Driving Contract

I don't know if this is against any blogging rules...but I want to yet again post a link to TVP's blog.  I know I and probably most of the people that read my blog are a ways off from having teen drivers, but JUST IN CASE anyone has one coming up, or even if it is years away...I think this is an EXCELLENT idea.  I WILL be using one of these or one similar when Allison is getting her license (and subsequent children/child).  That lady is just so smart!  If interested in seeing them click here:
http://www.offcamerwithtrish.com/2010/04/life-saving-contract.html

Another Link - "Room to Live"

Ok, so I thought I had posted a link to "Room to Live" that I got from TVP blog, but it only shows a pic from what I can tell.  So here is the website to her blog entry on that and I think from there you can get to the "Room to Live" actual story on Fox 9.  I know they have aired it a couple times and it is SOOO powerful.  About roll overs that people died in but if they would have been buckled up they probably would have lived because there is enough room around the driver's side of the car.  In all honesty I first saw the story at "Speeder's Class".  Oops - I know another bad habit!  But I remember being VERY moved by the video.  They had gotten a copy of the story from Fox 9 to show.  So I encourage everyone to check it out if you have time.  Here is the link to her blog on "Room to Live":
http://www.offcamerwithtrish.com/2010/04/room-to-live.html

Please, please WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!!

I love Fox 9 news.  I watch them in the morning and at 5 usually and at 9.  There are many reasons they are my favorite news station...they are local all the time (well local is relative, local being at least they are MN, I know it is out of the twin cities), they come on early in the morning (4:30 a.m. now!!) and the night news starts early.  I also love their anchor people.  And their Fox 9 Investigates stories are the BEST!  A few months ago they did a story on blogging and I found out Trish Van Pilsm (one of the investigative reporters) was starting her own blog...I started following it.  I love it.  I can relate to most things she posts.  And weird as it is, as she is blogging about her daughter's upcoming graduation I find myself crying thinking about when my baby girl will graduate.  Yikes!

Anyway, I have gotten off course here.  Lately there have been car accidents involving teens and teens dying in these car accidents.  It is all over the news and it just makes me sick...actually nausous, to think about these families going through this.  And actually before this happened I remember thinking to myself that Allison watches EVERYTHING that I do.  I was thinking this after I got done talking on the phone while driving.  I do it WAY too much.  I try not to text while driving but I will admit I have been guilty of doing so.  But I do ALWAYS wear my seatbelt and so does Jesse.  I don't want Allison to think it is ok to talk on the phone while driving (and DEFINITELY NOT TEXT) but it is so hard to break that habit.  Sometimes it feels like that is my only free time to make a quick phone call.  But I hope she notices the seatbelt thing.  I hope she ALWAYS wears her seatbelt.  Most importantly they save lives.  But also a seatbelt ticket is over $100, and I am ok with that because they save lives.  But I refuse to get caught without it and have to pay that fine!  I don't even want to think about if something happened to her.  But on Fox 9 Investigates they did a story called "Room to Live".  If you haven't seen it, check it out.  I will post a link via Trish's blog.  After I saw it the first time (I have seen it before) I told everyone about it.  Also check out the ad clip.  Speaks volumes!  Before I even saw the give away, I planned to post it on my blog.  I just can't say it enough, I want everyone to BUCKLE UP!  Here is the link:  http://www.offcamerwithtrish.com/2010/04/embrace-life.html

First Haircut

Allison got her first "official" haircut last Thursday!  She is at that awkard stage of growing hair.  Her part is still too far back on her head but her hair is too short to change that yet, and her bangs are too long.  She won't leave a barrett in and I don't have time to put it in pony's every day!  So anyway, after MUCH consideration and debate, I decided we needed to take her to get her first haircut and hopefully they could help me out without butchering her hair and still letting it grow.  We took her to the girl who cuts my mom's hair at JC Penny.  She has a little girl herself, so I figured I could trust her.  She did a GREAT job.  It is out of her eyes, but I can still put pony's in and a barrett!  She looks so much older now :(. 

Before...

and After!  I guess she sat very still when the lady was cutting her hair!  Shocking!!  (Long story, but I couldn't be there for the actual cut, but sent my camera and showed up afterwards to see it before I had to go to work).

First Pigtails!!

