When I was younger and thought about my older self, I always wondered what I’d be like and where I’d work and who my friends would be and if I would live in a mansion with gold faucets and a laundry chute from the second floor and wear leg warmers after I turned 30.
And then I would close my eyes and imagine my future family.
I hoped they’d be silly.
And crazy.
And funny.
I imagined a big, ramshackle, creative, zany family with lots and lots of kids and pets and laughter and an understanding husband….
….who never met a dad joke he didn’t like.
A while back we headed out for an all-day family excursion.
To corral six people and picnic supplies and books and blankets and movies and bags full of snacks is an undertaking requiring extraordinary patience and fortitude.
Like herding cats.
And just when you think you have everything you need and everyone in the car….
….there’s always a weakest link.
Like the person who forgot the charger.
Or the person who ran back into the house for a hair band or the person who forgot the sunscreen or who remembered a book they wanted to read or the person who needed one more poptart for breakfast.
With each trip back into the house, I sat un-patiently in the front seat and sighed inwardly and rolled my eyes and said Hurry up through gritted teeth with an awkward smile pasted on my face and wondered why cats were so hard to herd.
And then…finally….it seemed we were almost ready.
The last person left the house. It was the poptart eater, walking up the sidewalk with a poptart in one hand and a jacket in his arms. He walked up to the car, plopped himself and his breakfast pastry on the seat and proclaimed he was ready to go.
At last.
At long last, the car pulled out of the driveway and turned down the winding road leading to the interstate. We passed the fields and the round bales of hay and the horse barn and the white fences….
….when all of a sudden I heard something from the back seat.
Giggle.
Giggle.
Giggle.
Meow.
Startled, I turned toward the back seat to see Nash, our cat, peeking out of the jacket perched on my son’s lap.
Seriously?
The cat?
What was he thinking bringing the cat in the car? Didn’t he realize a single meow would give him away.
Speechless, I turned toward my husband for moral support. I gave him a look that spoke volumes. The look. A look that said this is unacceptable and it needs to be addressed and let’s turn around and head home immediately.
My husband looked around the car and cleared his throat.
I waited patiently.
I knew he had read my look and understood.
I knew he realized this was the moment for instruction and fatherly wisdom. This was the time to step up to the plate and establish boundaries and reinforce the rules.
“No more cats in the car,” he began solemnly. And then all of a sudden he grinned and laughed, “You never know what might happen. After all….
…..it might have been a cat-astrophe.”
Dad humor. I love you to the moon and back. 🙂
PS If you want to make this DIY painted and stained sign, you can see the entire tutorial I previously posted ….here.
Lol, so did you turn around and take the cat back or let him enjoy the outing too? Love the dad joke...humor goes such a long way. My husband was very good at employing humor with our children. Still uses it on their grownup selves. Too cute.
LOL! Amidst laughter and giggles and a few more jokes....Nash went right back home. :) Happy day friend! karianne
How can you NOT love someone like that!!! And such insight!! Because if he would have given a long solemn lecture the happy mood (minus mom's irked mood) would have gone out the window. I can't help smiling and of course groaning -- cat-astrophe -- I'd be giggling too. Usually when we got ready to go it was potty break, and yes forgot this and that. One time there was so much of that going on that we got a block away before we realized we were missing one. Ooops!! There he was standing at the curb looking all forlorn. BTW- Kitties are known to run away, inquiring minds want to know, what did you do with it all day???? And I bet you are such a softie that you laughed out loud at the catastrophe.
OMG, this is hilarious! How could you possibly keep a straight "I'm mad at you" kind of face at the cat stow-away, your husband or the pop-tart eating kid? ps.. I love the sign!
I love the cat-astrophy! Life without humor would be B O R I N G. The one thing that really stood out for me when I met Mr. Cottage was his sense of humor, which he still has after so many years of marriage.
Your family makes me laugh so hard and I can totally visualize the entire situation. As one of four girls, we had many of those moments…isn't it the best when your husband's humor can change everything…just love it!!
You imagined "a big, ramshackle, creative, zany family with lots and lots of kids and pets and laughter and an understanding husband…." You got the family of your dreams. You are blessed! : )
Miz karianne.....I ADORE your family! you are one lucky woman, but hey....I'm preaching to the choir on that one, I know. You are the poster child for, Dreams really can come true.... .....sigh, I needed this little interlude of humor this morning!
hahaha! you are living my life! My husband would have cracked a bad dad joke too. Having a big family IS like trying to herd cats but every single day is an adventure and I wouldn't change it for the world....we have 5 children.
Your family sounds so fun and you sound so much like me on a Sunday morning trying to head out to church. Except last Sunday my oldest came out to the car with a pastry and suddenly my 3 year old also had to have one and we showed up in freshly pressed polo shirts with pastry stains on them and big water spots from the deluge of rain :) Oh well. God didn't make a mistake when he made kids (and husbands) so cute did He?
This might be one of the funniest things I've ever read! Love this post!
