A scary-good time at the pumpkin patch.

Mr. & Mrs. Denneler

One cat, two kids, three water heaters and fourteen years later ... Happy Anniversary to us!

Just taking a short break from "projects" at the Dennelers this month, while my mom recuperates at our house from her latest back surgery. The second one in less than a year. For anyone interested in the medical terminology, she had a spinal fusion from T10 to S1. (Basically, they used a small hardware store of screws and rods to straighten her spine and relieve the pinched nerves down her legs. ) Bea says "Grandma needs a bandaid." Well, that's true. But Grandma Nette also needs a boatload of pain killers to make it through the day right now.

This has been quite an ordeal. I don't think any of us expected her to be in this bad of shape after surgery. But we're finally starting to turn the corner and she's moving and walking more. And smiling and joking more. So the healing process has begun. Wish us luck and sent any extra prayers you might have laying around.

Back surgery is not for wimps. That's for sure.

OK. So I'm no Mr. Peanut.

Just a follow-up story on the peanut plant I attempted to grow this summer. I did not kill it. Hooray. But I don't think this crop of nuts is going to feed a family of hungry squirrels. Boo. Maybe a light snack.

After a fairly unsuccessful summer produce crop - only three tomatoes and a handful of green peppers - I think it's time to hang up my gardening gloves. I'll stick to flowers. And grass. I'm really good at growing grass.

We are go for launch!

The backyard rocketship playset is nearing completion. There's just a few finishing details and accessories to add, if Eric's patience can stand it (and me.) Not that I've been a difficult project manager, but I have a feeling I've used up all my spousal favors on this one. He's tolerated every crazy request and suggestion that I've been able to throw at him. After all, it's for the kids, right honey?

OK. I admit, this rocketship was as much for the kids as it was for me. Deep down, I had an unfulfilled desire for a playhouse that my dad promised me he'd build and never did. Not that my dad could have even attempted to build something like this. Not in a million years. But when you're a kid, don't you believe that your parents can do anything? I did.

The coolest thing is, Gus is going to remember Eric building this for him. And Bea will see photos of herself at age 3, giggling with delight inside the rocket swing on a spectacular fall day.

Thanks Dad. We love you to the moon and back.

Our Bea is Three!

One of these years I'm going to hear "Mom ... enough with the bumblebee cakes already!" But until then, I plan to keep Bea's birthday buzz-a-licious.

This year we celebrated with a Number Three Bee-striped cake and some Oreo bumblebee cookies. I'm thinking that Nabisco needs to become the official sponsor of next year's party if I keep pimpin' their product - seems like I use a lot of their cookies in my stuff. (Hey, Nabisco, call me.)

Happy #3, Bea. You make life so sweet.

OUCH!

Two weeks ago, Gus stepped on a Hawthorn tree branch in the backyard, and this thorn broke off inside his left foot. Eric took him to the emergency room, but x-rays didn't show anything inside. So they put a bandaid on it and sent him home. Well, he hobbled around for two weeks while his foot turned red and swollen and full of pus. Obviously something was still wrong. So we went BACK to the doctor for antibiotics. And then last night, a 1-inch thorn freakishly shot out of his infected wound.

Ewwww.

Amazing how the body heals itself. Gus is finally on the mend and walking with both feet again. Thank goodness. (I can't imagine how bad that must have hurt.)

A Shocker Rocker.

Well, I've done it again. I volunteered Eric to help me with a project. (Somebody coined the word: "voluntold." That's probably more accurate.)

The WSU University Relations department was asked to donate an artist's chair to the Orpheum Theatre's "Red Chair Affair" this month - a charity event to raise money for new chairs in the theatre. And after brainstorming with my workmates, we decided on this cool Shocker Rocker. The only catch was, we needed someone to build our fantastical idea. 

Eric to the rescue. He built our pint-sized, WSU rocker in no time flat. And I took it to Signs Now to have the vinyl graphics applied. 

Now go bid on this! Tickets for the "Red Chair Affair" are available online at www.redchairaffair.com. And thanks again Eric, for making me look good.

Chocolate Broccoli.

Or Chocolate Broccoli Cookies? Or Choccoli? Or maybe ChocoBrocco? I'm not sure what to call these, really.

Andy, my broccoli-loving co-worker, is celebrating his birthday today. And while he probably would have preferred a big, healthy bowl of the real stuff - I had to take the dessert route. Don't I always?

