Get out of this place.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I made a couple of trips to Ace Hardware today, picked up Gus from his sleepover at the Baileys', made some tuna salad for lunch, took a practice real estate exam, mowed the yard, went to the grocery store to get stuff to make dinner. When I got home, y'all were over at Gracie's house running through the slipping slide, so I tried to squeeze in an an Al Pacino movie, but you came in 13 minutes later. While y'all ate, I took Suki for her walk, then watered the lawn/plants before helping with the bedtime routine.

In all of that, I forgot to take a photo. Mom sent me this one from when y'all we're playing a game called Heads-Up this afternoon.

It was a long Father's Day, but I'm really glad I get to be your dad.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

We went to Konrad's birthday party this afternoon at the Leawood Pool, but ended up staying at the pool afterward -- putting in a solid five hours. Included in the party favors: new swimming goggles and a nose clip.

Today was the first time I spent a significant amount of time throwing a football to Gus as he jumped off the diving board, which is something Will and John and I spent a LOT of time doing at the Darwins' pool when we were kids.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Magnus stays home with Mom on Mondays and Fridays. Got this photo from them today.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Magnus's summer school had something called "Pops with Pop" this afternoon, and they asked dads to join them for popcorn, so I picked him up instead of Mom. Attendance was low, the vibe was bleak, but when Magnus saw me he ran over and hugged me hard for two literal minutes without letting go while another person talked to me about how much she loves him and while she talked Magnus said, "I love you, Dad," and it was the best squeeze in the world.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Will, John, and I had our annual Father's Day lunch with Monkel today. After work, I met you two and Mom at the Leawood Pool. Mom packed us a picnic dinner, we played with the Calhouns and the Baileys.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Bryan came over tonight to take a new headshot for me for a reading I've got next week. Afterward, we hung out on the porch and talked for a bit. I miss working with him every day.

Y'all are enjoying being on summer break hours. Long after our regular lights-out time, you were on the porch singing songs and running around the yard with each other.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I love watching you both play with each other and your friends, but the most profound moments I have as a father are the times when I see you alone with your own thoughts.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

After a lazy morning at the cabin, we packed up, stopped for lunch in Heber Springs, then went home to take some much-needed baths/showers.

We went to Yiayia's house to get Suki and eat dinner. Errol and I finally got around to installing a couple of security cameras cameras. Y'all got in some good front-yard soccer as well -- Yiayia was a beast on the pitch.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

This morning we woke up and drove to Mountain View to join the Calhouns at their cabin. The best part of the day was watching all you kids explore things around the creek. We spent a few hours out there until rain moved in quickly, then we went back to the cabin to play Uno and watch the NBA finals.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Tonight we had Gus's birthday party at the Jack Stephens Center. These kids went wild for two hours on the court, which was an awesome experience for them, but also for the parents, I think. We had a solid parents vs kids game -- parents won.

We brought Papa John's, and Nene made Gus the same basketball cake she made me when I celebrated my sixth birthday. Except that I only had Will & John at my party, so it was much smaller.

Gus said it was the best birthday of his life, which made me and Mom happy.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I didn't take a photo today, but Mom sent me this screenshot of Magnus from the app his summer camp shares with us. He seems to be enjoying camp, but I think he's mostly excited to be a PHE kid soon.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I had a meeting after work for a freelance writing gig I recently took on, but I made it home in time to help with the bedtime routine. Gus is at acting camp the next three weeks in Argenta.

Mom and I helped him rehearse for his audition, which was yesterday. He had to sing and read some lines. I told him he was unlikely to get a speaking part because he's never done anything like this, but lo and behold, he will be playing the role of Oaken in their production of Frozen, Jr., which means he'll have a solo singing role. I am terrified for him, but he seems willing to put in the work. This is him showing me the dance steps he learned today.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

When I got downstairs this morning, Gus was taping something to a trophy he's had forever. He'd pulled it down from the top shelf in his room. I asked him what he was doing with it.

"I'm going to give it to Magnus when he comes downstairs as a late birthday present."

That's when I noticed the thing he was taping to the front was a piece of paper that said, "Magnus."

It was very sweet.

And after Gus went to acting camp, Magnus said, "Dad, look what Gus gave me."

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Mom had Magnus's birthday presents ready on the couch this morning when he woke up. We got him a Speak & Spell just like the one I had when I was a kid, and a magician's outfit to add to the costume basket. Gus started acting camp today, and Magnus went with Mom and Yiayia to Dave & Buster's to celebrate his birthday.

For dinner, Magnus wanted Mom to make salmon, corn, and cucumbers, so that's what we had, followed by rainbow ice cream with sprinkles.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

We went to the Baileys' house around 4pm to play and hangout. Negeen made Persian food, which we all enjoyed. Mom and I were proud that you two liked your gyros. Even though it was ground beef, it looked different than you were used to.

Dad.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

We had Magnus's birthday party at the LRFD Central Fire Station today and it was an absolute ball. The fire fighters said they give a lot of tours, but this was their first full-blown party. They let the kids put on the gear, spray the fire hose, sit in their recliners, see where they sleep, sit in the trucks, etc. We ate the pirate cake Nene made, and we sent everyone home with fire-fighter themed goodie bags, which the station put together for us, though Mom added a fire extinguisher-shaped water gun. Great birthday. As we were leaving, Dr. Strong said, "Welp, thanks for setting the bar on birthday parties this year -- the rest of us are screwed."

We went home, opened some presents, relaxed for an hour, then went back to Walk-Ons for another Trojan Baseball watch party. (They lost in the Supers to Troy.)

Darla came over to hang with you two around dinner time. She took you on an adventure walk all the way to the snow cone stand. Meanwhile, we joined Aaron & Anna for a soft dinner service opening at Loca Luna.

Great day.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 6.6.2026 - 11.36am.

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Yiayia and Nene joined us to support Gus at his reading this afternoon at UA Little Rock, where he's spent the last week at Young Writers Camp with William, among other kids. This was the same classroom in the Fine Arts Building where I had my Art Appreciation class back in 2002 (?), which was kind of an impromptu full-circle moment for me. It was also cool to realize he's just spent the last week learning to write from my friend Heather Hummel.

After the reading, we went out to Walk-Ons for the Little Rock Trojan Baseball Watch Party, but we left after the third inning to run home, throw on our pool clothes, and go to the Leawood Pool for Mere Bear's birthday party.

Big day of running every which way.

Dad.