The Smith Family

Therin Wrestling

2012-02-18T17:39:00.006-06:00

Therin wrestled in Holmen today and took 2nd. He is 10-4 for the season so far. I am feeling like we have a teenager already. He complains about having to wrestle so early and I swear it takes him a match to wake up and get with it. Maybe we have produced another night owl. I told him I feel the same way about running but there aren't a lot of races that start at night either. Becky has some good pictures from the La Crosse tournament on her flickr page and on her blog http://www.rechlife.com/.

Father-Daughter Dance

2012-02-17T20:44:00.007-06:00

The YMCA is hosting a Sweetheart Dance tonight. Travis made it home (barely) but they must be having fun because they're not home yet!

Can you see my new silver tooth? Although I have crappy enamel, I probably eat too many sweets which doesn't help my cause either!!

Orange Yogurt Blueberry Chia Seed Muffins

2012-02-09T13:53:00.003-06:00

So, I went to make blueberry muffins this morning and when I opened my trusty Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, the "Orange Yogurt Muffins" recipe right next to the blueberry recipe caught my eye. I had all the ingredients, so I jumped ship and then mid-mixing chose not to compromise and combined the recipes. I also bought Chia seeds last night at the Coop and have been wanting to use those; so figures, threw a bunch of those in too. These muffins are delicious! I made some without blueberries for Miss Kya but I do prefer the blueberries. So here is a guesstimate of the recipe I concocted:

1 3/4 c. flour (I used half wheat)
1/2 sugar (used brown)
orange zest (I used an entire clementine) and the juice from that clementine
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 beaten egg
1 8 oz. carton of yogurt (I guessed at what 8 oz was and added a little more and used honey vanilla Greek yogurt)
1/3 c. cooking oil plus probably a teaspoon more
1 t. vanilla
1/4ish cup Chia seeds (They look like poppy seeds)
blueberries (I used frozen) a handful or more

Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Chia seeds are a great source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, fiber and B vitamins. In one of the fitness magazines I got from the library, it said that the African ultra athletes that the book, Born to Run, is based on, eat a lot of chia seeds in their diet. So, Ashley, load up in the next 2 months before that crazy half marathon and you can thank me for stellar results!

100th Day

2012-02-08T23:02:00.005-06:00

In honor of the 100th Day of School.....

Yes, he has 100 Lego figures! I'm sure at least 1 uncle is proud of that!

Grandpa Rick picked Therin up from school and took him ice fishing. Obviously it was a success! Fish fry on Friday!

Kya's Dance Recital: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

2011-12-11T11:52:00.001-06:00

Gundersen Christmas Party

2011-12-09T12:01:00.000-06:00

Holiday Train

2011-12-04T22:13:00.004-06:00

We had the kids nap today and headed out at 8:30 tonight (after the Packers won) to meet the holiday train. It was a very fun time and the entertainment was awesome (Hello Willy Porter and a new fav, Sydney Grigg)! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hmU25gF0Ig. We will definately go again in 2013 or we'll see if the train goes through Portland next year.

The First Snowman of 2011-2012 Winter

2011-12-04T22:08:00.001-06:00

The Perfect Tree

2011-11-27T20:42:00.005-06:00

How can it not be when your kids pick it out and you don't have to get off the couch?

Deer hunting

2011-11-20T21:43:00.000-06:00

My sisters and I grew up hunting with my Dad (and Mom). This is what my Dad lives for and having had three daughters....well, let's just say we tried to fill a void. Travis, Therin, Kya and I all really appreciate the venison we receive from my parents and replace it for ground beef in most of our recipes. I haven't gone hunting in quite a few years; but my parents kept asking and I thought, "After taking care of so many kids, day after day, week after week; a silent weekend in the woods sounded heavenly." And it was. Also put some meat on the table. Our appreciation and awareness of how our food gets there is certainly made stronger. Thanks Mom and Dad for having everything ready for me and processing the meat! I won't be back next year but put me down for the fall of 2013 (maybe Travis and Therin too)!

Kya turns 6!!!

2011-11-06T20:05:00.000-06:00

Halloween: Cowboys and Indians

2011-10-29T19:52:00.005-05:00

Thanks to so many for lending us pieces of our costumes!

Ashley and Brian Wedding Day

2011-09-19T13:32:00.007-05:00

Night: The Wedding Par-Tay!!!

2011-09-19T12:35:00.023-05:00

American Girl Dolls

2011-09-14T10:51:00.002-05:00

Kya has been asking for an American Girl doll for her birthday. In the meantime, we found my sister's old ones to play with.

Wonders of Nature Sketchbook

2011-09-14T10:39:00.002-05:00

He never ceases to amaze me....

