Friday, April 30, 2010

Supper Club, April

We hosted our 'Simply Connected' group meeting this month. I just call it our 'supper club' because we get together and eat, well I guess and talk and watch the kids run around, and just have great fellowship.

Thursday night before our meeting, the sun was shining, 70 degree weather and NO wind. Friday, day of event, rain, cool weather and wind. Since our plan was to go to the park with the kids and grill out, we were nervous. We have no kid toys and how were we going to entertain 4 kids for 2-3 hours? Well, God had a plan and made the sun come out at about 7 so the men took the kids to the park and us women stayed back and talked. It was such a great time. Matt and I have both loved getting to know the other 3 couples and just watching the kids grow. Each month the 7 kids all seem to have changed.

Here is Matt trying to figure out the dvd player which we had brought downstairs so the kids had something to do if it did rain. They got to watch Toy Story 2 while eating their dinner that consisted of hot dogs, grapes, and chips......yeah lots of choking hazards, I realized this as I was cutting up the fruit. No one choked and everyone had fun. Overall, wonderful night with friends.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Sleeping Contraption....


Poor Nora cannot quite figure out how to get from her tummy to her back so at night she was rolling from her back to her tummy and then was angry and would not settle down....or even TRY to roll from her tummy to back. After about 3 nights of NO SLEEP at all for Nora and Mommy (and I guess Matt even though he slept through most of it!!), I came up with this contraption to help her STAY on her back. Yes....this was an idea I cooked up at about 4 am on the 4th night of sleeplessness so I am pretty impressed with my invention!

It is just a long blanket tied from one side of the crib to the other. No worries we put it down by her legs so she can't reach it and pull it over her head! It has helped us ALL get much needed sleep.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Mommy the Betty Crocker of the House.....

I was in charge of baking an eggbake with meat for MOPS this week. Well, I googled to find a recipe and found one on an internet site called 'cooking with court'. I put it all together on Wednesday night before I went to work at Home Depot. Put it in the oven this morning to bake for an hour.....went upstairs to feed Nora. After 25 minutes I started to smell smoke. I went downstairs and there was smoke EVERYWHERE. The eggs had bubbled over and had caused the whole oven and downstairs was full of smoke. I tried to clean it up as best as I could because the eggbake STILL needed to bake....I opened ALL the windows and turned on the fan. It still smelled horrible but the eggbake needed to be brought (even if it tasted like nastiness!!)



Well, I took some of my eggbake while at MOPS, yep....it tasted like smoke, I was feeling badly for the people who took it. Hopefully they went back for another food so they got full. Well, the table that was in charge of choosing the 'best food' chose MY SMOKY EGGBAKE as the best food of the day!! Now I have to make it again in 2 weeks---Don't know if I will be able to replicate since the smokey flavor was maybe why they liked it!



Here's the recipe if anyone wants to make it.....It has AMAZING ingredients so it should taste good. English muffin bread, corn flakes, eggs, ham, cheese...yummy!


Sue's Egg Bake

1 loaf of English Muffin Bread (cut off crusts and butter both sides)
8 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. of shredded swiss cheese
1 lb. of ham cubed
3 c. milk
8 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt & a dash of pepper
1 1/2 c. corn flakes crushed
1/2 c. melted butter
1/2 tsp. dry mustard


Put 6 whole slices & take a 7th slice and cut it in half (that's the only
way it fits in pan) & put butter side up on bottom of greased 9 X 13 pan.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, then ham, then swiss cheese. Add last layer of
buttered bread to pan. 6 slices + a 7th cut in half. Mix milk, eggs,
mustard, salt, and pepper & heat. Pour egg mixture over casserole. Cover
with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight. Before baking, cover with corn
flakes and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Random Photos from Grandpa Steve

Here are a few photos that Grandpa Steve took of our little 'babykins'. She is getting so big so fast! I know that people say that, (goodness my sister and brother have said that about their kids) but until you actually 'live it' you don't realize how fast they actually grow up! It makes me so sad and happy and anxious to know that in a blink of an eye Nora will be going to Kindergarten. yes......I know not for a few more years, but she is just growing up so fast, and we can't believe it. The sun is so bright!!!

