10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor's....

A while ago...the CherkyB published a blog regarding his "Beloved" snowblower.  Given the fact that he owns his beloved...I suppose Moses would say he was in the clear. 

BUT...recently a new temptation has entered my life.  Senor Stanky finally go his basketball hoop in-country (the Lifetime 71524 54" Makrolon® Polycarbonate Portable Hoop Goal Basketball System).  And so now...there is sits...out in front of our house...just tempting the unholy to covet away.  When I confronted Senor Stanky regarding this dillema he has put me into...he replied that as long as it was not his wife that I covet, then I may covet away.  Which raises an interesting theological question:  Is it a mortal sin to covet a basketball hoop when you have the approval of it's owner?  Oh...the issues we good souls must torture ourselves with...   

Just in case you failed CCD:

1. "You shall have no other gods before me.
   
2. You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
   
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
   
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
   
5. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
   
6. You shall not murder.
   
7. You shall not commit adultery.
   
8. You shall not steal.
   
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
   
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s."
    

Moving to Massachusetts

Today I came up the stairs and saw a couple of boxes full of toys blocking the stairwell.  Noting the remarkable silence, I moved the boxes to one side and proceeded to seek answers. The first clue was found in the kids rooms...they were packing more of their toys into another box.  So I leave them alone (since they are not beating each other up nor messing with my stuff) and head over to the answer lady.  

Rob:  "Hey Jen, what's up with the boxes of toys?"

Jen:  "They are packing for Massachusetts.  Apparently they are leaving today."

So if you happen to see two kids in Massachusetts without any winter clothing or clean underwear but lots of toys...you know to ship them back to....

Birthday Wish...

Let me start by saying that it just would not be a birthday unless someone threw up on me. This year the honor goes to Avery Grace. Well done honey! So small...yet so much to offer!!

This year I had a tough time coming up with my birthday wish. You see...my dillema boils down to a problem which any person in the world should strive to have..."what does a man who has it all, really need?" The Mrs. did very well answering that call in the gift area this year...NFL Sunday Ticket, Guitar Hero for the Wii and a 7 pound Avery Grace. A very good showing on her part indeed this year!

But as I gazed into the "forest fire" of candles (as Kade called it) sitting on top of the cake the kiddos decorated...I reflected upon the importance of the birthday wish. To make it bigger than oneself...to add depth...to make it a truly grand. And then it came upon me like a bolt of lightening.

Now, one is not supposed to share their birthday wish, as we have all been told that this supposedly invalidates the wish...but I suspect that is just another conspiracy foisted upon us like Valentine's Day or the Tooth Fairy. So here goes...my birthday wish for my 34th Birthday:

I would like all the politicians...who believe

they can spend my money better

than I can...to go to Hell!

In addition: I am officially renouncing my registration to the Republican Party. I am tired of their hypocricy. The fact they lumped in as many earmarks in the latest budget as the Democrats is an embarassment. They had the chance to stand on the high ground and squandered it away. Now before all you Obama-Crazy-Liberal-Sensitive Types out there get the idea that I am joining the Democratic party...let me disavow you of that notion before you can even PayPal your way to my bank account. You are JUST AS BAD. As such, I have decided to start my own political party. Please come join in the quest to right America!

The Honest Americans Party

someday I may just have a few dozen members ;-)

Movie Night

Tonight was movie night in the Cavagnaro house.  All 5 of us watched "Lady and the Tramp" and ate brownies from Pam ;-)

Speaking of which...our Costa Rica Friends are GREAT!  Last Monday we went out with Jen's parents before the left.  Then Tuesday night Andrea brough over dinner...then Wednesday Heidi...then Thursday was Anna (and Tamera)...then Friday was Kelly...and we got an extra meal from Caroline for the freezer.  Saturday was a block basketball party (more on that later) and we cooked ribs.  Sunday it started again with Pam bringing over dinner - just in time for movie night!!  Supposedly most of this week is covered too!  Unbelievable.  The friends we have made here are Wonderful!  Thank you everyone...it has made a HUGE difference.

And as a side note...Avery's umbilical cord fell off tonight (day 10).  Jen handed it to me and asked me if I wanted to keep it...uh...that's just wrong.  Right up there with the folks who save those first teeth...I mean come'on...that the hell are you going to do with a 20 year old tooth people???

KFF is going to Rock You!

Tonight I made a first pass attempt at getting the kiddos together for a picture. Remarkably Kade and Payton cooperated....just not Avery. Well, maybe I will get one before they all go away to college.

Also tonight, we were terribly dissapointed that we were not treated to a special KFF (Kentucky Fried Fish) dinner. At least Andrea and Senor KFC (a.k.a. Mr. Kentucky Royalty) were nice enough to send some half thawed frozen fish sticks as a garnish...ain't they the best! Instead they sent some Greek chicken bake with cuscus...it was very good. Maybe some day Andrea will put the recipe up on her blog...that is if she can remember where it is....Thanks Eesays!!

Outward Bound...

Tonight we decided to take the new family of 5 out to our favorite family restaurant - Pan E Vino (you gotta check out their awesome website...very Tico). Kade and Payton LOVE to watch the pizza man. He even lets them ring the bell when an order is ready...that puts Pan E Vino over the top in their eyes. As you can probably tell from the picture of the kiddos...its a little chilly here tonight...probably ~70F. We are so hosed when we go back North. Miss Avery Grace was a true champ. She slept the entire time we were at the restaurant. I guess that means that she was the best behaved of everyone...including Grampa Russ. If I were a betting man...getting off to such a good start probably means that we are screwed from here on out. Wonderful!

On a seperate note, tomorrow our neighbor Andrea has volunteered to bring us dinner. What a sweetheart. I am SOOO looking forward to Fish Stick Surprise! Judging by the number of times they have it at their house...I am betting it is a family secret which hails it's origins from the Colonel's failed alternate business of fried fish vs. the breadwinner of fried chicken. I am salivating just thinking of the secret 11 herbs and spices ;-)