BRAINZ…!!!

I KNOW my zombie movies and this guy is NOT in “Night of the Living Dead”

In Entertainment Weekly this week there is a big article counting down from A to Z all you could ever want to know about zombie flicks. My wife was paging through it last night and we got into a discussion about zombie movies. Steph isn’t a big zombie film buff. As a matter of fact, she says she’s only seen 1 zombie ever in her lifetime and that one was the one where they are trapped in a mall.

Me: “Dawn Of The Dead.”

Her: “No. That’s not it. Maybe ‘Night of the Living Dead’?”

Me: “No. That was the original shot in black & white back in the 60’s.”

Her: “Yeah…the one I’ve seen was from the 80’s.”

Me: “If it was shot in a mall, then it was ‘Dawn of the Dead.’ They made another one a few years ago.”

Her: “I don’t think that is it. You got your IPhone? Check it out on the internet.”

Me: “Look…I know zombie movies and ‘Dawn of the Dead’ was set in a mall. It was shot in Pennsylvania somewhere back in the late 70’s. I don’t know where the latest one was shot but I do know that it was set in a mall and all the cast was running from zombies. Did the zombies run in the one you saw?”

Her: “No. Well…I don’t know. But I don’t think it was ‘Dawn of the Dead.’”

Me: *sigh* “Then I dunno…”

Her: “Wait! It was called ‘Night of the Comet!’ That’s it! There were 2 girls and they were shopping at the mall and zombie guys captured them.”

Me: “Uh…yeah…”Night of the Comet” is one of my favorite movies of all-time. Did you know that?”

Her: “Nope. I thought it was ‘Grosse Pointe Blank.”

Me: “Well yeah…that’s true. But ‘Night of the Comet’ is my all-time favorite B-movie from the 80’s. That scene, where they are running from the zombies at the mall? There is a song playing in the background that I’ve been trying to find for years. It’s called “Eyes On You”. Can’t find it anywhere.

Her: “You actually remember the song that is playing in that one scene?”

Me: “Yep. Wanna hear the song that is playing in the end credits? I have it on my IPhone…”

Her: “You are such a geek…”

The End

Top 9 Reasons I Love My Wife

9 years ago this week…

9 years we’ve been married. 9 long years. And you know being married to me ain’t easy. But somehow my wife has done it and she has done it with grace and style. There are a multitude of reasons why I love her, but these Top 9 will do for THIS year. But NEXT year I’m gonna have to come up with something better than this to profess my love…

9. She lets me be me
I’m not the easiest shlub to get along with. I can be cranky & moody & sometimes downright obnoxious! But she puts up with me and gives me her “opinion” when I need it. Usually she is a voice of reason in my overloaded brain.

8. She’s supportive
I can really get stressed out about things. Everything from money to work to the kids. It all gets in my head and I get all worried and crazy. But she brings me down to earth and keeps me focused. She has this way of dragging my worries & concerns out of me. She can be relentless when it comes to forcing me to talk about all the crap in my head and I don’t think I could survive without her!

7. She’s  funny
As she will tell you, she IS funnier than me. I don’t necessarily agree…but everyone always laughs at her jokes. Me? I usually get the “What are you talking about?” look and an uncomfortable silence. So yeah…maybe she IS funnier than me…

6. She’s a great mother
My kids are wonderful and she is the main reason why. They love her unconditionally and when I’m gone for a few days, she takes care of them and loves them and makes sure they are well-behaved. Without her I’m lost when it comes to dressing the kids, feeding the kids, fixing their hair, etc…

5. She’s hot
14 years into our relationship and I still find her to be as gorgeous today as she was when I met her. No lie.

4. She’s charitable
When she told me she wanted to quit her job and work for a charity that would pay her very little but it would make her happy, I was skeptical. But she just seems to glow when she talks about how well the charity is doing and how much they are doing for pediatric cancer research. I recommend that if you haven’t heard of “The Cure Starts Now“, you look it up. Seriously…is there any cause better than one that is trying to help save children?

3. She’s beautiful inside & out
I know…I already said she’s hot, but this is different. Because I think she IS hot…but being a beautiful person is totally different. She doesn’t have a bad intention in her body. She is always looking for the equality in life. And that is one of her strongest qualities.

2. She gives me my space
This might not seem like a great reason to love my wife, but when I need alone time, she gives it to me. When I’m gone for a while for work, she trusts me. When I need time with my friends, she tells me to go. It’s nice not being smothered, because when I need my time alone, she gives it to me. Thanks honey!

