the drumming dad

My Musical Weekend

2008-10-13T22:54:00.004-05:00

I've always loved music. Ever since I was a kid I wanted to play music as my 'job'. Now that I'm not playing music full time, there are still many moments when I get the itch for music and need to have it scratched. This past weekend I got it scratched.

Through some random web surfing early last week I happened upon this band called "the Yards" I found on lawrence.com. I clicked on their songs to download some free mp3's and there was the band photo. I realized that I knew the guitar player, Michael Hamm, from when I lived in Lawrence in college. Michael played some guitar with "thepoolboys" on our Dying to Know Myself album and played a couple live shows with us as well. Tremendous guitar player! This guy is talented. The Yards are a funk, jazz, jam band which is right down my alley. The download got my approval. I was impressed. They just so happened to be playing a show that Friday night at a bar down on Mass St. I called a couple musician friends to see if they were interested and it was a no go. But, I wanted to go anyway...the itch was flaring up. So I went. It was so refreshing. I sat right near the front of the stage and for over an hour allowed myself to shut out the world around me and get into the groove. Songs lasted ten, sometimes fifteen minutes but you'd never know. The guitar playing was smooth, the groove was heavy, and the organ was dirty. C'mon!! Sure I wish I was the one up there playing the drums but it's not my time. Maybe someday. Check out their stuff at www.theyards.net.

Monday Mornings

2008-10-13T10:58:00.002-05:00

It's amazing what basketball shorts and pillows will do for entertainment. The wipeout is pretty funny - it's what you don't see that's funny.

Jedi Brennan

2008-07-29T23:40:00.002-05:00

10 Hours before the game...

2008-04-08T23:06:00.001-05:00

KU Wins the National Championship!

2008-04-08T22:46:00.002-05:00

We finally did it! KU is the best basketball team in the NATION!!! I was alive in '88 when we last won it, but I was nowhere near the kind of KU fan that I am today. I watched the game over at my bro-in-law's house with family and friends, and never before have I been so excited, nervous, anxious, yet overjoyed over a sporting event. I've always said that Jayhawk basketball is the BEST sporting event to watch, and especially attend (everyone needs to experience a game at Allen Fieldhouse) - but this season it has proven completely true!

I was able to attend a few games this year - two of them from the 5th row, halfcourt, on the bench side thanks to Lindsay's Dad's friend. I've posted a few pictures below to show how close we actually were...yet the pictures don't seem to capture how close we really were to the action. Hearing the players talk to the scorers check-in table, hearing Coach Self yell out plays, and seeing just how high these guys jump to get rebounds is stuff you don't get watching it on TV - or even High Def like I did for the championship.

Calvin was lucky enough to go to his first ever game in Allen Fieldhouse on Jan 8th against Loyola (Md) where we trounced them 90-60. It's pretty cool that his first ever game to the Fieldhouse was to see a National Championship team. It will be especially cool when he goes on to play at KU on scholarship - right? We've been out working on his shot every day since the game. Calvin Clements sounds like a KU basketball player, doesn't it?

This town is buzzing with basketball fever - tomorrow we're taking the family to go buy our championship t-shirts!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk - GO KU!!

Backyard Work Day!

2008-03-28T21:46:00.006-05:00

Do grasshoppers...??

2007-08-30T20:04:00.000-05:00

Iowa/Omaha Vacation Pictures

2007-08-20T13:44:00.001-05:00

Hangin' with the Hockney's at the Henry Dorly Zoo in Omaha, NE

paddle boat ride on Lake Okoboji

leading worship at Okoboji

Lins & Calvin outside the chapel at camp

I grabbed a student who played drums to keep the groove while I led a camp favorite "Hey Everybody". He even did a drum solo!

I'm sure what I was saying was deep and insightful...hmmmm.

Some random Taco John's in northwest Iowa

Can you spot the gorillas in this picture?

