Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2013

Last year I posted about my most anticipated movies for the whole year and I struggled to make a decent list. This year I looked at just the movies coming out in the summer and I'm having issues keeping it to only 10. I even had to add in a section of honorable mentions! Haha. That basically means I don't want to spend $50 at the movies but the movie definitely has potential to be great. Again, this list is only for spring/summer of 2013! Let's get it started baby!

Already Out

Pain & Gain

The Rock and Mark Wahlberg in an action/comedy movie with Rebel Wilson? Uh, sign me up please. I'm hoping to ignore the fact that Michael Bay is the director, but I have a feeling when I watch this I will be reminded of that. Let's hope Dwayne and Marky Mark can make this film enjoyable.

Anticipation Level: Pretty Excited

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May

Iron Man 3

Iron Man 2 was a bit of a disappointment, still good because of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, but the Avengers hit the screens last summer with a huge pop. The excitement for the comic book movies is back this summer and I think IM3 is going to blow away the first two movies in the trilogy. 

Anticipation Level: SUPER EXCITED!!!

The Great Gatsby

This movie looks nothing like how I pictured it when reading this in high school. It looks ten times better! The "old-school futuristic" look along with Leo makes me very interested in how this movie will turn out. This was on the verge of going into honorable mentions - but it looks so fresh compared to other movies.

Anticipation Level: Pretty Excited

Star Trek Into the Darkness

Ok. J.J. Abrams is just amazing. You should know my man-crush I have on him and any project he touches. He made me a Star Trek fan with the original re-make he did a couple years ago. Now, I can't wait to see this. Brittany and I may be there opening weekend - since we share the same love for J.J.

Anticipation Level: SUPER EXCITED!

Fast & Furious 6

Ok, I will admit, I stopped watching these movies at Tokyo Drift. But the fifth installment have been on my radar since it was released. The Rock and the reunion of every character (even Michelle Rodriguez!) in the movies to date make me very interested in this one. If I'm confused, I'll go back and watch 5, but right now I'm just jumping straight to 6.

Anticipation Level: Excited!

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June

The Purge

Ok, this is my sleeper pick for the summer. I watched the trailer and instantly fell in love (is that weird?). The overall plot of the movie is very unique - it opens up for some terrible things to happen during the one night that all crimes are allowed. I cannot wait to see this movie, and surprisingly haven't heard about it until I started making this list. Brittany isn't a fan of "break-into-your-house" movies, so I dunno if I'll have to drag Raleigh or Jason with me to see it.

Anticipation Level: Surprisingly Excited!

Man of Steel

I'm not a Superman fan, at all, but I'm really excited about this movie. That should tell you something. Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan being part of the development definitely helps! It looks the part, no matter what people say about the new costume, I think it looks great. The cast all fits the parts, hopefully the story line holds up. Very very very excited to see Superman this summer. Batman is still better though.

Anticipation Level: Very Excited!

World War Z

Zombies are totally IN right now. Zombie is the new black. Then, add in Brad Pitt...oh man that's a summer movie made in heaven. This is definitely in my top three movies I want to see - I love zombies I love apocalypse movies and I love Fight Club. Boom!

Anticipation Level: SUPER EXCITED!

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July

Grown Ups 2

Listen, I have a rule about movie theaters - I never see Comedies. Paying $450,857 to see a comedy in the theater is ridiculous. There is no benefit to seeing it there, unlike an action flick. Somehow two summers ago, I saw Grown Ups in the theater with a group of friends. They must have paid for it? Haha. I was REALLY happy that I saw it though - it was one of the best comedies I've seen in a while. Now, the sequel comes out and I'll probably be there, watching it again with my friends in the theater. Good job Adam Sandler and crew.

Anticipation Level: Excited!

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August

Kick-Ass 2

The original was one of the most unique movies I've seen over the past five years. It made me laugh, cry, jump up and down and say "YEAH!" The sequel looks just as good, but my interest isn't as high as it is to see the other movies. Honestly, this was close to being dumped to honorable mentions - but then I saw that Jim Carrey is in it...definite top 10 now!

Anticipation Level: Pretty Excited

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Order of Anticipation:

1. Star Trek Into the Darkness

2. Iron Man 3

3. World War Z

4. Man of Steel

5. The Purge

6. Fast & Furious 6

7. Grown Ups 2

8. Pain & Gain

9. Kick-Ass 2

10. The Great Gatsby

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Honorable Mentions

1. Oblivion - Yes, I know it's out already but this (to me) kicked off the summer blockbusters. Tom Cruise, conspiracies, life after Earth and aliens all combine into great potential.

