Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.

...It's coooooold out there everyday.

Would it help if I played Sonny and Cher in the background?

Well, I'm sure you're all wondering what we've been up to over the last few weeks.  Hmmmmm....Let's see, we went to the Dental School's picnic at Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge Farms.  It was a lot like... Picnics and Mommunists (8/16/11).  Actually it was pretty much exactly like that.  Except there was a new crop of infants and instead of being mediocre at football, all of the men were mediocre at volleyball.  Oh, and instead of going out for custard afterwards, we went out for ice cream.

I went to go observe Nicholas working in the lab.

September 2011

September 2012

...and Nicholas continues to make fake teeth.

September 2011

September 2012

Okay, I will grant you that his technique has gotten a wee bit more sophisticated over the last year. 



I got a bad cold, and Nicholas made me matzoh ball soup.

Jew-y picture I used in 2011

Jew-y picture I'm using in 2012

All in all, I have to say that the start of this school year has felt a little...familiar.

Just in case we lost you on this one...

Of course, some things do change.  For instance, this time last year we were feeding a small stray tabby cat on the porch and talking about how, under no circumstances, were we going to take her in and end up with a fourth cat (Ha!)  Not only did we let Pog in, but we let Jon Fielding in as well.  Have we told you about Jon Fielding and his dirty dangler yet?

Not these.  We had these removed

Fielding's dangler is the one leg that he leaves dangling under him from wherever he has perched.

I guess it would have been too much to ask to get a "fixed one"...well, I guess if he'd been normal, someone wouldn't have just let him out to roam the streets of the Cleve.

Anyway, I'd better go, because if I don't do my reading...well, pretty much nobody notices.

So say you love me here and now, I'll make the most of that. Say you love and trust me, For I know you'll disgust me When you're old and getting fat.

Guess who had a birthday since the last time we blogged...That's right!  Nicholas did.  On April 5, 2012 Nicholas hit the big 3-0 and he hit it hard.  At first I told him that I couldn't see any difference between 29 and 30 but now that I'm doing a comparison, I'm really not so sure...

Nicholas on April 4

Nicholas on April 5

So, in honor of Nicholas' milestone birthday, we celebrated...and celebrated...and celebrated! On Nicholas' actual birthday we stayed low key and he picked out a special birthday dinner--lamb chops, mashed potatoes, and broccoli--and I made raspberry shortbread for dessert.

Raspberry shortbread.  Compost sold separately.

Of course, Nicholas' big birthday present was his party.  The whole house was decorated to look like a shrine to Nicholas.  I collected pictures, only around 300 or so, from the last 30 years and turned them into triptych panels on card stock.

Nicholas is the old lady featured at the far right.

Then I made a photo timeline by hanging all of the triptychs around the first floor of our house.  The menu included Nicholas' favorite snacks and an homage to Nicholas' first birthday cake. 

Cake from April '83

Cake from April '12

Nicholas blowing out his candles with help from Bailey and Macy

The fact that the inside of this year's cake was red velvet really added a certain je ne sais quoi to the experience.  (Science fact: the bunny died, so all of our neighbors are pregnant)

Nicholas cutting the bleeding bunny while Jared comforts a traumatized looking Kelsey in the background

I really got a kick out of the cake. 

Ouiser was unamused.

Oh, and Shelby died.  (SPOILER ALERT)

Anyway, it was very nice to have all of our wonderful neighbors and Nicholas' family and friends pile into the house to celebrate.  David even flew in from Chicago to surprise Nicholas on the morning of the party.  The bigger surprise: David wasn't invited to the party...awkward.

And in the end everyone got to take away a little party favor.

Now that all of the celebrations are over and the dust has settled, it's time for finals!  I'm so sad that we're almost done our first year in Cleveland and I'm devastated that I only have one more year left of my program...APRIL FOOLS! 

Editor's Note: April Fools came and went 20 days ago.  Above sentence should probably read: I'm so sad that we're almost done our first year in Cleveland and I'm devastated that I only have one more year left of my program...PATHOLOGICAL LIES!

