The Adventures of a Stay-at-Home Dad of 5
Our family loves movie night and nothing enhances movie night quite like a projector. The ability to take the movie out to the back yard or project onto an entire wall is a fantastic bonus. I’ve had a few projectors over the years and I currently have a Meauro FHD 1080p Portable mini projector and…
Selling your home is the beginning of a new chapter in life. But with COVID-19, it’s a little harder than expected. Here’s how to get prepared for a COVID-19 market
Men In Black International is now available on Blu-Ray and Sony has teamed up with Budsies to help spread the word. I was sent the following promotional material for free to help out. I'm sure you're all familiar with the Men in Black: the black suit wearing, mind erasing, alien fighting, secret group that protects…
When I was in 1st grade I got my first watch. It was a rather plain white watch with a basic face. I was probably the only 1st grader in school that was wearing a watch and probably the only one who could even tell time. But I was hooked and I've had an affinity…
We got a chance to have a little get away. So we packed up the car and headed to North Carolina for a little skiing before the season ended. I used to be an avid snowboarder but I haven't been on a slope since our first kid was born more than 9 years ago. We found…
Deciding to purchase a home for sale in Florida is a big deal. Oftentimes, it is a substantial financial decision with lasting consequences. With the median cost of homes in Florida being $289,900, it’s not outrageous to come to the conclusion that you’ll have to break the bank in order to receive a pair of…
Some may argue that there’s no stronger bond than the one between a mother and her baby, but a newborn also requires interaction from other key family members, especially dad. There is no better time to help a father strengthen his bond with his newborn child than during feeding time. It’s important for fathers and…
The secret to eating healthy is simple: Single ingredient meals. I have found that the absolute best way to lead a healthful, gluten free life is to eat the purest of pure things you can find. Whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry. The rewards are tremendous—whether you…
Now that the weather is consistently warmer, it is time to fill in any gaps in your summer wardrobe. Here is my roundup of the essentials. Activewear Activewear is a good starting point. I kind of hate that term, but it does perfectly describe the type of clothing that ensures you are ready for practically…
When I became a stay at home dad I was sure that I would have a better go at it than my wife did. I thought that 90% of what my wife's job was sitting on the couch, telling the kids to play nice, and scrolling through endless amounts of pointless social media posts until…
The Audio interface is regarded as the nucleus of any home based recording studio on computer and it is crucially essential to come up with the proper selection so you can obtain the most effective outputs since an improper choice will restrict you in what you are eyeing to obtain with your kind of music.…
Pests, be it indoors or be it in the farms, they can cause us many problems. From damaging our harvest to destroying our furniture or carrying deadly diseases, pests are notorious for the cost they can add to our living. However, with some very simple techniques, we can control their occurrence and hence aid to…
There are numerous keyboarding programs that you will find designed to help children improve on their keyboarding or typing skills. You should be able to find such keyboarding programs free on the internet but there are also others that need to be paid for. A good keyboarding program that may help your child learn and…
A baby bouncer is excellent to add to a baby’s equipment. This piece of equipment is ideal for use from the first day of your infant’s life. Furthermore, a baby bouncer is useful in the early days as a secure place to rest your infant you take a bath or get something to eat. In…
The mosquito is often jokingly referred to as Florida’s state bird. Those pesky insects love the tropical and humid conditions in the state. Female mosquitoes are the ones that love to suck on human blood, but only for breeding purposes. The male mosquito prefers plant nectar. Controlling the mosquito population might seem like a battle…
Having a baby poses challenges for all new parents, but those with disabilities are often at a disadvantage on many levels. Physical impairments can make it difficult to prepare for parenthood. But it isn’t impossible. Here, we’ll share a few resources to help you prepare for your bundle of joy, no matter how many arms…
As a parent, it is vital for you to keep your child safe. When it comes to bike riding, bike helmet safety is essential. There are a few rules that you should keep in mind when it comes to buying a safe helmet for your child. Where To Get A Helmet You will be able…
Cornhole, the game of tossing a beanbag into a hole on a smooth board, is a fun outdoor game. Families across the country play it in their backyards, on camping trips and picnics. It is easy to transport and easy to learn, which makes it a fun family game for all ages. It’s Easy to…
Cornhole is a fantastic day to play on a fall afternoon when you don't have a care in the world or anything to do for hours. It's also very addictive, so watch out! Here's how to play the perfect barbecue game. The Box and the Bags First, get your supplies. The box should be 2…
Halloween can be a time for fun and candy as well as scary things like ghosts, witches, and goblins. Children can dress up as anyone or anything they like and go trick-or-treating. You want your children to have fun and be safe during this particular time of the year. Picking Out Pumpkins for Jack-o-Lanterns. Kids…
I'm always looking for ways to save my family money. Fortunately, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is always looking for ways to help their customers save money. We live in a wonderful age where technology has integrated itself into our lives. As it turns out, this technology can help us save money. FPL has…
If you feel that your child is ready to learn how to hunt, you will need to start with the basics. Teaching a child to hunt can be extremely rewarding for both of you as you bond over such a tradition. Creating memories is important, but being safe and having a few basic rules will…
Well, Hurricane Irma gave us a run for our money here in Florida. Hurricanes come with the territory here as we wrap up the Summer and get into Fall. Know what also comes with Florida Falls? Cool weather and beautiful multi-colored leaves. Just kidding, it's still 90 degrees and any trees that Irma didn't blow…
The joy of having a little one is immeasurable. They teach you to love more than you ever have and through them, you find purpose and inspiration. While having a family can be one of life’s greatest gifts, it can also be life’s greatest expense. A report done by The Department of Agriculture found that…
Maintaining a clean family home is incredibly important. Cleaner homes are healthier homes, both physically and mentally. The physical benefits are more obvious as regular cleaning eliminates the dust, germs and allergens that wear us down and make us sick. The mental impact should not be ignored, however, as a cluttered environment has been linked…
If you're like everyone else I've ever met in my life, you like to save money whenever you can. That's easier said than done, though, when the hot dog-days of summer drive up the energy costs in your home. Fortunately, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has some great tips for ways you can noticeably…
Cooking for your baby is an entirely new challenge. As your little one learns to experience flavors and textures of new foods for the first time, it is also important that these foods are nutritionally balanced and good for your kid’s health. Here are some of the top homemade baby food recipes that are both…
Many people who are starting new businesses can be intimidated by or become overwhelmed with the extensive amount of questions, paperwork filings, and legal jargon. Add up the research, phone calls, paperwork, follow up, and the possibility of errors it can become a little daunting. The good news is you can now complete most of…
Remember when you had to print pictures out before you could see them? It would take weeks before you would know if the picture you took turned out blurry or not...or if your finger was in the way. I remember that, but those days are long gone. Today we can look at the pictures we…
It can be a challenge to buy a meaningful gift for a child that will last for more than a few months and will be fun for the child. Thankfully The Magic of My Name is here to help out. They make personalized books. They were kind enough to send my kids some books to…
My family and I have recently moved. It was a local move and we moved to a bigger house with a larger yard. Our back yard has a terrific outdoor space and overlooks a beautiful marsh and creek area. Being that we live in Florida, we were quite concerned about bugs and mosquitoes. We were…
Earlier this week marked the official end of an era around here. I started my first full time job since 2009, thus my days as a stay-at-home dad have come to an end. I am working at a local Marriott Resort and my official title is Recreation Supervisor. Of course if you had listened to…
