Band of Stiffs

Thanks to Santa and a few family members, the Stiff clan is now in the music business.  Drum sets, keyboards, microphones and even a photo album that came complete with jingle bells attached.  Ryan's latest pastime....playing music - 'come on guys, let's play music'.  And we all have very (VERY) particular roles in the band.  Ryan, of course, is lead drummer and singer.  Only she is allowed behind the beloved drum set.  "I play drums like Marina" (Fresh Beat reference, you are extremely lucky if that one went over your head, trust me!).  Mom is on keyboard - "mom you play keyboard like Shout" (another Fresh Beat friend).  Oh, and mom has no latitude to play her own tunes, Ryan has a very particular beat she prefers from the 1982 stockpile of pre-recorded tunes on the keyboard itself (#3 if you must know).  "My music mom, my song".  Dad gets the jingle bells from the photo album.  Reesey gets to clap.  That's it.  The girl isn't allowed to touch anything else.  Ryan kicks off every session with the oh so appropriate "a one, two, one, two, three, four" while hitting her drumsticks together over her head.  We are a mean, mean, singing machine.  Watch out Jonas Brothers. 

Mickey Mouse Waffles at Home!!!

Anything that anyone has ever considered.."good", "funny" or generally "cute" about this blog is due 100% to my wonderful, beautiful, tireless wife Leslie.  Accordingly, I will do my best to not bring the overall quality down with my post.

Each Sunday I try to take Ryan to our little breakfast spot Spencer's Grill.  It's been around for a really long time (see photo evidence below) and they serve pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse.  Aside from a little grub in our tummys, it's a chance for Ryan to sharpen her Smuckers Jelly packet stacking skills as well as her "pincher's of power"...she uses those to make the little creamers explode.  The waitresses all know us by name and they all either love our little terror or the big tips Dad leaves amongst the wreckage....probably a little of both.

My mom loves hearing about this little outing each week for many reasons, one of them being that her Dad, My Grandpa Bucko, served Mickey Mouse pancakes at the dinner he ran for over 30 years...Bucks Grill.

Thanks to my moms wonderful friend, Carolyn, we now have a Mickey Mouse waffle iron of our very own.  I just brought it home from my last trip to Dallas and we took it for a spin this morning....here is how it turned out!

What...you don't stir with one hand on your hip??

Juice is always a priority - "I do both Daddy"

Hurry up with the photo - I've got Mickey to eat!

Note to all readers - Leslie doesn't allow Ryan (or me) sit on the counter on most mornings....this morning was special - it was a Mickey Mouse Waffles morning!

Thanks again Carolyn!

Friday night Photoshop fun....

Obviously still learning but loving the new software!  I can hear you Photoshop experts scoffing at my abilities (and hopefully in a few weeks/months I will chuckle at my first attempts myself).  But until then I have my hands over my ears muffling your laughs.

Modest...

Me:  Ryan, I love you.
Ryan:  I love me too.

We're all God's children, right?

Well I suppose that includes our friends at Yo Gabba Gabba as well.  In last nights' prayer roll call before bed, this is what Ryan had to say:
"Please bless mama, dada, reese, muno, grandma, papa, foofa, ella, barbara, broby, john, jack, plex....amen."

For those of you not versed in DJ Lance talk, Muno, Foofa, Broby and Plex are not usually mentioned when we chat with the big guy upstairs. 

And Ryan had a boyfriend named Eamon (pronounced a lot like 'amen') at her last school so the girl is all sorts of confused when prayer-time comes around.

Open the flood gates....

Oh, little Ms. Drama.......trying to get a picture of Ryan and her sister, you would have thought I told her we were ridding our house of televisions.

 So for those of you kind enough to get the girls something for Christmas, please know I am not being rude by the delayed thank-you card for such generous items.  I would prefer send you all a cute pic of the girls as the card itself.   However, we have had a few issues:
A.  We were out of town for almost a week after Christmas (no excuse, but I'm using it anyway)
B.  Grant so kindly gave me Photoshop Elements for Christmas but I have yet to really learn how to use it, although I am adamant I use it to create my photo thank-you card - so bear with me until I advance past chapter 1 in my little instruction book and can actually take the online video tutorials
C.  The drama.  Can't get a nice pic of both girls to save my life (see below) and I'm not that advanced with Photoshop yet to just fake it and make one up
D.  At this rate, you will receive my thank-you card by Reese's first birthday

Reese thanks you though - she's always willing to sit and smile:

Side story - apparently Reese is Ryan's new pet dog.  I have heard her on a few occasions now saying "sit Reesey, sit...good puppy" and then patting her lovingly so on the head. 

Hotel Fun!

Not knowing how the girls would fare on the road-trip to Dallas, we played it safe and opted to stop in Tulsa for the night on the way down.  Mom and dad killed it.  They were the coolest-people-ever in the eyes of Ryan and Reese.  Thank you to the Hyatt Place Tulsa for elevating our parenthood status!  From the minute they walked in the hotel room, you could see their eyes light up - shifty little Ryan knew immediately she had a run of the place and Reese followed suit.

Couch jumping!  This sport has been banned in Missouri but apparently those nice Oklahomians still allow it...

 Reesey loved herself some bell cart...smooth ride, good tread on the wheels, this ones a keeper.

 Ryan getting into the swing of things....

 literally

Tears of joy and happiness....Reese was laughing so hard she looked like she was crying

 Can we just move in here mom?

The face of the happiest hotel toddler you can find (pre-haircut...of course)

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