Minnow Musings

The Timer

2009-09-16T14:18:00.002-05:00

My mom visited us last week and watched Minnow so I could work my Matilda Jane business. It was so nice to have her around and Minnow had a great time with her "Gwandma." My mom had a wonderful idea of how to get Minnow to listen, especially at naptime and bedtime. Naps and bedtime have been a struggle lately. She is the master manipulator and she stalls. "I want more grapes," "I have to go potty," and it goes on and on.

My mom, the wise lady that she is (and experienced after raising 4 kids), bought a timer. She set the timer for 5 minutes and told Minnow that when the bell rings it's naptime. Minnow was not a fan of the timer, and voiced this to my mom, but she obeyed.

The timer remained behind, but when I tried to use it yesterday, Minnow said, "that's not yours, it's Gwandma's" I told her that Grandma said I could use it. She actually asked for the timer today, I set it, told her that when the bell rang it was nap time. It rang, and she trotted off to her room for naptime. Thanks Gwandma for your help and wisdom! We love you!

Summer is Over

2009-09-03T12:24:00.004-05:00

Summer is over and now I'm back to the blogging thing. My friend, BJ_Mamma, from For What It's Worth or Not declared my blogging vacation over--just the push I needed. Thanks BJ!

The Muskie family had a great summer, we spent alot of time in the Northwoods staying with my brother and family so Muskie Man could fish for the elusive muskie. We spent a week with Muskie Man's family at a resort way Up North and had two sunny days (out of seven)--not a very good ratio of sunny days to cloudy days! One day it didn't even get out of the 50's--in July! Despite the not so good beach weather, we still had a good time with family. We went to visit my parents for a long weekend and I fit a business conference in there too.

Minnow turned three a few weeks ago and we celebrated her birthday on the water in our boat with some good friends. Turning three means that Minnow is now old enough to go to preschool. Today was her first day, which signified summer being over. She had a great day, preschool will be very good for her. That pretty much sums up the summer, I'll let these pictures do the talking:

Most days would find us at the park for some fun playtime with friends:

4th of July!

Ridin' in style in my uncle's '69 Buick. Muskie Man and I rode in this on our wedding day, 14 years ago. Many of my aunts, uncles and cousins have also borrowed this ride on their wedding day. At the time of this picture, the Buick was being used by one of my cousins and his new bride.

Having fun at an amusement park. This place has alot of little rides for the kids and each ride only costs a quarter! Minnow loved it, despite some rain showers.

We like to call her the "Fish Whisperer"

Chillin' on the boat:

Just lookin' cute:

Time for school--summer's over:

Blogging Vacation is Over

2009-05-11T08:28:00.002-05:00

My 3 month blogging vacation is over! I've had serious writer's block and have been very busy with my new adventure as a Matilda Jane trunk keeper. Things are settling down and getting back to some semblence of normal. Spring is here and we can play outside, we are out of hibernation.

The purpose of my blog is to document Minnow's life as a funny little toddler, so we don't forget these moments. I need to do a better job of this--there are so many little comments I hear throughout the day that I have to document, or else they are forgotten.

More Minnow Musings to come. . .

Heard on the Way to a Playdate

2009-02-12T14:54:00.002-06:00

We were driving to a playdate the other day and I was telling Minnow where we were going. "We're going to Collin's house to play," I said.

She responded from the backseat: "Play nice?"

"Yes, play nice," I said.

"Share?" she responded.

"Yes, share please." I replied.

At this point, I am smiling to myself, I'm getting through to her I'm thinking. I feel like I'm raising a nice little girl who will play nicely with others, I'm feeling kind of good about this. Until. . .

The next thing I hear from the little voice in the back seat is: "Push?"

I guess I have a few more playdate lessons to teach.

Go Away Snow!

2009-02-04T15:39:00.001-06:00

These are the words that I hear from the little person in the back seat of the car when we drive past a park. She sees the sad-looking playground equipment all covered in snow and yells, "Go away snow!" Now if only the snow would listen to her.

Not Me Monday

2009-01-25T21:17:00.004-06:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This week I did not bribe Minnow with suckers so she would sit in her stroller as we visited Cabelas.

I did not bribe her with suckers so I could make some business-related phone calls. What kind of parent gives their kid 2 suckers in a span of about an hour?--not me!

We did not keep Minnow up until 11:30 on Friday night while we were hanging out with friends. What kind of parents do that? Not us!

Minnow did not have fun playing the W*ii until 11:30 at our friends' house.

I did not just take the Christmas tree lights off yesterday, a month after Christmas.

I did not call Muskie Man while he was out running errands and ask him to bring home a new play-doh set because I am getting bored with what we have. He did not come home with an Undersea Adventure play-doh set. I did not have fun playing with it.

I did not find Minnow on top of our breakfast bar eating a chocolate Santa after taking my eyes off her for .3 seconds! Time to move the stools away from the breakfast bar.

I did not let her keep eating the above referenced Santa so I could take a picture:

We're Back

2009-01-23T09:20:00.002-06:00

I've been in a writing slump, just not feeling like blogging, but that is going to change. I need to write down the funny things that Minnow does that make me laugh, I'll forget them otherwise.

We had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends, even though it seems like it was a winter ago. Minnow enjoyed opening her presents and had to play with each one before moving on to the next one.

I became the coolest aunt ever by taking my nephews sledding. My five-year old nephew and I shared a sled and had a huge wipe-out. I had to pick grass from his nostrils and then pretend everything was ok so he wouldn't cry! My sister got a great picture where my feet are above my head in the middle of the crash. It was fun, nonetheless.

Our days are now busy with lots of basketball games at Muskie Man's school, playdates and I'm busy with a new business venture as a trunk keeper for Ma.tilda Jane clothing--a cute clothing line for girls that is too adorable for words, so I'll leave you with Minnow in front of the tree in her new dress:

Let It Snow!

2008-12-19T12:17:00.002-06:00

Muskie Man had his second snow day of the year today. If these snow days keep coming, he'll have students at school until July! We probably have almost 2 feet of snow on the ground after receiving about 8 inches of fresh snow this morning. The temperatures were reasonable so we bundled up and went outside for some fun in the winter wonderland.

Minnow has so much more fun in the snow this year.
She did not want to help shovel the driveway, however:

That got me out of shoveling, and allowed us to go sledding instead:

We slid down the driveway and ended up a few feet into our unplowed street, we are definitely snowed in here:

Then we trudged back up the driveway to do it all again:

We then moved the fun to the yard and Muskie Man took over as the sled driver:

Minnow got off easy and was pulled back up the "hill:"

We had a fun time out in the snow, and now we are ready to warm up and take a nap.

So Much to be Thankful For

2008-11-26T10:50:00.003-06:00

We have so much to be thankful for in our life.

I am thankful for Muskie Man, my best friend and husband. We laugh together, cry together and are on this adventure of parenting together.

I am also thankful that Muskie Man is in the field of education. He doesn't have to worry about coming to work one day and not having a job the next. Yes, his job is challenging and at times, stressful, but he is good at his job and enjoys it, most of the time.

We are thankful for our friends. We have been blessed with a great group of friends in our little town. We also have friends from college that we are still close to and enjoy getting together with them. I am thankful for my mommy friends who help me get through this being-a-mommy-thing.

We are thankful for our health. God has blessed us and our families with health and we pray that He will continue to watch over us.

We are thankful for our family. Some of our family lives far away and we miss them, but they are always in our hearts. We do see the majority of our family on a fairly regular basis, for that we are thankful.

Last but certainly not least, we are so very thankful for our little Minnow. Some days I look at her playing and laughing and can't believe that we are her parents and that she is our daughter. We can't imagine our little family without her as she brings us so much joy.

This Thanksgiving as we reflect on all of our blessings, we give thanks to God.

Halloween Fun

2008-11-12T14:39:00.004-06:00

I had to do this long overdue Halloween post before Halloween is a distant memory and we are celebrating the next holidays. So. . .
We had fun on Halloween. Minnow was a monkey--monkeys are her favorite animal right now with dogs coming in a close second. We went to a MOPS barn dance where the mommies had to dress up too so I went as a banana, thanks to my "good" friend who so graciously lent me the costume.

Trick or treating was a good time too, Minnow sort of got the hang of it, but she would just hold her bag out for the treats. We did get her to say thank you. We ended up at some friend's for a while enjoying adult trick or treating with adult beverages--good times!

This is a fun age for holidays we are looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Here is a picture collage I made on scrapblog.com--what a cool site!

Fall Family Photos

2008-11-02T16:00:00.002-06:00

We had a friend so graciously offer to take our family photos for our Christmas card. I just got a couple of samples and will have the rest later this week. Thanks so much Coach L for taking the pictures!
I love how Minnow is holding my hand in this first one:

Two family shots:

Daddy's Little Girl:

My favorite, although it's not of the whole family. Minnow was in a rotted out tree trunk and ended up with all kinds of junk in her hair--I love the photo though:

A Trip to the Zoo

2008-10-20T14:51:00.003-05:00

We took a trip to the zoo this past weekend. It was a beautiful fall day. Minnow loves animals so she had a blast! She ran from one section of the zoo to another, it wore me out. We saw pretty much the whole zoo except for the small mammals (bats and rats) and we didn't get a chance to ride the train that goes around the zoo--we had to save something for next time.