Bridges Bay Water Park - Spirit Lake, IA

Okoboji Bible Camp

2007-08-20T13:19:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share a bit about my experience this summer as the speaker for the senior high week at Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp. It was a great opportunity as it was a bit of a new thing for me. Typically I'm asked to come in a lead worship, or play music but my friend Rachel asked if I'd come a speak to 60 or so Senior High students July 23-27th. I was all for it. I ended up bringing the whole family and we turned it into a family vacation. Yes, our first family vacation as the 5 of us was to Iowa. Hey, you gotta start somewhere! Actually, I love Iowa. Lots of great people there. AND, the camp was on Lake Okoboji which is a beautiful lake. One of five lakes in the world that is purely spring fed (or something like that). All I know is that it was very clear water, and very cold. Which felt great in 100 degree weather!

The week was great. Speaking went well as I shared with the students much of my experience as a follower of Christ, along with some stories about my family, my youth group in Lawrence, and other random things. Our boys loved camp. There's so much to do - and the people there are great. There was even a group from my hometown of Overland Park, KS who were students at my alma mater (are there two t's in that word? i dunno) high school, Blue Valley. I spoke after dinner every night which meant that during the day, we spent time as a family playing around camp, going to the beach, and even got to go to a new indoor waterpark. It was sweet! The boys went on a water slide for the first time!

We had a blast. The week ended with a swing home through Omaha as we got to visit our friends Rob & Julie Hockney and their new baby girl, Morgan. We went to the Omaha Zoo, then came back home that night. It was a great week of vacation and ministry. I thank God for that opportunity to combine the two. Enjoy the pics!

Charlotte's Sweet Noises

2007-08-04T13:01:00.000-05:00

Charlotte Ruth Clements

2007-05-04T16:41:00.000-05:00

Born May 2, 2007
1:49pm
8 lbs 11 oz
20 1/2" long
Named after her great, great Grandmother on Lindsay's side. The name Ruth is on both sides of the family.

The Pool Boys featured in the KU Newspaper!

2007-04-06T14:54:00.000-05:00

(www.kansan.com).

brennan on the back beat

2007-01-08T22:16:00.000-06:00

Honolulu Marathon '06

2006-12-12T11:29:00.000-06:00

Here it is. The official results for my first marathon (and haven't decided yet if it will be my last).

Chip Time: 5:05:40
Clock Time: 5:16:52
Overall Place: 8,107
First Half: 2:38:48
Second Half: 2:26:52
Total Marathon Entrants: 28,635
Japaneese Runners: 17,905

It took me 11 min 12 sec from the starting gun to cross the starting line for the GPS chip on my shoe to activate. I know, I was running so fast they had to use satellites to track me. The event kicked off with a fireworks display at 5:00am. The biggest concern of mine was being able to pace myself with my knee injury (ITB injury). I ended up doing between 1 and 2 minute intervals of walking/running. I never "bonked" as they say, but the hardest part (and that seems like an understatement) was the last 3-4 miles. I have learned quite a bit about my tolerance for pain. The overall experience was incredible - truly a spiritual thing for me. I have never pushed my body so hard to accomplish something so big.

More pictures and stories to come!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-24T23:06:00.000-06:00

thanksgiving in hutchinson, ks

2006-11-24T22:59:00.000-06:00

calvin gets a book read to him from his great grandma Ruth

papa jim's golf cart is a favorite with all the cousins - especially cal, brennan, and quincy

coolest kids on the planet

2006-11-24T22:55:00.000-06:00

trick or treat...blach!

2006-11-24T22:48:00.000-06:00

this picture was taken only minutes before we went to our neighbors house in our cul-de-sac to trick or treat where calvin made a memory for us we will never forget. we get invited inside by our retired friends and calvin proceeds to throw up all over their entry way. lindsay was holding calvin and was trying to catch the recurring spells of vomit in his plastic pumpkin. it was gross.

pumpkin patch pickings

2006-11-24T22:44:00.000-06:00

the clements kids and stallard kids pick pumpkins at a pumpkin patch outside lawrence, ks

Future Firemen

2006-11-22T10:56:00.000-06:00

Brennan & Calvin got to spend the weekend with Papa Skip and Grandma Janet while Lins and I went to Cincinnati for a Youth Specialties Convention. Papa took the boys to his fire department and let them climb around in the trucks. Both boys pronounce 'truck' as 'fruck' so trust me, we're working on that one. Say "TRUCK! T, T, TRUCK!"

this rock doesn't rock

2006-09-14T22:12:00.000-05:00

We've had quite a day here in L-town. Here's the low-down....Brennan got a rock (pea gravel) stuck in his nose at the church this morning. We took him to our family Dr, and she could not get it out. It took 3 people to hold him down - that boy is one strong 3 year old! We then went to a local ENT Dr...but the rock is still NOT out!! They are going to have to do surgery tomorrow morning to get it out. It's so far up, and so lodged in that they need to have him asleep to get it. So, we go in to the surgery center at 8:45 am. The good thing is that hopefully this will be less tramatic for him...he won't remember anything. The hardest part will be that he can't have anything to eat or drink until after the surgery. I know everyone is telling me this happens all the time....but this kind of thing happens all the time to OTHER people. It's not supposed to happen to "you". So go ahead and laugh, My wife is teetering between crying and laughing...not sure which is more appropriate. We'll report how tomorrow goes....

This'll be one for the baby book!

guest blogger...my wife Lindsay!

2006-09-06T22:00:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Today was Brennan's 1st day at Johnny Appleseed Preschool. I
think he had fun...he wouldn't tell me much. All he said was he had cheese
crackers and played outside. That sounds about right...his two favorite
things, snack and playing outside. Trust me, I asked a millon questions trying to drag out some info, but it's like he was sworn to secrecy....or maybe like talking to a 15 year old. I'll try again later today.

I think the day was hardest on Calvin. He spent the morning walking around
saying "Benna, where Benna?" (that's Brennan). And to think I thought he'd
enjoy having all the toys to himself, and not having someone shut him in the
bathroom with the light off...what do I know?!

The day was easiest on me. I got to do my run with only one child in the
double stroller!! I felt like I was flying :) No really, I missed him.
It's weird to see your "baby" doing such big kid things...I know, I know,
he's only 3, but in my book that's very grown up!

Enjoy his 1st day of school pictures....

Lins

Brennan rocks out to the pool boys!

2006-09-03T17:14:00.000-05:00

Falls Creek Pic

2006-08-06T14:54:00.000-05:00

This pic was taken from one of our newest friends Brandi from Oklahoma. Chris and Tim are deep in thought apparently. Looking down always helps.

The Road Life - Falls Creek Camp, Oklahoma

2006-07-14T16:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've just written on this thing. It's been fun sharing pictures of my amazing family. My boys are so awesome. In fact, they're with me now in my 'lodge' motel-style room down here in Davis, Oklahoma. It's nap time in my room. Yesterday afternoon my wife Lindsay made the 6 hour drive down here to visit for the last day of camp. It's been wierd, yet really cool being back on the road with the pool boys. Chris, Rob & Tim and I have so much fun when we're together. They're the kind of friends where you pick up right where you left off. Old jokes and all. We've been down at Falls Creek Baptist Camp these past two weeks leading worship and today is our last day. It's been an amazing experience! There is really no other camp like this in the country. They had about 4,700 students last week, and this week there are 5,100. Leading worship for that many people is a powerful thing. We have been losing weight too because you pretty much sweat all the time. It's so hot and humid you break a sweat just blinking your eyes.

Even before this gig, I was in St. Louis, MO with the Youth of Grace (my amazingly cool youth group) sharing mercy and grace with people in the inner city. That was a great trip of change in all of our lives. Many people were touched by the hands of Jesus that week and it was great to hang with the 30 youth that went.

I've added up the days and out of the last 21 days, I've only been home for 4 of them. It's like I'm back on the road again touring with the pool boys. I'm ready to get back home. I miss the evening walks, grilling out, waking up before dawn to the stillness of our home, and sleeping in my bed. This past year has been the adjustment to a 'routine' life coming off the road and the past month has given me a taste of my old life again. I remember now how hard it was to leave my family and go on the road to play shows. I'm so thankful for my new life of being a youth director where I'm home everyday. (save the summer trips and retreats or conferences). This time in my sons lives is so crucial for me to be present in their everyday, as well as the invaluable time spent with my amazing wife - not having to say goodnight over the phone every evening. That's not fun.

We'll leave tomorrow morning and head back to Lawrence, KS where I will be excited to unpack my bags and stay a while. I'll be sure to post some pics of this past month as soon as I get 'em. We are without a digital camera right now so it's hard to stay up on that. We just might have to shell out some moo-laa and get one. Until next time - tyler