Candle-kazaam #5 - The Yule Log

Dad barely, sort of, slightly completed Candle-kazaam challenge #5 last night.  Eat a piece of a new type of meatloaf, the "yule log."

 The girls helped make the "yule log."  It was a meatloaf that featured your typical meatloaf ingredients and a few addition holiday ones.  They were mini peppermint patties, crushed up candy cane, holiday melt away mints, and a yummy marshmallow Santa center.

Here is a photo of the middle of the yule log.

Here is Dad attempting to eat the yule log.  He only mananged to down one bite.  It smelled terrible, like chocolatey, minty meatloaf.  The gagging you see is real.  We let him stop after one bite!

And here he is, after his one bite.  The girls promptly handed him some water and a puke bowl.  He really almost puked.  That one bite even through off his appetite for the rest of his real dinner.  Poor man.  We did not know this challenge would be so terrible!  He was a good sport, as usual, and we made it up to him with a Mocha frappe from McDonalds later in the evening.

Candle-kazaam #3 and #4

Candle-kazaam continues.  Here are the latest challenges to be completed!

Dad had to pull the lever on this tiny Christmas slot machine.  Then he had to create an ornament fro items that represented the symbols he pulled.  So, he had to make an ornament from some bells, a plastic orange and a cherry car freshener.  He was allowed to embellish with any other items he pleased.

Here is the resulting ornament!   It's a whimsical little creature that he named "Cherry Bella Grante."  He/She/It is hanging on our tree and will surely become a treasured ornament.  Impressive, really!

Challenge #4 took place today.  Dad had to wear a festive holiday sweater to church.  Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like holly berry argyle.  He received many looks like the ones you see here.   Apparently several children gave him disgusted, pained responses.  Little scrooges!

The Holiday Hike

Today is December 9.  It is chilly and dreary and rainy.  I can't think of a better day to...go hiking with some super awesome friends!  Oh my, did we have fun.

I have several photos from the hike, but I will simply post links to a couple of short videos taken on the hike.  There were several creek beds to cross, ledges/cliffs to climb and such.  It was quite the adventure.  The videos were taken as we attempted to climb "the big wall."  They don't do the actual climb, or our friend Zach's fall, justice.  It was a big wall.  He took a long, head-first fall.  Fortunately he came out unscathed.  Wigle's, you are offiially deemed the best people of all time to go hiking with!  What a super fun time.

ww.youtube.com/watch?v=ApMK3J3aMfw

And don't miss this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwgf_zFvOK8

Candle-kazaam #2 - Wiggly Dancing

Candle-kazaam challenge #2 was completed last night.  Dad had to watch the Wiggles' video, "Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas," in its entirety.  He also had to dance along with at least one song.  He has the moves!  I always knew he should have been the fifth Wiggle!

Candle-kazaam 2012 - Challenge #1

Candle-kazaam 2012 is officially underway!  Challenge #1 was completed last night, and it was a great way to kick off this year's event.  Dad had to morph himself into the infamous "Jack Frost" for an interview with our very own "Harry Caray."  This was improv...both came up with their own material and neither knew what the other was going to say, so I would say they did very well, considering!  Dad would even admit that while he did get quite sweaty, this challenge was maybe a little bit fun.  A win for all!  The video is posted to YouTube...follow the link below to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5S5k1oCxBA

We're Back...With a Mac (Gasp!)

Well, we're back in the blogging business.  After many months of computer difficulty and two pathetic PC's in a five year period, we bought a mac.  I can barely believe it and I am trying to stand it, as I am traditionally not a mac fan.  But we are hopeful that this one will outlast our PC's and maybe it will even grow on us.  After spending a lifetime trying to figure out how to upload video to Blogger with the new computer...here you have it!  The only Black Friday deal our family scored was a free yoga lesson from Uncle Bobi.  Coming up next on the blog...wait for it...CANDLE-KAZAAM 2012!!!  Kicking of this Friday!

