They're baaaaack!

Kids are back and our house is not so dull. I still can't believe they were gone for a week and did just fine, considering they are only 2 1/2. As soon as we were back in the groove of things they were already talking about their next trip to Green Bay(Henry wanted to leave today) and have requested that Grandma and Grandpa Affeldt hurry up and get back from their Jamaican holiday. Bryn and Henry are so lucky to be blessed with two grandpas and grandmas that love them to pieces.





Finally...... dress up time. I've commented to friends how strange it was that neither one was really into dressing up with all their fun clothes, especially the pieces that Shannon sewed up. Henry got the itch to put some fashion sense in this house (since I have none) and before I knew it they had tried on every piece. The heels were a part of each outfit, even with the camo pants, and we couldn't help but plug our ears as the clickety clack of those darn plastic shoes times two paraded around the house!!








Thanks to Jan who loaded H and B up with gifts when she came for a visit at my parents. The stuffed animals are adorable complete with an Asian flair. Bryn's cat holds a piece of sushi in it's mouth and Henry's panda munches on a fortune cookie. How did Jan know we are sushi junkies? (well, at least mom and dad are) Thank you so much, they love their gifts and the bracelets!

Bryn and Henry's Green Bay get away

It's been 3 days since I drove home from Green Bay, leaving my kids with my mom and dad and it feels like it's been weeks. I had been both dreading the drop off and looking forward to it all at once and now that we are about half way through I thought I should post some pics. My mom has been looking forward to this week for a while which shows in her preparation. She signed them up for a music class, set up visits with teachers at my old grade school, had all the ingredients for a banana split breakfast and filled up the closet with several project ideas!

I have lost track of how many times we have chatted with them on the phone since I came back, it's got to be close to 20 times by now. The first night home they knew we were going out for dinner but they still don't have a clear idea of time yet. The following morning when I talked to them on the phone, one of them asked me .."Have the people brought out the food yet?" How patient do we look?

I am so happy they are having so much fun and letting Grandma and Grandpa have a glimpse into their wild and crazy imagination and play. My mom commented on the fact that they don't even need toys, since they can take any household object and turn it into something silly. Like the wicker doll chair that Henry uses as a trumpet, or the hallway that they turn into a track complete with a dirt pit that they fall into! My mom has been "worked up" by her team of mini docs with stethoscopes, hammers and even a pair of pliers, thanks to Henry.

Here is video I took before I left town..... I was asking them what they were planning to do on vacation and here is what they said.... Don't ask me what they were doing with the baseball bat and golf club.

Henry making his pine cone bird feeder filled with peanut butter and bird seed!

Bryn cleaning up the floor after the project. She is such a little mommy

Henry and Bryn were somehow pretending that the wood stove was a computer and their calculators were the keyboards.


Bryn, and her cheesy grin showing off the banana split breakfast!!! Nummy.

I have not sat around moping (at least not for too long), as we really wanted to make use of all this extra time so Jay and I are actually going out to restaurants, watching movies in a movie theater, and taking Finn for walks at night! But, it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO quiet around here. The constant chatter, laughter, yells, and the non-stop singing that is typically bouncing off the walls is gone and we are pretty darn lonely. Friday night can't come soon enough!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

We may as well enjoy it.....

As I type this, it is snowing AGAIN. I seem to have a very irrational fear that Spring is never going to come this year and we will be chipping ice and heaving snow from our driveway forever. Jay was out cold from the flu this past week so my computer access was at a bare minimum as I tried desperately to dodge every sneeze and cough that he sputtered laying in our spare bedroom. Bryn, Henry and I spent a good portion of our time outside and managed to build some snow horses in the front of the house. Who knows if they will ever see snowbanks again like this in their lifetime.

Happy travels to Grandma and Grandpa Affeldt as they leave these beautiful surroundings for some Jamaican sun!! You guys deserve all the R & R they dole out on the island as well as some zip line adventures.

Political disagreements at 2!

A warm start to the weekend.

No, we didn't hit the road and drive south for the weekend as the threat of yet another snowstorm approached us. We drove across the isthmus to Olbrich Gardens with Kim, Chad and Neve to see some Peruvian dancers and meander through the steamy, warm, tropical smelling botanical gardens. Neve was the brave one who tried her moves on the dance floor while Bryn and Henry hung back. I think they were all mesmerized by the bare legs and colorful outfits. So were we!

Back at home, Neve loved the horse in the playroom and showed off her tongue twisting...

.....and belly.

Henry had to get in on the tongue sticking too.

