Wild Hair Girl

Everyone say hello to Wild Hair Girl and her sidekick Candy Cane Baby!

Scenes of our CA Christmas

Here are the images from our family Christmas. Anna and Jason had a ball with Granddad and Gramma. Gramma bought her a brand new nightgown for Christmas morning. Anna was also in her first Christmas program at her school. Jason had a great Christmas. He got a push car and spent most of Christmas morning sitting in it and having Granddad push him around. Anna receieved from Santa (by way of South Carolina) a new baby and double stroller, which is her favorite present. Nothing can even touch it, it is the best gift she had!

The chaos afterwards is the most fun! I can't say enough about my parents, every grandchild should have grandparents like this, they spent the day with them at Chucky Cheese. It is like my parents are little children too. Anna says "I'm Gramma's girl and Granddad's baby". How fun!

Wishing you all a blessed New Year

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We did. Granddad and Gramma were here (and still are) in CA to spend Christmas with the kids. THEY DROVE from Charleston to CA. But, said the trip wasn't bad. Hmm!Our house was filled with joy and presents!
Anna will be marking her wonderful fourth year among us in a few days with a Princess party. Pictures will follow. Thank you to everyone who send us a card this year. We hope you received ours before Christmas day (we tried). Blessings and peace!

Dance party!

Anna had her first dance recital on Sunday. If you every come to CA ask to see the video. It was the cutest thing ever! I was a stage mom. That was work, but really fun. Anna is sitting in the center on floor. In case you were wondering, they danced to "Somewere Out There" CUTE, CUTE, CUTE

Return from Nashville

Here the are photos from the Nashville trip. First is the "couch" photo. It is a sort of tradition. We line the kids up on a couch and take a photo. This couch is BIG, but it is full, and next year there will be another Cherry, Hauser, and Becker baby on the couch! The second is of our neighbor Chris from Nashville. Anna use to steal tomatos from their yard.

And, well the third is Anna & Eilah hanging upside down. Fun was had by all, enough said?

Adventures With Gar, Autumn, Anna & Jason

Doodlebops update. I have received notice from Autumn that the tickets to the Doodlebops concert have arrived. I guess after seeing Tom Waits, U2, REM, Vigilantes of Love, Elvis Costello, Bruce Cockburn, I can take one for the team. I remember as a young little guy my dad taking me to see my first musical hero Glen Campbell. Well, now it is my turn to take my daughter to here first musical crush. The Doodlebops. Go their website and check out the fine tunes awaiting me.......woohoo....Now I just need to figure out a way to not dress up as Moe Doodle. Anna wants to dress up as DeeDee Doodle and she wants me to dress up like Moe Doodle....Dad, did I make you dress up like Glen Campbell????

Adventures With Gar, Autumn, Anna & Jason

So me and the kids leave San Diego yesterday and the temperature was 45 degrees. We land 3 1/2 hours later in Nashville and it is 75 degrees. Same today. I talked to Autumn and they are calling for frost warnings in SoCal. A strange and backwards deal, though they are calling for possible snow here in Nashville on Friday. Yes folks, I am here in Nashvegas. If you want to see me give me a call. The wonderful Josh, Sandy, and Amber are housing us for a week. The big party is Saturday night. Call us at for details. Glad to be here. Ate at Baja Burrito last night so I can check that off my 25 favorite things to do while here in the Muzak City.... Gar

The Christmas Season has begun!

Okay, the tree is up and the angel is high atop, the lawn is lit! Here is Anna's creation. I was the sous pastry chef, putting things where she wanted them.

Oooh, all of you music fans . . . see Gar's latest music purchase . . . The Doodlebops. They are Anna's favorite band. Want to here what we listen to on every car ride check it out at www.doodlebops.com. Everyone laugh with me, because it is just too funny.

Pumpkin Pie anyone?

