Winter Recap + Lucky Seven

Annual friends/family ice fishing contest on Forest Lake (organized by my big brother Shawn). It was freeeeezing cold outside, yet somehow still fun to get outside on a winter day.


Aaron and I went snowboarding at Trollhaugen Jan. 22 through the Media Ski Series. Benefits = discounted lift tickets and riding with work buddies!


GMG represent! Coworkers/friends Alex, Katie and I boarded (not pictured = Jeremy, who was preparing to race when we took this shot, and my boss Sara, who was in the chalet); Kelly skied. Super fun day.


The hosts of Rem's baby shower at Karla's house in Stillwater Jan. 29 - Katie, Megan, Karla, me, Rem, and Amy (aka Money). I love these girls! Remme had two beautiful baby girls March 7, Reese and Sofia. And life forever changed in their household ...


Birthday tradition - snowtubing at Green Acres! Lots of people missing from this pic (my sis-in-law Amy, Jake, and nieces Kayla and Morgan; my friend Amy, husband Andy, her sister Carla and Carla's friend; my sis-in-law April and nephew Lane; friends Tara & Jeremy).


Getting ready to do a whip chain! Wheeeeeee!


Happy third birthday to me!


My niece April and Ben, hanging out in Forest Lake. It's hard to get a good pic of Ben smiling, but you can really see his gap in this one.


We went out to support Aaron's dad Rick and his girlfriend Tami as they participated with the Lexington Fire Department in the Fight for Air Stair Climb Feb. 25 at the Accenture Tower downtown Minneapolis. They climbed 660 stairs (!) and helped raise funds for the American Lung Association.


Grandma Patti's Annual Sleepover March 3. Adam is trying to teach his cousin Logan how to spell a new word! Poop! Yes, I'm a proud parent. (ha ha)


Beautiful niece Morgan at the sleepover. I never did get a pic of cousins Max or Lane; cousin Kayla was at her dad's. Group shot next year!


My family came out to our company's Food & Wine Experience March 4 at Target Field. I had to work the show, but was able to walk around with them for about 20 minutes. So much to eat! So much to drink! So little time!


Last day of swimming lessons at Como Elementary, March 10. Another good season.


Our Water Baby and Tiny Tot.


The grandkids sure do love Grandma Patti. She's pretty amazing.


On the way to our friend Shane's 40th birthday bash in Rochester. (We only rode this way for a few miles.)


Some of Aaron's friends from high school (minus Rem, Russ and Chad) ... such a fun group. We try to get together once a year without the kids; once every year or two with the kids. I think there were 17 kids at the last get-together.


Garage in the suburbs of Rochester is transformed into Wild Dance Party ... crazy night.


Who says it's easy being green? Life ain't easy, sister.



Cousin Lane's birthday party in St. Francis.


I love that my dad and Aaron are friends. My dad loves that Aaron is always willing to help in any way. Aaron loves that my dad teaches him as they go.


Perfect spring day at a park in Roseville.


Daycare buddies preparing for the Easter egg hunt. Can we go now? Can we go now? Can we go now? How about now?


Visiting Rem and the twins. Adorable babies!


I used to ride kiddy tractors just like these on my grandparents' farm in New Richmond. Good memories.


I love this guy so much. Sometimes I have to pinch myself — it's not a dream! Life isn't perfect, but we are a pretty solid team. I know it sounds cheesy, but Aaron completes me.
Today is our seventh wedding anniversary.

Own spot! and Who will be the bride?

Adam acting goofy. Love those silly faces.



Stop the press! I think this was the first time Ben said "Cheese!" and smiled for the camera. He hasn't done it since.



Adam with his sweet, smart, adorable cousin Max. The boys are exactly two months apart in age. They were both wearing Grandpa Lowell's hats.



Celebrating Christmas/my mom's birthday at my sister Mary's house, complete with a fun foosball tournament.



Adam loves the computer.

It is 3:14 a.m. and I should be sleeping. I can't sleep. I'm too anxious about work. I wake up when Ben does and can't shut my brain off. It's very frustrating.

So ... why not just get up and write? Yeah, Chrissy, that makes TOTAL sense.

I wrote a long, long, looooong letter detailing Ben and Adam's milestones and recent developments about a month ago, but had some computer "issues" at work (as in, my computer was upgraded and the IT guy accidentally wiped out my desktop, forcing me to lose hundreds of photos and personal files). It was tragic. I thought I was over it, but obviously I still harbor some resentment. I keep remembering things that are now floating around in cyberspace. If only IT Guy had let me burn those CDs (he said it would take too long). If only he had let me put more folders on the shared drive (he said it was almost full and he would just copy my desktop to his hard drive and then transfer it back to my computer)!
Oh well. Live and learn.

Ok ... here goes my second attempt at that same post.
Ben is in a very independent phase right now. Everything is "Own spot!" and "I do!" and "I do!" and "I do!" He wants to do things like put on his shoes and take off his coat and while I love that he wants to learn, sometimes it really slows things down when I'm frantically trying to get out the door.

He is VERY attached to his blankets. He has a green one and blue one and wants them in the car, at Target, at nap time, at bed time, any time he's on the couch, any time he remembers to ask for them. We never gave him a Nuk to soothe him/calm him down (successfully avoiding attachment issues there), but looks like we'll be fighting a similar battle some day when it's time to take "blankies" away.

He likes to put on Chapstick by rubbing it under his chin. (Apparently he has zero depth perception, just like his mom.)

He gets into EVERYTHING. I can't tell you how many times he's fallen off a dining room chair or tried to climb onto the table or scared the crap out of us by cranking up the volume on our stereo and hitting the "power" button or ate crayons (seriously, numerous times!) or tried to crawl into the dryer or done something at daycare like smeared glue stick on his lips or pinched a finger in a door or jumped on the couch like a crazy man (the list goes on). I love that he's curious, but he's already missing a front tooth and I'd really appreciate it if we could stay out of the ER for awhile now.

He finally, after MONTHS of coaching, will tell you that his name is Ben, and not respond with "Adam." He knows my name is Chrissy and daddy is Aaron and brother is Adam. He also says Grandma (Domma) and Grandpa (Bob) and all of his aunts and uncles names, and can identify all of his little friends at daycare.

He is affectionate on his terms. No kisses or hugs on demand (he'll say "No-wuh" like a teenager if you demand a hug or kiss), but that makes them even more special because they happen spontaneously. Adam is the opposite, generous with his hugs and kisses and honestly one of the sweetest boys I know.

Ben likes to pretend he's fixing things with Adam's tools and loves the tool bench at my parents house (and wanted to play with the super loud chainsaw and drill when we were over there watching the Super Bowl). I wonder if some of these interests are ingrained. Will Ben be the son who comes over to fix our washing machine one day and Adam will be the son who helps us figure out the latest technological gadget? (Is it bad that I'm already thinking this way?)
Adam was into books and puzzles when he was 2, and I think because of this, his vocabulary was pretty impressive (he could have a conversation with you like an adult); Ben is more into "fix-it" type toys and doesn't have the patience for books (which could be why he doesn't say as much as his big brother did at this age). Adam still loves learning-type toys, but could care less about the tool bench.

Both boys LOVE playing catch with the football, slapping a hockey puck around the kitchen, playing "bowling" with their plastic bowling set, throwing any type of ball, and shooting hoops in our living room. They both enjoy swimming lessons, too. Ben's favorite thing is jumping into the pool; Adam's favorite thing is the back float. (Just another example of their very different personalities.)

Adam questions everything. He asked me the other day, if Uncles Jay and Pete got married, what would they do when the 'marrying man' said "You may kiss the bride?"

Adam is really into computer games (sproutonline.com), Angry Birds, and his Leapster Explorer. He also likes Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, superhero anything, and Star Wars. Ben's favorite cartoon is Caillou. And I think they watch a lot of Raffi at daycare.

