Paul Crane’s Blog

The other day the Amber Alert sign said “Love to text? Love to drive? They don’t mix.” As I was going past the sign, the guy next to me in the other lane was texting.

I’ve been writing my posts at http://www.swikun.com. This is where I’ll keep writing about my training. I’ll try and keep up to date here about stuff I’m opinionated about and personal things because I know my one reader misses this.

Silas Alan Crane was born December 8th, 2009. As with Cooper when he was this age his automatic sprinkler is also working quite well and seems to turn on when the diaper comes off. Silas was 5 lbs. 14 oz. and 19 inches long when he was born. We took him to the doctor a week ago and he is up to 7 lbs. 12 oz.

It’s a little different trying to keep up with 2 kids even though one doesn’t move an awful lot. Ali is amazing and is doing the night time duty while she is off work. I tend to love this period because she allows me to sleep through the night. Things change a little once she goes back to work.

Cooper already loves being a big brother. Then again, he hasn’t had to share any toys yet.

Cooper John Crane was born on May 9th 2007. 7lbs 12oz and 20 inches long. Cooper has been an awsome baby and everything Ali and I expected. He has already proven himself to be an endless supply of turds and a great automatic sprinkler.

He has been home now for over a week and is doing very well. Mom is healing well and still abusing the fact that she just created a miracle with more honey dos than normal.

We have pics located at on picasa that will eventually be moved to our site.

My boy is only 23 weeks old and already he is a camera ham.  I’m sure he is just saying hi dad!  This is not an edited pic, it is one of our last ultrasound photos, I thought is was pretty funny.

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Ali and I haven’t really officially announced it yet but she is pregnant.  We are now on week 15.  This ultrasound was taken at week 12.  This will be our second addition to our family following our dog Tobey.  We are getting pretty excited but I don’t think it has really set in for me yet.  I imagine it will when we walk in the hospital as two and come out three.

Ali has been doing really well.  No morning sickness and she has been feeling good.  So far Ali has shot down my favorite boy name, “Denver”.  My sisters liked it, I think it’s just spite .  She probably figures I already talk too much about Denver.  Ali likes Addisen for a girl, I like it for either.  The debate will continue for awhile.  If you have suggestions, here is the place to let us know.

         

Travel to Hawaii was a blast!!!!   First my anal type AAAAAAA wife gets us to the airport 2 1/2 hours early.  Then the 1:40 flight has a couple of delays due to maintenance until 3:45 at which time we are told it will take until 7:15 p.m.  Two hours past our connecting flight in Seattle. 

 Ali went to the desk, stood in line for over an hour and gets us a new flight that leaves at 8:00 pm, arrives in San Francisco at which point we spend the night in a hotel and leave for Hawaii at 8:30 in the morning.  We have to exit the gate area, go pick up our luggage, re-check the luggage and check in - with a different airline.  As we are walking through security we get the magic numbers and go through the special check.

 Flight proceeds to get delayed a couple of times and end up leaving at 9:30.  11:30 a.m to 9:30 p.m at the Boise Airport and we are 15 minutes away from home.  :)  We were about 5 minutes away from boarding our plane and the security alarm goes off and asks everyone to evacuate the building as quickly as they can.  Lights going off, sirens ringing and Paul bitching;  I’m going to miss two weekends of Call of Duty Two for this shtuff?  Grrrrrr.  They announce that it is a false alarm a few minutes later and we are allowed to board.

Ahhhhhhhh we are now in sweet San Francisco.  We wake up plenty early, things are going great, we catch the shuttle, get our tickets(no seat assignments yet of course) and proceed to security.  Going through security we win the lotto yet again and get to go through the special line.  This is a fun little 45 minute wait.

We get to the front of the line proceed to put all our shtuff into the brown containers provided for us and move into a chamber where I’m am possitive that Scotty is going to beam me to Hawaii.  Instead we get the ultra cataracts test which blows a puff of air around you, violates you in some way I haven’t figured out yet and in about 20 seconds opens the doors and lets me exit “NOW!”.

After finally getting through security, we get to the gate as they called our names to get our seats.  Got them- Row 45 in 46 available rows.  We had just enough time to grab a few things to eat, a bottle of water and then board.  At least this flight wasn’t delayed, and the plane ride to Hawaii was fairly uneventful, except by the time the flight attendents got to us for lunch, all of the choices were gone- Ali got pasta, and I got a twice rejected Turkey sandwich.  Good times, but we finally made it to Hawaii, and checking in the hotel was the best experience so far.

We signed Tobey up for the Pets Best First and Wellness plan last week.  Yup, not only do I work for them but I believe in what we sell.  I’ve seen claims payments go out to people that would have sticker shocked me if I had to come up with that kind of money to keep our family friend.  Now was the perfect time to sign Tobey up, no pre-existing conditions, he’s new!  :) 

I hope that I never have to use my accident and illness coverage but if I ever need to it’s there for me, giving me more options for treating conditions.  My take on Pet Insurance is like my take on every other insurance I have, I hope to never need it but if I do it’s there.

 I have a cousin that spent around $2,500 to mend his dog after it was attacked by another larger dog.  With my plan, I would only have to come up with $575 out of pocket and the rest would have been covered by my plan.

Working at a pet insurance company it was only a matter of time before I bought a puppy.  Ali was out of town so it was my chance to sieze the moment and sneak a pup.  Now I haven’t been able to hold him since.  His name is Tobey and we are already attached.  Monday I sign up for pet insurance with PetsBest.

               

My buddy and co-worker has the inside track to this tournament, Nokia Championship Challenge at Thanksgiving Point in Utah.  Not a bad way to spend a weekend when you have clubhouse passes.  Zack Leister, aka Mo, got us tickets and even got to golf a round on Monday with a couple of long drive champions.  The loser guy on the left with the broken collar bone didn’t get to golf.  The guy on the right, MO!  Middle man is Jason Zuback.  Zack got to hit the front nine with this animal and the back nine with another long drive champion Bobby Wilson.  I watch Jason Zuback hit a ball 450 yards into a decent breeze.

Zack also hooked me up with The Bear. 

 This is a pretty great tournament on a really nice course.  If you get the chance next year you should try and get to Salt Lake City and check this tournament out.  The had some pretty big names show up this year including Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Annika Sorenstam, Craig Stadler and more.  Performing artists Vince Gill and Dan Tyminiski were there and also performed Monday night for those involved in the tournament.  You might remember Dan Tyminiski best for his songs on Oh Brother Where Art Though.  We got a chance to talk to him and his wife, talk about great people.

Despite the fact that I have a broken collar bone and couldn’t golf, Mo and I had a really great time on this trip and his family was wonderful putting us up in their home during the tournament when they were so busy organizing this event.  Thank you Ken and Ruth Leister.