Dad's turn. It's actually not "Father's Day" here in Germany. That was back on "Himmelfahrt" in Mai and is celebrated entirely differently, in my opinion. But, we're American and all so we are celebrating J today.
What is something Dad always says to you? "I love you." He mostly says that a lot. "I love you." Um, "You need to do your homework."
What makes Dad happy? When we do stuff the right things just like you want us to do. When I get 100% right on my test. Me.
What makes Dad sad? When we don't behave good. When I'm talking in my baby voice. Um, when I say 'no' to him.
How does Dad make you laugh? When he does funny jokes. Whenever he talks in his funny voices. By tickling the fire out of me.
What was Dad like as a kid? In a fun place like you. But what was he like? He was sometimes a bit naughty. He was...funny. Because he did a lot of crazy stuff. Naughty naughty.
How old is Dad? I don't know. 3.
You think you're 5 and he's 3? I thought you meant when he was a kid. Something with a 2...22? Is it 22? 42 years old. 42
How tall is Dad? Short. Small. One foot taller than me.
What is Dad's favorite thing to do? Play with us. Play music. Play the guitar.
What does Dad do when you're not around? Does stuff that's grown up stuff. Goes to work. Go to work.
If Dad become famous, what will it be for? A satellite person. Playing a bunch of music. A band.
What is Dad really good at? Making me feel better with jokes. Making people laugh. Playing the guitar.
What is Dad not very good at? Combing my hair. Playing video games. Teaching me my English.
Really? He's okay...'cause he wasn't very good and I couldn't understand him in homeschool so good. I couldn't understand what he meant. He was better in math.
What is Dad's job? Satellite worker. Making satellite images and taking care of us. Making maps.
What is Dad's favorite food? Uhhhh, seafood? Spaghetti? Spaghetti. Cereal. I can't remember the name...it's the yellow stuff that looks like yellow...it's yellow and the flat cylinder that you put in those (mimes the shape)... Polenta? Yeah! Polenta.
What makes you proud of Dad? When he likes to do stuff for us. Whenever he does good. That he helps our family be healthy.
If Dad was a cartoon character, who would he be? Tigger. Donald. Donald Duck.
What do you and Dad do together? Play Horsey. We play together. Wrestle.
How are you and Dad the same? Because he understands the games that I like now. We're both funny. I'm short and tiny. I have brown-green eyes like Dad. I'm a boy. We both like God. We both like Atari games. And hmmmm, it's so hard...
That's enough.
How are you and Dad different? Because he doesn't have matching dresses like me and you. I mean, matching t-shirts like me and you have dresses.
He's tall and I'm small.
He doesn't know Marvel very well. He knows more about DC than Marvel. Ummm, he doesn't like to play Minecraft. Ummm....heeeee...what are we on again? He doesn't ask for anything for Christmas. Um, yeah.
How do you know Dad loves you? Because Jesus said to love everyone. That's a good one. Because he takes good care of me. Because he takes care of me. He takes me to school. He picks me up sometimes. He lets me go on Amazon. Um, he does cool stuff for me like if I do good on my test he'd get me enough money for the watch I want. And he said he'd try a sweet that has dairy even though he's a vegan because I made it he'll try.
What does Dad love most about me (Mom)? That you love him. Heloves dates with you. Dat you pretty. You like music like Dad. Mmm hmmm.
What do I (Mom) love most about Dad? That he loves you. Hugs and kisses. That he's really good at music and he's unique.
Where is Dad's favorite place to go? Indian restaurants. To Indian food places. Um, here.
Home? Yeah. And he likes to do this on the couch (lays down) 'Ahhhhh.'
Marvelous Mountains
Mountains are lovely in Colorado especially at sun set. Go for a hike and have a picnic and take some pics and selfies. Head down the mountain and smell the fresh sent of evergreen trees.
Super Ski Slopes
Explore the open air of the frosty mountains as you fly. Grab your gear and dash right on into your freedom. Do whatever you want and have a great time.
Camping's Cool
Experience wild life by spending the night with all the amazing things in nature. Build a fire to keep warm and to have light. When you wake up and make breakfast, one example is pancakes. They taste really good.
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Lovely Wild Life
Check out the wild life and see amazing animals big and small. They come in all shapes and sizes. Raccoons: keep an eye on them because they like to steel. Bears: don't be scared! If they see you some can be very nice and if they see you and start approaching, stand still! Owls, Dear, Moos, and lots more.
Fabulous Foods
Be sure to try some foods. Here are some examples: chocolate chip cookies, hamburgers and hot dogs. There are different types of hamburgers. Some have cheese mustered lettuce. Now hotdogs have mustered ketchup and some times mayonnaise.
Super Sports
One super famous sport in the USA is football or American football like the NFL national football league. Some teams are the Broncos, Saints, Chargers, Patriots, Vikings, and Colts. Two teams are playing on the field. One team is offense and the other team is defense.
