That's what I'm talking about

Readin some Scooby Doo with my dudes. I'm not sure I could be any happier than that. I even have a killer goat' coming in. Little tip for when you are "of age" boys. Facial hair, while annoying and itchy, is free and fun to mess with when bored. Bank it.

Jake can READ!!

It's official. Jakey can read. He's not quite up to obscure Russian literature yet, but he's gettin there. It's funny how one day they just wake up and put it all together. He has always loved books. Loved us reading them to him and if we weren't available, he'd just make up the words. He's been reading individual words for quite a while now, but never whole sentences. Last night, he just did it, and kept doing it, and hasn't stopped yet. I can't explain how proud I am of him.

Well, I can try.

See, I don't do a lot of things well. I can't dance. I can't sing. I can't solve higher math. I can't play any instruments. I can't get excited about reality TV. There's just all kinds of stuff I can't do well, or for that matter...at all.

However, I can read. I can read and read and read. I love it. I like reading anything. Even books about subjects I'm not even remotely interested in. I can't tell you how many cereal boxes I have read all six sides of in my life. Go ahead and check, there's stuff on the top and bottom.

I'm thrilled Jake is so interested in reading. There's so many great books out there for kids now. When we were kids, there wasn't that great of a selection. We did however have the greatest format in literature come along when I was little, "Choose Your Own Adventure". Man those where great. My favorite was the G.I. Joe series. I confess to skimming ahead to see if I was going to drown in the swamp or capture Cobra Commander. A guilty pleasure indeed. Now though, they have books about every possible interest a kid could have. Tons of 'em. Seems about 25% of bookstore shelves are filled with toddler through juvenile books. I love it.

So Jake, buddy, welcome to the world of books my man. I hope you stay as enthralled with reading as you are right now. You're such a cool kid.

Nappy

This is what goes on around here when I'm at work and Mommy and the boys are here enjoying spring break.

Shower time

We've had a bit of an issue with the tub in the master bath where we usually bathe the dudes. So, they got to use their bathroom. Imagine that. We've been here going on 6 months and much to my surprise, not only is there a tub in their bathroom, but a cool detachable shower head. What the heck? So, while we get the other tub fixed, they have learned to love taking what they call "a shower".

The Artist Examined

This is all Brady. His drawing. His description. I think it's abstract genius, but that could be too conservative.

"Whatever you do, don't cross the streams"

The boys finally did it. They whizzed in the toilet at the same time. I wondered how long it would take them to think of doing that. Jake came out of bathroom laughing his head off and said, "We crossed the streams." Ahhh further evidence that they watch too many movies.

No sleepy

Brady is in his bed.

Brady is out of his bed.

Brady is in the toy room.

Brady is in the bathroom.

Brady is in his bed.

Brady is standing by his door.

Brady is standing on his bed.

Brady is mad because we tell him to go to sleep.

Brady tries to go back to the bathroom.

Brady is directed to go back to bed.

Brady screams.

Brady sleeps.

Brady took a late afternoon nap today.

Feel for you bro

The boys caught my sickness last week despite my best attempts at self-quarantine. As will happen with little dude's and colds...they got ear infections. Fortunately, this is only their second bout each with earaches. Wouldn't you know it they both got it in the right ear. Fun stuff. Brady got a pretty bad case apparently. You never want a doctor to say, "WHOA", when examining one of your children. Kind of makes your stomach turn over. Jake is Jake and refuses to acknowledge the pain and gets angry when you ask him how his ears feel. So it goes.

The good news is they should be back to normal by next week and we can start enjoying these record temps the best way possible. In the pool.

JACK ARMY’s "A Day in the Life” of My FOB

A chaptered story told on many blogs starts here and continues here:

Chapter Five: Visitors

About once per month, one of the preventive medicine (PM) guys from brigade will visit our FOB. The first couple of visits were challenging because we had lots of areas that needed improvement. Lots of areas. If we were a restaurant, we would have been shut down fast! The team pulled together to knock out some of the easier projects to improve things and the FOB mayor put together several improvement projects that required hiring local nationals and purchasing supplies to get done. Slowly but surely, things have gotten better and PM visits aren’t any big deal at all.

The Air Force sent down a meteorologist to train up a few folks on how to take meteorological readings and send up accurate reports that would help them in weather prediction in the area. There are a few Air Force folks permanently attached to our team here, but we are used to them, so having the weatherman here was interesting. It is a very different war for them, that’s for sure.

Visitors from the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) are great. They have so much to offer the folks in our area of operations and there is so much that needs to be done that when the PRT folks come, it’s a busy time. There are trips into town to visit the mayor, the business center, conduct agricultural seminars, discuss projects for water, sewage, electricity, etc. All good stuff, all stuff that makes life better in our area for the people that live here.

