Winter Blahs

So I am officially getting sick of winter. It just seems like it gets colder and snowier with each day. This doesn't lead to a happy person. I am really looking forward to spring and getting outside. I need the sun!

We have been busy the past couple of weeks with school, work, and Corey's house. Sophia is ready for spring as well. This winter has been very difficult for outside play. She got outside a couple of times last week and we are hoping she will get ouside again this week.

She continues to love gymnastics and dance. They are currently working on their recital dances so it is fun and exciting to watch what is to come in early June. She will take a break from dance for the summer, but continue in gymnastics. She is doing a great job of writing her name and drawing/coloring more each day. Her favorites right now are still her Barbies, fairies, and Littlest Pet Shop. She will be going to several birthday parties over the next two months and it is hard for her to understand it is not quite time for hers yet.

Wishing spring could come quicker, I am excited for green grass and warm sun. Until then, I will just have to hope for those warmer 30 degree days when I can get outside and run.

And we're off

So the start to the new year was quite the quick one. I can hardly believe that January is almost over. So much has happened since the beginning of the year! Hal and I have both had the opportunity to travel one for work and one for play, Sophia started a new evening of gymnastics, Sophia and I are both trying new foods (we love fish!), and my grandma will turn 90 at the end of the week.

Not only do we have all of these things, but I have taken on yet another project....yes cake pops! I bought a whole bunch of supplies, a book, and some molds. I'm making them for an upcoming baby shower so I want to practice and make them perfect before the big day.

I made a New Years Resolution to try new things and I think that so far I'm off to a good start.

Here are a couple of photos from our brand new year:

My best friend's son was baptized in Chicago


My first cake pop bouquet

Christmas #3 and Adventures with Uncle Ryan

Shortly after Christmas my brother came home from Tucson. So we had another family Christmas on the 29th. It was so fun to get together at our house. We had appetizers for dinner instead of a traditional Christmas dinner and the fun carried us through the entire evening. The tree basically exploded with presents after my parents and brother arrived.

The tree


The table

We started off our celebration in style with a champagne toast. Sophia even had her very own glass to toast with filled with water of course.

The toast

After eating our snackies and catching up, we began opening stockings. It is a tradition in our family that we exchange names and then we buy "stocking" presents that equal up to $20. It is so fun to see how creative people get each year on a budget. Plus it is so fun to get a whole bunch of little presents. After opening stockings, the present opening began and lasted well into the evening. Everyone was happy with their gifts and everyone was more than generous this year!!

Sophia with just some of her presents

My family stayed until everyone was exhausted and in a large food coma. Then it was off to bed for us.


Each year when my brother comes home at Christmas we always make a date to go to the Mall of America. It was a fun day today filled with TONS of rides. Sophia had a great time and enjoyed all of the special "uncle Ryan time" that she got.

The rides and mall wore us both out and we headed back home. We are excited to hang out with Ryan a couple more times until he heads back to Tucson. We did find out good news that he will be home for Sophia's birthday which is very exciting. I'm sure like always we will have some crazy family fun.

It will be difficult to head back to work this week, but I think everyone is ready to get back into a routine. The break has been a welcomed one. Now to look forward to what is to come in 2011.......