So, what is the most important lesson your dad has taught you? The question ripped through me like a rusted blade, though not for the reasons you might think. It wasn’t because I had no answer, but rather because I wasn’t sure which of his many lessons to choose. I didn’t know which one lesson […]
Last week I went to pick up Joey from his after school program. When I got there he came running up to me with a huge smile on his face. “Daddy, guess what?!” Then he pulled on my shirt until I bent down so he could whisper in my ear. “I know how to tie […]
All parents have insecurities. We all do things and then look around to see if anyone saw how awful we are at this thing that has been around for millennia yet has never been perfected. Why are we so hard on ourselves? What can we do to lessen the self-imposed burden and focus on the […]
I often think about my kids’ future. I have moments of worry. But I also have moments of sheer excitement. They have their whole lives before them. The possibilities are limitless. Our youngest, Gabby, is a good example of what I mean. She’s a year and a half old. She hasn’t started school. Contrary to […]
I always loved Christmas when I was little. What kid doesn’t, right? But for me, the extended time off of school was just as exciting as the holiday itself. Our kids recently enjoyed their first real Christmas break — eleven consecutive days of ruling the roost. Relaxed bedtimes. Wide open wake times. The inclusion of […]
In my last post I wrote about why I think it’s important to know where you and your family are going in life. Near the end of that post I suggested that defining success and then basing all your decisions on reaching that outcome is ideal: Ask yourself what a successful day/week/year/lifetime looks like for […]
Today marks seven years that Dani and I have been married. Seven years goes by fast. My father-in-law recently reminded us that in those seven years there’s been one house, six vehicles, three kids, three lawnmowers, three jobs, one book, three pet fish and most importantly, one love. We’ve packed a lot into that time. […]
Think back to the last time you were on an airplane. While taxiing the runway, the flight attendants direct you to the video screens where you receive safety instructions in the event of an emergency during your flight. There’s one part of those safety videos that always sticks with me. About halfway through, they show oxygen […]
My car needed an oil change. I usually wait with it at the garage, but this time I left it to walk Joey to his babysitter’s house. It’s about a mile round trip. No big deal. I was curious to see how long the walk would take though, so I noted the time as we […]
I’ve had the privilege of working for two companies who list “integrity” as one of their core values. In my experience it has never been just a word painted on a wall or printed in an employee handbook. It is an active way of life, a standard to which everyone is held. To me integrity […]