CHRONICLES OF A FOURTH YEAR TEACHER

Sierra Nevada

2012-01-30T12:42:00.001-08:00

Still one of my favorite breweries.

Parks and Rec

2012-01-28T07:37:00.001-08:00

Quite possibly the best show on tv! I must admit I have a bit of a celebrity crush on Aubrey Plaza.

Cured

2012-01-27T15:13:00.001-08:00

CURED from UM Media Documentary Projects on Vimeo.

Muir v. Briercrest

2012-01-24T17:31:00.000-08:00

Take a look at John Muir's overall MSP scores versus Briercrest's (my old school up in Shoreline). Pay particular attention to the 4th-5th grade scores and our racial demographic. Pretty interesting. Our urban kids are outpacing their suburban counterparts in science and writing, although overall all the %'s should be higher...

A little singer

2012-01-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Should she be on American Idol, X Factor, or The Voice? I love the Ben Harper style lap guitar!

Here's the inspiration for her song by the Dixie Chicks.

Snow Day!

2012-01-16T13:46:00.001-08:00

seattletimes.com: Lawmakers propose charter schools, new evaluation

2012-01-12T19:40:00.001-08:00

This public school teacher is for it!

Lawmakers propose charter schools, new evaluation

http://mobile.seattletimes.com/story/today/2017225375/track-ip_news_lite-1.2.2-./

Get The Seattle Times on your iPhone for free by visiting http://itunes.com/apps/seattletimesmobile

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That explains the typing errors.

A Bourbon Primer with David Chang

2012-01-12T15:29:00.001-08:00

I'm kind of a celebrity chef geek, so when I saw this I got excited.

Is it local?

2011-12-29T15:25:00.000-08:00

With only 4 days left of winter break, I final feel like I'm rested. Layla is napping so I'm veggin out with a little Portlandia.

Santa's in Amsterdam!

2011-12-24T15:09:00.001-08:00

He may move a bit slower after eating the cookies in Amsterdam.

Khan Academy

2011-12-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

First beer in space!

2011-11-29T17:15:00.001-08:00

		The First Beer In Space
	This can of Natty Light is out of this world -- literally. On Nov. 18, Natural Light became the first beer launched into space thanks...

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That explains the typing errors.

The classroom

2011-11-23T21:04:00.001-08:00

Here are some recent pictures of my class. Sometimes I feel like when people ask me how work is going, I tell them, but they don'w have a clear picture about what an elementary class looks alike aside from what they remember from their own experience. Well, here's mine.

Westslope Common Beer

2011-11-06T10:45:00.001-08:00

Attempting a California Common Beer. Aka Anchor Steam!

Vocabulary Test

2011-10-31T15:26:00.000-07:00

I didn't make this test up, but this student could be correct...

Chicken Adobo!

2011-10-29T21:02:00.001-07:00

Uh oh....walking!

2011-10-27T18:10:00.001-07:00

Shopping cart lady

2011-10-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

Library update!

2011-10-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

We're making good progress. My students always ask me, "Who are these people who give our class money?"

Let's keep it up! http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/1071840.1179001010

Help me build a library!

2011-10-07T21:08:00.001-07:00

http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/1071840.1179001010

Reminisce

2011-09-30T13:58:00.001-07:00

I find myself at Zeigeist, a bar just outside the Mission in SF. Gemma is getting a haircut down the street and I'm enjoying an early afternoon, weekday Anchor Steam.

Rewind 5 years ago and this situation could have been playing out exactly the same....oh yeah, minus the part where my daughter is in the east bay with her lolas and lolo.

It's nice to be back in the bay.

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That explains the typing errors.

Pictures from Matt and Sander's Wedding

2011-09-29T22:18:00.001-07:00

A little preview that their photographer (our cousin David) put together. I can't wait to see the final pics!

See more of David's pictures at http://daviddimalanta.tumblr.com/

Congrats Matt & Sander!

