3...2...1...Happy New Year!

Today Lucy and I went to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory for a New Year's Eve celebration. It was especially designed for kids, most markedly so by the fact the partying went down at noon instead of midnight!

They had some music and activities leading up to the "ball drop," which consisted of lots of vinyl blow-up animals being released from nets on the ceiling. Lucy was a little overwhelmed so we stood on the outskirts of the crowd, but still managed to snag an elephant, which she insisted she did NOT want. Luckily, a lady was walking by with her daughters and said, "any chance you'd want to trade a giraffe for an elephant?" So all was right with the world.

After the big event we went outside and visited our Lucy's favorite animals, the polar bears. They were not very active (as in, one was inside and the other was taking a nap in the doorway with only his butt sticking out the door). We also visited the aquatics and monkey buildings, before heading back inside to check out what was going on in the Conservatory. How beautiful with all the poinsettias!

A nice way to ring in the New Year. And hey, since I got my partying in during the daytime, I don't have to stay up until midnight, right?

What will you do to celebrate the New Year?

Merry Christmas!

A very Merry Christmas from our house to yours. Hope you're having lots of giggles and good times this holiday...but in case you need a little help, here is Lucy's rendition of "Jingle Bells," complete with hiccups.

Christmas Tour 2012 - Stop #4 (Home!)

Christmas morning we woke up at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and hurried to see that Santa had eaten the cookies and milk we left out for him. Santa also left Lucy a couple of small gifts and a note that he had also stopped at our house! We had some breakfast and were then anxious to pack up and get home, to see what Santa brought, but also to see our Daddy. We talked to him via FaceTime every day we were gone, but it just was not the same not having him there. So after saying goodbyes to Grandma and Grandpa we hit the road, jack!

And oh my goodness, Santa sure did come! Daddy was waiting for us and we didn't waste any time getting after those presents. Lucy's big gift was a dollhouse, and if Santa had any doubts, I think the squeal of "it's just what I wanted!!" upon opening was just the insurance he needed. ;)

Brandon came over just in time to open his gifts, and the kids opened their stockings together. We ate dinner and just had some great, quiet, family time. It was a perfect end to Christmas Tour 2012.

Christmas Tour 2012 - Stop #3 (Great-Grandma's House)

Christmas Eve day was LAZY! The kids played and the adults lounged, looked at pictures, and grazed. Grandpa had fun with his new remote control helicopter. Mid-afternoon, we all headed to Grandma Mardie's house for another long-standing family tradition. There were gifts for Grandma and the kids, and some funny moments with the adult grab bags. We had our soup dinner, then changed into our fancy clothes for church. I especially loved Lucy sitting next to my mom and singing Christmas carols during the service. I think she might have Grandma's singing genes! I just love to be at my grandma's and I know these times may be limited, as it's quite a chore for her to have us all at her house. So I am so happy we were able to be there. Thank you, Grandma!

Great-Grandma needed some help opening her gifts. :)



Great-Grandma always gives the cutest PJs!



The piano is always a hit.

4 Generations - I just love having these pics!

Sharing the Nativity with Grandma after church.

Christmas Tour 2012 - Stop #2 (Overmohle)

This morning we left for Iowa to celebrate with my family. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to Daddy, who had to stay behind because he came down with a case of shingles. It wasn't quite out of the contagious stage yet, and he knew how important it was to get to see the family, so he shooed us out the door after some hugs and kisses.

We arrived at Grandma and Grandpa's just before noon to a full house. For the first time since 2009, all of my brothers and their families were home for Christmas, which was great...but a little bittersweet for us since Husband was not able to make it. However, all four cousins got some great playtime and it was quite something to see them all together in my parent's house. We ate lunch, took some photos, and then the craziness began.

"For me, Grandma?"

Em

"What did you get?"

The carnage...

Playtime! All four of them on the floor with Grandpa and Uncle Jason.

What fun! Josh, Abbey, and Em left later that day, but we were so glad to have (almost) everyone there for at least an afternoon. Lucy, D, and E are still playing. Could be long night, but certainly a day not soon forgotten!

