Disney Vacation

It is the DREAM!
My wife and I have been talking for some time now about the possibility of taking our kids to Disney World in Florida. We have looked at it from all sides of the issue. We both know one thing for certain. We want our kids to have that experience while they are young. I see all of these commercials for Disney vacations and they show the moment when the parents tell the kids that they are going to Disney. The kids freak out with happiness, and that's a moment in time that I want. I want to see the excitement on my kids face, in their eyes, when I tell them we are going to what can only be described as a little piece of Heaven for young kids. I think every parent wants to see that type of joy on the face of their kids. That moment is one of my dreams in life.
The issues.
There are a couple of issues when it comes to bringing that dream to being a reality. My wife and I have tried to decide if our kids are at the right age for a trip to Disney or not. My oldest is four and the younger boy is two. I am of the opinion that my daughter would do okay with a day at the Magic Kingdom, but my boy would have a hard time. We have a hard time containing him at the grocery store, so I know there is no way he would behave anything like a human being if we were there. I sometimes use a stroller just to keep him from running all over the place in normal every day events. I just know he would run away and never be heard from again. Not a thought I like to think about. Plus, I know that we would have to have a stroller at Disney because it's too much to expect a little kid like that to walk all day and not get tired. It's too much to expect ME to walk around Disney all day and be able to stand up at night, but I don't think they make strollers big enough for me. Nor do I think my wife is strong enough to push my fat ass around a theme park all day. So, that's one of the issues we are struggling with.
The next, and biggest, issue is how we can afford the trip financially. I've stated before in this blog that money is not just flowing out of our pockets here in our house. We, like many American families at this point, do not have one of those magical trees in our backyard that grows money. It would be nice to go out and pick a couple of twenties off whenever I needed, but alas, it is not to be. So, seeing how we have trouble always keeping ahead of our bills, fitting what I have been told is an extremely expensive vacation into our already stretched thin budget, is almost an impossibility. I have done A LOT OF RESEARCH on this topic however. What I have found is that it can be done. They have a lot of vacation packages at Disney that are actually quite affordable. Plus, they allow you to make payments on whatever package you choose. I'm not going to get into the numbers or the offered packages and payment arrangements, but I think we could find a way to make it happen. The thing is, finding the money to put the down payment down on the vacation of our dreams. My wife and I have talked about taking our income tax refund and using that, and then paying on the vacation for a year before we go. That leads us back to the first issue. When is the appropriate age to take the kids? By answering this question we will know when it is that we want to start making a year's worth of payments. Make sense?
I would like to get your thoughts on the appropriate age to take kids to Disney, or any stories you have to share about a trip you've taken there. Any advise on the best way to go about this sort of adventure would be great as well.
I will say this, we have decided that if we were to ever come into a large sum of money(meaning hitting the lottery) we would immediately take off for the Magic Kingdom. To heck with the ages of the kids!
Thanks again, and I hope to hear some really cool Disney stories.

Groundhog Day.

I know it's in February.
So, I'll just ask it. Are there any other SAHDs out there that feel like they are living the same day over and over? Sometimes that's the case for me. I made the case for routines a while back, and well, I've gotten my wish. In our house we have settled into a nice little routine of how are day goes. It's almost the same every day. The only thing that changes is the time(or if) my wife goes into work. Otherwise we have almost fallen into a rut. It's because of this that I think my kids are acting out.
It's my fault really.
In my quest for stability and order, I have made my kids into robots of a sort. Apparently they don't like that! Maybe it's why they both took swings at me today. Yeah, you read that right, both of my kids attempted to hit me today. At separate times they both misbehaved and received the obligatory scolding. Nothing major, just an explanation as to what they did wrong, why it was wrong, and that it will not be tolerated again. Well, they both disagreed with me, and resisted by using force. Of course neither time went over well with me. Needless to say they both lost some of their favorite toys for a while.
That leads me back to our routine. I think that my kids were just acting out due to boredom. We've gotten to the point where every day seems the same. We go to the park at the same time, we eat lunch and dinner at the same time, we take baths at the same time. Separately of course. I just read that sentence and realized it could be misconstrued by certain people. It's getting pretty monotonous. I've really got to switch things up before they kill me!  I've tried so hard to give them structure that they've turned against me.
Bill Murray will wake up to a different song!
Tomorrow the alarm clock will go off and it won't be "I Got You Babe" playing on our radio. It's going to be different and exciting. I've realized my mistake and vow not to repeat it. I am going to find a way to give structure to our lives, while changing things up enough to keep them on their toes. And from trying to injure their Daddy.
Any ideas on how I can go about keeping things new and exciting in our daily existence? 

World Series Predictions

 Going against the grain.
I am going to make my World Series prediction known to all here. I am not a professional prognosticator, however I do have a vast and wondrous amount of sports knowledge. With an emphasis on baseball for that matter.
So, on to the prediction. I pick the San Fransisco Giants to beat the Texas Rangers in six games. I think the Giants pitching staff will be more than enough to hold down the Rangers' bats. However, don't underestimate the importance of Benji Molina, the Rangers' catcher, having played the the last few years, including the first couple months of this year, with the Giants. It could come into play.
If my prediction is to come true I'm sure it will make Big Daddy Paul happy while upsetting Papa K. 
Good luck to both teams, and I hope the Series goes the way you want it to. 

The DEATH of a toy!

It's very traumatic!
Last night we had something happen in our house that caused a lot pain and suffering. There was crying and comforting. There was forgiveness and thanks. We went through the entire seven steps of grief in about 30 minutes. It was crazy. During the day while my daughter was at school, my son had twisted the head off from one of her favorite dolls. It was a Jessie doll from Toy Story 3. And according to her, "SHE WAS MY FAVORITE TOY OF ALL TIME!" She is only four, so I guess that's entirely possible. Here is what the carnage looked like.

  It was bad enough that no amount of superglue surgery could save her. I felt so bad when she was upset over this heinous act of violence. Her brother knew he had been had as well. When the crime scene had been discovered, he just laid down in his bed and got really quiet. Very unlike him. I knew that he felt bad and didn't want to be in trouble. So, being that I am judge, jury and executioner, I decided that he got off easy this time. As punishment for the crime he received a hug from his Daddy. I told him that it was not a good idea to go around breaking his sister's toys because she can inflict a much worse punishment upon him than I ever could. I remember what being a sibling was like as a child, and I know that sometimes justice is dolled out not by parents, but the kids themselves.
Anyways, I assured Sydney that she would receive a new and improved Jessie doll in the very near future and it seemed to ease the pain of her loss. It was after a few more sniffles and whimpers that I soon heard the sweet sound of silence coming from their bedroom indicating that they were finally asleep for the night. AHHH, peace. And, I was in a huge need of peace and quiet for the night. The crime did make me remember when I lost one of my favorite toys as a kid. I had a white with blue end striped Detroit Lions football. I took it to school every day an all of my friends and I played games of football with it. Well, one day we must of not used it, and I set it aside. After recess I must of forgotten it, because I looked out of our classroom window and noticed the "big" kids playing with my ball! My teacher refused to let me run out there and get it! I was furious, and at the time(or every day of my life including now) I had a bit of a temper. I caused a pretty big scene for my teacher, but I never did see that ball again. I think I'm still wearing the scars from losing my beloved Detroit Lions football. Maybe it's why they haven't won big in my lifetime. Perhaps I am the reason behind their futility? Oh, I would find that teacher and go back and punch her square in the face. Do you know how much pain and suffering the Lions have caused me? If I knew it was my fault, I'd never forgive myself. That is why, my daughter will have a replacement. I don't want to cause her years and years of emotional pain. Of course, if I tried hard enough, I could probably make her forget about her "loss" in a day or so, as long as she's not a freak like her Dad.
Time in the ER for this SAHD!
Yes, you read that right. I spent some time in the ER yesterday morning. During the afternoon on Monday I started to develop a nice little headache. Sometimes I get these really bad ones, as I've mentioned in a previous post that you can find here Sometimes they can really put me down for the day, and other times they can send me to the ER for help. Yesterday was one of those days. A little back story here. I have no colon, I had to have it removed due to a disease known as Ulcerative Colitis. I developed the disease when I was 18 and playing college football. I lived with it for five years before being told quite sternly by my doctor that I had to have my colon out, or die before I was 30 from colon cancer. It wasn't even a tough call! Anyways, one of the functions of our colons is to absorb liquid into our systems and help keep us hydrated. Well, by not having one, I get dehydrated quite often, causing these headaches. Yesterday was really bad. I spent about three hours in an ER room getting two IV bags of fluid and what they called a "migraine cocktail." Apparently it was a mixture of a couple of meds that knock out headaches like the one I had. It sure did, but along the way, I was exhausted for the rest of the day. And that was on top of not sleeping due to the headache on Monday night. So, a lot of yesterday was spent in a sleep induced fog. It was kind of nice to be honest. At least my headache was gone.
The only problem is there are guys here in our townhouse replacing all of our kitchen cabinets and counters right now, and it's causing a different type of headache! Wish me and my family luck!
Have a great day!
I'm famous!
I almost forgot to mention, I'm a famous newspaper writer now!!! Not really, but I did have a quote published on the front page of our local newspaper. I had been on the paper's website and commented on my high school getting a bad draw in the state playoffs. It's in the top right of the page under Web Quotes.
http://www.mlivecitpat/frontpage/pdfs/A1_Tuesday.pdf 

Should we have another kid?

Not a decision to be taken lightly.
My wife and I have two beautiful children, that much is obvious if you have seen my pictures of them. When we first met, we both had known our entire lives that we wanted kids, and as it turns out, we both had always wanted three kids. After we had our son in May of 2008 we had a conversation about having more kids, and we came to the conclusion that it wasn't a good idea for us to have any more. I was of the opinion that I have both a son and a daughter, and I'm not sure I could have enough love to go around for a third kid. Now, of course if we had one more, I'd find the love and that child would be just as loved as the first two. Plus, we are not in a position financially to have another kid. My wife and I both feel it would be irresponsible to have another kid. BUT...
Second thoughts!
Lately we have been having conversations about the possibility of adding to our family. My first thought, is HELL NO! I have said for a while now that if our son had been first born, he would have been an only child. He is that much of a handful, and that's saying it mildly. I'm not sure I could handle him as a middle child. My sister is a middle child, and holy crap she has caused so much drama in our family. I know I couldn't handle this little Tasmanian Devil causing any more drama than he already does. But, my wife is really having second thoughts. She has mentioned that it makes her sad to think that she will never be pregnant again, or have a little baby to care for. I told her "Heck you didn't have a LITTLE baby with Denny." He was 11lbs. 8oz when he was born, so he has never been "little" by any means. I'm not sure if the proverbial "biological clock" is ticking for her, but if I had my way I'd take a baseball bat to that damn clock! 
Seriously though, if she were to come to me and tell me that she really wanted another baby: I'd do it for her. I know I said it would probably be irresponsible to have a third child, and that I'm not sure I had enough love to go around. I promise that I'd make it work though. I would do that for my wife. I'd have to find a way to support my son so that he doesn't live the middle child syndrome. But, I know we could make it work. I'm just not sure I want to.
What are the thoughts of you readers on this subject? How did you decide that you were done having kids, or have you not decided yet? Am I an idiot for thinking I don't have enough love to go around? Feedback please. Oh, and I've included this link for anyone thinking about becoming first time parents. I'm not saying not to become parents, just know that something like this is going to happen and you have to know how to deal with it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWkZ_StRjU0 
If anyone does know how to deal with this type of behavior please drop me a line because you've just solved one of my biggest questions of parenthood.

I also had to include this picture. My little girl was insistent that if she colored it, I had to put it in my blog. So here it is. She sings, she dances, she is artistic. I'm not sure she's really mine! NO, I'm kidding, but she definitely gets that side of her from her mother. She didn't stay in the lines though, and I have never stayed in the lines, so maybe she does get it from me!  
Thanks and have a great night.

Making a living.

It's hard to do as a SAHD.
We all have to make money somehow in today's world. Actually in any day's world that is true. Well, I guess there was a time when you could own a farm and raise/make anything you needed to get by. I have to believe that that day is long gone, and I'm not the farmer type anyway. If I were to be a farmer, my poor family would starve and freeze to death in the first six months! So that is why I am lucky that there are plenty of ways to make money today. The only problem with that is, I'm not doing any of those things right now. I am a SAHD and am not any any payroll at the moment. Now, I have a few things that I am doing to make a few bucks here and there. I officiate high school sports and that makes a little money, but I don't get rich doing it. So I'll just say it, money is tight in our household.
Saying NO!
My little girl has a habit of asking for everything she sees on TV and at every store we ever go into. Because of that, saying no has become pretty commonplace around here. The standard answer is "not right now Sweetie." It breaks my heart wide open to have to tell my kids no when they want things. But my wife and I have made the decision to have me stay at home and live off from her income. She makes decent money, but as I said before, we are not getting rich anytime soon. So we have to budget all of our monthly bills around her income and there isn't much left over for all the toys and games the kids want. Plus, they have this nasty habit they have developed. It's called eating. They seem to eat pretty much every day for some reason. Sometimes up to three times in one day!!! It's amazing how much they eat in reality though. I'm not complaining about that by any means, I just don't remember eating as much as they do when I was a kid. 
Anyways, almost all of our money is accounted for each paycheck and I'm really trying to find ways to get creative with what we do make. I've learned a lot of neat tips from reading all of the other blogs that I do and it's really fun to see how far we can make our money go. 
Where I'm going with this is this: My little girl has her fifth birthday coming up on November 9th. I'd like to hear from readers some good ideas for gifts that won't break the bank. Keep in mind that she LOVES princesses and unicorns. She is dressing up as Super Girl for Halloween and is getting into superheros. She loves to color and read, and she is amazed by dressing up.
So there you have it. You know what she is interested in, I need any and all ideas for her birthday gift that won't break the bank.
Thank you in advance and I hope you have had a great weekend.  

"Why do we say Trick-or-Treat?"

Where does that come from?
As you can see from the pictures I put above this post, tonight was pumpkin carving night. We had a really fun time and even managed to stay clean for the most part. The kids loved it, which is the most important part, but I was posed a very perplexing question during all the fun.
"Daddy, why do we say 'Trick or Treat' when we go Trick-or-Treating?" my little girl asked me. I honestly had no earthly idea. So, do I come up with some BS answer and sound like I know what I'm talking about? Or, do I take the chickenshit way out and tell her I don't know? I took the middle ground and said, "It's just a tradition Sweetie." As you may be able to predict the next thing out of her mouth was "What's a tradition?" Holy crap what does this little girl think? She must think that because I'm her daddy that I have all the answers and am the smartest man alive. Where would she ever get such an idea? Oh yeah, I've told her that many times over. Man that gets me in trouble sometimes. However, I was lucky tonight because after she asked what a tradition was my wife "saved" me, even though she hadn't heard any of the conversation and didn't even know she had my back, by plopping the pumpkins onto the table. That distracted the little girl from the fifth degree she was applying to me long enough for me to escape to the living room for the camera.
But, I figured that if I was going to tell my kids that I was brilliant and knew everything, I should at least know WHERE to find the answers. At least that way I won't look like a complete idiot. The internet has all the answers I'll ever need. That is why I looked up the origin of Trick-or-Treating so I could surprise my daughter with the answer tomorrow.

What I found is on wikipedia and I put a link to it here.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating
I hope you find it useful because I know I am going to study up so that in the morning I can surprise and amaze my four year old with all of the neat facts about Trick-or-Treating.
Now my problem is that she's going to get older at some point and ask me about sex, and I'm still not going to know the answers right off the top of my head. AND, I sure as hell am not sending her to the internet for the answers to that question and lead her right to internet porn! That's why I am practicing my new standard answer to any questions I do not know the answer to.
"Go ask your Mom."

High School Football

Man it was cool.

When I was a kid I always used to go to the local high school's football games. Every Friday night, without fail. I was the type of kid who sat in the stands and watched the games instead of running all over the place and playing. I dreamt of one day being a Springport Spartan. The only thing is, we were rarely any good. In fact at one point I believe Springport had the longest active losing streak in the country! I know that while I was in elementary school the varsity team went at least three consecutive seasons with an 0-9 record. I still thought that pulling on that blue jersey would be just about the best thing ever. I would imagine myself out on that field under the lights with the crowd cheering for me and my teammates. I just knew we would be good, I'm talking state champions good. When I got to high school the recent records were not as bad, but still not very good. We had a pretty horrible coach and didn't do much for my first two years on the varsity squad, winning only one game each year. My senior year we got a new coach and a better attitude was born. We went 5-4 that year and pretty easily could have gotten to eight wins if we had caught a few breaks in a couple of games. It was like a rebirth of Springport football. But the coolest thing was, I was playing high school football! It's like a rite of passage for young men in our country. No, it's not for everyone, but for those of us who do, we know how special it is. Some of us even brag about it all the time, like the guy pictured above.
Al Bundy always bragged that "I played high school football." He basically said it is what made him tough. Now I don't know about all of that, but it was really cool for me.
What does it have to do with being a SAHD?
I've mentioned in the past that I come from a small town, and that we all pretty much knew each other. Well, one of the cooler things about being from Springport is that I played football with the same name on the front of my jersey as my dad did. And my mom's dad played as well. That's three generations and I really hope for a fourth. We don't live in that school district, but I would really like to see my son play for Springport when he gets to that age. I sat in the stands tonight with my family and watched Springport finish the first 9-0 regular season in school history, and was filled with pride. It made me really proud that a cousin of mine had her son on the team as well. I can only imagine the pride I would feel if my son played on the same field as I did. He's only two right now so we have quite a bit of time before that happens, but I think we might be on the way there. He sat in the stands with me tonight and was really interested in what was going on. He seemed to follow the action and cheer at the appropriate times, I think. He may have just been yelling because all the big people around him were yelling, but I'd like to think he already has a high football IQ. The thing is, I don't want to be one of those dads. I don't want to push my interests onto my kids. I loved playing sports as a younger person, and I love watching them now. I still try and play softball, which my kids watch me do, but it's not the same. When you're 50lbs overweight and have arthritis in your throwing shoulder and one of your hips, the level of performance slips just a little bit. But, what I don't want to do is make my kids play sports because I want them to. I would LOVE it if both of my kids were athletic and had the same passion for sports that I do. But if not, I'll still love them. I want them to choose their interests on their own. I do however want them to have passion for the things that they do. If they do choose to play sports, with some very gentle nudging on my part I'm sure, I want them to play with passion. If they choose to be drama majors, I want them to pursue it with a passion known to only them. I believe having passion is important in life. It gives us meaning.
So if in the next couple of years you read about some crazy psycho ranting dad being thrown out of a kids T-Ball game, rest assured, it is not me. Maybe. Well, it might be me, but I'm sure it's only because some other Dad started it first. I hope by then that I'll have so many loyal readers that being bailed out of jail won't be a problem at all!
Thanks again, and have a great night.
There will be no football picks this week as both of my favorite teams have byes this week. Michigan is off, as are the Detroit Lions. I know I can't pick the games involving them wrong this week as I'm pretty sure that each of them can avoid losing. It is the Lions we are talking about though so if you hear about the Lions losing this week, don't be surprised.

RESPECT!!!

I think I've earned it.
Aretha spoke to us about RESPECT a while back, but it is a concept that dates back to probably the beginning of time. The cavemen while unable to talk to each other, probably had unspoken respect for the dude who killed the biggest mammoth. Respect is a big deal around my house, and it doesn't seem like my wife and I are getting any of it. My kids kind of run the show around here, and I've had enough! I am the Daddy and it's high time I showed them who's boss. Right after I wipe their asses, and make their favorite meals, and basically function as their personal slave. How am I going to get them to respect me when that is the case? Well...I could demand it by being a total drill sergeant. Or, I could beg them for it. Or, I could make them respect me because I am their father(another crazy Star Wars guy reference!) I believe that by basically being their personal slave, I've earned the respect of my children.
Not how it works.

Well, I recently read the November issue of Parents magazine and it had an interesting article about this very subject. The writer, Nicole Caccavo Kear, mentions that after her son started kindergarten he developed an attitude. I thought right away that the exact situation happened here in my house. The article went on to talk about a number of situations and concepts to help kids develop better manners and how we as parents can teach kids manners and respect. Well, what I read made me feel like about the worst parent in the entire world. Everything she mentioned, and she even quoted a couple of Ph.D. in the article, I am not doing. It really gave me a lot to think about in terms of my kids behavior. My kids are not brats by any means, but they can be.  As you can see from the picture above, they can be quite perfect from time to time. But while reading this article I felt like crap. Am I a bad parent?
Must be doing something right.
Every day when I pick my little girl up from school, her teacher tells me how well she is doing and how much she appreciates having her in class. Then in about the time it takes us to walk to our van, the switch is flipped and my little girl becomes a whining machine. All of the good behavior she must have exhibited at school, goes right out the window. There are times that my 2 year old son acts like the most perfect little boy in the world, and others when he runs up to his sister and pinches her as hard as he can for no reason! So, while I'm thinking because of what I have read that I'm doing a terrible job of parenting, I think that I must be doing something right. My daughter is well behaved and respectful while in school, so some of what I'm teaching her must be sinking in. Just because I don't always see it, doesn't mean it's not there. 
So what I'm going to do is take the article for what it is: someones opinion that I do not know. I'm also going to take the things I found to be helpful and use them to improve my parenting skills, and perhaps earning some respect around here. I know that I'm not a finished product as a parent, just as my kids are not finished products. Will they ever be is the question I find myself asking, but also wondering if my parents are thinking the same thing about me?
Special update.
So my daughter stayed home from school today and seemed to be doing much better. Then about 15 minutes ago it struck again. The uncontrollable coughing fit. She is now resting on the couch, but I don't see myself getting to sleep in my own bed again tonight. I miss my bed. And my wife. I would do anything in the world to take care of my kids, but I want to sleep through just one night at this point, and wake up next to my beautiful wife. I hope the girl gets better soon.    
 

