Daddy Gets His SUV

Since going back to work, I have had to listen to Jason complain every morning about having Minnesota Public Radio on in the car.  This is because, with only the Camry, he's had to drive me to and from work every day.  I am happy to report that we will no longer have to strain our marriage to the point of near divorce over our extremely different radio listening tastes anymore! 

We bought Jason a used Ford Explorer today at a wholesale dealership and while it's no schnazzy 2009 hybrid vehicle, it was a great buy and we now have a rugged V-8 AWD SUV to help out in the winters... and to help Jason feel more like a man ;-)

P.S. As a sustaining member, if it came down to Jason or MPR... I think MPR might win- ha!

Play Doh

Just as I suspected, with work and school all starting back up at the same time, my days of blogging uber frequently (i.e. daily) have come to an end :-( 

However, I promise to be better than I've been this past week once this frigid cold weather lets up!  For those of you who aren't in Minnesota, the current windchill is negative 30 degrees.  You can throw a hot cup of water into the air and it freezes before hitting the ground... pretty cool huh?  Nope.  It's not.  Not cool at all actually because even though we set our heat at 70, we wake up every morning to it being at or below 60.  And everyone knows you just can't blog properly in such cold.

Some play-doh fun for your enjoyment!

Sledding Fail

With the record amount of snow we've been receiving here in Minnesota I thought it would be fun to take Eva sledding.  We had to borrow a sled from the Olssons since we're such bad parents that we don't even have cool outdoor winter activity things... but it turns out we don't really need them.  Eva went down the hill a grand total of 2 times before crying to Jason that she was, "freezing" and needed to go back home.  Can't say we didn't try!

Food for Thought from William James

Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity; successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.

Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

Action may not bring happiness but there is no happiness without action.

Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.

Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver.

Knowledge about life is one thing; effective occupation of a place in life, with its dynamic currents passing through your being, is another.

The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

These then are my last words to you. Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.

On the Job

First week on the job went very well.  The woman I replaced retired on Friday, so I had two days to train with her.  There was a lot to learn, crammed into a small time frame, but all of my co-workers seem really nice and I'm sure I'll be able to ask for help as I learn the ropes.  I hit the ground running next week by executing two administrative hearings all on my own (it's when someone files a complaint against a citation they were issued and then I have to get the property owner, the inspector, a 3rd party attorney and myself all together to have an official hearing on the matter... pretty cool huh?) 

I am very thankful to have found a job that I think I will enjoy, and that isn't a complete re-route from the career path I always saw myself on.  Even better, the classes I am taking (Litigation I & Contracts and Business Law) will directly help me with my work since all the notices and forms I'll be handling are very legally dense ones.

On a social note, we had our monthly dinner with the Olssons last night and spent hours playing the game Scene It.  I was surprised at how well Brad & LaRae kept up considering they hardly ever watch movies and Jason & I do all.the.time!  Up next is Twilight Scene It with just LaRae... we're so cool :-)

Things I'm Thankful for Series- #1

Food

And not just food, but good food... lots and lots of healthy food all just a 10 second walk to the kitchen away.  It amazes me how much modern technology has made available to us.  We went to the store yesterday and were able to buy beef that had just been butchered, strawberries from another country, rice for dirt cheap and milk without hormones in it.  That would have taken me approximately 4 months to acquire on my own.

I hope I never take for granted that every single human necessity is available to me and my family 24/7/365

Is there anything better than a full fridge??? 

Back to School AND Work

I am happy to report that after months of searching, I was offered a job with the City of Brooklyn Park's Finance department last Friday!

I start this Thursday and I'll be working 30 hours per week, Monday-Thursday, which is perfect because it leaves me open to take classes on Fridays.  I'm starting a 2 semester paralegal certificate program at North Hennepin.  I know it seems odd to go from a bachelor degree to a community college but the program is actually the only American Bar Association accredited program in the area and many law firms that I've looked into require the certification on top of a college degree.  Plus, there are many classes, such as Minnesota Courts & Governments, which have municipal application.  So my plan is to move up in the ranks in the Brooklyn Park hierarchy, because working close to home can't be beat. 

