A Visit from 'Ol Saint Nick.

H4 Receiving a Present from the Big Man.

Today at 4's daycare, Santa Claus came for a visit!

Santa handed out presents to all the good little girls and boys... whether they liked it or not.

One little girl had the fear of God in her as soon as Santa stepped into the room, to the point that I was starting to wonder whether she had recognized him from America's Most Wanted or something.

A signature trait to children of H4's age (around the 2 yr mark), they really didn't want much to do with the jolly old elf. Only one taker was on hand to sit on Santa's knee, and he looked like he was going to have a "movement" while doing it. Everyone else in attendance respectfully declined the offer... some with shrieks of terror.

Our little man was just fine sitting in his daddy's lap. Heidi offered to help him go up to Santa, but he was content on my lap with my arms around him like a shield. Well, until his name was called to come up and get a gift, then all apprehension was thrown to the wind and he was off with open arms. (See picture above).

He received a puzzle book, which seemed to be a hit. Another kid got a John Deere toy, that when put down, H4 grabbed and added to his loot. (We made sure it got back to it's owner).

A fun time, but I bet next year the idea of a large bearded man in a red suit bearing gifts won't be as intimidating.

I think I'd like to get down now.

Oh, for fun... here is a pic of the one child that braved sitting on St. Nick's lap. See what I mean? 

Chasin' Chickens

Couldn't resist sharing this short video of H4 at our good friends, Lindsay and Art's, farm. ;) It was taken earlier this year when we ventured out to visit their new cow "Ferdie", a very adorable brown Swiss bull, which can be seen by clicking this link to Lindsay's blog (which is extremely entertaining too).


He tries to round the chickens up best that he can; goes into the barn, comes back out... then wonders why they don't come out too. A great day on the farm!

All Aboard!

We were at Valley West Mall in West Des Moines today to do some last minute Christmas browsing, and we thought that H4 would enjoy the train they have set up in the same area as their Santa Claus exhibit.

Now, H4 is a big train fanatic and especially enjoys Thomas the Tank Engine (I'm sure those of you who are parents are more then familiar with who Thomas is). While finishing up his last mall train ride, Heidi went over to the gift area and bought him his first engineers hat and a Thomas shaped train whistle. At first he thinks he has to make the "whistle" sound himself, but soon figures out that all he needs to do is blow in it. Very cute; see for yourself below. :)

H4's Favorite Things, as of December 2011

• Jeep rides
• Chocolate
• M&M's
• Popsicles
• Trains
• Pancakes by Nana
• Hot dogs by Nana
• Tractors
• Coral Ridge Mall Playland
• Bobby Car
• Baby Paul
• Drinking bath water (?!?)
• Hide and seek
• My blanket!
• Boo boo bags

H4 Phrases, as of December 2011

Some of H4's commonly used phrases that I thought I'd get down before we forgot them. Not too interesting for you all, but a nice reminder of our little guys progress:

• Red light stop
• Green light go
• Show me
• Woo woo!
• More please
• Chocolate milk
• Hershey bar!
• Booboo bag
• No no deer
• Stop! Errrr!!
• Whoa!
• Weee!
• Love you
• No like it
• Go bye bye
• Pee-you! Stinky!
• Nite nite
• No no mommy
• Jeep ride!
• Nana & papa
• Papa's Jeep
• Papa's truck
• Momma's owwie
• Bless you

Fun With Cookies!

So yesterday (Saturday) we made our yearly Christmas trip to Bishop Hill, Illinois... Only to find that half the town closed up and was out of business. One of our staple stops was a little restaurant called "The Red Oak". They specialized in swedish meatballs, and the"Toll House Cookie Sundae". Unfortunately, it closed a year ago to the day. No more cookie sundae.
When we got home later that night, Heidi made me her version, which was every bit as good, and actually better... So much so that I had to share a picture of it:

Fun With Waffles.

My wife is displaying her artistic ability in the culinary arts with this submission of Disney character pancake faces.
Bonus points if you can name each one.

Fun with Balloons!

