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Friday, December 30, 2011

A 'Late' Night Trip to MOA

Mark has been working late for a week or so.  Which means he barely sees the kids.  That on top of Victoria coming to me today saying, "Mom, I'm getting concerned.  We have a lot still on our List of Fun and we're running out of days."  Oh, so, true.  I got the idea to head to MOA at bedtime.  Christian napped today and V was in a good mood and everyone was missing daddy.  We all ate dinner together and then headed out at 6:30.  We stayed until almost 8:15.  We did the usual, Ghostblasters (I got my highest score ever - I told you those guns were broken before!), Kiddie Bumper Cars, Swiper Sweeper, Hot Air Balloon Ride and C and I went on the Log Chute.  It was filled a night filled with fun that ended up being free.  Victoria still has her unlimited card for another month and I had enough random points in my wallet for Christian.  It's always exciting to be out when it's dark because it's not that often.  It was even more exciting tonight to see the planes coming in to the airport in the dark.  One went right over the top of our car very very low.  Mark slowed down as we were exciting to get on the highway and I rolled my window down and Christian little mouth was wide open and his blue eyes were huge.  It was a glorious family night.

Preparing for the end of the year.  Off to get a good night's sleep so I can welcome 2012 the proper way.

De-Christmassing

You know it was an amazing Christmas when Victoria begs  to keep her little Christmas tree in her room for 'just another five days please!" 

When we finally turned off the intense light from the overfilled front yard and Christian came flying out of bed crying, "Somethin' happened to our Christmas lights and now I'm scared!"

Tomorrow it will all come down and we're burning the tree, thanks to this beautiful weather.

We'll just have to decorate for Valentine's Day so we all don't go into a celebratory depression or something.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Surprise for Me

Mark surprised me with a Macbook Pro this morning.  It has to be the biggest surprise he's ever pulled off!!

I haven't cried over a Christmas present since I was a little girl!

Now I'm secluded in my bedroom trying to figure out how to use it!



Just figured out it's WAY easier to upload pics to my blog!!
Hopefully this will get me blogging more!!

Thanks Honey!!
I can't believe you made such a good choice, 
let alone kept it a surprise the whole time!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

The Night Before Christmas

The Santa Satellite was checked and he's on his way.
The Night Before Christmas was read.
The stockings have been hung and stuffed with care.
The gifts are piled all over the livingroom - with touches of Santa.
The kids are zonked dreaming of reindeer landing on our roof tonight.

Christian couldn't get me out of his room fast enough tonight because he wants everyone to go to sleep so Santa can come.

Victoria's feet didn't like the feel of her brand-new Christmas pj's
so Mark cut the feet off and she drifted off to sleep.

I know I will miss these days of innocence and belief in the years to come.
That's why I'm soaking up every last second this year.
They are the PERFECT ages for Christmas right now.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Visiting Santa

The annual shot with Santa

The first year BOTH kids are smiling.
Especially after a 55 minute wait.

We found lists for Santa under the tree one afternoon.
With the help of his big sister, here's Christian's list.


Dear Santa
I would like a baby.
Love Christian Mark Humphrey

Here's the little lady's list she created herself.


Dear Santa
I would like a Go Go Puppy
Love Victoria Mae Humphrey

Our Advent calendars are a mangeled mess, which means we're very very close to Christmas and we can barely handle the suspense around here.

It's going to be a very exciting weekend.


Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Vacation

Christmas Vacation!!!  Not the movie.  MY - OUR Vacation!!!!! 

Eleven days with my kids, family, friends, activities, projects, shopping, organizing and rest jamming in as much as possible.

Let's get it started!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Are You Done???

These are words I keep hearing over and over everywhere this time of year. 

Are You Done. . . shopping? decorating? wrapping?

How can you be done? 

I decorated a bit more today.

I will continue to shop until I am on my way to deliver the gifts.

Three people I am actually waiting to shop for until Dec. 26th (the BEST day of the year to shop!).

