busy

seriously i have really good intentions to blog, then i find myself watching tv, or sleeping, or Mad chasing, or broomball playing, or working.

it's been a busy month, every weekend seems to be full of broomball tournaments, family get togethers, parties with friends, and lots and lots of work. This is how an average week goes....

Sunday~work 6-2 pm
Monday~work 5-9 am
Tuesday~nanny 7-5 pm
Wednesday~nanny 7-5 pm
Thursday~OFF, broomball at night
Friday~OFF, OFF, OFF
Saturday~work 7-2 pm

I guess on paper it doesn't really look that bad, especially if you don't have kids and once you're done with work you can just chill out. Unfortunately my 17 month old isn't too fond of letting me sit around, cause when i do she's probably putting toilet paper in the toilet water and then sucking the water from the tp (yuck, i know). Or she's pulling all the books of the bookshelf, or eating the dog food, or trying to swim in the dog water, or trying to climb in the bathtub and helping herself to a bath.

I'm nannying two days a week for a 3 month old, it's a lot of work with Mad around. She's really cute because she tries so hard to be helpful. When he cries she tries to get him to drink from her sippy cup, she pushes him in his swing, she tries to pick him up (he weighs 14 pounds, Mad weighs 20). She tries to sit on him about 10 times a day. I feel more like a referee than a babysitter. He really loves her though, even after she tries to poke out his eyes.

That last pictures just because she's adorable and cracks me up every day.

Christmas in Idaho

I know this post is about 3 weeks too late, but better late than never, right........

We spent Christmas in McCall this year, which was a long overdue trip, it had been 4 or 5 years since we've spent a Christmas in Idaho. It was a very short 6 day trip, but we packed in as much fun and family time as possible. I wasn't able to see everyone I wanted to and I feel really guilty about that but I'm glad for the people I did get to see.

We spent most of the vacation relaxing and eating my moms amazing food, she definitely tried to overfeed us every occasion she got, her food is so wonderful though, it's hard to resist. I don't know if I'll ever live up to her standards in the kitchen, but I'm definitely willing to try. Madison loved her chocolate covered bananas.


We were also able to get out cross country skiing once and boy did it make me realize how much I miss real snow and real mountains, it's definitely something I need to bring back into my life.

We spent at least an hour every day outside, which Madison LOVED. She couldn't get enough play time outdoors. She'd be freezing but the second we brought her inside and tried to take off her many layers she would throw quite the fit. She loves the sled, we even were able to get Jasmine to pull her with the harness,
that didn't go over quite so well but funny to watch anyways.



T & I went out one night with a bunch of my high school friends to two local bars (there are only 4 bars in the downtown area). I had the greatest time. The wonderful thing about McCall is, when you go to a bar on a Friday night you're bound to have a high school reunion (I went to school with 400 kids so I knew everyone,) I saw so many people from HS that I was really glad to see again and catch up on their lives.

We spent Christmas day at my brother & sister in laws place. It was a very relaxing fun day of open gifts, eating, playing games, and playing outside. It had snowed over 12 inches Christmas night so it was a blast watching the dogs chase snow balls in the deep snow.


Overall it was a fantastic, but too short trip. I LOVE going home, it makes me feel whole again. Before I left I was having a really hard time, I was getting angry a lot about stupid things, I was impatient and sad more days than I was happy. I feel so much better now, I don't know what it is about McCall but it's magical, I miss it, and everyone there, every day!

We made it!

Well after a pretty uneventful trip we are here in Idaho.

The roads ended up being pretty clear most of the way, except for a 50 mile stretch from Idaho Falls to Twin Falls, and a few windy spots in North Dakota. We ended up stopping in Bozeman to get some much needed sleep before I killed my husband and he killed me. We finally got to McCall at 6 pm tonight. Mad is already loving all the dogs and new stuff to destroy, Tony and I are already loving all the good micro brews and relaxed atmosphere.

Lots to do in the short 7 days we are here, seeing high school friends, teachers, and coaches will take up a lot of our time.

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone holidays are full of joy and laughter.

I'm outta here!

