Maci's 4th Birthday Weekend!!

Clint was home all week for the first time in forever.  This was very much welcomed since I got whatever that horrible cold was that Connor had been dealing with the week prior.  Unfortunately, as I was starting to get the icky part of the cold late in the week, it seems Connor got his cough back and has been back to coughing all weekend long :(  Poor Kiddo!  In the midst of all the tissues and coughing we had a lot of fun.

Practicing Penmanship 

 Artist!

 Loving Chicken Noodle Soup

 Giggling b/c She Wouldn't Look at the Camera

 This Family LOVES Apples

 Focus Fun on a Friday

Friday - Maci woke up so excited that her party was only 1 day away!  She even got to wear a dress to school today because I knew they wouldn't go outside with the rain.  I struggled through work with the by far worst day of my cold, fortunately very few meetings but didn't get near enough work done moving at a snail speed :)  Clint and I headed out to get the kiddos since we road together around 5p. We then ate dinner at one of the kiddos favorite spots - Noddles & Co.  Both kiddos ate great and afterward we headed to Fantastic Sam's for kiddo haircuts.  This is like the 4th or 5th for Connor and Maci needs at least 4 a year - these kiddos and their heads full of hair! 💙💗 Clint laughs how jealous he is of this family's hair haha

Saturday - WAHOO PARTY DAY!  Maci was off to dance with Connor and daddy while Mommy got ready, picked up cake/candles/balloon.

~Wow 4 Years Old~

We ironically arrived at the bowling alley at the same time and got everything set up just in time before the first little friend arrived.  Maci had 8 little friends come which were a mix of neighbor kids and mommy/me friends.  We didn't invite school friends, even though Maci wanted to, because I couldn't decide where to draw the line.  I really don't want to make any kid feel left out so we decided to not include anyone from school - maybe in future years.  All kiddos and parents had a great time bowling, playing games, eating pizza/chicken/cake and watching Maci open some pretty cool presents.  We also love that there was a nice set 2 hour time limit with the bowling alley :)  By 1p, everyone was off to their homes and potential naps.

Maci and Cassem Girls. . . Stella was a Quick Special Guest

 Shy Neighborhood Friends

Lily, Nora, Evelyn 

 Maci & Brielle 

Bowling Stud! 

 Wahoo Bowling Pals

 Some of Our Guests

Connor Wants the Bloody Mary ;-)

 Maci and Eliza - Neighbor Friend

 A Cake Chosen by Princess Maci

 Bowling Party Decor

 Our Crew

 Glow Bowl Began at Noon

Connor Liked the Party Hats

 Told the Birthday Girl to Pose

HOLY PERSONALITY MACI MAGOO

Where have 4 years gone?!  

I am amazed by this little lady more and more every day!  Not attempting to get political, however, when I saw images of so many women/friends marching for equality, I smiled thinking "that will so be this firecracker!"  Again, doesn't matter what side of the fence you are on with politics - I am proud to be raising a strong willed female.  She will always have a voice, an opinion and a brain!  Proud that she will be a "Nasty Woman" one day - Love you Birthday Girl!

At our house we were then off to the grocery where Maci also had to return her one duplicate present (who doesn't love Hungry Hippo?) and spend her gift card from the Zehr's.  Maci played the rest of the afternoon in her room while I was off to a 75 minute massage to work out kinks in my back and hopefully get this cold moving its way out of my body.  When I left the Marsh at 6p, I was in heaven!  I then came home to a coughing Connor, playful Maci and chill Clint.  We got Maci settled with the iPad, Connor bath/bed and I too headed to bed.  Clint has been great this weekend with me hitting the hay early.  He knows I have to kick this cold before he heads out of town on Wednesday!  I can barely handle the 2 alone when I am feeling 100% :)

Sunday - A bit of a rough night in our house with Connor waking himself coughing many times throughout the night.  We were having a lazy Sunday morning around our house when I realized Maci's school friend, Tanyn, had her mom text me last night to ask about a play date.  Bless you Kristine for taking the girls for 2 hours at your house today.  I was able to balance the checkbook, finish laundry, handle Connor, Clint ran errands etc etc.  Also, Maci had a BALL with her buddy!  We will see you guys at Tanyn's birthday party next Sunday evening - 1st time Maci will be to Chuckie Cheese!

Lunch Fun

Dress Up

Brother was Olaf ;-) 

 Fairies 

Picnic Play Fun with Tanyn and her Brother/Sisters

Maci is now home, Connor is napping and I am finishing up some chores around the house.  We are settling into the basement for football Sunday and I have a nail painting date with my almost 4 year old.  I hope to get everything done so we can enjoy a lazy Sunday evening with the late game.

Miss M officially turns 4 tomorrow!  We will have a McDonald's Dinner and Yogurt Lab dessert followed by present opening from mom/dad and both grandparents.  We then have a jam packed week of work and school with dad heading on a trip to CO mid week.  Next weekend will be hectic with a birthday party on both Saturday (Harper) and Sunday (Tanyn) evening - popular 4 year old HA!  What a fun way to get through the winter months :)

We hope you all have a healthy week ahead!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

Date Night & Sledding Fun Makes for a Great Weekend

Great Time at the OSU vs U of Minnesota Basketball Game Last Sunday Night

Sad Showing by Buckeyes but Nice Win MN, Top 25!

It was a fairly normal week for our house with only a few blips.  Clint was in Sheboygan Monday and Tuesday for work and it took him forever to get home Tuesday thanks to a snow storm in rural WI.  The next day we were back into our routine when we got a 3p call from daycare that Mr C was running a temp - ugh the cough got worse throughout the week and just glad it got to its yuckiest when Clint was home to help.  We saw the Dr the same day and thankfully his Oxygen was good, lungs and ears were clear and seemed to just be a nasty virus which needed to pass.  Due to the temp, Clint was home with him on Thursday.  Fortunately, lil guy was back to his routine as of Friday and it seems to be slowly working its way through his system over the weekend.

I was doing OK Monday at School

Thanks for my outfit Aunt Trish!

 Sissy Breakfast Fun

2nd in on left, won't look away from her food ;-)

 Good Form Maci!

 Lunch Fun - Finally Looking

 They Loved Taking Meal Pictures this Week

1st on the Left with coral shirt & piggy buns

 Thursday Night

Feeling Better After a Day with Daddy & Enjoying his 1st Oreo!

Friday - We had our normal pizza night fun.  I paid bills while Maci played on iPad and Clint handled Connor's bath/bed routine.  We then had a lazy TV evening and hit the hay around 10p - Love our Lazy and Lame Friday Nights.

Saturday - Maci is so loving being back in her Saturday morning routine with Dance!  She also really appreciated that I "watched" a bit more this week from the window vs chasing Connor man around the studio :)

Please put me down. . . 

 Cutie Girls

 Listening to Instructions

HA or at least trying to . . . 

 Miss Heather & Maci's Crab Walk

After grocery shopping trip, we had a lazy afternoon with playoff football.  These kiddos are the best!

Maci & Daddy Cuddling & Watching Zootopia Before Football

 Look at These Silly Kiddos!

At 6p, Miss Kaitlin arrived and Mommy/Daddy were off for our regular monthly date night.  We enjoyed Mexican food/margaritas at Rojo, ate at the bar to finish watching the game.  We then strolled through some west end stores before ending up at Yard House for a few beers and football watching.  We got home around 11p and while I was paying Miss Kaitlin, I look out my front window and see our goofy guy neighbors all jumping around and waving.  Turns out Clint decided to keep the party going and Jared, Jake and John all came over for some additional beers and a few rounds of chutes and ladders HA!  I joined for a bit but decided to crash around the time Jared/Jake headed home (1am - UGH I am too old for that bed time!)  Clint and John finally called it a night around 230a - not sure how he is running today since kiddos were up by 8a :)

Sunday - AHHH LAZY SUNDAY!  We were all exhausted from a late night.  Fortunately the kiddos played along and took an afternoon nap.  Connor and I slept together on the chase in the living room and Maci actually crashed in her room - she never naps for us!  Finally around 130p we decided to get dressed for the day.  It was a GORGEOUS and finally warm enough day in MN so we headed a few doors down to the rockstar sledding park we have in the 'hood.  Connor and I even came along for the fun but left a little earlier than the crazy sledders - Maci and Daddy!

