Toad's Wonderful Christmas

Toad's Snowman

Toad with Grandpa & Grandma A

Video Games with Dad

The Cutest Santa Claus

A Gift for Grandma B

Teacher Gifts and Other Delights

I've been feeling pretty crafty lately and have made several trips to Archiver's in the last few weeks. In addition to the cute sparkly button star ornaments I made for Toad's teachers, I made pastel button tree ornaments for the eight supervisors at work. Tomorrow night Toad and I will be working on his very own star, which he is going to paint red.

This past weekend Hammer Guy's parents visited. We took them to see a Christmas Carol at the new Guthrie for their anniversary. The building is sleek and modern and I found it to be a bit cold and uninviting compared to the old theater, and don't get me started about the parking fiasco. Once I got inside the thrust performance hall, though, it felt more familiar. I guess I'm a bit sentimental about it. The play was wonderful -- HG and I saw it last in 1999.

Toad and Grandma A made cookies on Saturday while I worked on the tree ornaments. Toad's were more like flour-y crumbs and he had a great time! Grandma and Grandpa A will be coming back this weekend for Christmas and there is cookie dough in the freezer for more fun!

Sick Day and Other Events

Toad had a sick day on Monday. It was my scheduled day off, so I had a big list of chores, but Toad was up in the night with a very croupy cough and he's got a nasty runny nose. So we watched a lot of Christmas movies and even though I tried to get a few things done, mostly we just rested together, which was good for me, too, since I've been feeling a bit under the weather as well.

Going back to work was hard, both physically and mentally. I worked six days in a row without a day off and am looking forward to having next weekend off, with a visit from Hammer Guy's parents.

Last Thursday night was Toad's holiday program. It started off kind of wonky.... he was right in the front row of his class of almost 3 to 5 year olds and before they sang the first song, he picked his nose and... well, you get the rest. I shook my head no to him and it looked like he was about to cry, but he recovered as soon as they started singing. Thank goodness -- last year he wouldn't stay with the group and ended up on my lap the entire program. This year he got to wear the Santa hat for "He'll be coming down the chimney." He was wonderful and participated in the entire program and then got to chat with Santa a bit after.


Toad and I dipped pretzels the other day and sprinkled them for a bit of extra holiday flair. He was very interested in shaking the little jar of sprinkles and stated, "It makes a lovely sound." Oh, how I love that boy!

Back to Reality

Tomorrow, we take another step forward as I return to the store after a three-week absence. November was terribly unreal, but we have been working to get our family routine back on track these last few days. HG returned to work and Toad returned to school after Dad's funeral but then we had a planned week of vacation, during which time we visited Wisconsin and got to meet Toad's new cousin, Rachel. We then spent a few days working around the house and preparing for Christmas. And today, I have one more day to get life back to normal before I return to work -- which means more laundry, cleaning, decorating, grocery shopping, etc.

Yesterday was a very important day -- the annual Lions Pancake Breakfast with visit to Santa Claus. It was hard for HG and me because this was one of my Dad's favorite Lions activities -- I used to come home from college for Pancake Breakfast Weekend, and since HG joined the Lions, and especially since we've had Toad, we've never missed it. I wasn't sure that I wanted to go this year, but Dad's brother Bud and his wife De were there as well as our very good friends Dana and Geoff with their two boys. And Toad was completely obsessed with Santa, of course. So it turned out to be a happy event after all, even with the absence of our wonderful Dad and Grandpa.

Here are a few pictures of some of our recent activities:

Interior and exterior views of the Votive Chapel at the

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Frog and Toad

Hey Howdy Hey, I am Lookin' Good!

Toad was literally a "stuffed" Woody as he and HG ventured out into the cold Halloween night. We had a near-perfect evening, with Toad agreeing to wearing multiple layers (although no mittens). Because of the cold, they did not go to as many houses as last year, but Toad was more than happy to turn around and return home to see what treats were in his pumpkin. At seven o'clock the candy ran out, I turned off the lights, and we went upstairs for a bath just like any other night.

Last week Toad and I were "hiding" from HG like we do almost every night -- while we run the bath, he and I "hide" behind the shower curtain. Toad climbed on my lap, gave me a big hug, and said, "You're the mom I always wanted." There's nothing sweeter in this world.

