Truer words have never been spoken typed ..read more

As a former first grade teacher and now the parent of our second first grade child… It’s pretty simple if you ask me: All emptied out of our first grader’s backpack the day after a four day vacation (in which he was sent to school with a completely clean and organized bookbag. PS: Insert eye roll ..read more

In a world that so often focuses on the negative, it can be exhausting trying to be a positive for so many people. Sometimes, a kind act, even a … Thanks for Filling My Bucket ..read more

I love watching people compete. I love more than anything the fire that drives athletes to do things no one thinks they can do. Not the champion, not the MVP, but the little extra that pushes people to be the best at what they do (read Slaying the Dragon by Michael Johnson). When I was younger, I couldn’t ever imagine anyone having the drive that I had because at the time I thought it was just me, like nobody else could understand it. However this fall I watched my boys show up every weekend side by side with their teammates to a game that were so new to them. I watched the fire in their eyes ..read more

I’m very thankful to The Baby Spot (one of the top parenting websites on the internet) for naming us one of the TOP GLOBAL DAD BLOGS ..read more

This blog entry will Chronicle (pun intended) a father and second sons’ first time reading the Harry Potter series together. This time around it’s a twist… As Oliver enters the magical world, this time the narrator will be both dad and big brother!!! I’ll update it after each chapter so that I can capture the most memorable moments. Come back often and check in on our progress and leave us a note or some feedback. Oliver, welcome to Hogwarts!!! Finally! “I did my waiting! Twelve years of it!” (Well clearly it hasn’t been another 12 years, but I know Oliver has been asking for ages)! I thought ..read more

I’m not sure how many other households have broomsticks hanging from their children’s bedrooms doors, but here it’s a common occurrence. The problem is the brooms are just about as good for flying as they are for sweeping. The question becomes, how do you get your children to do “chores?” I feel like it should be an innate sense for the children. They should just know how to do things. The developmental stages should look like this: Periods of Human Development Prenatal Development= NO CHORES Easy… your parents fall in love and then you’re born. Chore Example: Just sleep and don’t keep you ..read more

Continuing with tradition (for the ninth year in a row) I tweeted at JK Rowling for advice in dropping the boys off at Platform 9 3/4. I’m sure by now you know that September 1st is a sacred day for witches and wizards everywhere! Back to Hogwarts Day is when the Wizarding World boards the Hogwarts Express from King’s Cross Station heading to Hogwarts. The hope being JK herself will acknowledge my tweet and show some love to two little wizards who have the unfortunate luck of being born to the biggest Harry Potter fan this side of Privet Drive. The problem this year????? We were running incre ..read more

Flag Football? Not what I’d expected, but I knew enough about football in general to know that Oliver would be enjoy a sport where he could run non stop and occasionally (it’s against the rules) tackle someone! He bought in quickly last year. He enjoyed his best friends being on his team and his cool neighbor as his Head Coach (even if said neighbor only had the second best lawn on the street). Clearly I couldn’t watch from the sideline… I had to coach him to become a football player. (Which is so completely different from Jax who flourishes on his own and does leaps and bounds better in foot ..read more

Last weekend, I sat on the sidelines reliving my Pop Warner and high school football days. With that being said, I’ve finally come to the realization that I’m officially living vicariously through my sons. This was never more evident than it was this weekend when I helped Jax strap on his shoulder pads and pull over his white #87 jersey. Those WHITE on WHITES though… It was surreal watching him walk towards his teammates as he buttoned up his chinstrap and helmet as I had all those years ago. Except, unlike I had pictured, he didn’t my help. He jogged off towards the field, but turned around ..read more