Happy April

I am really pathetic at this blogging thing. I spend an inordinate amount of time in front of my computer but never seem to make it over here. April has been an eventful month, a new car, another year older for me and my daughter and Easter. Here are a few pictures of the various ways in which I have been spending my time, in case you were wondering.

Huh????

Not quite sure who is going to have a harder time making it through my daughter's puberty, me or my girls! I mean really. My oldest daughter is getting ready for that "life talk" at school. When I started talking to her about she closed her ears and said "Mom! Just don't talk about it." To which I replied "Well you already know everything, so what is the big deal?" ..."Mom, just don't go there!" My youngest daughter spent the better part of Tuesday in tears. Sobbing...When did this parenting/life thing get so complicated? And so dramatic? Did I cry that much? Was I that sensitive? And I thought the toddler years were tough. Oh and I'm trying to finish school and I'll be 40 next year! You know that saying "You can't scare me, I have kids?" yea, I get it.

Two months!!??

Realized it has been 2 months since I last posted anything. 2 months?? Really? I am not sure where the time went. Lost in the holidays, and then post-holiday clean up. Lost again in the beginning of the year mayhem and beginning of the semester syllabus editing and proposal writing. Is it really the middle of February, already? I still have to post the pictures of the fabulous American Girl bunk bed-among other things. I still have a wreath hanging outside my door. Before I know it the school year will be over, I will be that much closer to finishing my dissertation but (probably) that much more behind in everything else...sigh.

COYOTES!!!

A couple of weeks ago, we all went to a Coyotes game. The girls' first one. We had a blast! We even got to meet some of the players after the game and the girls got some autographs. Very exciting. Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays!

It is that time of year again. Where that certain sound or smell or song triggers a memory of a Christmas past. Maybe one where you had to ride a bus for 10 hours in a blizzard. (A trip that should have lasted 5). Or to a Christmas spent with mostly strangers who gave you matching sweaters. The excitement you felt when you saw the UPS man or how impossible it was to fall asleep on Christmas Eve so you just laid there and giggled with your sisters. It's a great time of year to focus on creating unique (and hopefully happy) memories with your own kids. Mine already have their favorite Christmas songs (Bing Crosby's White Christmas..I guess good taste runs in the family) and their favorite Christmas movies (Elf, The Grinch and A Christmas Story just to a name a few). My girls keep asking for snow so I regale them with stories of skiing out my front door one Christmas day or making snow angels in the backyard. Whatever memories you have or memories you make, here is wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Cheers!!

Puppy parties, soccer and softball

Puppy cake, my daughter stuck some of her Little Pet Shops into it. Cute!!


The girls and their puppies!

Party Mascot. Don't let this party get out of hand girls!!

Just when I thought my life couldn't get any busier, it gets, well, busier!! The girls are playing different sports with different practices and games! How do you people with more than 2 kids do it?? In addition to that, my baby had her 8th bday: A Puppy Party! Bailey was the mascot and they played Pin the Paw on the Puppy and Dog, Dog, Cat. Fun fun fun. In between all of this I am working on my proposal and teaching. I would probably start to complain but I don't really have the time. Softball and soccer pics are coming soon!!

Hockey

I have no idea where he is....


That's him right there, on the left...waiting!

So not only are the girls in a sport, now the hubby has joined a hockey team. The first game was Friday night. They did not win but it was fun to watch. The pictures aren't that great-it's hard to get a hockey action shot!! Go Chiefs!!

Sports

It is almost that time of year again. Time for the girls to play a sport. This is the first year they chose different ones. My oldest: softball. The youngest: soccer. It will be very interesting to find out what our schedule is. Here are some pictures I took today when we took them to a park across the street from our house to practice with them. See-there is some green around here. They are very excited to get started and did great. Perfect day for it. Overcast and cooler than it has been. Go girls!!!

School stuff.

Their outfits for Meet the Teacher night. Darling!

On the first day of school with her new haircut.

Check out the retro lunchbox...love it!

The first day of school. Notice her new haircut.

First day of school with her retro lunchbox.

The girls are back to school. Yes, really. Last week was meet the teacher night (there are pictures) then they got cute haircuts. They were so excited for school to start (there are pictures of this too). I am missing them but know they are having a great day. They are in 4th and 2nd grades already. Where did the time go???

20 years and new stuff

Our new fish, Rainbow.
Syd playing with the new Wii Fit. It is fun!

Their new iPods. Watch out!!

Me and Anita at the reunion.
Me with Gail, Geof and LeAnn.

Because I am suckish at keeping up with my blog I find the need to combine topics that have nothing to do with each other. So here it goes. I had a fabulous time at my 20 year reunion and still can't believe I am old enough to have one. The reunion was full of beautiful people and I wish I could have talked to more of them but such is life. Also, the girls have gotten some new items that they are excited about and wanted me to share. My favorite is the Wii Fit(especially the yoga). But they also inherited our iPod nanos and due to the death of their last little fishy, got a new one.
In a little over 3 weeks they will be back in school. WOW!! Now back to relaxing.

You know you are in Minnesota when....

We are back from our vacation out in Minnesota. It was lovely, the scenery was lovely, the people were lovely and now: back to reality. So here is a list of things I thought of that let you know you are in Minnesota.
1. You hear people say phrases such as : You betcha! and What not.
2. There are towns with names like Nowthen and Shakopee.
3. You see more trees then people (and mosquitoes too!)
4. You see more different kinds of wildlife in one week then you did all year back home (we saw: moose, deer, sand hill cranes, bald eagles, Canadian geese, blue heron, muskrat, beaver, snapping turtles and loons).
5. There are lakes everywhere that are NOT man made. Like, they are natural and everything!
6. You see "waiting houses" by the road-these are small structures made to hold children as they wait for the bus in freezing temperatures!
7. People you barely know are willing to help you out.
8. It stays dark until 9:30 or 10. Huh???
9. Most everything has the name Viking attached to it. Viking Nursery, Viking Bottling, Viking Street, Viking Recycling....you get the picture.
10. You start to think that maybe 108 really is hot!!!

For all my FB friends, there are many pictures posted there. Go see them. Happy July!!

Summer....so far.

Are you looking at us???

Her cute frog!

Her darling kitty-cat!

Swimming with the dolphins....

...in our pool. I mean who knew??


It has been a great summer so far. The girls and I have spent numerous hours in the pool and sun and attended many birthday parties (see the figurines they just painted at one such party that took place at As You Wish). Next weekend is their dance recital where they will be doing a hip hop number called "Get Shorty" or something like that. (see top pic. for costume preview!) The week after that we head to Ely for some relaxation and fishing. Happy Summer to everyone.

Goodbye first grade, goodbye third grade--Hello summer!!

Celebrating with red velvet and chocolate cupcakes, yummy!!

A lamp shade the girls and I made for one of their teachers, it was pretty cute if I do say so myself!!
My oldest and her teacher-we love her and will miss her!!!

My oldest and her friend who looks a lot like her!!
My youngest during water day!!

I say this every year but I can't believe the school year is over. My girls are growing so fast. They are now big fourth and second graders!! They love school and their teachers so the last day is so bittersweet! We are, of course, looking forward to our vacation but the girls will miss all of their friends! Time to get out the sunblock, the swimming suits and the sunglasses!! I hope you all have a fabulous summer. I know I will.

Baseball and art

My daughter drew this picture for me a few days ago...have I been having too many cocktail hours lately??
Us at a spring training game.

It was the Dodgers vs. Angels at the Angels stadium. It is so nice and it was beautiful weather!!

The Angels won 10-4. We got to see some great fielding and hitting. My favorite part was making jokes about the Dodger play Hu. We would say "Hu is up?" or "Hu's on first?" Aren't we clever!! Also his name is Chin-lung...insert own joke here!!