Wisconsin Dells 2011

This year my family's gift to each other was a family vacation...and I'm warning you in advance, there are a lot of pics when a family goes on their first vacation together.

Growing up on a farm, we rarely had an opportunity to take a vacation and those vacations were very rarely more than one night.  It usually involved a night at a hotel with a pool during the winter.  Embassy Suites was our hotel of choice...complete with continental breakfast.  For those 2 milkings we let the cows fend for themselves...just kidding!  My dad's cousin Larry would usually spend the night at our house and take care of the cows for us.  It was always a special night away...nights that I don't think will ever be forgotten by my sisters and me.

This winter, we decided to up the ante and drive more then 30 minutes from home.

We went to the Dells...Chula Vista to be exact!

We rented a 3-bedroom condo.  It was enough room for all 14 of us!  Yes...14!

10 adults and 4 kiddos age 3 and under.

Well...we might have benefitted from another couch or comfy chair, but that's pulling at strings.

We headed out last Friday, January 7th.  If you all remember correctly, we were in the midst of a slight snowstorm that day.  We saw lots of cars in the ditch, but managed to stay out of them ourselves.

Our first night was spent settling into the room, eating some supper and heading down to the waterpark.

Not all of the kids were thrilled.  The babies got chilled and hung out with the non-water going adults (Did you know they frown upon preggos on the waterslides?  Just Kidding)

Ava, on the other hand, was thrilled and enjoyed every minute of the park.

Most of the adults enjoyed themselves too.  But the big surprise?  My Dad!

He's turning the Big 6-0 next month.  That's right.  60!

For a 59 year-old, I think he had almost as much fun as Ava.

He told us when we were planning the trip that he wouldn't be going down any slides.

I told him that all Ava would have to do was say "Let's go on a slide, Papa" and he'd be putty in her hands.

Turns out that Ava didn't even need to bat her pretty browns at Papa.

He was a willing participant!
The "Toilet Bowl" was his favorite with the "Mat Races" in close second.
He enjoyed beating his daughters.
He still got in some "Ava time" though.
She's blurry cause she was so excited to go on a ride with Papa.

Needless to say there was a lot of waterpark action.
There was also a lot of snuggling the kiddos.  For my Mom, that was her highest level of fun.

The baby watchers...
note that Mom is holding Jayde...her highest level of excitement.

The waterpark Peeps...

All in all, we had a great time.
The guys bonded by staying up all night Friday playing cards...even my dad!
And when I say all night, I mean ALL NIGHT!  They finally went to bed at 6am!
Crazy.
I was in bed by 9:30!

We arrived home safely on Sunday, January 9th.
And for the record, even though there was a bet in place debating when us sisters would get into a fight and someone would cry, no fights were had and everyone got along great!

Rob and my first job when we got home?
Pick up the pup.
Harley stayed at a local kennel for the weekend.
We think he's forgiven us now.
I think vomiting is his version of payback.
He's feeling better now and we are getting back in the non-vacation groove.

I need a vacation from vacation!

32 Weeks!

We have hit yet another milestone...32 weeks!

Why is this a milestone?  Because if I should happen to go into labor, I can now "officially" deliver at good ole' FSH with little possibility that the little one would need to be transferred to a different hospital.  Yay!

I had another doctor appointment today and all is as it should be.

I'm measuring at 33 weeks (no big deal that it's a week ahead) and the baby's heartbeat today was pumping away in the 140's.  The baby is head down again (It was breech a week ago.  We have an acrobat on our hands.)

I was also scheduled for another ultrasound during my 34 week appointment to check on the baby's growth and fluid levels.  This is something that my OB clinic normally does, so it's nothing to be worried about.  In fact, it just gives us an excuse to see the baby one more time before D-Day.  We'll be attempting to hold strong and still NOT find out what this baby is!

I also am fully aware that I skipped over the ever important "Christmas" post.  This was my Christmas to work, so we didn't really celebrate Christmas until this past weekend.  We spent New Year's Day with my family at my mom and dad's.  Playing with babies and watching them attempt to open their presents was lots of fun.  During the fun, we tested out Ava's knowledge of her new cousin.  It was kinda fun!

1.  She has said from the beginning that this baby is a girl.
2.  Even though she knows it's a girl, she has no idea what it's name is.  For the record, neither do we!
3.  She wants to see it and doesn't understand why she can't. Auntie Jen told her that she can't see it either.  Not until we go to the hospital and the doctor takes it out.
4.  She wanted to go to the hospital right then and there to get it out.  "Can we go there now?"  Auntie explained that the baby is still really little and has to get bigger before it can come out.
5.  She tried to feel it move multiple times during the day. "Why doesn't it move?"  "Cause it's sleeping."  "How do we wake it up?"
6.  J - "Ava, will you change the baby's diaper?"
     A - "It might be poopy."
     J - "You would still change it, right?"
    A - "No, you would."

She's pretty smart!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and is getting a jump start on a wonderful New Year!
 

New Year's Eve

I feel like I should have something profound and exciting to write about as we bid farewell to 2010.

Lots of fun and exciting things happened this past year for my family and me.

