Slippery when wet

The doctor called yesterday and confirmed that Korri has an infection, she just didn't know WHAT infection. She said she would know today and if she didn't call, that meant the meds she is on should work. I sure hope so. The dr wants a follow up in 2-3 weeks...I wonder if waiting until Korri's well-child in January is too long? Hmmm...

We have been busy bees since daddy left on Tuesday. Tuesday night, the three of us went over to aunt Kelsie's for a Norwex party. Have you heard of these products? They are environmentally friendly and use little to no chemicals. I was very sceptical but by the end of the presentation, I had thawed. I mean, I'll never be a big cleaner since it is something I hate, but I got some laundry detergent and dryer balls, hoping it helps with Korri's skin, which has gotten pretty bad again, now that it is dry and cold out. I also splurged on myself and got a new pumice stone for my feet. Can't wait to use it.

With our busy schedules, we've been getting home late and I just didn't know when we were going to fit bath in. We try to do it every other night, but I'm fine with every third, too. Well, I was thinking it would be all week if I wasn't careful. SO...another ingenious moment, I think, I had them shower with me Wednesday before work.

Now, I would normally NEVER do this before work, nor would I usually have the time nor have I ever showered with them both at the same time. BUT...I was planning on going in late, so it worked out perfectly! They had so much fun, even if Korri was SO slippery I could barely keep her in my arms. Maybe daddy can start doing it on a regular basis?!?!

Last night, Sharon graciously agree to move our play date that was planned for our house to her house and she made dinner for us and our friends Kelly, Alex and Amira! Finn was so excited to go to Laena and Braeland's house and on the way over there, he was telling me all the toys they have that are also at daycare?!?! Priorities in life, I guess. Dinner was so good and while the volume level reached an 11 at times, the kids were really well behaved and had a blast. Korri couldn't get enough of Laena's baby dolls. I don't even know if Korri got to snuggle with Sharon much!

With my limited planning-ahead skills, I thought to bring their pj's, so when we got home, it was straight to bed...and man, were they tired!! Heck, I must have been too, as I was in bed sleeping by 9:45! Thanks for a lovely evening, Sharon, Laena and Braeland :)

Daddy comes home tonight! Yay! Finn's been asking when we can put up our Christmas tree and decorations, so I think we know what we will be doing Friday night!

Two in four

From the sound of it, the kids had a blast at Memere's house this past weekend. While I had a disappointed husband because I fell asleep around 10pm each night, I definitely got caught up on my sleep! Friday night we stayed in and watched some Christmas movies on Netflix (12 Dates of Christmas was really good...I fell asleep for the other one). Saturday, we ran some errands and Jim went to the (very cold!) Gopher game. That evening, we went to Silver Lining Playbook at West End...where you RESERVE your seat ahead of time. What a great feature. I think we'll be going back. AND if they happen to have the right moving playing, they have VIP seats, which we'd like to try.

Koko wanted to sit on Uncle John's lap the whole time!

We met Memere, Grandpa Ron, the kids and Grandma in Willmar on Sunday. I was surprised that Korri didn't even want to tell me hello...she was just concerned where Memere was and wanted up. I'm sure Memere HATED that; LOL. I'm just glad my kids know they are loved by so many people. We had dinner at Green Mill and then headed home. The time away did me good...my patience tank was refilled (but has since drained since Jim is traveling this week.)

Monday night, Finn had his second night of Basketball Camp. He did REALLY well. He is by far, the best dribbler, needs to work on his passing and needs to grow up another head-length to have a chance at making a basket (although, Jim is positive Finn could do it if he tried...). There were three other boys this week and they even "played" a little two-on-two at the end. SO cute. Korri was really good (well, by Korri standards). we even ran two laps around the track (hey, I'll take a little exercise, even if it is at Korri-pace).

For the last week or two, I've had a sneaking suspicion that Korri might have a Urinary Tract Infection. There were tell-tale signs that were the same as last time (which was last Nov!). I was hoping that some extra hydration and a trip to Memere's would somehow fix her, but when she got back on Sunday, I knew something was wrong (when her pee smelled worse than her poop!). Then last night, she peed on the floor (which she NEVER does) while I was putting lotion on her. She was crying, which I thought was from the lotion, but then realized it hurt when she went. So, first thing this morning, I called the Dr. and was able to get her in at 12:30 today (of course, Jim left today for Detroit!). Just based on my description, the Dr. is sure she has an UTI. They cath-ed her and put her on meds, but will let me know tomorrow if it is for sure or not. Sheesh, two dr visits in four days...that is enough for a while, kiddos! Side note: Finn's finger looks SO much better. He said it hurt tonight, but me thinks he just wanted a band-aid ;)

Korri fell asleep on the way to Target (to pick up her scrip) and this was my attempt at getting her to go back to sleep once at Target (the picnic blanket we keep in the van is beneath her). I thought it was rather ingenious, but alas, did not work. She did lay down and rest a little, but no sleep. Oh, well. I think she thought it was either funny or really cool...how can you tell which?!?! I hope her meds start working over night, as she seems to be in a lot of pain when she has to go potty :(

So thankful

I love our children, I really do. But to be completely honest, I'll tell you what I'm most thankful for today...Memere and Grandpa taking the kids home with them for the weekend! I know they will have a great time and Jim and I can relax and take a much needed breather. I think the last few weeks have been exceptionally trying for Jim and I because Finn and Korri both need a lot of our attention right now but they need different KINDS of attention from us, so we are constantly juggling back and forth. It is exhausting. We are staying in tonight and maybe getting a Redbox movie and tomorrow night (after the Gopher's game, of course!), we already got reserved seating movie tickets at West End for Silver Lining Playbook. Looking forward to going out with my hot date already!

Thanksgiving was great this year. The night before, Jim and I sat down and made a game plan for each of the three turkeys, including preheat start time, temperature, seasoning and length of cooking time. It worked out perfectly. We all sat down to eat right at 12:30, which is when Jim wanted to eat. Everything was super good, but of course in Jim's typical style, there was WAY too much food. Oh, well. Most of it heats up well. Thank you to my sisters, their families and my mom for coming over and making the day so special. We were sad to miss the Thomas Thanksgiving celebration, but a casual gathering today at our house with Nene, Uncle Les, Memere and Grandpa Ron was just as nice and we got to eat some of NeNe's amazing left overs!

For the first time in many years, I did NOT go shopping this morning. I looked through the ads last night and there just wasn't any deals good enough for the things we needed that would get me out of the house and fight the crowds. Oh, other than having to take Finn to Urgent Care Friday AM because of a finger infection AND Korri being down to her last two diapers in the house! So we did brave Target to get prescriptions and diapers! Ha, not your typical Black Friday shopping :) Now my fingers are crossed that Cyber Monday has some amazing deals AND I have time to do some online shopping on Monday!

