just dance!

anyone who knows us well ... ok, anyone who knows us almost at all, knows that my hubby is a video game collector. and when I say collector, I mean hard core. we have very nearly every system and so many games it makes my mind spin a bit. the funniest part about it, though, is that he's not much of a "gamer". by that, I mean, he's not too obsessed about playing video games. sure, he enjoys playing and goes through short phases where he's really into a particular game and might play it daily, but that's about it! onto my point (I'm pretty sure I'm capable of writing a novel of just leading up information, lol - I tend to get "long typed" as I sometimes say - it's like being long winded, only it's writing/typing)

... I had a nintendo when I was younger, heck - I even had a gameboy. I wasn't too shabby at mario and tetris either. but to call me a "gamer" would be far from accurate. but there are a few games that really interest me! back in Oklahoma we used to have friends over weekly for karaoke and I quite enjoy those singing sort of video games (even if I am too embarrassed to actually sing in front of anyone, apart from my family). when I was in L.A. I frequented the Best Buy right by my hotel, just to get in a quick round of Beatles Rock Band ... shortly after returning home, the hubs finally started buying those games "for me". and that's where we get to today's story. see, I told you - two paragraphs and I'm finally to what I'm getting at.

Just Dance.

a lot of people may not know this about me: I love to dance. now you know. I took dance lessons from age five up until age nine and was very upset to lose my ride, therefore I was forced to quit. but by the time I was eleven I had moved on to teaching my mom's daycare kids little dance routines and by the time I was twelve I was absolutely certain that I wanted to be a dance teacher. my parents completely and utterly spoiled me funded me to begin making that dream come true during my junior year in high school (as did my $1000 from a car wreck - I remember feeling like I was so rich), but by the time I graduated I was having all sorts of fears about being able to actually support myself and a business and I stopped teaching. it's definitely one of those regrets, however I didn't really have the proper training or business know-how. and, besides, my life is pretty great just as it is!

all that to say (yes, I'm now three paragraphs in and still haven't gotten to my point - love me, please) that the passion for dance is still there. I still love it. love watching it. love teaching it (though that's rare and only with my kids). and, even, dancing myself - shocking, I know. so, I had been asking the hubby for the Just Dance games for a while, it was rock band all over again - lol. well, he finally got a couple of them and guess what: I "heart" them. a lot.

and that's it. all that reading and that was the big part you all were waiting for. a bit anti-climatic, I admit. and, anyway, here are some pics of Annicka playing that very first night we got the games. I'm glad I took these pics, because she has refused to play the games since! even in front of me, she just won't do it. makes me sort of sad, but she is who she is and hopefully one day she won't be so shy about it.

a very special birthday party ...

one month ago we had a very special little celebration at our house!!! our good friends daughter, Diana, turned five and we were lucky enough to get to have her party here - it was so fun and cozy, added to our regular tuesday night get together! the kids and I made a "banner" and then Diana's brother, Jacob, brought all sorts of fun decorations. he came over while Diana was treated to a hair cut and pedicure with her mommy, and we decorated the place up real cute! Diana's dad had brought over her gift, a new bike, the night before and got it all put together ... so it was a big surprise for her to see her awesome new bike in our (messy) garage!!! we had delicious dinner - they cooked - and yummy ice cream cake! the kids played "put the petal on the flower" and thought what I came up with for a blindfold was hilarious (a pull up to block out the light, held on with a scarf). there were also a few gifts for Diana to open and lots of play time, as usual! it was a blast!five is a special year and I pray that sweet Diana will be able to remember her party at our house, I know I will!!!

my little artist!

I have several little artists, really, but here are some pics of Zoey coloring! she may have done it once or twice before - with crayons - but this was her first try with the color wonder markers and she really loved it!

(pics taken August 21)

let's catch up ... again!

poor little sick baby :c this was back in August when Zoey wasn't feeling well. we were a week into the fever and by this point she was having happier moments.

she actually napped on the floor one day - which is evidence of how crummy she felt!

sissy made her laugh by running into room, jumping up while spinning, and hitting her own rear end!!!

she discovered that she could climb into the little chairs all on her own - she was quite impressed with herself and sat there for the longest time!

quotes of the week ...

Annicka and I were up early to go take care of some puppies I've been watching over the weekend - it was Sunday. we were back home and I was tidying up and getting Zoey's bottle ready ... the house was quiet. then I hear, (from upstairs) "there's a black thing on my penis" ... huh??? I could tell Liam was in the bathroom upstairs and he just kept repeating that - then he started saying, "I hate ants on my penis". oh my!!! of course, I think it was just fluff or something (I haven't confirmed with the hubby yet) - but, to me -for whatever strange reason- it just sounded so funny to hear those words out of my three year old!!!

I was trying to get to the bottom of which one of the boys found bubbles, took them into Annicka's room, and spilled them all over a book and the floor. both boys were denying it and I was determined to find out who did it. I kept talking to Liam about the truth and asked him what the truth was, he responded with: "the truth is ... I love you" ... uh, yah, he was the culprit! lol

we'll be back soon ...

for those of you who read our blog -and especially those that got used to daily posts- don't worry, all is well! it's just that my parents were here for two weeks, I was way behind on editing photos, I barely pulled my camera out while they were here ... yah, I'm really regretting that now, and ... well, blogging just really got "put on the back burner" - as the saying goes!

but I'll be getting back to it real soon here! and, for fun, here's a couple pics from mid August ...

how nice to have a big sissy who wants to help make
a sick little baby feel comfy - and even entertain her!

Zoey wanted to help Annicka with
her school work!
(in case I hadn't mentioned - we did the summer
bridge books as "homeschool" over the summer)

ten years ago.

source

it was a weekday and my husband had left for work ...
it was still quite early when I heard a message being left on our answering machine ...
it was him, my husband:
"hey babe, you might want to turn on the tv ... there's been an attack"
(ok, that's the idea - it was along those lines - wish I could remember the exact words)
I got up and listened to the message to hear it good,
now that I was awake!

I turned on the tv and all of a sudden I was living in a different world.
I had never "witnessed" anything like this before!

before long a neighbor of mine, a girl I'd gone to school with, was at my
house and we watched in shock.
Annicka was 9 months old and, of course, had no idea
how her world had changed too.
she crawled around, had breakfast, played - the world was still perfect to her.

I'll never forget that morning.
that day.

September 11, 2001