Friday, July 31, 2009

Fun Fact Friday

*I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for the last five years (minus two months last year, in between weaning Zella and becoming pregnant with Violet). Crazy!

*I am not good at many sports. (too klutzy) I am good at badmitton and water skiing. Oh, and jacks. I am crazy good at jacks. But I don't really think that's a sport. Oh well.

*Travis is good at a lot of sports. Especially basketball and baseball (although it has been a long time since he's played either).

*I used to sing in a lot of weddings. A lot. I wasn't the best singer but I enjoyed it. I was only 14 when I sang in my first wedding. Now I would rather break my arm than stand up in front of others and sing.

*My husband would laugh at that last fact. Why? Because I am always, always singing around the house, to the kids, in the shower, while driving. And I seldom realize I am singing out loud until he points it out to me. But singing for the family is different having a bunch of people staring at you. Clearly.

*I did a lot of voice over work when I worked for an advertising agency right out of college. They didn't have to pay me anything extra and I liked doing it because it was fun. I did a couple commercials but mostly in-house stuff for GuideOne Insurance Group. I was the voice on their CD-ROMS for new agents.

Enough randomness. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Fair Fun

First let me say that I am really lame when it comes to post titles. And as former advertising agency employee I am very disappointed by this. Seriously. I lost my brain storming mojo...it disappeared sometime in 2008. Perhaps someday it will reappear.

Anyway, the county 4-H fair was last weekend and I took the girls out there twice. We went with my sister Karen and her family, and my cousin Jeff and his family. The kids loved looking at the animals which was cute. They especially loved the petting zoo.


Baby Violet had a view from her car seat/stroller.


My niece Grace checking out a baby chick.


Grace and her daddy.

Miss Madeline posing. What I didn't realize is that her hand was on the key. Right after the photo she started the gator! I'm glad she didn't drive away.


My cousin Jeff's little boy, Christian, taking a turn at the wheel.

Zella and Gracie always hang onto hands. Love that!

Checking out the pigs.





We had a great time. The girls were so grown-up compared to last year!

More later,

Overheard at Our House

Zella was watching me put on my makeup and I couldn't find my mascara. I asked her, "Where is my mascara?" She picked it up off the floor and said, "Here mama, here is your MIGHT SCARE YA."

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

Madeline and Zella were playing in the toy room when Zella hit Madeline with a Barbie doll. Madeline yelled, "ZELLA! I'm gonna call the cops on you!" Kind of makes me wonder where they heard that!

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

Zella must not pay attention to the ending of words, because she is constantly saying things wrong. Some of the cutest are:

*Frosted lakes instead of frosted flakes

*Ice scream instead of ice cream

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wordless Wednesday






Monday, July 27, 2009

Songs in my Head

Friday, July 24, 2009

Fun Fact Friday: The Mommy Brain Edition

So there is this phenomenon that pregnant women and mothers of young children experience. It is called mommy brain and it is hitting me big time with the addition of baby Violet. I feel like I am losing my mind! Just a couple of brain dead things I have done lately:

*My mother-in-law called and asked me what I was doing last month. I told her I was about to get on the road and she asked where I was going. I said, "Duh! I'm on my way down to spend the night for Kate's bachelorette party!" And she said, "Duh! It's not this weekend!" She thought I was kidding, but it turns out I had the wrong date. I didn't write it on my calendar wrong, I just lost a week of time somehow.

*I changed Zella's diaper last week and realized I had put it on wrong. Not backwards, but INSIDE OUT. And somehow it lasted overnight and did not leak. I am still not quite sure how that happened.

*I was cutting up strawberries for the girls to have with lunch and I ended up putting the strawberry tops (with green leaves) on their plate and threw away the actual strawberries.

*I was walking out of the garage and ran right into the garage door. I hadn't pulled it all the way up. I hit my head so hard I fell on the ground! I still have a headache two days later. (okay, so maybe this one isn't just mommy brain...I'm kinda klutzy)

*In the last five months I have accidentally turned on the oven instead of setting the oven timer about five times. I have accidentally set the oven timer instead of turning on the oven twice.

And last but not least,
*I washed my face at night with TOOTHPASTE instead of face wash. Gross.

There were a couple more dumb things I did, but I can't remember them. Surprise, surprise. It's called sleep deprivation, people, and it's not pretty.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Wordless Wednesday





Monday, July 20, 2009

Songs in My Head

Does it hurt my credibility to admit that I have an old Huey Lewis CD? Violet cried a lot during the middle of the night when she was first born. I found myself singing "It's Alright" to her over and over until she fell asleep. Now I can't get it out of my head.



Happy listening!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Overheard at Our House

We have been talking a lot about potty training at our house these days. Zella woke up dry and so we ran to the bathroom to sit on the potty. I asked her, "What is the first thing big girls do when they get up in the morning?" And she answered, "GO SHOPPING!"