We went to the Czeck Winter Festival on Saturday, and the "Balloon Man" made this balloon Santa. H4 loved it.


He also scored a new toy John Deere tractor from the general store as a gift from grandpa... plus a little wooden Curious George car from our Amana visit this afternoon. Little man is spoiled!


Anyways, I thought this santa was too cool not to show off. I'll edit this post later with the "Balloon Man's" information as he is available for parties! Stay tuned!

Sucked Into The Crazyness

Yep, I braved the midnight Black Friday sales. Got some great deals on crap I probably don't really need, but did get a couple names crossed off the xmas list. Yea me!
First stop was Walmart, where this picture was taken. They had things well organized and getting through the checkout actually was the easy part. Now, traversing the store was where the real challenge occurred. People everywhere looking for $1.28 towels and $6 memory foam bath rugs. (Got 3 of the bath rugs... they're very nice.)
Also scored some great DVD titles from $1.96 to $9, and a $60 video game for $28! Yea me!
My biggest score was at Target where I was able to get a netbook and a very nice digital camera for Heidi's Christmas gift that she had been researching. Yea me!
By this time the clock was showing 2:15am, and I was spent, literally and figuratively, so I headed north to home.
I very much like the midnight door busters rather then the 5am ones. Just not much of a morning person I guess.
So kids, don't try this at home. I am a professional.

McFlurry's Taste Better When They're Free.

So today was the last day to redeem all those Monopoly "free food" stubs you may have been hoarding. I paid $1.06 today at our local McD's and received a hamburger (or what was presented to me as a "hamburger"), a medium french fry and an M&M McFlurry.


No a bad lunch if I do say so myself... Until the gastroenterology bills start rolling in that is.

Baby Needs a New Set of Shoes. (and feet).

This is our beloved 1998 Dodge Stratus ES with 200,600 miles on the odometer... Ya, we keep our cars forever.


Anyways, we were having trouble keeping the proper air pressure in all four tires. Turns out that the original wheels had corroded over time and couldn't keep the tire properly seated against the rim... Thus, we need four new wheels (see them in the picture!). And tires. And front brakes. And ouch.


But, the good news is that shes ready to go another 100,000 miles. I hope.

No Place Like Gnome.

Happy Halloween!


Thought I'd share picture of H4 in his gnome costume. Ya, I know it's blurry, but remember... he's only two, and doesn't stay still. Ever.


Have a safe and fun beggars night!

Last Ride of the Season

I took 3Tracs out for one last ride today. It was an awesome 74 degrees, and figuring that this would probably be the last warm day for the next 5 to 6 months, I'd better not waste it.


I started off from home, and headed into Ely, a small town outside of Solon. From there I went northwest into Mount Vernon and took Mt. Vernon Road into Marion and Cedar Rapids. I also rode through the towns of Fairfax, Walford, Amana, Tiffin and Coralville before heading to the gas station to top off the tank.


The pic above is from my stop in Amana, taken just past of Millstone Brewery. It was a great ride, and I tacked another 100+ miles onto the odometer.


And now, the 'ol boy rests in the garage; soon to be on his lift with his cover on till Spring. Sleep well my friend!

Met a Real Hero Today

Today I had my normal Tuesday noon Kiwanis meeting, and we had a remarkable speaker join us.


Gene Brawner, a long time Kiwanian, and all around awesome guy, (he's the one on the right in the picture) invited his neighbor Clarence Hightshoe (on the left wearing the hat) to speak about "A Navigator and Bombardier's Memorable Mission Over Germany".


Turns out Clarence was a navigator/bombardier on a B-17 Flying Fortress in World War II. He ran 29 missions and, frankly, is very lucky to have survived them all. This man is a true hero.


He spoke to us specifically on his "mission number 6", were he and the rest of his crew were ordered on a bombing run to Ludwigshaven, Germany. While in the air, he and other B-17's encountered heavy flack and his plane was severly damaged and crash landed in a field and came to rest behind enemy lines. The crash should have killed them all, but they were able to escape the plane and run off into the woods in groups of two and three. Clarence's job was to push a series of buttons before leaving the plane that would render the equipment inoperative so the enemy wouldn't get a hold of the technology.