Jason's first real Thanksgiving dinner, and the pumpkin pie was his favorite. We have begun Christmas decorating, pictures will follow. Anna and I decorated a gingerbread house. The tree is up and the postage stamp lawn is about finished.

It seems funny. Today Anna was wearing a halter top on a walk around. And as I was thinking "It is the end of November and she is still wearing summer clothes", I met another parent coming back from THE POOL with their little girl. It is Southern California!

Knotts Berry Farms

This past weekend was the 231 Marine Corp Birthday Ball. I got to say a prayer for 1800 Marines and their families in Anahiem, CA. It is an awesome thing to say "Let us pray" and hear a room formally filled with loud noise go totally silent!

While we were there we visited the Knott's Berry Farm Theme Park. Free, due to my active duty service. Got to love the Navy! Those of you Nashville folks who remember Opryland, this park is just like that!

Here are some of the photos. Anna rode every ride she could. The Red Baron Ride, Lucy's School Bus, the Ferris Wheel, and Snoopy's Air Mail. Jason chilled out in his stroller. We meant to only spend a few hours, but we didn't leave until well after dark.

If you are ever in Anahiem, skip past Disneyland and go straight to Knott's Berry Farms.

Cali Sunsets

Just a follow up to what Autumn was describing.... A bit of warm front came through and it was in the mid 80's last week. And as for Halloween, I took the kids out in shorts and a t-shirt. Sometimes it is quite surreal out here. I keep waiting for a cold blast but nope........

Looking forward to seeing all you fine folks in Nashville. Me and the kids will be there Nov. 29 through Dec 6th. Hope to see as many of you as possible. You can always find me at either Josh & Sandy's house (where we are residing) or Grimey's, Baja Burrito, or on some disc golf course in the middle Tennessee area.

David- in response to Beck. I am starting to fall into agreement with you regarding "The Information". I am starting to think it is Beck's finest work maybe since "Odelay". Favorite track so far "Strange Apparition". The opening line just gets it all going for me:

Lord, please don't forsake me
In my, Mercedes Benz
All the riches and the ruins
Now we all know, how that story ends

until later Gar

yes it is in my best of this year..........

Cali Sunsets

Really how much more can we brag about Southern CA. The people are really nice and at times wierd. But, you know my (Autumn) accent throws them quite a bit. There is just so much to do here. Anna and her friend Maddie went to the beach to go through the tidal pool and as you can see it was just beautiful!

We have a guest room, anytime you would like to see it for yourself!

Halloween and such

This is the first halloween that the kids did not have to wear coats. It was amazing. Anna and Gar carved the pumpkin the night before. In Southern CA everyone carves the night before. It is so warm here that the pumpkins rot in two days. Amazing! Anna was Strawberry Shortcake and Jason was a Giraffe!

Jason is also "walking" for a couple of feet now. It is fun to watch. Stay tuned for photos!

So. Cal Wildfires

So, as I have ecpressed before, the weather here is near perfect. The occasional cloudy day has happened, and yes it has rained once, but everyday is sunny and wonderful. Now there is a wildfire about 100 miles from us but the winds brought all the smoke and ash down here to us. So yesterday it smelled like a campfire gone crazy and the sky was a smokey fog all day.

Anna had to play inside at her school and finally we had to close up the house. We were outside with our neighbor for a little while last night but the smoke would cause your eyes to water and almost choke on it. It seems to have cleared up a bit today but you can still smell it in the air, and I imagine that when the winds kick up again we might get some more of it.

Gar

Granddad arrives

Granddad spent a glorious weekend with his grandkids. Here they are at the airport on his way home. Anna was so excited to see him, that the whole airport heard her calling "Granddad". Granddad said he heard her, BEFORE he saw her!

The rainy season has begun

Well something happened yesterday. It rained. It doesn't do that much in So Cal. But, it did yesterday, and last night, and this morning. We watched all of these folks act like they had never seen rain. This wasn't even those spring storms like we get in TN, it was nice. However it did manage to knock the power out for about 3 hours last night.

