It has been some time since my last update, but it has been a great time. We went on vacation a couple of weeks ago to Seagrove Florida. Seagrove is along the famous 30-A on the other side of Seaside from Destin. We love the area, and I have to say that it was the best weather ever for vacation. The humidity was low the water was perfect, more calm and clear than I have seen in the 12 years we have been going. We had a wonderful time and celebrated Kim's birthday while we were there.
The end of the summer is here. Orientation starts next week and I have become somewhat reflective of my time with the girls this summer. I am not sure that I have ever felt so under qualified and over matched as I have been this summer. Not that it has not been a blast, but I had hoped to really savor each moment, but spent most of the day just trying to survive and keep them from hurting themselves or each other. I had grand visions of reading time, craft time, library trips, and just overall smooth days, what I got was a messy house and a lot of trips to the pool. But each week there was at least one moment, a golden nugget of time that both girls were at peace and I was able to be in the moment, and we just had fun, either wrestling or just having them share my lap while we watched Barbie and whatever her latest adventure was, or another episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Overall I wouldn't trade it for the anything.
School starts a week from today. I am as ready as I can be. Everyone says that law school is a lot of work and pressure and I am sure it is, but I think I am putting more pressure on myself than anything else. Since I am starting so much later in life than most I feel I have a lot of ground to make up. I don't want to just go to law school, I want to do REALLY well at law school. I am not sure that I would work for a big firm, but I want to do well enough to have lots of choices when I graduate, and I know this first semester goes along way in sitting the pace. I will try to keep the blog somewhat updated during school, but no promises.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Under a Month
Orientation for law school starts Aug 12. I am not quite at peace about it, but I am feeling pretty good. I am trying to really enjoy the calm before the storm. It is hard to believe my time as a stay-at-home dad is almost over. I sat out on the deck with Kiley a couple of nights ago listening to the crickets while Kim tucked Robyn in. We talked about how much fun we have had this summer and I was trying to prepare her a little for when school starts for both of us, and how things would change a little bit. I was working on getting her excited about her school starting and I think she is more excited about just being around other kids her age, and not her little sister all the time. I think my biggest fear about law school, especially after this summer and knowing my tendency to be an extremist at whatever I do, is that I will balance life and not let these next three years of their lives slip away and not even realize it.
On a related note, our annual trip to Florida is next week. We leave Monday for a week in Seagrove, which is just outside Destin on 30-A. We usually go with Kim's family, but his year they are not going with us, just us and the sitter we are taking along so we can go out a couple of nights. We had considered not going this year but we decided it might be our last real vacation for the next few years. As matter of fact I was talking to my neighbor, who is a partner at the Rose Firm here in little Rock about it a couple of weeks ago. I was kind of probing him for information, they had just gotten back from vacation and I was telling him I was excited about our upcoming vacation, but that I was afraid it would be our last one for the next three years, with school and clerkships and all. I was really expecting him to say something like, don't worry you will find time to get away, or I am sure you can work in a vacation, but his response was not near as positive as I had hoped. He said, "Don't worry, if Kim is anything like my wife, they won't have any problem going on vacation without you." I am really going to soak up my vacation next week.
On a related note, our annual trip to Florida is next week. We leave Monday for a week in Seagrove, which is just outside Destin on 30-A. We usually go with Kim's family, but his year they are not going with us, just us and the sitter we are taking along so we can go out a couple of nights. We had considered not going this year but we decided it might be our last real vacation for the next few years. As matter of fact I was talking to my neighbor, who is a partner at the Rose Firm here in little Rock about it a couple of weeks ago. I was kind of probing him for information, they had just gotten back from vacation and I was telling him I was excited about our upcoming vacation, but that I was afraid it would be our last one for the next three years, with school and clerkships and all. I was really expecting him to say something like, don't worry you will find time to get away, or I am sure you can work in a vacation, but his response was not near as positive as I had hoped. He said, "Don't worry, if Kim is anything like my wife, they won't have any problem going on vacation without you." I am really going to soak up my vacation next week.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
HOT HOT HOT
Well summer is here and the kids and I have been going to the pool just about everyday. I have to say it is a little weird being the only guy at the pool with a bunch of kids and women. Robyn has no problem making friends (or stealing toys) depending on how you want to spin it. I have had the opportunity to see Robyn and Kiley both lose all fear of the water. Kiley has no reservations about jumping off the diving board, going down the BIG slide, and today I taught her to do an underwater flip. She is really doing well. Robyn is still using the inflatable arm things, but she is doing great too. She jumps in and kicks to where ever she wants to go and slides down the the small slide in the big pool with no problems. I have found that the pool is a great way to get the kids tired during the day and I get to work on my tan.
Today was FREE MOVIE day at the Rave theater, they were showing Surf's Up. I remember my mom taking my sister and I to the free movie days back in Jonesboro when we were kids. Back then you had to take in bottle tops from Coke products and they showed old Elvis movies or things like Escape from Witch Mountain or the Apple Dumpling Gang. I don't remember there being a lot of kids there back in the day. I am not sure if the fact we are in Little Rock is what makes the difference or if the times have changed, but I think every kid in Little Rock was at that movie today. There were big yellow school buses and there were small 15 passenger vans. and there were a bazillion cars. Kiley and Robyn were well behaved and did great, but I was a little nervous around all those kids, and once again I believe I saw one single other adult male.
School feels like it is going to start very soon. I got the orientation schedule last week and I have to report on August 12. It looks like they teach you how to do law school for the week before it actually starts. We have to go the 12th and 13th and then they give us two days to work on our assignments, and then we go on Sunday the 16th for four hours and then we go another two days and get off another day to work on assignments and then we get one day off and the regular schedule starts. I am getting excited and nervous as it draws closer. I hope Kiley and Robyn have enjoyed all this time I have been able to spend with them, because I have a feeling life is going to change pretty drastically starting August 12.
One last pretty cool thing we have gotten in the habit of doing most afternoons after Kim gets off work is to go down to the River Trail and ride bikes. I get the honor of pulling Kiley and Robyn in a little pull behind. There are a couple of serious hills we go over and I am not in near as good of shape as I have been at times. The cool thing is that the girls can tell when I am struggling up the hill (maybe the sweat is falling down on them) and they start yelling "GO DADDY GO" That has been the coolest part of the summer.
Today was FREE MOVIE day at the Rave theater, they were showing Surf's Up. I remember my mom taking my sister and I to the free movie days back in Jonesboro when we were kids. Back then you had to take in bottle tops from Coke products and they showed old Elvis movies or things like Escape from Witch Mountain or the Apple Dumpling Gang. I don't remember there being a lot of kids there back in the day. I am not sure if the fact we are in Little Rock is what makes the difference or if the times have changed, but I think every kid in Little Rock was at that movie today. There were big yellow school buses and there were small 15 passenger vans. and there were a bazillion cars. Kiley and Robyn were well behaved and did great, but I was a little nervous around all those kids, and once again I believe I saw one single other adult male.
School feels like it is going to start very soon. I got the orientation schedule last week and I have to report on August 12. It looks like they teach you how to do law school for the week before it actually starts. We have to go the 12th and 13th and then they give us two days to work on our assignments, and then we go on Sunday the 16th for four hours and then we go another two days and get off another day to work on assignments and then we get one day off and the regular schedule starts. I am getting excited and nervous as it draws closer. I hope Kiley and Robyn have enjoyed all this time I have been able to spend with them, because I have a feeling life is going to change pretty drastically starting August 12.
One last pretty cool thing we have gotten in the habit of doing most afternoons after Kim gets off work is to go down to the River Trail and ride bikes. I get the honor of pulling Kiley and Robyn in a little pull behind. There are a couple of serious hills we go over and I am not in near as good of shape as I have been at times. The cool thing is that the girls can tell when I am struggling up the hill (maybe the sweat is falling down on them) and they start yelling "GO DADDY GO" That has been the coolest part of the summer.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Time Flies
It seems like just yesterday I was updating my blog and had great intentions of updating at least weekly, well that was over a month ago! I don't understand how stay at home moms have time to go to the bathroom, much less update blogs. I have managed to keep Kiley and Robyn alive and in pretty good health over the last month. We have had some adventures for sure, but nothing too exciting. I think after a while you begin to take the funny moments and crazy things in stride and don't even realize how funny they are. Like Robyn learning how to use the word "mad" and telling Kim that "Daddy mad at me", and Kim telling Robyn that she is sure I am not, and then Robyn saying "OK, I'm mad at Daddy!" Then Kim asking why? and Robyn in a very deep possessed by demonic forces type voice telling her that "I WANT CEREAL BAR"
I have also been wittiness to Kiley turning into Hannah Montana this summer. Every time I turn around she is singing her desires to me, from what she wants for breakfast, to where she wants to go, sometimes I feel like I am in a bad musical.
Of course we have mad our share of messes in the house from glasses and light bulbs that get dropped, to spills,and stains. It's hared to keep up with them all the time.
I have not worked out near as much as I have wanted to, but last week was good I weighed and had lost about 12 pounds since the last time I had weighed, so at least I think I am eating better. With less than three months to go before law school starts I am beginning to think I may not make my goal of lowest weight ever, but if I could just lose 25 or so I think I would be happy. It goes and comes, but I guess it is something I will always struggle with.
