A Day at the Zoo!

A couple weeks ago, Jon got chosen as a chaperone parent for Caitlin's class trip to the Kansas City Zoo. Lots of parents are asked to chaperone or help with parties, etc., but the zoo trip gets lots of volunteers and since they can only take 5 parent volunteers - they had to draw names out of a hat. We were so thrilled when we were chosen, and Caitlin asked if Dad could go because it was his birthday!
Jon said it was really quite fun, and he chaperoned 4 little sweethearts! What a great birthday present for him to spend the day with his daughter at the zoo! He was excited and thankful!

Congratulations, Carrie!

This week, we went to Wichita to celebrate Jon's cousin, Carrie's, graduation from nursing school! She attended Wichita State and graduated Friday night. We went down a couple days early and had a fun couple of days with Grandma and Grandpa Bishop and then celebrated Friday afternoon with family. We are so proud of Carrie!

My Family, My Best Friends

We had our bi-annual (which we have now designated annual - so be prepared husbands and grandparents!) cousins weekend last weekend. I will blog about the fun things we did and funny quirks we shared after I comment just how lucky I am to have best friends such as these.


I know no one who has a family as close as ours. I don't know anyone that cries on the phone to each other b/c we miss each other so much. I have yet to find someone as close to their sisters and cousins as I am...and I know how blessed I am to have this.


In fact, even before arriving, my cousin, Heather and I called each other twice and talked for a total of 62 minutes I believe my phone said. Before I left, I texted my sister and my cousin, Holly, on the way there. Only family like ours would talk on the PHONE the same day they are to see each other and still have more to talk about as we fall asleep that night (and we did)!


All of us are so different, yet the same. We've been through a tough year, and this year is proving again to be a tough one. We are always all there for each other even though the distance would try to interrupt that. I knew before coming that I wanted to talk about very important topics with my cousins and sister - babies, jobs and questions. Questions - this seems to be Holly's theme (and contrary to my family's belief - the sweater is NOT my theme)...Holly always has a question that we get to ponder and answer and we all comment or not on each other's answers. I really like this game as I feel it brings up great conversation, we find out about each other things we thought we knew or wanted to know, but it also causes us to look at ourselves. I like to answer these and hear others' answers. I also feel that our family can take any answer - no matter what - and know that we all love each other just the same - unconditionally, as family and best friends - always do.


Each year we have hostesses and this year, Holly, Kelly and Kim were hostesses. They did a really wonderful job. They had dinner waiting for us Friday which was delicious, and they gave us a spa evening after that. We did each other's pedicures - Holly included an accent with hers. Although, apparently my pedicure was not up to salon perfection as she ended up doing her own. We put carrot stuff on our faces for smooth skin and had strawberry shortcake for dessert while watching the Saturday Night Live 2000s episode (much of it we didn't see as we spent a lot of time catching up).


This brings up a good point - not too many people in the world could be in the room with us when we're talking b/c AT LEAST 3 conversations go on at once. Heather and Kelly caught me trying to be in all of them at once several times and it caused a few jokes...


Saturday morning we got up and some of us walked and some of us jogged for a quick workout. Then we had egg casserole and fruit for breakfast. Then, we got started on our work: scrapping. I love scrapping b/c you get to highlight your kids, but I love doing it with my family b/c you're all sitting around in one room talking and laughing and pondering and asking what looks good. What's nice about us, too, is that we can laugh about each other's shortcomings to their faces. We poke fun at them right in front of them - and we are all good sports! We take it and dish it and we all love each other the same. I take the cake ("cake" girls, get it?) with the jokes I am sure, as my cousin Holly likes to "bring back" my infamous sweater at every family occasion she can.

Heather and I tried shouting her full name at the other end of the bar to have someone recognize her, but to no avail. Holly surprised us at dinner when we had gone out that we could order whatever we wanted b/c it was on Grandma Phyllis! Grandma loves when we get together, I think she realizes the special and unique bond we have with each other and likes to contribute. We were all very appreciative!

The weekend was perfect. I love my family and love to see all of them as much as I can. I am so proud of who they have all become, and would stick by them through anything. They would say the same for me, and I would choose no other girls for my best friends.

VEISHEA 2010

We arrived for VEISHEA 2010 on Friday night. The girls were so excited! Upon seeing their cousin, Talia, they bum rushed her and they chased each other around my mom's kitchen island for approximately 1 hour. It was 9:00pm before they stopped and they wore poor Tali out (who's bedtime is usually 7:00pm)!
The day started with Grandma Phyllis arriving, and then DMKE (David, Mary, Kara and Emily - and Andrew, Kara's boyfriend). We gathered chairs, diaper bags, snacks, and coloring books. Our annual VEISHEA weekend usually is pretty routine:

-wake up quite early (earliest for mom this year, who woke up with Tali at 4:00am. Brian was ready and willing, but mom shooed him away)

-eat breakfast, shower, and dress for the weather (usually rainy, but this year was perfect! 65 degrees)!

-Pack chairs, blankets, sweatshirts

-Someone drives to save our spots (this year we all went at the same time so we could do some VEISHEA sight seeing before the parade)

This year Brian and Caitlin decided to milk a cow. Heck - you got free ice cream if you did it! (Yes, ice cream at 9:30am - it's a tradition!)

Continuing on with our VEISHEA agenda:

-We hit the petting zoo before the parade after we staked our claim on our usual sitting area (mom claims we always sit there b/c it's near the bathrooms, but I know it's actually for the pork burgers and cherry pies)!

-Then the parade - I don't know why we bring snacks for before and during the parade b/c, as I stated earlier, it's a non-stop food fest. The AG Club and different groups make food all day and they must make a bundle b/c lines start at 9:00am and continue throughout the day. Jon had eaten a steak sandwich, chips, pork burger and grilled corn on the cob by 10:00am! However, I don't think he got much of his corn...

Did I mention we bought 3 of those grilled corn on the cobs? Need I mention that Macy ate them ALL?
Then, the parade. It's the best parade I've ever seen in person. You get bags of candy and it's 3 hours long! It used to be a lot better when the sororities/fraternities would do floats, but I still appreciate the drum lines, the fire trucks, the small number of floats, the flag girls, the ISU cheerleaders, the pep band, and the numerous acts that go by to entertain our children. I'm still amazed that they stay in one area for 3 hours and anticipate what's next.

After that, we head to the kids area. In the past, we've gone to the Spring football game or walked around looking at the hole in the cow or viewing the many wonders of Iowa State. What a great celebration!
As we headed back to the car, Grandma Dawn took us by the horse stables so Caitlin could ride. She was thrilled. As I walked in the "ring" with her, she turned and said, "I can't do it by myself, mom. You don't need to come." My heart continues to melt as she wants to continue to be more independent. I snuck in anyway and took some good pix and Kelly got some on the side!
After the horse ride, we knew the little girls were getting tired. We went back home and put them to sleep - and dad. Grandma started rustling around the garage, called Caitlin to the backyard, and 2 hours later when Kelly and I checked on them, this is what we found...
Grandma had saved her huge boxes from her dishwasher and new stove (yes, my mom finally bought a stove after 32 years of having "Old Gold," the stove you had to put HIP action into shutting or the door would fly open). She told the delivery guys, "I'm a Grandma! I need those boxes for my grandkids!" Trust me - they provided at least 5 hours of fun that day before and after supper! We drew flower boxes, wallpaper, light switches, curtains and shutters and had our own little neighborhood to play in!
And this...was Sunday...

Fiesta Taco! Ole'!

Since I forgot my camera charger for VEISHEA weekend (AAAAAAAAAAAA-gain), I have to rely on my mom and sister to snapfish me the pix, me order what I want, wait 7-10 business days for them to arrive, scan them, and then post my blog about VEISHEA - I figured I wouldn't make people wait for a new post.

In fact, I will post about...Taco Bell.

Why Taco Bell, you ask?

Because I have found, quite possibly, the best combination of a healthy, cheap, and delicious taco in the new Fiesta Taco (off the light menu) at Taco Bell. It tastes fabulous, it's only 150 calories (and hard shell, at that!) and it's like 89 cents. Yes, folks, EIGHTY-NINE CENTS. It has no cheese (which doesn't bother me, but it bothers my kids so I sprinkle on 1/2 tbsp at home for them). It has a pick-me up spicy pico de galleo on top (which, surprisingly, I don't mind - of course, my kids do, so I scrape theirs off), and just the right amount of meat! I can't stop talking about this thing!

I love it so much that one time Jon suggested he pick some up after soccer practice. I quickly explained what I wanted, but it must not have been a good enough explanation. When he came home with a soft shell taco with cheese - my face sunk and I wasn't too friendly. He offered to go back, but I declined, although I'm quite sure the rest of my night suffered because my hope of a fabulous taco was destroyed...poor Jon. My apology came later, because really, how important is one measley ole' taco? Well, I'm here to tell ya - this taco will surprise you! It is my new chicken sandwich, my refreshed side salad, my good-bye to the Nachos Bell Grande! This thing is the real deal, and I'm proud to have found it and shared it with all of you!

Easter Weekend

At the end of the weekend, they looked like this...still hiding their eyes, still anticipating the hunt, thinking of all the new places Grandma thought to hide the eggs...a second time...........They waited patiently, posed for a few pictures, and thought happy thoughts - those from their fun-filled weekend with lots of grandparents and cousins - and thoughts about who they'd get to see after the 4 hour car ride...

The Easter Egg hunt did not even have to have candy filled eggs - they just like the search...

So the search went on until I made us get in the car for the last part of the weekend - the ride home...but what ended the weekend with an Easter Egg Hunt, started the weekend...
Miss Kathy celebrates holidays with the daycare kids and always does a phenomenal job. She had an Easter Bunny come to their backyard. She stuffed hundreds of eggs and hid those, along with bubbles, sunglasses, candy necklaces, stuffed bunnies and even a huge prize for the one who found a golden egg! She loves her little ones and it shows!
After the drive to Ames (which included Macy biting her sister 3 times and 10 decibal screams as a result, and a bucket full of jelly beans and m & m's thrown to the front seat of the car - all this, of course, within hour 1), we arrived safely. We visited Grandma Dawn at her school and brought her lunch. After a long nap for Macy, we left for Lake City and wore out Grandpa Rudy and Grandma Tootie for the weekend!

On Saturday, I ran in the morning in town with my cousin, Holly, and got a lot of emotional talking done. It's always such a good feeling to be able to talk, listen and feel so close to your family even though you live so far away.

After that, we went to my Grandma Phyllis' and cleaned up her yard/catch up some more. Lake City, and Iowa, quite frankly, got hit after hit with the weather this year. All weekend we saw truckloads of branches, tree limbs and brush being taken away from homes. Snow brought down decks and iced over tree limbs came down on houses and littered yards and roads everywhere. I can't imagine what it looked like during the winter! It was a beautiful, yet very windy, day, and it was fun to pick up together, believe it or not, watching the "free-loader" (hee hee) pick up things and us girls trying to move a gigantic limb that wouldn't budge. Only Heather remembered her camera and if I am unsuccessful at copying Heather's great picture from her blog, please see the pictures on her blog because they are fabulous!

Anyways, it was so great to get together and catch up, even if it was only for a couple hours. I love catching up and laughing in those moments of hard work, and moments of emotions of other, more important things going on. As my cousins said, it's more about the togetherness than the work. And I love being together.

Here is my great mom, who Macy clung to at the Burley Easter dinner, imitating Macy's classic frown. I guess Macy's defense mechanism is screaming "no," at people she doesn't know and scowls. But I love her anyway everyday just as she is!

And here is the only good cute picture I got from the Burley Easter. It's cute and funny and shows the kids had a great time! And so did I! I appreciated all of the Burleys I rarely see, my Grandma Phyllis, my Grandpa and Grandma Engstrom who I know we wore out completely, but am so thrilled we got to spend time with, and my own mom, who we are always so excited to see and spend time with, and we don't get to see as much as we want. We are so thankful we get to come home and spend time with them all and can't wait until we get to do it again.

Packing

Every time we take a trip (which is quite often since we live about 3-4 hours both ways from both sides of our families), I make a list. I am a list person. I make a list when I clean. I make lists at work. I make lists for rooms to "overhaul." And, I make lists for when we pack. As I was packing for this past weekend, I thought to myself, maybe I should blog my packing list. That would 1) hopefully reduce my list-making for the next trip and 2) my girls could read this 10 years down the road and pack themselves!

So, here's what are staples when we pack when the girls are 6 and 2 years old:

Macy
pack n play
pack n play sheet
baby
baby blankets
Macy's blanket she sleeps with
sippy
diapers
wipes
diaper cream
lotion
hair bows
# play clothes (# days we're staying + 2 more outfits)
swimsuit (if it's summer)
3 pairs jammies
# church clothes (# of church or graduation or nice place event)
socks
shoes (nice shoes, sneakers, sandals, boots - particular shoe depends on season)
toothpaste/toothbrush

Caitlin
hair detangler
comb
underwear
# play clothes (# of days we're staying + 1 more outfit - include at least 1-2 dresses or skirts)
2 pairs jammies
socks
shoes (usually 2 pair, kind depends on season)
hair bows, pony tail holders
swimsuit (if it's summer)
toothpaste/toothbrush

General
snacks for the road
color books
mini color pens (Caitlin's favorite)
movie player
movies
bottle of water (mom and Caitlin)
presents, chairs, strollers (any seasonal or item needed specifically for the trip)

Dad packs his own and this usually includes golf clubs. That's all I know for his "list."
Mom packs the usual, and includes seasonal items such as a swim suit, and the "get ready" stuff like curling iron, make up, and contact stuff.

And...we usually end up making target run for anything we've forgotten!!!