Take Time To Play

Christmas 2010 (a month late)

2011-01-23T05:38:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas in 2010. We opened presents on Christmas eve(Dad was working and was able to come home for awhile-guess no one wants to have a baby on this night)Of course Santa came and left some cool stuff..Cooper's favorite..an Ipod touch and Quinn got an Ipod and a docking station for it. We flew to Louisiana that evening and spent a week visiting friends and family..Lots of good food,wine, and laughter. It was a bit chilly the first couple of days but then it warmed up..wore flip flops with my jeans and the kids played outside a lot. Quinn even bought ice cream from the ice cream truck that makes the rounds in December!

"You'll shoot Your Eye Out"

2010-12-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

We kicked off our christmas break with a trip to the children's Theatre to see A Christmas Story. The kids loved it. Ron and I's favorite moment was when Quinn asked him.."we get to open presents tomorrow night, right??" Gotta love a 7 year old's random thoughts

An Afternoon at the Spa

2010-12-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

Quinn's friend C had her 7th birthday party. Stopped at Bonfire on Grand Ave for lunch and then headed out to the MOA- amazingly we found a great parking spot. Our destination: the Scoops Kids Spa. Very cute and the girls had so much fun. Manis,pedis, glitter tattoos and ice cream.. Happy birthday Miss C!!

Dancing fun

2010-12-24T05:56:00.000-08:00

Quinn's dance school had a mini Christmas presentation. They danced to two songs and then exchanged presents..All the girls looked so pretty in their holiday finest

Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!!

2010-12-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

The past three days of school have been all about fun and games..not much academics taking place. The kids both had their class Christmas parties.They were loaded down with teacher gifts and prayer partner gifts, Secret Santa gifts, and snow gear too.. looked like sherpas!! Since I was at Q's Halloween party I went to Cooper's Christmas..I managed to take 2 whole pictures because I was part of the sweatshop..I mean ornament making station...The hour flew by.. barely talked to my kiddo but had sun helping them all make their ornaments..I'm sure he apreciated that I was there..ha ha ha! I managed to go to Quinn's room just in time to take my "awesome" class photo..my new camera is still confounding me..it might help if I would actually read the instruction booklet. Quinnie had her eyes closed..oh well..

Lunch Bunch Christmas Style

2010-12-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it is blurry..that's what happens when you let a five year old take the picture! Plus, one of the moms(Steph) was not there.. Hoping I can get a nonblurry pic from one of the other gals...I have met some really great girls at the gym over the last year and we started to do a lunch bunch gathering after class 2-3 times a month in October....it has been fun getting to know everyone better...we are all moms and all our kids are at different schools but we still seem to have oodles to talk about..and lots of laughter is always involved.

Pre-Christmas Concert Required Photos

2010-12-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

The kids christmas concert at school was this past Thursday night..Fun to watch..and under an hour and a half..one year it was 2.5 hours!! Fun to see all of the kids dressed up. The school band played and one kid did an awesome violin solo. Of course, we didn't bring the camera with the long lens and Quinn was front row center which would have made for some great photo ops.... I was proud of Cooper too because he actually sang and not just lip synched like he and a bunch of his friends did last year.

Think We're Good Now

2010-12-18T06:51:00.000-08:00

Yep, think we are all good for snow..we had a giant snowstorm in early December..of course my husband was at work (how convienent) I even had to snowblow for the first time ever..I don't really feel the need to do it again any time soon. The snow just kept falling and falling..some schools were cancelled..not ours of course..which after two days pretty much trapped in the house they were ready for school on Monday. Mom was ready too. We have a giant mountain of snow in our street which the kids think is the coolest thing ever..although if we get another huge snowfall soon I don't know where they will put it....

Hiatus

2010-12-04T05:41:00.001-08:00

Wow! I have not blogged since Halloween..where did November go??Guess I will have to blog bullet list style.

We've enjoyed a relatively quiet November. Fall sports have ended so we have been able to have lots of time for the kids to have friends over and for sleepovers.

I had a fun girls night out that involved 25 moms and a party bus and a few shopping/lunch dates with girlfriends. Being talked in to doing a duathalon with a friend..maybe that will give me some motivation..Since it has been sooo cold I want to hunker down in my house.

Ron has had some social time too..beer with the guys and Wild and Vikings games...I've noticed that now that the kids are older our social lives are getting a bit more active. He is also getting certified in scuba diving. He loves it and is wishing he had done it years ago.. I will stay on land thank you very much.

My Christmas shopping is 90% completed. yay!!!! Christmas cards are ready to be mailed...feeling I can breathe a bit easier.

Cooper is still into cartooning and creating his own comic books. Making tons of Lego creations and of course Madden '11 and hanging with his neighbor buddy Jaxon..also he can't wait to be outside in the snow. Sledding or "surf sledding" is his favorite. He has had fun going to some Vikings games with Dad and met his new travel soccer team so is excited to start his winter soccer academy.

Quinn is all about her American girl dolls and art art art. She loves to draw, use clay and paint, perler beads, make beaded jewelry etc. She has been able to have playdates and is quite a social butterfly. She is reading chapter books and is loving school...the classes, her friends, her teachers..Hope it always stays that way. she is looking foward to participating in her schools swim team after Christmas and maybe try tennis again.

We spent Thanksgiving in SD with Ron's family...had a wonderful meal and we celebrated Christmas too. We definately have a lot to be thankful for.

Decmber is looking to be a busy month so my goal is to keep up with blogging lots of post so I can complete my 2010 Blurb blog book..try saying that fast three times...

Quinn's Halloween Party

2010-11-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

I volunteered for Quinn's Halloween party at school. A cute group of first graders...they were all such good listeners..there was pass the pumpkin, find the eyeballs, and a craft, plus cupcakes.

Happy halloween

2010-11-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

After the fun of trunk or treating we just had to get more candy of course. Our friends(the kids all go to the same school)came over for trick or treating. They live in a neighborhood that is not overflowing with kids like ours is so they love that ours is so busy. Saw so many cute costumes but my favorites are watching the little ones climb up my steps and say in their cute little voices.."trick or treat".Oh, and of course Cooper's sumo costume. We got comments wherever we went.. from kids and grown ups...it was nice not to be a Star Wars character for a change.

