Update!

Here's an update of the Kirby Krew happenings!

*We've/I've been enjoying the in-between seasons and having Kirby at home by 4pm. It's nice to just come  home from work and have your husband home with the kids. But, have no fear, baseball and umping starts in about a week.........then school is done, the pool opens, then football starts, then school starts..... 

*Kirby is officially the Head Football Coach for the HS team so let the fun begin!

*Emma got a GREAT report card again! She is doing so well in school and loves Math. She is super close to starting multiplication facts-in first grade! Wow!  Good job Emma Roo!

*Logan has been doing well and is becoming an expert on writing his name. He is still our biggest helper and loves to snuggle with me.

*Tyler is done with basketball, but started school baseball and is on an AAU team for basketball this spring. He's as busy as ever being a teenager!

*We did our annual trip to the Duluth waterpark.  This year Emma was tall enough to go down the slides and be on the lazy river by herself.  It was hard to let her have that independance but it was a good sign that our baby girl is growing up and can take care of herself.  With Emma busy running around, that left Logan and Daddy to the tube waterslide which Logan LOVED.  It took me awhile to get warmed up to going down it but eventually I took him down a few times.  Tyler was a teenager and spent most of his time with his friend Riley playing in the archade or video games in the hotel.  It was fun to listen to the boys giggle like girls late into the night.....

*Gunner is still working on liking that puppy Raider we brought home a week ago.  Raider just wants Gunner to love and play with him but Gunner is set on being stubborn and grumpy.  We are making progress however and last night when Gunner laid down on the bed, he let Raider lay down next to him.

*Raider, is a full fledge puppy! He is so fun to watch and be around....He kinda gives you a breath of fresh air on life and how it feels and looks like to be excited every second of the day.

*And me, well....I'm just cruising along....

A boy and a puppy.....

Things are going really well with Raider.  He loves to learn and it a good sleeper. I think the best thing so far is that he's Logan's size.  Logan can put him on the leash and not be pulled around. Logan can lay on the ground and Raider will crawl all over him to lick his little face and giggle-giggle-giggle.  I looked at Logan yesterday and realized he's growing up these past few months. Using grown up words, becoming more independent and he's such a big helper.   I love the idea of he and Raider growing up together.

With that being said, Emma was petting Raider last night and was telling him what a good dog he was and Logan said, "Gunner is still a good dog too Emma."    Then went over to give Gunner some hugs and tell him he's a good boy too.  So smart and so cute!

What I know....

We have a new addition to the Kirby Krew.

Meet.........RAIDER

Call it fate, kismet, love, craziness, stupidity.......

But, I just wanted and needed this little guy.

Kirby gave me the go ahead to make the decision on my own.

Did I tell you that I married a wonderful man?

The kids love him.

Gunner is 'adjusting' to this bundle of fur and energy.

And life is fuller now.

This is what I know.....

*There is nothing cuter than watching a puppy lick the faces of your kids as they are laying on the ground giggling.

*There is nothing better than having a little puppy face be so excited to see you-be with you-and love everything.

*There is nothing better than having a dog like Gunner and knowing that we helped train him to be a wonderful dog and now he gets to help us train another dog to be a wonderful dog.

*There is nothing better than watching your rough-tough hubby play with a puppy and talk in a baby voice.

*There is nothing better than watching a puppy chew on everything one second and then in the next is passed out sleeping and snoring.

*There is nothing better than watching your kids take the puppy out to help teach him how to go outside to potty and listen/watch how they talk and interact with him.

*There is nothing better than giving an animal a new home filled with love, kids, and an older grumpy brother.

We are so blessed!



Mama bear

Mama bear hurt her back Wednesday night playing volleyball.

Apparently my 18 year old acting mind thinks it's still attached to the body of an 18 year old.

****Insert reality kick to the behind!****

I woke up Thursday morning, feeling like this.......

I walked around all day looking like I was 9 months pregnant, but without the baby or belly to show. (You know what I"m talking about ladies, the slow, painful walk, belly out with your hands on your lower back)

But, I'm tough.....I went to work, drove my car, took car of the kids while Kirby was gone to a football meeting, made pumpkin bread and even considered doing some laundry, and put the kids to bed with only 8 trips up and down the stairs before they were settled in for the night.

Then I laid down.

I tried to move my foot from hanging off the bed to back on the bed and had shooting pains up and down. 

For a few seconds, I was taken back to the pains of childbirth.  Um, no thanks!

Kirby was laying next to me watching me become paralyzed with pain. Within seconds, he sprang into action!

Pillows and icy hot and an ice pack and helping me turn over and get up were just a few of the things he did to help me. 

When he was putting the blankets back over me I said to him, "I'm sure glad you love me so much." 

Flash forward about 50 years and the same scene could be happening to us.....

Getting old stinks......physically that is, but it's nice to know that there's someone there to help take care of you when you can't get out of bed.

I love you Kirby!

