While we wait for our regularly scheduled December recap post...

...please enjoy this video that is a favorite around here.

Lydia is now 5.  How is this happening??? 

*sigh*

Well, you know how we do this.  First celebration took place in Salina.  She originally wanted a Washburn themed party.  I had Ichabod all lined up to make an appearance, but about 3 weeks before the big day, she freaks out and refuses to go along with her previous request.

*sigh*

So, she tells me she wants a pretty pink party.  

*eye roll*

Most everyone out there knows that I'm not a fan of the pink shades Pepto Bismol or lighter.  
That's not to say I don't like pink at all.
Hot pink?
Love it.
Magenta?
Bring it on.
Fuchsia?
Give it to me.
Baby pink?
Pass. 
 And that is exactly what Lydia had in mind.  The kids get to pick whatever theme they want, so pink it was.  Thankfully, Grandma E was OK with turning her basement into something between a baby shower and birthday party for a little girl.

*giggle*

Check it out:

Date Night in the Phog

 

 My annual date night with Cade turned out to be a family affair a few Mondays ago!

How are these three related?

Happy Halloween!

TOO many pictures from earlier today.  Once I sort them, maybe I'll post them.  For now, here is an annual fave.

Oops, I Did It Again!

Yeah, I know I'm slacking.  

Anyway, a couple of weekends ago, I, along with Rusty and my little brother (hardly!) Jaime, ran in the Color Run in Lawrence.  It's called the happiest 5K on the planet, and boy, after the game that day, Lawrence needed all the happy they could get!

But anyway.

Which one of these is not like the others?

Which one of these just isn't the same?

(psst!  You have to click on the 'read more' icon to the left over there to see the rest of the photos.)

TOGA! TOGA!

Last Saturday was Mater Dei's annual Trivia Night.  And as usual, my friends came through for me.  This year's theme was TOGA! TOGA!  Really, the pictures speak for themselves:

While this year we walked away empty handed, we walked out with our heads held high, knowing we were brave enough to be the least clothed people in the place.

 

 Woo-hoo!  Washburn football is baaaaaaaack!

 Lydia is in Pre-K.  She's been in Pre-K for about 2 1/2 weeks now.  I've been prolonging this post because it's just so hard to accept.  Tough year for ol' mom.  First, my first baby goes off to middle school, now my baby is on her way to elementary school.  

*sob*

Back to School

Cade has started middle school. I'm still trying to process that.  I have a kid in middle school.  My oldest child is a middle schooler.  There's really not any way to say that that lessens the shock or deadens the heart ache.  
More after the jump.

Birthday(s) Recap

Well.  Cade is 11 now.  If that's not enough to knock your socks right off, I don't know what will. Who thought me being the mother of someone that old was a good idea anyway?  Crazy.  Anyway.

We can't just have a simple birthday party.  We have to draw it out for weeks on end.  That's just how we do.  Here's how we did it this year.

We started off the partying in Salina with a trip to Kenwood Cove, dinner at Cade's favorite restaurant, La Hacienda and then an ice cream cake party.

Lydia's a blur because she is photobombing this one.

*sigh*

That's my girl.

Back in Topeka, we celebrated some more with lunch at Chili's, complete with singing waiters, brownie a la mode and endless chips and salsa.

To see the awesome Wipeout birthday party bash, complete with our very own Wipeout Zone, just click on the little 'read more' icon.  There are waaaay too many photos to have them all on here without a jump!

We Came, We Saw, We Conquered Bricktown

Last weekend I had the rare opportunity to get away for much deserved girls weekend.  Last time this group got together, we were in KC for a few days.  This time we took our brand of crazy down to OKC.  I wish I had bothered to take my camera with me more to capture some of the mayhem we caused fun we had, but sadly, it sat on my nightstand for most of the trip.  On the rare occasion I did have it with me, there wasn't a chance in heck I'd document  it must have slipped my mind most of the time.  I was able to catch a few photos here and there.