TG Trunk or Treat

2010-11-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

A local catholic high school had their first ever trunk or treat..students decorated their cars...most had themes and you go from car to car to get candy. it was a fun way to kick off trick or treating and we saw some friends from school too.It was so successful they ran out of candy 45 minutes into it and they had to make a candy run

Halloween Hijinks

2010-11-03T18:17:00.001-07:00

We ended up getting a sitter last minute, rush ordering costumes, and getting to go to a friend's cotume party. Although, I had the most fun hanging out with our friends Mike and Kathy before the party...I mean Fraulein and Slash..oh and seeing my husband in lederhosen

Halloween Party #3

2010-11-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

Our friends Debra and Jack invited us to the TPC Halloween party..it's become kind of a tradition. We have gone ever since Coop and Jack were in kindergarten. As always it was so much fun. Games, pumpkin painting, a bounce house, and a hayride..and Debra and I got to visit too. Had a wonderful time and we appreciate it very much

3rd Grade Super Bowl

2010-11-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

Cooper's team the Jets finished their season on a fantastic note. After a so-so season, they won both their playoff games...one the night it was 40 mph winds and sleet and the other on a beautiful fall Saturday morning. Their chant was "Mission Mounds View" and they accomplished it..the boys were excited to play at the high school stadium and we were pumped but the other team beat us..Cooper(and most of the other boys were ok..they knew the other team was tough.)This was our first foray into football and playing with a bunch of kids we know and having great coaches made it so much fun..Can't wait for the team pizza party. Go Jets!!

Halloween Party #2

2010-10-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

One of Cooper's friends from school had a Halloween party. A few boys from third grade and a few boys from his older brother's grade(5th) so there was lot's of scary costumes for the fifth grade and lot's of star Wars for the 3rd graders and boys running amok.They had the coolest food, apple bobbing contest, a mummy warpping contest, a guess the gross things contest. Cooper's favorite was an AWESOME haunted house in their basement...we're talking vampires popping out of coffins, werewolves in cages, etc. Cooper said he gave it 5 stars. Seriously, they should charge admission. They even provide witches brew for the moms... definately putting us in the mood for halloween next week

Halloween Party #1

2010-10-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

One of Cooper's friends from school hosted a halloween party for the third graders..there were probably about 35 kids there,siblings and parents were invited too..it was craziness and lots of running around the house. the boys were taking the girls as prisoners. Cooper had a juice box, capri sun and a Brownie and a cookie and lots of candy..yep that was his dinner..luckily, it was a gorgeous night and they live on a quiet cul de dac so they all eventually headed outside to burn off the copious amounts of sugar.It was fun to visit with parents and meet some new ones too. The picture below sums up the energy of the night. Cooper is wearing a werewolf mask with his sumo costume.

Crazy for Corn..and Shrimp

2010-10-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

The kids were off from school Thursday and Friday. They kicked off their mini break by taking some classes at the Science Museum. Quinn's was "Get Set To Be a Vet" and Cooper's was "My Excellent Vacation"..involving computer animation and Google Maps. They were both mornings 9-12. Ron was off on Thursday so while the kids were at their classes Ron and I had coffee and a croissant at Bread and Chocolate on Grand Avenue and then moseyed around Barnes and Noble finding books to order on the Kindle..We picked the kids up and headed for lunch at Stella's Fish Cafe.Coop and I split a catfish Po' boy...he has some Cajun blood in him and we shared some peel and eat shrimp too..Quinn likes shrimp but she is definately more midwestern. Nothing too spicy for her, ya,you betcha!! We finally made it out to Sever's Corn Maze. It was a gorgeous day and the kids loved it..their favorite of course, was the corn pit. They also enjoyed the petting zoo, the maze and the magician. Quinn rode the pony(and asked if she could get a horse..umm NO!)and Cooper did the corn cob gun. It was not that crowded(surprisingly) and we all got lots of fresh fall air..

Let's Go Vikings(and Jets!)

2010-10-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

Ron's parents came into town and were able to watch Coop's football game, We did a little shopping, and met up with some of Ron's cousins who came to go to Vikings game. Ron's seats were much better than the last time I went(3 years ago)I might have to go to a few more this season if I can convince Coop to give me his ticket.We had lunch at the Loon Cafe and then watched the Vikes beat the Cowboys(sorry Mom and Dad)

Cooper's 9th Birthday Party

2010-10-23T06:19:00.000-07:00

Cooper celebrated his birthday at the YMCA gym to play football,kickball, and basketball. It went by in a blur, barely took any pics because Ron and I were refereeing the game. Nine year old boys are SUPER COMPETITIVE in case you did not know. Cooper's friend R(who moved to the D.C. area) was back in town for a visit and we surprised Coop by having him attend the party and spend the night. cooper's friend J also spent the night so there was lots of Lego action, Wii, playing outside, and appearently a little reading before bed(what a bunch of smarty pants)

Weekend update

2010-10-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

Wow! My blogging has been put on the backburner as of late....We have been busy on the weekends with sports.We had our school fundraiser at a local park. We even managed an adult night out to Octoberfest with our friends E and K who we haven't gone out with in months.So nice to catch up sans kids. ron and I had lunch and went shopping on his day off...we need to find some new babysitters. All of ours keep graduating. I had some fun going on walks with friends, had a facial with my friend Leah, and have been enjoying my gym girls lunch bunch on Wednesdays. October and Sept are also the months of birthday parties... we have 3 this weekend(one is Cooper's) and Cooper has two Halloween parties coming up.One mom invited both third grade classes and parents and siblings...Is she brave or insane??? She is offering adult beverages so mybe that is the key to hosting 40 third graders. At least Cooper will have many oppertunities to wear his costumeYes,it has been a busy fall so far. We also have decided to stay in our house a few more years due to the suckiness of the real estate market.Boo!!!!! We really want to be in our school's district. All out of my control. We hemmed and hawed, met with realtors, and are now entertaining the idea of a cabin..Stay tuned.. so now we are installing new carpet upstairs and on the dreaded staircase...oh, and I am doing some more painting..got to update..it's been 6 years already.. we just enjoyed a beautiful WARM week so I'm hoping it sticks around a few more weeks.

SJB marathon...bright and early
my big camera's auto focus is not working..so all of Cooper's family birthday pics look a bit blurry

Girls Only

2010-09-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

A couple friends and I took our girls to American Girl for lunch and to Nickolodean Universe for some mom and daughter time. The lunch was so fun. The girls loved that their dolls were served lemonade and ice cream for dessert. I managed to walk out of there with only a pair of sunglasses and earrings for Q's doll. well, and maybe a few things for Christmas..shhh!!!!! We even tried to sneak in a stop to Nordstrom Rack which was packed and the girls were squirrely(as eveidenced by their shopping cart escapdes in the pic below..we still managed to buy a few things..a big shocker I know. Rode some rides after Quinn got over her fears..Seriously, the kid rode a rollercoaster at Valleyfair...I had to ride it with her once and then she was suddenly brave again and then it was all smiles..

How I Spend My Weekends

2010-09-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

And I would not have it any other way of course. At the soccer fields and football fields..sometimes the games coincide which makes it a bit tricky. Love our coaches and fun to hang out with the parents, which sometimes makes it tricky because we are busy gabbing and miss important things..at least that's what Coop told me...tomorrow I am going to play close attention I promise.

