In Honor of Father's Day!

In honor of Father’s Day yesterday, I devote this week to the men in my life. Since Cole tends to get the spotlight, I’ll begin with someone who only makes an occasional appearance on this blog. I feel just a tinge of guilt. He really IS an important part of my life, and he often provides great fodder for blogs. But it’s just so hard to beat the words that come out of my kids' mouths.

Anyway, here’s to my dad. He has many formidable traits, and I listed them below in the order I think he would prefer:

1. Good looking, not appearing a day over 60. (He’s actually 62!)
2. Modest, really.
3. His ingenious mechanical mind, of which I inherited absolutely none of it. I can’t even rebuild a 1960 Panhead.
4. His financial acumen. (Only he and my mom will get this joke).
5. Obtains the best Cole confessions ever. (“Grandpa, you know when your daughter (my mom) was a baby and she was a lot of work? Well, I’m not gonna get married because I don’t want that stress.”)
6. How he remembers every detail of a 1928 JD Harley, but he can’t remember how to spell my name...Steffffenie, Daphne, etc.
7. The joy he brings our kids. No kidding on that one..he never tells them no.
8. Finally, and most importantly, his plan to take us to Hawaii next year. You just can’t beat that.

But seriously, as is with most daughters (including my own), I believe my father to be the funniest man on earth. I can always count on him to make me laugh, no matter how crummy I feel. Thanks Dad, you’re #1 in my book.

Pictures this week will have nothing to do with the men I feature, but I thought I’d share a bit of the wildlife at our farm...have you ever seen a more stupid-looking cat? He's actually quite pretty when he's not posing.

Thrill Seeking

You know how everyone always says, "Kids these days! You can't get them out of the house. When I was a kid, you couldn't keep me in the house." I hear this phrase most often from my husband. Well, the truth is, I must have been one of the pioneers of 'staying in the house'. As a matter of fact, Mom told me that I would only go outside if she went with me.

When it comes to thrill-seeking, or searching for adventure, Doug and I are complete opposites. This polarity has been blatently apparent in the past few days.

Doug loves roller coasters. I will tolerate, because I'm trying to be supportive of his interests like good companions do. Neither of our kids seek out the roller coasters at amusement parks, but like all good kids, they like to make their parents happy. Last Wednesday our family visited Adventureland. We all faithfully accompanied Doug on the Tornado. Cole and I backed out of the Outlaw. We all refused the Dragon. He was disappointed, as I defended my stance that not everyone is cut out for heart-stopping, brain-shaking thrills. I find pleasure in looking at a simple flower or watching the penguins play. Zoos and botanicals gardens bore him to death. Want to get a sincere smile out of Doug? Check out those pictures from the roller coaster rides -- when his hands are in the air as he's sailing down a ridiculously steep rail.

Now, I realize that I worry beyond reason. Run through the sprinkler? Only if Dad or I are watching! And don't run too fast!! Play with sparklers? Only if I follow you around closely, after your Dad has lit the spark while you stand ten feet away. (Okay, this didn't really happen, but that's how my mind thinks.)

Today, Alex ran inside and told me she was going to drive the 4-wheeler back to the farm to pick up her dad. Of course, this was upon Doug's instructions. "Are you sure you don't want me to go instead?" She considered it a moment. She's so much like me. But then replied, "No, Dad says I can do it." I held my breath and said a little prayer until I heard the sound of the 4-wheeler returning.

So, I guess I'm making progress as an insufferable worry-wart. The pictures above indicate that I merely 'photographed' the kids with the sparklers. I wasn't following them around for their own protection. Really.