My Little Life

I've come to a conclusion...I can't possibly live anywhere other than MinneSOOOOOta. Here I am, absolutely, positively DYING for snow. Like, DY-ING. It is cold as heck out (well, not really, 'cuz as a true Minnesotan, I know it's gonna get a heckuva lot colder) and you know, if it's gonna be cold as heck, we might as well have some snow to make everything prettier. That first "real" snow fall is so magical. Quiet and sparkly and stunning. I can't wait...not to mention the snow days that sometimes come along with the snowfall. An extra day with my kiddos? HECK YES! The funny thing is, check back here sometime around April 1st or so, and you'll be hearing an entirely different tone from me...it'll be more along the lines of "I am SOOOOOO ready for this snow to be gone!". Guess you just can't please us Minnesotans!! :) This time last year (November 23rd, to be exact): C'mon Mother Nature...BRING IT!

10 years ago, I had just spent my first night at home as a mother of three. I was exhausted, emotional, and totally and completely in love with the adorable bundle of blue in my arms. Sweet Dubya was the most amazing baby. Chubby, laid back, self soothing, happy, and cute as a gosh dang bug's ear.  We won't talk about the turn of events that happened when he turned 18 months...how it was like somebody flipped a switch and my laid back baby became a bulldozer of a toddler and his mantra (you know, IF 18 month olds had mantras) was "WRECK ALL THE THINGS!!".  Good thing he was so cute...and that sweet little "side dimple" near his temple would peek out every time he got that twinkle in his eye and grinned mischievously and gosh, how do you get mad at that?! Darn side dimple. Gets a guy out of trouble every time. 10 years. One decade. I have been blessed immensely by being this amazing boys mama. I am so very proud of his huge, tender hea...

Have I mentioned that my bestie got married? Or that I was a "co-MOH" ("co-maid of honor")? Oh...I have? Well then...aren't YOU in luck that you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about! :) Have I got some photos for you! So fun. So sweet. So full of love and joy...this weekend was magically perfect. To see my best friend so incredibly happy and loved? It makes my heart so full. And to have experienced all of the joy and love and fabulousness, first hand? I'm blessed. Let me just give you a smattering of photos...the camera was not (clearly, since I'm *gasp* actually in some of the photos) often in my hand, but I think my hubby did a pretty good job of capturing the merriment! Morning prep: Wedding entrance dance...me with the bride's amazing son, I met this handsome kid when he was just a tiny little tot who bounced like Tigger.  "Secret" handshake: Eye swipe: (Blurry) Disco point: AND THE BEAUTIF...

Just driving home from our girl's weekend shopping extravaganza!! I'm fat, broke, happy...and I have an awesome start on Christmas shopping! Now we just need a little snow! I was even able to almost finish some birthday shopping... Dubya's birthday is on Friday, can't believe he is going to be DOUBLE DIGITS! What happened to my chubby little laid back baby? Anyway, was a super busy weekend...canNOT wait to show you photos from my bestie's wedding!!

Christmas is 43 days away. Um...what happened to September and October?! Anyway, every year I vow to be more organized so I can enjoy the Christmas season a little more...this year, I feel like I've got a leg up on it! I already have several presents purchased...not wrapped yet, but IN MY POSSESION.  This is huge, people. HUGE. I'm not sure I've ever started this early! I'm so proud of myself. But...how much you wanna bet that the week before Christmas I'm running around like a crazy fool looking for that perfect, last minute gift. Ugh. Let's hope not. I hope to spend that last week baking and listening to Christmas music and sipping hot chocolate in front of the fire and watching "Elf" and soaking in the joy and magic of the season surrounded by my littles and the man that makes my heart go pitter-pat. So, here's to a slower paced Christmas season and the time to enjoy every single wonderful moment of it! Cheers!

As you all know, we lost our sweet dog a couple of weeks ago and before we knew it, we had somehow (how is it that kids are SOOOOO persuasive?!) agreed to another puppy. Dagnabit, she's a cute little thing. That is, when she's not pooping on our floor. Or peeing on the floor. Or chewing on my hems. And when I'm not begging my children (who begged, pleaded, PROMISED that they'd play, potty, and entertain the pup) to take the dang dog outside before she poops/pees on my floor ONE MORE BLASTED TIME. Sigh. And we got her before deer hunting weekend? Which means 1/2 of the pair that lobbied for her the most is gone, leaving the younger 1/2 in charge of waking up at night to take Tikka (yes, like the gun) potty. Gonna be a long weekend. It's a good thing she's cute.

This boy...he just makes me smile!!

If you're a mom, you know exactly  what someone's talking about when they refers\ to their child having "that cry"...the one where you know "oh crap. THIS is legit.". Yeah, "that cry". (You're all nodding your heads in agreement now, aren'tcha?) Sunday afternoon we were at Belle's piano recital...enjoying some refreshments afterward and chatting with my grandparents and fellow piano parents when, from across the room, I hear "that cry". My head snapped up and my eyes locked upon my baby girl, by the refreshment table, with the Mr. tending to her. I began a brisk walk toward the table when I realized what was happening...spilled coffee, crying girl, hubby frantically wiping at her arm and my brink walk became a full out run. I got to her side to find her sleeve pulled up and a big area on her arm that had already blistered (well, technically it had that "melted skin" look to it) and my first reaction was to ...

Sitting here in bed, after being short tempered with kids who didn't want to listen tonight, wishing I had been more patient. Tomorrow's a new day, right?! Thinking...remember when I used to have this blog? This blog where I posted every day, where in the beginning I posted TWICE A DAY??? Sigh. I had so much to say back then. I felt so witty and creative. Now I just feel...boxed in. I want that wit and creativity back. I want this place to be the place I come to dump the contents of my mind. The inner workings. The clutter. The constant flow of words and stories and ideas that are all up in there. I have oodles of photos to show y'all from the photo shoots I've done recently. I have some recipes waiting to be brought to life. I have stories to tell and thoughts to vent. Hopefully, you'll still be around when I decide to tell them! My sweet babe is lying beside me...her bandaged arm (I'll tell you that tomorrow) resting gently on my leg. The house...