Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving was a bit different this year. With the kids gone (Brie & Nick with their dad, Jake & Dylon with their mom), didn't have a reason to cook a big meal, so we went out to Cracker Barrel for lunch. Shelby and her folks ordered the Thanksgiving special, I ordered Ham and green beans, just to be obstinate. Besides, feeling a bit odd without the large gathering, the weather also aided in my discombobulation. Gone were the rain, the cold, and the grey skies. Instead, 75 degrees, flip-flops, and palm trees. I think I might be able to get used to this!



From there we went to our friends Greg and Mac's place for Thanksgiving dinner(because there is no such thing as too much food on the fourth Thursday in November!). The Seahawks were playing the Cowboys, the company was great, and the view off the balcony was, well......



We ate, drank, and had a great dinner.....Things went downhill from there.

The Seahawks got their Heine's handed to them, I wasn't taught the card game "Spades", as promised, and someone had the great idea that we should all go out to the pool hall and take tequila shots......

From there, it was just a blur, and I not only want to thank Greg and Mac for their hospitality, but I want to tell Greg that I am truly sorry for the pepper spray incident. I REALLY didn't think that the thing was loaded......

Apple Cup 2008

This post is a little late, but, it is NEVER too late to talk trash about the Apple Cup. So, if any Husky happens across this blog......remember this play?



Another Saturday, another embarrassing loss....It sucks to be you!

GO COUGS!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Florida turkey look a little different.....But, it still tastes like chicken.

On this Thanksgiving, these are things that I am deeply thankful for.....

My Family

My Father: He has always talked to me from his heart. He has rarely said anything that I wanted to hear, but was always honest and had my best intentions in mind. Although we are different in alot of ways, we share alot of the same traits as well. The things that he instilled in me most were a strong work ethic and a courage to take chances in life when others said or thought it made no sense. The thing that I am most grateful for is, no matter what, he has always been my Dad.

My Mother: They say that a mother's love is unconditional. That has never been more true than with my mom, not just with me, but with all of her children. She has taught me patience, kindness, and the importance of vows taken in a marriage. She has instilled in me the importance of a hug, a smile, and to appreciate the creepy importance of Boots Randolph.

My Sisters: Although we do not stay in touch as much as we probably should, as we are all busy in life , trying to muddle our ways through it. One thing that we are never too busy for is a heartfelt smile and embrce. My fondest holiday memories all include times shared with them.

My In-laws: For sharing with me their daughter. For always being kind and helpful. They are always positive and encouraging despite how bleak things have looked. They have made me feel like part of their family, even when they wished that I wasn't. (Diane, when I wash towels in the same load with clothes and Bill, when he takes me golfing with his friends.)

Nicolas: For being a great kid, always having a smile on his face, and reminding me that the Dolphins beat the Seahawks this year.

Brianna: For always being nice and respectful, even when I've told her that her homework is more important than the "Hannah Montana" show(only old people think that). For giving me a glimpse into what my wife was like at 9 years old.

My friends: To the ones in at home (Seattle) who have been supportive and non-judgemental. And, to the new ones in Florida, who have accepted me into their circle and never made me feel like an outsider.

My son Jacob: He is quickly growing from a boy to a young man. For showing passion for what he believes in, while chasing an impossible dream.(All the while chasing othe rthings at the same time). While he needs to get his business straight in school, he has turned out to be a kind, respectful young man.

My son Dylon: He has taken it upon himself to be responsible and set goals for himself at a young age. For having the biggest heart capable of being encased in a 10 year olds body.

My wife Shelby: She has always loved my children as her own. Always gone the extra mile to try to give them the best chance of success. She has made me see that the status quo isn't acceptable for everyone, that it is okay to to take chances in life. I am thankful for her smile, her eyes, and her love. She is my best friend. The fact that she is absolutely beautiful is just a bonus. I am blessed to have her by my side.

I have so many reasons to be thankful for today. So many people have touched me throughout my life. To everyone mentioned, and to those not today in this blog, I love you.

They say that ones life is not measured by how many YOU love, but by how many love you. I have some work to do, but let this be a start. Happy Thankgiving to you all.

Space Shuttle Launch

It was my first live viewing of a Shuttle launch and I woke up like a kid on the first day of school. Excitement mixed with cynacism that the event may not live up to the hype.

The day started out as usual, take Brianna to school at 7:30, go back to bed until noon, look for jobs for 15 minutes. But today was special, so I had to take my wife to get her eyebrows done and buy a new pair of flip-flops for the event. From there our day went like this:

2:19 pm
Pick up Brianna from school, race home to see the last half hour of the Jerry Springer Show.

3:00
Take the dog for a short walk, rush back in to watch "Shocking Paternity Updates" on the Maury Povich Show.

4:45
Put in laundry so I would have something clean to wear for the launch viewing party at 7:30. Listen to my wife that it won't be done in time, and we were going to miss the launch.

