Rain Delay

Brady in the rain

Goofin off

Rain in Arizona

We had a little monsoon action this afternoon so me and the boys went and sat on the patio to watch it come down. They like the rain even more than I do, and that's saying a lot.

Growing up in Louisiana, you take rain for granted. It's just there. Everything is green and damp most of the time either from the rain or humidity. I always enjoyed the rain there, except when it rained so hard I wasn't allowed to go out in it. After all, rain+dirt=mud and mud is what little boys dream of. When we lived on the lake, I loved to take the pirogue out by myself and just watch the rain hit the water. I would paddle all over the lake, having my own little adventures in the rain. When the rain got too heavy, I would get underneath a tree and wait it out.

Then, we moved out here...for the last time. Cough...cough...water...water..pleeease..I.need.some.water.

I learned pretty quickly how precious the rain really is. Heck, water in general is gold here. The ground is so dense and dry that when we do get rain, it seems like the desert busts open with new life that just appears from nowhere. And then there's the smell. The smell of the desert after a rain is my most favorite smell in all of nature. It's smells so sweet and clean. This place makes you appreciate the little things nature gives us. We really only get two seasons; Spring and Summer. It's either 72 or 116. So any sort of "weather" gets everyone pumped up around here.

It fills my heart up seeing the boys learning to love this place as much as I do. Don't get me wrong, I love Louisiana, but Arizona is where my boys are from and where my wife is from. This is where my heart is. I wouldn't move anywhere else for the World. Well, maybe for the World, but nothing short of that.

Back Home, Finally!

This past week, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Washington D.C. for the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy. For those of you who know me well, I have only left my boys a few times since they were born, and I absolutely dread it when I do. They are my everything, and going even one day without their hugs and kisses is very hard for me.

The Academy was wonderful and very beneficial. There were 200 teachers in attendance from around the country. We were treated so well by the people of ExxonMobil, as well as NSTA and Math Solutions. I learned a lot that I can bring back to my classroom and hopefully make a difference in the lives of the children I teach.

I was lucky enough to go with two good friends of mine, with whom I teach, and we did A LOT of sight seeing while we were there. We went to Arlington National Cemetery and visited the grave of a brave soldier, who also happens to be the friend of one the people I was with. That place takes my breath away. Thanks to my wonderful brother, my two friends and I got a private tour of the West Wing at the White House. That was incredible, thank you Steve! Another colleague of ours got us a tour of the Pentagon, which was amazing as well. Seeing the 9/11 crash site really puts things into perspective. We also walked up and down the Mall and saw all of the monuments and things while we were there. My favorite, by far, was the Vietnam Wall Memorial, where my friends and I did rubbings of the names of the men with whom my dad served.

Ok, now you see what an amazing opportunity I had and what a great time I had while I was there. However, there was such an empty feeling inside me as I did all of these things. I kept thinking, "The boys would love this!" with each and everything thing we did. A week is just WAY too long to be away from my little monkeys. Talking to them everyday on the phone made me feel better and worse all at the same time. But I kept a smile on my face, knowing I would be home with them Friday night. At least that's what I thought.....

A delayed flight and a missed connection left me in Houston Friday night (with no luggage). Another delayed flight brought me back home later even than expected Saturday morning. But two beautiful little boys running up to me yelling, "Mommy!" and giving me the biggest hugs and kisses you can imagine, made it all feel a lot better. I am so thankful to my sweet husband for taking such good care of our little guys while I was away. The last day and half have been filled with lots and lots of cuddling. I can't think of a moment where one of them hasn't been hanging on to me. I fell asleep on the couch this afternoon with one of them beside me and the other laying on my back. It doesn't get any better than that. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon. My heart just can't take it. I love you Mauri, Jake & Brady! I am so happy to be home with you!

Sweet son of a....

It's kind of been a long week. Right now, I am sitting next to a child who is taking an incredibly long time to eat his supper. His older brother finished 30 minutes ago.

A few days ago Jake decided one of the towel racks in the master bath was for hanging from. The drywall didn't agree. Add that to the list of holes I get to patch.

While I was mowing the grass, Brady got a hold of his inhaler and pretty much emptied it into the atmosphere. Grrreat.

I finally got the nerve to do a room inspection. Their rooms were surprisingly clean. The toy room looked like the Schlitz Bull had paid them a visit.

Pretty much any time I've had to get on the phone, they lose the power to shut their mouths. Which has lead to a lot of bad words silently mouthed in their general direction.

At some point yesterday they took turns adjusting the thermostat, finally settling on a brisk 62 degrees. That's gonna hurt.

