Welcome To Our World

Busy Bees

2012-01-08T19:06:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I feel like I need to make myself a list of things to do just to remember all the things I need to do! Haha....life just seems to stay busy no matter what time of year. 2012 will be no exception.

Taylor has been accepted into two of the three colleges she applied to. She is very excited..she was so worried no one would accept her, but we knew better! She did not do dance this year, but has found plenty other things to fill her time. She joined Philosophy Club and Ski Club and still works at the library after school.

Nick decided to try out Ski Club this year also and fell in love with snowboarding. He's not the most excited about school, but enjoys seeing his friends and recess..lol....

Matt's work has been steady which is good with the economy. Now that it's winter, he's been working on some woodmaking projects in the garage. He's going to build a desk piece for our computer/office room.

My job will be keeping me very busy in the new year. I will be working much more with elections and this year we have an active one...at least four elections so far...possibly six depending on how the recall of our governor goes.

Other fun things this year will include my sisters' wedding, Taylor's graduation, and then seeing Taylor off to college. Not so sure if the last one will be fun for me :(

Fam In the City

2012-01-08T18:27:00.005-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone! Time has seemed to escape me once again and I have not blogged in a long while. I can barely remember what I did last week, so I'll just fill everyone in on the latest.

Winter so far has been marvelous! Hardly any snow, hardly any cold...I just can't complain. We decided this year for Christmas and our birthdays, we would go to New York City. I've always been a big one for having an adventure over receiving gifts. So, that's just what we did...and right over New Years Eve!

The weather was wonderful for walking around and seeing the city. We stayed right downtown in Manhatten about 2 1/2 blocks off of Time Square. There were SO many people, it was quite amazing. We had tickets for an event at Dave and Buster's on New Years Eve, so we were given access into Times Square once they closed it down. We played arcade games the whole night and then stepped outside with some of the crowd to watch the ball drop.

We also took a downtown city tour, went to Central Park, Grand Central Station, and went ice skating at Bryant Park.

Here is Nick at Central Park eating his birthday hot dog. If he would have had his way, he would have had a hot dog for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Something about a New York hot dog, I guess!

Happy Birthday Macie!

2011-08-07T21:27:00.002-05:00

My niece Macie turns 11 years old on August 8th...where did the time go?

U2 Concert

2011-08-07T21:22:00.004-05:00

Matt and I went to the U2 concert a few weeks ago. I had heard so many great things about their show and they didn't disappoint! We thought we might luck out with the weather, but about an hour into the show, it started to pour and didn't really let up. It was a great atmosphere and the show was amazing.

Gibbon Fun Days

2011-08-07T21:10:00.006-05:00

I made it back home this year for Gibbon Fun Days. I saw lots of old high school friends and hung out with my family. We watched Shane pitch part of his baseball game and rode on the old Gibbon fire truck. Later that night, we danced the night away at the street dance.

I think Lynn is wondering what in the world Mandi is doing with her leg...haha...

Gettin' Away

2011-08-07T21:05:00.004-05:00

Matt and I found ourselves with no kids 4th of July weekend so we went to Red Wing and stayed at the St. James hotel. We went on Captain's Mike River Boat Ride and saw lots of eagles...

...the boat ride got a little long for Matt though :)

Taylor & Germany

2011-08-07T20:55:00.004-05:00

I love this picture of the girls...so pretty :)

Trying a beer..oh oh...

Taylor had an opportunity to go to Germany in July - she was gone for almost 3 1/2 weeks. She had a great time and saw lots of great things. Her friend Sophia invited her to come and stay with her grandpa who lives in Germany. I was so proud of Taylor - she pretty much saved up for her whole trip herself. We missed her though and were glad to have her back home!

Where Have I Been?

2011-08-07T20:42:00.003-05:00

Not sure...but I better start updating!

Nicholas had his last tournament in New Richmond in July. It was a long day, but they ended up with third place.

Happy Birthday Lily!

2011-06-14T11:47:00.005-05:00

Lily celebrated her 1st birthday on June 2nd! It was a nice day to have a party out at Granni's shed. Cousins Charlie and Eli helped Lily with her cake. There was a pinata and treats for everyone!

Soccer Time!

2011-06-14T11:42:00.002-05:00

Nicholas has started playing tournaments for soccer. Half the team is new and half the team has players from last year. We started out a little rough, but the boys are definitely getting better as the season goes on. At his age, they don't keep score or standings (although the boys keep score), so they always get a medal or some kind of participation award at the tournaments.

Bon Jovi

2011-06-14T11:36:00.004-05:00

I had a little getaway with my friend Sole last month. We caught a Bon Jovi concert in Orlando. Our seats were amazing and the band was great!

Prom

2011-05-01T12:55:00.002-05:00

Taylor had her Junior Prom last night...really...am I that old?? I had to drag out my old prom pictures just to show her how much style we had back in the 80's.

Here she is with her friend Sophia whom she is going to Germany with this summer (and Paris...jealous!) Sophia's grandpa lives in Germany and she goes to visit him each summer. This year Sophia invited Taylor to come also. She is super excited!

Taylor, Sophia and one other girl, Rachel, went out to eat before the Grand March at one of our favorite restaurants, Mama Maria's, then walked the Grand March, partied it up at the dance, and then stayed the night at her friend Lindsey's house with a bunch of other friends.

