Thanksgiving Wrap Up

It's a tradition for us to have Thanksgiving dinner at our house each year. This year was no different, and Lee, Roxy, Sabrina, Lorelai, Grandma, Pop Pop, and Uncle Phil showed up Wednesday night. While Jay prepped the food, the girls prepared by wearing matching Thanksgiving PJs.

Thursday, Robin, Adam, Nolan, Mara and Reese joined us and we ate till we couldn't eat any more. In the afternoon we took turns napping.

Friday morning, Lee, Roxy, Jay and I headed out at 4:30 a.m. to do all our Christmas shopping. We saw a fist-fight, some boxes flying through the air, and some really cranky people. But we got all our shopping done in four hours so it was totally worth it!

Walmart, 5 a.m. - notice my husband, top left corner, holding up his find!

Off to Christmas!

What a great weekend (and I hate IOWA!)

This weekend Sam and I traveled to Minnesota to meet some of my friends, some of them for the first time. I have mentioned on here before but when I was pregnant with Sam, I joined an online community for pregnant moms. Now, one year later, the majority of us have May babies and have become fast friends. It's a little odd to talk about at first but these women have really become a great source of support and friendship. And great wine drinking buddies too!

Anyway, Mandee and Jack headed to Peoria last Friday night and Saturday we got up with the Sun and began what, according to Rand McNally, should have been a seven hour trip. Apparently Rand has never made the trip with two 6 month olds because 10 hours after we parted ways with my driveway we checked into our hotel.

That night, our friends Bethanne, her mom, Wilton, Shannon, Wade, Kaitlin, Kyle, Jeremy, Krystal, Wyatt, Westin, Zoey and Mandee, Jack, Sam and I hung out in our room and at the very cool hotel pool. The kids swam and us moms chatted it up.

Sam and Kaitlin, practicing the art of sharing

Sam, Jack and Zoey having a pajama party

Sunday morning, Mandee and I got the kids ready, then they napped while Mandee and I got everything else ready. They also had time to play for a bit, baby style.

Jack and Sam, napping friends

Wrestling, anyone???

Jack and Sam, showing off their paci's

Next, we headed to Bethanne's house for a candle party and some wine. There we got to also meet Patrick (B's hubby) and Mickey and Piper. And of course drank some Oliver wine!

Top row, L - R: Me, Sam, Bethanne, Wilton, Shannon, Mickey and Piper
Bottom row, L - R: Krystal, Zoey, Mandee and Jack

After the party we headed to Outback for dinner and more drinks. Sam proved that she, unlike some people, is a carnivore. Yummy Mickey!

Monday morning, we packed up and headed home. And we got it down to nine hours that time! All in all, a pretty great weekend!

Now, about the Iowa hating part, read below.

Top Ten Things to remember when traveling to Minnesota:

1. Six different McDonalds. Six different menus. Come on... Who doesn't have sweet T and coffee??
2. Rand McNally isn't always right. An atlas would be nice to have in the car.
3. When you DON'T have an atlas, just have Mandee pick up a lesbian at a gas station. They give away free maps of Iowa.
4. Minnesota is cold. Pack an ice scraper.
5. When you don't have an ice scraper, a drivers license works well.
6. Don't drive 87 mph in a 65. Apparently, that's against the law.
7. When getting pulled over for going 87 mph, pinching the kids to produce tears does NOT gain sympathy from the cop. Nor does it make the pain of a $185 ticket any less brutal.
8. It's important to have a not-expired insurance card in your car as well. See number 6 and 7, above.
9. U-turns are a way of life in Iowa. Especially when you get lost (see number 2 above).
10. Laugh often - then cry when you wake up the kids.

Proof I have a lead foot:
Thanks for the hospitality, Minnesota!

Fit Friday

This week was slightly successful... Lost two more pounds... Worked out only once and did terrible at drinking water. Life keeps getting in the way, so hopefully after this weekend I can get back on the wagon... Don't want to gain next week!

This weekend the Ralphs are traveling... Jay is going to Purdue for the game, Addi is going to Indianapolis, and Sam and I are headed to Minnesota to visit my online friends.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sisterly Love

Addi: "Mommy, Sam keeps grabbing my hair! Make her stop!"
Me: "Addi, she just wants to play with you."
Addi: "I'm not her toy. I'm her sister."

Addi-sense

Earlier today, I noticed this small, orange blog stuck to the front of our fridge. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a piece of gum. Why, you may be asking yourself, would there be chewed gum stuck there? After thinking about it for, oh, two seconds, I realized this gum was about 3 feet high... Perfect Addi height.

So, I called her over and asked her why in the world she would do that. Granted, it's better than swallowing it, but not by much. I was planning out my lecture in my head but she explained to me she put it there so she could find it and eat it after lunch. Made total sense to her. At least that's one person who got it.

Happy 1/2 Birthday Samantha Jane!

Today, Sam turns 6 months old. It's crazy how fast time flies. In some ways I can't imagine a day before she was born, then all I have to do is spend a few minutes alone with her and Addi reminds me that SHE used to get all the attention (see the Pretty girl post, below).

Here are a few fun facts about Sam:

1. She started eating solid foods a few weeks ago but has only had cereal and sweet potatoes. And she hates the cereal.
2. She is a pacifier lover, just like her sister.
3. One of her favorite pastimes is chewing on Mommy's face. I think she's "kissing" me.
4. She is a great sleeper... She sleeps all night in her own bed (most of the time).
5. She LOVES her sister. Addi can make her laugh at any time.
6. She can sit up but can't get there on her own quite yet.

