Just Us...Nothing Special

Happy Valentines Day!

2012-02-14T11:40:00.001-06:00

Not the picture I was going for, but she's still my little love bug! Happy Valentine's Day from the Mencke family! XOXO

Keeping it real..

2012-02-07T11:47:00.000-06:00

In an effort to keep this blog real and honest, I need to vent. The last 18 hours as a parent of a soon-to-be 2-year old have been a challenge. Delaney has exhibited some of her worst behavior to date, and my patience is definitely waning. After a remarkably peaceful and successful week of potty training at home last week with lots of quality, fun time, she has taken a turn for the worse. We had a few neighbors over for the Super Bowl Sunday night, so D was up about an hour later than normal. I am assuming this is the root of this crazy behavior, if it's not I'm really in trouble.

Delaney went back to Holly's yesterday, which obviously presented her with new potty training challenges. She did all right, better than Craig & Holly expected and a little worse than I hoped for with 2 accidents. All in all, we'll call it a wash and try to more success today. I don't know if the excitement of being back with her friends at Holly's or the lack of sleep from the night before finally caught up with her, but last night (from 5:30-8:30 and this morning from 8 until 8:30 have been some of the most frustrating hours of being a parent).

I'm trying to look at it with perspective, but in the heat of the moment it's been a nightmare. She doesn't listen to a word coming out of my mouth. One minute she's putting goldfish crackers in my clean crock pot while sitting in the middle of the kitchen table, and the next she's throwing a cup of water at me (that she had just requested!). She didn't want to eat, go potty, or stay away from the hot stove. She screamed all through her bath, refused pajamas, and demanded "Tinkle, Tinkle" a.k.a. "Twinkle, Twinkle" while running around naked as if her hair was on fire. This morning, she didn't want her hair done, her coat on before her hat, or her hat on without her coat. She wanted her Mickey Mouse book in the car, not the Puppy book. She didn't want Cheerios in her cup, she wanted Goldfish. She wanted her Goldfish in a bowl, not the snack cup with the lid. ALL of this is worthy of crying, stomping, and full on tantrum throwing. She's even putting herself in Time-Out--might be a sign that we need a new method of discipline?!?

By the time she went to bed last night(meaning we put in her bed, kissed her good night, and walked out of the room), we were both in tears and beyond frustrated. I was at my wits end with exhaustion, frustration, and guilt. Craig didn't know what to do with either of us...poor guy, stuck in a house full of estrogen! I feel like a horrible mother on days like this...it's the worst feeling in the world. I love that little girl more than life itself, but she's definitely testing me... Thankfully, it seems as though so far she is saving all this behavior for me.

I've been praying for patience and wisdom to handle these situations better. I can only guess we will have more and more of these nights as we inch closer to age 2 let alone the teenage years. I just hope that I can handle them with more grace sooner rather than later. I know how many people out there would kill for a chance to be a parent, and I know that there are many parents out there dealing with far more serious issues than the "Terrible 2s". Don't get me wrong I see the big picture, but the small screen is kicking my butt! I still can't help but love that little stinker!

Advertures in Potty Training

2012-02-01T20:19:00.000-06:00

Disclaimer...I'm sure you all don't care about Delaney's bathroom habits, but I wanted to record this for future reference for myself. I threw in the pictures to keep you entertained while I ramble on.

Well, we did it. We have officially started the potty training process. Last Saturday morning, Delaney said "Good-bye" to her diapers and opened three fun new sets of "Big Girl Pants". Of course, she had no idea of what any of this meant, but we went with it. I broke out my old running watch that has a nice little timer feature, and we went to work. The words, "Delaney, do you need to go potty?" have become my new catch phrase. I probably have asked her this 1,000 times in the last 4 days. I'm sure she's just as tired of hearing it as I am of asking it. She almost always replies, "No, Mommy!" So, whenever we are nearing the 20-30 minute mark, I make her go sit and try. She inevitably has to go every time. Seriously, this girl is like a never ending fountain! We made 25 successful trips to the Big Girl Potty yesterday alone...25, translation 50 M&Ms.

Yes, I am following a reward system. After taking a poll of the best Moms I know and reading a lot on the subject online, I decided rewards were the way to go. Positive reinforcement+the least amount of negativity (meaning, not screaming at her for an accident)=SUCCESS! I know my kid loves her sweets, so I thought M&Ms would be a good choice...simple, low-mess, cheap, etc. (The hardest part is keeping Craig out of the bowl!) Anyway for every successful #1, she gets two M&Ms. They are the Valentine's variety, so they are all pink and red...so very girly! She also gets one Elmo sticker to put on her board. I bought this Elmo Potty coloring book for $2 at Target last week, and it came with this little poster tracking system, so I figured we'd give that a whirl too. It also gives us something to talk about while she's "trying". Most of the time I am reminder her of the rewards, she is not asking for them.

Successful #2 trips trigger a full on fiesta at our house. There is singing, dancing, and lots of rewards! She gets a small Sesame Street little toy figurine, 6 Smarties candies, One big punching balloon (6-pack out of the $1 section at Target), and a big Sesame Street sticker. She is having lots of fun with all her new stuff. Of course, Izzy HATES all the balloons, but the rest of us like them. Delaney is understanding that she gets rewards for successes and nothing for the failures, but I don't think we are the point where she is just going for the candy...YET! When we get there, we will stop the excessive rewards!

Generally speaking, we have had very few accidents since we began the process. Four times each of the first three days, and then absolutely NONE yesterday! Yesterday, she even started telling me when she needed to go BEFORE she was going. PROGRESS!!! We've been taking it one step at a time, so now we are working on the logistics. Next up, pulling down her own pants. I already know that as soon as she figures this out, it will backfire and we'll have a streaker running down the street! Unfortunately, it's a risk we will have to take as sooner or later she has to be able to do this process on her own. My little girl is growing up!

So, I initially though that I was wasting my time. Holly is closed this week, and Delaney had some signs of readiness, so I thought we'd give it a try. I didn't have high hopes or expectations. We showed no improvement from Day 1-Day 3, and she showed really no interest in the process. She didn't get mad when she had the accidents in her new pants. She didn't care when I told her "we don't go potty in our pants". She showed no inkling of understanding what we were trying to do! She immediately recognized when she had an accident and told us, but she wasn't completely upset about it like I thought she might be. She has also requested her "Dora pants" a few times, which I didn't think was a good sign!

