Family Time

One of the most important things in the world is family and I have a few. I have the firefighter family (I've written about them before), immediate family, and extended family. I love all of them.


My brother and his family were down over the holidays and as luck would have it we were able to hang out with my sister. The whole brood!!!


It is always fun. There are so many personalities.


It is fun to see the next generation of Talberts and Radcliffes grow up.


We also were able to see the newest generation . . . Aria!! And she's a doll !!!


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Location:Dana Point

The Harley

This is the exact Harley that I would love to have. I just happened to walk out the front of the station and saw it here in the parking lot next door. I went and drooled over it for an hour.


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Christmas Day

As luck would have it, I was scheduled to work on Christmas Day. At any other job in the entire world that could be devastating. Away from family and friends, slaving away, nose to the grindstone, keeping the wheels of industry moving . . . not at the Fire Station!!!!! Family came down, we ate, we laughed, talked, ate, ran a few calls, watched football AND basketball, ate some more, played cards (my family loves cards), watched a movie, laughed some more and ate a whole lot more!!!


They really do love the games . . . And when it was all done the "Monks" of Fire Station 34 A shift wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.


(Snuggies, with our names and station logo, "Das Boot", provided by our Hawaiian connection, Rance Row) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Fire Station 34

Christmas Eve

In this Christmas season, I realize that I have much to be thankful for and there is much to show that I am very blessed . . .


A beautiful wife . . .








A great family . . . And . . . I got another Harley this year!!!!!!!!


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Location:Home Sweet Home

Retired Firefighters

Last monday I had the opportunity to attend the retirement party of two of my friends. Jim Shook, who I have known since I started this job and Greg Brinkley, who has been a source of friendship and fun for many many years. I got to watch them both, in some form, ride off into the sunset and start the next phase of there lives. It is awesome to see my friends make it to that level. Having run the race and running it well. Reaching the end and moving on. They are both awesome friends and I will miss them . . . here at work. But I will most assuredly see them off-duty and when my turn comes to graduate to retirement.


I love these events also cause I get to see friends that I have not seen for a while. (T-34-C, The Boys) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Testing

Testing the new update - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Snowing at the Station

I cannot remember when the last time it snowed in Laguna Hills, but when I worked there last week, it snowed/hailed enough to make El Toro Blvd look like Big Bear.


And inevitably that snow would end up in the fire station and used in a snowball fight in the station.


It made for a Fun and Cold evening. Most definitely Fun. And we were up all night on calls!!!!!

Location:Fire Station 22

Saving The Cat

See . . . Firemen DO save cats in a tree.  We received this call one evening while I was working on the Truck.  Two Kittens being attacked by a crow!!!!  We went all out!!!

The neighborhood loved us

We never found the cats though . . . damn crows!!!

Christmas Decorations

We have this tradition here at the Talbert house, we have a 12 foot Christmas Tree, it is beautiful and big.  But the fun part about it is the decorations that go on it.  Ever since we have been married Cindy and I have been giving each other and the kids Christmas Tree decorations, one for each kid and for each year, all the way back to 1991.  Twenty years of tree ornaments.  Everything from Harry Potter to angels, fire engines, nurse ornaments and even a Peyton Manning one.  

We have a one of a kind tree . . . That's because I have a one of a kind family!!!

Super Busy Day

Some days at the fire station can be long and boring.  Other days move along with uncanny speed.  Today was one of those days that moved along quickly.  By 7:00pm we had 13 emergency calls and had been to three different hospitals.  Hopefully it slows down for the night.  Hopefully:)

UPDATE:  It did!!!! Awesome shift. 13 calls all day and sleep all night. :)

A Bee Sting :(

I have been stung by a bee before and believe me it hurts, it is not an experience one wants to repeat or looks forward to suffer through.  But what if you got stung once a day . . . . every day . . . . for the rest of your life!!!!!  How long would it take for you to be fed up and frustrated, knowing that at the end of your day . . . every day . . . a bee was waiting just to sting you.  

That's my Cindy!!!

Every day for the rest of her life, she gets a shot with medicine.  Her doctors describe and she would agree that it feels like getting a bee sting every time . . . every day . . . for the rest of her life.  She is by far one of the strongest people I know.  She is diligent. She is consistent and every night I feel sad that I have to administer pain to the lady I love. But she keeps on going, she is at times the glue that holds an entire hospital together and at the same time keeps our family running.  She is a rock.  Like I said she is the strongest woman I know.

And every night . . . she gets stung by a bee :(  

I truly dislike MS and I cannot wait for the day this disease is eradicated from the face of the earth

Alyssa Baptism

      Today was another great day.  My oldest daughter had gone forward in church a couple of weeks ago and wanted to be Baptized as a public display of her faith.  Today was that day.  

      Crossroads Church believes in full emersion under the water just like it was done in the days of Christ of the New Testament.  

     It was an honor to be the one baptizing her and having the whole family around her was awesome!!!!

     

     I am proud of you Alyssa:)

 

No Way

After spending the late afternoon/evening at the Fire Station, I went back to my bunk and found this posted to my locker door!!!!!

Here's the story.  My Friend and co-worker Boe Rummel and his wife Blair have this beautiful daughter named Bella.  Cindy wanted to hold her all evening long.  She loves kids!!!  She loves babies!!!!

I made sure I told her that the next baby that I want will be a Grand baby (and because I have no kids that are  even married, that shouldn't be for a while).  

. . . . .I'm going to go take my cardiac meds. . . . . . !!!!!

Thanksgiving Day

One of the many joys and adventures my family and especially the kids get to experience is spending time in the Fire Station.  More specifically the holidays in the Firehouse.  

This is fun for all of us.  

It is tradition.

