Turkey Dinner

The grocery store in our town gives away free turkey's in November for Thanksgiving, if you earn enough stamps. I know it's hard for all of you to believe that I have pretty hefty grocery bill, but I do. I had already earned a few turkey's and did not have anymore room in my fridge. So, I gave Kyle my left over turkey card and he was going to combine it with HIS card, and get an extra turkey to keep in their fridge. In January, it came out that he never turned the card in to the store. So, he called me up and told me that if I worked my "magic" with the managers at the store, and weaseled out a free turkey, he'd cook me a meal! A meal that I don't have to cook= GAME ON!

After all the drama that unfolded back when my kids were sick a few weeks ago, how could the manager possibly say "No" to me? So, I went in to the store, and told them the truth. I told them that I had NO problem asking for the free turkey 2 months later, because I'd do anything to get someone to cook me a meal! They were all laughing and gladly handed a 23 lb turkey over to me for free! Above is Kyle enjoying his dinner! He paid up VERY quickly and it was delicious!

Meredith and Andrew enjoying it too!

Megan was nice enough to decorate her house and made cupcakes to celebrate Curtis' 6th Birthday!

The Turkey!
One word, "YUMMO!"

The boys didn't have any fun or anything?

Even little Andy was loving it!

Just can't get over how BIG he is getting SO FAST!Today was "Wacky Tacky" day at school.
There was one four year old who thought he was pretty dang cool!

Johnny's Fit

When you are only four and your brother gets the gift YOU really wanted to, it can be OH SO HARD! I LOVE these videos! Now Johnny watches them and laughs! It was only 2 hours ago he was pulling his "Johnny Antics!" Watch Johnny during this video!








Still GOING strong! LOL!

Curtis Present

Love how excited he gets opening his present!

Curtis' BIG Birthday!

Curtis just wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese for his 6th birthday. He said, "I got the H1N1 shot, can we go NOW?" It's been a few years since we were there last. So, he invited two of his closest friends, and away we went!

The Three Musketeers!

We had a lot of fun too! Anyone that knows Erik should NOT be surprised by the fact that he was buried in the pinball machine ALL day! Good thing I had other adults with to supervise! He was worthless in a place full of video games! LOL!Opening presents!Playing heated games of air hockey!
If this doesn't look like his Daddy, I'm not sure who does!

One happy Birthday Boy!

Cousin Meredith came for a taste of her first cup cake!

Mommy wasn't too happy! YUMMO!

The twins came up from collage as well!

Nothing is better when you are 6 and your cousins win you hundreds and hundreds of tickets!

Reminiscing:

Six years ago tonight, I called my mom and dad while I was lying in bed. My dad answers the phone and I instantly began SOBBING! "Daaaaadddddd!" (Mom and dad were both probably laughing in bed on their end of the phone.) I was being induced the next morning, bright and early. My neighbor downstairs had a baby a month before me, and as I was lying in bed, all I could hear was him SCREAMING! "Mom, WHAT IF MY BABY DOES THAT? Mom, when I use to babysit, I could not WAIT to be done! What if I get sick my my own kid?" What if, What if, What if? I was an emotional wreck!

On January 25th, 2004, Erik's dad, his step-mom Deb, and my good friend Carrie all were with me for my birthing experience. It was one of the happiest days of my life. But NOTHING and I mean NOTHING could prepare me for what was about to happen to my life!

It first started with the anxiety. Who KNEW I would now worry more than I ever have in my life. I couldn't sleep, b/c I was afraid the baby would stop breathing. That was just the beginning of it! I was having contractions in the middle of the night and I called the nurse in and said, " I had my baby 7 hours ago, and I'm still having really painful contractions!" She looked at me and said, "Oh, honey, if you are nursing you are going to have contractions for a weeks!" Ummmmm, in all the classes I took, and talking with people, everyone left out that little detail!!

I was POSITIVE that when I became a mom, I would stay home and spend half my day at the gym with my baby in the daycare. My kids would throw NO fits, and they would never talk back! I could go on and on about what I THOUGHT life would be like! I was sure I would be a slim and trim mom! Well, no one filled me in on the part about feeling guilty when you put your baby in the gym day care. I wish I could, but I could never do it. Then I thought, oh, I'll just walk with the stroller all the time. Well, people also neglected to tell me I would have more laundry, dishes, and be VERY, VERY sleep deprived. I thought one kid was hard. Now, if you give me one kid, it's EASY PEASY! I thought two kids were busy and hard. Now, give me two and it feels like nothing! It's amazing how your perception changes!

