Happy Birthday Daddy

Nothing like celebrating two holidays in one week! My dad has the unique pleasure of enjoying both his birthday and Father's Day all in the same week. And as a special present for my most favorite Daddy in the whole wide world, I thought I would share a little video I made for him a few years back.

Disclaimer: Please remember that although I work for a TV station, I'm a fundraiser--not an editor--so my apologies in advance for the jumpy video and inconsistent transitions. (I made this all by myself 13 years ago :)

Good thing it's the THOUGHT that counts!!


Happy Birthday Daddy!

A bushel and a peck

A bushel and a peck--those are the words I'd use to describe how special my dad is to me. I've always been a Daddy's Girl--always have been, always will be. And I've always known--even from the time that I was just a small child, that my daddy loved me...

I remember as a little girl when my dad took me to see the musical "Annie." I think I was about Tehani's age and I'm pretty sure my dad had tons of other things to do that would have been more enjoyable for him (oh, I don't know--like maybe getting a root canal?!?) But this Daddy Daughter Date Night is one that I'll always remember. (I should point out that this is also one of the only times I've had a "date" fall asleep--My dad kept nodding off so I had to nudge him every so often so he would stop snoring so loud :)

I remember my sophomore year in high school when my dad took me shopping for my first prom dress. I'd been asked by an upperclassman to go to the dance and I don't remember if my mom was just busy or how my dad got stuck with the task of dress shopping. I was apparently fond of green back then because we settled on a stylin' emerald green taffeta party dress--perfectly appropriate for any self-respecting 1980's teenager. The dress also earned my date the nickname of "The Frog"--My dad has a bad habit of making up nicknames for people. He had a different name for every guy that I dated through high school and college: Beady Eyes, Side-of-the Mountain Mark, No-Neck, and The Big Dummy (these are just a few of the "nicer" nicknames :)

I remember the summer before I left for college when my dad made me change a tire on my car. By myself. I'm pretty sure that it took me all afternoon. And when I was done, I had to take the spare off and put the good tire back on (it's not like we had a flat to practice with.) It was not a fun day. But when the whole thing was finished, he told me that if I ever got a flat I should just get out of the car, pop the hood and wait for someone to stop that would change it for me. (This was 20 years ago--back in the "olden days" before we had cell phones. Now if I got a flat, my other "Daddy" (aka Norm) would be gettin' the call :)

I also remember all of the other things my dad did that let me know he loved me--calling me his pretty, pretty princess, telling me that he "loved me a bushel and a peck" and everything else he did to make my childhood a wonderful and magical time.

On this Father's Day, I want my dad to know that I am STILL your pretty, pretty princess and that I love you a bushel and a peck--and more!!

Will hula for food

Here is our very own Tehani "Tahitian Hips" Tevaga showing off a few of her hula moves. Anytime there's a graduation party, luau or any other festivities of the sort, Tehani gets to put on her dancing skirt and show the natives how it's done. I'm glad to see that she was smiling in this photo (occasionally, she will "concentrate" a little too much when dancing--and forget to smile :)

Anyway, if you're ever in need of a smiling hula dancer, just let me know.

PS--Thanks to my sister Cynthia for randomly posting pics for me (so I at least have some idea of what the kiddos have been up to on their escapades across the Midwest!)

My first time

Yes, I had my very first video chat today. Can I just tell you that I love, Love, LOVE technology! Me and the hub are used to just talking to the kids on the phone when they go to visit Grandma. That is sooo last year--video chatting is the new way the Tevaga's will stay in touch from here on out!

It was cool to actually see the kids (surprisingly, they look the same as they did when they left 12 days ago) The only bad part was that it made me miss them even more. Luckily, I've only got two weeks left of class before the hub and I head out to Chicago for a visit. Till then, feel free to give us a call Skype!

PS--Thanks to my co-worker that talked me into loading Skype on my computer. And to the head of the IT Department at my parents house (Uncle Raymond :) Those of us that are technomologically challenged need all the help we can get!

Where's a pocket protector when you need it?

Though I've never actually owned a pocket protector before, I'm starting to think that perhaps I might need one. Turns out my cell phone has a bad habit of pocket dialing my sister (I want to point out that it's not my fault my cell is dialing her--my darn "smart" phone is just too smart for its own good :)

Anyway, I'd like to think that my sister has been the only victim of my Pre's oversensitive auto redial feature, but I know this is probably not the case. So as I said to Cynthia the other day after she got done yelling at me for yet another phantom call... "How do you know my pocket doesn't have something important to say?"

My apologies to the victims of my unprotected pockets :)

Are We There Yet?

Here's a pic of the roadtripsters when they left on Wednesday morning (I figured I better take a picture in case they get completely lost and we need to put out an APB to find them :)

Anyway, in talking with my mom the road trip is going great. The kids are behaving (that was the last thing I said to the kids before they left--forget the "I love you's and "I'm going to miss you." It was "You had better listen to Grandma in the car or I am going to spank you when you get home!" :) And as far as I can tell, my mother has not gotten too lost--that was the last thing I said to my mom! They visited Yellowstone on Thursday and they were about an hour away from Mt Rushmore last night so she can't be too far off course (Though I did find out last night that Kobe is the "navigator" for the trip--he's got the map with him in the back of the van and tells my mom which way to go.) I mean, how much can go wrong when you have a ten year old leading the way, right?

So if you see a van with a couple of tahitian ladies and two crazy lookin' kids, be sure to ask them..."Are we there yet!?!"