happy 2nd birthday logan!!

Happy Birthday Logan!!!  My sweet baby boy, you are 2 years old today!  We had such a fun day at the zoo and at the pumpkin patch.  You loved hearing "Happy Birthday To You" sung to you many times today!  We are so very proud of you.  You are a wonderfully sweet, loving, spirited, independent little boy and we are so unbelievably happy to have been blessed with you to raise you and love you. 

Love, Mommy

the checkmark

These last few weeks have been a blur! Lauren's start to kindergarten has been fantastic. She loves it! The only thing she complains about is that she's tired in the morning. I've been moving her bedtime earlier and earlier, but she's still tired in the morning. It's hard to get going before the sun comes up! She transitioned very easily into kindergarten. In fact, I think the only person who had an emotional time with it was Josh. It was very hard for him to have Lauren gone all day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and not with him at his "school" Tuesday and Thursday. A pretty bad ear infection to boot and he has not been a happy camper. He seems to be getting more used to it, knowing she is coming home and that generally she is happy to see him!

Then came today. She got home from school and immediately started picking on Josh. She just would not leave him alone and was warned about her behavior. Then she actually hit him in the ear with a toy. After some significant time in her room, she still would not tell me what was bothering her. She was defiant, argumentative, disobeying, not listening and generally foul all evening. Of course she had a couple of very nice moments, but they were few and far between. Let me just say that Lauren is a limit-tester, like most kids, but she takes it to the Nth degree. She seeks out the limits to know how far she can go then she usually backs off. I think she gets comfort in knowing there's a limit and where it is. Tonight that was not the case. She kept crossing the line over and over.

Finally, she was getting ready for bed, I asked her a question about brushing her teeth and she outright lied to me. It was very minor situation, but why the lie? After I called her on the lie, she broke down very dramatically and ran to her room. I followed her in and sat on her bed. She then blurted out that she got a checkmark at school today. Her teacher uses checkmarks on the board to help correct behavior. We just talked about the checkmarks earlier this week and she was mortified that I actually asked her if she had received one. Well, today was the day. Through sobs she informed me that she ran in the hall to try and catch up to the boy in front of her and received a checkmark. The tears were literally shooting out of her eyes. We talked about why she got the checkmark and the fact that her teacher was not pointing out that she was a bad girl, but that she made a bad choice in choosing to run in the hall. And that no matter how many checkmarks she gets, her daddy and I will always love her. She was obviously embarassed and feeling very bad about it.

This is going to sound very strange, but as I left her room, I actually felt proud that she felt so bad. Not that I like seeing her so very sad and being so hard on herself, but it gave me a sense that she understands right from wrong and that she takes "correction" seriously.

I guess we'll see if she runs in the hall again : )

Lauren's first day of kindergarten

At her desk

Izzy (neighbor) and Lauren


Such a big smile!

Lauren started kindergarten yesterday!! She had a great day and was very tired when she got home. She got dressed in record time, which made me very happy and she was asking for 20 minutes, "Can we go yet?" We dropped the boys off at daycare first and Josh had a hard time. I'm pretty sure he wanted Lauren there with him. When we got to Lauren's school, she was so excited! We left her while she was painting in her notebook, such a big kindergarten thing to do! I did really good as far as tears were concerned. There was once that my eyes filled up after Brian said something like, "Our baby is a kindergartner." He kept quiet about it after that - I'm sure he didn't want to deal with a blubbery wife!! It was a fabulous day and she had so much fun!

