Happy Anniversary!

Five years... how has it been five years?  I cannot believe that 5 years ago, today, Marc and I tied the knot!  What a wonderful, spectacular and perfect day we had with all of our family and friends surrounding us! 

And five years later, we're now this:

What a great life we have!  Thank you for loving me for who I am!  I love you just as much today, if not more, than I did 5 years ago!

Happy Birthday Reggie!

Happy 7th Birthday Reggie!  I can hardly believe you have been in our lives for 7 years... 

Unfortunately Reggie hasn't had the best birthday.  We're not exactly sure what happened, but somehow while outside he ripped his nail.  Marc didn't realize it before heading out to PetSmart with the girls today and when he got home... there was a little surprise all over the living room floor.  BLOOD.  (after putting out a frantic FaceBook status, I learned that club soda or peroxide will pull the blood out... it works.  Thank goodness, not sure what we would have done otherwise).

After a bit of investigation, he realized that Reggie ripped his nail.  He was able to wrap it, and work on cleaning carpets.  When I got home from work, I got him over to the vet.

Tomorrow, Reggie needs to be put under to have the nail cut and repaired, as they have to go all the way down to where the nail begins.  He will spend the day at the vet and spend the weekend at home recooperating.

And us... this is Reggie's most expensive birthday present ever!  We're talking the tune of close to $600.  OUCH!  Bad timing, but it's part of our responsibility as pet owners.   

Anyways, happy birthday buddy.  We sure are glad you are part of our family!

And a trip to Chi-town

Back in November Southwest ran a 24 hour special... $25 one-way flights.  Something I couldn't pass up, so we booked a girls weekend to Chicago to visit the B relatives. 

Friday- what a LONG day.  It was a long emotional week with the daycare situation and my body finally gave out overnight Thursday and I acquired the 'crud' that everybody had gotten.  Body aches, that scratchy cough, plugged ears and a stuffy nose.  Not the way I wanted to get onto an airplane, but we had to do it.  We were delayed because the plane we were waiting for got stuck in the air due to fog.  Thank goodness the girls have traveled so many times, that I don't have to worry about them very often on airplane trips.  Nece is a little pro... she knows that shoes, backpack, jacket, etc go into the bucket and that she has to walk through the machine.  We arrived safe and sound... I think it took me less than 15 minutes to get my jammies on for the night and relax.

Saturday- Nece went to Disney on Ice with Auntie Cindy and Uncle Marc.  From what I was told, she was very overwhelmed for the 1st half, but thoroughly enjoyed herself.  Franny got some one on one time with uncle Timmy and the grandparents.  And me, I got some quiet time to myself and went shopping ALL ALONE! 

Sunday- Nece and Franny got to spend the afternoon with Uncle Tim and Celina.  From all accounts, they had fun, even though there was an issue when going on a train ride.  I guess there was a little boy that was a brute.  Tim shared a cute story that as they walked, Nece held Franny's hand.  So sweet, and how they love eachother.  That evening Uncle Marc and Auntie Cindy came over for dinner and to watch the Vikings game.  Vikes lost in OT... sad, sad day for us.  And me, I got an entire day with one of my best buddies from college!  Jen and I went shopping and just hung out!  Love, love, love that girl!  Thanks Jen for a fantastic and relaxing day!

Monday- Busy day.  Haircut for Nece, new school shoes for Nece, laundry, packing and onto the airplane back home. 

Pictures- there are none.  I didn't bring my big camera as I was doing airport travel on my own with the girls.  My intention was to buy a point-and-shoot on Saturday.  I never did that.  Hopefully pictures will be passed along!

Sick Nece, The I Extravaganza and Unexpected Change

What a busy couple weeks that we've had that were completely NOT expected!  Let's start with a sick Nece.  WOW, that came on fast 102+ fever from Friday morning a couple weeks ago that didn't break until mid-day Sunday.  We were supposed to head to the I gathering that weekend, but plans came unraveled very quickly.  Franny and I still made the day trip while Nece and daddy stayed home while she re-cooped.  A couple pictures of a sick Nece and our quick trip to the I extravaganza.

Remember the bell when I had the boob job?!?!  It was back again and Nece thought she was cool as a cat to have the bell.

