Dying Easter Eggs

Today Braden was supposed to have a playdate at our house with his friend Hannah. We were going to dye Easter Eggs and go on an Easter Egg Hunt! Unfortunately she got sick in the middle of the night so had to cancel. Braden was pretty bummed so we dyed the eggs anyways and will go on a hunt after lunch.

He made comments about how bad the vinegar smelled and it brought me back to when I was young. I remember being at my grandma Snyder's house. Easter was always such a big deal at her house. We dressed up(with new dress up clothes she got us), dyed eggs, and ate yummy ham. I clearly remember though how awful I thought the vinegar smelled. It's funny how smells can take you right back to a long-ago memory!!

Four Seasons

I now feel like we've officially experienced all four seasons in less than a month.

A few weeks ago we all felt the natural high as spring started to pop up. Some of our plants peeked out of the ground, the sunshine was plentiful and the temperatures slowly became warmer. I found myself wanting to do spring cleaning and we spent a lot of time outside in the yard and on walks.

After that, we hit record highs at 75 degrees. We spent the entire day outside, got pink cheeks from the sunshine and were all feeling the glorious happiness that summertime brings.

Fall came when some last leaves (which held on all winter) fell from the trees or were found hidden among the plants which I finally cut back. We found ourselves raking them up and dropping them off at the Tosa dump.

Today ... we woke up to WINTER. UGH. I really thought we were done with the snow and how vastly wrong I was. There are about 2-3 inches of wet, heavy snow outside and a pure white sky. I would have found today exhilarating if it was November however it's almost April and so I don't find myself welcoming this cold, damp, fluff.

We knew we couldn't sit inside all day so we bundled up (hopefully for the last time) and headed out. Magnus had never seen snow before so he wasn't real sure what was going on. He liked it at first but quickly got cold and wanted back inside. After shoveling we decided to make the most of the WINTER weather and go sledding. We got down the sleds which we had already packed away for the SUMMER that we thought was on the way last weekend. Braden climbed into one and Olivia in the other. We trekked to the hill a few blocks from our house and had a blast. We raced down the hill and hiked back up. Olivia was even brave enough to go by herself most of the time. We warmed up with some hot cocoa when we got home. It was the perfect way to turn a dreary day into something fun. We laughed and really enjoyed our time outside.

So... although I am really excited to once again move on through the seasons (I'm ready for spring!), today was one more chance to make fun winter memories.

Easter at GMR

We went into Steve's work yesterday for an Easter party. Braden loved the Easter Bunny but Olivia wanted NOTHING to do with him. She was petrified and kept her eye on him as he walked around the room. We ate treats, visited with friends and then went on an Easter Egg Hunt around the office. It was really fun. They each found 5 eggs with chocolate and candy inside. Olivia unwrapped every piece and ate them before I knew what was happening. Like mother like daughter?

This was as close as Olivia would get to the Easter Bunny. She kept her eye on him at ALL times to be sure he didn't get too close!


Braden was excited about meeting the Easter Bunny.


Pretty spring flowers.


On the lookout for Easter Eggs!


Olivia... the chocolate munchkin!

Singing in the Rain

Braden and Olivia enjoyed a rainy day!

Mister Magnus

Magnus is doing well and growing fast as you can see. He is a great sleeper at night but has had some trouble with potty training unfortunately. We'll keep trying and know that eventually he'll realize that he has to somehow tell us when he has to go potty. It's hard to guess when he potties 15 minutes after taking him outside! :) Patience is truly a virtue sometimes.

He still loves to snuggle and is very playful. Braden and he enjoy playing tug-of-war and keep away. One of his favorite games is fetch. He loves to go get a toy that's been thrown and somehow he knows to bring it right back.

We took him for his first walk this week. He wasn't sure he wanted to put any effort into it at first but since he weighs 6 lbs and I'm obviously much bigger I won the stand off. Once he got going and had the encouragement of a few treats he did really well. We can't wait until it's nice enough to take him out again.

