Vacation 2008 was, to say the least, awesome. And I fell in love...

...with the mountains. And the cabin life. I loved waking up every morning to deer in the backyard, the view of the majestic mountains and billions of trees, the crisp air at 6300 feet, the silence, sitting on the deck and watching the sky for endless miles, feeling so close to God, telling the kids how all these awesome mountains, valleys and streams were not man-made but created by God, being able to tell they understood that, feeling like we were tucked away in our own little corner of the world, the fireplace burning every night, a tv with only 3 channels and no one caring. Ahhhhh. It was refreshing and the memories taken from that vacation are priceless. We have decided that someday...someday...we want a cabin of our own. Someday.

We packed in a lot of stuff in a week...Mount Rushmore, Reptile Gardens (twice), Bear Country, 4 soccer games (2 goals scored), Spearfish Canyon, Custer State Park, Keystone, hiking up the mountain in our backyard and seeing what was over the ridge, 1 half marathon, and lots of quality family time hanging out at the cabin.

The race was a great experience. I loved the whole atmosphere. It was an early morning for us, 6:30 am drop off at the busses but no one complained. I rode up to the start line with a gal from Harrisburg and we instantly hit it off. That's what I love about these things...thousands of people and there's always someone new to meet. It was a beautiful morning but coooolllllddddd. The first 5 miles were awesome, although my toes were still numb from waiting for the race to begin! Then I kind of hit that "wall" and thought on no, the altitude is going to bother me. I just kept going through mile 6 and I felt great again. I saw the mile 11 sign coming up and I thought, wow that was quick! But my balloon quickly deflated when a race worker came running up with a mile 10 marker to replace it. No way, it was only mile 10. But I kept going, soaking in the beautiful surroundings. The last few miles were long, I was getting anxious for the finish line because I didn't know where I was going to end, who would be there, how many people would be there watching, etc. As I got closer, I checked my watch. I really wanted to come in at 2 hours but I knew it would be tough with the terrain, altitude and not really getting in a good run in 3 days before. The finish line was so exciting....hundreds of people clapping, cheering and there was my family, standing there, cheering with the rest of the crowd. I ran faster and finished in 1:55:54.

I then celebrated with an icy Coke and a couple of beers. :)

So now we're back in the real world, hubby is back to work, kids are back to summer acitivites and still relishing in the memories of the mountains. I seriously could live in the mountains and be very content with it. I just hope soon I'll be content again with living in the plains and the wind. Sigh. It was a great trip and we'll go back again sometime for another round.

The bags are packed (almost), the truck is full, the dog is on his way to the kennel, the dvd player is ready to rock, the kids are hyped up, the cabin is waiting for us.

Please pray for our safe trip, lots of sunshine, no mountain lions, my son's soccer team (go YK Sidekicks!) and for my legs to carry me across the finish line in somewhat good form. I hope I'm ready. I'll be thinking of you guys and I'll catch up with you when we get back next week with plenty of photos!

WE'RE OFF!

Hope you're not tired of yet another baby picture...

We're leaving on Wednesday for you trip to the hills and I feel like I have so many things to do. I can't wait to leave but getting ready for a vacation is really a lot of work. Not only do I have to pack for a week but I have picture orders I need to get out before then and a whole list of "little" projects that need tending to around the house. I also need to fit those extra runs as race day countdown is on. Ugh. So I suppose you are wondering why I am finding the time to blog with all these things needing to be done. I am wondering too. But then again, there's always time to blog and it's much more fun. And it's a reason to procrastinate.

The guilt has set in. I must get to my list. Pray my list gets lots of checkmarks today. And pray I keep my sanity at the same time!

My husband and I celebrated 14 years wedded bliss last week. So it's been mostly bliss, haha! Anyhoo, here was my gift...yep, you guessed it. A bow. I'm not aiming at a deer by the way, just a target at the archery range. After being with my hunting-man for all these years (18 total) I have learned a bit about the great sport of hunting. If I start learning now, maybe in a few years I'll hike along on the trips to find that elusive critter we have hanging all over our walls. With the awesome weather this weekend, it was great to not only spend time with the love of my life, but to do something we enjoy together. Yes, I actually liked shooting and didn't do too bad considering it was my first time. Watch out deer...this hunting duo will be ready to rock in a short time and we'll both be loving it and each other.

