Delaware..

Walt Whitman Rest Stop on N J Turnpike

NJ Turnpike 8:40 AM

RCKR and Chapush-ska

This is a children's conspiracy to drive their parents insane

You just cut this up and it is basically a toy that gets destroyed in two seconds.

Joanne's Wine Glass

Oh Nuts!

Ryan @ the Science Fair

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Cortelyou and Rugby @10:48 am

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Now playing: The Jesus and Mary Chain - Darklands
via FoxyTunes

Foreclosed Bird's Nest on Rugby and Dorchester

Spring has Sprung

Dorchester Rd. Friday Afternoon

Snow is melting, the air is warmer, dogs are even getting into the outdoor action, and the kids (at least my kid) think it's time to shed the winter coats. Not so fast kiddo!

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Now playing: Adolescents - Where The Children Play
via FoxyTunes

Dentist

The semi-annual dental pilgrimage to the dentist is in progress. Dylan just got finished with the Doctor. He mentioned that Dylan is doing very well. Alexander is second and went in with Mom, Ryan, and Jajou. Hopefully they will do as well.

Rugby n' Newkirk

Nepal Rock @ PS 139

Baby Mullet Slayed!

Leon was free today


So, I made the decision to get id of my son's baby mullet.

Two lollipops later he was a new little boy!

Living on Rugby Road for 2009

As we enter the last year of the first decade (or is that next year) I am amazed how time flies. Just 9 years ago we were booking our wedding and getting engaged. Now we have three beautiful children. We get to spend lots of time with them and each other. We bought a great house. So, I have some simple wishes for 2009:

For the wife, a Real Estate Boom!

For Dylan, Keep getting smarter!

For Alexander, a return to Pre-School!

For Ryan, don't stop being the happiest kid in our family!

For Me, Nothing cause I wouldn't change a thing about my life (though losing a couple of pounds might be nice (Note: have to start eating well and start exercising again)).

Ski School

Well, Mother Nature is one cruel woman. Dylan was scheduled for Ski School on his birthday but there was an Ice Storm. The next day it was almost 60 degrees. Dylan loved skiing. Mom and Dad (Pictures destroyed) didn't fare as well in Snow Boarding school. So, we traded in the Snow Boards for Ski's. They next day was a pain...

Dylan turns 6

Wow! Six years flew by so fast. Now how old does that make me?

Christmas

Mom, Dylan, and Alexander








Ryan wondering what all the fuss is about







Dylan's Transforming Wolf Ranger and Ryan with Light Saber #23







The only kid who didn't have a meltdown during Christmas presents

Christmas Eve

Making Cookies for Santa Claus with mom. Dylan was into it for about 5 minutes but Alexander and Ryan were really into it. Santa Claus ate a lot of cookies.





This is a picture we couldn't get for the Reddish Christmas Card. Figures they managed to pose after the card was sent out.

The December Birthdays

Are you one... are you two!









Ronan and Dylan's Co-Birthday! Are you one... are you two ... are you three ... are you four ... are you five ... are you six!

Thanksgiving...

The wife's cousins and the next generation hanging out after a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner. Dinner via Grandma and Jajoo, Appetizers via Mema and Great Grandma, and patience via Mom and Dad.





This is the new headquarters/ Ryan's room. I changed it around alittle bit the day after Thanksgiving.






One day this kid will hate or love Piano Lessons.








Triple G, Mema, and Stan the Man!

Yeah.. I have been busy!

The wife says, " You update Facebook but you don't update the blog?" Well I say "Blogger needs to come up with a nice iPhone app?" it's like talking to a deaf person... here is what you missed...

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Now playing: Refused - Liberation Frequency
via FoxyTunes

Halloween! The Reddish League of Super Heroes!

This year was a bit different. The wife likes to brag that our kids asked us to dress up. The real story sounds a little bit like this:

Mommy: Do you want Mommy and Daddy to dress up for Halloween?
Number One Son: What? I'm watching TV
Mommy: Don't you think Mommy and Daddy should dress up for Halloween?
Number One Son: Can you get me some Chocolate Milk?
Mommy: I asked you a question.
Number One Son: I said please
Mommy: No! What do you think Daddy and I should dress up as for Halloween!
Number One Son: Supergirl and the Flash, now can i have some chocolate milk?

Now if you take my version and the wife's version-- mix them together-- you get an idea of what actually resulted in the picture above.

The Feral Cat "Neuterer"

This Saturday morning I woke up at my usual time—6:30 AM. While this is a typical Saturday morning for a mother of three boys, this Saturday morning was devoted to wrangling our feral cat population instead of my three sons. All the neighbors were involved and everyone agreed not to feed the cats the day before. I prepared all the traps and waited for my neighbor Sharon to help me out with the trapping. A cat walked into my driveway smelling the food that I had laid out. She was hungry after a day without eating. I decided to set the trap and sure enough within 30 seconds-- I caught my very first cat. I thought to myself, “this is easy.” So, I got on a roll and caught five more within the next 30 minutes. Needless to say I was pretty impressed with myself. Even my skeptical husband was shocked. When Sharon joined me, we caught three more for a total of nine.

Later that morning over on the corner of Argyle and Ditmas-- Andrea started her trapping. She caught two pretty quickly and then a third one a little later on. Andrea had two traps left and our goal was to catch the black male cat. As my son Alexander refers to him, “The Daddy”. She called me later to say that he had walked into the trap but was smart enough not trip the trap and walked out. Sunday is another day.

Seeing how easy it was, my other neighbors Beth and Svetlana, set another trap. They caught the same cat twice. This cat had already been fixed. They moved the cat and we caught another female. With no more room in my garage, I brought this cat to Andrea. Unfortunately she was a smart one and got out. Those are the breaks.

For the first evening feeding, we discovered we had a nursing mother. We did not know where the kittens were so we had to set her free. One days work and we had eleven cats. Our goal is fourteen cats.

Education

Dylan is well into his second week of First Grade. On the heels of that another milestone has passed. As previously mentioned, Alexander and Ryan also are starting school.

Alexander today started Pre-Kindergarten at Lolek I Bolek. Did he cry? Carry on? Resist as only Alexander can? He cried, but in the end was carried into the class by his teacher Doletti. A call at mid day found that Alexander was doing fine.

Ryan today started home pre-school. Alexandra took the first two weeks and Ryan did fine. To think, only 16 more years and Ryan will be off to college.

Schools In!

Dylan started first grade on Tuesday.
Alexander starts Pre-K on Tuesday.
Ryan starts home pre-school on Tuesday.

The kids are growing up...

Summer fading

Ah Summer.... Now that I have three children the warm months are very much a different time of year. Time to review the highlights and lowlights:

Highlights
- Having a great time at the Silver Gull Club. I always thought beach clubs weren't for me.... wrong!
- Alexander's birthday in August. Number Two son is three years old. Two felt like three years packed into one year. The kid was ecstatic for 90 minutes until the rain came pouring down
-Dylan "finding himsef" at camp-- his independence and attitude. The kid is growing up
- Ryan, learning the 100 ft. sprint and only utilizing it when his parents aren't looking.
- Peace and quiet at the home office after 11:30 AM.
- Thinking I had a hernia and finding out it was a fat deposit that looks like a hernia.
- Spending some quality time with Uncle Robert (the Hawaiin variety) in Brooklyn and the Yankee game we went to.
- Meeting and getting to know Paul Quirke from Ireland.
- Meeting all the friendly old timers at "C" court
- Alexandra, as always, keeping it together
- Biking more than a couple of times down to the Silver Gull. I can now say I biked at least 50 miles in the last two months. More than the previous 6 months combined.
- Hanging at the Siren Fest (more like beach Island with Schultz) down at Coney Island.
- Getting to see The Stooges play for 2 hours.
- Riding the Cyclone with my wife in the second to last car, the second time.

Lowlights
- A bought of food poisoning yesterday-- It sucked.
- Ryan falling and getting a bump on his head
- Missing King Khan and the Shrines at South Street Seaport for free. Missing them again at the Mercury Lounge because I thought it would be easy to get on the guest list.
- Iggy Pop's lowriding jeans.
- Riding the Cyclone with my Mother In Law in the last car, the first time. OUCH!

Pictures will be forthcoming but it has been a great summer with the family!
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Now playing: Kasabian - Sun Rise Light Flies
via FoxyTunes

Alexander Turn's Three

Alexander turns three. We had a small family party at the Beach Club and then this morning we had a short but sweet party in the yard. We got a large bounce jumpy thing for the kids which they all loved, and had some cup cakes. Then rain, then hail and we all ran into the garage. The two car garage does come in handy for something.

One Year

It's been one year in the house and I like to think I avoided the first year blues. Here are a few upsides and downsides

Upside

- The greatest wife and kids a guy could ask for...
- A great house in good condition
- Great Tenants
- Creative Lease Options
- Lots of space
- A brand spankin' new kitchen

Downside
- No air conditioning in our bedroom
- Mice
- Mosquitos in the backyard
- Backed up Sewer lines


So at the end of the day only vermin and modern convenience's have encroached on my happiness. Living on Rugby Road!