When Time Speeds By...

Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Sunday... Hey Wait... I missed a few days there! This past week was extremely busy and the weekend was no easier. The whole week seemed to just never end with errands, work, family, sick kids, No Sleep... 6yo was sick at the begining of the week and 2yo has been sick since the end of the week. My time was so short that I barely even looked at the computer for anything other then work. Tuesday was the last day I posted... WOW... It has been a interesting week. Since then I have done my best to keep my mind, but it looks like it is slipping away.

I did get a chance to some shopping with 2yo on Thursday and we found a few more of the Cars Movie Cars. King, Chick Hicks, Snot Rod and Boost... Yeah!!! We then went to a bike shop and I picked up a new Helmet and a new pair of gloves for the season. Unfortunatly when I got home I looked up my purchases at the company website and they had them cheaper online. So now I get to go BACK to the store and get a $15.00 credit... MORE STUFF!!!

Friday we hit Meijer for some much needed food shopping. The store is in mid remodel so we had a fun time finding everything.

Saturday I spent the day messing up the garage. Next week is the community gargae sale and I will be putting out a ton of stuff. Anything that does not sell will either be donated or tossed. Time to start getting rid of things that have not seen the light of day in years.

Sunday I got up and was able to ride outside on my bike. I took my bike back to the park where last August I fell and broke my elbow! Happy to say no falls and no breaks today!!! I then finshed up most of the garage and mowed the lawn. I still have to go through some stuff during the week in preparation for the sale.

March 10th we get our wood floors installed!!! YES... The family room and my office are being done!!!

The 5

1. Time - When you need it you have too little, when you don't you have too much!
2. Junk - Wow... I am going to get rid of so much junk. It is good every once in a while to go through and get rid of stuff. We have too much STUFF!!
3. Bicycle - I got to ride outside on the trailes for 48 minutes!!! AMAZING!!!
4. Sick Kids - One has it, then the other... Not at the same time! DOH!!!
5. Swings - Last year my 6yo would barely pump...This year he spends HOURS on the backyard swings!!!

Daily Observation: Mean People Suck...

Is the week over yet?

Well it is only tuesday and it feels like it has been 5 days already. Well yesterday the wife took the day off so we could finish up some yard work. I did the run to the store for some odds and ends and then got some work done. I edged around our patio and fertilized the yard. It took a little longer then I wanted, but in the end it looks nice.

6y0 was home from school yesterday with a fever and bad cough which worked out well since mom was home too. He was pretty miserable and sad he was going to miss his Spanish class. He spent the day relaxing and in the afternoon did the home work we picked up from school.

2yo last night woke up just enough to make my night a bit restless. Then he was up for the day at 5:40, but at least he came into our bed and watched cartoons as dad tried to wake up.

Today was one big errand...

7:50 Wife and Son Leave for Bus
8:05 Breakfast for me...
8:30 I clean up mess and deal with a NASTY diaper and a mess at that...
8:55 Leave For School House Tots...
10:40 Get home from School House Tots
10:42 Feed 2yo and do his bidding while he eats
10:50 Put 2yo down for nap
11:05 Clean up some messes and make bed
11:15 Start Lunch
11:40 Eat Lunch
11:50 2yo wakes up from short nap
12:15 Leave to pick 6yo up from school for Doctor Appointment
3:25 Get back from trip to Doctor
3:30 Empty Dishwasher and put dishes from lunch in washer
3:40 Wife Get Home
4:05 Floor guy comes by with new samples
4:45 Stall Floor Guy and get further discounts
5:00 Purchase New Wood Floors for the Family Room, Office and Stairs.
5:10 Wife and Kids leave for 6yo's T-Ball
5:15 Call into work and speak to VP and Pres
6:00 Wife calls 2yo wants to come home...
6:10 Come home with 2yo and cuddle watching Tv
7:10 start the process of kids getting to bed while also trying to actually get Dinner.
8:30 Kids are in bed, I have eaten and work looks rather difficult...

Today was one of those days...

On the plus side we have new wood floors coming on May 10th!!! Only area left after that will be the stairs UP, the Hallway and the Upstairs Bedrooms... Maybe Next Year...

The 5

1. Distracted Driver III - Well today coming back from the doctor a guy on a motorcycle was driving like an idiot and almost hit ME!!! He was not paying attention and just went into my lane. SLAM BRAKES!!1 idiot does not even know he almost was Street Pizza!!!
2. Wood Floors - Going to look REALLY NICE!!!
3. Long Days Suck - Today I had one of those days... I may be adding it to a vacation day if I can not make up the lost time. Oh Well No Big Deal... Never really use much of those...
4. Lower Prices Come to Those That Wait - Well not going crazy for the floors the last time the flooring guy was in made him do some hard searching and price dropping. In the end we got what we wanted at about 1K less!!! Closeout Flooring and Discounts...
   
5. Sleep - Is Really Needed!!!

Daily Observation: Taking kids around as they get older and older becomes more of a full time job. At 2 and 6 I found myslef good all day doing kids errands...

Weekend Yard Warriors...

