Play, Eat, Work, Sleep: The Berge Way

Oh Joy!

2011-12-26T15:44:00.002-06:00

2 weeks ago, Samuel John was born! What a blessing! T is a great big brother and somehow I love him more even while loving this perfect newborn.

John and I have had wonderful help from our parents. I'm ok with the honeymoon lasting for as long as possible.

Samuel was born in 12/12/11, sharing a birthday with Ole Tobias Berge (John's grandpa) and is the 12th grandchild on John's side of the family, 2nd on my side.

Also special was being able to have Samuel baptized on Christmas day. What a joyful time for our family!

Our Little Cub is Three

2011-06-30T23:58:00.001-05:00

I love thinking back to this day 3 years ago . . . I could hardly sleep knowing I'd meet you July 1st. The 3 of us started a great adventure and I'm often amazed at how much I love every new corner we explore together. We love you so much, T!

Father's Day

2011-06-19T23:18:00.004-05:00

So . . . there is nothing overly sentimental or profound here. Only a great Dad, on a great day and a blessed wife and son.

Civil Engineers?

2011-05-03T22:05:00.005-05:00

We are fortunate to have new neighbors across the street including G who is so much fun and T asks to play with him every day. Their play usually consists of racing circles around the driveway (T with his yellow dump truck and G on his balance bike) or digging up the dirt in the flower beds. I've drawn "roads" with chalk within our driveway in the past, but this time, we used road drawing as our activity together. The boys had a great time. G just turned 4 y/o at the end of March.

Following the intense road drawing and racing, the boys helped me with yard work by gathering my piles of raked grass and dumping it into the yard waste bin. T is still a little short to reach and most of the grass would end up on him or scattered around the bin, but he was having a great time.

Easter Joy

2011-04-30T10:13:00.004-05:00

Our Easter Day began at church including pancake breakfast and the 1st of two egg hunts. Sara was in the Easter Drama this year, "The Choice for the Executioner".

Following church, we had a bunch of friends over for Easter dinner which is a cinch when you've got dual wall ovens (set to delay start), everyone bringing food to share and disposable tableware.

Next, the 2nd egg hunt. Our guests provided all the eggs and the guys hid them around the yard. Once T filled up his little pail, he was content.

Aren't these kids a sweet bunch!

Chocolate!!!!

It was very special to share a wonderful holiday together with great friends with whom we share faith and hope in Jesus Christ. I wonder what kind of egg hunts we'll have in heaven . . . .

The Great Christmas Get Together: Great Coffee Needs?

2010-11-22T08:42:00.002-06:00

So, next month we will host a Christmas celebration and I find myself constantly thinking about food and sleeping arrangements, activities for the kids, food, serving dishes, presents, food . . . I'm looking forward to the crazy days to come and the sweet peace that follows at night. Even the following mornings, lazily stumbling into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, wait a second . . . coffee??? How many people? With only a french press? Oh, no this will never do.

$6 Coffee Maker, 12 cup capacity, removable filter basket, Pause 'n Serve function, ergonomic handle, non-stick warming plate, easy pour, non-drip carafe, convenient cord storage.

Ready for a Good Morning, family!

Treats

2010-10-29T23:58:00.003-05:00

Sometimes the best treats don't come on special occasions. T loves helping, especially in the kitchen. Now, this "help" gives me one more thing to keep track of at dinner time, yet I'm so amazed at how fast he learns new things and wants to do things on his own :)

Tonight we decided to rearrange our pumpkins' outward (and inward) appearance. T was having a great time placing little poke holes in the pumpkin. I have to be careful not to miss these little moments. It was my idea to start carving pumpkins before dinner, but I found myself completely busy with the food prep. Luckily, I came to my senses, washed my hands and grabbed the camera.

Treat for Mommy

2010-10-22T09:37:00.003-05:00

T: Mommy, treat. [pointing at his plate]

Me: The leftover crusts? For me?

T: OK. Welcome.

Wow, thanks, kid.

In the Bright Mid 'Tober

2010-10-19T20:03:00.004-05:00

Have you tried fresh-pressed apple cider in a little paper cup? Oh so good . . . .

We joined our church family at the Montgomery Orchard following service last Sunday. Nothing puts me in a thankful mood like a bright, sunny day outside with friends, apples right off the tree, a dirt road off the beaten trail, groves of goldenrod and the combines out in the field.

Nothing steals my thankful attitude like laundry. But, finally, when it's ~~clean~~
out of the dryer and folded, ah, life is good again.
Stats from yesterday's 2 loads:

24 sock pairs

15 underwear

5 bras

4o tops

21 bottoms

2 jammies

1 blanket

Tall Ships

2010-08-01T14:20:00.003-05:00

We went to see some tall ships in Duluth.

Always a Party

2010-05-24T13:31:00.007-05:00

When cousins show up, if you show them your pool, chances are they'll ask for their swimsuits. The Mom will get everyone's swimsuits and usher them back towards the pool. Upon stepping into the water, they'll see a toy fishing pole and 10 plastic fish and want to hook the fish. They'll need to take turns "catching" the fish and eventually loose interest, but catching and releasing water proves just as fun, so they'll need a bucket. They find a green bucket, which reminds them of lounging on the beach in Mexico, so they'll go over to the sandbox. In the sandbox, they create towers and castles. Between the sun and sand they get pretty warm, so they head back into the pool. The breeze picks up, so the cousins ask for towels. You get green towels for everyone and herd them over to the picnic table for pizza and watermelon. After eating, they remember how nice the freshly-cut grass feels on the feet, so the cousins will run in circles chasing each other through the lawn. As the sun gets lower in the sky, they'll realize that they still have a few hours of driving until they get home, so they'll change out of their swimsuits back into clothes. Time for a bathroom break! On the way to the bathroom, they'll see brownies and ice cream and ask for a bedtime snack. After eating the snack and getting bathroom breaks, they are sent out the front door toward the car . . . best not to show the pool again . . .

Thanks for the Party!

Momma Day Highlights

2010-05-11T20:57:00.003-05:00

The 3 of us on Mother's Day

T's cute head

A duck nest with 7 eggs outside our front door (snuggled in the creeping juniper)

He is Risen

2010-04-04T19:47:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter all!

So Far So Good

2010-03-18T10:05:00.003-05:00

This week marks the first for me as non full-time employee. So far, the weather has been beautiful and play time outside is so good. We've discovered a magical time (between 3:30 and 4:00p) when several school buses are motoring by one of the 3 roads seen from our house. T's exuberance with proclaiming the arrival of bus after bus into his field of vision is pretty fun to behold. All the excitement is addictive and I find, even when I'm by myself, announcing, "Bus" when I catch it in my sight.

Even with the excellent, spring fever-inducing weather we've experienced, it is necessary to spend a fair amount of time indoors, preparing the house for its new owners. I can't deny that I'm thrilled when T can entertain himself for a little while during the cleaning and/or packing escapades. (One week left in our current home)

Hello!

2010-03-08T22:09:00.002-06:00

March Madness

2010-02-28T22:06:00.004-06:00

I guess Spring Fever is coming on fast and furious. Along with it is this burning need for change which cannot be held back and refuses to drag out over the course of years (a.k.a. this is not like our house projects). So, within March there will be 2 milestones: the end of my full-time employment and saying goodbye to our very 1st home.

Weekend Recap

2010-02-21T22:05:00.006-06:00

Weekends are worth their weight in gold around here. This weekend was no different and it started Friday evening as T and I goofed around while waiting for John to get home from work.

Saturday's activities included lots of reading, walking about with stars around our ankles, blueberry scones and a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Berge.

To take advantage of the nice weather, today we spent some time at a park near our home. The snow was deep, but we were still able to climb on the equipment. T's fav is the swing to be sure.

Here's to being refreshed for another week!

Our Underwater Adventure

2010-01-30T21:21:00.003-06:00

These adventurers, upon being displaced from their home for the day, set out to find some new land worthy of exploration. The Mall of America was chosen even though that land has been covered many, many times - mainly due to its proximity to home and easy access to bathrooms and eating establishments. Yet, there was one MOA destination yet to be traversed by the Berge fam: Underwater Adventures Aquarium. The littlest explorer learned how to say "Wow," and did so many times. It was great! Thankfully, the voyagers returned home safely and are resting up since who knows what tomorrow may bring?