Monday I had an ultrasound -- all is well with Toad's new baby. It is very, very wiggly, although I didn't need an ultrasound to tell me that! All the important pieces are in place.

Frog and Toad Are Cousins

Toad has a new baby cousin! On Monday, October 16, 2006, HG's sister Sara had a baby girl, Rachel. She was born at 9:18 a.m. (EST) and weighed in at 6 lbs, 11oz and is 19 3/4 inches long. We've talked to Sara and Chuck a couple of times and they're excited and anxious and exhausted, everything a new parent should be. HG and I remember those first few days with Toad.... and we survived. It's amazing how quickly the years have passed since we had a newborn in the house -- and amazing how soon we'll have another one. We're very excited that Rachel will have a cousin just five months younger. Toad is already thrilled with his role as a big brother.

More news on Miss Rachel to follow as we receive reports from Michigan.

The Great Pumpkin

Sunday was a gorgeous day to pick the perfect pumpkin.

North Shore Anniversary

Grand Marais



Palisade Head




Gooseberry Falls


We had such a beautiful weekend for our anniversary trip to Duluth, Two Harbors, and Grand Marais. Toad spent the weekend in Wisconsin. HG and I drove up early Friday morning. We spent an overcast and somewhat rainy day in Duluth, eating at our favorite restaurant, Fitgers Brewhouse. We had dinner with my sister Mary and spent some time browsing at the bookstore. We also visited some of our favorite places in Duluth -- The Blue Heron, Duluth Pack, and Canal Park.

Breakfast Saturday morning was at Betty's Pies in Two Harbors -- yum. Saturday was warm and sunny, a perfect autumn North Shore day. We drove up to Grand Marais to visit Betsy Bowen's studio and we purchased some of her work to celebrate our fifth anniversary. How appropriate that there are five chickadees. Betsy spent some time with Hammer Guy giving him tips and advice on the art of woodcut.



We had breakfast Sunday morning again at Betty's Pies (this time we saved room for their world famous pie, and it did not disappoint). The day turned out to be rainy and gray, but we stopped once again in Duluth for a few last minute items and a drive onto Park Point. This was our eight annual weekend getaway to the shore -- and I can't imagine not having this to look forward to each fall.

Happy Birthday, Dear Daddy

We celebrated Hammer Guy's birthday quietly last week with a bucket of chicken and a delicious cake. The biggest excitement of the week was Toad's new pajamas, complete with cape. If only they were magic pj's that made bedtime easier.

It's Good to Be A Bills Fan

The Bills beat the Vikings at home on Sunday and it's a great feeling. Even Bill Clinton got into the spirit of the game, hanging out with the revered Ralph Wilson. Next Sunday is the true test -- Dick Jauron returns to Soldier Field to take on the Bears.

I Am Spartacus

It's been ten years since my favorite movie of the 9os came out. I saw That Thing You Do! with T on a rainy Friday night in fall and I wanted to get back in line and watch it again. Those days of Monday through Friday office jobs and Applebee's appetizer samplers are long gone, but the memories are sweet, aren't they? I love this movie. Plain and simple, it makes me happy. Table 19, your pizza is ready.

We had an amazing family gathering at our house over the weekend to celebrate four September birthdays, including my dad's and Hammer Guy's. The food and beer were delicious, the company was great. Of the entire family, only five were missing, although Sue was able to fly home from Connecticut for the event, which was marvelous. Two days later I hosted a smallish Pampered Chef Kitchen Show, which was also a lot of fun. I think I'm done entertaining for a while, though.

We're looking forward to Hammer Guy's birthday (tomorrow) and our fifth anniversary with our annual weekend get-away. We need the time to relax and recharge.

This could have been us

Another late summer storm ripped through the area last night. An F2 tornado tore up my hometown of Rogers. This storm had passed over our house about ten minutes before it damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes. A ten-year-old girl died when the house collapsed.

The power went out at 9:47 p.m. and was out for 12 hours. We are very fortunate that we had absolutely no damage to our home, garage, or yard, and my brother's and parents' homes were spared as well. We spent a lot of time in our basement, and are feeling incredibly blessed today.

Happy Birthday to my dad

Today is my dad's 76th birthday. HG, Toad, and I are blessed to have him and my mom in our lives. We love you, Dad!

Long time, no blog!