Time For Change

2010-09-14T13:08:00.001-07:00

We are back in school. We had a wonderful summer but I am happy that fall is here. Love having the windows open, cool nights, fall activities.The first week of school went by quickly. How do I have a third and first grader??? Crazy how fast it goes. The kids are excited to see all their friends. Cooper has real hard cover text books, an assignment planner and..more homework. Quinn is going to have spelling tests this year and more homework than kindergarten. I am keeping busy by doing house chores and errands, catching up with friends, scheduling all those mundane appointments that I put off all summer and taxiing kids to piano, football, soccer, and dance. I thought I would be bored when the kids were in school..Nope, the time flies by. I also kick started the fitness routine after being lax all summer. Boot camp, weights, cycling and running...I am sooo sore..but I feel so much better. Oh, and trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Now that the kids are in school I might want to do something part time..maybe I need to take a career test...hmmm......

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2010-09-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

After missing almost two weeks due to Cooper's tonsillectomy, we crammed in lot's of fun things the week before school started. We roasted at the State Fair (next year we will be going at night)we took the kids to Valleyfair, we managed one more day of pool time and we also went to another Twin's game. Add in Meet my Teacher Night and hanging out with friends over the Labor Day weekend and I think we got a lot done!
Quinn's first rollercoaster ride..The High Roller at Valleyfair. She rode it three times... What $45 buys you in games....never again

Cooper rode every coaster again..except he is 2 inches too short for this one..next summer buddy, next summer

much cooler day for a Twins game

Quinn and I got bored..baseball is sooo slow so we left Cooper and Ron and wandered around the stadium buying cotton candy and gelato and taking pictures..if they make the playoffs we decided we are going for pedicures..

Slowly But Surely

2010-08-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

Cooper had his tonsils out five days ago. After many bouts of tonsillitis that were happening with increasing frequency,we decided they had to go. Hoping this year he won't miss 10 days of school. I can't even begin to describe the the nervousness and sleeplessness that a parent feels the night before a child's surgery ..I was a walking zombie too in the days following ..Got to give those pain meds at midnight and 4 am. Poor little guy, he did so well. We received excellent treatment from everyone at the hospital(it helps when your husband knows the OR staff-ha ha ha). On day 5 he started having an appetite and he had a little zest again. He was even able to play the Wii a few times with his friend. The weirdest thing of all is that it took him four days to speak. My child is a talker...all day long I hear all sorts of amazing info (and some not so amazing too) I really missed hearing "Mama, Mama..guess what???" Plus, we missed a beautiful week which might have included swimming and going bowling with friends.I was able to get lots done around the house though and managed to sneak off to the gym. Luckily, I sent Quinn to our school's summer day care program the whole week so she wasn't stuck at home. She went to Cascade Bay waterpark and Crystal Cave where she saw bats and was able to see a bunch of friends from school. We walked in and I heard a 6 year old girl group squeal of "QUINNIE!!!!!!" She was in hog heaven. I am hoping we have turned the corner of recovery because we need to pack alot of fun things into this upcoming week before school starts. I want Coop to end his summer on a high note.

Day 1..post surgery

Day 6..a little spark is starting to come back

Baseball Fever

2010-08-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Well, for me and Quinn...maybe not so much... Cooper and Ron have gone to quite a few games in the new stadium but it was my first baseball game in about 10 years..I am good for another 10 years.The stadium is beautiful but it was so hot and humid..I enjoy football and hockey much more. Cooper enjoyed telling us about the players and stats though. Quinn and I will do something "girly girl" when it's time for the next game in Sept.

Are You Ready for Some Football???

2010-08-20T07:28:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if I am. Cooper had his first football practice(he missed the first two because we were in South Dakota). Getting him all suited up was a 20 min ordeal. Although I thought he looked so cute..in a tough, menacing football way of course. So much gear to put on. He is so excited but I was so nervous. My friend said at one of the practices a whole bunch of the boys were near tears because it is so intense and her son bruised his finger the first night. We will be having 3 practices a week and they are 2 hours long.Yikes! I am happy to report that Cooper thoroughly enjoyed learning the correct way to tackle, and defense drills. When we picked him up he was smiling and talked nonstop about how cool it was. I can rest a little easy now that we have that first practice under our belt..looking foward to experiencing a new sport this fall.

Cousins

2010-08-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

Cooper and Quinn went to a waterpark with their cousins and then headed to Grandma and Papa's house for a few days. Ample amounts of fresh air and using your imagination..no DS, TV, computer..just playing all day. They went to the city pool, had ice cream from The Spot, and Cooper golfed(where he drove Papa's golf cart into a bench!) Since we were 48 hours child free, I went shopping, had a mani/pedi, golfed with Ron and then had a double date golf/sushi dinner date with some friends we havent seen in forever.

What I found on my Iphone

2010-08-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

I finally uploded pics from my cell phone...appearently, my kids take bunches of silly photos in addition to ones that I took.some of my favs:
toes at a soccer game(looks like Quinn) Snowcones in May

Project Runway

there were about 20 of these self portraits of Coop

Quinn's Lego self portrait

GloDoodle app artwork...well worth it's 1.oo price tag-countless masterpieces created

Creative Outlet

2010-08-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Quinn attended a girl's only art camp through the local park and rec...she had so much fun of course because she loves anything crafty/artsy these days. The last day they had a gallery showing all their completed projects which included things like painted jewelry boxes and a portrait of your favorite doll. I was so proud of Q because the instructor wanted each girl to tell the group of parents what their favorite part of art camp was and all the girls were very shy and hesitant (Quinn was one of the youngest;they had girls as old as 10) and Quinn stepped up and spoke first in front of the whole group.

Football Frenzy

2010-08-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Cooper had a two weeks back to back filled with two football camps. One was at a local catholic high school and the other was a flag football camp through the city park and rec. I even saw him score an awesome touchdown(too bad my camera was turned off)He enjoyed both..he is all about football at this moment..

Cabin Fever

2010-08-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday started out a little gloomy and we almost cancelled our day long trip to our friends' cabin. So glad we decided to go. It turned out to be a beautiful day. Our kids go to school together and are the exact same ages and the grown ups had fun getting to know each other better too. We had a blast except that Quinn came down with a virus so she spent part of the day napping on the couch.

Enjoying Every Last Bit

2010-08-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

I know that in a few weeks the State Fair will be going on, and then next thing you know school is starting, there is a chill in the air and so on and so on...so swimming is what we've been doing most days. The last three days we were at the Maple Grove pool, the Lifetime Fridley pool and the local swimming hole catching up with various friends..

The Bullet List

2010-08-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Blogging is hard to keep up with in the summer. I'll do a bullet list to recap because I am too lazy to do lots of little posts.
-been swimming at the lakes and pools a lot with various groups of friends
-had an impromptu Fri evening happy hour with our good friends E,K and M..so nice to catch up with a cocktail
-saw Ramona and Beezus with Quinn..loved those books as a kid
-sent the kids to J Care two days last week so they could see some of their school friends and a break for mom too
-bought new school uniforms and school supplies(learned my lesson last year about waiting until the last minute( you try to find low odor Expo markers at the end of August)
-bought football equipment for Coop
-made root beer floats with the kids
- and we played tourists in our own city..took the kids for lunch at the Midtown global market and went to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and took the kids to see the iconic cherry and spoon

Controlled Chaos

2010-08-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

Had a blast with my friend Sarah and her crew. They came over for a swim and I tried to snap a pic or two. Sarah's turned out way better. It was great to catch up(finally!!)

