My Buddy Patrick

Braden met his buddy Patrick through the Olsons but then got to know him much better this year because they are in class together and also both participate in Y-Tribe.  They have sooo much fun playing.  The two of them enjoy anything from dinosaurs to legos, kitchen to playmobile.  We've had a few playdates now and I am always impressed by how fast the time goes.  Patrick is a darling little boy with wonderful manners. We're so glad that he and Braden have become friends!

Fashion Designer?

Olivia has been very into dressing up lately.  Every day she comes down from nap in something different than we put her down in.  Although cute... it can be a little much sometimes as I am constantly redoing her drawers, folding clothes and trying to find lost socks. :)

Today she wanted to be a princess so she has her Belle dress on (backwards), her tutu underneath it, fairy wings on her back, Hello Kitty socks, Keen hiking shoes (on the right feet for once!), one pink glove, two purses and a mirror, a blue shirt under her dress (also on backwards), a necklace and a snow white crown.

This girl keeps us on our toes and I think the fun has only just begun with her!!  Wow... I don't know if that makes me excited or scared. :)

Olivia's Project

This morning Olivia came downstairs before Steve or I.  When we came down she was sitting on the potty waiting to be wiped and had started a little project of her own.  As you can see she decided it was time to tear the wall paper off the bathroom wall.  Need I say more?

Cinnamon Rolls

I got a few new cookbooks last month and one of them (recommended by a good friend) is called Pioneer Woman.  It's written by this woman who lives on a horse ranch and does most of her baking/cooking from scratch.  It's all rich in flavor and delicious.

I've been eyeing up her recipe for cinnamon rolls since I got the cookbook.  We decided yesterday that we'd make them as a treat this morning so we made the dough and let it rise overnight.  This morning I spent some time rolling it out, layering on the gooey filling, and then rolling it back up.  I find it so therapeutic and refreshing to make something from scratch.  After baking and sending the most wonderful aroma throughout our house I drizzled on the glaze (which includes coffee and maple extract).

They were absolutely divine and melted in our mouths as we ate them.  I have a bunch frozen so next weekend when my in-laws are here we'll have to pull some out to warm up and enjoy!

Pillow Talk

I've just set a goal for myself and hopefully by sharing it with all of you... it'll encourage me to follow through.

I get these wonderful daily emails called iMom and Family Minute.  They come from the same parent company.  They give little tidbits on how to improve on parenting and marriage. I love them - they are short, sweet and very practical.

At the bottom of the iMom emails there is something called, "Pillow Talk."  It gives you a question to ask your child when you put them to bed.  It's just a conversation starter and I'd like to try it with Braden.  He's old enough to think about them and give me honest answers.

Braden isn't one to divulge much of this inner thinking unless it has to do with Starwars or how his sister is taking his things.  My hope is that maybe if I do this consistently enough it'll open up a new line of communication with us.

I get an email everyday with a new one but I think I'll look back and grab the topics from last week so I can print them and put them on his nightstand.  That'll help me remember.  :)  Wish me luck!!

Topics for this week...
Monday: What do you enjoy most about having dinner together as a family? Would you like to help me plan some fun activities for our next family dinner?
Tuesday: Why do you think whining is annoying to people? What can kids do instead of whining?
Wednesday: Look at this list of books. Pick one you'd like to read together. (print list)
Thursday: When we argue in our family, what's it usually about?
Friday: What do you want to be when you grow up? What are some things you can do now to help you prepare for that dream?

Olivia's Talent

Olivia has a new talent... taking pictures.  She is obsessed.  I have to get her her own camera for her birthday because before too long she is going to break or lose mine!  I think she's got a good eye for artsy shots!! :)

Computer Games

Braden has just discovered how much fun it is to play games on the computer!  His favorite site is Nick Jr where he loves playing the Diego Dinosaur games.  Isn't he so cute?

I remember the first computer we played games on was a Kapro.  Sam and I played "Ladders."  The next computer we had was a Comodor 64.  We played "Ghost Busters," "Dream House," and "Whinnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day."  Wow does that bring back memories!!!

Congratulations Sweetie!!!

This week Steve received news he was selected as one of the Milwaukee Business Journal's, "Forty under 40" for 2010.  The article can be found here which highlights his name in the second paragraph.