Six years ago, I remember putting a sign in Curtis' crib at the hospital that said, "NO NUKS, MY MOM IS NURSING!" I did exactly what those lactation consultants said! NO NUKS...they would get the nipples confused!

My first full day at home. Erik and I walked in, and looked at each other like- "What now?" He read Curtis the Cat in the Hat. Then we did tummy time, then the swing, then the bouncy chair. Then we set up toys. This kid would NOT stop flailing and crying! I called Carrie my friend and said, he will NOT stop crying! She came over and told me baby's just eat, sleep, and poop. I needed to just let him sleep. He was way over-tired! She laid on my couch, and put a nuk in his mouth! (The "DEVIL" according to that lactation consultant!) He instantly took it, and slept ALL day on her! I was amazed! Who knew they needed something to sooth them, and just wanted to sleep all day.

With each kid, you learn more and get to be more of a pro. Andrew had a nuk in his mouth within an 20 minutes of being born! I was a total rookie mom the first time around! Life has changed for us, but in a great way! I wouldn't take back a minute of it!

Happy Birthday to Curtis!

How Could I...

Have been sick of this little guy last week?
What a difference a few days and an antibiotic makes!

Blogging Hiatus!

It was December 21st, and Erik and I were lying in bed. He put his arms above his head and said, "Kate, NONE of our kids have been sick yet this year. Isn't that GREAT!" I looked at him and told him " I can NOT believe that you just said that...TAKE IT BACK!" He told me I was too superstitious. Well, it's now Jan. 19th, and we have had a sick kid ALMOST every day since Dec. 21st, and I blame it all on my HUBBY!

A few people have been asking me to blog again. It's not that I don't WANT to blog. It's just that I have been STUCK in the house with sick kids for SO LONG! WAY TOO LONG! So, here goes my attempt at re-capping the first half of January! If Erik can just keep his big mouth shut, I'm sure we'll have a much better second half!



The boys wanted to go to the Mall of America to spend a little of their Christmas Money. Curtis chose to do the "Bulid-a-Bear." He's been BEGGING me to do this all year, and this was the perfect opportunity! The finished product and my little Johnny "Lefty" just wanted (insert deep, scratchy voice) "NFL HELMETS!" So he got those instead!
Next up was the "Snowman Celebration" at school. They older two had a GREAT time! I am VERY, VERY thankful for babysitters in our neighborhood. Erik was in NYC and I had had it with Andrew by Thursday night! I was able to go to dinner and the celebration with just he older kids! A nice escape...You are probably asking yourself, "How can she be sick of that little guy?" Well, here's the answer for you! For the past two weeks Andrew has been MISERABLE to be around! This picture above pretty much sums up what I did the past two weeks! It's Andrew whining, while PULLING on my yoga pants!

Andrew got a bad cold and a high fever that lasted for days! Here he is TRYING to relax...but Lefty always has to be near him! (Yes, that is Erik's OLD Central Uniform that Johnny does wear in public!)
Another day, another fever. I took him to the Dr. in the beginning of the week, and they said it was nothing. NOTHING my BUTT! I KNEW there was something wrong with him. By Thursday, Andrew was up all night for 5 straight nights, and still had a high fever. I took him in again, and I had my mind set on one thing, and one thing only. No, not what you are thinking- the "Golden Ticket" to go meet the Manning Brothers.....an ANTIBIOTIC! The Dr. took one look at him and he had a terrible double ear infection and a sinus infection. Cha-CHING! JACKPOT...I got the prescription! On to the store to get it filled! (Authors NOTE: Erik had been in NYC all week, and I was VERY VERY sleep deprived and short on patience!)

So, we walk out of the clinic. Andrew is screaming bloody murder, and they tried to numb his ears in the clinic, but they were still killing him. Johnny takes off down the handicapped ramp and WHAMMO- he slip and falls and rips open his pants and skins his knee. Now, anyone who knows Johnny, knows what his cry is like. It's ear piercing and I can't TAKE IT! (Not after listening to him scream for the first year of his life!) So, I'm trying to get him to get in the mini van, and he's claims he can't put weight on his leg, and is hobbling over, SCREAMING! Mind you, Andrew is STILL screaming and I'm sure the whole clinic is watching me out the window laughing!

I get them to the store, and Johnny is still blubbering, and Andrew is screaming, and I'm flustered. I have a friend who is the manager and she is feeding Johnny suckers and stickers to try to calm him down while I get a band-aid on his knee. I go to lift Johnny in the cart, and the cart moves, and I fall, while holding him and hurt MY knee. (Nothing serious, just badly bruised!) So, now Andrew's screaming, Johnny is REALLY screaming and I'm on the ground. The pharmacist comes out, and she's helping me, and all I kept saying in my head is "Don't CRY, Katie DON'T CRY!" as the BIG CROCODILE tears are rolling down my cheeks! The pharmacist looks at me and says, "It's only one day...you are going to be alright!" LOL! I must have looked like a GIANT FREAK SHOW!

