A Grand Adventure is Bound to Happen

All by herself

2009-07-03T12:24:00.003-05:00

Daddy said she was so proud of getting herself dressed, he didn't have the heart to tell her the combination clashed. Luckily, it was going to be warm today and she happily agreed to put on a short sleeve (i.e. matching) shirt.

Weekend Away

2009-07-01T10:38:00.011-05:00

A few weekends ago, we took a family trip to Sheboygan, WI to attend a family wedding. Unfortunately, we forgot the camera, but I did capture a few pictures on my phone. Our hotel was on the shores of Lake Michigan and the first night we were there, we enjoyed a warm dusk walk on the beach.

Here is my favorite one of the weekend: Daddy teaching the girls what PopRocks are. :)

Looking for sympathy

2009-07-01T10:23:00.003-05:00

Parker Bear would like to take this opportunity to tell you all how difficult this house selling prospect has been for her. Just look....

When we have a showing while we are at work, Parker Bear goes to Doggie Daycare. Despite the wonderful care givers, ample playing room, friendly companions, and swimming pools there, Parker is not comfortable at all. She just doesn't do well with being separated from us. We've tried different options there and during her last visit, she was even upgraded to a doggie suite - a/c, a tv tuned to the animal planet, comfy bed...sounds heavenly to me. Parker chose to spend her time trying to claw her way out of the door. What resulted was a cracked toe nail, a cut to her paw, and this humiliating contraption. I must admit, she was hilarious to watch as she learned that her head clearance and her peripheral vision had just been drastically changed.

She has actually tolerated her lampshade very well and left her owie alone to heal. She is just one more family member who is hoping this adventure is over soon!

A Fieldtrip

2009-05-27T14:48:00.002-05:00

Daddy took Jenna to the park the other day. It was across town near the lake. Jenna told me when I got home that she "got to go to the park by the OCEAN!". She also informed me that they saw three dead fish and that they were in heaven.

Big News!

2009-05-25T11:52:00.000-05:00

And now I present to you my best excuse for being a terrible blogger lately. I've been a little pre-occupied with a little project. A little project that is DUE IN DECEMBER!!! Jenna (and the rest of us!!) is proud to announce she is going to be a big sister. And if you were walking by on the sidewalk, or working in the checkout at the grocery store, or delivering our mail...she would tell you herself. She is very excited...and its been fun watching her absorb it all. I hope she'll be as thrilled when the baby is actually here.

The first several weeks for me were filled with many queasy days and very early bed times. I am about 12 weeks now and starting to feel so much better. I'm grateful to be eating better now and not feeling so dead to the world all the time. Growing a new baby is a lot of work, I guess! :)

This new development has sprung us to action in this household. We are busy getting our house ready to go on the market and find a four bedroom house. Lots of work, but such an exciting time for us all.

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T11:39:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone is enjoying this Memorial Day weekend!! Please do take time to reflect on the true meaning of this holiday. Kevin and I both have co-workers who were recently deployed to Camp Liberty near the Baghdad International Airport. It brings it a little more home to us this year. Ken and Chris and their families, and the soldiers they are deployed with have been in our thoughts, especially today.

A new tradition

2009-05-25T11:24:00.007-05:00

I present to you: The first annual Memorial Day Family Bowling Tournament (Game)!

And Jenna's first real bowling experience. We are a big fan of the bumpers.

Waiting and waiting for the ball to finally get to the pins...

Kyleah at her bowling best!

What does that say? M for Mommy was the winner!!!

And we finished the event with a good ol' fashioned bowling alley cheeseburger. Here is my family waiting patiently for our food.

A new nephew on the way!!!

2009-05-25T11:10:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed a new link! Oh Baby...Here we go... is the new blog that Aunt Julie and Uncle Scott have started. Please visit and show them some love. They are expecting in October and recently found out that their little bean is a BOY!! They are beyond thrilled at becoming parents and I couldn't be more proud of them. They will both make awesome parents and I can't wait to watch as they experience this journey.

Finally....More Great Wolf Lodge Pictures!

2009-05-25T10:34:00.011-05:00

One of my favorite pictures of the weekend. :)

Some waterpark pictures! It was tough getting many water pictures...we were all too busy playing!

Some fun in the arcade. This is as close to driving a motorcycle as I'd like Jenna to get. :)

A good ol' fashioned pillow fight before Jammies...

Each evening, all the families converge in the main lobby for a bedtime story. Here we are in our jammies with our teddy bears.

Each of the girls got to create a stuffed animal at the gift shop. It was very similar to a Build-a-Bear experience. Here Jenna is making a wish and giving a kiss on the satin heart she'll put inside her stuffed wolf cub.

Tuck it inside!

You know those vending machine rip off games where you position the giant claw above the enticing collection of stuffed animals and then wait with baited breath while the claw decends nd grabs absolutely nothing? Yeah...this is Jenna after she played the game once and actually won something. I've never seen anyone do that before!

And here is how thrilled her sister was with Jenna's success...

My girls

2009-04-10T08:26:00.002-05:00

This was taken at a recent overnight getaway to the Great Wolf Lodge. More pictures from our adventure to come, but I couldn't help get this one posted today. :)

Manners are good

2009-04-01T07:57:00.002-05:00

Jenna had a substitute teacher yesterday at preschool. When we walked in and took her coat off, Ms. Michelle greeted Jenna and introduced herself. After she had said her name, Jenna said "Oh, my name is Jenna" and then stuck out her little, blue paint stained hand to her new teacher.

I had not seen her do that before and couldn't have been more proud.

