And the Easter weekend begins....

Mary had an egg hunt for the kids at daycare. The boys had a blast. Connor supposedly found the "golden egg" and won the big prize of another cool hot wheels car. Mary always goes above and beyond. Thank you Mary. I picked up very dirty boys because they got to actually play outside for most of the day, holding their own basket with eggs, candy, and prizes.

We went for a ride around the block and YEAH.....Jacob rode his big boy bike around for the first time. He wanted nothing to do with it for awhile and only wanted to ride "Nolan's bike" (the tricycle). He just recently got the hang of pedaling and now loves it. He was pretty proud of himself.

I thought this was funny and perfect example of the life of an almost two year old (For some reason I thought he looked cute this morning just sitting there watching cartoons, so I took this random picture - the next ones I couldn't resist because they were so funny).

This was my adorable, loving, sweet Noley this morning.....

This was my not so adorable, almost impossible, not happy Noley before bed.....

The horrible, terrible, rough life being two.

Thankful Thursday

My cousin, Sarah, sent this, Everything's amazing, Nobody's happy, to me awhile ago, and just recently Tonja had it on her blog. It's so funny, and so true. Why is it so hard to be happy for what we DO have?

I am thankful for the sun shining bright today.

I am thankful that just the boys and I (Matt was in the cities today for a meeting) had a great, easy, meltdown proof morning! Oh, how these make my mornings so much better!

I am thankful for the great "team" I have to work with all day.

I am thankful that we have off tomorrow, for a long Easter weekend.

I am thankful and sad at the same time that our "baby" is turning 2 on Easter Sunday.

I am thankful again for the healthy boys I have (even with their running noses, fevers, coughs, ear infections). We're lucky that's all it is. So many people are dealing with awful, scary things with their children right now. I couldn't even imagine. What strong people they are, with strong faiths.

I am thankful for my family and still being able to be around them and spend time with them. Too many deaths right now. I know it is God's will, but it is never easy to lose someone. No matter what. It's sad that the death of someone is what reminds people the importance of cherishing the moment.

I know my husband is really burnt out (not to mention has been sick this week) with work right now and having to help out at home, and try to be "happy" and "full of energy". I appreciate all you do Matt, I know it's not easy.

Chrism Mass

Tonight my church held the 2009 Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Winona. It was amazing being a part of it. I can't tell you how many times I got goosebumps and this feeling a pure "awe". Not to mention the music was beautiful. The church was packed, in fact the Bishop said it was the largest turnout he has ever been a part of. My guild helped out at the reception afterwards, and I couldn't believe the hundreds of people that were there (my mom had a huge part of putting the whole dinner, mass, and reception together as part of the liturgy committee). Nice job mom! The priest from every church in our diocese was there, not sure what that number is but I would guess around 80+. The Chrism mass is where the Bishop consecrates chrism and blesses the oils to make them holy. The chrism is used for the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. The oil is used for anointing the catechumen and the sick. It was very cool seeing the big vases full of the oil and then seeing how it was distributed to each of the priests to take back to their parish.

After school today I picked the boys up from Mary's, dropped Nolan and Connor off at home with Matt, and took Jacob into Urgent Care. He was up at 3am this morning screaming that his ear hurt. He and I didn't really go back to sleep the rest of the morning. Poor guy. He was warm, but no temp so we took him to daycare. Mary called me during the day to ask if she could give him some Tylenol because his ear was really bothering him. The doctor cleaned out all of this "goopy stuff". She said it was really bad and his ear was draining. She put him on oral antibiotics and ear drop antibiotics. Ugh.....

Alligators and their droppings......

Kelsey girl snuggling with her daddy in church. Yes, I had my camera with. I have it with me ALMOST everywhere I go. You never know when the opportunity for a great photo will arise.
Daddy brought the boys home some "Gator droppings" and "gummy alligators" from Tampa.Playing this afternoon - and like always, what one has or is doing, the other one wants to have or do.

The verdict is still out on whether it will stay, but I hung this up this weekend. I've been looking for a picture, but haven't found one that I like that A) looks good with our other painting AND B) doesn't take the focus off the other painting. I also didn't want to take away too much focus from the "G" on the mantle - plus the mantle is so busy already. I was at Kohl's with my mom and found this clock. I am obsessed with the vinyl lettering and sayings - you can check that out here, and thought this clock would look great. Plus, we don't have a clock in the living room, or didn't until now. The numbers are "stuck on" the wall and the only thing three dimenionsal are the hands. What do you think?

Famous again

Well the boys and Matt made the paper again, this time for the Easter egg hunt. The photographer took their picture with Sparky the firedog, but they didn't use it.

Hundreds take part in quick Easter egg hunt

The inaugural Annual Easter Egg Hunt at the city’s Village of Yesteryear drew hundreds of children on Saturday.By the kickoff at 9:30 a.m., a thick ring of kids and their families had gathered in wait around the Village, which includes fifteen historic buildings that date back to the turn of the 20th Century. At the start, the horde of children rushed the Village, scrambling around and plucking eggs from nooks and crannies around the log cabins, country store and school house. Within minutes, they had snatched up all 2,000 eggs.

Rachel Schmidt came all the way from Ellendale that cold, gray morning to bring her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Laila to the hunt. “I didn’t think there would be quite so many children here,” Schmidt said, as Laila shivered and showed off her eggs. “They had a big turnout.”

The mad dash left some kids empty-handed, like brothers Connor, 5, and Nolan Ginskey, age 2. “We were a little late, so we got caught behind the storm,” said their father Matt. “But they’ve had a lot of fun looking at the train and meeting the characters.”

There was still plenty to do: Kids posed for pictures with the Easter Bunny and Steeley, the mascot of the Steele County Free Fair. Others climbed inside vehicles from the Owatonna Police Department and the Owatonna Fire Department.This is the first annual Easter egg hunt at the Steele County Historical Society’s Village of Yesteryear. Organizers said they were overwhelmed by the crowd that came to the event, which was a joint-effort between the Steele County Historical Society and the Owatonna Business Partnership.

“This way exceeded what we expected,” said Steele County Historical Society Director Laura Resler. “This is just an awesome response.”Resler said she and SCHS and OBP member Mike Jensen came up with the hunt during a casual conversation at lunch one day.

One thing is clear: Next year, they’ll need more eggs. Resler said they would have about 5,000 eggs for the hunt in 2010.

Egg hunt.....success or failure?

There was an Easter egg hunt this morning in our "Village of Yesteryear". We didn't know what to expect because it was the first one put on by the group that did it. They obviously didn't know what to expect either because when we got there, it seemed like the whole city had the same idea. We arrived just as they let the kids go find the eggs. There were so many people there, none of the boys got any eggs. There were supposedly 2000 eggs and a 5 eggs per kid limit. Hmmmm..

That part of the hunt was a failure, however we had a good time because we got to see a train, a firetruck, police car, Sparky the fire dog, a Husky, a cow, and a bunny. We ran into some friends also. It was a little cold, but overall a very successful, fun morning.

We're so excited. Hurry up guys!
My basket is VERY empty! Grandma and Nolan by the train car.
With our friends the Burmeisters. The Ginskey boys. Where's Nolan? There he is!

Tonight mom, Connor, and I went to the Medford high school play. They did the production of "Good News". Our daycare provider, Mary, is the technical director of the Medford plays and Connor helped color some people for one of the scenes of the play. It started at 7:30 and didn't get over until 10:15ish. I couldn't believe that Connor stayed awake for the whole thing. There was a lot of "grown up" stuff in the play, but he seemed to follow it and "get it". He thought quite a few of the scenes were funny. He thought one of the girls playing "Babe" was really cute and good. I asked him though if she was as cute as his friend in school, Hillary. He shook his head no. A couple of minutes later, he says in this shy quiet voice, "Mommy, Hillary is really pretty cute isn't she?!" - With a big smile on his face.

It was too precious.

I forgot to mention that Friday night before we did eggs, we went to eat at Perkins and guess who we sat next too? Yep, Hillary's family. Hillary's mom said that they hear ALL about Connor every day and Hillary's sister was actually teasing Hillary about Connor being her boyfriend. It all just made me smile and laugh.

"Egg" cellent Night

It was so nice out yesterday we were FINALLY able to do THIS in our backyard when we got home. However we are now expected to get snow tonight.
Grandpa and Grandma came over to help color Easter eggs last night with the boys and I. Matt, Kristin, and Kelsey also stopped over for a little bit. The boys made Kelsey her first colored Easter egg. Nolan even decided to color himself as you can see in the picture. Matt got home (from being in Tampa) late last night and we were all happy to see him.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful today for the sunshine. The boys and I went to a park after I picked them up from daycare today. Loved it!

I am thankful that tomorrow is FRIDAY! TGIF!

I am thankful for my hair stylist, Melissa. She rocks. I honestly go in there, maybe tell her a few things as to whether I want to just trim it, chop it, highlight it - and she just does it. I am happy with what she does every time. Plus, I love the fact that I get to visit and catch up with a friend all at the same time. Can't beat that. She is amazing.

Again, I am so thankful for the help of my family with pick ups and drop offs. Thank you!

