...a four and a five makes 9.

The girl plays....

2012-02-11T14:50:00.001-08:00

Hurray!! The girl playing something other than a video game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQV7b4dghdU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

St Irenaeus Skate Night

2012-02-02T00:00:00.001-08:00

The girl and I went skating last night for her school's fundraiser. Laughs and tears and bruises!

Broken Lawnmower

2012-01-27T17:16:00.001-08:00

My Lawnmower broke, but I got 'er fixed up and finished my chores.

Mechanical Sunday.

2012-01-22T17:40:00.001-08:00

So I spent some quality time with my dirt bike today replacing the lower shock bearing on my YZ250f. First I had to lift the bike up on the stand and raise the front wheel so the the shock bearing was accessible. Tip: measure depth of the current bearing with a micrometer before you push it out. I used a long bolt with a 1 /18 on the outside an a 19mm on the push side to push the bearing out. Once out I cleaned it all up and built the press using the se bolt washers and sockets to press in the bearing. Once the new bearing was in, I measured it for depth and reinstalled.

First post 2012

2012-01-02T18:20:00.001-08:00

Wilson got a bath after stepping in poo. Ugh. He is still losing weight. He turned 11 yrs on the first.

The boys and I went to the Discovery Science Center to see the Star Wars exhibit. We have now seen it in three different cities in three different countries on three different continents. Apparently for boys, It never gets old.

The girls played Just Dance 3 for hours and then crashed when we went to dinner that evening on three different occasions.

We also spent some time at the Getty Museum. They have a great itouch device that has all the art and also a very flattering bit about the founder who was really not a very nice guy and sadly died friendless and alone.

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-24T17:37:00.001-08:00

Wilson has been feeling a little sick and losing weight. I have out home on canned food which he LOVES and seems to be doing much better now. He is currently supervising the progress of Christmas dinner and the 24 lb turkey.

Went mtn biking with my brother in law Rob this afternoon to work up the appetite needed for the evening's festivities.

Took the kids to the La Brea Tar Pit and then to the LA Natural History Museum. It was a continuous stream of behavioral corrections, but fun non-the-less.

Wilson ate the apple pie

2011-11-25T17:31:00.001-08:00

I went mtn biking Thanksgiving morning with my brother in law for two hours. Uh, who left the pie on the counter and then let the dogs into the kitchen Thanksgiving morning? Wilson is just being a dog...that really likes pie. In fact, someone left out the pecan pie today while I took the kids to visit a friend for three hours. Somehow this is all my fault or Wilson's.

Birthday gifts

2011-11-12T11:51:00.001-08:00

The kids love their gifts from the Alaska Mahoney's.

Rats!!

2011-11-08T18:19:00.001-08:00

A rat moved into Patty's car Saturday night and chewed up all the wires. $700 later....

Ready for Halloween!

2011-10-30T08:21:00.001-07:00

The shorties are all ready for Halloween. The girl is a really scary ghost and the boy is 'Scream'.

Wilson on a Saturday

2011-10-29T15:10:00.001-07:00

Wilson was unable to move or get me to move the Tv tray table. His long stares at me and multiple pawings proved ineffectual, thus he endure this humiliation.

The condo pool

2011-09-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

The kids and I were at the condo pool and I got them to dive in head first by promising them a DQ shake.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

South Dakota visit

2011-08-15T11:07:00.001-07:00

We had a great time visiting Don and Kyle in Rapid City. They are ridiculously good hosts and really good eggs. They helped celebrate the girl's birthday with gifts and a delicious cake. What made even better was having Aunt Joreen along for the ride from Minot. The weather was wonderful and we got to do nearly everything we wanted including Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and several kids attractions. Our trip was really wonderful and it was great to learn about everyone up an down the Mahoney family tree.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

At the Crazy Horse Monument

2011-08-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

We went to the Crazy Horse Monument on Tuesday...

Grampa Joe and Babe

2011-08-09T08:56:00.001-07:00

Here is the wedding picture of Grampa Joe and Grandma Babe in Pierson Canada.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Sat at Disneyland

2011-08-07T08:44:00.001-07:00

We dragged Joreen to Tom's new lake house. We had a great time with all the toys and such. We cruises the lake and met Joreen's son Dean. Then we drove over to Westhope and saw Tom's farming operation. His son Beau let me drive the combine which I almost crashed! Then we went over to the ranch rodeo in Antler and on back to Minot. It was great that Joreen and I got to talk.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Rough start

2011-08-05T13:29:00.001-07:00

We missed the connection to Minot and were stuck in Denver for a while. The spouse was underwhelmed, but we persevered through multiple delays, gate changes and a rookie blunder.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Princess party and a dead cat.

2011-07-26T12:37:00.001-07:00

The morning started with finding a dead cat in the lawn. Is that bad luck? I took a picture of course.

Then the girl had a birthday party to go to for her friend Madison.

Chiweenie!

2011-07-18T08:17:00.001-07:00

So it turns out that Mr Thomas is a Chiweenie hybrid. He is half chihuahua and half Dachshund. That makes him either a German taco or a Mexican hotdog?

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Dirt biking

2011-05-27T09:24:00.001-07:00

I have been going to the motocross track once a week to improve my skills. This week I twisted my ankle, but my boots saved me from serious injury and was able to go Mtn biking after a days rest.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Dad's little helper...

2011-05-10T18:57:00.001-07:00

I am helping with the kids homework with a little fortification first.

We went miniature golfing on Mother's Day and gave mom a break.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Dad at the beach..

2011-04-25T12:39:00.001-07:00

The boy took my picture.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

First beach trip...

2011-04-25T12:35:00.001-07:00

The first beach trip for 2011. It was a little cold and windy, but the sand was warm and the sun was bright!

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The littlest cheerleader

2011-04-22T18:17:00.001-07:00

The girl is on the far right. She had a cheer competition a week ago. They won second place and got chosen for best spirit.

This is the girl with her little BFF.

Here are the obligatory and obscenely commercialized Easter baskets from Walmart for this Sunday. at least they can use the baskets which are hats to use at the beach this summer. That me using my brain. Heh.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

A little update...

2011-04-22T17:56:00.001-07:00

I got a new soccer side-line chair. Wilson gave his stamp of approval.

Sean got his picture taken at the dentist.

We went to Peruvian food and the boy ate the insides of the bread....and that was it.

Here is the Bacon Truck at the Long Beach Gran Prix. I love bacon.

This is the boy's new bike if he ever decides to ride it.

I got another dirt bike to use on the track so I don't have to beat up my KTM on the big jumps.

Here is picture of me riding at tue track. I am a noob.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The boy on a pogo stick

2011-03-03T06:24:00.001-08:00

Sean is trying his hand at using a pogo stick.

Taken down a notch...

2011-03-03T05:43:00.000-08:00

So I sit in front of my computer in the early morning typing this pathetic attempt to reconcile the passing of a family friend. She unsuccessfully fought the big fight until this last Tuesday afternoon. Her blog (http://www.lilhateful.com/) remains a window into her talent, insight and humor. There is no why. There just is.

Here is a picture of Karen holding Sean just after Christmas 2001.

Friday at the Aquarium

2011-02-18T18:18:00.001-08:00

The girl pretends to hold up a Puffin at the Aquarium on the first of a four day weekend. The rain is coming.

The boy gets into the act too.

The boy got a hair cut last weekend. Sil says he looks like me. I don't see it.

We went miniature golfing last weekend too. The girl's ball hit mine and we both got a hole in one!

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The girl gets her first trophy...

2011-01-23T14:12:00.000-08:00

Meghan had her soccer party last Friday where she received honors for most improved and best defensive player. Her team, Pinkalicious, will stay together and begin practicing in two weeks for the Spring season.

Riding on Sat with buddies...

2011-01-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

Went riding last Sat with the Dualies. I love the desert in the winter... This was our first of hopefully many monthly club rides. We did about 50 miles of riding with a stop for lunch at the Slash X ranch. I had breakfast of course- 3 eggs (over easy), hash-browns, ham steak, and white toast with a coke. Awesome.

This is my bike. I got some new stickers which helps me go faster.. hehe. I am not sure which view is better - the desert in the winter or my lovely orange KTM.

This is Brian and Laurie Gossett - my usual riding partners.

Stuart and James, father and son are new friends

James gets into a 'spot of bother' as his father (from England) would say...

Dirt Biking

2011-01-16T13:29:00.000-08:00

My buddies with the Big Bear Trail Riders and I were out dirt biking in the CA high desert around Landers after our club meeting. It was a great day. 60 degrees and light wind. We did about 45 miles of varied terrain including single tracks, technical rock step ups, sand hill climbs, washes, and high speed roads with plenty of whoops. After our ride we fired up the BBQ. Brian (pictured) and I had an eating contest of sorts... I had 3 cheese burgers and 4 hotdogs. My bike worked so well that it brought tears to my eyes... or was that the wind riding in the desert at 50+mph?

Pre-thanksgiving

2010-11-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

The girl is on the far left. All the first graders in cheer waiting for the La Palma Days parade to start.

They really liked their gifts from the Alaska Mahoney's. The girl is very musical and can even play while riding her scooter in the back yard.

The boy was at the Wimpy Kid book signing. I almost got the wrong 'The Ugly Truth' book pictured in the background.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Riding bikes with the girl

2010-10-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcwwpE7KOnI

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

You're fired!

2010-10-14T12:17:00.001-07:00

I was canned on Tuesday. HR called me during the girl's soccer practice at 5:12pm, let me know that was my last day, and my final check would be ready in the morning. So today I went dirt biking!

Weekend goings on

2010-10-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday was soccer day. I ref'd two games. Sean had two games. He one one and lost one on a penalty kick. Bah! The girl made her first goal when the opposing team made a throw in in the wrong direction. 6 hours of soccer was a long hot day. We wrapped it up with dinner at Soup Plantation where I over-ate.

Sunday I took the neighbor mountain biking and worked on my new KTM. Big spiders are about the limit of wildlife in Carbon Canyon.

My old bike is up for sale. It was a great beginner bike and never let me down, but the KTM... oh my what a bike.

The girl went to Disneyland with her aunt today and got her face painted.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The girl got a new(er) bike!

2010-10-05T09:27:00.001-07:00

I got the girl a bike that fits her. It was a little bit hard to get used to but she is looking for someone to take over payments on her old bike.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Cheerleader

2010-09-29T13:55:00.001-07:00

She doesn't quite know all the move yet, but she makes up for it in enthusiasm.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The boy's at the dentist

2010-09-27T16:21:00.001-07:00

The boy did great at the dentist. He muscled through 90 minutes of x-rays, cleaning with the cavitator, and sealing four molars.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Meghan rides a bike..

2010-09-18T21:07:00.001-07:00

So the girl learned how to ride her bike last week in three one hours sessions. So I have been to the park more in a week than in the last year. There are some who feel that a helmet is inadequate protection for cycling.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Labor Day

2010-09-08T09:11:00.001-07:00

The Girl's BFF came over for a playdate on Monday. Deafening squeals of joy could heard for blocks.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The never-ending reiteration

2010-09-07T19:50:00.001-07:00

The girl describes her experience on Disneyland's Tower of Terror ride at dinner...again. I bet I can finish this bottle of wine before she finishes and Sean stops complaining about how she always tells the same story.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Riding on Sat AM

2010-09-04T12:57:00.001-07:00

Went out riding early this morning. This is Santiago Peak in the Cleveland National Forest which separates Orange and Riverside counties. At 5600 ft elevation it was already low 80's, cloudless skies and the view was only limited by the curvature of the Earth.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Back at work

2010-09-01T17:15:00.001-07:00

Back from vacation to find that I have been relegated to obscurity complete with a new office.

These smarties are NOT having the desired affect.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Shopping in Germany

2010-08-24T13:09:00.000-07:00

German clown college for kinders teaches how many children can you fit in a polizei car.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Lunch in Basel CH

2010-08-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

I had a pork sandwich, a veal wurst, a pork wurst, and two cokes. Now off to buy souvenirs and a raclette something or 'nuther kitchen appliance.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Vacation update

2010-08-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Koenigssbourg castle was restored in the early 19th century to help the French solidify their claim on the region. They didn't hold onto it for very long. Hehe. But they got it back after WWII and much of the German history of the castle is glossed over in the tour.

The boy enjoyed lunch with his new knights from the gift shop.

The girls are preparing their playback to take the walking tour.

We went to a restored castle. The boy is walking with his Aunt Rocio

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

An afternoon in Basel CH

2010-08-18T21:56:00.001-07:00

We arrived and had lunch in the central square. Wursts and pork sandwiches. Yum.

Then we dumped the kids at the daycare facility. It was an amicable decision.

Then we went to the fine art museum and saw art like this and stuff.

Then we did a walking tour of the city.

Gonk alert!

This way along the tour.

Ahead is the oldest McDonalds in Basel....just kidding. The older part s of the city date from around the mid 1300's.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Bier and dessert

2010-08-17T12:14:00.001-07:00

We had bier and dessert at the Hotel Adler up the road from Tadtnau. The roads are narrow and curvy.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Rules

2010-08-16T00:26:00.000-07:00

Germans have a much higher sense of social responsibility than in the US. There is very little litter in the streets for instance. Here is the rule of the day

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

European vacation 2

2010-08-14T05:18:00.001-07:00

We went to Europa Park on Saturday. It was a beautiful day and here is the girl posing with a mother princess.

Meghan and Julia are inseparable.

Sean likes the shooting gallery

...but not the roller-coasters.

Above is the girl with hands high enjoying the crazy London taxi car ride...and below is the shiner she got when she hit her head on the hand rail she was not holding onto. She was fine by the end of the ride.

We went pond fishing this morning for trout that are raised here.

The old German guy who runs the place cleans the fish with a Swiss at knife. Never seen that before. Kinda like digging a post hole with a table spoon.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

European vacation 1

2010-08-12T00:23:00.001-07:00

This is the apartment in the little hamlet where we are staying. It us a little German farm with cows and sheep and goats.

Yesterday we went to the bird show and they had a Bald Eagle. They also had an area where you could feed monkeys.

Last night we drove from Germany to Basil Switzerland to pick up our cousin who took the train from Zurich to have dinner with us. This is the famous pig car which a tourist would rarely see.

Here is the boy anxiously awaiting his pizza at the restaurant in Mulhouse France.

Today it is raining. So the kids are watching an episode of the Last Airbender on the iPad

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Child casualties

2010-08-05T20:40:00.001-07:00

So the boy got a shiner playing video games somehow. Then the girl runs into a bar on the playground and knocks her teeth in two days before we go on vacation. I just added the kids to my dental insurance... Timing

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The Kids went to DLandia

2010-07-21T21:14:00.001-07:00

Tia Patty and Tia Manolin took then kids to DLand on Tuesday.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Typical Wednesday

2010-07-21T20:23:00.001-07:00

Poor Quack! The wife is on a business trip.