Anna is enjoying having Granddad here and Jason just chills out too. Here are some new photos of Anna and her friend Maddie after they got into Mommy's makeup.

Here are some new photos to look at....

Jason is learning how to escape from gates















Anna is a fearless gymnastics tumbler.













Anna's first day at her new school...















Anna visits mommy at work and sees her new office.











Anna visits the Wild Animal Park with her new best friend Madeliene












Don't steal my pacifier!!!!!!!!!










Anna and her new friend Maddie...










Anna takes Jason for a walk in the wagon

Marine Corps OORAH

Hello all!

Here is my 2 cents to living in CA. I love my work with the Marines. Although, my battalion is mostly Navy Corpmen (Medics). Everyday is something different. I finally have a computer so you can drop me an email at ButlerSaegerAE@1fssg.usmc.mil. My RPSN (Religious Programing Specailist) Seaman Alexander Hoffman from Texas is aboard and getting things together on his end. He is my Admin person in garrison and my bodyguard in field. He is 20 years old and carries a large M-16 in the field to provide protection for his chaplain, since the Navy will not let me have a weapon. Probably, a good idea!
My day is filled with meetings, briefs, personal counseling and the random fun event. My office is in the shadow of the Marine Air Group and the live fire weapons range, which means it is never quiet at my office. Next week we will be doing a NBC (nuero-bio-chemical) confidence excerise. In Marine Corp terms that means that they are going to Gas us. Oh goody, and before 7:00 am.

Keeping it going

Uuugh. Things are just way to busy being the soccer dad that I have become, though I am enjoying it tremendously. Now for updated news. Anna has a school. It seems like there are more children out here than school space so waiting lists are huge and long. However, Autumn met a Lutheran minister while she was waiting for husband's return from Iraq and they struck up a conversation that led to an opening at their school. Only about a 15 minute drive but on Tuesday and Thursday she will be in school. Other news.....Jason has an ear infection. For those who remember, Anna was the queen of the ear infection, however this is Jason's first one, at least, that we caught. The boy doesn't complain about much, that is unless his sister is laying on top of him. Otherwise things are good. We are off to the zoo tomorrow with Madeleine (one of Anna's new friends). This will be the second adventure for us to the zoo. I don't think we saw more than half of it the first time.

Hope all are doing well out there.........Enjoy the pictures of Jason's first birthday (one reading Grandpa and Grandma Saeger's card and his first taste of cake) and of Anna at ballet.....

Gar

Music questions abound

So, it was bound to happen.....What music am I listening to these days??? Let's see... Some new stuff that I have been spinning on the Ipod include the new Ani Difranco, Golden Smog, World Party, Jason Collett, Neko Case, and The Long Winters. Older stuff includes The Frames (thank you LB for continuing to remind me of their genius), the first two Bjork solo records, as always Bob Dylan (Oh Mercy is spinning right now), Talking Heads, and Merle Haggard reissues....

I just ordered a couple of the Pogues re-issues and am anxiously awaiting their arrival. I am just learning about the genius and tragedy of Shane MacGowan.......

Here are some lyrics to Ani's song 78% H2O.........

when the joy had left your body
and you were locked in to your own thoughts
you used to love to sit by the water
and watch it lapping on the rocks
and every time you put your feet in
you'd cry out and you would pray
but it's all downhill from here baby
so naturally, i can't stay

first you'll roll your eyes to heaven
say you never had love so divine
but it will go from
more than ever
to not enough
in no time
you will push and
you will push until
you push me away
i hear you cry out for your water
and i know you'll curse it someday

i guess for me
there's been a few
who've walked up smiling
and drawn a line
between so far
and from now on
yes a big glowing
line in time
and i've been disappointed
i've been heartbroken
yes i too have
loved from afar
but we are 78% water
even our pumping hearts

Still looking for my camera to post some more pictures.