Shopping success

On Saturday, we went shopping at Rosedale. What a beautiful day and it was actually a productive shopping trip. I feel like when you actually have things that you NEED to get, you can never find what you are looking for. I NEEDED a pair of casual shoes...I'm pretty sure there was a shaving of rubber between my foot and the ground! I found some that I really like...and Jim found a pair too (gotta love DSW!). I also was in desperate need of a new bra (TMI? Hey, what woman doesn't need a new bra?!?!). I had a coupon for Victoria's Secret, so we went there and I got fitted/sized. They measured me at a 34D...yes, people a D! I think she was on crack because they were too big. She brought me some 34C and they were perfect. Seriously...a D?!?! LOL. I feel like you either get amazing service (I felt like I had a personal shopper!) or you are completely ignored at VS. Kinda frustrating, but from now on, I'll just ask for help right away. We got some other things on our shopping trip but they weren't mission critical on my list.

Finn really wanted to eat out, so we agreed that it would be easier and went to Green Mill. Again, for all the complaining I do about my kids, they were perfectly behaved. I wish I could bottle that behavior up and save it for when I really need it :) Finn kept eating and eating and eating. I want to measure him in a month and see if he grew because he HAS to be!

Here is Korri at lunch eating a lemon. She didn't like it, but also couldn't put it down and leave it alone. When we were leaving, I boxed up the extras and she kept putting her lemon in the take-home box! I'd take it out and she would put it back in. I guess she REALLY wanted to bring it home. It made me laugh. I think the shopping trip tired the kids out because we were supposed to go to Grace's basketball game at 4pm, but they didn't wake up until 4:30! Sorry, we missed your game, Grace. Hopefully we can come to another one.

Sunday we went over to Stacey and Dillon's for lunch and played at the park. Who could stay inside with weather that gorgeous (AND...they have FIVE cats so Jim's allergies were in hyper-drive). The kids had so much fun and I really enjoyed just being outside. Dillon is so good with Finn and Korri. I think Korri would have stayed in the swing all day. Departure due to nap time came too quickly, but at least Stacey and I got a little quality chatting in :) We really need a night together, no kids, to really catch up :(

Stubborn and opinionated?

As always, we've had a busy week. My mom had surgery last Wednesday and is recovering nicely, from what she tells me (since she wouldn't let me come and help out!). I hope she doesn't over do it on Thanksgiving :)

On Thursday, Jim and I met with Korri's teacher and the manager of the daycare. We just don't know what to do with her, so we wanted some help and advice. They suggested a book, "Raising Your Spirited Child." Jim got the ebook and has started it, so hopefully it will help. We also ordered, upon their suggestion, "Hands Are Not For Hitting." It is a children's book that we can read with Korri and hopefully get the message through her thick head! Overall, I felt better when we left. I think the thing that made me feel better was when I asked if THEY consider her to be spirited. I was doubting myself and wondering if we just had too high of expetations or if we were just doing everything wrong with her...but no, they agree she is more toward "spirited" than "normal!" Ha! I think her teacher said, "Yes, Korri is stubborn and opinionated" or something like that. Yes, yes she is! Hey, she gets it from me and I get it from Grandpa Smith, so it REALLY isn't her fault, right?!?! The biting seems to have gotten better (we are also trying to set space limits with Finn to avoid biting opportunities) but hitting continues to be a constant struggle. I really think she will out grow it, as it almost always comes from her being frustrated and not being able to express herself (I HOPE!). They also suggested teaching her empathy by having her comfort Finn (or whoever she hurts) after. We haven't done that yet, but we'll see. We are trying to modify "timeout" to more of a "reset." We tell her, if she'll stay there to begin with, that she can get up when she is happy and ready to say sorry, etc. So many things to try, so little patience with which to implement them!

Friday, we met Angie, Darren, Erica and Gavin at New Hope Bowl and Italian Pie Shoppe. We had a yummy dinner of pizza, of course, and the kid were really good. Finn was SO excited to go bowling that I'm not sure how much he actually ate, though! After dinner we went bowling, a first for both Finn and Korri. I was not optimistic about their behavior, but low and behold, they were perfectly behaved!

They waited for their turn (once Finn figured out he couldn't go every time!) and stayed out of the way and didn't grab the balls, etc. Honestly, I NEVER would have attempted bowling with them, but my wise aunt said they would be fine. She was RIGHT! LOL. The most exciting thing is that now we have a fun family activity to do this winter! Thanks for the fun evening, Schultz family :)

Trials and tribulations

Korri not only has rounded the corner toward the Terrible Twos, she has hit the wall fully head-on. I don't know where my sweet, lovable daughter went, but I'd like to find her and bring her back. The monster that has possessed her body can go back in the hole it crawled out of immediately! You think I exaggerate or joke, but I don't. Jim texted me yesterday morning that he won't be able to continue handling Korri by himself in the mornings if she acts like she did yesterday. I had to force-dress her on Sunday after her nap because we'd taken her shirt off before she went to sleep. She refuses to put her coat on ANYTIME, she hits, she says, "nnnnnnnnnnnnnn-O!" constantly, she bites, she refuses to do anything we request of her...basically, she is exhausting and beyond frustrating. I even set up a time later this week to go in and meet with her teacher to try to find ways of better dealing/handling her. I know this will pass, but I don't want all four of us to be miserable for the next 6 months, either. Don't they say phases usually last 6 months? Great, only 176 more days to go :(

I also think Finn is going through a growth spurt. Each day for the past four days, he's commented that his legs/knees hurt and he has had a short emotional fuse. Last night we were at a friends' house and he just lost it and was sobbing...and I'm not even sure why. He just said he wanted Kiki, which he only gets in bed and leads me to think he just wanted comfort. Poor guy. But I'm all for growing!!

Speaking of friends, I had the honor of bringing dinner to Kelly, Kip, Alex and Amira last night. Amira is two weeks old today and SUCH a little peanut. She was hungry while we were there, so I didn't get a lot of snuggle time, but I did get some. Alex, Finn's age who we know through ECFE, is major into puzzles...really difficult puzzles, so they gave us a 24-piece to borrow that he'd out grown. I'm curious to see how Finn does with it since at daycare, they said kids this age typically have a hard time doing 9 piece puzzles! Oh, and its Thomas, so Finn can't wait to try it.

Family, friends and fun!

