Still wrong on so many levels...

As a dad of daughters, I know that manly pride goes right out the window, but still...I try not to have too many embarassing photos of myself. Peter, however, just can't wait to show himself in the most unflattering light.

Well, Peter, congrats go out to you again. Somehow you make the bunny ears work.

Things I know, and Things I didn't know (Part 2)

Here's something I knew:
I am competitive and will do what needs to be done to win.

Here's something I didn't know:
That I would inflict that competitive nature on my kids.

We travelled to Minneapolis to visit some friends, right around Halloween. Sophie and Maggie had store-bought costumes so that they could trick-or-treat in the neighborhood. In fact, while we were there, the fancy commercial area (Edina) had a Halloween Festival which was happening. Spooky tractor ride, pumpkin bowling, even trick-or-treating! So, we got the kids dressed up and walked over.

Sophie and Maggie were in matching flower outfits, and did look pretty cute. When we heard there was a costume contest, we thought - hey, let's enter the kids, and see what happens. Little did the locals know that we came loaded for bear, with two matching cute kids, and four loud, shameless adults. After planted ourselves throughout the audience, we whooped it up for the "Flower Sisters", and sure enough, came in first place.

Don't believe me? They even put our picture on their website: http://www.50thandfrance.com/events/pumpkin.html

Needless to say, when we showed up for the Christmas Festival, we were not allowed to enter any contests, amidst whispers of "ringers".

Things I know, and Things I didn't know (Part 1)

Here's something I knew:
During RAGBRAI in 1993, I had a heckuva good time. One of the memories from that trip across Iowa was going off the side of the road and peeing in the corn. Maybe it wasn't the highlight, but every guy enjoys the feeling of using the side of the road as his urinal.

Here's something I didn't know:
That I would be witness to my own child having that experience 13 years later. There's Sophie, finding her zen place while watching the corn grow in the middle of Iowa.