(I'm not sure if this was the end. I know he said he wasn't finished as it was being turned into a brochure and he was adding pictures and such. He's funny. I should have him write one to persuade all of you to visit Berlin. ;) )
On Facebook today, someone posted an interview with her kids with the exact same questions that I'd asked Easton more than 6 years ago (those are two separate links, if you care). But anyway, it made me want to ask them again.... all of the kids this time. So I did--each kid separately-- and here's what they had to say:
Interview with Dalton, age 8
1. What is something I always say to you? "Stop playing on your iPod. You always tell me to stop playing on my iPod."
2. What makes me happy? "Giving you presents and...you know...surprises. That always makes you smile."
3. What makes me sad? "When I throw my lunchbox." (That's not even the right kid for this!)
4. How do I make you laugh? "By singing a funny song."
5. What was I like as a kid? "You were a good listener."
6. How old am I? "You're 36."
7. How tall am I? "Very tall."
8. What is my favorite thing to do? "Hang out with your kids."
9. What do I do when you're not around? "Watch things on your computer."
You think I just watch TV all day when you're not here!?
"No, you do groceries and get ready for the next day." (Nice save.)
10. If I become famous, what will it be for? "An awesome great mom you're being."
11. What am I really good at? "Making sandwiches."
12. What am I not very good at? (looking around trying to think of something)"Breaking sandwiches, just kidding, you're good at a lot of things so I don't know what you're not good at. Oh. You're not good at playing with me."
(This leads to a breakdown in tears on his part and discussions of why it often seems like that--I have them for so few waking hours on weekdays and I have to start dinner as soon as I get them from school, eat, homework, showers.... :( --and examples of when I do--mostly weekends-- but so wish we could play more and it broke my heart that he was so sad.)
13. What is my job? "Being a good mom."
14. What is my favorite food? "Parfaits."
15. What makes you proud of me? "Making good food."
16. If I were a cartoon character, who would I be? "Hmmm, who do you act like? I know! I'm just thinking of a good......Oh! Phineas and Ferb's mom!!"
17. What do you and I do together? "We sit together."
18. How are you and I the same? "We both like sandwiches."
19. How are you and I different? "We don't both go to school."
20. How do you know I love you? "Because you take good care of me."
21. What do I love most about Dad? "He married you and had children."
22. Where is my favorite place to go? "To Kaiser's."
23. How old was I when I had you? "Is that a question? What happens if I get it wrong? I would say when I was born you were not that old...because you're not very old right now."
Interview with Easton, age 10 1. What is something I always say to you? "Uhhhhhmmmmm, 'Eassie!' wait no...I'm trying to think....'Hi, Poo Head!'" (I do say this, actually.)
2. What makes me happy? "Me"
3. What makes me sad? "Me. Ha ha ha."
4. How do I make you laugh? "By letting us watch funny videos."
5. What was I like as a kid? "Responsible, smart, look after things...."
6. How old am I? "36?"
7. How tall am I? "Um, let me see...you're as tall as my bunk bed."
8. What is my favorite thing to do? "Facebook."
9. What do I do when you're not around? "Go shopping."
10. If I become famous, what will it be for? "Uh me? Wait no, me or you? The best babysitter. No, not that. What are you typing? Being the best mom ever."
(I tell him this was also Dalton's answer...he thinks that's super fun.)
11. What am I really good at? "Typing and making food...cutting my hair! You are good at brushing my teeth when you do it...cleaning my clothes, making my bed when I don't make it. Pretty much everything you do around here."
12. What am I not very good at?
"Ummmm...(hides behind hands blushing and squealing)I don't want to hurt your feelings...climbing. You're not very good at not being afraid of heights...as in: you're afraid of heights."
13. What is my job? "Taking care of your family."
14. What is my favorite food? "Parfait."
15. What makes you proud of me? "That you had me as a baby, that you take care of me."
16. If I were a cartoon character, who would I be? "The mama bear from Bears."
That's not a cartoon character.
"Oh, sorry, you're funny, you're good at making things, you're tall and you're smart so you would be...maybe...Lucy from Despicable Me."
17. What do you and I do together? "Mainly talk."
18. How are you and I the same? "I don't want to offend you... um, we're both alike 'cause we're skinny?"
How were you going to offend me?
"Because I said you were skinny."
Anything else? That doesn't offend me.
(But see how it can be confusing if you shouldn't really say someone is 'fat', even if they are.)
"We both have kinda have brown hair 'cause you're a little bit blonde and mine's a little be red, you...ummm...I'm thinking about genes...that made me think of jeans: how I hate jeans."
Oh. Save that for the next question.
"We're both funny and I'm not the most smart, though."
You think I am?
"Yeah"
You're super smart.