Puppy classes will start in a few weeks which should be good for all of us!!

Biking Buddies

I can already tell Braden and Olivia are going to spend a lot of time this summer on their bikes. Last weekend we enjoyed playing in the sunshine. It was so warm in fact that Olivia had on short sleeves and insisted on wearing Braden's sunglasses. She can't pedal yet but Steve, bless his heart, pushed her back and forth down the alley.

Braden's new Buddy!

Braden has a new buddy. He and Magnus have had sooooo much fun together. It just validates why we got him. They run, jump, chase, and pounce around the yard. Exactly what you'd picture when you imagine a little boy and his puppy.

We're still working on potty training but he's doing very well. I am glad that I don't really have anything on my agenda but him for the next few weeks because as long as he's our focus we don't seem to have any accidents. It's been very helpful having Steve home this weekend so keep your fingers crossed that the next few days go as well with just me.

Night before last he got up twice to go potty with Steve but last night he didn't make a peep ALL night. WOW! What a good boy. He ate more yesterday, drank more and played more so maybe all of that helped.

I will update with some pictures later today.

The Blarney Run

My parents came down this morning to help us out with the kids as well as meet Magnus. Steve and I, along with our good friend Kate, ran The Blarney Run, for the Wauwatosa Historical Society. It was a 5K which ran along Underwood Parkway and Swan Boulevard both of which make you feel like you are outside of the city. There were almost 800 runners. We started off at a pretty fast clip but by the end, Steve was a gentleman and hung back with me as I slowed down! It was a tough course with two huge hills, one at the very end. We finished in 30 minutes so not too bad. There's room for improvement but was a good start to the summer season. :)

Braden was supposed to run the "Twinkle Trot." My parents were going to bring him up to race after ours was finished. Unfortunately they blocked off the road and so he missed the race. Steve and I felt terrible as we didn't know that would happen and he was pretty jazzed to run. We'll be on the lookout for more children's races this summer. I think we have a little runner in our midst.

After, we enjoyed a great lunch at Pizzaria Piccolo and then my mom and I went shopping for a little bit. It was such a nice day. It's amazing what a little sunshine and exercise can do for your energy level and attitude. I just felt great today (although my body is still exhausted from the race!)

Thanks Kate, Mom and Pa for a really fun day! I can't wait for more...the race bug is back. :)

Magnus the Magnificent

So far so good! Last night went really well. I of course didn't sleep much but he slept wonderful. I heard him stir a few times and did get up to take him out twice but he had no interest and didn't have to go potty so we may be past that. Could we be so lucky? He cried out only once and was quiet the rest of the night.

He had two minor accidents but other than that has gone potty outside all day. What a good little boy. He enjoyed the sunshine and played outside with Steve and the kids a few times today. It was fun to watch him jump around and explore the world. He hadn't set foot outside until we brought him home last night so I imagine he'll be quite exhausted.

So far he loves his crate but that's what he'd been basically living in so that's no surprise. He will sleep there at night and be in the crate during the day when we're gone. We have had so much fun with him in the last 24 hours and feel really lucky that he's now part of our family.

Welcome Home Magnus!

We brought Magnus home tonight. We drove to Janesville after school, picked him up and I snuggled with him the whole way home. He is satisfying my baby bug right now. :)

Braden is in little boy heaven. He wants so badly to play with Magnus, take care of him, and have Magnus return the love. I'm sure as he gets more comfortable here he'll do more playing but tonight he was just a little overwhelmed.

I'm feeling a little nervous about potty training (all of you know that's not my forte') and for sleeping through the night. I'm headed up now so we'll see how it goes. He did go potty outside right when we got home but hasn't been outside since. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

A prayer...

My sister-in-law sent me this prayer and I thought it was very powerful so wanted to share it. I think this would be wonderful to frame somewhere in my bedroom or bathroom and read every morning. Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all truly believed this for ourselves?

