This is why I love Bethany Dillon.

Wine Glass Music.

SICK.  AWESOME.  and TOTALLY RAD.

Playing in the Dirt

At mom's house, out front, there is this huge pile of red dirt.  The boys have always like to play on it or in it...whether it's riding their bikes over the top of it, or playing with army men and match box cars.  Recently, the boys decided they wanted to dig a tunnel through it.  So, they got a shovel, and a couple of gardening tools and went after it.

When I was at mom's yesterday, Tristan was off camping with a cousin, and Sam wanted to show me the tunnel they were working on.  So, we go out there.  Sam, in his Lighting McQueen rubber boots, Wranglers, and white t-shirt, proceeds to squirm his way through the tunnel and says, "can you fit?"  Of course, I couldn't because he could barely make it through, so we grabbed the shovels and gardening tools and went to work making a bigger tunnel.  Here are a few pictures of Sam working and playing hard.

Sam throwing dirt he's digging away from the tunnel

 working with some gardening tools to loosen the dirt on the tunnel floor.

 This is before we started hollowing it out more.  You can see that Sam has to squirm like a worm on his belly to fit through.

 This is after, when we were running out of daylight.  He's actually crawling.  I think, all in all, we had a very profitable 45 minutes.

Brothers

You might think this is a war movie.  It's not.  It's a movie about the effects of war...about the stresses of the choices war presents...about relationships and family and misery and regret and guilt and love and understanding.  It's a movie about surviving the unimaginable.  I like this movie so much that last year when it came out I went and watched it in the theater TWICE.  And I NEVER do that.  But I went once by myself, and once with my good friend, Wendy.  It is superbly directed by Jim Sheridan, and beautifully acted by Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman.  It is definitely the best performance I've ever seen from Tobey, and might be the best thing Natalie has done to date.  And Jake's quiet, subdued performance is just as noteworthy. 

Seriously...watch it.

Rated R for language and violence.

Jars of Clay playlist

since i'm currently listening to all of my jars of clay music on shuffle, i thought I'd make a playlist of my favorite Jars songs.  Song first, then album  Enjoy.  I do.

(Note: these songs are not necessarily on the above album.  They are simply my Essential Jars of Clay songs).

Needful Hands, Exodus (compilation album)

Oh My God, Good Monsters

World Apart, Jars of Clay

They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love, Redemption Songs

Jealous Kind, Who We Are Instead

Two Hands, Long Fall Back To Earth

Frail, Much Afraid

No One Loves Me Like You, If I Left the Zoo

The Eleventh Hour, The Eleventh Hour

The Valley Song, Furthermore

Closer, Closer EP

Top Ten Favorite Sports Movies - For Kids

Having recently rewatched We Are Marshall, I thought about trying to make a top ten list of sports movies...like a best-ever list.  I read a few lists that other people compiled, and realized that i haven't watched enough of the "greats" to really qualify as an expert on the subject.  So...I rethought the idea, and decided to list my 10 favorite child-friendly sports movies.  Most are from my own childhood, but there are a couple that have come out in the last few years that made the list.  They aren't necessarily the most artful or penetrating movies...but they are great fun for kids.

10.  The Big Green.  Classic underdog story.  Some hilarious moments...and a rare movie about soccer.

9.  Angels in the Outfield.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Danny Glover, and Christopher Lloyd knock it out of the park.  Literally.

8.  Little Big League.  A brief, wonderful appearance by Jason Robards, and an endearing performance by Luke Edwards as Billy.

7.  Rookie of the Year.  A freak accident gives a kid the ability to throw 100 mph fastballs.  Lots of fun.  Suspension of disbelief required.

6.  Miracle.  The true story of the 1980 USA hockey team of college kids who beat the Russians in the Gold medal game at the Olympics.  And it has Kurt Russell.  Win, win.

5.  Remember the Titans.  A movie about so much more than football.  It's Denzel at his finest, and a fantastic ensemble cast including, Hayden Panetierre, Will Patton, Kip Pardue, Ryan Gosling, and Kate Bosworth just to name a few.

4.  Rudy.  The underdog movie of the millenium.  I cry every time I watch it.  Sean Astin is fantastic.

3.  The Mighty Ducks Trilogy.  Seriously...you can't pick just one.  Emilio Estevez is great as Gordon Bombay.  Plus...this movie introduced the world to Joshua Jackson.  Thank you, and thank you.

2.  Little Giants.  Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill crack skulls.  Devon Sawa in the movie roll that sparked as SERIOUS childhood crush.  A linebacker named Spike.  A guy who blows snot bubbles - unintentionally, and a wide receiver who can't catch.  and FUMBLERUSKI!  Genius.

1.  The Sandlot.  If you had any doubt that this would top the list, you're crazy. There is nothing better.  If you haven't seen it, and really need to be convinced to watch this movie, here it is: James Earl Jones.  And if you still don't want to watch it, I have four words for you:  "You're killing me, Smalls!" 

City and Colour

At the Bird's Foot.

I am not typically one to go for tree-hugger, save the whale's type stuff.  But this song is so stinking good...it deserves a listen.

Old School Country

Good:




Better:




Best:

The Swell Season - In These Arms

So Good.


In These Arms from banjo bandstand on Vimeo.