I Want To Go To Kyrgyzstan.

Toledo needs another JJ.

California and The Price is Not Right

Jerret and I just returned from a much-needed vacation to California.  We didn't have any real agenda for going out there, just to see LA really.  Since our trip occurred over my birthday, I insisted that we attend a taping of "The Price Is Right" and try our hand at spinning the big wheel.  The day before we left I crafted our show attire - yellow t-shirts that read "Ohio Birthday Girl" (me) and "Need Gift STAT!" (for him).

That whole process was a serious pain in the butt.   We were told to get to the CBS studio early (3 or 4 am), but our flight was delayed and we didn't even get to LA until 2 am, so we waited a bit.  We arrived at the studio at 5:00 am with tickets in hand (tickets I had printed from the CBS website weeks before), only to be told those aren't actually "tickets" per se, but just - well, they are nothing really.  Some people didn't even have them and still got in.  So - in line at 5, finally make it to the front of the line at 7,  and then we were told to pick which taping we wanted to see - the 12:00 or 4:00.  My "tickets" were for the 12:00 show, but Alex, the super-nice intern wearing a coveted red CBS blazer, was kind enough to let me know that he would take my nicely-folded piece of paper that meant nothing and was giving out new "tickets" (numbered from 1-300) and had already given out 250 tickets for the 12:00 and 'wink wink, nod nod', there are alot of "groups" attending the 12:00 who are not required to go through the grueling process of waiting in line, so our best bet is to choose the later show.  We took the tickets for 4:00 and went back to our hotel to eat breakfast and nap before we would have to return.
 
Back at the hotel we realized that we hadn't asked when we should return for "processing" before the 4:00 show.  I checked online and learned that we would need to be back at CBS studios by noon.  We ate, napped, and got in the car at 11:00 to head back to the studio - totally forgetting about LA traffic.  We still managed to make the short trip in about 30 minutes, so we felt good about being there on time.  That is, until we saw another LONG line.  We paid $24 to park the car at The Grove and RAN to get in line.
 
When we arrived at the studio another uber-sweet intern in a red blazer was calling out numbers into a megaphone - "We are now seating numbers 60 through 75.  60 through 75."  I glanced down at my ticket - CRAP! We were numbers 51 and 52!!  I found Alex the intern and told him of our dilemma.  He, being the accommodating, helpful person that he is, told us to have a seat, and all was good.  We were in!!!
From here we sat on long benches and filled out note cards with our names, addresses, SS# (gotta get those taxes!), and our "story."  This is also where we were given our TPIR name tags!  After an hour and a half we were shuffled to another long row of benches where we waited another 90 minutes.  During this time, Brian, another red-blazer-wearing intern began calling groups of 15 to be interviewed by the producer.  This was it.  Our time to shine.  The impression made here is what will determine if we are called to "Come on Down!"

Jerret and I were at the very end of our group.  The producer started with the first guy in line and asked questions such as "Where are you from?" or "What do you do?"  One by one he asked each person, and those he thought were interesting enough were asked follow-up questions.  We had some very interesting people in our group - a piano player from New Orleans, a girl who just finished law school, a tour director from Hawaii....I couldn't stand it!! I was trying so hard to stay calm...The producer then turned his attention to Jerret - "Hey Jerre!  Is it Jerry or Jerr-A, or?"  Oh, double CRAP - the chick filling out name tags forgot the "T" at the end of Jerret's name!   No big deal, we roll with it.  He asks Jerret what he does, Jerret says he is a glass engineer, to which the producer seemed genuinely interested in.  Jerret explains his job, they exchange banter, and - AH!  It's my turn!!!  So Lori, what do you do?  "I uh... I'm a federal proposal writer...a proposal writer for the government....a federal government proposal writer."  Total flop. 
Dunzo. And I knew it.
But Jerret did really well in his interview, so I still had hope for him.

So we go back to our benches, wait another half hour and are then told to file into the studio where the show will be taped.  It was so cool to actually be there, to walk in with Olivia Newton John and John Travolta blaring from the overhead speakers - "you better shape up, do do, cuz I need a man..." I digress...

The stage is much smaller in person than anyone would think!  We sat in our seats and danced to the overhead music until the producer came out to give us our instructions - go crazy, be nuts, celebrate, have fun, yada yada.

The theme music played, Drew stepped out, and the show was underway!  It was so crazy loud in there that you literally can't even here if you are told to "Come on Down!" so there are two stagehands with posters that have the name of each contestant written on them ahead of time.  We had all kinds of fun, but were disappointed to learn that we would not be called up on stage.  The guy sitting right next to Jerret did get called though, so you will definitely see us on TV.   October 8.

The remainder of our trip was great.  Very relaxing (oh- except that J and I had bad lobster bisque after TPIR taping and were totally sick until the next day at about noon).  We drove to Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Laguna.  It was fantastic.  We visited three places that we found watching the Food Network - Pink's (Throwdown w/Bobby Flay), Baby Blue's BBQ (Diner's, Drive-Ins, and Dives), and Father's Office(The Best Thing I Ever Ate).  Father's Office is known for the Office Burger, and let me tell you folks, if you ever make it to LA - try this.  If you are a picky eater, this burger is not for you.  There are no substitutions allowed and no ketchup either!  Not even for the fries.  But it is some good stuff.  Seriously.

We also took a trip to Pasadena to check out the Rose Bowl, went to the USC stadium, and shopped on Robertson Blvd. where I bought JJ and Lynde some overpriced gear from Kitson Kids, but I didn't mind, I loved it.  Laguna Beach was by far my favorite part of the trip.  It is such a little tourist town, but everyone lives in million dollar homes, and according to Wikipedia the median household income is about $100K.  Doesn't seem right.  Bedroom communities like this fascinate me though.  The people living there have such a different pace of life than the hustle and bustle most of us are used to.  So laid back.  I talked to a 15-yr-old boy at the beach who was surfing and he said he surfs every day (and has been for 7 years)!  Every Day!  Can you imagine?   Now THAT's the life! 

No real celebrity sightings unless you count Jessica Smith from Laguna Beach (at the beach), Drew at TPIR, and Javid Best of the Detroit Lions (on our plane home).  

Guy's Signature at Baby Blues

mmmm...Sprinkles cupcakes.  So good.

Pulled Pork and Mac&Cheese at Baby Blues - good stuff!!!

The Children Who Are Still Waiting....

For those of you who are not of the Krygyz adoption community - take a look at this.
http://www.jcics.org/Kyrgyz%20Republic.htm

JJ was one of only 152 children adopted from Kyrgyzstan in a 3-year time period.  Foreign adoptions have since ceased all together in Kyrgyzstan, but not without some significant collateral damage.  At present, 65 children are caught in the political nightmare that has unfolded in Kyrgyzstan - stuck between US bureaucrats trying to follow the rules and foreign officials unwilling to be the person responsible for removing the red tape.  These 65 children were in the process of being adopted, and had even been matched with their forever families.  US families who already love them are here, waiting patiently for their children to come home, trying to ignore the proven facts that are associated with children who grow up in an institution - or at least push it out of their minds as best as they can because it is so hard to deal with when you know the statistics. 

Have you ever heard that when a smoker decides to quit (for good) that they instantly become healthier?  The minute a smoker decides to give up cigarettes, their whole life changes.  It is the same for institutionalized children.  The minute they are placed into the care of their forever families - dynamic changes begin to occur. We witnessed this first-hand when our JJ was brought home with a condition called rickets (lack of Vitamin D) that caused his legs to bow.  By simply exposing him to outdoor sunlight, one hour a WEEK, and providing him with proper nutrition, he has been cured of this ailment.  It's that simple folks.  One-on-one love and attention, and that of an entire family, will give these children lives that may not have otherwise been possible. And 65 families wait, with papers in hand, to bring their babies home.

JJ's Sissy...

This girl is just getting too big.  19 months already and she acts like shes 3.  Here she is doing her
"I dream of Jeannie" impersonation...

Decisions, Decisions

I can't believe we have made it past the halfway point already this year and I feel like not much has been accomplished.  We are still planning to build our new house before JJ starts kindergarten (fall 2011), and thankfully we have settled on a location (although we still need an architect, builder, plans, time, etc).  JJ attends preschool 3x's per week and Jerret is wanting to enroll him full-time in Pre-K at a nearby private school.  I am of the opinion that he has the rest of his life to go to school, so why not let the kid have some fun before he enters the education machine?  We also need to decide if it is time to put the baby in school, at least part-time.  JJ really did learn quite a bit when he started preschool, and he seems to do well, and let's face it - I certainly can't teach them everything, so maybe it's time. 

JJ is still swimming 3-4 times a week, and doing well.  He finally graduated from the "kid pool" which is actually a hot tub, to the main swimming pool, and is now swimming in the pond.  We definitely need to add a pool to our list of needs at the new house.

The kid is crazy brave.  His sister is taking notes and becoming quite the guppy herself.  She will step right into a swimming pool, clothes and all, if given the chance. 

JJ is still playing dress-up daily and has grown a new fascination with tails.  He will grab any long thing he can find - a belt, scarf, even dad's earplugs from work (that are on a cord), his rubber snake - and will stick one end down his shorts, thus giving himself a "tail."  A few weeks ago he asked me if he could wear his tail to school, and since I didn't see the harm, I agreed.  He walked into the classroom that day beaming from ear to ear, approaching his friends one by one to say hi, standing slightly to the side so they could each take in the glory of his tail. 

Is Anyone Else Fascinated By This?

I am fascinated by this boy's physique.  Is this normal for a 4-yr old?  Those muscles are so defined, so distinct.  I guess he has good genes! Now that he can be thankful for.  He has perfectly-toned muscles without even trying and doesn' thave to live in fear that he will one day inherit the badonkadonk of his mother.  His sister though....

The kids are having a blast living it up in the pool at Nana's house.  They probably go swimming 4 times a week and seem to never grow tired of it.  Lynde hates when it is time to go/get out for a minute/eat and would stay at the pool 24/7 if she could!  She fell in the bathtub a couple of weeks ago and split her eye wide-open.  I was just standing up to lift her out and in that short time she managed to slip and fall.  Let it be a lesson to us all.  Luckily it was a pretty clean cut, and although the blood had me pretty spooked, it didn't require stitches and healed up rather quickly.

He's 4!! tear:(

These kids are growing like crazy; I can barely keep up!  JJ is very into "make-believe" right now and still gets down on all fours, galloping across the yard declaring "I'm a tiger!" to anyone who will listen.  He has stepped up his game a bit and is now dressing up into costumes he has acquired over the past few months.  His favorites are Iron Man, Venom, Football player, and yes - he still wears his beloved Spidey costume.  His newest character is The Cat In The Hat, which he will wear and try to recite any lines he can remember from the movie.  I, of course, am stuck playing the role of Krinklebein.  Carlos K. Krinklebein.  We have a lot of fun with his characters, except for when he decides he wants to be the football player and chases down his sister.  He has tackled her on a few occasions, resulting in an immediate time-out followed with kisses and hugs for his baby sister who has learned how to roll with the punches (poor thing!).
Dad is recovering from a torn Achilles and has managed to heal up quite well - and just in time too, because I was literally going crazy there for a minute with all the driving, running around, dr's appointments - ugh!  For those that don't know, Jerret tore his Achilles while playing basketball at the Y.  He had surgery to repair the tendon and was on crutches, in the boot, limping, etc. for a few weeks.  JJ will pretend to be a basketball player at times and always falls to the ground and "hurts his leg."  It is hilarious that this kid thinks it is just a part of playing basketball. 
The kids got their first taste of summer yesterday as it was nearly 90 degrees out and they played in the pool at Nana's house.  The baby LOVES being outside and was hysterical at the thought of having to come in.  Jerret brought the kids home around 8:00 and she was still sobbing when he walked through the door. 
We will definitely have to plan a few trips this summer now that dad can walk again!

Not That I'm Bragging...

But aren't these kids gorgeous?

Tammy Palmer at Eternity of Memories takes amazing photos!  You should see the rest!!!!!

New Pics

JJ is doing great. He has been having a "terrible three's" past couple of weeks where every other word is "No!" and he keeps telling us that he is the boss.  We have started getting this under control though and he is learning that good behavior brings reward.   He is such a funny kid. I can see so much of myself in him at times. He has picked up on so many of my behaviors/habits, usually little things that I do and don't even think about.  He loves to sing and has down the words to a few country songs - Big Green Tractor, Chicken Fried, and It Happens are a few that I have heard him singing. And if I start to sing along he holds his hand up to me and says "No, I do it myself!"   He's growing like crazy and loves playing with this baby.  She wants to do everything that he does and loves to chase him around the house. 

JJ and his sissy

JJ with his war paint.  Notice the "Simba" line across the forehead.

We signed JJ up for soccer this year.  He is into week 6 of a 12-week program and does incredibly well for this being his first time playing.  After the first session, which was for beginners, the coach moved him up a level and said he would be bored in the first class.

He really wanted to use that tool...

Baby's first Christmas.  She just turned 1 :)

Red Vs. Black

Wow – I feel like it’s been forever. I am so sorry to leave you all hanging my humble readers. Work has been crazy busy, Jerret’s been traveling, blah blah blah…excuses, excuses. Regardless, I am back and we are doing just great. Baby girl is now 10 months old and started walking already. JJ is a great big brother and is learning that patience is a virtue and he should practice with his sister.

JJ has a ton of energy, like all 3 ½ yr. olds. He wanted to be spiderman for Halloween and that has turned into dressing as spiderman every day since. His Nana bought him the black spiderman costume after the holiday and now he alternates between “good spidey” and the “bad spiderman.” Last night JJ was wearing his costume again and Jerret was trying to get his attention and he kept saying “Jack! Jack!” and JJ just turned around and said – “No dad, call me Spiderman!”   He does these wacky spiderman poses and will strike a pose at any given moment.  (check out the pic to see what I am talking about).

A few days ago was the big Ohio State vs. Michigan football game (Go Bucks!) and Jerret had gone to the game so the kids and I were left at home to watch it on the big screen. JJ was so funny trying to imitate the players. He wore his Ohio State football jersey and suddenly ran into his room and grabbed a buckeye hat and his football, came back into the living room, got down on one knee and said “Blue 16! Hike, Hike!” and would take off running from the living room to the kitchen, around and around. This went on over and over for about 15 minutes.

The next day when Jerret was home the two of them took a trip to the store and when they came home JJ was crying hysterically. I noticed he was holding a brand new Ohio State Buckeyes football and asked what the problem was. He said “My daddy’s mean! I wanted the Michigan ball! We could not believe our ears! I told Jerret to take him back to the store because he obviously brought the wrong kid home by mistake. JJ was so upset and could not be consoled. I told him to go to his bed until he could stop crying and that he was not being nice to his daddy who just bought him a great gift. A couple of minutes later he was still crying, sitting on his bed holding the Ohio State football and saying “I don’t like Ohio State!” Now, let me remind you that this kid has an entire Buckeyes-themed bedroom. Here he was sitting on an OSU comforter, holding the OSU football, wearing an OSU jersey, brutus the buckeye hanging from the bedpost, woody hayes’ words of wisdom speaking to him from the wall, and an Ohio state something-or-other every which way you turn, and the kid is just crying because he wants that Michigan ball. I told him that it was fine if he didn’t like Ohio State, but then I was going to pack up all of his OSU toys and blankets and ship them to the kids in Kyrgyzstan who would love to have such things. This finally quieted him and it was obvious he didn’t want me to touch he beloved buckeye gear. We are guessing that he is equating the OSU (red) vs. Michigan (blue) rivalry with that of the red vs. black spiderman and he just wants to be able to play with both.

Jack and Jadyn

Jerret's work sponsered a day at the local apple orchard this weekend. Of course, the weather didn't want to cooperate and it was cold and rainy but we took the kids and had fun anyway. The baby was sick and we didn't want her out in the nasty weather so she stayed behind and we took my neice Jadyn with us. JJ and Jadyn picked half a bushel of apples, had their faces painted, rode ponies, ate donuts, and both absolutely refused to drink the cider. Why is it that some people don't like cider? I think it tastes just like apple juice (and I am a pretty selective eater myself).

It ended up being a really good day. Having Jadyn helped me to get a glimpse of what I can expect when Lynde gets older. Jadyn had to go potty while we were out there and of course, they were lovely port-a-potties. I went to help Jadyn up on the seat and my paranoia set in immediately...what if she falls in? How deep are these things? Can she fit through that hole in the seat? I'm sure she can.....oh Jadyn, hurry honey....Dont' wiggle around! Use your hands to hold you up...yuck she is totally touching that toilet seat....

Jadyn rode Rusty. The pony "neighed" really loud and Jack suddenly wanted to get off.

Jack was so scary with this spider on his face! He wanted to wear the pirate patch so I insisted that he wear the earing too.

Jack's face broke out in purple dots immediately after rolling in the hay. Is he allergic to hay, or it is just a specific kind that caused this? (Shea???....)

Baby Steps...

