DPP - Day 12

So today was great! We took the kids to Bass Pro Shop to meet Santa, which has become a tradition of ours. We played around there for a bit and had lunch at Chipotle, which we can't get in Pensacola. Then it was back home to meet the Hendersons downtown for the Christmas parade. We forgot to bring a bag for beads and such, but one of the first floats that went by threw out a Disney/Pixar backpack right at us (Thanks Cox). 2 & 1/2 hours later it was filled with beads, stuffed animals, and broken candy canes. All of that fun, and my favorite picture was the fish eye of Aly with a gator chasing a pig in the background.

DPP - Day 8-11

Sometimes all I can do is work, and there are weeks at my job where I am simply consumed of all energy. What little I have left goes towards not completely neglected my family while the rest just dissipates. I keep pictures of Aly and the kids up at work to remind me that there is a reason I put in  the occasional 55 hour work week. When things get really stressful, I slip away to my office and simply sit an stare at this wall. I think about Aly, Lucas, Kaede, and Mei and remember how they laugh and smile. It's a little weird, yes, but doing so legitimately makes me feel like everything is going to be ok. So no pictures for 4 days? Sorry guys. this wall will have to do for now.

DPP - Day 7

Alyson and I look for any excuse we can to celebrate the fact that we are together. It really is a miracle and a fantastic story of perseverance. We started dating on December 7th, 2001, 14 years ago. It took a long time to get there and an even longer time to get where we are today. But the best stories grow out of trials, obstacles, and especially pain. I couldn't have appreciated this wonderful woman if the girl I met so many years ago hadn't been so hard to get. Love you, Alyson.

DPP - Day 6

I recently started playing music for a church which I haven't really done in several years now. It's hard to believe that I let music sit on the shelf for so long when I once wanted to do nothing but. Just shows that some things must be sacrificed as time becomes scarce.

The last several weeks have been spent getting to know talented musicians and talking about punk, ska, and hardcore. Amazing that some of my new friends come from the same scene but we never met. All of us reminiscing of a time long ago.

Running my Frankenstein's monster set-up of gear. Tapping foot switches and delays. I have really missed this.

DPP - Day 5

Birthday agenda:

1. Double chocolate chip muffins for breakfast.
2. Daily dose of Power Rangers.
3. Watch the guy set up the bounce house.
4. Bounce in the bounce house.
5. Hang out and have lunch with lots of friends and family.
6. Bounce in the bounce house.
7. Presents and cake!
8. Bounce in the bounce house.
9. Take a little break and open a toy or two.
10. Bounce in the bounce house until it gets dark.
11. Bounce in the bounce house.
12. Watch Return of the Jedi.

Mission accomplished. Seriously. Love this kid.

DPP - Day 4

I was mowing my lawn and I found this. Apparently Florida has not figured out that it is in fact winter. We live in a strange place.

DPP - Day 3

Plumbing is never as easy as you think it's going to be. I have been remodeling our bathroom and needed to have a functioning toilet and sink before Lucas' birthday party on Saturday. "I'll just do steps 1, 2, and 3 and be done," I found myself saying. This was before I made 3 more trips to buy parts at the hardware store. My house was built in 1959 and the pipes in the bathroom were all originals. It's amazing that I didn't have any leaks until now. With each leak patched, another would rise to take it's place. Kind of like the Sith only more aggravating and less awesome lightsaber battles.

DPP - Day 2

Today we went to visit my Nana. She recently moved out of her apartment and into an assisted living home. We don't get to see her as often as I would like to but the times we are there brings her such joy. Alyson continues to have the Christmas bug, so she brought decorations with us so we could make Nana's room a little more festive. Another reason I love her. Kaede asked Nana to hold her baby doll while we awaited lunch.

DPP - Day 1

Aly put up the Christmas village this year. She lined all the buildings up along the brick wall of our living room like you are looking across Main St. on a snowy day. While the electrical is not entirely to code, she worked so hard and it makes the room feel so festive with stockings hanging below the foundations. This was the first photo I took and, while not the best technically, it is by far my favorite.