When visitors arrive, I try hard to either greet them at the airfield or to meet them at the TOC when they are dropped off. After welcoming them and giving them time to drop off their gear (helmets, armor, bags, etc.) I immediately give them an orientation tour of the FOB. The best way to do it is to walk up to the top of one of the bunkers. From there, I can easily point out where everything is located and discuss the hours of operation of most things, go over the do’s and don’ts of the FOB and answer their questions. The commander has received many compliments on our reception of visitors and that’s because we try hard to make them welcome and not just jam them into a CHU (containerized housing unit) and forget about them.

Some will get an operations brief or an intell brief, some are linking up with one of the specialized teams on the FOB, others are just stopping off for a couple of days to do some specific task or project. All of them, though, are bringing something to our team that enhances our ability to accomplish the mission. Therefore, they all get star treatment.

Cleanin Up

This is the toy chest that my Grandpa made for the boys. They love it. They put all their stuffed animals in it, and occasionally put themselves in it. Well, it had been a few days since they put all their buddies where they belong so I bribed them and this is the result I got. They usually just cram everything in there but I guess they decided to get a little creative and stack em as high as they could. No telling how long before one of them knocks it over, but it's pretty cool while it lasts.

At the carwash

I've had this fascination with automated car-washes since I was little. Pops used take me with him when he went and I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. Back then, it was kind of a new invention and I'm pretty sure it was the worst thing you could do to you car's finish, but still...cool.



I take the boys to one by our house that is just phenomenal. I'm not sure that's the right word to describe a car wash, but seriously man, this thing is worth every penny. It uses some kind of licorice-whip-looking brush to clean your car and it does a great job every time. Plus, the suds leave a refreshing cherry scent that lingers long after you pull away. Mmmm...fake food smell.




The boys love it for the most part. Brady gets freaked by the high-pressure water (hence the hands on eyes), but then he gets all into the soapy-brushy mode. Jake just loves the whole process. They both love watching the big air machine blow all the water off at the end.


Can't beat cheap entertainment.

8 years

Wow. 8 years ago huh? I can't believe it's been that long since that clear day in March 1999.

You know when I think back to that day I don't remember being nervous at all. That's a really strange thought isn't it? Me, not nervous. The biggest day of my life up till then and I was almost calm. Wait, no I was calm. I remember being excited, but more than that I was calm. Why was that?

There were a gozillion people there at the church. I didn't even notice them. It was a warm day and I was in an ill-fitting bulky tux. Still, the heat didn't get to me. A long Catholic ceremony filled with standing, kneeling, standing, kneeling, and uncomfortable silence. No big deal. What the heck? I should have been one of those dudes that ends up on America's Funniest Home Videos. I mean come on...

Now, with some perspective I can look back and see why I was so calm. Why nothing bothered me that should have and always does. Why I just existed in the moment there with you.

For the first time in my life I was totally sure of what I was doing. I wasn't scared for the future. I wasn't afraid of my decision. I was doing something undeniably right. A perfect choice. You where flawless that day. Just as you had been every day before that. I knew it. I felt it. And on that day, I felt flawless too. I wasn't, and God knows I am not now...but on that day, we both were.

Now, as much as we hoped and planned for from that day on, I wasn't prepared for all we would be blessed with now. Two sons. Two beautiful little boys who want nothing more than to be near one another. They tell us they love us and give us kisses and hugs without us asking for them. Sometimes we make mistakes as parents, just as they make mistakes, and we all forgive each other afterwards. We are learning as fast as they can teach us.

Yes, we have some nice material stuff. We both know though that is all it will ever be. Just stuff. Stuff has never been what defines us and I am proud of that. Our family has defined us for 8 years. The first three years we just kinda learned the ropes. The next five we really learned what it was to be married. We have been pushed, shoved, down at the bottom, up at the top and back down again. We have cried together, laughed together, pushed away from each other, and pulled so close we couldn't tell where one stopped and the other began. So it goes. That is who we are. I am in love with who we are.

I like counting on you more than I should count on anyone. I know you won't be here forever but I like pretending you will be. You give me the freedom to fail. You know when to reign me in and when to let me go. You accept my insecurities yet you don't let me be bound by them. I am not your equal but you treat me as though I am. You are everything I am not.

Cindy. My wife. Then, now, and always. I loved you. I still love you. I will always love you.

Great advances in the field of bubbleology

Man these dudes don't know how good they have it. When I was a kid, there were maybe two kinds of bubblebath and one of them was also used to wash dishes. Then you had the bath colors that sure didn't smell non-toxic. But, we had fun anyway. Heck, I could turn the water a different color all by myself. Sure it involved a certain amount of personal indignity, but when you're little, who cares? Bathing in your own waste is a forbidden pleasure for the 5 and under set.

