Thursday, May 31, 2012

Louisiana

The journey of 500 miles begins with a diaper blow out in a WalMart parking lot.

Bridget is in Vegas. We are in Louisiana!

Road trip!


Uncle Sherry





New friends!


Ignore the phonetograhy, ignore the fruit snacks stuck on Emmy's shirt.


Eli the farmer!


Dora the driver! Eli examining an orange tree.


Snapping beans!


6 years ago Bridget and I came out for the first time!

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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Happy Birthday Emmy!

One Year Old









Neatest kid yet at one year!



Cadbury Egg

Me: Dora, what are you doing?
Dora: Me eating this egg.
Me: Why did you stick your finger inside?
Dora: Keycause me like to! (Beaming with joy!)



Tiny Cadbury Egg!


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Google

Had someone google their symptoms. They got into the car to have their google diagnosed appendicitis evaluated.
They delivered a full term infant in the front seat. I cut the umbilical cord.

Way to go google.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Worn out

It is 730 am and the kids are still asleep. They are exhausted. We blew up Carla's waterside park.









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Saturday, May 26, 2012

Conversation with the Eli


Eli: Dad, when I grow up, my kids are gonna be more spoiled than I am.
Me: Why is that?
Eli: Because I will never tell them they can't do stuff. And I will give them anything they want.
Me: Good luck with that. You will find out what a picnic that will be.

Friday, May 25, 2012

6 am

It is 6 am and I can't sleep. I have been up for an hour.

That may not sound early but I am a night worker, I usually go to bed at 7 am. I am sitting in the office in here waiting for the kids to wake up. I don't know what we are going to do today, I just want to spend some time with them.

I can't shut my mind off... I can see why some people depend on substances to break their thoughts.

So, on the Van Front for my Vantastic adventure...

Vincent is nothing more than a dream.

A van is better than an RV for the following reasons:
Cost (RVs cost substantially more upfront, more in upkeep, more in gas)
Maintenance, lots of crap to do (Ha pun) for an RV.
Maneuverability is compromised in an RV
Beaches are off limits in an RV
Who needs an oven when traveling?


BUT
An RV is better for the following:
More room when traveling
Separate rooms for mom/dad/baby.
Better Bathrooms.
More comfort
Bridget might actually come with me on a trip in an RV

I think the last one is what gets me

I think I hear stirring in the other room.

I am a Wimp



Working as an ER doc has turned me into a wimp

Yesterday I took the kids for a walk around a lake by our house. We went to the more natural lake first: the one with weeds, reeds, rocks, mud, bugs etc.

As we were walking I noticed several hibernating fire ant colonies, just waiting to be poked or stepped on. I noted several holes and nests. I did find a Tiny Frog about 1 cm, hopping for its life to escape from us. I picked it up and showed the kids. Dora was so excited to see the "tiny f'og."

I looked over and saw a 3 foot snake skin and rather than getting it and showing it to my kids, I said, lets go back to the car and walk around the small lake.

We walked uneventfully, thankfully, around the smaller lake. We stopped to stare at oranges (one of the neighbors has an orange tree, the last flood washed dozens of oranges into the tiny lake) and throw sticks in the water. We also had a good look at our neighbor's backyards. Some people have some awesome playgrounds!

But that takes me back to why I am a wimp.
I have seen 8 snake bites this year. Countless spider bites, abscesses, infected mosquito bites. Multiple broken arms, legs, ankles.

I kept having all these scenarios of how my kids could get hurt while I was walking with them. Visions/premonitions of injury kept creeping into my consciousness, and clouding my judgment. What happened to being carefree, and cool? What happened to the great outdoors?

I know, I know. Statistically snake bites occur on the hands of 20-40 year old males with alcohol playing a large part.. Who cares about statistics? The cost of a snakebite (if venemous) is $40K at least!

Maybe TV and video games are in my kids best interest? I wanted to build a tree house like the one we had but broken arms, legs and heads...

