tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77770454572426117252024-03-18T23:36:40.397-04:00Running With TripletsDad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.comBlogger333125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-18063846354130085102016-09-30T21:36:00.003-04:002016-09-30T21:36:36.848-04:00Our recent Disney Vacation.We had a blast on our recent trip to Disney in August. Our split stay included three nights at The Yacht Club. And yes we all loved the pool! I was able to capture some pretty cool video with a GoPro Silver. Here's a video clip of the girls cooling off:<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EInR36KDXq8&feature=youtu.be">Swimming at The Beach Club</a>Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-33201302238879183082013-08-07T22:37:00.000-04:002013-08-08T22:53:48.486-04:00I run because some cannot.Many years ago, I met a friend at the Nike store on Newbury Street in Boston after work for a group run. At the time (not sure if they still do it), the Nike store did group runs from the store.<br />
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Nike had Lynn Jennings (US Olympic runner) speak before the run. She also led the group run which was along the Charles River.<br />
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One thing that Ms. Jennings said that night has stuck with me. She said that whenever she had a choice between taking an escalator and stairs, she took the stairs. <i>Because she could</i>.<br />
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She took the stairs because she could and because others don't have that choice.<br />
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In conjunction with a road race I am doing in the coming days, I am fundraising for an organization which benefits children (and adults) like my daughter Anna who have Spina Bifida.<br />
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<b>If you would like to donate to the cause, please email me at idtripletsdad@gmail.com for information on how to donate.</b> (For privacy purposes I prefer not to put the information on the blog.)<br />
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If you don't know Anna through my postings or my wife Sarah's blog, she did a post today which illustrates one of the many challenges Anna faces. Here is the link to <a href="http://thegreatumbrellaheist.blogspot.com/2013/08/run-your-own-race-and-run-because-you.html">Sarah's post</a>.<br />
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Thank you!Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-92118436432601770492013-07-24T21:39:00.001-04:002013-07-24T21:39:26.962-04:00Steppin' Out With Adorable Triplet GirlsI'm not going to attempt to do a "catch-up" blog post. My posts are much too infrequent and we've had a ton happen as family - mostly good stuff, fortunately.<br />
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Most of my followers follow Sarah as well. If you don't follow <a href="http://thegreatumbrellaheist.blogspot.com/">Sarah's blog</a>, head on over - you can get an idea of what my adorable daughters have been up to.<br />
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June was busy. Last days of kindergarten, my job search, Sarah's work schedule, plus the girls had two shows - dance and gymnastics. Video cameras were not allowed at the actual recital, but I was able to capture one of their routines at the rehearsal:<br />
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<br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-58628957953538715422013-06-13T22:17:00.002-04:002013-06-13T22:17:51.358-04:00Cry babies.Almost two months since I last posted!? I shouldn't be that surprised...<br />
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Been working - on a project at the corporate office of a bank in Boston. This is through a temporary agency so no benefits. But a paycheck (albeit small).<br />
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Been running - a little, anyway. Falmouth is less than 9 weeks away and I have some training to do!<br />
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Been feeling the love - Allie, Anna and Emily fill my basket. EVERY DAY. Hugs, kisses, laughs and smiles. Times three. It's awesome.<br />
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Been looking for permanent employment - exhausting, frustrating, and draining. But necessary.<br />
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Been feeling proud - of my girls. Their work in school. Their dance recital. Their gymnastics show.<br />
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Been stressed - Sarah's work has been unbelievably taxing (no pun intended) on her. And us.<br />
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Been crying - tears of joy and sadness. Abigail's birthday was last week.<br />
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Been thinking how the cries of a baby have taken on a whole new meaning to me. How it hurts so bad that we never heard Abigail cry.<br />
