Christmas...times four!

Let me begin by saying, I LOVE having more than one Christmas celebration! You get to see all of your family and have loads of fun!

The weekend before Christmas, we went down to Oklahoma for our Christmas there. We drove down Friday night, had Christmas with our cousins on Saturday night, had Christmas with our family Sunday morning, ate at PF Chang's and then drove home. It was a short, but long, weekend. It is always really disappointing to have to leave so early and spending eight hours in the car over the span of 2 1/2 days is exhausting! Nevertheless it was awesome!

The Sunday night that we got home from Oklahoma, Josh, Bella, Dakota, and I had our Christmas. It was wonderful! I love having stockings for the girls and I love, love, love watching Josh open a gift that he had no idea what it was. I got him a Tony Moeoki Chiefs jersey. It is sweet, if I do say so myself. He got me a portable, remote control heater. Awe-some! I am always cold so this works out really awesome! Bella and Dakota got a pheasant and a duck to chew up as well as treats and busy bones.

Tuesday before Christmas, we had our Perkins' Christmas. I am always in awe of their Christmas tree and the beautiful wrapping underneath. My mother-in-law is a Saint for taking so much time making it all look perfect! We ate delicious pot roast and "better-than-sex" cake! We opened gifts as a family with his parents and Brad and Julie. We did good this year, both in giving and receiving. We welcomed Julie into the family by teaching her what we do when people ask for a giftcard from us. We go into the store and buy the ugliest wierdest thing that we can find...and then video tape her when she opens it. She was a good sport and we all had a big laugh! Welcome to the fam Julie! :)

On Wednesday night, we packed up the car and drove to Lindsborg for Christmas weekend. We did lots of eating and game-playing which is what I love about coming home! I also got my hair cut on Thursday and got bangs. Yep, real, honest-to-God bangs. Well... really she just cut some hairs shorter on one side and I can pretend they are bangs. Baby steps, here. Anyway, our Christmas day was packed with opening gifts at my Mom's house Saturday morning with the Ledge and then driving to Salina to meet up with our ENTIRE family. Seriously, it is chaos. Brandy and Tyler were the only families not there. We greatly missed them! We had a white elephant gift exchange (next year we are changing that to a dirty santa exchange) and played games. Someone broke out the Wii for some "Just Dance" competition. It was fantastic! I am officially adding it to my "I want" list. Sunday we finished off our jam packed weekend by watching the Chiefs play at Kendell's house and even got to Skype with Brandy!

We had an absolute blast and feel so lucky to have gotten to spend so much time with our family this past week. Next up? Ski Trip to Breckenridge! (and so you know, I skipped New Year's Eve on purpose...I mean, really, do people still go out???)

Pics coming later-promise.

Artie's Legs

I love Glee. No, really, I LOVE GLEE! In case you do too and you watched the amazing show tonight, Artie's legs were a huge shock in our house! This is what I do on a daily basis at work. It is amazing because that device is not even available to us in the United States! It is so incredibly exciting to see it on TV and I am sure we'll all be getting calls about it from Gleeks around KC. Just so you know, it really exists. It really is called the reWalk. And really is about $20,000. Yikes!

Thanksgiving Recap

Since I haven't actually posted about Thanksgiving...here you go. About 2 weeks late.

Upon arriving in Broken Arrow, OK we ate some ribs and ocra! YUM. And then went to the gun range to shoot Dad and Josh's guns. I was a little hesitant about pulling the trigger at first. Stage fright, I guess. But after a little coaxing, I did... and hit the bullseye. No really, I came really close!

For some reason, I didn't actually take any photos of the beautiful meals that were cooked that day. We started our Thanksgiving at Josh's Granny's house with all of his cousins and his parents and brother. It was a beautifully delicious and I even volunteered to bring my step-mom Millie's awesome home-made stuffing the next year. Whoops! I guess I will need to practice before then! Pressure is on!