"We both like summer? And we both like to go swimming but you just sit in the pool, why don't you ever go in?"
I do!
"Oh yeah, sometimes, it's only because of your make up and your hair, although Daddy doesn't have to worry about any of that....we both like to stay in our pajamas all day, yeah."
19. How are you and I different? I hate jeans and you like jeans. And I'm --I'm gonna offend you again--I'm a good climber and you're not so good. You're afraid of heights and I'm not. I like meat and you don't. Ummmm, did you type 'ummmm'? You just wrote 'did you type ummm?!!!' Ha ha ha ha ha!!! You typed 'Ha ha ha ha ha' didn't you? What were we on again? Differences? Okay. Ummm, I'm a loon and you're not. Well, you are funny but you're not like crazy looney whoo hoo weee hooo. Um, I have a brother and you don't. Wait can you put in 'both alike' that we both have little sisters? I almost died and you didn't."
I did. That's why they had to take you out of me: so I wouldn't die.
"Oh. then take that out. But back in the likes put 'we both love God.' I don't like to wear, like, pants that bug me, and I like casual pants. Let's just call it that I'm picky and you're not. July's picky about her food. And you don't wear goggles all around the house like me. And you don't like to do crazy experiments like me. Because today we invented an invention we had a bunch of ropes, and got a bunch of people and we got in a circle, and we put it around our waists like, here Mama (gestures to his waist), and we pulled people up with ropes."
20. How do you know I love you? "Because you take care of me, do things for me like make my bed, make my clothes all clean, have me as a baby so you can love me, play, well, not so much..."
You don't think I play either?
"Well you do but sometimes you think my games are too rough. You pack my lunch, take me to school, brush my hair, make me my food, you do fun things with me like go to the movies together and yeah."
21. What do I love most about Dad? "I don't know. Did you type that?" (giggle giggle)"I know what you're typing! I haven't said anything about that! Blah blah blah et cetera et cetera et cetera" (he actually said those exact words and laughed hysterically) "You're typing those!?!? (more laughing) Why did you marry Daddy? That's my main question. You just typed that. Let me think. Can't decide." (points at me). "So, 'what do you like the most about Daddy?'"
Love the most.
"He married you and he spends time with you and does special things for you and yeah."
22. Where is my favorite place to go? "Disneyland"
23. How old was I when I had you? "Let's see....26." (Nailed it!)
Interview with Autumn, age 5 3/4
Hi Mama, I'm ready.
1. What is something I always say to you? "Hmm, that's a tricky one....uhhhh...'Tschüßie, Goosey!'"
2. What makes me happy? "Me doing good stuff. Me being nice... that makes you happy, right?"
3. What makes me sad? "When I don't do the right stuff. I do the opposite of right."
4. How do I make you laugh? "Tickle me in the pits! That's how it makes me laugh."
5. What was I like as a kid? "I don't know this question. I really don't."
(I re-explain.)
"Living in a house with 3 orphans. Nooooo, living in a giant mansion with a giant dad and a giant mom ... uh huh, that's what I think."
6. How old am I? "That's hard! I don't know. 53?"
How old's Daddy?
"Something with a 2."
7. How tall am I? "Mmmmm, very long like..."(runs her hand from my head to my toes) "...that long. You look short when you're like that."(laying on bed)
8. What is my favorite thing to do? "Snuggle us."
9. What do I do when you're not around? "Sit around sad. Type on your computer."
10. If I become famous, what will it be for? "Singing!!"
11. What am I really good at? "Snuggling. Snuggling, okay?! Next!"
12. What am I not very good at? "That's a hard one. Ummm, chewing on your toe?"
13. What is my job? "Bake cookies and take care of us and bake cookies all day. Next!"
14. What is my favorite food? "This is easy: Parfait. Right? Next!"
15. What makes you proud of me? "Mmm, when you bake us cookies and take care of us when we're sad."
16. If I were a cartoon character, who would I be? "Princess Leia. Pocahontas. Pocahontas, Mama. She is a cartoon."
17. What do you and I do together? "Snore on each other."
Snore?!
"Yeah. Never mind, not that one. Hang out. Hang out with each other and talk about snakes this morning. Yep, that's what you hang around with."
18. How are you and I the same? "Hmmm, we used to have dresses that match. Next."
19. How are you and I different? "Because I have long hair and you have short hair."
My hair is longer than yours.
"But mine will get longer. We're different because your hair's longer and my hair's shorter."
20. How do you know I love you? "Because God told you to love everyone even if they make bad mistakes...that stuff?"
21. What do I love most about Dad? "He always talks to you and has a lovah hubba hubba kiss. Hee hee! Next!"
22. Where is my favorite place to go? "Parfait restaurants...the baklava restaurant?"
23. How old was I when I had you? "70 meters and 100? No...1. 15. No...89. 80. okay?"
