Here Fishy Fishy Fishy!

Every time I go fishing, while sitting there waiting for a fish to bite, I always think about the Bert and Ernie episode on Sesame Street from when I was a kid.  I sooo just want to try the infamous fish call.  😀

One thing I have been patiently waiting for is the day that Ace gets old enough to go fishing.  I’m sure he would go now, but I would spend more time keeping him from jumping in the water than actually fishing.  😀

We were walking though the store on day and happened to stroll by the aquariums.  Ace was immediately amazed by the colorful fish he kept pointing and saying “FIIIISSSSHHHH”.  Then he had to grab my finger and pull my over to show me.  From that day forward Ace is hypnotized by fish in an aquarium.

So, when Christmas came, Momma and I just knew what Santa was going to bring Ace.  And Jolly ole’ Saint Nick pulled through for the little guy…

Ace Watching The Fish

Ace Watching The Fish

So, while we can not yet go fishing and try the Bert and Ernie fish call…we have been practicing on the fishies at home.  By the time Ace is old enough to go fishing with me we should have the fish call down pat.  😀

Around The Web:

I’m going to try and link out more often to other interesting things I find on the web including new sites I find, funny posts, or anything I find interesting and think you may enjoy or find useful.  So, here goes my first attempt at “Around The Web” …

Dad-Blogs.com – Remember Joeprah?  He’s been AWOL for the past few months, but I have recently found out there was a good reason.  He was hard at work making his new site…Dad-Blogs.com.   Go check it out.  It looks very promising with the ability to create your own profiles, upload images, share videos, create groups, and comment on everything!  Come on over and join the community.  😀

Dude To Dad – Dude To Dad is another group for Dads that I found recently.  You have to check out this site as well.  The reason behind this group site for Dads is to help explain the transition between being just a Dude and growing into a Dad.   My favorite part of the site was the video…Boobs Or Bottles.  😀

WildLights at the Zoo

Did every one have a Happy Thanksgiving?  I sure hope so.  We sure did.  😀

Just like any other holiday, things get crazy at our house.  We go here, go there, see this part of the family, and then that part of the family.  This year Momma and Ace’s Grandma S planned and served Thanksgiving dinner, which was delicious!

After all of the planning, running, and eating we decided to have some fun!  The local zoo has an awesome display of Christmas lights called WildLights, so we packed up Ace and his cousin Olivia to go see what all of the fuss is about.  And it was COLD!!!

We dressed the kids in double layers, snapped them into their wagon, covered them up with blankets, and started pulling.

The lights were amazing!  I believe they had put up over 2 million lights!!! The following pictures do not do the light display justice…

After walking what seemed to be 10 miles through a crowd of 50 million parents (who apparently have never been in public before based upon their rudeness and lack of consideration for others) we arrived at the building where Santa was hiding.  Ace and Olivia both got their pictures taken with Santa.  I’ll leave that story for a future post.  😀

While Grandma was waiting for the pictures from the Santa experience to be printed and purchased, Momma and I took Ace and Olivia outside to burn off some steam and get warmed back up for the long walk back towards the car.

The area was wide open with no one else around.  Ace and Olivia (and Dad) ran around laughing and chasing each other.  People probably thought there was something wrong with us…  😀

On the way back to the car we had to stop at the carousel and take a quick ride on a ceramic horse.  For the record…ceramic horses are kinda cold when it is 20 degrees outside.  😀  I’m not so sure what exactly is so entertaining about riding in circles on a fake horse that goes up and down, but once I got past the dizziness I enjoyed it.  😀

Notice the blanky.  It goes EVERYWHERE!  This night it was a blessing in disguise though.

Ace has never tolerated the idea of a hat, hood, or gloves.  We managed to keep his hood on by snapping it in place and then rolling the edge so that it is so tight that he can not pull it off.   Gloves?  We haven’t figured that one out yet.  So, while the blanky kept Ace happy, it also kept his little fingers from freezing off.  😀

When we were done with the carousel ride it was late.  Kids were cranky, tired, and cold and we bee-lined it to the car.  Snapped everyone into their car seats and zoomed home.  The kids were zonked out not too long after leaving the parking lot.

The whole experience was incredible.  So incredible that we are going back in a few weeks, when hopefully it is a bit warmer, so we can see the rest of the attractions.  😀

Maybe by then we’ll figure out a trick to keep some gloves on Ace’s hands.  Any tips or pointers from you veteran parents out there?

Some New Pics

I got a new camera for Christmas and have been taking a lot of pictures. Figured I would share some of my favorites…

 

Ace’s First Bite Of Pizza
Ace enjoys his first bite of pizza!

Ace Will Sleep Anywhere
When Ace gets tired he will sleep just about anywhere and in whatever position he ends up in. 😀

Ace and Buddy - Best Buds
Ace and Buddy, ready for a nap.

Ace On His Truck With Olivia Watching
Ace riding his new truck he got for Christmas. His cousin Olivia is helping.

Dad and Ace Having Some Fun With The New Camera
Dad and Ace having some fun with the new camera.

Ace Close Up
Ace trying to fingerprint the lens.

Ace Admiring His Christmas Gifts
Ace admiring all of his new Christmas toys.

Ace Up To No Good
Ace up to no good!

Ace Showing Off His New Teeth
Ace showing off his new teeth!

Dad and Ace PLaying With The Camera
Dad and Ace playing with the camera again…

Ace Missing Sock
The sock monster strikes again!

Ace walking right out of his pants.
Ace walking right out of his pants!

 

 

POLL RESULTS: How Much Do You Spend On Each Of Your Children At Christmas?

Well, the poll has been up for a little more than one month and we have had 25 votes.  Here are the results:

POLL RESULTS: How Much Do You Spend On Each Of Your Children At Christmas?

Momma did all the shopping this year, like always, so I’m not sure how much we actually spent on Ace, but I would guess it was in the $101-$200 group.

So, it looks like we are right in there with the majority of parents!  I feel better now. 🙂

Bah Humbug!

I love the holiday season. All of the gift giving, the snow starts falling, the family get togethers, and the free food. I’m so excited for Ace to have his first Christmas, and want to make it special and memorable. But the holidays are not all fun and games. There are a few of things I dislike about the holidays.

  1. Spending Money – I am a tight wad. I admit it openly. If there is one thing I hate, it is spending money. Now don’t get me wrong. I like to buy gifts for everyone, but I don’t think we should spend as much as we do. The problem is that we go to see so many different places and see so many different people on Christmas and everyone buys for us, so we feel obligated to buy for everyone else. Our combined family is BIG! After buying gifts for visits to my Grandma and Grandpa in-law’s, then to my Mom’s, then to my Mother and Father in-law’s, then to my Grandmas, then to my Dad’s, and finally our own Christmas gift giving celebration…we are BROKEBROKE. Done. Cooked. Burnt!

    broke.png

  2. Preparation – All the running around to different stores, putting things in lay-a-way, paying on the lay-a-way, getting out the decorations from the basement, wrapping the gifts, and coordinating all of the family gatherings so that it is convenient for everyone. Mentally exhausting!
  3. Taking Up Precious Time – There are only two things that I don’t have enough of…money and time. It’s hard enough during a non-holiday month to get caught up with all of my regular responsibilities in order to have some free time to have some fun. Not only do we have to allot time for everything in #1 and #2, we also have to allot time for consuming two full days of the month…the 24th and 25th. With 31 full days in December, after subtracting all of the time preparing for the holidays, it feels like I have five whole days left in the month to be productive.
  4. Pretending To Like Gifts – I know I am not the easiest person to buy for. I already have a lot and don’t ask for much, but why would you waste your money on something totally useless? If you don’t know what to buy for me…buy lottery tickets. $$$
  5. pink-elephant.pngThe Drama – There is always drama somewhere. Never fails. One family member is not getting along with another family member and there is always tension in the room. This kind of things just eats me up! Everyone is usually civil, but there is always that pink elephant sitting on the couch next to me. Pink elephants look cuddly, but are vicious wild creatures! Beware!
  6. The Pass Me Around Game – I personally don’t mind for everyone to want to hold Ace and play with him, but Ace can not stand it. Ace and large groups of people tossing him around the room like a hot potato do not get along. He gets over stimulated, worn out, and downright cranky. No amount of formula, rocking, swinging, tickling, or funny faces can calm him down. The only thing we can do is bear the grumpiness until he runs out of energy and passes out. 😀

Looking back on my list I notice that all six things can be summed up into four broad categories…

  1. Lack Of Money
  2. Lack Of Time
  3. Stupid People
  4. Crying Babies

I’m going to try real hard to not let these things get in the way of everybody having a good time and enjoying the holidays, but it’s going to be a challenge…now where is that egg nog?

Hostinger