Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. We have almost made it to the middle of June. If we blink too many times, the summer will be over. With this being Father’s Day weekend, I hope you can spend quality time with the dad in your life–your own, father-in-law, foster dad, godfather, or any other capacity. Whether it’s a family barbecue, a Sunday baseball game, or other events, let the fathers in your life know how much they mean to you.
Happy Birthday to all of you who turned a year older this past week. Our daughter, Olivia, will be twenty-one on Sunday. And our oldest son, Spencer, will be twenty-eight on Tuesday. And Happy Anniversary to you and your loved one for reaching another milestone year together.
Quote of the Week: “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me.” Jim Valvano
Joke of the Week: Why did Dad bring a ladder to the barbecue? Because he heard the steaks were high.
Song of the Week: I have always had an eclectic music style…a little bit of country, pop, instrumental movie themes, etc. Back in 2006, Rodney Atkins released a whimsical song, “Watching You,” about the way children act (the good things and the bad ones) from watching their parents. From treating people and animals with kindness to the accidental slip-up on words they should not repeat, children see everything. When my brother was four years old, he wanted to dress exactly like our father, right down to the Brut cologne.
Nugget of Wisdom of the Week: To all the fathers on Father’s Day, I want to say thank you for all the things you do for your families. It takes a lot of effort to not only go to work but to earn money to pay for food, clothing, and shelter. But it’s also a meaningful job when you use the sum of your experience, the good and the bad, to shape the minds and hearts of the children entrusted to you.
Just as it is with mothers, it is crucial to be present in the lives of your children. That doesn’t mean just being in the same room as them. It means that you take an active interest in the things that matter to your children. I’m not saying that you must drop everything and attend every game, concert, or other event. Just make sure to spend time caring about the activities your children care about. Be the hands-on father children deserve.
Recipe of the Week: I am making a dessert for a baby shower this weekend, so I found my homemade sugar cookie recipe from my childhood.
What you’ll need:
2/3 cup shortening-Crisco is the best
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp grated orange peel (gives it that extra special taste)
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
4 tsp milk
2 cups of sifted flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Cream the shortening, sugar, and orange peel together until mixed. Add the vanilla extract, followed by the egg. Beat until fluffy. Stir in the milk. Next, sift in the dry ingredients, stirring the mixture until dough forms. Divide the dough in half and refrigerate for one hour. When you bake the dough, be sure to preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out into 1/8-inch dough. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the cookies have the desired color and texture.
Shout Out of the Week: This week, I want to give a shout-out to all the fathers out there doing their best to take care of their families. Thank you for getting up early to head to work and staying up late to help with homework. You really do make a difference!
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent and lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She is a freelance writer and blogger, having written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.