Fabulous Weather

What a great weekend! The weather has been great. The boys got to get their bikes out today to ride. They both needed a lesson before they could get going! How soon they forget things. We also got out the grill tonight. Man did those brats taste good! Our local DQ opened today too so after supper we got some blizzards.

Both the boys have been little comedians today. Blake told us on the way to hockey that he sure wished it wasn't 52 degrees. We asked him why and he said 'because I'm hot!' Of course we had our winter stuff on because we were headed to the arena! Then tonight after we put him to bed Avery came out to the living room. I asked what he wanted and he said 'Mommy, thank you for giving me my toys back.' Mike and I were both laughing. He had gotten his toys taken away over a week ago because he wouldn't pick them up. I finally gave them back last Friday. Funny that it took him so long to tell me thank you!

Chicago Continued....

After the Oprah show we of course had to take some pictures in front of her studio sign to prove that we had been there! Then we walked across the street to her store. She has so many fun things that I could have purchased but didn't think I should spend everything we have in one spot! We then took a cab to find a Chicago style pizza place. We ended up at Giordano's! It was FABULOUS pizza with so much cheese I thought I was going to choke on it at one point! It was so good though.



Then we made our way to the Magnificent Mile to do some shopping. We went into some stores that I would NEVER be able to afford anything in! Nieman Marcus had a trike so fancy I would be afraid to let my kid ride it!



We shopped most of the afternoon and then made our way back to the hotel to retrieve our bags. We hung around the hotel while we changed clothes, checked in for our flight and put some comfy shoes on. Then we made our way back to the train station. While we were on the way back to the airport the three of us were seated on opposite sides of the door in the car. Some guy comes in the back door from the next car and has his kid in a kind of choke hold. He says to everyone in a very loud voice so that the whole car could hear that him and his 'son have fallen on hard times. I do no kind of drugs or drink alcohol. If anyone could help us out we would appreciate it.' From the way he started his 'speech' we were thinking that he was going to hold us all up! He proceeded through the car and a few people gave him some money. I made sure not to make eye contact at all! He continued on to the next car through a door that was 'for emergencies only.'

Our flight back to MSP went smoothly and we got off the plane and ended up not remembering what parking lot we were in so we got into an area for the wrong two lots. We knew we were on level 2 so at least we remembered that but it was a laughable experience.

All in all it was a very fun trip...even if it was so short. I will have to go back now to see all the things that I didn't get a chance to...like the Navy Pier, Sears Tower.

Chicago/Oprah Trip

So I am back...and completely wiped! We left at 2 pm on Tuesday and returned to Mankato at 11:30 pm last night. It was such a fun trip. I had never been to Chicago so it was exciting to get to see it all.

I started out having to rearrange everything and find people to come sit with the kids so that we could leave at 2 pm instead of 3. We managed to make it to the airport with PLENTY of time to spare as the roads weren't that bad. Once we got on the plane we sat on the tarmack for an hour as first the runway was icy, then they had to de-ice the plane and anti-ice the plane then finish the inspection of the runway. We were finally on our way for the 1 hour flight and got to Chicago Midway in one piece.

We took the train to the hotel we were staying at and finally got there around 11 pm I think. The train ride was pretty fun...not busy but nervewracking making sure we didn't miss the stop and could get off in time. At one point I pulled out some cookies I had brought because we needed a snack. Just as my mother-in-law (MIL) took her second bite I heard an announcement that there was to be no eating on the train. So being the rule follower that I am I put both our cookies back in my bag. We all had a good laugh as it felt like they were watching us!

We had to be at Oprah's studio by 7 am so we were up at 4:30 am (mostly because we couldn't sleep) and got ready to go. We got breakfast and made our way via taxi to the Harpo Stuido. Once there it was so much like being in Kindergarten. They make everyone be in a single file line to get into the building and then once in you check your coats and and then they search through your purse...I mean search it! They removed my note paper, a paper with our hotel info and my cell phone. I am not sure why they take out the paper but I wasn't going to question them. They check it and you get it back after the show.