Time at the hospital.

This has not been fun.
For the last four nights my daughter has woken up in a coughing fit, and it's not a pretty sound. She sounds like a baby seal with a fish stuck in it's throat. Needless to say, she has not wanted to go back to be in her own bed. Being as attached to her daddy as she is, she wants to sleep with Daddy. My wife and I are always crowded when one or both of the kids are in our bed, so the wife usually leaves. Every once in a while the little girl and I go downstairs to the pull out couch bed. Either way, I'm sleeping with a 45lb hot water bottle right next to me, or on top of me. The kid radiates heat like the dual suns on Tatooine.(Crazy Star Wars guy reference!) Don't get me wrong, as everyone knows, I love that little girl like a fish loves water. However, I need to SLEEP at some point. I'm not the type who needs a crap ton of sleep, but three or four hours tops each night is not cutting it. I feel like I'm dragging a two ton weight around during my day, and that makes it hard to be a good parent. When all I want to do is lay down because I can't keep my eyes open, it's hard to do all the fun activities I have planned for the kids. So, because of my desire for sleep and after hearing her barking again this evening, the wife and I decided to take her to get medical attention.
That did not go well. Oh sure, my daughter was a perfect angel, but the diagnosis we got did nothing for us. They basically told us that she has a cold and doesn't need antibiotics. Go home and give her some over the counter cough medicine. HOLY CRAP, if only I had thought of that before I took her to the hospital! Maybe I wouldn't have spent 45 minutes in the waiting room and another 20 minutes in the "room" waiting to see the doctor. I have given her that type of stuff, and obviously from the sound of her at night, and now during the day, it's not helping. I hate hearing kids cough, or see them be sick. And, when it's one of my kids, I HAVE to do something to make them better. That is why I took her to the hospital, and it's why I told the doctor that I didn't like his diagnosis. I mean this poor little girl was coughing so much a while back that it made her puke! Doesn't sound like just a cold to me. So the doctor relented and gave her some prescription cough med, and a steroid to break up the congestion.  Holy crap I hope it works, because I'm tired, and Daddy needs to sleep.
A little clarity.
I would like to clarify something from my previous post. I mentioned that a man was at the park with a bunny. I want to be clear that I called him Dirtball not because he had a bunny, but because he just seemed like a dirtball. Not just because he had a bunny. Lots of people have bunnies and they are not dirtballs. This guy was at the park asking kids to pet his bunny while not wearing a shirt. I think dirtball might be a compliment for him.
My Halloween costume idea.

   So what do you think? Does this seem like a good costume? Of course I would change to maybe a black t-shirt instead of blue. Duh, I think that goes without saying.
Once again, have a great night.

Protecting my kids!

What would I do?
The other day we encountered a situation that has me really thinking, and I would really like to share it with anyone out there that I can. It has me thinking about what I would do if something ever were to happen to either of my kids. And by something, I mean them being taken. Let me tell you first about what took place. When I pick my little girl up from school, she ALWAYS asks to go to this park right down the street from the school. Every single day she asks. Most days, I say yes. How can I say no to my little girl? I really can't. She's only four, about to be five, but I'm already wrapped right around her pretty little finger. I don't mind either.
Anyways, back to my point. We walked into the park and I could see a guy at the picnic tables with his shirt off and a bunny on the table. Okay, I know what you're probably saying, and yes it is pretty presumptuous to think that just because a guy has a bunny that he's a dirtball. Well, that's not the problem in my eyes. Who goes to a kids park in the middle of freaking October and takes his shirt off in 50 degree weather? And has a bunny? Did I mention that he just looked like a dirtball? In fact that is what we are going to call him from here on out, Dirtball. So, I had took the kids a little out of the way to get to the castle part that they really like with all the slides and swings and good stuff. We played for a while before I decided to take them for a walk so I could get some exercise as well. As we were walking from the park to start our walk, Dirtball walked into our path. I could see that he was a younger, skinnier guy, but still a dirtball all the same. And one that I could whup if I had to as well. By this time he must have realized that being shirtless at this time of year is not wise because he now had some dirty concert t-shirt on, and was carrying his bunny while trying to adjust his camera phone. He walked right up and asked my daughter if she wanted to pet his bunny. Before I could tell her not to, she stepped up and pet that little sucker. My son on the other hand, was hiding behind me. I watched REALLY closely to make sure Dirtball didn't snap any pics of my kids. Well, that was the end of the encounter, but I thought that it could make a really good teaching point.
What age is right to talk about this?
As we continued on our walk I took the time to tell my daughter that it was not okay to talk to strangers if Mommy or I wasn't around. And, that it was really not okay to pet someones pet just because they ask you to. I found that it was kind of hard to get my point across to a four year old without totally freaking her out. Maybe that's what I want to do though. But, do I want her to live her life completely freaked out all of the time? No, not really. 
I find it really sad that we live in a time that we have to be wary of everyone we meet. The fact is Dirtball could be a really cool dude who just happened to be warm and have a bunny, but my point remains. I have always been kind of wary of people, and now that I have kids, well let's just say if I don't know you, don't talk to my kids unless I give the okay. I know that's pretty jaded, but that's the time we live in. When I was growing up, it was really different. If you had a problem and your parents weren't there, you could ask a stranger for help and not have to worry about ending up on a milk carton. I lived in a really small town though where we all knew each other, so stranger is a relative term. I just worry that I can get my point across to my daughter now before something bad happens. She seems to be very trusting, so I worry that she is going to get taken. Speaking of Taken, I have included a clip of that movie here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvUxdQ4q-Lg 
I would love to be like Liam Neeson's character in that movie and have "a particular set of skills." If I had those skills, I could protect my kids in ways that I can't now. I would feel safer about them going out into the world without me. I guess if it's possible for me not to worry about them that is. 
What are your thoughts on this? Am I too jaded and wary, or am I justified in worrying all the time? I really look forward to some feedback on this because sometimes I think that I'm not protective enough.
Thanks and have a great night. 
 

The 5 things that make me a HAPPY SAHD!