Looking at some monkeys:

Comparing ourselves to a baby gorilla:

Close encounter with a peacock at lunch:

We spent quite a bit of time looking at the fish, which is not surprising. Minnow loved looking at all the fish:

Tigers and Bears, oh my! (didn't get any good pictures of the lions to complete the phrase, sorry)

A trip to the zoo is not complete without feeding the goats:

Moms' Weekend

2008-10-05T19:04:00.003-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with some really great moms this weekend. I escaped the life of a SAHM for a few days and met my "imaginary friends." These girls are all moms with kids Minnow's age. We all met on a web forum and have become what we call "fake friends." It was so great to meet these moms in real life. We had fun sharing stories, shopping, eating and hanging out. What a great group of people.

We have one common thing between us and that is motherhood. We share the ups and downs of our days and offer support and advice. We offer tears and laughter to get each other through the adventures of raising toddlers. Each of our journeys to motherhood was just that--a unique journey, filled with emotions and challenges. I am so happy I met these moms who I call my friends. I had a really fun time, although I did miss Minnow and Musky Man, but they survived without me.

Highlights from the weekend were: late night and early morning talks with my roomate; going for a run with a cool mom from Philly; listening to the stories of the moms with mulitples--you guys are amazing; sitting at a bar watching the Brewers beat the Phillies with the cool mom from Philly; and the best thing we did was splurge for a cab back to the hotel and avoid a l-o-n-g train ride after the game!

I'm so glad to have met these moms in real life--you guys rock!

Fun at the Farm

2008-09-22T15:36:00.002-05:00

We had a fun day at a farm this weekend. A family not far from us holds a really cool day at the farm event every September. The event is in memory of their son who died of a brain tumor at age 15 months. All proceeds from the event go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, very neat!

It was our first time going and definitely won't be our last! We had awesome weather and Minnow had a blast. I think Muskie Man and I had as much fun watching Minnow have fun.

Feeding a camel:

Petting a bunny:

Pony ride:

In the hay bale maze:

A very serious "cow:"

Heading home, very tired, with a balloon:

I Did It!

2008-09-19T15:02:00.004-05:00

I first want to preface this post with the phrase, "toddlers are gross."

"I did it!" this was the exclamation that came out of Minnow's mouth. I was wondering what she did that she was so proud of. She held up her hand for me to see and at the end of the index finger was a huge booger. "I did it!" she said again, very proud of her accomplishment.

Before I could explain to her that 2 year-olds aren't supposed to pick their noses, she said: "high five, Mommy!" At least the hand she extended to me was the one without the booger.

Games Have Begun

2008-09-08T15:30:00.003-05:00

The school year is in full swing and that means time for the games to begin at Muskie Man's school once again. We have already attended a volleyball game and a football game.

The volleyball game was an adventure. The past 2 seasons, Minnow was not mobile or at least not walking. That has now changed. She is running, jumping and acting very much like a 2 year-old. She is exercising her independence and doesn't want mommy to help her with anything. She also loves to play with balls of any kind. What a temptation a bright white volleyball is, sitting there in the middle of the court during a time out! She screamed for the ball, I said, "no, it's for the girls to play with," and then she screeched some more. We went out into the hall to run around for a little while.

Muskie Man was at a meeting during this game so I was left to struggle with Minnow by myself. It would have been so much easier if we would have been able to double-team her. She also listens to Muskie Man better than she listens to me.

We went across the gym to the freshman game so Minnow could see her favorite babysitter, K, play her first high school volleyball game. I soon realized this was a mistake. Minnow screamed for K to hold her and give her a hug. OOPS! I took her to the end of the gym where we bothered the least amount of people and she made it through most of the game without too much screeching.

Minnow did make it though the Varsity game because K could hold her and hug her as her game was over. Minnow was the center of attention as she hung out with the freshman team and cheered on the Varsity team. Hopefully each game will get easier as Minnow realizes that she cannot play with the balls the teams are using and that the players cannot stop in the middle of their game to hold her and hug her.

Fishing Fun

2008-08-29T08:21:00.003-05:00

We are That Family is hosting a summer vacation carnival with some great prizes. So here's what we've been doing the past few weeks:

Minnow loves to go fishing and spend time on our boat. We have put quite a bit of time on the water here at the end of summer.

Minnow likes to "play" with the fish once they are caught. Who needs toys? Just give the kid a couple of bluegill:

Minnow was done playing with the fish so she got a driving lesson:

A day on the water is not complete unless we go swimming:

Minnow loves to "play" with the little fish, but bigger fish are much more exciting:

At the end of a long day on the water, Minnow is tired from all her adventures and takes a little nap:

We had a fun summer, filled with great memories and we hate to see it come to an end.

"Blankie" and "More Blankie"

2008-08-28T09:29:00.002-05:00

Minnow has a favorite, treasured blankie that she sleeps with, goes in the car with, takes on walks, takes pretty much everywhere. It's a small pink "comfort silkie" blankie that was given to us by a teacher at Muskie Man's school when Minnow was an infant.

We thought we lost blankie back in June. Muskie Man had taken Minnow for the evening stroller ride which is part of our daily life. When we were putting her to bed, the blankie was nowhere to be found! Minnow sometimes gets agitated in the stroller and throws the precious item from the stroller. Why she does this is a mystery to us as this is a prized possession. We searched high and low, Muskie Man even went back over the walking route in hopes of finding the missing blankie. We checked the stroller, under beds and furniture, in every nook and cranny of our home--no blankie! Minnow missed her blankie that night and reluctantly accepted another similar one, but it just wasn't the same to her.

I ordered a new blankie just like the missing one. It had to be ordered online and shipped, I couldn't find a local store that carried this exact one. Minnow was very happy to receive her new gift and life went on.

Fast forward a few weeks to our vacation in Michigan. We were out walking with Minnow in the stroller, and I see a blankie peeking out the back of the stroller from behind the cushions. It was the missing blankie! We also found a nuk back there so that must be Minnow's secret hiding place. She must have shoved it behind her in the stroller and with the stroller being folded up a few times while travelling, it worked it's way out.

We now have 2 precious blankies that make our Minnow very happy. She has recently started referring to them as "Blankie" and "More Blankie."

Happy Birthday Minnow!

2008-08-18T16:07:00.002-05:00

Minnow celebrated her 2nd birthday on August 14. We're a few days late in the happy wishes because we were Up North again for a vacation. We celebrated Minnow's 1st birthday Up North so we thought we'd keep the streak going this year. We stayed at my brother's home in the Northwoods. His family was on a vacation of their own, so we used their home, thanks big bro!

We spent Minnow's special day on our boat. We fished, swam, ate a delicious lunch at a restaurant on the water, and just had a fun family time. Minnow caught her first fish and realized that she likes to play with the fish, she even kissed the fish.

It was a wonderful day, one that will be a great memory for all of us. We love you, Minnow, and can't believe it was just 2 short years ago that we were on a plane, flying to meet you on your day of birth. We can't imagine our family without you.

Giving Daddy a big hug before leaving for the birthday outing:

Swimming in the lake after a delicious lunch:

Concentrating on catching her first fish!

Admiring her catch:

Kissing a fish:

A Language Explosion!

2008-08-07T14:34:00.002-05:00

We've been having a language explosion around here for the past month or two. Minnow's vocabulary has been just exploding. Sometimes we have to try very hard to translate what is being said, but for the most part, we figure it out. It is so nice that she can verbalize what she wants instead of just grunting and pointing.

She repeats what we say and understands if we give her simple commands. It is so fun to watch her grow in to this funny, interesting little person.

One of my favorite phrases is "I want a W*ii" She watched my nieces and nephews play the W*ii on our vacation in June and loves this thing. She cheers for them as they play and also wants to participate in Gui*tar Hero. Several of our friends have the game too, so she can watch it at their homes.

The first time she asked me for one, I told her to ask her daddy. He was out in the garage and came in about 15 minutes later. She ran up to him and looked up (she comes up to his knee) and said, "I want a W*ii." It was priceless! What is she going to ask for next, a pony?! I don't think we will be getting a W*ii any time soon, but she can enjoy the games at other people's homes.

And the Winner is. . .

2008-08-07T14:32:00.002-05:00

After a long wait, sorry commenters for making you wait, the winner (as randomly chose by Muskie Man) is dani, the last commenter for the contest!

I'll contact you via email. Thanks to all who participated in my bloggy giveaway!

Bloggy Giveaway Time!

2008-07-28T14:26:00.004-05:00

It's that time again, the quarterly bloggy giveaways carnival is underway. Be sure to visit bloggy giveaways for lots of other cool giveaways.

Since it's summer and we are all outside (or should be!) it's time to apply good sunscreen. I'm giving away an Arbonne Save Face and Body SPF 15 bottle of sunscreen (a $26 value) to one lucky reader. This sunscreen is AWESOME! Muskie Man even likes to use it because it doesn't have a strong "sunscreen" odor and it is not greasy. He can use it when out fishing and can still tie his knots or whatever it is one does to the lures when out fishing.

This giveaway is open to US residents only, and you don't have to be a blogger to participate. Just leave a comment and you could win! The giveaway will be open until Friday evening, July 31. Thanks for playing!

Up North

2008-07-21T08:35:00.002-05:00

We took another vacation the week after the 4th. We visited Up North with Muskie Man's family. We go to the same resort for the same week with the same people every summer. It's fun and we've gotten to know the other guests at the resort. We had beautiful weather and once again enjoyed time with family.

