Ryan Get Your Gun

One of my favorite television shows is "Modern Family." It is so witty and I just cannot help but laugh at these characters stupidity and eccentric views as I can hear myself delivering their lines. The writers have creatively combined all the stereotypical traits of a man and woman into these characters so that everyone can relate to the common mishaps and laugh knowing it to be 'oh so true!' They have the average family with mom Claire and dad Phil with their three kids. Then there is the gay dads who just adopted from Asia and lastly the wealthy old guy who married some big breasted beauty who speaks english as a second language and has a son from a previous marriage. They are all related and the show hops from one set to the other through their hilariously intertwined lives. There is only one downer to the show, it's only 30 minutes instead of the hour that most shows seem to take up these days.
I have a few favorite episodes but these are my top two. The first one I refer as the iPad episode. Phil Dunphy needs an iPad for his birthday so immediately I think of Ryan. The iPad is being released on his actual birthing and he says "It's like Steve Jobs and God got together to say, 'We love you, Phil.'"
Claire, his wife, sets out to make her husbands birthday wish come true but oversleeps and misses out getting ahead of the mass line ups. After Phil nearly suffers heartbreak at the thought of not getting one and thinking no one cares Claire is able to find one and makes Phils birthday wish come true as he remarks "who's ready for the first day of the rest of their lives?"
Sadly I laughed out loud at the entire episode as I pictured Ryans head in place of Phils.

I've mentioned before a little bit about how much fun the kids have when I'm not around and they are left with Ryan. We're talking movies, eating in the no-go zones and jumping on the beds. I've always seen it as I'm the boring parent they are with all day and all night and Ryan is the special parent they only get a few hours with every day so naturally they love him most. You always want more of a good thing ... right!?
Well I'd have to say one of the funnier episodes of Modern Family I've seen addressed this very issue. In the episode titled "Manny Get Your Gun" Claire and Phil were arguing about which route to take to a restaurant. In an attempt to each prove their way fastest and to keep things interesting they decide to take separate vehicles and see who gets their first. Luke, the son, walks in and asks what's going on and Claire bursts out "We're splitting up."
Luke immediately says that's he's going with his dad but Claire grabs him and pulls him away with her. In the car it comes up that Luke thought his mom and dad were divorcing when she said 'splitting up' and while explaining what she meant by 'we're splitting up' and trying to reassure her son Claire remembers that Luke wanted to go with his dad. Hurt she seeks for an explanation and realizes it's because Phil is the 'fun parent.' Trying to get Luke to her side she shares this:
"Let me let you in on a little secret Luke. When I met your dad I was fun too, but I had to give all that up because you can't have two fun parents. It's a carnival" and ends with "You know Liam? That kid who wears pyjamas to school and pays for everything with hundred dollar bills? Two fun parents, I betcha”.
Well, this is pretty much my family. Ryan is the fun parent and I'm the one that sacrifices my funness for the better good of our little family unit. *sigh* As the non-fun responsible parent in the family please tell me that I'm not the only one in this situation and in my defense; I just don't know if my kids could handle two of this: