When I started my new job at Amazon, I had the option to switch laptops. I’d been using a MacBook Pro for the last 5 or 6 years, and decided it was time to go back to Windows. My first day, a brand new HP Elitebook awaited me, and though it’s only been a week, I’m quite happy with the decision. Though I miss some parts of the Mac, I’ve already found a ton of advantages and haven’t looked back.

Raising twin boys brings a ton of joy, but for all the double snuggles, there are just as many times when it means double the fighting. Thankfully they aren’t yet big enough to do serious damage to each other, but it means it’s time to teach them to stop it now, before they can. Unfortunately, teaching them that expressing themselves in other ways goes against many cultural norms and is likely to get derailed by well meaning people telling us it’s normal.

Recently, a trend in parenting called intensive parenting has been getting a lot of attention. A style known for a high amount of time spent hands on with children and lots of activities, some have seen it as the antithesis of the hands off approach of earlier generations. Parents who practice this style tend to helicopter around and over their children and stay active in just about every activity, ensuring that their children are always getting the most and best opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.

It’s never too early to teach our kids to be independent and self-reliant. We know independent kids grow up to be resilient and often successful adults. Sometimes though, it can be so hard to encourage independence in children, especially when it’s so much easier to just tell them what to do. But like so many things in parenting, the easy way isn’t usually the best. There are plenty of times when it’s so much easier to just grab the toys your kid is supposed to clean up and do it yourself, or stick a jacket on them.

After nearly 7.5 years at Audible, I am moving over to Amazon NYC at the end of January. I’ll be joining the Supply Chain Optimization Technology group, leading a team using some pretty sophisticated Learning Machines - think Machine Learning, Deep Learning and more, as well as building on the latest Amazon technology. I’m super excited for it, but leaving Audible after the better part of a decade is incredibly bittersweet.

I’ve been playing with the Apple Watch for the last month, putting it through the paces as an everyday watch and a fitness tracker. I’ve had a Garmin Vivoactive for all three generations over the last three years, so I had a great comparison point. With it being a perfect time to test out running, skiing, and the normal daily uses of the watch, I was able to do a great head to head matchup between the two for the last month.

No one plans to have twins, but for parents lucky enough to be blessed with them, the extra work can be both a challenge and hugely rewarding. Taking care of two babies is quite often double the work, but it can be doubly fun. Parents expecting twins just need to know and be prepared for some extra difficulty, a bit less sleep, and knowing which battles are worth the fight. With a good plan though, anyone can do it and truly experience the unique joy that can only come with twins.

Enough was finally enough. After several months with the Facebook app removed from my phone, it was time to actually deactivate my account. Though I knew it would be harder to stay in touch with family, I could no longer justify keeping an account after what can only be described as a horrific year for Facebook and its users. Right before the New Year, I clicked the big scary button, ending 12 years of Facebook presence in one fell swoop.

Raising twins is alternatively double the pain and double the joy. When things are fun, they get really fun. In the early days especially, the lack of sleep and crankiness somehow multiplies beyond twice the difficulty. So now that my twins are over two and a half, they’ve become a bit more fun. The best part is, they haven’t really figured out lying yet, or even stretching the truth. So every conversation is hilariously straightforward.

Virginia doesn’t get its due for the role it played in American history and for how great that history is to explore with a family, even with little ones. Virginia’s historic triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown encompass the first permanent settlement in America, the seat of Colonial power, and the final decisive battle of the American Revolution. All within about half an hour of each other, the three towns and main attractions make for a perfect family trip.