Some recent pics.

These are in the opposite order than I wanted.  But I don't have the patience to rearrange them.  So here we go, from most recent to the beginning of summer, basically, but not totally in order.

Sun kissed kids, loving their dog.

Learning to play games on the computer.

Laying on the beach in Duluth.

Loving new Legos.

Pretty pink hair!

My handsome guys.

Fishing with Grandad at Lily Lake on a windy cold day.

Lake Superior with Grandma Nan.

It's July... Whoa.

In March the kids and I made a trip to the pet store in hopes of getting some cute fishies for our fish tank.  We came home with Ziggy, an adorably sweet brownish black and white rat!  We didn't even call Daddy to get the ok.  With all the sadness going on at the time, nearly losing my friend who had a great loss, I needed to splurge and do something a little crazy and a cute cuddly thing seemed just right.  It's something we'd talked about before, since I had rats growing up and loved them.  I was the one who wanted to hold out till the kids were older. I remember cleaning cages and it was NOT fun!  I'm happy to say that it's much easier at 30 than it was at 10.  LOL.  Ziggy is a year old and was already named.  Someone returned him and he had to be treated for a terrible case of mites.  He had scabs all over.  But, true to form, we can't resist a reject pet.  All of our creatures were wonky in one way or another when we adopted them.  And we love them.

In April when Gramma P was here we went to see Monsters VS Aliens in the theatre.  It was our first big screen movie all together as a family.  Last night we saw Ice Age 3 in 3D with Grandma Nan.  It was freakin' cool!  I want to see it again.  

In May, I read the Twilight series and really enjoyed them.  I've never read 4 books in a month before!  I know other people do it all the time, but I just don't read fast enough, and don't seem to find enough books that I'm THAT interested in to read that much.  But these were fantastic and fun.  I'm even reading the first book again because I just wasn't ready to move on and I've never read a book twice before either!  

Aubs is 3.  Holy moly.  She's turning into such a big - little girl.  I can't explain or pinpoint it, but a lot has changed in the last few months.  She's just, older.  She and Ty have been playing together so nicely as she's getting older.  It makes me so happy!  Her imagination is great and she uses a high pitched voice to play with her princesses and kitties.  She sings and hums in the car or while playing alone.  I adore it.  I'm definitely feeling a kindred sister spirit with her.  Having a girl is very different when you're a girl.   Aubree got her ears pierced about 2 weeks ago.  It's so frickin' cute!  She was such a trooper, she didn't shed a single tear.  She has gorgeous pink jeweled flower earrings.  SO much cooler than when I got it done!  She lets me clean them several times a day and never complains, except when I drip the cleaning solution on her.  

Ty and Aubree are taking Summer Spanish at Valley Preschool and are both super excited to do it and to get to go together.  Aubree's had no issues with being at the school and I think this is a great introduction for Preschool in the fall w/out Ty.  The teacher says Ty is the most wonderful helper ever.  She just can't get enough of him!  I'm so proud of him and the boy he is becoming.  During the school year I had several of the preschool girls moms tell me that Ty is one of the, or THE nicest boy at school.  Ah, my heart could just bust right open!   And here I am sitting at home worried about how bossy he is.  I guess as long as he's wonderful out in the world he can let all the crazies out at home and I can be happy.  LOL  I'm so excited for him to start Kindergarten because I know how much he's going to love it and, of course, I'm sad too.  This is a huge change in our world and I don't know how it will effect the time I get to spend with him.  That's a worry for another day..