While it was a long time in the car, Saturday's trip was a huge success. Korri and Zander were great in the car, even though they didn't sleep nearly as much as I thought they would. At one point they were singing songs...I assume to each other, but maybe just at the same time! So precious. I got some good quality time with my "big" sister, which happens far too rarely, AND I got to see my family, which also happens far too rarely. And of course, Lauren, the bride, was stunning as usual. We kind of took over the back corner at the shower so the kids could run around, which was nice, and for the record, I don't think Zander stopped moving once...even when he was eating. Ben was the highlight of the day and I don't know if Becky got him AT ALL, since I even took him out of the car seat! He is such a good baby, although mommy says he loves to be held all the time :) I tried not to mention to Finn that Grandma was there, but he heard and asked me about it. Thankfully, he didn't put up too big a fuss about not getting to see her, though!

My boys had a fun day while we girls were gone. Finn did yoga for the first time and (per Jim) did a better job at it than Jim did! I did yoga with Finn on Sunday morning and he lasted almost 10 minutes. Overall, very impressive. He listens to the instructions really well and has an uncanny ability to look at their body on TV and make his do the exact same thing (something I still struggle with!). I do know that the boys went over to NeNe's for lunch and, as always, had a blast.

Sunday was a low key day with church, the Vikings game and then visiting our friends, the Arks. We hadn't seen them since before Korri got glasses...which was four months ago! Yikes. I need to be better about that but it is so much harder when we can't just get together during the day like we used to. The kids played SUPER nice and I think the adults actually got some good conversation in. A win in my book. Thanks for letting me invite ourselves over, Becky, and for the impromptu PB&J dinner!!

On the mend

We all seem to be on the mend...finally! Korri is back to her "regular" pooping self (she is the most regular kid I know!). She woke up dry this morning, but wouldn't go potty on the toilet, so I'm just going to watch for signs of dehydration. Finn still has a case of the whiny-s, but it may have nothing to do with how he is or isn't feeling and rather his personality, age, phase, etc! Jim was well enough to travel yesterday, although it takes his body FOREVER to get over illness, so I wouldn't put him at 100%. I'm fine, other than feeling a little more tired than normal. I think it is safe to say the worst is over!

Korri, auntie Kristine, baby Zander and I are driving together to Willmar tomorrow morning for my cousin, Lauren's bridal shower. I'm really excited to see my family AND have somebody to ride with in the car, other than just Korri. I'm curious to see how the ride goes, especially since both kiddos are rear facing and probably won't be able to see much of each other! I wonder what my boys will do with a Saturday all to themselves...something fun, I'm sure!

Based on the conversation and feedback last night at ECFE, it seems like everybody's kids are sick and behaving badly right now. Sadly, it makes me feel better that it isn't just at our house! Maybe it also gives me a little hope that it will pass quickly. While Korri sucked onto me like a monkey when it was time to separate (man, that kid is STRONG!), I was able to detangle myself from her and they said she stopped crying almost right away. And she told me she had fun playing when I came back to pick them up. Progress!!

Flood gates

Even though Jim still wasn't feeling well, I got to have a Moms Night Out on Tuesday night. Thankfully, NeNe and Uncle Les came over for a bit, which I think helped Jim AND the kids. Per Pam's excellent recommendation  Sharon, Pam and I met at Boulevard in Minnetonka. It was super cute, the food was really good (or at least the rotisserie chicken that I had was!) and it was very "conversation" friendly. I don't necessarily judge the quality of a restaurant by this, BUT the bathrooms were really nice. Is that weird? Maybe it shouldn't matter, but it does to me! We didn't leave until almost 10, which is kind of late for us on a "school" night, but it was so nice to get out and talk with the girls. Thank you for an absolutely wonderful evening, ladies!

As I was leaving, I felt a little queasy, but brushed it off as having drank too much water or something. While we were not hopeful, Korri was able to stay at daycare all day yesterday and when she did poop in the evening, it was much firmer (TMI, I know!). Hopefully that means she is on the mend (may no blow out when she wakes up for the first time since FRIDAY last week!). Jim's bug has turned into a cough, so it seems like he is getting better, too. Finn was not "himself" at daycare yesterday and had to be talked to about being nice (which SO isn't like him), which made me think he might not be feeling well AND he was flushed all evening. But nothing coming out of him that shouldn't, so my fingers are crossed. Back to me, I started feeling nauseous around 11am and had to leave work unexpectedly at 12:30...got home, changed clothes and the puke gates opened, and I NEVER vomit, so I knew it was bad. Luckily, I was feeling slightly better by late afternoon (a nap did wonders), but man, that takes a lot of out you. I REALLY hope it was just a one day thing since Jim is traveling today and Friday! I am really sad because we were supposed to go over to Stacey and Dillon's for dinner but I just wasn't up for it AND I certainly didn't want to bring our germs over to them. Boo! Hopefully we can reschedule soon :(

CDC quarantine?

No biting or scratching yesterday, so that is a win! However, Korri had two "loose" diapers yesterday afternoon and if she has three in 24 hours, she has to go home. I'm expecting a call any time to come get her (boo!). Basically between Jim and both kids, I think we should quarantine the whole house. I just PRAY I don't get whatever they all have!!!

Sunday, Jim was sick as a dog! Now, obviously, the copious amounts of alcohol consumed on Saturday didn't help, but it was a legitimate bug, since I've never seen a hangover last over two days! SO, I got up early (thank you Day Light Savings!) and baked a cake and made frosting, got the kiddos ready and got them out the door before 10am so w could help celebrate Finn's friend, Bennie's, birthday. The kids had a lot of fun at the party but in my haste and lack of partner/help, I wasn't able to stop and pick up a gift. I felt TERRIBLE, but an "I owe you" in a card seemed to do the trick. The kiddos got tired sooner than I thought they would, not factoring in DST, so we headed home for a nap.

While the kiddos slept, I finished with the cake, a simple Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting as requested by the birthday girl, Lorry! My plan was that the kiddos would be awake before 3 and we'd head over to watch the game with the birthday girl...but of course, Finn slept until 4, I think! Sheesh. So, the three of us headed over there late, and I missed most of the first quarter of the game, but oh, well. The kids had so much fun playing with Emma. Note to self: she is going to make a GREAT babysitter in a few years! And unbeknownst to me, Kathy completely gutted and re-did her kitchen, which looks FABULOUS and makes me want to work on OUR kitchen now! Not gonna happen.

Up North

On Saturday, the kids and I made a trip up to Brainerd to see Holly, Odin and Breck. Jim had the Gopher game and Matt was hunting, so it worked out perfectly. Odin and Breck are within months of the same age as Finn and Korri, so it is pretty nice. We actually left our house BEFORE 8:30am! I still can't believe it, but Jim wanted to go tailgating and helped a lot to get us out the door!

