4 McIntosh Apples

STOP SOPA & PIPA

Dylan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:05:01 +0000

If you tried to access the site earlier today, you would have noticed that I have blacked out Lost-man.com and 4mcintoshapples.com today along with hundreds if not thousands of other large and small websites in support of the protest of nasty legislation in congress nicknamed SOPA and PIPA.

Although everyone will agree that theft of a creators content is wrong and protective measures should be in place, the current legislation will give too much blanket power to government. This could hurt free speech and some of your favorites website such as Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter could be shutdown.

Here is a link on the Wall Street Journal article that explains more of SOPA and PIPA that I ask you to read to inform yourself: What is SOPA & PIPA

The Birthday Boy

Dylan — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:15:12 +0000

Ean just turned seven, even though at times he acts like he is two or nineteen.

I know that I’m tardy of posting the pictures, but life has just been like that. This year, we mixed it up from the normal birthdays that we have done in the past. We did a seperate family birthday lunch at Ean’s favorite restaurant Buffalo Wings and Ribs, and we allowed Ean to have four friends to have a sleep-over. The boys got to make their own personal pizzas, play the wii, and basically terrorize Ella, the cat, and the parents.

Unfortunately one of the boys got sick the day of the sleepover and couldn’t make it, so Ean only had three. I have to say it wasn’t as bad as we thought it would be and once they settled down after the initial madness. The boys and Ean all had fun as Ean celebrated his seventh birthday.

From Ean's 7th Birthday Party

Ean's 7th Birthday Party

Pack 3419 Tigers visit Station 12

Dylan — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:14:02 +0000

Last month, Ean’s Tiger Cub Den went and visited Becky and the other fire fighters at the Fort Wayne Station 12. As much as we tried to restrain the boys, it was pretty challenging in the excitement that was A FIRE STATION. Becky and Ty gave the boys a nice walk through and talked about all of the tools that they use on the job and how they help the community by not only putting out fires, but going out on medical runs as well.

Here are a few pictures and a link at the bottom for the complete photo album.

From Pack 3419 Tigers Firestation Visit

Pack 3419 Tigers Firestation Visit

Happy Halloween!

Dylan — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:43:10 +0000

Huh? What do you mean I’m a few months behind. Well yeah, silly me. I finally dumped the photos from the camera so there you go.

Sir Ean, Knight of the Square Table and Lady Ella Rapunzel.

From Halloween

Yo Gabba Gabba Live 2011 – The After Party

Dylan — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:47:26 +0000

Our only regret from the first Yo Gabba Gabba show was that we didn’t get a chance to take the kids into the meet or greet because we didn’t buy the VIP package. We wouldn’t make the same mistake again and splurged a bit more than we should have but to see the kids around the characters. Ella’s eyes especially just lit up when she saw her favorite characters right in front of her and it made it all worth it.

The only thing that kinda stuck for us was Leslie Hall and DJ Lance read a book to the kids and while they were reading a couple of the characters snuck out the door to not return before we could get our picture. It broke my heart watching Ella asking “Where is Foofa? I want to hug Foofa.”

Anyways here are some pictures back stage after the show.

From Yo Gabba Gabba Live 2011 The After Party

Yo Gabba Gabba Live 2011 – The Party

Dylan — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:29:38 +0000

I’ve been to several concerts in my life but Yo Gabba Gabba is honestly one of the best put on shows for both kids and parents. April and I had as much of a blast as the kids did as we rocked out to the music of the Gabba Gang, I Fight Dragons, who were the special music guest, and the beat box and djing of Biz Markie. The Dancey Dance special guest was Butler’s mascot Blue and Butler’s basketball forward, Khyle Marshall. Everyone had a blast at the show. Ella enjoyed the show so much that she was in tears and crying when it time for the Gabba Gang to say good-bye.

Check out some of the pictures of the Party and make sure to see the short clip of Biz’s Beat of the Day.

From Yo Gabba Gabba Live 2011 The Party

Yo Gabba Gabba Live 2011 – Before the Party

Dylan — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:24:24 +0000

On Sunday we headed down to Indianapolis for the Yo Gabba Gabba Live! Show at Butler University. Ella has been excited for weeks and Ean only started getting hyped as we began to drive down there. As we entered the theater and the kids saw the stage and all of the signs, they started ramping up their energy.

Other than work issues arising as we arrived in Indy, it was an uneventful drive down there other than a bunch of singing.

From Yo Gabba Gabba Live 2011 Before The Party

The Bike Training Trials

Dylan — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:53:39 +0000

As far back as I can remember, I’ve known how to ride a bike. I have quick memory flashes of learning how to ride when a neighbor girl pushes the yellow bike (I can’t even remember whose bike it was) that I’m sitting on and I start pedaling and begin my riding career. Ever since then I’ve been able to ride a bike. I can go years without being on a bike and as soon as I hop on a bike, I can ride it. So how hard can it be to teach Ean to finally ride his bike without training wheels.

Yesterday was my first attempt and it didn’t go nearly as well as I had planned.

My first attempt ending miserably with me getting more upset than I needed to and Ean in tears. I felt bad because I feel like I somehow failed him in my teaching methods. I’m not sure if it was my fear of him falling or his fear of falling that kept me from just pushing the bike and letting go in the traditional teaching method. I felt like a failed parent because I kept thinking I shouldn’t have let him have training wheels so long, I should have pushed him to learn sooner, I should have taken him to a bike training course.

I was/am utterly clueless as how I can teach my boy, who picks up on everything so fast yet struggles on a rite of passage that every kid goes through. As we walked together with him trying to pedal, I’m holding his bike by the handle bars and asking him to balance himself so I can let go, but he never quite does it. He looks up with those puppy dog eyes and says “I don’t know how to balance myself, how do you do it?” Uhhhhhh….. I don’t know how to explain that.

April helped and had Ean stand on one foot and told him that he was balancing, but I don’t think he related that to being on a bike. So I tried the one training wheel method and I wish I would have gotten a picture of him leaning completely to one side to not fall over. Scratch that idea.

We tried the holding the bike without training wheels and I never had the confidence to let go as he wobbled from side to side and never could hold the bike steady. In the end, I took off the pedals and just explained to Ean to push the bike with his feet and try and go as long as he could without touching the ground. He seemed to pick that up and make some small improvements on his balancing on his bike. I’m going to go with that method by having him practice that going and just lifting his feet. Once we see his balance become a bit more stable, I’ll put the pedals back on and try again.

Any hints you can give me in trying to complete this rite of passage for Ean would be greatly appreciated before I end up pulling out what little hair I do have on top of my head.

Ella gets her ears pierced

Dylan — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:30:09 +0000

I feel like I never post anything about Ella even though she has been growing like a weed. So for the last couple of weeks, Ella has been asking for earrings and has been consistently asking so we decided to honor her request.

We’ve always discussed waiting to get her ears pierced until she wanted them done. So we waiting to see if it wasn’t just as passing fad. Well, she decided that it wasn’t a fad and she was ready to get her Hello Kitty earrings.

Here is a picture as they were marking her ears:

Here is the video of Carrie marking her ears:

Here is a shaky video of her actual ear punctures. Look at her smiles as she was so excited to get her ear’s done. Warning there is a bit of crying and the emotional and sensitive may join in with the tears as well.

Before you call us mean parents, she only cried for a moment and then she saw her ears in mirror and she loved how they looked. Here she is a minute after her ears got pierced (check out her red ear lobe).

Update (week and half later):

The healing process continues with no issues. She still loves them and I can catch her looking at herself in the mirror as well as spinning her earrings unconsciously as she watches tv or looks at a book. Therefore, it looks like she was ready and we are glad that we went ahead and did it. By the way, looking for gift ideas? Earrings for Ella.

Graduating Kindergarten

Dylan — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:23:59 +0000

After a very quick year, Ean has completed his first full day school year. On June 7th, Lancaster had their Kindergarten Progression Ceremony, Ean broke out in songs that we have asked him all year what he was learning with the response “Nothing”. It was a fun and enjoyable experience that I’ve attached some videos to the post for those that couldn’t make it.

There were several tears as many realized that our little boy is growing up. Next thing you know he will be graduation high school and moving on.

Pictures:

From Eans K Graduation

For more pictures, head to the album on picassa at this link:

Eans K Graduation

Videos: