April's World

Easter Pictures

2009-04-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely quite Easter this year and celebrated with Neil's folks. The kids enjoyed an egg hunt in the morning and another hunt at Grandma & Grandpa's house. I thought quite a lot about Neil's Grandma Mae, who left us in December. This is the first holiday that we missed with her. I found myself wondering if she was looking over us that day. Smiling at the kids. She always enjoyed putting together Easter baskets for all her great-grandchildren. It gave her much joy to watch them opening up all the treats inside.

Neil and I are looking at our summer calendar, trying to plan some fun activities. We may even be brave enough to take the kids camping this year.

Tea Party!!

2009-02-18T12:07:00.000-08:00

I just dropped my mom off at the airport after her 2wk visit from Connecticut. We really enjoyed the time we spent together and all the fun stuff we did. My favorite was a Tea party that Evelyn and threw for the girls on my mom's side of family. The little girls had their own tea table and loved it.

Here's the "ladies":

And the little girls:

A feeling of warmth during a cold January day

2009-01-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

Shortly after Jan 1st I started recieving plant and seed catalogs in the mail. Oh how precious these became many a cold night this month. I thumbed through the pages dreaming of sunny summer with it's warm breeze. I still consider myself a novice garden. Planting what I like and learning from my mistakes. Just today as I played with the children outside I noticed rabbits had mowed down all my raspberry canes. I said a few choice words under my breath at Peter Cottontail. Ah, tis the life of a gardener.

Luckily I get smarted every year. Reading up on deer/rabbit/disease resistant plants. I won't tell you how much I spent on gardening last year, but it sure did surprise me when I added it all up. This year I have come up with a budget and a new plan for saving money. I'm going to try to start all my own plants by seed. I purchased a shop light and bulbs from Menards over the weekend and have my list of veggies/flowers to try. I hope also that this will be fun for the kids to watch.

Here is what I will be planting/growing this summer:

Contender Peach Tree
Saskatoon Berries
Meyer Lemon Tree
Broom corn (Decorative)
Zucchini Buckingham
Celery Safir
Tumbling Tom tomato (grown in a hanging basket)
Pepper fruit basket
Gazania
Pepper Carmen
Lisianthus
Brandywine tomato

I have some other seeds too leftover from last year that I will use. I figure I'm being pretty bold with some of these items, but it should be fun. I ordered most of these items from https://www.parkseed.com or https://www.henryfields.com

Christmas memories

2009-01-05T12:06:00.001-08:00

Although we had some sorrowful times this holiday season, we were still able to have much joy. Here's a family picture from Christmas Eve. My favorite memory from that evening was my uncontrollable laughter during the "White Elephant" gift exchange at a pair of soup mugs with a goose handle. I must have needed a good laugh because I couldn't stop. Guess who ended up with the mugs? (BTW the kids love to eat cereal out of them)

Here's what Santa brought the kids. It's been a wonderful addition to our home and we enjoy "making" all sorts of things with them.

How do you say goodbye to a friend?

2008-12-29T15:26:00.000-08:00

Today my friend Emilie was laid to rest. She lost her battle with Sarcoma in the early hours of Christmas Eve. Emilie and I met online while planning our weddings. I immediately identified with her because she had an "old soul". A soul that had given her years of wisdom at a young age. These type of people always draw me in. We kept in contact after marriage and through having children. She found she had cancer at the beginning of the pregnancy of her 2nd son. Shortly after his birth she found out it was uncurable.

I've watched her and her husband re-evaluate their lives to enjoy every single drop of time that God gave them. Last month when dropping of a meal I walked in to find her on the couch holding her baby and smelling his hair. (I found myself wondering how long it had been since I had done the same with my own children.) She was generous enough to let me hold her baby and let me smell his hair. This was the last time I was to see my friend. Had I know that what would I have said? "I love you Emilie?" I don't know. Part of me is happy to have such a fond rememberance of our last time together and another part feels guilty that I didn't go and see her when I heard she was finally failing. I guess I didn't want to crowd her or take and precious time left that she had away from her and her family.

Her funeral was so terribly sad and yet beautiful. She had the full Christmas choir at the Basilica and the angelic voices gave a surreal presence to her spirit rising from this earth into heaven above. I felt blessed to call myself her friend and better because I knew her. My heart goes out to her husband Steve and her young sons.

Goodbye my friend Emilie, I love you!

A life well lived

2008-12-23T05:57:00.000-08:00

We lost Neil's grandmother this morning and now she is at peace. We were able to say goodbye to her yesterday. She was a wonderful lady, always happy to have her family around her. She will be missed.

(This picture was taken just last weekend at her Christmas celebration.)

A second Christmas of Loss

2008-12-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

Last year my grandmother passed away a few days before Christmas and this year it looks the same for Neil's grandmother. Something internal happened yesterday afternoon and in a short period of time she became comatose. Her wishes are to go naturally at her home, so it is just a matter of time now. I went over right away and spent 4 hours with her yesterday. It felt so wonderful to share time with her while her spirit is still with her body. I didn't have the chance to do that with my grandmother.

I am sad, but I feel at peace with her going right now. She doesn't appear to be in any pain and I am thankful for that. We're going to go over again this afternoon and take the kids to say goodbye. I'm not sure if Evelyn will understand any of it, but she will certainly pick up on our sadness.

Giddy little Mommy!

2008-12-18T04:39:00.001-08:00

Evelyn is going to Wisconsin with her Grandparents this weekend to help celebrate her cousin's 4th birthday. (Happy Birthday Aiden!) I'm giddy with delight as I imagine Neil and I only having to care for one child. We've been planning fun stuff for our little "Wyatt weekend". It will be nice for him to have our undivided attention, which he's never had. Yeah!!!!

Obligitory Santa pictures

2008-12-16T04:52:00.000-08:00

We visted Santa over the weekend and it pretty much went how I expected. Evelyn was excited and wanted to talk to him. Wyatt cried his little eyes out.

Are you serious?

2008-12-07T12:10:00.001-08:00

This thought went through my head yesterday after Evelyn told me she ate a light off the Christmas tree. At first I thought she was kidding, but then she showed me exactly the light she ate. Yup, she ate at least part of it. I looked it up on the internet, but there's no information. We're just making sure all her meals are high fiber, I don't think there's much else we can do.

We took the kids ice skating yesterday for the first time at a local park. Both were pretty wobbly and my back hurt after only a few minutes from bending over and hanging onto them. I just wish the weather was a little warmer. Skating in the teens/twenties is pretty cold for them (and me too!) I didn't bother bringing the camera because I knew my hands would be full.

But the most exciting thing that happend yesterday was we adopted our very own elf. (See www.elfontheshelf.com) I experienced a house elf at my SILs. Basically Santa "sends" an elf to your family to watch over the children to make sure they're good. Every night he flies back to the North Pole to report your behavior to Santa and in the morning he's in a new spot. (Magic!) The kids can talk to him, but they can't touch him or he'll lose his magic. Evie named our elf Fritz. This morning Evelyn raced downstairs to search for Fritz! It's really a lot of fun. Then when Christmas comes Fritz will go back with Santa until next year. (We picked ours up at a local Halmark)

Deep thoughts

2008-12-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

All I seem to think about these days is how fortunate we are. There isn't anything we need that we don't have and really our list of "wants" is mostly related to having/planning fun with our family. It must be something about getting older or having children. I've always felt "lucky", but more so now with two health and happy children playing in the background.

We're participating in sponsoring a family for Christmas this year instead of buying some adult gifts. I had a magical moment a few weeks ago while walking to the cash register with a red bike in my cart. I felt like I was floating on clouds thinking of the small boy who would recieve this gift. I haven't felt the true spirit of Christmas in past years. Looking at the bike with a large gold bow on it makes me feel like there's hope in the world. Hope for humans to unite instead of fight. Hope for people to ban together to tackle world hunger and disease. Hope to save our planet from global warming.

The need to pray for others has also been very strong lately. I feel helpless with so many around us that suffer. Disease, health issues, cancer, death. It's been a very hard year for so many we know, but we've also seen so much life. So many friends and family continue to grow their families. God's will to create a circle of life is so visable to me now.

Wonderfully "Wicked"

2008-11-07T04:33:00.000-08:00

Neil took me to see "Wicked" last night at the Ordway. It was one of the best musicals I've seen in the past 10 yrs. It was really amazing. The music, the singing, and the story were so original. I could clearly understand the singing and the set was really visual. I teared up a few times, which is a sign that I'm really into the show. The way the musical tied in the with original Wizard of Oz movie was so well thought. I won't give much away, but it was one of my favorite evenings with Neil.