After lunch, we headed back to my parent's house, where I again failed to get pictures...except of the homemade apple pie that I had made the night before. And of course, I had to embellish with OU letters for the upcoming game that weekend.

It had become a tradition for my dad to take my cousins to shoot off rockets and while we were there for Thanksgiving, we got to come along. There was some *minor* drama to get the rockets shot off, but we did it. And the little man? Yep, he had a blast too! We only lost one rocket. Say, Dad, did you climb the roof after we were gone?

On Saturday, we drove down to Muskogee to see my brother and Granny. We do not get to see them nearly as often as we would like, so it is a really special time when we're there. Plus, my Granny ALWAYS has a bowl of candy setting out. Just...for...me! Well, that's what I tell myself anyway. Here is my brother with the little man. His teeth were hurting so bad and we're pretty sure he was making that face because he had just made a surprise for Uncle Buddy!

He even left a little in there for Granny, but she didn't seem to notice. He is getting too big for Granny to hold him so she propped him up on the table for some help. Again, Ledger, making the embarassed-cause-I-stunk-up-the-room face.

Our Thanksgiving was awesome as usual! We always love our trip to Oklahoma and enjoy our time with family! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!

I got a call today...

from FRANK MARTIN!

No, really! It said something along the lines of... "Hi, this is Frank Martin, and I am calling to PERSONALLY invite you to the game in Kansas City against UNLV on Tuesday, December 22nd at the Sprint Center...." Yep, he said "personally". I'm in. Thanks Frankie for the invite!

Fear the Beard, Rebels, Frankie has you in his sights!

Challenge...Failed.

I have been miserably sick the last few days, and even lost my voice. This is no excuse. So, let me give you a breakdown of what I am most thankful for in this Thanksgiving holiday time. And I agree with Brandy, I am most thankful for God and everything that he has provided for me.

7. Fridays - Okay, so this was a comp out. But I am thankful for my weekends and my time that I can spend how I would prefer - with my family and friends.

6. Jobs - Even when we are having a horrible day and we can not wait until the time to go home, we have jobs, income, health insurance, and at least mild security. These times, we must be thankful for our jobs and being able to provide for our families and still being able to live the life we want.

5. Sports - yeah, I know. However, sports are a huge part of my life and my relationship with my husband. If I did not love football and baseball so much, I doubt we would have ever survived. In the same sense, I think that if I had not loved sports so much, I could have gotten in a lot of trouble in high school...God knows I tested my limits.

4. Health - though currently, I cannot hardly speak and my head feels like a giant pimple waiting to be popped, I am in good health. I have family who are battling sickness everyday and I can only hope and pray that they get better.

3. Friends - I would have died without my friends. Growing up, in high school, and in college, my friends have always been there for me. I wouldn't have lasted a minute in high school without Angie. Really, I would have been masacred. She knows what I'm talking about. Today my egg basket is full and remains complete with my friends in it!

2. Family - Besides the relationship I have with my husband, my family is by far the most important thing in my life. Though my family would be classified as dysfunctional becuase my parents are divorced, I could not have wished for a better family. With this divorce came two extra parents, two extra siblings, and loads of extended family.

1. Josh - well, what can I say? He is my best friend and my constant entertainer. I feel lucky and blessed everyday that I found him and convinced him to be my lifelong partner!

Challenge...Semi Accepted?

So my sister challenged me and my other sister to a "Thanksgiving" challenge. This would be to "Give Thanks" for something specific each day until Thanksgiving. I feel excited that my sisters will be blogging every single day until Thanksgiving, but extremely weary of my own ability to complete this challenge. So, for this particular instance, the challenge is accepted...for now.

I am thankful for Fridays. No, seriously. God created them just for me. It is extremely difficult for me to manage to get through Mondays and Tuesdays. Wednesdays are when I can barely see that glittering light at the end of this dreary tunnel. Thursdays...a freaking tease. And then there is Friday. The day that I can jump in my car at about 5:30 pm (well, okay, more like 6:30 pm) and can either drive to see my family, friends, or my amazing little puppies! Either way, I am headed away from work and into two days of HOME!