Notice the green grass in the background...do not be deceived - it is May 1st and it was 35 degrees this morning. Where oh where is spring? But I have to say, it is better than tornadoes. The devastation in the south is unbelievable...everything gone in a flash. Please remember to say a little prayer for a quick cleanup and recovery for everyone affected.

Gotta Have Shades

2011-04-17T21:07:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Charlie!

2011-04-17T20:59:00.002-05:00

Charlie celebrated his 1st birthday in March-do you think he likes Elmo?

Cake...Yum!

Some Spring Break Pics

2011-04-17T20:19:00.004-05:00

Here Kitty Kitty...at the Big Cat Rescue Foundation

Going on the Coaster at Busch Gardens

Taylor Feeding Giraffes

Pirate Nick

Family Happenings

2011-03-31T13:42:00.004-05:00

I hate how time is constantly getting away from me! Once the holidays are over, it seems like six months go by in a blur. Spring break has come and gone, but spring hasn't seemed to have gotten the message yet that it was supposed to start on March 21st. Tomorrow will be April 1st and I would really like it if the weather would play an April Fools Joke on me and magically turn into spring.

Both kids are wrapping up the 3rd quarter in school. Taylor is very happy to be finished with her AP History class! She's been super busy with extra dance practices to prepare for competitions. We had one a couple of weekends ago and have one more before recital time. She is also still working at the library after school for two hours. I am amazed how well she has been doing with the busy schedule she has - we are very proud of her! Next up for Taylor will be her AP college credit tests and her ACT test. I cannot believe she will be a senior next year!

Nick just wishes the weather would get nice one of these days. He definitely has spring fever. He'll be starting up soccer very soon. We met his teammates and his soccer coach last weekend.

Matt has been working on our office at home. It's been the catch-all room for 'stuff' since we moved in along with our computer. He's making a window seat, bookshelves, and a desk area with drawers and shelves...I can't wait! If anyone knows me, they know I'm an organizing freak. I can't wait to organize it all!

I've been plugging along at work - it's been a little disheartening with all the union/budget stuff going on in our state right now, but I guess whatever happens happens. We'll take it one step at a time. I'm still doing my ladies tap/jazz class on Mondays and my most favorite Zumba teacher in the world came back to the Y, so I'm taking her class on Tuesdays. Hopefully the next time you hear from me, I will have seen my first robin of the year :) I've seen plenty of other wildlife around our house....llama, deer, fox, pheasant....

Spring Break

2011-03-31T13:28:00.002-05:00

We recently went to Tampa, Florida for spring break for a little sun and warmth. We rented a house that was a block from the beach which was so great. It gave us so much more room than a hotel room and we were able to cook lots of our meals instead of going out to eat. We did lots of fun things...I'll have to post more pics later...but we went to the Big Cat Animal Rescue, swam with some mannatees, went to the beach, mini-golfed, went on a Pirate Ship cruise, some saw dolphins, saw some strange things on the beach...., and went to Busch Gardens. Nick and Taylor even got stuck on a rollercoaster at Busch Gardens. I wasn't too excited about that, but it was a good story for them to tell!

Babysitter Nick

2011-03-03T13:54:00.004-06:00

My cute little nephew Charlie came over last weekend so his mom and dad could go out for the night. Nicholas did a great job helping out with Charlie. He helped feed him, helped change his diaper and helped put his PJ's on. Charlie even cuddled with Nicholas when he started to get sleepy. He thought that was pretty cool.

New York City Baby

2011-02-09T20:47:00.005-06:00

I super love New York City, it is one of my favorite places to visit. There are so many things to see and do, it's such an exciting city! I did a quick weekend to shop and see a concert at Madison Square Garden with some friends - we had a great time even though it was cold and rainy.

Weekend Project

2011-01-25T19:49:00.003-06:00

Besides cheering for the Packers this past weekend, Matt finished up the ceiling above our dining room table. We were going to do a copper ceiling, but couldn't find a nice looking tile. It turned out really nice! Thanks Matt!

Packer Land

2011-01-25T19:10:00.006-06:00

So Nick has jumped on the Packer bandwagon, at least I like to tell myself that....that was, until he wanted to change his room to Packer colors. I told him that I could easily paint the green walls purple!

Ice Time

2011-01-25T18:43:00.004-06:00

Nick and Matt decided to clear the pond and try a little ice skating. Gotta love winter!

My Meet and Greet With Louie

2011-01-01T19:40:00.002-06:00

I bought tickets a couple of months ago for Louie Andersons' New Years Eve show in Burnsville and a few days beforehand received a phone message saying my tickets included a meet and greet with Louie! I was so excited. I've been watching him since I was about 16 years old. I just LOVE his comedy! He was very nice to everyone there and put on a wonderful show.

Happy Birthday Nicholas!

2011-01-01T19:36:00.002-06:00

My New Years' baby turned 9 years old today!

Happy Birthday Lexi!

2010-12-29T20:33:00.005-06:00

We lost a special part of our family a couple years ago and we miss her so much. I'm sure she keeps the angels busy in heaven! Happy birthday Lexi Lu Lu!

