I passed

I finally got the results back from my last national board exam! I passed! The test is out of a possible 800 points but they curve it to where 375 is a 75%. So since I got a 495 I scored a 99% on the test! not bad eh? Well I just wanted to post a little one to let everyone know how excited I am and to say thank you to all of those who had me in their thoughts and prayers! I send good karma back to you all.

too long

Ok for the last two months I have been kinda busy. I have been to St. Louis twice, had a birthday, my second child celebrated his first birthday, my parents and my sister came to visit, Also my favorite holiday Halloween, happened. so... where to begin.


I went to St. Louis in September for a review class I just got back from. for the big test I have high hopes that all went well, it was hard but I think I did ok. I still worry but there isn't much I can do anymore.

I turned 31 on the 8th of October. Sharon made me couple of cakes. We were trying for sticky toffee pudding. In the end we decided that we need to find a new recipe. It was very good but not one we will make again. I am not having any issues with getting older. I wasn't sure if I would but I feel good, I look not too bad, I have hopes and dreams that have yet to be squashed so, no complaints. That is not the cake by the way.

While I was in St. Louis the second time Oscar turned 1. He won't know the difference so we are going to celebrate this week or next. Still I felt guilty. He is so cute and such a good baby. well maybe Sharon has a different point of view on that one. He is tough and puts up with a lot of beating from his sister. He is lucky to have her though, she really loves him and most of the beatings are unintentional.
My parents were here at the end of September through the first week of October. It was great to have them here, but I didn't get to spend all that much time with them. except that my Dad and I went on a little road trip. we went up to Northern Indiana and took pictures of headstones in tiny little cemeteries in tiny little towns. We got a lot of geneology straighted out and even put some families back together. It was cool to see the places where a lot of my family came from. I also got to see the town where my paternal grandmother was born. I am glad she moved and I grew up in California, but it still was cool. My parents also gave me a cool birthday present while they were here. They took down the shelves in our kitchen pantry and put up new more useful shelving. It went from wire racks to actual shelves that were custom made. Thanks Mom and Dad!

My Sister came out at the end of October and stayed for Halloween. She wasn't feeling all that great when she got here and so I think it wasn't her most favorite vacation, but we had a good time and it was great to see her.

Halloween was, as always, a lot of fun. I single handedly decorated the office I work at with spider webs, skulls, bats , and other good stuff. We also had a Pumpkin decorating contest. There was supposed to be a prize. but the boss never came through on that one. I won with my carving or a simple smiling face with big teeth and long skinny balloons coming out of his head for hair.
It also looked good flying through the air into the dumpster with its multicolored dreadlocks trailing after it.

My hand is starting to hurt, if I took the Phalen's test I would not pass. (props to anyone who knows that one)!

Oh yeah. One more thing. The picture behind the blog title changes with every blog. I love bamboo, and typically look for a picture in google images that is either black or green or something close to keep with the color scheme.

There are green apples

I don't know if anyone noticed, but I usually have a green pic to go with the color layout. Well those apples looked so good, I couldn't help myself. Plus there are some green ones too. The apples made me think of fall, and landscape is just barely starting to change around here. Some of the trees are starting to turn a slight golden, and the grass is losing its vibrant green that it was for spring and summer. The temperature this weekend has cooled down and with it the humidity has dropped. Around here the weather is always a big topic. I guess it is rubbing off on me. I used to not care about it so much but that was because it never really changed. Now it is actually something to talk about.

During the recent storm scare of hurricane Gustav, there were about 1500 hundred people that were flown to Louisville. On Sunday our ward got a call for volunteers, I was one of the volunteers that got to go down to the State Fairgrounds and help out. I worked as a volunteer for the American Red Cross and got a brief training then we got to work. The shift I worked was from about 7:00 pm to 6:00 am. it wasn't really that bad until about 4:30 then it started hitting me. The next day my jaw was sore from all the yawning. We did things like set up cots, make lemonade, move some of the palates of food and plates and stuff around to get it ready for the next meal. We also cleaned and pointed people to the right places to go for the different services offered. The main job I had was working with another volunteer handing out towels to people on there way to the showers. We also had to escort them to the shower area. I guess they had some problems with people taking off and some of them even found a crack houses and liquor stores. I guess if you got an addiction you find a way to feed it. It was sad really to think about that kind of stuff. For the most part the people were very nice and appreciative. A lot of the kids looked like they were having fun. Almost like it was a big sleepover with their whole neighborhood. Not many of the adults looked like they REALLY wanted to be there. no surprise. but there wasn't any major complaints that I saw either. It was humbling. It make you grateful for the things you have and place you live.
After working a 12 hour shift on top of a full days of activities, I got 3 hours of sleep and went back to work at my normal job. that was not that fun. when I got home I knew I couldn't go to sleep right away or I would wake up at 4 in the morning so I started reading Breaking Dawn. I finished it yesterday. That is one seriously good series. It gets a little silly but for the most part there is enough action and drama and romance to keep you interested. but not so much that it loses the story. I thoroughly enjoyed each book but I think my favorites in order are 4, 3, 1, 2. 4 best 2 worst. but even at its worst it was really good. I know there are a lot of guys out there that think I may be a little girly for reading them, but so what. I liked them. I also like to bake, and decorate. Acessorising isn't my thing. but I like the design part of decorating. My point is I like what I like. Twilight is one of them. I still like football and hunting shows, and motorcycles, and power tools too.

A whole month?!?!

How did that happen? I guess a week went by and then another and then two more! oh well, My blog is inconsequential anyway. So I have not read any books this last month. I have started one, and I even like it, but life got busy and then the olympics, and I just haven't read much. Tomorrow I am probably going to get the latest Twilight book, Breaking Dawn, is that the name of it? so by Friday I should have that one in the bag.

I have been busy working and trying to find a car cheap enough that runs well enough for us. There are some amazing vehicles out there. Most of which are out of our price range, but even the ones that are can be interesting! We found a 78 Civic, looked cool but was won on ebay by a collector. I wasn't pay too much for one of those. I even put a bid in for one of my dream cars. it was a 2006 Jaguar XKR it was a convertible, I prefer hardtop, but I didn't win that one either. Oh well, the search goes on.

Olympics... We only get NBC so I missed a bunch from the other networks, of which I am most disappointed in not seeing was the Handball. I know only a little bit about the sport but it looks really fun. and really cool! I read somewhere that it is like the number two or three team sport in the world behind Soccer. I wish the US had more of that around. good workout, fun, exciting, challenging, tons of action, lots of scoring! what more to sports is there? OK I guess that is enough for the Handball.

I also have received a new assignment in church. I am now the Ward Mission Leader. I am replacing a Former Mission President, but I am super excited about it, and I am looking forward to doing things a little differently, but hopefully just as well! That is also a bit of a vampire for my time. I don't mind, it just is.

I got a comment on the last post from and old friend about boys blogging. I realize I am in the minority. Most of you reading this are probably women. I recognize that typically it is the woman in the family that would do one of these blog things. Well... I don't care. I like it. Mostly I like trying to find obscure pictures for the top of my blog. It also is a way for me to communicate with my wife and family. I know that sounds dysfunctional, and well, it is, but I don't get cut off here, (mom) I don't get interrupted, (kids, they are asleep), and I can re-read things and then delete the things I shouldn't say or don't sound right, (wife). Now tell me, what man wouldn't love to be able to use the delete key in a few conversations with his wife! NONE, we all would! So Becky, I am happy you found my blog, I appreciate it even more you made a comment, and welcome more. BUT, Blogging is not just for girls. I can be a manly guy and still keep a blog!

Book

I finished "One for the Money", it was a good read. Not hard to get into at all. There was someone that told me the author was HILARIOUS, well she was funny but not HILARIOUS. The Next in the series is "2 for the show"

I also just finished a book I heard about on NPR called Sunshine by Robin McKinley. It was a vampire story but it was a little bit weird. I liked it but it was set in some weird future setting where it was a world of people that fought against demons vampires and were people. it sounds really weird like that but it was pretty good. The main character was a baker and also a vampire slayer and magic handler. If I had known it was going to be that weird I don't know that I would have started it, it was good but I wouldn't read a sequel.
It did however inspire me to make Muffins for breakfast this morning. I got the recipe off of allrecipes.com, that is my favorite site for looking up fun things to make. The Muffins had over 2ooo reviews, and the average rating was 4.5/5. They were very good! The picture isn't mine but they looked about like that.