Tonight is a big night. Tonight the members of Supernova (who will have to change their name, I've heard, because of a copyright lawsuit) selected their new lead singer. And I don't know who it is. We recorded it, as we do every Wednesday night because we never have Toad in bed by the time it's on at 7 pm, but Hammer Guy's not home yet so I'm waiting for him. Pins and needles.

Other news to report: HG picked up our 1/4 Wild season tickets tonight.

Toad officially started school last Tuesday and is off to a fine start. The sound of the week is A, a and he informed me tonight when I picked him up that he likes the skin of an apple now. We shared an apple at dinner time and guess what? He doesn't. The skin was "so, so long" and he didn't care for it.

Over Labor Day weekend, a large project commenced. HG and his dad went to Menards for supplies to start "finishing" the basement. They worked hard and got two walls up in two days. From the looks of it, this is going to be a very long project.

Work has been stressful. We're in our busy season and are very short staffed, so that makes for long days and crabby co-workers, but I'll take this over Christmas at Best Buy any day.

That's it for now.... I'll report back on my Supernova thoughts later.

Rock Star: Supernova

My history with "Reality TV" is varied. It began with The Real World (and DQ Breezes) in my college days, although I guess you could say I was a fan of Star Search a million years ago (remember when Limited Warranty won?). I never really got into American Idol. The first season of the Apprentice sucked me in but after that lost its luster. I've never cared for Survivor or shows like The Osbournes or The Newlyweds.

But Rock Star: Supernova? Now there's a show that commands attention. I missed the entire season of Rock Star: INXS, mainly because of work obligations, but also because there's a part of me that still grieves for Michael Hutchence. But I'm impressed with the "new" INXS, so I've added the Rock Star: INXS DVD to my amazon wishlist.

Not familiar with Supernova? Tommy Lee on drums, Gilby Clarke (of GNR) on guitar and geeky Jason Newsted (Metallica) on bass. Last night they rocked out with an original Supernova song fronted by Dilana, who is definitely a contender. There are only seven rockers left, including my favorite, pictured here, Magni from Iceland. He's got a great voice.

Supernova -- every Tuesday and Wednesday night on CBS.

We spent last weekend in Wisconsin, first visiting family and then made the annual trip to the Water Park with dear friends. Sadly, not many of us made it this year, and it rained a bit, but the reunion was still a sweet one.

It's a Big Wide World

Toad has a new favorite show (and so do I). It's called Peep and the Big Wide World, a cartoon about a small chicken named Peep, a robin named Chirp, and a blue duck named Quack. Each day they learn about science in everyday life, with a lot of humor and lessons about friendship thrown in. Joan Cusack narrates. Toad absolutely loves Quack, who is quite self-absorbed. He watches while I get ready in the mornings, and sometimes we end up running late because I have to sit down to see how they solve their current problem.

It's on both TLC and Discovery Kids.

More Duluth Pics

JT emailed these from our trip last week. What a great picture of Toad with the city behind him.

Monday meant back to reality.... back to work. Getting back into our normal routine has been challenging. Today I'm off and was fortunate to have the CT family over for lunch -- they're packing up the RV and heading home early Saturday morning and with my work schedule, I probably won't get to see them again. They hope to return for Christmas. I miss them already.

This afternoon Toad is going to be a very unwilling model for the new photo studio that just opened at the Baby Store. Toad enjoys visiting Mama's work, but this could be tricky. Keep your fingers crossed for that one.

Toad's First Trip to Duluth

Toad and I had a lovely time in Duluth yesterday. Our fellow travelers included the CT Cousins, Aunts S & A and Cousin JT. We met Aunt M and msquared and spent the day visiting Canal Park, Floodwater Bay in Two Harbors, and M & M's new house in Duluth. The weather was perfect -- hot and sunny with a refreshing breeze off the lake. Toad and I napped in the van while the others burned and swam. We made a trip to the bookstore, of course, and then had dinner at one of our favorite places, Mexican Maya.

Ask Toad his favorite part of the trip and you'll receive a variety of answers: playing on the rocks, the monkey store, watching A Bug's Life in the van.

My favorite part? Being so close to the lake again. It's amazing how the sight of Lake Superior can calm and center me. I carry with me so many wonderful memories of Duluth -- from the times I visited as a kid, to the four years I spent at UMD, to all the times I've returned since to visit with family and friends and to share my love of the lake and its surroundings with Hammer Guy. And now Toad has seen it, too. I hope he will learn to love it as much as HG and I do.

