gassin family

Fall Wreath

2010-09-22T10:40:00.002-05:00

Minnesota has some beautiful wild flowers this time of year! Here is a wreath I put together last night from some branches I found in the park and some wild flowers I found along our frontage road and dried in our garage.

Happy fall!

A week of firsts

2010-09-11T08:03:00.001-05:00

Not only did Kamrie and Tyler have their first day of school this week, but Jacob got his first tooth and Kamrie rode her two wheeler bike for the first time! Wow! What a week! Here is a very short clip of the riding diva and her debut!

First day of school pictures

2010-09-09T14:16:00.001-05:00

Two little monkeys climbing in a tree

2010-09-09T14:11:00.001-05:00

Alyse the butterfly's birthday

2010-09-09T13:59:00.002-05:00

Grandma Stratford

2010-08-30T07:04:00.007-05:00

I am almost 30 years old, and I have never been to a funeral. Just this past week I found out that my grandma Stratford has terminal cancer and only has a week or two left to live. Since I can not make it back before her passing, and since I have a fountain of emotions flowing inside of me, I wanted to write her a letter. I share this with you for a couple of reasons: 1. So my family and cousins that frequent my blog will remember these times that we've all shared together, and 2. so that you too will know what a special lady she is.

Dear Grandma,

I have been thinking about you a lot this past week. I wish I could be there to visit with you and talk about all of the great memories we’ve shared together. Some of my earliest memories of us are when I went on a road trip to Oregon with you and Grandpa. I remember you trying to entertain me from the front seat of the car with a green sock puppet (was it a frog?), and I remember the two of us riding an elephant at a zoo. Who would have thought that this was the beginning of a number of memories from trips and adventures we’d share!

Grandma, you are THE BEST person to shop with, hands down. I remember when I was little, you would take us birthday shopping, and I specifically remember a time when you took me to the BYU bookstore to pick something out. I narrowed in on some (what I thought at the time) beautiful and rather beady hair clips. After a few minutes of trying to decide whether to get the bold rainbow colored one or the softer pastel one, you asked me which one I felt prettier in. When I finally made my decision, you enthusiastically proclaimed that I did indeed look very pretty in it and that you were proud of me for making my own decision. Now, thinking back on this experience and having children of my own, I admire the way you handled that situation. I know it has influenced the way I approach my children in their moments of facing seemingly difficult decisions.

I also remember that you took me shopping for my very first bra, but we don’t need to go into that now, do we?

If we ever needed a prop for a play, an article of clothing from another country for a school project, or just a unique Halloween costume, your house was the place to go! What fun we had trying them all on together! I also remember borrowing your OWN clothes for special events and fancy dinners. How many grandchildren can say that? You are surely the best dresser around!

Have I ever told you of my secret wish to be on the TV show “The Price Is Right” with you? It’s true. Not only do you have awesome shopping skills, you are more enthusiastic than most people I know! You would win the final showcase for sure (and split the winnings with me, of course). I also remember a time when the whole family went to Lagoon for the day, and the two of us rode that crazy sky coaster ride where we were pulled by a launch cable until we were about 140 feet in the air! At the top, I was sure we were about to plummet to our own immediate death, but YOU were the one brave enough to pull the ripcord! You had that thing pulled without blinking an eye (and before I could wet my pants. For which I am very grateful)! You are blessed with a special love for life, and it radiates to all around you. I love that about you.

I have so many memories of driving up to the cabin with you and grandpa. You would always have a large bag of books on tape from the library. Do you remember the chicken fat song? Classic! I think we listened to that song on repeat from Salt Lake to Island Park without taking a single break. I also remember our traditional stop at Dairy Queen for a Hawaiian blizzard, and the occasional time we would drive with all of the windows down per my request. Another reason I wanted to ride with you to the cabin was your awesome driving skills—we would consistently arrive a couple of hours before everyone else. You are the ~~fastest~~ best driver.

I remember all of the foreign exchange students you took into your home, and all of the gourmet meals you made for our family game nights.

Grandma, you have instilled a love for music in not only me, but most of our extended family. For this gift, I am eternally grateful. You always tried to attend my band/orchestra/choir concerts while I was in school, and when we visited your house, you would take out a rare musical instrument along with an instruction book, and we would try to learn how to play it together. Do you remember our recorder lessons? You had a soprano, alto, and tenor recorder, and we would perform trios. How many hundreds and hundreds of people now know how to play the guitar because of you? You are truly blessed with the gift of music, and it has touched many, many lives. I also remember some of the songs you wrote like, “I love you. Yes I do. And I’m about to hug you. How I’ll hold you all day long, while I sing my Jacob song.” Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing. Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing. Thank you for the music. For giving it to me.

Grandma, as I sit here and write, my mind and my heart are overflowing with love and appreciation for all of the wonderful times we’ve shared together. I cannot write them all down, for they are innumerable. I hope you know how loved you are, and how grateful we all feel to have you as part of our lives.

Thank you for raising my mom in the gospel and teaching her about the plan of salvation. She in turn has taught me, and I am teaching my own children. This is the greatest gift you’ve given me. When my children ask me to tell them a story about when I was young, I can tell them of all the wonderful Thanksgivings I had with you, and about my memories of setting up your Christmas village. I can tell them of our trips we took together all over Europe and the Mediterranean, and all about the sleepovers I had at your house. I will also tell them about a beautiful place of peace, rest, and love where there is no pain or sickness, or goodbyes, and where our family members who have already arrived there are waiting to welcome us when we get there. Your life has helped mine to be a wonderful journey, and I look forward to continuing our journey together into eternity. I love you.

Love,

Lindsay

Jacob laughing part 1

2010-08-17T08:16:00.001-05:00

Jacob laughing part 2

2010-08-17T08:16:00.000-05:00

Happy Jacob!

2010-08-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

The latest and greatest

2010-08-03T06:59:00.018-05:00

Here is the latest and greatest with the Gassin 5

Jacob turns 6 months this week!!! ..........!!! Where in the world has the time gone?! I can't believe it. He really is growing up tooooo fast. He is such a great little man. Good thing he's my third. If he was my first, I think I would have died with my second.

Tyler (the second): Where do we begin...? We often joke (but really are serious) about having to plant two gardens next year. One for the family, and one just for Tyler. In just the first three years of his life he has pretty much eliminated his chances of ever having colon cancer with the amount of veggies he has consumed. His favorite veggie: a whole cucumber. Not sliced, not peeled (washed? optional) --eaten like an apple or corn on the cob. Single handedly he has eaten dozenSSSS this summer alone.

In addition to being an enthusiastic eater, this summer he has also shown to be an enthusiastic soccer player and painter! Ahhhhh tyler, tyler, tyler. You are going to have kitchen and clean up duty for the rest of your life.

Kamrie: She just lost her second tooth! When I asked her if the tooth fairy came she said,"YES!! I saw her AGAIN, too! Although her dress was rainbow insead of gold, AND she has a new hairdo!" ;) She enjoys swimming, reading, and she is THE BEST big sister to these two little yahoos. She is so, so sweet.

Ryan: He is in his last ICU month of residency!!! Can I hear a big Whoop whoop??! We have our 9th anniversary this week, AND Ryan turns the big 3-2 this Saturday. Whoa. He's old. :)

Me: These guys keep me hoppin'! I recently signed up to take tennis lessons at the tennis club here in town. It's pretty sweet....and I'm pretty sore. :)

Jake's 3 months!

2010-05-10T13:45:00.003-05:00

I can not believe my baby is 3 months already!

He's such a happy little guy

We love you Jake!

Dear blog reader,

2010-04-14T11:01:00.006-05:00

I say reader rather than readerS because by now there is probably only one of you who still checks my blog after my frequent long stretches of time between posts. I admit I have a love-hate relationship with blogs. Surprised? Probably not. To you lone ranger who has stuck with me through feast and famine I say:

Thanks for being patient.

