I'd Love to Hear _____________ Sing That Song...

So the other day, Mel and I were sitting around talking about songs we love.  Conversation quickly went to "man I bet this guy would tear that song up..."  We often enter into conversations like this about people who can really sing...

Funny thing was, we had two different songs, but both wanted to hear the same guy sing them.  So it got me thinking, I wonder if I issued a little online challenge if I could get him to throw a little handicam video action our way!  

So, Mr. Chad Strader...I told her "Chad would be somebody he could do a bang up job on Piano Man" and Mel followed by saying "I was just thinking I'd love to hear him sing Easy by the Commodores."

For your preparation, I am including the videos that will help get you started.  :)

We'll be waiting...

Much love,

Tim and Mel Barosh

Easy -



Piano Man -

 

My Little Man's First Trip to the Barber Shop

My my little man made his first trip to the barber shop today!  He was a bit nervous when we sat him down, but a lollipop made everything better.  (In fact, we went through 4 lollipops because he kept dropping them and freshly cut hair does not come off sticky candy.)  :)

Anyhow, this dude was so chill the whole time...like Sports Clips was his home.  I think I heard him tell me the score to the game at one point.

Loved this day...great memory for me!

Kids and Passover

So glad my wife is teaching our kids from the Bible. I drove up from work the other day and this piece of art was on our front door glaring at me from three blocks away. I smiled immediately because I knew what my children were learning...but even deeper that the blood of Christ poured out has made me right with God. I pray the same for my children.

We eventually brought the sign indoors because Ellie kept walking around telling people we put blood on the door. Could be a bit morbid entry into a conversation with neighbors. Then again, maybe we all shy away from the blood too much...hmmm.

My Baby Turned 5!

Five years have flown by!  Our little girl Isabella just turned five this week.  I snapped a couple pictures of her at our family party on Tuesday.  She was so excited that it was her special day and I loved the joy she found in that day.

Mommy's New Prayer Jar

Mommy was so bummed that she accidentally broke the last prayer jar we gave her. So we thought Valentine's Day would be a perfect time to replace it. The kids worked hard on this one and were very excited to give it to her!

My Family Christmas Pictures (Cut!)

So I just finished shooting our family Christmas portraits to send out to family and friends. It was so much fun doing it in our own house. Good-bye JC Penny's :)

As we narrowed it down to the one we'll actually send out, here are a few that didn't make the cut! :)

It's amazing what you go through for one good picture.

My Birthday Weekend

Had a great weekend with the family.  We celebrated my 33rd birthday (very holy age I might add).   Having 3 kiddos now, Mel and I laugh at how "flexible" our plans have to be on birthdays! We were still able to do everything Mel had planned for the day, it just was more interesting with 3 kids in tote!  

We had a blast getting breakfast at Einstein Bagels (my kids still think they were donuts).  We forgot the diaper bag at home and didn't realize it till we were already at breakfast.  So we cruised back to get it from the house, drove to a park in the area to do cake and gifts.  Then we came home and got the kids excited about Grandma coming over.

(opening my own present hasn't happened in 4 years)

Then Mel and I took off to the Grove in downtown Houston.  Incredible restaurant and great vibe. We stayed there the whole night, then cruised home and crashed!  It was amazing to have a few hours of uninterrupted grown-up conversation.  Hard to come by these days!

(Mel enjoying the cool night air on the walkway at Discovery Green)

(The view from our outside table upstairs)

Thanks Mel for a great birthday...you're the best wife a man could have!

A Core Issue

So this is a heated election and I have found passionate Christians on both sides of the fence (politically speaking).  As you can read on my wife's blog, we have been following Voddie's blog as he has been doing quite a bit of research on both candidates.  We are really trying to make an informed decision on which way we will vote.

What we have come to realize in our many talks about the election is this:  Our vote must be run through the filter of our Christian faith.  As soon as faith enters the picture, so does the infamous question of Pro-life vs. Pro-choice.  