After dinner, the girl reads me the Bible.

All good things come to an end!

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

First summer beach day

2010-06-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

So I took a few hours off during the middle of the day to take the kids to the beach. Sean was getting quite brave in the surf until a wave submerged him and he ran back up the beach a little shocked. The girl had done a similar thing just minutes before. The weather is awesome and the parking expensive. A great Tuesday I must say.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Saturday morning fun...

2010-06-19T13:12:00.001-07:00

Arts and crafts for the girl and mom while I took the morning and went dirt biking. The boy was in his man-cave on the Xbox as per usual.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

New wallett for Father's Day

2010-06-16T20:13:00.001-07:00

I got a new wallet from the wife for Father's Day. It has 16 card slots which is 4 more than my last one and a new record! Porsche Design makes awesome stuff. I was oggling their golf shoes. Although, if I had that kind of money, I would get a new carb for my dirt bike.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Lemonade stand

2010-06-10T18:37:00.001-07:00

We stopped at the neighborhood lemonade stand on the way home from school. Meghan is wearing her birthday celebration hat that was held today for all the kids who have birthdays over the summer. The girl's b-day is on our anniversary - Aug 16th. We will be having a b-day party before we leave for Germany for all her little school friends.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The boy's last lesson of the winter

2010-06-09T20:38:00.001-07:00

The boy's last swim lesson in the Cerritos pool. Both kids are starting back up at the Buena Park pool this summer. This will be Sean's Fourth season and Meghan's third season. I will be lap swimming too.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The girl is a cheerleader

2010-06-08T17:23:00.001-07:00

Five years old and a cheerleader already.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Sat at the beach

2010-06-05T14:26:00.001-07:00

We spent Saturday morning at the beach. Flavio drove down with his motorhome at 6am and we surfed for a few hours. Then Silvia drove down with the kids and we ate breakfast and played in the sand.

Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The Boys

2010-06-04T06:42:00.001-07:00

The boys don't seem to share my excitement that the Lakers won game one.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

The girl and her bike

2010-06-03T20:07:00.001-07:00

Meghan has developed an interest in her bike. I have waited my whole life... ok eight years of parenthood for this.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Bar10 Ride

2010-04-27T19:48:00.001-07:00

I just wrote this whole thing and the post failed losing all my clever verbiage. So jerebis the second attempt.

The Big Bear Trail Riders held their annual Bar10 Ride from Mesquite NV to the Bar10 Ranch along a stretch of high desert called the Arizona strip. The 100 or so miles were along jeep trails and fire roads which made for fast riding. We covered the distance in less than five hours. Once at the ranch, we ate lunch and rode the remaining 10 miles to the rim of the Grand Canyon.

The ranch is run by third generation brothers who host river rafters and raise cattle. They are excellent hosts and even do a little talent show after the family style dinner. It is like staying at a friend's house.

The ride home was through some very scenic desert landscape. It was hard to keepy eyes on the trail and we stopped often to takenot all in.

Then came the 400 mile drive home through Las Vegas on a Sunday evening. Ugh.

Thus concludes another well organized BBTR event.

Next is the Charity Ride on May15th in Beaumont to Idyllwild.

- Posted from my iPhone, heh.

Ouch!

2010-04-17T07:42:00.001-07:00

Some old man lost control and almost killed me. Luckily, I had my trusty surfboard take the bullet for me.

- Posted from my iPhone, eh.

GI Joe meets L'il Pet Shop

2010-04-07T17:24:00.001-07:00

The kids are on Spring break in the back yard playing on the sand and water table. Looks like the Meghan has used her secret weapon to protect her animals from an impending invasion - a huge Flamingo!

- Posted from my iPhone, eh.

Gone fishing

2010-03-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

The girl and I went fishin' on my birthday. We caught three trout in the pond in 10 minutes. Hardly fishing. More like just catching. Perfect for a five year old.

Barstow to AVI Ride

2010-03-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

I left on Sat 3:45am and two days and over 400 miles later I made it home by 10:30pm Sunday. It was quite the adventure. Saturday was a great day. It was cool, sometimes cloudy, but perfect riding weather. Sunday was another story all-together. It was raining, cold, and miserable. We were soggy by the persistent rain. We had make frequent stop to warm our hands on our exhaust to gain enough feeling back to control our bikes. We struggled with visibility as we peered between the water drops on our goggles. The risk was a possible crash caused by an unseen trail obstacle. Sunday was a marathon day - 11 hours on the bike. The last 30 miles in the pitch black desert night. The organizers, Big Bear Trail Riders, did a wonderful job supporting and feeding us all. I met some really wonderful people and hope to ride with them again soon.

Pics from the Ridgecrest Ride on Jan 23rd.

2010-02-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

So I got some pictures from the Dualies Club photographer on the Ridgecrest 250. Here is an actual picture of me riding in the frigid morning air. The ground was frozen. I was frozen. The bikes literally had frost on them that morning. I know I posted this before. What I hadn't realized was how significant an event this was in my life. To own and ride a dirt bike with friends fulfills the majority of my fantasies as a child. These were unrealized of course for reasons that are obvious if you are at all familiar with my childhood.

Ridgecrest dual-sport ride

2010-01-24T18:25:00.001-08:00

I got up at 2:30 am and drove 3 hours to Ridgecrest in the high desert for the OC Dualies Ridgecrest 250. I rode for 7 hours in the snow, the muddy clay, and desert streams swollen by the 4 days of rain the previous week. I fell in the snow. I fell in the mud. I fell in the water. The only casualty was my tool bag lost on the trail somewhere. The weather great and the course was challenging enough. The most challenging were the trails covered in four inches of snow! I was caked in mud and drenched from stream and sweat. My bike worked great and everyone commented that they used to have one just like it before they got their KTM. Heh.

Mtn Biking part deux

2010-01-01T20:54:00.001-08:00

Warren and I went mountain biking again this visit. The weather was perfect and the ground still moist from all the rain we have had. We made it all the way to the Four Cornes before turning around and going back down the hill.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day before Christmas

2009-12-24T11:24:00.001-08:00

The boys are waiting for Santa.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sean's 2009 X-mas List

2009-12-18T09:32:00.001-08:00

A detect a theme...

Trout for dinner

2009-12-13T17:38:00.001-08:00

Huckleberry Pond. The only fishing hole where a five year can fish without getting board.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

All American Melidrama

2009-12-11T21:13:00.001-08:00

Merry Tixmas Party from the local playhouse...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy to be at Nory's

2009-12-06T18:52:00.001-08:00

Marisol and Kyle came down to see an Imagination Movers show this weekend. On Sunday we wnt to Nory's for dinner.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Motocross riding on NV

2009-11-28T18:37:00.001-08:00

I went on a motocross adventure tour today. For $300 they provide a KTM 525 motocross bike equipment and a personal guide as well as transportation to and from. The guides a very knowledgeable about the trails and tailor your ride based on your ability level.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thanksgiving at the Wenk's

2009-11-27T15:56:00.001-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving at the Wenk's in Las Vegas. Marisol and Rob put on a great table with Polish dumplings and a huge 22.5 lb turkey. On Friday, the women were all about the shopping so the men and children went to the Bass Pro's Shops to see stuffed wildlife.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Warren goes Mtn Biking

2009-11-25T14:51:00.001-08:00

I took my nephew, Warren, mountain biking at Carbon Canyon State Park. He made it all the way to the tables. It is still called "The Tables" even though there is only one table that survived the Yorba Linda fires two years ago. I rode along side him and pushed him in the back until our bars overlapped and he went down. Ouch.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Steven's B-day Party

2009-11-20T20:53:00.000-08:00

Sean's school buddy, Steven, had his birthday at Valley View Lanes. The bowling venue is always a best bet. Here's a sample of the boys having a great time...

Sean' B-Day Lunch

2009-11-16T19:46:00.001-08:00

So I took a minute out of my day and drove from Burbank to deliver Sean his favorite lunch - pizza and nachos with rootbeer. The principal and the school librarian both made a point to come over and comment that Sean is a super reader and is really doing well with the computerized accelerated reading program.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Meghan and Sean

2009-11-14T22:07:00.001-08:00

After homework is done the kids link up their DS's and race Mario Carts. Meghan just got hers for her birthday in Aug. I put one of the R4 cards in it that we got in Hong Kong earlier in the year. Now I am haunted at odd times by the sound track to Bomberman. Ugh.

Here we are at Seal Beach on one of many trips over the last few years. We didn't get to go as often this year now that I am working full time.

Meghan and I enjoy going fishing on Sunday's. (notice she is wearing a dress). She likes to reel them in and chase the ducks and rabbits. But beware the ugly turkey. He isn't right in the head.

Sean is eating a rare Peruvian delicacy of yucca frita con crema de huacaina at Nory's.

Here is Meghan at Cawthon Elem Sch during one of Sean's Soccer practices.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Halloween

2009-11-14T21:46:00.001-08:00

We had a great Halloween. We did trick or treat on the way to the park where they had games and stuff. We came home with a couple of gold fish among other edible and non-edible things. The last fish we got from there lasted almost two years!

SEan's B-day at Farrels

2009-11-14T21:38:00.001-08:00

We all went to Farrels IceCream Parlor in Mission Viejo for Sean's birthday.

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Mr Thomas ('lil T)

2009-04-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

So we got a new dog - Mr Thomas. He is little and black and nice. The kids love him and after only one day has settled in nicely.

Perth Animal Park

2009-03-29T09:39:00.001-07:00

After coming back from Hong Kong, we went to the Caversham Animal Park to pet indigenous Australian life.

Here at the Caversham Wild Animal part in Western Autralia, you aren't just feeding the animals. You are fattening them up!

This is a Wombat, 'nuff said.

This is an Emu. Emu's are equal parts unfriendly, curious, and unintelligent. This EMU snatched a lady's camera right from her hand. "Stupid is as stupid does." Fortunately, the lady called a volunteer who retrieved her camera and suggested a little payback below.

We went to the beach in Perth. Sean is sporting the latest sun protection. With the help of a little 30spf goo, we managed to avoid sunburn. The sun is brutal down under. The temperature was very mild - a little warmer than Socal.

Thus ends our little trip to the AU. This is one destination we would like to revisit. With Yermack help, organization, and drive, we really did accomplish a lot. Our Hong Kong mini-trip was really amazing and not something to pass up.

We also left a lot on the table like Ayer's Rock, Manly Beach, Barrier Reef, Blue Mountains, Melbourne, and the Perth Aquarium. The geographic scope is amazingly large. Doing these back to back would be the US equivalent of visiting Disneyland in CA and then the White House.

We made it back to the US fine. Now the challenge is to get the kids back on the right time. Sean was up all night - 27hours! Ok, gotta go wake them up and keep 'em up.

Dog police come for Wilson

2009-03-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

So the Dog Police (SEAC) came to the house b/c Wilson has no license. They were going to fine Dad who is watching Wilson! Poor Wilson. I called them multiple times without success. They never called me back!

Hong Kong Trip part 3

2009-03-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

Our last meal in Time Square HK. Kids are somewhat few and far between outside of a school. Our group withh 6 kids all under 10 is a unique thing we were met with acceptance such as in this case where we had our own private dining room, or we were given the brush-off. 3 hours after this picture, we were on a flight back to Perth. This meal was the best we had in HK. Each meal we had was better than the last. Everything is about 50% the cost in US. So we had many extravegant meals for reasonable prices.

Once on the Peak in the center of the shopping mall, we hit the stores and tourist shopped. The girl had a twenty minute meltdown that attracted the attention of everyone in a 100meter radius. Her fit was so violent that a Japanese tourist had to assist me with the stroller down the steps.

On the Peak, a sign outside the Burger King takes "mind the gap" subway warning to a new level. There are funny signs like this everywhere in the land of Engrish. This guy looks like he is about to take a digger.

So the girls went fabric shopping in Schenchen. That left David and I with all six kids. We are stuggling up the hill to the Zoo and the park by the Peak Tram. The kids make things a little more difficult with endless trips to the washroom and constant bickering; but they also live in the moment and really enjoy the smaller things that make the trip more fun.

Hong Kong Trip part deux

2009-03-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

On the ferry the girls hang out the side and watch the boat wake. The weather was overcaste with the clouds touching the tops of the sky-scrapers. The weather was about 20C with 90% humidity. I was in a constant cold sweat.

Here we are standing on the elevated walkway to the Ferry to Kowloon and watching Hong Kong grow. The water front is being pushed out all the time. Nealy all the banks and buildings are insolvent, but the economic momentum still drives growth.

On the way back from the night markets we took the subway. Sean is watching a man play his PSP.

This is the primary park in Kowloon accross the bay from HK big island. Along the perimeter of the park are the tailors and markets most associated with HK shopping. When the kids would stray off the paths, the security would correct them faster than we could as parents. No sitting on steps or laying down on park benches. And keep off the grass!

Hong Kong Trip

2009-03-24T17:06:00.001-07:00

The girl and I are waiting for the subway... We made an effort to use all the different forms of mass transit. I have been on subways in many different cities and countries.

HK has one too, but it is like no other. The trains are so long that the gradual curvature of the track prevents you from seeing one end of the train to the other. The train cars are connected seemlessly. Larger and more quiet, clean, fast, and efficient than anything I have ever experienced.

The is a 100 year old trolly system which is virtually free on the streets. The taxis are standardized and regulated. The expressways are all elevated. The buses have right of way. The ferries criss-cross the bay as if in some weirdly timed dance. All the while people stream to and from city orifices and buildings.

The insides of the buildings are as extreme as the outside. This is the inside of HSC bank building downtown. After all 11 of us going up the escalator and taking a few quick photos, we had to explain to police what we were doing seeing that we were not bank customers. 98% of the people in HK are Chinese. There are some ex-pats, but very few relative to the whole population.

There are many parks in Hong Kong. They are often not kid friendly and consist of paths and gardens with security and fences. At this fountain in the Charter Park we are trying to line up the kids for a group photo that never came together.

The architecture is absolutely astounding. Tall and slender is the starting concept. And there is construction going on all around all the time. Old buildings crumble in the 90% humidity while brand new building are constructed immediately next to them. There seems to be no regulation or plan. Pure capitalism unleashed and expressed

Here we hit the streets of Hong Kong mounted on our virtually indestructable family urban assault vehicle - the Pergo Peregonator. Hong Kong has over 20 Million people on a mountainous island the size of Rhode Island.

There is shopping mall after shopping mall and resataurant after restaurant. We could eat at a different restaurant every meal for a year and never see the same person twice!

Perth Day Two

2009-03-17T00:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the beach... twice! Actually, it was just the beach by the river. The water wasn't quit sea water and not quit fresh. Perth is in Western Australia. It is a semi-tropical climate with all the associated vegitation and wild inhabitants. The culture can be summed in two words - Wild West.

So we went to the Perth Zoo today. It was a great zoo. They had all the animals plus kangaroos that you can pet. It was just the Mahoney's out and about today as the Yerm's had school. Tomorrow we go to Hong Kong first thing in the morning.

So long Sydney and hello Perth.

2009-03-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

The Sydney run-down...

There was limited connectivity at the Hotel in Sydney, so I had limited time to write. And the internet is a little slow here in Perth so I won't be uploading many pics until I can get it working a little faster. I uploaded some pictures complete with smart remarks on my Facebook account.

Friday:
The girls left at 7am to go climb the bridge. The kids and I were up at 8 and, surprisingly, the Yerm's weren't. We went down by ourselves and had a great b-fast at Kaz's. Sean had a nutritious b-fast of hot chocolate, hash browns and a chocolate muffin. The girl had thick toast, bacon, and some eggs. I had (horns blare) - Big Breakfast.. and a "flat white". Awesome.

After a little exploring, we picked up the Yerms, breezed through the McDonalds for b-fast, and then on to the Aquarium. The aquarium is good but a little over commercialized with photo op.s and concessions trying to bilk you out small change.

The big tank has a number of different fish. Apparently, part of the exhibit is the demonstration of the food chain as some of the fish were eating and fighting over eating other fish in exhibit. Shocking! The kids found this added dimension very interesting. I have never seen a sea turtle eat a fish's head before.

We then waited until the girls finished the bridge tour and met up with us outside the aquarium. We lunched at the end of Darling Harbor and on to the touristy shopping mall there. Outside the mall we spent some time playing in the fountain. That of course ended badly as the children apply the rules of "something worth doing is worth over-doing until your parents yell at you."

Saturday:
David and I climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It wasn't strenuous. But it was warm and we had to wear funky overalls. They were even funkier at the end of the 3 hour tour. While on the bridge, the James Craig Tall Ship we had toured the day before at the Maritime Museum sailed underneath us.

The Roch wasn't feeling well that day. So we hustled back to the hotel to find kids in various stages of punishment and isolation.

We gathered everyone up and went to Museum Station Cafe in Hyde Park for lunch. Then we proceeded through the park to the Barrack's Museum where the girl had a huge 20 minute meltdown in front of all the tourists on the street. I calmly cleaned my Oakleys and read a book. Then the storm passed and it was as if nothing happened.

The Police Museum which was closed during the week was open and we toured the Femme Fatale Exhibit. That last part might have been a little ambitious, as the adults could hardly keep their eyes open and the kids were running amuck. Then back to the hotel to gather enought courage to go to dinner.

Seeing that it was my birthday, the choice was left to me. I chose a place that nobody liked and was too far away. Silvia didn't even eat anything, the kids were tired, and we got caught in huge thunder shower which soaked us to the bone. Then to avoid the storm, I opted to take the monorail the two stops which cost $35aud! meh.

Sunday:
On Sunday was a large St Patrick's Day parade down George Street in Sydney. We'd gotten a late start. So getting to Manly or Bondi Beaches was a little ambitious. David describes it as "facing the tyranny of the clock." That left us with the lowest common denominator option of shopping at Darling Harbor. We had lunch in tourist packed food court there, made it back by 3:15pm, collected our baggage, and left for the airport about 3:30pm. No worries. We took our shoes off in airport security at the airport and received funny looks from officials there. Meh.

The girl slept most of the flight and only awoke to vomit all over mom and the lady next to her. But the flight crew descended on the scene like in Monster's Inc when they find that sock.

So we made it no problem to Perth. Did I mention it is 30 degrees here and the houses are made of brick? E-Z-bake ovens. The accommodations are great and the kids slept with mom. Bonus!

The Yerm kids are off to school and we are lazying around this morning. I want to go to the beach. It is expected to be around 32 C today with high humidity and sunburns eminent.

Australia Trip Days one and Two: Part B

2009-03-13T02:43:00.000-07:00

So my first post was a little scattered. I was rushed. Everyone was waiting on me to go to dinner. We ate at Nando's which is the equivalent of El Pollo Loco but with varying levels of spiciness. So here is the run-down.