My pals Jon and Josh over at the Dad Bros Show podcast recorded their 200th show the other night and they graciously invited me to come on. They are a couple great dads and all around fun guys to chat with. I also publicly revealed some exciting news about myself on the show for the…
When you're a stay-at-home dad, you rely on technology to keep yourself sane and your kids safe. These seven must-have gadgets belong in your parenting tool belt, whether you're taking care of the little ones at home or hitting the road for a day of fun. Cordless Vacuum Image via Fli ckr by Honza Soukup…
Being a parent is hard, but there are a few things you can do to make your life a bit easier. Here is a list of things you can do to simplify your life as a parent: Protect Your Valuables: This will not only save you a trip to the store, but also help you…
Do you have old videotapes lying around? Memories don’t belong in a box. These cute little DV tapes are full of memories… your wedding day, the birth of your first baby, your child’s first birthday, your favorite family vacation to Disney. So many BIG things on such a small tape. The problem is, they are…
If your kids are at all like mine, they have a few one piece pajamas. Those pajamas look so unbelievably comfortable. I've always been just a tad bit jealous that as an adult I don't get the same options for pajamas. Well, little did I know, I do have that same option as an adult!…
Winter is a season associated with curling up under a blanket inside and hiding from the cold in the outside world. However, those habits can lead to bad habits later in life, as people start to fall out of good fitness routines and start isolating themselves when the snow begins to fall. Instead, you can…
Kids’ sports are an awesome way for children to learn good fitness habits while socializing with their peers. However, some parents want to make sure that they stay involved in their kids’ extracurricular activities. Here is a brief list of techniques to involve yourself in your children’s sports in a positive way. Practice With Your…
Part of my job as dad is to teach my kids to talk good with proper grammar. By my last sentence, you can already tell I'm not the most qualified at this position but some things are obvious to even me. My 2 year old has been notorious for starting sentences out with "me want." Me…
Come on, admit it: There are times when you’re too busy, too tired or too distracted to fully engage with your kids, so you take the easy way out and leave them be with their computers, tablets or cellphones. Literally and figuratively, you leave them to their own devices. Guilty as charged! So it should…
We live in a digital age and our photos are no exception. The digital camera has allowed us to take and share more pictures than ever before. It's a blessing and a curse. Of course it's awesome to be able to share those sweet images with friends and family instantly over social media but it…
I'm a part of a local neighborhood stroller walking group. It's just me and my kids. Every so often, the kids and I buckle in our babies and hit the streets. We wave at any passer-bys and stop to knock on a few friend's doors. My daughter even has her own baby carrier so she…
You know what I love? Technology! You know what I hate? The smell of cat urine! Lucky for me, the Litter-Robot exists. Lucky for you, they are giving one away everyday until Christmas! That's right! Starting today and going everyday until Christmas the Litter-Robot is giving away an amazing prize pack. Click here and enter…
Man oh man, things have been tough lately. I don't really know why but they have. Ok, well, I do know why they've been tough. It's because we have 5 kids. But when I say "things have been tough" what I really mean is "tougher than our normal baseline tough." There is always something to…
I've been running my blog for just over 2 years now and from time to time I have gotten requests from people to guest write post to help them gain exposure or just because they enjoy writing but didn't want the commitment of their own blog. I have largely resisted allowing other people to post…
The Potty Protector is a nifty tool that was created with mom and dad in mind. Boys of all ages miss the "mark" from time to time and can quickly turn a clean bathroom into a messy (and smelly) war zone. The Potty Protector is a plastic shield that fits easily on your toilet to…
When I started this blog nearly 2 years ago to the day, I had no idea what I was doing, where it was heading or who would support me. I was blown away by the support of my friends and by complete strangers. I'm still humbled every time someone comments or shares one of my…
Four years ago on October 20, 2012 I was where I am many Saturdays in the fall, in The Swamp, watching the Florida Gators play football. We were playing South Carolina and it was an important conference game. The Gators were doing well. With about 3 minutes to go in the first half, I got…
I needed to go get my daughter's birth certificate today. She's about to turn 4 and somehow I hadn't needed it up until now. But now I did need it, so I figured I'd load up the crew and go get it. I would also get the two younger boys' birth certificates as well since…
As a Tommee Tippee brand ambassador, I often get a chance to try out some of their great new products. Every once and a while a product comes in at just the right time! That was the case with their new Closer to Nature Comfi Neck Bib . My youngest has been teething lately and,…
There is nothing like a life-threatening category 4 hurricane barreling down on you to make you rethink what you value as important. Unless you were in a coma last week or a foreign country, you are likely aware that a massive hurricane named Matthew was projected to rip through the Caribbean and ride the coastline…
It's seems a common part of life for so many people. We even sing songs about it: "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage" But unfortunately for approximately 7 million couples each year, it seems like the baby carriage won't show up. For one reason or another, many couples…
So, as it turns out, you aren't supposed to put your baby in a car seat like I did above. September is dedicated to baby safety and no one knows baby safety better than Britax . I had the honor of being invited to attend a child passenger safety event run by the Jacksonville Moms…
At the start of the summer I sat down with the kids and they brainstormed all the things they would love to do over the summer. It was fun for them to dream up places to go and it was helpful for me to know what types of things to plan. I was rather fortunate…
Well, those lazy summer mornings have come to an end. No more dragging my feet and waiting until mid morning to get the kids dressed and make breakfast. We now hit the ground running at 7am sharp! I want to try and get on top of things around the house so I have decided to…
As the summer is winding down and the kids are starting back to school, our family continued our tradition of ending the summer with a week on the beach. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all take the week off and head over to the beach for a wonderful week of relaxing, good cooking, fun, sun,…
I'm all about great steak. Steak has been one of my top 3 favorite foods since I can remember. Lasagna came and went, pizza holds a spot frequently and hamburgers will often find themselves on my top 3 foods list. But steak. Steak has never left my top 3. There is just something about a…
If I were to make a list of my most favorite things, mopping wouldn't even come close to making the list. On the fun scale from 0 to 100, it's a 0. But, unless you have wall to wall carpeting over every square inch of your house, it's a necessary evil. Floors need to be…
On day one of our recent family road trip we stopped for dinner in Georgia at a pizza buffet. While in the bathroom bending over to help our daughter, my wife's iPhone 5 slipped out of her shirt pocket and landed face down on the tile. She knew before she even turned it over, it…
I've mentioned before, I enjoy coffee . Ok, actually I love creamer and caffeine but who's really keeping track. While that coffee does wonders to get me going in the morning, it doesn't do any favors to my teeth. I've noticed over the past few years that my teeth have gotten a little bit yellower.…
Adding a 5th kid into the mix won't make a difference I said. Going from 3 kids to 4 kids was hardly noticeable, so I imagine going from 4 to 5 won't be a big deal either. I was wrong. It has been noticeable. It has been more difficult. It has been mentally exhausting. And…
As I celebrated the 4th of July with my family I reflected a bit about the current state of the world. I am blessed to be able to live in a country where I'm still relatively safe to go about my day however I want and I get to enjoy countless freedoms that many others…
I don't believe I have had the pleasure of interviewing anyone on the blog before, so I'm excited to debut another Sunshine Dad first. I had the privilege of getting to interview children's author and illustrator Erin Frew. Her book Golden Boy Bailey has been named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services…
I had the privilege of reviewing a car battery booster by 1byOne several months back. I was thoroughly impressed by their product so when I had an opportunity to review 2 more products by them, I jumped at the chance. This time I had an opportunity to review an HDTV Antenna and iPhone Charging Station…