Wisconsin Trip Summer 2010

We took a trip to Milwaukee and Green Bay at the end of July and it was SO much fun!! We hadn't been to Milwaukee in three years and hadn't seen a lot of Brian's family in two years. It was Logan's first trip to eastern Wisconsin and Josh hadn't been there since he was a baby. We saw so many Kraby's!! We stayed with Brian's sister Kelli and her husband Jeff. They have two kids: Avery is 4 and Nathan is 2. Let me just say that the cousins were a big hit with each other!! Lauren and Avery were inseparable. They watched movies, ate popsicles, played, played and played some more. I think their favorite part was sleeping on the blow-up mattress together! Josh, Nathan and Logan got along really good. Nathan would play with Josh, then he would hang with Logan and back and forth. We went to the zoo, the pool, had a cookout, went to a park and just had a great, fun, relaxing time.
Before leaving Milwaukee for Green Bay, we spent the night at Grandma Jane's and Bumpa Larry's. Let me just tell you how excited the kids were to stay "where daddy grew up"! They went swimming in Grandma Jane's pool with their cousin Olivia, had another cookout, played "Littlest Pet Shop" with Olivia (which she so graciously shared along with her room), walked to Brian's elementary school, and spent time with lots of aunts and uncles and cousins, oh my!
Then we were off to Green Bay. We stayed at the Tundra Lodge and we all had a blast! Brian's mom came with us to Green Bay and we were so very thankful for the extra set of hands. Three little kids at a waterpark is a lot!! The kids saw Lambeau Field ("where Packers live" as Josh and Lauren say), Brian took Josh to Packer training camp practice, we swam and swam and swam, and most importantly got to visit with Brian's grandma Olga, or Grandma Nani as she is affectionately called. Grandma Nani is 102 years old and you would never know it as she's sharp as a tack! I think that the greatest part of the trip was watching Grandma Nani play catch with the kids. When Grandma Jane suggested the kids walk the ball over to Grandma Nani instead of throw it, Grandma Nani announced that she could catch just fine and that they should throw it back to her! She's an amazing woman and we were so happy to be able to visit with her.
We had such a fantastic trip and can't wait to visit again. We only wish it didn't mean five hours in the car.... : )

bumpa's truck

My dad retired from road construction just last week - Yay!!!! Before he left, he, Brian and the kids went out to his truck so they could see it. He had the idea of drawing eyes so the truck would look like "Mack" from the movie "Cars". So my mom drew the eyes and he put them in the truck before the kids got there. Isn't that cute?!!

The following is an article from a suburban Chicago newspaper called the Daily News. The author is Chuck Goudie. I am reposting in it's entirety because I was so taken-aback by it's pointedness, in a good way, and how much I felt reaffirmed in my convictions as a parent. There are so many things in life that can take our kids down paths that we know they should never have been on. To me, this author is stating in his own words that it's okay to say no and to be the "uncool" parent. I bold-faced the pointers near the end of the article. This will be going on my fridge to remind myself that being the uncool parent could be what keeps my kids safe.

Note: After the February 2007 car crash in Oswego that killed five teenagers, I wrote about how unnecessary the tragedy was. The column was posted around the Internet and e-mailed across the country. Since the intoxicated adult driver was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in prison, I am updating the column.
There is a word I have used more than any other in my 25 years as a father.
It's not a four-letter word that my children have heard. The word actually has 11 letters.

"Unnecessary."

I have used that word to deny a variety of purchases and activities over the years for all five of my beloved children. From unnecessary toys, to taking out the car in bad weather, to buying concert tickets; from unnecessary adolescent sleepovers to suspicious lake-house weekends.

As school starts again, the word "unnecessary" could end up saving your child's life.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't been a family room tyrant and my children weren't deprived of anything reasonable. Let's just say they have been wisely protected by an adult who has been there before and knows more than they do.

The word "unnecessary" was all I could think of once again as the deadly Oswego car crash was recounted last week during Sandra Vasquez's sentencing.

The loss of young lives, the way it happened, the time of night it happened and the events that led up to it were all just so unnecessary.

What were teenagers, some as young as 14, doing out at 2 in the morning partying with people in their 20s?

The teenagers had been riding around in several cars that night, most without wearing seat belts. A couple of them had been sitting in an open car trunk as they drove aimlessly.

They ended up attending a party at the home of Ms. Vasquez's aunt in nearby Montgomery. Witnesses told investigators that beer, hard liquor and marijuana were available at the party, said Oswego Police Chief Dwight Baird at the time.

One thing obviously not at the party: a responsible adult in charge. Sandra Vasquez was 23 years old at the time, and, although a mother herself, she had been drinking and was obviously irresponsible that night.

Vasquez's lengthy imprisonment won't bring back any of the teenagers she drove to their deaths: Katie Merkel, 14; James McGee, 14; Jessica Nutoni, 15; Tiffany Urso, 16, and Matthew Frank, 17. During Vasquez's jail stay her own two young sons will suffer immeasurably.

Public attention won't turn back the clock to the time when such unnecessary behavior could have been prevented.

As a parent ­- and especially a property owner - you don't want the police at your house. You don't want your child being patted down or made to perform a sobriety test. You want to keep your children away from those situations where they might be led into teenage temptation.

While I'm no child-rearing expert, here is a parental platform that might help:

• Sleepovers: Unnecessary. Nothing good comes from them. Young children end up cranky for days. Older kids use them as cover to stay with boy/girlfriends or drink without worry. As apparently was the case with one of the Oswego victims, a sleepover was the perfect party cover.

