I Gotta Feelin' That Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night

And this night was definitely a good night! In fact, for the third year in a row, it was a great night. I'm talking about the annual Daddy/Daughter dance. Sweet Pea and I look forward to this every year. SP gets the royal treatment by getting her hair done at our favorite bouffant master. Jeanette outdid herself this year. Somehow, she was able to sculpt, weave and turbo-curl SP's hair to create a work of art again this year.

Here's the before.

Here's the during. I can't believe Jeanette could keep that bunch of tangled Christmas cords straight.
And here's the after. A masterpiece! She even has flowers in her hair to match her dress. Thanks Jeanette for three straight years of beauty. I hope we can book you for next year's dance. And thank you Lady Di for putting the whole ensemble together. Not everyone can match hair to dress to shoes to corsage to tie.

Now I had the challenge to spruce myself up enough to be in SP's league. It wasn't easy, but with Lady Di's help and a matching tie, I was able to clean up enough to qualify to be SP's escort.
We started off the evening by having a fancy family dinner at our favorite restaurant, Applebee's. Even though, Number One Son and Lady Di were woefully under dressed, we still let them stay at our table.

Once SP and I ditched our third and fourth wheels, we sped to the dance. As we were signing in, I could hear the music from the Black Eyed Peas thumping and SP started dancing in the hall before we even entered. Surprisingly, we bypassed the snack table and immediately started to shake our bootys.

But after two or three songs, SP said she was hungry. Never mind that she had just eaten a plate of Applebee's shrimp less than twenty minutes ago. Oh well, what the lady wants, the lady gets.

We dined on Goldfish crackers, M&M's and punch before returning to the dance floor. I couldn't believe how good the DJ was too. It was like he had a copy of my iTunes account. He played all my favorite songs from Miley, Taylor, Beyonce and some guy named Bieber. It was kind of cute when Beyonce's song 'Single Lady' was played, because there were about a hundred plus single ladies dancing with their dads.

We also had the requisite YMCA, Hokey Pokey and the Chicken Dance. The DJ even slipped in some Michael Jackson. Thriller, Beat It and Billie Jean. My moonwalk muscle was very sore the next morning.

I think this was during the 'Put your head in' verse.

The evening ended with a raffle for various toys which, once again, we didn't win.

Even so, it didn't damper our evening. SP got to twirl her dress a lot and squeal with many of her girlfriends. I got to jump around with my daughter and act like Prince Charming. I can't wait for next year.

At The Hop

In the never ending social life of our daughter Sweet Pea, here is yet another dance that she attended. At the tender age of seven, SP has already kicked up her heels at more dances than I had ever attended all through high school.

This most recent soiree was a Sock Hop for the girl scouts. After explaining what a Sock Hop was, she was very excited to start preparations. Because everyone knows that the most important thing about a Sock Hop is, the poodle skirt. And since SP's closet was completely empty of poodle skirts, Lady Di went out and bought a sewing pattern.

I offered to help with my staple gun and wood glue, but was unceremoniously shooed away. Once I was out of the way, Lady Di and Grandma Toni (the golfing grandma) started snipping, pinning, and stitching. Here is the finished product modeled by our own bobby sockser, SP. Here's the poodle in action. Grandma and LD must have done a good job because SP sure gave it a workout. Notice some of the other girl's skirts in the picture giving out on them so they had to rest on the dance floor. Members of the 'Pink Ladies' gang taking a break from hopping. Since this dance was for girls scouts only, there were no 'Thunderbirds' or greasers.

Maybe for next years Daddy/Daughter dance, SP can wear her poodle skirt and I can don my letter jacket from high school, grease my hair back and roll a box of tic tacs in my t-shirt sleeve.

Cool!

She Chose Me Again!

Friday night, I was granted the opportunity to escort a beautiful princess to a fancy ball. Sweet Pea's elementary lunchroom was the location for this years Daddy/Daughter Dance. We went to last year's kindergarten dance and I was lucky enough to have the prettiest girl in school ask me again this year. Another thank you goes to Lady Di for setting the stage for a magical evening. The girls started at the hairdresser's for a fancy bouffant. SP insisted on braids meeting in the back. Her exclusive hair stylist, Jeanette, once again worked her hair magic. Lady Di also saved my skin by ordering a corsage for me to present to SP.

SP wore a black sequined evening gown that matched the sparkle of the glitter in her hair. I wore my same old suit as last year, but with a green shirt.

For our pre-dance meal, we dined at the swankiest Subway in town. Last year, we went to Perkins, so this year I decided on a less messy, non-pancake serving restaurant. At the soiree, we got our portrait taken together. SP then ran off to squeal and giggle with her many friends. I'm used to my date ditching me at dances, but usually not before the first song. She did return to me though and we helped ourselves to cookies, goldfish crackers and punch. I tried to do the gentlemanly thing and pour her punch for her, but apparently first graders like to do that sort of thing by themselves.

The dance started with a few slow songs which brought out many graceful ballet-princess moves from the girls. We then had some fun with The Chicken Dance. Then they played the song Shout. The jumping and running part of the dance then started. At this point I was uncertain who was dancing with who. SP would be spinning with me one moment, and swinging hand in hand with one of her girlfriends the next. At least I didn't accidentally grab a Dad's hand and start jitterbugging.

We took a few breaks for door prizes. We didn't see much luck there though. Here is the gumball machine SP wanted to win.
When the clock struck eight o'clock it was time to go. Each couple received a cup of candy to share. I got one piece of gum and I'm not sure where the rest of it ended up. We were both pretty exhausted and ready to go home and tell Mom and Number One Son all about our evening.

It was another very successful event attended by many dads and daughters. One dad was attending his 15th dance. I won't make it to 15, but hopefully, SP will keep me in mind for next year's dance to add to my total.

Here is a last shot of SP taking a break from all the fun toward the end of the night. She did let me pour her water for her that time.

Dancing Queen II

Last weekend, Sweet Pea had her dance recital. We were advised to arrive early because the seats fill up fast. Since this was our first dance recital, we didn't know what to expect. It was held in the high school gymnasium so I figured they must have a limited number of seats set up. When we arrived, we found out it was bleacher seating, and SP's dance troupe was number thirty one on the performance list. This was much bigger than we were expecting. The night included dance routines from preschool through high school. So instead of a 30 to 45 minute program, we sat for 2 and 1/2 hours. It wasn't too bad though, there are some very good dance teams in our area.

Number One Son was a pretty good sport throughout. He was attentive and really enjoyed the high energy techno-music. His favorite team, other than Sweet Pea's, was a kick team that wore black t-shirts with the word 'Police' on them. One of their songs was the 'Bad Boys' theme song from the TV show Cops.

When it was SP's turn to dance, she came out all smiles. She has good rhythm and plenty of showmanship. And she was cute as kitten too. The only bad thing was that, as a new student, she was positioned in the back of the dance formation. Therefore, I couldn't get a good action picture of her. That was probably alright because I was able to give up on the camera and was able to enjoy her routine more.

When she was done, she was still all smiles. We gave her a small bouquet of carnations and a love card which made her even happier. She sat on my lap for the remaining dances and enjoyed reading her card.

On the way home, in the back of the van, I heard her tell her brother, "This is the bestest day of my whole life." "I got to see Kung Fu Panda (which we did in the morning) and I had my dance recital."

It was one of my bestest days too, SP.

Dancing Queen

Last Friday, I went out on a date with a very special lady. Sweet Pea invited me to escort her to the Dad-Daughter Dance. Sweet Pea was so excited to go that she talked about it non-stop for two weeks. We also got a lot of milage out of using the dance as a behavior modifier. If SP didn't want to eat her green beans, all we had to do was ask her if she still wanted to go to the dance. Leverage is such a great parenting super power.

When the big day arrived, I couldn't wait to come home from work. While I was at work, SP was busy too. And when I say SP was busy, I mean SP and Lady Di were busy. Lady Di called me at work three times to remind me that I had to come straight home to get ready for the dance. I think she was just as excited as SP.

After school, Lady Di took SP to the nail salon. I guess they were having a kindergarten dance special, because Lady Di said it was full of little pixies. Then they went to get SP's hair done with curls, sparkles and a butterfly to match her dress. If you want to see more pictures of Sweet Pea, you can visit 'Life is Good'. I'm glad Lady Di told me to wear my sport jacket, otherwise I would have been embarrassingly underdressed.

Once dressed SP and I went to Perkins for our pre-dance meal. It was nice to sit with her, just the two of us, and talk. Being a five year old girl, she had plenty to talk about. She even managed to squeeze in a burping demonstration for me. What a fancy girl.

We then went to the elementary gymnasium decorated with lots of hearts, cupids and all things pink. There were probably fifty or more Dad and Daughter couples attending. Over fifty kindergarten girls in princess dresses, squealing and giggling the night away. The night started out with all of the Dads singing a Valentine song to their girls. Then we got down to dancing. And we really 'got down'. We did the Hokey Pokey and the Chicken Dance. And a dance SP liked to do where she held my hands and slid her feet between my legs and have me pull her up again. This was a workout for an old guy in a suit.

We had a couple of welcome breaks to draw for door prizes and drink punch. There was also a snack table with a fancy white table cloth. On the table were meat and cheese sandwiches, Valentine cookies, pillow mints and a bowl of cheetos with a fancy spoon. Very elegant.

We both had a great time, and were exhausted when we got home. I was hoping I wouldn't get a sugar cookie/cheeto hangover in the morning.

Thank goodness I had Lady Di watching out for me. I had no idea what to expect at a Dad-Daughter dance. Lady Di was the one to get us both dolled up properly. I certainly didn't have a clue that there would be a formal dress code. Lady Di also suggested going out to eat before the dance and make the night a special one for us. I wasn't even smart enough to know to get a corsage for SP. Lady Di was really on the ball and her efforts really made the night a magical one for both of us. I hope she can experience as much fun at a Mom and Son dance sometime.

I'm glad our FYCC community group supports events like these. This will be a memory that I will keep for many years to come. Since we had so much fun for SP's first dance, I want to be her date for every other dance that she attends. I'm her Dad and that's final. I know I will probably only be her date for a few more years, but as she grows up, I hope she will never feel embarrassed to dance with her Dad.

You Know You Make Me Want To Shout!

A few weeks ago, before bed, the kids wanted to play a game. I offered them free time in their rooms before bed, but they both wanted a game with me. I said, "OK, get a game from the basement." They both clamored down the steps like stampeding bison. I was hoping for a nice quick game of UNO. Then they came up grinning ear to ear with the 'Twister' game.

They must not have seen my shoulders fall in disappointment.

"Look, Dad, your favorite game!", they shouted.

And there was much rejoicing. (yay)

I don't remember exactly when I got so old, but this game does a good job of reminding me. Well, let's make the best of this, I thought to myself. If it is good enough for 450 North Dakota students, then we can have fun too. I put in my Animal House CD for mood music. It just seemed appropriate for Twister. Especially when Twistin the Night Away played. The kids reminded me of the rules. If you fall, you're the spinner. If you don't fall, your the winner. Winners win, losers spin. "Daddy, you're the first spinner."

That's fine with me. Does that mean I'm the first loser too?

Luckily, all three of us know our lefts, rights and colors. Sweet Pea sometimes gets left/right amnesia when it is strategically advantageous. Number One Son never seems to catch on to this.

The first game lasted pretty long. Both kids kept their balance and played by the rules pretty well. Sweet Pea was the first casualty. That 'right foot red' always gets her.

Sweet Pea always has to be a little different, and her spinning was no exception. When she was spinner she would call out, "Yellow foot left." Number One Son would giggle and say, "I don't have a yellow foot". She kept calling, without knowing what we were laughing at. "Blue hand right". Both kids thought it was funny when Dad would have to step completely over one of them to find his spot. "You're just like a tent, Daddy." Well, we all won some and we all lost some and, astonishingly, there were no fights.

