Are you kidding me???

They Did It!!!

2010-07-25T18:50:00.008-05:00

Oh. My. Gosh. What a weekend!!!

We just got back from Finals in Mankato. We're exhausted, stinky, sweaty, tired and totally thrilled! This was Will & Maddie's last chance this season to get qualifying times for the State Championship meet next weekend. They've been sooooo close for the past couple months, but just haven't been able to get over that proverbial hump.

I'm not sure if it was their swim taper, the outrageous amount of money I spent on their suits, or just their sheer determination and will power that pushed them to the point of success...but this was definitely their weekend to shine!

Just a little background so you can "appreciate" the videos (and so one day I can look back and relive great memories): Saturday morning, the kids both swam their 50 Freestyles; going into their races super-close to state-cuts. They both shaved some time, but in the end, each came out empty-handed. Their coaches were able to enter them into a "time-trial" at the end of the meet session. A time-trial is a special "second-chance" they give to swimmers who are really close to meeting a standard at a finals-type meet.

Time-trials are often mixed heats. This means that there is a combination of gender, age, and even events during the same heat. Well, chance would have it that Will & Maddie ended up in the same heat. Crazy - - I know! They've never really "raced" each other before, outside of practice. Needless to say, they were both entirely thrilled by the prospect of beating each other. In the video below, he is in Lane 1 (far left at the start) and needed a 32.59 for his Champ time. She is in Lane 4 (middle of the pool, far right at the start) and needed a 32.39 for hers.

It almost looks like he was winning. But in the end, she totally SMOKED her time (and her brother) and ended up with a 31.80!!!

Poor Will...he was pretty bummed.

But don't worry, aside from a little case of injured-male-pride, it all turns out happy in the end!

This is Maddie's "historic" moment:

It's too bad we didn't get the end celebration on film. It was awesome! I can't even describe how proud I am of her. This is the first Champ time she's ever earned. She's been incredibly close, but just never made it before. What a great demonstration of how hard work and dedication pay off. Way to go, Maddie!!!

OK. So onto Part 2 of the exciting weekend. On Sunday morning, Will just barely missed his state qualifying times in the 100 Free (by 1.15 seconds) and the 200 Free (by .83 seconds). Definitely heartbreaking. (Especially after still feeling the burn of his loss to Maddie the day before!) At the end of the meet, he was lucky enough to be able to get into the time-trial again for another shot at that elusive 50 Free. Again, the magic numbers were 32.59.

He swam like a crazy-man and ended with a 32.24.

Here is Will's shining moment:

Wow! I'm so proud of you, Will...way to go!!!!!!!!

And as a side note, pay no attention to that crazy screaming mom that you hear in the background. I have no idea who she is... :)

So, tonight we'll all sleep well. Then this week holds a few more practices, a fun State-Team Party and then finally the State Championship Meet at the University of Minnesota on Thursday through Sunday. They'll each swim in 4 relays throughout the weekend and their 50 Freestyle events will be on Friday afternoon.

...and then we'll all enjoy a little time off, anticipating the rest and relaxation in the remaining summer days!

U of M Swimming

2010-06-28T20:47:00.003-05:00

Another weekend. Another meet.

The kids swam at the U of M again last weekend. In the summer, when possible, they swim long-course-meters. So, remember that crazy, big place with 2 pools going the opposite directions, from a few months ago? Well, they just remove the bulk-head in the middle and it becomes...ta-da... an "Olympic" size pool.

Here is Maddie swimming her favorite, the 50 fly. I love to watch her do this. She's a pretty good butterfly-er and I think she makes it look pretty graceful and easy. Kind of makes me think, "hey...maybe I could do that..." But then I think again and come to my senses.

And here is Will swimming "the most fun race of my whole life!". It is his 200 Free and he just missed his state-qualifying time by 0.83 seconds. A fraction of a second is always a heartbreaker in this sport; but when you're looking at a fraction of a second in a long 2 and a half minute race. It bites extra hard.

This great swim kind of surprised both Bill and I. Several of the swimmers in his heat were 2 or 3 years older than him. I love the part near the end when Bill shockingly states, "holy cow!!"

Gecko-sitting

2010-06-16T22:24:00.003-05:00

Since I've been slacking on the updates, you likely don't know about the newest addition to our household. It's a 4 inch long eyelash-crested gecko named Blinky. Will used his birthday money to purchase him and his accessories a couple weeks ago.

I know...I can read your mind and I'm guessing you may have a few questions about this new arrangement:

It's a lizard because I'm allergic to all animals that have fur, hair, feathers, dander and spit. So, that kinda means that my poor kiddo's (and poor me) are stuck with amphibians.
Will named him Blinky because he doesn't have eyelids. Instead of blinking, he just sticks out his long tongue and licks his eyeballs. Ironic, don't you think?
Me. I'm the one taking care of him this week while the kids are at camp and Bill is traveling for work. Just me. Me, who nearly pees when that quick little thing moves in my general direction.

Here it is. Accessories and all...

And here is the instruction sheet that Will left for me. Who ever guessed that such a little thing could be so high-maintenance!

My favorite part of this sheet is the smiley face that he drew in the bottom right corner, right after he tells me that I'll need to provide a variety of baby food, crickets, and mealworms. He knows the effect that crickets and worms have on me. Hence the cute little smiley face...

It's not that he isn't a little bit cute, because I guess he is in his own special way. The thing that really bothers me about him is that he is so dang FAST! Seriously, he gets from here to there in the blink of an eye. You don't even know that he's going, then he's just gone. It's creepy.

For example, he moved from Will's hand...

...to nearly up inside his shirt sleeve in a matter of 0.28 seconds.

Good thing that kid has cat-like reflexes!

OK...off I go to mist the habitat, adjust the lighting, and feed him.

I think I'll choose baby food again...

A Full Car and a Quiet House

2010-06-14T21:34:00.008-05:00

OK...don't have a heart attack.

I'm back.

Since the thought of trying to get all of you caught up on the past 6 months makes my head spin and my teeth itch, I won't even attempt it. You'll just have to accept the facts that 1) we've been just fine; 2) I've been feeling extremely un-creative; and 3) you really didn't miss too much excitement in the Gallagher house. So, no worries!

You would not believe how quiet my house is right now. Seriously. I think I can hear the clock ticking from downstairs. The kiddos are gone at swim camp at the University of South Dakota for the week. I'm sure they are having a blast, while I'm still trying to recover from the 12.5 hours driving in the car yesterday. I'm amazed at how exhausting sitting can be.

We definitely had a full car-load: 5 kids, 2 moms, 10 bags, 3 sleeping bags, 18 towels, 4 Target bags full of snacks, 2 yearbooks, and a large poster. Thank God they aren't staying longer than a week! I thought for sure we were going to bottom out while backing out of the driveway.

Here are the campers getting ready for the long ride...

Cozy kids!

"OMG!!! This is going to be so much fun!!!" (I'm pretty sure that's what they were saying here. Unless it was, "There is no way for us to get out! We're trapped by Speedo bags! Where is the emergency exit?? What happens if we have to pee?!?!?!")

For being so far away from home, the Sea Devils are represented by a pretty big group at USD this week!

So, you may be wondering what I'm up to all alone this week. I'm not exactly sure. But I do know that I will NOT be washing clothes every day. I will NOT be instructing people to clean their rooms. I will NOT be shuttling kids to practice at 6:15 in the morning. I will NOT be in constant search of the TV remote so I'm not forced to witness another episode of "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody."

I WILL, however, likely be texting my daughter like mad to find out how things are going. Hmmm, speaking of that...it's 10:20. Shouldn't she be calling her mom by now???

Swimming at the U of M

2010-01-22T22:16:00.008-06:00

Last weekend the kids had a meet at the U of M. This wasn't a "typical" meet. Swimmers needed to have a qualifying time in order to enter each event. This was a crazy-fun meet for a couple reasons.

For one, this was the largest meet ever held in Minnesota! There were over 1,300 swimmers participating. There were over 8,000 races held in 2 1/2 days. And there were teams from all midwestern states and from as far away as Colorado and even Florida.

The University of Minnesota Aquatic Center is an awesome venue. Fall/winter is our "short course" season, so they use 2-25 yard competition pools simultaneously and the diving well is used for warm-ups and cool-downs. (on the second video below, you get a glimpse of this HUGE facility).

We also got to witness Mallory Weggeman set a world record. What an amazing and inspirational swimmer. And what a great role model for all those young swimmers in attendance. WOW!

This video is Maddie swimming the 50 Free. Despite the short distance, she has been dropping time like crazy in this event over the past couple months. She is so close to breaking 30 seconds! In fact, only .91 seconds to go!! This is her personal best time.

This video is Will swimming the 50 free. He just recently broke 30 seconds. This was his second fastest time at 29.94! At the beginning you can see where he almost does a false-start. He's been doing that lately...almost gives me a heart attack.

Maddie had a big 6+ second time-drop in her 100 IM. She's a pretty well-rounded swimmer and this race suits her well. She likes it because she gets to do a little bit of everything, but Free and Fly are definitely her favorites.

My Little Boy

2010-01-21T08:46:00.004-06:00

Sometimes I look at him and I can't quite imagine the man he's becoming.

He's my little boy with a smooth, soft face.

He's my little boy with amazing eyebrows. Within hours of his birth, 11 and a half years ago, the nurse commented on his beautiful eyebrows.

How can these eyebrows not make your heart melt?

Mine is melting right now.

And how can I restrain myself when looking at his cute little smirk while he is fake-sleeping? It makes me want to scoop him into my arms and cuddle his smooth, soft face before it's transformed into something manly and abrasive.

And then right when I'm feeling all nostalgic and like life is just rushing by too fast, he does something like this to make me laugh and squirt pop out of my nose.

I love this kid.

Hmmmm...

2010-01-17T21:35:00.002-06:00

I can't decide which is my favorite version...

Things...

2009-12-19T20:53:00.003-06:00

Well I failed the blog-every-day-thing in November. Spending the long weekend at my dad's in South Dakota put a kink in that idea. Oh well...blogging every day for those 3 weeks was some kind of personal best for me anyway.
Besides eat and sleep, the kids just swim, swim, swim. Seems like we haven't been as busy with meets this fall as we were last fall. I don't really mind - it's great to have some "off" weekend with not a whole lot going on. But doing the meet thing is pretty fun. The kids are having a great season so far. Will's coach referred to him as the "Energizer Bunny" at practice on Thursday. They swam a total of 7000 yards (yep...that's a 7 with 3 zeros behind it) and he just kept getting faster and faster. She wondered if he even got tired. (He assured me that he DID.) Maddie loves it too. She's a hard worker and is always up for socializing with her girls.
Bill and I did all of our Christmas shopping online, with 2 computers, and 1 credit card in about an hour and a half. Done! It rocked...
We found an alternative to Lasik surgery. Just get a really big plasma TV in your bedroom. You can watch without glasses. It's awesome!
Winter gets harder for me every year. Today I found myself taking pictures of the kids playing in the snow and building snow forts while inside my house using my zoom lens. I know it's pathetic. But I think I'm allergic to snow and cold. I just keep thinking about being in Hawaii next year at this time.
Will was nominated as student of the month at his middle school last week. Now we are proud owners of one of those bumper stickers. We still haven't decided whose car it will adorn.
There will be lots of excitement at our house for the holidays. Last week I hosted a girls weekday movie/brunch. I'm having our trauma department Christmas party here after Christmas. We're hosting the annual New Years Eve Party again this year. And then we'll have Bill's family over for a Christmas celebration the first weekend in January. We're totally getting our money's worth out of the tree we bought this year.
I've finally gotten back into a "reading habit" again. I bet it's been about 6 months since I've been able to read a book...not sure why? I finished Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol in about 3 days. And now I'm totally immersed in Eclipse (the 3rd in the Twilight series). I forgot how much I totally love mindless reading.

Twilight Saga

2009-11-23T22:31:00.003-06:00

I saw New Moon today with a group of friends. It was much better than the first one (Twilight) and it helped refresh my memory since I read the book so long ago. Now maybe I can start on the 3rd one. Maddie has been waiting for me to finish for months; she wants to have our own little book club about it.

Jacob is much more likable in the movie than I thought he was in the book. In print, he mostly just irritated me. OK, and I'll admit he's kind of a hottie. However, I'm still firmly planted with Team Edward.

There is just something about a skinny, pale, sparkling vampire...

2012???

2009-11-22T23:04:00.002-06:00

For those of you who didn't see it, this was the best part of SNL last night.

Even my kids were giggling like crazy...

Joseph

2009-11-21T23:08:00.002-06:00

We went to the high school tonight to see "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". I'm glad my kids loved it...it's my favorite play/musical of all time!!

I wonder how many weeks it will take me to get those infectious songs out of my head?

The Shot

2009-11-20T21:46:00.005-06:00

I was just reading my sister Jill's blog about her daughter freaking out at the clinic when she was there to get a shot. FUNNY! Well, maybe not at that exact time. But it sure seems funny to me now...

And it reminded me a funny story of myself as a kid at the mature age of about 10. During my childhood in the 1970's and early 80's, it must have been fairly common to inject antibiotics in any kid who appeared to have a cold. (And we wonder why we have so many resistant strains of bugs out there now!!!)

Anyway, our small town doctor especially loved it. He would always give us a choice between taking 10 days worth of pink-tinged oral antibiotics or a single shot in the butt. I always wanted the sweet pink medicine, but mom usually opted for the shot. Something about "being easier" I think.

Yeah, right.

I developed quite a hatred/fear of needles back in those days. But I was able to deal fairly well with it for the most part. Until that memorable day in 1980. My dad just so happened to be in the hospital for something and I just so happened to have another cold. The clinic was located on the first floor of the building, while the inpatient beds were located on the second floor.

After hearing that my cold symptoms were just too severe for merely the oral pink medicine. The doctor told me a needed a shot. I started crying right then and there.

Yep, I was 10.

