Emily's Birthday

I think we're all done with having "parties" for the kids. Emily turned 8 today, and we had Abbie sleep over tonight. Bill and I decided that since the kitten was pretty much for her birthday, we weren't doing anything big, not to mention we aren't rich misers.

Abbie gave her a Littlest Pet Shop playset and some tic tacs. We had her pick out a couple small things at the store and of course she wanted more littlest pet shop stuff. If we ever decide to sell it all, we could make a killing!!

awwwww

I made them bring everything to Bill to open ;-)

Rosie-cat (as Jacob calls her)

Peanut girlie

Cake and ice cream after a gourmet meal of chicken nuggets, french fries, and bananas.

Nick stuffed himself.

Colorado Trip May 16-18, 2008

So this is how hardcore my family is (except mom) about baseball. My dad and I took a road trip to Colorado over the weekend to see the Twins play the Rockies. We started a tradition when I was 9 that involved going to one (or more) Major League baseball stadiums on vacation. At last count I think minor and major league combined were 18 or 19. I somehow managed to find sitters for the kids: Mom and Wayne took Nick, Jenni took Emily, and Chris and Brenda took Jacob. I was more worried about the sitters than I was the kids, heh. We left Friday around one (supposed to be at noon but they didn't have the rental car ready) On the way out there we stopped in Sioux Falls SD to see the Canaries play the Saints.

Me outside the Birdcage (I always think of the Robin Williams movie when I hear that!)

Our seats were RIGHT by the visitors dugout!!! :-D

I believe the Saints ended up losing, and we took off after the game. The plan was to drive until we got too tired to drive anymore, and pull into a rest area to sleep in the car. We stopped at a gas station maybe an hour after we set off, and while we were driving we could have swore it was raining. Turned out to be BUGS hitting the windshield and roof!! ICK!!! I took a picture when we stopped, the front of the car is covered. It was so gross and took me about 20 minutes to get even half of them off. I think we ended up stopping to sleep around 12:30ish, neither of us slept very well in the car, (I can't imagine why, dad is like 6' 4" tall) I dozed off and woke up around 4:30 when he started the car to keep driving.

We got to Denver on Saturday around 1 in the afternoon and decided to bomb around a bit before the gates opened at 4. They open 2 hrs before game time so you can watch batting practice. We went to the Hard Rock so dad could get his shot glass, and to McDonalds for shakes. It was very interesting b/c you needed a key for the bathroom. Guess they have primo toilet paper or something.

We finally get to Coors Field, and get in line to wait to go in. By the way, I was VERY excited about this night because the first 10,000 fans got a Rockies reusable grocery bags. I am all about reuseable grocery bags ;-) We were standing there trying to stay awake, and all of a sudden I see Lee and Alex Krueger from church!! Well they went there a while ago, and every once a while I run into them. That was hysterical. We chatted for a bit and when the gates opened we met up with them to watch BP. Only the left field stands were open at that time so it was easy to find someone.

I need this.

View from left field.

There are still more pics on a disk I'm waiting for dad to find. While we were watching BP I was right in front of JOE NATHAN playing catch. And then when we went to our seats (a few rows up from the Twins dugout) I was speechless watching Mauer and Morneau run by :-D It was a great trip. We bonded.

The summer is coming to an end.

We couldn't be happier.  Seriously though, I always say right before school is ending that it's going to be a long summer, but this one flew by too.  Could be due to the fact that I spent the first couple months of it nursing a jacked up ankle, which made it hard to go anywhere. I don't think I have watched so much day time tv!  I *am going to miss the kids when they go. I'll be a wreck when Jacob leaves, but luckily Jenni and I have a date to go out that morning kid free, so she'll be a good distraction!!! 

We're finally at the point where we're letting the kids go out and play by themselves, as long as other kids are out there. (I'm a paranoid mom) Emily taught herself to ride a two wheeler at Jenni's while I was in Colorado, so she loves going out and riding her bike. (Both of their bikes are a little small, but we'll wait until maybe Easter for new ones)  Nick, being his usual timid self,still has the training wheels on.  I told him next year it's 2 wheels or nothing. 