Well, we've had three poops on the potty this weekend. The first came out of the blue (as everyone said it would). Afterward JJ got a huge smile on his face and said "you happy mom?" and I gave him a big hug and told him I was so proud and that his dad would be proud too. We of course could not flush the toilet right away because we needed dad to see it, and then JJ said he wanted Aunt Cyndi to come over and see it too.
We had been tempting him with a new toy that we wrapped up and put on the back of the toilet [tank] waiting for him to earn the reward. When he finally was allowed to open the gift it was like Christmas for that boy.
Later that day I needed to go to WalMart and the whole family decided to go. Jerret suggested we buy another gift for JJ and try our strategy once again. So he picked out another toy (a big Tonka garbage truck that Jerret thought was on clearance for $10 but was actually on the wrong shelf) and we brought it home. JJ wanted this new truck so bad that he rushed into the bathroom and tried to force himself to go poop on the potty again. He did find it quite difficult since most people are not able to poop on demand, but low and behold, after a few minutes of grunting and squirming, our little guy raced out of the bathroom and made his announcement! We had a minor setback that night when dad and JJ went to rent a movie and JJ told dad he had to go, but dad thought the kid might be able to hold it until they found a toilet. Which is funny, because I do not think they looked for a toilet at the video store, but were going to try and make it back home and all of you parents out there know how this turned out...
The toys were getting too expensive so we are now bribing him with Oreo cookies. So far he is doing well. We even had an accident-free nap today. We're going to take it slow this time. I will not move him back into the preschool class until I am certain he is ready. We don't need another broken heart.

Parent-Teacher Conference Part 2

Well, he's out. They are sending him back to the 2/3 yr. old class and will have to wait until he is accident-free for 2 weeks before we can try again with the big kids. He is going to be so disappointed. He is very aware that he was moved up to the "big kid room" and that the 2/3 yr old class was for little kids who use diapers. But the teacher explained that it is more a health risk/consideration than anything and they are just not equipped to deal with children who are not potty trained. Oh well. In all fairness, he has been really lazy about going #2 and will hold it as long as possible before just going in his pants. What else can we do?

Uh-Oh...He's too young for this...

We have been informed that we need to have a little meeting with JJ's preschool teacher this week. We [they] are having a little problem with his potty habits and it seems he is having accidents daily at this point. I'm not sure if the regression has anything to do with his new baby sister, but he does want to play and pretend he is a baby once in a while. And I, being the new adoptive mommy that I am, am quick to oblige and cradle him in my arms giving lots of hugs and kisses and telling him that he is mommy's baby too. Jerret just looks at me like I am crazy until I remind him that JJ never had this affection that he sees Lynde getting. He needs to feel the same connection that we have with her.

Our nighttime routine still includes prayers for "all the kids in Kyrgyzstan, that they find mommies and daddies and are able to come home." But lately JJ has asked us to tell him the story about Kyrgyzstan, and he now can tell us how it all went down. I think this was all spurred by a book Aunt Jill found called "God Found Us You." It was a great way to start the conversation and he even fills in parts that we left out. His favorite part of the story is "I pooped on the plane" His dad must have told him that part - where I thought 9 diapers would be plenty for the 18-hour trek and sure enough...we needed 10.

Stay tuned for part 2 of the parent-teacher conference!

Our Man

We're making potty progress. Not perfect yet, and still need diapers through the night, but he's gone twice now. He's just getting too big.

Powered Donuts

We've made some huge strides with potty training over the past couple of days. After all of the toys, movies, and trips to the zoo we bought; who knew the magic treat would be miniature powered donuts. I never buy donuts, and don't really keep sweets in the house, but while JJ and I were at the store the other day he grabbed a box of miniature powered donuts and said "I need these mom." So I told him, "Oh, well, these are only for big boys who know how to sit on the potty". When we got home he decided that it was time to figure out how to sit on the potty and totally went, and then had a donut as his reward.

The kid ate an entire box himself over the weekend, but it works for now so we will go with the flow (haha - flow). JJ is now getting up and going to the potty all on his own...and then he immediately runs out into the kitchen and gets out a powered donut, proudly proclaiming "I'm a big boy, I go potty!" Our big problem has been getting him to go #2. We're making progress, slowly.