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<br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-49406516524805423872013-04-26T16:34:00.000-04:002013-04-26T16:34:03.467-04:00I'm So Sorry.Eleven days have passed since the Boston Marathon bombings and today was the first day since the attackers were captured that I had the opportunity to walk back to Boylston Street.<br />
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Not interested in the media craze nor spectacle of people, the draw for me was from within.<br />
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Out the building I went. <em>Cold today</em>. A breeze too. <em>Glad I wore my vest</em>.<br />
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<em>I should have some lunch before I go any further</em>. Rebecca's Cafe. <em>Some soup</em>.<br />
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Found a seat at a small table with a partial view of Boylston Street. Outside, against a building, rested several pieces of crowd-control fencing/barricades left from the marathon. Other than that, people bustled by, going about their daily business (<span style="font-size: x-small;">just a block form the marathon finish line</span>). I became quite reflective and thought about how events like the marathon bombings and Sandy Hook shootings can be supplanted every so subtly.<br />
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<em>I want to visit the memorial. I should go to the finish line also.</em><br />
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Four or five large media trucks lined Boylston Street at Copley Plaza (the site of the memorial). As I drew closer to the memorial site, my attention turned to the large number of items left there - flowers, hats, sneakers, notes, flags, shirts...<br />
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For the most part, the people moved about the memorial in silence. Many were taking pictures or videos. Everyone seemed to be reflecting.<br />
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<em>I didn't think I'd become this emotional. </em>As my eyes scanned the uncounted messages that had been written, tears started to form.<br />
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A hand-written message written by a child caught my eye. It read:<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><em>I'm so sorry.</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><em> <span style="font-size: large;"> -Emma</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">So true, Emma. So true.</span></div>
Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-80511266635795476692013-04-22T22:33:00.002-04:002013-04-22T22:33:56.338-04:00Marathon Monday 2013.Monday of last week started like many of the Patriot's Days have for me over the past ten years or so.<br />
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I was working in the Back Bay section of Boston. This particular job happens to be a temporary consulting position. The other two jobs I've held in the past ten years were permanent, but also in Back Bay. I was an Accounting Manager for companies located in the John Hancock Tower and The Prudential Center - both with views of Boylston Street.<br />
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I have completed the Boston Marathon twice, but I haven't run Boston in over 10 years. But, as the saying goes, once you run Boston, it never leaves you. If I get an opportunity to be "part" of the marathon, I take it. My part for the past ten years has been as a spectator - whether I watch it on television or whether I take a break from the office and walk down to Bolyston Street.<br />
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Last Monday, at about 12:30, I left my desk and walked down Clarendon Street to the corner of Bolyston Street and watched as the runners who had completed their 26.2 miles did their cooldown and walked in the direction of the Public Gardens and Boston Common. They had just completed the premiere marathon in the world. <br />
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Before heading back to the office, I decided to try to get closer to the finish line. This meant walking back up Clarendon and then taking a right toward the Boston Public Library. I walked behind the library and started right on Exeter Street toward Boylston, but it was packed with people. And there was no sun and it was chilly (even for April in Boston). I decided to head back to the office.<br />
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I spent the next hour and a half or so preparing for a 3:00 meeting while also checking on marathon news via <i>boston.com</i>. Sarah was keeping me up to date on Joey McIntyre's progress. LOL.<br />
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In hindsight, I heard the explosion at 2:50 while at my desk. But, at the time, I thought it was an 18 wheeler driving by on the nearby Mass Pike.<br />
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While meeting with this individual, his phone was buzzing off the hook. Then, at about 3:30, he said "<i>excuse me, I need to check my phone</i>." He turned to me and said there had been an explosion at the marathon. That is when the talk and speculation started.<br />
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I returned to my desk to 6 missed calls, a voicemail, and an email from Sarah. Having told Sarah that I would likely walk down to check things out at the marathon, she wanted to know I was okay. She was relieved to hear my voice when I called her @3:50 pm on Monday, April 15, 2013. It was about one hour after the moment our city would be changed forever.<br />
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It has been a week since. What a week. Too much to digest. Too many emotions. Too many questions. Although difficult to do, I have been trying to focus on the goodness over the evil. MOST people are good. Most humans are kind. Most humans love.<br />
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The gentleman in the blue jacket below has been in charge of the finish line for the Boston Marathon for the past 17 years. He was also my senior year high school homeroom teacher. He is one of the countless individuals who reached out to help those in need last Monday. Thank you God for the goodness in the world.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">ONE BOSTON</span></b></div>
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Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-90105245363742828272013-03-29T21:59:00.000-04:002013-03-29T21:59:12.606-04:00Daddy - Daughter Dance.Our town holds both father-daughter and mother-son dances each year staring with kindergarten-aged children. So...this was the first year my girls got to take their daddy to the dance!<br />
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It was exhausting, and at times a little stressful (trying to keep an eye on 3 six-year olds), but a ton of fun. I couldn't have been more proud being the father of these girls!<br />
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It was also fun to watch each one of the girls connect with at least one friend during the night. Simply adorable. Especially Emily and her friend "S". "S" is a peanut like Emily. And they adore each other! I think they held each other's hand all night long.<br />
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Here is a picture Sarah took before the dance. She insisted the picture be taken outside (for the lighting) = why we look a bit chilly.<br />
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<br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-11394310977542944612013-03-13T12:28:00.002-04:002013-03-13T12:28:56.860-04:00Just call me stupid?Yesterday was the day which marked the one year mark of me leaving my former employer. Maybe that is why I was so down (and still am). I also received my grade for the fourth part of the CPA exam which I had taken late last month. I did not pass.<br />
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I texted Sarah telling her I am an idiot and that I wanted to cry. The whole job search and exam situation is wearing me down. BIG time. <br />
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I am trying to be positive. I want to provide income for our family (and my retirement). I have over two decades of experience in my field and I feel like employers many times put me on par with someone with 3 - 7 years of experience. And they expect me to take a 25 - 30% pay cut.<br />
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Believe me, I am grateful for what we have as a family - not only financially, but in terms of love for each other. Sarah works her *ss off each and every day, whether at the office or at home. She is good at her profession and gets compensated accordingly (thankfully).<br />
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Am I a loser? A loafer? No, I am not either of those, but sometimes it just feels like I am.<br />
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<br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-11552364070411167552013-02-10T18:17:00.003-05:002013-02-10T21:34:15.504-05:00Stillbirth. Help Break the Silence.I was out running errands that Saturday morning when Sarah called me and asked me to come home. She was a week beyond her due date and we were both anxious to welcome our first child into our lives.<br />
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Looking back, the drive to the hospital that June day in 2006 seemed to be a long one. I honestly don't remember the conversation between Sarah & me. I do remember Sarah being tense. But at the time, I figured it was just a "normal" nervousness. I know now that it more was than that. <br />
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Within an hour of our arrival to the hospital, we were told our baby had died.<br />
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<em>"The baby's heart stopped beating."</em><br />
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<em>"I am so sorry."</em><br />
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<em>What!?</em><br />
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<em>No.</em><br />
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<em>There must be a mistake</em>.<br />
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Shock, disbelief, anger, grief, sorrow, more anger, followed by intense sorrow and depression-like feelings have been with Sarah and me since then.<br />
