Quick writing sample for July 25, 2016

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MARCH THROUGH PARTS OF EUROPE FOR GAY RIGHTS.

PARADE GATHERERS IN ITALY, POLAND, AND CROATIA MARCHED IN PARADES FOR L-G-B-T PEOPLE.

RESIDENTS IN WARSAW MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS WITH COLORFUL RAINBOW FLAGS TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR GAY RIGHTS IN POLAND.

ITALY IS EMBRACING GAY RIGHTS IN ITS PARADE AS GAY COUPLES HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORM SAME-SEX CIVIL UNIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THAT NATION STILL DOES NOT ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.

CROATIA AND POLAND AND STILL MOUNTING NEW CHALLENGES TO L-G-B-T FREEDOM UNDER THEIR NATION'S CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP.

In honor of my 1,090th post, I give you, The MIGHTY 1090 from SAN DIEGO

Dreams come true: Me singing to Ben and Blake on June 23, 2016 while I was at work

Journal Entry for Week in Review for June 13, 2016 - June 19, 2016

On Tuesday, my boys say Happy Flag Day in their own special way.

See more of my good pictures below.  I got to be a part of Ben and Blake having a good meal on Thursday.  I fed Ben either Chicken Nuggets or Fish Sticks.  I'm getting better at feeding Blake more table/people food.  I'm slowly weening him off of puffs and all assorted baby food.  Blake is going to be a great eater just like his daddy and older brother.  Even Gandalf (not pictured) is a good eater too.

See below:  my boys had some outside time before I had to go into work today on Friday, June 17, 2016.

The boys will warm up, I mean, cool off, to the idea of playing in the little kiddie pool before you know it.  I'm looking forward to the time I can splash water with my two boys and love it.

Saturday was my best day to do "Father's Day" with my family.  My wife already gave me my two best gifts of all time:  Ben and Blake.  We all went out for a buffet lunch at this new place in Kennesaw, GA.  I forget the name of it at the moment.  I'll look it up later on.

Ben got some chicken nuggets and Chinese food among other things.  He even made a hot mess with some ice cream I fed him.  After we ate and took naps, we played a lot.  We played blanket transport.  Ben sat on a little blanket and I pulled him along in the room.  We had a ball.  If I didn't get so dizzy, I would have played even more.  Blake had fun toting around some non-toys around, but it made him happy.  There were times Ben and Blake even played nicely together.  They played with the monkey ball toy and it didn't scare Ben at all.  It's moments like that which make parenting the best job in the world.

The next day would be more challenging.  It would be Father's Day and I would not be able to spend all day with my family.  I had to go to work to fill in for some overtime.  I missed my boys all day long when I was working here at the station.   The highlight of my day was spending time with my two little guys.  Hearing them smile, squeak, and laugh together made my day.  It was worth way more than all the overtime I'll ever earn.  I'll be back for more fun next week on here.

Two dreams: VEGAS and LOTTERY TICKET WINNINGS

On Monday Morning, I had a dream where I won a big amount of money and I went to Las Vegas in search of some Prime Rib and a cup of Pepsi.

I won what turned out to be $154 on one scratchers ticket and had to pinch myself to make sure it was real (Spoiler alert:  It wasn't).  Later on, it was dark outside and I was staying at a nice hotel with my dad.  Later on, I went outside to find me a nice restaurant that served roast beef, prime rib, and some Pepsi.  I can't believe that those foods are in my Vegas dreams over and over again.  Later on in the dream, I walked outsid emy hotel room, and then I went down the road where I was looking for the right restaurant.  I walked into one building and I had to walk through the maze of the casino in order to get to my final destination.  I felt so close to my destination, I could taste it (no pun intended).

In reality, I woke up.  I haven't been to Las Vegas in years.  I drank some Pepsi on my way to work.  I've had some pot roast for dinner tonight.  I can seek out some roast beef and prime rib anywhere, anytime here in Metro Atlanta.  One day when our lives are up to date and not so crazy, I will take my family to Las Vegas for a good vacation.

Journal Entry for Week in Review for June 20, 2016 - June 26, 2016

Big Ben spent most of Monday in a diaper and loving every minute of it.  Blake and I hung out and had a good time while Ben was freelancing throughout the house.  As for me, I enjoy the 'daddy time' I get to spend by hugging one or both my boys at any given time.  I have to take full advantage of it because they're gonna be little for just a short amount of time.  Ben is gonna be very tall before I know it.   I'm afraid that I'll be too wrapped up in the work or on my electronic devices that I'll miss what's most important and right in front of me.

Ben and Blake are the masters of the trunk.  See those beautiful boys above.  They had a good time with me on Wednesday at home.  That was my day to take care of them by myself during the day before I had to go to work.  You see, they like to play blanket fort and Ben strongly encourages me to play along with him.  I love it and I wish I could play it with him every day.  I suppose I can.  I don't want the guys to either lose oxygen or mash their little fingers in the sides of the trunk if they think of closing it or bringing it down.

Thursday was a fun day.  Kelly, Ben, Blake, and I played at the park.  We went to our home town park in Acworth, GA.  Ben got to play on his favorite part of the playground, the baby swing.  Ben had an awesome time with his bear and we got to see Blake in action too.  Ben is a master pro on the baby swing.  Soon, he will graduate to the big boy swing.  That'll be a huge milestone for him.  I'll be happy for him.  See all the fun below.

Friday was a fun day for me.  For the first time, I took my boys to a Chick-Fil-A all by myself.  Ben was eating up the food and Blake was a little indifferent towards the feast I provided for him.  I tried to give Blake some of my food because I wasn't sure that we would be ready for his own meal just yet.  I know that day is coming where he'll get his own food to eat.  I'll gladly pay for it.  After we ate and after I took pride in what I was doing and taking in this special moment, I took them to the playground to play.  Toddler town is my favorite part of the playground.  Parents are welcome.  After they ate and played, I took them back to the car by myself.  It was getting a little hot inside and outside the car and the boys were getting a little cranky.  I hated it for them towards the end.  I will do better in monitoring the temperatures in the car when I take them places.  After my wife came home, I had to go to work.  I'm so ready to celebrate my niece's 4th birthday this weekend.  See the pictures of my family's feast below.  It was awesome.

Ben loves Chick Fil A nuggets and fries.  He's eyeing the juice box.

Blake and Ben can play with the big boys

See Above.  Before my family and I landed in Sandersville, GA for our niece's 4th birthday party, I took some fresh new photos of the construction of SunTrust Park in NW Atlanta (COBB COUNTY).

Once we arrived in Sandersville, GA, we all had a good time with our family.  Ben and Blake were good for the most part, but they were getting tired as the warm day moved on.  Ben and Blake needed their naps while our niece Mia was celebrating the moment she would turn 4.  Her actual birthday would be a few days later.  Of course as luck would have it, I don't seem to have any actual birthday celebration pictures.  What I do have is just as good, I think.  See below the pictures I have of Ben and Blake playing around at their grandma and grandpa's houses.

Once we got home from Sandersville, we fed the boys, bathed them, fed them milk, read them stories, and then put them to bed.  After they went to sleep, Kelly and I embarked upon a new Sunday Night tradition:  We watched "The $100,000 Pyramid" and "Match Game" on ABC.  We went to sleep on a high note.

I'll be back for more fun again next week.