The Pain in my feet!

When I woke up this morning I knew how painful today was going to be on my body. Today we had our practice for the Division Change of Command at Ft. Campbell one incoming General and another one going out. The day began at 4:30 am when I woke up, I got to formation at 6:00 am and we began marching at 6:30 to the division parade field the march is about 2 miles give or take. The marching wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't so stinking short! Ha Ha Usually the tall people march up front and the short people (Me!!) march in the back so needless to say marching is painful because the tall ones have bigger strides and it takes two of mine to keep up. After 30 minutes of this kind of marching we get there and for the next 3 hours we stand at either the position of attention or parade rest. I wonder why officers feel the need to practice a full rehearsal when we do it all just fine the first time!! I guess that's the army way prepare for the worst and hope for the best and then just tortured all the soldiers in your division. As expected the rehearsal went off without a hitch and by 11:30 am we were done and everyones feet we're full of blisters, well at least mine are and the best part of this whole thing is that I have the privilege of doing it all over again tomorrow Yay!! I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve my country I know it's a privilege not many can have or just simply don't want but sometimes being Hooah in the army is a little too much for me, I guess it's just part of the job to celebrate our military heritage even though sometimes it feels like a punishment!

What's that buzzing sound?

For the last 3 or maybe 4 days there has been a buzzing in our house. You might ask yourself, did the Garcias get pet bees? Close but no not really. LOL I have been watching 90 minutes of pure delight to me over and over again. I'm sure Renee thinks I'm weird for liking this particular sport but it's just something that just brings me joy. I'm sure some of you have already figured out what I'm talking about and some of you are saying enough with your ranting Frank!! What is it?! It's SOCCER!!! During the summer there's a ton of tournaments all over the world from Mexico to England and from South America to South Africa. I love it! I love the ridiculously large green fields, the lavish haircuts some of the players sport, the bright colored shoes that don't match their uniforms, the swagger of the world superstars such as Beckham, Terry and Ronaldinho it's just so much fun to see what they'll do next!

I usually set my DVR to record these games so I can fast forward through the lame commentaries or the slow parts of the games or to just simply do my own form of replay, I just like the freedom to be able to control the game. Right now I'm watching one of my favorite soccer clubs from my childhood Club America. I remember watching this team as a kid in Mexico in black and white on my parents TV and for the longest time I didn't know their colors were yellow and blue! To me that annoying buzzing sound is like home, it brings back good memories of a simpler time. So right now I have a goofy smile on my face probably and you can hear random Ahs and Oohs the occasional grunting coming from me. I guess it's the little things in life that I enjoy and watching a soccer team that I haven't watched since I was a little kid is definitely one of those things and bring a little smile to my face.

Frank's Q & A #2

What was your 1st gift you ever bought Renee?

I've been racking my brain and I can't seem to remember I asked Renee and she can't remember either I guess it wasn't too memorable huh?

This is REALLY strange... my curiosity got the better of me so I thought 'I wonder what the real first name of the person on facebook was' (Lord) so I did a search on facebook of the name Lord. I have over 500 names to look through if I choose (no not going to) but the entire first page of results (all DIFFERENT versions of the name: first name, last name, taking the mick sort of names) and EVERY one of them is listed as 1 or 2 mutual friends. I haven't looked beyond page one yet.

OK that is very strange you must know a lot of Lords!! The first name is Kristen by the way.

I know a family with the last name Lord. I went to high school with 2 of the kids. The boy's name was not Jesus though ;) I also went to school with 2 girls who had the last name Scales. Their first names were Harmony and Melody. Also had a teacher in high school who's last name was Traffica. She named her son Chase...and said she never thought about "chase traffic" when she named him!!!!

I literally laughed out loud with the Chase Traffica!! That is too funny! You know people with pretty funny last names to me. Harmony and Melody Scales is awesome being a musician I think its great!. The family with the same names is too funny I mean what are the odds LOL.

I hope to someday look you in the eye, shake your hand, and thank you for your service to our country. Then I'll ask, "Where's Kennedy?", cause I want to meet your miracle. In the meantime, I'll be reading.

I look forward to meeting you too Jeff and I won't blame you for asking to see Kennedy that little girl is a walking miracle for sure!