And our trip to the Moose Lodge

 

The quick trip to the I extravaganza turned into a really fun afternoon/evening with Marc's siblings and relatives.  Franny and I ended up spending the night, hitting the town with the family and celebrating Tanner's birthday on Sunday!  We had a nice weekend.

 

And then a chaotic week began...

 

Marc and I had thought and talked about changing our daycare situation for quite some time.  The day Nece got sick was the day the wheels were put into motion and the decision was made to find a new situation sooner rather than later.  We wanted more structure for Nece as she's a little sponge right now and craving to learn.  After doing numerous phone interviews and visiting a few different places a decision was made.  To make it very clear, Sue's was the right place for us the past 3 years.  She provided a safe environment and truly cared for our girls.  It was an agonizing decision to make the change, and there continues to be uncertainty.  Once we see the girls transition and thrive, I know we'll be extremely happy we made the change, but until we see that... there continues to be apprehension. 

 

Almost as if the stars were aligning, we have the opportunity to take the girls to a center that was highly recommended by a friend of mine.  I've tried two other times and there have never been openings, and this time there is a family moving, so there is an opening in both the toddler and preschool room.  Lake Ridge is approximately 10 minutes from home and is a very small center within a church.  They have worked with us on a transition/part time plan for the month of February and the girls will begin full time in March.  We are very excited for the opportunity as the girls will have lots of kids their own ages to play with, there is daily outdoor/gym time, art projects, structure, but not too much structure and lots of other fun activities that an in-home daycare isn't able to provide!

 

Please continue to think of us over this next month as we adjust to a new budget, the girls adjust to a new place and we all adjust to an upheaval in our schedules!

A quiet January so far!

This is my lame attempt at getting caught up!  Since traveling so much over the holidays, we've had a very quiet start to 2010.  A couple of the highlights:

• December 31st... the girls were so ridiculously over-tired that we had them in bed by 8PM.  We were so ridiculously tired that we were asleep by 10:30!  Happy New Year!!
• Over the last four days before getting back to routine... Nece got dressed one time and that was on a day I made her run around with me to get a change of scenery.  Franny also got dressed one time and that was to give her a change of scenery.
• On Saturday, January 2nd... we got together with the neighbors for a couple hours to catch up the previous couple weeks!
• January 4th.. back to routine of work and Sue's.  I think the girls were kind of excited to get back into a routine, though they were exhausted
• Marc enjoyed the first week of January off and finally got back to work on January 12th!
• We have been in a DEEP FREEZE since the beginning of the year!  We have not gotten above 10 degrees above zero for days on end.  Dogs, kids and us are TIRED of being cooped up in this house!
• January 7th- we had an unexpected visit from Auntie Cindy.  She was here for work, once again weather didn't cooperate and her flight was cancelled!  We loved having her overnight.
• January 8th... I think I officially lost my mind and decided to take on a new project for 2010.  It's called Project 365- take at least one picture every day and journal it!  I think I will love having a journal of our 2010, but I do expect it to get difficult.  I'm excited to have made that one of my goals for this year.
• January 12th- it's official!  Marc and I are going to Mexico on February 27th!  Everything is paid for and flights are booked.  Start praying the weather cooperates as we drive to Chicago on February 26th with the kids and dogs in tow.

And what's coming in the next couple weeks

• This weekend, the I Gathering... Marc's moms side of the family gets together and puts on what they call the "I Extravaganza" every couple years.  We'll get to see out of town relatives from Alaska, California, Chicago, Dakota, and Phoenix!  A fun Saturday night with the cousins is planned and a mini-football party on Sunday to root on the Vikings!
• The weekend of January 23- back to Chicago for a long weekend!  Just us girls!  Super cheap flights that we had to take advantage of!

What are the girls doing:

• Nece... typical 3 1/2 year old.  Always bargaining to get just a little more.  I think the funniest thing I heard come out of her mouth in the last week was "Oh crap mom, the floor is wet.  I have to change my jammies."  And what did I think to myself as I turned away laughing, "Oh crap, I better watch my mouth... she said that totally in context."
• Franny... she is starting to talk a bit more.  Mom, Dad, night, done, hi.  I love her dearly, but sometimes, I just wish she'd be a bit more content to play by herself and NOT insist on being held.  And then the fit that happens when we put her down!
• The girls together- so fun to watch that bond grow stronger every single day.  That's NOT to say they don't fight.  Nece gets ticked and isn't very nice to her, but Franny definitely knows how to instigate!

