And To All, A Good Night! Merry Christmas Everyone. Holiday 2015 and Great Wishes for 2016

From Our Flakes Like Mike, to Your Flakes Like Mike, a Very Happy Holiday Celebration from the Isgars, Crandalls, and Barnwells in Central New York.

We successfully made it to another new year and we did extremely well on the home front to celebrate all that is love, happiness, and calm.

Cynde and Mike hosted another great celebration and we are all ready for Santa's arrival.

A very merry Christmas to you, your families, and all that you love - that is what it is all about.

May another day of happiness shine upon your world and those you care about most.

Small Parts. Engineering. Patience. Ingenuity. I Love Building Things. It's Trickier with a Lot of Cooks in the Kitchen

The Barnwell sleepover never got to the intended movie because we spent the entire evening building a rollercoaster and working with it so it actually would function correctly.

We each took parts here and there, then lost attention, only to come back and work on it more - it's like any puzzle, actually (and the parts were so tiny).

Squirrel! Squirrel!

I have to say, however, that we did accomplish our goal and I was very impressed with the focus and determination of Chitunga, Sean, and Jacob. They high-fives on several occasions as they worked out Snafus and troublespots.

"Do you always say BOOM when you're are successful?" Sean asked Chitunga.

Boom .Success.

I think Casey was bored with he whole evening, but she did get a couple loads of laundry done.

And it's Christmas Eve! One gift was delivered a little sooner than the rest. Fun. But not there's today.

Postcard from the Tropical Island of Syracuse, New York, Where Santa Goes To Get Away

Chitunga must be good luck. This is the second year we've returned for the holidays and the temperatures have been ridiculously high. This year looks to set all types of records and I can't believe the view from 5388 Amalfi Drive. Typically, this scene is frozen by now with polar bears and penguins. Nope, there are seagulls, flip flops and suntanning lotion galore.

This is Central New York.

Ah, the weather might be odd, but the traditions stay the same. We did Chubby's on our first night home, stopped by Cynde and Mike's to drop off items for the big day, and instantly started eating. We saw a few old friends at the bar and quickly turned my parent's house into a storage arena for our crap while we are home.

And poor Louisville. They're under tornado watches. That sucks. I can't imagine getting hit by a tornado on winter break. El Nino.

We have had other holidays such as this and I remember vividly skateboarding as a kid in shorts and a t-shirt. Mom also remembers similar winters in Hamilton (and often these follow with a pretty rough winter). But CNY, that is synonymous with rough winter!

Just not this week while we're home. I'm sure Butch will ask us to help him mow the lawn.

Over The River and Through The Woods, To Grandmother's House We Go! Packed Up and On the Road.

Well, I wanted to get at least one shot of presents under my tree (as this is where they're being stored before Kermit is loaded up in the a.m. - "takeoff time, 9 a..m.," says Chitunga).

All the gifts have been up in my room out of the reach of Glamis, but I figure all will be well tonight because I'm home and with her and she's in the kitchen gnawing on a bone.

I propped up the tree so it looks like there is more than there actually is. We should be fine loading up the car.

I've got my podcasts updated (we like the news shows), a full tank of gas, and all my goods packed. It's simply a matter of getting a good night's sleep and driving safely on route 17 until we arrive (we might have to stop at Syracuse University to drop of a present for Marcelle from Alisha).

It's too bad the new Star Wars wasn't out, because it would be awesome to play the entire trip home.

Sadly, three items from Black Friday, ordered online, have not arrived. Two of them are expected in January, but the third is lost in cyberspace. I ended up getting Nikki another of what I ordered and am disappointed that I think I was scammed. C'est La Vie.

and Bon Voyage.

Crandall's Official Review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in a Few Simple Words To Capture How I Feel

Brilliant, luminous, radiant, awesome, superb, excellent, Wow!, incredible, stunning, vivid, ablaze, splendid, intoxicating, thrilling, perfect, outstanding, superior, eventful, action-packed, wonderful, stellar, super, momentous, out-of-sight, cool, top-notch, better-than-I-expected, great, first-class, supreme, quality, in a class all itself, ten, 100%, inviting, initiating, magnificent, phenomenal, surprising, tremendous, dynamite, divine, swell, and fantastic.

I think I really liked it...so much so that now I want to see it again. First, however, I want Chitunga to take Dylan, Sean, and Jacob to see it so they can have that bonding for life - letting the force be awakened within them.

I'm such a cynic and skeptic. I don't get too excited about movies (well, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and The Hunger Games caught my attention), but this movie brought back my childhood, the present, and the future.

I now know what all the hype is about.

And it was great getting to see it with my CWP-cohort, Julie and Shaun. I'm so glad the idea sparked itself today and an event was born.

I am a very happy man this morning.

Impromptu Holiday Party For Ubuntu Academy On Mt. Pleasant Before @StagsMensBball In Webster Arena

One way to spend a Friday before the holidays is with several from Ubuntu Academy and the Fairfield University Men's Basketball team at Webster Arena. Although the Stags had a loss, the opportunity to watch the team play was a tremendous hit for the young men of Bassick High School and their teacher, Mr. King.

I had to laugh when Simon found the Santa outfit packed for Syracuse and put it on to entertain everyone after the pizza party. This, of course, turned into singing carols, phone calls to several family members, lots of laughter, and total joy, before we left for the game.

I am amazed at how far these boys have come in a just few short years with academics, English, and a willingness to try to new things (last night, the barbecue chicken pizza was a hit).

Watching the Stags basketball team is always an inspiration for them and the boys talked on the way home about how lucky they are to get to see them play and model student athleticism in southern Connecticut. "It was one of my greatest nights in America," one of them said on the drive home. As Abu and Lossine discussed over the summer, every player who makes it to a college team is a role model for youth in the community - the success on and off the court is guidance for  students like those from Ubuntu Academy to do the same. A pathway towards higher education and lifelong success is viewed as attainable. The appreciation they have for Coach Johnson and his team is immeasurable.

I know the Stags have a tough stretch of games and practices over the next week, and their holiday schedule is grueling. Still, the team has magic with their cohort this year and one loss is not a setback for what they're setting out to accomplish. The fans are watching.

It is Ubuntu, and Ubuntu builds the community we all desire.

Go Stags! Eyes are on you!

Happy Holidays, From Arcadius to the Fairfield Stags

Men's Basketball Team

Happy Birthday, Mom! One Things For Sure! You Have a Great New Coat for a Snowy Saturday!

Happy Birthday, Mom! I'm thinking of you. I hope you have a spectacular day. I love you and will call very soon to sing!

Mimi Sue, The Birthday Girl. It's the 19th of December, Y'all!

In the meantime, know how much you are appreciated, especially for putting up with my silliness and wackiness all these years. You've been nothing but supportive, witty, caring, and encouraging. 

I am celebrating your special day from Connecticut with memories of childhood, weekends at Camp, stories from your high school days, Saturday nights in support of Cynde and Nikki during their color guard competitions, days in the pool, trips to Prithe Thopper and Wegmans, and the total embrace of all you continue to do for Cynde, Casey, and our entire family.

When I think about my accomplishments as a teacher and reader, I am thinking about how much you instilled a love of books in my brain...from trips to North Syracuse library, to the Harry Potter series, and to the joy of the young adult novels you continue to share with me.

You remain a #1 of teacher in my world who guides me to be successful (and more gray). Dazzle the crowd today in your new shoes and with that outfit you've been gearing up to wear for some time. 

As the sands in the hour glass, so our the days of our lives. I'm not Patch, Bo, Victor, or Roman, but I like to think that our storylines are just as enthralling. 

Eat a chocolate something and enjoy every bite of it!