LET IT SNOW..... EL PASO STYLE

JOE'S READY!!!!!!

NICOLE'S READY!!!

NAT NAT'S READY!!!!!!!

ARE YOU READY??!!!!!!!!

FOR ....

SNOW IN......

EL PASO BABY!!!!!!

OK OK ... THAT'S NOT EL PASO

BUT THIS IS!!!!!

This Pic was taken about 4:30.. by 6:00 there were at least a couple more inches. The kids and I went by and there was even a very good size Snow Man somebody had made. The kids were so excited!!!! They thought that I had made it cause it had "Spiky hair like you Dad!" Just as I was about to take credit for it, and get the kids out to take a picture I realized that maybe it was not such a nice Mr. Snow Man. Along with its Mohawk... it was also sporting something rather er.. large below the belt. Luckily, the kids did not seem to notice and bought it that we couldn't stop because "somebody not so nice made that snowman, and so we shouldn't let people think we made it." I resisted the temptation to take a pic of it by itself, sorry Mare!!

SO TO THE HOUSE WE GO....

THERE ARE LOADS OF SNOWBALLS TO THROW!!

The girls had a great time attacking each other with snowballs! Yes, those are socks on there hands... I am ashamed... But Like Tiger Woods, I am refusing to talk to the authorities (Adriana) about this, and only would like to thank everybody for their concern for my daughter's hands, and wish only for privacy!!!

AND THEN THERE WAS JOE....

Joe spent the whole time, hitting the road. He was uninterested in the snow on the ground, and preferred to chase the snow in the air. I could not get him to stop walking, always in the opposite direction than we were going. Im not sure but I think he was headed for California.

All in all it was a pretty great night, which totally made up for not such a great afternoon. I got to spend the snowy afternoon tramping across town, braving the wet El Paso freeways to attend traffic court!! I got downtown just as the snow stopped and the freezing rain began, then waded through the puddle filled parking lot in leather loafers (that are meant for cabana night, not Snow time). After stuffing my 4 dollars into the tiniest parking pay slot ever, I made it across to the court house, up to the wrong door, back all the way around the front, and finally made my soaked almost hypothermic entrance into the building. Where as I am sure you can imagine, was promptly notified that court was canceled for the day, due to weather... THANKS MS. LIPPY!!!!

NAT NAT

NATALIE'S TURN!!!

Mole

I had so much fun making the Vid of Joey yesterday, that I decided to make one of all the kids..... HERE'S NICOLE!!!!!

Last But Not Least

I realized today, that my blog has been has been lacking some testosterone.. it needed some JOEY MOEY!!!!!! ENJOY

This Blog is Brought to You By

I thought today, would be a good time for you to get to know your blogger. Be prepared to learn useless information about the man that brings you this blog. Warning this information may be disturbing for some audiences. You will read at your own risk, please do not send me any therapy bills, for they will be promptly filed away in the blue recycled bend with all of our bills.(Just kidding). We actually pay our bills now as part of this whole trying to be an adult kick that we are on. So here we go, you are about to go into the dark and scary place that is my brain!!! The interviewer and the interviewee are one in the same.. ME!!!!! BE AFRAID BE SO VERY AFRAID!!!!!

A.J. - Can I call you A.J. or do you prefer Anthony?

Anthony - You can call me what ever you want, except Stupid.. that always makes me angry, and you do not want to see me angry! (Little known to the world, the character Hulk was based on me... They just changed the name to The Hulk, so they wouldn't have to pay me royalties.. Bastards!!)

A.J. - What is the Proudest moment of your life?

Hulk - Every night when I tuck in, and say good night to my three precious little dudes. I love them so much!!!!!!!!

A.J. - What is Your Life's Motto?

Hulk - Be Yourself, because who else can you be? It took me a real long time to learn that.

A.J. - What is your biggest Pet Peeve?

Hulk- Wow, I could write a book of Pet peeves of mine that would be about 1000 pages long. I get pretty annoyed with people in general. You could even say that my biggest pet peeve about myself, is that I have so many Pet Peeves. For example, I get postal when someone comes into my store and purchases something that costs lets say 4.50, they break out with a 20 but then spend ten minutes(holding up my line) fishing through thier pockets or purse for 50 cents so that I will just give them back dollars. I mean come on its .50 cents - two quarters, go buy a coke and get over yourself!!!! Other big peeves of mine would include, parents who walk around blabing on the cell phone not paying any attention to their toddlers who are 5 feet behind sprinting to try to keep up, teenagers with tattoos (pretty much teenagers in general), and School Crossing Guards ( Talk about power trips, you put on an orange vest and suddenly you are omnipotent???? I think not!!!)

A.J. - Easy guy, lets change the subject. Why do you like to run?

Hulk - I love to run because each workout teaches me something about life. It teaches me how to persevere through hardship and pain. It teaches me to slow my breathing, and appreciate the moment. It teaches me to play the air guitar in the middle of a crowded street, without the least bit of embarashment. It shows me the euphria of a job well done. I love it because it helps me discover who I am, and to connect to the invisible powers that make up the unknown.

A.J. - So if you are playing the air guitar while you run, your listening to music I hope!?

Hulk - Yes, I lured Adriana into letting me buy an I Pod, with the promise that I would start running again.

A.J. - What is on your current running playlist.

Hulk - I have an assortment of music from all kinds of music genres. Basically, when I run I want music that inspires me, music that makes me think of anything other than the pain in my legs, and music that makes me move my booty down the road. My current playlist is as follows:

Lose Yourself - Eminem - when I need to kick it up a gear, this song does it every time.

Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5- I love anything Marroon 5 as does Adriana, so it makes me think of her, which always gets me through the rough spots because she always gets me through the rough spots of life.

Take a Chance on Me - Abba - Little gay, I know.

Stronger - Kanye West - that that doesnt kill us makes us stronger

Shipping up to Boston - Drop Kick Murpheys - Great Song!!! Plus reminds me of my love for Red Sox!!!

Wont Go Home Without You - Marroon 5 - yet again

Rehab - Amy Whinehouse - Lady a nut, but boy can she sing!!!

Viva la Vida - Cold Play - Puts me in the Zone

Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm - no offense to Michael but....

Paper Planes - MIA

Gives You Hell - All American Rejects - Even though Adriana has crush on lead singer.

Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve - one of my favs of all time

Dont Stop Me Now - Queen

I Will Survive - Cake - An angry and much better version of the Gloria Gainer hit.

A.J. - O.k. Well weve run out of time, because lets be honest you talk alot!

Hulk - Hey Hey Mr. Man easy with the attitude, what did I tell you about the whole don't make me angry thing? I was serious !!! They really did base that charector after me, though Lou Ferigno was kind of puney by my standards!!!!

Reminder, I will not pay any therapy bills that come as a result of reading this blog, nor will I reimburse you for the 5 minutes to 10 minutes (for you slow readers) of your life that you will never get back!!!!

THANK YOU COME AGAIN!!!

And the Winner Is........

Well believe it or not our little Spanish speaking mamasita turns 3 on Sunday!!!!! Or at least I think she does, let me check my tattoo of the kids birthday's, Adriana implanted with a Fishbone chisel on my forehead. O.k. ya, Sunday is the Day!!! I really cant believe that Nat Na,t my little Daddy's girl with the Chupis permanently attached to her lips, is going to be 3!!!

Yesterday she received her first birthday package, which of course had to be opened right away. Who won the right to have their present opened first??.... The winners were Mare and John!! Thanks guys so much hope you enjoy the videos.

Sorry about the lighting..my bad. Well she got the Hulk face down now we just got to work on the upper body strength!! Good thing she had the help of Nicole, and her cousin Luisa.

She was so Happy that she did a little Celebratory Dancing!!

O.K. truth be told she did this dance a couple of months ago, but I thought that now would be a perfect time to display it's cuteness. She definitely got her dance moves from her Papa's side of the Family!!!!

GOT THAT RUNNING FEVER

I have always loved sports. As far back as I can remember I dreamed of being a star athlete. I would spend hours and hours watching sports (any sport), and pretending to be one of the athletes. I cant tell you how many superbowls I won, leaping over the couch cushions for the game winning score. There was only one problem with my sports ambitions; I am lets just say athletically challenged, o.k. I am a klutz. I cant even catch a cold. I tried every sport imaginable, and failed miserable at all, except two. I was able to swim and I was able to run. I was not particularly fast at either, but I could go forever.

The problem is, that it wasn't till I was much older (2 years ago actually), that I realized where my talents were. I think that my A.D.D. also hindered any hope of being a successful runner or swimmer, as my interests in anything never lasted very long. Luckily, I think I am growing out of my A.D.D.. Uh... What was I talking about again?

Anyway, 2 years ago, I finally gave up smoking (and except for the occasional relapse have stayed off it), and started running again. I trained for about 10 weeks, and successfully completed the El Paso Half Marathon, in a respectable time of 1:43 (I finished 101 out of over a thousand). After that my crazy work schedule, an office Christmas party mishap (resulting in Joey), and that pesky A.D.D., kept me from continuing my training.

But I am back!!! I have started running again, and have big plans for the future. First up, the El Paso full marathon in March. Final goal: the Boston Marathon. You have to actually qualify to run in that one, which I hope to do eventually, but for now the goal is to finish the El Paso. I have a plan and a goal, and right now that's all I need to focus on. I will blog more about my training each week, to keep you updated, and to keep me motivated and focused. What was I talking about again?

!!!!!!!!!FREEEEDOM!!!!!!!!!!

Today, I celebrate Freedom!!! Yes, in this country we are free to be who we want to be and have the resources to do it. Yes, we have the right of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which is awesome. But, it is not these freedoms that I choose to celebrate. Today, I celebrate a freedom much more personal and powerful. Websters defines freedom as "the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint." For several years now Adriana, and I have been the victims of this unlawful confinement and physical restraint . Our bedroom has been held captive by the Lords of the Sippy Cups. But, like our hero William Wallace, we have finally gained our freedom!!!!



We actually freed ourselves of the Lords two weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure that the treaties were honored for awhile before I announced our emancipation. Our strategy was simple:

1. We took the girls to the store and let them pick out their own room decorations.



2. We spent a whole weekend, cleaning, organizing, and decorating the room, all of which they helped with.




3. We gave up our bedroom T.V., and transferred it to their new digs. ( After all sacrifices have to be made in order for a revolution to work.)



4. We begged, begged, then begged some more.

Of course, as with any peace treaty , there have been some complications, and growing pains.

We still have to be in the room when they go to sleep.

We have enough night lites around the house, to light up the LAX runways.

Joey's crib is still in our room, but at least not in our bed. His room is our next project, we are just waiting for the budget department to give us clearance.

Every morning when I wake up, I find that the visitors have returned. They come down anytime between 2 and 4, sometimes together and sometimes make the journey solo.

