Give my regards to...

...a sweaty, ABC gum-covered auditorium in Parsippany, New Jersey.

After 9 months in tap/ballet Brooklyn's long-awaited performance had arrived. Roughly a thousand bucks and 40 trips to class ended with a bunch of parents pulling themselves away from the couch to don their best mustard-stained WWE paraphernalia and watch kids lunge about a creaky high school stage for 2 hours. Anticipation hung in the air, palpable like Brut cologne, which also hung in the air since 50% of the Fathers kept an extra bottle in the glove compartment of the Fiero for 'special occasions'.

Brooklyn's class, a gaggle of Pre-K giggling girls, tap-danced to Annie's 'You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile'. It was really cute, but lasted all of 80 seconds. 80 fetching seconds - here, take my money.

In all seriousness, it was a cute performance and the girl in the middle really was the best. ;)

It's what you wear from ear to ear, and not from head to toe...

That matters...

Sheree recently told Bear "we'll water the plants tomorrow, tomorrow" - to which he replied "I luv ya, tomorrow...", attempting to complete the Annie ditty.

At Brooklyn's practice recital the week before the performance, here is Braden looking mad because he spent the day in a sort of all-day rolling time-out. This kid really can flip the switch from "ruly" to "unruly" to "beyond Thunderdome" in a matter of minutes.

Instead of using his words to let us know he's done with the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, he thinks it's just hi-larious to dump the bowl on his head. Actually, he thinks any mess that someone else has to clean up is hilarious.

Brittiny and I have Birthdays a week apart, so Nano

blesses our house with the Twin Abes come June. Wow, another Bday.

But I don't need Nano's thoughtful fin to realize that I am old.

The other day I spent 20 minutes looking for the Icy Hot, then proceeded to blame my prolonged search on the kids having 'gotten into my stuff'.

Who does that sound like, Dad???