Inktober 2019 Results

Much like in years past we are participating in Inktober again this year! Last year was a lot of fun drawing each and every day with my daughter and this year looks to be no different, except she now has her own Instagram account (@AbbyDoodlesArt) and will be posting her own artwork there. Yay!

Like last year with our 2018 Inktober results I ask y’all to scroll through and check out what we did in 2019. I made this handy little table so you don’t have to scroll too much, just click the links and be sure to like, comment, and follow!

Day 1
Dad / Abby
Day 2
Dad / Abby
Day 3
Dad / Abby
Day 4
Dad / Abby
Day 5
Dad / Abby
Day 6
Dad / Abby
Day 7
Dad / Abby
Day 8
Dad / Abby
Day 9
Dad / Abby
Day 10
Dad / Abby
Day 11
Dad / Abby
Day 12
Dad / Abby
Day 13
Dad / Abby
Day 14
Dad / Abby
Day 15
Dad / Abby
Day 16
Dad / Abby
Day 17
Dad / Abby
Day 18
Dad / Abby
Day 19
Dad / Abby
Day 20
Dad / Abby
Day 21
Dad / Abby
Day 22
Dad / Abby
Day 23
Dad / Abby
Day 24
Dad / Abby
Day 25
Dad / Abby
Day 26
Dad / Abby
Day 27
Dad / Abby
Day 28
Dad / Abby
Day 29
Dad / Abby
Day 30
Dad / Abby
Day 31
Dad / Abby

This year we will be doing something just a little bit different as well. Instead of working directly from the Inktober prompt list, Abby wanted to also use the Cartoon Network prompt list. So we are adding that to the mix and we shall see how it turns out! There may even be a few on the Cartoonber list that I may even try drawing this year, but I will mainly be sticking to the official Inktober prompt list. Either way it’s going to be a good time this year just as it always has been these last couple of years!

Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@dadSTL / @AbbyDoodlesArt) and if you are feeling like joining maybe even get out some pens and paper and try your own Inktober!

A Little Update

So it’s been a few years now since I launched St. Louis Dad and I got to say, it has been a fun ride so far. I notice that I haven’t been writing as much original content as I did in the past. It has mainly been sponsored content and nothing too personal. hope to change that and start getting back into writing about being a dad as well as the other exciting things going on in my little world.

For starters you may have noticed a new logo for the website. Do ya like it? I just did a quick Google search and found a nice St. Louis stamp that I could license and switch to make it my own to some degree. So that’s what I did. I plan on making a few other cosmetic changes to the site but nothing too crazy. I enjoy the simplicity that I have going on here, so I’m not wanting to change much. How about you? Is there something you would like me to change? Want me to write more about something specific? Write to me in the comments!

It’s crazy to think that this little idea of a blog would become what it has a little over fiver years later. But that was kind of the point anyways, to build something that many people would see. I hope to do some more writing about what we have been doing during this coronavirus pandemic and how we have managed our sanity (lots of hiking). I figured a quick little update about the site would be better served before I dive into the deep end.

And just to add a little excitement to this post, today is World Heart Day and I had a nice little coincidence with it that I realized today while looking at the trending hashtags of the day.

View this post on Instagram

Lately I have been learning how to balance my chakras. Hocus pocus or whatever you may think I wanted to try something different. By chance this morning I grabbed my green aventurine stone, this stone is meant to be comforting and a heart healer. It helps balance your heart charka and brings emotional peace. As it turns out, today is World Heart Day and I guess I could not have picked a better stone to carry with me today. 🌎💚 . . . . . . #chakra #meditation #love #chakras #spiritual #energy #spirituality #aura #chakrabalancing #thirdeye #zen #buddha #peace #namaste #mindfulness #nature #selflove #life #consciousness #guidance #universe #goodvibes #art #soul #enlightenment #happy #positivity #mantra #balance #worldheartday

A post shared by Richie Williams (@dadstl) on

That to me is pretty crazy. Grabbing the heart stone on World Heart Day has got to be some divine happenings. Hopefully I will write more about chakras and what they mean to me, so that you can follow along with some of my weird and out there beliefs. It’s not something that I have really done a lot of in the past, so I am putting myself out there for y’all!

So that’s about all I got for this quick little update. I have already started on some drafts for some more original posts. Be on the look out for those, subscribe to the blog or follow me on the various social media I am active on, and if all else fails, bookmark the site!

I Will Miss You Mom

This sucks so much to write, but I feel like I have to get it out. If I don’t then I may just hang on to it for too long.

Taken during the flood of 1993 cleanup.

My mom died a few days ago. It was one of the most heart breaking things I have ever had to endure so far in my life. First it was knowing that it was going to happen weeks before. Just living with that information changes you. Is the next phone call or text gonna be the one? When I was younger my dad passed away suddenly you didn’t get a text, you got a phone call on your landline. I was just a kid and I really didn’t have much support after it happened. There were no warnings, no updates, no getting to sit by his side listening to his breath weaken while you give your tearful goodbyes. Just a phone call.

This time around I am much older, a husband, a father, and so much more responsible, but I still feel as helpless now as I did then. Even with the support of my wife and family. Coming to terms with the idea that this is actually going to happen to it actually happening is still cracking my mental foundation.