Finally, and as a big surprise to me, I miss them. I do not miss trying to make it through the night on a quarter inch of sleeping space. Nor do I miss being woken up five times a night for JUUUUUIIICCCEE!!!!. But, I miss the closeness I felt with them. It also made me realize how fast they are growing up, and that they wont be my little babies forever.





All in all, it has been great, and we are super proud of our Girls!!!!!!

The Whitest Girl In the History of E.S.L.

Well we survived the first week of School!!! With all the well justified fanfare that Nicole has been getting, I thought that today would be a good day to pay some tribute to her baby sister, Nat Nat. Our green kangeroo turns 3 next Saturday !!! An official end to the Tender Twos, or so I hope !!! I only say that because as I am writing this, she is in the middle of a fit. I believe she is upset that here little brother is drinking juice from one of her sippy cups. Or as she calls it.. "Mi Teta Papi ....Joey toma mi Teta!!!

Yes it is true my little dirty blonde with the biggest blue eyes, does not speak English!!! She understands every word, but always responds in Spanish. Just imagine the look the on the E.S.L. teacher's face when Natalie walks in!!! Im just kidding about that, I am sure that by the time she starts school, the english will be there. I think it is actually very cool, and so important that are kids are bilingual. I get so upset when 20 year olds with the last name of Dominguez, or Vazquez come in and apply for a job, and can't speak a word of Spanish. I have had so many oppurtunities open for me, just because I am bilingual. I am actually hoping that because my kids are learning two languages at such a young age, that they will be able to learn more later on. I wonder what a fit sounds like in Manderin?












Well here are a few other things that are going on with Nat Nat:


Her Birthday party is going to be at one her favorite places: the Zoo!! Her favorite animals are the "wooofy", and the "O O Ah Ah " (monkey)

She still has not given up the Chupis (pacifier), though during the day she doesnt use it too much, she just likes to carry them around in a box, or in her princess purse.




iv>
I think that her pacifier addiction is being phased out by a new one.. Her blankie.. As she calls it her Coveja.. It goes every where she goes, and she will not even think about getting in bed without it. We have to steal it off her bed once she is asleep, to wash the funk off.



She has never been much of a T.V. watcher, but she does have a couple of movies that will hold her attention for a half hour or so... Her current favorites are Alice in Wonderland, and The Little Mermaid. I can also get her to watch soccer with me, for about 5 minutes. That beats anyone else in the house by 5 minutes, unless David Beckham is playing, then her Mom becomes the biggest soccer fan in the world. She yells at the t.v. every time the camera turns way from Beckham, and at least 3 times a game will ask the girls who Beckham is. They have been trained (not by me) to answer the same way every time ..... "Daddy!!!"


<

OK so he is rather fetching

School is the coolest thing ever...

BEFORE SCHOOL

Well the first week of school is going very well. Nicole loves it!!! She is even making us double the amount of pretzels we put in her lunch, I guess they make her quite popular!! Surprisingly, she has not asked us to double her fruit, or veggie portions. Every morning her and Adriana drop by the store on their way to school, and she still looks as excited as she did on the first day. The end of the day on the other hand, is an entirely different story.

The school day begins at 7:30, and ends at 2:45 - even for kindergartners! That compounded with the fact that she has to wake up around 6:00, and does not get a nap (as she puts it "cause I am not a little girl, like Nat Nat"), leads to a very tired girl. This is a bad thing, yet a good thing. The bad thing is that the only time I see her (if I get to see her at all), is during what we affectionately call her Chucky Time. This is the lovely time of the day when the exhaustion takes over her little body, and our sweet Cinderella turns into the evil step sisters. No, it is not a grammatical error that I used the plural there. I used it, to properly demonstrate the severity of the situation. The girl is the sweetest thing in the world, but when Mr. Hyde comes out, (or is Dr. Jeckle the bad one, I cant remember), watch out sista, cause it gonna be ugly!! I wonder where she gets that temper? Must be from Adriana's side, being that she has such a calm, laid back, and easy going Father!!! Lol

The good thing about her schedule is that she is comatose by 7:30. That means that for the first time in 5 years, her parents get some alone time!!!!! Don't worry Mom, not that kind of alone time, 3 is enough!!! We have actually watched more movies in the last week, than we have seen in the last 6 months. None of which are animated, or involve Hanna Montana in any way shape or form!!! It is has been great, though I know it will be short lived, once her body gets used to the schedule. We are however prepared for such a situation. I watched a sitcom once where the kids went to bed early one night and the parents had some good alone time. So good in fact that each night the parents keep moving the clocks forward to make bed time earlier. Eventually, it was 9:00pm (bedtime), as soon as the kids got home from school. See who says you can't learn anything from watching T.V.?!

AFTER SCHOOL

First of The First Days

The first day of kindergarten has to be one of the biggest first days in any one's lifetime. I still remember mine, as I am sure most of us do. I remember the excitement and anticipation as I walked into the classroom clinging on to my Superman lunch box with one hand and my Dad with the other. It was at that point in my life, my proudest moment. I felt like I was all grown up. The pride I felt however, is not even in the hemisphere of the honor I felt today, as I held on to the hand of my little angel Nicole, as she began the same journey!

As we walked through the school yard up towards the classroom, I was desperately trying to find the words that I would say when I left her. I wanted them to be inspiring, I wanted them to be perfect. I wanted the heavens to open and shine down on me as I spoke, so that I could share with her the secret of life. I wanted them to be so powerful that, she would use them in her Valedictorian speech from Harvard Medical School, 20 years from now. I pondered on the words of the poets, and the great speakers of our time. I even tried to muster up some Obama. However, when the time to say goodbye finally came, the message that I spit out was short, un -poetic and extremely heartfelt. I simply said " I am so proud of you, I love you, and I know you will do great! And how did she respond to my eloquent speech, you ask? She simply asked " Daddy after school today, can I have a slurpee?

As I was leaving the room I did the one thing all the experts say never to do, the Cardinal Sin of separation ,if you will. I looked back! To my surprise, Nicole had completely forgotten about me, and was busy sizing up all her new classmates. The enormity of the event, had not fazed her at all. She was truly exited to be there. That's when the tears came. Not from Nicole though, they fell like rain from her father. Thankfully, she never saw them. I wish I could say the same for the masses of parents in the halls, and the school yard. The school crossing guard probably thought I was insane. I cant explain the emotions that caused the display, except that they were not tears of sadness. I felt like the luckiest man on earth, and I realized that I was doing more than just dropping my kid off at school. I was sharing our precious gift with the rest of the world!!

5 uniform polos, 2 skorts, 2 jumper dresses, 3 t shirts, 2 pairs Baby Gap ( i know) jeans, 2 pairs baby Gap ( i know i know) shoes, 5 different kinds of sanitizer, 4 bottles of glue, 1 butterfly backpack, 1 Hello Kitty lunch bag, 1 Hanna Montana notebook, 1 Princess notebook, 4 other notebooks, 3 boxes of kleenex, one recycled school box, 2 packs of Great Job stickers, 3 boxes of crayons, 60 #2 pencils, 2 things of playdoo, did I mention hand sanitizer, and a partridge in a pear tree = $ 450.00

This look on my beautiful girl's face PRICELESS

The Chain Letters of The Internet Generation

O.K., so I have been tagged for a blog award from my lovely sister with the big head. Apparently, being tagged is the equivalent of receiving a chain letter in 1985, or chain text in 2005. You have to comply with the request of the reward, which is in this case is listing ten things nobody knows about you. Then you must "reward" 7 more blog sites. My sister with the big head cheated and tagged me seven times. She was gracious enough to allow me to list only ten things and not all 70. Thanks, Sis!!


1. I have a mortal fear of all things sticky. Honey, syrup, already licked lollipops etc. etc. If I ever find myself in battle and get captured there will be no need for water boarding. Just hold an open bottle of Aunt Jemima over my head and I will sing like a canary.


2. Sometimes as a parent disciplining a child, you say things that make no sense at all. The other day at nap time I told my oldest daughter Nicole... " Do you really want me to get in trouble with Mom because you are too lazy to take a nap?"


3. I tend to be a binge Ice cream eater when I am upset about something. I have also been known to eat an entire watermelon in one sitting. I just cut it in half, grab a spoon and eat each half using the melon itself as a bowl.


4. Speaking of eating, I have a secret dream to be a competitive hot dog eater. Kobayashi here I come!!!!

5. I have tried to play just about every sport known to man, with very little success. Apparently, I chose witty and sarcastic over sporty and athletic. It took my 32 years to find a sport that I'm actually pretty good at, which is running. Anybody want to buy some once used hockey equipment? How bout soccer, football, fencing, or badminton?

6. I have the grossest toenail in the world. It is so large and green it makes the Grinch look like he just had a pedicure.

7. I am currently reading three books:

An American Life - by Ronald Reagan

Think - Simon Blackburn

screamfree PARENTING Hal Runkel, LMFT

8. I am not particularly religious anymore, but I say a silent prayer every night before I go to sleep, and first thing in the morning, thanking God for the four perfect angels that he has put in my trust. I pray for strength above my own to protect and care for them. Through them, I find peace in Jesus.

9. Movie that I quote all the time, but have never really seen... Scarface

10. I have no problem watching High School Musical with the girls. I actually enjoy it.. they are Delightful!

I choose to put an end to this "chain award", but I would like to invite anyone who leaves a comment on this blog to list something about them that nobody knows.

What Did You Say...Sundays Volume II

<

Today, for my second edition of What did You Say Sundays, we find Nat Nat (our soon to be 3 year old) ready and willing for the intense line of questioning I have set up for her. Surprisingly, she arrives for the interview without her normal entourage of her pon (pacifier), her blankie, or her favorite pink clogs. Which tells me right away that I had better make this quick.

Daddy - Which do you love more? Your Pon or your blankie?
Nat Nat - Mi Pon.. no mi blankie.. Mi Blankie? Mi Blankie? Mi Blankie!!!!!!????
Daddy - Don't worry I will have my lovely assistant Nicole go get it for you.
Nat Nat - K

Daddy - What color are your eyes?
Lovely Assistant Nicole - Blue
Nat Nat - Noooooooooooo - Pink Pink Pink!!!

Daddy - Who do you love more? Mommy or Daddy?
Nat Nat - Mi Chupis!! (Her other name for her pacifier)

Daddy - How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
Nat Nat - Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm...Ocho (8)

The interview is interrupted as Nat Nat, and my lovely assistant Nicole fight about who's room we are in. The room was originally designed to be Nicole's , was soon set up for them to share, and has not been slept in by either in the entire two years we've lived here. They prefer the comfort of Mommy and Daddy's room, so we finally gave in and move their bed to our room. That way Mommy and Daddy can at least sleep in the same room, and on rare occasions the same bed. Today, they finally agree to share the room, when they grow up. The interview resumes.

Daddy - What do you want to be when you grow up?
Nat Nat - Mi Papi!!
Daddy - Silly Willy why do want to be Daddy?
Nat Nat - Luv Mucho!! (Love a lot)


Daddy - Who let go a Stinky?
Nat Nat - Yo !!! - then drops her pants to show me where the odor originated. She actually gets that from her older sister, who when releasing foulness, goes around pointing her backside at everyone, yelling "Want Some? Want Some?"
Daddy - Thanks

Daddy - How should we fight global warming?
Nat Nat - Asi (like this) Boom Boom Boom - moving her little hand like shes swatting away a mosquito.

Daddy - What are your plans for the day?
Nat Nat - Mimis(her word for sleep)..No!


That was the end of the interview. Her Mommy ended any hopes of a continuation when she brought in breakfast. I love it that all her answers were in Spanish. I think its very cool that our kids are going to be bilingual. I just wish that they would have inherited their accents from their Mom and not me. Can you say Gringooos?

Before she went to go eat, I did try to end the interview with a kissy.

OK.. Let's Try This Again

The Long Road Within

"The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with One Step" - Lao Tzu

It has been a very interesting few days since my last blog. A lot has gone on since my "life altering" experience at the grocery store. It seems to me, that after the euphoria of such an event, a trial of your faith is soon to follow. Almost like there is some force of negativity trying to make you doubt your intentions to change. Or is there a positive force, trying to make sure you are ready to change? Whatever it is, my resolve has definitely been tested, but my will has not been broken.

I will not bore you with the details of why I had a couple of bad days. I will tell you that the main cause of the pain, was self doubt. As the Author Sylvia Plath wrote, “And by the way, everything in life is writable about you if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." This is what happened to me, I started to doubt myself and my intentions and and for a moment lost the inner creativity that makes me who I am.

I have often in my life gone through stages of self doubt or self loathing. I start to think that I am inferior in some way because I do not do things as I perceive others would do them. I start to search the T.V., books, the Internet or my day to day interactions with others, for the perfect way to live. My false thinking is that if another person is so happy and content, and I live just like they do, I will likewise be content and happy. The problem with this is that my self doubt kicks in and tells me that I am not doing it correctly. I am not able to live up to this perfect image I have projected in my mind. This always leads to an overwhelming sense of failure, and ultimately I lose touch with my true self.

What I am beginning to discover is that I do not truly understand who I really am. And, because I don't understand myself I don't trust myself with my own life decisions. Thus, I search for answers from others. My first step to reaching this inner peace I mentioned in my last blog, must then be to get inside myself and figure out what makes me tick. What are the things that I truly value? What are the things that I most fear? What are the things that are inside me that I don't want anyone to know about? What are the things inside me that I want to tell the world? These are the private questions (well at least private answers) that I must search for. I know the process wont be easy or always pleasant, but will definitely be worth it. After all how can I help my children figure out who they are, if I can't tell them how I did it.

"The greatest explorer on this earth never takes voyages as long as those of the man who descends to the depth of his heart". ~Julien Green

When I started to this blog, I thought that it would be a fun place to broadcast our crazy family, and put out pictures of the kids for the grandparents. I had no intention to get so deep or philosophical with it. What I have discovered though, is the great liberation I feel when I share my struggles and inner battles with the world. This blog is my first step to self discovery, because when I read it I see my true self. I hope you as my readers understand that I am holding nothing back. You are seeing the real me unfiltered. So thank you for assisting in my journey, and for being cheaper than a Shrink!

Whats With All The Anger.

This afternoon I left work for what seemed like a quick and easy trip to the grocery store. The trip was quick, but it certainly was not easy. What transpired, while not earth shattering was definitely eye opening, and may lead to a major life philosophy change for this young father.

The first incident happened while waiting at the traffic light next to my store. I was the first car waiting at the light, and in the millisecond it took my eyes to transmit the green light change to my brain, the driver of over sized SUV behind me was already laying on her horn. My first inclination was to show her that I knew how to count to one using only my most delicate finger. But I realized that I was bigger than that, besides she was too busy talking on her cellphone and slurping down a Marlboro to notice it anyway.

So this was on my mind as I braved the Wal Mart parking lot in the rain. This is a scary place anyway, the rain makes it almost like trying to find a parking space in Beirut. Inside the store was no better. Everyone goes around shopping like they are there to pick out their last meal. Accidentally cutting someone off with your cart is a capital offense. No one smiles, says excuse me, or thank you. Most are on the cellphone telling someone how much they hate their job,or their spouse, or yelling at their kids to stop running around so they can hear their B.F.F. on the phone.

At the check out line, the clerk rung up my stuff without even bothering to look up at me. She was obviously thinking about when her break was going to be, or where she was going to put her next tattoo. As I loaded my stuff trying not to trip over the kid lying on the floor screaming(apparently invisible to the Mom fighting with a clerk over the price of bananas), the same thought kept repeating over and over in my head. Why So Angry? Why So Angry?

What is it about life today that makes everyone so angry? I believe that it is our constant need for more. More money, more expensive stuff than our neighbors have, more more more. Today, very few seem to have that inner satisfaction of having what you want and wanting what you have. " My life will be so much better when I get a new car, or a new job, or a new outfit." It seems to me, that so many people are unsatisfied with their current lot in life , but unwilling to put in the work to fix it. Instead they seek the lightning in the bottle that will make everything turn into a fairyland. That in my opinion, is why the divorce rate is so high now a days. People get married or shack up and expect the subtitles to read "and they lived happily ever after." It doesn't work like that. In the words of Maroon 5 "Its not always rainbows and butterflies." The way you make it work is by committing yourself to your partner no matter what. Leaving is never an option, things might suck now, but they wont forever, right?

So my new life mission is to seek inner peace and satisfaction. To be able to be calm and happy on the inside, while the storms of the outside world beat down on my door. To be able to have what I want, with as little material possessions as possible. Am I searching for the Buddha, I don't know. But he is safer than Prozac right? Religion is fine if it brings you the peace and eliminates the hate. I don't know what the correct path is going to be. I think the point is that the process of searching for inner calm, is as important as actually finding it. I also know that the answer lies within me. It cannot be purchased on an easy payment plan, or found in the bottom of a bottle. No quick fix here. I may never fully reach the enlightenment I seek, but if I spend each day striving for it, it will not have been a wasted life.

What Did You Say...Sundays

<

I think it is time that my loyal readers get to really know this crazy family. So for the next few Sundays I will take the time to interview each member of the fam. (The one with our infant, Joey will be quite in depth, I'm sure.) I will start with our oldest Nicole . It is my first time to interview a diva, so I'm a little nervous and overwhelmed with the task. I just hope she is not too hard on me. Oh well, here it goes.

Interview with Nicoly Moley 6-21-2009

Adorned in a white summer dress covered in peace signs, her mom's black high heeled boots, and the best fake pearl earrings Forever 21 produces, Nicole arrives for her interview every bit the sparkling star. She eases into her favorite pink bean bag chair, and let's me know that I better make this quick because High School musical is on.

(Note Nicole's answers are written word for word how they came out, so please forgive any grammatical inconsistencies)

Daddy - " What is it like to be a big sister?"

Nicole - " The first sister"

Daddy- " Please explain"

Nicole - " Because I like to be nice to my sister" ( She says while she holds Nat Nat captive in a pink laundry hamper)

<

Daddy - "How do you respond to those who say you are a Diva?

Nicole - " I'm not a Diva, my sister is a Diva."

Daddy - " What is a Diva?"

Nicole - " A Diva is a Drama Queen... Nat Nat stop being a Drama Queen."

Daddy - " Who is your favorite, Mommy or Daddy?"

Nicole - " Both"

Daddy - "Smart Girl"

Nicole - "I know"

Daddy - " What is your favorite food?"

Nicole - "Apple Sauce"

Daddy - "I thought you would have said pizza."

Nicole - " Only cause I like it do I love it."

Daddy - " What do you think about Barrack Obama?"

Nicole - "My favorite President."

Daddy - " Do you think he is a good President?"

Nicole - " Yes because he is the President I like."

Daddy - " Do you know of any other Presidents?"

Nicole - " Just that one."

Daddy -" What do you like about Nat Nat, and Joey?"

Nicole - " Their my best sister and brother"

Daddy - " Is there anything you don't like about them."

Nicole - " Nat Nat is like kinda mean. You need to have a serious talk with Nat Nat!"

Daddy - "Do you think we should drill for oil in the Anwr?"

Nicole - "No cause its not good."

Daddy - "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"

Nicole - " I don't know that word, please don't tell me that."

Daddy - "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Nicole - "Um, a Mommy taking care of my children."

Daddy - "Do you want to work?

Nicole - " I wanna work at 7-11, with my Papi, Anthony."

Daddy - "I thought you wanted to be a Teacher or a Doctor."

Nicole - "I wanna be with my Daddy, Mommy can take care of my child."

Daddy - " So do you ever plan to leave the house?"

Nicole - "No, that's silly"

Nicole - "I need to go down stairs now to be with my soda."

With that the interview was over. But later, when I went down stairs she was already busy interviewing her Mommy. Let me just say that her line of questioning was not as polite as mine was. Anyway, I hope that this short interview helped you to see how smart, witty, and funny our beautiful girl is!

Past Post Update

To be honest I've been battling with writer's block today. Well actually with idea block, because once I get a decent idea for a blog the words usually flow easily. The spelling and proper grammatical use of said words are a whole other problem. (as I'm sure you've noticed if you have read my previous posts.) So because of this idea embargo, I will use today to update you on the progress of the things I've spoken about in previous posts.

Terrible Twosday
My little Nat Nat is still in the midst of this wonderful stage. As I write this, she is screaming (her preferred mode of getting her way), about something her Mom did or didn't do. But thanks to her Grammy, this stage is no longer terrible. She is from now on experiencing her "Tender Twos".

Immediate Job Opening
Adriana, did not get to go on her vacation, and continues to carry on diligently with her duties. Her dedication to the kids still awes me, and I still appreciate all that she does. Though, I wish that the death ray looks she can send my way, would ease up just a bit. (I think she's reading this over my back as I type, because I'm getting the death stare as we speak.)

The Truth About Where We Come From
I am still unashamedly a Neil Diamond Fan! He still however has not answered any of my texts, calls, or emails, and all my kosher gift baskets keep coming back Return to Sender style. I did receive a very nice letter from his lawyer, thanking me for being such a big fan, and asking me not to come within 100 yards of Neil at anytime!

Going Green
Well, my five point plan "Project Green Go", was a complete failure. The professor declined to help with the project for "personal reasons." Between you and me, I think he was offended by the boat fixing comment. Without him on board, the whole project was doomed. Seriously though, Adriana and I have renewed our dedication to going green. Today, we committed ourselves to a small monthly donation to Greenpeace. If you have any inclination to go green, I highly recommend going to their website. I do warn you that you may never be the same after reading about this stuff. I for one, will never wear a pair of Nike's, or use a Kleenex ever again... Go Green By Picking Your Nose!?

That's all the updates I have for now. I would like to thank my loyal readers (all 4 of you) for reading my stuff. I hope that you are finding it some what entertaining. I would also like to thank my sister with the big head and her husband, for their encouragement and kind words about my blog. They both inspire me to keep it going.

Early for Fathers Day

<

Father's Day is not until this Sunday, but it is heavily on my mind today. Not so much the day itself, but the significance of fatherhood as a whole. This is possibly because even though I am a father of three now, the day makes me think primarily of my father, and what he taught me, gave me, and how much I miss him. He has been gone for almost ten years now, yet Father's Day is the one day that has not gotten easier for me. It is even more difficult to handle then his birthday, christmas, and the aniversary of his death. So, today I will honor my Father with this blog, and maybe it will help me to discover why Father's Day is so hard for me.

In the first few years after his death, I was filled with regrets. I regreted not spending more time with him, not listening more to him, and for some of the things that I said or did to him. I regreted not appreciating him like I should of when he was here. I regretted not telling him that I loved him everytime we spoke. With time, regrets like this begin to disapear. The bad memories go away, and it is easier to see the escense of a great man, and a great life. Was he perfect? No absolutly not, nobody is. Did he make mistakes? Of course he did, as everybody does. Did he love his family with everything he had? No Question.

I remember going through his closet when I was older, and still seeing alot of the same suits and belts and ties that he used when I was kid. They were still in great condition, because of the care he put into them, but they were the same. He didnt keep these cloths because of his affection for them. Like anyone, Im sure he craved newer threads, the latest fashions. He had the same cloths because he would rather spend the money on us. I can remember Mother Days or Christmas's where my mom would open package after package, until an entire new wardrobe appeared. He had a talent that I struggle everyday to learn, that is putting the family before the self.

As I mentioned earlier, bad regrets eventually go away, but they get replaced by new ones. Well, maybe regret is not the right word, maybe anguish fits better. I wish he would have gotten to meet my beautiful wife, they would have been fast friends. I wish he would have gotten the chance to be Grandpa Joe. I just know he would have made such a perfect Grandpa. I hate it that I cannot pick up the phone and tell him how his beautiful grandkids are doing, learning, and what they are going through. I cant ask for his advice, on how to handle tantrums, or organize finances. All I have is the memory and reflection of what he taught me while I thought I wasnt paying attention.

I think Fathers day teaches me how lucky I am. Lucky, to have been raised by such a cool dude. Lucky, to have have three beautiful kids. Lucky, to be able to use what he taught me to help me turn them into responsible happy adults. The most important factor is patience. My father never gave up on me. Even when I was going through some terrible teenage years, and we did not get along, he never gave up on me. I think that he saw me as a lump of coal that would eventually turn into a diamond. He could see beyond the present situation and realized that it is the end result and not the process that matters. I just wish he was here to see the diamond that he created, and the 4 diamonds (Eliza, my niece included) that will eventually shine brighter then the sun!

Finally, when I reflect on Father's Day I think of fatherly love that I recieved from some one who is not my father, he is my Uncle. On the day my dad died, I told my Uncle Bob that i was going to need his help, that I didnt think I was ready to take on the world without a man like my father to help me. He said of course he would, and has not once let me down since. He did not replace my father, nor would he ever want to. What he did was pick up where his brother left off, and finished the job. He has been there for me step by step, and I love him with everything i have. I am so thankful for him, and even though I lost my dad, I am so lucky to have an uncle who I know could not love me more. He and Aunt Sanny also have such a beautiful relationship with our kids. There is mutual love and admiration there.

This Father's Day I honor the great man that Joe T. was and is, the great Brother and Uncle that Bob T. is.... from the man who is constantly aspires to their greatness.

Long Overdue

Its been almost a week since Ive had a chance to sit at the computer..much less blog. I had an inspection this morning from one of the High Uppers, and have been working 16 hour days to get ready. This afternoon, after it was all over Adriana and I got to go on a much needed date!! We ate at a resteraunt that had cloth napkins, menus that we did not have to read off the wall, and our waiter was actually over the age of 16!!! It was so nice to enjoy a quite lunch at a resteraunt, and not have to chase kids around with a cup full of chucky cheese tokens.





After lunch we went to one of our favorite places on earth... THE MALL!! I have had a love affair with the mall for some time now, Adriana however is a recent convert. As we were shopping however I had a question that just wouldnt leave me alone, a question I have been afraid to answer for a long time.. A scary question.. Am .. I .. A .. Metro??!! The answer sadly is maybe..ok its Yes.. Here are my reasons for my startling finding.





Adriana is the handy man around the house always fixing everything, while I am the one that finds the floral arrangement that goes best with the coffee table.





My hair styling paste costs more than 20 bucks and has to be bought at a speciality store, where Adriana has to pretend to work for a salon just to be able to buy it.. It totally worth it though, my hair is light and natural, and stays exactly where I want it.





I have 5 different pairs of black dress shoes, each with a different kind of toe point.





OK this one is hard to confess.. Instead of watching the superbowl this year we watched an entire season of Americas Next Top Model.. In my defense they are a bunch of skinny models scantily clad, having cat fights with each other!!





My monthly magazine must reads are Details, GQ, and Mens Vogue..I also read Maxim, just to keep the testosterone active.





I have more face creams, body washes, and moisterizers than my wife does.. only by 1 though.





I have five different colognes in my medicine cabinet right now, and not one of them is old spice.. sorry Grandad.