Straws & Connectors

Well, lookie.  I am finally updating this blog.  Your welcome, Dear.  Just a quick post to spotlight a great product...Ainsley recently acquired a 400-piece set of Straws and Connectors, and I highly recommend!  These things are affordable ($25ish for this set) as well as great fun!  They don't take up much space to store and they allow for use of the imagination.  Ainsley built herself a house from scratch...no instructions other than her brain.  Fun stuff!  As we approach the holiday shopping season, you might want to mosey on over to Amazon's website and pick up a set for your kiddos or nieces or nephews...maybe even your spouse.  Larger and smaller sets are available as well.  Our family approves this message! 

"The Best Day of My LIfe"

 Imagine this.  Your grandparent's family business purchases an abandoned Chinese restaurant.  The previous owners basically left everything inside.  Among the remains are two big toy/candy vending units.  Your just so happen to have a large number of quarters at your disposal.  In the words of Ainsley, this senario is called "THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE" and this was her reality!

The girls cranked, cranked and cranked some more!  We didn't let them get any candy, as it's been sitting there awhile and the place is filthy, but they did score several rings, necklaces, trinkets and best of all...fake mustaches!  It truly was a blast for them, and a memory I'm sure they'll not soon forget!

Dad also scored something pretty amazing for his garage decor.  What could possibly be better than a poster of a cat in asian inspired clothing, preparing to devour a plate of sushi?  This is a gem!  I came home with nothing...which is quite fine and dandy.  I was just fine with simply witnessing the members of my family on "the best day of their lives." 

Summer Loves

I have not been doing a very good job of regularly posting on this blog.  Life has been busy with tasks that aren't fun to photograph, like painting stairway walls, waxing wood floors, shoveling landscaping rock and running errands.  Chlorophyll borophyll.  Here are a few pics of recent summer loves that were taken between episodes of mundane taskery.

Yessss!  We have our first pet monarch butterfly of the season!  His name is Juan Pinon (long story.)  We (meaning us girls in the family) LOVE raising monarchs each summer!  So far we have Juan and his sister, Jessie.  I'm hoping the dry conditions will have no effect on our ability to find many more caterpillars.  Last year I think we raised eight.  We're looking to top that number this year. 

Dang it, sideways picture!  Drives me nuts.  Anyway, another major summer love this year has been Grandpa L. and Grandma L's kittens.  This little, yellow fellow, Sandy, has been a particularly friendly and wonderful kitten.  Ainsley cannot get enough of him!  Poor Bennett has had to steer a little bit clear due to her major cat allergy, but she's enjoyed them from a distance. 

We have loved some aspects of the weather...good for swimming, pretty sunsets and on the above occasion some amazing sunlight spilling through multiple breaks in the clouds.  The picture does it no justice!

We've also loved summer fun with cousins!  We are so glad that A. and L. moved closer to us...so great to see them a little more often.  And little S. always keeps us entertained and on our toes!  New this summer, all the cousins have enjoyed rides in Great Grandma E's Model T that Grandpa C. restored.  Great Grandma E. drove this car when she was a teenager.  Super cool! 

Sneak a Peek

Here's a peek into the lives of two very different girls!

Every day Ainsley is a mama.  Most recently she's been loving on a sleeping hedgehog baby she bought from Aunt C. at our garage sale together.  She even made the baby a carrier from a slip and a scarf belt.  What a good mom!

And look who has emerged from the storage closet...Ainsley's main man, Cardboard Brian!  He used to be such a wonderful husband and then he kind of went missing.  We'll pretend he was on a long business trip, working hard to provide for his family.  Well, he's finally back!

And now on to Miss Bennett.  One look around her room has again yielded many odd and entertaining scenes.  Remember when she recently cut up her old undies?  The waistbands have a new decorative use!

Her surfer statue has grown a substantial pipe cleaner mustache.

And her panda sleep mask has Tangled hair and a scarf. 

Last but not least, the rubber fetuses are snug in a t-shirt scrap bed.  Sleep tight, little ones!