By the way, there was a romantic gift of perfume too. So i'll smell good while I'm hunting!

It's been BABY week at my house! A splurge of little ones have been needing their pictures taken, from roly-poly 6 months old to just a few days old. These are the best appointments...I get to hold babies, take their pictures and make new friends with the mommies. This newest member of the world is Meagan...isn't she precious?

Nothing better than a girls day at the spa. Our toes look so

pretty!!

Yesterday was the last day of school! The reactions were totally oppposite let me tell you. First the kindergarteners came out and about 10 of them were in complete tears! Including mine. Us parents eagerly waiting for them were in shock...they weren't happy to be out of school at all! I thought taking my little one's picture with her favorite teacher would help bring a smile but as you can see, she still felt sad. It made me feel sad too for her. On the other end, my fifth grader and all his friends let out a huge holler as they left elementary school for the last time. This made me feel sad too. Middle school is just a few months away now. How do they grow up so fast? My second grader was just low key, happy for summer but would be happy to be in school too. She'll see her friends a lot I'm sure as she keeps up with the social events. So here we are, first day of summer and it's cold. Looks like a good day for pedicures!

Isn't she beautiful?

I always loved the eyes of arab women and I got the chance to photograph this senior girl over the weekend. She lived in the country of Jordan for two years before coming back to Yankton. I just can't get over the eyes and the story they tell. Pretty cool for a 17 year old.

The month is May has officially become one of the busiest months for our household. Which explains my lack of blogging. But finally, I have a precious few minutes to catch up a bit. The big dance performances were last weekend and they were a hit. We have had practices, rehearsals, games, etc literally every night of the week for the past month. So combining that with school projects, my race training and people needing picture appts, the month has flown by. The girls played soccer too this spring and seemed to really enjoy another aspect totally opposite from dance. Now things are calming down a bit and school ends tomorrow. Then the real fun begins!

OH MY GOSH...IT CAME!

I opened my mailbox to find the return addressed envelope I sent to Brett Favre and here it is! Signed, sealed and delivered. It even smelled of the sharpie marker still. 4 months later and Brett pulled through. I was so excited, I called my husband at work and said, "Guess what came in the mail today?" He answered, "Our check from President Bush." I said it's better than that, it's Brett Favre!

So tonight we are going to give this big surprise to the biggest Packer fan I know. And I gotta tell you, after all this anticipation, I can hardly wait!

Scheew. It's been crazy around here! With all 3 kids in soccer, one in track and 2 in dance, there is always something going on. And my appointment book is really filling up. My name is out there and people keep calling. That is a good thing and it's good I can schedule around the rest of the families schedule. Anyhoo, this weekend I only scheduled one photo shoot to get caught up on the rest of laundry and to have some good 'ol fashioned playtime. My husband and I decided to take the night off of cooking and go out for supper. And just for something really off the wall, we drove to Vermillion to this great little chinese restaurant. "Chae's" if you're wondering. It was a great evening...good food, good service, good little eaters.

So with all the practices, games and rehearsals and marathon training, my husband and I were especially enjoying the night together. And a little something, something called a romantic moment even occurred after supper. We all got a fortune cookie and read each out loud. Mine was kind of silly, the kids didn't understand theirs but then my husband read his...

"Happy life is just in front of you"

He looked up and guess who was sitting directly across from him....me.

It was a really sweet moment, kind of gushy almost. Aaawwwwww, was all my daughter could say. She loves the romantic thing too. My hubby put the fortune in his pocket and I set it up in our bedroom, reminding us that even with all the chaos of everyday life, we are so happy.

So there you go, a little romantic story for you, one I won't soon forget.

My son turned 11 on Tuesday...Happy Birthday! I may a little biased but...isn't he just HANDSOME? I look at this picture and stare in disbelief at how big he is getting. He's one awesome 11 yr. old. I love him to pieces...

