Great Day

Well, after cleaning the house the adventure began.  The Murphy boys (including Daddy) needed a day like this.  Caleb and his buddies Nicholas and Reed along with Ethan and I headed to the woods by our house.  

The afternoon ended up being filled with finding frogs, chasing ellusive crawfish, finding a potential future camping site, climbing trees, exploring corners of the woods yet explored, splashing in the creek, tracking deer, digging and exploring holes, identifying various animal poop, sliding down the zip line, getting muddy and having plain old fun.

This picture was taken with my cell phone on the way out of the woods for a water break.  The boys: Caleb, Nicholas and Reed just locked arms and started talking about what a great adventure and how they were such good friends.  It was a wonderful moment.  

Jill's Birthday

We had a great time for Jill's Birthday.  We ran our first 10k in Shreveport. Jill ran it in 1 hour 5 minutes, while I ran it in 1 hour and 9 minutes. Our friend Jamie Joyce was there too.  I am so proud of Jill, she did awesome!  I got my first real muscle cramp about halfway. Ouch!  It was still a great deal of fun! They served hot rama noodle soup afterwards, and it was good! Later in the day we had chick fil a for lunch. 

We made a stop at the Libbey glass factory.  Jill had told me all about it in the past, but I had never been.  We bought some new glasses, and some small juice cups to go with the new dinner set we had ordered. And to top it off the bowls and plates we ordered for Jill just happened to arive on her birthday just that afternoon.

I learned that Jill's favorite cake is marble cake. After a quick trip to Super 1 Foods I got busy making cake, but you can't put icing on the cake when it is too hot.   We let it cool for a while, but just not enough.... the top layer kept sliding around.  So much for having the cake that looked good and tasted good.  Atleast 1 out of 2 were good.

It was a great day and for a couple of months I get to be married to an "older woman".  I am so thankful for her and I am thrilled I get to celebrate many more of these birthdays with her.

Happy 35th Birthday Jill!

Financial Peace Update #2

Alright the numbers are in!

Sunday Night Class(16 families) total debt (not including mortgage): $478,878.45

Wednesday Night Class (13 families) total debt (not including mortgage): $471,469.00

Total debt not including mortgage for these 29 families:$950,347.45

FPU update

Well, we are leading Financial Peace University again.  This will be the 3rd year we have lead it so far.  Each year we are averaging about 28 families. This year (like last year) we are split up into two classes, a Sunday night and a Wednesday night.  I have some wonderful people helping me lead the classes: Richard Raue, Tracie and Jared Rugg, Becky and Todd Clark, Jennifer Carter, and my brother Chuck and Mary Katherine.  

Every year on the third week of the class we pass out note cards and ask everyone to (anonymously) put how much debt they have NOT including mortgage debt. So credit cards, car loans, student loans, and the like... Every time we do this I find myself getting emotional and I am reminded why I am doing this.  Out of the Sunday night class we had 15 families(of 18 total) turn in a card with their number on it and our Sunday night was: $444,878.45.  Now I know a number of you math geeks are probably dividing and doing the average right now, but that really doesn't give a good picture of the situtation.  There were basically 4 categories of numbers turned in.  A few people had written down a proud ZERO, another group wrote numbers between $4,000 - $8,000, then the next group was in the $35,000 to $45,000, then there was the last group that turned in the big numbers.  Knowing that 15 families combined are only $66,000 short of half a million dollars in debt is my big reminder why I get so passionate about helping people learn to take care of their money.  

The other thing I am excited about is the number of young people that are taking the class this year. I love the idea that I might be helping someone younger avoid some financial mistakes and pitfalls. 

Caleb's 10th Birthday

Well, he has officially crossed over into the double digits.  We had a great time at the swim party.  We walked all the boys over to the pool straight after school on Friday.  Everyone had a great time throwing those spongy wet balls all over the place.  One of the kids accidentally hit the life guard square in the head.  It was funny.  

Jill's mom remembered the camera (thank goodness, because I forgot).I downloaded some of the pictures from shutterfly and here they are above.  If you want to see more... go here:  http://calebs10bday.shutterfly.com  

Free TV adventures

Here is the new resource I found for messing with free digital over the air waves TV.  I am probably having more fun messing with this stuff than anyone else in my house.  But I found TVFOOL this is another great resource to figuring out what antenna, what channels, and all kinds of fun with TV reception.  I am anxious to find out if the PBS station is going to change the power it is broadcasting at, after the Feb 17 switch.  That is the one station I haven't been able to get digital yet that I really want.  I may have to go through some extreme messures if after the 17th I still can't get it.  

Also I found you can download to google earth the broadcast range of each TV station in your area to see a map of what channels should be receivable at your house.  This picture is the signal from KNOE which is the CBS station from Monroe.  

Even with this info I still don't think I have it all figured out yet. There seems to be some channels that I am not getting that I should.  (I am on the fringe of the signal... but still) The only major things I have left to do is add height and an amplifier... 

We shall see.

Let's RACE!!!

Caleb, Ethan and I finished the GoKart.  I am sure after a couple of trips down the hill or around the neighborhood we will be going back to Lowes to get fresh parts.  This isn't an engineering marvel by some standards, but the Murphy boys are pretty proud and excited.

Go Kart Time

Caleb made the request a long while ago, and I just let the idea simmer in my head.  Now he originally had a different idea in mind, but we are working on creating an answer to his request. 

Pretty soon it will be: 

GO KART time 

on Zephyr Lane.  

With parts from a bunch of old bikes, some scrap wood, and a couple of trips to Lowes for hardware we are almost done.

Go Kart 2009

While it is only gravity or push powered, it should make for some exciting times on Zephyr Lane.  We will probably be wearing out the kid's shoes pretty fast since their feet will be the only breaks on the thing.

We will have to keep you posted.

Tri or not to Tri

Jill and I are about to embark on a new challenge this year.  We are going to participate in at least one triathlon this year.  I feel like I could ride my bike well enough, and with a little training running 3-6 miles shouldn't be to hard  (we aren't trying to win a triathlon - just trying to do a triathlon). But I have discovered I swim like an angry monkey flailing his arms.  I have always thought of myself as someone who could swim decently (most of my experience being in someones backyard pool or the Gulf of Mexico just goofing off).  Now I try swimming a lap in the Tech  pool and I can't hardly make it from one side to the other without thinking I am going to die.  How did Michael Phelps do it?

I am experiencing the same fear and excitement I had when I was getting ready to do the MS150 two years ago.  We have a long way to go, but I am excited about getting into shape enough to do this. 

Adventures in Free TV

Welcome to the Digital revolution. My latest project has been to set an antenna to get free digital TV.  It all started when my brother set up an antenna in his attic and got one of those digital converter boxes.  I was at his house, saw the picture - UNBELIEVABLE.  With the digital TV broadcast  picture... no more "snow" and static. I was looking at a picture quality that seemed to rival someone who had cable or a dish.  I couldn't get over the fact that this was free.  So the hunt was on. 

First element was to get the converter box.  Don't forget your $40 government "gift card". Went to walmart and after only paying taxes on a $40 box came home hooked it up.  Well.  Very disappointed. Nothing!  It couldn't find a single channel.  We had been watching "fuzzy" analog, but the signal wasn't strong enough for the converter box to pick up any channels.  The homeowner before us had dish network and an small outdoor antenna that we were using.  I tried aiming the antenna, tracing wires out, eliminating extra spitters, and doing anything to fix it.  Nothing.

Decided not to give up. Especially after Stephen Greene mentioned buying a radio shack indoor/outdoor ampified antenna, and he was amazed by the picture. I did a little research.  Check out http://www.antennaweb.org/ for a start.  Found out that I need a big antenna! Well, I first tried what Stephen did.  Well, I tried the antenna inside.... nothing.  I tried the antenna outside...  Ahh first sign of hope.  After a little bit of aiming.  We got CBS and the CW and Fox.  I still wanted NBC and I kept hearing about other station from my brother (and a few others).  And I really wanted to get the Louisiana PBS station.  So higher we go.  I mount it on the chimney.  Little better.  But I wanted more. 

So the saving money part. $100 directional antenna(Channel Master CM 3020 Deep Fringe Advantage TV Antenna). When this online order comes in I run to Lowes to get a pole to put it on.  And up it goes.  Ahh even better.  Problem.  For me to get Arkansas PBS stations (yes I said Arkansas) I have to aim the antenna North-ish.  Then to get other stations.  I have to aim it East.  I have found one sweet spot where I get.  8-1,8-2, 10-1, 10-2, and 14-1. Which are the major ones we enjoy, but I kept having to go outside and twist the pole to reaim the antenna. 

One night I was all excited to watch Heroes.  The signal was beautiful, I was really into the show when the wind picked up. I realized then I installed a weather vane and not an antenna.  Since I set it up so I could rotate the antenna by hand to get different channels, so could the wind rotate the antenna.  I went outside about 12 times during heroes to fix it.  Frustrating.  So the idea of a antenna rotator came to mind.  

Jill and I got a new a 26" LCD tv for our bedroom.   Well, the reception on in for the Digital channels are much better than the converter box.  (Could be the length of the wire, the splitter or the TV itself - don't know yet). We could get 10-1 and 10-2 (KTVE NBC and KTVE's live dopler radar station - it's kind of like the silent local version of the weather channel without all the commentary) in the bedroom, when the converter box said "weak signal". This sure gave us a hunger to replace the living room TV... but that will have to wait for us to save some money. The issue was still the same and I knew Jill woundn't appreciate me sending the kids outside in the winter to reaim the antenna all the time.

$90 rotator at Backus True Value and now I can aim it and hopefully the wind won't aim it for me.  I am still experimenting with aiming it and finding sweetspots for all the channels.  But we are getting somewhere!

This has been a great fun project for me.  I apparently love challenges like this. I haven't been able to rest until I figured it out and even during the frustrating moments.... it's been fun to solve and learn how this stuff works.

So free has TV cost me a little over $200. I am a little jeaulous, because others have gotten more channels that live just a few miles away for much cheaper. But I have enjoyed the adventure. The only thing I might look into getting is an mast mounted pre-amplifier.  I got a cheap one from Lowes and I am taking it back.  It didn't work.  

The only other "tweak" I might do is raise up the antenna another 5 feet.  When I put the rotator on I had to lower it because I was by myself installing it and had to remove a section.  I think if I raise it back up and point it west I will be able to get a shreveport station or two.