Party girl

Little Bit had a great time at a birthday party Friday.

This is the birthday boy and Little Bit. They go to preschool together. He was her little Curious George at her party. He likes to do the complete closed eye thing when he smiles. I don't think there is anything sweeter than the affection little preschoolers show each other. These two really like each other.

I thought the pinata hanging in the front room was just a decoration, but the birthday family cleverly placed the streamers so the kids could just pull the pinata open. It was really smart. One of the guests at the party was a face painter and turned Little Bit into a kitty cat. My sweet girl was so cute and excited.

She was very sweet.

First she got little white cheeks.

She was very patient during the painting.

After waiting for her whiskers ...

And the birthday boy blowing out his candles.

A whole passle of 3-year-olds waiting for cake.


This poor kiddo had cake dropped in his hair. It was really funny until he started to get sad about it, so we had to stifle the laughs.

Look at the look on his face. Poor kid. Little Bit had a ball and crashed as soon as we got home.

Cross one of my to-do list before I croak

I did it. I only had three or four Cape Cods in me, but I did it. I sang I Will Survive at karaoke night at a local bar with a bunch of my friends. Thank God they came up on stage with me or I would have totally died of embarrassment. But, I did it. I'm so proud of myself.

My friend, AS, knew I wanted to sing it, so she filled out a little request and took it up to the DJ. So, when he called me, I couldn't back out. I'm up there calling to my friends to come sing with me.

So, they didn't come initially and I had to start all by myself. Gloria Gaynor would have been proud.

Finally, my pussycat dolls (as they named themselves in honor of Snoop Dogg's girls - yes, we are all so ghetto, ha ha) joined me.

and, then all I was missing was some bandanas to do my Stephen Tyler impersonation. Something really weird about that. Sorry about the blurry pic. Another friend took some, too, and if hers are better, I'll post them.

Me and my toasty friend who kept me from backing out on doing something I've always wanted to do.

It was so much fun. I need to schedule these ladies' nights out more often.

Christmas morning

Finally, I'll post about Christmas day. I need to start taking pics of my meals, I never do that. I'm usually just so happy that I'm done cooking, I forget to do it. Here goes our Christmas morning.

Forget all those wrapped gifts. She was stoked about her bicycle.

Pickle loved his cash! Look at that smile!

The Lord of the Beans. One DVD to rule all the others.

Granny and Papa helping Stinkebelle with her princess flashlight. I just realized I have no pictures of me on Christmas at all this year - Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Only a few of Army of Dad, either.

With his Sonic shirt.

Penguin fights. Notice the Minnesota Vikings stocking hat in the bottom right. It was worn ALL Christmas day.

LabKat's gift of a little princess tin lunchbox thingee and a little coin purse were big hits. The lunchbox carries treasures in the car for when we go places.

Fold that hand Hot Rod. He had a poker kind of Christmas. He got his own deck of cards with chips and a dealer chip, too. So, he was begging everyone to play poker with him. He wore the hat all day despite 68 degree temps out side.

And, my favorite gift aside from the Serenity DVD was my flast screen, flat panel monitor. Thank you Army of Dad.

We were blessed this Christmas and we hope you were,too. The Bad News Hughes family Christmas makes mine look downright Norman Rockwell-ish! Go have a god laugh at how the other folks live.

Stuff Portrait Friday

The mission for Friday (New Years Eve) is this:
1. Your New Years Resolution.
2. Your Favorite Picture from 2005
3. Something you'll be glad to leave behind in '05

Hmmm, this is a hard one even though Kristine thought it was easy.

My new year's resolution: keep my sense of humor and don't censor the middle finger when it is being shot because someone's legs have been removed.

2. My favorite picture: that is really really hard. I had to chose the one by Army of Dad's best buddy.

3. Something I'll be happy to leave behind in 2005: surgeries and grossness like the drain and grenade.

Go over to see all the folks who played, too at Random and Odd.

Shiny hunk of the week

In keeping with my Serenity kick I'm on since getting my shiny new DVD for Christmas (Thank you AoD), I'm honoring Sean Maher this week as my hunk of the week. I tend to prefer the more manly testosterone-laden characters of Mal and Jayne, but Simon is pretty hot, too.

He is a tasty little treat, isn't he? Can't remember where I stole the pic from, but it is a good one.

Scary stuff

In a time, long long ago (around the 80s) there was a band that I dearly loved: Devo. Now, there is a band that REALLY sounds like them. One reason is that it is the frontman for Devo who leads up this offensively named band, Jihad Jerry and the Evildoers. I hate to admit that I like the music, but I do. I think it is pretty clear where his politics lie, but I try (not always successfully) to separate my love for music and drama from a person's politics.

Anyway. You can listen to a few tracks on his site. I really like them, especially Army Girls Gone Wild, even if it is a bit offensive, too. My lib friends will really dig it.

Fashion challenged

I used to be quite the fashion plate in junior high and and high school and was known as a clothes horse. I had more shoes that Imelda Marcos and almost more clothes than Princess Di. I loved dressing up and dressing cool and being hip and neato. (how is that for an 80s word?)

But, now I'm into soccer mom attire of my Adidas sneakers, jeans and sweatshirts most of the time. I pull my hair up in a scrunchie and I'm done.

So, that is why it is so bizarre that I'm hooked on Bravo's Project Runway. I love everything about it except the catty way everyone seems to act. They are showing their claws and being nasty behind their competitors' backs. But, it is a competition. *shrug* I have to say that two of the guys are my favorites on the show for their work ethic and designs. They seem to really get it. They have the fashion thing down. Of coures, there is also the guy who makes me want to pull my ear drums out through my nose so I don't have to listen to him either.

Wanna see what you've missed? Go here for the schedule.

Shiny

Been listening in the mom-mobile to Joss Whedon's commentary on Serenity in the DVD player while I drive. Can't see anything, but I can listen. It is so cool.

So, in true queen of the geeks fashion, I joined The Browncoats.

You better gorram believe it!

WTF?

I don't know what is wrong with me. I'm in such a good mood that I'm downright giddy and silly and I have no idea what that is all about.

Maybe it is the fact that Pickle is with Uzz this week in Whacko visting his granny and Hot Rod is at daycamp running himself goofy with this friends and Stinkerbelle is happily at preschool with her best friend, M. Maybe it is because I'm getting work done and meeting deadlines - swear to the good Lord that I'm actually making them!!! Maybe it was the afternoon delight I got yesterday (thank you AoD) or maybe it is the fact that I have enough money to pay the bills till at least February!!!

I'm not sure what it is. I could be that Cashin's dodge ball team won first place in their tournament. It could be the groovy new flat screen, flat panel monitor that AoD gave me for Christmas and it freaking rocks and I no longer get headaches from looking at the computer!

I think it is because I'm starting to feel better from this sinus crud I've been fighting AND AoD and I are going out for New Year's Eve. I'm going out with my girlfriends tonight to Karaoke in hopes of crossing one thing off my seven things to do before I die list. Not sure. Maybe it is the fact that my boss (me) is giving me Friday off to spend with AoD adn the kids.

Regardless, I'm in a freaking happy-ass mood. Ok, end of transmission, remember that you Can't Stop the Signal and have a happy new year!!!

More lists for mom

But these are good ones.

Parenting magazine has a list of printouts from a babysitter's checklist to first-aid instructions and fire safety tips.

These are great. I pull these out of the magazine and post them in our pantry for reference. I have one on how to save someone from choking (on food, not by ME choking them, lol) posted in there now. I have one on dosing pain relivers in the medicine cabinet.

Hope these can come in handy for you.

This stinks

Literally. What stinks is that people are raising a stink about it. What is IT, you ask? The Dallas Public Library code of conduct that is being adopted is being criticized by homeless advocates because if they reek of BO, they can be asked to leave.

Good job. Well done. Thank you very much. I applaud the library for doing so. I have been in the Fort Worth Public Library and smelled "patrons" a good eight feet away from me because they smell THAT bad and the odor isn't sniffed from sitting right next to them. It permeates the air and reeks to high heaven. I have no problem with making folks bathe.

What gets funnier for me - if you read the story (which may require a free registration) - is that there is a Dallas Homeless Neighborhood Association. I am not making that up. Swear to God, it is in the story. If you can get organized in an association, I guarantee you can get off your ass and get a job. There are so many non-profits and religious organizations that will help give you a start if you need it. There are places to take a shower and I bet they'll let you wash your clothes, too. The Texas Workforce Commission does almost everything for you to help you find a job. The VA, public transportation (which is still sucky locally, but it can help), you name it, there is somoene trying to help you do better than living out of a box in downtown and stinking up the library.

