X

I do not even know how to begin this post. 
It’s because this post represents my 10^th anniversary here at The Life of a Father of Five. 

• Ten years. 
• One decade. 
• The Roman Numeral X.    

Never in my WILDEST dreams would I have imagined that this endeavor would have lasted so long, brought me this much joy, caused me this much frustration, challenged me in ways I never considered, broadened my horizons in the scope that it has, introduced me to so many new and different friends, or helped me connect with so many others.  I simply had no idea.      

What started as something to “try out, just for fun” has grown to become part of who I am.  It has become an “identity” of sorts.  I have co-workers who know me as “that blog guy” or “the father of five” (and have even found out that my supervisor’s, supervisor’s, supervisor’s, supervisor stops by to visit here from time to time).  I have helped inspire a few new blogs.  I have assisted others with configuring and content on their blog(s).  I have won awards.  I have been named in several “top lists” of “dad bloggers”.  I have had “major media outlets” discuss with me how “giant” my cyber footprint is.  I have had corporations, PR firms, and even publishers contact me to try to promote, sell, share, or collaborate.  I even had an opportunity to have one of my posts published in a book! 

(I have turned down each of these offers.  Why, you ask?  To be discussed in a future post.  Maybe.)

So much has changed since I began.  My blogging has ebbed and flowed throughout the years.  Posting was, at one time, as often as every other day.  More recently, I struggle to maintain a paltry once-a-month average. 

Originally, it was pretty easy to keep a thin veil of anonymity between our REAL lives and our VIRTUAL lives on the world wide web.  There was this blog and nothing else.  A few years into blogging, is when the phenomenon of “social media” exploded.  MySpace (what’s that??), FaceBook, and Twitter just to name a few. 

With the explosion of “social media” came a decline in blog readership (and “writership” too).  It was so easy to keep in touch, and share quick simple thoughts, ideas, experiences, and photos (not to mention how “interactive” social media can be) compared to a blog.  Sharing my blogposts on Facebook became commonplace (and even automated, as it is now).  The more I integrated my blog and my other “social media outlets” the more of that thin veil of anonymity I lost.  It wasn’t long before Googling my name came up with my blog, and Googling my blog came up with my name.  Eventually, I connected the two with links and badges (and lived to tell about it).     

When I started this website, the kids were all younger.  There was so much to write about.  So much I wanted to share.  Almost every day I found myself saying “that would make an awesome post” or “how can I get this on the blog”?  I also found that I could write about them without their knowledge (or consent) and could do so under the veil of that anonymity I previously spoke of.  Over time, the kidddos became more and more aware of my blogging status, and how much of their lives were documented for the world to see.  They would sometimes visit my blog from school, or (gasp!) their friends would visit my blog.  The original anonymity of the blog began to crumble, and I had to adapt.  I have had to strike a deal with my children (at least the oldest ones) over the years.  The deal is that I can write and post about them, but they have an opportunity to see, edit, and/or veto any post that is about them PRIOR to going live.  I’ve been pretty respectful of that and so far, it has worked out well for all parties involved..     

Initially when I started blogging, I located a few other husbands / fathers who were doing the same thing.  Admittedly, they were few, and they were far between.  I would often visit one of their blogs and see they had already connected with another blogger that I had previously discovered.  It was a relatively small and tight knit community. 

That once small group of dads have expanded exponentially.  Nowadays, there is a whole world of “Dad Bloggers” out there.  Not only a single category, but dozens of sub-categories that all fit under the Dad Blogger umbrella.  There is no possible way I could keep up with all of them anymore. 

To aid in networking all these dad bloggers there are social media groups established just for dads that blog.  Even more recently a national convention dedicated to fatherhood and more specifically dad bloggers has really made some traction.  Products, corporations, sponsors, PR firms, and publishers have really started taking notice of the genre.  What was once a tiny niche has become a significant movement.  Seeing how much the horizon has changed over the years is pretty mind blowing. 

Of the original dozen or so blogs that were my “regular haunts” there are only two or three still regularly updating.  Actively blogging, or not - I still converse with most of those original blogging connections through other social media outlets.  I am truly grateful for two or three in particular who have become close friends. 

So, with all this change – I hear you asking me “What’s one thing that has NOT changed over the last ten years?”  One thing that has NOT changed is my vision statement.  My “why am I doing this”.  When I set out blogging, my intent was to… “keep[ing] this blog as a collection of thoughts for my children (but others are welcome to enjoy too). Someday I hope they have the chance to read this and get just a small glimpse into the mind of their father.”

If you peruse enough of the content here on The Life of a Father of Five I believe you agree that I have kept pretty true to that goal.  No promotion, peddling, hawking, freebies, giveaways, product endorsements, or sponsors.  It’s just me.  It’s my thoughts.  My observations.  My family.  My friends.  It is what I set out to do, and what I have been successfully able to accomplish so far.

This is currently a VERY hot topic in the Dad Blogger community.  I am not making judgement on anyone who does, or does not choose to "monetize" their blog.  I am only pointing out what MY original intent was, and what MY intent still is - and how I have been able to stay true to MY goal.     

How much longer will “The Father of Five” continue?  I honestly do not know.  I have no long term plans or changes in mind.  I will continue to do what I have been doing here as long as it is still fun to do so (and it really is – when I have the time to spare).   I have enjoyed participating in this endeavor over the past ten years and am grateful for the friends I have made, the lessons I have learned, the challenges I have met (and the ones I have failed), and am looking forward to what the future holds for me, and for My Life as a Father of Five! 

Thanks to each and every one of you that have been a part (large or small) of my decade long journey. 
You all mean more to me than you will ever realize.

  

Nine

I am now into my ninth year of The Life of a Father of Five.      NINTH!
(I missed the actual date by a month... Once again.)

I am just about as surprised by the longevity of this thing as I was when I discovered I was going to be a father for the FIFTH time!

This year, I will reward my long time (and maybe even any new) readers with a few stats to wrap around your heads!

• Including this post, there are a total of 755 published posts (and 38 completed, but unpublished posts) that make up this blog over the past nine years.

• That’s a total of 792 (published and unpublished) posts in 9 years, or 108 months, or 474 weeks, or 3317 days, or 79,608 hours, or 4,776,480 minutes, or 286,588,800 seconds.

• On average, that's just over 88 posts per year, 7 posts each month, 1.5 posts each week, one post every 4-5 days, one post every 100 hours, one post 6,031 minutes, or one post every 361,854 seconds.

Depending on who you ask (various site metering sources), here are a few more stats.

• According to Blogger this blog has received a total of 200,843 pageviews. As of the time I am writing this, it had received 3,023 pageviews last month, 51 pageviews yesterday, and 26 so far today (and it is eary!)

• According to Sitemeter this blog has received a total of 97,079 pageviews since I started tracking with them. That is an average of 17 per day, 116 so far this week, 7 so far today, and 6 of that 7 within the last hour.

• According to Statcounter this blog has received a total of 80,000 pageviews since I started tracking with them. That is an average of 8,889 per year, 867 per month, 198 per week, and 25 per day.

When I started the blog I did not keep stats. It was not until several months into my experience that I discovered Sitemeter – so that would explain SOME of the difference between the Sitemeter numbers and that Blogger numbers. Statcounter came almost a year after Sitemeter, so again the difference between the numbers are related to the delay in implementation. The Blogger stats are the highest, but since The Life of a Father of Five is hosted by Blogger, they are likely the most accurate stats.

Next year is the biggie… Ten. A decade! I don’t know what I will do to mark the passing of a decade of blogging, but I feel as I should do SOMETHING!

Any ideas?? Leave them as a comment!

Eight

The Life of a Father of Five’s anniversary just rolled right on past me again. 

It’s hard to believe that I have maintained this hobby / project / endeavor for over eight years now.   As I have stated in previous “anniversary” posts, FoF is not the same thing it was back in 2006.  Back then, I had so much to say.  So many stories to tell.  The kids were young, and there were so many thing we did that I felt compelled to share.  Very few days passed without me posting something ANYTHING about something ANYTHING .

Time went on, and many of the stories I told that were once “new and exciting” to share were duplicated over and over (things like summer camp, hunting trips, school events, etc) – and the kids have all gotten older.  Old enough to express their “viewpoints” on my talking about them in this forum.  Old enough that I felt obligated to respect their wishes (at least to a certain degree).