Christmas With The Babies

2010-12-29T20:21:00.006-06:00

This was the babies first Christmas - it was so much fun watching them! They all got little coupe cars for Christmas...CUTE!!

Nutcracker Ballet

2010-12-23T16:25:00.005-06:00

Every since Taylor was a little girl, I have taken her to the nutcracker ballet. We made our yearly trip once again last Sunday. This year we decided to dress up..which I like doing...but man, it was cold!!

Cookie Time!

2010-12-23T16:15:00.008-06:00

Yum...Yum Yum Yum

Jingle Ball 2010

2010-12-07T15:54:00.011-06:00

The Rockers

The Ready Set

Mike Posner

Selena Gomez

Taio Cruz

Sara Bareilles

B.O.B.

Enrique Iglesias

3Oh!3

I took Taylor and her friend Sophia to Jingle Ball 2010 at the Target Center. It was Sophia's first concert! We had a great time!

Pet Investments

2010-12-07T15:48:00.005-06:00

If you are thinking of investing in a bed for your pet...don't bother....

Days Of Our Lives Event

2010-11-20T14:52:00.003-06:00

Here are all my 'stalker' pictures, as Taylor puts it. We had so much fun and it was great meeting all the actors from my favorite soap!

Our Trip To Hollywood

2010-11-20T14:26:00.005-06:00

Taylor and I flew out to California for a long weekend to attend a Days of Our Lives fan event in Hollywood and stuffed our short time with lots of sights and shopping! We saw lots of stars' homes and had a great time at the fan event...more pictures to come from Days!

Wigs For Kids

2010-11-03T18:32:00.011-05:00

Before

During

After

Her 'pony tail'...get it? Hee hee...

Rockin' the new 'do :)

Taylor has been working awhile at growing her hair out knowing eventually she would donate it. I think she ended up donating about 11 inches of hair! I checked into the Locks of Love website and the American Cancer Society website. The American Cancer Society actually recommended two other programs, one being Wigs For Kids. Check out their website at www.wigsforkids.org
if you are thinking of making your own donation!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-03T18:26:00.003-05:00

Nicholas as Buba Fet - Star Wars dude

Arrrghh....

Crazy Wind

2010-10-30T10:48:00.002-05:00

It got just a tad windy here in the midwest. Our trampoline blew across the yard and into the field...not too many jumps left in it....bummer

Pumpkin Carvin'

2010-10-30T10:41:00.006-05:00

Vikings Cowboys Game

2010-10-30T10:30:00.009-05:00

Just say cheese...Taylor, look out for that guy behind you!

I spun the wheel and won....

.....a Vikings sweatshirt! Good thing...Taylor was cold!

Posin'

The Vikings are coming!

Our fab seats

Yay!! Randy is back!! Favor and Moss playing catch....

Can't forget Tony Romo! Sorry Cowboys...

Rick Springfield At The Mall

2010-10-30T10:07:00.007-05:00

Taylor getting into the picture with Rick (she even admitted that he was cute)

Creepy guy with Rick

Rick smiling at me :)

Rick Springfield was recently at the Mall of America doing a book signing and of course, I had to go! I wish he would have been there to sing, but no such luck. I should have taken pictures of his fans...some definitely still had the 80's hair goin' on!

Bugs

2010-10-11T21:13:00.004-05:00

I started looking for pictures of bug bites and got all these bed bug pictures back from my search....ACK!! All I can say is search with caution!

What I wanted to post about was those little black bugs that are out right now. They totally devoured my arms and it itches like crazy! I must go find my best friend now.....

Congratulations!!

2010-10-11T21:04:00.002-05:00

Congrats to my sister Mandi and her boyfriend Lonny - they are engaged! Looking forward to a family wedding!!

Is It Really October?

2010-10-11T11:32:00.003-05:00

It was such a beautiful day yesterday, that of course, we did what everyone does on a warm fall day...

Can't guess....well, duh....ice skating!

Yep, the local indoor rink is all iced up and ready to go.

I was in Target yesterday also and they had lots of Christmas things out already....and I thought...already?! But it is October...usually, I'd have half my shopping done by now! I think the beautiful weather is throwing me off...definitely not complaining!

And speaking of Christmas shopping...we have three new babies in the family that will have their first Christmas this year. That is a very dangerous combination when shopping...there are sooo many cute things out there for kids! I have a feeling there is going to be some spoilin' going on!

Happy Birthday Grandpa

2010-10-10T20:39:00.002-05:00

Thursday was grandpa's birthday. I sure do miss him.

The Leaves

2010-10-10T20:36:00.003-05:00

I don't like the fact that fall is followed by winter, but the leaves sure are beautiful right now!

My Soccer Champ

2010-10-10T20:24:00.004-05:00

Nicholas' last game was in Minneapolis on Saturday. He LOVES playing goalie and was excited that he was able to be goalie for the last game. It was an unusual 80+ degree October day in Minnesota and the kids were HOT.
Wildcat Boys and Coach Jim

The boys lost their game, but nothing can fix a loss like a gigantic freezie pop!

See ya next season!

My Pumpkin Harvest

2010-10-10T20:04:00.005-05:00

This was my first year at growing pumpkins and I got a pretty good crop! The kids and I were pretty excited. I planted regular size pumpkins and the mini pumpkins. Soon we'll paint and carve them and decorate the yard.

