The Candy Man

I was in an afterschool program all through elementary school. My dad would pick me up after he got off work. I would always know he was coming because across the playground kids would SHOUT "the Candy Man, the Candy Man" He would have a huge bag of Brocks candy to pass out. Of course this was back in the day…. When people were allowed to be nice to other children, before schools had overprotective rules, before everyone had an allergy to everything imaginable, before people were scared of being sued by crazed parents…. Anyway, I digress.

Back to the fairy tale…. My dad was AWESOME! And I was awesome because he was my dad. Whose dad hands out candy every day… whose? oh, I loved those elementary school days.

My kids feel this same joy whenever he comes to visit. They shout for joy, like my friends from school. Every day is like Christmas…. Better than Christmas. Their Papa is "the Candy Man" and that beats Santa Clause any day!

My dad visited this 4^th of July weekend. We didn't do much at all…. Mostly just played.

We went to see Toy Story 3 in 3D. I always gauge movies based on Grants opinions…. He's the rater for our family because he's the most particular. Toy Story 3 was NOT a hit. He wanted to go home through the whole thing. It was "too scary" and the toys were "too mean". I thought it was adorable. Jefferson loved it. And Reagan loved Shawn's root beer.

We spent a lot of time working on our garden. We took my dad over to see our progress and he said, "wow, we'll have to come back and work on it some more…… how often do you come down here?" Thanks Dad! I'm pleased to say it's in tip-top shape now, thanks to him.

The kids enjoyed taking several walks with their Papa, but their favorite thing to do was WRESTLE. If you know my dad, you know he probably shouldn't be wrestling with such a bad back. But it's worth the pain, he would say. So, for 4 days, there was running, bouncing, thudding, shaking, yelling, laughing, screaming, chasing, growling, tickling, and the VAMPIRE BAT. My dad pretended to be a vampire bat and would chase the kids, pin them down, and suck the blood from their necks. Reagan was right in on all this male bonding too. She was glued to her Papa his entire visit.

Here's my dad getting Reagan ready for church.

The kids weren't the only ones who were spoiled. I was heading to the grocery store when my dad hands me $20 and says "pick us up some ice cream....$20 worth!" Ben and Jerry's was having a sale 'buy 4 for $1.99 each.' Pure Heaven!

On the 4th of July Reagan got sick, so I stayed home with her while Shawn, my dad, and the boys set off fireworks down the street. They had fun... but no pictures to document, bummer!

It was a great visit, we all had fun. The kids missed him the second he left!

Grant, saying goodbye to the Vampire Bat

Here's a picture of everyone before dropping my dad off at the train station. ( Poor Reagan has a fever)

Thanks for indulging my kids. I'm sure they have a few cavities…. But it was worth it!