Well the weather has begun to look a little more like spring. So on Saturday we had 5 yards of mulch delivered for our yard. Unfortunately I am unable to shovel the mulch with my elbow, or risk hurting it again. I contacted my younger brother and one of my wifes younger brothers. Saturday my brother came over, Sunday the wifes brother came over. While then moved mulch with the help of my 6yo and 2yo I mowed the lawn, seeded and did other things that were a little easier on the elbow.

The big deal with the new mulch was cleaning up around the kids playset. I added a new roof tarp and tightend some stuff down. So now they have a nice new soft bed of mulch and a fixed up swingset... The first thing 2yo said when I added the new roof was..."New Roof" "No More Broken" The fall and winter had been extra rough on the tarp. We also added a few new bags of playsand for the sandbox which 6yo spread out. I think both boys had as much sand on them as in the sandbox..

It was great I could get the help. I could not help and having the wife do all of it would be terrible. We spent a ton of time on the yard and it looks it. I will still have some edging to do as well as adding some more top soil to the yard filling in some ruts and then seeding and fertilizing. I have the sprinkler system with the fertilizer, but I need to get something to handle the weeds a little and then make sure I put on a smaller amount in order not to burn out the grass...

A Few more Pictures...

























The 5

1. 5 Yards of Mulch - This is a very large amont of mulch. A dump truck brought it by and it took two days to move it. We needed it all!
2. Kids Helping - Both boys had a fun time helping here and there...
3. Sinus Infection Part Duex! - Well it looks like I have hot the sinus jackpot. Fighting a second one, but I caught it soon enough and had the antibiotics. After 24 hours I am feeling just a bit better...
4. Mulch Stinks - The combination of the natural woods, plus some decomp made the whole area smell pretty harsh. After I ran the sprinklers this evening it knocked that back a bit...
5. Spring = Work - Well every spring we work hard to get the yard started and then spend all summer making it look nice. The wife loves all here plants and I like a nice Green Lawn...

Daily Observation: Home Improvement Store are Dangerous to the Wallet!!!

Dad's Night Out...

Well I recently found a local At Home Dads group that gets together with the kids as well as has a "Dad's Night Out" once a month. Well tonight was my first night out. I had been scrambling all week to make everything work so I could go out. Early in the week everything looked like it was stacked up against me. Too many things to do, but not enough time. I was so unsure about my timing that as of last night I was still just a maybe. Well the morning came and I was very tired since 2yo was up a bunch. At this point I worried the day was going to be really bad... I had an appointment to set my Outdoor Sprinkler System between 8-12.. and a 1:30-2:00 Parent thing at my sons school. 8:05 the doorbell rings! It is the Sprinkler Guy!! Yes!!! After about 45 minutes everything was set and the sprinklers are ready for the season. 2yo is having a good time playing so I get a whole bunch of work done. At about 10:30 he seems to be getting a little upset and he then askes to go to bed... Timing is PERFECT!!! I make sure he falls asleep then I ride my bike for 40 minutes, Shower and Shave in peace!!! I get a little more work done and then it is off to school. 6yo was really cute doing a whole dance this with all the first graders. 2yo kept yelling out his brothers name as soon as he saw him. 2yo was SO happy to see his big brother, but was really upset when we had to leave him there. For a little while longer I was able to work some more until 6yo came home from school. At this point both boys started having meltdowns. 2yo about his cars, 6yo about the book he is reading and both about each other... By the time Mom was home I was a little fried from listing to two boys be upset for nearly 40 minutes. The remainder of the time I was home was fine and at 5:40 I left for "Dad' Night Out" Despite the protests of my 6yo. He demanded a few extra hugs and said he was sad I was going out... (That is rough on me too...)

"Dad's Night Out" @ Pizzeria Uno...

Well this would be the first night I would be going out and meeting with other Stay At Home Dads. I have to admit I was very excited to be able to go out without taking the Diaper Bag as well as a little nervous meeting some new people. When I arrived I was a few minutes late due to traffic patterns I was not used to. As I walked in the hostess asked how many and I responded..." I am meeting a few people here I have NEVER MET" She looked a little taken back when I noticed someone wave me down from the back. I am not hard to miss and I did let the people I was meeting know what I was wearing. So I met with "S" who is the head of the meet up group while we waited for two others. "M" and "I" We all had a little beer and actually all were CARDED!!! Understand none of us even looked close to 21... Heck the one dad has a son turning 21 soon!!! We ate Pizza, Drank and Talked for a long time. I have to admit it was nice to be able to sit and Drink Beer, Eat Pizza all the while talking about everything from Diapers and Potty Training to Sports! The best part is when we talked about the Diapers and other kid related things we were actually having a talk. Unlike talking to other guy friends that do not focus that much of their life being the primary caregiver. So after a few hours we all began to roll out and get ready to go home. On our way out "S" and I kept talking and before we knew it my phone was ringing letting me know it was 10:30!!! WOW!!!! I figured maybe 9:00, but in the end I made it home at 11:30!!! I had a great time and look forward to other events and especially "Dad's Night Out" I have to Thank Them for such a great Night Out...

The 5

1. Dad's Night Out - What A Great Time. Fantastic to talk shop with others in a similiar position!!!
2. School Dancing - The 6yo Dance show was really cute and even 2yo had a good time watching.
3. More International Recoginition - Well it appears I have someone in Ontario that has enjoyed my blog. I have also noticed a rathe rlarge group of international hits on my blog. Pretty cool, but why do they read my stuff...LOL
4. Race Track - I set up a "Hot Wheels" race track for my son today. He had a great time playing when he was not taking it apart and then getting mad it was in pieces...
5. "HOT WHEELS" - 2yo pointed the the WORDS Hot Wheels and then said "HOT WHEELS...HOT WHEELS DADA!!!"

Daily Observation. Getting out once in a while is really nice!!!

Restless Night, Restless Thoughts...

The night is calm, the kids are quiet and I was awake! The cool air was nice, however I found myself up for no reason. Each time I woke up I would be very quiet and listen for the sounds of the kids calling me. Nothing... I was up and the kids where still fast asleep. This is not fair!!!

So again I wake up and find myself a bit too tired. Every other Wednesday is a little busy in the mornings especially when I have a sink full of dishes waiting for their turn in the dishwasher. The house keeper comes by and cleans every other Wednesday while 2yo and I are at Preschool. I had to make sure the toys and clothes were all cleaned up as well as the dishes away. Adding the normal get moving and ready and work I was too tired to finish the night before and it makes it a long morning.

After class 2yo was very tired and wanted bed right away. He slept good and I was able to get a bunch of work done. By the time nap time was over I had accomplished more work then I have in a while. Something about getting into a groove and having a 2yo sleeping quietly. After his nap I was able to continue the work, but at a much slower pace.

Once 6yo made it home my lack of sleep was catching up to me along with a lack of patients. 2yo was so excited to see his big brother, but within a few minutes a war had broken out. So the 30 minutes before mom got home became a test of patients that I was losing.

Tonight was the first day of Park District Soccer. There are 4 teams of 6 or 7 and I am the coach of my sons team the WIZARDS! I have done a little coaching, but this will be a new test for me. The group of kids varies in age from almost 5 to almost 9 with really different skill levels. So every Wednesday from 6:00-7:00 I will be Coach Dad!!!

This evening I finished up a few things, but the long day was catching up with my mind and the numbers and information I was working on started to move. Time to call it a night!!! So the wife and I watched some Tivo'd TV before bed. she is off to bed while I Blog and then hit the showers and bed...

The 5

1. Weather - Today the day started nice, but by the early evening and Soccer it was COLD and we had a little rain falling. These are the times I dream about moving to a warmer area.
2. Pizza - Well I broke down and picked up a Slice today. The positive thing is if I pick one up I will not eat more then that one.
3. Exercise - I have been lacking that for this week and need to get back at it. I really need to get my weight back down, but it seems there are many things against me.
4. Staying Put - We have talked here and there about moving, but in the end there is no good reason to move. If we do decide to move at some point it will be away from here to someplace warm and sunny!
   
5. Dad's Night Out - Well tomorrow night I will be meeting with some local At Home Dads for Dinner. They get together without the kids once a month. I think this will be good for me. The only difficult part will be getting everything for work done and setup so I am not behind. I am looking forward to it!!!

Daily Observation: The Media needs to focus on some good in the world. What happend at VT was terrible, but they should balance some reports with a few feel good stories. I rarely watch the News because of this...

Home, Where My Thoughts Escaping...

The cool breeze seeps through the open window. The quiet whistle of the wind lulling me to sleep like a child's lullaby. The cooler temperature combined with the cool breeze makes sleeping a little easier. As my thoughts begin to escape and my mind drifts into dreams a familiar sound begins to interrupt the serenity of the night.

Once again the 2yo decided sleeping straight through the night was not a good idea. He was up a bunch as well as being extremely restless. With all the tossing and turning across the hall I was unable to maintain a steady sleep. By the time the morning came I was clouded and almost completely out of it. 2yo came and relaxed in bed with me while mom finished in the shower. He woke up cranky and rather difficult to deal with. As we got moving I made lunches and breakfasts while 6yo used his big brother powers to make 2yo not so cranky. After a loud morning the 2yo and I are left to get a few things done and then head off to one of his two classes. We had a good time, but by the end he was ready to go home. We made it home and ate a little lunch and then decided it was nap time for a cranky 2yo. His nap was extremely restless and he maybe slept for an hour. Afterwards he really wanted to sit with me and as he leaned onto my chest I noticed he was a little warm. So for the rest of the afternoon the only thing I was able to do was make a little boy relax.

6yo came home from school in a good mood knowing tonight was tee-ball. I made him read a chapter of his book for a book report before doing anything else. After he was done he went outside to play with a couple neighbor boys. After dinner it was time for Tee-Ball and 2yo really wanted to go to because it was at the park. This worked out good for me since I needed to get some work done. Well not too long after they left I get a call from the wife. 2yo fell on the play ground and bumped his lip. So I drove down and picked him up. We came home and he wanted a sucker so I gave in since he had just gone face first into some playground equipment. After his sucker it was time for a bath. He was such a mess!!! By the time mom and 6yo came home 2yo was ready for bed and nice and clean.

