Glahn wedding this weekend we figured it would be a great time to head up to my mom’s for the weekend.  It worked out pretty slick, Mom and StepBrad took care of the boys during the wedding ceremony, we all hung out again, they watched the boys during the reception and then we hung out again.

We had a lot of fun shooting the bull and catching up while playing games and playing with their new dog, Ruger.  After a while we had a drink or two, watched a movie and a half (I may have fallen asleep part way through one) and just relaxed.  In the morning we loaded everyone up, went to my mom’s church and the boys helped her hold the doors and hand out programs.  From there we went back to her house for lunch, watched the Packers get beat up and then headed back home.

While I don’t know that there was any one thing that was incredibly out of the ordinary that I would typically remember, that was part of what was so great about the time together.  It was just like normal and it felt great!  Nothing crazy, just the same old type of hanging out that we normally do together, and it was awesome!  Just what the doctor ordered in the middle of a crazy month.

Without this blog I would have left feeling very relaxed and moved on.  With this blog I remember to take a step back and appreciate awesomely normal moments that may have been taken for granted in the past.  Thanks Mom & StepBrad for a great time!

Thanks!!!

After flying in late last night we were off and running right away this morning.  A friend was getting married up in the Cities so we packed up the boys and headed up to my mom’s.

The wedding and reception were a lot of fun!  In between and now afterwards we get to hang out with my mom and StepBrad.  It should be a pretty fun and relaxing night.

It was a great step in getting almost back to normal.  The last couple of weeks have included a vacation, a very busy weekend including a wedding, one incredibly jam packed day in the office, a great rest of the week in training that kept my brain full and running full steam the entire time, to now being back with the family, on the road, at another wedding, and chilling with family.  It’s crazy busy but it feels great.

While most of the time Becky and I have spent together over the past 24 hours has been in the car it has been wonderful having time with just the two of us to talk and get caught up.  With the boys along at different times it’s started feeling like I’m about to get back in my normal groove, things are almost back to normal and I’m thankful for that.

Now to emphasize that point by having a normal night at Mom’s with Southern Comfort Old Fashioneds 🙂

Thanks!!!