Birthday Boy

2011-09-10T10:43:00.002-05:00

It was a wonderful birthday and celebration. Therin had 5 friends over for dinner. They played football, Ghost in the Graveyard, and sat around the fire telling scary and silly stories and eating popcorn. It was a beautiful night. A few of the boys spent the night in tents out back. In the morning the boys were busy playing with Legos, a new game-Crossbows and Catapults, and watching Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Although, this was the longest party we have had, it was the least amount of work. I was happy to see my boy so happy but wondering where these 8 precious years have gone so quickly? Happy Birthday Bud!

First Day of School

2011-09-01T10:31:00.000-05:00

Art

2011-08-23T18:55:00.019-05:00

Other than being obsessed with Harry Potter, we have been playing a lot of kickball. We're hoping to get a neighborhood game together this Sunday.

Painted meticulously by Kya:

By Therin:

Just your average 7 year old sketch of Harry Potter:

Bracelets

2011-08-19T15:14:00.002-05:00

This is my daughter's arm. All she seems to do is make bracelets with her friends and all their ankles and wrists look like this. They show no signs of slowing down production; so, I think I am going to have to start cutting them off in her sleep in preparation for my sister's wedding. I joke with her that soon I won't have to apply sunscreen......

Garage saling

2011-08-19T14:41:00.005-05:00

It is a somewhat terrifying experience for the neighbors to be putting on a garage sale with lots of kids stuff. Lost count at the number of trips Miss Kya took over there today. I was touched by her thoughtfulness though; after dropping Therin off at football this morning, she announced she was going to buy Therin a birthday present. She came back with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle puzzle and a Star Wars book which she immediately requested to wrap. Other purchases by Kya: silver glitter shoes, a Hello Kitty puzzle for the neighbor Charlotte, 4 beanie baby bears, a stuffed turtle for her friend Gabby's birthday, a stuffed Dora, a hair thing, leopard shoes for the neighbor Kyra, flip flops. I think that might be it. I am happy to say the garage sale is closed now.

Kya tried to put on her own garage sale by rounding up little trinkets around the house and labeling them for a few cents; however, the sales were disappointing. She has been quite the entrepreneur this summer; trying to sell everything from braid bracelets to art (picture drawings) to food.

Weekend with the Smiths

2011-08-14T15:04:00.001-05:00

We had a very nice, relaxing and productive weekend with Rick and Mary playing uker, canning green beans, hiking at Mill Bluff (while getting eaten alive by mosquitos), watching the Packer game, and biking on the Elroy-Sparta trails. Mary also made a sundress for Kya. I should've gotten a picture of-I'll try to post soon after it comes out of the wash. I think it will go well with her new glitter shoes Mary!

Brewers Game

2011-07-31T08:24:00.005-05:00

Grandma and Grandpa Smith took Therin to a Brewer game as an early birthday gift. The Brewers played the Astros and won 5-4. Despite the heat, sounds like Therin had a wonderful time!

Goodbye Alayna and Landon

2011-07-29T08:19:00.000-05:00

After 3 and a half years, Friday was Alayna and Landon's last day of daycare with me. I am going to watch infants this fall since both of my "babies" will be in school all day now!! Crazy! I will certainly miss Alayna and Landon; they were very easy kids to have around but we'll stay in touch I'm sure.

Celebrating Granny's Birthday

2011-07-23T08:14:00.005-05:00

Kya gave Granny a spa treatment for her birthday. I think both of them enjoyed the experience-sounds like it might be an annual event.

Jewelry making

2011-07-13T08:10:00.004-05:00

Therin made these earrings at an art class at The Pump House this summer. He really enjoyed the class (which consisted of a lot of other things besides jewelry making) and some of the women in his life got a beautiful gift! He is SO thoughtful!

Y Kids Triathalon

2011-07-09T13:40:00.010-05:00

Kya competed in her first triathalon today. She did a great job! She was a little slower in the swim but we made up for it in the transition area and no one was going to catch her on the bike!! I thought her little body looked so cute tan and with her race numbers on! We will definately be participating in this triathalon again-can't say enough good things about the Y! It was so well organized!! We'll see if Therin opts to participate in the future but those 7 and 8 year olds looked pretty fierce in the pool; even I was a little intimidated!!

4th of July

2011-07-05T07:57:00.000-05:00

Picnic with the Great Grandparents

2011-07-04T14:01:00.000-05:00

Summer Solstice

2011-06-30T12:06:00.006-05:00

Liz brough the best salsa every: papaya and black bean. I will forever owe her for this recipe!

Blue Bombers

2011-06-30T11:55:00.003-05:00

Fancy Nancy

2011-06-22T12:03:00.002-05:00

I took 5 girls and Landon in the Ergo to a Fancy Nancy party at the library. The girls had a blast but it was SO CROWDED!! I hope that if they choose to host another party, they host it at Main so there's more room!

Strawberries

2011-06-21T08:44:00.002-05:00

With our 37 lbs of strawberries, we have frozen 4 gallons for smoothies, made 20+ jars of jam, given some to friends, made milkshakes, shortcake, and strawberry spinach salad. I am surprised we are not turning red! Travis wanted to pick more on Sunday but when we were only a quarter of the way through the prep process, he agreed a break would be good.

La Crosse Loggers

2011-06-16T08:48:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately the Loggers lost 6-0, but it was a gorgeous night and a fun time was had by all. I'm sure the next few days won't be as fun as we recover from this late night.

Surviving The Gundersen Cup

2011-06-13T08:37:00.004-05:00

You know you're not 16 anymore, when your pre game warm up includes:
jacking the heat in the car up to 100 degrees and eating a handful of ibuprofen.
Post game you need to nurse wounds round the clock with ibuprofen, ice and elevation. Travis enjoyed playing but two 30 minute halves with few subs was rough on the guys. He says he needs to play more "strategically" now-like he can only give bursts of speed some time so he needs to choose those times wisely. The resident-staff race is tonight.....I think it's going to be a rough week for everyone with a lot more ibuprofen. It's certainly more fun to watch and joke as we age!

I was entertained by one of the spectators shirts:
I came
I played
I conquered.

We were thinking more along the lines of:
I came
I played (sort of)

Gundersen Cup 2011

We'll let you know how the 2012 Cup goes.

The first days of summer

2011-06-12T13:05:00.014-05:00

At almost 100 degrees the first three days, a lot of time was spent near and in water....

Mastering the monkey bars....

A very good wrestling camp and Takedown Tournament put on by Central's Coach Jarod Benrud. Therin got 2nd in his weight class at the tournament on Saturday.

A new bunny nest....

Meeting Claire Ammerman

2011-06-06T08:16:00.003-05:00

It was a long journey to Detroit Lakes to meet Claire and visit her parents, Monica and Nick, but we had a great time! Claire proved to be a very easy, content baby and Monica, a natural mother. It was great, as always, to crack some jokes with Mo. Their house was awesome-such a big yard, Therin immediately noticed, with lots of porch and patio space-wish we could've stayed another night. We spent much of the day out on the lake, a half mile from their house. I'm glad Monica and Nick will be closer in the coming year! Thanks for hosting us!

May Recap

2011-05-24T13:04:00.011-05:00

May has been an interesting month of celebration and exhaustion. The kids have had a bunch of things at school to wrap up the end of the year: the SOTA Informance, strings concert, train trip, picnics, dance recitals, etc. We also enjoyed Farmer's market last week but amongst all this busyness is the looming decision of where we'll be a year from now. We have traveled quite a bit to Minnesota in the last month and have it narrowed down to Mankato and La Crosse; hopefully, we'll have an announcement soon. Until then, we take refugee in the simple daily activities of walking our neighbor's dog, bike rides, yard work and visiting with neighbors and friends. Hopefully, I will be blogging more regularly as the kids start their summer activities.

Ballet

2011-05-06T12:46:00.002-05:00

SOTA Art

2011-04-21T22:26:00.005-05:00

One of the many reasons I love SOTA: As I walk down the hall every day to pick up Therin, I love looking at the student's artwork. I love the textures, the vibrant colors and the imagination and creativity.

The banners here were made by Therin's class and repurposed in the hallway as curtains.

An Earth Day recycled sculpture, also made by Therin's class.

The other K/1 class made dragons and I just love looking at all of them.

This hallway is more inspiring and beautiful than any art museum I've been in yet. I have the students and staff to thank for that and always look forward to what they will do next.

Kya with Clare Stine

2011-04-10T15:05:00.001-05:00

The wigwam

2011-04-10T15:05:00.000-05:00

Travis' latest project with the kids.....

Needs some more sticks but they will continue to work on it.

Hawaii

2011-04-10T14:00:00.011-05:00

The JW Marriott Ihilani Resort where we roughed it for the first three nights. Travis' presentation went well on treating Acute Cholecystitis.

The damage after stepping on a sea urchin. Travis grinned and beared it for the rest of the trip.

Jules and I on the beach.

Riding in back of the Mustang convertible on the way to dinner.

Dinner at Roy's: This alone was worth the trip.

Hiking Mt. Tantulus

Overlooking Diamond Head

The grass hut we stayed in the last two nights at M. Campground

Last stop: snorkeling in Hanauma Bay

Hosting Monica and Baby A's shower

2011-03-29T10:42:00.004-05:00

I got the idea for this adorable banner on Etsy. I thought it turned out so cute! Monica took it to hang up in her nursery since they don't have much for decorations as of yet.....waiting to find out what sex Baby A is.

Found out it is possible to fit 15-20 people in my house and everyone could see Monica as she opened her gifts.

Monica and I.

Wrestling wrap up

2011-03-21T12:16:00.006-05:00

Well, we finished the 2010-11 season on Saturday at a meet in Caledonia, MN. Practice has been over for two weeks but Therin was in fine form, crushing his competition (and they were very good wrestlers). Travis and I were a little shell shocked. Travis had taught Therin the 3/4 Nelson and Therin tried it in two of his matches but didn't have it quite tight enough. He finished the day in 1st with 2 pins and a win by a tech fall (16-0). It was impressive, a great way to end the season.

The tallest trophy yet. Grandma asked if we were going to need to build a shelf for Therin's trophies, at this rate, maybe a room!

Therin and his biggest fan. Kya is so supportive and proud of her brother. She enjoys going to his wrestling meets and never complains about the hours we spend at these tournaments. We all feel lucky she has such a great attitude about it!

After we got home, there was a package from the Cornell Coach, Mike Duroe, in the mailbox. I was so impressed and appreciative that he sent Therin the hat he promised and a note. It really makes an impression and motivates these little guys. I am excited to say the 2012 DIII Championships will be in La Crosse again next year; so, I'm hoping they put the clinic on again. We sent Coach Duroe a thank you note.

Therin finished the season 12-3 with 4 or 5 pins but as always we are most impressed with his hard working and humble attitude. Keep it up Bud!

If only,

2011-03-15T13:10:00.001-05:00

I had discovered how easy it is to make strawberry-Nutella crepes AFTER I got back from Hawaii.....

2011 NCAA DIII Championships Youth Wrestling Clinic

2011-03-10T13:12:00.004-06:00

I was very disappointed in the pictures I took. In every group picture I got, Therin was blocked by someone moving at exactly the right time....

Exhibit A: Someone's headgear up in Therin's face.

Coach Mike Duroe from Cornell with the kids.

Exhibit B: Therin behind UWL Coach Dave Malecek's leg.

Exhibit C: Didn't have a chance.

I was so excited to take advantage of the opportunity to do this clinic with top coaches from around the nation. Coach Mike Duroe of Cornell College took down Therin's address to send him a hat for guessing the correct number of national championships his team had won. I read in the newspaper that the DIII National Championships will be in La Crosse again next year; so hopefully, we'll have the opportunity to do it again and maybe study for any trivia questions! =)

Can you guess what's different?

2011-03-01T12:46:00.000-06:00

The Tired Princess and the Toliet Paper Cake

2011-02-28T12:56:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Doc's 60th Birthday

2011-02-19T14:15:00.003-06:00

My Dad turned 60 and to surprise him, all of his daughters made it home. He was very surprised! My Mom threw a party for him Saturday night. Unfortunately, a winter storm warning rearranged some travel plans, like instead of Ashley, flying out of Wausau or Rhinelander on Sunday morning, she needed to get to Minneapolis; so we made a night out of it and my Dad and I drove Ashley to the Cities. We started our own drive home a little before 2 and didn't make it home until 7:30. The roads were terrible but I was most impressed with my husband's driving, dodging accidents like a pro race car driver. We were happy to get home but glad we made the trip, got to see everyone (but Brian) and got to celebrate with my father. Happy Birthday Dad!

Lessons at Mt. La Crosse

2011-02-13T20:40:00.007-06:00

Gundersen hosted a night out at Mt. La Crosse so lift tickets were offered at a considerably reduced rate and lessons were free. I took advantage and the kids had a blast. This was Kya's first ski lesson and Therin's second snowboard lesson. I thought about attempting to bust out the snowboard myself today but made the right decision and just watched and helped the kids (I kept busy and got enough of a workout running up and down the hill to help Kya.) I think we'll be ready for the chair lift/bigger hills after another day on the bunny hill. You could tell how fatigued the kids were after an hour and a half because it got harder and harder to make it up the tow rope; so it was time to head home for a hot shower and food!! Both Therin and Kya were complimenting each other on how well they did on the ride home. I was proud of them both and wished Travis could have been out there with us on such a gorgeous day!!! It was 50 today in La Crosse and so I had the kids wear rain pants and rain jackets instead of their usual winter gear-it wasn't nearly as water logged to bring home!!

Champ

2011-01-31T10:50:00.002-06:00

Therin competed in a wrestling tournament in Tomah on Sunday. His first match was against a kid from Tomah who he lost to last weekend. Therin was a little nervous to wrestle him again but beat him by several points. He won his other two matches. I was even more nervous than usual because this was the first meet Travis was not at to coach Therin. I warmed up with Therin (which I had never done) and was amazed by the kid's power being only half my size. Sorry, there aren't more pictures but I had to record the matches for Dad and since I've had so much trouble loading a 30 second video, there's no way I'm trying one that's 5 minutes! Next weekend we head to Wausau and will wrestle at the Warrior Invitational.