The kids all played really well together and if they hadn't needed our attention, Holly and I would have gotten a lot more chatting in. I guess that is how it goes. Both kids napped on the way there, so we didn't have to leave as early as I thought we would. As it turned out, we didn't leave until almost 5:30, and it is normally a two and a half hour drive. But, after blowing out of two diapers (and outfits!) during the day, Korri pooped again when we stopped at Subway for dinner. I, of course, didn't have anything with me and had to get diapers and wipes at the gas station. Sheesh. While changing her, Finn peeped all over himself because the toilet was too high and I wasn't paying attention! THEN, after I got them back in the car, right as I was entering I94, Korri puked all over everything (I think she choked on an apple skin). By the time we got home (at almost NINE PM!), I just wanted to crawl in a hole. I guess, in hindsight, it makes me thankful that this was an anomaly and glad my kids are normally so easy to "care" for and travel with.

Overall, it was a wonderful day and both Odin and Finn were in tears when we left because they wanted to keep playing together. Too bad they live so far from us! But Finn invited Odin to come and play some day at our house, so hopefully we can schedule that before too long. Korri warmed up a lot faster this time (it took a full DAY last time!), so she was giving everybody hugs and kisses when we left.

Did Yoga this morning for the first time since...I was pregnant with Finn?!?! I think so. I made it 16 minutes before the Puke/Poop Fest of 2012 upstairs got my attention. Pj's, diapers and sheets changed=not having time to finish. To be honest, I was grateful. Holy moly yoga is hard when your body is old and stiff! Can't wait to keep doing it and seeing the results. I heart yoga (but I, unfortunately, also heart sleep!). Thanks, Holly, for the motivation and hopefully we will be rocking bikinis at our get-together in March!

Oh, and Korri scratched a kid because she was frustrated at daycare yesterday until they bled and Finn bit two kids because he wanted a drink at the water fountain. Have we failed as parents?!?! I know we haven't, but it sure makes you feel that way. We stressed to both of them yet again this morning that we DON'T do that!

Parent Conferences

Friday afternoon we had our first ever parent conferences. Our daycare does it twice a year and in April when they did it, the kids had been there a week, so we didn't see the point. I didn't really know what to expect. We had Korri's first. I was a little frustrated because Korri transitioned into the "big" toddler room about a month ago but her "little" toddler room teacher did the eval, which means it was from at least a month ago, or more. The only thing she was somewhat concerned about was Korri's words, which just floored me! She said she can only understand about 20 words that Korri says and while that isn't necessarily behind schedule, a child should be saying 50 by the time they are two, which is in 2.5 months for Korri. Maybe we just understand her better, but we both feel she says WAY more than that and more importantly, I think, is that she already speaks in sentences AND uses prounouns correctly (something Finn took forever to figure out, not to compare or anything). So, our thought is that maybe two months ago when they evaluated her, she wasn't talking and has just gone bonkers since then. We are NOT concerned (or trying not to be!). However, they do have OT and PT on staff, so if we are concerned, they can have her evaluated at some point by the OT. Her teacher did say she misses Korri in her class, which makes me feel good (and I REALLY liked this teacher, so we miss her, too!).

Finn's conference was very helpful and informational, although his eval, too, was done over a month ago because his teacher is out on maternity leave (but the conference was with his "substitute" teacher). Maybe it is standard to do it so far in advance? Apparently he does lots of things there that he doesn't do for us, like volunteering answers, writing/drawing shapes and his name (although he will do that occasionally for us), saying how old he is (he ALWAYS says he is 2 when we ask), etc. They just love him and said he is helpful and a joy to have in the class. Their only frustration with him is his singular focus on things, like "look, there is a leaf. Do you see the leaf? Teacher, come look at the leaf." Or his incessant need to know why, how or what about things! But, we also have those frustrations and they are VERY normal at this age (and I think they are a sign of intelligence!). She asked what we thought they should focus on as far as helping him with development and I mentioned expressing his emotions, how to deal with frustration and obviously just school-readiness things.

We didn't request a copy of the evals, so I'm sure I'm forgetting some things. Jim can add if I missed something important!

You've got to stand for something...

 ...or you'll fall for anything.

When did it become okay to stand for nothing? I mean, yes, I'm all for equality and opportunities for all. But why can't you believe in something/anything any more? There is a couple in our ECFE class that are very unorthodox and feel like they have a mission to be different and shove it down everybody else's throats. This week, the mom said she was starting a kindergarten Girl Scout troupe in NE Mpls and felt the need to express to our class that they accept trans-gender youth and you don't have to say the word "God" in their pledge. Then she proceeded to bring the class down the "let's hate the boy scouts because they don't allow gay people" path. Seriously? Look, first of all, none of the kids in our class are trans-gender (they are ALL under 5!) and why is that the focus of your group for KINDERGARTNERS?!?! Second, the boy scouts are a PRIVATE club and have the right to stick to their beliefs and principles. I, personally, don't believe sexual orientation should be a factor in whether or not a child can join a group, but if that is the group's policy, it is their policy. Start your own Gender Equality Scouts club if you don't like their rules! Third, while I don't care who believes in what religious beliefs in our class, the class is mainly Christian so for you to feel the need to say that "God" doesn't mean "God" in their pledge, quite frankly, is offensive to me...but because I'm the majority, you somehow have the right to discriminate again me. "God" forbid I stand up for what I believe and say something against you and your beliefs, then I'm somehow the monster. Give me a break.

On a similar but seemingly opposite note, I feel the need to say something about the Marriage Amendment. I've refrained from mentioning anything until now because I'm not overly political, but I feel strongly that this needs to be said. Every single Minnesotan, regardless of religion or race or sex or anything, should vote NO on the Marriage Amendment. I don't think it has been clearly explained that a vote of NO does NOT make gay marriage legal, it simply leaves the door open for our children or our children's children to have the discussion later. I am Christian and I believe in what the Bible teaches and I will be voting NO on Tuesday. I want to live in a state where my children (or their children) may have the option to marry whomever makes them happy...regardless of their sex, color, religion, etc. Love is love.

Who you callin' short?

Finn's endrocrinologist appointment went really well on Wednesday. For the first time in his life, he is at the 10th percentile for height! And that means...he is no longer considered to be "short stature" any more! That is so crazy to me and now I must change my thoughts/feelings on height and where he may end up falling. The other good news is that looking at his growth curve, it shows us that he is growing faster than what the average is for his peers...so there is hope he could get even higher on the curve! There are SEVERAL factors they look at when assessing height issues and Finn isn't currently at risk for any of them, so while we need to do a follow up in 6 months, there was no further testing at this point! Yay! He did get an x-ray of his hand to assess his bone age. Bone age is the degree of maturation of a child's bones. A child's current height and bone age can be used to predict adult height. So basically, if the x-ray shows his "bone age" to be that of a 2 year old, it predicts he has more growing to do than if it shows that of a 5 year old? Make sense? The other factor is puberty: the later he hits puberty, the more he will grow, since after puberty you don't grow any more. Finn was super good at the appointment. He is "growing" up! LOL, sorry, couldn't resist!