2. After Earth - Will Smith also is a must-have during the summer. This interested me because his son is acting with him, and M. Night Shyamalan is back. He has made a string of bad movies, hopefully Fresh Prince can save him.

3. Pacific Rim - HUGE ROBOTS FIGHTING! Not going to lie, this almost made my Top 10. The concept is pretty sweet, but will probably be just a popcorn blockbuster this summer. Robot Combat League on steroids.

4. R.I.P.D. - I love Ryan Reynolds so that alone got my attention. But then I read the overview of this movie. Dead cops trying to fight to save the world. INTERESTING!

5. Comedies Galore - Hangover Part 3/The Internship/This is the End - All movies I'd like to see, but don't want to spend $40 going to the theater to see them. I'm not a huge fan of seeing comedies in the theater, Grown Ups 2 is on the list because I LOVED the first one. The Hangover series never won me over, though it does have its moments. Loved Wedding Crashers so hoping that The Internship continues the Wilson/Vaughn magic. Usually not a huge fan of Seth Rogan, but the unique plot of these actors playing themselves interests me.

So what did you think? Do you agree with some of these? Are there other movies that you are shocked I didn't include? Am I nuts?! Comment below. 

Twice a Year Blog?

If there isn't already a concept for a twice a year blog, I feel like I've created it. You know, it's kind of like when you are supposed to go into the dentist for a check up...Every 6 months - it's time for an update with the lives of the Burkey's! Better yet, you can read this blog on your phone while getting your teeth cleaned! Woah, that blew your mind didn't it?

Well, let's go ahead and update. Let's see, when was the last time I posted....JULY?! Wow, that's a lot of updating. Time for a bulleted list? I think so.

• The kids are growing, obviously, but at an incredibly fast rate. Like, where the heck does the time go? Micah is 8 and correcting me on everything...he is even beating me at certain video games when I'm trying my hardest (yeah, he doesn't know that). He is doing wonderfully in school - like straight A's all the time. He is rocking it out in soccer. He even scored a goal! Penny is going to be 3 in a couple months. She has all of the sassiness that her Mom has, but she is still pretty laid back and goes with the flow (most of the time) like her Daddy. She is now in Mother's Day Out to get her prepared for pre-school and she is following her brother's footsteps in classroom success. I think soon she will be playing soccer - can't wait to coach her team! Even though I know nothing about soccer! Hello YouTube videos, haha. 
• Current interests of Micah: 
• Minecraft...Minecraft and some more Minecraft. This is like crack to him right now, I dunno what happened but he is completely addicted to it. 
• Skylanders, still. Oh yes, I think we have pretty much kept that company in business with our 50+ figures.
• Soccer. he is starting to look like his Uncle out there. 
• Magic: The Gathering cards. I am not living my childhood through him, I swear! Ok...maybe a little. I kind of suggested he try this out. I know it's super nerdy...but you know, he loves it, it is an advanced game that is teaching him a lot of fundementals and...he isn't in high school yet - so might as well hit this game before he is trying to get girls, right? Yeah, that's how I explained it to Brittany...haha.
• Wrestling. Not only wrestling with me, but he has started watching WWE, including going to his very first Monday Night Raw! Yeah, ladies are going to love him.
• Current interests of Penny:
• Talking. Yes, she does a lot of it. Between Brittany, Micah and Penny I don't think I get a word in most of the time.
• Coloring. She loves to sit down and color on everything. Even the walls right outside our bedroom door with chalk. 
• Anything with a touch screen. Can't tell you how many times Britt has picked up her phone to call someone, only to find her contacts are gone or her home screen is moved around...Or I'll pick up my phone/kindle and there is a layer of finger prints so thick on the screen that I need to get my window scrapper for the car...And Penny sits and watches, laughing hilariously on the inside. I know she is, I can see it in her eyes.
• Being outside. With the nice weather coming around, Penny wants to be outside all the time, playing in the backyard or just wanting to sit and watch the birds. 
• Wrestling. Not really the WWE kind, but the kind where she gets to jump on Daddy and BoBo numerous times, while she laughs to hard her face gets red and she falls over. Micah and her make a good tag-team. 
• Brittany is as amazing as she was last time I posted about her. Without her, I think our world would explode. No, I'm serious...I believe I would blow the house down trying to cook hot pockets or maybe flood the house while trying to give Penny and bath and keep Micah entertained. I have no idea how she does what she does every day with the family - on top of running her own business and diving into huge craft projects whenever she gets the itch. She is such a wonderful woman and I'm so proud to call her my wife. 
• Throughout the rest of 2012, we shot TONS of weddings and became pretty successful in the wedding photography market here in Nashville. I'm proud of the success that she has gained doing something she loves, even if the business-side of that passion can drive us crazy. 
• We just got finished helping Brooke and Raleigh coordinate, design and produce a lot of materials for their Wedding. That's right folks, they finally tied the knot! Brittany did so much work for the wedding, and I am very proud of how it turned out. 
• Coming into the 2013 wedding season, we are gaining momentum again and can't wait to spend my Saturdays with her behind the camera. 
• Current Interests of Brittany:
• Our kiddos. I think this will always be Number 1 for her. She countlessly puts them before herself and that's one of the things I love about her. Those kids are both of our lives, and she does everything she can to be the best Mommy in the world. 
• Our favorite TV shows. Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Revolution, Supernatural, (insert countless chick-flick-esque type shows here). It's her escape in the craziness of the world. Only issue is, she jumps ahead of me on a lot of these shows...when I catch her doing it, it's like she has cheated on me. Haha. And yet...she still does it..................not.cool.
• Crafts. Brittany loves DIY projects. Brittany loves Pinterest. You put the two together and you got a monster. I'm not kidding (See Raleigh and Brooke's wedding) - check her pinterest out...there are dozens, if not hundreds of boards out there with pins...waiting for her to tackle. There are times that I absolutely despise whoever created Pinterest...I have a lot of "Honey To-Dos" because of that site.
• Church and God. It's no secret that both Brittany and I were living life without being heavily involved with church or with God. But over the past year, we have switched churches and have really found our place to get closer with God. We are lucky to say that, honestly. Brittany has really become a big part of our church, stepping into the role of Admin in their office and doing a lot of design work for them. I'm proud of her.
• What have I been into? Well, a lot really. Too much to list out here, so that's why I'll probably start a blog series catching you guys up on my en devours since my last post, in July. There's gotta be a cliffhanger here right? Haha.