I am so proud of him.  I tell him all the time that his diligence, work ethic and effort are a pleasant surprise!  I fell in love with him in college when skipping a morning class was a regular occurrence and heading out to party instead of working on his class project wouldn't have been out of the ordinary. :)  

Steve is the hardest working person I have ever met.  He tries his best at everything he does and gives all of himself to whatever is put in front of him.  It is very common for Steve to stay up working until the wee hours of morning and he still wakes up with a smile on his face ready with a hug for us all.  

I can't say enough how lucky I am to be married to him.  He is a wonderful father, a spectacular worker, and a loving husband.  That doesn't leave a lot of time for Steve himself so thankfully he has a few weekends like the one coming up where he can head out and ski with some good friends in Colorado.

I am really proud of you honey.  You undoubtedly deserve this recognition.  I love you!

Brrrrrrrrrrrr It's Cold IN here!

Crazy Haired Olivia!

My poor little guy who has Strep throat!

Evan Magnus was trying to stay warm.

By 9am we had warmed ourselves to 64 degrees!

We woke up this morning to NO heat!  I thought it was cold in the middle of the night when I woke up to nurse Norah (her little hands were like icicles)  but just chalked it up to a chilly winter.  This morning though Steve and I both commented on the temperature and went down to check the thermostat.  It said 62 degrees.  Now anyone who knows me well knows I HATE being cold. I have no problem at all pumping the heat up in our house to 72 so that we feel toasty and 62 felt down right freezing.  

Steve went down to see if there was anything obvious that he could do and came upstairs stumped so we started a fire in the fireplace and cranked on the space heater.  We closed off the back porch and hunkered down in the living room while we waited for a service tech to arrive.  Even with long johns, warm drinks, and alternate heat the house just felt chilly.  

Thankfully around lunch time a service tech arrived and headed down to figure out what the problem was.  We know we'll be replacing our heater and air conditioner before too long - they are about 25 years old - but we were hoping it wasn't today.  

It ended up being a $300 part that needed replacing but he also said that the motor was making funny noises.  So when all was said and done at about 2:00 we had spent $375 and we aren't sure if the heater will last us through the winter or not.  UGH!  

Oh well - it's warm and toasty in our house right now and we had a fun morning hunkered down in the living room. :)

Mama I feel sick!

Today after naps Braden woke up and had tears in his eyes.  He said, "Mama, I feel sick," and boy did he look it.

I thought he looked a little off yesterday but wasn't sure and then today before nap he told me his throat hurt.  When he woke up he had a temperature which generally means that we're fighting something more than a cold.  He hasn't complained of his ears which would have been my first guess (due to the fever) so we'll see what tomorrow brings.  Poor little guy!

The Dreaded Thumb

Braden was first... he took a nuk for a while until he discovered his THUMB!  It was there when he wanted it, no one could take it away and it provided him with the comfort he needed.  


Olivia was next... she refused a nuk, was an avid nurser and yes, found her thumb as well.  


I'm not sure why I thought Norah would be any different.  She has had her hands up by her face and near her mouth since she was born.  Today she found her thumb and has been munching on it nonstop.  


I have mixed feelings about THE THUMB.  I love that it allows my children to soothe themselves and find comfort whenever needed and it is what helped both Braden and Olivia sleep through the night.  I don't like however that I can't take it away.  


We are still working on getting Braden to stop.  The dentist recommended taping a sock over his hand at night so we've been trying that.  Some nights he takes the duck tape off (he must work at it for hours) and others he leaves it on. It's a start at least. I think if it works we'll attempt it with Olivia this summer when she turns three.  


I know it's not the end of the world - my children don't walk around Target with their thumbs in their mouths but I'd like to avoid dental problems if possible.  


Regardless of whether I like it or not Norah has found her thumb and is learning to soothe herself.  Now if we can only get her to sleep through the night as well!   

Lite Brite

Bring back any memories from your childhood?  Olivia and I had a blast today making this bouquet of flowers.  I spent hours on the Lite Brite that Sam and I had.  :)

Making Crepes

My meal this week for meal co-op is Tea Room Chicken and Spinach Crepes.  The recipe is from one of my new favorite cookbooks, "Stop and Smell the Rosemary."  I borrowed a crepe pan from Cheri and upon her recommendation decided to start the crepes early and do them in two shifts.  They do get a little tedious but man oh man are they delicious.

