Caroline perspective

I picked up Caroline from dance on my way home from work yesterday. Its always nice to have one-on-one time with any of my kids so I usually shut the radio off and we talk about things.

So I asked her what she thought Bella and Drew were doing at home with mom.

"Well, Bella is probably being good, watching tv or something," Caroline said, "Drew is probably going crazy because he's pretty much a meatball."

McDonald's

For the last two weeks the kids have been begging me to take them to McDonald's. Now I like me a Big Mac as much as the next guy but McDonald's is a place I usually try to avoid.

This trip to McDonald's I was assured by Bella and Caroline was special. They had some little pet shop toy or something in the happy meal. And Drew could get a boy toy, a Transformer beep beep. And, the promotion ended today I was told. So, off we went to McDonald's.

Daina was working so we went through the ritual we always go through before we get to McDonald's. The kids have three choices to make. Cheeseburger or Chicken Nuggets, french fries or apple dippers, white or chocolate milk. They made their choices and we were well prepared. Now typically I am a drive through man, but tonight they wanted to go inside McDonald's. Love the atmosphere there, great mood lighting, clean floor, tables so clean they sparkle. I caved and we went in.

Orders were placed, a booth by the window right next to the Red Box was selected. Back at the table with a tray full of food; packets of ketchup to open, open my toy, open my milk, I'll do my own straw, open my apples, open my caramel, I need more dip dip, I need a napkin, where are my nuggets, no Drew, that's my toy, you got a Transformer, and on and on. Once everyone was set there was more playing with the toys than actual eating going on.

An old friend of mine's father used to tell us at the dinner table. "Less talking. More eating." It was a good line and I realized that by using it I had become that guy. That father that wanted nothing more than a little peace and quiet over a meal, even if it was McDonald's. The kids were good, just excited and eventually ate their meal with a little begging from Dad.

As we ate I asked them how they knew the toys weren't going to be there tomorrow. That the "promotion ending" today seemed like way too much information for a five and seven year old to be losing sleep over. Bella told me, "We saw it on the TV, the TV told us." I just laughed and ate the rest of my now cold food. And yeah, we had to get a Red Box video for the kids. A Hannah Montana DVD filled the evening entertainment bill, and lucky for me, you and the rest of us, there were no McDonald's videos in the previews.

The Smoothie

On Sunday, my mom who was visiting from Miami and I took the girls to the Des Moines Arts Festival. At some point during our time there the kids wanted a snack. I found a portable ATM machine which while portable, was also out of order. A glance into my wallet revealed all of $6. So I said to the kids, "I have $6, how about a smoothie?" They were game.

The guy at the smoothie booth (if there is such a thing) said smoothies were $6 each. I had to pause and consider the ramifications of buying one smoothie and having a 7 and 5 year old argue over whose turn it was for a sip. I declined.

"Girls, lets get something else. I am not going to spend $6 on a smoothie" I said, which was greeted by some whining, ah mans, and other unpleasantries. There groans were eliminated when I suggested ice cream. The ice cream booth (if there is such a thing) offered a variety of choices. Everything from $1, $1.50, $2 and $3. They both wanted Dove bars which were of course, $3 each. Their faces covered in chocolate proved that this was a successful turn of events.

Last night, the kids received a birthday package, in which, Bella and Caroline each received $20. As we sat in the backyard enjoying the kiddie pool, Bella and Caroline discussed the many ways in which they could spend their $20. We talked about the Arts Festival and what they liked the most about it. Doing arts and crafts topped the list, as did the Dove Bars. We talked how we could go again next year, and every year for that matter.

Bella says, "Dad, if I still have my $20 next year, can I buy a smoothie at the Art Festival? To which Caroline replied, "A smoothie? You want to spend your twenty dollars on a freaking smoothie?"

Marshmallows for Breakfast.

My buddy Gene and I took our kids, (his one, my three) to Jester Park, which is a campground north of Des Moines and not completely flooded by the flood of 2008. We showed up at about 5 p.m. on Saturday night. We were well prepared for the trip with the exception of mental stability and capacity to manage children who had never camped before.

Its amazing what you can get away with when Mom's aren't around. This would include popsicles, marshmallows cereal and bacon for breakfast, and smores after hot dogs for dinner. Caroline only had to pee every 20 minutes which was a drive, and Drew didn't really settle down and stop antagonizing his sisters until about 11. Nemo was watched in the tent by all four kids, and all was well for about 10 minute intervals until someone would hit someone else and then there would be crying and threats from Gene and I about no marshmallows for breakfast. Dads never fulfill these kinds of threats. It would be more painful for us not to give them marshmallows for breakfast. The idea that we, simple men, could get away with giving them marshmallows for breakfast, something mom's would not allow, either made us feel cool or like unsupervised children ourselves.

We secured a spot just overlooking the river with plenty of shade. No rain, about a 65 degree night. Could not have been any better. After the kids went to bed, Gene and I had some beers and just sat by the fire. We both agreed that while this was a good time, we both could have handled having some moms around.

6 a.m. came pretty quickly, and the children alerted the rest of the campground at about 6:02 that it was time to wake up and seize the day. We were packed up and home by 8:30 a.m. Looking forward to a nap and for the chance to take them camping again.