Shhh....

After a week of no school, roads closed so even if you WANTED to go somewhere (like the video store!)- YOU CAN'T, video games, hide and seek, running, jumping, screaming, wrestling, bloody noses, the crying and the "MOM!" "MOM!" "MOM!"
....here is what "MOM" has been dreaming of:

Savannah and Aiden coloring NICELY...in other words, they are not screaming at each other or kicking at each other!
Parker quiet as a mouse playing his DS...
Yes..."shhhhh"....in other words: SANITY!

Pictures of Flooding in the F-M Area

I really don't know what to say about this...words seem pointless because unless you are HERE experiencing the disaster, it doesn't seem real. Even for us in Dilworth, we can't SEE the water, we are high and dry - however, 5 miles from here, people have been evacuated from and have lost their homes. I didn't want to go out and take pics of people's misery, the police are arresting people who are rubber-necking and not helping, but Emmett took me to my my grandparents' (Pat and Al) so I'll post some pics from that. In addition to the flooding, we've experienced one major blizzard and the snow is currently falling for the second blizzard that is on it's way. All businesses that are not critical (ER's - the hospitals have actually been evacuated!!, grocery stores, etc) have been shut down by the cities - even school has been out for almost a week. Everything from the sign back is water...

Here is the bridge that is at the end of their street...can you see the road signs?
I was standing in water here

Here is the fire hydrant in their front lawn
This is how they are getting to people and either escorting them out or bringing provisions to them...ice and boats...hmmm...
The cavalry...these babies have been running non-stop. Chad said that in this neighborhood, the trucks would line up with trailers to get loaded up with sandbags (there were 2 stations) - they would load the trucks and then just follow it to whomever's home needed them...then they would line up and start laying them down. This neighborhood was AMAZING in their unite to save their homes. I've heard that New Yorkers think they are pretty tough (no disrespect intended), I'd wager those living in the FM area could stand with them toe to toe.
Here's a sump pump that is partially frozen yet still running...into a very large, ICY pool!
The neighbor's shed...yep, those doors that are under water are standard size!
Never thought I'd see an AIR BOAT in Minnesota!

Shakin' Our Shamrocks!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!
Around here, we LOVE St. Patty's Day! It's fun to dress up in green, sport a few shamrocks, and feel as though you belong to something bigger than yourself. The kids got two doses of Irish blood - from both Chad and I (so they are more full of Blarney than WE are...makes sense now, huh!!), and let me tell ya, they can be firey little mischief makers at times. I love this time of year and this holiday ALWAYS reminds me of my Grams...sure do miss that little lady! Here's what the kids sported to school/daycare today:

"If You're Lucky, You'll Be Like Me Someday"....oh dear!

My 3 little leprechauns!
I guess it's now a tradition to give a kiss to those who DO wear green on St. Patty's Day...at least in OUR HOUSE it is!!

The boys HAD to have a picture with their hats on crooked! Well, HELLO little lady!

Wouldn't DARE pinch a guy with a face THAT serious!

A Wish for a Friend

(Old Irish Blessing)
Wishing you a rainbow

For sunlight after showers—Miles and miles of Irish smiles

For golden happy hours—Shamrocks at your doorway

For luck and laughter too,

And a host of friends that never ends

Each day your whole life through!

CAUTION: Pregnant Tummy Ahead...

Friday March 13th, 2009 Not MINE~! GOOD GRIEF! As if I'm not BUSY enough!! I was asked by my friend to take a few pics of her little miracle tummy...she's due in just a few short weeks! I LOVE pregnant bellies (yes, I'm aware that not everyone enjoys looking at them...didn't you read the caution header? Now's the time to scroll on through if you're one of those people! - I will love you still the same!),


and the woman that is sporting this particular tummy is AMAZING! She is one of my dearest friends...you know, one of those people that you would LOVE to HATE because of how "great" they are (at EVERYTHING), but you just CAN'T because you adore them!?! Ha, ha, ha...we've only been friends for the past 4 (almost 5) years and I really can't imagine what I my life would be like if she were not a part of it! Anyway, I was nervous about taking the pics (they are pretty special after all!) and we did it in her home, but I wanted them to look NICE for her. It was a BLAST! Her daughter is one of Savannah's "best friends" and I love that the pics with her in them turned out so cute! I took about 135 pics (I KNOW!), so it was hard to choose a "few" of my favorites...and yes, I got her permission before putting her private pictures on my blog site!

Aren't they stinkin' CUTE!?

Gotta love the heart!

She craved Strawberry ice cream!

This little beauty is gonna break some hearts one day! We were playing aroud with the camera while her mom was changing!

For some reason, this one looks so peaceful to me...

I love this one...don't you just LOVE the painted toe nails!?!?

Mama and her "baby girl"...soon to be the BIG SISTER!! She will be a GREAT big sister!!Thanks Angie and Grace for a GREAT DAY (and for the canadian bacon from your pizza...ha, ha, ha, haaaa!)

Pictures of the Snow...an Attempt at Creativity

Since the kids are busy with the tent, I turned my lense on the weather outside! Times like these I wish I lived in the country!

