It's been a while....

A lot has changed... where to start?

First, I actually have a real full time job.  Why?   in short... God.  The CFO quit her job the same day that I started my new job.  We took a HUGE pay cut but we have not regretted the decision even for one day.  For every dollar we gave up we got more time together as a family.

I will hopefully post more soon.  I want to but I have a job:)

Al

www.stayathometripletdad.com

Yes, I am getting back into blogging after a long hiatus.  Unfortunately I think it is therapy which means if I was not doing it then I was "good" right?  So now I am screwed up again?  Or wait... is it just the realization and I was once again fooling myself... much to ponder.

I am not strong on perfection.
Jasper Johns

Al

Coming up on four years! www.stayathometripletdad.com

I can't believe it has almost been four years as a SAHD!  I am now posting on www.stayathometripletdad.com.

Have a great day!

Al

Still on the new site

I am still posting at www.stayathometripletdad.com but I thought I would share what is now my favorite quote as I also despise glitter:

Glitter is the herpes of arts and crafts.
Demitri Martin

Al

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

Good dog

The gloves are coming off

We have tried rewarding (bribing) with praise, chocolate milk and finally with money, but to no avail.  Jackson is getting in our bed EVERY night, oye vey!  It wouldn't be that bad if he did kick you like a jack rabbit all night.  We are contemplating locking the door.

But before we do that I want to try some tough love.  Last night I kicked him out of bed twice to sleep on the floor and took him back to his bed the third time at 4am.  I know it will be a bit tough for a while but if we hold the line it should get better, right?  :)

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
Noel Coward (1899 - 1973)

Reality is something you rise above.
Liza Minnelli (1946 - )

Al

How do you people do it?

We have two Roombas left over from our time as DINKs (dual income no kids).  If you are not familiar with these little guys they can be a great tool in the battle against dog hair and kid mess.  What kind of kid mess?  Primarily food and play-doh.  Roomba has to main advantages... One, it is a start it and forget it underling.  Unlike other underlings it will go about it's business with very little to no assistance.  Two, it goes under couches and chairs.  I am amazed at how much dust and dirt finds it way under furniture.  Now if we are at someone's house and something goes under a couch I am a bit more hesitant to reach under it blindly:)

Unfortunately, as our Preacher reminds us, we live in a fallen world.  One of my Roombas seemed to be the target of some evil spirit.  The brushes stopped turning.  I did what any SAHD would do, I took it apart!  I found the culprit... dirt, dust and dog hair or as I call them the dirty d's.  I cleaned it all out and it worked again, for a while.  But alas, it stopped working.

At least I had my second string Roomba that I could carry around the house on missions.  The house did not stay as clean as usual but it worked. That is until it also stopped spinning its brushes.  If I was a more suspicious man I would think this was some sort of strike or planned work stoppage on their part.  Maybe Roomba was tired of just cleaning up the mess.  Maybe they wanted better working hours, pay or conditions.  But thanks to Google I have found out that it is just poor designing on the part of Irobot, the makers of Roomba.  It seems that dirt gets into where brush gears and motor are eventually fouling them up.   Of course this does not affect Roomba's performance until well after the warranty period so why fix it? :)

My saving grace is Hammacher Schlemmer!  If you are not familiar with them let me tell you about their Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee. :

"Items that we sell are guaranteed for their normal life under standard non-commercial use. Should any product ever fail to meet your expectations, for any reason, simply return it with proof of purchase. We will replace it or refund the cost of the item less the original shipping and service fees."


My Roombas are on their way back to Hammacher Schlemmer for an exchange.  I plan to get the new model Roomba in exchange for one and try out the new laser guided vacuum for the other one.  But until they arrive I must make due with what I have...  Poor me:) lol

I think housework is the reason most women go to the office. 
Heloise Cruse 

My theory on housework is, if the item doesn't multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one else cares. Why should you? 
Erma Bombeck

Al

The newest house rule

We seem to have more and more house rules that we more or less follow.  OK, they are not "rules" as much as they are sayings that the Triplets hear and or say on command and on a regular basis.  The most recent was a gift from a Mother of three that I ran into a while back.

We were discussing the challenges of controlling/disciplining three (or more) children.  She said that she started handing out the punishment to all three if they did not get along.  So now if two or all three of the Triplets can't agree on something or are fussing about something I get involved.  Guess what, if I get involved who's happy?  NO ONE! :)


If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self.
Napoleon Hill 

If we don't discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us.
William Feather 

Al

How much is it worth?