• Wandering around: Unnecessary. If you have plans, fine. What are they? No plans, no going out. Nothing good can come from riding around in a car looking for something to do. And isn't it your car?

• Don't know your teen's whereabouts? Unnecessary. When they say they are at someone's house, tell them to call you from the home phone, the one plugged into the wall. On a cell phone, they could be anywhere. On a land-line, your caller ID will tell you where they are.

• Don't know if parents will be home? Unnecessary. When your teen is going to party, don't just ask them whether the friends' parents will be home. Call the parents and ask. No parents, no go.

• Unreliable parent? Unnecessary. Just because your child is invited somewhere doesn't mean you have to let them go. If you know that the parents are drunks, abusive to small animals or keep loaded guns in the living room, keep your kids away.

• No ride home? Unnecessary trip. Find out before they leave home how they are getting back. If they don't have a confirmed ride with someone you know, don't let them go.

• Finally, trust. Unnecessary. Your trust is not their birthright. Trust isn't genetic, and it's not germane to the debate about your child's survival. Trust only has to be violated once for your kid to land in the lockup or on the medical examiner's slab. Is it worth it?

Our job as parents isn't to trust that our kids will get home alive. Our job is to fulfill the trust that God has placed in us by loaning us some children for a while ... and actually get them to adulthood.

Anything less is just unnecessary.

Chuck Goudie, whose column appears each Monday, is the chief investigative reporter at ABC 7 News in Chicago. The views in this column are his own and not those of WLS-TV. He can be reached by e-mail at chuckgoudie@gmail.com and followed at twitter.com/ChuckGoudie

up north 2010

We took our first family vacation! We went up to Nisswa, Minnesota which is near Brainerd and stayed at the Good Ol' Days Resort. What a great time we had!! The kids loved the lake and the sand. Brian took Lauren and Josh on a paddleboat ride, the kids used the kayaks and an endless amount of searching for seashells and clams was done! There was a campfire every night where we roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. The resort also offered kids activities on the weekdays, so while we were there the kids did arts & crafts, there was an ice cream social, and pony rides were given. It was really fun! The resort was right along the Paul Bunyan bike trail and we were within bike riding distance to Nisswa, which was originally named "Smiley" (shout out to my dad!!) It was fun and the kids LOVED it!

big brother/little brother

Josh was trying to be such a good big brother by helping Logan get his shoes on. He got them on Logan exactly like he puts his own shoes on - on the wrong feet! So when Logan and Josh both stood up, they both had their shoes on the wrong feet - so cute!!

summer fun

the crew

Ethan, Lauren, Max, Josh, Keagan, Logan

happy birthday lauren!

My baby girl is five today!! I can't believe how fast the last five years have gone. It is amazing to me to see how much Lauren has grown and changed in the last five years. She is a sweet, kind, loving, protective, nurturing and adventurous little girl. One of my favorite things about her is how she can be playing with a group of kids and then she will spot a butterfly and start chasing it! She is amazed by nature and living things. She is a rule-follower and a free spirit all wrapped up in one! I love the way her mind is starting to process things and how much she is learning. It's refreshing to "see" the world through the eyes of a five-year old!

Sweet Lauren - you are a wonderful, beautiful, inspiring little girl. We are so proud of you and love you with all our hearts!!! Happy Birthday baby girl!

open letter

Dear mean, old, crabby people of the world,

I understand that you have lived a long life and that there are issues you are facing that I have no concept of. However, don't think that you have the right to judge me as a mother just because my kids are laughing a little loud in the grocery store check-out line. You can keep your rude comments about my kids and my mothering to yourself. My kids were not being terrible and I am not a terrible mother for letting them laugh as I bagged the 10 bags of groceries I had.

So, the next time you see a mother with small children, maybe you could have a little compassion and understanding. If you see beads of sweat on the mother's forehead because she is working as fast as she can to get her kids out of the store before a meltdown happens, have some compassion. If you see her struggling to keep her baby/toddler from crying because she doesn't know what the baby wants, have some compassion. The odds are that she hasn't eaten a full meal that day, hasn't gone to the bathroom since her kids woke up, and isn't quite sure if all the groceries she bought are going to break her budget.

I will fully admit that I have no idea what it feels like to get old. But I don't come up to you in the grocery store and ask you to move faster because you are going slow. I don't ask you if you could please make up your mind already on which bread you want to buy so I can get mine. I don't ask you to turn your hearing aid up because it's annoying hearing you say "what" ten times in a row. I don't do those things because they are rude and I have been taught to respect my elders. My kids were not being obnoxious, they weren't being rude, and they weren't hurting anyone. They were simply laughing.