They both love animals. Sometimes we go to PetSmart on our way home (free entertainment) and look at the fish, birds, and rescue cats, patiently waiting to be adopted. When we get over to the cat section, Ben starts exclaiming "KITTY!" over and over and Adam starts talking in the voice most people reserve for babies. There was a shy yellow tabby hiding behind his cat carrier and I can't stop thinking about that cute little guy. He just seemed so scared and lonely. I wish we had a house more conducive for a cat ... but we tried that already when Aaron brought a stray home, per his coworker's prompting, back in 2005. It was awful. We named the cat "Afton" (after Afton Alps, where we got engaged) and we brought it to the vet, where we paid $200 to have it treated for ear mites (ewww!) and I think we must've gotten it shots then, too. I can't remember. As it turned out, Afton was craaaaaaaazy (climbing up the blinds crazy) and stinky and had a lot of stomach issues, and there was no good place to hide the litter box, so it was in our living room. I was constantly opening windows and burning candles. Then, for some reason, we had to bring her to the vet AGAIN and the vet told us she was pregnant. What?! She was just a kitty! (Babies havin' babies, story of our times.) Probably a week after that, Aaron's coworker said Afton was not a stray after all, there were "Lost Cat" signs up around her neighborhood, so we very happily returned her. The owners left Aaron a six-pack of home-brewed beer on their front porch for our "troubles." We decided, after that experience, to wait until we lived in a bigger house before venturing down the pet road again.

Ok. Now I'm tired. My next post = winter recap! Ice fishing contest, snowboarding adventure, baby shower fun, birthday snowtubing and more!

Year in Review

Following the lead of my blogging friends, I thought I would reflect on 2011.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Stood up in my friend Rem’s wedding, visited Washington, D.C., scheduled a surgery at Children’s Hospital for poor little Ben to have his front tooth extracted (he ran into a wall at daycare).

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I make the same one every year — move more, eat less.

3. Did anyone close to you have a child?
Lots of 2011 babies: my college friend Sara had Ian, cousin Sara had Lily, and friends Emily had Clare, Julie had Jack, Morgan had Easton, and Tonya had Evan. I love watching my friends become parents, but wish those in Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Oregon, and Idaho lived closer!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, but one friend lost her mom and another lost her dad and it was heartbreaking. It’s hard to watch your friends suffer when you know you can’t really do anything to take the pain away.

5. Where did you travel?
Green Bay in June for the annual Bellin Run 10K/after-party/college reunion; Washington, D.C. in July with Tonya and Sam (Travis, Tonya's brother and our friend, has lived out there for 10 years and was the best tour guide EVER); Bluefin Bay on Lake Superior with the immediate family in September (such a blast!); and Minocqua, Wis. for a craaaazy weekend away with college girls.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A body like Brooke Burke.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory?
Jan. 4 – my mom turned 60. April 16 — our sixth anniversary. May 7 — Rem and Jim’s wedding. June 6 — Ben’s first birthday. August 11 – Adam’s fourth birthday. June 16 — Aaron’s 38th (?!) birthday. October 15 — Evan is born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not blowing a fuse at work, even when I was pushed to the breaking point. Trust me, that’s an achievement.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I can think of a few, but I don't think it's healthy to dwell on the negative.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes! I hurt my left ankle playing softball and it hasn’t been the same since. The doc said I broke off a piece of cartilage. I hope it isn’t floating around in there indefinitely.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
It’s a tie between our 2011 MacBook Pro and a much-needed kid-free vacation in DC.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Aaron. My rock.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Those fighting so hard to pass the amendment to ban gay marriage. I don’t understand why this issue is a priority when the economy is a mess and people still don’t have adequate health care.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Daycare, mortgage, car payment, grocery bills, usual mundane grown-up “stuff.”

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Rem’s bachelorette party and wedding, trip to DC, introducing Adam and Ben to any new experience. I love seeing them grow and change. Every milestone is worthy of a celebration.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
“Faster” by Matt Nathanson. I smile whenever Adam sings along. “You taste like sunlight and strawberry bubblegum …”

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier (I'm getting more sleep!)
b) Fatter. I was breastfeeding last year — after I stopped, I packed on 10 lbs. I know I need to start working out again, just have to force myself to DO IT.
c) Maybe a little richer (thanks to Aaron’s job, not mine!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercised. Learned something new (the piano? sign language?) Volunteered somewhere.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasted time on Facebook. Such a horrible time suck (but so addictive!)