I'll also be taking 2 night classes on Mondays and Thursdays... in addition to my pilates reformer private lessons with Baba on Tuesdays... and kettlebells with my trainer on Wednesdays and Saturdays... oh and Hip Hop jam class on Fridays... so yea, busy busy year coming up.  I'm excited and while I'm sure I'll go through some Eva withdrawals as she goes back to daycare, I know she is sooo ready.  When we went to visit the daycare she had a total meltdown when I said it was time to go, "I want to stay with my friendssssss!" were her exact words :-)

Jason started his final semester of classes this week as well, so by March he'll have his degree and go back to work full time, hopefully in a management position at the golf course.

Good things are happening, praise God.

Church with the Olssons

My friend LaRae came with Eva & I to church today and brought her two kids, Bradley & Brooke.  All of the kids were very well behaved and stayed with us for the whole service, instead of going down to the nursery to play.  Eva & Bradley went up front during the children's sermon and listened intently to Pastor Eric and even closed their eyes and prayed with the other kids!  It was too cute.  We rounded out the morning with brunch at Hudy's because... well, that's what Sundays are about.  Church, brunch and football. 

Speaking of football, the Packer's playoff game is one, so I'll say bye for now :-)

While it looks like Eva is about to pimp slap Brooke, I guarantee you she didn't- this is them dancing after service.

Running so fast she's a blur!

Eva the UFC Fighter

Eva is following fast in Uncle Noah's footsteps!  She already has a mean arm bar- a mixed martial arts move for those of you who don't habla UFC- and she does it quite often on both me, Jason and even Tyson.

I think we'll get her in Little Dragon classes at Noah's academy as soon as she's old enough.

Matinee Movie

With next week being my last week at home with Eva before she goes back to daycare, I want to do as many things with her as I can.  We took today to go see Tangled, the new Disney movie about Rapunzel.  This was her first movie theater experience; she loved it and was very well behaved.  We went to a noon show so that no one would mind if she talked a bit (the only other person in the whole theater was a lone grandma looking lady...)  She asked questions here and there and I was very surprised at how many of the characters' emotions she picked up on.  She's more perceptive than I give her credit for. 

She really enjoyed the movie theater popcorn but was not a fan of the folding seats since she doesn't weigh enough to actually keep them down!  She stood or sat in my lap for the whole show and overall it was great. 

Maybe Jason can skip his nap and come with us to the next one- I'm thinking the Yogi Bear movie!

Telling me which candy she wants

Trying to weigh the seat down with my purse, even that didn't work!

Mmmm sips of pop... now I know why Daddy likes this stuff so much

Waiting for the show to start

Dexterous enough to eat popcorn while keeping her eyes glued to the screen

Library

Lately, I've been getting more and more books from the library.  I forget how much they have to offer and all for no cost.  Well, unless you forget to return a book completely- like I may or may not have- and they send you a bill for the whole thing.  At any rate, I realized I've never taken Eva to the library.  We have so many books at home it just never crossed my mind but she's getting tired of a lot of her books so we went this week and boy was she in heaven.

She is Mommy's girl, loves books and already has been intonation when reading than Daddy does :-) 

Wouldn't even let me get her jacket off before she started going through the stacks

Paging Dr. Eva Parks

One of the many gifts Eva received for Christmas this year was a doctor's kit from Grandma Peggy.  She loves it and even brought it with when we got our flu shots last week.  It helped her to not be as scared, and she thought the "real" tools that the doc used -that matched hers- were pretty neat.  It didn't stop her from screaming bloody murder when she got the actual shot but... c'est la vie.

Here are some photos of her being Dr. Eva Parks MD, please note the jelly roll doughnut PJs :-)

"What's in the bag?"... Look for yourself, Mom

Ok ok, I'll show you.... band-aids

Blood pressure checker-thingy and syringe needle

Giving Mommy a shot... mwuuahahahahahah

Checking her temp

"Oh no- I'm sick!" (you can tell because of the frown face lol)

All better!  Note the smiling face on the thermometer.

Band-aid

Showing off her new BFF Dora

Aaaand giving love to Boots too