To console me, the nurse asked if I would rather have the shot done upstairs in my dad's hospital room. To which I quickly responded "YES." At least I knew the terrible poke would be delayed by a couple minutes while we gathered her supplies and we all trekked through the clinic and up the stairs to the hospital.

On the way there, as I was trying to contain my sobs, I was plotting a way to escape the pain. And I came up with a brilliant idea.

At least I thought it was at the time.

So, imagine the scene...here is this big, crying 10 year old kid lying across her dad's hospital bed. (God, I bet my parents were totally irritated with me right about then...) And just as the nurse is about the stick my rear end with the shot, I squeezed my butt cheeks together as tight as I possibly could. And hoped for the best.

The only thing I remember after the little "yelp" from the nurse was turning around and looking at her perfectly white, starched uniform was covered in sprinkles of blood and yellow medicine that must have shot back at her off my tightened gluteus maximus.

I have no memory of anything after that. But...I'm sure I got the shot. And I'm sure I got quite the lecture from my mom and dad. I can just about imagine what I would say if that was one of my kids acting like such a fool...

So, believe it or not, I'm a nurse these days. And I can honestly say that every single time I've ever given a shot in my entire career...this incident crosses my mind.

I wonder if that poor nurse remembers me?

God, I hope not.

Are you loyal?

2009-11-19T22:33:00.003-06:00

I'm very thankful for Leah's post tonight! As I sat down, I wasn't quite sure what topic I could pull out of the air, but there is was - something I've been thinking about lately:
LOYALTY TO YOUR HAIRSTYLIST

Any thoughts?

I've been getting my hair done at Marc Daniel Salon for a little over 5 years now. It gets cut by Hannah and colored by Angie. I love them both... I love how they do my hair... I love hearing about the latest gossip...I love comparing stories about our kids...I love the salon...I love the cool concrete floors in the salon... I love the quirky little gifts they have on display...I love how they ask you if you want a gown and something to drink when you walk in the door.

But, it is so crazy expensive, I think my poor husband would have a heart attack if he knew how much this graying, over-processed, thick head of hair costs me (and him) to maintain.

As the prices go up, the thought of going somewhere else has crept into my mind. I've changed hairstylists many times in the past. But I've never had the nerve to explain why or to go back to the same salon but to a different stylist. Heck, I even try to avoid going to another place in the same city.

And then I get scared someone else won't know how to do my hair.
And then I feel guilty that I might hurt their feelings.
And then I look at those brilliant gray roots peeking through in the center of my head.

And then, once I can't deal with the fear, guilt and gray roots any longer...I pick up the phone and make another appointment with my girls.

No really...I'm not a wuss. I'm just LOYAL.

Their version of heaven...My version of hell

2009-11-18T21:43:00.005-06:00

Daily blogging with an uneventful life is proving to be a real challenge for me. I hope you don't mind if we back-track a bit!

Bill and Will joined some other Gallagher boys (Paul, Ricky and Brian) several weeks ago for a weekend at "The Shack". And by "The Shack", I'm not talking about the book.

I know that I've told you about this before, but here are a few things to refresh your memory:
- just a bit northwest of Duluth
- lies deep within beautiful Lake Superior National Forest
- private, secluded and serene
- infested with mice
- held together with a winch in the attic that runs around the entire building
- accompanied by an outhouse with a glass storm door and skylight
- filthy
- stinky

In addition to (or should I say despite of) all these unique features, my two favorite guys just happen to LOVE this place.

Me? Not so much. Just thinking about it gives me an anxiety attack.

I have tried to understand their relationship with this place, but it truly escapes me. Maybe I have to think like a boy. Hmmmm...

Boy thoughts: Mmmmm. Fire. Fire's cool. I like to play with fire. I wonder how many things I can throw into the fire?

Boy thoughts: Ooooo...motorized vehicle...mud...trail through woods...

Boy thoughts: Hmmmmm...how can I further optimize the effectiveness of this mouse-trap? With peanut butter and a drowning well, of course!

Boy thoughts: Dang. My wife/mom never lets me play with guns in our house.

OK...don't freak out. I'm told that these are just BB guns used to shoot the mice that escaped the fancy beer-can-peanut-butter-drowning-bucket-trap.

I'm told that they are being safe at all times.

I'm told that "it's the most fun place, ever!"

I'm also told that what happens at the shack, stays at the shack.

Gotta go... anxiety attack coming on.

I Love Norwwex (this is not an infomercial)

2009-11-17T21:59:00.005-06:00

I cleaned the house again today. This is the third time in 3 weeks. I think that part of my motivation for cleanliness may be my new-found cleaning tools.

Several weeks ago, a friend of mine started selling this stuff called Norwex. It's an antibacterial microfiber material that comes in all kinds of different forms (small cloth, dusting mitt, large window cloth, mop, bath towels, etc). You can't believe how much easier and faster it is to clean everything!!!! Even disgusting, nasty, filthy wood blinds. No kidding!

No more cleaning solutions. No more flying dust. Today, I scrubbed out a carpet stain that I've been staring at for over a year. Using only water and this miracle cloth!

Seriously amazing!!!!

Kevin Bacon

2009-11-16T14:31:00.001-06:00

This made me laugh...

The Kevin Bacon Movie Club from Kevin Bacon

Goofy Little Girl

2009-11-15T22:39:00.002-06:00

Here's my goofy little girl!

This daily blogging thing is running my brain dry. In search of a topic, I went into the first computer photo album I could find: Fall 2004. I remember that like it was yesterday.

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE missing front teeth on little kids???

It's my favorite. Followed closely by Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream.

A Voice from the Past

2009-11-14T22:15:00.004-06:00

Bill helped pack and move his Dad today. He recently sold the house where he and Bill's mom had lived for the past 15+ years and will be moving to a town home. During the sorting, he found a cassette tape of an interview he did with his Grandma Agnes. He thinks it was done in 1983-ish...not quite sure.

I never met his Grandma Ag. But I know a little bit about her. I think she died before Bill even graduated from high school. I know that she was a teacher. I know that she loved to play Scrabble. I know that she was the "queen" or something of Fridley and rode in a parade. I know that she used to pack Bill and Brian bags of snacks and trinkets to take with them on the long drive back down to Rochester. And I know that the people who knew her thought the world of her.

It was pretty amazing to hear her voice on that tape tonight. Hearing someone speak registers at a whole different level than just looking at a picture of them. I think it's the intonation; maybe the rhythm of their words. Maybe it's how I heard her interact with her grandson...my husband. For me, it just put a whole new light on who this woman actually was.

She came across very bright and articulate. She seemed knowledgeable of the world around her at that time, transitioning from politics to religion smoothly. She was spunky.

I wish I had known her.

But tonight, I feel lucky to have heard her.

Swim Slideshow

2009-11-13T12:45:00.002-06:00

Here is my latest project for the kids' swim club. Once I start messing around with Photoshop, I lose all track of time! It's amazing!

Actually, this slideshow didn't take me very long at all. Projects on Elements 6.0 are so easy to put together.

I'm not sure what I love more: my camera, my Photoshop, my computer, or my kids' swim club...

TV

2009-11-12T21:48:00.005-06:00

I know...I still probably watch too much TV. I definitely don't watch as much as I did a few years ago; but I really do love a good episode of The Office or Law & Order SVU.

Has anyone started watching any of the new shows out there this fall?

My favorite new one is Modern Family. Hil. Air. Eee. Us. Seriously - it's awesome! I can't decide which characters are my favorite. Trust me...it's good.

We've also started watching FlashForward and V. They are both pretty good thrillers. FF gives me my LOST fix while that's not on.

And my guilty pleasure is Witches of Eastwick. It's trashy, mindless, and kind of stupid. But it's still on my DVR. What can I say...sometimes you just need trashy, mindless, and stupid.

And speaking of that...thank God for DVRs.

Drunken Hunting

2009-11-11T21:42:00.004-06:00

I kind of feel like I could do another edition of Stupid or Unfortunate today. But instead, I'll just share a thought with you:

I think there should be incredibly strict laws against intoxicated people handling firearms. Isn't that just common sense? Even for stupid people, it should be common sense, right?

And on a related topic...it should be illegal to hunt while intoxicated. It should be illegal to climb one's drunk ass up into a deer stand while intoxicated. And honestly, I don't really care if one's drunk ass falls out of a 15 foot high deer stand and breaks one's drunk-ass neck. But then don't complain about the incisional pain following the fusion of the vertebrae in one's cervical spine.

OMG...can you imagine all the trouble that could be avoided if we had laws against this?

But then I probably wouldn't have a job, would I?

My lesson of the day

2009-11-10T22:19:00.002-06:00

This is what I learned today:

Once one of those big exercise balls has been punctured, it cannot be adequately repaired with duct tape.

It is not safe.

Ow...........

YOU'RE ELEVEN!!

2009-11-09T17:07:00.004-06:00

My eleven year old daughter is obsessed with getting a phone.

She thinks it's imperative to her survival in this world.
I think: YOU'RE ELEVEN!

She thinks that it'll come in handy when she babysits for C, M, and G.
I think: WE LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR!

She thinks that it would be so convenient to call me when she is done with swim practice or needs a ride somewhere.
I think: I ALREADY HAVE YOUR SCHEDULE!!! IT'S THE SCHEDULE OF AN ELEVEN YEAR OLD!

She thinks that she's the only kid in 5th grade who doesn't have one.
I think: I DON'T CARE! YOU'RE ELEVEN!

She thinks that she is totally responsible and take very good care of it.
I think: I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

...BUT YOU'RE ELEVEN!

Sitting

2009-11-08T23:00:00.003-06:00

omgwhataweekend!

I'm so exhausted...but look...here I am...at 11:00 at night...blogging...because I committed to it for the month.

I'm actually anxious for Monday. I think that I can maybe relax a bit. You, know - recover. From my weekend sitting in a pool. Yep - you heard me right: sitting. That's it...JUST sitting.

Sitting for 21 hours.

You don't have to look again. You read it correctly the first time.

One of these days (when I'm not so exhausted from all that sitting), I'm going to calculate the ratio of sitting/waiting time to the time that my children are actually swimming in events.

That could be interesting.

...or shocking.

Long Days

2009-11-07T23:17:00.003-06:00

Do you want to know how it feels to spend 10 hours in a hot, humid pool?

Nah...I didn't think so.

Since the kids turned 11 in June, we've become all-dayers at swim meets. The girls 11-12 age group gets shifted to afternoons while the boys 11-12 remains in the mornings. I think it has something to do with the number of girls and the coinciding high school swim season. But, for whatever reason it's for...it means that we've at the pool from the darkness of the morning until the darkness of the night.

Thank God I love to watch swimming!

...and thank God for bleacher-cushions!

Will and his swim buddies

Hypocrisy Waits Silently for the Self-Righteous

2009-11-06T17:17:00.011-06:00

And another one for you: Carrie Prejean

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The breakfast-fundraiser-and-dog-poop-in-eye-resource blog

2009-11-05T21:13:00.003-06:00

I have this little "Site Meter" function embedded in my blog. It's kind of interesting to see how many views my blog is getting. Now don't get me wrong... there really aren't very many. But I'm pretty sure there are a few "regulars" that check back once in awhile. This includes my sisters, my dad, and my husband. (Hi guys!)

I can't see exactly who is reading my blog, but I can see the city their server is in, approximately how long they are visiting, where they "out click" to and how they came upon my site.

That last part is my favorite. Other than seeing hits referred to my blog from my sister's or friend's blogs, I can see the words that people used in their Google search to access my little online journal.

The most popular Google search that leads to my blog is "Applebees Breakfast Fundraiser". Awhile back I wrote this following my fundraising journey for the Breast Cancer 3 Day. There must be a lot of people looking for ways to raise some funds!

Following close behind the Applebees thing is "dog poop in your eye". Seriously! People actually Google "dog poop in your eye." Some Google "dog poop in my eye." Some just search for "poop in eye." But apparently this is an issue worth researching for some folks.

And they're led right to my little blog.

Hmmm...Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Inside my head...

2009-11-04T19:39:00.005-06:00

1. You may have noticed that I've now blogged for 4 days in a row. Can you believe it? I hate to jinx myself, but I'm trying to do the NoPoBloMo or PoBloNoMo, or whatever. Basically I'm trying to blog every day this month. I'm hoping that this will force some creativity out of me. Huh...nothing like forced creativity...

2. We all got seasonal flu shots several weeks ago. But none of us has received the H1N1 yet. I feel like I'm just waiting for my whole family to get struck down by this virus. I usually wake up every morning and feel everybody's head for a fever. So far - so good...knocking on wood.

3. My dad and Marva are coming for the weekend. It'll be great to see them again. Can't wait to see the pictures from their month-long Corvette trip out west! They are also coming to see the kids swim at a meet in Elk River on Saturday and Sunday. I'm pretty sure they have no idea what they're in for. The kids swim in 2 different sections this season - Will in the morning and Maddie in the afternoon. Wow...that makes for LONG days! And guess what... This little all-day arrangement will last for the next 2 years!

4. Has anyone ever worked with Microsoft Publisher? I'm trying to put together a newsletter for work and I'm having a hard time getting everything formatted nicely. Heaven forbid I succumb to reason and use the HELP function.

5. Aside from blogging 4 days in a row, I've also cleaned my house 2 weeks in a row. I'm pretty sure I haven't done that since 1997. But, seriously...it feels GREAT! I think it's kind of like therapy. But free.

6. A friend of mine recently started selling Norwex microfiber cleaning supplies. OMG...the dusting mitt is AMAZING!!!! My wood blinds haven't been this dust-free since they were installed over 7 years ago.

7. Do you want to check out my latest techy/nerdy project? Here it is: Sea Devils Swimming.
The swim team recently switched websites and I ended up as the "temporary webmaster". Yeah, I know...don't laugh. It kind of makes me want to call up my 10th grade computer teacher and tell him that I'm really NOT an idiot. Hey, buddy! I can copy and paste HTML with the best of 'em.

I apologize. This could be along month for all of us.