Christmas Tour 2012 - Stop #1 (Laabs)

Our 2013 Tour started at Grandpa Lee's house on Saturday the 22nd. As always, fun was had by all and Lucy received lots of cool presents from Grandpa and aunties and uncles. It was an intense 4-5 hours of eating, opening presents, playing with presents, teasing her uncles, and running around with her "big girl" cousin, Miss H. I am blessed to have married into such a fun and loving family.

Brandon decorated for Christmas. Grandma would be proud.

Cousins.

A favorite from Grandpa - "Bouncy" the dog.

Doesn't take much to get some silly out of this crowd. :)

She was out within about 2 minutes on the drive home...still surrounded by Christmas!

Flashback - Lucy, Elmo, and Buddy

December 2009,  about 6 1/2 months old. How time flies...

Sunday School Program
This morning was the long-awaited Christmas program at our church. This was Lucy’s first year of Sunday School, so her first time participating in the program. She was excited to dress up and wear the sparkly pink shoes reserved for special occasions.

They don’t have high expectations of the 3-year-olds, but they at least get to stand in front and look cute! It was a packed sanctuary and Lucy had her own special surprise audience of Aunties Brenda, Marcey, and Candy, as well as cousin Hayley.

She did great! She was deliberately trying not to acknowledge or look at me in any way, but she was well aware of where we were sitting and would toss a few looks to her aunties every now and then. She maintained her little singer status and remembered most of the words to the songs. A few people came up to me afterwards and complimented how well-behaved she was, and one asked how old she was. When I said 3 ½, one woman said she couldn’t believe how much she was singing and knew the words. If only she spent 30 minutes in our home, she’d hear all kinds of singing!

So, we check another milestone off the list – first Sunday School Christmas Program!

Ladies Spa Weekend

Friday morning I left for Grandview Lodge in Nisswa, MN. A group of ladies I know goes up there for a weekend every year to enjoy the fabulous spa services and cut loose a little bit.  I went two years ago and decided to join them again this year. The mix of ladies is a little different every time, so there is the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and the chance to meet some new ones.  Ten in all.

Some of us had appointments Friday at the spa (I had a massage), but then on Saturday we tried something different - a spa cabin, only for our group. It's a cabin all set up with a relaxation/lounge area, and separate rooms set up for the services. We had a "concierge" of sorts available to us all day, offering warm neck wraps. :) There was even a hot tub on the deck!

It was at our disposal all day, so we lounged and snacked and chatted and slept and...ahhhhhh. It was so nice! Sprinkled in there, of course, were some wonderful services. I had a very relaxing facial. Who couldn't relax in this beautiful cabin?

Most of the girls went out on Friday night, but I stayed in with another woman because my back was bothering me, and frankly I was ready to hang out in my stretchy pants! We had a nice time chatting and having a couple glasses of wine while everyone else went out and danced their butts off. Saturday night, we went to Iven's on the Bay for dinner and a few of these babies:

Everyone was pretty tired so we went back to our main cabin and watched a movie, then headed to bed. We needed to rest up, because overnight the world turned white! A few inches of snow came down and was still falling in the morning. If possible, snow makes the lodge even prettier.

It was just too bad it came as we were leaving. I'm sure a little bit of our relaxed state was disrupted in our respective white-knuckle drives home! Over a foot fell in many parts of the state, including the metro. It took awhile to get home, but I made it unscathed and was warmly welcomed by my loves. It's nice to get away once in awhile, but it's also nice to be home!

Holiday Program

Program night at school! The theme was "Gingerbread Kids" so all the kids wore a cute little brown paper gingerbread suit over their clothes.

Lucy sang the whole time and despite seeming a little annoyed for awhile that the girl next to her was not singing, she had a good time.

Oh Where, Oh Where is My Gingerbread Man?

(pardon the shaky camera work)

Breakfast With Santa

Each year Lucy's school does a "Breakfast with Santa" fundraiser. There is a raffle, arts and crafts, pancakes, and of course, a visit with Santa Claus. Although we had seen him in Storm Lake, Lucy was very excited to visit with the Big Guy again and was practicing her list as we stood in line.

 Once we got in there, she surprised me by climbing right into his lap! She kind of froze up on her list, but I heard her say she had a Barbie at home, and then tell Santa, "but she's naked." So Santa thought that maybe he could bring the Barbie some clothes. :)

Thank you, Santa!