Lay Your Burdens Down

2010-01-25T20:57:00.004-06:00

In light of a not-so-terrific ending to the Vikings season, I'm still chalking this weekend up to a great one. A Saturday afternoon house showing and Sunday night football game gave us two excuses to hang out with good friends.

Saturday was dedicated to honing our marching band skills. Here's T-bird after his first drumming lesson and demonstration by big T.

Here is big T and T-bird along their parade route from the bedroom to the family room.

Post parade jam session

Sunday night cheering on the Vikings

Sweet Z

T-bird and Z taking a beverage break

Is it past our bedtime? Nah.

Reason to Shout Hurray!

2010-01-01T22:19:00.009-06:00

Many good things come in 1 and a half, and usually for me it is dessert helpings. Today it is T's age. Here's our buddy having a great New Year's Day.

He loves stacking blocks.

Watch out for the Lion!

We love having you in our lives, T-bird.

Last Nosh of 2009

2010-01-01T08:28:00.010-06:00

New Year's Eve was pretty quiet at our house.

John and I combined our meal requests into one great dinner - steak and "fun"due!

For dessert, I made a lovely sour cream lemon cake with blueberries on the side.

A certain someone loves blueberries and learned how to slurp the remaining juice from a certain Grandpa . . .

Happy New Year, everyone!

Sleigh Ride

2009-12-15T23:28:00.002-06:00

We received a nice bit of snow last week and took a little time to play in it over the weekend. Here was T's first ride through the white stuff

I think this makes John and I the horses. Giddyup

2009-12-01T12:38:00.001-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Halloween

2009-11-01T20:57:00.009-06:00

A golfer, soldier and butterfly have lots in common.

Mainly, a great Halloween night together!

A little snippet of a light show on a house nearby.

Then we got to chill with the cutest caterpillar and great treats. Not to mention, our very own player piano concert!

Thankfully, no one but a pumpkin got sick.

Thanks L's and R's for a great evening!

Halloween Golfer

2009-10-31T15:43:00.002-05:00

No clubs yet, but here is a quick pic.

Cousins

2009-10-28T14:20:00.005-05:00

We had a great weekend in FF with the fam. These two seem to be becoming great friends.

Wanna Buy a House?

2009-10-21T06:35:00.004-05:00

It is for sale and it is also clean!

http://www.edinarealty.com/Listing/ListingDetail.aspx?listing=44806101&Popup=1

Berge Apple Orchard

2009-10-13T16:08:00.011-05:00

On a brrrisk day, there is nothing like being outside to enjoy the smells of Autumn, hear the crunch of leaves under foot and enjoy the fruits of harvest. T was ready for the adventure.

T helping with the outside chores.

Watching Daddy rake the leaves . . .

and taking a turn.

After all the work, we walked to the apple orchard about 50 yds away :) T picked a very tasty sample and approved this year's crop of Cortland apples.

The best apples are always the ones way up high. Can you find John?

I'm sure it won't be long before this little one attempts the climb.

For Aunt Marlane

2009-10-10T15:41:00.010-05:00

The camera has seen more of the inside of the lens cover than daylight, it seems. There are a few pics we've taken here and there, oh, and T's stats from his 15 mo. well child clinic visit:

Height: 31.5"

Weight: 21 lbs 4.5 oz

HC: 18.5"

Cheese souffle definitely didn't fall.

When T wants to be picked up.

I think this is John's favorite picture :)

Silly boy

Momma and T-bird hangin' out.

Chi-Town

2009-08-30T21:21:00.009-05:00

Happy 10th Anniversary to us!

We took our first trip sans T to Chicago. We had a great time sightseeing and eating, taking photos and even relaxing. It's too late for a commentary, so picture captions may have to wait for another time.

Captive or Captivated?

2009-08-19T11:16:00.007-05:00

Who can resist the commanding view and another taking the burden of navigating off-the-beaten paths?

Curiousity

2009-08-15T10:19:00.001-05:00

Happiness

2009-07-26T09:36:00.004-05:00

Why is Tobias so happy?

