NorCal

(I don't really call it NorCal)

So here's the part we missed...

My brother fresh off the plane from Mexico

With his companion

and with my family.

We got there a week later.

My dad and my brother Tanner picked us up at the airport.

I didn't know Tanner was going to be there and it was so fun to see him again.

Really it was more exciting than I thought it would be

(and I mean that in a good way Tanner).

He got to meet Avery, rosy cheeked and all smiles from all the attention she was getting.

There was a lot of us.

The whole family, in fact.

10 adults, and 6 kids ranging in age from 0-6yrs.

Crazy. Messy. Loud. Chaotic. Overwhelming.

My kids loved every minute of it.

Here's the other half. (cuz half the grandkids are ours right now).

Real sweethearts.

Ha! Really they are though.

The very next day was Paul's and Alex's birthday, and we started off the celebration by going to one of our favorite spots in the Bay Area, Fentons.

Crab Salad Sandwich

and the Black and Tan.

Best. Thing. Ever.

We sang to Alex (and we spared Paul)

and then they opened presents.

Alex always gives a great reaction.

And this year Paul did too!

After lunch we headed to San Francisco to check out the California Academy of Sciences.

We had to park a few miles away (for reals) and luckily it was a beautiful day in Golden Gate Park - because that turned out to be the highlight of the visit.

The place is awesome but we went on the wrong day. So crowded you couldn't hardly walk, see anything, or get into many of the exhibits.

Don't worry my mom handled that - she got rain check tickets for the place. And Paul scalped ours. (Turns out he's not a very good negotiator)

After a wild ride home from the city (for those of us in my dads truck anyways)

we had a bonfire in the backyard and roasted marshmallows.

Then it was time for cake and (more) ice cream.

This little 4-year old was in heaven.

The next day was my brothers homecoming talk in church.

SO glad we got to be there for that.

Even if Paul said Avery and I looked like we were going to a funeral.

After church we spent some time posing for family pics in my parents backyard.

Do you want to move to California yet?

Betcha do now.

Sunday night we headed to Carmel, an awesome little beach town where we stayed for a couple of days.

Monday we did some scenic driving along the coast and these were the kind of views we got.

Paul got directions to a place in Big Sur where we could take the kids hiking down to the beach.

On the way we encountered this "Hazardous River Crossing"

We scouted it out...

and gave Paul the go ahead to take my dads porsche right on through.

We all followed suit, with my brother Tanner hanging outside each and every vehicle that went through. (And it takes a lot of vehicles to transport all of us)

Same old Tanner : )

This was the "hike" to the beach.

Not much of a hike but we had lots of babies and toddlers in tow.

It was gorgeous.

And the beach was even better!

No one loves the beach more than this kid - he had the time of his life.

We all did really.

It was a perfect afternoon.

(except for the part where Tiff's bag almost got washed out to sea)

The Sisters

My "original" family

wow. we're all grown up.

Alex doing what she does best - hamming it up for the camera with her one-of-a-kind faces

All day Paul and I discussed possibly moving to California...

you would have too : )

Our last day in Carmel/Monterey Paul and I left early to stop and see our old college buddies in Palo Alto on the way home.

(Great to see you again Logan and Emily!)

The rest of the family headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Noah of course couldn't pass up an opportunity like that, so he joined them.

And served as their personal docent, identifying every kind of shark and fish accurately.

In fact, I didn't see much of Noah on this trip period. He loved being with his Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.

As you can see.

Another highlight of the trip for me was getting together with my best friend and roommate from college, Sarah.

What are the chances that she would end up living in the same city as my parents???

I mean seriously, the girl is from Canada.

We met up for lunch one day with just our babies. It was perfect.

We got to do a lot more talking than we usually do when we get together with ALL our kids (there are 6 between the 2 of us now).

Thanks Sarah, love you and miss you so much already!

As you can imagine we ate spectacularly throughout the week.

But nothing topped our "adults only" dinner in San Francisco at The Waterbar.

The trip went by all too quickly

(although maybe not for my mom, who'd had way too many people in her house for some time now).

Thanks mom and dad, as usual, for making it all happen

and making it all wonderful.

(Cuz it's probably the last time it will ever happen, right John C?)

We love you!

Just look at what you've done...

Ordinary Day

We're back from our quick visit to California - lots of fun, more on that later -

(although this picture pretty much sums it up, the whole fam at the beach, doesn't get any better)

- back to our life here in Rochester, MN

Today I...

took Noah to school

picked up Noah from school

fed my kids

cleaned up after my kids

fed my baby

got covered in baby spit-up more times than I can count

took a shower

went for a walk with the kids

yelled at my kids

laughed at my kids

played candy land with my kids

tried to ignore my kids

finished reading The Help (sooo good)

and did a bunch of other mundane tasks you don't care to read about. and I don't care to blog about.

But...did you catch it? 'bout the middle of the list?

WENT FOR A WALK WITH THE KIDS.

Yeah, it's practically springtime here in Minnesota.

Meaning: (some of) the snow is melting, it's raining instead of snowing, and it's in the 30's instead of the -30's.

Last Saturday was sunny and you would have thought it was the middle of summer - people walking their dogs, taking walks, pushing kids in strollers, jogging, biking, practically picnicking. It was about 35 degrees.

Only in Minnesota...I love it.

And I love that I don't even need a coat. This California girl has come a looong way.

And Tonight, when everyone is asleep...I'll be watching Lost. Season 4. I may have watched 3.5 seasons of Lost in less than 3 weeks. Don't worry about it.

Avery loves it.

The End.

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