Meteorshowers
18 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in Family Life, Jason Tags: children, Daddy Blog, family, family life, meteorshower
I looked down at my two boys laying back on the blanket in our front yard and smiled deeply. I leaned back in my lawn chair and looked up to the stars.
“There, Dad! I saw one!” Anthony exclaimed as he pointed just above our head. I just caught the tail end of the meteor as it streaked across the sky. I had woken both of the boys up at 4am; we only had a good 2 hour window to see as many meteors as possible. For the past five years I had been trying to share this experience with the boys, yet each year the weather or other factors had made it impossible.
One of the things I remember vividly from my childhood is waking up early or staying up late with my dad on or around August 12th. We would walk outside between midnight and dawn, throw out a blanket or lawn chair, lean back and just watch the sky quietly. He would sip on his coffee and I would gulp my 7-Up. Suddenly, he wold point somewhere in the sky and we would share that moment of watching a meteorite cross the sky.
It was important for me to share this moment with my boys like my father had with me. We sat there staring up at the sky, and I laughed as they asked questions like “what if aliens are using this to mask their landing, Dad?” and “What would happen if one of their meteors was big enough to make it to the ground? Could we find it?.”
I sent them back to bed at 5:30am, still filled with wonder. I hoped they would at least get another hour or two of sleep before bouncing awake to tell Kirsten, Papa, and Nana all about their great exploration. Sure thing, the next morning they were downstairs like proud explorers who had just come back from their long deep space exploration, telling everyone about seeing shooting stars, planets, and constellations. I smiled and laughed to myself seeing them relive every moment.
This is what it means to create those memories they will never forget.
In Defense of Dads
01 Mar 2011 11 Comments
in Family Life, Jason, Parenting Tags: dads, dads talking, Jason, sahd, self-esteem, working mom
On a busy day home with the kids, I saw a tweet float past my twitter feeds: “Dad-Mom Role Reversal- What happens when Dad stays home?” I thought it sounded good for Jason, who stays at home with the kids more often than I do, and forwarded it along to him without reading it. What I found out was that this article had deeply upset him. Instead of being a supportive article for working mothers about having dads stay home with the kids, it was a list of ways that dads don’t measure up to moms. Following this article, I ran across a slew of other articles that were different subjects but all had same same context: Dads just can’t cut it.
The problem with these articles is that they measure dads against moms as if dads are just a substitute for when mom isn’t around. This hardly seems fair. We wouldn’t look down on a dad for not breastfeeding his child or a mom for not properly teaching her son to fish. So why would we look down on a dad for not being a mom?? Dads do not cease to be a man just because they’re home with the kids. And why treat men as though their value is diminished when they’re home supporting and nurturing the most important people in our lives: our children.
Years ago, Jason worked from home part time while the kids were in school. When the kids were off of school, he was there with them. Was the house absolutely spotless? Well, no. Did the boys always leave the house matching? Ha. Uh, no. (Seems my boys lack the “matching” gene.)
But the kitchen was always picked up and dinner was always made. The kids made it to soccer and baseball practice on time. Jason was involved with their sports and coached them on how to do better. Homework was always complete and the boys felt confident in their schooling. Their grades soared, they had less problems at school, and in the evenings, since a lot of this work was done ahead of time, I had time to sit and teach them German words and phrases.
Life was good. There was a sense of relaxation knowing that while not everything was done up to my Type A Mom standards, the big stuff, the stuff that mattered most to our family, was taken care of. And most importantly, the kids were happy.
Bringing a baby into the house puts a new spin on the home life. The learning curve and the stakes seems higher. But the nice part about being a new mom is that people understand when things aren’t under control. No one expects a clean house and dinner on the table when you’ve been home all day with an infant. How is that any different than when dad begins his journey of staying home with the kids?
Children are a whole new language (for both parents) and it takes an entire immersion into their world to fully understand how to keep their lives and the house under control. Maybe if we granted dads the compassion and understanding that we extend to new moms, we’d find that dads are just as capable of running the show. With a dash of fart jokes on the side.
The Day I Knew I Loved You.
14 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in Jason, Marriage Tags: Daddy Blog, family, Love, Marriage
The Day I Knew I Loved You.
Rain gave off a soft, salty scent of unwashed bricks in the streets of Benrath, Germany. I was walking to the train station from my exchange family’s home with some of the tight-jean wearing Germany students. It was June of 1997 and it seemed to rain nearly every afternoon as the humid weather brought the daily thunderstorms. We were headed to old town Dusseldorf to go out for the night. I had spoken with you only minutes ago on the phone and we had agreed to meet on the train into town. I smiled to the ground as I realized how fond I was growing at having you around. Your smiles and laughs were infectious and I didn’t want a cure. I only had 2 and half weeks left before I would be heading off to college would likely hardly, if ever, see you again.
As I walked up to the train station, I turned and heard the other students calling to me as they were walking up to their right. I looked at them, confused as to where they were heading. “We take the trolley to this place, it’s easier to get to,” one of the students said. I tried to explain that I had told you to meet us at the S-bahn station near your host family’s home. Reluctantly, I let them convince me that you would know where we were going and would meet up with us there.
My heart dropped. The city whizzed by, station to station, laughing German students ready for a good night out and I couldn’t get the image of you standing on the train platform, waiting for the man that would never come. I felt a sense of loss and disappointment in myself that I had never sensed before. I had let you down and I never wanted to do it again. When we got to the pub, I walked through the door into all the smiling, laughing and drinking faces, yours was not among them. I sat with the others and waited, hoping maybe you were running late.
I found myself some time later standing outside of the loud dark room. The lamplight in the streets casting dancing shadows down my path. The rain had to turned to a soft mist and heat from the day was causing the water to evaporate from the bricks, swirling a mist into the air. The water seemed to hang between falling and raising, and my heart mimicked the movements.
I walked the extra distance to the S-bahn station so I could take it home just in case I would find you along the way. As the train slowed down to stop at your platform I watched, hoping you might still be there, but also hoping you wouldn’t have waited out in the rain for me this long. I was greeted only by the platform, trash cans and flashing of the over head florescent lighting.
When I finally got up to my room at my host family’s home, I laid my head down but couldn’t get the image of you waiting in the rain for the man that would never come. I laid there in the dark that night, unable to sleep, trying to understand everything I was feeling. It was then that I realized I loved you, I always would and never wanted to disappoint or be without you again.
5 Signs I’m Raising a Nerd.
04 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in Ages & Stages, Anthony, Jason, Parenting Tags: Anthony, Daddy Blog, Jason
5 Signs I might be raising a future nerd.
1. Not only does he know what a Dalek is, he builds one out of Legos.
2. He comes inside on a sunny day to work out math problems or read instead of playing outside.
3. When talking to you about college he is already weighing out the differences between MIT and Cal Poly.
4. For fun you help him figure out the cost benefit analysis of changing all the indoor lighting to LED light bulbs.
5. He wants his future car license plate will read:
“Tween or Vampire”
01 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in Ages & Stages, Jason Tags: ages, chaos, Daddy Blog
Recently the boys have hit some strange changes. As a writer of Ghost stories, I started to wonder…”Are my boys becoming Vampires?!” Only in my mind would this seem rational. However, I was able to rationalize their changes as becoming “tweens.” These are five warning signs your child might be becoming a Tween or Vampire and how to tell the difference.
1. Aversion to sunlight or Staying up to late - They no longer get up at the crack of dawn. You might even have to wake them so they are not late for school. They now want to stay up later and later. Don’t worry that they might be becoming a vampire, unless they start to sparkle in the sunlight, because apparently that’s what real vampires do. Sorry, I miss the old school vampires that had a little more bite and a little less pretty.
2. Rigor mortis or The Eye Roll – The eye roll is no longer contained to the eyes. It seems now that the entire head rolls with the eyes like there is some connection that causes the eyes to no longer function independently. Unless the whites of their eyes have become all black, I wouldn’t worry about this. I think this is done more for dramatic flare to demonstrate their dissatisfaction at some of our adult decisions.
3. They can’t see themselves in a mirror or New Wardrobe and strange uses of clothes – Their desire to define themselves is lost on you! “Have you even looked in the mirror?”, “What are you wearing!”, “Why did you cut holes in socks and put them on your arms”, “Really? You really want me to go out with you looking like that?” – These are all things I have caught myself saying. I don’t mind the new clothes and random styles. Sometimes I just have to remind myself what I was wearing near their age. On the other hand, if you are walking up behind them while they brush their teeth and you literally can’t see them in the mirror, make sure they are brushing behind the fangs. If they can’t see them, they are liable to miss them.
