tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-878016536888749872024-03-19T04:27:54.068-07:00the mcwhortersthe McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-51828585578010194132010-01-08T21:44:00.000-08:002010-01-08T21:45:32.205-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGLkC8Hxt6TJWszDCJQzOUrPUTwdOOMw4GX0etng9GJlte7G5UDWmDSlTqc6aqkB_TPKkJXv6BWPiNJiM6OSJpJS04DRQ4Dqv47khRp-XcTFFirHpJ4VK2IAzqskOhOHHz8QMOeYeOyA/s1600-h/DSC01656.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGLkC8Hxt6TJWszDCJQzOUrPUTwdOOMw4GX0etng9GJlte7G5UDWmDSlTqc6aqkB_TPKkJXv6BWPiNJiM6OSJpJS04DRQ4Dqv47khRp-XcTFFirHpJ4VK2IAzqskOhOHHz8QMOeYeOyA/s400/DSC01656.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424612079136464866" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-4153182725680960912009-03-17T21:08:00.000-07:002009-03-17T21:59:15.545-07:00El OrfanatoOur landlord, Medea, recommended a movie to us a while back. Her enthusiasm for the movie caused us to really want to see it. <br />So we did.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyz_RkpxoQD22oZVLaPF1XbCs3aWUNTGAkRPvOvqAS48YwIbX3DJXL4cWDt2EDKVJn1hPwfS8I-d4d9OHJ8yA4CWqsOikK-Ixt2SZdT8SvkWSdhweuSabv6hj2sheE5j4TZ6UyLe94iE/s1600-h/TheOrphanageMoviePoster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyz_RkpxoQD22oZVLaPF1XbCs3aWUNTGAkRPvOvqAS48YwIbX3DJXL4cWDt2EDKVJn1hPwfS8I-d4d9OHJ8yA4CWqsOikK-Ixt2SZdT8SvkWSdhweuSabv6hj2sheE5j4TZ6UyLe94iE/s400/TheOrphanageMoviePoster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314383002148462770" /></a><br /><br />She told us it is called "the Orphanage" and I remember her mentioning something about subtitles... Little did I know there wasn't a word of English in this movie! It is entirely in Spanish - hence it's title. <br /><br />This movie was so good! It was weird that a genuinely scary movie could also have such a great story (Whitney cried at the end). <br />It was creepy, is was funny, it was a Spanish lesson... all the things I could ever want in a movie. There aren't many movies that I would watch again right after seeing it the first time, but this one I would. Let us know who's in and we'll have a private screening at the McWhorter cottage (you bring the bagel bites). <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuQJeYwVWk5ofsJuC7-ERemqeHzRkkynzGTbz4ciQOIEh8inlBdsncMnO_p_FEVyEMibipE4YgkhtQKF9wuHxRZActbZr2oB8t9xgnhzHk1a9QWNN4Hq2n8MNW5akuRa1tg02M4iLsvk/s1600-h/Jon+Up.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 77px; height: 96px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuQJeYwVWk5ofsJuC7-ERemqeHzRkkynzGTbz4ciQOIEh8inlBdsncMnO_p_FEVyEMibipE4YgkhtQKF9wuHxRZActbZr2oB8t9xgnhzHk1a9QWNN4Hq2n8MNW5akuRa1tg02M4iLsvk/s400/Jon+Up.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314387510005149426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZtLE6dGiJvLFm8gjPHt48k4ciQcxzvmrfmSjozfUqqmmxg-u8mZO-5iL3irBrbaTFQyjosIpoAMUWbLzU9uKMseOXJaJLXO9RP2eHYfUKrrqe3c9j87kLuKrPptd6N0XRvmeBp7RxdM/s1600-h/Whit+Up.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 77px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZtLE6dGiJvLFm8gjPHt48k4ciQcxzvmrfmSjozfUqqmmxg-u8mZO-5iL3irBrbaTFQyjosIpoAMUWbLzU9uKMseOXJaJLXO9RP2eHYfUKrrqe3c9j87kLuKrPptd6N0XRvmeBp7RxdM/s400/Whit+Up.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314387505350790674" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-90558157728300155652009-02-06T20:22:00.000-08:002009-02-06T21:15:21.934-08:00random thingsI know we haven't blogged in quite a while so this is going to be a random post. We had a pretty fun January '09. The Hoehne's posted a couple of those events. We've seen a lot of good movies, we had a fun Super Bowl Sunday, and my baby sister is no longer a teen. And recently Jon and I decided it's more fun when we cook together, so here are a couple of things we made. We're ameatures...<br /><br />Pizza...Jon's favorite.<br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0ARXmIzDF-DBjZ4V5mAJr56cPwXLe12WuAtfO9hjDM_7mZkgJ5q0oTC3n62Af-DGf3j6aKPXDgD6udpWpsYCyH2KXfrSzGX7RvxJlOz6pQQk2rv0rX5kOWHU6lsYoCqlPNDaOt3WLGw/s400/DSC01519.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299916116086523698" /><br /> <br />Chicken Parmesan<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fQjLg8TqqQrGYYRbQ-bkGJfpUtPH0NcR7n-I9olgOd2jDsjAtXRDUhijvLb-1ZzNeCW1rlbiUMP-bPUVWe_lXIDFdRByQCGj1uimNjLJMCfEBftXE3FcjZIzTo4jjBwyD-DuXWlZTmw/s1600-h/DSC01521.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fQjLg8TqqQrGYYRbQ-bkGJfpUtPH0NcR7n-I9olgOd2jDsjAtXRDUhijvLb-1ZzNeCW1rlbiUMP-bPUVWe_lXIDFdRByQCGj1uimNjLJMCfEBftXE3FcjZIzTo4jjBwyD-DuXWlZTmw/s400/DSC01521.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299917183013970818" /></a><br /><br />And we have been watching these two princesses once a week.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5VChXY_gIDhE2770F9SLoum59rJTKUCmyPhuddFGOjtCjxE93gXIpc47Fw2wZqeYE2XK1Vf2_dDVEbClUfBCzlt4vZA1pAhJSBD2gfvrJ_MCnD5uUvPq5DucA_JRUqJxO3oIeDJOFXE/s1600-h/DSC01524.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5VChXY_gIDhE2770F9SLoum59rJTKUCmyPhuddFGOjtCjxE93gXIpc47Fw2wZqeYE2XK1Vf2_dDVEbClUfBCzlt4vZA1pAhJSBD2gfvrJ_MCnD5uUvPq5DucA_JRUqJxO3oIeDJOFXE/s400/DSC01524.