Halloween Recap

2008-11-05T04:15:00.001-08:00

Wyatt trying on a Dracula mask: Carving pumpkins with Dad:

The Boo Crew:

This year was so enjoyable for us. We had our friends the Orstads over for pizza and trick-or-treating. The kids really enjoyed each others company. Evelyn and Soledad held hands almost the whole night. Wyatt charged in the front of the group, just excited to be running down the street at night.

Thoughts for a loved one.

2008-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

We're back from our trip to Boston/Connecticut for my brothers wedding. While we were there we got news that my cousin's husband passed away very unexpectedly. I was fortunate to meet him at a family reunion in September. A wonderful man with an immense love for his family.

I don't know my cousin intimately, but my heart aches for her, their children and their families. I think about them daily. I can't imagine what she is going through right now. Losing your husband at the age of 31 seems so cruel to me. Not enough time together. She has an amazing family, siblings and parents that are helping her get through each day.

At a time when there is such an immense hole in her life, I just wish there was something I could do or say. The distance between us prevents the normal helping of meals/childcare. For now I offer my prayers to her and their families. May God's guiding light help you find your way through the darkness. All my love.

Our first trip to the hosptial

2008-10-01T04:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our first trip with one of our Children to the hospital to have some dental work done. I was really scared because of the anesthetic; I had a bad experience a number of years ago when I got my wisdom teeth removed. It was a long day with lots of waiting. Neil held Wyatt while he was being put under while I sat in the waiting room and cried. Luckily there were other parents there who talked to me and helped me feel better. One of the mom's had a little girl who was having teeth pulled and ended up with a few root canals. My heart sank for her.

Wyatt ended up with 6 cavities filled. Oy! I keep telling myself at least we caught this when we did and not later. When Wyatt started rousing they came and got us. I got to hold him and after 1/2 cup of apple juice he took another little nap on my shoulder. He just wasn't ready to get up quite then. When we woke him up 40 min later he had a big smile for us and I knew my little buddy was ok.

He was starving when we came home and he ate a ton of dinner and then was ready to eat again 1 hr. later! He slept good last night and as far as I can tell he doesn't know what went on. Overall it was a good experience for us. The medical professionals had great communication and we didn't have any surprises. For now, we'll be focusing on keeping his teeth clean and flossed. It's wonderful seeing his teeth white and not yellow.

My last day in my 20s!

2008-09-23T04:47:00.000-07:00

How have I done on my "goals" of this past year?

1. Try a new recipe every month
2. Exercise regularly
3. Create a family scrapbook
4. Give up my daily diet coke
5. Become more organized
6. Keep the kid's scrapbooks up to date
7. Make regular "Dates" with friends
8. Volunteer to help and organization or event
9. Make a new friend
10. Read more books by authors I don't know
11. Donate unused items/clothing
12. Research presidential candidates
13. Help a friend/family or neighbor in need
14. Read food labels before buying
15. Create more relaxing/recharging moments for myself
16. Think before I snack
17. Take a moment to enjoy my children everyday
18. Do something special for my 5yr anniversary
19. Find a new way to manage stress
20. Educate myself how to lead a greener life
21. Memorize Neil's cell number
22. Give blood
23. Write more letters
24. Eat less processed food
25. Be proud of myself
26. Attend church more regularly
27. Appreciate my husband more often
28. Recognize special dates in other peoples lives (bdays, anniv...)
29. Try to be more positive in nature

The only thing I didn't accomplish this year was give blood. Something to think about and try to do this next year.

On the eve of my 30th birthday I'm not feeling nostolgic or sad, but I'm not feeling extremely happy about having to say I'm in my 30s either. It's more indifference. One number isn't going to define who I am or how young I feel. Overall my 20s were a very fun place to be. Meeting Neil, a marriage, a new house, a daughter and a son. I'm thinking there won't be so many life changes in my 30s. Maybe a little more time for relaxation and more time for Neil and I. I predict vacations will be more enjoyable as the kids become more independant.

I feel very lucky to have been blessed with 30 years of health and happiness. Happy Birthday to me.

Dental dismay!

2008-09-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Wyatt's first trip to the dentist. Unfortunately we didn't come out with a healthy check-up. He has decay (cavities) on at least 4 of his 10 teeth!!! I knew of at least two of the teeth and thought they were just discolored, but nope, it's decay. I felt enormous guilt at first, but the dentist said that this is a result of not enough enamel, and that was determined when he was developing as a fetus. (again more guilt felt, since I "grew" him). The thin enamel is present on almost all his baby teeth. (sniff, sniff). So we'll have to go to Children's Hospital and he'll be put under so that she can Xray the teeth and treat them.

The "putting under" really scares me since neither him nor Evie have even done that. We'll schedule the procedure some time in the next two weeks. My poor little guy.

Evie's first day of preschool

2008-09-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

Evie started PreSchool on Tuesday and it went as well as I could have hoped. She was really excited all morning and when we finally got to school it was evident that she wanted to be there. The program that she's in is twice a week for 2 1/2 hrs. I stay part of the time every Tuesday.

She kept asking me to leave, ha! I guess she's not as dependant on me as she use to be. I was happy to see a diverse class of children including a handicapped child. It's been hard trying to expose her to different things/people staying at home and I think this program will be just what she needs right now. A few of the children could even write their names, very impressive. Evelyn is the youngest in the class with a late August birthday.

Here she is exploring her new locker!

Labor Day recap

2008-09-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we travelled to Vandalia, IL for my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. We took the drive down in 2 days and the weekend was a blast. I was able to see cousins that I hadn't seen in 10 yrs. Meet new additions (spouses and babies) that I had never seen before. At first it seems overwhelming to belong to such a large family, but after a short time you realize that's what they are: family.

Sat. night was a large celebration and everyone really enjoyed themselves. Sunday we had a mass at my grandparent's church to celebrate their marriage. Spending time with my Dad's side of the family makes me sad that we don't live closer. I really enjoyed the company of my cousin's and aunts/uncles. I think we'll try to go down at least every other year now.

Here's the Themig clan (8 missing from the photo). We are the ones in blue in the back.

Evelyn's 3rd Birthday

2008-09-02T12:26:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Evie's 3rd birthday at the park this year. She invited a few little friends and it was really so much easier than the large parties we've thrown in the past. The kids played on the playground equipment, ate lunch/cake and painted turtle stepping stones that my MIL had made. There was almost no setup and a fast and easy clean-up. This just might be our new spot for b-day parties for the kids.

Summer Days

2008-08-20T04:38:00.001-07:00

Wyatt and I headed out to Connecticut the first weekend in August to help throw my sister-in-law, Erin, a surprise bridal shower. It was hard keeping a secret for that long, but it was so much fun to surprise her. Evie stayed in MN and enjoyed spending time with her grandparents, dad and a friend. Having only the responsibility of one child for one week truly felt like a vacation. Wyatt ate up the attention from family and friends. He rarely threw a tantrum and was a real trooper in the airport. (Both our flights were delayed going and coming).

After about 5 days I really started to miss Evie. I found myself thinking about her often and longing to hear her little voice on the phone. When I returned she didn't leave my side for the rest of the night.

I'd love to start a tradition every summer of taking the kids out to Connecticut. It's so relaxing at my parents house. I miss the beach/shells and summer smells. We spent a lot of time hanging in the shade of my parents apple tree. Wyatt enjoyed helping himself to all the apples that had fallen on the ground. As the summer is starting to wind down, I'm already thinking of the possibility of taking both kids out to CT.

Here's Wyatt with a little stranger anxiety and his Uncle Ryan:
Playing on the beach:

Enjoying an apple from Grandma's apple tree:

Weekend at the Cabin

2008-07-17T04:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from last weekend at Neil's folks cabin. It's the first time we've gone somewhere as a family. The cabin is located on Lake Superior in Port Wing, WI. Overall the trip was relaxing. The drive was a little long for the kids (3hrs each way) because they are not use to being in the car that long. The weather was mild, but windy so pants and sweatshirts were our attire, which felt funny for July. Evelyn loved "going" on her potty on the porch. We all slept, eventually, at night after some family goofing around to get some energy out. We came back relaxed and looking forward to our next trip back.

4th of July pictures

2008-07-16T05:17:00.001-07:00

We went strawberry picking for the 4th of July for the first time. We headed out to Pine Tree Apple Orchard in White Bear Lake. The strawberries were smaller that the ones in the store and also sweeter. They didn't last as long in the fridge, so I ended up freezing some of them. Wyatt spent most of the time eating the berries we picked. Evelyn spent most of the time as the "Strawberry Police" yelling at her brother to stop eating. Strawberry picking is pretty slow going unless you hit some plants that were loaded. I don't think it's a family activity we'll do every year and it will be more "fun" for everyone when the kids get a little bigger. We do plan on going Raspberry picking soon.

