The Maroon Chronicles

Another Day in Japan

2011-11-05T18:30:00.002-05:00

We were taking portraits in the park, and this couple was having their Bridal Portraits taken. Their photographers asked if they could borrow our kids for their pictures. Logan said he was too nervous, but after some coaxing, they both agreed. The photographers were telling them "say superhero!!" I already know this is going to be one of my favorite memories of Japan! When we were done, the group gave the boys apples and chocolates and thanked them for their help!

The pictures here were taken by me, but our family portraits were taken by Photography By Princess and Mylynda Sue Photography.

374th LRS welcomes new commander

2011-07-22T08:24:00.000-05:00

374th LRS welcomes new commander

Pacific Getaway

2011-07-01T05:02:00.000-05:00

Great trip to Oahu after a non-stop year in Japan. This was our second trip to the island (first for Ry and Cadence). But, we did a few new things like watch the Polo matches near North Shore, spend some time on Hickam and Bellows AFB, and grab some famous Matsumoto's shave ice! The boys loved the beach and could not get enough of the surf and sand. Can't wait to do it again!!

Cadence Stealing the Show

2011-06-06T04:40:00.000-05:00

Maroons (and a Stephens) in Japan

2011-05-16T19:11:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from the Maroon Family!

2010-12-23T19:00:00.002-06:00

This year, we decided not to send Christmas cards because we still aren't very good at it...so why start now!? Instead, we hope you enjoy a holiday greeting from our sponsors: The Maroon brothers. Please take a moment to reflect on the true reason for the season while we wish you a very cozy winter celebration this year. -Brandon, Shelley, Logan, and Rylan.

2010-11-26T17:28:00.000-06:00

Rylan is decorating the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.

Pristine Waters

2010-09-01T07:11:00.001-05:00

Got a chance to take a trip to tropical Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory. It's a gorgeous atoll within the Chagos Archipelago in the direct center of the Indian Ocean and one the world's largest Marine Reserves. Well, I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by, so I borrowed some SCUBA gear (as mine hasn't arrived in Japan yet!) and brought it out to swim with the other approved divers; totaling a whopping 5 dudes. They just opened diving up here last year in 2009 under strict scrutiny from the Navy unit on the island. There is no commercial diving allowed on these untouched reefs and there is more life in these oceans than I've seen anywhere else, Palau being a close exception. Truly, it's a "feeding stop" for sharks on their way from South Africa to Australia. We saw Silvertip Sharks up close and personal and so many Butterflyfish, Triggerfish, Parrotfish, Surgeonfish, Trevally, Ramoray, and Groupers it made the dive site seem crowded at times! :) We spotted everything from sport fish to starfish; what an awesome experience, "to go where so few had gone before". It had an alien world vibe to it, because you could tell by the looks on the bug-eyed fish faces that we were definitely not from around here.

Brandon

Japan (The 25 hour journey to our new home)

2010-07-16T06:06:00.001-05:00

Finally got settled in, somewhat, to the land of the rising sun. Shelley and I both got our Japanese driver's licenses and I started driving on the left hand side of the road today. We are slowly getting over the jet lag, getting familiar with the base and may be ready to venture off base soon. The reception was spectacular as we were called off the plane by name, met by a host of many squadron members ready to facilitate our move. Excited to get move in our house next month, I know the boys miss their things and they keep asking when the movers will bring our stuff in hopes of getting more toys than what we could pack in the suitcases. What a great first impression to what is hopefully the best assignment yet. The Japanese nationals are so respectful and courteous and it is a pleasure working with them.

Brandon

Please Register as a Marrow Donor!

2009-11-17T09:11:00.006-06:00

My baby cousin, Bea, is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Here is a video I made to show how easy it is to register as a marrow donor!

for more information about my cousin, and her story, please visit http://www.beadarling.org/

What is this???

