Toy Story 2

Week 7:

This week was special in a couple different ways. First of all, it was America's birthday (also known as the Fourth of July). Second of all, we got to spend it with Justice's adorable niece and nephew and his awesome sister and brother-in-law. We were going to do this movie night before or after we got back, but Justice suggested we do it with his family. Best suggestion EVER!! Not only does Justice's nephew LOVE Toy Story and his niece LOVE fried chicken, cheese crackers, and Cheetos, but they have practically ALL the Toy Story toys and an awesome movie room!! Perfection. However, I am getting ahead of myself. Here is the Toy Story 2 menu!

We did cheese puffs (Cheetos, of course) for Al's midnight snack shown when Woody was trying to get his arm back. Rex has "arm issues" and is a gamer/TV watcher as well, so I thought he was fitting beside the Cheetos.

Bullseye even agrees. These Cheetos are "dangerously cheesy".

Next, we did fried chicken for the toy-napper, Al. Since it was a holiday weekend, fried chicken was in short supply. We did the classic bucket of chicken from KFC. We, also, got classic sides with it. Coleslaw, biscuits, and mashed potatoes. Very American if I do say so myself. We actually got my favorite fried chicken on the way home,too. Raising Canes!!

Unlike the movie, I LOVED the chicken and so did Justice's niece! Girls of a feather...

Red potatoes were, also, in short supply, but we had some distant cousins (you will see them in the front of the group picture) to represent the Potato Head family (Mr. and Mrs. were going to see his family as well. Of course, Mrs. remembered to pack his angry eyes. Just in case).

I mentioned mashed potatoes before which actually turned out to be a happy surprise. I noticed in the movie that Mr. Potato Head mentions not wanting to be a mashed potato as they were crossing the road to save Woody. Once again, perfection!

Of course, we had to make Andy's cowboy camp "schmoes". It WAS the Fourth of July after all. You know, all these unplanned surprises really are turning out great! We didn't get to make them the same night we watched the movie, but Justice and I made them when we got back to Arkansas. We made them on a new schmoe-maker he bought me with SQUARE marshmallows, graham crackers made specifically for s'more making, and, of course, good old-fashioned Hershey's chocolate. It was also his first time having a s'more. Verdict? Very good.

You will notice root beer and a glass of Kool-aid are in the above picture and lemonade (which we had with Justice's family and his nephew had in his Toy Story cup...atta way to stick to the theme!) in the following pictures. I don't know why, but I felt compelled to include them. They just seemed American, "campy", and fitting to the theme.

Like the fried chicken, I got double the marshmallow, melty goodness with these awesome cupcakes from Sweet Boutique, a local cupcake shop. S apostrophe M O R E, s'more for you and s'more for me!

Now for the question you have all been asking yourselves from the beginning. I mentioned cheese crackers. Why? I found these ADORABLE penguin cheese crackers (like Goldfish) in my local grocery store. This is significant, not only because its one of Justice's and his niece and nephew's favorite treats, but because of our good pal, Wheezy. Wheezy is the squeaking, singing penguin that begins and ends this movie. He is put in the yard sale and, when Woody goes to save his shelf-sitting partner, Woody winds up being taken forcefully by Al from Andy's mom's cash box. If Wheezy needed a little pick-me-up after our favorite cowboy toy was taken, these crackers would've done the trick!

Here are Cayden's toys at the dinner table (yes, I gave him back his toys after they had their pictures taken. I am not a toy-napper). Notice the potato relatives and the strategically placed army men! I,also, got a close-up of our "museum" friends!

Just when it couldn't get any better, I lifted up Woody's boot. Never underestimate a boy's love for his toys.

His love for Toy Story was all over the place!

And don't let me forget a girl's love for those same toys. Nothing was coming between Miss Kendelle and her dinosaur, Rex (except for maybe her Uncle J's arms for a minute so I could get a picture).

Like I said, awesome movie room!

The whole gang watching themselves on the big screen (including the family cat, Dutch. It was supposed to be Duchess like the Aristocat, but...ya).

I'm just going to throw this theory out there. Some may have heard it before, but doesn't Emily look a lot like Andy's mom? I mean he DID have the Jesse cowgirl hat and she knew the importance of having a good, strong sheriff around. More about this to be speculated here: http://jonnegroni.com/2014/02/24/the-true-identity-of-andys-mom-in-toy-story-will-blow-your-mind/

"Uncle J" and Cayden. Boys and their toys. It is just so darn cute.

In yet another "plot twist", Justice's sister, knowing my love of Disney and our honeymoon destination, got this for us!

Overall, a VERY awesome birthday celebration for America and her freedom (and Bart, Justice's brother-in-law,soon after). We got to see Kendelle's reaction to fireworks for the first time (she was smart by not taking any chances and ducking) AND we got to spend an incredible Toy Story 2 night with an awesome family.

By the way, Toy Story 2 was perfect for the Fourth of July in yet another way. Buzz makes a motivational rescue speech in the movie in front of the American flag. FREE WOODY!!

Happy Fourth of July everyone (even though I won't get this done until many moons after the fireworks have faded) and remember never to take for granted the freedoms we enjoy in this great country (like writing silly Disney dinner blogs)! O, and welcome to the family Bullseye and Jesse!

Justice's time to draw again and it is just one of his favorite movies EVER!

Coming Soon: Finding Nemo