1. She’s an awesome friend
If you need an ear, she is ALWAYS available. You will never have a better friend than my wife. She can talk to just about anyone and if you need help with anything, she will drop whatever she is doing to be there. I used to think her allegiance  to her friends was a little much, but I see now that it is just who she is. She loves to socialize and she is at her best when she is around people. Unlike myself, she is an open book…and she is always supportive, even if she doesn’t always agree with your opinion. It’s one of her best qualities and I love that about her!

Today…and STILL smiling!

Of All The Things…

My kids have stuff. And lots of it. Like just about everyone else their ages, my kids get stuff from me and their mother and their grandparents and their friends and their friends’ parents and eventually stuff starts to pile up. There’s nothing you can do about it…it just can’t be stopped. And of all of these things…all the hundreds of dolls and balls and lockblocks and Star Wars figures and Polly Pockets and Legos and Pokemon cards and stuffed animals and Wii games and baseball gloves and play kitchen parts and dress-up clothes and makeup and light sabers and Transformers and Disney Princess accessories and Power Ranger play action figures and whatever else stuff my kids have piled in various rooms all over our house. Of ALL of these things…the one thing that gets the most attention? More than any stuffed animal or blankie or Pokemon X cards (or whatever) or ANYTHING?

This freakin’ thing…

Good job Mom. Excellent Christmas gift. Who woulda guessed that a drum kit would be THE plaything du jour.

Dammit.

What My Sister Needs To Know

So I asked for suggestions on blog topics a few days ago. The only one who actually gave me a specific topic was my sister who is going through a breakup right now with her husband. I haven’t been around to help her in any way because we live in different places, but I understand it has been very hard on her. So her question was this…

“How do you handle divorce when you don’t want it and how do you get over the pain and move on?”

And THAT is a damn good question. Here’s the deal…I’m a divorcee. I was married for the first time in 1995 and we ended up getting an annulment 2.5 years later. Our marriage didn’t last for several reasons that I won’t get into here, but needless to say…it just didn’t work out. So…that happened and I moved on. The difference between what my sister is going through and what I went through is that I wanted out of my first marriage. She didn’t. So I am really not sure how to answer my sister’s first question because, quite frankly, I was the bad guy in my relationship. I was the one who walked away…so I can’t honestly say that I know how to handle a divorce when you don’t want it. Obviously, there are 2 sides to every relationship and both individuals have their own feelings about things, so when one starts feeling unattached, there is probably very little the other can do to make things better. Not that there can’t be something done, it’s just that sometimes TRYING to make the other love you can backfire. Sometimes it’s a fine line to walk where you want to make your other happy but he/she just isn’t in that place. So you have to deal with that situation.

Now…as far as the pain is concerned, THERE I can help because, believe it or not, I thought about my first wife every day for almost 3 years after the annulment. I had feelings of guilt and anxiety over my decision. There was always that thought that I could have worked harder. That maybe I should have tried a little a little bit more to make everything come together. But you know what? Moving on was the best thing I could have done. I ended up marrying my wife now. We have two wonderful children, a nice home, my career is great and things have definitely been for the better.

So that is my answer to you sis…keep your chin up. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but things WILL get better. And once the heartache goes away, there will be someone else there, waiting to pick you up and willing to make life look so much more colorful. There IS someone out there for you…but maybe you just haven’t found him yet. So keep looking and never let what happened in this relationship get in the way of what COULD happen for you in the near future. Because allowing this situation to control your life would be the worst thing you could do. You are a very strong woman. I know…I have seen it firsthand and it is one of your most amazing traits. You pick yourself up very quickly and you dust yourself off and you move ahead. And that is what you should do here. And as soon as possible.

I hope this has been helpful in some small way. I love you and I’m thinking about you. You are one of the strongest members of our family…but if you ever need an ear…you know I’m always here.

Love you sis!

Your brother

The Simple Life

I remember when I was in college. If I had $10 in my pocket, I was set for at least 3 days. You figure $7 for food and then $3 for beer at The Pub. It was all too easy!

But those days are long gone and now it seems that I don’t work in terms of $10 anymore. $10 now will buy me a Coke and a smile and that’s about it. Now we’re talking THOUSANDS of dollars at a time! I look at our bank account and watch the money flitter away and I wonder…what the hell is going on?

For example…the work being done on our home? Thousands of dollars that are being loaned to us by a bank which will then, in turn, make thousands of dollars (eventually) from us on their return. My wife wants a new car. Don’t blame her, hers is gettin’ older and she could use something a little roomier for the kids and their friends. But automobiles don’t cost $10 or even $50. They cost thousands of dollars. And last time I checked, even though the economy is in the crapper, cars still aren’t being given away at the curb.

This morning it was discussed about sending  my daughter to school full-time next year for kindergarten. She goes to a montessori school that is fantastic! But it costs money…and that money ranges in the thousands of dollars. And supposedly the money fairy is gonna drop by and give me a wad of cash to pay for that expense. She still hasn’t arrived…

And then there are the everyday things that we have to pay for. Apparently it says somewhere in the “Guide To Having Kids” that we have to feed them and continue to buy them clothes that are overpriced and they’ll grow out of in a week. My wife likes to get her hair done every month. Our dog needs his shots. Eventually everyone has to go to the dentist/doctor/therapist…so there’s THAT expense (the therapist is for me. After this post, I’m heading there for a little sitdown and a good cry). Aaaaand you have electric and water and garbage and gas and air and taxes. All of which is apparently not free.

It wasn’t free back in 1991 either…but it sure felt like it was. Life has definitely gotten a lot more complicated. It makes me yearn for the days of my youth. But I wouldn’t trade in my new kitchen for that $225 a month fleabag of an apartment that I lived in in Dayton for anything in the world. Sure…it’s no longer the Simple Life. But it sure is better!

Okay…gotta go make some money for today. Busy, busy, busy. We’ll chat again later and you can buy me a drink and I’ll tell ya ALL about it…

Making Mercury

Oh how I  love my wife. She has only our children’s best interests in mind. And with Christopher taking part in a classroom play, she wanted to make sure that his costume was one of the best! So for this particular performance, Christopher is playing Mercury…the closest planet to the sun.

A little bit about Mercury: It has no moons. It has no life. It is a barren rock. And that’s it. So not a lot you can do with that description. Right?

Wrong.

Because if Christopher is gonna be playing Mercury, then…by God…he will be the BEST Mercury that ever lived! And so the plan was hatched. All she needed was some basic materials and she was pretty sure Christopher’s outfit would be very fitting for playing such a pivotal role in the universe. And so she went shopping.

Twice.

And then I had to make a trip to the hardware store.

Here’s the story the way I see it. And it’s a given that I have absolutely no idea what is going on. I’ve been gone for a week, so whatever is happening with Christopher at school, unless it’s very important, odds are I am out of the loop. All I know is this…Christopher is in a play. It is Friday. We (meaning “I”…which is my wife) need materials. Okay?

Okay. So she runs out to get materials. Some oval styrofoam thingies and some paint on Tuesday. Christopher sees what she has and disagrees with the choice. So on Wednesday after school they go back out to see what the options might be. And they come home with MORE paint and a big, styrofoam ball that cost way more than it should have.

I am working downstairs (who’s kidding who here? I was on Facebook) and I am called upstairs. My wife needs me to cut this ball in half. Really? But it LOOKS like a planet the way it is. Why would you cut it in half? But she has already stuck a knife into the middle of it, but she can’t get the knife to move. Apparently styrofoam is pretty tough stuff! Well…needless to say, I can’t get the damn thing to move either. So I get the hacksaw. And we saw it in half. (I kid you not! I can’t make this stuff up…). White fluffy stuff is EVERYWHERE! It’s like it snowed in our kitchen!

So now we have 2 half planets and a bunch of paint and some glue. I promptly leave the room. A few minutes later I come back into the kitchen. Both kids are literally punching holes into the styrofoam balls with kitchen utensils. I ask why. My wife replies…”They are making craters.”

Fair enough. I snap a few pictures and leave again. Next time I come in, both kids have their shirts off and are slopping grey paint all over the two halves of the ball. I watched for a little while in wonderment and then left. I wanted nothing to do with any of this.

Finally, after about a half hour, I went back in and saw the finished product. Nice! It DOES look like a planet! So that was accomplished and we have 2 days before the performance! Yay!

Or do we? The next morning, as my wife is reading through the paperwork, it says that the costumes are due Thursday!?! That was that morning! Holy Crap! So she begins to finish the job. She cuts some material and glues it to the back side of the globes. And then she cuts some long strips to hang over Christopher’s shoulders to hold the globes up. And then she glues those onto the back of the material that she glued onto the globes. Much more glue flew and there was glue everywhere and finally…it was done. However it has to dry, right? Well I take Christopher to school and as I walk in the kitchen, she has tried to pick it up and the whole thing has fallen apart. So now what do we do? We’re under the gun here!

Tape.

Tape will work…right? But not Scotch. We gotta have BIG-time tape. Well I don’t have any tape like that laying around the house! So off I go to the local hardware store at 8:15 in the morning. I buy double-sided tape and masking tape, just to be sure. Get home, she tapes it up, I go to the gym and life is good.

Until Friday during the performance and the damn thing fell apart again. But Christopher was a good sport and held onto it. And he WAS the best Mercury ever!

Oh…and would you like to know his lines?

“I am Mercury. I am the closest planet to the sun. It takes me just 88 days to travel around the sun.”

And that’s it.

I would have dressed him up like Freddie Mercury and called it a day. But that is why I am not allowed to dress my children…

Me & My Wife…

Got this little survey over at “A Little Left Of Lost“. Of course, Danielle-Lee got it from someone else, who got it from someone else, who got it from someone…nevermind…

What are your middle names?
Mine is Thomas. Not allowed to tell you Steph’s. If I did, she would kill me!

How long have you been together?
A little over 12 years now. 8 years of wedded bliss. Another 4 years of premarital dating.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
At the time, we were both working at a television station. I think we knew each other maybe a little over a year.

Who asked whom out?
I don’t think we officially “asked”. It just kind of happened…

How old are each of you?
Well…it has been well documented here that I am 40. As for Stephanie? If I told you that, she would kill me. However I will say that she is MUCH younger than I! (Is that a good response honey?)

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Steph’s sister lives here in town, so probably her. But I take the kids home to visit their aunts & uncle usually 2 or 3 times a summer!

Which situation is hardest on you as a couple?
I travel for work and can be gone several days at a time. So the distance might be the best answer…

Did you go to the same school?
Nope. She grew up in Illinois. Me in central Ohio.

Are you from the same hometown?
Nope. She grew up in Illinois. Me in central Ohio.

Who is smarter?
Depends on the topic. Steph knows more about the kids and all things children related. She is also more knowledgable when it comes to cars, medicines, charities & street names. I am more knowledgable about our money, anything pop culture related, music, movies and other trivial matters. YOU decide who has the bigger brain…

Who is the most sensitive?
Stephanie. Hands down.

Where do you eat most as a couple?
We eat out a lot! Neither of us like to cook. So I would say probably Chipotle…by a nose.

Where is the furthest you have traveled as a couple?
We both went to London this past fall. But she flew in a couple days after I got there. We DID fly home together though. We also went to St. Lucia for our honeymoon and we’ve been to Hawaii. But I think London is farther away.

Who has the craziest exes?
Neither of us have kept track of our past significant others. I was married once before, but she & I have not kept in touch. And Stephanie, as far as I know, hasn’t kept in touch with her former boyfriends either. So neither of us.

Who has the worst temper?
I would say me. I am so low key, but when I do fight, I get loud, foul-mouthed and I fight really dirty. I am not a nice person to fight with.

Who does the cooking?
Neither of us like it, but Steph is MUCH better when it comes to trying to cook! For me, its all about the pasta!

Who is the neat freak?
Me. Hands down. But Stephanie is NOT a messy person either. I just don’t adjust well to disorganization. Steph doesn’t mind having a few piles of stuff here and there. But overall, considering we have a small house and 2 kids, I think we live pretty well together!

Who is more stubborn?
Stephanie. Once I get it all out (see “Who has the worst temper?”), I am probably the first to look at a situation and decide I didn’t really care that much anyways. Stephanie will hold onto it for a while…

Who hogs the bed?
Neither of us. Sometimes Steph forgets when I’m home and she’ll creep over to my side of the bed. But as soon as she realizes it, she rolls back over to her side! LOL

Who wakes up earlier?
Me. No doubt about that one…

Where was your first date?
Jefferson Hall bar in Cincinnati. We went and shot pool. I don’t think either of us cared about the game (obviously). I remember it being a lot of fun! 

Who is more jealous?
Me. I realize that I married up. Steph is a great looking woman! So…I guess I probably would consider myself to be more of the jealous type…

How long did it take to get serious?
About what? I am NEVER serious…LOL

Who eats more?
Uh…I’m a guy and I weight a lot more than she does! So…me by a mile! Plus Stephanie eats a lot healthier than I do. For her, it has always been that way. For me, I’m just starting to get used to eating salads and crap like that…

Who does the laundry?
Steph decided long ago that if I EVER put another load of laundry into the washer, it better only be MY clothes. A few too many shrunken blouses and way too many pink socks for her liking, I guess…

Who is better with the computer?
Me. And I have more Facebook friends…

Who drives when you are together?
Me. Because I am a better driver. (LOL!) Actually, I am a more intense driver. And I get restless if I’m not driving. So a lot of the time, Steph concedes that it is better to let me do it.

So there ya have it! Psycho-analyze as much as you want! And so you know…I don’t know if she’ll agree with this, so don’t be surprised if it’s gone in a few minutes…LOL

Ok Mom

Lately, my son has developed a bad habit. As he is growing at an alarming speed, he has started to think for himself. This, of course, has gotten him into more trouble than usual. Because when he starts to think for himself, it means inevitably that he is going to open his mouth and say something. Now…he’s 6. So this means that he knows absolutely nothing but he knows EVERYTHING. So…this sometimes gets him in a little trouble with the two people who reside in the same house that he does. We are commonly known as his parents.

Now…I’m the oldest son. So I know how this game is played and I kind of understand his thought process. Here is what is happening…he hears something that he is being told. It registers. And then, before he can stop himself, he says something. Depending on her mood…this may or may not be okay with the Mom parent.

I am the Dad parent. I am male. I do not count. It’s the Mom parent that needs to be coddled. At any given time, Christopher knows that I may, or may not, blow a gasket and then he has no shot. So with me, he tiptoes a little more carefully. With Mom, however, he knows that occassionally he will win a battle here or there. So he pushes buttons. Unfortunately, he has let it get out of control. Now he has his finger on the trigger and Mom ain’t playin’ no mo. She’s about had it and he hasn’t figured out why.

So tonight I told him the trade “First Son” secret. It’s not totally a secret. Almost anyone can get away with it. But ESPECIALLY a first born son who is a momma’s boy (like myself). It’s easy and works 90% of the time as long as it’s said non-condescendingly and with sad, lowered eyes. It took me a little time til I had it perfected, but I caught on pretty fast (just ask MY Dad…). It’s 2 words…and it will always give her pause…

“Ok Mom.”

It’s that easy. Every now and then, you can fight your battles with your Mother, but when it comes right down to it, if you are a momma’s boy and you want something? “Ok Mom” is gonna get it. You want friends to come over but she says no? “Ok Mom” is gonna make her rethink her decision. Want a new toy that you just saw on television?

“Mom, can I have it?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Ok Mom.” And shuffle away slowly.

Oh the sadness. The hurt. EVERY kid on the block will have that toy. EVERY kid will be having fun at school, laughing at Christopher because he doesn’t have that one, perfect, television commercial toy. Will he get it? You bet your butt he will. And why? Because he said, “Ok Mom”. Not “But EVERYONE else has it! I want it, I want it, I want it!!!”

Ok Mom. It’s the greatest vocal return lob in the history of vocabulary. It’s the key to success! Especially for a 6-year old who has sad, blue eyes that a mother loves dearly. And she really just can’t say no…ever.

So don’t fight it, son. You’ll have your way more often than you think. Just remember what Dad told ya…just say “Ok Mom”. And then…Dad will never have to hear about it. And really…that’s all Daddy really wants…

I’m Old.

Me in a couple of years???

Last night my wife and I put the kids to bed at 7:30, sat on the coach, turned on the end of a basketball game. Then at 8:30, we changed the channel to something on one of the networks and then…and THIS is where it gets really interesting…I fell asleep.

At 8:45.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

Is THIS what happens with old age? I mean, it’s only 8:45! Think of all the things I could have been doing! I could have watched Wednesday’s American Idol (still sitting on my DVR unwatched. Thinking I might delete it. Thanks Bonafide for the warning!). I could have written 3 or 4 new blogs (been cutting back. Cold weather has me in a slump). I could have continued filling out my health insurance paperwork (hmmm…no). The wife and I could have gotten cozy and broken out the “Bonk Counter” (HA! Just kidding! I DON’T own one of these things! Seriously 24! Even though I know you don’t believe me…). I could have played with my dog, who is getting fatter as the winter months roll on.

Either way, I’m home, sitting on my couch, relaxing and SNORING before 9PM???

Wow…I am old.

Oddly enough…my wife didn’t seem to mind…LOL

All About Ava

This is the earth…

This is Ava.
Which one revolves around which?

Can I tell you…I can see that life is gonna be very difficult for the next 20 years or so because I have 2 women in my home that LOVE to talk. They love to talk SO much, that they talk right over each other. Of course, one is significantly older than the other, so the oldest wins out (plus she gave birth to her…so that also plays into it). But between the two of them, there is not a second to get a word in.

Now I love my daughter right now. She is the apple of my eye. The cream in my coffee. The sugar on my cereal. The…well…you get the idea. But DAMN can that girl talk!!! And everything that anyone else is talking about that she might not be privy too? Well…apparently that conversation is all about her also!

I can’t tell you how many times Steph & I will be talking in the car and as we get midway into the conversation and we hear “Are you guys talking about me?” from the back. Today…we were talking about something totally unrelated to kids, but as soon as we got to the part where our conversation was just about to end, Ava shouts ”I didn’t say that!”  from the back of the bus.

Oh…how I love my daughter…but it IS all about her, right now. And I am sure that that will NEVER change. Now…if I could just get my wife to understand that also. Oh wait…I can’t. Because, obviously…it’s all about HER!   LOL

Happy Birthday Stephanie!

Today is my better half’s birthday! I’m pretty sure she would cut off certain body parts of mine if I told you her true age…so I’ll just say today is her *mumble, mumble, cough*-seventh birthday and leave it at that. She is still the hottest woman I know! And the fact that she puts up with me makes her even hotter! Happy Birthday honey! Love you!

The Ultimate Christmas Gift

As I get older, there are very few “gifts” that I look forward to during the Christmas season. I mean, I’m 40 and whenever I want something, I go get it. I want the new Batman movie, I buy it. I want a new gadget, I go buy it. Why wait until December 25th? Right? So I’ve been told that I’m very difficult to buy for…and I’m okay with that. I try explaining to my wife that I already have everything I could really ever want, and I’m all good. I have a healthy family, I have a great career, I have a wonderful, supportive wife…so life is really, really good!

But there is one gift that I always look forward too at Christmastime, and this year it has already been given to me. Let’s flashback 4 years ago. My daughter was an infant. My son was only 2. It was Christmas morning when I finally couldn’t wait anymore. I went upstairs around 9am and nudged Christopher awake. “Santa was here!” I told him. He rubbed his eyes and sat up out of bed. I held his hand as I guided him downstairs. As we got to the bottom, he could see the tree and all the packages. His eyes got wide and he grinned this amazing smile and then he turned and hugged me.

My wife was videotaping this whole event and just thinking about it has brought tears to my eyes. Because, you see, Christmas isn’t about gifts or lights or Santa. It’s about my kids. And the feelings it brings to them. And that look in his eyes is undescribable. And the hug was the perfect gift.

This year, my daughter has already given me her gift. Ava has been taking dancing classes. She took the classes last year and I could have sworn she had no interest in it. Until the recital…and then she got so into it and so excited that she wanted to do it again! So she is, and she has recently started showing us her dance moves at home. A part of the routine she has been practicing involves skipping. Now Ava was a slow walker and is about as clumsy as any little girl can be. So for her, skipping is a huge deal. So the other night, she was showing me her skipping technique. She would skip from one end of the living room and back. She did this for 15 minutes, laughing and flipping her hair back and forth, hopping from one leg to the other. It was amazing to watch and the entire time she was smiling and having so much fun! I was videotaping it and as she got closer to me, I looked at her eyes and I saw that gleam that Christopher had when he saw those presents under the tree and I realized…I have my gift already! My perfect Christmas gift has already arrived…and it was totally unexpected.

So I don’t really need anything under the tree this year. I already have the best gift I could ever ask for. But it will be fun to see the kids attack the presents under the tree again this year and it will always bring a smile to my face remembering that one hug that I got so many years ago. And I’m sure I will get plenty more! But that one was special. It’s the gifts from the heart that are the ultimate Christmas gifts…and those always come with a smile and a gleam in the eye. And that is truly all a Dad could ever ask for!

Birthday Surprises

My family humors me

So yesterday was my 40th birthday (REALLY?!? Noooo…you don’t say?), and my wife and kids and my bestests friends made sure that is was a day to remember! First off, my son and my wife BOTH caught the stomach flu that my daughter had this past weekend, so that was lingering. Other than that though…I made out pretty good with some cool gifts and a great dinner at Brio’s with all my friends (Steph had to leave early though. Couldn’t stomach even looking at the food! Poor woman…). Here are some pics of the day and of my cool gifts that I received!

The kids decorated the cake. Can you tell?

Opening the birthday cards

Blowin’ Out The Candles

Not the most flattering pose

My BIG gift

Framed credentials from events that I have worked! Kinda cool!

Rich & Lynne (and the one on the way) enjoyed the dinner

Newman thinks I’m crazy

My friends know me well…an ITunes card, an AMC theatre giftcard, vintage 1968 t-shirt and an 80’s giftpack with a Ferris Bueller DVD, a Rubics cube and a 3-disk 80’s music CD pack!

2 Scores And 8 Years Ago…

My wife and I got hitched. Happy Anniversary to us! And for an anniversary gift? A trip to jolly, ol’ London.

Love you honey!

Even though I know you won’t see this because you don’t read this blog but I thought I would celebrate with my bloggy friends anyway.

Not A Good Start

Yeah…I know. I’ve already posted twice this morning. But in all fairness, I wrote the “Notes To Self” blog over a period of about a week and the Kings of Leon yesterday…so THIS is my first blog of today and it’s probably gonna write itself. Plus…I have to get this stuff off my chest or else I might just go crazy.

Lousy night of sleep. Slept on the couch, not because I was in the doghouse, but because I have been having trouble sleeping. This time of year ALWAYS screws me up with the long hours of darkness and the getting up early for work and the going to bed late and so on and so forth. So I had 2 bad nights of sleep going against me.

Take Christopher to school and as I’m returning, got talking about the $700 BILLION bailout that WE are gonna have to supply the money for. I just want to make sure I have this straight. I pay my taxes on time. I pay my mortgage on time. I work hard during these tough economic times. I am helping pay for a war that I don’t agree with. And now I have to give my tax money to companies who, in turn, will loan it back to me (if I need it) and allow me to pay interest on it? How fucked up is THAT???

Also it has become more and more obvious to me that my family might very well be the only democrats in the neighborhood in which we live. Am I missing something here? What the hell is going on?!?!? Is no one paying attention??? Or have I just been dreaming about the last 8 years and everyone is doing just fine? Look…if I had my choice, I would much rather help Betty & Fred get their lives back together and help them pay for that overpriced mansion that THEY live in, as long as it will help bring the cost of owning a home down so that maybe someday I too can own an overpriced home that I can’t afford. But then, in return, I don’t want any more kids dying in some stupid war that we shouldn’t be in! Can the meetings of the great minds in Washington make THAT happen?

Okay…next irritation. As I’m walking home, weaving through all of the McCain/Palin signs dotting our hood, I see a couple of cop cars at a nearby neighbors’ home (which I assume they can afford because they still live there and have a McCain/Palin sign in front). Apparently someone was walking down our street and breaking into cars last night. So I hurry home to find that we had also been infiltrated and everything in the glove compartment was thrown all over the front seat and all my small change was gone. Same for my wife’s vehicle. Fortunately, we had nothing they needed. Or at least I don’t think I’m missing anything. Guess I won’t know til I go looking for it.

Then I come in the house and as I’m ranting about the local breakins, I notice the child-proof door to the basement is open. Granted, our kids are old enough that they should be able to come and go as they please. However I am also the father to a 3-year old Chinese crested puff who likes to piss on my downstairs floor and furniture. And lo and behold! He has done it again! So now said dog is on the back porch for the remainder of the day.

Adding to my misery…apparently my daughter has ballet today so here is my schedule that my wife has so gratiously made for me…

12:20 – Take Ava to school
2:50 – Pick Christopher up from school
3:20 – Pick Ava up from school
4:30 – Take Ava to Ballet
5:45 – Pick Ava up from Ballet
6:00 – Have dinner ready

Should be a fun day! Oh yeah…because Steph is working today, I can’t go spinning because Ava doesn’t like the daycare at the gym (even if it is only for an hour), so I’m gonna have to wait to go tomorrow. Which sucks because I could definitely use about 3 hours of a good sweat to calm me down at this point!

And to add to my irritation…my left bottom wisdom tooth is giving me a headache. Nice.

Ugh…not a good start to my day. But thanks for listening. I knew I could count on you to be there as a good friend and listen to me rant for a few minutes. Now…on to better and happier blogs!