As FoF transitioned, a noticeable trend (or trends) starting taking shape.  FoF began to change.

·         Post QUANTITY has diminished…  (significantly)… 

·         On the other hand, QUALITY has increased… (or so I like to think)…  

FoF has, and will remain a big part of who I am.  While I continue to struggle with “quantity” of time I can commit, and the “quality” of the work is certainly questionable, I will continue to hold on to this little creative outlet, and do my best to modify, adjust, and adapt what FoF means to me, and to the others who regularly stop on by and/or those who just happen to stumble on by.  

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Like so many previous anniversary posts – I HAVE to give a shout out to a number of AMAZING people I have met along the way.  People who influence me in ways that they likely do not realize.  When I first met these folks, they were strangers to me.  Strangers with names like (in no particular order) A Family Runs Through It, AtHomeDaddy, Backside of Forty, Postulates and Pasttimes, MotherOf8,  My Family and Other Animals just to name a few.  (Forgive me if you are not named.  There are too many to list!)

Through our mutual interests (like blogging, families, and parenthood) many of the fellow bloggers I have met through FoF have transitioned into friends.  I have come to know some of these folks on a much different level.  A much more personal level.  Their support and friendship along the way has become quite real, and very significant in my life.  I am unable to truly express my level of gratitude for the niches they have etched into my life.

The Seven Year Itch?

The term “seven year itch” is usually associated with one’s marriage, but I am both joyful and thankful to say that I am still happily in love with my wife, the charming, and beautiful Mother of Five. (Although, in all fairness, while I hope she feels the same way, it would be presumptuous of me to speak to her level of joyfulness, thankfulness, or happiness.)

The “seven year itch” that I am referring to, is “The Life of a Father of Five’s” anniversary.

Again this year (as I have in many years past), I completely forgot to recognize the anniversary (or “blogiversary” as some choose to call it) of the day I flipped the switch, and opened the door to the public here on The Life of a Father of Five.

Can you believe it?? SEVEN YEARS?!?!

I am unable to fully grasp all that I have been throughout these past seven years. It’s helpful (and fun) to look back and remember some of the things I have forgotten, and view others from the “future perspective” I have today – to see what has changed, and what hasn’t.

One of the best aspects of Blogging I have come to discover is the community of people. The Life of a Father of Five has opened so many doors to friendship. Social interaction is not something that comes easy to me, yet despite these challenges, I have made many friends through the past seven years. Some acquaintances, others I have grown pretty close to. Some I have met, others I have not, and still others I hope one day to meet. Each one has enhanced my life one way or another. Blogging opened up a whole new world to me, and cannot imagine my life without having participated.

One thing that I noticed has changed throughout the years is the frequency at which I post. When I first started out, I would post as often as I could. Sometimes that was two or three times a week. Over the past seven years, my children have grown, and expressed their “displeasure” with being blog fodder, and quite frankly, after seven years – there is not much that has not been covered. At this point, I find myself DELIGHTED anytime I have more than two posts a month. But, I still enjoy it. I still think about my blog, and blogging often, and maintaining it still “feels right”!

That being said, whether you are glad, or disappointed to hear it - I plan on maintaining The Life of a Father of Five. Well, at least for another year. We shall see what happens when I forget to acknowledge my EIGHTH blogiversary!

From my original readers (since day one), to all of you who may have just started joining me here, I send you my utmost and sincere gratitude. You all make this so much fun!!

