Fun, You Want Fun?!? I'll Show You Fun.

Friday night, Krista and I wind down, put the kids to bed, watch some TV, and head off to bed. On my pillow is the following note ==> note

First of all my employer would be glad to hear that I work all the time -- they probably think I spend to much time with my family. Secondly, Krista does cook a lot to which I am eternally grateful. Prior this evening we had homemade chicken and dumpling soup.

Lastly, I love the little added "love" crossed-out and replaced with the word "hate."

So, either my daughter has me wrapped around her finger, or I was determined to be the funnest Dad in the world this weekend.

Saturday
We woke up to homemade waffles (Krista) made with real buttermilk. Meanwhile, I crafted a list (because that's what I do.). "22 Fun Things to Do"

1. Go Geocaching
2. Go Bowling
3. Fly a Kite
4. Mike Dinner (anything they want)
5. Go for a Bike Ride in the Woods
6. Go Downtown to and Indian or Chinese Restaurant
7. Movie in the Backyard
8. Wash the Dog
9. Open a Lemonade Stand
10. Make a Picture Mural on the Whole Street using Sidewalk Chalk
11. Water fight -- water bombs, water cannons
12. Take a Hike
13. Take a Day Trip to Ikea
14. Clean Closets (my wife voted for this one)
15. Play Videos Games in Back Yard on Large Screen
16. Create Movie Time Capsule
17. Go on a Scavenger Hunt
18. Find a Comic Book Store
19. Sell Stuff on eBay
20. Buy Remote Control Cars and Design a Speed Track on Drive Way
21. Helium Balloon Release
22. Take a Tour of a Cemetery

Each kid had three votes, and we picked the top three things. #3 -- Helium Balloon Release, #2 Open a Lemonade Stand, and #1 Sell Stuff on eBay. So, kill the environment, and make money -- My republican friends in Wisconsin would be so proud.

I decided to sneak an additional one by making a Pan Bagnat Recipe I saw on "Good Eats" (Maybe I do watch to much TV). The sandwhich was superb. Watch the video I made of the process ==> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1edmBu-sIVY

After lunch we take great pains to find the perfect toys to sell online. After 297 photos, I think I have capture the right ones, foregoing the initial nominees by our youngest Nolan, who found a red plastic thing at the bottom of the toy chest, "We can sell this!"

See the following links for all our trash on sale:

Lego: Dora and Diego's Animal Adventure

American Girl RETIRED BITTY BABY RED WAGON

Littlest Pet Shop Lot - accessories, habitats, & house

Thomas the Tank Engine Costume

DISNEY STORE POWER RANGERS OUTFIT (Size XS)

Groovy Girls Sleeping Bag and Tent (Doll Size)

Off to the store to buy lemonade stand material (markers, poster board, ice, lemons, lemonade mix), and a helium tank with balloons.

Being the first 90 degree weekend of the year (Is it really August?), we head to the pool. "Okay, I am the worst dad -- we'll do the stuff tomorrow, " I tell my children as the hot sun depletes my energy for the day.

By the way, shouldn't it be illegal to sell Chili Cheese Nachos at the pool grille? It didn't stop me from ordering them (or eating them). Too bad I spilled a little bit of the chili on the back of my swim suit. After clearing the pool, I had to explain all of this to the three life guards and manager at the Roosevelt Pool.

We do end up releasing a few balloons with our email addresses tied to them. I remember doing the something in fourth grade at Our Redeemer. One email made it all the way to Holland, or at least that's what I convinced myself of over the years.

Now we were killing dolphins with our latex balloons and ribbons, and floating our personal information to the sex offenders living under viaducts underneath the freeways. When did innocence of our youth turn into amber alerts of our adulthood? When did peanut allergies become the third most reported health issue in our schools? (Please note, 76% of all statistics are made up.)

Devin has a friend, Mia, sleep over.

Sunday
Okay, we are all set. Posters, table, balloons. We pen a couple of posters "FREE Lemonade, Only $1.00" and "Fulfill a Life Goal, By Lemonade from a Kid."

After 20 minutes, and $2 later, we are packed up, and back to the pool -- today it's 96 with humidity.

Meanwhile, Devin heads up to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for the day with her friend Julia. Here they go tubing, jet skiing, and on the way back they eat at Bob Chinn's.

Devin said that this weekend was a ten on a scale of one to ten, and that I could rip up the note (I scanned it first.).