Babies were born, baptised, and grew into fun little people who now blow kisses, give high fives, and intentionally pull hair when it looks like fun.

We found out a new little one is on the way and should arrive in February.

In all reality, there were a lot more things than babies that happened, but they tend to be the highlight.  Hey...I'm an L&D nurse.  It's my job to make them the highlight of every new parents' life.  Why should it be different in my personal life?

I have no pictures to show you or stories to recap everything that happened this past year.

Instead, I'm going to wish all my family and friends a

Happy and Joyful New Year!

2010 was good to us, but here's to an even better 2011!

Be safe everyone!

The Kiddos

I am biased, but I think I have some of the cutest kiddos as nieces and nephew.

We recently tried to do a photo shoot at my parents' house with all 4 kids.

Yup...that's 4 kids age 3 and under.

It was interesting.

As my sister joked, we have a lot more outtakes than pics that actually turned out,

but what can you expect with that age range?!?!

I was also able to take a few solo shots of each of them.

Again, I am not into photo editing (yet), so all of these are straight out of the camera.

Thanks to my sisters for letting me practice on their kids.

Enjoy!

Miss Brooklyn...

Miss Jayde...

Mr. Wyatt...

And Miss Ava...

And let's not forget my parents with the kiddos...

Krumkake...

If you know what it is, you know how yummy this stuff is.  If you don't know what it is, you could be wondering how to pronounce it, let alone why I would want to eat it.

Well, it's not a very appetizing name.  The correct pronunciation is "kroom-caca."  I say that name to people and tend to get some laughs.  No, I'm not eating poop and it's not a "bad word".

I am eating a delightfully thin, crisp sugar cookie.

It's something that my Grandma Harms and Aunt Debbie would make every year for Christmas when I was little.  They had it rough.  They made them using a krumkake iron.  They could only make one at a time and it usually resulted in at least one person getting burned.

I'll admit...I have it easy.  I found a "krumkake baker" at a specialty kitchen store a few years ago.  It makes 2 cookies at a time and comes with a handy little tool to help make them into cute horn shaped treats.  After I told my mom about it and my desire to start making krumkake for the Harms family Christmas, she bought it for me.

In our family, it is typically a Christmas cookie and is only made during Christmastime.  This being said, it takes some re-learning in order to get the cookie just right.

The first ones usually are either too small, too big or too burned.

At some point, it usually oozes out the side of the baker.

But in the end, you get a beautiful, yummy, little crispy horn of a cookie.

Look how thin it is!

Even Harley hangs out by my feet trying to get a little piece of the action.

They're yummy.  Wish I could share with all of you, but these lovely things will be going to the Harms Family Christmas again this year.  This time without me.  I have to work and help deliver some Christmas babies.

And if you happen to be at that Harms Family Christmas, you might have to wrestle the delicious krumkake away from Dawn.  She loves 'em as much as I do.


These are for you Harmsie!  Enjoy!

Stupid Snow!

Today was going to be great!

We had a big celebration planned.  It's my weekend to work and had made arrangements to have off today so I could attend the bash.

What is this big bash, you ask?

The First Birthday of my one and only nephew on the Pieper side...Mr. Wyatt Fogarty aka the Turkey!

Due to the wind and snow and horrible driving conditions, most of the relatives of Wyatt were unable to make the party...including Rob and I.


However, to commemorate the occasion, I'm checking out some Birth Day pics of Wyatt.  I can't believe how tiny he was!

And look at what a big, handsome boy he is now!

We Miss You, Wyatt! 

Wish we could be there celebrating with you today, but know that we love you very much!

Your First Birthday will be one for the record books.

Love ya, Turkey!

Happy Late Anniversary!

Okay, so I know I'm over a week late, but I thought I'd blog about last Monday, November 29th.

It was our 2nd Anniversary!

We both had to work that day, so not much celebrating got done, but we had a nice relaxing night at home after busy days for both of us.

Being the thoughtful guy he is, Rob's gift to me was band to match my wedding band to complete my wedding ring set.  The problem with that was, the company discontinued the set almost a year ago.  He had to special order it and they had to specially make it.  In order for them to have it done by our anniversary, he had to order it 10 weeks ago.  That's right!  He had this thought in his head since August!  What a guy!

On the other hand, knowing my husband and what really makes him happy, my gift was slightly less romantic, but something he really wanted...

A new cell phone.

Yup...a cell phone.  We got it tonight and I think I have offically been replaced...at least for the next week or so.

We are both aware that an anniversary, let alone a marriage is not based on gifts. That's why we are thankful everyday for the love that we have for each other and the new little being that we have created and get to meet in February.

Speaking of which, today marks the 10 weeks to go point.  That's right!  In 70 days we get to meet this little person!  Rob set up the crib this past weekend and we are slowly, very slowly, getting the room together.  The baby is moving more and more everyday and those movements are getting much more pronounced.  I have been able to feel it on the outside, but every time I call Rob to come and feel it kick, it stops.  Go figure!  He gets frustrated and thinks I'm lying, but I swear this kid knows it's him and is just being stubborn. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

We all know what I'm thankful for this year...all the blessings in my life, including my family and friends who catch up with us on this blog.  Thanks for being a part of our lives!

Jen and Rob