Brady decided that drawing at his fancy drawing table wasn't good enough so he drew on the lid to his blocks. Nice.

So in summation...I have learned that the idea of being a single Father makes me want to; A) cry, B) maybe poop my pants a little. Sure, we've had some good times this past week, but not being able to call for backup is neither the bee's knees nor the cat's pajamas. It is pure nonsense.

Cindy, I swear to everything that is Holy and delicious, that you can do whatever you want, just don't ever leave me. Yes, you can even do that. I don't care. Sounds great. Yep. Whatever you want.

Phew...one. more. day.

Stimulating conversation

This afternoon the boys and I had a long discussion on genetics, spurred on by their viewing of X-Men III last night and this morning.



(After a CGI sequence showing the inner workings of Angel's genetics)

Jake: Daddy what are those things inside Angel?

Me: Oh, those are his genes.

Brady: Those things what has legs on them?

Me: ...yeah. Well, they aren't legs. That's a picture of what's inside Angel's body. It's his mutant genes. The stuff that makes him a mutant.

Jake: So that's his wings?

Me: Sort of. It's something we all have in our body that determines what we will look like, and kind of who we will be. Angel's gene's made him have wings.

Brady: Are we gonna have wings?!?

Jake: I want claws!

Me: No you're not mutants...and really there is no such thing as mutants, at least like on TV. You aren't going to fly or grow claws.

Jake: But, we can still be strong.

Brady: Yeah we can do like this. (Punching the air) And this.(Kicking the air)

Me: Yes, you boys are super strong. Your gene's made you who you are. They made you both fast and strong and brave and smart. You are my superheroes.

At this point that looked at each other and took off running upstairs and down and all around the house, fighting invisible bad guys. They have been in a running battle for the last 30 minutes. Gotta love their imagination and stamina. Must be in the genes.

She's gone

Hard to pass up a totally free trip to D.C. to attend a teacher's conference and whatnot. But for a whole week? Dadgummit. Not that I think she shouldn't go, I just don't want to be away from her. Don't get me wrong, the boys and I will have a great time, celebrating our masculinity to the fullest and staying up too late and all that. Still though, when she's not here, there is a hole in our hearts for her.

When I put the boys to bed tonight, they both found a beautiful note on their pillows from their Mommy. They got big smiles on their faces as I read the words to them. Both of them wanted to sleep with their letters and as I left their rooms they were clutching their notes and smiling. Wouldn't you know it, I found one under my pillow too. I'm not so sure I will be smiling as big as they were, but I will try.

I miss you already sweetheart. Be safe. See you soon. We love you.

Domo Arigato

Mr. Robot looks to be putting the squeeze on Woody, but in reality (Brady's reality) he is saving the day. Seems Sheriff Woody fell into a hole and Mr. Robot, being a machine of great personal courage and high moral clarity, stepped in to give his buddy a hand. Big ups to you Mr. Robot. A true friend to us all.

Woah

Ok, this is my last Youtube for a while.


Boys, when you are older and you two go out target shooting...don't be stupid. These guys are stupid, but lucky. You may not be. Know what you are shooting at. Understand the power of the weapon you are firing. NEVER try and impress your buddies at the expense of good reason.

I am not ashamed...

Well, yeah I kinda am. But it still doesn't change the fact that this is my all time favorite song/video. It still gets me all fired up for whatever reason. I remember watching it when I was 7 and getting all caught up in the music. Plus the whole sticking it to the man theme really played well with me. That's right Steve Perry...you showed them who's boss. You are.

Morning Laughter

BurgerCon

I inadvertently clicked that link while the boys were eating their waffles and drinking their milk. Waffles flew out of Jake's mouth and milk shot out of Brady's nose. Oh boy.

Like a lead balloon...

Toyroom didn't work. Brady wanted his bed. Jake wanted his Brady. Now they're in Brady's bed together. We'll see how that goes.

Sleepover in the toyroom

5 seconds after I took this picture...

"GET OUT DADDY!"

I was trying to be all sleuthy and whatnot, but they caught me. Ahhh well, good night boys. See you in the morning.

The combustion becomes an EXPLOSION!

If I am going to blame one movie for all the backwards things I have done in my life, that movie is Gymkata. For some reason this movie connected with me as a young child, even though it is quite possibly the worst motion picture of all time. Most of you have probably never heard of it before. Good for you. Once you've seen it, you can't shake it and it will be part of you forever. I can't say for sure why I love it so much, only that it speaks to a certain kind of person. All of the friends I have ever considered real friends have that same mystical connection to this absolutely absurd movie. Coincidence? I think not.

I just found this clip of the trailer and it brought back all the memories I thought I had suppressed. In the early 80's I went through a severe "ninja" stage. I was all about drawing ninja throwing stars in class, kicking random stuff, and tying a t-shirt around my head, ninja style. This movie more or less sealed the deal for me, good or bad.

Boys, this is yet another example of me being me. This is your Father in all his glory. Sorry about that.

and now...Jake the Swimmer

I think Jake finally got tired of Brady showing him up. Today I busted out the kiddie pool and after a little encouragement from me and B, Jake took off underwater. Woo Hoo! Oh man, there are going to be some big time Marco Polo games coming up real soon. I can't wait.

Fun with Mimi & O

We went over to Mimi and O's house for supper tonight. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, coleslaw, and iced tea. Plus, ice cream for dessert. Nice. The boys got in some playtime with their grandparents, and I got to watch some baseball. Good times.

Brady the Fish and Jake the Diver

Our B man has officially started swimming. He claims that I taught him how to do it, but all the credit lies with him. When we were swimming with the cousins today, our little man just took off underwater and never stopped. We never said a word to him, he just felt like swimming I guess. What a guy.

Then, seeing his little bro doing so well, Jake had to take a big step himself. While holding on to my shoulders, he let me take him underwater. He liked it so much that we did it over and over and over. Nice work pal.

I'm so proud of you boys. I can't stand the fact that you are growing up so fast, but I love being there to see it all happen. I love you with all my heart.

Thursday night 11:36PM

I am laying on the cool wet grass, taking pictures of the pitching mound that I have just finished manicuring. I think this speaks volumes as to my work ethic when I actually enjoy doing something. It also says something about drinking a 24oz energy drink too late in the day.

Montezuma's Well

I got another itch that had to be scratched, so we took a drive to complete our Tour de Montezuma. This time our favorite female got to come with us. Woo Hoo! The boys are getting to be good little travelers, especially on these little trips. Only once have I heard, "Are we there yet?", and even then it was more to quote the movie of the same name.

We had some more lunch at Sonic then went over check out the well. It's a pretty neat thing if you're into pretty neat things. Otherwise, skip it. The boys liked the whole experience of climbing up and down the stone steps and the cliff dwellings and ancient irrigation system. Plus there were about a gazillion giant harvester ants running around the trails. Brady is pretty big into smashing bugs at this point in his life, so he had a little fun at their expense. Jake was more into staying out of their way and watching them do their work.

Thanks again boys. Just another great day to be a Daddy.

Around the World

Hallo zu meinem Freund in Schweden! Froh genießen Sie das blog
soviel.

Meal time

You know what? Meal time around here can be just short of excruciating. No it's not physically painful, but mentally it's a killer.

When the boys were small, we counted on at least an hour or more to finish our meals. Little guys just learning to feed themselves are sloppy, slow, and hilarious. So, we let them take their time and finish at their leisure. They were always good eaters, never picky, just slow.

Fast forward to now. The are still good eaters, still not picky, but still...slow. Not because they haven't learned how to get a fork in their mouth. Oh no. It's because they have more words, jokes, movie lines, and strange noises coming out of their mouths than food going into their mouths.

Take a bite.
Tell a joke.
(Pause for laughter)
Take a bite.
Cut a crazy look at your brother.
(Pause for laughter)
Take a bite.
Say, "I'm Mike Wazowski"!
(Pause for laughter)
Take a bite.
Do a crazy dance.
(Pause for laughter)
Take a bite.
Inform the table that you have to go to the bathroom and what's going to come out when you do. (Pause for laughter and/or rolling on the ground)
Take a bite.

All the while, my brain is melting. No matter what we try, the only thing that stops the madness is separating them. The one who has done the most wrong takes the walk of shame to the dining room, the other stays at the kitchen table. Then there is peace. Along with sad looks, and pouty lips, there is peace.

A Great Blog

Jake and Brady's cousins have started their own blog. I am so proud of my two nephews. I love reading their posts and I am so impressed by their writing and creativity. Way to go Mike and Adam! Keep up the great work!

Aunt Cindy :)

More Fun With The Family

We spent the afternoon swimming at Uncle Steve's today. Jake and Brady just can't turn down an opportunity to hang out with their awesome Aunt and Uncle and their amazing cousins.

Here's a little fun Jake and Brady were having with Uncle Steve. Before....

And after!

Awwww

Brady just couldn't get enough of his Uncle Steve tonight. Say it with me now...awwwwww.