Because dad grilled ribs!

And Tobias didn't eat the veggies...

A few trip updates

2009-07-15T20:36:00.010-05:00

We recently spent 10 days in Western ND visiting family and enjoying CJ(Sara's brother) and Jen's wedding. A few brief highlights below....

The bride & groom:

Hey look - a family photo!

Watched Grandpa & Great-Grandpa paint a trailer:
Wrestled with mom:

Played in the rain (like the hair?):

A few rainbow pictures:

Campfire & a boat ride with Grandpa:

Played with Great-Grandpa & swimming in a special pool with Grandma:

A Year After the Invasion

2009-07-01T22:24:00.010-05:00

Last year, we experienced a crazy little event. Since then, we spend more time at home, plugged up all our outlets, made it difficult to open cabinets and prevented a smooth passage up and down our stairs. We have gobs of brightly colored molded plastic as conversation pieces throughout the house. We sing silly songs and speak in the 3rd person.

Tobias, we are so happy you "invaded" our lives. Happy 1st Birthday!

Father's Posture

2009-06-22T11:50:00.004-05:00

John, thank you for your Godly attitude and disposition toward your family and friends. T and I are so grateful for you!

Fifty Weeks and Flicking Food

2009-06-16T12:15:00.003-05:00

T is 2 weeks away from his 1st birthday! He's such a joy.

Mr. Independent

2009-06-01T11:39:00.004-05:00

Look Who's Eleven Months Old!

Now that T is 11 months old, it appears that he's learned to fend for himself around here.

Grandma and Grandpa B came down for the weekend to attend Brandon's Graduation party and spend some time with us. John made great cinnamon rolls!

I also made a trip to the nursery for plants for my garden - I'm like a kid in a candy store.

Tobias enjoyed the fabulous day with us.

Fun, That's All

2009-05-28T23:04:00.004-05:00

T and I had a chance to get out and enjoy the sunshine this afternoon. He is totally over his apprehension of grass; adventure is his middle name, especially when it comes to tasting dirt, mulch, dried leaves, or any other strange object in his path. (Yet, I put broccoli on his plate and you'd think it was the scariest thing in the world and it won't go near his lips. What's up with that?)

Refreshment

2009-05-20T21:45:00.002-05:00

Ahh, nothin' better than a cool drink of water on a lovely spring evening.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T07:06:00.003-05:00

Happy Mother's Day Mom! Thanks for all you do for me, including helping me learn to like the grass. - Tobias

Looking forward to Mother's Day

2009-05-09T08:59:00.003-05:00

Hi Mom!

Baby Jail

2009-05-07T20:56:00.003-05:00

He understands that his voice projects much better when he's standing.

What's so great about 10?

2009-05-01T21:58:00.011-05:00

Number of Fingers

Number of Toes

T's age in months (it's amazing how he grows!)

Fun in the Sun

2009-04-27T21:19:00.003-05:00

I'm a great bouncing toy apparently. (Disclaimer: the camera work is a bit shaky . . .)

This was a great taste of summer.

Saturday Mornings II: Dad's Turn

2009-04-23T22:46:00.003-05:00

Who's turn will it be this Saturday?

Saturday Mornings

2009-04-21T18:50:00.001-05:00

Mom loves Saturdays with Tobias:

Smarty

2009-04-14T21:06:00.005-05:00

Sure, give a kid a pair of glasses and before you know it you're hearing: "well, mother, one thing that all the forms of electromagnetic radiation have in common is that they can travel through empty space. This is not true of other kinds of waves; sound waves, for example, need some kind of material, like air or water, in which to move."

Easter

2009-04-13T15:07:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful Easter day, beginning with a happy chorus of "He is Risen" from the Eau Claire clan. Next, we went to church for a pancake breakfast, mini easter egg hunt and fantastic worship time with our family and friends! (Unfortunately we forgot the camera for that part)

T is checking out the grass and is not sure he can trust it yet. John thinks he will like it in the summer when the grass is softer. Truthfully, our grass doesn't get much softer since we'd have to water it regularly. For now, T remains safe on a blanket island.

