Category Archives: Thoughts & Feelings

Shannon Miller…

Well ok, Kirra’s not quite to the Shannon Miller level with Gymnastics [yet], but she did so much better this week than last week. I think it started better because she was in a great mood when I picked her up from Tally’s [the sitter], and was in a cheerful mood until we left.
She listened this time and for the most part stayed put where she was supposed to. She also was willing to try out each station a little better this time which made me happy! She’s starting to get the hang of it. She did really good on the parallel bars, forward rolls and the ladder, but still needs help not being so scared on the balance beam. She’ll get there though! She loves wearing her Leotard, and has made a new friend Avery (who appears to be younger than Kirra, but by the way really could be Shannon Miller with her skills. She’s really good, so maybe Kirra will watch her and follow by example).
Obviously there is no pressure, and we’re just having fun with all of it! Our teacher is really great too!

What a fun week!

Monday:
Kirra started Gymnastics today. She was in a mood ever since we had picked her up from daycare, so going in to her class she wasn’t in top-notch mood. Once there she didn’t want to stay with her class and tried to run off on to equipment that she wasn’t allowed to go on quite yet… It became a tantrum throwing battle until Daddy stepped onto the floor and got Kirra focused… after that she did better. I think after a few weeks she will be fine, especially if she goes to a class in a better mood! We’ll see what next Monday brings…. After gymnastics I had to high tail it down to Barnes & Noble to meet up with my small group to pick out a new book, and meet our newest member, who actually found the book we’re going to do.

Tuesday:
Things have gone from 60mph to 160mph in our office at the marathon. We’re in crunch time with just two weeks before race weekend. After work I had to get Kirra from daycare since Jason was working late, and then head over to the Nissan dealership to get my oil changed (for free thanks to Amillie and Jeff) and hang out with Amillie while it got done. They even washed my car for free too! They’re so great over there!!!

Wednesday:
Jason had picked up some knotty pine for the ceiling in the basement and then Jason, Kirra and I went to Lowes and picked out paint, carpet, and tile. I’m very excited about our “den” for when its finished. It will be a nice cozy living room where we can watch TV, and relax.

Thursday:
Jason took today and tomorrow off since he’ll be working a lot this weekend and next, so he worked on the basement! It looks super great so far. The ceiling is almost done!!!

Fall Kickoff

What a great kick off to fall. I know its not officially the first day of autumn, but it sure felt like it this weekend, with the crisp cool mornings, warm afternoon, bees, and the smell of fall in the air.

The events went really well this weekend. Thank God for the amazing volunteers that showed up! We never could have put on the races without them. Saturday I woke up at 4:30 and finally got out of bed at 4:45. I threw on my ‘event’ clothes, and filled up my coffee and took off for Square Lake. Once the race was over I headed over to my in-laws where Jason and Kirra were helping Phil and my in-laws make a stone footpath from their driveway to their door. After I laid Kirra down for a nap I tried to lay down in the spare bedroom with her, but she was making too much noise and they had the radio on in the living room… so I headed outside and went down to the trampoline where I took a 3 hour nap in the nice fall sun on a black surface. It was great, and very very comfortable. When I woke up Theo asked if I could go and get Pam and bring her over, and i happily obliged. Pam and I had a nice ride back to my in-laws.

While we were all sitting around Jason asked his dad if he had the 12 gauge shotgun so I could practice shooting it. I made Jason fire off the first round so I could see how loud it was and BOY was it loud. It was quite a reach for me, so I didn’t feel comfortable shooting it for fun, unless I absolutely had to in a certain situation. So Jason and his dad went back to the house and presented me with a .22, and a 410 shotgun (my father-in-law’s grandpas gun).

Again I made Jason fire off the 410 shotgun first, and realized it was just as loud as the 12 gauge, kind of scary and powerful sounding. So I held it and it was much shorter for me, so I toughened up like a good little girl scout and fired off a shot… and regardless of the fact that my ears went instantly ringing, and muted it was great! I shot the ‘bucket” every time with both the bird shot, and the slug! The coolest part was when you opened the barrel to take out the shell the barrel was smoking. It made me feel kind of like Clint Eastwood. Definitely made me want to go small game hunting.

Then I got to fire off the .22. It was loud too, but no recoil. I thought the 410 shotgun was definitely more fun!

We locked the guns back up, and then built a bonfire,and then it was dinner.

After dinner, and some bonfire time, we again laid Kirra down in my in-laws spare bedroom about 8:30pm and Jason took a nap on the lazy boy while I was hot-tubbing. About 9:45 I realized I had to wake up early on Sunday to help out with the long course as the Volunteer Coordinator again. So I went inside to wake up Jason, but we decided since Kirra was sleeping, Tyler our dog was with us, Jason and I were super tired, and we were SO close to Square Lake we decided we would just sleep over night at my in-laws. So we did, and the shorter drive in the morning was so awesome!