Grade Check

2009-11-03T21:46:00.004-06:00

The schools in our district provide an online site that allows parents to keep track of their kids' grades, view books they've checked out from the library, and look at detailed lunch charges. This school year I've decided to check in on the site weekly. You know, just to see how things are going.

Its a good chance to remind them that instead of buying a bottle of water in the cafeteria for $1.25, they can just bring a bottle of water from home. Or better yet...GO TO THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN.

I can also check up on their grades. Which, honestly, I've really never worried about. They're good kids. They do their homework diligently. They like school. They've never had anything other than an A or A-. And I'm really not trying to be one of "those" moms...but to this point, grades haven't been an issue.

And that's why I almost fell out of my chair today when I saw a B- show up in Will's grade-book. And guess what it was in.

Go ahead, guess.

Phy Ed. Gym. PE. I couldn't help but laugh! Seriously...this is a kid who swims 7-8 hours a week. A kid who is more fit at 11 yrs old, than I have ever been in my entire life. A kid who almost has achieved a six-pack belly.

So, after a brief chat, he thinks he's figured out a way to salvage his GPA.

The solution? Simply wear the correct footwear.

Those darn Keen's are just so comfy and easy to slip on.

God...I hope he still gets into college. :)

Halloween 2009

2009-11-02T21:10:00.003-06:00

I can't help but wonder how many more Halloween's will involve costumes at the Gallagher house. Can't be more than one or two...right? My friend Heather implemented a great rule with her son Henry: once your voice changes, that's it.

I think we'll follow with that one.

This year the kids' each took $10 to Goodwill and purchased costumes of their choice. And this is what they came up with:
A hobo and a dead bride.

Go figure...

Here's the Culhane's and the Gallagher's:

The sign is a nice touch, don't you think?

This picture gives me nightmares. I'm not sure who is scarier...Maddie or Lady GaGa

Confusion

2009-11-01T21:04:00.003-06:00

OK....I think I'm finally ready to admit it.

I think that I just might be a Vikings fan.

There. I said it.

Vikings. VikingsVikingsVikingsBrettFavreVikings.

OK...so maybe it's not so much the Vikings as it is #4. Which, by the way, still looks really weird in purple.

Painting again...

2009-10-13T09:50:00.011-05:00

Do you think that eventually coat, after coat, after coat of paint ever gets too heavy on a wall?

Do you think that layers and layers of paint may eventually just fall off?

Ughhh...I hope not!

See, I have this issue with painting and redecorating my kids' rooms. The issue is that I LOVE to do it! I LOVE that you can change the whole look of a room with just a cheap gallon of paint and a few new odds and ends. I LOVE change!

I LOVE Ikea!!

I'm probably like this because when I was a kid, my room was wallpapered in a light blue and yellow flower motif. Sounds nice, huh? Well, it was 70's- 80's after all. The biggest change I was able to do in that room involved moving heavy furniture. I remember that it used to drive my mom crazy.

I've recently repainted and redecorated both the kids' rooms. They got to pick...I just followed their lead.

And I do have to say...they both have pretty good taste!

Here is a look at the past. This is what the kids' room initially looked like when we moved in merely seven years ago:

(actually, I think that Maddie had a yellow room prior to this pink one...probably didn't last long enough for me to take a picture of it...)

Then a few years later, we went to this:

And now...here we are.

Yep...all this in seven years.

It's too bad I don't feel the need to repaint (and fix) my laundry room walls...

Big and Little

2009-09-28T12:59:00.003-05:00

Oh my gosh! I can't believe how time flies!!!

...and I can't believe how bangs can totally change an appearance
...and I can't believe how cute missing front teeth are on little kids
...and I can't believe my son used to let me plant him, shirtless, out on the deck in the backyard and cut his hair with a clippers
...and I can't believe my daughter cut her own hair and tried to hide it under her dresser the week before Kindergarten started
...and I can't believe how expensive braces are

And I can't believe how I just can't stop smiling when I look at these pictures:)

A Future in Politics

2009-09-24T22:28:00.004-05:00

Aside from the thrill of no lines, multiple teachers, and three choices of entrees at lunch, one of the other new perks at Middle School is Student Council. This election season consisted of a one-page application, a three-day campaign, two posters, and a 30-second videotape session.

Short and sweet. (I think that's how all elections should be, don't you?)

Will wanted nothing to do with it. In contrast, Maddie jumped at the chance. I'm pretty sure she had her whole application filled out on the 2-block walk home from school that day. She displayed her posters proudly, and worked on her campaign ideas thoughtfully.

My favorite part of this run-for-office was her idea to plant flowers and vegetables in the courtyard area, thus increasing the beauty of the surroundings, encouraging a healthy diet for the students and teachers, and reducing the school's carbon footprint.

I also liked the part where she explained that she "can handle any situation...realistic or not."

Hmmm...I can't quite imagine what kind of unrealistic situation she could handle so well. But that promise must have had some kind of appeal to 5th graders, because it worked!

It's so cool to see her leadership abilities emerge a bit as she gets older. I was always much too shy as a kid. And still, to this day, I'd rather follow than lead.

Plus, I never would have had the skills to defend my classmates in case of a zombie attack.

Off to Middle School

2009-09-08T19:28:00.003-05:00

The kids had their first day of school today. They were both a big bundle of excitement and nerves!

There will be a lot of changes for them this year. First of all - the best thing is that school starts a whole hour later than ever before. In fact, as I was rolling out of bed to start making breakfast, I noticed their bus from the last several years pulling away from the stop behind our house. Let me tell you...that felt GREAT!

They will change rooms and teachers for nearly every class. And it seems like a pretty big school to me. Of course, growing up in a small town and going to a small school, I don't remember ever having to search for my classroom with a map.

It was a bit overwhelming for me. But I didn't tell them that.

In a way, I'm sad to see summer end. It's been a great one!! Seriously - really fun! But, like always, I'm ready to get back on schedule. I'm ready to have a bedtime routine again. I'm ready to actually talk to my dear husband in the evening again.

So, instead of pining away and thinking about how fast time flies...I met a bunch of friends for lunch and a movie today. Fun!

And then when the kids came home, they really didn't have much to say. It was OK. It was OK to be back. The teachers are OK. Hot dogs for lunch. They were OK. They found their way around OK. One of them needed help opening their locker. One of them already forgot their planner somewhere.

All in all...the first day of middle school was...OK.

I think this lack of detailed information just might drive me crazy.

#400

2009-09-08T19:24:00.003-05:00

I just signed on to tell you about the kids' first day of school and then I realized that this is my 400th blog post.

I feel like I should have a party or something...

Vacation Pictures

2009-09-04T18:06:00.006-05:00

As I'm sitting down to tell you all about our vacation, I started looking through our pictures. And let me tell you, there were a lot of pictures. How the heck did people do this in the pre-digital age? I would have gone broke in just film and processing fees.

Many of our photos were doubles as we took both our cameras - the Nikon DSLR with a 70-300 zoom lens and the Canon Powershot point-and-shoot. I really love both of these cameras - they take great pictures.

Anyway, I'm trying to come up with a summary of our vacation, but the words are just not flowing right now. So, I'm going to leave you with some of the great pictures we have.

No more lines.

2009-08-30T12:57:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that September is just around the corner. Literally. We truly had a great summer but I have to admit, I'm ready for a bit of a routine again.

And it's not just me. Will and Maddie are totally anxious for school to start this year. They have always been the kind of kids that like school. And of course, they miss their friends and the social aspects as well.

But this year is little different. It's a new school.

It's middle school.

And you know what that means??

No more lines.

Yep...no more lines. That is what all the hype is about in our house lately. Apparently, in grade school, you have to stand in a line to go to gym. You have to stand in a line to go to lunch. You have to stand in a line at the water fountain. And you have to stand in line to get on the bus.

But in middle school - Adios, lines.

This is a great selling point to 5th graders. The "free-for-all" aspect is very appealing to them. I'm sure it fosters their growing sense of independence and freedom. It adds a bit of randomness to their structured day. It lets them demonstrate their responsibility and maturity.

Speaking of maturity...How did I get old enough to have kids in middle school?

Summer 2009

2009-07-05T14:54:00.008-05:00

OK...I totally suck at this blog-thing. I'm not even going to apologize. I'm just moving on.

The thought of having my posts out of chronological order absolutely eats a hole in my soul. Therefore, I feel that I need to do a quick summary of our summer before we move into fall. Also, due to the fact that I don't journal, scrapbook, or even keep updated photo albums any more, I fear that this very site is the only documented proof of my family's existence.

Well, not really. But you get the idea.

Here is what we've been up to since my last post over 2 months ago (!!!!!):

Will and Maddie turned 11 at the beginning of June. I've decided that this is a really great age. They actually still LIKE to be with us, and they are not yet embarrassed by us. And sometimes they each will still grab for my hand while out in public.

I'm trying to savor every second of it.

My family put together another "Karen & Carolyn's Team" for the Relay for Life this year at Eureka's bi-annual event in mid-June. We've walked in every relay since 2001, the year before my mom, Karen, died of inflammatory breast cancer. It's still as emotional and inspirational now, as it was then. Earlier this spring, it was the 7th anniversary of her death, and a couple weeks ago, she would have been 62. Some days it feels like a lifetime ago; some days it feels like just yesterday.

Maddie's wish for braces finally came true at the end of June. She's been talking about this with excitement for the past several months. And as an 11 year old, the best part is being able to pick the colors of rubber bands. For those of you who are not braces-savvy...you can pick up to 3 colors at once from a palette of about 30 different colors. The rubber bands then get changed at each monthly appointment. She started out with a very fashionable combo of blue and green. More recently, she's changed to her swim team's colors of red, black and yellow.

Will is still trying to lose some baby teeth before he'll be able to start. That is perfectly fine by me...I like that we only need to finance one mouth at a time.

Sometime in mid-July, I came home from work to find that the kids has decided to release our pet turtle, Sparky, back into the wild (aka Crow River). They said they decided to do it so he could be happier in a more interesting environment with a bunch of other turtles.

But I'm pretty sure they did it because it was time to clean the aquarium.

Not that this has much to do with our summer, other than the fact that Maddie has developed an intense love of all things Hollister, but guess how much these tiny little shorts with worn spots and holes costs?!?!?

48 bucks. Can you believe that???

At $5 a week allowance, that poor kid will need to get a job to support her clothing habit.

The kids wrapped up another season of swimming at the beginning of August. They both had finals in Mankato and Will was on the state relay team at the U of M. As always, it was a really fun season and the kids did great! We've only been done with the near-daily swim routine for about 3 weeks, and I already miss our "other family" at the pool. What a great group of friends for both the kids and the grown-ups!

Will and Bill spent several days in Wisconsin at Cub Scout camp. I managed to get a pretty good run-down of their experience. There was canoeing, archery, guns, tents, rock climbing and some extensive, long, and dramatic story about a turtle, a salamander and a "pit of death".

Sounds like an 11 year old boy's dream, huh? Actually, maybe even a 39 year old man's dream...

That about wraps it up for now. The latest Gallagher venture was a little road trip to Seattle and Yellowstone.

But that's a story for another time. (Let's hope the other time is not Thanksgiving...)

It's been so quiet...

2009-06-18T10:13:00.007-05:00

So, this must have been what it was like in the "the old days". You know, back before we had kids. The house is so quiet. And it's clean. The pillows are adjusted on the couch perfectly. I haven't been stepping over Bionicles and dirty socks on the steps. I haven't folded one blanket in the living room. We even ordered pizza late one night, and ate it downstairs in the home theater while watching a scary movie.

It's weird.

The kids have been at swim camp at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion all week. This is their first time away from home for such a long stretch. They each have a buddy (Max & Anya) from their team to room with. So that has made it a lot easier on all of us!

My friend Gayle, Anya's mom, and I accompanied the four 10 and 11 yr olds on a long 5.5 hour drive there on Sunday (which, in reality actually turned out to be almost 7 hours including potty breaks). I wish I would have taken a picture of my car before we unpacked everything. There were bags, towels, pillows, and blankets plastered up against all the back windows and between all the kids. It was cozy.

The kids were so excited about their first "college" experience. Will thought that the dorm rooms are "really small and kind of boring...there is nothing on the walls!" Maddie and Anya brought their own artwork to hang - a bunch of swimming-focused Wordles that they had created previously. What artsy girls!

I've talked to them several times a day on the new pre-paid phone that we purchased. The phone is a much bigger deal to Maddie than it is to Will. They know it's temporary. And the fact that I don't allow texting is a bit distressing to Maddie.

They said camp has been really fun, but really hard. They are in the pool 3 times a day (morning, afternoon, evening). They have classroom lectures, videotaping sessions, conditioning practice, and technique work where they work on 1 stroke per day. They even have 1 hour a day of dryland practice each morning. They do some running and some strength training. And apparently, the kids now know what burpees are. Will thinks he might just get his 6-pack stomach after this week. It sounds like there is a lot of fun stuff too. Movie night, campfire and s'mores at the coaches house, and a tornado warning during which they played games in the bomb-shelter basement of the dorm. I'm sure that was thrilling for all of them!!

Yesterday, Maddie told me, "The food is so amazing. It's all you can eat. For one whole hour."

She takes after her dad.

Will and Maxwell

Anya and Maddie

Extreme (not-so-much) Home Makeover

2009-06-17T08:39:00.003-05:00

We've had the most painfully prolonged experience with our recent siding and roof replacement. Our area of town sustained significant hail damage during a storm Memorial Day 2008. We started working with our contractor the following week. We had multiple meetings with the saleswoman. We took several weeks to carefully choose our colors. And our order was placed last August. The dumpster was delivered mid-October. The roof was redone late-October.

And the dumpster just parked in our driveway through November. And then through December. We shoveled snow around it on January. We glared at it every day in February. We hardly even noticed it there in March. And then, one fabulous day near the end of April, they finished the siding and took away the monstrous maroon chunk of metal. Hallelujah!!!

Believe it or not, this nightmare is still not over!!! Now we're just people caught in the middle of a money-battle between our contractor and our insurance company. I'm really hoping it gets resolved soon.

Very soon.

But anyway, aside from the huge headache...I really like how things turned out!

Here is the before picture from last fall:
And here is the lovely rusted dumpster that adorned the front of our house for over half a year:

And here is my brave, handsome husband, who fearlessly climbed ladder and roof as my own stomach did somersaults just watching him. (I never knew until recently that I am afraid of heights!) I'm sure our neighbors can attest to the fact that this "little" painting project took up a really, really long time. I attribute this to the fact that Bill only worked on it part time in the evenings after work when he wasn't going to cub scout meetings or delivering the kids to various places. Oh, and also to the fact that he is the most perfectionistic person I've ever met in my life. And here is the finished project:

So, it's not really an "extreme" change. But it definitely looks a bit different.

Now I'm just praying for no more storm damage for the next 10 years. I really don't want to go through this again any time soon.

I'm sorry!

2009-06-16T18:19:00.003-05:00

OK. I realize that I have been a really pathetic excuse for a blogger lately. I'm sorry! I'm just praying for some inspiration and motivation to get me going again. I truly miss it!!! And now, I can't even blame that damn Facebook either. That was my scapegoat for awhile - but now all those stupid quizzes have driven me away. OMG, they are so irritating to me. The only reason I sign on anymore is to keep tabs on my daughter. Good Lord - that makes me sound really old, doesn't it?

We've been busy. Mostly the same-old-same old. A few high-points: The siding and painting are finished on our house. The dumpster has been moved out of our driveway. School is over. The kids turned 11 a few weeks ago. Now they are at swim camp in South Dakota for the week. This is their first time away from home for so long...but so far, so good for all of us. I think they are staying too busy to be homesick. I can't even tell you how badly I would like to be a fly on the wall to spy on them this week.

OK - my goal is to post some pictures and blog again very soon. Any kind of pictures, and any kind of posts. Even at the risk of possibly being the most boring thing you have seen in the past 6 months.

Consider yourself warned.

Addiction

2009-05-22T13:57:00.002-05:00

I think this classifies as some sort of swimsuit-addiction problem.

Goals of a 10-year old

2009-04-24T09:15:00.005-05:00

One really great thing I love about the fact that my kids are involved in the sport of swimming, is that it is so much more than just physical activity. Before we got involved, I never thought about the psychological aspect of the sport. You know...they dive in...they swim really fast...they touch the wall...they get out of the pool. Seems pretty straight forward, huh?

Well, there is a "hidden" aspect to this sport, even at young ages. Aside from the whole "mental-preparation" thing, there is a really big focus on goal-setting.

Recently Will and Maddie's coaches had sent home a work-sheet for them to complete. There were basic questions like, "What are your favorite events and times?" and "What are your strengths/weaknesses?".

There were also questions like: "What are your goals for this season?" and "What are your long-term swimming goals?"

After they completed their assignments, I was just too curious not to look. It was pretty straight forward stuff: Maddie likes the freestyle and butterfly. She wants to get better at the backstroke. She focuses well at practices but needs to work on her turns. For the season, she listed some time-specific goals for the 50 fly and 200 free, and her long term goal is to get a swim scholarship to college.

And for Will, he likes the freestyle and breaststroke, needs to work on starts and turns, is good at his stream-lines, and wants to improve his butterfly and backstroke. Long-term, he would also like to earn a college swimming scholarship.

And then when I got to the part about goals for the season, he wrote, "get another state qualifying time in my 50 free and get a 6-pack stomach."

I wonder if Coach Terri laughed as hard as we did?

A Lesson in Assertiveness

2009-04-23T07:53:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since our last family-outing, so we decided to take in a little basketball action at the Target Center last weekend. No, not the Timberwolves. We actually saw the Globetrotters performance as they once again took on their arch nemesis Washington Generals.

You all remember the Globetrotters as kids, right? What I mostly remember about them is the way-cool cartoon on Saturday mornings, and the fact that the "lead" player's name was Curly, when in fact he was actually bald.

Hey...I was a smart kid. Not a bit of irony was lost on me, OK?

I knew Will would like it. The two of us went with his cub scout pack last year and he had so much fun. But, I knew Maddie would have her doubts. This typically isn't her kind of thing. It really didn't take long to convince her that it was going to be fun...and funny!

After the game, the players took positions around the court and gave out autographs for 30 minutes. Their first autograph experience took forever as bunches of children, teens, and adults squeezed and elbowed their way in front of my timid and polite kids, who quietly waiting in line, looked as though they were in the school cafeteria. After the quick lesson in "polite assertiveness" and "standing your ground" from Bill and I, they jumped right in for more. It didn't take long for this to become a competition between the two of them as they raced from player to player, using their new-found skills of edging-in, ducking-around, and wiggling-through.

And in the spirit of David Carradine, as we watched our two brave, young grasshoppers from way up on section 113, we couldn't have been prouder.

Longing for a Thunderstorm

2009-03-31T14:51:00.003-05:00

This winter has lasted far too long. Don't you think?

I am so ready for summer. I'm looking forward to warmer weather, green grass, and my plants and trees. I can't wait to walk out the door without grabbing a jacket. Heck, I just can't wait to walk outside without grabbing shoes. And I'm even looking forward to summer vacation for the kids.

I was going through my "Summer 2008" photo folder today and found these really great shots I took while on vacation in South Dakota last July.

We were somewhere east of Mitchell (you know, home of the world famous Corn Palace) and we came upon a huge storm. We drove straight into it. The winds and rain were ferocious. I can't remember if we actually pulled over and stopped for awhile or not, but I know we definitely contemplated it. I think one of the local radio stations even reported a tornado touch-down somewhere in this area. It was an amazing storm.

I love a good thunderstorm. There is something awesome about thunderstorms in the Dakotas. I'm not sure what it is. But Minnesota storms just aren't the same. Now, I don't mean to offend any Minnesota-storm-lovers. But, the storms are better when you have totally unobstructed views of the looming clouds and darkening sky. And by unobstructed, I mean - no big trees, no big buildings, no nothing getting in the way of your line of site. You can truly see the horizon in all directions. When we watch a storm approaching from my house now, I see it coming over the top of my neighbors house, the hill with the fence in our backyard, and a bunch of evergreen trees. Trust me. It's a way cooler experience in the vastness of a South Dakota prairie.

Anyway, these cloud/storm photos totally make me long for summer. They make me long for warm, humid days. They make me long for the smell of rain. They make me long for a really great thunderstorm.

Yep.

Despite visions of snow dusting my backyard, I'm longing right now.

Are you longing, too?

State Swim Meet

2009-03-30T11:16:00.009-05:00

Since we've all now recovered from the 6 month swim season and are getting ready to start up the next one again in a few days, I thought I'd better get my blog updated as well. Plus, I've finally sweet-talked Bill into transferring and editing some videos for me.

I really should learn how to use that video-editing software. I think I'll put it on my to-do list along with "patch hole in laundry room wall" (which has been there for 3 years) and "buy white-cheddar popcorn salt."

So, if my memory serves me right...we all had a blast in Rochester for the 12 & Under Short-Course State Swim Championships. Sure, I won't deny that it was really great that the kids made the state team, but the thing is: it was truly so much fun having a little mini-vacation in March, hanging out with a bunch of friends in a hotel for a weekend.

Just to summarize - Will swam 2 individual events: 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle. He stayed about the same in the 50, but cut 3 seconds off his 100, giving him a National "A" time. He also swam in a couple relays. This group of boys did so great! Both of their relays placed in the top 16 overall, which earned points for the Sea Devils team. Maddie swam in a couple relays as well. They did great too - they dropped a bunch of time and had a lot of fun.

Our 12 & Under team placed 2nd in the "A" division. This, in itself, is amazing! Our club has never placed in the top 20 before this year. We really do have a talented group of young swimmers, and it's so fun to see their improvement every meet!

This is Will's 100 Freestyle:

Here's Maddie's relay girls in the 9-10 200 Medley. In order: Alaina (backstroke), Paige (breaststroke), Maddie (butterfly), and Marah (freestyle)

This is Will and the boys in the 9-10 200 Freestyle Relay. Will anchors this one, following Max, Drew, and Logan. They placed in the top 16 and set a club relay record.

We came home Sunday night and as I actually looked at my camera, I found that I had taken 454 pictures! In reality, only 164 of them were salvageable by PhotoShop. Thank God for digital!! How did people do it on the "old days"?

Here are a few of those 164...

Getting ready for warm-ups.

Before each session started, they played some fun, dance-along music. This one was the chicken dance. You know how I know that?? Easy. It's the only one that Will would dance to. You see him standing there? Yep...he's into it.

Maddie and the relay girls.

Starting...
Maddie the butterflyer.
Will and the relay boys.

Will doing the breaststroke in the Medley Relay.
The girls getting each other psyched up.
Logan, Max, and Will playing DS.

Will's start in the 100 Free

100 Freestyle...his favorite race.Relay getting ready.

Getting some tips from Coach Terri.We love our coaches, Terri and Michelle!

Grandma Jan and Grandpa Bill came to watch...

It wasn't all just swimming! We all had a blast!

My tired kiddos. Those fun weekends sure do take a lot out of you!

Hot or Not?

2009-03-18T21:08:00.004-05:00

This is the first time in years that I've really followed American Idol. I'm not sure why this season captured me? Maybe it's just that I have a little time to breathe lately.

Last night, the theme was "Grand Old Opry". It was a bunch of country songs with Randy Travis as the guest host.

Now, understand that I love Johnny Cash as much as the next guy. I actually think he was pretty cool and I probably know more words to his songs than I'd ever admit to anyone. But, I have to say - I think this version sung by Adam Lambert is amazing. OMG...it's really amazing.

This morning on the talk-radio station I always listen to...it was a topic of controversy. Some loved it. Some hated it. And I mean really hated it.

So, now you tell me what you thought? Awesome!!! or NOT!!!

Just curious...

I told you they fit...

2009-03-12T21:13:00.002-05:00

I just had to prove it to all you doubters...

...and I have lots of great photos/stories to wrap up the kids' fall/winter season. As soon as my wonderful video-editing guru pulls together a few video clips...we're good to go!

My cute little nephew

2009-03-10T22:22:00.002-05:00

OK...this is too adorable not to share with you:
Conversations with Christian: volume 1

Seriously, check it out!

State Team Send-Off Party

2009-03-05T11:56:00.009-06:00

OK...I realize that this blog has really been is a deep state of neglect lately. And I also know that it's taken on an aquatic-type focus.

But you know what?? Welcome to my life, people!!!!

So, hang in there everyone! Only a few more of these swimmy-type posts and then we're on a break for a whole whoppin' 5 weeks.

(Then it will just start all over again...)

The kids had a state swim team send-off party last night. The Sea Devils team will be taking more kids to the state meet than ever before. There will be 13 individual qualifiers and 8 additional relay swimmers heading to Rochester tomorrow for the 12 & under State Championships. It is so cool to witness the transformation of this club, which, just 3 years ago had only 70 swimmers and 3 or 4 kids on the state team, to now, with over 180 swimmers and enough kids on the state team to make a real presence on the pool deck! It truly is a great group of kids and coaches!

Here are some of the girls doing some carb-loading courtesty of Buca diPepo. Yummmm....

One of the best parts of the traditional send-off party is the gift bags. Seriously, my kids have been talking about these bags since they found out they were going. Keep in mind that they are a surprise...all they know about them is that they're filled with cool stuff! The main thing in the bag is the State Team apparel. This year they got pull-overs and t-shirts - very cool! There are also other things that some of the other state-families have given to the kids as well - goldfish crackers, Gatorade, towels, rubber duckies, door signs, fruit snacks, tattoos, car markers, bubbles, etc. Someone even gave each girl on Maddie's relay team a disposable camera, a scrapbook kit, and a cute note about "making memories with your friends." Very creative...I think I'll have to remember that one...

Maddie and her friends...

Sea Devils Swimming State Team - Short Course 2009: 12 & Under

...and a moment of craziness!

Here is Maddie and friends making up the Girls 9-10 relay teams. This is the first year our club has ever had enough individual qualifiers to yield two teams in the same age group.

This is the 9-10 Boys relay team. In case you couldn't tell, my kid is the giant.

We all love our coaches, Michelle and Terri!

So, we leave tomorrow morning. That means that today I'm washing clothes like crazy, trying to bake a few pans of goodies to share, and putting together a list of things to pack. Tonight, the kids will take their "slippery baths" and do another shavedown. Tomorrow, they get to skip school, and will go crazy drawing/writing all over my new car (which kind of gives me palpitations, honestly).

It should be a really fun weekend! And I promise that I'll post some pictures of the kids at the meet. That way I can prove that those teeny-weeny Fastskins actually do fit!

The Fastskin Fit

2009-02-26T11:08:00.001-06:00

A few days prior to finals, I broke down and bought the kids Speedo Fastskins. I had been toying with the idea for a couple months and decided that I wasn't going to do it. First, the kids are 10 years old for God sakes. Second, they already have pseudo-fastskins by TYR. Third, these suits only get worn at finals and really BIG meets, definitely not more than a couple times a season. And fourth, these suits are ridiculously expensive.

Don't worry, these aren't the LZR Racers worn by the Olympians...I haven't totally lost my mind. But they do claim to "mimic the rough shark denticles to reduce drag in key areas and features a Turbulence Management System" according to their website.

Seriously. A Turbulence Management System. That's what it says.

Whatever. They're 10. I get it.

I'm not at all convinced that these suits can help them swim any faster at this age. But you know what...they FEEL faster! I continue to be amazed at the psychological component involved with this sport. It's the whole Swim-Final Package: carb-loading, pre-race bath (with ocean-crystals to make your skin slippery) and shavedown, visualization, and of course - the Fastskin.

It's totally a mental thing.

So anyway, I caved. I found them slightly discounted at one of the metro area swim shops and I surprised them both the night before finals. They freaked out!

One other tid-bit of information about the Fastskin...you're supposed to fit them in a suit that is 2 sizes smaller than what they wear for practice.