Delaney is not ready for sleepy time potty training! She just isn't! She's too young, she sleeps too hard, she doesn't have enough control etc. The first day I tried nap time with just "Big Girl Pants" and towels, and that was an epic fail. We have been using Pull-ups for naps and overnight since, and so far it is working fine. There is no regression between the two. I'm completely fine with this system for a while. She isn't even 2 yet, so I feel like there is no reason to push our luck. She has even been waking up drier (not completely dry, but not soaked like normal) in the morning, so maybe we are making progress there too!

So, we aren't there yet, but we have made some huge strides in the last few days. We have 4 more days at home until life returns to normal, and Delaney goes back to Holly's. I hope by then we are making less trips to the bathroom every day, and Delaney is able to handle more of the process for herself so she doesn't completely monopolize Holly's time. I expected far more stress with this, so I am pleasantly surprised thus far. The process of this is absolutely exhausting, but the thought of never having to buy diapers again (for Delaney at least) is amazing! I'm so proud of my little, BIG girl!

Picture Post

2012-01-26T21:06:00.000-06:00

Delaney has been nurturing her shoe fetish by modeling some of my more fun options around the house! She loves these teal, sparkle numbers from my "O" Street, college days!


We started swimming again a couple weeks ago! Delaney had a little 4 week period when she wasn't into the swimming thing so much, but thankfully that has subsided and she's had a lot of fun that last couple weeks. She is really, really close to back floating all by herself...like "Look, Mom, no hands--by herself!"

We celebrated Delaney's boyfriend, Reed's 2nd Birthday Party! It's so hard to believe that these little babies are all of a sudden TWO! Oh, my!

We also celebrated our niece, Sydney's, 9th birthday! We still can't get over the fact that she's 9...when did that happen! Delaney also got some quality time in with her family that day!

Do you know what this pile of stuff means? We are going to attempt potty-training starting Saturday morning?!? Delaney is showing some of the "Signs of Readiness", and our daycare is closed next week so I thought I'd give it a whirl! We will see what happens, wish us luck...and PATIENCE!

Delaney-isms

2012-01-18T15:35:00.000-06:00

I realize that in all the holiday craziness and illnesses, I haven't told you much about Delaney lately. It seems as thought our tiny, little baby is long gone. Delaney is a full-blown toddler now with a mind of her own and enough personality to keep us on our toes. As we are inching closer to her birthday, I fear the "Terrible Twos" are here to stay. Her language development has been amazing lately. Some of the things this girl says is absolutely hilarious!

We do contact "checks" of where everyone is and what they are doing. Such as:
Delaney "Mommy?"
me "Yes, D?"
Delaney "Izzy?"
me "Izzy is taking a nap."
Delaney "Izzy nap."
Delaney "Mommy?"
me "Yes, D?"
Delaney "Daddy?"
me "Daddy went buh-bye. Daddy's at work."
Delaney "Daddy buh-bye."
me "Yep."
Rinse, Repeat 600 times consecutively before 8:30 a.m. EVERY.SINGLE.MORNING.
Once in a while, she branch out to get reports on the whereabouts of her papas, grandmas, chase, etc. It's a fun game we play ALOT!

Her latest trick has been to take her little potty step stool, that's supposed to help her get on and off the big-girl potty, all over the house. She has discovered this amazing tool can give her access to the whole new world of kitchen counters and bathroom drawers. Delaney has always been exceptionally tall for her age, but add another 6 inches with the stool and there's really nothing off limits for that kid. Case in point, yesterday morning I was in the bathroom getting ready for work, while Delaney was running around. I had forgotten she had taken her stool out to the kitchen while I was getting her milk & Cheerios for her. Next thing I know, I hear the contents of a treat bag from Reed's birthday party being dumped all over my coffee table. She had used her little stool to get up and reach the bag off the counter. I peak out the door to see pretty little D, shoveling fistfuls of candy and treats into her smiling face. Candy for breakfast=mom of the year, right here!

Mealtime has also become a chore lately. She used to be such a good eater, but now not so much. She eat what she wants, when she wants, and that's it. One day she'll love something, and the next she won't even touch it. She has started this new thing where she thinks she needs assistance with her silverware. She will ask for help, and when we tell her she's a big girl and can do it by herself...she throws the spoon or fork on the ground and laughs. She also gets rather amused with throwing food on the ground (which of course makes her Izzy's best friend.) I try to feed her good, healthy, well-rounded meals, but these days it's like pulling teeth. I really hope this is just a stage.

The potty training introduction phase is still going well. She consistently goes in the potty before bath each and every night, and multiple times a day when we are home on the weekends. We have still never had any success with #2, but we haven't pushed it yet. Other than before bath every night, we haven't pushed the potty on her. She is very interested in the potty and when everyone else is using it, so I think we are on the right track. I'm seriously considering full-on potty training her in a couple weeks when daycare is closed for a week. I don't know if she's quite ready yet, but I think she's pretty close.

My little diva is also starting to have a little more preference in what she is wearing. Some days she doesn't say a word, and others she'll throw a fit until she I put on one of her "kitty" shirts. She also almost always selects her own shoes for the day. I can see the shoe fetish I created isn't going away any time soon...sorry Craig! She also demands to wear her stocking hat every day when I put on her coat. Even if it's 60 degrees outside, she'll say "hat, too, Mommy?" and take a lot of convincing that she doesn't need it. I can only imagine this clothes struggle is only going to get worse.

Well, that's the latest and greatest on Miss D for now. I know it's totally random, but I wanted to have this down so that six months from now when the real "Terrible Twos" are in full-swing I can look back to a calmer time in our house. Ha!

So much for getting healthy...

2012-01-09T16:34:00.000-06:00

Delaney came down with a nasty cold last week, and I spent Thursday & Friday home with a sick little girl. She had a runny nose and stuff like that since before Christmas. But when she woke up with a fever Thursday morning, I thought for sure she had an ear infection or strep or something like that, but alas it was "just a combination of viruses". Awesome! My little girl had a low fever from Thursday until Saturday, snot everywhere, a smoker's cough, and was extremely clingy. Since it was a virus there wasn't much I could do for her...fluids, ibuprofen/Tylenol, humidifier, etc. Obviously, I enjoyed all the extra cuddles and snuggles, but of course those have now come back to bite me in the butt!

I'm sick. Craig's sick. We are a big, snotty, miserable family. No fevers since Saturday, so we have all gone back to our normal day-to-day happenings. All I want to do is go home to my sweat pants and DVR. I haven't made it back to the gym since Thursday thanks to this lovely sickness. I toyed with the idea of going tonight, but the way my head is pounding right now and the fact that I can't breath all that well, I'd say that's highly unlikely at this point. Here's to hoping this doesn't stick around too long!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T16:05:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I'm a few days late! Oops! We were pretty lame over the New Year's weekend, but I honestly loved every minute! We have been going non stop, on the road, away from home for the last six weekends. We needed some time to stay put and relax. The long weekend was long overdue and so needed! We stayed home just the 3 (plus Izzy) of us for a majority of the entire weekend. We played lots, watched a lot of football, grocery shopped, ate yummy food, read lots of books, and had lots of quality family time! It was awesome! These type of days/weekends are few and far between, so I try to really soak them up when they happen! It was so low-key, I didn't even take any pictures...

So, with the new year of course that means resolution time. Mine isn't terribly original, but for sake of accountability here it is. I hope to get healthy in 2012. Mentally, physically, and financially. All of these areas could definitely use some TLC, so in 2012 I'm making the effort to do something about it.

The physical aspect is already in progress. We finally joined the YMCA over the weekend (Monday to be exact), and Craig and I have already made one successful trip each for a workout. I haven't done anything active short of housework and chasing a crazy toddler around since September when I landed myself in that glorious walking boot. Craig hasn't done anything (aside from yardwork and occasional labor intensive days at work) since Delaney was born. To say that we were both a little overdue for some exercise is an understatement.

I think the additional of regular work outs in my life will help with my mental health. I know that my mind was in a really good place last summer when I was running, and I hope to get back there soon. I was a better mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend. Between the stress of the holidays and the wonderful economy, it's been a little rough lately. Not to mention that I think I suffer slightly from the "winter blues", it's a tough time of year. The weather has been amazing lately so that should be helping, but I still feel that gloomy feeling a lot. I'm optimistic that will change very soon!

I don't need to get into the nitty-gritty of our finances, but I'm make a conscience effort more than ever to cut back and lower our expenses this year! This will also help lower my stress level and improve my mental health! Wish me luck and wisdom!

Here's to a brighter & healthier 2012! Happy New Year!

Holiday Weekend

2011-12-27T22:01:00.000-06:00

Oh, what a weekend it was! We made the trip north to the homelands this weekend to spend the weekend with our families. We laughed a lot, ate a lot, and we were spoiled every time we turned around. Delaney didn't quite understand what was going on, but she had a great time running the show and getting lots of cool new stuff. She even managed to last through half of Christmas Eve mass! She would have lasted a lot longer if she new how to whisper. This weekend Delaney decided talking non-stop was what the cool kids do! She just doesn't have a volume control.

We spent Christmas Eve in Tekamah for dinner. Then, I was up until 4 a.m. with Delaney who wanted nothing more than to party. It was ridiculous! I was at my wits end for sure! I thought last weekend in KC was tough when she wouldn't sleep in her own bed, this was a nightmare! She not only wouldn't sleep in her own bed, but she wouldn't sleep period. I tried to keep her quiet so the rest of the family could sleep, but I don't think anybody got much rest that night.

We were in Omaha by 10a.m. Christmas morning for festivities with the Mencke family. We were all spoiled (as usual) by Grandma & Papa Farm. Delaney had lots of fun with her new things and her cousins. Delaney managed to hang in there pretty well considering how exhausted she must have been. By 3 o'clock I had trouble staying awake. We loaded up and headed back to Tekamah for the partially extended Bryant family. Delaney squeezed in a little nap, and we fired up and ready to go by dinner time.

So, we are back in Lincoln now with one day of work done. To say we are still exhausted is an understatement, but it was definitely worth it to have such a fun Christmas! All season long we've been saying that it didn't feel like Christmas. Now that it's all over, it still doesn't feel like Christmas; however, it was a lot of fun and a very merry holiday!

Oh, I had a total "Mom fail" and forgot to charge my camera after last week's trip to KC. Oops! I managed to get through about half of our festivities before it completely died on me!

Of course, Izzy enjoyed her stocking stuffers! She's kinda hard to please with toys and treats, but I think we did pretty good this year!

We had to do most of the opening for Delaney! She didn't quite "get" it.

D got some new dress up shoes that she thought were pretty cool until she tried to walk. So far they haven't been on her little feet since...

Here's Daddy with her new "copter". He was more like the little kid on Christmas with this thing!

She showing off some of her loot here...can't remember what it was now...

Here's what Santa left for Delaney at home. So far, the picnic basket has been the favorite of the bunch!

She has also enjoyed the blanket I made for her and her very own Camelbak bottle! She has coveting one of these since last summer, and now she has one of her very own.

Here's our little family after church on Christmas Eve!

Here's Craig demonstrating his helicopter!

These two are addicted to each other! It's so fun to watch them together!

Here's Delaney with her Mencke cousins. They are all getting so big all of a sudden!

Before my camera died, Delaney took Tyler's new drum set for a spin! She LOVED it! I keep telling her piano lessons first...

Hope your holidays were as great as ours!

Merry Christmas from the Mencke Family!

2011-12-25T12:00:00.005-06:00

Prologue

I thought I should provide a little background as to why I am writing the Christmas letter instead of Crystal this year. We had been talking about miscellaneous holiday crafts and I told the wife how much more creative I am than she is. Big mistake! All I got out of that conversation was that I “created” my way into writing this letter as punishment for my statement. I will try my best to make it a card you might actually like to read this season…

Chapter 1

So it is getting to be that time of year again when the “Jolly Fat Man” is going to be breaking and entering in millions of homes and more importantly when family, friends, and possibly even people you do not know will be sending you Christmas letters detailing all of the “exciting” things that have unfolded in their lives over the last year that you really don’t care about. Trips, careers, and stories about how their kids are better than everyone else’s are likely to be primary topics this year just as they are every other year. Being as how I cannot think of anything other than those topics to talk about, I thought the least I could do was to make it more interesting. So, I went with television show titles as the framework for my masterpiece.