Family Fun

2010-07-28T06:44:00.001-07:00

We had fun filled week in July(17-23) when my parents and my brother and his family came up from Louisiana to visit us. I think the thing they enjoyed most was being able to sit outside and enjoy the weather... Louisiana in the summertime is brutal!!! so we spent lots of time on my porch and deck. The first day they arrived we welcomed them by having tornado sirens blaring so they were able to spend time in my basement storage room then the weather cleared and we had a bonfire with s'mores

we took everybody to the lake..a little cloudy but very warm, lots of jet skiing and Crystal and Max kneeboarded(and could barely walk the next day)

the boys went to the Twins game and the girls went shopping and out to dinner

the cousins played so well and had so much fun..they picked up right where they left off at Thanksgiving

we went to Bunker Beach

and had ice cream of course

We went to Valleyfair..it's been over a decade for me and I forgot how much fun it is there. Cooper was old enough(and tall enough) to ride everything and we rode every roller coaster along with my niece ,brother, SIL, and my Dad even rode the coasters(he's 61-go Pop!). Quinnie enjoyed the little kiddie rides...need to go back one more time before summer ends and bring Ron

We also had dinner at Barrio(grown ups only)and my dad took the kids for bike rides and we went to the park and just enjoyed spending time together. Looking foward to seeing them all at Christmas

A Great Week

2010-07-16T17:14:00.000-07:00

We met a friend and her kids up at our neighborhood beach today...another beautiful day(We swam 4 out of 5 days this week...sweet!Cooper finished up an awesome golf camp,we had Sonic Creamsicle drinks(the best summer treat)we swam at the pool with friends,lots of playing outside with friends, and Quinn had an eight hour playdate with her friend McKenna...this is what I love about summer....

Soccer Soccer Soccer

2010-07-16T17:06:00.000-07:00

We wrapped up our summer soccer with four games in the Schwan's USA cup. 916 teams from all over the U.S. and the world come to my little suburb to play. Cooper's team played 4 games..Coop got a goal at one and then we went to the opening ceremonies where all the teams march into the stadium....crazy chaos and Cooper loved every minute of it.
Coop's team..the Sharks my favorite team to watch..Brazil!!

Fireworks

Coop and his buddy James

A Geeky Surprise

2010-07-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

Ron and I surprised the kids by taking them to see Star Wars in concert. Even after putting Quinn's hair in Princess Leia buns and having Coop wear a star Wars t shirt they still had no clue where we were taking them.Not very obversant they are!! we kicked off the surprise by having pizza at Red's Savoy Inn...yum. all three were in Star Wars heaven..

One Last Hurrah!

2010-07-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Cooper was able to spend one last day with his pal Riley who moved to Virginia two days after our fun day at Bunker Beach(I knew I should have bought a pass this year!)a few moms and their kids from school came to hang out with Riley and his mom and siblings. A beautiful day, lots of kids, and some fun memories.

Up in the Northwoods

2010-07-10T07:56:00.000-07:00

We spent a few days up north on Gull Lake. The weather was perfect..we put some hours on the jet ski(finally) and did lots of swimming.....and lots of golfing.

Fourth of July Fun

2010-07-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

Great time spent with friends..fireworks(Wisconsin style-way more fun!)fishing, kneeboarding, kayaking,swimming,and fresh air..no Nintendo or TV for 48 hours.....kids and dog exhausted but in the best possible way.

Swim and Sleepover

2010-07-05T14:42:00.001-07:00

Friday we met my friend and her kids to swim and then the girls came to my house and the boys went to her house for sleepovers. a fun way to spend a sunny day.

Brace Face

2010-07-02T06:10:00.001-07:00

Bye bye messed up teeth.....the orthodontist told me he might need them on the bottom teeth too and might have to have them put back on when he's older too. sorry bud! Cooper wanted lunch at Jimmy John's and then he had his last Laffy Taffy for awhile. He did great and had a choice of 8 different colors for his bands and of course he picked all 8 colors...

Summer Academy Year 2

2010-07-02T05:59:00.001-07:00

Cooper just completed his second year of a summer program. This year he wrote and illustrated his own book.The kids were able to meet an author and an illustrator of published works and learned all about the writing process. His book was "The Adventures of the Transparent Cow" and it is a hard bound book that he is able to keep.The drive to and fro was crazy (thank goodness we carpooled) and it was early(8 am!!) but seeing all the cool work he did made it all completely worth it...I am not going to lie though, today we slept in and I actually got to enjoy my coffee..

The Life Aquatic

2010-07-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

Boy, are we loving the sunshine and hot weather. We went to the lake, finally got the jet ski out, met up with a bunch of friends at our gym pool, Quinn spent the day at a beach with her good friend KK while Coop got his braces on...it has been a great week so far..This is what summer is all about!

It Has finally Happened

2010-06-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

We have arrived at the point where we have kids that are really involved in sports and we had NINE soccer events in 7 days! I knew this day was around the corner but we hit the point where one of us had to each take a kid to each game because they overlapped.It was exciting to watch them play.

Goodbye Buddy

2010-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Cooper became really good friends with Riley this year. They were in different classrooms until second grade but all I heard was Riley this and Riley that. They have had playdates and sleepovers during the year..Cooper was sad to learn that Riley and his family are moving to the east coast this summer so we had to have him come over for one last hurrah. They went swimming, had watergun fights,played Wii, went to the park,designed their own t-shirts, and just had fun being silly boys..

39 and Holding!!!!

2010-06-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

Ron turned 39 this year and we had big plans to take the jet ski out on the lake for the first time this summer but the weather was uncooperative so we had to go to plan B....Lunch and a little shopping. We'll have to go all out for next year..Happy birthday and we love you.

New and Improved

2010-06-19T06:34:00.001-07:00

The sun was shining and the weather was hot so we ended up at our local waterpark which we have not visited since 2008.It was fantastic! They have added all sorts of things which is especially important when you have two elementary age kids who have outgrown the splash pool and can't handle the roughness of the wave pool(seriously..those waves scare me). They have a giant lazy river, an activity pool with basketball hoops and two climbing walls, plus two new slides. Most important of all was there were more beach chairs which is priority number one for moms) With the new expansion the park seemed less congested and we really enjoyed all the new amenities. Look foward to going back..

Busy Bees

2010-06-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

We kicked off summer vacation with a soccer tournament in Hudson Wisconsin. The weather wasn't great(felt more like fall)but Cooper's team had fun and they palyed pretty good.Quinn started a tennis camp this past week. It was our first time doing a Skyhawks sports camp and all I can say is that they run a great program. Quinn had so much fun and her coaches were so great with all the kids.Cooper also started his Summer Academy program where is writing and illustrating his own book. He had to miss two days because he has tonsillitis...the doctor recommended taking his tonsils out!will have to mull that over....since he missed two days we are having to work on his story board and roughdraft...do I even remember how to do that stuff??