The 'Animal House' CD came around to the song 'Shout'. That was the official end to 'Twister' and the official start to our dance party. I let them dance to that song three or four times to get them tired enough for bed. It did the trick.

If any of you parents are having trouble getting your kids to bed at night, try using the Twister method. Every night, get the Twister game out. Play about a dozen games and end the night dancing to Otis Day singing Shout.

It works every time. Now where's my ice pack?

Aye, Aye Captain

Ethan got to visit both sets of grandparents in the past two weeks. Last weekend we went to South Dakota for my class reunion. Ethan and Emery got to spend the weekend with Gramma and Grampa. They got a ride in Grampa's convertible and played on the slip and slide. On Saturday night they attended a block party hosted by a neighbor. The kids got to dance the 'hokey pokey' and the 'chicken dance". Ethan hung out with the 'DJ' and got him coffee. The block party had a tropical theme so Ethan and Grampa got to wear their hawiian shirts. The kids even attended Gramma and Grampa's church on Sunday. The church was serving a breakfast to raise money to fix the roof. We weren't expecting rolls, sausage, eggs, waffle sticks mega breakfast. I have a hard enough time staying awake in church on an empty stomach.

On Monday, Ethan went 'up north' to Bemiji to visit his MN Grandparents. Little Sister wanted to come too but we had to bring her home for soccer. Plus, she got to stay with Gramma two months ago for a week. On the first night Ethan called home to tell us that we forgot to pack his toothbrush and pajamas. Therefore, he got go shopping at Target for new ones. He picked out a travel toothbrush because he liked how short it was, and skull and bones pajamas because they were cool. I think he hopes we forget to pack things in the future so he can go shopping for new things. Things like socks, snacks, video games, legos, etc. Ethan also got a ride on Grampa's four wheeler and pontoon boat. Grampa even let Ethan captain the pontoon around the lake with Rosie as his first mate. Ethan got to see the loons with their baby on the lake too. He also got to see a lot of deer and an eagle. He was so busy, he only played his Gameboy twice for the whole week.

Emery and the rest of the family caught up with him on the following Friday. He took us all for a pontoon ride and Uncle Greg took both kids for a ride in his speed boat. I think Ethan had fun being at Gramma's house for a week without his little sister. Little Sister had fun being the center of attention at home for a week. They both said that they missed each other and were glad to be together again. Although, Emery did wait until day number four to ask where her brother was.

Where's the Limo?

Our neighbor, Bridget, is a senior in high school this year. And last weekend was Prom. The kids were riding their bikes in the cul-de-sac when a car pulled in next door. A young man in a tuxedo got out and went to the door. When he came outside with Bridget, the kids were amazed to see the fancy couple. The rug rats aren't shy at all so over they went. They told her they liked her pink dress. Emery asked if they were going to get married. Ethan came back and told me her date looked like a butler.
When they finally drove off, Ethan turned to me and said, "Why does Bridget have a driver?"
I then had to explain all about dates and dances. (Hokey Pokey, Chicken Dance, etc). That's right Ethan, you're Dad had all the moves.

I like your sleeves.

A similar thing happened earlier in the day when Ethan and I were at McDonald's. Two Prom couples came in and stood in line. My back was to them so I pointed behind myself and asked Ethan, "Don't those kids have cool clothes?"
He looked and said, "Yeah! Their shoes are pretty cool."
After I had choked Dr Pepper through my nose, I spluttered, "What? Their shoes?" I figured he would have commented on the girls' brightly colored dresses or the guys' tuxes. I turned around to look at their shoes. They looked like ordinary Prom shoes to me. "What is so cool about their shoes?" ,I asked.
"They're cool colors."
I looked again. Ethan was talking about two toddlers, who had brightly colored Spongebob and Spiderman tennis shoes, standing next to the Prom couples.
"I was talking about the high school kids.", I said.
Taking a short pause from his sandwich, "Oh, yeah. They're cool too I guess."
This day we definitely were not on the same page.