2011-09-25T22:23:00.001-07:00

And that's a wrap in Tamayo wedding #2. Congrats Matt and Sander!

Classic pic!

2011-09-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

Layla and her grandparents taking pictures at her 1st birthday party. Classic!

Props to the photographer David.

Layla's Watermelon Wheat Ale!

2011-09-11T16:28:00.001-07:00

Ready in 2 weeks!

Morning Harvest

2011-09-10T08:39:00.001-07:00

The Tamayo Farmers Market!

Layla Pale Ale

2011-09-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

Over the summer I brewed, with the help of my neighbor Adam an amber ale. After fermenting for a few weeks, I put my bottling operation to work.

Because your kiss...

2011-09-05T22:43:00.001-07:00

...is on my lips...

Youngershoot!

2011-09-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

Layla's first Bumbershoot! Layla at the EMP Sky Church and then generating electricity for the Toyota Prius tent.

BBQ!

2011-08-27T09:32:00.001-07:00

Ready for a long day of BBQ for Layla's birthday party!

Did you hear that Santa?

2011-08-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Represent!

2011-07-31T12:43:00.001-07:00

RIP Subaru

2011-07-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, someone decided that he needed a set of wheels to get him around the city. She was taken in the middle of the night. Knowing that the driver was not her owners, she made one last ditch effort to make it back to us by ramming into another car. The driver fled the scene and although mortally wounded, she made her way back to us one last time.

We have to let her go albeit the repairs would not be economical. At least she will be able to rest at home instead of a scrap yard until we can find someone who can fix her up and give her a new home.

This car took me to San Francisco and back many times. She safely carried my then Gemma and I through the Redwoods on our engagement road trip.While in the Bay, someone else took her from us illegally, but she returned and few weeks later.

In the killer snow storm of '08, she trudged through the snow while Land Rovers, Pilots, and Jeeps lay jack knifed on the side of the road.

I will miss you....

RIP Dad Watsons

2011-07-22T16:49:00.001-07:00

Strolled through the old hood to find Dad Watsons closed...sad

Go Sounders!

2011-07-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

Man who???!

I love the Bite of Seattle!

2011-07-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Traveling

2011-07-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a friend the other day about summer traveling. I mentioned that I had never crossed an ocean before. He was amazed by that. Then I commented that I have traveled to quite a few of the states and it got me thinking about how many I've actually been through.

Now I'm talking about actually spending time in and not just sitting in an airport on a layover. The grand total....23!

Google +

2011-07-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

It's like Facebook, but for grown ups who would rather filter who they share what with.

The more I use it and build my network, the more I like it!

Go Sounders!

2011-07-10T17:50:00.001-07:00

Responsible adults...

2011-07-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

walk to the winery.

Halo Halo bar!

2011-07-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

To my filipino followers. 3 words. Halo Halo Bar..

Happy Pride!

2011-06-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

I'm awake!

PRIDE Parade

2011-06-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hopefully she'll wake up when the parade starts.

Layla says, "Go Sounders!"

2011-06-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

Summer Break!

2011-06-22T13:21:00.001-07:00

See you in 10 weeks!

We made the Hama Hama Blog!

2011-06-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

http://hamahamaoysters.com/blog/http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Southeast Cluster

2011-06-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Applejack Sidecar w/ Cointreau and Amatetto. Thanks Lotties!

The British are coming!

2011-06-03T09:07:00.001-07:00

British warships have arrived in Colonial Boston to quell the anti-tax revolt!

He best argument for food...

2011-05-31T17:49:00.001-07:00

From the previous article:

When people argue from dogma it becomes impossible to have a discussion. The best source of guidance I have found is listening to what my body needs in any moment. Sometimes a great salad seems just perfect and other times I need a little beef. Some people have the physiology or body design to eat strictly vegetarian and others don't. I have seen people try to live up to a belief about food while starving their bodies by not providing them with what they need. If you are hungry for a hamburger and it tastes really good you probably needed it. If you're eating one out of habit or boredom then that is about consciousness, not food.

