Can you believe this?

I actually remembered to pack my camera for our Thanksgiving trip and I forgot to bring it out until about 30 minutes before we left my Grandma Ellie's house on Thanksgiving Day. We were in Salina for four days, at both of our parent's homes, even our beautiful nieces were in town and these are the only pictures I took.

Anyway, this is my cousin Chris' children, Sammy and Sophia. She's not crying, she's totally telling her mommy, Hilary, something very important in the picture above.

It's Her Party and She'll Cry If She Wants To

What a sad face! Poor Lydia. She's sick on her first birthday and this pretty much sums up how she's been feeling the last few days. One year old pictures are going to have to wait until after Thanksgiving.

The Tradition Continues...

It's the Thanksgiving Day traditional football game (no, not the Cowboys!) where Lucy pulls the ball away just as Charlie Brown is about to kick it.
Cade and Rusty went to Aunt Jenny's house to help celebrate Dustan's 18th b-day, so he wasn't here to enjoy the show with us. Lydia and I stayed at home since Lydia wasn't feeling well.

Lydia's Birthday Party Pics

Make a Smilebox slideshow

These Two MUST Be Related

Once again, I came across a picture of Cade in a very similar pose as one I took of Lydia just last week.

Blog Backlog/Blitz

I've been waaay behind on my posts (says me) so I'm on a blog blitz. Nothing special about this picture, really, except to show all my mommy friends this great water bottle topper for the itty bitties in their lives. It's made by Gerber and comes in a two pack for $3-$4 (at Hy-vee here in T-town). It fits on ANY water bottle and keeps the kiddos from spilling/wasting water. Lydia loves it, which is saying something because she's particular about her nipples. Wait, that didn't sound right...she's particular about the artificial teats on cups/bottles. Man! That really didn't sound much better.

Moving on.

So enjoy the next few posts as they may be the last ones I post until after Lydia's big bash.

Daddy and Cade's Girl

Trying to take a quick pic on my own.

Getting that quick pic with the help of Daddy and Cade.

Brotherly Love

Come here, Cade!

Would you hold still??

Mmmmmmmmm.....

....mmmmmmmmwwwwwwaaaaaahh!!!!!

I love my brother

New 'Do's

I just love her little piggy tale!!!

So I finally cut Cade's hair. Twice since Halloween. The kid's hair grows like weeds. And Lydia's hair is growing like crazy as well. I'm having to do the ol' Pebbles look to keep the hair out of her face. Pretty sure Cade's hair could have done this as well before I cut it all off.

Hard to believe...

that Lydia is going to be one year old next week!

This is the invite I made for the big bash.

Make a Smilebox scrap pages

Riley B. got to spend the day with us on Halloween, so we took him with us to our annual BCBS trick or treating trip with Aunt Theresa. The kids got a good haul of loot and everyone loved the kids' costumes. Riley didn't bring his costume, but he did come dressed in his K-State basketball jersey. I added a little face paint and a sweatband, and voila! Instant baller!

Ladybugs Everywhere in Knollwood

This is our neighbor Dawn's (I know!) niece, Ava. She also was a cute little ladybug for Halloween. Not sure what was "bugging" (get it, she's a ladybug?) Lydia, but she wasn't happy about getting her picture taken with Ava.

Our Holiday Tradition

Whatever I was doing sure tickled Lydia's funny bone!

There's something incredibly reassuring to me to know that while Cade is growing up at an exponential rate, he still is a Peanuts-loving little boy. Whenever a holiday is approaching, he will watch for the previews of whatever holiday-themed Peanuts episode that will be airing. Without fail he will be sure to watch it, and I swear, it's just like the first time he watched it. I love it! Most recently it was "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown".

It's the Great Pumpkin, Cade Dennis

The making of "Alien Invasion"

I can't even really look at this without getting a bit creeped out.

We have such great "backyard neighbors", as Cade likes to call them. The family who lives behind us, the Martins, happened to have an extra pumpkin and carving kit so they generously donated them to our sorry Halloween decor. Not only that, but they cleaned out the pumpkin and even sent a candle with it! Brian, their son who also goes to Mater Dei with Cade, came over and helped Cade and Rusty with the carving. As you can see, it's a masterpiece. Creepy, yet cool.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook Cade's school had it's Halloween parade and trunk or treat yesterday. There were some great costumes. There were a few other ladybugs, but only one Ash Ketchum!

The costumes

Remeber those random photos? Yes, Jaime, they're the kids costumes. Lydia is obviously the ladybug. Cade's costume needs "some 'splainin'". He's Ash Ketchum, pokemon trainer from the kids anime cartoon Pokemon.

Holy Hairdo!

Yes, that's 2.75" of hair all over his head.

This is what it looks like right after a shower with all of the product we use to shellac his hair down washed away. My bangs in the 80's have nothing on these bad boys. Although, I had to go through tons of Aqua Net, Rave, Aussie Hair spray, Suave or any combination of those to get that look!

No, I'm not neglecting my son's hair. This "do" was all his idea. So I figured, he's a pretty good kid, stays out of trouble, does what he supposed to, why not? He's growing it out as part of his Halloween costume. I've had to trim around the ears and at the collar to keep within the school's dress code. I keep waiting for a note to come home telling me he's in violation. Tomorrow is his last day of school before Halloween and there was no note today. So come Saturday, Nov. 1, he's losing most of it. Might keep it long on the top so it doesn't stick straight up. We'll see.

I knew I had seen this before!

Looking at some photos of Cade when he was a baby, I came across this one and stopped dead in my tracks. They were taken when they were both about 10 months old. Could a brother and sister look any more alike? I see it everyday, but I always think I see it because I expect to. The hair, the eyes and eybrows, even the way their pinkies curl up in this photo are almost identical.

Cub Scout Picnic

Cade and fellow scout Riley
Boing!

Cade joined Cub Scouts this year and he had a picnic tonight. The meal was quite the eclectic array of foods: shrimpy rice (an interesting attempt at shrimp fried rice), hot dogs without any condiments, tortilla chips and "fancy" dips most kids turn their noses up at (spinach-artichoke, cheddar bacon and sour cream, spinach and jalapeno), tortilla roll ups and puppy chow. Mmm-mmm. Tums, here I come...

Seemingly random pictures

But you'll soon see what they're all about.

Our Budding Comedienne

Where's Lydia?

There she is!

Lydia is working on her shtick/sketch comedy routine.

Still THE One...

after 9 years! Time has really flown by since Rusty and I got married. You know what they say...