Thanks for staying loyal and coming back, with my lack of posts. :)

-The Two-Dad

Life Quote #6

  "Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will. "- Jawaharal Nehru

Big News: Robert Griffin III

Robert Griffin III, or RG3 as media calls him, has officially signed with the Washington Redskins last week. He has fallen under that same old caption that other new quarterbacks or free agents get tagged with when they come to D.C. Expectations are always high to bring this team back to its glory days.

That's right, there was a time when the Redskins WERE ACTUALLY GOOD! I don't remember it, because I was too young. They've won 3 Super Bowls, the most recent one being in 1991. I was...5. Since that time over 20 years ago, they've barely made it to the playoffs...hell they've barely had a winning record.

Each off season they seemed to have brought in the savior, the one that will bring them back to Super Bowl contenders. Names such as Donovan McNabb, Albert Haynesworth, Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Heath Shuler and Patrick Ramsey make me cringe, remembering not only how much they disappointed but how much I gave into the hype of these players.

But there is something different about this kid. This guy is not only a mobile quarterback like McNabb but he tries to throws the ball first...he also has a wonderful arm. He isn't arrogant, cocky and selfish like Albert Haynesworth or Deion Sanders, he knows this is a team sport and he put his Baylor teammates before him many times in his college career. He is also a very likable kid, he has a great personality that has got him on the Jay Leno show twice and commercials with Subway, Adidas and Gatoraid...all before he throws his first NFL pass.

The hype going into this season with a kid like RG3 under center is making fans go crazy. Super Bowl chants have begun, even before preseason. He is the second coming of Jesus to Redskins fans...Listen, I'm not going to buy into the hype this time around. I'm going to let his NFL play get me excited. Or at least, that's what I'm trying to do. It's hard when I see him on three different commercials and he is saying all the right things leading up to camp. I mean, he wears crazy Superman socks (to the right) saying that he is only the cape, leading his team, who are the real Supermen where they need to be. He really puts his team before himself, and that is a big change in most of those names I listed above.

Robert, play as well as you are "playing" this offseason, and I'm going to worship you as most Redskins fans have already started doing. But, I've been burnt so many times by Redskins' "Saviors" that I hope you don't blame me for being a bit cautious to jump on the ship just yet. I'm expecting big things, big things like you did in College last year (below), show me that and I'm all in.

Big News: Penelope is 2!

Penny is two years-old. I cannot believe my eyes when I look at her. It is hard to believe that two years ago was the very first time that I saw my precious baby girl. I remember being so nervous throughout the whole day...in the delivery room I was as pale as a white sheet but I tried to play it off like I was doing alright, for Brittany. But honestly, I was petrified.

Of what, I'm not certain. Maybe I wouldn't be the father she deserved, maybe she wouldn't like me, maybe something horrible could have gone wrong in the delivery...