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo; you can come too, too, too....

Yesterday we went to the MN Zoo with Aunt S and the CT Cousins, Big T and Double E. We had a beautiful day -- warm but not humid with a cool breeze. The highlights of the day included the Butterfly Garden, a picnic lunch, visiting the Family Farm, and of course the Dolphin Show. We were all exhausted by the time we hit the road for home.

I'm enjoying a week of vacation, relaxing and working at home and spending time with the visitors from the East. I'm reading one of my all-time favorites books, Gone With the Wind. I used to read it every July (until Toad was born). I hate heat and humidity, so a book of that magnitude is the perfect escape.

Long Time No Blog

It's been several weeks since I've been able to post anything. June was a very busy month for us. We're enjoying our summer, with lots of birthday parties, swimming at Aunt J's, and family get-togethers, including a wedding at Lambeau Field for Hammer Guy and the HG side of the family. Toad's big thing these days is the movie Cars and all things related. Ask him who his favorite is and he'll say, "ALL of them!" Above is a picture of the track and cars he earned by earning stickers and following his sleep rules.

A New Tradition

It seems that we've started a new tradition. Seven families came together at Lake Delta for a weekend of togetherness and all that it entails -- boats, beach, s'mores, swimming, delicious dinners, chasing children. It was wild and fun and stressful at times, but the point was that we were together again -- a group of terrific women, their patiently and wisely chosen husbands, and their delightful children. Even the infamous rubber chicken joined us for his second annual Memorial Day vacation.

Hopefully we'll be able to pull this off again next year -- and much thanks are due to the organizers in the group, as well as to our dear hostess.

So it's back home now and back to normal, if you can call it that. We've got another couple of hectic weeks ahead of us and then hopefully we'll be able to reach a more peaceful, summery pace.

Which Classic Literary Female Character Are You?

Of course.

(thanks to pdxkatie for the link)

Toad's Birthday

Toad's Third Birthday Celebration began with sharing Tofutti Cuties with his class at school. Friday night we hosted a Toy Story party at home, complete with yummy take-out from "Pizza Planet" and a cake with the three Pizza Planet Aliens. Toad received lots of wonderful gifts, including a super cool big wheel and a little piano. Aunt J also gave him a tree of his own to plant in the back yard. Gma & Gpa A came to spend the weekend, too!

We invited some of Toad's buddies from school to a Batman picnic at the park Saturday. Despite a brief rain shower, the kids had a great time, and paused just long enough for this cute photo.

New Best Friend

Last Saturday, after a very fun birthday party for school chum and wild boy Daniel, we took Toad to the new Space Aliens restaurant -- much like Pizza Planet from Toy Story. We loaded up on tokens and played all sorts of fun games. Hammer Guy tried his luck at The Claw and actually scored the much-desired Batman after only four tries. Toad and Batman have been inseparable ever since.

On Sunday, Mother's Day, I received a very special gift from Toad, who bid a fond farewell to Pull-Ups! It's been a very successful week, at school, at home, and even out in public! Hooray!

Toad's Week

Cookbook Recommendation -- great recipes and fun pictures!

It's been another busy week.

Saturday we took Toad to Menards. We picked out bird feeders for my Mother's Day gift and Sunday morning Toad and Hammer Guy saw yellow finches. I have yet to see a bird alight but judging by the diminishing feed and the items left behind, somebody's visiting!

Sunday after I got home from work, Hammer Guy and his friend Kyle brewed the Saucy Fellow ESB. Toad was thrilled to see Kyle and they had a lot to discuss. The brew session went well.

Monday Toad and I went to the SE side of the Cities to visit dear friend "London" (sometimes Toad mixes up her name), who had back surgery last Friday. Toad helped pick out soup, bread, dessert, and flowers at Byerly's and we brought lunch from Chipotle. We had a great time at her "teeny tiny house" and we wish her a speedy recovery! We also visited Grandma & Grandpa B and had a lot of fun exploring the backyard.

T & W were back to normal, but today we're having a sick day after a very rough night (although to put things in perspective, not nearly as rough as many nights in the past). I will go into work after HG gets home.

It's been a rainy, dreary week and today is very cool. Yesterday I wasted two hours at the doctor only to be told that I need to return to the podiatrist, as my foot is not healing as quickly as hoped.

