A SEASON TO REMEMBER

I bought Katie seasons tickets to the 2006 Dallas Summer Musicals. I had never been to a musical until I met Katie. My first one was the Lion King at the Dallas Summer Musicals. Then on our honeymoon we went to New York and we saw Chicago and Les Mis. It was an awesome experience. I love the musical experience. This season at the Dallas Summer Musical is going to be the best yet. Especially with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I CAN NOT WAIT! We are seeing our first show April 2nd, Phantom of the Opera. So let the season begin, I am ready to be entertained and blown away!

Here is the line up for the season, don't miss it!

Out on Business

I will be out on business today and I will have a guest blogger.

Guest Blogger

A GREAT story from someone who loves Lean Cuisine!

Italian-Style Threats

A few weeks ago, I was enjoying a Lean Cuisine french bread pizza when I noticed these words on the package.









I sent off this prank e-mail to the parent company, Nestle USA.

Dear Lean Cuisinarts: Yesterday I was eating a Lean Cuisine french bread pizza when I noticed the words "New! Italian-Style Flavor." I'm completely baffled by this. What's new about Italian-Style Flavor? Were the old Lean Cuisine pizzas made by Indians, or Israelis? Were they manufactured in a Korean sweatshop? You don't advertise "New Chinese-Style Flavor" on your frozen eggrolls, or "New Hispanic-Style Flavor" on your beans and rice. Italian-Style Flavor has been going on for over 2000 years, and here you come along and act like you invented it. As a fifth-generation Italian-American, I take the deepest offense at this thoughtless, insensitive product packaging. If I do not receive a prompt reply, I will be forced to switch my loyalty to Hungry-Man. They're not as healthy as your frozen dinners, but at least they respect Italians. And you'll be getting a call from my uncle.

That's a promise, not a threat, John Spinelli-Hargrave

I received a typical form response from Nestle, which I'll spare you, telling me to call their 1-800-number. This always cracks me up, that companies set up a team of workers to respond to complaints via e-mail, then have them refer customers to another team to respond via telephone. Well, that wasn't going to work for my website, so I persisted.

Dear Nestle/Stouffers/Lean Cuisine: Thank you for your form letter, but I must insist that you answer my original question, which was regarding your "New! Italian-Style Flavor" claim on your Lean Cuisine french bread pizza. Why are you just now getting around to making your pizzas taste Italian? Was the old flavoring Japanese? And why would you flavor a FRENCH bread pizza with ITALIAN seasoning? It's like freaking Epcot Center in there! As a fifth-generation Italian-American, I am highly offended by this desperate attempt at ethnic marketing. It takes a lot more than a few extra dried spices on your soggy hunks of lifeless bread to capture real Italian-style flavor. It takes hours of simmering, a few good bottles of wine, and a loving Italian grandmother. I expect a proper response this time, or I will paying you a personal visit.

John Hargrave-Spinelli

This time I switched around my last name just to see if they were paying attention. Finally: the payoff.

Dear Mr. Spinelli-Hargrave, Thank you for contacting Nestlé on the Internet. We welcome questions and comments from our consumers. Upon receiving your e-mail, we attempted to contact you by telephone to discuss your comments regarding the statement, "New! Italian-Style Flavor," which appears on our LEAN CUISINE Pizza package. Please be assured, when we added the statement to our package, we did not intend to insult anyone. The statement was added to the package because we increased the spice profile of the product, which enhanced the flavor of our sauce. I sincerely apologize that we offended you and have reported your comments about the statement being insensitive to the appropriate personnel within the company for their review. Once again, thank you for bringing your concern to our attention. In addition to reporting your comments, I have sent via regular mail a letter with several full-value coupons to encourage you to give our products another try. I trust that these actions express our desire to respond to your concerns and I hope that we may serve you as a satisfied consumer in the future. If you would like to discuss this situation further, please do not hesitate to contact me, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Time.

Sincerely, Dawn Schneike Consumer Response Representative

A few ZUG readers expressed disbelief that I would actually receive the coupons in the mail. Well, lookee here, suckahs: I now have enough free Lean Cuisine coupons to last me through a small famine.



















In my seven years of doing prank e-mail, I have never seen such a thorough response to my silly requests. I hereby proclaim Nestle's to have the best customer service of any consumer goods company in America.

Apparently there is such a thing as a free lunch. You just have to pose as a deranged Italian mobster in order to get it.

Strong Bad What?

Do you know this man? If not and you have ever wondered about the link on the side that says Strong Bad Emails, then click on it and meet the greatest cartoon character ever created. You might need a couple of hours, because it can get addictive. So, in the words of Maisy,

Introducing Strong Bad!

Living again.

