3 Years Ago Today

We became parents...and life has not been the same since. I cannot believe that three years have gone by already. He makes us laugh everyday with the funny way he says things, the goofy things he does, and the smiles he gives us. Even on the days where he is grumpy, growly, and a tad over-dramatic, we love him more and more.

We have had a fun couple of days celebrating his birthday. We have one trip to Chuck E. Cheese tonight and then I will post pictures and write about everything.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jake!

<3 We Love you <3

The Westing Game

I have not wrote much about the school year because I have been trying to leave work at school and not drag it into the house. Not always easy, but a definite improvement since my first year in 6th grade. We have been reading The Westing Game in my Language Arts's classes. I put off reading it in the past because of its complex plot, but since I have the GT cluster this year, I thought I would give it a go. It has been so much fun reading this with the students. I am surprised that I had not read the book when I was in school. I actually don't really remember hearing much about it until a few years ago. We started the book at the beginning of March and usually read two chapters a day. We are five chapters away from the ending, and we are now on spring break. I thought the kids were going to revolt when I told them we would finish it after break. So many of them just want to find out how it ends. A few students, who have checked out their own copies of the book, said they would try their best to not read it while on break...but they could not promise. I have to admit that I stayed a bit later after school yesterday to finish the book. I read it last summer, but it is such a confusing plot that I forgot how it ended. What I have enjoyed the most is hearing the students talk about the book. They have made some really insightful comments about characters, events, and even the author. It is always my goal to have the students really "talk" about what they are reading, at a deeper level. I cannot wait to see what they think when we reach the last page. A few of them have part of the mystery figured out, but they are going to be shocked!

If you have never read this book, I highly recommend it!

Playing with the Big Boys

Jake and Joe just left this morning to head out to western Minnesota with my dad and brothers. They are staying at the "Farm". It is hunting land that my dad and some friends own. There is always a dinner out there the weekend of Jake's birthday (Ducks Unlimited? Pheasants Forever?) This was actually the place my dad was when Jake was born. He has the strange knack to be out of town when his grandchildren are born! Anyways, this year is Jake's big year to play with the big boys. It was a little sad to say good bye and watch him drive away in Joe's truck. I know he will have a blast with them, so that made it much easier! When he gets back into town tomorrow, we are having Jake's 3rd birthday party with our families. It is a Spiderman birthday. I cannot wait to see the smile on his face when he sees all the decorations!

We are hoping that Jake loves being at the "Farm" so much and wants to go back in the fall. The rule is, no diapers at the "Farm". My brother, Matt, became potty-trained because of this. He wanted to go there with my dad. I am hoping this inspires Jake, too. If not, I really don't know when this kid is going to get out of diapers!

Mexican Vacation

View of the pool and hotel
Dinner on the last night

Just one of the beautiful sunsets

Relaxing with the hubs

Joe and I were just in Ixtapa for four days last week. It was AMAZING! The weather was hot, the pool and ocean were refreshing, the food tasty, and the company entertaining. It has been a long, crazy, and stressful year for both Joe and me, so having a vacation was really what we needed.

Joe's uncle (who runs the company he works for) took 5 other employees and their wives to a beautiful resort Barcelo, in Ixtapa. We left on a Thursday and came back on Sunday. The best part of it all was only having set dinner plans. The rest of the days were unplanned, which was perfect. Some highlights of the trip:

• I finished one book and started a new one (finished Sarah's Key and started The Help)
• Lounging all day in beach chairs by the ocean and the pool
• Eating at an Italian restaurant in the marina on the docks
• Having to evacuate the beach due to the Tsunami that was a result of the earthquake in Japan
• Sun burns!
• Not being awakened by a toddler, or a by a dog
• Sleeping with the patio door open and hearing the waves crash
• Fruity drinks
• Getting to know the resort employees
• Getting to know the others on the trip
• Food poisoning (Joe and another woman in the group)
• A round of golf in the heat
• No Internet/phone connections
• Eating at a restaurant on the cliff and seeing the waves crash on the rocks
• Using a little bit of my Spanish
  

The only bad thing about the trip is that it was so short! It was our first trip, together, away from Jake. We both missed him a lot. He enjoyed his time with Grandma and Papa Knutson and was waiting at their door when we pulled up the driveway. I hope to return there some day!

Kirby (Deli) Deters

Our beloved dog, Kirby, is driving me nuts! I think it is because he has been cooped up all winter, with the weather being so cold. I admit that I was not the one who went out on walks with him. In fact, he did not head out on many walks at all. Thankfully, with a fenced in yard, he did have some opportunity to run around. Apparently, that was not enough. This week, he went outside on multiple walks. He was so excited. Jake told me his dog is "an excellent jumper!" Excellent is Jake's new favorite word. Kirby was bouncing off all the melting snowbanks, burrowing his head inside of them, and acting like a little kid.

What is driving me crazy is the fact that he needs to be let out, for no apparent reason, every two seconds! He is standing at the door whining as I am writing this! Them he sighs as he lays down on the floor in disappointment. He does nothing when he goes out, except to whine at the door a few seconds after being let out. He is also reverting back to puppy-like, in that he is getting into everything. There has been many food items not intended for Kirby's consumption gobbled up. Just today, Jake told me that Kirby ate his ham (really turkey-but Jake would not accept that label), laundry has to be set up high (some of you know of his previous clothing eating episodes), just to name a few.

I can't stay mad at him for too long, when I see him with his puppy-dog eyes staring at me, or when he wants to snuggle. But still...