Big Girl

2010-10-07T14:44:00.004-05:00

I'm already dreading the day that my daughter leaves for college and leaves me at home with testosterone, I mean boys.

She just went to her first college fair and has her sights on the U of M - Twin Cities campus. A tough school to get into, but she really, really wants to go and already is making her grades and ACT score a high priority.

She recently applied for a job, interviewed and got it-she is very excited! One of the questions that was asked was 'Use three words to describe yourself'.

She told the interviewer, 'I am hard working'.

After giggling to myself, I said ' That's four words.'

She said ' Hard-working is a hyphenated word mom.'

I said, 'Lesson number one....when someone asks you for three words to describe yourself, you don't say three words in a row.'

He's Back!!

2010-10-07T14:17:00.001-05:00

I am very excited to see our old friend Randy Moss back in purple!!

They're Coming For Me!

2010-09-27T19:03:00.003-05:00

We had a pretty cool thing happen to us recently. A hot air balloon company stopped by our house to see if their balloon could land in the field in back of our house. It was super neat and the balloon was huge! It was interesting to see how they landed, unloaded and packed up the balloon. Here is a picture of Nicholas posing by the balloon.

We tried to get a discount from the company for a ride, but no such luck. We did get a bottle of champagne and two glasses!

First Day of School

2010-09-01T21:25:00.002-05:00

We can't quite believe it's time to go back to school already. Taylor's first day was today and Nick's first day is tomorrow. Our calendar is already filling up with all their activities...soccer, dance, tennis, church school..whew, and I'm tired already!

Lucky for me, Taylor drives...barely!

She was in a car accident in August on the interstate and I am officially a freak everytime she leaves the house. She only had a few cuts on her leg, but what could have happened haunts me everyday. Needless to say, we're putting the kabosh on interstate driving for now.

She started tennis a few weeks ago and made the varsity practice squad playing singles. She'll have tennis through the month of September. She'll start dance soon. She's taking a couple more classes this year than previous years, so she's really excited about that.

Nicholas will start soccer next week and that will only last about a month. He's so-so on the excitement gauge of starting school. He's excited to see his friends. Matt has been doing some remodeling in his office to prepare for a new tenant to their office building.

Me...I'm excited that football season is here once again! Hopefully the Vikings can have as good a season as they did last year. I'll be going back to my dance class here in town-I'm very excited for that.

We just came back from a two night stay up north in a little cabin. Even Dudley got to come with! The kids had fun catching fish off the dock. riding the paddle boat and canoe and of course roasting marshmallows. It was a nice little getaway for us.

Well, tomorrow...another first day of school...I'll have my camera ready!

Adorable Babies

2010-07-29T22:19:00.006-05:00

Elias
Miss Lily

Charlie

Who could resist these little punkin's?

Hola!

2010-07-28T16:23:00.010-05:00

Miguel and Ray

My brother-in-law's family recently came up from Puerta Vallarta to visit him and my sister Chelsei. They were able to be here for the baptism of Ray and Chelsei's baby, Lily, and get together with lots of our family.

Elvia and Lily
We had met Miguelito last year , but were able to meet his dad Miguel, his mom Elvia and his sister Gloria on this trip. It was so great to meet the rest of the family and we can't wait to visit with them again sometime!

Gloria, Elvia, Nicholas and Miguelito

The kids swimming in the pool

Takin' A Bite Out of the Big Apple

2010-07-28T16:10:00.006-05:00

Matt, Nick and I went to New York City for a long weekend in mid-July. It was my first time to the Big Apple and I absolutely LOVED it! It was so exciting and alive. It was a hot one though while we were there.

Nick singing opera in front of the Opera House

We took in so many sights...did the double-decker tours, boat cruise, Central Park, managed the subway system, ate food from a street vendor and went to the Today Show to see Enrique Iglesias perform for the Toyota Concert Series.

They can grow trees on top of buildings!

My favorite part of NYC was the people and seeing the sights you see in movies and on TV. My least favorite part was being shuffled from line to line at the Empire State Building...it was SO packed, it wasn't even fun.

Do they still make these things??

Nicholas' favorite part of NYC was Nintendo World...Haha...of course! His least favorite part was being stuck on the double-decker in Brooklyn in traffic because another double-decker broke down. That ranked pretty close to the top for me also!

Matt couldn't decide what his favorite part was...but he did not like the heat!

You will need to 'X' out of the advertising to see the titles of the pictures :)

Bieber Fever

2010-07-22T14:43:00.007-05:00

If you talk to Matt, be sure to ask him if he's over his 'Bieber Fever'.

I had bought tickets for my niece Macie to see Justin Bieber at the end of June. Then I found out Nicholas liked his music also, so I bought two more tickets and roped Matt into coming with. It was a fun concert with lots and lots of screaming, swooning girls...and Matt.

Okay, so he wasn't the only dad in the crowd. Thanks for being a good sport Matt!

Off To Japan

2010-07-22T14:28:00.003-05:00

Taylor left for Japan on June 14th and returned on July 1st. I was so excited for her to go, but a little sad to have her gone. I guess it is a taste of what is to come in the future as she heads off to college.