This is the part that gets funny! Seriously, check this out:

No, Maddie is not holding one of Beckett's onesies. Nope, Will doesn't have a 2T bottoms. Really - they are not baby clothes.

It took a lot of muscle and sweat to get them on for the first time. And I won't even elaborate on what was all involved in accomplishing a trip to the bathroom during the meet. But believe it or not, they fit perfectly.

Who really needs to breathe, anyway?...

2009-02-22T18:10:00.002-06:00

Wow.

What an exciting day!!! My stomach still feels like it's in my throat. I'm not sure my mind or heart can handle any more drama.

The kids had swim finals today in Edina. Will went into the meet having to drop 0.36 seconds in his 50 Freestyle and 0.53 seconds in his 100 Freestyle. He got the 50 by about half a second and squeaked in by the skin of his teeth on the 100. And by squeaked, I mean that he needed a 1:12.29 and he swam a 1:12.28.

OMG - I almost had a heart attack.

And Maddie - that little trooper was my champ today. She has had the most amazing weekend...getting personal best times in 7 of the 8 events she swam. She had a magical weekend - it was almost like watching a transformed swimmer out there...but it was actually my kid! She dropped approximately 62 seconds in all these events combined. Maddie's bittersweet moment of the weekend was when, on Saturday, she dropped over 10 seconds in her 200 Freestyle; and then came back today in a time-trial to drop another 2.75 seconds. The heart breaker here is that this amazing near-13 second time drop still left her just short of her state qualifying time by 0.31 seconds. She needed a 2:36.69 and swam a 2:37.00.

And then I almost had another heart attack.

Never in my life have I realized how incredibly joyous or heartbreaking mere fractions of a second can be.

So, they're both going to State Championships in a couple weeks - Will in 2 individual events and 2 relays, and Maddie in 2 relays. They are thrilled!

Right now, I couldn't be prouder of these kiddos. They cheered for each other, hugged each other and truly were happy for each others victories. They've worked their butts off for the past 6 months. And during these past 2 days, I've been reminded of the shear strength and determination they each possess.

And now...we're going to take a few deep breaths and have an early night to bed. I think it'll be a good night sleep for everyone!

Too many numbers in my head...

2009-02-21T04:04:00.003-06:00

OK...it's 4:02 am.

I've been tossing and turning since 1:27 am.

My alarm is going to start blaring in 23 minutes.

The kids have swim finals this weekend and we're supposed to be in Edina by 6:30 am.

All my mind can think of is: 0.36 seconds and 0.53 seconds...the times my little guy needs to drop to get his state cuts; and my girl wants to cut between 2 and 3 seconds in 3 events to reach her goal. My elbows are already wiggly (that's what happens to me when they swim:)...must be a nervous-energy kind of thing.)

This is their "final test" for the last 27 weeks of hard work.

Considering the new 3.5 inches of snow that seems to have fallen overnight, it'll take us at least 60 minutes to get there.

Maybe it's time to make some coffee.

...or try to cover up these 2 big bags under my eyes.

4th Grade dating drama

2009-01-30T21:05:00.004-06:00

This was the conversation at dinner tonight.
(all names have to been changed to protect identity...)

Daughter (matter-of-fact): Maggie and Evan are dating again.

Son (incredulously): What do you mean? They're can't be 'dating'!

Daughter (defensively): Yes they are! They've been dating for months, and then they broke up and now just got back together again. They're going out. (rolls eyes)

Son (more incredulously): They can't be 'dating'!! Where do they go?? How can they be 'dating'?? What does that even mean??

Daughter (angrily rolling eyes): I don't know! They just are!!

Son (really, really incredulously): They can't be "dating"! Do they go to a restaurant together? Do they go to a movie together? Where would they even go? How can you even 'date' in 4th grade? Can one of them drive?? Jeez...

Daughter (now really pissed and rolling eyes): They just are, OK???

Son (matter-of-fact and shoving pizza in his mouth): That's really stupid.

"Sorry about the bird poop"

2009-01-21T10:45:00.002-06:00

I was going through the kids' backpacks yesterday looking for things I should know about and things I should probably sign when I came across Will's journal. I love that his teacher makes him keep a journal. I wish I kept a journal. (oh right...I do...and you all get to read it...:)

This journal was actually the main topic of discussion at his last parent-teacher conference. She told us that overall he's a pretty smart guy, but he needs to work on his writing. He's much too brief, direct, and to the point. She wants him to write with more description and feeling.

Now, I realize that these requests are next to impossible for a 4th grade boy who would much rather be playing Halo or creating a totally cool alien guy with his Legos than writing a bunch of "fancy words" in his journal.

So anyway, this is what I came across when I got to the part where he was asked to describe a problem that he's had and how he dealt with it:

After I laughed out loud for the next 5 minutes and then replayed the hilarious (well, not at the time) scenario over in my head from that day at Epcot last winter, I thought about what else he could have written. What other describers he could have used? What detail did he leave out? Any "fancy words" to cover this one?

Sometimes short and sweet is just better.

Awed and Inspired

2009-01-20T14:59:00.002-06:00

...that's how I feel today. Awed and Inspired. I guess Hopeful would be a good descriptor too. As would Energized, Emotional, and Humbled.

I guess I'm just a whole mess of emotions today. But I especially feel honored to have witnessed this great moment in American history.

And one which I will not soon forget.

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So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Here's hoping he can unify a divided government, country, and world, while restoring the dignity, integrity and greatness of our nation.

Good luck Mr. President!

Really, really dumb

2009-01-17T17:14:00.003-06:00

Dear Girl in the Grocery Store Wearing Shorts,

You look really, really dumb.

It is 19 degrees outside today. I know, I know...yesterday it was 22 degrees below zero. Seriously - it doesn't matter. Did you notice that there is still a couple feet of snow on the ground? You just look really, really dumb. I know you have fuzzy Crocs on your feet that probably keep them warm even though you don't have socks on.

Just thought you should know, you look really, really dumb.

Random thoughts

2009-01-16T17:34:00.003-06:00

Here is a list of the randomness floating about in my brain tonight. Proceed at your own risk.

Bill and I are having Date-Night tonight. I'm so ready for a night out with my guy...it's been way too long. We'll probably just have dinner and drinks. We really have no excuse to not do this now that our kids are older. I think I'll just mark it on the calendar once a month.
I really need to blog more. But I have incredible "writer's block". I think that I may actually have "photographer's block" too. Or maybe I'm just really lazy. I think maybe I can blame it on facebook. I've come to find that facebook is sooooo easy to do - and in comparison, I really have to work at my blog. So, I guess that would fall into the Laziness category. Don't you think?
I'm so excited that Friday Night Lights is returning to TV this week. What a great show.
I need to make sure our DVR is set to record my latest reality-show addiction - "Countdown to the Crown" tonight. I've not really ever been a huge fan of these Pageant shows.... BUT...I actually know Miss South Dakota! You can get the whole scoop on Jill's blog. And I think you should watch! She's been getting a lot of air-time during the past 2 weeks and I think there will be a chance to vote for her coming up. Not only is she incredibly beautiful - she's smart, nice and a swimmer!
No swim meets this weekend. And no work this weekend. Hmmm...what are we going to do?
Have you all seen how cold it is here in the frozen tundra of Minnesota??? Crazy cold.
I had Bunco last night with my friends. Except we decided not to play Bunco anymore. I think we'll just get together, talk, drink and eat. What could be better?
I'm totally loving the last couple books I've been reading by Phillipa Gregory. She writes historical fiction from the 1500's. You know, King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Queen Elizabeth... These typically aren't the kind of book that I'm drawn to, but I can't stop reading!! I highly recommend them.
I have a great recipe for Pesto Cavatappi that I made recently. It tastes just like the dish at Noodles, Inc.

OK. Enough randomness for one post.

Stay warm everyone!

No Joke.

2009-01-15T08:27:00.000-06:00

My view this morning...

2009-01-05T12:13:00.002-06:00

The view from my bedroom window this morning made me like winter a little more today...

Movie Game

2008-12-29T16:24:00.004-06:00

Here is another game for you:
SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen and add them up.

***Prior to starting this very long list of movies, I predict that the results will likely show that I "have no life", since I'm sure that I've seen more than 85. But hey, what can I say?? I LOVE movies!

(X) The Rocky Horror Picture Show Love, love, love it. But I will admit, it's a little weirder as an adult than is was when I was 21.
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(X) Fight Club Billy's favorite
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story the song was better than the movie
( ) Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane
Total so far:7

(X) The Princess Bride
( ) Anchorman
(X) Napoleon Dynamite I honestly don't really "get" the appeal of this movie...sorry
(X) Labyrinth
(X) Saw ick
(X) Saw II ickier
(X) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
(X) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 14

(X) Scream
(X) Scream 2
(X) Scream 3
(X) Scary Movie
(X) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(X) American Pie funny in a really bad kind of way
(X) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 21

(X) Harry Potter 1 I love Harry Potter!
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
(X) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(X) The Village wouldn't you love to see what goes on inside M. Night Shyamalan's head? Or not.
(X) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 29

(X) Finding Nemo
(X) Finding Neverland LOVED it!
(X) Signs
(X) The Grinch LOVED it!
(X) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
(X) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(X) I, Robot
(X) Robots
Total so far: 37

(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
(X) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) Kingpin
( ) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
(X) King Kong Hate this movie...don't know why exactly, just do
Total so far:43

(X) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(X) Dumb & Dumber hee, hee, hee...
(X) Dumber & Dumberer
(X) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
(X) Halloween
(X) The Ring awesome...
(X) The Ring 2
(X) Surviving Christmas
(X) Flubber
Total so far: 52

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle I got sick last time I ate at White Castle...
( ) Practical Magic
(X) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
(X) Hellboy
(X) Secret Window
(X) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 56

(X) The Day After Tomorrow
(X) Child's Play
(X) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
(X) Gothika
(X) Nightmare on Elm Street
(X) Sixteen Candles ahhhh...the good old days
(X) Remember the Titans
(X ) Coach Carter
(X) The Grudge too scary!
( ) The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask after this, it took me a long time to actually like Jim Carrey again
(X) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 67

(X) Bad Boys
(X) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
(X) Lucky Number Slevin weird
(X) Ocean's Eleven Love these Ocean's movies...make me want to go to Vegas
(X) Ocean's Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity I love these, and I love Matt Damon
(X) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
(X) Predator
(X ) Predator II
(X) The Fog this was the scariest movie I'd ever seen when I was 12
(X) Ice Age
(X) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(X) Curious George
Total so far: 79

(X) Independence Day
(X) Cujo the book was way better. I used to be a Stephen King addict
( ) A Bronx Tale
(X) Darkness Falls
(X) Christine again, the book...
(X) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial who doesn't love this one?? cried my eyes out as a kid
(X) Children of the Corn I only remember thinking - "Who would ever name their kid Malachai?"
( ) My Boss's Daughter
( ) Maid in Manhattan
(X) War of the Worlds dumb
(X) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 87
...OK, 87. So I've passed the point of actually having a life at this point.

( ) Best Bet
( ) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(X) Sideways I'm pretty sure I'm the only person that didn't like this movie. At all. And funny thing is - - I love wine!
( ) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(X) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz Ooooo...flying monkeys give me the creeps.
(X) Forrest Gump Top 5 favorite movies of all time. I can do a great impression of Forrest...
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(X) The Terminator
(X) The Terminator 2
(X) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 94

( ) X-Men
( ) X-2
( ) X-3
(X) Spider-Man hated it
(X) Spider-Man 2 hated it more
(X) Sky High
(X) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek favorite kids movie, ever!
(X) Shrek 2
Total so far: 103

(X) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
(X) Old School gotta love Will Ferrel
(X) The Notebook I love this because it made my sweet hubby cry.
(X) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember I really can't stand things by Nicolas Sparks (except for The Notebook)
( ) Ice Castles
(X) Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old Virgin Steve Carrell is my favorite of all time. That's what she said...
Total so far: 110

(X) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Rings This trilogy is in my top 5 favorite ever. I've watched them all more times that I can count
(X) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 116

( ) Baseketball
(X) Hostel OMG! most horrible thing ever; I wish I could erase it from my mind! What kind of person thinks up this crap????
(X) Waiting for Guffman I LOVE these kind of movies!!!
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
(X) The Devil's Rejects This was almost as bad as Hostel
(X) Elf again, love Will Ferrell
(X) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
(X) American History X Loved it! But will never get that 'head on the curb' thing out of my mind...
( ) Three
Total so far: 122

(X) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters, Inc.
(X) Titanic I saw this movie when I was 7 months pregnant with my twins. Love it, but will always affiliate it with the multiple potty-breaks during that really, really long movie
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail This is just fun to watch just to see the reactions of Will and Bill
(X ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willa74
Total so far: 127

( ) High Tension (Haute Tension)
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
(X) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
(X) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(X) 28 Days Later
( ) Orgazmo
(X ) Phantasm I think of this every time I get close to slamming my fingers in a door
(X) Waterworld
Total so far: 133

(X) Kill Bill Vol. 1 dumb
(X) Kill Bill Vol. 2 dumb vol. 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
(X) Wolf Creek
(X) Kingdom of Heaven
(X) The Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave (aka The Day of the Woman)
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 138

(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace I loved them all...
(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(X) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 144

(X) The Matrix I absolutely do not understand the whole premise of these movies no matter how many times I see them or how many times Bill explains them to me...
(X) The Matrix Reloaded
(X) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
(X) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
(X) Hannibal

Grand Total: 150

Yikes! I'm feeling a little pathetic. I think I'll go start reading a book or something...

Christmas Relaxation

2008-12-26T11:41:00.002-06:00

I hope you all had a great Christmas!

Ours was fabulous. Over the years, when we aren't away with my side of the family, we usually spend Christmas Eve with Bill's family and then dedicate the entire day of Christmas to our family, just the 4 of us. And honestly, I LOVE it! It's nothing but fun, relaxation, 1:1 time with the kids, Christmas cookies, and junk food. All day.

