For my first Father’s Day, Going Mom made a Dad and Avery photo book that means the world to me. It’s not just something anyone can buy, and she put some obvious love and quality time into making it.
This year, for my second Father’s Day, she slipped the book from it’s spot on our bookshelf (or tried, because I noticed it was missing) to add to it with more daddy-daughter photos. In my last post, Kelley was in the process of putting it together as I wrote (all hail nap time!), and after seeing the final product, my heart turned from mush to pure liquid. Kinda sounds bad, but trust me, it’s a good kind of mush-to-liquid.
I love it so much and every time I flip through the pages beginning from the first day Avery was born to just a few weeks ago, I am still amazed at how much she has already grown. I figured I’d share the entire book in a post for everyone to appreciate Kelley’s lovely crafting skills and pictures we will hold dear for eternity.
I’d like to note, the pictures of me wearing Avery in a Baby Bjorn are before we learned of the dangers of wearing babies in “crotch danglers” for impeding their hip development among other issues. Plus, having them face outward is also not the best. Not judging, I’ve obviously been there too, but I stopped right after learning of this and hope any babywearing parents will consider the same.
Okay, I’m done with the thought of the day. I can’t express my gratitude to Kelley enough for making this book of memories, and wish I was at least a quarter as crafty as her so I could do the same. Makes my photo coffee mug I got her pale in comparison.
I’ve said it already, but THANK YOU, Kelley, for being such an amazing wife/mother and for the best gift ever. Oh, and the beer of the month club is just stevia sweetened icing on our homemade chocolate cake! 🙂
Do you love sentimental gifts like these or prefer getting gifts from retail stores instead?
What would be your favorite personalized gift to receive? A photo book, jewelry, framed picture, kitchenware, etc.?
We all want healthy kids, right? So be a part of history in the making and take a stand by joining this challenge and maybe winning something for yourself.
Before I knew about this challenge from Tim Ferriss, I was already a backer of Standup Kids, an organization pushing to get standing desks in classrooms in all public schools across the US. If it really takes off, possibly kids all over the world will benefit!
When I worked in an office, before we had Avery, I was the only one on my floor to have a standing desk for a long time. And I really had to push and shove until I was able to have my desk converted to standing. Once they finally allowed it, all it took was a few bolts coming out, the desk getting lifted, and bolts back in…..simple. But geez, you would’ve thought I was asking for a group of servants to come and hold me on their shoulders as I worked all day!
Anyway, Standup Kids has a simply stated mission…..
The mission of StandUp Kids is to get every public school child at a standing desk in 10 years, to combat the epidemic of sedentary lifestyles and inactivity, and to better reflect 21st century education goals.
StandUp Kids provides education on the health risks associated with sedentary lifestyles and resources on why standing desks create an environment where children can become healthier and more active.
At StandUpKids.org, we believe children’s sedentary behavior is a public health crisis and that children need to MOVE MORE and SIT LESS. Standing desks are a simple and elegant way to create a movement rich environment where children are more engaged and perform better academically, burn more calories, eliminate or minimize orthopedic problems and disease, feel happier, and just plain move more.
While I don’t think they need to focus on the calorie burning effects of a stand up desk so much, the rising childhood obesity issue makes it a notable benefit to standing vs. sitting. And, well, if you haven’t noticed, kids do a lot of sitting.
Here is a downloadable PDF packed with info sure to motivate you to join the challenge and donate what you can for this to become reality:Â Standing vs Sitting_Standup Kids
Humans were never meant to sit for extended periods, and with recess time lacking in public schools, standing desks are a perfect way to keep kids healthy and learning better too. Check at these stats I found on the Standup Kids website.
Sitting too much causes disease and orthopedic dysfunction, and impedes children’s ability to learn.
Kids at standing desks burn between 15% to 25% more calories during the school day than the ones who remained sitting.
Obese students the desks had an even bigger impact, increasing calorie use by up to the 25% to 35%.
Small movements at standing desks, such as fidgeting, has a large impact on calorie expenditure.
Kids in standing classrooms are more engaged.
Classroom management is easier.
If kids are given the opportunity to move throughout the day, they will do so.
When students move more, their education improves.
Children feel happier when they can move more and aren’t restricted to a chair.
Classroom behavior improves with active learning.
Children who move more have greater creativity.
Educational test scores improve.
Students can shift their bodies and change position when they need to stay focused.
Standing prevents the body’s tissue adaptation to static positions (i.e. short hip flexors & hamstrings, rounded upper back, poor shoulder position) AND it does not erode the child’s physiology like sitting does.
Standing maintains the integrity of all the complex motor skills required for optimal physical function.
Reducing daily sedentary time literally reduces cell aging, which means kids will live longer and be more healthy.