I will wrap on the 26 and most likely the 27th.

I will shop shop shop and shop some more until there is absolutely no more time left.

I don't understand how people get 'done'.  Do they not enter another store until after Christmas?
Do you really make a list without actually going into the stores to see what's there? 

I really don't understand.

I would say I'm close to being done.  Since it is the 21st I have to be close. 

But if I am buying you a gift this year, whether you already have one under the tree or not, and I see something I think you'll like...chances are it will be purchased and wrapped before we get together.

So no. I'm not done.  And proud of it.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

How Does Santa Get In

Only a constuction worker's son would say:

(While looking around)

Hey!  How does Santa get in here?  (Mommy was in silence)
We don't have a fireplace.  (He continues to look all around the kitchen)
(I considered offering to leave the backdoor unlocked - but no need)

I bet he cuts a hole in the wall, drops off all the presents and then fixes it on his way out.

Mommy: You never know Buddy, you might be right.
Yep, I am right.  That's just how he does it!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Our Aquarium

Way back in September my friend Molly calls and says, "Hey, could you use an aquarium for your classroom?"  "Sure!" I'd love to get a little aquarium into my room.

Her brother was going to move from MN to CA to follow the Love of His Life across the country.  According to CA law renters can't have aquariums due to earthquakes. 

The next week we got the call that the aquarium was in route.  Molly and Brian drove to Rochester on a Sunday night to get us the aquarium.  In the mean time we thought about keeping it at our house instead of taking it to school, since we have fish scattered around the house in various homes anyway.

The time table of their arrival kept expanding and expanding as the night went on.  (Remember, I'm totally psycho in September!)  At 10pm they still weren't here.

I jokingly texted Molly, "Sorry, it's too late.  It's all yours."  Ha!  They were right around the corner.

She stood on my stoop with a 2 gallon tank with five huge fish in it.  "That's it?!" I exclaimed!

Oh hell no!  A FIFTY-FIVE gallon tank and wrought iron stand were still in the Jeep.  Along with chemicals, equipment we'd never seen, a large plastic bin to keep it all in, a huge syphon and a five gallon bucket.

I was overwhelmed.

The tank was within inches of not fitting anywhere in my entire house it is so giagantic.  Absolutely huge.  I took notes on how to take care of it and the three year old fish as I watched Mark H. pouring gallons and gallons and gallons of water into it.  The transition lasted past midnight - but really not that long considering the water needed to adjust to a specific temperature, the fish needed to aclimate, plus we needed to figure out how in the world we were supposed to take care of this bad boy.

When it was all set we actaully woke Victoria up after midnight and recorded her reaction.  She was shocked and delighted to see this enormous tank in our livingroom.  She was amazed and then went straight back to bed.

The next morning, before anyone was up I raced out to check on it.  . .only to find four huge dead fish at the bottom.  Little did I know this tank was so deep, to get to the bottom I had to go shoulder deep to fish those fish out.  They were so huge it was disgusting.  However, I didn't want the kids to see them so I did what I had to do.

After school we went to the pet shop to buy more fish.  You can't mix certain types of fish so if the last fish survived the day we had to buy specific types of fish.  If it didn't make it, we could buy whatever we wanted.  I didn't think of this until the kids and I were actually standing in the store.  I had Mark race home to check.

Dead.

The only positive thing about killing all of Mark H.'s three year old fish was that at least we could start fresh.

Apparently you're only supposed to get five at a time so the water blah blah blah (I still don't understand all the fish talk) can balance.  That means we were there five times in eight days purchasing (and returning one corpse).  I was actually calling the Fish Guys by first names. 

We finally got it all dialed in. 

We all love to feed the fish.  Especially, Sucky, the sucker fsh.

After all that, we have the best aquarium ever!!  We ALL love it!!  It's huge.  It's bright.  It's more work than I expected some work.  But we love it! 




See how it barely fits!!



