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It is funny, with having two boys, I have noticed that they do things at different times. One started walking first and then the other started talking. Well, that has flipped. Baby B, which walked first, is still walking, but now talking more. And Baby A, who talked first, is just now starting to really walk.

The boys are different, they are their own individual personality.  And to continue their differences, Baby A has just started to give me a hug when he sees me. And he really loves to hug me when we are rocking at night. There is just something amazing about when they wrap their arms around you. I could be having the worse day and I could get a hug from the boys and my day has turned around completely.

Unconditional love is an amazing thing.

 

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Saving Money

In this day in time, where credit card debt has risen, I think that it is important to start teach children financial responsibility.  My wife and I have started setting aside $50 a month, per child and putting it into their bank account. Yes, we did establish a bank account for our children, and we did so for multiple reasons:

1) It is a credit union and we could get them established as members very early on.
2) If we put a minimum of $50 a month, for 1 year, that is $600 a year. If we maintain this pattern, they will have $7,200 per child after 16 years.  *This is not factoring in any interest.
3) We are encouraging others to donate to our boys, instead of giving them toys, that will only increase their bank account.
4) We are teaching the boys financial responsibility and really encouraging them to save for their future.

In a day and time where families are spending money at a rapid pace, teaching the boys the importance of saving money at an early age, is so important.

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Today, I found out that a close friend’s 12 year old son has cancer.  Though it doesn’t appear that the cancer has spread, but it is in his jawbone and needs to be treated.  I am close to their family and hearing the Cancer word just threw me. My wife and I have gone through a few firsts this past year with friends:

  • A close couple split up and will be filling for divorce
  • My wife’s best friend was diagnosed and is undergoing treatment for Breast Cancer
  • And now this friend’s son has cancer

It sucks. Plain and simple. But it also makes you realize how precious life is and how important each and everyday is. Do not take today for granted. We are not promised tomorrow.

Love your friends and family. Kiss your kids every chance that you get and make sure that you over use the word I Love You.

Today, I say a special prayer for my friends and my little buddy Baylor, knowing that he has a long road ahead, but if any kid can fight through life’s challenges, it is him.

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When my dad started driving, the cost of gas was $0.16 a gallon. When I started driving, the cost of gas was $0.89 a gallon. Today, 20 years later, the cost of gas is between $3.50 – $4.00 plus, depending on where you live, with a national average of $3.66 a gallon. So what has changed?

This article does a great job of summing up the reason, read here.  But the bigger question is not why, but what are we going to do about it? The reality comes down to two things, 1) oil speculators and 2) alternative sources of fuel.

Until there is additional restrictions placed on the oil speculators, the price of gas is going to be in a state of influx and more importantly, will remain high. And fuel alternatives have been in the works for years, bu the demand has not reached the point for car companies to build a mass quantity of cars that will run on fuel alternatives. Hybrids have not taken off as economists expected. Natural gas is an interesting alternative, which has a lot of potential, however, there are not enough natural gas stations, which causes a problem. And then there is always the always unpopular idea of drilling in the Anwr in Alaska. This would take time to get setup and running, but read here the benefits.

Bottom line, something has to be done. Regardless of what your political beliefs are, an alternative has to be created, because higher gas prices are and will continue to have an effect on our cost of goods. Which in return, means less money in your pocket and less for your family.

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Last night, the National League destroyed the American League by a score of 8-0.  As a die hard Yankee fan and knowing the home series for the World Series is on the line, that one hurt.  The National League started out strong and their pitching kept the American League batters at bay, but that this what the All-Start game is all about. The best of the best. But I wanted to point out a few quick highlights/observations:

  • The Yankees were well represented.
  • The started 2nd basement for the National League, Dan Uggla, his uncle is a good friend.
  • The boys were able to watch their 1st MLB All-Star Game

Baseball is America’s favorite past time. And there is a reason why we sit and watch 9 very long innings every night and that we endure a schedule of 182 games.  But let’s be honest, we love it. The boys are now 15 months old and are starting to pay closer attention to what is on tv and especially sports that we watch. This is just the first of many All-Star games that we will watch. I just hope that they love them as much as I do.