Just a quick note to say......

WE'RE OFF!

Looks like God listened and didn't give us as much snow as predicted. Still windy as heck but with a little help from above, we can handle that one too. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. See ya when we get back!

As i'm sitting here waiting for my Shrimp Bisque to come to a boil, i'm also watching the snow come down and wishing it would go away. I've had myself in a bubble all day, not wanting to face the fact that my weekend is being washed away. But it's hitting me straight in the nose now (sorry, Karen) It's snowing and blowing and my dad has already called to say he doesn't want me on the roads. My husband has no comment at this point. I think he was looking foward to a weekend without us girls, I was looking forward to a weekend WITH the girls. I asked him ,"Why do we live in South Dakota?" His answer, "The hunting." Grrrrr. Not the response I needed. So, my bisque is simmering nicely now and I'm remaining optimistic. You just never know what could happen. This is South Dakota afterall.

This blasted snow they're predicting is ruining our weekend! Carey and I need some prayers, anything, in hopes the moisture comes down as rain or the whole thing just shifts southward. There's shopping and lots of girl-time at stake here. And, of course not mention our sanity! But like my son said on the way from practice tonight...if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. He's got the right idea. That calmed me for a minute or two...

...but there will be tears shed if this blasted storm keeps me home!

the sun feels so good. I am sitting in it right now, absorbing the warmth before I venture on a much-needed run. I've been looking forward to this run all day...time to myself and time to zone out in my own little world. This is my favorite day of the week. When i get back and cleaned up, it's out to eat. We have made it a tradition that Friday nights we give me a break from cooking and go out to eat. i'm looking forward to that too. I hope you are all enjoying the sunshine too and doing something you've saved up to do for when the weather gets warmer.

Here's to a warmer and sunnier weekend!

I cannot wait to go to bed tonight. I mean I really can't wait. You see, I had one of those parties over Easter break where you invite friends over, have some food, buy some things and reap the rewards of being a hostess. My good friend started selling for Private Quarters. There are only 4 reps in SD so it's a fairly new business which ended up being great for both of us. So the company sells bedding that 4 star luxery hotels have, down comforters, feather beds, blankets, towels, robes, pillows...all the things that truly help you have a great nights sleep. They specialize in the 7 layer bed. AAAAAHHHHH. Well, my party was a great one. LOTS of fun and the show was so awesome. I learned you are never supposed to use fabric softener on your towels. It builds up and eventually has a waxy feel so the water isn't absorbed as well. Anyhoo, with the total sales from my party, I got a whole new bed. Literally. Spa sheets and 600 counts sheets, a down blanket, a mattress pad that rocks, a new down comforter, a sarong for me and another awesome blanket for the basement. So all these boxes came from UPS today...it was like xmas. I made my new bed and it is like 5 inches higher with all the stuff on it but oh, so comfy. I'm not expecting my hubby and I to be jumping out of bed in the morning too quickly...I think it's going to be just too relaxing. But it will be so worth it. There is nothing like a great bed.

Off to bed I go...I'll let you know exactly how hard it was to get out of bed tomorrow morning. ZZZZZZZZZZ........................

First snow day of the year. The kids were pretty excited. Except for my son, who was supposed to start track today. He's old enough now to understand today has to be made up at the end of year. I am so ready for spring, I can hardly stand it. Luckily I have food in the fridge and movies we just rented. I hope this stuff doesn't stick around long or my sanity will be tested for sure. Spring...where are you??