I'm now 60 years old, have experimented with several food "dogmas" (including macrobiotics), and consider myself a conscious eater. Over the years I have found that preaching to convert other people seldom works and is more a reflection of the needs of the one preaching. I consider it more effective to become something for oneself and model the outcome. If your outcome doesn't match your expectations you are free to move on without having to eat crow, pun intended.

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That explains the typing errors.

Excellent Article on Diet

2011-05-31T17:33:00.001-07:00

		MEATHEAD: Meat Or No Meat: The Best Arguments From Both Sides
	There are books on both sides of the issue, but we would like to see point and counterpoint side by side. We would also like to debunk some myths.

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That explains the typing errors.

It's faces like this...

2011-05-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

...that puts the challenging parts of parenting all in perspective. Layla loved the pickled ramps at Sitka and Spruce!

This is why the world didn't end.

2011-05-21T22:29:00.001-07:00

Thank you Macho Man!

Nice!

2011-05-17T17:43:00.001-07:00

That hint of lavender at the bottom of the photo is Layla's hat.

A nice view from the lookout point up the street, my daughter in one arm, and a cold beer.

Life is good!

Already like her dad.

2011-05-02T17:13:00.001-07:00

Enjoying a beer and tots at Six Arms!

Girly pic

2011-04-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

I almost always dress Layla J. unisex outfits. She's a frickin' cutie though in this outfit.

All groans up

2011-04-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Layla is sleeping in her own room down the hall tonight.

All growns up.

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Humdinger!

2011-03-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

From our models and designs unit....

Oh Costco...

2011-03-19T11:04:00.001-07:00

Hipster Trap

2011-03-15T15:40:00.001-07:00

A bike chain, Wayfarer glasses, American Spirits, and a PBR. Awesome!

On a personal note, I hate how PBR has been co-opted into a hipster beer. It's a cheap beer that tastes good. We had cases of it at the Phallard House circa '03-'04. I wouldn't describe Tyler, Brian, or myself as hipster.

I'm lovin' it

2011-01-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

I wouldn't have been able to understand the hilarity of this commercial 5 months ago.

Layla hearts Christmas

2010-12-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Pinsans!

2010-12-26T16:45:00.000-08:00

Layla and Graham.

Christmas Eve Morning @ Geraldines

2010-12-24T10:00:00.001-08:00

A little small family time before the Christmas Holiday!

Finally!

2010-12-18T16:58:00.001-08:00

		SENATE REPEALS DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL
	WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted 65-31 on Saturday to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell, defeating a 17-year policy of banning gay and lesbian service members...

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Snow Day!

2010-11-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

Started the day with some shoveling.

Video v. Real World?? Thanks Zadi!

2010-11-22T20:46:00.000-08:00

Fearless Critic Seattle!

2010-11-17T13:37:00.000-08:00

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Critic-Seattle-Restaurant-Guides/dp/160816019X/
Powell's: http://www.powells.com/biblio/2-9781608160198-1
Fearless Critic Website: http://www.fearlesscritic.com/seattle

Last spring, I was asked to be part of a panel of locals to review Seattle area restaurants. Here are the results!

Layla and Papa time!

2010-11-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

Ladies of shopping. Time to cruise the strip with Layla!

Vegas...Baby?

2010-11-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

Layla and Grandpa

2010-11-03T22:04:00.001-07:00

Cane home and found our babysitter asleep. Grandma was awake keeping an eye out.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T15:41:00.001-07:00

Layla's first movie!

2010-10-21T15:41:00.001-07:00

The Social Network. She breastfed and burped twice and barely made a peep. The 6 other people in the theater didn't seem to mind. Mom and Dad enjoyed a well put together movie.

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Happy Hour!

2010-10-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

@ Elliott Bay Brewery!

Filipino Food!

2010-10-06T11:08:00.001-07:00

Thanks Ameer!

It's Jared

2010-09-27T10:44:00.001-07:00

Emerald City Brewery Grand Opening

2010-09-25T19:29:00.001-07:00

Layla and Poppa enjoying a Dotties Lager at the grand opening of the Emerald City Brewery located at the old Rainer Brewery in Georgetown.

Happy Poppa

2010-09-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

Craft Beer + Layla = Happy Poppa

Happy Momma

2010-09-25T13:46:00.001-07:00

Layla + Oysters = Happy Momma

Pike Place Artisan Food Festival

2010-09-25T13:30:00.001-07:00

Taking a break at Tom Douglas's new venture Seatown Snack Bar. Layla gets no oysters.

Layla/Papa Time

2010-09-23T21:10:00.001-07:00

Gemma's asleep on the couch.

Layla and I are listening to the 4/6/98 solo acoustic Ben Harper bootleg. I haven't listened to this recording from beginning to end straight through since college.

Layla has been laying on my chest the whole time drifting in and out of sleep. I think she especially liked Ben's rendition of Sexual Healing!

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Great Grandma Mary!

2010-09-19T15:01:00.001-07:00

Field Trip!

2010-09-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

This is our first weekend since Layla was born where we are not staying at the hospital! In celebration we are having lunch at the Melrose Market!

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Parental Worry

2010-09-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I always wondered why my parents worried about me so much. Whether it be a fever, a sprain, or leaving home for the first time by myself, I would always think to myself "Why do they worry so much?"

Layla developed a fever late Thursday night and with any infant with a fever of 101. With any newborn, fever need to be checked out immediately so at 9:30pm after talking with our consulting nurse, we packed up and headed back to Swedish Hospital only two days after being discharged from our jaundice treatment.

The emergency room in the middle of the night is enough to make anyone nervous. Imagine two new parents with a baby who has only been home for two days.

It turned out that after a myriad of pokes, tests, cultures, and a scary spinal tap, she had viral meningitis. It sounds a lot worse than it is, but after some antibiotics, she is resting and the temperature has come down.

We are about to be discharged from the hospital...again...and looking back at the whole experience, Layla was the bravest and strongest out of the three of us. She never fussed (sans when she was getting poked and prodded), but she kept her routine, ate when she was supposed, was alert when she was supposed to be alert, and slept...a lot.

I know understand the worries of a parent. I'm Layla was thinking to herself:

"Dad! Relax, it's just a fever. I'm fine!"

Layla Blog

2010-09-07T22:08:00.000-07:00

http://laylajo.blogspot.com/

I know, baby blog...big whoop. I'm doing things as a parent I thought I would never do....sigh.

A fierce determination.

2010-09-05T11:58:00.001-07:00

Layla is a bit jaundice and the only way to get better is through photo therapy and pooping.

She can only be out from under the lights for 30 min every 3 hours for feeding. We've been having trouble getting her fed and burped in 30 min because she falls asleep while on the bottle/boob. Her dad is a notoriously slow eater as well so it may run in the family.

I think she really wants to go home because look at her facial expression. Layla's a gamer.

Hovering

2010-09-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

My mother in law is hovering.....sigh

Raver?

2010-09-04T12:06:00.001-07:00

Layla's a bit jaundice so she'll be under the blue lights for a few days. :(

Layla Josephine!

2010-09-04T10:27:00.001-07:00

CHECKING EMAIL!

GETTING A BATH!

HANGIN' WITH OLIVER!

PICKING OUT A BOOK TO READ!

HANGIN' WITH GRANDPA SIM!

INTRODUCING: LAYLA JOSEPHINE TAMAYO

PUSH!

2010-09-01T14:07:00.001-07:00

I didn't know pushing took so long. It's been 30 min and no baby yet. Gemma is doing so well!

