OUR LIFE IN 3D

The Home of Daddy's Day Dare! ~ I am just trying to stay above water

Archive for the month “December, 2011”

15 Dec 2011

Help Dylan Catch Some ‘Virtual’ Snow

Well if you are reading this I guess there are some things you should know about me …besides my love for classic Christmas music.

Dylan wants to catch the virtual snow on her tongue

First, I am the WORLD’S worst Candyland player! Mommy and Dylan beat me 3 games in a row last night. And adding agony to defeat, I was ‘corrected’ by my 3 year old as I uttered, “Crap!”

Dylan immediately chimes in and says, “No daddy you must say ‘Oh my goodness’”. That girl!

Second, we all wonder how we will react in an emergency. See the pic of my 18 mth’er. Well You should see the other kid!

I wanted to say that. The truth is a chair at the Chic-fil-a got the better part of her yesterday as she ran out of the play area and slipped. Her head hit flush on a chair leg. Her eye swelled like it had a marble beneath it. And then it started bleeding at the crease. This girl has some lungs on her! Wow! It felt as though the emergency red lights should have been flashing with the intensity and volume of that wail.

I ran her up to the counter to get some ice on it. The counter employee wanted to know if I wanted some ice cream for her. (??~ Can I say WTF in a blog?) ) I tried to imagine applying the ice cream to her eye. Then I realized she was trying to get her to stop crying. Wasn’t gonna happen!

So, as the manager was walking up with an incident report to fill out, I searched for my 3 year, who was oblivious in the playland and then I darted for the door, seeking some emergency treatment for her eye.

I called mom to get some insurance info. Mommy calmly replies, “Oh that’s normal. She’ll be OK.”

I looked in the back seat, ignoring the busy holiday traffic ahead of me. Sure enough, she’s in her seat playing with a push-buttony toy, completely at ease. (!) Now, about that ice cream?

Posted in Archives and tagged blog, daddy day care, Dylan, ice cream, mommy

14 Dec 2011

3 Comments

The Alamo!

Ready for Christmas? Here is the daily Christmas mood music! I stumbled across this lively Celtic carol, “A Soalin”. Fancy a more traditional carol? Click here to hear one you know by heart.

Last night after dinner mommy and I were discussing a meeting of mine that had occurred earlier that day. The only thing that I could think of during the meeting was The Alamo!. I was out manned, out gunned, out prepared! I was creamed!

Mommy sympathizing said, “well don’t worry about it. I am a worrier and I am not worried about it”.

I agreed saying, “Yes you are. But you are also a good comforter too. And I appreciate it”. Warmly I followed, “and I would like to throw you over top of me right now”.

Mommy smiled back as she grasped my homonymic play on words. ~ sadly she did not take me up on the romance!

But Dylan said, while still looking down at her toy in her lap, “But Daddy you might hurt her if you do dat”.

I’ll take a daughter who fancies ‘care and concern’ over romance any time!

Happy Holidays!

Posted in Archives and tagged christmas, daddy, Dylan, happy holidays, mommy

13 Dec 2011

How to go to college for FREE!

FIRST, for some background seasonal music click on Ding Dong, a song with possibly the best carol collaboration of beautiful voices ever. My favorite!

So you have a gifted child and you wish the best for him or her. They are strides ahead of other toddlers their same age! How can you send your child to the best schools as cheaply as possible?

Play the lottery!

I am kidding of course. But there is one way to send your kids to college as close to free as could be.

What if you invest money for their education? This money is earmarked for tuition, books, room and board, even computer programs. Then what if every year, all the money you spent investing for their education you got back? Every dime of it! AND, if those contributions grew while it was invested (hopefully) you can use that growth tax free as well? Wouldn’t that be like going to college for free?

That is what state sponsored college saving 529 plans do. You can make regular contributions to the plan and then get the total amount of your yearly contributions off your state taxes at the end of the year. Earnings grow tax free as well.

Each state has a different 529 plan so you will have to look into the plan administered by your state. Here is a place to start to find the plan in your state. Want to know more about the details and benefits of college saving 529 plans look here.

