I don't know what it would take to make these guys move, we tried really hard. But this guy changes his expression less than I do. Maybe we should have stood a little closer?
Perhaps a good knock knock joke next time.
August 29, 2012
Standing Guard
In case you didn't know, my wife and I decided to take the kids to Quebec City. One of the main tourist attractions is The Citadel. Outside the Citadel guards stand watch 24 hours a day. Their main objective it seems is to not move or show any expression while tourists try to make them laugh. It's not as easy as it sounds as people will do anything to try and make them let their guard down.
I don't know what it would take to make these guys move, we tried really hard. But this guy changes his expression less than I do. Maybe we should have stood a little closer?
Perhaps a good knock knock joke next time.
I don't know what it would take to make these guys move, we tried really hard. But this guy changes his expression less than I do. Maybe we should have stood a little closer?
Perhaps a good knock knock joke next time.
August 28, 2012
The Willey Slide
My family is famous. Although not for what they did with their lives. It was how they died.
August 28 marks the 186th anniversary of the day seven members of the Willey family, and two of their hired help, perished in a mudslide that thundered down the mountain towards their tiny cabin. 1826 was by all accounts a dry year, but two days prior to the slide a powerful storm brought torrential rains to the area, raising the nearby Saco River by 24 feet.
The family, lead by the father Samuel Willey, fearing the rising river and the ensuing mudslides fled their home only to be swept up in the mud never to be seen again.
This is where the story gains its legend. Ironically if the family had stayed in its house they would have all survived. Just up the mountain from their home a giant boulder split the slide in two, protecting the house as the mud poured down either side of the home, leaving it completely intact.
The really bizarre thing that I noticed was that when people came to check on the Willey family, they noticed in the house that their Bible was open to Psalm 18, which reads in part:
Now I am no religious scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but having read that passage, which is in the Book of Samuel by the way, I would think they had their sign to stay in the house behind the safety of the boulder. But alas they did not know the power of the mud and all nine of them died.
Today 186 years later the legend lives on deep in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The site of the Willey House remains a destination for more than just the Willey family, although I am not quite sure why people would stop there if you aren't a Willey. The house burned down a long time ago but it is commemorated by a plaque showing exactly where the house stood. While its not the most exciting destination, it is kind of cool to see your family being recognized.
It would be nicer though if they were remembered for the way they lived.
By the way another storm of epic proportions blew through here causing equal devastation exactly 185 years to the day. Hurricane Irene brought flooding and mudslides to the area, but there were no Willeys lost that day thank God.
August 28 marks the 186th anniversary of the day seven members of the Willey family, and two of their hired help, perished in a mudslide that thundered down the mountain towards their tiny cabin. 1826 was by all accounts a dry year, but two days prior to the slide a powerful storm brought torrential rains to the area, raising the nearby Saco River by 24 feet.The family, lead by the father Samuel Willey, fearing the rising river and the ensuing mudslides fled their home only to be swept up in the mud never to be seen again.
This is where the story gains its legend. Ironically if the family had stayed in its house they would have all survived. Just up the mountain from their home a giant boulder split the slide in two, protecting the house as the mud poured down either side of the home, leaving it completely intact.
The really bizarre thing that I noticed was that when people came to check on the Willey family, they noticed in the house that their Bible was open to Psalm 18, which reads in part:
"I will love you, LORD. In you I am strong. The LORD is my rock and my fortress. He gives me help. God is my rock. I run and hide in his shadow. He is my shield. He is the one that saves me."
Now I am no religious scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but having read that passage, which is in the Book of Samuel by the way, I would think they had their sign to stay in the house behind the safety of the boulder. But alas they did not know the power of the mud and all nine of them died.
Today 186 years later the legend lives on deep in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The site of the Willey House remains a destination for more than just the Willey family, although I am not quite sure why people would stop there if you aren't a Willey. The house burned down a long time ago but it is commemorated by a plaque showing exactly where the house stood. While its not the most exciting destination, it is kind of cool to see your family being recognized.It would be nicer though if they were remembered for the way they lived.