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Sometimes the feelings are overwhelming. Sometimes faint. But the feelings are always there.<br />
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We learned about stillbirth. We found out it happens more than one would think. BUT no one talks about it. NO ONE. It makes people uncomfortable. People say some absurd things. It hurts.<br />
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<a href="http://www.firstcandle.org/">First Candle</a> shared a video (link below) which I hope you will watch and share with your family friends. I think it may help those who have not delivered a child sleeping (and those that have for that matter). <br />
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Since Abigail, neither Sarah nor I have known anyone in our close circle of family and friends who have experienced stillbirth. However, coincidentally enough, I received an email from my brother a day or two after I started to draft this post. A friend of his, whom I had met on a couple of occasions, had lost his son to stillbirth. His wife was in the hospital preparing for labor and their son died.<br />
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Please take a few minutes to click on the link below and watch the video. And please also remember <em>Abigail Ruth (June 4,2006), </em>Robert and all the other children born sleeping.<br />
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<a href="http://gapps.org/index.php/advocacy/making_a_difference/break_the_silence_video/">http://gapps.org/index.php/advocacy/making_a_difference/break_the_silence_video/</a>Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-12083564060402285972013-02-08T21:29:00.001-05:002013-02-08T21:29:17.440-05:00Blizzard of 1978If you live in the Northeastern part of the United States you are well aware that a storm described as possibly "epic" is churning over us as I write this. And if you are over the age of 40 you may remember the historic storm of 1978 which occurred at about this time 35 years ago - February 6th and 7th, 1978 to be exact.<br />
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I was living in a section of Boston called West Roxbury at the time, and I am fortunate to have fond memories of the Blizzard of '78. We were without power for a few days and our street was not cleared for days as well. But, unlike some others, none of us were left stranded on any of the impassable roads. There were many people who were not as fortunate - stranded during the hurricane force winds and freezing temperatures. Schools were closed for 2+ weeks and everyone was using sleds, toboggans and skis as their transportation!<br />
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The town I live in now is one of the towns which could see up to 30 inches of snow before Nemo leaves the area on Saturday. That is a lot of snow! There are a few differences between the Blizzard of '78 and Nemo, however. The biggest difference is that everyone has known DAYS in advance of this storm. Meteorologists were predicting 6 inches of snow before the Blizzard of '78 - it caught everyone by surprise! Most people didn't have snow blowers back in 1978 either - we just used good 'ole muscle power!<br />
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My dad (God rest his soul) and mother got a few brief video clips from the Blizzard of '78. In this clip are my two younger brothers Chris and Don, my dad, my mother and myself:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1V3zaEjDaxo" width="459"></iframe><br />
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<br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-67551597952642314182013-01-29T21:00:00.000-05:002013-01-29T21:00:57.834-05:00A gorilla, Gaston, a hippo and Duffy.I think this may be my final post on our December Disney trip - it just seems "old" at this point. <br />
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This video clip includes some of the animals we saw at Animal Kingdom. It was pretty cool to see an enormous hippo swim underwater (through a window). The gorilla exhibit was also great - one of the gorillas was hanging out directly in front of the glass-enclosed viewing area! <br />
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When you watch the gorilla video clip, listen for the cast member (CM) saying "...you will have nightmares for the rest of your life!" Some kid went under the rope and climbed up on to the ledge of the window, which was a definite NO-NO. And, despite more than a couple of stern warnings by the CM for the kid's parent(s) to get him out of there, the CM basically warned everyone that if the gorilla gets mad, ALL of us will be sorry and "have nightmares for the rest of our lives". I believe him. The kid's parents finally pulled him away from the window....<br />