We love it and so appreciate Mark H. would give it to us.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Good to be Home

I was blessed to get a good enough night's sleep which allowed me to rise at 5am to catch up on some blogs and reality TV.  (I actually thought I was getting up early to catch up on the extreme amount of laundry that is piled everywhere - but then I found 'better' things to do.)

I sat here, all alone for nearly an hour (pure bliss) until I heard little footsteps coming down the hallway.

He walked over to me and said, "Mommy when I was sleeping my leg got broken." As he was standing in front of me.

With the most serious and concerned voice I could muster, "Really?! Which one?!"

"Both!  Can you believe it?" And shook his little head in disgust then climbed up on the couch with me.

It's good to be home :-)

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Letting It Go

I packed a little Santa hat to wear on the beach.  I laugh out loud everytime I think about it.

I haven't regularly set an alarm since October 2006.  The one day a year I set it is the night before we leave for Mexico.  Since that's once a year I'm not very good at setting it.  Set the time but forgot to actually turn it on.  Doesn't matter.  I was up two hours early anyway: 1:30am.  I went to bed at 7:30 with the help of my new found friend Tylenol w/ codeine.  My head was hurting and I was all stuffed up again/still. 

I feel a lot better now and I'm ready to get on the road  in the air! 

All the planning.  Three days of sub. plans.  All the planning packing for the kids. Five days of clothes, roller skates, boosters, bathing suites, etc.  On top of it all not feeling good.

My house is a mess.  My poor grandma's disappointment in her granddaughter's housekeeping skills will yet again be upped even more. 

But what matters most is letting it all go.  It usually takes me a full day in Mexico to finally let it all go and relax.  We're only going for five days and I want to enjoy every minute. 

Don't Carry Your Mittens in Your Mouth

I was picking up Christian from daycare yesterday and I couldn't find his mittens.  I assumed he left them as school and talked to him about making sure he brings all his things home.  Last time I popped into his school he had two jackets hanging on random hooks. 

We got home and I was emptying out backpacks and organizing many things when I saw a plastic bag in his backpack.  Very unusual.  It was his mittens. 

"Hey buddy!  Your mittens were in your backpack. They were just wet!"
"Oh yeah, they fell in the toilet."

1. Is he joking?  He loves talking about toilets.  His favorite letter right now is P, if you know what I mean.
2. HOW could mittens have gotten in the toilet ever, let alone preschool.
3. What the hell?!

"Are you serious, how in the world did that happen?"
"I had to potty really really bad and I was holding them in my mouth when I was going and then I tried to talk and they fell right in."

Very matter of fact.  And there you have it!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Whiplash and a Bag of Chips

I've been sick now, for 11 days.  Some times of the day I feel worse than others but overall, been quite sick for 11 days.  With our fabulous trip just under 40 hours away I got nervous it's going to get worse.  Plus, today when I cough I got a severe pain the back of my head.  It also hurt when I bent over. 

I finally made myself an appt.  Minutes after the I hung up, my head was pounding I called back to find an Urgent Care.  Waiting until tomorrow at 3 seemed ridiculous.  We put the kids to bed and I headed to Urgent Care.  They told me a 90 minute wait.  That put me at 9pm.  That's when they close.  I can handle that.  I could leave for a while, if I chose.  I also had a good book. 

Unfortunately the wait ended up being two hours and forty minutes.  I finally got called, last one of the day.  I was convinced I had a sinus infection or a brain tumor.

Nope, neither.

I apparently gave myself whiplash from coughing.  (I did know I pulled a muscle over my rib several days ago.)  There's a muscle the connects your back through your shoulder blade up the back of your head and connects to your eyebrow.  I pulled that bad boy and pulled it good.

I'm on Tylenol with Codeine to relax the muscles and keep me from coughing and hopefully get me some good sleep.  I'm supposed to take it with food.  Since I don't feel good nothing seems good.  I tried some turkey and cheese but what I really want is potato chips.  My wonderful husband left at 11pm to get some sour cream and onion chips.