Today's project...getting a picture for a photo contest I want to enter. The theme is pets. The 3 catagories are capturing your pet with a little friend, dressing up your pet or pets when they're babies. I chose the first catagory because #1, Ridge is just way too big to be in the puppy catagory and #2, there is no way my hubby would let us dress Ridge up in some crazy tutu. So, my little girl volunteered to pose with Ridge. It didn't go as well as I had hoped. As you can tell from the first photo, Ridge's tongue got in the way! But, I'll enter a few and hope for the best. First place is a digital camera! I hope we at least get an honorable mention after what we went through... :)

My baby girl has a diagnoses...Vasovagal Syncope. A big word for a little girl. Two years ago, she had a seizure-like episode. Come to find out, she had minor little episodes periodically since she was only about 1 yrs. old. It was the hardest thing to witness and the hardest thing to watch her go through the tests. An EEG, blood work to test for diabetes, epilepsy and some other diseases I can't even remember. After they all came back negative, we had to make the choice to give her a CAT scan, which would reveal any tumors in her brain. That was bad, but even worse was the 3 day wait for the results. In those horribly long 3 days, i would watch her play, dance, run and hope, pray and literally cry for no tumors. The scan came back all normal. no tumors. but still, we didn't know what would cause her to react like she had. The doctors told us to carry on as normal, they couldn't find anything physically wrong with her. We went for a whole year and then it happened again. Then again it happened just last December. She lost her tooth, saw blood and fell to the floor in a seizure-like state. Minutes later, she was back to her normal self. Then just last week, I got a call from the school nurse. She had went down on the playground. My heart went into my throat. By the time I got there she was awake. I took her home, she ate lunch and was running around like nothing had happened. After doing some research at Mayo Clinic, we have finally nailed down her condition. Vasovagal Syncope. It's a nerve in her neck that is triggered by something like the sight of blood, dehydration, hunger and several others. These are the 3 I notice that could be the culprits for her reactions. It causes her to basically faint. 85% of children outgrow it. Scheww. I can't tell you how glad I am to know a name for this thing. She is a bright, beautiful little girl who brightens up your day just by walking in the room. It's not often, but it may happen. I just thank God for giving us the name and the peace of mind that comes with it. There's no better feeling than that.

Run and play, little one, you're going to be just fine.

I finally get it. After 37 years of wondering what I am supposed to be doing with my life, I finally get it. It's taken me a long time to figure it out but factors contributing to the light bulb going off include...my kids, my husband, Beth Moore, friends that have reappeared in my life and most of all, just listening to what has been said to me for all these years. And accepting it.

It's funny how I pushed God out of my life. I never wanted to listen. I thought I knew what was right for me. I thought I knew what would make me feel complete. But I didn't. Over the last few years I started to realize, this is my plan. This is what I am to do. And everyday, I get it more and more. I was not destined to live the life of a millionaire, or even a thousand-aire. I wasn't meant to live the life of a famous person. I am here to raise my children in our humble home, in our humble town and live a humble life. And I love it.

You see, I get it. I get the plan. It is so clear to me now. That acceptance is what makes me feel so fulfilled, so complete. And you know what, I am so happy about where I am. Even though it took me so long to figure it out, now I can instill what I've learned into these 3 little kids running around me right now in hopes they will get it long before I did. See what I mean? It's all in the plans. Can't wait to see what else my journey has before me.

This little girl is from one of my photo shoots this weekend...she is anxiously awaiting spring too.

I almost inherited a $7000.00 painting today.

You see, I enrolled my girls in art classes at a local downtown gallery. They love them and are so excited for me to see their work when I pick them up. So today, the gallery owner, a total sweetheart, asked if I had seen this new piece she just got in. It was this huge, huge canvas painting of something I can't even remember because the price tag had my attention. $7000.00. I just kept looking at it wondering why it was so spendy when all of a sudden my littlest one came out of the workroom, came barrelling towards me and the painting. She went right up to it with her hands in a rather rough way. The painting swayed a bit back and forth. At this point, my heart is in my throat and I'm not breathing. Finally, my voice squeeked out, "Oh we don't touch $7000.00 paintings," Scheww. We got out of there in a hurry after that one.

Note to self: Exposing children to art galleries BEFORE taking art classes is a good thing!

...my girls...

Why didn't I think of this earlier???

This was a great little pastime for my girlies this weekend...give 'em a pile of shaving cream on the table and let them "fingerpaint" away! Bonus: the shaving cream eventually disappears, easy cleanup and smooth little hands. They loved writing words in the cream, drawing pictures and mostly being able to be free to be messy! Again, I ask...why didn't I think of this years ago??