There could be more.
I have titled this blog for a list of five things, however I could probably be here all day and night giving reasons that I am the happiest guy in the world. What I have come up with though are the top five reasons that being a SAHD make me happy.
1. I get to stay home with my kids.
In my opinion this is beyond obvious. I'm sure there are lots of guys(and probably women as well) that being at home all day is not their idea of an ideal day. I however think it is awesome! I get to be there when my kids wake up, or at least when they come running in and do their very own Spiderman/Ninga leap onto me in while I'm still sleeping. I get to be there to put them to bed. I get to be there to watch them experience new things every day. I get to be with my kids while they grow up. I don't have to trudge off to some job that I hate and causes me to miss all of the big events of their lives. I get to be with my kids! I can't imagine a life where I don't get to be with them, so that alone is reason enough to make me happy.  

2. My kids and I have bonded in a way I never thought possible.
In a past post I have mentioned that my kids seem to be more attached to me right now than they are to my wife. This really seems to upset my wife, and understandably so. There is a reason for that though. I am with them so much that there are times when it feels they are literally attached to my hips. They love to sit with me when we watch their shows. They cry for me when they are upset, they run to me when they are scared. I am with them all of the time and it's amazing. I have never been super close with my own father, so being close like this with my kids is a really amazing feeling. I have made it one of my life's goals to make sure we remain close all of our lives.

3.  My wife supports me.
I guess you could take that statement in a way that it was definitely not meant. I suppose someone could read that and think that since I don't technically have a job and my wife does "bring home the bacon," that she "supports" me in that sense. I guess that is correct, but that is not where I am going with this. I am a SAHD and my wife supports that. In fact it was her idea. We were struggling with how to manage our lives and she suggested that I drop the job that I hate and stay at home with the kids. Sure, financially we are not very well off. Sure, we have to say no to the kids a lot when they ask for material things and that hurts. A lot! Sure, I deal with the psychological and emotional aspect of not being the primary bread winner for my family. There is all of that, but her and I are fully in the same corner. We both know that one of these days it's going to be okay financially. And, we know that having money doesn't define our happiness. So, knowing that my wife is fully behind me, and behind all of the parenting decisions that I make, is just another reason I am a very happy SAHD.

4.  I am doing something I love doing, and am passionate about.
There is something to be said for loving what you do. I have had a lot of jobs and have never LOVED any of them. None of them inspired true PASSION in me. Because of this, I was often miserable and surly to people. I am what most people would call a "nice guy." But, only after you get to know me. Up until recently I have often had people ask me what was wrong. I think it's because I have always had a look upon my face that said "Don't piss me off any further and maybe no one gets hurt!!!" The fact is, most of the time it's just how I look. I wasn't ALWAYS in a pissy mood. It just seemed that way. Now, people tell me it's nice to see me smile and that I just look happier. It's because I am a SAHD and I love it. I am passionate about being a great SAHD. I want to be the best father I can, and I think by staying home with them and not trudging off to a job I hate, I am making all of our lives better. It's amazing what the decision to stay at home has done for our entire family.

5. I experience something new every single day!
I am learning so much by being a SAHD. It is really quite incredible. For example, just today I learned how to put barrettes in my little girl's hair. I know it's not a major accomplishment, but it's really cool to be able to do that for her. I have learned that it's not completely disgusting to catch your daughter's puke in your hands, because it is in fact your daughter's puke. Every day I learn something new about how my kids function. I never realized that a routine was as important as it is. We have developed a little bit of a routine to our day, and even the slightest deviation sends the kids a little out of their minds. The most important thing that I have learned is that I can actually do this. I was unsure if I could be a SAHD and keep my sanity. Sure, there are days that I'm not sure sane is the way someone would describe me, but for the most part all is good. My kids and I get to be together and that's not something every parent or kid gets to say. I know I am lucky, and I cherish that every single day.
Enough is enough already.
Okay, I've gone on and on for a couple of posts now about how lucky I am, and how happy I am, and it's time to move on to the next topic. I'm sure people get sick of hearing about some guy and how nauseatingly happy he is. I promise to come up with some new and super exciting topic for my next post, but in the meantime remember to count your blessings every single day. I didn't always realize that, but I sure do now. 
Have a great night.       

Happiness

Call me old fashioned.
So I've got a novel concept that I am have been pursuing for some time now. It's called HAPPINESS. I found that concept to be elusive in my first 30 years of life, but over the last seven I am finding that it is easier to achieve than I ever thought. 
I believe that being happy is the most important thing in life. I always kind of thought this even while I was a younger man. I knew that I was unhappy, but I didn't know how to go about achieving happiness. I heard all sorts of ideas and self-help concepts, but I couldn't achieve happiness. I was stuck in a rut with my life.
I knew what I wanted out of life, but I never had the drive or courage to go about achieving it. I wanted to be happy in my work, and more importantly have a family that I could love and have love me back. Well, I thought I knew what I wanted anyway. But, I'm always making things hard on myself, so maybe I didn't really know. 
Walt Disney is full of it!
I have ALWAYS wanted to teach and coach at the high school level. I thought I was put here on this planet to do those two things. I thought my personal life would fall into place right behind that, and I'd live as Walt Disney always says "Happily Ever After." Little did I know that that concept  doesn't really exist. I say that because "ever after" signifies an end to me. Well, endings suck. Plus, even the happiest of lives, a little rain must fall.  Let's just say it was a damn monsoon there for a while in my life. I had a lot, and I mean a lot, of jobs over the years. None of them were what I thought I was here for. Sure, I sort of enjoyed a couple of them, but nothing I ever looked forward to going to. Some of them, including my latest, I just hated. As for the personal happiness, well I've told that story in a recent blog post. So you already know how unhappy I was prior to 2003 and how happy I am now.
Life: Not always what it seems.
So, I've mentioned that I always thought I was here to teach and coach. Recently I've begun to rethink that. I have found true happiness in a job that I never thought possible. I recently quit my employment with The World's Largest Retailer(for you uninformed, that's Wal-Mart.) It wasn't the world's greatest job by any means, but it was a job. In this economy that's saying something. But, I was miserable there. I knew in my heart of hearts that I wasn't supposed to be working there. I'm meant for something else. They began cutting my hours for some reason known only to those that do the scheduling there, and it became increasingly clear to my wife and I that I needed to get out. Presto, I am now doing the most important job I have ever had. I enjoy it so much, and it makes me HAPPY!!!
I am a SAHD!!! I love being with my kids and watching them grow every day. I now realize that I was put here to raise these two amazing kids, and be married to this amazing woman. I am now doing what I am supposed to be doing with my life. I could not be happier. I am even giving the whole Home Schooling concept a lot of thought. This of course has a lot to do with Mr. Almighty Dad himself, Keith Wilcox. He has a blog post about it here: http://www.almightydad.com/education/homeschooling-an-argument-for-year-round-school 
So what I'm saying is, don't be surprised if you fall unwittingly into the perfect job for you. My only problem is, what am I going to do when the kids are both in school? What then?
My next post.
In my next blog entry I am going to discuss the top five reasons that being a SAHD makes me happier than I could ever imagine possible.
Until then, have a great weekend.
Oh, and I forgot to post my Football weekend predictions. I hope no one missed them, but let's just say that I would have been way off. Again!   

Cussing and kids.

