Long Day!

After being excited about snow and a snow day, I lazed in bed until about 9:30a.  The kids were up doing "electronics", but most importantly, letting me sleep in.  Then I got up, got us all breakfast and prepared myself for snowblowing.  Now that we have our awesome tractor, it's fairly easy.  Usually, I can finish the entire driveway in one hour.  Today, it took me almost 1 1/2 hours to just do the paved area around the house.  Then as I started down the driveway, I was veering to close to the edge and caught stuck in the ditch.  This was at the end of our driveway, so about 1500' away from the house.  I called Connor on my phone to come down and help me.  No luck.  Then I went to get a "tow" rope from the garage.  I used our tubing tow rope.  Needless to say, it broke.  Then I stopped for lunch.  THen drove to the local convenience/carries everything store and picked up a real tow rope.  Then I got the truck stuck while trying to tow the tractor out of the ditch.  Then I called my brother-in-law, Josh, to come and help me.  I was practically in tears, at my wits end.  Then I pulled myself together and called the kids at the house to come down with shovels to help dig the truck out.  This was very reminiscent of last Christmas Day when we got stuck in our old driveway for 3 hours trying to get to Josh's for Christmas dinner.  Luckily, it was a much shorter stent being stuck.  The kids and I got the truck unstuck.  Then proceeded to shovel the area where the truck got stuck to prevent a repeat event.  THen I was feeling extra brave, and retried to get the tractor out.  And what do you know?  I actually got it out, with Connor "driving" it out.  I was so proud of myself!

Then I tried to finish blowing the driveway, but broke off a shear pin (which I didn't know how to replace), so I had to leave the rest for Bret.  I came inside, ate some cereal for dinner, and took the kids to hockey.  The rink hadn't been cleared, so it wasn't much of a practice.

The kids are hoping for another snow day tomorrow, but I fear that their wishes won't come true.  Good thing because I'm not sure any of us would survive another day without someone being hurt!  How will I survive winter break?

Maren's 8 and here's her new hula hoop

Maren's 8 today.  She got a huge hula hoop from Aunt Jenny and Uncle Dave.  She started right away this money.  She's already up to 20 seconds.  Enjoy!

Brendan's a yellow belt in karate

Brendan starting taking karate with Maren before school (8-9a) Tuesdays and Thursdays.  He tested on December 4th for his yellow belt and passed.  He gets to start sparring soon.  He can't wait.  He's loving it!

I'll post video once I edit it.

Maren decided that sleep was more important than karate for her, so she didn't test and has stopped the lessons.

I know that I'm a procrastinator, but....

I've been posting with a wrong email address since I can remember.  Since the website updated, I can't remember my old password; hence, the new blog website.

I'm sorry that it's been since September that I've posted.  What a slacker I am!

So this is the super update!

I'll focus on me first.  I've joined the Lakewood PTA Board as a member at large.  We meet twice a month, and I'm excited to get more involved with the school.  I'm also chairing the Lakewood Site Council, which makes goals (academic, socioemotional, building, etc.) for the school.  I'm volunteering in Maren's classroom once a week working on math facts.  I'm planning on running a half marathon in June 2011, so I've been training 4 times per week at the Y and with my old personal trainer.  I feel stronger, but am still worried about running that far.  I've never considered myself a runner!

And I have 3 hockey players at 3 different levels (mite 1 is Brendan, mite 2 is Maren and squirt A is Connor) and at 2 different rinks.  Bret is on the board at Lester Park and I'm running concessions there.  Lester doesn't have a mite 2 team this year, so Maren's at Woodland.

Basically, I'm super busy.  After writing it all down, it's a wonder i don't collapse!  Oh and in my spare time, I clean my house.  But honestly, I usually pick reading over doing that.

Ok, enough about me and onto the rest of my family.

I became a new auntie, yeah!

My mom turned 71, yikes!

Maren and Brendan played on the same U8 recreational soccer team, which went undefeated.  Bret was assistant coach.

Connor's u12 team took 3rd place.

Maren finally got a desk and new bed.  The boys had gotten bunk beds (which were turned into individual twins when we moved into the new house) in the rental house.  She's thrilled!

Maren started taking piano lessons, if I forgot that on the old blog.