By the way another storm of epic proportions blew through here causing equal devastation exactly 185 years to the day. Hurricane Irene brought flooding and mudslides to the area, but there were no Willeys lost that day thank God.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 24, 2012
My Penis Tickles
One of the great joys as a parent is seeing and hearing your kids reactions to things. You never quite know what the reaction will be when you do something new. There are times that my kids have absolutely hated certain things and others where they have loved it so much that they want to do it over and over again. Such is the case with the Buccaneer. If you are not familiar with this ride, it's a pirate ship that rocks back and forth giving you the sense that you are floating. It goes by many names all across the country. My boys absolutely love this ride, and I am happy to take them on it, because let's face it who wants to go on the spinning rides? I love this ride just for their reaction alone.
I mean seriously, who doesn't love that feeling?
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 22, 2012
When Did the Magic Stop?
Remember when we could convince our kids that everything was magic?
Whether it was the automatic hand dryers or the sliding doors that open by themselves, I remember when my kids were mesmerized by these sort of things. Not that they would sit there for hours, but watching an automatic revolving door spin was certainly something that was cool to watch, at least for them anyway. It seems as though the only time I could get them to wash their hands was by one of those magical sinks. Everything was magical.
But somewhere along the way the magic stopped.
Washing their hands is no longer the same knowing that there isn't a Devine power turning the water on and off. And going through a door? Well, when you can see that there is a censor opening it, it kind of takes away enjoyment. Now it's just a door instead of a magical portal to another dimension (although you could argue the door to Walmart is a portal to a strange and different world).
We have managed so far to hold onto some of the magical things in life like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, but don't get me started on the last two; I wish they didn't exist. I know it's only a matter of time before they disappear along with the excitement of one of those jet powered hand dryers. Who knows how much longer we have? With Tyler being eight and knowing how kids at school talk there is bound to be a little bit of skepticism starting to creep into his head. I don't know what a life without Santa Claus would be like.
I know things like that are inevitable. It's just a matter of holding onto them as long as we can. I don't want the magic to stop. Seeing the doors close on my children's innocence is a hard thing to deal with sometimes.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 17, 2012
AM or PM?
My little guy is finally entering Kindergarten, but as of now I am not excited about it in the least.
While many schools across this country have already started their year, here in my little neck of the woods we don't start until AFTER Labor Day. That I don't have a problem with at all. What I do have a problem with is that it is now August 17th and I have no idea if my son is going to be in morning or afternoon Kindergarten. Less than three weeks away and I can't make a plan as to what I am going to do with him the in the other half of the day that he is not in school.
What takes so long?
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| Hard to believe he is going to kindergarten |
I remember back in April I had to fill out about 317 pages of redundant nonsense in order for me to register him for school. Surely sometime in the past four months they could have come to some sort of conclusion as to which kids would be slotted into which time. There are a total of 36 kids that will be starting Kindergarten in a few weeks, 18 in the morning and 18 in the afternoon, we just don't know which kids are going when.
How are parents supposed to plan their lives this way?
When my oldest son was in Kindergarten I was still working, so we made the choice too keep him in a private school. It was a full day so there really was no need to plan for anything else. My wife would drop him off at 9:00 and I would pick him up at 3:00. But I am not working anymore so we made the choice to put my youngest in public school, where the day either starts at 8:30 or 12:30. For me I would rather my son be in morning Kindergarten, but since I AM a stay at home parent I will just make due with what we are given.
While it is a major inconvenience to not know when my son is going to be in school, at least we have the ability to have a parent home the other half of the day. I don't know how families with two working parents are supposed to manage. How do you plan for alternate child care if you have no idea when you are going to need it for? Why does this decision take FOUR MONTHS?
The school knew back in APRIL who was going to start in the fall. A-P-R-I-L!!! It's not like all of these kids are coming from parts of town that they don't already send a bus to. How hard can it be to split up 36 kids? We should have been told at the end of the last school year at the very latest where our kids were going to be slotted.
Why has it come to this anyway?
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| That was me in Kindergarten |
Why do we still have half day kindergarten? I know for a lot of kids going to half day Kindergarten will be less school than they already have been going to. My sons PRESCHOOL was a full day. He was in daycare for a full day before that. And now when he enters the public school system he only goes for a half day? That makes no sense to me whatsoever.