The Parenthood – “Big D” is starting the terrible 2’s early. Pray for us!

Last Man Standing – Male/female ratio, including the dog, is 3-to-1. Maybe time to risk 4-to-1??? Hmm…

Big Brother – As of a few months ago, I now work for my brother. Trust me; he’s keeping a close eye on me.

The Voice – Delaney has quite the growing vocabulary. She still won’t say “please”, but she’s got “hot pink” down.

Law & Order – D spends a lot of time in “timeout” these days. She keeps getting “acquitted”.

Kitchen Nightmares – With my new job, Crystal now does most of the cooking. I’ll leave it at that…

Up All Night – These are very few and far between thankfully. We are getting too old to be up that late.

Hawaii Five-0 – No, we didn’t go to Hawaii—I wish, but we did go to Okoboji! That’s pretty tropical for us! Ha!

Bones – Delaney now knows how to “Throw the Bones” for the Husker defense. We couldn’t be more proud!

Monday Night Football – Forget the Huskers, my Chiefs are just plain bad. At least the Packers are rolling!

Dirty Jobs – We go through a lot of diapers…”poop” is another favorite in D’s vocabulary!

The Dog Whisperer– As long as there’s a pillow and a blanket for her, you’d never know Izzy was here.

House – We tiled the kitchen last spring, now when we drop things they break. Great improvement!

The Amazing Race – Crystal trained for and miraculously completed her first 5k in August.

Private Practice – 6 weeks later, she was in a walking boot due to a stress fracture because she runs funny. Ha!

The Good Wife – Crystal puts up with all of my shenanigans and she still loves me. But, why is she always tired?

Family Guy – I look forward to coming home everyday to see D! And the other two…I guess…sometimes…

Epilogue

I have to give the wife a little credit, she did contribute to this by being the ‘Editor in Chief’’. If there is anything in here that you do not like, just blame her for not taking it out. I think it turned out great. After racking my brain over creative ways to write this letter and thinking “outside the box”, I am finally finished. To sum it all up, I shall close with a statement made by Clark W. Griswold in the greatest Christmas movie ever made “…Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where's the Tylenol?”

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! (Play Ball!)

Love, Craig, Crystal, Izzy, & Delaney Mencke

Delaney & Sugar are not friends

2011-12-23T11:13:00.000-06:00

Well maybe I should rephrase that...Delaney & Sugar plus Mommy are not friends. Yesterday, I took a big decorated Eileen's sugar cookie over to Holly's as Delaney's Christmas gift to all her friends over there. It also gave Holly a break from making snacks that day. (I had done the same thing last year, but Delaney was too little to actually enjoy the treat with her friends!) Well this totally backfired on me yesterday. Of course, all the kids loved it, but if they had the reaction to it that my kid had I'm sure that I was being cussed all over the city of Lincoln last night. Sorry fellow parents!

Don't get me wrong, Delaney had had her fair share of sugar over the last 21 months. Cakes, cookies, candy, you name it she's tried it. Yesterday was totally different! That sugar cookie might as well have been made out of crack because my kid went crazy! It was like we gave her speed and caffeine! It was like talking to a brick wall last night trying to get her to behave. She didn't hear me or care about anything I had to say. It was a nightmare!

It was one of those awful nights that by the time I laid her down in her crib and walked away I was at my wits end. It was a RELIEF that it was bedtime! Then, of course, like I always do after a rough evening, by 9 o'clock I was calmed down and feeling guilty for being so mad at her. Why does that always happen?!? I've had some serious "Mommy guilt" moments lately anyway between shipping her here and there for a few nights, and being gone, etc. I just can't shake the feeling that I'm a horrible mother sometimes. I love that little twerp like nobody's business, but man, sometimes she makes my heart hurt! Next year, I'm taking an Edible Arrangement...

Check out Delaney's Message from Santa!

2011-12-21T16:49:00.000-06:00

Delaney's Message from Santa Claus

Christmas in Kansas City!

2011-12-19T22:16:00.000-06:00

We celebrated an early Christmas in Kansas City this past weekend with the Bryant family! It all started back when the 2011-2012 NFL schedule came out and we discovered that our two teams would meet head-to-head this season. We gambled with the Midwest December weather and bought the tickets. The trip then evolved into the Bryant family Christmas. Jess & Nick were kind enough to volunteer for child duty, so the rest of us could go to the game. (Thanks guys, we owe you one!) I took full advantage of the opportunity to try out my new camera, so here are a few of our favorites...

We thought the kids looks cute in their matching blue PJs, but of course neither of them wanted their pictures taken. They wanted to party!

Saturday morning we decided to take the kids to see Santa Claus. As you can tell, D wasn't too keen on the thought of sitting on Santa's lap, but Chase was pretty much in awe of him!

After some lunch, shopping, and naps the kids wanted to go swimming. It was Chase's first time in a pool, and just like his Momma's he was a little fish. Delaney even demonstrated a few of her swimming skills for the bunch!

After a yummy dinner Saturday night, we opened a few gifts! Of course, both the kiddos were spoiled! Delaney didn't quite understand that some gifts were hers and some were Chase's. We will still have to work on sharing!

Waiting patiently for Daddy to open her new Elmo toy. Coincidentally enough, we had just watched Sesame Street and Delaney fell in love with Elmo instantly and Papa showed up with a very special Sesame Street toy for Delaney. What perfect timing!

I love this face! Isn't he so cute?!? He looks so much like his Dad most of the time, but once in a while we can see Jess in there too!

Obviously, the game didn't turned out like I hoped but it was a great time nonetheless! We did a little last minute tailgating! The weather was better than we could have hoped for! It was mid-fifties by kickoff and sunny!

Oh, I almost forgot...these two got engaged last Thursday! They are planning a Spring 2014 wedding after they both graduate.

Aren't they cute! Even though our team lost, I think we all agreed it was a good time!

Here's my favorite "game" picture. Mason Crosby warming up! Gotta love the new zoom lens!

This picture was just for Craig...

Great flyover! This was a lucky shot. I just tipped the camera up mid-national anthem into the sun and snapped this. Not too shabby!

This picture pretty much sums up the game...Craig's ecstatic...the rest of us...not so much!

Looking forward to the weekend!

2011-12-15T10:45:00.000-06:00

I have been feeling the love all around this week. After Izzy's ordeal last weekend, I have had no less than 5 people offer to help us out with her this weekend while we are away. After a lot of thought and advice from our vet, we have decided to take Uncle Brent & Aunt Buffye up on their offer to take care of Izzy for the weekend. I think this is the only option that will allow me to relax and have any fun while we are in Kansas City. I am beyond grateful for their offer! I know she will be great hands. I also hope the anti-anxiety meds the vet prescribed will help mellow her out while we are gone!

I also celebrated my birthday this past Monday. Talk about feeling the love! I had over 50 FaceBook messages, lots of texts, and many phone calls from family & friends! I was also treated to lunch by my work BFF, Kaitlyn at Red Robin! I returned to find some beautiful flowers at the office from Craig! He can be really sweet when he wants too! Then, another co-worker surprised me with a delicious cupcake from Cupcakes & More. It was a great day! I am one that never really looks forward to my birthday. I always feel like it's a hassle for everyone to stop and acknowledge it right in the middle of the hectic holiday season. Don't get me wrong though, I love a little extra attention and spoiling once a year!

Speaking of spoiling, Craig surprised me with a new camera for an early birthday/Christmas gift! I haven't had much time to play with it yet, but I'm really hoping to this weekend! Hopefully this means some great pictures for you coming soon!

Poor Izzy!

2011-12-11T15:34:00.000-06:00

We were having a great weekend! Delaney was off getting royally spoiled by her grandparents at the farm, and Craig & I were enjoying a long overdue date night. We had purchased a night's stay at the Lincoln Embassy Suites last February, so we finally decided to use it last night. We spent the afternoon at the Devaney Center watching our niece Sydney's (aka Syd-fishous) swim meet. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner out at JTK last night (thanks to a sweet Living Social deal!), then we attended an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party at the Ruwes before we settled down for some sleep after midnight.

We were rudely awakened at 6:15a.m. this morning with a call from the PetsMart Pet Hotel. We had boarded Izzy there for the night, as it is her favorite place to be boarded if she absolutely has to be. It was a PetHotel manager telling me that Izzy had just suffered a seizure and that they were rushing her over to the emergency vet. We were up, packed, and walked out of our suite within 5 minutes. I got a call from the vet at the e-vet within about 15 minutes states that Izzy was ok and alert, but they recommended some further testing to figure out the cause of the seizure.

We got down to the e-vet and discussed everything with the vet. We weighed the options and decided to do some blood work to rule out infections of causes of that nature. Well, her labs came back relatively normal for being right after a seizure. They said that they were comfortable letting us take her home and just not leaving her for 24 hours. Beagles are a breed of dog that is susceptible to epilepsy, and it is common for the first seizures to start at age 3 & up. Izzy is about 3 1/2, so we are right in that window. Given the labs came back relatively normal, this could mean we are looking at an epilepsy diagnosis down the road if she suffers from more seizures. Let's hope that this was just a freak occurrence.

After we left the e-vet we headed over to PetsMart to pick up Izzy's things and pay our bill. I asked the girls there for a play by play of what went down. Apparently Izzy had gotten up and eaten fine this morning. They were just going for their morning walk/exercise in one of their play rooms. She was awake and alert, but within 15 seconds of walking into the room it started. Her head started shaking, and then she fell over and started convulsing. I'm confident that the two girls working at the time handled her far better than we would have at home. They said that it lasted about 30-40 seconds and she "came to" relatively quickly afterwards. They were very concerned about Izzy and told me to expect a call from them to check on her within the next couple days.

She has been resting since we got home. She seems pretty normal just tired, which is always the case after we leave her. She suffers from some serious separation anxiety from Craig. So, now I have to fret all week because we have to leave her again this coming weekend for our big trip down to Kansas City for the Packers vs. Chiefs game. I have a spot reserved for her at Wilderness Kennels where she stayed when we went to Okoboji last July. She got along fine there last summer and the people there are super nice, but now I'm really torn on what we should do. PetsMart is our favorite, but they are pretty pricey for a longer stay! Oh, decisions, decisions. Any volunteers to dog sit?

Throw the Bones

2011-12-01T20:41:00.000-06:00

Check out what Craig taught my little girl while I was out shopping on Black Friday...we are so proud! Sorry I can't figure out how to flip it!

Thanksgiving Recap

2011-11-30T20:39:00.000-06:00

We had a great holiday weekend!  It was full of all my favorite  things...family, food, and shopping!  Delaney was thoroughly spoiled by  all of her grandparents & aunts & uncles.  We definitely had  some reprogramming to do when we got home.  She had over her normal  share of "time outs" on Sunday.  She was CRAZY!  Hilarious, but oh so  naughty.  I didn't do the greatest job with pictures over the weekend,  but here are a few to share! 

 We kicked off the long weekend right, and celebrated my baby brother Chip's 21st birthday.  His birthday was technically on Thanksgiving, so we took him to our hometown bar at 12:00A.M. Thursday morning. I'm getting too old for that, but it was a lot of fun to celebrate with him and see some old friends.  

 My baby sister had quite a bit of fun that night too.  Here she is with one of her long time friends, Abby!  Abby happens to be the little sister to my best friend Amanda!  It's so much fun when we can all get together like when we were kids.  I will apologize now for the hideous nostril self portrait...eww!)

 We did get so spend some quality time with our families over the weekend.  I promise we spent equal time with both sides, but I have no proof of the Menckes this weekend.  We had professional pictures take with them on Saturday. After pictures, I got schooled twice my our nieces Sydney & Jaiden in UNO.  I hadn't played in years, and it showed!  

 Papa was getting a little too cozy with cousin Chase, so Delaney strategically placed herself between Chase and "HER" Papa.  It was pretty cute.  Luckily, Chase didn't seem to mind sharing...

 Delaney is pretty cute with her baby cousin.  She was pretty infatuated with him,and has been talking about him nonstop since we got home.  It's going to be so fun watching these two grow up together.

 Isn't he adorable?!?  I swear this kid is always smiling.  Even when he's having a rough day, and not feeling the best he's still smiling!  I wish I could see him more often!

He had to model the new hat his Momma got for his upcoming 6 month pictures. Isn't he cute! I had my first little "miss the baby stage, let's have another one moment" after I fed Chase his bedtime bottle. He finished in and nuzzled into my shoulder to cuddle. I miss that soo much! We won't be having another baby soon, but for the first time I missed having a little, little one. Within the next year, we 'll talk about it!

Time to Give Thanks!

2011-11-21T16:36:00.000-06:00

Time seems to be flying by these days. I thought I'd take a moment today to stop and be thankful for the many blessing in my life! The rest of the week is full of family and fun, so I probably won't be back to post until after the holiday!

My little peanut seems to be growing up so fast these days! Every day means new words and more personality! It's hard to keep up sometimes! Obviously, she is the most wonderful blessing in my life! She can have me at my wits end, pulling my hair out, and then give me one look and I melt! (She gets that from her dad!) She's one of a kind, and I wouldn't trade her for anything! My world has not been the same since that little, tiny baby entered our world...and I wouldn't give it up for a second!

After 10 years you'd think you'd get tired of one person, but I can't imagine my world with out my man. We often drive each other nuts, but there is no one I'd rather fight the good fight with. He's my best friend and my partner. I couldn't have chosen a better father for my kids or a better companion for my journey! I'm sure I take him for granted far more than I should. I really should work on that more...love you honey!

Obviously, my puppy has taken a bit of back seat over the last 20 months, but I wouldn't give Izzy back for the world! Aside from her crazy anxiety and shedding, she's pretty much the perfect dog! She loves to play, but will snuggle like nobody's business! She tolerates her little sister better than we could have hoped for, and for that I am truly grateful! She was our first "fur"-baby, and I love that little dog like there's no tomorrow!

Our home is something I'm grateful for every day! It keeps everything I love safe and warm. I can't wait to go home at the end of the day and be at peace! (This is far easier no that the railroads, "Quiet Zone" has gone into effect!) Of course we have a list a mile long of upgrades/changes we'd like to make to that house, but we love it! I'll be very sad to leave it whenever the time comes down the road!

We have two vehicles sitting in our garage right now that are completely functional and PAID OFF! This is a huge blessing, and I am so thankful for! They both get us safely from point A to point B without any trouble! The miles are racking up on them, but I'm hopeful they'll last a little while longer!

We are both gainfully employed in a horrible economy! Although our bills aren't going anywhere, we are surviving! This is far better than the alternative! Craig even managed to find a new, better job this year, so that is truly a blessing!

We have so many wonderful family and friends that love us and our kid like nobody's business! We are so lucky to have so many amazing people in our lives! We don't say it enough, but thanks for being you! I hope everyone takes a little time this week to remind themselves of all the good things in their lives, we have so many blessings in ours!

Professional sliding with Miss D

2011-11-06T21:36:00.000-06:00

We had a fun weekend here at the Mencke house. We enjoyed a delicious dinner out at the Parthenon Friday night. It had been quite a while just the three of us had eaten out. Delaney really like the Greek food, and unexpectedly we got a show with our dinner. There was a group of belly dancers that put on a performance right as we were finishing our meal. Delaney, of course, was completely enamored by this. She smiled and danced along.

Last night, we traveled up to Omaha to celebrate Craig's brother's and nephew's birthdays. Tyler's birthday was Friday and Brent's was today, so we split the difference and got together last night with everyone. We had dinner at Farmer Brown's in Waterloo. If you love a good small town steakhouse, this is a great one! We all ate too much and then had DQ ice cream cake afterwards. It was a fun family night! Delaney even fell asleep on the way home, which is rare these days, so it was a great success!

Today we had a quiet day at home. It started off with another crappy football game at noon, that for some reason wasn't even on regular TV. The ol' Green & Gold came through for us though this afternoon with a big win in San Diego. It restored a little faith in our football teams, given how awful the Husker game and the Chiefs game tuned out it was a little bleak for a while! (ouch!!) Between games, we got Delaney out in the backyard to enjoy the weather. Uncle Chip even came over to hang out for a while! She went wild as usual, and demonstrated some killer sliding techniques on her swing set. I thought you might enjoy some pictures & a little video!

hAlLoWeEn 2011

2011-10-31T22:16:00.000-05:00

We have been celebrating Halloween for almost a week now! I'll sum up our festivities with pictures as they are far more fun than my mindless rambling...

We started off with a date with Parker to Boo at the Zoo last week! Delaney wasn't feeling the greatest that night (nasty head cold), so she was pretty content to ride along in the stroller and munch on Goldfish crackers!

Friday night we carved pumpkins...with, power tools. Actually I should say, Craig carved pumpkins and Delaney & I watched. I think they turned out very cool, and they only took about 5 minutes each!

Saturday night, Craig's brother & sister-in-law hosted an Adult's Only Halloween Bash. Can you guess who we went as...your favorite cousin's from Christmas Vacation...Eddie & Catherine. (Of course, I don't have a decent picture of the two of us, so this will have to do!) Brent started out as Don King type character, but ended the night like a crazy Elvis...

Tonight we went Trick or Treating around the neighborhood with some of our neighbors. I fully expected Delaney to ride in her wagon, munch on some crackers, and look at everyone like we were crazy! No...this girl wanted to join the fun! She ran from house to house through most of the neighborhood. She kept up with the big kids pretty good, and gave Mommy & Daddy a workout! She did take a few wagon breaks, so I was able to get a few picture of her! She was a busy girl tonight, and had tons of fun!

We ended the night with some yummy cheesecake and ice cream across the street! Delaney thoroughly enjoyed that as well! Hope you all had a fun Halloween! (Oh, and Delaney supposed to be a bumble bee if you couldn't tell!)

Harvest is Here!