I know all the statistics.  I know both the Republican and Democratic sides.  I know some say there are "bigger fish to fry."  But, the reality is that this issue will weigh heavily upon mine and my wife's decision.

When things get thick like this for me, I usually go to some of our current heroes in the faith for their thoughts.  Below is a video from a frequently quoted pastor - Dr. John Piper

Tim Barosh Photo

Well, it's been a long time coming, but we're finally ready to get this project going! Tim Barosh Photo (www.timbaroshphoto.com) is now live and open for business.

I have always loved photography and have wanted to do it on the side for years. It just so happens that the price of gas and 3 little kiddos were the catalysts for me actually giving it a spin! :)

So yes, I am starting this business to make a little cash in addition to my full time job at this great church. If you're looking to categorize the quality of my work, I'd say this: "I'm not as good as the $6000 wedding photographer, but I'm better than your uncle Joe with his disposable camera from Walgreens."

I love shooting families, weddings, maternity, sports events, and birthday parties! You'll be able to purchase all your prints directly through my website and they'll be delivered right to your door.

To see some of my work, check out my website and my Flickr link to the right!

Shoot me an email at timbaroshphoto@gmail.com for any of your photography needs!

Mom's Night Out

Well, tonight my wife is getting a much needed night out.  She does such a fantastic job pouring into our family and home that I get really excited when she gets to get away for some refreshing.  Tonight she's out with a friend from church named Cassie and I'm sure they're having a great time.  I do know they went for Sushi at Japaneiro's...beyond that, I'm not sure.

Regardless, when I'm here with the kids by myself, it opens my eyes to just how difficult her job is.  Having 3 kids under the age of 4 is fun, but a bit draining at the same time.  Just as the baby was almost asleep tonight, the 2 year old came screaming in because she had a blister on her foot and wanted a Diego band aid.  So the process of putting the baby down started all over. :)

When it was time to go to bed, they had pulled all the books off their shelf because their "keys" fell behind the bookshelf.  That was fun cleaning.

Just when I thought I was in the clear...I get a call from the 4 year old..."Papi, I have a hang nail.  I need the clippers"

This is not a bad night, actually it was pretty fun and I kept my cool throughout.  However, I only had them awake for about 2.5 hours.  She has them alone from 8:30 till 5:00 when I get home.  She loves it, but sometimes I know it gets hard.  Today, I ate Filet Mignon at Fogo de Chao for lunch...she ate goldfish at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  I nearly felt depressed as I ate, knowing she was the one that deserved the steak dinner.   

So we've started praying each morning as a family.  Once everyone is done, I pray for our family and always include a prayer for Mel to not lose the great vision God gave her for our children and our home.  I pray that God-given passion would fuel her to lovingly lead our children towards Christ each day.  I pray that patience would flood her soul in times of great "toddler" testing.

Mel is still passionate about her role as mom, wife, and manager of our home.  And when she gets nights out like this, she's even more ready to dive in the next day! 

Full House

Ike has brought lots of frustration for everyone. Understandable.

One of the joys of times like this is seeing everyone pull together. From helping with boarding of houses to clean up after the storm, there is always a real sense of togetherness that happens during these times.

Some church friends of ours called from out of town to see if they could bring us groceries on the way in because they saw the state of stores here!

Tonight, we're pulling together with friends and family. My brother and his kids still don't have power, so they're staying another night with us. We got a call from our good friends Iris and Pablo and they're without power as well. So, we're all hanging tonight under our roof.

Mel gets all the "girl-talk" time she can handle and me and the fellas are getting ready to play some poker.

If nothing else, there will be good conversation and deeper relationships because of this storm.

Thanks Ike.

The Days of Ike

It was a long couple days leading up to Ike. We received a call at 7:20 a.m. on Thursday from our Canadian friends down the street. We joke with them about being hurricane rookies. :) Anyhow, they were needing some help boarding up the house, so after Chris and I both worked half days, we started pounding away at the wood. Chris being a chemist and myself being a pastor, it soon became quite evident the neither of us were carpenters. So, the phone call to master handy man Roland was made.

