My wife doesn’t mind me going out on dates with … well, er, uh … with our boys. Blake and I ended up at his favorite spot once again.

This time Blake was craving a “Goessel Soda”. Know what one is? You likely find someone that does unless your in central Kansas. It’s a root beer float. It’s also Grandpa’s favorite.

I have to say that it wasn’t much of a sacrifice for me. I’m sure some day he’ll have a favorite place that I will despise.

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I’m already looking forward to our next date. Same place, I hope. Same great company, for sure.

- Kyle

Today was Blake’s first full day of Kindergarten.

How do you describe the velocity of time as it relates to the aging of your own children? Once again the importance of the word “today” as this is all we have. Proverbs 27:1

- Kyle

There’s nothing like fresh. Fresh rain. Fresh vegetable. Fresh fruit. Fresh idea. Fresh wife.

I found a few fresh things at the farmers market last Saturday. I enjoyed the company, the conversations, the visuals, the atmosphere. Just a really refreshing morning.

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I was inspired. We’ll see if my inspiration actually leads to anything. If it does, you’ll see it here at a later date.

- Kyle

The search continues. Out of sheer lack of decision making energy Hunter and I resigned to a Wednesday evening of Mexican food at Cozymels. I knew better. But, out of obligation to my critical self I thought I’d give them a try thinking that maybe they possessed the ability to deliver the elusive perfect enchilada. Suffice it to say they do not have the magic formula.

To date, Ojeda’s in Dallas, Texas is the current winner.

Thankfully the evening wasn’t a total loss. The company was first class and certainly worthy of a repeat, but next time at a different venue.

- Kyle Dreier

I couldn’t agree more …

“I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter.”
- Blaise Pascal, (1623-1662) Lettres provinciales.

Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.
- Henry David Thoreau

If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.
- Marcus T. Cicero

You know that I write slowly. This is chiefly because I am never satisfied until I have said as much as possible in a few words, and writing briefly takes far more time than writing at length.
- Karl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855)

It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book.
- Nietzsche

The more you say, the less people remember. The fewer the words, the greater the profit.
- Felelon

No one who has read official documents needs to be told how easy it is to conceal the essential truth under the apparently candid and all-disclosing phrases of a voluminous and particularizing report….
- Woodrow Wilson

“If you want me to give you a two-hour presentation, I am ready today. If you want only a five-minute speech, it will take me two weeks to prepare.”
- Mark Twain

My grandfather’s brother is still in the business. He farms the original Dreier farm in Central Kansas. One late afternoon my dad and I took the boys to get a small taste of farm life.

My uncle talks of using GPS to steer tractors while we look at one of his huge tractors then we venture over to the side of the barn to see the remnants of an innovative device he and my grandfather built 60 years ago.

Blake, Jacob and Matthew where having more fun than if we’d let them loose in a Toys-R-Us. I was, too. The history. The visuals. The open air. But, I admit, I’m pretty ignorant to the hard work it takes to run a farm.

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Only 30k miles. Original tires. Still in service.

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Old equipment my grandfather and Nelson built.

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“There’s Frank!” the harvester.
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A lesson in separating wheat.

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Barrel full of things.

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Ready for the ascent.

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My dad and Nelson. Dad is 6′3″. Those are big tires!

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$1,200 to fill ‘er up.

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So, now I sit here and wonder how to engage my own desire and the curiosity of my boys like that day at the farm from here in a subdivision with 2,200 homes on one quarter of the land that my great-uncle farms.

-Kyle

Rather than me go into a long-winded diatribe about the poisoning of our children with TV and video/computer games I’ll simple let these photos tell the story and make my case.

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A special thanks to Jaden and Colsen for their tender friendship and to cousin Brad and Rose for their burlap gifts.

Here’s to more backyard fun for all!

-Kyle

(aka Mr. Critical)

How do you explain the taste sensation associated with a crawfish boil? For me, this was my first. I’ve been to New Orleans and had crawfish in a restaurant but that’s not at all the same. There’s something to be said about being outside and experiencing the process up-close and personal.

Thanks for some locals here with roots that are south of New Orleans, this crawfish boil here in Franklin, Tennessee was a great way to set the bar high right from the start for me.

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I will admit, one of the difficult tasks is digging in with both hands while also trying to manage a camera and a 5, 3 and 2 year old. Making things even a little more precarious was that our 2 year old is allergic to shell fish and he was eying these tasty morsels all afternoon. I’ll give 99% of the credit to Amy for watching after the boys and particularly Matthew while I mingled with my camera in hand.

I’m sharing the following link to over a hundred shots for those who wish to print out for personal use. Click here to order prints via Costco or view slide show. (side note about the photos … the resolution is good enough for 4 x 6 prints.)

A big thanks to everyone for such a fun and tasty event. Thanks to the Murray’s for the invite. I hope we behaved in such a manner that garners an invite for next year.

-Kyle Dreier