Another random pile of pictures

So here I am again after several months of neglecting this website, uploading a bunch of pictures at once and wondering what to say about them. It’s been a very busy summer, and we have so much going on in our lives right now it’s hard to decide where to start. So I think I’ll just type and see what happens.

Whiteman held an air show back in June. They didn’t do one last year, and with the economy in the crapper the way it has been coupled with free entrance, the turn out was .. large. It took me and the boys at least two hours to get from our house to the flight line on base where the air show was being held. We met up with Grandma and Grandpa LeBaige once we were at the show. It was fun, although I have to say I think I’ve been to enough air shows at this point that I’m losing interest. The boys were mostly bored with the whole ordeal too after an hour or so. Lesson learned for next time!

We had a nice 4th of July party with a ton of borderline legal fire works. I had no idea you could even buy explosives this powerful without a license. I wish I had taken some pictures now that I look back at it, but at the time I was too busy blowing things up and cooking food to think about it. I smoked a pork roast that that was about two hours over done. It was a bit .. chewy. I also made some red beans and rice and sweetened green beans that turned out well. We had some folks from work over and the turn our was decent. I think next year I’m going to be scaling the 4th of July plans down a bit though The clean up just isn’t worth it anymore!

Logan and Conner both went to boy scout camps with Erika in early July. I really need to go to one of these next year, they always look like a lot of fun. Personally I’d rather just take the boys camping myself but realistically we don’t have any other families up here we could really invite to go with us. And that’s half the fun of camping. Then again I seem to recall entertaining myself just fine when I was a kid no matter who was there. I’m considering a camping trip this September. Whether it happens or not depends on a few things that I’m working right now falling into place. It would certainly be a nice to just escape off into the woods for awhile.

I turned 32 in August. I suppose it’s somewhat obvious to say I’ve never felt older but it’s the truth. I’ve let my fitness routine slip and it’s starting to show. On the bright side I have quit smoking again. Chantix is a hell of a drug. You take it and you don’t want to smoke any more. There’s certainly a lot of bad press out there surrounding this medication, and I suppose there could be some merit to it. But for me all it did was make me not want to smoke. I’m going to try to refocus myself going forward and get back into some version of a better shape, before that shape becomes round. Exercise really is an amazing thing, and now that my lungs are going back to normal I’m looking forward to being able to use them properly again.

After years of harassment, the boys finally broke me down and I adopted a dog. His name is Jim. He is a mutt of some sort. I think he is at least partially Beauceron, a French herding dog. He probably also has some German Sheppard or something similar in him. He’s an amazingly well behaved dog, especially considering we found him in a shelter. He’s completely house broken, never barks, isn’t aggressive at all (even to the cats) and in general is just about the perfect temperament for us. Unfortunately he has been diagnosed with Heart Worms AND some tick born disease who’s name I can’t recall. We’re having him treated and it’s costing us a small fortunte but it’s worth it. The boys love him, I love him, and he loves us. What more could you ask for?

The long days of summer are just about over for us at this point. Logan and Conner go back to school in a week. So do I actually. We’ve got some big changes coming in other areas which I don’t really want to go into right now; suffice to say it’s a big year for the whole LeBaige clan. I’m looking forward to the future, but I’m apprehensive about it as well. Life doesn’t pull any punches, that’s for sure. More to come soon!

 Print This Comments (0) Posted in Events, Family, Holidays, Life by Bryan

Happy Holidays

Well, it’s Saturday the 29th and I’m sitting here alone desperately trying to pass some time. Erika and the boys are up in Chicago visiting her family. I was supposed to work through the weekend but some unexpected changes have left me free until the New Year. I think I’ll clean the house or something, that should keep me busy for quite awhile.

We had a nice Christmas at my parents place. The usual cast of characters was there, i.e. immediate family and associated hanger-on-ers. Sadly, Riki left her camera at work and mine decided to go belly up after a picture or two, so I don’t have anything to show for it. Just look at the pictures from last year and imagine us all slightly older. It’s always nice to get together with everyone. It can get a bit .. crowded .. at times, but it’s worth it.

