On today's episode of Life with Dye: Sarah learns the fling, Henry eats a frog, and Justin gets some very unique gifts

The last two weeks my kids had a class everyday at the highschool for the city's arts festival. I signed Sarah up for a Scottish dancing class and Henry did the edible story art class. Sarah had a rough first day since Scottish dancing is nothing like the kind of dancing she is used to (ie, prancing around the living room to Let it Go). She thought she was the only girl that didn't get it but believe me, she was not. By the end of the second day, she was memorizing the counts which made it easier to practice at home and overall had more fun.

I just love how she gives her full attention to things. She's never that kid goofing around, complaining, or sitting down. She puts her whole heart into it. I'm starting to see a perfectionist and insecure side coming out so I'll have to help her with that. I kept telling her she's doing this for fun and to learn something new. No one cares if she does it wrong or doesn't get it the first time.

Henry was reluctant all morning of the first day until he walked in and saw playdough. Every day after that I barely got a good-bye from him before he announced, "I'm here!" to his teacher.  I am quite relieved since this was a trial run for preschool in the fall. I am having a love/hate relationship with that milestone. Look past the teen engrossed in her phone and you'll see him.

His class was basically reading stories and making snacks that went along with the characters. Pretty much the perfect thing for a 4-year-old boy. They made cute stuff like pig bagels and apple slice race cars, biscuit dough pigeons and elephant popsicles. You know, all the things I should be doing with my kids according to Pinterest. Well now I don't have to.

Erica spent that hour every day eating cereal and grapes and wandering the halls with me.

On Friday, the last day, they had a performance that evening for all the dance classes. Corey and Nadine came too.

 Sarah did so well! She's super cute and is all about Scottish dancing now. She pretty much shows anyone that will sit still long enough (and even if they won't).

Here's a video of one of the dances, Mom and Dad.

 Father's Day! Here's the yearly photo. Sarah was pouting inside during the first part.

 I finally guilted her into coming out but then Henry pouted that she took his spot.

I asked the kids if they had any ideas for a present for their dad. Henry said he wanted to get him his own guitar so he could be a rockstar but when I told him that cost too much money, he thought a rootbeer sucker would be good. By Friday when I took Henry to the grocery store, he had settled on buying Justin "his own big bottle of spicy juice (soda) and his own sack of tomatoes." He was serious. He also picked out some chips, avacado, and candy bars. Pretty much anytime he wanted something and I said no he'd say "But I want to get it for Dad for Father's Day."

 He also got two bottles of rootbeer "in case Dad runs out he can share the other bottle with me." What I love most is that rootbeer is Henry's favorite, not Justin's.

Sarah made him a shield. He also got a marinade injector to season meats on the inside and seasoning shakers to season meats on the outside before putting them in his smoker which flavors meats with smoke while it cooks them.

The Ways in Which Justin is a Superb Father and a Better Parent than I

1. He makes breakfast when he's home. I never do. The kids think it's such a treat. (Okay, once I did make French toast and Henry said to Sarah, "Do you know Mom knows how to make French toast too? Just like Dad?!") My kids love eggs and anything that syrup is poured onto so this earns Justin tons of points around here.
2. He wants his kids with him when he does things he enjoys. Fishing? Bring the kids. Hiking? Bring the kids, they'll love it. Go looking for deer? The kids need to learn. While doing my idea of fun things requires me to be away from my kids, Justin sees it the opposite. The result? The kids love what dad loves and they are pretty well-rounded kids. How many 6-year-old girls set their alarms so they can go fish with dad on Saturday morning?
3. He creates chaos. My kids are at that age where the louder and rowdier, the better. I disagree. Justin agrees with them. He loves wrestling and getting them all sweaty and wound up right before bedtime. They try to get me to join in but I always say I don't wrestle, I just give hugs.
4. He can say things better than I. If my kids need correcting on a certain matter, say, Sarah wants to quite dance after the first day because she thinks it's too hard, I can tell her all day long that she did great, she doesn't need to worry, tomorrow will be better. Sarah doesn't hear me and stresses and frets. Justin comes home and after hearing her fears says something simple like, "Well you're taking the class to learn. Everyone is. If you already knew how to do it, we wouldn't have signed you up." Then just like that, Sarah's faith in herself is restored.
5. He has a Daylight Doughnut punch card.
6. It's a rare treat to ride in his car.
7. No one is stronger or taller than Dad.
8. He can get them to eat anything. This mostly works with Sarah because she's more mature. But if there's a new food at dinner, he'll say, "I'm trading treats for bites" so if Sarah eats a bite of a new food, she gets a treat. She has to give it a thumbs up or down sign too.
9. Henry always chooses Justin at bedtime. If I say it's my turn, he'll say, "you got me last night" even if I haven't had him for a week. Erica will always choose me so that makes me feel better.
10.  Every morning, the kids want to know what day it is, if it's a work day, and if Justin has to work the upcoming Friday (sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't). Henry takes this a step further and asks what he wore to work that day so he can match. "Was Dad wearing jeans? Did he have on a striped shirt?"