CMT Crushers!!!!

This week, the annual Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) will be administered at Matt and Ellie's school, so we sent them in this morning with custom T-shirts to set the tone. (We were going for the kind of monster-truck-show attitude with the whole thing...)

Back to School - what a difference 3 years makes!

2007 - Matt starts 2nd grade, Ellie starts kindergarten











2010 - Matt starts 5th grade, Ellie starts 3rd grade!

Birthday jottings!

After many, many weeks of silence - months, really - a sudden update from the Blendermanns! In the form of two birthday-related images...

First, the motley band of laser-tag warriors who participated in our epic surprise birthday party for Matthew! The most diabolical element of our surprise was waiting to throw the party until nearly 6 months after his birthday - his guard was definitely lowered!

Next, for those inquiring minds who want to know, here's Ellie's birthday wish list, written in her own inimitable style. The handwriting's a bit tricky to read, but you can click on the image for a larger version - lest you miss a single detail! A real snake! Yikes!

Showbiz Kids

In case you were out of the country last Friday (ahem - it was Grand Cayman, OK?) and missed the Ledyard Center School 2010 Talent Show, you're in luck: Our blessed friends (and proprietors of the world-famous Sarge's Comics), who unfailingly take pictures of every school event that features their daughter, were kind enough to take video of the entire talent show, and post those videos on YouTube. Yay!

And thus we have, Ellie and her friend Sarah, duetting on "Yellow Submarine" (look for them around the 3-minute mark of this video):



And Matt and his friend Josh, debuting The Matt & Josh Comedy Show:



Needless to say, here at Blendermann Lane we're bursting our buttons with pride, and predicting that this might not be the last time we see our kids on a stage!

*Note: If you'd like to see all 11 videos from the LCS 2010 Talent Show, point your browser to YouTube, and search on "harpozep".

Oops, We Did It Again...

Instant hilarity: put your kids' pictures in those JibJab "Elf Yourself" cards. Hours of entertainment!!!!

Sorry if you missed it - the holiday videos expire on Jan. 15th...

Favorite thing: Moosebutter's "Star Wars" medley

Super Bunny

Matt says, about the Super Bunny he created in art class, "He's faster than a jackrabbit, more powerful than a rhino, and able to jump over five anthills in a single bound - he's SUPER BUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

OK then!

Snow day!

OK, so maybe this is when we pay for our pride, in not buying a snow blower: The winter weather arrived in earnest in New England today - they're calling it "Winter Storm Austin," isn't that cute?

Anyway, the word is that we're supposed to get a foot of snow by the time it's over - school was canceled today even before the kids woke up.

But are we intimidated? No!

Today we party; tomorrow we shovel!

Stay warm!

Hugs from the B's...

2008 School Pictures

Remember when they were babies? Here they are, both flashing their patented "Formal Portrait" expressions...


Ellie (1st grade) chose the purple background to match the highlights in her hair. She lost both of her top-front teeth shortly before Picture Day - and not playing hockey, either, contrary to what you might expect...


Meanwhile, Matt (3rd grade) is serious about having his picture taken - no goofy smiles for him - no doubt this is the first of many formal portraits he'll sit for, right up until he's confirmed for the Supreme Court.

Chilly but cheerful

Cold at last in Connecticut! By request, some recent pictures:

Mid-October - the "fall color" starts to litter the yard, time to put them kids to work:


Halloween featured Captain Jack Sparrow, Wonder Woman, and That Witch With Those Amazingly Natural Eyelashes:


And, in early November, the newest member of the herd: Dottie, our new Cocker Spaniel puppy, in a rare moment of inactivity...


Hugs from the B's...