This blogging world is full, chock full, of bloggers who touch your world in so many ways. Often these savvy writers may pop in and out of your life, but once in while,, you chance upon someone who says hello…and then stays around for a more than a while.
I count it as one of my blessings that I met Eli of Coach Daddy over a year ago and am still getting to hang out with him in the blogosphere today. He’s so much fun, and he always makes me laugh–time and time again.
When I found out that Eli was chosen as a BlogHer 2014 Voices of the Year, I was fist-pumping in my living room. Go Eli! YES! His fantastic was acknowledged, and I was thrilled it could be promoted through the blogging community at large. Just as I’m thrilled it can be shared with you here.
You see, there had long been a hole in my now-retired Mom of the Year series–I had never had a Dad of the Year share his spin. Now, thanks to Eli, Dad of the Year is now delivered! Wa-hooo! Thanks, Eli 🙂
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Our house. It’s not Sass Central, but … it’s an official retailer of Sass and Smarta**, Ltd.
In our house, “way to go” means you jacked something up. “Genius” is anything but. “Great”? It’s “oh, crap!” in the worst connotations.
The police have never visited. We’re nearly hospital free. That speaks volumes for a home with three girls, 9, 13, and 16. Outside of 17 near-mishaps on the stairs, one unconfirmed broken nose and a suspected hyper-extended elbow, we’re good.
Who leads this bunch of odds-beaters? Me. The Dad of the Year, you might call me.
Which is both true and laughable. If “way to go” follows when you knock your sister’s spaghetti bowl onto the carpet and “genius” rings out after you request a poster board at 11 p.m. tonight for your project tomorrow, what else did you expect?
1. I handle adversity like a saint. Bernard.
I’m the cool hand. Once, Grace spilled an entire super-sized soda into the backseat floorboard of the family car. I didn’t even yell. Never mind that a 9-year-old had a super-sized soda. And I yell only once every 17 weeks or so. On average. Not including when I lose my keys or wallet. Or sandwich.
Never mind that I …
- Fling my Rockies cap into a set of Babushka dolls when the Denver Broncos give up a touchdown on the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl’s second half
- Slam cabinets and skillets when the spatula hits the fan while I make dinner (we’re out of dang olive oil!)
- Use “passive aggressive” as a key tactic in driving, playing games with adults, dealing with referees, bill collectors, tailgaters, vocal Democrats, dodgers fans, and in matters in which I must take accountability of any kind
2. As a dad, I’m involved. In mischief
I coached all three girls in soccer. And they turned out good anyway. We go on daddy/daughter dates. Listen to music together. We play games. Color. Draw. I’ve been Lunch Dad, Field Trip Chaperone. Chef, playset, and punching bag. Sometimes, all at once.
Never mind that I …
- Let you listen to the “Devil Went Down to Georgia” version with the B word in it
- Let you watch Bones, Supernatural and Kesha videos
- Model stellar social skills under the pretense of doing a favor to society, such as swiping fallen road signs, filling ‘water’ cups with soda and encouraging healthy hate for our teams’ rivals
3. I blog about it all. The time
It’s all here – nearly 300 posts, mostly declaring a daddy’s love for his girls. You make me tall and strong, even though I’m not. Coach Daddy is for you, so that long after I’m in heaven with PopPop, Otis Redding and Grace Kelly, you’ll have the stories. And my Pandora password, if I can remember to write it down.
Never mind that I …
- Once wrote about your boyfriend, and gave him the stage name Kosmo
- Once wrote about a haircut so disappointing to you it made you cry
- Tried to take your picture when you tangled up a comb in your bangs so severely that I had to run to Walmart late at night to buy a wire cutter to systematically chop the comb to bits to free your hair
Hey wait … that comb thing. That’s evidence of the good kind of Dad of the Year, right? I bought Chips Ahoy with the wire cutters to make you happy, and I knew I’d never blog about it after you objected to the photo …
Oh crap. I think I just blogged about it.
Here’s your trophy back.
Way to go, dad.
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When he’s not trying to placate a middle child or answering the tough questions for all three daughters, Eli Pacheco writes the blog Coach Daddy. Follow him on Google Plus, Pinterest and Twitter.
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Janine Huldie says
Truly the Dad of the Year and then some! Seriously, made me smile seeing Eli here today and definitely wouldn’t argue his Dad of the Year status one bit!! 🙂
Eli@coachdaddy says
For all the right – and the wrong – reasons, Janine. I’ll take it. I’m just proud to be the pioneer dad right here.
Frugalistablog says
So fun! Way to go Eli!
Eli@coachdaddy says
Thanks Froogie! I hope I’ve arrived here without considerable damage to the children who make my fatherhood necessary.
Frugalistablog says
Oh, and the comb thing- that’s definitely Dad of the Year material.
Eli@coachdaddy says
Youtube might have helped me with this one … and that was one tough comb.
Eli@coachdaddy says
Meredith – such an honor to be here for this! Especially when I can bestow a trophy upon myself. A dad with a trophy just means there’s something heavy and pointed around the house for someone to clock him with, potentially.
Glad to be here! I have to go tell my three friends to come check it out.
Eli@coachdaddy says
And seriously? That was the best intro ever.
I will add the jump from my page to here on Tuesday.
Kathy Radigan says
How much fun to find Eli here!! I too was excited when I saw he was picked as a VOTY and really happy when I saw that you made him your first Dad of the Year!
Eli@coachdaddy says
Thanks Kathy. I’m glad Meredith made the exception, because I kept getting rejected as a Mom of the Year candidate.
Jennifer McCullough says
Hi, Meredith! I’m a huge fan of Coach Daddy! He totally rocks the blogosphere. It’s so nice to see him honored by BlogHer and A-list bloggers like yourself. Go Eli!
Eli@coachdaddy says
Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer! Take a look at the Mom of the Year entries while you’re here. They’re awesome.
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
The comb thing is definitely dad of the year material! Just out of curiousity, what do you do with the fallen road signs you’ve swiped?
Eli@coachdaddy says
Grace got a scholarship to a drama camp this week, so cutting the hair off at the source wasn’t an option.
I’ve swiped exactly two road signs. One was a left-turn sign that we used as a going-away present for a former co-worker (In true dad of the year fashion, I retrieved it from the street during a lightning storm). The other one is in Marie’s room. It isn’t sexy – it’s an axle-weight limit sign – but she wants to hang it on the wall.
It has a bullet hole in it and everything.
Sandy Ramsey says
Eli, I have no doubt you deserve Dad of the Year. You are an exceptional dad, a REAL dad. Simply put, your girls are so very blessed to have you (and you, them) and I cannot thank you enough for sharing yourself with all of us. It is an absolute pleasure!
Eli@coachdaddy says
I hope Dad of the Year doesn’t have a jinx, like the Sports Illustrated cover. Or Madden football curse.
You’re sweet to say all that. I can’t even think of anything smart@ss to say to that, only to say thank you for even coming to my blog and encouraging me to keep writing. Even about puberty.
Tamara says
You are there for your girls in every situation, cheering them on, supporting them, guiding them, laughing and crying with them. Definitely Dad of the Year material 🙂
Don’t forget the M&Ms AND the Chips Ahoy!
Eli@coachdaddy says
See, that stuff all just feels like the job description, you know? It’s a job I love.
Tamara says
Did I ever tell you about the time a Kesha song snuck onto the radio while we were driving? It happened. It was a song with a title that was spelled incorrectly. Now my childhood friend knows Kesha in real life so I know a lot of good things about her.
So I’ll never tell her that my kids looked horrified and disgusted..and sad.
It was probably because we ran out of Lucky Charms but I blame Kesha.
You deserve this award in 1,000 ways.
Eli@coachdaddy says
There is a lot of good stuff about Kesha. I’m jealous you have a friend who knows her. Kesha’s jealous of me for knowing you, too, but that’s neither here nor there.
We just have to find the right Kesha song with the right message to appeal to your kids.
Blow? Crazy Kids? Take It Off? Hmm. I’ll keep looking.
I think without sufficient Lucky Charms, Kesha doesn’t stand a chance with some kids.
Thanks, T-Bow.
Rabia @TheLiebers says
Parenting, as life, is all about balance. It sounds like you’ve got that covered, Eli! Your girls will know how to pick a good man, but won’t be aiming for perfect, because frankly, that’s no fun!
Eli@coachdaddy says
Even when parenting is unbalanced, I feel like if it’s sort of heading toward balance, we’re doing OK. It’s all in the effort, or the intent, at least. My girls at first used to go for the class clown, and I could blame no one but myself for that! (They do seem to be pretty picky when it comes to boys, though. I don’t mind that a bit).
Shay from Trashy Blog says
I love this! Eli, it is so nice to “meet” you!
Eli@coachdaddy says
Good to meet you too Shay – I’ve heard of you, and now have you in my !READ folder. See you soon.
Laurie Smith says
Hi Meredith, good to meet you. Eli is a great bloke and amazes me with his parenting skills. We’ll have to start a fan club for him. 🙂
Cheers
Laurie.
Eli@coachdaddy says
You’re too kind, mate!
Rorybore says
I’m just so darn proud to be a card carrying member of the Coach Daddy fan club!!
I feel like we should have tshirts. Or BBQ aprons and bibs….. something. 🙂
another great one Eli that made me swing back and forth from laughter to tears.
but you’re always so gentle with the push and I dig that about you.
Eli@coachdaddy says
The NSA puts all Coach Daddy fans on a special list, you know that, right? I think football shirts with numbers and your names on the back would be stellar. I’d be the coach.
So right now I’m grinning like the kid who got the “you’re cute” valentine. Laughter and tears is just what parenthood is all about, isn’t it? Gentle with the push … I dig that, Rore. A lot. And I dig you too. Thanks for stopping by. And being so good to me.