Gotta love the self-timer.
This is before we got cuh-RAZAAY!

4th of July

So I'm a little behind.  What else is new, right?  Anyway, we spent 4th of July in Wichita with some great friends and family.  But of course, we had to set off some our own fireworks the night before.  Lydia was really getting into this year.  Maybe a little too much.

Running like mad to get away from the smoke bomb she help light.

An Exercise in Color

So I decided to a 5K. 

*gasp*

*murmur murmur murmur*

Pipe down. No, the world as you know it hasn't come to an end.  
Lemme explain.

Cade's Summer Camp

This is how Cade spent the first full three weeks of summer break.  Click 'next' on the photos and if you have time, check out the video.  Especially after the 1:47 mark...

Understudies: Kids learn theater basics at camp | CJOnline.com

*cue The Imperial March*

dun dun dunnn DUN duh dun duh dun dunnn

In a county not so far away, there lies a place for exploration. While many DVD/Blue Ray players and gaming consoles fight for the attention of many males (and some really cool females) ages 4-55 during the heat of a Kansas summer, there exists an exhibit that not only appeals to this group, it calls to this group. Yes, the force is strong with this group.  Just the mere mention of Star Wars, Lucas Films, props, costumes and models in the same sentence is enough to cause a noticeable disturbance in the force and send the Jedi's running.  And run we did.
This is just a fraction of the photos I took.

Quite a treat to be greeted by Zam Wensel, a Death Star Trooper and a Rebel (she)Trooper.

Happy Father's Day!

Just a little funny for Dad's special day...

...and because we should have some great pictures of this guy coming soon...

Here's a couple of Rusty's favorite birthday gifts from yesterday:

 

Cade's been in a bit of funk with actual hits lately.  He's been able to get on base most games by taking pitches to the back, helmet, leg, etc., or walking, but these were solid base hits.

Happy Birthday, Rusty!

One grand gesture, three years later...
Plus three:

41.  You are (usually) flexible when I need you to be.

42.  My camera.

43.  You got us DVR. (This is HUGE, you guys.  Seriously.)

Venus in Transit

Did you guys get a chance to see Venus cross in front of the sun on Tuesday?

No?  Awww...too bad.  You're going to have to wait another 105 years to catch it again.

We were able to see it live, in person at Washburn.  It was soo cool.  The Physics and Astronomy department had an open house with a couple of serious telescopes out tracking Venus' path. 

MIAA Night at T-Bones Game

So last Saturday was MIAA night at the T-Bones game in KC.  Once again, Washburn had a great turn out and the weather was pretty nice.  A little toasty at first, but beautiful by the 5th or 6th inning.

What tailgate in KC is complete without QT drinks?

S'mores at Sunset

So I went out to get me a cold pop, and I thought some one was barbequein'.  I said, oh lawd jeezis itsa fahr!  Then I ran out.  I didn't have no shoes or nuthin' jeezis!  Then the smoke got me....ain't nobody to time for that!*

And then I realized it was just Rusty lighting the grill to make s'mores.  

Topeka Shockwave vs. Cubs

Topeka Shockwave, FTW!!!

Here is a ridiculous amount of photos from Cade's baseball game today.  He had 2 hits, 2 RBI's and numerous plays at FB to help the Shockwave win 8-6 over the cubs.  As an added bonus, Grandpas Art and John, Grandma Pat, Aunt Gigi and cousin Eliana got to see Cade play today as well.  It would have been a perfect day were it not for the sandstorms throughout the entire game!  Come on, Ken Berry!  Hose down those fields once in a while, would ya?

A Poetry Reading...

Last week, Cade's class had a poetry reading.  The students memorized a poem of their choice and were also required to write one of their own.  They were allowed to have 'actors' help act out the poems if they chose to.  The first video is the poem Cade chose to memorize.  The second video is the poem he actually wrote.  Believe me, you won't believe your ears when you hear Cade's poem.  I had no idea he was so...poetic.

Are you as shocked as I was?

Happy Mother's Day

I spent the day with Lydia at school on Thursday and they had this mini concert to celebrate Mother's Day:

Happy Mother's Day!

Super Moon

Did you know that tonight the moon was closer to earth than it has been in a really long time?  Something like 17K miles closer?  Cade and I went out around 9 this evening and were amazed at how spectacularly bright it was.  I don't recall ever seeing it this illuminated before.  It was awesome:

Anybody else expect to see Elliot and ET to go flying by?  No?  Me either.

Cade's Latest Hit

Cade had a practice game earlier this evening.  He got a great hit to right field:

Lydia Unplugged

Anybody out there remember VH1's Storytellers back in the 90's?  This is Lydia's version of it.  This is the kind of impromptu concert we're treated to many nights.  Enjoy!

Cade had his second game of the season on Saturday.  The weather was beautiful and we were all excited for another day out at the ball diamonds.  The team we played was...hmmm...not sure how to say it nicely...the team we played belonged out at the lake.  They were way over the top competitively.  They even had the umpires confused (see last 2 pics).  Our boys hung in there, though.  Cade struck out his first time up.  The second time he was up, he got a triple.  Yes,  you read that correctly.  A TRIPLE!!  But guess who had to go to the bathroom?  Just as we were getting back to the field, I was able to hear him hit and then run the bases.  I can't BELIEVE I didn't get it on camera.  I was sick.  A triple.  And I missed it.  The heart ache.

The third time he was up he got on base after a dropped third strike (see video below).

Checking the line-up.

Cade's First Hits of the Season

Cade had his first game of the season tonight.  We got off to a smashing start, but in the end lost by just a few runs.  Like 8.  But I did get video of his hits.  The first one isn't so great.  After he hit it, I watched it away from the camera.  The second one I followed all the way through the lens.  He went 2 for 2 and got one RBI.  Enjoy!

Cade's Spring Concert

This is video from Cade's concert that was last Wednesday.  Sorry it's taken so long to get it up here.  It takes FOREVER for my videos to upload onto youtube. 

My Lumps, My Lumps, My Ugly Pinkie Lumps

Check it ooouut! 

( Sorry, couldn't help but carry out the B.E.P.'s reference)

So for the last year and half or so, I've had this lump on my right pinkie that has gradually grown to gruesome proportions.  Around Christmas or Thanksgiving, I notice another notch in my lump and decided I probably should get it checked.  I ended up having to see a plastic surgeon.  Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd see a plastic surgeon about a finger. 

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing it up close and personal, here you go:

Time for Some Baseball

We're about to start heading to Cade's baseball games again!*  I can't wait.  I love watching him improve on his skills.  He probably doesn't realize it, because he's just one of the easiest, carefree, most humble kids around, but he's a pretty good little ball player these days.  We've had a couple of practice games so far and he's done a stellar job at first and pitching and got some really fantastic hits.

Yer OUT!

St. Patrick's Day

This post has been waiting in the draft folder for weeks now. I actually thought I posted already.  Our church had an Irishfest celebration all afternoon and even better, Topeka's St. Patrick's Day parade went right in front of us.  The kids were excited to get decked out for the festivities. 

Got 'Em

For years now, I've fallen, without fail, for the ol' Cade's puking in the toilet gag every April Fools Day.  

Every. Time.

Not this year.  I took 'the best defense is a good offense' to heart.  Now, I can cook.  Pretty well, I like to think.  It's just that the end result is ALWAYS much better than the journey.  At times, I'm not exactly that coordinated when it comes to some kitchen utensils.  I accept that.  I use them anyway.  Rusty knows this, too.  Soooo...while making pizza earlier today, I made a big deal of sharpening my knife while Rusty was on the computer.  You know, setting the stage.  A few minutes later, I start chopping the onion and garlic for the sauce and I started hollering as if I had injured myself.  Cade was in on the joke as well, so he came in calling for Rusty.  And Rusty being the loving, adoring *eye roll* husband that he is, finished entering a number in his spreadsheet, then came running in to see this:

Pretty good, right?  Now, does anyone out there know how to get food coloring stains off skin?
I should also note that Lydia did not see this.  I couldn't have the disastrous results that my St. Patrick's Day trick had:

 I figure traumatizing my youngest once a year is probably the limit. :\

March Madness, Baby!

This just makes me so happy these days!

Also, 2:07--yes.  2:38 (and the snapshot on the video)--his mom must be SO proud.  And 2:47-55--LOL!  Those guys want to party so hard, but dagnabbit!  They're on the clock!

Lydia's Big Girl Class

A couple months ago, the competitive cheerleading squad invited everyone who takes classes at CAGE to come and see them perform their routines.  

I got to spend the morning with Lydia at her preschool a few weeks ago.  It was the same and yet completely different from when Cade was there.  One of the teachers, Sheryl, who was Cade's teacher, is still there and gets a kick out of seeing how much he has grown since he was in her class.  Also, there is a little girl in the class (the cutie in the purple shirt and pink bow--and those cheeks!  I just want to munch on them every time I see her!!  Where was I...) whose older sister was in the class with Cade as well.

Hokies Basketball

No, we haven't all of a sudden become Virginia Tech fans.  The ACC?  Please.

Cade's basketball team was called the Hokies this year.  Saturday was the last game of the season so I made a slideshow to remember it.

Enjoy!

GWL

Oh man.  It's been a while.  We've done a lot since our last post.  I'm just going to play catch up the next few days.  This is the weekend we went to see our niece, H, compete at the Teddy Bear Gymnastics meet in KC.  After the medals and bear were passed out, we headed to Great Wolf Lodge to get wet.

FINALLY!!!

*whew!*

It took a few months, but the snow finally came.  After Santa left the kids sleds for Christmas, they've been hoping for snow, Lydia, especially.  She couldn't believe her eyes this morning when she saw the snow on the ground.  And the first thing she said?

"NOW WE CAN GO SLEDDING!!!!"

H's Teddy Bear Meet

The following are some of my favorite pictures of our niece, H, competing in only her second gymnastics meet ever.  I was blown away at how poised she was.

H and her teammates from Wichita Gymnastics.

Packed Weekend

We had an unusually packed weekend.  With the help of a last minute basketball cancellation, and a last minute scramble to Lydia's mini-recital I was unaware of, we barely made it!  Here is footage of Lydia's latest dance she learned in class.  Notice the itty bitty's on stage right.  They're only 2 but were invited to participate anyway.  Aren't they precious??

After dance class, we packed up the car and headed to KC for our niece's gymnastics meet and some play time at Great Wolf Lodge.  Those pics are coming.  Happy Monday!

Just some highlight photos from Cade's last 3 basketball games.  This season I only get to see half the games.  This year his team is called the Hokies and there are only 5 boys on the team.  These poor guys are loopy and beyond tired by the end of the game.  It takes Cade a good 2 hours or so to recover and get back to normal.

Sans Specs

Cade lost something the other day...

Can you tell?

His glasses!  He's sporting contacts nowadays.  He's been waiting so patiently for this and he's doing great with them.  Can't believe how much older and more handsome he looks.  Heart breaker. 

Dios mio, ayudeme!

Wii Can Dance

So these pics are from way back in 2011.  New Year's Eve, really, so it's still correct.  The kiddos hung out downstairs dancing the night away while the adults were upstairs waiting with baited breath to see if the guy on the motorcycle and the guy on the snowmobile would jump some bay at approximately 90 mph and land at approximately the same time on the landing strip.  Spoiler alert:  they did!  That's an hour we'll never get back. 

Party rockers in the hooouuuse tonight.

December Rewind

We got pretty busy the last couple weeks in December and I wasn't able to keep the blog updated.  So instead, you get this picture-palooza of a post.

Lydia's preschool class went to the Festival of Trees and got to see lots of decorated trees and make an ornament to put on her own tree.