These last few weeks have been one wild ride! We are currently in Arizona doing an away rotation at Mayo for Ryan's residency. I will spare you most of the details (I know, I know, that's why you read blogs, right? For the juicy details. Sorry. Not today. Hey, let's both just be happy I'm posting something! :) ) Traveling across the country with a 5 year old, a newly potty trained three year old, and a nursing 6 week old is an adventure to say the least! Hopefully when we make our way back to Minnesota the end of May Jacob will be on a better schedule, we won't be stuck in traffic jams that last a couple of hours, and Tyler will understand that his car seat is NOT the potty. We can only hope. :)

As soon as I figure out how to post pictures on this new computer I will update you on all of the latest and greatest. For now, lone ranger, know that I am alive, that we made it to Arizona, and that all is well.

HE'S HERE!

2010-02-12T19:58:00.001-06:00

Jacob Thomas Gassin
Monday February 8th, 2010
5:07 pm
8 pounds 1 ounce

He's perfect. I got my prize.

Oh, what do you do in the winter time?

2010-02-04T15:55:00.002-06:00

Oh, what do you do in the winter time, when all the state is gray? Do you...

Color on the counter...

Or dump a bottle of glue in the sink,

Or hide your sister's favorite toys in the fridge?!

Is that what you do? So does Ty....

Tip of the day

2010-02-01T15:18:00.005-06:00

Contrary to Tyler's theory, crayons will not "turn white" when placed in the dishwasher. Instead they will melt/harden on the bottom of the dishwasher and leave little crayon wrappers plastered to all of your dishes. Thank you, son.

Happy 3rd Birthday Buster!

2010-02-01T12:59:00.001-06:00

These past three years have been filled with energy and enthusiasm. Who would have thought so much spunk could be packed into a little 40" and 40 pound body?! You're outgoing, full of life, and as mischievous as they come. We love you Tyler, and if anyone can put me into labor soon, it's you!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

So Sweet

2010-01-31T14:22:00.015-06:00

Page 1: "Kamrie, Mommy, Daddy"
Page 2: Picture of the whole family at the dinner table
Page 3: "I love my family so much.
And I love doing stuff with them."
Page 4: A picture of Kamrie with awesome muscles
Page 5: "I am having fun playing with my dad.
And I am having fun playing family-o-evening." (FHE)
Page 6: Kamrie again displaying her awesome muscles.
Page 7: "I had fun with mom and dad when I went
on a trip to Gramie's house"
Page 8: A picture of a disneyland ride with the whole family
Page 9: "And I love going to Disneyland with
my whole family."
Page 10: "I love you."

Where has the time gone?

2009-12-16T21:35:00.007-06:00

December and the first half of January have flown by! Here are some highlights that have happened since our last post:

1. Tyler's big toe. During one of the biggest snow storms that we've experienced in our 7 Midwest winters, Tyler decided he didn't need the top half of his big toe. Ryan quickly shoveled our long driveway so we could go to the ER while I held the toe on and loaded the kids in the car. It was quite the adventure.

2. California! For the first time in about 3 years Ryan's whole family was together. The week was filled with games, FOOD, treats, laughter, hugs, yogurtland, parks, ping pong, cousins, Pat & Oscars, Adam's homecoming, dress ups, In and Out, Christmas, the beach, Kamrie's 5th birthday, and much more!

3. Kamrie's 5th birthday! We can't believe our little girl is already 5 years old. We had a hot dog picnic in Gramie and Grandad's back yard (her request), and rainbow/flower cupcakes at the beach (again, her request). Happy birthday sweet pea!
The diva pose with her cousins.
Not the greatest picture of Kamrie, but we forgot to pack our still camera. :(
Birthday BBQ

In January we've been busy unpacking from our trip, putting away the Christmas decorations, and taking out the baby items. We can't believe we'll have another little one join our family in just 3 short weeks or less (they will induce me on the 9th if I haven't already had him by then). The end is in sight! Wish us luck!

Momzilla?

2009-12-05T15:41:00.002-06:00

Should I be concerned?

Move over White Sox

2009-11-15T21:46:00.006-06:00

Here come the Whitie Tighties

PS. Please ignore the sound effects. Apparently I have a need to say something each time he hits the ball. :)

Family

2009-10-27T14:49:00.006-05:00

My sister-in-law Christy came to visit us in the middle of October. We had such a great visit! Here are a few pictures of our adventures:

Some Highlights:

The dance off!

Play dough fun
The zoo (and talking bald eagles)
Knocking down bowling pins :)
Bread
Doughnuts!!
The pumpkin patch/apple orchard
Our late night talks
The fireside!!
Just being together

Thanks for your visit! We love you!

This last weekend my aunt and uncle also came into town. We had a great time catching up, eating, and laughing together. Thanks family! We miss you already.

ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA FACTS

2009-10-11T21:23:00.006-05:00

I ran across a website tonight about Rochester, Minnesota that was interesting....and very depressing. :) Here are some fun and crazy facts I learned today about where we live:

Average temperature for the YEAR: 44 degrees
Average HIGH temperature for the YEAR: 54 degrees
The highest temperature recorded: 102 degrees (108 with humidity)
The lowest temperature recorded: -44 degrees (-69 with wind chill)
Average snow fall per year: 50.2 inches
The number of clear days per yer: 87
The number of overcast days per year: 181
The number of rainy (not including snowy) days per year: 118
The number of days above 90 degrees per year: 8
The number of days below 32 degrees per year: 175
and.....
The number of days below 5 degrees per year: 48

YIKES!

Fall??

2009-10-10T13:16:00.004-05:00

Looks like this week WAS Minnesota's fall. Two weeks ago it was in the 70s, and tonight we are expecting snow. Yikes! Next week doesn't look very promising either. We decided if we were to do anything "fall-ish" at all this year it would have to be now! We visited a cute little apple/pumpkin farm just 5 minutes from our house. The kids enjoyed looking at all of the pumpkins, and Ryan and I enjoyed taste testing all the different types of apples.Yesterday I made a fall wreath from the bushes in our back yard. We'll see how long it lasts with this cold front coming in. :)

PS. I am feeling a lot better, and I am tempted to name this baby "steroids" (due to how large he is, and all the steroids that have helped me feel so well). Not really gonna do it....but tempted. :)

Final Score

2009-09-17T15:45:00.010-05:00

And the results are in.
The final score for the Ryan and Lindsay Gassin family is:
Girls: 2
Boys: 3!

We are expecting another buster, and we are excited!
(we would have been thrilled with either)

More good news: I'm measuring 1 week ahead so my due date is bumped up a week! Hurray for 1 less week of throwing up! :)

Side note: If this little boy is anything like Tyler, please start praying for our house and all of our belongings. During a recent rest time Tyler ripped a hole in his mattress and threw the stuffing all over his room. Ahh. What a turkey!

Best buds

2009-09-01T22:39:00.001-05:00

One down, six more to go

2009-08-18T21:34:00.004-05:00

I have stopped going to the infusion therapy center on Saturdays. Yes! I have been starting to feel a little better (thanks to some strong medications that I heart very much), and I am hoping that in a week or so I can cut out another day. Baby steps.

Thanks for all of your help and prayers. I truly would not be doing as well as I am without them.

Severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum

2009-08-05T21:35:00.013-05:00

Hi. It's me, Lindsay. First I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has served our family these past few months. Although it feels like simply saying "thank you" does not adequately describe the gratitude Ryan, the kids and I feel, I cannot think of a more appropriate expression. (Is it due one of the many medications I'm on, or the lack of a better expression all together?) In any case, my sincere THANK YOU will have to do for now. You have all been our angels.

Since many of you have asked exactly why I am so sick during pregnancy, I thought I would take just a minute to explain it. I have a condition called Severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Sounds fancy, but it's basically saying I have "severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy." As far as they know it is not genetic, it effects 1 in about every 2,000 women, and it usually gets worse with each pregnancy. I happened (unfortunately) to have it for all three of my pregnancies. The "official" definition directly off the hyperemesis website is:

"Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. It is generally described as unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. It is typically associated with:

loss of greater than 10% of pre-pregnancy body weight
dehydration and production of ketones
nutritional deficiencies
metabolic imbalances
difficulty with daily activities

Treatment generally needed throughout HG pregnancies consists of i.v. hydration, TPN and/or other forms of non-oral feeding."
If you want to learn more about the condition, you can click here.