Click for a Picture of Clarence's B-17 where it crash landed in a French field.

Clarence, lower right, and his crew.

He and another crew member were eventually picked up by an American tank squadron and taken to an area close to the front lines where a french saw mill was located, which was entirely run by women. He told us that the "Scottish ladies" from the mill would bring them food and drink because they were so thankful that the Americans were there fighting for them and their country. He also told us that his crew mates were very thankful to see the women, but that they weren't quite what they were expecting as "any one of them could scrimmage for Iowa". :)

Piece of flack that split his headset band in two.

This is a piece of flack that tore through the B-17, severing the metal headband on Clarence's radio head set, before lodging itself into the side of the plane. Another millimeter lower and it would have pierced his skull, killing him.

Quoting the Associated Press: "Once 16 million strong, U.S. veterans of World War II are dying at a rate of more than 1,000 a day and now number about 2.5 million, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates."

So if you have the privilege to meet, or if you already know one of these American Heroes, take the time to learn their story... And please, remember to thank a veteran every chance you get.

The New Foreman.

This past Saturday our awesome next door neighbors had a new cement driveway poured. Before all the excitement started our neighbor, Bob, came over to let me know that cement trucks were going to be arriving and if we wanted, we could come over with H4 to watch the show.


He knew that once H4 saw the "BIIIG TRUKS" right across the street that we would have a very insistent toddler that would want to be a part of the action...


This happened to work out quite well as 4 was not having a good day (he was living up to the stigma of a 2 year old), and desperately needed a distraction from the snit he was in.


Once the truck rolled up, his nose was to the window... soon to have shoes on, and away across the lawn we went.

Jared, the foreman of the group was absolutely wonderful with H4 and even gave him his first "Bobcat" ride! He rode down the street, came back, picked up a bucket full of dirt then dumped it. H4 was ecstatic and loved every minute of it!


Oh, and they did an excellent job on the driveway... so much so that Heidi and I may get a quote to replace our chip seal with concrete next spring. (One can dream, right??) 

We Got the Shakes!

Before... Obviously.

After six months of defective windows and busted siding, our house looks complete! The window itself still isn't right, so they (who are 'they' you ask? leave a comment if you want to know) are coming back next week to replace it for the third (or is it forth??) time.

We've rocked the "Tyvek look" for so long, I believe that the neighbors were beginning to wonder if we were going to start raising goats and parking abandoned cars in the yard.

After!

Well, that is all behind us know. Welcome back to society Triple H Ranch!

Rest In Peace Paul, I Love You ~ your little brother.

My brother Paul lost his fight against alcoholism this morning.


He leaves behind a devastated family that tried everything they knew to help him win this battle, but we couldn't do it for him.


I can't stop thinking about what I could've done differently to help him... and I'm afraid that it'll haunt me for the rest of my life.


I love you big brother, and I miss you. And I'm sorry.

"Daddy's Jeep"

Courtesey of Uncle Travis, who came to visit H4 this morning, this toy has been a big hit. It's a little Jeep Wrangler that lights up and plays music from it's "radio". It even came with a trailer that holds "Daddy's bike", a three wheeler that looks a lot like the Spyder.


Thanks Travis, very cool gift for little man. I'll add a pix with him wearing his new cubbies hat too.


It's good to see his personality come back little by little, and he even had a little to eat. (very little, but it's a start).


Hopefully we'll find out when we get to go home tomorrow. Keeping fingers crossed!

Mom and Baby Resting Comfortably.

After a long morning of poking and prodding, H4 is taking a nap... and mommy a well deserved rest.

The Final Ear Infection

10:30am
As I write this we are at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. H4 has so bad an ear infection that it's gotten into his mastoid bone, which is the bone behind the ear. (His right one).


H4 has been a trooper as he's been poked and proded by everyone and everything.  Stay tuned, and maybe a prayer wouldn't hurt either.