But so far, I think all my fears have been for nothing. Both Brittany and Penny came out of the delivery room (thank God for that), and I can't judge myself of how good of a father I am but I know that she loves me because of the way she greets me when I get home from work. It never gets old, as soon as I open the door I hear "DAAYYYDDDEEEE!" and she runs up and gives me multiple hugs. It's one of the best parts of my day.

I'm trying to cherish every second I can get with her while she is this tiny. Because as soon as I know it, I'll be watching her drive off to prom, watching her meet our future son-in-law, walking her down the aisle...meeting my grandbabies...

Okaaay, sorry, jumping a little ahead of myself! Penny is two and I'm cherishing her while I can!

Her party was a blast, we had tons of family and friends come over and hangout in the backyard. The backyard was stacked with a trampoline, bounce house, bird house painting and an outdoor movie! I almost think that some of the adults had more fun than the kids, haha! It was great to see everyone and to see Penny have such a wonderful time as a toddler.

These moments are the ones that we need to cherish.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

2011 Redskins Season Highlights

How did we end up 5-11 after watching this?! Haha. Hopefully RG3 will bring some highlights for next year.

Catching Up...

Well, I let this blog fall behind again. So lets hit some key points since my last post:

• Micah's new parenting plan finally got finalized with his father. (That was a lot of Fs...) Things really worked out and I believe we are in a place where we can limit the amount of flareups between both sides. But most importantly, I believe Micah will be happier once we settle into the new agreement.
• I got a new job! That's right! Still with HCA, but I'm the new Communications Coordinator on the HCA Rewards/Benefits team. So far it has been incredible, finally being able to tap into my creative side and really feel like I'm making a difference in the work I do. I put together several newsletters, design posters and fliers, design for web, write content, etc. etc.
• Penny is going to be 2 years old in 4 days...It is unbelievable to say that. She has gotten so big. I can't believe she will be so old...it really makes you think about how fast time moves when you babies are so big. Micah will be 8! 8! I met him when he was just over 2 years old...crazy that little man has been in my life for almost 6 years.
• Penny turning 2 isn't always a great thing...she definitely has hit the terrible 2. Though, we have a system...when she throws a fit Brittany or I will ask to have her hands and for her to look at us. Then we calmly explain to her the situation and she replies with "Okkkay...I sorrryy Daaa-yee" (That's how she says Daddy.)
• The photography business has taken off this wedding season. We don't remember being this busy in previous years. Totally a great thing, but definitely takes us away from the kids more than we want. 
• I've gotten more involved with the church. Brittany and I taught a children's class on Wednesday nights. We went to Gatlinburg with the Youth Group in February. We've been asked to help out more with the Youth Group, and we are getting excited for the possibilities. 
• Lots of new stuff happening with our house. We have hardwood floors now! Well, actually they are vinyl flooring panels that look and feel like hardwood but cost WAY less. We love them.
• We finally repaired our fence, for the most part.
• We turned our backyard into a cool hangout spot for kids and adults, with firepit included! Hopefully we don't burn the neighborhood down.
• We are still getting harassed by the HOA. I'm never going to move into another neighborhood with an HOA.
• We have been living with only one car...kind of rough, but it saves us from having a second car payment. Big shout out to my parents, Jason and Hope, Raleigh and Brooke and whoever else have been chauffeuring me around when I need rides to work or practice.
• Practice? What have I been practicing? Well, my old band, Circean, is putting together a reunion show. We've been practicing over the past few months and it has really came together. Good timing too, since the show is actually this Friday.
• We just got back from our yearly trip to Destin, FL. Had such a wonderful time, I think I want to move there...so laid back and a wonderful environment. 
• Tons of new movies are out that I want to see, many of them from my most anticipated movies of 2012 post several months back. I will write some reviews of the movies I've seen.
• Ummm, the Redskins drafted Robert Griffin III...excited would be an understatement for Redskins fans right now.
• Titans missed out on the Peyton Manning Sweepstakes...we still have Jake Locker waiting on the bench, though.
• Ravens just re-signed my favorite running back, Ray Rice to a 5 year deal. 
• Fantasy Football starts up soon, I'm in 4 leagues, running 2 of them and co-running another...Can't wait!
• I'm still madly in love with my wife, even if she does give me a lot of honey-to-dos. She is my best friend and I don't know where I would be without her. We will be married for 4 years this October.

I think that's about it! I'm sure I left out a lot of things, but I'll add those when I get to them. :)

Hopefully my lack of updates haven't lost some readers! <3

Serve The Ball!

Well, today was a special day. Not really in a good way but as in an important day. It starts a new chapter in our book. Actually, it might even start a new book because I have a feeling there will be some fires blooming from our history. Not that there is anything to hide, but I'm sure it will catch fire regardless.