Since the end of my 5th week, I have been spending at least 3-4 hours every morning, seven days a week here:
The infusion therapy center here at the Mayo Clinic. There I receive a couple of liters of fluid, medications, and on some days nutrition through this:

My PICC line. It was inserted during my 6th week, and it will probably stay in most of my pregnancy. I've developed quite an itchy rash due to all of the alcohol and tape on it constantly (That is why it's a little red and gross looking. Sorry.) I jokingly asked my friend Molly if she could somehow make this a scratch and sniff picture via blog without the sniff part just to relieve some of the constant itching. No can do. Probably better for your sakes.

In addition to the infusions, I have 5 different nausea meds that I take about every 4-6 hours round the clock to help ease the nausea/vomiting. The doctors here have been WON-DER-FUL! Truly. At about week 7 they asked me if I would be willing to try a new drug therapy (steroids) for an HG study they wanted to do. They said to their knowledge it was hardly used, and had never been done this early in pregnancy before, but the choice was either this new drug or a feeding tube and hospital admission. After a lot of prayer and thought, Ryan and I felt good about proceeding with the steroid. It is helping a lot.
(If you want to know more about the study, click here. This is a similar study, minus the termination part.)

(This is a picture of me at the infusion therapy center hooked up to two IVs at once.)

Some have called us crazy, but we felt strongly that there was one more special spirit waiting to join our family. Although it has been a huge trial for us, we have felt such peace. Walking by faith we are witnesses of God's love, and tender mercies and our Savior's atonement. He truly has been by our side through it all.

It's True!

2009-08-05T20:33:00.007-05:00

BTW, this isn't Lindsay or even Ryan typing, it's good-'ol-family-friend-Molly. :) I have taken over the Gassin Blog while Lindsay spends her mornings, afternoons and evenings very near the toilet.

I will elaborate on Lindsay's health in the next post. This post is all about announcing a wonderful new life to join the Gassin Family in February. Hooray, and Three Cheers!!!

THE DOUGLAS TRAIL

2009-06-10T18:25:00.002-05:00

One of the things Minnesota is known for (other than unbelievably long and cold winters) is their bike trails. One of the more popular trails here in Rochester is the Douglas trail. It starts in Rochester and ends in a cute little town about 13 miles north called Pine Island. Round trip it's 26 miles, and the trial is one of the most beautiful places I've seen.

This is the Pine Island city park, and the trail literally ends right here. It's beautiful, and I can't wait to go again.

IT DON'T MATTA IF YO BLACK OR WHITE!

2009-06-01T21:17:00.003-05:00

After spending over half of our marriage in the wonderful and diverse city of Milwaukee, Ryan and I are especially aware of the importance of raising our children to respect and appreciate all races and cultures. We've taught them that all human beings are created equal. In his special way, Tyler has taken it one step further....

Our pantry is no longer segregated.

VIRTUAL STICKY NOTE TO SELF

2009-05-30T20:50:00.001-05:00

Never leave an open box of unfrozen otter pops on the floor. The kids will get into them, open up a bunch, and spray them all over your clean carpets.

MAKE AN OFFER

2009-05-27T13:23:00.002-05:00

Some days this is all too true! :)

A BUDDING HOBBY?

2009-05-27T08:41:00.004-05:00

I came home from the grocery store to find this:

My neighbor (a pharmacist) standing on a ladder (in my flower garden) helping my husband (a doctor) drill a hole in the siding (outside) for....... an internet cable?

Last time I checked that was NOT a course in either Medical school or pharmacy school.
(But look at those smiles! They're so proud of themselves.)

The internet still works. Who knew they had it in them?
A BIG thank you to the Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of Home How-To's. I will be returning you back to the library first thing tomorrow morning. :)

THE GARDEN EXTENSION

2009-05-27T08:25:00.004-05:00

It's time for black dirt and compost!

In just two days we moved 3 TONS of dirt!
That's over 6,000 pounds!

End result: garden space for 5 tomato plants

Was it worth it? Check back in two months to see if they produce any tomatoes, and then I'll tell you. :)

I LOVE SPRING

2009-05-18T13:54:00.001-05:00

ROCK GARDEN FOLLOW UP

2009-05-15T14:38:00.004-05:00

Good news: After two weeks worth of rock removal we finally hit dirt....

Bad news: The dirt was clay. NOT great for the veggie garden I had envisioned. Sooooo.....

THIS is what we've been up to.

Nothin' like having all of the trash cans from your house filled with dirt and inside your honda civic trunk.
Sweet.

WHAT A MONKEY

2009-05-15T14:33:00.001-05:00

TWIN CITIES

2009-05-15T14:06:00.005-05:00

Ryan had an anesthesia conference up in Minneapolis/St. Paul the end of April, and the kids and I decided to tag along.

Before we put down the luggage, Kamrie was jumping/leaping from bed to bed, and Tyler was pushing all of the phone buttons. Awesome.

A dip in the pool before bedtime.
(While Ryan was in meetings the next morning I attempted to take both of my NON-swimmer kids (who THINK they can swim) back to the pool by myself. THAT was an adventure...)

Movie time

Before we headed home we took the kids to the Mall of America to ride on a few rides.

One of the trip's highlights was watching the planes land at the nearby airport from the top of the parking structure at the Mall of America. So fun! We wish we could have spent the rest of the day up there.

Flies and Bees

2009-04-29T14:42:00.001-05:00

Our conversation this morning after playing in the back yard:

Kamrie: Mom? I think I'm going to pray that all of the bees and flies will die tonight.

Mom: Really? Did you know that bees are the ones that make honey? You wouldn't be able to have any more peanut butter and honey sandwiches if all of the bees die. And they help all of the flowers and trees grow.

After a long silence from Kamrie: What do the flies do?

After an even longer silence from mom: Nothing. I think I'll pray that all of the flies die tonight too.

Snakes, snails, and puppy dog tails.......

2009-04-29T09:58:00.002-05:00

And WORMS!

That's what little boys are made of.

What was I thinking?

2009-04-28T16:55:00.004-05:00

Last summer Ryan and I planted a garden in our backyard, and we loved it. It was so nice to eat (and grill!) fresh produce every day, and the kids were more likely to eat veggies if they picked them themselves. Win win!

About a week ago I was teaching preschool and decided to take the girls outside for play time. While they were playing I noticed our long and skinny stretch of landscape by the driveway and thought, "Hey, this place gets full sun and looks like a perfect place for a second garden!" So, spontaneously acting upon my (at least what I thought at the time) brilliant plan, I put those awesome little 4 year olds to work removing rocks. How much time would it take to move a "few" rocks anyway, right....?

This picture was taken after a full weeks worth of time moving rocks and digging up roots to perfectly good bushes.

Never ending rocks, and it looks as if I haven't done a single thing! My two year old is in rock heaven. I, on the other hand, wouldn't mind if I never saw a rock again in my entire life.

Hopefully after a few more weeks of rock removal we will be able to plant the garden and enjoy a whole season filled with lots and lots of fresh produce. That's the plan anyway. For now, I am saying "see you later" spontaneity. I have some rocks to remove.

DEFINING WASHABLE PAINT

2009-04-05T10:10:00.008-05:00

Trying to keep two ACTIVE kiddos entertained indoors for the 8 month long Minnesota winters can be tricky and require a lot of creativity. This past creative idea of mine, however, was not one of my....let's say...better ideas.

I stripped my kids down, rolled out some butcher paper on the counter, poured some washable paint into separate plastic bowls, and gave my kids some paint brushes.

How bad could it be, right?

Whoops! After only a few minutes, things started to get a little out of hand. I started saying things like, "Please keep the paint ONLY on the paper" and "Tyler, please do NOT paint your hair." It was time to retreat to the bath.
I placed both kids in the bath and went to find a clean wash cloth. When I came back just a minute later, this is what I found:

This simple art activity turned into a 2 hour cleaning project. Next time the kiddos say they are bored, I think I might just turn on a movie....

WHAT???????

2009-04-05T09:46:00.002-05:00

I had just put the kids in their room for quiet time, and as I was walking up the stairs I saw THIS out my front window!!

WHAT??????

Look at those guns!

There were police cars (and unmarked police cars) all over the road, and on my lawn!

Who knew my quiet neighbors were drug dealers???? YIKES!

DANCE CLASS

2009-04-05T09:39:00.001-05:00

Is there anything cuter than little girls in pink tights?