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Lots of parties. Lots of laughter. Lots of delicious food and drinks. Surrounded by love.

21. What was your favorite TV program?
Modern Family, AI, DWTS, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No — I don’t hate anyone. I do, however, STRONGLY dislike the way certain people act.

23. What was the best book you read?
Room: A Novel, by Emma Donoghue. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED that book!!!

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Dessa. Such talent. (And such a great role model for young girls.)

25. What did you want and get?
Another year of good health for my family and friends!

26. What did you want and not get?
A raise?

27. What was your favorite film of this year?
Bridesmaids

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 36. The weekend before my birthday, a group of dear friends and family went snowtubing at Green Acres, followed by bowling at Pinz. I had a nice bday dinner with my family on my actual birthday. I don’t care what anyone says — you’re never “too old” to celebrate another birthday. Every year we're above the earth is reason enough to have a party. (Plus it's a great excuse to get friends together - something that happens less and less often as you get older.)

29. What one [or three] thing[s] would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I know this sounds stupid, but I really can’t think of anything. I’m in a pretty good place in life right now.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Practical? Comfortable? Definitely not sexy or sassy — gotta work on that for 2012!

31. What kept you sane?
Aaron. My boys. My "sisters" (in-laws). My girlfriends. Regular visits to my parents’ house in Forest Lake.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I have totally lost touch with celebrity gossip … I can’t think of anyone!

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
The amendment to ban gay marriage.

34. Who did you miss?
My friends who live in different time zones. My grandma.

35. Who was the best new person you met?
All those babies — with more babies to come in 2012 (I can't wait for Rem to have those twin girls and I would bet money that there will be more pregnancy/adoption announcements coming SOON!)

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
There are no pediatric dentists on-call at the Regions Hospital Emergency Room. HA! In all seriousness, though, I really love this quote from a 114-year-old man when asked for the secret to living a good, long life:
"Wake up every morning and tell yourself 'This is going to be a good day,' and then make it that way."

Grateful

I volunteered as a “Toy Shop Elf” at the Salvation Army’s Minneapolis Toy Shop yesterday, and it was a very rewarding and eye-opening experience — just in time for Christmas. My job was to escort adults while they “shopped” for gifts for their kids (up to age 12). There were stations set up for 0-2 years, 3-5 years, 6-9 years, and 10 and up, with boy and girl gifts in each station. Each person was allowed to choose two small toys (puzzles, games, dolls, etc.) or one large toy (ice skates, table-top air hockey game, boom box, remote-controlled car, etc.) per child, so basically I was there to help them decide, get them in and out as efficiently as possible, and make sure they didn’t try to take advantage of the system (I like to think that everyone would be honest if they were given the opportunity to shop alone, but there are always a few who feel entitled to more than their share).
Some observations
• Just because people are down on their luck doesn’t mean they don’t have an Xbox or Nintendo DS or CD or DVD players — I didn’t see a single video game on the tables of “goods,” and I only saw two CDs and two movies (and one was The Breakup!). I think a video game, movie, or CD would be a great gift for the right kid.
• I don’t know how many times a mom asked me if we had anything princess for her princess-obsessed daughter (a few books, that was it), and I didn’t see any Thomas the Train toys for boys. In the 3.5 hours I was there, I saw a total of two Barbies, which kind of surprised me. Do you think people shop differently than they would for a friend or relative when they’re donating to Toys for Tots or some other gift donation program? It seemed that way to me, but maybe the selection was just heavily game-focused the night I volunteered. (Not that there’s anything wrong with Candyland or Chutes or Ladders, but what kid doesn’t love a good toy on Christmas Day?!)
• I helped one frail young woman who grabbed my hand in her pale, bony hand, looked me in the eye, then said “Thank you SO much for doing this. Bless you. This means so much to me.” She then proceeded to tell me that her 7-year-old son, Kayden, was getting only one gift this year — and this was it. “If not for this program, he wouldn’t be getting anything,” she said through her tears. “And he’s such a good boy—he never asks for anything.” I almost started crying! She wound up choosing Battleship for him, so they could play the game together. I was tempted to tell her to grab another gift, just because she was so thankful, but I think she was the kind of person who would have refused.
• “Heaven” spelled backwards “Nevaeh” (Nev-ay-ah) was a popular name a few years ago, although I have yet to meet a Nevaeh in person. Last night I helped two women with a daughter named Nevaeh, my friend Alex also helped two women with daughters named Nevaeh. I also helped a woman who had a son named “Jamin.” I looked at the name, then asked her “Jammin’?” She shook her head no and said “No, his full name is Benjamin. We call him Jah-men for short.” (Ok then. That’s a new nickname for Benjamin!)
• Good parents are good parents, regardless of their income level. I know people who make over six figures who have greedy, spoiled kids, and I know people who are living in poverty who have respectful, polite, appreciative kids. Sometimes I think the kids who grow up without much of anything become the most giving adults.

