We don't even have to try...it's always a good time...

I think the kids have had a full week of school about once or twice since Christmas.  Between teacher waiver days, holidays, snow days, and early dismissals, it's been a lean few months of learning.  We used a recent teacher waiver day to go to the movies, have some lunch, and hang out with our buddy, Mackenzie.

Coloring like it's their job

 I let them play on the escalator

Future hipster

Ready for the 3D action

More coloring

I just met you and this is crazy (Welcome, Hazel)



I'm sure readers remember that our beloved KiKi passed away about a month ago.  We still miss her a lot but decided we would like another kitty in our family.  We went to a local cat rescue and there were quite a few loving kitties to choose from.  (Side note: If you want their contact info, just let me know.  Their kittens are $25 each and adult cats like Hazel are by donation.  The adults are spayed or neutered, tested for feline leukemia and FIV, and have had their shots.  If I got a free kitten from someone, it would cost much more to have them fixed and get shots at the vet's office than what I donated for Hazel.  Kittens are overrated.  We only had a kitten one time and she ended up being the only pet we had to get rid of for behavior issues.)  This little cutie twisted my arm into taking her home.  She's about 2 or 3 years old.  She came with the name Coffee but we renamed her Hazel.

 

Hazel Valentine to be specific.  (Yes, we give middle names to our cats.  So far we've had Berkeley Marie, Nellie Jane, KiKi Josephine and now Hazel Valentine. Stop judging me). 

I think she likes it here so far but she spent about 23 of her first 24 hours under a table in our entryway or under a chair in the living room because she was a little nervous.  Don't worry, she's over that now.  If you happen to meet her, please be careful touching her right back paw.  At some point in her life, she broke the kitty equivalent to her ankle, and it didn't heal correctly.  Because of her break, she walks with a little limp and can be seen stretching it out sometimes.  She still walks, runs, and jumps like any other kitty.  She's super sweet and very talkative. 

 

 

This is what 13 years of marriage does to you

Recently, Aron and I had a date night at an improv place.  During the performance, they asked for couples to volunteer to come forward and answer questions about their relationship so they could do an improv skit about them.  I tried to get Aron to volunteer but he wouldn't (surprise).  One of the questions they asked the couple was what is that person's best/worst quality.  Once we got back to the car, I cornered him...

You don't have to drink...but by God, it sure does help.

So since you wouldn't go up front and answer the questions, let's play it here in the car.  Mm-k? 
No.
Ok, good, let's start.  What's my most annoying quality?
That you wait until the last minute to get ready when we're trying to go somewhere.
Really?  I don't think that's the *most* annoying quality I have.
Yeah?
Yeah.  I have way worse stuff that I do constantly that *has* to be grating to your nerves.
Nope.
Are you sure it's not my waking you up in the middle of the night to investigate things that go bump in the night?
No.
Like that time I was convinced there was a squirrel living in our attic that was running around up there and working out just so it could be athletic enough to jump on my head the second I opened the attic door?
No.
How about when I offered you $5 if you would go and buy some chips and dip for me at the store?
No.
Not even when I told you I didn't have $5 in cash money but that I would give you a check when you got back?
No.
What about when I told you I had recently discovered on Rachael Ray that it tastes good to put cheese in rice and that it wasn't just a expression when you're mad like "Cheese and rice!!"
No.
What about when I told you that if you didn't stop using so damn much gel on your hair I would make you put a towel on the head rest of my car because you were gumming it up?  That's gotta be annoying to be bossed around like that, right?
No.
What about when I talk thru your favorite TV shows about the cute things the cat did today while you were at work?
No.
What about when you invite people over that I don't want to be around and I make you go in the kitchen and do shots with me before they come? 
No. Maker's Mark is tasty.
What about when I do things like this?  Where I ask you 10,000 questions and make you answer them?  That's gotta be annoying.
Yes.
Yes, it's the *most* annoying like you were wrong before in your initial answer or yes, it's annoying.
Yes.
Grrrrr....ok, ask me what the most annoying thing about you is.
No.
You're such a jerk.
Is it time for the shots yet?

Down time

 

There was quite a bit of down time associated with the Blue and Gold banquet. Luke played with his orange kerchief to the point that it looked like the ascot that Fred wears.

 

See the resemblence?

Then he got tired of wearing it and wanted it off.  Like forever.

 

We passed the time with various time wasters...

 

I took a senior picture.

Our next door buddy just wanted it to be done.

Luke considered a nap with his ascot.

This is my neighbor who wants to be me

Um, yeah, I called you out on the copycatting you do.

I just love arching my brow, flaring my nostrils, and kissing the camera in my crooked glasses.

This is the inside of someone's mouth but I'm not sure who.  Does anyone recognize
those molars?

Me and my buddy.

Ugh.  That guy.

Scouty McScouterson, Mayor of Scouttown USA

I'm not sure if I remembered to blog about Luke being a member of the Boy Scouts this year.  Luke *really* enjoyed being a member of this organization.  For the parents, it's a bigger time commitment than I had anticipated (the den meets twice a month for an hour, the pack meets once a month for a couple hours and numerous outings, camp outs, etc).  I was a bad parent and didn't take him to any pack meetings nor did we go to every single outing.  It was just too much togetherness for the scouts and me :)

 

They had a Blue and Gold banquet which seemed like a big deal (I don't know much about the scouts in case you didn't pick up on this). You start as a Tiger Cub when you're a first year member but by the end of the banquet, Luke was promoted to a Bobcat. 

 

He didn't want to take his picture but Aron held him down and forced it

Parents pinned their new badges on their uniforms

New Bobcats

Love your badges, man

More ceremonial pinning

Ornery scouts

Good scouts ready to help little old ladies cross the street

When I am old and I can't see...

Yup, that's him.  I meant to go back
and get another pic but got
distracted.  Surprise.

 Recently, Uncle Jeff dusted off his uniform to referree a high school basketball game.  I sent him a text where I offered to let him kick me out of the game if he needs to make the fans fear the wrath of his officiating. (#bestsister #notkidding #meetatwendyslater #keepaneyeonmykidsafterIleave #youoweme$20).  He didn't have to follow thru with that offer because it was a blow out but I still did my best to be a loud, offensive fan in the stands (envision loud cat calls when he bent over and a lot of WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO when he did something bad...or good for that matter).

 

We took the kids to watch.  And by watch, I mean let them play with their respective electronic devices while sitting in the general vascinity of Uncle Jeff being a ref.  At some point during the 3rd quarter, Luke finally looked up from the ipod/kindle/leap pad that he was playing with and said "Hey!  Uncle Jeffy is out there in the stripes!"

Sad news from our house to yours

We lost our beloved kitty, Kiki, on Tuesday.  We're not really sure what happened to her.  I let her out the back door in the morning.  I told her to "be a good kitty today" and that I loved her which I said to her every time she went outside.  She rolled around in the grass in our backyard and I gave her a little pet as I walked to my car to go to work around 10.  By 11:45, my neighbor called me to tell me that she thought Kiki was sleeping in her backyard but when she tried to wake her up, she didn't get up.  She wasn't attacked by an animal and she wasn't hit by a car.  It looked like she just went to sleep and never woke up again. 

 

She's already been declared the best kitty ever (come on, long-time readers, did you really think I would let Jane get that honor??), and we have all acknowledged that it is unlikely that we'll ever get another kitty that is as awesome as she was.  She survived being ridden by toddler Luke (not easy...just ask Jane), being shut in Luke's pajama drawer for over 12 hours (true story), and being decorated with a beaded necklace from Ella (also true).  There may have also been ribbons all down the length of her tail a few times but I justified that because Ella was just practicing her bow making skills.

 

I didn't normally take a lot of pictures of Kiki but for some reason I decided to take some the day before she died.  I'm glad that I did.

 

Love you, miss you, Keeks.

 

Good Eats

Luke likes to eat.  This is not new information to those who have been around him for more than five minutes.  He has recently discovered that he can make up his own recipes.  Here he is with his latest food invention: 3 vanilla wafers, a few mini marshmallows and a few chocolate chips.  He puts the vanilla wafers on a plate, puts marshmallows on top, microwaves them for a few seconds, and add chocolate chips.  Voila!  Indoor smores were invented.

 

Taste-testing his invention

Surprise!  His father wanted in on the action.

Boys are just so....sigh...you know...

Just because the message is crude
it doesn't mean the sign can't
be pretty.

I tried to explain to her that her door contained a
conflicting message (if you click to enlarge, you'll
see that the peace signs say "You're invited" but the
paper in the middle of them say "No boys.")  She
explained that the invitation to come in applied to
girls only.  Seems a bit sexist if you ask me.

She added a little bit of decoration to the signage
(a glittery star or flower hairclip to each)

Sorry these last two pics are fuzzy...I think I smudged the lens with my finger
between takes.

Disgruntled Ella...she's so cute when she's crabby.

Ella has decided (and rightfully so, if you ask me) that boys are pesky especially when it comes to brothers.  Emphasis on a certain little brother that you all know.  She has decided to be a tad more proactive in her stance of keeping Luke out of her space.  I can't really say I blame her...I'd kinda like to put one of these across the doorway to my bedroom.  Can't say that I wouldn't mind a night with the bed all to myself.  Aron wants to cuddle too much.