We are getting old

We are getting old. Here is a conversation I had with my beautiful bride yesterday. I can't help but think we will be having this conversation on a regular basis when we are 75.

Her: Did you say something to me?

Me: What?

Her: Are you talking to me?

Me: Did I say something to you?

Her: I don't know.

Me: Uhhhh.

Mak-a-doo

We had little Makayla over for a swim in center field and some pizza tonight. Her parents tagged along but, she's the star of the show. Jake and Brady love that little cousin of theirs. They'll try anything to make her laugh. We even got to get rid of a few toys still lingering around the house from the when the dudes were little tykes. Makayla, you are welcome over here anytime...and your Mom and Dad can come too I guess.

Fireworks

We took a last minute drive tonight to go see some action in the sky. The boys got themselves dressed in their choice of fireworks watching clothing. Somehow they figured jeans were the best thing to wear in the 100 degree heat.

We stopped by Sonic to get some tasty beverages for the drive. Jake got a grape slush, Brady a lemon slush. We then drove down the freeways, letting the lights in the sky direct us where to go. The boys rolled down their windows so they could hear the bangs and booms. After watching the show in Phoenix, we got rolling again and caught the show in Tempe. The road we were driving on turned into a parking lot, so we got out and watched for a while.

All in all, I'd say the boys had a good time....at least for a few minutes. For their generation, I imagine fireworks are pretty lame. They live in the age of HDTV, THX surround sound, stadium seating in theaters, and portable DVD players. Lights in the sky going boom...not so cool. But you know what, I had a good time anyway. I got to spend Independence Day with my three favorite people in the whole World. That's all the cool I need.

1776

Happy Birthday America!

If you love your Country and want to learn something interesting about how we got started, read this book. It's my all-time favorite.

Thank you to every soldier, marine, airman, seaman, coastie...etc., that ever took an oath to defend this country. You helped make it what it was, what it is, and what it will become.

Brady's Big Day

Brady had his allergy tests done today. Turns out he is allergic to peanuts, walnuts, some grasses, tree pollen, weeds, cats, mold, and maybe a few other things. He isn't allergic to watermelon, dogs, feathers, some trees, eggs, milk, wheat, or soy. They didn't test for everything they could have, but he will get those next year. The doctor was just an awesome, awesome guy. I can't say enough good things about him. Brady is used to the whole doctor thing, so as usual, he was a champ. He didn't complain even one time, even though I'm sure his back had to be itching like crazy after they did the poke tests on him. He's the toughest little scooter ever born.

But...even tough guys need a nap. So late this afternoon he came downstairs and asked me, "Daddy, will you be the Daddy Hulk and I can be the little boy Hulk?" Then he went upstairs and took himself a little Hulk nap. Brady, everyday you make me smile in a new and special way. I am so proud of you little man. I love you soooooo much.

Halftime Show

We went to Adam's basketball game tonight. The boys always love to go to their cousin's games and we've only missed a couple so far. During halftime at tonights game, I told them to run out to midcourt and do a crazy dance. This is what we got...

Grand Slam Redux

I had a little fun playing around with some video editing software. Maybe a little too much fun. Whatever, I'm a full grown 3 year old.

Swimming at the party

Happy Birthday Max

You're a 4 year old little dude now. We had a great time at your party. Jake and Brady played with just about all of your stuff I think. We swam for a long time in your awesome pool. You showed everyone how to use the slip-n-slide. We had pizza for lunch and then ate your Spiderman cake. Your Spiderman pinata provided us with enough bags of candy that we won't have to buy any more at the movies for quite some time. Thanks for letting us share in your big day buddy. I love you.

Perspective

I am sitting here on a quiet Sunday morning watching my boys watch a movie while their mother pours them a bowl of cereal. They both slept late this morning. In a few hours we will be at a birthday party for their cousin Max. We'll swim, eat cake, and have a great time. After that, we will come home and I will mow the grass on the field. The boys will probably play a little ball and then we will have supper. We'll then give the boys a bath, read some books, and go to bed. I would have taken this day for granted, this normal day I get to spend with my family. Then I read this.

Be warned it's not for your kids to see. Mike, if you're reading this...don't click that link kiddo.

Whatever you think about the War, really doesn't matter to me. I know I can't sway anyone to think like I do so I won't try with words. By now, every American has chosen a side on this issue. We are all polarized. The only thing I ask is that you stay informed. Read the truth where you can find it. There are lies, and exaggerations, for and against the War being printed every day in the papers and shown on TV. But there are people like Mike Yon trying to bring you that truth at no cost to you and extreme cost and personal risk to themselves.