You know you're getting old when entertainment is watching the laundry spin in the new washer and dryer....

I've never been very good at expressing what I'm thinking. I can write them but when it comes to words, it just doesn't come out right. There are so many things I think and when i try and speak them, my choice of words do not express what I mean. Sometimes I find myself not saying anything and later wishing I would've said this or should've said that. Maybe because I'm afraid I'll really say the wrong thing. I don't know, I just wish sometimes that I could shout out who I am and what I believe in. I want my friends and my family to really know who I am. Right now, I don't think they do because I never truly express it.

Maybe one day, my words will come and all these thoughts and dreams I have for me, my kids, my friends, will come out. And maybe I'll even make sense. Know what I mean?!

So...all is well in our household. Despite the fact the Mr. Favre has left us. My boy took the news like a pro, after the tears flowed a bit, he felt better. He said he felt like someone died and in a way, I understood how he felt. But he is so glad we went to that game and he is so glad he has pictures of it and he is so glad he can still wear his #4 jersey. And he's always going to be a Packer fan. I told him one day we'll go see all those Favre memoribilia in the Hall of Fame. And we'll even still make it to Lambeau Field. We watched the big retirement speech today and after listening to it, I was thankful once again for my young sports fanatic to look up to a guy like Brett Favre. He is such a humble man, never once boasting about all his accomplishments. He is like a silent Christian. He's someone who never talks about his faith but it shows in everything he does. That's the kind of person my boy thinks is the greatest athlete ever and I couldn't be happier about it.

It's going to be a sad afternoon after school. Just came home, turned on the TV which was already on SportsCenter as usual and there it was, all over the news..Brett Favre is retiring. My heart just sank. My boy's heart is going to sink even lower. It makes me cry to even think about how he is going to take this news. I know he is going to cry and I need to prepare myself to talk about the positives. About how we got to see him play in person, how we got to see him break the record for the most touchdowns passed ever in NFL history, about all the school papers he has written about Favre, about how just watching the games, he has learned to play football even better, about how he knows every statistcal fact by memory. and more importantly, about how he learned how being a hero like Brett Favre isn't just about breaking records but being a good person, believing in God and making the right choices in life.

I know, I know, maybe he'll take it better than what I am anticipating. But when you look up to a team and it's quarterback as much as my son does, this is going to be a big deal in his young life. So be thinking of us and although there are alot of worse things that could happen, it's still going to be a sad night for my little man. He'll always love Brett Favre, on the field or off. And he'll still be wearing his cheesehead every chance he gets. Speaking for my young Packer-roid...Go Packers!

WOOHOO!

It was the big Roger Haas basketball tournament in Yankton today. My basketball son was up before the sun this morning for his first game at 8am. It was a nail biter to the end but they won, 26-24. Second game tip off was at 9:40...another good game but the boys were pretty tired towards the end. They held on to win, 22-14. That win took them to the championship for their bracket at 3:30...you could tell they were rested, fed and had plenty of gatorade. It was an awesome game with our boys winning 36-17. They took the first place trophy and after he recovered a bit from being winded, he was all smiles. His trophy is proudly displayed in his room and marks the end of his 5th grade basketball season. What a way to end. My excitement has leveled off now too from the games and we have a bit of a break now until soccer season. Schewww. I don't know how much more competition this mom can handle. I think I get more nervous than him.

Way to go #51 and to the rest of the team!!

Got my shirt today for the Mile-A-Day Challenge...I'm happy to say after 2 months, I'm still in.

the last week has been a flurry of activity...

2 dance classes

2 basketball practices

1 washer and dryer bought

1 cabin rented

1 trip to Sioux Falls to see mom and dad

4 stores visited

3 new pairs of shoes

1 new swimsuit

3 photo appointments

3 kids who needed help with homework

24 cookies baked

1 visit from the tooth fairy

1 birthday party attended

1 lunch with great friends

12 roses smelled

2 Charlie's Pizzas devoured

15 miles ran

Hundreds of prayers said

1 mommy ready for bed...

My husband and I are planning our summer vacations...already. Yes, the winter has taken its toll and we're more than ready for warm sun. But since there is quite a bit of the cold, wintry stufff left, I think it makes us both feel better to plan for June/July. So we're online looking for cabins in the Black Hills to book...and it's hard! There are so many and most of them, I don't know whether to trust the pictures or not. Is it really that nice or is it just the photo? It's kind of a frustrating feat. We need something in between Deadwood and Mt. Rushmore for all the touristy stuff. So i'm opening up this blog space for any suggestions/ideas for great cabins for a family of 5. You may just help us narrow this search down a bit and then we'll really feel like summer is on the way!

Haven't published much about Ridge in a long time. He's 2 years old now. I'm surprised he is still with us...last summer was filled with chasing him around the neighborhood, trying to teach him to stay in our yard. I was close two times to giving him away to some family that lives in the country. But over the last few months, he has finally accepted the fact that he doesn't own the house, the Weimeriner down the street doesn't want to be his friend and he has rules to follow, just like the kids. He is becoming a really good family dog, runs with me and loves to hunt those birds.

I just wish that big head wasn't soooo stubborn...

I just found out yesterday that girls weekend is set for April. I marked my calendar and labeled it "mom's weekend away." I was thinking after I wrote that how much I really don't get to "shop" anymore. Really if it weren't for these weekends, I probably wouldn't get to a mall without kids/husband ever. My shopping abilities have been on the decline over the years. I don't even know what the latest trends are. When I was younger, I could spend hours at the mall, trying on clothes, matching shoes and jewelry. I loved planning my outfits for the next day. But now, i'm just lucky to find a shirt and pants that match. I just don't have the time to seriously shop. If I do get to clothing store, I'm always on a time limit..."only have 15 minutes before so and so needs to be picked up". so I end up cruising through, picking up the first black shirt I can find, then putting it back because I always feel like I wear too much black. Then I'm discouraged because I just wasted that precious time and came home with nothing. I really need to get away from black but I can't. I have recently found brown to be a nice color. too bad I can't pair the two up. Then I'd have a wardrobe. I don't even know what looks good on me. Last year, Carey was my deciding factor on some outfits...thank God for her. Lately, believe it or not, I have relied on my husband. He can give it to me straight on what looks good and what maybe needs to be sent back. So I am hoping someday my shopping abilities will come back and I can look like I belong in this century. Please someone send me to "What Not To Wear"!!!!!!

My girls.

Sometimes I wonder what life will be like with them when they get into those teenage years. Because right now, they are just not clicking. Up until about a month ago, life was peachy for them. They played together, daughter 2 did whatever daughter 1 did, etc. They share a room with daughter 1 having the bigger bed. So we often find daughter 2 soundly asleep with her big sister in her bed. It's quite cute. But lately, well...the drama has begun. Drama and girls go together I think. Daughter 1 is very dramatic and the littlest things will get her going. Daughter 2 knows these buttons and pushes them from the minute I pick them up from school. Grrrrrrrr......so they end up both getting into trouble. Lately, I have had to have them play in separate areas of the house. Things are nice quiet then. Seems to work so far.

It still makes me laugh though because they could be tattling on each other, picking on each other 'til bedtime....and I still find the little one sneaking into the older one's bed to sleep. They love each other even through all the drama.

I got a call from my brother last week and I knew there was something wrong by the sound of his voice. He told me he had a brutal week. I couldn't imagine what would cause him to have a shaky voice, a quiet demeanor. He told me the story that I have been reading about all week.