I had a long morning with coordinating yet another set of amazing volunteers. Once I was done I had a church function I had to get to, and finally got home at 7:40pm. It was WONDERFUL to be home. In the evenings this week I now get to coordinate volunteers for another duathlon we have next weekend, and also get ready for the Twin Cities Marathon with the “Packet Stuffing Party” on Friday and Saturday. We’re busy-busy-busy with all of our events!!!!

Tomorrow is Kirra’s first class of gymnastics!!! She is so excited. We’ll try to take pictures.

Ta-Ta for now.

Count Down

This is absolutely my favorite time of year. If every day was in the 50s and 60s and once in a while got to the mid 70s i’d be in heaven!!! The scent of drying leaves, fresh apples, cool air splashing on my face, and lots of delicious goodness… Apple season and more….

Well its just a mere 20 days to the marathon and we’re definitely feeling it around our office. Things are in full swing with lots of meetings and events that lead up to the marathon weekend. Similarily at this time of year I have two HUGE triathlons to put on with my co-workers of my part time job Vacation Sports. Its the Square Lake Triathlon. I’ll be going to bed shortly actually because I have to be over there at 5:45am tomorrow, and on Sunday. No sleeping in for this girl… but these are my favorite events with Vacation Sports, so i’m looking forward to it as well. I just hope all of my volunteers show up!

Jason is helping Phil install a sidewalk at my in-laws tomorrow, and Kirra can hang out at Grandma & Grandpas, and enjoy a nice fall day. Once I get done with the triathlon which is just a few miles from my in-laws i’ll head over there, and depending what their apple tree looks like, maybe pick some apples, or perhaps Kirra and I can go to the park near their house (Big Marine) or maybe even Pine Tree Apple Orchard with Pam & Theo!

Pre-School

Kirra is in LOVE with going to pre-school. Jason and I got her all psyched up about going to school, so she went to bed nice and early last night, and woke up with big smiles, and talking about going to school today. We picked out a cute outfit, and quick snapped a photo and were on our way….
Well… Kirra’s “real” school for when she starts Kindergarten is on the way to daycare/pre-school….so when we passed it Kirra was a little sad because she obviously thought she was going to regular school… Once I explained to her that Miss Tally would be her teacher she started to like it more.
Today they worked on their pre-school profile, which is basically an assessment that Tally does in the beginning and end of the school year to see where they’re at, and then see how far they’ve come. They practiced shapes today and the color red.
Kirra also got her workbook which they will start to work more in next week. Pre-School is Tues/Wed/Thurs… until the end of May. Even if Jason gets laid off again this winter we’ll still send her in for her pre-school time.
Kirra got homework tonight. She is supposed to practice her shapes! How fun is this!!!!
Kirra told me all about it, and it was definitely the highlight of her day! Kirra went to bed early again, in eager anticipation of another fun-filled day at pre-school.
Again… here is a snapshot of Kirra on our way to pre-school!

Just one week ~ A letter to my baby

Dear Kirra,

Well in just one week [you] Kirra will begin pre-school. I can’t really believe it. When I really think back to all the moments we’ve shared I can imagine how its been nearly 3 years since you’ve been born into this world, but at the same time, I just see my little Kirra.

Its not like you’re going on a school bus [Just yet]. Your pre-school is right at Tally’s… I won’t even notice anything different except that now you’ll be going to daycare with a backpack… school supplies, and a workbook to learn how to write your name, and learn simple math.
I was feeling nostalgic tonight, and decided to sneak over to the computer – careful not to wake anyone and look thru some of your newborn baby photos. You know what I see? I still see you… sleeping in the room next to ours… Although you’re so much bigger now I can literally see your face on these newborn pictures.
I’ve made up so many nick-names for you since you’ve existed. While I was pregnant with you I called you Pom…. short for Pomegranate. My co-workers and I decided to “name” you the most ridiculous fruit name since Gweneth Paltrow named her baby Apple. Sometimes you were even called Pommy, and my co-workers would say look there goes Pommy & Mommy….
Once you joined us I started calling you peanut… which got shortned to Peeny, which got shortened to Pina. Which as I’m typing this looks like Pineapple… so I guess I still called you a fruit after all. When I saw these newborn photos my heart went out to you just as they did back then… you with your broken femur… Pina… honey….
The last photo above really makes you look like a little Pommy. Actually I have this photo on my desk at work, and it says Pommy & Mommy on it. Can you believe you were fast asleep?
Then I look forward to today… Normally now I just call you toots, or beeber, or beebs… and my favorite now Honey Dew… or lately its gotten lengthened to Honey Dew Mellon when I’m trying to be really affectionate. I say, “oh Honey-Dew-Mellon- come here, and I give you a big mama hug. WOW, I really am staying on the fruit deal aren’t I?
You’re such a big girl now. Just yesterday after you had FINALLY fallen asleep I went to your bed, and was holding your legs… and thinking back to how one was broken.. and how STRONG your legs are now!
Now you’re riding your new bike that daddy bought for you this past weekend, even though you tell us that you CAN’T push the pedals… I say…”Try Kirra”… and you say “I CAN’T MOMMY” and I say, “You’re not trying… just try…” I know that some day really soon you will get it… and then you’ll be off…
But as a glimmer of hope… when you think you’re all alone, and you get scared… you’ll turn around… because you will still need us…. and we’ll always be there for you… for ever, for always, and no matter what!

