Claire's pictures

I got the pictures back from Claire's 3 year old photo shoot. I'll have Tracy scan them, but I couldn't wait for you to see them. Here they are - in not the best color - but.....simply adorable! (...if I do say so myself...)

Snow day

The kids absolutely LOVED the blizzard we had on Friday. I can't say that I was excited about it this time around. (Just Mom - your comment C*R*A*C*K*E*D me up though!) I left work on Thursday to the weather report saying a rain/snow mix. When I got to work on Friday - as it was sleeting - they were talking about 2-4 inches of accumulation. When it kept coming and kept coming, I started to wonder just how much we'd get.

Getting home was very tricky. The city wasn't plowing much, which made things worse. I got stuck on our main street and had to be pushed out by Justin and one of his co-works....who doesn't even like me, I might add.

We got home and the kids were eager to play in the snow. I was egar to video them. Enjoy!

Happy 2nd Birthday Caymen!!

We

Love

YOU!!

Claire's day

Claire was funny yesterday. When she woke up - at almost 10!!! - I sang Happy Birthday to her. She said "It not my buthday. Don't say happy buthday. It not my buthday." I tried to tell her that it actually was her birthday and that Saturday was only her party, but she wasn't having any of it. It cracked me up.

I went to work at 11 and was super duper busy. Before I knew it, it was 5 o'clock and time to go home.

We went to McDonald's for supper. It was a huge treat for the kids. Justin was able to join us for a bit - which was extra special for the kids. After playing, it was time to go home. Once we got home - you know, all the way across the street - the kids enjoyed playing outside. It was a beautiful night. Before we knew it, it was time to go in, open gifts, take baths, and go to bed.

Claire got her very own Webkin. It's so cute! If you don't know what that is, it's a little stuffed animal (hers is a puppy) that comes with a code which allows her to play on the computer. She can feed it on-line, buy it clothes, and decorate its room. She was very excited.

All in all we had a great day. It's just so hard to believe that she's 3!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Peach!!

Please join us in singing Happy Birthday to Claire. :)

Happy Birthday my sweet Peach!

Video blog

Your Backyard friends

We went to SF on Sunday to do some running around. We'll be celebrating Claire's 3rd birthday this weekend. Her actual birthday is the 22nd.
Much like me when I was a child, Claire can't wait for her party. Many times a day we hear "is it my party now?". If we get in the van to go anywhere, she's sure we must be going to her party.
When I was young I celebrated my pre and post birthday. It really was a month long event. :)
When we were in SF I took Claire to a party store to try to decide what kind of a theme she wanted. She chose The Backyardigans. Well, that's not entirely true. She chose Dora, Diego, Strawberry Shortcake, Scooby Doo and The Backyardigans. :) I told my mother-in-law about it and she said 'you should have just gotten a little something from all of it and had all of her favorites'. She's right. I really should have. She would have been in total heaven. But can you imagine me ordering the cake? "Do you have something with Dora, Diego, Strawberry Shortcake Scooby Doo and The Backyardigans on it" and then get all crazy and irrational at the cake chick when she says no. Ha!
Justin's family will arrive on Friday night. My mom and Roger will come for the day on Saturday. Unfortunately, my sister and her family moved to MN a month or so ago, so they won't be able to attend. Tracy's family will come as well as Grandma Sandy and Papa Ken. I'm excited to not have to worry about work. Normally I'd take Saturday off, but work at some point on Sunday. Anyway, there will be fun, laughter, pictures, videos, stress....wait! How did that get in there? ;) Just being realistic is all.
In the end, it will all be worth it.

Ode to prom

The year - 1992

My date - a friend named Brian

Photo taken - in the back room of Taco Johns

Dress - borrowed

Hair done - BY ME

Welcome to my senior prom. My friend, Brian, and I each had significant others who were underclassman. In our town, if you weren't a junior or senior, then you weren't allowed to go to prom. You could bring someone older than you (ie: graduate), but not someone younger.

Brian was a shy young man, sweet, and funny. He tried for almost a solid week to get up enough nerve to ask me to prom. He and I were different from each other. He was more reserved and I, well, wasn't. I think I was the kind of girl that his mother warned him about.

Finally, he asked me to prom and I was so excited to go with him. The year before, I'd gone with the guy that I'd been dating since I was a freshman. While he and I had a good time, I knew that Brian and I would have fun because there was no pressure. No pressure because I didn't have to stay by his side - he'd want to be with his friends while I would hang out with mine. I was right. We had a blast.

Times have sure changed. The most stressful thing when I was going to prom(s) was probably the dress and shoes. I tanned for my senior prom - the first time in my life. None of my friends went to a salon to get their hair done. None of my friends went to a salon to get artificial nails. None of my friends went to a salon to get pedicures.

For the past two weekends, I've worked from 9am until 5pm doing prom hair. I detest prom hair. I don't feel that I'm very good at it and I feel very much out of my comfort zone doing it. From time to time I can get it right, but it doesn't happen all that often for me. I plan to take a class at some point so that I'm better next year. But for now I'm just glad it's over.

Sixteen years is a long time. In those sixteen years a lot of change has occurred. Girls today glam themselves up like movie stars. Someone this week said 'I'm going to Grand March - although you'd never know it. The way girls look today you might just think you were watching the red carpet.' It's so true.

I can only imagine what prom will be like when Claire gets there. Actually, I can't. I haven't a clue. I can only hope that really full bulky dresses are back in style. If they continue in the fashion that they are now, skimpier and skimpier, she'll probably wear a thong.

Oh! Say it ain't so!!!

So long prom. I'm so glad to see you go!

Winter weather....in April

The weather man is forecasting another spring storm. I, again, couldn't be happier. I'm not sure why this brings me such joy, but it does.

I think it might have something to do with growing up in Texas. I knew if we got snow, two things were a sure bet: 1) NO SCHOOL and 2) it was gone the next day. That was fine with me. It could go....I didn't need it to last long. I just wanted to play in it for a little bit was all.

I know when we get snow in April that it's not going to last. I know it and it makes me happy. We're looking down the barrel of 8 to 13 inches of snow. 8 to 13 inches of snow, people!

......and it's not even my birthday!

Jack update

Update at the bottom of this post.......

Today Jack has an appointment in Sioux Falls. He's going to see a doctor who will tell us if he needs orthotics. When Jack walks, his left foot is usually normal, but his right foot points out at a 90 degree angle. I noticed that it wasn't bad in the video that I took of him walking, but it's normally quite obvious. I'm anxious to see what the doctor has to say about it.

Here is a peek at Jack in the bath. He earned his way there by way of chocolate. :) It looks as though he enjoyed his cookie.

I'll try to post an update later today. If not today, for sure tomorrow.

PS: Happy Birthday to my step-dad, Roger!!

Update: The doctor said that Jack doesn't need orthotics at this time. She wants to see him back in 2 months to check his progress. She said that she could put him in a pair of $300 orthotics (that insurance doesn't pay a penny of), but really didn't feel like he needed it right now. He's just very flexible and needs to gain strength. She said him trying to walk on his flexible ankles/feet is like you and I trying to walk on marbles. It's hard for him to maintain his balance. However, with practice should come strength. She even touched his toes to his shins to show me just how flexible he was. I would have believed her without the visual. I about threw up. It was - ick! So that's that. We got great news!! (for once.....jinx)

Video blog

I planned to do a video blog, however, Jack was up until 11:30 which happens to mean no video blog. I'll leave you with this message from Claire.

Have gwate dayyyyyy!

(Have a great day!) ;)

Happy St. Patrick's day.....wait

Nathan made a cute little St. Patrick's day mask as school. Claire insisted on wearing it. I can't even tell you how much it cracked me up. Well - you'll see why. We couldn't quite get her face where it was supposed to be.

And finally.....

Sunday haircuts and Monday snow

Working at the salon is great for many reasons. One that comes to mind is having my families hair on someones floor other than my own for haircut day.

On Sunday we went to the salon for the Meyer Haircut Extravaganza. Remember the words I overuse? Yeah, totally add Extravaganza to it. Thanks!

The kids love to run up and down the hall, around the vanities, pumping up every ones chair for them. Sometimes I think they think they own the place. Nathan and Claire played hide and seek for a while too. They love getting their hair washed. Nathan tells me every time that it's his favorite part.

Need I remind you that Jack has a mohawk? I didn't think so. I'm always at a loss of what to do with it. Justin wants me to buzz him, but he's not even one and a half - much too young for his first buzz if you ask me. So, now we're at one with the mohawk. I mean, what the heck else CAN you be with it?

I did use the clippers on the sides of his hair. Now he looks like such a little man.

I mean, as manly as one can look with a blue pook in your mouth. :)

Claire got a trim and then I curled her hair. She turns 3 on April 22nd, so we'll be getting her pictures taken soon. I wanted to see what her hair would look like with curls after cutting it shorter.

I wonder where she's seen that look before. Probably Justin. (giggle)

Natey got his hair cut again. I had to make sure and take a picture of his too. So what if it looks like every other hair cut I've ever given him. Repetition isn't always a bad thing. :)

As you can see, he's satisfied with it.

That was Sunday. Then along came Monday. A day filled with snow. I've been waiting for a good week for a snow day. FINALLY I got it!

I went and worked at the salon for about 2 hours. Wait. Let me define work. I talked on my cell to Tracy while asking her to hold here and there while I answered the salon phone. It was hardly work.

I came home at 11 and took care of the kids. We had a blast. My plan was to bake cookies, but we never got to them. I sent Nathan and Claire outside. Jack watched them at the door. He laughed and laughed at them. Check out the snow!

The flakes were HUGE! I felt like I was living in a huge snow globe....just the way I like it. I mean, if it's going to snow - it should at least be pretty.

Here are some pictures of the kids playing outside. They were taken from behind the screen door.....thankfully.

Yeah, as if you couldn't have seen that coming a mile away. Jack thought it was the funniest thing that happened all day. He could have stood there watching them for hours.

It was a wonderful snow filled day!