Wild Rabbits

Well I don't know if "wild" is the right word. The neighbor behind us has an acre or two and his land covers the length of the complex we live in and the fence isn't that high. He has a couple of bird feeders and a bird bath and the birds and the squirrels all love it. Well, I have been noticing more and more a little brown rabbit hopping around and usually going toward or away from the vegetable garden. I haven't ever seen a hutch so I assume he is wild, but really how wild could he be. It is kinda cute and it looks well fed.

I really don't have anything all that exciting to post, as you can tell. I have been working and coming home and do a little bit of other stuff in between. I recently have been going out and doing "massage days" at local business', I go and do a ten minute chair massage to the employees. I also give out a little gift bag with a bunch of stuff with the company name, you get the idea. I am also supposed to try and bring them in as new patients if they seem like they would benefit from treatment. Well really, who wouldn't? So I do my thing, and I have got a few people to sign up and come in for an exam and blah blah and per the coupon there is no cost. When someone that I sign up comes in, I get a $25 dollar bonus, plus when they come back and actually become a patient, that $25 turns into $75. So I have been kinda pumped about that since I don't really make much. Well the first 4 people I signed up flaked. one called but the other 3 just never showed up! I was pissed! That could have been an extra $300, that would have been nice. Well on Friday, one finally showed up. and he will more than likely turn into the $75. On the schedule there will more than likely be one more come in, she seemed solid when I scheduled her. So keep your fingers crossed for me that they all come in!
Oh yeah, I also started reading a new book. It is called One for the Money. A brook woman becomes a bounty hunter, that is the premise for the story. it is pretty good, a little bit rough around the edges but fun.
and one more book I would recommend is called "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan, it is all pictures, but a compelling story none the less, it has been done very well!
oh yeah one last thing, Happy Birthday to my favorite Brother in-law in Mountain View with blonde hair and 3 children. Way to go Paul for making it 3 decades!

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blog

There really isn't much to report on for me. Life is pretty much on cruise right now. I go to work, I come home, kids go to bed, we clean up, talk to the Mrs., go to bed. At least that is what is kinda feels like.
The main picture above is of a gadget on igoogle (if you don't know what that is I'll explain in a sec.) that I think funny but feel a little guilty about. The girl falls through space and crashes into the bubbles. it is a very simple idea, but I get great amusement from it.
igoogle gadgets are little features you can add to your google homepage. ig you go to google you can see a little link to igoogle. then you make it your own by adding stuff, that is the link "add stuff" type is boneless girl. and add the gadget. you too will enjoy countless minutes of watching injuries. hint: if she gets stuck, just click and drag her. that can be fun too.
oh yeah when you do the search don't look at too many other gadgets, some (most if not all) are kinda bad.

Bringing Home the Bucks

I got a job. I have had the occasional summer job or job on campus, but this is the first real job that I have been excited about in a long time. There are things that don't excite me. like the pay, but that will be changing soon. SO for any you who don't know, or those of you reading this for the first time. I have been in chiropractic school for the last 3.5 years. I graduated officially on the 13th of June, The ceremony was on the 30th of may and we stayed in California until the 10th. I had been looking for a job around here for the last two months. I was mostly looking for a job in a chiropractic office since I knew for sure I wouldn't be able to practice until the fall because of the National Board exams that I take in November. I hadn't seen anything posted on craigslist.org and I couldn't find anything close by and that looked interesting either. well the day after I got back there were three postings for positions in chiropractic offices. I emailed my resume to 2, One was too far away. I got a call back the next day, I had an interview the next, had a follow up two days after that and started working the next day. I am now employed by Health Source Chiropractic and Rehabilitation. I work for a doc named Dr. Wheeler. I am an assistant there but I am getting some additional training as well. He had a strong business background before he became a chiro, and I am learning so much about running an office already. He also uses a bunch of techniques that I haven't been taught so I am learning that side of things too. I feel like it really has been a great blessing to have to wait to take that last section of tests so that I can grow and learn on his dime and be more ready when the time come for me to branch out on my own. so if any of you know someone that needs some help and they live near Westport in louisville send them my way, cause I get a bonus when I do that.

