So Cute!

On Saturday Nicholas had his 1 year pictures taken. A friend of mine, Kari, found this photographer in a park, and can I say I love her! She comes to your house, sets up shop and the best part - she Photoshops away! She posted her "sneak peak" today, and they are so cute! It's amazing what she did with his skin, he was pretty rashy and scratchy on Saturday. Check them out, I'll post a link when the full gallery is up too...

http://www.kaylaphoto.com/theblog/

A couple of new favorites...

My new favorite drink...

Peach Mojitos - yum yum. I used a few shortcuts by using frozen peaches and bottled lime juice, they were a big hit at the party on Saturday. I'll be making them for our annual scrapbook weekend, and this year I'll have my new drink strainer with!

My other new favorite...

Dyson Vacuum. I originally purchased the smaller version, but after the roller bar kept quitting I returned it and got the bigger version. I don't think the smaller version had enough suck power.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope your Valentine's Day is/was a good one. Charlie bought me a bouquet of my favorite flowers - tulips! I work this evening so it will be a pretty low key day.

I played around with my camera and flowers, the background is a little grainy - I know why, but I'm too lazy to go fix it and take more.

The trick to getting CJ to smile nice is to tell him NOT to smile and then talk to him...

Here's Nick being daring and climbing the couch the CJ disassembled...

Better post while I'm still on my sugar high...

CJ and I made Valentine cookies today, holy sugar...yum. It did re-affirm why I have Charlie bring home premade cutouts from work for Christmas cookies. I HATE rolling and cutting sugar cookies. I just suck at it...not enough flour, too much flour. And might I add I'm not a fan of the Pampered Chef roller - no offense Carin. Where's my 'ole wooden rolling pin when I need it. I almost broke out the vintage rolling pin Grandma Dora gave me as a wedding shower gift. Any way - here are some pics. CJ had great fun and it was quite a mess!

This picture is funny - it looks like he's reading the recipe.

Inappropriate?

I didn't think I'd have to be concerned about kids valentine cards but what do you think of these? CJ wanted Nerd candy valentines for his class. There are two different sayings on them...

Love the NERD You're With!
Here's Lookin' at You, NERD!

Am I completely oversensitive? Maybe I was called a nerd to many times growing up, but I can't believe these! Does the word nerd have a different connotation now?

We'll be making a Target trip for different Valentines.

What am I missing?

Please, someone please read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle to tell me what I'm missing. From Oprah's book club selection to the other rave reviews I've read, I just don't get it. If you can manage to get through all 560ish pages, I'd love to hear what you think. Granted there are other reviewers out there like my who simply hated it. Maybe it's just because I don't have a dog....

And while your at it, join good reads. A great place to find out what to read, what not to read. And please, I need more than just 2 friends to pick their book brains. Although I can always rely on Tonja for a good recommendation!

And one more request - please EMAIL ME! just send a blank email if you want - after my hard drive request I lost all email addresses (and really don't want to type them all back in from the computer downstairs).

I was glad to find out I could copy all music from my Zune BACK to my computer - so I didn't lose any of my tunes.

CRASH!!!!

the laptop hard drive crashed. Fortunately I was able to get about 800 of my 1800 pictures I took since October onto my external hard drive. It's under warranty so thankfully we didn't have to pay for the repair. When I dropped it off, they thought it was a software issue. He said before they had to erase anything they would call us for the data recovery, which would be an additional $99. When I didn't hear anything else, silly me assumed the data recovery would be included since it was a hardware issue. Silly me, the guy laughed at me when I asked him about the data. He said "ma'am you had a physical hard drive failure, there is no recovery". oh.

At first I wasn't too concerned, I got most of my pictures - I had checked and all the "big events" were still there. (although I haven't figured out yet what didn't transfer) (might not want to know). But then I started to realize everything else... our bills spreadsheet (what to pay when), the full inbox of emails "to follow up on of some kind", all my Zune music. Ick.

There is something to be said for "backup". Especially since I've had a stack of DVDs for back up sitting in my laptop bag for months now.

Live and learn!

Zoom!

I finally got to play around with my zoom lens today, since it was FINALLY nice enough to go outside to play. Check it out! These were all taken from me standing on the deck in my pajamas!

Best not left unattended

Nick decided he needed to "explore" while sitting in his highchair, stinker. Guess it's time to start buckling him in...

Bucket Head

Nick LOVES emptying out the tupperware cabinet and playing with the cover holder (i.e. ice cream bucket). He was pretty funny to watch crawl from the kitchen to the living room, he ran into the fridge, CJ and the TV stand. CJ would laugh, Nick would laugh harder. It was pretty cute. - nevermind the Christmas jammies - time for laundry.