4:46
Get a 17 minute tutorial on how to do laundry from Mrs. Holden

5:03
Start the washing machine

6:07
Take clothes from washer, put into dryer....Launch countdown officially started. T-1:48

6:37
Shelby, out of the shower, completely dressed, ready to go. My pants still damp in dryer......T-1:18

7:00
Pants dry, smelling good, looking margainal.....but, ready to go. The apartments that our friends live at are a 10 minute drive, tops, on a normal day. We have plenty of time to spare.....T-55 minutes

7:03
Rollin' in the G-6, one quick stop at the local convenience store and we're there, the goosebumps were starting to form and I was feeling the excitement. We stopped at the store, picked up our supplies and were checking out when the magnetic strip on my bank card decided to stop registering. 4 minutes later, with help of a plastic bag over it, it worked........T-40 minutes

7:16
We are rolling in the G-6 again, but this time literally, traffic is at a crawl. The whole time I've been in Titusville, I seen train tracks, but never a train. At 7:18 I heard the whistle. At 7:19, our hosts for the evening called and asked us to stop at the store for them(are you kidding me?) T-35 minutes.

7:35
After stopping at the store, picking up our host's order, Shelby expertly navigated the backroads of Titusville to get us to the guard gate at our friends apartment, which is located on the ninth floor, with an unobstructed view of the launch pad, right across the river(albeit 2 miles away from the pad). We gave the guard our name and he promptly told us that there was no available parking in the complex and we could walk in, but would have to park somewhere else.........There WAS nowhere else! We turned around and found a parking spot three blocks away. We grabbed our supplies(Shelby carried two anniversary gifts for our hosts and Red Bull, I had the laptap and camera in a shoulder case and each hand occupied with a box of cold refreshments) We ran/walked as fast as we could, weaving in and out of traffic, crossing one two-lane highway with reckless abandon, we made it to the apartment building, got inside, only to hear the guy inside say that one elevator is broken and the other is on the 12th floor(It's a 12 floor building) T-4 minutes 30 seconds

7:52
The elevator opens and Shelby and I cant remember if its the 7th or 9th floor, so we push both.......7th was wrong, 9th was right. T-1 minute 30 seconds

7:54
We knock the front door in, drop our things at the entry, I grabbed the camera, and rushed to the balcony. Looking like I just ran the Boston Marathon (from a sweaty standpoint, not physique-wise) I looked at the tv to see that we made it there as the countdown was at 50 seconds.

It was all worth it. It was one of the most incredible things that I have ever seen. The pictures that I am about to show do not do justice to what we witnessed. The fact that there were thousands of people on the ground, lining the streets, cheering as the rockets ignited, brought about a feeling, not only of awe, but pride. It was truely breathtaking........

Nothing new today....

The price of a barrel of sweet crude oil in July....$150........Today? $56....What does that have to do with me?


That's $1.99.9 per gallon!

Tomorrow we are going to our friends place to watch the shuttle launch. We will be on the 7th floor of an apartment building and right across the Indian river. I am extremely excited and extremely sad that I cannot share this with Jacob and Dylon. It seems that every cool thing that I have experienced since I have moved would be things that they would enjoy as well. Guilt and sadness fills me daily. I will have pictures to show saturday, I will attempt to share it with them on webcam tomorrow.

It is funny how small the world has become, but, how large it is when you WANT it to be smaller..........

Happy Anniversary!

One year ago today is the day that this dude:




Exchanged vows with this chick:




And, although I've just recently met you both, I felt compelled to write you a poem.

Soaring Bird

A bird soaring high and high in the sky
As soon as i i look in the sky
it craps in my eye……

Happy Anniversary! We wish you both many more years of happiness and clean carpets !

Veterans Day

I turned 39!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday was my birthday! And, as the REALLY blonde hair growing on my temples suggests, I'm getting old! Just so no one is kept in suspense, I turned 39................again. After multiple attempts, I think that I have perfected the 39th birthday, and I'm ready to move on to the big 4-0 next year!

Just as everyone has heard, you are only as old as you feel, and I feel like I'm not a day over 17, although the hair growing from my nostrils and ears causes the clerks at 7-11 to bypass the carding process, even though the button on their smock says "we card everyone under 87"......

Anyway, the day started out great, with presents at the very moment that my live-in nurse finished giving me my meds and sponge-bath.

My first gift was from the Holdens, it was a beautiful Washington State University golf club cover set, complete with ball marker and divot repairer. They also knew that I needed a new golf cap, so they gave me a genuine football helmet from the era that I attended WSU.....The leather was in in pristine condition!


Brianna wanted to pick out a present on her own, just for me this year, and did a very good job. She chose on necessity not indulgence.


Shelby bought me many things, perhaps the most poignant was a timepiece to wear on my wrist, so I could actually watch my life tick, tick, ticking away.........

After they all stifled their laughter as I futilely tried to extinguish the flame on my birthday cake, they wheeled me to Disney, to the Disney Classic golf tournament. They don't let you bring cameras inside but here is my badge!



It was a great day! In fact, it went so well, that I've decided to turn 39 again next year! I am getting really good at it!

Shelby Dawn Sygitowicz

From the first day that I saw your picture, I knew that you were out of my league. But, I knew that if I didn't try, it would haunt me for the rest of my life.

Well, I underestimated how you would mistake "cheesy" for "charming". And it is going to haunt me for the rest of my life!