Words, Words and more Words!!!

2008-07-10T04:21:00.000-07:00

Something has "clicked" in Wyatt's head and he's started talking this week. It's been an explosion of words and he's eager to mimic what you are saying. Here's the words he has so far. The last 6 he just said the past two days.

Mama
Dada
Kitty
Ev (short for Evie)
Baby
Ball
Up
Out
Cracker
Thank you

Evelyn started talking at 10 months, which I know was super early. I've been wondering how Wyatt will fair since his gross motor skills have been so much better than Evelyn's early on. (He's 14 months old) I look forward to all the words to come and for communication between us to become easier.

Summer update

2008-07-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

Is it really July already? I feel like June zoomed by us!!! My mom came out for 2 weeks and it was such a nice visit. We did alot of work in our yard pruning trees and planting new things. I didn't realize how much work our yard needed until this year. The kids ate up her attention!
Neil and his dad started our deck project. I think by the end of this week the framing should be done and Neil can start laying deck boards. Our gazebo kit is being delivered sometime this week. How exciting!

Gutter language???

2008-06-10T04:48:00.000-07:00

Evelyn's been trying out some funny phrases that Neil and I say. Here's what she comes up with:

Me: "Evelyn, do you want some milk?"
E: "Heck, yeah!"

Me: "Evelyn, it's time for bed"
E: "Dat's crap"
(This one is totally my fault. I say crap instead of other swear words)

Me: "Evelyn, do you want to go outside?"
E: "True-dat"

The verdict is still out whether she'll make these phrases part of her regular vocabulary. I'd rather she didn't. She's cute saying these now, but in a few years it won't be so cute. Of course she thinks the funniest word in the world is "poop". When she's being silly she'll attach it to body parts to create her own funny creations. She usually stop if we ignore her.

5 years!!!

2008-05-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

Has it really been five years since I've become Mrs. Ankrum? It really does feel as if it could have been last year. A new home, then a daughter, then a son. Our lives really are so very different than they were in 2003. I asked Neil over the weekend what we did with all our spare time when we first got married. More evenings out. More dinner parties. More time to do whatever we wanted I suppose. More time for home projects and more time for each other. Now we consider ourselves lucky if we can get away for a date a few times a year. The time we have alone now is definately more cherished.

Neil's folks took the kids overnight and we went to dinner at Fogo de Choa. What an experience. I haven't seen so much meat in my entire life. Of course I ate too much and we had to take a long walk when we came back. Then we had a nice fire in our outdoor fire place and made smores.

I hope the next five years are an enjoyable as the first!

More plants

2008-05-21T04:49:00.001-07:00

Gardening is addictive. Once you start, you see a hundred little "projects" just needing to get done. That's the way I feel this summer. The past 3 summers I've either been pregnant or just given birth and haven't really thought much about the yard. This summer it's all coming back to haunt me. I see patches of creeping charlie, dead bushes that need to be pulled, bare spots in the yard, ant hills galore...I could go on and on! Needless to say, there's enough "work" to be done to keep my busy all summer. It's happy work for me, so I don't mind it one bit!

Here a few more of my new plants: Heirloom tomato Pruden's Purple, White Patty Pan squash, Iris, "Goblin" Blanket flower, Cuke-nuts, and Chinese Lantern.

New plantings / Lilies

2008-05-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

My Mother-in-law took me to the Friends School Plant sale last Friday and I was in heaven. Thousands of annuals, perennials, veggies, herbs. You name it, it was there. I spent a little more than I was expecting, but when I saw the vast array of vegetation I knew I was going to love it.

Here are the lilies I came home with. The oriental lilies are the ones that smell fabulous.

Moonlit Masquerade (Day lily)/Lolly Pop (Oriental lily)/Mary Reed (Day lily)/ Dizzy (Oriental Lily)/ Catherine Woodbury (Day lily)

A year ago today...

2008-05-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 3:30am with contractions. I laid in bed for an hour timing them and then walked around for an hour. I finally woke Neil up at 5:30 and told him I was in labor. We called his folks at 7am to come over to watch Evelyn. We got to the hospital a little after 8am and boy was I relieved to be 6cm already. The check-in and epidural went well and I talked to my mom and Neil until I was check at 10:30 and declared to be 10cm. My OB let me hang out for another 30 min so the contractions brought his head down the birth canal. I pushed at 11am. Once to get his head out and once more for the body. We were so happy to be surprised with a boy! (We didn't know what we were having).

This past year has been the happiest year of my life. Having two healthy happy children and being able to stay home with them feels like such a gift.

Happy birthday Wyatt. Thank you for being such a sweet little boy.

Just born:

Today:

First Birthday party!!!

2008-05-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

Wyatt had his 1st birthday on Saturday and it was such a blast. The weather was a little cool, so we spent the morning inside. We had the party at 10:30 am and that was fantastic. Everyone was in a good mood and the party was over in time for the little ones to get their afternoon naps. The highlight of the party was Wyatt attacking his cake.

Wyatt's new truck:

Messy boy:

All done! (delayed post)

2008-05-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Wyatt and I made it to 11 months of breastfeeding. It was my choice to stop, I think he likely would have continued gladly. I breastfed Evelyn for 10 months and that was a much harder journey. Not so much because she was my first, but because I went back to work for 5 months and pumped during that time. It was really hard to keep my supply up. I ended our nursing relationship when she was 10m to TTC again.

Nursing Wyatt at home was so much easier, obviously. I was lucky to not have latch issues with either kids, but I did experience more clogged ducts with Wyatt.

It's been a month and there are still times I want to nurse him. Mainly because that was the only time he would sit still in my arms. I can say I'm glad to get rid of my nursing bras. "The girls" look a little worse for wear, but they will never be in the same place they were before. All-in-all I felt like it was a very good experience for both me and the kids.

I lifted 3000 lbs!!!!!

2008-05-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

(Not all at once, of course) Neil and I built two raised garden beds for my mother's day gift and had a special garden dirt delivered yesterday. It was 2 cubic yards and I moved it all myself from the driveway to the backyard by wheelbarrow. After the first few loads, I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew. My back screamed in agony with each shovel full of fragrant soil. Something inside myself told me I could do it and I continued until the beds were full.

A few ibuprophen and a brandy-n-seven later here is the finished product.

On the right side you can see where I took a digger and lost control of a load. Whoops! At least no one saw me! It wasn't a pretty site.

I can't wait to plant my garden. I'll be growing tomatoes, zuchinni, peppers, cucumbers, snap peas, carrots, beats, radishes, lettuce, sunflowers, cosmos and a bunch of herbs. I'm trying a new technique called "Square foot gardening", which maximized the area by planting in 1x1 ft sections. I'll post a picture once things start sprouting. I can't wait to get my hands dirty!!!!

Back to Basics

2008-05-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

I've been a Loreal (# 9 1/2) "natural blond" for a very long time. Probably for the past 10 years. My husband has never seen my natural color. (Is that sad?) Anyway a few weeks ago I decided I'm sick of dying my hair every 5 weeks. I'd love to go a year without worrying about my roots showing.

(Warning, I took these shots myself. Sorry if the angle is weird)

Blond:

Brunette:

The moms in my ECFE class didn't notice the new color. I think that must be a good sign that it wasn't a drastic change? Now....what to do with my style? I'm contemplating bangs, but whenever I get bangs I don't like them.

Out of the mouths of babes

2008-04-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Evelyn: "Mommy, do you know what my favorite word is?"

Me: "No I don't. What's your favorite word?"

Evelyn: "My favorite word is family because I love my family!"

The waiting game

2008-04-28T04:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Evelyn finished her antibiotics for her 3rd ear infection in just over a month. Each ear infection surfaced only 2-3 days after we finished the previous antibiotic. So begins the waiting game to see if she'll stay clear this time. She had a fever on Sat. of 103.2 and I have a little cold, so I know there are some germs in our house right now. Her ped. said that it will take 4-6 wks for the fluid in her ears to drain, but she keeps coming in contact with new virus's, hence the back-to-back-to-back infections. My poor little baby.

We only have 2 wks left of ECFE classes, so after that her exposure to other children will decrease. The recommendation is 4 months of ear infections before we start talking about tubes. I just hope we don't have to go there, but I also hate pumping her full of different antibiotics. It feels like a no-win situation right now.