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299918016899999074" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-41071224637096745042009-01-10T20:44:00.000-08:002009-01-10T23:07:26.431-08:00Our HomeFor those of you who have yet to visit our home, we wanted to post a picture for you to see. We are proud of our little cottage (although we only rent it).<br />Here it is.<br /><br />our street...<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3186421225_66d7613e28.jpg" title="street by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3186421225_66d7613e28.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="street" /></a><br /><br />our house...<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3186421077_70abfeab11.jpg" title="house by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3186421077_70abfeab11.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="house" /></a><br /><br />one of the tall, skinny palm trees on our street...<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/3187260638_844658b04d.jpg" title="palm by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/3187260638_844658b04d.jpg" width="320" height="500" alt="palm" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-12120901975683734472008-12-27T11:34:00.000-08:002008-12-27T12:52:35.206-08:00Our First ChristmasHere's the summary:<br /><br />We can comfortably be categorized as 'less than wealthy,' to put it politely, so when it came time to decorate our house for Christmas we drew upon the most wonderful of resources - wedding gift cards. It only took a $50 card to wal-mart to establish the beginnings of our Christmas decor. Since our cottage has some personality even without decoration, it didn't take much to turn it into a festive Yuletide getaway. A bargain box of tree ornaments, some garland and lights for the mantle, and cinnamon scented pine cones helped make our first Christmas special. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37ZXcNV7kHpBn9el6ye-mf66dL1nD8JxQqkn3fuAvV8lqI6bqrRiWFYo8k0vuhhpkVHIfEkH8LrFPc6RaCOg5JTE_Xw3TYfyA3MBL2zJcriseCLQl3Kk44TU6iWN7yLu0yfbn95hLklY/s1600-h/IMG_0043.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 356px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37ZXcNV7kHpBn9el6ye-mf66dL1nD8JxQqkn3fuAvV8lqI6bqrRiWFYo8k0vuhhpkVHIfEkH8LrFPc6RaCOg5JTE_Xw3TYfyA3MBL2zJcriseCLQl3Kk44TU6iWN7yLu0yfbn95hLklY/s400/IMG_0043.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284567944833406034" /></a><br /><br />Being 'less than wealthy,' we were forced to be creative and have fun rather than wallow in our lack of riches. One trip to Target proved most rewarding without spending a dime. Here were the rules: we had an imaginary budget of $100 to buy a gift or gifts for each other. Upon entering the store, we split up and rushed to (what we thought) were each other's favorite isle. We picked out what gifts we would purchase, then met at a neutral location. First, I took Whitney to the present I picked out for her...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUO6M5I6JRpN9IHhZqcSv6TTukRdS66O9anIqRmdrewLG-zbBir3Sn4g4dDVUNslOEkR1cZBXzdfSjE3zqkyP14I4lHY63CDjJ0gaIUxvs6-EePG-92wlEru8eUw4y_BGRoNKDFRPB5Y/s1600-h/IMG_0044.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 356px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUO6M5I6JRpN9IHhZqcSv6TTukRdS66O9anIqRmdrewLG-zbBir3Sn4g4dDVUNslOEkR1cZBXzdfSjE3zqkyP14I4lHY63CDjJ0gaIUxvs6-EePG-92wlEru8eUw4y_BGRoNKDFRPB5Y/s400/IMG_0044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284567957420013826" /></a><br /><br />It was a beautiful white vanity set that I knew she would love. Priced at $99.99, it was just within my hypothetical budget (tax didn't matter since we didn't purchase anything)! And she picked for me a great jacket that I loved plus the DVD set of Planet Earth! I love it! We each felt the joy of giving without feeling the pain of purchasing. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuFYKSaJydFdBIrQxRFJt1Qk_rGQcxUWvl1SMWitUdgUDE6qaIdwisM5O3jk2UIG4Tu4FlM-38lp6jhTE6LRAx-6cLWMPDQ6ELAbMhdq6PjMQ04A09Q3nb5V2vSRydyWxbVkfRzKgCXA/s1600-h/IMG_0045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 356px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuFYKSaJydFdBIrQxRFJt1Qk_rGQcxUWvl1SMWitUdgUDE6qaIdwisM5O3jk2UIG4Tu4FlM-38lp6jhTE6LRAx-6cLWMPDQ6ELAbMhdq6PjMQ04A09Q3nb5V2vSRydyWxbVkfRzKgCXA/s400/IMG_0045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284567955474108658" /></a><br /><br /><br />Christmas day was special for us. We were blessed to spend time with Whitney's family throughout the day. My parents and sister drove down to spend time with us a few days before Christmas which yielded wonderful quality time. <br /><br />A list of favorite gifts:<br />2 Disneyland annual passes!!!<br />2 sets of fine China<br />5 disc Planet Earth DVD set (yessss!)