Hopefully tonight is a better night...

The 5

1. Bicycle - Tonight I was able to hit the road outside on my bike for about 20 minutes... That felt GOOD!!!
2. Little Sleep - Just another night when we do not get much sleep.
   
3. DirecTv - Until this year I have had no issues. That being said I had issues getting the deal I wanted on a DVR and now I find out there is a software glitch that makes the DVD not work correctly. Thankfully most tv is available on line!!!
4. Work - Well work has been odd lately and I was actually a little behind this morning. I am now caught up.
5. Blog Spam - I have the settings for comments on my blog to be moderated so spammers and others not friends of the program can not post. I got another spam hit today... REJECT!!! REJECT!!!! Stay away you jerks!!! My blog is not your advertisement!!!

Daily Observation: Typing with a two year old on your lap is a test of skill...

Back At It...

The clicking of my keyboard is almost a music in itself. As I type I hear noise through the baby monitor... 11:00 and something is sturring. Will it be my son or his alter ego Monster Boy... I hurried upstairs as he began to get upset. I settled him right away and hoped his brother did not hear him. The night continued like that and again I spent more time waking up then sleeping. As the morning came I had hoped for a little more rest, but that was not going to happen...

After the daily routine of getting Wife and 6yo out of the house we had plans of an Oil Change, Costco and the Library. Since Costco does not open until 11:00 I decided that I should use the Carpet Cleaner with the new Clean Water Tank I purchased. The stairs to the family room we bugging me. So I cleaned them. About halfway through I hear a little voice behind me saying...Da Da...Ba Ba and Bed Bed...Peeeeeesssss... I look at the clock and it is a little before 9:00. OK I figured he would take his binky settle for a few minutes and then be up... NOPE...He slept for almost two hours!! So I cleaned the entire family room carpet and then got a whole bunch of work done.

We had a good time going on our errands and when we returned I figured we would go for a bike ride. I have not been outside on my bike since Early December!!! 2yo was so excited to get in the trailer, but after less then 10 minutes he wanted nothing to do with the ride. So back home we went and played. He was CRANKY so I put him to bed. He played for a short while and then was up...

Wife and 6yo got home and I was releived!!! 6yo has Spanish on mondays so wife picks him up from school...

The Weekend...

On Saturday we drove to an outlet mall to get a replacement tank for our carpet cleaner. We then did some other shopping and found some really good deals on cloths and shoes. It was a fun family get away...

On Sunday I went down to the Chicago Bike show.

Well I went down to the Chicago Bike Show at Navy Pier mainly to see some Recumbent Trikes. A friend and his wife went along so we could make a day of it. The 3 of us took the train down and then cabbed it over to Navy Pier. We had high hopes for the show, but over all we were dissappointed. The show was in one of the main halls, but took up less then 50%... It took all of 5 minutes to walk by every booth.

On the plus side we made it to a presentation we had wanted to see. "Is a Recumbent Right For You." The presentation was simple, but we learned a lot about the different "Bents" as they are referred to. I must have asked a dozen questions myself and when the presentation was over we spent about 25 minutes just chatting with the guy. Then following the presentation we spent about 45 minutes in his stores booth looking at and sitting in the "Bents"

Unfortunatley due to insurance issues we could not take the bikes for a spin at the show. The owner did say he has a full fleet of demo models from all the different manufacturers.

My Dream Bike... A Recumbent Trike!!!









The 5

1. Virginia Tech - My heart and thoughts go out to the familys of all the people killed today. It is an terrible event and the grief will be hard.
   
2. Bikes - "The Correct Number of Bikes Is One More" friends like to qupte that one.. Bikes and Kayaks are used in the quote...
3. Outdoor Ride - I rode today outside for the first time since December!!! I still need a new helmet, but the one I have should be fine for now. I put a slight crack in it when I fell. It is probably fine, but once I start riding daily outside I do not want to take any chances!!!!
4. Potty Chair - 2yo has had a lot of interest in the potty and pretty much has gone at least once a day for the past few days. We are not pushing it, but allowing him to do it how he wants. Hopefully his interest continues and he will be trained well befor his birthday in August
5. CFL - Compact Floresent Lights... They use so much less energy and last longer. I have changed out 18 bulbs around the house. Eventurally when the dimmer versions are better Iw ill replace ALL my lights...

Daily Observation: Clean Carpet is Nice...

Too Little Time, Too Little Sleep...

The light of the Tv flickers in the room as I attempt to lose myself with mind numbing TV. The sounds of the tv are slowing fading as the sounds of snoring begin to let me know I am falling asleep. The day was long again and I was still having difficulties sleeping. I knew if I just watched a little TV it would help me lose myself... Unfortunately I also had to calm down a bit after having issues with the NEW DVR. It stopped recording shows as of Tuesday Night. I thought maybe Wednesday was a fluke since we did get 5 inches of heavy wet snow. I had checked the DVR at about 4:30 and all was good. 8:16 I come to check on the recording and it did not record!!!! I checked the history and it shows it as a TO DO item, but it had a note "Not Recorded" next to it... WTF!!! So I get on the phone with DirecTv and find out there is a Software issues that is being updated. They are aware of the issues, but the fix is just being rolled out. The rep patched me through to a tech guy and he informed me that the fix will not be rolled out in my area for another few weeks. However there is a temporary fix that should get me through until the fix is rolled out. It involved FORMATTING the Hard Drive!!! DOH!!! I have been recording some stuff I had not watched yet... So I watched what I wanted and tomorrow I will call back and do the fix. I will also be getting another CREDIT for the service not working properly...

Today started with an early Dr appointment for 6yo and then a trip to school. I am still overtired and 2yo seems to be pushing it more and more lately. 2yo was cranky much of the day, but would not nap at all... I tried multiple times, but he would have nothing to do with it. Hopefully tonight he will sleep well!!!

The 5

1. Stargate SG1 - Final 10 Episodes start tonight... Ten Years...
2. Stargate Atlantis - Season Starts and will soon be alone
3. The Riches - Caught this show the other night and I have the Marathon being recorded on my other DVR. This way we can start from the beginning...
4. PainKiller Jane - The Pilot starts tonight!
5. Rum N Coke - Mmmmm

Daily Observation: When you are tired everything seems to take longer... For good and bad...

The Land of Confusion

The images in my head are vague, the sound unfamiliar, but somehow I understand. A familiar sound begins to become louder...What is that... the sound is getting louder and louder until finally I am startled out of my deep slumber. The silence of the night is broken with the desperate crys of a 2yo... Ba Ba!!! Ba Ba!!! I get up, but am still slightly confused. I stumble into his room to find his binky in his bed. As I stumble around he begins to cry and demand a car. He is unable to communicate which one and I am still not fully awake. Finally as I begin to get really frustrated Wife comes in and ends up sleeping with him for a few hours.

I can not recall the last time I had such a strange wake up. I am pretty sure the sounds of my son became part of my dream which added to the confusion of the night. Again we had another long and restless night with one of the boys.

Yesterday had been an extremely long day and by the evenings end I had no desire to blog or even think about blogging. the day started out with "School House Tots" the little hour parent/tot preschool class. Right after we got back 2yo went down for a nap and an hour and a half later I had to wake him up to go get his brother from school. 6yo had a Dr appointment to get help for his eczema. The office was down near wifes work so I picked her up on the way there. The appointment went fine and the Dr was confident my son would be 90% cleared up in two weeks. By the time we got home it had been 3 hours of commuting and visiting the Doctor. Wife needed to stay late for a meeting and at 5:15 I took the boys to the park so 6yo could got to Tee Ball. We finally made it home by 6:30. So my day was extremely long and the boys were wiped out...

Today...
Well after yesterday today should have been a breeze, but of course I am not that lucky. A wonderful wet blizzard hit us today dropping a bunch of really wet snow on us. The roads were slick, the streets were covered and at times there were almost white out conditions... Wow it feels like January... We had Preschool today and while 2yo was in class I ran a quick errand dropping of registration forms for a Summer Enrichment Program for 6yo. The snow was awful and I was not happy to be out in it. The afternoon went ok... 2yo did not nap long and after his nap we spent some time wrestling while I caught up on some Tivo'd Tv... He was just attacking me laughing like crazy. I did have to be careful of my elbow, but other then that we had a blast.
6yo came home in a total funk. He had major attitude and was really cranky. Everything was a major issue and he had meltdown after meltdown... He was overtired and was still a little wiped from yesterday.

The5

1. The Shield - Again the Shield was amazing. The acting is amazing and Forrest Witicker was again outstanding...
2. Distracted Driver - Well again I had the joy of being around another distracted driver. This time there was no honking, just jaw dropping shock. As 2yo and I drove off to School House Tots I look over at the van next to me and a lady is eating... With a PLATE and SILVERWARE!!! While driving at 45 MPH in traffic... WTF!!!
3. Snow- IN APRIL!!! I keep asking the wife why we live here. Her answer is still the same. "Because We Are Stupid!" We got like 3-5 inches of really WET snow. It is snowing again as I type and it is 38 outside... Looks like the 60s next week... What a wonderful place to live!
4. Da Bears - the schedule for the 2007 season was release today. They have 6 noon Games, 5 Afternoon Games and 5 NIGHT games... The schedule looks a bit tougher then last year, but that will not be known until maybe 1/3 way through the season.
   
5. Da Other Sports - The Bulls are in the playoffs and the Knicks are not. Looks like the Bulls will get a pick in the top 10 thanks to the Trade of Eddie Curry to the Knicks. A really good team will be getting another high draft pick while making the playoffs. What a Trade!!! The Blackhawks play that sport on Ice and have the #1 pick in the draft... Cubs & Sox are just beginning their long seasons...

Daily Observation: Snow in April Sucks!!!

I Survived my Birthday...

