A Picture Update

What a week.

On Monday Maya had her usual fun with Boom, Lucy and Iris.

Then Callie and I had fun with Snapchat.

Tuesday was my birthday. While I was a work G-ma came over and surprised me with putting spring birthday flowers in my pots! After work I picked up the girls and headed downtown where we had a family dinner. Boom made me my favorite childhood meal of homemade macaroni and cheese (and peas too!)... so delicious. Chris got the whole family to go in on a new laptop for me...and I LOVE IT. 

Wednesday and Thursday were spent with G-ma and Pa (and a Hanna visit)!

And of course we spent lots of time outside all week. Because FINALLY.

Tonight we went to Callie’s school for a carnival. Boom came with too, and we had fun!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday BABYGOOSE806!

It is hard to believe, but I started this blog NINE YEARS AGO today.

This blog was just a random "Mommy Blog" bandwagon I jumped on but has turned into more than I would ever have thought back then.

This blog allowed me to chronicle 2 pregnancies and the parenting ups and downs of two special girls.  But it has also been a way for me to share photos and memories of wonderful vacations, exciting life events, and...more importantly...my journey through grief after losing my dad.

It has allowed me to process thoughts and feelings in a way that works for me. And I'd like to think I've come along way since my FIRST POST.

At least there have been fewer exclamation points anyway.

The girls are getting older.  I don't know how this blog will change as they get bigger and more in charge of their own selves than I am.  I hope they'll still be okay with me sharing pictures of our life together, but maybe just fewer silly ones.  I already have felt myself giving up those kinds of blog posts a little bit.

So here I am...36-years-old, completely spoiled with a brand new computer given to me by all my family members for my birthday, and ready to continue blogging...wherever it may lead me.




And I'm grateful for all those faithful readers who have stuck with me for 9 years!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate people reading my words, looking at my pictures, and giving me so much love and support.  Thank you.

Timehop Tuesday

Since it is my birthday today, I have a lot of Timehops for you!

First up, Callie and her Gosselin aunties.

And then Lucy and me!

The girls as 4-year-olds in sunglasses (and crazy different April weather):

And more crazy April snow!

Then my girls as babies...and the big girls they are now:

My last Timehop has no picture attached, but I’ll always remember that it was on my birthday (9 years ago) that we found out we were having a baby! 

Weekend Wrap-Up: Happy Birthday Auntie Hanna!

Yay! It’s Hanna’s birthday!

We had a fun brunch celebrating her, but more on that later.

First up...we spent more time on bikes this morning. And Auntie Cat came over and brought us some fresh fruit to snack on! Yum!

As you’ll see in the video later, Callie still needs to work on not leaning on her bike...but she’s almost got it otherwise!

Later we went downtown after dance class. We walked Iris to an enclosed field and watched her run (see video later)! And then Boom made an ice cream sundae bar and there were two happy girls.

Lucy slept over at our house last night! We went on a wagon ride, ate dinner, and attempted to get some cute jammie pictures.

The girls slept well and had fun playing and dancing this morning (see video later).

After Lucy was picked up we played outside a little longer, and then headed to church. Callie and the other 2nd graders led “The Lord’s Prayer” during the service today.

Then we headed to Hanna’s birthday brunch!!!

While Chris and the girls went to the Wicks’s, I spent some time doing some training with Luna. She’s still kind of a Luna-tic but is getting better.

So it was a super busy weekend! And now we are on to another busy week. 

Here are some fun videos!

Enjoy the sunshine.

A Picture Update

Oh my goodness this past week has felt like an eternity. The fact that we had a snow day on Monday because of 16+ inches of snow is almost incomprehensible.  But we made the best of it.

Callie’s school pictures came this week. She looks beautiful. And so old.

And then we have Wednesday pictures from G-Ma and at Boom’s house:

And Thursday pics too. I just love Maya’s sweet face in the morning. She wanted braids after her bath and Cal wanted to work on multi-digit multiplication!

Today we spent time outside and then went to get NEW BIKES!!! It has been years since we have actually had bikes for the girls (Maya has actually never had one) so it was about dang time. Our cul-de-sac is the perfect place to practice.

Thanks to everyone for their love and kind messages about my Grammy. Here is her obituary: 

Grammy’s Obituary

Soak up the sun this weekend!

Timehop Tuesday

All I got for today is a crazy April weather Timehop. Apparently it was lovely 8 years ago and we brought a baby to a Twins game. This week we dug in 16+ inches of snow.

Remembering Grammy

My Grammy passed away peacefully this morning in her home. She had just turned 93 last month. 

Grammy (otherwise know as Carolyn Ekeberg) was spunky and sweet. She loved singing outloud at random times and through most of my growing up years, loved the acronym W.O.W., which stood for Wild Old Woman. She even had WOW on her license plate.

When I was little Grammy lived in Madison, and then moved out to Lake Tahoe, Nevada (where the above picture was taken). Then when I was in high school or early college, she moved out to Loveland, Colorado.

I have fond memories from all of those places where she lived. Every time we visited, she had presents for me and my sisters. I even got to fly out to Lake Tahoe by myself one summer (I was probably in middle school), and she spoiled me rotten with fun adventures, treats and Teen Beat Magazine.

She and I emailed daily in my teenage years and through my early twenties. Though we never lived in the same place, we had a close bond.

Callie has seen Grammy a few times, most recently in September, and I’m so grateful that we took that trip out to Colorado this fall.

The last several years she has had dementia and hasn’t known us. But she still always showed her spunk.

I’m grateful to have so many memories of her. We love you, Grammy, and will miss you very much.