Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

Dear Jack,

With our closing date just 3 and a half weeks away (January 29th), when we go to visit the progress on our house now, it’s not so much “oh look what they put in!” as much as it is “what else do they need to do before our closing date?”

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

At this rate, we’re mainly just lacking carpet, sod for the yard, and the fence!

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

So now our new home has the dark brown hardwood floors we chose (currently covered with cardboard for protection), shelves in the closets, the toilets, the microwave (which we’ll never use but we know would help the resale value should we ever move, though we never plan to), the dishwasher, and the oven.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

As for the washer and dryer, those are our responsibilities, but as I recently mentioned, Mommy and I bought those during Christmas break.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

And as a family, we bought our refrigerator at Lowe’s, using the 10% off coupon we received when we moved out of our town home.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

(I’m still not ready to write to you about that because we’re still unclear how much money we made off the deal… I feel that story is yet unsettled.)

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

You talked Mommy and me into buying you a plastic candy cane on clearance for 50 cents, there at Lowe’s.

After we left Lowe’s, you had way too much fun with that thing when we stopped at Whole Foods to buy groceries.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

You created a wagon by attaching the candy cane to a grocery basket. While Mommy did the shopping, I ushered you to emptier aisles so that you wouldn’t run into anyone.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

For the record, the “emptier aisles” at Whole Foods were the soda/beverage one and the one with dog food.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

I admit, there’s a certain amount of stress and anxiety in Mommy and me having to orchestrate the move and all the details that must come together the weekend of January 29th.

Like, for example, I’m in the midst of asking around who I should get Internet through, in Spring Hill.

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

We used AT&T at our townhome in Nashville and we had no problems at all, but I do wonder if we could save some money there?

Dear Jack: Our New Home’s Dark Hardwood Flooring And Black Appliances

What we’re used to paying is $50 a month for just Internet, since we only watch Netflix on our TV.

While the big day approaching will be exciting for our family, I’ll be glad once we get all these loose ends tied and I can know for sure we actually get to move in the weekend of January 29th; and our appliances are installed and working along with the Internet.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

Dear Jack,

With Mommy and I both being able to take the day after Christmas off (Friday, December 26th), we were able to extend our official Christmas break to basically a 5 day holiday.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

That meant that the fun wasn’t over just because Christmas day had passed. The morning started off with you trying on some on gag glasses that happened to stashed with some of my old toys there at Nonna and Papa’s house.

You then put them on Pandy and made him the teacher of the class…

Mommy and I decided to take you and Nana in the Lexus LX on a one hour drive through the mountains to a place called Flintstone, Georgia; where my own grandparents live, just a few miles from the Chattanooga, Tennessee city limit.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

We filled up the built-in cooler with Larabars and water for snacks; and I made sure we had some DVDs for you to watch on the way there.

Of course we adults had plenty of beautiful mountain scenery to enjoy, as you sang to us…

We rarely end up visiting that side of the family during the holidays, so once we got there, I saw cousins I haven’t seen since before you were born.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

To break the ice with them, and to help make you feel more relaxed, I took turns sneaking up to each one of my male cousins and pretending to punch them in the stomach; in the over-the-top style of the Power Rangers, or Marvel Universe Live that we recently saw.

“Punch the one with the white beard, Daddy!” you instructed me after you saw one of my uncles sitting on the couch.

Realizing that we had moved on from pretending to punch my male cousins to now my uncles, I “started a fight” with my Uncle Johnny (Papa’s older brother); who I would probably have to say other than your Papa, is most responsible for essentially teaching me to roughhouse at family get-togethers.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

Once I “punched him” and told him that you told me to do it, he started motioning to you from across the room to “come here.”

He grabbed you by the foot and pulled you across the rug as you laughed hysterically.

Shortly after, my aunt Rosa (Papa’s youngest sister) asked you to let her take Pandy home and once you refused, she started swatting you with a roll of wrapping paper; like the way you and I played just the day before.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

Horseplay really is the best way for a little boy to get to know his extended family, if you ask me.

Afterwards, I took you outside on the deck for some fresh air.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

Then it was time was receive your gift from my grandmother, which couldn’t been any more appropriate for you:

A Captain America racecar and his nemesis Red Skull’s vehicle as well. You were so proud!

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

Before we left for a late lunch at Whole Foods, just 8 miles away, one of my cousins helped me load up Papa’s gift, a 3 ton jack, into the Lexus LX.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

Once we got home, Papa showed you how the jack worked, in his shop.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

And Mommy and I even ventured out and bought our new house’s washer and dryer at Gary’s in my hometown of Fort Payne, AL.

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

So yeah, the fun didn’t end just because Christmas day was over!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: The Day After Christmas Was Still Fun Too!

We’re Going To Monster Jam 2015 In Nashville! (January 3-4th)

Last January, our family travelled to Huntsville, AL to see Monster Jam for the 1st time. Now at age 4, my son Jack is still just has excited by monster trucks, so we’ll be attending Monster Jam 2015 in January; this time in Nashville, TN.

And… today I’m giving away a set of 4 tickets for the 1PM show on Sunday, January 4th, 2015!

We’re Going To Monster Jam 2015 In Nashville! (January 3-4th)

Just be the first person to post on the Facebook wall for Family Friendly Daddy Blog (not a private message), asking me, “Did I just win 4 tickets for my family to go see Monster Jam in Nashville for the 1PM show on Sunday, January 4th, 2015?”

If you’re the first person to do so, I will respond by saying yes… After that, I will follow up by getting your family’s name and address to get you all set up with the tickets!

Update: We have a winner!

Congrats and Merry Christmas to Charles Van Dyke:

Did I just win 4 tickets for my family to go see Monster Jam in Nashville for the 1PM show on Sunday, January 4th, 2015?

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

Dear Jack,

With our firm closing date on January 29th, we are just about 6 weeks away from moving in to our much anticipated new home.

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

I would have to imagine that each remaining week leading up to our closing date is going to bring substantial new revelations; like this week, for example…

revelations

Our new house now has electricity! It’s alive!

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

So that means we now have a working thermostat on both the main floor and the upstairs. Plus, we have working light fixtures and ceiling fans.

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

Our front door is now installed as well; with a working doorbell.

Oh yeah, and the tile is in! It hasn’t been grouted yet, but it’s now laid down. Somehow I either forgot or just never realized that we have tile in both full bathrooms, as well as our laundry room. (I thought it was just one room.)

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

We attempted to take a few legitimate family pictures in our house, but there just must be something about a Ninja Turtle lovin’ 4 year-old boy that keeps him from making normal pictures.

legitimate

Therefore, the whole family ends up taking a lot of silly pictures instead. We’ll take what we can get, I guess. It’s real life for us, so I’m not going to deny it!

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

As is our tradition, we of course drove over to the model house and visited the in-house agent. If for no other reason than checking in with her, to let you play with the snowman (your “baby”) and to check in on your “pizza parlor” (a piece of orange foam) underneath the Christmas tree.

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

As I mentioned in my previous letter, we visited the main 2 preschools we are considering enrolling you in once we move.

We also took another look at the swimming pool of the brand-new rec center, right around the corner from our new home.

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2014/12/21/2015-hyundai-sonata-sport-2-0t-family-friendly-review/

Of course, we had the luxury of driving the sporty new 2015 Hyundai Sonata, equipped with Mommy’s favorite: seat warmers. It also came with a panaramic sunroof. We even got to see a rare migration of birds overhead that was so real it looked fake, like CGI or something!

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2014/12/21/2015-hyundai-sonata-sport-2-0t-family-friendly-review/

You enjoyed singing your renditions of some holiday classics in the back seat…

 

We finished off the weekend with a trip to Big Lots to check out some furniture. After all, we’ll slowly be furnishing our new home as we go.

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2014/12/21/dear-jack-primrose-vs-rainbow-finding-a-preschool-near-our-new-house/

With us spending Christmas week with Nonna and Papa in Alabama, it will be 2 weeks before we see our house again.

I wonder what will be update on it by then… maybe the hardwood floors?

Love,

Daddy

Catch up on the entire series of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend. A lot of exiciting things happened!

2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 2.0T: Family Friendly Review

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A Preschool Near Our New House

Dear Jack: Listening to Radio Hanukkah (SiriusXM Channel 68)

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A Preschool Near Our New House

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Dear Jack,

There are certain assumptions that might arise, with our upcoming move into our new house on January 29th. (That’s the official close date, still Lord willin’.)

One common assumption that people have been asking me is if there will finally be a possibilty of open-mindedness on your parents’ part for our family expanding. To be clear, I’m not hinting any sort of announcement; I am simply saying it wasn’t an option before now.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Who knows? Maybe with a new house in a new city with a new lifestyle for our family, there may be room for… that possibility.

Or maybe I’ll never mention it again.

Another assumption is that we’ll be sending you to a new school, just around the corner from our new house. That would save you from having to be in the car with me a total of 2 hours every day.

Instead, it would be more like 2 minutes.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Not only is that better for your safety, but it’s better for quality time with Mommy.

Here’s why: Where you go to school right now is right next to where I work. But with us moving at least 15 miles south of where I work now (and about 35 miles south of where Mommy works) it’s not really a benefit anymore that your current school is near where I work.

Not to mention, with the move, Mommy’s schedule will be altered to where she can go in to work early and leave work early, meaning that you and Mommy will be able to spend a decent amount of extra quality time together soon, on a regulary basis.

And that’s so important! For that reason alone, it’s worth it to find you a new preschool. Again, there’s nothing at all wrong with your current school, but moving you to one closer to our new home so you can be in the car less and with Mommy more…. those aspects are more important to our family.

There are 3 really nice schools near our new home. We liked Spring Hill Academy, a Christian place, but they don’t have any openings for you right now.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

So now with that one easily eliminated, that leaves us with two main contenders: Primrose Schools and Rainbow Child Care Center.

We drove up to the parking lots of both of them this weekend while reviewing the 2015 Hyundai Sonatajust to get an idea of the drive time from our new home.

Mommy is taking you to visit them both this week, during open business hours. I wonder where you’ll end up. They’re both wonderful schools, from everything Mommy and I have researched.

Of course, whichever school wins your tuition also wins reoccuring free publicity here on Family Friendly Daddy Blog, as the new school will serve as part of the setting for our family’s narrative.

Just this week, I wrote both Dear Jack: The Glory Of Classic American Holiday Sweaters and Dear Jack: The Lego Hospital You Built At Your School; both of which took place at your current school.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Where we send you to school is a big deal to us. In fact, much of the incentive to move out of our townhouse was to get into a better county where we could get you into a better school.

When you live in Nashville, it matters to your education and future based on where you go to school; unlike where the small town where I grew up; where there was just one school.

Love,

Daddy

Catch up on the entire series of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend. A lot of exiciting things happened!

2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 2.0T: Family Friendly Review

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A Preschool Near Our New House

Dear Jack: Listening to Radio Hanukkah (SiriusXM Channel 68)