So recently, I gave a recap of some of the things that have gone on over the last 10 months or so. No real detail, just a small taste of some of the noteworthy events that I could remember. To be honest, it pisses me off that I forget so much of it, which I guess is a reason I need to get on here and type my thoughts and experiences more often. Fair warning, this blog won't be all about the kids, although you can expect that there will be some hefty doses of kid stories since they make up the majority of my life. But when it's not about the kids, perhaps you will see the more personal side of me(some would consider it secretive since I am not very forth coming of my personal life). Either way, enjoy and in some cases, beware...
So, what's on my mind? I will tell you one thing that has become a peeve of mine. It is people saying "you are too skinny." Ladies and gentlemen, this is an insult similar to "you are too fat/you are too ugly/you are too stupid" and so on. And from now on, I just may make that my response when somebody decides to share that "compliment" with me. If you are offended, I will throw you a packet of salt and you can take a few grains out and move on. My point is, if you want to share a compliment, go for it. If you want to be a hater, be ready to be hated back. :)
For me personally, weight is one of those things that is always on my mind, and admittedly, that bugs the hell out of me. Growing up a fat kid does that to you. Getting teased as a fat kid does that to you. Hell, even when I recently weighed in at 193, there was no way in hell you were getting me poolside without a shirt...and I had a six pack for hell's sake. I guess this is one of my demons and I just don't have the time or energy to exorcise that bitch right now (not related to exercise, which sometimes I also don't have the energy or time to do). Anyway, I don't really mind being that "Firework" that hasn't quite ignited the light. I guess time will tell that tale now won't it.
I had briefly talked about how I had lost around 64 lbs since October (123 since my all time high weight a couple of years ago). It was no secret I did this last round on the HCG diet, which I think is a good thing if you are ready to do it. If you are not ready, it is the cruelest bitch in the world and it will feel like she is an evil ex-wife taking you for all you are worth. (Thankfully I have not experienced that in my life, but I have heard some horror stories which is why I feel comfortably making the comparison). Anyway, right now, the weight seems to teeter-totter back and forth between 195 and 210, which is a pretty natural weight swing for me based on what I eat at any given time. This weekend we pigged out, so the next couple of days I will eat some apples and then move on to some protein. It's not a horrible cycle. And there was no way I could have stuck to my old diet routine I have had over the last several months...not with Annie starting her new hobby of baking. Perhaps if she was a shitty baker it would work out, but she has yet to disappoint. Atta girl! That being said, I am sure I will do this diet again one day, just to slim back down...perhaps at a time I feel like having a six pack again. Until then, I at least want to wish those of you still on the diet the best of luck. It definitely works when you do it right. Now I am off to eat some alfredo, followed by some red velvet cake, a banana split with cookie dough ice cream and some candy as we sit down and watch a movie.
Have a good night....
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
A snapshot of the last 10 months...
When I first decided to start a blog, it was mostly so that I could keep record of things, and share some stuff along the way. I had full intentions of being a more active blogger, but things just didn't go according to plan! And to make matters worse, a lot has happened since the last time I posted on here (almost a year ago)...so where to start? How about the beginning?! Let's see what I can remember...
July: In what I anticipated being a bigger deal, my 30th birthday came and went and that was pretty much it. It did cause me to reflect on a lot of things, which is not always a good thing lol.
August: He's here! On August 13th, Ryker Dallas Hansen arrived! Much to our surprise, Ryker decided to make his debut ahead of schedule. We had our annual Bear Lake trip planned that weekend, and were very hesitant whether or not we would be going. It ended up being for the better that we didn't go because Ryker arrived that Friday morning when we would have been leaving! I remember him looking like such a little alien when he was first born, with his long cone head and squished little face. Makes me wonder how such a white guy can have a baby that came out looking like a Samoan (Kenzie) and an Alien (Ryker)?
September: Honestly I think I was still recovering from lack of sleep during this month, because I do not remember much about it except that I broke my little toe playing Ghost In The Graveyard with Annie's family. And it wasn't just the little stubby part of the toe, it was the part up in the foot. Needless to say, I gimped around for about six weeks after that.
October: Oh man this month had it's ups and downs in 2010. Overall, it may have been the busiest month for us as well. To start the month, Mom hit the big 5-0 mark! We went and celebrated at Rodizzio Grill and pigged out in her honor! Sadly, we didn't make it to Hawaii for her 50th, but we did have some damn good grilled pineapple!
While we had celebrations early in the month, the later part was filled with loss as our family lost a patriarch with Grandpa Dale's passing on October 24th. Honestly, I am still not ready to write about at length. He died on Grandma's birthday, which I still think is poetically tragic and beautiful at the same time. It was also fitting, considering their wedding anniversary was one day from his birthday. His funeral was nice. Kevin, Hilllaree and myself all spoke in his honor, as did our cousin Brad, giving the eulogy. They also had the gun salute at the cemetary, which was a nice finishing touch. Perhaps in a future post, I will post my speech from the funeral. That will give a good picture of my memories of him. He is missed dearly.
On the up side, we had a fun time doing Halloween festivities with the kids, including carving pumpkins, spending time at Wheeler Farm, and of course getting them ready for some trick or treating and what not. So what were they this year? Tyson was the Scream Ghost, McKenna was a new twist of Pirate (like her pirate costume from last year meets Beetlejuice and voila there you have it), Kenzie was Aurora (not a Bear Princess this year, but a Princess none the less...although I expected her to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle) and Ryker spent his first Halloween as a little Scarecrow.
Although I had trimmed off about 58 pounds from my all time high a couple of years ago, it was also this month that I decided to try a new diet. Not sure if the timing was good or bad, but the diet worked well, as I lost a total of an additional 64 lbs over the next couple of months. Go me! LOL!
Did I mention October was busy? It definitely was! Although Annie and I sold our Utes season tickets for the season, Kenzie and I were able to attend one game (which we won). Kenzie had the time of her life and I think most of the fans had more fun watching her than watching the game! Aside from the Utes, Kemry and Caelan were both playing football this year, so we did our best to attend as many of those games as possible! My friend Robert's son (Tre) also played football, so we made it to a couple of his games too! Needless to say, it made for busy...and exciting...Saturdays last fall!!!
November: 2010 marked the last annual Utah vs BYU Thanksgiving Dinner for our family! This has become quite the tradition, and it was sad to see it end...but on a happy note, at least the game ended perfectly with the Utes pulling off the victory in stunning fashion! This year, the Utes play their new "rival," Colorado, on that weekend. Can you sense the excitement in my post? It won't be the same, but I am sure the tradition will carry on in one way or another!
December: When comparing 2010 to 2009, Annie and I did a lot less...of everything! That included everything from sleep to travel to going to concerts, etc. In December, we attended our first (and only) concert of the year...The Judds. To our pleasant surprise, it was one hell of a show! Those old ladies can still rock it and sound really good. Little did Annie know, that no Christmas, she would be getting a gift that would really rock her world...Ozzy tickets...
Speaking of Christmas time, if we were placing bets on which of the four kids would get upset when they visited Santa, I would have put all my money on Ryker...and lost! Ryker did very well with Santa...and of course Tyson and McKenna did as well. To my surprise, it was Kenzie who did not want to see him. Although with a little coaxing she did get over it, it wasn't without a bucket full of tears! Next year all bets are on Ryker to freak out!
Overall, Christmas was a little different for Annie and I this year. It was the first year that either of us spent Christmas morning without kids (well, Ryker was the exception but he had no clue what was going on). However, it was still a good Christmas, and we spent the second half of the day with all of the family! :)
January: I guess Annie and I had similar ideas for Christmas gifts, because she got me tickets to go see Jeff Dunham. I have seen him before, but he was definitely worth seeing again. Sadly, they wouldn't allow cameras (and would take them away if they caught you taking pictures) so we didn't really get any pics.
The month ended with a busy weekend, including a Jazz game (one we actually won during a very bad stretch of losses). The cool thing about this Jazz game was not only were the seats great, but we also got to go eat in the Sponsor Room before the game and at halftime. I ate so much I was really, really sick. Best part is I didn't have to pay a thing!
The next day was Kenzie's dance recital. As always, she did well and looked beautiful up there on stage. Overall, the dance was a disaster due to some poor last minute decisions on behalf of the teachers, but she still shined. If you have had a chance to read Annie's blog or check out my facebook page, there are pictures of her from her recital. I can barely figure out how to type in this thing let alone try to post pictures! That may take me another ten months!
February: As I mentioned, for Christmas, I gave Annie tickets to see Ozzy in Denver. He was also performing in Vegas, which would have been a hell of a lot warmer, but Annie spent a short and retarded stint of her life in Colorado, so we wanted to meet up with Shannon and her boyfriend Ron in Denver. Although the weather didn't cooperate, the concert was great and we all had a good time.
Earlier this month, Ryker turned 6 months old. Annie had been wanting to give him a haircut for a while, and although he probably did need one, I wasn't quite ready. We decided it could happen when he turned six months, and although Annie started having second thoughts on it, she still did it. I swear the kid grew up with every snip of his hair and came out of it looking like a little kid rather than a baby. Again, for pics, check out Annie's blog or my facebook page! :)
One of my least favorite parts of February has to be the 14th day of the month. Not because I am against such feelings (in fact, there is a now dormant romantic in there somewhere), but mroe because of the expectations the world in general puts on the so-called holiday. That being said, it is still a fun day for the kids, so we had a day of festivities planned for them! Well, let me clarify, Annie (with her new found hobby of baking) had a day planned for them! They made and decorated heart shaped cupcakes and heart shaped cookies on a stick (like a lollipop). It was pretty fun to watch them make them, although it didn't compare to the 100 or so cookies we made for Christmas.
Here comes the recap, I guess we can start right about where I last left off...
May: Following a very busy month of April, may welcomed a whole new era...well at least for Annie as she celebrated her 30th birthday! Not that we were really able to celebrate since she was six months pregnant with a little poppy seed that would eventually be named Ryker.
We also did our second annual Race for the Cure, honoring BTLB for Grandma Shirlene (as well as all of those who fought and/or are fighting Breast Cancer).
June: Cooper is born! On June 13th, my parents welcomed their first grandson compliments of Mike and Hillaree (of course Hill did most of the work lol). He sure was a chubby little thing, and immediately got nicknamed Sir Roll! It has been funny how the last two sets of cousins have worked out. Kenzie and Ella being only four days apart was crazy enough, and after Cooper was born, it would be exactly two months later that Ryker would join the family!July: In what I anticipated being a bigger deal, my 30th birthday came and went and that was pretty much it. It did cause me to reflect on a lot of things, which is not always a good thing lol.
August: He's here! On August 13th, Ryker Dallas Hansen arrived! Much to our surprise, Ryker decided to make his debut ahead of schedule. We had our annual Bear Lake trip planned that weekend, and were very hesitant whether or not we would be going. It ended up being for the better that we didn't go because Ryker arrived that Friday morning when we would have been leaving! I remember him looking like such a little alien when he was first born, with his long cone head and squished little face. Makes me wonder how such a white guy can have a baby that came out looking like a Samoan (Kenzie) and an Alien (Ryker)?
September: Honestly I think I was still recovering from lack of sleep during this month, because I do not remember much about it except that I broke my little toe playing Ghost In The Graveyard with Annie's family. And it wasn't just the little stubby part of the toe, it was the part up in the foot. Needless to say, I gimped around for about six weeks after that.
October: Oh man this month had it's ups and downs in 2010. Overall, it may have been the busiest month for us as well. To start the month, Mom hit the big 5-0 mark! We went and celebrated at Rodizzio Grill and pigged out in her honor! Sadly, we didn't make it to Hawaii for her 50th, but we did have some damn good grilled pineapple!
While we had celebrations early in the month, the later part was filled with loss as our family lost a patriarch with Grandpa Dale's passing on October 24th. Honestly, I am still not ready to write about at length. He died on Grandma's birthday, which I still think is poetically tragic and beautiful at the same time. It was also fitting, considering their wedding anniversary was one day from his birthday. His funeral was nice. Kevin, Hilllaree and myself all spoke in his honor, as did our cousin Brad, giving the eulogy. They also had the gun salute at the cemetary, which was a nice finishing touch. Perhaps in a future post, I will post my speech from the funeral. That will give a good picture of my memories of him. He is missed dearly.
On the up side, we had a fun time doing Halloween festivities with the kids, including carving pumpkins, spending time at Wheeler Farm, and of course getting them ready for some trick or treating and what not. So what were they this year? Tyson was the Scream Ghost, McKenna was a new twist of Pirate (like her pirate costume from last year meets Beetlejuice and voila there you have it), Kenzie was Aurora (not a Bear Princess this year, but a Princess none the less...although I expected her to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle) and Ryker spent his first Halloween as a little Scarecrow.
Although I had trimmed off about 58 pounds from my all time high a couple of years ago, it was also this month that I decided to try a new diet. Not sure if the timing was good or bad, but the diet worked well, as I lost a total of an additional 64 lbs over the next couple of months. Go me! LOL!
Did I mention October was busy? It definitely was! Although Annie and I sold our Utes season tickets for the season, Kenzie and I were able to attend one game (which we won). Kenzie had the time of her life and I think most of the fans had more fun watching her than watching the game! Aside from the Utes, Kemry and Caelan were both playing football this year, so we did our best to attend as many of those games as possible! My friend Robert's son (Tre) also played football, so we made it to a couple of his games too! Needless to say, it made for busy...and exciting...Saturdays last fall!!!
November: 2010 marked the last annual Utah vs BYU Thanksgiving Dinner for our family! This has become quite the tradition, and it was sad to see it end...but on a happy note, at least the game ended perfectly with the Utes pulling off the victory in stunning fashion! This year, the Utes play their new "rival," Colorado, on that weekend. Can you sense the excitement in my post? It won't be the same, but I am sure the tradition will carry on in one way or another!
December: When comparing 2010 to 2009, Annie and I did a lot less...of everything! That included everything from sleep to travel to going to concerts, etc. In December, we attended our first (and only) concert of the year...The Judds. To our pleasant surprise, it was one hell of a show! Those old ladies can still rock it and sound really good. Little did Annie know, that no Christmas, she would be getting a gift that would really rock her world...Ozzy tickets...
Speaking of Christmas time, if we were placing bets on which of the four kids would get upset when they visited Santa, I would have put all my money on Ryker...and lost! Ryker did very well with Santa...and of course Tyson and McKenna did as well. To my surprise, it was Kenzie who did not want to see him. Although with a little coaxing she did get over it, it wasn't without a bucket full of tears! Next year all bets are on Ryker to freak out!
Overall, Christmas was a little different for Annie and I this year. It was the first year that either of us spent Christmas morning without kids (well, Ryker was the exception but he had no clue what was going on). However, it was still a good Christmas, and we spent the second half of the day with all of the family! :)
January: I guess Annie and I had similar ideas for Christmas gifts, because she got me tickets to go see Jeff Dunham. I have seen him before, but he was definitely worth seeing again. Sadly, they wouldn't allow cameras (and would take them away if they caught you taking pictures) so we didn't really get any pics.
The month ended with a busy weekend, including a Jazz game (one we actually won during a very bad stretch of losses). The cool thing about this Jazz game was not only were the seats great, but we also got to go eat in the Sponsor Room before the game and at halftime. I ate so much I was really, really sick. Best part is I didn't have to pay a thing!
The next day was Kenzie's dance recital. As always, she did well and looked beautiful up there on stage. Overall, the dance was a disaster due to some poor last minute decisions on behalf of the teachers, but she still shined. If you have had a chance to read Annie's blog or check out my facebook page, there are pictures of her from her recital. I can barely figure out how to type in this thing let alone try to post pictures! That may take me another ten months!
February: As I mentioned, for Christmas, I gave Annie tickets to see Ozzy in Denver. He was also performing in Vegas, which would have been a hell of a lot warmer, but Annie spent a short and retarded stint of her life in Colorado, so we wanted to meet up with Shannon and her boyfriend Ron in Denver. Although the weather didn't cooperate, the concert was great and we all had a good time.
Earlier this month, Ryker turned 6 months old. Annie had been wanting to give him a haircut for a while, and although he probably did need one, I wasn't quite ready. We decided it could happen when he turned six months, and although Annie started having second thoughts on it, she still did it. I swear the kid grew up with every snip of his hair and came out of it looking like a little kid rather than a baby. Again, for pics, check out Annie's blog or my facebook page! :)
One of my least favorite parts of February has to be the 14th day of the month. Not because I am against such feelings (in fact, there is a now dormant romantic in there somewhere), but mroe because of the expectations the world in general puts on the so-called holiday. That being said, it is still a fun day for the kids, so we had a day of festivities planned for them! Well, let me clarify, Annie (with her new found hobby of baking) had a day planned for them! They made and decorated heart shaped cupcakes and heart shaped cookies on a stick (like a lollipop). It was pretty fun to watch them make them, although it didn't compare to the 100 or so cookies we made for Christmas.
So there it is in a nutshell or two. I feel like I have left out so many details of what has happened over the last ten months, especially some of the stuff that has happened with the kids. I guess that is good motivation to keep on top of this blogging stuff a little better in 2011, right?!
With that, here are a few things to look forward to, and hopefully write about, this year: My return to school...celebrating birthdays at Disneyland...soccer, dance, tumbling, football??...Ryker milestones....Kenzie's first day of school...Utes games....weddings (no not mine), etc., etc., etc.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Whoa where did the time go?
Ok, so I have been a slacker when it comes to keeping up on my blog. That being said, a lot has happened over the last two months so I have a lot to talk about! I think it is about time I start figuring out how to post pictures as well, so we can add some illustration to it all! :)
SPORTS N' SUCH...
In February, Kenzie had her first dance recital! She was a Rockin' Robin and lived up to the name! She did so well and I was so proud of her. I remember it wasn't that long ago when she was so shy and didn't want to do anything like that...and now...she is up there and dancing in front of the crowd. She has her next recital in May where she will be dancing to L-O-V-E, and I am excited to see how that goes! After that recital, she will be taking a short break from the world of dance as we let her try other things, like swimming or another sport. I am hoping she gets into soccer because that will be fun to watch!
Speaking of soccer, Tyson is playing soccer again this year. His team is much better this year and it has been fun watching the first few games of the season. I think his mom is working on trying to talk him into trying out of the competition league in Murray, but we will see how that goes.
And now back to dance...Kenna had her recital this last week (along with all of the birthdays and parties...wow it was a crazy week)...and she did a great job as well! I think she outdanced some of the older kids that are in dance! And like Kenzie, I think that she is heading for a break from dance as well, probably into gymnastics, which I think she will excel at. Almost daily she will want to show me her new tricks or ask me if I have an idea that can challenge her. I think her skill and passion for it will make her a success if that is what she chooses to do!
POPPY UPDATES...
Over the last two months, a lot has happened in regards to Poppy. For those of you that do not know who Poppy is, he is the bun in the over that is expected to be done baking around August 23rd of this year! And there you have it...the first big news was that we found out we were having a boy! He wasn't too bashful about showing off his junk so we got a good shot of it (which his mom proudly posted on facebook lol). He has given his mom minimal problems...we had one trip to the ER for contractions, which ended with us just paying a lot of money for re-assurance that he was doing well. :)
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been able to feel him moving a lot more, and last week was the first time you could see Annie's stomach move when he moved! He tends to be very active at about 7 am and 10 pm for a few minutes, and I always get a good laugh when he stomps on his mom's bladder and makes her do the "pee dance" with a look of terror on her face! I think she may have an accident before it is all said and done...so watch for pictures! :)
I am sure there will be a lot of updates between my blog and Annie's as we go through the year!
BIRTHDAY BASHES....
My little Kenzie turned four last week (April 20) and I feel like time is just flying by too fast with her. She continues to amaze me every day. Whether it be cuddling up and holding my arm when she wants to go to sleep or reprimanding me from the back seat for letting my road rage get the best of me. Just yesterday she was watching me shave and asked me why I had crumbs all over my face. Thank goodness she believed that it was hair and didn't want a taste. Yuck.
For Kenzie's birthday, we kept our tradition and went to lunch and shopping! This year Kenz got to go to TGI Fridays with my dad, Annie and I, where she enjoyed ribs and oranges...yes you may think that is an odd combination but she loved it! After lunch we headed over to Toys R Us, where she got her Birthday Club gifts and Happy Birthday song. We then went shopping and she got to pick out a few gifts for herself. She really wanted an oversized tricycle (that reminds me of what a gangsta would ride if they rode trikes) but we are trying to get her out of that stage so it was a no go! Thankfully she decided on a few other items, completely unknowing that she would be getting her DSi at her party on Saturday! After some shopping, I took her to see my mom and then she went out to dinner with her mom as the day of spoiling continued!
Two days later, we went to another birthday lunch...this time for Tyson. He was pretty excited to get out of school to go to lunch (as was Kenna), and we had a good time. The best part was when he heard them announce a birthday from the other side of the building (yeah, they shouted it out from 50 feet away) and watching the expressions on his face change as he realized that the singing birthday parade was coming to him. It definitely made the lunch! :)
Add another two days to the mix and we are at Saturday and it is party time, excellent (guitar riff). We decided to have a triple birthday party for Kenzie, Tyson and Ella at Classic Fun Center. I will tell you what...for every ounce of anxiety it caused me as an adult, the kids got double the fun. Although it was very hectic and crowded (popular place) all of the kids seemed to have a great time (and all of the adults survived...phew). Happy Birthday Kenzie, Tyson and Ella!
Stay tuned for more excited updates....we have MORE birthdays (including Annie's Dirty Thirty), the Autism Walk, the Race for the Cure, and the pure crazy randomness that happens in life every day!
SPORTS N' SUCH...
In February, Kenzie had her first dance recital! She was a Rockin' Robin and lived up to the name! She did so well and I was so proud of her. I remember it wasn't that long ago when she was so shy and didn't want to do anything like that...and now...she is up there and dancing in front of the crowd. She has her next recital in May where she will be dancing to L-O-V-E, and I am excited to see how that goes! After that recital, she will be taking a short break from the world of dance as we let her try other things, like swimming or another sport. I am hoping she gets into soccer because that will be fun to watch!
Speaking of soccer, Tyson is playing soccer again this year. His team is much better this year and it has been fun watching the first few games of the season. I think his mom is working on trying to talk him into trying out of the competition league in Murray, but we will see how that goes.
And now back to dance...Kenna had her recital this last week (along with all of the birthdays and parties...wow it was a crazy week)...and she did a great job as well! I think she outdanced some of the older kids that are in dance! And like Kenzie, I think that she is heading for a break from dance as well, probably into gymnastics, which I think she will excel at. Almost daily she will want to show me her new tricks or ask me if I have an idea that can challenge her. I think her skill and passion for it will make her a success if that is what she chooses to do!
