My 5 Ladies

Blog moved

2009-12-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

For future blogs see my5ladies.wordpress.com or soon at just my5ladies.com.

Awana Night

2009-12-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

Every Tuesday, Maleah assists with Awana at church. This week happened to be "store" night, when the kids use points they've earned to select prizes.

Toots and Rachel like to hang out. Rachel is a member of the Youth Group and has a great time helping with the younger kids at Awana.

"The Store"

Boo-boo found time to take her turtle for a walk while everyone else was "shopping".

Fun in EMT Class

2009-12-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

I've been taking an EMT-Basic class every Monday night and one Saturday a month since September. This past weekend we enjoyed practicing placing each other in cervical spine immobilization (a.k.a C-Spine). I had my turn a couple weeks ago as a "combative" patient.

Fun in the snow

2009-12-13T00:52:00.000-08:00

We recieved our first snow of the year and the girls couldn't wait to go play in it.

After everyone bundles up, we loaded up in my truck, purchased our permit ($10) and headed into the hills to cut down our Christmas tree.

This lovely little tree is now decorated in our living room.

Toots liked the snow...until she was the target of a snow ball from her sisters.

HSC-3

2009-12-04T23:23:00.000-08:00

Some pictures of MH-60S Helicopters from the squadron I work for in the reserves.

Weekend Get Away

2009-11-29T17:30:00.000-08:00

Maleah's mom was visiting for the weekend so we talked her into watching the girls while we made a short get away (it doesn't take much, she really enjoys hanging out with the girls). We headed through Redding towards Burney Falls with an eventual overnight stay in Mt. Shasta.

This was where we stayed...the Woodsman Lodge. Nice little place. Not too fancy, but clean and comfortable.

And here is where we mooched breakfast across the street from our hotel. In the Guest Guide it stated breakfast was served at the Strawberry Valley Inn across the street. So we walked over and sat down. The "Inn keeper" asked which room we were staying in. We of course stated, "over there in room #2". Where in she replies, "what, didn't want to eat there?" This is where we explained that the book said to come eat there. In all actuality, they only started serving at our hotel a couple weeks ago and hadn't updated their guest books.

A view of Mt. Shasta just up the I-5 about five minutes north of our hotel.

We found a little get away cabin in the Scott Valley. Needs a little work.

Changing seasons

2009-11-27T23:17:00.000-08:00

A couple of pictures of the changing colors. We left a lot of apples on the tree this year and still had plenty for baking, apple sauce and sharing with friends and neighbors. The damp mornings provide for some interesting lighting and back drops.

Boo-Boo Turns 2

2009-11-27T19:51:00.000-08:00

Our "baby" Boo boo (Cara) turned two years old today. Maleah helped blow out her candles. Then that cup cake didn't stand a chance.

And after dessert, it was time to open presents.

Yes, that is a broom and dust pan. Boo boo is a NEAT FREAK!!! She follows dad "yelling" at him to put his boots away when he gets from from work. She also helps put dishes away and sweeps the kitchen floor.

Amazing views from airplanes

2009-11-26T08:07:00.000-08:00

I finished my assignment in Spokane and was ready to fight the busy crowds at the airport the day before Thanksgiving. To my surprise, at both Spokane and Seattle airports, the crowds were minimal. Once on the plane to Seattle I was treated to some of the most spectacular views possible without chartering your own private plane. I sat on the left side of the aircraft and out my window I see in the distance, Mt. Rainier poking through clouds. I quickly grabbed the camera and started shooting. My hopes were high when I left Seattle bound for Redding that my views would be just as good. Instead, they were better.

There are the views after departing Seattle airport in route to Redding.

As we continued on our southern route, we flew over Crater Lake in Oregon.

And the last surprise was a close flight over Mt. Shasta.

The timing and lighting for this trip were a once in a lifetime experience that I am happy I had the camera to share the views with everyone.

Mission Accomplished...for now

2009-11-25T11:18:00.000-08:00

After two trips to Spokane and multiple hours of frustration, we completed the installation of a camera system on one of our machines. This allows for 100% inspection of labels to insure they are all exactly the same. The company that purchased this equipment produces a lot of labels for the pharmacutical industry which has very high standards for their labeling. I am always impressed with the design and function of our machines.

Pictures from the air

2009-11-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

The following are some pictures from the airplane in route to Spokane. I'm not sure, but I think the kind lady sitting next to me thought I was a little wierd. Especially when I leaned over into her lap to take a couple of these.

The backyard ladies

2009-11-17T22:58:00.000-08:00

More fun with the "borrowed" camera. This picture was taken sometime over the weekend before I departed for Spokane. These are the four ladies of our back yard, from left to right(heads): Blacky, Smutz, Ethel, and Jasmine.

This is the trip that never ends...

2009-11-17T22:41:00.000-08:00

It goes on and on and on...this is the trip that never ends...it goes on and on and...well I think I got my point accross. So, I departed work at 0700(7am) Monday morning bound for Spokane, Washington with a large part to a machine in the back of my truck. The drive took me through some spectacular parts of Oregon (and some not so spectacular). I'm hoping time will allow me to stop and take some pictures on my return trip...when ever that may be. By the time I arrived at my destination hotel it was 2200(10pm), putting me on the road for close to 15 hours. I woke up the next morning ready to install the machinery and work with a tech from the camera system manufacturer we added to our equipment. The plan I worked out prior to departing home was the camera guys were supposed to arrive Tuesday to install their equipment and begin training the operators. Instead, they sent one technician for a day and a half, with the training to follow sometime next week. And to top it off, their part of the machine is NOT working. Now comes the fun part. I have to fly to Burbank at 0710 for an 1105 arrival to work on a machine, then get back on a plane and fly back at 1700(5pm) for a 2055(8:55pm) arrival back in Spokane. If all goes well on Thursday, I should be able to start my return trip no later than Friday morning for a late night arrival home. Then Saturday, I have my EMT class midterm.

My little BIG girl...Toots

2009-11-15T17:47:00.000-08:00

Still enjoying the use of a "real" camera. This one is of Toots (a.k.a. Peyton). She is a pistal!!! But as fun as could be. She can drive us crazy but is also a ray of sunshine when she is happy. Toots only has three speeds, fast, faster, and sleeping. In this picture she was having a blast running on the bricks...until she did a couple face plants, then the not so fun Toots came out. But a couple hugs and comforting words...from Mom of course, Dad's don't work for healing surface scrapes, and she was off having fun with the kids again.

The missing transformer...better late than never

2009-11-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

"The case of the missing transformer"

Back to the stories of our trip in Brussels, Belgium. The machinery we build is designed for the U.S. market, in particular the power requirements. In Belgium they use 408 volts instead of 204 volts like we do in the "states". No problem, we will order a transformer to convert the power, and instead of shipping it overseas we will order it from a European vendor. Everything is going great, we have a tracking number and we are in constant contact with the shipping company to ensure the arrival prior to the show. We get confirmation that the "package" has been delivered to the Expo site. And now the case of the missing transformer begins. We had developed a good working relationship with the Ned, the"lift"(a.k.a. forklift) supervisor. He knows we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our transformer so he is on the look out as well. Time passes...slowly, we want to get this wrapped up and go see Brussels in the daylight. NO TRANSFORMER. "Ned, any signs of our shipment, it is supposed to be here somewhere." Nothing...until Ned shows up with an interesting grimmace. He states in his english accent "We think we have located your transformer, only there is a problem. It appears it was delivered to the wrong exhibitor booth, and they state it is theres." OK, honest mistake, the box probably wasn't marked correctly or something like that...not really!!! After a little research and snooping we find out it not only went to a different exhibitor, it is hooked into a machine of a major competitor. After a lot of "discussion" between the lift company with Ned's assistance our package is returned in the original packaging. On every side of the box it is CLEARLY labeled with our booth number and conpany name. So much for that "honest" mistake excuse. Needless to say, "Starving Curtis" (that was my self appointed name since we ate breakfast at 6am and dinner at 9pm) was not happy. Alls well that ends well I guess, we hooked up our transformer and our machine came to life, ready to show off all its features to prospective customers.

Fall Pictures

2009-11-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

Long time, no updates, so here we go.

I am borrowing a Nikon D50 from a friend (Joan of mudranch.com) that got a new "Big Girl" camera, so I took some pictures of the changing colors in our neighborhood. It is great to live in a place with defined seasons...unlike where we lived in Southern California. The hills are filled with all the colors of trees changing and losing their leaves. The tempurates continue to drop as well. We are sure to see some snow soon.

The Penalty Box

2009-09-22T04:52:00.000-07:00

Another adventrure of the two gringos in Belgium...

A lot of our "mishaps" happened within the first 24 hours of arrival. After checking into our "suite" we took a short nap to recharge our batteries and headed out to locate the Label Expo location. One great feature Brussels offers is an extensive public transport system. There is a Metro (aka subway) station within 5 minutes of our hotel and 5 minutes from the expo. We located our departure station and boarded the train hoping we were heading in the correct direction. We watched as we pulled into the first stop and confirmed we were in route towards a transfer station three stops away. When we arrived at Simonis (name of transfer station) we proceeded up the escalator to connect with the next train to the Expo. Upon reaching the top of the stairs we noticed a train approaching. Once it stopped everyone departed the train. So what do the two wise Americans think. "Great, an empty train heading out. I guess EVERYONE on there must have needed to get off here. Lets jump on and get going to the Expo. We've got this train thing figured out". Only problem was thre train proceeded out of the station and came to an abrust stop about 1/4 mile from the station. An anouncement comes over the speakers in french that we think says "end of the line, depart the train". Then the train operator walks by on a catwalk along side and waives at us making a circular gesture. We are starting to ponder our predicament. Should we try to get off and walk the plank or stay put...we aren't moving...this is going to be really embarrasing when we do pull back into the station as the only two on the train...how long are we going to be stuck in the "Penalty box". About two minutes later the train starts back towards the station, the doors open upon arrival and we depart. A few minutes later another train going in the same direction arrives, the passengers stay on, so we jump on as well and depart to our destination. Thankfully we are not the only people that have made this mistake. We watched two girls do the same exact thing yesturday. They realized their mistake almost immediately and their expressions showed it.

Next up "French to Gringo Translation" followed by "The case of the missing Transformer"

Big sparks in Brussels

2009-09-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

The adventures of the gringos continues...

We are in our new 12'x12' suite no more than ten minutes when we decide to try our new fancy power converter with our computers. First I check that it will work with my travel iron. Great, no problem, heats right up. Ok, let's plug the power strip in so we can plug both compturs in. But wait, it has three prongs, and the converter only has two. What are we to do. Easy, cut off the ground. We plug in our newly modified power strip, and Snap, Crackle, Pop. No more TV. That was odd. Maybe it was a weak circuit, maybe the power strip we plugged into didn't like the converter. We better try this again on a wall socket. This time big spark, no lights. Needless to say, we called the front desk. A few minutes later the "bag boy" is at our door checking out the TV. We think our repairman is also the maid. In this case the motto "if at first you don't succeed, try again" probably wasn't the right approach to take.

More to come...stay tuned for "The penalty box", "french to gringo translations", and" the unisex restroom"

World Travels

2009-09-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I've been able to get on here. I'm in Brussels, Belgium for Label Expo Europe for work. Over the next week I will share some of mine and Simon's adventures while travelling.

My journey across the Atlantic started Friday, 9/18 at 5:35pm in Redding, CA where I flew in a "puddle jumper" to San Fransisco. From there to San Diego arriving at 9pm. Instead of gettting a hotel I rented a car and headed to the final night of training for this years Chief Selectees. I spent the night motivating and training the Navy's future chiefs. I was able to get a good solid 18 to 19 minutes of sleep in the car before heading back to the airport at 5:30am.

Off to Belgium I go...via Dulles International Airport. I arrived in IAD (Dulles) at 4pm and had a 5:56p departure for Brussels. Simon was due to arrive at 5:05, but was delayed until 5:25...not a lot of time to catch an international departure. I scouted the airport, timed the transit from Simon's arrival gate to our departure gate and awaited his arrival. Simon arrived just in time to make one quick "pit stop" and board our flight to Belgium.

We arrived at 7am local time in Brussels (10pm at home). We made our way through passport control, recovered our luggage and located our reserved Taxi. While in line for passport control we learned that Sunday, 9/20 was the only day of the year Brussels shuts down all the streets of the city to cars (except taxi and bus). Good thing we didn't rent a car. Our taxi delivered us to our hotel and we checked in to our room. Thankfully we have two beds...twin...we were able to push about 3-1/2" apart. Simon's a nice guy and all, but I don't feel like snuggling with him.

Keep posted for "Two Gringos go to Belgium"

2009-05-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

Back to T-ball again. The girls had another great game.

Friend & fellow Dodger

Guess the baby pic.

2009-05-18T22:43:00.000-07:00

My 4 girls...who's who is the question?

More T-ball

2009-05-15T22:32:00.000-07:00

The rest of the pictures...

Girls T-ball game

2009-05-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

Today Snuggie (no.5) and Zoozer (no.12) had their first T-ball game of the season. Both had good at bats. Snug got an out when she was playing pitcher and through the runner out at first base...too bad they don't keep any stats in t-ball...or score for that matter.

More to follow...only four pictures per post using picasa...

No rest for the volunteer fire fighter this week.

2009-05-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

This was the remains of my fifth call in two days as a Volunteer Fire Fighter. Sunday it started with a motorcycle accident. Then later that night two vehicle accidents. Followed by another medical aid with the final call for a structure fire about five houses away from ours a block away. Unfortunately the structure was completely engulfed when we arrived and was a total loss.

The only good part of the event was we saved the house next door. The blinds in the upstairs window had started melting from the heat.

What happens when you live with 5 girls

2009-05-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you have all girls in the house. Dad gets to try on some "Pretty" earings they found at a garage sale.

River at high flow

2009-05-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

This past week the Trinity River has been flowing at the highest levels for the year. These were taken when the river was flowing at around 4000 cfs (cubic feet per second). Typical summer flow is around 300 cfs. The high flows clear the river and help the fish come up stream.

Push-Ups on the porch

2009-05-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

The kids enjoy soom push ups on the porch after playing in the yard.

Toots birthday...from a week ago.

2009-05-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

Maleah's cake...it tasted even better than it looked.
Toots didn't like the singing so much.

Some more "fancy" shoes.

The buzz from above

2009-05-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

Lately there has been a lot of "buzzing" from overhead. Namely two helicopters working on upgrading power transmission from our dam. One of them has been using an area outside our shop as a staging area. We had the opportunity to look closer at the equipment and ask some questions of the pilots from PJ Helicopters from Red Bluff. A couple friends kids Annie and Jeremiah were able to climb in for some photo ops.

Jeremiah ready for take off...

Annie at the controls...buckle up Jeremiah, it's going to be a rough take off.

Our view from the front door of the shop.

No news...some old pictures

2009-05-05T21:16:00.001-07:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures of the girls:

Lil' Snug playing with gozilla.

Zoozer as a happy baby

Toots found a little kitty toy in the yard.

Boo-boo "driving" dad's new truck last summer.

I think I could put about three hundred pictures on here. It just takes forever to upload each one. More to follow later.

Zooz goes to work with Dad

2009-05-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Today when I was getting ready for work at 6:30 I heard the girls door open. Out comes Zoozer. So, since I was heading to work, I had her grab some clothes and go with me. She helped inventory some parts, and drive the forklift with my "boss" Simon. Then we started making some parts on the CNC Lathe. Below are pictures of her at work. Sorry for the poor quality. The only camera I had was my blackberry. The only thing I forgot was to feed her. Dad's don't always think of those things.

My Little Sister's Wedding

2009-05-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

Snug, Zoozer & Toots before my youngest sister's wedding on April 25th. They all did an excellent job...except Zooz couldn't stop giggling all the way down the walk.

Just starting...

2009-05-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

Here we go. First time trying to set up a blog. I was inpired by our friends blog...mudranch.com. Joan is extremely creative and a great photographer. Her animals, kid, and family are the most popular themes. I hope to create something similar. My 5 Ladies are my wife Maleah, and four daughters...Snuggie(8), Zoozer(5), Toots(3), and the baby Boo-boo(1). Images will follow soon.