Really, Santa?!

Dear Santa,

I've got three letters for you . . . WTF?! In an earlier post, I sent a P.S. message asking you (very nicely) to please give Monticello School District a snow day - one with considerable snow, wind and cold temperatures ON A SCHOOL DAY. Well, to what should me wondering eyes see this winter's morn?

1) 6 inches of snow already on the ground with MORE to come (all day and into the evening)
2) wind
3) plummeting temperatures

How did I end up on your naughty list this year? Have I been pestering my kids too much with the camera? I am just trying to capture them on film ( . . . or digital media) while I still can. Is it the wine consumption? Because I could compile a list right now of people who drink WAY more than me. In fact, I haven't opened a new bottle in WEEKS. I don't know . . . I think I have been pretty good.

I don't mean to be harsh, but Snow Days are the best! Not because I don't like my job, because I do, but having a spontaneous day off is so fun. Running out of your bed in the wee hours of the morning, clicking the TV on and turning to Kare 11, watching the ticker at the bottom of the screen with such anticipation, and OMG, if you see your school district - you do a crazy happy dance right there in your living room - quite frankly, it's my Christmas morning.

Please don't let this rant effect my children on Christmas morning. I don't blame you, but I do ask that you coordinate with Mother Nature a little better next time.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

We live in Minnesota. It's frickin' freezing 6 months out of the year. I say, if it's going to be this cold, bring on the snow!

Snow is what makes winter so fun. Nothing is more beautiful than watching big, fat flakes float down from the sky. Not only does it make breathtaking landscapes, but it also promotes activities such as sledding, skiing, snowboarding (which I am going to do this winter - I had to take last winter off because of my bum back), snowmobiling, ice skating and hockey.

It's also fun to hear the swoosh-swoosh-swoosh sounds of kids in their big marshmallow-y snow pants as they run out the door to build snowmen and snow forts and of course have big snowball fights.

To celebrate the newly fallen snow, we Adolphsons went outside the other night to have some fun of our own. Of course it took us about 15 minutes just to get dressed, but it was totally worth it. I heard once that "the only people in Minnesota who are cold, are worried about what they look like" . . . so very true.









Since there are no hills near our house, Carl took out the snowmobile, hooked on a sled, and gave the kids rides around the backyard. (sorry for the lack of pictures . . . my battery went dead). The girls loved every minute out in that snow . . . except for Claire

. . . she is not a big fan yet. But by Christmas, we will have her loving the snow too!

Happy December!

PS - Santa, could you please bring Monticello a storm with considerable snow and wind ON A SCHOOL DAY! We have not had a snow day for as long as I can remember. Thanks.

Oh, Christmas Tree

Our weekend started a lot like any other December weekend . . . with two basketballs games. We packed up all the girls and headed over to Annandale. The girls played hard and ended up beating a St. Cloud team and losing by just a few points to a Becker team.

The two little girls had a good time running around at the game. There were a few times that I had to run out onto the court to get Claire . . . the other parents would just smile and giggle, and tell me how cute she is. Yeah, Yeah, real cute, I thought. :)

I did, however, get Claire to sit still in the stands. There she sat with her best friend next to her (passie), looking so grown-up, clapping every now and then.

Unfortunately, this was short lived.

Later that night was our annual Christmas Tree Lighting Extravaganza! Oh what a merry time. Frank Sinatra's Christmas songs in the background, candles lit . . . the girls fighting over ornaments, trying to figure out how to fit our tree into our little family room, Carl digging our three-piece tree out of a very awkward and packed storage area, moving the chair only to find that the dog puked on the floor (months ago) . . . it's all so magical.

So . . . the show must go on.




Ahhhhhh. Much better. Carl and Jocie got busy assembling the tree and spreading out it's branches. Then, we plugged in the pre-strung lights and crossed our fingers in hopes they would turn on! Next Jocie and I made sure the garland was on just right.












Then everyone takes a turn putting on their favorite and most special ornament on the tree. After that, we filled in the tree with all the other ornaments we have collected over the years. This is my favorite part because it sparks a lot of "I made this for" and "remember when" stories.




Jocie's passie ornament . . . Claire wasn't the only passie-lover in this family.

Ella's favorite ballarina ornament

Claire's first ornament

Claire took a break to call Grandma Judy

After the tree was complete and Claire was asleep, we snuggled in next to the glowing tree to watch "Christmas Vacation".

Even with all the chaos that started off this event, it sure ended up being a fantastic night.

a star is born

Okay . . . brace yourself. This might be the cutest thing you have ever seen or heard. I know I am bias, but this is good stuff :)

As you will see, we have been singing quite a bit lately . . . the actions are courtesy of Missy :)

Enjoy!

Please ignore my voice . . . it is not the cutest thing you have ever heard.

Word

Claire met another milestone tonight! Here is the re-enactment:

Me - "Claire do you want more?"
Claire - "Mo Mama"

That's right! Her first two-word sentence! Woo-Hoo!

Okay. I must admit, that story sounds very boring in print, but it was very exciting in person. Especially since Claire is a toddler of few words. In other "word" news, she now also says "Ella" which she says like "Ya Ya". I could make a lame comment about the "Ya Ya Sisterhood" but I think I will side-step that and show you a recent photo instead.

Happy Wednesday . . . weekend's half way here!

McFatty Monday

Holy Cow (pun intended)! I am feeling the effects of all the eating (and drinking) I did this past weekend. My diet consisted of: two Thanksgiving dinners, two left-over Thanksgiving dinners, Papa Murphy's pizza, honey buns, pumpkin dessert, mashed potatoes that was made up of one part butter, one part sour cream, to one part potatoes (delicious), french toast with peanut butter and syrup, doughnuts, muffins, two plates of nachos with Village Hot Sauce (I single-handedly ate half of a tub of it . . . John and Jessie witnessed it), ribs, stuffed pork chops, lemon cake, marble cake with ice cream, beefy cheese dip with tortilla chips, sloppy joes, potato chips, countless glasses of wine, a few pints of Blue Moon on tap, a massive plastic cup full of Coors Light (which I only paid $3 for) . . . the list goes on and on.

In efforts to make today a bit more healthy, which shouldn't be hard, I got a salad at lunch. But after eating a "chef salad" which consisted of wilting (warm) iceberg lettuce, a diced meat-like substance, and a 1/2 pound of shredded government cheese, which I then drizzled in Ranch dressing, I don't think I accomplished my goal.

Oh well, there's always tomorrow :)
Bon Appetit

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

In true holiday spirit, the minute Thanksgiving is over, we switch our mindset immediately over to Christmas. This year is no different. We even got a little extra inspiration from all the snow that came to East grand Forks on Thanksgiving day.

Behind my dad's house is quite possibly one of the best sledding hills in northwestern Minnesota (especially since that part of the state is so incredibly flat). I have had so many great memories on that hill - sledding with siblings, cousins and friends. It is so much fun watching my own kids slide down the hill as powder sprays up onto their smiling faces. You add on to the fact that the hill has doubled in size since the 1997 flood, and what you have is a snot running, jump building, snow flying, air-catching-wipe-out type of afternoon!

(check out the old wooden sled complete with metal skis on the bottom! This sled is way older than me!)

my niece Ashley getting a taste of freshly fallen snow . . . we made sure it wasn't yellow

The progression of one of the biggest wipe-outs of the day. Ella handled it like a real pro!













To our family,

Thanks for this past weekend. It felt so good to get home and hang out with the people that I love so much and see too little. John and Beth - we are so grateful that you could come home for at least a part of the big holiday season. Please know that you are loved and missed very much!

It truly was a weekend to be thankful for.