Maybe it made sense 30 some odd years ago when I was in school, but in this day and age when it seems every kid has gone to some sort of preschool program, the idea of half day Kindergarten just seems so archaic. I know the whole story about how schools are being forced to cut programs and teachers. I get it. I'm not completely opposed to doing that, my property taxes are through the roof. Certainly somewhere the money can be found to make Kindergarten a priority, because right now, with a school day that is only 2:45 long that doesn't seem to be the case.
I don't know when we will find out what time of day he is going to school, maybe I will get excited for him then. But in the meantime I just find myself more annoyed than anything.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 14, 2012
Dog Poop... Starring Legos
You find a lot of things in your yard when you mow the lawn. Old small little toys that the kids have lost, some money, last year I even found a snake which was very upsetting. I do not like snakes at all. But I can understand a snake, our house backs up to the woods so of course any wildlife will occasionally sneak in. There is one thing that I don't like to find and that is poop. I understand that dogs have to go to the bathroom just like you and me, but as a family that doesn't have a pet, poop is the last thing that I would expect. You have a dog, make it poop in your yard, NOT MINE!
I don't think that is too much to ask.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 10, 2012
If I Could Turn Back Time
I am a huge fan of Cher.
Not really but this title totally makes sense. I was asked by Jamie at Chosen Chaos to share a letter to my for 18 year old self. A letter offering myself some advice and a look into my own future. It's funny when you write things like this because you have no idea what made a difference in your life until you really sit down and do it. This originally appeared on her blog and she asked all of us that participated, to link up and share it with our own audience. If you want to read everyone else's, feel free to click on the link that follows my letter. Without further ado, I bring you my letter to myself.
Hey Buddy,
You don't know me, at least not yet anyway, but I certainly know you. I was you 20 years ago. Damn I don't like the sound of that, it makes me feel old. Anyway, you are so naive. Look at you, your 18 years old now and you haven't even been on an airplane. There is so much for you to find out about this world and in only five short years, you most certainly will.
You think you are all cool being on all of these Intramural Championship teams at college, but you have to stop. Nobody cares about your T shirts and they most certainly won't after you graduate from college. My first bit of advice is to ditch them right after you graduate and go and buy yourself some new clothes. Those shoes you are wearing, you will soon find out they most certainly DON'T impress the ladies. I know know Pumas go in and out of style but not with giant holes in them. There will be this girl in a couple of years that you will try to impress, and you can't get it done with those shoes. Oh while we are at it, DON'T go to Payless, it doesn't work that way. I tried.
Listen, if I was able to relive the time that you are in now, I wouldn't take it for granted. College is the best four years of your life and you will NEVER experience anything like that again. LIVE IT UP!!! Don't get me wrong we had fun, but it goes fast, savor it!
So I mentioned a girl. There is actually one that is going to start stalking you this year. Be afraid, she doesn't give up.
But I am not talking about that one, it's the one that is going to notice your footwear. You will cross her path the day before Easter 1996. THAT day is the day where you will finally start to live. No longer will your only thoughts be about sports, sportscenter, and anything sports related. It won't matter that you have no game with the ladies, something natural is going to happen. A relationship is going to blossom and you are going to have no idea what is going on. I'll let you in on a little secret, it's love. You are going to be friends for a couple of months, although your every waking minute is going to be spent with her, and then on her birthday your relationship will change. It's going to get deeper, more meaningful and magical. That sounds like a stupid term but I really have no other way to describe it.
Little Johnny, you will have found the girl you are going to marry.
I know it's only four short years away, but that is the amazing thing in life, anything can happen, JUST LIKE THAT. Oh you'll have your ups and downs with this girl like anything in life, but you will weather the storm and end up with two awesome kids.
Hard to believe huh? Here you are sitting in your dorm room trying to figure out how to use your Mac Classic and I am telling you from my iMac (it's like your computer on steroids) that you are going to be a dad. Some would consider you the worlds greatest dad, well at least two little kids will. By the way, Apple will go out of favor but trust me, you won't believe what they have cooked up for the future. Lets just say you can ditch that old Sega you and the boys spend countless hours playing hockey on.
A bit of advice with the kids thing though, don't go out and buy the Legos right away. Wait until your oldest is at least five. Trust me, I have a house full of them right now and I could kick myself for it. But I tell though, they make for great blog fodder.
What's a blog?
It's this thing on the internet, you know that thing with the dot com at the end of it? Well everyone writes there own little articles everyday telling the world how great they are and what a perfect parent they are. They are quite amazing. I have learned the most from people that don't seem to know what they are doing. Speaking of the internet, buy some stocks and then sell them before 2000. Trust me, you won't have to work a day in your life.
As for that airplane ride, your senior year you are going to Jamiaca. Congrats! Just a bit of warning though, you will smoke something that will make you think you are dead and then come back to life. You are not Jesus and you never will be. Don't start up with that nonsense. People will think you are nuts. Don't you even dare think that you will walk on water. It was pot, thats all, nothing else.
Don't be an idiot.
All the best,
The Ghost of Johnny Future.
Not really but this title totally makes sense. I was asked by Jamie at Chosen Chaos to share a letter to my for 18 year old self. A letter offering myself some advice and a look into my own future. It's funny when you write things like this because you have no idea what made a difference in your life until you really sit down and do it. This originally appeared on her blog and she asked all of us that participated, to link up and share it with our own audience. If you want to read everyone else's, feel free to click on the link that follows my letter. Without further ado, I bring you my letter to myself.
Hey Buddy,
You don't know me, at least not yet anyway, but I certainly know you. I was you 20 years ago. Damn I don't like the sound of that, it makes me feel old. Anyway, you are so naive. Look at you, your 18 years old now and you haven't even been on an airplane. There is so much for you to find out about this world and in only five short years, you most certainly will.
You think you are all cool being on all of these Intramural Championship teams at college, but you have to stop. Nobody cares about your T shirts and they most certainly won't after you graduate from college. My first bit of advice is to ditch them right after you graduate and go and buy yourself some new clothes. Those shoes you are wearing, you will soon find out they most certainly DON'T impress the ladies. I know know Pumas go in and out of style but not with giant holes in them. There will be this girl in a couple of years that you will try to impress, and you can't get it done with those shoes. Oh while we are at it, DON'T go to Payless, it doesn't work that way. I tried.
Listen, if I was able to relive the time that you are in now, I wouldn't take it for granted. College is the best four years of your life and you will NEVER experience anything like that again. LIVE IT UP!!! Don't get me wrong we had fun, but it goes fast, savor it!
So I mentioned a girl. There is actually one that is going to start stalking you this year. Be afraid, she doesn't give up.
But I am not talking about that one, it's the one that is going to notice your footwear. You will cross her path the day before Easter 1996. THAT day is the day where you will finally start to live. No longer will your only thoughts be about sports, sportscenter, and anything sports related. It won't matter that you have no game with the ladies, something natural is going to happen. A relationship is going to blossom and you are going to have no idea what is going on. I'll let you in on a little secret, it's love. You are going to be friends for a couple of months, although your every waking minute is going to be spent with her, and then on her birthday your relationship will change. It's going to get deeper, more meaningful and magical. That sounds like a stupid term but I really have no other way to describe it.
Little Johnny, you will have found the girl you are going to marry.
I know it's only four short years away, but that is the amazing thing in life, anything can happen, JUST LIKE THAT. Oh you'll have your ups and downs with this girl like anything in life, but you will weather the storm and end up with two awesome kids.
Hard to believe huh? Here you are sitting in your dorm room trying to figure out how to use your Mac Classic and I am telling you from my iMac (it's like your computer on steroids) that you are going to be a dad. Some would consider you the worlds greatest dad, well at least two little kids will. By the way, Apple will go out of favor but trust me, you won't believe what they have cooked up for the future. Lets just say you can ditch that old Sega you and the boys spend countless hours playing hockey on.
A bit of advice with the kids thing though, don't go out and buy the Legos right away. Wait until your oldest is at least five. Trust me, I have a house full of them right now and I could kick myself for it. But I tell though, they make for great blog fodder.
What's a blog?
It's this thing on the internet, you know that thing with the dot com at the end of it? Well everyone writes there own little articles everyday telling the world how great they are and what a perfect parent they are. They are quite amazing. I have learned the most from people that don't seem to know what they are doing. Speaking of the internet, buy some stocks and then sell them before 2000. Trust me, you won't have to work a day in your life.
