Hey, what's up? *head nod* Hold on, let me snag a Diet Luv. Been one of those days. *sigh*...man. Hey have a seat will ya? Man, you're making me nervous. Wow, where to start huh? Been one of those weeks. Let's see, we've got the snowblower, the new workout, the girls' combined birthday, return to work, the baby...sooooooooo much to go over. I'll try to keep it straight for you. Hey you want some music? Hold on, let me go grab something...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtMy5IBmX7E&NR=1
So, I just finished writing a whole diatribe about how I went to the gym, and how my gut hurts and how we had a party for the girls, and how I bought a snowblower. Only I hit, "publish" and it logged me out, and now a perfectly good verbal diarreah was forever lost to the Western World.
MAN that sucks! Anyhow, you better have a seat. This could take a while.
OK, let's just hit the lowlights. Bought a snowblower. Now I lost all ambition to outline the dichotomy of having a new 209 Cc Orange Beast (I named her, "Ariel"). She can shoot snow a reported 50 feet, however Old Man Winter only set upon us with an inch and a third of the white powder so I haven't had a chance to fire her up.
Then there's the new Navy Seal and 300 Work Outs I started last week. Suffice it to say, my gut hurts from doing situps and floorwipers so bad that I think I have a bout of Montezuma's Revenge, when in fact it's just dormant muscle layers deep in my abdomen that have been reawakened. I'm tellin' you, it hurts from just above the Octagon all the way up my bellaye to my sternum. Mostly from the aforementioned, "Floor Wipers" which consists of laying on the floor, and holding a 45 lb bar and a 45 lb plate on each end straight up in a bench style hold while moving your feet up from the left plate to the right some 50 times. Then, I tried what's termed a, "Dead Lift" wherein you use that same setup, and put one hand over, and one hand under the bar and just stand up. Well, you start out like you were bent over with a sway-back and stickin' your butt out all seductive-like, then you just hold on to that bar and stand up. It's that easy. Only...50 TIMES! Yeah, in ONE DAY!! That's what I said!
So, now my back feels like I'm 80 and I'm going in for some cement to be put in it, and my gut feels like I've eaten 5 bowls of Fruit and Fibre and all this in the name of aging vanity and an attempt to rekindle my youthful vibrance. Plus I was hoping to lose 10 lb of inner-tube weight around my middle but...MAN this is a lot harder than the brochure said.
Nice jumping off point. See, I just finished ruining five full days of Navy Seal and "300" workouts with downing a half a pizza for my girls' combined Estrogen Fest birthdays. Yeah, that's what I said, 5 each 7 year old girls and 5 each 11 year old girls in one pool/pizza party. Oh man, I'm lucky to have escaped it alive. I got stuck in the drive-through at Little Cheeser's and they started talking. By the way, the girl at the window hands me four pizzas, four breadsticks and two 20 oz drinks. So I'm like, uh...didnt I order 2 liters? So she says, "Oh, did you?" Well, I only charged you for 20 ozers. To which I'm wondering, 'Hey, Blondie, I realize you're 17 and you're destined for greater things, but REALLY?! four pizzas, four breadsticks and we're all dozen of us going to warsh it down with a half a sacrament cup of drinky-drink?!' But I was too frightened by the cacaphony of Relief Societies in Training and just drove off dumber than what I started.
Anyhow, I gotta go, I gotta thing. All the best to you and your's. Just...pray for me a little will ya?
OK, attempt numero dos to save this to the public record.
Hugs and Medicated Wishes.
J
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Cinema and Swimin' a.
So, yeah, it's been a week or so. Here's the update. Turns out I've been home now about nine days. I've got another day off from work but I'm not so sure I can handle one more. So, here's the deal. The other day, after we sent the big kids to school, I invited my mom to watch Baby Sammy and Stacey, Olivia, and I would head to the show for a matinae and watch, "Puss in Boots." Well it started out as a good idea. About the time mom got here we were already late for the show. No fault of my mom's, just that the first available show was a short fuze and the next one would have required us to find someone to receive the big kids from the bus. Believe me, you dont want that. When three of those kids get off the bus and touch down it can be downright frightening.