She had a really great time and enjoyed staying with her two host families. She came home with over 800 pictures and some interesting video footage :) She's ready to go back!

Summer Flies When You Are Having Fun

2010-07-22T13:55:00.005-05:00

I think I say this everytime I post a new blog after it has been awhile.....WHERE HAVE THE DAYS GONE???!!!

Really, my best intentions are to regularly keep everyone up-to-date...but, it seems like life just always gets into the way! Work, pulling weeds, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, chasing kids - not to mention sleeping, peeing and eating, which personally, I think takes up WAY too much of a 24 hour day! I have too many things I want to accomplish in a day!

Well, I left off with Taylor's dance recital. Since then, lots has happened. First off, I talked Matt into selling the playset and getting an above-ground pool from Target. Of course, this has been the rainiest summer we've had in a long time, but the kids are enjoying it when they can.

Dancin' Weekend

2010-06-05T18:56:00.005-05:00

Taylor had her dance recital this weekend - she performed four different dances

I haven't quite figured out how to take pictures in dark places and of people that are moving...this is the best I could get...guess I'll have to buy the DVD :)

My sister Mandi came up to see the recital also. Nicholas gave his sister a trophy with her name on because 'she worked really hard for it'.....awwww....he does love her!

Meet Lilianna Alexis

2010-06-05T18:53:00.003-05:00

After a very long wait, Miss Lilianna Alexis Reynaga entered the outside world on June 2nd - we were all so excited to finally meet her! Congratulations Ray, Chelsei and Macie!

Busy Days

2010-06-05T18:40:00.004-05:00

Nicholas is learning how to skateboard

School is just about out and the kids are busier than ever. Nicholas has been busy with soccer...games and practices. Taylor has been busy getting ready for her dance recital and her big trip to Japan. I can't believe my daughter will be half ways around the world in just about a week.... :0

Charlie's Baptism

2010-06-05T18:23:00.007-05:00

Matt and I have the honor of being Godparents to baby Charlie - he looked so adorable in his little baptismal outfit that my mom made him!

Taylor wasn't too sure about holding a crying baby...the two boys are looking at the baby and Eli just doesn't want to be in the picture, so he's covering himself with the blanket!

The proud parents - Ryan and Heidi

Momma Belly

2010-06-05T18:19:00.003-05:00

Gettin' ready to bust out!

Handsome Boys

2010-06-05T17:57:00.003-05:00

Charlie

Matt, Eli and Nicholas

Eli

Prayers For Mary Jean

2010-06-05T17:53:00.002-05:00

My aunt Mary Jean has been battling cancer since 2008 and is such a wonderful inspiration to us all. She recently came up to my sister Chelsei's baby shower and was able to meet baby Elias and baby Charlie (pictured here). Tons of love sent your way!!

Graduation 2010

2010-06-05T17:49:00.002-05:00

My brother Shane graduated from Winona State recently...so proud of you little brother! Now he is off to Kenosha for his new job!

This Kid Is AMAZING!

2010-05-12T22:32:00.002-05:00

Check out this 6th grader...watch out J.B.!

My Newest Favorite Song

2010-05-07T19:21:00.001-05:00

New York Anyone?

2010-05-01T21:39:00.001-05:00

We are thinking of planning a long weekend to NYC in July - anyone have any tips/tricks/advice for a Big Apple virgin?

Gotta Love The Military

2010-05-01T21:32:00.002-05:00

This is hilarious! I super LOVE fighter jets!

Congrats Shane

2010-05-01T21:17:00.004-05:00

My youngest brother will graduate next Friday from college and has already scored a job - congratulations Shane! Too bad you have to move deep into Packer country :) Don't walk down any dark alleys with your Viking gear on!

Speaking of Brent Favor....he's now trying to decide whether to have surgery or retire....gee...really??

Grandma Janie Breakin' The Law

2010-04-02T19:53:00.002-05:00

http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12246787

Check out the trouble Matt's mom has been getting into lately. She was a passenger of the white van. She was inside getting a pedicure when the cops arrived!

Bleeping Cool!

2010-03-29T22:00:00.003-05:00

My niece Molly won a (beep) car on the radio station in Milwaukee! Check out the video - holy beeeeeppp - she was beeped out...just a few times :)

Another Lost Soul

2010-03-15T22:28:00.002-05:00

I super loved Corey Haim when I was a teenager.

Meet Charlie!

2010-03-14T13:56:00.003-05:00

My brother Ryan and his wife Heidi welcomed their baby boy Charlie a couple of weeks early! He is absolutely adorable!

Auntie Bridget and Charlie

Cousin Taylor and Charlie

Vegas Baby!

2010-03-14T13:38:00.007-05:00

You know you are in Vegas when you have a driver and a sweet ride like this! (Notice my hubby in the background...no, he didn't drink a thing on the flight in!)

We had a great long weekend trip to Las Vegas with my dad, stepmom, brothers, sister-in-law, and sister. We walked about 1000 miles and saw a TON of things! We saw Louie Anderson one night, went to Hoover Dam, and caught the Bon Jovi concert another night. Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Stratosphere and caught the fountain show at the Bellagio. I didn't win any money, but I didn't really gamble much either. After all that walking, the only celebrity sighting I had was Pete Rose signing autographs in one of the malls...I'm losing my touch ;)

Besties

2010-03-14T13:29:00.003-05:00

I took a long weekend at the end of February and visited my friend Laura in Texas. She and her kids mean the world to me - I'm so thankful she's in my life.

