Father’s Day: Part 1

For Father’s Day this year, we actually have a PLAN for Catholic Hubs/Dad thanks to the swanky survey we created especially for him to fill out. The Father’s Day Survey consists of selections for all kinds of meal choices and events, complete with little check boxes next to each item. Not only that, but we even put that convenient “other” option with a blank line next to it for many of the selections just in case our options weren’t up to snuff. Then with CH’s completed survey, we set out to achieve all of his requests over the weekend. Aren’t we amazing? I know!

So here’s what happened today, the first half of Father’s Day weekend:

• Shopping, Dad-Dude Style: With a Sports Authority gift card burning a hole in Hub’s wallet, we took him to the shopping center where he bought a few workout duds. But shopping didn’t end there, oh no. Best Buy and Books-a-Million beckoned from the curb for us to bring Hubs inside for a little more perusing, for Dad of course. Ok, so I walked out with a BAM membership for future savings, but I had good intentions.
• Lunch at Subway: This seems to be a recurring Saturday event , so who were we to keep Hubs away from a usual favorite? We’d never do such a thing. The menu: toasted Italian Herb/Cheese turkey footlong (split between Hubs & me), pepperoni & cheese 6-inch on white (CG), ham/turkey/white American cheese on wheat (CS) all complete with Lay’s BBQ chips on the side with carbonated beverages.
• Pool Time & Mowing: Hubs wanted to mow the lawn this weekend, so I took the CK’s to the pool for a couple of hours as a way to keep people busy. The weather was perfect for both: a little overcast and free of rain showers. I even snuck in some reading time while checking out the over-abundance of tattooed people swimming at the pool. How fun is that?
• Mass, Frozen Yogurt, Barnes & Noble: Next, we took CH to mass where Father Chi bestowed a Father’s Day blessing on Hubs and all of the other dads in attendance. So nice to have our weekly obligation out of the way on Saturday so we can sleep in on Sunday. Then we headed over to TCBY and treated CH to a cup of chocolate frozen yogurt topped with Heath bar crumbs, while the CK’s slurped down strawberry smoothies and I savored a cup of white chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and Lactaid on the side. Then finally, because it was nearby and why the heck not, we visited Barnes & Noble where I left without buying a single book for myself. Miracles do happen.

Next: Day #2, Sunday (6/21), the OFFICIAL Father’s Day

Junk in the Trunk

This week’s Gospel reading during mass generated quite a buzz in the Catholic Family, which means more blogging material to share with my favorite blog readers. Yay for that!

Yesterday Father C delivered The Parable of the Wedding Banquet ever so eloquently, at least as smooth as any priest who happens to be a Nigerian native, but we got the point. Father then proceeded to explain several ways in which we, as parishioners, are expected to join in the banquet feast as members of the Catholic Community. One of these ways caused us all to sit up a little straighter in our pews and became the source of our buzz as we ventured home after mass:

• Me: You know, I liked the way Father C gave that ‘lil tongue lashing about dressing appropriately for mass. Some folks really need to clean up their act.
• CS: He said people were dressed HALF NAKED, Mom! Who’s doing that?
• Hubs: I think Father was referring to girls who wear tank tops and short-shorts. People aren’t really half naked during mass.
• Me: And he mentioned t-shirts with offensive words. I’ve seen some of those, and they really are distracting. What are the parents thinking in letting teens wear that kind of thing to mass?
• CG: Yeah, that one guy with the long hair. He wears t-shirts like that.
• Me (quietly to Hubs): Reminds me of that school function we went to last week. This mom-chick had all kinds of cracks on display. Absolutely no. shame. whatsoever.
• CS & CG (from backseat in unison): I saw her! She was so DISGUSTING!!!
• Me: Ok then. So much for thinking only adults notice that stuff… great.

So, wow. Not only must we appear as rude Americans to folks visiting the USA, but we also look like disrespectful parishioners at church. It’s always the bad peeps who ruin it for everyone else, isn’t it?

I’m officially moving to Italy.