Merry Blogletter! (Got this title from Lizz my sister!)

Merry Christmas Family and Friends!

What a wonderful year! We started the year off with our usual burst of birthdays in January. Joey turned 3! Now he is almost 4. Joey started pre-school this fall and loves it. It is two afternoons a week and he does a lot of painting and art, reading books, playing, and learning new songs! He will be going on many field trips too. Charlie loves to drop Joey off at school. Charlie turned 2 in November. He learns a lot from Joey and they play well together, but are not without their fights. Charlie is really a rough and tumble kind-of kid. He loves wrestling and running around. He loves riding his bike!



Uncle Alex was visiting for a few months so we were able to spend some time with him and the boys got to know their uncle. Grandpa Mike also visited us a visit. What fun adventures we had.



I took a part-time job at my friend's store downtown. A babysitter plays with Joey and Charlie during this time. The boys love their babysitters! It is so great to be able to bike to work (on nice days) and catch up on pictures and blogging. I update our blog just a couple of times month. If you are interested, please check it out http://katybellamommy.blogspot.com/.



Jeff has been working more than ever expanding Wipfli's Information Technology practice. In the summer he had a really fun softball season. The kids loved to watch and play their own games on the sidelines. He worked hard on the house this summer and we also hired someone to finish painting the trim on the exterior. We don’t want to get that high up!



Jeff and I along with our friends took a super fun trip to Mexico last March. We took some time on the beach, eating-the food was amazing, and a full day adventure excursion. The adventure included climbing a Mayan ruin (which I clung to every step) zip lining over a croc infested lake, and repelling into a cavern. We are planning another trip to a different resort in January.



This year we added a new perennial garden and a patch of tomato plants. In the fall, we planted over 150 tulips and daffodils-something to look forward to this spring! We enjoyed many weekends at Jeff's parents in Turtle Lake. They got a pontoon that the boys just love! The boys also were able to hang out with their Great Grandma Lee quite a bit. Charlie has grown fond of the show "I Love Lucy". I can just see G-Lee's eyes light up when the boys are around her. What a blessing she is to us. We love her very much.



Tucker, the black lab, is a great dog! He belongs to Phil, who rents the bedroom and the backside of our house. Phil is a helicopter pilot for Mayo One. Phil and Tucker are best buds and we have really enjoyed having them both stay with us. Joey and Charlie love to have Tucker fetch a softball-and Tucker will not quit unless you hide the ball from him!



We wish everyone a Happy Holiday season and a great New Year!

It's about time!

I thought that it was about time I updated this blog! We are getting sooooo excited for Christmas this year! We get to meet our brand new nephew Elias! Randy and Chanda are travelling from Pennsylvania to spend the holidays and introduce us to Eli. Everyone from the Stevens side will be home from Christmas. Jeff and I and the boys will going to Turtle Lake on Christmas day. Ben and Belinda, Randy and Chanda, Tom and Laura, and Julie...it will be a houseful! At my mom's my Brother Alex will be in town to celebrate with us on Christmas eve. 

Thankfully we didn't have to visit Santa at the crazy mall. Santa payed a visit to Jeff's office-Wipfli. It is a wonderful set up-we eat some pizza and each kid gets a goodie bag and a big book to color in. Then Santa arrives and reads us all the Christmas story. Then he gives each child a gift with thier names! The boys warmed up to Santa fast! It was so fun.

Snow and Ice

It has been cold! We have been outside a little exlporing what snow is all about. Sledding, Ice fishing, digging tunnels-it has all been fun. On those really cold days-we stayed inside and made homemade playdoh and cookies, boats out of recyclables, and bringin the snow in to play with!

Jeff took Joey out ice fishing for the first time this year. Jeff bought a vexilar so they could find all the fishies. I guess there weren't any fishies to find! Aaron Kasper and Jack joined them in the adventure.

This is the plate fo the different cookies I made this year. I also made Brown Betty Buttons-which were yummy! Chocolate crinkles and cranberry oatmeal (did not turn out great). I wanted to make a bunch of different ones and I thought this is a great year for practice-so if I messed up...oh well..just practicing! The merringes looked like little turds, but they were so yummy! My favorite this year had to be the gingersnaps.

We bundled the boys up and pulled them up and down our street delivering cookies to our neighbors. The boys said "Wheeeeeeeee!"