Laura's sweet Emma

My Baby Is Sixteen Years Old

2010-02-22T10:53:00.003-06:00

Taylor (on the left)

REALLY? I can't believe she's sixteen years old - time is going too fast for this mom! She is the best daughter a mom could ever ask for. I love you Taylor!

Love

2010-02-22T10:24:00.005-06:00

I had to share something that gave me the warm fuzzies and made me smile yesterday.

I had just gotten off my flight in Dallas and was waiting for my luggage at the baggage carousel. I sat near the front of the airplane, so I was one of the first ones off. As I waited for my luggage, I watched the rest of the people come off the plane. I noticed two servicemen waiting at the entrance when I got off the airplane and just thought they were meeting a new recruit or something.

But then, as I was watching, two girls got off the plane and literally leaped into each man's arms. They kissed and hugged and kissed more, for I bet, was 5 minutes straight. One of the girls was pregnant and her guy was taking turns kissing her and kissing her belly. The other girl and her guy couldn't keep their eyes off of each other. I wish I could have snuck a picture of them because the love that surrounded them was just oozing out everywhere, it was so sweet...made me a little teary-eyed....zip it Matt!

Baby Hola

2010-02-22T10:18:00.003-06:00

Here is a picture of my next little niece due in June!

Chelsei and Ray will welcome a little girl in June. Can't wait to meet her!

Amazing

2010-02-13T08:50:00.000-06:00

Baby Phester

2010-02-07T15:00:00.005-06:00

We recently had a baby shower for my sister-in-law Heidi. She received lots of great gifts!
She and my brother are having a boy due in March - we can't wait to meet the next little guy in our family!!

Here he is...Baby Phester!!

(That's not really his name...it's been a joke for a few months as we were coming up with baby names for them)

Family Update

2010-02-07T14:35:00.003-06:00

The last month was a busy one! It was tax time at work plus we are getting ready for an election in two weeks. I'm ready for winter to be over, I could use a little warm sunshine on my face. I was anticipating a trip to Miami for this weekend, but we all know how that one turned out! Though, I can hardly complain, this winter hasn't been so terrible, but it just drags on and on. This month is a short one, so March will be here before we know it. I will be going to Texas in a couple of weeks for just a quick visit with my friend who left her abusive boyfriend. She is doing WONDERFUL...I can't sing her praises enough, she is really turning things around. Then the hubby and I are off to Las Vegas for a long weekend with my family. I'm going to a Bon Jovi concert while we're out there...CAN'T WAIT!!

Matt has been busy working on some additional kitchen cabinets and our mud room bench area. He's hoping to get a few more things done before spring is here and we start working outside more. Work has been up and down for him, the economy is still a bit sluggish in his line of work.

Taylor will be finishing up her driving hours and is scheduled to go for her drivers test on March 1st! She's confident she'll pass the first time, so we'll see. She is turning 16 this month...I can hardly believe it. She's growing up so fast. She was recently assigned to first chair in band for flute and had a couple of solo parts at the last band concert. I am so proud of her! She has also been busy earning money for her upcoming trip to Japan in June.

Nicholas is much like me...ready for winter to be over. He loves playing soccer, so we are going to try out traveling soccer which starts in April. He's been doing very well in math in school even though he says he doesn't like it much. He does like to go ice skating at our local indoor rink, we try to go Sunday afternoons if we're around.

Happy Super Bowl Day everyone! Who are YOU cheering for?

Seasons Over

2010-02-07T14:25:00.005-06:00

Today is the Super Bowl...WE were supposed to be there...bummer...we were so close this year :( But I have a season of good memories!

Pants On The Ground

2010-01-18T21:16:00.001-06:00

What's up with Favre spankin' Jared Allen??!! The Vikes played crazy awesome! It was a SUPER game :)

A View From Brian Williams

2010-01-18T20:23:00.003-06:00

Written by Brian Williams, NBC Anchor and Managing Editor

Home Again, A Long Way From Haiti

We see some awful things in our line of work. And then we come home to our comfortable lives in America. As long as I live, I don't think I’ll ever be able to square the two lives we lead. After all the suffering we witnessed, I arrived home with no way to explain it, no desire to go into detail, and no explanation for why some children are born into poverty and struggle only to die young and in great pain—while my children lead such fortunate lives. I've come home from multiple trips to Iraq, Afghanistan, Indonesia, New Orleans and now Haiti asking the same thing. I stood in line this afternoon at the supermarket and listened to two insanely entitled teenagers—wearing the logo clothing of a prominent New England prep school—complaining about obscene topics like how "tight" their mother was with her credit card, and how taxing the task of shopping had been for them. It took everything I had to remain silent and not remind them that people are suffering. I am hoping they have parents for that—maybe they are the ones who should be reminded. But it was something my wife said last night that focused and brightened my thinking somewhat: "What if there were no United States? Have we stopped to think how much worse off the Haitian people would be?" She's right, as she so often is.