CJ wanted to get in on the bucket fun too

yum.

I'm not a huge pork chop fan, but I've made this recipe a few times and we really like it. It's super easy...try it, you might like it too!

Pork Chops with Maple Mustard Glaze

served with some Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.

Yummy!

-use thin cut pork chops - or butterfly in half some thicker ones like I did

Nick's One!

I can't believe little Nicky is 1 year old already. We had a birthday dinner and ice cream with the Wolfs/Timmermans.

Batman and Robin

Action shot of Batman and Robin

Nick liked the rainbow sherbet, had a little difficulty with the spoon concept

And he cried when it was all gone

Nick's new skill of today - climbing stairs!

Middle of the Night Phone Calls

Phone calls in the middle of the night are rarely ever good things. The last time I got a phone call in the middle of the night it was Tonja telling me her parent's house was on fire. Last night I was sleeping soundly when the phone rings. Usually the first thing I do is hit my alarm clock thinking its that going off. Nope, no alarm clock. Crap the phone is out in the kitchen. Ringing, ringing...talking caller id is saying unavailable. Crap who could it be, what's going on. Ringing stops, I'm thinking hopefully I recognize the number so I can call them back. Oh, their calling back. Ringing, ringing some more. I look at the number. It's Mara's cell phone. Oh crap, what's this. The mental checklist goes off. the girls? Jason - no he's not working? wait, Mara's up north with Kirsten what happened?

Me: Hello?
Mara: Whattaya doin?
Me: Ahh...sleeping.
Mara: Oh, well...which one of Tonja's cousins was paralyzed in that accident?
Me: Ahh...neither.
Mara: Well which cousin was in the accident?
Me: It was Brett and Wade, why?
Mara: Oh, we just saw "the Monica" at the bar and I was wondering.
Me: Oh.
Mara: Okay, we're going to Zorba's now i.e. Willow Beach so that will be fun.
Me: Great, have fun!
Mara: I'm not driving
Me: That's good
Mara: Kirsten's driving...so, if anything else comes up I guess it can wait until morning.
Me: Okay
Mara: Athough its 12:30 so technically its morning so I'll let you know if anything comes up.
Me: Great!

A few funny things about this conversation...
1) The fact that she CALLS BACK after I didn't answer the first time, like what the heck is she doing that she's not answering the phone

2) The comment "Zorba's ie Willow Beach" - actually Willow Beach was an old supper club by Ball Club - Zorba's used to be Bridgeside, or Captain Hooks - but never Willow Beach

3) It took me awhile to put together the whole Tonja's cousin, Monica and why this has any importance to Mara and Kirsten. Then I remember. Monica who is/was married (are they still?) to Tonja's cousin used to date Kirsten's now husband. Yeah, small town - don't ask. And apparantly dated Kirsten's husbands best friend too, but who's counting.

And they could remember that some of those cousins were in an accident - how one suddenly got paralyzed is news to me, but apparently a night of cocktails at the Dutch Room skews ones memory.

I think I'll stick to my original thought...Phone calls in the middle of the night are rarely ever good things. Just kidding, call me anytime. I love to chat!

He's got skills...

Nick has a new skill of pulling himself to standing...finally. And he will stand now without freaking out because he's standing up. Now he just freaks out when he wants to sit...because it's soooo far to the floor!

My new camera

Well I've had it for a few weeks now, but I really like it. I have a lot to learn. I'd love to get good enough to take my own pictures/portraits of the kids. Then I can have them printed at White House Custom Color and do all kinds of fun things! We'll see.

Here's a picture taken with my old camera...

And here's one from Nick's birthday with my new camera...

Granted Nick's not as rashy in the birthday photo, but I can still tell a difference.

Update to the birthday party

Decision made - although the decision was really already made - I just needed some validation. CJ won't be attending the birthday party. If I could go with him, I wouldn't have any problem with it. But, because I can't and I don't know any other parents that will be, CJ won't go. Papa Chuck had a great idea for CJ to go spend the night at their house this weekend, so that's what he'll do. He wasn't upset about it, he was too excited to go spend the night at Papa and Grandma's house. I do feel bad for the birthday boy, hopefully other parents don't read the paper. I'm sure it all would be fine, but if something DID happen how would you rationalize that you knew but didn't care.

The blogger I aspire to be...

One of my favorite and daily blog reads is Pioneer Woman (if you haven't checked it out you really must) It's really like reading 5 blogs in one. You get the confessions, the cooking, the photography, home and garden and homeschooling. By far my favorites are - well really I like them all. Anyway - getting to the point of this blog. Once in awhile she does give-a-ways - (really good give-a-ways), today's was for her favorite knife. I got excited because the comments sat at 102 (typically her give-a-ways can fetch 20,000-30,000 or more comments), but by the time I was done typing my comment I was comment #493! That's alot of simultaneous commenters! I realize I'll never be that blogger - I would have to blog everyday and up until yesterday the kids were still visiting Santa in '08. I will be a better blogger I promise - maybe.

Would you let YOUR kid go?

CJ got invited to his first preschool birthday party this week, he is so excited. The gift has been purchased, all that's left is to send a RSVP to the birthday boy's Mom to let her know CJs coming. In my usual state of procrastination tonight, I was tooling around online with the invite sitting next to me. I caught up on some blogs, some message boards and read the news. I finally got to my email to RSVP to the party and as I'm typing the name I'm thinking hmmmm...that name sounds really familiar didn't I just read that last name? I switch over to said newspaper and here is the story ... (names removed to protect the innocent - or not so innocent)

Marijuana grown as 'a joke' suspect says

**** ***** told police he started growing marijuana as a joke, but things just got serious.
Dakota County Drug Task Force agents searched *****’s **** Street home last Aug. 22 and found 15 marijuana plants, including six located in children’s bedrooms. Police also found grow lights, marijuana leaves, a box of unknown pills and a line of white powder that turned out to be a crushed Vicodin pill.
Now that discovery has led to felony drug charges against the 27-year-old Farmington man.
According to a complaint filed Jan. 9 in the Dakota County Attorney’s office **** told one of the task force agents he’d planted the marijuana seeds three months earlier and that he didn’t think it would be a problem. He said he started growing the plants as a joke, but that he used the marijuana for his personal use.
In all task force agents found just less than a pound of marijuana.
**** was convicted of a fifth degree drug offense in March of 1996. If convicted this time on a fifth degree drug charge he could face up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to $20,000. A petty misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia carries a maximum fine of $300.

My first thought is nah, can't be the same person. I grabbed the class parent info sheet and sure enough, name matches, address matches.

Now what the hell do I do? The invitation does say "parents are welcome to stay if you wish to join in the fun" (oh yeah, now we know what kind of fun that is!), but I have to work and Charlie will be home with Nick. Am I being an over-reacting mom by not letting him go? I don't think so. What would you do? How do you tell CJ he won't be going to the birthday party after all? I think if I let him have the gift he will quickly forgive me. Help!

Santa Visit '08

We had our Santa visit last night at the Mall of America. I would say "annual Santa visit", but last year we didn't make it as CJ refused to go. Can I say how much I love the MOA Santa? First, you can make reservations. 2 years ago when CJ was 2 1/2 we waited in line for 2 1/2 -3 hours to see this Santa. CJ was kept busy with the toy area and the movie Polar Express they had playing, it was well worth it. Starting last year you could make reservations, what a brilliant idea. There still is "the other Santa" at the MOA, but he isn't quite the same. For the past few weeks, CJ has been telling me how his Santa visit is going to go. "Mom, I'll just stand by Santa and you can tell him what I want. I'm not sitting on his lap, I'll just stand by him while Nicky sits on his lap and gets his picture taken." Well this Santa spends about 10-15 minutes with each family. He starts by sitting on the ground with the kids giving them high fives, asking what they want for Christmas and all the other Santa questions "have you been good?" "do you listen to your mom?" "do you eat your vegetables?". Then he goes into photo mode and whisked Nick in before he could realize who was holding him and get crabby. Even CJ sat on his lap and smiled for a picture.

While we were waiting for Santa we found out the boy in front of us was also named CJ and this was his 10th year of coming to visit this Santa. "MOA Santa Groupies".

I was hoping to also have other pictures because you can take your own photos too, but Charlie got in charge of photo taking and got 2. He was immediately fired from future photo duty.

And of course you can't go to the MOA without going on some rides.

Nick's 1st Haircut!

Nick had his 1st haircut today, he looks like such a big boy now! So sad to lose that little baby hair, but the "wings" were starting to drive me nuts.

Towards the end we had to use a sucker for a bribe, he SCREAMED bloody murder for the last 5 minutes when she was using the trimmer - no pictures of that!

After his haircut at home, (and a nap so he was happier!)


Now...I know some of you are NOT going to believe me but check out this unplanned oddity. Here are pictures of CJ's first hair cut - can you believe they are wearing the same shirt. And I SWEAR I didn't plan this, I just grabbed the first shirt I saw this morning from Nick's closet which happened to be a hand-me-down from CJ.

Also, check out the size difference between the boys! CJ was just over 10 months in this picture. Nick is 11 months today.