I normally don't write personal blogs, I leave that to people like Lindsay. But as I sit here thinking about my next post, I wondered if it is right to post again after something like what Katie and I went through. I mean here on my Blog are my most highest highs and lowest lows. How do you move on. I came to the realization that it is not moving on I have to do, it's to keep on living. Our lost baby will always be a part of Katie and I. We will have always lost a child. It is the hardest thing. But you can't stop moving, living. So as I start posting again I am not moving on, but I am living. I loved my baby that I never knew, like I will love the children I will know. I know there will be times Katie and I will cry about this in the future and that's okay. So I am living again. Thank you so much for all the support. We love each and everyone of you.

- Stephen

Gentle Jesus up above, give our baby all our love.

I just wanted to express the gratitude for the prayers and help we have recieved. Yesterday we received word that our little baby went to be with Jesus in Heaven. While this is hard, Katie and I have found strength in God. We are excited that we can get pregnant, which was a concern of ours. We love each and everyone of you. Thank you from the bottom of our heart for your love and prayers. Jesus will take good care of our baby until we can be with him or her. God bless you all.

Stephen & Katie

Please Pray for Us

Please pray for Katie and our baby. She is experiencing some problems. Right now we are in limbo with the situation and won't know more until Monday. We ask that you just pray. Thank you to everyone.

Celebration Part II - The McBroom's

Celebrating at Posados! Great food, horrible service!
A VERY HAPPY Nanny and Papa!
One more on the way! (Marcus wan't feeling good)
What! You're having a BABY!

Collecting for Baby McBroom

I have been collecting these books for our baby since we lived in our 450sq. ft. Apartment at OC.
I think it totally awesome to have a children's book with your last name on it. I am so excited about making a book shelf and putting them on it. Just another thing that I am so excited about with the baby.

Baby McBroom - 5 weeks

Isn't it cute! I mean behold the power of God!

Katie and Stephen you have finally gotten pregnant! Where are you going next?

The tradition continues. Also I would just like to thank everyone for their wonderful comments. I am still in shock. I am just so astonished by the power of God. I love my wife so much. Sorry for the sap. I don't think I will ever get off of this joy cloud. Also aren't Patty's glasses awesome!
It feels good not to be the only four eyes in the family. God is AWESOME!

GUESS WHAT GOD DID!

GOD DID IT! WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Family Orgins

Here is an awesome image of my family crest, as well as some great information of the origin.

I am probably the only one who will get excited about this, but man how cool!

Your a HIT!

I found this website recently and I thought you might want to know what was the #1 song on your birthday. Check it out!

My Hit song on 5/23/1977 was, drum roll please......................................

Sir Duke, by Stevie Wonder

What's yours? (that means post it on the comments)

What's your number one hit!

A lesson from God on the idea of "I can't"

Hoop Hero

Greece Athena senior Jason McElwain who came off the bench, and in 4 minutes connected on six three pointers. He ended up with 20 points. Autism be darned. CBS Evening News showcased Jason's story on national TV Thursday.We showed the amazing video of an autistic kid who did the unthinkable at a recent Greece Athena basketball game. He scored 20 points in the last four minutes. Dave Yates sat down with this young star about what seems like a fairy tale dream.It really doesn't get much better than this, a true example of how sports can create a positive experience. It was the type of story a Hollywood studio would dream up. The team manager comes off the bench and scores in his final home game. But Greece Athena senior Jason McElwain made this dream a reality and then some, scoring 20 points"My first shot was an airball, by a lot. Then I missed a layup and then as soon as the first shot went in and then the second shot, as soon as that went in I just started to catch fire," says Jason.Like any good Hollywood story, this one has a twist. Not only had Jason never played in varsity game before, he's also autistic."This is the first moment Jason has ever succeeded and proud of himself. I look at autism as the Berlin Wall, he cracked it," says Jason's mom, Debbie McElwain."I've had a lot of thrills in coaching and I've coached alot of wonderful kids, but I've never experienced something like this ever in my life, you know other than my own personal family things. My emotions, I couldn't stop crying," says Athena head coach Jim Johnson.Getting to this point hasn't been easy for Jason. His autism is a condition that has made some people uncomfortable to be around him. Obviously the kids at Athena don't feel that way"He's a cool kid, you just get to know him. You get used to being around him. A couple weeks ago he missed practice because he was sick and you feel differently when he's not around because he brings humor and life to the team," says Athena basketball player Levar Goff.Jason's accomplishment on the court was nice, but he's not done yet."If Jason gets a high school diploma, that will be my biggest success."Jason said that when they lifted him up on their shoulders after the game he felt great...kinda like the way he made everyone around him feel. He wants to dedicate that game to all the graduating seniors at Athena.

Click here to see actual footage.

What do you do when your OU lovin inlaws move into a house with a Texas A& M design on the front of it?

YOU TAKE PICTURES!