The whole experience made me appreciate my family, my friends, my job, Aaron’s job (and good benefits), our little house (some would consider it a luxury), our car (even with a broken timing belt) so-so-so much.

Nothin' but love

Taking a cue from my dear friend Amanda, I thought I would write about the things I love—the things that make me who I am, the things that made me who I was before I was married and had kids. It’s a given that my family (my side and Aaron's!) makes me insanely happy, and my friends … so this list doesn’t include things like “I love that Aaron is the most stand-up guy I know, not only as a husband but as a dad, son, brother, and friend. I love that he's open-minded and sensitive and smart and funny and firm in his beliefs and stylish and handsome (my heart still skips a beat) and a great cook and a willing masseuse and that he's so modest he won't even tell me when he hits a home run (I have to hear it through the grapevine) and a hard worker and that he makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have married him and, and, and ...” or “I love Adam’s curious personality and love of reading books and his beautiful big green eyes and mop of blond hair and the way he’ll spring out of bed and run downstairs just to give me another hug and kiss before I leave and, and, and ...” or “I love the fact that Ben will wear hats and wigs and buckets on his head just to get us to laugh and his big expressive brown eyes and his playful, fearless personality and the way he will grab my face and give me a sloppy kiss and, and, and ...” No, this list isn’t about my family and friends and why I love them, it’s about me. (As selfish as that sounds.) So, here goes:

