Reggie's First Date

And the girls just keep lining up.

Spring Training

Spring is upon us and so it's time for Reggie to shake the dust off the old bat and balls and get to work. Spring Training starts early at our house. Some juice, a couple swedish fish, a ride in his power wheels pick-up truck and the kid is ready for some batting practice. He's still at the age where he does things left and right handed. Lucky for him, I'm such an athlete that I can teach him both. Thank you years of varsity PE. Left handed hitting catcher here we come.

Now I just need to find someone that can teach him good form while running. It would be a shame if he ended running like his old man.

What Does She Need Me For?

Addie had picture day at school the other day. Instead of leaving for work at my usual 6:00am, I hung around to do her hair for her. She still likes the way I do pigtails. Which is a break from her normal routine. After years of spending our mornings and early afternoons together I realize I have a fully autonomous seven year old. She’s been doing her own thing for years. Her hair, her teeth, her baths, her clothes, her accessories, her bed, karate, t-ball, gymnastics. I guess I don’t mind really. As long as she still lets me hang around.

Discipline Red Tape

One of my favorite threats is worthless now. Thanks a lot you hippie liberals at Capitol Hill. Apparently its no longer legal to feed your children to overgrown plastic molded sharks. Look at them! They're not even scared anymore! Spanking is so unoriginal. How am I going to enforce my rules now?!

Side note: I watched Jaws the other night. Umm yeah. Still scary. I'm just glad Reggie still lets me climb into bed with him. He said eventually I will have to grow out of that. Right. We'll see what he thinks after I make HIM watch Jaws.

The Little Sneaks

Santa Claus must hate me. Where am I supposed to put all this stuff? I don't remember getting everything I asked for at Christmas time, and yet these two fat faces made out like bandits! Video games, toy cars and princess dolls, clothes, books, movies, and a big middle finger just for me from Santa. I swear I am going to need a storage unit for all this.

It all started out nice enough with new pajamas and a bath before bedtime on Christmas Eve.

I really didn't think anything of it when we went to see the big guy the week before.

But whatever went on in this conversation must have changed everything.

I know it wasn't Reggie's fault. He refused to even sit on Santa's lap.

And so as I started handing out presents and keeping track of what they were getting, I relaized the fix was in. Presents and presents and presents.

So many I could no longer keep up.

Then as I looked into their little eyes and saw their sweet smiles, it hit me.

I have the greatest kids in the world.



Family Calendar

We went to the park to take some pictures for my parents' family calendar. But in our family, nothing is ever that easy. This year we were asked to get pictures with guns and a picture with a temple. Guns and God? As far as my Bible study goes, it seems those two have been nearly inseperable for a long time.

So here we are walking in with Reggie covering our six.

He's hoping to audition for the Red Dawn sequel.

Pig-tails and semi-automatic machine guns. I love her!

Writing

One of my guilty pleasures in taking Adelaide to school is reading the assignments the teacher has posted out in the hallway. Addie's assignments always to seem to be pretty revealing. When asked about what kind of animal she wanted to be she of course chose a polar bear. But I thought the reason behind it was intriguing.

Because she won't have to clean the playroom.

Her Christmas list included explanations that she is trying to walk away when people are rude, and that she is trying to not be bossy to others. Oh, and the pony was a nice PS.

Lucky

I am so lucky my kids hang out with me. Because there is no way I am as cool as they are!

Boo!

There comes a point in every man's life when he realizes that Halloween is starting to be just as much fun as it was when he was a kid. It came this year for me. The Dude is 2 1/2 and Addie is a fresh 7. Candy is a top priority and the motivation to go get is high. Also, Reggie is still allergic to nuts. So pretty much a big portion of his take is, well, mine. It's also nice when it's a balmy 70 on Halloween. I'll probably throw up tomorrow from the suagr intake, but I was so impressed with the 2+ hours of trick-or-treating from my Polar Bear Princess and my Construction Working Moustache Flaring Handyman.



A Princess Polly Pocket Picnic

All I understood from that request was pocket. Luckily these girls are really good at explaining things.

Never Hard to Please

Adelaide is a sweet soul. I think we have had three different parties for her 7th birthday. Her lists of demands, I mean "wants", are usually pretty short. This year she just wanted to be clear about one thing. Her birthday cake had to have mermaids AND polar bears. The demands have been met and any hostages are now free. Thanks Addie and Happy Birthday!



Idaho

We went to Idaho to celebrate Fall Break and Addie's upcoming birthday. My only beef with Idaho is my distaste for the nicknames my parents have been given by certain grandkids. My mom is called "Teasing" and my dad is called "Walrus". I have always preferred Addie's "Ma & Pa Idaho". But this time, with all the kids yelling out "Teasing", Reggie tried to follow suit. But his two year-old interpretation come out as "Crazy". I suddenly LOVE my mom's new nickname.

Anyway, Idaho is always good for some fire station tours thanks to Uncle Rick.

Just hanging out and relaxing with all drinks and treats provided for by Crazy.

A visit to the amusement park rides at Bear World.

Pictures of bears with cute pink head bands at Bear World.

A work-out session at the local Crossfit Gym where certain someone's get stuck in the step-up pieces.

Interactions with some fantastic cousins.

A wonderful place to turn seven years old.

And an even better place to pull out your very first tooth!



Safety Inspector

I had a mirror leaning up against the wall of my room. HAD. Until Reggie took a tumble, hit the mirror with his cranium, fell to the ground, and had shards of glass come crashing down all around him. You'll see the one band-aid under his eye and one on his arm. I've told him repeatedly just to TELL me about the hazards he sees around the house. But he insists on SHOWING them to me instead. Cross non-mounted mirrors off the list I guess.



Pumpkins For My Pumpkins

We went and found our pumpkins this year. Turns out they were in Santaquin! Luckily we go there every year, just in case, to look for them. Addie loaded up the bed of a truck with her top picks. Sadly, I could only afford one pumpkin per kid.

But I can always supply unlimited photo ops.

Reggie

The downside of being Reggie is trying to find someone for him to relate to. Who else can say they've had to struggle with being so handsome?! It's a lonely world sometimes.

I Got Your Kids

I tried taking Bubble Toes to Sonic for Happy Hour and their half priced drinks. It's quite a delcious treat and hits the spot on a nice pre-Autumn day. Then I ran into Ava and Mya. Wanna come? Sure! Then passing the neighbor's house, Anna and Riley see us. Wanna come? Sure! Then Penelope notices our little band of princesses. Can I come? Sure! And so today the six of them followed my lead on the 1.5 mile round trip through sidewalks, yards, fences, business parks and empty lots to bask in the watermelony goodness of a Sonic slush. Next time I think I'll just sneak out the back.