I run Vista and MacOSX on my iMac, dual boot. Vicky (the designer) has been Mac all along, so I like to think that I coexist peacefully within the debate. I think we can all get along, lol.

Sure we can all get along as long as you we can all admit the Windows is a terrible OS!! ;)

If you like corny names, go to http://www.cartalk.com/content/about/credits/credits.html - the show is great, but the credits are hilarious.
My dear wife worked for a client whose name was Richard Head.

I read the names in the website they are too funny! Richard Head is classic I would have to change my name for sure. He He

I've seen a "Major Sergeant" and "Major Colonel" before and don't remember his first name, but his rank was Lt and last name Sergeant.

Those are great names Michelle I also think it's funny that you know Lt. Dear Beloved. It was great meeting you as well we had a great time with you guys!

What about an app for people who are OBSESSED with their iPhones? Anyone come to mind? :) I don't even know what the apps do, but I wanted to comment. I just want a simple phone that I can call and text on.

Obsessed? Me? Never!! LOL OK maybe just a little and yeah simpleness is nice but life is complicated sometimes so why not your phone too? He He

How do you get My Special K's and Can I be Frank as icon on your homepage?

OK here's a little tutorial that I came up with, I used Kellsey's adoption blog as an example I hope this helps.

I have a problem!

Help me I have a problem!!! Like many iPhone owners I have more apps than I will ever need in my iPhone some I use constantlly and some I barely use but I keep them on my phone just in case. I know there are people with a ridiculous amount of apps on their phones but here's what I have on my phone:

Ok so 4 pages is not a lot but I think it's more of an obsession than anything else. People make new apps every day and of course if they're free thats even better! I'm thinking I should come up with an idea for an App and sell it for 99 cents. I'll have to see what I can come up with and if you guys have any ideas let me know, I mean in a recession like the one we are in a million dollar idea is just around the corner, you just have to know where to look. ;)

P.S. - If you'll notice the main page of my phone has my initials at the top HA HA!

What's in a name?

For years I've had this fascination with names. Whenever I hear names I immediately associate them with the first thing that pops into my head. Being in the army I come across some interesting last names to say the least. I mean you know you have your common names like Smith, Peters, Garcia (that's me by the way! Well me and like a million other ones Ha Ha) but my goal in my Army life is to find those names that just put a smile on my face or just plain makes me LOL. Rank plays a big part in these funny names so here's a list of the names I've been looking for so far:

1. Sergeant Pepper

2. General Mills

3. Captain Crunch

4. Private Room

5. Colonel Sanders

6. Captain America

7. Major Payne

8. Lieutenant Dan

9. Corporal Punishment

10.Private Pyle

Ok these are the ones that I can think of for now oddly enough I haven't met any of these people in the army yet but I have a while to go in my service so I hope I get to meet at least a few of them I know that would make me laugh to no end. The reason for this post in the first place was that I came across an interesting name on Facebook tonight, it was someone with the last name Lord! The first thing that popped into my head and I said out loud to Renee was this: "Would it be funny if this couple had a baby boy and they named him Jesus and his middle initial S?! His name would be Jesus S. Lord!!" We both just bursted into laughter!! Yes folks I can be funny sometimes and I hope I didn't offend any of you with my terrible joke it's just like I said sometime I hear a name and say the first thing that pops into my head!!

Frank's Q & A #1

My earphones get tangled all the time...and no, I don't play with them! so how does that happen?!

Well I'm thinking you spin them around without knowing! :D

Lately, when hubby and I are driving on a long stretch on post (20 miles of ranges and trees) there have been helicopters above following the road. I say that they are training for deployment and practicing following a road. Could I be right?

I would have to say Yes you are right! The helicopters do follow the road for training and they're always practicing for deployment. Its just part of life in the military right now.

Not sure if this makes you feel any better but I knew all of the singers you mentioned. But I am British so not sure if that is an unfair advantage. I don't really listen to any of them though. Just read about them in the news when they get sent to jail or in court for drug use... sigh...

