A new web site for the blog

After much debate (internally) I have decided to get my own URL for my blog, www.stayathometripletdad.com.  I have put up my first post there.  I still have a week to change my mind but I think private hosting is the way I want to go.

Latest post here.

Don't worry, if I do use it exclusively I will keep this one up and linked to the new one!

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.
Arnold Bennett

Al

We are killing some trees now

As with me when the Triplets get into something new they REALLY get into it!  After having a boys sleep over at Nuke Doc's house the Triplets have enjoyed doing color by numbers and mazes that they, yes they, print off the internet.  They print, draw, color and tape (in their room) quite a bit these days.  It is a good thing we get deals on paper from Staples and buy one get one on tape from Publix:)

Jackson keeps it pretty simple.  No, that is not his handwriting and yes, I know I misspelled WALL-E:)

Addison adds her creative flair.  Notice the dots around the maze.

William likes to do some freehand.  I think he is in a modern/abstract art phase:)

An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs. 

Edgard Varese 

At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.

Salvador Dali

Al

My Roombas are home!

Oh how we have all missed our friend, the Roomba.  I have been on and off the phone with Hammacher Schlemmer over the last week.  I noticed they only shipped out one Roomba so I called them.  It turns out they sent one as a replacement and then decided to refund my credit card for the other one.  Did I mention that it was a credit card that I cancelled two years ago?  Lovely!  I also noticed that they sent it to the address where I lived three years ago, TX.  This despite the fact that I called them before shipping them back to make sure everything was good to go.  The representative then said "It looks like you have two accounts, one in TX and one in AL.  You should have cancelled the TX one."  Huh?  How should I have known that they created two accounts for me?  So I politely but firmly said "Since it seems that this is all my fault what do I need to do right now during this phone call to make sure it does not happen again.  I want to be sure that before I get off the phone with you I have done all that I need to do since this seems to be my responsibility."  She giggled and said "please hold."

She came back to say that she cancelled the TX one and was having the Roomba that was sent there shipped back to them and they would send me another one.  OK, no worries.  I went online and ordered another Roomba to replace the one they refunded me for.  Did I mention that the credit card company does not show a refund yet:)   I checked the tracking numbers Monday on the new one I ordered and the original replacement Roomba they sent.  My order was to be delivered Tuesday, good.  The replacement somehow got re-routed to where I live now and was out for delivery!  Wait, what is that, NO!  Right after UPS says "out for delivery" it says "sender requests return of package."  IDIOTS.

I called Hammacher again yesterday morning and after getting in a fight with the voice unrecognition software (I had to disparage it's code by asking it how many punch cards the programmer had to put in to change a setting) I finally got to talk to a carbon based life form.  She said that she could see where the UPS package was headed back to them so she would send out another Roomba, the other person had not sent one out.  BTW, she confirmed the missing refund.

When we got home from the YMCA yesterday we were greeted by not one Roomba but two!  I would call Hammacher to let them know but I do not have another 20 minutes to donate to this cause.  I bet a third one shows up Friday:)


Household tasks are easier and quicker when they are done by somebody else.
James Thorpe (1888 - 1953)

Al

Bring on the Stereotypes

I try to periodically read other SAHD's blogs and a few other websites like AtHomeDad.org.  They, like me, periodically discuss the way they are treated as SAHDs and/or Fathers.  It seems there is a stereotype out there of SAHDs and Fathers that we are well... inept bafoons at best and miscreants at worst.  Even the NY Times is taking up for men.

But as two of my best friends always remind me, there is some truth to stereotypes and many play out to be true in a lot of instances.  Of course that would mean that Doctors are selfish egomaniacs that have a God complex and little regard for others as everyone else is beneath them not to mention less educated.  Luckily we know that is just not true:)

Instead of fighting the stereotype I am trying to use it to my advantage.  I look like a hero if the kids are dressed when we leave the house.  Can you imagine any self respecting Mother taking their kids out without combing/brushing their hair?  What about in uncoordinated clothes?  Dirty faces?  I think not!  My boys make bed-head look good:)  Now I do brush out my Princesses hair every day as I know there is a line that is not to be crossed.  But I get A LOT of leeway when it comes to taking care of the kids, doing laundry, cleaning the house and much of the other "Woman's work" that I do on a daily basis.

As a white male I feel that it would be wrong of me to get all fired up about being "discriminated" against as I have benefited from so many stereotypes.  For decades and centuries, heck, since we made a "bad choice" in the Garden of Eden Men have received preferential treatment from EVERYONE.  So if I periodically run into some ignorant, small/closed minded idiots that judge me on my gender then I figure I should/can just suck it up  and take it.  Heck, I really do thank God every day that I am a guy.

The nice thing about egotists is that they don't talk about other people.
Lucille S. Harper

If it can't be fixed by duct tape or WD-40, it's a female problem.  
Jason Love

Al