Seriously???!!!

Danica woke up from her nap a few minutes ago ready to play!
D: What should we play first Mom? Should we play play-doh first or should we draw first or should we chase first?
Me: Well, I need to do some laundry quick and then I'll play with you.
D: Should we play first and then you can do your laundry?
Me: No, I'll do my laundry first and then we can play.
D: Well get going then! What are you waiting for?
Me: (stunned silence)
Can't wait for those teenage years!!!

Oh, the disappointment

I was just downstairs doing laundry when I heard Danica crying. So I went to see what was wrong, and she was standing at the top of the stairs in just her underwear (her outfit of choice) crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "I'm sad." I asked why and she said, "I'm sad because I'm so disappointed in you Mom!" Sigh, Mom, is that you??? I asked why she was disappointed and she said, "Because you put away all my toys. That was very not nice."

Birthday party

Dani holding Kyla (her inspiration behind naming her new doll "Kyla Baby")

The birthday girl opening her gifts

The princess dress was worn by Hannah for a good 3 1/2 seconds... just enough for a picture!

Mmmm, those are good cupcakes!!!

Thanks for the pictures Carissa!

Violin song

Not sure where she got this idea... but she's started using her broom and mop as a violin.

Her birthday party on Sunday was a lot of fun. Thanks those of you who could make it, and sorry about the change of date!! That darn pinkeye. But that extra day did wonders for her. Our camera batteries were dead of course, so hopefully we can get some pictures from others and post.

Danica starts gymnastics on Monday. We're very excited about that!! Every day she says, "Mommy, do I do mnastics today?"

Ugh, pink eye.

PINK EYE!!!!! It's come to pay us a visit. Both Danica and I have had colds the past week, and hers has turned into pink eye now. So her birthday party scheduled for tomorrow is now set for Sunday... hopefully all will be well by then.
She's been quite the trooper though. She'll let me know every once in a while that she's sick (her tummy hurts, her throat hurts, her teeth hurt?). Then when she wants to go outside to play and I tell her no because we're sick, "Um, I'm pretty much better Mom." Oh, okay. Turkey.

Double trouble

Mmmm, dinner.

Carissa and Hannah came to spend the day with us on Saturday.

Watching their mommies go.

Carissa and I got to go shopping, go to a movie, and even go out to dinner!! What a nice day!

One of Danica's more interesting outfit choices.

Vacation

We were surprised with a lovely little mini-birthday party at Stef & Jill's last weekend. Averie and Tate even made us cupcakes!!

Dani loves her new toys!!

It took Dani a couple days to adjust to playing with 2 other kids.

But Aves and Tate were both SO great with her.... very patient and sweet. She had a lot of fun playing with both of them.

A very cute site in the mornings.

Deliriously happy.

2 peas in a pod!!

They all love each other so much!

We all really enjoyed ourselves. We got to see Tate's football game - what a bruiser!! We were so proud of him. He's a natural.

We went shopping and got Dani a cute little haircut. I even got to do some alone shopping for a whole 2 1/2 hours!!! JUST ME!!!! I can't think of the last time that happened... thanks Jill!!

We also went to see Averie's gymnastics practice. She did a great job on her tumbles and jumps, and she even walks on the balance beam!

Duane got to spend some time with his uncles too... some very manly bonding happened while they watched that chick flick. They all went to the Vikings game, and I never thought I'd see the day that Duane's man-crush on Brett Favre got even bigger!!

We were all sad to leave, and especially sad to take Dani away from Averie and Tate. She had so much fun with them - we really wish we were all closer. Thanks for the good time guys!

Dani's weekend with Grandparents

Playing on Grandpa's swingset.

A tea party at sea!!

Past week

My little turkey, cute as can be, enjoying a nice fall day.

She had lots of people slowing down to watch her ride her scooter (we have a lot of very old people in the neighborhood).

In her butterfly wings, Mardi Gras beeds, and tutu.

Dani got to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's house last Friday night. She was so excited to go and was sure to let Duane and me know that we were not welcome to join her. According to Dani they had a birthday party with presents and cake, which I'm pretty certain didn't happen, but she seems to have had a great time anyway.

On Saturday she got to go out on the boat and Hannah came along too. They had so much fun playing together - Hannah getting into something and Danica telling her to stop it.... our little goodie-two-shoes is already the square. But I'm okay with that and hope it continues into high school. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Tomorrow we leave for Minneapolis to play on the slide with Averie and Tate... that's the reason Dani tells me anyway. Pictures sure to come!

Fall has arrived!!!

Dani and I just shared our first cup of hot chocolate together. It's such a brisk fall day today, so we bundled up to go outside and play. We counted fallen leaves and collected them (surely Dani had some master plan for these leaves... I didn't question it). After a while I got very chilly - Danica, however, was bundled up like it was 30 below (by her choice). So we came in to warm up. Hmmm, hot chocolate would be perfection (a nod to you Friends fans). So we shared a cup while listening to Christmas music. That's right you heard me!! Christmas music!! And it's a miracle I waited this long to bring it out. Aaaahhhh, it was a very Norman Rockwell moment... until Dani kicked Emma in the face. Back to reality!!

Tid-bits

Dani just put on her Vikings jersey and ran in the room saying, "Look at me Mom, I'm a Brett Favre!!"
Every time she goes to the bathroom now she turns on the fan and says, "I'm gonna turn on the stinky."

Pictures from the week

Dani and Hannah in their Viking gear!

A very sly, mischievious look.

Sweet little profile!!!

Amma, Grammy and Dani in Amma's backyard.

A day in the life...

Danica had her first dentist appointment today. She was very excited to go, and the excitement continued after we got there. She LOVED the waiting room filled with toys and games. Then her name was called. She stood with a stone cold look on her face, not willing to budge. I'm sure she was thinking, "uh, I thought this WAS the dentist... this room with all the toys." So after some coaxing and a promise of a new Dora toothbrush, the dental assistant finally got her to follow us back. We got to the room and had fun with the chair that rides up and down, and the t.v. on the ceiling was a hit. Then the lady put the chair back and got ready to look in her mouth. Holy smoke!!!! I don't think I've heard screaming like that since the day Dani was born!! And it only got worse. The dentist came in and she really flipped out. We held her together (me holding her hands and him holding her head) as he looked in her mouth. I suppose that's the only good thing about the screaming... he didn't have to say, "open wider!" I was reassured that all kids scream like that their first time and they eventually become the best customers because they started so young. And Dani was reassured at the end with a care bear toy, some stickers and a new Dora toothbrush. We went to the park after (to ease my guilt), and Dani said, "NO! I wanna go back to da dentist!!" Ugh.

Garage sale

The garage sale was a success!! Thanks Nicole, Mom, and Amma for helping!! We are all quite tired from the weekend and all the preparation for the weekend. I think our next garage sale won't be for a very VERY long time.
Dani caught a little bit of a cold which is making her pretty fierce. She woke up at about 2:30 this morning and was pretty ticked off that she had a runny nose. She chewed us out real good. She's been asking to go outside and I tell her no because she's sick. Boy, she gets better real soon!! "I'm not sick anymore, Mommy. I think I feel better now." Ya, sure you do.

Busy September!!!

We had a great time last weekend at our little family reunion. It was to celebrate Afi's (my grandpa) 90th birthday and Amma's (my grandma) 85th birthday.

Dani and Averie at the park.

That auntie Jill is quite the photographer!!

Aves, Dani, and Tate... beautiful kids!!!

Here are Amma and Afi with all the great-grandkids.

The girlies - Dani, Grace, Ashlyn, and Averie

The boys - Haven, Will, and Tate

It was a great turnout at their party and they looked great!

Afi got up and spoke a bit. It was great to hear him talk of his younger years growing up and at the bank in Souris. He's had quite a life.

We had so much fun with the family, we just wish we could all get together more often!

On to this next weekend:

The biggest and baddest (that means best) garage sale in garage sale history is about to commence!! We've already had neighbors come try to get a sneak peak today, and one couldn't take no for an answer... she went home and got her money! Those crazy old ladies.

sweet nastalgia

Doodle-oodle-oodle.

I was looking through old videos on the computer tonight and watched this one over and over. It's funny how we can completely forget what our kids looked like and sounded like way back when. I'm so glad we have a way to document all this cuteness and keep enjoying it over and over.

Miley mania!!

Singing and dancing to Miley. Great song!!! Especially when sung by a 2-year old!

(Remember to turn off the music in the top right corner to hear the clip)

Past couple weeks

Emma had to check out Dani's new bed.

In her car inside my car!

While Grammy and I were moving, Dani took full advantage and played all day. Old toys can seem so new when they're in a new place!

The move wouldn't have gone nearly as smoothly as it did if Grammy hadn't come for a few days and helped pre-move. We took over the whole kitchen and got that set up (the biggest pain in the butt about moving is having all those boxes in your kitchen), and got most of our clothes over too. We also brought most of Dani's toys, her outside toys, and a TON of our storage things. Thanks for all the help Grammy!!!

I didn't even know Dani was sleeping on me this morning... I must be soft and squishy!!!

The move went very well, BIG thank you's to Brian, Adam, Jay, Jerod, Ali, Papa, Grammy, and Kevin (hope I didn't miss anyone).

We're getting settled little by little and having our garage sale will help a LOT to get rid of all that "junk" we have that drove Grandpa so crazy. :)

On the ledge and ready to jump!

I was red as a tomato today while shopping in CVS pharmacy. While I let go of Dani's hand to grab a package of toilet paper, she took off SPRINTING through the entire store! She was zig-zagging aisles and I just couldn't catch her. The whole time she ran, she was in her deafening high-pitched scream/laugh mode. Everyone in the store thought it was the funniest thing they saw all day. I was mortified.
After I caught her I did the most instinctually natural thing that all of us mothers do - I hissed under my breath that I was going to take all her toys away and never let her watch cartoons again, all while fake smiling to the humored clerks. Once we got to the safety of outside I let her have it good and at the end of my rant said, "Do you hear me??!!" Not expecting to be answered. Danica said, "No, I not listening to you, Mommy."
GGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yucky ponytails

The first "penis" talk has happened, and it's a good one!!!
Dani's been obsessed with taking showers with Duane or me lately. She was in the shower with Duane tonight and apparently pointed and said, "Is that your bum?" Duane said no. So she walked around him, pointed at his bum and said, "That's your bum." Duane said yep. She pointed again and asked, "What's that?" Duane said, "It's my penis." Dani said, "That's yuck."
Let's just hope she keeps that general opinion for many many years!!
It reminds me of the story my own mom tells. Stefan and I were in the tub together when we were very young. I pointed at his and said, "Mommy, is that Stefan's ponytail?"