What makes a dad......

What makes a dad ……
Any man can be a father but it takes a real man to be a dad.
I have been blessed with a father and a husband who are dads. They’re the first to admit they were not perfect, but then who is? The flip side is they stuck it out in spite of the trials and tribulations along the way.
This blogger's list on what makes a man a real dad:

One who works hard to provide medical and everyday expenses .
Patching his own shoes and wearing clothes for years in order to see to it there were little extras in life.
Trips to the local fair and bringing home bags of penny candy.
Sugar bread (when mom clearly stated no sugar bread during dinner).
Sled rides even though it was after dear old dad spent hours shoveling the stuff
That special Christmas gift that you just knew would not be under the tree (because it was too expensive) yet it mysteriously appeared and dad was beaming with pride.

Making fudge and potato candy (while mom was shopping and clearly stated, Don’t make a mess while I’m gone)

Scooping new fallen snow to make ice cream in the middle of winter

Dragging out the wooden ice cream bucket on a hot summer Sunday to make homemade ice cream

Never scolding when a child "helped" weed the garden and was pulling carrots instead of the weeds.

Attending "funeral processions" of childhood pets and informing the buddies who were helping to put on a new roof to remove their hats during the "funeral."

Trying in desperation to find a new kitten for a little girl who couldn't stop mourning.
Deer hunting and knowing oh-so-well the young girl in tow would chatter too much and upon seeing the graceful creature squealed, “Oh look, look! A deer, a deer!.”

Attending dance recitals, school concerts, ball games, art exhibits, Science Fairs and bursting with pride through it all.
Getting up at 4 am to work a 12 hour day in order to make it in time for the football game to get a glimpse of the son/daughter’s band performance

Horse shows (and I won't even begin to list the work involved with those)
Boy Scouts and many memorable camping trips (including the one in an ice storm when mom clearly stated NO camping and dad responded with “we’re making men of them." At the age of 10 yrs? -_-)

Taking scrap lumber and building an A-Frame fort with the boys
Teaching driving skills and handing over the keys to the car with confidence (can’t say as much about mom's confidence)
Never saying a word when a certain teen driver (ahem) accidently drove right through the brand new garage door
Teaching sons and daughters how to change the oil and a tire.
Tolerating way too many vehicles parked in the driveway (because a certain son found a “good” deal)
Encouraging the sons to get a trade along with their degree because one never knows when they may need a trade in life (to pay for those “good” deals)

Emphasizing the need for a good education (because he didn’t want his kids to work as hard as he has in life)
Attending each and every graduation with pride.

Life goes on and these men in my life continue to be good role models. Each and every event and each moment spent with these men was a time to learn and a time to cherish. Whether or not others appreciate the sacrifices remains to be seen. I for one, am very blessed to have these men in my life. :-)
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Cars

Enjoy this post, particularly as you scroll down and read about Mr. Bettis's choice for Chan, The Knight & the fur-girls.

Hubby spent the hottest weekend of this year at a car show. My dad has a show car and he's been wanting to attend one of his shows.
I don't know much about older vehicles but they seem to have enjoyed the show.









He's driving it off the car trailer.













Here it is, spit shined and ready to go.
It's 1959 Italian made Bianchina. It has bells and whistles (and I'm not exaggerating, it really has a bell and a whistle horns). It is also a convertible. There were only 1500 of these made between 1959 - 1962. It's a 2 cylinder and gets 75 mpg. I'd say this was the first "smart car."








It never takes long for a crowd to form around this little car. Which means dad has found someone new to talk about the car:).











Some of the trophies that dad has won at the shows.

While at the car show hubby got to thinking about Chan and her search for a car. Then he got to thinking about her fur-girls riding in style.

So pictures were taken for Chan to consider as vehicle choices. Mr. Bettis has seen the pics and has given a lot of input. Keep in mind these cars do not have air conditioning but Miss Sissy could hang her head out the window with her ears blowing in the wind with style.

This is Car #1. Mr. Bettis thought it had a sleek look and gave it 3 paws.

This is Car #2. A nice Bel Air. The color choice is good and there's a large back seat. Mr. Bettis gave this 4 paws.

This is truck #1. Mr. Bettis was a bit concerned about seating for the fur-girls and only gave it 2 paws.

This cadillac had everything and I do mean everything. Loaded to perfection. Mr. Bettis thought Miss Sissy would love the convertible and he knows she and her sister would need special seating. But he thought this was perfect for Sissy's ears blowing in the wind. He gave this 5 paws until he saw the following truck.

He gave this truck 5+ paws. The front was perfect for Chan and the Knight. It is red for the fire department and just look at the little truck for the fur-girls. Couldn't you just see Sissy and Gretchen in the little truck? Perfect!

So go ahead, comment and feel free to pick your choice for Miss Sissy and Miss Gretchen. You can choose for Chan and the Knight but Mr. Bettis says it really isn't about them but all about the fur-girls:). Sorry, Chan.