St. Theresa's Prayer:
'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into
your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.'

My Dad... By Braden

The mom answers were such a hit I thought I'd do daddy too!
Answers from Braden age 4

1. What is something dad always says to you?
Bath Time!

2. What makes dad happy?
When I'm nice to him.

3. What makes dad sad?
When I hurt Olivia and you hurt him.

4. How does your dad make you laugh?
When I do this (silly face)

5. What was your dad like as a child?
A girl.

6. How old is your dad?
64 or 65

7. How tall is your dad?
Like this (arms stretched out)

8. What is his favorite thing to do?
play crash car stadium

9. What does your dad do when you're not around?
He eats fruit and drinks soda.

10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for?
He's going to become a race car driver.

11. What is your dad really good at?
He's really good at jumping like me at hopscotch.

12. What is your dad not very good at?
He's not very good at the 4 year old puzzle because it's this big (arms out wide)

13. What does your dad do for a job?
I don't know.

14. What is your dad's favorite food?
cereal - raisin bran

15.What makes you proud of your dad?
That he plays with me and plays hopscotch with me.

16. If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be?
Spiderman because he looks very cool.

17. What do you and your dad do together?
We play hopscotch.

18. How are you and your dad the same?
That we both wear PJ's when it's night time.

19. How are you and your dad different?
We wear different kinds of clothes.

20. How do you know your dad loves you?
He gives me hugs.

21. What does your dad like most about your mom?
That she's nice to him.

22. Where is your dad's favorite place to go?
Africa

"My Mom" by Braden

My friend Sarah did this and I thought it was adorable so I am borrowing the idea!
Answers from Braden age 4

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Don't hurt Olivia.

2. What makes mom happy?
The sunshine.

3. What makes mom sad?
When I hurt Olivia

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
You make silly faces like this ... he demonstrates!

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Like this (he scrunched up his body into a ball)

6. How old is your mom?
64

7. How tall is your mom?
This big (arms stretched out wide).

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Eat fruit (not sure where this one came from!)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
You work

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
For ummmmm.... For race cars. You would build it then drive it.

11. What is your mom really good at?
Making little kid puzzles

12. What is your mom not very good at?
The 4 year old puzzle with the big box. That's for me. You're not very good at it.

13. What does your mom do for a job?
You work in Tosa.

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Cereal

15.What makes you proud of your mom?
that you eat fruit and when you are nice to me

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Spiderman - because you're very cool

17. What do you and your mom do together?
We play! We play on the swingset.

18. How are you and your mom the same?
That we both have read shirts on.

19. How are you and your mom different?
My red shirt has words and your red shirt doesn't have words.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
You hug me and give me kisses!

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
That he is nice to you and he hugs you when he gets home.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
California and Africa.

A trip to the tropics!

I was feeling a little down in the dumps on Tuesday, having been cooped up inside and battling yet another round of family illness for the past week, so we decided to take a quick trip to the tropics. We packed up snacks, remembered the camera at the last minute and jumped into the car. 15 minutes later we were walking around lush, colorful, sunny Milwaukee. Doesn't exactly sound possible does it? Has she gone off the deep end?

The Mitchell Park Domes has a train exhibit that arrives each year about this time. We have visited the last three years so thought we'd not break our streak! I forget what an uplifting experience it is. It was not at all crowded and the warm sunshine that was beating in through the glass was exactly what I needed. It's easy to forget that the colors magenta, goldenrod, and bright purple do actually exist in nature. Refreshing to the eyes and senses is what this mini-vacation was.

We toured the other two domes as well. The tropical dome is my favorite, Braden's too. I really feel like I am walking through a rainforest in Australia or Hawaii at least. There is a beautiful waterfall and coy fish in the pond below. It's hot, humid and lush. Again - such a wonderful treat for a gloomy, March morning!