Project complete, I think

Found:

I bought a child's "antique" dresser for $10. It was in a little bit of rough shape-but with some sanding, priming, painting, and some new hardware, it turned out soooo cute! The paint and harware cost about $50. Not too shabby for shabby chic!

During:
Using lots of coats of stripper and some sanding I got this dresser down to it's bare bones. Finally I was able to paint on some primer. Looked great! Next-I painted it with some Chapagne Bubbles! I was looking at an antique grey color-but it felt too cold to me. I love the warmth. I crave warmth! Amazing what a few shades of color will do for me. Ahhhh. Plus the name alone just makes me all bubbly inside. Next I ordered some awesome blue glass drawer pulls from House of Antique Hardware. http://houseofantiquehardware.com/. Great prices and fast shipping. My darling husband (and Joey helped) had to cut off some of the bolt so we didn't gouge the inside of our wrist everytime we needed underwear. This is a picture of the paint stripper hard at work. I think it looks so neat and so satisfing to scrap the goop off. YA!

After:

Wowey. This is beautiful. What great character-warping included. Ok, is it really character or is it just an excuse for being cheap? Now where am I going to put it? I really don't know. Joey's room? Charlie's room? It is a little awkward because it is taller. I will just have to keep wheeling it around until I find the spot that is just perfect!

Orginally I was going to paste on days of the week on each drawer then plan out the boys outfits for the week. Now I really don't want to add anything to it. I am afraid it would ruin it. I love it just the way it is. I think we can remember that the top drawer is for Monday and so on. Or perhaps it will just be used to looked cute. Any ideas anyone?

Completing this project is so satisfying. Cool.

Baby, Baby, no more

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE!

We celebrated Charlie's birthday last Sunday, on his birthday. What a special day. What a special year! Charlie is growing up right before our eyes! The night before his birthday, I was sure to give Charlie his last 1 year old hug. This stems from the continuing tradition my mom started. Even over the phone, my mom would give me my last ___ year old hug. And she still gives me these hugs!!! Continuing another tradition Jeff grew up with, we snuck in some balloons into Charlie's room when he was sleeping. We he awoke the next morning he was voicing his normal complaints, I was listening intently, and then Charlie mumbles some excited words about the balloons! How cute were those sounds! We had a small party and included Mamie, Grandma and Grandpa and us. Those that couldn't make it were sooo sweet to send birthday wishes in the mail! Thank you! Charlie loves Cookie Monster-and he certainly was one on this day. (Where did he get the love for cookies??? Hmmmm???)

Charlie LOVED the noise makers and the balloons. He is putting on the miles on his new trike!

Do you have any candy?

Here is the video of the boys trick or treating!

The Package and The UPS Man

This year was so much fun! Joey dressed as a package, which was his idea, and Charlie dressed as a UPS guy! (That was Sarah's idea, her hubby is a UPS driver-thanks Sarah!) The Thursday of Halloween week Joey's school had a costume party. He saw his friend dressed up as a Power Ranger-and Joey's eyes got big and he said "I really like your costume, wow". Seeing all his classmates all dressed up was so sweet! They all looked so cute. Joey's friend was dressed as a banana and there was another kid dressed as a monkey. That banana better watch out!

On Halloween, Grandma Mamie came to our house to tend to the other neighborhood kids so that Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf could take their kids around the block. (THANKS MAMIE!) Charlie was the most adorable UPS man I have ever seen. His little gloved hands holding his pumpkin bucket running down the sidewalk and talking made me smile so big! "happy hallwowwween" "twik o tweet" "thank youuu" We have a video too-see the previous post. Carrying the little "big" package after he was all worn out, filled up my heart for the next week! Grandma Mamie took the boys home with her to that we could go to a costume party. Tarrah's Halloween party is the best every year! Her costume was one of best I have ever seen! She is the blue one.

I had the super fun opportunity to work at the shop during the downtown trick or treating! It was a constant barrage of little witches, princesses, devils, bumble bees (the insect and the transformer), "scream", firefighters, ladybugs, dragons, dogs and cats, Thomas the Train, and a few unicorns. There was over 800 kids 2 hours! There were a few great homemade costumes- a Jack in the box, and a bulldozer-and I just want to say that is awesome. These parents put a lot of work into those costumes-great job! A special treat for me was to see Joey and Charlie all dressed up! Joey saw me and asked, "Mommy, why are you at trick-or-treating?" I gave away too much candy in the beginning and ran out with still an hour left! So far this has been the best Halloween for me.

