Athena's Christmas photo with Santa

Athena made her annual trip to see Santa and this year she was very sure of herself and the Christmas process!! She went right in and sat with Santa took her picture (she was all smiles!!)Then she told him what she would like for Christmas (luckily for us she changed her mind from the $270 pony.)

Miranda has been busy shopping (like she needed an excuse) and I have been little to no help at all (no surprise there..lol)

We wish you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

Indians and Shopping and more

November started out quiet and gained momentum. We start out with a little 'Daddy' fun. My friends and I decided to go to a western club and I tried my hand at the mechanical bull...you can see for yourselves how I did.
Next Athena's class and the EC3 class celebrated the first Thanksgiving. Athena and her classmates were the Indians (Native Americans for you PC types) and the EC3 class were the Pilgrims (or Pre-Americans). They enjoyed the traditional Thanksgiving feast of PB&J, with juice boxes and cupcakes...No wonder the English settlers decided to stay!! Then came Thanksgiving Day, and more importantly, I am told, BLACK FRIDAY. All I know about this day is that i have money when it starts and a room full of stuff when the women return. (No I do not attend the sacred ritual). It seems that my bride along with thousands of others have this need to shop all day Friday after Thanksgiving...why you might ask, because....wait for it.....IT'S ON SALE!! Anyway, Athena had her fill of this day as well... Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year.

Ghosts, Goblins, and Ariel

Every kids favorite day is here...FREE CANDY ALL YOU CAN EAT!!!! Athena is ready she attended a party at grandmoms office, next she has a school party, then she gets to trick or treat in two neighborhoods!! (I need some of her candy to keep up)

Athena has also had a busy week in school. She is mastering her writing skills and they are up to the letter "Ff". Along with that they made custom aprons. And many, many pictures/works of art have been brought home. (none of which are allowed to be tossed out. maybe we can create a file folder for them?!?) She is starting to read although she doesn't realize it yet. And she loves to spell! (Bring on the little asian kid in the national spelling bee)

Athena has picked up, the jist, of a daddy expression. She now announces that she's 'put me under the bus'. They're so cute aren't they...LOL

I wish everyone a safe and spooky Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a month!!!

September is here and the fast pace of life is showing no signs of slowing anytime soon. Athena has completed her first month of school. She loves going everyday. She especially enjoys the morning walk to school, where we discover 'jungles' filled with wild animals, and the sounds of other 'creatures' waking up in the early morning hours. Athena is learning Spanish songs and working on her reading and writing (she has her 'caps lock' on and we are trying to teach her to use lower case letters as well as CAPS!!) I heard kids are growing up earlier and earlier, but I think the boyfriend in EC4 is too soon for me. She has a boy named Anthony that chases her around the playground (Anthony is a friend of mines son). Athena has made many new friends and tells us all about the adventures of the day.

Congratulations to my wonderful wife who took her nursing exam and passed with flying colors. (hopefully I can get her working...) After months of hard work Miranda has received her stat license. the dogs are finally safe no Athena and I need to find a safe house.

More good news (at least for me) my TV finally arrived. Well, I had to go get it but it is still at the house. And my Buccaneers won their first home game against the Saints. That was one hot game-92^0 with 75% humidity, on the field it was 100+. And they say summer is over!!

It's finally here!!!

Well, football season is upon us and our Buccaneers did not fair so well in Washington. Florida State managed to muster a win against another unranked opponent (UAB). And South Florida upset Auburn!! I heard the other Florida school played a game and won but I really don't know for sure.

Also, after months of research and searching we found a large screen plasma TV (55 inch). Hey Faz my TVs bigger than yours!!ha ha. So we ordered it....3 times in all (really long and frustrating story). But after many calls and false promises, I picked up the TV on Friday. Now if I can only figure out how to turn it on.

Athena has completed her first 14 days of school and loves it!! Everyday when we ask her what she did at school she replies,"had fun." then we hear about her new best friends.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Brian

Athena's first week of school

Well it has finally arrived, Athena's first day/week>of school is complete. I think her parents are having a more difficult time adjusting than the child. We started off going into Target and spending a small fortune on school supplies, back packs, clothes, lunch box/thermos (did you all know that lunch boxes no longer come with the thermos?!?), and picking up the items her new teacher had request each student needed (apparently the classroom needed 25 boxes of Kleenex and 110 glue sticks-who new? LOL).

Next we drove past the school to get Athena used to seeing it and accept the fact that she would soon be going regularly. (She informed us more than once that she was not going.) The first morning was rough. Mom and Athena are not accustomed to early rising. We managed to get up, eat, get dressed, etc. without too much fuss. Athena loaded her Tinker Bell backpack up with all her first day supplies and headed for the door. It was a little heavy (she was walking side ways lol) but like any stubborn Chlapowski she marched on refusing any assistance! (I have no idea where she gets her stubbornness from.) We walked all the way to school (4 blocks, we were accused of trying to tire her out before she got to school!!)

Athena's day went well, she came out the door to meet us after a full day (we had arranged to meet Nana and Pop at a near by ice cream shop to surprise Athena, but she was way ahead of us suggesting we go there.) As we walked and talked about her day we were politley informed that she would not be going tomorrow because she wuld be sick. How? Well, she caught Grandmom's cold and she would be getting it tomorrow.

So, it has been a good week (the cold never came so we made it the rest of the week). Now if I can just get the wife out of the house (and working) I can get some work down without interuption...whoops alarm is going off now time to leave dreamland.

I hope everyone had a great week and enjoy your weekend.

Brian

aka Daddy

aka Athena's Dad