And the Winner of "Father of the Month" is. . .

ME!

So, picture a clock ticking. Not an analog watch, but a clock, like at a triathlon or the Olympics, counting off thousandths of seconds at a time. Now, fade into the car port outside our house and the clock moving to the bottom right hand side of the screen, continuing to count. It is evening, not quite dusk, but it is humid as a huge thundercloud just dropped about 2 inches of rain in the past 30 minutes. Julie is in the drivers seat of our white Hyundai Santa Fe, Caleb, Beowulf and I are standing there waving 'goodbye' as she backs out of the driveway. Caleb, Beowulf and Daddy re-enter the house to the sounds of Dax playing happily in the living room. Caleb exits stage right moving towards Dax. Daddy moves to the stove to finish pouring some chicken fingers onto a cookie sheet next to some crinckle cut french fries and a left over chicken breast for himself. He sets the timer and smiles to himself as he listens to Dax squealing in delight as Caleb entertains him. It's been nearly two minutes on the rapidly ticking clock at the bottom right-hand side of the screen. Daddy decides to check on the boys and see what they are doing that is so much fun. Dax, immobile with the inablility to crawl, but sitting bolt upright, these kids don't mess around with good posture, is alternately squealing and doing that deep baby chortle he only does when Caleb is playing with him. Caleb is standing there with a blue permanent marker that he found on one of the shelves laughing to himself in a, I-can't-believe-I'm-getting-away-with-this, kind of laugh. Apparently Caleb is starting his career as a tattoo artist and wanted to try his hand with tribal patterns, because Dax is marked [literally] from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet in blue permanent marker. Daddy pauses for a moment, then decides the damage is done, he's gonna get it when Mommy gets home, and he might as well take a picture or two. Here are some of the better ones.

Time? The clock has reached a full two-minutes and thirty seconds. Daddy gives the pen to Caleb for the set up picture, snaps it, retrieves the pen, quickly scolds him, and then takes some more pictures of Dax.

All of the sudden the oven beeps. Oh! it must be time to put the food in. Daddy grabs the cookie sheet, places it in the oven and then realizes that the top rack is still in the topmost position from broiling something earlier. Never fear, Daddy grabs the cookie sheet and rack all at once with one hand slides them out. As he moves them down tray slips a little, he adjusts, the adjustment causes him to sear his hand on the 450 degree oven rack, nearly drop the food inside the oven, and make a terrible mess.

Time? Three minutes, forty-five seconds. Daddy laughs through the pain [my memory on this is a little foggy right here, so we'll just have to go with this version], finishes putting the rack and cookie sheet in place and closes the oven. He turns, starts the timer on the microwave on top of the refridgerator and gets some ice for the burn on his hand[which may have been as small as a pencil eraser but once again the memory is a little foggy so it probably is similar to the size of Mexico, before the Mexican-American War] goes to play with the boys. Fast forward twelve minutes, the timer goes off. Daddy removes the cookie sheet from the oven, places it on top of the stove and goes to get Dax to put him into the high chair. A life-altering, drum-piercing shriek emits from the kitchen, Caleb has just grabbed onto the cookie sheet.

Time? Sixteen minutes, even. Daddy gives Caleb his ice in a baby sock, dishes up the food and thinks to himself, "How does Julie do this while I'm deployed, let alone every day?"

So, Julie just got home and is currently on damage control. The kids are entertained, and I'm trying to figure out why I should get the "Father of the Month Award".

I guess I deserve the award because I know that I can't do it on my own. Without Julie, I'd have to call on all of my first aid skills (although I hope to never have to apply, 'How to care for a sucking chest wound'), and my kids would always be the smelly dirty kids in school. So thank you to the Academy, thank you to the writers, thank you to the boys, and thank you especially to Julie, for putting up with me, and fixing everything that I mess up.

P.S.-

Julie gave Caleb a strawberry and he returned in seconds for another. She told him he couldn't have another until he was done with the first. He gave her a hurt look that said "but...but...but", and took her to the kitchen table to show her that he was sharing with Teddy. Julie, seeing the situation, relented and happily gave Caleb a strawberry so that they could enjoy them together.