Anyhow, so we got to the show and Olivia and Stacey went to occupy our seats and I arrived late in the pitch black not sure which seats they were in. "Marco......?" So, after spending 15 bucks for a small popcorn, fifty cents worth of nacho chips and 25 cents worth of cheese and a small bottled water we were off and runnin'. Well, Olivia watched about the first seven minutes of the show and then lost all interest. We pretty much spent the rest of the time talking her into her booster seat, keeping her from smashing into the seats and people in front of us, and working on our inside voices. I tell you. It's harder to take Olivia to a movie than it is to get all seven of us to church.
So, then...what else....hmmm I lost my train of thought....oh yeah, swimming. THEN as if I couldnt get any dumber, yesterday I thought it would be a great idea to take Olivia, Isabelle, and Lexi to the Rec Center to swim. I took them all about three weeks ago, and I had Josh along. It wasn't bad because everyone had someone to play with, even me. But odd numbers produce odd results. So, this time, I spent less time trying to keep putty in Olivia's ears and more time trying to talk her into the floatation vest. I tell you what, shoes, coats, pants and life vests are just non-starters for Olivia. You want to talk about a fit??? Wow. Anyhow, after sitting on the edge of the wading pool looking more conspicuous than a catholic priest at a boyscout outing, we finally left.
So I tell the two big girls to take the bag and go into the girls' locker room and do their thing and meet me on the other side. The bag of course, has the keys to the truck as well as my sanity, because immediately upon our parting ways, Olivia through a complete fit and had a melt-down in the locker room. She was NOT about to have me take her swimsuit off and most certainly would NOT wash off. Well at this point I realized also my spare pair of Underoos were in the same bag that the girls had, and I was going to have to go Commando out of their in regular workout shorts and without a shirt. But I did have this swell looking hunting camo style pullover.
So, from thence, I walked out into the waiting area and Olivia again noticed people in the water having fun and began melt-down numero dos. So, I get over to the door of the girl's locker room and for the next 25 minutes yell like an idiot into it that I am serious they need to hurry up and get out here. So, seriously, 48 minutes after we split ways, the girls finally erupted out of the locker room, finally with the bag and our ticket to sanity. By then the snow was going at a 45 degree angle from the East and Olivia refused to put on shoes, or a now wet coat from the swim bag. So, with me, running commando and carrying the now squirming and inconsolable toddler while pushing two girls out the door in a rush to the North 40 of the rec center in the snow I realized I am in point of fact NOT Fred McMurray...and father certainly dont know best.
I gotta go. We're getting Sam's coat on and everyone's getting head-up for the festivities at church. Cover my six while we move. I'm leaving my concealed carry here because I know my Sunbeams will force me to remove my jacket and I'll have no way to explain the bulge in my lower back nor the handle of my 9mm. Plus, the kids dont understand the threat of a good pistol-whipping so I just leave it home now. And I think it's the law, I'm not sure, I have to research that.
Anyhow, hope you laughed a little, Lord knows if you dont laugh you'll cry.
All the best to you and your'en.
Always,
J
Anyhow, so we got to the show and Olivia and Stacey went to occupy our seats and I arrived late in the pitch black not sure which seats they were in. "Marco......?" So, after spending 15 bucks for a small popcorn, fifty cents worth of nacho chips and 25 cents worth of cheese and a small bottled water we were off and runnin'. Well, Olivia watched about the first seven minutes of the show and then lost all interest. We pretty much spent the rest of the time talking her into her booster seat, keeping her from smashing into the seats and people in front of us, and working on our inside voices. I tell you. It's harder to take Olivia to a movie than it is to get all seven of us to church.
So, then...what else....hmmm I lost my train of thought....oh yeah, swimming. THEN as if I couldnt get any dumber, yesterday I thought it would be a great idea to take Olivia, Isabelle, and Lexi to the Rec Center to swim. I took them all about three weeks ago, and I had Josh along. It wasn't bad because everyone had someone to play with, even me. But odd numbers produce odd results. So, this time, I spent less time trying to keep putty in Olivia's ears and more time trying to talk her into the floatation vest. I tell you what, shoes, coats, pants and life vests are just non-starters for Olivia. You want to talk about a fit??? Wow. Anyhow, after sitting on the edge of the wading pool looking more conspicuous than a catholic priest at a boyscout outing, we finally left.
So I tell the two big girls to take the bag and go into the girls' locker room and do their thing and meet me on the other side. The bag of course, has the keys to the truck as well as my sanity, because immediately upon our parting ways, Olivia through a complete fit and had a melt-down in the locker room. She was NOT about to have me take her swimsuit off and most certainly would NOT wash off. Well at this point I realized also my spare pair of Underoos were in the same bag that the girls had, and I was going to have to go Commando out of their in regular workout shorts and without a shirt. But I did have this swell looking hunting camo style pullover.
So, from thence, I walked out into the waiting area and Olivia again noticed people in the water having fun and began melt-down numero dos. So, I get over to the door of the girl's locker room and for the next 25 minutes yell like an idiot into it that I am serious they need to hurry up and get out here. So, seriously, 48 minutes after we split ways, the girls finally erupted out of the locker room, finally with the bag and our ticket to sanity. By then the snow was going at a 45 degree angle from the East and Olivia refused to put on shoes, or a now wet coat from the swim bag. So, with me, running commando and carrying the now squirming and inconsolable toddler while pushing two girls out the door in a rush to the North 40 of the rec center in the snow I realized I am in point of fact NOT Fred McMurray...and father certainly dont know best.
I gotta go. We're getting Sam's coat on and everyone's getting head-up for the festivities at church. Cover my six while we move. I'm leaving my concealed carry here because I know my Sunbeams will force me to remove my jacket and I'll have no way to explain the bulge in my lower back nor the handle of my 9mm. Plus, the kids dont understand the threat of a good pistol-whipping so I just leave it home now. And I think it's the law, I'm not sure, I have to research that.
Anyhow, hope you laughed a little, Lord knows if you dont laugh you'll cry.
All the best to you and your'en.
Always,
J
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Home again...
OK, you've all been incredibly patient with me of late. For that I thank you and offer sincere appreciation. Mostly I'm thankful for the people that helped Stacey out while I was away these last two weeks. It makes it so much more palatable to know that she has such a wonderful extended family and friend network. I just wanted to take a moment at really acknowledge that fact.
Where were we? Ah yes. Well some of you were interested in knowing exactly what went down upon my triumphant return to Casa de Kenworthy. What with a brand new son and all, I guess you're looking for some sort of cathartic understanding of self. Well, barring that, and just underscoring my incredible ability to overlook the obvious, to say the least, I am...."blessed." In fact I sometimes recognize days, months, even years later how the hand of the Almighty has directed the course of my life. Even when I fought tooth and nail against His direction, He has continued to bless me in ways that I dont fully comprehend until the moment of.
So, I guess, for one, walking in from a snowstorm, into your warm abode and seeing your beautiful wife sitting on the couch feeding your new son, may be just one of those moments. Usually when I walk in the door chaos ensues. The dog starts to bark, a couple of phones ring, somone's at the door, the kids are yelling....etc. But Friday night, it just sort of unfolded like a dream sequence. My dad had picked me up from the airport and we'd made small-talk about this and that on the way down, but my mind really was on getting to know my boy, Samuel. I tell you, I'm simply in awe of Stacey at times. Her ability to juggle the other four children, while arranging her own stay in order to have a child, alone, without the aid of her bumbling (sometimes) baffoon of a husband is amazing to me. She looks fantastic by the way. She told me she's lost over-all 39 lb from the time she started working out last year to today. She looks phenominal and I'm so proud of her efforts. She really is an inspiration to me in all respects. I constantly think of ways to measure up, and since I can't, I focus most of my efforts in picking up my underwear and socks and trying to minimize my footprint throughout the house. I dont wanna brag, but I even washed all my clothes before returning home this time to lessen the load. I know, I'm a giver. I give. What can I say?
Yeah, so...anyhow, Samuel. Man, poor kid looks just like Josh, whom looks just like me, so...whatareyagonna do you know? He's actually a very quiet little guy. You have no idea he's taking a snoozer over in the corner in the basinet right now. Oh, that reminds me, I have to finish a little of the basement soon because I wasn't anticipating having double-occupancy in 3 of 4 bedrooms in the house. Josh really needs his own room, mostly because he's slovenly, but because I cant have him in such close proximity to his sisters. Football is over and he's back to his old schenanigans and the girls pay for it dearly. Isabelle and Olivia are sharing a room right now, and when Sammy is making it through most the night we'll have to put him somewhere. Stacey thinks it's going to be Josh's room, but I'm not entirely convinced. Plus Olivia has to agree to sleep in the bottom bunk under Isabelle so...we're a series of If-Then statements at best right now.
So I have another school coming in December. Starts on the 4th and runs through like the 16th. Over our anniversary, my birthday and back just in time for Stacey's birthday. It's like a whirlwind around here. It's nice though because as soon as that check is in the block, I'm promotable to major and with the requirement to purchase a new(er) Mormon Assault Vehicle (MAV) we could use a little nudge up in the old pay-stub.
So, again, back to Sam, he's really quite small. I think we're going to have to hold off on getting slurpies at the Maverick for a while, but he's as cute as a button. He whimpers before he cries and so if you hear that and anticipate then you can usually have a bottle made, or a diaper at the ready. That's pretty much the only thing he gets upset about. He tolerates the kids pawing at him and being passed around the couch and really has a sweet demeanor thus far into his tenure.
Oh, I forgot to tell you. This is kind of personal. But when I was in South Carolina, last week I went to the PX to get some pizza to take back to the room. Well, as I pulled into the parking lot, it was completely filled with young Soldiers graduating from basic training. They had all their mom's and dad's and grandma's and what-not there. Well I had a vision. No seriously. I get these from time to time about how to prepare for the up and coming. Well I had a vision of Stacey and I in about six years picking up Josh. It's phenominal to me to think about, but I saw it plain as day. It rang true to my heart. I was wearing my dress uniform for his graduation. I was a lieutenant colonel and Stacey and I had checked into a local hotel and Josh was proudly showing us around the post. It was surreal but definately a precursor. Josh is twelve in a couple of months. Six years from now he'll of course be 18. But I remember the personal pride I felt walking around post in my uniform. I distinctly remember the moment I realized that I was a man. Not, like an adult by virtue of turning 18, but a man in the sense that my personal direction and destiny were now in my own control, and...now in hindsight, that of our Father in Heaven.
I'm looking forward to that day. I can't believe it's so close. Josh has talked about joining the Guard between his junior and senior year. He's even talked about the concurrent enrollment programs at the highschool which will allow him to graduate with a high school diploma as well as an associate's degree. Then off to his advanced occupational training after he graduations and hopefully, God willin' and the creek dont rise, a mission. I firmly believe Josh is entirely capable of it. I hope he's listened to his old man and really does it. I know personally I had that same ambition, but got a little lost in the sauce trying to do it my own way for a while. Anyhow, the kid makes me so proud. I'm really looking forward to him being such an example to Samuel. Samuel will be six and seeing his big brother graduate from both high school, college, and the military schools will go a long way.
I'm not worried in the least about Samuel, or any of our children for that reason. I know we've got incredible children. They're phenominal to say the least. I realize they'll do things and learn some things the hard way. But they're all genuinely good kids and I feel very blessed for that. I know they'll learn some of those tough life-lessons that both Stacey and I have. I know that we're doing our best to instill in them values which will help them dust themselves off when they make mistakes and try again.
Anyhow, I gotta get ready for church. It's been a few weeks since I've seen my Sunbeams. Love those little guys.
Anyhow, all the best to you and yours. We'll see you soon.
Always,
J
Where were we? Ah yes. Well some of you were interested in knowing exactly what went down upon my triumphant return to Casa de Kenworthy. What with a brand new son and all, I guess you're looking for some sort of cathartic understanding of self. Well, barring that, and just underscoring my incredible ability to overlook the obvious, to say the least, I am...."blessed." In fact I sometimes recognize days, months, even years later how the hand of the Almighty has directed the course of my life. Even when I fought tooth and nail against His direction, He has continued to bless me in ways that I dont fully comprehend until the moment of.
So, I guess, for one, walking in from a snowstorm, into your warm abode and seeing your beautiful wife sitting on the couch feeding your new son, may be just one of those moments. Usually when I walk in the door chaos ensues. The dog starts to bark, a couple of phones ring, somone's at the door, the kids are yelling....etc. But Friday night, it just sort of unfolded like a dream sequence. My dad had picked me up from the airport and we'd made small-talk about this and that on the way down, but my mind really was on getting to know my boy, Samuel. I tell you, I'm simply in awe of Stacey at times. Her ability to juggle the other four children, while arranging her own stay in order to have a child, alone, without the aid of her bumbling (sometimes) baffoon of a husband is amazing to me. She looks fantastic by the way. She told me she's lost over-all 39 lb from the time she started working out last year to today. She looks phenominal and I'm so proud of her efforts. She really is an inspiration to me in all respects. I constantly think of ways to measure up, and since I can't, I focus most of my efforts in picking up my underwear and socks and trying to minimize my footprint throughout the house. I dont wanna brag, but I even washed all my clothes before returning home this time to lessen the load. I know, I'm a giver. I give. What can I say?
Yeah, so...anyhow, Samuel. Man, poor kid looks just like Josh, whom looks just like me, so...whatareyagonna do you know? He's actually a very quiet little guy. You have no idea he's taking a snoozer over in the corner in the basinet right now. Oh, that reminds me, I have to finish a little of the basement soon because I wasn't anticipating having double-occupancy in 3 of 4 bedrooms in the house. Josh really needs his own room, mostly because he's slovenly, but because I cant have him in such close proximity to his sisters. Football is over and he's back to his old schenanigans and the girls pay for it dearly. Isabelle and Olivia are sharing a room right now, and when Sammy is making it through most the night we'll have to put him somewhere. Stacey thinks it's going to be Josh's room, but I'm not entirely convinced. Plus Olivia has to agree to sleep in the bottom bunk under Isabelle so...we're a series of If-Then statements at best right now.
So I have another school coming in December. Starts on the 4th and runs through like the 16th. Over our anniversary, my birthday and back just in time for Stacey's birthday. It's like a whirlwind around here. It's nice though because as soon as that check is in the block, I'm promotable to major and with the requirement to purchase a new(er) Mormon Assault Vehicle (MAV) we could use a little nudge up in the old pay-stub.
So, again, back to Sam, he's really quite small. I think we're going to have to hold off on getting slurpies at the Maverick for a while, but he's as cute as a button. He whimpers before he cries and so if you hear that and anticipate then you can usually have a bottle made, or a diaper at the ready. That's pretty much the only thing he gets upset about. He tolerates the kids pawing at him and being passed around the couch and really has a sweet demeanor thus far into his tenure.
Oh, I forgot to tell you. This is kind of personal. But when I was in South Carolina, last week I went to the PX to get some pizza to take back to the room. Well, as I pulled into the parking lot, it was completely filled with young Soldiers graduating from basic training. They had all their mom's and dad's and grandma's and what-not there. Well I had a vision. No seriously. I get these from time to time about how to prepare for the up and coming. Well I had a vision of Stacey and I in about six years picking up Josh. It's phenominal to me to think about, but I saw it plain as day. It rang true to my heart. I was wearing my dress uniform for his graduation. I was a lieutenant colonel and Stacey and I had checked into a local hotel and Josh was proudly showing us around the post. It was surreal but definately a precursor. Josh is twelve in a couple of months. Six years from now he'll of course be 18. But I remember the personal pride I felt walking around post in my uniform. I distinctly remember the moment I realized that I was a man. Not, like an adult by virtue of turning 18, but a man in the sense that my personal direction and destiny were now in my own control, and...now in hindsight, that of our Father in Heaven.
I'm looking forward to that day. I can't believe it's so close. Josh has talked about joining the Guard between his junior and senior year. He's even talked about the concurrent enrollment programs at the highschool which will allow him to graduate with a high school diploma as well as an associate's degree. Then off to his advanced occupational training after he graduations and hopefully, God willin' and the creek dont rise, a mission. I firmly believe Josh is entirely capable of it. I hope he's listened to his old man and really does it. I know personally I had that same ambition, but got a little lost in the sauce trying to do it my own way for a while. Anyhow, the kid makes me so proud. I'm really looking forward to him being such an example to Samuel. Samuel will be six and seeing his big brother graduate from both high school, college, and the military schools will go a long way.
I'm not worried in the least about Samuel, or any of our children for that reason. I know we've got incredible children. They're phenominal to say the least. I realize they'll do things and learn some things the hard way. But they're all genuinely good kids and I feel very blessed for that. I know they'll learn some of those tough life-lessons that both Stacey and I have. I know that we're doing our best to instill in them values which will help them dust themselves off when they make mistakes and try again.
Anyhow, I gotta get ready for church. It's been a few weeks since I've seen my Sunbeams. Love those little guys.
Anyhow, all the best to you and yours. We'll see you soon.
Always,
J
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