4. Pale Skin or Lack of Sun- All the staying up late, getting up late and staying inside to play video games and you’ve got one pale kido. Cure this by sending them outside to play or read a book as much as you can. Heck, they can take their DS outside if it comes to that. If their skin starts to smoke or smolder, just buy then some SPF 1000′s and some sunglasses.
5. Sharp increase in Hunger or Crazy Metabolism – With all those new hormones playing games with their system and the massive growth spurts, you might be worried that your child seems to each twice as much now. If you aren’t sure, just load all their food with garlic. When they ask why the PB and J has garlic, just tell them it’s good for them. Unless they a following the family mutt around with fork, knife and lobster bib, you should be okay.
So we have made it through the list and apparently our kids aren’t vampires. They are only “Tweens.” Wait, what I am saying? Maybe they are zombies… but I’ll save that for a later post.
Time Capsule #4 (History Test)
31 Jan 2011 2 Comments
in Ages & Stages, Anthony, Ethan, Family Life, Jason, Time Capsule Tags: Anthony, Daddy Blog, Ethan, kids, time capsule
It is time to find out just how much history the boys understand with some basic questions. What is even funnier is asking Kirsten some of these questions I’ve included some of her responses as well. Mind you she is putting in 10+ hour work days 7 days a week right now so her brain is a little…shall we say taxed. Afterward she stuck out her tongue and said “what do you know about international tax regulation?” to which I hid under the covers and cowered like a baby. 
Question 1: List in order the first five Presidents of the United States of America.
Anthony : 1. George Washington 2. John Adams 3. Thomas Jefferson 4. James Madison 5. John Quincy Adams
Ethan: 1. George Washington 2. John Adams 3. Quincy Adams 4. George Bush 5. Sponge Bob
Kirsten : 1. George Washington 2. John Adams 3. Thomas Jefferson… Monroe somebody.
Dad: Anthony so Close! number 5 should be James Monroe then John Quincy Adams is 6th.
Dad: Ethan you have two of the five up there. John Quincy Adams was 6th. The other two Bush and Bob are not any of the first five or founding fathers.
Question 2: Which presidents currently appear on the $10 $20, and 100 bills
Anthony: 1. $10 – no idea 2. $20 – no idea 3. $100 – Ben Franklin
Ethan: 1. $10 – Quincy Adams 2. $20 – John Adams 3. $100 – Sponge Bob
Kirsten: 1. $10 – Jefferson 2. $20 Adams 3. $100 Benjamin Franklin
Anthony & Ethan: $10 – Alexander Hamilton, $20 – Andrew Jackson, $100 – Benjamin Franklin
Question 3: Who was in charge of war planing for the British during WWII (hint think Doctor who season 5 in the bunker with the Dalek’s. History learned from Dr. Who folks.)
Anthony: Minster Winston
Ethan: Winston Noah
Dad: You both got half of it. Winston Churchill. Anthony he was indeed a Prime Minster in the British government but he would have been Prime Minster Churchill.
Anthony: Egypt
Ethan: Egypt
Dad: Good job both of you. Understanding Geography is a key to a good understanding of history.
Question 5: Which came first the Greek Empire or the Roman Empire?
Anthony : Greek
Ethan: Greek
Kirsten: Turkish?!
Dad: Right and Right. Many of the Greek ideas influenced the Roman empire and even out modern republic we live in.
Question 6: What event cause d the U. S. A. to enter into WWII
Anthony: That Bombing…
Ethan: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Dad: Anthony I know you are prenting not to know so I’ll have to take you on a field trip to Hawaii right. Ethan great job, not only did you get the event, but the players in the event as well.
Question 7: Please put the following wars in correct chronological order: World War II, Vietnam War, Revolutionary War, World War I, Koren War and Civil War
Anthony: 1. Revolutionary War 2. Civil War 3. World War I 4. World War II 5. Koren War 6. Vietnam War
Ethan: 1. Revolutionary War 2. Civil War. 3. Korean War 4. World War I 5. World War II 6. Vietnam War
Dad: Antony you have a good grasp of time! Chronological order of time is the second key to understanding history. Ethan you were so close, but in truth we hardly talk about the Korean War. The Korean war happened after the two World Wars. Maybe we should have a sit down and talk to Papa about it. It happened while he was growing up.
Question 8: Name two of the USA’s Allies During World War II
Anthony: Russia and France
Ethan: Russia and Britain
Dad: Correct! Later the five major countries in the Allies would form the five permeate seats in the security council of the United Nations Charter. The U.N. Charter is one of the most important documents of our time. People may not see it yet but we are becoming more and more of a global identity through media and technology.