Ty has lost TWO teeth!  In less than 2 weeks time!  Holy moly, again.  I've got some big kids here.  Yesterday we drove by Washington park, the park we go to most often, and I realized that someday I will not have little park aged kids.  I think my heart skipped a beat.  I can not imagine life past parks.  Must move on now or I'll give myself an anxiety attack!   ... Ty had loose teeth for a month or more and at first he was totally NOT into wiggling them.  For some reason I was seriously excited about the wiggly teeth.  Maybe because it's the first thing that he and I could 'share'.  As in, I remember wiggling and losing teeth and so will he.  Finally after much prompting, he was wiggling teeth while riding in the car and watching tv.  The first one came out at the grocery store with Dad.  I was so excited for him!  I think Ty bonked his mouth on the shopping cart and that helped the little sucker out.  Then a week and a half or so later when the other tooth was seriously loose I took a look at it and saw that there was a big gaping hole under it - it was SO ready to be out!  So I told Ty if he could get it out that day I'd give him a Sunkist soda... : )  He informed me that he'd rather have a Diet Coke w/ Lime like I drink...  the kind we don't let him have because of caffeine!  I told him if he yanked it out before Aubree woke up from her nap (so she didn't harass me for a soda too) then he could have one.  5 to 10 minutes later that puppy was out!  Again, Mom was overjoyed and overexcited, screeching and squealing they way I do.  LOL  And he thoroughly enjoyed gulping down that soda.  Since I am 'the tooth fairy' I know exactly what 'she' gave Ty.  5 quarters for the first tooth and 4 for the second.  He grabbed his goods and put them in his piggy bank with out ever mentioning it to anyone.  When I asked him what he got he informed me that the tooth fairy gave him 4 silver dollars - both times!  The second time I even showed him a quarter and asked if it was 'like this?' - nope, it was a silver dollar, which I'm pretty sure he's never seen.  LMAO, I love it.  

Spring fever.

Let's just say, the lack of blogging has to do with spring fever and lots of time spent playing outside.  And, sometimes blogging gets hard.  Some how regurgitating a bunch of emotional things, good and bad, is hard to do at times.  At other time I really like it.

In March, one of my closest girlfriends here in MN lost her baby girl.  She was nearly half way through the pregnancy.  There were complications during the ordeal and they ended up having to take her uterus due to the amount of blood she was losing.  And that's putting it nicely.  She went through 3 entire people's worth of blood.  She nearly didn't make it.  Needless to say, this was hard on everyone.  It's 3 months later and I still get teary eyed about it.  Ty and Aubree both knew our friend was supposed to have a baby and we talked about how her belly was growing.  So now they know that the baby came too soon and didn't make it.  It comes up a lot.  Part of me likes that they know that life isn't peaches and cream all the time, even if they don't get the depth of the pain.  That's life.  I'm sure my little summary doesn't let on how awful this all was, but I'm really not up for writing a novel about it, which I could, it was very bad.  Very sad. 

I have lots to catch up on, but I just can't start writing about it after what I just wrote.  So I'm going to have a moment of silence in memory and honor of the sweet baby girl who we're all sad we didn't get to know.

This morning and just now.

Aubree:  Where we going to?

Me: Nowhere

Aubree: Yeees-where!

----------------------------------------------------

Ty:  Mom, I love you.  I love you more than any other kid has ever loved their mom.  I love you even more than you love me.  I love you more than..... 

on and on and on he went.  He does this a lot.  : )

Mish Mash

Aubree puts her own shoes on, and she sings in the car.  Ty has loose teeth!  For about a month now, but he's not too into wiggling them.  Ty will be starting T-ball this month.  He went to baseball practice with Dad today and can't wait for his turn to play.  He's been pretty emotional lately and nearly cried when he found out it wasn't time for him to play yet.  Both kids have been taking gymnastics and are having a good time.  This is Aubree's 2nd session and the class is much smaller - like, her and one other girl.  She is way more open to trying new things in this environment.  On that note, she is finally singing/doing the Hello song at ECFE!!!    She's starting to come out of her shell.  : )  Both of the kids will be doing summer Spanish at Valley Preschool and can not wait for it to start.  Aubree's been talking about her birthday in May since Ty's bday in Jan. and that she's going to have a purple cake.  I think it's about time to figure out how to make a purple cake!!  While the boys were at baseball practice today Aubs and I went CRAFTSTRAVAGANZA.  It was so much nicer than last year.  Last year was so cold and dreary and, well, frozen!  Ick.

The kids had their first 'sleep over' in Aubree's room while Gramma P was in town on her Spring Break a few weeks ago.  I figured it was a good time to try it while I had back up in case the next day was miserable because of over-tired kids!  It's not like they've asked a lot before, but the subject had come up of sleeping over at Leah and Owens house a while back.  We said yes, someday.  But it hasn't happened yet.  I was really impressed, they did very well.  They fell asleep much faster than I had expected.  I think being tuckered out from Gramma's visit was key.  Last night they gave it another shot, this time in Ty's room.  They were a bit louder and took longer to go to bed, more like I expected.  Still over all, they did pretty good again.  But today, we have some tired kids!

 

Hats for Ty

Ok, I admit, that's not a hat, but it's Ty's and it's cute, so there it is!

Look at him in all his Mommy-made-it goodness.  I am trying to soak this up while it lasts.  I'm sure before I know it he'll be telling me how lame I am and not wanting anything that his mom made.  
I super love this hat.  And I super love that he loves it cuz it's so stinkin' cute I would have been super sad if he didn't like it.  But he requested it after I made a similar one for a friends toddler.  He calls it his alien hat.  Awesome

Just a pic of something I can do, that I never thought I'd be able to do.  Knit!  And on multiple double pointed needles no less!  Yes, I will pat myself on the back, thank you.

OMG, it's Shrek!  This one was super fun and super fast.

Yo

Hair:  still good and you can sort of see the cute bobby pins I got on Etsy (of course).  I've been very artsy handmade etsy fabulous lately with my handmade bobby pins and my handmade earrings and my handmade purse and my self handmade hat and scarf.  It pretty much rocks.

That there is just pure good.  Joy, elation, how can that sweet girl not melt your heart?

Paartay in K-town!

One of the best little boys ever!  Sailor is so much fun to have over, and he picks up knitting.... oh boy.

Hey, I actually like this picture, and I'm in it!  I really like my mini-me, even if she's nothing like me. 

Behind closed doors

Every night from behind Aubree's closed bedroom door after all of the good night rituals have been done, we hear "Hey, hey kids, I have to go pee (or I'm hungry or whatever).........  Hey kiiiiiiiids."  LOL  'Hey kids', where do they get this stuff?  It makes me smile every time.  She used to call for 'parents', I liked that one too.  

I picked up Daddy at the airport

With my fun new hair do!  And he loved it.  : )

Brain Fart

There are so many things I want to report, and as soon as I sit down I can't think of a thing.  I need a better system.  I've got to get a list going or something.  

Daddy's on a business trip in Denver and gets to visit with Auntie Dev.  We're about half way through and things are going pretty well.   We took a trip to Michael's craft store and got some coloring books and other goodies.  We played Candyland.  Went to an indoor playground, and ordered pizza for dinner and watched an Elmo movie - Elmo in grouchland or something.  Daddy comes home Wed. night around bedtime.  We all can't wait to see him.

Ty is seriously amazing.  We're driving in the car the other day and he says 'Hey mom!  Three, four times is twelve!'  Holy crap, what?  A few days later in the car he says 'Mom, 5 four times is 21.'  And in shock and amazement I let him know that he was so close, it's 20.  But Dang!  He's only been 5 for a few weeks and already teaching himself multiplication.  Whoa.  He's too smart for me now, what am I going to do when he's in middle school?  

Aubree's been cuter and whinier than ever.  I'm trying to work on some whining boot camp with her.  But I'm not sure I can outlast her.  Sigh  On a lighter note, we're going to gymnastics on Wed mornings after we drop Ty off at school.  She has such a good time doing the obstical course and jumping on the trampoline with me and jumping in the foam pit with Owen!  She's so happy to have something to do while Ty's at school.  