3 hours later, boards were up and the Canadians were ready to ride the storm. Roland proceeded to board his house with help from some 8 year olds and then he helped my mother-in-law with hers. While boarding in the early afternoon, I took call from a friend needing some "hurricane worthy" relationship counseling. So, Mel and I cleared our calendars and had the lovely couple over Thursday night.

We continued helping with boarding on Friday...all the while my house was taped with X's. :) One of the 8 year olds that was helping us was clowning on me for taping the windows with an X. He said, "Ike is going to be blowing through, then come up to my house and see the X's and turn and go the other way." I told him they were holy X's taped and filled with the Holy Spirit and ready to take on Evil Ike. He looked at me oddly.

My wife and I decided to take our friend Peter up on his offer to crash at his empty house that was already boarded up. We were very grateful!

Now, the day after...we had power by 3:00 p.m. and I only had one casualty...my front yard tree. I think we had power so quickly because we live a mile from a hospital one way and a mile from a sherriff's station and prison the other way.

My brother is on his way over now with his kids. They live in Katy and the power is still out there. He said the kids were tossing and turning in their sleep because they were so hot. Reminds me of my summer in Spain. No AC...sleeping with the windows open. I didn't sleep well that summer.

So, we have no church services tomorrow, so maybe we'll join some friends at the one nearest our house. We'll see...

Oh, and looking at my phone, I had about 30 texts going throughout the storm. I can't imagine texting like that if I didn't have a full keyboard phone. What did I do before these days of technology?

I know many others had it worse than us. So many people lost everything. I'm grateful tonight.

The Great Cup Marker

Have you ever been hanging out with friends and looked around at the disposable cups you’re using and wondered, “Which one is mine?” “I remember setting it down somewhere…”

Here’s what I know. If you’re ever at a party or any other social gathering, I can show you the cup that is not yours. Below is my wife’s cup. We have been dating since 1996…it was then that I became privy to the little habit of “marking” her cup. She says she plans on chewing the gum again…in almost 13 years, I can tell you that I have never seen her “rechew” the gum she puts on cups, plates, and bowls. So why not just throw it away????

But I love her even more for it!

A Day at the Beach

I must say, I'm not a huge fan of the beach. Not that I don't like outdoors, but I just prefer cool crisp weather, crunchy fall leaves, and a hot cup of coffee. So when Mel suggested that we take the kids down to Surfside, I was a bit hesitant. But I didn't want to be the party foul, so I agreed to the sandy adventure. And, man I'm glad that I did! We had an incredible day!

We ended up making friends with the people parked next to us and our kiddos played together the entire time. When we left, our oldest daughter was asking them to join us for dinner. :)
I think they still wanted more beach time that evening, so we all exchanged emails and said we'd try to meet down there again sometime.

Here are some pics from our day at the beach...

My Day With the Kids

So, yesterday my wife was out helping a family in the church that just had twins. In order for her to be freed up to be with them, it was best for all three kids to stay at home with me. In an effort to be the best dad to my kids I could be, I began to mentally prepare myself the night before. Upon waking up, these were my thoughts:

- Today will not be an easy day
- It’s unlikely that I will sit down very much
- There’s a good chance I will get thrown up on
- I will clean the kitchen no less than 3 times today
- Whatever you do, do not get your computer out. Your kids need the best you today.

So, I woke up at 6:30 and began my preparations for the day. Coffee on, milk ready for the girls, and milk thawed for the baby. This was not my first time alone with all three, but it would be the longest stretch.

We had a great day…my kids had my full attention and I really enjoyed my day with them. Upon planning for the day, I decided I would put one of my wife’s little “home maintenance” programs in place for the day. She has told me that she’s been trying to make sure the kids clean up their mess before they move onto the next activity or before leaving the house.

I thought that to be very wise, so I tried it out.

I must say it proved to be the tension reliever of the day. If you have toddlers, you know it takes about two minutes to wreck a room. I would turn around and there would be crayons and paper thrown everywhere after 5 minutes of coloring. Then they were ready to dress up and play princesses. Coloring was no longer satisfactory.

So I would tell them, “Ok, we’re not going to play princess until all the colors and paper are picked up.” It was like magic…”Ok papi, we’ll clean up.” We went through this process about 4 times during the day, cleaning the immediate mess before moving on to make another.

The whole day wasn’t about messes though…my favorite part was when Cash was sleeping and we went outside to wash the car. (Granted, there’s no reason to wash my heap of a Ford Escort, but it’s the smallest car and they feel they’re making a contribution to its cleanliness).

I couldn’t find a bucket, but we did have this big tub we keep toys in. It turned out to be the best thing since sliced bread. A “mini pool” if you will. Here are some pics of their time “washing the car.”

Long Three Weeks

So, it's been an incredibly long three weeks. It was a ministry first for me. 3 funerals in 3 weeks. 1 per week...the good thing is that all these folks were believers and it was great to celebrate their lives and know that they were finally home. However, it has been a great drain on my family and I. Since I was a part of all 3 funerals either singing, preaching, or creating videos. That meant my wife was alone to manage 3 kiddos in a reverent environment! 4 year olds, 2 year olds, and 10 week olds have no idea that you're supposed to be somewhat quiet during those times.

My kids did great overall, but I gotta give kuddos to Mel for the hard work. Her job was definitely harder than mine.

Talking death with our 4 year old was interesting at times. She wanted to know why the person was sleeping in the treasure box. :) That gave us ample reason to explain the great "treasures" of heaven to her!

June 24th 2008

This date can't come soon enough for me.



Mel and I saw Amos open for Norah Jones years ago...all he had was a guitar and a 5 song EP. We met him after the show and Mel got his autograph. We've been hooked ever since and his music stays on high rotation on my iPod.

So here's to a romantic evening of slow dancing in the kitchen with my wife...soon after June 24th. :)

Fabuloso Mondays

So Mondays are one of my favorite days to come home from work. Why? Because it is the day my wife mops the entire house! And a splendid job she does I might add. But more importantly than the clean floors, there is the lovely aroma of the purple Fabuloso. It is the shekinah glory of all household cleaners.

It is a rare Monday that I don't thank Jesus for the lovely smell of purple Fabuloso.

*there are other colors of Fabuloso, but they are far inferior and merely "aspiring" to be all that the purple Fabuloso is.

A Real Quote

My wife is in one of her "modes" right now...at 10:30 p.m. She passes me in the house and mutters with great enthusiasm - "There's nothing better than a clean bathroom."

Really?

I'm forever in debt to Mel for the incredible house keeper she is. But really, nothing better than a clean bathroom? I can think of so many other things...but I don't want to burst her bubble you know. So my answer is this...

"I Know Right!" I join her in that great undeniable joy of a clean bathroom!

Organization OverRated

So, my wife is probably the most organized person I know. She's second only to this lady. (My wife reads her blog religiously).

Now then, I am not known to be the most organized person in the world. I'm organized "in my own way" as I tell Mel all the time. However, I do have this unique and I believe "guy only" trait of remembering driving directions to places after only being there once. I don't know many gals that are good with driving directions. Especially when you start throwing north, south, east and west into the conversation.

So, back to being organized...my wife is. But every once in a while, it backfires on her. For the past 6 months, she's been looking for these Hallmark cards she knows she has. Basically, she buys cards on a regular basis, so they are ready to go when we have a birthday or a holiday that necessitates a card. Keeps us from running to the store last minute...I'm thankful, truly I am. :)

Last night, we're looking in the home office for something I'd misplaced, but that I know is in the office. She tells me, "look in that box up there on the file cabinet." I bring it down and you guessed it...2 shoe boxes full of Hallmark cards. I busted out laughing...they had been up there for over 6 months, "neatly organized," but completely unable to be found.

On another note, I found the thing I was looking for within a half hour and it was inches from where I remembered I put it. Stuffed ever so messily in a coffee cup on my desk with about a hundred other things. Most that know her well call her Monica. (Friends reference and precursor to my next blog post!)