There were several things we should have pointed out, as part of our coverage while in Haiti, but could not or did not because of the crush of air time or just plain weariness. We should have listed the aircraft we saw arrive from various countries, including the prop plane from Cuba, the two giant 777s from El Al in Israel, the incredible Belgians and their crack rescue squad, the Russians, the seemingly unending stream of rescue workers from New York, California and Virginia—I happily noted their exploits were highlighted during our weekend coverage.

We flew home this weekend on a U.S. Air Force C-17—which we later learned was part of the "shake-down" portion of what will become an air bridge of evacuees from Haiti who will now become temporary residents of McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. On our flight, there were empty seats (an important point—while the Air Force was the only way we could fly home from Haiti, we would of course have been bumped, happily, from any flight full of evacuees, and this flight was not full, thus we were allowed passage...this will be, for days to come, the only way media will be able to fly out of Haiti) and about 10 members of the media alongside approximately 100-150 Haitian evacuees. They were all tired, scared, sad, thankful, unfailingly polite and peaceful. Those with children seemed totally devoted to their cargo, and not one of the children fussed during our 10-hour journey. In just the first two days, over 400 more Haitians have joined them, in the very nice temporary housing set aside for such purposes at McGuire.

I must confess to intervening in military affairs on the flight home. It struck me that our current wartime military has now been thrust into a giant and urgent humanitarian mission, and that was not fully reflected on this first evacuee flight. The professional and businesslike Air Force crew on board made all the appropriate announcements, and showed their usual courtesy to their passengers, but it was clear they were used to transporting pallets of water and Humvees and generators...and not people, some of whom were enduring the darkest chapter of their lives. They boarded this cargo jet not knowing where they were going. Many were wearing minimal clothing, and they were headed north to the dead of winter. I suggested to the media liaison on board that the Crew Chief of the flight find a volunteer to make a few announcements in Creole. It was apparent to me that our guests were not paying attention to the announcements (those about safety, meager amenities, and updates on the flight, including such term-of-art phrases as "taking on fuel" and "off-loading passengers") and were missing out on vital information. In what I hope becomes an act of Air Force policy, we witnessed an amazing change: the passengers who had been asleep or disinterested during the announcements suddenly came to attention when they heard their native tongue being spoken to them, with great courtesy from a young father of a beautiful little girl on board. He was thrust into the "announcer" role and did superbly well. I was also concerned upon landing that the Haitian visitors were subjected to almost punitive-feeling searches once on the base—bomb-sniffing dogs and metal detectors...the standard operating procedure when non-military passengers arrive, but suddenly slightly tone-deaf in terms of what these Haitians had been through. It will simply require some sensitivity on the part of our young airborne warriors—our armed forces volunteers, who have been fighting this nation's dual wars for years now, non-stop. There was no food available on the 10-hour journey—and while there was water, it was never handed out—it was made available in the front of the aircraft, only for those who understood the announcement in English. It was immediately apparent that many of the passengers did not realize there was water...or a bathroom available on board...until it was time to leave, when they walked by both on their way out. To be fair: the care and comfort of human passengers on a cavernous cargo jet has not been a priority of the Air Force lately, but now it is.

It was because of my familiarity with the military—on so many levels—that I spoke up. They are nothing if not resilient. They can adapt on a dime. And while basic military training is centered on a notion of an adversary, these passengers, as I made clear to the cargo crew, had done nothing wrong. The matter I raised on the aircraft was just one of tone. Big picture: every member of the military was working hard. Moving fast. Sweat dripping off their chins as they unloaded food and water and vehicles from huge incoming aircraft. Then there were the tents to house the 82nd Airborne—and the electronics that needed to be set up. They realize time is everything, and they are moving as if lives depend on it. They do indeed.

Haiti needs so much right now. They need doctors, they have a dire need of heavy equipment. As so many public officials have said, they need our money. It is the best way to help, I'm convinced. This is not fair. Nothing about this tragedy is fair. No one in Haiti deserved this. We have to hope that this relief effort—when it becomes all about recovery—will also focus on reconstruction. While we cannot return a dead child to the hands of her mother, the world community has the chance to leave behind a better country. There IS no Haiti right now, as we have come to know it. I saw four police officers in three days, and one uniformed Haitian soldier. We are now Haiti—not just we Americans, but those of us in all the countries in the region, and all the countries that have responded so quickly and generously. We cannot reverse what has happened there, but we can try to restore a country.

We reluctantly left members of our crew behind—they had volunteered to stay on—and welcomed the new arrivals before leaving ourselves. We'll be back. For now, we get to take a bigger-picture look at the struggle, which we will start tonight. It’s good to be back home, though in my head I'm still very much back on that tarmac in Haiti.

Cupcake Baking Pan

2010-01-17T08:41:00.002-06:00

Have you seen those commercials for the cupcake shaped baking pan? Well, I have one and tried making Nicholas a cake for his birthday.

As you can see, it didn't turn out too well....I got a little excited to see how it looked and tried to take it out of the pan before it had cooled!

It still tasted good and Nicholas didn't seem to mind :)
I can't wait to try it out again...when I'm feeling a bit more patient.

Happy Birthday Nick!

2010-01-17T08:36:00.007-06:00

Nicholas celebrated his 8th birthday on January 1st. We had his party at the Wooddale Fun Zone with a couple of his friends. They skated, ate pizza and played games.