We tried to put them all down for a nap so we could chill out and chat but the kiddos had other plans, mainly talking, jumping, laughing and just not sleeping. It was so fun to see my childhood "best friend" and her family. Kim and I were pretty much joined at the hip since we were born 9 days apart and lived kitty corner from each other so it was fun to see our children chat and play together too. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were picking raspberries in her backyard and building forts in mine.

Spreading the love....all day long.

Grandpa and Grandma started Valentine's Day with a visit to Sienna Crest, where Great Grandma Krueger used to live, to deliver Valentines and heart pencils to the residents.


When they got home Curious George got adventurous and made paper boats that eventually set sail in the bathtub...and the kiddos jumped in too.

Then is was off to the table to make a batch of heart-shaped cookies. Well, mostly heart-shaped.

...and the day came to a close with the whole fam sporting their new heart aprons in the kitchen.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

Earlier this week we got invited to Oakwood Village to visit Sam and Abbey's great-great Aunt and Uncle so we also dropped off our homemade cards with other residents.

Warm belly birthday

Once again it was a frigid day outside (high's topping ZERO degrees) so we chose to keep warm inside by eating most of the day away. Jay outdid himself by cooking us some pretty fancy eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Man can he cook!

Inspired from watching Jamie Oliver the night before, Jay ran out to buy me a pasta roller for my birthday. Who knew all we needed was 2 eggs and 2oo grams of flour to make a mother load of fresh pasta.

Don't know why we used the table to mix the two together (J's idea of rustic cooking) but Bryn and Henry thought it was pretty fun and managed to toss semolina all over the floor.

Mmmmmmm, a Thai themed shrimp dinner..... after we gorged ourselves on the pasta!

Bryn, Henry and daddy made the birthday cake the night before and Henry's elephant-like memory didn't miss a beat. Instead of his usual morning greeting of "Good Morning / Buenos Dias", he shouted out to Jay "Where is mommy's birthday cake?" We were pretty proud of ourselves that we held off the cake until lunch, but we did do it all again after dinner.

And we wonder why they have the appetites they do.....

Henry trying his darndest to snag the last of Bryn's cake. She did give in and fed him a bite or two.

How do you childproof for this?

Snow Day.... again!

What are the chances we would get two snow days in 1 week? Well, last Wednesday's was really a "cold" day since wind chills were -30's or so, but today it was the real thing. Since I don't work on Wednesday's it was awesome to have Jay home with us once again. We hoofed it to EVP for some caffeine and scones and to visit with Sara, Travis and Baby Jonas this morning. Bryn and Henry wanted to ride in the backpacks so it ended up becoming a pretty decent aerobic drill since the walk there is entirely uphill and neither one is a lightweight.

In case you don't recognize this picture, it's Finn, curled in his wintertime ball out in the snow!

This is Mount Lewis Ct. that Henry and Bryn are climbing. Shoveling is definitely becoming more of a workout since the piles tower over my head, but it makes a nice "mountain" as called by them both.


I could just eat those red cheeks up! The snow did finally stop and based on our calculations we got at least 10-11 inches. Gotta go join Jay in our last round of shoveling, right now. Adios.

The Curious George Extravaganza

Those who are regular blog followers know that there is a serious love affair with the monkey. Well, when Grandma and Grandpa arrived at our house this morning, they brought along a stuffed George with them and the world's best Curious George field trip began............

Yes, after loading the "monkeys" and stuffed monkey into the car they arrived at their first destination, UW Hospital. I'm sure they were hoping to see the dear Dr. Baker but they settled to visit my clinic and co-workers instead. Henry sang "Frosty the Snowman" to the nurses while holding George tight by his side.

Then off to the Fire Station # 4. I am attaching Karyl's email to me that described the visit.

"We went back to fire Station #4, across from Bucky's House, and parked at the stadium. A young firefighter (who had just bought the book "Curious George and the Firefighters" for his little one) saw us trucking across the street with George and the kids in tow, and knew right away what was up. The kids had a DELUXE tour...wait 'til you see the pictures. Tired them all out, and now George is napping (both donated an extra blanket for him to use) along with the kids. He's sleeping between them on the two soft chairs pushed together to make a "nest". Didn't want to get into an argument about who got to sleep with George."

Thanks firefighter Kevin!!!

Check out the spread George has!!

A day wouldn't be complete without one of Grandma and Grandpa's famous projects. A firetruck, of course!

Jay and I will NEVER be able to thank Karyl and Norbert enough for what they have given our children. Never. They not only supply them with fun field trips, cute projects and constant attention; they give them so much love, and endless supply of hugs, and memories that are priceless.

A rumor has it that next week they might re-enact three more Curious George books..... the library, the airport and/or the Children's Hospital.