The great Minnesota Get-together

Well this morning we all woke up at 8am to head out to the Great Minnesota Get-Together! When we got there we bee-lined it for the ESPN stand to see if Brian and Jill my co-workers would get their babies name approved during the baby walk. Joe Soucheray will “approve” or fog-horn your baby’s name if its a strange name. Well my co-worker named his son Sawyer, so we thought it would for sure get approved, but instead it got fog-horned… duluth foghorned. I think he was heartbroken….

Then we went off to walk, so we headed towards the Heritage Square… while there Jason realized he could drink beer at the State Fair, and I called my sister to find out what day they were going to the fair… we were in luck… they were ALSO at the fair… so we headed over to the animal buildings and met up with them for a little bit. Kirra thought the miracle of birth barn was super awesome!!! She loved petting the newborn animals. I couldn’t believe cows come out at 90-130 pounds! This one pig was having her 14th piglet while we were there, and chickens were hatching!
We got Milk for a dollar, which was one of the best milks i’ve had. Jason said its because it was whole milk and we’ve been drinking skim milk… i think its because it was fresh!!!
Then we were off to look in more buildings. We stopped for corn dogs and Kirra ate the whole thing! Then Kirra fell asleep in the stroller.
When she woke up we got her an ice cream cone, which she wore on her entire body… we gave her a napkin bath, and were on our way….
She got to go thru this “be a little farmer” exhibit, where they put on a farmers apron, get corn seed, drive little John Deer tractors, feed fake chickens, gather fake eggs…plant fake seeds,and collect veggies. She even got to milk a fake cow… She thought this whole thing was rather fun.
We ended up going from 10am-4pm which I thought was rather good for her first time.
Once we got home we threw her in the tubby, and then I brought her to Kids’ Hair Salons to get her hair cut for the very first time. They have these cute little TVs at each station, so she got to watch Dora. Kirra now has bangs, and got her split ends taken off. She is very cute, and it was a perfect little hair salon for her.
Got chineese for dinner, and maybe in a little bit we will practice riding the new bike we got for Kirra!!!!! (photos to follow)

Knock, Knock…. who’s there? A salesman, no wait, two!!!

What a freaking day I had yesterday! Normally I don’t start my blogs out with swearing or pretend swearing (since I’ve gotten older, and Kirra’s gotten older I’ve implemented pretend swearing… plus its more fun to say, made up words!)

Anyways, back to my story… I get home from work and let Tyler out (the Rottie and hang out on my deck for a bit… well I go to call Tyler in the house when some random white van pulls into my driveway… with two younger guys in the van… Tyler goes totally bonkers, and to be quite honest I go on the defense (on the inside)… I yell out my front door, “No thanks… not interested….” and the driver actually has the balls to say… “What… you don’t wasn’t free meat? I’m not trying to sell you anything, I’m giving away meat..” so I was like, hm… who are these quacks? While still half in my house the driver jumps out of his van and goes around to the side… meanwhile the passenger has this huge smile on his face. I’m sure he was super friendly, but they kind of made me feel uncomfortable…

So I go over to their van wishing i had my cell phone on me just in case,or Tyler outside for Pete’s sake…, and this guy is like, I’m giving away free meat… so he goes to open all of these boxes (like 8 boxes) of frozen beef…i explain to him that we normally do a quarter cow and get an amazing deal on it… so he says… do you see anything here you absolutely wouldn’t eat? And I said,no, it looks great… so he then pulls out a price sheet, and says, now… do you think you can help me out with one of these boxes (which are like $60 a box) instantly I knew they WERE trying to sell me something. Well now I’m PO’d… you come over and are like I’m not trying to sell you anything except get you to pay $60 for probably a few hundred bucks in meat… I’m sure it was probably a good deal, but I’m so mad at their dishonesty that I’m for sure not going to buy now… so I literally had to KEEP reminding him I wasn’t interested…Finally they were like… well… we were just trying to hook you up with some free meat… maybe next time…

Maybe not. I see your van come down my road again, I’m locking the doors and pretending like I’m not home!