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Also in this video is Gaston, albeit briefly. He surprised us we were having a snack outside of Gaston's Tavern so I wasn't able to get it all on video. He did comment on the fact that Anna was focused on sipping her lemonade though!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ELLvodbskyk" width="480"></iframe><br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-13135141574810262042013-01-22T21:12:00.001-05:002013-01-22T21:12:36.950-05:00It Was Electric.Another "must do" from our trip was to see the electric parade which runs down Main Street (only on specified nights). <em>Check.</em> I will say it was well worth staking out a curbside spot two hours before the parade was to begin. Both the parade and the light show on Cinderella's castle parade were simply <u>awesome</u>. Sarah and I have always said that Disney knows how to put on a show!<br />
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Here's some more clips from our trip. Check it out - it has some cute clips of Allie and Emily holding hands with Tigger! Anna wearing sunglasses is pretty darn cute too!<br />
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Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-77536532571783696412013-01-19T12:10:00.001-05:002013-01-19T12:10:11.801-05:00One snowflake, three fairies. The girls meet Tink and Periwinkle.This being our third trip to Disney, we had a good idea of what our "must do" and "definitely skip" items were going to be.<br />
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We knew we were definitely going to check-out the new Fantasyland (Belle's castle, etc.) and we also planned to spend AT LEAST 2 of our 6 days at Magic Kingdom. We would also skip Hollywood Studios this trip (and maybe the next couple of trips as well). We passed on going to Hollywood Studies because, in comparison to the other parks, there are few very attractions for the girls.<br />
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Another must -do was to see Tinkerbell again since Allie missed seeing Tink last time.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I cannot believe I am even going to say this</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">but</span>...Tinkerbell has become a fave of mine. I guess I previously just couldn't get passed her high-pitched voice. BUT, after seeing the character in person, seeing the girls' reactions to her, and catching some of Tinkerbell movies/shows, I like her! <br />
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Here's Allie, Anna and Emily meeting Tinkerbell and Periwinkle:<br />
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Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-52127418653711381472013-01-17T13:53:00.001-05:002013-01-17T13:53:35.139-05:00Art of Animation.Having just taken (today) the Audit and Attestation (AUD) section of the CPA exam, I may have a few pockets of time to do a few posts. I hope the results of the AUD section are better than the previous two sections I took!<br />
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So back to our Disney trip. <br />
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Both Sarah and I were stressed about flying to Disney this time, given this would be our first time flying with the girls. And, since renting three car seats can be costly, and there would be no guarantee of getting three when we arrived at the airport in Orlando, we decided to take our (new and pricey) car seats with us. <br />
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Sarah had heard horror stories of car seats getting beat-up bad when checked-in, so we planned to take them on the plane and have the girls sit on them. We had no idea how that would work - how do you get three car seats from our van (which we needed to park at the airport) gate? From the gate on to the plane? Along with the two strollers and carry-on bags? How 'bout getting the car seats (and the six suitcases) from the baggage claim in Orlando to our rental car? Remember, it was me (the one guy) and Sarah, three 5 year-olds, and Sarah's mom.<br />
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We arrived to the airport well in advance. And our stresses over the car seats were pretty much wiped away by the super-courteous JetBlue agents at the check-in counter. Thank you! They convinced us (mostly Sarah, actually) to check-in the car seats - telling us it would be much less of a hassle. And JetBlue offers a no-fee check-in of car seats. Again, thank you!<br />
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Here's some clips from our first 24 hours of vacation:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xQR7v4KuZPw" width="480"></iframe><br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-75277747271362219642013-01-02T21:16:00.001-05:002013-01-02T21:16:18.867-05:00Surprise - we are going to Disney!So, yes our trip to Disney last month WAS a surprise to Allie, Anna and Emily.<br />
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I captured their faces while Sarah broke the news only hours before we were to leave for the airport:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MiPKbMI942g" width="480"></iframe><br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-16784024422339649352012-12-26T20:26:00.002-05:002012-12-26T20:26:24.104-05:00Disney Trip and CPA ExamSince my last post, I have tested on two of the four sections of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. In addition to studying for and taking those sections, we took our second trip (this year) to Disney. I have also been busy with a continued job search and my stay-at-home dad duties. I just could not justify spending time on a blog post.<br />
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I am not shocked by the results of the first two sections of the exam (I received my grades on both), although I am still somewhat numb by receiving a 74 on one exam section when the passing grade is a 75! I need to reread the fine print on scoring - maybe I can appeal and/or ask for a re-grading...<br />
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If you read Sarah's blog, you know we flew to Disney this time and it went about as good as it could have gone - considering it was our first time flying as a family. Sarah's mom traveled with us again on this trip. Having Grammy and flying Jet Blue were definite positives. We stayed at the Art of Animation resort this time, which was different than the Beach Club, for sure. But the stark differences between the two resorts went unnoticed by our girls. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>I think.</em></span><br />
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More on the exam and our vacation in future posts. This is a clip of the girls meeting Alice in Wonderland for the first time:<br />
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Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-6253788373852006652012-10-30T20:46:00.001-04:002012-10-30T20:46:41.656-04:00Three more letters.As the girls move through their first year in a "real" school (kindergarten), they are learning the letters of the alphabet, along with a handful of other concepts. They continue to bombard us with questions on a range of topics from religion ("<em>Why does God _____?") </em>to sports ("<em>Why are you watching the Patriots?")</em> to family ("<em>Is Grandma G. your mommy, daddy?"). </em>Curiosity is high for all three of them and I love it! I love watching their faces as they ponder the answers Sarah and I provide. It is one of the multiple joys of parenthood!<br />
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Trying to explain Sarah's four-day work schedule and my study-unemployment-school-interview schedule is another thing. Emily has been especially curious about how I spend my time when Grammy comes during the day to watch them. I am studying for the CPA exam. They know I am done with grad school, so Emily has been asking me questions about my studying for the exam. If you could only see her cute little face and lips when she asks me a question...her eyes roll upward and she thinks REAL hard!<br />
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Emily has asked a lot of the questions I have been asking myself about this exam...like WHY!?<br />
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The answer to the WHY question is a long one, but for now let's just say the answer is FOR THE BETTER. Sarah & I hope the long-term outcome will be a better quality of life for the entire family.<br />
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In the meantime, the content of the study material, for me, is tough! Most of the stuff is material from undergrad - over 20 years ago!<br />
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I am taking the FAR section one week for today. Passing rate is less than 50% for first-timers. I certainly hope I beat the odds!<br />
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Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-65272280147553899652012-10-23T09:15:00.003-04:002012-10-23T09:15:46.759-04:00Silliness and Middle "C"With summer's door closed and winter's chill creeping in, time outside is dwindling. FAST. <br />
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And, of course, having three five-year olds' bundled energy indoors can be trying at times. They are kids and they are active kids. I get that and Sarah and I are pleased that our girls are active. Yes - Allie, Anna and Emily have their time in front of the television but they spnd much more time playing. And they get goofy. And silly. And wild too.<br />
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This is a little clip of them being silly but cute (of course). The first part is at the piano which we recently moved out of the girls' playroom into the kitchen area so it doesn't serve as a shelf anymore - it serves as a piano! <br />
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Emily says she wants to take piano lessons....<br />
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Allie especially loves dancing and performing. She takes it seriously too!<br />
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I love this performance in particular - Allie looks so DARN CUTE!<br />
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Some kids (and adults) with Spina Bifida look "normal" to those who do not know they were born with SB. These individuals with SB do not require the use of a wheelchair, leg braces, or some other form of walking aide. Their disability is invisible to most people. </div>
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Our daughter Anna has Spina Bifida. And to most people her disability is invisible (most of the time). Believe it or not, it is even easy for some family members to forget she has SB - they may see her once a month or a few times a year. And, until they see Sarah or me take Anna to be catherized, they see her as one of the girls. This is good. I like that she is looked at as "normal". </div>
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We are in many ways "lucky" that Anna's SB is not as severe as others with SB. Anna has full mobility of her legs - no leg braces, no crutches and no wheelchair needed. But...her leg strength is not all there. This, combined with the fact that her legs are so short, makes Anna prone to lose her balance. She tires easily as well. All these factors contribute to her falling more often than other children her age. </div>
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She took one of those falls a couple of weeks ago under my watch as we (Anna, Allie, Emily and I) were walking from the van in the school parking lot to the entrance to the school. In the end, it was not that big of a deal. But I felt TERRIBLE.</div>
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For me, it is sometimes difficult. I want to give Anna room - I want her to challenge herself. On the other hand, I obviously want her to ALWAYS have the support she needs - whether it be a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on. </div>
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I did not have her hand when she fell and hit her head. I let my guard down and she fell. It was kind of ugly. It was a fairly small cut on her forehead but there was a lot of blood. Emily and Allie stopped looking because they didn't like the sight of it.</div>
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So, this all happened at the start of the school day. Long story short is that we ended up at a local emergency room to get the cut looked at. The same emergency room Sarah & I had taken Anna to about two years ago when she lost her balance and hit her head on the corner of a wall in our home.</div>
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This is Anna waiting for the staff to stitch her forehead. She is making the "ducky" face that only Anna can make.</div>
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It was interesting to be there when they put the stitches in. It was obvious that the staff (a doctor and 2 nurses) was not expecting Anna to cooperate. They wrapped her whole body (legs & arms) tight in a sheet and assigned parts of her body to everyone. "<em>I'll take her legs, you hold her arms</em>." The doctor said "<em>I'll hold her head in place</em>." "<em>Dad, pull right up and sit close</em>."</div>
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Anna flinched a couple of times and gave the "I don't like what they are doing" face. But, other than that, she was still and <u><strong>didn't cry at all</strong></u>! Yes, it was more painful for me than it was for Anna.</div>
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After the stitches had been put in:</div>
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The ducky face. Post-stitches:</div>
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Sarah tells me I did the self-pic incorrectly. It was a mirror shot:</div>
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The stitches stayed in over the weekend (5+ days) and again Anna handled having an egg on her forehead like a champ. A wince or too when we changed her band-aid but I think everyone else felt worse about the whole thing than Anna did.</div>
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Having the stitches taken out by the pediatrician was almost more eventful than the ER visit. It was a Monday morning appointment so I took Anna (and Allie and Em came along with us). Oh my...the questions the three of them were firing off on the ride to the pedi!! Most of the questions were the "will it hurt?" type of question but just asked a different way. Like "<em>how does he take the stitches out Daddy</em>?" or "will Anna get a shot?"</div>
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It took awhile for the doc to get the stitches out. And, having Allie and Emily in the examination room with us didn't help matters. Anna's doctor was stressing so he kindly "requested" that Allie and Emily wait in the waiting area. No problem. The ER doctor apparently put the stitches in TIGHT. Tight stitches on forehead skin with a dry scab makes for a difficult pull and snip (apparently). The stitches came out finally. Relief!</div>
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This is Anna while we were waiting in the examination room. She is holding a luvvie Auntie Joan (my sister) had given her.</div>
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Anna has Spina Bifida. It may not be visible to everyone everyday, but it is certainly visible to Anna. And Sarah. And me.</div>
<br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-42687166520925870572012-10-03T15:25:00.000-04:002012-10-03T15:25:11.336-04:00Happy Anniversary 2012.<div style="text-align: left;">
While pulling together this slide show/video in celebration of our wedding anniversary, it was amazing to see just how many memories Sarah & I have created in such a (relatively) short period of time. We have been married 8 years.