Thanks, Aunt Marlane, for a cute Easter card - T loved carrying it on his crawling escapades across the living room!

Duet

2009-04-09T21:46:00.002-05:00

Grandparents Week

2009-04-05T18:23:00.005-05:00

At the end of March, we had visits with both sets of Grandparents! First were Sara's parents from ND, and fortunately for us, they couldn't get back home for several days due to a blizzard closing down most highways across ND. T played hooky from daycare to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa!

Next came HIT weekend and we headed to Fergus and spent time with John's parents and brother's family. (John's team won the Classic division, btw)

NIfty Nine and Squeaky Clean

2009-04-01T21:42:00.009-05:00

I can hardly believe little T is 9 months old today. He's becoming a crawling machine and he enjoys using his voice to see the reaction from Mom and Dad.

T's first bath

T's 9 mo. bath

Here's one clean 9 month old!

A Good Day

2009-03-30T21:51:00.002-05:00

I'm a bit behind the times, but I wanted to post a pic from a little over 1 week ago. I reconnected with friends I last saw at my wedding - and their 3 beautiful children. It was an awesome day!

NCAA Here we come!

2009-03-10T20:54:00.001-05:00

And the Bison just qualified for the NCAA tournament!!! Go BISON!!!

High Five

2009-03-09T21:51:00.002-05:00

Monday was so worth it for this!

Gr8 Expectations

2009-03-01T20:57:00.003-06:00

I can't believe we've reached 2/3 of a year. Everything is an adventure and T impresses me with his appetite for learning. He loves taking in his environment and adding his own voice to the mix. I'm having a blast exploring right along with him.

Unfortunately, T has a bit of a cough tonight and is having a hard time staying asleep. I'm anticipating a rocky night . . . literally, he's in the swing now.

Greetings

2009-02-24T17:38:00.003-06:00

We both love to come home and be greeted by this face.

Lazy Sunday

2009-02-22T16:53:00.003-06:00

Ahhhh.....

Go go

2009-02-19T21:58:00.002-06:00

I'm having fun with John's Valentine's Day gift . . .

To Blog or To Facebook, That is the Question

2009-02-12T17:23:00.009-06:00

My loyalties are split and I have been neglecting the blog for a bit.
Here is a video from 2 weeks ago. Now it takes little or no time for him to pop 4 or 5 puffs in his mouth. What a ham!

"Hi" from up north

2009-02-01T21:14:00.004-06:00

Tobias thought snowshoeing was a great time to catch a quick nap.

He also enjoyed the pool.

Sunrise on vacation

2009-01-30T17:51:00.004-06:00

One benefit of vacation with a six month old is you are woken up in time to enjoy a gorgeous sunrise.

Does Cake Mix Go Bad?

2009-01-26T19:40:00.003-06:00

I guess I should start looking through my cupboards. Does anyone have older stuff sitting around?

If You're Happy and You Know It

2009-01-25T15:45:00.004-06:00

This snippet has been brought to you by the letter Q.

I'm Tired of Looking at the Old Coat

2009-01-21T21:42:00.004-06:00

. . . so here's a pic of T.

And, yes, he has 6 teeth.

Goodbye to an Old Friend

2009-01-17T15:05:00.004-06:00

After much encouragement from my beautiful wife, as well as everyone else who saw at it, I finally decided it was time to retire my winter coat.
Some stats from the lifetime of my old friend:

Winters: 15 - 1994- 2009

States gone skiing: 7 -MN, CO, ND, MO, WA, UT, Manitoba (I know, not quite a state)

Basketball games worn to: 300-450

Times washed: 3?

Windshields scraped: Too many to count

Starting 2009 at 6 Months

2009-01-01T21:44:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year!

We had a great, low-key celebration last night and we even stayed awake past midnight! (Excluding the little one, who tried to stay awake, but in the end had to settle for waking at regular intervals throughout the night.)

My friend, Rachel, stopped by for New Year's Eve and took the opportunity to supervise T's dental hygiene practices. She is quite the pro as auntie to 6 little boys!

Today marks not only the new year, but T reaching 6 months of age. He amazed me last week by revealing his new found skill of sitting unsupported.