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

I was tucking Madeline in bed and gave her a good night hug and kiss. She said, "Mama, I just have one question. Was that true loves kiss?" Maybe we have been reading too many princess stories lately!

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

Madeline loves her new baby sister. At least once a day she says to me, "We sure are lucky ducks to have a baby sister like Violet! Right?"

More later,

Friday, July 17, 2009

Fun Fact Friday

*My last year of college I worked four jobs: manager at The Limited (clothing store), office assistant at Des Moines Bolt Supply, hostess at Nacho Mamas restaurant and my work study job, front desk attendant at the boys dorm. Somehow I still found time to study and hang out with my friends. I live on about the same amount of sleep these days, but I'm not nearly as productive!

*My favorite number is 8.

*Zella stripped down to her diaper twice in public the other day. And I was standing right there, but couldn't get to her fast enough. She's quick!

*I am one of those people who high-fives. It annoys Travis but he doesn't leave me hanging.

*I don't like salad dressing and very rarely eat it. My brother-in-law is freaked out by this.

*Lately Travis prefaces stories and e-mails with, "Don't put this on the Internet." Is that funny or kind of sad?

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Wordless Wednesday




Monday, July 13, 2009

Songs in My Head

I listened to an Etta James hits CD over and over again when we were truck drivers. I always woke Travis up singing along to this one...



Happy listening!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Fun Fact Friday

You think I would be running out of fun facts, but when you tell as many pointless stories as I do, you have a lot of material.

*The first record I ever bought was Cyndi Lauper "She's So Unusual". I bought it with a gift certificate to a record store in Belmond. It was the first thing I remember winning and I was so excited.

*Travis once grew a bonsai tree from a seed. It involved a lot of time, heat lamps, and luck. Then it died. The end.

*Whenever my family took a car trip when I was a kid, we all sang in the car. I didn't know this was not the norm until I went on a car trip with a friend. Her family looked at me like I was crazy when I started singing.

*Madeline cried a lot as an infant. Every time she heard the song "Don't Worry Be Happy" she stopped crying. I finally downloaded just the instrumental version so I wouldn't have to hear the words over and over.

*I used to drive a Ford Pinto. It was blue and very ugly. The radio started on fire, and there were holes rusted through the back seat floor. It was very glamorous.

*My thumbs are double jointed. It's very exciting. No, really.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

July 4th













We had a fun independence day. Trav's family came up for the weekend (minus his sister Kate and her husband Bubba, they were on their honeymoon). We had a really low-key weekend and didn't do much. Just grilled out and spent time relaxing. The best part was Zella seeing fireworks for the first time, she was amazed! The cousins had a great time playing together and everyone loved spending time with Grammy (Trav's grandma).

Someone was lighting off firecrackers and Zella kept calling them graham crackers. We lit sparklers while we waited for the fireworks show. The girls loved it! But Madeline kept calling them sprinklers which was cute. Aunt Carrie also got Madeline to yell some funny stuff in between fireworks. She had her yelling "Bring it on!" and "The Price is Right!"

I hope your 4th was happy too.

It's a Girl!



My sister Karen and her husband Chris welcomed their daughter Lily Rebecca to their family on July 3rd. She weighed 8 lbs., 4 oz. and was 20 1/4 inches long. Big sister Grace is very proud! Thanks to our family and friends for all your prayers. Karen is okay and doing much better than last time.

Congrats! She is beautiful and her favorite Aunt Lori can't wait to spend more time with her.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

If You Could Hear What I Hear

Remember when I mentioned that I always have a song in my head? Well this song plays on an almost continuous loop when I'm having a bad day. If you have never listened to Diana Krall you are missing out!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Fun Fact Friday

*I have had glasses since the 4th grade. My parents thought I wanted glasses because my best friend Amy Kitchen got them but really I just couldn't see.

*Speaking of eyes, I got a piece of metal in my eye when I was six. It rusted and they had to use a huge needle to scape the rust out. I was awake. And unfortunately I remember the whole thing. Also? I had to wear a patch afterwords. But not a cool pirate patch, just a white gauze patch. Not cool.

*I also had the mumps when I was six. I'm thinking six was not my best year.

*My sweet baby Violet has the stinkiest gas. She can clear a room! She is the queen of the "silent but deadly" variety. I wish I was exaggerating.

*Travis may be the only guy I know to go to a bachelor party and come home with his wife's name tattooed on his arm. I tease him that his next wife will have to be named Lori too.

*I had to share a room with my twin sister until I was a junior in high school. She was a neat freak and I...well...I wasn't. I may have kept my room even messier just to make her mad.

Have a great and safe July 4th!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009











We are still recovering from Kate's wedding. (Trav's little sister got married last weekend.) We are exhausted but had a GREAT time. Kate looked beautiful and Travis had the privilege of walking her down the aisle. I will have more pictures to share soon but here are a few for now.

The cousins had fun spending some time together. Can't wait to see them in a couple days for July 4th!

More later,
Lori