Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I Love You!

New LOUD PJ's

How about these pj's??!! Super bright, super loud, "hard of hearing" pj's! Of course, the boys LOVE them!

Happy 60th Birthday Papa Mike!

We couldn't be with Papa Mike to celebrate his 60th birthday but this song is sent with lots of love across the miles! xoxo

Puzzles, Bakugans & Lego "Obstacles"

Saturday mornings are filled with puzzles, Bakugan playing and Lego obstacle building!

Justin loves to get all his puzzles out, dump the pieces on the floor and put them back together. He's actually getting really good with the more advanced regular puzzles.

Michael still loves to play with his Bakugans (thank goodness since he has TONS of them!) and is now into building what he calls his "Lego obstacles". Maybe we have a future engineer in our family?!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

This video says it all. My sweet sweet boys sang Happy Birthday to me...I love those little buggers.

Mommy's Birthday Cake

The boys insisted that Mommy's birthday cake have red, yellow and blue balloons plus candles. I found it!

Michael & Justin Trees

The year that Michael was born (2004), Mom and Dad found a small pine tree pop up out of nowhere right next to the front steps of the Wadena house. This past summer they replanted it out in the backyard. Michael is now taller than his special tree!

As fate would have it, the exact same thing happened the year Justin was born (2007). His tree will not be replanted in the back yard until he's in Kindergarten (like Michael). These pictures show his tree just peaking through the snow.

The boys love seeing their special Wadena trees when we visit up North. What wonderful memories they are creating!

Papa Jim, You Awake? Papa Jim?

After a long flight from Jacksonville to Minneapolis and a three hour drive up to Wadena, Papa Jim was EXHAUSTED. As the boys put on their pj's, Papa Jim laid on the couch and fell fast asleep.

Annual Holiday Gingerbread House

Every year we purchase the gingerbread house kit and the boys and I enjoying frosting and placing each candy piece on the house. This year Justin actively participated and concentrated very hard on putting his candy in just the right spot! The best part? They always enjoy their finished creation and that's what it's all about!

Justin & Pitiful Pearl

Look what Mom and I subjected Justin to....sitting and posing with Poor Pitiful Pearl. Pearl is my mom's childhood doll. I also played with her endlessly as a little girl. We found her in a drawer and thought to ourselves "Wonder what Justin would think of her?" Let's just say he pacified us for the photos but that was it. I guess Justin didn't fall in love with her little homely self like my Mom and I did. ;)

Giddy Up Horsey!

"First the horsey walks, then the horsey trots, then the horsey GALLOPS!" Justin loves, loves, loves this game/ride on Nana's lap - can't you tell by the all-out grin and giggles!

Halloween Night 2009

One more picture of Justin with the leaves, then it's TRICK OR TREAT! We went trick or treating around the "Auntie's Block". We saw Auntie Diane as a crazy Vikings fan - such fun! Justin did very good for his first real experience with Halloween. He caught on quickly, venturing up to doors and yelling out "Trick or Treat" and "Nank You" (his thank you version). A fun night had by our two little pumpkins!

Halloween Day 2009

We spent Halloween Day at Aunt Karen & Uncle Jerry's house. It was a wonderful fall day with homemade mac n cheese & choc chip cookies, playing in the leaves and getting ready for the big night of trick or treating.

Applewood Orchard

Children's Museum Fun

Michael's Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Michael's birthday as a family at the Mall of America. First we enjoyed a fun (and delicious!) dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We sat right in front of a beautiful aquarium and the boys enjoyed watching the "Finding Nemo" fish. They also were entertained by the "lightening & thunder" in the jungle as well as the gorillas who would beat their chests during the storm.

We then went to the Nickelodeon themed park in the mall. I took a picture of Justin's first park ride (without a parent!). He was all excited to get on but once it started bouncing him up and down he was less than thrilled.

Michael enjoyed all the big kid rides that he was tall enough to go on...even something called Splat-O-Sphere that Mommy braved with him. Ok, I'll admit it...I screamed louder than any little girl in that park! Michael even held my hand the whole time...geez. :)

Michael sure was a lucky boy this year too. He received so many wonderful gifts...Bakugans, his first Webkins (Paul the Pug) from Geri, Racecar Lego sets from the Bunkers, and of course Power Ranger figurines. Life IS good.

Justin's ABC's

Justin has been busy learning his ABC's and now finally he is saying them out loud ... much to our amusement! Here he is saying them while pointing to the letters on his Leapfrog activity table. Listen carefully to the letter "Q"... it has it's own special Justin spin!

The Two Faces of Justin

Seriously, this kid can turn it ON and OFF! This little stinker knows exactly what he is doing. Mommy asked him oh so nicely "Justin, smile for Mommy?!" Nope, nothing, nada. Then just a few minutes later I was able to steal a half-smile from him. He's my Trouble with a capital T!

Memorial Day Weekend @ Lake Boedingheimer

The boys and I headed out to my aunt and uncle's lake home situated on Lake Boedingheimer in Perham, MN. Kevin was busy installing ceramic tile in the basement at the Wadena house so we escaped and enjoyed a beautiful day. We helped pick up the yard, we played on the pontoon, we had a picnic...we just loved it. Thanks to Karen and Jerry for letting us come over and have our first true taste of summer!

Benefits of a Big Brother

There are definite benefits to having a big brother...

I caught these two behind the big chair sharing a bag of fruit snacks that Michael had snagged from the kitchen cupboard. Sneaky little boys. It was right before bedtime as they were in the process of getting pj's on (hence the lack of clothes!)...I couldn't help but laugh and grab my camera. :)