3:30
Dr. Simpson looked at his CT results and they showed no mass!  There is just fluid, so they are going to put in tubes.


4:15
Took H4 down to surgery and met Dr. Simpson who was wearing a Spider-Man hat. :)


4:35pm
Dr. Simpson told us that the surgery went as planned, and that as soon as he made the incision the infection started to drain. H4 now has tubes in each ear, but he'll have to stay in the hospital for a day or two so they can monitor the antibiotics, and adjust if needed.


The good news is that if everything goes as planned, H4 has experienced his last (hopefully) ear infection!


We're still at risk of having another surgery (mastoidectomy), but so far so good. Thoughts and prayers are appreciated!


H3

Jeeps Rock!

My beloved '01 Jeep Wrangler, affectionately named "Rubicon", turned 200,000 miles old today. Only normal maintenance and oil changes have been performed during this time, other then a new condenser unit for the a/c. He's still got the same clutch (he rocks the 5 speed manual transmission... remember those??) and is on his 4th set of tires, and 2nd set of brakes. Other then that he's pretty much a stock Wrangler... well, until the HEMI goes under the hood that is! ;) (Wishful thinking on my part).


I've never owned the same vehicle for this long, much less put over 200k miles on one. The next closest contender was my '93 Dodge Shadow which clocked in at 150k before giving up the fight. (Shadow actually didn't give up, but sacrificed himself to make way for a 1995 Camaro Z28... great car on dry pavement, horrid on anything more then a dusting of snow... thus it soon made way for the Jeep.)


I gotta tell ya though, Jeeps rock! The Wrangler is a convertible in the summer, has four wheel drive for the winter, and it's a living legend; being a direct descendant to the Willy's Jeeps that helped to win WWII... can you say that about your vehicle?? So much history wrapped up in an instantly recognizable package. I love it.


So get out there and buy yourself a Jeep people! Live the dream! Ya the gas mileage sucks, but hey, it's an '01 with 200k on the clock! Cut him some slack! :)

(Editors note: I named my Jeep "Rubicon" a whole 2 years before Chrysler came out with a "Rubicon" edition Wrangler... I'm still trying to get the royalties owed.)

H4's First Parade Float Ride!

Our home association participates in another developments 4th of July parade by constructing a float, then having the residents ride on it. Well, this year H4 was eligible to ride the float, but not before getting some "parade wave" instruction from "Grandpa Dave" who lives across the street from us. As you can see, 4's a quick study and had that wave business down pat. Good job H4!


You'll also notice that 4 traded Dave his "God Bless America" flag for a sippy cup of warm milk. Good trade H4! Makes me so proud... sniff...

Exhausted at the Mall Playland.

When you are a little guy, you can sometimes run completely out of energy right in the middle of some quality playtime.


When this happens, it is best to just lay down wherever you are to recharge a bit. 


You may resume playing once your energy levels are restored.

Waverunning and a Cold Dip In the Lake

We rented 3 Yamaha Waverunners today which was a BLAST!!! H4 even helped steer around the cove while the boat idled. He seemed to get quite a kick out of it! (That is his cousin Peyton on the back, daughter of Heidi's older brother Dwight and his wife Deanna).


I seemed to have been put in charge of giving rides to the kids as I never did get to go out by myself to whoop it up... not sure if that was intentional or not. The jury's still out on that one. I didn't mind too much though, as I got to spend some quality time with my nephews Adam (he told me that his dad drives too fast) and Conner (because I'm "fun" to ride around the lake with). Pretty cool huh? :)


The ongoing joke between everyone was that I was the "safe"choice to ride with... which is probably due to my motorcycle experience as the Waverunners are pretty much like bikes on the water. This prediction came true when Dwight accidentally dumped his mom in the lake after hitting a rogue wave from a fast moving larger boat, of which there were a lot on the water today.