Now...  I feel like I'm officially caught up!  Not as detailed as I had hoped, but we've really been pretty quiet the last couple weeks!  I have a couple little projects to get this blog updated and link my Project 365 online and it's time to begin getting everything in order for our big trip at the end of February!

The Holidays!

If I have to choose one word to describe our holiday season every year, it would be chaos!  Chaos doesn't have to be a bad thing, but chaos is chaos.

This year we were on the road for ONE week!  Our travels started on December 23rd headed to grandma and grandpa M's house!  Let's back up for a minute... this was a day early because the weather decided it wasn't going to cooperate this year.  So, with leaving a day early, it meant I lost a night to finish wrapping, getting organized, the house cleaned and everybody packed for a long week ahead.  Of course, I had everything figured out and planned, but it was very cold and we received a snow storm that rivaled a Christmas storm of 1945.  Snow begins on Weds night and doesn't really stop raining, snowing, sleeting, icing over and melting/refreezing until Saturday. 

Once at grandparent M's, we stayed put until Saturday... it was an odd year because of the weather.  Not everybody was able to get to their house on Christmas Eve because of the weather, but we did see everybody at one point or another. 

Saturday we packed up and drove to Chicago to Grandma and Grandpa B's house.  That, too was a long drive because once again the weather didn't cooperate.  Our family decided to celebrate Christmas on December 26, so we walked into the party.  Everybody was very excited to see us... we had a fantastic dinner, played the dice game and opened presents with Grandma B's side of the family!  Sunday was a very low-key day and I think everybody was happy to spend some time relaxing.

On Monday, the Bears and the Vikings played in Chicago.  I worked my magic (months and months ago) and got tickets for Marc and Tim.  Although the Vikings didn't win, the boys had a great time as it was a nail biter that went into overtime!  Happy birthday dad!  A very successful birthday present, if I must say so myself.  While the boys were at the game, Nece, Franny and I went to Auntie Cindy's house and hung out, ordered pizza, took showers, cleaned the bathroom, played the fishing game and enjoyed each others company!  Thanks Auntie Cindy for a fun filled, relaxing evening!

Tuesday, we hit Build a Bear and got daddy a birthday cake!  A nice dinner was had, hung out with the B family, did laundry, packed and got ready for a long car ride the next day!  Wednesday, we got on the road fairly early and headed back for our 7 hour drive.  A majority of that ride was crummy weather again.  Traveling in the winter months is for the birds!  Once we got home the girls were excited to see presents in the living room, just as Santa had promised!  Nece was very excited about her Barbie car and Camper.  Franny was very excited about her new baby and stroller!

Once again, running behind on posts, so it's pretty high level.  BUT gives us a record of what we did for the holidays December 2009!

Sledding!

Where in the heck does the time go?  Once again I'm behind, and haven't done a post since December 17.  I've had VERY good intentions of getting our sledding afternoon onto the blog, BUT, in my defense, life gets a bit crazy for us being that we have to travel over the holidays!

We live about 2 blocks off the state trail and there is a very good 'ravine' area.  This is where we take the dogs to run and blow off steam... it's also filled with a couple big hills.  Dad has been taking Nece there pretty much every weekend and sledding with her.  One afternoon in December (probably the weekend before the holidays) we bundled up Franny, I grabbed my camera, grabbed the dogs and went on a family winter adventure.

WOW!  That kid has FUN.  I will say that I was very surprised to see her do as well as she did, and go as far up the hill as she did! She likes to go by herself and with her dad.  And then she wanted to go with me.  Okay, let's roll.

Go ahead, ask Nece if she has fun sledding with mom.  I'm pretty sure she'll tell you 'nope, mom doesn't know how to stop.'  AND it's true.  I probably haven't been on a sled since I was maybe an early teenager... I don't know how to stop.  Obviously, it's not by putting your feet to the side and getting the snow spray all over your face, or should I say getting it ALL over your childs face.  She can stick with dad, and I will just take pictures.  (okay maybe not, I'll do it again... we only have a bazillion inches of snow, we just need this zero degree temps to go and warm up some).

We had a great time, and I'm sure we'll do it again, just as soon as that weather warms up to the point that it's semi-tolerable.  Some pics from our little outing: