Uncle Ben

That's what he always told us to call him. Well, maybe not always. I actually don't remember the "Uncle Ben" thing starting until I was somewhere around 4th-5th grade, maybe. I never understood why he wanted to be called that when he was actually our grandfather. It was lost on me. I guess it made him feel younger... But we always thought he was cool as Grampy.

Dad & Grampy
(You see where I get my nose!)
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Well, maybe cool is stretching it. But we did think he was hysterically funny and we loved him to bits! I loved hearing him talk to Nana when telling someone a story. In the middle he'd stop to get accurate details, "Hey, Ess... Ess, where was it now?... that time that we saw such and such?" I also loved how he always- I mean, without fail- called Skip "Big Guy" when talking to him.

Skip with Nana & Grampy
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And I don't think my sister or I will ever forget our first trip to Florida. I was eight, which means she was five. Mom and Dad took us to Cypress Gardens with Nana and Grampy. It was there, while admiring the llamas that Grampy refused to heed the sign on the fence warning visitors about errant llama spit... Needless to say, he got coated in some pretty stank llama slime that day. I had never seen my nana laugh that hard before and I don't know that I ever did again after. While she was trying to catch her breath, Grampy, not to be deterred, attempted to sweet talk his way back into the llama's good graces... Let's just say it didn't go very well.

So, here's to Grampy- who always made me giggle.

I love you.
xoxoxo k.

Kiss

Third Graders Are Awesome

I just cleaned out last week's work from Owen's school folder and had a chuckle over this "postcard" that he made in class. Apparently, the kids got to make a postcard related to their western vocabulary words last week.

Here's the front of Owen's postcard:

And the back:

Wacky Wednesday

It's one of those days... already. I woke up with a headache. (After a night of drinking only water.) How is that even fair? Hopped out of bed with my throbbing head... to find that our darling, angelic Princess Lola had apparently decided to use the white hallway carpet as an outhouse. Awesome! Then I scrambled to get the kids ready and fed for school... make their lunches... write notes to teachers about the kids getting picked up at school today for dentist appointments... et cetera.... et cetera... Just barely got them on the bus on time. As the bus driver pulled up, I was still flying down the driveway with Owen's library book in my hands since he'd forgotten it.

I do NOT have my act together.

However, I still have hope for the remainder of the day. If I didn't, what'd be the point?? I have grand plans for today... First on the list (after getting Cash out of bed and fed) is cleaning up after Lola. Don't act so appalled. YES, her little pile of fun is still sitting upstairs on the carpet. So what? I am a big don't-do-it-unless-you-can-do-it-right-er. I can't help it. I couldn't even attempt to get that item cleaned up while the kids still hadn't eaten breakfast and their lunches weren't made. So I left it. I'll get it... I'll get it. I'm going up there with the Spot Bot right after I type this post. I just needed ten minutes with a coffee where I could pretend I was having a normal morning.

Rocco was quite a ball of energy yesterday! I was
trying to snap photos of him, but as you can tell from
the blurry photos, he just couldn't hold still!
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Skip & I had just an awesome weekend... We've returned to our weekly Date Nights- finally! They were on hiatus for a little while there... Not intentionally, we just gradually started forgetting about them. But Date Night is back-- and we're loving it. Last week we went out for dinner at this cozy place that we've been meaning to try for a year... Great atmosphere and the food was pretty delicious, too. My filet was a tad overcooked (I'd say it was medium, instead of the medium-rare that I'd ordered) but the flavors were great. And we had this perfect table: a corner booth with a window. It was a rainy night and it was so nice to sit in the warm booth and watch the lights reflecting on the wet street outside while we drank our wine and chatted. The movie after dinner was a teensy bit anti-climatic, but still a good time. (If you were wondering, it was Tropic Thunder... some very funny parts and I will see anything with Robert Downey, Jr. in it, but not Ben Stiller's funniest work. RDJ was fantastic, though.) But I've digressed.

What I'm saying, basically, is that life is good. (In spite of today's nutty morning.)