Goodbye School Year

2010-06-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

The kid's school had their annual K-3 picnic. The Second grade room moms(that would be me) were in charge of coordinating the arts and crafts So I helped paint tiles, rocks, did a little face painting and nail painting. Snapped a few pics of the kids. That was when I actually saw them. I was so happy that the weather was decent and the kids didn't need jackets this year.

Family Bonding

2010-06-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

My parents came up to Minnesota to visit for a week.They were able to watch the kids soccer games and dance recitals, spend time with the kids. Coop and Quinn played hooky one day and we went to Como Zoo and Como town. My mom and I went shopping. Cooper loved learning about stocks and investing from his Pop and now has an email account and a stock portfolio that he is managing...that means he can take care of me in my old age!!We had a wonderful visit although very busy, birthday parties, school picnics, lessons and practices..A busy life we lead. Was hoping to swim but that's minnesota for you. they are coming back in July so looking foward to some lake and pool time.

Recital Time

2010-06-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

We had a busy fun filled week with lot's of dancing..dress rehearsal..last dance class,and two recitals....We picked up these three cuties early from school and took them to Olive Garden for dinner and then it was time to dance. all the girls did an amazing job and kudos to all the staff and volunteers who take on the monumental task of staging a dance recital.So much fun and we were glad that Gigi and pop were able to see her dance

A Good Four Days

2010-05-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

What a blessing to have had such a great long weekend. Ron's parents came in and they all went to the Twin's game. Got a call from one of Cooper's friends saying they had been on TV...that would involve me actually watching a baseball game on TV so of course I missed it. Friday I took the kids swimming and then we grilled steaks and used the firepit for the first time this year. We did s'mores which were delish...We tried to take the jet ski out but the boat launch was closed due to so many people at the lake...we ended up going to the neighborhood pool which was great.With a stop at Dairy Queen to cool us off. Ron managed to fit in a round of golf with a friend and I went and saw a movie, did a little shopping, and had dinner with a friend. The kids spent some time playing with friends, lot's of outside play, did the slip and slide... checked out a new splash pad/ swimming lake nearby. They have been staying up late and sleeping in... too bad we have a week and a half left. I feel like we are already on vacation.

Likes/Dislikes

2010-05-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Things I'm loving:

the beautiful warm weather

the fact that I've been to the pool twice in one week in MAY!

the smell of fresh lilac

raspberries and strawberries

sweet tea

the kids playing in the sprinkler

a cold beer

s'mores

hanging out with friends

school is almost out

spending time with extended family

the smell of sunscreen

Things I'm not:

road construction

the housing market

people who drive way below the speed limit

that my days of child free errand running on a weekeday are coming to an end

My likes are way more than my dislikes so life is pretty good I think

Piano Recital

2010-05-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

The kids had their first piano recital today. It is fun because we have lots of friends from school and even some friends from our neighborhood go to our piano teacher. There were even some violin players too. So sweet to see the little ones(the youngest was four!) to a graduating senior. Cooper and Quinn both did a great job.No jitters and they played beautifully. Quinn even played her piece one extra time.they have learned so much in the last seven months. even if getting them to practice is a pain. They are learning that hard work/perseverence pays off.

A Little Steamy

2010-05-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

We are having a heat wave in this neck of the woods. not that I'm upset. It feels like Louisiana up here. Ahh, the memories of having your clothes stick to you.I am savoring evry bit of it because I know it won't last.we had to turn the air on because the humidity is high. We also hooked up our snake sprinkler, filled up the waterguns and the kids had some backyard fun.

Call of the Wild

2010-05-21T18:08:00.001-07:00

Seriously, I feel like I was in the jungle all day. Quinn had her kindergarten field trip to the Minnesota Zoo. Had a great time on the bus ride visiting with all the moms and a few dads. Once there, we ended up traipsing around the zoo with some of Quinn's pals. There were arguements on trying to let everybody in the space to see the animals ("they won't let me in"), tears over who was bossing who, running way far ahead of the parents so we had to split up to find them.. a wee bit different from when I went with Cooper two years ago. I guess girls are a little bit high maitenence. Cool things we saw..the grizzly bears feeding time..we were front row! the sea horses and sea dragons, sharks, and Quinn's school zoo project animal..the puma. I think the girls favorite though was the fossil playground;it's where we(the parents) finally got to sit and catch our breath.... and finish a sentence. We missed alot due to time. Look foward to taking C and Q this summer....to check out all the rest. Quinn was worn out she fell asleep in my arms on the bus ride back.. that was my favorite part as that doesn't happen as often anymore.

Thursday Thoughts

2010-05-20T05:30:00.001-07:00

We have had three nights of soccer this week...beautiful weather to sit and visit with friends outside.and watch the game of course. Add in some dance and piano to the mix and I am looking foward to tonight(Thursday)where we can just stay home

Been in spring cleaning mode..had the carpets cleaned, cleaned out the basement storage room(goodbye old wreath and Pier One margarita glasses from my wedding almost 11 years ago)) ordered a new storm door for the front that actually works, and plan to paint my front door..need to decide on a color today..what goes with Minnesota beige??hmmm....

Hurt my ankle last week on an evening stroll with the kids and Ron..swollen and a little sore so I took off a week and am going today to run and face the music today(yesterday's hip hop with my friend doesn't count)nothing gets my heart rate going like a good run.

These last few weeks of school are here and there is so much packed in and it is throwing my usual routines way off.I like my routines.... Quinn read in church yesterday so I stayed for mass. She was so cute.She spotted me when she went up to the podium.I gave her a big smile and she nailed it of course. We also have a Minnesota Zoo fieldtrip on Fri, Pizza with Dad and Cooper's field trip next week, upcoming dance and piano recitals and of course the class picnics. Throw in some road construction to make getting to and from school a major headache I am sooo looking foward to summer.

Cooper is getting braces on his top teeth. Now he's really going to look like a tween.Quinn has a permanent tooth growing BEHIND her loose baby tooth. Lot's of $$$$ is going to go to our orthodontist in the coming years.

On a final note..I am loving this beautiful weather...the sunshine is spectacular and I love the warm temperatures and I want them to last until November!

Freddy Jackson's Visit

2010-05-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

Cooper finally got to take home the second grade class pet for the weekend. A guinea pig named Freddy Jackson who is five years old... I wasn't too excited at first since he's a member of the rodent family..but he is kind of cute and stays in his cage except when the kids are holding him. Quinn is definately the Dr. Doolittle of the two wanting to watch him and hold him more than Cooper..Freddy is the best kind of pet...one I get to return to school on Monday morning.