I'm pretty sure that I posted pics about us getting a paver apron and asphalt around our circle.

Since it took forever to upload these pictures, I'll talk about them next.

Here is Connor putting our angel atop the Christmas tree.  It deemed it "his" year.  I remember when Bret had to hoist him up to do it.  Now, at 93.5 lbs., they'll be none of that.

Maren had her 8th birthday party last Saturday.  She'll turn 8 officially tomorrow just before 8pm.  Here are some pictures from the party.  Looking back, they sure had fun!

 Bret hoisted the pinata over the timbers.

 Bret and Maren making "goo".  Bret decided that they should add food coloring. 

Bad idea!  Everbody had Shrek hands (bluish green) for the rest of the party.

 Nolan watching the girls expectantly and Bailey mixing her goo.

 Shea and Hannah enjoying the messiness!

 Shea pulling the first string.

 Brendan didn't have any luck.

 Hannah's turn.

 Morgan goes back for another try.

 Hannah strikes out again.

 Bailey doesn't have any luck either.

 Maren pulling the last 2 strings finally has success!

 Bret helping Shea make agate jewelry.

 Bret and Brendan

 After the jewelry, a tug of war broke out with the pinata rope.

 Maren's team is winning.

 Maybe not....

 Success as Bailey pulls the rope downstairs.

 Is she her mother's daughter, or what?

(See my halloween picture below)

 Morgan, Maren, Hannah and Shea in back

Brendan and Bailey (cousin) in front

 Maren reading Hannah's card

 Maren agape with surprise at Hannah's present (test tube experiments)

 Intently reading

 More surprise...

 Maren reading Shea's card

 The Zsu Zsu pet (sp?)

 Boy, she looks grown up!

 Maren reading Morgan's card.

 More awesomeness!

 Morgan and Maren

 Maren and Hannah

 Maren and Shea

 Morgan, Maren and Shea

 Maren reading Bailey's card

 Maren and Bailey with her owl Webkinz

 A sweeter pic!

 Maren opening her gift from Brendan (aka all of us)

 Wierdness!

 It never ends....

 Silliness ensues....

 Maren tries to blow out candle.  Unsuccessful on first attempt.

Bailey declares that Maren has 8 boyfriends.

I think Bret may have something to say about that!

Connor lighting Maren's family cookie cake with a real match.

 Maren in her cool butterfly hat

She tries to blow out candle.  Again, unsuccessful in first attempt.

Now, it's 16 boyfriends.  Oh boy!

Ok, now back to catch up!

Over MEA weekend in October, the boys typically go to Texas for a boys fishing weekend.  This year, Connor got to invite a friend, and the firend brought his dad, so Bret had a friend too.  They drove down (crazy!) in my suburban and JOsh, Nolan and their friends drove down in Bridget's suburban for a long (6 day) weekend.  DId I mention that they're crazy!  They had a great time and caught's lots of fish.

At the end of October, we had a Halloween party.  I had promised the kids that we could have one once we were in the new house.  I had fun decorating and making ghoulish treats (witches pretzel fingers, frankenstein cupcakes, eyeball cupcakes, werewolf bbq meatballs).  We all dressed up and had a great time.  Then we headed over to Bret's brother's house for another party and trick or treating.

 Brendan was a bloody skeleton, but the fake blood leaked out of the costume, making a mess.  So, he just went with the cloak and mask.  He walked more than 36 blocks without being carried.  What a trooper!

 The cousins trick or treating picture

Nolan, Maren, Brendan, Bailey, Morgan, Jane, 

Morgan's friend Kelly, Connor (as the mad scientist, aka Albert Einstein), 

another friend, and Maddy (Mona's daughter)

 My official Wonder Woman pose!

 A few of my closest friends

Andrea, Melissa, me and Linda

Bobby, Josh, Bob and Bret as the Hansen brothers from the movie Slapshot

with Bob (their dad) as the ref, of course calling a penalty

What comes next?

My mom is heading up here for Christmas.  Then we all head to Wisconsin Dells over New Years to celebrate with Dave, Jenny and Andrew.  Bret and the kids haven't met him yet.

Happy Holidays to all!

I hope to post again sooner than 4 months from now!