Who else has to work and then gets their family to come to their work and have Thanksgiving, in the midst of all the fire engines, the emergency calls, and tons of food.  

My family fits here, they grew up here, in this environment, with this family.

Breakfast at the Talbert's

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How is it that our house always turns into the fun house.  Last night Shelby decided to have a few friends over to spend the night.  The next thing I know is the "few friends" turned into 5 friends and the late night was spent watching movies and shows with vampires.  A hearty breakfast in the morning with chocolate chip pancakes and bacon with juice or every kids favorite...... Chocolate milk!  Anyway I am thankful that we get to cook for all these kids and provide a house that is fun and comfortable for them to be in.  And yes, I did almost all of the cooking with help from Jenna. Either way, fun was had by all.

Shelby's Recital

Sometimes I cannot believe how talented my 13 year old is.  She is incredible and I am amazed and proud every time she takes the stage. Be sure to pause the music on the "pop-up music player" on the bottom of the page before you listen, it makes it easier :)

Hanging Out in Big Bear

Had an Great time in Big Bear hanging with good friends and having good times!!!!

Big Bear Vacation

Awesome!!!! One of the only words to truly convey how this vacation went. First I got to hang out with my baby for three days with no kids. We slept in, hung out talked, slept in, ate out, did I mention slept in. Total fun. Then they came up mid week and the fun just continued. We were told that Snow Summit was not going to open until Thanksgiving week but when we got to Big Bear, Their website said that they would be opening on Thursday, so we decided to go. No one in the parking lot, no lift lines, no one even on the slopes. Just me, Jenna and her two friends. It was like we had the whole mountain to ourselves. Groomed runs. I skied right onto the chairlift. This is going to be a great season!!!!!!

1906

I met a lady today, through the course of my work that was 105 years old. 105 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!! She was born in 1906. She was not feeling well and was unable to talk with us but after we left her I started to think about what would it be like to have 1 hour of uninterrupted conversation with her. What could I learn? What would she tell me? What were her experiences?

Theodor Roosevelt was President, WWI, The Roaring Twenties, The Great Depression (and the Recession), WWII, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, all the Gulf Wars, the first TV, the first computer (not to mention the ipod/iphone/ipad), JFK, FDR, Ike, Martin Luther King.

When she was born, there were only 45 states in the United States. No Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii.

And then she had the opportunity to watch her kids, grandkids, great grandkid, (and possibly more) all grow up.

I cannot even begin to imagine the world through her eyes. I would have loved to see it!!! I would have loved for an hour to talk to her.

105 . . . . wow!!!

Calendario

I was cleaning out my garage lately and I ran across this calendar that I had received when Cindy and I traveled to Venice, less than five months after 9/11. It struck me that even on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, that there is a brotherhood that exists. When we entered into that station, with Fire Boats in place of Fire Engines, we were welcomed with open arms, a southern California Firefighter 3000 miles west of Ground Zero and Venice Italy Firefighters 3000+ miles east of Ground Zero. A brotherhood does exist and I am proud to be a part of it!!!

A Time Away

Wow, it has been a long time since the last time I was able to writ something down. Not for a lack of things to say but because my life and time have been a little hectic these last few weeks. Let's see... Brothers birthday, work, outings with friends, work, Jenna's time in the hospital, and did I say work???

And about Jenna's time in the hospital, let's just say that we have met four or five doctors, had numerous office visits, been to the ER twice, the last one ending in a four day stay, and we saw the inside of Jenna's stomach. Needless to say, our baby is home and well and getting better day by day.

And did I say that I was working????

Ps. I have a lot to say so hopefully I can get back on the bogging train!!

Beautiful Girl

Jenna recently had these pictures done professionally. I cannot believe how beautiful she truly is!!!

I soooo have my work cut out for me when it comes to her dating!!!!!




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A New Hospital

I drove by the new Kaiser hospital and saw the huge building and the state of the art hospital going in in our area... It's awesome. It is closer to the station, better facility and the best part for me is that Cindy, Alyssa and hopefully Zachary will all be working there.

Total fun


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Passing The Torch

Last Sunday while I had to work my family was able to attend Crossroads church. Even as the morning started they were not sure they were going to go, but decided that it would be good to go. While Zachary was not scheduled to be in the EMS chair, when he got there both seats were open so he decided to occupy one of them. No sooner had they sit down and began the service, an usher came quickly to the seat and called Zachary down. A person had passed out completely and definitely need assistance. Zachary totally stepped up, made decisions, assessed the patient, provided care, and passed the patient off to the paramedics when they arrived. Cindy was there and helped but it was definitely Zachary's show. Cindy always tells me that when something happens, I am usually at work. This time it was true, but zach totally stepped up. I am very definitely passing the torch!!


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Baker's Square

Ok, things are getting real interesting in my house. Jenna is making homemade jam (and it is awesome) and Cindy is making banana bread (and she hates bananas). Both are from scratch and both by themselves a totally great. But when you put the two of them together.... Wow!!!!

Now are talking of making homemade bread and I can't wait!!!!


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A Tribute

Ten years ago 343 brothers ran into two buildings hit by airplanes hijacked by terrorists. They along with many other New York City Firemen were able to save more than 25,000 people. They did their jobs and lives we saved. This is the profession that I, and my son, have chosen. We are proud and moved by 9/11. We will always remember and never forget.


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Zachary Birthday

Well Zachary had his 20th birthday. It was a fun day. Started with an earlier morning trip to wake boarding (and who says summer is over), then to church, off to Kaiser to surprise mom with lunch. Then an afternoon hanging around the house followed my a fun dinner at the Olive Garden restaurant.



Congratulations Zachary on turning the big 2..0..



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