Welcome November

Friday night was a REALLY exciting night for us Falcon football fans! We beat Shawnee Mission East in the first round of the playoffs! It was a close game, with the final score of 28 to 24! Next week, we play at our home field against Olathe North. This will be an extremely tough game, but I have faith in my Falcons! GO OS!

Well, not only did we not win $128 million in the lottery, but we struck out on our Broadway musical, CATS. We were not impressed with the musical. So not-impressed, that we left at intermission. Yep, we are those people. It was boring, people. Seriously. Ask Mike...

Because we left at intermission, we got to see the end of KSU kicking the tail off those stinking Longhorns! Woo hoo! K-S-U-WILDCATS!

Man, it always feels good to beat Texas. Sorry Alex, all Texas schools deserve to beaten by the Cats! :)

Today, we spent the day running errands and preparing for November. How, might you ask, do we prepare for November? Yep, buy Christmas lights! :) Josh is pumped. Trust me.

And just because I am sure I won't blog again until this upcoming weekend, I am wanting to say Happy Veterans Day to all of the military men (and women) in my life!

Thank you... for all you have done and everything you continue to do to make our country free! I am so proud to be an American and it is because of you!

Halloween Fun

I love Halloween! If it wasn't so inappropriate, I would still go Trick or Treating. I was very excited about having trick or treaters for the first time. The first year we were in the our house, it was on a Friday (which always means a football game) and last year it was on Saturday and we were at the KSU vs OU game in Norman, OK. Nevertheless, I was pumped...

Josh was not.

Our neighborhood is full of young families and kids. Even though I am sure I looked like the creepy lady taking pictures of kids out my front door, I wanted to prove that our street looked like this all night!

And in case you think that Johnson County has a different method to trick or treating, you are right! Pimping in their golf cart! Awe-some!


Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween and ran out of candy, like our house did!

Off the Wagon...

The blog wagon, that is.

I am sure you have all been wondering what in the heck has happened to Emily and Josh? Did they die? Did their house burn down? Well, worse. I fell off the wagon. Though most missed days/weeks means that nothing exciting has happened, it actually has. This will be my "I-promise-to-get-back-on-the-blog-wagon" post, or better said - an update.

The weekend after the KSU/ISU game, Kendell and Chris came to town. That Friday we ate at Mi Ranchito, Chris' favorite KC eatery. It is pretty yummy! That Saturday, we hit up the good ol' Renesaince Festival of KC. It was a pretty gloomy day so we had to hurry through the Ren Fest so that we could get what we came for. Yep, a turkey leg. And a cheesecake-on-a-stick (Josh ate it so fast that I didn't even get a picture of it)! Both were D-lish!

On Sunday, we went to the Chiefs/49ers game. Also very awesome! We were in the highest seats (okay, actually we were on the 2nd to the highest seats...details, details, details) so we got a great view of us kicking some major San Fran butt! My super cute nephew slept on my lap about 70% of the game, which made it even more perfect!


The next weekend was pretty boring, except that we dug up our yard and replanted seed. It was NOT fun. However, next year, I plan on having the best yard in the neighborhood! Watch out South Hampton, I'm out to get you!

The first week of October is super exciting because it is my big brother and sister's birthday! I'm giving a very belated SHOUT OUT to my big sis Brandy! Happy birthday sista sista! Wish we could have been there with you! We love you!

This past weekend, my dear friend Mary was in town for her boyfriend, Ryan's birthday party. It was SO good to see both of them because I haven't seen them since Thanksgiving the year before. We had them over on Sunday for a proper lunch date which included Kelly and Sophia, Jana, Matt, and Cade, Randy, and Josh and I. We feasted and then ate Jana's fabulous Better Than Softball Cake! They love when I take pictures of us eating!

