For those of you who might not know, we had our third child yesterday! His name is Carter James. We are excited to have him here and look forward to his life. Here is a short tribute to him I worked on while sitting in the hospital, we found the perfect song ("Green" by Sister Hazel) to welcome him here to the World.
I have been "tagged" by my wife Emily. What does this mean? It means I am supposed to make a post revealing 7 interesting things about myself. I don't know how interesting these will be although some are embarrassing.
1. I was held back in Kindergarten. It wasn't because I couldn't color in the lines, or cut and paste as good as the other kids, but because according to my teacher I wasn't "mature" enough to go to 1 st grade (Hello!! I was 5 yrs old, am I supposed to be mature?) WHATEVER, I'm over it.
2. I intend on owning my own business at some point. I've delved into this a little bit being self employed during college. I had a window washing "business", but it was not really what I would consider a "real" business. I won't bore you with the discussion of what I consider a business and what I do not here.
3. I have had facial reconstructive surgery. When in high school I broke my face in a tragic P.E. dodge ball game. I now have metal plates scattered through out the left side of my face. Luckily, they did the reconstruction through the inside of my mouth so there are no visible scars.
4. I have two half sisters. My Dad has two daughters from a previous marriage. A little know fact, although they are almost more like aunts (yep I'm calling you old if your reading this Jody and Crystal) but family is family and they are part of mine.
5. I was kicked by a horse in the chest when I was 2 years old. That explains a lot huh? Nothing was broken but I'm sure it scared my parents pretty bad. I still have a horse shoe imprint on the middle of my chest...not really I just had to throw that in for the shock factor.
6. From kindergarten through 4th grade I attended a county school. Yep, a one classroom, one teacher (the one that held me back!) little house on the prairie type school. The teacher even had a old bell she rang by hand when recess was over. It was awesome!
7. My favorite singing group throughout my youth was The Judds. Although embarrassing it is true, they were the first concert I went to I was so excited to see them in concert! Here is a special tribute to my childhood music heroes, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
There's a new Sheriff in town. Emily didn't like the look-I'm still trying to figure out why.
Definately the cutest Ragedy Ann I've ever seen.
Later Gator! Happy Halloween!!!
It may be a surprise to all of you, but since we have moved to Boise and don't have any family and friends to entertain us, we have been a little bored. Em and I were looking to add some pizazz to our families life...so we decided out of all things to learn to dance. We are all learning quickly and wanted to share our best moves with you all. Hope you enjoy. (Note:For optimium enjoyment make sure your speakers are on,also you'll need the latest version of Adobe Flash Player-download free at www.adobe.com)
See Dance Lessons videos below there are three.
This is a repost the video players are kinda tempermental so you might have to hit play mutiple times (until pause symbol appears) then you should hear some audio, and then you'll have to wait and the video should appear. I hope everyone can view these because they are priceless!
The view we woke up to the first morning.
RP and Caleb "Let the tube wars begin!" We had a tube war single elimination tournament Chae ended up winning.
Brandon and Wyatt in tube wars
Doing a little exploring
Chae has conquered that cliff! 
"Check that out!" Cruising the lake looking at the amazing scenery. (see more below)
This is Ace jumping off the 40-50 ft cliff that we all jumped off of. You don't realize how high it is until you jump... as you'll see/hear in the video.
2002 Dodge Grand Caravan other wise known as...The Bybee Bullet!
It's not very often that email "forwards" are worth more than a quick glance, and then into the trash file, but I found this one entertaining, inspiring and interesting. The pictures are great!
In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.
The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.
After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans" that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops?
Don't know if this is all true but it's entertaining all the same.
