So much can happen in a couple months...

Adventure to Longwood Gardens

Well, it's been two months since my last post and it's been a wild and crazy ride.  For starters, my little girl has turned 2.  I can hardly believe that it's been 2 years since we took her home from the hospital as new parents...Now, she's running and talking and singing all over the house and I can't remember what it was like when she wasn't here grabbing onto my legs.

So what' been happening since my last post?

1.  My daughter has completely given up on the high chair or anything resembling a high chair.  In the weeks leading up to her birthday meal times became unbearable.  She threw a fit every time we strapped her into the high chair and once she really got worked up she refused to eat...It was no fun for any of us so one night we just decided to let her sit in a seat at the table.  No booster, no lap, just a chair at the table.  Meal times, while not perfect, are much better.  Sure it's messier and she sometimes runs off, but for the most part she's taken to the 'Big Girl Seat' with relative ease.

2.  We threw our first birthday party.  Our little girl loves animals, so we decided early on that her 2nd birthday would be at a local zoo.  This zoo is on the grounds of a county park so we were able to rent a pavilion and invite all of her closest friends (5 kids) and family.  We had beautiful weather and she quickly wore herself out looking for her favorite animals and running around the playgrounds.  As a parent it was exhausting...But it was great to see her having a good time.  Her 1st birthday was a low key event, just pizza and cake and family.  This was definitely a step up and we all came out of it unscathed.

3.  The week before the party I ran in the Broad St. Run in Philadelphia.  This 10 mile race takes your right through the city of brotherly love.  It was my second time running the race.  Last year I finished in just under 2 hours.  This year I trained much harder, lost some weight, and finished in 1 hr 22 minutes.  It was quite an accomplishment for me.  It was hard to find the motivation to keep training, but I forced myself to stay active because I know exercise will help keep me healthy.

Up until recently I did not live a healthy lifestyle.  I ate too much and was very inactive.  But since becoming a father I am trying to change that.  It's a daily challenge but the race really motivated me to keep up the hard work. 

4.  During the race training period, I was also participating in a 'Biggest Loser' contest at work.  I was able to turn the training into weight loss and since March 14, 2011 I've run almost 270 miles and I've lost 28lbs.  This week I turned 32 and I am in better shape now than when I was 22.  I want my daughter to grow up with a healthy dad.  I want to lead by example and I want to be able to keep up with her and stand by her through all of her adventures.

We've been busy the last couple of months and I haven't given the blog the time it deserves.  The time I'm not spending here I am spending with my two favorite people, my wife and daughter...I can't wait to see how the next two months turn out.  Hopefully, I'll be posting again soon!

Easy Canvas Prints- a new way to display your favorite photos.

 A couple of years ago, when my wife was pregnant we decided to take a vacation to southwest Florida.  During the week, we decided to visit the Downtown Naples New Year's Weekend Art Fair.  The city of Naples closes their main drag and invites artists from all over the country to sell their creations.

On this trip we found a photographer who had printed his photos on canvas in a variety of sizes.  I thought it was a unique way to display photos, and I asked him if he did custom work for people wanting to print their own family photos on canvas.  He told me it was too cost prohibitive for him to do it so he generally focused on his own work.

Well, a week or so ago, I was contacted by a representative of Easy Canvas Prints.  She wanted me to give the process a try and write about it here.  The site allows you to upload your favorite images and have them stretched on canvas.  The process is easy, just upload your favorite picture, decide how you want to handle the photos edges, and submit.

I've been asked to review a few products on the blog.  I gladly accept most offers, but I will not post negative reviews because it doesn't serve any useful purpose.  It's a waste of time to put negative energy into a blog post.  For that reason I am glad to say I enjoyed my chance to review the Easy Canvas Prints process.  I now have a great picture of my daughter hanging over my desk at work.

Just click the link below and give it a try for yourself.

Easy Canvas Prints