-“We the peoples of the United Nations determined: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, And for these ends: to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples, Have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims: Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.”
Question 9: What type of system of government do we have in the USA? Monarchy, Oligarchy, Democracy, Dictatorship?
Anthony: Democracy
Ethan: Democracy
Dad: Yes are a democratic republic.
Question 10: In what year did Columbus sail the ocean blue?
Anthony 1642
Ethan: 1602
Dad: In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. If he had been that late in sailing maybe the native populations might have had a fighting chance.
Question 11: What year did we first step foot on the Moon?
Anthony: 1967
Ethan: 1952
Dad: Apollo 11 landed the first humans on the moon July 20th 1969. I hope beyond hope that we get our butts in gear and get back up there in some way soon. Then we have so many moons around the other planets to explore!
Question 12: What was the first state in America
Anthony: Delaware
Ethan: Delaware
Dad: Ding ding ding.
Questions 13: Australia was first used by the British as a ________ Colony
Anthony: Slave
Ethan: Whalers
Dad: The first colony in Australia was a Prison colony.
Dad: As a Social Science Ed major I’m proud of both of you. Your knowledge of not only what events happened, but also WHY they happened is wonderful. We need to not only remember the past to stop it from happening again but understand what lead up to those events. I just hope I don’t bore you to death with all the history I want to teach you. I’ll always try to keep it interesting and relevant. If you ever have any questions about history just ask. If the question has to do with math go ask your mom.
Time Capsule #3
27 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in Anthony, Ethan, Jason, Parenting Tags: Anthony, Ethan, kids
Part 3 of the boys time capsule:
The Questions then dad’s response in RED!
Question 1: List your top five favorite bands or musicians.
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers:
1. Beastie Boys 1. Black Eyed Peas2. BonJovi 2. The Rakish Rogues
3. Linkin Park 3. Taylor Swift
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers 4. Ashlie Simpson
5. Black Eyed Peas 5. Riders in the Sky
Anthony: 1. I don’t think their CD come in clean versions, but I might down load some songs for you. 2. OMG seriously I think we have heard “Slippery When Wet” about a billion times already dude!!! 3. Linkin Park is our Pre-sports event music, gets up pumped up. Good work out music and writing music. 4. One day you too can play bass like Flea I just hope you are doing while wearing more than a sock 5. BEP are totally your mom’s influence but they do have some great drum tracks and good production value.
Ethan: 1. See number 5 for you brother. 2. Great sing along songs. I’m just waiting till you finally understand the hidden themes. 3. Just cause you think she’s cute doesn’t make her music good. (just saying). 4. Where is my Ten Foot Pole?? Nevermind make it 50! 5. I don’t even know who they are… (insert quick Google search.) uhmm okay o-O.
Question 2: List your three or four least favorite bands or musicians.
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers:
1. Ethan Singing 1. Bon Jovi2. Taylor Swift 2. Elvis
3. 50′s and 60′s 3. Red Rover
4. Micheal Jackson
Anthony: 1. Don’t slam your bro at least he dares to sing and sings out load. Although I will agree he needs a larger repertory. 2. Yeah um talk to Ethan, and bring your Nerf sword. 3. What’s up with that? Sunday rides to church in the car with Nana? 4. I don’t even know where you would have heard any of his music.
Ethan: 1. Totally understand dude. I see some ear plugs in your future. 2. Really? You love to shake your hips though. Don’t tell Nana this or she might not buy you old-fashioned doughnuts anymore. 3. Do they still play this at school?
Question 3: List the three next CD’s you’d like to buy.
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers:
1. Beastie Boys 1. Riders in the Sky2. Linkin Park 2. Smashing Pumpkins
3. Red Hot Chili Pepers 3. Black Eyed Peas
Boys – I think we have all thes in my collections.
Question 4: List your top three favorite TV shows. Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers: 1. Adventure Time 1. Doctor Who2. Doctor Who 2. Sponge Bob
3. I-Carly 3. Pokemon
Anthony: 1. You know I’m not a fan of you watching this show. Change the channel BBC, Discovery, History, anything else. 2. One of the best show EVER! 3. Should we call it ” I <3 Carly” or was it Sam you had a crush on. 