The Threeslunds

So Sweet!!!!


Mommy and Nora

ooooh....that looks exciting!

Grandma Anne and Nora

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Aunt Jenny comes to visit

Auntie Jenny and Nora!!

My sister Jenn came to visit some college friends and stopped by to see us. Here is a photo of Nora and Auntie Jenny! We weren't able to do anything fun since I had to work at 1pm at Home Depot. We did get to hang out for a little bit and she got to see how big Nora was getting.


Friday, April 16, 2010

Recent Photos & Video

Nora 18 weeks old - finally starting to smile for the camera...no more somber face

Nora is now big enough to sit/stand in her bouncy/exasaucer thing. Matt's cousin Ben & Danielle gave this to us and I put it together and she loves it. Look at her eyes--she is fixated on the little froggy! This baby gym has helped me this week get a few things baked!

Mommy and Ducky Nora after bathtime! She is still loving bathtime although she does not enjoy the whole 'getting dressed' part of our nighttime routine.

Here is Nora after rolling over, she looks pretty happy to reach that 'big girl milestone'.


Nora in her Bouncy Gym (a gift from Ben and Danielle---thanks guys!!!!)

Nora 17 weeks old

Nora Rolled Over


Nora hit a big milestone tonight. She rolled over-from her back to her tummy. I had just talked with my mom that afternoon and said...."she is so close, but she always stops and just lays on her side" Well 4 hours later, she decided to take the leap! Both Matt and I were playing with her on her blanket and we were trying to entice her with toys on each side! I am glad Matt was able to be there; with me being able to be home during the day, I get to see most of her milestones first. This is one milestone that we both got to experience. We tried to have her do it again, NOPE! It was near bedtime when she rolled, so perhaps that ONE roll really took all her energy!!!! So exciting, way to GO Nora!!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Excited for Twins Season




We are super excited to start watching the Twins again. We all wore our 'Twins Gear' to watch the game from the luxury of our own home....ok ok we would've LOVED to be at the new stadium, but it just wasn't in the cards for us. It was a beautiful day and we watched the game with the windows open enjoying the warm weather! Yeah Twins....they won. Hopefully they will continue to win, win, win! Matt loves Twins season, we are planning on going in May with my family and then hopefully we can find a WARM day to bring Nora!

Mommy's New JOB?

To take a little pressure off of my husband, I non-chalantly applied for a part time job at The Home Depot and Target--thinking "who would hire me?" Well The Home Depot called me and asked me to interview. I interviewed (and got the job) the Thursday before Easter. I started doing all my computer training all last week, Monday-Friday at the Depot from 5pm - 10pm. I had a few emotional breakdowns, but I said I would try to stick with it and see how it goes. I had training on Saturday and then got thrown into the craziness as the garden cashier on Sunday. WOW, was it busy--it was super fun, but busy! I am still missing my husband and my daughter every day! I know people do it EVERYDAY and I feel like I am complaining, but this post is more to acknowledge how hard it must be for moms (and dads) to leave their loved babies and kids!! I know with my older siblings my mom/dad actually did what Matt and I are doing--my dad would work during the day and then my mom would go work nights nursing. Wow, I have so much admiration for how they and others make ends meet now--I miss my husband, I miss my daughter, I miss putting Nora to sleep, I miss cuddling with my husband, I miss nagging my husband that he is playing too much XBox, I miss feeding Nora her rice cereal at night, I miss just BEING with them. I am trying to stay positive about it--I'll keep you updated.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Lunch with Great Grandma Neva

I was supposed to have training all day so Matt set up a lunch with his grandma and dad. I was done with training 4 hours early and was able to have lunch with him, Nora and the family at Green Mill. It was fun to see everyone and Nora was such a good girl.