So, then next time you are annoyed with a mother and her young children in the grocery store, find it within yourself to have some compassion and understanding. If you can't, then simply shut your mouth, concentrate on your senior citizen discount, and leave the mothering of my children to me.

Thank you.

dog-gone tired.....

We have been puppy-sitting our neighbor's puppy, Manny, this weekend and it has been an adventure! He's a really good puppy, but it takes some getting used to having a puppy around again. The kids have LOVED it, especially Lauren, who thrives on caretaking. She has been very responsible in taking Manny outside, running him around the yard and keeping an eye on him in the house. What has been most interesting to us is watching Dixie's response to Manny. The beginning of the first day Dixie was very submissive and Manny was ruling over her. By that evening Dixie was the alpha-dog with Manny seeming very puzzled by this! Now they just "play" - as in wrestle and chase. It's fun to see Dixie with a playmate and it takes us back to when Dixie was the puppy and Ripley, our friends Emily and Dave's dog, was the annoyed older dog! So, here's Dixie and Manny playing and then poor Manny crawled right into his kennel and passed out cold! Dixie did the same upstairs in her bed : )

triathalon training

My neighbor has talked me into doing a triathalon with her. It is sponsored by the Northfield Athletic Club. For those of you who know me, you know I do not exercise! I hate exercising. I think that I would really like running because I've heard it is a great stress reliever. But I hate it! It's a 500 meter swim, 9 mile bike ride and 3 mile run, so it's definately do-able for a novice like myself!

Today was the first day of training. We have started with the Couch to 5K program. Well, for the first day, it wasn't too bad except for the fact that it was raining!! Our 25 minute run/walk was totally in the rain. That must mean we are dedicated, right?!

I'll keep you updated on the training. My goal is simply to finish the triathalon, no matter how stinking long it takes me!

preschool graduation

Lauren graduated from preschool last week! It was a fun ceremony and the kids had their graduation caps on complete with little "2010" tassles. She was very excited as were Brian and I. We are so very proud of her!! We love you very much, Lauren, and we know you will do great in kindergarten!!!

mister personality

Logan has developed quite the personality in the past couple of weeks, but especially since his surgery. No more drunken sailor walk - yay!! The words are flying out of him like no one's business and he's become so much more imaginative and creative. It's amazing to watch! I've heard him say: cat, car, train tracks, Joshy, Lauren (wauwen), Dixie Sue, stop, no, excuse me, thank you, please, my "b" (blankie). The other night he also said his first full sentence: I waaaant myyyyy daaaddddyyyyy. Any yes, the extra letters are in there for emphasis, not as some new weird texting thing that them there kids are doing now-a-days. He was wailing, but I could still make out the words! And it's not surprising he would say that sentence first - he's heard it enough from his sister and brother!!

We are so very happy that we can notice notable improvement in Logan since his surgery. It does make me feel bad that his world was obviously so muffled before. Poor little guy! But we are only looking forward now!

How long do you think before HE starts the back-talk???!?!!!

thoughts from joshua

For Mother's Day, Josh's teachers recorded some thoughts he had about me. I had to laugh really hard when I read them!! Here are the highlights:

What does mommy do at her job? She works out (Really? I think I've gone running once in his lifetime!!! Daddy is the one who works out....)

Mommy is good years old. (Thank you Joshy-boy!!)

Mommy's favorite food is: Chicken Pot Pie (So I do really like homemade chicken pot pie, however, our friendly little three-year old neighbor randomly calls people chicken pot pie and I think this is where this is coming from. You can only imagine the conversation: "hey you!" "What?" "Chicken pot pie." Random and hilarious all at the same time.)

My mommy does many nice things for me, like: We work out (Again, what????)

So funny and so very sweet!! I love it and it has put a smile on my face everytime I read it!!

logan's surgery

Logan is out of surgery and home. He had his ear tubes replaced, his adenoids removed, his hernia repaired, and an orchiopexy. Everything went great! He is still groggy from the anesthesia and the pain meds that he was given, but he is doing wonderfully. We're going to take it easy for a few days and get plenty of rest!

is he serious?