Someone Call the Tooth Fairy

2010-05-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

Quinn finally lost her first tooth. She is beyond excited because now she can get her name listed on the lost tooth chart at school...which I was getting nervous about since there are only four weeks left of school..she was so excited and proud of herself. She finally realized that when you're tooth is hanging on by a thread it does NOT hurt when you pull it out...so I'm expecting the other loose tooth she has will come out a lot sooner.

Lucky Mama

2010-05-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

A wonderful Mother's Day..lucky mama to two awesome kids...sunshine all day....brunch at Jax with dear friends...hanging out with the family.. wonderful homemade cards from my kids... a Macy's gift card from my mom... a giant ceramic garden urn from Ron ;-) nope..no complaints from me. Hope all my friends that are moms had just as lovely of a day as I did

Mother's Day "Picnic"

2010-05-07T15:35:00.001-07:00

The word picnic usually conjures up sunshine and lunch on a blanket, especially in May. So I, and every other mom looking foward to the Mother's Day Picnic with their sweet kindergartners were shocked to see a rainy, COLD mess.Oh well, that's life in Minnesota for you. So instead of lunch outside and playing at the park we had lunch inside and indoor recess in the classrooms. Which was still alot of fun. I was able to take lots of pics of Q and all her friends in her classroom. We played Memory, Ice Cream Scoop, Legos, and magnetic dress up dolls. The kids sang a cute song for their moms, gave us a plant in a hand painted pot and made a portrait of us that described us. I'm appearantly 6 feet tall and 39 years old!!!! I'm a little saddened that kindergarten is coming to an end. Where did this year go??????

Afterschool Special

2010-05-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

The kids have been occupied with all their extracurricular activities lately and getting together with friends from school have taken a backseat. Finally, on Monday, Cooper and Quinn had their friends Howie and Jack come over. Quinn has known Howie since preschool and he also in her class now.She has been to his house to play so she was so excited to have him come see where she lives. We went to the park and they did art and played outside. Jack and Cooper were all about art and Legos. A fun night!

On the Go

2010-05-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

Finally able to sit down and blog.We've had three soccer practices, second grade mass at school, ice cream social at school, dance pictures, piano lessons, 4 soccer games this weekend and I had bunco(woo hoo-a chance to dress up!) and finally on Sunday a relaxing day...a chance to catch up on laundry, yardwork,etc.Ron put up our THIRD arbor on our deck. Third times the charm-fingers crossed that a tornado or strong winds don't mess with it. Cooper got his first goal of the season and it was fun to watch the tournamnet with the exception of the frigid, windy weather. Quinn had her last game until summer soccer starts up. A fun filled week that kept us running the roads and grabbing dinner on the go...

Cooper's First Communion

2010-04-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

Cooper celebrated his First Communion today. Our church as four different masses to choose from so we signed up for the Sunday mass. Very special sacrament for a Catholic. Cooper recived thoughtful gifts/keepsakes from his grandparents and godparents. All the second graders looked so handsome and beautiful. Instead of going out to dinner to celebrate, Coop wanted filet mignon, mashed potatoes, green beans, and choc cake with chocolate icing with chocolate brownie ice cream. Bring on the Tums!

Shrinky dinky

2010-04-25T16:47:00.001-07:00

Remember Shrinky Dinks?? Quinn received some as a birthday present..makes a good raint day activity

Another Year Older

2010-04-25T16:38:00.001-07:00

I celebrated another year...so many things to be thankful for...one..still a few years away from 40(hee hee)Ron was on call so we celebrated early that morning so that is why we all look a bit tired. Got my Flip camera that I've been hinting at. Spent the rest of the weekend at soccer games and Cooper's first communion..so my birthday weekend was all about my family...my best gift ever. And yes, I realize it looks like I have no eyes in the pictures...waiting on the coffee and cupcake to perk me up!

Serious Spring Fever

2010-04-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

We have had serious spring fever. The weather has been beautiful. The kids have been playing in the backyard alot.Ron and I have been enjoying the warmth and sunshine too.I'm itching to start planting flowers but know it's not time. Cooper and his bud Jaxon have been playing tons of backyard baseball. Quinn and Coop have also been playing soccer. Which has been consuming our life lately. Quinn is playing in the recreation league and Cooper is in travelling soccer. Which means multiple games on weekends and lots of practices for Cooper.Been busy but fun.

I actually scrapbooked all day on a Sunday.I think we got more talking done than scrapping but was nice to work on photos from a year ago. I also bought a digital software program so maybe I'll get caught up faster...that's my hope anyway.

Ron took the kids golfing while I was scrapbooking.

My friend and I went and ran around Lake Calhoun and then I put all those calories back on by having lunch outside at French Meadow bakery. Lovely to sit outside though.

Excited to see Quinnie dance tonight at dance class. We get to tape them so we can practice at home. She has so much fun and seems to really like her teachers.Excited to see her costumes soon too.The recital is just around the corner.

We have a busy weekend coming up...more soccer games and Cooper's First Communion.

A Little Obsessed

2010-04-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

with the Wii's "Dance Party"

Fun in the Sun

2010-04-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a spectacular week in the Virgin Islands with good friends.We rented a minivan that we affectinately dubbed the "Blaine Blue Bomber"that our friend drove all over both St. Thomas and St. John. They drive on the left side on roller coaster roads so eric did and awesome job. We went to beach after beach...Magen's Bay, Trunk Bay, Maho Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Sapphire Beach, Coki Beach. We took a sailboat(The Fury) out to Buck Island to snorkel with sea turtles and Coop and Quinn got to steer the boat. We snorkeled at Coki Beach and saw thousands of fish..even snorkel impaired me managed to don a snorkel mask and see all the fish.Cooper and Quinn are much braver than me..they are snorkeling pros.We bought boogie boards for the kids to use and it must have been the best $40 we spent. We went to fun"beachy" places to eat every night..with beachy names like The Fat Turtle, Shipwreck Bar and Grill, The Greenhouse, and Hook, Line, and Sinker.We went to a canival night at Iggie's Beach Bar where the kids danced to carribean music.We sat out on our balcony and had beers and watched the cruise ships leave port. We enjoyed sunshine and lots of great seafood-fish every night..snapper, mahi mahi, wahoo,grouper-delish! and tropical drinks and Carib beer.We have sand coming out of every suitcase and beach bag but a million pics and memories.

Sunshine and Good Times

2010-04-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

Life's a Beach

2010-04-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Beachy Keen

2010-04-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

A Slice of Paradise

2010-04-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Feels Like Summer

2010-04-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

Thursday was a freakishly warm day...so we celebrated by going to have Blizzards at Dairy Queen after school.Cooper also had an outdoor soccer practice..so nice to be outside and Quinn played at the park while Cooper had fun with his teammates.Ron even got to come home from work for a few hours to soak this warm weather right up...because we know it won't last.