These lovely tidbits of temptation are made with Tootsie Rolls and No-bake Cookies. (And probably the only kind of broccoli I'll ever get my kids to eat.)

"But, I don't even like banana bread."

While Eric was slaving away this weekend, building the launch tower and bridge on the backyard rocketship, I thought I would surprise him with some fresh baked banana bread. Not just any banana bread - banana bread with chocolate chips. I was so proud of myself, until he said: "But, I don't even like banana bread."

Fail. I've been with Eric for almost 18 years, and I'm just now finding out that he doesn't like banana bread? How is this possible? Sigh. I guess next time I'll reward him with nachos and cheese. I know he likes that.

SpongeBob SecondGrader.

Gus started 2nd grade at Gammon Elementary School today. (See obligatory "First Day of School photo.")

His teacher is Mrs. Braet, and they have a classroom pet - a white dove named Frosty. Gus was all smiles this morning as we ran into school to escape the downpour of rain. Here's hoping his SpongeBob SquarePants summertime-brain can start soaking up all that good 2nd-grade knowledge.

To the moon, Sandra!

I'm sure that's what Eric would like to do with me right now. My ideas tend to make a lot of work for him. (Insert apology hug & kiss here.) 

The boys have had the week off together, so they've been putting in some serious build time on the rocketship. Gus has taken on more of a project manager role, as you can imagine. Although, he was wielding the cordless drill the other night and doing a pretty good job with the deck screws. That P90X workout for 8-year-olds is really paying off.

With Phase 1 nearly complete, I'm beginning to realize why no one has really made or sold rocketship playsets for backyards - because they're very complicated and take a long time to build. Thousands and thousands of cuts with the saw. And thousands and thousands of measurements - no two the same. I'm guessing the labor alone on this project would run somewhere in the $5000 range. Glad my man works cheap.

Phase 2 and 3 will involve a bridge, launch tower and some kind of arm for a swing. It's all still in Eric's head at this point. He's sort of building and planning as he goes. (As is true for most things he creates. Hey, whatever works.)

An 8th Birthday Blastoff!

We're in rocketship mode at the Denneler house. So, it seemed appropriate that Gus' birthday treats to take to summer camp, would come in the shape of a Chocolate Rocket. Every year, I try to make a "cake" that Gus will eat. And this year, it was CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE and more CHOCOLATE.

All it took was 158 Hershey's Kisses, 69 Twix bars, 4 giant Hershey bars, styrofoam & hot glue. (Oh, and a bottle of wine I drank while putting it all together.)

Happy 8th Birthday Blastoff, Gus! We love you to the moon & back.

Excuse me sir, do you have a permit for that rocketship?

I wonder what the neighbors are thinking right now? Eric has started construction on a rocketship playset in our backyard, and it's quite the conversation piece already.

Last fall, Eric and I were reminiscing about the rocketship slide we used to play on at Fike Park in Colby. And he made the mistake of saying "I could probably build a rocket out of wood."

Ding! Ding! Ding! My Project Denneler bell went off and I wouldn't let the idea die. I think I hounded him all winter to design plans for it. Gus even put pencil to paper and drew up some plans of his own.

Although our rocketship won't have three levels like Gus has drawn here, (I love how he spelled "Control Room") it's starting to take shape and I can't wait to see it when it's all done. Stay tuned.

3...2...1... blastoff!

How to Buy a Car and Not Get Screwed.

Repairs on our 2001 VW Passat were getting more costly, and it seemed pointless to waste money on repairs when we could put it towards a new car. So we took the plunge and went looking for a new family truckster.

Eric found this video on YouTube called "How to buy a car and not get screwed." We both watched it, agreed that it was pretty smart advice, and psyched ourselves up for car shopping.

Five tips for buying a new car:

1. Allow yourself two full weekends to buy a car.

2. Test drive at least three cars.

3. Get competitive bids from 8 to 10 dealers.

4. Sell your used car separately.

5. Don't buy any extras.

So what did we do? We went out last Saturday, test drove two cars (Ford Fusion & Nissan Altima), negotiated one price, traded-in our VW Passat, and bought a new car with an extended warranty.

Oh well. So we didn't stick to the rules. It was fun. And very low-stress, unlike most car-buying experiences. Plus, our sales guy was really nice. His name was Kevin. (I know 4 or 5 Kevins - all very wonderful fellas.) I highly doubt we got "screwed" on our purchase.

Introducing our new 2009 Nissan Altima. Wanna go for a ride?