Operation Get Skinny for Hawaii is still a go, just truncated the name to Operation Get Skinny since Hawaii has come and gone and I'm not at (or near!) my goal weight! Three "wins" that I'm very happy about and want to share are 1. I had to buy the next size smaller in dress pants last week. 2. I've lost enough weight for my wedding ring to fit comfortably again (I refused to have it re-sized because that would be giving in/up)! 3. I've lost 20 pounds since starting my weight loss journey in August! I honestly feel great and will feel even better after the next 20! Thanks for all the support up to this point and going forward, especially my wonderful husband who makes me super healthy meals every single night! I've been taking progress pictures, but I think I'm going to wait to share!

Oh and last night, both kids were possessed by evil spirits. Korri now sleeps in Finn's room and it is going so much better than either of us dared hope for. Anyway, when we put them to bed, they were both screaming their lungs out and by the time we got downstairs and in the kitchen, they were quiet and I think Finn was telling Korri a joke. They were sleeping minutes later. Guess we need to put a crib back in Finn's bedroom as I am SO not ready for Korri to be in a toddler bed yet! Unless you can chain her to it? No, probably not!

When the cat's away...

...the mouse will play!

I'm completely not complaining but of course, after I complained about it in my last post, Korri went to bed (in Finn's room) with only a very mild argument last night. Sheesh!

Anyway, Halloween was great at our house. Finn totally "got" it this year and said a very loud "Trick-or-treat" at every house we went to. Korri was just along for the candy, but she did seemed to enjoy herself.  We could not have ordered more perfect fall weather. The kids played outside in the leaves with Jim before dinner and had a blast. After a short dinner, we were off to visit our neighbors and beg for candy from them. We went to our usual 10-ish houses and then came back. Finn was SO excited to help hand out candy, something he's never even thought about before. Our friend, Cheryl, came over with huge cookies for the kids, which made a huge mess. I'll let the pics speak for themselves (more on our picture website):

Before bed, Finn said he was going to be a mouse again next year! Hmmm...not sure this costume will fit, so we'll see! Maybe Korri went to sleep so much better last night...because she was in a sugar coma. Hmmm...

Oh, and for my yearly punishment, oops, I mean arrangement, Jim and I watched Paranormal Activity 3 last night. Since I've now seen the first two, it was less scary (it follows a very similar formula) but still creepy! Now I'm free from scary movies for another year!

Go the F**k to Sleep

Seriously, I love my daughter. She is so darn cute and spunky and you just want to squeeze her and kiss her all the time (which I do, often!). However, lately, I've just wanted to knock her unconscious at bedtime! Have you seen/read the book "Go the F**k to Sleep?" It has become a mantra at our house...maybe we need to get a copy. If I'm being totally honest, which I usually am, not only have we historically been extremely lucky with bedtime at our house (both kids go right to sleep), but I've been a little smug about it. Like, "what are all of you doing wrong that we do right?" Well, I'm getting mine in spades!

All of a sudden last week, Korri started refusing to go to sleep at night. Before, I'd sing one song, lay her down, leave her room and she would softly cry for 30 seconds before falling asleep. NOT ANY MORE! The first night this happened last week, she screamed bloody murder for an hour! I kept thinking she'd fall asleep. Eventually, I had to go in there and rock her and cuddle her and basically trick her into falling asleep. Now, every night, we have to read a book, rock in her chair, sing songs AND pat her back until she actually goes to sleep. And after sneaking out of her room, she usually wakes up within 10 minutes screaming again, before falling asleep for the night. It is exhausting and frustrating. We just don't get what changed or what she needs. We pushed her bedtime back to 8 pm, thinking we were putting her down when she wasn't tired yet. Last night, we even put her in Finn's room because we wondered if she doesn't like being alone?!?! It isn't because of the dark, because she does a mild version of it for nap on the weekends. Having her in Finn's room actually kind of worked, or at least, it took less time for her to fall asleep (Finn told me he sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to her!). Man, we are great parents...pushing off our responsibilitiesonto our three year old son to handle! We are desperate. Monday night, she was up until after MIDNIGHT and eventually, I just told Jim to leave her crying because nothing was working anyway and we needed sleep ourselves! We had to turn the fan up so we couldn't hear her as clearly, or I never would have slept. Jim did look in her mouth and her eye teeth are all coming in, so maybe that is it?!?! I don't know, but something's gotta give!

Finn has an appointment with the endocrinologist this morning to look at his overall growth/stature. It will be interesting to see what we find out. Oh, and Happy Halloween! Can't wait for trick-or-treating tonight!

Carve it up

On Sunday, Jim, yet again, earned a nomination for the Best Husband/Dad of the Year award. He got up with the kids at 7:30am to let me sleep...which I did until 9am! Something I never do, especially when I know the kids are awake. Perhaps part of the reason was because I ended up having a migraine, boo! Not only did he get up with them, but by the time I got up, he had them fed and dressed for church. And then offered to take them to church without me, since I had a migraine! What?!?! I don't know what he's done with jim, but this guy can stick around :) I did go with and the kids weren't nearly as well behaved as they were last week. I honestly think it would be better if Jim took one and I took one and we sat in different pews. Sad! Alas, we won't do that, but we need to figure something out. AND Father Glen was back, so at least Jim and I got more out of service.

After church, as promised to Finn, we drove over the Lowry Bridge. Seriously, you'd think the bridge was made of candy or something for how much Finn loves it. I do have to admit that it is going to be SO much easier to get across the river AND now we have alterate routes to get to and from I94. We stopped at Cub to pick up pumpkins for Jim and me...and apparently groceries since we left over $100 there! After naps, NeNe came over to help carve pumpkins! I realize every year that I like the "idea" of carving pumpkins much more than actually carving pumpkins. They are messy and stink and it is hard to carve through an inch of pumpkin wall!

Thankfully, Jim pretty much took over. Finn picked a bat for his pumpkin and I wanted a cat (in honor of Korri's costume!). Considering years past, they were pretty simple, but I think they turned out pretty cute!

Pre-Halloween fun

Saturday morning was BUSY! We went to the West End Great Pumpkin Fest in St. Louis Park. We got there right away so it wasn't too busy, but man, was it cold! Finn didn't want to do anything, which was really frustrating. He did finally "warm" up a bit, though. We met Daphne the Monkey there (or Daph-a-nee, as Finn calls her!) and later on, Firefighters Laena and Braeland!

