It began over a week ago as the snow began. It was snowing faster than it could be cleared from our driveway and the kids were starting to get an early dose of cabin fever. Mrs. G was at work as the snow became nearly impassible, but she white knuckled the drive home and we tucked ourselves in and prepared to dig ourselves out. That first wave was only a small taste of what was about to come. The tidal wave we call Christmas was still forming and gaining strength.
With four small children, you would think that we could easily get from Christmas Eve morning to Christmas night with little to no problems. After all, the holiday is a great babysitter, or so it seemed to begin with that Christmas Eve morning. They were excited of course, but the holiday would soon become a drug the likes of which we can only fathom in movies and fictional stories. They took turns with the drug. It was passed like a joint at a concert from one child to the next, each peaking and crashing, all of which required Mommy and Daddy’s full attention. Mommy and Daddy would not be given a reprieve during this storm. The riot gained strength when Nana and Papa arrived and the cousins added to that flame as well. It all seemed like a blur and then it was over as quickly as it started.
The storm had moved on and the dust and smoke settled and cleared. There were signs of the devastations all over our home in the form of boxes, paper, bows and ribbons. Small pieces to unknown games, puzzles, fantasy lands, trucks, cars, and other toys were scattered as if thrown into a whirlwind. The devastation was also covered with tin foil and shoved into every nook and corner of the refrigerator as the food and drink had to be gathered and unlabeled to create a lottery of what might be available in leftover land. Ornaments and things that were used to decorate the tree had become replacements to game pieces lost, people and characters of our nativity sets had been used to enhance the worlds of new toys of farm animals, toy soldiers and dolls. Batteries of every size shape and color are strewn about the floor like spent shell casings in a World War III firefight.
Like the City of New Orleans, we have begun the repairs and are trying to replace our lives after the devastation. We have not checked our insurance policy yet to determine if the stains of cranberry, Jell-o, candy canes and chocolate are covered perils, nor have we found out if the strange scratches on furniture, broken appliances and missing gloves hats and coats are also covered. Like a frat party gone crazy, we are just now understanding how a crowd can be brought to the brink of a crazy mob during a riot and then returned to normalization. It is a wonder how we can still look at this time as our most favorite time of the year, but I can assure you this, I will always love Christmas.
Those of you that don’t live in places where you can dream of a white Christmas, can live vicariously through the people here in our town. 25 inches of the white stuff and counting. Snow blowers are better than owning a Cadillac at this point. I would post pictures but my arms are too tired to hold the camera. I think we are in for more than just a single snow day. This could be more like a snow WEEK. Excuse me but I need to go find a child or two in the snow. I think they were making snow angels and they got buried somewhere between the house and the street.
Powered by Qumana
When I was a little boy, Christmas was one of my favorite times of the year. Not because it was a time to get gifts, and eating candy, cookies and all of that, but because school was out, cool stuff was on tv and oh yeah I guess the gifts were not that bad either.
I can still remember that my Mom always had a way of choosing the worst looking Christmas trees, but after we finished putting all of the ornaments and lights, tinsel and the rest of the trimmings, it always seemed to look like the best tree in the whole world. Christmas carries with it a magic that seems to turn the worst of times into the best of times.
I look at my children as they look at our tree, and wonder what their memories will bring them. If they wondered what happened to that perfect Christmas gift they wanted. Will they ever remember that we didn’t have the money this year to complete their list? Looking back at my own childhood, I’m not sure I ever actually got what I asked for at Christmas, but I did remember getting more than I expected. What are you asking for at Christmas this year?
Powered by Qumana
I never really figured I would have to see the day, but it came quicker than I had anticipated. My little boy, the one that pooped on me peed on me barfed on me and kept me awake for ever and ever through nights I begged for sleep had this to say:
Him: Daddy? No kisses nite-nite.
Me: Why buddy?
Him: I don’t like your kisses.
Me: Why?
Him: They are disgusting.
Me: Why? [holding back the lump in my throat]
Him: Cuz they are wet and prickly and boys don’t kiss boys. Nite-nite Dad.
Me: Hey buddy, how about hugs?
Him: Nah.
Me: Okay.
Him: I could give you five?
Me: Cool [holding out hand for a high five].
As he walked away I knew a rite of passage had came to pass. I was lost in that moment trying to remember when I too had grown too old to kiss my Dad. Then the other two ankle biters attacked me with slobbery kisses only a boy from the Genuine clan could give. I guess I’ll be looking out for when they too decided it’s time to give Dad a high five nite-nite.