2009-09-14T13:25:00.003-05:00

You may notice that there are little messages right over there. On the right. See? Right there. They're tweets! From us! I know, it's too cool. Follow us @themaroons

To the Driver of A Green Jeep Cherokee

2009-03-07T11:51:00.001-06:00

Dear Jeep Cherokee Driver,
I am writing to apologize for my behavior earlier today. I am sure what you saw was quite disturbing, to say the least, and while I cannot excuse my behavior, I would like to try to explain it. When you saw me cleaning my teeth with what probably appeared to be a child's sock, you probably didn't know that we went to dinner last night at Red Robin, and it was my first night out at a restaurant in quite some time. You probably also didn't know that I had to hold one child on my lap, while spoon-feeding the other child, which left me no free hand to eat my own dinner. You may not have been aware that when it came time for me to put the children down and eat my own dinner, both children decided to simultaneously throw themselves on the floor and demand to go somewhere other than the Red Robin, leaving me with no choice but to carry them to the car and take my uneaten Santa Fe Burger home in a styrofoam box. It may also have escaped your notice that when we got home, I was so tired and frustrated that I put all three of us to bed at 8pm, only to wake up at 6am half-starved, if well rested. It is unlikely that you would have known that after the boys had had a healthy and nutritious breakfast, I sat down to my microwaved Santa Fe burger, just as they decided they could not possibly share the one and only interesting toy they own. So, you probably had no idea that my only option this morning was to throw two boys and a styrofoam container into my minivan and eat a (still delicious) Santa Fe burger while driving around watching Elmo's All Star Alphabet. And, yes, you probably found it disturbing to pull up next to me at the traffic light and see me cleaning a bit of avocado out of my teeth with a child's sock, but I had no other option, as in my haste to leave the house I had neglected to pack something more useful, like a folded post-it note or a baby wipe. And when I looked over, and noticed you watching me, and the horrified look on your face, the only reason I smiled and continued is because my teeth were not yet clean, and I felt the damage was really done at that point. And I would like to assure you that the sock in question was actually a freshly-laundered sock, which even in my haste I managed to throw into my diaper bag. You know, in case of emergency. Again, I would like to extend my deepest apologies for this unfortunate incident, and I hope to be better prepared in the future.
Sincerely,
Driver of Sienna Minivan

Short conversations with Logan

2008-12-30T09:05:00.001-06:00

Me: Logan? Where are you?
Logan: I'm NOT going potty. I'm just hiding.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-22T14:28:00.000-06:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Conversation with Brandon

2008-12-22T13:39:00.003-06:00

(Logan and I ran into Target while Rylan and Brandon waited in the car.)
Me: Sorry it took so long, the lines were long.
Brandon: Well the parking lot is crazy. I got into an altercation while you were gone.
Me: Oh, Here we go...
Brandon: No, This was not my fault. This guy thought I cut him off, but I DIDN'T. So he honked at me, and I followed him ot his parking space and yelled at him.
Me: No you didn't.
Brandon: Yes I did!
Me: What did you say?
Brandon: Well, I didn't roll the window down.
Me: I see.
Brandon: It's like 10 degrees outside. I'm not crazy.
Me: No. Definitely not.
Brandon: I was going to give him a hand gesture, but I was so angry I forgot about it.
Me: Like the finger?
Brandon: No, everybody gives the finger. I've got a new one I've been working on.
Me: Well don't ruin the surprise. I'm sure I'll see it soon enough.

Top Five Words Logan Gets Confused

2008-10-02T13:25:00.001-05:00

5. Gorilla - Umbrella

4. Popsicle - Bicycle

3. Lion - Rylan

2. Cinnamon - Superman

1. Basement - Space Man

Conversation with Logan (at Target)

2008-10-02T13:24:00.001-05:00

Logan: Me me have gorilla.

Me: No, you can't have the umbrella.
Logan: PLEASE me me have polka-dot gorilla.
Me: You can look at it, but we can't take it home.
Logan: I like gorilla.
Me: You like the UMBRELLA.
Logan: I like polka dot gorilla.
Me: You like the polka-dot UMBRELLA.
Logan: Mommy, Look at my polka dot gorilla.
Me: Logan, that's a polka dot UMBRELLA, not a gorilla.
Logan: No, this is MY polka dot gorilla.

Tunnel Vision

2008-09-04T03:49:00.004-05:00

Logan at the wheel tearin' through the Shire at Tripsdrill Amusement Park, Germany. Rylan sitting co-pilot, Shelley navigating, and Brandon hanging on for dear life trying to capture it on video. (Summer, '08)

The Breezy Season

2008-09-01T00:41:00.027-05:00

Since I'm posting this on the eve of Hurricane Gustav's landfall, I thought I'd share the moments where I nearly got carried away. So here it is, Brandon's Top 3 Hurricanes:

Hurricane Alicia (Texas, 1983) - Alicia was a historic Category 3 that hit the Texas coast when I was almost 8 years old and living in a trailer...so yeah, it was an experience. Texas' first billion dollar hurricane and my "cherry" as well. I remember how green the sky was as it approached and how strangely clear it became when the "eye" passed right over our house. As I explored the damage outside, I found many dishevelled crawdads that looked like they surfed in from the Gulf. Later, a wayward tree from a tornado would claim our front door prompting a move to a sturdy brick home 12 miles closer to the coast. (BONUS: I've never actually had a friend named Alicia)

2. Hurricane Mitch (Florida, 1998) - I had just started my first assignment in San Antonio and I took a three day trip to Florida for some on-the-job training and a site visit. Little did I know the Category 5 hurricane that was rocking Central America was about to flip a U-turn and hit me at the Marriott I was staying at on the beach. Needless to say, the visit was cancelled (most people had boarded up their windows before we arrived) while I rode this one out in my hotel room without Cable. (BONUS: This thing actually died down to tropical storm status before picking up speed again and hunting me down!)

3. Hurricane Ivan (Alabama, 2004) - I was a couple of weeks in to my six week Squadron Officer School when Ivan started looming. Class was cancelled and I rode this one out in the closet of my hotel room (isn't that safer?). I hurdled the fallen trees on my run the next morning. We made it through the class, but not without earning our keep by going on "limb and leaf" duty. Ivan had the world record of 33 six-hour periods with an intensity at or above Category 4 strength. This record was broken two years later by Pacific Typhoon Ioke, which had 36 six-hour periods at Category 4 strength. Strangely enough, I was involved with planning the assessment of Wake Island in the destructive aftermath of Typhoon Ioke. (BONUS: This one actually spun out to sea and came back around for another swing at my parents in Houston.)

Author's Note: 1) These are all "retired" hurricane names, meaning they were considered so destructive, there will never be another hurricane named after them. 2) Ivan and Mitch are actually in the top 10 (as of today) of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever. 3) Best phrase to use during hurricane season - "Hunker down". 4) This does not account for the countless tropical storms and tornado warnings a Houstonian grows up with nor does it tell of the times my dad and I have been knocked down by lightning...that's a different category altogether. Good Luck with Gustav!

Top Five Things Spiderman Likes To Do In His Spare Time

2008-08-29T15:19:00.002-05:00

5. Read
4. Go boating
3. Ride his bike
2. Watch TV
1. Play Ultimate Alliance on PS2

Top Five Words Rylan Can Say

2008-08-27T06:31:00.001-05:00

5. Yeah
4. Dada
3. Mama
2. Eat
1. Nuclear Proliferation

Top Five Weirdest Kids Shows

2008-08-24T08:03:00.003-05:00

5. Boohbah They are like a mix between the Teletubbies and Darth Vader when he took his mask off in Return of the Jedi.
4. Oswald This show reminds me when you're a kid and none of your toys go together. The Daisy is taller than the penguin or the octopus. The buildings are shoes and cupcakes, it just doesn't make sense.
3. Yo Gabba Gabba If you've seen this one, you know why it's weird.
2. Lazy Town This one is like if they turned The Professional into a Broadway Musical. The creepy tension between Sportacus and Stephanie is just a little more than I can handle.
1. Oobi Nice budget. The characters are all hands. Not hand puppets. Just hands. With eyes. Hands that speak poor English, presumably because their brains are too far away from their mouths.

Quiz: Know Your Maroon Family

2008-08-12T18:04:00.001-05:00

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Back on the Timberlake

2008-07-14T10:54:00.004-05:00

Our neighborhood ladies' group recently started a book club, and Lynden picked the book Twilight. All of us became instantly addicted to the story, and most of us have read the entire series by now, and are waiting breathlessly for Book 4 to come out! I got book 1 on Wednesday, finished it by Friday, then I read book 2 on Saturday, and book 3 on Sunday. I am hooked. Bad.