As for that airplane ride, your senior year you are going to Jamiaca. Congrats! Just a bit of warning though, you will smoke something that will make you think you are dead and then come back to life. You are not Jesus and you never will be. Don't start up with that nonsense. People will think you are nuts. Don't you even dare think that you will walk on water. It was pot, thats all, nothing else.
Don't be an idiot.
All the best,
The Ghost of Johnny Future.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 6, 2012
Disney A to Z (Buses and Boats)
One of the things that you need to take into account when traveling to Disney World is transportation. For us we never rent a car because we know that we can rely on the Disney transportation system. Now I know that staying on the property is not an option for everyone, while it is the most Magical place on Earth it certainly is not the cheapest. Although there are reasonable resorts on the property that give you access to some things you might not have thought about like discounted tickets and exclusive park access.
More on those in a later post.
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| Unfortunately the stroller needs to be folded on the bus |
The transportation system works great.
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| They fall asleep at the wrong time |
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| Life is better on a boat |
The transportation system might sound confusing but it is always easy to find. Whether you are leaving your hotel to get to the parks or leaving the parks to get back to your hotel, you can be sure that you will get there. No one that I know of has ever been stranded on the side of the road without a way to get back to where they were going.
Of course you could just rent a car and drive to the parking lot of the park or to the transportation center. That would make traveling that much easier for you, but I will tell you in a future post why you might not want to do that.
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| Too bad you can't take one of these |
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 3, 2012
Disney A to Z (Age)
A four month old might be a bit extreme, I know. The only reason why you would take them there, aside from wanting to go yourself, is to get some pictures with the characters. Perhaps it makes a cute Christmas card.
But as they get older, that's where the real fun starts.
Once my kids were able to walk and actually interact with the characters Disney became a whole new place. I can vividly remember going there when Tyler was around 18 months old, he was a huge fan of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so he knew all of the characters like they were his best friends. We went to a character greeting in Epcot and the boy was sprinting between Mickey and Minnie and the gang, he was in heaven. Is this something that he will remember? Absolutely not, but it is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
I know a lot of people that won't take their kids to Disney until they can fully understand and remember everything. I can certainly understand that, but at EVERY age there is something new. Whether its new rides, or new attractions that appeal to them, every time that we have gone it seems like Disney has changed. The boys aren't so much into the characters anymore like they used to be, but there are new rides that they can go on. Space Mountain is now something that Tyler can ride on and is very much looking forward to in the fall.
There might be certain windows that you have to take into account. Are your kids going to be too old to want to see all the characters, or are they going to be too young to go on all the rides and remember everything. For us the characters were such a huge part of our lives, I would be devastated if we went later in our kids lives that they didn't enjoy that at ll.
There might be certain windows that you have to take into account. Are your kids going to be too old to want to see all the characters, or are they going to be too young to go on all the rides and remember everything. For us the characters were such a huge part of our lives, I would be devastated if we went later in our kids lives that they didn't enjoy that at ll.
So as far as age is concerned, it is completely up to you. We were never worried that the kids wouldn't remember anything because when it came down to it, we did. So much of the joy of going to Disney as a parent is seeing your kids reactions to things. Over the years I have seen my kids go from those excited little babies meeting characters for the first time, to excited little boys going on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for the first time.
Was four months old a little early? Maybe for some people, but I'm glad that we did it.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________August 2, 2012
Disney A to Z
We've been to Disney a lot. It's been well documented here. Some of my most popular posts have been Disney related. I by no means consider myself an expert about Disney (I couldn't tell the difference between all of the Princesses if you asked me) but I have been there enough to offer my two cents.
Everyone has an opinion about Disney, about where to stay, when to go, how old the kids should be, all the way to which line to be in on certain rides. I can offer you my experiences and you can take from it what you want. For the entire month of August, and who knows it could run into September or October as well depending on how often my kids let me write, I am going to break Disney down from A to Z.
Let me be clear from the start though, I will not be able to get to everything that you need to know. It's good to know what you are getting into when planning a trip to Disney, but you don't want to over plan it. So some things I will leave for you to discover on your own. That's part of the fun right?