Some highlights of the trip were first spending the 4th with my brother and family who also live Up North. We visited them for a couple nights before heading to the resort. We did the whole 4th of July thing: parade; picnic in the park; and then fireworks. Minnow had fun with her cousins, but was very tired by the end of the evening.

Could it be she was tired because the night before she decided to have a middle-of-the-night party? She woke up at 12:30 a.m. and would not go back to sleep! She wasn't crabby, she just wanted to hang out, Muskie Man and I did NOT want to join the party. Muskie Man finally got her to sleep at 4:30 a.m., we all were a bit tired the next day.

She actually fell asleep on my brother's lap during the fireworks! She did have fun hanging out with her cousins during the day:

We then headed to the resort for a week of fun in the sun. We had great weather and enjoyed celebrating Grandma and Grandpa Muskie's 40th wedding anniversary--Congratulations!

Muskie Man and I also celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary while on vacation. We went out for breakfast, and spent some time fishing on our boat while Minnow napped in the afternoon. It was a nice day.

The rest of the week was spent being lazy by the water. Minnow loves the lake, she stood in the water, picked up stones and threw them--for hours! She would pick one up, "kiss it good-bye," and throw it into the water:

We also had fun with a bucket--she wanted me to dump it while she tried to get a drink:

One of the guests at the resort was a girl who is just finishing cosmetology school and wanted to do Minnow's hair. After an hour-and-a-half of wrestling and a little screeching, the end result was 9 cute little cornrows. I love her hair like this and need to learn how to do this. She looks beautiful!

The week came to an end and it was time to say good-bye to our fun vacation--until next year:

Vacation

2008-07-10T14:44:00.004-05:00

I took a little blog vacation and we took a real vacation. We spent a week near Petoskey, MI with my family. Our family, my parents, my sister's family and my brother's family all piled into a condo at a resort and spent a week. It was a nice time, the weather was great, the kids loved the pool and we relaxed.
Our vacation started out a little rough. We stayed one night at Grandma and Grandpa Muskie's as it was on the way. Minnow decided to start her day a little early, at 3:45 a.m.! She would not go back to sleep until we had her in a high chair watching E*lmo right before we went to church and she decided to nod off:

There was time to sleep on the way to the resort that day. Here is the rest of the week in pictures.
A view of the resort from the ski chair lift:

At a park in Petoskey with Lake Michigan in the background:

My Mom, Dad, sister and I went to Mackinac Island for a day:

My sister and I rented a bicycle built for two and biked around the island:

My parents opted for the retro bikes:

We spent a day with my sister and family at a beach near Charlevoix. Minnow had fun looking for rocks and playing with her cousins:

The pool was the place to be. Minnow jumped from the side to Muskie Man and had a great time. It totally wore her out so she took good naps.

Our happy little family on vacation:

One Great Daddy

2008-06-18T11:13:00.002-05:00

Happy Father's Day to Muskie Man (a few days late). We had a nice day as his family came over for a cookout and an afternoon of sitting outside and playing a few yard games.

Muskie Man is a great daddy and Minnow absolutely adores him. These pictures illustrate the wonderful dad he is and the fun they have together:
Meeting Minnow on her birth day:

In the mountains on finalization weekend:

First boat ride:

Playing Peek-a-boo:

Ready for a game:

Father's Day weekend:

You're a great dad, Muskie Man, thanks for all you do for our family.

Two Years Ago Today

2008-06-12T08:27:00.003-05:00

Two years ago today we met the most amazing woman--we met Minnow's firstmom. Muskie Man and I took a trip to Colorado to meet the woman who was 7 months pregnant with a baby that could potentially be our daughter! It was an exciting, emotional, scary adventure, and that was just our side of it. I can't imagine the feelings and emotions that N was experiencing.

We met at a restaurant and a social worker was with N to kind of lead the conversation. Things went very well. We talked and laughed and even cried a little. N told us that she was talking to the baby that morning and told the baby that she would be hearing her mommy and daddy's voices that day. What do you say to that?! Amazing!

We didn't know what to expect at the meeting. What do you say? "Hi, nice to meet you, can we have your baby, please?" We were so grateful the social worker was there to ease our anxiety and lead the conversation.

N wanted to spend more time with us. We spent the whole next day with her. We went on a picnic and drove to see Pike's Peak. It was an unforgettable day. At one point the baby was kicking and N grabbed Muskie Man's hand and put it on her belly. He said, "Wow, that's cool!" That is a great memory.

The trip was wonderful, we met the most amazing, special person, the first mother of our daughter to whom we are forever grateful.

We took this picture the day before we met N. Muskie Man and I ventured to the Rockies for the afternoon. To me, it is the most beautiful picture and it symbolizes the beautiful person we would meet the next day.

I'm Glad We Weren't Camping

2008-06-09T12:51:00.003-05:00

"I'm glad we aren't camping this weekend." Those were the words from Muskie Man as we looked outside at the rain that was coming down in buckets and listening to the thunder. I had to agree with him. We got over 4 inches of rain in two days this past weekend. Thankfully, it all stayed outside and none made it into our basement. Muskie Man spent a while bailing out one of our basement window wells, just as water was about to start seeping into the basement. It was raining so hard the water had no where else to go.

We have spent many wet weekends camping in our marriage. We haven't ventured into the woods to camp with Minnow. . .yet. We've also had some great conversations while stuck in the truck in a campsite while it stormed around us. One of the recent times was the summer before Minnow was born. It was a stormy evening so we drove to town, got some beer and sat in the truck and talked. We talked alot about adopting and becoming parents. It was a fun night, even if we were a little wet.

Fun in the Sun

2008-05-27T17:16:00.003-05:00

Memorial Day was a beautiful day--sunny and in the 80's. It was the first really warm day we've had this spring. Minnow and I went to the Memorial Day ceremony held in our town. The high school and middle school bands played and a few veterans gave some remarks. It was a nice ceremony and reminded us what the day was really all about, honoring those who have given their lives so that we can enjoy the freedom and the life that we have in this great country.

Minnow had fun petting the various dogs that were in attendance:

After Minnow's nap we set up her little pool in the backyard. She played for a long time and had alot of fun.

It was a fun day and made us look forward to many more fun days in the sun.

What a Nice Friend!

2008-05-20T17:15:00.002-05:00

We have such a nice friend. She is letting us use a slide and teeter totter/rocker toy for the summer. Her daughter outgrew them and they were just sitting in her garage. Thanks T! Minnow had fun trying them out this afternoon, and I'm sure she will get many hours of enjoyment on them.

When it was time to go in for a nap, she spontaneously kissed the slide. I guess Minnow approves of her new toys!

Who needs books?

2008-05-14T14:28:00.002-05:00

Minnow's new favorite thing to look at is an old P*arents magazine I have laying around. She pages through the magazine looking for pictures of babies, of which there are plenty. She then imitates what the babies are doing in the ad or picture: a baby is yawning in an article about sleeping, she yawns; a baby is taking a bath, she pretends to wash herself. My favorite is the baby that is crying, Minnow opens her little mouth and lets out a squawk. She had me laughing out loud at her imitations. Thanks for the laugh, funny little Minnow!

A Non-Mom

2008-05-09T23:04:00.002-05:00

So NBC is having America's Favorite Mom show on Mother's Day. This show is going to be hosted by Marie and Donny Os*mond. There are several categories of moms and people got to vote for their favorite in each category. One of the categories was the "non-mom." Those who fell into this category are grandparents raising their grandkids, step-moms and (gasp) adoptive moms. This category has now been changed on the NBC website to "adoptive moms." BUT, it was "non-mom" until earlier on today (Friday). I'm pretty sure that NBC got it's share of emails from us adoptive "non-moms."

I was appalled that NBC could do something so ignorant! Are none of their staffers adoptive parents? I don't usually do this, but I emailed NBC the following comment:

"First of all I think it's great that you are honoring the many different kinds of mom's that make up our world. Thanks!

I would like to address one of the categories, however. This category being the "non-mom" category. As the mom of an adopted child, I find this title disgraceful! Parents of adopted children are no less moms or dads than those that have biological children. I find that not only do I have to work hard raising a child in today's society, but I often have to educate those that do not understand the world of adoption.

My daughter is my daughter, plain and simple, she is not my non-daughter and she certainly doesn't call me non-mommy. She calls me mommy."

Thoughts of another Mom

2008-05-07T08:02:00.003-05:00

As Mother's Day is just a few days away, my thoughts can't help but be with Minnow's firstmom. After all, she gave me my Mother's Day. She gave us this amazing little person who brings joy to us every day. I know that she is happy that Minnow is with our family, she has told me that numerous times. I also know that she is sad that Minnow is not with her. It's so strange how these two opposite emotions are so close.

I thank N for first of all, giving Minnow life, and most of all, for choosing us to be Minnow's parents. Minnow has made us a family. We love you N, and we love our Minnow!

Mmmm!

2008-05-01T15:01:00.001-05:00

Every time we drive by a Cul*vers (which are all over in this part of the country), I hear Minnow's little voice pipe up from the back seat: "Mmmm!"

Does this mean we partake in this tasty treat too often?

Snow and Stuff

2008-04-28T13:18:00.003-05:00

Yes, it was snowing this morning! I drove to the Y in a white-out. That is about enough to send me over the edge. At least the snow didn't stick to the ground or Muskie Man would have to shovel after work.

Here are a couple pictures from the past few weeks. Minnow just keeps growing and is looking like a little girl and not so much a baby.

Giving Muskie Man high five from the boat:

Practicing driving the boat:

Just lookin' cute:

Bloggy Giveaway Winner

2008-04-27T20:11:00.002-05:00

The winner of Arbonne Aromatherapy lotion is:
Mrs. Russ-A-Lee. I'll email her the good news.
Mrs. Russ-a-lee said...
Sounds great! LOVE reading your blog BTW!!!

Thanks to all for entering and I hope the winner enjoys her gift!

It's a Bloggy Giveaway!

2008-04-21T14:05:00.003-05:00

It's time for another bloggy giveaway.!

I am giving away Arbonne aromatherapy! A lucky winner will receive a mini Awaken lotion and a mini Unwind lotion. The Awaken is a refreshing scent formulated to uplift and refresh both skin and senses. Unwind has calming, soothing effects, helping you to relax after a stressful day.

Sound like something you want? Here is how to enter:

Simply leave a comment at THIS POST to be entered for the random drawing.

I'll draw a winner at the end of the carnival (end of this week), and will link up to Bloggygiveaways.com with info on who won. If possible, I will also contact the winner directly by leaving a post on one of your blog posts.

You do NOT need to be a blogger to participate! Just make sure to leave an email address in your post so I can contact you.

Sorry, this drawing is open to U.S. residents only.

For a list of all kinds of other cool giveaways, make sure to visit Bloggy Giveaways this week for all the details and have fun!

Spending Time Outside

2008-04-17T21:19:00.002-05:00

Minnow and I spent time outside today. After being stuck inside all winter, we enjoyed the beautiful morning. We played in the yard, did a little cleaning up and went for a wagon ride--only one of us rode, the other pulled the wagon.

Minnow loves being outside:

Checking out a tree:

We met a dog on the wagon ride and Minnow is saying, "where did it go?" as we rode away from the dog.

Cleaning the driveway. This girl loves to help--too bad she couldn't help shovel snow this past winter!

70 Degrees!

2008-04-16T16:38:00.002-05:00

It's 70 degrees out today! Never mind that it is so windy garbage cans are blowing down the street and that it's supposed to cool off tomorrow--I'm going to enjoy today--did I mention it's 70 degrees out??!!

Out of Hibernation

2008-04-14T18:32:00.003-05:00

Our town has come out of hibernation. It was 50 degrees and sunny today, so Minnow and I went on a nice walk this afternoon. There were squirrels running all over, birds were singing, other people were out walking their dogs, and moms walking with strollers. Kids were running outside for track practice, others were kicking soccer balls, and you could hear the sound of bats hitting baseballs somewhere in the distance. It was wonderful!

It wasn't the first walk of the season as we have walked several times as a family, all bundled up, but it was the first walk for just the 2 of us. Minnow and I have walked many miles together. Before we became parents, I would see moms walking their children with strollers and couldn't wait until that was me with my child in my stroller. Minnow and I started to walk together as soon as we brought her home. We've worn out the back tires of our jog stroller--gotta get new ones this week.

Minnow used to fall asleep on our walks, but now she looks for dogs, birds and squirrels. She says hi to people as we pass them by. I'm sure down the road, we'll have deep conversations and solve the problems of the world. For now, I'm glad the town has come out of hibernation and that our walks have resumed.

Happy Adoption Day!

2008-04-13T14:49:00.002-05:00

Happy Adoption Day, Minnow! One year ago today Minnow's adoption was finalized and what a journey it was to get to Colorado for the court hearing. We flew out in an April snowstorm and were one of the last planes to leave before the airport closed. It's not the most fun thing watching your plane get de-iced. Angels were watching over us.

We arrived in CO to forecasts of yet another storm the day of our hearing. What if it got cancelled? The storm missed the area and everything went well. The hearing lasted all of five minutes and we got the signed decree! Minnow was officially part of the Muskie family! YAY! We had a wonderful weekend from there, we stayed at a nice little condo in the mountains and enjoyed beautiful sunny weather.
Here's one of my favorite pictures from that fun weekend a year ago:

Please don't touch my Minnow's hair

2008-04-10T14:08:00.005-05:00

To whom it may concern:
Please don't touch my Minnow's hair, I know it's pretty, but I don't know you and you don't know Minnow. This goes for you, cashier at Fleet Farm who couldn't stop patting her head and feeling her curls. Also included is the random lady at the grocery store yesterday. You also said you had a puppy in your car in the parking lot which seemed just plain weird and bordering on creepy.

I know that you people don't often see kids with hair quite like Minnow's, it is very pretty. Why do you always have to reach out and touch it? We don't reach out and pat you on the head? A spoken comment would be just fine.

Thank you,
Muskie Mom

Big Walleye

2008-04-08T13:44:00.002-05:00

Muskie Man kept busy while we were gone. Besides work, he took time to fish this past weekend. He caught his biggest walleye to date--this one is 30 inches long and weighed 10 1/2 pounds!

We are heading back out this weekend to hopefully boat some more nice walleyes. Way to go, Muskie Man!

Road Trip

2008-04-08T11:04:00.006-05:00

Minnow and I spent the past 5 days in the Twin Cities visiting my sister and family. We drove with my parents, which brought back all kinds of memories as a kid on very long road trips. It was nice to not have to travel alone with a toddler.

Minnow had fun playing with her cousins and seeing her aunt, uncle, grandma and grandpa. We went to the zoo, the Mall of America and visited some family who live nearby. We also celebrated my dad's birthday.

Minnow like the zoo, especially the monkey and tigers. She looks a little less than thrilled being strapped in her stroller:

She was so excited to visit the zoo that she fell asleep on my back in the Ergo carrier:

Days were spent getting spoiled by grandma and grandpa. They love Minnow.

Minnow enjoyed being read to by her cousin:

We had a great time, but were happy to be home. Minnow missed her toys--she was getting tired of playing with her cousins' "boy toys" like hotwheels and trains. Minnow also missed her daddy and greeted him with a huge hug!

Thanks to my sister and family for putting up with all of us for 5 days--you guys are great hosts!

Stopping to Smell the Roses

2008-03-29T14:23:00.002-05:00

Muskie Man gave us a dozen roses a few weeks ago. They were for a fund-raiser for a civic organization of which he is a member. It was so nice to him to remember us and made our winter day a little brighter.

I decided to teach Minnow how to smell the roses. She was gentle with them and bent down to sniff them. We got to enjoy the roses for over a week, I couldn't believe they lasted that long. Thanks Muskie Man, for making us take the time to stop and smell the roses!

Busted!

2008-03-28T15:17:00.002-05:00

Minnow was busted with this box of kleenex just as she was about to start the shredding process.

Nighttime is for Sleeping!

2008-03-26T08:25:00.003-05:00

Minnow has been having a hard time understanding this as of late. She seems to want to have middle of the night parties, and not in her crib. Last night/this morning she was awake, on -and-off, from 2:30-5:30 a.m. Therefore, I was awake at the same time, and a very tired mommy.

The party goes something like this: She wakes up crying, I leave her for a few minutes, hoping she will go back to sleep, but the cries grow to loud ear-piercing shrieks. I go into her room where she is standing at the end of the her crib eagerly watching for the door to open, clutching her little blankies. I pick her up and she immediately puts her head on my shoulder. We go into the living room and rock in Muskie Man's big chair and she is fast asleep in a matter of minutes. I wait a little bit and lay her back down in her crib. I return to my bed and try to go back to sleep. She stays asleep for about 25 minutes and the whole thing starts again--UGH!

Yesterday, Muskie Man brought her into our bed at 3:30 a.m. and she slept like a champ between us until she woke up at around 7:00, which is reasonable. I really don't want that to become a habit, however, we like our space. I tried to bring her into our bed this morning during the "party," but she wouldn't sleep. She laid there, waved her arms, and whispered, "baby" "Papa" "mommy" "daddy." It was kind of sweet, but not really at 4:00 a.m.!

Finally at 5:00 or so I told her that nighttime was for sleeping and that babies sleep in their cribs. I gave her a drink of milk and rocked her--again. She fell asleep within minutes and is still sleeping now at 8:40. I'm just hoping she hasn't scheduled another party for tonight!

Who Needs Toys?

2008-03-17T14:08:00.002-05:00

Who needs toys when you've got fishing lures? Muskie Man gave Minnow a plastic worm and it's her new favorite thing to play with--never mind the hundreds of books, blocks and little people scattered about the living room. Minnow carries the lure around, puts it in old vitamin bottles (her other favorite toy) and just likes to touch and feel the plastic worm. Surprisingly, she doesn't try to eat it, even though it looks like a delicious gummy worm. We may have to pick up a few more packages of plastic worms, that would save us a bunch of money on new toys!

The End of a Season

2008-03-13T07:16:00.003-05:00

Basketball season has officially come to an end for Muskie Man's school. We enjoyed many games on cold winter evenings. Minnow had fun dancing to the band, giving "knucks" to the kids, and high-fiving the Tiger mascot. The girls team provided us with an exciting season, going 21-0 until losing a heartbreaker last Thursday by 2 points.

On Friday Minnow and I spent the day watching my niece play in a basketball tournament, she's in sixth grade so the quality of basketball was down a little from the previous night. On our way home we drove through the service drive of Muskie Man's school en route to pick up our babysitter who was so generously "playing" with Minnow that night--for free. (thanks, K!) Minnow saw the school and exclaimed, "Go, go!" from the back seat and then proceeded to growl like a Tiger. She thought we were going to a game. I continued past the school and she started to cry--big tears. She is sad the season has come to an end. We'll just have to wait for the snow to melt--then come softball, baseball, soccer and track events.