Like all good ideas our chocolate milk reward for staying in their bed has run it's course with the Triplets.  The CFO came up with another idea... money.  First we went to $.25 per night for each kid when they stay in their bed.  Jackson still got in our bed every night but then added getting very upset in the morning to the mix when his brother and sister got their quarters.

So we upped the ante.  The CFO also wanted to start an allowance for them, $4 per week with $1 going to giving, $2 to savings and $1 they could spend or save.  Now not only do they get their quarter but if they don't stay in their bed they give us a quarter.  Still no movement on the bed situation.  Oh well, at least he does not seem to be very materialistic:)


Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.
Benjamin Franklin

They say money doesn't make you happy but I have never seen a sad person on a jet ski.
Roger Pennington

Al

Do I own it or does it own a piece of me?

The CFO and I are by no means liberal green tree huggers trying to save the world flying around in our private jet like the "other" Al.  But we do like the idea of getting by with less.  I stress that I like the "idea" but not the reality.  See, I have a real talent for creating wants then turning those wants into needs.  I am also trying to not pass this on to my kids.  My parents say that they have no idea how I got this trait but I have it.... champagne tastes with a beer wallet:)

For me it is usually technology.  We got a new HD camcorder for Christmas that shoots AWESOME video with great sound.  But it writes directly to SD cards.  So then I need to move those videos to another media to store it.  So I figure I will burn them to DVDs and save a copy on an external hard drive.  But guess what?  I need to buy an external hard drive and DVDs.  Then I need to burn the DVDs.  That is after I make them into movies with a movie editor.  So now I am out time and money.

With the Triplets it is their toys.  Let's ignore the fact that they have a knack for breaking the heartiest of toys.  Their most recent victim was their train table.  I think I have a solution but I need to wait till they are in school or down for a nap to try it out as it involves power tools:)  If they don't break the toy then they will break something else with that toy... the wall, another toy or each other.  The cost of toys is the batteries and accessories.  Wow!  That is a cool car... oh, it needs batteries.  What?  It has a garage you "need?"  Oh, and people, no wait, a family that can ride in it.  Oh yes, we definitely need the house for that family.  Wait a minute... they have a vacation home too?

See what I mean.... I feel like I am stuck in the Monty Python skit... Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam.  Or in my case.. stuff, stuff, stuff.  Just to drive the point home our Preacher is doing a series on stewardship.  GREAT!  Now I not only feel bad about all the stuff "I" need (want) but now I want to give more.

A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.
George Carlin

I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose. 
George Carlin

Al

You want what with your lunch?

This morning while I was getting the Triplets' I got what I feel is a bit of an unusual request from William.  "Can I have a pickle in my lunch box?"  I know he loves pickles but it just seemed a bit strange to come out of the blue.  So after cutting two dill pickles for his lunch he asked for one with breakfast.  Oh well, it beats him asking for candy:)

We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex--but Congress can.
Cullen Hightower

Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?  
Author Unknown

Al

Oh, that makes it easier to have a work-life balance

I got a call Friday afternoon from my boss I contracting with.... they are cutting loose their contractors.  Well that makes it easier to get my stuff done around the house:)  Oh well... that give me more time to blog, play Black Ops and maybe even start one of the books I talk about writing.

I have a few books that have been thinking about writing a job search book from my experience being a recruiter, a book about being a stay at home dad and finally a book about being a parent of Triplets.  Maybe I will combine the last two.

Now I gotta get back to full time job:)

Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia.
Charles M. Schulz (1922 - 2000)

Al

Back to the grind

Well, it is not really a "grind."  The Triplets started back in school today after their Winter break.  I am working part time again but I am trying to stay at around 20 hours a week so I can have a little more balance than my last contract position where I was trying to squeeze out 30+ hours each week.  That being said I will be doing this till or through March if everything works out.

