I'm an ex-mutual fund accountant who left the cubicle world to be a stay-at-home dad to my beautiful little girl, Avery, who entered our life on 11/15/13 and handsome little boy, Wes, who joined our family on 11/19/17. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, as of 8/17/07. Sorry ladies... :)
Fitness and nutrition is of the utmost importance in our family and we strive to reflect this in our daily life. I always prepare our meals at home and only go out if it's a special occasion, and even then I tend to not get much. Food should be fun and a joy to eat, not something quickly consumed from a fast food chain or scarf down before the next meeting.
I have come from strictly logging high miles to train for the next marathon to keeping exercise varied and focusing more on strength. I still enjoy going for a run when I can, but nothing crazy, and I prefer hill sprints while pushing my daughter, Avery in the stroller. She loves it and I get a great workout!
I want to show the world how to appreciate their body and feed it real, wholesome food while moving more throughout the day. In doing so, everyone would be healthier, happier, and we'd all live in a better place as a result.
I blog mainly about my life as a stay-at-home dad and frequently include reviews, participate in campaigns, and share my thoughts on fitness and nutrition.
If you ever have any questions or thoughts to share, please reach out as I'm always open to listening or helping others however possible. That is, when I have free time since Avery is and my wife are the number one priorities!
Think of an Employer Identification Number (EIN) as something similar to a Social Security Number (SSN). Much like your SSN identifies who you are to the government, your EIN identifies your company to the IRS. Many business owners and entrepreneurs use EINs instead of SSNs when conducting business activities that might otherwise require an SSN.
In short, the IRS requires an EIN in order to identify your business and track the activities with which it has been engaged. Your business needs an EIN if it meets any of the following criteria:
Your business has employees.
Your business is a partnership or corporation.
You plan to withhold income taxes in addition to paid wages to a nonresident of the United States.
You are involved in various organizations that can be found on the IRS website.
Please note that the above is not an exhaustive list! You might also need an EIN to open a business bank account or credit card, for example, or even to apply for necessary business permits. EINs are also great because they help you maintain your privacy by allowing you to engage in business without exposing your SSN.
EIN Application Online
The great new sis that you can apply for an EIN online for free! All you have to do is visit the IRS website and follow the instructions that are contained within. Don’t be tricked into thinking that you need to pay someone to apply for an EIN when you can complete the process for free!
If you need an EIN for your business, consider taking the time to apply for EIN online today! You must be the company’s owner, principal officer, general partner, grantor, or trustor and have your personal information handy when moving through the application process.
Looking to apply for a tax ID number? Start a business? Visit GovDocFiling.com for more.
Anyone who has given a baby a bath is familiar with how stressful and challenging it can be. They are squirmy and slippery, and the tiny washcloths you get at baby showers just don’t get the job done. Sarah Stapp, founder of LatherUp Co. and inventor of LatherMitts, set out to help moms, dads and all caregivers with her revolutionary bath gloves with thoughtfully incorporated design elements to allow parents to keep a good grip on baby and get them clean, head to toe. Features include:
Safety: The gentle neoprene grip that lines LatherMitts’ thumb and forefinger ensures that squirmy, slippery kids are secure and safe in your hands. Neoprene, commonly used in wetsuits, is hypoallergenic, non-slip and is naturally resistant to oil, mildew and mold.
Quality: The rest of the glove is made of white organic cotton, perfect for a baby’s sensitive skin. SPOILER ALERT: Bamboo and soy terrycloth will soon be coming to latherup.co for purchase as well!
Dexterity: The glove design of LatherMitts allows you full use of both hands and all ten fingers, making it easy to get into hard-to-reach places like behind ears and under chins.
Value: LatherMitts can be rewashed and reused again and again the same way you would use a washcloth. Bonus: since LatherMitts require no special care, you can throw them in with your towels.
Options: LatherMitts come in sizes small to extra large, so mom, dad or any caregiver can cover bathtime duties.
To learn more and pick up your own pair of LatherMitts, please visit www.latherup.co. You can also stay up-to-date on what LatherUp has been up to and what is next on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
If you are expecting or are buying for someone who is, these need to be on your list!
The sweet potato as well as all potato varieties are incredibly underrated vegetables. Both offer distinctive nutritional benefits, but are completely different vegetables from each other. Sweet potatoes actually come from a completely different family in the plant kingdom. While many sources hold sweet potatoes on a pedestal claiming they are far superior to the regular “baking” potatoes, they both have a welcome place in our diet.
Just like the regular spud, sweet potatoes come in many varieties and range in color from a pasty white to a deep red; each imparting unique tastes and textures. Although sweet potatoes taste sweeter than their distant “white” cousins, they do not spike our blood sugar as much as the regular spuds.
One reason is the fact that sweet potatoes have almost double the amount of fiber than their counterparts; fiber plays a major role in slowing digestion and releasing sugar. Both varieties offer similar amounts of vitamins and minerals, but sweet potatoes come out on top for antioxidant content. So, don’t skip out on baked potatoes as they have a lot to offer in flavor and nutrition, but I want to focus on the sweet tuber today.
Choose sweet potatoes that are firm and do not have any cracks, bruises or soft spots. Avoid those that are displayed in the refrigerated section of the produce department since cold temperature negatively alters their taste.
Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place, where they will keep fresh for up to ten days. Ideally, they should be kept out of the refrigerator in a cool, dry, dark place not above 60 degrees F / 15 degrees C, which would fit the characteristics of a root cellar. Yet since most people don’t have root cellars, we’d suggest just keeping your sweet potatoes loose (not in a plastic bag, but if desired, a brown paper bag with multiple air holes punched in it will work) and storing them in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated cupboard away from sources of excess heat (like the stove).
After selecting a sweet potato or five following the tips above, here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy:
1. Sweet Potato Peanut Stew or Bisque – Eatingwell.com provides a great recipe I use and change as needed. Instead of the tomato juice their recipe calls for, I use canned chopped tomatoes; sometimes I toss some cubed and cooked chicken breast in after pureeing for a protein boost. The peanut butter provides healthy fat that enables the body to better absorb the beta-carotene in sweet potatoes.
2. Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding – So good. Cube and steam the sweet potato in the microwave, throw all ingredients in a blender with a little milk, and blend away! Add avocado for extra creamy nutrition; trust me. This is great hot or cold and with or without roasted peanuts added for a little crunch.
3. Roasted Sweet Potato – either cut into fries or simply cubed, I love baking these in a 375 degree over for 30 – 45 minutes. The roasting brings out the sweetness of the spud and is even better with cinnamon sprinkled on top. For something savory, toss with whole garlic cloves, ground cumin, and parsley to roast in the oven; this is great served cold too!
4. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili – If you haven’t combined sweet potato with black beans yet, make this now! When it’s hot outside, make it a cold salad instead by cutting out a few steps. Try adding sliced avocado for a cool and creamy addition with extra nutrition.
Eat Me…….seriously
5. Sweet Potato Pancakes – a great change from regular flour pancakes for a special weekend breakfast; try this recipe I found on Pinterest you will love it! I use half unsweetened applesauce and half plain full fat yogurt instead of just yogurt. Whisk plain yogurt with peanut butter (Like NuttZo!) and honey for a tasty topping; sliced bananas with extra cinnamon is a great way to really up the flavor!
The potato is a versatile food and can be prepared in less than 10 minutes for when you have no time to spare. Kelley and I have found the Jersey Sweet Potato to be our favorite so far; we simply rinse and microwave for 4 -5 minutes and enjoy topped with plain full fat Greek yogurt. Similar to my squash puree mixtures, I sometimes use cooked sweet potato instead; this makes for a very creamy and delicious treat when mixed with frozen berries or bananas.
Don’t be scared to eat more potatoes, both sweet and regular are great nutritional powerhouses. Buy organic so you can just rinse the skin and eat it to obtain the vital vitamins and minerals it has within. If you do not buy organic, you might be better off peeling the potato to limit the amount of pesticides you ingest.
How do you enjoy sweet potatoes?
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
Features include:
To learn more and pick up your own pair of LatherMitts, please visit 