Well I was hosting bible study at my house last night so I wanted to do a load of dishes… so like 30 minutes later when i hear this knock knock knock at my door… i for sure thought it was my awesome neighbor Janis to inquire about our wine night on the patio! ( I totally live in a Desperate Housewives kind of block… I love my neighbors, and we definitely need to have drinks on the patio really really soon!!!) I digress…

Anyways, no its some junior or senior at a high school selling magazines… She greets me with a “Are you queen of this house?” I’m like, dear lord, I need mace… who are all of these people???? My other neighbor Colleen sent her over to my house because maybe i would “buy” a magazine for her school fundraiser. I’m thinking its going to be $12 or something… to heck with it.. if its for a school fundraiser. She goes on to say in her high school voice, “So like, I’ma doing this public speaking contest for my school and we are selling these here magazines for different points… well… the person with the most points is going to Italy, have you ever been out of the country before?” So i said yes i have, and this girl does some crazy dance on my deck and was like, whhhhaaattttt, for real, no way… girl.. where you been?” so I go on to tell her, and I thought the poor girl was going to have a heart attack. I was about to invite her in for a nebulizer treatment…. anyways.. she goes on and on about this great price of the magazines… i don’t want any magazines… plus I’m like, how much are they… and she’s like, it breaks down to $2 a magazine… or maybe it was something else, regardless I wasn’t paying too close of attention…. after asking her several times how much is it bottom line…she says $48, now do you think you can help me out by ordering a subscription? And I said no thanks, not today… so she was like, for real? I wanted to be like, girlfriend, when you get a real job, and a real house, a $48 magazine subscription is a lot of money for a school fundraiser… where are the football boys? Hu? At least they just sell me $10 chocolate… now that I’d buy… So miss high school goes on to bid adieu…. “well hey girl, i just really want to tell you how absolutely amazing it was talking with you today… now, i can get some bonus points.. if you tell me what your job is… so I told her I work for the Twin Cities Marathon, and she looks around, and says, “oh my GOSH, Shut up!, that is amazing girl!” I now want to just have mace to squirt it in my own face so I have a real reason to leave my front deck…” finally she leaves….
I mean getting two solicitors in a row? I want to put a note on my door… no soliciting, but then i wouldn’t have hilarious stories to share with all of you!

All Done…

My cousin is pregnant and they’re in need of a crib. Well…. since Kirra’s crib/toddler bed converts also into a full size bed and not a twin, we want to give it to them…. we gave back all of the infant clothes and my sister sold them in a garage sale… I can’t imagine Kirra at 3 years of age sleeping in a full size bed. That’s like a queen bed. We’re actually getting my grandma’s bed for her. I’m very excited. She’s getting so big I can hardly remember her as an infant now!

So needless to say…. in a sense only having one child is sinking in more! As all of my friends keep getting pregnant [again] i get all mushy and slight hmmmm especially when I see their perfectly adorable newborns…. but then when I go and sit at the drawing board and I remember why we only want one….. Its deeply personal… some people want 2/3/more and some just want one. Why the stigma with one? When people ask me if i’m haing more,and I say no, i feel like their eyeballs are going to pop out of their head as they swing it around and gasp why????

Once in a while I do wonder if she’ll beg us for a sibling, but we’ve decided to worry about that when the time comes. Right now I just can’t imagine having another one, I just love Kirra so much. I know that people do obviously love their second children just as much… but for me, i can only imagine us with Kirra. A lot of people have told me …. NOOOO you have to have more than 1 child… she’ll be spoiled, what will you do when you argue you won’t have another child to fall back on… she won’t have any siblings to grow up with… Kirra is fortunate to have an amazing group of friends, who’s moms are my friends… so I feel like we’re amazingly lucky….and there are lots of amazing single children out there that have done very well…

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Burt Bacharach, John the Baptist, Candice Bergen,Chelsea Clinton,David Copperfield, Walter Cronkite, Leonardo da Vinci, Sammy Davis Jr., Robert De Niro, Anne of Green Gables, Rudolph Giuliani, John Lennon, Al Pacino, Natalie Portman, Elvis Presley, Daniel Radcliffe, Nancy Reagan , Condoleezza Rice, LeAnn Rimes, Eleanor Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Frank Sinatra, Danielle Steel, Barbra Striesand, Charlize Theron, Betty White, and Robin Williams just to name a few….

I mean, you’ve got some presidential people, amazing athletes, song writters, one of the greatest artists to ever walk this earth, John the Baptist, I mean… common… technically Jesus was an only child…. even though that’s up for contention, and you have Harry Potter in here…. I think we have a good chance here!