Day 1:

We landed at 7:30am, breezed through customs, and met the Yermacks at Sydney airport.
We got 6 kids and 5 adults plus all the luggage into a single vehicle and arrived 30 min later at the hotel around 9am and can't check in b/c it was too early.
So we drop off our bags and descended onto the Chinese Gardens down the street about 1Kilometer away.
A couple hours later we check in and go to lunch in China Town at "The Market" food court.
I ate sushi and sea food soup with fresh white rice noodles.
Then we went over to the Power House Museum and saw the Star Wars exhibit and the other various engineering contributions by famous Aussies.
Then we went to the Hanna's Meat Pies (fresh). I ate a beef and mushroom meat pie. Yum.
Then we went back to the hotel and rested.
Then we all went out and ate Spanish Tapas and great Sangria in the Spanish sector about 1/2 K away from our hotel.
Then we came home and I passed out from eating and drinking large quantities.

Day 2:

Silvia was up at 3:30am and was working. I was enjoying sleeping in a bed like a normal person as opposed to the economy plane seat for 14 hours.
Then she went and got a plug adapter to plug in the laptop b/c she ran down the charge.
I had to fix a client's backup which was failing. Internet access is $22aud/day. Meh.
We all got organized and made it to breakfast at the corner place around 9:30am.
Seating 11 people is sometimes a challenge but rarely an issue for these poor restaurants in the city. I must say though that the denizens of Sydney have been very gracious and accommodating.
For b-fast I had Scrambled Eggs, Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Mushrooms and Onions, Beans, Salad w/ roasted tomato, thick toast (two slices), and an Espresso. This was listed as the "Big Breakfast" on the menu. We were so jet-lagged it was hard to make decisions. The girl who missed dinner ate almost as much as I did!
After breakfast and several trips back to the hotel to use the bathroom we headed off to the Botany Gardens and the Opera House. I swear the majority of my time in restaurants is spent shuttling children to and from the bathroom.
After the Garden tour and the Opera House tour, we cruised the shops and then ate pizza at a nice restaurant on the water front. Sydney has a many wonderful water front eating and shopping areas. It is definitely an model that some US cities should emulate.
Then we walked around aimlessly and listened to Aboriginal music while we ate gelatto. Yum. I had Pistachio gelatto of course.
I bought a CD of Aboriginal music.
Then we came back to the hotel and rested.
Then we left again...wandered around looking for a place to eat. We found a food court underground somewhere and I had Doner Kabob.
Then we came home and I passed out from eating and drinking too much...again.

Australia Trip Days one and Two

2009-03-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Sydney at around 8am after 14 hours non-stop from LA. These long flights get tougher every trip. We met up with the Yermacks in the airport. They had arrived an hour or so before us from Perth having travelled all night. The girls were glad to see each other. The trip from the airport to downtown was eventful as usual with 6 kids and 5 adults. But we made it in one van!

This picture was actually taken on our second day in the city. It was beautiful. I got sunburned. There is significantly less ozone in AU.

Our first excursion was to the Chinese Gardens by the convention center. It was very interesting and the kids ran around. There were lots of local school children on field trips.

Here is one of the Sydney locals... He looks poisonous. Let me tell you that the wild life in AU is very aggressive and not to be taken lightly. A single ant bite can more likely than not put you in the hospital here.
Here we are eating meat pies. Hmmm meat pies.

Meghan is at breakfast our second day. She is still a little jet-lagged.
I am eating Vegemite. I am very tolerant of new foods from around the world. This is one that is both sour and bad tasting in many respects. Clearly an acquired taste.
More from the Aquarium and the Maritime Museum tomorrow.

Sean gets what he always wanted...

2009-02-08T20:26:00.001-08:00

...a Snuggie (with the book light)

Sean breaks his hand....

2009-02-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

So Sean got accidentally tripped on the way to lunch, fell, and broke his fall with his hand which broke a bone in his hand. It was swollen and hurt when he moved it. But he is in good spirits and we'll see the pediatric orthopedist tomorrow to get a real cast put on.

Holidays Post #2

2009-01-02T17:32:00.001-08:00

Mamita Dominga is 94 this year and sits with seven of her great-grandchildren.

Meghan
Chris
Sean
Mamita
Cassie
Julia
Warren
Kyle

David has enjoyed Krispy Kreme donuts so often this vacation that they made him an honorary employee complete with his own hat.

Holidays post #1

2009-01-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

Here are the four sisters all together and playing Wii Guitar Hero.

Here are the three oldest on the Nintendo DS's linked together racing each other in Mario Cart. Trash talking is in full swing...

Warren is enjoying feeding the birds at the Long Beach Aquarium.

Here are the three smallest petting the bat rays at the petting pool. Chris wasn't paying attention and while splashing around, a big ray came up and scared the bejeezus out of him. Where was my camera then?

Four of six accosting the sea otter at the Aquarium.

Meghan and the mall Santa

2008-12-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

Meghan visited Santa at the mall and said she wanted a pink pony doll. Phew... Sean didn't want to go. He felt his letter was enough.

Letter from Santa

2008-12-17T21:34:00.001-08:00

Sean received a letter from Santa today. Unfortunately, the girl's letter was not immediately found in the mailbox and she is upset. But apparently, all the mail didn't make it out of the mailbox and a second inspection revealed a letter from Santa to Meghan. Phew. That was a close one.