Sometimes we vacuum our dog.

Don't worry. She loves it.

King Cake

I was at Hy Vee today and found a King Cake. This is our sad Mardi Gras celebration in Iowa City. This is a terrible picture of me and as I type this I can't believe that I am actually going to post it. Um, ya, and the girls are wearing swim suits. I really don't know why, except they said they are being superheros. I also don't know why we let Anna hold it... she had already spilled her milk all over the box, but it survived and tasted like a cinnamon roll from the HyVee bakery. We didn't find the baby yet, and I wouldn't let them dig for it, so we'll see about that later.

Yogi's Wound from the Germans

Yogi just wanted everyone to see the wound he had from the German's next door. He is still a lil scared of them but getting braver everyday. He wanted a lil sympathy and to make everyone feel bad for not sending any get well cards. Also, he wanted to let everyone know that he goes to the doctor on Thursday to schedule his appointment to become a little bit less of a man.

Why am I the only one posting?

You know, I really don't care if you're busy, or if you can't think of anything to say, or whatever your lame excuses are. Why isn't anyone posting? I guess I have to pick up the slack by sharing stuff that no one cares about. The girls are feeling better, and both have gone to school 2 days in a row. I worked the last 2 nights and it was quiet until 6am when 2 babies were born at once, and one of them wasn't breathing and had to come to the NICU.

Other exciting news: Anna broke Donald's review mirror with her backpack after school and you would think the world has come to an end. He is a freak. I say just get some duct tape and fix it. The girls have been pouring over The American Girl catalog and are coveting many things in there, specifically a "tennis suit" for Anna's doll, and a concession stand for Grace. They are currently counting the money in their piggy banks to buy these things. These items will NOT be purchased with money from their piggy banks, and instead they have been told they can ask for them for their birthday.

I am going to dinner and the movie "He's Just Not That Into YOU" with some friends from work tonight, so I must get in the shower to get ready. Linda is coming over to watch the girls and they will be served some sort of frozen dinner before I leave.

Hope everybody had a good Wednesday.

We're having our own party

Well, Anna has strep throat. I'm glad I took her in since I usually don't, but after 5 days of fever...

Anyway, she is beyond devastated to miss her Valentine party at school as well as pajama day. She truly doesn't feel good but I tried to make her a valentine lunch: heart shaped grilled cheese, gumbo (her choice), oh, and some desserts.

Sick-O's

We spent this beautiful day at home being sick. It was Grace's All About Me day at school so you can imagine her extreme disappointment of having puked in her bed last night. The good thing about the weather today was that we could open up the windows and air out the puke smell. Grace actually threw up in her bed and didn't even wake up. I went in there later for some reason and first smelled it then found the mess in her bed (and hair). When I woke her up she said, "It wasn't me, it must have been someone else. I have to go to school tomorrow for all about me day." Anna had a fever and sore throat after school yesterday and was also up in the night. She and I slept in the hallway by the bathroom for a while, then I went to bed around 4:30. I did acquire ESP, though, because Donald and I were watching TV and I told him to go check on her and when he walked in there she got up and started puking again. I went back to bed this morning and during that time Anna got hungry and Donald was evidently in the bathroom (he does spend a lot of time in there) and she microwaved a biscuit for 1 minute and it caught on fire in the microwave.

Grace's Night Night Baby did survive being washed after it was covered in vomit... and our washing machine has actually been running for 24 hours straight now.

I'm not sure but I think Grace might have puked up Fun Dip...

Celebrity.

Can you spot Nola? Look close.



You have to look closely. She's the very muddy Golden Retriever in the filler. Rykert had to carry her straight to the tub for a bath. I'm so sorry I missed it. And it is yet another piece of evidence that Iowa City needs a Dog Wash.

My weekend was filled with fun and games. It was lots of fun going to Will's birthday party. Today Grandpa and I made brownies and they are delicious. No, Grandpa is NOT going to the bathroom on the brownies.

Our weekend with Grandma and Grandpa

This weekend was fun. I went to a birthday party for one of my friends at school. His name is Will. My favorite part was when we were playing Star Wars in the foam pit. When I came home I wasn't hungry, but then later I had 2 packages of Fun Dip and went to bed. This morning I wasn't hungry, but it's 11:20 and I've already had 2 more packaages of Fun Dip. (see above)

Jimmy Buffett

I know most of us are all Jimmy fans! I went to the concert last summer with Garrett and I am hooked. We had a blast. Those people know how to party. He has just announced his summer tour schedule. The concert we went to last year was in East Troy, WI, it was an outdoor concert and tons of fun. This year we plan on going back, only with better preparations and hopefully a bigger group of people! We aren't sure when the tickets go on sale, my guess is within the next week. I have already booked a room in South Beloit, WI at the Ramada. The hotels around the concert book really quick once the tour is announced. So if you want to go with us, I would suggest booking soon. If you are interested please let me know fairly soon as I want to guarantee we get tickets. I know last year Sean, Ali, Jeff, and Jennifer all went. We met up with them and had a good time.

So Break These:




And be ready to drink some of these:

A work of art...

to mark the occassion.

Cross Country Skiing with Rykert and Libby

Rykert and I decided to take advantage of the reasonable temperatures this weekend and try cross country skiing. If I'm being honest, I had to be talked into it, and received a guarantee that if it sucked too bad we could come home.

Step 1: We went to Scheels and rented skis and boots. It was really easy, and cost a mere $15 for the entire weekend.

Step 2: We decided to go to Lake MacBride. So we printed a map that had all of the trails on it, and headed out without Nola.

Step 3: We got lost. The map was so poorly designed it was basically useless. At one point we ended up in a residential area and passed a Golden Retriever Crossing.


Step 4: Eventually, once Rykert let me navigate, we found the trail head.

Step 5: Luckily, one of Rykert's friends (yes he has frieds) was there, and is an experienced cross country skier (he also sold us our bikes). We played dumb hoping that he would take pity on us. He did, and showed us the more difficult trails to stay away from. And pointed us toward the beginner trail.


Step 6: We get the skis on. And we take off. I'm surprisingly not as bad as you would think. Though I did suck and was not exactly stable. But as soon as I got a bit comfortable...


Step 7: I fell down. Repeatedly. (Note: Thankfully, though to your dismay, there are no pictures of this.)

Step 8: We have a reasonably good time.





By this morning, I was a bit sore. But since ski rental was for the entire weekend, and the temperatures were still reasonable, we headed back out. Nola got to join us this time, and she did pretty well. She did however, chase a few more experienced skiers and maul a couple of children, but otherwise she did ok for her first day off leash. If she can become a little better at following along, then Rykert and Nola may have found a new winter activity. It's water skiing of sorts, right? The water is just in a different stage.

Can you find Rykert in this picture?



Luckily, Jay and Susie bought him an orange fleece for Christmas. It came in handy as he took off ahead of me.