The silence of the early morning is broken from my two boys rather excited to see what treats were around for Easter. As my wife gets up I notice the time is just a little after 6:oo am... Not wanting to miss the boys reaction and the fact there was a little more then candy in the baskets. Both boys were so excited and 6yo had been up MULTIPLE times. When they finally made it downstairs they were both excited and wanted to eat all the candy. After the excitement was over I decided to get a little more rest. It was my birthday and my day to sleep in after all. At about 8:00 the phone rang and disturbed my slumber a little. I finally made my way downstairs around 8:30 and found out a friend had called on his way to church to wish me a happy birthday! Opening the fridge I remembered there was leftovers from take out the night before... Mmmmm The breakfast of champions...Fried Rice and Satay Beef!!!

The day was pleasant and with dinner at my parents I knew I would have to ride a little bit extra. The boys were very excited to go see grandpa and that made a great ending for their day. Too much candy and sweets along with a lot of excitement made them a bit tired and cranky by days end.

We have finalized vacation plans for the end of summer. We are renting a house/cabin up near St Germain, WI. it is 3 bedrooms and we have it for a week so we invited my parents to join us. They will probably be up from Sunday-Wednesday which will make the boys very happy. The big key was being able to find someone to stay with my grandmother. My uncle is flying in from California and staying for the week so my mom can get away. This should be a nice slow vacation for everyone. Time to get out of the race for a while.

The 5

1. BORAT - Wow... We watched that tonight and I think I am scared for life. Some parts were really, really funny, other were rather disturbing.
   
2. Lady In The Water - I watched this movie today while I rode my bike and ran some reports. I thought it was pretty good and a bit different from M. Night's other films. By far my favorite parts had to do with the movie critic...
3. Afternoon Meltdown - Well this afternoon 2yo was having a difficult time and was rather demanding. I think he spent more then two hours sitting with me. The whole weekend I think was a little much and he needed a day to recover.
4. Old Bat - There was an old lady in the post office that I thought was rather rude. 2yo was a little tired and off still from an exciting weekend. While waiting in line which can take forever he started to get a little cranky. This old lady behind me said "Hey No Whining" in a rather mean voice. I then replied well it is almost nap time and he is a little tired from the weekend. Here response was "Well then he should be in bed" in the same type of tone. I bit my tongue and smiled. I wanted to say something, but decided it would be best to let it go...
5. Cars Movie Cars - Well lately I have been able to find a few more of the cars from the Pixar Movie. Overall in the past week we have added 6 cars including one 2yo had been talking about for weeks. "Green Ramone" For whatever reason Ramone has been his favorite and loves the different colors. Now to find Yellow Ramone. Target has been the best place to find the toys.

Daily Observation: Candy, Early Mornings, Grandparents and overall excitement is major overload for a child...

He With The Most Birthdays Wins!

Every year you get older you have more time to reflect on. What have I done? who am I? and where am I now headed? Each year no matter how you look at it the past gets longer and the future gets shorter. It has been said that our actions and choices in the past make us who we are today and shapes who we will be tomorrow. Well as I sit here typing it is a 1 hour and 28 minutes from April 8th, 2007... My 34th Birthday. Many people fear having a birthday and getting older. I for one am glad to have another birthday and hope to have many, many, many, many, many more.

Getting to this point I look back at what I have done and think about what to do next. I may not be some famous Actor, Wall Street HotShot, SuperStar Athlete or Rock Star, but to two very special little boys I am Dad! I guess everyone has thoughts of greatness, wealth and fulfillment. I think many however fail to find one important thing...Happiness. What is happiness? A fancy Car? Thousands of fans screaming your name? Money? I think in the end what happiness to one person is down right strange to another. Would I love a Enzo Ferrari? Yes, but I really like my van... Would it be a rush to have thousands screaming my name in a packed stadium? Sure, but I would rather have two little boys yelling out Dad! Would I want to be filthy rich? Probably, but not at the cost of what I already have. Having time with my two boys at times can be frustrating, but in the end it is truly priceless!!!

Many people ask me if I would have done anything different in my past knowing what I know now. I have put a lot of thought into this, and I would not change anything. Sure I have had some difficult times, questionable decisions and downright mistakes. In the end if I were to have changed anyone of those things I would not be in the place I am today. I have a job I love that I can do from home and most important I am here for my kids. After 34 years I have come to the conclusion that nothing really matters...Other then Family and Friends. Without that and the time I spend with my family I would be nothing. I am who I am because I am a Son, a Brother, a Husband and most important... A Father!

Now some things I would like to change... Well getting older every year makes it more and more difficult for me to maintain a healthy weight. I have always struggled and always will, but it gets tougher and tougher each year. With my addiction of riding I should be able to maintain my weight goals a little easier.

Speaking of riding... I had hoped I could have had another birthday ride this year, but with the weather and Easter it is difficult. Last year I had ridden 1 mile for every year of my life on my birthday. This year it will have to be postponed and maybe done with my friend on his 34th birthday...