Minnow was all decked out for the game, ready to cheer on her Tigers:

Fond Farewell to #4

2008-03-05T12:13:00.006-06:00

We are Packers fans, but not the hard-core cheeseheads you see on Sports Center highlights. I am a big sports fan and appreciate a great game and watching a great athlete. That is why we are sad in Packerland today--#4, the legend, is retiring. We have watched him for 16 seasons in the green and gold and will miss his great play. Muskie Man and I went to the game that was his 200th consecutive start. That was an amazing feat, a freezing cold game, but was an awesome time and a victory for the good guys.

Minnow likes to watch the Packers and still says, "go, go!" every time she sees a game or highlight. We didn't know it at the time, but she sat with Muskie Man and watched #4's last game a few weeks ago.

Thanks for the entertainment these past 16 seasons #4, we'll miss you!

Shopping with Daddy

2008-02-27T16:02:00.006-06:00

We received word last night that a friend I've met through MOPS, who had been placed with a baby in early January, was going to have to give the baby back to his firstmom today. The firstmom had a change of mind and has decided to parent. I fully believe that those who give birth have the right to parent, but I also know what a great mom my friend is and the loving, Christian home this little boy would have grown up in. My heart is just breaking for this family. I am keeping this family in my thoughts and prayers and asking God to give them guidance and comfort as they go through this tough time.

Last night I hugged Minnow just a little tighter and held onto her just a little longer as I put her to bed. I spent the hour before bedtime watching her hang out with Muskie Man, studying the new Bass Pro Shops catalog. I think they picked out a few new fishing lures together.

"This one, Daddy, it will catch you the big one!"

A Pat on the Back

2008-02-19T10:41:00.003-06:00

Minnow gives great hugs. She leans into me, puts her head on my shoulder and pats me on the back. She even says, "Aww." I love it! How many people can get a pat on the back numerous times a day? Thanks Minnow!

Lots O' Snow

2008-02-15T16:17:00.002-06:00

We got 11 inches of snow yesterday. The weather people were forecasting 2-4 inches--WRONG! As the day went on weather dot com kept changing the forecast until we had a Heavy Snow Warning which was posted while we were having the heavy snow. Thanks for the warning.

Luckily, a friendly neighbor came with his snowblower and cleared our driveway. Muskie Man would've been our there for hours shoveling and missed the nice Valentine's Day dinner I had prepared. Thanks neighbor--we owe you a couple beers!

Here are a few pictures of our sad little mailbox which has been all but buried in the mounds of snow we now have. I figure that all this snow will be melted by the Fourth of July.

This picture is from last night before another nice neighbor cleared some of the snow so the mail carrier can at least get to the mailbox:

Here is a picture from today:

Crabby Girl!

2008-02-11T13:11:00.000-06:00

Minnow has been quite crabby the past 2 days. It may have something to do with the fact that she is ready to cut at least 4 teeth. Her gums are swollen and we can see where the teeth are about to come through. Thank goodness for ibupro*fen and ty*lenol.

Hopefully she'll be back to her old self soon, with a mouthful of new teeth.

Gettin' Through the Winter

2008-02-08T16:34:00.000-06:00

We are trying to get through the winter. I joined the Y so we have something to do every day. I get Minnow ready--which is sometimes a task with that hair--and we go to the Y. I drop her off at the drop-in childcare and go work out with some other mommy friends. Minnow has adjusted to being abandoned, I mean, left by me to play in a fun room with cool books and toys with other kids and nice supervisors.

After working out, there are other activities. Three days a week the Y has "Wiggles and Giggles," which is play time for toddlers and moms. The indoor soccer field is open and there are balls and toys so the kids have room to run and play. Minnow is kind of being stalked by a little boy who seems to be fascinated with her hair. We also try to go swimming once a week. Last time we went swimming, Minnow took a 3+ hour nap when we got home. (note to self: go swimming, OFTEN)

Minnow is bummed that football season is over and that her Packers lost and didn't make it to the Super Bowl.

We are just waiting out February so we can get geared up for March Madness!

And the winner is. . .

2008-02-03T15:03:00.000-06:00

Thanks for everyone who entered my bloggy giveaway. Thanks to Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer for organizing such a fun giveaway event!

There are actually 2 winners--I was feeling generous. The winners are Sarah and Whip. I've emailed both winners and am excited for them to experience Arbonne's awesome products. Thanks again to all who entered.

Silly Picture

2008-01-31T12:05:00.000-06:00

Julie at . . .and the rest is history is having a giveaway if you post a silly picture. Here's our beach babe, trying to be beachy in the middle of winter.

It's a Giveaway!

2008-01-25T13:32:00.000-06:00

Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer is hosting a bloggy giveaway carnival this week on her other blog called bloggy giveaways. There are tons of participants giving away tons of stuff.

I am participating and giving away a mini Arbonne Hand Cream and a mini Arbonne Herbal Foot Care. Take care of your dry hands and feet, if you don't have dry hands and feet, consider yourself fortunate and protect them with these products! These "minis" are perfect sized for you purse, diaper bag, gym bag or desk.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post--you don't even have to be a blogger to enter! I'll have Muskie Man randomly choose a winner. You have until Friday at 5:00 P.M. to enter. I'll cover shipping, but only to the US residents (sorry int'l readers)

Also, take a couple minutes and check out the other cool bloggy giveaways at Bloggy Giveaways.

Looking Forward to Summer

2008-01-25T08:00:00.001-06:00

It's been cold here--actually that's an understatement. Words can barely describe how cold it's been. Your breath is taken away when you step outside. My hand was so cold it hurt the other day while pumping gas. Poor little Minnow just scrunches up her little face against the cold.

So to try and forget how absolutely freezing it's been, we have started to think about summer. We enjoy spending time in our fishing boat in the summer. Last summer, Minnow was less than fond of her lifejacket. We think it was just too big for her and she was uncomfortable. She enjoyed riding in the boat and going fast, but as soon as we stopped a wrestling match between Minnow and myself would begin. It was not a fun experience.

We tried her lifejacket on her the other day and had her wear it around the house. We were hoping she would get used to it in time for summer. We were pleasantly surprised--she didn't mind the lifejacket at all--there is hope for this summer! Now if it can just hurry up and get here--we're freezing!

Banishing the gloomies

2008-01-18T16:24:00.000-06:00

Julie at is having a contest at and the rest is history--this is my first blogging contest!

The contest is to write about what brings sunshine to our lives during this gloomy winter season.

This is what brings sunshine to my life:

Her little hand in mine;

The look on her face when she discovers something new;

The way she squeals, "Daddy" when Muskie Man comes home;

The sound of her laugh when she is tickled;

Her dancing--this girl's got rhythm;

Minnow running to hug me like this:

That is what brings sunshine to my life.

Basketball games and knucks

2008-01-10T13:07:00.000-06:00

That has been our life lately--basketball games and knucks. Knucks is Minnow's new favorite thing--she holds her fist out for a knuck or fist bump from someone. The kids at Muskie Man's school think it's hilarious and Minnow doesn't leave anyone out. She gives knucks to everyone. Some friends "borrowed" her for a few minutes at one game and had her sit with them in the bleachers. I looked up to see her and sure enough, she was giving everyone around her knucks.

We have been to a few basketball games recently and Minnow starts out watching the action. She even did her 3-point signal at the last game. She cheers along and watches the game--for a while, then she just wants to go and run in the halls. She sees alot of people while running the halls and has become quite the popular little girl--all the kids know her, say hi to her, and of course, get knucks from her!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T13:51:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!
We had a good 2007. Minnow has been part of our family for over a year and is such a blessing to us. We can't imagine our life without her! What did we do before her? She entertains us, we don't need TV anymore at night we can just watch her dance to commercials. Obviously she changed alot this past year, she walks, talks and is becoming an interesting little person.

Muskie Man's job continues to go well and he enjoys it, on most days anyway. I love staying home with Minnow and doing my Arbonne business. I wouldn't have it any other way.

We are thankful for our health, our families, and our friends.
Here's to a healthy and happy 2008!

We love the W*ii

2007-12-29T10:42:00.000-06:00

My sister and family got a W*ii for Christmas for their kids, I wonder who is going to be using it more, my sis and brother-in-law or the kids?

They brought it to our house for all of us to experience. Muskie Man loves this system and I have a feeling we will be saving our pennies to purchase one, if we can find one somewhere. Everyone got in on the fun--even Grandma and Grandpa! Minnow was cheering everyone on.

Grandpa getting ready to bowl with Minnow cheering him on:

Even Grandma got in on the bowling action:

Merry Christmas

2007-12-26T10:52:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Minnow is so fun at this age. She enjoyed opening her presents: ripping the wrapping paper (with a little help from Muskie Man), playing with the boxes and looking at the toys. We did not get out the wire cutters to cut all the little twisty wires on the toys until Christmas morning, there was enough going with opening presents.

Minnow got all dressed up Christmas Eve for church. She enjoyed listening to the kids sing in church. Christmas Day she listened to Muskie Man do a reading during the service.

Christmas Day we had dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Muskie and Aunt Stein and Uncle Moff. We then went for a walk around town and pulled Minnow in a sled around the yard. She laughed and then she cried while on the sled (she was getting cold).

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day and the celebrating will continue with more family coming for the next few days.