No worries though, we got her back onto dry land safe and sound, with a good story to tell... Well, probably not good now, but in a year or two it'll be fun to tell. :)


Anyways, tonight is the last night of vacation. I think everyone has had a great time, but probably ready to hit the trails. We'll be heading back to Iowa in the morning, and I'll welcome some good sleep in my own bed. (H4 has been staying in the same room with Heidi and I, which has proved to be anything but relaxing.)

H4 and Heidi'O Andretti!

Go-Karts were the main attraction today. Heidi and H4 hit the track for 6 laps and did the family name proud. No throwing up or neck injuries! H4 had a great time but I gotta tell ya, Daddy (me) was a bit nervous.


Heidi did great and didn't even come in last! I'd race with her any day. :)


Another neat thing we did was Ha Ha Tonka State Park where we explored a castle that was built in 1905. The owner was a wealthy oil baron or something of the sort... and actually owned one of the very first automobiles ever made. Ironically, he was killed in one of the very first automobile accidents ever made the following year and never saw his castle completed.


His sons finished it by the 1920's, only to burn to the ground years later, and is now part of the state park system. I sure would have loved to see it in it's heyday... 

Soethout Vacation

We've headed south to the Lake of the Ozarks for a week of fun in the sun!
Heidi's brother and sister-in-law rented a fantastic condo that sits right across from Bagnall Dam.


This picture was taken from the porch overlooking the pool area. (I know, the pool doesn't show in the picture, but it is there).


Hopefully with four households all taking up residence in the same condo, we'll all still like each other enough to get back together for Christmas! Seriously though, it is good to get away and for H4 to spend some quality time with his cousins.
I'll try to post again later, stay tuned!

Fountain of Youth: Bathwater?

H4 has developed an affinity for bath water. We've tried to get him to stop, and have even tried having a bottle of normal tap water ready for him, but drinking out of the tub seems to win out most of the time.


Good thing Johnson & Johnson's is non toxic!

H4's First Danes Dairy

We stopped by a local ice cream shop to treat ourselves, getting H4 a cup of twist, Heidi a strawberry cone, and myself a chocolate shake. Well, H4 decided he had to "try" everyones to see if he wanted to trade up or not.
He took a liking to Heidi's cone, then proceeded to suck down my shake! He never really went after his own cup of twist so I ate most of it. Little stinker.
Here is a video of him with Heidi's cone... notice the "mmm, mmm, mmm happy dance" he does!

Tractor Time!

All winter H4 would try to sneak over to our lawn tractor, climb up and talk me into going out to mow, (never mind that there was snow on the ground).
So the l other day after coming back from a walk, he climb up on to the tractor, put on my gloves and declared that he was ready to mow!
Now if I can only get him to pick up some sticks...

Meat Flavored Ice Cream. Uh... really?

My Mom and Dad are famous for finding weird treats for our dog Nesmhe. A few years ago they bought her "gourmet cookies" which were expensive frosted dog treats purchased from a local doggy bakery. Nesmhe loved them. They lasted all of 2 minutes.

They have also spoiled her with numerous pigs ears, (we banish her to the outside porch to eat those... the crunching cartilage is like nails on a chalkboard), and the occasional Scooby Snack. (Yes, they actually make them!)

Well, tonight they brought her meat flavored ice cream, purchased from... wait for it... Schwan's. Yep, THAT Schwans. The ones who specialize in home delivery, have meat flavored ice cream for dogs. 

So the big question is; why not have meat infused ice cream for people? You could literally have your main course AND dessert at the same time! It could be served with Jello infused baked potatoes and possibly a nice brussel sprout mousse. Just sayin.

I present a photo of Nesmhe in doggy dessert heaven, and the resulting meat ice cream covered snout.

The Magic Phone

H4 has this toy phone that he has re-discovered. He actually used to play with it when he was a baby, then cast it aside for bigger and better things. Well, tonight he found it in the toy chest and started playing with it as if for the first time. It continually records his voice in 1-2 second bursts then plays them right back at different speeds, so it's as if he's having a conversation... with himself. He was having a grand old time tonight, so Heidi had me grab the camera to catch the magic. I hope you enjoy this little insight to H4's sense of humor! :)