Meet Elias

2010-01-17T08:16:00.003-06:00

Meet my new nephew Elias - isn't he cute? He was born on Friday, January 8th. He was due to arrive via C-Section on January 12th, but had plans of his own. Emily's water broke on Friday, so they rushed her into the ER to deliver. Nicholas was very excited to get another boy cousin!

Congrats Em and Seun!!

He's Home!

2010-01-14T20:42:00.002-06:00

I'm a little behind on my posts, but wanted to post a little something about David and Sean Goldman. I've been following this story for awhile and and have posted on it before. I was beside myself with happiness when I found out that Sean was finally coming home. I held my breathe until the moment I knew the plane was in the air. And for it to happen on Christmas...truly a miracle. Thanks to everyone who helped petition to send him home!

http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/national/BO133170/

Pray For Haiti

2010-01-14T20:33:00.001-06:00

Rhyan's blog is amazing and inspiring to read, check it out!

http://becausehecalled.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Lexi!

2009-12-28T18:22:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday Lexi - we miss you lots!

The Blind Side

2009-12-11T22:49:00.002-06:00

Matt and I saw The Blind Side tonight. What a great movie and a great story! I want to do something great like that someday...what a wonderful family!

Check Out My Friend!

2009-12-11T22:33:00.003-06:00

She will probaly kill me for posting this, but she did such a great job!

OMG...Justin Bieber!

2009-12-10T21:02:00.012-06:00

Taylor and I went to Jingle Ball and saw lots of cool acts. No one was more popular than Justin Bieber...there were thousands of screaming girls swooning over this pint size singer!

We also saw Jordin Sparks, Jay Sean, Pitbull, 3OH3, Colbie Calliat, Boys Like Girls, Owl City and special guest host Adam Lambert.

Homeless Cat

2009-12-10T20:58:00.003-06:00

Forget all those fancy cat toys and pet beds, our cat likes to sit, play and lay in boxes.

Cuties

2009-12-10T20:43:00.001-06:00

We recently had a baby shower for my stepsister Emily - she is due on January 12th and having a boy! I can't wait to have a baby in the family again! Here she is with Nicholas and my niece Macie.

My Grandpa

2009-12-10T20:19:00.002-06:00

My grandpa passed away on November 18th. He and my grandma are two of my most favorite people in the world. They had just celebrated their wedding anniversary on November 8th and had been married for 64 years.
We knew his end was coming. He had had multiple strokes over the years and toward the end, couldn't speak clearly and often couldn't eat his favorite foods. So his passing was both good and not so good. He often seemed unhappy and frustrated with his condition, so knowing that he is in heaven right now talking to the angels and farming in his big green tractor, makes me really happy. But knowing that I won't see him again for awhile, makes me really sad.

Clearwater

2009-12-05T16:57:00.016-06:00

On one of our days in Florida, we took a drive over to Clearwater. Little did we know, the Iron Man Triathalon was going on and getting to the beach was going to be an ordeal!

But once we did, we settled in under our umbrella to enjoy the warm sun, soft sand and....these sneaky little beasts!

We saw one swoop down and steal a sandwich right out of a ladies hand as she was eating! We hid under our umbrella while we ate our lunch.

Beach Bums

I really wanted to see some dolphins and this place GUARANTEED dolphins or your next ride was free...so I thought this was a pretty for sure thing.

We're ready!

We saw a pirate ship...

Our winter home...

And even the Geico guy....

But...no dolphins...

After the boat ride in the Gulf of Mexico, it was getting late and we were all hungry. We decided to stop at this cute little place in Tampa called Senor Loco's. For some reason, they sat us in the bar area while everyone else was seated in the dining area.....could it have been that world's largest speedboat ride we took?

Only in Disney's World

2009-12-05T16:46:00.001-06:00

I want to live on Seven Dwarfs Lane!

Hmmm....

2009-12-05T16:18:00.005-06:00

We were starving after getting off the plane in Orlando...Mirage Grill anyone?

Belly dancers AND a healthy lunch buffet??!!

Wowza!

I didn't know 'healthy' and 'buffet' could be used in the same sentence!

Space Shuttle Launch

2009-12-05T15:39:00.002-06:00

We went to Orlando the second week in November in hopes of seeing the space shuttle launch, but they moved the launch time about a week before we left to the day after we would return home. That was a bummer, but we still had a trip to Kennedy Space Center planned. So instead of seeing the shuttle live in person, I watched it live on the internet:

Scary Stuff

2009-12-05T15:24:00.005-06:00

Do you believe in miracles, destiny, fate, irony?

In the beginning of November, there was a shooting at an Orlando, Florida office building. An ex-employee went into the building and started shooting. He shot six people, one of these people died. The news reported that this ex-employee had been fired a couple of years ago.

A very good friend of mine from high school works at this office building. He is the office manager. I knew that my friend could have very well been the one to fire this guy.

He wasn't answering my emails or texts. My imagination ran wild and I could only imagine what had happened. You hear about these things on the news all the time, but you never imagine knowing someone in that situation.

Finally, I tried his cell phone.

He answered.

The shooter had been looking for my friend.

He happened to be out of town that day. He and another co-worker were in Washington D.C. at the time of the shooting accepting an award for the company.

Scary stuff....