FAMILY

Yesterday, a Christmas card came for Jack from Becky. I found the card and decided that I needed to resolve this card issue. I had a choice of hiding this card with the others she has sent, or, discussing this with Pam. I see these cards as Becky's attempt to make her point. The cards come addressed to Jack or Pam with no mention of my name. It is Becky's way of saying that our family does not exist.

Jack has two extended families. There is the Olroyd/Boone family, manipulated by Becky. Some of these family members have been accepting of us. Others are walking the fence unsure about us and unwilling to defy Becky. Jack's other family are the May's. These are a loose collection of independent people who share antisocial traits and a fondness for outburst and drinking. Of the two, Jack fits much better among the May's.

A year ago we went to Swansea to visit the Olroyd/Boone family for Thanksgiving. It was awful. Becky did not want us there and clearly she had gossiped about us with most of the other participants. We were treated like lepers. People either believed we were "bad" or they did not want to cross Becky for fear of her talking about them. Regardless, we were not welcome.

This year we spent Thanksgiving in California. My ex-wife Julie and my daughters, Meredith and Colleen, came to dinner. Meredith brought her boyfriend Shawn. It was almost the best Thanksgiving I can remember going back to living on Russell. The food was fair; I tried to make Skinny Margaritas that turned out watery...nobody made fun of me. We did have drinks and talked about our common history. Jack calls my ex-wife, Aunt Julie and likes having older sisters.

Does it seem crazy that Jack knows and likes the May extended family better than the so called Olroyd/Boone family? For all of our faults and disagreements over the years, I would not trade anyone from the May family. My ex-wife is more supportive of Pam and me then Pam's mother. This is a great lesson for Jack and better then a stupid Card from a so called Grandmother who gossips about us. Turns out Aunt Julie is a better person than Becky.

LA Auto Show 2010

Jack went to the LA Auto Show again this year.

Jack sat in several new cars and motorcycles

Electric Cars were everywhere.

Chevy gave away Hot Wheel Camero's

Jack's Soccer Class

Jack completed his Soccer Program and scored two goals. SCOOOOORE!

ALL HAT & NO CATTLE

Today is Krazy Hat Day at Tutor Time. Jack is wearing the hat Pam got in Texas.

Jack's Baby Brother

Michael Patrick May...........due April 22, 2011. Jack could not be more excited about a new little Brother. Pam is thinking about her "boys" and her future as their Mom.

MAUI WOWIE BIRTHDAY

We had a wonderful Birthday trip to Maui. We went driving up to the Haleakala volcano, rode a sailboat at sunset across the channel with Lanai, and stayed at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. Jack and Pam had a Birthday Dinner with cake at the Banyan Tree Restaurant. It was a great birthday and good time to celebrate a new brother coming in April 2011.

The Lucky Boy

It's Jack's Birthday and we are at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua on Maui. We are getting ready for our sunset catamaran sail and things are near perfect. Pam's mother called....and Jack said,"Hi Becky"

Follow Jack May on Facebook for all the photos and details

School Picture time

Jack got his new school pictures yesterday. We all think he looks like a talk show host. The Tonight Show with Jack May. You can see the smirk of overconfidence on his face. The next 15 years are going to be crazy.

The FIRST DAY

Jack was excited. It was not the BIG DEAL other families go through because Jack has been going to Pre-School at the same place for two years with many of the same kids. Still it was a milestone. This wasn't Pre-School. This was real Kindergarten. More info and Video are available on Jack's FaceBook Page.

KINDERGARTEN

I have not kept up on Jack's Blog....because he has a Facebook Page and 99% of his life is posted on Facebook like about 500 million other people.

KINDERGARTEN, from the German word "Children's Garden". Jack is going to move to Kindergarten next Tuesday, September 7, 2010. He is going to private Kindergarten at Tutor Time with many of the children he has been with for the last two years. Public Kindergarten is a joke. They go to school for three hours a day. Everyone is complaining about the poor skills of American kids. Maybe they should go to school full days?

Last night was back to school night and Jack got to see his new class room. Miss Ramona is his teacher. Jack has known her for two years and her son is one of Jack's friends. Things should go well. It is a small class of 16 kids with four girls and twelve boys. Lucky Ramona.

Here are some Photos:

Me and my friend Thomas

Mommy with Miss Ramona talking about me I'll bet.

DODGER v CARDINALS 6-9-10

It's June and time for the Saint Louis Cardinals to make a West Coast Road Trip. They played the Dodgers three games at Dodger Stadium. Pam and I took Jack again this year. It's 45 Miles each way and the drive to the game is in rush hour traffic. It was worth it....again.

My Dad and I used to listen to the games on the Radio. I remember the 1953 World Series. I think we lived in Alaska then. The Dodgers were playing the Yankees. Vin Scully was the announcer.

Vin Scully is still there and so were Jack, Pam and I. I'll bet my Dad was listening to the Game too. The Dodgers won, to sweep three from the Cards.

BED TIME

Jack really likes his new iPad. He watches movies and plays games. He is learning his letters and numbers using the Apps for preschool children. I downloaded Winnie the Pooh from iBooks and Pam has been reading him chapters each night before bed. The medium may change but it is the same as my Mom reading to me.

LEGOLAND

I almost forgot to tell you about LEGOLAND. We all played Hooky and went to Legoland on Thursday May 20. Jack had been talking about Legoland for six months and we promised him we would go. My big concern were the lines of crying Kids and the heat.

We picked Thursday because school wasn't out and the temp was about 62 degrees at the park. It turned out to be perfect. Jack talked Mommy into going on every kind of Roller Coaster. By the end of the day they had graduated to the BIG ONE. They rode it three times. It all began with the little "baby" mine train coaster above.

