Still no sign of Spring!

Teague wanted to know how to do mommy's workouts - so here Ryan and Teague are practicing!

Lola with her play stethascope

Teague showing us how he can dance

It's hard to see in this picture, but Teague was watching a movie and Lola came over and sat in his lap!

Teague and Daddy watching a movie

Lola sitting on Skylar

Lola being cute

...and being cute again!

...and again (sporting her CSB/SJU shirt that the alumni association sent her when she was born!)

Watching a movie in Teague's bed

Well here we are, near the last day of February and it does not appear as though Spring plans to make an appearance anytime soon! Ugh.

We went to Rochester this weekend for my cousin, Bryan's, wedding. It was a 2 1/2 hour drive. Lola screamed the whole way, the roads were terrible from that dusting of snow (cars in the ditches, etc.) and then Lola came down with the same virus that Teague had earlier this week. She was miserable. And then she didn't sleep well in the hotel and both Ryan and I woke with this same virus. So off we went, back home, Lola luckily slept about 45 minutes of the drive, so we only had to listen to her scream for about 2 hours. Let me tell you, the two parents being sick and having to parent two children is more than I ever care to do again. The only "good" thing is that we had both in bed by 7:15 tonight. I just hope we are all over this in the next day or so!

Lola, she talks so much and says so many cute things! "Oh My!", "Teague" (Teeeeeee), "Papa", "Skys" (Skylar), "Mine!", "Oooooooo" (No), "e i e i o".... It's so much fun listening to her. She's very bossy and usually she gets her way with most people - I guess when you're so cute that happens?!

Teague cracks us up daily with his sayings! He was so excited for this weekend to go to the "Show and Tell" (hotel)! So funny. Or when his books were falling off of the bed and he exclaimed that his books were "dripping"! Like I said he had a bug this last week and still seems a little under the weather, but hoping he turns the corner soon.

I received a lot of emails (and a comment here) regarding my last post. Thanks for the support. I do know we all struggle at times with our jobs and it's just getting over the hump, picking myself up and moving on. There are some things that I know I will never get in my job. As much as I would like to throw my hands up in the air and just walk away, I have to give it the rest of the school year. I just want to do what's best for my family and I don't know what that is quite yet...

The bball season is (sort of) winding down - however March is the busiest (I guess it's called March Madness for a reason)! This is the last week of the regular season, but now we have conference meetings, seeding meetings, playoffs, state tournament, etc. and so it is not all over until March 25th. The light at the end of this tunnel is that we have booked a 4 night vacation to Cancun the beginning of April! I am excited and even better that I will NOT be pregnant this time when I am at an all-inclusive Mexican resort!! Margarita, Pina Colada....anyone?! =)

Spring, are you out there? Please?

Well like most Minnesotans, I am sick of this winter. We have had our fair share of colds the past month and it's been far too cold to do much outside with the kids. This weekend is the exception as it is nice enough. I am at my parent's and forgot the kids' boots but brought all the rest of their gear. Sheesh.

So as I mentioned I am here at my parent's for the 2nd weekend in a row. It gives me a little reprieve and help to be here and helps to have a change of scenery for the kids. Actually I think there's a bit more to do here (yes, in Morris) because I can take them to the community center to the water slides, swim, play, etc. It beats being inside the house! Ryan has been gone the past two weekends with bball related stuff, but this is single mom season (though some like to refer to it as basketball season - same thing).

I try not to bring up work here because nobody really wants to hear about how "bad" I have it when I should just be thankful for a job. DISCLAIMER: I love what I do, but not in the environment I do it in. But I can't resist. It's been really tough and not tough in a "I wish I were just home with my kids" tough. Tough like I don't seem to be able to do anything right there. And it's frustrating for me because I have been there 8 years and never have I had so much "flak" for the way I do my job (which those people will remain anonymous here). The reason for my frustration is that I really struggled with the decision to come back or stay home permanently. So when I finally made the decision late last summer to return to my school I knew I had to do it 110%. I have "given" more to my job this year than any other year (besides maybe my 1st year when I just wanted them to realize that I was the best person for the job, blah blah blah). I have held more informational meetings for families, started a web site, written articles for the paper - all in a way to make sure that it is clear that I want there to be very good communication between myself, families and the community. And it's been a total slap in the face to be there. I don't cry often, but when I do it is always about my job. Is it worth it?? I don't know because if I am not going to be working there, then I don't want to live here at all. I don't "trust" the community so why continue to support it? I don't know, maybe I am bitter - but what I am is frustrated for giving it my all and knowing that it is still not enough for the people of this school district. So my family and I need to make some hard decisions... TBD... And for the record it was National Counselor Appreciation Week at my school. I am the only counselor there, I bet you can guess how many people said thanks this week. Don't get me started on all the hoopla we do when it is teacher appreciation week! =)

On a bright note - my kids are doing amazing. They are thriving and excelling at Tina's. Teague is very ready to start preschool (another decision to make - where to start him, always thought it would be in our district...) and Lola is saying new words everyday. I am so impressed that even LOLA is learning manners! Who knew?! I am like a proud peacock when it comes to them because they bring me so much joy and pride. What would I do if I weren't a mom? Probably shop too much.

Here are some pictures from the past two weekends at my parents' home. Happy Valentine's Day, we are celebrating by having our taxes done! =)

Loves the water!

Silly jumping boy!

Lola was not too sure about the dog that Nana and Papa are dog-sitting, here she is in true Lola form yelling at the dog, but from a distance!

This little water bug is WILD in the water. I am in for a ride with her because the crazier and scarier, the better for her. She is CRAZY!

Hey there cutie!

My two swimmers!

Well here Lola fell down with all her snow gear on. I guess sometimes it's just easier to give up and stay sitting!

Lola starring as the Toy Story 3 Monkey...

The true Toy Story Monkey


Our very own (lucky us) version of the Toy Story Monkey
(disclaimer: at the end she does not fall, she throws herself down in a true Lola tantrum)

See ya later guk guk!

Last Wednesday we buried guk guk and said good bye to that wonderfully naughty habit once and for all. Now that I look back on it I feel like it's been forever ago that Teague ever even used one and I am thanking God that Lola (my child who will likely never do well with change) does not use one.

So it all started at the dentist a week and a half before when they suggested it was time to get rid of it. Teague was VERY upset with Dr Greg for saying that and telling me that he wanted to leave (the dentist) because "...that's naughty. He cant say that! I am not going to throw away my guk guk" So he adamently did not want to talk about it and now looking back I am sure he overheard Ryan and I talking about when to do it. I came up with this grand plan that he turns 3 1/2 on January 14th and that we would have a mini birthday party to celebrate that he is a big boy now and that when you are 3 1/2 it's time to throw out the guk guk. So anyway, I had been prepping him for being 3 1/2 and that he would get cake, ice cream, pizza party and that we would be going to the water park to celebrate no more guk guk and being a big boy (yada yada yada). He was cool with it all and thought it would be fun, but was quick to add that once he got home from the water park that he would get his guk guk back. Yeah, this is going to be tough, I thought. So the party was to take place on Saturday. So last Wednesday I had to take the kids into St Cloud with me for an appt. Typically Teague would have his guk guk in the car, but he never asked for it, not once. By the time we got home that evening it was 7 pm and he had not had it all day long and he asked for it. So on a whim I said "no, I am sorry there are no more guk guks. I took them to the hospital today and I gave them to the babies there. They need guk guks." Oh Lord. I thought I was going to die of heartbreak listening to this little boy cry over what was up to this point in his short life, the most traumatic thing to happen to him. It was honestly awful. And it was bathtime/bedtime and Ryan would not be home to help me through this. It was horrible. He just sobbed and hyperventilated. He didn't want to be held. So I got Lola ready and checked on this poor boy off and on and tried to console him. I honestly was just planning to let him cry himself off to sleep in his clothes, no bath, no nighttime pull up, nothing. I would just pick up the pieces in the morning. I felt terrible. At one point the smart little cookie got all happy and said "MAMA! I know, Daddy has a guk guk in his car!" To which I had to dash his hope once again and tell him that Daddy took that guk guk to the babies at the hospital as well....and the sobs worsened. (and I do have a short video clip of the whole fiasco because I didn't think Ryan should "get off scott free" not hearing/seeing the whole debacle - which I didn't feel would be very nice of me to post here)! Off and on I would hear him say "I don't WANT the babies to have them" or "I don't want him to say that" (referring to Dr Greg from a week and a half prior!) So after Lola went to bed he finally let me pick him up and hold him to which he sniffed a few times (it had been an hour of tears) and he said, "I am 3 1/2 now. I don't need a guk guk." and that was it. I have not heard another word uttered about it! After that he has been in an exceptionally good mood (we had been dealing with a moody, sassy boy for the past week) and I think that he knew it would be coming (us taking away his guk guk) but he didn't know when and once it was done and over with he could just move on. He honestly just has always been so easy going with changes in his life, takes them and then moves on.......now Lola; not. so. much. Anyway, he is a big boy and we are SO proud of him. So on Saturday we celebrated and he had a great time. (check out his cute 3 1/2 party picture of him on the right side of the blog)

His 3 1/2 birthday party crew!

Lola LOVED the water and the water park. Ryan and I agree that SHE will be the child that needs to be watched (aka: the alarm on the pool door activated because she will try to get out to the pool this summer without supervision)!

Teague practicing his skee ball skills at the arcade of the water park

If only she would leave it alone I could put cute little pig tails in her hair everyday!

Candy Land - his new favorite pass time!

Christmas 2010

Well Christmas has come and gone like a month ago already, that's how long I have been meaning to get some Christmas pictures up on here! We had a great time with family and the kids, naturally, got so many gifts they didn't know what to play with first!