daddy dearest

I love this picture because we are making the same face: ha ha!
(Never mind my wedding rain hair...)

Today is my dad's birthday! And, for the first time in a long time, he was home with the family to celebrate. As per family tradition he was served his favorite sugar cereal—Golden Grahams—in bed and, since I wasn't there for the festivities, I called him to have a birthday phone chat. I sure love him.

Sometimes we all wonder if what we're doing is the right thing, and with my dad traveling all the time for work I know that he's asked himself that question, too. But, even if none of us kids want to have a job that will take us away from our families as much as his does, that doesn't mean that we don't want to be like him: far from it. We are lucky to have a dad who is as talented and successful as he is.

My dad is one of the most amazing people that I know. He makes everyone around him smile. He can start a conversation with anyone about anything: his encyclopedic knowledge of sports, American history (even though he's Canadian!) and politics always puts me to shame. He has cultivated the virtue of gratitude into an art. He loves my mom more than anything in the world and makes sure that we all know it. And he is a vision in orange.

Dad with his mum and brothers.

My father has taught me to treat others with respect, look at life with humor, and to work hard at all that I do. And for that, Daddy Dear, I say thank you.

hot parents

My parents were in town tonight! The three of us went out to dinner at Guru's (their sweet potato fries are the best!) and Jeremy Warner was our waiter, who, coincidentally, is in the band Hot Parents. Sometimes the universe is just trying to tell you something and all you have to do is figure out what it is. But beware, it doesn't always tell you with the type of enthusiasm my dad has. Sometimes it's more like Jeremy Warner.

money matters

This last week my family was in New York City for my dad's book relaunching. The company was kind enough to give everyone in the family who was there (in other words, everyone but me) $100 to spend while they were in the city. Here's what everyone got:

Brinden: signed poster of Billy Elliot for his school choreographer & kept the rest to help pay for the graphing calculator he lost

Mom: reusable grocery bags

Garrett: clothes (Billabong, PacSun, etc)

Dad: cufflinks

Carter: nothing

Translation:

Brinden: something for someone else, nothing for him

Mom: something practical

Garrett: clothes

Dad: something expensive just for him

Carter: unimpressed with everything and unwilling to settle for less