Yeah!  I got Allison's first pigtails in her hair the other day!  I just LOVE them!  I love how her hair has just a little bit of natural curl to it.  But it doesn't seem to be growing very fast, in fact if I have her dressed in blue it seems someone will say what a cute little BOY or how old is HE.  Poor girl!  So I like to try to put a pony or a barrett in when I have time (however, the barrett doesn't usually last long) and because her bangs are getting long and are in her eyes otherwise. 

Birthday Blahs

I have the birthday blahs today.  I usually make a big deal about my birthday, talking about it all April (ok, maybe starting in March even!), because I don't just get a day, I get a month.  My birth month.  That is what I have told my family for as long as I can remember!  This year it kind of snuck up on me.  Between work and getting our house ready for listing we have been extrememly busy.  I worked all weekend last weekend and now I work the next 3 days.  To make matters worse, yesterday was awful.  I'm not going to get into it except to say that anyone who thinks they want my job and that it involves holding beautiful little babies all day and is all smiles and fun...the days that are bad are awful.  I hugged Allison a little tighter last night and today.  Children are so precious. 

Ok, anyway...back to ME!  Ha!  I have been getting a lot of FB B-day wishes and texts, which is so fun!  Definitely brightened my day to read those.  And Thank you, Holli, for calling.  I needed to talk, even if it was quick.  I am very blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.  And this weekend I get to go to Footloose for my b-day then we are getting together with friends for supper.  And although it has nothing to do with my birthday, I am super pumped!  We have Twins tix for Aug.  Yeah!  I guess it is really hard to get good tickets now (especially for 12 people!).  Next year maybe a season ticket package?? 

So, what I really want right now is a bottle of wine.  I might just get one, after I have my free b-day tan.  (I know, it is sooo bad for me, well it is my b-day and I am going to indulge a little!)  Hoping for a good rest of the week.  Heck, I guess my birthday month can still start now, right??

Beautiful like Mom??

I think Allison is positively gorgeous, I MIGHT be biased, but I think she is.  And I do hear frequently how cute she is (and not just from Grandma ;-))  But beautiful like ME?  I love hearing that she looks like me, but in all honesty I think she looks more like Jesse and is really her own person, she doesn't look exactly like either of us.  Plus she is WAY prettier! 

Happy Easter!

Here is our family picture from Easter Sunday...as good as it gets anyway!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!  I know it was extra special for some people who had loved ones home from Iraq!  We are so thankful for their sacrifice for our country and our freedom! 

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday we were with the Mages' family.  Another beautiful day!  We all went to church and then had an Easter Egg hunt followed by dinner, naps, and as if that weren't enough...Allison got to color egss for the first time.  Unfortunately I don't have any pics of that, I had to leave early and Jesse didn't get the camera out.  But sounds like Allison sure had fun.  Her favorite part of the Easter Egg hunt was the ones with candy in them and eating the candy.  She was pretty slow because she had to open every egg and if there was candy inside she wanted to eat it right away, if it was money it got left behind if no one was watching.  I was surprised she ate ANY dinner! 

An attempt at a picture of all the kids!  And this is the best one!  Madison (8), Jack (2), Laura (4) and Allie.  Next a picture of Allie on the hunt...she missed a few!  #3, What's inside??  #4 Laura with her stash!  #5 Sidewalk chalk!  Allison LOVES to draw!

Kissing Cousins

On Sat. we had Easter at my parent's with my mom's side and my dad's.  It was so nice to see everyone!  The weather was pretty  nice too for the beginning of April!  Allison and Emma love to play together, Emma loves to be next to Allison and give her kisses, sometimes Allison will give kisses too.  They had matching Easter dresses courtesy of Grandma Linda!  They looked sooo cute.  Unfortunately Allison would NOT leave her barret in, shocking, I know!  Anyway, here are a couple pics from Sat.

Emma with Sammy and Carole (my cousin Joy's girls, they are soo sweet.  Sammy was the little mother to them...maybe a little more than Allison wanted, but so cute!)

Miss Emma playing dress up!  She loves all the "pretties"!

Kisses!

And more kisses!

Allie gets a kiss from Sam!

Good Naps!

You KNOW you had a good nap when you wake up like this!  We just had to take a picture!  I love good naps, for Allison and for Mommy!!