My Childhood With My Dad

Family Search's question for June 10th was: What did you enjoy doing with your father when you were a child?

My dad was a very hands-on dad. He played with my brother and I all the time, he built us a playhouse, took us camping every summer, and sledding every winter.

We had all sorts of fun little games with my dad. When we were little and he could lift us, he would lay on the couch, hold us straight above him and fly us around singing, "on the Magic School Buuuuuuuuussssss!!!!!" We would sit on his feet and he would walk around. Over the years my dad developed a belly, and my brother and I would push on it and sing "Jelly tummy! Jelly tummy!" to the tune of Telly Tubbies.

When my parents bought our house, my dad built us a playhouse in the backyard. He designed it, bought the supplies, and built it. There are four openings: a ladder, a slide, a fire pole, and a rope. We put in a plastic table, fridge, and oven/stove/microwave set. Next to the playhouse is a swing set with two swings. When we were really little my dad would push us in the swings and get us going really high, and he would run under us. We thought that was so funny. Now Benjamin and Luna get to enjoy the play house, and my dad bought a baby swing to put on the swing set.

We went camping every summer. My dad has always had a truck for his DJ business, and that's what we took camping. The first truck that I remember had three seats, but since there were four of us, that didn't work. The bed of this truck had "benches" and my dad installed two seat belts for Michael and I to sit back there. I doubt it was legal, but it sure was fun! We always camped up American Fork Canyon, and we camped in the same spot every time. We would walk straight up the mountain and pick up fallen tree branches for firewood. My dad carried all the big ones, and Michael and I carried little ones that I doubt did anything for the fire. We just liked thinking that we were helping. My dad cooked a lot of the meals, and he put up the tent with my mom's help - and my and Michael's as we got older; but my dad was the boss of setting up the tent, we did what he told us to do. He would take us on hikes, and to a lake where we would row two blow up boats: My dad and I in one, and my mom and Michael in the other. We stopped going when Michael and I got into high school and got busy with extra curricular activities and jobs. We have gone once since Gerson and I got married, and I  would love to start taking Benjamin and Luna.

When it snowed we would go sledding on the hill that Pleasant Grove High School is on. We went to Rock Canyon Park a few times, but it was always really crowded. We went sledding at PGHS the most. When we didn't have time to drive there, my dad would pull us up and down the street in the sled. We tried doing that with Benjamin and Luna the past two Christmases, but they weren't really interested. Maybe this year.

I love my dad, and I'm so glad that I have these memories. I'm also glad that we are creating similar memories with my kids, they love their Papa so much!