Ok..out of the gutter. Really, these guys just have a full on blast at bathtime. The bubbles, foams, water colors, toys, bowls, buckets, and rags, could all dissappear and I think these guys would still have just as much fun. I don't know how much longer these times will last but the end will come all too quickly to be sure. Boys, splash it up.

School of Rock

This is what they do. ALL THE TIME. It's super cute, but sometimes, I wish they knew all the words to the 1,000 songs they sing all day.

Workaday Joes

Smoochin' on the job.
(Yes, that is chocolate on their lips.)

This is where all their important "documents" go.

C3P0 got a little hung up at work.

Sick of being sick

I have a wonderfully bodacious chest cold. It's so awesome. When I cough I sound like an 85 year old man who has happily smoked for 75 tariffic years. But, if I'm very still and try and focus on not coughing I can keep it up for nearly 10 minutes. So, that's cool I guess.

What's not cool is not being able to do ANYTHING with my boys. I don't want them catching this nastiness so, no kisses, hugs, stories, high-fives, wrestling, hide-and-seek, chase, tag, sword-fights, board games, cuddles, walks, head pats, secrets, or general jackassery.

Aaarrrgghhh...cough, cough, cough..sonofaBLEEP!

Goodbye Wiggles

We had a good run. We were with you guys since 2002. Sold out shows, 1,649 DVDs, rumors of Jeff being a substance abuser, Murray's incredibly bad haircut, the birth of Anthony's child, and finally Greg's departure due to health reasons, and subsequent replacement by Sam Moran. What a run.

At the height of our relationship, we even dressed as you guys for Halloween, complete with a rented Big Red Car. Sure we endured the scrutiny of others, but we also basked in the glow of our children's' admiration. Toot-toot-chugga-chugga.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, or at least some sort of healthy conclusion. I mean, the boys are just growing older. Too old to be entertained my mere singing and dancing and costumed characters. No more Captain Feathersword. Wags the Dog. Henry the Octopus. Dorothy the Dinosaur. I weep for time gone too quickly.

So here's to you, our Wiggly friends. You made us laugh, made us sing, and made us forget reality for a little while. Thank you and goodbye.

"If do right, no can defense."

It's true. So, so true.

Goodnight

I just don't think I can say enough about how much I love to tuck the boys in at night. I get to hear what their innocent minds are coming up with right before they sleep. It's one of those times that makes me think Heaven is not beyond the clouds, it's right here. Lit by a nightlight.

Tonight, Brady went over all the people who love him, and tried to remember where he put his shoes. That's B. He said, "...and Mommy loves me, and Jake loves me, and you love me...and where are my new shoes?"

Jake and I had a discussion about the end of Return of the Jedi and how it's never too late to do the right thing. I don't know how he gets it, but he gets it. He said, "Even though Darth Vader is a bad guy he is still a Daddy and he loves his little boy and doesn't want him to get hurt by the Emperor so he makes a good choice and then he's a good guy, even though he dies."

Then to top it all off I got to kiss a beautiful woman and tell her I love her before she went to sleep. How did your night wrap up?

Anyone...anyone....

Below you will find the most recent response to the flower situation. Anyone want to take a chance and use that code? Maybe you get your flowers and maybe you don't, but hey...


Dear GORDON,


I sincerely apologize for your recent unhappy experience with our company. Complaints of this nature are taken very seriously and I personally assure you, I take full responsibility for our actions.

1-800-FLOWERS.COM® is committed to providing world-class service to our customers. We guarantee your satisfaction and will take the necessary steps to correct your situation. For over 30 years, we have helped people connect to the important people in their lives. I ask now that you give us the opportunity to earn back your trust.

If you do choose to give our company another chance, I have attached a savings pass for $15. To redeem your savings pass, please enter P9Z4-0533N-2315 in the savings pass field at checkout. While the savings pass does not make up for your experience, I do hope that you give us another chance.


Kind Regards,

Chris McCann
President

For future reference

This is one of those posts that I will most certainly use to embarrass the dudes in front of their girlfriends. Over and over. Until only I find it funny.

What do your kids do when they come home from a hard day of doing...whatever? Grab a snack. Watch a little tube. Talk about their day. Play in the backyard. Read some books. Sound familiar? Yeah, me too.

Except my kids do all those things AFTER they strip down to their underwear.

Try as we might we can't stop them from doing it. Brady is a little easier to stop, but Jake...he ain't havin' it. He can't be himself until there's nothing between him and God but a pair of drawers. When I tell them they have to get dressed to go play in the backyard they both look at me like, "What's your hangup bro?".

Ahhh..10 years from now. Aha. Ahaha. MWAHAHA!