Other than that we are just enjoying our summer. Here's a pic of Jack at the Hartman pond, and a pic of his "Ninny Jo"

Summertime

Summer is slowly getting here up North. We haven't had many warm days, but last weekend it was finally hot enough for JJ to go swimming. I've been meaning to sign him up for swim lessons again this year, but haven't had a chance yet. He will be in the advanced class this year and able to jump off the diving board..... Oh, and I must tell everyone what a great job my nephews have been doing helping me out a bed time. They will sometimes stop over in the evening when JJ is getting ready for bed. Both Raymond and AJ will take turns reading to Jack - 4, 5, or even 6 books! Thanks boys.

JJ's Ride

Our little town recently had a one-day carnival/parade, complete with those scary, you might read about this-tomorrow type of rides. JJ loved the ponies, but then he insisted on riding on these tin can airplanes. We tried to talk him out of it, really, we did...


The Pony Ride

All is good

Then he wanted to ride these things. He was fine until he realized that the planes not only went round-and-round, they went up as well.

Here the plane is just starting to go up. He was looking around like, "What is happening??"

He stared at the ground until his plane "landed"

Another Bad Eye

This kid is just growing so fast. JJ is loving the nicer weather we've been having and has been spending much of his free time outdoors. He loves his new swing set and curly slide, playing at the "beach" (his sandbox), playing t-ball with dad, and playing basketball on a new hoop that my dad bought him for his birthday. His playing outside so much has resulted in another swollen eye (mosquito bite). We're up to #6 for eye injuries if you're counting. Here is a pic when it was starting to clear up.

We're still trying hard to potty train, but this kid has no desire whatsoever. He will sit in wet, poopy, stinky diapers all night if we'd let him. His teacher thought that we should really start pushing the issue now that he is three, so Jerret wanted to take her advice and force him to go on the potty. I, of course, insist that he will go when he is good and ready and until them we are all just wasting our time. The teacher asked us to send him to school in underpants, no diapers, along with a couple extra pairs of underwear and shorts. On day two of this trial I had a little boy who stood in the driveway crying after school one day because he had wet his pants. He was borderline hysterical and I had enough. I told Jerret I was done trying and not forcing the issue. Jerret still went along with the teacher's idea and at the end of the week, Guess What?! ..................................................................................................................................................Wrong! He is absolutely NOT potty trained and still doesn't care! The only thing we had to show for our (Jerret's) efforts was 5 bags of urine-soaked, death smelling, crunchy nasty clothes. Let's not forget the outfit he pooped in that sat in a grocery bag for 3 days before they reminded Jerret to bring it home. It was awful. So bad I had to throw one entire outfit out. The teacher must have felt bad because the next time I came in she was sure to let me know that she had personally washed Jack's wet clothing. She now realizes that JJ is still not ready.

We'll get there, we will. I just hope it's sooner rather than later!

He's Three!

We have been so busy lately, it seems like I can't even find a second to blog. By the time the kids have had their baths and are in bed each night, I have about 100 things to get done and blogging just gets pushed to the side. Sad for me....

Our little guy turned 3 last week. He is the size of a 5-year-old, but is still our baby boy. We took a cake over to Jerret's mom and dad's house and gave him his birthday present. Here he is waiting for the surprise...

He kept on telling us that he wanted a "Boom A-Chow" cake, which is his code word for anything related to the Cars movie. He had a store-bought cars cake last year, and I didn't want to get the same thing, so instead I went to Cold Stone and bought a yummy yellow cake with yellow cake batter ice cream inside. Then I ran into Wal-Mart and bought about 5 cars to put ontop. It was a chore trying to find cars that he doesn't already own, let me tell ya! He thought the cake was great and didn't even need a present after getting those cars off the cake.

So then we surprised him with his birthday present - a big boy bike!!! The excitement faded quickly after his first spill. Take a look at the video...

Our memorial day weekend was nice. We went out to dinner to celebrate Jerret's new job. I am sure he doesn't want me to mention this or make a big deal about it, but I don't care because we are proud of him. He is still doing glass engineering, which he loves, but is going from making drinking glasses to glass bottles (think beer). He is a technical leader for R&D and excited for the new challenge. So anyway - we went out to dinner at a local Mediterranean restaurant. JJ did very well, which I was a little nervous about because it is not really a kid-friendly atmosphere. This is Jack cutting his Shish Tawook, or chicken and rice...

After dinner we went over to Jerret's brother's new house to check it out. This is Jack playing in the back yard. Uncle Joe bought a 4-bedroom house and is a bachelor, so he said he would make a room for JJ to stay the night.