As with all things, some things with the Triplets have gotten MUCH easier while others are getting MUCH harder.  Easier is all the maintenance stuff; feeding, bathing, dressing, etc....  But what is getting more taxing is the deluge of information.  I am bombarded with information requests (why? why not? can I?) and information updates (DADDY!  so and so just did such and such, we just broke such and such, etc...).  It can be a bit overwhelming when you have all three going at once.  Sometimes I feel like I trading commodities and futures in the pit.  Heck, I even use hand signals!  No, not telling them they are #1:) lol  I use some of the standard signals for close range engagement.  I use the "freeze" and "rally point" ones the most.  I also throw in a little sign language for good job, thank you, please and of course... NO.  This is invaluable in loud situations or when I can see them but don't want to shout.  Looking cool is just an added bonus:)


Anger is the feeling that makes your mouth work faster than your mind.
Evan Esar (1899 - 1995)

Al

A new addition to the family

What do you get the girl who has everything?  

Well, a Ruger 44 magnum Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter of course!  

This is not a joke.  This is the CFO's favorite gun since her college days.  This was a gift from me and her family.  What did the CFO say?....  "I think we'll need a bigger safe."


Computers have enabled people to make more mistakes faster than almost any invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and hand guns.
Mitch Ratcliffe

Al

An Alabama Christmas

We went up to the in-laws the other weekend to do the CFO's family Christmas.  We surprised the CFO's parents with a new computer.  I put it up after they went to bed.  I woke up to William telling the CFO's parents "Mommy and Daddy didn't bring any computer."  We have to keep the Triplets in the dark on anything we want to be a surprise as they LOVE telling secrets. It runs in the family, some members of the family.  Not that they are loose lipped but that they love surprising people.  So much so that they talk about the impending surprise... a lot:)

I am the kind of person that drives that kind of person crazy.  Some people like to build suspense about an impending surprise.  They want you (me) to be curious about what it is.  Ask questions about it.  Ponder the possibilities.  Weigh your options. You know, get all geeked up about it.  I, on the other hand like surprises to be... well... surprises.  So I don't inquire, ponder, ask, or do anything that may encroach on the forthcoming surprise.  As an added bonus it drives the surpriser nuts:)  

But an Alabama Christmas would not be complete without a little gun play!  The in-laws watched the Triplets and their three cousins while the CFO, my brother in law and sister in law went to the "old place" to shoot.  I had my Mossberg 500 Persuader shotgun and my brother in law his new Judge.  A pistol that shoots a .45 AND a .410 shotgun shell... I am all over it!  Yes, the CFO loved it too!

I am no more humble than my talents require.
Oscar Levant (1906 - 1972)

If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government --and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws.
Edward Abbey

Al

Who makes the decisions at a Wedding?

After having been in a few weddings I have learned one eternal truth... When it comes to decisons reguarding a wedding it is up to the Bride. It is her day.  Not the groom's, not her mother's, not her mother in law's, her's.  I know it does not always work that way but the CFO and I see it that way and if we are involved or attending a wedding we do our best to be sure it works that way.  So what if it is snowing, in the 30's, with a gale force wind.  If the Bride wants to get married outside she is getting married outside!

I discussed this fact with my daughter the night before the wedding during her bath time.  She wanted to wear a white dress we had borrowed from a friend.  But the dress was whiter than the Bride's, a no-no.  If you have read this blog in the past then you know that she is a bit strong willed:)  Here is how our discussion went:  Keep in mind this is after extensive negotiating by both me and the CFO.

Daddy: "Don't you want to wear the pretty black dress?"
Addison: "NO! I want to wear the white dress"
Daddy: "Who makes the decisions about a wedding?"

Addison: "I don't know"

Daddy: "The Bride does"

Addison: "Oh"

Daddy: "Who is the bride tomorrow?"

Addison: "Miss Owlison"

Daddy: "So who makes the decisions about what people wear to the wedding?"

Addison: "Miss Owlison... but I want to wear the white dress!"

Daddy: "When you get married do you want to make the decisions or do you want a four year old flower girl to make the decisions?"

Addison: "I want to make the decisions"

Daddy: "So who is going to decide what you wear tomorrow... you or Miss Owlison?"

Addison: "Miss Owlison"

Daddy: "So will you wear the black dress please?"

Addison: "Yes Daddy"

To be fair it was the CFO and I making the call but that is just because Miss Owlison is too nice/smart/afraid to stand in the gap between what my little princess and what she wants.  I do it for sport:)  

She was as pretty as a picture...

She later negotiated wearing the slippers at the reception into the deal:)

If you can't go around it, over it, or through it, you had better negotiate with it.
Ashleigh Brilliant

Marriage: love, honor, and negotiate.
Joe Moore

Al