The 5 (Birthday Edition)

1. 34 - The number of years I have been alive, A great football players number and my current score in the birthday game. He with the most birthdays wins...
2. Presents - Wife and I do not "Exchange" gifts of any kind. The kids will get us something, but beyond that it is more of an excuse to pick up something we needed anyway. I purchased a Power Washer for OUR cars on major discount a month ago... I did get one unexpected gift that beats all others. My birthday falls on Easter this year and we normally go to my Sister In Laws... Well my SIL did not call to tell us the time and plans and we did not call to ask. Which works out perfectly for me... On my birthday I get the best gift...Not seeing my SIL!!!
3. Sleep - Tomorrow I get to SLEEP IN... Not only is it my birthday, but it is Sunday my day to NOT get up with the boys!!!
4. Dinner - Well tomorrow since we are not going to the SIL's we are going to my parents for dinner. The boys can not wait to go play with Grandpa. I get to go have dinner and for once NOT COOK or CLEAN the kitchen!!! YES!!!
5. Hong Kong Chop Suey - Or Dinner Part Deux... Since I will be having an Easter Dinner on my birthday tonight we picked up some Chinese Take Out from my favorite place. HKCS... I have been going there for more then 15 years and the owner knows me. tonight I ordered my most common dish "Beef Satay" Normally when I place my order I will substitute the free egg rolls for some additional white rice. We both do not like egg rolls. Well we had been out shopping and I was coming off a migraine and forgot. Well when I got there the owner peaks her head out and says "You did not request White Rice instead of Egg Roll...I did that for you..OK?" I smiled and said thank you I had forgotten... Mmmm Too Much Take Out!!!! Mmmmmmm

Daily Observation: Noon Movie Start Times are Awesome!!!

(6yo and I went to see TMNT at noon today... No crowds, easy parking and a fun time)

The Sound Of Silence...

In restless dreams I walked alone... The night is dark and silent. The hum of the dryer and the warm breath of the furnace cut through the night. The boys are sleeping sound in their beds... Again I find myself not being able to sleep as my mind wanders through the night.

This entire week has been a trial in sleep deprivation. I think I am lucky to sleep a few hours straight each night. 2yo last night was up 3 times and again the wife can sleep through anything. With his restless sleep and my really abnormal sleep pattern I find my mind will not focus.

Tonight I am sitting here typing after identifying the issues with my sleep. I have been sick for over a week and taking prescription antibiotics as well as a powerful decongestant to help clear out the sinus infection. After further review the decongestant is more then likely the cause of my sleep issues...

Side Effect...
Mild stomach upset, trouble sleeping, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, nervousness, fast heartbeat, loss of appetite, shaking, or unusual sweating may occur. According to WebMd the most common side effect is "Abnormal Trouble Sleeping" hmmm...

Tonight is my last night for the decongestant so hopefully in the next couple days I will be able to sleep again.

Today was a pretty typical Wednesday. 6yo and 2yo both have school. We went to the 2yo preschool and they had a little "Spring Party" and now we have even more candy we don't need. It is my one chance in the day to have "adult" conversation with someone other then my wife. A few of the moms and I hang out since the class is only one hour. It is actually nice that a few of the moms are actually friendly...

2yo was tired all day and when he finally napped I enjoyed the silence, ate lunch and got some work done. Once he woke, however he was a complete Monster... Yelling at everything and everyone. He was super cranky pants...

6yo is in trouble for the problems last night so one of his punishments is the moment he gets home from school he has to help pick up around the house. Which typically means finding and putting away the dozens of cars his brother has out. BTW I do that pick up multiple times a day... The punishment went ok, but he is still showing a major attitude and has been rather lippy. To be 6 Years Old and Know Everything...

The 5

1. Sleep - I guess I do not need it. I can either stay awake from the meds or stay awake because I can not breath... Hmmm interesting choice.
2. Stargate Sg1 - Comes to an end in the coming months after 10 years!!!
   
3. CSI - Wife and I watch CSI and I think I need to post a theory. After the episode when they figure out the Miniature Killer is still alive I mentioned to my wife that I thought that a CSI was the Killer. Now the really mind blowing person to be the Killer would be Sara Sidle... The Bosses girlfriend, a CSI investigator and of course a Serial Killer WOMAN!!! She did it...It is my theory and I am sticking to it... :)
4. Laundry - It is attacking AGAIN!!!
   
5. Grindhouse - Saw one of the "Commercials" that will play in the movie in between the two parts. It was for a horror movie on Thanksgiving... The look and feel of the "Preview" was truly old school. The clip itself was rather...Ummm Disturbing. Very Graphic and the stuffed "Turkey" in the end was a bit gross...
   

Daily Observation: Lack of sleep and side effects from medication can make for a really interesting day...Nothing crazy, but just a bit strange...

New Class, Rough Night and The Shield!

The rolling thunder shook the house as the rain poured down. The lighting crashes lit up the house as the wind howled and echoed in the streets. Crack...The thunder goes as a 2yo wakes in a panic... Loud screams could be heard from his room as the storm rolled in. Unable to settle him he came to bed with us for the night. The storm kept him restless which in turn made the night rather uncomfortable for all. At some point in the night he threw his head back catching me in the face just below my eye... By the morning the storms were still here and he was completely unnerved. "No Storm" It took nearly an hour after the storm stopped to get him to relax.

Today was the first day of a park district program "School House Tots" It was lots of fun and he will be looking forward to this each week. He has been in 2yo preschool since the fall, but this is like Preschool Light... The only issue we had was due to lack of sleep. He fell in love with a toy bus and wanted to bring it home. After talking to him about it he was ok leaving it until we got out to the van. Once on the road the meltdown happened. BUS... Bring Bus Home... This went on for the entire 10 minute drive...