<br />1 amazing Kerurig individual cup coffee maker <br />A plethora of gift cards<br /><br />To be honest, I realized recently that no matter what the bank statement says we are not, by <span style="font-style:italic;">any</span> means, poor. It is a worldly temptation to think of ourselves as poor, when in reality, by God's graciousness we have so much. How can we be poor with a family who loves us so much, and a loving, fun group of friends to experience life with? How can we be poor when there's food on our table and freshly brewed, delicious coffee in our mugs? <br /><br />It is amazing to remember God's words to Abraham way back in Genesis 12 when He said "in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Add to that Jesus' descending to earth to become flesh - the reason for this whole season - coming to die and redeem mankind to himself. God's love for his people and Jesus' perfect sacrifice can provide the richest blessing we can ever experience on earth - and I hope you have. <br /><br />I hope that you too had a blessed Christmas.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-63925438965935104112008-12-08T22:23:00.000-08:002008-12-08T22:49:42.627-08:00Our Hearts Will Go OnJon and I were extremely privileged to attend a once-in-a-lifetime concert. We saw Celine Dion at Staples Center in LA! <br /><br />My grandpa pulled some strings and got us tickets to see Celine. Not only did our tickets come with a parking pass, but we sat in the Premier Seating section (eighth row)! <br /><br />If you didn't know, I am one of Celine's biggest fans, so needless to say I was quite excited. Jon didn't seem as excited as I was about it beforehand, but he hasn't stopped talking about Celine since. With all of the wardrobe changes and the amazing back-up dancers and even Celine herself busting out a few moves, the night could not get much better. Basically, it is one of the best shows we've ever seen. <br />Here are some iphone pictures of the night. They are poor quality and make our seats look far away, but its deceiving...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFelMZ9R52KK1WlHhduKT2MFJ8rOWOQAHnKeBEkbCoqYovH-6iHD1Vl8BsSsXPudVxLsQIcW9xz8Zj4th81gKchQ9_EfKQSAmQbVNuYhNPKQOek2Sp6syGXO8pChsGX_b_Id45UiXvAvA/s1600-h/IMG_0041.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFelMZ9R52KK1WlHhduKT2MFJ8rOWOQAHnKeBEkbCoqYovH-6iHD1Vl8BsSsXPudVxLsQIcW9xz8Zj4th81gKchQ9_EfKQSAmQbVNuYhNPKQOek2Sp6syGXO8pChsGX_b_Id45UiXvAvA/s400/IMG_0041.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277676801768516786" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnUP7vQDw17JlNyddk86p69it-bN13x3X4H4nTBjuvCWCgvGJIRDVunjstJhfKEEQSTuhLg8mRGfgc_ZwWJsM5piadWsjy0ThUAntOA84DxOsXeAVYisPX50IpqhTYb1jxg4P11jVjog/s1600-h/IMG_0128.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnUP7vQDw17JlNyddk86p69it-bN13x3X4H4nTBjuvCWCgvGJIRDVunjstJhfKEEQSTuhLg8mRGfgc_ZwWJsM5piadWsjy0ThUAntOA84DxOsXeAVYisPX50IpqhTYb1jxg4P11jVjog/s400/IMG_0128.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277676810432473730" /></a><br /><br />This 38 year old "guy" in the row ahead of us knew every word to every song. At the beginning of most songs he would jump up in excitement and do interpretive movements while singing "his" heart out.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFklxQHh-nd4o53KvRmLOqbqbxNHqMmZO_3ChK8I8hLskzZ_h7la9A_7-78zLsWPFnRD0exEoiprcHS1XX_roCa5k338V0sz-2N-JKOJNQtbQlbvyw_PC9JkLMfnS1pADxk3_-9WVON2s/s1600-h/IMG_0038.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFklxQHh-nd4o53KvRmLOqbqbxNHqMmZO_3ChK8I8hLskzZ_h7la9A_7-78zLsWPFnRD0exEoiprcHS1XX_roCa5k338V0sz-2N-JKOJNQtbQlbvyw_PC9JkLMfnS1pADxk3_-9WVON2s/s400/IMG_0038.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277676819099216306" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-55043932982787203462008-12-02T15:18:00.000-08:002008-12-02T15:25:07.336-08:00Gas<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/3077842907_3865fa361e_o.jpg" title="gas receipt by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/3077842907_3865fa361e_o.jpg" width="600" height="449" alt="gas receipt" /></a><br /><br />everyone needs a Vespathe McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-32003062787217594592008-11-10T07:21:00.000-08:002008-11-10T19:10:34.748-08:00Concerning Proposition 8<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.jewishjournal.com/images/articles/marriage-equality.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="http://www.jewishjournal.com/images/articles/marriage-equality.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Opponents of Prop 8 are and will continue to protest the results of the state-wide decision made last week. Seeing pictures on TV of them picketing outside churches and temples, or (lets be honest) anywhere a camera will find them, sends mixed feeling within me. <br /><br />I am trying to pinpoint those feelings...<br />First, I am annoyed. My selfishness wants to say, "Get over it, you lost. Life isn't fair. The majority of California opposes your scheme. I didn't get enough votes to win homecoming king, it happens." Having gotten that off my chest and actually seeing the words I think embarrasses me - not only because I remember not winning homecoming king in college, but because it reveals my deep, dark sinfulness.