Too Cool for School!

Zion is about to be turned UPSIDE down.  Enjoy your last 7 months of peace faculty.  We are coming for you!  Alex and I took our Mom's to the Preschool Open House today to ease them into the idea of letting us go off into the big wide world.  I think it was also good for our future teachers to begin preparations for the force that is about to hit them :)

Spirit Week!

It's Lutheran Schools Spirit Week again!  Monday, we bundled up in our PJs and headed off to school a couple of hours late. When we got home, Mom had a headache and was complaining about the carbon monoxide detector beeping all day.  When Dad got home, things went a little nutty because he realized the upstairs furnace was also out.  Next thing we knew, there were two firetrucks out front and 11 firemen in gas masks in our garage and we were being whisked away from the fun to a hotel.  What?!  Turns out, there was no CO in the air so we got to go home and cuddle up on the main floor.  A bit of a let down, but we were still pumped because Tuesday was CRAZY day at school.

Ah, but school was canceled OF COURSE.  So, we decided to have Crazy Day at home and Mom was a very good participant.  We're pretty sure she was as near to crazy as it gets without having to medicate :)  Luckily, school is back on today for "Salad Dressing Day."  If you can't guess, Coley is Western Dressing and I am Batman because that's how I roll.

Yes, that is genuine milk in his mustache.  Mom would like it noted in a permanent record that she strongly urged Coley to wear a different 'stache, but he and Daddy insisted on this one. 

Reinactment

Ask Papa or Grandma about Daddy's first birthday and you will no doubt hear stories of a TERRIBLE blizzard.  This year, we are commemorating the event with a whole month of misery thanks to the Polar Vortex! I know what you're thinking and No, this cake is not from the store.

As usual, B and I found interesting trinkets to hide in the batter.  You're welcome old man.  The pudding cup was my idea!  We did feel a brief bit of warmth after Mom lit all 36 candles.  Thanks for being so old Pop!

New Favorite Life Event!

If you've been to Vandyville between 7:30 and 8pm within the past 6 months, you've most certainly heard me say "Dee God, thank you we go to Chicago" and "my favorite part (of the day) was going to Chicago and see fireworks."  No longer!  Since Sunday night, I've been thanking God for Jonah's birthday party and citing it as my new favorite event of the day.

There's a reason we're best buds.  That kid knows how to throw a party!  He booked us private rooms at Bounce U and invited all the coolest kids we know.

And Coley got to bring Levi too!  The big boys instantly hit the ring and beat each other up. 

Jackson and Alex came too!  The big boys played HARD, but didn't hesitate once to help we littler ones when we needed it.  Me n' my buds are pretty lucky to have these big guys in our corner.

The whole crew.  That's Davis in the back with Jonah, Samantha, Ailyn and Marleah and new friends Chase and his sister.  Yep, we're all pretty stinking sweaty!

More best buds.  Mom confessed to secretly wishing Alex and Jackson didn't get to go out of town this weekend so they would be at the party.  SO happy her nasty wish came true!

Jonah got to be king and sit on an actual throne for lunch!

The Momparazzi will NOT settle for a smile like this JB.  You know this by now!

Much better!  He may or may not have had a slightly violent reaction when Annette introduced her new boyfriend.  Jonah does NOT like to share his number one girl. 

There was almost more frosting than cake on the batman cupcakes!  That is a recipe for success!

Levi doesn't eat Gluten, but that kid put down 7 pieces of pizza (toppings only).  These big brutes can EAT!

And, as is Vandy tradition, I capitalized on the opportunity to terrorize the Momparazzi with my blue icing face.

Come gimme a SMOOOOCH Ma!

Cabin FEVER

Hello?  Can anyone hear me?!  I'm stuck in this house held captive by a crazy lady!  She's keeping me here telling me the world is closed down and the climate has turned hostile to all forms of little boy life.  The situation is getting bad.  REALLY bad.  We're all losing our minds.  If you can hear me... send help!  RE-OPEN school.  I'm begging you.  We're ALL begging you.

Snowmaggedon

Yesterday, Mom made a mad dash to the grocery store and came back telling horror stories of empty shelves.  We even had to use ground SOY in our chili because we're pretty sure Mama Chaille hoarded all the ground turkey.  Then, early Sunday morning, the flakes began to fall.  This is what our front yard looked like only a few hours later!

B and were very helpful as targets for Dad to toss the snow at.

Like most harassed celebrities, we too eventually snap on the Momparazzi and go into attack mode.

Ah but our Momparazzi is SLICK!  She came with a tray of hot cocoa and cookies!  It's amazing how fast diva's can be placated with just the right offering.

Yep, his coat is soaked.

Note to all new and/or aspiring Moms.  Hot Cocoa is a sure fire way to win a boy's heart.

We did track the time it took for B's cheeks to turn from magenta back to pale ivory.  It was about 2 hours!

I'm assured he did do his good brother duty and call to me to come get some hot cocoa, but I could not be swayed.

No problem!  More for him.  Thanks Dad for taking us out to enjoy Snowmaggedon.  We didn't leave the house again until school opened on Thursday and then it was closed right back down on Friday!  What a mess!

Tag Alongs

When you are the coolest kids in town, inevitably there are those who want to tag along with you.  In our case, because they can sort of hang and they are our rides, we have to let our parents crash our parties.  Will and Henry brought theirs.

Okay, they are pretty cute...

You may think we'd be embarassed and try to avoid them, but that's not our style.  Instead, we spend time trying to teach them how to have fun.  Notice Josiah taking the time to show his Mom how to work a popper.  I think Papa Werner may have been a lost cause, as were Papa Chaille and Papa Vandy.

It's a bit of a burden, but they have such a good time when we include them!  Again with the cuteness... How can we not?

Okay some of the parents ARE embarassing.

"Oh Mark, you so funny!"  Good Lord

"Oh Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.  We're all SOOOO funny."  I think this is when we started heading up to bed.  Yeesh!

You know... you give people a chance to hang out with the cool kids and sooner or later, you're gonna know if they fit in.

Okay, they're not cool, but our parents are certainly a LOT of fun.

I guess as long as they keep agreeing to drive, we'll keep allowing them to crash.

Happy New Year Werners, Meeks, Chailles and Mom and Dad.  Thanks for all the fun in 2013 and keep it coming in 2014!

Laudy Daudy We Likes to Party

We closed out 2013 in true style.  Mom let us keep Jonah and Sissy for two days!  Yesterday, we decided to throw a New Years Eve party for our homies.  Sissy sat right down to do some decorating.

I helped too!  Lucky Micah got the sign I made.  I didn't just color, I also glued everything I could find to it.  You're welcome Micah.

We were not happy about the mandatory napping, but most of us went down so we could stay up at night.  I, however, proved yet again that I am the most stubborn monkey around and stayed up to the bitter end.  I say bitter because man... I was!

Then our friends started arriving!  Henry showed Jonah and Coley some party moves on the carpet.

Hank the Tank.

After a forced party break during which the grown ups tried desperately to ram tacos down our throats, we distracted them with refills on their margaritas and made a break for the basement.

More than one person got shot.  That's how we hoodlumz roll. 

Shirts were removed, lampshades (or party hats) were donned and the basement was TRASHED. 

Papa Vandy kept complaining about all the "graffitti."  We just laughed and decided not to tell him the real word for it is "confetti."  We have a certain image to maintain you know.

Some of our gang members are not used to the BANG BANG POP POP sounds we make when we party. 

Some get that crazed look in their eye the moment the first "shot" is fired.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

All of us are true blue buddiez, yo.

Some of us even found the time to bring in a few cute ladies.

Even though we're hard core wild party animals, we still love our Mommiez.

Yes, the future of the New Pal party scene is looking very bright and bubbly (thanks to Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice).

Speaking of the bitter end...  It came much later than it normally does.

The Moms and Dads didn't put us down as planned at 9:30.  Instead, we stayed up well past midnight until we simply could not keep our eyes open.  Where's the sympathy, Ma?  Next year, I think I'll take her up on that nap.

And, just as he did last year, Josiah outlasted everyone and partied until it was simply time to go.  Happy New Year from our gang to yours!