Exposure!

Just got some great exposure for the book - Ellen Wulfhorst at Reuters News did a story on stay-at-home dads in the financial sector and mentioned Sugar Milk. The girls and I were also fortunate enough to get a few photos taken of us as well. Good thing they cleaned up their room! Richard Carson was the photographer, and he did a great job with the girls - didn't even bat an eye when Avery announced that *&#@ was a swear word she learned watching The Simpsons. (Her mom lets her - not me!)

You can read the story and see the photos on Reuters (HERE). It's been a thrill to see the momentum Sugar Milk has been getting just in the pre-sale stage. But I'm trying to not get too crazy just yet; I'll feel better once I see a copy off the presses.

Official website will be rolling out in less than a week and Saturday's another radio interview on Blog Talk Radio. Thanks all!

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While You Were At BlogHer...

So, while many of you were at BlogHer, I was out of town with my family making this little slide show. Enjoy.

(Sorry for the crappy quality - YouTube always messes up the pictures in my videos for some reason. It might look better from this site.)

Strawberry Swing performed by who else...

Coldplay. Written by: Guy Rupert Berryman; Jonathan Mark Buckland; Will Champion; Christopher Martin.

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Blog Hop - You Gotta Try This

Just got home from the big trip which I'll talk more about later. In the mean time, I just found out about a fun networking opportunity through Blogging Mama. You can catch the scoop here at Pensive. So far, I've come across some great new blogs that are keeping me distracted from unpacking and making a grocery list. ("Kids, there's cloves and vanilla extract in the cupboard... knock yourself out.")

And for those of you who are are new to the Lunchbox, here's a little bit about me. I am very pleased that you stopped by, and look forward to meeting you.

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Here's Your Sign

Before I took off for a little rest and relaxation with the five kiddos (My wife still isn't here yet, and my sanity has left me.), my blogging buddy Tony from My Life As I See It (page link) asked me to do a guest post while he was away. Tony's a great person and aspiring writer. If you don't already read his blog, then his regular posts should be a real treat.

My guest post should appeal to those of you who harbor a particular distaste for the modern conveniences that seem to be taking over our lives.

Enjoy.

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Summer Reading List: Blogs That Are Super.

By the time you're reading this, I'm probably doing... uh, at... well, I'm not sure, but hopefully the weather is good and the kids are having fun. In the meantime, this is a post I've been planing for a long while- like since February (only then, it wasn't called a summer reading list). What I mean to say is there have been a number of new bloggers I've bumped into along with many other blogs already on my list that people should be reading if they are not already. Some are old, some are new, but they are all good. When reading them, it's easy to imagine having them over for dinner to engage in some great conversation, and lots of laughs. I hope that you will feel the same too.

A while back, I had been handing out this award, Blogs That Are Super, but for whatever reason, I got sidetracked. So, in putting together this list, it only seemed appropriate to resurrect this award for such a distinguished group. To the awardees, as far as the what to do with the award itself - please feel free to post it on your own blog and pass it along to others who you feel the same about. I realize it's not much, but I never feel like I express my appreciation enough to such an incredible bunch.

And now, a summer reading list of...

The Struggling Writer (and fellow Quaker)

Square Peg Guy - (an engineer looking for universal truth - love that)

Joanie (who likes to "ramble" and I like to listen to)

Steely Dad (he had me at the picture in his header)

Petra & Captain Dumbass in their collaboration He Blog / She Blog

Blogging Mamma (one of the nicest people I've ever met & just back from Europe)

I Need a Martini Mom (Vodka Mom) & Lost and Found In India (Braja) - I would give my left, uh... arm to get these two talking in the same room together - hilarious & insightful (but mostly hilarious)

You can't not love someone like Tracy at I Hate My Message Board

Not quite Cajun, not quite from Ireland, but he can definitely write at Irish Gumbo

Life with Tony - the only Jedi Knight in Las Vegas

Talking about Jedi's, check out Seattle's Sith Lord at Luke I Am Your Father

Anyone that names their blog Facts Are Strickly Optional has to work for the government

I wish this guy was my school's principal - down to earth and on the money in Maugeritaville

An Officer and a Garbage Can where you'll meet a great mom who raise some outstanding boys.

Follow A Day in the Life of a tattooed-minvan-driving soccer mom.

Who won't be Sane without Drugs

She says she's Not a Science Geek, but she really is pretty smart

A Canuk that's keeping it real at No Botox Allowed

You wanna get in shape? Then you need to be in contact with The Fit Dad

A great SAHD with a gorgeous little girl Bella Daddy

This guy is F-U-N-N-Y, but that's because he's Out-Numbered

And last but not least, my bestest blogging buddy, Eric who just realized a few months ago, OMG I'm A Daddy! (and he's a good one)

That certainly is not the entire list, but I will save them for the next go around. Enjoy your summer reading.

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10 Advantages To Being A Stay-At-Home Dad

A week ago (or maybe longer) I posted my Top 10 Reasons Why Being a Stay-At-Home Dad has Turned My Wife into a Man; so naturally, it made sense to write a counter-piece: Top 10 Advantages of Being a Stay-At-Home Dad. Before I launch into the list, I have to say that the biggest (real) advantage of being a SAHD has been the opportunity to get to know my two stepdaughters, and to have the time to stay involved with my three boys miles away. In fact, on both accounts, there's a part of me that's concerned about going back to work (out of the home) where my new duties will detract from that luxury. It's a catch 22 of sorts, but until then, I enjoy the moment. (Then again who knows, maybe my book will do really well and it won't matter. And yes, you are going to have to put up with my blatant self-promotion wherever I can work it in.)

Once you're done rolling your eyes, then you might feel better reading the Top 10 Advantages of Being a Stay-At-Home Dad.

10. I don't have to wait for Ash to come home from work to fix the washer when I break it trying to do 12 loads of laundry in the middle of the day.

9. I know where all the good food is hidden because I put it there after getting the groceries. ("Oh, sorry, hon. All we have to snack on is vanilla extract and some cloves." *snicker*)

8. I get to nag her about leaving the seat up & running off to play golf on Saturday morning's ("Nag, nag, nag! - hey, this is fun. Now I see why men hate it.")

7. I can record and then watch "my stories" during the day without having to listen to her sighing about how stupid they are.

6. I have a cool apron (for realz, ya'll - see below).

5. The kids don't mind if I'm politically incorrect in the work place. (Heck the kids are worse than me. The 5-year old calls everyone "communist pinko's and wants to watch The O'Reilly Factor instead of PBS Kids.)

4. The "not-to-night-I-have-a-headache" line goes both ways.

3. The kids have no complaints about their daily diet of sugar cereal, toast and salad.

2. I get more Facebook time and there's not IT monitoring my emails (...that I know of).

and the best thing about my staying home to take care of the kids...

1. I've been able to increase my shoe collection without her finding out.

Side Note: I will be away from the computer/blogging/Facebook/Twitter from 10-26 July. The family (all of us) will be out of town then; so if I don't respond to comments, please know that is why. There are still a few pre-published posts coming out while I'm away. (I know, hold your breath, right?) Until then, I'll be running around in my apron. Thanks!

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Did You See The One About The Girl Taking Singing Lessons?

My sister in Florida is a music teacher and as a treat sent some CD's for Allie and Avery to practice with. Without further ado, I give you Avery and the Octave Jumping Eyebrows...

Special thanks to Hugh Weber, founder of Dude to Dad, who made this video possible. Thanks, Hugh!

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They Make The Mistakes So You Don't Have To: DadLabs

As a new father ten years ago I underestimated a number of finer points involved in the pregnancy and birth of a child: I had a habit of putting diapers on backwards (diaper dyslexia), my second son required forceps in order to be pulled out of his mother (She’s four-foot something, and I almost threw up seeing those things jammed way up in her.), and I went to the wrong entrance at the hospital when number three came along. (The main entry was closed for repairs, and momma delivered fifteen minutes after getting into bed. Whew!) My point being, I would’ve been a prime candidate for the book DadLabs: Guide to Fatherhood.

Sure there were hundreds of other titles out their like the What to Expect series, but they contained a laborious (pun unintended) amount of information and were geared to mothers. (Every time it said “you” in conjunction with body secretions I became squeamish.) DadLabs is quite the opposite in this respect. Written by four fathers, Clay Nichols, Brad Powell, Troy Lanier and Owen Egerton, the book gets right to the point and targets men as the primary audience. It’s all about pregnancy and babies for a real man’s man complete with beer, cussing and humor – lots of humor. (My personal favorites were the “Dad Rants.”)

Even though DadLabs is formatted in a guy-friendly package with short paragraphs, diagrams and bullet points, it does not gloss over subject matter. The content thoroughly covers everything involved in the birth of a child from the pregnancy test to the baby’s developmental milestones over the first year. And don’t misinterpret the book’s slapstick approach; these dads were not afraid to tackle sobering issues like medical complications and post-partum depression. Significant others will appreciate that the writers also educated men as to the mother’s feelings through the entire process. (That one of the guys suited up as “Prego-man” wearing an empathy belly and drinking Ipecac for twenty-four hours speaks volumes.)

The mantra for DadLabs is, “We screwed up so you don’t have to,” and they continue to educate fathers on their website DadLabs.com where they share additional tips through articles and videos. But one of the best things about both the book and their site pertains to their timeliness. I may have burped my three boys after feedings and rocked them to sleep, but I still fell into the Dad 1.0 category – involved yet clueless. Today, however, fathers are even more active in child-care duties, especially those who, for one reason or another, are stay-at-home dads. In this context, DadLabs is perfect in upgrading these fathers to the Dad 2.0 level.

DadLabs is a fun read. It made me laugh; it made me think, and it made me wonder how I didn’t injure or maim my own children as a young father.

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