<br /><br />Next, I am relieved. "We dodged a bullet," I think to myself. I can breathe a little easier (figuratively) since Nov 7th (allergies have had the opposite effect). All of those yard signs that were stolen were worth replacing. I am relieved; yet the truth is while we, the prop 8 'winners', sit back and revel in our victory, the prop 8 'losers' are gaining strength to fight on. <br /><br />Watching the protesters on the news yesterday brought about a new feeling in me, however. After being relieved with the results then annoyed at the response, I actually felt sympathetic - a rare emotion on my part, and even more so when it comes to this issue. Not only were hopes crushed, but prop 8 opposers also feel segregated and unloved by at least 52.3% of our state (numerically thats 5,668,960 people). My desire for peace conflicts with my beliefs. <br /><br />Instead of feeling victorious, I now realize that the future is daunting; not only as one who calls himself a Christian, but also as one who wishes to serve as a minister in California. One unfortunate result of prop 8 is the wedge driven further between the Church and homosexuals. From the entity all people should feel welcomed and loved by, many feel hated. That 52.3% might as well be called First Baptist Church as far as the homosexual community is concerned. <br /><br /><br />My response:<br />I will battle my feelings of victory. How can I call it a victory when more people than ever hate my Church and beliefs? Even straight prop 8 supporters have a bad taste of Christianity in their mouth. <br /><br />I will not be ashamed of the Bible, and I will do my best to obey all of it. That includes (I believe) voting yes on prop 8 AND loving my neighbors just like I love myself. <br /><br />I will not let my desire for peace outweigh my Biblical convictions. Although, it may serve me (and the Church) well to add some weight to the Peace side of the scale without removing any weight of Biblical conviction.<br /><br />I will come to solid conclusions about issues using Scripture, prayer, and wise advice to prepare myself for my future in ministry. <br /><br />I will try to respond with Christ-likeness.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-26950612379181690712008-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:002008-11-07T09:15:30.067-08:00JamaicaSorry it took a little bit to post these, but here are some honeymoon pictures:<br /><br />Whit and I enjoying the Jamaican afternoon on the beach...<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/3010077681_ac822af13b.jpg" title="Honeymoon - 38 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/3010077681_ac822af13b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Honeymoon - 38" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/3010057551_43064d920e.jpg" title="Honeymoon - 37 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/3010057551_43064d920e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Honeymoon - 37" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/3010896926_5d13f306f6.jpg" title="Honeymoon - 36 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/3010896926_5d13f306f6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Honeymoon - 36" /></a><br /><br />From the water, this is Sandals Montego Bay. Our room is further to the left, almost at the end of the resort<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/3010057691_f3f5196900.jpg" title="Honeymoon - 41 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/3010057691_f3f5196900.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Honeymoon - 41" /></a><br /><br />Our porch<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/3010894732_29233194e8.jpg" title="Honeymoon - 07 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/3010894732_29233194e8.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Honeymoon - 07" /></a><br /><br />Here I am braving the rough Caribbean sea on a Hobie Cat. When I took Whitney out with me we almost tipped completely over.<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/3010057151_5c2591a094.jpg" title="Honeymoon - 27 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/3010057151_5c2591a094.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Honeymoon - 27" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/3010895422_5e8f166c22.jpg" title="Honeymoon - 50 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/3010895422_5e8f166c22.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Honeymoon - 50" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-84406002279893856382008-11-04T19:36:00.000-08:002008-11-04T20:22:40.322-08:00WE VOTED!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ylAtUNCnVVlZiLyp7ME7OGrH2Ue274bbTCYkCu9bxffFzS7U8jCcs4VmN-AKRYy3YKHg_4MIDlx_plpaYpyqw0t5Ta0K2k93o6PAkWKVTn8SElm8Y_lBlpjEAE6RtmFFRQ4lEDGDHrU/s1600-h/DSC01379.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ylAtUNCnVVlZiLyp7ME7OGrH2Ue274bbTCYkCu9bxffFzS7U8jCcs4VmN-AKRYy3YKHg_4MIDlx_plpaYpyqw0t5Ta0K2k93o6PAkWKVTn8SElm8Y_lBlpjEAE6RtmFFRQ4lEDGDHrU/s320/DSC01379.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265024079762985938" /></a><br /><br />This is Whitney here attempting to become a better blogger now that I'm married. But that is not what this blog is about. It's voting day and Jon and I did our civic duty by voting and we hope that you all did the same.<br /><br />I of course have a story to go along with my voting experience. Kelsie and I had to drive out to Beaumont to vote so we met up with our dad so we could all go together. Well I got done voting first and was waiting for dad and Kels in the corner of the room when excitement came over me about voting and that it was Kelsie's first time voting. I whipped out my camera and took a picture of Kelsie in her voting booth to document this monumental moment. Bad idea. I was scolded and made to delete the picture off my camera and asked to leave the room. Who knew you couldn't take pictures? Needless to say my dad couldn't stop laughing in embarrassment and can't wait to tell people.