Father's Day 2013

Barker is a really wonderful Daddy every single day of the year. You'll hear zero complaints from me. So when it comes to Father's Day I really feel the need to go all out. Every year I try to take him and the kids someplace he's never been. This year he had a coaching class so that ruined our lovely little tradition. Sigh. So I here I sit, feeling guilty, watching the kids dance, being sad poor Barker is having to miss this to sweat it out in class all day. So I did a little survey with Audrey so he'll have something to make him smile when he gets home late tonight, in addition to his card and gifts. 

What is your dad's name? Barker

His age? 9

His fav food? Apples

Fav drink? Coffee

What's he good at? Coaching

What's he not so good at? Eating applesauce

What does he weigh? 600 (ouch!)

What makes him happy? My (Audrey's) hugs

What's his job? Working hard at Soccer Shots

What does he love? You, Babe! (Meaning me, because she and her dad both call me Babe)

And just like that I was no longer sad. Audrey's kind heart always tells her just what do say or do to melt our hearts. Even though she has camp in the morning I think I'll let her sweet self stay up late to give him squeezes before bed. 

Supervisors

Our indoor place is nearly finished. A little sheet rock, an A/C unit, toilet, sink, and paint is about all we lack before we can put our turf down and play. 

The kids have been working hard supervising the construction. I feel like my life has come full circle. It's been like watching an old home movie of my little brother and myself chugging Gatorade and drawing on foundations during summer breaks at work with our dad. 

The snacks make the job totally worth it. 

Being a Little Brother

I'd guess that all big sisters dress up their little brothers a time or ten over the course of a childhood. My little brother was a good sport. He even let me put make up on him a few times. But that's probably because we grew up on 40 acres so there was no chance of another boy coming over to invite him to play baseball and catch him being tortured by me and glitter hairspray. 

Last week Audrey and Hudson were playing in her room. She dressed him like a cowboy and complained he doesn't have a tux to go with her wedding dress. A short while later they both run out in ballerina gear. He in a tutu, she in a full body pink sparkle explosion. Barker and I cracked up as Hudson inspected himself in a full length mirror, confused by his big pink skirt and no shirt. Like any humiliating mother I snagged a picture with my phone. 

Audrey took the tutu off of Hud and they moseyed on back to the den while Barker finished dinner. I made their plates and called them to the table. With tears in our eyes we laughed hysterically as Audrey runs into the kitchen in the tutu with Hudson hot on her tail in the full body ballet costume. Again, I grabbed the phone. He ran from me this time as if he knew to be embarrassed so the image is quite blurry but that moment will be sharp in our minds for many years.