RedStrong Red (default) BlueCalm Blue GreenFresh Green

Chose your color scheme.


Archive for the year 2013

All American Diner

Posted on December 31, 2013 by under Food and Drink.    

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

All American Diner on Urbanspoon

We got to try All American Diner when we were in Oklahoma last Saturday. It was a beautiful day for a drive. Temperatures almost reached 60.

All American Diner offers great value for the price, but it’s definitely no Livingston’s. I can relate to the mixed reviews on Urbanspoon. I had the chicken fried chicken meal and it was just okay and my sweet tea tasted a little odd. Although, it’s good food relative to the price so you get excellent value.

Untitled

After lunch we went to check out CHEF’STORE, where Brian found this giant immersion blender. We also stocked up on mixers. That place is awesome!

Untitled

While we may not be going back for All American Diner, we’ll definitely be going back to CHEF’STORE to pick up some supplies! LOL.

No Comments

Pictures from Missy’s Birthday

Posted on December 31, 2013 by under Zumba.    

Here are some pictures from Melissa’s Zumba birthday party at Zeal last Friday. We did almost two and a half hours of Zumba and it was super fun. So much fun that it’s got me thinking about having my own Zumba birthday party.

No Comments

Christmas Day Wake Up Call

Posted on December 31, 2013 by under Things to Do.    

This is definitely something to consider if you ever end up staying with us. You’ll probably want to get up before we do. Otherwise, you might get woken up to this.

No Comments

The Day After Christmas

Posted on December 31, 2013 by under Things to Do.    

Untitled

The day after Christmas consisted of eating leftovers and house cleaning. The in-laws brought Scooter with them and so we had to make sure that the house was thoroughly vacuumed after they left. My allergies tend to react badly to pet dander so we have to keep the house clean and free of dander at all times.

Of course all work and no play is no fun at all so we took a break in the middle of our cleaning to play in the yard.

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

Here’s a short video of Brian doing donuts with the airboat.

It looks like so much fun, now I want an airboat too! Maybe someone will make me one. Dad? Dad? Are you there, dad?

No Comments

Christmas 2013

Posted on December 31, 2013 by under Family.    

This year is the first year that we brought our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations under one roof. It used to be we would celebrate Christmas Eve at my parents’ house in Derby and then we would be at my in-laws’ house in Wichita on Christmas Day. However, Brian’s parents sold their house and officially moved to Midwest City, OK last month.

We figured that, since we were going to be hosting Christmas Day at our house anyway, we might as well host Christmas Eve as well. It worked out perfectly also because our nephews celebrate Christmas Eve with their other grandparents (Jennifer Cannady’s parents) who live just around the block from us.

Untitled

Christmas Eve started quietly enough with Brian showing grandma his new laptop.

Untitled

Donna made deviled eggs. Yum!

Untitled

Mom made lumpia, menudo, chicken macaroni salad, and fruit salad. For someone who never cooked when I was growing up, my mom actually makes really delicious food.

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

Brian made crockpot chicken adobo and chocolate chip cookies.

Untitled

Untitled

I made what we call el cheapo (ground beef, peas, and carrots) because it’s easy to make and goes well with steamed white rice.

Untitled

We had way more food than we could ever eat. We could have invited all of our friends for dinner and still would have had leftovers. Seriously.

Untitled

We played a few rounds of Catch Phrase after dinner. It was hilarious! The adults also exchanged gifts while we waited for the boys, that way we could focus on the kids when they arrived.

Untitled

Brian and I got mom and dad a pasta night gift set and Downton Abbey Seasons 1, 2 & 3 since dad mentioned that he really loved that show during Thanksgiving.

Untitled

I also got mom an Origami Owl living locket necklace and then a gift card to Tower Hobbies for dad. We try to keep the gifts pretty even.

Untitled

We got Jenni $25 to Rue 21 (she loves that store for some reason) and I gave her a bunch of workout clothes (a couple of UnderArmour tanks and a pair of Zumba sweatpants) in hopes that she’ll start working out with me again.

Untitled

There was nothing implicit about my request either.

Untitled

After the boys arrived, it was all about them. Here are some photos.

1507788_559908320766761_1113812071_n

1488946_559908397433420_1974132801_n

Untitled

We got the boys matching Superman shirts (because Brian likes Superman most out of all the superheroes) and then Eli and QQ both got PlasmaCars. We gave Logan $50 cash, which is about the same price as the PlasmaCars, just to keep things even.

Mom, dad, and Jenni got Logan a big TV for Christmas. I’m not sure what else the boys got, but they usually do pretty well. Christmas is not about presents, but it’s always fun to watch their eyes light up.

Untitled

The next morning was all about grandma and my in-laws.

Untitled

We each got them stockings full of their favorite goodies.

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

They all got booze and chocolates in their stockings, among other things.

Untitled

Untitled

Brian made quite a breakfast!

Untitled

When Kevin, Kasey, Kyndra, and Andrew arrived, we all headed to the basement to exchange gifts while we waited for lunch to be ready.

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

We got Andrew a bunch of Thundercats toys, which is what Kevin told us he wanted. For Kyndra we got a little cheerleader bag, a box of Russell Stover chocolates, and a makeup kit. Kasey told us that is what she wanted. I guess she’s of that age now that she’s starting to get into cosmetics.

Untitled

For Kasey we got a set of Hello Kitty glasses and a Hello Kitty flask because she loves anything Hello Kitty. We got Kevin the Alien Anthology [Blu-ray] box set. We figured he would enjoy it.

Untitled

I got Donna an Origami Owl living locket necklace also just like the one I got for mom. I got the necklace, locket, mom plate, and two birthstone charms. The funny thing is other than the necklace (which I got in two different styles) the lockets themselves look almost identical because Jenni and Kevin were both born during the month of November so they have the same birthstone and then my birthstone and Brian’s birthstone are pretty much the same color (pink).

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

For David and Donna to enjoy together, we got a bar set and the same bamboo cutting board with multicolor mats that we have because they mentioned that they liked ours a lot when they were staying with us last month. David got the same Alien Anthology collection we got for Kevin and also the Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection to complete his Star Trek movie collection which we started earlier this year.

Untitled

Untitled

It’s not just kids who are fun to watch as they open presents. Adults are equally fun to watch also, specially grandma. We got her a tin of her favorite Christmas cookies from Sam’s Club (which David and Donna got for her also, so she ended up with two tins this year), a sleigh full of Ghirardelli chocolate goodies, a couple of Disney DVD movie collections — the Classics (Gnome-Mobile / Darby O’gill & Little People / One & Only Genuine Family / Happiest Millionaire) and Herbie (Love Bug / Herbie Goes Bananas / Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo / Herbie Rides Again).

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

After exchanging presents, it was time for lunch. Christmas Day lunch consisted of mac and cheese, Donna’s scalloped potatoes, pork loin, etc. Kevin and Kasey brought some treats too. Again, we had way more food than we could eat. Even after grandma took food home, Brian and still had a ton of leftovers. Our fridge was full for days!

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

This is our Christmas celebration in a nutshell. The two days were a whirlwind of food and merriment. It was actually kind of a relief when it was all over. LOL. We cleaned the house throughly from top to bottom the day after Christmas and then we take down both Christmas trees today. Slowly but surely Brian and I remove all evidence of the Christmas mayhem that ensued and prepare to welcome the new year ahead.

No Comments

« Older Entries «