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It is almost tip off for the UNC vs Dook game and I’ve already started pacing around the room. Being from NC, I grew up watching this game as a child and the importance of how 8 miles separate two schools, but there is a division within the state between the fans of these two teams.  I hate that I’m not at the game, because I’m missing the game, but also because I am missing out on spending time with my Godfather.

Tonight is like Christmas Eve for me, waiting for the game. Sitting on the edge of my seat, usually muting the tv, because the announcers just can not use some of the choice phrases that I like using during the game. The difference this year, I will not be able to jump up and down throughout the game or the loud out bursts. But hopefully, UNC will pull out the win and it will be a quiet night.

 

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There are a few days that I really look forward to, today being one of them, because it is Game Day! Not just any game, but the UNC vs Dook game.  And yes, as most good UNC fans, I started off with my game day traditions. Same breakfast that I ate for the last victory; drove the same route to work; packed the same lunch; when I get home, I’ll put on the same UNC shirt that I always wear (and no, it hasn’t been washed since the last lost), why do this, because it is Game Day! For those that live outside of NC, 8 miles separate these schools. A stretch of highway that separates Good vs Evil. So today, I work, thinking about the game, ready for the 9:00pm tip off. Watching a few clips to get me going and pumped for tonight, but you see, on Game Day, all of these things are just a routine, a way of life, because since I was 5 and understood the rivary between these two schools, my life was forever changed.

So, if time permits, I’ll update this today, but these are two videos that I watched already:

  • Here is an ESPN clip previewing the game tonight and couldn’t agree more with the analysis. Dook’s defense is usually at best, ok. They allow a lot of points and have struggled against teams that wanted to run against them, which UNC will do.
  • And then who can forget this clip on Youtube

 

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I am quickly realizing that being a parent isn’t just about raising your children, but it is also about having to make sacrifices. Last night I got a call from my Godfather and he quickly offered me a ticket for the UNC vs. Dook game tomorrow night. As a HUGE UNC fan and this being one of the greatest games of the year, this one was a tough call. It would have really been easy to say yes, but a few thoughts quickly jumped into mind:

1) The game is a 9pm tip off, so that would require a hotel room – probably around $150-$200
2) The drive is about 6 hours from home, so that is 3 tanks of gas at $150 roughly & taking a day and a half off from work.
3) My wife just started a new job, so that would/could have posed problems as well for taking care of the kids.
4) Did I really want to be away from the boys?
5) And most importantly, how can I say yes to a game that would have cost about $300 to go to the game, when I have asked my wife to cut out some expenses.

As much as I would love to be at the game tomorrow night, I realized that part of being a parent, is that sometimes, I have to make sacrifices, including passing up on tickets for the game of the year. But, there will be another game next year and the year after that as well.

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In thinking about the topics that I have been writing on the past, I thought that now would be a good time to expand and add new topics of discussion. That being said, the first two new topics will be Sports and the always controversial Politics.

Being both a father and also a guy, Sports has always been a huge part of my life and I am hoping that my boys will love playing and watching sports as much as I did and continue to do so. And as for politics, I want my boys to learn about history and politics and allow them to make decisions that best represent their views. I am sure that I will have a little influence, but I want to try to give them both sides of each argument.

Let the discussions begin!

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Have you heard the latest buzz, Pinterest? If not, you are probably a guy or not connected to the web very often. Well, my wife has started to as she would say, become obsessed with it. At first, I was a little skeptable, but after this weekend, I am all for it. She found 2 recipes that she made today, a Sourdough circle pizza bread and an apple baked apple. Once I get the recipes I’ll post the links, but these were two that she will definitely be making again. No, I will not be joining Pinterest, but I am all for my wife looking at it more if she is going to keep finding recipes like those.

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Tonight is the Super Bowl. And like most, I’m only watching because of the commercials, because honestly, I am not a fan of either the Giants or the Patriots. I will say that after reading that the Stock Market responds better after the Patriots win, that might be an incentive, however, I am fine either way. But in saying that, if you want to watch the commercials, here you go: http://www.superbowl-commercials.org/

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I stumbled across a Pork Loin with Cranberries and Orange recipe this week and to say that I’m excited is beyond words. The recipe has 3 of my favorite things:

  • Pork
  • Cranberries
  • Oranges

So, today, I’ll see how well it turns out. I figure that for this meal, which I will spend about $17.50 on in total for the ingredients, I will get at least 3 meals out of it. I was fortunate to catch the Pork Loin buy 1 get 1 free, which cost me $12.50, then the cranberries and oranges make up the rest of the cost. And considering that I’ll get a dinner for my wife and I and 2 lunches for me out it, all in all, it is a solid meal.

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I am not a Dr, nor do I play one on tv, so I really do not have a medical stake in this topic, other than stating my opinion, so here goes.

I think that children watching tv can be healthy, but to a point. I can see a lot of benefits from certain tv shows ,whether they talk about the importance of being friends and helping your neighbors or learning to speak multiple languages.   But, in saying that, I think that there needs to be moderation.  Too many people use TV as a babysitter, so just be careful and monitor what your kids are watching and the amount of time that they are in front of the tv.

So parents, if you choose to let your children watch tv, that is your decision, but just monitor what they are watching and for how long. I would much rather sit in the floor and play with my boys, then sit on the sofa and let the tv interact with them.

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Every night, before I lay the boys down, I say a little prayer over them. It is simple and basic, but goes something like this:

Dear God,
Thank you for today and thank you for these boys. Please watch over them tonight and protect them from harms way. Please help my wife and I be better parents and love these boy more every day.
Amen.

I think that it is important to get the boys use to praying now, as it is a part of our lives.  A book that I’ve read a few times now, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?, by Philip Yancey, has really had a powerful part into not only the importance of prayer, but how to pray.

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A co-worker and I were talking today and she seemed surprised by how involved that I was in the raising of the boys. In fact, when we talked about how I was taking them to their doctor visit today for their 9 month checkup, she remarked how she wished that more men were that active in their sons lives.

This really got me thinking. Are father’s today less involved in their children’s lives than in the past? In a day in time, when in most house holds, it requires both parents to work, and often times one of the parents, if not both are working more than one job. For me, I can not imagine not being there for the doctor visit or anything else. I love being there for my kids. I love being apart of their lives. I can’t imagine a day without them.

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