Life of Dad Podcast Fun

Earlier this week I got the opportunity to talk to Art Eddy and Ryan Hamilton from Life of Dad.  This turned into a podcast.  If you don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook (hint hint) I linked it there.  Now I have linked it here.  Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed doing it.

http://lifeofdad.com/podcast_episode.php?pcid=829

Oh and here are some photos of my kids (the real reason you are here anyway)

Music That Doesn't Suck

Music that doesn't suck is back!!!  To honor its return I am dedicating this song to my mom who gave me my first music memory.  I don't remember exactly when this was but what I do remember my mom putting this record on and listening to "The Gambler".  It's odd what you remember in your life but this is one of my favorite memories and how vivid it comes back to me when I hear this song is really remarkable.  Enjoy!

Oh and here are a few photos from Monday when we met mommy after work and rode the water taxi and ferris wheel.

M was a little bit excited about the ferris wheel

The water taxi was awesome

It's a miracle when EJ looks at the camera

If you read EJ's answers you know she is in heaven in this picture

Watch out Zoolander

EJ's Answers Pt. 3

After a crazy summer I'm back with questions for EJ.  I have been getting regular requests from EJ to ask her more questions so here you go.  The blog should be picking up again with EJ starting preschool in a couple weeks.  As before, all these responses are EJ's recorded by me.

Q - What is the biggest word you know?

EJ - Mumford.  (yes, that is referring to Mumford and Sons)

Q - What is your favorite thing about mommy?

EJ - She loves me

Q - What is your favorite thing about daddy?

EJ - Sometimes you put me on your shoulders.

Q - Are you excited to start preschool?

EJ - Yes (why?) Because I am going to meet new friends.  I am nervous about going to school because I don't know my new teacher, I hope it is a girl. 

Q - What are you going to do at preschool?

EJ - Letters, circle time, play in the playground

Q - What is your favorite popsicle?

EJ - Pink, purple & green swirly (from Aldi)

Q - What is your favorite sport to play?

EJ - Soccer & Basketball (why?) because I know all the rules 

Q - Who is your favorite person in the whole world?

EJ - You daddy, no wait, Ronica (Veronica our 14 year old next door neighbor)  Me - EJ her name is Veronica  EJ - I know but I call her Ronica

Come on these questions are pretty weak.

Questions for EJ

Hi everyone.  It has been too long since I have been on here.  To kick things off with me back in the saddle I bring you questions for EJ.  

EJ asked me this morning for more questions and since I'm her dad I can't say no to that. You know the drill send me questions in comments here or on Facebook. 

I can already tell these questions are going to be easy

Coming to America - Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!  On this day I think of my Grandmother's journey just to get to this country.  This is the story in her words:

My Dad came here in 1921, from what is now Slovenia, leaving behind our Mom and my sister Mary and me – ages 4 and 2. It took 7 years for him to be able to send for us. So in 1928, my Mom packed everything she could, into 2 large suitcases and we sadly kissed our grandmother goodbye. My uncle took us to board the train for Ljubljana , our largest city, where we met up with about 20 others who were leaving by train for Le Havre, France, the port near Paris, where we were to board the French Liner – Ile De France—sailing to America. . The ocean trip took about 4 ½ days. One day the fog horns were blasting away—we were saluting a ship going East—their fog horns sounded in salute also – the noise was deafening—It was the steamship America bound for Europe. Two huge ships passing in the middle of the ocean!!! I think many of the passengers came on deck to see this. And again  when we sailed into NY harbor very early in the morning of June the 6^TH, , everyone was on deck to see the Statue of Liberty. Many people cried, their emotions were  so overwhelming!!

     On Ellis Island, we were given physicals , and our papers were checked. Some people were sent back, for whatever reason. I wonder at how efficient  the whole process was. It didn’t take long, considering the large numbers. We were met by a Slovenian travel agent who escorted us to a train

     He pinned identification tags on us – with our names and destination. On the train , there was a man carrying a huge tray supported by a band around his neck—he was selling cigarettes and candy. We pleaded with our Mom to buy us the candy, but she refused – she didn’t know how much it would take of the money she had. Two men sitting across the aisle form us bought us the candy and we thanked them in Slovenian , as we didn’t know a word of English!! We slept on the train, and the next morning the conductor who had been put  in charge of us, came and put us off the train in Youngstown, where our Dad was waiting. Happy Day!!!

Life has been good  and I am here at 93 to tell how it came about.

This is only part of the story but it is amazing to see what people went through to be able to have the freedoms that we cherish and celebrate today.  

My Grandma and some of her Great-Grandchildren

Music That Doesn't Suck

Hey!  Lots to be happy about today...4 day weekend coming up, nice weather and most importantly healthy kids.  Today we made a trip to a heart specialist for M due to a heart murmur that hasn't gone away.  I tried my best up until today not to freak out about it mostly because M's pediatrician wasn't worried.  Once you are in the office and the nurse comes in and does her thing and leaves and then a resident (I think) comes in and leaves and then the main doctor comes in and listens to his heart for what felt like 45 minutes you start to worry.  No need though it is what is called an "innocent murmur" which means it should go away on its own and our Dr. was right, no worries.

Anyways on to some music...The Mowgli's are playing this year at Lollapalooza and this song is just so upbeat and happy it feels right today so ENJOY!!!

Me and my little trooper

Roadtrip with the kids part 1

Hi everyone.  Miss me?  We went on a trip with the kids for 11 days to California, Oregon & Washington.  Between packed days and early nights blogging took a back seat.  I would say I'm looking forward to some normalcy but we got home on a Sunday and left on that Friday to head to Jersey for the weekend for a wedding.  Anyways, here is part 1 of the breakdown of the trip:

Thursday - Fly from Chicago to San Francisco...kids were pretty good on the flight and M actually slept for some of it.  Stopped by a Target to get some stuff we didn't want to bring/didn't fit in our bags and then continued on to Santa Cruz.  The impetus behind this trip was a friend's wedding in Santa Cruz, so we stayed here until Sunday.

EJ & El hanging at the hotel

Santa Cruz was great!  They have an old time boardwalk with rides and games which the kids loved.  We walked on the beach and out on the wharf where we saw some sea lions.  The highlight for me, though, was being woken up one of the nights at 3 in the morning by EJ screaming "Daddy! Daddy! Help me! I can't get out!"  I walk out to where she was sleeping (fold out couch) and somehow she is under the fitted sheet in the middle of the bed like she burrowed under it or something.  The fitted sheet is still tucked in all the way around so I have no idea how it happened.

This ride was a big hit with M.  EJ had some issues making the plane go up.

Lounging at the pool. (don't mind the glare coming from the left side of the photo)

The wedding was up in the mountains outside of Santa Cruz in a redwood forest.  We had to take a 45 minute train ride to this awesome clearing called "Cathedral Grove." Very picturesque and unique.  Adults only wedding so we had my SIL come up from San Diego to hang with the kids (adults night out yea!).

Figured you needed a pic of the wedding for proof.