Big Brad Bounces Back Home

We went to California for 13 days. We went primarily for my graduation and then stayed for visiting with family. We were also hoping that my sister in-law would have their 1st baby while we were there, but she is probably about to have it I right this. We had a blast but were ready to come home! It was strange that after living in the Bay Area my whole life, (minus a mission for church) that when I got off the plane in San Jose and drove around, it didn't feel like home. It felt more like I was visiting the place where I grew up. I knew that the little town of La Grange Kentucky is now my home.

The flight there and back were with Frontier Airlines. I don't know if it was because it was with this airline or if it was because we were going in and out of Denver, but we had more turbulence than I have ever had before. It was AWESOME! I don't know why but I always enjoy it. It feels like a roller coaster but you never see the bumps coming! Sharon however, feels differently. I'll let her tell that story though.
The next big thing was graduation itself. It was a pretty normal graduation. A valedictorian, a couple of old guys talking and people walking around in weird costumes. the cool part was that I won almost every award. I did not win Valedictorian... I know what you're thinking... duh. But I did win the Philosophy, Clinical Excellence, and Student Fellowship awards, I was also recognized for my services in a few of the clubs and organizations I was involved with. Kinda cool. but whatever. I also got a book given to me by our commencement speaker. Also cool. I just wish that stuff would all translate into a job right now, or money coming in.

Also I feel it is important to also share my accomplishment with my wife who has supported me in every step of this long long journey. She married me two weeks after I got laid off from a job and haven't been back to work at a real job since. What a woman. Plus she has been pregnant twice during all this and also stayed at home with the kids teaching them and loving them in a way I never could. On top of all that we lived with Fred for a year and a half of schooling and that alone is worthy of recognition.

We had other good times in California too. we got to see some very good friends, and their two kids and they even brought there little tiny blue chihuahua puppy. It was really cute. We were very tempted to bring back to Kentucky with us. They have been such good friends for a long time, they give us hand me downs and drive all the way from Gault, (right near the middle of no where). Can you tell which one is Holly and which two are Mitchell? We love Holly's fro but she has lately been wanting "BIG HAIR" so maybe we ought to compliment her more when her hair is less "BIG".

Holly and Oscar also had fun with the Hartung tradition of taking a bath in Grandma's kitchen sink. I think this was their first time together too. I am sure it won't be their last. We also got to spend lots of time with cousins at parks, museums, t-ball games, the pool, and had a lot of fun just hanging around with all the other family members and friends. We went out to eat too often and I think Sharon and I both put on about 5 pounds. ugg. The best food we ate was an appetizer at a place called By-th'-Bucket. It was a baked Brie thing with incredible sauce and it was SO GOOD! We then flew home and screwed up the kids sleeping habits and they are still trying to figure out when the right time to go to bed is.

thanks for checking in on me.

Title pictures

April asked where I got the pictures that go behind the title. I get almost all of them from Google images. Usually the pictures have something to do with the most recent post. this one not included. That is the answer. Google images.

Bye Bye Blues

OK, so the blues are over. I still hate job searching but I decided that I could choose to either be bummed or not.

Anyway. I am excited about going back to California and that is what is most prevalent in my mind right now.

I also had something funny happen to me. I was over at my in-laws house and I was playing with Holly in the sand box. I saw a little blueish ball over on the ground by some trees and went to go check it out. It looked like it was a little easter egg. It was the most beautiful blue color. I am pretty sure it was a robin egg. I saw some little white scratches on it and then I saw a little dent with a few cracks in it. I thought that is weird that a plastic egg would have those little cracks in it, mostly plastic eggs just dent, not dent and crack. It was so light it didn't weigh anything. I didn't think it could have been real. So I pushed around the dent a little and my finger went "squish" into what looked like an unfertilized egg. Thankfully there wasn't a bunch of bones and flesh, that would have been nasty! So I chucked the egg over the fence like every good neighbor does. I did look around for a little bit for a nest or other eggs but never saw anything. It was really random. How on earth does an unfertilized robin egg get on the ground near a sandbox.

The other funny thing that has been happening almost daily has been Holly. We are still teaching Holly to go potty, She is pretty good only has accidents once in a while. She almost never has a poop accident. She will go sit on the toilet and then makes a lot of noise. I have never heard such things before especially from my beautiful little girl. So after she is done she says "I'm all done" which is the cue for either Sharon or I to come and do the rest of the clean up. Then we flush and wash our hands. The funny part comes right before we wash our hands. Holly likes to flush the toilet, and when she sees the magic of the toilet happening she says to it "Bye Bye Poo Poo, We'll see you tomorrow" it is very cute.

thought this would be a good place to publish that.

blues

I got the blues. I got the blues
I got the aint got no job blues
I got the I hate looking for jobs to pay the bills blues real bad blues.

Now go back and read that in your best blues sing song voice.

ok so really it isn't that bad but I really do hate looking for jobs. IF anybody has got a suggestion for something to do until I get licensed as a Chiropractor in Dec. let me know. I basically need and extended summer job. or what are the good job listing websites?

This is supposed to be an exciting time of life. I should be all excited about graduating and becoming a productive member of society but instead I am filled with dread. I can't do what I have been trained to do. It sucks. Graduation or not it isn't really "all that" right now

Bloodsuckers

I was in the library this last Monday at lunch I needed a new book. The picture of the old lady is L.M. Montgomery. she wrote Anne of Green Gables. It is a good book. it is one of those books that We have had on the shelf and I never read. Well, I have read it now and I even started the next in the series, but then I had an overwhelming desire to read something more manly. Thus my lunchtime trip to the La Grange public library. I didn't have much time so I just walked down the first row I saw of fiction. I picked up on novel almost got it then walked a few more steps and WAH-LAW !! There it was Bram Stokers Classic! I am about half way and I can feel the manliness starting to come back. (nothing big yet happening, but really close I can tell). So there is my latest book news.

I also got back from the APCC (pronounced A.P. double C, as me an one other have dubbed it) today. For anyone not in the know that is the Aaronic Priesthood Commemoration Camp-Out. Yeah I realize we left off the "O" but that didn't sound right or needed. Anyway, I camped out under the stars for the first time and had a really good time. Thanks to all that encouraged me to go. The stars we're mostly covered by trees and the birds woke me up this morning way to early but they were so pretty I didn't even mind. Overall, I really enjoyed the beautiful world we live in. Everyone should live in KY.

Happy Mother's Day

What a day to celebrate. This morning we celebrated by waking up to Holly yelling "DAD-DY". So off I go running up the stairs at 9 minutes after 7. Pretty good really for both of our children to let us sleep in that late, but then on my way into Holly's room I heard the severe weather warning system start beeping in our room. For anyone who doesn't know what that is, ( I didn't before we moved to KY), it is basically a very loud annoying alarm system that is hooked up to a weather radio station, when big storms, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes etc... come into our county or one of the nearby ones we get warned. So what a lovely way to start mother's day.
Thanks to all those wonderful women who have sacrificed so much of their personal lives in order to nurture, love, and make us as a society better.
To my own mother I wish to offer my eternal gratitude for teaching me the important eternal truths.
To the mother of my children I am humbled each day by your patience and love and all the things you do to make our children's lives wonderful. I love you!

Thunder is really coming now, gotta go!

new book

So I said I would post again when I started a new book. I have been lazy and not gone to a library or bookstore so I have to scrounge around the house looking for books I haven't read. I found one but I'm a little embarrassed about it. So, I will include a picture of the author and if anyone knows who she is then I will post that I am reading a book by her. However I don't want guesses, I want proof that you know who she is. That is my challenge to you all! BWAA HA HA

Book Review

It seems like I only post when I finish a book. But I honestly do have other things going on in my life besides reading. I finished a little book of short stories called Buckskin Run by Louis L'Amour. it is a bunch of westerns. It is a genre i do enjoy but fell like when ever I read them I start talkin wif bad gramars and a thick drawl. I also usually feel like camping, hunting, or drinking after I read them. Well maybe not the drinking but i think you got the idea. I have read a few other things by L'Amour and most of his stuff is really good. I still have the image of one scene in one of his books stuck in my mind. A person was being tortured and a one inch wide strip of skin was "skinned down the front side and then up the back from head to foot and back up. The way it was detailed I could really feel it. it was gruesome but fun to read, (the bad guy deserved it). anyway... maybe when I start my next book I will post again.

