Day 1

Last week during MEA we headed back to our old "Stomping Grounds" in South Bend to show the kids Notre Dame! We left MN on Wednesday morning and got to Erik's Dad and his step-mom Deb's house Wednesday night! At their house, we had a nice dinner, and celebrated Andrew's 1st Birthday a little early! He LOVED his gift!

Johnny and Grandma Deb are both "Night Owls." He always likes to spend some time with her once the others are asleep!

We were headed to ND to see ND and USC play. Only problem is it is the biggest game at ND in 4 years, and USC was ranked 5th, and the Irish 25th. I figured we would get tickets around the stadium...but not all together. When we were in Chicago, my Uncle Bob called and had a buddy with 4 tickets together he was selling! JACKPOT! We were SO excited and had our tickets in hand by the time we got to campus on Thursday! Thank you UNCLE BOB!

Adventures in Babysitting!

So, today my parents had conferences until WAY past my bedtime. They sent me to my FAVORITE Auntie's house for the afternoon/evening! Andrew, is being much nicer to me. He started sharing toys with me, instead of pulling my hair out! this is a BIG improvement! I was getting a BIT worried!
After watching "The GIRLS Next Door" (Girls of the Playboy Mansion) with my favorite aunt, I started practicing to be Hef's next "girlfriend" by doing the bunny hop with Andrew! I have to admit, it might be easier to hop, once I start walking!
Then, we went downstairs, and my BIG cousins had a play all ready for me to watch! Whoever knew that Willy Wonka 3 could be so entertaining!

I am LOVING every minute of the non-stop action in this house!

The boys decided to start singing and Andy was playing the cymbals. So....

I decided to join in on the action and played the piano like a maniac! Maybe I'll be a piano playing playmate! Boy, I'll make my daddy proud some day!

Andrew decided to share his baby with me....but I was interfering with feeding him.

So, he move him away, to show me how to give bottles to babies! You know, this is a skill I'm going to have to get good at in the next few months! I'm going to have a new brother or sister to feed!
One of the reasons why Auntie Katie is SO fun, is because she LOVES a good garage sale! See, my house is fun and clean and all. But, Katie's house is FULL of great toys that keep me entertained for HOURS! I showed Andy how to put a ball in his mouth....

and here he is trying to "One UP me!" Guess he does have the "Curtis Mouth!"

After dinner, Aunt Katie said something about giving me a bath, to hold me up until 7pm. I was suppose to have a 5pm nap...but she said "Yeah, Like THAT is happening in THIS house!" So, we all took a bath. NOT my favorite part of the night! Andrew was getting SO mad at me for hogging all of the attention. Every time Katie put him in his crib....he screamed at me and gave me the "stink eye"!

Here I am after my bath....in BOY P.J.'s and VERY tired!

Curtis tried to help me in the tub...but with 3 boys...I wanted the HECK out of there! Who can blame me when Andrew is a splashing maniac and the other boys just sit and laugh at him! I'll take my own calm, and quiet tub ANY day over this!

Auntie Katie kept telling me all day that I'm starting to look just like my mama! Hope that's a good thing! Anyways, my day ended a little crazier than normal. Uncle Erik got home, and Katie threw me in the car. She was driving like a MANIAC to get to my house before I fell asleep. ALL I wanted to do was CLOSE my EYES and go to sleep. Katie kept pinching my cheeks and she drove with the windows down the WHOLE 1.6 miles to my house! Seriously, I know she is always hot, but this was ridiculous! Does she realize it's 27 degrees and snowing outside?

Once we got home, Katie was very annoyed at my parents. She is always in such a BIG hurry to get everything done. I'm not sure she would fit in my house hold so well. Anyways, she was complaining all day about what a slow eater I am! Hey, some girls just like to drink their bottles and enjoy it, is what I tried to tell her! But, she told me, that my parents still had me drinking out of a newborn level nipple from my bottle and THAT'S why I was so slow! She hooked me up with a Level 3 and I gulped that bottle down before bed in NO time! I can't remember much after that, since I was so pooped out from my time with my cousins! I love my Auntie...but I can't wait till my mom and dad are done with conferences and we can chill during Fall Break all week long!

October 12...

SNOW??!?!?!?!? What next?

Good Bye Dome!

After the Twins beat the Tigers, I was a maniac trying to get tickets to the Twins vs. Yankee's series. I called for 3 straight hours on re-dial. I even called in the middle of the night. Every day last week, I called the ticket office, "Just Checking." Friday when I called, I said the usual, "You don't happen to have a few tickets available?" The guy answered "We do, a few became available!" I was SO pumped up! We got four tickets to the game and left Andy with a sitter! Here Curtis is waving his "Homer Hankey!"
I took Curtis to batting practice to try to score some autographs. He was carrying his ball from my dad, and a pen, "JUST in CASE he ran into JOE MAUER!" lol! Anyways, it was the Yankee's batting practice. Curtis yelled to Derrick Jeter, when he was playing catch, and he looked over and waved....that's the best pic I could get! When he was coming off the field, he tossed a ball to Curtis and the fans MOBBED him, and knocked it down on the field. The ESPN announcer picked it up and gave it to a little girl. Curtis was devastated for the first 2 innings of the game! How cool that Jeter even waved!

Watching history!

On the way out of the dome, a guy came out of the Budweiser Sky box, and handed Johnny a game ball that they had caught! Johnny was SO excited! It has the paint from the turf on it! What a COOL ending to a fun night! Last game in the dome!

Johnny has his "Rally Cap" on!

This goofball wouldn't let me take a decent pic! He looks like a huge dork! He insisted on wearing his Gomez Jersey from TC the Bear. Had the rally hat on for half the game, and waving the "Homer Hankey" standing on his chair! His arms were a flapping when the wave went around the stadium for a whole inning!

Go TWINS!

I video taped when Joe Mauer got up, with runners on and the game was scoreless. He hits a line drive and drives in a runner to put the Twins up! Was the last major time the dome was rocking! I'm a little obnoxious, I know! We had a BLAST!

Now onto Notre Dame for MEA weekend!

Few Pics

I'm loving him right now! Can't believe he'll be a year soon! Now, if ONLY he could start sleeping through the NIGHT!

Here Johnny is watching the Twins Game on Tuesday night. He was swinging his HOMER HANKY....AKA- BURP RAG! They were excited tonight when a friend brought over two REAL Homer Hanky's for them!

Look MOm, I found a bug! Poor bug didn't make it!

IN THE NAME OF THE GAME!

Yesterday, MN was all a buzz about the sports weekend we had! WI/MN game, Twins games, and the Packer/Viking Game. We are also very excited because next week we are headed to South Bend for the ND/USC game!

On the way to school Johnny was practicing his sign of the cross, and his "Bless Us O Lord" prayer. (He does this about 50 times a day. I think he's trying to impress his teacher at snack time!) Anyways, he does the sign of the cross, and says, "In the name of the Packers, The Vikings, and NOTRE DAME, AMEN!" The teacher and I were dying of laughter! That's my BOY!

Funny!

Ever since Curtis was born, he's had a great laugh that makes other people laugh. Here he is yesterday after school watching Curious George. (Between changing out of his uniform and eating his snack!) This is CLASSIC Curtis laughing at the show! LOVE it!