8 years!!!

happy anniversary stacey!!

here's to many more years ...
that hopefully include ...

*a few more full nights of sleep than we've gotten in the past 8 years
*lots more shared fajitas at chili's
*lots more vacations (to places MUCH warmer than here)
*lots of fun memories in OUR new house!
*a few races that we can actually run together!
*many more hours of CSI watching
*lots more fabulous dinners at ike's
*many more kid-free "just us" vacations
*MANY MANY MANY more mornings of starting our day out right - with starbucks
*an actual couch that we can snuggle on - not just a "couch bed" :)
*lots more hugs ...
*lots more kisses...
*lots more laughs...

i love you.

our house this week ...

we now have tile around the fireplace ...


shower walls ...


a place for a soaker tub ...


and stone on the front ...
(click so you can see it ...
AND ...
keep in mind the front door will change ... the columns aren't done ... and the wood isn't painted anywhere)

only a couple more weeks!!!

7 random things about me

well ... sonya tagged me ... so here goes ...

1. i set a fun goal to send/receive a thousand texts in a month - and i've passed it for the past 3.
(and to everyone who texts .. i love you .. not because you helped me reach a stupid goal ... but because you keep my life fun)

2. chicken is the only meat that i eat - and even most chicken grosses me out.

3. i love hip hop music - and when i can't understand the words - i just make up my own and sing along:)

4. i have gone through the taco bell drive thru in reverse - just for fun:)

5. i love to read cooking magazines - even though i don't really cook.
i just bake - desserts. HA!.

6. i actually had my series 7 and series 63 financial certifications at one point -
and if i was to retake the exam today i'd probably get less than 25% right.

7. i can still remember phone numbers and birthdates from many of my childhood friends.

now i tag everyone that is on my sidebar that reads my blog :)

if you're on there ... you know who you are .. and i'll be waiting :)

i realize that is more than 7 ... but oh well :)

hmmm ...

does an apple a day still keep the doctor away if the apple is a caramel apple?

if so i am in luck.

note to ben...

next time it crosses your mind to blame the marker writing on the wall on alex ...

try to remember that 2 year olds don't know how to write "A L I X" and "B E N"

just a thoughtful suggestion.

i've just about heard it all ...

me: drew ... why don't you see if you can fill 2 spots on your reading sheet tonight.

drew: well mom ... you see i just don't have a good spot to read in the house because in this house there are air vents that connect every room - so it is impossible to read in my room.

um... ok.... drew, good luck finding a house that doesn't have air vents that connect every room :)

a new favorite ...

there is a new favorite cd at our house ...
(or should i say in our car) ...



and i HIGHLY recommend that you get it!!
it has traditional preschool type songs like
the abc's
if you're happy and you know it
the wheels on the bus
5 little monkeys
john jacob jingle heimer schmidt
and MANY more
done in a way that only go fish can do!!

our boys LOVE it!!!

the only problem ...

alex won't go to sleep in the car anymore because he's too busy singing!!!

our sunday entertainment

the plan for today was for stacey and i to head down and cheer on all of the crazies running the marathon.

it was really gross outside ...
almost a repeat of stacey's chicago half marathon ... just MUCH colder!
i could actually see my breath!!! have i mentioned i hate cold?!!!

BUT ...
the weather didn't stop the runners ...
and we decided to not let it stop us either.

2 starbucks drinks
and
2 new ponchos (because our nice disney ones are in storage ... along with everything else ... but that is a whole 'nother post!)
and we were all set.

we started out at mile 21 ...
where we saw our favorite "cheerleaders" of the group.
2 girls dressed as nuns each holding a sign
1. "run like hell"
2. "kick ass sinners"

unfortunately i didn't have my camera with me at that point.

from there we headed out to mile 25 ...
it was there that we saw ...

the best costume of the race
the great pumpkin


the most patriotic runner
(and probably the runner with the most sore arms tonite)

our favorite entertainers
the group across from us handing out dixie cups of beer.
one runner stopped long enough for 4 of them! HA!
AND ...
our favorite runner's shirt
the back says "I HAVE TO POOP"


we had a TON of fun.
not ONLY because our kids were at home ...
but because it was fun to watch and cheer for SO many people.
and to be inspired ...
our kids are small right now - so training together would be impossible.
BUT...
we are both SO excited knowing that in a few years we can run it together.
and when we do ...
i hope that some crazy couple with starbucks in one hand and medtronic cheer sticks in the other will be out cheering us on!
AND
that they'll be serving mikes lemonade in dixie cups - not just beer :)

when a 2 BR becomes a 3 BR

for the past couple of weeks, alex has been a HORRIBLE sleeper.

he wakes up several times throughout the night and isn't easily convinced to go back to sleep.

this has led to a very tired mommy and daddy.

THEREFORE ...

as of tonight ...

our living room has become our bedroom ...

and alex officially has his own room.

although we only have a month left, we decided that we couldn't just wait until we got into the house to get him back on track.

SO ...

should you think of alex tonight ... feel sorry for him that he no longer has roommates.

AND

should you come visit ... just take your shoes off before getting on our bed couch.

the difference a week can make

our columns are framed in ...


we have kitchen cabinets!

the tv has an official home ...

and .. if you look hard enough ... and use enough imagination ... you can piece together the lockers that will go in our mudroom :)