The envelope please...

We have a winner!


He is probably completely blown away, but Brad is the winner of the blogging contest.





He correctly answered that the cat is Dot (10 points), and he also knew that number 6 of the multiple choice was not true (another 5 points). Many people had 15 points, but what put Brad above the others is that he wrote the best reason for Amanda's condition: Jack's attempt to keep all boys far away, which gave him an additional 25 points. It's not a long answer, but boy, did it make us laugh!



So congratulations Mr. Brad! I hope you enjoy those seeds and the cute towel! You'll have to lock up the Reese's egg and Peeps to keep Leanne and Alex away from those treats.

OUR CONTEST WINNER!!!

(Doesn't he look overjoyed?)

Although Brad won the big prize package, there was one other entry that really deserves an honorable mention, and that is Miss Brenna. Her answer for Amanda's appearance included: Amanda's eyes are pretty in the picture. Does it get any sweeter than that? Here's this crazy picture and Brenna says Amanda's eyes are pretty! Brenna, an extra Reese's egg is coming your way!

Honorable Mention goes to Brenna

She has pretty eyes herself!

Now, for those of you who have been patiently waiting for the correct answers on the multiple choice section, here you go:


1. All of the Arend kids have a stuffed pink monkey named Kiki.
Yes, it's true. The girls, AND Thomas have such a monkey. The original Kiki was Amanda's, purchased before she was born as a set of cute crib animalis. Amanda loved her Kiki, so when Emily came along we purchased one for her before she was born. Once pregnant with Thomas, we looked high and low so he wouldn't feel left out. Not knowing if he was a boy or a girl, we tried to buy one blue monkey and one pink monkey so we would be prepared either way. Alas, the company didn't make the blue monkey any more so we purchased a pink one, thinking that Thomas was probably a girl anyhow since that's what we seemed to produce. Lo and behold, Thomas was born a boy, and now he, like his sisters, owns a pink monkey named Kiki.



2. Amanda's favorite color is purple.
False. It's pink.

3. Emily has had braces off and on since 2nd grade.
False. She has had braces since the 1st grade.



4. We have been reprimanded by security at a major league baseball game.
True. At an Angels game in L.A. we were told by security to please not hold up signs as they were a security threat. Shesh. We were only begging for rally fries. They must be pretty up tight in S. Cal.



5. We were once refused service at a restaurant because the children had no shoes on.

True. We were camping in Oregon, when of course, it started raining like crazy in the middle of the night. That's just how it goes when we camp. At 5AM we packed the tent, shoving all the wet and sandy stuff into the back of the van. Amanda and Emily went into the van too, but they were properly put into their car seats (Thomas wasn't even an idea at that point in our family). We drove to Astoria and decided to get breakfast at Pig 'n Pancake. In we went, smelling like campfire smoke and wet beach. The kids had sand on the pajamas and socks on their feet. We were quite a site, to be sure! It was after we were seated that I was told that if the children didn't have proper shoes on, we would not be able to be served! Gosh, I thought I was doing good just to have socks on them! We found the wet, sandy shoes and forced them onto the cold feet, and were then served a great diner type breakfast.


6. When she was a puppy, Annie was once caught in a raccoon live-trap.
False. I think Dixie was once in the trap though.


7. We once lived in a hotel, in our own town, for 3 weeks.
True. This was about 2 years ago when I left a pot of stew meat on high as we left for church for the evening. Came home to a home filled with smoke. The stench of the diagnosed "protein fire" forced us out to live in a hotel for 3 weeks while the cleaning company worked their wonders restoring our home to a livable condition. Moral of the story... triple check the burners before leaving the home.



8. Emily has kissed an alligator.

True. Here's the proof:



She loved that gator. This was in Florida, visiting an alligator farm in 1999. Uncle Brett and Alissa are standing by.




9. Jack was once run up a flag pole by his three older brothers.

Legend is, this is true.





10. Brenda once lived in Idaho.
True. Senior year of WSU, I lived in Post Falls, Idaho for 5 months while I did my public school internship in Coeur d'Alene.

Thanks for playing, everybody! We'll do it again!