It's been two weeks and I have felt slightly guilty about not posting earlier, but when no one comments on the last one (except one friend) you start to wonder if it is being read or if it is worth while to do. But since I am horrible at keeping a journal, this is as close as it gets.

This morning I finished another book. It is called Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. I have read some of her other books so I thought I would read this one too. I am not usually into the fantasy genre, all the fairies and elves, dragons and mythical creatures but it was a fun book to read. I have been reading it seems like a lot of kids or young adult books. Does anybody have a good book for grown ups? I don't mean R rated or romance novels or grisly murder books just something without so many pictures might be nice.

On another note: The Kentucky based Hartungs are doing very well. We are a little uncertain about the future but we know this is the place for to be in right now. There are lots of option for the future. Almost too many, but that is what makes it kinda exciting.

On a bright note, we got a shipment of 125 pounds of shredded foam this week. and we filled up our empty shells of beanbags. we now have 2 big beanbags and they are very fun and comfy. I have already had one nap and am expecting many more to follow. You can get beanbags almost as comfy as mine, ( Me and a friend designed and made mine) at www.gorillabags.com, that is the site that the friend started and is selling something very close to what I have.
enough of the "plugs".

Have a great week, see ya soon cause we are gonna be in California from the 28th of May to the 10th of June!

Badguys and book's

This is Holly's "Bad Guy" face. She will walk around pulling her face down and say in her deepest scariest face "I'm a BAAAD GUUUUY", and then giggle like a little girl. It is really funny. She is wearing a swimming suit because that is her outfit of choice. she would live in a pool if she could.

The other reason for posting is because I finished another book. I know I said I was going to wait a while but really, who was I kidding. I had to know what happened next. I finished Eclipse and the Twilight series. I think the third book was my favorite.I like all the background stories on all the other characters and the building up of the ending. I wish it would have gone on just a little bit longer to go on to what everyone wants to see. but alas, I'll have to wait for the Next book. I heard there is one more coming.
I also think it is ridiculous that Bella might really be in love with Jacob. that is retarded. Please stop spreading any rumor like that.
Everything else is pretty normal in life right now. Last night there was a program in Louisville called "Thunder over Louisville", it is basically the starting point for all the parties leading up to the Kentucky Derby, (which, I guess, is sort of a big deal out here), anyway there is a big air show and a bunch of Fireworks that go off over the Ohio river and off one of the bridges. It goes on for like 30 minutes. It was really impressive. but watching it from TV doesn't do it justice. if it wasn't COLD, wet, and rainy we might have gone to the real thing but there is always next year.
Holly is needing me to read some books to her. Sooooo.....

Brad's Beautiful Babies

So someone wanted to see the kids. well here they are. Oscar is learning early how to defend himself from his big sister.

I also wanted to post that I just finished reading a book today. I started it yesterday and when I read I get a little crazy. It wasn't a horribly big book nor a difficult read but... anyway I read the second book of the twilight series. It is called New Moon by Stephanie Meyers. It was good, It wasn't what i expected but it was fun to read. Sharon only lets me a book once in a while so it should be a few weeks before I read the third one.
I also finished hanging all but 2 or 3 pictures on the walls. That feels good too.

TTFN

Brad's Baby Blog

Well... Here Goes!

We are now officially in Kentucky. The land of large bellies and few teeth. Actually that was our biggest fear but the people are people and are the same everywhere. Unpacking has become a daily routine. We just about have all the boxes unpacked but still have a few missing things. We have one clock hanging on the wall and all the other pictures and photos are either lined up on the floor or in one big well padded box. Holly loves all the room to play and run. She is getting better and better at running up and down stairs. She misses her grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles and Cousins from California and Utah, but loves to play with her cousins out here in "Tucky". Sharon and I are enjoying the landscape coming alive and we have a neighbor that has a couple of big bird feeders that we can see from our back window that brings around all different kinds of birds, (I saw a cardinal for the first time). The squirrels love the seed too. I can see 4 of them on the ground and one inside the bird feeder.
As this is Conference weekend I just finished making 5 dozen Muffins without raisins. We are all enjoying them but might regret it later this afternoon.
I think that is enough for now.