This is our neighbor, Brenton. Brenton and his wife Stephanie are fabulous neighbors and our families have grown very close over the last couple of years. Brenton has a sense of humor where I have a hard time telling if he is being serious or not. So, I made him these signs so that when we are all hanging out, he wouldn't constantly have to be telling us (or rather me) if he was being serious. However, I think that the signs got turned into swords by the kids and then eventually got chewed on by Dixie, so I'll have to come up with something new for Brenton....

shoe strings

Lauren's first shoe tie on her daddy's shoes

the best mother's day weekend

I simply had the BEST Mother's day weekend. On Friday, a dear friend of mine, Jana and I stayed at the Hilton in Minneapolis. I have known Jana since middle school and she was my college roommate. The Hilton was offering a Macy's Mother's Day special and us mom's decided that was just what we needed - some mom time together! We went to Minneapolis and had the best time! We have not had the opportunity to spend time together really since our kids have been born, at least not like this and it was so fabulous!! We went out to eat at the Rock Bottom Brewery and then went dancing. It was F-U-N!! We ordered pizza at 3am and it felt just like it did back in college. However, in college we did that Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. I think my body is still recovering from last Friday night! But it was so worth it! We laughed, we vented, we sought advice, we listened, we relaxed and we had a blast. And for me, it just felt good to be Megan - not mom, not wife, not lawyer, not community member, not problem-solver, not any other role. Just me. All of those roles make me who I am, however, "I" was my focus on Friday and I don't remember the last time that happened. Me and my friend. And that was all I needed.

I'm thinking we should make it a semi-annual event......like a half-Mother's day the second weekend in November.

On Saturday, it was so good to see Brian and the kids and they surprised me with roses! : ) I missed them even though I enjoyed my "me" time. After dinner, I turned on the Mama Mia soundtrack and the three kids danced their little hearts out! It was so great to see them all three dancing together and Logan's squealy laughter as Lauren and Josh grabbed his hands and they all turned around in a circle only to fall down. And then repeat. And repeat again and again for about an hour! It was so fun and it brought tears to my eyes thinking about what gifts they are. Through all the poopy diapers, vomit, runny noses, back-talk, crying, disciplining and constant repeating, that moment watching my three children dancing together and having a grand old time is what makes all the other stuff so worth it!

On Sunday my parents came up for brunch. It was so good to see them and be with my mom on Mother's Day. My mom and I exchanged hanging flower baskets - neither one of us knowing that's what the other had gotten and mine is beautiful! I love it! Hopefully I can keep it alive. I don't have a great track records of keeping plants alive. We enjoyed brunch and then just spent time together. Then Lauren and I were off to Stars on Ice at the Excel Center in St. Paul. Lauren's only concern was that she would have to get on the ice. I assured her that she would not have to ice skate. Can you tell she looooves skating?! We arrived and her eyes were as big as saucers looking at all the lights and hearing all the sounds. The show started and the man sitting directly behind me was really into the show as he would loudly shout out after each high jump and other accomplishment. This would send Lauren's head whipping around and every time she would say, "Mommy, why is that man yelling at the skaters?" This happened about twenty times. She told me later that it scared her that he was yelling like that. Understandable - it was definately startling. Jana, her mom and her daugher were also at the show so we met up with them during the intermission. Lauren and Makenna became fast friends and were sitting together about three rows in front of us. Jana and I watched them dance and giggle. It was so funny! On the way home, Lauren said to me, "Makenna is my best friend and we like to dance."

Like mothers, like daughters....

A very special thank you to my wonderful husband who took on the first overnight alone with the kids. Thank you for unequivocally telling me to go, have fun and that you and the kids would be fine. You were and I never doubted it for a second!

anx·i·e·ty

I've been feeling very anxious lately. My heart has been racing, my breath has been short and my chest feels as though there is a hundred pound weight on it. It lasts for a few minutes and then is gone. Then I think about something else that is on my "plate" and it starts up again. Last Tuesday seemed to be the peak. Brian talked with me for a long time trying to put my mind at ease about all that is on it and it worked - I felt so much better! But then I was in a meeting and out of nowhere a migraine hit. I had to go home, sick to my stomach, lie down and relax. It couldn't be done. I had to get my kids from school and luckily they understood that mommy needed to lay on the couch with ice packs on her head, so they quietly watched Scooby-Doo. It worked and my headache was pretty much gone in an hour or so. Strange. After admitting that my problem was that I was unable to hand over my concerns to God and let Him shoulder the burden. I need to remind myself that I am not in control of this life. Yes, I make decisions that direct where I want to be - I am not a passive participant in my own life. However, I can't worry about "what if's" and I need to remember that there is a grand scheme of life that I am not privy to. That's very hard for a type-A personality, like myself. So, Tuesday night I went to bed with a headache and anxiety. When I woke up Wednesday morning I felt lighter. That's the only word I can use to describe it.

