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So, I’m pretty sure Momma is going to kill me! Why? Because, I have a weakness for FREE stuff. Especially free stuff with wheels and an engine.

In the past year I have acquired an 87 Chevy Blazer, a 77 Honda motorcycle, and 4 old push mowers that I didn’t pay a penny for. The free “junk” is piling up behind our shed at amazing rates! (If I don’t stop bringing home so called “junk”..I may just be found mangled in the “junk pile” behind our shed. )

Guess what…none of the free “junk” ran when I got them. (and most of them still don’t…but they will).

My most recent score was a 1970’s something model John Deere 56 riding lawn mower…yes…for FREE! I found it on Craigslist and was all excited! I am tired of push mowing our yard. I knew it didn’t run, but I know that almost anything can be fixed. I was really looking forward to kicking back, with no shirt, catching some rays, with a beer in one hand, and the steering wheel in the other as grass clipping flew all over the place.

So I picked it up and brought it home, but guess what…not only did it not run, but it had no mowing deck. That means no blades. That means it is not mowing crap

Momma asked, “What the hell are you going to do with it if you can’t mow with it?”

Well, a few weekends ago I managed to get it started and actually move under it’s own power. Amazing huh? While most people would have taken this old worthless pile of junk to the dump for a proper burial, I found a good use.

Quit snickering at my oh so cool camo hat and good jeans!

Now I just look forward to kicking back, with no shirt, catching some rays, with Ace in one hand, and the steering wheel in the other as we zoom around the backyard dodging the land mines and annoying the neighbors with the rumble of a 6 horsepower engine running beneath our seat!

Screw mowing…let’s just ride!

By the way…I just realized that if I do things right, you can click on the picture and actually comment on the picture alone. Expect all pictures on DadThing to be like this for now on.

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We all have what I call our “early memories”. The ones from our early childhood that we will never forget.  What are some of mine?

• Climbing a fence because a snake chased me up there.  I yelled for my Mom until she came out of the house and chopped the snake up with a shovel!  She saved my life!  She was my hero!
• My parents owned a junk-yard when I was very little.  I remember watching my Dad working on cars all day every day.  I wanted to do my part, so I would go around to some of the cars and take off the valve stem caps (ya know the little black caps where you put air in your tires).  Then I would have to put them all back on different cars. (A 2-3 yr old’s form of customization)
• Sitting on my Dad’s lap while he operated the crane at the junk yard.  I faintly remember watching the wrecking ball come crashing down and crushing the cars.  I have always liked demolition…
• Riding in a race car.  My Dad used to build and drive race cars.  I remember riding around the track during warm up laps with his friend. (Of course he didn’t fly around the track at full speed, but to a 2 or 3 year old it was an unforgettable experience!)
• Riding in my Dad’s “Stinky Truck”.  My Dad was a big hunter/trapper.  And along with the hunting and trapping came all sorts of stinky things.  Dead animals, blood, guts, urine, feces, and bait.  His “stinky truck”  was rank!  I will never forget the smell of that thing.
• Seeing my brother fall into the 8 ft end of the pool underneath the solar cover.  Neither of us could swim yet, so I was scared to jump in after him.  I could just see him sitting there at the bottom of the pool not knowing what to do.  My grandma came running up and she couldn’t swim either.  We both just sat there helplessly as my brother slowly floated back to the top and my grandma could pull him out.  Luckily he was OK…just a little cold.

Thinking about things like this make me wonder what Ace’s “early memories” will be?  Will having me catch him inches from the floor be one?   How about the scary car wash?  Maybe his first birthday party?

Who knows if he will remember any of that stuff, but I know I will!  I’ll just keep on doing my best to provide him with fun experiences that hopefully someday will be included in his list of “early memories”.

What were your “early memories”?

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April was a  busy month! 

With the weather getting nice we could finally take Ace outside to play.  He digs the outdoors, probably more than me!  Of course, as Ace learns to do new things, I learn new things as well…like performing the Poop-endectomy!

While traveling down to Louisiana for work, one of my favorite drinks was infested with fowl!  Luckily I survived to tell of the experience, and also remembered to thank Katy at AdventuresInParenting for the wonderful award she so generously gave me!

Momma walked in the March For Babies!  Her goal was to raise $125 and she did it!  Special thanks to Grandma and Grandpa S, Amber, Angela, Kim, and Greg for the donations!