I HAVE AN EXCUSE!

2009-03-03T10:30:00.003-06:00

This post is in memory of Canon SD800. It was a faithful camera, known for it's dependability and durability, but in the end it was no match for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Canon SD800 passed away early January as a result of a crushed screen and lens. Canon was preceded in death by:
1. Olympus digital camera (mother)
2. Samsung camcorder (cousin)
3. Panasonic camcorder (cousin)

But don't worry. Life went on pretty much as normal, so there is not much to catch up on.

HEART WARMERS

2009-03-03T10:11:00.003-06:00

Just because

For his girls

Best friends

and Laughter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TYLER......

2009-03-03T09:50:00.004-06:00

Over a month ago!

Are you sick of these yet?

2009-01-07T14:08:00.002-06:00

Here are a few more Kamrie-isms for this first week in January.

1. After watching Tyler once again dump his full bowl of cereal onto the floor, Kamrie said, "Ahh. I love you Ty, but I sure hope you grow up."

2. I was just about to change Tyler's diaper when Kamrie said,"Mom, can you please change Tyler's diaper in the hallway. I'm trying to smell here."

3. Kamrie: Mom, can we go to the bank today? (she LOVES the bank)

Mom: Not today. It's saturday and the bank is already closed.

Kamrie (rolling her eyes): MOOooommm, we can use our keys to open it.

4. While listening to The Lion King CD in our car, Kamrie asked what Hakkuna Matata (spelling??) meant. I said, "It means no worries. Don't worry about it." Kamrie then said,"Oh, like when Tyler has stinky gas and we pretend like we don't smell it? " Ummmmm something like that! :)

Eggs Anyone?

2008-12-30T19:08:00.001-06:00

A Post for Tyler

2008-12-16T13:14:00.003-06:00

Tyler LOVES to eat!

.....and eat....

and EAT!

Could he be working on becoming a professional eater when he grows up?

Or perhaps an artist?

Or maybe he'll be a builder?

Or a famous rock climber?
(notice he didn't use a stool to climb up. )

Or a world class chef?
Any way you look at it, Tyler has a lot going for him. However................

These DOUBLE locked cupboard doors,

Tied down kitchen chairs,

And BOLTED pantry doors should postpone the creativity hopefully a little while longer. Ahhhh Tyler. What can we say? You're certainly a buster, and we love you to pieces!

YEOWZERS

2008-12-08T21:23:00.008-06:00

Has it really been two months since my last post? Oh my. Here were the highlights of October and November:

FLORIDA

My cousin works at Disney World, and I spent a day with her while Ryan was at an Anesthesia conference.

A date at Epcot with Ryan

We were able to see our brother-in-law at the airport for an hour during a lay over. Congrats Jonathan on matching in Dermatology!!!!!

Halloween with good friends!

(Yes, Tyler really is wearing a shower cap)

Napoleon Dynamite party in November

Ryan dressed up as Uncle Rico

I dressed up as Deb

THANKSGIVING!

(I think I'm still full)

And pictures with Santa

Hummmm....Naughty and nice???

I've also been working on a lot of sewing projects, but I'll post the pictures after Christmas! ;) (actually, knowing me and blogging, it may be after Easter!!!)

I'm not even going to try to catch up on Kamrie-isms, but here are a few for this past week:

1. Mom: Good morning Kamrie. How did you sleep?
Kamrie: Great. I went to sleep quite quickly thank you.

2. Kamrie said, "That's incredible." while commenting on a picture in a book. I then asked her if she knew what incredible meant. This is what she said: "Sure I do mom. It's when you flush the toilet in the morning and Tyler doesn't wake up. That is incredible!"

3. Kamrie asked for toast and cereal for breakfast. As I was getting out the toaster, she reminded me again that she wanted cereal as well. I told her that I can only get one thing out at a time. She then said, "Well you know, mom. You can always pray for longer arms."

4. I asked Kamrie to watch Tyler for a minute while I finished cleaning up the kitchen. She said,"Ok. I'll keep my eye on Tyler. Well, a big part of my eye at least."

5. Kamrie: "I have a headache. I think it's in my mouth. There. I swallowed it."

6. Kamrie: "I finished my dinner, and put my plate in the sink. Now I can do absolutely anything."

7. Dad and Kamrie Conversation:
Dad: What is the holy ghost?
Kamrie: It's no one, Dad. Just think about it.

8. After a 10 minute FHE lesson on the sacrament I asked:
Mom: Kamrie, why do we take the bread and water during the sacrament again?
Kamrie: Because we're hungry and we already ate our fruit snacks.

More on Tyler soon. But for now, know that he is busy busy BUSY, and he just melts my heart. Definitely a mama's boy, and I love it!

"ISIMS"

2008-10-12T08:34:00.005-05:00

Recent Kamrie-isms:
I have been trying to keep track of the funny things that happen throughout the day on a scratch piece of paper in my kitchen, but I may have to rethink my system. I've accidentally thrown away two full lists already, and almost tossed this one as well! Yikes! Any other suggestions on how to keep track of all of them?

1. We invited our dear neighbors over for dinner last week. Their son wanted to say the prayer and started it "Dear Jesus"(they're not of our faith). That evening while Kamrie was saying her prayers she said, "Please bless that Caleb will remember to say dear Heavenly Father next time he prays."

2. As I was walking out the door after tucking Kamrie in for bed she said, "Mom, DO NOT move the peas." I asked her "What peas?" and she said,"Mom, listen. I don't know where they are or what they are doing there, but DO NOT move the peas. OK?" Ok. So if you happen to run across some peas somewhere, do me a favor and please do not move them alright? :)

3. Kamrie put a box on her head and said," Mom look! I'm a boxer!"

4. Kamrie was getting off a chair and her back popped. She got a huge smile on her face and said,"Mom, my back is talking to me."

5. While watching Elder Oaks talk during General Conference last weekend Kamrie said, "Oh my goodness! That brother has NO hair."

6. My friend Natalie was downstairs playing with our Noah's Ark with Kamrie. She held up Noah (who has a long white beard) and asked Kamrie who it was. Kamrie said, "I'm pretty sure that is Heavenly Father's Son. Noooo, it's his cousin."

7. During Kamrie's prayer she said, "Please bless mom will stop saying 'it's your turn to say the prayer Kamrie', ' it's your turn to say the prayer Kamrie', 'it's your turn to say the prayer Kamrie'. I'm getting pretty tired of saying it all of the time."
Mom's note: She does not say it all of the time.

8. After running a long errand (about 20 minutes away) Kamrie said, "Sheesh mom. That was a long one. Are we in California or somethin'?"

Melt-my-heart-Kamrie-isms:
1. "Thanks mom. Lunch was sooo good today."
2. "Tyler is my very very best friend, Mom."
3. "I sure love you mom. Thanks for being my mom."

INDOOR TREE HOUSE

2008-10-08T09:24:00.005-05:00

Ryan and I were sitting on the couch one evening wondering how we could make this upcoming cold and long winter fun for the whole family. One thing led to another, and before we knew it we were in our garage cutting wood!

The mostly-finished product! We still would like to add/build some "branches" and "leaves" to make it look like it's in a tree, but that may have to wait until another month (we need to catch up on some sleep). :)

Side Note: I attached the house with super duty Velcro (staple gunned to the wood) so we can change it or take it down anytime we want. Eventually the idea is to make different houses (ie: a fire station, a school, a castle, a theatre.. etc) to spice things up a bit. Again, that will have to wait until another month. :)
The play room

Kamrie-isms

2008-09-30T19:49:00.002-05:00

1. After swinging in the swing Kamrie said,"Wow! My bangs are tired. I need to take a rest."

2. This morning's conversation:
Kamrie: "What are you doing mom?"
Mom: "I'm taking some pork chops out of the freezer for dinner tonight."
Kamrie: "Ohhhhh"
A couple of minutes later while eating breakfast
Kamrie: "Tyler! Save some room buddy!! We're going to eat a pig!"

3. During dinner Ryan and I were eating our salad first because the main course was still a little hot from the oven. When Kamrie noticed that the food was too hot, she got off her chair and came around and blew on all of our food. She then sat down and said, "I have really good air."