I have my closet seperated into style of dress shirt sections.





Finally, and most sadly I tend to enjoy a good chick flick heres my top 5:


5. Bring it On... "Girl youve been saved by an angel.. girl"


4. He's just Not That into You


3. Serendipity.. It might have to do with the fact that Kate Beckensale is a HOTTIE.. atleast thats what helps me sleep at night.


2. Center Stage.. Skinny girls, yet again.


1. You've Got Mail.. whats not to love.. They meet online fall in love..not knowing they live right next to each other and pass each other all the time. Then he puts her out of business.. but still finds a way to make her love him.. Its poetic, even after the hundtredth time youve seen it.. I would know.








So am I a little metro.. probably.. am I a man.. definitely.. am I insane.. No Doubt!

Its Easy Being Green

My wife Adriana and I feel strongly about the need to be environmentially aware. We have tried over the last couple of years to become more green. Sometimes we do a pretty good job and other times, it would give Ed Begley Jr. a heart attack if he knew what we were doing. Well today I have decided that enough is enough, it is time to get serious. Therefore here is my 5 point plan I call Operation Green Go.. It goes into effect immediately:

There will be no more diapers used in this household. They say each diaper we use will be in the landfills until the dinosaurs come back, and that a kid will use thousands in his or her "soiling themselves stage". So I have ripped out all the carpet in the house and we will now have wall to wall newspaper flooring. That way Joey can roam freely and mark his territory as he deems fit. The paper will then be picked up and sent to be recycled... Nicole might just be able to get that puppy she wants so badly, after all.

I have also set up several barrels outside that I will use to collect rain water that we will use to bath the kids. During the monsoon season we should be good to go. During the dry season however, we might have some issues. On the brightside, I wont have to worry about the girls having boyfriends anytime soon.

Thirdly, I am going to figure out a way to rig our electrical system to a giant hampster wheel . To get the strogest hampsters possible I have contacted A - Rods personal trainer to "prescribe" them something. I have also contacted the professor from Gilligans island to handle the project. I mean the man made a radio out of a coconut, he can surely handle this! After all, his only weakness appears to be boat fixing.<
Next, we will no longer need Air Conditioning. I have sent away for some organically grown loin cloths, to be used by all during the summer months. Call me Tarazan King of Green baby! Dont worry I have not forgotten about the girls, Im gonna have the professor bring along some of his famous coconuts to help them cover there girl things.

Finally, this family will no longer need the use of motorized vehicles. I have ordered side cars for the girl's wiggly bikes, so that we can get around town. I think I will have Nat Nat be my personal driver.

FLINTSTONES MEET THE FLINTSTONES

So there is my 5 point plan, pretty easy, right? If any of you want to go green, I will do consultations on a commision basis.

Brother and Two Sisters

Adriana and I both come from families with two sisters and one brother. We have always thought that was pretty cool. So when we gave birth to Joe( well when Adriana gave birth, I had very little to do with that process), we were even more excited to have a family just like the ones we grew up in. The only difference was that Joe is the youngest, and in both of our families the boy is the green kangeroo(the middle one).

We were talking the other day about how close we thought the kids would be when they get older. We are both very fond of and keep close contact with our respective siblings, and hope the same for our kids. I have seen lots of families however, where for whatever reason the kids drift apart as they get older. It makes me wonder what the factors are that affect the closeness of siblings.

For me one of the biggest factors was that we grew up in a loving family where our parents were there for the long haul. We had our share of disfunction, but there was never any doubt that our parents loved us, loved each other, and were gonna stick too it through feast and famine. The sames goes for Adriana's family. That devotion from the parents teaches the children how important family is, and that even if we are not getting along right now, we are here to face the same problems and issues and its easier to get through it together.

As a child I was closest to my younger sister Maryellen. I think this was almost purely because of or closeness in age. Jenny, was 5 years older than me, and was almost like a second Mom. I dont say that in a bad way at all, as we got older her guidance and advice became a guding light for me. Today, I consider both to be two of my best friends.

The bond between Mare and I started early on. We were close in age(she being just a year and a half behind me), so we went through the many of the early childhood stages together. Infact, many thought we were twins or that Mare was older till about puberty. She was very funny even at a young age and i remeber us laughing for hours. Being siblings we did torment each other just a little bit. To this day I still swear that she was the forbidden love child of our neighbors, and that to hide their shame they put her out by the garbage, where my parents found her and took her in. She on the other hand, used to tell me that i was going to end up marrying the neighbors kid.. who happen to be a boy.. and that he was gonna show up up with a red rose in his mouth.

Our bond really grew during high school and through college. Anyone who knew me as an adolecent and as a young man knows that it was an awkward time for me, to say the least. I had trouble learning to socialize in appropriate ways, and thus spent alot of this time alone. It wasnt till I was in my twenties that I finally started to figure out who I was, and what my place in this world was. During my time of struggles I could always count on MaryEllen. She was my best friend and at times my only true friend, and I would have never have made it without her.

My bond to my sisters was finally realized ten years ago when we lost our Grandfather and Father in one months time. The three of us helped each other get through the pain in everyway. We spoke on the phone almost everyday, a habit that is still going on today. We learned then and know today that there is nothing that we cant get through together.

So as I look at my three beautiful kids today, I hope and pray that someday they will have the pleasure of having the same kind of bond. I love them so much and want the best for them.. and their is nothing better than the forever bond of love of a Brother and two sisters!
< I Love You Guys.. Thank You
/div>