There Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues...(unless you have kids)

June was horrible. What a crappy month. Ever notice that when you need something so bad, it becomes harder to capture? Why is that? I think it's God's way of saying "nothing comes easy - EVER." Whatever. It's one of those things. So much of my business at work is church related (I know - Jewish guy financing church organs) and churches take the summers off from purchasing items. They get busy with daycamp and things and my business goes in the pooper. Happens every year. July is usually a good bounceback month so I am expecting big things this month.

When things are bad at work and you come home depressed it's good to have kids. Kids could care less about work. All they know is that Daddy is coming home and they are happy. Hannah's first word was "Elijah" but the only word she uses these days is "daddy." She says it in the most beautiful, sweet voice I have ever heard. "Daddy daddy daddy daddy." When I walk in the house from the garage after work she is in the kitchen eating dinner and she hears me and her hands start flapping and she starts giggling. Then she hears me and it's "DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY." "Hannah, how was your day today?" "DADDY DADDY DADDY." "Did you play with the other children?" "DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY." "Did you eat a good lunch?" "DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY." "You know, I had a REALLY bad day at work and I wasn't happy today." "DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY!" and everything is good again.....

The other day at my mom's for dinner, we are all sitting around the table eating my Aunt's famous meatloaf. Elijah does not touch the stuff - sticking to his usual chicken nuggets. Deb offers him meatloaf and he says, "No thanks. Meatloaf sucks." That's my boy.

One thing about Deb taking the kids everyday now is that I don't get to ride with them in the morning anymore. It's better for me for work because I get there earlier and leave later but I miss my Breakfast With the Beatles at 7am with Elijah. Now he's watching Rescue Heroes at 7am with Mommy and I am by myself singing "Maxwells Silver Hammer."

Elijah started camp this week though and he LOVES IT. Bus 37 is the chant as he gets on and he sits next to Molly every day. So far in THREE days, he's done karate, nature, music, hockey, science, swimming lessons (twice per day), arts and crafts, soccer, Little Gym and, of course, LUNCH. We knew lunch would be a problem because it takes him 2 hours to eat it. He's been eating peanut butter on white bread because he does not like camp's jelly. He didn't eat pizza bagels yesterday because they are not like HIS pizza bagels. So...he had peanut butter on white bread. "THREE bites daddy. Then I was done." I think he's anorexic.

This is Deb's favorite time of the year - JULY 4th. We are going to the fireworks Phillies game tonight with my sister. Elijah won't go to fireworks because the "noise bodders me." "You can cover your ears and not hear it, Elijah." "NO - I don't like fireworks - they're scary." So we are taking sister.

OH YEAH - those pictures I promised....don't have 'em yet. I keep forgetting to post them from home!!! I'll try to remember this weekend. ANYWAY - back to work to make it a better month. Until next time I remain...

dad