I just hope I can stay awake until he gets back. . .

Friday, November 25, 2011

Just a Few More Days

Fianlly feeling a little bit better, except for the aching ribs.  We enjoyed Thanksgiving.  Even though I barely ate, there was lots of laughter and reminscing.  Watching Christian scarf down a large piece of pumpkin pie only to lean over the table to 'share' Papa's slice with him. 

Lazily getting ready for our annual trip to cut down our Christmas tree this morning.

Even though all that is well and good.  What I'm really excited about it packing today.  Packing the kids up for a few day stay at their good friend's Odelis' house.  Packing my bathing suits, snorkel gear and shorts and sandals.  Not forgetting those passports.

In a few days Mark and I will be in our own slice of Paradise.  We wait all year. And it's almost here.

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Wedding We're So Glad We Didn't Miss

Last January my friend Jennifer got engaged on New Year's Day while ice skating at Rockefeller Center in New York.  How's that for a show stopper?  I was soooo excited for her.  Virtually planning her bridal shower in my head while I listened to all the details.  A couple months into their engagement they set the date: October 22nd, 2011. 

For the past three years Mark and I have escaped and gone to Mexico over MEA. This meant I would miss the wedding.  For months we toyed with skipping the trip this year.  Changing to dates this year.  Back and forth.  Back and forth.  Finally I decided I would regret missing this wedding. 
If we missed a year in Mexico it would be worth it.  (In the end we did change the date.)

Here's proof it was a good choice:


My Girls pre-reception with our first bottle of champagne.

One of my favorite pics of the whole day.
Jeanne and Jennifer
The lighting was perfect right there.
If only I knew I would have taken many more there.


The reception.

This is one of my All Time Faves of us.
We are all teachers.
We are all friends.
We are all there for each other to lean on.
We are all there to support each other in every way.


Left to right (in case you don't know)
(Laura, Amanda, Jennifer, Kelly, Odelis and Amy)

My pictures at the ceremony didn't turn out well.
The following are borrowed from Facebook with Jennifer's permission.






Is Jennifer the most beautiful bride ever?!
That dress is fit for a celebrity.
Stunning!

She is typically a very happy person.
She has a gorgeous smile.
But on Oct. 22 she was over the moon happy
and that beautiful smile has never been brighter!

(Back to Kelly Quality pictures)


The First Dance

Breathtaking, just watching them.
I recorded it. . .vertical. . .I forgot it can't switch it back on the computer.
:(



Taking turns giving Ben congratulatory hugs while whispering things like,
"Do you know how lucky you are?" jokingly (kinda) in his ear.


Odelis and Alex
Here she's freshly pregnant and very sober.
Unlike everyone else in the room.


Laura rockin' some song, quite possible Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby
 and Amanda is just hangin' on!



The Girls with the luckiest man in the building.


Alex and Odelis waiting patiently for dinner.


Sadly there isn't a single one of Mark and Me. 
I bet you were wondering if Mark was there.
Yes, he was.

It was a gorgeous day from the weather outside to the mood in the building.
From her dress to the flowers.
From the music to the midnight subs.
From the friends to the dancing.
Absolutely perfect.
I'm so very glad I was there to be part of it.

J, it couldn't have been more perfect!
Just like you and Ben.

I Love You 101

Last week Christian said, "Mommy, I love you so much.  I love you 100!"  I smiled and kissed and snuggled him.  A few days later I heard him tell Mark, "I love 101 Daddy!"  "What?!" I exclaimed.  "You love daddy more that mommy?"  "I love you 101 too Mommy!"  "Is that the biggest number you know?" I asked.  He just smiled hugging me. 

A couple days ago his little face was in the middle of a peanut butter sandwich.  PB was nearly to his ears and his mouth was full and he said, "I love peanut butter 200!"

Mark and I were both taken aback!  Both jokingly questioning his, "You love peanutbutter more that me?"  More than ME?"

"I wiwwy wiwwy wuv it!!" was his answer.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Look at Me Times 33

My favorite blog of all time:  http://changelivlife.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/thirty-three/
and technically, it's not even mine.

Thanks Liv!!

Not Another Two

This was not one of the easiest weeks to get through.  Details on all of that, may or may not, show in the blog at a later date.

To top it off, I set up a dentist appointment for this morning before school.  While I was laid back with my mouth wide open I could see the clock (upside down).  The minutes ticked and ticked and I was still there.  I was thinking about how I used to enjoy going to the dentist and now I always feel like I'm so pressed for time, lying in that chair is one of the last things I want to do. 

Finally as the dental assistant had my free toothbrush and floss in her hand he dropped the ball.

Looks like two cavities.  I was confused.  Nope, just one, I said.  Thinking he's talking about the one and only I had in the x-rays. 

Oh no, two NEW ones.  What the hell is going on this week?

Looks like I'll be scheduling another appointment for next month now.

Appointments. Co-pays. Medicine.  Never ending lately. 

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

An Email From a Mom

I sent an email to a mom yesterday telling her how much I enjoy her daughter.  Then I let the daughter type at the bottom.  She typed: Mrs. Humphrey is rilly proud of me.

Mom responded: So glad she is doing so well! Thanks so much for all the energy and effort you put into the kids in your class.


You are appreciated,
 
 
If only all the families were like them.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Go to Sleep My Little Angel

Do you ever read this blog and this life is so sweet at the Humphrey House?  Soemtimes it is.  That's mostly what I blog about.  Why would I blog about bad things? 

Sometimes bad things happen and sometimes I just need to talk about them.

Both kids have been sick this weekend.  Really, Victoria has been sick on and off since her double ear infection Oct. 20th.  Oddly, I didn't blog about her having to leave school to Mama Jeanne's to throw up all over her house after not once but twice sending her back to class.

Apparently, bad infection.

Nope, I just blog about the simple sweet things that happen around here.

Not tonight people, not tonight.  By people I mean Liv, Jeanne, Jeanne and me.

Victoria had extreme stomach pain last night.  Wake her up, legs shaking, yelling, "My belly hurts soooo bad!!!" pain.

I considered the hospital for a few minutes but then it seemed to pass.

Unfortunately, this pain continued all night long on and off.

Luckily I went to bed at 8pm and was ready for action all night long.  And those little ones didn't dissapoint.  At 2am she woke me by trying to use the restroom.  After she laid back down I was channel surfing and found Silence of the Lambs.  I was relieved because I like to close my eyes and listen to something I already know and not have to watch and try to drift off.  As you're thinking, it's not like RHOOC or something. It's Silence of the Lambs dumbass and it's just as scary as it was 10 years ago!!!!

Not only was I actually RUNNING from room to room with buckets, blankets and ice packs and lullabies, but in my down time I was watching Silence of the Lambs.  Coodoos to the producer, director and Jodie because holy crap, I know there's at least a sequel and it's still really really scary.

By 4am I was just happy we were all still alive.

But by 5am we were in triage on the couch.  Who was really sick at this point and what are we going to do about it.  In preschool she never missed a day in two years.  Now on public school record she would miss two days in the first 47.  CRAZY.

I also didn't want the call from Ms. Beck midday that V's belly hurt and she needed to go home.

I was also wondering how I could manage the day.  I have a lot of patiences.  When it comes to my children A LOT.   When it comes to my students even more. 

Today, I was lacking. 

It's so hard to be up so early and then deal with piddly crap like the kid who leaves his folder in his backpack every single morning (to piss me off?  to leave class to get it?  just because he can?)
Either way, annoying.  I saw it in his backpack, by chance (hey Sherlock, you should check it every morning!) and caught it and was annoyed. 

I gave an entire spelling test before the news began.  If you're not a teacher: That's HARD CORE!