<br /><br />Well we did get one picture to document which I think is equally important. After we voted we got our free Starbucks! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaqj5a_WMGXtIIY58fplrOIKXq7j5nb2CG0-kc9crqZc8-VY0gJQgHcqGSxoAcKzU5R2XmJu39SZrxo67-B3fT0pl5-45AEBU2kznK1-6i3l-GQ4zMjiFLT_k-U-mIyJwE00xp9Zz6qs/s1600-h/DSC01376.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaqj5a_WMGXtIIY58fplrOIKXq7j5nb2CG0-kc9crqZc8-VY0gJQgHcqGSxoAcKzU5R2XmJu39SZrxo67-B3fT0pl5-45AEBU2kznK1-6i3l-GQ4zMjiFLT_k-U-mIyJwE00xp9Zz6qs/s320/DSC01376.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265020955005530514" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-83888272480340477332008-10-28T17:02:00.000-07:002008-10-28T17:37:54.728-07:00Disneyland:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUu-6nFUA2Tylz4NIkYXF9LnlHx6aZp_F1NIA_lpcIoqyUB_ZZMqLK4jStwNzUPdMrk-NGTjJPF-NzU0mvP5hxHDF37zB3H8xH5W-aHKr1FG7vDHeAOtuRvYKf-r-YyJNElfqNY7fXV0/s1600-h/IMG_0025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUu-6nFUA2Tylz4NIkYXF9LnlHx6aZp_F1NIA_lpcIoqyUB_ZZMqLK4jStwNzUPdMrk-NGTjJPF-NzU0mvP5hxHDF37zB3H8xH5W-aHKr1FG7vDHeAOtuRvYKf-r-YyJNElfqNY7fXV0/s400/IMG_0025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262366934533494642" /></a><br />it isn't fun by yourself for very long,<br />but it's better than being at work.<br /><br />Edit: <br />After posting, I realized that this is the 2nd post in a row with a prominent picture of me. I almost changed it when I then realized you probably clicked on a link that said 'jon' or typed in my full name to get here. My conclusion is you probably wanted to see me anyway, so I'm not changing anything.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-39479193202239249172008-10-17T08:51:00.000-07:002008-10-17T08:55:37.074-07:00married<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSua96zFUCjmFJEqOpTKNd6MGtBDLPZhNB_c1ZNhOyfwkQbuaPuV6M-g8ODYGoHlumHHl775MhptAFSWO28wgGnwv5sAM4Wt77RcUPWQhINCUlE7tQ_RmQGix5Vxh_T3lZKB0bUpC-9X8/s1600-h/Photo+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSua96zFUCjmFJEqOpTKNd6MGtBDLPZhNB_c1ZNhOyfwkQbuaPuV6M-g8ODYGoHlumHHl775MhptAFSWO28wgGnwv5sAM4Wt77RcUPWQhINCUlE7tQ_RmQGix5Vxh_T3lZKB0bUpC-9X8/s400/Photo+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258151665687266322" /></a><br /><br />a longer post coming soon...<br />check out <a href="http://treverhoehne.blogspot.com/2008/10/jon-whit.html">Trever's</a> blog for our wedding pictures - we love you Trev.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-77947577741419029522008-08-22T18:48:00.000-07:002008-08-22T18:59:57.104-07:00Engagement Pictures<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.treverhoehne.blogspot.com"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://treverhoehne.com/blog/jw8.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Trever did an amazing job on our engagement pictures. <br /><a href="http://www.treverhoehne.blogspot.com">Click here</a> to see them all. <br />Thanks Trev!the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-55264162831584024012008-08-20T22:56:00.000-07:002008-08-20T22:57:29.633-07:00I'm alivei promise. Look for 2 great blogs coming soon - I have them planned but no time to do them.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-7152675190257752322008-07-12T18:45:00.001-07:002008-07-12T22:32:19.655-07:00It can happen to the best of us...I'm simply enjoying an afternoon scooter ride / photo shoot through the mountains when, off in the distance I hear the gurgling of gentle, yet powerful, rolling thunder. I was simultaneously hit with the smell of rain with a force similar to a tennis player's return of a serve (minus the grunting). My thin, light blue T-shirt suddenly feels inadequate. My new scooter's lack of roof, for the first time, became inconvenient. I was only 10 or 15 minutes up the hill from the house, but it may as well have been an hour. <br /><br />As I re-mounted the scooter and rode the drops began to fall lightly and I thought - this could be great; a little relief from the mid 90's to low 100's degree weather... but then the good Lord released the flood. I pictured Noah for a moment, scrambling to get the last animal into the ark as the rain began, knowing the flood had just begun. I experienced what Noah experienced... minus the animals and boat and world devastation - but add a scooter. <br /><br />I had no idea how painful rain is. Next time you're driving 65mph in the rain, stick your head out the window - or even just your arm. A thousand wet bee stings may be a good analogy. Add to my bee stings smudgy aviators, traffic, and winding roads. My life has never had the chance to flash before my eyes - but it was tempted today. <br /><br />To my surprise, I managed my way back to the house and praised the Lord for sparing me. All in all, my afternoon ride turned out to be awesome! My adventurous ride yielded some great pictures and added one great story to my arsenal of life-experiences. <br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2662980312_bebd0f98aa_b.jpg" title="IMG_3626 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2662980312_bebd0f98aa_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="IMG_3626" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2662151773_81970aa9f9_b.jpg" title="IMG_3604 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2662151773_81970aa9f9.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="IMG_3604" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2662152587_0b46fa536e_b.jpg" title="IMG_3608 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2662152587_0b46fa536e.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="IMG_3608" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/2662979130_60b2cdc888_b.jpg" title="IMG_3625 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/2662979130_60b2cdc888.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3625" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2662160131_7b5b020678_b.jpg" title="IMG_3620 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2662160131_7b5b020678.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3620" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2662150907_aac50b1300_b.jpg" title="IMG_3600 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2662150907_aac50b1300.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3600" /></a><br /><br />Hopefully Piaggio takes notice of my scooter modeling skills so I can pick up a few extra bucks modeling. <br /><br />By the way, Piaggio is the company that makes Vespa. It's sort of like Toyota - Scion, only with less distinction. <br />I might also mention here that I may perhaps have slightly over-exaggerated the above storm.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-11791674790693071672008-07-10T22:35:00.000-07:002008-07-10T22:36:19.129-07:00I bought a scooterAre you familiar with Vespa scooters?the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-33452052641534598232008-06-19T22:02:00.000-07:002008-06-19T22:29:30.554-07:00Which Scooter?I've decided to let you decide...<br /><br />Whitney and I, once married, will only have the '03 corolla. If both of us work (which is necessary in order to pay rent and buy food), we'll need a second form of transportation. Since our budget doesn't allow for Whitney's Range Rover*, we thought she could drive the Corolla and I'd buy some sort of scooter. I've decided to give you the chance to help make this huge scooter decision. Your comments will 100% decide what I buy**<br /><br /><br />I could keep searching craigslist and ebay for older / vintage scooter such as this one I test-drove today. It's a 1984 Yahama Riva 180cc. The only reason I didn't buy it is because I would have had to buy 2 of them - he wouldn't sell just one, and the other one needed too much work in order to sell or ride. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.jacksscootershop.com/images/Yamaha_180_200/83_180_blue.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.jacksscootershop.com/images/Yamaha_180_200/83_180_blue.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Or I could get a way more reliable, better gas milage, warranty included, brand new scooter. The cons are it will be a smaller engine (50cc) and more expensive. I like the Yamaha Zuma:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.formula50racing.com/images/08_zuma_blue_4_7089166e.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.formula50racing.com/images/08_zuma_blue_4_7089166e.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />or the C3:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.cmsnl.com/news/img/2007-Yamaha-C3-scooter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.cmsnl.com/news/img/2007-Yamaha-C3-scooter.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />What do you think?<br /><br /><br /><br />* And unfortunately never will unless next year's stimulus check is closer to $60,000 (sorry whit)<br />**just kiddingthe McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-67948588979453176262008-05-27T22:38:00.000-07:002008-05-27T23:07:33.159-07:00the seven faithfulI just checked my blog's google analytics and was moved... (by the way google analytics is a tool that tracks how many people visit my blog)<br /><br />Despite not blogging for the past month or so (at least not without any sort of consistency) I still have at least 7 people checking my blog daily. On a day I was feeling a little bit down, you seven faithful lifted me - much like these 7 legs lift this lamb:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.geekologie.com/2007/08/03/seven-leg-lamb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://www.geekologie.com/2007/08/03/seven-leg-lamb.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />For you I will post the seven best things about my life right now:<br /><br />1. Whitney and our soon to be marriage. I'm having a blast getting stuff ready for the wedding / marriage. For instance we are buying cool stuff like the hutch (which we haven't had much progress on, but I promise an update on the renovation soon), an old desk ($15) that we might sell cause I found a better one at the thrift store, cool plates, and an antique buffet. Also, we got to register at 4 places which was mostly fun, partly stressful, and definitely overwhelming. <br /><br />2. 