Here are some photos that Steve took of the day:
AJ, Great Grandma Neva, Nora, Matt


Great Grandma Neva and Nora

Friday, April 9, 2010

Culvers with Grandma and Grandpa



Grandma Anne had foot surgery so I called her up to see if she would want to meet us for lunch. She and Grandpa Steve met Nora and I at Culvers....ooops they went to the Chanhassen Culvers and we went to the Chaska Culvers! We finally met up and they got to spend a little time with the munchkin. She was all smiles! She was happy to see her grandparents!!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

MOPS

I joined my church's MOPS (Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers) group this week. They were kind enough to let me join even though they had started up their session in February. I am actually sitting at a table with one of the ladies from our Westwood Supper Club. It is such a great group and a great way to meet some other moms. Each week a different table is in charge of bringing breakfast...yummy! The one morning that I will actually get to eat! This weeks meeting had 4 ladies who were probably in their 40-50s talk about advice they got when they had pre-schoolers, advice for us, things they did that worked with their children. It was fun to see the different stages of 'mommyhood'. Thank God for great programs to stay connected and really find friends who share the same faith that our family does.

Also:
Nora went to the Westwood nursery (Moppets) while I was at MOPS. She went to the lady in charge with NO crying---wow, her 'stranger danger' has left! She took her 20 minute nap there and when I came to pick her up, she was crying hysterically. They said she just started doing that (hopefully they weren't just saying that trying to make me feel ok!!!). It was 'lunch time' for her though so I am sure she was crying to let me/them know she wanted to be fed. We'll see how it goes next week.

I am so glad I found this group....or should I say that it found me. The ladies in my supper club said that MOPS was the BEST thing so giving into peer pressure, I had to check it out :) So far so good! Thanks Alyssa & Britni!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Nora is 4 Months Old




Nora had her 4 month check up today. The doctor was amazed that she hasn't been sick at all...let's keep our fingers crossed that it stays that way! She had the booster vaccines for the shots she got at her 2 month check up and the doctor and I discussed if there was a way to get her to take 2 long naps instead of 5 mini naps.....he said NOPE! If anyone has any advice--I would LOVE to hear it. She sleeps so well at night so I can't complain, but I can't get anything done around the house because she takes a 20 minute nap (after trying to help her fall asleep for 30 minutes---yes that is 50 minutes of just trying to get her to take a nap) I know she is tired during the day because she is rubbing her eyes and gets cranky, but she doesn't want to miss anything so she doesn't want to nap!

She is getting so big and loves to smile and talk and sing. She is almost rolling over. Not quite there, but any day she will just amaze us and make it the 180 degrees.

I just introduced rice cereal last week in her bottle, and then this week actually made it in a bowl and spoon fed her. Matt was not enjoying watching her 'gag' and spit it up but the 2nd day she was loving it and sort of understanding what to do with her tongue! She will love food, just like her daddy!
Eating Rice Cereal...yummy!
At her check up, she was:
25" long which is 75%
12 lbs 13-1/2 oz which is 30%
with a 39.3cm head which is 10%

She is our LONG and LEAN tiny headed girl! Matt has a huge head, so yeah finally I figured out what I gave her---her tiny head.

Our little girl is growing up right before our eyes. It is amazing to watch and I am trying to take it all in as the days go by so fast! I feel like everyday she learns something new.

Nora's First Easter

Hooray He is Risen! Sometimes we forget what each Holiday is all about and I end up getting worked up about all the 'other' stuff in life. I really took this to heart when my little niece and nephew, Reese and Lincoln, asked me why Jesus had to die. How do you explain Salvation to a 5 and 4 year old? My mom had a VeggieTales video that they watched which started their brains a'thinking and asking questions. They were ok with my answer that "If you ask Jesus into your heart, then one day when you die you can live again with Him and all your family" Wow, nothing like little kids to keep it real and help you refocus, nothing else really matters. It doesn't matter if I forgot Nora's tights for her Easter dress, or the stuff for the salad I was supposed to make, or that I am not the best wife/mom/daughter/sister/friend I can be everyday. I think I needed my little wake up call to be reminded of what is really important, not me!! Thank God for forgiveness huh?!

Easter was spent out at my parents' farm. We left Friday late afternoon and hung out with my mom and dad, Tanner, and the Graven 4 (my sister and her husband had gone on a trip with his family so my parents were watching their 4 kids) Saturday- my brother and I played in a basketball tournament which I should've trained a bit better for, see other post for details! Saturday my brother and his girlfriend, Amy and I all helped my dad put sheetrock in our additions attic. I am amazed at how strong my dad and my brother are, I need to start lifting weights again so I can lift things! Maybe that can be my April goal-lift weights. Seriously though, they would just lift these 12 feet long sheetrock panels no problem! (totally random thoughts on muscles, but thought I would just write whatever I was thinking about my Saturday!) Sunday was spent at Easter service, where my older brother, Brandon, played all the piano music, with my 6 year old nephew turning pages for him. So sweet. Nora was fussy in church though, so I spent the service in the "crying room."

Easter lunch was at Brandon and Courtney's in Madison. Wonderful ham, mashed potatoes (my grandma makes the BEST!), scalloped corn, and peaches n cream cheesecake for dessert. The kids had an Easter egg hunt and we all sat outside and watched them play baseball and play on the swingset. Great weather, Great company (My Dad's whole family was there except my uncle Milt), Great Day!

Here are some random photos from weekend.

My mom feeding Nora and Landrey - pretty impressive!!!!

Nora's beautiful dress that Matt's Grandma Keller made for his sister Elle 16 years ago. My grandma said Nora was the "best dressed"
Nora and Landrey (6.5 months) - They both lay on the ground and love to look at each other. Landrey is rolling over and trying to crawl---Nora just lays there but hopefully soon they will be chasing each other all over the floor!!!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Mommy Plays (ahem....Attempts to Play) Basketball

Our Basketball Team:
Amy (Tanners girlfriend), me, Jen, Kirsten, Erica, Marisa, Emily

A few high school friends and I played in a tournament in memory of our high school friend Tony Hastad. He died a few years after graduation and was a huge athlete in high school. There was the 1st Annual Tony Hastad Basketball Tournament held at my high school to raise money for a scholarship in his name. On Friday we only had 4 people on our team, but somehow we managed to get 8 teammates (3 of whom had just had babies in the last 4 months), which was still about 5 players too short! Tip-off was set for noon on Saturday and by about 12:02 I needed a sub; man am I out of shape + I hadn't played basketball for about 8 years. We lost by 4 or 6-I can't remember, but looking back it was fun! If you would've asked me during the 40 minutes of play, I would've said "NO WAY AM I DOING THIS AGAIN!" But it was a great workout, I got to see a whole bunch of high school classmates, I was interviewed on the radio and it was great honoring my dear friend!! Nora even got a shout out on KLQP our local radio station.
Some Things Learned From This Event:

1) Practice playing basketball before showing up at an event

2) Run and get in shape (don't just show up)

3) I am not as good of athlete as I once was :(

4) Nora LOVED watching all the games (Uncle Tanner played on a team with the Nordaunes)


It is never too early to start teaching kids sports so by next year Nora will have a basketball in her hands!


It was a great time and I am so glad I went back and played in the tournament.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Matt's Cousin Laurel in Town


Laurel and Nora

Laurel, Nora, and Grandpa Keller---They were showing Nora her first Easter basket.

Grandma Keller and Nora

Matt's cousin Laurel Keller came in to town from Houston (technically The Woodlands) TX for a conference set to start Easter Monday. She flew in early to spend some time with the family. It was a bummer that this was the holiday to be with my family (we switch off every other holiday). We were able to meet up with Laurel though to have Nora meet her and just catch up.