#SuperMilkMan Contest To Meet Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson!

"Can ya' smeeeeeeeeeeeeeelll what The Rock is cookin'!?!" - The Rock

   Who wouldn't want to meet The Rock, a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson? I mean, really!? He's an athlete, actor, advocate for so many great things, and one heck of a funny guy! Well, The Cheeky Daddy has partnered with Life Of Dad and The Breakfast Project campaign for the chance to meet this larger than life character!

   In the next few days, The Cheeky Daddy film crew will be producing a 15 second Instagram video to be posted on thecheekydaddy.com and other venues for viewing. View, stew, and share once you've seen it. If....when I win and meet The Rock, I'll give a loud shout out to my blogging peeps fo' sho'. Here are some of the details:



   Make the time and get yourself to the Twitter party this Thursday, 8/15 at 12pm EST. The biggest reason to join is the company. If THAT'S not enough to grace us with your presence, the hosting crew will be giving out 5 “The Rock – Milk Gift Packs” (valued at $98 each) and one Grand Prize of a 16GB iPad Mini Grand Prize (valued at $329)!

   Remember to follow me @thecheekydaddy, as well as our host crew @LifeOfDadShow and @MilkMoustache. Co-hosts are @ChrisRoutly, @TommyRiles, @CuteMonsterDad, and @DiaryDad with the event hashtag #SuperMilkMan.

   Don't forget to check out the #SuperMilkMan promo commercial. My kids love it and request to watch it at least a few times each day.

 

Can you ssssmmmeeeeeeeelll what The Cheeky Daddy is cookin!!??

J. 

The fine print: The Cheeky Daddy was compensated by Life of Dad for participation in the #SuperMilkMan promotion and contest. All opinions and praise are my own, but milk is good for ALL of us. 

@Terro Product Review - Solving The Ant Problem

"The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah."

 

   I miss my days living in the high desert of Salt Lake City, Utah, if only for the reason that they don't have the ant problems that Californian have. I was out of town for business last week and in the middle of an evening call with The Wife, she exclaimed, "Awe crap! Ants!" She battled them for an hour and they left her alone for a few days, until I returned home.

 

   So just yesterday morning I awoke to an small invasion force. They'd found the honey, and were making they're first assault. I answered with an initial water based paper towel defense. Upon realizing they'd found a weakness in our perimeter on multiple fronts, I switched to a more lethal any killer spray. It thinned the ranks of my six legged foe, but where there are a few, there will be thousands to follow. I sent a text to my father-in-law, a legend in the field of combating formicidae on a large scale. His answer was clear. Terro ant products are they way to go.

 

   I hit the local hardware store (Lowe's in my case). I bought two items. First, the Terro Liquid Ant Killer. This can be used in the home, up and away from children and pets. It is 5% borax, but to the ant it tastes like yummy waffle syrup. They eat, take home, and hopefully kill the colony. I placed a few drops on several small squares of cardboard and the ants flocked like pigs to a trough. The solution was not as thick as I thought it might be, so like they say in the commercial for the game Operation, "It takes a very steady hand!" I placed these first line barriers at each corner along the back splash of our counter, and a couple in the back of our cupboards for until the battle is over.

 

   We also chose to pick up a box of Terro Liquid Ant Baits, which acts as a barrier around the outside of the home. These are more of an "all in one" product. A plastic cup, about half the size of a applesauce cup, contains the sweet solution that the ants "love to death". You simply remove the stakes meant for keeping the plastic container in place on the ground, and push down on the plastic cup to break the seal. The fluid deposits into the reservoir. You place it in the desired location and let it do its job.

Reminder: Keep the tray level after you have punctured the container with the fluid inside. I was jostling it around to much afterward breaking the seal and spilled some on myself.

Beyond that, it's not that hard, and is a great way to handle an ant problem all by yourself.

 

   It went against all human nature to just leave the drops to do their job and NOT go after the line of ants myself. I even went online and watched the video by Terro, starring Stew Clark, "America's Ant Expert." He used the phrase "bait, wait, and exterminate." The Wife and I were skeptical, but trusted the experts. We did a top to bottom clean session, wiping down ALL surfaces.. We did not disturb the ants doing their thing, but hit EVERY other surface. We went to bed, feeling the phantom tickles all over our body from ants that weren't there. We both even had dreams about ants.

   I awoke early to go to work the next morning. While the shower water headed up, I headed downstairs and stood mouth agape at 98% of the ants gone. Only the odd one or two at each of the previously bustling locations were still around. The video states that it make take a day or two if the problem is bad, so I concede my case may be not as common. It left me confident that we could handle any ant army thereafter, and VERY happy with the @Terro products we purchased. You can find the company also on Twitter and Facebook.

   I wish all of you luck in your future ant warfare.

 

J.

 

The fine print: Terro products were purchase by The Cheeky Daddy, and all opinions are my own. Some ants were harmed in the making of this post.



Cousins - The Ultimate BFF

 

"Cousins are your very first friends." - Unknown

 

   I, The Cheeky Daddy, was a bit of a wall flower as youngster. I didn't attend dances, and remained on the quieter side around my friends who were all louder and more ready to fight for their airtime amongst each other. The only place I felt like I could be myself and be appreciated for it, was around my cousins. Friends from the first, cousins became a place to feel at home and comfortable in my own skin. Bound by blood, there is an inherent bond that exists between cousins, and I thought in my youth that it was only me that felt it, and only me that it happened to.

 

   Recently, our children got to spend some time around their cousins. It had been a while since our kids got to be around these particular children, and when we hooked up, it was as if no time had passed since our last visit. Fun was had, secrets were told, tents were put up in the basement, and so on. Rocks were thrown in ponds, bikes were ridden, and a stack of new memories were created. The Wife and I looked on in admiration of what was happening, and also in fond memory of what we both experienced ourselves back in the day.

 

   I know each family is different. Time, distance, and a host of other factors play into why we can or cannot create memories with extended family. I feel fortunate that my children are getting to participate in that part of family life. It certainly takes effort and work to get 'er done, but it's well worth it if possible. As a sister-in-law put it, "We've all got something that makes us different than everyone else, but if we can't put that aside and ignore it, we as a family will have a great time." She's right. Cousins can be the ultimate BFF. I hope we can keep the tradition going.

 

J. 



Hidden Treasures In Family Heirlooms

 

"Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures,

but in the use made of them." - Napoleon Bonaparte

     My grandmother on my father's side passed away about 4 years ago. She was a widow of over 30 years, and had lived quietly as a Dodgers fan in the middle of the desert for all of that time. Her simple lifestyle was matched by her simple list of belongings. When I arrived at her home, the night before her funeral, most of the large and meaningful belongings were gone or accounted for by her children. The grandchildren were allowed to then mention anything they might want to remember our sweet matriarch by. I grabbed a wooden bar stool that I remember eating pancakes and tacos on while grandma cooked and cleaned while asking about our lives. Then, a favorite aunt pulled me aside and asked me to follow her.

   We headed to the closet in the hallway, to an open door and a mostly cleared out space. I'd never seen much of the closet of the previous 25 years, as it was chock full of stuff and you couldn't get past the jackets and such. Now it was empty, but for a few things on the shelves. My aunt said, "Since you and grandma shared a love for art and painting, the siblings agreed that you should have her art set." She handed me a wooden art kit that looked like it'd had seen a few years. I thanked her through tears and put it in my car.


   Upon returning home later the next day, I sat down at the dinner table with the art case, and opened it with no idea of what to find. I knew she was an amateur painter with some beautiful pieces hanging in her home that went to my father and his siblings. I lifted the lid and gazed down at the many tools of a fellow artist. Paint tubes that had been squeezed by my grandmothers hands. Brushes that had bits of paint still on them. I was feeling very connected to my grandmother, but felt a small hint of remorse that all the paintings she had done were spoken for. As I stared at the scene before me I noticed that the upper part of the case was actually a palate for painting.

   I reached up and slowly lifted it, sliding it out of the groves it was resting it. Small canvases peered out from underneath, and it was clear this was where she stored something to be kept from being crushed. I wasn't sure if they were blank or not until I pulled them out. There were many sheets of unused palate paper for painting, a few unused miniature canvases, and then the back of a slightly larger flat canvas. The back had a date from the 50's, and my heart began to race. I turned it over and beheld a wonderful landscape painting. I tried to hold my composure as I realized that I'd found a painting my grandmother had done.
  
   I called my aunt within days to declare what I'd found, so that I had a clear conscience. She said that she felt that it was meant to be mine, and I was to keep it. There are hidden treasures in family heirlooms that we must not dismiss. I have nothing of my grandfather's, as no one thought to keep anything of his. I will hold dear the things my grandmother used, that bind us as family and artists. One day, I will pass it on to another generation, and keep the tradition going. What treasures might exist in your families?

J.

Treats and Desserts - Draw The Line

"And almost everything you'll see is eatable, edible.
I mean, you can eat almost everything." - Willie Wonka

   Anyone else have a treat monster living with them? They look like everyday children, but go nuts at the sound of the ice cream truck, or certain keywords like "dessert" or "treat". It's the sound of my youth and has been adopted by my own wee ones. Summer is highlighted by many things. The smell of a barbecue, kids running through sprinklers, and so on. Never to be left out is the ice cream truck. When you hear the faint sound of the simple lullaby, your heart pace quickens and you start to pat your pockets to see how much money you have. It all goes south when you decide that you're now a grownup who has your OWN money, and can spring for an Astro-pop anytime you want.

Watch out parents, for your children pick up on that VERY quickly.

   I met a family back in '94 while I spent a few years in southwest England. They had a few children, but none matched the evil in their youngest. He was around 3 years old, and a royal terror. He was a biter, kicker, nut puncher, etc. I began to fear any upcoming visit to his house. One day we were all hanging out, and I heart the faint sound of the ice cream truck approaching. As the mini-demon was winding to hit someone else with a stick, I saw his face go from anger to a blank stare. Then it turned from blank stare, to sheer terror. He screamed and ran to the back of the house, where it hid as far from sight as possible. I looked a the boy's father and asked what that was all about. He chuckled quietly and said, "I told him that it's the boogie man, and he drives around looking for kids to steal." He gave another quiet laugh, and that was that.

   We don't have to be THAT dedicated to the cause of squashing the treat monster. When it comes to treats and desserts, moderation in all things is a good motto. Know where to draw the line for your family. I've had to explain to my own little ones that dessert is not presented after EVERY meal (yes, they ask after breakfast, lunch, AND dinner). Through teaching and consistency we're getting there. You can too. Just don't use the boogie man. Please? That was quite the sight.

J.

Adobe Kuler - A Decorator's Best Friend

"I found I could say things with color and shapes 

that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for." 

- Georgia O'Keeffe

   The Wife and I are painting our upstairs rooms, art pieces, furniture, and anything else that has a surface for decorating our house. We caught the but some time ago, but have just in the last year, really taken off with it. Back in the day, as an artist, I came across a new web based program by Adobe called Kuler. This program is a decorator's best friend. Here's how it works. 

   When you visit the website, you can create and account to save any color schemes you've created. Or, if you're just looking for help with color on the fly, you can use the program for a short time and be done with it. The color schemes offered are analogous, monochromatic, triad, complimentary, compound, shades, and custom. You pick a color and it gives you the colors that go along with that choice, within your previously chosen color scheme. 

   It has helped with web design (when I tried my hand at it), computer illustration, and as of late is has helped with choosing colors for our decorating. You don't have to be an artist to use it, and The Wife has been quite impressed with how it's helps with her vision of what colors might go together while decorating our home, and even in her Oreo pop creations. 

   Take a peek and try it out. I hope it leaves your life more,....colorful. 

J. 

Movie Review - Playing For Keeps

 

Lewis: "Are you upset mom's getting married?"

 George: "Yeah, but Matt seems like a nice guy."

 Lewis: "I've decided I'm not going to call him dad."

- Playing For Keeps

 

   Over the weekend, The Wife and I were looking for a movie to watch before bed. We stumbled across Playing For Keeps on Netflix. Stumbled is the right work, as we'd never heard of it before. It's got Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, to name a few. I saw that after it's $35m budget, it didn't do so well. Without seeing a trailer we put it on, as it got a good star rating from Netflix viewers.

   Now it should be known, that I love movies. I'm not hard to please, as I'm not looking for a life changing event. I'm just looking for a distraction for 2 hours. I can hear some of my fellow dad's saying "he's a man whore!", and "that's not what it really like!" Uh, who cares. Gerard Butler plays a retired soccer player (football to the rest of the world to us yanks). He's had a kid with Jessica Biel's character and has not been the best father. As he looks for work and reluctantly takes a coaching job for his son's team, there are some relationships that happen to mess things up. Hilarity ensues.

   The Wife and I ended up loving this movie for the message is sent that the interests of a child super cede our own desires. When we decide to bring a child into this world (or make decisions that produce a child), there is responsibility that comes with it. The acting was great and portrayed the story well in my eyes. I'm an emotional guy, and can tear up at a decent Hallmark commercial. This movie was no exception. When I see even an on-screen father, making the decision to be a better dad, I'm moved. I have my own son, and am trying to build my relationship with him every day.

   I played soccer for 10 years growing up, so that theme was not lost on my. Though it was late when the movie ended, I wanted to go kick the ball around with my boy immediately after. I'm not sure I would have ever seen it if it were not on Netflix, but it's worth viewing if anything I've written above interests you. I laughed a bunch of times and LOVED the scene of father and son practicing a little "footie" together in the rain.

   Ole-ole-ole-ole.....

 

J. 

Overcoming Your Child's Fear At The Doctor

 

"I have dangerous bones in my body." - Vin Diesel

 

   My 3YO 'Lil Man has had knee aches for some time now. We have always thought it was growing pains, playing hard, etc. To make sure, we visited his pediatrician late last week and she ordered x-rays to be done that day on another floor. My brave man looked to his parents for some additional support. He's wears a pretty good poker face, but the uncharted frontier of x-rays was a bit much.

 

The hardest part about overcoming your child's fear at the doctor office is that you can't force it. You simply cannot MAKE them okay with something they're unsure of. I've said it in previous posts that I believe it comes with the time you put into your parenting. Sure, even MY kids can look at me like I'm insane despite my best efforts to calm their nerves. This trip happened to work out just fine, just like I think it can be for any one's children. I try my hardest to give a general, but hones play by play. It seems to work most of the time and so I continue to use that method. Again, my daughter can turn that method upside down in about 7 seconds with her irrational fears of what amounts to practically nothing sometimes. Still, most times it works out just fine.

 

 My 'Lil Guy walked into the room with my just fine. The tech asked me to get him down to his undies before getting him up on the table. My brave guy smile and whispered to me that he was scared. I knelt down, held him close, and walked him through what the x-ray camera was and what it was going to do, as I got his shorts off. I picked him up into a bear hug, and then gently laid him on the table, hugging him the whole way. I was allowed to hold his hand during the process, donning my own lead apron that Superman couldn't have gazed through. You can see by the second pic to the left here, that he was pretty easy going about it. He thought the cod piece covering his junk from the radiation was pretty funny too.

 

   Afterward, he got to see the pics of his own bones. He was appropriately impressed and grossed out at the same time. No less than what I thought would be the case. I really think that he found it interesting that he could see his own bones. He's that kind of inquisitive. We left without fanfare, and I think it can be that way with most kids if you build the relationship of trust and honesty (about MOST things) along the way. I knew someone who would so overdo the buildup of things like the doctor office, walking through a casino, etc., that the kid was thoroughly freaked out before stepping foot in what ever venue was being described. Lame, and shame on that person for overdoing it. It can be more simple, until your child is ready for more information.

 

'Till then, turn and cough.

 

J.

 

 

Leaving A Clean World

"Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

   I was out driving this morning and I spotted an older woman along side the road. She had a garbage bag in one hand, and a trash pick in the other. She was cleaning the area along the sidewalk, because she wanted to. I was gone our and about for 30-45 minutes or so, and on my way back I saw that she had made her way to the other side of the street, further up. She was waist deep in weeds, ensuring she got every piece of trash she could see. 

   I was impressed with a person's desire to make her community a better and cleaner place. It's a lesson in taking pride and as my father always put it, "leaving things better than you found them." I've recently been trying to teach my 7YO 'Lil Miss the concept. It's lost on the younger two, but it's something worth teaching now and along the way. 

   I'll say it again, I was impressed and inspired. We can all do better. My recycling bin is now ALWAYS more full than my trash bin. I'm proud of the progress we've made and know there is much more that can be done. I challenge us all to do better, and to teach our young ones what we were taught no so long ago. To leave the world a better place. Let's get to it. 

J. 

Swim Lessons and Our Children's Fears

"We have nothing to fear but, AHHHHH!!!! What the heck was that?" - Sort of John F. Kennedy

   I grew up with a pool in our back yard. I can remember our swim lessons given, one brother at at time. Our back stroke technique sounded something like "farmer John, airplane, torpedo, glide." After the fear of swimming is gone and confidence is in abundance, it's sunny days from there on out. However, right now, we have our oldest two little ones in lessons. They've graduated from paddle boards and hand holding. As you can see from the picture above, they've quite literally been "thrown into the deep end."

   The fear of sinking is heavy in our household as of late. I can remember the overwhelming void of the deep end when I was young. As parents we can provide all the support and encouragement possible, but what pushes them in mentally in the end? I feel that it's partly their trust in us as their mother, father, or both. Have we earned that trust to be cashed in for bravery in times like swim lessons? I also believe it's their confidence in themselves. Some of it is innate, but I think there is a lot to be said for how we raise our little ones. Do we build them up with positive reinforcement? This kind of support will give them the confidence to try new things like swimming, public speaking, school performances, etc. 

   I have daydreams of pool parties, lake trips, perhaps a water polo player, and the like. Mostly, I just want my children to have fun in the pool and have a safe time while there.  The endless hours I spent in the pool as a child can be the same endless hours for my children very soon. The Wife and I try to compliment their bravery and hard work at practicing. They love to do well and want to get better, that much is evident. I suppose like anything else they will try, success comes through various channels. Attend to them all as well as you can, and hopefully there will be a lot of enjoyment along the way. 

   I leave you with a pic of my swim lessons (at around 7 years old, like my 'Lil Miss right now). I showed my two new swimmers in hopes they would see that I was learning at one point also. What I got was, "Why does your face look like that?" and, "Why are you so red?" I like how they focus on the obvious and skirt the real issues. In the end, it's another rite of passage and we all need to face the same obstacles. Swimming is just the tip of the iceberg my little ones. Here's to a lifetime of brave moments. 

Happy swimming!

J.