Pumpkin Patch and Ghosts

Making Ghosts!
Take a plastic grocery bag and cut off any printing and the handles. Save the handles. Put another grocery bag inside of the cut one. Use the handle to tie the neck. Stick in a skewer through the middle. Use permanent marker to make eyes and a mouth. Super easy and fun!!!

At the pumpkin patch on a hayride. We met some friends and had a great time at Mommsens' produce patch in Rice Lake. http://www.producepatch.com/Mommsens_Produce_Patch/Home.html It was a really cold day.

Fall-Beware-This post has lots of cute pix!

This Fall has been busy so far. Did we miss it? It is already snowing. Well I least we got some pictures of classic fall activities! I will do another post soon!

At Grandma and Grandpa's house we raked a big leaf pile. There was a tree stump that was perfect for a photo opportunity.

We went to the Apple Orchard with the Mom's club. Joey will be going again with his preschool. What fun! I posted this first picture because if you look closely you can see how hard Joey is laughing. He was having the most fun on this bumpy ride! The second picture, Charlie is in mid-sneeze! I love to capture a sneeze. (Only digitally.)

The boys in the leaves. We raked a pile of leaves in our yard. They would hide their toys and then dig to find them. Out on the sidewalk I raked the leaves from the boulevard onto the sidewalk and Joey would ride his bike superfast though the pile. He would get stuck sometimes!

Face painting. Joey discovered Mamies face paint. We painted away. I drew a mustache on Joey. Joey made this sophisticated look on his face because he had a mustache. Where did he learn about that? When I told him to say "Do you have an Grey Poupon?" he laughed so hard!!!

Joey also had the opportunity to take the dog for a walk. Zoey is a small dog, so Joey is able to walk her on her leash without getting his arm ripped off. Joey was so cute! He took Zoey out in the woods on the path while I watched from the front steps. Every time the leash got tangled, Joey figured out how to untangle it. Joey is a little man!!!

Attempting some green clean up

Along with composting, I have been trying to add more things green around here. First I wanted to try homemade cleaning products. So far I have made some dishwasher detergent that works great! See the recipe on the picture. Just use a tablespoon in each load. What a great way to save money too! I have also starting buying Soy candles-as they release less toxins in the air.

To get some ideas, I looked through the book Green Your Clean Up, by Jill Schoff. I rented it from the library-but I am thinking about buying it. It has lots of good information, but I am not going to go buy a $3,000 vacuum cleaner.

I am not for throwing away perfectly good cleaning supplies-green or not green-just to try a new one. So I still have some windex, toilet cleaners, and other spray cleaning supplies that I want to use up before I replace them. I plan on mixing my own window cleaner using vinegar. For toilet cleaner? I learned from the Flylady (http://www.flylady.com/) that I can use any soap really. So I will be using a shampoo that we don't like. I will also use baking soda as a replacement for Comet. From Mother Nature's Foods, I found some essential oils. I will add these to the cleaners for a more pleasant smell. Another idea is to put a few drops of the oil on a paper towel along with some baking soda and place at the bottom of your trash can. I use the lemon oil. Adding some baking soda with a few drops of any oil into a dixie cup and putting anywhere that needs a little refreshing is a great idea too.

I am just trying to take one step at a time! I did have Charlie is some cloth diapers for awhile. I really liked it. He grew out of that size, and now I am still thinking about getting some more. I do at least 2 loads of laundry just about every day-so why not one more with just diapers? I purchased my diapers through Punkerdoops diapers. Amber is awesome! http://www.punkerdoopsdiapers.com/

So that is my green attempt around here!

Bedtime Prayers

Here is a video of Joey saying his bedtime prayer and bedtime poem!

Jet washed dog

We (me, Joey and Charlie) are staying at my mom's house to care for Grandma. My mom is out travelling for some speaking events.

So. I look outside after Joey was out there for about 4 minutes by himself. He was laughing. Out one window I could see that he was spraying the hose. I got a better look and I see him spraying Zoey with the hose. It was on the jet setting. Zoey was soaked and crying. I felt sooooo bad for her!!! I think Joey felt bad too. So Joey helped me dry her off with a towel. Joey also said sorry to Zoey with out me asking him to. Then he volunteered to roll the hose back up and he turned it off. I know he felt bad.

Just wanted to share what can happen when you turn your back for 4 minutes. It is also hard to hold back the laughter. ;)

Grandma was with a caregiver for some of the afternoon. We hung out in her room for awhile. I love to see her face when she is watching the boys. I see joy, love, and a special spark in her eyes. Joey said to (Great) Grandma that he is starting school. Grandma started talking like she was back in grade school. It was really neat! She was talking about getting a doll from Mable (?) doll collection yesterday. And she went to school and brought the doll with her. Some mean boy took the doll and smashed it on a desk. She was so upset that she just went home for the rest of the day. She lived just across the street from the school house she explained. Isn't that sweet? Right now she is drinking coffee, eating toast, and watching I Love Lucy.

Vegas Grandpa and Other visitors

This summer my Dad, Vegas Grandpa Mike, came to visit. We offered him the couch. But he insisted on sleeping in his truck in our driveway in the back yard. He drove here all the way from Vegas stopping and camping in his truck along the way. My Dad is sooooo cool! He brought a box of jewels for me! It was a shoebox full of jewelry from Grandma Karen. My dad worked at a casino in security. At times they are allowed to take from the lost and found box! So amongst Grandma Karen's jewelry was also some lost and found bling! And guess who found it now!! I had having a bunch of girls come over and they can "found" something lost too.

He also brought the boys Spiderman Tackle boxes! The boys loved them. What fun! We really reminded Vegas Grandpa what it is like to have toddlers around all day. I was also watching another little girl about Charlie's age-so it was busy to say the least! We went to the Chippewa Valley Museum http://www.cvmuseum.com/, Irvine Park Zoo http://www.irvineparkzoo.org/ and to Bridge Street Station restaurant in Chippewa. http://www.burgersandtrains.com/ I was so surprised when a "grandma" was talking with Joey and all of the sudden she taught him how to shoot spit balls through a straw! I was appalled! But I pretended it didn't bother me. I loved hanging out with Vegas Grandpa. Now for a trip to his place!!!

We also got to spend lots of time with my brother Alex. He is so inspiring to me. Alex will visit me at work and bring me coffee and chat. We talk some business and some goofy stuff too. He is also a camper. Currently he is living in southern CA at a family campground living in a van. (Down by the river?) This campground ROCKS!!! It has WIFI!!! So he can tweet and keep up with this blog all he wants! :) He pays $1 for a shower and cooks all his food over a camp fire! My brother is sooo cool!

I love dirt!

I have never been more excited about dirt! I can't wait for my kitchen scraps to turn into a pile of luscious nutrient rich dirt! I started a compost about 2 1/2 months ago. I know, a compost pile in the city? Well with some research I found out how. I took a plastic garbage can-about 12 gallon size-from my Mom's house. She was not using it and I asked her if I could have it. I did not just steal it. (not like the old days anyway, ha ha!) I drilled a bunch of holes in the can-which was sooo much fun! If you ever get a chance to drill holes into something-do it! It is a great feeling. I place the garbage can on about 4 bricks to allow circulation under the can. I added a 3" layer of dirt from my huge wood chip dirt pile. Then I started collecting my kitchen scraps. Charlie and Joey volunteered to be your "Vanna White".

One day I was planting a new bush and there were several earthworms in the dirt. I thought-hey I have a better home for you. And I gently placed them into the compost bin. I think they are in worm heaven. Joey and Charlie added their worm cousins to the bin. When the worms would wiggle Charlie would squeal with glee! They were in the fridge-leftover from a fishing day. I would say that these worms have been saved from the mouths of fish!

My favorite thing to compost? Oh, it's so hard to choose. Hmmm...I love putting egg shells into the compost. It gives me an excuse to crush them a little bit. I also love putting in coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, and torn up egg cartons. I keep a large empty coffee can on my counter and it is filled up with scraps about once a day. After I put about 3" of kitchen scraps in the bin, I will add a 3" layer of shredded paper and then 3" of grass clippings or brush. Once in a while I will tip the bin over and roll it around a bit-to mix it all up.

So, I am hoping soon I will see all this "work" will pay off, and I will be rewarded with beautiful dirt. What to do in the winter, when the compost may freeze? I will have to do a bit of research on that.