I love chocolate chip cookies (no walnuts, please). I love a trashy People or US Weekly magazine every now and then. I love turtlenecks, jeans, and boots, although I do not always love the weather that accompanies that attire. I love bracelets. I love how clean the earth smells after a hard spring rain. I love Heath bars, my sister Mary’s homemade caramels, cheesecake ice cream, banana cream pie, Werther’s Originals, and chocolate covered potato chips (sooo good!). I love Scattergories, Cranium, Pictionary, Sequence, Password, Dominoes, Quelf, and Scrabble. I love crossword puzzles. I can talk to just about anyone and love meeting new people (I take after my dad). I love watching reality TV shows— American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor. I love British accents. I love being surrounded by women—friends, family, and coworkers—who are the epitome of smart is sexy. I love my Tacori wedding ring. I love a glass of white wine, but prefer a glass of good beer (Alaskan Amber, Leinie’s Honeyweiss with a slice of lemon, Summit EPA). I love snowboarding. I love the smell of Downy fabric softener. I love the diversity of the East Side (but could do without the crime). I love learning about the Victorian era—the homes, the fashions, the politics, the traditions. It seems like such a romantic time in history. I love the uncensored conversations, sense of camaraderie, and free-flowing laughter at baby showers, bachelorette parties, and girls’ nights out. I love tailgating before a Saints or Twins game. I love foreign and independent films (Amelie!). I love the loyalty, dedication, and enthusiasm of Packers fans. I love cats, and once told my mom I would have cats—not kids—when I “grew up.” I love when the muscles in my legs itch at the start of a long run—a reminder that I’m actually moving my body instead of sitting on the couch. I love that I was taught early on to respect and take care of the earth. I love clean-smelling candles. I love camping. I love watching track and field, gymnastics, figure skating, and snowboarding during the Olympics. I love that I helped elect our first black president. I love 80s music. I love lawn games. I love experimenting with new hair colors and styles. I love the annual ice fishing contest. I love pineapple. I love my brothers' hilarious impersonations. I love shopping and digging for a deal. I love Jack Black. I love Twilight Woods lotion from Bath & Body Works, it reminds me of college and sandalwood incense. I love watching Ellen (if I'm home on a weekday) and Chelsea Lately (if I'm up late). I love the humor of Mitch Hedberg. I love that I got to see Ellen's stand-up comedy in Portland and one of Mitch's shows in Seattle a year before he died. I love funky knee-high socks. I love Italian food. I love when I have time to actually wrap a gift rather than sticking it in a gift bag. I love everything about Halloween. I love that my Christmas card list includes friends in California, Colorado, DC, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. I love scarves, but only in the fall or winter. (I know it’s a fashion statement, but wearing a scarf on a hot summer day seems ridiculous to me.) I love Meryl Streep, Tina Fey, Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, Salma Hayek, Charlize Theron. I love Macy's, Target, Marshall's. I love the old SNL cast, when the show was actually funny. I love that I am able to be present—in the moment—instead of always worrying about the past or fretting about the future. I love a good book. I love bonfires on chilly autumn nights. I love the color orange. I love documentaries. I love my mom’s chowmein hot dish. I love glitter, sparkles, sequins. I love community festivals. I love hugs that are actual hugs and not just polite pats on the back or awkward half-squeezes. I love boot-leg and flare-leg pants. I love it when someone positively defies a stereotype. I love Olay Total Effects UV Moisturizer + SPF 15 and wear it every single day. I love bowling (high score = 160.) I love the love and support in a room during a wedding. I love cheering for dedicated distance runners during marathons, and have traveled to Duluth for Grandma’s Marathon (3 times), Chicago (once) and down the street to the TC Marathon (3 times) to be “moral support” to friends who were running. I love the Beastie Boys, David Gray, Mumford and Sons, the Dixie Chicks, Dave Matthews Band, Pink, the Jayhawks, Michael Jackson, Bjork, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Soul Coughing, Bon Jovi, the Rolling Stones. I love my tattoo and what it stands for. I love sassy short hair. I love people who don't take themselves too seriously. I love top shelf margaritas with lots of salt on the rim. I love all dogs, but prefer medium-sized pooches over tiny ankle-biting yip-yips. I love having friends over, but would love it even more if we had the space to entertain. I love being exposed to new music when a friend makes me a mixed CD. I love Lancome Juicy Tubes lip gloss. I love Marie Clare. I love my long fingers, and still wish I had learned to play the piano. I love my comfortable yoga pants with the stretchy waistband. I love receiving homemade gifts. I love a clean-cut GQ man (never have been a fan of long hair on guys). I love delicate little tear drop earrings vs. giant dangly hoops. I love that I’m friends with so many talented artists and writers— creative types. I love Christmas (and every single one of our nine Christmas parties!). I love being a mix of French, German, Norwegian, and Swedish. I love taking photos. I love people who are modest about their beauty, their talent, their success. I love fast, easy recipes. I love Aveda products. I love hiking. I love celebrating birthdays with friends and family. I love Bradley Cooper, Paul Walker, Mark Ruffalo, John Krasinski, Dane Cook, David Spade, Anderson Cooper. I love going on long road trips. I love parties with a theme. I love the classic style of Ralph Lauren. I love going on double dates with my parents. I love being part of a family that truly enjoys one another's company. I love zipping down a hill on an inner tube in the dead of winter — makes me feel like a kid again. I love pretty, lacy underwear. I love creating and watching slideshows. I love the mountains, the ocean, the friendly people, the microbrews, the weather in Oregon. I love The Notebook. I love, love, love the music of Prince. I love learning. I love when a plane comes to a gently rolling stop, signaling that we have safely landed. I love people who aren't too materialistic. I love the twinkle of Christmas lights against a snowy background, the smell of real Christmas trees, having unique holiday traditions (in my family it's the annual drawing contest). I love how a man can put on just the right amount of cologne and instantly become more sexy. I love “going to the lake.” I love that I work in Minneapolis and have so many options for lunch. I love listening to KS95, Cities 97, the Current, and even 102.9. I love The Office, Modern Family, 30 Rock, Mad Men, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and Parks and Rec. I love our goose down comforter. I love women who aren’t afraid to speak their minds, even if I don’t always agree with what they’re saying. I love that I get paid to write. I love Asian, arts and crafts, Moroccan, Mediterranean, French, and traditional decorating styles. I love the Minnesota State Fair. I love Ryan Gosling’s body in Crazy, Stupid, Love. I love hats of all shapes and colors. I love Starbuck’s salted caramel hot chocolate. I love libraries and bookstores. I love that I can grow old without growing boring. I love asking questions and finding out what makes people tick. I love planning get-togethers. I love getting a “real” letter or card in the mail. I love maroon or purple nail polish (only on special occasions). I love men who lean to the left. I love Chipotle burrito bowls with lime squeezed on top of everything. I love going to the theater. I love Greek salads. I love the sound of kids laughing. I love the beauty of the North Shore. I love watching my friends become parents. I love Ansel Adams, pop art, and anything stained glass. I love my warm (yet clunky) winter boots. I love garlic mashed potatoes. I love dancing. I love happy endings.

I believe in the glamorous life

I got my hair cut! My sister-in-law Trish gave me the angled bob I’ve been wanting for awhile now. I showed her this pic of Keira Knightley and I think she did a GREAT job copying the style with my fine, stick-straight hair.


Hair inspiration

I love having short hair again. It is so much more “me” than long hair. It makes me feel more stylish, more sassy, more fun. (Plus I can’t wear it in a ponytail like I was doing all the time with long hair, I actually have to spend a few minutes styling it, which is a good thing if you ask me -- it's easy to get lazy about your appearance (I'm too tired/ I'm too old/ I'm already married, so who cares anyhow?). I don't want to get lazy. I don't ever want to get stuck in a rut ... or a decade. I'm not trendy but I like to think that I at least pay attention to the trends so I kind of know what's going on with the "hip" crowd. I look at some of the girls I graduated with and I think, "Seriously? You have the EXACT SAME HAIR YOU HAD IN THE 90s?? Why are you so scared to try something new???" That makes me sound like a bitchy, conceited know-it-all, which is totally NOT my personality, I just wish (some) people tried new styles every now and then, just to mix it up, just because we can.

Speaking of fashion (and my new hair!), the pic below was taken at the Neiman Marcus Fashion Night Out Sept. 8 at the downtown Minneapolis Neiman Marcus. I’m pictured here with the VP of our company, Jamie (aka fearless leader), my marketing department (oh how I LOVE these girls! They are smart, funny, kind, fashionable, and make going to work every morning fun rather than dreadful), and my good friend Katie D. (our magazine’s style editor). Katie helped pull products for the fashion show and then emceed the big event. She looked like a glamorous movie star! It was a fun night, and made me realize that if you have the courage to be outrageous, you should go for it (stay true to yourself!), shoes really do make or break an outfit, and a genuine smile is often your best accessory.


L to R: Jamie, me, Katie K., Alex, Katie D., Kelly and Sara (my boss) at Neiman Marcus Fashion Night Out.