Whew!! I'm glad someone knows all the singers I mentioned I was starting to feel like I made them all up! Ha ha Thank you for reading my blog I'm glad to know that someone in the UK is reading my blog I'm very flattered! :)

Welcome to blogging, you can read mine if you like complaining ha ha... you have a great family and thank you for defending our country!

Thank you Heather for reading my blog and you are very welcome I'm glad I'm able to do my part in serving our country!

So THAT'S why everyone in your family has iPods!

YES Ande!! That's exactly why everyone in the Garcia family has iPods I have an APPLE obsession!! Ha Ha

Those are some awesome pictures! My son Caleb loved the helicopters :) He wants to fly one when he grows up....we'll see :)

Thank you Holly! I'm glad Caleb enjoyed the pictures I had fun taking them. Maybe one day he will fly them who know? All I know is that I much rather fix them then fly them! :)

Thank you guys for all your questions keep them coming I'm happy to answers them all!

Lightning Pictures

Ok this is the last set of pictures I'll post for a while I took all of these while pulling guard duty and there was a 4 hour long lightning storm, I'm just glad none of these came close to the tower I was in. :)

Green Collection

These are some more pictures that I took last year in Afghanistan. I had a lot of fun taking these and making them artsy and fun I hope you guys enjoy them.

Afghanistan 2008

These are some of my favorite pictures that I took while deployed last year Enjoy!

Apache Helicopter taking off it's so cool and menacing I'm glad it's on my side!

I took this picture with only moonlight for lighting I love how it turned out!!

The above pics were taking by one of my buddies while flying in a Black Hawk

I was standing in the flight line while they were landing

I though this was cool very patriotic

Even in the midst of a war zone there's peace

Needless to say the sunsets were something to look forward to. :)

Appreciate what you have!!

Earlier this evening Kameron came down the stairs with two pairs of ear buds all tangled up and he proceeded to ask me if i could fix it which I've done many times before if Kennedy or Keeghan ever get a hold of them. So I asked him how did this happen and he shrugged his shoulders and said: "um.... I don't know" so again I asked him tell me how these headphones got tangled? and he just couldn't better yet wouldn't give me and answer, so I called Kassidy downstairs to get some answers and she said that Kameron was swinging them around like some sort of rope and they got all tangled. I asked Kassidy why were they both playing with these head phones like they were some sort of toy when they're obviously not and of course I got the answer that she thought I wanted to hear, I said to her do you think if you break them that we will just go out and buy you more and she hesitated at first and shook her head in agreement (I was a little shocked by her honesty but I'm glad she was honest about it!). Needless to say both Kass and Kam have lost their iPods and headphones for a while and they will have to earn them back because who knows what they do with the iPods if they treat the ear buds like that.

I've already untangled the ear buds because lucky for them their dad loves puzzles and I find them to be a lot of fun I know its weird like that he he. I hope they learn a lesson from this and start appreciating what they do have. I know I learned a lesson too I learned that kids can be brutally honest but at the same time they help us as parents see what we still need to work to teach them from time to time.

Blah Days

The last two days I've been kinda blah not much going on work is boring and uneventful I work long days well I guess work is a strong word ha ha we are always on standby if there's not major helicopter maintenance going on so it makes it for long boring days at times but I guess its nice because at other times it is a nightmare of work so I'll take the boring days for a while. So anyway I'm home now and we are getting ready to go to our Down Syndrome support group so that should be fun. Thats about it for me and I'll leave you with something that struck me funny and grossed me out both at the same time (I mean come on I'm a guy I'm easily amused). Here's something whacky from Japan:

Eeeww!!!

Music is my thing.

Renee and I are watching a british tv show on BBC America (yep there's nothing on tv I know) and we came across the topic of british music she asked me if I know any of the british singers and I first I said no but actually I do so I started naming off some of them singers like Amy Winehouse, Lilly Allen, Estelle, Mark Ronson, and Duffy just to name a few. She looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language and said OK baby and rolled her eyes Ha Ha. I guess that I get for keeping up on music weekly all I get is funny looks from my wife.

Washington DC Trip Pt. 2

Korean War Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

Jefferson Memorial

View from General Lee's House

The White House Oval Office Side

The White House Front Lawn

Kassidy & Dad

Kennedy and um... Kennedy!