Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Monday, December 25, 2006
Christmas Day
I am beat so this won't be long. We had an awesome day. Long, but filled with smiles. The boys got some neat stuff from Santa. He even gave them some four-wheelers to ride in the backyard. At Grandma Mimi and Granpa O's they got loaded down with even more stuff and had a great breakfast. Then we came home and blew up the inflatable bed in front of the TV and watched Superman Returns. When we where done being cozy, it was time for Poppy and Ma's. The boys cleaned up once again and had a huge Italian meal. They played so much that it made my body hurt. Here's some pictures of our day. I am going to go melt into my bed now. Best. Christmas. Ever.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Giving
I am not telling this story as a way to gain praise or any of that junk. I just want the boys to know what they did for someone else this Christmas and remember to keep doing it.
OK, over the past 4 years we have collected a vast assortment of toys and toy-related products. Some of it got a lot of use, some it very little. All of it though was way more than enough. So, in preparation for this Christmas, Cindy and I decided to give away a lot of the boys excess to make room. We told the boys to pick a bunch of stuff they didn't want anymore or could part with. We told them it was going to go to kids who didn't have as many toys as they did. They got all excited and filled up three big bags full of stuff.
Now, I am a big fan of Craigslist, which is like the poor-man's ebay. You can get on there and list stuff for sale or just give stuff away. I put an ad on there last night about free toys and that I would leave them by the curb. Sure enough, not an hour later...they where gone. Then I got an email from a guy I will call Mr. F. Seems he came by but someone had already picked up the toys. He thanked us for giving him the opportunity and said it had been a very tough year for him and his family including his 2 year old grandson, but we had shown him the true meaning of Christmas. Whoa. Whoa.
So, tonight Cindy and I asked the boys if they could spare a few more toys. They were a little hesitant at first but they relented and we found some cool stuff to fill 3 more bags. I called Mr. F and he came and got them a little while ago. A few minutes ago we got this email;
Boys, that is what you can do with very little effort on your part anytime you want. Give away what you don't need because there is always someone who does. You boys have made us both so proud of you. This was the perfect Christmas present.
OK, over the past 4 years we have collected a vast assortment of toys and toy-related products. Some of it got a lot of use, some it very little. All of it though was way more than enough. So, in preparation for this Christmas, Cindy and I decided to give away a lot of the boys excess to make room. We told the boys to pick a bunch of stuff they didn't want anymore or could part with. We told them it was going to go to kids who didn't have as many toys as they did. They got all excited and filled up three big bags full of stuff.
Now, I am a big fan of Craigslist, which is like the poor-man's ebay. You can get on there and list stuff for sale or just give stuff away. I put an ad on there last night about free toys and that I would leave them by the curb. Sure enough, not an hour later...they where gone. Then I got an email from a guy I will call Mr. F. Seems he came by but someone had already picked up the toys. He thanked us for giving him the opportunity and said it had been a very tough year for him and his family including his 2 year old grandson, but we had shown him the true meaning of Christmas. Whoa. Whoa.
So, tonight Cindy and I asked the boys if they could spare a few more toys. They were a little hesitant at first but they relented and we found some cool stuff to fill 3 more bags. I called Mr. F and he came and got them a little while ago. A few minutes ago we got this email;
Thank you so very much.. Our hearts goes out to you and your family. Your kindness will always be in our hearts...Thank You just don't seem to be enough to let someone as special as you know just how much you have done. When our 2 year grandson grows up; one of the stories he will hear will be how your family opened up your heart to help others around CHRISTMAS and how the true meaning of CHRISTMAS and LIFE is to help and give to others. May GOD bless and watch over you today and always and I pray that the world will see the light.
Sincerely,
Mr. F and Family
Boys, that is what you can do with very little effort on your part anytime you want. Give away what you don't need because there is always someone who does. You boys have made us both so proud of you. This was the perfect Christmas present.
Twas the night before Christmas
The boys might and might not be asleep by now. I am hearing suspicious footsteps every few minutes. Tonight, they can get away with a little nervous insomnia. I am just glad to see them so excited. I know it won't last for many more years, so while I can...