http://www.cbs2chicago.com/ has stories, reports and pictures of Randy Salerno, an anchor for the station and a great friend and neighbor of my brother, Brian. They had planned a snowmobiling trip for weeks, taking a small plane to Wisconsin for a weekend of trail running. Brian said the first night they were, he was behind Randy and another guy. He said the driver was going way too fast, missed a turn and crashed. Brian was the first one on the scene. He said he pulled off Randy's helmet, began CPR. It was late, dark, in the middle of nowhere but my brother said it was too late. His chest hit the tree and there was nothing anyone could do. Now the driver of the Snowmobile has been charged in his death because he had been drinking. This guy was a lifelong friend of Randy's and my brother said he is devastated beyond anything you would ever see. I asked Brian how he was doing. It's been brutal, he said. he can't sleep. When he does, dreams and flashbacks wake him up. He can't focus. He is struggling and my heart just sank. A weekend of fun turned into a tragedy that he can't even describe. Brian wanted me to read up on Randy Salerno, the accident and just pray for everyone involved. So that's what I did. I googled it and it wasn't hard to find. It's been on my mind all weekend.

I'm passing the story onto you for your prayers for a family that you may not know. But I truly think all prayers help, even when they are for strangers. and please pray for Brian, my brother. Pray that he can find peace and comfort. Pray that he can find the reasons behind this tragic accident.

I realize more and more everyday how short of time we have on this earth. I told Brian I loved him, which I haven't told him in awhile. It's one of those things that we assume they know but the words aren't said. I am worried for him becuase I know he is taking this very hard and really doesn't know how to overcome it. Thank you for your prayers. They all mean a lot and I know in time, they will be answered.

I was talking to a high school guy at my church a couple of weeks back and he was telling me how his girlfriend wrote to Eli Manning of the New York Giants for a project in school. He ended up sending her back an autograph and a team photo. Wow, I thought that is really cool. Wouldn't that be neat for Brody if he could get something from the Packers?

The thought stuck with me for awhile until I finally did some investigating. Sure enough, on the Packers website, there is an address specifically for Brett Favre. It says he signs autographs, mostly on the offseason. I started getting a little excited now. Hmmmmm, I really want to try this out. My son's birthday is in April. What a great present, huh?!

My hubby and I talked about what to send for a possible autograph. I mean, we may not get it back. Hey, what about a picture of my son in his room that he decorated mostly himself?! This is one of the pictures. It's not his favorite because he says you can't see his Packer lamp but it's good enough for what I need. The kicker is my son has no idea what this picture is for. I thought just in case Favre doesn't send anything back, he won't be heartbroken. So he just thinks I took this picture for the scrapbook. Little does he know, an 8x10 is going in the mail this week. I don't have my hopes up but it would be cool for an autograph. So we'll see what happens.

Cheeshead or no cheesehead, I'll be praying for one awesome birthday present for the little man.

I'm copying Bobbi and her new appliances. I have been wanting a new washer/dryer...you know the new front loader style with all the bells and whistles. After researching them on the internet, I'm ready to go out and shop for them in person. We decided now is the perfect time to invest in a set since this is the point of my life where we have the most laundry. I mean, it never ends. Never. So, I'm excited to check them out. I've discovered you can even get them in colors.

I wonder how sage green would look? Wish me luck.

the funk has left the building. and i have you to thank! you were right...all it took was a little sunshine and a little God-time.

speaking of sunshine, this weekend weather was awesome. got some good running in and decided to go for it and register for the Deadwood half marathon. are you with me carey?? hope so. we are planning a family vacation around the whole event and it will be something we'll all look forward too. at least we'll know it won't be 20 below zero.

I'm in a funk. A funkity, funkity funk, funk, funk. Must the weather. Or maybe it's just being irritable. Either way, I hope the funk ends soon.

Any suggestions?

Well, my son's team put up a good effort but fell short of making it to the SuperBowl. After dressing up his sisters in Packer gear, he faithfully watched the entire game. At the end, he shed a few tears for his team but took it well. I think he felt the agony of defeat last night. But win or lose, he still loves his Packers and Brett Favre. He's a devoted fan. So now he says he'll look forward to next year. I guess we can just watch the SuperBowl and actually enjoy it now that none of "our" teams are playing for the title. I'm kind of glad. These games can get rather stressful!