All figured out

2009-04-01T07:54:00.002-05:00

A conversation in the car:

Jenna: Mommy? I'm a girl.

Mommy: Yes you are.

Jenna: And you are a girl.

Mommy: Yup

Jenna: And Daddy is a boy

Mommy: Yup

Jenna: And Kyleah is a girl

Mommy: Yup

Jenna: And Uncle Scott is a boy

Mommy: Yup

Jenna: And Aunt Julie is a girl

Mommy: Yup

Jenna: And Papa is a boy

Mommy: Yup

Jenna: And Grandma is a girl

Mommy: Yup

(pause)

Mommy: What about Parker Bear, what is she?

Jenna: A German Shepherd (with a duh! tone to her statement)

2009-04-01T07:53:00.003-05:00

Cold pizza for a snuggle time snack. Yummy! Definitely not our typical bedtime snack, but sometimes you have to shake things up. :)

A very bright future

2009-04-01T07:45:00.002-05:00

Jenna had a routine eye exam on Monday. Her rheumatologist recommended we have a baseline exam done. It was a long appointment for Mommy and Daddy (two hours of mostly waiting to be seen or re-seen), but Jenna liked the kid friendly atmosphere of this pediatric eye clinic. Here she is on the way home, proudly sporting her new sunglasses. The drops to dilate her eyes were quick and almost painless - well worth it in Jenna's opinion.

I told her she looked like a superstar and then took this picture. The smile/smirk alone makes my day.

Library today

2009-03-25T19:00:00.004-05:00

We spent a little while at the library today. She got a bigger kick out of the play things then she did the books (what kid wouldn't?), but she did whisper the entire time. In fact, she was still whispering when she got into the car. When I reminded her that we were there to pick out books, she reached out and pulled the first three books she found and handed them to me, then asked if she could play at the train table.

A big girl bike!

2009-03-25T18:40:00.006-05:00

Jenna has waited since Christmas to try out her new big girl bike. Thanks to her tricycle, she knows how to pedal...its just a lot of hard work!

I'm anxious to ask her physical therapist about Jenna riding her bike. I'm betting it will be good exercise for her considering its a low impact type motion.

Thankfully the camera didn't capture the meltdown that followed this picture. Now that the bike was adjusted, she was ready to really give it a go. That is when we broke out the helmet rule. At that tired moment, she considered a personal insult we'd even suggest such a thing! Thankfully she had a change of heart when we went out later. :)

And to end the day, a little hoola hoopin'. She is really very good at this...she must have learned it from her big sister.

Go fly a kite!

2009-03-25T18:36:00.005-05:00

This was Jenna's first experience with flying a kite. She did pretty well and never let go. That could have been due to my constant mantra of "hold on tight, don't let go". It was a very windy day and she got a little freaked when the wind was really tugging on the string. Each day since, I'm asked if 'today is a good kite day'. I'm sure we'll have more kite days to come.

The Birthday Party

2009-03-25T18:21:00.003-05:00

The cute little guest of honor insisted we wear party hats and blow party kazoos. :)

I again took full advantage of the fact that Jenna has no idea that birthday parties are supposed to be for inviting 17 of her closest preschool friends. It was a very small affair and honestly anything to the contrary fills me with panic. Right now, the panic outweighs the guilt I feel knowing I should invite more relatives and friends. Ugh. Stupid mommy guilt.

Here are the party kazoos!!! I suspect shortly after this picture, I was scolded for not having my party hat on.

Four birthday candles on a Dora birthday cake: just what she wanted. :)

Thinking of Baby Stellan

2009-03-25T07:43:00.007-05:00

I added a blog called My Charming Kids to my blogroll several months ago. It is written by a wonderful Mommy who lives in northern Minnesota with her husband and their four kids (ages four and under!). They are so commited to and grateful for the family they've created. And despite having never met them, I'm completely hooked on this wonderful family and the greater message she brings to the blog world.

I found this particular blog when the Mommy (aka McKmama) was expecting their youngest son. Stellan is four months old now and has been a miracle from the start. He was diagnosed with heart failure in utero and was not expected to survive. He surprised many by not only being born alive, but thriving in this wonderful family. You can read more about his journey here. He is an absolutely adorable little boy.

Baby Stellan is in trouble now and my heart aches for this family I've never even met. He is currently in a children's hospital with a dangerously high heart rate; a heart rate that has so far been resistant to medical intervention. Baby Stellan has been on my mind a lot in the recent days and I pray that his little heart will return back to a normal rhythm and allow him (and his family) to get some peace and some much needed rest.

If you are so inclined, send a healing thought or prayer to Baby Stellan today. At the very least, visit this wonderful blog and become hooked like I have. Click on the picture below for a quick link:

The other birthday girl

2009-03-09T17:20:00.000-05:00

Parker Bear is six today :)

Happy Birthday, Jenna Bean!

2009-03-07T17:22:00.010-06:00

Can you believe my little one is four years old today?!

She had a fabulous day and is very proud to be four.

And here is my big girl today!

Safety First

2009-02-28T19:19:00.003-06:00

Always put your helmet on when wearing your butterfly wings. The world can be a scary place.

Mommy, I want to do it!

2009-02-23T09:38:00.004-06:00

This is what happens when Jenna puts the syrup on her own pancakes and Mommy isn't paying attention.

I can't help but wondering at the irony of this event following the dentist post...

Yesterday was Dentist Day at Preschool

2009-02-20T19:15:00.000-06:00

Not quite grasping the concept of time yet...

2009-02-12T21:46:00.004-06:00

"Mommy, is tomorrow today?"