This past weekend we took a trip to the world famous Twin Falls Idaho (OK it isn't that famous). The Wilkins, our good friends from my mission, met us half way between Salt Lake and Boise and that just happens to be Twin Falls (not exactly halfway but the only civilization in between). We had a hard time coming up with things to do there but we had a good time just visiting and being our crazy selves. The whole Wilkin family came up, all 9 of them, it was a blast. Who knew it was so hot in Twin? We all stayed in two hotel rooms, had a hot picnic, and viewed the sites. The sites consisted of the Shoshone Falls, some public swimming hole made on the banks of the river, and a big bridge. The swimming hole ended up being fairly entertaining not because of the good swimming but because of the Twin Falls locals. This place looked more like a Kentucky backwoods family reunion-in other words for lack of a better phrase total white trash chaos (I don't want that to sound mean because I'm a little white trash myself at times and proud of it). Anyways, if you didn't have at least 6 tattoos on your chest (male or female) and at least one dangling earring somewhere on your bare overweight body you did not fit in there. It was a people watchers heaven if you could stand to watch. Man I sound mean but it was pure entertainment. The next day we spent a lot of time at the I.B. Perrine Memorial Bridge (longest span bridge in the west at 1500 feet long-that was for you Susan.) and we found some entertainment here also. It is 486 feet above the Snake River and I guess a great bridge to jump off of with a parachute (base jumping). It was pretty cool to walk with the random people out on the bridge and stand right next to them as they jumped. Their adrenalin was shared with the spectators as it seemed at least on one jumper (a girl going for the first time) that her chute was not going to open, that made all of our hearts skip a few beats. Overall Twin Falls turned out to be fairly entertaining, but if any of you know the Wilkins these events above don't hold a candle to how entertaining the Wilkin family is...they're are all extremely fun to be with and make everything you do exciting! Thanks Wilkins for the good time we had a blast!!!
Evan didn't like the cold water but sure liked the mud!
The bridge
You could feel the bridge flex when a semi drove over
The girls enjoying a blistering hot day under the bridge
Jordyn's new friend Aubrey
One of those crazy adrenalin junkies
Well all you may be tired of me only posting about my job all the time, but this is what takes up most of my time and I haven't come up with anything else to blog about, so more about the job.
My first travels for my job send me to Tamarack, CA where I will be giving (mostly learning how to give) technical assistance on how to stack one of our log houses. 
I don't know California very well and didn't have any idea where Tamarack was and I basically had only had one place to compare it to that I've been to; Tuolomne, CA. Well it just happens that it is only about 60 miles away (I'll be darn!). 
I'm excited to learn the process although it's going to be hard work in hot weather but it should be fun. Something funny happened when my boss told me I was going he said "I've booked your plane tickets" and told me what day I would be leaving and what day I would return (for example "you'll be leaving Wednesday and returning on Friday") I thought OK I'll be gone for 3 days, but then when I looked at my flight schedule it was 9 days. So I went home and told Emily that I was going to be gone to California for 9 days, she was freaking out not knowing what she was going to do for 9 days in a town where she doesn't know anyone. The next day I was telling my boss about how I thought it was 3 days but was actually 9 and he was all confused saying "WHAT?! It is only 3 days!" he had actually scheduled my flight to return 9 days later instead of 3, but luckily it was a refundable ticket and he fixed it. He said "Thanks for catching that; I don't know what you guys would have done down there for an extra 6 days." Anyways I'm excited and enjoying the job more each day as I meet more and more clients and help them achieve their dream of a log home.
As of 4/12 it has been one year since Emily and I started our healthier lifestyles. We have both lost a lot of weight and feel a lot better too. People always ask me "What are you guys doing to lose so much weight?" the trick for me is my wife; she has been cooking healthy food for the past year. She exercises a lot but I don't always, but I've still lost weight consistantly just from eating better. We also live by the 80/20 rule, that is eating healthy 80% of the time and still eating "bad treats" and fatty food etc. 20% of the time, I think this is the only way to go, so you can stick with eating healthy without going crazy. We do this easily by just setting aside one sometimes two days to eat "bad"(not usually the whole day but 1 or 2 meals) and then eat good the rest of the week. Emily just plans our menus out of Light and Tasty magazines each week and they are actually really good, we don't even really watch portions very good, but anyways here's my numbers I guess they speak for themselves and the pics too. (The only place I haven't lost any inches is my ankles...I'm still working on that!) Numbers are from mybodycomp.com we been taking measurements throughout the year.
04/24/07--- 04/12/06--- Total
Weight
187.00 ............ 226.90.......... -39.90
Height
73.00 ................73.00 .............. 0.00
Neck
15.00 ............... 17.25 .............. -2.25
Shoulders
46.50 ................51.25............... -4.75
Chest
37.75 .................43.00 ..............-5.25
Waist
33.00 .................39.25 ..............-6.25
Abdomen
36.00 .................42.50 ..............-6.50
Hips
36.50 ..................41.50 ..............-5.00
Thigh
24.25 ...................27.50 ..............-3.25
Knee
15.25 ....................17.00 ..............-1.75
Calf
15.50 ....................16.50 ..............-1.00
Ankle
9.50 ........................9.50.................0.00
Arm
13.25 ......................15.00 ..............-1.75
Forearm
11.25 .......................12.00 ...............-.75
Wrist
6.85 ...........................7.50 ...............-.65
So as you all know it's been a while since I've published my unparalleled wisdom and knowledge here for the world to see. As you can see it's also been a while since I've done a reality check on my humble attitude. Anyways, I do need to start blogging again, and I feel I like have tons of work to make up, like in school when you go on vacation and then come back and the teacher's have all this work for you that you missed. That was always a pain and at times made the vacation seem not worth while. I don't have a good excuse for waiting this long to blog, in fact, sticking with the school analogy, my excuse note from my mom might read something like this...
