I know he loves me because he says it to me all the time

I'm sure it won't be long till my daughters learn to express themselves the same as the rest of us... via Hallmark.  For now, they just say it like it is.  For Father's Day, I took the opportunity to find out what they thought of there Dad.  No rhyming sentiment here.

Sophia says...

What is something your dad always says to you?  Feed Pixie [the fish]!

What makes your dad happy?  When I make my bed.

What was your dad like as a child?  I have no idea, but probably silly.

How tall is your dad?  As tall as his dresser.

What does your dad do when you're not there?  Nothing.

What could your dad become famous for?  Playing the guitar.

What is your dad not good at?  Playing Polly Pockets.

What does your dad eat?  Huh! I never asked him that before.

If your dad was TV character, which one would he be?  Spock.

How are you and your dad the same?  We're both skinny.

How do you know your dad loves you?  He says it to me all the time.

Mallory's turn...

What is something your dad always says to you?  Flush and wash!

What makes your dad happy?  I don't know when he's happy.

What makes your dad sad?  When he goes away from us.

What was your dad like as a child?  He never really talks about his childhood, but I'm guessing sneaky.

How tall is your dad?  5'2" ... or maybe 6'2"?

What could your dad become famous for?  His Lego designs.

What is your dad not good at?  Dancing.

What does your dad like to eat?  Leftovers.

If your dad was a TV character, which one would he be?  Bugs Bunny, because he's smart and sarcastic.

How are you and your dad the same?  We both like Star Wars.

How do you know your dad loves you?  He says it to us every night when he kisses us goodnight.

Happy Father's Day Dads! 

Also, there's photography

This is my neice, Gwyneth, and nephew, Wesley, on the left and my daughter, Sophia, on the right.  To take this picture, I interrupted their game of make believe.  Something or other about a princess, a knight, and a super-model.

Laugh Out Loud

So I have this renewed and intense desire to write, but my life is craziness.  So what, yours is too, I know.

A couple weekends ago, I was at an artisan show in Toronto selling my wares.  I stayed overnight at a hotel and took full advantage of their complimentary breakfast.  As I was sitting there, eating my third bowl of Fruit Loops, I overheard a conversation between two elderly ladies who had just discovered text messaging. 

One woman says to the other, "Did you know that 'LOL' means 'Laugh Out Loud?'"

The second woman replies, "Oh yes, but when I make a joke on the phone, I prefer to say 'ha ha.'"

Their discussion continued, which was incredible in itself that LOL got such airtime.  While I finished my two rubber fried egg sandwiches, muffin, and fruit salad, I was actually a little sad that I couldn't follow those two around and record more of their conversation. That was when I realized I had my writer's hat on, and that was when I realized how much I miss writing.  

Not for the writing itself, as in the document/piece you produce, but for the way you look at the world. When you write, you become an observer of character and quirks and interesting things that happen around you.  Because they do ALL THE TIME.

When you don't write, the world tends to slip by unnoticed.

Parent control

We have been way too busy in this household for the past few months.  But I'm sure that's a complaint not many people are willing to listen to.  We weren't willing to listen to it ourselves and set aside a whole Saturday to do something about it. 

The conversation J-M and I had with Mallory and Sophia started off something like this, "So, girls, do you miss Mommy and Daddy?  Well, how would you like to spend all of Saturday doing whatever you want with us?"  Which changed to, "Well, not whatever. Let's be reasonable."  With the addendum, "Between the hours of 10 and 4.  I'd like to sleep in and six hours seems like a reasonable amount of time."  In time, they'll learn to hate the word "reasonable."  But that day they just saw all the possibilities.

We gave them the week to think about some ideas.  They took their task very seriously and spent their time planning and revising and re-revising an agenda with the heading in bold "PARENT CONTROL DAY."

It had such suggestions and contributions as:

• Polly Pockets?
• Lego?
• Buy a treat at the Dollar Store.
• Read Harry Potter out loud.
• Pool!  If we can find our bathing suits and a pool.
• Do Mommy's hair.
• Mommy can't have more than 5 Diet Cokes. 
• No chores!!!
• Tickle fight!!!
• Draw pictures - competition.

The title had me a tad bit scared that their expectations might be a little high, but the list was so reasonable.  It almost made me feel bad that I hadn't spoiled them more. 

In the end, we didn't do all that much; a trip to the dollar store, 4 pictures for $3 in 4 minutes at the photo booth at the mall, McDonald's, and the afternoon at the pool.  But there was a wonderful comfort that came from dedicating time to each other.  We were all looking only at each other that day and the rest of the world faded away for a short time. 

I knew that we had done the right thing when just after picking up the soggy polaroids from the photo booth and even before McDonald's, Sophia said, "This is definitely the best day of my life."  We agreed right then and there to let the girls have control more often.  Within reason, of course.

25 Random Things (I've jumped on the bandwagon just as it's halting to a stop)

Can you keep me accountable?  Anyone?  If I don't come to hang out with you on here for a long time, can you tell me to smarten up?  Can you tell me to slow down?  Can you tell me to turn off the TV? 

Also, if I'm on here too much, tell me to go play with my kids.

Good.  Now that that's out of the way, I've got 25 Random Things to tell you about myself.  And how random was that!  Just to announce it, no segue!

1. I did not write this list in the order it appears.  This is, in fact, my 5th point, and my 13th one was my first. 

2. I care too much about grammar.  Ironically, I had to come back and edit this sentence because I had written "too" with only one "o."  But, see?  I came back. 

3. The one thing I'd like to change about myself... I'll never tell because then it would drawing attention to that very thing.  D'uh.

4. I must prefer to be in debt because I always end up there.

5.  Same goes for 15 lbs. overweight.

6.  Since living in Ghana, I don't mind being 15 lbs. overweight.  When in Ghana, I actually prefer it.  P.S. The term "overweight" is subjective.

7.  If you find a typo in this list, I'd rather not to know... unless it significantly changes the meaning of what I'm trying to say... but then how would you know for sure. 

8.  I have 145 e-mails in my inbox waiting to be answered.  It's not because I'm popular either.  I just haven't dealt with them yet.  The one from September is really nagging at me.

9.  I once declared e-mail bankruptcy because I owed too many people a response.  Thankfully, my creditors were sympathic.

10.  I eat my toast upside down. P.S. Upside is subjective.

11.  I kiss my kids before I go to bed, even though they're asleep.  It always makes me wish I'd kiss them more when they're awake.

12.  I did not marry my high school sweetheart.  Phew.

13.  Loving others really, deeply, truly is the absolute hardest thing on earth, but always worth it.

14.  I have been known to fish for a compliment.

15. It annoys me when J-M tells me with a whine, "I've gotta go to bed, hon."  One time it made me so irritated, I called him a Sleep Weakling.  He laughed so hard when I said that, he had tears in his eyes.  In this case, name-calling did not produce the effect I had intended.

15.  The habit I have that must be annoying to others is... Would you imagine that!  I can't think of one thing!

16.  I won the Provincial French "Oratoire" Competition in Grade 8, but feel like I cheated since I wasn't quite sure what I was saying.

17. I have an uncanny ability to memorize phone numbers.  If I dial it once, I won't have to look it up again.  I wish this ability transferred into a more useful skill.  But, alas.

18.  I got fired from Budget Shoe Warehouse when I was 20.  Life was pretty bleak that year.

19.  I am a business owner.  I have the title "Owner/Designer" on my business card.  It feels much like that Grade 8 speech competition.

20.  I have never been able to touch my toes without bending my knees. 

21.  And since WHEN did somersaults start hurting?!

22.  If you can produce farting noises with your armpit, touch your nose with your tongue or belch the alphabet, I'm impressed.  But only the first time.

23.  I get jealous of the time John-Mark spends with his electric toothbrush.

24.  I vacillate between shame and pride when I drive around in our beat-up, rusty old Mercury Topaz.  Perhaps shame and pride are the exact same thing.

25.  It's 11:46.  My kids need to be kissed now.