18 September: Zach's First Tooth

Zach lost his first tooth today!  Tooth Fairey on the way.

03 September: Alligator in the Garage

We returned from our trip to the Keys about 5:30 PM and unpacked the car through the garage.  A couple of hours later Kim went to put away some recycling.  Our recycling bins are just on the other side of the door between the garage and the kitchen.  Kim saw some cardboard boxes move and then heard hissing.  A second later she saw an alligator, mouth open, staring at her right next to the bins.  She came inside, pretty excited and wisely put a big basket down to block the cat door in the bottom of the kitchen/garage door. 

Good picture of how close he was to getting inside the house:

Some phone calls to neighbors (turns out one of our neighbors daughter's boyfriend is an alligator wrestler - only in Florida) and the authorities (there are different numbers and degrees of assistance depending on the size of "your" gator and his location) the following transpired. 

Swamp People, Stickney Style:

20 August: School Starts!

Summer went by fast.  Back in school already!

Andy starts second grade and Zach first.

 Zach got Andy's teacher from last year, Ms. Grimm

 Andy's new teacher is Ms. Baker

30 Jul - 03 Aug: Andy's Sail Camp

I made it home from Hawaii just in time to catch the last couple of days of Andy's sail camp at the St. Augustine Yacht Club.  He had never sailed before so this was a bit of stretch as to whether he would like it or not, but he took to it well and had a good time. 

Here he is on the last day in the #10 boat:

19 Jul - 02 Aug: Rim of the Pacific Exercise

I was sent to Hawaii to liaison between  an amphibious task group taking part in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise and participating P-3s.  RIMPAC is the largest naval exercise in the world and is hosted in Oahu every two years with many nations around the Pacific participating.  Time is split between in-port sporting and social events and underway exercises. 

I wasn't really ready to return to Hawaii, but nonetheless spent most of the time underway on the USS Essex working on the staff of a Canadian Admiral.  All the different nationalities and the amphibious operations made it at least a novelty.  I treated it like a Midshipmen and tried to have as much fun as possible.  Couple different helicopter rides - on a Mexican Mi-17 and a USMC H-53E and a trip on a LCAC to the beach and back.  Also nice to have cell phone coverage almost the entire time although it meant I was looking at beaches from the ship instead of being on the beach looking at some poor suckers out on a ship. 

My RIMPAC in one minute:



After finishing my duties I drove to Shark's Cove on the North Shore and swam for two hours.  Rinsed off in the public outdoor shower, drove straight to the airport and flew home.  Not a bad way to spend my birthday.  

My favorite one minute of RIMPAC:

28 May - 06 Jun: Last Week of School

Finishing up our school year.   Hard to believe the boys started the year at another school.  Hawaii and Navy Hale Keiki seem a world away. 

There seemed to be a never ending run of in-class parties during the week but we finally finished up on the second to last day with some class presentations and awards. 

 In Ms. Ragusa's class Zach and his buddies sing a few songs

 Zach is recognized as a "Shinning Star"

 Ms. Ragusa's students were the "Mighty Ducks"

And in Ms. Grimm's class, Andy is given the Math Award

Out the door on the last day.  Ready for summer!

26 May - Little Break

Crazy busy couple of months.  Just needed a relaxing weekend.  

25 May - Zach Character Counts

Zach was awarded for "Character Counts" by Principal Story.  Congrats Zach!

 

 

20 May - Baseball Banquet

 Andy finished his season as a New York Yankee.  He played 7 year old ball with a pitching machine.  This league was definitely another level above the MWR league he played in Hawaii, but he still had a great time.

Receiving game ball and trophy from Coach Tim

20 May - First Communion

After six classes the boys received their first Communion at the Episcopal Church of our Savior.

With our Rector, Rev. Dr. John Palarine

Boys with their crosses

04 May - Change of Command

The Red Lancers of Patrol Squaron TEN held a change of command ceremony where CDR Andy Miller was relieved by CDR Tim Parker.  I became XO.  

 More about the squadron can be found here

 Most new XOs don't even get a cake!

The new Red Lancer triad.  CDR Tim Parker and his wife Heather, Kim and I, Command Master Chief Sean Carolan and his wife Heather

We returned home from the ceremony to find our yard decorated with Red Lances.  Across the back they say, "It's hard to be humble when you're a Perfect Ten." 

Following weekend we went by the office to set things up and take a look around

01 May - The 2nd Front Tooth

 

 No more corn on the cob for a while

27-30 Apr: Dan and Michelle's Wedding - San Francisco

After class in Norfolk on Friday I ran to the airport and caught a flight to Charlotte where I met Kim.  We then flew to San Francisco to join the festivities surrounding the wedding of long time friend Dan and his fiance Michelle.  

Kim and I had both been sick for weeks with bronchitis and weren't sure if we were going to "make it", but we were very happy we soldiered on. 

 Saturday morning Kim caught a ride with a friend of Dan's, a lady FBI agent (Kim has declared this woman her new hero for arresting people in heels) to attend a breakfast with the bride and her party.  The venue was the Garden Court at the iconic Palace Hotel.  I met Dan and his buddies for brunch at the Typsy Pig.  You could tell which side of the aisle had class.  

Aside from Dan's parents and his sister, who I had not seen in years, we didn't know anyone but the whole crowd was a great mix of folks.  Dan works for the government and Michelle is a teaching pulmonologist and they have a real interesting group of friends.  

 Courtesy of Dan and Michelle we were all taken on a trolley tour of San Francisco and then to lunch at your standard Peruvian restaurant.

 Pang Kee Market - my favorite shop in Chinatown

 

After lunch we were on our own until the wedding the next afternoon to walk the familiar San Francisco tourist areas - Fisherman's Wharf and all that - and spend time with some of the people we met.  I had a chance to check up on my gift for the groom.  I was soon distraught to learn someone had given him USA 77.  Errrggghhhh!!!

Sunday afternoon we were all chauffered up to St. John Serbian Orthodox Church for the ceremony.  We had some time before the events and had coffee with one of their friends who flew in from Tunis, Tunisia for the wedding.  He had founded a clean water NGO that was now funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Beats, "so which air wing were you in?"  His trip length was bested by another friend that had flown in from Bangladesh.  

As an aside, I asked Dan what one should wear to a Serbian Orthodox wedding in San Fran.  He said, "just wear a suit."  That's a good chuckle - most Naval Aviators aren't exactly suit savvy or well-equipped, especially this one.  Luckily Mr. Jilani in the Manama Souq had cut some quality cloth for me ten years ago.  It still fit (shew!) and was still in fashion (Kim googled to make sure).

 Never been to a Serbian Orthodox Church before.  Very pretty. 

 We had no idea what to expect for the ceremony - hours long? in English?  participation?  No clue.  Turns out simple, pretty - Protopresbyter Djurica Gordic, the Parish Priest, sang almost the entire ceremony in Serbian.  The key parts of the ceremony are the ring exchange, crowning, common cup, ceremonial walk and removal of the crowns.

 After the ceremony we were bussed down to Cellar 360, a wine store above the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, for the reception.  Our view.

We had a fantastic weekend.  Thanks to Dan and Mich for hosting an outstanding wedding.  Great location, great people and most importantly a great ceremony for two special friends.  I was very pleased I got spend a lot of time with Dan, we don't see each other but every few years and you never know how it will work out on a wedding weekend.  So a pleasant surprise there.

Congratulations!

23-27 Apr: Week in Norfolk with Bill

I had to attend a school at Commander Naval Air Forces Atlantic in Norfolk.  After the Tropaia I rode down to Norfolk with Bill and Jen.  Lots of hanging out and great sushi.  Class didn't start until Tuesday so we hit up the nearby Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach.  This is one of the finest private collections of warbirds in the US.  Bill and I were lame enough to not even get a picture of ourselves together the entire week, but here's some of the day at the museum.

 1944 de Havilland Dragon Rapide.  I think I would fancy this as my Sunday afternoon, "take for a stroll" equipment. 

Recent addition to the museum is this B-17 just acquired from an estate in Texas.  Who knew you still could find flying B-17s "around"?

Flying Fortress beside a grass strip on a cool overcast day.  The same setting it made history in.

Flying reproduction of the 1911 Curtis Pusher which made the first landing aboard a ship, the USS Pennsylvania, in 1918.  The reproduction was built by a retired S-3 pilot in commemoration of the Centennial of Naval Aviation last year.

25 April - Andy is an Ant

20-22 Apr: Uncle Stick's Georgetown Tropaia

The whole family went to Washington DC to attend Uncle Stick's Tropaia for completion of the Georgetown McDonough School of Business Executive MBA program.

Save when Andy was a baby, the boys had never been to DC before.  We had a few hours Saturday morning before the ceremony so we made a metro trip over to the Mall and hit up a couple of the Smithsonians real quick.  Zach couldn't get enough.  He ran exhibit to exhibit. 

Andy's not so much one to look at stuff, but he'll eat up an experiment

 Zach's brain on overdrive in the Museum of Natural History's great hall

 Boys getting ready with the graduate

Pictures of everyone in front of John Carroll, founder of Georgetown

Congrats Uncle Stick!!!