It was fun and I think we will do it again next year (but order warmer weather!). At least we dressed for the cold this weekend, unlike LAST weekend at Apple Jack! People kept thinking Finn was a bunny or an elephant and Korri was a skunk, but regardless, they thought the kids were cute AND their costumes kept them warm! The overall costume theme of the day certainly was animals and firefighters (and not just Laena and Braeland!). We only saw one Elmo, which surprised me.

We left a little early so we could go to the Lowry Bridge Grand Opening. The Lowry Bridge has consumed Finn's life for months. I am so happy it is open so I won't hear, "Is the Lowry Bridge open now?" all day, every day! We got there just in time for the air show and parade. We walked across and back, even though Finn wouldn't get out of the stroller (we told it is was the only time in his life to walk ON the bridge). Korri, did, though, of course. The people at the bridge ceremony thought the kids were super cute in their costumes!

By the time we got home around 1pm, we felt like we'd put in a full day already! How often are we up, dressed and on our way to an event before 10am on a Saturday? NEVER! We put the kids down for a nap and then Jim had to find the energy to go to the Gopher game! With all the time he had outside on Saturday, I think he needed a hot, steamy sauna to warm back up when he got home. The Gophers had a blow-out win, so morale was high in our house that evening :) The kids and I were going to go to another Halloween party in the afternoon, but we just wanted to play at home and stay warm!

It isn't even Halloween yet and this is, by far, the most fun I've had for Halloween. It is amazing how kids change your whole feeling about and experience of holidays and fun events. I'm already thinking about what we'll do next year!

Cat & Mouse

Thursday night was Halloween night at ECFE. All the kids wore their Halloween costumes and it was SO cute, albeit a little crazy! On a very positive note, although she didn't want to, Korri stayed in the kid's room the entire time while we were separated! She was bawling her eyes out when we left, which, of course, just about killed me, but they said she calmed down very quickly. Yay! Progress.

Jim had been traveling all week and made it home before class. The kids were SO happy to see him and be able to play with him at class.

How do you pay?

Craziest thing happened last night. The four of us went to Target (not so crazy, I know!). We NEEDED to get diapers for daycare, among some other things, I mean, who goes there when they don't NEED something, right? We did our shopping, took our time, let the kids peruse the toy isle (their favorite thing) and then went to check out. When we turned the corner to the registers, it was complete chaos! There were people with carts in massive lines and milling around everywhere! We asked a lady what was going on and apparently their REGISTERS WEREN'T WORKING!!! Um, isn't that sort of mission critical for any store? She said she had been waiting 30 minutes already! It was already getting late, we had to get home because it was bath night but we HAD to at least get the diapers. Target employees started handing out FOOD to people, because it had been so long, yes, FOOD!

Since I hadn't yet taken the time to look for a pair of pants for work, Jim stayed at the registers with the kids while I went looking. I found one pair of black pants (what has happened to Target's dressy clothes section?!?!), tried them on, they fit, I went back and Jim and the kids were gone. BUT it looked liked the registers had just started working again. I went back to the women's department, thinking they were done and looking for me...no luck. Went back to the registers to find the three of them where I'd left them originally. What? Korri had been head-to-toe frosting from the cookie they gave her, so Jim had taken them to the bathroom to clean up! Oh! Because it was so late, we ate pizza and breadsticks at Target before heading home.

Anyway, it was the craziest trip to Target, I think I've ever had. It turned out fine (we went home with what we went there for!) and the kids (and Jim!) were really well behaved. I think they thought it was an adventure.

Advice to Target: get a back up server for your registers!! I wonder how much revenue they lost in abandoned carts/merchandise?!?! Oh and the total kicker of the deal? There were four registers working the entire time, but instead of having everybody line up in four lines, they didn't tell anybody and only checked out the people who were closest to those registers. What?!?! Me thinks a procedure manual needs to be updated!

AND...Korri went potty on the toilet last night for the first time! I set her on before bath (because she insisted) and I went to work picking up the dirty clothes and I heard her start going. I couldn't believe it and made a huge deal and daddy came in and she was so proud of herself. Of course, wiping is the best part of going potty. She got one Skittle as a reward (I figure we better keep it small!). Who knows...maybe it was a fluke, but we are SO proud of her. She is so independent and growing up way too fast.

Potty time?

There are many benefits of having an older child. One thing? The younger one picks up on things MUCH sooner than the first one did! Korri is already VERY interested in going potty on the big potty! She started several weeks ago, wanting to be in the bathroom and opening and shutting the lid, trying to climb ON the toilet, etc. Well, recently she started DEMANDING we take her to sit on the big potty before we can put her diaper on before bed! She will stand there and spank the front of her diaper while loudly saying, "Potty! Potty!" It is actually kind of funny. To my knowledge, she has not sat on the potty chair, but always wants to be on the big potty. Hey, I, personally, think she is too young to push it, but if she is interested, why not encourage it? She has yet to actually GO on the potty, but we'll say, "push the potties out." And she will make grunting noises before saying/signing "all done." It's a start!

On a similar note, Finn has had two dry pull-ups for nap in a row! We've had a standing deal with Finn that if he goes 24 hours without wetting his diaper/pull-up while sleeping, he can go to Chuck E Cheese. But then I realized that we hadn't mentioned it to daycare and how would we know if he had a dry pull-up? So, I talked to both preschool teachers last week and the plan is the if Finn IS dry, he is supposed to bring it to the teacher so they know and they will tell us when we pick him up. And low and behold, he is doing great! His teacher mentioned trying to switch to underwear to see what he'll do, but I really don't want to set him up for failure. So, yesterday, after two dry days, I told her that if he is dry for one week in a row, we'll try underwear. Makes sense to me! I'm okay with bedtime diapers for now (I mean, I wet the bed until, well, forever!) but giving up the nap pull-up would be AWESOME (one less thing to have to bring to daycare!).

Love Ben

Sunday, we went to church as a family! I don't remember the last time all four of us went to church together. And I have to say, the kids did really well. Jim even said that if they were that good every week, he might LIKE going to church! One can only hope.

After church we headed to St. Cloud because we invited ourselves over to Auntie Becca's. The kids had yet to meet Baby Benjamin and quite frankly, I needed some snuggle time, which I got in spades! Korri absolutely LOVED Ben and wanted to be by him all the time and kept "petting" him. Finn on the other hand, wanted to play with Austin's toys. But he did give Ben a kiss eventually. We were especially excited that Austin was there, since he came back a little early from his dad's house. Thanks for letting us crash the Vikings game at your house and sharing Ben with us/me! He is such a sweetheart. The four of us argued on the way home who loved Ben more (I think I won, for the record!).

When we got home, we HAD to take advantage of the beautiful weather. I mean, 70+ degress in MN in October?!?! And with all the pretty fall leaves, I had to get my camera out while the kiddos were riding their bikes.