Lighter.

I have a sneaky suspicion that there was a lot of praying going on for me and that those prayers and my own were answered. I was able to hand my worries over to God and haven't thought much about those particular concerns since.

My friend sent me a verse that I have read over and over since early last week:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

I think that most of my anxiety revolves around Lauren starting kindergarten. There are other stressors including my job and managing the house stuff, but a lot of it is knowing she will be off to school in the fall. It really revolves around control and trust. I can't control things when she's at school. I don't want to control her, I just want to make sure she is safe and that is where the trust factor comes in. I don't need to control her environment if I trust her teachers and trust that He will watch over her. She's my baby and that's a hard pill to swallow. I am not a parent who hands over the responsibility of protecting my children to someone else.....to ANYONE else. That is my job. How to reconcile the fact that she IS going to kindergarten and then first grade and so on with this intense maternal instinct of protection is the question. And this maternal instinct only kicks into overdrive when hearing stories of horrendous acts done to small children by people that were trusted by the child's parents. Not that these horrible things solely happen in schools, but just generally speaking.

Did our parents worry like this? Or is it because the "times" are so different now?

I was talking with a friend about this very subject and she mentioned that she had been to a conference and one of the topics was relating childhood obesity to the fact that kids aren't encouraged or allowed to just go play outside anymore. Parents would prefer their children be inside where they can watch the them and know they are safe. I hear that! However, there is a balance. Finding that balance is the hard part.

Thanks for listening and any advice is always appreciated! I will likely be "venting" about this particular subject a lot in the next few months : )

boyfriends, smoyfriends

Lauren has a boyfriend. Or two, depending on which day you ask her. Her main boyfriend is a neighbor boy whom she goes to preschool with. And Sunday school, soccer, gymnastics and who she has consistently referred to as her "favorite guy." My neighbor just told me a very funny story that I must share. Apparently, Lauren was talking with my neighbor's father, also known as Poppa in the neighborhood. Poppa drives his car down the cul-de-sac and always has treats for the kids, so naturally they love him! Yesterday Poppa came by for a visit and my neighbors weren't home so Lauren was chatting with Poppa. Here's how the conversation went (the abridged version to protect boredom and identities):

Lauren: I have a boyfriend.
Poppa: You do?
Lauren: Yep, and I'm going to marry him someday.
Poppa: Really?
Lauren: He was going to marry someone else but then she called him a dirty name.
Poppa: Well, what was the name?
Lauren (looking around to make sure no one can hear): She said he was stinky.

Lauren's first fish

Lauren and Brian went fishing a couple of weeks ago and Lauren caught her first fish! Actually, she caught her first 4 or 5 fishes (so I'm told!). They had a great time. Brian said that Lauren loved it and loved holding the fishes that she caught! She was not "girlie" about it at all : )

Easter 2010

I know I'm late at getting these posted, but they're too cute to not post!!

Lauren showing off her "loot"

Logan counting his eggs

Lauren and Josh hunting

What a handsome boy!

The whole fam-damily

breakfast conversation

Here is the conversation Lauren and Josh had at breakfast this morning. Lauren had just put some smelly lotion on her hands and arms and was so proud of it:

Lauren: "Joshy, smell my arm."
Josh: "Oooooo, smells like garbage."
Lauren (angrily): "NO IT DOESN'T!! It smells like strawberries."
Josh: "Oooooo, smells like strawberries."

home josh vs school josh

I had a conference yesterday with Josh's preschool teacher and I must say that I was very proud. Miss Chris had nothing but fabulous things to say about Josh. One of the things we talked about that stuck out for me was Miss Chris saying that Josh is eager and excited to learn. She gave me a couple examples regarding his enthusiasum for circle time and how he participates eagerly when talking about the weather. Yay Josh!!

Later on last night, Brian and I were talking about Josh's "report card" - the teachers give G's for good, S's for satisfactory, P's for positive progress, E's for needs regular guidance & encouragement. We were talking about how Josh must be a totally different kid at school. For example, Self-Control, Listens Attentively, Follows Directions, Concentration all got G's from Josh's teacher which is FABULOUS!! At home, however, those particular areas would be getting E's as I feel I have to harp on him to get him to do the simplest things. All the other stuff (shapes, letters, counting, creativity, hand-eye coordination) I know he has down. But these few areas involving listening and following directions have me perplexed.

One thing that I am thankful for is that he does those things for his teachers and others even if he doesn't do them at home!! I would rather have myself be the only one annoyed with his non-listening, non-direction following little personality since I love him!!