4. Kamrie had a friend in the car today. This was their conversation:
Friend: Kamrie, I have a secret.
Kamrie: What is it?
Friend: I'm going home to have some lunch.
Kamrie: Oh. My mom never lets me have lunch!

What???? I've fed her lunch every day of her life! What a nut.

HOME DEPOT AND FUNNIES

2008-09-27T09:31:00.001-05:00

Ryan took Kamrie to a Home Depot workshop last weekend. They had a great time cutting, hammering, gluing, and spending time together. I enjoyed only have one child all morning! Win Win!

This weeks funnies:
1. In her prayers last night Kamrie said, "Please bless dad's whiskers so that when he gives me a smackeroo they won't be too scratchy."

2. On a walk yesterday we saw a worm. This is the conversation:
Mom: Oh look Kamrie. There's a worm on the sidewalk!
Kamrie: Open up mom, tastes like chicken!

3. After getting a scratch on her ear, Kamrie said, "I can't hear! I have a scratch on my ear, and I'll never ever EVER hear in my ear EVER again!"

Soooooo dramatic.

Funnies and highlights

2008-09-23T14:57:00.007-05:00

This weeks Funnies:
(I usually just send these to family, but thought it would be fun to start posting them on the blog as well. So....here we go!)

1. After a long and messy day with Tyler, Kamrie included in her prayer, "And please bless that Tyler won't be curious anymore. He's giving me a headache!" (Amen kamrie!)

2. Kamrie: "Mom look! There's blood in my eye!" (said as she was pulling down both of her eye lids)

3. Kamrie: "What are you eating mom? OH! I love hoe-ments!" (meaning almonds)

4. Kamrie asked me yesterday if we could go swimming. I told her it was too cold and cloudy to go swimming today. She than went over to the window and said, "Oh please clouds go away. Oh please."

5. Kamrie singing: "B-I-itchy-nose, B-I-itchy-nose, B-I-itchy-nose, and BINGO was his name-o!" (the song some times does sound like itchy nose, doesn't it!)

Some previous funnies I haven't blogged yet:
1. When I opened Kamrie's bedroom door I noticed a lot of trash laying on the floor (ripped up pieces of paper) and I said, "Boy! There sure is a lot of paper that needs to be picked up in here!" Kamrie, with a straight face than said, "Good thing you have two hands Mom!"

2. (Kamrie) Mom, it would make me soooooo happy if you go down and clean up my toys for me.

3. (Kamrie) Mom, if you do your jobs right away, then I will take you to the park.

4. (kamrie) Orange Macaroni and Cheese? That's incredible!!

5. (Kamrie) My fingers said that after rest time I can have some more bread.

Recent Embarrassing moments:
1. We were walking down an isle at Walmart when we saw a teenage boy with long hair putting things on the shelves. Kamrie asked, "Excuse me. Are you a boy or a girl?" Yikes!

2. A couple of days later at that same walmart, only in the check out line, Kamrie told the cashier, "Did you know my dad has whiskers on his face and my mom has whiskers on her legs?" AHHHH! Where do these thoughts come from??

Highlights:
1. Tyler is pacifier free!! (I don't quite know if that is a highlight yet or not, as he is still crying for it at night. Ask me next week.)
2. Tyler started putting two words together like: "apple please", "up mom", and "more milk"
3. Tyler does a "dizzy dance" upon request. It looks just like it sounds....so funny.

Family vacation to northern Minnesota

2008-09-19T13:08:00.006-05:00

The beginning of September we took a family vacation to northern Minnesota (about 10 miles away from the Canadian boarder)

The drive up there was beautiful! Most of it was right on the coast of Lake Superior.

We saw many waterfalls and light houses along the way.

For 3 days we had our own cabin and (what felt like) our own personal lake.

We had so much fun boating, fishing, and relaxing!And the scenery was beautiful!

We will definitely be going back next year!

Finger painting

2008-09-01T12:13:00.001-05:00

Let the creative juices fly kiddos!

Yee-haw!

Thank goodness for washable paint!

KAMRIE!!!

2008-07-31T20:10:00.004-05:00

This first picture is a picture of Kamrie a year ago last July. We lovingly titled it, "At least she took her clothes off!" In a matter of minutes she had climbed into my craft closet, pulled out my paint tupperware, and continued to DUMP about 20 bottles of craft paint onto our new carpet. Did I mention that we had only been in our new house three weeks when this happened?? We still have a stain...

You might ask why I am posting this picture on our blog when it happened a year ago. The answer is: it looks as if July is not our month! When I went to get Kamrie out of rest time today, I walked passed the bathroom and noticed the light was on. When I opened the door to turn off the light this is what I found....

That is a PILE OF HAIR! You can't even tell how tall the pile is from this picture. There were fine little pieces of hair EVERYWHERE!!!! I didn't know whether to laugh/cry/scream/???.... I had so many emotions at that moment I can't even describe it. I knew I needed a good laugh before I went in to see/talk to Kamrie or I'd lose it, so I called my sister in law Ashlie (who happens to have two darling little girls around Kamrie's age). I told her what happened and that I hadn't seen Kamrie yet, and we both had a good nervous laugh. Thanks Ashlie! When I went in to see Kamrie this is what I found:

MULLET!

I quickly called a sister in our ward who cuts hair and asked if she could squeeze us in sometime before Sunday. We ended up going over that night! Thanks Ang for being such a life saver!
Look at the chunks! Look at how short! Are those bangs??? Oh my goodness, I still can't believe it!
The "after" shots. Look at how far back her "bangs" go.
You can still see where patches of her hair are missing. Considering what Ang had to work with, she did wonders! That girls got talent!
Unfortunately hair was not the only thing Kamrie cut today (notice the hole in the sleeve)....This July I am titling this picture as "This time she didn't take off her clothes!"

MILWAUKEE

2008-07-07T13:22:00.004-05:00

We headed to Milwaukee for the 4th of July weekend, and we had such a good time seeing familiar sights and visiting with good friends!

This is Kamrie with "Prez" (our previous branch president) riding a tractor

A stop in Milwaukee wouldn't be complete without waterskiing with Prez!

The Peterson's neighbors have a farm and it was fun to see and pet all of the baby animals

The annual "cul-de-sac of Fire" BBQ with all of our old neighbors

Dinner at Prez and Turks house the night before we left

We were able to go to fast and testimony at the city branch on Sunday. It was one we will never forget!

Thanks Milwaukee friends for feeding and housing us this past weekend!
It was great to see you all again!

ROCHESTERFEST

2008-06-29T21:07:00.003-05:00

This past week was Rochesterfest. We had a fun weekend filled with parades, water ski shows, BBQs, and moon glows!

The kiddos really look like they're enjoying themselves, don't they?

I can't stop laughing at this last picture. Some pictures just don't need words to describe them, and this picture is definitely one of them!

I know I know..

2008-06-19T15:17:00.005-05:00

I am horrible at blogging. I know. When was my last post? About a month ago? ARRG! Well, here's a months worth of random activities all in one post!

Home made play dough! It was Tyler's first time playing with it, and he discovered really quickly that it doesn't taste very good!

We found a gently used bike trailer at a rummage sale a few weeks ago. The kids love to ride fast, and we love the family outing every evening.

Mike and Molly Johnson brought over a home made coconut cake for my birthday. Thanks guys! It was soooo tasty!

We took the kids up to the Mall of America a couple of weeks ago and, surprisingly, we had a great time. They stayed in the stroller (for the most part) and as long as they were going on rides they were happy!

Tyler found some of Kamrie's old sunglasses and walked around the house with them on one morning saying, "sweet". What a stud muffin.

Tyler's first hair cut with the clippers. Doesn't he look handsome? He got a sucker at the end for being so brave.

Memorial Day

2008-05-27T11:33:00.003-05:00

Memorial day was Ryan first holiday off since we started residency a year ago (he had to work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), and boy did we make the most of it!

In Minnesota fashion, we had a ward party that started at 9:30am where they served brats and sauerkraut. On the way there I was wondering why in the world they were serving brats this early in the morning. Sausage...maybe. But Brats??... I have to admit though that once we
arrived at the park and smelled the brats cooking, it was hard not to ask for two! These 5 years in the midwest must be rubbing off on me!!

