Seventh Heaven...

Today is our SEVENTH wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe it has been that long. Seven years, 2 kids, and it just keeps getting better. Here are the top SEVEN reasons why I love being married to Andy:

7. He makes me laugh everyday.
6. He is the voice of reason when I get crazy. (Who, me? Never.)
5. He makes me feel beautiful, loved, important and secure.
4. He understands me.
3. He always says sorry, even when it is me that is wrong.
2. He is the best father in the world.
1. He is my best friend and always will be.

Happy Anniversary Andy! I love you with all my heart!

Memorial Memories

Last weekend was too crazy to do any blogging (three birthday parties in one day, just to give to an idea....) so I am just moving ahead to this weekend. Friday we took the girls to Como Zoo and had a much needed family day. It was soooo fun! The girls loved the animals and the rides and they were so good. It really was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

Julia on the Frog Hopper

Maria and I on the Train - that is Julia on the right side on the caboose.

They LOVE riding together in the cars.

Jules on the fire truck

Maria liked the giraffe statues better then the actual giraffes - strange. The highlight of the actual zoo part was the baby orangutan. He was SOOOOO cute!

Friday night my friend Kari and I had to rhinestone our costumes for our upcoming dance recital. (No, that is not a typo - I am going to be in a recital, in a costume, am I mad?) Anyways, we took the kids to dinner and then settled in for a long night of gluing, only the wine got the better of us and we both ended up ditching the rhinestoning in favor of some good old fashioned laughter, complete with an 80's danceline costume fashion show. Needless to say we both had a major headache in the morning.

Kari and I in our sweet 80's costumes...

Saturday we headed to our friends Jim and Ellie's house. The live on Lake Minnetonka and invited us over for some boating and fun. We had a great time but Maria didn't get a nap so it was a little touch and go. Julia's favorite part was that their boat has a bathroom on it. I am not kidding. Maria loved their dog and I loved seeing all the CRAZY big houses when we went out on the boat. It was awesome! Thanks for such a fun day guys. (I have no pictures because I was trying to keep the girls from doing any damage - they don't have kids - and keeping them out of the water - brrrrrr!)

Sunday we bought Maria a new bedroom set. Holy crap. I guess she really isn't a baby anymore. It won't be here until August so that gives me some time to mentally prepare...... Sunday my parents came to babysit and Andy and I went out to celebrate our 7Th wedding anniversary. Whoa. That is a long time. And we are going stronger then ever. Love you babe.

Monday Andy got to golf and I took the girls to breakfast with my mom. We then had some friends over for a very casual BBQ and then I had dance pictures for the above mentioned dance class. Better break out the spanx.........

All in all, a wonderful weekend filled with the things I love the best, family and friends!

Last Day of Preschool

Today was Julia's last day of preschool. They had a little program for the parents and then there was supposed to be a picnic but that portion was cancelled due to weather. For the program, Julia's class sang a few songs and then the Pre-K class had their graduation. It was super sweet and I was tearing up just thinking about (oh crap, here they come again!) it being Julia up there next year. There was a very pregnant woman in the front row who WAS NOT holding it together as her son went up to get his "diploma" and it made me want to run up and hug her. Seriously, when they did the slide show with the "graduates" baby pictures and then a picture in their mortar board there wasn't many dry eyes in the joint. What am I going to do when she goes to Kindergarten? They are going to have to put me in an institution. After, Julia and I went to lunch with our friends R and K to celebrate a great year at preschool.

Kendall & Julia

Sophie, Kendra, Kendall & Julia
They are all neighbor friends and were all in the same class!

Julia with her WONDERFUL teachers, Mrs. Fusnig and Mrs. Tich.

Julia is going to miss them very much!

Marvelous Molly!

My niece Molly has been in one of my dance classes this year and we had our recital the other night. It has been so fun having her in class. The recital went really well! Molly was awesome! She looked so cute and did such a good job. Andy and Julia and Maria came to watch along with my parents and some of my brother-in-law's family. (NO PRESSURE..) Julia was SO excited to give Molly the treats we brought for her. She is still talking about the show and Molly's yellow Belle dress. It was a great night and I am so proud of Molly!

The Finale - there were 60 kids in this program. Molly was in the youngest class.

Beautiful Ballerina

Big hugs from Julia for a job well done!

Tinkerbell Birthday

Julia's "family party" was a Tinkerbell theme and a lot of fun. She was finally starting to feel better after a serious bout of the flu. She got a ton of nice gifts (where I am going to put them is a mystery at this point...) and we had some great food. It was a wonderful day of family, fun and celebration. I am starting to gear up for her Princess and Pirate themed birthday party that we are having for her and Maria in our backyard - should be a ton of fun! Stay tuned for more on that.....