2011-10-24T15:38:00.000-05:00

I got an excited phone call from Craig last Thursday afternoon..."They are starting to pick corn! Let's so home this weekend!" He was like a kid on Christmas morning...you can take the boy off the farm, but you'll never get the farm out of the boy! Anyway, like any good wife would do, I said "Sure, honey, we can do that!" Then, I went home from work, did all the laundry, packed our bags, and we took off after work on Friday. The girls (Izzy counts) and I traveled separately, as Craig went straight up from Omaha after work.

I'm a total failure, so this is the only picture I managed to take all weekend! Oops! I've got to do better! Anyway, we spent the weekend visiting with all of Delaney's grandparents! She was spoiled rotten all weekend, of course! We even got in a little quality time with her cousin Chase! I managed to slip away for a shopping excursion to Omaha with my mom and sister on Saturday. It was so nice to get away! Delaney got to spend some quality time at the farm with her Grandma Jaccie while I was gone! I didn't realize how much I needed to get out of town, but I did. It was so nice to leave all of it behind and hit the road. I got a little R&R and enjoyed some yummy food that I didn't have to cook! It was a great change of pace!

Delaney learned at least one new word on the trip "tractor". She initially thought the combine was a train a.k.a "Choo-Choo", but that was after dark when she first saw the combine from a distance. She loved to sit and watch them go back & forth. I'm sure next year, she'll need a ride in the big rig...but thankfully she was content to watch from afar this year! I'm afraid that girl has a lot of "farm girl" in her!

One Month Later...

2011-10-19T16:05:00.000-05:00

One month ago today Craig started his new job. I think that over the last month he has adjusted fairly well. He has complained about the commute far less than I expected, and he seems genuinely excited about going to work. His hours obviously changed with the job move; it's a little longer, with a lot more driving thrown in. We have since discovered that he was replaced with 3 new additions in his old department. It's pretty crazy that they needed 3 new guys to fill his shoes. Let's just say his head was a little bigger after that little update! He/we/everyone is completely at peace with his decision to move on, and it appears that his picked a quite opportune time to get out!

The adjustment period for me is still on-going. I knew he'd be gone more, but I never took into consideration all the little things that would be up to me now. The biggest of these is making dinner. I know this sounds completely trivial in the grand scheme of things, but for the previous 5ish years Craig made dinner almost every night. It was almost always in progress if not done by the time I walked in the door. Boy, did I take this for granted! Now, it's on me, which if you know us at all you know this is a problem. Craig HATES my cooking, and because of that I have no confidence in my cooking abilities. I love to bake, and will attempt most baking tasks but sometimes cooking freaks me out! I have since implemented a weekly meal plan/grocery trip to help keep me sane. This has definitely helped, but I still have to execute it on a daily basis. I have also started making an effort to take full advantage of my crock pot...it's the perfect time of year for that thankfully!

Another issue with this new task of mine is that the dinner prep hour-ish is Delaney's toughest time of day! She is super clingy during this time, which isn't good when I'm working at a hot stove. She's starving and demands snacks as soon as we walk in the door. (I think I've mentioned that we have created a snacking monster...yep...still having that issue! I have the cabinet latches, we just need to get them installed so she can't help herself so much!) If she's not singing her "Up, Mama, UP, UP, UP!" song, she's tormenting the dog, who is also at my feet trying to catch any little morsel of food that drops. Craig can't understand why I'm so crabby when he walks in the door...I'm working on patience! This hour of the day makes me wish (as horrible as it sounds) that Delaney had some interest in TV. She won't sit and color or read a book for more than a minute or to, but to be able to sit her down to watch a video while I got dinner ready sounds like heaven. I may need to figure out a way to rig the laptop up with a Baby Einstein so she can see it but not touch it. She shows little to no interest in TV any of the time, so I don't know if this would even be worth the trouble. I digress...

I'm trying to adjust, but it's a lot harder than I expected. I think I was so worried about what this change would do to Craig, and I didn't think about what it actually meant for me. Nevertheless, he's taking it all in stride and I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water some days. Don't get me wrong, this job change is exactly what we needed to do right now. Sure different circumstances would make it easier, but it is what it is and for now we have to learn to deal with it. We still get reminders almost every day that this was the right move for us! Now, it I could just get those "SuperMom" powers that I keep dreaming about...we'll be set!

Delaney's First Battle Wound

2011-10-11T12:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday when I picked Delaney up from Holly's with a report I hadn't ever gotten from Holly..."Delaney got hurt today." Sure she's had some minor scrapes and bruises, but this is definitely the first real "accident". In typically Delaney style, she was running around being silly and fell (possibly tripped over a toy) and crashed into the corner of one of Holly's walls. Her face took the brunt of the fall as you can see. The picture isn't the greatest, as it was with my phone and she was so wound up when I tried to take it. Holly said that Delaney barely cried, which is exactly what we would expect out of hour indestructible little brute. Today her eye was a little puffy and the redness is changing over to a nice purple bruise when she woke up. Her eyelid is a little black. I'd say considering how rough and tough Delaney is, we're pretty lucky this is her first "injury"...and a totally minor one at that! I think we may have to do some touch up work on Holly's wall since D's head is pretty hard!

In other Delaney news, she has been spending a lot of time in "time out" at home. Her ornery streak is shining brightly these days. She has also figured out that she must say she's sorry (in the form of a hug) after time out, so how she will try to stand up immediately and give me hug to avoid a timeout. She's too smart for her own good! I have a hard time not laughing at her sometimes when she's being naughty! Holly and I have decided that Delaney is starting the "Terrible 2s" a little early as her ornery behavior is becoming more of the norm. Lord give me patience as I have a feeling this is going to get worse before it gets better!

She is also having some more "flukes" with the big girl potty. She has had success probably over a handful of times now. I'm still not convinced she really gets it, but she does seem to talk about "potty" & "poop" more now, and has even asked to go potty and gone on at least one occasion! We are still not pushing the issue as she is so young, but she gets the opportunity to go every night before bath and any other time she asks which isn't all that often right now. Could we be so lucky that she will potty train herself before the age of 2? We shall see...