Mystery Shopper

My work for the day consisted of driving down to another WorkForce Center and be a "mystery shopper." Meaning, pretend I was looking for a job and see how I was treated by the staff that worked there.  I volunteered to do this from my agency because it sounded like fun, I'm a pretty good actress (if I do say so myself) and it's nice to get out and about and visit other offices.

I got up, put some jeans on, an old shirt, tennis shoes and off to work I went!  No business casual for me today.

Now, you all know that we live in a fairly small town. Yes, we are big enough to have a Wal-mart and a McDonalds but if you drive on the main street, it would take you maybe 5 minutes to get through all of town.

I'm not scared to drive down in the big city.  Sometimes in the past  I have referred or thought of  myself to be a city girl.  Growing up in Robbinsdale, I would constantly be in the passengers seat of my Dad's car as he drove around Minneapolis/St. Paul and the suburbs.  So, I know my way around pretty well and have a good sense of direction too.  Just for fun sometimes I make Kirby drive us down to the Mall of America to see if he can do it without asking me for help. :)

Today was no different, I found where I was going and parked my car.

As I put my car in PARK, I knew I was going to stick out like a sore thumb as soon as I walked in the door.

You see, I was in South St. Paul...need I say more?

I don't mind a little attention, I can handle a few stares, but......when you are the ONLY blonde haired white girl amongst a sea of African American Males....you feel a little 'odd.'  

I put on my big girl pants and adjusted my acting hat and went to work.  It wasn't hard pretending to need help and to ask questions and pretend to be job searching.   I was doing well until I decided to do this to the guy sitting next to me:

"Excuse me sir, can I ask you a question?"

His quick and short reply........... "NO."

I was taken back by his reply and  chuckled outloud cause I though he was joking around with me. I continued to look at him with a piece of paper in my hand and realized, he was serious.

So much for Minnesota nice.

I then proceeded to observe the other folks in the WFC.  I didn't see many smiles, or how are you's, or even eye contact with each other.  Everyone was doing their own thing, on their own time.

I left the WFC and drove to a nearby Trader Joe's. I had heard wonderful things about this store and was excited to check it out.   The store was great but the people were not!  Apparently if you have a cart, you always have the right away in that store.  I was bumped and cut off and never once did I hear, "excuse me" or "I'm sorry."

 I said 'Excuse me" to one gal and she just gave me the oddest look and moved with fear in her eyes.......  lol!

So, what's my point?  Small town living is best. I like that people are polite and say excuse me and if I have a question, they are more than willing to help.  I like that in my town, people say 'Hello' and 'How are you?' and actually look at someone eye to eye.  

There are downsides as well, I know but...........I will take my small town living anyday!

Emma Roo......

I love sleeping in. Did you catch that about me?  I LOVE SLEEPING IN.  In fact, it's not so much about actually sleeping in, it's the fact of not having to get up that I love.   During the work week....I cling to my bed till the last possible moment. On the weekends, my husbands knows that I NEED at least one morning to stay in bed until I'm ready to get up.  (I really appreciate that about him.)

Today, however, I got up at 7am on a SATURDAY! @#!?!??@!???!@!

Why?  To bring this little girl to a volleyball camp.

She even convinced her 14 year brother to get out of bed and come watch her practice volleyball. 

Now that is a feat within it's self! 

This is one of the few reasons I will happily get out of bed early on a Saturday morning.

**********************************************************************************

The boys left for the Musky banquet which left the rest of the day for Emma and I to hang out.  

We shopped at the Outlet mall for a bit, ate at Burger King (her pick, not mine), went to Menards and Target and then came home to watch a few movies and eat Chinese. 

While in the parking lot of Target, headed home, Emma says to me....

"Mom, this is the best day ever! I got to go shopping and spend time with my Mommy."  

Melt.....

Thanks Em, you are my special princess and I love spending time with you as well. Thanks for a fun day!

Old to New but still old......

I was trying to find a picture of what our 'old' bathroom looked like and the only one I could find was of Logan when he was a CHUNKY baby taking a bath. 

Then I remembered that Kirby took a few pictures...

Here it is.  I used to be into moose and bears and did my best to make the bathroom a 'nice' place to visit.

(Hi Logie!)

Papa Tom was in town for a few days to hang out so of course, I put him to work. :)

Logan was his right hand handy man!

Sometime in the day, Logan said to Papa Tom, "Daddy sure isn't doing much work is he?"

Kirby claims he was running up and downstairs and getting tools, etc but.......

Seriously.....Logan is the biggest helper!  Just look at him.....

Yuck!  Good thing Logan is so cute...

Hey look........a picture with Kirby working!

Just kidding honey.....

AND NOW, THE (ALMOST) FINISHED PROJECT!!!!!

Like my new vanity?

What a nice change huh?  My favorite colors are black and white and I LOVE silver jewelry.  Kirby says this is MY bathroom......

Next up-new lights and a medicine cabinet and then we are all set!