That's alright though. We are ready with our own embers to release and we aren't afraid to use them. This is a different than last time. She has something that she didn't have the first time - me. I'm not afraid. We aren't going to back down. We have each other and we will fight for what we believe in.

You may think there's nothing to worry about, but head's up...we ready for you. Ball's in your court.

Life Quote #5

 "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persucutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Grading the 2011 NFL Season

Well, the 2011/2012 NFL football season is over. All in all, actual football was pretty dull throughout. Fantasy football on the other hand was awesome! I won two leagues!

But, the Redskins still suck, the Titans were almost playoff contenders and the Ravens were one game away from the Super Bowl.

Sound familiar?

Then, add that Eli Manning and his Giants beat Tom Brady and the Bradettes and everything sounds so 2007. I was rooting for the Giants in the SB, but honestly that’s not saying much. I haven’t been a fan of the Patriots since they won their three super bowls in the 2000s. Tom Brady is a bit into himself and his wife is a bit too outspoken about Brady’s teammates.

The Giants on the other hand are one of my team’s biggest rivals. Eli is as interesting as a dust bunny blowing in the wind. But, I was going for the baby Manning to receive more rings than Peyton, especially in Peyton’s house.

But overall, the season was pretty dull for a hopeless Redskins fan...though this was pretty awesome:


This guy is always good as always:


And this was just straight cool:

Let’s look at my favorite teams and how they did this year:

Redskins

Rex Grossman and John Beck are making Donovan McNabb look like superman. Really, what was Shanahan thinking going with Grossman and Beck this year? We need a QB and we need it bad. I only see two options that I’d be happy with: 1. They pursue Peyton hard and get him here, then spend their draft picks and a little more moola to get him weapons on offense. 2. They trade up and get Robert Griffin III and use free agency to bring in some weapons for him. They need a QB, and need it bad, I’m tired of being in the NFC East cellar and I know Daniel Snyder is too.

Titans

Well, Chris Johnson really screwed up his season this year eh? Where did he go? Did he finally get his payday or was he just out of shape all season? Jake Locker was brilliant when he was in, but looks like Hasselbeck will continue to drive the offense. Kenny Britt got hurt, yet again, but was a shining star before the injury. He needs to stay healthy this year if the Titans have any hopes on building on this season. I think they will contend for the playoffs again – but will fall short due to inconsistency with Hasselbeck.

Ravens

They are aging and aging fast. Ray Rice can only carry the team so far. Other people have to step up and turn their game face on in the playoffs. I don’t think this squad will ever make it to the big game. They do continue to pop out great seasons consistently and as long as Ray Lewis breaths purple and black, the Ravens will have a least an opportunity to make it to the super bowl. Ray Rice is the reason for the success though, without him this team would be trembling in the AFC North.

Predictions for the Redskins in the 2012/2013 season:

Redskins will pursue Peyton Manning hard, but will come up short and he will land in Miami. This will lead the Redskins to consider Kyle Orton (ew) or trading a lot to get RG3. They will do the latter and grab the likes of Pierre Garcon or Vincent Jackson to help the young rookie out. Leonard Hankerson will develop as the WR2 and Santana Moss will find consistency as a WR3. The defense will continue to progress and Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo will dominate the league in sacks. They will fall short of the playoffs however. 2013 will be their playoff return.

What Everyone is Talking About: Skylanders

Wow. These things are so freaking cool. I'm not going to lie...I think I'm a little more addicted to these things than Micah is.

I found myself playing this game long after Micah went to sleep last night. By myself, at 9pm, while Brittany was reading a book (a much more adult-like thing to do than playing a kid's video game).

BUT, don't let her fool you. Brittany is also into this game. She has her own Skylander and has already picked out two more that she wants to buy. Sorry babe, had to sell you out so I didn't  look like the only crazy parent.

So...what is this little action figure statue thing that you are looking at as you are reading this post? Well, it just happens to be the coolest invention in video games to have ever been released.

Yes, I went that far.

That action figure is Prism Break. One of the 30+ figures you can buy, ranging from ninja elves, dragons, robots and tiki-men. Now, just look at that picture. That figure is pretty awesome isn't it? Well, wait and wrap your brain around this. Skylanders isn't just an action figure game...it is a video game...involving said action figures. What?

So, you buy the game, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure (that's right 90s game nerds, Spyro is back!) and you get three action figures and an add-on to your gaming system called a portal. You hook this portal onto your gaming system and you now have access to the Skylanders world. All you do is pick up Prism Break, place him on the portal and BOOOOOM. He appears in the video game. NO I'M NOT KIDDING! (Video below shows how it works if you are confused.)

In the game you level up Prism Break (or one of the other many heroes) as he goes through this epic journey to get back what the Skylanders once called home from an evil villain named Kaos. Oh, hey Little Timmy just called and wants you to come over his house and play Skylanders...but...I was leveling up my Prism Break. NO NEED TO WORRY LITTLE FELLA! All you do is take your Prism Break action figure over to Little Timmy's house, place it on HIS portal and YOUR Prism Break comes into HIS game with all the gear, powers and level he was at your house.

That's right, all game data involving each action figure gets saved into the physical action figure. So you can bring it anywhere, anytime. This is literally Pokemon on a whole different level, a really fun and family building level. The only negative to these bad boys is there are over 30 of them...so between Micah, Brittany and I we want about all of them...and at $7.99 each...the Burkey family might be broke for quite a while.

Check out this video that demonstrates how awesome this game is. Parents, if your kids don't have this game yet (it's available for every system and the PC) you need to purchase ASAP or your kids will be eating lunch all by themselves at school today.

...just kidding about that last part...you kid will just be jealous of the coolness that is SKYLANDERS!

Hello There 2012: Hiccups

Well, it's 2012.

Where the heck did 2011 go?

I can't believe how fast this past year went. I know everyone says that...but literally 2011 felt like a BLINK of an eye. Penny is a year and half now, looking bigger and bigger to me each day. She is clearly saying various words and understanding everything and anything I tell her it seems.

Micah is just huge. Sometimes to big for my own good, often I end up hurt in our wrestling matches now and it isn't because of the wedgies. He is super smart, nothing gets by him anymore. He is doing so well in school...he is just so grown up now, totally different than 2010.

2011 was a great year but went by way to fast. I realized this when I made the Christmas video (which is in the below post) and saw how big the kids are. How much I missed by not absorbing everything that goes on each day. I think we all get in too much of a routine to appreciate the daily struggles that take us away from that routine. In the moment those struggles are just an obstacle but when you look back on it they were moments that were unique and trying to break free of the daily muttle. (Is that a word?)

Most resolutions involve loosing weight or saving up money (both are things that I would love to do). But this year I'm going to go against the norm. This year I'm going to appreciate those little hiccups in the daily routine. So what if that puts me behind the schedule that I've written in my head that nobody else knows about. I'm going to accept those hiccups, flick off the daily routine and make them the best possible hiccups anyone could ask for.

I need to appreciate what I have sitting in front of me more than dreaming about what I could have or where I could be. 2012 is going to be about appreciation more than saving or loosing things. Hopefully we can all learn to appreciate hiccups in our daily schedule, it makes life interesting and worth living for.

Christmas 2011 at the Burkey's

The Dark Knight Rises Official Trailer

Finally the new Batman movie has a full length trailer, and I'm more than excited about this! And yes, that is Hines Ward out running the exploding football field! Haha, it looks so great. Check out The Dark Knight Rises first full length trailer!

2011 Holiday Christmas List for Geeky Dads

Are you wondering what to get me for Christmas or my birthday? Yeah, that’s right, you’ve probably forgotten that my birthday is coming up as well since it is between Xmas and New Years, it’s ok I’m used to it ;). Or are you just wondering what to get your husband, son, boy friend? This is the best gifts to get a man like me on that special day in December.

Get ready to get your mind blown with great ideas.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire - $199.99

Tablets are like the new black aren’t they? Well, this one is the real deal for an amazing price. Especially if your dude uses Amazon services already for music and movies, this will allow him to access all his files already on his Amazon account, plus FREE CLOUD STORAGE. If you don’t know what cloud storage is, just know that it is AWESOME and your man probably knows what it is. For the price (less than half the price of an iPad), this thing will be a REALLY popular gift this year. Especially paired with some Amazon Gift Cards.

Flat Screen HD TV - $300-$4,000

Quite a large price difference here eh? Well, it all depends how big of a TV your man is wanting to watch football on. An acceptable size around 32" could be around $300 while the new 80" can be in your living room for a whooping $4,000. Actually the 80" would be more like your living room is in your TV. Any who, there can never be too many televisions in the house, right guys?

Video Games - $30-$60

You know you hate Video Games, but men love them. There are TONS of games out right now that I’m sure you can find something just right. Games from Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Elder Scrolls Skyrim, Madden 2012, Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword, Uncharted 3…I can go on and on here. If you aren’t sure what game to get him, just grab a gift card to Gamestop or Best Buy and let him go nuts!

Manly Movies - Die Hard or Rambo - $10-$20 each

What guy doesn't love the classic action flicks where things blow up and guys rule all? The Die Hard series is amazing, the first one being the best and should be in every guy's collection. Sylvester Stallone takes everyone to guy heaven in the Rambo movies. Either one of these series is a given for every guy to own or to have at least seen.


Manly Shows - The Walking Dead or The Game of Thrones - $35-$50 each

The Walking Dead and The Game of Thrones cater to two different types of guys, or the same guy in my case ;). A zombie Apocalypse or a medieval political war drama? Both filled with amazing characters and storylines, both filled with tons of blood, sex and survival. What more could a guy ask for? If your dude owns these the Game of Thrones book series or the Walking Dead graphic novel might be a great addition!

Star Wars Ultimate FX Lightsaber - $30

Ignore the kids in this video. Raleigh and I are buying each other these for Christmas so we can flip around like a Jedi. These have to be the coolest toy lightsabers made and at a wonderful price. Don’t  lie, your dude is a kid at heart and when he picks this up he will feel the force coursing through his veins.

Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

The following are trailers for some movies that I’m looking forward to. Even though I’ve become more of a TV show watcher, I’m excited to see what 2012 brings to the big screen.

February

The Woman in Black

This movie looks so creepy! You know me and my family are all really into creepy ghost stories. Not to mention Daniel Ratcliffe starring in it (Britt, Raleigh and Brooke are HUGE HP fans).

Anticipation Level: Pretty excited

March

The Hunger Games

Probably one of my favorite book series I’ve ever read. The movie looks to be following the book very closely and the casting has been mostly spot on! This will probably be the most anticipated movie for me in 2012, because I’m such a huge fan of the books.

Anticipation Level: SKY HIGH!!

May

The Avengers

Come on, I have to see this even if I’m not sure how well it will be handled. I have a bad feeling that having so many superheroes in one movie might make it a little cramped. But Robert Downing Jr.’s Iron Man is still great, even with Captain America and Thor stealing some screen time.

Anticipation Level: Looking forward to it

Men in Black 3

Another movie I have to see just based on the title! Come on, Men in Black! I loved the original as a kid and can’t wait to see how they handle the third. Will Smith is the man and to me, will never be overused. WHAT’S THAT STAND FOR MEN IN BLACK!

Anticipation Level: Excited!

June

Snow White and the Huntsman

I’m actually very excited about this version of the Snow White story. Coming off the heels of ABC’s Once Upon a Time, this fairy tale story seems to be getting re-done in a number of different ways. This one looks like the most promising. (Twilight fans will go nuts for Kristen Stewart.)

Anticipation Level: Very Intrigued!

July

The Amazing Spider-Man

Rebooting the Spider-man series so soon? Usually I’d be irritated by such a quick reboot, but I saw the trailer and honestly I’m more excited about this movie than the original Spider-man with Tobey McGuire. They seem to be sticking to the very cool storyline to the new animated show. Hopefully they do this right.

Anticipation Level: If they do it right, I’m really excited!

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises

Ok, now…I’m going to try and contain my excited for this as much as possible. AHHHH! I can not wait for this movie to come out. The Dark Knight has to be one of my favorite movies behind The Lord of the Rings. This would be the only other movie that would compete with The Hunger Games for most anticipated movie.

Anticipation Level: FREAKIN’ STOKED!

Not much going on between July and December (as of yet).

December

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

A prequel to my favorite movie series ever release? Oh yes please. I believe this takes on a more family friendly environment than that of Two Towers or Return of the King, but I can’t wait. Legolas cameo in the works as well? Uh, no brainer.

Anticipation Level: VERY EXCITED!

No Official Trailer out yet for the Hobbit!

Order of Excitement:

1. The Hunger Games

2. Batman: The Dark Knight Rises
3. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

4. Men in Black 3

5. The Amazing Spider-Man

6. Snow White and the Huntsman

7. The Woman in Black

8. The Avengers

Life Quote #4

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Favorite Movie of all Time: The Lord of the Rings

"I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise. "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to. I don't mean to."

Recently, Brittany, Raleigh, Brooke and I have started to watch the Lord of the Rings movies. Brittany has never seen these amazing films and we set out to show her what she was missing. She actually loves it so far, that’s how awesome my wife is. It didn’t surprise me though, since she liked movies like Harry Potter and shows like Game of Thrones.

Why have these movies become my favorites? I honestly have to say the characters. There are so many wonderful characters that you follow with multiple different storylines that all lead to the same thing. The fellowship has sworn to protect little Frodo Baggins as he treks across the world of Middle-Earth, defending against orcs and evil wizards. Who would not like this? Well, most women and men with letterman jackets, that’s who. But that isn’t surprising.

Any ways, the characters and story just leave me wanting more when the story finally concludes. Frodo, Sam, Pyp and Merry all hit special heartstrings throughout the conquest. The slow transformation from happy-go-lucky Frodo to dark-ring-possessed hobbit is one of the saddest stories in the series. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli all bring the hardcore moments, namely Legolas who has to be the coolest of all the characters. Then, there is Gandalf, the wonderfully powerful wizard who takes on a Balrog head on screaming one of the most recognizable quotes in movie history, “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!”