My oldest claims to have been to Disney 20 times. That includes Disney World, Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. You get the idea he is spoiled. We have found ways to make Disney less expensive than it needs to be. There are obviously ways that you can do Disney on a budget but I am going tell you some that you might not have thought of. We obviously go to Disney a lot, so what works for us might not necessarily work for someone who can only afford to go once in their lifetime. Disney is obviously NOT cheap, but there are ways to make it work.
That being said, if you are making the commitment to go to Disney, why not do it right? That's why I am here to help. Hopefully I can offer you some answers to questions that you might have and give you some tips based on my experiences. Tune in in the next month and hopefully I can get this project done.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 31, 2012
The Tea Cups are the Devil
I've officially gotten old.
I never thought I would actually admit it, but roller coasters just might not be my thing anymore. I can still ride all of the wooden ones, which for my money have always been the best, but the ones that flip upside down and do those crazy corkscrews, I think my days are numbered.
There are lots of rides that I can't go on anymore and it seems that those are the ones that the kids enjoy the most. The number one ride that is no longer doable for me is the Tea Cups. I can't think of a more horrible experience on a ride; you spin and spin and spin to the point of wanting to throw up. Where is the joy in that? The number two ride is any little kids roller coaster. The seats seem to be positioned right in the area of your back that causes the most pain. I have never been in as much pain getting off a ride than I was getting off a ride called Roadrunners Runaway Railroad. Seriously.
I know I am not alone in this. There are countless people my age that have thrown up on the Tea Cups and ended up in traction after getting off a kids roller coaster. I don't mind that so much because my kids will outgrow those rides.
It's the big metal roller coasters that bother me though. My kids are just getting to the age where these rides are what excites them when they go to an amusement park. They don't excite me at all. They make me nauseous and I get the feeling of almost blacking out.
I knew this day would come, I just never thought that it would come this soon. I see my dad and he can't go on certain rides anymore, but he is 75. I'm only 38 and the thought of a full lifetime ahead of me without roller coasters kind of stinks. I just hope it never gets to the point where the wooden ones are off limits for me.
I guess if you need to find me at the amusement park I'll be that guy riding a scooter around going from the Ferris Wheel to the Merry Go Round. Those I can still do.
I never thought I would actually admit it, but roller coasters just might not be my thing anymore. I can still ride all of the wooden ones, which for my money have always been the best, but the ones that flip upside down and do those crazy corkscrews, I think my days are numbered.
There are lots of rides that I can't go on anymore and it seems that those are the ones that the kids enjoy the most. The number one ride that is no longer doable for me is the Tea Cups. I can't think of a more horrible experience on a ride; you spin and spin and spin to the point of wanting to throw up. Where is the joy in that? The number two ride is any little kids roller coaster. The seats seem to be positioned right in the area of your back that causes the most pain. I have never been in as much pain getting off a ride than I was getting off a ride called Roadrunners Runaway Railroad. Seriously.
I know I am not alone in this. There are countless people my age that have thrown up on the Tea Cups and ended up in traction after getting off a kids roller coaster. I don't mind that so much because my kids will outgrow those rides.
It's the big metal roller coasters that bother me though. My kids are just getting to the age where these rides are what excites them when they go to an amusement park. They don't excite me at all. They make me nauseous and I get the feeling of almost blacking out.
I knew this day would come, I just never thought that it would come this soon. I see my dad and he can't go on certain rides anymore, but he is 75. I'm only 38 and the thought of a full lifetime ahead of me without roller coasters kind of stinks. I just hope it never gets to the point where the wooden ones are off limits for me.
I guess if you need to find me at the amusement park I'll be that guy riding a scooter around going from the Ferris Wheel to the Merry Go Round. Those I can still do.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 25, 2012
The Coffee Lovin' Mom
By now everyone knows that I love Legos.
My kids have tons of them, and I mean tons! I grew up with them and I have passed along my love for them to my kids. They now are obsessed. My wife must really love us to put up with this. I started making lego movies last year as kind of an experiment. I was actually testing out the editing software on my computer more than anything and out popped a lego movie. It was more of a day in the life than anything else.
Nobody watched them.
Of course nobody read my blog back then either. I still can't be convinced that people do now, and that my numbers are completely inflated by hackers in the Ukraine. Well even if nobody took the time to watch these videos, I would still make them. I really have been able to document my families life through these little plastic play pieces.
It seems that I have become some sort of go to guy when it comes Legos, which is pretty cool, because there are websites WAY bigger than mine that cater to the Lego crazed society that we now live in. I like when people come to me asking for advice on traveling to Legoland or if I know when a certain set is coming out. I never intended to make EVERYTHING about legos, it just happened that way.
It's always nice when I come across other families that share our passion for legos. One person in particular is Amy of Coffee Lovin' Mom fame. I guess I am revered as some sort of God in her sons eyes. Funny because my kids don't look at me that way.
Part two of my Summer Lego Blogger series takes you to Amy's Blog. Click RIGHT HERE to be transported over there.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 23, 2012
Start as You Mean to Go On
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It's a phrase that my wife uses all the time.
But it's not one that we follow all the time. Too often, we start to set precedents with our kids that we just can't go back on. Whether it's that two hour long bedtime routine or cutting the crusts off of sandwiches, our kids get used to things certain ways. What do they say about teaching an old dog new tricks? It's not that easy.
I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way.
Before you go and do something for the comfort of your child I ask you to go over to Parent Society and check out some tips I have to offer to make your life easier. What you are doing now, may have consequences in the future. Yeah I don't just write here, I can be found all over these internets.
Find more on this article at Parent Society by clicking:
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 18, 2012
Wednesday's Window... Letchworth
There are many great things about growing up in Upstate New York. One of them is the awesome beauty of the countryside. My favorite place on Earth, at least the one that is easily accessible anyway, is the Finger Lakes Region. It's where my parents still I've so it gives us the opportunity to visit as much as we want. I have previously shown you the wine region around Seneca and Keuka Lakes but today I am giving you a glimpse into a place that I think is one of the MOST spectacular places I have ever seen.
It seems that every region has their own Grand Canyon, and this area is no different. Letchworth State Park, while nowhere near the size of the Grand Canyon, in my eyes is every bit as beautiful. Carved out of the rocks by the Genesee River, Letchworth is home to some of the most spectacular waterfalls on the east coast. Since my parents live only about 20 minutes from there, it was time to load the kids and my mom in the car and go give it a look. I hope you enjoy this weeks Wednesday's Window.
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| Letchworth Middle Falls |
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| My mom with Tyler and Carter |
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| Looking down the middle falls |
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| Letchworth Upper Falls |
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| Years of erosion |
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| Letchworth Lower Falls |
The amazing thing about Upstate New York is there seems to be a waterfall everywhere that you turn and all of the seem to be easily accessible. It's a beautiful place and a place that I am happy to call home.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 16, 2012
Slowing Summer Down
Where the hell are the days going?
You can't really look me in the eye and tell me that it's the middle of July already. There is no way. Just yesterday we were ripping open Christmas presents and now we are cleaning up the ashes from all the fourth of July fireworks. I always get the feeling that the Fourth of July is the beginning of the end of the summer. It's almost as if there are no more holidays to look forward to for a while so we just sit and wait until Labor Day.
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| They love the beach |
We always try and pack as much as possible into our summer, but it always seems to go by too fast. We try to get to the beach as much as we can, but if there happens to be a rainy day, it ends up ruining the weekend and plans have to get shifted around in order for us to get back. When you live in the Northeast you have a limited window of opportunity to do these sort of things. Usually from Memorial Day to Labor Day with the possibility that there will be a few really nice spring and fall days. One year we went to the beach in January but THAT was an aberration.
We try to make a list every year of things we want to do, and every year it seems that we run out of time before we get it all done. I have sworn for years that each year was going to be THE year that we take the boys camping. Then of course one weekend gets washed out and before you know in your picking apples in October wondering just where the summer went.
It just seems to fly by.
Hell the whole year just seems to fly by. I almost feel as if each passing day is exponentially faster than the next. When you are a kid though, the summer goes on FOREVER. At least that's how it felt to me. Once school got out, the lazy summer days seemed to go on and on. Which was fine by me.
But now as a parent there is nothing that we can do to make it all just go in slow motion. Everything just seems to be shot out of a canon and racing 150 miles per hour. Maybe we are over planning things, maybe we just need to kick back and relax, maybe we are trying too hard to make sure our kids are having fun? Maybe all it takes is a run through the sprinkler or a couple ice pops to make it all slow down? Maybe instead of trying to fit everything in, we should try to fit nothing in.