I have also been wittiness to Kiley turning into Hannah Montana this summer. Every time I turn around she is singing her desires to me, from what she wants for breakfast, to where she wants to go, sometimes I feel like I am in a bad musical.
Of course we have mad our share of messes in the house from glasses and light bulbs that get dropped, to spills,and stains. It's hared to keep up with them all the time.
I have not worked out near as much as I have wanted to, but last week was good I weighed and had lost about 12 pounds since the last time I had weighed, so at least I think I am eating better. With less than three months to go before law school starts I am beginning to think I may not make my goal of lowest weight ever, but if I could just lose 25 or so I think I would be happy. It goes and comes, but I guess it is something I will always struggle with.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Long Week
I am not exactly sure what happened this week, all I know it things seemed pretty normal and then BAM a couple of things lead to a couple of bad KIDS, Ok not bad, just highly emotional. And I said long week, but really just last couple of days, and some of it may be my fault. I had a lunch appointment yesterday with one of the leaders at a church we are thinking about attending, so I got one of our friends to watch Kiley and Robyn for a couple of hours while I had lunch. I knew it would be pushing Robyn's nap time but it was gonna be worth it. When I went to pick them up they were both in a great mood and had fun and I got a good report. On the way home Robyn feel asleep, we are talking 10 minutes at most, but sure enough I got her home and she would not take a nap. At this point I need to tell you that I value you nap time at a greater worth then diamonds or gold! I'm serious, it is MY time to read or blog or whatever. Well I stood outside Robyn's room for an hour putting her back in bed every time she got up until she out lasted me. I just decided to let her stay up and go to bed early. (During our play time she decided that piggy back rides are much more fun when she jumps from the couch to my back from 5 feet away when I am not looking, but that is a story for another day)
Kim had gotten a chicken pot pie from Fresh Market, which is usually a winner, and all I had to do was stick it in the over at 4:30 (I set the alarm on my phone) About 4:45 the fire alarm was going off in the house, and this was a first not only does the alarm sound, but we have a little voice saying in a clam tone "There is a fire, please leave the house" So next thing I know Kiley and Robyn are on the front porch yelling back into the house that I need to come out because the fire trucks will be here soon! I told them that it was just an accident and evidently I was supposed to have put the pot pie on a pan so the crud didn't leak down into the burners, IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY GAVE YOU DIRECTIONS ON THE BOX.
So Kim gets home and we sit down to eat and the pot pie taste like crap, Kiley starts by saying she doesn't like it, but she doesn't like most things when she is tired and I eat some of mine and it taste like that put too much of some seasoning that I can't quite pick out , but I am willing to eat it. Kim finally says she is ready to order pizza, but instead she made breakfast for dinner and I mowed the yard and we were ready for the kids to go down early. One problem was that the few bites of the pot pie Robyn and I are did not agree with us. She was up till about midnight crying and trying to poop, and about the time she settled in the cramps in my stomach got me up and I was up for awhile, and stayed close to the toilet (if you know what I mean)
So today, Kiley wakes up over an hour early and Robyn soon followed, they are taking their naps now and am going enjoy the silence....
Kim had gotten a chicken pot pie from Fresh Market, which is usually a winner, and all I had to do was stick it in the over at 4:30 (I set the alarm on my phone) About 4:45 the fire alarm was going off in the house, and this was a first not only does the alarm sound, but we have a little voice saying in a clam tone "There is a fire, please leave the house" So next thing I know Kiley and Robyn are on the front porch yelling back into the house that I need to come out because the fire trucks will be here soon! I told them that it was just an accident and evidently I was supposed to have put the pot pie on a pan so the crud didn't leak down into the burners, IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY GAVE YOU DIRECTIONS ON THE BOX.
So Kim gets home and we sit down to eat and the pot pie taste like crap, Kiley starts by saying she doesn't like it, but she doesn't like most things when she is tired and I eat some of mine and it taste like that put too much of some seasoning that I can't quite pick out , but I am willing to eat it. Kim finally says she is ready to order pizza, but instead she made breakfast for dinner and I mowed the yard and we were ready for the kids to go down early. One problem was that the few bites of the pot pie Robyn and I are did not agree with us. She was up till about midnight crying and trying to poop, and about the time she settled in the cramps in my stomach got me up and I was up for awhile, and stayed close to the toilet (if you know what I mean)
So today, Kiley wakes up over an hour early and Robyn soon followed, they are taking their naps now and am going enjoy the silence....
Friday, April 17, 2009
Another Season of Life
Since my last post I have moved to a new city (Little Rock), decided to go to law school (UALR Bowen School of Law), and started my gig as a stay-at-home dad until school starts in the fall. Life as usual has been hectic and I am not sure I have lost a pound since I last posted, although I am pretty sure I have not gained more than 5 or six in the last 5 months. The blog is going to be taking a little twist, it started as just a log of my physical fitness journey, and I do intend to use it as such, but in the future I will also share what I am doing to prepare for law school over the summer, and how things are going on a daily basis being a stay-at-home dad.
On the fitness side of things I have done a lot of cool stuff as far as marathons and triathlons and such over the last couple of years, but as of this week I was really happy to just run 4 miles at a 12 minute pace. I can get in some weights and some treadmill each week and that is about it, so I don't see anything in my future much longer than a 5 or 10K, at least for the next 3 years or so. Kim and I are on Weight Watchers together, she is trying to lose 8 pounds before I lose 30, I am not sure how that is fair, but I am up for the challenge.
When we moved to Little Rock Kim immediately started her job with the Chamber of Commerce, so I had Kiley and Robyn everyday all day. After the firs day I started looking for a mother's day out program. But I decided to join the gym, they offer childcare while I workout, it was a good trade off. The day we went to sign up I took the girls to Chick-fil-A for breakfast and to play on the playground area while I read the paper and drank coffee. About 5 minutes into the front page Kiley comes out and tells me that Robyn has pooped. I asked her how she knew and she told me she could see it! I knew this was BAD, but didn't know how bad. When I got Robyn out of the play area (I really hope they clean them each day) and got her to the bathroom I realized I had left the wipes out of the bag. I stripped Robyn and threw away some of her clothes there and just got her home to the bath and re-dressed. After that Kiley, Robyn, and I went to join the Little Rock Racquet Club, where we went into a very nice office and filled out paper work. My intention was to get all joined up and then go drop them at the child care area and then go workout. While the lady left the room to get our I.D. cards Kiley, said, "Dad I have a brown spot on my shirt", I asked her if it was chocolate and she lifted it up to her nose and said, "No it's POOP!, I said are you sure she said yes, and I asked how she got poop on her shirt, (which I had not noticed for 3 hours) and she said she "must have gotten too close when she tried to help Robyn) So there I am in the office at the Racquet Club, about to go workout and drop a kid with poop on her shirt off to play with other kids in the childcare area, trying to get my 4 year old to stop yelling, "I have poop on my shirt!" so that no one else will know that I am a horrible dad....We went home, but we did go back, with a new shirt on.
On the fitness side of things I have done a lot of cool stuff as far as marathons and triathlons and such over the last couple of years, but as of this week I was really happy to just run 4 miles at a 12 minute pace. I can get in some weights and some treadmill each week and that is about it, so I don't see anything in my future much longer than a 5 or 10K, at least for the next 3 years or so. Kim and I are on Weight Watchers together, she is trying to lose 8 pounds before I lose 30, I am not sure how that is fair, but I am up for the challenge.
When we moved to Little Rock Kim immediately started her job with the Chamber of Commerce, so I had Kiley and Robyn everyday all day. After the firs day I started looking for a mother's day out program. But I decided to join the gym, they offer childcare while I workout, it was a good trade off. The day we went to sign up I took the girls to Chick-fil-A for breakfast and to play on the playground area while I read the paper and drank coffee. About 5 minutes into the front page Kiley comes out and tells me that Robyn has pooped. I asked her how she knew and she told me she could see it! I knew this was BAD, but didn't know how bad. When I got Robyn out of the play area (I really hope they clean them each day) and got her to the bathroom I realized I had left the wipes out of the bag. I stripped Robyn and threw away some of her clothes there and just got her home to the bath and re-dressed. After that Kiley, Robyn, and I went to join the Little Rock Racquet Club, where we went into a very nice office and filled out paper work. My intention was to get all joined up and then go drop them at the child care area and then go workout. While the lady left the room to get our I.D. cards Kiley, said, "Dad I have a brown spot on my shirt", I asked her if it was chocolate and she lifted it up to her nose and said, "No it's POOP!, I said are you sure she said yes, and I asked how she got poop on her shirt, (which I had not noticed for 3 hours) and she said she "must have gotten too close when she tried to help Robyn) So there I am in the office at the Racquet Club, about to go workout and drop a kid with poop on her shirt off to play with other kids in the childcare area, trying to get my 4 year old to stop yelling, "I have poop on my shirt!" so that no one else will know that I am a horrible dad....We went home, but we did go back, with a new shirt on.
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