Beware Chucky!

Once upon a time Miss Sassypants came to my parents’ house to stay overnight. In the room where she was supposed to stay she discovered something she didn’t like. She moved the “creepy doll” as she called him to the other side of the room.

And thus began a joke she couldn’t have anticipated.

As a side note, this doll doesn’t actually belong at my parents’ house; he was supposed to go home some time ago, but never did, so really his true owner brought the joke on herself. And there’s a very simple way to fix it.

When I came home last year, it started becoming a joke between my dad and me to hide the doll in random places for the other to find. It started small and has grown since then. Oh, and the doll gained a name too, Chucky.

When I went home for Christmas this time, the Chucky hiding reached to a new level. It all started when I came into my room on Christmas Day and found Chucky and the brand new doll my mom bought for the kids, Big Baby, in my bed. I wish I would’ve taken a picture, but I forgot.

It continued throughout the week. On Monday, Chucky took a nap with my dad.

On Tuesday, he was waiting in the van when my dad left to go work in the temple at 4:30 a.m . . . that one was probably my favorite. Then when I got back from Zumba on Thursday night, I discovered Chucky had tried to stow away in my gym bag!

Then he did the unforgivable!

He stole my poor frog! And the whole night I just thought he had fallen off the bed somewhere. Silly me!

Chucky decided to try out Dad’s breathing machine and to wear his pajama bottoms.

Unfortunately this poor creepy doll has now lost one of his hands. So, we decided to help him get a replacement one.

One of the funniest parts of this whole story? A very sweet someone took a liking to the doll and started hauling him around with her new friend, Big Baby. The way she says his name is just darling too, “Chu-chee.” It made me almost be okay with holding him while we played games.

Aren’t dads great? I sure think so.

Still My Dad :)

If any of you have met my dad, you know that one of his favorite past times is to tease anybody and everybody in range. He delights in giving someone a hard time, particularly his children. In fact, whenever one of my friends called during my teenage years (this was in the days before cell phones! and, yes, I am showing my age in saying that, but it wasn't all that long ago), after calling me to answer the phone, my dad always used to tell the caller, "you'll have to wait a sec so she can get off the couch from cuddling with her boyfriend." If I could insert a rolling eye emoticon here, I totally would. Now, I think such comments are funny, but as a boyfriendless teenager, I was mortified.

These funny little snippets didn't just come to me--they pretty much came to all my siblings. Teasing is an inherent part of my father and how he shows his love for his children. (Yes, I know that last line was quite mushy, but just bear with me.) I thought I was never going to live it down when my dad, in reference to my final time with my boyfriend my freshman year of college, told my roommates, "We know how it was--we were young and frisky once."

And yesterday I discovered that even though I am an adult now, my dad still likes to tease me. Should I really be surprised? I think not. :)

We were riding the elevator down to the parking garage and ended up with a group of four other people. It was a little unexpected because the doors had closed even though the elevator hadn't started moving yet. When I pushed the button, the elevator door popped up, but the doors started closing before we could get in. I'd stuck out my hand to stop the door from closing, even though it didn't work, but the people inside had pushed the button to open the door.

We get into the elevator and are riding down when my dad turns to the people inside and quips, "You have to be careful with Tammy because she struggles with doors. Just ask her about how she got stuck on TRAX."

I wasn't offended in the least by this comment. I just laughed and realized I may be older now, but my dad is still very much my dad.