A finished kitchen!!!

2008-04-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of our updated kitchen. Neil and his dad installed new flooring. I painted and we got new appliances. It was a nice way to update things a bit without going through the whole remodeling expense or mess. Now, if only we can keep it as clean as it is in this picture! Ha!

Perspective

2008-04-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a reality check as I read my friend Emilie's blog. Her sarcoma cancer is back after the birth of her 2nd child. Her baby is only a few weeks old and she's being told that her cancer is back and has spread. I felt my whole word halt to a stop as I read that her world has just cracked. Tears poured down my face as I imagined her facing her worst fear. Thinking about a life for her boys that she may not be in. (Here is her blog: http://lemmondrops.blogspot.com/)

My entire day changed. I stoped cleaning the house and worrying about the yard. I hugged my children and took them on a picnic at the park. I let them get dirty without scolding them. Evelyn dug in the dirt and Wyatt ate a small rock. They ate french fries and gulped down soda. We had a bubble bath party in the tub upon returning and finished the afternoon with Sesame Street video. Before I put Evelyn down for a nap she said, "We had a really good day today, Mom". Tears came to my eyes and I agreed and gave her an extra kiss and hug.

I know Emilie and her family will be on my mind quite a bit as she battles this cancer for the 2nd time. I have to believe in the power of prayer. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Wow

2008-04-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

I just realized yesterday that Evie is full potty trained during the day. She's fully in underpants during the day and hasn't had an accident in about 3 wks. She stays dry during the night about 1/2 the week. I just can't believe we're already here!!! I really thought it would take so much longer. I wonder if it's because I waited to start until she was 2 1/2 or maybe it's just because she was ready. It's so nice not having to change two in diapers and buy all those diapers too. Hooray!!!!!

What happened to March???

2008-04-04T04:45:00.000-07:00

The month of March has zipped past me in a blur. I think it's probably because of our home projects. I can now say that our kitchen is now 95% done. We are just waiting for a few thresholds and it will be complete. I'm really happy with the whole project and Neil and his Dad have done a wonderful job on our flooring. I'll post some pictures soon.

This weekend's project: Cutting away stone on our fireplace to fit our new gas fireplace insert frame. Neil and his dad have to cut away about 4" of "fake stone" on all sides. Yuck, it's going to be a dusty mess. The kids and I will probably head to Ikea.

Updates on the kids:

Wyatt: now taking a few steps at a time. He's pretty careful. He also now has 6-7 teeth. (I haven't checked lately) Bubbly and definately knows how to "Work" mom.

Evie: Finally over her ear infection from last week. Yesterday she used the word "actually" for the first time. I don't think she used it in the right context, but it was funny. She's been really getting at Wyatt this week. Maybe it's spring fever.

Here's their spring picture:

Umm....gross!!!!

2008-03-06T05:10:00.001-08:00

I know I'm suppose to think that my kids are the most adorable thing in the whole world, but this moment really grossed me out.

Somehow Wyatt knew I was paying him special attention and he had a grin on his face and was laughing until I wiped his nose. Typical boy!

RIP Dorothy and Elmo fishies.

2008-03-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

We were not meant to be a family with fishes. Dorothy the 1st didn't last 24 hrs. The second two lasted 2 short weeks. I'm so dissapointed and tried so hard to do everything right. Luckily I didn't have to tell Evie about the fishes taking a swim down the big white bowl. She said they went back to the pet store to visit their family and we can visit them there. Whew! No more fish for us right now.

A new family addition

2008-02-25T13:04:00.000-08:00

Actually there are two new family additions...Dorothy the fish and Elmo the fish. Evelyn completed her 2nd potty chart and Neil took her to the fish store to buy a pet. Unfortunately Dorothy the 1st didn't last 24 hrs so it was back to the fish store to pick up another and Neil decided that two was better than one. They've been around for a few days and seem to be doing well. I guess they are here to stay. Here she is with her new fish bowl.

Wyatt is on the verge of walking with help. He'll push something along to give him balance, but you can see the hesitation in his face to take a step alone. He's also briefly standing for a few seconds at a time. His new favorite game is trying to "catch" a ball. He's just crazy about balls.

I was able to "escape" this past weekend to a scrapbooking cabin with some other ladies. It was so nice to have some time to myself and lots of decent meals that I didn't have to cook. I started a family scrapbook and love it. This is the 2nd time I've done this and I'd love to be able to do it once or twice a year.

Rambling Thoughts

2008-02-13T04:54:00.000-08:00

I signed Evie up for preschool yesterday. I can hardly believe she'll be in "School" this fall. I think she's ready and will definately benefit from the interaction and seperation from me.
Wyatt's getting his top two teeth. They started popping through last week. He also made his first sign. He signed "more" to me when I was feeding him blue berries. So far that's the only sign he uses on a regular basis. His face looks pretty rugged since he's always bumping it on the coffee table. Just as an old bruise fades, a new one appears. He's much more coordinated than Evelyn at this age, so I think he'll be walking sooner than she did.
I'm currently painting our dining room. Old color was red and yellow stripes on a white wall. I can't believe I ever painted stripes. I did 4-5 coats of red to get the true color and now there's a ridge where the stripes are. I'm having to sand down the egdes of the strips so that the new color doesn't come through "bumpy". Pain in the butt. Don't ever paint red stripes. New color is Behr Gobi Dessert.
Two home improvement projects: Gas fireplace and new kitchen flooring and appliances. Hopefully the fireplace will be installed in 2-3wks and after that we'll plan on working on the kitchen floor installing wood laminate. I'm also looking for a new kitchen color. We don't get a lot of light and it's currently a sage green. For some reason this week, I'm drawn to light browns.

Sesame Street Live : When Elmo Grows Up!

2008-01-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

Sunday night I took Evelyn to see a Sesame Street production at the Target center. She was really looking forward to it for over a month and asked me every day when we were going. We sat on the "floor", but that ended up not being such a good decision because she couldn't see over the people sitting in front of us. She ended up standing in my lap most of the time. Overall we really enjoyed the production and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the music. This is definately something we will go to again. Here's some pictures:

My life is full of P's

2008-01-18T13:19:00.002-08:00

Potty-training.... continues to go well. Evelyn is really doing well when we have her in panties in the evenings. I can't believe how much time needs to be devoted to Potty training. I'm glad that I waited until Wyatt was older and able to play by himself for 5-10 min at a time. The amount of time we spend in the bathroom is hilarious. I keep catching Wyatt crawling into the bathroom when we're not there to check it out. If I were him I'd be wondering what is so awesome about that room that causes his mom and sister to disappear so regularly. Funny. Here's Evelyn's new Elmo panties:

Pre-school... I can't believe registration for fall of 2008 is already starting. Out of 15 or so options, I have about 3-4 I'm interested in. I'm just so afraid of picking the wrong one. I need to start making appts. to check them out in person.

Baby-Proofing... Wyatt's on the move and is about 1-2 wks away from regularly pulling himself up on furniture. No more coffee/wine cups on the coffee table. No more leaving my books and newspaper laying around. We've just gotten so relaxed with so much now that Evelyn's older. Looks like he'll let us know what we need to move. He's falling into the "typical" boy stereotype. Eats a ton, can't sit still, growing like a monster...but he's still so sweet. At 8m he's already an adrenaline junky and can't get enough of spinning/jumping and being thrown up in the air.

Planning... This will be a higher travel year with a family wedding in October (in Boston) and a family reunion in Sept. (Illinois). I'm also trying to figure out a short weekend get-away for our 5th wedding anniversary in May/June.

2008-01-18T13:18:00.001-08:00

Infamous Poop-Party Pictures

2008-01-10T04:12:00.000-08:00

Here's Evelyn ... so proud of her pooMom and Dad are so proud...

Enjoying the cupcake so much, her eyes are going slightly crossed...
I hope we didn't gross you out too much!

Updates

2008-01-07T13:07:00.001-08:00

It feels like forever since I've posted. It's been a crazy past month. The kids and I went to Connecticut to visit my family at the beginning of December. We had lots of fun and it even snowed there. We met my future sister-in-law's mother and she was charming. Evelyn gave "the crud" to both my mom and dad. Here's the kids with their Aunt & Uncle.

We returned on Dec. 19th and the next morning my mother called me to tell me my grandmother passed away. I went down to her nursing home to say goodbye. I'm really glad I got the chance to see her so close to how I remember her since I'm not a big fan of how people look in a casket. She was 90 and would have been 91 on Jan 16th. I wish she could have made it through the holidays because I had plans to bring the kids to see her on Christmas day. I hope that it was painless and she is now at peace with my grandpa. Here is a picture of her and her children.