Every morning, I wake up to the woman of my dreams. I love the way you laugh, the way you pout, the way you stomp, like a 4 year old, when you don't get your way, which always ends up in you getting your way.

I love the way that you have loved my boys from day 1. I love the way that my family has loved you. I love the way that you come from a great family, and, like my family, they love me like I am one of their own(although I'd be the black sheep).

I love the way we go shopping, when I need some some socks, you always manage to find a dress that looks incredible on you. When I need dental floss, you find a dress that looks incredible on you. And, when I need surgery, the smock always looks incredible on you.

Thank you, Shelby, not only for the heartfelt post you wrote for me. Thank you for being you!

Thank you for driving me completely to my wits end, then smiling, making it impossible to be mad.

Thank you, for being my voice of reason.

Thank you, for coming into my world of chaotic uncertainty, and improving it to just chaotic.

Thank you, Mrs. Sygitowicz for being Mrs. Sygitowicz. I will forever be indebted to you for far too many reasons to be listed in this silly blog, but, we both know what they are.

Thank you, for being you, Shelby.

I Love you.

John Patrick Sygitowicz

For my husband with love on your birthday....
(Well, a day late...)

To try and put into words what a great husband you are is difficult because there are just so many....You are my rock, you are the foundation of our family, a role model to all of us and my favorite person on earth. I love being your wife, your partner and best friend. You are my everything and I can't imagine life without Johnny.

The last few months have been a whirlwind of changes for us, sometimes our relationship takes work to keep things on track BUT no matter what we go through or whatever effort it takes IT IS ALWAYS WORTH IT....because our relationship is more important to me than anything. You are a wonderful man, just a genuinely great guy. You have given me smile wrinkles that I am forever grateful for...

Thank you for all the amazing memories we are making together. I love every ounce of your being! I look forward to sharing many many more birthdays with you.

Always and forever~
Shelby

SumBeetch............

Not quite sure where we lost our edge, but edge has been lost. After hours and hours online, Monster this, Career Builder that.It was time to blow off some steam. Nick was still here and had been wanting to fly the kite that his Dad bought him, so we decided to go to the beach. We went to Brie's school, took her out for her Dr's appointment and headed to Playa Linda. We hit the bridge across the Indian River, only to find out that the bridge was closed.........No problem, we turned around and headed for Cocoa Beach!


We flew the kite!


The kids played in the water!


We fed the Birds...........


And then, I saw one of the most beautiful things on this Earth........


Leave it to Shelby to outshine the Florida sun on a perfect November day........
I often wonder what I've done to deserve this gift.

The weekend was a fun one. Nicholas is staying until Tuesday, he works part-time on wednesdays at his aunt Barbara's bakery to make these great cupcakes, no I'm not sharing........


My parents bought webcams for us all, and I was able to see them and my sons for the first time in a month.........

If you ever thought that you missed someone, and just wanted to see them, think again, seeing them without being able to touch is excruciating.........I love you all, and I can't wait to feel you.............By the way, the Seahawks suck!

Halloween..............BOOO!!!!!

Nicholas came up for All Hallows night and we headed off to Candy land.........

We went to a neighborhood that must have been a popular spot in Titusville in years past, because the whole town of Mims was there, and every mullet-sportin', confederate flag wavin' person with a lawn tractor was driving down the street with Toby Keith blaring from their Kraco speakers. Forgive me for being self indulgent for a sec, but isn't Halloween a kid's holiday? I understand adults dressing up, but usually that's on the weekend before or after, at the swingers party.......Right?

Anyway, the neighborhood we were in, 80% of the houses had their lights off and the other 20% were out of candy, so we looked in other places. We went to small neighborhoods where nobody else was at. There, the kids were encouraged to take a "handful" from the bowl....They felt so guilty that they ran back to the car, as if the givers would soon change their minds. It was cute and, at the same time, naughty......They may have some 'splaining to do when St. Nick is making out his list....

Ants in my Pants...........

Since I've arrived at Pinetop Blvd., I have been warned about snakes, spiders, and sunstroke. Before you put on your shoes, you need to shake them out. Before you go outside, you need to watch your step. There are King snakes and Coral snakes here in Florida, apparently they look very similar. In fact, they have a saying, If red touches black, smoke more crack, if red touches yellow, you're F%$!@&'d. It may go something a little different, but I prefer to avoid being bitten by either so, In my panic-stricken state, I don't have to think of some nursery rhyme to save my life.

What I wasn't warned about was the little bastard ants that bite the bacheezus out of you when you decide to clean up the garden beds........


After uploading that picture, I'm not sure which is more disturbing. The sores from the ant bites, or the mass of hair growing from my limbs.......

Either way, add another creature to the list of "Florida hazards that don't include 9mm handguns"

Brianna's Halloween Dance

We went to Brianna's school dance on Thursday night and it was............fun. :)
Brie dressed up like a beautiful Lil ghoul, and we were off........


We had a great time, and even met the kid that Brianna has a crush on. Although Shelby thinks that I am being over protective and I should relax, I have a problem with any 4th grader who wears jewelery and "do-rags". Plus, I thought he was a little skinny.........