Ho Ho Ho

Justin saw me trying to piece together a Christmas card with pretty random photo's... I haven't had a good one of all of us since February, which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for Milo.  10 months is too long with a baby, they look so different.

So... we ran over to do the Fotofly Santa package last minute.  Justin is the guy in red.

Stay tuned... the little-est Hardcastle grandchild was a little jealous (or at least her mom was) so we're going back next week.

Another Book Report

Last time I posted every day I included a few quotes I had written down from books I was reading.  I kept that up (keeping a running tab of quotes I liked) so here's a few more... (turns out I've either forgotten to write any down lately, or the last few books I've read haven't been all that special).

The Monuments Men by Robert M Edsel

79
War did not come like a hurricane... Destroying everything in its path.  It came like a tornado, touching down in patches, taking with it one life while leaving the next person unharmed (James Rorimer)

345
But he had sold his soul, and that is something you can never repurchase at any price.

411
There are fights that you may lose without losing your honor; what makes you lose your honor is not to fight them (Jacques Jaujard)

I learned that we are only truly able to savor victory after having felt the horrors of war (Rose Valland)

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

12
I ain't the same as I was.  I'd like to think I am but I ain't.
You are inside.  Inside you are.

79
Ever dumb thing I ever done in my life there was a decision I made before that got me into it.  It was never the dumb thing.  It was always some choice I made before it.

89
A goodlookin horse is like a goodlookin woman he said.  They're always more trouble than what they're worth.  What a man needs is just one that will get the job done.

109
He'd half meant to speak but those eyes had altered the world forever in the space of a heartbeat.

168
There ain't but one truth... The truth is what happened.  It ain't what come out of somebody's mouth.

235
If one were to be a person of value that value could not be a condition subject to the hazards of fortune.  It had to be a quality that could not change.  No matter what.  ...all courage was a form of constancy.  That it was always himself that the coward abandoned first.  After this all other betrayals came easily.

238
In the end we all come to be cured of our sentiments.  Those whom life does not cure death will.

The Crossing  by Cormac McCarthy

129
Doomed enterprises divide lives forever into the then and the now.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

188
Fear is contagious.  You can catch it.  Sometimes all it takes is for someone to say that they're scared for the fear to become real.

Lately

I've been playing catch up so much I feel like I haven't written anything about what's been going on.

And... since I gave up on tracking the daily photo (FAIL) I'll do a little photo dump on this blog as well.

Christmas presents.  I'm a little more than half way done.  It's hard since we have so many birthdays between the holidays too... and I've realized that I can't really do Kate and Hyrum's Christmas shopping until after their birthdays.  I like wrapping them as soon as I get them, I'm not sure why, it just feels like I'm done after they're wrapped.

Last year I read about a program where dentists take the kids Halloween candy and mail it to the troops.  Last year I couldn't find a dentist who participated, so this year we mailed them ourselves.  Half of our Halloween candy went to Afghanistan this year.

 The big kids went with Justin while he fixed Mimi's computer the other night.  Hyrum ended up staying overnight, Kate forgot her blanket, so she came back home.

 Eating cookies like a big kid at the table.

 Hryum and our neighbor Max.  They would play with each other all day, every day if they could.  It's great.

This is where Milo spends 80% of his awake time.  He get's up, but can't get down.  He paces back and forth and screams until I help him down.  And then he get's right back up.

Happy Veteran's Day

FOB Shank

Veteran's Day has been around in its current form since 1954 to honor those who have served. The concept of recognizing veterans has been around much longer. However, now that I am on the other end of the honoring, I can wholeheartedly understand why most veterans do not seek or expect any honor at all - it's because it's a privilege to serve. While I believe it is a fundamental right to protect myself and my family, it is a special privilege to be a representative of a community, a state, a nation, and a way of life.

US Embassy - Kabul

I've always been a patriotic person. Melanie knows that I've had a desire to serve for some time and let's face it, I'm a bit of a sentimental person who likes the occasional pomp and circumstance.