49cent microwave lunches. These little guys enable the purchasing of all the cool stuff listed above. I'm able to save at least $5 a day on lunch costs. <br /><br />3. Kevin and Bean in the morning. My 35ish mile commute every morning allows us time together. I thoroughly enjoy 87% of the hour I listen to them. <br /><br />4. The Kauffmans. They gave me a great room to live in for a while. Oh, and Kathy is the one who introduced me to the 49cent lunches. (Curtis, don't get too excited about making the list - you're #4 afterall)<br /><br />5. Job security. I'm pretty sure it's really hard to find a job right now due to the economic recession-like trends. Even if cut-backs were coming, I don't feel too threatened. Hopefully it's not a false sense of security - I'll keep you posted.<br /><br />6. This picture:<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2345187976_b8ce2f840e.jpg" title="IMG_3241 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/2345187976_b8ce2f840e.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3241" /></a><br /><br />7. I just had a vacation. During that vacation I got to see pretty much my whole family living in California except for my sister-in-law. I also had 2 days with no agenda, 2 days with Whitney registering and church hunting, one day at church, and one holiday hanging out with Whitney's massive family. The best part is - I'm pretty sure I was paid for the whole week. I'll keep you posted about that too.<br /><br /><br /><br />PS during my proofread of the posted post I found some verbiage I should change. In #7 I should note that Whitney's family is massive in number, ie there are a lot of people. That's all.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-39821095282236004412008-05-04T17:54:00.000-07:002008-05-04T18:14:54.379-07:00my last 4 weeksnot a ton of blog-worthy things happening lately (or just not enough time to blog it)<br />Here's what I am doing:<br /><br />working full-time<br />commuting 80 miles round trip every day to work<br />keeping an eye out for old bikes<br />celebrating Whitney's college graduation<br />planning our wedding<br />waiting for Mario Kart for my Wii to arrive<br />waking up early<br />becoming a member of fellowship in the pass<br />learning how to play electric guitar (like John Mayer does)<br />catching up on seminary home work (I'm really behind)<br />waiting to be married<br />not blogging a lot<br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1035/844101490_77a9574ceb.jpg" title="clouds by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1035/844101490_77a9574ceb.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="clouds" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-59192789666623079892008-04-23T17:38:00.001-07:002008-04-23T17:45:38.130-07:00exciting newscurtis and I created a new online stop for bike-riding enthusiasts. Let me tell you why to check it out:<br /><br />Everyone loves bikes<br />You probably haven't ridden your bike in a while and need to get some motivation<br />You need to learn about fixed gear bikes<br />Its a place to check out when you're bored so you can laugh at curtis' sense of humor<br />We'd love for you to be a part of our hobby<br />I spent like 4 hours learning HTML to launch it<br /><br /><a href="http://fixedgeargarage.tumblr.com/" title="fggfinalmedium by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2273/2436849849_60cab2e3a9_o.jpg" width="300" height="172" alt="fggfinalmedium" /></a><br /><br />Thanks <a href="http://treverhoehne.blogspot.com">Trever</a> for the logothe McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-28100931441084513552008-04-22T23:29:00.000-07:002008-04-22T23:33:08.379-07:00the hutch - phase 1Whitney and I bought a hutch from a skinny man in Victorville. We decided to give it a makeover. Here is our new hutch anxiously awaiting its new look. I decided to post the progress of the transformation. If anything, posting the progress will encourage us to finish it sooner. <br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/2435306275_af9e15287c_o.jpg" title="IMG_3275 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/2435306275_b82ddb99e4.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="IMG_3275" /></a>the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-85412365326622154142008-04-16T21:32:00.000-07:002008-12-09T11:26:38.324-08:00i movedThe boys and I had to move out of Parkside Village because our rent was up. Kathy and Curtis Kauffman graciously offered me a room at their house in Cherry Valley. I am so thankful for them and letting me live here. <br /><br />I had a bad experience once where I was offered a room for one summer... it was pretty miserable to say the least. Cherry Valley is different. Here's my new room <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjchDb1mS5IEYEp37CBb7xiiC8u3XquSvCi-3KwG-JvtI46bDG89X5jBEURrxAxbN9c23LmF94e7SJfgCH_Kd70sOM6paNnh_U_gaocELZHKA4Nq7qJou0kqBU9Irs7Qgrj6gIoV8cNc/s1600-h/Photo+73.