A lil' help please........

Dear friends & family:

I just have to ask, "is this serious?" My mom thinks that I am going to wear this little get up when it snows out. How will I make a snowman, or a snowball, or go sledding, or.....walk in this outfit? and honestly I look dangerously close to the little brother in "A Christmas Story", and if I remember correctly when he ran in the movie people laughed.

....a glimsp into my future

Somebody please give my mom a little dose of reality.....remind her of the days her mom made her wear bread bags on her feet to walk to the bus stop....please! Help her to see that this outfit doesn't bring to mind words like fashionable, cool, stylish, lightweight and wearable, and instead fits more into the puffy, marshmallow-esk, uncomfortable, and all around bad for my image category. This attire is just generally distasteful for any good and snowy days in a young boy's life. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Love,

Griffin Andrew

It's seriously bad you guys!

The weather outside is (getting) frightful.....

Ok, so this I couldn't resist. It is Monday morning (and a cold one at that.....2 swear words in my book....Monday and cold!)! I thought that since the weather is about to get frightful this picture may make your day a little more delightful.....or it did mine! Don't ask me what this hat is, or what this face is. I am just thankful that I have it captured on camera. I am supposed to be getting ready to go to the dentist (another swear word) and this is Griffin ready to go to my mom's while I get a crown! We have another week full of Griffin & mommy (which by the way, I think he is calling me Abbi.....oh, my) time and the count down to Halloween is here. We are planning on doing the first trick or treat, well let you know........!

Can you guess which one is the most work?

This last week we had cousin Lucy stay with us (for those of you wondering who that is because you have never met a "cousin" Lucy, it is Andy & Julie's cat:)!) This picture is a very accurate depiction of my week. She was an amazing cat, but once again, Ryan has put his foot down on adding anything extra that is living to our house. Not going to lie to you though, she was extra snuggly with him.....there may be one in the future (or that may just be in my dreams)! It was a little crazy here too....the cat would run, Maci would chase the cat, Griff would chase the first two, and I ususally was bringing up the end. One morning I was especially tired and all three little ones were hovering around me, as if to say...."hey lady, what are we doing today???" Griff has been really into running after his little ball lately, so I grabbed it and threw it across the room. Immediately all three perked up and took off running. I got to drink a little coffee in between each chase, so it worked out well for us all! Lucy went home today and we're all a little sad, even Ryan. I have to say I like the chaos of the full (or fuller:)!) house!

a little case of the "mommies"

My senior year of high school found me in a navy blue and orange uniform doing a lot of sitting, and of coarse looking cool during warm ups and pretending I was listening to coach's ever important game plan....but I would say my main job was sitting. It was my fourth year of playing basketball in high school and in a school with 3200 plus kids I have to say I was just happy that my little bottom had a seat. I played center or forward and the summer before my senior year a girl moved into our school district who later went on to play basketball at Princeton and when I looked around the gym at summer camp I realized that I happened to be the shortest one who wasn't a guard (and let's be honest, me dribbling the ball down the floor....probably not)! So, I knew it was coming. I actually was happy just being part of it all. It got frustrating at times, but one of my proudest accomplishments of the high school years. All the sitting on the bench left me with some time to burn so I did a lot of people watching and I happened to be stareing directly at the crowd, (ie at girls basketball games, their parents). I knew it before, but these "parents" in the cheering section, are their own breed. If you really watch they each have their own distinct way of dealing with their kids playing sports. Some sat and pouted, some stood up and screamed, some charged down the bleachers and about form tackled the refs. Completely normal people, going absolutely nuts while watching high school basketball. It was completely entertaining to be honest, and while I never really considered the reason for the rage, I just promised myself I would never let myself get to this point.

Fast forward about 8 years. That whole back story is really just to tell you that I may have a slight problem not being at least a little "mommy crazy". I have to believe it is instinctual, or that is what I will tell myself. Yesterday I took Griffin to a playground and of coarse he raced right in. For a second I lost sight of him as he hiked up to the "tree house" at the top of the equipment and went down the covered slide. When he popped out at the bottom of the slide he immediately saw a group of much bigger (than him) kids running around after each other playing tag. He joined right in. All the sudden the boys turned around and basically ran him right over. He crashed down into the ground and instantly I popped up and ran to him. By the time I got there he was up and running by me to join back in the game (unbeknown to him that he really wasn't invited). I sat back down and pulled myself together, no biggie, this is how he learns. I said that when it happened a second time, but by the third I had had enough. I was contemplating sticking my foot out and tripping the little delinquents when they ran by the next time, or standing up and challenging the parents of these hooligans to a little game of tag myself. Then I looked over at Griffin, whose very honor I was trying to defend and he was back up running and laughing. All the worry for nothing, I guess my crazy mom gene kicked in....oh no! We wrapped up play time and as we walked back to the car I laughed at myself. I am in for a long haul.

I promise that I won't....or will try not to be the crazy mom at the kids games but I understand the reason for all the nuttiness now, love. Luckily, I also have Ryan, who in a shocking turn of events has more self control and calmness than I when things get wild. He will be there to hold my hand and sit me back down. Good luck Griffin, remember it's because I love you. Oh, and thanks mom for all the things you did because you love me too, I get it now.

(not that she ever screamed at my games:)!)

**no children were hurt in the making of this blog post!

My T-shirt says it all......

For just a mere 7 bucks at baby Gap, Griffy and I purchased a T-shirt that sums him up.....in case you can't read it, it says

"MR. MISCHIEF"!

While I was picking it up off the sale rack, he got away from me and pulled down an entire display of T-shirts, and then flashed me the smile that I can't say no to.....dang he's good! So I was then confirmed that the purchase was legit! It's not that he's causing trouble on purpose, he's just 100% B-O-Y and now he has the shirt to prove it!

PRICELESS!

Just a few shots of my ever adorable mischief.......

just a thought.....

In my bible study this morning we had to pick out one thing from this week that stood out to us and then everyone in the small group got to reflect on what hit them about the particular passage. It's amazing how one sentence or thought hits everyone so differently, depending where you are in life. Here's what I picked.

"God is both the Alpha & Omega. When our lives are immersed in him, every ending, everything we believe to be the death of us is instead a hand engraved invitation to a new beginning."
Beth Moore

I picked this because I love the idea of God being the Alpha and the Omega. Trying to wrap my head around something being the very beginning and already having the end planned is impossible, but something that I wrestle with....and love to. So often my human "tunnel vision" doesn't allow me to see the new beginning, only to morn what has ended. Just something I am working on......thought I would share it with you!

A weekend at home makes us HAPPY:)!

If I could describe to you the absolute adoration that I have for this season, I would but I am not sure it's possible. I HEART the fall. I just have to go on record saying God out does himself every year. Each year I am just sure that the colors get brighter, the pumpkins are bigger, pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING smells and tastes even more delicious, and a hot cup of whatever is better on a crisp morning in your sweats. I thought that nothing could beat the ridiculously giddy feeling I get just decorating our place for Halloween.....ask my husband, you will be greeted with an eye roll and a hope that I don't find anything else orange colored I "must have"! I plan for a month....make a paper chain....and count down the days until it wouldn't be ridiculous to fill my house to the brim with pumpkins, candy corn, and strange little Halloween figures that I myself can't explain but I have to have them, more every year. To some it may seem that Halloween got sick and puked everywhere, but to me it's a sweet breath of lovely. I am overboard I admit it! What I didn't see coming was the thing that added even more to my love of this....and I have a feeling every.....season and that is GRIFFIN.....being a mom. Having him around makes Ryan and I so amazingly AMAZED at everything in the world again. I am pretty sure that being a parent and witnessing all the fun of being a kid is maybe more exhilarating than being one. Ryan and I are so excited to share with Griff all the things about life that make us excited. Football....the Huskers, pumpkins and costumes, and being with our friends are just a few we can name as of late.

Mom's and kiddo's....at this point, it's just about bedtime, but we got a shot!

This weekend we finally had some time to just be a family at home in our new hood(almost a year!! ~we can't believe it!!!)! Saturday night we had 4 families over for some soup, chilli, and wild times with one year olds! All told there were 10 adults, 6 kids, and lots of chaos....but lots of fun! I underesitmated how much joy it would bring me to watch Griffin play with other kids (we're a little lonely here, just he and I on the weekdays:)!!) I did notice I may have my work cut out for me on the sharing thing.....no daycare, only child = I have never had to share ANYTHING! It was so fun though to watch him interact....he even went in for a kiss with Rory, to which she gave him the "friend" hug....you go girl! We love our friends from church and love that we can all come, unpack highchairs, goldfish crackers, and blocks and just be!

