Heartbreak

Nolan has a girlfriend.  Now he has had girlfriends in the past, but really just because that's what I call all of his friends that are girls just so I can tease him about it.  But this time…I say he has a girlfriend because I really think he likes this little girl.  I'm going to call her Miss C (trying to protect the innocent here, Nolan lost that right when I became his Mom).  Nolan is playing with Miss C everyday when I pick him up from school.  Sometimes there are other kids playing with them too, but he is always with Miss C.  I can not lie to you folks, he knows how to pick em.  Little Miss C is absolutely precious, and she has me wrapped around her little finger too.  Anyway, yesterday when I picked Nolan up my heart broke and I'm thinking his did a little bit too. Miss C was playing hard to get in a major way.  She was skipping around the room with two other little girls without a care in the world (again looking precious).  Nolan wanted DESPERATELY to say goodbye to her.  So he ran after her and stood directly in front of her and said "goodbye Miss C"…she kept on skipping.  He ran after her, again "goodbye Miss C"…she kept on skipping.  She was TOTALLY ignoring him, but he kept on.  Eventually she said goodbye, but it was not an excited goodbye.  Nolan walked over with sad eyes and said "Miss C won't talk to me".  I about cried, no joke there were almost tears.  His feelings were so hurt.  I tried the whole "oh she's just busy with her friends" routine but I think he was on to me.  I can not even imagine how his teenage years will go, I have a feeling there really will be tears…from me.

I was anxious to get back to school today to see if the situation had changed.  I'm happy to report the romance is back in full swing.  Nolan and Miss C were standing at the table playing legos together, and before we left Nolan gave Miss C the lego house that he had built.  I think that means love yes?  You betcha.  I mean how could she resist this...

Only Child

Bennett will never really know what it feels like to be an only child, all he knows is being a little brother.  It's kind of sad if you really think about it.  Every kid should get the chance to be spoiled with attention like the first child was (this coming from a highly deprived second child).  Well, on occasion Nolan spends the night at his home away from home (his cousin's house) and Bennett gets a small glimpse of what it would be like to be the first born.  To hog all the attention.  I can't lie…he eats it up.  And quite frankly…so do we.  Bennett has the quirkiest little personality and when he's not spending every waking minute antagonizing his brother the sweet/funny/quirky personality really shines through.    So here is our spunky little boy entertaining himself with the toy box.  I guess he thought that if he couldn't reach all the toys he better just hop on in and join them (and then throw them all out).  

Renaissance Men

We spent the morning doing a whole lot of nothing.  We played, played and played some more.  We started out playing diner (and this time actually playing, not just throwing the food), moved on to the tool bench and then decided we needed to fix the diner with the tools.  So we came full circle, true renaissance men I tell you what.  We didn't do anything crazy fun, but it was a nice morning.  Be glad I'm only home with them on Fridays.  If I stayed home everyday you would be totally inundated with pictures of my kids in pajamas with stellar bed head.  Happy Friday! 

Pinkies up! 

Why is it that some of my "best" pictures of Nolan are in PJs or in dress up attire…or both?  I guess that is when he is his happiest.  I will say, nothing makes me happier than when these two "dress up" and use their imaginations.  I'll be sad when they don't do that anymore.

Check out Mr. B's face in this picture.  Looks evil doesn't it?  It is.  If you think this ended with Bennett beating Nolan with a hammer..you would be correct!  Sorry, no pictures of that I had to referee! 

Gymtastic

Our little buddy Reid had a birthday, a very important birthday in my mind.  Reid turned 5!!!  Holy Moly I can not even believe it.  Reid is a very spunky little boy so it was only fitting that he decided to have a party at a Gym, and I can't lie it was totally Gymtastic!  All the kids seemed to love it (especially the foam pit), but I think the biggest fan was Mr. B.  He was in HEAVEN.  We all know Bennett has a little bit of spunk himself, and he was able to run, jump, slide and squeal with the best of them.  Good times had by all!  Happy Birthday Reid!

12:01…See Ya

I know I say it a lot, but my how our lives have changed.  Not that we were ever huge New Years Eve celebrators, but we would at least do something worthy of a hangover the next day.  This year well let's just say the clock hit 12:01 and the party was officially over.  Not a joke, the ball hit and the shoes were put back on (I surely made everyone remove their shoes upon arrival. New floors sorry folks...this too shall pass).  The party may have been calmer, the guests might have been younger, there might have been less alcohol consumption but you know what?  There was a lot more squealing, quite a bit more dancing, a few more superheroes, a lot of good food and a whole lot of great company so our new style of celebrating isn't half bad either.  I will admit though, one of these years I'd like to celebrate old school again!

Just to prove there was some "adult" supervision, I will provide a few pictures.  Here we have Steve drinking out of his manly Star Wars cup, and we also have the results of my camera getting stolen.  It's inevitable that someone takes my camera at most events, and I usually end up with random pictures of girls chests.  This time I got something a bit nicer in my opinion.  However, I am starting to wonder about my camera thief.

Random Ramblings

I am about to bombard you with a lot of useless information.  Slow News Weeks = Sucky Blog Posts.  I didn't even bother to get out my real camera, I'm talking Phone Pics all around.  Hollar!  Here is what is going on at the Struckmann House these days…

This past weekend we finally got these gems...Baby Gates!!  Who's jealous?  I can't lie this little installation will make our house INSTANTLY go up on the coolness scale with many of my friends. That's how lame we are these days.  Baby Gates = Awesomeness.
#neverthoughtthisdaywouldcome

Chad does this thing where he conveniently forgets to tell me things, like…"you need to take the boys to school on Tuesday"...until the night before.  NOTHING makes me more mad quite honestly.  So he told me on Monday night that I needed to take the boys on Tuesday and then I immediately left to go do Zumba.  What?  I like to work out.  Okay okay perhaps I just didn't want to deal with the bedtime routine on this particular evening and going to Zumba means I have an out.  Judge me, that's fine.  Next time you see me, I'll be hot…and sane.  Or maybe just one of the two, still a win in my book.  

Anyway, I was on my way home from GETTING HOT and still thinking about how I was irritated about the surprise news of the break in our routine for the next day when I came home to the below picture.  What is this you ask?  Chad had totally redeemed himself.  Packed Nolan's lunch, gotten all of the coats/hats/gloves together, prepared Nolan's breakfast (mini-muffins, jealous?) and had it all laying out ready to go for the next day.  

#heisakeeper

The other night Nolan spent the night at his best buddy (and cousin) Reid's house.  He came home and told me the following:

Nolan:  Mom, I told Reid a secret but I told him he couldn't tell anyone.

Me:  You did?  And what did you tell him?

Nolan:  (getting off his stool, and coming to whisper in my ear)  I told him that I got him Zingo Bingo for his birthday.

Me:  You did?  

Nolan:  Yep, and then I told Wyatt.  Because he's his brother.

Apparently Nolan doesn't understand the element of surprise for birthday presents.  I'm just glad I didn't tell him everything that we got Reid for his birthday!!  

#smartestmomever

p.s. Zingo Bingo was awesome the first 50 times we played it, now I want to throw it out the window. 

#youarewelcomeauntstephanie

Here is a picture of Bennett and his winter hat.  Simply because he's cute and this time he wore the hat for more than .2 seconds.  

#furhatawesomeness

Last, but certainly not least, I leave you with Captain America.  No, this was not Halloween this was a random day last week.  

#evensuperheroesneedtheirrest

Like…Totally Rad

Chad's brother Eric turned the Big 3-0, and around here that means only one thing P-A-R-T-Y!!!  This party had a special little flare, it was an 80's theme...oh and it was at a roller skating rink.  Awesome yes?   Like Totally!  Personally I am a HUGE fan of the idea of an 80's party.  I think Neon really brings out my best.  Chad, well he got confused.  He thought an 80's party meant dressing like you were actually 80 years old…

Chad might be a poop when it comes to costume parties, but I still love him.  Speaking of poops.  When we arrived at the skating rink one of our friends (who will remain nameless…and headless) noticed that one of his students was working that night.  So his plans had to ummm…adjust?  He began drinking beer from a Pepsi cup to disguise.  Apparently he forgot that we were actually high school students once too and we would pull this same stunt.  I am fairly certain said high school student was on to him.  But whatever, we kept partying.  Note Amanda's shirt…Born to Party…get it?

Time to lace up...

No idea what is going on here, but I'm thinking it was ridiculous.

Kelly on the floor.  Not the last time you'll see this sight I bet…just a guess.

The peanut gallery, taking it in…trying to decide if they were up for the challenge.

Time for the Limbo.  I can't lie, I was a little impressed with the Limbo abilities of some participants (key word: some).

How do you think this ended?

Yes, I'm guessing just as you suspected!

And what night out with Curtis would be complete without a little disrobing? 

Then the birthday boy got to go in the ticket booth.  WOOOHOOO!  He did pretty good, I think he got a ball with all of his tickets?  His friends were totally jealous.

And last but CERTAINLY not least, Kelly serenaded Eric with a little Happy Birthday.  Eric is smiling…because he's nice.

Happy Birthday Eric, you're birthday party was Like...Totally Rad!