They rose to the occasion and were on their best behavior after I told them what I was dealing with at morning meeting.  It made me think two things:

Why aren't they always this good?
Thank goodness they gave this to me today.

The issue is that I took a personal day tomorrow to go on a field trip with Christian's preschool class.  I haven't been on one yet with him.  Christian's best friend Tony, also went on one, and Grandma went on one and I NEED to go on one. 

I took one of my coveted Personal Days to go on a field trip. 

He is SOOO excited I'm going. Totally worth it.  But so messed up I couldn't stay home with them while they were sick.

After I picked them up Victoria kept complaining.  I was voted Biggest Complainer in High School and this kid had me beat by 6pm.  She was terrible.  Mama Deb came over and was confused by her mean mean attitude.

She was so mean it makes me sad.  At least I knew why she was being so mean.  She had been up since 3am and was so exhausted and sick she didn't know what to do.  After three hours of putting her to sleep finally she's sleeping.

It's not all sweet, by any means.

But it's all real.

Next time they go down easy I will appreciate it.

Hopefully, tomorrow. . .

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A Million Bucks

Today my friends and family made me feel like a million bucks.  I could tell you about the emails, texts, voicemails and phone calls.  I could go on and list the gifts and take pictures of the (hilarious) cards.  I could tell you that not once, but twice when I arrived home there were gifts and balloons at my door.  I could tell you how my students didn't miss any opportunity to tell me Happy Birthday.

What I do want to say is, I am so lucky to have these people surrounding me every day of my life. 

Mark, the kids and I spent the whole night at MOA.  For the family who has the earliest bedtime of any family we know, we were out so late (8:45pm) the kids fell asleep in the car.  It was special.  From the Log Chute to dinner and dessert.  It was special.

It was a great day. 

That's not to mention my party on Thursday night with My Girls.

Man, I'm going to sleep feeling like a million bucks tonight.

Me & 33

For the last week, in 2nd grade, we've been writing about things we're thankful for. 
For my birthday I have listed my top 33 things I am thankful for.

(Late night - by myself) Shopping
Facials
People who love my children
Memoirs
Road trips to Colorado
Magazines
The color red
My supportive family
Summers off
Days at the beach with my kids
NKOTB
Family dinners
Thoughtful friends
US Weekly
My coworkers - who I'm lucky enough to call friends
Shrimp
My minivan
Champagne
Reality TV
Sandals
Hallmark
My career
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Photographs
Making iMovies
Fingernail polish
Books
My children's grandparents
My supportive husband
The way my class is coming together
Christian's enthusiasm for school and learning
Victoria reading
My healthy, happy family of four.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Fall 2011 - Captured in Time





These pictures were taken on October 8, 2011.
The date was selected two months prior.
I anticipated cool fall weather.

It was in the 90's.
While orange sweaters continued to hang in the closets,
I suddenly had to come up with autumnish summer outifits. 
I had no idea how they'd look together.



Turns out fantastic
(if I do say so myself).


Love this picture.

All time favorite. . .contender.

Do you think that's a real background?
Yep, we were sitting on real pine needles -
totally worth it!



Oh, this sweet angel melts my heart.


This little man has me wrapped around his finger.

What a little cutie pie.
She posed like this on her own.
Dreading those teenage years.

All time favorite. . . contender.

Think that background is real?

Really LOVE this picture!!!

It's going to be very BIG somewhere in my house.




Victoria had her photo taken professionally, more than, every single month of the first year of her life.
Christian had his taken professionally about 10 times his first year of life.

Now that they're a little bit older I've decided that
a once a year, quality shoot is so much better than many cheap shots.




That picture is like art to me. 
It looks like the leaves have been sprinkled on the sidewalk.


That shot is breathtaking.
So original, so fun, so beautiful.


Just as good as the one above!


But even better!
So fun and so touching.
Mark would say,
"Favorite for sure!"