Dear teachers,
I would ask that you please excuse Tom for the last month... or longer, from blogging because...,well just because.
Thank-you,
Mom Bybee
But hey now I'm back and will make up the work I've missed, it will take about a post every day for the rest of the month to catch up on my 3 posts per month goal, but I'm up to the challenge I'm counting this as day one.
Also a topic that may have already been discussed at some point... backseat blogging. When I started to title this blog Emily started asking questions, and I told her I wasn't going to write my blog with her in the room. She asked "Why?" and I told her "Because you'll stand over my shoulder read it and correct my comma errors, spelling, or ask the whole time "Whatcha writing about?" or "You're not writing about me are you?" she laughed and said "You don't want me to be a backseat blogger?" I said "No it's like when you're playing solitare and have someone watching you and the whole time they're like you can put that black eight on the red nine overthere." I'm sure you've all had a similar experience. I made a rule that she couldn't read my blogs until they're finished, we'll see how long that lasts and until she's back over my shoulder you'll have to forgive my comma, spelling and gramatical errors.
To stick with my goal I made earlier in the year (at least 3 new posts per month) I need to post two posts today. I know I'm a procrastinator, but I'm learning...it's only February so by the end of the year hopefully I'll have this down. Anyways, I don't have to much to post about except I guess the few things I've been up to in the last few weeks.
The Blondie
I also recently received my first official Chiropractic adjustment the other day. I had hurt my lower back (playing basketball is my guess, although I'm not sure) and it was throbbing pretty bad. So I went to the chiropractor and he adjusted me, which by the way feels great if you've never done it, the chiropractor said I literally grew close to an inch from the beginning of the appointment to the end, and I could tell he wasn't lying. The one thing that did surprise me though is the first thing he did was walk up to me and grab my head and twist it. I was positive my neck snapped by the sound it made, I must have had a surprised look on my face because he said "Have you not had an adjustment before?" I laughed and said "Not like that!" he apologized and said he usually explains it to first time customers, but he thought I'd had one already.
So that is how my life has been going I've also began looking for employment for when I graduate so if you have connections...let me know. Hope the next few weeks are as good as the past few (besides the back issue)
It was recently reported that Al Gore's energy usage at his residence was 20 times that of the average home owners so being the nice guy I am I've been scouting out houses for him to help him maybe cut down on energy uses since he's such a energy conscience guy. Here's one I found for ya Al.
This passive-solar house is positioned to absorb winter sunlight, warming the interior walkways and walls of the residence. Geothermal Heat pumps circulate water through pipes buried 300 feet deep in the ground. A 40,000 US gallon underground cistern collects rainwater gathered from roof urns; wastewater from sinks, toilets, and showers cascades into underground purifying tanks and is also funneled into the cistern. The water from the cistern is then used to irrigate the landscaping around the four-bedroom home. “By marketplace standards, the house is startlingly small,” says David Heymann, the architect of the 4,000-square-foot home. Furthermore for thermal mass the walls are clad in "discards of a local stone called Leuders limestone, which is quarried in the area. “They cut the top and bottom of it off because nobody really wants it,” Heymann says. “So we bought all this throwaway stone. The house is even a nice "green" color for those "green" individuals.
Now Al, I don't know what the price will be (but I'm sure that's no worry since you just made a lot of money from your recent documentary) but I do know who the owner is that you can contact... his name is George W. Bush. Yep you read it right this is his house on his Prarie Chapel ranch in Crawford, Texas, maybe you guys can work out a deal???
The other day I saw an intersting article posted on the website of Eastern Washington University's (the school I attend if you didn't know) website. It was a list of people who graduated from EWU that have gone on to be "something". I was pretty impressed with the list but I am sure that those of you reading that have graduated college have even more impressive lists to pull from since the schools are larger and probably a little more elite (ie. KU,BYU,MSU and even Purdue) but anyways here's the list from "my" university in little Cheney, WA it goes to show ya that it doesn't really matter where you go, there are brilliant people all over. (my comments are in red)
Jess Walter (’87 BA journalism) achieved new literary heights in 2006 when his newest book, The Zero, was named a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award. (Haven't read it but I guess this is a novel about the day after 9/11 or something)
Kris Monaghan (’03 BA recreation management) a 15-year LPGA Tour player, went to Beijing, China, in 2006 to become the first LPGA golf professional at Central Golf Beijing.