POPPY UPDATES...
Over the last two months, a lot has happened in regards to Poppy. For those of you that do not know who Poppy is, he is the bun in the over that is expected to be done baking around August 23rd of this year! And there you have it...the first big news was that we found out we were having a boy! He wasn't too bashful about showing off his junk so we got a good shot of it (which his mom proudly posted on facebook lol). He has given his mom minimal problems...we had one trip to the ER for contractions, which ended with us just paying a lot of money for re-assurance that he was doing well. :)
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been able to feel him moving a lot more, and last week was the first time you could see Annie's stomach move when he moved! He tends to be very active at about 7 am and 10 pm for a few minutes, and I always get a good laugh when he stomps on his mom's bladder and makes her do the "pee dance" with a look of terror on her face! I think she may have an accident before it is all said and done...so watch for pictures! :)
I am sure there will be a lot of updates between my blog and Annie's as we go through the year!
BIRTHDAY BASHES....
My little Kenzie turned four last week (April 20) and I feel like time is just flying by too fast with her. She continues to amaze me every day. Whether it be cuddling up and holding my arm when she wants to go to sleep or reprimanding me from the back seat for letting my road rage get the best of me. Just yesterday she was watching me shave and asked me why I had crumbs all over my face. Thank goodness she believed that it was hair and didn't want a taste. Yuck.
For Kenzie's birthday, we kept our tradition and went to lunch and shopping! This year Kenz got to go to TGI Fridays with my dad, Annie and I, where she enjoyed ribs and oranges...yes you may think that is an odd combination but she loved it! After lunch we headed over to Toys R Us, where she got her Birthday Club gifts and Happy Birthday song. We then went shopping and she got to pick out a few gifts for herself. She really wanted an oversized tricycle (that reminds me of what a gangsta would ride if they rode trikes) but we are trying to get her out of that stage so it was a no go! Thankfully she decided on a few other items, completely unknowing that she would be getting her DSi at her party on Saturday! After some shopping, I took her to see my mom and then she went out to dinner with her mom as the day of spoiling continued!
Two days later, we went to another birthday lunch...this time for Tyson. He was pretty excited to get out of school to go to lunch (as was Kenna), and we had a good time. The best part was when he heard them announce a birthday from the other side of the building (yeah, they shouted it out from 50 feet away) and watching the expressions on his face change as he realized that the singing birthday parade was coming to him. It definitely made the lunch! :)
Add another two days to the mix and we are at Saturday and it is party time, excellent (guitar riff). We decided to have a triple birthday party for Kenzie, Tyson and Ella at Classic Fun Center. I will tell you what...for every ounce of anxiety it caused me as an adult, the kids got double the fun. Although it was very hectic and crowded (popular place) all of the kids seemed to have a great time (and all of the adults survived...phew). Happy Birthday Kenzie, Tyson and Ella!
Stay tuned for more excited updates....we have MORE birthdays (including Annie's Dirty Thirty), the Autism Walk, the Race for the Cure, and the pure crazy randomness that happens in life every day!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Daddy Daughter Date Night
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take Kenzie on a daddy-daughter date to see the Utah Jazz take on the Sacramento Kings. It seemed to be fitting since Kenzie's other experiences at ESA were to see Disney Princesses. ;) She was pretty excited as she ran between the giant statues of Stockton and Malone out front, although I am not so certain she knew exactly what she was excited about. Either way, it was great to see her so happy about it.
As soon as we got into ESA, we went to the gift shop to see if we could find a D-Will jersey for Kenzie...sadly, they had none in her size. So what better way to burn a hole in your pocket then at the concession stands...away we went, with Kenz leading the way. Much to my surprise to start the game, all she wanted was popcorn and a water (what???). Albeit the popcorn buckets are pretty big and she did a good job plowing through it during the game, I was expecting her to want nothing but candy, candy, candy.
As soon as we got into ESA, we went to the gift shop to see if we could find a D-Will jersey for Kenzie...sadly, they had none in her size. So what better way to burn a hole in your pocket then at the concession stands...away we went, with Kenz leading the way. Much to my surprise to start the game, all she wanted was popcorn and a water (what???). Albeit the popcorn buckets are pretty big and she did a good job plowing through it during the game, I was expecting her to want nothing but candy, candy, candy.
With food and drinks in hand, and Kenzie wanting to be carried down the stairs as well, some how we made it to our seats and only lost a small portion of our food along the way. It must have worked to our advantage though, because it wasn't long until the Bear came sniffing around and causing trouble for nearby Kings fans. After Kenz caught one glimpse of him, and that he was spraying people with silly string, she became obsessed. If he was out of sight for more than a minute, she would ask me where I thought he was....until he came back into sight again. (I wasn't sure she was going to make it through the halftime ceremony for Hot Rod, because for some reason the Bear went into hibernation during that time much to Kenzie's disapproval).
Since Kenzie was doing much better at the game than I had expected, we decided to get some ice cream. This also helped her get over the fact that the ugly little girl sitting next to us caught a parachute with a Geek Squad t-shirt and did a good job showing it off to Kenzie for a few minutes. It was interesting to see how Kenzie handled it (pretty well), but either way the double scoop of mint chocolate and cookie dough ice cream kept her all but occupied for the majority of the 3rd quarter.
After she had her fill, she got back into the game a little bit more, and thankfully clapped and cheered for the right team at the right times. I think she was very aware of the attention she was getting from people sitting all around us, and decided to ham it up a little bit more for show (which scares me to think of how she is going to be when she is older and in the spot light). All in all, we had a great time watching the Jazz win from 12 rows up from the court. And Kenzie's way of thanking me for the daddy-daughter date was priceless...she asked that I carry her...and run...all the way from ESA to where we parked a few blocks down...because she was cold and, well, cold is just no fun. :)
Friday, January 22, 2010
From The Mouth of Roo...