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Placing bets

2010-09-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

I'm guessing baby girl will be born at 4:32pm

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"You'll know"

2010-09-01T11:29:00.001-07:00

That's pretty much the answer to the following questions:

- When will we know when to push?
- At what point are we getting close?

Gemma replied "You'll know my ass..."

I think she's ready...

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Say yes to drugs

2010-09-01T07:35:00.001-07:00

It's epidural time!

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Sitting, Waiting, Standing, Contracting

2010-09-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

We've been here since around 4:45.

Labor isn't as frantic as I thought.....

Funny Conversation

2010-09-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

2:45am

Gemma: I think my water broke.
Michael: You probably just have to go pee like always...(still groggy)
Gemma: Ok, I'll go...

From the bathroom...."Ohh crap that's a lot!"

It's on!

Baby Room

2010-08-26T15:27:00.001-07:00

Almost there!

I don't care that you "like" something via Facebook

2010-08-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

		Facebook Study Uncovers What Your 'Cool' Friend Is Really Like
	Social networking websites keep people connected with friends, co-workers and acquaintances. But new research suggests that online profiles can also feed narcissistic tendencies and highlights...

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Nearly perfect

2010-08-21T17:10:00.001-07:00

A stack of Time Magazines that have been sitting in my mailbox at school all summer, guitar, beer, and view.

Summer is coming to a close real fast..

Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

2010-08-19T04:46:00.001-07:00

By REBECCA SANTANA

Associated Press Writer

A line of heavily armored American military vehicles, their headlights twinkling in the pre-dawn desert, lumbered past the barbed wire and metal gates marking the border between Iraq and Kuwait early Thursday and rolled into history.

For the troops of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, it was a moment of relief fraught with symbolism but lightened by the whoops and cheers of soldiers one step closer to going home. Seven years and five months after the U.S.-led invasion, the last American combat brigade was leaving Iraq, well ahead of President Barack Obama's Aug. 31 deadline for ending U.S. combat operations there.

---

EDITOR'S NOTE: The 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division was officially designated the last combat brigade to leave Iraq under Obama's plan to end combat operations in Iraq by Aug. 31. Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana joined the troops on their final journey out of the country.

---

When 18-year-old Spc. Luke Dill first rolled into Iraq as part of the U.S. invasion, his Humvee was so vulnerable to bombs that the troops lined its floor with flak jackets.

Now 25 and a staff sergeant after two tours of duty, he rode out of Iraq this week in a Stryker, an eight-wheeled behemoth encrusted with armor and add-ons to ward off grenades and other projectiles.

"It's something I'm going to be proud of for the rest of my life - the fact that I came in on the initial push and now I'm leaving with the last of the combat units," he said.

He remembered three straight days of mortar attacks outside the city of Najaf in 2003, so noisy that after the firing ended, the silence kept him awake at night. He recalled the night skies over the northern city of Mosul being lit up by tracer bullets from almost every direction.

Now, waiting for him back in Olympia, Wash., is the "Big Boy" Harley-Davidson he purchased from one of the motorcycle company's dealerships at U.S. bases in Iraq - a vivid illustration of how embedded the American presence has become since the invasion of March 20, 2003.

That presence is far from over. Scatterings of troops still await departure, and some 50,000 will stay another year in what is designated as a noncombat role. They will carry weapons to defend themselves and accompany Iraqi troops on missions (but only if asked). Special forces will continue to help Iraqis hunt for terrorists.

So the U.S. death toll - at least 4,415 by Pentagon count as of Wednesday - may not yet be final.

The Stryker brigade, based in Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state and named for the vehicle that delivers troops into and out of battle, has lost 34 troops in Iraq. It was at the forefront of many of the fiercest battles, including operations in eastern Baghdad and Diyala province, an epicenter of the insurgency, during "the surge" of 2007. It evacuated troops at the battle of Tarmiyah, an outpost where 28 out of 34 soldiers were wounded holding off insurgents.

The U.S. military kept a tight lid on security, restricting the media embedded with the U.S. troops from reporting on the brigade's movements until they were almost to the border.