Ethan: 1. It’s fun to hear you and Anthony running around the house playing Cyberman Vs. Dalek. 2. I’m ready I’m ready 3. I’m lucky that I’ve never been home when you wanted to watch this “show.”
Question 5: List your top three favorite movies.
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers:
1. Avatar 1. Star Wars VI2. Edward Scissorhands 2. Megamind
3. Wallace and Gromit 3. The Lighting Theif
Anthony: 1. Well yeah but I still think it was 10x better in the theaters then on our home TV. 2. Possible one of the best movies ever. 3. I’ve only see the curse of the Ware Rabbit and it was very good.
Ethan: 1. I love that fact that you like this better than 1-3. Shows you have a good eye for film. 2. I’m thinking you like this because it was the most recent film you saw at the theater. 3. Great book series, the movie doesn’t really do the book justice, but as a popcorn kind of flick it’s good.
Question 6: List your top three movies you want to see.
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers:
1. Family Guy Star Wars 1. Ghost Rider2. Transformers 2. Transformers 2
Anthony: 1. Not going to happen for a while kido. 2. We could talk about this.
Ethan: 1. The movie is blah, the themes are a little much just yet. If you are looking for scary movie maybe Alien. 2. Both you and Anthony want to see this so maybe we’ll talk. We do own it.
Question 7: What are you looking forward to in 2011?
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers: 1.Halloween 1. Anthony’s First Date
2. Keria’s 1st Birthday 2. Dad becoming a Stay at Home Dad
3. The Man Cave 3. 48 inches of snow
Anthony: 1. ALWAYS my favorite time of year. This year we are talking about having a party too. 2. This will be a blast, make sure to take pictures so you can show her when you are older and doesn’t remember it. 3. This may or may not happen in 2011, but it will 100% be started.
Ethan: 1. Who say’s he gets to date! You only want to tease him about it. 2. We can only hope. 3. That would rock! sledding, snow forts, watching shovel the side walks.
1. 1963 Ford Falcon 1. 2010 Mazda 3
Anthony: This is one of my dream cars as well. It would be fun to rebuild it and then drive it across country. I think we would be required to buy the convertible version.
Ethan: This is a very reasonable car. If you save your money maybe within you price range when you turn 16.
Question 9: Car you wouldn’t want to be seen driving.
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers:
1. Minivan 1. Mini CooperAnthony: I’m 100% with you, but if we end up getting one, guess who’s likely to drive it as their first car. (hands you a mirror)
Ethan: Not sure why you dis-like this car. It’s fun little car to drive, although for guys mine and Papa’s size it make us look like we are getting out of a clown car.
Social Media and Parenting
09 Jan 2011 5 Comments
in Ages & Stages, Anthony, Ethan, Family Life, Jason, Parenting Tags: Anthony, balance, Daddy Blog, Ethan, Facebook, family, family life, Jason, kids, self-esteem, Twitter
Imagine, if you will, Billy Mays sitting at a computer…
“Tired of waiting for Billy to bring over the new girlfriend to show her all his funny baby pictures? Do your kids avoid you having any interaction with their cool friends? Does Jane make you park around the corner from the school to pick her up?
“Well, now you don’t have to! You can get all the lovely social interaction with your children and their friends! And even their friend’s friends! With Social Media, not only can you show Billy’s new chick all his baby pictures, but you can share it with all his future girlfriends and their parents! Did Jane dance funny for you when she was 8? Wanna share those sweet moments of Billy and Grandma pinching his checks? Social Media can do all that and more!
“But wait there’s more!! Login today and sign up from all the different forms of social media and you share all those moments with friends 24 Hours a day! That’s right! Your kids don’t even have to be awake to be embarrassed anymore!”
- Okay now the serious note.
After I wrote this, Kirsten had the following conversation with Anthony after school:
Anthony: “Hey mom? Remember that silly picture you put on Facebook?? Well, now the whole world has seen it!”
Photo in Question - Posted with Permission of Tween.
Kirsten: “What exactly do you mean ‘the whole world’?”
Anthony: “Well, Ben’s mom saw it and showed Ben and now everyone at school knows about it!”
There I was writing what I thought was a funny article about how social media allows us a quicker and easier way to embarrass our children. Every parents right and responsibility. But then Ethan, our nine year old, puts in his two cents:
Ethan: “Dad isn’t that cyber bullying?”
Dad: “Well, it’s different…wait…maybe…not really. It’s really about the intent, honey. Mom and I don’t share these photos and captions with the intent to humiliate you but to rather show how cute you are as kids.”
