Father's Day With the Best Father in the Universe

No really, he is.  At least, that is what our next-door neighbor calls him because she and her husband watch Joel play outside with the kids every day.  Little do they know that he plays with the kids inside every day as well!  But I do.  So when someone tells me how lucky I am that Joel is such a great father, which happens often, I smile and say I try my best to remember it.

Needless to say, Father's Day was a very fun day for us.  Everett had helped me pick out Joel's presents.  Ashley and Everett both were anticipating this day for weeks.

On Sunday morning when I woke Ashley up, I told her that Father's Day was finally here.

"YEAH!"  she exclaimed, "and then it will be Ashley's Day and then Everett's Day and then William's Day!"

We made Joel's dream breakfast of french toast and bacon.  The kids carefully helped me load it up on a tray, which Everett painstakingly carried up the stairs and into his father's room.  Ashley took care of the orange juice.

Both were very proud that they did not spill "even one little crumb!"

We three sat down to eat our servings and Joel came down to join us.  "I want to eat breakfast with my family," he said.

So he did.

The real treat was that we had stake conference, and even though it was a bit of a drive, we didn't have to leave until after our Church meetings usually start.  Plus, Joel was home all morning and helped me get the kids ready (this is more like a Mother's Day present but who's counting?).

After church, lunch, and naps, it was time for presents!  Everett and Ashley were thrilled that it was finally time.

So we blindfolded Joel,

brought him outside,

and the kids revealed the presents.

Water guns for all!

But the kids quickly learned that whoever has the biggest gun wins.

Then they all came inside and we revealed the final present:

Thank you, nerf.  Joel has been wanting one of these ever since Everett got a marshmallow-shooting bow for his birthday.

First up: target practice.  These are the unfortunate victims.  I probably would have chosen something non-human-like, but oh well.

Ashley was amazed with the nerf gun.

After lining each other up against the front window and taking shots to see who could land a dart the closest without actually hitting the victim, the wars began.

Everett used his bow, and Joel used his nerf gun.

The best thing about the whole arrangement is that Joel ran out of ammo faster than Everett, who had twenty shots.  If the marshmallows got eaten, we got out some more.  

Holding Joel's fallen ammo hostage upped the ante a little bit as well.

It was a fun afternoon.  We finished with dinner and calls to grandparents.

We love our Joel and are so glad he is the father of this family.  We couldn't ask for a better man for the job.  Thank you!