We were actually so relaxed yesterday, that today we're still all basically in the same jammies we went to bed in on Christmas Eve!

We spent a good portion of the day messing around with the new Wii that Santa brought. I've discovered that I'm pretty good at boxing and baseball. Bowling, however, is not for me. It's funny, but it seems the kids' favorite thing to do is create the little Mii characters. I think they each have a whole team of versions by now.

Maddie got a LIPS x-box game. It's kind of like Guitar Hero, except it's a vocal competition. We sang out hearts (and our voices) out. In fact, my throat is a little sore today. You can all be thankful that we were holed up in the home theater with the door closed. I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant thing to listen to.

Will got a pair of Eye-Clops night-vision goggles. And seriously, these are the freakiest things I've ever seen. They really, really work. We all played along for awhile when he asked us to join him down in our dark basement so he could scare the crap out of us. But soon, we'd all had enough of him sneaking up and grabbing us in the dark. Well, except for Will.

We also played Battleship, Battleground, and did some watercolor paintings.

Right now, Maddie's trying out her new ice skates at the pond across the street. Will's taking target practice at the basement door with his Tommy 20 Nerf gun. Bill is recovering from a bought of the flu (poor guy).

And for me, I'm felling pretty energized by this relaxing Christmas vacation...and I'm thinking that today I might actually even shower.

Avatar Family

2008-12-21T21:05:00.011-06:00

This is so funny! I can hardly help it, but I'm almost peeing in my pants right now. For a couple reasons...
1. Because this whole concept is so incredibly weird. And incredibly ridiculous.
2. Because 2 months ago, I had no idea what an avatar was...And now check me out. Me and my whole avatar family. We're a good lookin' bunch aren't we?

See if you can guess the identity of these avatars:

And here are some more members of my extended family (hint: they live in Seattle...):

And this might be the funniest of them all because you wouldn't believe how this one looks exactly like my cousin Jordan. I wish I had a recent picture!

My Daughter...

2008-12-20T15:29:00.004-06:00

She’s my girl, my daughter.

She loves art. She loves her Converse. She aspires to be a fashion designer, a swim coach, and a chef. She’s in control of herself.

She’s smart. She’s brave. She’s beautiful. She’s motivated by so many things – grades, praise, friends, and Michael Phelps.

She’s a thinker. She’s an organizer. Sometimes she coordinates the colors of her hangers in her closet. I know exactly where she learned that.

It’s astounding, but sometimes I feel that she, at the age of 10, has things more "together" than I do right now. I wish she could teach me.

She’s got a pre-pubescent emotional streak that peaks out every now and then. Neither her, or I, are quite sure how to handle it. I’m sure we’ll both learn together.

She loves clothes. She loves shopping. She loves Hollister. She has a problem with things pink, ruffled, high-waisted or with flowers. She picks out her own clothes these days.

She has had an independent and strong spirit since the day she was born. She spent her first 5 days in this world in the NICU. I sometimes think she has those traits because of that. But don’t get me wrong, they fit her perfectly and they will serve her well as she grows.

She's my child that cries at the loss of a grandmother she faintly remembers. That fact makes my heart ache more than anything. My mom would be amazed at her granddaughter.

She loves music. Upon getting in the car, she somehow changes the radio station without me ever realizing it. That is, until I hear the beat of Lil' Wayne. The only reason I let her listen to rap music in the car is because I love her so much.

I’m her proud mom. She’s something else. She’s my girl.

My Son...

2008-12-20T14:57:00.013-06:00

This is my guy. This is my son.

He likes Legos. He likes books about Harry Potter and Dragons. He's a skilled artist. He likes making snow forts with his friends. He likes x-box and Halo (maybe a little too much). He's got a quirky sense of humor that constantly makes me smile.

He’s got the gift of empathy that I’ve never seen in a 10 yr old. In fact, he’s more empathetic than many people 2 or 3 times his age. I’m not sure how it happened, but I’d like him to spread it to others.

He wears his heart on his sleeve. Sometimes I want to hide it, protect it, give it a little coating of armor. His heart’s right out there for all to see. And really, that’s part of his charm.

He’s brilliant. He’s sweet. He’s caring. He laughs at inappropriate jokes. He hides his head and lets out an “Ewww…” when he sees any form of PDA on TV. He’s a little scatter-brain. But that’s OK.

He loves to cuddle his mom and dad. He swears that he’ll still cuddle us when he’s 16. I’m not holding my breath; but I’ll just keep hoping.

He is strong. As the expression goes, "he is his own man." When he marches, it's the beat of his own drum that he hears. I don't worry much about peer pressure with him.

He has a special pillow and wants to be tucked into bed every night. Loft beds are over-rated. They make it hard to do a good job tucking.

He likes to know what we’ll be doing after he’s in bed; his favorite is when we’re on the computer. He likes to fall asleep to the soft clicking of the keyboard.

I could stare forever at his eyebrows. And at the tiny dimple in the middle of his left cheek. He is growing out his hair. That is driving my dear husband crazy. But I've packed away the clippers and the #2 attachment. I think the shaggy look suits him fine.

Since he was born, he smells like maple syrup to me. In fact, I got a hint of that subtle smell last week. He thinks it’s funny and rolls his eyes when I tell him that.

I’m his proud mom. He’s amazing. He’s my guy.

Photo album tag

2008-12-20T13:37:00.007-06:00

I was tagged by Leah for this photo album game. Here's the deal:
- pick your 6th folder from your photo files
- pick your 6th photo in that file and post and describe it
- tag 4 friends

Well, here it is. I have a hard time describing it since I was not even within a 200 mile radius when this picture was taken. But anyway, here is what I can tell you -
- Time: early spring of 2005
- Place: outside Gallagher's hunting shack near Brimson, MN
- Occasion: Boy's weekend up north
- Subjects: I think that's my brother-in-law Brian lounging in the 4-wheeler and a friend of his (maybe Jason or Jared or John) sitting in the chair next to him. As you can see, they're enjoying a beverage while catching some rays and basking in the springtime Minnesota sun. In the background, you can see the highly-luxurious sauna. You can also see our friend Tim's truck to the right. It appears that they've just enjoyed a meal of cheeseburgers and ketchup. The box on the fancy outdoor dining table is probably filled with bullets or shells (or whatever you call them), because more than likely they have just finished shooting stuff the backyard.

Fun, huh? Now, you're all "it"...

What we've been up to...

2008-12-19T15:54:00.008-06:00

OK…now to get you caught up with things happening at the Gallagher house since I’ve last posted.

First of all, in case you’re wondering – No. I haven’t gotten a new car yet. I’m still waiting for the “perfect” one to come along. For now, all I can do is dream. And keep racking up the miles on that old minivan.

Second, it’s winter here in Minnesota. #$@$%$# winter. I’m not sure if you know this or not – but… I hate snow. I hate ice. I hate cold weather. I hate driving in snowy, icy roads. I can’t ski and I don’t want to learn. I don’t like to throw snowballs. I don't like sledding. I don’t like snowmen. I don’t like wearing big, bulky coats.

I. Don’t. Like. Winter.

And, don’t ask me why I still live here – because I have no idea.

Third, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. (This works best when you say/sing it to the voice of Dory in Finding Nemo). Will and Maddie are still at it…early mornings, late nights, and the permanent smell of chlorine in their green-tinged hair. They are doing great and are still looking for those State cuts! Wish ‘em luck! Look for more pictures and videos to come…

Fourth, Will’s weekly (and sometimes more) Lego League meetings have come to an end for this year. He had the Regional Tournament last weekend. It’s a really cool program; you can check it out here to get the gist of it. I’ll try to post a video of the tournament sometime soon.

And last, I’d love to share a bit of our Thanksgiving in Seattle with you. Here are the highlights:

Beckett. We got to meet the newest little guy in the family – Beckett Brenne. What a dollface!!! It seemed like we just couldn’t hold him enough. And yep, he’s as cute in real life as he is in the pictures!

Campbelle and Christian. It’s amazing to see how much these two have grown since we’ve seen them last. They are cutie-pies too! Will and Maddie were in Princess/Ninja Turtle heaven the entire time.

Family. It was really nice to spend the holiday with both my sisters Jill and Gina, Jill’s family, my dad and Marva. And it was also great to see Leif’s parents and brother from Norway.

Food. Turkey dinner and all the accompaniments just so happens to be my favorite meal of all time. Jill and Leif did a fabulous job with the giant Costco turkey. I’m not sure how my little sisters got to be so Martha-ish, but they actually make their own toasted and seasoned bread crumbs for the stuffing, make real whip cream for desserts, and pick fresh herbs right out of the backyard garden. As for me – I can show you right where all the equivalents are at Super Target.

Home. Jill & Leif and Gina have moved into new homes since we’ve last been to Seattle. It was so fun to see their digs. They are both beautiful and I think they need to come and help me redecorate my house soon. Very soon.

Weather. You know what??? Somedays…in Seattle… we didn’t even need coats.

Christmas Picture. We got our annual Christmas photo taken while we were there. It took all of 137 shots, but we finally got it. Thanks, Brenne’s!

Parlor of Games and Amusement. This is also known as the Brenne House. I’ve never seen such a fun-filled, activity-riddled abode in my life! There is a limitless supply of fun in store for all who enter. Really. Without actually leaving the couch, you can sing karaoke, play in a band, make a movie, play a trivia game, and kill an alien. All with the flip of a switch. Errr, maybe a remote. I don’t really get into the whole alien-killing thing of Halo (actually, now that I think of it…are they aliens or army guys?), but I can sing a mean version of “Every Rose Has a Thorn” and can act like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Leif’s brother Tor introduced Will and Christian to World of Warcraft. The boys (young and old) played Halo until the early morning hours on more than one occasion. I think it was a treat for them to be in the same room instead of 3,000 miles apart. And I had to buy my own Rummikub game when we returned home.

We had a great Thanksgiving. And honestly, it was hard for me to leave.

So...we've had a really busy and fun past month.

Now, I'm going to turn on the fireplace, get a cup of hot chocolate, put on a second pair of socks, pick out a great CD, and get comfy with my hubby and kiddos in front of the Christmas tree.

Now, that's the only good thing about a Minnesota winter.

I've missed you!!

2008-12-19T07:34:00.002-06:00

OMG - I've missed you all so much!!! You would not believe the blog-guilt I've been having. Really, I've been meaning to post photos, stories and amazing tales for the past several weeks. But then...I didn't.

I'm not sure if it's my crazy life, the crazy holiday season, that crazy facebook, or just the fact that I've grown incredibly lazy and unable to manage my time effectively in my old age.

But anyway - I'm back now because I've missed my blog and I've missed you all!

...And plus, I just sent out Christmas cards yesterday and I've referenced my blog on the backside of them. You know...gotta make it look good:)

200,000

2008-11-18T21:40:00.001-06:00

These are real images. They have not been altered in any way.

It's time for a new one, isn't it?

Swim Videos

2008-11-17T13:36:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd share a few videos of the kids' races from last weekend:

The first one is Will's 50 Free. He has kind of chosen the freestyle as his "thing". For now, anyway. He has definitely come a long way since being a swimming-newbie last fall. He's actually under 2 seconds from his Champ time (state-qualifying) in this event.

This video is kind of funny as you see one of the little swimmers get up on the blocks a bit late. The official then tells them to "stand down", meaning - get off the blocks. Well, the timing of his announcement was exactly when the starting-buzzer usually goes off, so almost every kid (except for the late one) ends up falling off the blocks, into the pool.

It's probably only funny if you have a weird sense of humor like I do:)

The second video is Maddie's 100 IM. This means Individual Medley. This season, the IM is her most improved race. She's been working on butterfly and breaststroke technique a lot - - after all, she's my little "thinker". Her hard work is really paying off.

We've been at this swim-thing for over 3 years, and for some reason - I still have problems remembering the order of strokes in the IM. It goes: fly - back - breast - free. This is not to be confused with the Medley Relay which goes: back - breast - fly - free.

I think.

See! I'm still not sure of the order! Someone help! Angela...Heather...Maddie...anyone...

Blurry, fuzzy, double vision

2008-11-15T15:00:00.003-06:00

This is a synopsis of Will's eye doctor appointment yesterday:

Hi Will, good to see you. How have you been doing?
I can't see too good.
Really? Far away or close up?
Both.
Wow. How long has this been going on?
For awhile.
Do you ever get itchy eyes?
Yes.
Do you ever get watery eyes?
Yes.
Do you ever get blurry eyes?
Yes.
Does your vision every get fuzzy?
Yes.
Do you ever have double vision?
Sometimes.

As this conversation goes on (and on...), I'm totally laughing to myself! That little turkey wanted a new pair of glasses and apparently will do whatever it takes to get them. After I assured the eye doctor of his ulterior motive, his eyes turned out just fine. He needed a slightly stronger lens, developed a bit of astigmatism, and is anxiously awaiting his new, cool glasses.

Trust issue

2008-11-07T13:25:00.003-06:00

I think I'm scarred for life by those stupid scary videos in disguise. You know - the ones that your "friends" email to you. The ones where your looking at a fancy car driving through the lovely countryside when all of a sudden a yucky monster-thing jumps out at you and screams. And then you scream. Really loud. And then your throat is sore for 2 days.

These type of videos have changed the way I view any email attachments. I either have to play the clip and not actually watch it - like turn around and do something else, or actually leave the room while it plays. On my really brave days, I'll watch the thing from across the room.

There was a time a few years ago, whenever my kids would happen to walk into our office and notice that I was opening an email attachment, they would turn around and leave.

The latest incident happened yesterday when my friend Dee sent en email with an attached video called "Irish Blessings". It started with some beautiful pictures of Ireland and soothing Celtic music. You know...the classic set-up for a huge scare. But there was nothing. Just Ireland. And some blessings. I did get to enjoy it during the second play. Of course on the first play, I was across the room watching between my fingers.

I don't trust anyone.

Halloween

2008-11-05T18:56:00.003-06:00

Here are a few pictures from Halloween. Better late than never, huh?