Powered by Qumana
As many of you know I have an online blog marketing consultancy, and as part of my daily routine, or it could be part of my nightly routine, but 1 or 2 a.m. is not really night now is it, but…
Oh well you get my meaning. I get an onslaught of email everyday from subscribed to trade magazines in the online 
market. One of the subscriptions is Marketing Vox. Marketing Vox today did a piece about Lisa Nova, an up and coming star in the online world (is it me or does she look like the love child of Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson? If it were me I would want to check that DNA). Lisa was recently signed by The Daily Reel. Lisa is a well known You Tube celeb and I was looking at the video launched by the announcement of her signing. If you get nothing else out of this video, the line "I took a bullet for Santa Claus" was enough for me to giggle the rest of the day.
Tags: Blog Marketing, Blog Consulting, Marketing Vox, Lisa Nova, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, You Tube, The Daily Reel, Vlogger
Powered by Qumana
This is not like the great space race of the 60′s, it not even about that three legged race at the father and son picnic. This has nothing to do with a contest at all. I wanted to introduce everyone that reads here to make a new blog a part of your every day reading experience.
I spent my early morning ritual of emails and RSS feeds and threw them out the window. I was captivated by this new blog and the message it brings. I found myself wiping tears, searching the depth of my soul, and bursting with pride about real people and their good hearts. I ask that everyone put this new blog in your blogrolls, your RSS subscriptions and to spread the word about a new and wonderful must see blog.
Powered by Qumana
I have been eating a healthy breakfast of oatmeal every morning this week. I figure my diet could always use a little more fiber and I’m told that oatmeal is a natural way of lowering your cholesterol. Why is it that it also tends to make person gain a little weight. Hmmmm, must have something to do with the fact that the oatmeal I’m eating are in cookies Mrs. G baked over the weekend. You think? You know how many cookies you have to eat to get your full cup of oats?
Powered by Qumana
I’ don’t mean those lovable birds that I knew as a child growing up that taught me how to be rude, I mean Dad Gone Mad. I read today about his shenanigans at a sporting event. Not only is his post hilarious, but when you read some of the comments, you may also have to clean the screen.
Speaking of Dad Gone Mad, a BoB Award winning blog (dude a little link love on that banner?), The BoB Awards are once again kicking off the end of 2006 and we are taking suggestions for categories, asking for volunteers, and basically trying to figure out how we are going to fit all of this into a schedule that is already a 20 hour day debacle.
Go over and check out DGM’s post then head over to The BoB Awards and give us some feedback or sign up to volunteer. This is going to be a huge year and I have a very exciting announcement as a result. No Mom, we are not having number 5….sheesh. I can already feel the sting…
I don’t mean like the sting bath night either. Yeah, last night was bath night and Genuine Boy decided Mr. Bubble was not potent enough with a capful so he decided to use half the bottle. Of course, I didn’t realize this until I rinsed their heads and the soap concentration entered their eyes, but I think we have now learned a lesson. Me or them you need to decide for yourself, but I digress.
Oh, and Mr. Bubble? We need to change the color, apparently, Genuine Boy feels that the pink color should not be used for a boys’ bath. Maybe that’s why he wanted to concentrate the strength. Another lesson learned, pink is not always a girly thing, and girly things are not always weak. There I go digressing again.
Who wants ice cream? Bring your own scoop.
Tags: Dad Gone Mad, The BoB Awards 2006, BoB Awards, Mr. Bubble
Powered by Qumana
Since I began speaking to myself these days I recently came up with the following quip:
"The only thing worse than a busted ice cream scoop is no ice cream to scoop." ~ Genuine
Yes, we have a busted ice cream scoop and at the time we were out of ice cream. Those in my family looking to add to my Christmas list, I could use a new ice cream scoop. A heavy duty industrial sized many scoop. Something along the lines of a tractor or back hoe.
Tags: Genuine Quotes, Ice Cream
Powered by Qumana
Have you ordered your Genuine T-shirt for Christmas? Yeah well I haven’t either but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for you to order. If you order now, I will throw in the Genuine Logo at no extra cost.
I guess the logo is getting a little old since its inception back in the day. TJ was the lucky winner of the logo design and he received a free T-shirt to those rags he uses to wash his car. I think it is time for a new look for the Genuine Logo.
If you are an aspiring artist, send me your submission for the new latest and greatest Genuine Logo. If I use your logo, not only will you get a free T-shirt, I’ll actually put in into the products at the Genuine Store. What Store? The button over there on the right silly. Oh by the way of disclosure, I think I make like four cents on each purchase. If you buy enough, I can have a fruitcake for Christmas.
Let’s see those Genuine Logo submissions!!!!
Tags: T-Shirt, Genuine Logo, Design Contest, Free T-Shirt, Christmas Gift
Powered by Qumana
