I blame YouTube. YouTube is the parenting equivalent of performance enhancing drugs for athletes. It allows us to think that we can do ANYTHING. Because of YouTube, I have fixed my dryer (okay, mostly fixed my dryer – I still needed help), my air conditioner (okay, mostly fixed my air conditioner – I still needed … Read more
Better Parenting through Fiction: Langston Hughes is one of my favorite writers. I could tell you why, but that is another post. Recently, I read Thank You Ma’am with my students and saw it with fresh eyes. If you are unfamiliar with the story, I highly recommend it. It is a short read. Read it. Or listen … Read more
I have partnered with Smile Brilliant Ventures for this post. While I have received product and compensation, my thoughts, words, and smile are my own. Please note that I am not a medical expert. Though I am sharing my experience with this product, you should seek the advice of your own dentist before beginning any … Read more
The ordinary people didn’t make it on my wall. Like so many other kids, my walls were coated with posters and clippings of stars. Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, Mark McGwire, Jennifer Capriatti (one of my first pro crushes), Mark Price, Nolan Ryan, Charles Barkley. The list could go on and on. I wrote phrases on … Read more
I have partnered with Life of Dad and Cheerios for this campaign, but my opinions are my own. So are my bowl and spoon – except for when my kids steal them. Which is all the time. So fine – my opinions ARE my own, but my bowl and spoon are not. Happy kids? Mornings … Read more
I think have discovered a secret. I think I have. I think I know where thoughts come from. Have you ever watched someone have a think or develop one? They usually are touching their chin or their forehead when they do. Now, I realize that some will say this is a nervous habit, a sign … Read more
I have partnered with Life of Dad and Idahoan® Foods for this campaign and have been compensated, but my opinions are my own. And so is my soup. Going out to eat is a privilege, enjoying the taste of a fine meal should not be. But sometimes life does not agree with your mealtime ambitions. … Read more
The ideas of peace, love, hard work, and understanding are core elements of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And on a day that we recognize not only the man, but the impact that he had on us as a country, I think it is important to reflect on some of his words. … Read more
Everyone has their own set of traditions that they follow. Some are to celebrate history. Some are to honor the past. And some are just fun – like ours. Each New Year’s Day, my wife’s family has a tradition that involves charms and pound cake. My mother-in-law painstakingly bakes a pound cake, often times two … Read more
Recently, I had the opportunity to see an advanced screening of Fences. You can read my review of it here, but I thought I would share the personal side of why this story means a lot to me. About 20 some odd years ago, I read Fences for the first time. I was a high schooler – … Read more