Daddy dates

There is something magical about Saturdays. We usually start the day off with family breakfast before I go to Pilates class. While I'm gone, Daddy and the kids often cook up an adventure. When my class is done, we go off adventuring for a couple of hours - last weekend was hiking and bike riding, today was a trip to the nature center. Then back to base for lunch before Grant's nap.

I have the luxury, most weekends lately, of resting during naptime. Doing whatever I want or need to do, knowing that Grant is down for awhile and Hope is having Daddy time. And let me tell you, he does NOT disappoint during Daddy time.

I know there are lots of dads out there who are intimidated by taking their kids out or who are clueless about planning special projects with them. All of us in this house are blessed to have a Daddy who is creative, energetic, and just really good at making things fun!

When they painted this birdhouse a couple of weeks ago, he was tickled to pass on the "old" way of making a smock out of an old dress shirt. Remember doing that as a kid? Right now I can hear Daddy and Hope downstairs playing Barbie veterinarian. Earlier I think I heard him teaching her how to punt a football.

Happily, Grant gets his share of Daddy dates too. When he was in his not-so-pleasant stage of waking up at 5:30am, Daddy would load him up and take him to stroll around in Lowes until the sun came up. Footie pajamas, plus the best car carts in town, plus tools. What boy wouldn't love that?


And then there are the games Daddy has invented with the kids when he gets home from work, and before dinner is ready. "Sled" is a big favorite. He runs back and forth across the length of the room, dragging a blanket that the kids try to stay on. But inevitably the sled picks up speed, goes over 'bumps,' and shakes them loose time after time. They have both perfected their sled clutching techniques :)

 

And this game, where they cut food shapes out of construction paper and 'cook' it in real pans. It's not as rowdy as sled, but it usually results in some good laughs and crazy recipes.

I am spoiled rotten in so many ways by this incredible man I married. But nothing warms my heart quite as much as watching him love on Hope and Grant!