My mom, dad and brother flew out the next day and the funeral was on Sat. Evelyn and I came down with the rotovirus the night before the funeral. I don't ever remember being that sick. We went through every single blanket in the house for Evelyn because she kept on throwing up. Poor thing. I somehow made it to the funeral, but didn't go to the burial. The next day everyone else, except Wyatt, got sick too. We were miserable. Luckily it only lasts about 48hrs.

My dad and brother left Christmas Day so they were able to spend the morning with the kids. That was nice. Here we are on Christmas Morning.

We hung out at the house Christmas Eve and Day since we were still contagious.

Big new's on the kids:

Wyatt is crawling and can sit up from a laying position. He also got his two bottom teeth!

Evelyn pooped on the potty Jan 1st. She's done it 3 more times since then. She doesn't want to pee, only poop. Kinda backwards, but I'll take it!

Still sick!

2007-12-03T08:26:00.000-08:00

Neil - Strep throat
Me - sinus infection
Evelyn - cold and pink eye
Wyatt - cold, pink eye and ear infection

Oy! Day 8 of the sickness continues. My ears have been "plugged" up since about 4pm yesterday. Every noise I hear echos.

I told Neil we're going to have to celebrate when we're finally feeling beter.

We're Under House Arrest!

2007-11-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

This is our 4th straight day of not leaving the house. We came down with "the crud" after our travels over the weekend and we're laying low right now. Evelyn and I came down with it Sunday/Monday. Neil and Wyatt got it Tuesday.

Poor little Wyatt, he had a brief cold a few weeks ago, but this is his first major one. He had a temp all day Tuesday and isn't really eating that much. I picked him up this morning and he felt like he had lost a little weight. My poor buddy, his nose is as red as rudolphs. At least I can control who we spread this to by keeping us all in the house. I'd hate for anyone else to get this bug. It's a bad one.

Evelyn and I are on the mend. Let's hope the boys follow suit soon. This weekend we're going to try to put up our Christmas tree. Evelyn and I have made some ornaments and I'm excited for her to decorate the tree. Other than the tree I'm not doing much decorating this year since the kids and I will be in CT visiting my folks for a good chunk on Dec.

A wild weekend!!!

2007-11-27T06:13:00.001-08:00

We took Wyatt out on his first trip this past weekend to Crivitz, WI. Neil's brother's family lives there with their three boys. We had a belated Thanksgiving on Saturday and my nephew was baptized on Sunday. The drive out was just about perfect. (5hrs) We stopped once to let everyone stretch their legs. Here's some pictures from the weekend:

Wyatt and his cousin Archer:

All the "Big" kids:

Archer's baptism:

And it wouldn't be a trip to Wisconsin without seeing this on the way home:

The Big BOOM!!!!

2007-11-20T04:27:00.001-08:00

Neil and I were discussing our upcoming holiday trips last night and we heard it..."BOOM"!!! We both tore upstairs to find Evelyn crying on her floor. She had finally climbed out of her crib. I knew she could have done it a while back, but it was just a matter of time. Looks like we'll be converting her crib into a toddler bed sometime soon. I'd like to hold off until we're all done with travelling. Hopefully she'll stay put for the time being.

On a very happy note, last night was the first night since Wyatt was born that both kids slept through the night!!! Oh happy day!!!

Peas Please!

2007-11-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

Wyatt thinks that peas are da-bomb!

Bits and Pieces

2007-11-12T09:00:00.001-08:00

Here's a few tid-bits

Our computer is at Circuit City getting a "tune-up".
Some outlets went out downstairs causing our freezer to thaw and we had to clean it all out yesterday. Yuck. Had to toss all my frozen breast milk.
Evelyn is still waking up at least once a night. I miss my good sleeper.
I'm having a hard time fitting regular exercise into my week. Maybe, I'm not very motivated.
I actually got a Kohl's 30% off coupon in the mail. I didn't think they existed until now!
My hair is still falling out like crazy. I can't wait for my hormones to regulate so it can stop. Almost the entire canister in the vaccuum was my hair, gross.
Since becoming a SAHM a year and a half ago, I have hardly any "dressy" clothes in my closet. I went shopping yesterday for something to wear to my nephews baptism and felt like I had no idea what is stylish.
I'm almost done Christmas shopping....yeah!!! I hate holiday crowds and aim to have all my gifts purchased by Thanksgiving.

2007-11-06T06:53:00.000-08:00

Halloween was a big hit with the kids. We went trick or treating up and down our little street. It took about and hour since Evelyn walked by herself most of the way. She loved greeting the neighbors and saying, "trick or treat!" It will be fun with Wyatt walking next year.

Status Quo

2007-10-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

Everything has finally returned to normal after Wyatt's first cold. It wasn't too bad and he tolerated it really well. We've been enjoying the warm weather and have been busy raking leaves. Looking forward to Halloween tomorrow and to see how Evelyn likes trick-or-treating.

I made my own applesauce this afternoon. It was really easy and yummy:

4 apples peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 c water
1/4 c sugar

Simmer over medium head for 15 min. Add cinnamon to taste. I plan on freezing the leftovers for Wyatt to eat.

Evelyn's wiskers?

2007-10-24T15:23:00.001-07:00

Apparently Evelyn felt the need to shave this afternoon when I asked her to go wash her hands after coming in from outside. Neil accidentally left his razor within arms reach. There aren't enough swear words to capture what I felt. Luckily it was only a nick on the chin.

The dog-days (or nights) of parenting

2007-10-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Funny, when you picture yourself having a family it includes fun times, happy times...everyone getting along. You don't picture wake-up calls every hour from your sick kids. This my friends is the dog-days of parenting. It's funny how soon I forgot what it was like when Evelyn was a baby and sick. Her nights were terrible because she was so congested. We did everything we could think of, but in the end she was most comfortable when in bed with one of us.

So now we're going through it again with Wyatt. The nice thing is that I know this will pass, I know in time as he gets bigger he'll be able to handle colds a little better too. Experience is a wonderful thing. I know that if I can manage to get a little sleep too, I might be able to dodge this cold that the kids have. I know that it helps for Neil and I to take turns with night duty so that one of us doesn't get worn out. (Ye-ha, tonight is my night off!)

There's something about your own sick child that pulls your heartstrings. You just want them to be happy and healthy and there's not a whole lot you can do for them when they are sick. Possibly the best thing I can think of is taking care of yourself to make sure you don't get sick too.

Happy sleeping to you!

What's worse than One sick kid????

2007-10-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

Two sick kids!!!! Wyatt's coming down with his first cold today. Evelyn started sneezing on Sat. and came down with a cold. Wyatt started sneezing and coughing this morning and probably has the same thing. This is just in time for the FDA pulling all the cold medications for infants and children. I only ever gave Evelyn a decongestant (nothing for coughing), but as a parent it helped her sleep at night. And I can tell you the fastest way for a kid to get better is by getting some much needed ZZZ's. I still have one bottle of infant decongestant, but I think I'll save that for when we go on vacation in Dec. if anyone gets sick.

We're lucky because both our kids are usually in a good mood when they're sick. Maybe a little more clingy, but still at least they aren't miserable. So we will be sticking around the house this week so as to not expose others to our germs. I have my fingers crossed that Neil and I won't catch the bug. Although, with all the snot and sneezes, it's usually inevitable that I catch it.

Last week Wyatt tried Squash and Avocados. Both winners as he eagerly gobbled them down. I think we'll hold off on introducing anything else new until he feels better. Hope all of you stay germ free!!!

All by my lonesome

2007-10-15T08:05:00.001-07:00

Neil left for a 3-day business trip to Oklahoma early this AM. This is my first time alone with the kids for 3 days and 3 nights. I'll have a little break on Wed. since my IL's will take Evelyn for the day. Shouldn't be too bad if the nights go ok. Can't guarantee that the kids will get their usual baths. (Neil usually helps me with bathtime).

Wyatt's been a little funky all weekend. I think he got a little behind on his sleep and that spiraled out of control Sat. night. He was an unhappy little guy with lots of crying and not a lot of sleeping. At this age (5 months) I'm always wondering: teething? cold? growth spurt? As much as I love this cutesy baby stage it's a lot easier once you get past a year. And it gets even easier after 2 yrs.

Am I a bad mom because I kept day-dreaming about our kids being able to take care of themselves? The ages of 8 and 10 sound glorious to me. The kids can get up on their own, serve themselves breakfast. Entertain themselves and even have regular chores. I'm probably forgetting that by the time Evelyn's 10 she'll probably be going through adolescence and hate me. But still, maybe there's the chance she won't.

