HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR First Sergeant and Retired Master Gunnery Sergeant say:

PLEASE DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE OR LET YOUR FRIENDS DRINK AND DRIVE!!

Isn't Master Guns pretty!

OUR CHRISTMAS

Mommy's puppies could not hang on Christmas eve.
Daddy and his guys making a gingerbread tree for Santa.

Gabe showing off the BLING we got for the other Elijah for Christmas.

Great job Daddy, Gabe and Caleb.

Daddy reading "Twas the night before Christmas".
Then they read their letters from Santa.

Thanks Nanny and Chrissy!
The stockings
Opening the stockings Christmas morning.

The remains of the tree we left for Santa along with a note. It looks as if he enjoyed the tree.

Daddy reading Santa's note.

Our Christmas tree before the carnage.

Was Santa trying to tell us something by giving Caleb a game called TROUBLE. HMMM!


Elijah with his satellite radio.

Marty opening the Spiderman vs Venom dart tag game. All of my boys, okay me too, had fun running through the house playing dart tag.

Two very sweet little guys.
We had Christmas dinner with Janine, Rik and a whole lot of family. There was tons and tons of food. Janine and Kylie, I think they wanted out.
Kelis and her Little Mermaid doll.

Kelis, Maya and Kylie in their princess outfits.
How sweet!
Apparently Rik was feeling pretty...
oh so pretty!


Okay now it is becoming a little creepy. Rik was a very good sport and even let us watch bootilicious Buffy.

(no not the vampire slayer)

Thanks for a great time as usual Janine and Rik!

We are very blessed to have such awesome friends!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

MY NIGHT OUT

A dear friend of mine treated me and five others to a night out to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra in Raleigh. As everyone knows I do not go out well at all, so this was a real treat and so much fun. Of course, I did spend alot of time sending Jim and the boys these pictures that I took with my phone.
They put on an amazing show! I will definately go next year with Jim and the older boys. They would have loved this!

I sat just a toss away from the platform on which they raised some of the performers and shot fire from. It was so cool to watch the show so close.
The seven of us had an amazing time and it was an awesome concert!

Thanks LeChelle!

our goof troop

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest. My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believec ompleted the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem. So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, but I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know,Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,And I crept to the door just to see who was near.Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,A lone figure stood his face weary and tight.A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child."What are you doing?" I asked without fear,"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!Put down your pack; brush the snow from your sleeve,You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts...To the window that danced with a warm fire's lightThen he sighed and he said "It’s really all right,I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.""It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,That separates you from the darkest of times.No one had to ask or beg or implore me,I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',And now it is my turn and so, here I am.I've not seen my own son in more than a while,But my wife sends me pictures; he's sure got her smile.Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,The red, white, and blue... An American flag.I can live through the cold and the being alone,Away from my family, my house and my home.I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.I can carry the weight of killing another,Or lay down my life with my sister and brother...Who stand at the front against any and all?To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.""So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.""But isn't there something I can do, at the least,"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?It seems all too little for all that you've done,For being away from your wife and your son."Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,To stand your own watch, no matter how long.For when we come home, either standing or dead,To know you remember we fought and we bled.Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE REMEMBER OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES THIS CHRISTMAS

OUR ELVES

It takes a bit to load so wait for it!

Zach, Nick, Gabe & Caleb

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1470199058

Mommy, Daddy, Marty & Elijah

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1457836359

Mommy, Daddy, Gabe & Caleb

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1458263272

Janine, Rik, Kylie & Kelis

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1465748521

Gabe, Caleb, Kylie & Kelis

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1474202254

Dan, Robin, Daniel &Ashton

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1468875610

KELIS & KYLIE'S DANCE RECITAL

They are calling Santa.

They did a really great job!
Their debut performance and they are already stars!

MONKEY JOES

We went with Rik, Janine and the girls and I took tons of pictures so enjoy

Caleb getting some air

Gabe going into the princess play palace. He was very reluctant since it is for girls but I was able to coax him in by showing him other boys inside the palace.

Princess palace

Since everything is inflated it is a relatively safe enviornment and lots of fun.
The super big slide. This one tickled my tummy. Gabe would only go down with his arms wrapped around Daddy's neck. Unfortunately I could not catch them to get a picture but it was very sweet.
Now that's an awesome smile!
Dad and his lil guys


Kelis giving me her trademark grin.
The gang
The Batman bouncer
Kelis



Daddy trying to get Gabe onto his stomach.
Good job Daddy and Gabe
Caleb


I think they were discussing whether Gabe was going down the slide.


My little nut eating some Nerds.
Kelis again with "the smile".
Kylie
Kylie & Kelis


Janine and the girls

Daddy and Gabe
We all had so much fun.
Janine,Kylie, Kelis and Caleb
Gabe


The kings on the Monkey Joe's throne!

What an awesome day!