She's Crafty

"She's crafty, she's just my type"  The Beastie Boys

And Daddy.  I'm so happy that Daddy like my craftiness, even if it's not exactly the kind of crafty the Beasties were talking about.   Although, that's got some truth to it too.  I'm proud to say that I finished my 2nd knitting project!  Surprisingly, it's the first thing I've made just for Daddy.  And he loves it.  

And, my kids rock because they love handmade toys.  I'm not sure that it'll last forever, but for now, it melts my heart.  They like having a crafty Mama and ask me to make them things all the time.

Ready, Set.. BLOG!

I finally started knitting!  Auntie Dev taught me several years ago and I got about half way through a scarf and hit a dead end.  I am so much better at crocheting that it was hard to want to keep going.  I still have that half knit scarf somewhere in the craft room.  Krisha decided she had done all the crocheting she could stand and taught herself to knit a few months ago.  I have always loved the diversity in design that's available in knitting and I could no longer resist.  So I grabbed some yarn and some needles and headed over for a play date/knitting lesson.  To my surprise, I picked it up pretty easily.  I started again with a scarf, but this time with easier yarn and yarn that I was excited about....  I still fizzled out.  I just got board going back and forth row after row.  And again, I can crochet without hardly thinking about it.  But training my hands and brain to knit doesn't work so well if I'm board.  Anyway, I decided to do a hat, on circular needles and I loved it!  It was fun.  I lost count, I made mistakes, my gauge was all over the map, I nearly lost stitches, I think I added a stitch somewhere along the way and in the end I still had a slouchy swirl hat like intended.  Wooooo Hoo!

The kids had a BLAST eating the ginger bread house.  I'm not sure how good it was, but I guess as long as it's cram-packed with sugar they don't care!  We are still loving the new van.  It's a little bit weird to be so in love with something you thought you'd never want.  But it feels totally natural and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Ty is getting to be such a big boy.  He's kinda tall and skinny and his feet are huge!  He is getting to be a really good helper.  I love how much he is starting to love cleaning up at the end of the day.  Not always, of course, but he like the routine and enjoys feeling useful and accomplished.  I wish I facilitated more of that for him.  Good thing we have Daddy!  Thursday night we went to Kindergarten Sneak Peek at Lily Lake Elementary where our kids will attend.  It was exciting and nerve wracking.  There will be an orientation later in the spring.  This was more of an introduction to the school.  We got a brief peek at the Kindy teachers and then had a chance to hang out in each of the 4 Kindy rooms.  We checked out the library, which was huge!  And poked our heads in the music room.  Several of the rooms had dinosaur figures to play with and that is mostly what Ty spent his time doing - anyone surprised?  Not a chance.  But one of the rooms had a whole shelf of dino books.  He sat very happily reading for quite some time and was not pleased when it was time to move on.  Which makes me smile.  My favorite part was sending him to check out the boys bathroom all by himself!  Most of his big boy toilet experience has been with mom in the women's restroom.  So as we passed the bathrooms I excitedly told him that this one was for boys only and mom couldn't come and he should check it out!  The door was propped open so I could peek in - with no other kids of course.  It was nice and small with one stall and two urinals, and the hand washing station was out  in front in a very cool set up.  I circular basin with a pedal to turn on the water that spouted out of the center like a sprinkler!  Anyway, I'm sure that's enough about that.  Ty had a good time and was really bummed the next day when he wasn't going to Kindergarten.  Poor guy has a long way to go yet.

Aubree seems to have mastered her potty training and is very proud of herself.  She will easily use a big potty when we're out and about, but still like the little one at home.  I think it's more comfortable and it's her very own.  She and Owen are getting to be good buddies as they get older and have some time together without the older siblings.  It's so much fun to watch them play.  That reminds me that Ty and Aubree have been playing together really well lately too.  It rocks!  I love it when they enjoy each other, it's the stuff dreams are made of.  Aubree and I went to Valley Preschools open house last Saturday.  I wanted to take her so she could explore the rooms all on her own.  I'm sure we could pop in any day Ty's at school and have a look around, but it's not the same thing.  She's excited to get to start preschool this fall.  She asks every day if it's her day to go to class (ECFE).  I know she's dying to do more, so we're going to look into finding a dance or gymnastics class for her soon.  I think most things start at 3 years like swimming and I think karate does.... Anyway, Aubree and Owen will be going to preschool together and she already knows or at least has met many of the other children that will be in her class too.  

It is SUPER warm today, 39 degrees so I think after naps we are going to spend the rest of the afternoon outside.  Daddy and the kids went swimming before lunch today.  Have I mentioned how much our kids love to swim?  They seriously love it and it makes me proud.  

Holy Intense Weather Batman!

8am
-23F degrees

Yikes!

I can not believe I'm actually going to leave the house.  Ty has preschool, Aubree has ECFE, which she loves and will be totally upset if we miss.  Then after we go home for an hour, we have to go pick up Ty.  This afternoon is Tys 5 year pre-K check up and Kindergarten sneak peek tonight.......

Breaking news - the phone just rang and it's Krisha letting me know that all Stillwater schools are closed!  No ECFE since that is school related.  Well, we're going to bundle up and run over there for a morning of fleece clothes and coffee.

Later!

January's Off To A Good Start

I mentioned before that I was starting the South Beach diet a few months back.  We've done really well, Daddy and I.  I am proud to be back to eating healthier and setting a better example for our kids.  It's been an off year with getting settled into a new life again.  But we're back!  Eating well and managing money are big on my list this year.  Anyway, I am so glad to have Dad's support in this, there is no way I could have done it without him.  He did ALL the cooking for phase 1, and if he hadn't I would have quit.  No question about it!  We did 2.5 weeks on phase one and I finally didn't feel like I was going to split the seams of my pants.  Phase 2 is much easier and feels like something I could do long term.  I haven't eaten real ice cream in about 3 months now and I don't plan on going back - well, until Nelsons opens!   I even made it through the holidays without too much back tracking.  I lost 12 pounds total and maybe put one back on.  I am happy with that.  Now I have to get back on track now that Ty's Birthday party is over.  Not sure I'm up for the whole phase one deal again though...

Daddy took a bunch of time off of work at the end of 08.  It was so nice to have him home.  He's been working hard to organize the unfinished side of the basement, so that someday we can build rooms and things down there.  Also while Daddy was home, he decided it was time that Aubree got potty trained!  I was not convinced that she would be a willing participant and had decided that it was not worth my trouble to fight with her.  But, a different parent, different relationship, I figured it could work.  And if he wanted to try I sure wasn't going to stop him.  Much to my surprise, it took!!  Even after the first week of 'training' I thought it was too stressful and she'd give up.  But after a few more days she really got the hang of it.  She is so very proud of herself.  It's been 2.5 weeks since we first started and she's wearing undies every day and is doing GREAT!  After Daddy's time off, potty training and the Gramma's visits, it's nice to get back to our normal routine.  I really love our pajama Mondays.  

Last week I got to have a girls night out with my 3 best friends here in MN.  Melissa's birthday was on New Years Eve and we all went out to a fabulous restaurant in downtown Stillwater called Stones, I think.  We all put on real people clothes, and make up and did our hair and put smell good on.  The girl all wore black boots - a must have for going out in the winter in Mn, which of course I don't have.  I'm sure I've had a pair in the past, but I'm not sure what became of them.  Melissa's boots even had stiletto heels.  We were a good lookin' bunch.  We all either split dishes or got just appetizers to keep the bill down, in true Mom fashion.  We had the most wonderfully yummy dessert I've had in a very long time.  (I obviously didn't stick to my diet on this outing.)  It was like a brownie with chocolate ganache (sp?) wrapped up like a pastry with chocolate drizzle and real vanilla ice cream on top.  And whatever you're thinking, it was better. 

 We were done before 7pm and couldn't think of a thing to do that wouldn't cost a fortune.  Movies are long and expensive and no one really drinks so a bar is out.  We are so awesome, we went to Target!!  Yippeeeeee.  I needed a few things, and Target is a whole different experience when your kids are at home with Dad.  We still had a good time even at Target.  I'm so grateful for my girlfriends.  It's been a long time since I've had good friends and my life is much happier with them in it.

Ty's Birthday party was yesterday.  It went really well, we had Tucker, Jake and Katie, Dylan and Lauren, Leah and Owen, Sailor and Allie from Preschool.  Daddy made amazing snacks for everyone.  And Ty and I spent the previous night cooking up some BLUE cake that we frosted just before the party.  Two years ago he really wanted a blue cake and when I asked the store if they could do it, to my surprise, they said no!  I finally feel like life has calmed down enough that I was ready to try and make him a cake.  I thought I would always make my kids' cake, but my first try before Ty's first birthday wasn't very impressive.  I'm sure my standards have lowered since then, but I think that's a good thing.  I stress too much.  So, I was super excited to finally give Ty his blue cake.   It was 2 layers.  The bottom one was dark bright blue then a layer of white frosting and a layer of light blue cake.  Then blue frosting, for water, and chocolate for land.  Then we put a shark in the water with a creepy skeleton pirate dude riding him, and a treasure chest on the shore guarded by a saber tooth cat and a pirate and some other cool stuff.  At the party the kids ran around and squealed batting pirate balloons around the basement.  Ty raced through presents faster and more excitedly than anyone had ever seen before.  He shrieked with excitement and screamed thank you at people around him.  And let me tell you he got some amazing gifts.  We will be practicing his writing for thank you notes to all his great friends. 

Happy New Year

New year.  Such a big topic.  So many things to think about.  Where to start?

I, -- Daddy and I look forward to spending another year in the same location.  We are very happy to look forward to doing a bunch of the same old thing this coming year.  The same, but better because we won't be new to our surroundings.  I look forward to hanging out with friends doing crafty things, going to the Children's Museum, and Ikea during the rest of the winter months.  

We're getting ready for Ty's birthday, his FIFTH birthday.  Holy crap.  I think about the fact that he'll be going to kindergarten soon, every week.  I think he grew like, 20 inches last month.  Now if only he'd wipe his own butt well.  Ha!  It feels to me like kindergarten and 5th grade may as well be the same thing.  Somehow it's the undeniable signal that he's going to grow up.  It feels like once I send him to school, he'll never be mine again.  I'm not sure I'm ready to be a real grown up parent....

Then looking forward to spring - gorgeous green popping up everywhere, the opening of Nelson's Ice Cream, camping in the new tent Daddy got for christmas.  

Aubree will be turning three.  She is working pretty good on potty training right now.  I don't know if it will happen just yet, but she's making really good progress in awareness.  She's been walking around with a bare butt for 5 or 6 days and we've only had a few accidents.  We used a timer at first, until she got used to sitting on the potty.  Now that she's comfortable with it we're not doing the timer.  And she sits on it herself and goes!  It does seem that some days she's holding it until she gets her diaper on at nap time.  And if we have to go out and we put a diaper on her then she uses it.  I am very pleased with her progress.  I can't believe she's growing up too.  She's not really a toddler anymore, she's more of a preschooler now.  We've officially moved out of the baby phase into little kid land.

This fall as Ty goes off to full day kindergarten 5 days a week, Aubree will start preschool 2 days.  I can't even imagine what that'll be like.  I feel like I'm getting too far ahead of myself!  I'm just thrilled to do more of the same things that we did last year again this year.  I hope to not make too many major changes.  

My Etsy store Blue Star Butterflies  has started to do well.  I've made regular sales this holiday season and I'm having so much fun!  I love what I'm making and I absolutely love that other people are enjoying what I'm making!  I hope that this enjoyment makes me a happier person and a better mom and wife.  In true mom form, my brain is getting jumbled with the large topic I'm trying to wrangle so I feel that I should call it good.  I'm just doing a lot of smiling and daydreaming about our life and how it will unfold...