Tested

I've seen many parents try to maintain their composure when their toddlers throw tantrums at the grocery store or Target or the mall, and I'm sure I've been both annoyed and sympathetic when it happened, but somehow - in my delusional mind - I didn't think it would happen to me. Not that I think my kids are perfect by ANY MEANS, I just figured, by now, we had the whole shopping thing down. Adam has been my shopping buddy since he was only a few weeks old and Ben has been on the same path. I've taken them into the dressing room at Macy's (I know, pushing my luck here), I've taken them on long, drawn-out grocery shopping trips, up and down the aisles at Target looking for the Noxzema (it's FACE SOAP, it shouldn't be so difficult to locate!), to Marshall's for specific items (a strapless bra) and not-so-specific items (that book is on sale? I love this sweater! I need a brown belt, don't I?). Usually our trips are uneventful.
Not today. Today was a day that tested my patience and made me question my parenting skills. (or lack of) I cried today, out of anger and frustration, and I hardly ever break down like that.
Adam, Ben and I were at the checkout at Marshall's when Adam asked to be let out of the cart. I scooped him out, we were almost done, and he marched over the beverage case (since when does Marshall's sell cold beverages at the checkout, anyhow?)
"Hey Mom, can I get a Sprite?" I glanced at the water (a better choice) but I was kind of thirsty for a Sprite, too, so I said yeah, fine, just bring it on over so we could ring it up. He proudly set the Sprite on the counter, then noticed a rack of Jellybeans. "I changed my mind. I want Jellybeans."
Too late. The transaction had been made and I wanted to go.
"I got you a Sprite," I pointed at the green bottle.
"NO! I WANT THE JELLYBEANS!" he screamed, clutching the little baggy like he was a crack addict and this was 50 rocks.
I tried to grab the candy, only to have him shriek even louder "I WANT THESE! I WANT THESE JELLYBEANS!"
When I tried to take them nicely, gently from his hand, he held on even tighter and shrieked, "NOOOOOO! I WANT THEM! GIVE THEM TO MEEEEEE!"
I knelt down at his level, tried to calmly (key word = tried) explain that I bought him a Sprite and he needed to put the candy back and we were going NOW and he screamed at the top of his lungs. It was an ear-piercing ugly shriek.
WTF do you do in a situation like that? It feels like all of a sudden there are 10,000 people in the store, staring at you and your little monster, and you're so embarrassed and so angry it's all you can do not to:
a.) Start screaming back at him
b.) Swear at him like a truck driver
b.) Leave him standing there (anyone want a naughty kid?)
c.) Break down and cry

I was so furious I don't even know how I managed to get the Jellybeans out of his hand, remember my wallet, remember my bag, remember Ben, get Adam out of the store, get us all safely to the car, get them buckled into their carseats, and drive us home without rear-ending the cars in front of us. The screaming didn't stop, either, which only aggravated the situation. What do you do when your kid starts shrieking like a wild animal? I think it's his way of getting attention, and I think it happens when he's overtired (nap time has been a challenge at daycare), and I know he's not being horrible ON PURPOSE (keep repeating: "I love my son, I love my son, I love my son, he's usually a smart, funny, affectionate, sweet boy who is only temporarily acting like a deranged lunatic.")
Talk about testing boundaries and pushing buttons. My buttons weren't just being pushed, they were being jabbed with blunt force trauma.
"You were HORRIBLE in that store! We do NOT act like that, Adam! We do NOT treat one another like that! You're going to bed early tonight!" was about all I could choke out before I called Aaron on my drive home and totally lost my shit and started venting to him and yelling at him for playing softball and not being home for moral support (sorry, Aaron! I love you!) and then started crying. Aaron was very sympathetic and listened patiently while I blew off steam.
I managed to pull it together enough to wipe away the tears, get the boys in the house and make dinner, but then started crying AGAIN when my brother Shawn called. I was overly sensitive and running on empty and I didn't even think I was going to cry until I heard his voice. He instantly went into protective big brother mode and I think I freaked him out, because he sounded really concerned and suggested I go to Mom and Dad's house for the night. Then he told me to call him if I needed to talk, then suggested again that I go to Mom and Dad's house for the night. The hard thing is, I can't run to my parents when I'm having a bad day, because I'm a grown-up now with kids of my own. I'm a MOM. I HAVE to figure it out. This is my life now.
Adam was distraught by my tears, "Why are you crying? You never do that. I don't want you to cry. That makes me sad." And he was distraught when I told him he was going to bed early without any bedtime books, and I tried to talk rationally to him and explain WHY he was being punished and why it's not OK to have tantrums in stores and why he has GOT to stop screaming when he's mad at daycare and use his words instead and who knows if he's comprehending any of it. Is this just an awful phase or am I going to be googling "defiant child" in the future (please God NO)?
Why does it seem like everyone else totally has this parenting thing under control?