We are wrapping up our day with more playoff football.  We are going to get carryout from the new Thai restaurant down the road for dinner before getting into our Sunday night routine : baths, bed, work week prep, more football!

We are so excited for the week ahead which has NO travel for daddy - 1st week in what feels like forever.  Here is to everyone being healthy this week!  Have a great week!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

Back in the Swing of Things

Our Week Break Down :
Kellie - It felt like a regular full work week even though we had Monday off because we attempted to jam that much work into a short week.  However, I had expected it because every year people come back after the New Year ready to get to everything they should have completed 2 weeks prior :)  I felt good keeping to my New Year's Resolution and didnt get myself worked up about things I can't control and kept to a decent work life balance - ongoing effort!

Clint - He headed right back to Ohio Wednesday morning (Sidney, OH - my old stomping grounds) for an investigation.  Thankfully he came home on an earlier flight Friday so he was at the house by the time we got home from work vs after dinner - yay!

Maci & Connor - Both kiddos started in new rooms at daycare.  Connor is now in the transition room with 1-2 year olds.  This means he sleeps on a cot, gets 1 nap per day, is weening from bottle to cup and has to have shoes on - it feels very "survival of the fittest" when the kiddos move to this room.  On Friday they told me while he is adjusting, he looked around quite a bit this week utterly confused and needed extra snuggles :(  Poor guy handles change a little harder than his sissy who could have gone straight to pre-school room and survived at the same age HA  Maci on the other hand started the final pre-school room - HOW IS SHE THIS OLD?!  Maci is so proud to be in the red room where it operates much closer to kindergarten than daycare.  We see her operating a bit more mature and controlled at home as well so hopefully Miss Kim is rubbing off on her!

So Confused but Toys are Cool

 Costume Susie Came

 Even Connor got to Participate

See Bottom Right in Gray Shirt with Blue Stripes on Sleeve

Art with the Letter K

Maci is the one at the far table in Blue with Polka Dots 

Friday - FRIYAY!  We were all ready for the final day of the week - so exhausting compared to holiday fun :)  As mentioned earlier, we were very excited to get the text that daddy was on an earlier flight home.  I left work a little later than planned on a Friday but attempting to have things in good order for next week.  We did our usual pizza dinner and then momma crashed on the couch while Clint handled Miss M!

Saturday - Back to Dance - Maci was so excited!  It was cancelled the last 2 weeks for holidays and Maci couldnt wait to get back into her lesson.  Connor was all about walking around the dance center while holding my hands.  After dance we headed to the grocery as a family and the kids did great since we were able to get a car grocery cart - the little things in life :)  We then flew back home because it is WAY TOO COLD here!  Clint ran a few more errands outdoors while I took care of a whole bunch of household to dos.  It was a super busy and productive day at home - just what I needed.  M on the other hand was getting a bit bored, we are going to have to get better at scheduling winter play dates for her because we are probably pretty boring on those productive mommy/daddy days. :)

Enjoying his Christmas Chair from Aunt Patricia

Sunday - Lazy family morning in continual freezing temps!  As we slowly got ready for the day and Daddy's Dolphin's playoff game, I was also able to sell 2 baby items that were HUGE and no longer needed in this house - I love purging and making some $$!  We are now watching daddy's Dolphins who are not off to a great start :(  I will then get some work done to prep for the week before we head out for a mommy/daddy Sunday night date.  SVO, our retired HR leader, gave Clint and I some University of Minnesota vs OSU basketball tickets for tonight.  So Ms Kaitlin comes tonight at 6p and we are off for some dinner and bball, 730p game.  I feel so crazy having plans on a Sunday night since we are usually getting in Pjs by the at time of day on a Sunday HA

We are excited to have dad only taking a quick 2 day driving trip this week and for our built in meeting for Wed night.  We are going to have built ins put into the big open wall in our main floor living space.  We can't wait to have this done and looking forward to the final product!

We hope you all have a wonderful start to 2017 and a great week ahead!
Lots of Love,
C, K, M & C