Is it really necessary?
I witnessed something today that really bothered me. I was in a store with my little girl when we walked past a woman who was getting after what I can only assume was her son. He looked to be about seven or eight, so very impressionable. She had grabbed him by the shoulder and made him stand next to her while saying "Stand the f up." Obviously the "f" stands for the bad word that rhymes with truck. I was really offended by her language around my kid, but it made me start to think about a deeper problem. Do we as a society use too much foul language? Have we been desensitised to the occasional curse word? I think so, especially when our kids are as exposed to it as much as they are.
Don't they hear it enough in movies and TV?
It seems that every thing we see on TV or at the movies has some sort of cursing involved. The phrase "pissed off" is thrown around on some of even the most tame shows on TV these days. When did this become okay? The kids of today see it enough that in my opinion they don't need to be cussed at by their parents. It really bothers me when I hear it happening. I occasionally drop an "ass" or "shit" around my kids, but that's as far as I will go. That's not to say that I haven't ever used the "f" word, but I don't around my kids. What does foul language really accomplish anyway? I heard a saying once that said that people who cuss only do so because they were not intelligent enough to think of anything better to say. I guess there are times that I fall into that category. I just don't think my kids need to be exposed to that type of language at this point in time.
I am going to a high school football game tomorrow night to keep stats for a friend of mine who is a coach at the school. I've done this twice already this season, and I really enjoy it. I have sat in a top corner of the bleachers, but there have been a lot of high school kids around me during the game. It has seemed like every other word out of the kids mouths has been "f this" or "f that." Why? I guess it's because they see it all the time and even their parents are doing it around them. It really makes me kind of sad to think that we've gotten to this point in our society that foul language is just an accepted part of our vernacular.
I challenge you.
It is because of my feelings on this subject that I would like to issue a challenge to everyone who reads this blog. Every time you use a cuss word, do something that punishes yourself. And, if it's in front of your kids, or any kids for that matter, make the punishment even more severe. Maybe it we start at the parent level we can weed out some of the cussing in our society.
Have a great night, and stop "fing" cussing!     

SAHD gets lucky!

It's not how it sounds, perverts!

I've probably mentioned in the past that I consider myself to be the luckiest man to ever walk the earth right? Well, I'd like to tell you just how lucky I am. First, let me have you take a look at the picture above. It was taken yesterday, and I think it demonstrates the bounds of my luck. What you see is two beautiful amazing kids and an equally beautiful and amazing wife.
It goes beyond lucky.
I've been wanting to tell the story of how my wife and I met on here for a while now. The reason I want to tell it, is that it's kind of unconventional, and I think it might give other people out there a reason to keep trying. I mean if I can get this lucky, why not someone else?
I don't want to make this too long winded, so here is the Cliff's Notes version of how it happened. I was living with a woman and having one of those really bad relationships. The kind that is just bad for both parties, the two people are just not supposed to be together. We both knew it, but couldn't bring ourselves to walk away. I don't know if it was the fear of being alone, or what, but I couldn't bring myself to end the relationship. And, when I say bad relationship, I mean BAD relationship. I don't think the people around me even knew just how bad it was. Anyways, in early March, the other shoe finally fell and we walked away livid with each other. I was working for a national insurance company with a duck for a mascot at the time, and had a coworker who was getting on internet dating sites all of the time. He convinced me to give it a shot. So this was about mid April and I joined Match.com. On May 5, 2003 I emailed Stacy for the first time and we went back and forth that way for a couple of weeks. We graduated to instant messaging and then phone calls. I was blown away with what was going on. We decided to meet on May 23rd. Now when I say meet, I mean that she lived 100 miles from me at the time. Once I got to her town that night, I never left! That's right, it was literally love at first sight. Yes, I knew even before I laid eyes on her that I loved her just from our conversations alone, but the night we met was a night that will forever be etched in my memory banks. We were married on May 8, 2004, less than a year after meeting. Who would have thought it possible?
Back to my thoughts on time travel.
So, you see why I wouldn't want to go back in time and change things too much right? I got luckier than I can ever imagine in finding my wife that I don't ever want to chance luck again. The odds of us meeting were stacked so high against us that I don't think you could actually calculate them. Vegas would probably have to make up some crazy new number like elevnedyquadrabillion to one. It's just so unthinkable that I could ever find her, and then be lucky enough to have it be the right time in both of our lives, it can't be explained.
Not only that, but she's perfect. No, I mean she's really perfect. If I spent hours in a lab putting together my perfect woman and all her traits, out would pop Stacy. Sure, after almost eight years together, she still won't turn her dirty clothes the right way, but I can overlook that. Especially when you consider all that she puts up with from me. She supports all of my decisions even when we both know they will turn out really bad. She is the strongest woman I can ever imagine. And, most importantly, she has given me these two great kids that I get to stay at home with. She trudges off to work every day and trusts me enough to take care of her babies. That alone makes her a saint.
Moral of the story.
So, to wrap everything up with a nice pretty red bow, my point is to all of those readers out there(all 15 of you) weather your a SAHD or not, don't give up. It sometimes looks like you're never going to find that special person, but in my experience it was darkest right before the light.
"Don't give up. Don't ever give up." Jim Valvono.
 

Time Travel

Wouldn't it be great?
I have always had a thing for time traveling. I don't know if there is some deep psychological reason for it, like being unhappy with my past or something like that. I do know that I think time traveling would be so cool. I watch just about anything on TV or in movies that has to do with time traveling.  I don't care if it's about opening a wormhole, or stepping into a machine, or even driving some souped up Delorean, it would be so great to do! Both forwards and backwards would be cool. I'd like to see what life looks like in the future, and I'd like to see things that are historical from the past. I mean how cool would it be to go back and hang out with Lee Harvey Oswald and find out the truth(or as much as he knew) about JFK's assassination? 
"Journeyman"
There was a show on NBC in 2007 that I was in love with. It only lasted the one season, but it may just be my favorite show of all time. Kevin McKidd was the star and his character "traveled" back into time, usually no more than 25 years ago. He had a job to do while he was back there and things he did would change the course of time. Therein lies the problem. I would love to go back and change a lot of things that happened in my past. Who wouldn't? I'd love to go back about 12 years ago and talk to the stressed out neurotic guy that I was and tell him that it's all going to work out how he wanted. I have always wanted to be where I am now in terms of my personal life. I have always wanted the cool wife and the beautiful kids, and I have that. Back then I was very worried about none of that happening to the point of pure stress. I just couldn't see myself ever being able to find the right woman. I'd love to be able to tell that guy to get a life, it's going to work out. But, if I did that, maybe it wouldn't work out like it has. Maybe I tell myself to relax and then I do. What happens then? Who knows, maybe my actions lead me to a different reality than what I have now. I do not want that at all. I mean we've all seen "Back to the Future" right? Look how knowing how sports events ended changed everything for Biff. It created pure hell for Marty and Doc, and well, I don't have any friends that are crazy inventor scientist types. I wouldn't know how to steal plutonium, I wouldn't know how to harness 1.21 gigawats with a bolt of lightning! How could I ever fix things if I messed them up?
Observation would be fun!
Ahh, now there's an idea! How fun would it be to go back in time and watch yourself make mistakes? Wouldn't it be cool to see your spouse before you had met? How about seeing your parents when they were young? You could have all kinds of dirt on the people in your life, and wouldn't that be valuable? Buuut, and there is always a but. You would "get" to see your spouse before you had met, and "get" to see your parents as young people, and maybe that's not such a good idea. Maybe there are things better left alone and not known. Now the future is interesting however. I could go ahead in time and find out if anyone reads this blog post I'm doing, and if not, I could change it to something REALLY interesting. I could go a year into the future and see if I've reached my one year blogging goals. If not, I could change things here in the present to make sure I reached those goals. Of course, if I changed things now, then it would change the future, and then...
Ahh Crap! Now I've confused even myself. I'm staying here and now and going to not have regrets. And be patient and diligent. 
If you never watched Journeyman you should check it out. I watch an episode every once in a while on HULU. 
I hope you have a really good night. 

Opportunity cost

What does blogging cost me?
I have been doing a lot of reading about blogging and advise on blogging lately and came across a really good point last night that I'd like to discuss now. I have started this blog and I REALLY love doing it, but what is it costing me? I'm not talking financially, because as of right now, it is costing me nothing in that regard. What it does cost me is probably the single most important currency of all. Time. Time is one thing we can never get back. If you spend money, you can always find a way to make more, but you can not make time. We are all given the same amount of time each day, 24 hours. No more, no less. It is what you do with that time that really matters. Because of this limited amount of time that I have to ask myself some really hard questions.
I love so many things.
My family is the most important thing in my life.
If you know me, or have read this blog at all, you know just how important my family is to me. I don't think of myself as special or different because of this. I think most people feel the same way towards their families. It is just that because of that love for my family that I'm struggling with some stuff. As I mentioned, I really am enjoying blogging. But when do I do my blogging? It is currently 12:30am and this is really the only time I have to do my blogging. I have found that since I have become a SAHD that I struggle with time management just as much, if not more, as when I worked full time. 
My typical day.

• Morning family time. We have to get the kids around, the wife has to get ready for work, and we try to spend some time together as a family. After we take my wife to work, it's just me and the kids. At this time, I feel guilty if I sit at the computer, so I try and do activities with the kids, or we watch a little TV together. We have to eat lunch a little early due to my little girl having to be at school at 12:20, which I find to be a weird time. So, there is really no blogging time then.
• Daughter at school time. This is a real opportunity to maybe get some blogging done, but I don't. When I get home with the boy, he goes right to bed for his afternoon nap. I try and let him sleep for about an hour and a half. It's during this time that I try and get the housework done. And the fact is, there is ALWAYS housework to be done. I'm sure it's the same in most homes, but holy crap, it's like as soon as I get the dishes done, there is more. As soon as I get all the laundry done, there's a whole new pile of dirty clothes. I am not complaining, just pointing out that there is always housework that I need to do. So, no blogging time here. Then the boy gets up and I like to have some time for just him. We play a lot, and there is a lot of tickling, even though I beg him not to! I like having that daddy/son time with just him. I'm trying to engage him more to help with his talking. So again, no blogging time now.
• Time to pick up the girl. We go get her, and usually we have a couple of hours before we have to get Mommy. Now is the real challenging time. If the weather is nice, I usually take the kids to the park right after school, and we always enjoy that. After we get home, I have to start dinner so it's ready for Mommy.  During this time I try and give the kids something to do while I make dinner, but I do do something that really bothers me. Sometimes I let them watch TV at this point. Sometimes I take them to the library to rent movies, and they watch them on the pull out couch. They always like that, and it gives me time to make dinner and finish up the housework.
• Evening family time. After dinner we get to spend some time together as a family, and I won't trade that for anything. We spend a couple of hours doing the typical family activities, reading, coloring, running around like crazy people, and probably driving our neighbors crazy! So no blogging time here.
• Kids bedtime. This gives Mommy and I the first chance of the day to be alone together. And no, I don't mean "alone" together. Although that would be nice! But, we like to watch TV together on the couch. I know it's not the most active thing to do, but we like to use it as our chance to catch up with each other as well. It's the one chance I really have to talk with an adult, and the fact is she just so happens to be my favorite adult in the entire world. So, no blogging time here.

• Alone time at the computer. I get to blog until my hearts content, but no sleep.

How am I going to succeed?
I have stated before that I really want to be successful at this blogging stuff. I really want to be able to be insightful and helpful to other SAHDs. Plus, I'd like to make a career out of this at some point. So now that I bored you to tears with the details of a typical day in the life of my family, I ask you how do I find the time to do the hard work necessary to be good at this?
http://www.blogtyrant.com/why-blogging-is-a-waste-of-your-time/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BlogTyrant+%28Blog+Tyrant%29&utm_content=FeedBurner 
I really took this to heart and thought hard about what he had to say. I know that blogging isn't a waste of my time because I really love doing it. What I really worry about is taking time away from my family in order to be a blogger. What is the point of being home with the kids if I spend it all at the computer? The Blog Tyrant used the term opportunity cost. It refers to the stuff you give up when you choose one activity over another. I know for a fact that I am never giving up time with my family in order to do anything else. I am told that I do need to sleep from time to time as well. So what do I do? No really, I'm asking you, what do I do? I really have fun with this blogging stuff, but I feel like I need to do more if I am going to be as successful as I'd like. What I would like is to have other SAHDs read this and let me know how they go about managing their time in order to blog in the manner that they like to. 
I guess I just have to man up and do what needs to be done. I don't want to sound as if I am complaining by any means, I am just looking for ways that other guys do this so that I can maybe manage my time a little better. Thanks in advance for any help.
My Lions Rule!!!
If you are a football fan at all, I know you saw it. The Lions won today 44-6! How awesome is that? Maybe my dream of seeing them in the Super Bowl isn't as far fetched as I thought. Do you see what being a Lions fan does to a man? They have won one game, and I'm talking Super Bowl!!! That's just sad. Let's see if they can keep it going next week against Peyton Manning's little brother, the New York Giants. I think they will shock a lot of people and find a way to win.
Go Lions!      

Medication for kids.

