Tuxes & Gowns...

Ethan trying on tuxes for Brian & Jenna's wedding!!
LOOK OUT!! It is the Cuteness Mob!!
Lauren trying on "the one" her flowergirl dress!!!

My little CORN DOG!!

Organizing website

I recently stumbled across a super organizing website called organized home. Check it out!!!

Sick baby cont.

This one will be short & sweet! Lauren is feeling a smidge better today, but with high fever again last night is not in school... POOR LIL' LADY!!

my sick kiddo.

Took Lauren home from school today with a fever of 101.5. She never told anyone that she didn't feel well,I only knew cause she cried when I almost didn't make it to have lunch with her. I thought she felt really warm when I comforted her, but I chalked it up to the fact that they have to eat lunch with snowpants & boots on cause they go outside right afterwards. Then she would not eat her lunch, she said that her throat hurt... (must be bad if PB & J is rough on your throat...) So I brought her up to the nurses office & sure enough... 101.5. Poor little lady, she was so excited to get a new book in her KIWI pack that she ignored how she was feeling...

Get better quick Lauren!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Couch shopping

Ethan, trying out the couches "like a man"

Today, we went furniture shopping. Not because we have extra money just lying around, but because our couch in a horrible mess. It tried to swallow innocent neighbors & family. We purchased our livingroom set when we were in college, we had just purchased our first house. We bought the whole set from a warehouse place for $500. Couch, loveseat, coffee table, 2 end tables and 2 lamps.
That was 10 years ago...

So it was definitely time. We purchased a couch & a recliner. We are very excited. We will be getting them sometime next week, and I will get pictures on here as soon as they arrive.

Home to my babies!! And look what I missed...

I missed my babies so much!!! I finally made it home to them today, and I could not hug them enough!!! I am not cut out for time to myself, I guess.

Anyway, when I came home, Brad showed me Ethan's new trick...

HE CAN READ!!!

Brad wrote some 3 letter words on paper and Ethan started reading them by sight.

He is 2.

Seriously.

Since this video was taken, we have actually added 5 or 6 new words too!! I will keep posting what he is reading...

WEDDING FLOWERS

Here is a close up of the boutonnieres that Jenna & I made today. For the groomsmen & dads, we used small silk calla lilies, a small pink flowers & light greenery. For ushers & grandpa's, we used brown as the accent flowers. I think that they turned out so nice!!!

Here is the huge stash that we started with!!! The large calla lilies are going to be used for Jenna's bouquet & the bridesmaids bouquets. We are going to also make wristlet corsages for helpers, moms & gmas.

Yay!!! Only 167 more days!!!

Time for Jenna!!!

Today I am heading to my (soon to be) sister in law's house for a wedding work/girls weekend!!!

I am so excited to have this time with her!! We are planning a lot shoved into just about 35 hours. Here is what we plan to get done:
Fri night- going out with our friend Holly!! (ok, no work done this night!!!)

Sat- breakfast, WEDDING FLOWERS, Davids Bridal to try on bridesmaid dresses, Movie (The Lovely Bones), dinner. Phew, that was exhausting...

Sun- Go home to see my babies!!!!!

I'll keep you posted on what really happens!!!

My babies in clay

Looks like Mommy holding her 2 kiddo's!!!
Lauren brought home this fun clay from school and we made us as snowmen!!

You know, when I was in Daddy's tummy???

Here is a picture Ethan drew of "Ethan in Daddy's tummy".
Yup.
I carried him for 9 months, 6 of which I had heartburn like you would never imagine, 5 of which I had major Braxton Hicks contractions, 2 of which I was on modified bedrest, through which gained almost 40 lbs, endured 12 very painful hours of labor...
...and Daddy gets all the credit in what HAS to be the cutest picture that I have ever seen.

I love you Ethan!!!

Mindy rocks the bowling alley...

OK, I just tried for 10 minutes to turn this picture... No luck.
You get the point though, Brad & I went out on a date Saturday,
and I BOWLED A 208!!!

For real!!! I was almost the women's high score!!!

Some lady actually asked me if I would bowl on her league!!!
(I didn't tell her that my 2nd game I bowled a 113)

Scrambled eggs!!!

Need I say more???

Happy Valentines day!!!

Awwwww... I love you honey!! You are the best Valentine I could ever ask for!!

