What to do for Father's Day?

It's coming up in a few short weeks....3, to be kinda precise.

This year, I really feel under the gun. Not only do I have my hubby around to pester me, my mother and stepfather are coming out to visit us that weekend too. We'll all be sharing a beach house for that Sunday, as a matter of fact.

So - TWO guys to plan something for. And while the kids will no doubt do their normal burnt eggos and milk at 6am - with handmade cards! - I'm expected to pull something off a bit more...shall we say upscale.

Which lands me here, desperately trying to think of something that will please these two guys. Here's what I've got so far; any suggestions would be welcome!

1. 1. Golf. My stepdad loves it, and would enjoy 18 or 19 holes...but hubby can barely squeak by on Wii golf. Scratch that one.





2. Ocean Fishing day trip. Pricey, but can be fun. Except if they actually catch anything, then we have to eat it that night. I'm not a fish fan, and the kids tend to turn up their noses too. Plus, if the Pacific is rough, this might be 8 hours of seasickness. Next.




3. Chinook Winds Casino time. Nice Indian casino not far from our rental house - actually sports table games, buffet, shows, etc. Both my guys like gambling of various sorts...but if one or both has a bad day, it could be a short and/or painful experience. I'm thinking no.




4. Fancy dinner out. Hmmm, what could go wrong here? Nice restaurant, 4 children, long wait for food. Don't forget the enormous check and automatic gratuity for a party of 8!





5. Ok, I'm stuck - can't even think of an option #5. Help!

Birthday Fun

Perhaps I'm insane, but I kind-of like planning kid's birthday parties.

My youngest is having her birthday party tomorrow, and we are (gasp) pretty much ready. Her initial request for a party was "Enchanted Princess" (she saw the recent movie, and loves all things princess). However, with extra family coming in and a preschool full of new friends, we decided to forego the usual at-home party this time. Instead, we're having a "Little Mermaid" (still a princess!) Pool Party. Cake, presents, and splashing kids - should be great.

One of the best parts of my kids' parties is the planning. With my husband a stay-at-home dad for now, we live on a tight budget. Most parties are at home, with a theme, games, friends - but not a lot of fancy or store-bought items. Oh, we do get the fancy napkins and plates, maybe a tablecloth or banner - but beyond that, it's usually handmade by me. And that's a lot of fun.

Admittedly, a lot of work too - not nearly as much as the post-party clean up though!

Still, I'm rather proud of my creations for previous parties. I've hand-drawn The Mystery Machine (Scooby-Doo) and Darth Vadar - both on posterboard, both later hung in the birthday-kid's room. When our youngest son turned 6, we did Jedi Training School...and I created capes for everyone out of some thrift-store salvaged sheets. Those silly things are still wandering around our house!

I've baked and decorated more cakes than I can count - but some stand out, like the Spiderman (with great webs) and the Batman car cake. Do you know how hard it is to get icing to turn dark gray? Somehow, I managed to turn a cake into a road, with grass on the sides, and plant a LARGE BatMobile on it for the birthday boy. Still patting myself on the back for that one.

This party is different...our entertainment and 'decorating' is pretty much already done - we're in a big pool after all. So what's a crafty mom to do, creative skills thwarted for once. Ahhh...the glimmering of an idea...

A Princess Theme Songs CD! iTunes, here I come - at least the computer-geek side of me is happy now.