E for Effort...

A co-worker of mine brought the boys caramel apples today which got me in the mood to do some Halloweeny treats of my own. I have never made popcorn balls before so I looked up a recipe from Paula Dean that said EASY on it. I went to get the ingredients from the store and got started. I am the first to admit I am not a great cook but to fail at popcorn balls is hard to do...but I failed. I took 18 cups of popcorn and shriveled it up to 1 cup of soggy mess! I was so embarrassed that I can't even post the picture of the popcorn mush. I swear I followed the recipe.

Wish Granted

Finally, they had the good sense to kick off Cloris Leachman from Dancing with the Stars! Amy, Tonya and I watched her "dance" last night over and over in slow motion laughing our butts off. The fact that she didn't break her hip in the spin move that ended up with her partner dragging her on the floor makes her a winner in my eyes. I only hope I have those moves at 82!

Halloween Party!

Madalyn the Pink Poodle and Griffin-Spiderman getting out on the dance floor.

Gavin the Classic Golfer and Avery the Vampiress doing their best Prom pose!

Gavin and Avery have been practicing their dance moves after watching Dancing with the Stars (when the kids perform) and boy has that practice paid off! They had their jumps and stunts choreographed like professionals.

The Rozean, Schumacher and Wente kids closing down the party!

LIMBO!! Avery ended up the winner!

This is the annual Smoky Hill Country Club Halloween party. The DJs were great with the kids and they had a blast. Gavin didn't want to dress up but after multiple costume changes, we came up with a vintage golfer and he looked great. Griffin was a great Spidey and even did some breakdancing! Happy Halloween!

WIND!!

We have had trampoline trouble in the past (see below) with the 50mph wind in this beautiful state of Kansas. Today on our way home from school, Gavin and I were just discussing how awful it was to lose ours in the wind when we looked up and saw THIS!! Someone else in our neighborhood will be looking for their trampoline and another will be looking to get inside their garage!!!

Here lies what was left of our trampoline after some big time wind in the spring. After much consideration, we decided not to replace it. After seeing what we saw today, I think we made the right decision!!

My Weekend

Okay, haven't posted in a few days. The Creamer's stayed with us all weekend and this photo says it all. I refuse to say which pumpkin is me! I am going to bed so I can function tomorrow. The weekend was rough!!

Happy Birthday Old Man!!

Here is Mark with Jerry Teel??!! Oh Wait, I think that is The Rock.



Mark is how old today??!! I think the number is 39! Hope you have a great one, Mark!

Happy 30th Kelly!

Kyler and Gavin

Thanks for helping Chris out, Avery!!

Our friend turned 30 and had rooms at the Holiday Inn so we all swam on Saturday night. We drive by this hotel a minimum of 10 times a day...and the kids finally figured out there is a swimming pool with a slide inside. Now everytime we drive by they ask if they can go swimming! It was a fun time had by all.

Carving Time!

After getting our Halloween decorations (our giant blow-up thing) stolen in broad daylight today while we were at Wal-Mart, we were trying to get back into the Halloween spirit by carving a pumpkin. Gavin has had problems in the past with this activity. It is something about the smell of the pumkin plus touching the goo on the inside that makes his gag reflex really flare up...and today was more of the same! He wasn't much help but Griffin and I did our best.

End of Season

Surprise Attack!!

Huddle Up!

Gavin doing his best to put up with Mom who always wants "one more" picture.

Today was our last Hays Outlaws game. We went 3-3. Gavin doesn't get to go to the tournament since you have to be in 4th grade so this was it for us! The coaches were great and Gavin is a defensive machine...causing 2 fumbles today, wahoo!

G times 3!

We had a small Stoeklein gathering last week and had so much fun. Our entertainment was the 3 G's (Garrett, Gavin and Griffin) football game. You couldn't tell Griffin didn't have pads, he got right in there...he's an aggressive little thing. Grandma Vada and I disscussed her future in Dancing with the Stars, I think she could kick Cloris Leachman's butt. Maybe next year Grandma! Dad cooked his famous steaks and no one went away hungry.

I Am Going Down With The Ship...

I can't stand all this "Fire Ron Prince" talk! The Prince family has been AWESOME to my family and have welcomed us with open arms. I stayed until the final buzzer on Saturday as painful as it was and I will continue to do so. I am very hopeful for a turn around this weekend! Think purple thoughts...

Halloween Preparations

Here is Griffin being uncooperative while I put our Halloween decorations! We have already had the costume discussion-Griffin picked Spiderman and Gavin thinks he is too old to dress up! There is no age limit to Halloween!! I am sure we will change our mind a hundred more times...I am encouraging someone to be Elvis, Grandma Jan could make a really great costume!

Karma?

I couldn't believe my eyes when I read this!! I thought the lady stuck to the toilet story was over but it looks like there is more! Only in Ness City, Kansas! Check this out...

Boyfriend of Kansas Woman Stuck to Toilet Wins Lottery for Second Time This Year
Tuesday, October 07, 2008

GREAT BEND, Kan. — A Kansas man whose girlfriend was physically stuck to the toilet in their home wins $20,000 in the state Lottery — for the second time this year.
Kory McFarren of Ness City cashed in his winning $2 Bonus Crossword ticket in Great Bend Monday. On July 29, the 37-year-old McFarren received six months of probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor mistreatment of a dependent adult.
McFarren called Ness County deputies in February to report that his girlfriend, Pam Babcock, had refused to come out of the bathroom for two years. Authorities found her stuck to the toilet.
Medical personnel estimated Babcock had been on the toilet for at least a month and said the seat had adhered to sores on her body. She was released from a Wichita hospital after several months of treatment.

LOSERS!

Really!!?? Can this weekend get any worse? Poor Dale Jr (aka my boyfriend) was just about to win the race when BOOM! K-State stinks, the Chiefs are even worse, and Jr couldn't pull out a win today at his favorite track. Are my teams are cursed or what? Let's hope next weekend brings better results!

If Tailgating Was A Sport...We Would Win!!

I made a sign (with glitter!) but it didn't inspire the team like I thought it would! My original thought was "Always Behind the Cats"-but if you think about it, that could be misunderstood. It might have been more appropriate though.

Griffin and his friend Jacob practicing their moves. We had a lot of people come by our tailgate...it was so fun to have the Wente's, Keiffer's, Jones', Teel's, Drees', Jewell's...as well as our 'regulars', the Roth's and Dunlap's.

3 Little Monkeys hangin' in the RV.After a windy trip home in the RV, we are finally back home...time for laundry!

TGIF...

Let's get ready to tailgate!! We are bound and determined to be the first one in the parking lot, hoping to get there about 18 hours before game time. I hope the team is just as determined to pull out an upset and BEAT TEXAS TECH!!! This is the first game we will get to go as a family and take our time and have fun. We have been to all the games but due to Gavin's tackle football schedule, we have cut our time short. Our longest journey was from Atwood (a 10:30am game that went into overtime with an Outlaw victory!! Yeah!) to Manhattan for a 6:05pm kick-off. A 675 mile trip that was a blast...what dedication! Go State!

Open Wide...

Griffin had his first trip to the dentist today. My cousin Amy and our neighbor and good friend Dr. Paul made him feel right at home. Amy let him squirt her with the water and take "rides" in the chair. He had so much fun, he can't wait to go back. Best of all...no cavities!