Franzone Family Blog

Over the past month I’ve gotten some short video clips of Avery reading. So I finally threw them on the ole iMac and put them together in a video so show the world! Here it is. * Click through to the site if you cannot see the video.

Here are just a few pictures that I took of Avery playing at the front door. It’s so cute when kids smash their little noses against the glass and look in at you.

Here’s just another cute shot of my baby girl. She’s growing up so fast!

You can head over to our Family Picture Gallery to see the rest of the photos in the Playing At The Door album.

This was actually the first year that we have carved a face in a pumpkin. The really neat thing about it was that we were also all together: me, Aubrey and all three kids. We had a great time. Aubrey and the kids picked out the pumpkin while I was still working. After dinner Aubrey read The Pumpkin Patch Parable, a neat story that takes creating a jack-o-lantern from a pumpkin and turns it into a story about God’s love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.

After the story Aubrey and the kids decided what sort of face they wanted on our pumpkin. They then drew it onto the pumpkin in permanent marker and then… nope, Aubrey didn’t get to open it. That was a (dirty) job for Daddy! As I pulled all of the “icky goo” out of the pumpkin the kids had a great time touching it and complaining about the smell. It was all very fun. Aubrey and the kids then started pulling the seeds out of the goo so that they could roast them. It was my first time carving a pumpkin but I think I did a somewhat acceptable job… at least the kids seemed to thing so.

On October 12, 2008 our oldest daughter, Ragan, and our son, Gavin, gave a public display of their faith in Jesus Christ by being baptized. Aubrey and I are so proud of them and excited to see that they are developing a strong love for Christ and a desire to act out that faith.

Not me! Try as you might, I go by the full blown thing… Jonathan. Additionally, I am not the chairman of the Maryland Racing Commission as is this guy.

There isn’t anything in this article (Tracks balking at slots campaign) that has anything to do with family, parenting or anything else that I blog about. I just happened to run across another “John” Franzone and thought it was funny.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Casting Crowns has just released a new Christmas album titled Peace On Earth (as of October 7, 2008). You can buy the CD on Amazon right now for $13.49 and it is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping (if bundled with enough other merchandise to total $25 or more). You can also purchase the MP3 Album for $9.90 from the Amazon MP3 Downloads Store and have it right away. So what’s on the CD? The tracks are as follows:

1. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
2. O Come All Ye Faithful
3. Joy To The World
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Silent Night
6. God Is With Us
7. Away In A Manger
8. Christmas Offering
9. Sweet Little Jesus Boy
10. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Get your CD ordered today so you can start the celebration of Christ early!

Breathing life into an elderly curmudgeon, or a purple human-like creature from the Micronesian islands, or even a self-effacing, talking jalapeno-on-a-stick, Jeff Dunham is “straight man” to some of the funniest partners in show business.

Jeff has amassed legions of loyal fans throughout the United States and abroad with thousands of sold-out theater and comedy club performances, countless television guest spots including numerous Tonight Show appearances with both Leno and Carson and with two top-rated specials on Comedy Central.

He continues to win great accolades and success for one simple reason: Jeff and his buddies are funny as hell. Oh, and by the way… Jeff Dunham is a ventriloquist.

Jeff Dunham’s “Spark of Insanity” tour tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, October 3, 2008. This one IS showing at the Pensacola Civic Center. How much are tickets? Looks like $39.50 across the board. Here are some video samples of Jeff in action to wet your appetite for hilarity.

This is on of Jeff’s oldest personalities, Peanut:

This one is really funny. It’s Jeff and Achmed the Dead Terrorist:

Here is another public favorite, Walter: