Been MIA, I blame Stroke, PTSD, hospital stays, surgery & sanity... literally

or loosing my sanity that is! I have been gone for quite some time, and it's not been because I have been chillin' on a hammock under a palm tree; I am saving that for next week.
Since December life has been extremely busy, we moved, I got sent to Washington by the Military, our house was robbed while I was away, came home and wife had a minor stroke.
A few weeks later life got the best of me, with everything that happened up above, and learning that because of some injuries I sustained in Afghanistan many years ago; I was going to have to retire early from the military; I lost my cool

They're here!

Not trying to sound like a kid or anything, but my mommy and daddy are here!!!!!!!
Ha!

My parents flew in from NY yesterday, it was so nice to see them. Wife and I got to go eat lunch with them while the kids were still in school, and then we brought the kids home. It's always nice to have the parents around, and to think I have them here for 2 weeks is pretty cool!

We are planning a surprise trip for the kids, don't know where yet, but anywhere we go will be fun. I will definitely keep y'all posted, in the meantime I am going to go hug my mommy!
LOL!

I am a Winner of the #CanYouTopThis Contest!


Did you see my post about the #canyoutopthis contest?
Here's the link if you didn't. click here

I won!!!

Dealusional chose me as one of the winners. go look at her blog
and now I have this cool badge/button thing to put on my blog, I'm movin up!

My portable Christmas tree #canyoutopthis

I found this contest through Elmer's for a chance to win a $100 giftcard.

I made a Christmas tree for our office. I am in the Military and sometimes we are not allowed to do certain things in our office, so I thought this was the perfect way to show a tree. I can fold it up and put it away when I am not allowed to have it.

All I used was the elmer's tri fold board, and elmer's glue dots; I used green poster paper and paints.
This is my finished project
sorry for the fast and short post, I am trying to catch the deadline, I read that it's tonight at midnight, it's 10:30pm in Los Angeles so hopefully that counts. This would help with Christmas shopping you know?

This is my entry to the Elmer's #canyoutopthis project.

the countdown has begun!!!

Not for Christmas!!!

My parents are coming from NY for 2 weeks!!!!

They get here on Monday, and though my wife knows, we are letting it be a surprise for the kids. We are going to let my Parents pick up the kids from school that day.

I get to see my parents y'all!

Thanksgiving was about so much this year

Were you happy in your house?
Did you have a great meal?
Did you have a great time with Family?
with friends?

I'm glad, glad that you have those blessings. My Family focused on the ones that didn't. On all the deployed and separated Military members who couldn't be with their Families during the Holidays. I have been fortunate enough to miss only a few, but I know that many of my fellow military have missed so many more.

Thanks to my Military families for being strong and for keeping those of us at home safe.
Salute!

Family and the Holidays...

I am from NY, and living in California during winter is not cool to me. Winter is about snow and blankets. These last few weeks it has been around the 70's here.

It makes me sad, my entire Family is in the East Coast. Snow is in the east coast. We were able to go to NY 2 years ago during Christmas, it was great to see my Family again. We were there during a 3 day blizzard and it was so much fun. It had been the first time my kids had been in the snow, they just loved it.

Next week my parents are coming out here to visit us for 2 weeks, I'm glad, but still sad that it's not us going there. I miss having real winters!