On Father’s Day, we thought it would be fun to finally give our hubbies their due. So in typical Smarty fashion, today we share with you some stories, laughter and admiration for our husbands and all that they do.
Jen P’s Hubby, Randy
We were all lucky enough to get a glimpse of how fabulous my man is during his blogging week on May 25th . I know, I know, I am one lucky chica! Here are just a few things about Randy as a dad and hubby that make me laugh, cry and just plain drop my jaw in awe:
-Randy still scoops our cat litterbox even 8 years after our first pregnancy (you know, the baby might catch some sort of cat scratch fever virus or something, right?!) and he doesn’t even like cats, even though ours are 20 lb. cat-dogs!
-Randy has no rhythm whatsoever but he is not afraid to bust a move with the kids during our weekly dance party bashes in the living room.
-He sets up tents every weekend and the lets the girls “camp out” often after a marshmallow roast outside.
-He loves coaching soccer for the girls’ teams – not sure how he is going to juggle three teams at once when the boys enter the soccer world!
-He requires minimal effort with meal planning – he would be just as happy with a can of peas than with a surf and turf. His motto is if we can get it all done with one pan and very little clean-up, then that was the best meal of the week. You see, Randy would rather stick needles in his eyes than clean the kitchen or eat out at a restaurant. Food is a source of energy for him, not an indulgence, unlike myself:-)
-Randy has a love of outdoors and gardening thanks to his super Smarty mama and he is passing that on to our children.
-Randy WANTS to spend time with his children. This is not something that I ever have to ask him to do – he just does. So since our oldest was born, his golf game has taken a serious beating and his fishing trips are pretty much nonexistent. But he doesn’t seem to mind one bit.
-But my favorite, favorite thing that I witness every single night is at 6p when our door alarm jingles and everyone screams “Daddy’s home – wahooo!!” As annoying as it is for him having four little monkeys jockeying for position and attention, it really is a beautiful thing to just sit back and admire.
-I also asked my rugrats what some of their favorite things about their daddy are: Ansley says “daddy is nice and takes her to the woods to catch salamanders and native plants (to replant in our yard of course;-)” Isabel says “she loves when daddy wrestles with her and lays down with her at nighttime and reads books.” Owen & Walker couldn’t sit still long enough to answer the question but my guess would be they love mowing the lawn with daddy, playing in his car and breaking all of his hi-tech gadgets including his rear-view mirror, and playing wrestlemania!
Thank you, Randy for being you, we love you and Happy Father’s Day!
Ashley’s Hubby, Marcus H.
Nothing but the Smartiest of Father’s Day wishes for my beloved husband, Marcus! I could not have picked a better companion to journey life with, and what an unbelievable father to our twins!! He takes great joy in living the lighter side of life through all his pranks he pulls (apologies to all of you that have fallen victim to them) and his Elaine-ish (think Seinfeld) dance moves are freakishly funny to us all. He can lay hardwood floors, grill a mean dinner, change an oil filter, mop the floors (twice), can peppers like no one’s business, girlie-wrap a gift, read a book and get the twins through the day…alive. Yes, ladies, he’s my “Marcus Stewart”, as I affectionately like to call him, and I’m so thankful and proud we are a family. And while we will never agree on the true merit of banana sandwiches with mayo and not peanut butter, or the fact that Sundays belong to the NFL, I love you all the same babe. Thank you for your unwavering support of all my dreams, it allows me to think that having it all IS possible and encourages me to at least try. What matters most is the fact that you are such a good person, this Earth is a little better because of it. You are the greatest gift I could have ever given myself and my children. Happy Father’s Day.
Jenny’s Hubby, Brent D.
I couldn’t ask for a better friend, more supportive husband and wonderful father of my two girls. Brent is a great ying to my yang. I like to fix up the house, paint, do minor home improvement projects. He prefers to cook and has been known to mop the floors everyone once in a while. Brent shares a ton of the responsibilities that it takes to run our house which is a blessing as a working mom. He goes to the grocery store more often than I do and always takes Zoe with him. She loves going with him. He teaches her about food and how to cook. She even told me the other day that Harris Teeter was her favorite store! Brent loves spending time with his girls and I love seeing the look in his eyes as he admires them from afar. Brent works extremely hard for our family, but it seems to be well worth it when the girls yell DADDY when he comes through the door at the end of a business trip.
I asked Zoe what makes her dad the best dad in the world and she shared the following:
He cooks the best dinners, he’s nice, he’s fun, he drives fast and listens to music very loud, he gives the best bedtime snuggles and he gives the best tickle tortures. I know that Annie would second all of her sister’s thoughts if she could talk. She would also add that he gives her the pacifier anytime she wants it (unlike her mother who is trying to wean her off of it!). He is such a sucker for his girls.
Brent, I look forward to the girls acquiring some of your wonderful traits such as your love of music, amazing cooking skills, obsession with the Panthers/NFL, and your stunning good looks! I love how much you love us and show us everyday. Happy Father’s Day. All of our love, Jenny, Zoe and Annie.
Courtenay’s Hubby, Robert W.
What we love about Robert W.? He has a great sense of humor and no matter the situation can always make me laugh. After 12 years he still makes me feel like I’m the only girl in the room. As a dad, I love how he doesn’t just fix things, he lets the children help. Impressive when your kids know all the names of the tools and will always bring you the right one. He shares his passions with the children; Robert loves all things water and has taught our children how to fish, swim, go crabbing and how to catch their own bait. Some of my favorite pictures are of three little heads surrounding his, looking at the latest catch. He has special nicknames for all the kids that only he can use. If I ever try to use one of the nicknames I am told “only daddy can call me that”. I make fun of him for being obsessive about taking care of things like his car and the way he dusts it off, but I have grown to appreciate how our kids have learned by example and take care of their things. The favorite storyreader at bedtime is daddy and when I asked the kids what their favorite thing about dad is they all yelled “He takes us to the pool!” Can you tell what we have been doing lately? I am a very lucky girl to be married to someone who still makes my heart go pitter pat and whose favorite part of the day is when he walks through the door to his family. Happy Fathers Day, we love you very much!
Dana’s Hubby, Reid R.
His first task as Super Dad was keep this whacko mamma in line throughout our pregnancy and when we were in the NICU with the boys for 3 months. I was an emotional wreck but Reid was a rock. He was unbelievably supportive and I can never thank him enough for that. He would work extremely long days at work and then we would be at the hospital until 11 that night. Then repeat all over again for 12 weeks. He never once complained about anything. Although, I think he is still trying to catch up for lost sleep due to his uncanny ability to fall asleep at any given time or place.
– We have no family in town so we have really had to rely on each other for help. Therefore, it is incredibly comforting to be able to leave for a day and know the kids couldn’t be in better hands. Even when BOTH boys come down with rotovirus.
– I love Reid for keeping me in check. I tend to be a bit more high strung than him so we even each other out. This is particularly true with issues regarding the kids.
– The boys love their daddy so much and vice versa. It seems like yesterday when I think of the day we found out the sex of one of the boys at our ultrasound appointment. We were told that one of the twins was a boy. It was the funniest thing to see Reid practically jump up in the air and do the Michael Jordan celebration jive.
– After a long day, it is always a warm welcome to have Reid walk in the door for their daily game of hide and seek, and tickle monster.
Reid, thank you for being a fabulous father, best friend and husband. Thank you for your selfless actions and providing for our family. Even though we get can get caught up in the daily grind, know that you are loved, respected and admired more than we can could ever begin to tell you. Happy Father’s Day!
Tracy’s Hubby, Matt S.
The man behind this mom can be described as tall, dark and handsome,
but to me he is so much more! First of all he is funny, and carries
that humor over to our kids. He can get them to laugh like nobody
else can … typically during a wrestle-mania match on the bed where
everyone surfaces with hair everywhere and faces flushed from laughing
so hard. Second, Matt is a task-sharer. As a working mom, I
constantly struggle to prioritize and get things done. Matt laughs at
my perpetual to-do lists for a single day that would more
realistically take weeks to accomplish. But he is always ready to
hang out with the kids on a Saturday afternoon so I can go run errands
or even sneak in a pedicure. And beyond that, we totally share the
day-to-day household activities from cooking dinner, doing dishes (he
is an expert on this one … or so I thought until I found the melted
ice scooper in the dishwasher this morning!), laundry, yard work, etc.
Matt is also our family historian. He developed an enthusiasm for
photography and his best subjects are Jake, Ryanne and myself! I am
constantly amazed by his ability to capture the moment and LOVE all
the great pictures we’ll have for years and years to come. Finally,
he is passionate … whether it’s planning something special for the
family, mastering his photography hobby, or the love he shows for his
kids, Matt attacks all these things with zealous. I’ve never seen
such raw emotion from him until we had kids and I find that so sweet
and endearing. Happy Father’s Day, sweetie! Thanks for being who you
are and such an integral part of our amazing family!
We wish all of the Smarty Dads out there a very a Happy Father’s Day!