After the ward picnic we headed to a little lake about 20 minutes away for a water ski show with our friends the Russons. The weather was beautiful, and the scenery was incredible. We even saw a couple of bald eagles soaring above us!

We found out they do a free performance every Wednesday night throughout the summer. We're looking forward to going back!

ROCHESTER MINNESOTA

2008-05-03T14:53:00.004-05:00

Have you ever noticed that many of the great cities from all around the world have a famous icon that, when people see it, they think about that great city? Take for instance...

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. When people see it they think, "Ahhh. Paris!"

And Big Ben in London, England.

Or perhaps the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransisco, California.

This is Rochester, Minnesota's claim to fame. Ahhh. Their's nothing quite like driving down town and seeing a corn water tower. Home sweet home. :)

CRUSTIES AND CHARTS

2008-04-25T15:57:00.005-05:00

Tyler learned how to give crusties last week, and with a 103.0 temperature these last few days, he's had plenty of practice perfecting it! At the moment there is a boy for sale to the highest bidder!! :)

Kamrie's been wanting dinner/dessert foods for breakfast (etc..) and has not been wanting to take turns saying prayers. Here are some charts that I made that are really helping.....for the moment at least! :)

Picture time!

2008-04-25T15:20:00.002-05:00

I promise to post some of Ryan and I soon! Really! Until then, just imagine a very exhausted Ryan in his scrubs fast asleep on the floor and me wearing sweats, my hair in a pony tail, and carrying a laundry basket! :)

LIFE

2008-03-31T08:57:00.003-05:00

We bought a box of LIFE cereal this last week, and it has resulted in some pretty funny comments. Some examples are:
1. "Mom! You're stepping on my life!"
2. "My life is soggy. I need a new one."
3. "Mom! Tyler took my life!"
4. "Can I take Tyler's life?"
5. "This life is soooo good"

I CAVE IN

2008-03-28T09:21:00.007-05:00

I have to admit something. I LOVE to read everyone's "tagged" posts and always learn so much about the person, but I have NEVER done one myself. I had no desire at all! But, after a night out with some good friends, I came to the conclusion that it was, indeed, my turn to be embarrassed and provide entertainment for everyone else. Sooooo, here we go with 100 things about me!

1. I love to learn and try new things! It's exciting!
2. I am a yellow/blue personality. 80 percent yellow, 20 percent blue and NO other colors!
3. I like ALL foods. I really can't think of anything I don't like....that can be both good and bad!
4. I learned to play 12 instruments in high school.
5. I won the state geography bee in 8th grade.
6. I have a hard time keeping a schedule! For instance...
7. If I plan to do laundry that day and someone calls and asks if I want to go to the park I say, "Sure!!" and wave at my laundry as I walk out the door.
8. I love to play games. I especially like a good strategy game.
9. I danced in front of a live audience on the Oprah stage. I even sat in her chair!
10. I DO NOT and CAN NOT dance.
11. I glued my 4th grade teacher to her chair with super glue.
12. My 4th grade teacher's name is Mrs. Crab. We used to call her Mrs. Lobster.
13. I wrote a couple of articles for the New Era.
14. I wrote a story about an embarrassing moment I had and sent it to reader's digest and won a prize!
15. I owned and operated a restaurant when I was 18.
16. I have had 40 employees, half of which were older than me at the time.
17. I would never do that again!
18. I hid a cat in my dorm room for 5 months without my R.A. knowing. Funny thing is I don't like cats!
19. I can breath in through my nose and out through my mouth at the same time.
20. I have been diagnosed with Narcolepsy!
21. When I was in high school my friends and I toilet papered my own house and left an anonymous note for my sister. When my family woke up the next day and saw the note, they made her clean it all up.
22. In 2nd grade I cut a classmate's ponytail off with scissors because she wouldn't pass the glue. I have repented and we, to this day, are still really good friends.
23. I sucked my thumb until I was 8! (JoAnna, you are not the only one!)
24. I LOVE to clean!
25. I love having a clean clutter-free house.
26. I HATE cleaning the microwave! Yuck!
27. I would rather do the dishes and load the dishwasher than unload it and put them all away.
28. I love receiving mail, including emails!
29. I love a good email forward. Especially the funny ones! Send them! Please!
30. I love spicy food. Really really spicy food. The kind that makes your nose water! YUMMM
31. I get really really sick during the 9 months of pregnancy.
32. I have home health nurses, Picc lines, and extended hospital stays when I'm pregnant. Still, to this day, I can NOT drink any type of fluid before noon.
33. I still want at least one more kiddo.
34. I taught water aerobic when we lived in Milwaukee.
35. I HATE swimsuits.
36. I don't enjoy swimming!
37. I worked at a flower shop for 3 years.
38. I do not like baby's breath (the flower. But now that I think about it, I really don't like my baby's breath either!)
39. Ryan always jokes that if one of our kiddos fell into some type of hot liquid that he would of course save them, but he would hesitate for one small second and wonder if I should be the one to save them due to the fact that I.....
40. LOVE to take HOT showers. Scalding!
41. My feet are always cold.
42. Both my husband and I are the oldest of 4 kids: two sisters and a brother!
43. My husband is my very best friend.
44. After a long and hard day of hearing my (then) colicky daughter scream in her car seat during needed errands, I put a handful of snow on her face! She stopped screaming!
45. I play with my kids toys after they go to sleep.
46. I bite my nails. I know I know. I'm trying to stop.
47. I love to put food coloring in my pancakes and make funny shapes.
48. I would love to learn how to make stain glass windows!
49. I took a job as a valet attendant for 4 months, but didn't have a clue how to drive a stick shift! I learned on other people's cars when they weren't looking!
50. I HATE HATE HATE the feeling of wet hands on cardboard or dry paper towels. It makes me get goose bumps just thinking about it!
51. I was on the state student council when I was a senior in High School.
52. I've been to 22 different countries and 40 states
53. I love to see new places.
54. My parents have two large framed maps in the basement of their home. One is a map of the USA and one is a map of the world. As kids we would put a special map pin in the maps when we'd visit a new place. It's fun to see where everyone has been! The only requirement there was to be able to put a pin in the map was that we had to spend the night at the location.
55. Ryan and I received a call to serve as temple workers in the chicago LDS temple on spanish night!
56. I don't know any spanish.
57. I take that back. The only spanish I have learned/memorized I can not use or say in public!
58. I am a stylist for Layers clothing.
59. I love cheese. Especially when it's melted!
60. I love being a mom!!!
61. Being a mom is the hardest thing I have ever done!
62. I love seeing my hubby's eyes light up with excitement when he tells me what he did that day at work (despite the 30+ hour shift at the hospital with no sleep)
63. My kiddos favorite place to visit in Rochester is our bank. They love the freshly baked cookies they always give us.
64. I love it when people make my kids laugh.
65. I really really love to cook and try new recipes!
67. Am I boring you yet?
67. I love the look on my kiddos faces when they discover something new.
68. I love to make things with my hands and always have some type of project I'm working on.
69. I love to sew!
69. I reupholstered our living room set.
70. A pet peeve of mine is when I see the registration stickers on people's license plates ALL OVER the plates rather than where they're suppose to go; one on top of the other. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me??
71. For date nights Ryan and I sometimes dust off and play our old nintendo 64 and sega genesis. Go mario cart!
72. I am completely awful with names.
73. I was an EFY counselor for 2 years. That's where I met Ryan!
74. I fell out of a 3 story window when I was 3 years old.
75. I LOVE home made ginger snaps. Especially when they are soft in the inside!
76. This is probably way too much information than you probably ever wanted to know!
77. I am reading the book "Bonds that make us free" right now. LOVE IT!
78. I just started an herb garden in my kitchen.
79. I could eat Mexican food everyday.
80. I'll fold them, sort them, clean them, wear them, but I hate to buy and spend money on socks!
81. I need to go grocery shopping.
82. I love to make Ryan laugh.
83. I really enjoy watching those crazy nature shows on TV.
84. I don't really like watching movies, especially if I don't know anything about them.
85. I wrote a song for Ryan.
86. I love to find money in my pockets or on the ground. Unfortunately it hardly ever happens!
87. I had a pet rock growing up. I named him dead.
88. I am excited I am almost done with this list!
89. I have never touched a cow.
90. My husband and I "flipped" a property during his second year of Medical school. When we bought it, we didn't even own a hammer! In the end, we made enough money to buy our second car.
91. I keep forgetting Ryan's a doctor. A couple of months ago while flying to visit family, one of the flight attendant's went on the PA and asked if there was a doctor on the flight. The person sitting next to me (Ryan and I had to be split up on this particular flight due to over booking) leaned over and said, "I wonder if there is a doctor on the flight?" and I responded, "I do too!" It wasn't until a good 5 seconds passed and I saw Ryan walking down the isle that I said "Oh wait! My husband's a doctor!"
92. I love to see my husband play with the kids.
93. It doesn't happen that often, but I love it when my kids take a nap/rest time at the same time!
94. I LOVED serving in the Milwaukee city branch.
95. I get home sick for it some days.
96. I'm running out of random things to say.
97. I enjoy blogging, but get frustrated that I have to update it so often.
98. I've learned a lot about people from reading their blogs!
99. I don't think I'm ever going to respond to a "tagged" again! You probably don't want me to either!!!!! :)
100. I love it when people respond to my blog posts!

Ta da! We both made it!

SPRING FEVER!

2008-03-20T14:44:00.003-05:00

Today is such a beautiful day! It's above freezing and the snow is starting to melt! HURRAY! Ryan and I packed up the kiddos and went for a little walk/bike ride outside. Kamrie LOVED being able to ride her bike on the sidewalk...at first. And then it turned into a game of riding her bike on the sidewalk through glacier water puddles. And then it turned into stopping the bike in the deepest part of the puddles so she could put her feet down and splash in the water. It wasn't long before she got rid of the bike all together and just went straight for the puddles. Here are a few pictures of our adventurous-water lovin' Kamrie doing her thing.

To Be Like A Child

2008-03-06T15:32:00.008-06:00

As a kid, I remember the thrill of dumping all of my toys onto the floor. I loved the sound they made as they crashed, and I loved to watch the way they scattered all around the room.

I remember putting olives on every finger and eating them one by one!

I also remember the times that I would sit at the table and pretend to cook. I even made up my own "recipes"! ;)

As a mom, I've recently been re-experiencing these moments through my children, but the feelings, on occasion, have been quite different than those of my childhood memories. On those days when it seems the contents of every shelf and drawer in the house have been dumped on the floor, I feel so frustrated. Cooking sometimes feels more like a hassle than a creative outlet, especially when my kiddos pick out all of the olives and eat nothing else! :) What happened over these last few years that made such a drastic switch in my outlook? Why am I now bothered by some of the things that used to bring me joy?

During a recent family home evening, I ran across this picture I had seen dozens of times, but this time it really impacted me. It is a picture of Mary and Martha with the Savior. As I thought about their story, and the lesson Jesus so lovingly taught about doing the needful thing, the Spirit helped me realize why I've been frustrated.

There are days I feel so busy cleaning and tending to the needs of others that I lose sight of what is most important. As Jesus said: "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
This simple picture now hangs in my kitchen reminding me of this valuable lesson. Our home might not always be spotless, and we may occasionally eat cold cereal or leftovers for dinner, but my kids will be kids, and that is the "good part."

THANKS GRAMIE AND GRANDAD

2008-02-18T09:24:00.010-06:00

We had a great visit! Can't wait to see you again!
And a big thank you to Mr. Anonymous for making magic happen!

Gramie and Grandad with Tyler and Kamrie

Tyler had the right idea! No more tea cups for us!

Happy first Birthday Tyler!

It's a Small World After All

2008-02-17T21:43:00.002-06:00

We ran into our great friends from the Milwaukee City Branch while we were at Disneyland! It truly is a small world after all! Great to see you again Burt family!

We're Leaving On A Jet Plane

2008-01-29T18:05:00.000-06:00

All our bags are packed, we're ready to go!
We're sick of being in all this snow.
We hate to fly, but we're ready to say goodbye.
It's -37 in Rochester,
Irvine is 100 degrees warmer!
Already, we're so excited we could die....

'Cause we're leavin' on a jet plane
Unfortunately we'll be back again.
Oh babe, we've gotta go!

The Taxi's waitin', it's blowin it's horn.
Where's Tyler? Kamrie, your shirt is torn?!
Let's grab our bags, I think we're ready to go....

'Cause we're leavin' on a jet plane
Unfortunately we'll be back again.
Oh babe, We've gotta go!

See you in two weeks!

Daddy-Daughter Date

2008-01-23T20:38:00.000-06:00

Little Snow Bunny -- 1st time skiing

2008-01-23T20:28:00.000-06:00

WEEEEEEEEEEE

2008-01-13T18:36:00.000-06:00

Kamrie is definitely my thrill seeker! Somedays I feel as if she spends more time upside down than right side up.

Gramie and Grandad gave her a slide for Christmas, and it was only a matter of time before she started attempting stunts off of it. This is the stunt she nicknamed "THE WHALE"! (notice her favorite toy in her hand aka her partner in stunt crime lightning McQueen)

Yes! She really is LEAPING off the top of the slide. The first couple of times she did this it was without the pillows! I finally realized that this was going to be a pattern, so I put some couch cushions down for my sake. And the crazy thing about this is Ryan was the one who had to get stitches this week!

IT MADE ME THINK

2008-01-13T18:17:00.000-06:00

I always get a chuckle when the nice man at the check out line finds out that I am a stay at home mom and asks the question, "So, what do you do all day?" It has only happened a handful of times, but my first reaction is to give him a mouthful of answers. I usually end up biting my tongue and smiling without a response at all. As bambi put it, "If I can't say something nice, it's best not to say anything at all". Right?
When this happens, however, it does make me stop to think about the question. I find myself asking, "So what do I REALLY do all day?" The answer is usually the same. I wake up (from the kids screaming of course), feed the kids, clean up after the kids, play with the kids, feed the kids again, bathe the kids, and then put the kids to bed and start all over the next day. So why does this process take the entire day you ask...???

So now it's my turn to ask. What do you do during the day?

Tyler Enjoying The Festivities

2007-12-19T18:29:00.000-06:00

Surprise!

Hanging out with dad to avoid all of the Estrogen running around

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS KAMRIE

2007-12-19T18:16:00.000-06:00

It was our week to host play group, and since Kamrie's birthday is on Sunday we decided to just combine the two and have the party today! What fun!

She was sooooo happy to finally open her presents!

Of course her FAVORITE toy (lightning McQueen) was in the pictures too.

Happy (soon to be) birthday princess Kamrie!

The Snow Bunny's New Do

2007-12-12T12:08:00.000-06:00

Any chance she gets to play in the snow, Kamrie takes it! Even if it is 8 o clock at night when the temperature is below zero! She definitely has her fathers love for water, even the frozen kind.

These pictures are of her new do! We love it!

BURRRR

2007-11-27T10:41:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures. 4 to be exact. The first one is actually one I downloaded from the national weather channel in which it shows the current temperatures around the country. Take a look at Minnesota and the color the ENTIRE state is. OK. Then subtract 13 to factor in wind chill. Once you've figured that out, proceed to the following pictures.

Yep. That would be Kamrie..... on a bike, and me.......taking pictures, and NO ONE ELSE OUTSIDE. I could only take pictures for about 1 minute before my fingers were frozen and unable to push the button on the camera any longer.

After about 10 minutes, I finally dragged Kamrie inside to have some hot chocolate.

I think it's going to be a looooooong and cold winter this year.

CHOO CHOO

2007-11-26T11:32:00.000-06:00

I painted a little train on Tyler's wall this past weekend. I think next time I get an impulse to do something like this again, I will make sure I have a good paint brush. I used Kamrie's little fake water coloring brush this time and it took a lot longer than I thought it would. It's like painting with a toothbrush! :) Anyway, here are the pictures. Don't look too close!

TYLER

2007-11-15T15:02:00.000-06:00

Tyler has learned to take off his bibs, and it has all been down hill from there. Here are a few pictures we took during his favorite activity: eating!

Peek A Boo

Here I am Mom!

Soooooo big!

How "happy" are your eyebrows today?