Uncle Brandon came up one weekend and we worked all day long putting in new plumbing, a bathtub, and hanging drywall!  The bathroom is on it’s way to being finished (finally)…and Ace is grateful that he no longer has to take a shower with me.

I posted three awesome pictures for Wordless Wednesday!

And last, but not least, my niece Olivia told me where my arm hair comes from.

Top Referrers:

I would also like to showcase the top 5 bloggers who link to DadThing.com and send some mad traffic.

1. Frugal Dad - An awesome blog written by a Dad that is helping us all get control of our finances.  With the help from Frugal Dad you will be able to eliminate your debt, abolish credit cards, and actually save for your child’s future!  And all of this advice is coming from a real life Dad…just like you and me!
2. Busy Dad Blog- Hang on and join BusyDad and his son Fury for a ride you’ll never forget!  This dynamic duo never ceases to amaze me with their adventures!
3. Sarcastic Mom - This mom is one of my favorite reads, because she has it all!  From funny, to serious…from poetic, to down right rude…this mom is exactly as advertised…Sarcastic! (And an awesome photographer )
4. Dorky Dad - Parenting with a dorky twist!  How can you not read a blog filled with flow charts, pie charts, and cool diagrams illustrating the humorous aspects of being a parent!
5. Mommy Daddy Blog- Up until recently their blog has been about getting ready to be a parent…that is until April 26th when they gave birth to their son Jayden.  Go check out the cute baby pictures when you get a chance!

Who Makes This Possible:

If no one ever commented on my posts I would have quit this blog a long time ago!  So without further ado, I wanted to give out special thanks to everyone that commented on DadThing.com during the month of April…sorted by number of comments

• Joe (9)
• Ashley (8)
• Kim (7)
• Momo Fali (6)
• Xbox4NappyRash (6)
• CableGirl (6)
• Honeybell (5)
• katy (5)
• BusyDad (4)
• Jon D (4)
• Greg (4)
• dette (3)
• Angela (3)
• Ed (zoesdad) (3)
• Jason (3)
• Jeremy (Discovering Dad) (3)
• Tyler @ Building Camelot (2)
• Bob O (2)
• Frugal Dad (2)
• Bernard (2)
• tanya25m (2)
• IDad (1)
• Tiff@Three Peas in a Pod (1)
• zoeyjane (1)
• PG (1)
• Elaine (1)
• Dad Speed (1)
• Paula (1)
• Michael (1)
• Rachel (1)
• Meg (1)
• Allison (aka AngelGal) (1)
• Derek (1)
• kspin (1)
• Jeremy Neal (1)
• praisefiddler (1)
• bisdak’s footprints (1)
• {Ãñgê£}ä (1)
• Christine (1)
• Holly (1)
• Cecily (1)
• dorky dad (1)
• Nicole (1)
• marcia @ joyismygoal (1)
• snippets (1)
• Chuck (1)
• Mike @ FromMike.com (1)
• dadshouse (1)
• Cami (1)
• ResilientMonkey (1)
• Jenny from Mommin’ It Up! (1)
• marsha (1)
• Elliott - 21st Century Dad (1)
• renee - 21st Century Parenting (1)
• Brandon (1)
• Tink *~*~* (1)
• JLow (1)
• abie (1)
• Meeya (1)
• Joyful Days (1)

Thanks again to everyone who reads, comments, and links to DadThing.com!  It wouldn’t be possible without all of you!  I have a feeling May is going to be a fun month!

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I am jealous of most of the other Mom and Dad bloggers. Why? Their kids talk. Their kids say the funniest things…which makes for some great blogging material.

Since Ace does not talk yet, I rely on pictures, videos, and the cuteness factor!

However, I was hangin’ out with my three year old niece, Olivia, the other day when she said something to me that rang the “I gotta write a post about this” bell. Let’s call it good practice for when Ace starts talking…

Olivia: Uncle JoJo, what is this on your arm? (Petting my arm)

Me: What? Where?

Olivia: Right here… (gently tugging on my arm hair)

Me: That’s hair!

Olivia: Where did it come from?

Me: (Trying to think of an answer a 3 year old would understand, I resorted to…) I don’t know.

Olivia: I know where it came from!

Me: Really? Where?

Olivia: The top of your head!

Nothing makes you feel like a crippled old man like having a three year old let you know that you are going bald!

At least she patted me on the top of my old bald head to make me feel better afterwards.

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