The Mall

I took Wyatt out while Calvin was at a birthday party.

We roamed the mall like we were in middle school.

We rode up and down the escalators eight times just because.

We rode the overpriced train and crammed into the engine for the best view, but had to share it with an overly chatty tween. ugh.

Then we perused the toy store and found that we could enjoy it without buying anything.

The candy kiosk begged us to buy a sucker, so we obliged. We even bought the begging tootsie roll. And shared it.

We tried on pants at the Gap. Well, I did anyway. He just licked the mirror.

We washed the sticky sucker hand in a complimentary cup from Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, but didn't eat a hot dog.

We almost shop lifted from The Disney Store, but managed to rein ourselves in and return the Lightening McQueen before we got too far.

And last, but not least, we were fooled by the over sized basketball goal in Foot Locker. We really thought that we might find a giant basketball to go with it. No dice.

Then we cried.

But just for a second.

Then we were happy to just be together.

BINGO, GNO, and PALS

Gotta talk about a couple of things left over from Tennessee. First and foremost, BINGO. As mentioned, those Crazy Cruzes love BINGO. We are going on our 8th year of this being a family tradition. To sum it up: We play Bingo on Christmas Eve. We tuck all of those ga-zillion pesky kiddos in bed and party it up. With prizes.

In years past these prizes have been donated my Mom and Dad and have included, but are not limited to: jumper cables, lint removers, kitchen gadgets, money, gift cards, candy, knives, etc., etc. You know, just the stuff your heart has been longing for all of your lives. In recent years, there have been a few grand prizes including various versions of ipods. Needless to say, it gets serious right after the jumper cables and candy are won, but when the lint remover is still in play.

However, once my Dad, the Official Bingo Ball Selector, announces, "This Round is the Grand Prize," many things occur: everyone grabs a couple of cards each to up their odds, sweat starts pouring, brows begin furrowing, and silent prayers get muttered. Here are few candids from this years BINGO game. And no, I didn't win the grand prize. Rachel and Terry cleaned house with a nano and and itouch.

I'm a caught here in what looks to be mid-sassy comment. I'm sure it was one of the usual BINGO jokes. You know: B4, before what? I 25, Dad you're not twenty five. You wish. (feel free to fill in your own version now)

Awwwww SNAP! Yeah, I won this necklace. Jealous much? You probably wish you had it, along with the neck freckles.

Secondly, GNO. The stars aligned for me in a couple of ways: lots of gratuitous babysitting and a meeting of long time girlfriends. These are ladies I hadn't seen in a quite awhile, and it was so much fun. It's true that everything and nothing changes. We were all the same, but totally different. It was interesting to me how easy it was to slip right into conversation, like we just saw each other yesterday. Thanks for the lunch gals! Let's do it again. We'll all go to the city and eat sushi. Okay, we can eat something else. I'm not committed to sushi. Italian? You pick. Let's just get together again.

And lastly, PALS. Seriously folks, with a building like this do I really have to convince you that they have amazing greasy food? The hot dog, hamburger, and fries are ginormous!!! It's the kind of food that will send you right to the treadmill. It's worth every step and more. I have had quite the love affair with this drive-thru. Many, many hard earned Chick-Fil-A dollars spent here.

I have a confession: I rarely get to eat here. It is in Kingsport, and I almost never down there, but I was already in town for our GNO lunch. I was ALREADY FULL from this said lunch when I drove by PALS, I actually flipped a U-TURN and stopped by for a burger and shake. Despite being full already, I was groaning in ultimate satisfaction.

Let's go there sometime. We'll sit in the car and tell jokes while we eat frenchie fries and chipped ham and cheeses. Then you'll probably say something like this, "Katie, er, I mean 'yo mama,' that was so good I could kiss you." To which I would respond, "No, I'm not comfortable with that." Unless it was Noah, and I would say, "Yeah baby. Just a sec, let me finish this bite of chipped ham and cheese though. And make it quick 'cause these fries are gonna get cold." Kidding. I would never rush through a Noah kiss . . . . but, I do get to go there so seldom . . . . no, no, I wouldn't rush through it.

30

5 months and I'm toast. I'll be kissing my beloved 20's good-bye. In honor of 3 su-weet decades, I'm checking off items on my "30 Things To Do Before I Turn 30." I'll post a few for you because I'm sure you will be waiting with fevered hearts to see just what I MUST do before I become a REAL adult.

Cu-check. Read Othello. One of the few Shakespearean tragedies I had never read. Much like I expected: miscommunication and treachery leading to turmoil, heartbreak, and death of innocent and guilty alike. That Billy Shakespeare is quite talented. He was working me overtime. I admit I had to sit next to the dictionary and fill my margins with notes as I read. And yes, one of my notes says, "He talks a good talk, but he's full of it." That Iago is a punk. A real piece of work.

Potato Head Superlatives

It's graduation time at our School for Potato Heads. They have learned much and are ready to go out into the world and build up their community. But we cannot forget their many talents and gifts, which Calvin and I feel must be shared with the blogging world.

Ms. Skeezy VonSnap
Most Likely to Win a Beauty Contest

Simply, Radiantly Stunning. Breathtaking. Her Face is so symmetrically beautiful.

Mr. Charlie Kookin

Most Likely to say, "Ahh Cha Cha Cha-Cha"

Ms. Gretchen Forbodden

Most Likely To Purchase Rogaine and Shortly Thereafter Take A Nap

Ms. Petunia Peabody

Most Likely to Plant a Garden, Cross-Stitch a Picture of the White House, and Drink Her Tea With Her Left Pinky Raised (Considering that she only has her left pinky. We're sorry for your loss, Petunia.)

Mr. Gershwin Kookin, brother to Mr. Charlie Kookin
Most Likely Be a Spokesman for Teeth-Whitening If He Would Just Hack Off That Crazy 'Stache

Group Photo

Class of 2009, Winter Semester

**Thanks for the props, Mimaw Caffy. We had a delightful morning potato-ing.

Christmas - - - - a la Shafer

All on our own here in New York we have started a few Christmas Traditions. They have become a mixture of Cruze and Shafer traditions plus a little of our own imagination. We'll share a few with you. Santa came to our house a little early, before we went to Tennessee. It was a magical night.

New Jammies

Of Course. I think this is everybody's tradition, but it's a good one.

Of course. (Not pictured: Noah, his are green plaid)

Calvin is rocking the Lightening McQueen pj's.

Oh mama was Wyatt excited about these Thomas pajamas. He cries when I try to take them off.

Yo mama in Old Navy haute couture jammie pants.

Christmas Eve Feast

This tradition is 1 part Cruze, 1 part Shafer, and 1 part gluttony. Noah and I like to have the items we grew up with PLUS whatever is so delicious and fattening that you just think you might die if you don't get it.

Calvin had to have pumpkin pie.

Noah loves him some banana pudding.

I'll spare you the pictures of the hot wings, pigs in a blanket, and other various items. I imagine that you know what they look like. If you haven't seen hot wings, email me and I'll send you a pic.

Christmas Fort

I'm ashamed that I don't have pics of our super awesome su-wwwwweeeeeeet fort because it was so cool. My husband actually has a contracting license in Christmas Eve forts. It was the Taj Mahal of sheets. The boys loved it, and we all slept in it...........until 3 a.m. when Noah and I woke up the boys to unwrap presents. We're some impatient parents. I'll just leave it at that.

The Nativity

When I was growing up my Dad read the story of the Savior's birth each Christmas Eve. Noah's family acted out it out. We decided to retell it in our own words to the boys. When they are so little, it is hard to get them to understand the magnitude of that event. But I don't necessarily think that is even the point. I just wanted them to understand that it is an important day to remember Jesus Christ, that He was born, that He lived for us, and that He died for us. I love the story of the Nativity. I love to imagine what it would have been like to have been there and see the baby Jesus in the manger. What a beautiful thought!

It Happened Again.

Perhaps you remember this incident. You know, the renegade nostril in the group photo? It quickly turned into my worst picture ever. Here's a reminder in case you forgot.

Go ahead. Laugh. I am. Also, doesn't it kind of look like in this picture that I have one long, stiff grey hair? Weird because I don't. Unless it just made a special appearance for this particular picture. Which if it did, I wouldn't be surprised. It would just be my luck that a crazy nostril and strong-will grey hair would unite at an inopportune time.

But anyhoo. I have some more news. . . .

The nostril struck again!

This time it was at a Panera with Mom, Rachel, and Mandy.

I've got to get this orifice under control. Until said time, I will be looking for my lone grey hair so that I may brush and groom it.

Back In Action

Did you miss us Shafers? We were on the road visiting the fam in Tennessee, and now we're back. Accents and all. A few highlights from our trip:

• starting our trip with a new battery and alternator courtesy of the Sri Lankin mechanics on the corner. Nothing says excitement like a big, fat repair bill.
• spending the night in a motel and hearing a tired Calvin say as he awoke in a strange place, "Mom, is this where we live now?"
• playing B-I-N-G-O with those Cruzes. Those silly, bingo lovin' Cruzes. Thanks for the memories. and the battery powered lantern, cute necklace, and chance at an ipod. LONG LIVE THE IPOD!
• Going out to lunch with friends, relatives, husband, and kids. A lot. The pants don't lie, and they're telling me that I ate out. A lot.
• hearing a dear old friend remind me that I once got mad at her for copying my mixed tape. I actually said, "You can't just copy someone else's mixed tape." Ahhhhhh, the unknown rules of adolescent friendships so easily broken. Thank goodness we managed to mend the relationship and move forward.
• making cream puffs with my Mom. I love you, Mom. I love you, i love you, i love you.
• listening to Wyatt cry and wail, "Rico is my BEST FRIEND!!!!" as we drove away to New York. Mind you, Rico is a small, brown wiener dog that he had met only five minutes previous. But what can I say? One canine best friend is worth a million mediocre, human ones. Needless to say Noah and I were laughing silent, parent giggles while solemnly trying to comfort him with, "It's okay. I know you love Rico. You'll see him again."
• Continental Breakfast.
• all of the warm weather days that afforded us the time to play croquet, shoot baskets, throw the football, visit the tire swing, jump on the trampoline, and ride bikes.
• a 2ND Thanksgiving Dinner. A real Thanksgiving Dinner, made for the second time. Jealous?
• one visit to Chuck E. Cheeses when the adult to child ratio was 6:2. Noah and I were in hog heaven, eating cheapie pizza and letting aunts, uncles, and grandparents help the boys spend the tokens.
• and last but not least - - - every single moment.