The adventures of Miss-Fancy-Pants and Mr-Goobers

2007-10-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

(Aka. Evelyn and Wyatt)

So the other night Evelyn decides to sit on Neil's head while he's laying on the floor and exclaim, "Poop-face, Poop-face"....where does she come up with this stuff? She's also into saying, "Oh my Goodness" and "What the heck" in her daily ponderings, yet she doesn't always us it in the right context. For example this morning at Menards she said, "What the heck....that's a big crane". Hmm...doesn't sound quite right, but it's still funny.

As I walked around the store I was talking to myself saying, "I need to find a guy to help us". Evelyn spots the nearest shopper and says, "Hey you guy, can you help us?" He didn't look to interested in helping us find the carpet shampoo. I found a sales lady and asked her and Evelyn said, "You're not a guy!" Funny, she was taking "guy" so litterally.

Here's a funny picture of a Halloween costume that's just a tad too small:

Wyatt still seems to be the most content baby. We start feeding him rice cereal....he sleeps through the night. Gotta love that. He's also rolling over from his back to his tummy in the crib, so that probably provides a more comfortable sleeping position. He gives off the impression of "I can do anything" with his ever contant smile present.

Home "stuff"

2007-10-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look around your house and realize it's looking a little neglected? Ours is looking that way...... and a little dirty too. I've been meaning to try to wash our carpet this past year and I've put other stuff before it. I'm embarassed, but we haven't washed our carpets since we moved in. That's 3yrs! Gross!!! I stare at the same spots in the living room everyday and so far "wishing" hasn't made them go away. So that's the big "To-Do" this weekend, washing the carpets.

I was also inspired by my mother in law to take off the slip covers for our couches. Gheez, they look brand new. I wonder how long it will take "Miss Sticky-fingers" or Mr. Drools-a-lot" to mess them up. Seriously though, it's my fault. I convinced Neil that we should get lemon yellow couches. Not so smart now that we have kids. Oh well, at least they were on clearance. I'm sure after the first stain I'll relax a little bit.

Tonight we're going out to get new blinds for the living room as well. For 3 yrs our neighbors have been able to spy on us through our large window. Not anymore!!! They won't get to see me folding laundry, looking through mail or changing diapers. Poor them...I wonder if we were good entertainment.

I hope our living room feels sexy after it's makeover.

Fall Fun

2007-10-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

Great news!!! I'm going to be Godmother to my new nephew Archer!!! He's 1 month younger than Wyatt and will be Baptised Thanksgiving weekend. I'm so honored to have such a special place in his life!!!

We've been all about the outdoors these past couple weeks in anticipation of cooler days ahead. Friday night we headed to Victoria Valley Apple Orchard in Shoreview and got some delicious Harlson and Cortland apples. We stopped at a nearby park and had a picnic afterwards.

This morning Evelyn helped me rake leaves and enjoyed jumping in the piles. I hope I remember times like this forever. Wyatt is growing so big and Evelyn is asserting her independance. I feel like before I know it they won't need me so much anymore.

The Growing Tree

2007-10-03T04:48:00.000-07:00

I came up with the idea of painting the wall between the kids bedrooms and using it as a growing chart. I plan on taking a picture of the kids against the wall at every birthday to show how much they're growing. I'll probably also end up marking their height on the wall as well. It was fun to paint! Here it is:

My "little" Big-Guy

2007-09-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Wyatt had his 4 month appt and shots yesterday. Here's his stats:

Weight: 18lbs 4.5oz (93rd percentile)
Height: 27 inches (95th percentile)

He was a little ouchie last night, but ibuprofen helped him sleep. I estimated he was around 17lbs, so I was a little off. Evelyn weighted 16lbs at her 4m appt. Looks like it will be time to move him out of the infant carrier soon.

Book Review and a Recipe for Green Tomato Salsa

2007-09-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

Last Bite - A Novel of Culinary Romance by Nancy Verde Barr

I picked up this book at the library based upon the title. There's plenty of food references (aka. don't read this on an empty stomach) and some light hearted romance. It's the story of 29 yr. old Casey and her job as an executive chef for a national televised morning show. She stumbles into romance with an Irish chef at a near-bye restaurant. This is a fast, entertaining read that will inspire you to check out a few cookbooks.

(And here's a new recipe to use up all those Green tomatoes you have left in your garden)

Green Tomato Salsa/Relish

makes approx. 8 cups

8-10 Green tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 large onions diced

2 large sweet red peppers, cored and diced

2 granny smith apples, cored and diced (leave skins on)

1 Tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 c cider vinegar

1 Tbsp sea salt

2 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

large bunch of cilantro or parsley chopped

Combine first 8 ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 1 hour. Add cumin and fresh herbs. Use a hand blender or food processor to lightly chunk your salsa. Puree to desired consistency.

Ideas: Use with chips, tacos, burritos. Add a few scoops to soup base. Serve over grilled chicken or pork. Mix into rice for a side dish.

29 goals for 29 years!!

2007-09-23T17:43:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to me. Here's my To-Do list for the next year:

1. Try a new recipe every month
2. Exercise regularly
3. Create a family scrapbook
4. Give up my daily diet coke
5. Become more organized
6. Keep the kid's scrapbooks up to date
7. Make regular "Dates" with friends
8. Volunteer to help and organization or event
9. Make a new friend
10. Read more books by authors I don't know
11. Donate unused items/clothing
12. Research presidential candidates
13. Help a friend/family or neighbor in need
14. Read food labels before buying
15. Create more relaxing/recharging moments for myself
16. Think before I snack
17. Take a moment to enjoy my children everyday
18. Do something special for my 5yr anniversary
19. Find a new way to manage stress
20. Educate myself how to lead a greener life
21. Memorize Neil's cell number
22. Give blood
23. Write more letters
24. Eat less processed food
25. Be proud of myself
26. Attend church more regularly
27. Appreciate my husband more often
28. Recognize special dates in other peoples lives (bdays, anniv...)
29. Try to be more positive in nature

I've already started working on a few of the easy ones :o)

Evelyn's first bad word

2007-09-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

I knew this day was coming. I knew I couldn't prevent it. I didn't know that I'd laugh when she used her first bad word. Luckily neither Neil nor myself are big user of obsenities. We hardly ever utter the "s" or the "f" word. I am however an offender of the "c" word. (Crap) I must have uttered it some time during my conversation with a credit card company this morning. When I put Evelyn in her highchair for lunch and served up a PB&J, she takes one bite and says, "Holy crap Mommy, this peanut butter and jelly is delicious". I started laughing and she kept saying, "holy crap...holy crap...crap...crap...crap" Let's hope she got it out of her system.

Let there be Rice Cereal!!!!!

2007-09-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

Wyatt had his first taste of Rice Cereal this morning and I actually think he liked it! With Evelyn we started around 4 1/2 months and for the first few weeks it was just as much coming out as going in. Wyatt seemed to be more ready with his "chewing" of the spoon and not so much came out. I have a feeling he'll be a big eater just like his sister.

We'll stick to rice cereal for the next month and then try avocados. (Yum, Yum)!!!!

James Page Blubber Run

2007-09-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we ran our first race as a family in the James Page Blubber Run. The 5k is sponsered by James Page Brewery and it's a silly race where costumes are encouraged. Neil and I ran the race 5yrs or so ago and loved the crazy theme. This year we ran it with coworkers and dressed up as a "Brew Choo-Choo". The double running stroller was the engine, I was the conductor, we had cars made up of beer ingredients and a "keg-boose" on the end. What a blast!

I think it took us about 45 min to "run", due to some "breakdowns" that the train had. The only bummer is that the beer line at the end of the race was too long for us to wait around in. The brawts were awesome!!!

World's Largest Baby!

2007-09-06T05:07:00.000-07:00

Just had to post this picture of Wyatt in Evelyn's doll crib. Wyatt thought it was funny and liked the little mobile. Evelyn didn't like her little baby brother playing in her new birthday toy.

Wyatt's Baptized!!!

2007-09-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

Wyatt was baptized this past Sunday! He has the honor of Uncle Ryan as his godfather and Auntie Laura as his godmother. The service was very nice. He slept through most of it until the water was poured over his head. He let out a few angry cries and then settle down and listened to the priest. We had a nice luncheon at our house following the mass.

She's Two!!!!

2007-09-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe Evelyn's already 2 yrs old. Where does the time go? She turned 2 on August 27th and we had a quiet celebration here at the house with her grandparents and "yellow cake" (requested by the b-day girl). The phone was ringing off the hook all night with her relatives and friends calling to wish her a happy birthday. She loved it.