Good job, Joshy-boy!! We are very proud of you!!

three musketeers.....

So, Josh got in trouble and got put in a time-out in the corner. Lately, whenever this happens, Logan almost immediately joins him. I think Logan thinks that it's something really fun that the big kids get to do that he's missing out on - little does he know!!

Soon after, Lauren joins the crowd and what do you know.....misery really does love company! Apparently, it's much more fun to be in trouble when you have someone there with you : )

toof cleaning

Lauren and Josh both recently had a visit to the dentist. He's a strange man that we aren't too sure about, but we keep going back there anyways!! Ha! Just kidding - the kids LOVE to go to Brian's office and Lauren especially loves getting her teeth cleaned. She is a pro now, not even flinching when the scary "suctioner" comes into her mouth, like she did during her very first visit. This was Josh's first real cleaning. The last visit was what Brian's office calls a "Happy Visit" getting kids acquainted with the tools, the fun chair, and generally what happens during a visit to the dentist. Josh was so brave! He got everything done, wasn't scared of the suctioner, and was such a big boy through the whole thing! The only thing he didn't like was the gooey polish stuff on his teeth (Brian doesn't like that part either - go figure!!). "Miss Denise," as the kids call her, did an excellent job (as always!!) of explaining things to the kids, talking about healthy teeth, and making them feel calm and comfortable. And then when Brian came in to check everything over they were so happy to see their Daddy!!

It was such a great visit and I was so proud of Josh for being such a big boy!!

Josh 3 yrs, Logan 18 months, Lauren 4 1/2 yrs

toe pick

Wow, it's been a long time since I've blogged!! Sorry about that!

Lots has been going on in the Kraby house, but I will start with Lauren. She just finished up a 7-week ice skating class. She had been talking about ice skating all winter and "skating" on her socks through the house. We decided it couldn't hurt to sign her up, so we got her some used skates and away she went. However, it wasn't that smooth.

The first class she cried the ENTIRE time!! She refused to let go of the coach's hands and bawled her eyes out. I think that she was really afraid of falling and that it would hurt. The second class was pretty much the same thing. The third lesson my parents came to and she didn't cry! Win! She still wouldn't let go of the coach's hands. The fourth lesson was the same thing. I spoke with the coach afterwards and said that I thought that if they just said to her that there was no more handholding that she would be fine. So for the fifth lesson I sent Brian with her instead of taking her myself and something happened (or so I am told) that made her change her tune - she didn't cry and she didn't hold the coach's hands at all! Woo-hoo!!! Brian took her for the sixth lesson and she kept improving! So I wanted to take her to the final lesson just so I could see how far she had come.

Let me just tell you that I have never felt so much pride! My heart was bursting as I watched her out there with a smile on her face, skating all by herself! And doing the things the coach's asked without crying, without arguing!! And I watched her fall down and she just got right back up without even thinking about it!! She looked up at me and I was going crazy giving her thumbs up and clapping! I'm sure the people around me thought I was insane, but I didn't care - I was so unbelievably proud of her!!

Part of me thinks that she was just so happy that was the last lesson! But the other part of me knows she learned a lot about herself and her abilities, whether she realizes it or not. That's the thing I hope she takes from her experience - that she CAN do it, all she has to do is keep going out there!

belated resolutions

So I have some New Year's resolutions. I know, it is WAY past New Years, but I really want to write them down and hold myself accountable for them.


1. Be more patient with my kids. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it's something that I really struggle with, especially when I'm in a time-crunch.


2. Watch the tone and volume of my voice when talking to my kids. I can get a tad bit snippy (okay, a LOT snippy) given the right (or wrong) circumstances.


3. Take some more time for myself. I want to do this without spending money!! It's easy to take off and go fun-shopping, but I want to avoid the whole "buying things = happiness" attitude. I think I might start running....I've heard that's therapeutic!!


4. Do at least one home improvement project this year. We were on a roll at our other house and now we've stalled. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day, but I love the feeling of accomplishment after we've changed something in our house!


5. Visit family more. It's getting easier to get around now, so plan on making the rounds more! But if we come to you, just know that it will be CRAZY!!


6. Get organized so I can feel organized.


7. Have a date night with Brian at least once a month. We were good about this starting last fall. It's important to stay connected! : )


8. Get out more as a family. Brian and I both need to realize that it will be crazy and it will exhaust us, but it will also be a lot of fun!


9. Buy bikes and use them - A LOT!!


10. Be fiscally responsible - who doesn't have that as a goal?!?!?!!!


Definately not a complete list, but these are some of the things on my mind. : )

daddy-daughter dance

Brian and Lauren went to the Daddy-Daughter Dance sponsored by the Northfield YMCA this past Saturday. They had such a great time! The day started with Lauren and I going to visit our friend Deanna at Sassy Di's Salon in Woodbury for a haircut (for each of us) and then Lauren got her hair done up so very pretty! Lauren and I had gone to get a pretty new dress the day before, so we went home and got that on, along with some "Verry Cherry" chapstick (which, of course, was brought along in her pink handbag). Brian got dressed up and away he and Lauren went, off to "Old McDonald's" for some dinner and then to the dance. Lauren had such a fabulous time, as did Brian, I'm pretty sure! She colored a princess crown and LOVED the hanging tinsel to walk through (pics above) The first pic is hard to see her face, but she has the best smile! Pure happiness!! When they got home, the first thing she said to me was that she was going to go again when she was 5. I'm sure Brian will be up for that - a special night with his special little girl!! : )

big tummy

Logan + 6 chicken nuggets + a cup of corn + 2 clementines + 2 glasses of milk = BIG TUMMY!!

vacation's all I ever wanted.....

A little sun and fun!

Sunset on the boat

Do I look just a little excited to be on the beach?!

Waiting for our boat ride

Wow! It's been a crazy January!!

The month began with Josh's birthday, which, for clarification purposes is on January 4th and not the 3rd like it seems to say on the previous post. He had a great day and a great party! We went to the zoo and spent the day together as a family. Then Josh invited his buddy Andrew over for dinner and Thomas the Train cake. Fun was had by all!!

Right after Josh's birthday, my mom had surgery on her arm. She fell on the ice New Year's Eve and dislocated her elbow and broke her arm. She had surgery and after the surgery had some complications that led to the discovery of pulmonary embolisms in her lungs. She was hospitalized for almost a week (the longest week of her life, I'm sure!). She generally felt fine but the docs wanted to keep a close eye on her. She's home now and doing much better. Of course, I wanted to be at the hospital with her, so Brian took over a lot of the kid duties so I could be with my parents. Brian also gets huge props for watching the last Packer game (the one that was so close!) while watching all three kiddos and getting supper together while I was with my mom! I'd say since all the children made it through the game unscathed, he did good!!!

Finally, and the best part was that Brian and I left last weekend and went to Riviera Maya, Mexico!! It's just sound of Cancun and it was the best, most glorious, restful, relaxing four days I think either of us have ever had!! We've never taken any kind of warm weather vacation together and haven't been anywhere on any sort of vacation since I was six months pregnant with Lauren. So, this was overdue and much needed!! Since my mom couldn't watch the kids as had been the plan, Brian's mom flew up here at the last minute to stay with our babies for the weekend. We are so thankful for her!! The kids had so much fun with Grandma Jane and we're pretty sure that Grandma Jane enjoyed her grandbabies very much!! We owe a debt of gratitude to so many people for making our trip as enjoyable as it was: Jane for staying with our babies the whole time and not causing me one little ounce of worry that they wouldn't be fine; our neighbors Stephanie and Brenton for taking Lauren and Josh to preschool and picking them up so Jane wouldn't have to drive anywhere and generally being available and ready to help at any moment; to our neighbor Deonne for watching to make sure our garbage didn't blow everywhere and for checking in with Jane to see if she needed anything; to my aunt Sandy and cousin Katie for spending the night here on Friday night to help Jane out, give her a break, and spend some time with our babies; to my dear friend Emily for taking Josh to his buddy's birthday party at the zoo on Saturday; and to my dear friend Melissa for checking in on my mom while I was gone - you were my stand-in!! If I am forgetting to name someone, I am so dearly sorry. There were so many that made it possible for us to rest assured that our babies were well-cared for so we could truly relax and not worry.

And we relaxed and didn't worry at all!!

We stayed at a place called Secrets Silversands. It was right on the beach and it was beautiful. It was clean, the people were so helpful and the food was fantastic!! My favorite part was walking into a restaurant every meal for four days, eating food I didn't have to make and then leaving without having to clean up!!! It was the BEST!! We didn't really do much, though. We truly did relax. We went on a lobster and steak dinner cruise on Friday night and that was fun! Otherwise, we sat on the beach and read drinking pina coladas!!! And we got a lot of sleep!! FINALLY!!!! It was just fabulous! We are totally going back next year, so anyone who wants to come with us, let us know!!!!