That lake house is looking more and more appealing everyday.
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| This is where we would love a lake house |
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 13, 2012
Beautiful Boy... Starring Legos and More
8 years old.I don't even know how that is possible. While it seems like yesterday that Tyler came into our lives, in many ways it seems like he has been around forever. It's hard to even imagine life before him. He has been the most awesome kid that any father could ask for. Sweet, loving, smart, funny, you name it Tyler possesses every great quality that every parent dreams about.
He is the best kid I know.
Happy 8th Birthday Tyler. You truly are one beautiful boy.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 11, 2012
Wednesday's Window... Niagara Falls
We were fortunate enough last week to head to upstate New York and visit my folks. They live less than two hours from one of the most amazing sights in the entire world, Niagara Falls. A couple of weeks ago I saw that guy tight rope walk his way into Canada and it was that moment I decided that we should make a return visit to one of the Wonders of the World. See it WAS a brilliant marketing ploy and I am sure that I wasn't the only one who decided that do to go for a visit that day.
This is actually our second trip to the Falls with the family. Our first trip we took almost six years ago before Carter was even born. Tyler was just turning two at the time and while he didn't like the idea of getting soaked on the Maid of the Mist, he seemed to really enjoy it. Aside from the Falls you will notice something about the entire area. The Canadian side is much more developed than the American side. Canada has every tourist trap known to man while the American side has nothing to offer except for the opportunity to get right up next to the falls. The neighborhood around the falls on the American side leaves a lot to be desired as there are boarded up buildings only a few blocks away. It really is pretty sad having this amazing site and literally two blocks away it looks like a bomb went off. If you go, bring your passport and go into Canada, it's a way better experience. I hope you enjoy this weeks Wednesday's Window.
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| From the Canadian Side |
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| From the American side on Luna Island |
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| Horseshoe Falls. |
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| Getting ready for the Maid of the Mist |
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| Right up next to the falls |
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| You forget how many rocks have fallen off over the years |
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| Looking up at the people on Goat Island |
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| Underneath Horseshoe Falls |
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| The American Falls |
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| Amazing how you can stand within 10 feet of the plunge |
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| Even more amazing that you can stand underneath the falls |
It really is breath taking.
In the coming weeks I will share with you some more amazing waterfalls that I have seen in Upstate New York. It amazes me just how many there are up there. Each more beautiful than the other
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
________________________________________July 9, 2012
Without You I'm Nothing
This is a picture of my little brother and I sometime around 1980. I was probably seven which made him close to four. When you are that age you have no idea the impact you might have on your little brother, hell I still have no idea if I made any impact on him. You can't really make out the words too well on my sweatshirt but the Zero is saying to the One in the number 10, "Without you I'm nothing."
Sometimes I feels as if it's that way with Carter and his older brother. Carter knows no other life than that with Tyler. As long as he has been alive his older brother has been there right beside him. Tyler had those two years without Carter and I don't know if he remembers any of it, but I almost feel as if he learned to be a little more self sufficient in the time before Carter was born. Drawing comes more naturally, playing video games is a cinch to him, and he picked up reading much quicker than Carter seems to be doing.
Carter has relied on Tyler.
Whenever he needs help with something, he goes right to his big brother. Not that Tyler is a huge help all of the time, but he will step in and help his little brother out. That is of course when wants to, which when you are the older brother, can get pretty annoying when there is someone screaming at you for help.
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| Why is Carter wearing sunglasses? Because Tyler is. |
It comes back to that sweatshirt.
What would Carter be without his older brother? Certainly he wouldn't be nothing. But how much different would he be without Tyler living right by his side. This is something we won't know about for years to come when Tyler heads off to college. I don't know how Carter is going to react to the fact that he won't be living under the same roof as his older brother.
He might just be lost.
Carter has the idea he will be living with Tyler for the rest of his life. In fact he said as much by saying that when he gets bigger and graduates college, he's going to move in with him. Upon hearing that, Tyler said that if that is indeed the case, he is going to make Carter pay all of the property taxes.
Payback I guess.
John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?
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