Stories for Dads and Moms who Need a Laugh

Halloween is this week. This means dressing up and trick-or-treating for children. For me, it means imposing the "Dad Tax" while I check out what was brought home and making sure candy is "safe" to eat. Lovie loves this time of year because stores are putting Christmas displays next to the Halloween candy. For her, Fall is a reminder the Christmas is right around the corner. This seems like a very big corner. Meanwhile, my beloved daughter is continuing to bake yummy treats that coincide with the Fall Season. It's just a matter of time before she starts rolling out the Christmas goodies. If you're like Lovie, Halloween means the doors are beginning to creak open to Christmas. As soon as the candy bags are dropped and the costumes are put away, stores across the nation are decked out with yuletide cheer. Halloween gives way to Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leads to Christmas, which soon means it's time to welcome the New Year. They don't call them "...

photo: weddedwonderland.com Wedded Week 2025, the world's largest online luxury wedding event is returning. Wedded Week will take place October 23-29 at weddedweek.com, connecting couples, brands, wedding professionals, and venues from over 54 countries across the globe - from Australia and the United Kingdom to India and China, to North America and Latin America, all the way to Italy and the United Arab Emirates. Now in its third year, Wedded Week has become a global phenomenon. Last year's event reached 680 million people across social media and media platforms, redefining how couples discover, plan, and book their dream celebrations. This year's showcase brings together hundreds of the world's most luxurious venues, designers, planners, and global brands, supported by 43 global ambassadors- visionary leaders from every corner of the industry driving creativity, innovation, and cultural excellence. With luxury weddings reaching unprecedented heights, averaging $100,00...

Joey Olszewski was my cousin. He passed away in 2010 from an illness. News of the illness and eventual passing shocked my family. Joey was a healthy, athletic young man who played sports in high school and college. I'll tell you more about him later, but for now I want you to know what his family is doing to honor his legacy The Olszewskis started the Joey Olszewski Memorial Scholarship Fund  to honor their son and brother. The scholarship is awarded to a student-athlete at Massabesic who exemplifies character, grit, and community spirit. Fabulous Prizes to be Raffled off The scholarship fund is selling raffles for various prizes. All of the proceeds raised will go to the Joey O Memorial Scholarship Fund. this year's drive is a special one, as it marks the 25th anniversary of Massabesic's 2000 State Football Championship.  Bar Harbor Vacation. A three-night stay at a 3-bedroom condo in downtown Bar Harbor. Good November-March. New England Patriots Tickets. Two premium tic...

weddedwonderland.com If you've recently had a destination wedding or are planning one, Wedded Wonderland is looking for you. The Sydney-based global media platform is conducting a study for married couples who have celebrated a destination wedding in the past 18 months or are having one in the next 18 months. In a press release, the campaign seeks to, "(give) real couples the chance to be seen, heard, and celebrated." Wedded Wonderland has launched a "Destination Wedding and Celebrations Study". Couples participating in the study will have a chance to win a $10,000 luxury experience. With the study, the company looks to celebrate destination wedding couples and their creativity. "This is more than a competition," said Wendy El-Khoury, Wedded Wonderland's co-founder. "It is a celebration of of modern love stories and the diversity of how couples choose to celebrate them." The study is done in collaboration with Abu Dhabi's Department o...

Daddies and mommies are busy making sure our Miracles of Christ are healthy and taken care of. Part of making sure they are healthy is taking care of their teeth. When I was home with The Oppressed and The Boy, I would make sure they brushed their teeth. The Oppressed would get excited when I told her it was time to brush her teeth. She would run to the bathroom, excited for that time of day. Now that they are older, it is more on them to make sure they do what they need to do to make sure their chompers are clean and in good condition. My role in their dental hygiene has diminished significantly, although I'm still responsible for getting them to the dentist, it's mostly them brushing their teeth and making sure everything is hygienically sound. As children grow up, they will lose some teeth. It's natural and perfectly normal for boys and girls to lose some baby teeth and have them replaced with permanent teeth. When this happens, the baby teeth are usually left under the ...

If you are blessed to have siblings, you know there's never a dull moment when you are growing up. If you are really blessed to have siblings, you will share a room with one or more of them. Not only was I blessed enough to have siblings, but I was fortunate enough to share a room with my brother until I was fifteen. There are unique challenges to living with other humans. These challenges, should you survive, will prepare you for the outside world. I have two siblings. We barely survived living together during our time under the same roof. The three of us have physical and emotional scars from our time together, but we also have some stories to tell. These stories are going to be great once the statute of limitations runs out on them. Living with siblings also prepares you for raising children. You learn mediation, conflict resolution, and an occasional hostage negotiation. My sister and I raise blended families. If you were part of one in any way, you know the challenges that com...

JP Rende and Kat Raio-Rende Photo: earwormny.com Emmy Award-winning composers JP Rende and Kat Raio-Rende have released "Nothing Rhymes with Orange". The album supports neurodivergent children with a musical tool to help them navigate life. "Nothing Rhymes with Orange" is released through the couple's project "Aidee", which supports children with ADHD. "Nothing Rhymes with Orange" and Aidee "Aidee's World" photo: Jolly Good Communications "Aidee" is a fictional character created by the JP and Kat, who were inspired by their own experience of raising two children who were diagnosed with ADHD. Aidee and her catchy music empowers children by providing them with a helpful tool which incorporates movement and visual storytelling. She is an eight-year-old girl with a big imagination and even bigger heart. Aidee meets challenges with wonder and curiosity, although she often needs some reminders to stay on task. Aidee doesn...