Army-guy Will, Rock-Star Maddie, and Wise-guy Henry

Here's some of the neighborhood gang. There is definitely a shortage of girls on our street.

Here they are...reaping their hard-earned rewards.

Both kids had sleep-overs and all four of them saved the "sorting" for the following morning.

Can I share a crazy little pet-peeve of mine with you all?

It absolutely drives me insane when there are empty candy wrappers mixed in with the new, uneaten candy. After scoping out all their bowls and bags of treats - they ALL do it! And they told me they do in ON PURPOSE so they can see how much candy they've eaten.

I guess when you think of it like that, it makes perfect sense.

But it still drives my crazy.

2008-11-05T08:11:00.002-06:00

I can't quite remember the last time I've been this emotional about something so historic, something so important, something so earth-moving. If you haven't seen or heard Obama's acceptance speech, I think it's important that you do. I doesn't matter if you're a Republican or Democrat. What matters is that you're an American.

I listen to his gracious speech and I'm moved to tears.

I look at the pictures of the people across this great country and throughout the world as we are celebrating in hope for something better, and I get goosebumps.

I look at the faces of my kids as I tell them that we are all are part of important history, and I am humbled.

But mostly, I'm just proud of what we've done.

Oh, Happy Day

2008-11-04T22:28:00.000-06:00

..I'm feeling very giddy right now.

Another election season with the Gallaghers

2008-11-04T21:51:00.002-06:00

The signage in our front yard has prompted some questions from friends, neighbors, and even a few trick or treaters recently. You see, historically we've always been a "split household". It's not that we ever fight about it. We just like to have healthy, spirited political discussions. Really. We both love it. I like to think that it's good for our marriage. Heck, I even think it's good for the kids. It displays the importance of identifying your own beliefs and the importance of learning about others beliefs. And it really shows them that we all can actually live in harmony and peace.

I've never had a doubt about who I was going to vote for. There are just some certain that things that I feel absolutely, whole-heartedly, incredibly strongly about. And even though I may not agree with every single thing that my chosen candidate stands for; it trumps all others because of the passion I feel about those issues. And that is why I vote the way that I do.

My poor husband, on the other hand, has been one of those Undecided voters. He's been taking countless political quizzes and questionnaires to assist in his decision. He's been torturing himself with his own political history and his evolution of beliefs on the issues. He literally was undecided until he stepped up to that voting desk this afternoon.

And I'm not going to tell you which way he went. If you want to know, you'll just have to ask him that yourself :)

Early morning

2008-11-03T22:07:00.003-06:00

This morning I awoke at 4:45. My first thought was: OhmyGod...is this what menopause feels like??? I was so hot, my lungs were burning. I was so hot, my neck was sweaty. I was so hot, my feet were swollen. My second thought was : Great. This is my only day I get to sleep-in between October 12 and November 15.

So, I pulled my sweaty, feverish self out of bed, over Maddie's feet which were sticking out from under a blanket at the foot of my bed, down the stairs, and across the hard wood floor that felt like it was on fire. When I glanced at the thermostat. It was programed to be 66 degrees. And then when I looked at the house temperature (3 times) it was set at 93 degrees.

Yes, 93 degrees.

Holy sweaty cow! Do you know what a house feels like at 93 degrees? Did you know that a house could get to 93 degrees in a matter of several hours? I even have a hard time tolerating outside summer days at 93 degrees.

After waking my hot :) husband, and opening every window in the house; we discovered that the thermostat was broken. Maddie woke up amidst the early-morning chaos and told me that she woke up at 2:30 "feeling really warm", and checked her temperature because she thought she was getting sick.

Poor thing - glad there was no school today!

Suggestions would be appreciated

2008-11-03T20:54:00.003-06:00

We had a pretty bad hail storm back in May and have some big holes in the siding in the back of our house and some badly bruised shingles. And since the siding color that we currently have, has been discontinued, guess what???

Yep, all new siding. All new roof. While the option is extremely exciting for me, I'm so stressed out about the choices. You see, this isn't just paint that you can re-do the next day if you decide you hate the color. This is siding. Permanent siding. And paint in far up high places that I'm too scared to reach all by myself. So, it's kind of like permanent paint, too. Well, permanent until the next hail storm, I guess.

So, this is what I know for sure:
- charcoal black shingles
- keep/repaint the same black front door
- dark chocolate brown siding (hard to see the siding on this picture - only the small triangle-shaped thing above the garage; and then all around the house)
- shakes that will be just a shade lighter than the siding on all the peaks (just as it is now)
- linen (not quite white) trim, fascia, and gutters (like on all the peaks and along all the roof lines)

This is what I have absolutely no idea about:
- What the heck color should I paint the garage doors and all the cedar wood around the front door, the fake upstairs garage window and the upstairs bathroom window???? Some linen, some dark brown, some lighter brown??? Should I pull out some trim pieces on the wood and do those a different color (in the same scheme)???

This exterior paint is stressing me out!!!

Can you tell???

Back in the swim of things

2008-11-03T20:36:00.002-06:00

Last weekend, the kids had their first swim meet of the season. We were all really looking forward to it! They have been practicing for 6 or 7 weeks, 3-4 times a week, for 60-120 minutes a practice. They have been working on dryland training at home. They've arranged their ribbon displays and Michael Phelps cut-outs all their walls. (Well, that would actually be Maddie's deal...)

The meet was great! Both kids dropped a lot of time and still have their eyes on state-qualifying time goals. We'll just have to wait and see how the season unfolds.

I have no photos to share since my ability to operate a big, fancy camera totally sucks. I was really trying to NOT use the automatic setting (aka Moron Mode). And for that, the result was a bunch of fuzzy, blurred, yellow pictures. Honestly, nothing in this world makes me feel as incompetent as that damn camera does.

Anyway, it's great to be back in the swim meet routine again. We've really become close to many of the swimmers/families that we've spent so many weekends with during the past year. Bill said it best Saturday morning when he sat down on those hard bleachers and looked around: "It's great to have the family back together again."

It's almost time...

2008-11-03T08:44:00.003-06:00

OK...I promise I'll blog about something today. I'll give you pictures of Halloween, I'll tell you about the kids' first swim meet this season. I'll even tell you why I was awake at 4:45 this morning.:)

But right now, I just couldn't pass up posting this video that I found on Jill's blog:

So, tomorrow - - - GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!!

...and if you are still undecided. For gosh sake - you got some homework to do!

39 and holding...

2008-10-24T10:02:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday, love!

You know me and lists....

2008-10-11T11:53:00.004-05:00

8 favorite TV shows:
1. ER
2. LOST
3. Project Runway
4. The Office
5. Brothers and Sisters
6. Friday Night Lights
7. The Sopranos
8. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

8 favorite restaurants:
1. Chipotle
2. Macaroni Grill
3. Hong Thai
4. The King and I
5. Granite City
6. Big Bowl
7. Biaggi’s
8. Subway

8 things I did yesterday:
1. cleaned my closet :)
2. spent a record $300+ at Costco
3. went to the Post Office
4. watched Sweeney Todd
5. actually made dinner
6. talked to my sister Gina
7. made a catapult out of cardboard, pencils and rubber bands
8. cuddled my kiddos

8 things I love about fall:
1. the cool, crisp air.
2. "back to school" spirit.
3. changing colors
4. decorating my front door with corn stalks, hay bales, mums and pumpkins
5. wearing sweaters
6. gathering around the firepit in our backyard with neighbors and a couple bottles of wine
7. apples
8. football

8 things I look forward to:
1. Going to Seattle for Thanksgiving
2. The kids’ first swim meet this season in a couple weeks
3. This Trauma Class I’m teaching at work to be over with
4. The election being over
5. Christmas
6. Watching an episode of Sopranos before bed every night (is that pathetic?)
7. A trip to an apple orchard this fall
8. Big, mature trees in our yard

8 things on my wish list:
1. a long, long autumn and warm winter
2. a mid-winter vacation to somewhere warm
3. new car
4. Obama to be the next president
5. to win the lottery
6. weekly maid service
7. a shopping trip with Tim Gunn
8. health and happiness for everyone I love!

I love my closet!!

2008-10-08T21:45:00.003-05:00

The project is complete!

This picture is actually a photo of Bill's closet. I was so anxious to deconstruct mine this past weekend, I forgot to take a "before" picture. But this gives you an idea of what it looked like. It is the exact same dimensions - just a mirror image.

All you have to do is imagine more clothes crammed in, five 2-ft piles of sweaters on the top shelf, and waaaaay more shoes piled on the floor.

Here is the finished hardware:

And here is the "after" picture:
In a fit of glory and organization last night, I even traded out all my hangers to coordinate (notice the all-white???)

Yeah, I'm giving that plan about a week...

4th grade is so much better

2008-10-07T18:29:00.003-05:00

The following insight into 4th grade is courtesy of my son:

"This year, in 4th grade, the teachers say Oh my God a lot. Last year they never said that. That's why it's a lot more fun this year. Oh, and we can say crap, too. Last year we'd get in trouble. This year is so much better."

Meet my Neuroses...

2008-10-06T16:01:00.003-05:00

I’m tired today.

Last night I slept about 3 ½ hours.

“Why?” you may ask. Well, to be honest, it’s because I’m neurotic.

If any of you have read this little “journal” of mine over the past several years, you’ll know that I’m a little neurotic about a few different things including toilet paper placement, thoroughly bathing after coming in contact with animals, and the position of the throw pillows on my couch. But last night, it was not one of those familiar issues that was haunting me.

The cause of my stress, anxiety and insomnia was simply an unfinished project (gasp!!)

I know that this may not horrify you as it does me. But…well, it does. I’m someone who will pull an all-nighter and skip eating for 16 straight hours just to get a room painted.

Unfinished projects gnaw at my soul.

In fact, I know that in a few brief hours I’ll have to coax my dear husband into some assistance with this project if there is any hope of sleep for me tonight.

The cause: a simple closet organization. A closet organization gone a bit extreme, actually. I started yesterday morning by taking every single item out of my over-stuffed closet. When I got done, it literally looked like the bedroom blew up. I sorted my clothes into fall/winter, spring/summer, and Goodwill. And I’m proud to say, each pile was equal in size.

So after all the textile-purging, I figured that it was the perfect time to jump on that closet remodel project that I’ve been thinking about for the past 4 years.

Never mind that it was Sunday afternoon at 2:30.

After a quick trip to Lowe’s and removal of the existing generic closet shelving and hardware, I stared at the 16 huge holes in the wall and the extensive scuff marks on the lower walls, and I knew that this project was going to be a bigger deal than I initially thought.

Aside from the holes and the scuff marks, it was really the response I got from Bill when I asked him to help me remove the baseboards, take off the closet door, and start up the miter saw. That’s when I knew that baby wasn’t going to be finished in one night.

And that’s why there were clothes lying all over the bedroom floor.

And that’s why my closet was filled the contents of a toolbox

And that’s why the disheveled clothes, the tools on the floor, the gaping holes in the wall, and the unassembled rods, brackets and shelves were calling my name at 1:27 am.

And that’s why I couldn’t sleep.

So, stay tuned for pictures.

No, silly. Not pictures of the dark circles and huge bags under my eyes…pictures of my newly renovated closet.

Join with me...

2008-10-02T09:50:00.000-05:00

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Help us eradicate breast cancer once and for all. Join the Army of Women today!

What the...?

2008-10-01T07:39:00.004-05:00

This is what I found when I came home from work:

Hmmm... a big box on the counter.

Wow. There sure is a lot of packaging.

Oh. And there is a big red warning label. What the...?

Biological substances category B ????????

Sh*t.

Will!?! Maddie?!? Who opened this big box with all the newspaper AND THE BIG RED HAZARD LABEL THAT WARNS OF BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES?

My dear son reassuringly says, "It's OK Mom. I was really careful to take the big red label off the top and not cut through it with the scissors before I opened it."

What the...?

And as a side note, we're all fine. It was just a bunch of rockets that Bill ordered from Tower Hobbies.

Since when did rockets become a "Biological Substance"??

...tax relief for Americans also having a dollar value meal at restaurants.

2008-09-30T08:36:00.003-05:00

If you haven't seen this SNL clip from this past week, check it out.

God love Tina Fey.

...and poor Sarah Palin.

This is Raclette...

2008-09-28T19:18:00.013-05:00

You're probably saying, "Huh?" Well, let me introduce you to Raclette in a Pioneer-Woman-esque way:

Raclette is a Swiss Cheese dish that has been popular for centuries. There are different opinions about who started it. Some say shepherds in the mountains, others say it was the grape harvesters in the vineyards of the Valais region of Switzerland. No matter who, fact is that after a hard days work, they gathered around a campfire and held the cut surface of their local cheese against the glowing coals. As the cheese melted, they scraped (french: raclet) it off onto potatoes and pickles, thus coming to bear the name "raclette". Everybody agrees, that it took place in the Valais region of Switzerland and that the original cheese was made there.

Today there are countless varieties of healthy meals each person can prepare while sitting together at the dining table around an indoor grill. Sharing stories over drinks while creating personalized dishes on a racette grill or with a raclette melter is an activity everyone will love. And you’ll be cooking with your friends, not for them.

We had our friends Heather, Jeff, and kids over for dinner last night and decided to do raclette grilling. My Norwegian brother-in-law Leif introduced my family to this social dining experience several years ago. And then, I received a grill as a Christmas gift from my sisters shortly thereafter. We love to use it whenever the occasion arises.

So, here's how you do it, step by step.

Well, kind of...

As PW would say, here is your "cast of characters". Keep in mind, this is just what I used, but you can really use just about anything.

The main things that I think you need are new potatoes, some type of meat, cheese, and a french baguette. I like to buy the Italian variety pack of meat at Costco which includes hard salami, hot capocola and spicy calabrese. And as far as cheeses go, I always buy the actual Raclette cheese just because I feel that I have to since that is the namesake after all. I always have Jarlsberg, sometimes Gouda, and whatever else happens to look good to me. Last night I served a really great semi-soft cheddar from the Byerly's cheese counter. Keep in mind, you may not find all these yummy cheeses at just any grocery store.

