Is it November?

We woke up this mornig to incredible weather here in Arizona!  So we decided to make the most of the day and plan some really fun activities.  After we cleaned the house Miss. G and myself headed to the pool with the kids.  With the weather in the high 80's you would have thought it was summertime.   So we acted like it was!

 

 

 

After swimming we headed to the movie "Wreck it Ralph".  It looks like we were not the only ones who went to see the movie, our neighbor Braxton happened to be buying tickets at the same time.

Then we headed to dinner.  Who can cook dinner after a fun day like this--I wasn't expecting Miss. G to do any cooking so we headed to get some food and guess who happened to be at the restaurant? Some of my Sunday School kids, complete with hats!

Minor Surgery

Miss G had some volunteer work this morning with a local company that gives food to children after school who won't get any food at home so I got Eve to myself this morning.  After all the fun of Halloween, Eve soon realized that she had some mosquito bites.  Well the world came to a stop until we could find something to stop the itch.  I looked and looked and couldn't find anything until I came upon some "lady Lotion" which says "anti-itch" so I used that.  It seemed to work fine and I prided myself on my resourcefulness. 

I figured the more I covered up the mosquito bites the better it would be as she wouldn't be reminded so I found the largest bandage and covered half of her leg.  She loved it and once again I'm a hero!

Since I didn't have any calls during lunch, Eve and I ran over lunch to Olivia at school.  Nothing say's I love you like "Taco Bell". 

Next Goal: Be Dr. Huxtable (ie: GREAT DAD)

Remember Bill Crosby as Dr. Huxtable?  He was the best fake dad on TV ever.  He could handle any situation with humor, love and great advice.  I don't remember ever hearing him scream at his kids about their dirty rooms.  Yea, well I am pretty much not anywhere near that.  So I decided this week that I am going to start working on being a better dad.  I have such incredible girls that I need to be a dad who helps them reach their goals and be confident on their journey.  I figure the best way to do this is through small things that won't overwhelm me.  So here is my new thing; every school night that I am in town I write on their bedroom or bathroom mirror a little piece of advice or cool thought so when they wake up in the morning it gives them an extra "Dad cares about me boost."  Here was Day 1 of Elle.  I won't put on Chloe and Olivia's as it is a bit cheesy and personal:

As a big suprise to me later that day I started getting notes back on my mirror....Here is what Elle wrote back....a bit of advice for me. 

So I knew I had gone to far when I started getting requests for to do list items written on my mirror from my two teenagers.  They ruined such a great thing, I think I will go scream at them.  (But I am still going to keep up with the mirror writing!)

Hallows Eve 2012

Happy Halloween!  It was our first Halloween in Arizona and it was a good one.  Can anyone say 85 degrees and sunny? 

Grampa and Grandma came over for some good eats and to check out everyone's costumes.

It was so quiet until it got dark that we wondered if anyone was going to come trick or treating.  After it got dark the doorbell finally started to ring. Everyone had a great evening. Of course with Olivia's insistence the house was decked out with Halloweed gear. This picture only gives you a small taste of what was done. Try to notice all the webbing and spiders around the front of the house.

Chloe and Olivia both had parties so they suprised us and dressed up.  Everyone had costumes this year.  Even Miss G and I.  (Gale will here after be referred to as "Miss G" because it sounds like a Bond girl to me and Gale is more beautiful, smart, and a better mother than any Bond girl would ever be.  Of course I wonder if Bond girls ever really want to be a mother??)

I am sad that Halloween is over.  I love this Holiday and we have plenty of candy and treats so if you need some be sure and stop by!

What the Blog?

I have decided to pick up my blog again. Why? For numerous reasons. First, I have been travelling and working so much the last 6 months that I feel like a bad dad and I need to change some things. Second, my incredibly wonderful wife who I will call "Miss G" (because that sounds like a Bond girl and she way out ranks any Bond girl with her beauty, brains and mothering skills) does everything and I figure I can help out with documenting the family life (with my own skewed view).
I also know that if I am thinking about a post every couple of days I will be thinking of how I can be a better dad to my 5 incredible daughters. They have so much to offer the world and I need to make sure I am doing my part to help them get there. So selfishly I am doing this for me. 

So much has happened since I last posted that I will not be able to put in back posts, I will just pick up from today.  So here we go again!

One Of Those Moments

How in the world did I end up getting my dream job?  I think it kind of snuck up on me and then before I knew it I was actually doing what I always wanted to.  (This didn't happen without enduring through a horrible, terrifically terrible job, but that is for another post.)  I am 41 years old and have wanted my dream job for over 20 years, but it seemed to evade me (and most other individuals I have talked to for that matter)  It always seemed selfish to want my dream job,  because it would mean that my family would in some way suffer as I worked my dream job. (Is living off a $100 a month suffering?)
  
So today I am writing from the Canary Islands off of Spain.  Tomorrow I get to teach a workshop on Organizational Behavior and leadership development which is the next best thing to Disney World for me.  The only thing that isn't perfect in this scenario is that I don't have my wife and daughters with me.  To be honest it is great to be in the Canary Islands eating fresh seafood and drinking virgin pina coladas, but the travel is but a small part of my dream job.  Is it that I get to teach about Org Behavior and Leadership?--partly, because I am so passionate about the topic.  I figured out I had my dream job today when I had dinner with Alejandro from Italy (yes easy to remember thanks to Lady Gaga---and I wanted to sing it out really loud, but then he made reference to it and ruined my moment), Thomas (pronounced To' mas) from Sweden, Edwin from the Netherlands, Carlos from Portgual and Heike (pronounced Heika) from Germany. 

You would think that this would make for difficult conversation,  oh contrair!-- with the accents flying and the english abused every other sentence (who am I to judge I don't speak three to four languages like everyone else at the table!) we had a great discussion that covered topics about family, country politics, most funny moments and our favorite foods.  As I sat watching everyone at the table I realized I was incredibly lucky to be having experiences and meeting people that are changing me and making me a better person, father, husband and world citizen.  I left dinner a better person, because I now have 5 friends who are more similar to me than I would have ever expected.  It is difficult to think of a situation where you get to eat with 5 different people, from 5 different countries.  I am grateful for this job and the time I have it.  Will it last forever? Probably not--some heathen will cut my position or the economy will kill the need for our product.  But I am going to love it and enjoy it and take advantage of it every moment I have.  Because it makes me a better person and how many people can say that about their jobs?  (hopefully more than I think!)  

(P.S.  They had to choose a team name and the idea of flaming pirates came up---I convinced them it wasn't such a good idea.)  

          Sunrise from Tenerife, Spain

Colorado Rockies

I had some work to do for the week in Colorado and tonight the group I was with went to a Colorado Rockies Game. I thought it would be cold so I wore my long sleeve shirt, levi's and brought a jacket. It stayed in the low 70's high 60's all night! I should have worn shorts and a T-shirt. I do not confess to watch much pro baseball, or know of any players but a few, but the night was great. The Rockies were playing the Mets and the atmosphere was exciting and fun! So the best part of the whole evening?

1. Homeruns-Don't know why but homeruns are the best. You high five everyone around you even if you don't know them and you whoop and hollar at the top of your lungs.

2. Hot dogs-Nothing is better than hot dogs at an outdoor baseball game.

3. Nacho's-I don't like the jalapeno's, but they never give me enough fake cheese sauce.

4. Dippin Dots! Never had these at a ball game before, but I loved it.

As you can see food played a major role in my enjoyment for the evening.

The only thing that would have been better would have been to have my whole family there, (except maybe they would have eaten my hotdog, nacho's and dippin dots.) Okay--maybe not.