more softball

thanks to the PA officer we have more softball pics...

1st base coach

swing batta, batta

just b/c he's tall doesn't mean you stick our baby in the back:)

pool party

rob went to a pool party for memorial weekend. he didn't swim since he decided that water was probably from the lake where the animals drink and bathe:) but it was a chance to slow down and enjoy new friends.

The Last Day in my 20's!!!

What to do with the last day in my twenties. I took a trip to the IZ to try to chase down a photo Matt had taken three years ago. The photo above is of me at the famous parade grounds in
Baghdad. This is the location that Saadam would have his troops march back and forth. The video of him shooting the rifle is in a press box in the background. There are two crossed sabers on each end of the grounds. It is a safe place.

So the story is three years ago Matt sent me a photo with this same sign on our birthday. I searched ALL of Baghdad and found it on the last day. Happy Birthday Bro, you still rock, this palace was hard to find!!!!!

Ok, Mom you are not allowed to read this one.... Twice when we were up there we took incoming. They have bunkers everywhere. Above is the first time, this time we luckily were about twenty yards from one and scurried over. The second time we were about fifty yards, I have never moved so fast in my life.

This is my buddy Tom and I as were were getting ready to leave, that is actually him smiling. He is a cool dude. Two guys in the back of a Excursion getting ready to roll, what fun.

your happy 30th bday video... this is great:)

This is awesome, typical Mackey style...

Happy 30th birthday Daddy!!! We love you!!!

Happy Birthday Kale!!!!!

Heavy Metal, these boys were parked on base, too cool.

This is the palace of the former Baath Party, it is right across the street from Saddam's big palace.

This is just one of the three photos of Saddam's downtown palaces, the place is huge. Inside is more marble and gold than you can ever imagine, no photos allowed, but hey I had to sneak one.

This is a neat arch near the palaces, I think it is kind of like the Arc De Triumph in Paris but really smaller. Yes I was standing in the middle of the road for this one, but Baghdad is a safe place guys.....promise.

Today is my big girls sixth birthday. I have been out and about again this past week but luckily I could be "back at the house" here is Baghdad for my girls big day. I recently took a trip to the IZ which was formally the Green Zone, now I refer to it as the Impact Zone, every time up there we get excitement. I can now unfortunately tell you what a mortar round sounds like on approach and impact. The pictures above were some I took while we were out. Miss and love you all. Dad