Luke Clausen (’01 BA business) can lay permanent claim to being the greatest bass fisherman in EWU history. He caught an all-time record three-day bag limit of 56 pounds, two ounces, to capture the Super Bowl of professional fishing - the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic and the $501,000 that went with it.
Angela Pixton (’83 BS nursing) is the first female commissioner of The Washington State Potato Commission. (I wonder what that job consists of?)
Mohammed Al Falasi (’98 BA business) heads up operations in Pakistan for Emaar Properties, the world's largest property development company.
Linda Boggs (’84 BA reading, ’88 MA school administration) was named a National Distinguished Elementary School Principal of the Year in 2003 for her work at Blue Ridge Elementary in Walla Walla.
Colin Cowherd (‘85 BA radio-television) can be heard every weekday on ESPN radio interviewing the biggest newsmakers in sports as host of “The Herd.” (I was surprised by this one because this is someone I listen too when at work quite often, and I had no idea.)
Todd McFarlane (’84 BA general studies) is creator of the Spawn comic book series and current co-owner of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.
Thomas Hampson (’92 BA government) is a Grammy-nominated opera singer.
Launi Meili (’90 BA liberal studies) took home the gold medal in women’s three-position small-bore rifle shooting at the 1992 Olympic Games.
Michael Roos (’05 BA business) is a starting offensive tackle for the NFL's Tennessee Titans. (Michael is one of Jenny Schlenker's-Emily's best friend from High School- husband's best friends and was in their wedding so this is someone I've actually met, it's pretty cool to watch someone in the NFL you have a connection with.)
Tom Thompson (’72 BA general business) was named the Nation’s Restaurant News Chain Leader Operator of the year in 1998 for his work as chief operating officer of CKE Restaurants Inc., parent company of the Carl’s Jr. restaurant chain.
Larry Rencken (’84 BA marketing) is CIO for Welch's. The Concord, Mass., company is the world's leading producer of juices, jams and jellies.
Mary McCormick Busse (’74 BA radio-television) is CEO of MBI Media in Los Angeles. She’s listed in the Who’s Who in Entertainment, 1st Edition, and Who’s Who of American Women, 15th Edition.
Scott Schaefer (’85 BA radio-television) was nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award as part of the directorial team for Showtime’s Penn & Teller special. Schaefer previously won three National Emmy Awards for writing for Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Terry Langston (’78 BA professional accounting) is a co-creator of the blockbuster board game Pictionary. (Interesting, I thought this game had been around forever)
They forgot an important one:
Thomas Bybee (hasn't graduated yet) ran in and WON- in his age division- the 2006 Chief Joseph Run in Laurel, MT.
Although it's not quite my birthday month yet (although I'm sure most of you are reading this in Feb.) I had to get my third post in for the month to keep with my resolutions (see last post). So I thought I'd try to learn something about the year I was born. Then thought it be interesting for everyone to learn something about the year they were born if they didn't already know so here's a little help. Here's mine for 1979. Make sure to post your too. Click the link at the bottom to find out what happened your birth year.
| In 1979 (the year you were born) |
 A major accident occurs at a nuclear reactor on Three Mile Island near Middletown, PA An American Airlines DC-10 loses its engine and crashes seconds after takeoff, killing 275 people Hurricane David kills over 1200 in the US and the Dominican Republic Some 90 people, including 63 Americans, are taken hostage at the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan ESPN starts broadcasting Aaliyah, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Norah Jones, Heath Ledger, and Kate Hudson are born Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series Pittsburgh Steelers win Superbowl XIII Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup Kramer vs. Kramer is the top grossing film Sophie's Choice by William Styron is published "My Sharona" by The Knack spends the most time at the top of the US charts The Facts of Life premiers |
Have you ever had a picture of yourself that you despise? The ones you see when you get your pictures and tear them up or delete them before anyone has even the slightest chance of seeing? Well these might be some of those pictures. I hope that the retaliation from this post isn't too harmful (in other words hope nobody "kills" me for posting any of these) but I couldn't resist these are some of my favorite out takes. Oh and one last note,even though you may beg to differ, no alcohol was consumed prior or after any of these photos were taken. So enjoy. I've titled each of the pictures with the first witty or not so witty thing that came to mind (if you have better suggestions for titles be sure to share)
