We had a Great Christmas - Now Bring on 2009!!

We had another great Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve at Frankie's brothers house. Christmas day was at my parents house. And then this last Sunday we went to the farm for Christmas with my dad's side! Colton was very spoiled again this year. It was so much fun to see all of our family and to enjoy some good laughs with everyone! Of course I took way too many pictures (176 to be exact) and I can't post them all so here are just a couple of my favorites!

We are planning to celebrate New Years Eve with family and Friends tonight. We are doing a fancy dinner party at my parents house... with Frankie being our personal chef of course! He is making all kinds of awesome foods including Jumbo Shrimp, Chicken Kabobs, Scallops, King Crab Legs, Filet Minon and Lobster Tail just to name a few! I will be sure to take some pictures of our eventful night! And we are planning to start 2009 off with a bang as well. Saturday night Frankie got us tickets to see Irwin Berlin's White Christmas at the Ordway. I saw the show last time they were in town and it was amazing and I can't wait to see it again. And then on Sunday we are going to the Vikings Playoff Game, Lower Level, Row 15 in the Endzone Baby! I am so excited about this game I can hardly wait! It is gonna be a busy weekend but it is going to be awesome. Well I hope everyone has a Happy New Year and here's wishing you all a great start to 2009!!

This is what happens to Packer Fans!

When a Packer fan takes a day of vacation at my work the rest of us get busy! Look what we did to one of my coworkers desks... we are hoping to win Vikings Tickets from K102!! GO VIKINGS!!

Jam Packed Weekend!

We had a very busy weekend. We left Friday at 3:30 to head to Fergus Falls to watch Brad play basketball. We watched a game Friday night and then headed back to the hotel to do some swimming and hang out. Saturday afternoon we watched another game, it was parents day!! They won both games and we had a blast watching Brad play and Colton loved spending time with his uncle. The cutest thing was the two young boys who came up to Brad after the game and asked for his autograph and a picture with him! Here are just a few pics:

At 5:30 on Saturday we started the drive home - and good thing we did becuase the snow storm hit hard that night. Colton was such a little trooper in the vehicle... he just hung out in his carseat and played with his Spartans Basketball that he got from his uncle Brad. We arrived home around 8:30 just in time for me to eat, get Colton in his jammies, pack a bag and head to my friends house for our 10th Annual Girls Christmas Party. We started the tradition our Freshman year in college and have been doing it every since! I have the best Friends a girl could ask for!

Top picture taken in 2000 bottom one take this year!

Sunday we went over to Grandma Yvonnes house for our Annual Christmas Cookie Baking!! We had a blast and made some delicious cookies and chocolate and candy covered pretzels! Colton had so much fun playing with his cousin... they are the quite the trouble makers now. It was a jam packed weekend and we all needed the rest come Sunday night!

Oh yeah one more thing.. all we want for Christmas is a Superbowl win! GO VIKINGS!

Paint Class

I took a painting class with my mom and some of the neighborhood ladies a couple weeks ago! Our project of the night was a pillow with a winter scene painted on it. The instructor is a great friend of the family and the same person who painted the Nemo Mural in Colton's room. She walked us through the project step by step. First we drew our image onto the canvas. Then we filled it in with paint and finished it off by adding buttons and adding fringe to the edge! The final product was amazing, I never thought in my wildest dreams that mine would turn out. I have decided not to add the batting to mine because I am afraid that the dog would lay on it when I am not around and I really don't want it to get dirty so I am going to use mine as a wall hanging! Here are some pictures she took for us that night, we had so much fun and I look forward to taking another class - anyone interested in taking a class with me?

Hello Fellow Readers!

Wow, I have had another busy week. But I am starting to feel like that is just life. Is everyone else as crazy busy too? I get excited when I have a day to just lay on the couch and watch Smurfs or Tom and Jerry... Colton's new favorite cartoons. Okay anyways, last Friday night I saw Radio City Christmas Spectacular. It was Amazing! I went with my mom, my sisters and my aunt. We had so much fun, I drove downtown because my sisters cannot drive and my mom shouldn't! She was pretty sure we were going to get hit by the light rail every time it passed us. At times she even threatened to get out and walk (expect that she had no idea where she was going). I don't think I stopped laughing the entire trip there (and it took over an hour due to traffic). And the show was so good, here are just a few pics:

We also decided it was time to take Sampson to vet. He has gained the reputation of the stinkiest dog ever and we started to feel bad. Actually I don't think he even knows his real name because lately he has been called "Stinky", "Big Stink", "Stinkster", "Oh My God Sampson", "Wow you stick get outside". We have given him several baths and he stinks again in two days. The final straw came when I was laying on the couch and he just walked by me and I had to get up and move to another room. So anyways, Frankie took him to the vet and several hundred dollars later he is all better. He had a severe infection in both ears and he was so jumpy about his ears that they actually had to put him under to properly clean them out. He is also taking several prescriptions... but it is all worth it because he doesn't stick anymore. Colton can again cuddle with his puppy without needing a bath immediately afterwards!
We took Colton to see his first movie on Monday night. We saw Madagascar 2.. great movie. Even Frankie and I really enjoyed the movie. Colton did pretty good, he got a little restless about half way through and had to stand for a while, but other than that he did great. And yes I took pictures, when we got in the theater we were the only ones in there and I just happened to have my camera with me (go figure). Well I think that is everything major for the past week. Today Colton and I are just going to lay around watching cartoons and listen to my brothers basketball game (they are 2-1 so far this year). Colton has a pretty bad cold and is running a slight fever so I think a day of rest is in order. And I just had to throw this last picture in because I thought it was too funny! Colton loves to help me clean.. and lately he wants to do all the vacuuming.

That's MY Brother!!

As many of you probably know my brother is a Sophomore at Fergus Falls Minnesota State Technical College playing basketball. He is the co-captain of the basketball team and has been working hard all season getting ready for their home opener. Well last night it paid off! They beat Mayville 98 - 90. We listened to the game on the Internet... if anyone is interested in listening to one of his games let me know and I can send you the link! It was so cool to listen to the announcer talk about my little brother! I am very proud of him. And at the end of the game I think everyone was quite impressed with his abilities. He had a double-double game. He scored 28 points and crashed the boards like crazy racking up 15 rebounds!! He was 9 of 10 from the free throw line. And he also blocked 5 shots. Well to say the least he was on fire and I couldn't be more proud to brag about him. We can't wait to go see one of his games in person!! We going up there for a weekend in December - he has a Friday night game and a Saturday game so we figured that would be a great weekend to go. Colton loves to watch his Uncle Brad play basketball and I am sure if Brad has anything to do with it Colton will be a ball player too!!

Other than that not much new in our lives. Colton had a blast Trick or Treating!! He filled two buckets of candy and then at one of the last houses they were giving out juice boxes which totally made his day. After that he was done and when we got back to the house the only thing he wanted was his juice box - he didn't care at all about the candy! He is doing awesome in school, his teachers love him (but what is not to love about the cutest kid ever). I am going to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular tomorrow night with my mom, my sisters and my aunt and I am pretty excited - it better be as good as everyone says!! Okay that is all for now- Brad plays again tomorrow night so I will be sure to keep everyone updated on how he is doing! Go Little Brother - we are cheering for you!!

Pumpkin Carving is Awesome!

We had our 4th annual pumpkin carving this last weekend and it was so much fun! We of course carved some pumpkins, ate lots of good food, hung out around the bonfire and I do believe there was a little bit of drinking going on too!! I carved my pumpkin the night before becuase I never get time to sit down and carve one during the party - too busy talking to everyone and taking pictures (and this year holding Lincoln - my friends 6 week old little boy). Colton carved his first pumpkin with Grandma Yvonne's help. Frankie never actually carved a pumpkin this year - he was a little too busy entertaining (and by entertaining I mean handing out shots of alcohol to unexpecting guests). We had a great time and can't wait until next years party. Here is a link to the pictures from the party (sometimes the pics get a little out of order so you might see a duplicate or two but keep watching and you will see them all - about 40!):

http://apps.rockyou.com/rockyou.swf?instanceid=125662743

Colton is going to be Elmo for Halloween this year! We are very excited to take him Trick or Treating, I think he will really understand what is going on this year. And we have been practicing saying "Trick or Treat" and he is getting quite good at it! Other than that not much new, the flu hit our household two weekends ago! All three of us got sick and then my mom and my brother got it too. It was no fun at all, but hopefully it is out of our system now and we won't get it again this flu season (although I doubt we can be that lucky). Colton loves his new school. This is his 3rd week, and already I can tell how much he is learning. He is talking even more than before and in much longer sentences. And on Thursday I get to be at home with him which is awesome, I don't ever want to give it up. We sleep in (if you call 8am sleeping in), we hang out in our jammies until lunch time, we take a nap and then just chill on the couch and watch Disney movies - I am telling you it is the best day of the week. Well I think that is all, Happy Halloween everyone!

I have the Cutest Godson Ever!

Today's was Jaxx's Baptism. He was such a good little boy! I am so honored to be his Godmother. Of course the weather didn't want to cooperate this morning with the rain but everything turned out perfect anyways! God Bless you Jaxx Robert.

Jaxx and his family - including Godparents and the reverend.

Jaxx with his godparents - Uncle Travis and Auntie Mandy

Jaxx- he is just so cute! Best Godson Ever!!

Otherwise we are staying very busy - getting ready for fall and our Pumpkin Carving Party!! We went to the apple orchard again last weekend - but this time our main objective was the pumpkin patch! And Colton had a blast, he was running from pumpkin to pumpkin trying to find the perfect one! Of course he tried to pick them all up but most of them were way to heavy for him. Also the last two weeks we have been looking for new daycare for Colton and we finally found the perfect fit. Colton starts at Kinder Care tomorrow and we are so excited and relieved to again put the daycare hunt behind us. I think Colton will love it at Kinder Care - there is always something to do and he won't be spending his day in front of a TV. I am switching to four 10 hour days at work starting next week so I will get to be at home with Colton every Thursday and I am looking forward to that more than anything. Right now the weekends are always so busy so it will be nice to have a day for just me and him to hang out! Okay I think that is all for now, and remember to cheer on those Vikes tomorrow night ( I know it is hard right now)!!

Apple Orchard Time

We went to the apple orchard on Sunday!! We had so much fun and Colton got to spend some quality time with his cousins! Colton even experienced his first pony ride. He wasn't to excited about the the idea at first but after a little bit he was riding like a true cowboy! We off course picked apples and had some apple donuts and apple brats! The weather was perfect - almost too warm which seems wierd to say at the end of September. We had a lot of fun - family days are always a good time. And the Vikings won on Sunday which was the icing on the cake for me!

Busy as always!!

We have been very busy like always they last couple weekends!! Last weekend Frankie, Colton and I went to La Crosse, WI for 3 days just for a little family get away! We spent most of the time just relaxing in the hotel. But we did go for some walks along the river, we went up to Granddad Bluff to get an amazing view of the city, we had dinner with some friends and of course did lots of swimming in the pool!

This kid can always make me smile. Colton and Daddy playing on the canon at Canal Park!
Colton was so worn out after swimming - he fell asleep in about 2 minutes!
Mommy and Colton playing at the playground!
Colton and Daddy at Granddad Bluff!Check out that view - Amazing!That's my boy - exploring like always!Colton in the car on the way home - he read books to his baby until he fell asleep!

When we got home on Monday we put together Colton's New Sandbox and filled it with sand! This was his birthday present from Grandma Yvonne - it just took us this long to get it for him (we were very slow to decide what kind we wanted - finally grandma just picked one and it is perfect). He loves playing in his Sandbox!!

Colton and Daddy getting dirty - that is until Colton needed to take a break for a Freezie!!This last week at work has been pretty eventful! I got promoted to Senior Service Specialist on Wednesday! I am so excited about this, hard work has paid off! And then on Friday I found out that I won a Rising Star Award for the month of August!! I was nominated by the consultant on my team for my focus and dedication to the team! Needless to say my week has been pretty good! And the last two nights we have had friends and family over for BBQ's, Bonfires and board games - Loaded Questions is the best game ever made! The only bad thing I have to report is about the Vikings! I am not sure what it is going to take for them to win but I am not sure how many more games I can watch that end is disappointment! But we still had fun eating chicken wings and french fries - you have to love game day!!