If I know anything living in Florida, I know heat. And with the summer in full swing we need all the help we can get to maintain our cool. So when Culer offered to send me an evaporative cooler to test out, I was stoked. I am all for anything that helps me stay cool.…
Thanks to CROSS Pens for partnering with me on this post! CROSS pens, which have long been recognized for their outstanding pens, has partnered with Marvel to come out with a fantastic line of pens featuring Iron Man, Spider man and Captain America. After much deliberation I decided to cast my lot in with team…
Father's Day is quickly approaching and every year we are always scrambling to find the best fathers day gifts for our dad. We want unique gifts or cool gifts but also gifts that our dad will actually want and use. A wooden watch from Jord checks off all those boxes. Not only does Jord make…
So this is my 200th post. That's a lot of rambling on. Some posts have been funny , some touching , some terrible and a lot recently have been commercialized . The sponsored posts and reviews have turned into a monster I didn't foresee. Sure, getting free stuff and making money to do something I…
Sponsored post by Lunchbox. All opinions are my own. Learning to ride a bike is a childhood rite of passage. The falls and scrapes are all worth it in the end when you are finally able to ride free with the wind in your face and your worries at your back. For a kid a…
You may recall a few weeks ago when I posted about Six Pack Fitness in my post about Comedy For Critters . They generously donated an Innovator 300 Meal Management Bag . Because of their donation and the donation of others we were able to raise more than $10 Thousand for local animal shelters. So…
Yes , Yes, I know. Mother's Day was nearly a week ago. I'm a little behind on my video editing and uploading. My apologies. My kids wanted to talk about their mom and they decided they should do it on the couch so it would be more special for her. I had a little chat…
We've all seen the back of the minivans with the decals of the family all in a row across the back. Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister and the 2 dogs. The fad started with decals of people, now I've seen anything from Storm Troopers to flip-flops. It was a cool fad but the time has come…
It's an idea I've had for a while but had a hard time motivating myself to actually do it: Create a yearbook for my family. A photo album book that would encapsulate one year of our lives. Thankfully Nowvel came along and offered me a chance to try out one of their books for free.…
As they've started doing lately, the boys told me they wanted to do a playground interview and then they got all crazy. What is it about a camera that makes kids lose their minds? Actually plenty of adults lose their minds in front of cameras too. I think entire TV shows are based around this…
When the package arrived in the mail, I could hardly wait to rip into it. I hurried inside and threw the junk mail on the counter and pulled the book out. As I saw the cover, I got goose bumps. After reading the personalized inscription I was tearing up. It only got better after that.…
My wife decided she no longer liked our hallway coat closet and I needed to turn it into a mud room. It was looking pretty ugly, I'll give her that, but we were storing a lot of stuff in there. I wasn't ready to give up all that storage space for some shoe cubbies, a…
The summer is quickly approaching here in Florida and that means two things; crazy heat and frequent trips to the beach. Aside from sunscreen one of the most important items to remember to take with you to the beach is a great big towel. I had a chance recently to try out a pair of…
We have 5 kids in our family and 4 of them are boys. Our one girl is vastly outnumbered but she holds her own with those boys. I think she might be the toughest one of the bunch. She has to watch a lot of TV shows the boys want to watch because she gets…
Today is the all boy edition of Playground Interviews. The ladies were out shopping so the boys had run of the house. After a little bit of debate the boys decided to discuss what they love about being brothers. I hope you enjoy and we wish you a wonderful week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL6RdnIxYBY Also, do you…
As some of you know, when I'm not watching my kids I really enjoy performing with my improv comedy group Mad Cowford . Our group puts on a show every Friday night in downtown Jacksonville, Florida at the Hourglass Pub . Shows start at 7:30 if you ever want to drop in. In addition to…
I know some of you aren't going to like to hear what I have to say, but sometimes you just have to speak up and say what others won't. Sometimes you have to speak up in a world of chaos and be the voice of sound reason. I'm going to type it plain and simple:…
I enjoy techie gadgets, so when I was offered a chance to review a home wifi camera I was excited. The EZVIZ Mini home wifi cam promised to deliver HD video image with audio and a wide viewing angle. When my EZVIZ arrived, the first thing I noticed was that it really is mini. The…
I've lived in 2 states in my life; Florida and Connecticut. Both states must regularly deal with moisture and the problems that follow. Basements in Connecticut are constantly fighting dampness as well as mold and mildew. Homes in Florida are assaulted by the ever present high humidity. Anywhere, a broken water pipe or a leaky…
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say everyone loves saving money. I don't know anyone who enjoys deliberately throwing money away. Unfortunately that's exactly what we do with our homes if we are not being energy efficient. We are wasting 100s and sometimes 1000s of dollars a year. Some of that…
Wow, where has the time gone? Not so long ago I had the pleasure of getting to be a guest on the 18th episode of The Dad Bros Show podcast. Since then I have stayed in contact with Jon & Josh and just the other night I had the honor of being able to be…
Here is the latest episode from our playground. I actually filmed it the same day as episode 5 in case you are wondering why we are all wearing the same clothes. It's hard to have a serious conversation with these 4 crazy kids. And there is something about a camera that makes kids lose their…
I was just given a chance to review a sound machine from Adaptive Sound Technologies . I'm a bit of a technology geek, so I was super pumped about getting my hands on a cool new gadget. Right off the bat I was very impressed with the features the Sound+Sleep MINI had to offer. The…
Happy Friday everyone! After a lengthy time away, playground interviews have returned. This week I asked my kids to help me make an instructional video. I didn't bother to tell them what we were going to be instructing about. I had to have my oldest son operate the camera so I could have both hands…
I don't know about you, but nothing gets me more excited than cleaning. I love unwinding after a tough day by doing a little cleaning. OK, fine, that's a total lie. I hate cleaning. I hate it with a passion. But the reality is, unless you want to live in a pile of filth, cleaning…
The weather is having some sort of identity crisis around here. It's 78 degrees and sunny one day then the next morning I wake up to ice in the back yard. It's time for Mother Nature to make up her mind. And the pollen is out of control. Everything is covered in a quarter inch…
Summer is finally here! Well it was yesterday, now it's winter again today. Seems to be a bunch of wild weather and temperature swings across the country in the past few days. Today has dipped into a very windy and chilly day in the 50s, but the past several days have been beautiful around here…
I wish I was talking about the lasting mark I was going to leave on my children, but alas, I'm talking about the knee that hit my face. As you may remember, I played on a flag football team this past summer which ended up winning the league championship . Well, we got the team…
February means two things for me: Valentine's Day & my annual camping trip with my dad. My wife and I take turns planning Valentine's Day and this is her year. So all I have to do is relax and enjoy my trip with my dad. I look forward to this trip all year long. It's…
One day a while back, I went to wash my hands. I went into the downstairs bathroom and pumped a squirt of soap onto my hands. I immediately noticed that the soap was incredibly watery. I remembered noticing the day before that the soap level was low and thinking I needed to add more soap.…
I've been a parent of 5 kids for a month now. It's been a little bit of an adjustment period for everyone but overall it's going fairly smoothly. There have been a few things I've noticed and I've decided I'd share them. I can't remember the baby's name. His name is Finnley, we call him…
I know I don't have to remind the ladies that Valentines Day is coming up but the guys might need a gentile reminder. So fellas, listen up. You have less than 3 weeks until Valentines Day. Don't wait until the last minute and give her another coupon book good for "take out the trash without…
As a parent, one of the things I think about quite a bit is my children's education. We made the decision to move to one of the top school districts in our state but that doesn't stop me from wondering if homeschooling would still be a great option. One of the things that has been…
My wife works late nights often and I sometimes worry about her safety when she goes out into the parking lot. The last thing we need is for her to be stranded with a dead battery. Now that I think of it, that's the last thing I need too. So when 1byOne offered me a…