Six Years

Let me share with you some “facts” behind the The Life of a Father of Five. 
The Life of a Father of Five went live April 2nd 2006 with the post titled “Why?”. 
In six short years I have compiled a total of 714 “officially” completed posts, 36 “draft” posts (incomplete, or unpublished posts), and countless posts that were started (on paper, as emails, or word processer files) that never made it to the status of “draft”.  That does not count the three or four posts I have brewing in my mind on any given day. 
Sixteen days after going live, I added the first of four statistics tools.  With these tools, I have been able to keep track of some interesting numbers about The Life of a Father of Five.  Using the stats I find on Sitemeter (the first page tracking site I used) – Since Jan 18, 2006 The Life of a Father of Five has had a total of 41,978 visits.  Many visits often encompass viewing several different posts, and so the 41,978 visits have resulted in 71,875 page views.  This averages out to roughly 27 visits per day and 45 page views per day.  (You should see some of the funny search terms that land folks here!)
While all of these “factoids” are kind of cool and may be somewhat interesting and or funny, they are (to me) a much less meaningful as the people I have met along my path.  I am not the most socially outgoing fella.  Honestly, I STRUGGLE in large crowds or while meeting new people.  Blogging has opened up a new world to me.  It has given me a chance to connect with a network of liked minded folks who have truly become an important part of my life.  Without the medium of The Life of A Father of Five to help facilitate this, I doubt I would have had the opportunity to bump into / stumble upon a number of people (some who I have had the fortunate opportunity to meet, while others I still hope to one day meet) out there that I have got to know on a personal level, and have have truly come to consider friends.
Whether you are a first time reader, or you have been with me from the beginning - I hope that you have enjoyed your time here.  The Life of the Father of Five is, was, and will be (first and foremost) an outlet for me.   A means for me to one day share a little bit about what life was like from MY viewpoint with my children.  It has been through my sharing my viewpoint that I have learned a lot about myself, and have learned a lot from others.  I hope I have been able to entertain a few people along the way too.  The Life of a Father of Five is just as much for and about YOU as it is for me. 
On this six year anniversary, I want to thank each and every one of you.  It’s you that help make this such a wonderful journey!  God willing, I look forward to sharing, learning, meeting, befriending, building, enhancing, and improving The Life of a Father of Five over next six years! 

Five

Five is my favorite number.  It has been as far back as I can remember.

There is the “obvious” reason (ahem… father of FIVE…), but that’s not (originally) why five was my favorite number.  Five became my favorite number somewhere around the age of seven or eight (long before I knew I would be the father of a basketball team).  You see, that’s about the age I started learning my “multiplication tables”.  Zeros, Ones and Twos were (understandably) very easy.  Threes and Fours were a little more challenging.  Then came Fives.  Fives were (for me) easy-breezy-lemon-peezy, and so because of that, “five” became my favorite number of all!

Had I known then, what the significance of my “favorite number” would have on the title of this blog, perhaps I would have chosen something slightly different… Something like “one” or maybe even “zero”…

Yeah, yeah… I’m just kiddin’ with you all.  I would not trade one of them for anything!
(Well, at least I don’t think I would, but who knows.  Make me an offer…  Ya never know!)

Today’s post is not about how many kids I have, or about my favorite elementary school multiplication table number, or how much I would take in exchange for one of the kids - No, today’s post is about celebrating an achievement, a milestone, a landmark.  It’s about a dedication and commitment to something.

The Life of a Father of Five is FIVE YEARS OLD TODAY!!

Yes, five years ago my little spot on the web started with THIS POST describing why I wanted to start blogging.   (By the way, I still read “Many Things”… and that song still makes me tear up...)
Five years, 654 posts, and over 33,350 web hits later – and here I am, still plugging away.

After five years I can say that coming up with fresh (and interesting) topics can get a little “challenging” at times.  I still find maintaining “The Life of a Father of Five” a therapeutic outlet.  Although the “frequency” of new material is not what it once was, I have no means of giving it up.  Together, we have been through a lot over these past five years…  I’ve shared a lot about myself, had a few laughs, shed a couple of tears, and learned a lot from others - all while making (and even meeting) some really great people along the way.  Some, I am quite proud to call “friend”.  It has been an interesting journey indeed.

In honor of this fifth anniversary, I have done a couple of things. 

First, I gave the site a facelift.  If you read this post through a feed reader, be sure to click through and take a peek at the new and (in my opinion) improved look!! 

Secondly, I have two pending guest posts.  #2 of 5, and #4 of 5 are GUEST POSTING sometime in the very new future.  (I’m very excited about this)

I also want to take this opportunity to thank the folks that keep me doing this.  First and foremost, my beautiful, lovely, and wonderful wife – The Mother of Five.  Without her I am not sure where I would be today, and I certainly would not have the rest of the crazy “cast and crew”.  She also is very patient with me when it comes to working on this site.  Sometimes (when I get on a roll) I may (or may not) “zone out” from the chaos around me.  I’m not sayin’ I do, I’m only saying it “may” happen from time time.  Right honey?? 

Then, there is  #1 of 5, #2 of 5, #3 of 5, #4 of 5, and #5 of 5.  This group of hooligans is what keep me motivated day in and day out – motivated to (try to) be the best man, the best father, the best role model I can be. (Although, being that person will often make them mad at me – but, then I know I am doing my job correctly, right?)

Last, but certainly not least is YOU.  As I stated earlier – through this site I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know many new people – all so very interesting - from various locations around the US, and even around the globe.  Sometimes it’s a “rogue” visitor.  Often it’s a regular visitor.  Regardless, many have come, some have stuck around, some have moved on, some have never returned – but all have been appreciated for their perspective, input, and for helping to keep me motivated.

Here is my gift to you all.  As a means of thanks for being loyal readers, and for being there for me through the laughs and the tears, the ups and the downs, the good times and the bad times - on this fifth anniversary of “The Life of a Father of Five” I’m going to take you back in time.  I am going to walk with you hand in had through the collection of the “headers” that have adorned the top of “The Life of a Father of Five” over the past five years…  Some were prototypes, some were trials, some stuck around for a short time, and others were there so long even I grew board of them.  I’ll do my best to keep them in order, but I suspect there may be one or two quite a few that “slightly” out of sequence and a few that are not here.   

Thank you all for having been there for and with me over the past five years.  I look forward to the next five years of laughter, tears, and friendship!
I hope you enjoy!

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Milestones (Three Years)

I thought it was in May sometime.  So I checked.  I was wrong.
It was actually April 2nd.  The day after April Fools Day. 

What on earth are you talking about FOF?

I am talking about the third anniversary of "The Life of a Father of Five".  It was three years ago on April 2nd that this blog came to life, and what a strange journey it's been...
It started off with a purpose...

Tales from the life of a chronically tired Father of five who lives in a high stress household, works in a high stress environment (as a ---------- ----------), and copes with daily struggles of guilty feelings for not having the time he would like to spend with his family
I am keeping this blog as a collection of thoughts for my children (but others are welcome to enjoy too).... Someday I hope they have they chance to read this. My work and our hectic family lifestyle keeps me very busy. I hate to admit this but sometimes so busy that I don't spend as much time with my kids and family as I want to, or as I should.... Although I am not always with them - they are ALWAYS with me....

"The Life of a Father of Five" quickly grew into a little bit more. 
Right off the bat, I took a vacation from work to start building a deck.  Each day I documented the progress of my deck building on the blog, and a co-worker told me how much he enjoyed it.  He said he could not get enough.  Then, it spread around to a couple of other co-workers... 
From there, "The Life of a Father of Five" started branching out all over the place.  Not only here in Minnesota - All over the Twin Cities, Virginia, Rochester, and St. Cloud too.  Then across the nation!  Idaho, Texas, Georgia, Connecticut, California, Illinois, and Utah are among some of the locations I see almost every day in my stats.
Speaking of stats...  Yesterday I reached the 18,000'th  hit since I started keeping track (April 18th 2006).  This page has been viewed eighteen thousand times in just over three years!!  That is a staggering figure to me.
While researching some of the data needed two write this post, I discovered something odd.  I posted about my second anniversary on May 18th.

What's so odd about that?

Well, yesterday was May 18th...  And it was last night as I was falling asleep that it dawned on my that my "blogiversary" may be coming up quick, and that I should check into it in the morning.

(Cue the creepy Twilight Zone Music)

Exactly one year from the date that I remember that fact last year... 

Inaugural Post
One Year Anniversary
Two Year Anniversary

I enter my third year of blogging with the same joy and enthusiasm that I had started out with.  I do keep downloaded archives of the blog "just in case" - and so that even if Blogger isn't around anymore, when my children are old enough - they can enjoy who their father was...
To all of you - Thank You. 
I have had the opportunity to keep in touch with my friends, reconnect with some old friends, and make some really fantastic new friends too!  I hope that you have enjoyed the ride thus far.  As I move into my third year, and towards my fourth anniversary it is my hope that "The Life of a Father of Five" continues to entertain you, and helps foster both new and old friends alike. 

