Hi There!!!

This is Kris' hubby, Greg.  The beautiful thing about this is that I know the password to be able to post on Kris' blog. 

In the post below Kris mentioned that you would not be seeing pictures of her "ridiculous 10 year old rant of excitement" on her blog.  Well that is just not the case.  

So for your enjoyment, here they are in all of their glory!!!  Starting to open "The Box"....

And here is the moment where she realizes what the gift is.....

And here is Kris screaming like the 10 year old girl, like she mentioned.......

and here she is proudly displaying her precious NKTOB sweatshirt!!

And these are the pics of my wife regressing to a teenage girl.  I hope you enjoyed them!!!

Greg

christmas 2008 - part 1

~Christmas Eve~

My sister and her husband came out early that morning and we made a gigantic breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, pancakes and cinnamon rolls. It was SO yummy.  We cleaned up and then let Ellie open a few gifts... 

She got a trunk full of dress up princess clothes, hence the Belle outfit...

Callie enjoyed the trunk...

She also got a couple pair of princess pj's... so yes, we had on multiple outfits in a matter of a couple hours...

We also opened our gifts from them and vice versa.  Remember when I went to the NKOTB concert in Oct???  Well my sly little cousin bought a sweatshirt there and pretended it was for her... and yes, it worked... I totally believed her and was GREEN with envy (they were to spendy for me to buy)... she then called my sis up and said, Kris really wants this sweatshirt, will you buy it for her for x-mas... BLESS HER FOR SAYING YES!!!  I LOVE MY SWEATSHIRT!!  My hubby was ready with the camera and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to post pics of my ridiculous 10 year old rant of excitement when I opened that gift... they will not be posted here, sorry!!  

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing cards and drinking a few bottles of wine, a few to many beers and eating way to much food.  Then it was time to get ready for mom and dad's.

There we had appetizers and opened more presents...

Ellie's favorite gift was her American Girl Doll baby and her very own matching pj's.  She thought that was pretty cool.
It was a very nice relaxing day.  

Christmas Day on the other hand... not so much... to be continued...

A winter statistic


98% OF AMERICANS SAY 'OH SHIT' BEFORE GOING IN THE DITCH ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. 

THE OTHER 2% ARE FROM MINNESOTA AND THEY SAY, "HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS." 

are you ready for some football

The snow stopped and the roads were clear (enough) so we (mom, dad, me, Greg, Katie and Scott) were off to the Dome for the Vikings game!  Mom bought 6 tickets as a suprise for Dad's birthday Dec 6th... since I didn't wish him a happy birthday on my blog I'll do it now... 

Happy Birthday Dad!  

We parked (we all drove separately for one reason or another) at the Mall of America and rode the light rail to the Dome for $3.50 a person... much cheaper than the $30 (per vehicle) it would have cost us to park!
Mom and Dad
This was my first football game... not that I'm all that interested in the game itself... but it was fun and I honestly could sit there and people watch all day long.  Get a load of these two... 

How could the day end any better (even though the Vikes lost) than a stop at Outback for my fav drink eva!  A wallabeedarned (sp?).  Oh and even better, it was 2 for 1's when we got there... so I got 2!!!!  Heaven in a glass I tell ya!

a cozy day at home

Last Saturday looked like this... 


So we stayed home and did this...


Ellie chose the frosting colors... red, green, pink and purple.
Ellie decorating all on her own!
Seriously, how did we create such a cute little peanut!
Mommy's cookies...
Ellie's cookies...

i'm back

Damn virus's.  They took over my computer and had it doing funky things... but I'm back and I have a bazillion post in my head... it's going to be an "Ellie sit in front of the tv, here's your cheetos and milk" kinda weekend... (only kidding, come on do you really think I'd do that?!)

I'm glad to be back.  I have SO much reading to do!  Tata for now...

Computer troubles

I'm having computer troubles and have been unable to get any blogging done. I will be back as soon as I get my computer running again!

Happy Holidays!

life - part 2

Once again I'm almost a week behind... have basically been working all week... dealing with all this damn snow we've been getting... preparing for Christmas... all that fun stuff we do every day.

Monday night Greg's photography club was having a cookie exchange/Christmas party/gift exchange. We planned to go but with the temp's being in the negatives I just didn't feel like packing Ellie up and hauling her into town when I got home from work. We decided that Greg would go alone. I had a nice quiet evening to myself. When Greg got home he informed me that there was a girl at the party (a guest of another photo club member) who wouldn't stop hitting on him! ALL night long! He said he kept mentioning his wife this, his daughter that and she didn't seem to get the hint (or just didn't care)... I hate girls like that. Next time I don't care if it is 40 below zero... I will be there! :)

Tuesday after work I was driving home (alone - Greg was home with Ellie for the day). It had been snowing for a few hours already and the roads were pretty slick and snow covered. We live in the middle on nowhere and I take quite a few country roads to get home... so I'm on my way... on a road where my cell phone doesn't work... and my back tires start sliding so I tried to correct it which only makes it worse and I do a couple 360's and all the sudden I'm sliding down the ditch sideways (drivers side first) and boom... I'm in the corn field. It happened so fast I can't even tell you how many times I spun around... I seriously have no idea. I was so scared and I remember thinking, as I was sliding into the ditch, that the trailblazer was going to tip over onto the drivers side... I was just waiting for my window to explode all over my face. Thank god it didn't happen.

An angel of a man pulled over, jumped out of his truck and came over to me to make sure I was ok... which I was... just a little shaken and my heart was racing... and he told me he could get me out... I was like, "um you can??!!" and he said, "yeah, ya got 4-wheel drive right?" I told him yes and he offered to try and drive it out of the ditch for me... I was like, BE MY GUEST! He got in and after a few seconds of turning the wheel back and forth and spinning tires he pulled up into and through the cornfield and out the driveway to me. I'm such a newbie to this 4-wheel drive thing that I had no idea I could just drive myself out! Not that I would have been able to do it myself anyway!

I feel terrible that I didn't even get the man's name! He asked where I lived and I told him, then he said he lived just up the road. I thanked him and gave him a little around the shoulder type hug (?! not sure what I was thinking there, I was just SO THANKFUL for him). He asked me if I'd ever had a 4-wheel drive vehicle before and I told him I hadn't... and just like my dad he says to me, "even with 4-wheel drive you have to slow down because once these vehicles start spinning they just keep going... " But seriously! I was going maybe 25 mph! Not 55!

I'm just so thankful Ellie wasn't with me and that the car wasn't damaged. Oh duh and that I wasn't hurt.

Do you know how happy I am that it's Friday night? You have NO IDEA. It has been a long week. This is usually what it takes to get me through my day...


We are due for more snow tomorrow... here's the forecast...
Minnesota, Goodhue County
Winter Storm Watch
Statement as of 10:09 AM CST on December 19, 2008
Expires 7:00 PM EST on December 21, 2008
... Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon... A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. A strong low pressure system will enter western Minnesota on Saturday and reach central Wisconsin by Sunday. Accumulating snow will accompany the low pressure system with amounts possibly exceeding six inches by Sunday night for central and east central Minnesota and west central Wisconsin... including the Twin Cities metropolitan area. In addition to the snow... strong northwest winds will develop Saturday night and continue on Sunday causing considerable blowing and drifting snow. Another round of bitterly cold air and dangerous wind chills is expected to arrive later Sunday. A Winter Storm Watch means there is a potential for significant snow... sleet... or ice accumulations that may impact travel.Continue to monitor the latest forecasts.

More below zero temps and more snow... love MN, just love it... why do I live here??

We were supposed to have Christmas with Greg's family tomorrow at his aunt's house but because of the incoming storm my MIL, SIL and GIL have decided it would be smartest to not make the drive down (from Hayward, WI)... and I don't blame them... after Tuesday night I never want to drive in the snow again... very unlikely. So I'm pretty thankful that we get to hunker down tomorrow and just stay home... no driving what so ever. Sunday afternoon we have tickets to go to the Vikings game with my parents and sister and BIL... I'm not so sure we're going to make that either... I'm hoping things clear up by then but I guess we'll have to wait and see. MN winter weather is pretty unpredictable.

My favorite picture of the week...

The BEST cookies I've had so far this Christmas season!

Almond Sugar Cookies

1 Cup Butter
¾ Cup Sugar
1tsp almond extract
2 Cups Flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Mix all the above roll into 1 inch balls, flatten cookies with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake 400 for 7-9 until lightly brown on edges. Cool for 1 min before removing to wire rack.

Mix 1 c powdered sugar with 1 ½ tsp almond extract and 2 – 3 tsp water for glaze. Color with food color, drizzle over cookies then sprinkle with slivered almonds. Makes 4 doz.

life - part 1

We just had a major meltdown in Nellieville. Whoa. Like no other. Miss Ellie wanted chocolate milk. She had already brushed her teeth (I'm kinda a clean teeth nazi, I'll admit it) so I was not going to give in... plus, it was time for bed. I got her a cup of water. She started crying, I said no, she started screaming and kicking and thrashing her arms. It was 6:45 so it was close enough to bedtime (especially with no nap today) so I preceeded to lift her up off the floor, where she was still having a cow, and told her it was time for bed. That only made things worse. Now we start with the - hitting me in the face, spitting, screaming, flexing her body, trying to wriggle out of my arms. I grabbed a pull-up and up the stairs we went... the meltdown continued. When we got to her room it sounded like I was murdering her. She just screamed her heart out all the while sobbing. Sobbing so hard it made her chest quiver and shake as she tried to catch her breath. Then just like that - it was over. I sat in her rocking chair and stayed calm (pretty proud of myself for this one, usually I lose it faster than she does!) I told her to take some deep breaths and to relax. We read 3 books, went potty and had a drink of water. Then instantly she was out cold. Can we say O.V.E.R.T.I.R.E.D.


We had our x-mas get together last Wednesday night... ordered pizza, let the girls open presents and sat around and talked... we don't do it often enough anymore, busy time of year... I miss my girls! Do you think Ellie liked her princess ornaments!?

She had a cute dress on over that lime green turtle neck and pants... but when we got there auntie Jess gave us 2 Halloween costumes and the one she is wearing is like a woodland fairy or something?!
Her big girl princess panties!

Her little people camping set from Auntie Tanya!

Don't my friends have CUTE KIDS!

Miss Nora

Miss Hunter

Tonight we were supposed to have a Christmas party for Greg's photography club... but this is the current forcast:

-9° Clear ~ Windchill -29

To say the least... I got home from work and there was NO WAY IN HELL I was going back out there and I wasn't about to bundle Ellie up and take her out either. Greg went by himself. I think he's crazy! But he just called and is on his way home, had a good time, participated in the cookie exchange (Ellie and I baked last night) so he's bringing home a bunch of yummy treats, participated in the white elephant gift exchange and he even one a door prize! Fun :)

A few of you asked to see pictures of the damage after Ellie got a hold of the scissors the other night... well I seriously cannot find where she cut the hair from! All her hair seems to be intact. So really there is nothing to see... I don't get it either!!!!

ummm, helloooooooo... Steph... are you out there? did I miss something? what happened to your blogs?? now I'm worried about you... please let me know!

my goal

This is what I looked like the day I came home from the hospital after having Ellie (look at her! isn't she such a cute little peanut!). How, days after carrying a 7 lb baby, do I look that thin?? And what the hell has happened since then?? I am officially working towards this... I have had no mellow yellow in the house in over a week and I've survived! It really hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I've also bought The 30 Day Shred (saw it on someones blog)... wish me luck... I'm gonna need it.

I'm going to hop into bed with my glass of wine and BOOK #4!!

My mother-in-law sent me an email today with this in it and I just thought it was very funny and so how I feel during the holidays!

Mommy = Big Dummy

So, I wrapped gifts the other night. Left the scissors on the dining room table. Tonight I was in the kitchen washing dishes and Ellie was playing oh so nicely in the dining room... doing this... with the scissors...

the many faces of Ellie...

Our weekend

THURSDAY

Thanksgiving dinner was yummy as usual. We spent the day at my parents house...
Mom and Katie slaving away in the kitchen...
Dad, Grandpa Gene and Greg looking at Mom and Dad's New York pictures...
Ellie
Ellie pretty much passed out after dinner... mouth wide open and legs crossed like a little lady!

FRIDAY

-The 7th Annual Downtown Red Wing Holiday Stroll-

Santa, lighted parade, live nativity, reindeer, wagon rides, free chili, carolers and fireworks... a good night of family fun!

Ellie and Greg... he looks drunk but I swear he wasn't! He'd just gotten off work!
A real live reindeer!
Wagon rides...
My dad, mom and cousin Dan...

At the end of the night when the streets had cleared... I love how they light the buildings all through the downtown area... so pretty! And you can see Miss Red Wing in the white and her 2 princesses in the red...

SATURDAY

I was planning to stay home until my sister called and asked if I would run to Kohl's with her... I needed to go to Target for groceries so I thought I better take her up on the offer because I always like an extra hand when I have to take Ellie grocery shopping... I ended up buying a few stocking stuffers for Ellie. We also went to Old Navy and I bought Ellie a Christmas gift... a cute pair of pink striped pants and a little pink shirt to match!!

Ellie loves hiding in the clothes racks whenever we go shopping...

SUNDAY

I'm lounging. Nothing more. Ok, except I'm on load #3 for laundry, the kitchen is cleaned, I'm contemplating a batch or 2 of cookies and I'm trying to figure out what we'll be having for dinner. But really... it is a nice relaxing day at home... my favorite kind of day... the only thing that would make it better is if Greg was here and not at work!