One Of My Biggest Regrets As A Dad On My Girl's Birthday

One of my baby girls turned 14 today. 

I spent most of the morning with her. She's a soccer player playing competitively here in North Texas. So... I'm up at 5:30 a.m. to drive her 40 minutes to her game.

It's a labor of love. But... I haven't always appreciated these times...or moments in days past that seemed unimportant then, but I'd give anything now to have them back.

I wrote my little girl a letter - several pages long - telling her how daddy was an idiot to take all those moments for granted. Here's a little bit of it:

Happy Birthday to my amazing daughter, Mariana, who is 14 today.

I really wish I could have spent more time with you this last year. It's a shame how we take for granted the little moments we are given throughout the years. Moments we can never get back. 

I'm sorry for the little moments I wasted when you wanted to play video games with me, play outside or just talk. As adults we tell ourselves, there are more pressing matters, bills to deal with, and other so-called pressing daily issues. 

I'm sorry for my mistakes. All I care about now are the moments I lost with you. I promise I won't take any time God gives us in the future for granted. 

Love, your daddy

The Silence When The Kids Aren't Home

I can hear the clock ticking the seconds away. The clock, which normally hangs on a wall in my living room is on the floor, leaning against the wall.

It's so loud...or my apartment is just that quiet. What disturbs the tick, tocking? There's the sound of traffic along the nearby highway. Funny how there are no kids around making annoying pterodactyl noises because that's just the noise they want to make now. The traffic sounds are clearer. 

There goes a small airplane taking off from the nearby airport. Still the tick, tock of the clock coming from behind the lazy boy. 

Then a motorcycle in the distance revving up. But no annoying pterodactyl noises. And, still...the constant tick, tock.

Maybe, because there's nothing else that comes to mind, I'll check out Netflix. I know that there are dinosaur shows on Netflix. Maybe one with pterodactyls.

After all, that's the sound I want to hear right now more than anything.

Tick, tock. Tick, tock...

Kids Post. Maya: Being 10 Stinks.

Have you ever wanted to be older than you are? I just turned 10 and I thought I would finally be able to do what my brother and sisters get to do. 

Today when my Dad, my brother and I were figuring out how to broadcast a video blog, when we figured it out, we broadcast it live.

I was feeling amazing to finally get to be in a videocast for my dad's blog. After filming the video, I watched it over.

When I looked at the  comment section I saw that someone said "kids too young could be banned." 

I asked my Dad what it meant and he said, "he was saying that I was too young to be on the videocast." 

Just to be sure, my Dad checked the rules. It was true.    

Sigh..... being 10 didn't give me the chance to videocast.    

Kid Post. Pedro:Where I Go, Drama Comes With...Sigh!

As I sit on my dad's recliner chair watching the football game(Alabama vs. Texas A&M...American football), suddenly my phone starts blowing up with texts. 

My first thought was that I was being spammed! However, I was wrong, it was yet again just a sliver of the daily drama a regular middle school kid faces in America...or maybe all over the globe.

From "who's gonna be the seventh grade homecoming prince???" (I've been nominated btw) to "I think somebody likes you..." The possibilities are endless... 

The drama never seems to cease in the seventh grade.. I'll keep you posted if any major events occur.

Our Video Talking About Our Dream Trip Vacations

Well.... our first attempt at streaming was a learning experience - to say the least.

First of all, I decided to use friendlife.com to experiment with this whole WebCam thing. It was cool. I had several viewers fairly quickly.

But...

I didn't read the terms carefully enough. No kids under 13. So... if I continue to use the friendlife platform, my youngest girl can't participate. Lesson learned. 

Our video was also displaying weird. We're sideways. So... have to fix that for next time. Either way... if you want to check it out.... Here's my stream link. It's an app for your phone or tablet. You can also check it out on your computer.

My Reaction to Seventeen's 17 Gifts For Dad

I just scrolled through seventeen.com's "17 Gifts for Dad 2017." Well... I only liked two of the suggested gifts. So... maybe I'm a harder dad to shop for. 

The outdoor survival kit and the knife were the only two I'd want to receive as a gift. But it does get me thinking. The holiday shopping season is upon us. What would be on my list? Dads out there...What would be on your list? Do you like seventeen.com's list more than I do?

Check it out here. Let me know.

Our First WebCam Experience

So... it took us awhile to set it up, but the kids and I finally had our first WebCam stream. We just talked about all the trips we wanted to go on - mostly in the United States.

But we looked at some international destinations, too. Like in Asia and Australia.

Still some tweaking to do before we are ready to post our video project here. But... soon!

Now for Round 2.

Making Videos And Taking Photos With The Kids

It's a beautiful Saturday here in Texas. Perfect day to have fun with the kids outside.

But before we do that, we're working on a couple of video and photo projects. More on this later, including a link to the projects.

Adding To My Bucket List: History Channel, American Pickers and Danielle

So last night I started my bucket list. 

Bucket List
1. Visit Rome
2. Visit Greece

Now, it's time to add to it. 

I'm watching the History Channel. Currently on: American Pickers. Now my #3 item on my Bucket List:

3. Going on a pick with Frank and Mike.

Oh... I have #4: A day at the shop with Danielle. Gotta ask her about those tats. 

Starting My Bucket List

It's a peaceful Sunday. Came home after church and took a nap. I left the TV on, and woke up to "My Life In Ruins."

Never heard of the movie, but the wonderful setting is Greece. The scenery is amazing. 

I've never made a bucket list, but talking to my son about traveling has me thinking that I should start a running list. So I have two to start with:

Bucket List
1. Visit Rome
2. Visit Greece

I'll keep adding as more comes to mind.

Kid Post: I Have Football Cleats...Now I Have To Play!!

I just got my football cleats today! (American football. I play soccer, too, though).

They are Nike Vapor Sharks and they are really cool! I play for my school, and I'm really excited to start!

I get my own personal large locker in the locker room that I store all my equipment in. I play wide receiver, so I have to run the routes that the quarterback calls. Then I have to catch the football and try to get as many yards as possible. 

The only downside to my new cleats is that whenever a kid gets something new his parents will use it as leverage for obedience! So I'll have to be on my best behavior. DADDY NOTE: (Yes he will! OK. Back to my son.) 

Wish my cleats and I good luck! Something tells me we're gonna need it!

If you guys want to hear more about my very first football experience (Hope I don't get killed out there!) leave a comment so I can keep blogging about it!

Kid Post: An Onion Almost Killed Me!!!

The following is a special post by my 12-year-old son. Geez... He's so melodramatic.

I grew up being told that your fruits and veggies are good for you in such phrases as, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!" 

But that was not the case today! I was watching "Batman vs. Superman" enjoying salmon steak with a delicious Asian sauce and various stir fry vegetables when my awesome movie night came to a screeching halt! 

I was assaulted by a green onion!

 I had tried to eat the leafy part of the onion when it became stuck in my throat! I was trying to breathe but I couldn't, I frantically started to pull the greens out of my mouth! I was running out of air! Then I coughed and it dislodged itself out of my throat. 

Despite my veggie mishap, I finished my salmon because we shouldn't let an evil onion ruin an awesome dinner! 

I think perhaps the new phrase should be, "A green onion a day keeps you five minutes away from the hospital at all times!"

Kid Post: Dad Wants To Travel!

The following is a special post by my 12-year-old son. 

How many twelve year olds can say that they've traveled the world? I'd say not many. When my dad brought up the topic of traveling I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested. 

My Son Likes Daddyblogging

I haven't been anywhere really, New York, Washington D.C. Virginia, West Virginia, just a few states on the East Coast. While moving to Texas (where I currently live) I passed through various states including, Tennessee and Arkansas. 

Having never left the U.S.A. I was surprised when I got a certain text from my dad. I was sitting on my couch watching Criminal Minds when my phone started vibrating. I dug my phone out of my pocket and checked the text 

It read, "How'd u like to go to Rome?" 

My first reaction was to make sure it was my dad who had texted me! Then I was dumb-founded, I had never been to California much less a historic place featuring the remains of an ancient civilization!

Now I'm staying over at my dad's place talking about all the places we could travel to, and I realized, the world is big and interesting! 

From Crete to Australia and Rio to China there are a lot of choices! 

What we've decided is to take a few smaller trips like Florida and Oregon. We'll work up to Rome and see how everything works out. I'll keep you posted!

Cooking With The Kids

It's a Saturday night. I'm hanging with my 12-year-old son watching American Pickers on the History Channel, talking about where we want to go on vacation next Spring and cooling down from throwing the old pigskin around for the last 30 minutes.

Now... it's time to cook. It's an activity that I encourage. It builds great memories and the results (usually) are delicious. 

So... as soon as I finish my brew, a Tumwater Pale Ale, it's time to hit the kitchen. My son is drinking milk, by the way.