There are several types of custodial accounts for minors. Bank custodial accounts and UGMA’s are a few others. Each has their own set of rules as to who controls the money and what it can be used for. But if you want to invest money specifically for an education (and it can be spent on private schools before college as well), state sponsored 529 plans are the best way to go.

Have two Baby Einsteins? (you both were geniuses, right?) The money that is not used by one child in one 529 account can be transferred to another child for educational purposes as well. Like I said each plan is different so do some research and get started. If you have any questions please ask!

Next week I will make suggestions on the best way to invest that money in the 529 plans.

Posted in Tight-Wad Tuesdays and tagged 529, celtic woman, college education, genius, investing, saving money | Leave a comment

12 Dec 2011

Brrr, can someone get me towel?

I don’t know about where you live but it is starting to snow here in 3D. Similarly, it is finally looking a lot like Christmas in our real world as well as we finally finished decking the Christmas tree and train village! (VodPod Video) Phew! It wasn’t easy.

Preparing the tree and train village below is one of our family traditions. Aren’t the traditions great? Another of ours is the holiday music during the season. So I wanted to share some of our favorites over the next 12 days of Christmas. Click on it for some seasonal holiday music in the background if you want.

I have to admit I became a Celtic Woman groupie a few years back when I saw their first PBS special. Accordingly, I have bought their Christmas DVD. The DVD has classic carols, done with an Irish flavor, sung by angels.

True to the season, we were actually visited by 3 angels this past week. Its true! We are blessed with many angels in our lives that love us and our kids. These 3 helped to make this holiday that much more special for our girls. Thank you!

So in trying to be worthy we tried to get our two Cherubs fit for some Christmas pics this weekend. Ha! Trying to get these girls to sit still, look at the camera, smile and not pull the hair bows out of the other’s hair is next to impossible! So, sorry the holiday pictures may be a little late!

Here is a glimpse of what I mean (darn flash delay!):

Have a great Monday!

Posted in Archives | Leave a comment

09 Dec 2011

2 Comments

Leave The Dirt To Me…

Before I became a dad I had never changed a diaper before. People always talked about how horrible it was. I heard all the ‘urban legends’ and detailed stories. So, when I was finally pushed into my moment of truth I opened up the tabs and was utterly disappointed. Being a restaurant manager in the past I had cleaned up far worse messes than this. I said, “Is that all you got”?

I had nooo idea how resourceful these girls can be!

Which brings me back to Cleaning Tip # 1 MUST HAVE’s two and three.

The second MUST HAVE for a DDD is a hand-held Black and Decker cordless Flex portable vacuum. When the kids look like they left more lunch on the floor than in their bellies, whip out this Flex! When doing crafts turns into a glitter disaster, its Flex time! When the kids have a food fight with a large bag of Goldfish, while you’re in the shower, the portable Flex can actually save lives! Don’t lug out the portable vac in the closet. Flex instead.

Finally, the Roomba! This is the robot vacuum cleaner that works by itself. I confess it is not the best vacuum cleaner I have used BUT it can vacuum while you sleep. Cool! I can vacuum and be at the park at the same time. It can clean the kid’s room while we all play outside. Simply this gadget saves you time when time is one thing you don’t have enough of.

They actually make Roombas for carpets, hard wood floors and even swimming pools. My Christmas Wish is they come up with one that does the LEAVES outside. My Festivis Miracle!

So I know what you are thinking, “How many vacuum cleaners does DDD really need”?

We actually collected five (!) by now. I told my wife I would not tease her anymore about the need to have five vacuum cleaners. So I will stop here. Please don’t tell her I brought it up…again .

On a side note, we actually named our Roomba “Rosie”. When we came home one day Dylan asked who cleaned the living room. Mommy said, “errrr Rosie the Roomba.

And remember, if you like what you heard…spread the word… Our Life In 3D. Thanks!

Posted in Homework and tagged dad, diapers, Flex, leaves, messes, mom, Roomba