What a week!

2011-01-28T22:27:00.003-06:00

This week has been a week of so many things and emotions.....
sickness and weight lost: Where is the closest thing to deal with another "snot rocket?" No more notches on the belt to tighten.
frustration: attempting to load a video 3+ times to the blog
sadness and loss: divorce and a terminal diagnosis, pondering questions like "What do I want my own 'funeral' to look like?"
hope and love: a wife who will hopefully save her husband by donating 60% of her liver (Could you get any closer to being soulmates?)
purpose and fulfillment: struggling with questions like, "Why are we here?" "What am I contributing to better the world or how can I?"
friendship and connectedness: being there to listen, support and encourage those we care about
and the mundane: the never ending question of "What to make for dinner?" even if I will not be eating......

It has been a busy week but a good week. So many blessings among the struggles....
I hope you are all healthy and writing loves notes for those you care about on Valentine's Day; you never know how much someone needs it, will appreciate it or how many more times you'll have a chance to tell them.

Behind

2011-01-22T21:12:00.005-06:00

Well, I am finally getting back to the blog this week. We have quite a few things to post about: a live video of Therin playing a song on his viola, Valentine's preparations and crafts, Wednesday afternoon skates, etc. Today, we went to Therin's first wrestling meet this season in Westby. All of Therin's matches were against tough opponents and the matches came down to the wire. He walked away with 3rd place and we were proud.

I am still battling my cold. We are dog sitting, Max, for the weekend. Tomorrow we are excited to watch the Packers in the NFC championships! Go Pack!

Check out this blog to see pictures from our visit to the McHenry's in the Cities January 8-9th. http://mcblogsblog.blogspot.com/

7 january

2011-01-07T09:47:00.004-06:00

if i had to live off scones or vegetables for the rest of my life, it would be a tough decision.

Well, per request here is the scone recipe:

2 c. all purpose flour
5 T. sugar + 1 T for topping
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
6 T. chilled butter cut into small pieces
2/3 c. + 1 T. half and half
1/2 c. halved cranberries (I used dried currants but pretty much any fruit works or I suppose chocolate chips if you have a sweet tooth.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Stir in 2/3 c. half and half until moistened. Gently fold in cranberries. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough gently 5-10 times. Pat into a circle 1" thick and cut into 8 wedges; place on baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining half and half; sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown 12-15 minutes. Let cool on rack and try not to eat them all yourself!!

Can freeze scones before baking.
I halve this recipe often if I won't have help eating them!

6 january

2011-01-06T09:41:00.000-06:00

i almost called jacqui to say, "i expect an injury within minutes."

Ocean's 14

2010-12-28T10:54:00.001-06:00

If there are any volunteers or ideas how to transport this icicle two blocks from our house, contact Travis.

Christmas at Home

2010-12-26T20:23:00.008-06:00

I have continued the tradition of giving each child a book for Christmas with a letter from Santa. I try to coordinate a theme for the book, a gift and the child's interests/accomplishments that year. This year, Kya received, The Nutcracker, since she started dance classes and had gone to see The Nutcracker at Viterbo with her class. I am hoping to attend a performance with her annually. Kya wanted a Nutcracker before the pink, sparkly bat took priority so we gifted her with both. Therin, got The Drummer Boy, since he has taken such an interest in music this year; always borrowing my iPod shuffle, starting viola lessons at school, listening to music and videos off the computer with Dad and taking a liking to classic bands such as The Who (or the Who Band as Kya likes to call them). Travis picked out 300 songs to load the iPod with (consulting and condensing a few top 500 greatest song lists of all time). It was a very simple, relaxing Christmas with lots of family time and lots of fresh air. I hope your Christmas was as peaceful!

We continue to use burlap bags to "wrap" the kids gifts, saving paper and a lot of time.

Opening the gift Kya gave us.

They were connected most of Christmas morning just listening to music together.

This I refer to as, "The Ice Palace;" the fort we have been working all weekend. As we drive around town to go to the Rotary Lights or sledding, we scope out homes like theives and haul 30-50 lbs worth of ice like prized diamonds home. We Smiths like to keep it interesting.

Solstice Celebration

2010-12-21T20:31:00.003-06:00

Therin was excited to go to school today. Therin's class has been learning about traditions the last few weeks and with that the various holidays that are celebrated in lots of different countries and cultures-Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, Kwanzaa, etc. SOTA had it's solstice celebration today-complete with pajamas and flash lights. At home, we made "solstice shelters" as I am now calling them; basically a lot of snow mounded into a high circle decorated with pine boughs and candles. Our indoor activities: making snow globes, cupcakes and reaing books about what the solstice signifies gave us a break from our outdoor work.

After Dad came home, we prepared some food outside and some in, then converged in our shelter to eat our solstice supper. After supper, we carried candles and caroled to the neighbors:
"We wish you a happy solstice,
we wish you a happy solstice,
we wish you a happy solstice
and a happy winter."

After a warm shower, we tucked our children in, hearts and bellies full, thanked the earth for it's blessings and promised to carry on this very fun and meaningful tradition in the years to come.

o christmas tree

2010-12-20T11:41:00.002-06:00

it looks like a christmas tree. it smells like a christmas tree but i'd swear it's a cactus.

birthday

2010-12-18T19:59:00.000-06:00

today we celebrated the birthday he didn't have yesterday.

Habit: A collection of days

2010-12-17T20:10:00.006-06:00

This is one of the blogs I've added to the 3-5 I regularly follow: http://www.habitblog.com/habit/ I love their pictures sans people and the half stories of few and eloquent words. I may play with this idea myself.

it is my own fault. i put it on his list. i just never imagined i'd hear so quickly it's time for you to get up or we don't go to bed yet. i underestimated him.

i asked for a thank you picture. we reviewed what she had received. "colored windows" were what i got. ?

never heard it. again and again i repeated. each time it is shocking to him.

it was somewhat of a relief to know she has such a guilty conscience. an important lesson was learned the hard way today. i hope she is having sweeter dreams.

Puppy love

2010-12-13T14:21:00.007-06:00

Went out to see Dr. Breke's puppies Sunday night. How relaxing, especially this time of year, to sit and pet a puppy while it sleeps in your lap-the antithesis of running around and shopping in busy stores. It was great! We resisted temptation and didn't come home with one. Maybe the next litter.....

Dr. Breke's wife got quite a kick out of Kya's giggle while the puppies squirmed in her lap.

Dance recital

2010-12-13T14:12:00.004-06:00

We missed you Granny and Grandpa Doc. There shouldn't be a blizzard for the spring concert. Hope you can make it then. I'll show you the video when I see you next.

Cookie baking with Grandma

2010-12-11T14:03:00.001-06:00

Cut a little short with the impending blizzard.

Hey Baby! Dress Rehearsal

2010-12-09T13:03:00.005-06:00

More photos available at: http://ymcadance.snapfish.com/snapfish
View the 12/08 set.

Hot chocolate a la Wendi

2010-12-09T12:55:00.004-06:00

I mean, once you have hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles, can you ever really go back to just plain old hot chocolate?? I think from here on, there will always be a can of whipped cream in my frig and sprinkles in the cupboard during the cold winter months.

Bought these sweet vintage "milk glasses" off Etsy. They are the perfect serving size for kids. Hopefully they'll last long enough to pass them on to my own children's children someday.

An early Binder Christmas

2010-12-06T13:49:00.016-06:00

Santa even caught wind the Binders were celebrating early and stopped by to drop off a few gifts.

Met Ashley's boyfriend, Brian. He was a fun and welcome addition to our family celebration.

Julie 8:30 a.m., double fisting it on the way to Lambeau!

Christmas continues at the Packer game, where they beat the 49ers!

Me with my sisters, Julie and Ashley.

That's all folks!

All I want for Christmas.......

2010-11-29T15:36:00.004-06:00

is a tooth. Therin wiggled it out today in math. We'll see what the tooth fairy brings.....

Therin and his best friend, Nicholas, lost the same first tooth within 48 hours of each other!

Snapshots from the long holiday weekend

2010-11-28T15:48:00.007-06:00

Lovin' up Great Grandpa Pernsteiner.

After enjoying a game of dominos on Friday, we headed to the holiday parade with the Smiths.

Who doesn't love naked cookie decorating?

Ice skating for the first time (learning with a "walker").

Still sporting our glasses from the 3D Tangled movie Saturday.

It's the little things

2010-11-24T08:25:00.002-06:00

After a good many years of not blooming, I am SO excited to see buds on a cutting of a cutting of a cutting of my deceased grandmothers Christmas cactus.

Dear Grandpa Doc,

2010-11-15T09:40:00.003-06:00

I am very excited to go to the Packer show. I ask Mom frequently if today is the day? I got a new Packer hat to wear. Do you like it? I have been texting everyone about going to the game. It is a great way to learn my letters. I will text you too. Much love, Kya

A knight story by Therin

2010-11-15T09:29:00.003-06:00

One day a nite was wocing out of the kasl and he saw a dragin. The dragin bloo fire. The nite swung his sord. The dragin floo awway. and the nite went bac in the kasl. and then the necx day the dragin cam bac and then the kadplt fird. The dragin doj it. Then the dragin floo awway. Then the nite fownde the dragins cav. but the dragin wasint thar. and they lived hagle ever aftr. The end.

Thankful for Etsy

2010-11-11T23:28:00.003-06:00

My sister-in-law, Becky, is posting 30 things for November she is thankful for and encouraged others to do a blog posting as well. Well, one of my 30 things would definately be Etsy. I LOVE shopping and receiving gifts from sellers on the website! (Thank you Ashley, Becky and Mary). It's so fun and easy to be able to look up topics and interests and find perfect and unique gifts for family and friends that are reasonably priced. I might have to expand the size of my favorites sidebar because there is a lot I've found in search of gifts for the holidays to love (only that might spoil some gifts).

A few of my favorite sellers:
montezumamudd for pottery
louandlee for fun, seasonal girly headbands
Meetalls awesome, cheap jewelry
hierapparel for unique clothes and scarves

Ahhhhh, more Etsy favorites than ever....

Pinkalicious

2010-11-08T17:58:00.005-06:00

I still can't believe I let her wear this to school today. My plea: nuturing her inner free spirit and that this adorable outfit will only fit her for a very short time.

My favorite weekend mornings

2010-11-07T17:53:00.001-06:00

everyone is in their pajamas until at least 10. we are all working separately but in close proximity for hours. mom gets a lot of letters written. very peaceful. now if only i could get someone to deliver a chai latte to my door....

Kya's Birthday

2010-11-05T10:49:00.005-05:00

I'm 5 today!

I really love my "peacock" dress from Aunt Julie.

Already got my ears pierced today.

Costumes

2010-10-30T22:12:00.008-05:00

Most of the kids from the Halloween party we went to this evening.

The Big Lebowski: Adult costume winner for the party (too bad the picture isn't better). He had awesome sandals on and arrived with a White Russian in hand.

Travis and the kids watched The Neverending Story Friday morning. Kya couldn't understand why the neverending story ended? This is her pretending that this horse is Artax.

Therin's Dracula picture

Kya and Gabby

Daycare photo shoot and my own little actress

2010-10-29T09:19:00.017-05:00

Forget the pea....

2010-10-27T08:48:00.003-05:00

you know you are a true princess when you sleep with your crown on.

Biking the Elroy-Sparta Trails

2010-10-24T18:19:00.008-05:00

Carving Pumpkins

2010-10-23T23:57:00.012-05:00

Although we were disappointed Therin's last football game was cancelled due to rain, it was a perfect morning to stay in and carve this years pumpkins.

And for pumpkins this year, we have.....the grim reaper, the vomiting pumpkin, an etched leaf pumpkin, the huge face pumpkin, the princess pumpkin designed by Kya and Jasmine's silhouette.

After we finished pumpkin carving, Therin had a "Ghastly Goodies" cooking class at the Coop where they made Witches Brew, eyeballs, Franken Nachos and witchy wands. We sat down at 3ish to watch the Badger vs. Hawkeyes game and left at halftime to bike up the bluff with our friends, the Jarmans. We finished watching the game at the Alpine, atop the bluff, biked home and soon put the kiddos to bed. A great family day!

Catching Up

2010-10-23T20:01:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite fall trees

2010-10-10T17:08:00.003-05:00

Living in the moments of Fall

2010-10-06T21:25:00.011-05:00

We were enjoying the weather, leaves, neighbors and friends, so much dance class slipped my mind. My little girl was VERY disappointed but it was a very fun afternoon!

Visiting the West

2010-09-28T14:27:00.001-05:00

http://www.slide.com/r/oJPc8U_xkT9iTjNfPXyN_RD0Z-IRPUeo?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Overtired Kicks

2010-09-21T01:36:00.004-05:00

What you do for entertainment when your surgeon father is REALLY overtired:

Unfortunately Travis dodged the picture of him doing this same thing. It was priceless, let me tell you.

Another addition (to the front porch)

2010-09-16T13:18:00.001-05:00

Found this table at The Painted Porch today. We had been looking for one for this space and I think it's perfect! Can't wait to sit out there and write some letters by candlelight after the kids have gone to bed.

Apple Honey Bundt Cake

2010-09-14T16:58:00.002-05:00

What I've done with a few of the apples we picked.....

This is my second in two days-it's GOOD!!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Honey-Bundt-Cake/Detail.aspx?prop31=1

Everything Old is New Again

2010-09-13T22:04:00.003-05:00

This was Travis' desk growing up. It was a natural wood; but today while my kids were at school and Alayna and Landon were napping, I painted it. I like it. It doesn't look quite as bright as in the picture. I seem to be in a very Martha Stewart mood recently. Exciting and a little scary what else I might do....

Oh yes, and that dirty window was cleaned right after this picture and then I tried to take another and kept getting all these shadows. Figures!

N is for Noodle, L is for Lazy

2010-09-13T08:51:00.006-05:00

Kya is learning the letter 'N' in school.

This is not a macaroni or pasta necklace, it is a noodle necklace!!

I was too lazy to take the bike trailer off my bike or bike with it on or walk; so I rode Therin's bike to drop off some cookies at my friend Wendi's house Friday night. A half mile into the ride, I was wondering if this really was the lazier option....I only had to shake my legs out a few times because my knees did not bend beyond a 15 degree angle but it sure was a beautiful night!

At Fergusons with DAD!!

2010-09-12T20:24:00.007-05:00

We spun and spun and spun on the spinning apple until we weren't feeling so well....

Birthday Encore: Onalaska Skate Park

2010-09-11T14:38:00.009-05:00

Turning 7!!!

2010-09-10T21:53:00.006-05:00

I think Therin had a very nice birthday including:
Star Wars cookies to bring to school for a treat
Taco Bell for lunch per his request
Two of his best friends at Farmer's Market to play football and eat dinner with
Attending a local high school rivalry football game with Dad and staying up past his bedtime
And looking forward to putting the mid-size Millenium Falcon he got for his birthday together tomorrow

More things to look forward to this weekend:
Celebrating with Grandma and Grandpa Smith
A trip to the skate park
A neighborhood cookout
Apple picking at Fergusons with family friends
Watching the Packers first regular season game on Sunday

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-06T20:00:00.014-05:00

Although the weather wasn't the greatest the first two days of the weekend, it was still a very full and fun weekend: bowling, playing pickle ball, harvesting fruit and veggies from Granny's garden, cooking, reading, celebrating Therin's birthday, watching Tom and Jerry videos and Badger football, roasting smores, pontooning, waterskiing, playing Rock Band on the Wii, playing farkle and other card games. Did I get it all? Oh yes, and napping, there was some napping. We had a great time! Can't wait until December 3rd when the WHOLE family reconvenes at the cottage!

Continued work on the front porch

2010-09-06T19:53:00.004-05:00

This is what Travis worked on in between call this weekend while the kids and I were at the lake.....

....still a work in progress but it is turning out much better than I had imagined! I'm lovin' the tree!

The Front Porch

2010-08-31T07:30:00.003-05:00

New windows, flooring, trim, a fresh coat of paint. Travis made a cubby with baskets for each of us to store hats, mittens and such. He also made the awesome twine ball lights. He has gotten lots of compliments. Done in time for going back to school-yeah!

The last days of summer

2010-08-26T22:12:00.008-05:00

We are all making the transition in the last few days from not being ready for school to start and to wanting to stay at the pool to loving open windows and fleeces in the fresh, cool morning air. We have had simple but fun last few days as summer draws to a close; trying to brush up on Kya's letter recognition by playing an alaphabet game on the sidewalk, raking leaves and searching the pile for coins and candy, making fun picnic lunches and buying Mums and fall scented candles at Menards (like acorn sage-yum!) to welcome fall. The kids have been asking every morning excitedly, "How many more days until school?" Only a few more days, have patience children.

Road Trip: Visiting Vermont/New Hampshire

2010-08-14T21:14:00.009-05:00

(I can't post the slide show on the blog tonight? but if you go to this address you can view it.)
http://www.slide.com/r/NgAWhDsS0z_ITmAUjl5TeAobr1OyrB7e?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

Memories from the trip:
*The kids couldn't have been any better on the trip. They especially impressed us on the road. We're planning the next road trip already!
*Kya telling people at Niagra Falls that she "slept in the trunk" on the way out. Awesome!
*Kya eating 3 lbs. of beef jerky herself in the last week.
*Kya referring to Skylar as "Skylet" or "Scarlet" constantly.
*Therin being a great hiker-wasn't tired and never complained, set a pretty good pace too.
*Our trail names: Therin-Mule, Kya-Rider, Dad-Camel, Sarah-Rear.
*Mom and Kari getting an afternoon without kids to shop in Woodstock, VT.
*Travis using a sweet road bike of Jay's to bike into work with while wearing a climbing helmet and getting lost on the way home.
*No pictures after Tuesday afternoon.
*Loving the Marley's huge screen porch!
*Hanging with the Marleys and being spoiled by them! Thank you!!!!

For the love of skateboarding

2010-08-04T23:48:00.009-05:00

Therin's friends (and brothers), Jacob and Lucas, both got new skateboards for their birthdays; so Therin inherited their old one (which they got second hand for $1). It's in pretty rough shape but he has lived on that thing since we picked it up on Monday. I'm pretty sure it'll need to be replaced by his birthday if he keeps practicing at the rate of 2-3 hours a day!! And he thinks he's pretty hot stuff too-you'll notice he doesn't have his helmet buckled in a picture or two because "that's how Tony Hawk wears his." Well, you're not Tony Hawk buddy; at least not yet....

There are some metal circles in a plastic plate screwed to the back of the board so it sparks if you drag it; yeah, he thinks it's pretty awesome! He wanted a pic of himself making sparks but it didn't happen so we settled for these today.