Happy Fathers Day Daddio :]

You Taught Me... - to say "You and I" instead of "Me and You" - to pay it forward - that if you bring your cup into Sev they give you a 'refill' discount - don't buy fads (like "skip-it", pogs, and NKOTB trading cards) - all my entrepreneur skills - don't trust car salesmen "they're scoundrels... vulchers!" - untie your shoes before you take them off, they'll last longer - don't drink your drink until dinner comes (in the days of no refills) - whistle while you work - measure twice, cut once - to love sleep - that "good enough" isn't good enough (and I'm thankful for that) - don't play baseball, you'll knock your teeth out Things about my Dad... - his favorite foods are: green peppers, tostitos and salsa, steak, candy - he loves words. crosswords get him so happy. - the best thing he ever did was choose Momma to be his girl :) - i don't know how to explain this one... my dad is fascinated by "animal adjectives". like bovine, urvine, mustiline, feline, simian,... and he tells me whenever he learns a new one. Lol, one time when he was listing them (like Bubba with all his shrimp recipes), Keith threw in "Bor-ine" and we all cracked up. - you're the cutest little boy EVER! - he's so thoughtful. whenever he finds a good deal on gas, he calls the whole family to tell us where to go :) - i'm so glad you didn't stop at Amanda and I, Kody completed our family! - he loves when i give him foot rubs - he talks on the phone with his eyes closed, or a tight squint - he works incredibly hard, and is very good at everything he does -when we were kids, one night Dad snuck away for a few hours on Christmas Eve, and set up a nice wood kitchen table & chairs at our house... and mom was mad and confused why he left on Christmas (there was some elaborate work excuse)...and when we got home, she saw the beautiful table, and was soooo happy! We were like, "Daddy, why is Mommy crying?"... we still eat all our family dinners at that table :) - this was how Dad & Momma met: They were wallflowers sitting beside eachother at a Social, and Shawn asked Sharon to scratch his back :) - he can crunch numbers in his head like nobodies business. square roots even! Ex. When Kody told us his new phone number (SEVEN digits), our dad closed his eyes for a sec and said, "thats three to the third power, and three to the fourth power, or the cubed root of 81 is 3...") lol...(and then Amanda said, ya, you're right! they're so similar) - he calls me Sweetpea and when he calls Amanda, Kody and I... we're "Peanuts, Popcorn, Crackerjacks" hehe :) - lol, the tripod story... (it appears that you're not carrying it dad ;) - when he takes a nap, i always cover him up - when Dad delivers a joke, he's usually hissing-giggles before he even gets the punch line out ;) - he usually looses 3 things while working. his hammer, tape measure, pencil. so he has multiples at the cabin so he doesn't have to look so hard ;) - i love your middlename "Jule" - i love that you look like Grandpa, it makes me feel like he's still here - i hope he wins the lottery one day. it would make him so happy :) - you always give me those silly whisker kisses... lol - it's funny & hard to believe how much coffee you drink - you once asked me "have you ever eaten so many sour soothers, that your mouth peels?" i said, no and you said "i did" - if you tell my dad "i got a haircut", his can't resist this response: "Why didn't you get them all cut?" - You worked the nightshift and had a business on the side so that Mom could be a stay-at-home-mom. And that is the greatest way you've shown your love for our family, I know that was really hard and a big sacrifice. Thank you Dad (I bet Momma's crying as she reads this... I am too Mom) my family - he loves American Idol, CSI, Poker Tv (but doesn't play it), and B movies (he always gives the dumb looking ones a chance) - he loves a good deal. like if lumbers on sale, and he saves good money, you'll hear about it ;) (i'm totally the same way, lol) - he writes everything in capitals with a bit of a slant. One time I was walking and found a list on the road. I picked it up, and could tell it was my Dads writing. Consequently, the tooth fairy had the same writing. - he's got a tough & 'logical' outer shell, but i love that he tears up to happy endings in movies - Olivia and Kennedy are the joy of his life! When they were born, he became a new person, and they are so lucky to have him as their Grandpa :) - when i was a kid, whenever I'd find a screw, nut, bolt or washer on the road...I'd bring it home for Dad. He never once said, Hunny i don't use these. He always took it and said thank you :) And I felt like I was helping him and making him happy (to save money on supplies) :) - he usually wins boardgames and likes to rub it in. bad! then he laughs when i pout. haha - we loved the toys and treehouse you built for us as kids... they were magical :) - he loves my Mom so much :) he loves her enough to give Halmark (he HATES the greeting card industry "waste of money", but my mom LOVES hallmark cards, and he picks nice ones for her) - when we were little, my Dad would stop at garage sales on his walk home from work and find really obscure things, but he thinks they'll be a nice present to give to mom. (lol, and mom dislikes used things, she's posh ;) it's so cute, he'd come home and secretly gather us kids and excitedly tell us, i got mommy something really special, lets all go give it to her, and we'd be hyped because we were so excited with him... and Mom would put on her BEST fake smile when she got a case of 50cookbooks or a cookie jar shaped like a stump with squirrels and woodland creatures crawling up it... lol. so cute! I really need to tell you the Goofy Story someday soon, but I'll save that for a blog post on it's own. It's that good. - when i was 17, the orthodontist said i need to have my jaw surgically broken and wired shut (to reposition it so my teeth would sit right)...and my parents asked me if I wanted to do it, i said NO. They then informed me that they were just trying to include me in the decision, and that I was having it done (lol, then why'd you ask?!)... so after the surgery, i looked like a character from a Dick Tracy movie and was in huge pain and healing for a few weeks... so my Dad went out and picked out a little tv and vcr for my room. He's not really a gift giver and our family lived on one income, so that was pretty special. (lol, this is a few weeks after my teeth were wired shut and i was mad at life) - you're paranoid. i remember when i was a kid, you paid me to dremel-engrave alllllll your tools with your name and social insurance number (this took days) so that if anyone ever broke into your workshop, they wouldn't want to use them, since they were labeled and they'd feel like they were gonna get caught. Which is funny cause i doubt they would have cared. - we were talking about Freckled Nest one day and you smiled and said to me, "it's amazing what good can come of a love of something" (and I felt like you totally understood me :) - you leave funny phone messages with silly voices, and i love it :) - i can be anywhere in the world, and if you whistle, i know it's you :) - i still like holding your hand :) I love you Dad! Happy Fathers day :)

23 comments:

  1. This is so sweet and wonderful, LA!!! He sounds like a beautiful person!!! You two have the same smile. ;) Happy Father's Day, LA's Dad!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. this is possibly the loveliest blog post i have ever read. to be honest, i was moved just by how much emotion and sentiment you put in, even though i don't know your dad (or you past this blog) at all! i'm sure he loves this and it made him smile much more than i did (and i smiled A LOT)

    i hope you both had a lovely day

    ReplyDelete
  3. I really liked this post. I love my daddy a lot too, so it's nice to read such nice things about someone else's. So thank you for doing it!
    :)

    -Shilo

    ReplyDelete
  4. absolutely beautiful and I am certain he will adore it more than any ole happy father's day card. So beautiful darling girl.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Momma and Papa6/21/2009 07:10:00 pm

    I told Dad that he should type a comment and we sat there balling "ME?????", I don't think I can type!!!
    BEAUTIFUL Leigh-Ann, Dad and I are both crying here. but Dad's trying to pretend that he's not.

    We love you!!!!

    Love Momma and Papa

    PS Im glade I tot ewe two right and their wur onle a fuw spelin miss steaks.?!,(not sur witch punkashun two ewes.)
    Did we embarrass you <3

    ReplyDelete
  6. such a sweet blog about your dad... i had a great dad, too. he passed away 5 years ago. i miss him a lot!

    if you want some NKOTB trading cards i can totally hook you up! my boss an i were cleaning out the school storage and she found a box that had never been opened and gave them to me! would be happy to send you some...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for the inspiration. I loved reading this. I wrote one up just like it about my dad on my blog. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, this made me tear up! What a sweet & thoughtful daughter you are -- I'm certain he is incredibly proud of you!

    (I love that picture of the two of you -- when you are just a little baby!)

    Happy Father's day to you poppa! You are a lucky girl!

    ReplyDelete
  9. ohh man leigh ann.
    i bawled.
    like ohmy gosh. i am crying while typing this, i loved this.

    ReplyDelete
  10. WOW - the effort you put into this was wonderful and you are truly blessed to have that much to say about your dad. I have to admit.. I'm jealous - I wish I could post something similar... :( BUT am sooo thankful my children WILL be able to someday. love ya!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am almost tearing up from reading this. What a sweet & sincere love you have for your Father. Not everyone is lucky enough to have amazing parents that are understanding & present. You are a lucky lady & you & your Dad are absolutely ADORABLE! Happy Father's Day to your Dad :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. LA, your Daddy stories make me smile! Thank you. I am missing my Daddy today as he passed away 15 yrs ago. I swear, though, I think that if they met they would've been fast friends! So much alike it's crazy! Do me a favor...give your Daddy a big hug from me and tell him he did a great job raising a wonderful woman!

    Leslie

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is beautiful :) You are very lucky.

    ReplyDelete
  14. wow...im not your dad...and i got all teary eyed!

    ReplyDelete
  15. aaaawwwww. this is so cute. even i cried. i cry really fast ^^

    i especially love that tooth fairy thing. and the fact, you kept the letter for so long!!!!!

    what a great family <3

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm all teary eyed now! Beautiful, Miss!

    ReplyDelete
  17. That was the sweetest tribute I have ever read, what an awesome gift to have a father like him!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. that was beautiful. I would recognize my dad's handwriting anywhere also! Brooke

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, I loved them red and green dresses on the little girls. So cute!

    ReplyDelete
  20. you mad me cry LA,you're so sweet and your dad seems the most wonderful in the world,and i am happy for you two,you have a special connection and that's amazing believe me.I love my dad with all my hearth and he does the same,but we can't ever have the special thing you two have,and that makes me sad and jealous.
    Enjoy every single moment with him,he's a precius dad.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow, LA, that is an amazing post about dad, I am totaly crying. I am going to make cinnamon buns for dad, but I think you're a hard act to follow. thanks for reminding me of all those great memories and sharing how special our dad is. I love you dad. Amanda

    ReplyDelete
  22. This was so lovely and heartwarming to experience, LA! My Dad passed away in 2006 and your blog has inspired me to make a memory book of my Dad. Thanks for sharing such an intimate part of your life. I am sure your parents are proud and touched!

    ReplyDelete
  23. oh! this post made me cry ... So much love there is in your family, and you have the most wonderful dad. Great pictures and story. My dad left when I was still a kid, so things like this post moves me :) You are so lucky to have eachother :)

    yeah! and i really love your craft, so full of love.
    you are an great inspiration :)
    Big love from VyanMica in Norway :O)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading. I now blog over at http://FreckledNest.typepad.com ...if you have any questions, please email me at LA[@]FreckledNest[.]com