It may be some comfort to know that these toddlers don't really want to drive us crazy, they just want to understand how we work.
-Alison Gopnik

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

MS Mud Run 2011

I completed the MS Mud Run for the second year in a row.  I signed up with the same team, although we all crossed the finish lines at different times!  I found the course to be similar to last year, however a little bit more challenging, although we did finish the course in about the same time as last year.  I will most definitely do it again next year!!!
The event in total had almost 3000 runners this year and raised nearly $500,000 toward the research and fight to end Multiple Sclerosis.  Someone who I know from where I live has been living with MS for almost 10 years (she is 31) and she spent the ENTIRE day on the course grounds taking fantastic pictures of everyone coming through the end part of the race.
 Team "Down and Dirty"

 I am toward the back of the group, middle of the photo, blue bandana on my head.


 Here I am yelling "Woooooooo"  Can you tell?
 I lost my bandana in this plunge.  It scared me, I must say.


On behalf of her, and the many others who have been or will be diagnosed with MS....I THANK YOU for your support!!!!!!


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

My Boys

 My Three Sons

 Landon                                                  Bronson

 Gage

 Bronson, Landon


It is virtually impossible for me to sit here and look at these photos of these three precious boys and my heart not swell with love and pride.  I am so blessed.  I cannot say that enough.  I know all of us parents feel that way, and if we don't...we should.  However in the crazy, busy schedule of my every day life, I wonder if I am where I am supposed to be.  When I see these photos, I know that all is right with my world.
I hope I always feel this way.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

September 2011

The boys are growing up so fast. We had a fantastic summer this year. We visited the MN zoo, Como Zoo, the beach several times and a local water park several times. We had the big birthday bash in July, hit the St. Croix County Fair in July, and the State Fair (minus the twins) in early September. Gage and I took a long weekend trip to Canada to visit our friends the Dube's in July, and Tim and I went on a week long Mediterranean Cruise in early August. We had lots and lots of playdates, lots of bonfires, early June soccer for Gage...
and I'm sure I could go on and on. Overall, as always, summer was a BLAST, but it's always fun to get back into some sort of a routine.

We decided to wait one more year to send Gage to Kindergarten. I'm confident that this is a great decision for us, and Gage never even seemed bothered by the fact that his two friends since age 2 were moving onto Kindergarten and he was going back to 4k. He's already made a new friend in his class, and we've made new friends that live near us with a 4k son as well....

Here is Gage at his 4k preschool, Ready, Set, Go! His teachers were very excited to see him again!

Gage is a great kid. He is VERY independent, picking out his clothes everyday, and not listening to mom when she tells him something doesn't match or may not be right for the day's weather. I have given up, allowing him to live with the consequences of wearing long sleeves on an 80 degree day. It's tough for me to do sometimes, as the 4 Vikings jerseys he owns are the only things he wants to wear, but hey- Gotta let him be his own person, and you have to choose your battles!
He learned how to ride a bike without training wheels in early June, so the summer was spent on both the bike and his big wheel, which is still his favorite. He also became a very good swimmer this summer, and I hope to get him into lessons during the winter months so he can start working on some strokes. He's just really growing up.....bittersweet.



Here is Mr. Landon. I wish I had the words to describe his personality. He's definitely the "rough and tumble" one of the twins as he will hold his own pretty well when wrestling with Daddy and Gage. He can be goofy, but I have found he likes to be by other kids, although he often just sits and plays trucks by himself lately. No matter WHERE we are, he will walk up to a complete stranger, usually an older man, and say, "Hi!" really loud. He loves attention and if you give it to him, he'll just keep coming back for mom. Tends to be a little more of the Momma's Boy I've always wanted, however when Daddy IS in the picture, he usually goes back and forth between the two of us. When he's uncomfortable in a situation, or ready to leave he'll come up to me and say, "Mama, Buh-bye", Kinda sweet!

The boys are into making faces. Here is Landon making his "cute" face. (???)
My Bronson. Or, Bronny, as we all seem to call him. He is a GOOF! Seriously, this kid is an overall ham sandwich. If you just sit and watch him, you will find him swinging his arms, bouncing up and down, singing, dancing...sometimes to music that is playing, other times to music he must hear in his head! He loves to sing songs, and lately you will catch him singing "Twinkle Twinke Little Star" or E-i-o! for Old MacDonald. He likes to be where everyone else is, however he doesn't "need" to be. He is just fine playing by himself. Not as much of a cuddle fan as Landon seems to be, but he'll sit on your lap.
Here is Bronson's "mean" face. He is usually trying not to laugh...but this time I think he really was crabby about something so it turned out good!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

My Three Stooges

Gage, the soccer supreme!
Um, ouch?
*note the lovely washed-off tattoos. I try to do an extra scrub down in the tub, but he usually grabs his arm, pulls back and yells, "Don't wash off my tattoos!"

Silly Bronson!
Goofy Landon!

Bronson
Bronson
Landon
Landon

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

I'll Blame It On the iPhone

Oh, my.

Where have I gone?

I'm going to blame it on the iPhone. I have had one for several months now, and I must tell you they are simply fabulous. If you would like to be addicted to a telephone, please purchase one now. If you do, however, enjoy conversations with your loved ones, do not need to know what tomorrow's weather predictions are, or what kinds of crazy words you can come up with in "Words With Friends", stick to your flip phone. You may still have a life!