Late in the afternoon the sun was out and it looked like we would have a short break in the weather. So we went for a little walk out front and he ran down to another 2yo house shouting his name. On Tuesdays and Thursdays he is home so the little boys got to play for a while. He was even really excited to see his brother come home.

By dinner time the boys were getting a little cranky and the next couple of hours were extremely difficult. 6yo is really pushing it lately and he pushed way too far and is now in a ton of trouble. So hopefully after our talk tonight he will be better tomorrow.

Tonight was the season premier of "The Shield" What and awesome show. I have watched this from the first night it was on and have never been disappointed. Top notch acting, great filming and well thought out stories... The only sad part is that this is the final season. A few of my favorite shows are now ending, with nothing that exciting coming down the pipe...

The 5

1. The Shield - Amazing... Too bad more shows were not this good. This makes TV worth watching. the Shield and Battlestar Galactica are truly great entertainment.
2. Weather - The weather here SUCKS...
3. New Flooring - We are looking to replace the flooring in our family room level. It needs to be replaced, but the area to be done is like 600 sq ft so it is going to be expensive. We want wood, but OUCH!!! In the end it really is not much more then carpet, but it will last a heck of a lit longer...
4. Cars Movie Cars - I found two more the other night. I am adding those to the 2yo Easter Basket. When I see the ones he does not have I make sure I pick them up. It is by far his favorite thing...
5. Sleep - Lack of it the past few days again has made life a little more interesting. Hopefully that will change here soon so life can get back to "Normal"

Daily Observation: Weather, Illness and lack of sleep make dad a very grumpy boy...

Monday Monday Monday...Its Always Monday!

The light begins to faintly come into the room. I realize it is now past 6 and someone is moving in the other room. I here the shower start and then a little voice call out...MaMa... I respond from my extremely comfortable bed. "Shes in the shower... Come here" thump...Run...Run...Run... He climbs up on the bed says "DaDa" and cuddles up to me for a little while. After a little while of being kicked he realizes mom is in the shower and runs to the bathroom and pounds on the door... After a minute or two I let him in and he is so happy to hear his moms voice...

6yo decided last night that he wanted to stall and stall and stall so when the morning came he did not want to get up. After finally getting him up, fed and off to school 2 yo and I could relax a little. I worked for a while while 2yo played with his cars. We had many errands to do today so it was off we go.

The Non Attentive Driver.

Well the first thing we needed to do was fill up the van with gas. We get to the stoplight about a mile away and pull into the Left Turn lane behind another car. The person in the car is transfixed on something in the passenger seat. The light turns green and I wait... He does nothing... I honk once figuring he got lost in thought, NOTHING... I wait a second and honk again. Well after the third time and almost the entire light cycle he goes and promptly gives me the bird... WTF!!! He is not paying attention at the light and I give a courtsey honk, not in any real hurry and he is rude... So as we turn I "Wave Back" and give a nice long blast on the horn. The gas station is at the intersection and after the left turn it is an imediate right turn. As I make the turn while "waving" I notice this person is turning into the gas station ahead of me... He sees me turn and I notice his head turn looking back in almost suprise. I pull up to a pump and mind my own business. He does not get out of his car for at least half my fill up and when he does he glances over and makes haste inside... He was probably in his 50's and not a very big guy and when he saw me standing there bald, black leather and big he probably had a change of heart on his attitude... I give a nice chuckle and applaud myself for not saying many of the things I had thought....

The rest of the errands were rather typical for us with the Library the main stop to return some movies and then the Doctors office to pick up a referal for the 6yo.

I was able to ride today for an hour while 2yo napped and we had a rather pleasant day overall. However that being said it was Manday and the first day after spring break and 2yo was in a destructive mood as well as a little lonely for his brother. Most of the day he kept asking for his brother.

The evening was normal with 6yo not wanting to go to bed and 2yo fighting bed... kicking and screaming...

The 5

1. Drivers- No matter what I seem to do I appear to attract the strangest drivers. Either that or most people are rather stange behind the wheel. Since I have been home I have had less of a need to get places quickly and have now looked from the outside and see people are crazy behind the wheel...
2. Chicago Tribune Sale - the Tribune company has sfinally sold and I find it crazy someone would purchase a company in an industry that looks to be going the way of the dodo... Print media is not the thing... I read all my news from the different online versions of the local papers, regional outlets and national media.
   
3. Cubs - Looks like by next year the Cubs will have a new owner. I wonder if that will help? Cubs start the season out at 0-1... I hate Baseball... LOL
4. Riding - One hour back in the saddle... With being sick for a week it felt good to be back riding my bike.
5. KITT For Sale - The car from Knight Rider is for sale in California. Only $149K for a car that is not street legal and can't do anything from the show... WOW a 125K mark up for having David Hasselhoff sit in it... Coooool....

Daily Observation: Stupid People are Everywhere...

Heart Ache of Loss

Well I have another article published at dadcenter.com.

The Heart Ache of Loss