My sister-in-law, Stacie, called Friday afternoon to see if I would join her in flying down the slopes at one of the local ski/snowboard places while she was home over the weekend. I selected that evening as my preferred day. So once Jake arrived home from work, we loaded up the munchkins, my board, boots & cold weather attire and headed for Jake’s parents’ house. The boys played with Grandma and Jake & his dad worked on the prep for DSL installation while Stacie and I spent a few hours in the cold. The weather was actually perfect for snowboarding, as was the snow. I was actually surprised there was still snow left on the slopes of the runs because of the large population of middle schoolers that had taken over the place. Thankfully, we arrived late so the swarms of teenagers were eventually called to their buses and we had about an hour at the end of the evening where we didn’t need to constantly be looking out for other riders & skiiers. Once again, I’m happy to say I didn’t hurt myself, nor did I forget how to ride my board. I was reminded however, that I would like to find myself new snowboard boots. If only I would remember that at the start of the season.
Sunday afternoon, after the kids took much needed naps, we headed to Jake’s parents’ house to celebrate Christmas. Unfortunately, Stacie wasn’t able to join in the fun – she was studying for finals. We played a little Mexican Train, watched football, had a great ham dinner complete with cheesy potatoes & orange jello salad, and of course, opened presents. The boys were very excited to help pass out the wrapped surprises and open them 🙂 I think they assisted everyone in opening at least one gift. After the wrapping paper was picked up, we snacked on all sorts of sweets – ice cream, fudge, chocolate crinkles and dipped pretzels just to name a few. The boys were more than happy to sample just about everything they could talk someone into giving them (or sneak!)
Jake stayed home this morning to avoid the traffic mess caused by the recent snow storm. I was able to take Nolan to preschool without getting two kids bundled up and loaded into car seats. It was a treat! I’m amazed at how much faster I can maneuver when I’m only toting along one kid. I wonder if I’d think the same thing if we had 3 and I only had to keep track of 2. I digress…
Lincoln wasn’t very happy about being left at home this morning. He’s used to going everywhere Nolan and I go, especially to school. In order to get him to think about something other than missing his brother, I had him help break the candy canes for on top of the peppermint fudge I made. It was the perfect job for a little boy! And just in case you’re wondering how it turned out, the fudge is DELICIOUS!
Tonight as we were watching the boys play in the fort that is currently taking up half of the living room, Jake gave me a zerbert. The boys found this extremely humorous and quickly tackled me so they, too, could zerbert me. (Lincoln attempted his with his bink still in his mouth :)) Only a mom could be blessed to receive “I love you’s” in the form of something that sounds like a fart. I can honestly say I have the best job ever. I love my house of boys!
My view of birthdays changed a few years ago. I’ve reached a point where I really don’t keep track of how old I am, but still enjoy having a birthday. (As I’ve mentioned before, I love cake! Especially birthday cake!) I’ve come to realize that once you’ve hit the “milestone birthdays” – 16 (driver’s license); 18 (voting); 21 (legal consumption); 25 (insurance rates go down) you don’t need to necessarily make as big of a deal about your specific age. Birthdays become more about celebrating with family & friends and reflecting back on the year God has given you, with thanksgiving.
Today, I’m specifically thankful for the disappearance of the migraine that plagued me most of the day today. I was hoping to get out of the house with the boys this morning, but instead, laid on Nolan’s bed while the kids played in their room. We only had one casualty in the form of the barnyard lamp that was on their dresser. Jake came home at lunch armed with Tylenol and a Coke so I could try and combat the pain while resting. It seemed to work. When I woke from my nap 3 1/2 hours later, most of the migraine was gone. Unfortunately, so was most of the day. But we made the most of the few hours we had left before the boys went to bed. The kids had been waiting since Saturday to give me the presents they wrapped, so I had them help me open them . Before I could open my 3rd gift, Nolan said, “It’s an iPod!” He actually slipped up and mentioned something about it a while ago, but I had forgotten until that moment. He was SO excited for me to remove it from its packaging. I think it’s crazy how at 3 1/2 he knows what an iPod is. Maybe I should have him teach me how to use it.
After we opened presents, we had dinner as a family and had birthday cake again. Thanks, Larissa! Nolan even sang the Happy Birthday song to me 🙂 Here’s to another year of good times with family & friends!
