The Window Display and The Young Man

Aidan- you, me, and Julia went out to dinner one night.

I parked next to the Popsicle shop in the shade so we could leave from the dessert place after dinner (and so the car would be nice and cool).

We had to walk to the restaurant and on the way, we passed a lingerie store. Complete with a big window display featuring a summer selection of the types of wares they sell at a lingerie store.

I didn't think anything of it as we passed, and neither did Julia.

But we noticed you weren't with us.

We turned around.

You had stopped dead in your tracks in front of the lingerie store window. You were smiling, mouth open, eyes blinking in amazement.

Oh no...I thought! No way!

So I did what any good Dad would do...I took out my phone.

"Oh my god!" you exclaimed...stunned at what you were seeing. "I don't believe it!"

You were frozen to the ground, just staring smilingly at the window.

"What is it, Aidan?" I asked.

And what you said made my day...made my year...I haven't laughed so hard while being so relieved and surprised in a long time. I'm still laughing about it. My co-workers loved it. Mommy thought it was hilarious.

Because you replied so earnestly about the source of your astonishment.

"Look..." you said...." a BEACH-BALL! They have a beach-ball in the store! A BEACH-BALL!"

My jaw hit the ground. 

I had to look again. Yup. There it was. A beach-ball. 

Who would have guessed?

I love your innocence and your bemusement! 

I'm not sure if you were covering your tracks or not... but let's go with 'beach-ball' for now!

And that's what we did. The tacos for dinner were great! The walk back to Popsicles went off without a hitch or a second look at the beach ball store. 

And the popsicles were sweet, just like the company!

Sweet Tooth Hotel

Your Aunt Sham is kind of a big deal in the art world here in Dallas, and she happened to score you guys (and us) some exclusive tickets to a majorly cool art installation which she contributed to. 

It's called Sweet Tooth Hotel- and your Auntie wanted to experience the candy-themed hotel with both of you by her side! 

Isn't that Sweet?

So you dressed up- one Pikachu and one Princess- and we headed downtown to check in for a sugar-induced visit to the Sweet Tooth Hotel with your Aunt!

The trip to the museum started out with you guys snoozing in the car! It was 7:30 pm and you'd already had a long Saturday!

But then we arrived downtown, met up with Aunt Sham, Yaya, and Baba, and went to check in to the Hotel!

You got special keys to unlock special surprises, and we got to explore the rooms  all by ourselves! There was even a secret room you accessed by crawling through a refrigerator door!

We checked out, and went home, with some sugar still on our tongues and minds.

The next morning, Julia, you woke up saying "I can't stop thinking about walking through that refrigerator into the stuffed animal room!"

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Leaving you guys when I have to go on a work trip or when Mommy and I have a very rare 'Grown Up Only' trip is always difficult.

In May, I did both...back to back...and preparing to leave you guys for the longest time I've ever been away from you (2 whole weeks) was very very difficult.

The days leading up to my departure were not filled with sadness, but with a smattering of the amazing, adventurous types of awesomeness you guys normally fill our lives with. It made it that much harder to leave...and a million times sweeter to come home!

The days were filled with artwork 

 ...playing outside in the beautiful spring weather..

...journeying outside in the not-so beautiful spring weather...

...and on the day of my departure...bracing for goodbye with hugs, and mementos, and selfies for the long journey ahead. 

...and even more backyard adventures....

On my way out the door, you each gave me a talisman to hold on to...to bring with me on my trip so that I could have a piece of you with me. You said if I missed you, I could just hold the rocks. I told you that when I held the rocks, you could maybe feel me hugging you.

It worked! Whenever I missed you, I held the rocks; and you said you felt my hugs!

Mommy and I had a wonderful time in Australia! And we were SO thrilled to be back with you and get back to the normal day-to-day adventures with our two favorite people 

Jokes by Julia

"What is a foot's favorite food?

 "FEET-SA!"

:) :) :)

You crack me up! I love the way your mind works!