Happy Birthday Dad!

It's my dad's birthday today.

He does not like to make a big deal of his birthday anymore, but we do :)

When we were little, my dad would make a date with us and take us out to dinner, just one of us and him. That was a pretty cool tradition, I think.

Because my  parent's 50th wedding anniversary was last month, I looked at a bunch of old pictures.

Who knew that my parents were actually wild and crazy at one point in their lives?

If I could pick anything in the world to get my dad, it would be a sunny day for him to "tan" in.
He loves the sun and his 1980 Ban de Soleil whether on a beach, in a driveway or on the slopes.

Happy Birthday to the dad I am so lucky to have. To the dad I wish everyone could have. Love you so much!

xoxo

My Dad Can Be Funny (not on purpose)

K and I had dinner at my parent's house the other night. B was at a friends and the boys were all wrapped up in hockey. K and I alone at my parents is a very rare occasion. All I remember is that there was a lot of laughter and Olympics and wine, but the one pertinent story was from my dad.

He went to the doctor's recently for a check up and the nurses began by asking him how he was and if he had any problems. Well, things were good and he felt good, but he did have one problem.

He said, "Sometimes my leg will go numb.  It happens while I am shopping with my wife."

The nurses were hysterical and quite honestly so were K and I as he was reiterating the story. So we asked him to explain further.

Evidently when he and my mom shop in places like Kohls or TJMaxx, one of my Dad's legs fall asleep. My mom sends him to the men's department while she goes on her shopping mission and 9 times out of 10, after 15 minutes, one of my dad's legs falls asleep. K asked if it was the leg of the pocket that he kept his wallet in.

If he is puttering around the yard, he has no problem

If he is shoveling the driveway, he has no problem.

If he is golfing, he has no problem.

He only has this problem when he is. Shopping. With. My. Mom.

I do not have a punch line for this story, but I can tell you that we were laughing so hard at dinner, tears were rolling down our faces. And, yes, I mean all 4 of us. My mom even had her silent laugh going  which when that happens, K mimics and makes it all the more funny. I guess if you see a guy limping around the men's department of Kohls, please offer him a chair and a cup of strong black coffee.

Happy Birthday Dad

I love that Throwback Thursday landed on my Dad's birthday this year! Why? Well, because I have the cutest picture of him, that's why!!!

Here he is on the left with my Uncle Dick on the right.

Couldn't you just squeeze those little cheeks?

Happy Birthday Dad!

I sure am glad!

Let me shoot you a clue,

it's because I love you!!!

My Dad, the Rockstar

My Dad is a rock star.

Not this kind.

But the kind that would spend 3+ days transforming this hot pink bedroom


into a very pale mint green bedroom in my rental house that is for sale while I transformed the yellow room with the blue, cloudy ceiling into a pale mint green room with a white ceiling. We puttied the screw holes in the wall, sanded, put up blue painters tape, and got busy. While he put on 2 coats of barrier paint on the pink so it wouldn't bleed through, I put 5 coats of white ceiling paint on the clouds. After that the mint was easy. The decision to paint these 2 rooms had to do with the fact that the "average" home buyer might not appreciate cloudy ceilings or hot pink walls. Yup, sad, but true.

So, here is my public shout out to my Dad, the Rockstar. Not too many people would have helped me out like this and I mucho appreciate it.
Love you, Dad!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day all you Dad's out there! We are having a big surf and turf feast at my parents tonight celebrating the men in the family....3 fathers and 2 birthdays. Here is a little letter to my Dad....

Dear Dad,

Remember when I was relatively little and you would come home from work and sit with the paper and a cocktail and I would crawl up on your lap? Of course, I
crawled through your crossed legs to get there.

Remember playing catch for all hours so I could throw better than most boys I knew? Sorry about all the times I made your hand burn.

Remember all those early morning drives to ski races in the sun, snow, rain, ice
etc....?

Remember how Karen, Tommy and I would tell you the feeling of being in the
starting gate was a mix of fear, excitement, needing to pee and wanting to kick
butt all at the same time? Of course you do because, to understand us, you
started racing yourself. And only then did you truly understand the starting
gate issues.

Remember body surfing in the waves on Ogunquit Beach? No matter how cold the
water, we would go in and surf for hours.

Remember the talks we use to have while you were outside BBQ-ing? You had your
timer so that the steaks would cook exactly right.

Remember how on my birthdays you would give me a certificate for a special
dinner just me and you? And sometimes we would go to Chez Claudes?

Remember those "talks" we would have at the kitchen table? I would always cry
even if there was nothing to cry about.

Remember when I asked you in the car one time if it was really ok to have sex before I got
married? How many girls can say they could talk to their dads about that? I am
grateful that I was.

Remember the red pen you would use to correct my writing? Don't pull it out on
this please!

Remember all the early morning walks we have had?

Remember the time you told Melissa and I how disappointed you were at us because
we had let boys in the house when you and mom were out at dinner and we weren't
suppose to? Being disappointed in us was way worse than any spanking or
punishment.

Remember the poem you wrote for my wedding? You wrote one because I was always
writing them.

Remember how when you went on business trips, you always used to bring me a little trinket home?

Remember all Dr's offices we have sat in together?


Believe it or not, I remember all these things and more. You are the best Dad
anyone could ask for. You are loyal, trustworthy, dependable, smart, funny
(although you could show that a little more often), always have great advice and
are a true friend. There was a reason we danced to Wind Beneath My Wings at my
wedding. You are my hero and you have given me so much.

Thanks Dad! I love you, Cubushka