Mmmm...I love cheese.

So, other than those necessities, just add anything else you want. I served sliced grape tomatoes, sliced fresh mushrooms, roasted and marinated red peppers. Also have a variety of relish-type foods available such as pickled corn, pearl onions, pepperocini, pickles.

This is my grill. You can find them on Amazon for $70-$120. And I heard rumor from an inside source (aka one of our dinner guests) that Target may start carrying them soon as well.

Doesn't this cheese look awesome! Have I mentioned that I love cheese?

This is the meat combination that I like to use, although I'm sure just about anything would work here. This particular variety is really nice as it's highly seasoned and adds a little zing to the cheese, bread, and potatoes.

We also have done scallops and shrimp on the raclette grill - which both turn out great!

If you have a 10 year old child wandering around the house, feel free to put him/her to work. It's cheap labor and will save you some time.

And yes, I did make this one wash her hands first.

No worries! All fingers remain intact.

I serve the meat and cheese together in one platter. And as shown, I make two identical platters of both meat/cheese and veggies/relishes. That way, there is no need to pass them around. Each side of the table can just grab what they want from the plates in front of them and build their own yummy creation.

Here is an example of one creation. Personally, I think that this one lacks RED. Probably should have added a couple tomatoes and a roasted red pepper.

So, that's it. Just put any combination in the little tray, place in under the grill for a couple minutes and... Voila!

Here is a simple, delicious option for those of you with veggie-phobia or those who need to ease a little slower into new things - a variety of cheeses on a toasted baguette. See how the cheese gets all melty? Oh, this makes my mouth water...

Have I mentioned that I love cheese?

Oh, and one more thing - the sliced baguette. I don't have a picture of it, but just place the slices on the top of the grill to toast. You'll need to flip it intermittently to get the desired toastiness.

Toastiness? Is that a word?

For this meal, I highly suggest that you let all kids eat first. Then, when they've finished and settled in for their eighteenth viewing of Shrek II, you can sit down with a bottle (or two or three) of wine, your dinner guests, and enjoy a nice, long meal and conversation.

So- here's to good friends, good food, good wine, and a really good Swiss-inspired dining style...

Interview with me

2008-09-25T11:55:00.005-05:00

If you had to choose one vice in exclusion of all others, what would it be?
Probably fast food…or biting my fingernails...or being able to make a decision...

If you could change one specific thing about the world, what would it be?
I feel that the world, in general, lacks empathy and tolerance. If we all were instilled with both of them as children, it would be a much more peaceful place. So, in the words of one of my favorite CSN songs, teach your children well…

Name the cartoon character you identify with the most.
Marge Simpson???

If you could live one day in your life over again, which one would it be?
I would love to live June 3, 1998 over again. That was the day my kids were born. From what I remember of it, it was the best day of my life. That being said, if I could live it over again – I’d bring the video camera. From the drug-induced stupor, the raging hormones and the surrealness (is that a word??) of the whole situation, I actually remember very little.

If you could go back in history and spend a day with one person, who would it be?
I wouldn’t go too far back – I’d just love to spend a day with my mom.

What is the one thing you lost, sold or threw away that you wish you could have back?
I truly cannot think of one thing. Having too much clutter and "things" feels complicated - I'm pretty good at getting rid of things.

What is your one most important contribution to this world?
Will and Madison.

What is your one hidden talent that nearly no one knows about?
My astounding and amazing writing and photography skills.

What is your most cherished possession?
Other than my Nikon D-40 camera and awesome zoom lens, my book collection and my wonderful family (of course), it would have to be my photo albums, scrapbooks, and pictures.

What one person influenced your life the most when growing up?
My mom. I think I’m probably more like her than I know…

Update

2008-09-23T19:53:00.004-05:00

Wow...I didn't know you guys cared so much!!!

Since I've been asked if I've given up on my blog several times in the last couple hours, I guess I'll fill you in on a few of the things I've been doing these past weeks:

1) Redecorating my home office to resemble the copy-section of OfficeMax. Between Bill in his role of Cub Scout Committee Chair and Pack Treasurer, and me being the Registration Coordinator for the kids' swim club, we truly have forms coming out of our ears. I thought about taking a picture of the chaos in this little room and then I remembered that I couldn't handle the camera properly considering the multiple papercuts all over my fingers.

2) Studying the fine details of Hy-tek sports software. Sometimes I can't believe they put a computer-illiterate person like me in charge of this thing.

3) Cleaning my carpets. OMG. How disgusting is it to see the filthy, stinky water sprinkled with gravel get sucked out of your carpet. Disgusting - yet incredibly fulfilling in some kind of sick way.

4) Watching The Sopranos. It's funny, but it seems like I need this mobster-drama with it's countless f-bombs, gunshots, and severed limbs to relax, calm my mind, and expel all my frustrations of the day. Thank God for Netflix - we've zoomed through 4 seasons in only a few short months. It started out a little slow, but now I'm totally addicted.

5) Programming my DVR for the new shows coming up this fall. Actually, a more accurate sentence would be: Instructing my husband on which shows to program into our DVR. I know if I don't come clean now on my inability to program that complicated piece of technology now - he'd only bring it up in my Comments, anyway. Thanks for being so smart, honey! The shows I'm most looking forward to: The Office, ER, and Brothers & Sisters.

6) And lastly, since I can't keep the secret any longer....I just like you all to know that I've decided to run for an elected public office. I haven't decided which one yet. There has to something available - city council? county commissioner? school board? mayor? Who knows! But the way I figure it, that should prepare me for the run for Vice President on someones ticket by 2012. Dream big, eh?

You'd all vote for me, wouldn't you?

Who should you vote for?

2008-09-10T22:52:00.004-05:00

I'm so tired tonight. My bed is calling. I can barely keep my eyes open. But I just skimmed through a few of my favorite blogs and came across a great political/election post by Angela.

I just couldn't help myself. I couldn't resist. I LOVE this kind of stuff. I actually love this kind of stuff in the same way that I love ice cream, John Stewart, and those Macintosh commercials (i.e. A LOT). As you may know, filling out forms, taking quizzes, and talking politics are some of my favorite things!

Go ahead. Play along.

I know you want to...

Your Issue Profile: 72% Obama, 28% McCain

While it sounds like Obama is the choice for you, he's not a perfect match.

You and John McCain actually share some of the same views.

Whether this is news to your or not, you have some studying to do.

Obama seems like he's the right fit, but it's an important issue might sway you over to McCain.

Should You Vote for Obama or McCain?

You Should Vote for Barack Obama

Where you and Barack Obama agree: Abortion - Education - Health Care - Immigration - The War in Iraq - Taxes

Where you and Barack Obama disagree: Cuba - Global Warming

Who Should You Vote For?

Whew.....what a relief! What a load off my mind! Now I can sleep knowing who I should vote for in November.

Rocket Men

2008-09-09T08:28:00.008-05:00

Ever since watching the movie “October Sky” and having the opportunity to fly in a small 4-seater airplane on a Cub Scout outing this summer, Will has been enthralled with flying. He’s currently building a model P-38 Lightning and has been diligently studying the pictures within the book about American Aircraft in World War II.

I guess you could say that he’s a chip right off the ol’ block. Right, Bill?

Bill has always had an interest in flying things. After we were married and before we had kids, he had a special section of our basement (or dining room, sometimes) designated for airplanes. There’s nothing like the smell of balsa wood, epoxy, and small engine oil to take me back to 1996.

Due to his own proclaimed “lack of man-space” in our present house, he hasn’t been able to get back into building and flying the RC planes that he once did, much to his own dismay. But, as an alternative to this, he and Will have recently re-discovered an old hobby – rockets.

They went to the elementary school last week to launch a few with Will’s friend Henry.

Here's my "Rocket Man"...

Don't let anyone tell you that flying rockets is easy. It can actually be quite a competitive sport. But really, this was nothing compared to our neighbors Brad and Candace racing each other the week before...:)

This new hobby takes up a whole lot less space and doesn’t require a fraction of the time and money needed for RC airplanes. The only bad part is the smell of sulfur that gets into everything. I know it’s warped, but I can’t help but think of Keanu Reeves in “Constantine” when he is describing the smell of Hell.

So, if you ever come to my house, don’t worry…it’s just the rockets.

American Election. In a Nutshell

2008-09-05T16:40:00.004-05:00

As some of you may know - I LOVE politics. I'm not sure how I got this way, but it feels almost like an obsession. Sometimes I can hardly pry myself away from MSNBC. Or from BRAVO, but that's a story for another time.

Aside from all the obnoxious TV ads, I'm totally looking forward to the Obama/McCain journey these next few months. It's a little like how you can't look away from a car wreck on the side of the road as your driving by.

I've watched both the DNC and the RNC closely. Some of it made we want to laugh. Some of it made me want to cry. Some of it was incredibly inspiring. Some of it was just so strangely ironic.

But I loved it all, nonetheless.

If you haven't seen this already, check it out! And if you have seen it, you should really watch it again. Only JibJab can summarize our country's political scene like they can. It doesn't matter which side your on...it's totally hilarious!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

4th Grade...Here they come!

2008-09-02T10:08:00.003-05:00

Will and Maddie headed off to 4th grade Tuesday morning. They were both awake bright and early (5:00 am to be exact) to prepare themselves for the big day.

I don't think the kids have ever been more anxious to start school than they were this year. In fact, on Monday afternoon, Will had showered and was in his pajamas by 5:30 pm with plans to go to bed by 6:30. And Maddie wasn't far behind. They wanted the morning "to come faster."

I wasn't sure what to do! What happened to my little night-owls who have begged to stay up and play X-Box until all hours of the night for the past month? I actually said "No- you guys have to stay up a little later."

Am I crazy? Are they crazy?

The day went really well for both of them. They love their teachers. They love their friends. They love their new 7-pocket file folder organization system (yes-they take after me...) and they already have tons of stories about their new "really, really mean" bus driver.

Well, I guess 4th graders need a little drama here and there...

13th Anniversary

2008-09-01T09:03:00.001-05:00

Drum roll please....

The Annual Alternating Surprise Anniversary Weekend Vacation was to none other than my favorite place in this whole state of Minnesota, and maybe one of my favorite places ever - Grand Marais. We had a great time, and did nothing much more than relax, hike, shop, eat and drink.

This is one of those places that makes you wonder if the actual residents realize how lucky they are to wake up to the beautiful sights and sounds everyday.

So...13 years. Wow.

In some ways it feels like I've been with Billy my whole life (but in a good way mind you); and in some ways it feels like just yesterday that we were sitting in my parent's backyard on the night before our wedding, making plans for "someday".

I love you, babe!

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-08-31T09:45:00.002-05:00

So, I'm 38 today. Just another year closer to the big 4-0. It's funny, but I remember my parents being this age, and they just seemed so much more, more...mature and knowledgeable than I feel.

But getting older is a good thing. After all, look what the alternative is!

I saw this fun link on Christie's blog. Did you know that the #1 song on the day I was born was "War" by Edwin Starr?

See! I knew I was destined from birth to be a peace-loving Democrat:)

Last days of summer...

2008-08-29T09:12:00.003-05:00

This past week, we've been trying to squish a few last moments of summer fun from the days remaining until school starts. Usually around the end of August, I get a bad case of we-didn't-do-enough-fun-stuff guilt. But today, as I take inventory on the past 3 months, we actually did a LOT of fun things and made great memories along the way, too. I'm sure it's just the fact that the summer blew by in the blink of an eye. Or at least that way I'm trying to tell myself!

Some neighbor kids decided to have a camp-out this week in a couple tents in our back yard. The picture here shows only a part of the whole crew. I think there were nine total. Other than a few warnings for noise violation from their parents, the night went pretty good until 4:30 am when a thunderstorm rolled in. Thanks to Candace and Varen for running out at the first boom of thunder, some of the kids made it home. The others luckily made in into our living room. It's funny how it took the sound of giggling 10 yr olds to wake me at 5:30 am, never mind the roaring thunder and down pouring rain.

We've also had several swim club gatherings, parties, and an end-of-the-year banquet. One of the days we went to Bunker Beach with a few of the families. They have a really great wave pool where the kids spent most of their time. We all had a blast and absolutely enjoyed the perfect August afternoon weather.

This weekend, Bill and I are going away. But I can't tell you much more than that, because I don't know! It's a surprise!!

We've decided to resume our annual alternating Surprise Anniversary Weekend Vacation, where one of us plans a weekend away without telling the other one anything about it. In the past, these trips have always been either local or no more than a few hours away. We've done places like Grand Marias, Bayfield, Stillwater, and Door County, WI. I think we stopped doing the surprise-thing when I planned a trip to Chicago a few years ago and decided that it was too far and required too much planning to pull off a surprise.

So anyway, it's Bill's turn this year. Do you know how hard it is to pack for a weekend trip when you don't know where you're going????

Is this a Minnesota thing?

2008-08-21T18:12:00.002-05:00

This was the front door view at a relatively big gathering that we attended a few weeks ago. This instantly made me think of my friend Kelly. One distinct thing I learned about Kelly shortly after I met her, was that she thought the ritual of "The Gathering of the Shoes" was really funny. Not so much funny-ha-ha, but funny-peculiar.

Keep in mind, this picture was taken on a perfectly dry, sunny day in the middle of summer. No rain. No mud. No slush or snow. No dog poop spattering the front step.

Kelly has lived in many places throughout her life, and I think she always just chalked this strange occurrence up as "a Minnesota thing".

I think she might be right. I've lived in Minnesota for so long, it's kinda hard to remember what life was like before we moved to Mosquitoland; but I'm pretty sure we never did this growing up in SD. And I know it didn't ever happen in Kansas or Florida or Connecticut. Hmmm, maybe in Wisconsin though.

So, I'm guessing that if you have no idea why I'm dedicating an entire post to foyer shoe depositories, your probably a native Minnesotan. Otherwise, you might just think it's as strange as Kelly did.