I’m sure you will all be surprised to hear that, for Father’s Day, my husband wanted to take us all strawberry picking.

The boys 'Helping' Papa pick berries

I realized our kids were city kids when Jack was too scared of bugs to help. I wasn’t watching Ben closely because I was too busy crouched over, sweating and picking, having a new respect for the profession of strawberry pickers and vowing never to waste a single strawberry ever again, but I am pretty sure based on the red hands and face that Ben will have strawberry butt tomorrow.

What the hell am I going to do with all these?!

This year was better than last for Adam. Last year he had the unfortunate fate of his birthday falling on Father’s Day. I think I even remember going for a run in the afternoon that year which probably wasn’t very nice of me.

You’d think I would have had some residual guilt. But I married a very kind, thoughtful man. The kind of man who actually is happy just making us happy. I’m a very lucky woman.

After berry picking we ended up in Gurnee Mills. Home of the outlet mall! I’ve lived here 7 years and never managed to make it out there. The temptation was to great. After lunch I ended up once again doing something for myself – shopping for clothes while my husband took the kids to Toys R Us.

Ironically our gift to him this year was a wallet.