I have had a wonderful time cooking lately. I think it's partly due to my love for food, partly because I love projects and making a meal is a project for me, and lastly it goes back to taking care of people that are important to me.

I LOVE planning and making food for our family and for the group of families in our meal co-op.  It feels good to give to others on a weekly basis.  I really take pride in the planning and making of each meal.  That doesn't mean that I don't have weeks that flop or that all of my meals are delicious by any means but I still put time and love into making each one.

As I prepare to be home with the kids next year this is one thing that I will continue to be involved in and that can provide me with some of the interaction and giving to others that I will miss about teaching.

My mind has been reeling about how to make sure that I enjoy my time at home. I will of course enjoy my time with the kids but I want to be personally satisfied as well.  I have a few others ideas that Steve and I have been tossing around which I'll blog about at some point!  One of which is a Family Home Evening to add to our movie night and perhaps joining a mommy group called MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers.)

Okay - back to another round of crepes!!!

100th Day of School

Today was the 100th day of school. In 4th grade this doesn't have a lot of significance other than the fact that there are only 80 more until summer vacation! In Junior Kindergarten however this is a day to celebrate. It means they have counted up to 100 as a class and they delight in this large number. Braden's class had a 100th day party where he made this wonderful hat with 100 circles on it, a necklace that has the number 100 on it and he highlighted a poem that had 100 words in it. Isn't he just the cutest little munchkin?!

The second picture is of his Valentine box. We made it together and he was SO proud to bring it to school. I got the idea from a parenting magazine and was quite proud of myself for being more of a guide rather than just making it myself! I sure did want to though. I had to stop myself from trimming the edges, straightening the stickers and starting over when he crossed out a letter in his name. Ha! I didn't say a word except for telling him over and over what a GREAT job he did.

Tomorrow my mom is getting up in the wee hours so that she can come and watch the girls while I go in and volunteer at his Valentine party. I am really, really appreciative of her willingness to come and help. I can't wait to spend the morning at school. :)

Moments and Memories

Today was a busy day - busier than most. Last week I started watching Evan and Andrew - our two favorite boys - on Thursdays. They are wonderful children - very good listeners, very kind and very sweet. Despite all five cuties being good kids I ran into moments today that were quite overwhelming.

It's amazing to me how certain moments can be so overwhelming that I doubt my ability to survive and then literally minutes later I have caught my breath and believe I can handle anything. I feel so inadequate when I am overwhelmed and can't "do it all." I know in my mind (later of course) that "doing it all," is not the point. My dad would tell me that I was missing the journey when I am concentrating on "all" that there is to do. I know this is true... but don't always feel it.

When my heart is racing, the clock is ticking, my daughter has just wet her pants and is walking outside in socks with no jacket and I am supposed to be picking up my son at school in exactly 2 minutes it's hard to enjoy the journey! I'm glad my dad echos in my mind though because although that's a rather overwhelming moment, it sure does make a good memory after the fact.

Norah Grace is 2 Months Old!

This is obviously from her birth but I had to post it to remember how much she's grown already...:(

Wow - 2 months! Where does the time go? I am both excited and sad that she is already 9 weeks old. I can't wait to interact more with her and watch her grow but I also want to freeze her. We do plan on having one more baby but who knows... we've been blessed with three healthy children and I always wonder if I could be so lucky again. The baby stage is challenging but is like nothing else in the world and it goes way too fast.

I dropped Braden and Olivia off at Kristin's (bless her heart) to take Norah to her doctor appointment yesterday. It was such a treat to just have her - how did I think one child was a lot of work? It's all so relative isn't it. She was weighed and measured and the stats are...

Height: 24 1/2 inches
Weight: 13lbs 15oz
Both stats are between 95-100%.

What I treasure about Norah Grace right now...

the way she looks at me when I enter a room or when she hears my voice
the softness of her skin- especially that cute bum!
her hands when they grip my clothing or fingers
the gummy smile she gives me each morning and after each time we nurse... it's almost like she is saying thank you mommy!
her independent naps which give me time to get a few things done and snuggle with Braden and Olivia
how she forms her beautiful lips into an "O" making cooing sounds and then smiling so proud of herself
I love that she needs me and that I can give her what she needs.

The mother-infant bond is so intense, I am never ceased to be amazed by it. It is at once both overwhelming and so gratifying. It is amazing that I can nourish her with the milk body makes, that I can snuggle her and she immediately quiets, and that her cries can pierce my heart.