It’s hard for me to talk about my feelings and express them properly, but I guess that’s what I am doing here. Blogging therapy…. Well, she didn’t die from the coronavirus thankfully, but she did suffer from some liver and kidney issues that slowly progressed from bad to worse over these last few months. I lied to myself and thought that she would miraculously recover but deep inside I kinda figured this would not be a road to a happy and healthy recovery. The doctors and nurses did all they could. My sister and my aunts did an amazing job taking care of her this past year. I cannot thank them enough for all that they have done…. and my step-father, I know he is hurting, losing his friend, finding and using his faith in God to find his own peace and reflection during this chapter in our lives.

I thought maybe I could push through it all and be as strong as I have been. It’s pretty hard to maintain a charade of happiness when inside all you want to do is break down. But I’m managing it pretty well. When I answer the phone I just push my feelings deep down. When my kids run up to show me something that they think is exciting, I need to turn it up and match their excitement. It’s best that they not see me falling apart. So I’ll do what I’m suppose to do. It’s what we men are known for right? Hiding our feelings.

My mom and dad. The younger years.

It’s crazy to think that because of the coronavirus my mom won’t have a “regular” funeral. Only a select few get to attend a memorial service while the rest can view a live stream of the event. It’s sad to think that many of those that were a part of my mom’s life will not even get a chance to say goodbye in the way that many people are so accustomed to. This can’t be a new normal.

I will miss my mom, but what I think I will miss more is being able to see her interact with my children. I already miss what could have been with my dad and my kids, but knowing what was there with my mom and these two wonderful kids, that hurts a lot. They will never get to see their Nanners again, never get to giver her another hug and ask for a snack like they were notorious for doing. It’s sad to think about and…. yeah… it. sucks.

There’s so much that I am gonna miss. I remember when my daughter was just a little baby and we would go over to my mom’s and “grocery shop” from what she had stocked up. Her over buying helped us so much during that time, not to mention all of the other times she had helped us in some degree or another. I could fill this blog with posts about her kindness and doing anything she could to help her kids as well as her grandkids.

Mom and me at a family reunion!

I know my wife Destiny will really miss you too. You were always so caring and sympathetic, and would always just be there to lend an ear if needed. A shoulder to cry on if wanted. A truly compassionate person that never judged. The times you have helped her get through her struggles can’t even be counted on both hands. She wrote a very heartfelt post on Facebook about you that summarizes the type of person you were and how that wonderful personality affected those that you connected with.

I will miss helping you with your computer questions. Things I took for granted like you asking about backing up data, or needing my help installing a web cam. As easy as they were I now wish they took ten times as long to do just so I could have spent a little more time with my mom. I’ll never forget how excited you were when I showed you a “hack” so you didn’t need to use your Sims CD when playing the game anymore… or the time when you found yourself in the rabbit’s hole called Kazaa and you would download anything you could.

I’ll miss your tacos, your gardening advice, and how the accent of your voice would change after hanging out with your sisters. I will miss learning from you. Even when I grew up and became an adult I still learned from you even though I thought there wasn’t anything left to learn. There is so much that I will miss, so much that I could list various things for days. For now I will just hold onto the memories. I won’t ever forget you, I will miss you Mom.

You can share a memory and view her obituary here.

Giving Yourself a Break: Top Ways to Spend Your Me-Time

This has been a difficult year for many of us. Alongside the usual stresses of day to day life, almost all of us have had to deal with the consequences of a worldwide pandemic. Back in January, who could have anticipated that we’d spend the majority of this year battling against the effects of a potentially deadly virus. Coronavirus and Covid-19 have posed a huge health threat, have caused the implementation of social isolation and social distancing (posing a threat to our mental health and emotional wellbeing) and have also ravaged the economy, causing countless companies to collapse and countless consequent job losses around the world. We’ve all had a lot on our plate. On top of this, many of us have faced around the clock childcare alongside trying to take care of everything else, as many schools have been closed for months on end. It’s not all too surprising that your stress levels may be pretty high right now. If this is the case, it really is important to take some me-time and schedule it into your calendar. Sure, you want to put everyone else’s needs foremost and you can. But also make sure to schedule some time in for yourself where you can kick back and relax for a while. Here are some good ways to spend your me-time.

Go For a Walk

You’d be amazed what going for a simple walk can do for your wellbeing. This activity goes above and beyond the physical benefits of getting out, stretching your legs and getting some mild aerobic exercise in. It gives you time to think and reflect. Plus, being out in nature can be pretty calming in and of itself too. While the majority of us don’t live next to sprawling and stunning scenery and landscapes, think of a local nature spot you can visit to just see something nice in the quiet and calm.

Game

So many of us enjoy gaming. It gives you an outlet where you can escape from the real world and live a fantasy for a while. Plus, you can game safely from the comfort of your own home without having to come into contact with others to communicate with them. Whatever games you’re into, whether that’s Animal Crossing, casino games with an Online Casino Guide or anything else, make sure to play responsibly and don’t get too immersed. Some of the best Online Casino sites can be found in this great SFGate Article. You still need to keep up with your other commitments. This should just be an occasional release.

Bake

Lots of people have really got into baking over the past few months. There’s probably been a point where local stores have experienced a lack of baking essentials like flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and more. But this is because baking is relaxing, fun, engaging and you get some sort of (hopefully) delicious treat at the end! Try a few recipes to see how you get along.

These are just a few different activities you might want to try out when you take a little break and incorporate some me-time into your schedule! Hopefully, you’ll find some fun!