Elevator Etiquette....

I just have to vent for a moment. I ride an elevator multiple times a day where I work. I have no problem when people want to or don't want to strike up a conversation while we hitch a ride together. I have no personal space issues (for the most part) when in small quarters for a short period of time.
However, what I do have a problem with is the fact that when you try to get off the elevator the people that are trying to get on run you over. Seriously. Just wait until we get out. It only takes 5 seconds. Sit back. Move. Man, it's just rude.
Yes, I realize I could take the stairs, but the idea of climbing 98 stairs (yes I've counted) in 2 inch heels more than once a day is not very time efficient.
Whew. I feel much better. Thank you.

Where....

I'm such a follower.....
WHERE:
is your cell phone? in my purse..

is your significant other? at work.

is your hair? on my head (thankfully).

is your mother? in the bay.

is one of your favorite things? I have two and they're both at daycare.

was your dream last night? oddly enough, at my elementary school.

can you get your favorite drink? any place that sells diet coke.

are you right now? at work.

is your ex? no idea - I do think one is still in sb

is your fear? losing someone i love.

do you want to be in 6 years? comfortable and stress free

were you last night? at baseball practice

was the last place you drove? from daycare to work.

did you grow up? in the bay.

was the last place you ate? at my kitchen table.

is (are) your TV(s)? one in the living room, one in our bedroom and one in the family room.
are your pets? what pets?

is your computer? in the family room.

is your mood? tired.

is your oldest friend? California

is your car? in the parking lot with many, many others

is your wedding ring? on my left ring finger.

is your favorite store? 5 miles away - Target.

is your favorite place to be in the summer? on a lake or anywhere outside

was the last place you laughed? in my house this morning - something the little man said

was the last place you cried? last week when I jammed my finger

are five places you go on the Internet on a regular basis? my email, blogs, online banking, work intranet and kstp.com

Gettin' Down With Mother Goose.....

Tonight we got down with Mother Goose. It was the afternoon kindergarten classes music concert. There's just something about a bunch of over energized five and six year old kids singing and dancing that gives you perma-grin. They did such a fabulous job. You'll have to enlarge the picture to see Colton in his shades rockin out to "Little Boy Blue Come Blow Your Horn."
Here's Colton and one of his buddies that he met on his baseball team last summer. These are handmade tie-dye tee's that each class made. Pretty cool huh?!

Rock Star Wannabe.....

What a fun Saturday night! We spent the evening at the Dukowitz's playing Rockband. What a blast! Jaci and Marilyn were much more productive than I was yesterday as they already have posts and photos up! Nice work ladies! I on the other hand opted for a couple long naps.
So, if you want to see us all in action, check out their blogs. My pictures would look exactly the same, so I'm going to be lazy and just send you their way!

What's A Girl To Do?

T minus 4 days until the big Rock Band/Guitar Hero party. Mike's been making me practice so I don't embarrass him. Here's my dilemma.....
Picture it - 4:15 on a Tuesday afternoon. A son jazzed about his first night of baseball practice. A mom trying to be encouraging and oblige to son's request to "throw a few pop flys and some grounders."
Three minutes into playing catch - son throws the ball just over the mom's head and she tries to be skillful and catch it bare handed. Next thing mom knows is that her pinkie is throbbing and she feels like she might throw up. In her attempt to avoid foul language in front of her children, she grabs her hand, bends over, closes her eyes and screams internally - oh, and jumps around yelling "owie owie owie." Very mature huh?
It's now 8:30 on a Tuesday evening. Her pinkie is about the size of her wrist (give or take a little) and it's turning a nice shade of purple/black and blue. Nice.
So, I guess I'm not going to be able to show my mad skills on the medium level of Guitar Hero.
Do you need a working pinkie finger to play the drums?

That Time Of Year.....

If you are looking for us on a Tuesday or Thursday evening for the next 2 months, here's what we'll be doing...
It's baseball season!
Here he is....big #3!
And here's his biggest fan wearing Colton's hat from last year....

A Little Help Please.....

I cannont for the life of me figure out how to shrink down the header photo!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and I don't have any fancy photo programs....

The Birthday Parties.....

This is the first year we've had a "kid" party for Colton's birthday. Now that he's in kindergarten, he has new friends and we figured this is the appropriate age to start this tradition.
Of all the ideas we came up with for what to do for the party, he picked bowling! We figured that was easy enough. So last Saturday, the were 5 little dudes whoopin' it up at the local bowling alley - along with about 40 other kids with the same idea in mind. Have you ever seen a group of young boys play together? Let's just say that they don't change much from age 6 to age 30! ;) There was a lot of chest bumping, high fiving, running around and diving. The didn't sit still once - oh wait, I take that back....they were pretty quiet as the shoved birthday cake in their mouths! We had a family party on Sunday. Of course it included a few rounds of Guitar Hero!

I'm pretty sure that Colton thinks your birthday lasts about a week!

P.S. Did you notice that the bottom picture was after a much needed haircut?

To My Grandma.....

My grandma passed away unexpectedly on Sunday.
She is not the kind of gal that would want a lot of attention brought to her, but it wouldn't really be my style not to.
She was a wonderful woman.
Some of my earliest memories with her are when we'd go up to her cabin and when she made a deal with me - if I quit sucking my thumb, she would quit smoking. That was when I was five. I'm happy to say, we both had success.
I remember her and my grandpa taking my brother and me bowling. Man, they must have had a lot of patience.
I remember her teaching me how to play solitaire.
I remember when she survived breast cancer.
I remember her laugh.
I remember her fabulous sense of humor.
I remember thinking, "how in the heck can she drive from MN to MI without stopping to go to the bathroom?"
I remember how lucky she was at the casinos.
I remember how tasty her pasties were and that I'm thankful she has shared her recipe with me.
I remember how cool it was to have a 5 generations picture taken with her and great-grandma when Colton was born.
I remember how much she loved all of us.
I remember how much I love her.

