My Loves, My Valentines

...and a hug around the neck!

How To Eat a Tear Jerker

Last Saturday we were in Salina celebrating my niece's 2nd birthday. Cade decided it was time to try a tear jerker for the first time. I mean, why not, right? He's tried a Warheads and survived. How bad could it be?

Step 1: Pop in mouth. Try to ignore initial shock of sour taste.
(The involuntary eye twitch in response to sour gives it away every time.)

Step 2: Keep a brave face as the taste buds begin to revolt and gag reflex tries to emerge.

Step 3: By now, it's ok to give in to the facial muscle spasms that ensue. It's all you can do to keep the blasted thing in your mouth.

Step 4: Regain control of facial muscles as the tongue is now becoming numb.

Step 5: Again, the involuntary eye twitch is hard to avoid. No matter. You're almost there.
Just go with it.

Step 6: The sensation is returning. The sour is just. Too. Much.

Step 7: Fight the urge to retch.

Step 8: Realize resistance is futile. Find nearest receptacle and projectile-expectorate it as quickly as you can.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Eliana!

Ooo, Piece of Candy!

Come on. You know if you could lure your kiddo with candy like this, you'd do it, too.
(I see you laughing. It's OK. You're not the only one.)

These ARE the Droids You're Looking For.

The Saturday (or was it Sunday) before everybody got sick, we had some more fun with the snow, since it wasn't going away any time soon.

'So I've been thinking, brother. What's it gonna take for me to get you to let me tell you that I need to play with your DS whenevertheheck I feel like it?'
(That's pretty much how she's talking these days. Other times she'll break out in a crazy dialect of Spanglish just to hear herself speak. Still trying to find the English to Toddler Spanglish Dictionary somewhere out there. Know where I can get one?)

Our very own astromech droid, Snow2-D2, on our Hoth-like Echobase.
(For those of you who don't know Star Wars-speak, sorry.)

We always knew living on top of a hill would have it's benefits one day.

Weeeee!

Wipe. Out!

Gaining speed on the home stretch.

Ok, here it is.
Your weekly moment of, 'Aawwwwww.'
Amiright?

Winter Sports

This post was supposed to be finished about a week ago. And then we all got sick. Cade missed an entire week of school. An entire week! Now, I'll be honest and say that he got Monday off for MLK day, but he would have stayed home had they been in school. And then they had a snow day on Thursday. But again, he would've stayed home. And it hit me, too. Hard. Moms aren't supposed to get this sick. I missed a board meeting and an opportunity for a great date night with Rusty. We had the sitter ready and all. I don't know if there is anything harder than canceling a sitter. Anyhoo, hopefully we're going to be feeling better this weekend. I'm out for Cade's basketball game and we are a game-time decision for a b-day party. Rusty just has to last until the end of Cade's basketball game and then the hammer can fall for him. I've already heard him start to hack away. I still sound like an emphysemic Harvey Fierstein. (Trust me. It's a pretty accurate description.) We will now return you to our regularly scheduled post:

It's that time again! The kids are back into the swing of seasonal sports. Now up: basketball for Cade and gymnastics for Lydia. 'Gymnastics is a winter sport', you say? Look, gymnastics is a winter, spring, summer or fall sport for Lydia. Got it? (She really likes gymnastics.)

Here are some pics from the second game of Cade's basketball season. He had a monster game.

These cuties were part of our half-time entertainment.

And then soooommmmebody wanted to cheer, too.

So she cheered.

And cheered some more.

Then the second half began and we could feel something in the air tonight.
Hold on. Hold on.

Didn't make this one, but wait:

Ahhh, yeaaaaahhh!

Good game, Cade! Go Red Storm!


And Lydia is back at gymnastics.

This picture makes me say, 'Namaste'.

This look cracked me up. Wonder what she's thinking.

Swinging like a monkey.

So funny!

Concentrating on keeping straight.

Coach did a good job at distracting her to keep her up there longer.

All on her own now. Can't believe she's doing all this already. Seems like we just started the other day.

Getting Grammatical

Lydia really loves writing letters and drawing on the white board. Yesterday, our Parents as Teachers rep came 'to play' and Lydia impressed the socks off of Melanie with not only her family portrait, but also her signature.

Posing with her masterpiece.

Here's a close up. Did I mention she's only 3? And that I didn't prompt her with the letters in her name?
Yeah, I'm a little proud. But just a little bit.

Snowed In

Monday and Tuesday of this week, Cade didn't have to go to school due to all the snow we got. We decided to take advantage of all the fun and free time. The snow was coming down pretty fast and furious so the pictures aren't that great.

She could hardly wait to get outside.

Enjoying the free snack courtesy of Mother Nature.

Not exactly the way I envisioned them eating snow, but you know.
Whadyagonnado?

Lydia found it a bit difficult navigating the big piles of snow.

A snow day must.

Surely I'm not violating any child labor laws?

C'mon! I'm telling you. She WANTED to shovel that sidewalk!

Shamma Like a Ding Dong

Lately around the Dennis house you probably will find one of us singing this little diddy:



However. As most children do, Lydia has changed up the words just a little bit. During the part of the song when Mr.'s Sandler and Nealon say 'shamma lamma ding dong', Lydia will sing, 'shamma like a ding dong.' And let's be honest. The lyrics are completely and appropriately interchangeable, especially when it comes to any of Adam Sandler's songs.

Oh.
And don't try to tell Lydia that those really aren't the words. Not only will she convince you that they are the lyrics, she will have you annunciating it her way as well.

Ah, The Holidays...

That joyful, wondrous time that we look forward to all year: shopping! No, I mean, time for relaxing and hanging out with the family, celebrating the joys of the season and eating yourself into oblivion. I'm always thinking about shopping, so it's more the latter than the former. (Who made up that saying anyway? Former vs. 'the Latter'. And how have I become someone who uses that in everyday conversation?) Where was I? Oh, yeah. Our Christmas (es). Yes. Christmases. We always have at least 4 0r 5 every year due to family being every which way and where. So with that, I give you the many Christmases of the Dennis household:

It all started innocently enough with the annual Dennis Christmas tradition:
the viewing of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Then things start to get a little crazy..

'I remember when rock was young...'
All together now:
'Naaaahhhhh! Nah nah nah nah naaaaahh! Nah nah nah nah naaaaaahh!'

I'm sticking to my previous statement:
Cade will do anything for a laugh.

All the kids were in on this 'performance'. We've got a feather-clad guitar player, Catholic school beat-boxer, the 'Hot Ladies' of Sedgwick County and the sassy pants sistas from Shawnee County-East/Central. Holla!

They do kids birthdays, Bat and Bar Mitzvas and receptions.
Just contact their manager at mamaneedsaglassofwine@email.com.

'Twas a Pillow Pet Fest.

But let's not forget the lovable Lalaloopsy.

Boom-chicka-bow-wow!
Mama got a new night shirt.

Daddy...likes!

Daddy and his new 'six pack abs'.
(Get it? Six. Pack. ABS????)

And we can't forget the holy grail of all gifts:
the 'satchel'. You know, because Indiana Jones wears one, too.

The kids walking in on what Santa brought to our house Christmas Eve morning.

Fairies!

Nerf!

Don't you just love it when you take the time to get the house all spic and span for the holidays the week before and it only takes minutes to look like this?

*disclaimer*
The names and faces have not been changed to protect the innocent.
Or in this case, the guilty.

This party was, after all, BYOB-bring your own bottle.

Lydia got the party started by throwing down some sweet moves.
Yeah, boyyyyeee!

And then things took a turn for the...unexpected.


And what's a party without re-enacting one of the all time best SNL skits?
While he might look a little more like Adrian, his moves are allllll Barney.

Eventually, we got to the gifts.
Forget all the new battery operated, download-needed-to-play-with toys of today.
I'm telling you people.
Go old school to really impress the kiddos nowadays.

This is his OMG face.


Explaining to Hanna why this is one of the raddest, most sought after presents of the season.
At least to Cade.

Now we're back at our place having Christmas with Rusty's side of the family.

Lydia had to put on this getup right out of the bag.

Super sweet stuff for the KU room.

Doing his best Wimpy Kid impersonation.

This was how we saw these two for the rest of the weekend.

Fast forward to New Year's day for Christmas with my side of the family.

Mr. M inspecting a very interesting toy.

Monies!

It was the Christmas of totally cool t-shirts for Cade this year.

Seriously.
2 Super Mario, 1 Wimpy Kid, 1 Star Wars, 2 KU, 1 Nike Livestrong--and none of them duplicates!

She was speechless when she opened this.
Then, like a volcano of words she screamed, 'BARBIE FASHION FAIRYTALE, MOMMYYYYY!'

Miss E loves dressing up like a 'pincess', so I think this one was a hit!

She got terribly possessive of these shoes.
So much for the Christmas spirit of sharing...

Ay carumba!
The Dora Big Wheel stole the show, fo sho!

The after Christmas, food overdose-induced coma.
Like I said before, ahhhh, the holidays.