in the news

Today my little brother came home.

He has been working hard serving as a missionary for our church in Mexico.

For the last 2 years.

It was 2 years ago today that we all said goodbye to him.

And today, everyone in my family was there to meet him at the airport.

Except me.

Sometimes living so far away, having a husband with zero control over his schedule, and having 3 crazy kids is hard.

But this post, this day, this moment is not about me.

Welcome home Tanner.

We love you and we're proud.

Can't wait to see you next week!

But in the meantime, luckily for me, I've got this cutie in my arms. Her smiles can brighten any kind of day.

Someone told me recently she looks like she came out of a box.

I think that was a compliment?

This picture made me think of all the little baby dolls in boxes, down that aisle in Target that me and Alex are so familiar with.

Yesterday she turned 4 months old.

And she rolled over for the first time.

she's been trying hard for awhile

Noah was so excited about it, watching every movement and cheering her on.

While she was working at it he insisted that once she rolled we would

"call dad immediately"

Have I mentioned lately how much these two love each other?

Lastly, today

a cold snowy husbandless day

we spent 3 1/2 hours at McDonald's playland with good friends.

It was awesome.

Love Weekend

Ours looked like this.

I loved it.

It's called Hoar Frost and it's amazingly beautiful.

Which is obvious despite my lack of photography skills.

The kids love the icicles reaching down from the roof of our house -

reaching down so far they can touch them.

(and break them off and eat them.)

And who knew a few serving spoons from the kitchen drawer could be so much fun in all that powder?

(yes, Noah is purposely hiding his face in both pictures.)

Who says Rochester, MN isn't a cool place to live???

Just ask Noah, who recently said,

"How. could you not. love winter?!?!"

It was a weekend full of celebrating.

Friday night - Valentine's Party with great friends, great food, and lots of laughs (sans kids)

Saturday (Valentine's Day at our house this year) - Paul worked all day, I celebrated with the kids, we made Paul his favorite cake. Paul got home, we put the kids to bed, got some take out and watched a movie. Lovely.

Sunday - celebrated Chinese New Years with several other families. Lots of kids, lots of noise, lots of laughs, and more chinese food than we could eat.

There's lots of love in my life.

And a lot to love.

The End.

I deserve a medal

Today was the day I became a true Minnesotan.

(drumroll please)

I shoveled my driveway.

Let me say that again.

I shoveled my driveway.

I lived in Utah for 5 years

Cleveland for 4 years

This is my second winter in Minnesota

I've been married for almost 8 years

I have never shoveled snow from my driveway.

I have never shoveled snow. period.

Today, school was cancelled due to the snowstorm that's been hitting us hard since yesterday and will continue throughout the day.

Hence my plans to go to the grocery store this morning were also cancelled. There are just some things I don't do with three kids.

BUT...we were out of diet coke. Kwik Trip is just down the street. And I can do Kwik Trip with three kids, snowstorm or not.

Then I looked out my window. At least 4 inches of fresh snow on the driveway that Paul shoveled just last night? No problem, I can get through that in my mininvan. The bank of snow at the bottom of the driveway (caused by the snowplows) as high as my waist? Problem. Even if I got out I knew there would be no getting back in. Our driveway is steep.

I thought about an entire day and night inside, alone (Paul is on-call) with all three of my kids.

I thought about it for o.03 seconds.

And at 7:30am I put the baby in the crib, geared up, and got to work.

Besides the fact that I was dripping sweat and my back and and arms will be so sore tomorrow I'm not sure I'll be able to hold my baby...it was kind of nice. Beautiful, peaceful, quiet. I almost didn't mind it. (Ssshhhhh, don't tell my husband.)

And so today I am a true Minnesotan.

I take that back - true Minnesotans have snow blowers.

Today, I am a mother of three, with a husband who works a lot, on a tight budget (and maybe a coke addiction).

And I shoveled my driveway.

The whole dang thing.

And I am currently enjoying a nice, big, cold Diet Coke : )

p.s. I had to page Paul at work to share with him my big accomplishment. He was busy. All I said was, "I shoveled the driveway." All he said was, "No Way" laughing, and then he had to go. He called back a bit later when he had a few minutes to spare. I answered the phone and heard Paul say, "So tell me."

worth it

Why is it that after a GNO that lasted past 2am I look like this

and Avery still looks cute as can be?

Oh yeah, she was there - for a combination of reasons: nursing, no guaranteed sleep schedule, and a husband who gets up for work at 4:30am to name a few.

She's a party girl.

Probably wasn't the best time to start sleep-training her though...?

And today, while Avery catches up on sleep, I'm pounding Diet Coke and Tylenol.

a much needed (although only temporary) cure for the winter blues.

(the GNO, not the DC and Tylenol, though that's not bad either...)

really though, can't remember the last time I laughed that much and that hard

oh yeah, at our last GNO.

have I mentioned lately I have the coolest friends ever?

Thanks for having a birthday Jess!

Love you to death

(and all the rest of ya too!)

that "special" time

It's the Dead of Winter in Rochester, Minnesota

It's cold.

(the understatement of the year)

SO glad we got the Wii for Christmas.

And recently subscribed to Netflix.

And we're still loving KidPix.

(best kids computer game ever)

Too much screen time, yes.

But what are you gonna do?

It's the Dead of Winter in Rochester, Minnesota.

Oh yeah, we do love reading and looking at books.

(I would especially love it if I were finding time to read my books)

And oh yeah, we love to snuggle.

Good thing we have a chubby little baby and the snuggliest almost four-year old you ever saw.

Because it's the Dead of Winter in Rochester, Minnesota.

What else are you gonna do?

Well, you might wonder what to do with all that long hair of yours...

It is a well documented fact that I am no good with hair.

(just take a quick look at all the pictures of me/my daughter)

I need help. Like lessons.

Who wants to come over?

It'll be just like a 5th grade sleepover, I promise

(without the sleepover)

Yes.

It's the Dead of Winter in Rochester, Minnesota