The Dallas Morning News quotes a homeless guy - and I have to digress on this point - but did the reporter follow his nose to the smelliest, dirtiest guy to get a quote? - and the guy tells him that he spends all day surfing the Internet and reading. Well, hell, if he has computer skills and is literate, pull out the classifieds asshole and find a job. You can spend the day inputting information in a computer for some data entry company or pulling boxes for a warehouse. You have a seedy background or you're an ex-con? Well, I bet TDCJ has a program, too, to help you find a job and there are companies that will hire you.

And before you tell me what a shitty person I am for being so insensitive to the homeless, let me first say: bite me. Then, let me tell you that I do my part to try to help the homeless. I give blankets, toiletries and medical supplies to the Salvation Army. I give my kids' snacks and juiceboxes, bottles of water, new toothbrushes, bars of soap and new socks to the homeless folks I see on the street corners. I said many prayers when it was 8 degrees for the people who had no place to go. I am not unsympathetic with their plight. I am unsympathetic to the 'woe is me' attitude.

Oh, and by the way, they changed the policy to prohibit sex in the library, too. Dammit. I guess I'll have to get a room next time.

It is really bad

When I get an email from a blog reader telling me about a great Lord of the Rings gift and story, I know it is really really bad. Talking about what a LOTR dork I am.

Mrs. DOF sent me a link to a Christmas post about a Legolas cardboard guy that a pre-teen was given as a gift. The post made me laugh and the fact that she thought of me made me a little embarrassed.

Of course, Army of Dad took me to the mall the day after Christmas to buy me the LOTR-a-day calendar for half-price. I was going to get Hot Rod a penguins one, but he found a Vikings calendar instead. Today, I returned a CD I didn't want and got the big wall-size LOTR calendar. It even has a month devoted to Eomer and one with Pippin and Merry on it. *fanning self* I can put it up next to the Orlando Bloom calendar LabKat gave me for Christmas. :)

Need a post-Christmas laugh?

Oh gees, this is addictive and VERY funny. My nephew is among the 47 different "Scared of Santa" pictures. But, I skimmed through a few and laughed hysterically.

My favorites include:
doped up Santa
blood curdling scream
must get away
Has the little Romulan girl been good this year?
Crying Santa

I could go on and on, because it is too funny. Go have a laugh on me and thank Blessed-with-three for it.

Why do we do this to our kids?

Close Range

LabKat and I saw Brokeback Mountain about a week ago and it was outstanding. Wonderful scenery, music to die for and the acting was great. The story, itself, was the most wonderful part. It was rough and tender and very very sad in the end. But, as LabKat so poetically described it: It is a movie about gay cowboys set in the 60s; you didn't really think it would have a happy ending, did you?

So, we both were dying to get the book it was from: Close Range. I treated myself to a copy on Amazon.com tonight after going to two different chain bookstores and not finding it on the shelf. I will definitely let people know how it is.

The Seven Meme

I've been tagged by Labkat. I did a similar meme back in November, but it has a different twist this time.

Seven Things To Do Before I Die
1. Visit New Zealand
2. Sing "I Will Survive" at a karaoke night - DONE
3. eat at The Mansion
4. Go to Las Vegas to Star Trek: The Experience
5. Finally write all the books in my head
6. Organize my photo albums and baby books
7. Paint the walls of my house and put up my front room curtains

Seven Things I Cannot Do
1. Eat lettuce or vegetables
2. Watch a gory horror movie
3. Sit by while my children cry
4. Keep a clean house while working from home
5. Fake that I like a gift when I hate it
6. Listen to Katie Couric, Bill Mahrer, Al Franken, most libtards
7. Give up hope in the Cowboys

Seven Things That Attract Me to Blogging
1. Where else can I get this much attention and show off my kids' pictures?
2. Instant response to my writing
3. Gives my brain a respite from writing about construction, commercial real estate and retail garden centers
4. Has led to meeting many nice people
5. Feeling connected to others who share my opinions, life experiences, etc.
6. Helps me stay in touch with family and friends without mass emails
7. Unloading my burdens and feeling a bit more at ease - sort of like a mass confession

Seven Things I Say Most Often
1. Not that I'm bitter or anything
2. Move it, asshole! (in traffic)
3. You're fired
4. I hate people. Have I said that before?
5. This is the last warning. I mean it this time.
6. Shit *mostly said while stamping my foot and balling up my fists*
7. What is your damage?

