Look at this cute picture of Steve and Marilyn! It's such a good picture of the two of them. Oh...I was going to mention that the winner and really only commentor from the picture of the week was Grace! Yeah mommy. She guessed the correct answer to photo of the week. The answer is: a tounge. Doesn't my camera take good close ups? Had ya guessing all along, didn't I? There is one more photo I was going to do but it's way too gross so I am not going to post it. I'll just keep you all in suspense.
Wasn't it beautiful weather out today? When Steve got home we all went for a 2.5 mile walk. I have spring fever majorally.
Happy Friday everyone!

Congratulations to Steve being the new Director of the DNR License Bureau. An official big wig. I am so proud of him! Whew....it's over and it alllll worked out! Yeah for him! Congrats honee! We went to supper at Applebee's and celebrated!

Today was Madison's last day of swimming. We went to McDonalds and celebrated with lunch and a icecream cone:)

Lots of eating out.

Gotta go work out now. I don't want to and I am proscrating doing so. Hence my blogging and making Steve a little congrats sign. I really, really don't want to but I see swimsuit season coming up and some major changes need to be done. By the way, with our little contest, we are STILL in the lead but have to wait for Steve to lose his 10. I still kept mine off. Thank GOD.

This was one of my favorite pictures of Madison when she was a baby. Ok....I'll be done with the birthday layouts and such now! It was fun while it lasted.

Here's a little collage of pictures from Madison's lovely princess w/asian flair birthday party. We all had a lovely time and thank you all for coming! We had a pretty good turnout of people in pink too! Way to go family!

Today is your Princess Party! Yeah Madison, you BIG girl you! Can you believe that I am up at 6:52am? I can't. Got stuff to do. Like make a quick layout, hee hee.

Leave your answer in the comments below. If you guess right you'll get your 15 mintues of fame. Kinda gross if you don't know what it is. Humor me...and guess....and comment.

I absolutely love this layout of Nana. The large pic. I took with no flash. It makes such a huge difference in how photos come out...don't cha think? The smaller one is flash.

Tonight Nana and I went down to St. Olaf to go watch Tyler in his Improv Show with the Bearded Men *that's the name of their group. It was acutally pretty funny. Ty is so cute in his acting...always funny and always stands out. His humor is really funny...kinda one of those guys that can say one thing and get a huge laugh out of it. It was fun. We almost didn't make it because we were lost in the town of Northfield. It was very hard to find. I am up right now because of course I can't sleep after being reved up driving in the dark. I had adrelene pumping and now I can't sleep.

Tomorrow is Madison's big 3 year old party! She is so excited. When Nana and Ty were in New York at ChinaTown, they bought her a little pink oriental dress and Madison wants to wear it tomorrow. Not sure if she'll change her mind and wear her princess dress. She is at such a fun age right now. This is my favorite age so far yet! Anyways, I am sure she'll be overwhelmed and crabby because of her excitement. It should be a fun day! This is the birthday banner that Nana made to pass around to all the bday party of the grandchildren. I think it is sooo cute.

Oh, I have the lastest poll results in on how many people read this blog. There are 13. That's cool. Wonder who all of you are out there in blogland...hee hee. We have fans. Awesome. We rock. Our fans rock.

Inlaws ROCK! Expecially when they clean your 2 bathrooms! I LOVE having Nana here! Not just for that reason. But it's a nice treat;)

Here's my layout I made of Tyler as he was in the Sweeney Todd play. He was so fabulous in the play. It's been so long since I have blogged that I am not even sure if I wrote about him in the play. Anyways...it was really good. Speaking of Tyler, him and Nana are coming home from New York tonight! Ty called about an hour ago and he said that their plane was delayed an hour so that means it'll be about 1 am when they come in. eeks. Anyways, the more I look at this little layout the more I like it...kinda gothic, don't cha think?

oh, I gotta go...celebrity rehab is on. It's the show's final one!