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;">Happy Anniversary Hon!</span></div>
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It certainly brings me enormous joy too - I love seeing the girls' faces light up!<br />
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<br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-47952553409668817522012-09-20T08:58:00.000-04:002012-09-20T08:58:36.096-04:00Our Disney Trip: Meet and Greets Part 1After two trips to Disney, the hands-down winner of favorite things to do is meet the Disney characters. Allie's, Anna's and Emily's faces light up with joy at the very sight of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White, Minnie, Goofy, etc.- name a Disney character and they have probably met him/her! <br />
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If there is one thing we have learned about the character meet and greets is to plan ahead and know their schedules! Sarah (of course) has been the ultimate Disney planner for our trips and it has paid dividends in terms of maximizing our time. See her<a href="http://thegreatumbrellaheist.blogspot.com/"> blog</a> for much more detail on our trip(s).<br />
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The clip below are SOME highlights from encounters the girls had with various Disney princesses (and Tinkerbell).<br />
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I separated the other character meet & greets into another video which I will post next. In the meantime...there is discussion of heading back to Disney before the end of the year...stay tuned.Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-75591216109460300442012-09-16T21:41:00.001-04:002012-09-16T21:41:25.636-04:00Our Disney Trip: Shows and ParadesSarah and I agree that the folks at Disney know how to put on a show. BTW<span style="font-size: x-small;"> if you don't follow Sarah, but are interested in getting details about Disney, go to her </span><a href="http://thegreatumbrellaheist.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">blog</span></a>.<br />
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Having been to Disney twice, and taken the girls to two different Disney On Ice shows, we have concluded that Disney shows are done right. They get everything right from timely starts to entertaining multiple age groups.<br />
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This trip we saw the Belle show (Hollywood Studios) and The Lion King show (Animal Kingdom) again - we had seen them during our first trip to Disney in 2010. Very enjoyable shows. We also saw the Nemo (Animal Kingdom) and Arielle (Holywood Studios) shows for the first time. Equally impressive.<br />
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What I find impressive about the shows is that ALL the cast members perform the show as if it is their only performance. They give 110% and it shows!<br />
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<strong>So...if you go to Disney, don't miss the shows</strong>!!!!<br />
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There are, of course, parades throughout the day at Magic Kingdom and a parade at Animal Kingdom. Both of which are great. It just seems like the parades at Magic Kingdom run when I am trying to get from one part of the park to another and cannot because of the parade! <br />
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I got some clips from the Belle, Lion King and Nemo shows and some of both parades. My video clips do not do the shows justice, so don't judge the show by these clips (please):<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NV5asqcgGf8?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7777045457242611725.post-15595339058607737582012-09-12T20:15:00.000-04:002012-09-12T20:18:46.283-04:00Our Disney Trip: Beach Club ResortHow nice was it for us to check-in at the Beach Club in Disney after that draining drive? It was great!<br />
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We arrived on a Sunday afternoon @3:00 and I was impressed with the hotel the moment we pulled up to the entrance. We stayed 7 nights and, outside of the hotel(s) Sarah & I stayed in on our honeymoon to Hawaii back in 2004, this was probably the best stay we have had at a hotel while vacationing.<br />
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I am sure <a href="http://thegreatumbrellaheist.blogspot.com/">Sarah</a> will give a more detailed review of Disney's Beach Club Resort. But here are the pros & cons I came up with. Mostly pros, BTW.<br />
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<strong><u>Pros</u></strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Rooms were clean, comfortable, and fairly spacious.</li>
<li>a/c worked great in the rooms (we had 2 adjoining rooms for 3 adults and 3 children).</li>
<li>awesome, awesome view from our room.</li>
<li>proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios was great - it literally took 5 minutes to walk to the Epcot entrance. The walk to Holly wood Studios was @20 minutes.</li>
<li>Pools!! The pool, as advertised, was awesome. We spent our time in the "kiddie" pool behind the huge water slide and it was perfect for our girls. Old man daddy (me) went down the big slide a few times too! It was a fairly intense ride! The kiddie pool had a slide too - Emily loved it.</li>
<li>Beaches and Cream restaurant was fun and the ice cream was delish!</li>
<li>Staff was friendly, helpful and professional.</li>
<li>The bed was very comfortable - in no way did it feel like a hotel bed!</li>
</ul>
<strong><u>Cons</u></strong> (<span style="font-size: x-small;">observances more than complaints</span>)<br />
<ul>
<li>It was a LONG walk from our room to the lobby, parking lot and the hotel store.</li>
<li>the bathroom and the sink/mirror area was kind of awkward.</li>
<li>Despite having reservations, we had to wait almost 20 minutes beyond our reservation time for breakfast with the characters.</li>
</ul>
I took a few video clips of the hotel, including the kiddie pool area, our room and the view from our room. I think it gives a good feel for Disney's Beach Club Resort:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/crUSRNRhHfc?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />Dad to Tripletshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478365732698717300noreply@blogger.com0