I experienced a handful of my previous Family Fun posts all in one evening and it was not premeditated; my night just morphed into a living, breathing family fun blog. It was superb!
Before my workday came to a close (yes, a real desk job) I finally remembered to visit the websites of Gustafer Yellowgold and Justin Roberts and printed off about a dozen coloring pages for my daughter to enjoy. These are two of my gal’s favorites right now and I knew that each musical act had a sizable freebie section of their web pages. Problem is, I kept forgetting to visit them in work (my printer is out of ink at home) and bring the pages home. Well, I finally remembered!
My wife and I usually carpool to work, but drove separate cars today since I hit the gym before heading to work. I got home first, even after stopping at the butcher shop for fresh ground sirloin, and dropped the coloring pages off on top of her tray table before heading out back to fire up the grill in sub-freezing temperatures. The things I do for a good family meal!
I had actually forgotten all about them by the time she discovered the pages. After she finished her last bites of broccoli, carrots and cheeseburger she sat down to do some doodling and let out a big yelp. She ran around in circles, throwing her hands up in the air wondering how the pictures of Gustafer had arrived so mysteriously. When I admitted that it was I who delivered the goods, I got a big leg hug complete with a knee kiss while I stood at the sink doing the dinner dishes.
Once I was done in the kitchen, we played pretend animals on the sofa under a fuzzy blanket. That yielded plenty of snuggles, not to mention two balls of static electricity where our heads once sat!
The two of us then raced past the hallway art show into my bedroom where we built a simple little cave with pillows. The new twist on this game is that a blanket must be draped across the top, thus sealing the cave. As the lovely girl has gone “missing”, her friends must help me track her down. I pretend that I am sending a gaggle of teddy bears, dolls and other friends, one by one, on a mission into the cave with detailed instructions for them to come right back, reporting on what they see inside. Not a single friend ever returns. Exasperated, I plead with the next group of animals and dolls to PLEASE come right back and let me know what is going on in there. Eventually, after a dozen or so playmates are snug inside the tiny space my lady will pop out to surprise me. I then receive an invitation to their gathering, which quickly becomes a dance party on the bed.
A simply wonderful evening at home with my gal due in large part to me taking my own advice of a family dinner, coloring pages, the animal game, making caves and an impromptu dance party.