(I feel like I can hardly look away from this little guy since he seems to be learning new things all the time.)

Tomorrow is the 6 month check up and I need to check our Tylenol supply in case we have another Fever Friday.

Christmas Holiday was a Blast

2009-01-01T20:37:00.005-06:00

Continuing photo montage of Christmas week.

And the Christmas Fun Begins

2008-12-23T09:12:00.008-06:00

We are celebrating Christmas a bit early with my family in ND. It began with gift opening with CJ, Jen, Grandpa and Grandma. Entertainment was free as T was very willing to show off his rolling skills across the double living rooms. Yesterday took us to Great-Grandma's house to marvel at her doughnut making ability and help in quality assurance testing!

Eating at the table

2008-12-14T21:38:00.003-06:00

We finally got a high-chair this weekend

In other good news, we now have a bunch of Christmas cookies

Ready for the Baby Gate?

2008-12-11T21:21:00.003-06:00

A whole world of mobility is opening up before us.

Going for a ride

2008-12-05T18:16:00.001-06:00

Guess who got his first ride on dad's shoulders....

Love Hurts

2008-12-02T21:18:00.006-06:00

One of the girls at daycare tried to give him a kiss, but ended up scratching his cheek.

I'm afraid this is one of many lessons in love to come, my little T-bird.

In Time for Turkey Day

2008-11-30T21:56:00.003-06:00

I suspect because I've teased T that he couldn't have food until he gets teeth prompted some physical manifestation of "Ha ha, Mom!"

Our Wednesday drive out to North Dakota for Thanksgiving was shaping up to be a typical, uneventful trip (A.O.K. with me), but T surprised me during our stop for a sandwich in Valley City. I decided a reprieve from the car seat was in order and held him as we ate in the deli. Instead of T's normal "gumming" of my arm, I felt a serrated-type jab into my wrist. Sure enough, his first tooth made it's appearance. It's next door neighbor is close behind.

Finally - the video

2008-11-22T20:40:00.002-06:00

Yep - proof that Tobias is eating cereal...

Cereal

2008-11-20T21:55:00.003-06:00

Monday night we decided it was time to see how Tobias liked cereal, so Sara mixed up a batch and the adventure began...

Hmmm... what's this?

Not too bad....

Mmm... tasty

More please....

All done, that was tasty!

We took video. When I get our internet back fully working hopefully we can post a clip as well.

FF Weekend

2008-11-19T21:25:00.005-06:00

We spent last weekend in FF at G&G B's. We got to see (Great) Grandma Crater one more time before she goes home to New Jersey next weekend. Tobias also got to spend lots of quality time with his cousins. And we made some lefse - I think this was my first time making it. It turned out great.

Lefse making party...

...even Preston got to try one (with Aunt Sara's help of course)....

Norman and Martha stopped by for supper...

Preston is a pretty cute kid too...Tobias & Preston making faces...Hanging out with cousin Sean...

Random Pics

2008-11-18T22:06:00.002-06:00

Just a few random pics from the past week...

Do Change

2008-11-13T21:56:00.003-06:00

Here's my attempt to implement efficiency in my morning routine. So far so good. I don't even have to remember to wear earrings.

Running with the Big Dogs

2008-11-10T21:22:00.002-06:00

This is for Grandpa P.

You Give Me Fever

2008-11-07T10:25:00.003-06:00

It's Fever Friday and we're home celebrating with Tylenol and lots of snuggling.
.

Traumatic Day

2008-11-06T19:36:00.005-06:00

I'm not sure he'll sleep tonight, but if he wants to sleep now, then snooze away my little one! I've often thought that infants could pass for chameleons due the way they can change color so quickly once that first shot is given.

Here are his 4 month stats:

Height - 26.75 in

Weight - 15lbs 1oz

Head Circ - 16.75 in

He is right on track and even rolled from his stomach to his back for the doctor.

Whoa, he just woke up and does not sound pleased . . . Tylenol to the rescue.

My Fellow Americans

2008-11-04T10:11:00.003-06:00

I happily stood in queue twice with my fellow community members this morning.
Once to vote,
And again for free coffee.