Winter Band Concert

2007-12-19T07:55:00.000-06:00

So we went to the "Winter" Band Concert at Muskie Man's school last night. It was essentially a "Christmas" concert, but one wouldn't want to offend the politically correct.

Minnow LOVED the music. She danced and jumped around and was so well-behaved. She behaved better than she does in church, no wrestling math for Muskie Man! Minnow's favorite group was the Concert Band, they played more Christmas Music and more upbeat music. The groups did a great job and Minnow had a fun night.

My Last First Date

2007-12-17T22:02:00.001-06:00

18 years ago yesterday I went on my last first date. Muskie Man took me out, and the rest is history, we were just babes in high school. We became best friends and married after graduating college. We have literally grown up together.

We've been through alot, had some fun adventures, endured some difficult days, and now this is our wonderful little family.

Thanks for asking me out, Muskie Man!

Go Packers!

2007-12-16T20:12:00.000-06:00

We cheered our Packers on to a victory today! Minnow was all dressed up, ready to watch and cheer with a rousing, "Go, go!"

She fell asleep a half hour before the game started and took a marathon nap--she slept during the whole game. She will have to watch the highlights on the news!

Playing in the Snow

2007-12-16T14:40:00.000-06:00

Minnow and I have gone outside to play in the snow a couple times. One of those times, I was shoveling the driveway and Minnow was hanging out in the snowy yard. I was shoveling away and I heard Minnow start to screech. I ran over to her and she had lost her balance, falling face-first into the snow. She couldn't get up and got her first face wash of snow. Cute!

Minnow still isn't too sure what to think of the snow:

After playing and shoveling, Minnow checked out the Christmas decorations. She declared them beautiful by saying, " Oh, Wow!"

Observant Little Minnow

2007-12-13T15:53:00.000-06:00

Minnow is very observant, she doesn’t miss a thing. Any time there is something out of place in our home, she finds it and shows us. The remote is left within her reach—it’s like she has a radar and goes right to and grabs it. We try to avoid this, as we don’t know what buttons she will push and mess up the TV—remember the Friends episode when the TV got stuck in Spanish? That is my fear!

If we leave the cabinet locks off by chance, she notices immediately and goes right for the cabinet that is unlocked. If the bathroom door is accidentally left open and the toilet cover is accidentally left up, she is up to her elbows in toilet water before we know it! YUCK! This is making me keep the toilets extra clean these days.

We love you observant little toilet-water-drenched Minnow!

Ready, Set, Snow!

2007-12-03T09:53:00.000-06:00

Last week when the wind chill was below zero I realized that Minnow was not properly prepared for winter. So we ventured to the Osh Kosh B'Gosh outlet and found a snowpants/coat combo for 60% off! YEAH! (this week it's probably 70% off, but we'll keep what we got)

We got the coat just in time for a big storm that came through this weekend. Now we just have to find Minnow some boots and then she's ready to head outside into the snow.

Minnow just had to model her new gear:

No Longer Itchy

2007-11-29T15:20:00.000-06:00

Minnow has recovered from her itchiness. We went to the doctor on Monday and it turns out she is allergic to amoxicillin. So much for the non-allergic rash! Her ear looked better so we were instructed to stop the antibiotic and give her Zyrtec. She is much better.

She is back to her regular old self--smiley and into everything. Her new thing is wearing sunglasses around the house. She wants me to put them on, walks around for a while, takes them off and wants them back on again. This is how I spend my days--I love it!

Itchy Minnow

2007-11-26T09:40:00.000-06:00

I have an itchy little Minnow who has developed a rash. I took her to the doctor last Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, because she was not feeling well. She was diagnosed with her first ear infection and put on Amoxicillin. Minnow seemed to be feeling better the next day. Yesterday she developed a rash and is uncomfortable. She lays on the floor and writhes around, poor little itchy thing. I called the very helpful 24-hour nurseline and the friendly nurse said that 5-10% of kids on the antibiotic can develop a rash 5-7 days after starting the medicine. It is a non-allergic rash. Minnow woke up this morning ichier than ever and her face was puffy. We have an appointment at our clinic for this afternoon. I just have to put up with the itchy, writhing Minnow for a few more hours.

Thankful!

2007-11-22T09:10:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for in our household: I am thankful for Muskie Man, who is my best friend; Minnow, who is the joy of our life! I am thankful that Muskie Man has a good job that he enjoys (most of the time). I am thankful that his job allows me to stay home with Minnow and pursue my Arbonne business. We have a wonderful home that is large enough for our families to gather in and celebrate holidays. Thank you, God for all of our blessings, which inlcude our families and friends!

My Thanksgiving day began with Minnow yelling from her crib at 5:45 a.m. Aren't babies supposed to sit in their cribs and jabber for a while when they wake up? Not Minnow! Actually, it was probably ok, it made us get up and finish getting things ready for our visitors who will be arriving just in time for the Packers game--all 20 of them--both of our families will be celebrating with us today.

I got Minnow something to drink and turned on the coffee maker. It brewed and brewed and very little coffee came out. It made strange noises, and very little coffee came out--time to get a new coffee maker. My family LOVES coffee, so we NEED a coffee maker. Luckily, KMart is open on Thanksgiving! KMart also happens to be the only "chain" store we have in our little town. I went to KMart(which was very busy) and bought a new coffee maker this morning. If that is the only thing that goes wrong today then it will be a good day. The turkeys are in the oven, now I have to go peel potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving, Go Packers!

Check your information

2007-11-19T09:59:00.000-06:00

Muskie Man is the principal at our local high school. He has been getting strange emails for the past few days from random people around the country. Apparently there is a school in another state (not near us) with the same name as his school. This school has had a little bit of a cheerleading scandal--something involving suspension for inappropriate dancing. Here are a few examples of the weird emails that people actually take time to send--and then send them to the wrong person!

This one is titled: "Mean School"
Suspending those Cheerleaders is crazy....you are punishing them for being inventive and using a little imagination...it was all in fun and hurt no one....as far as showing anything you can go to any Mall in the summertime or the local beach and see much more than that...sounds like a mean place to go to school....you hurt a lot of people for no real reason only intoxicated with your own power and like to play gottcha...too bad...... Ron

Here is another email:
Get a life, gentlemen. There was no harm here. Unbelievable.

Here is Muskie Man's response to these emails:
I am the principal of ________ in (our state). We have received several communications on this issue and understand this to be a story from ______ High School in (other state)--not (our state). If you still feel the need to express your opinion and related feelings, perhaps you want to check your contact information and contact the appropriate people--in the correct state.

On a different note, have an enjoyable Thanksgiving.

For the record, Ron from the "Mean School" email responded back to Muskie Man with this:
You made my day...sorry for getting the wrong guy..(school) ...you have a great sense of humor...you dont need a "mean" letter...Ron

The world of email is tricky--this guy got Muskie Man's sarcasm!

Mommies aren't allowed to be sick!

2007-11-15T15:04:00.000-06:00

So we've been a bit under the weather here in Muskie-land. Minnow came down with a stomach flu type thing on Sunday. We had to wake her up for church, gave her a little formula, she wouldn't drink much, and got her ready. We sat her down in the pew and she had a weird look on her face and then had a big spit-up/puke--all down her dress and dribbling down her chin! She was rather lethargic during the service which was a nice change of pace as Muskie Man usually ends up wrestling with her during church. When we got home after church, she was crawling around and I heard a strange noise come from her and then smelled it! GROSS! She had several scary diapers that day and slept alot.

Monday she woke up feverish and not herself. She didn't want to eat anything, but did drink quite a bit of pedialyte. Minnow just sat on my lap all day and cuddled and napped. Muskie Man came home from school and was sick himself. I guess him walking by me with Im*odium A/D was a good sign he wasn't feeling well. He went straight to bed, but spent most of the evening throwing up. He even laid on the bathroom floor for a while and was not drinking anything--I was a little concerned.

I woke up in the middle of the night not feeling well. My body ached and I had the chills. Tuesday I felt like I had been run over by a truck or something. Muskie Man was feeling a little better but still slept quite a bit. Minnow was doing better also, but still had some scary diapers and wasn't eating much. I think I slept about 18 hours on Tuesday. Muskie Man and I traded off napping and taking care of Minnow. It was not a good day. By Tuesday evening, Muskie Man was on the mend, he even made a frozen pizza.

Wednesday dawned with all of us feeling much better. I was 100% better and able to function. Minnow is still not quite herself, but is laughing and playing, just not eating alot. Muskie Man is back at school "educating and motivating," as he always says.

I have come to the conclusion that mommies just aren't allowed to be sick--who takes care of the rest of the family, who cooks, who cleans, who takes care of moomy?! Well, I'm off to clean my germ-infested house.

Halloween

2007-11-08T14:24:00.000-06:00

Halloween for Minnow consisted of a Baby Boo Bash hosted by one of "The Girls" for us moms and the kids. T, who hosted the soiree, went above and beyond with decorations, food and a trick or treat for each kid. We had a fun time.

We also went trick-or-treating which meant visiting our neighbors and two friends' homes. Minnow had had enough by then. Minnow even got some candy, of course she can't eat it, so Muskie Man had some treats.

Minnow was a little bee. We like to say she was a hornet as this was our high school mascot, way back when. She liked her costume, especially the "hat," except she kept taking it off and wanting us to put it back on again. It also gave her some interesting "hat hair!"

