Curly Girl

So...  For all your girls out there with curly hair...  I found the solution!!!  As I was just browsing in Barnes & Noble, I stumbled upon a book called Curly Girl Handbook by Lorraine Massey.  First I picked it up & started reading because I am ALWAYS looking for ways to manage Lauryn's hair.  I think we have tried every single hair style, stylist, permanent straighteners, non-frizz or for-curly-hair shampoo & conditioner on the market.  We have spent a lot of money to always find the same result - frizz.  So I found the book to be very interesting, but thought, "Why would I ever buy a book on managing hair?"  So, I put it down & kept walking around.  But, there I was 5 minutes later... back to reading more in the book.  Now I'm to the point where I am carrying the book around (but still not going to buy it) while I check other books out.  So at the last minute I decide to buy the book.  Well, it has turned out to be the BEST self-help book I have ever invested in!  Lauryn & I both spent time reading the book & talking about ways to manage her hair.  So, I searched the web to find where I could buy the type of products she talked about in her book & went out & bought them the next day.  Here we are a week later & THRILLED with the results!  For the past 2 years I have straightened Lauryn's hair pretty much every day.  It takes us a half hour to straighten!  Let me tell you, that's not always fun to do every day before school!  But now with the new results that we are getting, Lauryn is embracing her curls & wearing it curly.  It is a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e!  I would kill to have her curls!  But now that she has learned how to manage it & get rid of the frizz, she is loving the curls too.  I had to post before & after pictures.  Keep in mind that the before picture is from over a year ago (while on vacation without a straightener) because that is probably the last time she would go without it straightened.

Our Life in Pictures

Wow, I have NO idea where time went?  As we get busier & busier, I have more & more to blog & share, but less time to do it.  So, to wrap up the last few months, I am posting some of our favorite pictures & I'll give a quick update for each. 

The next 3 pictures are what have consumed us since October & will keep consuming us until March.  Both Lauryn & Zach made the traveling basketball teams, & Sean is still playing house league until he is old enough to try out for traveling.  Every single weekend consists of at least 7 basketball games.  We've had some fun traveling to further places & spending time with the other families.  All 3 kids are loving it & we've heard no complaints about it getting old! 

The next picture was a special night for Sean - when he made his First Reconciliation.  What a wonderful achievement.  We are so excited for this Spring, when he gets to make his First Communion too!  Sean was so cute & nervous before he actually made his confession to the priest.  He told me that he "couldn't wait to go & get rid of all the sins that were in his body!"  As a mother, I don't even want to know... :)  

And here the kids are frosting our Christmas cookies.  I had to post this picture because this tends to represent Lauryn well...  TEXTING!

Aw...  What a fun night with friends...  During the busy holiday season, we spent a night at the Marriott West & did the Murder Mystery Cafe hotel stay.  It was a hoot!  If you like impromptu shows, this is one to do at some point!  We saw the Holiday Murder show.

I feel like the next 3 pictures deserve a post of their own, but I have to wrap this up as best I can! :(

Zach celebrated his 11th birthday in December!  For Zach's birthday gift this year, we gave him tickets to a Vikings game & a Jared Allen jersey (his all time favorite player).  Well, we all know what happened to the roof at the Dome!  Before we knew where the game would be played & how they would handle tickets, Zach was VERY upset!  This was his dream gift & he did not want to miss it.  So, Jim & Zach braved the cold & snowy weather, bundled up, stood in line for 2 1/2 hours before getting in, & had the times of their lives at the TCF Stadium watching the Vikings play the Bears.  It actually turned out to be an experience of a life time, watching an out-door Vikings game! 

We also had a few boys over for a slumber party & movie night!

And again, the next 4 pictures really deserve their own post too... after all...  It was CHRISTMAS!  I posted each kid's excitement as they opened gifts...

 And the dogs got spoiled too!

And to wrap it up...  We had an amazing New Year's Eve and a great start to 2011.  We decided to spend the day & evening as a family & we had a blast.  First we started the day by going to Elm Creek.  Everyone decided to tube except for Zach.  He decided to try out snowboarding with a buddy.  He liked it but had a scraped up face to show for it!  After Elm Creek, we went to the Wild's Hockey game.  This was the first game the kids had ever been too.  So they were excited & had a great time.  After the hockey game, we went over to a friend's house & hung out as families.  It was very relaxing & an enjoyable welcome to 2011!

Hope all our friends & family had a blessed Christmas & a wonderful New Year! 

Halloween 2010

I was worried this year that the kids might not want to carve pumpkins anymore - since they think they are so grown up.  But all three were ready to go & had some fun ideas for how they wanted to carve their pumpkins.  When it came time to clean them out, they were all laughing & squishing the "guts" between their fingers.  Lauryn was the only one who was a little reserved about it!  But then we cleaned the seeds & made home made pumpkin seeds (that I can't keep my hands out of!).  

 We also enjoyed a few Halloween parties this year.  Jim & I had a couple adult parties we attended & the kids all had their parties at school.  Then they also made plans to hang out with friends while trick-or-treating.  I was surprised to still see Lauryn out there, collecting candy.  I had told her if she stayed home with me & helped me pass out candy, she could eat anything she wanted out of the bowl.  But she informed me it was not about the candy anymore, it's about running around the neighborhood with friends.  Here we are in our costumes...