I just did a review of a pair of sleepsie pajamas from Baby Deedee . You can read my full review here. Well, Baby Deedee has agreed to give all my readers 20% off their entire order via this link . If you click there and place your order you will get 20% off, that's…
Now that winter is in full swing here in Florida it means temperatures are dropping into the low 60s. And when it gets that cold, it's hard to get out of bed. Oh, I'm only teasing. Florida winters are mild compared to much of the rest of the country but it can get cold here.…
I don't know what it is about Batman that stands the test of time. But he has been one of the most beloved super heros since he was first introduced by DC Comics in 1939. It's also interesting to note that Batman doesn't have any special powers, he relies on his intellect and great physical…
2015 came to a dramatic end for our family. After the loss of my grandma on the 20th, our attention turned to the impending birth of our new baby. Five days past his due date and with only a few hours to spare in 2015, Finnley David Smith was born on December 31st. We didn't…
As the days are counting down until our official due date we are getting excited and anxious to meet the little one. We have mostly just been looking at a regular calendar but I'd like to share with you a better (and more fun) way that you could count down the days until your due…
I met my Grandma shortly after I was born. I was actually lucky enough to have meet all my grandparents hours after I was born. I was fortunate that all 4 of my grandparents were heavily involved in my life and I got to know all of them quite closely. I lost both my grandfathers…
Sponsored Post by Lunchbox We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newest addition to our family. This bundle of joy could come any day. With this addition will come sleepless nights, late night feedings and an adjustment period for our family. As she has done with our other 4 children, my wife will breastfeed…
I've never been a morning person. Ever. Everyday as a kid getting up for school was such a battle. I can remember dragging myself downstairs to the kitchen table and falling back asleep waiting for my mom or dad to get me a bowl of cereal or a pop tart or whatever I was eating…
My four year old goes to Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) 3 days a week for 5 hours. It's a program our state pays for to get kids ready for Kindergarten. Or in my case, give me 5 hours of a break 3 days a week. The school he goes to is very close and only takes…
As the days are counting down until our fifth baby is due I realized I needed to get my bag ready, the bag that I'll take with me to the hospital when my wife goes into labor. It's well documented what you need to take for mom and the baby but dad is often overlooked…
Years ago before I was married to my wife she went on a trip to Europe and brought me back a nice button-up collared shirt. It was a neat shirt with a cool pattern. The only problem was I never thought it looked very good on me and every time I put it on to…
Ah it's that time again, possibly my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving. I love spending some relaxing time with family, eating great food and not having to stress out about buy gifts for anyone. It's a low stress, carefree holiday and it marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Which, after all, is the most wonderful time…
Kids don't come with a handbook and much of parenting is on the job training. Thankfully for all of you, I have learned a thing or two about being a great parent. As I prepare to become a dad for the 5th time I've decided I should share some of my pearls of wisdom with…
I have teamed up with CanvasPop.com to bring you one of my best giveaways to date. One of my lucky readers will win a 16x20 framed photo with 2.5 inch mat. You are going to love this! CanvasPop sent me one to review. The hardest thing was to try and decide which of my hundreds…
The 3rd installment of Playground Interviews has finally arrived. In this episode we discuss our outrage that Starbucks has red cups for Christmas and the kids weigh in on their choices for the 2016 presidential race. This is a political debate unlike any you've ever heard. I promise. https://youtu.be/vONqd3rdRz8 You can watch episode 1…
What is going on in the world? I know my blog usually doesn't have anything to do with world events but it seems silly to just type away pretending Paris wasn't attacked 3 days ago. It's a sad, scary and uncertain world we are living in today. The sophistication of the latest attack was virtually…
Today is Veterans Day so I thought it was appropriate to interview the kids about that today. And what an interview it was! It was complete with a dinosaur and an appearance from a real helicopter. A big thank you to all the men and women who serve and have served to help keep our…
Much to my delight, I was invited back on the Dad Bros Show podcast. They saw that I recently had my one year blogiversary so they let me celebrate with them a little bit. If you haven't had a chance yet to catch one of their shows you are missing out. They are a couple…
I have mentioned several times that I am a big fan of the chalk board and the dry erase board around the house. I need a calendar to keep myself organized. Yes, I have one on my phone but it doesn't quite replace an old fashioned wall calendar. I have been through quite a few…
I've been throwing around the idea of adding more audio/video content to the site here and I've decided to try out an idea for a series called "Playground Interviews." Where I talk to my kids (ideally on the playground) about issues or topics and get their answers. The idea would be to ask them deep…
So much of what I know about being a man and father, I learned either directly or indirectly from my dad. I am very thankful for his positive influence in my life. I recently connected with a guy by the name of Bolaji Oyejide. He started up Brave Little Heroes which are superhero books about…
Exactly one year ago today, I published my first blog post to the world. Of course, I hadn't told anyone I was starting a blog yet so I think only 2 random people happened to read it that first day. I blogged in secret for a couple weeks before I made my big blog announcement…
I'm super excited to share with you a deal going on at Photography.com . for a limited time they have a buy 1 get 3 free sale. That knocks the socks off BOGO. They have all kinds of great options for your photos to be printed on from metal to glass or from canvas to…
I like to think of myself as still being youthful. In my mind I don't feel like I should be any older than about 25 or so, but my body is beginning to tell me on a more regular basis that I'm starting to age a little bit more than I want to admit. I'm…
When we first got married my wife worked for one year as an elementary school PE teacher. One of their units was all about cup stacking. I grew up playing and excelling in sports. I loved PE; it was my favorite subject every year from Kindergarten to Senior year of High School. (For the record,…
Bed time routine around here almost always involves a few books. There is nothing quite like a great book to whisk you away on a great adventure. Recently I was sent a copy of Goodnight Lad to check out. The story was a tale about a boy who wouldn't go to bed and the lengths…
This is a post I wasn't sure I'd ever write. I wasn't sure I even wanted to write it. But with October being SIDS, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month I decided now seemed appropriate to write this post. We currently have 4 children and my wife is pregnant now. This is her 6th pregnancy.…
We've lived in our current home for nearly 2 years and so many of the rooms, particularly the walls, still feel incompletely decorated. We are still trying to figure out what should go where and with the business of everyday life, decorating get pushed to the back burner often. Well, when I was recently offered…
Today is October 7, 2015. There seems to be a group of people who are fairly convinced that the world will end today . Will it? Did it already? Did I write this post for no reason? Who knows. I'm ready to go live forever in Heaven and I look forward to that day, but…
Did you ever want to create your very own super hero? Well, now you can. Click here to head over to DC Kids where you can customize your very own hero. I made my own in the picture above. He looks just like me, I know! While you are there you can check out some…
Last night after her bath, Ela started trying to "teach" me something. She was going on and on and being so serious in what she was saying. I was having a hard time not laughing. Every time I tried to do what she was doing she would tell me I was doing it wrong. I…
This post is sponsored by eKavach As if parenting wasn't already hard enough in the real world we also have to make sure we protect our kids in the digital world too. The internet has opened a whole new world of threats to our kids that we need to be aware of, such as cyber…
Now that school has gotten back into full swing our routine has become fairly....well, routine. Long gone are the lazy summer mornings where I drank 3 cups of coffee and the kids watched some cartoons before breakfast. Now I have about an hour once my eyes open to get 4 kids, fed, clothed, teeth brushed,…
