The Whole Enchilada

Posted inColumns, Family, Holidays

At one time, my family’s traditional Christmas Eve celebration featured a big dinner. As we all grew older and my siblings got married, we would all enjoy a dinner of steak and shrimp before sitting down to exchange presents.

However, those marriages produced children who didn’t want to sit still and be patient as their parents, aunts and uncles hunkered down with a good meal and pleasant conversation. Something had to change.

I don’t remember all of the specifics of how our current Christmas Eve tradition came to pass, but that doesn’t really matter. All I know is that we look forward to it every year with increasing anticipation.

Groceries Gone Wild

Posted inColumns, Family

With some extra free time on my hands lately, I have had a chance to help out more around the house.

In some ways, this can be interpreted as a positive. More help means more gets done, right?

But remember this is a husband’s kind of helping. And I am the husband trying to pitch in to make life around the house a little easier.

All that means is that the routine Maria has developed over the years goes to hell in a handbasket, and I get things done the way I want them done.

Music to My Ears?

Posted inColumns, Family, Music

A flier came home from school the other week. Since Bridget has entered the third grade, she could now sign up to learn an instrument.

At first the thought of rudimentary violin being played in the house might not sound like the greatest idea in the world, but I knew I could not let this chance pass by.

You see, I have absolutely no musical talent whatsoever. And I blame the nuns.

Time for a Party

Posted inBeer, Columns, Cornhole, Family, Food, Wii

In the aftermath of my 40th birthday recently, I noticed something about the gifts I received. Almost every one had something to do with food or beer.

Part of me wondered what this said about me. Do I drink too much or do I just enjoy quality beer? Am I a glutton or do I just enjoy eating out? Am I so hard to buy for that people just fall back on the simplest gift?

After talking to my wife, I realized that I had no room to complain. I liked getting beer and oft cards for restaurants. Outside of someone dropping big bucks to give me a Wii, I really didn’t want anything special for my birthday. I really appreciated that people knew my tastes so well.

Joining the Cell Phone Crowd

Posted inColumns, Family

Last weekend, as we drove home after a little shopping, the skies opened up. Rain poured down in buckets. You could almost call the precipitation Biblical.

That didn’t surprise me at all. I saw the storm as God’s way of commenting on the tremendous shift in the universe which had just taken place.

Maria bought a cell phone.

I don’t think that the rain signaled any sort of displeasure with the purchase. I just think the whole thing took everyone by surprise. I honestly thought I would help my daughter buy a cell phone long before I helped my wife make the same decision.

Dethroned

Posted inBeach, Columns, Cornhole, Family

After 22 years, my family’s annual trek to the beach has gained a certain kind of routine.

My oldest sisters head down to the beach early to set out a cadre of chairs so we can reserve precious space on the sand.

One night, we meet at the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach to all get on the bumper cars together and take out a year’s worth of frustrations.

And we all repair to our favorite games in the arcade most nights – a few on skeeball, a few on a game we have dubbed “Lucky Duck” and the rest scattered amongst claw machines and other games to entertain the younger set.

The two years before this trip, something else has helped maintain normalcy during beach week. I won the annual cornhole tournament those years along with John, my niece’s husband.

We looked to put together an unprecedented three-peat this year. I felt so confident, I even left my championship belt back in Hanover.

Either that or I’m absent-minded and didn’t even think about packing it. Take your choice.

“Who Sings This?”

Posted inColumns, Family, Music

As we drove to my in-law’s for Mother’s Day, Maria flipped around the radio to find something she wanted to hear. At one point, she got frustrated.

“What is this, Stevie Nicks Day?”

I should have sympathized her because we kept finding bad songs. There was only one problem – none of them were by Stevie Nicks.

Well, one of them was, but that was a long time before she made the comment. We both cracked up because pretty much every conversation we have about music sounds the same.

My Cha Cha Slide Debut

Posted inColumns, Dancing, Family

I try not to let too many rules run my life. I am somewhat set in my ways, but I like adapting to new situations as they present themselves.

I knew a lot of that would change when we started a family almost eight years ago. I had to watch my language in the house. I needed to cut back on yelling at the TV during sporting events. I might not get a chance to take a nap whenever I wanted.

None of those things really phased me. In order to be a good Dad, I knew I would have to make sacrifices.

I made the biggest one of all at the father-daughter dance for Bridget’s Girl Scout troop the other night. I participated in a line dance.

Icing on the Cake

Posted inColumns, Family, Food

When Maria left for work last Saturday, I thought I had an easy day ahead of myself.

Bridget had a friend over. They had plenty of activities planned. No one really needed me.

One of the activities was a kit to decorate gingerbread cookies. The cookies came pre-made with the kit so even I couldn’t screw this up.

Or so I thought.