wyoming.

our wyoming trip was quite the adventure. seven girls, two suv's.... a million miles... and horrible weather. both the way to wyoming and back to minnesota were horrific driving conditions. at one point i was thrilled to look down and see the speedometer reach 60! once we arrived to wyoming things changed, for the better. sunny skys, highs of 40, beautiful scenery, everything one could want from the state of wyoming. the doering cabin is extraordinary! a "cabin" is defiantly not the right term. it's stunning! i would love to spend a month or two living there, not visiting. 

the wine and booze flowed far too well. we even ventured into town to visit the local bar, "ponderosa" where  i quickly feel into love with the cowboys. their voices were amazing, and at one point i think we asked cowboy "roy/burell/kyle" if he would read us the phone book. he declined. you can just about imagine the looks we got walking into a bar full of cowboys and "towns folk". but most nights we just settled into the cabin for a long night of conversation and alcohol. 

we hiked around devils tower and discovered all about it's history. it's fascinating to know how it came to shape and what the native americans beliefs surround the area. the weather was perfect, and at one point we were all sunbathing on rocks. 

the drive home was a doosey. i almost ran us out of gas and we entered the worst driving conditions i've ever encountered. the highways closed and we spent another night together in dawson, mn. the picket fence motel is not a place i would voluntarily spend another night in. we finally arrived safely back in minnesota early tuesday morning. i was THRILLED to see my little men.

welcome to the cabin 

that, my friends, it quite the view

the beautiful cabin we called home for a few days

taking a little stroll down the driveway.. with the cows

devils tower

devils tower was so fascinating to me... i could have stayed there all day.

little cupids

2/3 men who have my heart. xoxo

LOVE THEM

a little "at home" session... i think i'll stick to animals and landscapes.

just pictures...

our last visit to the farm.

look at precious licking gavins jacket. he was so excited!

my best friends, mom

loving this fresh powder on the trees

feb 9th

our "engagement anniversary" is on feburary 9th.
i can still remember how strange dan was being that day.
anyways, it's been six long years since dan asked me to be his wife. we don't really celebrate. actually i'll be honest... we don't celebrate it. we do both remember it's our anniversary day, but it's not something we go out and celebrate.
i will say that i celebrated all damn day. 10:30 am with a mimosa, wine all day and  beer somewhere in between.. at 10 pm my last drink was a large water and an ice tea... i was already hung over. i guess that's what happens when you agree to go to an event where free wine is served all day and your on the second bus tour to see some houses... and that bus guide happens to be your husbands best friend, and he has ample wine on bus. i'm shocked that i lasted the entire day, for real. i did have a "time out" under my favorite hawes blankie. regardless, dan joined in on the fun around 7. he was less than enthused to be around me at that point and could have cared less that it was our anniversary.
tonight we will celebrate our engagement anniversary, valentines day and judes birthday.
all of the favorites.
for dan and i: my amazing (yes, it is amazing) lasagna. some wine and beer.
for gavin: chicken. not a shocker
for jude: his very first birthday cake. we're only three days early!

after dinner we will be putting the kids to bed and watching a movie dans been dying to see. "that's my boy"... anyone seen it yet? we're really excited to be spending the night with each other since we all won't be together for almost a week and a half. bring on the vacay!

its only six months

so i decided to join our local community ed fitness "boot camp"
i mean how hard can a boot camp in litchfield really be?
well, it's hard. it's not only hard, it's (excuse my french) fucking hard.
yesterday i drank far too much water because i thought i was going to die of a dry mouth/throat attack, and then wanted to throw up because i drank too much water. meh.

i can run run run, miles miles miles on a treadmill or on the road (summer time).. but the intervals of jumping ropes, squats, burpees (DESPISE them), push ups, killers, ect ect ect, added to our runs in the halls of the middle school and high school, boy...  i am exhausted. it's a good exhausted for the most part.

my mom is in boot camp too.
yep. she's 56 and doing everything, well almost everything, the entire group is... i'm pretty proud.

i hope this is some good training for my body because i signed up for my first half... yes, that is not a typo. half... half marathon. the entire thing is completely freaking me out... the word kind of even sends shivers down my spine. half marathon. but it's not until the end of august, which is far enough away that i have plenty of time to whip myself into half marathon shape. that's six whole months of training.... yep, only six months.

too late

today as i heard jude wake up i was instantly annoyed. i swore i looked the alarm clock on dans side and it read 6:03am.
if this usually happens i kind of just lay in bed till he screams and shouts- because yes, i'm lazy and it's just like waking a bear...

all of the sudden i hear:
gavin: jude it's too late, go to bed.
(jude hitting a toy on his crib)
gavin: i am sleeping. to bed jude.
(jude is silent)
gavin: good i'm so tired and no peeschool for me today.
(jude screaming)
gavin: mom, get up. i'm sleeping and jude is so loud.

i rolled back over to realize that it is 8:05am now. the 6 was an 8, mehhhh.
up i go!