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjchDb1mS5IEYEp37CBb7xiiC8u3XquSvCi-3KwG-JvtI46bDG89X5jBEURrxAxbN9c23LmF94e7SJfgCH_Kd70sOM6paNnh_U_gaocELZHKA4Nq7qJou0kqBU9Irs7Qgrj6gIoV8cNc/s400/Photo+73.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190077459044729874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHDUc39b1ibSh9JmIzB5w4XDzLs0KE08PN9jCy504VsFDYTerpFKglTv1IKVD1aI-QBubnF7TE35J5XV1Ps7fyC1mx_GFEcRTIgvMZHWbCRZEAlGpo7C91VQh1kyyNllgjZhRxYjRmpk/s1600-h/Photo+74.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHDUc39b1ibSh9JmIzB5w4XDzLs0KE08PN9jCy504VsFDYTerpFKglTv1IKVD1aI-QBubnF7TE35J5XV1Ps7fyC1mx_GFEcRTIgvMZHWbCRZEAlGpo7C91VQh1kyyNllgjZhRxYjRmpk/s400/Photo+74.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190077463339697186" /></a><br /><br /><br />Thanks Kauffmansthe McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-39697327835237849262008-03-29T23:24:00.001-07:002008-12-09T11:26:38.537-08:00rain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gFzlu5yve9eHrm0e8kKTvjLWtmRkw9jZaDke3sBmhTK3iBhvs1maNnkvkoCWp3j8mgPR952gp1-4RIr3Wy4gwweiY2X0BTKCJlpKvoZTedqtVvFT0NY5H_u1QbRgNdfKYMm8m6otiH0/s1600-h/bike+fall.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gFzlu5yve9eHrm0e8kKTvjLWtmRkw9jZaDke3sBmhTK3iBhvs1maNnkvkoCWp3j8mgPR952gp1-4RIr3Wy4gwweiY2X0BTKCJlpKvoZTedqtVvFT0NY5H_u1QbRgNdfKYMm8m6otiH0/s400/bike+fall.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183417999718004962" /></a><br /><br /><br />It looks like it may again this week:<br /><br />Sun - 20%<br />Mon - 10%<br />Tues - 10%<br />Wed - 60%<br />Thurs - 20%<br />Fri - 20%the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-18447505985731634992008-03-24T20:53:00.000-07:002008-03-24T21:10:39.278-07:00You decideMy shield has been compromised<br /><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2129/2360414156_3d548ec958_o.jpg" title="windsheild by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2129/2360414156_081e125d85.jpg" width="500" height="264" alt="windsheild" /></a><br /><br />Either...<br /><br />A. I was working one day when an unusually rude, smelly homeless man came to my teller window demanding 75 cents for a phone call. When I informed him of the Bank's policy to not give away money for free he became very irritated. Knowing which car I drive because of the close proximity of the bench he sleeps on every night to the Bank's parking lot where I pull in every morning, he dramatically left the bank and in a rage smashed my shield with a large rock he had in his shopping cart. James, our security guard stopped him, but not before the damage was done.<br /><br />B. While driving alone on the freeway, a terrifyingly large piece of truck tire became air-born when a ruby red Toyota Tacoma glanced it. The Tacoma's distant Japanese cousin, my Corolla, was innocently drafting behind it in an effort to attain even better gas mileage than she already gets (and with gas prices where they're at now, who can blame her?) The truck tire honed in on the shield and succeeded in smashing it at its core. <br /><br />C. The light fixture above a parking spot in my apartment complex fell on the shield, rendering it useless and defeated. <br /><br /><br />You decide...the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87801653688874987.post-40922485695277456882008-03-18T23:58:00.000-07:002008-03-19T00:08:31.379-07:00sky blue skyIts easy to forget about the beautiful gift of creation around us when we're stuck in the daily grind... that's why I really enjoy the weekends when whitney and I get to go out to Beaumont. We get to escape for a little while. This last weekend it was kind of stormy, it even snowed a little in Beau-town. The storms made the sky amazing - the clouds were so close and huge and fluffy. I loved it:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/2344358477_863003a5e1_o.jpg" title="IMG_3239 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/2344358477_807cef81b8.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3239" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/2344358363_30dfb76744_o.jpg" title="IMG_3261 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/2344358363_6e01dbce43.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3261" /></a><br /><br /><br />here's madison (aka pretty) enjoying the afternoon<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2345187638_50f22dde60_o.jpg" title="IMG_3242 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2345187638_50c9473e58.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_3242" /></a><br /><br />on our way back home...<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/2345187520_fe70b7c40a_o.jpg" title="IMG_3264 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/2345187520_f573563fbd.jpg" width="500" height="212" alt="IMG_3264" /></a><br /><br />we found this...<br /><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/2345187346_74ed86debb_o.jpg" title="IMG_3268 by jondmcwhorter, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/2345187346_26e539e4b4.jpg" width="500" height="123" alt="IMG_3268" /></a><br /><br />if you ever get the chance to go to a super target, go. it is everything you'd imagine it to be... plus groceries. <br />Have a great week.the McWhortershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16041295599735315220noreply@blogger.com3