Stay at Home Triplet Dad

The kids LOVE camping.  Granted the last bout with poison ivy may temper the exuberance about the next trip but we still love it.

This year the Triplets and their BFFs did quite a bit of exploring around the campsite.  They spent most of their time by a creek catching crayfish and small fish.  Too bad it is almost too hot to go camping another weekend.  I guess we will wait for Fall.

I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.
Augusten Burroughs, Magical Thinking

The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise the wealth that it prevents you from achieving.
Russell Green

Al

We headed back to the beach after taking last year off.  Right now the Triplets like the pool  better than the beach.  They like the beach but the pool was a bit warmer, safer, and less sandy:)

We had great weather.  It rained one morning but that was it and in the low 80s.

Conceit is God’s gift to little men.
Bruce Barton

Al

I do not like to consider us “preppers” but I would rather have it and not need than need it and not have it.  I recently learned about the Sawyer water filters.  One Million gallons!  They are also lightweight for hiking.  The issue with water has always been weight.  No mas!  Now we can make any virtually water safe to drink.

I am also very impressed with their Sawyer Saves program.  Some people at our Church are involved in getting people clean drinking water.  It is crazy to think that just $30 can get a family clean drinking water for a lifetime.  That is less than we spend if we eat out for just one meal!

All television is children’s television.
Richard P. Adler

I’m a wonderful disaster. So are you. We’re all a mess. We’re in this culture that says take this pill and you’ll be happy, go on this diet and you’ll be thinner, have your teeth whitened, people will love you more.
Emilio Estevez

Al

I am torn once again.  I just read the Yahoo story about BOA forgiving an average of $150k of the principle on up to 200,000 loans.  On the one hand, I know people that have taken it in the shorts during this housing deal.  One buddy lost about $200k on a house.  Other people are laid off with little to no work available.  On the other hand it seems to be rewarding people for buying too much and being late on payments.

I would suggest forgiving the money with some conditions.  I would set it up as a 30yr fixed rate balloon loan with the amount to be forgiven as the balloon payment at the end.  When they pay to the end of loan the balloon is forgiven.  Also, if they sell between now and then they loose any profits up to the amount to be forgiven.

My main issue is what happens to the people that get $150k or more wiped away then turn a profit on the house in a few years?  That does not seem just.  If the goal is to get the loans paid and keep people in the houses then the above proposal would work.  Of course I am sure there are some accounting rules that prevent this common sense solution:)

Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
Jesus

Al

This falls squarely on rule #1; no good deed goes unpunished.  We took the kids camping with Nuke Doc and his family.  That was good deed #1.  We also let the kids play in the woods, mud, etc… that was #2.  Bruiser’s result:

It really looked like just mosquito bites until Saturday night.  As soon as I relized it was poison ivy I used Zanfel on him.  That helped with the itching but it exploded Sunday into what you see in the pictures.  The CFO took him to the Dr. first thing Sunday morning on got him on steroids.  He is MUCH better now.

The one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same emphasis as if there were.
David Brinkley

The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear.
Herbert Agar

Al

The CFO was helping out around the house yesterday when she noticed something.  She was folding laundry when she realized that I go through A LOT of socks!  When I say A LOT I mean:

For instance, yesterday I did some yard work so I went through a few more than usual.  Six pair to be exact.  Here is the breakdown:

1. Pair one: when I got up for the day
2. Pair two: when I took the Triplets to “school”
3. Pair three: when my Dad and I left for lunch
4. Pair four: after cleaning up from cutting the grass, heading out to pick up the Triplets
5. Pair five: after cleaning up from yard work
6. Pair six: heading out to return some clothes and go shopping

They are all the same type of sock.  No show, white athletic socks.  Yes, I have other socks but I wear these the most.  Why so many?

• I clean up spots on the floor with my socks (while wearing them)  This is a huge time saver!
• I like to wear clean socks when putting on my shoes.  No sense getting the dirt from the floor in my shoes.

Since I do the laundry 95% of the time I do not really see the issue with it.  Is it a little quirky?  Sure, but I am a Stay at Home Dad and I wear shorts 360 days a year so I think I am a little more than quirky already:)

It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917 – )

Normal is boring
Al

Yes, I am one of those annoying people that takes their kids EVERYWHERE!  I actually enjoy the challenge.  No, really, I do.  I even like grocery shopping with them.  Keep in mind it is not always “fun” but I still like doing it.  Think of it as practice:)

I like to let them decide what we eat.  From the choices I give them of course.  The other day they chose corn on the cob and they all ate it!

‘So you think *I’m* the murderer? What do I have to do to convince you that I’m not, be the next victim?’
‘Well, that would be a start.’
Peter Stone, Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in “Charade”, 1963

A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.
Aesop

Al

I say this quite often, “some days it is tough being my kid.”  This was very true the other day. I am getting tired of the Triplet listening to my instructions then promptly ignoring them.  Granted they usually listen now and that is a feat in and of itself but I want more:)

They asked if they could take some toys outside.  I said they could take them to the porch, they took them out on the deck.  After a while I asked them to clean up the toys.  They put them in their socks and walked around with them.  I did tell them that was very funny but I did need them to clean them up.  They put more in their socks.

The result?  That basket was full of candy:)

Yep, their whole basket of candy went in the trash.  I have been waiting to do that for a long time:)

• Bruiser – “You’re the meanest Daddy ever.”
• Me – “I hope I am the meanest you will ever have.”

No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up.
Lily Tomlin

Education is a method whereby one acquires a higher grade of prejudices.
Laurence J. Peter (1919 – 1988)

Al

No, I am not referring to my rule that “you get in more trouble for lying about what you did than for what you actually did, just ask Bill Clinton.”  I am talking about my colonoscopy:)  lol!

I had a “good” one on Tuesday, well as good as one could be:)  The last one I had was VERY easy.  This one was NOT.  The preparation left me feeling like I had the stomach flu.    By itself that is tough enough but add Triplet five year olds and it is much more challenging.  After the procedure last time I was ready to rock and roll.  No after effects from the anesthesia.  This time, not so much.  The CFO said I asked the same questions about 15 times and was challenged by the one step up getting on our front porch.  She decided to work from home that day as I was in no condition to look after anyone, including myself.

There was an easier method to prepare but the Doctor told me they are no longer using that method because their patients (idiots) were not following directions and thus hurting their kidneys.  Once again, THANK YOU to the idiots that ruin it for the rest of us!  But alas, that is life.  That is why coffee cups warn us that coffee is hot, ladders warn us that we may fall, and cigarettes warn us that they are dangerous to our health.  Oh, how we long for the day that walked through life ignorant of all these risks:)

All this to say that it is WAY better to have a colonoscopy than be ignorant about your health.  It is not really all that bad when you consider that one challenging day is only about .00006% of my life.  I am using fuzzy math as I am still working on my first cup of coffee:)  That is a small price to pay for peace of mind and possibly extending my life for early detection of problems.

Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.
Doug Larson

It is only when the rich are sick that they fully feel the impotence of wealth.
Benjamin Franklin

Al

If you ask my Dad how things are going you will likely get “choppy, hoey, diggy” as a response.  Although I have delved into the origin of the phrase or it’s exact meaning I have always interpreted it to mean he is working and getting it done.  That is what the last few weeks have been like around here.

It started last week.  Me and a buddy put together a “Men’s Retreat” at Church last Friday and Saturday.  Sunday we hosted our small group at the house.  Yesterday I helped our BFFs by picking up their three kids from school.  Today we have pictures.  Anyone who has planned a session with a professional photographer understands the issues with that.  AKA I was shopping at 10pm last night trying to find something that went with the clothes the CFO and the Triplets will be wearing.  The Triplet’s three cousins are coming in town tonight and their other Aunt and Uncle will be staying with us Saturday night.

To top it all off I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Tuesday!  Just a routine check but if you know anything about the preparation, Monday evening/night is not going to be a lot of fun:)

But enough about me:)  During all this chaos Ms. Kelly has been here to help out and be sure the Triplets are adequately spoiled.  We went to “the rat” Tuesday so they could get their kiddie-casino fix.

Oh yeah… did I mention we had the three rooms painted last week Monday – Thursday and I am having three windows replaced today?  Gotta run!

Here they are after having some of their treats from Ms. Kelly.

There is nothing so annoying as to have two people talking when you’re busy interrupting.
Mark Twain

Always gotta keep busy or the voices start telling me to do wild things.
Steve Brown

Al