December playdate...

I always look so forward to our monthly get togethers. We've all been through pregnancy, infants... now toddlers together. Well, Jen & Ash are joining the "Family of 4" club. Congrats to both of them on more babies! :) Thanks Ashlee & Reese for hosting. We love your new house!


OK - this play date we laughed and laughed at these little monkeys. Not sure what was funnier - Blane's tongue curl thing - Reece... I mean REESE (love you Ash)(lol) wanting in on some of Blane's attention and sticking her tongue all the way too, Reece pushing Blane around the house in her doll stroller - and him just being so "chill", or Ashlee causing me to be deaf in one ear while she saw a "critter" in the back yard?

Thanks Ash for hustling back and forth setting your camera timer while Jen & I watched and laughed... lol

All the kiddo's doing their own thing... for now
sweet boy

yay - they were all looking!

It was so great to see Jen & Blane

"Ok Blane... you just sit tight - I know my way around here, ok?"

" Reece, please slow down. You are scaring me!"

" Hey guys - Can I have a turn to push, Reece?"

"ummmm - now is not a good time Lucas"

"{sigh} don't you know - women are better drivers than men Lucas. Blane - hold on tight"

"hey Lucas - quick - she's going after a toy... get me out of here"

"ok dude - let me get a good grip on this pink doll stroller"

"HOLD ON BLANE!!! - Lucas, hurry! "

"oh no no no Luke. I told you. Women drive better and I know my way around here"

"ok Blane, here we go again"

"ummmm guys - hello? Lucas? Reese?... mommy? ... anyone?

Hey Lucas... I was just kidding about all that. No hard feelings ok my friend?

.......... muhhhh-waaahhhhh

Meet me in St. Louis...

Talk about a whirlwind weekend... Friday morning around 4/5ish we (The Brendel's) headed north to Troy, IL/St. Louis. It was Aunt Sherry's 50th surprise party.

Hannah decided last minute to stay behind b/c of the parade Mammy's in every year and her first indoor soccer game. We missed her so much and she would have LOVED the party.



The party... wow - what fun... Uncle Wayne out did himself making some wonderful memories for his lovely bride. :) Her "surprise entertainment was Elvis (hints, the 50's party). He was really good. He even handed out red scarves to the ladies... I didn't get one though - not sure why {wink}... :)

Eventually, I will have pictures from the actual party to upload... funny story as to why we didn't have our camera (I won't go into that now).

It was every one's first time meeting little Lucas. They had come down several times and met Hannah, but never the little guy, so that was extra special.

Here everyone is at John's piano recital. He was awesome ... very good!

Johnny boy

After John played Matt and I took off to St. Louis. Matt wanted to show me a few hot spots downtown. We ended up w/ a "tag-a-long" (as Uncle Wayne put it-ha)... Adam. We had a blast with him! I think he was a little bored, but he was a trooper.

It looks like I'm JUMP ROPING (right Anna May?)

To give you an idea of how massive this is...

"arch" who goes there... hee hee (me & my honey)

We had to try the famous frozen custard here. We drove way into the hood in downtown St. Louis... As you can see Matt is the only one CRAZY enough to be ordering frozen custard w/ temperature of 32 degrees... w/ the wind chill of -400!

I had my first White Castle experience... I'm good if that was my last. :) Way too greasy

And now the fun begins...

We took a tour - it was awesome!

These fermentation tanks were way cool. If you were to drink all the beer in ONE of these - you would have to drink one 12 oz beer every hour of everyday for 137 years... a few guys on the tour were up to the challenge. :)

Me & my "bud"dy

The picture is horrible b/c of the flash, but this was way cool. It was the assembly line for all the bottles being filled... (like Laverne & Shirley):)

Simply breathtaking Clydesdale's... they must be 18 hands high & 2300 lbs... HUGE!

Their stables... along w/ the Dalmatian watch dog. :)

Adam was so much fun!

This was in the hospitality room at the end of the tour... well, duh we have to sample all the beers we just learned about...

And the good ol' Mississippi.

fun play date!

Today was a extra fun play date... STEPHANIE joined us w/ sweet Barrett! That little guy is such a cutie. I ended up at the mall pretty early - so did Ash/Reece. I wish I could have gotten more pictures of sweet Barrett, but my battery didn't last :(. We went to a mall in Plano where they have a fab play area. We'd been once before and the kids LOVED IT!
I can't wait to do this again.

On the way there reading his Noah's Ark... so sleepy...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaand - he's out!

Such a cutie!!! Ash & Reece

wow - how cute is she!!!

These little pumpkins were having a "latte' " fun - ha ha ha (get it - they're in a coffee cup)

Reece was telling me all about this play area... She comes here so much - she was telling the good "hiding" spots.

I started to tell my mom where the good hiding spots were, but Reece put a stop to THAT! "ssssssssshhhhhhhhh Lucas - I told you it's a secret!""No, Lucas it's THIS way - here ... let me help you turn your head"

"what's in your hair Lucas - is that hair gel?"

"Seriously, does your mommy not wash your ears, Lucas???"

"A-HA! I found one of the hiding spots... ssshhh don't look "

Playing with his new buddy BARRETT! How fun - another boy!