Please check out the site to learn more on how you can help and why this means so much for the future of our kids. Oh yeah, and with the founders of this movement being Kelly and Juliet Starrett, the team behind one of the first 50 Crossfit affiliates and the site MobilityWOD.com which changed how we look at human movement and performance, I’d say they know a thing or two about why this is such a big deal.
I listen to several health and fitness podcasts where the well-known hosts in the industry are all getting behind this move and donating for the cause. Even a $1 will help get this project closer to its goal and the hopeful event that this will take off across the nation.
Here are the podcasts I listen to that have featured the movement:
However you get there, and whatever you do, please go to the donate page and give what you can and/or share with everyone you know to help spread the word.
As for the challenge Tim Ferriss is offering a giveaway for a round-trip ticket to just about anywhere worldwide as long as Star Alliance flies there. Supporting a feel good cause and possibly winning something like this? I’m in, are you?
Last Father’s Day, the first one I celebrated, I had a tiny idea that my wife and mom teamed up to get me a giant tortoise as a gift. If the title confuses you, last year’s post was No Giant Tortoise for Father’s Day, so adding “Still” to my Father’s Day post this year seemed the only logical thing to do.
Unlike last year, I had no reason to believe I would get a giant tortoise for my 2nd Father’s Day celebration. Honestly, I have no clue what I would do with a giant tortoise in our back yard. I guess I’ll cancel my order for this sign though…*sigh*
Actually, if anything, I’d be happy to have less pets. For whatever reason, our Golden Retriever, Abby, and fat black cat, Lou, get on my nerves and are the main reason I vacuum at least twice a day. But Kelley loves them and as long as they make her happy (for the most part), they stay.
Enough about what I didn’t get for Father’s Day, as it was anything but disappointing. We started with Avery waking up earlier than usual (no surprise) and Going Mom making two big batches of French Press coffee. She could’ve stopped there and I would’ve been set for my gifts. #CoffeeAddict
Even on Father’s Day, I like to keep my kitchen duty, so I had a big bowl of blueberry NuttZo oatmeal made for my girls. As they filled their bellies with goodness, I prepped the slow-cooker with a healthy mix of tomatoes, kidney beans, zucchini from our garden, Â cubed potatoes, onions, and garlic with wild cod on top.
This lets me make one vegetarian meal with beans only, and then another one with the fish. Love the slow-cooker! As I finished prepping, Avery ran around the home and thought Mommy would like several of her sleep pants brought to her.
So thoughtful.
Afterward, we went to the garage where Kelley cut my hair. It was much needed and I think we both agree was the best job she’s done yet! I never complained about the others though, I’m just happy to have shorter hair. Just like my hair, our lawn needed a cut too, so I took care of that rather quickly thanks to our EGO.
Glad I have Avery to turn on the headlights for me!
Feeling extra itchy from my hair and the grass stuck on me, I ran to our neighborhood pool ahead of Kelley and Avery to swim a few laps until they got there. A “few” turned into 1000 meters until they arrived which was more than I’ve done swimming in a long time. Felt good though.
Then we hung out in the kiddie pool and watched Avery walk around all by herself! She loves having the freedom in the water, but we have to be careful since every now and then she’ll trip up and go under. Hunger set in for all of us, so we took the obligatory pictures of each other holding our kid in the pool and were on our way home.
“Just put me back in the water, Dad!”
“Yeah, Mommy knows how to hold me better!”
Kelley and Avery had their usual weekend lunch of steamed broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower with brown rice and wild salmon as I took forever to make the crazy veggie combo I had for the day. Apparently, waking up early caught up to Avery and she fell asleep right after her last bite of food!
We always give her lunch usually right before naptime, but it’s usually a fight to get her to sleep. Not this time. I was even vacuuming (go figure) and used the extension to tickle her feet and she hardly moved. This, of course, meant I had to post it on Instagram.
Kelley carried her off to bed where she never woke up, but a carrot did fall from her shirt. At least it wasn’t the salmon like she gets on her most times!
For my gifts this year, besides a loving wife, adorable daughter, the best haircut to date, and no giant tortoise, I got another 3 month subscription to the microbrew beer of the month club. I loved this gift last year for my 30th birthday, and am excited to see what I get this time around.
Going Mom also added to the Dad and Avery photo book she made for me last year which I will always hold dear to my heart. I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a sentimental guy, and these things mean so much to me.
A photo book of daddy and Avery from my loving wife!
She was trying to be secretive about adding to the book and was going to use another room, but I noticed that the book was missing from the bookshelf it usually sits on and told her I already knew what she was doing. So, as I write this, she is putting it together in the same room as me, I just agreed not to look. She seems really busy though, and if it’s anything like her previous work, it will be magnificent!
Overall it was another wonderful and successful Father’s Day. Number 2 is in the books (hey, no dirty minds here!) and can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year to celebrate my third Father’s Day. Maybe a giant tortoise?
