Daddy Daughter Date

McKlayne is a great date. If you're ever around McKlayne it wouldn't take much of your imagination to understand this. The girl is never at loss for words. The questions are endless ... which is great for a daddy who is a bit below average on the conversational spectrum. But I did have plenty of questions for my girl on our overdue date. And I did have to wait occasionally to fit in those questions.

We had dinner with the family and then set out for the mall. I wanted to allow for some major talking time with my girl as we walked around. I also love McKlayne's imagination. I think it's one of her greatest assets and I'm not sure that I've seen anyone use theirs as much as she does. I wanted to see it take off as we wandered around. 

The mall didn't disappoint. The somewhat unsightly construction left us with my many X's (designating broken tiles) on the floor that marked all of the mall's buried treasure. We stopped at kiosks and stores and tried on glasses, masks and more. We squeezed into a kids' ride and went on a rollercoaster together. I'm telling you — the girl is F-U-N. 

Our first scheduled stop was the pet store. It's really the puppy store as that's all that they sell. But, it's where we take our kids to get their pet-fix as we are a "No Pet Zone." And McKlayne — the little mommy and animal lover — lights up when you mention going. She could spend hours there holding those creatures. I let her stay as long as I can stand the smell and the gushing pet lovers' "goo goo" talk and then give her an additional 10 minutes. 

McKlayne holding "Adelae"

She told me what she'd name the pup and then what Mommy, Daddy and Asher might name it. And when I asked, she quickly informed me that Oliver couldn't name pets yet — like it was a crazy question. I didn't ask about L. She told me about what she'd do, where they'd go and the tricks that she'd teach it. And then we switched out dogs and repeated. 

We walked back through the mall to pick up a cookie for Asher both lamenting the removal of the giant playplace in the food court. We split a peanut butter cookie (one of her favorites) and were off to Spoons. 

A few stops at the mall

If you ask McKlayne where she wants to go on a date, you may get a few different places or ideas, but "Spoons" is always the first one. We tried a few flavors with our stack of sample cups and then got our usuals. McKlayne mixed her gummy bears, yellow mystery gusher balls, chocoate chips and sprinkles into her strawberry-cheesecake swirl yogurt. Yumm, right? We had a lot more to talk about and then she dared me to take a bite of her concoction. Well ... she sweetly and generously asked me if I wanted to try hers. But, it felt like a dare. Either way I ate that stuff ... and lied to her face and said it was delicious. 

I scooted around next to her in order to hold out the camera and snap a pic of our date. After we got a good one that included both of our heads, two smiles and our yogurts in the same shot, I decided to stay close and do some "same side sitting." She politely asked me to move back across the table. I proceeded to let her know how Mommy and I would sit close on our dates while we talked. She nodded and pointed to the other side of the table. I chuckled and compliantly scooted my chair back around. McKlayne, may you always be so firm and keep all of your future dates honest.

We love Spoons!

And that was it. McKlayne was such a treat. The way I laughed with her, gushed over her and just stared from time-to-time at her beauty reminded me of other dates with a girl that actually shares a resemblance (and a lot of personality) with my Klayney. So we headed back home, delivered our cookie and wondered what the phrase "awkward silence" even meant. 

Here's to many more dates with you McKlayne. Love, Daddy.

Your Daddy...

This picture pretty much sums up how I feel most days, these days:

...until about 5:10 p.m. when Daddy walks through the door and each of you break out in screams of excitement and giggles as you race to the front door. You kids almost communicate the relief and gratitude I feel when I see that handsome man walk in.

At 5:11 p.m. Daddy jumps in, holding at least a baby on one hip for the next two hours until bedtime.

I love when we're able to spend our evenings after dinner like this. I usually feel too exhausted to join, but I love taking you all in. It's in these moments that my realization of how precious you all are is renewed. I am so thankful to get to be your Mommy all.day.long. But, I am even more thankful to be married to your Daddy.

That Daddy. After a long day at work he pours out his entire heart and soul, chasing, tickling, building block towers, wrestling, impersonating, playing, reading books, bathing naked hineys--all with careful intent...to love you four with a rich and elaborate kind of love.

No one else makes each of you laugh as hard as your Daddy--not even close. Each of you love that Daddy with all that you are...but not as much as I do--not even close.

That Daddy...

He's the kind of Daddy who scoops you up when you're inside the kitchen screaming at him through the window...

and single-handedly maneuvers heavy machinery, just so he can continue to hold you.

I'm sure in love with that Daddy...and his inability to resist that rosey-cheeked boy that just couldn't stand not being in his Daddy's arms.

Happy Golden Birthday, my Charlie!!

As I am praising the Lord for creating you 29 years ago, I am thankful for the many moments that you've invested in the three little lives that live in this home.  


Going along with the all things 29 on this golden day, here are 29 things (in no particular order) that we adore and are for thankful for about you:

#29 Moments like yesterday--when after several weeks of "doing nothing" but holding a sick baby, you tell me, "That's the most important thing you could be doing right now...I don't care that the cleaning has been neglected....you are doing exactly what I want you to be doing."  God continues to show me his goodness and grace through you, Char.  When I fail or think I am such a failure, you remind me of how loved I am--despite my faults.

#28 Moments of tireless sword fighting, chasing children in circles around the trampoline, and playing with little boys the way that only you are able.

#27 Moments that you lead this family to walk in faith through prayer as we ask the Lord for direction over what goals and priorities we should be living for.

#26 Moments that you lavish us with affection--from holding a child on your lap to rubbing your feet all over mine under the covers.

#25 Frequent moments that you tell your girls how precious and pretty we are to you.

#24 Moments of peace that you allow me each evening after dinner, as you give the kids their bath while I clean up the kitchen.  I notice just how thankful I am for these on the nights that you're absent. 

#23 Moments when you build forts...yours are always way better than mine...period.  Maybe that' why I don't have any pictures of your masterpieces. (Sorry you know how competitive I am.)

#22 Precious moments spent singing our princess "her song" before bedtime.

#21 Romantic, detailed moments of planning and preparation for at home dates or sweet surprises. I'm glad that you are the romantic for where I am weak, you are so gifted.

#20 Moments spent each evening following rigid nightly routines of flying children to bed, performing puppet shows and Rubber Ducky impersonations--so many things that only Daddy can do just right!

#19 Unforgettable moments that you spent last summer teaching Asher to swim...you're an expert swim coach.


#18 Selfless moments each morning when you retrieve McKlayne for her early feeding.

#17 Again, the selfless moments that you spend reading Asher & McKlayne books that I have deemed "Daddy books".

#16 Moments that you dish me (and all of our female friends) out "not too much" Blue Bell.  (Yes, this made the list...it is that important to me....and you do it perfectly--every time!) No picture needed...you know what I'm talking about.

#15 Moments when Asher's whole face lights up because you tell him how proud you are of him.

#14 Moments that you allow us to be included in your work because we love any moment that we can get with you....even though it usually takes longer than it would if you were working alone.

#13  Imaginative moments where you inspire creative play...and the fruit of those moments...sometimes I can't believe the stuff that comes out of Asher's mouth.

#12 Relaxing moments that we spend each Tuesday night watching our shows.  How I look forward to this every week!

#11 Faithful moments that you spend as my steadfast running partner...though, I'm not always thankful for that in the moment.

#10 Silly moments that you let me talk you into something absoultely ridiculous and you still participate with all your heart.

#9 Moments that you give me a break and cook up one of your specialties...love these...even if it is just scrambled eggs.

#8 Moments that you teach us-be it letters, the meanings of words, or the truth from God's Word.

                        

#7  Moments upon moments spent working hard to make this house perfect for us.

                        

#6 Moments when I am so exhausted from a day with the kids that you jump in enthusiastically to take over.

#5 Moments when you save the day (you always seem to know which days need saving) with my beloved lime water.

#4  Rebellious moments when you abandon the schedule and all the rules.

#3 Late moments in bed spent pillow-talking that go on and on...even after one of us has declared that it's "time to go to bed."  These are some of my favorite moments with you, my kindred spirit.

#2 Moments of discipleship that never really end because we're watching (and mimicking) every little thing you do.

#1 And all the moments that we try to give you some peace...

but come back for more.... 

because we just can't get enough moments full of you.

We love you.  Happy Golden Birthday, Charlie!

DIY Play Kitchen & FF

(The Friday Funnies are in here, I promise...just keep reading.)

Charlie worked very hard to make the kids a play kitchen for Christmas...and I can't believe I haven't showed it off, yet! (For some reason, I thought that I already had.)

When we first started talking about what to get the kids for Christmas, we decided that we would make them something. I had seen so many DIY Play Kitchens on the blogosphere. And every time we'd go over to someone's house with a child's kitchen, that was the first (and most of the time, only) thing that my kids would play with.

Knowing that if my Charlie could take this kitchen:

and turn it into this (more details here) :

then, a tiny little child's play kitchen would be no big deal for him. I started showing him different examples of play kitchens that people were making out of unwanted furniture.

I think they all started with this girl...isn't she a genius? (Speaking of "genuis", I had to change that when spellcheck saved me...but I just outed myself, so, whatever.)  Originally I had wanted to do something small like one of these (more example of Jane's work) out of a nightstand or cabinet.  

But then we got to thinking...to avoid breaking up many future shoving wars, I thought it would be better to have a bigger kitchen so both of the kids could play side by side. I was inspired by this one:

Don't the countertops look like granite? They are modge podged fabric!!  (And, she was kind enough to answer my bazillion questions.)

So, we started with an entertainment center that we got off Craigslist for $20.  Asher had lots of fun helping Daddy build the "shelf" as we kept referring to it:



But once it actually started to look like a kitchen, there were several evenings and weekends that I had to distract the kids while Charlie worked:

He spent many late nights finishing all the details.  One of the many reasons I love him.

Our finished play kitchen:

Charlie, the perfectionist, sliced every bubble in the fabric countertop and got it completely smooth.  We got the faucet & knobs for the stove from the Habitat ReStore.  The sink is a buffet steam tray.  The burners are yogurt lids.  The oven racks are cooling racks from Dollar Tree.  The pans are hanging on dowel rods (and we got the hooks from Ikea when we lived in our very first apartment that had one drawer and maybe three cabinets...we hung everything in that kitchen but I didn't care...I was just so happy to be married.)  The oven handle is from Lowe's.  One of my favorite elements, is the wine glass rack that Char just had to make. (I'm glad that he insisted.) 

My crafty-sister, Kyle, had drawn the kid's names for Christmas.  She knew they couldn't have a play kitchen without some accessories!  She made them these adorable aprons with some felt food and wooden spoons in each pocket.

McKlayne received a felt poptart (how perfect is that?) in her apron pocket. (You can't see it here, but she sewed each tiny "sprinkle" bead on by hand.  Talk about a labor of love.)

Asher received a bag of ravioli:

As soon as Asher opened the gift from Aunt Kyle, he gasped with excitement and picked up the wooden spoon, "Our own spanking spoons!?"

One side has hooks to hang their adorable aprons:

(There's a better pic of that poptart!)

And the other side has a chalkboard that keeps the kids busy drawing:

For Christmas, each of the grandparents gave the kids food for their kitchen: pizza, bread, veggies & fruit, and a felt food set of hamburgers with all the fixings!  And the "College Station Grandparents", Duane & Marylou, gave them pots, pans & utensils!  Thanks everyone for helping furnish the kitchen!

There were so many girly things I wanted to applique on the linens...

BUT, I had to keep it neutral, since we want even manly men to feel comfortable cooking in this kitchen!  I decided on the stack of bowls:

Here is Asher cutting up veggies for soup.

One day I was cooking dinner in (my own) kitchen, while the kids were back in McKlayne's room playing with their's. And I hear Asher yelling, "Momma, McKlayne's making babies back here!"

M: {What?! Did I just hear right? Where did he hear that?} What did you say, Asher? {as I hurry back to her room}

A: McKlayne is back here making babies!!

And I walk back to see this:

The only complaint Shortie has about the kitchen, is that she can't quite reach the back of it, so she often climbs into the sink to play.

Now, I'm on the lookout for a stool that is light enough for her to move on her own.

Charlie's labor of love was well worth it.  There isn't a day that goes by that these two don't play with this thing.