Two Years.

Wow.. Has it been two years already?? Well, I THOUGHT it was two years now... You see I sent myself a reminder email that was "scheduled" to remind me when the "two year" mark was up.

That email arrived while I was away at the College of Wilderness Knowledge. So I was pretty excited to drop a quick note here flaunting my ability to maintain a project / hobby for more that the 1 week I normally do.

Yup folks, I thought it was that time again... Time for my Blogiversasry!!

So then, I started typing...

- - - - - - - - -

I started this little blog two years ago during a vacation from work when I started building my deck.

Two years ago, 295 posts ago, and one deck still at the 95% completed phase..

- - - - - - - - -

HOLD UP?!?!? While researching how many posts I have actually written, I discovered that I was WAY OFF on my "Blogiversary". I missed my Blogiversary by almost a month and a half.

April 2nd.. April 2nd, and NOT May 18th... Just how and why I got those mixed up, I'll never know... I'll chalk it up to being in a hurry (as I almost always am) and not checking my facts (which I almost always do... Check them that is...)

Well, I just walked in the door from the "C.W.K.". I have had #3 of 5 through the shower and checked for woodticks, and now it's time for #2 of 5 to shower and tick-check, followed closely by my shower and tick-check!

I still have to unpack, and get the wonderful (and I am NOT being sarcastic here) smell of campfire from that permeates my dirty clothes that I have piled in my room, outta my room before the Mother of Five gets home... (It's too bad to. My buddy Ed and I have always thought that someone should market a woman's perfume in the sent of "campfire". It would certainly draw men in! It's almost an aphrodisiac! )

Then, since we are ALL home and I have not seen M.O.F. or the girls for three days (of camping) + one day (of packing) for a total of nearly 4 days - we are going to have a family pizza / movie / picnic / party thingie! These are great cuz ('specially after I have not seen the girls for a couple of days) they want to curl up and snuggle with me! Ooooo.. I am looking forward to that one!

(Now, if I could just find a way to get the Mother of Five to want to curl up and snuggle with me too.....)

Anyway, happy belated Blogiversary to me, and don't forget to check back in the next day or so - and find out just how much fun we had at the Boy Scout Camp / College of Wilderness Knowledge!

One Year Anniversary

One year and eight days ago to be exact.

It all started HERE on April 2, 2006. To tell you the truth I had NO IDEA how much I would enjoy keeping a blog. I have a new hobby!

It all started because a friend of mine had started a blog called Many Things do not Fly. She shared it with me, and I was hooked! That blog was like a drug. I could not get enough. When the author could no longer "provide" at a pace to keep up with my "need" I took matters into my own hands, and started the "Father of Five".

"Father of Five" has grown into the world of FOF - A "Trifecta" of blogs.
1. Father of Five
2. Dad's Outdoor Journal
3. My unattainable Dreams

The outdoor journal blog started from an actual outdoor journal that I keep for my kids and their kids, and their kids kids, and so on... I started blogging the entries in the journal (and now that I think about it, I have more that I need to add from many years ago). My unattainable Dreams is just a place to talk about the things that I daydream about, but know will never happen. (Alaska is a big theme on that one!)

I am thinking of starting the "World of a FOF" marketing campaign. Cups, hats, mugs, tee-shirts, frisbees, etc... Maybe FOF will be the next "pet rock", and I'll make a million! (Ok.. perhaps that needs to be filed in "My Unattainable Dreams"!)

Since starting my foray into the world of blogging, I have provided some inspiration, or had some part in the inception of at least two, and perhaps three other blogs.
1. King of Clubs
2. JDZ Photography
3. Refusing to turn 30
There are at least two others friends and one family member that I have been urging to start a blog. One has said they are interested and have even started planning / searching out a name. The second has said that they were not interested. The family member has expressed an interest, but... well... We will see... (She has some of the best damn kid stories that I have ever heard, and friends/family all over the US! It would be a GREAT blog! - She knows who she is!)

I have added to the regular menu of blogs that I read too. In addition to the blogs listed above, I am a frequent visitor to...
1. The Ethereal Garage
2. Brandon Otte's Blog