In honor of Grandparents’ Day, the preschoolers invited their special loved ones to come to school and enjoy cookies together. Nana & Papa and Grandma were all able to join Nolan for the special event. Afterwards, we all went out for lunch at Paninos. Yum! Once Nolan and I returned home and put Lincoln down for his nap, we headed outside for yet another beautiful afternoon. I really wish the weather would stay as nice as it has been for at least another week. We’re hoping to participate in the Turkey Day 5K and warmer temps would be preferable, especially since Jake and his mom are planning on walking with the boys (they’ll be in wheeled vehicles) and I’ve never ran (or walked) a 5K event before.
Tonight I spent a few hours at my parents house going through old pictures. My friend Michelle is organizing a scrapbooking/craft weekend and I am hoping to get a start on a book of engagement & wedding pictures. I had a lot of fun remembering the different things we did to get ready for 10/18/02 as I flipped through package upon package of photos. Little did I know just how many pictures my mom was able to take during the 11 month time period . I’ve really got my work cut out for me. It should be fun!
Sometimes I just need a good cry. I’m not sure what triggered it tonight, but there was no stopping it. Maybe it’s lack of good sleep, or that I’m frustrated my house isn’t organized, or that the laundry pile never seems to get any smaller, or that I just don’t have any more to give today. Maybe it’s none of those things and I just needed a good cleansing of my tear ducts. Whatever it is, it got me thinking. I believe that shedding tears is good for the soul. I think letting go of what builds up inside you through those tiny drops can help give you a fresh perspective – not that they necessarily solve any problem specifically, but they often lead to a clearer understanding of what you need to do or where you need to be. Tonight, I think my tears have helped me realize just how much I need my sleep. I know it’s not earth-shattering, but I have been ignoring that need for most of the week. So at least for tonight, I’m going to be responsible and go to bed early. (Or at least earlier than usual.) Good night!
Just a little footnote. I actually started drafting this post in my head while locked in the bathroom letting my tears fall freely. I had to stop crying because I started laughing. As I tried to find a clean piece of paper to write down my thoughts, I quickly discovered that Nolan had filled 2/3 of the notepad on the counter with his drawings. I knew he used it to draw, but had no idea how extensive his artwork collection had become. My boys…they can make me smile even when they’re sleeping.
We’ve been using the fireplace in our porch quite a bit lately. It’s been warmer out there than most of the days in MN this past summer – 80, close to 90 degrees. It was the perfect temp for a coloring marathon. We spent several hours working on the oversized coloring pages. I even broke out my old box of 96 crayons. The kids loved the selection.
Nolan’s imagination continues to brighten my day. I gave the boys wooden spoons to play with while I was working in the kitchen. Nolan called for me to join them in the living room. They “roasted marshmallows” using their spoons as skewers over a pretend fire on the carpet. Nolan brought me an imaginary graham cracker, so Lincoln had to do the same. Then I received chocolate and another cracker from both of them. It was pretty cute.
We had game night at our house on Friday night. Larissa & Michelle joined us for Scrabble Slam, Buzzword & Mexican Train. Add the chicken, black bean & spinach dip I love to make (and the fireplace) and we had a fun time. 🙂
Saturday night we joined a few other members of Jake’s extended family to celebrate his cousin Sara’s birthday. On our way to the party, I mentioned I wanted a beverage from SA. Nolan then said from the backseat, “Mom, I’m going to get you a medium mocoa…And a Diet Coke for me.” Sounds like our kid has heard us order from the McDonald’s drive-thru a few times. Are we that predictable???
The boys had a lot of fun helping Sara open her gifts. At one point they were both jockeying for the prime seat next to her so they could see what she was opening. While we were there, Aunt Kristin came through for me in a big way. Nolan wants to be a pumpkin for Halloween and I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to dress him for the cold (and potentially wet) Halloween we will likely have. Kristin had a pumpkin costume in her basement that she made for one of her own kids. It’s great! And Nolan is so excited to wear it. He gets to wear his costume to school on Wednesday, so he’ll get to take it on a trial run before Saturday.
We’ve been working on what the kids need to say when they ring the doorbell on Halloween. The last time I asked Nolan what he should say he told me, “Can I have some candy, please?” What nice manners, huh? I’m guessing if he uses that, he could end up with extra candy pieces for being polite!
I went to visit my mom today. She had shoulder surgery on Friday morning. She’s recovering well, resting up, and doing her best to let her family take care of her. It’s nice to be able to return just a little bit of the kindness she has shown all of us over the years. While I was gone, Jake watched the boys plus our friends’ son. They boys always have such a great time with their friend. Breakfast for dinner was on tonight’s menu. Lincoln apparently wanted to eat like the big boys and use his fork tonight.
I gave myself more than 5 minutes on this one because of all I attempted to cover.
Friday night we had a Rody rodeo at the house. Jake gave Rody a little extra bounce and the boys loved it!
Our 7th anniversary was yesterday (10/18.) It’s hard to believe how fast the years have passed. I recently realized how close Jake and I are to having been together for 10 years – we started dating in 2000 when we were at the U. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be spending this crazy, fantastic life of marriage & kids with than my husband. For all of the ups and downs that life brings our way, he has been (and continues to be) a source of calm, strength, and consistency for me.
Saturday morning we were planning on bringing the boys to Jake’s parents’ house for the day so we could go on our anniversary date – a day early. Jason, (Jake’s brother) called and offered us his Ford Mustang for the day, so we altered our plans a bit and exchanged cars and transferred kids at his house instead. I didn’t know where we were going until we left our house. All I knew was the attire for our date. It was great to be surprised!
Short side story. My mom and I had the most successful 10 minute shopping trip on Friday night. I didn’t have anything fall-ish to wear on Saturday, so my mom agreed to meet me to do a little shopping. On my way to Maple Grove, she called and suggested we try Nordstrom Rack. When we arrived, it was 10 minutes until they closed. We hustled in, found a couple of dresses to try on, found one, scooted over to the shoes, and successfully found a great pair of red heels. Love them! Not too bad for a “let’s just see what they have” stop.
Back to Saturday. Once we picked up the Mustang, we headed east on 94 and traveled various small highways up through Wisconsin to St. Croix Falls. We had lunch at a fantastic restaurant called Grecco’s on the St. Croix. The place is quaint and has an intimate feel. We sat near the fireplace, which was great because if you know me, I’m always a bit cold. We ordered an appetizer and each chose the herb crusted walleye for our main dish. To our surprise, the host came over a short time later with a different appetizer, Ahi Tuna, “compliments of the chef.” I had never eaten pan seared tuna until Saturday. It was delicious! In fact, every part of our dining experience was amazing. We plan on returning and would highly recommend Grecco’s – it’s worth the drive to St. Croix Falls!
We drove back to Jake’s parents’ place through Minnesota. It was such a beautiful day and the leaves still had some color. We stopped in Afton and got an ice cream cone (my 2nd dessert of the day) and then finally arrived back in Hastings. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching football (poor Gophers :(), letting the boys and dogs run off energy (and ride) outside, and finally having dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, the boys, Larissa, Jason & his girlfriend B. It was a nice way to end the fun day Jake and I shared together.
Our actual anniversary was pretty laid back, which was ok with us. We went to mass in the morning, came home and had donuts – Nolan’s favorite 🙂 and then watched the Vikings game. Jake also worked on a few things around the outside of the house since the weather was so beautiful! Later in the evening, my mom came over and watched the boys so we could go to a movie. Neither of us would recommend seeing Where the Wild Things Are. Unfortunately, it was a depressing movie with no real plot. I’m glad I know the book is good because had I not read it before, I don’t think I’d even pick it up. It seems we’re 0 for 2 lately with picking movies to watch at the theater. We seem to do better with our picks from RedBox. Plus, in my opinion, it’s way more comfortable to watch a movie at home. I’m guessing we won’t be hitting the theater again for a while – unless someone can recommend a really good flick for us to see.
Today was business as usual. Nolan went to school and Lincoln and I headed to the gym. I feel so much better when I get a workout in in the morning. After school, we came home for lunch and then everyone took a much needed nap. We spent the afternoon outside – took a walk, played with chalk, and took “cheesy” pictures with the bale of hay we received from the local volleyball boosters we supported.
Jake and I had a rare opportunity to go downtown on Friday night to celebrate with a friend of mine who just passed the bar exam. The 4 people I knew who recently took the bar all passed. Anyone need a lawyer? While we were at The Local, the boys went with their grandparents to Auntie Larissa’s place to go swimming. I think we have a couple of little fish on our hands. They really do love the water.
Saturday morning instead of waking up to frost on the pumpkin, we woke up to SNOW on the pumpkin! The kids were ecstatic! Nolan immediately started talking about skiing, snowballs, and sledding. He’s just a little bit more excited than I am about the white stuff, but I do enjoy seeing the twinkle in his eye as he thinks about the upcoming winter months.
It’s been nice getting back out with the rest of the world after living in seclusion last week. I feel like we had a week full of Saturdays – wearing pj’s all day and napping in the afternoon. Starting tomorrow, it’s back to preschool and workouts at the gym. Oh, and apparently more snow.
