"It's OK. UNI won't make it through the next round."

Not saying I could EVER sympathize with Hitler, I'm just saying I can definitely relate...

Class. Act.

This pretty much speaks for itself. While we're still reeling from KU's disappointing exit from the Big Dance, we're 'Pulling for Pullen' and his *gulp* 'Cats. Fear the Beard! Go State! And all that.

Have you ever let sub-contractors into your house and ask if there is anything else you can do for them right before they start to take out the old counter tops and then have one of them say, "Sure. You can take 'em out!" But you misunderstand the 'em for 'him' and stammer out, 'Oh! Well. I, uh, I'm not sure my husband would go for that. It's been well over 12 years since I've taken anybody out!' Then the sub-contractor looks at you all confused and you swear you hear crickets chirping?

Yeah...me neither.

*sigh*

Happy Birthday, Mom!

All alone with a house full of men

Yes. The reno has begun. There are about 5 men milling around the place, cursing under their breath, setting off the smoke alarm and making otherwise unrecognizable noises that I am pretending to ignore. Except for one. While I was surfin' the net, as one gentlemen behind me was fixing a crack, I heard a CRACK! then a BONNNNNNNNGGG! Don't know what it was. Haven't looked back behind me to find out. Not sure I even want to know. And while I know that this house is full of quirks and oddities (read: short-cuts) that the previous owners felt appropriate to include in the building and/or remodeling, I'm not sure I can handle hearing 'professionals' point them out uncensored and candidly with each other. Hello? I'm right here! Do you not know how neurotic this will make me now? Or how much I'll obsess about it and lay awake at night wondering if they were serious or not? And if this kid says, 'Wow, that drill is really fast' one more time, I swear I'm gonna...never mind. Poor Lydia. She's freakin' out, man. FREAKIN' OUT! Her toys and couches are covered up. And we couldn't find 'Kitty' or 'Sheep' for nap time. If she even falls asleep, it'll be a miracle itself. I'm not so sure I'm the stay-in-the-house-while-the-contractor-and-his-minions-do-the-job-to-keep-an-eye-on-things type. Now, I know that at any given time, my house looks like a bomb went off. But the thing is, it is my bomb or my kids' bomb, and I can easily detonate or diffuse it at a moments notice, whatever the circumstance calls for. A contractor's mess amidst the normal everyday mess at the Dennis Home is something all together different. Now I'm wishing I had put away some of my 'unmentionables' in the master bath. I'm hoping Lydia is up for a reeeeeeaaaaally long walk outside in a minute. Gotta get out of this madhouse.

I'm Not Gonna Lie...

This weekend sucked. Had to say goodbye (never an easy thing for me) to arguably one of the kindest, most loving, sincere and genuine men whom I've ever had the pleasure of calling Grandpa, Big Grandpa or 'Uello. 'Uello's love has brought me so many blessings during my life that are innumerable and it makes it difficult for me to reflect upon them when the tears still blur my vision. His character and friendly disposition radiated from him wherever he went and was felt by everyone he met. It was evident by the number of people in attendance at his funeral. I was amazed at the number of people who came from near and far, who braved the inclement weather to help remember and celebrate his humble, yet rich life. I've no doubt that when Grandpa entered Heaven, God looked down on him and said, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' He was a wonderful role model of love, tolerance and acceptance. I can't imagine a life without 'Uello, but that is now my reality. I am thankful for the time I had with him and know that I am a much better wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend because of it.


*ahem*

Now then. On to the much less serious (although only slightly less sentimental) reasons why this weekend totally sucked. Did you hear the one about the #1 overall seed in the country getting beat by UNI in the second round? Yeah, I didn't care for the punch line either. Moving on...

Then there's our kitchen. For those of you out there who aren't aware, we are getting ready (the contractor comes tomorrow at 8) to give the kitchen a make-over. We decided that we could prep the walls ourselves, thereby saving some money and then paying them to do the actual painting. So we're in the process of taking the previous owner's choice (blech) of wallpaper down and removing the adhesive they used to spackle it on with. If only it proved to be that easy. Upon further inspection, we've found about 3 OTHER layers of wallpaper with a layer or two of paint between those layers. All I could think was, 'Who the...' 'What the...' 'Why in the...' and incredulously ask myself, 'Really? Really. REALLY???!!!' My medium-sized kitchen just got gigantic overnight. I'd post pictures of it, but after all this typing and all the scraping I've done already, I just don't have it in me. I'm out. I've never been so happy for a Monday to come.

Care to Dance?*

It's the most wonderful time of the year!
With the brackets a-filling
And everyone telling you
Their team is in
It's the most wonderful time of the year!

It's the hap-happiest season of all!
With those Jayhawks from Kansas
and Wildcats from Kansas
and NO UNC in at ALL.
It's the hap-happiest season of all!

There'll be tickets for punching
And bubbles for bursting,
'At-Large' selections to make
Oh, Cinderella stories
And tales of the glories
Of Championships long ago.

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much fans a-roaring
And hearts will be soaring
When their team gets near
It's the most wonderful time of the year!

There'll be upsets for watching,
Some overtime playing
And seeds that survive and advance.
The road to the final
Send chills that are spinal
When your team is in the Big Dance.

It's the most wonderful time of year!
There'll be many tears flowing
And hearts will be glowing
To hear Rock Chalk cheer!
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonDERful time
It's the most wonDERful time of the YYEEEEEEAAAAARRRR!

*With my apologies to Andy Williams.

Are They Cute, Or What??

Today we had the pleasure of spending the day with the Beymers. My beautiful goddaughter, R, came dressed in the outfit we got for her birthday. Of course, Lydia, HAD to put her pettiskirt on with her Jayhawk shirt. I know a photo op
when I smell one.

Yeah, I know...

...I'm still slacking in the posting department. Been busy. Sewing, reading, playing, getting ready for our kitchen make-over. Yeah, a make-over. I call it that because it's not really a kitchen renovation as we're not knocking down any walls or making any major structural changes. Just some new appliances, new counter tops, fixed cracks, new utility door and painting the cabinets. So, you see, she's just getting a much needed make-over. I'll have before and after pictures sometime later. Yeah, right, you say. OK, so maybe I will and maybe I won't post them. But I will post this:

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Last Saturday Cade and I attended the annual Cub Scout All Nighter held at WU's Lee Arena. As the name implies, it does run all night, complete with camping out around the outside of Lee Arena for those crazies who actually think sleeping in a sleeping back on a concrete hallway is great way to catch some zzzz's. We didn't. In fact, we left shortly before 1 a.m., right after the 'lunch' of CiCi's (bleh) Pizza arrived. Here are just a few of the photos from that evening. Enjoy!

Oh SNAP!

I want to post something new. I really do. But I've hit a wall of sorts. I need to download some pictures from my camera but I can't get motivated enough to do it. Maybe I'll get to it later tonight during the KU vs. KSU game. It's senior night and the Hawks have NEVER lost on senior night. While this year's Wildcat team is good, I mean REALLY good, history tends to repeat itself. So I don't see the Cats walking away from the Fieldhouse with a 'W'. That and the fact that I think Sherron is going to turn it on tonight and have a killer last home game. He's had an incredible career as a Jayhawk. Sure will miss him next year. Rock Chalk!