About a week ago, I posted a status update on Facebook about some of the funny and priceless things that Kenzie says or does. This is something I wish I would have started a long time ago, but I am sure as time goes on, there will be plenty of classics to add!
Jan 2010: While trying to get Kenzie to do ANYTHING, she proved stubborn and quite witty as she argued her point as to why she didn't need to take a bath or brush her teeth! "Kenzie, it's time to take a bath"..."I don't need to take a bath, I not stinky"..."I think you are stinky and you need to take a bath"..."You not smell me Dada, I not stinky and don't need to take a bath." Then..."Kenz, here let's brush your teeth all pretty" (trying the nice approach)..."I don't need to brush my teeth, they don't have bugs"..."Well we need to brush them so they don't get bugs"..."They don't have bugs and they not poop on my teeth, my teeth are pretty, see." See, she did a pretty good job but still lost the war in the end!
One of the funniest things that I love about kids is when they mis-pronounce words! Kenzie speaks very well and has for some time, but every now and then we find a word or phrase where I have to keep "hitting repeat" so I can get a good chuckle from it. While trying to tickle me last weekend, she kept saying "Kickle, Kickle...Kickle, Kickle". I am not sure which made me laugh more...the tickling...or the "kickling." Another favorite is when Kenzie is going to throw something away in the garbage! She tends to announce what she is doing (more on that in a minute) and every time, she informs me she is throwing something in the "Jar-bage"...love it! Recently, I made her repeat herself at least half a dozen times just so I could hear her say it! Now speaking of Kenzie announcing things, and a funny phrase that she uses often is, "Ooops, I just farted out of my mouth" when she burps and then laughs! She knows its a burp, so I think she is just humoring her dad with the phrase!
Speaking of tub time, recently while in the bath, she was playing with her toys, and apparently on of her little "sharptooth" toys mouthed off to a bigger "sharptooth" so she made the big one eat the little one. As I sat there watching and listening, she, speaking on behalf of the big "sharptooth" informed me that the little one got eaten because apparently it was being mean and impatient! Talk about a harsh timeout!
Earlier that same night, while we are at Costco, Kenzie went back in time to pre-Christmas and decided to share her lyrical talents with the entire store as she sang "Santa Claus is coming to town" at the top of her lungs. Rarely does the child make me blush with the stuff she does but on that one, she got me. It was cute though because she was so happy to be singing it so loudly and proudly. The night continued to be entertaining and she explained to me how awesome her new toys were she got for Christmas, and then during our many Memory matches of the night, became the world's friendliest opponent as she cheered me on every time she got a match! That being said, it was a different story when I got the "sharptooth" match, to which she would promptly request that I trade a match with her so she could have it. During our final game, she picked the "sharptooth" 8 straight times looking for his match (because I had gotten him...and traded him to her...every game before that...and this time she was going to get him). Eventually, she got the match and was quite pleased with herself.
As many people know, and I will have to blog about this later as well, I tend to have nicknames (often times several over time) for people, and right now one of Kenzie's is "Roo" or "Root Root" or "Rooter." So although this was more cute than funny, it made my night when she came up to me the other night and gave me a hug, asked me if I was ok (which I was but must have seemed otherwise), and told me, "it's alright dada, I'm your Rooter." Cute kid. :)
Although there are several funny things that Kenzie says that I have missed and will have to add later, there are two more things, that occur more often these days. As you know, Annie and I are expecting a baby later this year, and the other night, Kenzie got her first glimpse of the baby in the ultrasound picture. After of course saying she thought they bean in the picture was cute, she promptly informed me that she could not have babies until she was a big girl, while kind of rubbing her belly. What made this funny was how serious she was when she said it, as if she was trying to convince me of it! No worries Kenzie...I completely agree with you!
And finally, speaking of bellies...Kenzie has one that talks! No, not the "growling" talk when it is hungry or she needs to make a run for the potty! But one that has a belly button as a mouth (that she moves with her fingers)...and informs us if she is not hungry, or very hungry, or full, or sick, etc. I don't know how much longer this will last, but it sure is worth seeing before the show is off the air! :)
Until next time...
Jan 2010: While trying to get Kenzie to do ANYTHING, she proved stubborn and quite witty as she argued her point as to why she didn't need to take a bath or brush her teeth! "Kenzie, it's time to take a bath"..."I don't need to take a bath, I not stinky"..."I think you are stinky and you need to take a bath"..."You not smell me Dada, I not stinky and don't need to take a bath." Then..."Kenz, here let's brush your teeth all pretty" (trying the nice approach)..."I don't need to brush my teeth, they don't have bugs"..."Well we need to brush them so they don't get bugs"..."They don't have bugs and they not poop on my teeth, my teeth are pretty, see." See, she did a pretty good job but still lost the war in the end!
One of the funniest things that I love about kids is when they mis-pronounce words! Kenzie speaks very well and has for some time, but every now and then we find a word or phrase where I have to keep "hitting repeat" so I can get a good chuckle from it. While trying to tickle me last weekend, she kept saying "Kickle, Kickle...Kickle, Kickle". I am not sure which made me laugh more...the tickling...or the "kickling." Another favorite is when Kenzie is going to throw something away in the garbage! She tends to announce what she is doing (more on that in a minute) and every time, she informs me she is throwing something in the "Jar-bage"...love it! Recently, I made her repeat herself at least half a dozen times just so I could hear her say it! Now speaking of Kenzie announcing things, and a funny phrase that she uses often is, "Ooops, I just farted out of my mouth" when she burps and then laughs! She knows its a burp, so I think she is just humoring her dad with the phrase!
Speaking of tub time, recently while in the bath, she was playing with her toys, and apparently on of her little "sharptooth" toys mouthed off to a bigger "sharptooth" so she made the big one eat the little one. As I sat there watching and listening, she, speaking on behalf of the big "sharptooth" informed me that the little one got eaten because apparently it was being mean and impatient! Talk about a harsh timeout!
