Weekend in Review

First I would like to say that I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Ours was great and I really enjoyed Mike having the entire week off. It kinda felt like I was on vacation too! He is so great and we LOVED spending more time with him!
We had our plans set for Thanksgiving. My family on Thanksgiving Day and Mike's family on Friday. This has always worked out great, because there is NO WAY we could do both families on Thanksgiving Day. It usually works out without hardly any complaints. We made it to my parents house on Thanksgiving morning. The kids were so excited about the "party". Madison helped my mom and I cook all day. She snacked on everything. Even though last year was her first Thanksgiving, this was her first Thanksgiving to eat. Last year she was only about 4 months old, so she really didn't eat anything. That girl can eat, and loved everything! When it came time to eat, Madison didn't want to eat anything. I didn't push her because I just thought she was full from snacking all day! Ryan didn't eat much either. I didn't push him because he is a picky eater and just let him do his thing. Well it was a couple hours later, when all the excitement began. I was cleaning up and my mom was playing with Madison, when all of sudden, I hear my name being called. I run to the living room to see Madison getting sick. My mom was holding her and she had gotten sick again. All over Grammie. I felt so bad. I grabbed Madison and ran into the bathroom. She was so scared. I gave her a bath and she was good to go. I thought she had gotten sick because she ate too much. My mom took her and laid with her in bed when again she got sick. Another bath, another change of clothes and she was good to go. In the mean time, Ryan was hanging on my leg and wanted me to hold him. I told my mom, something is not right with him. I put him down and he got sick at my feet. This is when we realized the kids had the flu. Ryan got a bath, a change of clothes and was good to go. So between 6:30 and 8, Madison had gotten sick 6 times and Ryan twice. I had no idea how we were going to get home. We decided to make a break for it...Ryan with a bucket in hand we headed home. Madison got sick once on the way home, before she fell asleep. Ryan fell asleep around the same time. We finally made it home. Got the kids in bed, I started laundry, Mike ran to Meijers for Pedilite and 7 up. Madison got sick only one more time around midnight. Poor girl!! She got the worse of it.
There was no way we were going to make it to Thanksgiving for Mike's family on Friday. We were not going to drive 2 hours there and 2 hours back with 2 sick kids. The 45 minute drive from my parents was hard enough. We needed the day to rest. Especially since I went out with the crazy people shopping Friday morning. Got most of shopping done with a few exceptions. I had a lot of fun with Theresa and My mom. I never thought I would be able to get up mom out the door at 3:45 am to go shopping, but I did! I was proud of her. She kept up with us young girls great! Even though we lost her in Meijers for about 45 minutes. She was probably looking to buy Madison more baby dolls.....I didn't know Madison needed 100 baby dolls for Christmas!! We finally found her sleeping on a bench at the front of Meijers...ok so maybe not sleeping, but that's what we accused her of! She was waiting for us, and we had no idea!! We walked around Meijers for a long time being followed by floor walkers and all!! They probably thought we looked suspicious walking around that store so many times!!
The kids are finally starting to feel better. Madison is still having "issues" but at least we don't' have to follow her around with a bucket!!

Downtown Holiday Jacket and Pant GIVEAWAY!!!!

Downtown Holiday Jacket and Pant GIVEAWAY!!!!

The jacket is to die for! I love it! Madison would look so cute in it! I hope to win..it would be so nice to finally win something.

It's Monday

It's one of those days already. Ryan and Madison are fighting like cats and dogs. He just whipped Madison with his blanket. He has been in my dad's birthday cake all morning. He is very sneaky about it too. Something about the red and black frosting all over his fingers and face tell me he was in the cake. (even though he said he wasn't) Ryan is on his 3rd set of pajamas because he likes to make more laundry for me to do! I asked him why he keeps changing his pajamas and his response was because I like to wear all my jammies! As I type this, Ryan and Madison are putting all their books into Madison's crib! Nice!! I guess at least she will have something to read when she takes her nap this afternoon.
To add to this day, It's snowing out, I have to go to the grocery store and I don't want to! I hate bundling the kids up and venturing out in the snowy weather! I guess I will be talking to Mike about moving somewhere warm when he gets home! Whew...ok now I feel better....I am off to get all the books out of the crib!! I hope everyone elses Monday is going better than mine.