What an exhilarating morning! . . . or maybe that is the caffeine talking. (I'm feeling so pollyanna.)

Livin' it up

2008-11-01T21:18:00.002-05:00

Well, after 4 months, T-bird has got it down:

Play hard . . .

Sleep hard.

As for his parents, well, we are happy to oblige.

Spicy

2008-10-30T22:21:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween from T the Chili

Earrings

2008-10-28T21:06:00.004-05:00

So, I must admit that my attention to detail when it comes to looking "put together" for work every morning has been slipping. Monday morning, Tobias and I slept in a bit longer than usual and I'm proud to say that from wake up to daycare drop-off was less than 1 hour. However, as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror heading for the door, I decided the look was crossing the line from new, sleep deprived mom to Saturday morning I-don't-care look.
Solution: add a pair of earrings. I said to myself "I hope others will think, 'At least she's trying.'"

On a Roll

2008-10-28T20:48:00.003-05:00

I think this is my first video insert to the blog, so I'm keeping it short. This was captured a few weeks ago.

How sweet it is!

2008-10-21T22:09:00.004-05:00

Every Tuesday at 8:58pm I marvel that Tobias came into our lives. Today marks sweet 16 (weeks, that is).

Walkin in the Woods

2008-10-12T21:42:00.002-05:00

Saturday we had a chance to get outside and enjoy the wonderful fall weather:

Getting carried by dad:

From Fall Weekend

Learnin' from Dad

2008-10-12T21:39:00.001-05:00

Looks comfy, doesn't it?

Wow

2008-10-07T16:43:00.001-05:00

Check out the gas price by our house.

Fun at the Farm

2008-10-05T22:13:00.003-05:00

Saturday we trekked out to a farm near Eau Claire to meet the A's & Grandpa & Grandma Berge & Great-Grandma Crater. Tons of fun for the kids plus a pumpkin canon that shot pumpkins approx. 300 yards or so. Cool stuff.

Pumkin Launch:

From Fall Festival WI

Hayride around the farm:

From Fall Festival WI

Family Photo:

From Fall Festival WI

The A's:

From Fall Festival WI

Grandma, Sara & Tobias:

From Fall Festival WI

Hannah, Grandma & Great-grandma:

From Fall Festival WI

Smiley guy:

From Fall Festival WI

One more family pic:

From Fall Festival WI

Fall at the pumpkin patch

2008-10-04T15:48:00.001-05:00

Here is timothy shooting apples.

Look who's reading

2008-10-02T21:15:00.001-05:00

Quite smart already.

Done and Done

2008-10-02T09:12:00.001-05:00

And I even returned for my 2nd day of work.

Quarter Year

2008-10-01T22:08:00.004-05:00

Well, this marks 3 months of having our lives flipped upside down. T-bird spent his first full day at daycare and I went back to work (I didn't even cry - although I may now as I think about all the support we've received from our friends and family!)

An Epic Return

2008-10-01T21:59:00.002-05:00

Sorry, the title may gag my co-workers :)

My friends at the office sure made it as easy as possible to return to work. Thanks everyone for the warm welcome, kindness and (of course) chocolate! I'm even planning to do it all again tomorrow, but this time I'll get some work done.

A Bit Cracked

2008-09-30T09:59:00.005-05:00

Sure, your first thought is that I've lost it and I'm referring to myself. I won't deny that the women taking care of T-bird at day care may have something to add here, but they'll have to do it on another blog. No, actually this pic was proof in my attempt to peel a hard boiled egg without peeling.

Thinking of day care though, I have successfully done 2 drop offs and 1 pick up and I only cried at the 1st drop off. These are but dress rehearsals for tomorrow's production of "You're Going Back to Work for Real".

Would someone at the office check to see if I have tissues at my desk?

.

Sunday Night Dread

2008-09-28T22:23:00.004-05:00

I'm the one clutching the lamp.

Twelve Week Prowess

2008-09-23T14:24:00.003-05:00

Over the last 12 weeks, I've successfully influenced expenditures, increased fiscal responsibility, and created connections in the neighborhood, community and beyond.

Plus, I make a great subject for the blog . . .