My experience in Afghanistan is difficult to express in few words and most of the time challenging to relay to those who have never been there, never deployed, or never been in the military before. People ask me if I was ever in danger or if I was in a "safe place". In reality, I was not. No American - no member of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is completely safe in a war zone.

FOB Shank in front of the RTCH

Was it worth it? Absolutely. The value in my mobilization was in the blessing of our mission. We essentially prepare and dispose or otherwise move government property off bases, limiting or eliminating the need for convoy transport and accelerating the President's order to withdraw. We literally saved lives and helped servicemembers, contractors and civilians come home.

FOB Salerno Team

I do miss the work and the people. I managed 96 in my detachment. I was the only officer. I made it a point to do everything my people did - that I asked them to do. I flew in many different types of aircraft, I went on convoys, I used a forklift, a Petrogen torch, I briefed Generals and Admirals and high-level government officials. I worked with local Afghans. It was everything I could possibly hope for it to me.

FOB Sharana - Petrogen torch

And so it is a bit different this Veteran's Day to actually be a veteran.

Briefing several stars and the Assistant SECDEF

I've mentioned this story a few times but it's important to put things in writing. A few weeks before I came home I was taking my Commander to the rotary terminal on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Shank and he asked me what I was looking forward to not doing when I got home. He starting listing a few things - wearing shower shoes, using plasticware at meals, the bunkers, etc. I thought about it a moment and said, "Sir, there hasn't been a hardship for me personally on this deployment that is greater than the pain of being away from my children and my wife." I really am grateful to be home. There were times that I wondered if I would - that is something you just get used to in that environment. It becomes a little surreal to let go and be home.

I am thankful I had the opportunity to serve. Thankful for those who have served before me, and humbled by the sacrifices of so many - even those who have lost their lives with the selfless motivation to do something for so many they would never know.

Headed home

Halloween

It's a week late, but here's how our Halloween went.  (And since we have little kids, Halloween is for a minimum of 3 days every year.

Halloween party/program at school for Hyrum.

 James T Sullivan "Sulley" from Monsters Inc.

 Hyrum's 'best buddy' Joshua.

Grandma Colleen's Halloween Party

 Little Miss I'm-not-going-to-smile princess

 Mike Wazowski

 Sticker pumpkins.  A great way to do it!

 Grandpa Lafeen brought he and Hyrum a little present.

And finally trick or treating at Mimi and Grandma Lafeen's work and a few houses in Herriman with the Lafeen's.

 I even dressed up this year.  A bearded Red Sox player (World Series winner)

Of course, I didn't get enough pictures of the kids and everyone, but here's the ridiculous amount of candy the kids got from the day,

San Diego 2013 Day 5

One last day of fun, I could hardly wait!!! We saved the zoo for last, partly because Legoland was closed on Tuesday, and partly because we thought it would be a more relaxing day (no rides, at least).

We were right, for the most part. The kids are no stranger to a zoo, even if this one is a lot cooler and probably at least four times the size. I was a little surprised at how excited they were to go this morning. 

The kids loved the reptile house, and it wasn't indoors like the smelly on at Hogle Zoo. The animals were super active too, I'll upload some videos when we get home of that.

I'm beginning to think the next time we want to go in vacation we could save us some trouble, let the kids pick out a couple hundred dollars of new toys at Toys R Us, spend 5 hours at a local park and then go swimming. Seems to be what they enjoy anyway! 

Waiting for the petting zoo to open. 

Hyrum thought the camel statue was a bit too high. 

"Look mom, I'm a scientist!"

Last time I saw this guy he was a bit more frisky than this. 

After the zoo we came back to the hotel so the kids could swim once more and mom could try and get rid of the massive headache that was forming. 

We went to dinner at a Mexican 'diners, drive-ins, and dives' recommendation from my cousin and the searched for a place to get some ice cream. 

We sort of failed twice (one place was closed and another we couldn't find at the address) but the third time was the charm! It was a little out of the way and a bit sketchy after dark ( which it was ) but it was an awesome little find!! The Lighthouse, and their specialty is a warm waffle sandwich which was amazing, in my opinion. Justin got the sundae version. 

It even had a freezer full of doggie ice cream treats to go.