Chicago ~ Shopping with the girls

Last Saturday a small group of friends decided to go on a girls only shopping trip to Chicago. We all had to make purchases at the American Girl Store for Christmas, so instead of paying the high shipping, we decided to go and get away for the day! ALL of us really needed this time away. We all have kids, who we all love dearly, but us moms need a break too!

We began our day at 5 am. I don't think we stopped laughing until 2 am when we got home! It was the best time I have had away from home in a long time! (even though we didn't get to see Oprah) We had some great pizza for lunch..I can't remember the name of the place, (Kristin, you have to help me out here) but it was great. We also found the best popcorn. I guess people will line up for blocks to get this stuff, and Oprah loves it too, so it must be the best!! We did some shopping all around. We even went to a scrapbook place that was off the beaten path. I kept looking at Jennie with a very concerned look on my face, and of course she kept assuring me that we were ok! I just get a little scared when there are places with boards over the windows and Michael Jackson is walking down the road. Ok so not really Michael Jackson, but Kristin said it was him! TOO SCARY!!

At the end of the day we finally made it to the American Girl store. We all made our purchases and were very happy that we made this our last stop! Jennie bought enough to start her our store out of her house! We had a lot of bags!!

We decided to eat at the Cheesecake Factory, which was delicious! Thanks to Kristin and her mom for the extra money for drinks!! Here is the story behind Kristin's mom "Raising her Right". We went to the restaurant to get a table. She put her name in downstairs, I put my name upstairs. Which ever one called our name first, that's where we were going to eat. Well, after waiting about 45 minutes, we were told our table upstairs was just about ready. Well, we still had our other pager for downstairs. Kristin said she was not going to waste it and give it back to the hostess she was going to give it to the next person who walked in the door. So she did. The man and his wife thanked her and went downstairs. (they probably had a 10 minute wait compared to a 70 minute wait like everyone else) We got to our table and got "settled" in when this guy walks up and says to Kristin...."You are Kristin?" I think we all about died, because we didn't know how this guy knew Kristin. The we realized it was the guy she gave the pager to. (we forgot we told him the reservation was under Kristin). He thanked her and pulled out his wallet...He threw money on the table and said buy drinks on me! It was so amazing! He was so thankful what Kristin had done (and so were we). So here is a picture of Kristin with her Money!! What a great way to end a perfect day!

I didn't take a lot of pictures, I think I was too busy people watching and looking for weirdos. Mya--this is the only picture I have of you, well it was of you and Jennie in a cab, but Jennie looks like a cartoon character, and I don't think she would like to me post that picture..it was great meeting you. You were so much fun!

Oh, One more thing. Kristin gets money for being a great person and giving a man her reservation....Mya and I on the other hand, give a lady 65 cents only to have the same lady ask us for 65 cents again later down the road. We thought we were really helping someone out...that was our good deed for the day, but I really think it was a scam!!

Thanks girls for a great time! I can't wait to do it again! This time we will find OPRAH!!

Halloween 2008

Halloween this year was wonderful! We had great weather and had a great time! The kids and I went to Toys R Us for a pre Halloween parade. It was ok..I expected more...but Ryan enjoyed walking around Toys R Us in his costume!

The kids were very excited to go trick or treating! I think Ryan had been practicing for a week, and he was even teaching Madison what to say! She had it down! We were ready to go.

We decided to go to my brother Mike's neighborhood. Jason and Austin also joined us. Ryan loved having his cousin trick or treating with him. Poor Madison couldn't keep up with the boys. My mom and dad also joined us on our adventure! The kids were very excited to have Grammie and Papa go trick or treating with them! I think we only went trick or treating for about an hour and the kids got tons of candy. (which Mike has been taking to work each day)