Over the Rainbow...

Today Gracie had her Spring mini-recital. Before every school break the class does a little performance for the parents! Super cute! I deleted the part where she was picking her nose while waiting for the music to start...

The girls were all so sweet that even Miss Missy (her teacher) cried when they were done! She was so proud and just couldn't believe how big the girls were! Miss Missy has been teaching this gang of girls for the past three years. They LOVE her!

Gracie was very happy with the performance. She is very serious about it all though as you saw from her expression!

I hope you all enjoy this little treat from Miss G!

Gems from Miss G

This past weekend we attended a charity fashion show that Elise participated in. Elise was the last model of the show (and definitely the cutest!!!) and here is how the conversation with Grace went:

Grace: We waited a long time to see Elise, didn't we Mommy?
Me: Yes, they saved the best for last.
Grace: But why do they always save the best for last? It's hard to wait that long.

Wednesday, March 11

So this blog thing is a lot harder than it looks...I'm having a hard time carving out some time to update. I can't really do it at work, so home is the only option. I'll try to be more consistent with the entries.

Great news!! Mark found out this week that he will receive his bonus for finishing his Black Belt project. What a wonderful surprise! He so deserves the recognition! Yeah Mark!

More news...I finally got off my butt and went to a yoga class last night.

Yup, that's me...Kidding! This is called the Bird of Paradise pose and yes, it was one of the poses in class last night...but I couldn't pull this off. But it felt good to get moving again and the stretching felt great!!! Yeah me!

Gems from Miss G

Grace: My favorite planet is Uranus
Mom: Really? Why?
Grace: Uranus is green and it's tipped on its side

OK--I am totally immature, but there is something really funny about a 5 year old and the word Uranus!!!

Random thoughts

Let's start with The Bachelor....not the most important thing happening these days, but for me, the most infuriating!


This dude gets dumped on the Bachelorette and we vote to have him as the next Bachelor because he seemed so sweet and pulled together. HA! He proposes to Melissa, then turns around and dumps her on national TV for the runner up! Come on...So annoying...I have spent the last few years of my life dedicated to this show and it always disappoints me! I swear it off, but like a Japanese Beetle to a vacuum cleaner, I just get back sucked in!!!!




Florida Trip Update

1. Ann's parent's place is lovely--beautiful views and comfortable accomodations!

2. Ann's parents are lovely hosts--scones, muffins (still warm from the bakery) and pork tenderloin!

3. Ann's Aunt Collette and Aunt Marge are absolutely darling and fun!

4. Saturday weather was 80 and fabulous.

5. Sunday weather was cold, rainy and windy...We were at the Marriot Hotel spa, so who cares!!6. Monday weather was 66, sunny but with an arctic wind. We sat by the pool covered in pants, socks, sweatshirts and sunscreen! We stuck it out for 3 hours! I managed to sunburn my ear, so it was worth it!!!

7. Ann and Brookie are a blast to vacation with!!! I would do it again in a minute!

So Sweet!

I came home from work tonite and Mark had bought me flowers!! For no reason, just to be nice. What a wonderful surprise! He's a good guy!

Gems from Miss G!

Grace: Mom, I have something very important to tell you...
Me: Ok, what is it....
Grace: Oxy Clean really works on bad stains...it's really good.

I think she's watching too much TV!

Sad faces, laughing fits, fire and Finn

Ok...today was another multiple sad face day...Gracie shared my current score card and I have 3 sad faces to Mark's one sad face. I was also told I needed to apologize to Daddy for not being nice. I wonder why it is that Dad has only one sad face...I think it's the Nintendo effect. Mark has made it to the 5th world in the Mario Bros. game therefore making him a hero in our daughter's eyes. I think she is cutting him some slack on the score card because of that high score on the Nintendo!

One of my favorite things about being married to Mark is his ability to make me laugh like crazy in the middle of the night because of his unnatural talent for dreaming in crazy, complete detail. This combination was well at work last night...About 2 AM, Mark and I both happen to wake up and he begins to tell me (in vivid detail) about his most recent dream. It goes something like this:


Mark is Joe Elliot, the lead singer of the 80's band Def Leppard. See pic below of Joe...Mark (as Joe) is on stage rocking out to one of the bands most famous tunes and as he is strutting his stuff back and forth across the stage, he periodically stoops down to pick up pieces of garbage...like a band aid or a wire twist tie or a Burger King wrapper...HUH? A rocker with an eco-conscience? That's how Mark dreams.
We laughed for a good ten minutes about that one!

Next...
Mark has long desired to become a volunteer fire fighter with the Edina Fire Department. He just learned that his application has been accepted and he can plan to attend the orientation meeting. He is very excited...me, too. Can't wait to hear that police scanner going off every 5 minutes all night long...Good times!

He is very confident that he is now in good enough shape (because of P90X) to be able to pass the physical part of the training. Running up steps with all the gear on, carrying a 165# dummy 75 feet, shimmy on his belly thru a long and winding, possible pitch black and filled with fake smoke tunnel! YIKES!!! But I'll be there cheering him through it! I'm really proud of him for doing this! I think Gracie will get a big kick out of telling folks her daddy is a fireman--what little girl wouldn't love that!!! She already looks at him as her hero!

Last but not least...we attended Finn's Cub Scout pancake breakfast this morning. He was a little cutey in his Tiger Cub duds serving pancakes, walking people to their tables, refilling my coffee cup and asking Decaf or Regular? I knew his Cub Scout behavior was as easily discarded as the dirty pancake plates when I heard Ann tell him to stop with some shenanigans and he burped at her...

Happy Sunday!