Ok, I am back...just watched the final episode of Celebrity Rehab. Next week is the reunion! Yeah...I can't wait. That may just be a popcorn night on the couch in front the tv and a big blanket. Sounds good huh? Don't forget to throw in a crying child and a snoring husband. hee hee. I'll just turn up the sound and tune everything else out. Tonight's little crying episode was Madison got a granham cracker stuck in the sleeve of her shirt and it was poking her arm. What can you do but laugh your butt off about that? She was a good little girl tonight. She's all excited for her birthday party on Saturday. I was trying to put up some decorations tonight and she was helping me. We stuffed her pinata with candy tonight. She's excited. Steve said that he thinks she stole some candy and hid it.

That's about all I got....I am trying to stay up for Nana and Ty's plane to get here but I may just go lie down for awhile. They'll call when they land. It's nice being next to the airport for that reason...when ya land, ya call and THEN we will get in the car and go. Bye!

Here was/is Tyler's billboard. How cool is this? I still can't believe there was a billboard of da boy. Unreal. That is like my dream! I don't know what in the hell I'd be doing on a billboard, but it would be alllllll good!

I feel like it's been so long since I've blogged in here. I was trying to do a layout and I just don't have any creativity left in me. Life has sucked it out of me. Just kidding...it hasn't but I just don't have any creativity flowing. My rule is not to force it..it shall come on it's own.
I have to take Madison to the docs today..NOT looking forward to it at all. I am such a baby when it comes to my baby being in pain. But I can't hear her say again, "mommy, i can't do this anymore".......what's worse than that? I'll tell you what's worse than that...how much she'll scream bloody murder in the docs office cuz she's scared. Oh.....I HATE HATE HATE this part of being a mommy. Anyways..I woke up at 4 am and of course thought those same thoughts and here I am sitting at my computer not being able to sleep because I am dreading this so much. Oh...I can't do this. I feel weak and want to crumple down on the floor. I ended up taking Nana and Tyler to the airport this morning at 5am. They are on their way to New York! I am sooo excited for them. Excited for Ty cuz this is his dream to go to New York and excited for Nana because she's expanding her horizons by going there! Yeah for them! Can't wait to hear about their trip.

Happy Birthday Madison! You big 3 year old! Actually her bday was yesterday but I am just getting around to blogging today. We have had such a busy, busy last few days!

Grandma Gracie had a sleep over! It was so much fun. On Tuesday we went to go watch Madison ice skate. It was so fun to have someone come watch! Then after swimming we went to the Mall of America and went on some rides and then had lunch. I was sooo exhausted pushing Grandma Gracie AND Madison in the wheelchair that when I came home I slept for a few hours. I had to...I was tired! Figured I burned alot of calories that afternoon.Then on Wed. we went for Madison's swimming which she did great at! Again, it was fun having someone come watch. Then we went out to lunch AGAIN *(lots of eating out) and met cousin Nikki for lunch in Plymouth at Culviers.
Then Nikki and Kylee came over and we had a little bday party for Madison. We had cupcakes and she opened some presents and then we watched some movies! It was a really fun couple of days.

Here's a layout that I did for a challange on another digiscrap site. I can't believe we have only been married 3 years...seems like a lot longer. Although we've known each other 10...that's probley why. Anyways...I like this layout. If I win, I get 50 bucks worth of stuff from their store! Cool stuff I'm telling ya!

Tomorrow Grandma Gracie is coming over and going to stay the night. She can come watch Madison ice skate tomorrow and then on Wed. she'll come watch her swim. I am so excited! It should be fun. Madison should love this!

Don't have too much to blog about today.

Check this out....This is me when I was 3 and this is Madison (obiviously). Is this just the coolest thing? She totally has my profile. Wow. I think this is just so cool. I got a whole bunch of pictures from Grandma Gracies and I am going to scan some in and do some layouts from when I was little. Anyways, I am sure I'll have more to throw up on the blog after I get them scanned in.