The brigade's leadership volunteered to have half of its 4,000 soldiers depart overland instead of taking the traditional flight out, a decision that allowed the unit to keep 360 Strykers in the country for an extra three weeks. The remainder of the brigade flew out with the last of the troops slated to leave later Thursday.

U.S. commanders say it was the brigade's idea to drive out, not an order from on high. The intent was to keep additional firepower handy through the "period of angst" that followed Iraq's inconclusive March 7 election, said brigade chief, Col. John Norris.

It took months of preparation to move the troops and armor across more than 500 kilometers (300 miles) of desert highway through potentially hostile territory.

The Strykers left the Baghdad area in separate convoys over a four-day period, traveling at night because the U.S.-Iraq security pact - and security worries - limit troop movements by day.

Along the way, phalanxes of American military Humvees sat at overpasses, soldiers patrolled the highways for roadside bombs, and Apache attack helicopters circled overhead as the Strykers refueled alongside the highway.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gus McKinney, a brigade intelligence officer, acknowledged that moving the convoys overland put soldiers at risk, but said the danger was less than in past.

The biggest threat was roadside bombs planted by Shiite extremist groups who have a strong foothold in the south, McKinney said.

But except for camels straying into the road, and breakdowns that required some vehicles to be towed, there were no incidents. The last of the Strykers rolled across the border just before 4 a.m. Thursday into Kuwait, honking their horns and waving to the small crowd gathered at the crossing.

The brigade's leadership was on hand to greet the troops after they crossed the border and pulled into a parking lot where they shed their sweaty armor and stumbled out of their Strykers.

"This is powerful. This is exciting for me. As a commander, this means that all of my soldiers are safely inside of Kuwait and getting ready to redeploy back to their families," Norris told The Associated Press.

The worst of the ride was conditions inside the Strykers - sitting for hours in a cramped space - and the temperatures outside that reached 50 Celsius (120 Fahrenheit).

The driver's compartment is called the "hellhole" because it sits over the engine and becomes almost unbearably hot. The vehicle commander and gunner can sit up in hatches to see the outside world. At the tail end are hatches for two gunners. Eight passengers - an infantry squad in combat conditions - can squeeze in the back.

Riding as a passenger felt a bit like being in a World War II-era submarine - a tight fit and no windows. The air conditioning was switched off to save fuel on the long ride south to Kuwait. Men dozed or listened to music on earphones.

Once out of Iraq, there was still work to be done. Vehicles had to be stripped of ammunition and spare tires, and eventually washed and packed for shipment home.

Meanwhile, to the north, insurgents kept up a relentless campaign against the country's institutions and security forces, killing five Iraqi government employees in roadside bombings and other attacks Wednesday. Coming a day after a suicide bomber killed 61 army recruits in central Baghdad, the latest violence highlighted the shaky reality left by the departing U.S. combat force and five months of stalemate over forming Iraq's next government.

For Dill, who reached Kuwait with an earlier convoy, the withdrawal engendered feelings of relief. His mission - to get his squad safely out of Iraq - was accomplished.

Standing alongside a hulking Stryker, his shirt stained with sweat, he acknowledged the men who weren't there to experience the day with him.

"I know that to my brothers in arms who fought and died, this day would probably mean a lot, to finally see us getting out of here," he said.

MAYA ALLERUZZO / AP
In this Aug. 14, 2010 photo, U.S. Army soldiers from C Co., 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division gather for a formation before driving from Iraq to Kuwait. The soldiers are the last combat brigade to leave Iraq as part of the drawdown of U.S. forces.

Live chat with Hal Bernton on a Stryker Brigade's year in Afghanistan

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I can't believe summer is almost over.

2010-08-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

I'm back....

It's basement time!

2010-08-15T21:55:00.001-07:00

We hit record temperatures here at the Tamayo house.

Last recorded high was 83 degrees last month.