Talk Radio...Not So Much

I know people may think we are odd (even more so now) but we don't have cable or Dish Network. The television in our house currently gets four channels. Five if someone stands on one foot and holds onto the antenna. One of the channels is PBS, which my kids can watch on Friday afternoons, and weekends. Two are Spanish channels (Cool Dad watches alot of soccer in Spanish), and NBC and ABC. That is it folks, which leads us to today's post. To help alleviate some of his pain Cool Dad likes to listen to Sports Talk Radio, which I really really hate (and we don't even use that word in our family).

This takes us to last weekend. Cool Dad has been in a TV coma. We were at his parents for a few nights, and then at a hotel. He practically had the remote super glued to his hand. I understand that he is a sports junkie and he had to give up ESPN for us to become a non-connected family, but he did it, and I am glad. However, the downside is, when said sports junkie comes in contact ESPN again it turns ugly, I mean , it really isn't pretty folks. I knew that Cool Dad would watch ESPN non-stop, and I was prepared for that. What I was not prepared for is the fact that Cool Dad was WATCHING talk radio on TV. THAT IS SO WRONG. That is like triple wrong. Talk Sports Radio is bad on the radio, it is a nightmare on TV. I admit I happy to get back to our boring, low entertainment life where we look forward to watching last night's episodes today on Hulu.

My Son is a Pyro

It was inevitable.

His father is a pyromaniac. His uncles are all pyromaniacs. His cousins, his grandfathers, his friends...all pyromaniacs!

This past week we attended a Christmas bonfire with our church group and it wasn't long before MY child was lofting, heaving, throwing, kicking and shooting branches of trees, twigs of creosote bushes, dirty paper plates, napkins, plastic cups and all kinds of flammable (and occasionally inflammable) items into the heart of the bonfire.

He was tireless.

I digress for a moment to inform you that Bud has a little girlfriend. They are inseparable. They go everywhere together, they share candy, they are a little dating pair and if you didn't know they were only five years old, you'd think they were a legit little couple.

Well, this little girl was there and they were flirting...until the bonfire was ignited (thanks to some well-placed Boy Scout Liquid Tinder). It took Bud about 0.7 seconds to dump the chick and loft his first stick into the licking flames.

I am a proud papa.

All I Want For Christmas is...

Something bad has happened. I mean something really, really terrible. MY BABY LOST HIS FIRST TOOTH! How did this happen? He is just a BABY. Babies don't lose teeth. He shouldn't be losing teeth for another 10-15 years, maybe longer. I admit it, I cried. I hate to see my kids grow up. I feel like he will be leaving me soon for college, and then this blog will be about College Daughter, College Daughter, College Son and two lonely parents.

I know that my days of hugs and snuggles from him are numbered too. Which is really depressing because he has been my only snuggly baby. Pie does not like to be touched (I am quoting her here), and College Daughter was not teribly snuggly as a baby, but she has no problem plopping herself down on my lap when she comes home for weekends (did I mention she is taller than me?).

On a happier note. He is absolutely over the moon happy that he can walk around singing, "All I Want for Christmas is my one front teeth." Trust me, I know what that says, but logically he can't ask for two, he only needs one, and the song says teeth not tooth. I hope you are visualizing this all with him singing at the top of his lungs because the boy does not have a down volume button...I have looked.

USS Midway

I know it is a little lame to be posting about Thanksgiving on December 7th, but you people know us, and realize our lameness so you shouldn't be surprised (Cool Dad would prefer we try to hide our lameness, but I told him it is useless).

We had a great Thanksgiving and we were fortunate enough to have my Dad and Step-mom join us from Nevada. We had a traditional dinner which actually will surprise a few people who know this is not my favorite meal, and I would be just as happy having pizza. The day was filled with lots of food, puzzles and naps. Not much football since our TV reception is not great, and believe it or not, I didn't even take a single picture.

On Friday we decided to take a day trip to San Diego to tour the USS Midway. If you remember this post we talked about how we wanted to tour the carrier. It was awesome. I loved it. Cool Dad is always surprised at the things I find fascinating, but it really was cool. Really people have you truly lived until you have sat in the pilot's seat of a jet fighter?



Most of the docents were men who have served on carriers a few of them had even served on the USS Midway. They had pilots giving talks on carrier landings and taking off. They also had a pilot in the pilot ready room who had some fascinating stories of his adventures.



There were quite a few planes and helicopters on board. Bubba was fascinated by all of them, and was actually disappointed they were not taking off and landing. This picture has "the island" in the background which is basically a control tower for aircraft, and also the bridge.

It took us just over four hours to tour the whole thing. Admission is a tad pricey (sorry to those of you who thought I was posting another free activity). Plan to go early in the day, it seemed to get busier in the afternoon (hour wait to get up to the island-we went right up).

It was a great day to spend with family, and learn a little something too about the sacrifices that men and women make for our country each and every day. I am proud that my dad is a Veteran, and although he has trouble remembering things these days he still remembers that he served his country in the Air Force. The day will be a great memory for my kids.

My Contribution to the Marriage

I do little. Precious little. Around here I feel as though I am a big bump on an otherwise insignificant log. However, I have contributed to my marriage in various ways. Here, let me count the ways.

1. I introduced plastic cups. Yep, until I arrived Hot Mom and College Daughter were glass people. With my introduction of plastic cups, we have no doubt avoided numerous glass dropping disasters and I have singlehandedly saved numerous grains of sand that would have otherwise become glass.

2. I introduced a toenail clipping ban in bed. Hot Mom is a bedridden toenail clipper. I think everyone is now much safer.

3. I introduced proper toilet roll installation. Over the top, people...over the top.

4. I am responsible for bringing spices into the house. Apparently, Hot Mom grew up in a bland household. No garlic. No salt. No pepper. No cumin, chili powder, sesame seed, mace, coriander or Beau Monde. I, however, am full of spice. Hot Mom also mentions that I am full of quite a different thing, but...I digress.

5. I contributed some X chromosomes. On occasion they were thwarted (see Pie), but they eventually got through (see Bud) and we are happy for it.

6. I brought Stake Conference attendance. Stake Conference was formerly known as a "Day Off from Church".

7. I am responsible for the Maps. They are everywhere and they are glorious. Hot Mom even finds herself using them, referring to them, marking them, etc. College Daughter loves them and even Pie and Bud are getting use to them being everywhere.

8. I brought the Heat Wavers post office pictures.


9. I am trying to think of something for Number 9, but I think we might want to skip it for now. I'll get back to you on this one.

10. Oooooh, oooooh, I also brought "Snickers" into the daily lexicon of the family. For instance, Hot Mom will say, "How can we get Cool Dad to shush up?" and the kids will say, "Snickers!"

There you have it people. I am surprised I came up with ten. I am really all that and a bag of chips.

Disaster Averted...Kinda

The following was heard emanating from the back of the minivan this morning.

"Buddy and Silvia sitting in a tree..."

I listened closely as it was Buddy who was singing. Pie was coaching, but Buddy was the prime mover and I was curious as to whom might be seated in the tree next to him.

"P-I-S-..."

Apparently Bud is not familiar with the finer points of the song so it was at this point both Hot Mom and myself did a bit of parental editing.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Bud!" began Hot Mom while gasping for air and looking around to make sure nobody from any neighboring cars were listening in. "It's K-I-S-S-I-N-G! With a K at the beginning."

"A K? Not a P?"

"Nope, definitely a K, Bud," clarified Hot Mom.

"Yeah, Bud," I began, "if you use a P instead of a K then you are saying that you and Silvia are..."

A backhand volley to the side of my head from Hot Mom.

"What were you saying, Daddy?"

"Ummm...nothing Bud. Just start with a K."

Disaster averted.

A few weeks ago we attended our city's balloon festival. It is the second year we have been lucky enough to go. Last year we were on a "let's take a look at this city because we might have a job there" trip and we just lucked into it. This year we had been looking forward to it for weeks. Bright and early Saturday morning we headed to the park. The launch was a little delayed due to weather, but it was well worth the wait just to see how excited my kids were. You would have thought they were blowing the balloons up themselves. Because of wind they didn't stay up long but it was still worth the early morning trip.







Later that night we ventured to the baseball stadium for the balloon glow. My kids love to wander around the park where the balloon pilots give out stickers, candy, and flashing glow in the dark rings. It was a second annual success for the Heat Wavers especially since the only cost for both activities...four cans of food for the local food bank. I really should change the name of this blog to free/cheap things to do in my city.

Let's Just Pretend it is Still November

I have been reminded by a few people that we still do have a couple of readers, and they are not enjoying the blogging break we have been taking. Sorry, we will try to be better. I have quite a few posts about the Balloon Festival, Thanksgiving, San Diego etc. but they will all have to wait. Until then you get to see my beautiful grown up girl.



I snapped this on the way to school the other day. I couldn't believe how grown up she looked. She received birthday money and decided to spend them on these cute boots. She loves them and wants to wear them every day(did I mention it will be 75 degrees today?).

Bubba is also doing his best to keep up with the holiday decorating. There is a stake in our front yard. He has attached a scarecrow to it because, "It just isn't Thanksgiving without a scarecrow". It is good to know what has been missing from thanksgiving all these years.



Happy December everyone. Christmas is just around the corner, and if you don't believe me you can ask my niece Lou who is still texting me with the number of "sleeps" until Christmas, or my nephew Tank who has an app which he uses to post the number of days, or the number of hours, or the number of seconds to facebook.