Anyway, life is pretty much back to normal now with the exception of today's great discovery: Pi is one of the world's most gifted performers.  Today she recreated that famous scene from Caddyshack with the Baby Ruth.  Except instead of a pool, it was the middle of our basement.  And instead of a Baby Ruth, it was actually feces. 

Nicholas with cat feces

Wendy breaking it down to Kenny Loggins

Remember how we always had four cats?  Well that's still true...for now.

Third Star to the Right and Straight Down I-80

Hello, my fellow Halloweenies! This post is dedicated to all of the seasonal activities that have been keeping us busy leading up to Halloween.  Well, for starters we had the CADA Halloween Carnival.  Every year the dental spouses' association puts on a Halloween event in The Sheep Barn at Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge Farms.  And this year not only did I help the Mommunists to set up, but Nicholas and I attended the event in costume.  I'm sure you're wondering what kind of costumes we wore, so here it is:

You guessed it! Nicholas went as Mary Martin and I went as a schizophrenic who can't properly regulate body temperature and, therefore, wears a nightgown outside in the 35 degree October weather.  Just kidding.  We went as Peter Pan and Wendy.  Nicholas wants me to tell you all that it was his idea.  Oh, he's clever! Oh, the cleverness of him!  Of course, I did nothing...

Nicholas as Mary Martin.  Note comparable breast size.

Nicholas was a big hit with our little neighbor, MaKendree, who followed him around and repeated in awe, "Peter Pan...Peter Pan...Peter?"  Don't worry, I set her straight.  I told her that Peter Pan doesn't really exist and that her parents are also pulling her leg about Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the need to floss.  She took the news well:

Footage Not Found

 Her mom told me that a week later, on their way to their church's Halloween carnival, MaKendree was asking for Peter Pan.  Now that I know how good Nicholas is at establishing rapport with small children, I think it's time for us to start considering some major life changes.  I've even begun to redecorate and rearrange the house accordingly.

Children: The Cleveland Treat

Yesterday we drove back to Pittsburgh to see Nicholas' family and go to the pumpkin patch.  Some people would tell you that the snow and freezing rain detracted from the experience.  I will tell you that it only served to make it better.  I am a liar.
 Here we are at the archway leading into the farm.  The other side was inscribed with the words "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

The gateway to a super fun time.  Just ask Dante.

To get to the pumpkin patch we got to take a really damp hayride. Here we are on the hayride with Shea's little girl, Addison.

Addi is really sweet and, with the right seasoning,  savory as well

After we chose our pumpkins, Nicholas, Shea and I took Addi to the Boo Barn.  The Barn held all manner of things designed to scare both the old and the young alike.

Tonight Nicholas and I carved our pumpkins.  I'll give you a preview of what they look like all lit up.

In the Halloween spirit

Aware of Social Worker's long-term earning potential

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

Picnics and Mommunists: Starting our new life in Suburbia

Well today we went to the dental school picnic at Squire Valleevue and Vally Ridge Farms.

It basically looked that but filled with dental nerds and the people who love them.  Many of our neighbors were there with their wives and children.  First everyone feasted on hotdogs and hamburgers and then Nicholas and the boys proved that their dexterity is limited to creation of wax coatings for fake teeth by throwing a football around.

See, I was so not kidding about that wax coating thing...

While the boys tossed and very nearly caught the old pigskin, I hung out with Mommunists and scads of children under the age of three.  They're actually a very nice group of young women; but they were all terribly interested in when Nicholas and I will start adding our share of children to Rushleigh Road.  It wasn't until after the picnic when our neighbors suggested that we meet up with them for custard that Nicholas and I were educated in the "Curse of Rushleigh Road."  So say the neighborhood men: If you move onto this street you will have a baby...and it will be a girl.  I hate to disappoint you, gentlemen, but this about all of the baby girl we can handle for right now:



Nicholas preparing to nurse Pig



Pi preparing to suck the essence from an unsuspecting human

Besides, the next few years need to be about focusing on my field work. Which is to say, I need to help people fix their screwed up children for a few years before I'll have all of the requisite ammunition to screw up my own.

Okay, well it's time for me to meet back up with the Mommunists and go to see The Help.  Shhhh.  Don't tell them that Nicholas took me to see it already.