Today was a new week, and a new start...things could only get better until...da, da, DAAAAAAA! LEFTY (who got the cold from Andrew) woke up screaming last night over and over again. Like I said, Lefty's scream and I don't mix...we are a bit like OIL and WATER. So Erik took him last night and I took him to the dr. first thing this morning. He has an ear infection too, and Andrew's isn't any better! So, we got our new drugs and are hoping for a GREAT recovery and a MUCH better week! (On a side note, my kids have really never had an ear infection...maybe once of twice from an airplane. Anyone who's kids have them all the time, I have MUCH more respect for you!)

Last weekend we went to La Crosse to celebrate all the Christmas' that we missed out on! The boys got to see ALL their grandparents throughout the weekend! Fun times had by all! My kids are SO into football, and when they got to my dad's house, it was a GIANT JACKPOT of goodies! Here Curtis is modeling his "new" jersey off, with the shoulder pads!
Oh, Baby Andy wanted in on the action. He hasn't been in one of these in months, but asked to go in it! Since it contained him, I was ALL FOR IT!

Little Lefty in his uniform! He's in HEAVEN at Pop's House! (Notice the wristband my dad gave him to go with the jersey!) He asked my dad if he could change his name to Johnny CURTIS. He wanted uniforms with HIS name on the back too! LOL!

Whew...finally...the end! This was the view in front of me while I was in the drive-thru pharmacy today waiting for the prescriptions to be filled! This is what MN winter is suppose to be ALL about!

My Christmas Vacation

As I wrote before, this winter break has gone the opposite way as I had planned. After the Christmas sicknesses, we had a few days at home to recoup. Finally everyone seemed better. So, on Monday, we went to the MN zoo as a family and had a great time. It was fun to see Andrew at an age where he really enjoyed it too!

On Tuesday, Erik and I got a sitter and went out on a date during the day. We even got to meet my parents for lunch, who were up enjoying some snow shoeing! Wednesday was going to be the BEST day of the break! My boys were dying to go to the New Prague vs. Logan basketball game in Winona. I was set to take them, but on Tuesday during lunch, my dad offered to take them to Cabelas, Kwik Trip (BIG TIME to my boys!), and then the game. My mom and I were going to leave early, get coffee, and go SHOPPING all day, all the way back down to La Crosse. I could NOT wait!

Tuesday night came and Erik and my dad went to Avatar, and I had the boys. Johnny woke up screaming and I JUMPED out of bed thinking "HEERE WE GO AGAIN!" He was dreaming and just needed to go to the bathroom. So, as I was helping him, I started to feel like I jumped out of bed way too fast. I went back to bed, and tried to talk myself out of feeling crummy. An hour later, I was sick as a dog ALL NIGHT LONG!

So, I woke up, and besides feeling TERRIBLE, I also wanted to CRY! We cancelled our plans again, and were home bound for a few more days. Next up on the agenda was the "Leaver Family Christmas" that I was hosting at our house after New Years. So, round TWO of disinfecting the house was underway. I had the menu all set, and bought all the groceries. New Years Eve came and we were still laying low resting. We had a nice quiet night at home...until about 1am when Curtis starting puking ALL OVER AGAIN! So, Christmas #2 was cancelled. He was sick all the way till the 2nd of January! We laid low the last days of vacation and then started laughing at how HORRIBLE our break was! What a bummer!

Now, the kids are back at school, all the beds have been stripped for a 2nd time this week, every bathroom washed, every door handle Lysoled, and every light switched cloroxed! I'm hoping that 2010 is quieter for us, than our break was!

The goof-balls!On New Years Day, Johnny watched football ALL DAY LONG! First it was the Capital One Bowl, and then the Rose Bowl. He bit his nails while watching the games. Then he fell asleep on the couch. When he woke up, he ate graham crackers with butter on them! Megan says, "YOU BIRTHED YOUR FATHER!" Nothing wrong with that, is what I say!

I can think of one good thing that happened over break and it was that Andrew can now feed himself with a spoon. Megan said, "Hard for a kid NOT to pick it up when you are giving him Chocolate Ice Cream!" Hey, after three kids, I know the ins and outs! (:

And he was loving EVERY minute of it!

Happy New Year EVERYONE!