Apple Jacks

Saturday, we (finally!) headed to the apple orchard. Our fall has been crazy busy so this was the first weekend we had available. It was SUPPOSED to be 60 and sunny, but it was 45 and cloudy! Boo. But, the kiddos didn't care, so I guess I should get over it :) We went to Apple Jack Orchard near Delano and all had a blast, despite the weather. They have TONS of stuff for the kids to do, which is always fun to watch them play. Auntie Kristine, uncle Alex, Zander, Grandma and Memere all came with us. A little later, Pam, Marty, Lilly (Finn's friend) and Levi joined us. Here are some of the highlights:

Korri petting the goat. Finn LOVED the animals.

Korri hanging out in the pumpkin patch.

Family picture with two un-cooperative kids!

Zander going down the slide.

Zander giving Finn a "ride" on the truck.

The best part: the Cow Train! Thanks, auntie, for making room for Korri in yours!

I think we will try to go a little earlier next year (so it isn't as cold and Alex can get more apples!), but I think we found our go-to orchard! Thanks everybody for joining us. It is always more fun with friends and family.

Date night

We were lucky enough to receive a visit from Memere last week! She had a break due to MEA, so she came on Thursday in time to pick the kiddos up from daycare. I wish I could have seen their faces when they saw her. AND it was nice enough that she could walk over with the stroller, which both kids LOVE! Two treats at once. Then on Friday, she kept the kids home with her and they went to Choo Choo Bob's! Finn had been asking for a while, but it is tough for us to get over there now that I'm working full time. I warned her that it would be a zoo because of MEA, but she braved it anyway (and yes, she said it WAS a zoo!). Finn is already asking when he can go back.

Memere was kind enough to watch the kiddos so Jim and I could have a date night Friday night! Yes, I know we just got back from vacation, which was a massive "date night" but it is fun to go out at home. I decided to surprise Jim with the plans because he almost always does the planning and I thought it would be fun. My first idea fell through due to the short notice (I'm saving it for another time!) but I decided on a horse-drawn carriage ride around Nicollet Island, something neither of us had done before. It was a bit chilly, but it was SO fun and we had no idea that Nicollet Island was that big (and kind of want to drive around it during the day to see everything better!). The picture is kind of dark, but you get the idea.

After the carriage ride we went to Jax Cafe, an old-school steakhouse near our house. We had several drinks and really good food. Jim ordered lobster tail and it just confirmed that I really don't like lobster. I hoped it was that I'd never had good lobster, but the problem is the texture. I'll stick to snow crab, please! Overall, a very wonderful evening! Thanks for watching the kiddos, Memere!!

Another card? Yes!

Per our friend Leah's testimonial, Jim and I recently signed up for the Target debit card (NOT the credit card). It took less than five minutes in the store and it is amazing. If you shop at Target, you absolutely should have one. It takes money directly from your checking account, just like the regular debit card you use, BUT you automatically get 5% off every purchase AND free shipping at target.com. Love it, use it every time we go to Target now.

Well, I bought something at target.com on Tuesday and just received notification that it was delivered to our house this morning! That is a two day turn around time from clicking "order" and it is on my doorstep. And it was completely free! I'm really amazed. I NEVER buy from target online normally, because they don't have a site-to-store option like Wal-mart and I'd rather GO to the store than pay for shipping. Now I don't have to worry about it. This last purchase? I'd gone to Target looking for a white t-shirt...yes, clearly something that should NOT be hard to find. Nothing in the store, unless you want a pocket on your boob, which I don't. Looked online, found one for $10 (and a long sleeve one too!), bought both, done. Just wanted to share because rarely do I get worked up about GOOD experiences at stores :) Also, with holiday shopping coming up, the free shipping can/will come in VERY handy. I love online shopping because I'm lazy!

First hair cut!

No, no, no...Korri did NOT get her hair cut! And it isn't exactly a "first" hair cut, but Finn did go to a hair salon for a hair cut for the first time last night. I just couldn't deal with the hair over the ears any longer. We want to grow it out a bit (and it is MUCH longer than usual) but it needed a trim. I should have taken a "before" pic to show you! SO, after about three weeks of saying he needed a hair cut, I finally took him in last night. He was excited to go to the "hair salon." He kept referring to it that way, which sounded funny coming from him. I chose Kids Hair in Roseville. I figured, why not try to make it fun for him (and I don't think it was much more than a Great Clips-type place would have been). He said he would have a good attitude and I told him that if he had a good attitude, when he was done, we could play at a park we drove by on the way there (nothing like a little bribery!).

It did NOT start out well. They have toys in the lobby so he ran right in, but refused to leave that area. Until...he saw that Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was playing on a TV at the hair cutting station! So then he was all about it and only took his eyes off the TV when she told him to look down.

Honestly, he behaved amazing and only moved when I asked him questions. Note to parents: do NOT ask your child yes/no questions while getting a hair cut! She kept saying how good and still he was! All the ladies there LOVED Korri, but no, I am NOT ready for her first hair cut. I think Finn's turned out super cute and makes him look so much older! Not sure how long we will let it grow, but for now, I LOVE it!

So, after the hair cut (he got a sticker AND sucker, so he said he wanted to come back "next time"), we went to the park we'd driven by earlier. The kids had a BLAST and it was so nice to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. The park was for 5-12 year olds, but had a couple things that worked for my younger/smaller kids.

Then we grabbed nuggets at Burger King, headed home for bath and kiddos were in bed ON TIME! I was pretty impressed with myself. Unfortunately, Jim didn't get to participate in all of the fun because he HAD to go to Murray's for dinner for a work function. Poor, daddy! He managed somehow. 

Soccer player?

Last night was Finn's last day of sports class. I really liked the location and thought it was neat that they played tennis, in addition to football and soccer. We have a month break before his next class...which is basketball! Last night was soccer and toward the end, since it was the last day, the kids scrimmaged the parents. SO cute, wish I'd have had my camera (other than having to hold Korri so she wasn't trampled). And, this very proud momma needs to brag for a minute...Finn actually scored a goal! I mean, yes, a dad was goalie and let it go through his legs, but Finn dribbled it to the goal and kicked it between his legs. That's a goal in my book. Finn was so proud and the other kids high-fived him! I do not like watching soccer, but we may have a future soccer player on our hands. I guess it is better than hockey :)

And I was told yesterday that Korri is transitioning into the BIG toddler room! I'm really not ready for this, but I pushed back a bit and the teacher's reasons seemed sound. I guess the daycare as a whole has far more younger kids than older, so Korri wouldn't actually be a lot younger than everybody else in the new room, the one girl that IS older will be transitioning to the preschool room AND Finn's teacher had a baby, so they are a little short staffed overall (hmmm...not exactly a sudden event that you can't plan for). I also really like Korri's current teacher, but I'm sure I will get used to the new one, too. I knew this transition was coming, but thought we had until she was 22 months (which may be only a month and a half away, but still)! My baby is growing up.

Girls Night In

Saturday, I had SO much fun! Holly, Heidi and Laura, girlfriends from high school, came over to our house to hang out and "party." I, of course, drank a little too much wine, but when you are chatting and not paying attention, it is really easy to drink more than you thought you did. I don't think I was the only one! Ha. Great company and GREAT conversation (or what I remember of it!). I really hope we can do it again and not wait until our TWENTY year high school reunion to plan it! Thanks, ladies, for an amazing night!

While we were hanging out at the house, Jim took the kids to Chuck E Cheese's! He said they ate a ton of pizza and had a really good time. I can't even imagine how busy it must have been, but on the bright side, it is hard for somebody to kidnap your kid since they have a somewhat secure exit, so you can let them have at it. Now let's hope the toys they came home with "disappear" quickly!

Sunday morning I was tired, but thanks to Jim's wise suggestion of taking an Imitrex BEFORE I went to bed, I did not have a migraine! Holly stayed over and since we didn't make it to Psycho Suzi's Saturday night, we went there for brunch. The kids loved it (we were able to get a table off in the corner, so they didn't have to be quite as still/quiet as normal) and after a good meal, I felt a lot better. I'm so glad Holly stayed over and went with us. When she was leaving, Finn asked her when we could go to her house (her two boys are the same age as Finn and Korri), so I think we'll be making a trip up Brainerd to visit soon!

Kristine and Zander were in the neighborhood in the afternoon and stopped by for a quick visit. He is so darn cute and now is walking all over! NeNe and uncle Les came over later in the afternoon to watch the Vikings game. The game started out with promise, sucked in the middle and then had a glimmer of hope at the end, but too little, too late. Boo. Gophers AND Vikings lost..tough weekend for football at our house. NeNe is walking around like a champ after her knee-replacement surgery and isn't even using a walker or cane! She is amazing. She even was able to carry Korri around a bit and that can be quite the feat with two strong legs :)

My plan was to go to bed when the kiddos did last night so I could fully recover from the weekend...BUT...nope, I didn't go to bed until after MIDNIGHT! Sheesh. I was trying to get all the vacation pictures uploaded, which I did, but not sure why it HAD to be done last night. And I forgot until about 9pm that I promised to bake cookies for the bake sale at work today. Thankfully, it doesn't take THAT long to bake a couple dozen cookies and Jim was more than happy to sample them to make sure they were "bake sale" quality!

It's a BOY!

I FINALLY started uploading pictures from our trip last night. I have almost 100 added...AND we are only on day 2! Sheesh! And I only chose about 1 from every 10 pictures or so to upload. I guess there will be a lot of pictures, but everything was SO beautiful. The pics are in the "Oct '12" folder on our picture website (link on the right) with more to come.

When we got back on Monday, we picked up the kids from daycare and went right to sports class. It was really nice to see our friends but it was pretty chilly, especially after Kauai temps. They played soccer this week...in a dirt field, SO Finn needed a bath when we got home. Korri, however, demanded to go "nigh night" instead of having a bath and who was I to argue when she was ASKING to go to bed? So, Finn and daddy got to take a bath together, something they love to do, but isn't room when Korri takes a bath, too.

Tuesday, we had to make a Costco run because we had NOTHING in the house to eat, well except the yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese sticks mom sent back with the kids. The kids were good, but I could tell they just wanted to have a night at home. Daddy even treated them to churros on the way out, which they obviously LOVED.

Wednesday, our nephew was born! Pete and Becky are the proud parents of (and Austin is the VERY proud big brother to) Benjamin David, born at 11:22 on 10/10 weighing 7lbs 14 oz and was 21 3/4" long. Becky wins the price for making it the longest so far in a pregnancy (I think she made it two days longer than I did with Korri!). I painfully waited until after work to pick Jim up and head to St. Cloud to meet Ben. Kelsie was SO kind to watch the kids for us since they both had colds and the last thing I'd want is for them to get a new baby sick (or auntie for that matter!). Thanks, Kels. He is beautiful and perfect in every way. You really forget how small they are and how soft their little baby cheeks are! And how quickly you forget the "tricks" like how to swaddle a baby...Pete, Jim and I figured it out, but not very well! Welcome to the family, little man!

Yesterday and today, Jim had to unexpectedly travel, so it was just the kids and I last night, which was fine except we had class! Poor kids have yet to have a nice, quiet evening at home with us! Korri was NOT herself last night (fighting a cold and was unusually tired), so I didn't even try to separate from her and just brought her with me to the parent room. Finn, too, cried when we separated, so I think they just need some mommy/daddy time to get back to "normal."

Aloha!

I guess I didn't find time to post while basking in the warm Hawaiian sun! We had an AMAZING trip to Kauai. Upon the excellent recommendation of my friend, Pam, we rented a car and got to see almost the entire island. So glad we did! I took far too many pictures and it is going to take me a while to upload them all. Everything is so beautiful, so it wasn't my fault it ALL needed to be captured by my camera!

From the reports we received, that kiddos had just as amazing of a time at grandma's house. It sounds like they were super busy, well behaved and slept well, too. Grandma said she survived and would love to do it again (yay!), but needs a couple months to recover :) I don't blame her. Simplying saying "Thank you" doesn't seem to encompass how thankful and grateful we are for you taking the kids for us, mom! But since there isn't room on this page to properly express our gratitude, I guess "Thank you" will have to do. It was so nice not having to worry at all about the kids and whether they were loved, well cared for and happy!

It was so fun picking the kids up from daycare yesterday. Finn jumped right into our arms and wanted kisses and had to show us that he can skip (he was actually galloping, but close enough) and show us his jacket (like we haven't seen it before!). Korri, on the other hand, was eating snack and wanted to finish before coming over for a hug! That girl likes her food! Then she wanted hugs and kisses and kept saying, "dadda! Dadda!" Always daddy's little girl. Finn was so excited to see all the presents we got, even if they weren't for him. On the way back home from daycare, he was guessing what we got him, "A car? A truck? A helicopter?" Nope, sorry buddy!

Of course, with the jetlag, neither Jim nor I could sleep last night and it felt awfully early when my alarm went off at 6:45 am (1:45 am Hawaiian time!). Hopefully that will help me sleep better tonight. Since all of my pictures are on my camera and I don't have it with me at work (shocking, I know), here are some pics that mom sent to us of the kids while we were gone:

Finn builts this all by himself and was very proud! Future engineer?

On the caboose in Benson. (I think Korri needs a bigger shirt!)

Bath at Grandma's is the best!