The worst part is that the book is so sexy, it's got me back on the Timberlake. Justin Timberlake. For those of you who don't know this about me, I can't stand Justin Timberlake. When I say I can't stand him, I mean I can't stand how sexy he is. I can't stand to listen to his music without dancing, or possibly taking off all my clothes. I take a few shots and let it burn in my chest. It can be really inconvenient when this happens in public. So you can see why, for my own good, I had to stop listening to it. For almost three years, I have managed to keep my Justified CD in it's case. I never got rid of it, because that would have been too painful. But I kept it tucked away, and managed to stay away.
But not anymore. Thanks to Bella and Edward, and yes, I partially blame Lynden as well. Thanks to all of them, I went out today like a junkie looking for a fix, and I bought FutureSex/LoveSounds. It appears I am having a full relapse, and I can't even say I'm sorry.
So if I don't answer the phone for the next few days, you'll know why. I never thought it would end up this way. Drums.

My boys

2008-07-11T18:37:00.006-05:00

Fifteen minutes after getting home from the pool.

Brothers Gotta Share

2008-07-07T20:33:00.009-05:00

Conversation with Logan

2008-07-03T15:35:00.001-05:00

Logan: Mommy, Little Bill and Michael come over?

Me: You want Little Bill and Michael to come over and play?

Logan: Yeah! Little Bill, Michael come play!

Me: Honey, they can't come over. They are cartoon characters on a TV show.

(Long pause)

Logan: Please?

Things I've Found in our House

2008-06-24T20:31:00.009-05:00

These items are shown exactly as I found them.

Logan helped me make pizza

2008-06-24T20:02:00.001-05:00

Here's the part he helped with.

Mechanical Animals

2008-06-16T13:15:00.007-05:00

There's no better method to immediately dazzle your children than by parking them front and center in view of some dilapidated mechanical animals singing a German folk song. Chucky Cheese has nothing on these clockwork creatures.

Itsy Bitsy Spider on the Autobahn

2008-06-16T12:51:00.002-05:00

Why We Travel

2008-06-15T20:50:00.007-05:00

As many of you know, we recently returned from a month-long trip to Europe with the boys. Almost everyone we met on our travels asked us the same question about travelling so far with our boys. "Are you crazy?" To which we generally responded, "Yeah, pretty much." Then we took their wallets.

And who could argue that we were anything less than crazy for dragging two babies all over Europe for a trip they likely won't even remember. To be honest, part of it was for the lucrative frequent flier miles, which we are now trading on the black market. And part of it was because we didn't want to stay home just because our kids are small. But really, on a bigger scale, even if the boys don't remember this trip, it still becomes part of their lives. The memories will be in there, whether they know it or not. We're like the Jessica Seinfeld of travel guides.

And I think it is important at any age to fill up your eyes and your minds something other than your own home, your own town, your own people. There is so much emphasis in our culture right now on nutrition and what you are putting into your body through your mouth. But what about what you are putting into your body through your eyes and ears? Don't we want to feed our kids' minds as well? Now, I'm not recommending that everyone take their babies on a fourteen hour plane ride. In fact, I sincerely DON'T recommend that. But for us, we want our kids to see that you can go anywhere in the world, and even though the people there may look different or talk different, they are still just like us. They are still moms and dads and babies. They have jobs and they have worries. They play games and tell jokes. They are all different, just like us. Except the Irish.

Conversation with Logan

2008-06-15T20:25:00.003-05:00

Me: Logan, do you want some chicken nuggets?

Logan: I want popsicles.

Me: You can't have popsicles, do you want chicken nuggets?

Logan: Umm... chips.

Me: No, you can't have chips. Your choices are: nuggets or nothing.

Logan: Nuffin!!! I want nuffin!

Me: (pause) Why, what do you think "nuffin" is?

Logan: It's like a cupcake.

Heidelberg

2008-06-15T18:08:00.003-05:00

June, 2000

June, 2008

What a difference eight years make!