A few thoughts....

Hey..it's Troy. Ok, so I stole this "bullet points" idea from another blog...but it works so, here's a few thoughts:

- It's Saturday morning at 7:02am...why am I awake? I hate the fact that my body is so used to getting up at 6:35am each day that I can't sleep in anymore.

- I'm also tired of everyone being sick. But...the problem with Texas is, are you sick or is it allergies. It just seems that at some point, someone that you encounter is sneezing, coughing, snotting, whatever. Maybe it has something to do with every three days going from 30 for a high to 70 for a high....then back down to 30. Ok...so I love Texas. I'm quickly learning that there are very few actual "Austinites" left out there. (There are however tons of those California people moving in...leave us alone...lol) But...I would love to experience a climate where there are actual seasons! Maybe some consistant temperatures. The only time the temp is consistant here is in the summer when it's consistantly 110 degrees! There's a slight chance that my sister-in-law and her husband are moving to Green Bay, WI...maybe they'll invite me up there to shovel snow for a week so I can get it out of my system and enjoy the warm Texas winters.

- So we're still renting a house in wonderful Buttercup Creek. Oddly enough, this is the same neighborhood that both Jenny and I grew up in for a period of time...(well, I grew up here for about 21 years and arguably am still growing up here...and Jenny lived here for about 3-4 years I think) anyways...this was a pretty cool neighborhood back in those days. It was actually controlled with regulations and if you had your house looking like crap you got a notice. If I wanted to complain about a neighbor I could do so in a proper anonymous way. I'm ready to own my own lil' piece of America and call myself a home-owner...however I keep hearing conflicting views of it's a great time to buy or no it's not. I know the economy sucks across the nation and I do feel for the people who are losing their jobs, their homes...basically their lives as they know it....but Texas, and Austin in particular, don't appear to be as impacted. I read in the paper about homes with "Payments starting at $1200/month". Great deal right?? Until you read the fine print which tells you that you need x% down and all these other requirements that narrow the field down to about 3 people who can get in this house. I actually just read one this morning that had the comment "Payments starting at just $746/month"! REALLY?!?! I'm moving today.....oh wait, the fine print again. 10% down, does not include taxes, insurance, HOA fees...and as my dad would say recappable tires! Oh yeah...that included 2 mortgages too....one at 5% and another at 8%. Ok...on to the next subject....

- Let's talk about Sydney. This lil' girl never ceases to amaze me. For example...most of you know she just broke her arm. Well, she wore the cast for 4 weeks, had to wear a little temporary brace for 2 weeks (ended yesterday) and then goes back for more x-rays in 2 weeks to make sure it's healed. She NEVER let this slow her down. She actually cried more about a little scrape on her elbow the other day then she ever did about her broken arm. I've broken both of my arms in my childhood and it's not comfortable. Ok..so maybe she's at the age where she doesn't quite know how to milk it properly. She still wanted to do everything herself and be Ms. Independent. Not me...when I had my arm in a cast....I even had my sister getting stuff for me. If anyone knows my sister....that's a pretty dang good accomplishment! Sydney's personality is just amazing. She can go from being a girl who just got her heart broken because we told her no ice cream....to laughing and giggling and trying to put my hair in a pony tail in no time! (p.s...she's never accomplished this...and probably never will) Anyways, I love that lil' girl to death! Even at 4:32am when I go in a lay down with her because she woke up and is calling for me. I walk in the room and she looks up at me...you can almost see a smile. I tell her to lay down and she does...then pats the pillow next to her and says "Lay down daddy...on my pillow". Just amazing.....

Alright..well, I'm sure I have more random thoughts..but I'll let y'all go for now. Have a great weekend and enjoy the SuperBowl!