Male bonding

There was root beer, doughnuts, cookies for dinner, and pb and honey. Heather went to Greenville to play G.I. Jane this weekend and took Ainslee with her to spend time with Grandpa and Grandma. That left me and Tyler here at home..alone. Not like Heather has never done that..only a year once. :) After picking up Tyler from our neighbors on Friday after work the fun started. It was an rare long day for winter, however with little time to defrost the ribeyes (like I really keep track of frozen meat when the ice cream is usually on top..) we had did a classic frozen pizza night with root beer (pizza was in front of the ice cream..that was so rigged..). My son can throw down some pizza, wow! After dinner we went to a church Valentine's dance making a pitt stop by Wally world for cookies. We ate too much dessert, played with some toys and Dad mingled some. We had a very in depth talk on our plans for Saturday..on the ride home.

Me: Hey Tyler, let's go get doughnuts for breakfast.

Tyler: Yeah...hey, do they have sugar on them..I will bring my toothbrush.

The mother has informed me of their class learning about the Dentist, teeth, and what have you. The next day we woke, got dressed and ran to the car...Tyler with a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss in hand...Dad with chocolate chips in mouth. We got to Krispy Kreme, after driving a good 40 minutes to Savannah and passing three other doughnuts holes, not the same. Plus the kids enjoy the big window to watch the artery cloggers be boxed up and sold by the dozen. After milk and doughnuts we got back in the car to the sound of Tyler scrubbing the whites. I even asked if he needed to rinse, to the reply of "no, there's a lot of sugar on my teeth". After driving around Bonadventure (very historic cemetery), to find a nice spot on the bank of the Wilmington River to cast a line...the word beach came up from the back seat. "Daddy is the beach over that way", Tyler knows Tybee Beach normally follows Krispy Kreme. I being without live bait and knowing results would be a bunch of marsh grass..we drove the continued down Hwy. 80.

Once we arrived on the Island I drove to our favorite spot. Still bitter from a past parking ticket I parked on the other side away from the meters, but ended up playing it safe and doing the meter anyhow. Which meters were installed last year, same spot we always used with no meters..Grrr. We ran down the path which seems to leave Tyler trying to discover rare tropical ecosystem plants to return to his lab (a.k.a. sandbox). We arrived on the scene to low tide and a soft winter wind (Tybee can have some pretty strong winds), perfect day with overcast and no one around. Tyler was a bit weary of walking near the hundreds of washed up jellyfish all up and down the beach (thanks Nemo..scare the kids). I finally poked a few to show him they were dead. We walked down the beach from the Savannah River mouth down to the ocean side. After a careful combing of the beach for our sea shell in dad's hat collection, we went to the lighthouse.

This is my brief ad for Tybee lighthouse, go it is full of history (the whole two minutes Tyler allowed to listen to the video..five bucks kid!). We began the 157 steps with Tyler freezing up and looking at me thinking "I don't think so Dad". After getting him to agree to five steps..which was a start and those stair are both narrow and one big spiral. Needless to say we stop at each landing to breathe. Later Tyler got to ten steps then to 30 at the top flight. We enjoyed the view and talked about ships coming in the harbor and needing the light for direction. The lighthouse was built pre-civil war and at the time the tallest structure in America. Later destroyed by the confederates and rebuilt/ restored four times until I believe about 1940. There is also Cockspur lighthouse further in the harbor (can see in from the bridge while going onto the island). After touring the light keeper's home and..of course the outhouse we were about ready to get back to the house.

On the way back we had to make a lunch stop at Wendy's on MLK Blvd. in Savannah. Double Stack..wow, one beefy burger for a buck. Tyler the usual..the nuggets, can't stand them. After seeing the Talmadge bridge Tyler wanted to go over it, we made a round and quickly turned around on Hutchinson Island. This is really starting to sound like the book "If You Take a Mouse To The Movies". There was even talk on the way home of going to the "river" (upstream on the Savannah few miles near our house) to go fishing. Tyler always ask "Are the alligators up in the sand", he was terrified the first time after I make the goof of saying there might be gators in the river (like to eventually see one, however from a distance).

So after a quick decision that our day was pack full and a dirty house was waiting for us we were done. We cleaned, dumped the shells in the sandbox (after carefully washing them and Tyler wanting the "clam ones"), and eat eggs and toast after a rather lengthy explanation of the difference between toast and french toast. That was a very busy and fun day.

Today..Sunday after going to church we decide on pb and honey as I opted for leftover chicken and a handful of chocolate chips. We then (I) decide we needed to make cookies. We did, we licked, we baked, we ate. After many attempts of napping and reading fairy tales (very big book, but all the classics), we produce a simple yet tasty meal. Now for those who know me..never been a chef..that is all Heather (boy she can cook), the year Heather was deployed I actually had my moments in the kitchen. Serving a mission in Scotland..no chance they eat six times a day! Plus, beans and toast are very cheap and fast. We had spaghetti, corn, and Texas toast..we thought about salad (still thinking). After dinner we to some cookies to our neighbors and Maggie (friend from church behind us).

This may seem like a book, and its late. However, life in all its rush and daily demands, its nice to spend time with my son. As I have been so given time with him this weekend, can't help but reflecting on that cherished moment I held him for the first time and tonight as we laid in my arms again falling asleep. He is on longer that little baby and is growing into a very bright and fun loving kid. He has interests, even though most of the time its frogs and bugs (and wanting to find bugs to feed the frogs..buddy sure they are handle that one..), and a desire to learn everything he can. He accepts so much and even has his own preceptions on life. I have really enjoyed Tyler and always will..he is my dear son, my boy...Tyler Nicholas.

surprise!!!

Thomas turned 30 on the 21st of January so we decided to throw him a surprise party. I am so glad that he was out of town the week of his birthday because I don't think I could have pulled it off otherwise. He came home with gifts for the kids princess pad for Ainslee and dinosaur cards for Tyler.

I decided to throw him off by giving him the present from Tyler and Ainslee and acting like that is the only thing. The kids wanted to get him a bag full of dollar store things like bungy cords, lighter, chips, candy, some electrical tape! He was looking at me like are you serious! I thought it was hilarious.

Then he took the kids to the park (so I thought, McD's, Lowe's and frog hunting). Everyone started coming over and we hid the cars at a friends house nearby. We sat around and talked hoping he would come back soon. Two hours later one of the guys called and came up with a story that they needed help moving a new family into their house. He comes home finally and he is extremely surprised. I cannot believe he did not pick up on it! There were so many clues...thank so much for everyone that was able to come. He said that was the best birthday ever.