The Crime Scene

The Suspect

The Victim

You may wonder what type of exciting life I have, well here it is...

Today I came home to a disrobed, dismembered, beheaded imitation barbie doll. I had to move the remains to protect the suspect and the victim from further harm- the head was missing. I feared that the head fell victim to Teddy's digestive system, but later the head was found.

Note to Santa and the Grandma's: Barbie Dolls suffer an ill-fate in our home, please do not bring any for Christmas.

Burban Bubble

I live in a suburban bubble.

I watched the last two minutes of the Rockefellor Tree Lighting and felt a tiny bit excited, the excitement you feel as a child. I realized a few minutes later that it was probably the same kind of excitement I feel when I watch fireworks. I found myself saying, " Oh I bet the kids would have enjoyed watching that."

This brings me to the philosophy of "the bubble". I recalled after seeing the Rockefellor Tree that the same type of events occur in Minneapolis and St Paul. I think it is a combination of laziness and being unaware of the events that are so near that keep us from participating in some of the great and unique opportunities we live so close to. Each year I find myself saying, "We will get to the holidazzle this year or we will go to some of the winter carnival events."

So I will say, publically, this year we will do at least one holiday activity in the big city and I will capture the moment in my blog.
Any ideas?

Motherhood Clarity

Somedays mothering seems to come with an intelligence card implanted in my brain to help me with difficult moments in the journey, other days the card seems to be defective or missing.

My goal; which does not "sound" difficult, is to raise happy, well-adjusted, independent children with a healthy sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. So far they seem pretty normal but it is really difficult to tell what the lasting effects my motherhood mistakes will make on their lives.

Last night was pretty blissful. We got home, the kids decided to play with their gel window stick-ons for the holidays. There was a small incident with Kylie stealing Kelsey's stick-on Snowman piece, oh, and then a second when Kelsey stole Kylie's doll. But then Kelsey helped me make dinner and we listened to Christmas music and all was peaceful. Shane got home and brought a holiday Baker's Square pie, mmmm-num!

The night before I was a mean mommy. When we got home the kids started fighting from the get-go. Screaming ensued on their part and mine. Demands for juice, "We do not have juice (we never have juice), you can have milk or water!" Screaming ensued because there was no juice. And then direction turned to blankets. Kylie found hers and Kelsey demanded hers, however, dinner preparations took my attention and I was unable to get Kelsey's blanket, so, yup, you guessed it, screaming ensued! I would like to erase this memory from my head. I know somedays are difficult, but I wish patience and ease came everyday.

Car Wash Needed

If in doubt here are some obvious signals that a car wash, maybe even a detail, is needed.

1. A message appears on your car which says, "Wash Me".

2. A message appears in the dust on the dashboard of your vehicle which questions, "Wash ME?"

3. Every time you open the door of your vehicle, something falls out.

4. Your child exclaims, "Oh good its raining, the car will be cleaner then!"

5. At your child's evening class, the topic is messy rooms, and your child brings up mom's messy car.

If you find that any or all of these scenario's have occurred for you, it is time for a car wash!

Gingerbread Mayham

On Saturday we decided to "break into" the holiday season by making our gingerbread houses.

Kylie and Shane worked on the one on top and Kelsey and I worked on the one to the bottom. Despite an adequate amount of sticky stuff, "cement", the one on the top did not make it. Kylie and Shane had a fun time and really created a work of art despite the gingerbread house falling down into a pile.

Kelsey did a beautiful job with her house, and she made it through the whole artistic experience without too much of a sugar high!

Gender Bender

Watching football can really be an eye opener. Not that I really care much for the game, but for some reason Kelsey enjoys watching "The Vikes". She even proclaimed that she plans to be a football player. Unfortunately she was bawked at and told that "girls do not play football, it is too dangerous." That individual, who shall remain nameless was tsk'd, and then said "I mean sure you can play, or hockey."

It was in this encounter that I realized the dreams of a child, however lofty, should be supported after all, she did not say she wanted to be America's Next Top Model or the next American Idol. And the people who splatter their dreams should be questioned, "Why can't a girl play football, it would not be the first time?"

What is up with the gender stereotypes?

Venomous Immunizations

My thought of the day is: I feel as though I offered my four year old to the snakes.

This on the day following her four year old well-child visit with shots. Yesterday at this time I had a happy, talkative four year old on my hands. She was eagerly anticipating the doctor and, surprisingly but true, her shots. I anticipated her getting the flu shot at the doctor's appointment, but when faced with the option of her completing her five-year old immunizations, I agreed to torture her with a total of four shots. My thought process urged me in that direction because she was really very excited about the shots and the bandaides to follow.

Following the shots it was not Kelsey who cried, but Kylie who was shouting between tears, "but I want a bandaide too!"

Kelsey handled it all very well until about 5:30 this morning when she woke to tell us she was not feeling well because of the shots. She has never had a reaction to the immunizations...until this time. So my brave little soldier ended up with a fever and subsequently is quite ill this morning. Let me paint a sick little pale picture of my sweetie; she is pale, the steam is radiating off of her (so I gave her an ice pack) and currently she is lying on the couch with ice water curled up with her favorite blankie watching the movie Cars.

With Thanksgiving looming I feel as though I made a poor mommy decision.

Birthday Girl

Today is the day

Today is Kelsey's 4th birthday and as cliche as it sounds, "it is hard to believe how fast it has gone."

She is a little lady of independence and sensitivity. She loves her friends and family and adores her little sister, Kylie. She has begun to distinguish her "best friends" from the rest and eagerly shares a hug with them. Kelsey is extra gentle with Teddy, but easily sets boundaries and rules for him too.

Kelsey's passion is currently riding her new bike, playing puzzles, games, reading stories, playing playdo and feeding and changing her dolls. She is the first one, in the house, up in the morning and, if it were up to her, she would be the last one to bed. She is always alert and ready to learn new things and a little person of many complex questions; she keeps us on our toes!

She is a loving, independent soul, who came into our lives just 4 years ago today, it is hard to believe that she has not always been with us because she is such a large presense in our lives.

Movie Review: Not so Happy Feet

The movie previews showed a happy penguin dancing and tapping his toes on the big screen.

In actuality, I feel like I walked into a private party for Green Peace, with cute cartoon penguins portrayed for a young audience and to bring in the masses. It did rate as the highest seen movie over the past weekend, so the previews worked to deceive many!

I consider myself to be respectful towards the environment and have even given money to some of the environmental organizations, but Happy Feet was over the preverbial top!

Mental note: When learning about penguins and the environment, watch documentaries commentated by Morgan Freeman.

News Smut: Dead Deer Assault vs OJ did it

News smut is what I call it, in a fairly reputable newspaper, even reporting the "so called" news can be offensive!

Some stories should not be rehashed, such as OJ Simpson writing a book about "how he might have done it." He is such a sicko, and now he is making more money on his offenses!

And in the local arena, although across the border in cheesehead country, "having sex with a dead deer."

Really! The news should not make me nearly loose my lunch, and the saddest thing about this story, is that the focus is on the law which does not know how to charge this individual because a dead animal is no longer considered an animal.

How about just lock the guy up and throw away the key, so he does not mistake a child, or another animal as his last conquest!!!! Sicko!!

Hopefully the news headline today will be the weather.

Reasons NOT to go to North Dakota for Thanksgiving

I am good at preparing lists, and the in-laws have requested that we join them for Thanksgiving this year. So I have decided to prepare a list of reasons why traveling to North Dakota may not be a good idea this year...

1. My in-law has an attack dog, as we witnessed after Kelsey's birthday party, when her face was bitten.

2. I have a large dog, Teddy, that loves other animals, but the attack dog yips and nips at Teddy whenever they are in close proximity.

3. My in-law does not have enough room for my family to stay and my brother-in-laws, her home is a split entry with three bedrooms. So we would probably need to stay at a hotel.

4. It could be costly to stay at a hotel for two-three nights. And...

5. We are going to be spending several days with my in-laws over Christmas on a vacation getaway, so it would be nice to be home for Thanksgiving.

6. There is very little to do in North Dakota.


7. After the last visit with my in-law, I learned that Bath and Body makes a scented lotion that smells just like yeast infection medication, a lotion which she seems to love and lathers on quite frequently.

8. The last time I stayed at my in-laws I got bed-bug bites up and down my back, yuck!!

Flushed Away

This was a very cute movie which reminded me of the political climate in the last week.

That is right, one week since the landslide victory for democrats!

We saw this movie over the weekend. It is about an uppity mouse who lives in a palace in Kensington, England. During the course of the movie the uppity mouse enjoys his lonely existence in the palace, until a sewer mouse comes out of the drain and flushes him down the toilet. The sewer mouse portray the poor and middle class in our country, flushing Bush and his politics down the toilet with the election last week.

The uppity mouse did live happily ever after, in the sewer, with his poor lady mouse, voice by Kate Winslett. I am sure that Bush too will live happily ever after once he leaves the White House!

For the love of a name...

I went to NDSU, home of the "Bison" for my undergrad degree. The Bison are huge rivals to the UND "Fighting Sioux". Many family members of mine and Shane attended UND. Apparently there is now concern about the name being derogatory to American Indians- I can see how it could be perceived- and the NCAA is making a ruling on whether or not to allow a game to be played at UND, "home of the fighting Sioux".

Now I have some interesting "insider knowledge" from a loved one...Ingelsted or Inglewood donated a lot of money to build an ice arena for the "fighting Sioux" and apparently he said he would tear it down if they changed their name. It always seems to come down to financials, really, doesn't it?

Birthday blunders

It is Monday morning (sigh), so I survived the 4th birthday party for Kelsey. She did remarkably well, despite waking at 5:30 am on Saturday morning before the party (with Grandma Carol), the excitement was too much and she was ready to start her day. Luckily I was able to sleep in and mentally prepare for the day ahead. Kylie slept until 8 am.

Kelsey eagerly got dressed in a black teddy bear polka dotted dress and the plan was that Kylie would wear a pants outfit to match, however she too wanted to look like a "princess" and wear a dress. So Kylie stole the show in the morning climbing up and down the stairs demanding to be dressed in a "princess dress". I never imagined that I would have a child who demanded to wear a dress, but there you have it she wanted a dress. My mother-in-law beamed in delite that Kylie demanded to wear a dress, to each their own I guess.

We started off the day preparing wild rice soup, then off to Target I went for cake and subs, with Kylie. We had a quick encounter with our new neighbors and then off to home to prepare for the party which was planned to start at 11am. No one came until noon, which pushed the "planned" naps back alittle further.

The party began with laughter and plenty of chit-chatter. Participants included Grandma Jan, Grandma Carol, Auntie Julie, Uncle Ryan, and my Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Kenny. Kelsey was in heaven that attention was focussed on her! We ate and then opened the mounds of unexpected gifts. My mom explained that "this was Christmas and that there would not be many Christmas gifts this year", however this sounded vaguely familiar as we heard the same thing last year. Both girls received new wardrobes, which was nice, and lots of toys (not necessary!). The party lasted until 5pm, so the girls did not get naps and survived on sugar from birthday cake frosting to make them last until bedtime.

The evening ended watching the movie Cars and March of the Penguins, which were two of the gifts received. During March of the Penguins there was an unexpected turn of events, when Missy, my mother-in-laws dog bit Kelsey on the face. This was really unfortunate, Kelsey came out of it with a bloody nose and large scratch on her face just below her eye. I played mama bear and Kelsey and I cuddled, with an icepack on her face, until it was time for her to go to bed.

Birthday time is near

We are preparing for Kelsey's 4th birthday party tomarrow and there have been several times today I have felt like scrapping the whole thing.

1. Kelsey is experiencing some terrible transitional thing where she is miserable to be around (can PMS begin as early as 4?).

2. In-law in town (enough said).

3. We really do not need any more toys.

4. The bike we got her is not even put together yet.

5. I feel tired already and the party has not even started.

Today...

Today is a glorious day! In the news, the Democrats have taken control of the state house and senate. In the national news the democrats have taken over the house and almost the senate, just waiting to hear on Virginia. Rumsfeld has stepped down, and the mileage rate went up to 48.5. If Bush would step down I would feel like I won the lottery!

All I want for Christmas is ...

Alas, it is nearly Christmas time and the anticipation is growing at my house. I always knew that the media was evil, but now I am positive that the media Gods are the anti-Christ(s).

As the tv was on yesterday I heard a sound that I can only describe as a spastic injured monkey. And then, "I want that Curious George and Cars." I said, "What sweetie?" And then out of a horror novel, I heard her say, "I want that and that and that- for Christmas!" She must have seen the horror in my face because then she said, "...from Santa Claus."

Of course, a parent can never argue with the list given to Santa, for then a mysterious secret could be released from the cauldron of parenting secrets. Unfortunately miss Kelsey, the master manipulator, has figured out that Santa Claus is fairly untouchable.

I am saddened because it feels like Pandora's Box has opened and an element of Christmas Magic is gone.

Coupon Cutting

 













This is taken very seriously in my family, as seen in the picture. This is a very intriquette procedure and not for the weak or unsteady. Only very serious shoppers master the skill of coupon cutting at this very early age. 

Trick or Treat

 

They only got treats. 

Pre-Trick or Treat?

 


This is a photo of the girls and the pumpkins pre-trick or treating. 

Ladybugs are not winterized!

Was it too cold to trick or treat? We did not notice, so we went out with our nearly four year old lion and 2 year old ladybug, who by house number four was looking like a frozen icicle ladybug, teeth chattering cold.

Although she did not wimper and said she wanted to try a few more houses, maybe she was to cold to complain. So we made our way home. There were very few trick-or-treaters at our home, maybe 15 total. Hopefully we will fare better next year...