Seven Books I Love
1. The LOTR books
2. Harry Potter books
3. Guess How Much I Love You? - abook I used to read to Hot Rod
4. If you give a mouse a cookie - a book I read to Little Bit
5. Dancing Barefoot by Wil Wheaton (a recent read)
6. On Writing by Stephen King
7. I love you forever - a book I used to read to Pickle

Seven Movies That I Watch Over and Over Again
1. A Christmas Story
2. Cinderella (since Little Bit opened it this morning. We've watched it at least 10 times today!)
3. LOTR - all three, but lately The Two Towers
4. Does porn count? Not that I ever watch any
5. The Harry Potter movies
6. Madagascar (again, the kids are on a kick)
7. Fifth Element

Seven People I Want To Join In, Too
1. Uzz
2. ArmyWife ToddlerMom
3. Random and Odd
4. Pajama Pundits
5. Mo K
6. Gadfly
7. Army of Dad

Merry Christmas, ya'll!

This is our version of cookies and milk for Santa.

I made the gingersnaps for the first time and Army of Dad proclaimed them a new holiday tradition. He didn't really drink the beer, he had a Monster drink instead.

Properly fortified, Santa and the Mrs. went to work. Ahh, the haul for each kid looks great. Wonder how long that will last?


You can check Santa's progress at Norad Santa. Merry Christmas Ya'll!

Santa Claus is coming to town

Christmas Eve is a nice, laid back time for us. We never do much but hang out around the house, watch Christmas shows and eat sandwiches. Today, the weather was in the low 60s, so we spent some of the time outside.

Stinkerbelle got to swing with PaPa. Then, she got to play on the trampoline with dad.

Dad and Hot Rod played catch with the Vikings football. *the Cowboys won today, Hooray!*

Santa Claus aka Uzz came to visit and hand out dart guns. Not REAL dart guns. Its all fun and games till someone loses an eye.

Now, the elves get to work before they, er, we can go to bed and crash.

Merry Christmas.

All settled down for a long winter's nap

Stinkerbelle collapsed on the couch for her nap this afternoon with her chapstick in her hand and it just made me think of Twas the Night Before Christmas Eve.

Visions of chapstick danced in her head.

Ho Ho Harry Connick Jr.

Well ladies, I was torn as to who my hunk of the week would be and decided on Harry Connick Jr. since I've been listening to his Christmas CD all week.

He isn't just good looking to me. There is something about him that makes him hot.

Ok, the muscles help make him hot.

And a two for one special with Will Smith. I love Independence Day.

Enjoy ladies.

SPF: Ho, ho, ho

It is that time again: Stuff Portrait Friday Christmas style at Random and Odd.

The assignment for December 23:
Your favorite wrapped present
Something new you added to your decorations this year
Your Christmas cards

My favorite wrapped present reflects my affinity for all things penguin. This one is for me from my mother-in-law.

My other favorite wrapped package *wink* and I don't mean the tree.

I tend to add a few new thing each year to my deocrations. This one is a new stocking for Hot Rod. He was jealous that daddy had a Vikings stocking and he didn't. So, I found this homemade one on ebay.

And our Christmas cards. I put them on the pantry doors this year to dress up the kitchen some.

And a bonus SPF, our giant 12-foot tree. I didn't decorate the stairs this year because I just didn't want to. *shrug* The kids have knocked decorations off the tree playing football and tennis in the front room. Also, some of the darker colored ornaments seem to wash out in the pic. It really isn't that bare on there. Check out the little mouse at the bottom right.

Now for a closer look at the mouse.

I can't remember what year we got the mouse, but it is something my mom and dad used on their tree probably starting around the time I was in high school. So, it is an old mouse. The tree skirt, which is hard to see here, was handmade (no sewing machine) by me for Christmas 1991.

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I have my Harry Connick Jr. Christmas CD in the minivan right now. Too. Maybe if I'm a good girl, Santa will put Harry in my stocking. I'll start my letter now.

Would you like a popcorn with that?

When I was in high school, two movie theaters were built just a few miles from where I went to school. I was working at the AMC Green Oaks 8 before I turend 16. The managers let me work for six weeks before my birthday and just paid me after I turned 16. I was there for the grand opening. It was so cool and such a neat place to work in high schol. I saw practically every movie that came out between 1984 and 1987.

We were in competition with the Loew's *boo hiss* that was down the road. Of course, the AMC was better, but that isn't the point.

The two companies are merging now. This is just wrong. I feel violated.

Another shocker for you guys

Army of Dad and I have been likened to Ozzie and Harriet on more than a few occasions. We are very straight laced and upstanding people, so I'm sure this will shock the hell out of most of you. You should know, if you read the blog more than occasionally, that I'm a big proponent of privacy and the goverment staying out of my business.

With that said, I have thought that many morality laws overstep the boundaries of where government should be a person's business. The old sodomy laws being one of them. If two dudes want to get it on in the privacy of their home, who gives a rat's ass. If I want to have 4,294 sex toys, who is the government to tell me I can't? *just fyi, in Texas, it is illegal to own more than four sex toys*

So, in IMHO, Canada has done something right. Canda has lifted its ban on group sex among consenting adults ruling that it is neither prostitution nor a threat to society. So, now swingers clubs are legal. Ewww, you may say. Absolutely your right to be offended or grossed out or to pray for these sinners' souls, should you want to. However, it is no one's right to tell them they can't do it if they want to, IMHO.

In the Christmas spirit

Talk about a great gift to our soliders. A Dallas Man Gave $5,000 to Servicemen with a $20-bill at a time.

FromThe Associated Press

KILLEEN, Texas -- A real-estate developer carrying a sign that read "grateful citizen" passed out $5,000 in $20 bills Wednesday to members of the military and their families.

"I just want to say thank you for your service," Jim Johnson, of Dallas, told the recipients as he shook their hands in a Wal-Mart store in Killeen. "We're safe and secure because of you."

Johnson said in a story in Thursday's Killeen Daily Herald (which I used to write for when I met Army of Dad) that he and his son Matt drove from Dallas with the hope of meeting as many soldiers as possible. He said Killeen, which is home to Fort Hood (where AoD was stationed when we met), seemed like an obvious choice for finding soldiers and their families.

Killeen is about 130 miles southwest of Dallas.

Johnson held a sign that read, "Grateful citizen. You make my life possible." (Amen to that for all of us!)

Store owners gave him permission to come inside to hand out the money after he had to vacate his post on a corner near the shopping center. He handed out the money in about three hours.

At one point, he shook the hand of a timid military wife, reached into his pocket and found he was out of money, the newspaper reported. His son gave his father the last $20 bill.

Johnson said he was just trying to show some gratitude.

"We all have ways to give back to these families that don't complain and serve," Johnson said. "It's a tough life, and I'm so grateful for what they do."

He promised to come back next year and bring some friends along.

What a great story. I spent many a day in that Wal-Mart. I remember putting Tickle Me Elmo in layaway there for Pickle's second, a few month before I met Army of Dad. Many soldiers and their families have to subsist off of goverment aid because they are paid so little to serve 24/7, 365 days a year, so this was a great treat for them at Christmas. Thank you, Jim Johnson.

I hate people

There is a version of A Christmas Carol that is one of my favorites. It is a musical called Scrooge and stars Albert Finney back before he had the Sir in front of his name. It has a song in there sung by Scrooge cleverly entitled "I hate people" and it is one of my favorite songs. When, I get really mad and frustrated with people, I will sing it in my mind and it usually calms me down a bit because I love the movie.

Not Wednesday. I was singing it alright, but I felt like I was meaning it. Stole all my Christmas sweetness right away from me. I'm just so fed up with self-important people. Working as a contractor, I have no job security, so I have to be very PC and not rock the boat too much so I don't kill my chances of getting repeat work with people.

Twice in less than a week, self-important people who felt like I didn't respect them enough have called two different editors I'm working for and complained about me. It would be laughable if it wasn't hitting my pocketbook because I'm never really sure if the editor is going to pay me my full amount for my work. In both cases, these are people who - IMHO - would be much farther in their careers if they were as good and important as they think they are. As it is, they aren't. One is junior junior exec at her firm and the other is a big fish on a little pond that he apparently wants to think is an ocean. Regardless, the kicker for the big fish was this: he actually complained that I didn't give his article enough of my attention because I was "spending too much time with my children." I swear to God, that was his complaint. It all came because two different times he wanted to have a phone conference, I had plans with my children. He got his story done the way he asked for it and by deadline. Of course, he told the editor that I didn't do anything with the information he gave me but cut and paste. Ok, I'd like to see that jackass cut and paste as well as I did, but that is neither here nor there. I didn't write sales copy for the guy, but gave his program a very informative, newsy feel to his article because I feel that is more enticing to a reader than feeling like they're being sold something. So many of these people want that sales pitch in their articles and I think it is awful. I won't read articles that are selling me something. Whatever, just don't say I didn't meet my obligations when I did it exactly as you asked.

But, if someone is going to complain about me, go right ahead and bitch that I spent too much time with my kids. I'm ok with that.

Shake it up!

Not the Cars song, but shake the snowglobe.

Good morning, where's the coffee?

Got to bed at 1 a.m. last night, which sucked, but I didn't get home till 11 p.m. and I had a story to write. I was so tired that I was nodding off at the computer, so I figured i was better off going to bed and getting up early this morning to tackle the project. So, back up at 5 a.m. and had my story done by 6:45 a.m. just in time for a 7 a.m. phonte interview to talk about trees for another magazine.

*yawn*

Worked yesterday morning, then took the kids to the museum for a few hours before we headed to my friend's house. I did a phone interview for a story at her computer while the kids played and then she and I went out with another friend for drinks and dinner. It was a great day. Just that damn work kept getting in the way.

Here we are at the museum. I just remembered I was supposed to take Pickle for labwork and forgot. Guess we'll do that tomorrow. Today the boys go to daycamp and the girl goes to preschool, so mom can get some writing and phone calls done.

And, then the dinner with the girls.

I should have skipped all the fun to get my work done, but where's the challenge, or fun for that matter, with that?

I swear it wasn't me

Although my children have asked many times if we can get a penguin, I swear that it wasn't me who took Toga the jackass penguin. Granted, a jackass penguin would be perfect in my family, I really didn't do it.

Have you ever been in the penguin house at SeaWorld? Shooowee .. while I love these guys, they are smelly little critters and I don't suspect I'd like having one more smelly being in my house. My kids' feet are bad enough.

And, KR, I'm hurt that you'd think of me. :) Of course, my friends at dinner tonight also accused me of the same crime.

APB: If you see this kidnapping victim, please call the local authorities:

When Johnny Comes Marching Home

We were fortunate enough to attend the "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" parade on Saturday to welcome home our National Guard Company A 2nd/112th Armored troops after their almost-yearlong deployment to Iraq. The event was hosted by the Vitetnam Veterans of America, Chapter 920. God bless 'em for doing it, too. They said this was the first parade we've had locally to welcome home troops since WWII and that is unfortunate.

It was freezing and drizzly on the courthouse square, but spirits were high and the locals were glad to see the boys come home. Seldom have I seen so many people have tears well up in their eyes as stories were told and the national anthem sang. I was filled with pride at my sons knowing the pledge of allegience. Our schools are still doing something right in that respect.

The local paper printed welcome home banners and distributed them at the parade.

And around the corner, too, we showed our support.

I love the look on Pickle's face in this shot.

The courthouse was beautiful and flags were everywhere. I'm not sure how many people were there. Definitely hundreds of people were out in support. This is the coutrhouse before the parade. After it started, people were on their feet waving and cheering.

The parade included veterans of all eras including some really old guys from WWII proudly marching or being pushed in their wheelchairs.

These firefighters likely had cold knees and serious shrinkage.

The fire department had a huge sign on a ladder truck.

Here are a few of our national guard troops. Lots of similing faces as they heard the cheers of the crowd. This was as they first entered the square.

This gentleman is Donald A. Boots, CPL USMC, 4th Marine Division, WWII Iwo Jima veteran. He read the 91st Psalm. Beside him is his son, Dennis Boots, co chairman of the event and a Vietnam veteran.

During the program, a Huey flew over the courthouse. Funny how I miss those days of ordnance exploding and military aircraft in the air from living at Fort Hood.

Capt. Mark Grahmann, commander of Company A, 2nd Battalion 112th Armor told the crowds not only of the missions they performed, but also of the community they built while in Iraq. They distributed shoes collected from home. They gave children backpacks full of school supplies.

The program ended with a 21 gun salute and Taps.

Welcome home. I know there are a lot of happy mamas, wives and children in our hometown tonight.