Girly day

2010-04-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Quinn and I had a fun Friday. We went and had manicures and pedicures, ate lunch at Chili's-we even ordered dessert and went to the bookstore.It's fun to have one on one time with each of my kids.Now I need to plan something with Cooper. Ron and Cooper went to lunch too and then went and saw Clash of the Titans(I still love the original 1981 version) but of course Ron never remembers to take photos so there are no pictures of that!

Easter Surprise

2010-03-31T05:25:00.000-07:00

Cooper and Quinn received a "egg"cellent surprise from their Gigi and Pop in the mail.Delicious Easter cookies. They also received some Zhu Zhu pets from their Grandma and Papa and some collectible Easter bunnies and Jelly Belly jellybeans from my parent's close friends. Spoiled little bunnies!

All about Cooper

2010-03-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

Another week gone by quickly. Quinn had a Daisy Scouts dinner(Dad forgot the camera!)I decorated the second grade classrooms for spring with the other room mom.Cooper had his second grade parent/grandparent lunch. This year they did a short play based on the book"Miss Nelson is Missing".The kids did a great job and we got to stay and have lunch on tables decorated with placemats and centerpieces.Fancy!I also had to got to school at the crack of dawn(okay,okay- really 7:20)to help set up for the teacher appreciation breakfast. I ended up taking the the kids to McDonald's for breakfast which they thought was the coolest thing ever. I had to find someway to get them out of bed way earlier than usual.Cooper also had his basketball clinic after school too plus soccer practices and dance for Quinn made for a busy week.

Wrapping Up

2010-03-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

We are coming to a close of our first spring break. We have another one in two weeks!Quinn had her friend from school come over to play for a few hours and we baked cupcakes, the girls built a fort(no boys allowed) played hide and seek outside. and most important...no fighting!!Cooper played with his pal..who think goodness was on spring break too... so we made mini pizzas... and I fed everybody lunch.

Friday, Quinn went to play at her friend Howie's house. He was in her preschool class last year and is in her kindergarten class this year. She talks about him all the time. "Howie is sooo funny" and "Howie wants me to go to his hockey game"They had fun jumping on the trampoline, making homemade pop and playing with his cousins. I had a hard time getting her to leave.Howie's mom took some of the cutest pics of the two of them. Quinn wanted one in a frame in her room. We will definately be having Howie over to play soon.

Coop had a soccer game bright and early at 8am and Quinn had her first soccer practice on Saturday. We spent a nice relaxing night at home. Ron and Coop are heading to the Minnesota Wild game today and Quinn and I are going to hang out...hopefully outside when it is warmer.

Thought You Were Sleeping

2010-03-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought cooper and Quinn were sleeping in for me...nope..quietly playing on the Webkinz site

St. Patrick's Day Parade

2010-03-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Our spring break #1 has been great so far. The awesome weather helps I'm sure.So far, we went to an indoor waterpark with some friends(my camera never left my purse)the kids have been spending so much time outside,and we went to St. Paul's St. Patricks Day Parade. Sixty and sunny...unbelievable!!We had a great spot to see and the kids got lots o' loot.We capped off a fun time with lunch at Savoy's pizza. Yum!

Catching up...again!

2010-03-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

I am seriously slacking in the blog department. Got my camera fixed and have taken a whopping five photos in the last week and a half. We are on Spring Break #1 this week, which involves lots of fun things so hopefully I will have lots of pics. We survived 6 days of gloom(but the snow melted away!!)but we kept busy with school and activities. This weekend we met friends for dinner Friday night, other friends for dinner Sat. night(which is why I will be running this morning and doing hip hop aerobics with a friend tonight) and had friends over for fajitas on a gloriously WARM, SUNNY Sunday. The kids were outside for hours. It gave us a taste of which I hope is just around the corner....We also went to a girls hockey game to watch our friend's daughter play where my children got these wacky airbrushed hats and Cooper had a soccer game, the kids had a fun playdate,a little spring cleaning, and trying to start Ron's jeep that has been dormant all winter-I'd say it was a pretty full weekend.Looking foward to a great week with the kids.

Wide World of Sports

2010-03-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

We've had a week full of all things sports. Quinn had her kindergarten basketball skills clinic with all her friends from school.The kids were off from school for a few days so we took them to have their first ski lesson too. Cooper has no fear and thinks he's a superstar but Quinn is a little more cautious but seemed to be more of a natural. They both had a great time though and their teacher was the nicest guy. We promised them they could take some lessons next winter.We got really lucky in that it was a beautiful, warm day so Ron and I were able to sit OUTSIDE and soak up some sunshine. Cooper also kicked off his travel soccer season with a game and a practice this week. Travel soccer is serious business...tournaments, skills practices, practice games...it's our first foray into a travelling league so we'll see how it goes.

2010-02-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

My handy point and shoot camera is in the repair shop(that's what happens when you drop it lens first on a concrete floor-d'oh!!)so I have only been using my big camera which means I never have it on me so all my photos are from home. I missed taking photos of dinner at our friend's beautiful new house Friday night.They made us yummy fajitas and margaritas. Saturday night I ended up in St. Paul at some fabulous places-La Grolla, Salut, and the Happy Gnome. Lots of girl talk, had a great time.Forget how much I love that area of St. Paul. I came to realize how much I use my little Sony camera.Hmmm.. what else happened?? Oh,Cooper spent the night at a friends house,Ron, Quinn, and I had a nice lunch at a local sandwich shop.I took my dog walking 2 days in a row...that has not happened since October! We had friends over to play and the kids had their first yoga class at the gym which they loved.
Here are my random pics.....

where creativity happens on a daily basis....at least that's what I tell myself when I walk by the mess 100 times a day. For some reason I was compelled to buy 60 waffles for the kids
at Costco...they are way better than Eggo

After my fun Saturday night, I needed this..

Sunday afternoon playdates are the best. As a bonus it was 40, which is approaching heat wave status in this area

football in the snow

namaste...ready for downward dog.

Barbie Girl

2010-02-20T22:30:00.001-08:00

My "postapalooza" continues...we had Quinn's birthday party at a local beauty institute where Q and her friends had their hair styled and nails painted.it Then back to our house for games, crafts, a cupcake decorating party. One pal was sick so we just had five which kept us plenty busy.She received some wonderful gifts from friends and family...

Birthday Girl

2010-02-18T19:08:00.000-08:00

Things about you at this age:

You are into all things animal...Webkinz, Fur Real animals,you want a stuffed animal everywhere we go.

You also love to draw and write and make us pictures everyday at school and at home...and play school alot and be the boss!

You are learning to read this year..Dick and Jane books, Dr. Suess, and some of your favorites for us to read to you this past year were Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Fancy Nancy, and Pinkalicious..

you love jewelry and clothes and dress up still but also like to run outside and get dirty

you are not a morning person(just like your dad)

You take forever to eat a meal...especially when we have somewhere to be

You finally love playing outside in the snow...you want to play in it after school and on weekends you can play out for a good 2-3 hours

You have met so many nice friends at school and have had lots of playdates to satisfy your social butterfly self...and getting better at playing by yourself too

you have done swimming lessons, love dance class,started piano lessons and are a Daisy Scout and you told me you want to take tennis again

The other day we were walking in the parking lot and you said "mommy, let's catch snowflakes on our tongues....you looked so cute catching them...

you wanted bangs just like me...and will never have them again!

