A sure sign that it is getting closer to Christmas is Dad’s birthday. Dad has always complained that he gets short changed on his birthday because it is so close to Christmas that most people just got him one gift for both, but for the past few years we have moved his birthday (at least the gift part of it) to November 1st where we take him out to the Halloween shops to buy decorations at 50 – 90 percent off.

However we still celebrate his birthday in December so now (in a way) he sort of gets two birthdays each year on his two favorite holidays each year, Christmas and Halloween.

It was a busy day today for everyone with work, school, and Santa’s Magic Forest so its no wonder that we got a late start on Dads birthday.

As usual, Dad got a special chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and everyone enjoyed a late birthday snack on this cold December day. 53 years ago Dad was born, kind of amazing how the time flies when you are having fun.

Dad gets most of his gifts the day after Halloween, when Mom goes to the after Halloween sales and picks up whatever Dad needs for the next Halloween party. Still, plenty of gifts to open today for Dad.

What an awesome Fathers day Dad had. First, I got to watch the Jeff Bridges version of True Grit, then a few hours later got to watch the John Wayne version of True Grit. But the biggest and best surprise came when James Raymond made dessert for his Dad. Mom helped a little, especially with the stove, but for the most part James did the work himself. Needless to say we all got to have a nice healthy sweet treat on Fathers day.

The Weather was perfect today and the entire family got to have various outdoor activities. James and Dad played soccer and basketball while Mom went on her walk to Penn Park.

Continue reading “Fathers Day 2011” →

What a surprise I had today, James came home and had several crafts that he had made for Fathers day. There was a key holder, and pictures of him making the key holder out of wood. What a surprise. James showed us the card he made as well, it had a picture of him holding a happy Fathers day sign.

Thanks James

Our travel across country continued and would end at Ft Lewis Washington, however before dropping Aunt Louise and Grandma Loretta off at the airport for their flight home, we made one stop at Mount Ranier and wanted to drive high enough into the mountain until we got snow (considering it was summer time this was a novel goal).

We did accomplish this and then Loretta and Louise were dropped off at SeaTac Airport and took a flight back to Detroit. Chuck (James Dad) would spend the next 2 and a half years at Ft Lewis which at the time was a high technology test bed for the latest technology in war fare. James Dad would do special assignments in California, Alaska, and Japan during his stay and would come home for good in 1984 with an honorable discharge, and a World Series Championship in Detroit (tigers winning over San Diego), just as his dad did in 1945 Tigers winning over the Cubbies).

Continue reading “Mount Ranier 1982” →

With summer coming to a close in August, James Grandma had a farewell party for James Dad as he was getting ready to go into the army and do basic training at Fort Dix New Jersey in early September.

The party took place at Lake Erie in Monroe Michigan (the state park just east on exit 15 on I75) on a perfect summer day and many of James Dads “little friends” (a nickname to Dads friends who he met in first grade, hence the name little friends) were on hand to give James Dad a hearty send off (the keg of beer helped a little as well).

The party was a big success and James Dad made it on time to Ft Dix where basic training awaited him.

Continue reading “James Dad Going Away Party 1980” →

The Lepire Paper softball team made it to the championship game, but lost in a very close game. Seeing that it was only the teams second year in existence playing against teams that had been playing for years and decades in some cases, it was quite the achievement. This would be the last softball game James Dad would play before going to the Army about a month later.