We had a pool party for her on Saturday and there were 11 little ones in our backyard. The weather was beautiful and Evelyn loved having everyone here. (The only downside is that she had a little head cold and everyone else in the house caught it too.) The good thing is that she didn't want her "guk" while she was sick and hasn't had it for the past 5 days. This maybe goodbye to the pacifier! Good timing!

Our First Twins Game!!!!

2007-08-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

Neil got two tickets for the Twins and we decided to bring the kids. It turned out to be quite an adventure. We decided to show up a little late to give the kids time for naps and avoid the rush into the metrodome. What we didn't account for was all the road blocks we'd encounter trying to get to the game. We live about 3miles from the bridge collapse and it seemed yesterday virtually every major road or highway on ramp was closed for construction to accomidate the 35W detour onto HWY 280.

What should have taken us 15-20 min to get to the Metrodome ended up taking us about an hour. We showed up and it starts to downpour. I mean really, really hard. Neil takes Evelyn, I strap Wyatt into the Bjorn and throw a blanket over our heads and we book it to the nearest gate. We got soaking wet!! It was the 6th inning and we enjoyed the game and left at the bottom of the 8th to avoid the rush out. No major mishaps on the way home, but I can say that was the shortest Twins Game I've ever been too. At least they won!

Up and Running

2007-08-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

This is week 2 of having a double running stroller and I'm loving every run we take! I got a great deal on this one from Craigslist and both Evelyn and Wyatt enjoy our jaunts. I don't run very far with them, only two miles. I worry about them getting too antsy, but maybe this week I'll see if I can take them a little longer. I time it so that we go out about 1/2 hr before Wyatt needs a morning nap. We get back and I put him down, pop on Sesame Street for Evelyn and I'm able to take a short shower and get dressed.

Must love animals

2007-08-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

Monday night we went to Roseville's National Night Out celebration at Central Park. They had a petting zoo and Evelyn went nuts!!! (She reminds me of myself as a little girl. I was crazy about animals).

A little bragging about my boy!

2007-08-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

Wyatt had his 2nd haircut last week. I think it's easier with boys, because you can just zip their heads with an electric clipper and you are done. He sat content in the Bumbo while I did it.

Before:

After:

Pretty darn good if I say so myself!!! Did I mention how big he's getting? I've started moving him into 6-9m clothes and he's probably between 16-17lbs. Yikes!! He's in the 97th percentile for weight and that makes me sad because I want him to stay a little baby for a little while longer. There's something so sweet about them being little. He's also an awesome night sleeper. I feed and put him to bed at 7pm, he wakes up to eat at 4:30am and then sleeps till 8:30am.

(If I could be guaranteed another one like him, I'd be willing to have a 3rd child.)

Craigslist Vent!!!

2007-08-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

Over the past few years we've had our ups and downs with Craigslist. I always have to remind myself that things often fall through or no responses. Our latest project, building a deck, I've tried looking for people to build it on Craigslist. One guy came two weeks ago and it turned out he really didn't know how to build what we wanted. I felt bad after he left because that wasted both our evenings.

My latest contact sounded really promising. He is a licensed contractor and does home projects on the side. He gave me a ball park estimate over email and setup a time to meet for yesterday. He was a no show. I of course hope that nothing happened to him, but it was weird to not get a phone call or email afterwards with an apology or explanation. Seriously, what kind of people set up appts. and then not keep them? I just feel very naive because perhaps I trust people too much.

Rockin & Rolling!!!

2007-07-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

As I type this I still can't believe it happened! At 2 1/2 months old Wyatt rolled over this morning. At first I thought it was a fluke. He was doing a little tummy time on the floor, I looked away and when I looked back he was on his tummy! I could hardly believe it, so I put him back on his tummy and he rolled again!!!! He did this a total of 4 times. I'm so amazed because Evelyn didn't do this till she was 5 1/2 months old. It's so amazing to me that their development is this different. I wonder if this means he'll be earlier to crawl and walk? It will be fun to see.

On a negative development side, Evelyn learned how to turn door knobs this morning. This means nearly all rooms are now at her finger tips. Looks like we'll have to buy some "baby-proof" door knob covers!

The circle of Life

2007-07-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

I found out this evening that my great aunt Corrine died this morning; she was 92. I can't say that I was close to her, but I have fond memories of visiting her and her husband Walt when I was a child. Although any death is a loss, living 92 years is quite an accomplishment. Do you ever notice when someone you know dies, it makes you evaluate your life? I like to think it's God's little way of telling us, "Hey, pay attention!!!".

When I think of myself in my final breaths of life I would like to have no regrets. I would like to think that I lived and treated humanity kindly. I hope that there are those I love surrounding me and celebrating the life that I lived. (Of course I also hope that it is quite a few years down the road!)

In thinking of death, I also think of new life. Every day someone dies and is mourned, but also there is life. A new baby takes his or her first breaths and the miracle of life starts all over again. Seems ironic doesn't it, but it is all part of God's plan for us.

Goodbye Corrine.

The Dog Days of Summer

2007-07-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

With the temps in the 90's this past week, we invited some friends over for a pool party yesterday. It was so much fun to see the girls all playing together. Their mom Amy asked me if she thought that Evelyn and Soledad would turn out to be good friends if we continue to live in close proximity. I think it would be wonderful if they do.

Friendships that start out early in life are different from those that start later. The early ones are more like a sibling in nature because you both grow up together. Sharing the torments and treasures of childhood/adolescent years and if you ever run out of things to talk about, you can always laugh about the past.

My "best friend" (do we still call them that in our 30s?) lives in CT. We've know each other since the 4th grade. We rode the bus together in elementary school, wore the same clothes in junior high, dyed our hair blue together in high school. Luckily we never had the same taste in boys. We don't talk on the phone as often as we should, but our conversations are deep and true. We're both mothers now, so there's an added dimension to our relationship and less time to talk, but she's still my "best friend". Love you Kellie!

Guilty Pleasures

2007-07-24T12:49:00.001-07:00

After I wrote my coffee post I started thinking about the simple things in life that give me pleasure. The older I get the more simple my guilty pleasures become. I wonder if that's because my view on life changes? Here's a few of mine:

A cup of hot coffee
The time to visit a favorite store
Finding a good book at the library
7:30pm - when both kids go to bed
A trip to the farmers market
An unexpected hug/kiss or smile from the kids
When Neil buys me a bottle of wine or beer he thinks I'd like
New running shoes
Looking through my scrapbooks
An hour to BS on the phone with a friend
Digging in the garden
An unexpected gift or card from a friend or relative
A delicious meal cooked by someone else
Cool mornings/evening and warm days
Freshly laundered sheets or towels

Everything seems better when you put a smile on your face. Sounds corny, but when I'm having a bad day or moment, I like to think of the next guilty pleasure I'll enjoy and it always helps ground me.

Coffee De-javu???

2007-07-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

After my below post about coffee I find a care package on my door step and there's a bag of Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla coffee!!!! How often does something like that happen???

Love you Ryan & Erin!!!!!

April loves Coffee

2007-07-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

It's offical...I'm addicted to Coffee. It's the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and it always puts a smile on my face. I actually would rather enjoy a cup of hot coffee before the kids wake up rather than a few extra minutes of shut eye. My favorite brand/type is Dunkin Donuts,/French Vanilla I drink it with a shot of whole milk and a nice round scoop of sugar.

Here's the bad news....I'm currently out! My mom brings it to me when she visits from Connecticut. Only 5 more weeks till I see her and I see more Dunkin Donuts coffee. (I'm counting down the days). For now I'm making do with some other brand. Ahhh...I can't wait to get that coffee.... just thinking about it makes salivate.

Speaking of coffee, I enjoyed a wonderful iced coffee at Java Train in St. Paul a few weeks ago. It was the best one I'd every had. I'd highly recommend a visit!

Ode to Mr. Noodle on Sesame Street

2007-07-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

Evelyn loves Mr. Noodle and his brother Mr. Noodle on Sesame street. We dedicate this picture to the both of them! (I just hope she doesn't start sticking anything small up her nose)

Does not going to church = bad Christian???

2007-07-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure why I hold this double standard for myself. I don't feel other non-regular-church-goers are bad Christians, so why do I feel that way for myself? I feel bad that I've only taken Wyatt to church once since he's been born. I feel bad that the last time I took Evelyn to church was on Easter. Most of the time it's just easier to go by myself if I can. Evelyn squirms, talks, wants to run away....you know the normal toddler behavior when you want them to sit still. I feel like I don't get much out of mass when she's along because I'm too busy trying to keep her happy/quiet and not disturbing the people around us. I remember before having kids being distracted during mass by a child nearby and thinking to myself that I wouldn't take my kids to church until they could sit still for an hour. Lofty expectation for a child of any age? Yes.