I started to carry a set of keys the day I turned 16. I went down to the DMV with my dad (or maybe it was my mom, I can't remember) and gave them my Driver's Ed certificate and smiled for my picture. I had my very own driver's license and a new found sense…
I have only briefly touched on it before in my blog but I am a member of Jacksonville's Mad Cowford Improv troupe . In 2007 while living in Connecticut I auditioned for Funny Stages which was the improv wing of The New Haven Theater Company . I was accepted into the group and over the…
Scooby-Doo was easily one of my favorite cartoons growing up and I still have tons of LEGOS around my house now. Well, lucky for my 10 year old self, LEGO and Scooby-Doo have teamed up to make a series of stop motion YouTube videos using the new Scooby-Doo LEGO sets. I can remember taking my…
Yes, you are reading that correctly. In December we will grow our family by one more. Four kids had been the plan for most of our married life but somehow after number 4 we didn't feel like we were done with our family; so here comes number 5. We do not know the sex of…
I can't say I have been at the pinnacle of fashion and style my whole life. I'm not sure I can say I was at the pinnacle at any point in my life. But now that I stay at home and don't leave the neighborhood for days at a time, I sometimes lose the motivation…
A while back I showed you how to build a small tiered vegetable & herb garden. Our garden has had plenty of time to grow and develop and I decided I would bring you an update. I have learned a few things from my first venture into urban farming. The first thing I learned is…
Five years ago my wife and I decided it was time to bite the bullet and buy an expensive camera. The problem was, neither of us really knew anything about cameras. I searched the internet for buying guides and was able to find a lot of technical reviews but most of that was over my…
If you're like me, you take a ton of pictures on your phone's camera. It might not be as good as my big expensive camera but it's pretty dang good and it's always in my pocket. As a result, I'm always using it. Next time I get a new phone I'm going to get one…
Before I became a parent, I had a completely different notion of what gross was compared to now. Things that I formerly would have found to be utterly disgusting I now do on a daily basis without batting an eye. I have compiled a list of a few things I no longer find repulsive. Food…
This post brought to you by Maytag . The content and opinions expressed below are that of Sunshine Dad. If your kids are anything like mine, they know how to get dirty. I'm not talking about a "oh you have a little dab of dirt on your elbow dirty" I'm talking about "go straight to…
I was recently sent a Clean Hands Changing Pad by SnoofyBee to review. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to think when I first heard about this changing pad. My first thought was it looked like one of those cone shaped collars that keep dogs from licking/biting themselves. But once I opened it up and gave it…
As a stay-at-home parent I feel like I put in 14 hour days almost everyday. It's good for me to find some things to do outside of the house to let me have some fun. The two main things I do for hobbies are improv and sports. The improv I do fairly regularly with my…
The written word can be very powerful. It can be a great way to express love, record memories and give advice. Many parents have started journals or scrapbooks for their children and many others have started blogs. I have recently come across another way to preserve messages you want to pass on to loved ones.…
I've touched on this before, if you come to our house you will see we are desperately trying to keep our life organized through various methods. We have a dry erase monthly calendar on the wall . We have a separate set of dry erase boards to keep track in more detail of each day…
Brushing teeth around here is an unpredictable event. Sometimes it's smooth; the kids hold their mouths open, keep still, spit into the sink and then brush themselves at the end. But then there are other times when it's the bane of my existence. There are certain times when, for whatever reason, the kids won't keep…
As many of you know, I have had the pleasure of being on the Dad Bros podcast twice (episode 18 & 36 ). Earlier this week I had the pleasure of also being on the Screaming Dad's podcast . As a bonus it was a video podcast so you can actually see me in my…
I have no idea who coined the term "sleep like a baby," obviously it was someone who never had a baby. Many babies have a very difficult time sleeping for extended periods of time, especially through the night. "Sleep like a teenager" is probably a significantly better term. I've seen teens go to bed at…
No, no, no! Just stop it right now. It's mid August. What is going on? Why am I already seeing Halloween costumes in stores? This nonsense has got to stop. Halloween is more than 70 days away. That's Seven Zero. My kids will change their minds on who they want to be for Halloween approximately…
My 2 year old daughter has been pulling the time honored tradition of trying to delay eating certain foods at dinner time by claiming she has to go to the bathroom. We have gotten wise to her games and usually remember to make sure she goes right before dinner so when she asks again in 10 minutes…
Stay-at-Home dads are still relatively uncommon. We blend in with the crowd and look almost like any other guy but if you know the signs you can spot us from a mile away. I'm not trying to start some stereotype war , I'm just trying to have a laugh at myself. These may or may…
If you're like me, you are always looking for fun and engaging ways to teach your kids. Learning how to write the alphabet is an important part of early learning, so if I can find a way for them to learn this and have fun while doing it, it's a win-win for everyone. My kids…
Well, summer as we know it officially ended this week. School started back up and my oldest (or is it eldest?) son started 1st grade. There were significantly less tears shed this year as he was getting on the bus as compared to last year. I'm talking about my tears. I thought I was ok…
So Dads everywhere are teaming up to shake their booties and raise awareness for UNICEF. I decided to join in with my monkeys too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtfoKc5nTFA All you have to do is: 1) Dance, film it, upload to social media using #dothedaddance 2) Tag / nominate as many dads as you can to join in too…
I was once again invited to come on the Dad Bros Show podcast. In case you weren't aware, the Dad Bros are two brothers who are also dads who have a podcast. They chat about general parenting topics as well as general guy stuff. They are entertaining enough that I imagine even a female without…
As a parent, family vacations are anything but relaxing, quiet, peaceful getaways. On many levels it's more stressful than just staying at home, but I can't imagine not going on family vacations. Isn't this what you sign on for when you decide to have kids? Aren't crazy family vacations what you talk about and laugh…
This group of rag tag superheros is determined to fight for justice, combat evil, slide down slides, save helpless animals and have fun doing it. As long as they can get it all done before nap time. I love my kids so much. They are the most full of energy, rambunctious, sweet and crazy group…
I know what you're thinking: "Where is he going with this? I thought this was a family themed blog." Please just hear me out, I need to get this off my chest. I know a lot of my readers are women and you won't really be able to relate to what I'm about to say…
The day started out like many other days this summer. A lazy morning around the house. The kids were playing with their toys and I was drinking coffee. I was formulating a game plan for the day. After a considerable amount of time had passed we all decided that we would head to our neighborhood…
I was never big into the TV show Seinfeld. That puts me in the American minority, but I share a trait with one of the show's characters. George Costanza. He and I have giant wallets. It's almost guaranteed that if I pull out my wallet in a group of 3 or more people someone will…
After our epic road trip we are getting settled back into our normal routines. Which for us, involves regular summer trips to the beach. It was a beautiful day and I was feeling adventurous so I packed up the crew and headed to the beach. I was prepared for the crowds on this gorgeous day…
I sort of thought I knew a little bit about Blackbeard the Pirate but honestly I really only knew that he had a dark colored beard and sailed the Caribbean. I'm significantly more up to speed now thanks to the fine folks over at Blue Planet Tales . They have an excellent iPad app that…
I recently wrote a post on my Tips for Road Trippin' with a Toddler . Well, this past week I had a chance to put them to the test again. We packed up the car and headed north. We left around lunch time and drove straight through the night and arrived at our friends' home…
The night started off like any other. Our routine consisted of bath time followed by dinner. We finished off with story time then brushed teeth. Prayers had been said, lights were out and heads were quietly on pillows by 7:30pm. It was as smooth of an evening as we've ever had. It had been a…
This is a post I wrote that was originally published on Mamalode.com on June 19th 2015: It was a typical afternoon in the Smith household. Our oldest son was home from school and we were all out in the backyard enjoying the heat. While the kids were playing I remembered that I needed to adjust…
A while back I wrote a letter to Summer encouraging the warm weather to return. Well, the warm weather is finally here. Warm is actually a dramatic understatement, it's punch-you-in-the-face hot. Ninety plus degrees at 9 am hot. Break a sweat walking across your porch scorcher. It's not always this hot, but we've had a…
If your kids are anything like mine they are always getting some random rashes. Sometimes they go away in minutes, sometimes they linger for days. I don't know if I should be putting moisturizing lotion on it or getting a prescription for an antibiotic ointment. So what do I do? Well that's easy, I ask…
This post sponsored by Target. When my wife was pregnant with our first, I felt ready. I had read some books, my wife and I had discussed at length what we wanted our parenting style to be, we had registered for all the must haves at Target Baby and we had our house all set…
I participated in a Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for AVEENO. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. Our family seems to take really great photos. We hire a photographer once or twice a year to take pictures of our family. These pictures always…
I'm really excited about today for 2 reasons. One, this is the 100th post I've made to Sunshine Dad, a feat that seemed crazy just a few short months ago. And two, I've got a pretty sweet giveaway for you guys today. I have partnered with Mobicip to give one Sunshine Dad reader a free…
There are 4 tiny little humans that live in my house with me. They are each capable of making copious amounts of noise and it seems like they constantly are. Sometimes they are just talking too loud, other times they are making bizarre noises with their mouth, and still other times they are banging on…
The other day my kids and I were out in the backyard like so many other afternoons. They were playing on their playset and I was sitting on the back deck rocking in my rocking chair and enjoying the breeze from my NewAir Misting Fan . When suddenly the kids come running and screaming up…
As Father's Day is quickly approaching, I'm sure many of you are scrambling to think of ideas for your dad. Dad's can be hard to shop for at times. So I have put together a list of a few items that you might not have considered. I'm also really excited that I'll be giving away a couple…
I'm not Superman and I don't have a cryptonite but if I did it might be mounds of paperwork. I'm not making some joke here. The paperwork that seems to build up in my house on a daily basis is relentless, it's maddening, it's stressful and I don't know how to get a handle on…
So here we are after a week off with another Party Under the Big Top. If you happened to catch my post yesterday, you'll know today is my 35th birthday (as I had a peek below I see Lysa gave me quite the surprise b-day shout out! Thank you Lysa!!) It's been a nice and relaxing…
35 years ago today a woman went into labor at 11pm at night. By 6 am she and her husband had made their way to the hospital. After several hours, at 2:15pm on June 9, 1980 a baby boy was born to this young couple. On that day their whole world changed. The woman gave…
We just went to Disney to celebrate our son's 4th birthday. We had a great time and were able to meet up and enjoy the day with some of our friends that live in Orlando. Our group consisted of 4 adults and 10 kids aged 6 and under. It was a little wild, a little…
My kids love Batman. One of them was Batman for Halloween this past year. We've got more Batman stuff laying around the house than I know what to do with. So when I was given a chance to work with DCKids & WBKids to help promote Batman and give you guys a chance to win…
I had the pleasure of being invited onto the Dad Bros Show. If you aren't familiar with their podcast, they are two brothers, Josh & Jon, who also happen to be dads. They talk about dad stuff, tech stuff and other things that they find interesting. I had a really fun time being on their…
For Mother's Day my wife gave me a short list of things she would like. One of those things was a raised vegetable and herb garden. She even let me see four thousand examples on Pinterest. Thanks for that Pinterest. Using some of the ideas I saw on Pinterest and what I knew of our…
Like most people who have little kids will tell you, they can say the craziest things sometimes. My kids are no different. They are always making some off the wall and usually funny comment. It also seem that the crazy second child , Greyson, is the biggest culprit. I decided this past week I was going…
If you've been keeping up with my blog at all, you know we love the summer here in the Sunshine State and we've been anxiously awaiting its arrival all winter. In fact, not too long ago, I wrote a love letter of sorts to Summer . Needless to say, we are all excited that we…
Good afternoon everyone! I hope all of the Americans enjoyed Memorial Day yesterday. I think I saw where yesterday was Bank Day in the UK but I'm not positive about that and I have no idea what Bank Day even is. I could google it but I'm feeling lazy. Feel free to set me straight…
We were sprucing up our budget last month and I realized I had gotten lazy with our grocery budget. I buckled down and starting doing things that worked for us in the past. I've decided to share a few of the ways we try to keep our grocery bill as low as possible while feeding…
In the scheme of things I haven't been blogging very long, just over 6 months but in that time I have learned a lot and I have seen the blog grow and gain some good momentum. I never could have imagined the support I would have from people all over the world reading my posts…
Well, it's that time again to get out your best posts from the week and link them up. We've also got a special themed link-up at the bottom where you can link up that one post that you wrote that you thought was lame but after you posted it, it turned out it did pretty…
When we were headed to the hospital for the birth of our first child I really didn't know what was about to happen. I had read a couple parenting books and we had discussed what our parenting plan was going to be but all of that started after the baby was born. My wife was…
Road trips with little kids can be a daunting task but it's not impossible and with the proper planning and preparation it can actually be a mildly pleasant time. The key is to fend off boredom and reduce the amount of times you are asked "Are we there yet?" We have taken several road trips…
There is a song right now that's quite popular and pretty catchy. It's called Uptown Funk, it's by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars. One of the lyrics that gets repeated a bit is "uptown funk you up." If you aren't familiar with the song you can watch it below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPf0YbXqDm0 There is also an old…
Well we are finally live after a little bit of delay. As you may know, my wonderful co-host Lysa does most of the heavy lifting as far as getting this link-up ready every week. Well she has been on an epic road trip the past few weeks and if you've ever been on a road…
Every year for Mother's Day I stress out about what to get my wife. I prefer to give sentimental gifts that can have value beyond Mother's Day. So things like jewelry or framed photos instead of flowers or a spa day. I understand women love flowers and spa days and those things might be part…
Nothing is more awesome than the birth of your first child. You get to experience so many things for the first time. And while parenting is difficult and sleep is hard to come by, you persevere and you become the best possible parent you can. You have read the books, you have gotten advice from…
The Mother's Day Edition Last week we set a new record for posts linked up with over 60! Thank you all so much for linking up and helping to spread the word to make this a great link-up. Please don't forget to add our party button so others can see where you are linking up…
Due to the health benefits of breast milk and the catchy rhyming factor the term Breast is Best has been an oft repeated term that any mother of a newborn cannot escape from hearing. It gets repeated ad nauseam until you are tossing and turning in your bed at night mumbling breast is best, breast…
Sunshine Dad has been nominated for the Real Neat Blog Award. I was nominated by Nourishing My Scholar . It's always humbling to receive praise but even more so when it's another blogger. As part of the award I have been asked to answer 7 questions: 1. What is your favorite book? I'm not a…
I started my blog a few months ago just as naive as a person could possibly be. I didn't read any blog regularly and would really only read a blog if someone shared a post on my Facebook timeline. A few people suggested to me from time to time that I start a blog but…
I can't believe this is already the last Tuesday in April, time seems to be flying by for me. Last week we had a bunch of really great posts that linked up. I'm excited to see what you guys have in store for us this week. Don't forget to share some comment love to others,…
The days are starting to blur. Tuesday is a lot like Thursday, is a lot like Saturday, is a lot like all of last March. I struggle many days to remember what day of the week it is, they all look so similar. The monotony can be so overwhelming at times, maddening at others and…
