Earth Day 2015

EARTHEarth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network,[1] and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.[2]

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This Earth Day our family will be doing our part by picking up some trash along our walk. We also have a few plants that we would like to get into the ground but I am thinking with frost on the forecast tonight that may need to wait a few more days. We picked up an awesome Dunecraft Eco Plant Pals called Fly Trap Fred that we hope will become a ferocious carnivore that screams out “Feed me Abby!”. But we all know nothing as cool as that will ever happen in our household. So we will just care for Fred like we do all of our other pets and plants. With love, sunlight, and whatever kind of food they need.

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Keeping our planet nice and clean shouldn’t be a recommendation, it should be something that has to be done. Everyday should be an Earth day. Each year us humans produce more and more waste. Showing our kids that we as adults care about Mother Earth is very important, especially at a young age when children can be impressionable. They see what mom and dad do and where they throw their trash. So if you have a habit of just tossing your wrapper on the ground, so will your kids. If you take your trash where it is suppose to go, so will your kids.

Abby and I will be keeping a journal of how Fly Trap Fred is doing and we will keep you all updated on his progress. I think at her age it is the perfect time to introduce Abby to the scientific process. Although she cannot write exactly what she is thinking I will be there to help her along the way. I want her to see how the plant is growing and make guesses on what will happen next. We shall see!

Here are four great ideas to get you and your family engaged in some Earth Day fun!

  1. Go on a walk and cleanup along the way.
  2. Start a garden! Flowers, veggies, and more!
  3. Plant a tree! If you join the Arbor Day Foundation, you can even get ten free trees!
  4. Make a craft out of nature. Use leaves, pine cones, sticks and more to make a creative project!

What are some your favorite Earth Day activities to do with your kids? Share them in the comments below!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0fpKSEW79I

 

Surprise Artwork!

My niece attends the school where I work. I see her often and we talk about how she is doing in school and what her plans for the future are and all of that good stuff. Today when I get out to my car I see something taped to the door. When I get closer I see that it’s the merc with a mouth, Deadpool. I don’t think she knew that I was a fan but it was a nice little surprise at the end of the day.

How cool! My niece drew a picture of Deadpool and taped it to my car. #mercwithamouth
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If I fit I sit.

Alex is my little maniac. He likes to get into everything. If he can climb on it he will, if a toy fits in his mouth that’s where it will be. In this picture Alex has found out that he can fit perfectly in one of our cabinets that we store toys in. He decided to take all of the toys out of the cabinet and place himself inside of it instead. It was amusing watching him shut himself in this cabinet. Each time he would pop it open I would be sure to scream with delight that I found him.

It just goes to show you that it doesn’t matter if you have the latest and greatest toy, sometimes the most fun can be had just by finding a great hiding spot from your dad.

If I fit I sit.

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A Night Away From Dad

I THINKYesterday, my wife decided to take the kids and spend the night out at my sister’s house. She does this from time to time to give me an opportunity to get some illustrations done or to work on various other projects without interruption from the kids. Last night with Destiny, Abby, and Alex out of the house I was able to draw, ink, and color 20 illustrations. It was no easy task but something that I was able to complete because of the time my wife gave me.

But let me tell you something, I sure do miss them when they are gone. The house is a lot quieter, the dogs are more settled, and it is just more lonely. Even though this loneliness is just for one night I miss the sounds of chaos through-out our walls. I miss the “daddy I needs”, in addition to the non-stop entertainment Abby and Alex provide. Ultimately, I miss the company of my wife. She always has something interesting to say, tips, and suggestions. Plus when all is said and done she’s there to snuggle with before falling asleep. Our bed is pretty comfortable but when it’s just you by yourself, that comfort is hard to find. The bed didn’t get harder or lumpy, it’s just not the same without my beautiful companion. Saying “sweet dreams” over the phone just doesn’t have the same impact as a kiss goodnight.

Another thing that I find myself not doing when nobody is around is eating. I cook and eat significantly less when I am by myself. Last night I didn’t even make dinner until really late. Even then I probably could have gotten away with not eating anything at all. It’s kind of weird. You would think that a man all alone in a house full of food would binge on everything in site. That’s just not the case. It’s like I go into survival mode where I live off of only what I have too. Plus who wants to dirty up a sink full of dishes just for a one person meal… Not me!

The wife and kids will be home later this afternoon. I am extremely excited to see them and spend some quality time together. It is suppose to be rainy today so hopefully we can all do some relaxing and watch a movie or two. Maybe even play with some LEGO or something else. I do have the GeekDad book series… Maybe I will get those out and see what kind of projects I can whip up on this wonderful day. We will just have to see how everyone is feeling once Destiny and the kids get home. For now, it’s time to clean up the house and make sure everything looks great for when they do arrive. I don’t want my wife walking into a natural disaster!

What do you do when you are alone without your significant other and the kids are all gone? Post a comment and share your story below! Lastly, in honor of the latest Star Wars trailer release I leave you with a cute picture of Abby dressed up as Yoda.

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