In a few years I won't be able to pick her up anymore
and that little hand on my shoulder will be much bigger.
I bet I'll wish that day back.


I'm so glad we have this time in our lives captured in time.
I'll treasure these pictures forever.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Best Buds

Yesterday on the way to Kris' Victoria was practicing a ring of sight words and was pointing out letters for Christian to identify.  Then she said to him, "Christian, that morning you woke up with a black eye I worried about you all day at school.  Try to be safe today, ok, Buddy."  He replied, "Ok Toria, I will try."

It warms my heart that they are best friends.

Monday, October 31, 2011

What Weekend?

I'm so tired. 

Because it was Girls' Weekend


Right after school on Friday we headed to Mora and had
a lot of fun.

But the next afternoon I headed home because we had big plans on Saturday night.

Paulson's annual Halloween party that didn't fail to impress once again this year.


Details to follow. . .when/if I ever get caught up on sleep.

Go to Sleep Already

My extremely over tired  5.5 yr old cried to me, "You used to be so nice to me, now that I'm all grown up you're mean."  I guess we should have skipped those last few houses when she kept telling me how 'exhausted' she was.  I'm so happy she's sleeping!

More details to follow. . .

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Doing Our Homework

Kindergarten has begun implementing homework. 
I love it.  I love to see what it is.  I love to watch her do it.  I love to see her taking pride in her work.
I love it!


Somebody else loves homework too. 
He prefers to stand and do it on the chair.
I love to watch him too.



I wonder how many more years homework will be a pleasurable thing in our house.

Right now, we're lovin' it!

Picnic at the Park

Last April I bought Mark two rounds of golf with a cart at a nice course in Red Wing as part of his Father's Day gift.  It expired on Oct. 25th.  Luckily, his brother John and he got to use it two weekends ago.  It was an absolutely gorgeous Sunday. 

While they were doing that, we were doing this:


They rode their bikes and I jogged behind carrying a picnic basket, up to the park.



After lunch I laid back on the blanket and saw this:


Mark joined us at the end of our picnic.
It was a pleasurable Sunday afternoon!

*Sidenote: Christian wore his shirt backwards on purpose
 so people could see it when he was riding his bike so fast.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

You Know They're Sick

You know the kids are sick when they ask if it's naptime at 9:50. 

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

New Little Bean

This week a friend told me she's preggers!!!!!  I'm so excited and can't wait to share more info.  Can't even tell my children and it's driving me crazy!  Yahoo for babies!!!!!  Come June 20th, we can't wait to meet you, little bean!!

The Exciting End to the Week

This weekend we will attend a wonderful friend's wedding!! I love and respect her so.  She was my long-term sub when I had Christian.  I called her at 5am on Jan. 28, 2008 telling her to please show up at school at 8:00 because she was the Queen of Team 214 for the next 12 weeks.  Then she got hired at the second grade level and we were teammates.  It was a strong and wonderful team and we grew to be very close friends. 

Since she moved from second grade and the second floor we're not quite as close but seriously, I love this girl.  She is an amazing friend, teacher, daughter (I call her mother Momma - I wish she was mine!) fiancee, sister, aunt, seriously the chick is amazing!! 

On Saturday she is going to become an awesome wife.

Good God, Ben is lucky!

Mark and I changed our trip to Mexico for a month out so we can attend this wedding. 

On Oct. 16, 2004 I missed one of my best friend's wedding (we were in San Diego for Ted and Hollis' wedding and I wouldn't change that for the world) however, I still feel guilty.

(I feel/felt so guilty after the wedding Mark and I had them over about 6 months later and we both wore our wedding dresses that night while hanging out in our livingroom.  I hadn't been married long and had been known to put it on when there was the slightest 'need'.)


I didn't want to feel like that about another friend so I knew and wanted to attend J's wedding. 

She's loves Ben like I've seen few other women love a man. 

We went crazy on her shower, one, because we love her and she's the sweetest thing ever.

But once you've had a bridal/baby shower and people are so kind and generous you feel so confused. 
Why is everyone so over the top?

Because they're reliving that time for themselves. 

I cry with J about her wedding every couple days.  I listen to the wedding drama and tell her little things to think about or remember. I've sent her cards and I've reminsced about that time in my life over and over.  It's so fun to remember that special time in life.

I sent her a three page text tonight. I didn't expect to not see her tomorrow so it was sent in a text.  Such cliches, but oh so true.

Saturday is going to be AMAZING!

A Lunch to Rmember

My dad loves Victoria.  Yes, he's her grandpa and grandparents love their grandchildren but seriously, he loves her to the moon and back!!  Me, his first born, only daughter, doesn't hold a candle. 

I'm cool with that because this is what happens:


He shows up for the
elementary version of a
pizza.

I knew he was coming and it was so hard not to tell her.  I knew she was going to be in heaven.
I had another teacher cover for me for about five minutes so I could run down and take a quick pic.
Totally worth it!
They were so cute together.
I told them they need to eat and quit gazing at each other because when the time is up the food is gone.
A grandparent volunteer also reminded them. 
I really think they'd skip a meal to sit and talk and smile at each other.

I went back to my class, eventually brought my class to lunch then threw my Lean Cuisine in the microwave and headed out to recess, just in time to catch this:


It's a lunch to remember -
if not for them -
for me.

A Table - Finally

We have a very small kitchen. However, we entertain often.  I can't tell you how many times I bumped elbows with a guest eating at my table.

We've had a small cheap table for nearly seven years.  The chairs needed constant cleaning on their faux suede - especially on Christian's.  Just yucky and ready for something new. 

The new table needs to be dark, small, have a leaf, needs to be small, cute, and it needs to be small.  Much trickier than you'd think.  There was one that fit my prerequisites at IKEA but it was hideous.

We looked a lot and often.  For the record: Furniture shopping is NOT fun with two children.

While I was hanging with Kendra Mark and the kids finally bit the bullet.


For the record the table was completely put together when I got home but I did the 'centerpiece.' 

I love it!  We haven't busted out the leaf yet, but it's just a matter of time.

Another Friend in the Window Well

Not long ago we noticed a friend in the window well. We were 'blessed' enough to have another just a few days later. 

A small red eared slider.  Oooooh, yes, a turtle every my girl's dream.  I took pictures as she grabbed it (remember she grabbed a SNAKE for crying out loud!!) and she got scratched and freaked out.  I warned her but she dropped it but wanted to try again.  We talked about how to do it and even though the claws may touch her it won't actually hurt her.  She dropped it again.  Done.  The turtle was pissed and I was a close second.  We stress being kind to living things around here.  I treated the dead red eared slider in the middle of the road with more kindness than she was giving this one.





Let's just not pick it up.  She wanted to cuddle that thing so bad I could barely hold her back.
Little did we know we should have saved the name Fasty for this little guy (or gal).  We could barely catch it in a box from our recyling bin.  It had its gummed mouth wide open ready for attack.

Mark handled it and released it into its natural habit.  We were all relieved.

Everyday I check that window well and I'm so happy when I only see leaves.

A Fire the House

Did I make you nervus with that title?  Thought Christian got hold of a lighter, did you?  Nope, we tested him with all of them to make sure he's not acutally capable.  True story.

Last week our reading theme was camping.  We made fires out of pretzels, teddy grahams, cheese whiz and candy corn.  We had a blast at school doing it after we read The Bearenstein Bears Go to Camp.  In the story they have wheelbarrow races.  We went outside and did that as well and they totally loved it.

I decided to make the fires at home too for an after school snack.

Clearly I interrupted bike riding - or he's so hungry he didn't care he wore a helmet the whole time - either way that is funny!

Then we have Fashionista who pauses eating and smiles when she sees the camera.






One of my job's perks is bringing the ideas home and I love it -
so do they!