Tuesday, May 30, 2017

DIY - Fidget Spinners

So like almost every child in America, my kids have been asking for a fidget spinner. I've seen some in stores and online, but being me I thought it would be more fun to make one ourselves. To my surprise, it's extremely easy to make one and super cheap (less than $2 a piece). Plus, the kids got to pick out their own designs and colors. I wanted to share how we did it and the end product with everyone in case anyone wants to try it :)

1) Fidget spinners are basically just skateboard wheel bearings with some added weight to give it a longer spin. So I found some online. It was a pack of 8 bearings for about $6. I also got free shipping!


2) Next, I took the kids to the hardware store to buy some nuts and bolts. They were about 8 cents a piece, so I probably spent $1.50.


3) Then I let them design their spinners however they wanted and took some pictures on my phone.

Stevie designed the Triforce from Zelda

Neela designed a star

4) Next, I super glued the pieces together (but NOT to the bearing yet)




 5) Once I had the pieces glued together, I found some spray paint and let the kids pick colors.



6) After the glue and paint dried, I just super glued them to the bearing. And that's it. Seriously! Once the glue is set, they are ready to spin :)

Stevie's Triforce

Titus's American Flag Snowflake


Have fun spinning!!

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Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Seth

Thursday, May 18, 2017

What advice would I give younger me?


For some reason, the idea of "If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?" keeps popping up in my head. Lately, I've been hearing it in conversations (in person and on the radio), in songs, books, and on tv shows. So that's really made me stop and think of what I would tell myself if I could go back?

At first, I thought about going back to my high school years when I was just a big band geek with polyester shirts and a big ole' afro. Hahahaha. I had absolutely no self confidence, but also thought I was always right about everything. If a topic came up in conversation, people needed to hear what I had to say because it was clearly the right answer. ;) I could tell myself to just be confident in who I am. It's ok to be weird and not to try so hard to stand out of the crowd. Maybe that if I would just talk to new people, I wouldn't have to be so shy around strangers. People might actually enjoy being around me.

Then I moved onto thinking about when Crissy and I were first married. I could go back and tell myself to quit worrying so much about the future and to enjoy the moment. I was constantly working for our "next step in life". We needed to both graduate college, get good jobs, buy a house, and have kids. Everyday seemed to be just another notch on the belt of setting up our dream lives. I thought about telling 20 year old Seth that he needs to maybe enjoy the season of life he is in. That he's going to miss being broke, living in an apartment with six foot ceilings (I'm 6'2), and just living on love with his best friend. I could tell him to savor those moments.

Next, I moved onto when Crissy and I first started having kids. We had both graduated with our Masters and had three little ones. Our little family were renting a small little house near the college. I was so set on finding a career that made good money so I would be able to provide. Crissy had an excellent job with a lot of money; however, I didn't have the same outcome with my job search. I worked random jobs while I was constantly searching for "the job". I became so depressed when I was unable to find it. Crissy would constantly tell me to just enjoy the free time together that we were given in this season of our lives. Her job was very flexible and she made good money. So we made enough to get by and more importantly had so much time together, but I just couldn't accept the fact that I wasn't making enough for her to stay home full time with the kids. If I went back, I could tell myself to listen and enjoy these moments of being together as a family. Not to just constantly be a grump about not having this amazing job I always dreamt of having.

Finally, I thought on what I would say to myself about 5 years ago. This was probably the longest point of time I sit and wondered about. Having your best friend, wife, and mom of your kids walk out was the lowest point in my life. At first, I was constantly trying to fix everything. Monitoring bank statements, searching the house for clues to her newfound mystery life away from home, asking specific questions and demanding answers. I just couldn't believe it. I was heartbroken. Not only did she pretty much evaporate from my life, but there were these four little faces just staring up at me just as heartbroken and needing love. I could tell myself to lighten up. You can't change other people. That's up to God. However, you are in control of how you react to situations. I could say to myself that in the end, you'll be happier than you ever were before. And yes, you will get a divorce. And no, you won't have to keep fighting to have her back or even want to get back together. I could say not to worry so much about all of the custody stuff and financial strain that addiction causes you. In the end, it will all work out.

So, those were the thoughts that I kept juggling around in my head each time this question came up. Then, I remembered something my dad said a long time ago when someone asked him this question. It was a Father's Day church service and the pastor called up a few fathers to the stage. He asked them the question of "If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be?" He was hoping hearing older men talk about things they wished they did different would impact the younger men listening. I believe there was about 5 men called up. My dad was last in line. Each man before him gave these amazing insights on how they could fix mistakes they've made by doing "xyz". When it got to my dad, he talked a little while about various mistakes and things he'd wished he had done differently. But he ended by saying, even after all of that, I wouldn't change a thing. Because all of that made me who I am today. (My dad is so wise.)

After I started thinking about that, I realized that I really would hate the idea of giving my past self advice. Sure, there was so much room for improvement. But that's just the beauty of our journey isn't it?

-Being a nerdy kid who insisted on being ultra different, but all of that helped me find out who I was.

-Thinking back on how I rushed through sweet moments in the past has helped me realize to embrace each day as it comes. I don't want to look forward to tomorrow anymore. I want to enjoy right now.

-Going through a divorce and completely readjusting my entire life to be a single dad of four kids was hell on earth. But geez, the person that God has molded me into is someone I had always wanted to be when I was younger. Someone who is just full of joy.

So yeah. I would never want to change a thing about my past. Sure there are memories and things I still regret, but without them I wouldn't be where I am today. (laying on a bed covered in Chex Mix crumbs typing this blog post on a laptop with kool-aid finger prints on the screen) :D

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Seth

Monday, May 8, 2017

Megow Kids Q&A - Pet Peeves



What do think the term "pet peeve" means?
Stevie: "Things you don't like, but they always happen."
Neela: "That's when you have a pet and it pees a lot."
Titus: "Dad. I'm not dumb. That's a made up word."
Olive: *lays head on table* "42"


(Dad explains what it means)


What is your biggest pet peeve?
Stevie: "Buying and picking out clothes. I hate clothes. I wish we were like animals and had fur. That way I wouldn't have to wear clothes. Plus, I would always be warm and cozy."
Neela: "Not having a dog. I need a dog dad."
Titus: "When people litter."
Olive: "These questions."


What is something that dad says that gets on your nerves?
Stevie: "Clean your room."
Neela: "When you tell me that I can't lick your hair like a cat."
Titus: "No more screen time or my brain will rot."
Olive: "No."


What is something that dad does that gets on your nerves?
Stevie: "When you fart. It's so bad."
Neela: "You don't let me watch scary movies."
Titus: "When you sing the Rudolph song to make us not fight."
Olive: "When you make me be in nature. I like inside and snacks, not hiking and bugs."


What is the worst part about going to school?
Stevie: "Not seeing dad."
Neela: "Not learning about more animals. Math is dumb. I wish I could go to an outside nature school."
Titus: "I like all the parts of school and I love my teacher."
Olive: "Waking up."


What is your least favorite part of the day?
Stevie: "I don't have a least favorite part."
Neela: "The part about when I remember I don't have a dog."
Titus: "Doing homework."
Olive: "Right now."


Worst movie ever?
Stevie: "Nightmare before Christmas. I saw a part of it one time. I hated it."
Neela: "Mickey Mouse."
Titus: "Pokemon. It's so annoying."
Olive: "Grown up shows."


Grossest food ever?
Stevie: "Popcorn"
Neela: "Black Eyed Peas."
Titus: "I like everything."
Olive: "Olives"


When you grow up, what is the one job you would never want to do?
Stevie: "Surgery"
Neela: "A butt doctor"
Titus: "Nurse"
Olive: "A grown up"


What is the hardest part about being a kid?
Stevie: "That I won't be a kid forever."
Neela: "That I don't have a phone so I can't order pizza."
Titus: "Not being able to see aquariums whenever I want."
Olive: "You can't drive to Dairy Queen when you are a kid."


What is the hardest part about being the oldest? Or what do you think it would be if you were?
Stevie: "Taking care of everything"
Neela: "I wouldn't be able to sleep outside."
Titus: "Going to longer schools and waiting."
Olive: "Stevie."


What is the hardest part about being the middle child? Or what do you think it would be if you were?
Stevie: "Never being able to do anything fun."
Neela: "I can't open doors. I just follow people and run in the door behind them."
Titus: "I can't bring electronic things with me to town."
Olive: "This is ridiculous."


What is the hardest part about being the only boy? Or what do you think it would be if you were the only girl?
Stevie: "No girls could spend the night."
Neela: "Too hard to poop rainbows. Only girl power makes you poop rainbows."
Titus: "It makes me miss mommy so much."
Olive: *walks away*


What is the hardest part about being the youngest? Or what do you think it would be if you were?
Stevie: "I would have a big belly because everyone would give me all of their snacks."
Neela: "I want to be the youngest wolf in a wolf pack."
Titus: "Being called a baby."
Olive: *from across the room* "I'm not coming back over there."


Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Seth