I'm in the Mile-A-Day Challenge again for 2008. The rules have changed this year and treadmills are included. So, I sent in my fees and hopefully can make it to the end of the year. It's a long ways off but the challenge will be...well....challenging. So far I am still in. I even braved the cold today, bundled up and went on a run outside basically because I was too lazy to drive into town to the fitness center. I ran until my fingertips started tingling. That warm fitness center seemed appealing about then. What was I thinking. My under armour did it's job pretty will though. And I got my miles in. So the challenge is on. We'll see how far it goes.

My ramblings for the day.....

Finally. We're home from a chilly morning filled with basketball camp and dance class. A grocery store and movie gallery stop were also fit in before settling in for the day. My son is anxiously awaiting his teams pursuit to the SuperBowl tomorrow afternoon. He can't wait. For his sake, I'll be cheering on Brett Favre and the Packers. Maybe even sporting a cheesehead. My son has been playing basketball since november and has been asked to be on a traveling team where they go from tournament to tournament, playing other cities, towns and schools. It will make our schedule a bit more packed, forcing me to be extremely time efficient and organized. I love watching him play. He has this energy when he plays that is contagious. I think really neat. Today, his camp performs at the Mount Marty College basketball game. Another trip in to the cold but worth it.

Yesterday was my birthday. 37 years young. My husband graced me with a gift certificate for a massage...or a facial....or a pedicure. Whatever I like. I don't know what I'll choose. I love being pampered like that. It will be a nice treat. We went out for supper, to a movie and had some nice time together. A perfect way to celebrate a birthday.

I picked up my son from basketball practice yesterday and he proceeds to tell me about how his class was split up boys from the girls. They had the class on puberty. What? My boy was learning about what happens when he grows up? He kept talking, I was listening but my mind was bouncing around to can this talk really be happening? I kept thinking, man it seems like just yesterday I was trying to get him potty trained. Now he's got this sample of deoderant and telling me about how his voice will change and hair is going to start growing everywhere. I smiled and said, yep that's what happens as your body starts changing. My mind was still thinking, oh my gosh, I can't believe we are having this conversation. This morning, I smelled a smell of after shave. I laughed to myself as I realized my son was using his sample of deoderant. He was paying attention during the puberty talk! He's growing up, it's me that has to get used to it!

I'm still here, just a tad behind on everything, including blogs and blogging. Be back with ya later. Is there a way more hours can be put into a day?!?

:)

Okay so this is the difference between boys and girls.....

Shoes.

A girl can never have enough shoes, right?! I had my girls clean their closet today because of, well, all their shoes. They even tried hanging up their clean clothes which sort of worked. The top rack was a bit too tall so some just got hung over the bottom rack. They matched up their shoes and I was a bit shocked to see just how many pairs they have. My hubby really wonders if it's necessary for little girls to have 15 pairs of black shoes. Well, yes it is, I told him. Us girls love our shoes.

And then there's my 10 1/2 year old son whose only shoes he really cares about are his high tops for basketball and his new Green Bay Packer shoes he got for Christmas. He really has a strong dislike for either of his Doc Martens and the hiking boots I scored for him at Cabelas. No matter how hard I try, he wears the same shoes day after day. So that's what we go through every morning...the girls spend 10 min. trying to find shoes while my son spends 10 min. polishing up his GB shoes.

Gotta love those shoes.

Two exciting things for these two kiddos...

Kiddo #1: Lost her front tooth and now has lisp! She took her tooth to school for show n tell and still has it in the bag. For some reason that only the little one can tell you, she doesn't want to part with her tooth just yet. This may not seem like a very exciting thing to blog about but you must know, I have realized that since this is my last baby in the house, every little "first" is a big deal. Because it's my "last".

Kiddo #2: We're in basketball season now. My son is practicing everyday. He won the hoop shoot for his age at his school and competed last Saturday with all the other schools in Yankton and surrounding area for the state title. He was so nervous but we were so proud. I told him on the way, whether he wins or loses this contest, he is still a winner. Getting to this point was hard. He didn't win the title but we were sitting in the stands watching him, our hearts were busting with pride. Way to go, bud.