We took Madison ice skating this afternoon. Crabbie Applesauce. Jeepers. She's tired and it was just too much for her to iceskate. She said she was scared and wouldn't do any of the things from her ice skating lessons. Oh well. She quit after she had a snack *cookie....just couldn't do it anymore. I felt like I was at the roller rink though. Told Steve, who was sitting on the sidelines, that if they had the "snowball" or "couples" on I would of choosen him as the guy I wanted to skate with....hee hee. He thinks I am a geek. Oh...I did some really pretty moves on the ice that Steve took photos of...I'll have to blog those when I get them uploaded. Again...he thinks I am a geek.

I love this picture of grandma gracie! She's laughing at Madison...

Yes, I am obsessively posting Kayla's photos...I LOVE them though. Very modelish. AND finally one of Haley. I'll get some more of her on here... okay peeps...we have one GOOD one of Haley and one MUGSHOT if I've ever seen one of her....hee hee.

Look at these beautiful pictures I took of Kayla today. We were at McDonalds. Apparently McDonalds has the best sunlight to take photos without the flash on. We stayed over at Grandma Gracies last night. You will notice I don't have any pictures of Madison...because she was SO CRABBY. My God, I have never seen her this crabby. From the minute she woke up until NOW she's been crabby. Anyways.....I myself had fun.

Getting sick of the pictures that I took at mcdonalds? I can't help it...I just love those photos. Anyways...promise not to blog any of the same ones again:). Not much to blog about today. Did you watch Celebrity Rehab? I did. I should actually be in bed right now and watch some tv just to catch up on the stuff that I haven't seen much of. I totally missed the Brady show on Sunday. I can't keep it straight...what's on what night. I love some tv, but not enough to keep the schedules straight in my poor little head.
Tomorrow Madison and I are going to do a sleep over at Grandma Gracies. She's excited.
Oh...happy Friday everyone.

Theatre Arts Students Win Musical Theatre Award
Congratulations to the MSUM Theatre Arts Department and the success of several students at the regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
Sean Palmer, Paul Vonasek, Lindsay Fischer, Tyler Michaels, Steven Molony, Cassie Brehmer, Erin Granger, John Leingang, Joy Dolo, Matthew Pitner, Josh Stenseth, Tim Lane, Sean Benedict, and Rachel Palashewski all competed in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition. Tyler Michaels and his partner, Josh Stenseth, advanced to the final round where they were awarded Best Musical Theatre Scene.
Over thirty MSUM students and three MSUM faculty and staff attended the five-day festival, which included multiple competitions, over 140 workshops and several fully-mounted productions from a seven-state region.

Here are some more cute photos of the child from yesterday at mcdonalds. She can be such a photogenic kid. As you can tell I love the close ups. I really try to capture her raw emotion and can sometimes actually do it. But that's why I am always taking a billion pics...because I am trying to capture it and it's not something that can be posed for, ya know? And I love black and white photos too. Thank GOD for digital. I would love to get one of those really good cameras where I can really zoom in. I love my camera that I have now but I just want to do so much more with photos that my camera allows for. Okay...enough of the artsy fartsy talk.

We had swimming this morning. Madison was all excited to show her teacher that she can blow bubbles in the water now. Today we put one of those belts that let you float and swam around abit with that on. She freaks out if you take a hand away from her though. Who am I kidding...I freak out if I take a hand away from her. With having that belt on it was kinda scary cuz I wasn't holding her....the belt was. Mommy isn't ready to let go yet. It's wierd enough having her at ice skating lessons and the teacher having her, not me. I am NOT ready to do that in swimming yet. Do you realize when they are 4, the parent does NOT get to go in the water? What the????? No way am I ready for that. First thing is letting go of your daughter's hand in the pool and the next thing you know is they are off to college already. I am not ready for that. Yesterday Steve and I were talking and I asked him if it went that fast with Tyler and he said yes. It went fast enough for me and I came into the family when I think he was in 9th/10th grade. I guess it takes that many years for you to be able to actually let them go off to college. Okay, I won't jump ahead of the game...she hasn't even started kindgerten yet let alone go off to college. By the way, she's out watching a Barney cartoon. I just heard the snack drawer open. That is so funny to me. She yelled, don't come out and then opened the snack drawer. Funny child. I just yelled out "what cha getting?". It was a cracker. I had best go check on her now. Bye!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Here's a picture of our new tv. Madison is used for reference for the size of the tv. hee hee. You'd think we just got a new television set that is in color back in 1972 or something. But this is big news for us....Steve even said you have to give him credit for *ACTUALLY* buying something. And I do give him credit! It's just so nice to have that entertainment center out of our living room. Whew...I KNEW if I was patient (this is ME we are talking about people) long enough it would finally happen:) If mama is happy, EVERYBODY is happy. hee hee.