I just feel like the past two months I've been so wrapped up in trying to achieve status-quo in our household that I've forgotten about my relationship with God. Last night I realized I hadn't even thanked him for giving us Wyatt. So I've decided that if I can't swing getting to church on a regular basis in this point in my life, I can at least make a quite "date" with God to have a conversation once a week.

Time-out for Mommy

2007-07-12T05:14:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to realize how important it is to schedule some "time-out" for myself. My work load is twice as much as I'm use to and by the end of the day I'm usually mentally exhausted. It's funny because when I invite someone and their kid(s) over for play dates, it's usually also a break for me to get to talk to another mom. As a stay at home mom or a working mom, it's essential to have a network of other moms to relate to. It gives us time to talk about our mommy concerns, vent about our frustrations, and shoot the breeze about whats going on in our lives. My "Mommy Network" helps keep me sane and from torturing myself with guilt.

I realize no matter what our circumstances in life, all of us moms feel guilty about something. My other mom friends that work feel guilty about sending their kids to daycare. Some stay at home moms feel guilty about snapping at their kids when everyone having a bad day. (Right now I feel guilty about disciplining Evelyn so much) And almost all moms are wondering if their doing "the right thing" be it discipline, feeding, scheduling, etc... We're all just trying to do the best that we can and the guilt we feel shows how dedicated we are to our children. I guess guilt = love?

My friend Jen borrowed me the book, "Mommy's Locked in the Bathroom", by Cynthia Sumner and it's been a really good read. I've found myself laughing out loud at some of the authors experiences. For me I guess it all comes down to humor. Be it a good-bad day or a bad-good day, if I can try to find some humor through out the day it sure does help. Our kids do so many cute and wonderful things all day long. If I can just learn to stop and appreciate these funny moments I think I'll be a happier mom.

2007-07-10T04:33:00.000-07:00

"Loving Two I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you? Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, "Please love only me." And I hear myself telling you in mine, "I can't," knowing, in fact, that I never can again. You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again. But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying him -- as though I am betraying you. But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection. More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times -- only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how he adores you -- as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you -- only differently. And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you'll never share my love. There's enough of that for both of you -- you each have your own"

2007-07-08T04:54:00.001-07:00

My little firecrackers! We had a nice 4th of July and were able to make it to Central Park to listen to some music. Wyatt is smiling up a storm lately and I hope this is an indication of his temperament. Seeing their pictures side-by-side, I think they look alike.

2007-07-04T11:21:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that Wyatt's only been here for 7wks. It seems like he's been part of the family for so much longer. I guess that's a good sign that he fits in well. His little personality is starting to come through. He's super-smile-guy first thing in the morning. I remember Evelyn was like that too. I'm getting to know his little cries. He lets out a short loud one when he's tired of being in the bouncer-seat too long. He does this with a little scowl on his face. It's funny, it almost sounds like he's saying, "HEY!"

When I get up at night to feed him and I switch sides, he often gives me a big 'ol smile and a little coo-coo before he finishes eating. It makes getting up at night to feed him so worthwhile. I also know that our little "midnight-dates" won't last forever. I looked fondly back to feeding Evelyn at night when the house was so quiet and I could just hold her little body in my arms. Now I have the insight to enjoy these times with Wyatt while they last. Don't get me wrong though, I can't wait to get a full night's sleep!

I'm looking forward to Wyatt's personality developing. Will he be easy going? (Probably) Will he be a cuddle bug? (I hope so) Will Evelyn try to boss him around? (Definately). It will be fun to find out what his favorite songs and activities will be. I look forward to our life together.

2007-07-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

4 more days until I start work again. I'm kicking myself wondering why I didn't ask for 12 wks off instead of 8? I'm sure they'd give it to me if I asked, but I'll have to pick up my part time job anyways and I just asked that I be allow to "ramp-up" for the next month instead of accepting my full "part time" work load.

I'm thinking this is why I'm feeling a little stress and on-edge this week. I hope I'm not putting too much pressure on myself and Wyatt to get us into some type of reliable nap schedule. When he sleeps when I want him to I'm ecstatic. When he doesn't a part of me is bummed out. But seriously, how can I expect a 7 wk old baby to fall into a schedule that I've set for him? As my mother-in-law would say, it's my "type-A" personality rearing it's head.

This morning we had a period of about 30 mins that was complete meltdown for everyone. Wyatt was inconsolable (gas pains), Evelyn was crying and swatting me because I was giving him all my attention and one of the cats was howling as well. Oy! I felt like pulling my hair out. Instead, I closed the living room window so that none of the neighbors could hear what was going on. I put Wyatt down on the floor and let him howl for a few moments as Evelyn sat in my lap and we sang "Row, Row, Row your boat". We were a sorry sight. Luckily Wyatt worked out the gas and wore himself out that I was able to put him down for a nap early. Then I gave Evelyn an early lunch and she's sleeping now too. Pure bliss, except that one of the cats is now circling my feet meowing for attention.

2007-07-02T11:09:00.001-07:00

I did it this morning! Our first excursion (all 3 of us) to some place other than the park. We headed to Rosedale mall and only stayed an hour, but I was so glad that no one cried! Whew, I have hopes that we'll be able to do much more in the future.

This weekend Evelyn got to see her cousin Aiden a few times. It was fun to get the two kids together and they seemed to enjoy each other's company. I've wondered what will happen when the kids get older and and only want to hang out with their own sex? Out of 9 great grandchildren, she is the only girl. Who will Evelyn hang out with? Maybe it is good for her to be around all boys?

At the very least I'm sure she'll have some "girlfriends" once she gets into school. And of course, she'll always have me. I'll probably be "ok" until she hit's about 9 or 10. Then I'm sure she won't think I'm cool anymore.

2007-06-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

Naps, Naps, Naps...what would I do without them? This week I decided to start to get serious about getting Wyatt into a nap schedule. I didn't have Evelyn in one till she was about 10 wks, so I'm feeling pretty ambitious since Wyatt is only 6 wks. So far, so good. Yesterday he took 2 decent naps and a little cat-napping in the evening and he seemed to sleep better at night. Today I'm aiming for 3 decent naps. The only bad thing about a nap schedule is that it tends to tie you to the house a bit. Our only excursions seems to be walks around the block or playing in the yard. I'm ok with it for now as it's quite the ordeal to get all three of us out of the house anyway. And with him still eating every 2-3 hrs during the day it's just easier to stay home.

Evelyn's doing a little better this week with the jealousy. I'm able to spend a little more alone time with her when Wyatt naps. I'm also getting the hang of involving her in caring for Wyatt. This morning she told me she was "Mommie's heppa" (Mommy's helper) as she put Wyatt's diaper in the garbage for me. I'm also looking into an evening activity that she and I can attend alone. Maybe a music class?

The beginning....

2007-06-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

Today is the day I decided to start blogging. I've been thinking about it for a while, but have resisted because I'm not sure I want other people reading my personal thoughts. But, alas I have realized that getting my feelings out will probably be very theraputic for me. Maybe someday, I'll be able to look at past posts and laugh about what was going on in my life that day. Hopefully I'll see how far I've come in life. And one day even further my children might be able to read my entries and see what their mom was like in her 20s. (youthful, naive and very much in love with life)

I guess that's part of the reason I want to share my life on paper. I would have liked to look back in history to see the thoughts and feelings my parents had raising children. Did they encounter the same frustrations? How did they handle discipline? Most of the time when I ask them questions, they can't really remember. And did they relish the time that they had with us? Would they want to relive those days?

My life seems to have been pushed into full speed since becoming a mother. The day's blend into each other. The weeks drift by and all of a sudden you're planning another birthday party or buying the kids bigger clothes. So many times I wish I had a magical pause button so I could fully encapsulate a moment and stay there for a few hours. Something funny that Evelyn says, Wyatt's first morning smile...these are the reasons I became a mom. So many "magical moments" make up my days and yet they're gone as fast as they happen. I often find myself calling Neil at work to tell him about our "magical moments" in the hopes of sharing these special times with someone else.

So what do I hope to gain from blogging? Perhaps some perspective on life that I can only get by revisiting my past thoughts? Maybe it's to better share pictures and stories of the kids with my family. Or perhaps it's just a blank friend that will never offer advise and just listen when I need to vent. Whatever the reason or benefit, I hope that it will be a good experience.