All the Fun We Have: Dad

Derek is a really, really good dad. I mean it. I don't want to sound like I am inflating the truth. He is present in so much of what these kids are. He wakes with them before the sun comes up to spend some special time every morning. He works so hard to finish his day at VML and comes home to see us and play....even if he is tired. He values being a dad, I can tell. He knows it means a lot of things. I hope he knows how much he means to us.

We woke up early, as usual, and made this day one just for Dad. Greta and Jack picked out presents for Dad, all by themselves. They must have seen somewhere that Dads get neck ties on Father's Day, because that is what they insisted upon. I thought it was kind of cute to give a traditional gift this year. They picked out a really snazzy tie...Jack wanted to give him one that was navy blue with orange diagonal stripes (hunter orange) and Greta liked the one that was navy blue with aqua diagonal stripes. But we compromised on something that would match his wardrobe a little better. Might as well get to wear the tie, you know. (J Crew has some really cool ties...more casual. This fits Derek well.) They also picked out a new wallet for him. And then they drew special pictures of Hello Kitty for him. (Because he loves Hello Kitty.) (Really.) (Sarcasm) We ate biscuits and gravy and made plans to go somewhere fun....

It was a great day for the zoo. It was hot, but it had been years since we had been, so we didn't mind.

The polar bear was my favorite to see. He was a show off. I could have watched him all day as he did flips in the water and blew bubbles with his big bear nose.

We walked by the elephants just in time to see them working with trainers. They are all female African elephants. Very smart and very big. The biggest, Leia, weighs 10,500. She even got angry with her girls and blew her trumpet and ran at them. They all peed! Here is some advice....Stand back.