Grandma, I know that you are in a fabulous place and that you are looking down at all of us and telling us not to be sad - that things are okay. That's just a little too hard right now. We will get there though. My wonderful memories with you will get me there.

Oh, and Colton was hoping that you could take care of Tag (his other grandpa and grandma's dog) now that you are both in Heaven. He's pretty sure you know how to take care of dogs.

We love you!

Happy Birthday!!

Your 1st and 2nd Birthday's were before my knowledge of downloading pictures onto our computer...we don't have a scanner, so here's a recap of ages 3 - 5. ;)

Age 3 - This was the year of Batman. Batman EVERYTHING. PJs, action figures, underwear, T-shirts, shoes, sheets - you name it, we had it in Batman. We gave up making you get dressed in anything other than your Batman PJs with the cape. We broke down and bought you a couple other pairs so that we knew you were at least clean. Once when you were at Grandma's, she asked you to get dressed - she asked if you could pretend to be Bruce Wayne for the day. Your reply? "Grandma, can't you just pretend that I'm dressed?"
In this picture, you were helping (using that term very loosely) make your birthday cake. Of course it was the Bat symbol! Age 4 - This started the year of the Dinosaur. T-Rex has always been your favorite, but you could name pretty much all of them - Parasarslophus, Celophisis, Iguanadon, the list goes on. You are a very funny kid and keep us on our toes at all times.
Age 5 - This was the year of everything to do with sports. You knew every NFL team and what city they were from. In many cases you even knew a few of the players and what number was on their jersey. You wanted a Morneau jersey and cleats for your birthday so that you could play baseball in the summer.
You are now turning 6!! I cannot believe it. You are a smart, lovable guy and I'm so proud of you! I love you bud!

He's Back!!

I'm happy to announce that my goofy, big eater baby boy is back to his normal little self!!
This is how he makes sure that nobody will eat his "nummy nummies"...hover over the canister with snotty boogs dripping from you nose!

Weekend In Review.....

Brett came down with a fever last Sunday. By Monday evening it was gone, but the coughing started Tuesday. On Wednesday he was just not himself - he was needy, not eating, just not content. On Thursday evening he started getting a little rash on his belly. Friday morning he was covered head to toe with little red bumps. So, I made him a doctor's appointment at 8:00 a.m.
Thankfully as we pulled up to the clinic he was laughing and chatting. He walked from the car to the clinic like he was big man on campus. He flirted with the receptionist. He flirted with the nursing assistant as she weighed him on the way to the exam room. He followed the aide down the hall, but when he took a turn to go into the room, he looked at me, turned around and headed back down the hall. He wanted nothing to do with being in there - the room he seems to know all too well. Needless to say, the rest of the appointment went horribly. He screamed and screamed and screamed.
By the time we left at 9:00 a.m., his strep test came back negative, but he had a "really bad" ear infection in his right ear. Again. Off to the pharmacy to pick up the meds and we were in for a long weekend.
If he was being held, he wanted down. If he was down, he wanted up. Ugh.
Hoping that he'll be back to his crazy little self very very soon!!

And The Answer Is.....

Wow. I must be a true GOLD!! One of the characteristics of a "gold" is that they are predictable - you all were right on. The ranking of my colors are as follows:
1. Gold
2. Orange
3. Blue
4. Green

I do have to say that colors 2 - 4 were very very close. I am one of those rare people that have a gold/orange combo as they are total opposites and typically those that frustrate each other with their style of doing things. Learn something everyday don't you?!

Another Personality Test......

There are hundreds of personality tests out there. We had to take one at work for an upcoming workshop. I'm going to make this into a little game.....

I will give you the definitions of each color and then you tell me what color you think I was told I am. Fun huh?!!

ORANGE - Represents energy, consuming physiological potency, power and strength. Orange is the expression of vital force or nervous and glandular activity. Thus, it has the meaning of desire and all forms of appetite and craving. Those with Orange as a primary color feel the will to achieve results, to win, to be successful. They desire all things that offer intense living and full experience.

GOLD - Is the body's natural perceptions. It represents a need to be responsible to fulfill duties and obligations, to organize and structure our life and that of others. those with Gold as a primary color value being practical and sensible. They believe that people should earn their way in life through work and service to others. Gold reflects a need to belong through carrying a share of the load in all areas of living. It embraces the concepts of home and family with fierce loyalty and faithfulness.

GREEN - Expresses itself psychologically as human will in operation: as persistence and determination. Green is an expression of firmness and consistency. Its strength can lead to a resistance to change if it is not proven that change will work or is warranted. Green characteristics seek to increase the certainty of their own values through being assertive and requiring differences from others in intellectual areas.

BLUE - Represents calm. Contemplation of this color pacifies he central nervous system. It creates physiological tranquility and psychological contentment. Those with Blue as a primary color value balance and harmony. They prefer lives free from tension....settled, united and secure. Blue represents loyalty and a sense of belonging and yet when friends are involved, a vulnerability.

Don't worry. There really isn't a "right" answer as you really are all four of them, but what would you guess is my Primary Color?

Props to www.mytruecolors.com for creating yet another personality test.