Sunday we did the pumpkin patch. It ended up being the one I grew up going to! We did a pony ride, petting zoo, and train ride........and Griffin got to do somethings too! Kidding.....but honestly, Ry and I enjoyed it more than we (ok, let's be honest, I begged to go....pleaded for weeks, but I will tell you that Ryan did crack a very kiddish smile when we got there and saw the majesty that was the Sunny Acres Pumpkin Patch.....I am pretty sure he even had a great time!)thought we would! It was a blast....I am so pumped to do annual trips there, I am so excited to do a mini trick or treat session with him, and eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and dress up the yard with lights for Christmas....I am one large child, and we are loving every moment of sharing the moment with G man. This is why you have a family....some times they make you miserable but it's the moments at the pumpkin patch that make the "ride" worth while.

Giddy UP! My first pony ride!

I can't lie to you....I am loving this, does my smile say it all? Can anyone think of a reason Ryan won't move us to a small little farm with just a few small goats, sheep, and chickens?...cause he won't!

Daddy said NO, they aren't coming home with us!

driving the tractor....his favorite part....a farm boy at heart!

...just the boys...playing away!

Chooooo choooooo!!!

...loving this place!

Life is GOOD!

Monumentous MOM day!

Today Griffin blew his nose into a tissue. I feel like jumping up and down, popping open some champagne and celebrating like it's New Year's! This is huge. He has had a sad little runny nose for about 2 weeks now and detests me wiping or even getting a tissue or towel near him. Luckily (or not) I have had a cold too which has left the "teachable moment" for blowing one's nose into a tissue wide open. Each time I grab one I colorfully explain to Griffin how fun it is to blow out the snot from my nose into one of these amazing little things the modern world refers to as a tissue. This morning at approximately 9:30am he took a liking to my idea and blew some snot himself(into a tissue of course). I am so proud. If there was one available I would put a "proud parent of kid who can blow his nose into tissue" bumper sticker on my car. I told Ryan when he pees in the toilet I am throwing one huge party. Sometimes it's hard to believe that I am already to this point in life, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I love these little milestones and being a mom seems more fitting and gratifying everyday....

Growing up "GO BIG RED"

GO BIG RED!!

We had the opportunity to go back to the "good life", our home away from home, the grand old state of Nebraska this weekend. It always reminds us that being from Nebraska is more of a state of mind and a way of life when you move away than it is just a place you lived. Ryan and I have experienced life as a Nebraskan in some ways differently and in some ways the same.

My family goes way back with it's Nebraska roots...I wish I knew how far, something to look into. My parents were high school sweet hearts who grew up in a small farm town in between Omaha and Lincoln and both went to the University in Lincoln. Some of my grandparents are also grads. Growing up in Illinois, being a Husker fan was a few and far between kind of thing, but I loved that my dad loved it and so that's what we were at our house, BIG RED fans. We had Husker jackets and clothes, a red and white basement, and our cars always had Husker licence place holders so we could make ourselves known on the road. I spent almost every spring break, summer vacation, and Christmas in Nebraska and as soon as I took a tour of the school my senior year, I was ready to join in the family fun and 2 years later so did my brother and then my sister. UNL has had a crazy way of connecting our family.

Ry lived in Nebraska his whole life and so does his family. He grew up wearing the Red N on as much of his clothing as possible. He loved talking, watching, and playing football, more specifically, Nebraska football.

Ry with some of his first Husker apparel...believe me we saved Griffin's first too!

He of coarse would have given almost everything he owned to get tickets to the games in college and tells me it was his desperation to be on that football field game days that made him try out for the mascot:)! He got his wish!

Ryan as Little Red with his sisters and their friends!

Ryan and I met sophomore year of college and graduated in 4.5 and 5 years respectively. We loved almost every second of our time down in Lincoln (it makes us the happy kind of sad to go back and reminisce all of our college memories). We lived in Omaha for 2 years after college and are now here. It seems hard to believe that the time is already so far over. Our time back there is so quick and rushed now. In and out for a weekend, seeing as much family and friends as possible in a less than 48 hour period and then jetting back home. It is even more nutty with a little one. But we love getting to go back and be surrounded by all the family, friends, BO BIG RED shirts, and Runza's (not an easy thing to get around here!). We both just get the feeling we're part of something bigger and we love it! I know this all sounds a little crazy, but it means more to both of us than just football (ok, maybe more to 1 of us)! When we are missing it, just watching a game, flying our Huskers flag, or dressing Griffin in red seems to help, and who knows we may have a fourth generation HUSKER on our hands (or so I hope for Ryan's sake!)

Game time pics....unfortunately the smiles faded during the second half.....

Here's hoping that sometime in our lifetime we can see another Husker National Championship...it'd make a lot of crazy men in my family very happy...and me too!