Late Updates!

I haven't blogged in a little more than a month - so we'll just go for a photo dump!  It's been a pretty plain month though.  The weather has been fairly warm, though we did get a little bit of ice once.  I immediately hopped online and bought a set of YakTrax for Eric and me, so he doesn't fall while working and I don't fall on Squish.  Currently, Mom and Alan are in Mexico and Ashley is on her way home.  Eric is house sitting for them, and I can't wait to have him back at home next week!

A shot of our 2011 Christmas tree.  We never decorated it, but I used it to hold all of our Christmas cards and the Rainbow fish that Kelli and Tracy made for me!

 I had Cameron, Caleb, and Colin over for a fun night while Paul, Deb, Brian, Jen, and Eric wrapped up the winter mini-tour at Old Chicago.  We had a great time!

We house sat for Papa while he was in Michigan visiting the Murray's.  Addy came along so we didn't have to leave her home alone.  By the end of our time there, Addy and Frisco were coexisting fairly nicely! 

New Year's Eve at the Green's, in Smithville.  We played "Truth Be Told", which isn't nearly as fun with people who aren't as close with one another. 

Ready for 2012! 

Eric's champagne and my sparkling juice! 

Cheers!  It's Squish's year!!! 

Addy on the drive home from Papa's house. 

After holiday break, Kelli and I discovered that we had another person moved into our office!  It was a bit stressful to happen with no notice.  But we have since rearranged our office and it's all worked out! I actually think I like the new configuration a lot better.

Eric and I spent a nice chunk of savings and Christmas money on a new computer.  Brian helped Eric choose all of the parts and build it, I set up our wireless headphones on the TV and the computer, and now all we need is a wireless keyboard and mouse so we can use it on the TV. 

Mom got Alan a helium shark for Christmas - here it is peeking out of Alan's car. 

Alan was an instant pro at using the remote control to maneuver it around the house. 

 

He used it to intimidate the dogs.

 Such a cool toy!

Ashley bought me a dress preservation service before the wedding.  Since then, my dress and the kit have been tucked away in our closet...oops.  So two weeks ago I tried the dress on (and it still fit!) and packed it away! 

So sad to see my dress go, but it will be clean and in a preservation box when it comes home.

Halloween 2011 - Part 2

We wrapped up Saturday by hanging out at home for most of the night.  Steven and Grant went to see Thrice at the Granada, and we watched Netflix!  Yay for getting old and boring!  After they were finished at the show, Eric brought them home along with a friend of Stevens, and then we all headed back out to walk around Mass Street to ogle the costumes.  

Sunday, once we had eaten some breakfast, Eric told everyone to get ready for some golf!  We spent the afternoon at the driving range near Eudora, and then said our goodbyes so Eric and I could head to Overland Park for our Dave Ramsey class.  

It's lucky Steven has a key to our apartment!  Yesterday, he found a present for his dad - but Eric and I were already on our way to Overland Park when he realized that he had left it in our house.

Look at those golfing boys!

Steven with his trick ball. 

And I golfed too!

5th Annual Ren Fest!

Off the main topic, but important to the start of our day!  At church, Gar let a parishioner, who worked in a building 1000 feet away from the World Trade Center ten year ago, deliver the sermon.  He gave a detailed account of his experience, and how it has impacted his faith.  I brought tissues in because I figured the sermon would relate to the anniversary, and I would cry.  I thought I was going to make it, until he listed off the names of the 4 people that he knew personally who died in that attack.  It was very touching to hear.

After church, I made us pick up some to-go food from IHOP because I was feeling miserable.  The blueberry waffle really helped, the plain hashbrowns did not!  Then we were on our way to meet Steven in Bonner Springs!!!
  
For the past 5 years, Eric and I have gone to the KC Ren Fest every year.  The first time - we got matching puzzle rings, the third time - he proposed with a beautiful puzzle ring that he had custom made, and our fifth time - we bought a teeny tiny puzzle ring for our baby!

I was also (insert slew of emotions here) to find out that the ring I wanted from Grammys jewelry box was from the Ren Fest.  She must have bought it when she was there with us and Papa last year.  Happy, sad, surprised, excited - it just makes the ring a lot more special to me.  And now Ive got 3 generations of puzzle rings on my hands!  Grammys, mine, and babys.

Steven came with us and it was an awesome day.  This was the first time that Eric and I came prepared with money to actually do whatever we wanted!  First stop was to buy the puzzle ring, then we went looking for a Hypnotist show - Steven and I went on stage, but the guy only made us feel sleepy.  I had a root beer float for breakfast.  Steven and I bought $1 pickles, and Eric got a bag of peanuts that lasted all day.  We watched multiple shows that had fire jugglers, and went hunting for the hard to find faeries.  We went to the honey store and Steven bought a brick of honeycomb.  For lunch I had a hot dog, Eric had a steak sandwich, and Steven had a veggie burger and Dr. Pepper.  Steven brought us to the Gnarlies shop to hear about their stories.  I tried to talk Steven into getting a $50 shoulder puppet.  Steven bought the tiniest hat ever - well, not ever.  But people commented on it all day (Did your head grow or your hat shrink?).

Eric and I at the proposal spot.

Steven feeding medieval Steven Colbert a pickle.

Me with two pickles!

Steven with a tiny hat! 

 Itty bitty puzzle ring for baby.

The ring from Grammy’s jewelry box came from the Ren Fest last year!

Steven is a happy kitty :)

Eric put all of his peanut shells on Steven.

  

Fire play!

He was throwing the sticks around, but this shot was really funny.

This lady curls and dyes her dogs hair for the fest.  Poor pup.

Labor Day Weekend

Life has been crazy busy lately, and this weekend was no different!  On Saturday I went to the zoo with Mom, Ashley, and Andrew.  Andrew was a little bit of a grouch, but we still had a good time and did a lot of walking!  When we got home, I napped until Eric got home.  I was supposed to pick him up, but I accidentally slept through my alarm.  Alan and Ashley rescued him, phew!  Then we had some KFC for dinner and I went right back to sleep!

On Sunday we did church and waited around for the Dave Ramsey preview class - but nobody showed up again!  So we hung around with Mom, Kris, and Andrew for awhile before going to Steven's house for the night.  I did a lot of napping while the boys shot airsoft guns and played with swords.  At the end of the night, I watched some Food Network and passed out.  

On Monday, Eric and I spent the entire day driving Andrew back to Wichita.  It was the worst drive I've had in a long long time.  I was so lucky to have such a wonderful husband who was able to drive the entire way.  

We had this ginormous praying mantis take up residence on our stairwell.

Andrew is interested in how a car works.

Eric is teaching Andrew how to turn on the wiper blades. 

Sleepy boy refused to eat or set down his chip before passing out. 

On our way home, through Lawrence, Eric was thrilled to be part of a Viper sandwich! 

There's the second bread, and Eric is the peanut butter and jelly!

Tech Free Part 2

I've been getting sick of our routine of watching Netflix, while Eric is gaming on his computer and I'm playing on my phone.  Also mildly tired of reading - I just wanted to escape from media for an evening!  So before Steven went home, I went for a jog and he and Eric followed me on bike.  

After Steven went home, Eric and I played a 3 hour game of Monopoly!  The cats were very involved in the game...and Eric kicked my butt. 

Steven got hit by a rogue trash bag. 

I'm running with Pandora running through my phone, and Eric & Steven are playing on the bikes. 

I jumped in our pool when my 3.25 mile run was over, soooo hot! 

Mystic was laying behind Eric with about 3 inches of space, and she kept a paw on his $5 million dollar bills. 

Addy and Eric both looking at me through their eyebrows.

Schitterbahn & Moving Steven

Jack, Eric, Steven, and I went to Schlitterbahn today!  It was only about 85 degrees when we got there, but by 3pm it was up to 105, yikes!  We spent most of our day in the tidal wave river, which was pretty great!  We also did the teal and black waterslides, the water coaster, the true lazy river, and the connection between the lazy river and the tidal wave river.  The signs said that there were supposed to be 6 new rides in 2011, but as we near the end of July, none of them are near completion - lame!  It sucks that the ticket prices are the same for 1/2 the park as what they will be when the rest of it opens, but we still had a great time.

Steven decided not to reapply sunscreen with the rest of us, and paid dearly for his error!  When we finished at the park, we grabbed lunch at Cheeseburgers in Paradise.  I left the boys so I could take Jack home and greet Papa on his return from Michigan!  Eric and Steven went and played some games with Grant - then I joined them at his apartment later in the evening.  We managed to finish moving him out of his apartment, except for some small things, in only two trips!  Then we were able to hang around for a bit, and I snuck a mega snap under one of the kitchen chairs...it took 30 minutes for anyone to sit in that chair, but Steven just about peed his pants when he was the unlucky winner!

Yay!  Jack and I are ready to go swimming!

Jack was super tired and upset that we were leaving, this isn't a smile, but a grimace as he was crying.  :( 

This speaks for itself! 

Jack fell asleep as soon as he hit the seat, and then woke up easily to devour his chicken strips and fries. 

Dark, but Steven outside of his empty apartment!

Kansas City Zoo

Today we took Steven to the Kansas City Zoo with us.  It was about a million degrees out, but that didn't stop the fun!  I've taken Jack, Eric, Alison, Leslie, and Steven to zoo multiple times this summer, and it's been worth it! Afterward, we went swimming at Steven's house and headed home late!

The sky ride takes you right over the giraffe exhibit!

The rhino, and her baby in the back left of the photo, were out and walking around today. 

The meercats were hilarious as always! 

This guy was laying tummy first in a crevice. 

This is about half of the meercats, all looking at Eric and Steven! 

Ferocious kitty laying right by the fence! 

Me on the sky ride...

...and the boys on the sky ride!