This weekend I want to celebrate all the dads out there, you guys are the best! Most importantly I want to tell you about three special dads in my life and share some stories and old pictures that are so dear to me. So go grab your cuppa or your glass of wine and enjoy!

First up I want to wish my dad, Neville, a Happy Father's Day. He lives on the east coast so we won't see him this weekend but we will FaceTime him which is the next best thing. My dad will be turning 71 later this year and has overcome many obstacles and faced many demons in his life to get to where he is now, personally, physically and mentally. It took hard work, commitment and perswrverance but I do believe he is finally living his best life. i'm so proud of him and all he has overcome! He's also a great Grampie to our boys and they have a close relationship despite the physical distance. He and our youngest share a love of all things outdoors - fishing and hunting, my boys all keep in touch with their Grampie by text and always look forward to his visits up here or our treks to the east coast. Before we bought our place up north we spent two weeks every summer down east and the kids LIVED for those trips! So many great memories and those trips played a huge part in building the relationships the kids have with their extended family down east. Oh and I mustn't forget to mention that he and my husband are a match made in heaven in the son-law/father-in-law department, they have a lot of laughs and their Leafs versus Habs rivalry is second to none! (those are hockey teams for those who don't know).

Despite a few blips an the radar i've always been very close to my dad and feel we are a lot alike. I definitely get my quick wit and sense of humour from him and my work ethics. He is one of the hardest working men I know and enjoys the simple things in life, his dog, his long walks, fishing and being at one with nature. He loves to read both books and every newspaper he can get his hands on, simple things make him happy. We could all learn a lot from my dad and the ups and downs he's lived and overcome. One of the most important lessons i've learned from my dad is to leave the past in the past and keep moving forward, live life one day at a time, enjoy the simple things because life is short. Love ya Dad, can't wait to see you this summer.

Next up on my top 3 dad list is my father-in-law, Wullie. I was blessed to have a great father-in-law who sadly, passed away back in 2010. He was as Scottish as Scottish can be! He was so incredibly sweet and kind to me from the first moment Alan took me home to meet his parents 26 years ago. He would do anything for you and I mean anything. Anyone who knew him would agree he was one of the best story tellers EVER! The stories may not always have been 100% true but they were funny as hell! If you were lucky enough to have ever spent any time with my father-in-law then you would have heard a story or two and probably left wondering "could that really have happened?"

He was also an animal lover, a great guitar player and singer, he even sang at our wedding, a memory we will cherish forever. We still reminisce about his stories and adventures and always, always remember him with a smile on our face.

He was the best Grandad to our boys, he never missed a hockey game, he picked them up for weekly adventures to the Dollarstore where the boys would inevitably come home with toy guns (which they were not allowed to have...house rule), and their Grandad would say "I told you two your mother wouldn't be happy"! He also took them on trips to the carwash (where they would return with a missing windshield wiper) and brought them up north many many weekends until we had our own place up here. He would be so incredibly proud of his grandsons and all they have accomplished and become. And I know my husband misses his dad greatly, he was a huge presence in all our lives and there will always be a void that just can't be filled. Happy Father's Day in Heaven Wullie, we miss you so much.

And last but certainly not least is my husband Alan who is such a great dad and husband. I knew before we had our boys that Alan was a great dad because he already had a son, James, who was two years old when we met. James always came first with Alan and his time with him was treasured. James was 7 years old and a great big brother when our first son, Connor was born in 1996 and again 4 years later when Thomas came along. I have pages upon pages of pictures of Alan on the floor with the boys at various ages, playing and reading. Sunday mornings were always a special time for Alan and the boys (whether it was just James at first, then Connor and James and then James, Connor and Thomas). In the spring and summer it was bike rides with baby seats and trips to the park. In the winter it was early morning trips to Tim's or to his parents with the kids and then early morning hockey games. Whatever the season or the weather, Sunday mornings were their special times. Of course that all changed when the kids get older but I do believe they will always hold those memories close. And those memories are just a drop in the bucket of all the fun and happy times we've had as a family.

Alan is like his dad in the sense that he is funny and a great story teller. His sense of humour and quick wit are two of the things I love most about him. He is also so caring and supportive and reminds me often to not sweat the small stuff, and trust me, I need those reminders on the daily! He is smart, he is a very hard worker, he is compassionate, understanding and always looks out for the underdog.

Alan has also been my rock through my MS diagnosis and other health struggles. I honestly don't know how I would have managed without him. He supports me in all that I do. He's the positivity to my worrying, he's the calm to my storm, he's the right to my left, my best friend and my soulmate. All things that I hope our boys see and learn and take with them into their lives, especially when they become husbands and fathers themselves ones day. They certainly couldn't ask for a better role model. Happy Father's Day Alan, I love you so much xo

And finally to all the other great men in my life, (some dads, some are like dads), my brother, Alan's brother, my uncles, my cousins, our best friends, our special friends, you all know who you are. Thank you for impacting our lives and especially our boys lives, it means more than you all know. Happy Father's Day to you all.

Michele xo