Julia is FOUR!

April 30, 2009 - Julia is Four! She was sicker then sick with the flu so all birthday events had to be postponed and I was heart broken. We made up for it though when she was feeling better. Here is her birthday post, a little late but I know she'll forgive me.....

I can not believe that my little tiny four pound baby is now four years old! It is shocking to me how fast it has gone, how much I love her, and how much joy she has brought Andy and I. So, in tradition, here are the top 5 reasons I celebrate her birthday:
5. She makes smile and laugh on a daily basis.
4. She is the best big sister in the world and would really like another "tiny baby" in our family. (Someday Jules, someday....)
3. She loves to sleep in just like her Mommy.
2. She grows more beautiful on the inside and out every single day.
1. She is the thing (and her sister) that I am most proud of and my biggest dream come true.

Tutu Cute!

My friend Melyssa does photography as a hobby (she is getting REALLY good!) and took these pictures of the girls for me. Maria was being a total turkey but she somehow still got some cute ones. Here are a few of my favorites......

Picture Perfect Park Day

We spent a nice spring day ate Snail Lake Park and I was able to snap a bunch of pictures. Here are a few of my favorites.....

Julia hanging out in the tunnel

Maria coming down the tube slide

Double the fun!

Cutie climber

Jared and Maria - Peek-a-boo!

Dance Pictures

The girls got their dance costumes and had pictures. Maria's went great until she actually saw the photographer and he scared the crap out of her for some reason and she cried her eyes out the rest of the time. Oh well, I'll laugh someday right. I can hardly imagine what they are going to look like. I wasn't able to go to Julia's because I was helping my sister at her dance show, but my friend took her for me (no dads allowed in the changing room - thanks Kari!) and snapped a few pictures for me. I can't wait to see them!

Maria in her Shoo Fly costume at home - didn't get any pictures at pictures...too busy trying to keep the makeup from running all over the place as she screamed her head off. Her teacher Kara literally did a back bend across the picture thing so she could sit on her lap and not be in the shot and the photographer had to leave the room and I pushed the button. Again, I can only imagine what they are going to look like.

Jules ready for her closeup. No pictures in the Neverland costume (think Tinkerbell) but I know you will see some later...

Julia as Candy Cane Jane

Maria in Hey, What Did the Blue Jay Say? minus the bird hat, you'll see that later too...

New Best Friend

Maria has finally found her lovey! After buying countless animals, blankets, and dolls, Maria has settled on Winnie the Pooh as her special friend. He is larger then I would have like for something that is sure to been taken on planes, etc, but I am just happy she had found something she loves so much...

Priceless Picture

Our favorite indoor park has closed (insert sobbing here...) and we have been forced to go to Pump It Up more then normal as a result. Julia loves it there but there isn't much Maria can do until, wait for it, she started doing the slide all by herself! Holy crap. It is one huge slide. I snapped this picture and it makes me swell with pride every time I look at it. (I wish the quality was better, it was one of those just take the darn picture moments!) That is Julia at the top, arms outstretched to Maria at the bottom, encouraging her up the slide, yelling top volume "YOU CAN DO IT MARIA!" and sure enough she did it and was rewarded with a major big sister hug at the top, while I watched in amazement and wiped a tear away..... I have definitely gone soft. (Both physically, sadly, and emotionally....)

Easter

Easter this year was pretty low key. We had the cousins and my parents over to decorate eggs on Saturday night, a new thing for us since I was recovering from a tonsillectomy last year, and then had everyone over Sunday for brunch and an egg hunt for the kids. The Easter Bunny did not disappoint and the girls had a blast!

These are in backwards order but oh well!

Checking out the loot from Grandma and Grandpa. (Yes, they give the Easter Bunny a run for his money....) They also got hoola-hoops which were a super big hit from Andy's mom and Aunt Karen.

Maria was very excited - but not excited enough to lose the death grip on Pooh...

Jules checking out her new stuff.

Their Ester baskets and the carrot crumbs the Easter Bunny left behind...

Decorating eggs Saturday night with Grandma and Grandpa.

Here We Go....

I realize that I am MAJOR behind, but now I am done with work for the summer and I am going to attempt to catch up on a month and half in a few short posts..... Here We GO......

A Case of the Yucks!

I am still alive - barely. I have never been so overwhelmed in all my life. As the saying goes, when it rains it pours, and there is a tsunami over the Hansell House right now. I promise when things slow down (IE, kids not barfing, dance recitals not as far as the eye can see, birthday parties planned, etc) I will get back on track as far as the blog goes. Hopefully next week sometime! Until then, Happy Spring!