Organ Stop Pizza

My Dad flew down on Friday to surprise my brother for his birthday. As part of the festivities we went to a pizza place called "Organ Stop Pizza" in Mesa. The owners purchased an old movie theater Wurlitzer Organ, and after a short run in Phoenix proper, built a pizza place around it. Along with the requisite pipes, the organ was hooked up to several different instruments, including drums, a piano, and an accordion. The organist played several songs, ranging from Red River Valley to the Indiana Jones theme to the Phantom of the Opera. McKenna was able to get right up close to some of the wooden pipes and felt the air blasting out of them.

We had a good time, and the pizza wasn't half bad. It's definitely an experience like none other.

A happy boy!

Someone finally cut his most recent tooth!

Class

I'll readily admit that I fall along conservative lines. While President Obama was not my choice, I am happy to celebrate his inauguration today and recognize the strides that have been made for this day to happen. As a citizen of the United States, President Obama has my support as president, and I'll reserve my right to criticize his policies when I feel it is necessary.

I hope I never descend into the immaturity of those who sang "Na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye" and boo-ed as President Bush took the dias this morning. I hope I won't be someone who is unhappy that my choice was not elected. I hope I won't feel bitter.

We may have reached a new milestone today, but I fear we've still got a lot of growing up to do.

All Safe

Just a quick note to everyone who knows I work for an airline. A US Airways jet collided with a flock of geese, losing both engines and had an emergency water landing in the Hudson River to the west of Manhattan. While we like to get away, and New York is on our "must visit" list, we were not traveling today and were not involved with that flight in any way. We're all safe and sound in Arizona.

My congrats to the crew for successfully making a truly difficult landing, and for ensuring the safety of all passengers on-board. Reports currently indicate no fatalities and all passengers made it safely off the aircraft.

Disneyland Dream

This video was recently announced as an addition to the Library of Congress as part of the National Film Registry. It's a home video of a family who won a trip to visit Disneyland in 1956, shortly after the opening of the park. It's a great window to a world that I'm too young to have known. The video follows the family from submitting their entries to the contest, their TWA flight to California, and video of Knott's Berry Farm, Hollywood, Universal Studios, Catalina, and of course, Disneyland.

The Weekend's Here!

Finally! It's the weekend! So what if I took a day off on Wednesday, it's finally the weekend! We really don't have much planned, but I'm probably going to putter around in the yard (I guess I'm getting to be a bit more like Grandpa Jones). Anyone aside from Mom and Jamie have big plans this weekend?

My Disneyland substitute

Check out this video: Disneyland: Its Alright

Talk Time

I met Haily and the kids in town today after work. While Haily and Adrian went to Fry's, McKenna and I went home and started taking down our outside Christmas lights. We have/had several strings along the rafters of the house, then down in the yard we had two strings on a couple of bushes and some more running through some river rock that winds through the front yard. We also had these three foot tall multi-colored candy canes along the driveway and the front walk. I got everything put up, except for the lights running along the roof.

I was starting to wrap up my job, when Haily pulled in and started getting Adrian out of her car. Just then, my phone rang. The caller ID came up as "Bishop." I figured I was probably going to be asked to come in for a calling. To my surprise, the Bishop mentions that he needs some help for Sacrament Meeting and asks if we could talk. I told him I needed to get permission first, and ask Haily if she would like to give a talk as a couple, before the Bishop interjects to say he only needs one of us to talk. Guess who got nominated?

So, I get to talk on "Blessings that come from heeding the prophet's voice." Time to crack open the last conference issue of the Ensign, eh?

Family

It's been a fun couple of months. My brother and his wife recently moved to Arizona, and we've been able to spend time together. For the last few years, my wife and I have pretty much been cut off from spending much time with family, just due to the fact that we're so far away from everyone else. Sure, we get to visit, but if I get home more than twice a year, that's a lot. It's been good to have someone to hang out with and catch up with.