Ethan: “ohhhhh….but it’s still embarrassing.”
So, as social media grows and changes, maybe we need to step back and look at how it changes the interactions of the family. Do your kids have access to social media? Should they be allowed to not friend you? At what level do we trust them and let them interact with the social world with out us? Do we become cyber stalkers and read every email, every Facebook comment, every tweet?
Luckily, I have some time to think about this. For you parents already dealing with this, what do you think? What have you learned?
Time Capsule #2
04 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in Anthony, Ethan, Jason, Parenting Tags: Anthony, Daddy Blog, Ethan, Jason
So, this time we had several questions for the boys for their time capsule:
Dad’s comments in red.
Question 1: List your top five favorite foods.
Anthony’s Answers: Ethan’s Answers:
1. Dad’s General Tso Chicken 1. Mom’s Mini Meat loafs2. Homemade Pizzas 2. Crab
3. Waffles 3. Lobster
4. Steak 4. Salmon
5. Bacon grease Pancakes 5. Steak
Anthony: 1. Spicy goodness. 2. We need to do this more often. 3. Only if your Nana makes the batter. 4. A boy after my own Heart. 5. You’ve had them ONCE. They must have been good. Ethan: 1. So Greasy but so good. 2 -4. Not a seafood lover myself but with Nana as your influence, I can see why you love them. 5. You really are a protein kind of kid aren’t ya.
Question 2: Top Five Least favorite foods.
1. Spinach 1. Christmas Salad
2. Brussels Sprouts 2. Blueberry Muffins
3. Peach A’s Baby bites 3. Calamari
4. Honey Syrup 4. Stuff Crusted Pizza (the crust)
5. Seafood 5. Sushi
Anthony: 1. It grows on you. No, I mean it literally. 2. I love them now, hated them at your age. 3. They are for the BABY, stop eating her food. 4. Why? it’s soooo good. 5. High five on that one. Ethan: 1. I think it’s the Gorgonzola you don’t like. 2. Is it the muffin or the blueberry? 3. There is a cooked seafood you wont eat!? 4. We aren’t even going to talk about this (shun). 5. I think you don’t like the idea of it being raw.
Question 3: What do you want to do in the year 2011?
1. Laser dome 1. Go to California
2. Water area at Hershey Park 2. Go to Disneyworld
3. Taekwondo 3. Build the Lego Death-star
4. Fencing 4. Play Soccer on a team
5. Buy an upgraded bike 5. Learn to make Meatloaf
Anthony: 1. No problem. 2. I think we can do that. Game on! 3. Let me talk to your mother. 4. We’ve talked about this; you sign up for fencing, you sign up for Latin dance classes. 5. You can buy whatever you want with your own money. Ethan: 1. It is not likely – have you seen airfares? Now times that by 5. 2. Maybe when Keira is two or three. 3. Now that’s what I’m talking about. 4. I think we can do that. 5. We can do that next week!
Question 4: What are you New Year’s Resolutions?
1. Eat Healthier 1. Be active every day
2. Get better grades 2. Help shovel snow until finished
3. Exercise more 3. Be nicer to my pets
Anthony: 1. No doubt, both of us, but it means no more Willow Street doughnuts. 2. Dude, how much better can you get? A++? 3. Couch to 5K with me. Ethan: 1. Little dude, if you were any more active, you would put the pink drumming bunny to shame. 2. I’m totally down with that one. I’ll even make hot cocoa. 3. While this is good, I’ve never seen you be bad to any of them. Al, your cat, is just rude no mater how you treat him.
Question 5: What charity would you like to help this year?
1. Help others study 1. Send money to Africa
2. Volunteer to help 2. Send money to Sea Shepherds
middle school teachers
3. Offer my lunch to those who 3. Volunteer at a homeless shelter
forget their lunch
Anthony: 1. This is a great one. 2. I didn’t even know that was an option. Go for it! 3. Just make sure you eat, too. I did this, too. I paid for a friend’s lunch during high school for nearly an entire year. Ethan: 1. I think you were talking about the Water program. I’m all for giving. 2. Where exactly are you getting all this cash? Remember, sometimes it’s good to make people aware of charities, too. 3. We are sooooo going to do this, little man.
Kirsten Deeds
jasondeeds
Anthony Deeds
Ethan Deeds
Keira Deeds
cdecaro
