Time with your Family

Christmas is coming soon and so is more time spent with your family. I know, I know. Your hear that phrase and some guys and gals have to find an excuse. I have to..., I am needed for..., I made plans with... If you have ever listened to anyone's advice, this is one of those. Spent more time with your family. Not just at Christmas but all the time. If you don't, you will miss out. I enjoyed some extra time with my family lately. Some Christmas shopping and movie time with my honey, some basketball time with my oldest and middle child, and some cartoon time with my youngest. I have to admit, I don't do that as much as I should. Everyone has things they have to do and responsibilities. I am not saying to drop everything, but I m saying to make some time for the people most important to you. I went with my family to the Koziars Christmas village recently. It was a 2 hour drive and we got lost but we had fun. We saw displays I had never seen before. Christmas was captured in hand made displays and in the spirit of many who where there. We even got to share some hot chocolate, yummy cookies and warm oh so soft pretzels. I will remember most of all the smiles on my family's faces from the first photo till the last wave goodbye of the village. Those are the moments that are priceless and can never be repeated the same way again.

I wrote this post almost a month ago. I tried to follow my own advice and spent more time with the family and friends and this post had to wait. I don't feel bad that it was not posted before Christmas passed, but I do feel happy that in this New Year I remember all the good things of last year, and there is plenty of that.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

Walking around on Halloween

Halloween came and went so fast. Getting ready for that night meant alot to my girls. After much costume searching, we were ready. That night the kids were uniquely dressed. We walked around dressed as a Sassy pirate, the Queen of Hearts, and Harley Quinn - the Jokers crazy side kick. My honey did not dress up this year since her back is still bothering her, although she still looked cute. I finished my costume and walked around as the Rocketeer. Yes, the Rocketeer from the Disney movie of the same name. I spent two months on this costume and boy did I learn a lot.

It all started as an idea. I was talking to my honey and she gave me the idea to make it. She thinks I can make just about anything so I figured, why not go for it. I used my iPad and started to draw and draw. A few days later I had my sketch and a few more days later I had my build drawing. Before starting I got the OK from the creative department, my girls. They loved the idea and if it was up to them, I was supposed to make it fly. I loved their enthusiasm and it got me pumped..

I was able to make the rocket and head piece with PVC piping, paper mâché, gorilla glue, construction adhesive, Plexiglas, glowing fans, batteries, paint and also a helmet. I started out making the rockets. It took some time so that I could get that coned out look on them. I then shaped it out to be a backpack with some more piping and Plexiglas. With the shape in place I formed out the center and other spots to put in some glowing fans. Fans in place and the jet pack solid, I could now put in the wiring and shape capacitors on the outside. It was coming together nicely and it felt good. Throughout this whole time, I looked for a used helmet but that was easier said than done. I wound up getting a new one that I could modify, the costume would not be complete without a good helmet. Next was the painting and my honey suggested Krylon spray paint. That paint is great for crafts and plastic. Needless to say i finished on Halloween day and could not wait to go out with the kids and help them score some candy. We got so into the Halloween spirit that I forgot to put on my costume tan pants and went in jeans. I have to say, three full bags and a backpack of candy later, we were happy. I got such a kick out of stopping and showing my costume off and putting on that blue Rocketeer glow out of the center fan. I even got some candy for myself, it wasn't much but it felt good. Check out the pics and let me know your thoughts.

They backpack has 3 glowing fans and are activated by a control switch in the right palm.

The helmet is a full face helmet with the addition of a custom made fin.

I want a Tank

Why should that be a problem. I want a tank. Not a full size tank but the Desktop size Tankbot sold by Desk Pets International. They are small, hold a rechargible battery that will be charged by USB and you can control it via your Iphone or Andriod phone. I have seen these before at an expo and it was hard to buy them then but soon they will be available at Radio Shack and Toys R Us.  Check out the video below to see it in action. I myself want the Yellow one, or the Red one.

Halloween and Custom Costumes

I want to be this and I want to be that is what you usually hear for Halloween. My 3 girls are each different and sometimes you get a princess, a frog, a dinosaur, a princess again, a super hero or just about anything else. My honey and I usually get dressed up with them. She has more creativity in her little finger than I have in my two hands. It is fun and exciting to see the kids just as excited for you on Halloween. We usually buy costumes right off the shelf, except for a time or two, but this year it is different for me. I am making my own costume and it is time consuming to say the least. I am learning that not all glue is the same, plastic doesn't always bend and there are more things to use for sculpting than plaster. I also found that there are some pieces that you just cannot go and buy used easily. It should not be that hard to buy an unwanted and used motorcycle helmet.. Really.. I don't want to give away what my costume will be just yet but I can say, if it were real, I would be on my way to the stars. Hint Hint..

The big G has been busy

Google was someone's dream. In time that dream has become a grand reality. Woorkup.com has visualized the 102 companies that were acquired over time by Google and it is an amazing list. Check it out here.