It is probably good I am not an insurance man or I would never get in a car or leave the house. Maybe a padded room with soft pillows...

Being an ER Doc is ruining me for my kids.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Eli's Drawing

During nap time, Eli came in and said he drew a picture of Jesus. In his scriptures.
Wearing sandals.



He said that the sandals look like peace sign.

Notice the detail: beard, welcoming eyes, arms open for a hug, 36 fingers.

I love my little buddy!

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Saturday, May 19, 2012

Exploring

So Eli and Dora, they love to explore. Carla took them with their magnifying glasses to see what they could see.

The kids begged me to take them and go exploring when Carla and Bridget were sleeping.













While we were out we found 9 golf balls 7 golf tees.

But what was really cool is that while we were out exploring, I heard a whistle. I looked around and saw a guy in an orchard waving me over. Eli and Dora and I walked about 150 yards and a local orange farmer came and gave us 5 fresh off the tree oranges.

It was really neat and my kids loved them. They were fantastic. That was something my dad would have done.

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Friday, May 18, 2012

More Observations

1. Weather.com and the weather app on my phone are way off. It said showers all day, and I didn't take one till last night. (Bad joke) Actually, it predicted rain all day, and we had clear skies. Pleasant surprise!
2. If you need the kids to be quiet and tell them that, they just get louder. If you do reverse psychology, they get even louder. No matter what their volume goes up.
3. The quiet game on 4,3 year olds works, but only in the car. Happiest moment of the week was discovering that!
4. If you tell the kids you will go swimming, or to a park, they are like elephants and won't forget. You will also get every-minute
-reminders of your promise. But if you tell them you are going to do something boring, it's like they have Alzheimer's.
5. It is 7:54 am. I have been pestered for 49 minutes that I promised to take them to the pool. It doesn't even open for an hour and 6 minutes!


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Thursday, May 17, 2012

More pictures

Family of cranes at the Texas Roadhouse.


A dolphin basking.


An Alligator


Dora being silly


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Florida day 3

So Dora asked mommy why she and I got married. Bridget replied, "When you love someone more than anyone else, you get married to them." Dora thought about that then said "mommy, I marry you when I grow up."

I don't think she got it. But, Dora's ultimate expression if love is saying, "I will marry you."

While watching dolphins today Dora said "I want to marry you dad.". My little Dora loves me!!! I took this picture when she said that!!!



Here is a flying dolphin.


My possessed children and a creamy polar bear.


Heading to the pole in a helicopter.


At Shamu Stadium!














Dolphin show






Not photoshopped








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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Things I have learned in Florida

1. Denny's has good pancake ball Sunday's
2. Without TV and Internet Bridget and I have a lot of fun just hanging out and talking. I am a pretty lucky guy. After the kids go to bed it feels like dating again, except a lot more mess, more Cheerios, more diapers, and less hair (me not Bridget).
3. It seems like traveling with kids in Florida is the norm. No one looks down at you for the 11 month old eating a grape jelly packet.
4. Grape jelly is really sticky and only smears with baby wipes. "out out da**ed spot" (Literary buffs will get that)
4b. Grape jelly runs, expect to find traces covering a three foot radius of your child.
5. Marshmallow Treasures (Target Brand) tastes way better than Lucky Charms.
6. Sea World served fish and chips...
7. Dodge makes a really nice caravan.
8. Emmy loves her daddy.
9. Target is way nicer than Walmart.
10. Vacations are very expensive.
11. They need a baby low-jack for kids with an ap to track them.
12. Google map on my phone should have park maps.
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More pictures

I chased these kids through one of the coolest rope tunnel things. Sea world is pretty cool.














Here are some cool wildlife encounters.

These were so close to our condo!



Pretty sure this ate my animal crackers. Not sure if it wanted to feel like a giant (like I do when I eat them) or if it just wanted a tasty snack ( like I do when I eat them.)





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