Started as a simple platform in our oak tree. Now it's basically a full treehouse with walls and a roof. Been working on it for 6 weeks with my boys helping. Used reclaimed wood from a torn down barn. It's not perfect but it's solid and the kids love it. Spent way more money than I wanted but we're ...
So I built a wood fired pizza oven from a kit over 3 weekends. It's not perfect but it makes incredible pizza. We've had friends over twice already. My wife thought I was crazy but now she's a fan. Cost more than I expected. Still totally worth it for family nights. Anyone else have one? Best toppin...
My father taught me that a man is only as good as his word and his reputation. In today's world nobody cares about that anymore. But I'm making damn sure my kids understand it. They see me conduct business fairly, treat everyone with respect regardless of their station, and own my mistakes instead o...
I made them homemade sweet potato fries and they actually ate them. No complaints, no pushing food around the plate, just ate them like they were french fries. My wife thought I did something different but honestly I just cut them the same way and they worked. Calling this a win.
Made a promise to my son months ago that we'd go fishing on a specific Saturday. Had to rearrange some business meetings to make it happen but I did it. He remembered. He held me to it. That's when I realized that keeping your word isn't just about being honest, it's about showing your kids that the...
My 8 year old caught an actual fish today. Not some little bluegill either, it was a solid 2 lb largemouth. The look on his face when he felt it tug the line... man I almost lost it right there on the dock. We took some photos, threw it back like we planned, and he asked if we could go every Saturda...
Made a mistake with my 9yo recently, lost my temper over nothing. Instead of just moving on I sat him down and told him I was wrong. I apologized sincerely and explained that being his father doesn't mean I'm always right, it means I'm responsible for modeling what a good man looks like. That includ...
My 6 year old asked me this morning why I look so tired. I told him it's because I'm not sleeping enough. He said 'Why don't you just sleep more?' WELL KID if it were that easy I wouldn't have dark circles the size of basketballs. Wife actually laughed at that one which means I'm winning parenting t...
Before kids I could sleep until noon, go to bed whenever, nap whenever. My schedule was completely mine. Now I'm up at 6 AM whether I want to be or not. Going to bed early because I'm exhausted. Weekends are structured around nap times and bedtimes. Sounds terrible when I write it out but honestly I...
My wife found 7 baseball caps in the car yesterday and asked why I need so many. I told her they're not for me, they're for all the different dads I become depending on the situation: work dad, gym dad, yard work dad, etc. She did not laugh. I think I have a problem but also I don't care.
Everything around us seems to be pulling my kids in different directions. Social media, peer pressure, materialism. We try to keep them grounded in faith and teach them about what really matters but it feels like swimming upstream sometimes. My 12yo is already asking for expensive shoes and comparin...
My son is two weeks old and honestly I'm terrified. He cries and I panic. I don't know if he's hungry, tired, gassy, or just unhappy. My wife seems more confident but she's admitted she's also just guessing half the time. Last night he cried for like 45 minutes and we literally tried everything. Eve...
We agreed I pick up Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now she's saying she needs those days sometimes and wants me to be "flexible." I'm flexible plenty but I also count on those days with my kids. How do you guys handle this without it turning into a big fight? My lawyer said to document everything but I hat...
Been working on this for like 6 months. Got my fishing wall up, pool table installed, and a sweet little bar area. Wife said I could have my space if I promised to finish the garage shelving first. Totally worth it. Now I got somewhere to retreat to when the kids are driving me up the wall. Anyone e...
My 12 year old and 10 year old would rather sleep in on Sundays than go to service. I keep taking them but they sit there on their phones or looking bored. How do I teach them that faith matters when they're not buying in yet? I don't want to force it but I also know this is important for their spir...