2007-11-15T14:54:00.000-06:00

A couple of times this past week Kamrie has come up to me, put her hands on my cheeks, put her nose up to my nose, and in between gritted teeth she says,"Show me your angry eyebrows mom!" After I furrow my eyebrows, she then says in a happy voice,"Now show me your happy eyebrows". She will then say,"Let's try and keep our happy eyebrows on today, ok?" I have no idea where this came from (really! I don't!), but it has given us a few good laughs this week.

"Happy Eyebrows"

"Angry Eyebrows"

Deciding to keep her Happy eyebrows on. :)

I asked them to smile for the camera. This is what I got.

HALLOWEEN

2007-11-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

We had some crazy fun at our ward's trunk or treat party. Our costumes were the 4 phases of metamorphis of the butterfly. Ryan's the egg on a leaf, Tyler's the caterpillar, I'm the cocoon, and Kamrie's the butterfly. Not a great picture, but the ONLY one that all four of us are looking at the camera!

This morning

2007-10-30T15:17:00.001-05:00

This morning was one of those mornings.

It all started around 6:00am when I had Tyler crying and glued to my hip, and Kamrie trying to tell me she wanted everything but didn't want anything all at the same time (if that makes any sense at all). There was, however, one small little insy winsy moment of time that Tyler seemed to be finally falling asleep in his crib and Kamrie was finally sitting by herself watching a movie. I realized that if I ever wanted to shower today, this was my moment!

I raced up the stairs as fast as I could, left the door open, and cranked the shower to hot. I stopped and listened for a moment before I stepped in just to make sure my plan was still going to work. Silence. YES! I was ready to wash away all of the stresses of the morning in my own little kid free hot water sanctuary! It was then, however, that I heard the BEEEEP BEEEP BEEEP BEEEEP BEEEP.

The smoke alarm when off because of the steam. Rats.

I guess I will have to take my chances on tomorrow and hope there is another window of time. OR I'll just take out the smoke alarm batteries....

SUGAR COOKIE FUNNIES

2007-10-29T10:04:00.000-05:00

This last saturday Kamrie and I decided to make some sugar cookies. When it was time to frost and decorate them, she asked if she could have one. I said sure and that she could pick one. She chose a ghost cut out. Just as she was finishing I asked if she ate her whole cookie. She replied, "yep yep!" and then with a worried look on her face she exclaimed, "Oh no mom! I just ate the holy ghost!"

MALL OF AMERICA

2007-10-26T21:11:00.000-05:00

This last week we took a trip up to the twin cities to see the mall of America. This is the "before" picture...

While we were there we were able to go to one store and ride one ride in the amusement park until the kiddos told us they had had enough.

This is the "after" picture. Next time perhaps we'll get a babysitter. :)

My Winter Sanity

2007-10-26T21:05:00.000-05:00

It's only October 26rd, and already the kiddos are going stir crazy in the house due to cold weather! This afternoon I asked Ryan if he would drill some holes in the ceiling for the swing, and Ta-Da! An instant hit with the kids. We'll see how long this fun "new toy phase" lasts. Any other ideas on things to do inside with two kids for 8 more winter months???

Lake City

2007-10-21T10:24:00.001-05:00

You can tell I unload pictures off of my camera every two weeks or so, because it's feast or famine on our blog!

We spent the afternoon in a little town about 45 minutes north of Rochester named Lake City. It is a beautiful little town and also the birth place of water skiing! It took all of the energy I had to keep Ryan from jumping in the freezing water and testing it out for himself. Burrrr. :)

There were lots of camping sites right on the shore, and lots of play grounds for the kiddos. We will definitely be going back!

Fire Station Field Trip

2007-10-21T10:07:00.001-05:00

Kamrie's play group took a field trip to the local fire station this week.

We had a great time looking at all of the equipment and different types of fire trucks. Who knew there were more than one type of Fire Truck??!

They say it's an air freshener?

2007-10-21T09:50:00.000-05:00

My dad had a meeting in Minneapolis last Friday and was able to spend the weekend with us, and boy are our waist lines feeling it! ;)

My mom sent a possible halloween costume for Tyler, but unfortunately he didn't fit in it (even though it was a 18-24 month costume). We had to take some pictures with him in it anyway. Too funny!

Thanks for the visit Dad! Come again soon!

The Day Off

2007-09-30T21:12:00.000-05:00

Ryan had his first day off in a while yesterday, and boy did we take advantage of it! We spent it in the twin cities at the temple and the zoo. What a great day! While we were at the temple, we ran into one of the missionaries we met while serving in the Milwaukee City branch! What a coincidence!

We had a great time at the zoo. Kamrie loved to look (and growl) at the animals, and Tyler was content with his own stuffed elephant in the stroller. Are all boys this easy?

Our favorite animal by far was the "back flipping polar bear". The picture doesn't do a justice, but it gives you an idea!

The last picture is of Kamrie riding the Aladin carnival ride (at the zoo) all by herself. She just walked right up to the ticket man, gave him her tickets, and found a seat next to a little gal she didn't know. Way to go Kamrie! We were so proud of how brave she was, and we can't
believe how grown up she is getting! Where did the time go?

Infections, opinions, and teeth.....oh my!

2007-09-17T21:50:00.001-05:00

I am constantly amazed at how I can feel so busy throughout the day, and yet still go to bed wondering what in the world I did. Some nights I even lay there and wonder if it would have been better if I had just stayed in bed that day. But then I think of all of the smiles plastered in baby food I would have missed, and all of the crayons I caught before they "mysteriously" ended up on our walls and then I think maybe it was a good thing I was brave enough to get up that morning afer all.

Kamrie is....kamrie. There is no other word/name/object/thing that could describe her. She is full of energy and life, opinions and tempers, tricks and tickles. I tried taking some pictures this morning, but she didn't want to look at the camera. We compromised with the mirror....

She won a cheap silver necklace earlier this week at a friends birthday party, and I don't think she has taken it off since. Actually, I KNOW she hasn't taken it off since. She even insisted on wearing it to church (with her brown/orange skirt and her purplish shirt??......I tried!).

"Look Mommy! It's on my head!"

Ryan's new term of endearment for Tyler is "pork chop", and as of right now he is definitely living up to it. Last night (no joke) he drank 24 ounces within a 3 1/2 hour period, and that was after a full meal of solids! Way to go Ty!

He is just getting over a lung infection and his third ear infection since July. On a positive note: He cut two teeth this week! This however, in combination with the infections, has been the culprit of the sleepless nights and nap resistance we have been experiencing this week.

Caught 'cha!

2007-09-03T12:40:00.000-05:00

This picture cracks me up! Those eyes, ah! It's a classic, and it describes this stage in life perfectly! You can even see my hand in the corner comin' in for the rescue. :)

"Look, I grew!"

2007-09-02T21:17:00.001-05:00

Fun in the sun at Gramie's pool

"Look what I can do mom!"

A picture says a thousand words....

Our Happy boy

Please mom. May I have some more food?

At least she took off her clothes...

2007-07-25T19:48:00.001-05:00

As you all know, there are days that seem to go great from the moment you open your eyes until the moment you slide into bed at night. Those days are often filled with laughter, walks to the park, a perfectly cooked dinner (which is on the table right when your husband comes home), a clean house, and of course very delightful, obedient children.

Today was not one of those days...................

FYI

2007-07-24T23:47:00.000-05:00

I had a recent experience I wanted to share, but since it is somewhat lengthy, and not everyone will want to read it, I've back-dated it to 7/19/07 so it appears at the bottom. For those interested, please see the post entitled, "Better Than Berries."

Slow Traffic Keep Right

2007-07-21T15:29:00.001-05:00

Lindsay & the kids are doing great. We can't believe how fast they are growing. Just about every morning, Kamrie comes up the stairs, stretches her arms to the sky, and exclaims, "I grew!" It's really cute, it's really true, and it's really sad to see her grow up so fast. Tyler is almost 6 months! He's rolling over now, and I suspect within the next month or two, he'll start to crawl. I am constantly amazed by Lindsay's gift for mothering. She is so nurturing and consistent. It's amazing just to watch her in action.

Home Sweet Home

2007-07-21T15:24:00.000-05:00