Great story!
So, their anniversary rolled around and they took me up on the offer.
We had a great time that night.
About every 15 or 20 minutes, my friends would call, checking up. My buddy's wife is the nervous sort. She actually thought her kids would test me. (I have caused and still cause plenty of gray hair. 5 or 6 little kids ain't going to intimidate me :)
So...I get a call later in the evening. They're done with dinner and should be home in about 20 minutes.
So...I have the kids get their moms clothes line and a hand towel.
I then tied the towel around my head and gagged myself and then wrapped the clothes line around my hands and had the kids tie my feet.
When my buddy and his wife came in everybody had a great laugh. But it did take Julie about 5 seconds to realize it was actually staged.
To this day the kids ask if I remember that night. And the oldest is now 20.
That was a great night.
One other time, I went over with a carton of ice cream and a box of Rice Crispies.
Had some kids crush the Rice Crispies in a bag, had some others making ice cream balls with an ice cream scoop and had the older kids crack some eggs for an egg wash.
We then made fried ice cream.
One night, I was over and we sat down to watch a movie. Hannah, the youngest was pretty shy with everyone. Even around grandma and grandpa.
So we're sitting there as the movie is starting and Hannah, who is about 4 at this time, comes over and climbs right up into my lap. Julie, her mom, almost fell out of her chair in disbelief.
IIRC Hannah is about 11 or 12 now. The oldest are 20,19 and 18.
9 kids.
9 good kids.
Though technically the oldests aren't kids anymore.
Still...they're all growing up fine. (I just hope they can stay that way)