The Fairbanks Bunch!

The ENTIRE family was home for Christmas, here is our proof.  

The Bachelor

I love this show.  Most of you that know me, know this. Watching it with Kevin brings a new perspective to things.  He makes it more entertaining, or more frustrating.   Sometimes I'm not sure which it is.   I do prefer to watch it with him even when he complains, or drools over breast implants.  So, here is a list of some of our 'Loves' after only 3 episodes.

• I love that ABC had to make this entire season an issue about Brad's fear of committment. I was hoping he wouldn't pick either girl. 
• I love that to show how sincere he was about fixing this supposed "problem" they had his therapist make a cameo on national TV (HIPPA anyone?)
• I love every time they say "This is the ___________ moment in Bachelor history"
• I love that EVERY girl that is on this show has a sob story
• I love that RIGHT after the sob story (girl is crying and has a snotty nose), Brad makes out with her. Is that all it takes?....Robyn, take note!
• I love every shirtless scene
• I love that every date is the same from season to season
• I love Emily's response to the question, tell me about yourself.  "I'm just like everybody else... When I am tired, I get grumpy."  I guess that sums us all up.
• Kevin loves to insert his own dialogue..which is usually ridiculous. 
• I love that Kevin googles these girls on his own time ie. Michelle Money (yes, that is her name) is on a new 'Mormon Movie' coming out this March.  Chantal's dad was a Seattle Seahawk, but only played one season and has NO fantasy points.
• He loves to rank them according to 'favorites'. 1). Emily 2). Chantal 3). Michelle....
• He loves that Brad, during interviews, refers to the girls as "these women" "that girl".  He just automatically distances himself from them.  Kevin cracks up every time.
• He loves to bring up that Emily dated Dale Ernahrt Jr.
• I love that "fang" wasn't anything like I thought she would be.
• I loved the comparison of Emily to looking like Barbie, with the soul of Mother Theresa. You want to, but you can't hate her.

Those are just some of the gems I gave gleened from my guiltiest pleasure.

C eh N eh D eh !

MERRY LATE CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We were so blessed this holiday season for getting to spend time with the ENTIRE Fairbanks Clan for the holidays. Kevin, in a moment of weakness told me we could go to Canada for Christmas this year. I never let him forget it after. After our last experience, I wasn't sure he would ever return in the winter. Two years ago, we went to Canada for a short Christmas visit. As we walked out of the airport, I looked up and saw a sign with the temperature reading -30 C. He has never forgotten that. Most of the time it is embellished and exceeds -70 in his stories, but regardless, it was butt friggin cold!
This time, it was fabulous. We had a brown Christmas. It was in the low 40s F (that is a positive number). It didn't even snow until later in our trip! We had SOOOOOOOO much fun. Thank you mommy. I hated leaving. It was a party for 10 straight days. We ate until we couldn't, we had rook tournaments, chick-flicks, Dr. Mario, Wii Tennis matches, tower building, snow-shoeing, sledding, swimming, curling, 5 pin bowling, music jeopardy, white elephants, the first Fairbanks boys basketball game, giant soccer, scooter racing, all sorts of games, and so much laughing that I don't need to do an ab workout for years.
Here are only some of our good times.

Giant Soccer                                                                    Check out Robyn's Shirt. I want one! 

Kevy taking on the Fairbanks boys                                        Awwww Twins!

Dr. Mario tournaments                                                          Scooter races 

He's a natural.  I think its working... He wants one!               Check out that red shag. When I get a home...

 The Girls!!! Aren't we cute                                             The Group!  Crandall Lake Trip #1
 

The solitary snow Shoe-er                            Todd attempting more tricks       

My little snow angel

 Kevy outside the Cabin                                                         A few days later the entire lake was frozen

Mads, Hurrying Hard!                                                                 Team Canada Wins!!!

Impressive Tower Kevy!                                                                          Xtreme Snow Shoeing

 Moments before he broke his brand new snow Shoe.                          It was so fun, we went twice!

Face wash!!!                                                                            Our trip #2 Extreme Snow Shoe team

 Close up. Poor Ang!  Family pictures were so much better               The end of our journey. Cameron Lake

 That's the Reader's Digest Version.  I can't wait until we do it all again.  Hopefully we will have a family picture to post soon.  Look out for more pictures when I get really ambitious!!



Booty Pop!

So being a Fairbanks by birth, I was blessed to inherit several unique qualities; lack of body hair, height, athleticism, and other redeemable qualities(clearish skin if Maddie is contributing). I also was blessed with "back". This does not mean junk-in-the-trunk, but rather extended back. It starts at my neck and ends at my legs. I have had this brougt to my attention for years. People have offered remedies such as in increase in collard green consumption, lunges, or a Christmas diet like my cute brother Sam (how many bum bars was it?) I now live in the south-side of Chicago, where I am reminded daily of this missing feature. There is a lot of what Kevin refers to as BAM. That is, when they turn around, it's like BAM, that's a lot of booty!
So this year at the office, we engaged in a Secret Santa gift exchange. I had the best secret Santa. I received gifts every day and they were wonderful. One of my final gifts, was wrapped sitting on my desk when I came in one Friday morning. A note was attached reading: "for you and your husband". Curious I tore open the gift to find a Booty Pop! See below for the ad.




Kevin had actually come to work with me that day so I decided I would slip it on to see what reaction I would
get. Little did I know, I was creating a monster. He didn't say anything all night. When we got home, I grabbed his hand and had him hit my bottom. He
immediately started laughing. Afterwards, he told me that he thought I gained 10lbs. He then decided it was love. He tried to get me to wear it everywhere!
I, still thinking it was a joke, tried to give it away as a White Elephant gift at our family's New Years Eve party. My brother opened it, and I looked over at Kevin only to see such a deflated look on his face. I was in big trouble. It is a good thing on the next turn, my gift was taken and I could act as the "indian giver" and take backy Booty Pop so Kevin can continue his love affair. I guess it's only as deceiving as a padded bra, but I still think it's strange. I can't complain about the extra comfort I'm sitting, but I doubt you'll see me in one on the street.