Both of my kids have a cold.
 Recently I have been thinking about something very important. Both of my kids have come down with a cold that they can't seem to shake. We all know that colds are about as fun as well, nothing, they are no fun. I feel especially bad when kids are sick like this because first, they don't know how to communicate just how bad they feel. Even my four year old, who talks just fine, doesn't know how to tell me just what she is feeling. Secondly, I'm not sure kids know that when you have a cold, it's okay to just sleep all day and let someone else wait on you hand and foot. Kids are always on the go and never seem to want to stop. My kids at least, don't want to let being sick stop them from all the mayhem and chaos that is our lives.
It's been a couple of weeks now.
It seems like both of my kids have been fighting this bug for a couple of weeks now, and since it's just a cold, I haven't taken them to a doctor.  I'm really not sure what a doctor would do other than what I'm already doing. We give them some daytime cold medicine during the day and some nighttime stuff at bedtime. Now, I'm not one of those people that is against medicine. I believe it is out there for a reason. Heck, I have a couple of chronic ailments that I have to take medicine for, including a pain med. I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to take medicine if we do so responsibly. That being said, I always worry about giving my kids too much of it. I know that some cold medicine for infants was taken off the market a while back, and it makes me worry about what I give my kids. I want them to be comfortable and not have to deal with the ailments that a cold brings, but I don't want them all doped out either.
Why would a parent do this?
We have all heard about the parents who have given their kids nighttime cold medicine to settle them down and keep them quiet. I am really appalled by this. That's just horribly irresponsible parenting. People doing this sort of thing is what makes me worry about giving my kids too much medicine. Obviously it can make a kid drowsy and zombyfied. I don't want my kids to be like that. Most of us have taken nighttime cold medicine and then slept for a while and woke up feeling better. However, that was our choice as adults. When parents do that to their kids, you might as well be slipping a tranquilizer into their food. It makes me really take precautions when giving my kids medicine. I just feel weird about it. I know they don't always know how to tell me how they feel, so what if they really don't need what I'm about to give them? Does that make me just as bad as the people that intentionally give their kids the stuff? I don't think so, but in my ever working mind, I question myself over and over.
Knowing my kids.
I guess it all comes down to how good of a parent I am. I spend a crap ton of time with my kids, so I should know them pretty well. I have to figure out when they are really feeling crappy and when they are doing alright. I hate when my kids don't feel well and like most parents I want to do whatever it takes to make them feel better. I guess the best way to do it is to play it by ear. Make the best decision I can with the information  presented to me. Wow that is pretty much what all parenting is. I've figured it all out. I guess everyone out there in blog world can come to me with questions now. I've figured out parenting. Use the facts at hand to make your best decision. Who knew?
So, I've decided that I am going to continue to give my kids the medicine they need and try not to over think it.
Football weekend again.
Friday is upon us once again, and that means it's a football weekend. I went to the homecoming at my high school tonight and had a blast. The team there won and improved to 7-0 for the first time in about a million years, so I'm really proud of that and want to give recognition to them. Springport High School in Springport, Michigan has an undefeated football team, and they are fun to watch!
Okay, time for the predictions that I know you all are waiting for.
Michigan 38 Michigan State 27
Detroit Lions 34 St. Louis Rams 10.
Okay, that is all. Have a good night and a great weekend. 

Blogging is fun

Who knew?
I've been doing this blog for going on a month now, and I've got to tell you, I'm having a blast with it. I had been wanting to start a blog for a while before I did, but never really did anything about it. I read a couple of books about it, including Gary Vaynerchuck's "Crush It." It really got me to thinking about the whole blogging thing. I have concluded that I could start a blog and become really good at it, and get lot's of companies to pour money at me to advertise on my site. Who needed "work?" I am going to be rich and famous as a blogger. I've been working really hard at learning how to do this whole thing and like I said, I'm only about a month in. I'm not rich. I'm not famous. Now, don't get me wrong, I never expected it to really work like that, or that fast for that matter. The one think I didn't expect was to have this much fun. I love doing this. I stay up late at night and read other peoples blogs and leave comments for them to read, then hope they reply back and look at my blog. I'm slowly getting the hang of it, and like I said, I'm having a lot of fun doing it. I get to be Dad full-time, which is very rewarding. And, I get to be a husband to my wife. Prior to all of this, I was always tired and cranky and impatient. Now, I'm still all of those things, but I have a blog! What more can I say?
I'm making this a short post tonight as I want to do some studying on important blog stuff like SEO. If anyone has any advise on blog success, PLEASE leave me a comment.
Thank you and have a great night.

Growing up with Ty: Mister October

Growing up with Ty: Mister October
I found this blog, and again, I really like it. Hope you do to.

Life Choices

What a GREAT DAY!!!
I remember when I really decided I wanted to be a dad. In reality, I've known my entire life that I wanted to have kids. But, there was a moment when it really kicked in for me. My wife and I had been married for about six months when I woke up and remembered a dream that I had had. I don't remember the dream right now, but I know it made me realize that there is no time like the present. I remember waking my wife up and telling her that we had to start trying to have a baby. There was something about my dream that told me that there was no sense in waiting a while longer like we were planning on doing. I wanted to start right then. And no, it wasn't just waking up horny, I was thinking about a family. From that point forward I had made a choice to put the life of someone else before my own. Sure, my wife's life is more important to me than my own, but the way I look at is that adults have the ability to make poor choices and she could make a choice that would make us not be together anymore. Not that I believe for even the tiniest of seconds that she would, but you get my point. But your kids are your kids forever. Once I decided that it was time to start a family, there was no turning back. And sure, I didn't really know what I was in for. I had no idea that having kids was so difficult at times. I had heard horror stories about sleepless nights, and diapers that explode, and toxic vomit. I heard all of those things and more. But, when you're wanting to start a family all you think about is the cuteness and the great days. Well, today was one of those days.!
Melting my heart.
My kids were not perfect today, but they were close. We had an amazing family day, the kind you think about when you are thinking of what your future family will be like. There was no fighting, no whining, no crabbiness. We went looking for Halloween costumes, and then were begged to go to a restaurant for dinner. We don't go out to eat very often for a couple of reasons. First, we are as you might say, not rich. Secondly, well, you haven't met my son but if you've read this blog at all you know he is best described as "active." Well, we relented and went to Ponderosa for dinner. This was after buying the kids a couple of Phineas and Ferb shirts at the store. I thought my boy's head was going to explode from the excitement. At dinner, they sat and ate quietly. They did what they were asked to do. Everything went great. Then it happened. I'll bet you're waiting for me to tell you some horror story about misbehaving in public again aren't you? I'll even bet that you think I'm going to tell you about some crazy exploding diaper or something just generally unpleasant. Well, I'm not going to. My wife was up getting something from the buffet when a waitress came over to clear some plates and noticed the Phineas and Ferb shirts that the kids of course had to put on immediately. She was talking to my daughter about how she liked watching the show and both of my kids were engaged in the conversation. Then my daughter said to the waitress "My Daddy is the Greatest."  The lady looked at me and had one of those "oh, how sweet" looks on her face. What she saw was a grown man fighting back tears in a public place. I must be doing something right for my little girl to say something like that without being prompted in the least bit. Holy crap, what a daughter!
But wait, there's more. We left there and went to Wally World to get the costumes we had settled on. They both need accessories, but at least we were getting the costume ball rolling. My wife got the girl out of the van on her side while I got the boy out on mine. The girls were a little ahead of us on the way into the store and for some reason my son wanted me to carry him. I picked him up and he proceeded to put his arms around my neck in the biggest hug he's ever given. He then started kissing me on the cheek and turned my face to get the other cheek. Holy crap! What did I do to deserve this treatment?
Life Choices.
There are choices in life that don't work out for you. Like having that last shot that ends up making your world spin and puts you down for the count. Or, asking an unpregnant woman when she is due. Or, telling a girl that her and her sister kiss just alike. Then there are choices that do work out for you. I made the choice to become a father and it couldn't have worked out better. I put a picture of my two beautiful kids at the top of this post, but the picture I'll have of today is not the one you can see here. It's of my kids letting me know that not only did I make the right choice, but that I have the two greatest kids in the world. What a day!!!
I found another good blog.
So, as I've mentioned, in my travels around the blog world I occasionally come across some really good blogs. I found another one that I really like and I think you will to. He's a father of two girls and uses video a few time to blog. I really like it. http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/
Well, I hope your day was even half as good as mine, and hope to hear from you soon. Have a great night.