We are so blessed that you are our daughter....

My Baby is Six!

2010-02-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

Quinnie turned six today..This morning I let her open a few presents from family to tide her over until her party on Saturday...she received a Barbie DVD as part of her gifts from Gigi and Pop and my parent's good friends sent her kid's sized bakeware-mixing bowl and cute spatulas and whisks.For her birthday dinner she wanted hibachi...we had sushi..the kids loves caviar! and Cooper loved the wasabi and the sushi...of course she had shrimp for her entree. It was so cute they came out and played a birthday song with a disco light and had Quinn put on an asian mask..then it was time to have cake....hmmm...no wonder they are not tired!!!

Love is in the Air

2010-02-18T18:49:00.001-08:00

We had a nice relaxing Valentine's day....Ron and I took the kids to the movies....and they were happy with their Valentine gifts from mom and dad and a Barnes and Noble gift card from their Gigi and Pop....

Snow Tubing

2010-02-18T18:42:00.000-08:00

Ron was off from work on Monday and the kids were off from school so we decided to take the kids snow tubing. We had so much fun..Ron asked why have we not been here before?? good question...I know we will be back...the kids were impressed with all the snowboarders and skiiers..so now they want to try skiing...I told them next winter....I'm hoping this one is almost over!

It's Party Time

2010-02-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

We had an extremely busy weekend but it was so much fun next weekend will feel downright boring. Friday I met a friend for lunch and a little shopping before I had to head to Cooper's Valentines party. where I had to deal with the craft from hell...Note to self...ALWAYS have one already made..we improvised and the kids had fun anyway and the parents had a lot of laughs. Saturday evening we had a Mardi Gras party...which was a blast but none of those pictures will make it on my blog..only took a few but some of my friends had the cameras out in full effect...some people should be nervous ;-)

Like my new wine chiller........ Sunday we were invited to my friend Allison's daughter's birthday party and my kids had a blast. So nice to meet all of her family and hang out with friends. They have an indoor pool which blows my kids minds.....they are so going to sleep well tonight.

oh and they also have a cool hoops set..

and a hot tub

A shot of Leah, me, Jodi, and Kendall...

and then, as if we were not busy enough Ron and I took the kids for father/son and mother/daughter movie dates. Good thingwe have Monday off to recharge...I am off to bed.

A House Divided....Sort of

2010-02-08T05:37:00.001-08:00

Cooper is a huge Vikings fan(goes to every home game with Dad,keeps up on all things Vikes related) and after their loss to the Saints he had a major meltdown- stomping on his Brett Favre jersey and throwing some of his Vikings stuff in his garbage can(man, what a sore loser!!)I told him if you're a true fan you support your team no matter what. I, of course, planned on rooting for my home state team the Saints in the Super Bowl...I'm not a giant follower of football but have been watching the Saints during the season and hoping they would do well...along with cheering on the Vikings too. So my Mom sent us some Saints stuff to wear on Super Bowl Sunday. Cooper vowed he would not wear his Saints shirt and told me he was rooting for the Colts by wearing his Peyton Manning jersey....Well, in the last half of the game he appearantly had a change of heart...................

Because now he WANTS to wear his Saints t shirt and is asking for a hat and a Saints jersey!!Hey, he's eight...he likes to be a part of a winning team.....although the Vikings will remain number one in his heart.....at least when football season starts in the Fall.

Spur of the Moment

2010-02-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

On Saturday evening the planets aligned and three ladies were able to meet for a few drinks and lots of laughter.This needs to happen more often.

They're Here!!!!!!!!

2010-02-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

My blog to books arrived this week and I am thrilled with how they turned out. I now have copies of my old blog 2008 and part of 2009 and then my new blog the rest of 2009. I also made a vacation album on Shutterfly too. Thanks to my pal Sarah for her instruction-she might have created a digital monster. I am hooked...still like to dabble in old school scrapbooking but I love how quickly these are done. Plus, I don't have to store all the paper products...which I cleaned out last weekend. 2 bags of scrapbook stuff is being donated to Quinn's classroom for the art table.My loft is looking less like a storage room. Cooper also had his friend Riley come for a sleepover. They had a blast but eight year old boys are silly little things.Listening to them kept me giggling all night.

Not to leave Quinn out, she is going to a playdate with some friends from school at her friend Kai's house. I am going for a run at the gym and Coop and Ron are going to Coop's basketball game. We have to do something to break up the monotony of the February doldrums.Thank goodness we have some fun things planned for the next couple of weekends to help endure this month and bring us one step closer to spring.Now, I'm remebering why we take vacations in Feb-it should be a Minnesota law and everyone in the state should get a vacation voucher to somewhere warm and sunny. Think I'll send our governer my proposal ;-)

"FUN"draising

2010-01-31T15:38:00.001-08:00

Saturday evening, our school had it's annual auction/wine tasting. We ended up going to dinner with our friends(Tanya and Jay) before..it was Jay's birthday- food was great..service not soo much.....Sunday the kids had some friends over to play and now I'm off to get ready for the week...first on the Monday to do list heading to the gym-haven't been in a week and I feel it!Running is going to be PAINFUL tomorrow!

Totally Tubular

2010-01-29T16:31:00.000-08:00

Today we wrapped up Catholic Schools Week..The kids went bowling and they had the teacher gift basket raffle...my kiddos didn't win any cool baskets but the teachers had some creative ideas...at least they have many more years to get lucky and win. Today's theme was dress like the 80's. So much fun and thanks goodness the 80's are back in style in kid's stores. I was able to find all sorts of things...especially for Quinn(paint splatter bracelets..lot's of neon, lace hear band. Some of the teachers had some awesome outfits...think Valley Girl(the movie) or Cyndi Lauper. I also spent all day helping decorate for our annual school wine tasting/auction.It's our five year anniversary. It's wonderful to be part of a school where the parents are soo involved.There were a ton of people there..ready to do whatever anyone asked.Got to catch up with people and met some new parents. They feed us breakfast and lunch too. Looking foward to tomorrow night. Hope we raise lots of $$$$$ for our school.

Feeling Groovy

2010-01-28T05:03:00.000-08:00

Celebrating the 60's during Catholic Schools Week.

Fabulous Fifties

2010-01-26T05:36:00.000-08:00

The kid's school is celebrating Catholic Schools Week and each day involves dressing in the style of a different decade and a red, white, and blue patriotic day. Monday was 50's day. Thanks to my friend Kathy for loaning us Q's poodle skirt. The teachers have raffles for cool gift baskets, there are special activities all week ending with bowling on Friday and our school auction/wine tasting Saturday evening.