Our Adoption Journey - Part III

2007-11-06T10:31:00.000-06:00

It was so nice to see N again. She was doing well considering she had major surgery a few hours earlier. Then a nurse came in with the baby. She handed Minnow to me and my heart just melted. She was beautiful, a perfect little angel! N was tired and sore, so after we talked to her mom and dad on the phone, we let her get some much needed rest. We were able to take Minnow to a room for NICU parents that was not being used. It was basically a hospital room without a bed. It had chairs, TV, and bathroom--not bad accommodations. We had several hours to start to bond with Minnow, it was an amazing few hours. She was awake most of the time, just studying us.

We spent almost every waking moment that we could in the hospital bonding with Minnow. We also were respectful of N and wanted her to have time with Minnow. She kept Minnow in her room at night and I know that was a memorable time for her. We enjoyed getting to know N better and are so thankful to her for giving us the best gift in the world—a daughter.

It was an emotional time in the hospital with N. She was losing something and we were gaining something. I was more emotional than Muskie Man, as N and I would go for walks in the halls and talk.

Minnow stayed in the hospital for almost 4 days. We finally got discharged and were able to take Minnow “home.” I know it was hard for N to see us leave with Minnow, we were sad and happy at the same time, which is hard to describe.

We stayed in Colorado for another week, waiting for the Interstate Compact to come through. We enjoyed our time in Colorado, it really helped us bond as a family. Had we been home, Muskie Man would have been torn between staying home and going to school to get things ready for the upcoming school year. Family and friends would have been visiting. We were able to bond as a family.

Muskie Man was and still is amazing with Minnow. He took care of her a lot those first few days as he knew he was going to be very busy once we got home. We went on a few excursions while in Colorado. We went to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, the mall, and to Estes Park and got some nice photos by a mountain stream.

We finally got word that the Interstate Compact had gone through and we were free to go home. Once again, I got on the phone to book plane tickets. We had left home as a family of two and we returned as a family of three.

Our Adoption Journey - Part II

2007-10-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

We were a little nervous about the first meeting, which would be lunch with N and a social worker from the agency. What do you say, “nice to meet you, can we please have your baby?” We got some advice from some friends who are adoptive parents.

Everything went very smoothly, the social worker did a great job. N was happy to meet us and even wanted to spend another day with us while we were in Colorado. We had a great time getting to know her--she is a sweet and kind person. N wanted us to be her daughter’s parents. She was due in August so we had about 2 months to plan for a baby. WOW!

We went about our summer, excited about becoming parents and a little overwhelmed about the whole thing. We had 2 months to prepare! It was also a change in mindset—we were ready for a boy (most likely) from Guatemala who would come home to us at about age one, here we were going to have a newborn girl! Exciting!

How to start planning? I was at Wal-Mart one day and dared to venture into the baby section and got completely overwhelmed. I called Muskie Man in tears as I was leaving the store! He advised me in his wise way, to call a good friend who had a one year old and ask her what we really needed. She was so sweet and had a list for me by that evening. Thanks Amy, for making our life easier! We purchased the basics—travel system stroller and car seat, bottles, burp cloths, etc. My family had given us a diaper bag full of “stuff” so that helped. We would get the rest of the items as we needed them.

The weeks and months went quickly. We painted the baby’s room and arranged to borrow a crib and changing table from my sister. My sister and family delivered the furniture on August 13. We put it together that afternoon “just to have it ready.” I had been researching flights and rental cars. I knew the schedules of the airlines. We had been graciously offered a place to stay so that was not a worry. We had suitcases out and mostly packed, just some essentials that had to be packed at the last minute.

At 12:30 a.m. on August 14 my cell phone rang. N’s water had broken and they were on their way to the hospital. WOW, what a wake-up call that was! We rushed out of bed. Muskie Man jumped in the shower and hurried to work to put his “out of office until further notice” messages on his voicemail and email. I got on the internet to look at flights and rental cars. Did you know that if you have to book a flight less than 12 hours out, you have to actually talk to someone? We booked a 6:00 a.m. flight to Colorado, and a rental car for when we got there, and hit the road at about 3:00 a.m. for our hour and a half drive to the airport. We got a call on the way that N had to have a C-section because the baby was breach. Our daughter was born at 1:37 a.m. (mountain time) and everyone was doing well.

The flight was smooth and on time. Our bags made it—both bags came out at the same time! When does that happen?! We got our rental car and went to the hospital. We were about to meet our daughter!

. . .to be continued

Our Adoption Journey- Part I

2007-10-24T11:18:00.000-05:00

Long overdue, here is part 1 of our adoption journey.

I don’t remember the exact date of our diagnosis, I can’t even remember the year right now, must be mommy brain, or maybe I’ve blocked it out. After a few tests and procedures, we got the word that we wouldn’t be able to have biological children without invasive medical procedures, which came with a low success rate. We didn’t even discuss it alot, it just didn’t seem like a good way to spend our money.

So we grieved, each in our own way for quite a while. Muskie Man was ready for adoption before I was. I don’t know what was holding me back, maybe the thought that we would never get to see a baby made by us, with our physical traits. That is probably a good thing,--ha-ha.

I had a discussion with my brother one night. His words stuck with me. He said that it’s not who makes the baby it’s who raises the child. I hate to admit this, but those were wise words and really changed my mind. I started researching agencies in our state and the different programs they offered. We discussed it and decided on international adoption and the Guatemalan program.

We had originally planned on international adoption vs. domestic because we had seen failed matches and the heartache that was caused. My brother, the one with the wise words, and his wife, had gone through 2 failed matches and we saw their heartache up close and personal. My brother and his wife now have 2 sons, biologically, and are a happy little family.

So we went to an informational meeting, got the paperwork, and began the great paper-chase: we got fingerprinted, a couple times; went for physicals; filled out immigration forms; had our homestudy completed; got original birth certificates and marriage certificates; the list goes on and on. We had everything notarized, received the great state seals—and completed our dossier!

I remember talking with a friend as she was asking about our paper-chase progress and I said we weren’t going about it as quickly as some probably do, but it will get done when it’s supposed to. I don’t know what was holding us back, but we see God’s hand in it all.

We handed in our dossier for final review and approval in May of 2006. A few days later I got a call from my brother, the one with the wise words. He doesn’t usually leave a message, but he did this time. He even got a hold of Muskie Man at school--this had to be important. His wife’s cousin had contacted them and was wondering if they knew anyone in their church who was looking to adopt a child who was part Hispanic. (His church is completely Hispanic.) They said they didn’t know anyone in their church but thought of us and got us in touch with my sister-in-law’s cousin.

We didn’t even think twice about pursuing this opportunity, we truly believe that God puts opportunities before you for a reason. So, we whipped up a “dear Expectant Mom” letter, emailed it to the agency who was working with the potential birthmom, N. She got our letter and wanted to meet us. We were guardedly excited but made plans to visit. N was in Colorado so we booked our tickets, hotel and rental car and a few weeks later we were off.

. . .to be continued

Fun Night

2007-10-19T10:48:00.000-05:00

Minnow had a fun night last night. She was at my friend D's house while I did an Arbonne party. That's my work from home business.

D came through in a crunch for us. Muskie Man had to supervise at a high school football game. He was supposed to take Minnow to the game (you know how she likes sports), but the weather looked bad--thunderstorms in October??!! He also had to be on duty at the last minute. D is a great friend for helping us out at the last minute.

Minnow had the time of her life at D's house! First of all they have a dog which was very exciting for her. She just kept saying "woof, woof" all night. Secondly, she got to climb stairs. We do not have stairs in our house as we live in a ranch house. D also had some really cool toys as her grandson is at her house often.

When I came to pick up Minnow she was banging away on a xylophone and wasn't even excited to see me. The first ten minutes of the drive home, I was entertained listening to Minnow in the backseat babbling away with the occasional "woof" thrown in there. I think she was re-living her fun evening at D's house! Thanks D, for coming through for us, I owe you lunch!

On the Road Again

2007-10-17T09:55:00.000-05:00

Yes, we dared to travel with Minnow. . .again. This time it was the whole family, all 3 of us. We ventured to the Northwoods to visit my brother and his family for a long weekend. Muskie Man was excited because he got to do one of his favorite pastimes--muskie fishing. It was a tough weekend on the water, but he had a good time.

Minnow traveled pretty well. It is much easier traveling when Muskie Man is driving and I can help to entertain Minnow. It also helped that we had the portable DVD player in the truck. Minnow LOVES her PraiseBaby DVD's--we have 3 different ones. We heard each DVD at least 2 times during the course of our travels, that's alot of songs. I guess that explains why I have praise songs constantly going through my head!

Minnow had a fun weekend with her cousins, who always keep her entertained. She even took her first steps at their house, way to go, Minnow! She must like the Northwoods.

Go, Go!

2007-10-15T20:31:00.000-05:00

Minnow loves sports. She has been going to sporting events since she was about a month old. She has been to volleyball matches, football games, basketball games, a wrestling tournament, baseball and softball games. . . pretty much any sport Muskie Man's school has, she has been there!

For the past few months, when Minnow notices a game on TV, she drops what she is doing and starts clapping her hands. Anytime she hears the crowd cheering, she joins in clapping. She also does this at games. She often ends up clapping for the wrong team--we have to work on this!

Lately, as soon as she notices a game on the tube she drops what she is doing and says, "go, go!" She repeats this phrase over and over and over again as she watches the game. Now we just have to get her "cheering" for the right team!

