20111231 - Targets Presents & Headbands

20111231 - Up and out to McD's for bfast. A stop at TUFFY to see why the car is overheating, then to get gas. Finally on the road through the rain to the Farm. Got unloaded and then out to shoot the new gun and play at the barn.




Then in for presents and the boys went crazy. The boys played and built their stuff. We had Chinese for dinner and more playing and shaving.


Then a funny game of Headbands. Before all boys to bed and then we stayed up and watched the ball drop.



 Welcome 2012!

20111230 - Doc's Hood Christmas

20111230 - Up and did some stuff in office, Seth over to play with D.  I played some Wii with boys and fixed projector wire outlet.  Exciting day with work info, new opportunities, a bit stressful...  Picked up Chris and Jeff and headed into the hood for Doc's Christmas.  Scott S met us there and we had some good chat and a beer and drink or 4.  Home and watched Speed with the fam.  Up late with D.

20111229 + Shake It

20111229 + Up, hung out at home D taught G some dance moves. J has been at a friends all day and called to spend the night.





20111128 - Eye, Guns and Kilts

20111128 -Up and D&I out and about.  First we got the Isuzu from the oil change then to the Occularist to get me eye cleaned up. then on to the State Farm Office for an insurance review. We were in Dublin so we ducted into the Dublin Village Tavern to get some lunch.  We dropped off some thank you notes my Cub Scouts wrote to the Officer that gave us the tour of the heliport and then headed to Vance's to look at guns...  3 hours later we walked out with an arsenal...  Home we picked up LJ&G and headed to the Tilted Kilt for dinner :-o not the best place for a 'family dinner'.  I enjoyed it...  Home, boys cleaned up and and watched the rest of the Terra Nova Season 1 with the fam...  J in his bathrobe :-)

20111227 + Playday

20111227 + Up and ran to city hall w/ J to get 2012 pool membership and a new recycle bin.  We then dropped off the big car for an oil chg.  It was cold and raining a bit but we walked home anyway, it was a fun walk and talk.  Home and we all played G's new Mario Kart race game.  We played a upstairs a bit and then JD&I played J's new Wii Skylander game while G&L caught a much needed nap.  Then J&I drove the black car in and swapped cars for an oil change.  Home and ate dinner, here D is cutting the meat off the bone (gross) of his hot wings (dork).  After dinner the boys and I watched Terra Nova, played with guns, put togehter legos with G and his light up robot thingy, he did my himself, L to movie with Nicole.  All boys to be, just right before L got home ;-) and then up ending year paperwork and analyzing jobs...

20111226 - Build it

20111226 -Up and out with D running errands, McDs, City Hall (closed), Home Depot - lights for the playroom, Best Buy Easton (no Blu-ray players...), Lowe's - wood for project, Airsoft store - D pellets, Best Buy Polaris  (had Blu-ray players), home for lunch.  I had some helpers in between their battles and hide and seek.  Looks from the picture the J will make a good foreman someday...




D&J helped me finish the clothes box while G took a nap.  It looks, smells and works great!









Dinner with everyone and then new lights up int he playroom and some games, we LOVE 'LEGO the life of George', even L does!  It is a must have for LEGO and iPhone/iTouch owners!!!!  Down to play Wii with D&J and then watching some TV with the fam.  Then I took D to the Bible Bangers meeting.  He really liked that.  Home and put in the new Blu-ray player in

20111225 - MERRY CHRISTMAS

20111225 -The pitter-patter of little feet on the steps...  Rushing down to see the tree and presents...  The smiles and excitement on their faces...  They opened their stocking first and found lots of cool little things.









Then L, Gma&paB and I were n position to watch the opening begin.  They did good and things were received well and liked.

D got an water bag for hiking her wore the entire day, an Air-soft pistol he can't put down and an iPhone. 

J got the Wii Skylander game and guys and ran screaming up the stairs when he opened his very own iTouch.


G got the Captain America shield, little Playmobile sets and D's hand-me-down iTouch.

L got a globe, waffle maker and gift card.

I got my Blu-ray player and memories to last me forever...
And of course everyone got LEGOs... I even got a LEGO Bible!

We but our stuff together, tried it out, played and had a good old time!


Dressed and together we headed to Rich and Nicole's for lunch and more stuff...

Lunch was good, except J spilled some pop on my lap.  Then just as I was about to try my first ever taste of a brussels sprout D spilled another HUGE glass of pop in my lap.  I guess the sprouts and me were not meant to be...


Home for a visit and dinner with Gma&paW.  We had a nice meal and loads of food and desserts.  The boys helped them open their presents and looked through the picture book for GmaW.  An excited, happy group of little guys in this house tonight.  I find it hard to relate this commercialized event with the celebration of the birth of our Savior...  I can't imagine these little fellows can.  I hope they grow into it, we're doing what we can to teach them...  My best present was being surrounded by my family today, all healthy, all happy.  Praise God for that.

20111224 - Wound UP

20111224 - Up early and had to run and help my buddy Jeff put together a huge heavy ping pong table. Then ran to McD's for bfast and Dick's to make use of a $20 gift card before it expired today. A stop at Giant Eagle to get gas and the alcohol they wouldn't let me buy last night...
Home and played the Wii with J&G until time to leave for the Kraft party. We had good food and a lot of fun. Santa even came for a visit :-)



We stayed late so I could reconfigure a laptop for one of the cousins. Home just in time for church. We went to the rock-n-roll version to hear Nicole sing and it was not very crowded. Different, but nice... Home boys in their pjs and we sat around the table eating stinky cheese and wine with Gma&paB, while the boys tried to contain themselves...



All boys to bed and I caught Santa setting thing out so I offered a hand as he is very busy tonight and he was glad for the help. Off to bed ready for a great an early tomorrow :-)




20111221 + Traffic Wrap

20111221 + Up at 4:30am to start traveling home...  Way to early for such a late night walking all over NYC...  But I made it into the human laden halls of the air traffic transport system...  Flights were very full with people traveling home for the holidays.  I made it home about 12 noon 7.5 hours under my belt already...  Got to the desk and tried to get caught up on being out for 3 days.  After dinner the boys and I ran to the movie store and got a flick and game.  Home and they took turns getting cleaned up and wrapping the gifts they had purchased for each other.  This made them very excited as they proudly placed them under the tree and started trying to guess what the others had gotten them.  Here is J wrapping a gift in the 'Funny Paper' as my Aunt Weezer calls it.. I remember her using comics to wrap a present for me as a kid and now every Sunday I save the comics in a stack in my office so it is ready to wrap any present that crosses our paths.  Boys to bed, except D, he got to stay up watching 'Hero's' with me while I went through my 2011 files until 1am.

20111220 - Night in NYC

20111220 - Up and met the guys for breakfast.  Then into the site for all day meetings.  It was a really cool factory and they had tons of high tech body replacement parts.  We had really good meetings and I learned a lot.  We got out a bit early and Rick and I went to the hotel in Newark.  We checked in and then ventured out.  We took the trains and subway into NYC and came out at the World Trade Center Memorial.  We arranged tickets from the hotel and joined the line of people to get in through HEAVY security.  It was AMAZING.  the pools are very dramatic lined with the names of those that died in the attacks.  There were several of the steel columns burned and bent encased in glass to see and it was all very sobering and overwhelming.




We walked around the pools for a bit and then headed back down into the subway.  We came back up right in Times Square!  What a magnificent site.  The languages being spoken the pictures flashing and people all around just amazed and happy to be there is so very cool.  The New Years Eve Ball was all lit up and ready to do its job in a few days.  (Clink to see a 360 view of Times Square)

On we walked to Rockefeller Plaza.  You have NEVER seen a Christmas tree until you have seen this one.  Come to think of it I am not sure there was really a tree there; there were so many lights you couldn't even see the green part.  But it is magnificent. There people ice skating and light shows on the sides of the buildings.  I hadn't been there since Lori and Gma&paW I were all up there for my cousin Mark and Beatrice's wedding.

From here we took a stroll down 5th Avenue looking in the shop windows, catching a glimpse of the Chrysler building and made our way to the Empire State Building.  We were going to go up but we decided to save that for when we had the wives with us.  Back on the subways and trains to the hotel and a very late dinner.

20111218 + Dinner and a Movie

20111218 + Up all to church.  Home ate lunch, Sam and Lena over.  D&I to home depot, home and swapped out hall and stair lighting.  Watched TV then to Movie Tavern for dinner and movie.  Home packed, boys to bed.





20111217 - Fryd

20111217 - Up and made a list checked it three times and headed out with D&J. We dropped of a friends sweatshirt; help the neighbor lady move some furniture; got some socks and gas cans at Meijer; got a fan, lightbulb and investigated ice hockey rink supplies; lunch at Panda Express; Giant Eagle for candy bars, gift cards, gas and propane; Blockbuster to swap a movie and a game; dropped off Scout stuff for Monday's meeting; McDonald's for more gift cards and then home. Once home D&I swapped out the ceiling fan in the playroom. The boys headed down to play the Wii and the bird got loose and L&I chased it around... Dinner and L made another attempt at getting D a winter coat (too small this time). The boys and I stayed home and played Stratego, Chess, Rummy and G's favorite new game, 52 pickup :-)  
L wrapping presents while we watched movies



20111216 - Feathers

20111216 -Up and worked @ desk all day.  L&G back to J's Christmas sing along.  The boys started arriving from school and this starts their Christmas break, so they were plenty loud and excited...  After work we all loaded up and head to Bellacino's for dinner.  After dinner L ran into the Dollar Store to get wrapping paper and the boys and I headed into the pet store.  We didn't leave empty handed...  :-o  Home with our new feathered friend, a green and yellow parakeet.  We played with our new friend a bit and then down watching a movie and then up late working on contact syncing.

20111215 - Family Award

20111215 - Up an atthe desk all day.  Then we ate a fast dinner and the whole family to the Scout Pack Meeting.  It was a normal meeting where we made Christmas cards to send to the troops overseas.  Then there were the awards.  Jack got a gift card for selling the most expensive cake at the last Pack Meeting.  Then we as a family were called up for an award; the BSA Fun For the Family award.  This award has not been awarded in our pack for over 10 years...  We had to one year to get a bunch of stuff done.  Some of the things we did were:  Happy Hikers, Farm Visit, Family Garden, Church Help, Family Reunion, Game Day and Holiday Tradition.  It was a nice ceremony and we all got a patch to wear.  After the Pack Meeting we headed to the coffee shop for some hot chocolate and fancy coffee.

20111214 - Waffle Shop

20111114 -Work, head down all day.  L chaperoned for D's 6th grade skate event.  She had quite an experience...  D did some skating and reported he spent a lot of time on his butt :-)  JG&I out to Waffle House for dinner and then over to ToysRus, hobby store and Meijer to get gifts for L&D.  Home and watched some of the Smurfs movie.  Boys to bed, and I was up late labeling photos and  listening to talk radio.

20111213 - Elf Eyes

20111213 - UP, at desk, good meeting w/ boss. L had a work Bday party so I took Lilly to get G, he is feeling bad. Then the 3 of us went to McD's for lunch. Lilly even got a hamburger but L was home when we got back and stole Lilly's burger :-o I got some more work done and the mail. In the mail was a fabulous new hat GmaW sent me just in time for me to go to J&D's schools to pick th up for the eye Dr. visit.

We all got ours eye checked and dilated. Good report this year: J does not need glasses and D&I's eyes changed so little that we don't need to get new glasses :-) We stopped at a friends house on the home to help with his PC and see the Christmas lights and train. Home and D Cooked burgers on the grill and Mac-n-cheese for dinner. We loaded up for a trip out to see lights and a buddy's house to see the skating rink he built in his backyard. Good idea! ;-)

Back home and we settled in to watch a movie and I got a text...  D&I had forgotten he had a Scout Board of Review tonight  :-o  We ran out the door and got there just in time.  D went i and had his review and passed.  he is now officially a 'Tenderfoot' Scout.  Way to go D!

20111212 - Grant's Help

20111212 -Up working, G home and then L to a Christmas party. I got G fed and settled. Busy day at work and G sat at the desk and helped me. Dinner with the fam. Trash out and D&I to his Boy Scouts meeting where I tried to get their 2012 calendar updated.  Out with Doc to meet the guys.

20111211 + Quiet Visits

20111211 - Up to a quiet house and L&I grabbed D and headed out.  We stopped and got gas for $1.08 a gallon with our Giant Eagle points!  WOW!!!  On the road, L drove D&I to Newcomerstown to get J&G.  We had lunch, hung out, and put away a ginormous ladder w/ GpaB. I drove home. We ate fast, I had Scout meeting. Got taco bell. Watched Xmas show with boys. Watched movie with L.


20111210 + Up and out with D all day shopping.  We had lunch at Waffle House and hit a couple stores to get bracelet supplies and gifts for LJ&G.  J&G are @ GptsB for the polar express ride tonight and L&I dropped D off at Seths' house to spend the night.  L&I headed to Sunbury to her friend Steph's 40th bday party.  It was nice and then the band played and it was a bit too loud... (I guess were old)...  Home to a quiet empty house.

20111209 - Blue Light Special

20111209 - Up, slow start, work and calls.  J&G to Gma&paB's for a couple of nights.  LD&I out for a nice dinner.  We love the lights at Easton, especially the blue ones.  D&I gas and groceries, watched movie.  I was up LATE working on iPresents set up.


20111208 - Honey Bird

20111208 - Up worked, Lunch, stopped by Courtland's and Best Transport. Home finished my day, dinner with the fam and then dropped D off at a friends and I took J&G to Scouts we made bird feeders out of pine cones, honey and bird seed (MESS!!!) Home up late watching movie.

20111207 - Work, break for haircut, dinner, D made honor roll, blockbuster, giant eagle for gift card, home watched cowboys and aliens.

20111206 - Worked all morning, watching, got grant, l had meeting, we got mcds, back at desk.  dinner, reading with j, games with boys.  out christmas shopping, disaster... home up late shopped on line, alsmost done.


20111205 - D in a Tie

20111205 - Up calls worked, dinner, band concert.  D got dressed up and looked really good.  It was a LONG concert but the kids did pretty good for their first time.

Out and met with guys and then did some late night Christmas shopping.



20111204 + Wetnesday

20111204 + Up in the am, L to church, the boys and I ran to Home Depot to get the stuff I was going to get yesterday when I forgot my check card... Home and D finished stringing the lights and then they all rode their scooters. It started raining so all in. L home and we had lunch and then she went grocery shipping. The boys and I played the Wii a bit and watched some shows, D&J watched a show on Netflix and G and I watched Spirit in the playroom while I went through the paper. All boys down for a nap. L home and we hung out until dinner time and we ran to Max & Ermas. Home, boys clnd up and playing in the playroom.

20111203 - Lights Birds 4yrs and 26 Games

20111203 - Up super early to pick D up from the Scout overnight bowling event. Then out putting lights on the house and running cords everywhere...


D&J hung J's birdhouse.



Then we all went to Samer's 4th bday party. The boys were quite terrible an we left early, got home and all 3 were put down for a nap.





I ran some errands and discovered I left my check card at home so the errands were a bust... I stopped by the Pettit's on the way home to help with their PC. Home and the boys slowly waking up, in much better spirits... We ate and played Blokus until our friends arrived. We had 26 people over for a family games and desserts night. People were playing all sorts of games all over the house.





We all gathered at one point and sang the Twelve days of Christmas, everyone having a different part. People stayed full midnight and everyone had a good time and we ate way to much of the yummy desserts.