Earlier that same night, while we are at Costco, Kenzie went back in time to pre-Christmas and decided to share her lyrical talents with the entire store as she sang "Santa Claus is coming to town" at the top of her lungs. Rarely does the child make me blush with the stuff she does but on that one, she got me. It was cute though because she was so happy to be singing it so loudly and proudly. The night continued to be entertaining and she explained to me how awesome her new toys were she got for Christmas, and then during our many Memory matches of the night, became the world's friendliest opponent as she cheered me on every time she got a match! That being said, it was a different story when I got the "sharptooth" match, to which she would promptly request that I trade a match with her so she could have it. During our final game, she picked the "sharptooth" 8 straight times looking for his match (because I had gotten him...and traded him to her...every game before that...and this time she was going to get him). Eventually, she got the match and was quite pleased with herself.
As many people know, and I will have to blog about this later as well, I tend to have nicknames (often times several over time) for people, and right now one of Kenzie's is "Roo" or "Root Root" or "Rooter." So although this was more cute than funny, it made my night when she came up to me the other night and gave me a hug, asked me if I was ok (which I was but must have seemed otherwise), and told me, "it's alright dada, I'm your Rooter." Cute kid. :)
Although there are several funny things that Kenzie says that I have missed and will have to add later, there are two more things, that occur more often these days. As you know, Annie and I are expecting a baby later this year, and the other night, Kenzie got her first glimpse of the baby in the ultrasound picture. After of course saying she thought they bean in the picture was cute, she promptly informed me that she could not have babies until she was a big girl, while kind of rubbing her belly. What made this funny was how serious she was when she said it, as if she was trying to convince me of it! No worries Kenzie...I completely agree with you!
And finally, speaking of bellies...Kenzie has one that talks! No, not the "growling" talk when it is hungry or she needs to make a run for the potty! But one that has a belly button as a mouth (that she moves with her fingers)...and informs us if she is not hungry, or very hungry, or full, or sick, etc. I don't know how much longer this will last, but it sure is worth seeing before the show is off the air! :)
Until next time...
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Christmas Present(s)
This year it seemed like Christmas snuck up on me...that is until the week before, and then time seemed to go in reverse! I had been looking forward to this Christmas for a few months, because I knew I got to play "Santa" this year, and that Kenzie was finally old enough to start getting excited about it all!
Christmas Eve was spent at Annie's sister's place and time was flying by at record pace. I remember when I was a kid, I never wanted to go to bed on Christmas Eve, however about 10 pm, Kenz informed me that she was beyond ready. By the time we got home around 11, she was in meltdown mode! The good news was she fell asleep quickly, and was wonderfully happy the next morning...when she, Kenna and Tyson FINALLY woke up just after 8:30! (Seriously, we were up at 6 am...and waited that long!).
And as they slowly made their way down the hall, what to their wonderous eyes did appear? A tree drowning in gifts...for they'd been pretty good this past year! I honestly felt like we went "light" this year...but looking at the pile of wrapping paper made me wonder otherwise. And this was just stop one...of four...for them.
They made some classic faces when they opened some of their gifts, and even some of the clothes that were opened earlier in the day were opened with a little bit of enthusiasm. However, by later that afternoon, they fell victim to the "open and discard" routine. Who can blame them, right? Now back to the classic faces...I think "Spike" the dinosaur probably got some of the best reactions from Kenzie. She even ended up dressing him up in one of her new shirts she got...what can I say, even with dinosaurs, "dress up" is a requirement! When it was all said and done, I couldn't believe how many presents all of the kids got, and it wasn't long until there were little pieces of jewelry here, piles of nerf darts there, and smiles all around.
On Christmas, we also officially announced the special delivery expected in August. It was definitely a surprise to all of those that didn't know already, and was a lot of fun. :) For my family, we had everyone together and I gave Annie an extra bag filled with presents (just like with Kenzie's first pre-Christmas, a piggy bank was among the gifts for the baby-in-belly). As she opened the smaller presents in the bag, it was fun to watch the "a-ha" expressions on everyone's faces as they realized what was going on! After that, we announced at her mom's house, with all of her siblings there. For a woman who has had five kids, Annie's mom sure looked confused as she stared at the pregnancy test (not used, just drawn on) and held it up for everyone to see...and then it hit her...and the place started buzzing...or whooping...or hollering...whatever it was, it was loud! :) And we still weren't done...the announcement was made a few more times that day, and by entire day of excitement ended, we were all completely exhausted!
Christmas Eve was spent at Annie's sister's place and time was flying by at record pace. I remember when I was a kid, I never wanted to go to bed on Christmas Eve, however about 10 pm, Kenz informed me that she was beyond ready. By the time we got home around 11, she was in meltdown mode! The good news was she fell asleep quickly, and was wonderfully happy the next morning...when she, Kenna and Tyson FINALLY woke up just after 8:30! (Seriously, we were up at 6 am...and waited that long!).
And as they slowly made their way down the hall, what to their wonderous eyes did appear? A tree drowning in gifts...for they'd been pretty good this past year! I honestly felt like we went "light" this year...but looking at the pile of wrapping paper made me wonder otherwise. And this was just stop one...of four...for them.
They made some classic faces when they opened some of their gifts, and even some of the clothes that were opened earlier in the day were opened with a little bit of enthusiasm. However, by later that afternoon, they fell victim to the "open and discard" routine. Who can blame them, right? Now back to the classic faces...I think "Spike" the dinosaur probably got some of the best reactions from Kenzie. She even ended up dressing him up in one of her new shirts she got...what can I say, even with dinosaurs, "dress up" is a requirement! When it was all said and done, I couldn't believe how many presents all of the kids got, and it wasn't long until there were little pieces of jewelry here, piles of nerf darts there, and smiles all around.
On Christmas, we also officially announced the special delivery expected in August. It was definitely a surprise to all of those that didn't know already, and was a lot of fun. :) For my family, we had everyone together and I gave Annie an extra bag filled with presents (just like with Kenzie's first pre-Christmas, a piggy bank was among the gifts for the baby-in-belly). As she opened the smaller presents in the bag, it was fun to watch the "a-ha" expressions on everyone's faces as they realized what was going on! After that, we announced at her mom's house, with all of her siblings there. For a woman who has had five kids, Annie's mom sure looked confused as she stared at the pregnancy test (not used, just drawn on) and held it up for everyone to see...and then it hit her...and the place started buzzing...or whooping...or hollering...whatever it was, it was loud! :) And we still weren't done...the announcement was made a few more times that day, and by entire day of excitement ended, we were all completely exhausted!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Twas The Week Before Christmas...
Twas a week before Christmas and I was at work
Suspense was upon me, I was so anxious it hurt.
Elsewhere in the valley at some random store
A young lady was exiting straight out the doors
And then into her place of employment arrived
Straight into the room where bacteria thrive
A small package, she hid in her pocket
She ran in, slammed the door, then promptly locked it
Late was the arrival of our monthly guest
We'd called her Matilda, and made fun of her vest.
And so this month we wondered if she’d appear
But we knew either way we had nothing to fear.
And not too longer after came positive news
The test had confirmed she was cooking a stew
She said she couldn’t help but giggle, and me I just smiled
Could it really be true we were having a child?
The evidence was there on the end of that stick
The stork had delivered…instead of St Nick
Two more sticks, then a poke in the arm
Ensured we didn't have a false alarm.
The secret ate at me like Homer with a doughnut
When should we tell, and let them know what they know-not.
And how would we tell and how would they reply
Would they be glad? Or would they lay down and cry?
Will it be a boy? Or maybe a girl?
Questions in my mind made my head all awhirl
Oh holy hell, years of changing diapers again
What about the Cowboys game? Can babies go in?
What will the name be? What can we call baby for now?
The web says it’s the size of a poppy seed, so Poppy? Oh wow.
Poppy needs a present for this Christmas season
And a cute little stocking…we don’t need a real reason
With a few little gifts, if given just for thought
So off to the mall I went to find what could be bought!
As a sports fan, I had a hunch
Poppy should have sports gear, better get a whole bunch.
“My First Yankees T-Shirt” size 3 to 6 months
And of course a Cowboys outfit for the cute little runt.
But both are the color blue, and if it’s a girl, I suppose
She could still wear the shirts, with a matching blue bow.
As I bought them I couldn’t help but have a huge smile
But two wasn’t enough, Poppy needed a bigger pile!
As the day gets closer, I’m sure that’ll be true
However, first things first, we must tell you-know-who
So we devised a plan of when we would announce
The secret upon our families, on Christmas we’d pounce.
That is the plan, that’s how it’ll go
We have less than 8 months until the big show!
There’s so much to do, getting ready for Poppy
Even the thought of changing diapers ain’t gonna stop me!
We’ve both done it before, now we’ll do it together
And cherish what is now, our new Christmas treasure.
Soon we’ll know more, I guess you will too
We’ll keep you informed, I promise, it’s true.
So we’ll leave you with this, while keeping it light…
“Poppy” Christmas to all...yeah I said it, that’s right! :)
Suspense was upon me, I was so anxious it hurt.
Elsewhere in the valley at some random store
A young lady was exiting straight out the doors
And then into her place of employment arrived
Straight into the room where bacteria thrive
A small package, she hid in her pocket
She ran in, slammed the door, then promptly locked it
Late was the arrival of our monthly guest
We'd called her Matilda, and made fun of her vest.
And so this month we wondered if she’d appear
But we knew either way we had nothing to fear.
And not too longer after came positive news
The test had confirmed she was cooking a stew
She said she couldn’t help but giggle, and me I just smiled
Could it really be true we were having a child?
The evidence was there on the end of that stick
The stork had delivered…instead of St Nick
Two more sticks, then a poke in the arm
Ensured we didn't have a false alarm.
The secret ate at me like Homer with a doughnut
When should we tell, and let them know what they know-not.
And how would we tell and how would they reply
Would they be glad? Or would they lay down and cry?
Will it be a boy? Or maybe a girl?
Questions in my mind made my head all awhirl
Oh holy hell, years of changing diapers again
What about the Cowboys game? Can babies go in?
What will the name be? What can we call baby for now?
The web says it’s the size of a poppy seed, so Poppy? Oh wow.
Poppy needs a present for this Christmas season
And a cute little stocking…we don’t need a real reason
With a few little gifts, if given just for thought
So off to the mall I went to find what could be bought!
As a sports fan, I had a hunch
Poppy should have sports gear, better get a whole bunch.
“My First Yankees T-Shirt” size 3 to 6 months
And of course a Cowboys outfit for the cute little runt.
But both are the color blue, and if it’s a girl, I suppose
She could still wear the shirts, with a matching blue bow.
As I bought them I couldn’t help but have a huge smile
But two wasn’t enough, Poppy needed a bigger pile!
As the day gets closer, I’m sure that’ll be true
However, first things first, we must tell you-know-who
So we devised a plan of when we would announce
The secret upon our families, on Christmas we’d pounce.
That is the plan, that’s how it’ll go
We have less than 8 months until the big show!
There’s so much to do, getting ready for Poppy
Even the thought of changing diapers ain’t gonna stop me!
We’ve both done it before, now we’ll do it together
And cherish what is now, our new Christmas treasure.
Soon we’ll know more, I guess you will too
We’ll keep you informed, I promise, it’s true.
So we’ll leave you with this, while keeping it light…
“Poppy” Christmas to all...yeah I said it, that’s right! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)