DISCLAIMER: A huge "thank you" to Butterball for sponsoring today's post. All opinions are my own and yours may differ, because we're humans and whatnot.
Whether we like it or not, Father's Day is breathing down our necks. Soon, Dads everywhere will be begrudgingly accepting ties they don't want or need and trying to decipher the oddly shaped lump of clay little Timmy has just placed in his hands.
This year, instead of giving Dad some sub-par crap he will never use or wear, gift him your time. Yes, as cheesy as it sounds, I am suggesting you make your presence his present. Don't laugh. This has worked for me, for years.
I can almost guarantee you, if you ask a Dad what his gift was from last year, he would not remember. People don't remember gifts and material things, they remember experiences. They remember the fact that you took time out of your day to spend with them, not the money you spent on them. So instead of spending a chunk of change on an engraved golf tee he will lose or never use, why not try one (or more) of the fun ideas I have compiled below.
Being raised in the south, fishing has just always been a huge part of my life. Some of the best memories I have with my Dad were made on those early morning fishing trips. Waking up before the sun, stopping for biscuits on the way, watching, listening, learning, bonding. I never knew the patience he showed me way back then, it wasn't until I took my own kids fishing that I actually realized what it must've taken for him to not drown me on more than one occasion. Thanks, Dad.
To this day, it is still something I enjoy very much, even with my kids in tow; especially with my kids in tow. Fishing is fun, relatively inexpensive (after the initial gear purchase) and a great way to just relax and get in some good quality time. Bring a picnic lunch, some bug spray and sunscreen and make a day out of it.
On purpose. Find a trail or local greenway you've never been to before and just go exploring. Hiking is a great opportunity to talk to your Dad, catch up or maybe fix some issues you have from the past. (I'm not judging)
If hiking isn't your "thing", you could always gas up the car and take a mini road trip to somewhere you've never been. You could research places within an hour or so of your general area, or even make a weekend trip out of it. Go see the world's biggest ball of yarn or the largest cow statue in North America. Just go and have fun.
Geocaching is perfect for the Dad who loves the outdoors, but also loves his technology. It's also perfect if you have kids in tow. We have gone geocaching as a family before and everyone (except my husband, who was driving) had a blast.
If you're not familiar with geocaching, it's basically like a modern day treasure hunt using GPS. You download an app to your phone and using your GPS and pre-programmed coordinates that other users have shared, you hunt for treasures (which are usually small bubble gum machine-esque trinkets).
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Before you head out, make sure to bring trinkets of your own to leave behind, in place of the one you take. Also, please be mindful of property and nature when geocaching. Leave the area the way you found it, so others can enjoy the "thrill of the chase".
If the thought of all that fishing, hiking, road tripping and geocaching has you feeling a little bit tired, maybe you'd enjoy your day with Dad more if you just hung out together. Grab a pizza and just go sit and talk to your Dad. Look over old photo albums. Talk about some of your best childhood memories. Ask him about his childhood. Just be with him and listen.
The relationship between a grown child and their father is a very delicate one. It needs to be watered and nourished. It is often difficult to see your Dad through your new, adult eyes. He's still your hero, but you also now know he is just a human being, like you. You learn that he has feelings and a history. That his life did not begin when he had you, that he is so much more than just your Dad. If you take the time to listen, you'd be surprised what you find out about people.
The sports Dad. We all know (and love) him. He's the one who knows every word to "Rocky Top", already has his 2017-18 season pass to all the games and has more team jerseys and baseball caps than he has socks. This Dad is easy to please. Grab a case of beer, a foam finger or two and just go watch a game with him. In the comfort of your own home or at the stadium, it doesn't really matter, just do it.
If there are no games on TV worth watching, head out to your local softball field and watch the kids play, I swear there is nothing like watching a bunch of kids play ball, especially Tee ball. (I would advise against bringing the beer to the ball field)
There's nothing in the world Dads like more than eating charred meat and mayonnaise based side dishes. Trust me, I have polled many men and they always respond with the same answer... "There's nothing in the world I like more than eating charred meat and mayonnaise based side dishes."... Ok, it wasn't a scientific study and I only polled one Dad, my husband, but I digress.
Having a cookout doesn't have to be daunting task. If you can start a fire and read a thermometer, you can grill food. Even if you have zero backyard culinary experience, you can pull off an amazing cookout, with a little help from your friends at Butterball and their awesome Cookbook Plus app. The app is available on iOS or Android and is full of yummy recipes, informational videos, money saving coupons and lots of tips and tricks that will take all the stress and guesswork out of your Father's day cookout. They even have a few vegetarian recipes in there too for the non-meat eaters in the bunch. As I was perusing the app, I came across this beautiful smoked turkey breast with a chipotle rub and knew it would be perfect for a Father's day cookout. It's basically fool proof and super easy and requires little effort. See below for the full recipe.
Smoked Turkey Breast with Chipotle Rub
Ingredients: - Mesquite or hickory wood chips - 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar - 2 tablespoons ground cumin - 1 tablespoon salt - 1 tablespoon garlic powder - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika - 2 teaspoons ground chipotle pepper - 1 teaspoon chili powder - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened - 1 (5-1/2-pound) BUTTERBALL® Fresh or Frozen Whole Turkey Breast, thawed if frozen, rinsed and patted dry Directions: 1. Prepare grill for indirect cooking over medium- high heat. Soak wood chips in water at least 30 minutes. 2. Combine brown sugar, cumin, salt, garlic powder, paprika, ground chipotle and chili powder in small bowl; mix well. Place 2tablespoons spice mixture in another small bowl; mix with butter until well combined. 3. Loosen skin over breast by gently sliding hand under skin. Spread butter mixture onto breast under skin. Rub skin and cavity of turkey with remaining spice mixture. 4. Remove some wood chips from water and place chips in small aluminum tray. Place tray under grill rack directly on heat source and allow wood to begin to smolder, about 10 minutes. 5. Place turkey on grill grid. Cover; grill 1hour. Replenish wood chips after 1hour. Grill until meat thermometer reaches 170°F when inserted into thickest part of breast not touching bone. Transfer to cutting board. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
No matter what you decide to do for/with Dad this year, just do something. If Dad is out of state, you still have time to send him a card. Pick up the phone on Sunday and tell him you love him, tell him "Thank you for all the times you didn't kill me or call the cops on me when I was a jerkhole teenager" or whatever.
Dads sometimes get a bad rap, because they're men and not Moms, but I, for one, had a pretty kickass Dad. He took me fishing, taught me how to drive without killing me or cussing (too much), he always had time for me, even when he really didn't. He taught me right from wrong and he taught me how to hit a ball. He taught me that women are special and deserve to be treated as such. He taught me that marriage can last and people can work together for a common goal; love. Thanks, Dad for all you've done and all you continue to do. I love you!
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