Oh man, just got goose bumps.

In just about everything I watch I need great characters that I care about. Lord of the Rings is by far one of the strongest showings of characters in anything I’ve ever followed. The journey to Mordor is one of the most compelling stories told and Legolas taking out orcs with his bow made me stand up and cheer.

If you haven’t watched The Lord of the Rings yet, please take a night to try out the first movie. I know it’s not for everyone but it is definitely worth giving a try. 

What Everyone's Talking About: Jake Locker

Going into this Sunday’s game neither one of my teams had a favorable game. The Titans were taking on the New Orleans Saints and the Redskins had to deal with the New England Patriots. Both games I thought would be a blow out and I’d be disappointed. However, I was proven wrong in both matchups.

Well, I was disappointed but it wasn’t because it was a blow out, they both had a chance to win the game in the final seconds! But, my biggest surprise was the young rookie QB for the Titans who stepped up for an injured Matt Hasselbeck.

It seemed as though Hasselbeck was going to come back in after aggravating his calf in the first quarter, but even so I got a little nervous seeing a rookie QB come out against one of the league’s best. There was no way that a rookie could come in and lead a team against the super bowl champs from a few seasons ago.

My apologies Jake Locker, I stand corrected.

J-Lock was phenomenal in several areas of his play this past Sunday. But this wasn’t the first time we have seen him play this well, several weeks ago he almost led the team to a win in a 23-17 game against the Falcons. When he came into the game it was 23-3 and toward the end of the third quarter.

Yesterday’s game only adds to that success. In three quarters Locker was able to pop up several great plays, including a touchdown run that only Reggie Bush could mimic (video and picture in this post). He got hit at about the 4 yard line but was able to stretch the ball out over the goal line as he was propelled out of bounds. The ball crossed over the top of the pile-on and it was his first rushing score. This wasn’t a ginger push out of bounds either, it was a hard hit and it only showed the toughness of the young and thirsty Locker.

On the next drive he lofted a picture perfect pass to Nate Washington (who has been having a breakthrough season of his own) for a long touchdown. By picture perfect I mean it couldn’t have been any better.

The Saints answered back though, so Locker was working on a game tying touchdown drive with only a few minutes left in the game. Locker took a tremendous hit and was on his back for several minutes. He was taken out for one play while the hobbled Hasselbeck threw an easy screen pass to CJ, then the tough rookie came back onto the field for more.

They didn’t score on that drive, but they did get led right back down the field by Locker to the 5 yard line with only seconds left. Locker scrambled and mistakenly took a sack instead of trying to throw it out of bounds or go for points. Time expired and it was a heartbreaker in Nashville. The Titans were only 5 yards from taking the game into overtime.

I’m not blaming Locker at all for the loss, if anything he was the reason we were in the game. If there is any bright spots from yesterday’s game it was that J-Lock has a promising future for the Titans. He is the hope that Nashvillians have wanted since McNair departed.

Go get ‘em #10!

Weekend Grade: Micah's Birthday Weekend!

How would you grade your weekend? I would have to grade mine a big fat A+. This was one of the best weekends I’ve had in a long time and it was mostly lived through my little man’s excitement. Micah is now 7 (almost – his real bday is Wednesday). SEVEN freaking years old! Where has the time gone? I can’t believe he is that old.

I remember the first time I met the little guy, he was only 2 and was really shy to come down the steps at Kim and Randy’s house to say hi. Little did I know that he was so full of personality!! Hah. I love this little guy and I was so glad to hear him say things as “This is the best day of my life!” or “I wish this day would never end!” It made Brittany and my weekend to hear the little dude say those things. So glad he had a blast!

Now, you might be wondering what we did? WELLLLLLLL. It started on Saturday, we went to Chuck E. Cheese and had a blast with all of his friends and family. Then, came back home and opened all of his wonderful presents and within an hour we had a houseful of kids! We played Beyblades, video games and had an epic nerf sword and gun battle.

The next morning the kids woke up and played more video games and beyblades, we cooked them a feast of a breakfast and tried to recover some of our strength. Then, we took Micah and Penny to see the Christmas lights at Opryland Hotel and went out to eat at the Old Spaghetti Factory. We finally got home around 9 and gleefully fell back into our beds in excitement that the kids had such a great weekend.

So glad Micah had such a great birthday weekend before heading off to his Dad’s for a week and ½, next time we see him more excitement will ensue on Christmas Eve!

Weekend Grade: A+ with no hesitation.