Ice Skating at Gregory

Ethan as "king of the mountain"

My new little ice princess

She actually took to skating very well, maybe some lessons somewhere down the line??

Looks like the stay puff marshmallow man!!

Win a Kelly Moore Bag!!

Go Quickly!!

@kellymooreclark is giving away a bag! Go enter to win!

http://kellymoorebagblog.com/

Flashback one year ago...

Lauren last year at her 100th day of school party!!!
Can't believe that she is now almost done with FIRST grade!!! Time sure flies!!!

FRENCH TOAST DAY!!

Helping mommy mix up the eggs for french toast!!

YUMMMMMMM!!!

Too Cute Tuesday - Buddy & Sissy Drawing

I love my adorable kiddo's!!!!

You are too cute!!

Food Challenge day!!!!

Today, Ethan & I took off (in the terrible weather) at 8am. We saw our first car in the ditch about 2 miles from our house. This was going to be a long drive. A one hour 60 mile trip turned onto almost 2 hours of white knuckle driving with my little precious cargo in the back! So, at 950am, we made it safely to St Cloud clinic for Ethan's food challenge!!!

The appointment started out with a thorough exam, looking for any little hives, spots or marks. He had his vitals taken & Dr K listened to his lungs and took a good look in his mouth & throat.

Then... the moment of truth... Ethan had a (very) small bite (think maybe half of the size if a pencil eraser) of raw cookie dough with eggs in it. (Dr K had me prepare this ahead of time & bring it along) wait 10 minutes.

Dr K comes in and does a new set of vitals & check all skin for rashes. Listen to lungs, look in mouth & down throat. NO REACTION SO FAR!!!

Meanwhile... I am a nervous WRECK!!!

This process continues for about 2 hours, each time he is getting progressively more dough and is checked fully and vitals taken about 10-15 minutes after each bite to make sure that he is not having any reaction. The last "bite" he had was actually about 4 tablespoons!!

Ethan did not have any reaction to the eggs. He is one of the lucky ones who actually outgrew his allergy. We couldn't be happier!!!

After the last exposure, Ethan had to be observed for about an hour & a half. Every 10-15 minutes during this time, Dr K checked out his skin, mouth, throat & lungs and also took blood pressure. After that, Dr K wanted us to stay in town for a bit before heading back home, just in case of a delayed reaction.

Ethan, during this whole time, had no idea that he was eating eggs. He was so good!! We brought a backpack full of fun stuff to keep him busy, and it worked out really well!! He did not get fussy all day!

Just before we left, Dr K sat Ethan down & told him that he was no longer allergic to eggs. She told him that he could eat eggs now. Ethan got the biggest smile on his face and said "Can I eat eggs with my Sissy??" He could not be any sweeter!!!

PB&J cookies

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

1 C sugar, plus extra for rolling dough
1 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1 C shortening regular or butter flavored
1 C creamy peanut butter
2 Lg eggs
1/4 C milk
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tbs salt
3/4 C jam, jelly or preserves

Preheat oven to 375
Beat together sugar, brown sugar, shortening and peanut butter until blended. Add eggs, milk & vanilla. Beat well. stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to peanut butter mixture. Beat well. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, cool 2 minutes. Make a depression in the center of each warm cookie with the back of a teaspoon. Fill each depression with about 1/2 tsp jelly.
Cool completely.

Playdough Challenge

My little Lauren is a huge fan of the Food Network show "Challenge", where top pastry chefs go head to head making extravagant cakes. Today, Lauren did her own challenge with Playdough. I am impressed!!!

Look at that detail!! Inside the house is a mommy pushing her little baby in a stroller. Outside there is snow all over the ground and the top of the house! After I took this picture, she even added pine trees with the tops covered in a dusting of snow!

She was totally the winner in my book!! Nice job Lauren!!!

Aspara-goons...

Food Challenge planned!!

Just a little update about Ethan & his food challenge.

Monday, Ethan & I will head to St Cloud & spend the day at the allergists office challenging him to eggs!!If all goes well, we may be able to re-introduce eggs to all of our diets! This would be pretty huge for our family!!!

Please pray for a safe challenge for my little man!!

Wish us luck!

I will keep you all updated on progress!!

B*I*N*G*O

Ethan-isms...

Ethan said to me today:

Mommy, I saw a talking shadow, so now it's -WINTER!!

(I think that he had heard about Groundhogs day & just tried to piece it all together)

painting time

Today after school we had painting time!!