There is nooooooo way I could have kept a straight face!!!! Hilarious!!!! AND pretty sure You won the jackpot with that sweet and oh so wise... husband of yours!!!! Thank you so much for sharing this am!!!!!!
Your humor always brightens my morning and puts the day into perspective.
Hi Karianne, love the sign. I had the same as question Cecelia-lol. Have a wonderful day.
That is so funny. You never know what kids will bring. At least it wasn't a snake that you couldn't hear..LOL
Too cute! I'm not married, but I still have my father for the dad humor, of which he is absolutely stocked full of. Not sure where the secret dad joke pile is hidden, but they always seem to find it.
Yep, sounds so familiar. Cute stuff.
What I thought I would be and where I thought I would be and who I thought I would be...suffice it to say, as pretty a picture as my young self painted in my head...thank God none of that came true. And I'll bet you feel the same way, KariAnne. Dad humor. It can save the day!
I totally understand KariAnne! We're rather like the Weasleys in that respect ourselves! Cats on a picnic... I wonder how that turned out.... Karen U
Oh this makes my heart giggle.....a scene from my past , except I only had 2 children. Give you much credit with 4, and having twins at that. If it were not for a supportive husband I think I would have been in the looney bin. Growing up as a kid my Mom would always say " Wait till your Father comes home". My kids were lucky,like yours to have such a patient Dad with a sense of humor. Wish I had those virtues. Thanks for the story , the laugh and the memories. XOXO
Figured with your quirky humor, of course you had to have a pretty cool husband along with a zany family. Been there myself trying to get the family out and the struggle to get out of the driveway. I am going to let out a secret...even with the kids out of the house, we are still struggling to get out, just the two of us and who is the culprit? Both my husband and I have a share in the blame. Chuckle, loved the post and sure brought back some memories. The sign is adorable and as soon as I saw the pic, I was thinking I could use one like that on my buffet. Adding it to my to do list. Thanks Karianne for sharing.
It really is like an army manoeuvre sometimes getting a family on a road trip. Your family sound adorable- can just picture your son strolling down the drive with a pop tart in his hand! And as for your cat- they are so funny( and Dads can be as well !!) .Your posts make my day.
OMG your family does sound like a fun bunch and your son, hilarious! You are blessed to have a husband who can look at a situation and make you laugh.
Seriously, you need to write a collection of short stories. You know, stories of Decorating, DIY'S and Dirty Socks. Maybe a little memoir titled "Wearing Red Lipstick IN The Middle Of Nowhere" : ) ....just a thought.
How fun is that! Guess your son didn't want anyone to miss out! ;)
Lady - you draw me in every, single time! This was the "break for a laugh" I needed while working feverishly today! xoxo
Thank you once again for a bright cheery in my day, and a gorgeous sign to inspire! :-)
My husband's kind of humor for sure! Thanks for putting a big smile on my face. :)
KariAnne, it sounds like your "grown-up" self got her wish!! Thanks for sharing, it made me chuckle.
Heh heh heh . . . who was in more trouble, the kid or the cat?
Awwww Mom, he was only "kitten" around... :-) Sorry, I must have acquired the dad humor in my family. Thanks for the giggles--it made my day!
Love it! What fun! If you havent seen it already, EDS did a great ad on cat herding. Just google cowboys herding cats to see it on youtube. Hilarious. Enjoy your day......and hold these memories close and dear.
Thanks for the "giggle" - sometimes you just gotta go with it : )
I love that laughter is such a big part of your family's bond...this story truly did my heart good to read, so thank you for sharing it with us! You have a wonderful family, KariAnne...they are all you hoped for and more...but then, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know and it seems you got the family you deserved because you are some kind of wonderful in your own right! Love the sign...checking out the tutorial now!
Thank you for helping me end a really difficult week with a really good feeling.
Love to hear stories about how "sneaky" your kids can be and how your husband can side with your kids to make your life so much fun, all "kitten" aside.
So you were literally and figuratively herding cats! And now you are telling me that even when all the kids are older it is still like herding cats?! Sigh... I knew it!
Loved this post - isn't that just like a child. Did you take the cat with you or back to the house.? I laughed and laughed and made me remember lots of times my son and I would take little trips. Never knew what was going to happen next. But we always had lots of fun. Hope that your trip was good and everyone had lots of fun, even the cat if he went along. Hugs, Mary
Super cute. With eight kitties here that could never happen. But all eight salute the poptart eater for his spunk! It's never fun to be left behind.
Lol! Leg warmers eh??? Oh god I remember those! I think I had at least a dozen:) And somehow I just knew that by the time I would get to that pivotal moment of great wisdom in the story, that it would be profound:D Gotta love it right? Those are the moments we remember forever! Happy day friend!
Haha - great story! And great sign. I love the use of the wood stain showing through the white - one of my favorite techniques. I am co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty link party this month and would love to have you stop by for a visit. The door is open for the current party through Monday night. https://alaynascreations.co/2015/08/28/home-matters-linky-party-52/