Memories

Here is fun game... leave a comment on our blog of a memory that you and one of us Kimsey's have had together. It doesn't matter if we haven't known each other for long, just anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. Its actually pretty funny. If you post we'll assume you're playing and come to your blog and leave a memory. On your mark... get set.... blog your memories!!

Kids at Work

Recently, Caleb has been copying things that Dave and I do. If we say certain phrases such as "I'll be right back" or "wait one minute please", he likes to use them too. He usually tries to use them when he is about to get in trouble or when we have already asked him to do something else.
'We live on Fort Bragg, which means that Dave's work is literally 3-5 minutes from our house. This lack of commute allows him to come home after working out and during lunch. In the past 6 months we have rarely gone 4 hours without seeing him for at least a few minutes. His constant coming and going has helped Caleb grow accustomed to saying 'goodbye 'when daddy has to 'go to work'.

Lately, Caleb's favorite thing to do is "go to work". He gets his boots on (just like daddy) and usually grabs something else in this case the reflective belt and baby doll. He tells everyone "bye, bye, gowan wuk". He then proceds to his Little Tykes car and goes a few inches before the boots fall off. He absolutely loves being like daddy.


Dax doesn't necessarily like to go to work - he likes to create work for others. He grabs at everything and his fingers are so long that he usually obtains what he is aiming for. I am totally convinced that he likes to drop stuff on the floor simply because he can. The first time he does it to see what it sounds like - from that point on it is purely to drop it. It is amazing how expressive his face is. If he could talk, I think he would say "What? What? Are you going to stop me?"

Our Garden

We have planted a garden. I love being able to walk outside and pick fresh vegetables! There is also something rewarding about knowing that I helped them grow. Getting it started was not as easy as I thought it would be. There are two 3X3 plots and a couple plants sporadically spread throughout the yard. Everything with mulch used to be grass. I thought the grass would come up nice and easy - I was wrong. Luckily, I am married to a muscle man that ripped that grass out of the ground like it was nobody's business. Once the grass was removed, I followed behind with my tiny shovel, soil mixture, and baby plants. We topped it all off with mulch and that was that. Now all we have to do is wait and hope they grow.


In the back left is a tomato plant, on the right is basil and the front left is yellow squash. I just got a few hints from my dad on how to keep bugs out so I am going to try that because something is already eating my basil.

Dax is such a helper. His smile will help them grow. The squash in this plot is a little sad - never fear Daxton is here. Caleb loves to water the plants but he was napping during this gardening moment so no picture is available.

Here is our acorn squash plant. I love acorn squash. Couple of dishes are my fav - acorn squash with butter and brown sugar or acorn squash with butter, brown sugar, orange and nutmeg!! YUMMY! So there ya go - try it I dare you.

Garden Tips from my dad:

For no bugs use:

2tsp Dawn Dishsoap

1qt water

dash of garlic or cayene pepper

Spray mixture on underside of leaves.

Plants that keep bugs out:

Plant a garlic clove and it will grow and bugs will stay away.

Plant a green onion from the store and it will grow and keep bugs away.

The garlic and onion alternative are my favorite because I can reap benefits! I love garlic and onion. Someday I hope to have a large space for a garden so I can be like the people on the cooking channel and just pop out to my garden for fresh produce.

I DID IT!! I RAN A 5K!!

From the time I was a youth, I had dreams of being athletic. I wanted to play soccer on the high school team; I wanted to jump high and spike a volley ball; I wanted to sprint around a track and leave people eating my dust. Unfortunately, I never accomplished any of those things. I didn't understand that I needed to practice, train, or get in shape. Fortunately, I have married a man that does understand what it takes to be in shape so with his help and the help of a dear friend - I am finally on my way to being the athletic person I have always wanted to be.

My friend Rachel Jackson and I ran the "Beat the Heat 5K" in Winston-Salem, NC on Saturday July 19, 2008. It was an evening race which was fabulous because it is HOT and HUMID! We are great running partners - we push each other to accomplish runs I know I couldn't do on my own - Oh like a 5K! There we are in the heat of the race.

As I passed my family at the end of the race, I reached out for Caleb so he could run with me but he was confused and just stood there. I would have picked him up but my body was so weak that I knew I would have stopped running if I had.




There we are, so close to finishing we can taste it.

And we did it! I never thought I could run 3.2 miles in one stretch. Thanks to Rachel and her constant encouragement I have officially run my first complete 5K ever!