She is a wonderful little girl who as my dad puts it, "Is doing a great job growing up!"

I love you Norah Grace and am so proud of you, so in love with you and so very thankful that you are part of our family.

New Favorite Thing...

This weekend I bought Olivia some new paints that were on sale at Target. They are Crayola Hassle Free Watercolors. We've been drawing, coloring and painting a lot at our house lately so I thought she'd enjoy them.

Let me tell you ... they are AWESOME. Anyone looking for a small gift for a young one should pick them up. The paint is bright, it is mess free (for the most part) and is super easy to clean up and put away. I love them. I think I've painted just as much as they have since bringing them home. One tip however is to use a glass of water to clean the brush instead of the water pad. It gets the brush much more clean if you're changing colors.

Starwars at the Symphony

My mom took Braden home on Saturday for a sleepover. He didn't know why they were going but was excited none the less. She surprised him with a trip to the Fox Valley Symphony. It was Hollywood Music night and the highlight was Starwars. They waited until intermission to arrive and did so just in time for Braden to be bombarded with Starwars Characters. He was in absolute fantasy land. This for Braden was a dream come true as we talk about, play with and focus on Starwars nonstop lately. He got his picture taken with everyone but Darth Vader but Darth made it up to them by pointing to him during the second half. The characters were on stage while they played the music and Braden and my mom had seats front and center. He sat like a good boy, watched the characters, watched the musicians and did some quiet playing. I was soooooo proud of him for sitting patiently (that's not one of our strong suits) and just as excited for him that he got to meet his idols.

Thanks mom for taking him. What a great experience for a 5 year old. He's a very lucky boy.

Gymnastics

As you know, Braden and Olivia are in gymnastics on Saturday mornings. This past Saturday was Olivia's Open House and she had quite the fan club watching. We did our stretches, jumped on the trampoline, moved our way through the obstacle course and then walked across the tampoline. Braden was adorable and wanted to be right by her side the entire time. He was very encouraging and loving. It melted my heart. I know the picture of them is blury but I loved it. He was telling her to jump really high when it was her turn. She is getting really good at it all. Yeah Olivia.

Disney Princesses on Ice

We went to Disney Princesses on Ice this weekend with Nana, Grandma and Uncle Marc. It was really, really fun! Olivia couldn't wait for Ariel to appear and as you can see in the picture was leaning forward in her seat with hands clasped in anticipation. It was adorable. The performance was fabulous - I have no idea how they glide so gracefully across the ice with costumes on. I think Judy might have had the best time of us all. She just loves ice skating!! Thanks everyone.

Thanks Katie and Nana!

Steve has been gone since the wee hours of Sunday morning at the National Sports Forum. To be honest I was a little scared about being alone with these three darlings for three nights and four days with no relief. I've been graced with wonderful visitors and the time has gone quite fast. Steve gets home late this afternoon. :)

Sunday, Katie came over and we visited after not seeing each other for way too long. It was really nice to have the time to catch up and reconnect. Braden and Olivia love seeing her as well so it was a treat for us all.

Monday afternoon my mom came down to help us out. She helped with laundry, snuggling with Norah, keeping the kitchen clean, and entertaining the kiddos. It was special to have that time with her. As close as we live in proximity we don't see each other very often.

Thanks mom and Katie for taking the time help us out. I know you are both very busy and appreciate the effort greatly. I love you.

BLINK - BLINK

Bath time at our house tends to be a mixture of pain and pleasure. The pleasure is playing in the warm water - pouring, mixing, cleaning, etc. The pain is water in the eyes. Both of my children HATE having water poured over their heads. We work hard on having them tip their heads and we pour slowly but inevitably some water ends up on their face and at least one of them is screaming for a towel.

The other night my friend Heather, who taught swimming lessons at one point, had a simple solution. She told me to have them blink their eyes. She used the analogy of a bird who is in the rain - they don't have hands - they blink their eyes to keep them clear. I wasn't sure this would work for my overly sensitive children but guess what... IT DID!

It was perfect - they love being a little bird in the rain and haven't asked for a towel once during the last two bath times!! Thanks Heather for the great solution and for helping to make our bath time more pleasure than pain! :)

Our Snuggly Bear

Norah is our snuggly bear today! I loved these photos so thought I'd share. :)