Jack is ready to go back. I'm thinking October. School will be back and it will be cool again.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

The Weekend began on Friday when Jack had a routine Dental Appointment. He got a great check up and had his teeth polished. He was really good. Even the Dentist said he was amazed that a 4 year old could sit still for this exam.

We went to Lunch at the Counter so Jack's Big Sister Colleen could wait on us. They even look a lot alike. Here is Colleen and Jack at Lunch.

Jack has been taking swimming lessons. In October we go to Maui and we want Jack to swim underwater with the fish. We spent Sunday and Monday mornings at Laguna Beach. We wanted to beat the crowds and be ready to leave by Lunch time. Jack is becoming brave about the ocean and willing to go out into the surf. But...not to far. He is sure there is a SHARK out there waiting for him.

CHICAGO

We went to Chicago, May 21-23. Jack and Pam spent Saturday Visiting the Navy Pier and the Field Museum. Then they met up with Pam's cousin, Amy, back at the hotel. Jack Swam while Pam and Amy talked. Later we all went to dinner at Spaggia.

It was a quick trip to Chicago but it was good to see Amy and Jack had fun at the Field Museum.

Packed and ready to go

Mommy is out of town in Dallas for three days on business. She is attending the National Broker Meeting. Jack helped her pack for the trip. Today, Jack said, I need to pack my things for our trip to Chicago.

We bought Jack a little "briefcase" messenger bag to carry his things on the plane. We are going to Chicago for the weekend. Jack and Pam are meeting cousin Amy and going to the Field Museum. I am going to the National Restaurant Show.

So, Jack got out his bag and load up his iPad, Coloring Book, and Army men. He is ready to fly to Chicago. He is also a good planner. I need to send this photo to Apple. The Four Year old is packing his iPad for his trip to Chicago. It's a whole new world.

iPad iLuv U

Daddy bought me the new iPad 3G and it is so cool. It has movies and games for me to play. It is a simple computer that works by me touching the screen. There is no mouse. I'm learning to make sight words using blocks with letters and learning to draw.

This iPad thing is much cooler than Dad's iPhone. It's bigger and easier to watch movies. I can't wait for a long trip on a plane to play with it. iPad, I think iLuv you.

Fun Weekend

We had a fun weekend. On Saturday we went hiking in Laguna Canyon and we saw lizards and birds. Then we went bike riding and watched Harry Potter.

Today, Sunday, we went to Thomas' hosue for a play date. Then Mom took me to the Mushroom Park....Colleen, you know where that is right?

This was a fun weekend!

Mommy sure is a good hiker. I got tired and wanted to rest.

Armaan's Multicultural Birthday Party 2-20-10

Jack went to Armaan’s birthday party this weekend. There were several aspects of the event worth noting:

1) The boys seemed the happiest fighting with each other in the holding room of Pump It Up! before going into the actual party. See the attached link.

2) Everyone wants to be Jack’s friend. The room was filled with little boys running around yelling “Where’s Jack May?” According to many of the moms, the main question on all of their sons’ minds about the party was: “Is Jack May going to be there?” Even the little brothers of kids in his class want to play with him. He is a natural leader.

3) The party was strange. Although it was a boys’ party at a bounce house center, they had Circle Time with a fairy and played shake the parachute. Jack Wilder’s Grandma was in town from the Cities, and she couldn’t understand why all of the parents hung around for the entire party. She and Jack and Jack’s mom all left early.

4) Armaan’s mother put him in what I believe is a traditional Indian Dhoti Kurta for the birthday celebration, after the running around. Idan, whose family is from Israel, came to the party with his little brother and his mother, even though it was on Saturday, the Sabbat. Ethan Wu’s mom brought him a “special meal,” because he doesn’t like cheese on his pizza, wink, wink. It felt like a Model UN Birthday Party.

5) They had face-painting at the party. As you can see, Jack allowed himself to be turned into Spiderman….until he got home.

Jack & Mommy

Everyone loves their mother. Some people come to understand that their mother isn't perfect but, she is their mother, and they love her anyway. Others truly have the mothers we all deserve. They are selfless women, who put the needs of their children first and above all else. I had a mother like this and so does Jack. When I went away to college my mom told me..."I love you. I will miss you. No matter what happens, you can always come home. If you ever need anything, call me. If it is 2:00 AM and you need a loaded hand gun and $10,000 dollars in cash. No questions asked. I am the person you can call. I am your Mother and I love you." I miss her every single day. Jack has a mother like mine.

Jack and Pam are close. More than mother and son, they are best friends. When I met Pam she told me she did not think she would ever want children. Funny, her life would be empty today without Jack. For Jack, he loves his mom more than anything. It is just wonderful to see them together. No words can explain the joy I feel watching them. I wish my mom were here to see them....Michael

Just another Sunday at the Beach 1-31-10

The weather was good so we drove over to Laguna again. Jack and Pam made sand castles. The tide and surf were really high....multiple storms out on the Pacific are pushing waves ashore. The Beach was half the width of two weeks ago. By Feb 4th we should see more rain for four days.

What was that? ..................A shark?

A DAY AT THE BEACH

The weather the last week was nearly perfect and we went to Laguna Beach on Sunday. Jack kept telling us he wanted to go "surfing." He got out Pam's wake board and was all set to go surfing when we got close to the water. It was colder than he expected. I think water temperature is about 63 degrees.

Once he got to the shoreline, Jack ran around splashing in the water. No real surfing but a good beginning. Not a bad day for January 10.

Mommy's FLIP Video

Santa brought Mommy a new FLIP Video camera. I expect to be the star in Mommy's new Video Show. Watch here for more Jack Videos.