We tried to explain to Addi that today was Sam's 1/2 birthday and she totally didn't get it. She kept yelling that HER birthday was next. As always, everything should be all about HER. I don't know WHERE she gets her desire to be the center of attention all the time. ;)

Pretty girl, Part Deux

This is what happens at my house when I do frivolous things, like feed Sam.

Fit Friday

This week was FINALLY a successful week! With the new elliptical trainer I worked out Monday, Wednesday, and today, ate better, and.... lost two pounds! Only 8 more to go for my "New Year's Eve" goal and 48 more to go overall. Ok, maybe I should focus on the short term goal for now.

The nice bonus? Jay is working out and eating better too. So, we can both be Hot for the Holidays!

Do I have anything on my face?

Pretty girl

She may look like a princess with her fancy earrings and tiara...


But no matter what, she's still my pantless daughter Addi.

Pretend Play = Stupid Mommy

Addi loves to play pretend. She has a great imagination and constantly acts scenes out from shows (ie: Dora and Diego) or makes up her own story. And although I love that she is so creative, I do NOT love that somehow, in her imaginary world, Mommy is just soooooooooooooooo dumb.

Exhibit A: Addi is trying to put her shoes on and is acting like they are too far away. I said, "Come on, Dora! You can do it! Get a rope out of your backpack and reach those shoes!" and she reached around, pulled out a pretend rope, and pulled herself to the shoes. I said, "Wow Dora, way to go over that river!" and I got back an exasperated sigh, an eye roll, and a "Mommy, it was a mountain." Well, duh.

Exhibit B: We were in Bob Evan's enjoying breakfast when Addi starts growling at me. I said, "Hi, baby jaguar!" (a friend of Diego's) and again, I got the sigh, eye roll, and "Mommy, I'm a baby tiger." Stupid me.

Exhibit C: Addi and I were walking down the road and she stopped to play at a mailbox. I said, "Come on, Addi, let's not stop to play," and back I get the popular sigh and "Uh, Mommy, I'm not playing, I'm pooping."

Gross.

Meow

Do you think he wanted to brush his teeth?

Fit Friday #3

Week three was up and down... Jay and I toured a gym after deciding we both need to get more exercise, but it kind of creeped me out to leave the kids in the daycare there. So, after some searching we went today and bought this:

So now we either have a pricey clothes hanger in our room, or a get fit machine. I'm going with number two. So tomorrow morning, I start my workout journey. Wish me luck!

If I could build a time machine...

I can think of hundreds of things I would like a time machine for. To cure cancer for loved ones. To save people from harm. To not eat so much pizza in college so I wouldn't have this extra weight now. I'm sure I could come up with 100's of noble causes to save with my magic machine.

Today, however, I only have one noble cause.

To go back to Tuesday morning when I announced to the world (and obviously laughed in fate's face) and said that Addi never asked "Why" like so many kids do.

Because it's really annoying.

Unseasonably Warm Weather

As in many parts of the country, Illinois is having unseasonably warm weather (at least through today). I would never have thought that I would take my girls to a November football game and have to put sunblock on them, but that's how it worked out.

It's also GREAT weather for one more thing.

To take DOWN all the political signs.

Thank you very much.

Future Boilers?

This weekend we took the girls to Purdue to trick or treat and go to their first tailgate and game. For the first time, Addi was very into Halloween... She was into picking out her costume, into picking out Sam's, and very into the candy.

A few weeks ago we asked Addi what she wanted her and Sam to be and she said "Bees". She is very into The Bee Movie so that was no surprise to us. Then one day after talking like a pirate for a few hours she changed her mind. She said "ARRRRRH Matey!" and "Walk the plank!" so Jay picked up a pirate costume that night at the store. He brought it home and Addi said, "Yeah! I'll be a pirate!" and we called Grandpa and he asked what she was going to be and she joyfully exclaimed, "A robot!" Kids.

After getting her back on the pirate ship we went in search of a costume for Sam. A parrot, we decided, would be the perfect complement for this pirate.

But, apparently parrots were popular this year. We couldn't find the right size. So, while I shopped for new shoes Jay went in search of a costume and came back with this:

MAYBE it's really an inchworm costume. To Addi, it was a parrot. She was happy and Sam was warm. Wins all around.

Addi LOVED trick or treating too. We met our friends Andy, Nikki, Matt, Loren, Mitch, and Mindy and their kids and headed out as a big group. Addi kept running ahead yelling, "Come on guys! Let's go!" and got so excited to say "Trick or treat!" Maybe it was the massive amount of sugar she had.. Either way, she had a ball.

After spending hours trying to get her to sleep in her sleeping bag I gave up and let her sleep with me. Then Sam woke up and the three of us cuddled. Jay slept on the couch. :)

The next day we woke up and headed to the girls first tailgate! I have lots more pictures to post but I just don't have the energy tonight.

Us meeting Purdue Pete - Sam was trying to eat my face.

Then Jay headed to the game and I found an upside to Purdue sucking so bad.... Free tickets! I put Sam in her sling and us girls headed to the game too. On the way there, I tried to explain to Addi that this was my school and was where I met Daddy. She got all excited and asked if she would go to school there too and I had to tell her the cold, hard truth... Daddy and I are NOT wanting to pay out of state tuition. She needs to start liking orange and become an Illinois fan. Either that or get a scholarship. She took the news pretty well and we met Jay at our seats.

After about two quarters it was time to go... Sam was roasting hot and Addi was whining that she wanted to go back to the car. Since it was naptime I happily obliged and we headed back for the chili cook off. Jay's sister Jill and her daughters Rachel, Megan, and Allie all met us there and the cousins got to hang out for a few.

We got home early this afternoon and spent the day relaxing! All in all, a great weekend!

Oh and for those wondering about my diet........ I have two words for you: Halloween Candy. The diet officially starts tomorrow.