We're looking forward to Mother's Day weekend, especially because I don't have to work. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms in my life. Your advice, inspiration, and encouragement are much appreciated.

Sweet Corn Cake Miracle

Toad ate a vegetable. He actually ate a vegetable. Granted, it was just creamed corn in a highly-disguised form, but it worked! This stuff is great -- it's super easy, (somewhat) low-cal, and tasty -- just like what you would get at your favorite Mexican restaurant.

Even though Chi-Chi's restaurants have all but vanished, we still have our memories and our Sweet Corn Cake Mix.

Four Days of Rain

It's been rainy and grey for so many days. It seems like the rain will never end. Sadly, it is quite fitting. Last Friday I learned that a dear friend from work had passed away, and I'm reminded of the Stevie Ray Vaughan song that mourns, "the sky is crying."

Jean was an amazing woman of great energy and compassion. She was nearly 75 years old and still worked full-time. She could run circles around all of us, worked so hard, and was unbelievably nice to our guests, even the rude ones. Our Gifts department will never be the same.

A few memories of our dear Jean: Her nails and make-up were always in place and impeccable. When she had something important to say, she would grab your arm and squeeze for emphasis. I'm always cold, so the warmth of her fingers was welcome. One of my favorite memories of Jean is the day she told a customer to just chill out when he pitched a fit about being asked for his phone number at the register. She could make a mean Snicker Bar Salad and was always so generous when we had any sort of pot lucks or events at the store.

Family was Jean's top priority, no question. She loved her three kids and all her grandchildren so much. She talked about them often and brought in pictures and articles. One of her daughters came to the store with her three kids from time to time; when I met the others today, I felt like I already knew them. They lost their mom so quickly -- I hope they are able to find peace soon.

One thing Jean taught me that I will never forget and I try to put into practice: never walk past someone you know (or maybe you don't know) without greeting them. It drove her nuts when employees would come to work in the morning and walk past her -- or any one of us -- without acknowledging her. She had a kind heart. Her sudden passing has stunned and saddened so many who knew and loved her.

The rain continues. I'm surrounded by the sounds of my very happy boys singing at the dinner table. I think back on my terrific day at the Loft and Minnesota Book Awards Saturday, and I know it's time to really get serious about my writing, my passion. I can't let another day slip away.

I Wanna Rock (Rock!)

We spent the weekend at Grandma & Grandpa A's in Wisconsin. We went to a wedding reception, did some shopping, and visited Toad's Great-Grandparents in La Crosse. Toad's favorite part of the trip was getting to spend time with G & G, Auntie L and the big dog Peanut. A highlight of any visit to WI is being able to play with the "guitar" -- here's Toad rocking out on the porch.

We're glad to be home and settling back into our routine. Hammer Guy is on Week Two of his new job. It's long days and hard work and the new schedule will take some getting used to, but he's even more certain that he made the right decision. Now, if I could just get someone to pay me for staying home to write the next Great American YA novel....

This weekend is the Festival of Children's Literature at the Loft Literary Center in Mpls and the Minnesota Book Awards. I'm really looking forward to both.

Happy Un-Birthday

Last Wednesday, Auntie A hosted a Pizza Extravaganza for the two May boys. The CT Cousins were in town, so we took the opportunity to wish Toad and Cousin T a very Happy Un-Birthday! The baseball cupcakes were super cute!

First Field Trip

Toad and I attended his very first Field Trip as a preschooler. SBS went to the Minnesota Zoo on Tuesday. Even though we did not get to ride the bus, Toad had a wonderful time. His favorites were the dolphins that splashed, tigers, the snake skeleton, and the fish. We even got to see a diver feed the fish. He was very loud and wore a blue scuba suit! It was a gorgeous day -- lots of sun, a refreshing breeze, and no bugs! We had a picnic lunch in the sunshine. Toad was thrilled to be a part of the field trip with the teachers and the big kids.

Bok Bok. Thanks, Easter Bunny!

The Easter weekend was full of fun and family. Saturday Toad helped with the final version Bunny Cake and helped dye Easter Eggs, although he tired of it after five eggs. We hosted Easter for my side of the family -- roughly 25 people. The food, wine, beer, and radiant smiles were plentiful and a good time was had by all.