I am thankful for my family and friends, and for what I am all blessed with. Life is too short, and it's so important to be GRATEFUL for who and what we have. My heart and prayers go out to the Hilstad family on the loss of their mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend.

Happy Friday everyone.

Isn't THIS.....

supposed to prevent THIS from happening?

We also lost the phone to the bathtub tonight. Matt called from Tampa and I was holding it so Nolan could talk to him while he was taking his bath. Well, Mr. Independent decided he needed to hold it himself and knocked it right out of my hands.

One more piece of destruction while Matt has been gone is Jacob colored on the carpet. He didn't do it on purpose, but he was coloring in a book, on the carpet.

Oh, the joys of boys!

Getting stung on April Fools day

Matt is in Tampa right now, so it's just me and the boys again.
I almost didn't write this. I think sometimes it's easy to share the good stories, worried about what other people will think, but it's important to share sad or not so great stories as well. I think those are the teachable moments, and shows that we are all human, whether we're trying to be perfect or not.

This morning I had some extremely tired, extremely crabby boys. Ugh... makes for a rough morning. I truly do not know what turned the switch on Connor because he was snuggling with me not 20 minutes earlier.

I brought him his toothbrush this morning in my bed and he was not happy that I got it wet because according to him "it gets all goopy". I, on the otherhand, hate brushing my teeth with a dry toothbrush with paste. From then on apparently, Connor was not a happy camper. He was just mean and a stinker. I had to ask him about 10 times (it truly started out nicely for the first 7 or so) to get his shoes and coat on and he just stood there looking at me. I walked out to put the other two boys in their carseats and told Connor that I don't know what got into him, or why he was being mean, but if he's not ready by the time I get back in the house he can stay home. I was not going to deal with this. Needless to say, I got the boys buckled in, opened the door to the house, and Connor was still standing there in the same place I left him. I gave him a look I myself probably would not want to see, and walked out. I shut the door, got into the car, and started it.....about 10 seconds later, Connor came out with this look on his face that will take me awhile to forget. He gets in the car, buckles up, and I ask him, "Connor, what is this all about? Why are you acting like this?"
He looks at me and says "I don't know."
A minute later he says to me, "I wish I had a different mom."

GULP. (I could tell right after he said it that he wished he hadn't said it....but he did).

Those are words that I was not ready to hear. I mean, I know it's inevitable to get the "I hate you, you're so mean, so and so's mom doesn't do that, etc.....", however I was not ready to get them so early. (plus, this coming from the boy who sometimes lays it on me so thick with the "mommy, I love you", "mommy, I'm so lucky you're my mommy", "mommy, I don't ever want to be a way from you"). It truly stung and I just looked at him without knowing what to say.

He knew he hurt me and the guilt sunk in because he was silent the rest of the way to Mary's, when normally we're singing, counting buses, talking about the day, guessing what breakfast is going to be...
I silently said to him as we're piling out of the van to go into Mary's, "Maybe you'll get your wish and a different mom will be here to pick you up" (kind of with a smile on my face).

As I was helping the younger two take off their coats and shoes, Connor kind of just stood by me not saying anything. The other two gave me their hugs and kisses and ran off to play. I could tell Connor was waiting to see if I was going to give him a kiss and a hug also because he just stood there all awkward. I pretended like nothing "out of the ordinary" happened and gave him a huge squeeze and kiss and told him to have a good day and that I loved him. His face lit up and you could see the guilt and the sadness he was feeling leave him. He gave me this huge smile and said, "I love you too mommy. Have a good day too." He looked at me, and I saw this look telling me he was sorry, so sorry.

What a moment. I'm still not sure how to react to it, or feel about it. Not the way I planned on starting my day, or would ever want to start it again. I know it's not a big deal, and because he's only 5 he will probably forget it even happened when I pick him up tonight. Actually because of who Connor is, I'm anxious to see because truly I don't think he will forget. He is too smart and "with it". The thought definitely crosses my mind about being a "good mom". Does a "good mom" get those type of comments - already?! Wowzers.


I was trying to think last night of something to post for a funny April Fools joke, but while I was reading through some blogs I decided to post this instead. I'm sure some of you follow MckMama's blog, but if you don't and you have a minute you should go check it out. It's amazing the connections you make, and the stories you get "addicted" too or similarities you find, and the things you become thankful for through this blog world. When I think I have it bad, or am feeling sorry for myself all I have to do is read some of these blogs. MckMama's story with her incredible baby Stellan is heart wrenching. I also love what she did with Stellan's name- it has been everywhere. If you are a praying person say a little pray for this family. A couple other families I know could use some prayers also. Please keep the Freundl family in your prayers and the family of Lisa Hilstad. Lisa is dying of cancer, I can't even imagine what she and her family are going through right now.