About a week ago, I asked Kolette if she would add some green grapes to the grocery list.  She usually just picks up red grapes and I was jonesin’ for some green ones.  She must have gone to the store in the last few days, because yesterday morning, lo and behold, I found my green grapes waiting in the bowl on the counter while Ko was away working her keister off at Jim’s Gym (for more on her escapades there, check out her blog here–or for one of my favorite Jim’s Gym posts click ... Read Full Story

If you’ve never checked out Lifehacker.com, you really should.  It’s built on the idea that you can “hack” or find “work arounds” to eliminate much of the regular mundane stuff that bogs us down and eats up our time and money.  With that idea in mind, the site is filled with all kinds of great info on easier ways to get around the regular things everyone has to deal with every day.  The last time I checked the site, they had ideas for everything from a cheaper way to build a first aid kit fo... Read Full Story

Cole & I figuring it out in the "early days" A couple of days ago I was looking at the blog stats for both Man On The Inside and The Champion Inside blogs and I found that we’d made the big time. For those of you who aren’t “Livin’ La Vida Loca” in the blogosphere your blog stats tell you all sorts of things.  For Instance, you can find out how many visitors you’ve had that day, week, etc..  You can tell what links people have used on your blog to find other information, and you... Read Full Story

I have been taught the importance of being positive from the youngest days of my life.  I don’t remember a time when having a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) wasn’t a regular part my parents instruction on the proper way to live a life. Therefore, growing up, I tried to make a positive outlook a part of my life.  I tried to look at the glass half full, tried to see the best in those around me and tried to concentrate on the good and forget the bad. Then at fifteen and a half, on the 13th of J... Read Full Story

When I came into the life insurance industry, I was blessed with great success—success that many never thought possible.  Much of that success was due to mentors who took a direct interest in my dreams and goals and worked hard to help me see them to fruition. One of those mentors was Chuck Cutler.  In college, Chuck was a great wide receiver for BYU, and as such had already won my adoration.  But, it was in his personal interest in me, and my success during my work at Mutual Of New York, th... Read Full Story

One of the real joys of being a Dad who works for himself from home is that I get to be around to see firsthand all the fun things my boy does during the day. Sometimes they’re big and groundbreaking and sometimes they’re small and funny–but they’re rarely dull and never boring, Today after breakfast, Coleman was cruising on the floor (if you missed my last post, he does that now) and found one of his beads.  As you can see from the photo above; Cole likes beads.  Thi... Read Full Story

Coleman has learned how to crawl.  It’s not the full “on all fours” crawl, but he can military crawl with the best of ‘em — and let me tell you, it’s meant big changes at the Hall Home. We have to keep tabs on him at all times, and all of the sudden chairs are tipped over, blocking routes to dangerous stuff like the stairs and power outlets. Hopefully the order from Target will get here soon with all the wonderful stuff designed to keep him away from those... Read Full Story

My Mom came back from seeing her new grandchild in Connecticut bursting with excitement about something she’d seen there—a video baby monitor.  My brother and sister-in-law had one and my mom said it was the best.  She couldn’t stop smiling as she told us about watching little Sienna, her newest granddaughter, on the monitor. So, when she came to the house Monday to get some Cole time (she says she is there to see us all, but we know the score) she had one for us.  It was a Summer brand “Best... Read Full Story

Yesterday was just one of those days.  Being a quadriplegic with all of the other surgeries piled on top from the car accident, there are just some days when you don’t feel well.  There’s not really anything you can do, it’s just part of living with a body that’s been battered and broken. In many ways it’s kind of an odd feeling. I’m not sick, I just feel off.  There’s pain, but it isn’t specific to any area—it’s just low grade, and everywhere. There’s nothing that can be done, I just do wha... Read Full Story

When I was a kid, Labor Day was always a different kind of Holiday around my house.  My mom and dad took the day’s name literally and we Labored all Day. I would be in my yard digging, weeding, or mowing while I watched my friends all pass by on their way to the lake, the river, or the movies to have some fun.  Countless times I tried to explain to my parents that other people were spending the day having fun and that the name of the holiday could be taken more figuratively. It didn’t make a... Read Full Story