Category: Family

Happy Easter

Here’s the best picture we could put together of all of us as the day didn’t quite go as planned. 

Amongst the tears and nap of big sister and a blowout diaper from the little man, our coordinating outfits were not captured in one frame. 

However, we were able to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior as a family. He is Risen!

Melody Opening Things

I got this idea from my colleague Joel as my wife also tends to destroy things when she opens them.

Here’s the most recent victim:

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Not sure why the box had to be mangled into an unusable state, but now I have a brick of cream cheese that’s just waiting to get smashed in my fridge 😛

Aqua Tots

Someone had her first swim lesson today where she got in the pool without mommy or daddy. 

She wasn’t too sure about it at the time, but later she said she had a lot of fun. 

We’ll see how next week goes. It’s getting close to pool time 😉

Not at the Beach

This little guy had a minor surgery today to correct his lip and tongue tie. 

Basically, his upper lip and tongue doesn’t have the full range of movement with makes nursing a lot of work for him. 

Special thanks to Dr. Noestine for a quick procedure with a laser. 

A New Normal

Today starts my first day of my three month paternity leave from Automattic. I’m extremely blessed to spend the next 90 days with my kids (woah, that sounds weird 🙂). 

All of my notifications from work are turned off and I’ll catch up on things when I return towards the end of June. 

Until then, I think I’ll be trying to get stuff done around the house like this:

Spanish BINGO

There was a carnival today at K’s school and we helped her play BINGO.

It was a bit challenging for her because (1) she didn’t really understand the rules / gameplay and (2) she only knows Spanish numbers up to 20.

Nonetheless she ended up winning!

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More Progress

Today I got a few things hung on the wall in the baby’s room. 

The sign with a K weighs close to forty pounds, so I wanted to make sure it was secure on two studs, so this took a bit of planning to get it positioned properly. 


After the holes were drilled and the screws were in place it was time to hang it. 

Boy, was that a job to do by myself. The thing is huge, awkward, and really heavy. 

After a few attempts (and a lot of sweat later) it was secure on the wall. 


Next up were a few floating shelves. 

I had some leftover wood plugs that I was able to use to hide the screws, plus they add a bit of a decorative feature. 


Now we have to add things to the shelves and hang the decal with the Bible verse and we will be all ready. Only 15 days to go!

Spot it

This is a really fun game that my daughter and I play almost daily.

The premise is you flip over two cards and look at the eight items on each card and find one matching item.

Sometimes the matches are really easy to find and other times I swear there isn’t a match, but there always is one 🙂

Dad Joke’s

I’m excited for the day that my kids will actually understand and laugh at Dad jokes.

Here are some I can’t wait to use:

  • Milk is also the fastest liquid on earth – its pasteurized before you even see it.
  • What’s Forrest Gump’s password? 1forrest1
  • I cut my finger chopping cheese, but I think that I may have grater problems.
  • Without geometry life is pointless.
  • I gave all my dead batteries away today… Free of charge.
  • I needed a password eight characters long so I picked Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
  • What’s the advantage of living in Switzerland? Well, the flag is a big plus.
  • Bicycles can’t stand on their own, they’re two tired.
  • “Doctor, I’ve broken my arm in several places” Doctor “Well don’t go to those places.”
  • What did the 0 say to the 8? Nice belt.

Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?

Our nearly 3 year old daughter has been coming up with some effect bedtime stall tactics lately.

And tonight was no exception.

She really wanted her puppy, named LuLu in her room while she slept.

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K and her puppy about 2 years ago

We spent approximately 30 minutes tearing the house apart and still couldn’t find her precious puppy.

Maybe tomorrow she’ll share her puppy’s hiding spot with us 😂

Happy Valentine’s Day 2017

Melody and I typically don’t get each other things for holidays like Valentine’s Day.

A few years ago, we got each other a note book and hand write cards to each other.

This is great because:

  • It’s easy to look back at old cards
  • No need to go buy a $3 card with lame text in it
  • And we can be as creative as we want

Usually, I write silly poems. Here’s mine from this year:

Rose are red,
Violets are blue,
Elizabeth wrote a poem,
And now I must too!

This is the last year
from just Kenley and me
As in a few short weeks,
We’ll no longer be a family of three.

Will he come early
Or will he be late?
Oh please oh please
Let him come on his date!

Our lives have changed
so much since 2004
when we first met
and I swept you off the floor

We might be exhausted
and in bed before ten,
and sometimes I’m asleep
before we say Amen!

I honestly can’t imagine
life any other way,
And I’m glad you’re my Valentine
each and every day.

2017 will be
our most challenging year yet
wrangling our two kiddos
will surely make us sweat.

I’m guessing they will both cry some
for no reason at all
or maybe because
I took their ball 🙂

Now I want to say
From Kenley, me and baby to be
We are so proud of you
Taking care of us three.

This is the only thing
I got you this year
As we need no more chocolate
Or a stuffed Teddy Bear

And I didn’t go to the store
to buy some fancy card
since they cannot make you
smile and laugh this hard

I could go on and on
and even change the poem’s tune,
but be sure to know that
Kenley and I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON!

Things a Two Year Old Says

Here’s a few funny things our daughter has said to me over the last couple of days.

When going to Kroger to get paper:
Me: I wonder why there are so many people here on a Friday night
K: I think alotta people need paper

When telling her Mommy is in Texas for a few days:
K: I don’t think I’ve ever been to Texas

When asking her what “friend” she wanted to bring to breakfast (stuffed animal):
K: I want to bring Reese (baby doll) because I want to bring someone who doesn’t have a tail

When we said we are going to Trader Joe’s:
K: I think I want to go to Fresh Thyme (a grocery store in a different part of town)

After waking up and rushing into the bathroom:
K: I want to see what color my tongue is (to be fair, it was blackish the night before from eating too many blackberries)

I’m sure there will be more. We laugh out loud daily at the things she says 😂

New Year’s Day

Each year, on New Year’s Day, a group of our friends from college (Ohio Northern University) get together.

Even though we were missing a few families, our group is getting pretty large, since every family has at least two kids.

The day was spent mostly trying to make sure the kids played nicely together.

Maybe in 10 years we’ll be able to spend time uninterrupted time catching up 😉

Fall Bike Rides

We live in a very bike friendly part of Dayton and we enjoy taking bike rides.

Today, Kenley came down to my office and asked if we could go on a bike ride. How could I refuse to that? Especially when it was almost 80 degrees here in November.

Here are pictures from the last three fall bike rides:

Fall 2014
Fall 2015
Fall 2016