So then after they search your stuff they put you in a 'holding' room where you wait for your name to be called. I am not sure what order they call people in but we were one of the last groups to be called so didn't get our choice of seats but we could still see Oprah and the guests on the show.

I know you are dying for me to tell you about the show...but I can't, I'm sworn to secrecy...Just kidding. It was a show about the "Truths about Motherhood" full of confessions real moms via Skype, co-authors of a book about being a mom (not sure of the title or authors names as I couldn't use my note pad to write that down) and Cheryl Hines, who is on the new show "In the Motherhood" on ABC. We do not have any date that it will air right now. We were just told to watch her website for more details.

Oh, and she gave us all Flip Video cameras that say 'mOms' them! They are about a $150 digital video camera for those of you who don't know. I had actually looked at buying one not that long ago.

To be continued.....

Headed to Oprah!

After posting some funny stories about my kids I got a call from the Oprah show that they wanted to give me some tickets to the show. So I am headed there with Mike's Mom, Sue and his cousin's wife, Carrie. We leave next Tuesday after work and get back late Wednesday night. The show is about Moms so I had to pick two other people who are moms to come with.

Can't wait...I am so excited. Never been to Chicago before either so it will be a great trip ~ even if it is a whirlwind! It is worth it to go to see the Oprah show! I think this is just the pick-me-up that I needed to get back in the swing of things and out of my funk! Thank you Oprah Show!

Will let you all know when the show will air!

New Pictures

Mommy's 3rd Hat


Grandpa Harlan ice fishing


Blake with his hockey buddy Ryan


Boys with Great Grandma Mary


Blake


Avery Ice Fishing

Avery said the 'F' word...FAT!

Sitting at hockey waiting for all the open skating people to get out of the way so we could watch the Zamboni and this kid walks by and Avery says to me as he is pointing...'He's a fat kid.' Now I don't understand him at first so of course I ask him to repeat it and this time he says it louder. Luckily I don't think that anyone else would have understood what he said but OMG I can't believe that my kid said that. Blake has never said anything of the sort and we don't say those things in front of them for that reason. Guess he got it from somewhere.

This comment comes after his answer to the question "what do you do when you break something that belongs to someone else?"...'vacuum it up!' She said he said it with much conviction too. I know exactly where that thought came from as he has watched us vacuum up glass things when we break them but I don't think that is what they were looking for!

I pity the teachers...

Busy Week

Thursday we had the day off from daycare due to some appointments we had. The boys had a dentist appt first and they both got an A+ on their teeth. Neither of them liked what they were doing to clean their teeth and were crying...I can sympathize but I keep telling them that it is much worse if they don't get them checked out and end up with a cavity. Blake's teeth are getting close to being wiggly so we will probably be missing some teeth before long. After the appt they got to go play at their old daycare's house while mommy had an appt for herself.

Avery had his preschool screening on Friday. He did really well. I took him and left dad at home with one daycare kid and Blake. I took the 6 month old daycare kid with me however that made it so I was unable to take Avery back to do the screening. It worked out though and he probably did better that way since he couldn't cling to me. He completed all the tasks and the only concern they had was with his speech. He has a hard time saying some of his letters (the harder ones s, l, r, sh, etc). As of now he is completely on track for school in 2.5 years.

Yesterday Blake had another game for hockey. He did really well. Him and his friend, Ryan, who is on his team, make a great team! They scored a few goals with a few of them being passes from one to the other. At one point I heard Blake yell 'Ryan, over here!' They have made friends for life!

Avery is in his second session of skating lessons. He is doing really well. We are talking about signing him up for hockey next year as we will be at the arena anyway. We will see...depends on how much of an attention span he has at that point but I have a feeling for hockey it will be long!

Today we are headed back to the arena for another hockey practice and then to grandma's for supper. I made some little shamrock cookies for the hockey team after practice so hopefully they enjoy those. I will try to post some pictures this week...I haven't uploaded any for a while!