12/19/12

Today was a pretty busy day. Work has been crazy, and we had our Holiday Potluck - of course I ate WAY too much (cannot wait until the 1st when I can refocus and re-motivate myself!). I ended up leaving a bit early to run a couple errands. I needed to stop at Walmart to print some pictures and pick up a few things, and then I wanted to stop at the Post Office to mail a package to a friend. Of course, it took me WAY longer at Walmart than I anticipated, so the Post Office will have to wait. By the time I finished at Walmart and got the package ready to go, it was time to pick up the girls. So, off I went!

I did have a difficult day though. The Sandy Hook shooting is still stuck in my mind. I try not to let things get to me, and I definitely try not to live in fear of any kind. But, this has really got me shaken up. It's been nerve-racking leaving the girls at school this week. I mean...it's a secure building. You need a code to get in the door, and there's only one entrance to the building. BUT, that didn't stop this guy, and that is stuck in my head. I'm just hoping that this feeling passes soon...because I don't like it, and it's not me. Until then, they will just continue to get longer-than-usual, uncomfortable, embarrassing hugs and big huge kisses at drop off and pick up, in front of all their friends!

Once we made our way home, we just had another standard evening. The girls did find that Buddy had used his little elf magic to turn out milk green, and whip up some Santa Claus cupcakes. YUM!

12/18/12

Today was a busy day at work - catching up from the weekend and my day off yesterday. I didn't get anything done at home like I intended - I just wasn't in the mood, so I just took the time instead. Who needs leave time anyway, right?!?

Of course Christian gets busier and busier the closer we get to the Holidays. His cubicle is officially set up, computers and all, so he's officially important :) The company's union Contract is up in a few months - they've been on a 5 year pay freeze - so we're hoping that means good things in the coming months. Only time will tell...

After work, I picked up the girls. Olivia is still transitioning to the Pre-Kindergarten room. She does basically a half day in each room, and seems to be enjoying it. It turns out the Pre-K teacher is one of our neighbors down the street. She's worked there FOREVER, and is a really sweet lady. That makes me a lot more comfortable with the transition. AND, it turns out Olivia's current Pre-School teacher is leaving the center...she's going to be an Assistant Director at another Center, and she leaves in a couple weeks. So, the transition might be coming at the perfect time. Amelia is doing as good as ever - she loves her teachers and her little friends, and they all just adore her. YAY!

Our evening was another pretty standard one....dinner, play, baths and bed. Another day in paradise :)

Tonight, Buddy rode into town on a new dancing/singing snowman (from Hallmark - I collect them, I just love them). The girls were so excited, they think these guys are hilarious!

12/17/12

So, as planned, I was off to work this morning for a few hours. I got some rush stuff taken care of and cleared some work out of my in box. I packed up some work (just in case I felt like putting some time in) and made my way home. Christian quickly showered, got ready and was on his way to work. The girls ate some lunch, and it was nap time before I knew it.

While the girls napped, I got ALL of our Christmas gifts wrapped! Go me!!! I just need to pick up one last gift card, and, if we decided to exchange gifts, something for Christian and we'll be set for the year. Can't wait, I just LOVE Christmas :)

Olivia woke up while I was wrapping and "helped" me finish up. Once Amelia was awake, it was basically time for dinner. Christian arrived home, we ate and had a low key night. My favorite kind!

Tonight, the girls found Buddy having a little rave with the princesses. PARTY TIME!!!

12/16/12

Today was a pretty good Sunday. I had a little bit of a nagging headache all day, but nothing I couldn't push through. We started the day off at Perkins for breakfast. YUM!

I spent the day doing some laundry, and took Olivia on a run to the Target. Picked up some groceries for the week, picked up a few more Christmas gifts. We had a great day together!

The girls went down for their naps when we got home, and Christian and I relaxed for a while. Watched some football - Vikings won, we're still in the hunt for a playoff spot. FINGERS CROSSED!

After naps, we spent the night doing the usual...playing, dinner, watching some TV. Amelia was acting kind of funny. She wouldn't really eat, was REALLY whiny, and complained that her ear hurt. We have her some Tylenol and after a little rest on the couch, she was back to playing and running around like normal. Hopefully it was just some drainage or something, and not a full on infection. Poor thing.

Bedtime came before we knew it...and Monday was upon us. It won't be a typical Monday though...my mother in law works tomorrow. Christian is going to be with them in the morning while I go in and get a few things done at work, then I'll be coming home to take over. I've said it a million times - but I really can't wait until they are in school full time!

Today, Buddy was found taking a marshmallow bubble bath tonight. The girls thought it was pretty hilarious...I'm guessing he is just exhausted from all his trips to and from the North Pole :)

12/15/12

Well, the events of yesterday consumed by mind pretty much all day. I'm sure that's no different than most people around the country. It's so painful to think about, to imagine. Yet, it seems so silly to say that - knowing there are people that were actually, physically affected by it. My heart just breaks for them, it's hard to imagine moving past it...

In our own way of trying to cope and adjust, we spent the day together - family time. We had some breakfast, hung out for a while, and got ready for the day. Then, we were off to the Mall of America. First up, Santa visit. Luckily, there really wasn't much of a line, so we were in and out and got a few cute pics. The girls just LOVE Santa Claus...no need to pressure them into sitting and chatting with him! After our visits, we took the girls on a couple of rides, grabbed some lunch and hung out for a while. They had a blast, and it felt refreshing to spend the day out and about together.

After the mall, we made our way home. Christian hasn't been feeling well, and Olivia refused to take a nap, so they went over to his mom's for some Chicken Noodle Soup. I did some cleaning and relaxed for a bit while Amelia napped. The arrived shortly after Amelia woke up, and it was on to tonight's entertainment...Buddy surprised the girls with a "Polar Express" night. He brought them some Polar Express trail mix, some hot chocolate, the movie, and, of course, tickets on the Polar Express. The girls actually sat and watched the entire movie...we sat on the couch, cuddled up, enjoying the night together. Just what we needed... 

12/14/12

Well, today is one of those days I don't think I'll ever forget. I'm still numb, and in shock...

I'll start with the "good" though. Christian was off to work, but only made it about half the day. Still wasn't feeling well at all. The girls played for a while this morning while I did some dishes and cleaning up in the kitchen. We had breakfast, and then did a little project for the day. Buddy brought us supplies to make some Christmas art...the girls LOVE it, and they turned out super cute :)

The girls took a nap, I balanced the checkbooks, paid some bills and relaxed for a while. Of course, I had a list of things to do...but, I really wasn't in the mood for any of it. After naps, we spent the evening together, cuddling, watching some Christmas movies, and counting our blessings after the tragic events of this morning. Christian went to bed when the girls did, still not feeling well, so I watched a couple episodes of Dexter before I tucked myself in. Just another Friday night!

So, the bad (putting it VERY lightly). Today there was a school shooting in Connecticut. But, not just any school shooting...it was at an elementary school. And, as if it could get much worse than that....the main targeted are was a kindergarten class. As the news broke, and the story unfolded throughout the day, it just seems so surreal to me. No part of my being could accept what was happening, what was being reported.

I am not naive in any sense of the word. I know that horrible things happen, I know that unexplainable events occur. I now that evil exists in this world. I know that sick people are out there, that do unconscionable things, that can never be understood. But, this is not something I could ever imagine somebody doing. These are babies, innocent, perfect babies with their entire lives in front of them. 20 of them, gone. No chance to grow, no opportunity to come into their own personality. 20 amazing little beings that could have done amazing things for the world. Taken way too early.

The story is still unfolding, and not a ton is known right now. Apparently, this 20 year old "man" killed his mother, who worked at this elementary school. He then went to the school and proceeded to kill 27 people, these 20 kids and 7 adults, including the school principal, before killing himself. That makes it that much worse to me - he obviously intended on killing himself all along - so why not just do that? Why attack these innocent people first? It is so beyond my comprehension, I can't even begin to understand or make any sense of it. I haven't heard anything about his dad (if there is one in the picture), and at one point they were holding his older, 24 year old, brother for questioning.

Of course, a story like this makes you look at your own life. I have these two amazing little girls, with their entire lives ahead of them.The thought of sending them out into the real world gets scarier and scarier every day. This shouldn't be something you have to worry about - yet, it is. I saw a couple people on facebook claim that events like this make them want to homeschool their kids and protect them at all times. Sad thing is, that really isn't going to do anything. I mean - just in recent history, there have been shootings in a shopping mall, a movie theater, on college campuses, schools of all levels. I mean, things can happen in your own home. It's just a scary world - everywhere you go. It seems like all you can do is teach your own children right, hold them tight and love them with all your might.

So, needless to say, there were many (more than usual) hugs, kisses and "I Love You's" in our house tonight. When I put the girls to bed, I held them a little longer, a little tighter and shed a tear or two. Thinking of all those poor parents that can no longer do that...just broke my heart. It's not fair - this world can just be too cruel and unfair.

12/13/12

Well, today was my Friday at work, and it couldn't have come sooner! This has been a long, stressful week at work - ready for some weekend fun and relaxation! Our power did go out for a little while, which was kind of exciting. Didn't make for a very productive period of time, but whatever. Christian ended up going home from work early, not feeling well. His words exactly "My heat hurts, my body aches and my tummy is upset". Ummmmm. Sounds delightful. He napped for a while, but wasn't feeling much better when he woke up. I picked up the girls from school, which ended another good week for them. Olivia spent most of the day in Pre-K again. I think she really likes it, but I think she misses her pre-school teacher, Miss Jenny. I like Miss Jenny too, and I haven't met the Pre-K teacher yet, so we'll see how that goes.

The girls and I ate some dinner and hung out for a while, until Christian was up and moving. While he got them settled in and down for bed, I ran to Target to get some stuff for the weekend. Christian was off to bed right away as well - work tomorrow and still not feeling great. I watched a few shows and enjoyed some alone time. WEEKEND COMMENCE!

Here is a picture from Buddy Day 13: Rocking Out, Elton John Style!

12/12/12

12/12/12 - SO COOL!

Well, today was a stressful day at work. The teleconference I had yesterday resulted in a big issue that I spent nearly the entire day dealing with. Ick, ick, ick! But, we did get to have a little party this morning to welcome our new "big boss" to the office. AND, I found out I'm receiving an Achievement Award (it's a monetary reward for doing an exemplary job!) on my paycheck this week. I'm SO excited - I've worked SO hard this year..taken on a few new roles and expending my experience. It feels so great to get rewarded for going above and beyond and giving it your all. That feels so great!

Traffic was a tad better this morning, but still pretty crappy. Ugh - winter driving, definitely the down side to winter. After the still-longer-than-usual drive home, I picked up the girls. Turns out, Olivia spent most of the day in the Pre-Kindergarten class. WHAT?!? She can't possibly be old enough for that already! I refuse to accept it. She was pretty excited about it though. Apparently Amelia spent the day fighting with her little BFF Niko - they are like an old married couple already! And, their most recently school picture came in. OMG, I love them!

Once home, the girls got right to destroying the basement and driving each other crazy. Just another day in paradise! They did take a break from fighting to eat some dinner and watch some Christmas movies on TV. Then, finally bedtime! Tomorrow is my Friday, and man am I exhausted! So ready for the weekend!

Here is a picture of Buddy Day 12: Candy Binge...of course, the girls insisted he brought all this candy for them. Ay!

12/11/12

Well, back to normal today. Olivia was up, bright and early, ready to go. She asked for something to eat right away when she got up, so that was a great sign. She was exited to head to school and back to her normal, crazy self. YAY! And, my headache was definitely gone. I was feeling good again. What a relief!

Work was pretty crazy. I spent the morning plowing through e-mails and my inbox, and spent the afternoon on a teleconference (ick). Before I knew it, it was time to go. Really, I was leaving a tad early.

Today, dentist appointment. I've always been so great at going every 6 months, pretty much on the dot. Well, it's just completely slipped my mind over the last year, and it's now been OVER a year since I've been. Oops. But, everything was great. I've only had 3 or 4 cavities my whole life, and nothing more than that. I've never drank coffee, or been a big candy eater. I haven't smoked in over 3 years, so, other than my Diet Dew addiction, there's really nothing I do that can affect my teeth too negatively. And, even though I do drink Diet Dew, I don't sip it - I drink it pretty quick, so that's a plus. Like usual, I was pretty much in and out, little cleaning needed. YAY!

I battled the horrible traffic, picked up the girls and we made our way home. They played downstairs while I made dinner. Then, it was pretty much the usual...Christian got home, we ate some dinner, and it was time for baths and bed. Another day down! Hoping for much better traffic conditions tomorrow! I'm sure things will get better just in time for the next snow storm they're predicting for this weekend. Yippie!

Here is a picture of Buddy Day 11:  Snow Angels for All!

12/10/12

Today didn’t go so great. I woke up with a pounding headache…went about my morning, hoping it would get better as I got ready and got up and going. Really, it just got worse thoughout the day. I was nauseous and just miserable…the horrible drive into work didn’t bother me, the 10° weather actually felt kind of nice and my pancake breakfast didn’t cheer me up…so, I definitely knew something was up. I have so much to do though, so I tried to tough it out. UNTIL, I got a call from my mother in law. Olivia wasn’t feeling well again. I guess she wouldn’t eat anything, just laid around on the couch all morning, wouldn’t play or even fight with Amelia (no matter how much Amelia egged her on). So, I decided to call it a day around lunch time. I stopped to pick up some soup and medicine, picked Olivia up and headed home. She still wouldn’t eat, so I gave her some ibuprofen, put a cooling patch on her forehead and sent her off for a nap. I finally ate some lunch, took some medicine and laid down myself. What a LONG morning!

Olivia woke up feeling much better. She was talkative and had some color back in her face. She even asked to eat, so she finally had her soup and lot of water. I still wasn’t feeling too hot…I scrounged up some leftovers for dinner and we hung out until Christian and Amelia got home. Then, Olivia was raring to go…they were playing and running around and fighting like nothing had happened. I folded some laundry from this past weekend and just relaxed most of the night. I gave Olivia another dose of ibuprofen and sent the girls off to bed…I ended up keeping Olivia in bed with me just in case something spiked during the night, but she slept through the night, no problem. So, it looks like another freak 24-hour thing. Poor girl. I guess that’s better than an endless illness like she had last winter, so I guess I’ll take it.

Before bed, the girls discovered Buddy had shown up in their room, curled around their Christmas tree, showing off their new 2012 ornaments! YAY. So, here are some pictures of Buddy Day 10: Year 2012: