Once Upon A Time...

in a land far far away - like 5 feet outside of our front door - it was nice outside. The sun was shining, the wind was NOT blowing...and I was pretty sure that spring was on it's way...Temps reached upwards of 61 degrees, that to us that have endured the longest Minnesota winter EVER, felt like 91 degrees!

We took out the bounce house...and had some fun...



We wore no shoes...






I mean...Just check out this action shot!!


It seems like sooo sooo long ago...but hence, it was only a week...and now - as we sit inside watching the snow fall (yet again) outside...





We send our thoughts and prayers to those back 'home' in NoDak fighting yet another '100 year flood' ~ I'm pretty sure we lived through the 100 year flood back in 1997 but whatever...It's devastating the region again...Over a foot of snow on top of all that rising water? UGH...Hang in there you guys...Hang in there...
______________
A semi-truck and trailer drive north on Interstate 29 north of Grand Forks, N.D., through floodwater and ice slabs as the flooding Red River moves north. (Incidentally - this is the road to my old home.)


A field of ice piles up at the Thompson, N.D., bridge over the Red River south of Grand Forks...

Our Monies Worth

I think it's safe to say we are still getting our monies worth out of the bounce house - the neighbor boys came over to hop around for a bit....








while she looks deep in thought here - I love that you can see D getting a little air in the background...

Happy 3rd Birthday!

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Ah, what a fantastic day for a birthday...and a birthday party! The sun was shining bright, it was a beautiful fall day - temps were nice and warm, but not too warm...we spent the day preparing for the party - the kids helping to put sprinkles on cupcakes...oh what fun!!

The cake turned out more perfectly than I could have imagined!! I called up Target's bakery and asked them to do something girly and fun for my 3 year old using her favorite colors..It was sooo beautiful ~ It was a shame to cut into it...but we did...and it was oh so delicious!






After the first of the party guests arrived H started trying to bargain with me..."This is all my friends I have - let's open presents!" ~ Knowing full well she had to wait to open gifts until the guests were all there. Guests which, I might add - were told NOT to bring presents!
No one complied with that request and H was showered with more gifts than she knows what to do with. The gift opening was hectic and NOT how I care to do things...With the help of some of her friends - packages were torn open and it was off to the next one...barely stopping to see what the gift was much less read the card and thank the gift giver...
Note to self - that will not happen at Christmas...or ever again. Yes, I know she's only three but we're working very hard to raise thoughtful, caring children...It is not ok to open gifts like that!!












As you can see - this was a favorite gift of my kids - there was a bit of a struggle for this one!
See the gift giver smirking in the background!! THANKS RYAN!


The bounce house was a big hit...the kids took turns jumping in there...












and even though some of our friends wanted to hop in and bounce around - they restrained themselves...

AND....Because for every single birthday party I've ever held for our kids - *two for the girl, one for the boy* I've forgotten to give out the gift bags I so carefully prepared - this year I decided to do something different - my first thought was a pinata...but when I realized that getting a "cute" pinata that would get beaten with a wooden stick and broken into a million pieces was going to cost me more than I was willing to spend, I decided to do a treat bucket instead - complete with bags for the kids to fill up themselves with trinkets they would enjoy...and guess what! I forgot the damn bucket in the bathroom closet - why was it in the bathroom closet you ask?? To keep little fingers out of it before it was time...
*Sigh*






We ate and drank into the night - Miss H. passing out by 8 pm for the first time in a very long time...(She had gone inside to watch her new Scooby Doo DVD.)
It was a great day, a great night. A day surrounded by the family and friends that know us and love us and helped us to celebrate our daughter's 3rd birthday, as well as the fact that Rob and I have been truly blessed with this little girl in our lives.
So to all of you who took the time to come over and join us, we thank you, and we love you!!

The Nut House

~ AKA Bounce House?




I don't know what's wrong with me ~ but apparently I think money grows on trees...In July my man and I spent about a week hashing out the possibilities of adding to our family (or not) ... After lots of tears and sleepless nights and near vomiting thinking about having more babies & not having more babies ... We both came to the consensus that we are done building our family and we will count our blessings and love the life in which we live. Right here. Right now.
Well, since then, I don't know what is wrong with me - if I feel suddenly rich because we aren't having another baby or if I am trying to overcompensate to myself or our kids or what...but I just. can't. stop. spending.

I had been researching renting a bounce house for the little Diva's 3rd birthday party...and after striking out with the affordable companies for our party, and seeing how much a one day rental costs from "the other guys" (8 hours, not 24) I just went to the store and got our own!
And let me tell you - it's been totally. f'n. worth it!

SEE???