This weekend was extra special because my parents and sister came in to town to visit. Friday, everyone made it to Josh's game (we are 4-2, by the way) and watched us snag a win! Saturday has been a very busy day. Josh had meetings, I had work to do, Millie went bead shopping, Dad, Kendell, Chris, and Ledger went to Arrowhead for a tour of all of the new construction. From what I heard, it was pretty cool, and totally worth the $10! We all met up at Mi Ranchito for an awesome dose of Mexicano! That afternoon, we decided to take the Ledge to KC Pumpkin Patch in Gardner, KS. We had taken my cousins last year to the same pumpkin patch and really enjoyed it. I remember thinking that #1 it was freezing and #2 if more people didn't show up, they may have to close. Um, this year...REALLY hot and REALLY busy!

Sunday - what else do we do on Sundays besides watch football! Go Chiefs! But alas, we did not succeed. Stupid Texans.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In celebration of all of those brave families who have tackeled and CONQUERED this terrible cancer, I am posting a pink ribbon. I am also wearing a pink ribbon pinned to my clothes each and every day to remind us of all of the precious women who lost the fight to breast cancer.

What are you doing to celebrate or commemorate Breat Cancer Awareness Month?

K-S-U WILDCATS!

If you can't tell, that is the Wabash Cannonball (I think)! I love KSU football! In college, I never EVER missed a home game and always stayed for the entire game. I know, I know... you think I went out and had a few beverages during half time and a few more before and after the game. WRONG! I would never want to be unable to enjoy the entire KSU football game! Plus, I had to give my Dad a run-down on the entire game as I walked home!

Now, because I didn't drink before, during, or after the game and I ALWAYS stayed for the whole thing, I would often be walking home by myself. This was okay because, like I said, I would talk to my Dad. However, many times I would end up being the only one of my "group" to stay til the end of the game. Meaning? I would be alone at the end of the game! :(

Now, I have Josh. What a match made in Heaven! He would NEVER leave a game early and always wants to remember how it ends! :) *Sigh*

Now, this doesn't mean he doesn't like to enjoy a few beverages! But, he likes to wait until after the game in the parking lot where he can either drown his sorrows or celebrate our big win!

WHICH WE DID! Go Wildcats! We even got to meet Willie!

And don't tell anyone, but I tripped Willie as we were going over the seats. He almost fell over! I almost killed Willie! I had to grab his shirt and someone else grabbed the front of him so he wouldn't fall over. I was sooo embarassed. But, he still gave me a high five before he left!

KSU 27 to ISU 20!

Wildcat Weekend

This weekend we are going to the K-State vs Iowa State at Arrowhead here in KC. We are so very excited! Out seats are in the nosebleed section (however, my dear husband has assured us that the lower level will not be full and no one checks tickets so we can just walk down to the $60 seats instead of paying for them...) but we're pumped anyway! Oh, how I've missed tailgating and the Cats! Look for us on TV (cause we'll be the ones in purple)!

And on a sidenote...

Yep, we're those people. You know? The ones that buy the expensive toy and then take a picture holding it! We love the iPad so far!

Weekend Recap

Friday night kicked off football season! Go Falcons!

We started off on the road against Lawrence Free State.

Yeah, they are good. We lost.

But look how cute my husband is!

I love when he's "coaching" his players!

Because we had the game on Friday night, we had a late start to our Labor Day weekend. We did get to take the dogs and even let them swim and wear themselves out on the beach.

The fun part about Bella and Dakota, is that they almost always feel like they must both carry the stick back in to us. What is even more fun is that sometimes they get on opposite sides facing opposite directions and just swim in circles! So funny!

And to top off our amazing weekend? Yep, time with the Ledge.

He loves playing with his Uncle Josh! (Please notice the TV pulled up to the sliding glass door. Did you think that we'd miss the Cats on TV even though we were at the lake? Never!)

Even though the Ledge is allergic to milk, his Mommy and Oma let him have some of Oma's fudgecicle. What rebels! He loved it...obviously...we do share blood, here!


And this one? Yeah, it's just cute. That's my only justification for posting it!

Hope your weekend was as fun as mine! We needed it after a week of stress where most of us have been surrounded by sadness. Our Grammie is feeling tired but good and ready to start chemo and radiation soon, but my sister lost a friend from high school at just 30 and our cousin's beautiful 8-month old son died at child care this week. Please keep these families in your prayers.

My poor baby...

Well, Friday night, after our beloved Royals got postponed, we endured the incredibly horrible weather for our drive home. The rain was coming in sideways and it was hailing.

To make matters worse, a party bus stopped on the on ramp to I-35 South... in the middle of the freaking pouring rain. Then, in case it wasn't bad enough, he put it in reverse and backed right over the hood of my car.

Yep, a wreck.

And then, the guy had the nerve to ask if WE ran into HIM!?!?!

What a jerk! We saw your reverse lights you stupid party bus driver!

Yeah, that is my foot...through the hood of my car.

My favorite month because...

...of August birthdays!!

My adorable nephew, Ronan, turned 2 on August 15th!

These pictures were about 2 weeks before he turned 1, which means...

I need a Ronan fix! (and Jonas, and Jeremy, and Brandy!)

Please note in the picture below...

Ronan was VERY unhappy when we stopped walking.

But he's still soooo cute!

My big (middle) sister turned the big 3-0 on the 16th!

I cannot believe that we're getting so old!

I have been so lucky to have such amazing sisters to look up to!

Um, yep, we're in matching bathing suits...

We're that cool.

My amazing mom also has her birthday in August, on the 17th!

What an awesome month!?!

This is celebrating "Mom's Weekend" in college.

This could be one of my favorite pictures of my mom and I.

Doesn't she look so trendy? She is!

We were watching "Footloose" at Theatre in the Park!

Prayers for Grammie

My Grammie was diagnosed with Uterine Cancer just before we left for vacation. While we were gone, she had a radical hysterectomy and is currently preparing for radiation and chemotherapy. She is a very strong woman. However, the doctor told her that she has only seen about 10 women in her entire career with uterine cancer as advanced as hers. Please keep my Grammie in your prayers.

Maui Recap

Since we've been back from our amazing vacation for nearly a week and haven't blogged about it, the chances of it actually happening are getting slimmer by the minute. My wonderful sister, however, did an excellent job of keeping it up-to-date. So, in my extreme laziness, I am attaching her blog reports so that you can, in fact, see how much fun we had!

Traveling: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/maui-vacation-getting-here.htmlDay 1: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/maui-day-2-raftingsnorkel-trip.htmlDay 2: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/maui-day-2-raftingsnorkel-trip.htmlDay 3: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/maui-day-3-lounging-in-lahaina.htmlDay 4: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/08/maui-day-4-road-to-hana.htmlDay 5: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/08/maui-day-5-ziplining-parasailing-and.htmlDay 6: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/08/maui-day-6-beach-luau.htmlDay 7: http://michelspot.blogspot.com/2010/08/maui-day-7-tattoos-and-windsurfers.html

Maui Day 7

Today was a free day. Millie and Dad went bead shopping all over the island. Josh, Chris, Kendell and I hung out on the beach and went to Lahaina to do some mild shopping and site-seeing.

While in Lahaina, we saw someone famous... Do you know this famous person?

Yeah, that's Carlos Santana! And he called me "LOVE"! :) Very exciting!

That night, we went to our Luau. It was really fun. I wish I could move like those girls. I practiced in the bathroom the next day, and no, I look nothing like them! However, we got some really good pictures!

Yeah yeah, I know, I have bug eyes...

Maui Day 6

Ziplining

Today the Michels split off from the Powells/Perkins. Chris went parasailing and met Putty from Seinfield! Very exciting!

The rest of us went on a ziplining tour. It was very fun! Mostly because I got videos of Josh and Dad making fools of themselves!

That night, we all went out to a nice dinner on the beach. We took this opportunity to take romantic couples pictures. Here's ours...