Family Archive - - livingthedash.tv

Feb 21, 2009 132013+Things+Your+Kids+Will+Remember2009-02-21+14%3A00%3A28Aaron

3 Things Your Kids Will Remember

I posted last year about the importance of Creating Memories for our children.

Best-selling author, Mary Pipher, tells us that there are 3 things your kids will remember with great happiness from their childhood……….

1 // Time spent outdoors

2 // Vacations

3 // Family meals

This sounds about right. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood involve those 3 things.

Some questions I am considering…….

Am I providing enough opportunities for my boys to spend time outdoors? Playing catch, shooting hoops, hiking, fishing, camping, riding bikes, etc.
Am I being responsible enough with our family finances so that regular family vacations are possible?
Am I gathering my family at the dinner table on a regular basis and prompting family conversations?

Feb 17, 2009 13142Father%2FSon+Time2009-02-17+15%3A45%3A39Aaron

Father/Son Time

father-son-fishing

After a week at home with our newborn, Boston, the reality of the fact that I am now the dad of 3 boys is setting in.

3 boys! I feel blessed, overwhelmed, excited, and scared all at the same time.

With 8+ years of parenting under my belt, I’ve learned that I have to be super-intentional about being a great dad. It won’t just happen.

And one of the ways to make it happen is uninterrupted, laser-focused, quality time with my boys.

It is definitely not easy. I am busy. My wife is busy. Our kids are busy. There are tons of distractions.

This past week, I made an effort to spend some time with my older boys while I am off from work. The addition of a newborn to a family can be quite an adjustment for the older siblings, so I wanted to make sure the baby didn’t take all the attention away from them.

We’ve had several wrestling matches. The love language of my boys is wrestling.

We went fishing one day. All we caught was a turtle, but we had a blast.

Yesterday, Caden and I spent the afternoon together. Dessert and coffee at Starbucks. Watched Hotel for Dogs at the movie theater. Then wrapped up with burgers at Red Robin. Lots of talk about Star Wars, Legos, Wii, and other stuff that 8 year olds love.

Today, it’s Rylan’s turn. Not sure what we will do, but I am sure it will be an adventure.

How about you? What are you favorite activities with your kids? How do you ensure uninterrupted, focused, quality time with your kids? Regular father/son, father/daughter, mother/son, mother/daughter dates?

Feb 11, 2009 12850Baby+Boston2009-02-11+20%3A17%3A36Aaron

Baby Boston

boston

This is Boston. The newest addition to our family.

That makes me the dad of 3 boys!

Caden (8), Rylan (4), & Boston (4 days).

Boston’s arrival on Saturday morning was quite an experience. Our older 2 boys were with us when we first arrived at the hospital. Once the nurses admitted my wife, I stepped out briefly with the boys to kill some time until a friend of ours could arrive to watch the boys. We were out of the room for only 10 minutes when a screaming nurse summoned me back to the room. I sprinted back to the room to find a room full of nurses, no doctor, and Boston quickly on his way. The doctor was on his way to the hospital, but Boston wasn’t waiting. The nurses started preparing to deliver the baby without the doctor. At the last second, the nurses snagged another doctor from the hallway who just happened to be visiting another patient. Within minutes, I witnessed the miracle of Boston’s birth.

As you can imagine, the speed of the labor and delivery made things challenging for my wife, Jennifer. She did great. She was amazing.

Feeling so blessed these days.

Jan 31, 2009 12212http://livingthedash.tv/2009/01/31/8/82009-01-31+18%3A03%3A42Aaron