At the end of the night, Zach took off his costume, put on fake blood, & went & sat out on the front porch to pass out candy to any of the kids who dared come up to our door.  He had been looking forward to doing this all night long.  That kid makes me laugh! 

Denver Marathon

I just had a wonderful time running the Denver Marathon with my sister-in-law, Kathi!  So down with marathon #9!  We had such a good time.  Jim & Lauryn came down early & cheered us on.  I also had one of my good friends (from back here in MN) that was out on the course to cheer us on.  Then around mile 15, the whole family came out.  There was nothing better than seeing the family, having them hand me a cup of beer, ringing the cow-bell, & running with us.  Along with the marathon, we spent some time in Breckenridge, where we were able to relax, shop, & enjoy Colorado!

Drinking our glass of beer at mile 15 

 My favorite picture, where the kids came out & ran part of the course with us:

Kathi, Jake, Susanne, Lauryn, Me, Zach, Sean, Jack

 At the finish with Kathi & James (our friend from MN who ran too)

Kathi, Jim, Lauryn, & I



Pumpkin Patch

Last Friday my kids did not have school, so we decided it was a great day to go to the Pumpkin Patch.  It was nice because Jim ended up meeting us there.  I just had to post this picture because I don't think there has ever been one year where we went to the pumpkin patch & the kids were all wearing shorts!  AND...  We were all still hot!   

It was fun to carry out our tradition of the wagon ride, running through the maze looking for the "golden nugget", and picking out the perfect pumpkins.  This is my favorite time of year, with all our traditions & the holidays just around the corner. 

Twin Cities Marathon 2010

This past Sunday, Jim ran the Twin Cities 10 mile race & I completed marathon #8!  Jim did great, accomplishing his goal of running 10 minute miles.  I had the honor of running with dear friends and all three of us finishing together.  The best part of all, I got to be there when my girl friend accomplished her PR.  I was lucky enough to run her first marathon with her, and then be there with her again on Sunday when she finished 8 minutes faster than her overall best.  We had a fun training season and an amazing experience together on Sunday.  Now I am off in less than 2 weeks to run marathon #9 in CO.  I hope I am fully recovered by then!

Jim at mile 2...  Looking good!

Mile 17 - Todd, Carol, & I stop for PB&J

Running in to the finish & pushing for that goal.

Jim & I - my biggest fan!

Friends - Cindy, Jenny, Me, Todd, Carol, & Pam

60th Birthday

This past weekend we had a surprise 60th birthday party for my Dad.  It was a great party including many family & friends!  It was fun to see my Dad so surprised once he walked in the door & realized everyone was there for him. 

All through my childhood, one of my fondest memories of my Dad is him playing in the band.  All through growing up I would dance in the basement while the band rocked away practicing.  My Dad is very passionate about music and loves playing the drums.  He had been in a band since my Mom & Dad first met - in high school!  So, for my Dad's 60th birthday party, my Mom hired a band that let my Dad play a few sets.  It sure was fun to see him in his element & having such a good time!  He did a great job of getting all our family & friends out on the dance floor.  The grandkids were in heaven!  Many of them have never even heard him play.  A couple of my Dad's old band mates were there as well, so they had a good time re-connecting & making music again.  It was a pretty fun night!

My Mom & Dad

Canning

Last weekend I went to St. Cloud to learn how to can salsa.  My sister has been doing it for a year or two now & I have been dying to learn so I could have my own jars all year round.  We had such a good time!  We spent the whole night chatting and laughing.  We stayed up Friday night until after 1:00 AM & then started back at it Saturday morning by 8:00.  All together we canned 61 jars!  We had such a good time, we decided to make it a tradition every fall.  I can't wait until next year!  Until then, the kids & I have been busy enjoying chips & salsa.   

Blanching the tomatoes is the worst part (& most time consuming)!

Even Little Nora wanted to help us out

Pat was so awesome...  He did the worst part of cutting up the jalapeno peppers...  Definitely need to wear gloves for that one!

61 jars of yummy-ness

Notre Dame 2010

Notre Dame is full of traditions, so it is only fair that we have our Notre Dame traditions too.  Two years ago, Zach got to go to South Bend with Jim and so this year it was Lauryn's turn.  Jim & Lauryn, along with friends, Todd & Ceci, enjoyed a long weekend in South Bend & Chicago.  Friday they enjoyed walking campus and attending the pep rally.  Saturday they went to the painting of the helmets (another ND tradition).  Usually the painting of the helmets is not done publically, so they were lucky to attend during a weekend where they were doing it in front of the crowd.  They also went to see the football team do their traditional walk from mass to the game.  Then the game...  Unfortunately Notre Dame lost to Michigan in the last few minutes of the game.  Regardless, it was an amazing experience and father/daughter time!  On Sunday, they headed back to Chicago & before their flight left in the evening, they stopped at the bean & made it to a White Sox baseball game.  Although me & the boys were happy when they got home, Lauryn said she wished she could have stayed longer.  She truly loves Notre Dame & has high hopes of attending school there one day!