Father's Day

This year on Father's Day Chris would be alone at home while the kids and I would be in Vacaville attending my cousin Matt's wedding. So knowing that we had to make him feel extra special since we deserted him on this important and often milked holiday, we devised a plan. I had my friend Alysa take pictures of the kids holding up the letters to the word "DAD" (Ainsley being the exclamation point) and framed them for his office.
We called him on his special day, which to be honest I think he enjoyed as it was quiet, and sent him on a scavenger hunt to find his gifts. His clues led him up and down the stairs and from room to room while the kids listened to his every move on speaker phone. One of his clues for example:
"Sure it's not Brazil with a washboard and a rock,
But in this room there's a machine that will wash every last sock."
The kids hid his gifts that they made in their classrooms, he got some new shoes, clothes and sundry items but then his last clue led him to the framed photos hidden in the piano bench. He loved it. They loved the anticipation.

They also recorded a Hallmark Father's Day card for him before they left so he could hear their voices. Aubrey sang in a soulful way "Happy Father's Day", Walker said it clearly and nicely, Maverick yelled it in his scratchy little voice, and Ainsley, well, Ainsley just breathed heavily but Chris understood what she meant. The kids thoroughly enjoyed making such a production for their dad and clearly love him to pieces.
I think despite our absence that he understood how much the kids love him, Aubrey thinks he tells the funniest jokes, Walker waits for him to come home to help him with his video games, Maverick loves to climb on him and Ainsley dances and runs to the door yelling "Daddeeee!" when he comes home.
Chris thinks I brainwash them to do these things, but they know they're all pretty lucky to have a father like him.