A Costco secret revealed

My son asked me why the doors at Costco were so large, so I told him the truth:

You were thirsty and I gave you…eh, nevermind

Kids Playing in the Dirt (Photo credit: iChris)

We had two cubic yards of dirt delivered and dumped next to our driveway. I immediately got to work with a shovel and wheelbarrow, transporting the dirt all the way around to the side of the house where I needed it. It was a hot day and tiring work. My seven and five-year-old daughters were skipping along at my heels, to and fro. Finally I stopped, wiped my brow and said, “This is hard work. I could use some cold water.” My daughters immediately looked at each other with an expression of sudden inspiration. “We should help Dad!” one declared to the other, who answered with a nod. As I began to smile with satisfaction at my thoughtful, charitable little girls, my face suddenly fell as, instead of running inside for a glass of cool liquid refreshment, they each

The real nightmare

Sleeping Beauty (Photo credit: alfromelkhorn)

My four-year-old went through a phase of crying out in the middle of the night because of bad dreams. I got accustomed to the routine of getting out of bed in just  my pajama shorts, and sitting in the rocking chair with her until she calmed down.

One night when I heard her calling, I got out of bed, went to her room, picked her up, and just as I was about to sit down with her in the chair she said, “Daddy, could you please

Something from the concession stand?

Day 16 – Cap’n Crunch Berries Cereal (Photo credit: ohdearbarb)

When our oldest boy was two, we had time to watch movies.  We would put one in and turn the lights down. While we watched, he would play nearby.  One evening, as we were on the couch and our son was playing, something different happened.  As many parents probably know, with kids there is sometimes cereal on the floor.  This time there happened to be a Captain Crunch type. My son walked over and held out his hand, and, being the good dad I try to be, I accepted the crunch berries from him and didn’t think anything of it.  That is, until I realized the crunch berries were squishy.

Alfred Hitchcock should film this

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Perhaps we were feeling a bit nostalgic, but whatever the reason, my sister and I, in high school and middle school respectively, were playing Candy Land with our father. All three of us were nearing King Kandy and the Candy Castle; however, the dreaded Plumpy card, which would send one of us back to the beginning of the playing board, had not yet been picked. The tension was palpable. We each in turn chose our card haltingly, slowly turning it over, then heaving a sigh of relief when it was merely a color, perhaps a double color, but not the accursed Plumpy. Finally, not being able to bear it much longer, my father exclaimed,

Hey, I was going to eat that!

My 21-month-old daughter was pretending to take food from pictures in a book and then feed the food to me. She “picked” an apple, and offered it, saying, “apple?” I diligently opened my mouth, pretending to take and eat it. Next it was a cracker, and the process repeated. Then she held out her hand saying, “Cookie?”

An honest question deserves an honest answer

If only it were this easy.

Our son was having a difficult time staying in his room at bedtime. After putting him back in bed for what seemed like the twelfth time, I was exasperated. So when he came out yet again, I asked him, “What can I do to get you to stay in your room?!” With total sincerity, he looked up at me and answered,