As a parent of two kids - plus another expected addition within the next few weeks - there are some things I love to hear my daughters say. Such as, "You're the greatest dad ever" or "I love you to the moon and back" or "I'm not going to date until I'm 35 years old!!!" That's music to my ears. However, there are some phrases that I dread to hear coming from the mouths of my children. While I haven't heard all of these yet - my two daughters are only preteens after all - I expect to … [Read more...]
May 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Winners Announced!
Last week I gave away five copies of Michael Hyatt's great new book titled Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. It's a great resource for anyone who has something they want to share, sell or say. Each of the winners was randomly selected from anyone who tweeted and then shared the respective daily post last week. Those winners are: Patricia Neiger Kimber Vanry Shawn Snyder Ken Hagerman Kevin Haggerty Congratulations to each winner and thanks to everyone who … [Read more...]
May 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Memorial Day Tribute
For all the service men and women who give their lives every day so that the rest of us can live ours. Below is a brief, two minutes long, yet poignant video that I stumbled upon today that really drives home the importance of remembering the fallen, so we can rise up and carry on. If you've lost a loved one who served - all I can say is thank you! You may need tissues for this one.... … [Read more...]
May 24, 2012 By 9 Comments
Sometimes it’s Personal and Not Business…
Earlier this week my co-workers and wife conspired to have a baby shower for the pending delivery of our bouncing bundle of joy, Salvatore James Constantino (TJ for short) who's due to arrive in a few short weeks. The shower occurred at my work. Hopefully, you can see from my expressions in the first three photos that I had completely bought their bogus cover story that I was to be attending a "budget meeting." This is why they don't throw baby showers for guys, I was prepared to … [Read more...]
May 16, 2012 By 6 Comments
12 Marathons in 12 Months for Wounded Soliders
I've known Eddy Horn for about 5 years, but we didn't become friends until he and I started training for my first full marathon back in 2009. This photo shows him and me after we finished that race together in the pouring rain. We've since run a couple of races together, but he has gotten much faster than me and I can't keep up with his pace. Additionally, the number of full 26.2 mile races he's completed thus far is climbing through the teens while I'm lagging with six under my … [Read more...]
May 13, 2012 By 4 Comments
10 Things Every Mom Says…
This is a re-post from last year that I thought was appropriate for Mother's Day. Last night I saw that one of my sisters had a collection of our mother’s photos posted up on a Facebook page. The photo insert to the left, was always one of my favorites of my mom when I was growing up. Our parents raised five children and would have celebrated their 45th anniversary last month had they both been alive. My father died of a heart attack in August 2006 and my mother died in a single-car … [Read more...]
May 11, 2012 By 7 Comments
Being a Jedi Mom….
I thought I had a happy childhood growing up. There was no substance, emotional or physical abuse in my family. And I still bitterly miss both my parents - who passed away - particularly around Father's Day and Mother's Day. While I loved both my parents, when I consider their parenting skills I find that they were lacking. For instance, I don't remember my mother having a bubbly, effusive, happy personality. She seemed to be in a neutral or semi-bad mood a lot of the time. Neither of … [Read more...]
May 9, 2012 By 9 Comments
Our Pregnancy Update – Week 34
The arrival of our new baby boy is a mere six weeks away or 42 days or approximately 1,008 hours - regardless the clock keeps ticking, while he keeps kicking. He keeps growing as well, which is a good thing but has been very tiring on my wife who is pictured here for the first time on this blog as a soon-to-be mom! Isn't she adorable? [Note: all heads must be nodding - I learned the marriage mantra early, "Happy Wife, Happy Life."] Like I said, he's still growing and here's the latest … [Read more...]
May 4, 2012 By 12 Comments
3 Expectations Parents Should Have for Kids
I've always been a believer in the idea that your reach should exceed your grasp. In other words, bite off more than you can comfortably chew. I believe in setting high expectations and goals. Of course that type of thinking is out of vogue especially for kids these days with their fragile self esteem; "gradeless" report cards that are now based on effort rather than competency and bedroom shelves stacked with trophies and ribbons they didn't earn but were given for just signing up. We … [Read more...]