3.5

Our little lady is now 3 1/2 years old...and boy, did we work hard in this half! I would challenge the "terrible twos" claim and tell you that 3, so far, has been MUCH more challenging. Lucy is very independent, and very smart. A deadly combination. She is working overtime to test limits and learn which buttons to push, and I admit, mine are sometimes very easily pushed. Especially my patience button. Getting this girl out the door in the morning has at times reduced me to tears. I feel like it takes her 5 times longer than any reasonable small person to do something. She easily (and purposefully?) gets distracted. "I want this! No, I want that!" Tears. Tantrums. "You're not my friend." Hiding from me. Refusing to stand up. SIGH...



But what gets me through those times is the good stuff, and there is plenty of that! There are days when she is simply delightful. There is no other word for it. So funny, so smart, so creative, so FUN! She is learning so much about the world and has questions about EVERYTHING. She spins her own stories using bits and pieces of anything we happened to be talking about the past few days, combined with things we did a year ago, sprinkled with things from school. She loves to talk, which is sometimes exhausting...but also fascinating. I love how her mind works, and seeing the look on her face when she makes a new revelation is priceless. She's very expressive and her facial expressions are sometimes quite hilarious.

During the winter we like to keep Lucy active, so she's got a lot going on. She was able to start Sunday School this fall, which has been very fun for her and for me, as I am one of her teachers. :) She is enrolled in dance class and swimming class. Dance class she likes, swimming class she loves. They must be paying off, because she's a strong little girl and can often be found carrying bulky objects up and down the steps! She is still around 40 pounds and has gotten a little taller in the meantime, just over 40 inches or so.

Some of Lucy's favorite things these days are:  talking about babies (lots of pregnant people/new babies in our life right now),  making meals for us ("Jessica, your food is ready!"), creating scenarios with her stuffed animals, leggings ("they're not pants, they're leggings!"), yoga with mom, singing (she has a great little voice), Barbies, breakfast with Daddy and his friends on Saturday morning, anything that has to do with her brother, Super Why, talking to Grandma and Grandpa on Skype, books about Christmas, chasing Buddy, and maybe most of all, art projects.

There are tough days, and it's with a combination of resignation and pride that I admit that part of it is because she's a lot like her mama. :)  The good days are SO good and balance all the rest of it out.  I thank God every day she is our daughter!



Happy Thanksgiving!

We started our holiday on Wednesday with a special Thanksgiving lunch at school.

Then, Thursday we headed down to Storm Lake for Big Overmohle Thanksgiving. Always a big crew!

And of course, the family tradition:

We were joined by my sister-in-law and my nephews, D and E. All the kids visited with Santa at the end and received a special book. Lucy wouldn't sit on his lap, but was more than willing to have a conversation. I couldn't hear much of what she was saying, but they chatted for awhile.

Afterwards, Grandma surprised them with some little mice she found in her pocket, just like the ones at Santa's Castle!

It was a very fun couple of days, and nice to be in my parents' house again. Looking forward to Christmas!



Remembering Betty

One year ago today we lost Husband’s mom. I remember receiving the call that Friday afternoon – I had just finished Lucy’s school conference and was walking across the parking lot to my car. I went to the house and grieved with the rest of the family, saying final goodbyes to her earthly body after her spirit had already left us. A few days later there was a beautiful service, and then we got back to the business of everyday life, trying to manage the gaping hole and knowing things would never quite be the same.

Although she is not physically here, Betty is with us all the time. All of us can tell the stories...

When we spread her ashes this past spring, there was a ladybug on her parents’ headstone at the cemetery. A real ladybug, not one of those Asian ladybeetles. I hadn’t seen one of those in years (and haven’t since). I pointed it out to Lucy, and she still remembers it. She’s been known to talk about it when we pass any cemetery.

Husband’s sister emailed about her time at the casino, when a woman sat down at her table to play. Her name was Betty. (Betty did love a casino!)

I even keep getting spam emails from her email account. (Is anyone else getting these?!)

And of course, there were many message through Lucy. We will never forget the date of great-grandma’s birthday!

But a few weeks ago, we got another emotional, heart-lifting sign. Our church had All-Saints Sunday, celebrating those who had passed in the past year. Betty’s funeral was held at our church, and she was included in the celebration. Husband’s dad came with us - it was just Dad, Husband, and me as Lucy spent the night at an auntie’s house. I chose an open pew near the middle, and Dad sat on the end.

The service was beautiful. At one point, the name of each person being honored was read, a bell was rung, and a candle placed along the center aisle was lit. The acolyte started in the back of the church and moved forward to light each candle. And wouldn’t you know, when Betty’s name was read, where was that acolyte?

He was lighting the candle right next to my father-in-law. Literally, it was hooked onto the pew immediately in front of him. He had only to look up and it was RIGHT.THERE.

It was just one of those choke-through-tears moments for all of us, but I also had to smile, because of course! Of course we would be sitting in the pew where that candle was lit. Because that was Betty.

And just this past Sunday in church, someone approached and handed me a couple of pictures. At Betty’s funeral, lily bulbs were given out. One of the ladies working at the funeral that day had taken some home, and they came up beautifully. She so graciously went out of her way to take photos and let us know that Betty was honored and remembered in just the way she would most love – through flowers.

As Lucy says, Grandma is in heaven, and “she’s an angel flying around God.” We’re so glad she takes time out of all that joyous flight to send us a message every now and then. Betty, you are missed.

Swimming Excitement

Tonight Lucy had an audience for swim class - Daddy, Mommy, Grandpa, Auntie Candy and Cousin Hayley! She loved the attention and had an awesome class.

The highlight was that she jumped in all by herself for the very first time! Teacher Jenny had them all stand with their toes on the very edge, then jump in, trying to land their feet on her hands. Lucy went first and did it with no hesitation! I was in such awe I didn't even try to capture it on camera. THEN - once she jumped in, she turned around and swam back to the wall by herself! So proud. She is doing such a great job and learning so much.

EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning

Finally! The Environmental Working Group has come out with a list rating household cleaners. I've been using the SkinDeep database for years for beauty products, and have been wanting to know a bit more about household cleaners.

Although I'm sure some of this warrants being taken with a grain of salt, it seems to be a pretty comprehensive guide. It also reveals how deceptive packaging can be. For awhile, I have been using this stain remover. If you look closely, you can see a "Greenlist" emblem on the label. I assumed this meant it was environmentally-friendly. But according to this database, it scores an F, the worst you can get! Upon more detailed research, Greenlist is a process deployed by the company who makes the products, not an independent reviewer as I assumed.While some strides have been made, there is still apparently a long way to go.

My other surprise on this list was that my go-to HE laundry detergent, Seventh Generation, did not fare well. The one I use in particular scored a D. "D" is for disappointing! Across the board on other projects, they did not score as well as I would have expected. I just switched to Whole Foods 365 Everyday laundry detergent, unscented. I'll let you know how it works! I've got some other cleaners that may need replacing, and others I thought might be bad that actually aren't. For example - "Lysol Professional Disinfectant Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner" just sounds like an earth-polluting product by nature, doesn't it? Not so. Actually scored a B. Just goes to show, don't judge a book by its cover.

Any products you were surprised by in this database?

Election 2012

Lucy came with  me to vote this morning. She was very good, but as we were walking out she didn't believe we were done yet. "But...where is 'Rock Obama'? 'Ritt Momney'? They are supposed to be here!" Apparently they were talking about the candidates at school the day prior, and she thought they should be showing up.

When we got to her school, they had a voting booth set up for the kids to vote for the afternoon snack - cookies or goldfish. Cookies won by only one vote!

Lucy also got to go with Daddy to vote after school, so she was well educated in the election process today. As was her big brother...today was the first time that Brandon could vote, and I'm proud to say he exercised his privilege.

Good voter turnout for the Laabs family!

Defending the Caveman

Lastnight Husband and I went out. This alone is a fairly big deal...rare is the day that we get (or take?) the opportunity for just the two of us to get out of the house. This was an even rarer deal in that we enjoyed dinner, drinks, and a show called "Defending the Caveman."

There's a little bit of backstory to this show...about 8 years ago, Husband (then Boyfriend) planned a night out for us and it included going to this show. I met him and some friends of ours for drinks, and let's just say the night didn't go as I thought it was going to. It went a little something like this:

Needless to say, we never did make that show - and tickets were never purchased in the first place! So, we always said if it came back to the Twin Cities, we would go. It was here in September of this year for a three-week stint, but we couldn't make the timing work, so we were a bit bummed. Then - a few weeks later, it came back by popular demand for another run! It all seemed to fall in place this time, and we very easily were able to put the evening together with two other couples, which made it all the more enjoyable.

"Defending the Caveman" is a show about men and women in relationships, and how differently we think about things. At it's heart it is a comedy, harkening back to the roles of men and women in caveperson time. Men are the "hunters" - they went out with a clear objective and purpose, with focus on one thing - bringing back food to the family. Women were "gatherers" - it was our job to collect information, take everything in and gather the food and supplies our family needed. Both serve the family, but in very different ways - and that translates to today's time.  Many things rang true. I could barely control myself when the actor started talking about the TV, and if a man sits down to watch something (a game, perhaps?) it is nearly impossible for him to focus on anything else - like answering a question from his wife. It was a funny show and it was fun to enjoy it with Husband and also our friends.

I think the humor and irony of that show might have been a bit wasted on that couple 8 years ago...what a ride it's been since. This was a perfect way to celebrate "us."

Please Consider Voting NO

Friends and family,

Tuesday, some of you will have the opportunity to vote on the Minnesota marriage amendment. I hope you will consider voting NO, and allow a future for everyone to marry the person they love.

This is why I will be voting NO:

• People who are gay make important contributions to society, and deserve the same rights and benefits that you and I have. People are people. Period.
• Despite claims, there is no solid proof that children raised with a mother and father are any better off than those raised in a home with two moms or two dads. To that point, plenty of heterosexual couples are doing a crappy job of raising kids, and they still have basic rights.
• Gay marriage does not threaten the sanctity of my marriage. My marriage is between me, my husband, and God.
• Marriage promotes stability, responsibility, and commitment. Aren't these also the cornerstones of our society? If two people love each other and want to build a relationship on these cornerstones, why are we trying to deny it?

I know this is a very uncomfortable topic for some. I am compelled to action on this topic for many reasons, the most important of which is I have someone in my life who I respect tremendously, who is in a committed gay relationship, and raising 3 great kids. And others in my life making their way - you know who you are.

"Same-sex couples want to marry for reasons similar to other couples. They want a lasting bond that can endure through good times and bad, through sickness and health, and that will bring stability as they continue life together."(From The Conservative Case for Same-Sex Marriage, published in the Star Tribune, written by Ken Mehlman, former Republican National Committee Chairman).

The irony of it all is, voting NO does not change anything right now. Gay couples will not suddenly have the freedom to marry. But this is one small step toward not limiting that reality in the future. It is not a political issue, it is a human rights issue. It is the civil rights movement of our time, and I hope you will thoughtfully consider voting NO.

With love and respect,
Jessica

Hey There, Little Red Riding Hood…

We had a storybook character in our midst for Halloween this year! Lucy really didn’t know the story, but once I get an idea in my head there's no turning back.  I found a decent version of the story on YouTube, and once we got over the initial shock of the wolf eating the grandma, she was on board. I made the cape out of fleece using this tutorial, we got a basket at Goodwill, put on a dress we already had, and voila! Little Red Riding Hood.

We had lots of great Halloween activities this year. Last Saturday, we went to the Great Pumpkin Festival at The West End, a local shopping area. Lucy wore her costume and we "trick-or-treated" at the exhibitor booths, danced with the Radio Disney team, and decorated a trick-or-treat bag.

On Sunday, Auntie Brenda and Uncle Bob invited Lucy and our niece Miss H to a Halloween party at their neighbor's house. Husband and I got to go see a movie (Argo - fantastic!) and our girl had a good time. Miss H was a raccoon, but without the mask she could be the Big Bad Wolf, right?

Wednesday was the big day! Lucy got to take her costume to school for a party. That evening, although got a little bit of a late start, we walked the neighborhood for about 45 minutes and got a basket full of candy. Lucy did great at saying "trick-or-treat" and "thank you" and walked the whole time with no complaints! It was a really fun time and everyone loved her costume. One guy made the mistake of saying, "are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" Lucy said rather firmly, "I'm not a WITCH!" which got him laughing. I'll have a little sass with that candy, thank you very much!

Happy Halloween to all of you!