NFL Season

Like an average American dad, I am a huge NFL fan, and a huge Packers fan.  With the start of the season tomorrow, I can honestly say that I am more excited for this year than years past for a couple of reasons.  One the Packers look to be a solid team with a chance to go all the way, assuming a few things fall into place.  Secondly, and more importantly, Isaac is interested this year.  Well, as interested as a 4 year old can be in football.  He is excited watch football with daddy, and Amelia is even interested to some degree, though I think she just wants to watch because we are.  Though, to her credit, we were watching some preseason earlier this year and she said unprompted after a good hit, "Nice tackle!"  It was pretty dang cute, and I wish I had that on video.  So the whole gang will be watching the Packer this Sunday, and hopefully we can start what will be a long family tradition of sitting down and watching the Packers play, good or bad.  Once a little older, maybe even a game on game day would be nice.

As a huge football fan, one thing that I have to be careful of is not ignoring the kids, and remembering that they come before the game.  Its sounds almost stupid to say, but for those obsessed with the game you realize the ease at which you can become enthralled in the game and ignore all else.  Definitely not right, but at least I can admit that it is a problem.  One thing I never want to happen is for my kids to think that I care more about a game than I do them, while I love it, still play it and follow it, it will never mean more to me than they do.

On a side note, I know that every parent feels like they have the best kids in the world, and I am no different.  They are such sweet kids, and the innocence that they have always displayed amazes me.  Oh to be like a child, loving life, loving everything, no matter how simple, or how innate we think it to be, they love it.  They get excited about taking a walk and seeing a tree, or flower!  They pass people on the street and exclaim the happiest, "Hi!" to anyone they walk past.  They are so good at giving joy to someone else through a simple hello, yet they aren't trying, they are just being themselves.  Take a young child on a walk, and start to realize how jaded we as adults are, we barely make eye contact with most we pass, let alone say hello or smile.  If we could take half the joy in our daily lives that they take in going for a walk, we would all live in a much better town, state and country.  We are supposed to teach our children how to behave, but in many ways we forget to see that they can also teach us how to behave.

Average Dad

Cheering Section

So we had a volleyball game tonight, which is always a good time.  I took the kids with tonight and grandma was there to watch and make sure that they weren't throwing rocks at a truck and almost getting dad's butt kicked by said drunk guy(true story!).  We are a pretty good team, but we are in the non competitive league, so it isn't like are world beaters, but we do pretty well.  What I think is really cute though is Isaac and Amelia sit there an cheer and yell for myself and Sarah whenever we do anything, good or bad.  It is really cute, but I will admit it is pretty good motivation to do well, because it sounds a little odd when you totally screw up and you hear, "Nice hit dadda!" at the top of their lungs.  Everyone else hears it and can't help but laughing I'm sure, I mean it is rather ironic, and it is almost sarcastic in nature!  I guess that is good for us, and I laugh every time it happens, even though I know they are completely altruistic.  On a side note, we lost a game tonight!  Haven't done that in a while and that sucked!

Amelia got her cast off her arm yesterday!  So glad to see her without it again, though she does look weird without it.  She is adjusting to being able to use her arm again, and it looks pretty good.  Though I was surprised that they don't really attempt to straighten the arm, and tell you it will be bent for about a year and a half.  Seems to this laymen that you would try to straighten the arm from the get go and have it heal straight, but what do I know.  If it doesn't straighten, there will be hell to pay though!

Seems like life is always pulling me in 20 different directions, but I really like reading to the kids and putting them to bed!  If you are a parent you know those are times that you can never get back.  At bed time Amelia has been telling me to leave, after a hug and kiss of course, saying, "Go sleep in mama's bed."  LOL, that is pretty funny, even at her age she knows who rules this kingdom! :)

Bedtime

There is nothing like reading to your children as you are putting them to bed.  Tonight we were reading Little Bunny Foo Foo, and as we are reading, you hear the giggles and laughs, I just wish that it was always going to be that fun and easy.  I can't believe that they have grow as much as they have in the past 3 1/2 years.  I remember ever stage like it was yesterday, the first steps, the mispronounced words, learning to eat with utensils, learning to share and learning not to be mean to other kids/siblings(one they are still learning!).  I wouldn't trade these moments and memories or anything, but I fear losing the memories most of all.  In a busy and hectic life, it is so easy to forget some of the simpler moments, or to just miss them altogether.  I know that I can't be alone in that feeling.

Being a father has been one of the hardest tasks of my life, but it has also been one of the most rewarding parts of my life as well.  There isn't a day that doesn't pass when I look at the cost of being a dad, and think about how glad I am to pay the price!  It is worth it when your kids say "Luv you!" when you are tucking them in for the night and give the sweetest hug and kiss!  Nothing like it in the world!

Now it is time for the misses and I, tonight we are going to actually sit and watch a movie together.  I am not a huge chic flick guy, but I am looking forward to Valentines Day tonight, should be a nice chance to spend some time with the wife.  Good night everyone, well at this point in the blog life stage, good night no one! :)  LOL!

Average Dad

Welcome to My Blog

Hello, and welcome to my mind.  I guess that I should say blog, since that is what it is, but in reality, I am going to be sharing things that come to mind and sharing inner thoughts of an average American dad.  I realize that while I am unique in some regards, I am also like so many others in America.  I work hard, I have a great family, I worry about my wife, my kids and providing a great life for them.  I like sports, I like to watch movies, eat good food and a lot of other good American cliches. 

I don't really have an agenda as do most with writing the thoughts, I am not trying to convince you that I am right and you are wrong.  I just thought it would be interesting to put thoughts out there and possibly connect with someone else that is feeling the same euphoria or discouragement that the average American would feel on any given day.  Nothing more, nothing less.  I make no promises about my thoughts and the topics that will be covered, it could be the local restaurant near my house, politics, or last nights big game.  The variety will hopefully keep it interesting for those that choose to spend there precious time with me.

A little about me, I am 30 year old male living in Wisconsin.  I have a beautiful wife, who has been with me for over 7 years.  She has been my biggest supporter, a needed critic, and a loving mother.  I couldn't ask for a better wife, and I consider myself extremely lucky.  She has given me two gorgeous children ages 3 1/2 and 2.  They are full of energy, curiosity and vigor that we all wish that we could harness in our own lives.  We have recently moved and remodeled a house that has even tried our patience!  I work two different jobs, as does my wife and we typically are putting in about 45-55 hours each per week for our jobs.  Add in the kids and the remodeling projects, and we are pretty busy people!  We can't complain though, life has treated us well, and we have much to be thankful for.

OK, that will do it for now, a general introduction to get to know me.  Who knows how often I will post, but if you are interested in the experiences of someone like you, subscribe to the blog and give it a read.  Take care until the next time, don't forget to tell your loved ones they are in your thoughts.

Average Dad