I HEART DADDYMAN

I love Father's Day. I think that the occupation of being a "father" is one of the most overworked, underpaid and under appreciated occupations that someone can have. My own father (i.e. "Daddyman") has worked so hard for my family - he literally traveled the globe just for us. I don't think that this is something little kids necessarily understand. Dad's never work for us because it's fun and they can be with adults all day, but they make the sacrifice to work for us so that we can be supported and have a healthy lifestyle. I believe that, if they could, all dads (especially mine) would have much rather spent from 8-5 playing with their kids in the backyard, or hiking with them in the mountains. How lucky I was to have a dad who sacrificed his 8-5 so that I could do dance, take piano lessons, live in Utah and water ski on the weekends and eat warm dinners.

I'm also grateful that my dad would come home from work, and not crash, but keep his energy going even longer so that we could play together building computers and going on bike rides up city creek canyon. When I was around the age of 15ish, every single work day my dad would come home from work, we'd get our bikes ready and off we'd go on our daily mountain bike ride. We'd either do City Creek Canyon (and Dad wouldn't let me stop until I got to the VERY top) or our little shoreline trail ride. My dad taught me to work hard and to play hard. And we still play hard.

Happy Father's Day dad! I look forward to more City Creek Canyon rides (except on our road bikes now), LOTOJAs, early morning water ski runs, hikes and fires up the canyon. I love you!

Here are some pictures from our fun Father's Day BBQ. We put out the big table on the back deck and enjoyed the sunshine and water misters. Steve (even though he's a dad we didn't let him off the hook for BBQing because everyone knows he makes one killer BBQ) grilled the steaks to perfection. Carsen, Rae, Mike and I played in the backyard for a few hours fighting "bad guys" and swinging on the swings.

It was fun for all of us to sit at the table together.

Mike and I were in charge of dessert. Can you say Market Street fruit tart?!

Raegan really liked helping her Grandpa (my daddyman) open all of his presents and cards.

I pushed Rae on the swing for SO long that by the time we stopped swinging she couldn't walk straight (or walk very well at all) because she was so dizzy. It was pretty funny.

After dinner AND dessert, Mom and Dad read "Grandpa's Fishing Buddy" to Carsen and Raegan and the rest of us. It was a really good book and I really think the kids appreciated being read to.

All of the fathers and FUTURE fathers posed in a very serious picture to show off their Father's Day Ties they made at the last SNAP activity.

Mike showed off his very special customized "MBA"
tie made especially for him by Carsen and I.