Today was ice skating lessons. Oh...she was SOOO good on the ice today. She can now walk all by herself on the skates and when she falls down she could actually get up by herself. I was just so impressed with her today. It was unreal. I can't believe how quick they learn. Or else she's a natural! Anyways...she was really good, had fun and I was really proud of her. She did start to cry when she first got on the ice cuz she was scared, but within a minute she forgot she was scared. Also you can tell her age compared to the other kids who range from 5-7/8 when she'd lie down on the ice and spin around. THAT was funny.


Then today we went to McDonalds for a cheesebuggie. I am sure people in mcdons was thinking I was nuts taking pictures in there. But mcdon's was really sunny in there and I was trying to get some cool photos without the flash on and using the natural sunlight. I love my picture of the 1/2 eaten cheeseburger. Perhaps one of my most professional looking photographs yet.

And then ran to the toy store just to look around and buy her a new little pink princess dress that she's going to wear for her birthday party. That's what I might do today...get her party invites out. It's going to be on the 2nd weekend in March. We can't do it the weekend after her bday cuz that is when Tyler's play is (the first weekend in March). We are excited for his play. I miss him really bad. I need a TyTy fix.

That's all I gotta say right now...I had a few mintues to post so I did!

Well, today was Steve's bday. It was pretty fun. He opened his presents in the bed this morning after Madison and I sang him happy birthday. We went golfing and then to the casino and each lost 20 bucks...had a nice dinner, watched some tv on our new tv which is cool btw. Oh...btw stands for by the way (thats internet lingo, Grandma Grace. See, always thinking of ya;) LOL.) (LOL stands for laugh on line OR laugh out loud). And then went to bed. I was actually lying in bed but steve started snoring again. I see why people who have been married a super long time end up with different bedrooms. Anyways, I couldn't stand his snoring so I was on the way out to the living room to sleep on the couch when I walked by my lonely computer sitting in the office. Since it was Steve's bday I didn't go on the computer. Actually he STATED since it's bday I can't go on the computer and since I am his lovingly obeying wife I said, "okay honee" and left it at that. But he's sleeping now and what he doesn't know won't kill him plus my computer looked lonely so I thought I'd come on here for a few minutes. Now I am tired though and am going to try to fall asleep. I can hear him snoring from here so I'll just continue on out to the couch and put the tv on. He really like his frying pan and we reminesced about the first frying pan I bought him that I blogged about yesterday.

When you read this it'll be Steve's bday! AND the cool thing is that he has the day off. Is it president's day? God, I don't even know what day it is...I think it's presidents day. So....I actually have a hair appt. in the morning *happy bday steve, your wife needs to spend 100 bucks on getting her hair done, hahahahahahha...poor guy, he can't win. Then we are going to go to the indoor golf range and hit some golf balls. Yes, Madison has daycare so it's all working out great. Plus she has a little daycare party (late vday party) so she'll be happy. Oh my god, I got him the lamest gift EVER. Except he'll like it. I bought him a new frying pan. One of those deep kind where you can fry chicken in it *like we'd ever do that...and a shirt. Doesn't that suck? Once again, he'll like it. One of the first presents I ever bought him was a frying pan and he loved it. Maybe that was "courting" behavior and he was just being polite. Anyways, so the plan is tomorrow Madison and I are going to try to suprise him with breakfast in bed or at least he can open his presents in bed and then I'll drop Maddie off at daycare and then we'll go golfing.
We are going to go buy a tv tomorrow. One of those lcd ones or what ever they are called. Plasma? I just am not up on my volcabulary. Did I even spell that right? Okay, I can't spell, I don't know what the correct language is for tv's and I'm not sure what national holiday is tomorrow. We moved our big 1985 entertainment center out of the living room and put the downstairs tv cabinet in place of it. Our room looks so nice and airy. We sure have a big green wall. The tv will cover abit of it up. Looks good though. I was TRYING to get Steve to let us get a new tv cabinet but he wasn't going for it. Actually the one from downstairs looks rather nice. I was just happy to get rid of the big entertainment center. Steve really liked it and I of course did not. I had the same one from my old house *also had the same coffee and end tables, so I feel like I've had this furniture FOREVER. Time to move out the old and bring in the new. Now I just gotta work on the couches. I started that about 2 yrs ago so that means in another 5 it may actually work. hahahaha. Poor guy.
Anyways, gotta go to bed now. I am really tired. Last night I didn't fall asleep until 4am because of Steve's snoring and Madison's kicking. I'm sure I lie perfectly still like the princess I am.

We took the child swimming today at open swim. Oh, she did so good showing off to Daddy everything that she has learned in swimming class. And her specialty is blowing bubbles in the water! She did so good! That's all we have done today. We are proscrastinating doing any cleaning. Oh, I downloaded these photos and this is a pic of Madison on Crafty Tuesday at the Micheals with her little buddies that she made...

I am super bored. I don't feel like cleaning...I just feel like sitting on my computer allllll day doing nothing! Maybe I'll try to do a layout or something. Madison STILL isn't into letting me take photos of her so I don't have a photo subject to play with. She'll only let me take a photo of her if I say "I am taking a picture of your buddies" or "I am not taking a picture of you, I am taking a picture of your dollies"...but then you can throw in a "hey, look this way and smile" and she'll do it...sometimes, not always.

Happy Late Valentine's Day everyone! Sorry that I didn't get to post yesterday....I was quite the sick one that slept most of the day away and was kindly awakened by my darling husband who brought home a dozed roses for me *and 3 carnations for Madison, and a great supper of steak and crab legs that he made us. Wasn't that great? I thought so! I am feeling a tad better today. Good enough to go to see a movie with some friends tonight. We saw 27 dresses. It was pretty good. I was in the mood for your average chick flick and this fit the bill. It was okay to see in the theater BUT I probley would wait until it comes out in blockbuster or your local rental store. But it was still good enough to see in a theater too...just not THAT great.
Gotta get my big butt to bed now. Oh...that reminds me *hee hee, I lost my 10 lbs so now just have to wait for Steve to get there too and then WE WIN! Kim is almost to her 10...maybe 8 lbs I think. Trick is to keep it off. I guess I am not worried since I have more to go anyways....oh, the good ole' days when the lbs flew off me. I am changing meds though...after I mentioned how much weight I gained this last year I was told..."yes, that med could of made you gain that"....YOU'D THINK that would of been brought up before I took it. Oh well...guess nothing I could do about that now other than hope the rest does fly off when I do change the meds. I am being "weened" off this medication right now. Anywho, my big butt has got to get to bed now. Tata.

Well, today was little Missy M's first ice skating lesson. She did SOOO good! Man, do kids listen so much better when their mom's aren't the ones teaching, talking, etc. She has 2 little boys in her class. Today she learned how to stomp on the ice with her skates so she could move by herself across the ice and how to fall on her butt. Oh, she was so cute out there. Next week I will bring my camera.
Tomorrow she's got swimming. Quite the little socialite we have.
It was a good day for her and me. She only had a few little meltdowns over 1.) wanting to go to Target (a child after my own heart:) 2.) me putting away the crafts (it was crafty tuesday here at the michaels's household 3.) not wanting to change her poopy diaper (had to actually pin her down).
Sometime this week I will post the photos of our crafts and arts day today. We made little animals from those fuzzy balls and googly eyes.
Oh, I was going to mention that while she was out on the ice today, the teacher asked her if she had any pets at home. She said no and I thought back to my post yesterday about how I said she doesn't think of her dead fish as pets....maybe we'll have a discussion on this tomorrow cuz technically fish ARE pets. Maybe they are pets for people who's mom's and dad's won't let them get a dog or cat. Come to think of it, that's why we had fish too as kids. My child is being deprived of a real pet. Not that fish aren't real pets, but they aren't the same as dogs and cats. You know what I mean.