I don't think there is a better treat after something so exhausting than a delicious orange. This is the love of my life sharing in the absolute joy I had by completing this race.

So, the challenge is on and Rachel and I have a goal to run a 10K in December.

Man, I love to run!

Now That's Adventure

We have returned! Our trip to Utah was fun filled and fabulous. We adventured from the lakes of Georgia to the canyons of St. George to the snowy mountain tops of the Wasatch Range. We were able to go to a couple of lakes actually. I learned to slalom water ski and Dave barefooted for the first time. Unfortunately the camera battery died and there is no visual record but we do have witnesses. The other events of our trip are as follows in the pictures below.

Here we are feeding the duckies at a pond in Douglasville, GA. Caleb's first time.

Daxton didn't like the life preserver very much, but he enjoyed the lake and riding on the boat.

Cousin Aaron took us on his boat to Lake Alatoona. We had a blast (Julie even ended up with a big green bruise on her face from tubing! She's so hardcore). Caleb liked the tube for a while and then he was, "all done, all done, all done". -Dave

No pictures of the male Aylworth's but these are the ladies. Barbara was very patient as Caleb wrecked her house, Sam gave us a new phrase to use with Caleb, "Don't freak out! Don't freak out! Don't freak out!", and Alex chased our babies all over the house. Austin let us play "Rock Band" on XBox 360, that game was a hit with both Julie and me. -Dave

This is after my Dad, brother Marc, sister-in-law Erin, and I hiked the Subway in Zion's National Park. Caleb met up with us and found out that you shouldn't hit cacti (the one in the background) with your bare fist nor step on them without shoes. -Dave

Caleb loved playing with Kate and Addie, my best friend's little girls. They were so cute! Check out that 'fro on our son.- Julie

My best friend Rachel took us to Sand Hollow Lake. We enjoyed a day of tubing, swimming, and wake boarding. Here we are with our broods, we had a lot of fun, plus we look dead sexy. -Julie

Me and Matt (my brother) chillin' after the triathlon.- Julie

Matt (Julie's brother) and I after the Utah Summer Games Triathlon.- Dave

Here's Caleb at Hogle Zoo. Julie has a picture just like this of when she was a wee lass.

Here's Dax at Hogle Zoo. Julie has a picture just like this of when she was a wee lass. [Deja what?]

We went up Big Cottonwood Canyon for a barbeque. This is us next to the river that runs through Ledgemere Campground. Caleb burned his hand on a marshmallow roaster, it's almost healed.

Not only does Caleb have Daxton in a headlock, he's also holding him on his favorite thing in the world, a Tractor! This is how he gives Dax a hug.

Caleb got to ride the pony at Wheeler Farm and quite enjoyed it.

Chris Rich and I hiked from my parent's house in Sandy to the Homestead Crater in Midway by way of an 11,000 foot peak or two. We celebrated by wearing these cool floatation vests and bathing in the 98 degree water. There is no better way to relax after a 20+ mile hike over rock and snow than in a thermal pool heated by the earth's molten crust itself! -Dave

Here's Daxton with Grandma and Grandpa Hubbard, my Mom's parents. -Dave


Would you believe that this photo is candid? Neither would I. We went to visit my cousin Tiffany and her two boys, Michael and Oliver. That's a bunch of cute kids. -Julie

My sister Sarah came up to visit us at Thanksgiving Point for dinner.- Julie

Julie and I on my Dad's hog. It's a beautiful bike, even if it's a Grandpa bike. -Dave


Daxton on his first elephant ride with Grandma Kimsey.

Here's me and one of my best buddies, Jeff, with our boys at the pool. It's so much fun to have friend with kids the same age.- Dave

Daxton loves to play in the water.

Dax is always happy. He is angelic. Plus he has a giggle that would melt Scrooge's heart.

This is a series of Caleb out in the garage "fickin" Grandpa Kimsey's Harley. He was at it for at least 30 minutes. When he came back inside he was so greasy I had to wash him off with orange scented pumice soap, just like a real mechanic. I think the bike actually did run better after he finished. -Dave

This is Caleb and one of his new best friends, "Unka Sean". On the trip home he kept asking for all of the new people he had met by name, he literally asked for everyone. One of his most common questions was, "Where Unka Sean doe [go]?"