It is so easy to take things for granted. It's easy to look back on your life and see the things that you took for granted and wish you had done things differently. I just wrote a post about all The Things I Used to Take for Granted before I had kids. It was a…
Before I had kids I took so many mundane tasks for granted. Staying home and watching 4 kids has taught me a valuable lesson about appreciating the simple things in life. Below I have compiled a list of some of the things I used to take for granted. Going to bathroom Long gone are the…
Well, it's that time again. Time to link-up one (or more) of your posts and connect with some people on Google+ I've been mostly absent from the blog this past week because the family and I were on vacation at Disney World. We had a great time and made some wonderful memories. But enough about…
Party Under the Big Top ~ Act Ten Well, here we are: Another week gone by and another Party Under the Big Top in the books. Last week had a lot of really great posts linked up and I have no reason to believe this week will be any different. We've got a little bit…
I can appreciate a great name. Parents spend hours and even years discussing what they want to name their children. There are even companies popping up that will help you pick out a unique name for your baby for the low, low price of $30K. I'm not even kidding, read about it here . A…
So many misconceptions swirl around Stay-at-Home Dads. As the workplace is becoming a more even playing field for women, many couples are finding themselves in situations where having the dad stay home with the kids makes more sense. With social media at an all time frenzy, people are free to share their thoughts instantly with…
Well, here we are again, ready for another terrific Blog Party. Last week we set a record for the most posts linked up, with more than 50! Thank you so much to everyone who participated and who invited a friend. This week we have a few minor changes. Lysa, my co-host has redesigned the party…
What's the deal with Band-Aids? If you are a parent or a child care worker then you know there are magic healing powers inside band-aids. These special healing powers rival the secret magic of a mom's kiss. When my kids come running to me crying about their latest bump, my go-to reaction is "Here, let…
After a few months of blogging about my adventures as a stay-at-home dad, I've had to take a few long looks in the mirror and into my soul and ask myself "is this working out?" The resounding answer is no. It seems people don't want to read funny stories about a super intelligent, incredibly handsome,…
Party Under the Big Top ~ Act Eight I am beyond excited to be the new Ringmaster to co-host The Party Under the Big Top with Lysa from over at Welcome To My Circus . I have enjoyed being a regular participant in the link-up and was so thrilled that Lysa asked me to step…
I'm certainly not the first person who has ever made this comparison and I'm sure I won't be the last. I think I first heard the comparison from my good friend Casey Grice a few years back but I'm sure he wasn't the first person who ever thought of it either. With his permission I…
We all want our kids to be safe and there are some basic and simple steps we can take to help them be just a little more prepared should a potentially dangerous situation arise. The first thing we have to do is talk to our kids about some of these situations they may encounter. This…
It's always been interesting to me how different my kids are. They each have the same biological parents and have each been raised together but they are all just as unique as they can be. As I got to thinking about it the other day I realized they were each like a point on a…
I don't know what it is about bed time, but kids will come up with just about any excuse to delay going to sleep. In a perfect world I like to try and tire the kids out to the point they welcome the opportunity to fall asleep, but the reality is, that doesn't always happen.…
We're not pregnant. (That I know of) Furthermore, you should never, under any circumstances, ask a woman if she is pregnant. I though this was a no-brainer common courtesy issue but it seems somewhere along the line many people have forgotten plain common sense. Absolutely no good will come from you asking a woman if…
Here are a 6 practical, no frills pointers to help out any new and soon-to-be parents. Photo Storage System In about a weeks time you are going to have taken more pictures of your new baby than all the other pictures in your life combined. You will need to figure out a good way to store…
Here are a few practical, no frills pointers to help out any new and soon-to-be parents. Photo Storage System In about a weeks time you are going to have taken more pictures of your new baby than all the other pictures in your life combined. You will need to figure out a good way to…
So you are considering having a baby? Having a baby is a huge decision. One that shouldn't be made lightly. I've compiled a list of a few questions you should ponder in helping you decided if you are ready. Do I like sleep? Once you have a baby you can kiss any good sleep goodbye…
Potty training is a necessary evil in every parents life. I don't know anyone who would describe it as fun but then again changing your child's diapers for their entire life isn't going to be fun either. At some point, sooner or later (hopefully sooner) you will potty train your child. Sometimes these things go…
What's up with #2? Why is it that more often than not the second born child is crazy? That's certainly the case with our second child. I often think of him as my own personal Charles Dickens "He's the best of times, he's the worst of times" His name is Greyson and I have found…
Rules apply differently to toddlers, as anyone with a toddler can attest. They regularly say and do the most unexpected and socially unacceptable things. Often it's humorous and innocent since they are just beginning to develop their understanding of the world. As it turns out, they can get away with things that an adult simply…
Last week I wrote about my upcoming annual trip to a remote part of Florida with my dad. Well, we are back and I decided I wanted to share some pictures from my trip of some of the unique things we came across. Here is a completely hollowed out log. Here is a fallen tree…
Today's post is all about how a snake gave me a chance at redemption. Here's the thing though, you can't read it here. You have to venture over to Welcome to My Circus in order to read it. I am the first guest blogger in a new guest blogger series The Sideshow . So…
The great folks over at Harry & Jack's sent us a JETPACK Adventure Pack to try out and review. When the package arrived the kids gathered around while I opened it up. My first thought was "Wow, it feels much more durable than I expected." My 3 year-old's first screaming comment was "Awesome, that's mine!…
There will come a day when I'll have to have "The Talk" with my boys. The sex talk. The birds and the bees. The "Where do babies come from?" talk. I can't say I'm necessarily looking forward to it but I'm not overly stressing out about it either. I've got a few years before I…
Every year when I was younger, my dad would let me miss a week of school and take me on a hunting/camping/fishing trip in the panhandle of Florida on the Apalachicola River. It is an area that almost seems to take you back in time, back before we paved everything and put up buildings. A…
People start blogs for any number of reasons. Some just like to write, some want to keep friends and family up to date, some use blogging as a type of journal and some are hoping to eventually make money. Not everyone cares about how many views their blog is getting on a daily basis, but many would…
People start blogs for any number of reasons. Some just like to write, some want to keep friends and family up to date, some use blogging as a type of journal and some are hoping to eventually make money. Not everyone cares about how many views their blog is getting on a daily basis, but…
With the Super Bowl just around the corner I decided to think back about all those lessons I learned playing football as a kid and see how they apply to fatherhood. Audible Sometimes what you originally had planned just isn't going to work out. Thought you were going to take your kids to the zoo…
Dear Summer, I'm sorry that sometimes I complained about you being too hot. I was just kidding. I really miss the beach. I miss being almost tan. I miss teaching my boys how to ride on a boogie board. I miss getting sand all in my car after spending hours at the beach. Ok, wait…
I'm am the undefeated, 365-time reigning LRF Champion. I know the L iving R oom F loor wrestling league isn't as popular as the WWE, but in our house it's huge! The kids come from all corners of the house to take on the champ. They try to sneak attack, they try to double team,…
Training wheels exist for our protection. They give us a safe environment and keep us from great bodily harm. They also hold us back and are only designed to be temporary. Our five year old had shown zero interest in learning to ride his bike without training wheels. My wife and I would talk with…
Last year I had disassembled so many pallets and had so many lose boards laying around I began to rack my brain as to what I could do with these boards. One afternoon I thought up this art project idea to get the kids involved with. I apologize that these pictures are not the highest…
Parenting is exhausting, hard work. Take every advantage you can and regain your sanity with these tips.
