Today is the Bomb (Pop)

Everyone prepare yourselves for purple lips and serious brain freeze; today is National Bomb Pop Day! Now personally, I don't know that there's a better symbol of childhood summers than the Bomb Pop (the Ninja Turtle ice cream bars with gumball eyes are a close second). And let's face it, it HAD to be from the Ice Cream Man; a Bomb Pop out of our own freezer just wasn't the same, and my Mom even suggesting the idea was just plain insulting. I can...

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Review and Giveaway: Doggie Doo

In an age where everything entertainment-related for kids seems to be found on an LCD screen, it's nice to have new products being introduced that take it back to the "old school" style of family games. And for me personally, it's even better when said game incorporates something hilarious and childish like picking up poop. Enter: Doggie Doo. I'll admit, when I first saw the commercial for Doggie Doo, I was in shock. I thought there was no way that...

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Wordless Wednesday - Buckethead

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A Toddler Divided

When it comes to toddlers, you might think that the biggest decisions they face in their youth are pretty inconsequential. Do I want blueberries or bananas for breakfast? Should I play with my Busy Ball Popper or gigantic stuffed bunny first? Which bathroom drawer should I empty out today? Should I poop in my diaper or wait until I'm in the bathtub and create havoc for everybody? Day-to-day life is pretty easy, without any groundbreaking choices...

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My Dad Kryptonite, Revealed

I still remember the day I developed my aversion to snakes. I was in Tennessee, or Kentucky or some state in that general region. My parents had taken us on a God-forsaken trip to the South to see such attractions as Dollywood (yes, that would be an amusement park started by Dolly Parton) and stay in a cabin in the woods. That particular day, we were hiking up a mountain, when we stumbled across a large crowd stalled at one point on the path. There...

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Help Wilderness Brewing Co. become a reality

As a craft beer enthusiast and a supporter of local businesses, I was intrigued when I first heard about Wilderness Brewing, a project from Kansas City locals Mike Reinhardt and Nate Watson. The two run the website Thank Heaven For Beer, and have been avid homebrewers for years. The pair has decided to transform their hobby into a legitimate, money-making endeavor, but to start a fully functional brewery, there's one thing they need (and don't have):...

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You've Got A Friend In "ZeeZee"

Well, it's happened. Our daughter,  just shy of 19 months old, abandoned us for a friend. Okay, maybe I'm being a little melodramatic. But when you're a first-time parent, sometimes little events can trigger a tidal wave of emotional response, especially when the event is completely indicative of your little one growing up and needing you even slightly less. Saturday evening, we were all at a fish fry hosted by Nana and Papa D's (Grandma...

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Beats and Beer Friday

The weekend is upon us, which means it's that time again: BEATS AND BEER FRIDAY! Forget the introduction, let's get right to the chase: Beats: Kato - T.I.M.E. Vol. 3 Mixtape Since I first heard Jarren Benton's "Justin Bieber", Kato (aka Christopher Ju) is quickly becoming one of my favorite hip-hop producers. He's got a sound that I can best describe as Southern Space Age. His collaboration with Benton led me to seek out more of his music, and...

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7 Lessons Learned From My Dad

In the dad blogiverse, it seems to be a requisite to write a post about Father's Day. I've seen guides to the best Father's Day gifts, guides to the WORST Father's Day gifts, explanations of what fathers REALLY want on the holiday and much, much more. I'm hopping on the bandwagon and putting up a Father's Day post, but instead of focusing solely on my role as a father (Which I do most of the time on the blog anyway), I want to dedicate this post...

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Review: Joey the Bunny Gets Lost

Move over Berenstain Bears, Cat in the Hat, Arthur and Amelia Bedelia; Joey the Bunny is hopping his way into the world of children's literature, and he is on a mission to simultaneously entertain and give back to those in need. Joey the Bunny is a product of Big Bunny Workshop, which, in turn, is the brainchild of Jeff Maciejewski, Associate Professor of Advertising in Creighton University's School of Journalism. Jeff's motivations for creating...

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Learning from Lavern (a story of perseverance)

Who would have ever thought I'd be learning life lessons from a cat? For lack of better words, I HATE cats. I was scarred as a youth by my piano teacher's white, fluffy, hissing demon of a feline. And one of my dad's favorite jokes as I grew up was that cats were only good for one thing: grabbing them by the tail and swinging them into a lake (just a joke, keep yourselves at bay, PETA members). So, yeah; needless to say, I am not a cat person. Imagine...

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Beats and Beer Friday

If you haven't already figured it out from the links in my header and the obscure references in my posts, I am both a beer and hip-hop nerd. When I'm not busy working or being a husband/dad, you can typically find me cracking open a craft beer while perusing the latest rap releases and pirating legally acquiring the best of what I hear. So, as a break from the usual parent and family posts, I hope to make 'Beats and Beer Friday' a weekly post that...

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Sealed with a Kiss (or 500)

Kissing is weird. Really though, when you get down to it, it's a pretty bizarre concept. By slapping together our wet faceholes that are biologically engineered for breathing and eating, we are showing each other affection? Huh. And the acceptance of kissing goes through some odd phases. As a baby, you are essentially taught to kiss everything under the sun. Then as you enter junior high and high school, your parents treat kissing like a sexual gateway...

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Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs JFrye Funfest

The 3rd Annual JFrye Funfest, hosted by Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs, will take place on Saturday, June 18 from 11-3 PM at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church (click for map) in Overland Park. Entry is free (auction and food tickets can be purchased) and you can expect to find live music (of course), a silent auction/raffle, games for all ages and great food. In case you are wondering why you should go to this event and support M4JC and their cause,...

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Review: Jumping Jax

One of the biggest challenges as a parent of a young child is keeping that child entertained for extended periods of time. Some days, it feels like my wife and I manage to read every one of Ava's books and play with every one of her toys, but then we look at the clock and only an hour has passed. This can be especially difficult for parents of kids that are under 3 or so, because there simply aren't many outside entertainment options (I refuse to...

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Help Find Jamie Sheets (UPDATED)

UPDATE - 6/16/2011: Jamie Sheets has been found alive and safe!  The family has not released any details yet, but is expected to issue a statement in the near future. -------------------- I will keep this post short and to the point, because ultimately, it's not about me or my thoughts; it's about helping someone in need and hoping for a positive outcome to a tragic situation. On May 18, 2011, the daughter of my mother's friend went missing....

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Nuthin But An Aller-G Thang

I suppose I should preface this post with a brief apology for my temporary absence; my blog template never recovered after the Blogger crash, so I finally settled for migrating all of my content to a new template. Fortunately, I was able to salvage all posts and comments, so here we are with everything from before, just a slightly different look. Thanks for sticking around! One of the things that is quickly forced down your throat as a new parent...

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