With that being said, I have added "Blog site" to my to-do list (on my phone, nonetheless) and it is my goal to update photos of my kids as well as our whole family, within the next week. I truly do not have a lot of extra time these days, but I don't want to let this blogsite go to waste either.

So, please check back and if you do not see a post by the end of Memorial Day weekend/June 1st, feel free to email me (I can check from my phone! Ha ha) and I will know the pressure is on.

In the meantime, take care, and if you didn't give up on my site, I thank you very much.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Update

I passed!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Goals: It's All About Me

I have never been one to get much into making New Year's Resolutions. Personally, I find them a little cliche; they are usually all about losing weight, or eating better...
then February rolls around and everyone is back to their old habits.
I guess I try to look at every day as an opportunity, not just January 1st, and quite honestly, the best part of my year tends to be right smack in the middle of it anyhow. July is the month all of my boys, and myself, celebrate our birthdays, and it happens to be during my favorite season.

As this past New Year was approaching, however, I was finding myself thinking about how the past 5 years have been about being pregnant, and taking care of small infants. Seriously! I got pregnant in late 2005, spent 2006 pregnant and taking care of baby Gage, 2007 was adjusting to being a mom and dealing with a toddler, 2008 was pregnant (miscarriage) and then pregnant again...
2009 to the present have been a whirlwind of diapers, snotty noses, and a whole lot of playtime.

I guess I decided that it was time to start setting some goals for myself and thinking about "me" again. I am not ready to go back to work full-time yet, and not even part-time, however just "something"....

and I think I've found it!

I feel as if I may be getting ahead of myself in posting this, however if it doesn't work out, then "oh, well". I have applied, interviewed, and been hired at my local gym, "The Centre" and am taking a certification class TOMORROW to be an indoor group cycling (spin) instructor. I am very pumped up about this opportunity and feel that I will be good at it. I'm loud, personable, and always looking to have a good time, and I hope to display that in my classes. I love going to the gym, and have made fitness a huge priority in my life right now. If I'm not at home, I tend to be at the gym, as it's not only my mental outlet, it's become a social outlet for me as well. So there. I wrote it down, and now I am held accountable! I will keep you posted as to whether or not I "pass" and when (and if) I start teaching my own classes.

Another goal that I have recently set for myself is to begin training to compete in my first half marathon race in May. I have paid the money, and the official training has begun this past week. I am following a training guide that was referred to me by a friend, and it's found online as the "Hal Halvorson's" guide to training for a half. I am extremely excited to do this...
especially since two of my good friends, Marilyn and Diana plan to run this same race as well. I think all three of us (and Mar's sister-in-law Jess) will do a fabulous job in completing this goal of ours.

I just feel like 2011 is going to be a good year.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Latest Family Pictures



Our 18-Month-Old Twins

Landon, Bronson
Landon
*Note: I have a picture of Gage near the same box, and the same blocks. The plan was not necessarily to have the boys stand in the box, it's just where they chose to be. Monkey see, monkey do....
Bronson
Bronson
Landon

Monday, January 31, 2011

I'm a Hockey Mom

After many tantrums, fits, and pouting, it's official. I'm the mother of a beginner hockey player.

Let's start at the beginning. I have no problems with the sport of hockey. But for anyone who is familiar with the sport, they know that it isn't a cheap one, and it is by far one of the more time consuming sports there is. Whereas if your child wants to play basketball, you will need to buy them some new shoes. If your child wants to be on the swim team, you buy them a pair of goggles, a swim suit and a swim cap. For hockey??? Oh, it's so much, much more...

But we won't dwell on it anymore. I have a 4 year old son who is absolutely loving the sport and all that comes with it. The skating, the gear, the game. He loves it! And when I see him out there on the ice, working hard to keep up with the other kids (as he is by far the shortest one out there yet, and probably the very youngest) I can't help but smile and be very proud of him.

So there. I've accepted it, and dealt with it, and I'm just darn-right okay with it. I'm a hockey mom! Bring on the tournaments, the cost and the travel time, baby! I'm IN!

Our team got to practice at the Xcel Energy Center this past Sunday. Here are some photos of Gage and the rest of the "Mites" out on the ice! It was very exciting, for the kids AND the parents. (And I think the coach's kinda liked it too!)








Sunday, January 23, 2011

January 2011 Fun

I realize that I completely and totally missed posting anything about Christmas. But time is limited around here. I spend my days chasing after two very active and busy toddlers, while trying to entertain and keep a 4-year-old busy.

I will just throw a few recent pictures up here for now and maybe will get more on here soon.
I try my best, but I've said a million times before, this blog is just not a priority right now. When I do get a minute of downtime, I usually spend it doing dishes (because I can't have the dishwasher open when the twins are up as they run around the house with knives) or sweeping the floor (as they pick up chunks of garbage and run around the house with it) or vacuum (as they like to sit down right in front of where I am trying to vacuum). You get the picture. :)

The best family picture we can get on a whim~
My new "do". Haven't done the bang thing in a while....kinda like it, but it's different, eh?
Bronson LOVES his books!
Landon, always smiling....
Gage, doing "Tricks"