My second son loves train tracks. Specifically, riding over them in the car. You cannot believe how excited he gets to go over a train track. Every single time we go over a railroad crossing he acts like it's the greatest moment of his life. The bumpier the crossing is the more he gets excited.…
The 2nd annual Dad's Day Out at the Zoo happened on New Year's Eve this past year. What is Dad's Day Out at the Zoo you ask? Well that's when my good friend Casey and I take our kids to the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens together. We've gone twice in two years :) He just…
Growing up, nearly everyday after school my father would take me out to the back porch and proceed to beat me. He got so good at it, sometimes he would take a paddle in each hand and alternate one after another. I lost count of how many times he beat me. I was powerless to…
As a Stay-at-Home Dad of 4 little kids, I can use all the help I can get to make my life easier. One thing I lean on heavily to help me keep it together is my iPhone. With a couple million apps out there in the app store it can be a little daunting to…
A while back my wife told me she had an idea for a pallet project. She said she was going to run to Walmart and would be back soon. She returned with the following items: A 1 gallon decorative ball mason jar, a candle, some wire and a curtain rod holder. She explained to me…
Yesterday we had the pleasure of having my wife home for dinner. I was able to play outside with two of our kids and she was inside with the other two making dinner. It was a nice change of pace for me and I really enjoyed getting to play some soccer with our oldest. Once…
Wednesdays are early release days from school. Often when my oldest is getting home from kindergarten on Wednesdays at least one of the other 3 kids is still napping. The bus stop is just far enough away I don't feel comfortable letting him walk home by himself yet and I feel awkward leaving a sleeping…
Two Thanksgivings ago we were all set to host some friends and family for a Thanksgiving dinner. We were about an hour away from the guests arrival when my wife turned to me and said "Could you please build me a centerpiece?" All I could think about was the guests would be arriving soon and…
Have you ever lied about your age? As a kid and teenager I was always trying to look and act older. My best friend and I would regularly tell girls we would meet that we were a year or two older than we actually were. In turn we expected that girls were doing that to…
Dear Dad to-be, Congrats! Your life will never be the same. For better or worse, the birth of your first child is an event that will forever change you. So much of becoming a new parent focuses on moms. There is good reason, moms do all of the hard work for the first 9 months,…
Silence is Golden Trouble. Watching a movie and watching kids are two totally different beasts. Silence really is desirable in a movie theater. I don't want my house to be a screaming chaotic train wreck for 18 hours a day but when the whole house is pin-drop quiet I get uneasy. Allow me to back…
As a stay at home dad, I don't get all caught up in trying to portray some manly macho image to my kids or to the world to counter act the fact that I stay home and do a traditionally female role. It honestly doesn't cross my mind 99% of the time. We have 3…
There comes a moment in every child's life when they finally figure out how to move around. Gone are the days when you could place your child in the middle of the living room with a few toys and go to the bathroom knowing that when you returned they would still be right in the…
When did birthing a child make you an expert on all things? We used to have the notion that father knows best but the media and women's liberation groups have seen to it that we no longer go around saying that. Now the catchy phrase is "mom always knows best." I saw the above flier…
Glass stove tops can be nightmares to clean. I don't know what makes those burned on stains so impossible to get off. Over the years I have tried a handful of glass cook top cleaners as well as various home remedies involving vinegar, baking soda or lemon juice. Nothing really seemed to work much better…
Today I was letting my 3 year old watch some TV so I could pick up around the house a little without him getting in the way. I was suddenly overcome with the urge to let him know I loved him. So I walked over to where he was on the couch and said: "Greyson,…
I want my family to be able to go on a wonderful vacation. A long trip to Disney or maybe even a Disney Cruise would be a great option. A strategic road trip visiting zoos, aquariums and museums would also be lovely. Ten days is how long I would like this vacation to be, ten…
Heading home the other night we stopped at a red light and our 3 year old pipes up from the back seat: "Is that our lollipop getting place?" My wife and I looked over to see a bank drive though lit up and we just started laughing. As far as he is concerned, a bank…
It hurts so good!
Recently my youngest child hit one of those major milestones. I'm not talking about taking his first step or speaking his first word. I'm talking about being able to sit up in a grocery cart by himself. This may seem like a minor deal to the casual kid-free shopper but for someone who's hauling around…
You won't believe what I'm about to say. We've all heard the stories about the Bermuda Triangle and we're well versed with the unexplained goings-on in Area 51, but little to no attention gets paid to the unexplained supernatural paranormal activity that surrounds kids. It's a real thing happening all around us everyday. I'll discuss…
Saturdays in the South during the Fall are dedicated to one thing...College Football. Last weekend was no different. My family has had 4 season tickets to the Florida Gators for 52 years. I went to my first game when I was 6 years old, I was hooked. Gamedays were a big deal when I was…
I've decided to start reviewing products that I use on a regular basis. Why? Good question. I appreciate it when others write reviews on products and I can read them before deciding to make a purchase. I hope I can help someone out there make an informed decision as well. Today I'm going to review…
When you become a parent everyone, whether you want it or not, decides they need to give you advice. You hear about how "It'll be the best part of your life" how "You'll never get any sleep" "Your life will never be the same again" "Cherish them, they'll never be little again." How-to book after…
My second born, the three-year old, is a walking soundbite. Sometimes I have a difficult time remembering all the crazy things he's said throughout the day to repeat them later. He's also so animated and has such great delivery that sometimes simply repeating his word doesn't do the situation justice. Last night at dinner he…
We are a family of six. Problem is we had a kitchen table for 4. So we took to the internet to find a table that would fit our family and our kitchen. The style we decided on were running anywhere from $400-$800. In the scheme of life that wouldn't break the bank but I…
I was late to the coffee party. My dad drank one cup of instant black coffee every morning and my mom never touched the stuff. A few sips of my dad's coffee as a child effectively turned me off to the stuff. But then in my late 20s something happened. I had a job where…
We don't do a whole lot of arts & crafts around my house. It's not that I have some aversion to it. I actually enjoy painting and the like, but it's really challenging with little kids. It's usually super messy, set-up & clean up take 45 minutes while the project itself only lasts 10 and…
On occasion I send the kids out into the fenced-in back yard to run around and play while I get dinner ready in the kitchen and watch them through the large bay windows. I usually open one of the windows so I can keep a better ear out for anything that might be going on.…
When our first child was born all he knew was one on one time with mom or dad. When our second child was born we could still rather easily find the time to split the kids up and get some quality one on one time with each of them. When our daughter was born it…
Trips to the doctor's office are always unpredictable. Thankfully today was one of those days where my wife had off and I didn't have to take all the kids in with me. The two youngest had well-checks so I tossed some extra snacks into my bag and off we went. Both kids fell asleep in…
My kids seem to enjoy any trip that gets them out of the house. The grocery store is no different. I'm eternally grateful to BJ's Wholesale Club for having a decent stock of family friendly shopping carts. These carts have a double-seater race car on the front and two standard kid seats up near the…
When I venture to the playground with my 4 kids I have to have my head on a constant swivel. The youngest isn't mobile yet but the other 3 run around like lunatics. It seems they have an unspoken rule that they will be the furthest away from each other as possible at all times.…
It's not often I get to have a day without any kids. But a little while ago I was able to do just that and got to take advantage of the time to play some golf with an old friend. It was a beautiful day and my buddy had 2 of his friends come and…
One of the highlights of my day is when one of my children say something unexpected or funny. So often these little nuggets are full of wisdom, not always mind you, sometimes it's just down right silliness. Either way it is usually a wonderful glimpse into the mind of a child and a reminder of…
I consider myself to be a typical dude. I love football, I hunt, I fish, I do my own car repairs, if I need a handyman I go into the garage and get my tools, I do my own yard work, I carry a pocket knife, I love all things electronic, I shave a couple…