These holidays always remind me to give thanks.  It’s not everyday that I really think about the people in my life like my mother and father and boyfriend and really take the time to appreciate all that they do for me.  It doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate them everyday, but it does mean that this is a special time to put it into words or a gift or something special to express it.

Father’s Day was yesterday and it was great to see my whole family gathered in honor of my father.  We did activities and ate food that he loves and truly spent time showing him how much we care about him and the ways that he has provided for us.  We spent time on cards and gifts to truly give thanks.

Even if Father’s Day is not the holiday for you, maybe take a minute to think about these holidays that have been created in honor of relationships.  And if you don’t want a holiday to remind you of these things, then pick another day to do something special to give thanks to the people in your life who really deserve it.

Image: pipitdapo on Flickr

Post from: Blisstree

A Reminder to Give Thanks

True, they won’t get any sweet handmade cards with stray blobs of glue and glitter from Fluffy or Fido, but they can get one in their email inbox instead!

SloppyKissCards.com is all about pet e-cards, from dogs and cats to pretty much everything in between, including ferrets, chinchillas, and even horses. You can even choose specifically what breed you want featured on the card, and several of the categories let you upload your own pet photos to use.

Of course, it doesn’t just feature Father’s Day – they have a huge range of holidays to choose from, as well as cards for birthdays, thank you’s, thinking of you, congrats, etc. They’ve pretty much got it covered!

[image: flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

Send Dad an E-card From Fluffy

Image: sxc.hu

 One of Father’s favorite picnic spots was found at the top of a cliff overlooking the Hudson River and the mid-Hudson bridge across the river from Poughkeepsie.  (We lived in a farming town 15 miles east of there.)  Father would relax in his lawn chair, enjoy his lunch, and watch the boats plying the river. 

 Mother took us children for a walk around the area.  There was a place for cars to park and trails to follow.  As the sun began dipping into the western sky, we knew it was time to pack up and drive home again.  There was always the evening milking to do, even though it was Father’s Day.  And Sunday was the hired man’s day off.

Do you have Father’s Day memories?  Are you making Father’s Day memories that you and your children will recall?

Post from: Blisstree

Dad’s Day, Picnics & Hudson River Memories

• For the dad of young children in the family.
• For grandfather…his life, achievements, and hobbies
• For uncles who play a special role in your children’s lives.
• For someone who has like a dad or grandfather in your family’s life.

What do you include?

• Photos of special events
• Photos, journal entries and memories
• Photos of an unfolding life
• Contributions from various family members

This can be a fun family project that recalls fond times and hard times and draws families closer together. 

I need to do one about my dad for family members, so children will remember him and his achievements.  I also must pull together photos and incidents from my husband’s life so our daughter and her children will know more about him.

Do you have any special projects surrounding the Dads in your life?

Post from: Blisstree

Scrapbooking for Dad

Father’s Day Motorcycle BBQ Apron
$20

This apron fits both large and small dads. It features two front pockets, including a drink holder.

Father’s Day Flaming BBQ Apron
$20

This apron features a flame print with a classic-car hot rod pocket midriff. There’s a drink holder to the side. This apron also fits dads big and small.

Image credit: Jazzy Gemini’s Shopat Etsy.com

Post from: Blisstree

Gifts For Dad: Aprons for the Griller

I think my love of berries goes back to my childhood when I used to go out with my dad and pick raspberries, strawberries, and even mulberries straight off the vine, plant, and tree. We had a great time picking, and usually ate more than we got in the pale. The berries that made it into the pale were eventually made into equally delicious desserts including pie, and fresh fruit salads.

These days whenever I go out to pick the berries I always have flashbacks to those fun memories. Maybe it’s because berry season is so close to Father’s Day and I’m thinking about dad anyway. It’s definitely fond moments I’ll treasure for the rest of my life, and one of the main reasons I still enjoy gardening today.

Image L Gerlach

Post from: Blisstree

Berry Good Memories

I’ve known Father’s Day has been coming for weeks but I failed, once again, to get a card in the mail. I think Dad would deserve more than that, but he has everything he could want….except maybe a chipmunk-catcher, and he’s constantly working on some type of contraption to keep them out of their garden. (He says he doesn’t kill them and he better be telling the truth!) So this year I jumped online (before the holiday, for once) and got my Dad a Basket of Hope from Heifer International’s online catalog.

I know he’s going to love it because Heifer is such a great organization that works to build sustainable communities by focusing on specific areas of emphasis that must be addressed to end world hunger and poverty. For example, that Basket of Hope I’m giving Dad is filled with chickens and rabbits (i.e. fast-multiplying livestock) that will be given to a struggling farmer who can then sell the rabbit’s offspring for extra income and use the eggs the chickens lay. He can also use the manure for his vegetable gardens. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving! Makes me happy, too!

Happy Father’s Day (and belated birthday), pa!

Photo, Heifer International

Post from: Blisstree

Best Father’s Day Gift Ever!

Photo:SXC

So what to do in this case? I’d ask. Turns out this recently bereaved dad wanted to go visit the cemetary and leave flowers for his father. Maybe another dad would enjoy passing something his father taught him on to his son, like how to fish, golf, or swim.

Whatever you do, don’t pretend the grieving dad isn’t thinking about his father. It may be easier and less awkward to ignore the loss, but a, “Hey, did I ever tell you about the time your dad thought he caught a monster fish and reeled in an old bike tire instead?” is a great way to show that you are thinking about him, too.

Post from: Blisstree

Father’s Day and Recently Bereaved Families

Petside.com has created a cute solution: free downloadable, printable cards from the pets for dad!

The PDF files, which include dogs or cats, download right to your computer, and from there you print it, fold it and you’re done! Each card contains a sweet greeting as well.

No ideas on how to get the pets to actually sign it — that’s entirely up to you.

[image: petside.com]

Post from: Blisstree

Father’s Day Cards from the Pets

Photo: SXC

It is a nice place to visit and a bit less overwhelming than a Renaissance Fair, so it is nice for families with small children. We’re already doing a cookout, or I think I’d be booking the Father’s Day package for my family. Whenever anyone goes, they have a lot of fun.

Post from: Blisstree

Father’s Day at Medieval Times