Anyway, is there anything sadder than an EMPTY swingset blowing in the wind!? I tried to make it look "distressed"...

I enjoy using the "focal color"! Red looks so nice with black and white! I'm sure this shovel will be BURIED by the end of the day!

This is THE LONE TREE...again, trying to make it look distressed

I worked pretty hard at making this one look old and grainy...to me, it looks like a 'still' from an old black and white movie! (It looks better if you click on it and make it bigger)

THE END!

SNOWED IN...again!

It's storming AGAIN here in Minnesota and just about EVERYTHING is CLOSED including the highways!! It's almost 11:00 - I haven't even been able to SHOWER yet. One of the things in life I really can't STAND is WHINING...and I'm well aware of what USUALLY happens when the kids are "stuck" in the house: LET THE WHINING BEGIN..."MOM! What is there to DO!?!" and "AWWW MANNNNN...this is SO BORING". In an attempt to keep this from happening (you know, because then I start with the yelling - it's an ugly trait), I decided to re-arrange the family room furniture (it's a good excuse to vacuum where no man has traveled in a LONG time!) and put up the kiddie tent! I figure 'the place is gonna get trashed anyway, maybe I should try to CONTAIN it a little'!! Well, it's the THOUGHT that COUNTS, right!?! The kids are currently having fun...pretending it's their "hotel" - they even have a "snack bucket" - hey, you gotta pick your battles (another Brandi motto!)

My newly arranged family room...I have a SNEAKY feeling this is the way it's gonna look for a few days, I'm feeling tired already! Ha!

The "Kiddie Camper": The kids really wanted that flap thing in the front up (orange piece) so that they could have a "covered picinic area - to EAT, you know mom!" So, I jimmy-rigged it with Duct Tape! I LOVE Duct Tape! Is there ANYTHING you CAN'T FIX with Duct Tape!?!?

Here are the happy campers...even found a chair for the picinic area!
So sweetYes, I made them pose for this one...however, I'm sure I'll be paid back in FULL by the end of the day!!

Sundae Fundae!

It's actually Monday...BUT! It's blizzarding out, it took us FOREVER to get home (thanks to the weather!), and the kids just found out school is cancelled for tomorrow! HOO-RAY!! I think that calls for a TREAT...so SUNDAE's it IS for snack (I know...I'm not a big fan of "healthy bedtime snacks" obviously...but who's gonna argue with MOM?!). We just whip out all the toppings and the kids get to pick what they want MOUNDED on their vanilla ice cream (for the most part, mom won't let them make it so soup-y with toppings that they won't eat it...I KNOW...what a buzz-kill!).

Of course I tell them they can't have any until I take the traditional FRIGGEN PICTURE!
Parker gets to go first as he is the oldest! He enjoys strawberries, a "little" Hershey's chocolate syrup, whipped cream and chopped up nuts on his!

Aiden goes for the simpler approach (at least with ice cream!)...bring on the strawberries and WHIPPED CREAM!
We can ALWAYS count on Savannah to mix her "favorites" up a bit-one never knows WHAT she is going to ask for (that's a ladies RIGHT though, eh? To keep everyone on their toes!?) Tonight, she decides that Parker's sundae looks REALLY GOOD, so she "copied" him!

So here's to all you mama's out there who throw dental hygiene to the wind (just ONCE in a while!) and pig out with the kiddies in celebration of NO SCHOOL CUZ WE LIVE IN THE TUNDRA! Can I get a "whoop-whoop"!?!?

Wacky Hair Day!

Tuesday - March 3rd, 2009

Guess What!? It's WACKY HAIR day at Preschool today and we're SO excited that mom is HOME this morning (as opposed to leaving for work BEFORE we wake up!!) so she can fix Sweet Pea's hair!! To be honest with you, mom LIVES for these days...so, we basically let her have her fun while she can! Here's the concoction mom and I (aka: Savannah Rayne) came up with....can you IMAGINE that mom had this hair coloring stuff ON HAND?! Yeah, I may NEVER be allowed to grow up!

Hello!! This is SO FUN!!

Aiden's favorite was the blue pony!
Are ya DONE taking pictures yet!?
THREE ponies of THREE different colors! How lucky am I!?

It was a good day!!

Sunday - March 1st, 2009

It was a very special day for a very special young lady in our house today! Savannah has been waiting TWO LONG MONTHS...yes, 8 friggen' WEEKS to "change my earrings - pu-LEEZE, mom!!" We decided a Sunday would be a good day to experiment with new earrings in the ears just in case it didn't work out so well! I can't even tell you how excited and PROUD she is! My little baby girl is SO grown up!!

This is the BEFORE picture...she chose green studs because "green is my favorite color now".
And AFTER! She chose the "pretty pink hearts with white polka-dots:!!
Love those little ears!

Aiden is GEORGE WASHINGTON!

February 28th, 2009

"Did you know that I KNOW who our very first President was!?!"
"It was GEORGE WASHINGTON and now I look JUST LIKE HIM!"
Ain't it sweet....Kindergarten is SO MUCH FUN!