I'm leaving the freezing tundra of Minnesota for 10 days today.... the family is all packed up and cozy in the car ready for the long (22 hours) and BORING drive across the flat lands (really, the states between Idaho and Minnesota are the worst! There's nothing there to entertain even the most imaginative person.) Unfortunately mother nature didn't cooperate with us and she decided to dump snow and wind on us. I usually love the snow but not when I know we have to drive through it, we'll just have to go slow and take our time. Hopefully I have enough DVD's, toys, and books to entertain Mad for the long trip.

I haven't been home for Christmas for 4 years now so I'm so very excited, I'll hopefully get to enjoy some snowboarding on some real mountains, and some great cross country skiing through the beautiful ponderosa pines. Mostly I'm excited that my parents get to spend some quality time with Mad, they deserve it and she deserves it. It's really not fair that they only get to see her a few times a year, life is too short! But nothing I can do about that so better not to dwell on it. I'll update with pictures and a post when I get home.

I hope everyone has a very Happy and Merry Christmas and even better New Years.
We'll be home just in time to say goodbye to 08 and celebrate the upcoming year with all our favorite people in Minnesota.

Be safe!
Happy Holidays!!

"Scrappy Tappy"

I have to start out by saying that I was given this nickname by my husbands BFF from HS, whom we refer to as "Slapshot" so take it all with a grain of salt. Because I'm not the one that broke a girls hand with his crazy shot, but that's an entirely different story.

I'm an extremely competitive person, I HATE losing, I'm serious, even at something as simple as cards or video games, I don't take it very well. I have to admit that I'm somewhat of a sore loser.... I don't mind it so much in actual events, like running. But I have been know to throw darts when things don't go my way, in my defense I may have been a little drunk at the time, and it was awhile ago. Pre mommy hood, I know better now. ;)

Broomball is basically field hockey on ice. Super fun but there's a lot of slipping, sliding, and lots of falling involved and since I always give 110% I'm all over the place. Between the months of November and February I'm covered in bruises and loving every minute of it.

I believe I received the generous nickname because I won't put up with these huge hockey player like guys trying to push people around, especially girls, not cool. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm meager and can't hold my own on the ice. Because I can, I'll run right around you and shove you into the board if I must (which techically isn't allowed but c'est la vie).

I grew up playing sports with guys and not taking there shit, so I believe the nickname is pretty appropriate. I kind of enjoy games where the guys think the women are just there because it's a coed league and they have to have women. It doesn't take them long to figure out that I'm not just a spot filler, and they actually have to play defense against me.

Sports are good for the soul, especially when you have a lot of pent up aggression from being passive-aggressive your whole life.

I just got off work at Dunn Bros, we have a drive thru, more than 10 people came through this morning and had to open there door because there windows were frozen shut and they acted all surprised. Well no kidding people, it poured rain all day yesterday and it's -4 degrees outside today, of course your window won't open.
I can't wait to leave Minnesota, stupid windy flatlands!
That's all....

My sweet little peanut

Mini Mad is getting smarter by the day, and more sassy by the day too. She cracks me up, her favorite thing to do is dump out the dogs water and food all over the floor, whenever she does that we always grab the kitchen town and mop up the spill. Well now as she's heading over to reek havoc she grabs the towel on her way and mops it up for me, hilarious.

She has yet to speak besides the usual mama, dada, and dadee (doggie). She also is very demanding, pointing and waving her arms at what she wants as she says, "dat." If that doesn't work she will grab our hand and pull us where she wants us to go, I'm trying to convince her that if she'd just talk it would be less frustrating for the both of us. Ah well, eventually I'll never be able to shut her up.

She's really starting to enjoy puzzles and book, which is fun because that means she will sit still for longer than 5 minutes. Every time she gets a puzzle piece in the correct spot she gives a great big grin and claps, so proud of herself.

I'll have to try and get a video of her dance moves, she shakes her butt and hips, very cute.

Those are just some of the things that makes me smile and so proud of my little one.

PS. These updates are few and far between.... work is kicking my ass, and trying to be a little social butterfly is taking its toll.... I'm definitely not getting any younger.

PPS. Broomball starts on Thursday, I CANNOT wait.... this is what gets me through the winter. Maybe I'll write a post about how I received my broomball nickname, "Scrappy Tappy"