Okay, that's about my ten minutes now. Time to go have fun with the Spot Bot. Oh, and if you are waiting for anniversary party pictures, you'll have to wait some more. They aren't in yet... (But the tab for the open bar did arrive last night... Maybe that's why I woke up with a headache... haha)

Rocco- boy on the move- diving across my lap
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I spend my days hanging out with a 2-yr-old
who sucks his thumb while pulling my hair
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So, if this wasn't enough to satisfy you this morning, then check out the blog of my friend Johnny Virgil-- who doesn't actually know he's my friend, but whatever... (See "15 Minute Lunch" in the right-hand links over there.) His September 5th post is pretty amusing- especially if you feel like a trip back to the seventies. I do have to say that the Sesame Street shirt pictured on that post is totally freaking awesome!! If I could find that around anywhere I would snap it up in an instant and make ALL the boys wear it. At the same time.

It would be a fond memory when they grow up. Maybe they could write humorous blogs about it...

Ten Years

What a whirlwind of a week! I am exhausted! I'm going to curl up on the couch under the skylights and listen to this crazy rainstorm that is the edges of Hurricane Hannah...

Besides, I want to keep this brief so I can enjoy my handsome husband's company this evening- our tenth wedding anniversary!

We had a beautiful party last night to celebrate with lots of family and friends at the inn where our wedding reception was held... with the same band playing as on our wedding day. The food was amazing, so we hear. Between Skip and I we ate a total of ONE crab cake (appetizer-sized, to boot!) and ONE chicken satay skewer (also an appetizer.) Ugh. We were starving by the end of the night! We finally ordered pizza after getting up to our hotel room for the night!

As soon as I get pictures of the party I'll share them. But for now, I'll post pictures from the lovely wedding we attended last week at our friend's home. His daughter got married at his house on the lake... Skip & I danced all night long and then walked home in the beautiful summer night.

The next day, our sweet baby turned two years old! We took him to the animal park and then out to lunch to celebrate with his big brothers. The following day, we had a small family party with grandparents, aunts/uncles & cousins. R had a blast... the theme was a "puppy party" since he loves two things these days: dogs and cars. (Dogs seemed like a cuter theme than cars!)

Anniversary party pics (and more details!) just as soon as the photos are ready!

Sunset Ceremony


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The bride & her father showed up in his Godfather II replica limo
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Bride & Groom- just married
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Skip in action on the dance floor
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Blurry self-photo of Skip and I at the wedding
(The photographer was enjoying some fruity drinks that
her darling husband kept feeding her all night long...)
Although I somehow think, by the look on Skip's face, that
the photo wouldn't have been any better if he'd been the one to take it!
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Wedding Guests under the twinkly lights
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Skip & I on the dance floor
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Rocco, the birthday boy...
holding hands with Oscar for much of the day
Soooo cute
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Saying "cheese"
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Rocco & his daddy
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At Toys R Us on Rocco's bday-
we let him choose his own present- a couple of small
Geo Trax vehicles that he hasn't left alone all week!
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Birthday lunch at Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse-
Rocco loved watching the talking, moving animals
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Birthday party the next day- Uncle Dan caught a dragonfly
and Rocco was "petting" it
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Rocco checking out his new bike from

Aunt Donna and Uncle Gary
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Make a Wish, Baby!!
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Before I go... Some outtakes from the wedding...
(Try to guess how many drinks I'd had when taking each photo... hahaha)

Skip dancing
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Striking a pose
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Whoa... Ultra closeup
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This is a photo of Skip and I.
Or, more accurately, our outfits... as I apparently took a picture
pointing down towards the dance floor.
Skip's got a nice tie on, though, doesn't he!? haha
I'm the black dress. Aren't we cute? ;)
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To my dear readers... I promise a more organized, interesting read next time. This is a pathetic excuse for an entry, but at least it keeps you abreast of our comings and goings until I get with the program....

To my fantastic, loving husband, you are the best thing EVER!!
You really put the pep in my step, Baby!! Happy Anniversary-
from the luckiest girl in the world.

To my humble little blog, Happy 100th Post!!
It seems like just yesterday that I posted this.

xoxo Mrs. Sullivan
(for ten years and counting...)