With New Years rapidly approach it’s time for the customary unrealistic goal setting. Personally I need to refocus my workout regiment which has gone down hill a bit in the last few months. I also need, NEED, to make Tech Sergent this year, and I’m starting classes this spring at the college here in town. I think that’s more than enough to keep me busy for awhile. Logan and Conner have resolved to grow older and bigger, a task which I’m sure they’ll be able to pull off yet again without a hitch. Riki, well, she has a list of goals a mile long; a fact which should come as no surprise to anybody who knows her. All in all it’s shaping up to be a busy 2008.

I read an article awhile back that time literally passes faster for you as you age. I guess your internal clock changes it’s rate, slows down. They supported this theory by asking young people and old people to count out a minute and compared the results. Young people consistently over counted the minute, and old under counted it. I can believe it. It seems like I just got here, yet I’ve been back in Missouri for a year already. Where did the months go? We seriously need to get out of the house this year and do something different. I’m really starting to miss being within spitting distance of the Ozarks.

Happy holidays to all my dedicated readers (i.e. Mom). We’ll see you next year!

 Print This Comments (0) Posted in Family, Holidays by Bryan

Spring

I updated a bit of software on the site the other day. As usual you won’t see most of the changes. However one of the new features is the ability to use “flash video”, kind of like youtube or google video or whatever. I’m not sure if it’s worth the trouble yet. Please let me know if you have any problems or find this method works better.

We had a nice Easter weekend with the family. There were the usual egg hunts and baskets and stuff, coupled with crazy kids running around everywhere. Little Mathew is getting quite mobile and is a lot of fun, the sounds and faces he makes are priceless. I will say as much fun as little kids are I’m glad mine aren’t so little anymore. They’re great in small doses!

Today is our ninth wedding anniversary. I guess compared to some that’s not much but it sure does seem like a long time to me looking back. Couple that with me turning thirty this year and I’m starting to feel positively not young anymore. It’s ok though because one of the guys at work is having a big going away party this weekend, which is always a great opportunity to feel adolescent and stupid again!

I have a bunch of photo’s I’ll be uploading at some point here soon, I’ve been pretty slack this year. This new version of the software I loaded has a neat feature that makes a folder showing all the new items in the gallery, but I haven’t figured out how to turn it on yet. Once I do it should make seeing what has been added a lot easier.

We’re looking forward to heading back down to Arkansas in May for Erika’s graduation. I’m still not sure of the exact date but I’d imagine it will be some time near the middle to end of the month. Time sure has passed quickly since we left, it should be fun. Maybe the weather will cooperate and we can sneak in a night camping or something.

 Print This Comments (3) Posted in Family, Holidays, Life, Website by Bryan

Well, I’m home

The flight back was uneventful. I wasn’t able to sleep for more than an hour or so on the plane, and I only had a couple hours of rest the night before leaving as I just couldn’t fall asleep, so I was pretty beat by the time I reached Arkansas.

My master plan to surprise Riki and the boys almost didn’t work out as they were snowed in up in Missouri. Riki had gone up there earlier in the week for a job interview. They finally came home around 7pm or so. Riki was in a massive rush, trying to get back out the door in time to make it to the 314 MXS Christmas Party pictured in the album to the left. None of them had any idea I was home, and I was able to hide in the hallway and ambush them. It worked out pretty well, and was a very nice homecoming if I do say so myself.

I’m still adjusting at this point but it’s nice to be back. I’d say “back for good” but of course it’s really not for good since we’re moving again in a few weeks. I cannot wait to just get somewhere and settle down for awhile. That being said, I have my first official kid induced headache since returning right now so I’m going to leave this entry at that. Ah, back to life as usual.

 Print This Comments (3) Posted in Family, Holidays by Bryan

Boo at the Zoo

I uploaded some pictures Riki took of the boys trip to “Boo at the Zoo” down in Little Rock just before Halloween. I’ve never actually been to this for one reason or another but it certainly does look like a lot of fun. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of these pictures .. my boys certainly do know how to ham it up.

It’s getting positively cold over here now, which is a good thing as it means it’s almost time to go. We’re going to be playing war games again over here soon. I guess Korea had to get in it’s last parting shot on me before I escape. I think I’m going to go Christmas shopping next weekend if I’m able. We’re supposed to be having a Thanksgiving dinner thing a couple weeks from now, which should be nice. I’ve also been having “going away” parties every weekend, which is really just another excuse to go languish away in the bars down town. But hey, I can do that. I’ve got to enjoy my little alternate reality I have here while I still can!

 Print This Comments (2) Posted in Family, Holidays, Korea by Bryan