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Place City State Notes
Dean E. Smith Center Chapel Hill NC We will have to find a UNC game to take the boys to once they are older.
Carolina Basketball Museum Chapel Hill NC Since this is literally next door to the Dean E. Smith Center, we will combine both into one trip.
Baseball Hall of Fame Cooperstown NY My wife and I went for the 2007 induction for Cal Ripken, Jr.
Yankee Stadium New York NY As a life long Yankee fan, it is only fitting that we take the boys.
Wright Brothers Museum Nags Head NC This Summer
Arlington National Cemetery Washington DC
Army vs. Navy game
DC Tour Sites Washington DC Standard tour spots, The Capital, White House, etc.
Field of Dreams Iowa IA Where the movie Field of Dreams was shot.
New Orleans New Orleans LA This will be a trip for when the boys get a little older, but it is such a great city to visit.
Disney World Orlando FL This will be a trip for when the boys get a little older, but what kid would not love to go to Disney? Updated
Grand Canyon Flagstaff AZ Such an amazing site and especially at sunset. Updated
Key West Key West FL This is where my wife and I went for our honeymoon, but it was such a cool city. And, the boys can go to the original Margaritaville.
Charleston Charleston SC Charleston is just such a great city and I have several close friends there, so it will be good to get back and show the family a place that I use to visit on a regular basis.

 

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Growing up in a small town, larger than Mayberry, but not by much, I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Andy Griffith. You see, I am from North Carolina and was one of the millions that learned life lessons from Sheriff Andy Taylor. I grew up in a small town, where you said hello to people that you walked past, said yes sir and no ma’am, and you were taught to respect others.

As an adult, I now live in a much larger town than Mayberry. And kids today are told not to speak to others as they walk by, and that it is exceptable to say yeah, instead of yes sir and that respect, well, what is that?  Maybe it was because the town that I grew up in, like Mayberry, was a small town of about 10,000 people? Regardless, the times have changed and maybe not for the better?

Those were and are valuable life lessons that I learned as a child and that have stayed with me today and these are the things that I plan on teaching my boys as well. Even though it has only been a few days after the passing of Andy Griffith, I miss him for the same reason that I miss a friend, because he was always there. He was always on tv, teaching Opie valuable life lessons with a gentle and soft voice. I miss Andy already, for the same reasons that I miss the days of Mayberry.

 

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The title says it all, because who does not love chicken wings? So, I wanted to put together a quick and easy recipe for chicken wings for the crock pot.

Here goes:Chicken Wings

  • 3 lbs of chicken wings
  • Salt & Pepper to your liking
  • 2 – 3 cups of BBQ Sauce
  • 1/2 cup of honey
  • Crushed Red Peppers – this is a personal preference
  • 1 Tablespoon of spicy mustard
  • 2 minced cloves of garlic
  • Add Salt & Pepper then combine BBQ Sauce, Honey, Crushed Red Peppers and Spicy Mustard.
  • Cook in the crock pot for 4 – 5 hours

This was a quick and easy chicken wings recipe that is going to be tweaked, but thus far been a pretty tasty meal. Because who does not love chicken wings?

 

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American Flag
Happy 4th of July to you and your family. Enjoy your time together with friends and family and if you are lucky, spend sometime around the grill.

I don’t know if we will take the boys to see fireworks this year or not? They are still probably a little too young, not to mention the fact that it is past their bedtime. But regardless, we will all be together enjoying the day.

So from my family to yours, Happy 4th of July!

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I was recently asked by a friend in the development world, if I wanted to do some freelance work. And I politely smiled and declined. And he couldn’t understand. He kept asking and trying to remind me how much I could make on the side doing freelance development at night. And he was right, the project that we were discussing would have been about $5,000 – $10,000 in additional income for my family.

But, it would have also meant, working about 100 – 150 hours at night, weekends, etc. and what does that really translate into? A lot of time without my boys. As much as the additional money would have been nice and come in handy, I love coming home at night and playing with the boys. I love being able to help give them baths at night, and read to them and just be with them. If I were to do freelance projects, I would not be able to do that. I would be working all day at my full time job, then coming in, kissing the boys and then start working. And honestly, it just isn’t worth it.

Maybe when the boys get older and we have more free time, I will looking into doing more freelance work, but today, I want to play with my boys.

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