American Chopper - Senior vs. Junior

So I have been a fan of what many may consider a stupid show but to me it has many of the elements that I like and value. At first glance the show was designed to highlight and showcase those awesome, expensive, and sometimes useless custom motorcycles, but most of us learned pretty quick that the show was taking shape as a drama without a script where father and son constantly fought and yet worked together to produce some of the most amazing and pretty bikes.

While many motorcycle shows came and went, American Chopper has survived for ten years and I still sit on Monday night first watching a bunch of reruns while waiting for the new episode to air.

So apparently the show was successful for six years and then the never ending father and son fights got so intense that Sr. and Jr. parted ways. This in itself would take all the mystique out of the show, after all the formula for six years had been the fights, the tantrums, the destroying and throwing things around and with Jr. gone you could finally count on the show being cancelled.

Now the show has been revived as both OCC and now PJD "compete" for companies to hire them to build them a theme bike, which is what they had specialized in, and I once again find myself hooked on the show.

I like the show, I like the characters, and I like the bikes and it seems both companies are being successful but for four years they had gone to court, sue each other, and apparently gone all this time without speaking to each other and I can't help but think that if that was me I would be going crazy.

There is just no way that I could ever lose a grip of what family life is, in my world without your family you are nothing and then think how fortunate I am to have them around to bug the heck out of me at will. I love it and wouldn't have it any other way.

So, if at all, this show aside from entertaining me, it also reminds me of how important my family is to me and how essential it is for me to have them around, if in fact the Teutuls are estranged they better get their act together because life is too short and wasted days will never come back.

You think I could ever go without this guy? Of course not!
Or without this one? Nope!
Or this one? Nope, nope, nope!
I love my kids and they need to be in my life, that is just a simple fact.

Mi Familia

Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life! ~Albert Einstein

It's a new year and it's also time to recharge our batteries, time to regroup and to rekindle those things that for one reason or another started slipping from us. As I mentioned in a previous post I started my year with those that matter most to me and the happy feeling I had that day just does not want to leave again. So... after mass I texted my kids and asked a simple question, "How about hot dogs at my place?".

Well, needless to say they accepted my offer and once again we had a fantastic time together. The weather here in Phoenix has been gorgeous so while the older kids played outside, and the guys watched the football game, Michelle, Nichole, and I got busy preparing the hot dogs. I had been craving hot dogs with all the trimmings, the only thing I didn't want on them this time was bacon. Well, I didn't hear the end of that one. lol


Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~Author Unknown

Not all have the opportunity to have the family all gathered in the same place at the same time, I am just lucky that way. So every time we are together I cherish the moment and just take it all in and then I take a nap. lol Yes I do, and my daughters certainly have plenty of pictures of me doing this.

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

And thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen. ~Terri Guillemets

So, I for one love having these small family gatherings whenever possible, it is important to let each other know how much we care about one another, if we don't have each other to lean on then we have nothing. I am not making new year's resolutions, I never do but I do resolve to enjoy my family, all of it as much as I can.

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~Jane Howard