oh jeez, this layout says it all. Our almost 3 yr old is going through the terrible 2's. Wow...she's defiant, crabby and just plain naughty. I hope it doesn't last long. Of COURSE this is the week that her daycare lady is on vacation so I think it's going to be a long, long week. Oh well...I'll survive with my bay-bee. She is awefully cute though. She's in the phase of not letting Mommy play with her EVER. Just Dad. She is such a daddy's girl anyways, but when she gets in these phases it's difficult cuz I can't reach her no matter what. People...she's 3!!! What's it going to be like when she's a teenager. I see trouble written all over her cute little body:)

Not much went on this weekend. Our friend Alexis is staying with us while she has her Navy reserves this weekend. It's nice to just catch up with her and sit around and talk. She's brought home dinner that last few nights so that's been nice too. We told her she should stay with us all the time!

I went to my cousin's babyshower this weekend. She's having triplettes. Eeks. I don't know how anyone could possibley take care of 3 Madison's all at the same time. Anyways my cousin's belly is HUGE. Owwwie. To watch her stand just looks painful. She looks pretty good though. Found out from my aunt that she doesn't dialate in labor. This is ironically the same thing I don't do or Kim does either so that is something that must run in the family. They called it failure to progress when I was in labor. Multiples obiviously run in the family too...duh.

Not much more to say. Oh, Niki, here is one more layout I did for you.... I have a total of 3 of them so I am going to email you those as soon as I get time. Hope you like them. Hope you are all doing okay with your losses! Poor kiddies. Poor anyone who loses a pet(s) but expecially when you are a kid. Good thing that Madison doesn't get upset over the loss of her pet fishies. I am not exgaragerating when I state we go through a dozen or so fish a week. Steve is CONSTANTLY at the pet store buying more and MORE fish. Madison just bluntly says "the fish is dead" and then watches Daddy flush it down the toilet. Plain, simple and clear as day that they are gone and not coming back but I don't think she looks at fishies as real pets or I'm sure she'd be devestated.

Well folks, that's all. Hope everyone has a great Monday and week. I am not sure how much I will get to blog with the little one home everyday. But then again, since my computer is my escape, I may be blogging plenty. Who knows...we'll have to see!

Let's see...what is going on this week? I guess we do have a fun week planned. We do start ice skating on Tuesday so I am excited about that. Then on Wed. is swimming again. Last week she wasn't into particapting too much. By then it's Thursday and then the week is over with so I guess it'll go fast. We *madison and I, are going out to eat lunch with Alexis tomorrow so that will take care of doing something tomorrow to get out of the house. Besides running to the grocery store or target, unless we actually have something planned we don't go anywhere cuz it's just too cold out and I can't handle bringing her in and out of that carseat when you have heavy winter jackets on and stuff. Didn't mean to complain so much in that last sentence, but you remember how it was with the carseats and stuff, don't cha?

Did anyone watch the Grammy's tonight? We did but also kept changing the channel. Not sure if anything exciting happened.....maybe a fight broke out or someone was in the bathroom when their name was announced. I just think it's funny that Amy Whinehouse kept winning for her Rehab song and she's IN rehab and couldn't even been there for the grammy's. Shoot, that reminds me that I forgot to watch my shows tonight...the scott baio one and then the peter brady one.

Wow...I did a pretty good job talking about nothing again. *slap on the back:)

Bye, for real now!