I had an interview today at the Southdale YMCA in the kids area.  I'll hear back by Monday after they determine whether or not I'm a criminal  ;-)   It'll be nice to be able to take the kids with me when I work, and if they don't need as much help during the school day, I could work the front desk or something.

Aaaannnndddddddd......................mom called me today to let me know that she will be taking me to the Twins game at the end of Sept for my birthday!! She won tickets through work, row 4 right behind the Twins bullpen and first base.  Swoon.   Thanks mom!!!!

Ok I'm off to eat my pizza  :-)

State High School Hockey Tournament 2008

The last time I went to the tourney was in 1998. I figured if Jerrod or Dad had an extra ticket, I wouldn't mind going. The first day of the tourney the afternoon games were at 11 and 1:30 or something. I had arranged for the kids to go to Jenni's after school so I could stay for both. Jerrod and I drove seperately from Dad and Larry so I could leave after the 2nd game. We had to park in the next county practically, and as we were walking, a school bus pulled up and the driver asked if we wanted a life to the Xcel. Well duh, it was about 20 degrees out!! A couple minutes into the ride we saw Dad and Larry walking so we told the driver to stop and we started yelling out the door, "HEY HEY DAD!!! LARRY!!!" They were like what? So we got a bus ride.

Ha ha we are cool




We are even cooler in this pic with our paper helmets that make us look like we belong in a mental institution......ok just Jerrod looks like that I guess :-P

Pics from State Fair 2006

Lauren and I were SO excited for this. We were going to see RASCAL FLATTS at the fair.

Mom and Wayne happened to be there the same night so we met up and said hi :-)

Weinermobile!

Me on the Giant Slide

Gary Allan
This concert was awesome. We had Brenda's sweet camera with the ginormous zoom lens so we got awesome pics.

I think this was at about midnight when we got back to Chris and Brenda's. I went over there in the afternoon, and then Brenda dropped us off at the gate. We called her when the concert was over, they picked us up, and went back there to get the pics on a cd. Good times, good times.

This poor kitten is so neglected

Yeah right!! Emily put Rosie on her pillow and covered her with the sheet. Typical. They are constantly picking her up so when she hides under the couch, that's their cue to go find something else to do.

This is how tiny she is, that's a cereal bowl.

This is the strap that dangles off of Jake's chair, she likes batting at it.

Lazy days

Yesterday I took the kids to the MN Zoo to get out of the house for awhile, so today we are having a relaxing day of hanging around watching tv and playing. We're going a little stir crazy now that school is a mere 2 weeks and 4 days away (woo hoo!) We're trying to plan a few more things to do like the park with friends, and planning for a certain girl to turn 8 next week....wow where does the time go?

Moon Sand (I rarely take this out....they got it for christmas last year from Bill.)

New addition to the family

Never thought I would see the day when I would get a kitten. Emily's birthday is next week, and she has been asking for one for ages. They haven't been the greatest at keeping their rooms clean, but the other day I told them I would talk to Bill about it if they would try to keep their toys picked up. I have never seen their bedrooms so clean!! That told me they really wanted this. Then Emily gave us this note on Saturday:

I have been looking on craigslist for a couple weeks, just to get an idea of what people are asking. I decided that whenever we got one, I wanted it to be a baby so it coule get used to the kids, and I found a lady who had a 7 week old female, and she would give us all the accessories for it: litter box and litter, food dish and food, a few toys, collar, treats, and scissors for her claws since they have to be a certain age before they can be declawed. I didn't tell the kids where I was going when I went to get her, so when I walked in the door with this big white box they were all "what is that?" Then they heard her tiny mew, and they both froze and Emily's eyes got really big and they started jumping up and down. :-) Emily named her Rosie, and Nick calls her Rosie McCat. (9 yr old boys are strange) I think this kitten will be the most loved cat ever, they never leave her alone!! I had to MAKE them go outside just so she could breathe!! And of course, Jacob being Jacob, already picked her up by her tail, poor thing. I scared him when I yelled his name though, and now he says "where Rosie? where Rosie? be gentle, Rosie kitty" and is very nice with her. You can tell from these pics how excited they are!

Sleeping in Nick's lap
Ha ha ha She wanted some more attention I guess ;-) The kids were in bed by this point.

Well that's all for now. They have been great at checking her food and water, and litter box. (we'll see how long that lasts)