Earlier tonight we went over to see Great-Grandpa Voeller. We all got to see crazy Uncle Randy for the first time in a long while. The boys played with their cousins and ate some treats. Brady discovered a new treat for his vast palette, eggnog. The boy gulped down two completely unhealthy (nonalcoholic) glasses of nog. Mmmmm...heart disease.
Later, we went over to Grandma Mimi and Grandpa O's for some tamales. They were good, but they were store-bought and that means, not as good as when they make them from scratch. Yes, I am complaining. Yes, I know what day it is tomorrow. Fact of the matter is, my parents make the best tamales in the known universe and I will not settle for a continued break with tradition. Ahem. Anywho, the boys got to hang out and play and watch movies that Aunt Renee and Alex gave them for Christmas. Brady played a little piano. Jake got silly with the fart machine. Then for dessert they had...apples. Yeah, all kinds of sweets around and they chose apples. We must be the finest parents in the world. *Cough* Lucky *Cough*
So now we are back home, waiting for the footsteps and nervous chatter to die down. Then we can call Santa on his cell and give him the all-clear to mosey on down the chimney. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Earlier tonight we went over to see Great-Grandpa Voeller. We all got to see crazy Uncle Randy for the first time in a long while. The boys played with their cousins and ate some treats. Brady discovered a new treat for his vast palette, eggnog. The boy gulped down two completely unhealthy (nonalcoholic) glasses of nog. Mmmmm...heart disease.
Later, we went over to Grandma Mimi and Grandpa O's for some tamales. They were good, but they were store-bought and that means, not as good as when they make them from scratch. Yes, I am complaining. Yes, I know what day it is tomorrow. Fact of the matter is, my parents make the best tamales in the known universe and I will not settle for a continued break with tradition. Ahem. Anywho, the boys got to hang out and play and watch movies that Aunt Renee and Alex gave them for Christmas. Brady played a little piano. Jake got silly with the fart machine. Then for dessert they had...apples. Yeah, all kinds of sweets around and they chose apples. We must be the finest parents in the world. *Cough* Lucky *Cough*
So now we are back home, waiting for the footsteps and nervous chatter to die down. Then we can call Santa on his cell and give him the all-clear to mosey on down the chimney. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
Christmas Par-tay
Jake's class had their Christmas party yesterday. Which meant me and B got to go hang out and play all day with everyone. I swear that place makes you feel four-years old when you walk through the door. Not the bad kind of four, like when you get scolded at the post office for mislabeling a package, the good kind. Where all you want to do is run around and play with everything and get messy and sing silly songs.
He has arguably the finest group of teachers I've ever seen. Not only because they are great educators, but their patience level is the stuff of legend. Seriously. They work with two groups of little kids who all have widely varying degrees of development. They have to keep track of how each little handful is progressing and how they can better help them get to the next level. Add to that, four year olds are notoriously clumsy, which means someone spills something about every 5 seconds. And, they wait patiently while the kids clean it up themselves. In fact, the kids are challenged to do almost everything themselves.
I cannot imagine doing this job for ANY amount of money. I love my dudes and I have a flippin blast with them everyday. But, a lot of that is because they are mine. If I had to deal with someone else's little science experiment everyday at this age...I would go nuts. Loo-loo-looney tunes. What can I say, I have significant shortcomings in life.
Anyway, back to the party. The boys where pumped up for it the whole week and it did not disappoint. Songs, game, crafts, food, friends. Brady was in heaven being in school with his big bro. He wanted to try everything and sure enough he did. Even hit the john for good measure. Jake got to show Brady how and when they do everything. It was so cool to watch them together. For all the times they get angry or even downright furious with each other, seeing them like this makes me forget all that craziness. Almost.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
The (Un)Sophisticated Gentlemen
It's the time of year when we get too busy to do normal things like...cook supper. And cook supper. So, we eat out a lot. Most of the time we can actually make it through a meal without making threats or giving one of the boys a firm talking to. As long as the waitstaff has their act together our little monkeys can eat their fill and be gone without making a scene. But, take forever to get us water, crayons, or food, and you are asking for a demonstration of civil-disobedience. Tonight, we had a rockin' waiter who never left us wanting for anything. He got a very healthy tip for getting us out the door with full stomach's and good intentions. Nice work my man.
Oh, and Brady ordered and killed baby-back ribs and a salad. He's 3. Ribs and a salad? Ribs and a salad. I think he gets a kick out of being able to get entirely coated in sticky goo without getting in trouble. Whatever though, he put on an impressive display. I may have found my match in rib eating. Not yet though punk...not yet.
Oh, and Brady ordered and killed baby-back ribs and a salad. He's 3. Ribs and a salad? Ribs and a salad. I think he gets a kick out of being able to get entirely coated in sticky goo without getting in trouble. Whatever though, he put on an impressive display. I may have found my match in rib eating. Not yet though punk...not yet.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Christmas is here
Christmas is almost here. The house is all decorated. Amazingly we have managed to finish all our shopping a week early. Nice. The boys are getting excited. I think I am getting more excited.
I remember how exciting it was for me when I was little. Let's hop in the time machine shall we?
1983-12-25 12AM
88mph....Flux capacitor kicks in....
Shreveport, Louisiana. Poleman Road. There we are. Our little house didn't seem so little then. 3 bedrooms. 2 bathrooms. Wood floors. Green velvet couch. Curtis-Mathis console TV. Smell that Christmas tree. It's cold outside but the dogs are loving it. Malamutes. They get excited when the weather turns colder.
My sisters share a room. I have my own. Except one of my walls isn't a wall, it's kind of a room divider, wooden drapery...thing. I like my bed. Sometimes though, I get freaked out by imaginary monsters and try to sleep in my parent's bed. Or the hallway. Not tonight though. Bad dreams and monsters are on vacation.
Earlier that night we'd been at Granny and Grandpa's. Everyone was happy. We ate until we burst. Every kind of dessert imaginable. My favorite is Aunt Linda's blueberry cheesecake. Dozens of people packed into a tiny living room heated by a fireplace. Grandpa can make a fire hotter than the sun. Nobody cares though. Crack the door, instant relief. There's couches against the walls for the grown folk. Two recliners for Granny and Grandpa. The floor is ours. The best place to unwrap presents anyway. Uncle Ernie goes all out and spends way too much. Granny and Grandpa just sit and smile and laugh. They have seen enough hard times in their life to know when to just relax and enjoy the good times.
The night winds down and we give hugs and kisses and say goodbye to everybody. I am tired but not THAT tired. I know what morning brings. The drive home is short and easy. Take a left. Follow the curves. Right. Left. Right. Left. We are home. Take a bath. Pajamas. Brush our teeth. Time for bed. Kisses. "I Love You, Goodnight." A million happy thoughts in my head as I drift off. Try to stay awake to see Santa...but sleep wins out.
Morning comes. It's all I can do to keep from running at a dead sprint to the living room. Santa has been here. All of our toys are all unwrapped and out the packaging already. Santa must not like to wrap presents. Oh man, look at that...laying on the chair over there. That's my stuff! Oh WOW! A Red Ryder. A case of BB's. Everything else is just stuff. I am the luckiest boy in the world. Metal and Wood coming together to make the most beautiful machine a boy could ever own. Santa Claus, how did you know? Momma tells me to be careful with it. Daddy is just as proud as I am. Annie and Katie got..dolls or something frilly, pink, or lavender...who has time to worry over that junk? I am a boy on the cusp of manhood!
The rest of the day is spent with family. We go to Grandma's house on Dalzell. More presents. More Cousin's, Aunt's, and Uncle's. I can't stop talking or thinking about my gun. I want to take it wherever I go. Oh how I want to have it with me now. I could show Mamar. Maybe we could snap off a shot at a squirrel. Oh man. Everything goes into fast forward now. Hugs. Kisses. Car. Road. Home. BB Gun.
We take a bath and talk about our day. The best day ever. Pajamas. Brush those teeth. I put my rifle by my headboard. "Goodnight, I love you." Lights out. I pick my rifle up and slip it under the covers with me. Tonight, it stays by my side. I sleep the sleep of the contented soul. Dreams of chasing outlaws on horseback and displays of uncanny marksmanship fill my head. I am as happy as I can be.
Phwoooosh!
Back to now.
That my friends, is magic. I will never forget how I felt back then. All the wonder. Everything was new and exciting. But you know, for a long time I forgot about it. Forgot the magic. The wonder escaped me. Everything was old, dull and boring. And then, my boys came. It's as if the magic never left. Through their eyes I see everything as new again. I can slip these old tired ideas and get back to the wonderment of it all. Christmas is here. The lights, the sounds, the smells, the pure unadulterated joy. They are feeling it and showing it and sharing it with us. And so again, I am as happy as I can be.
I remember how exciting it was for me when I was little. Let's hop in the time machine shall we?
1983-12-25 12AM
88mph....Flux capacitor kicks in....
Shreveport, Louisiana. Poleman Road. There we are. Our little house didn't seem so little then. 3 bedrooms. 2 bathrooms. Wood floors. Green velvet couch. Curtis-Mathis console TV. Smell that Christmas tree. It's cold outside but the dogs are loving it. Malamutes. They get excited when the weather turns colder.
My sisters share a room. I have my own. Except one of my walls isn't a wall, it's kind of a room divider, wooden drapery...thing. I like my bed. Sometimes though, I get freaked out by imaginary monsters and try to sleep in my parent's bed. Or the hallway. Not tonight though. Bad dreams and monsters are on vacation.
Earlier that night we'd been at Granny and Grandpa's. Everyone was happy. We ate until we burst. Every kind of dessert imaginable. My favorite is Aunt Linda's blueberry cheesecake. Dozens of people packed into a tiny living room heated by a fireplace. Grandpa can make a fire hotter than the sun. Nobody cares though. Crack the door, instant relief. There's couches against the walls for the grown folk. Two recliners for Granny and Grandpa. The floor is ours. The best place to unwrap presents anyway. Uncle Ernie goes all out and spends way too much. Granny and Grandpa just sit and smile and laugh. They have seen enough hard times in their life to know when to just relax and enjoy the good times.
The night winds down and we give hugs and kisses and say goodbye to everybody. I am tired but not THAT tired. I know what morning brings. The drive home is short and easy. Take a left. Follow the curves. Right. Left. Right. Left. We are home. Take a bath. Pajamas. Brush our teeth. Time for bed. Kisses. "I Love You, Goodnight." A million happy thoughts in my head as I drift off. Try to stay awake to see Santa...but sleep wins out.
Morning comes. It's all I can do to keep from running at a dead sprint to the living room. Santa has been here. All of our toys are all unwrapped and out the packaging already. Santa must not like to wrap presents. Oh man, look at that...laying on the chair over there. That's my stuff! Oh WOW! A Red Ryder. A case of BB's. Everything else is just stuff. I am the luckiest boy in the world. Metal and Wood coming together to make the most beautiful machine a boy could ever own. Santa Claus, how did you know? Momma tells me to be careful with it. Daddy is just as proud as I am. Annie and Katie got..dolls or something frilly, pink, or lavender...who has time to worry over that junk? I am a boy on the cusp of manhood!
The rest of the day is spent with family. We go to Grandma's house on Dalzell. More presents. More Cousin's, Aunt's, and Uncle's. I can't stop talking or thinking about my gun. I want to take it wherever I go. Oh how I want to have it with me now. I could show Mamar. Maybe we could snap off a shot at a squirrel. Oh man. Everything goes into fast forward now. Hugs. Kisses. Car. Road. Home. BB Gun.
We take a bath and talk about our day. The best day ever. Pajamas. Brush those teeth. I put my rifle by my headboard. "Goodnight, I love you." Lights out. I pick my rifle up and slip it under the covers with me. Tonight, it stays by my side. I sleep the sleep of the contented soul. Dreams of chasing outlaws on horseback and displays of uncanny marksmanship fill my head. I am as happy as I can be.
Phwoooosh!
Back to now.
That my friends, is magic. I will never forget how I felt back then. All the wonder. Everything was new and exciting. But you know, for a long time I forgot about it. Forgot the magic. The wonder escaped me. Everything was old, dull and boring. And then, my boys came. It's as if the magic never left. Through their eyes I see everything as new again. I can slip these old tired ideas and get back to the wonderment of it all. Christmas is here. The lights, the sounds, the smells, the pure unadulterated joy. They are feeling it and showing it and sharing it with us. And so again, I am as happy as I can be.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Oh My
Jake likes to make up crazy names for people in the stories he tells. He gets really into his own world and man is it fun to listen to. Tonight, he made up a classic name that...if I had to change my name and go underground because I had to testify agaist the mob, well...my name, would be Bobby Ribbons.
Jake you crack me up man.
Jake you crack me up man.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Sandlot! Sandlot! Sandlot!
One of my all-time favorite movies is now the boy's all-time favorite. At least for the last two weeks. They know it line-by-line already. If you're a fan of baseball or heck, just a fan of little boys, buy it. Don't rent it, because you'll end up buying it later anyway. It's not new. The special effects...especially lame. But the acting, the screenplay, man it's top notch.
Jake and Brady have even gone so far as to request "Sandlot" stuff for Christmas. Not baseball gear. Sandlot stuff. A ball signed by Babe Ruth. A baseball shirt with green sleeves. Black tennis shoes. LA Dodgers cap. Brown baseball bat. Smores. You know, Sandlot stuff.
I could not be more pleased.
Jake and Brady have even gone so far as to request "Sandlot" stuff for Christmas. Not baseball gear. Sandlot stuff. A ball signed by Babe Ruth. A baseball shirt with green sleeves. Black tennis shoes. LA Dodgers cap. Brown baseball bat. Smores. You know, Sandlot stuff.
I could not be more pleased.
Friday, December 08, 2006
December in Hawaii
For those of you burrowing in for a long winter, here are some pictures Cin took from her trip.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Christmas Lights
4 hours ago, I had a different lighting scheme going on. I thought it looked decent. Jake thought differently. He told me," Daddy we need more lights, it doesn't look good. It doesn't look like the other houses in the neighboorhood." He's 4. Already he has learned to destroy my self confidence. Can't wait till he really knows what he's doing.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Dressin' Up
The boys are big into getting geared up as...whatever. Batman, Superman, Squints, Uncle G, whatever. Jake finally found my old cub scout uniform and he's decided it's his lightweight winter jacket. Brady goes for the 20 year old leather/fleece vest. Hey man, whatever gets them out the door.
Aloha
Mommy went to Hawaii with Aunt Julie last week. It was free trip provided by the hard work of Uncle Jarrod. He won employee of the year and this was his prize. Why he didn't go I will never know. Maybe he has an extreme fear of large bodies of water called "Oceans" and avoids flying over, swimming in, or even thinking about them. Oh wait that's me. Whatever the reason, good looking out bro.
Not that I wanted Mommy to go, but she needed a vacation. I have traveled all over the continent the last few months while she had the dudes all alone so now was my chance. To tell the truth, I was freaked out. Not that I can't handle being with the boys 24/7. That's not it. The problem is that for the past 4 years, I have given the boys exactly 3 baths. Seriously. I SUCK at bathtime and Jake is the first one to tell me. Loudly and with much passion. I don't do it just like Mommy does it and gosh darn it, that's not good enough.
So the tension was there. In warmer weather I could have just soaped them up and let them play in the sprinklers. If only. But no...it's too cold and I'm slightly too classy for such a move. When 8PM came that little timer in my head clicked. Oh $%#*, time for a bath. I ran some water while the boys got naked. Checked the temperature on the rubber ducky thermometer. Said a little prayer. Allright, here we go. That's when it happened. They smiled. They laughed. They had fun. No complaining. No fighting. Just...a bath. The whole week I gave them baths and we all had fun. I even got Jake to admit to Mommy that he likes my baths. Not as much as her's of course, but enough to let me do it again. Brady, well heck..he'd do anything to get in water so I don't think he gives a squirt who bathes him.
Hooray for me!
Not that I wanted Mommy to go, but she needed a vacation. I have traveled all over the continent the last few months while she had the dudes all alone so now was my chance. To tell the truth, I was freaked out. Not that I can't handle being with the boys 24/7. That's not it. The problem is that for the past 4 years, I have given the boys exactly 3 baths. Seriously. I SUCK at bathtime and Jake is the first one to tell me. Loudly and with much passion. I don't do it just like Mommy does it and gosh darn it, that's not good enough.
So the tension was there. In warmer weather I could have just soaped them up and let them play in the sprinklers. If only. But no...it's too cold and I'm slightly too classy for such a move. When 8PM came that little timer in my head clicked. Oh $%#*, time for a bath. I ran some water while the boys got naked. Checked the temperature on the rubber ducky thermometer. Said a little prayer. Allright, here we go. That's when it happened. They smiled. They laughed. They had fun. No complaining. No fighting. Just...a bath. The whole week I gave them baths and we all had fun. I even got Jake to admit to Mommy that he likes my baths. Not as much as her's of course, but enough to let me do it again. Brady, well heck..he'd do anything to get in water so I don't think he gives a squirt who bathes him.
Hooray for me!
Thanksgiving
So, um. Yeah. It's December and I am just now getting around to the Thanksgiving post. Hmm.
Ok. So we ate "poultry" for lunch at Grandma Mimi and Grandpa O's house. That's an inside joke I will never let my Father live down. It was good and the boys had a blast. The boys always have a good time over there. I think because the house is filled with super nice furniture and knick-knackery all of which they don't get yelled at for touching and/or breaking. Our house is filled with IKEA furniture and toys they get to play with all the time...and unfortunately we have to discipline them when they break stuff. Such is the burden and hope of parents, that we will be grandparents some day and the word "NO" disappears from our vocabulary.
What was I talking about?
Oh yeah. So then we went to Ma and Poppy's house. Always a good crowd and good food. I gotta give big ups to Ma this year on the turkey. A fine, fine bird. The boys ate their weight in turkey and pie and played with all their cousins until they dropped. Turkey makes me sleepy. Eating turkey for 6 hours make me super sleepy. Mmmm...turkey burps.
We had a lot to be thankful for this year. I would love to list them all but that's a ridiculous amount of work and I am fully aware of my laziness. So, if you think I should be thankful for you, your family, your health, your favorite sports team's success, that good looking male/female who checked you out at the gas station and made you feel hot again...whatever it is...yes. I am thankful for you and all your peeps.
Most of all though, I am thankful for my family. We are healthy and we are together. What more do I need? Well, maybe a PS3 but thats it. Nah just kiddin...or am I?
Ok. So we ate "poultry" for lunch at Grandma Mimi and Grandpa O's house. That's an inside joke I will never let my Father live down. It was good and the boys had a blast. The boys always have a good time over there. I think because the house is filled with super nice furniture and knick-knackery all of which they don't get yelled at for touching and/or breaking. Our house is filled with IKEA furniture and toys they get to play with all the time...and unfortunately we have to discipline them when they break stuff. Such is the burden and hope of parents, that we will be grandparents some day and the word "NO" disappears from our vocabulary.
What was I talking about?
Oh yeah. So then we went to Ma and Poppy's house. Always a good crowd and good food. I gotta give big ups to Ma this year on the turkey. A fine, fine bird. The boys ate their weight in turkey and pie and played with all their cousins until they dropped. Turkey makes me sleepy. Eating turkey for 6 hours make me super sleepy. Mmmm...turkey burps.
We had a lot to be thankful for this year. I would love to list them all but that's a ridiculous amount of work and I am fully aware of my laziness. So, if you think I should be thankful for you, your family, your health, your favorite sports team's success, that good looking male/female who checked you out at the gas station and made you feel hot again...whatever it is...yes. I am thankful for you and all your peeps.
Most of all though, I am thankful for my family. We are healthy and we are together. What more do I need? Well, maybe a PS3 but thats it. Nah just kiddin...or am I?