Traveling 250 miles alone with a one-year-old

2007-10-08T22:24:00.000-05:00

Minnow and I traveled 250 miles to the Twin Cities to visit my sister and family for a long weekend. I had the trip planned out perfectly (in my mind, anyway)--we leave when Minnow is ready for a nap and she sleeps for the majority of the trip. She wakes up, I stop at the next McDonald's, change her, make her a bottle, treat myself to an Iced Coffee (totally addicted), and go the rest of the way with a well-rested, changed, and satisfied baby. WRONG! Part of the trip went as planned. Minnow slept for 2 hours, then woke up crying. We stopped at the nearest McD's, changed her, got her a bottle, got me an iced coffee (YEAH!) and started to drive again--then the screaming began.

What to do?! I had her backpack diaper bag next to me--what was in it? A toothbrush--I handed it back to her--silence for about 20 minutes. The toothbrush is then tossed and the screaming ensued. What else is in the bag? A book--hand it back to her--silence for a few minutes until the book is tossed. More screaming. This "game" continued for the remainder of the trip. I was down to the last item in my "arsenal," an empty water bottle, when the exit for my sister's house appeared. We made it!

We enjoyed 4 days with my sister's family and then prepared for the trip home. It began the same as the trip there with a nap, waking up, McD's (changed diaper, bottle, and iced coffee!), but then the screaming began and didn't stop. My well-prepared arsenal of distractions failed! I was even more prepared this time--more books, her doll, a photo album she likes. No luck, she screamed and screamed for 40 miles! Then, as we pulled into our town. . .silence. She sleeps.

Hayride

2007-10-02T13:45:00.000-05:00

Minnow had her first hayride and visit to the pumpkin patch on Sunday. We met “the girls” and their families and had a great time. “The girls” are 3 moms who I became friends with from a new mom’s group. We decided we are no longer “new” moms so we kicked ourselves out of the group and now just do things on our own. We also email daily, sharing funny stories, advice and the challenges of being moms. I love “the girls!”

We don’t usually get together with the husbands so this was an extra special outing. The hayride was just that--we rode on a flat bed trailer filled with hay that was being pulled by a tractor. We got dropped off in the woods where there were various animals in pens—animals such as reindeer, goats, donkeys, miniature horses, a lama, an alpaca and a rabbit. (These animals were in separate pens, wouldn’t want the reindeer to step on the rabbit—that could be traumatic for the kids!) We all got a pumpkin to take home and got some great pictures.
It was a fun outing—Minnow loved the animals, especially the reindeer.

Babies!

2007-09-23T19:47:00.000-05:00

I’ve watched a 10-month old little boy 3 times in the past week. I will have him once or twice a week through October. His babysitters from summer went back to school so the family was kind of in a bind and both sets of parents thought it would be nice for the kids to play together.

I have a whole new respect for mothers of multiples! These babies keep me on my toes. Minnow has had socialization with kids her age up to this point, and has been kind of wimpy. A kid would take a toy away from her and she would just let them. Well, not anymore! Maybe it’s because he is on “her turf’ or whatever, but Minnow is kind of a bully. She takes toys away from J and cries when he takes them back. Sharing is just not part of her lifestyle right now, but we're working on it.

She also did kind of box-out move which I was actually kind of proud of, being a former basketball player. The kids were by a window sill looking out the window and Minnow gave J a little forearm and tried to move him away. The only thing is that J didn’t really move, he out-weighs Minnow by about 7 pounds which at this size is quite a bit, Minnow tried for the box-out but wasn’t very successful. Keep trying, Minnow!

No

2007-09-16T20:02:00.000-05:00

So we have baby-proofed the house, but some things just cannot be put away, locked down, or out of reach. These things include the T.V. and accompanying audio system, consisting of speakers, DVD player and receiver, the gas-log stove, and the various remotes we have scattered about the great room.

We’ve barricaded the T.V. and audio system with a baby papasan chair Minnow has not used for months, blankets, and a boppy. (and wow, do these items really add to the classy décor of our great room!)This barricade has proven to be successful and impenetrable. Minnow will occasionally try to get through the barricade and her maneuvers are met with a chorus of “no!” She now looks at the T.V. and says, “no, no.”

Minnow is intrigued by the gas-log stove, and although we have not had it on during these summer months, we still want her to be used to not touching it as it does get hot when operating. When she crawls toward it and wants to touch it she is met with a chorus of “no!” She now looks at the gas-log stove and says, “no, no.”

The remote controls—we try hard to keep these out of reach, but once in a while she gets her little hands on one of the remotes and is met with a chorus of “no!” She now points at the remotes and says, “no, no.”

What are we teaching Minnow? In her little mind, the T.V. is a “no,” the gas log stove is a “no” and a remote is called a “no.” Poor little thing, she is going to grow up confused!

Deer!

2007-09-11T21:01:00.000-05:00

One of the many things that makes Muskie Man a proud daddy is the fact that one of the first words Minnow said is the word “deer”—as in the animal. A favorite hobby of Muskie Man is deer hunting, second to fishing. Many hours are spent reading hunting magazines and watching hunting shows. (We even have to pay a few dollars a month extra on our cable bill so he can get the Outdoor and Sportsman channels.)

Minnow sees deer on TV or on a magazine cover and exclaims: “deer!” She also gets excited about the deer head that is mounted and hanging in our basement. This deer head has become kind of a family mascot and is affectionately named Charlie. If Minnow is in a crabby mood, which doesn’t happen too often, we just take her downstairs to see Charlie and all is well in her little world.

Many an hour are spent with Minnow’s little face pressed up against our windows, staring out at our backyard, looking for deer. We regularly have deer passing through our backyard, pausing to eat leaves and grass. Minnow gets very excited when she sees deer in our backyard. She starts rapping her little hands on the window and saying “deer” over and over again and practically jumping up and down. The picture is Minnow and two of her cousins watching deer in the backyard.

Minnow even spots the deer before we do sometimes. One afternoon she was getting all excited, standing by the window, saying "deer" over and over again. Muskie Man asked me if there were any deer in the backyard, I looked out the window and didn't see anything. Sure enough a minute or two later, two deer appear from the brush at the edge of our property. What any eye for wildlife little Minnow has! Muskie Man is so proud of his little outdoors-child.

Copycat

2007-09-06T12:18:00.000-05:00

Minnow has taken to copying us. She imitates the sounds we make. . .I cough, she coughs, I clear my throat, she clears her throat, you get the picture. The following story is a great example of our little copycat—

I woke up one morning not long ago with a horrible headache and took an Aleve and had a yogurt. I should know better than to take pain medication in the morning as this usually makes me nauseous, but I thought eating the yogurt would help. Muskie Man left for work and I was hanging out with Minnow. I felt nauseous and went to the bathroom to throw up. I kept the door open so I could keep an eye on Minnow as she’s been getting into everything lately. Minnow crawled to the bathroom door and just stared at me. A few minutes after my not-so-nice experience of throwing up, I find Minnow standing by the toilet (the lid was closed, thank goodness, or we would have a whole other story). Minnow was making coughing/throwing up noises, just like I had been doing. Not very lady-like, Little Copycat!

Is she a minnow or a barnacle?

2007-08-30T22:34:00.000-05:00

My dear, beloved minnow is becoming a barnacle! A barnacle is a crustacean that attaches itself to bottoms of ships and other various aquatic things. Well, my minnow is turning into a barnacle, and it's not a good thing!

I have this little creature attached to my leg as I'm working in the kitchen--so I've given up cooking and am making DH grill every night. I wouldn't want to endanger the little barnacle with cooking hot food near her! I've also had a hard time unloading the dishwasher as she is either attached to my leg which makes putting dishes away rather difficult, so I've given up unloading the dishwasher too!

The bathroom--the barnacle comes into the bathroom when I'm in there. I could be showering or doing business, she is there--no privacy whatsoever!

The barnacle wants to sit on my lap and "read" all day long! She is a speed-reader and just wants to turn the pages of the books, doesn't really care about the story in the book, she only wants to look at babies and animals, over and over and over again, and on my lap!

She wakes up during the night and usually just needs her nuk plugged back into her little mouth and drifts back off to sleep. The past two nights have been like this: reach for the nuk in the crib--feel two little arms, or tentacles, wrap themselves around my neck in a death grip and hang on. My little barnacle!

I'm really touched that she wants to spend so much time with me, but give me a little space, will ya, barnacle?! This better just be some sort of phase you are going through.

Peek-a-boo!

2007-08-29T17:24:00.000-05:00

Minnow started playing peek-a-boo the other day. Don't know where she got this or who taught it to her, but it is hilarious! The funniest thing is she always peeks out with one little brown eye and then laughs out loud when she takes her hands away. Here's a picture of Minnow playing peek-a-boo with Muskie Man.

Welcome to Minnow Musings

2007-08-29T17:16:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog--I've decided to enter the world of blogging. My blog will be about the everyday goings on in the life of a SAHM who is also a Work at Home Mom, and will tell that tales of our little minnow.

A lttle bit about our family, We are a family of 3 - there is Muskie Man, my DH, who works in education, loves to hunt and fish, and loves his little Minnow; there is me, Muskie Mom, I love to spend time outdoors, fish, work from home, and I love my little Minnow.

Minnow just turned one and came to us through the miracle that is adoption. I'll tell her adoption story one of these days.

The main reason for this blog is to write down the funny little things she does to add humor to my day. People are always telling me to write down these little stories, so here they will be.