Too Much Weekend

2011-10-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

I think Delaney had a little too much weekend! She got run down, and has now gotten sick! This is something that I used to do when I was a kid (actually, I still tend to get sick when I get run down.) Nothing serious, but still no fun! I'm hoping it's just a cold that she got because she was so tired & run down. I also think her teeth may be bothering her! I'm just hoping now that all this drainage doesn't turn into an ear infection again! I stayed home with her yesterday, so she could get in some extra rest and down time. She seemed a little more spunky this morning, but she still has that nasty cough! I hope this doesn't linger too long. Last night was the first night she hasn't woken up in the middle of the night in almost a week!

Craig and I are still trying to get caught up from the weekend too. We must be getting old because it's Thursday, and we are still exhausted! Having a sick kiddo doesn't help! Here's hoping a low-key weekend at home this weekend, gives us all a chance to get some rest. My parents are coming to town to go to the Husker game, so Craig and I might actually get a Date Night and some extra help with D. Should be a win/win for everyone!

A Busy Fall Weekend of Fun!

2011-10-02T22:34:00.000-05:00

We decided to take advantage of the wonderful fall weather we've been having and plan a jam-packed weekend of fun things for Miss D! We started off by heading out to Roca Berry Farm Pumpkin Patch in Roca (a small town south of Lincoln). I had taken Delaney last year with her daycare, so this is becoming an annual tradition. This year we went just the three of us, and we couldn't have had a better time! We took a tun of pictures, so here are a few of my favorites!

I think D was a little overwhelmed when we got there. She was very serious, and just kinda took it all in for a while! She did think the pumpkins were pretty cool though!

Delaney rode around the pumpkin patch in style with her brand new wagon!

Daddy and Delaney then got up close & personal with some animals, sheep specifically! Delaney was a little unsure, and quote hesitant with the sheep and goats. She did talk some D sass to the chickens, which was pretty funny!

Daddy & D then had some fun on the huge jumping pillows! I stood on the sidelines due to my recent injury, but it was a lot of fun to watch them bounce! I honestly think Craig had more fun than Delaney!

Of course, we had to go for a spin on the "choo-choo"!

D enjoyed all the slides around the farm! This was a little one she went down multiple times! She even went down one of the big ones a couple time! Such a big girl!

Then, Daddy & D played on some hay bales! D thought it was worthy of a round of applause!

On our way to the hayrack ride, Delaney hopped through the Candy Land!

Somehow I managed to not take any pictures in the actual pumpkin patch! Ha! Obviously, Delaney loves her prize pumpkin Daddy found for her! She gave it kisses!

The morning was a huge success! We all had a great time, and we had one tired little girl! Here she is with all her pumpkins ready to go home!

Last night, we went up to visit the Reinhart Family and watch some Husker football! We all know how that game turned out, but the kiddos had fun playing, and we had fun hanging out with old friends! We put D down in Reed's pack-n-play at halftime, and she was out like a light. After the game, we loaded her up and headed over to spend the night at Brent & Buffye's. Obviously, this woke Delaney up! We thought that we'd be able to get over there and put her back to bed. Delaney had other plans! After two hours of screaming, tears, and no sleep, Craig made the executive decision to head back to Lincoln! So at 1:30 a.m. we were on the road! Yikes! That little stinker was awake until we were 2 miles from home, and then she crashed! She officially got to bed at 2:30 a.m. and was wide awake this morning at 8! Not cool!

We had made plans to go to the Omaha zoo today with Craig's entire family to celebrate his mom's birthday (which is later this week)! Obviously, with our late night (or early morning) adventure we weren't going to make it to the Omaha zoo today. We had no idea what kind of shape Delaney would be in, so we asked everyone to come to Lincoln instead! They were all great and graciously agreed to come down here! Delaney held up all day, and we were able to enjoy lunch at Famous Daves (YUM!) and a fun afternoon at the Lincoln Children's Zoo! We ended the day with some birthday cake and put D down for a much needed nap! A perfect way to end a fun weekend! Here are some pictures from today...

Delaney & Daddy fed the goats! Delaney saw a lot of goats this weekend!

She backed away and just laughed and laughed at them!

Then, D & Papa Farm checked out the penguins!

Auntie Buffye (or as D recently called her "FuFu"), D, & Cousin Sydney checked out some cute little guys hanging out with the wallaby.

We attempted to get a picture of all 4 kiddos on the caterpillar...this is the best I got! I think Grandma managed to get one!

Tyler as a tree frog!

Jaiden as a beautiful butterfly!

Sydney as a very hungry caterpillar!

Delaney was fascinated by the flamingos. She kept running back over there to watch them!

Delaney, Grandma Farm, & Sydney thought the pretty fishies were pretty cool!

We ended the trip by checking out the penguin show! Delaney got a bird's eye view thanks to Daddy!

Now, it's time for bed! Hope you had a fun weekend too!

Big Girl Potty Success

2011-09-27T12:32:00.000-05:00

This is a post mainly for my own reference, but it's a pretty big deal. Delaney successfully used the big girl potty for the very first time last night. We had a rough evening with a lot of tantrums, crying, and screaming. She was tired and getting more tired every minute, so we decided on a early bath. For the last couple weeks we have been sitting her on the "potty" right before bath. We aren't pushing the potty training yet, but we figured we'd get her used to the idea. She is also very into sitting on chairs and things, so it's "fun" for her right now.

Last night was just like any other (except Craig was working late, so it was just us girls). Daddy typically does bathtime with D, it's one of "their things". I stripped her down and set her up on the throne, and said "Go potty D". I was putting my hair in a ponytail when I heard a little tinkle. Of course, I freaked out and we clapped and cheered! Delaney enjoyed this thoroughly and joined in with a big grin and lots of clapping. I'm sure she had no idea what the big deal was, but we will take it. It's a start!

I don't plan to actively potty train her for a while yet, unless this is the start of some crazy new occurrence! So far in the 18 months of Delaney's life, she has achieved all of the "milestones" at her own pace. She could have crawled, walked, talked, etc. long before she actually did. She's stubborn and independent, so she does things when she's good and ready. I'm not expecting anything different when it comes to potty training. She will have to decide when she wants to do it, and that will be it! Last night was a tiny first step in that direction! Way to go Delaney, Mommy is so proud of you! (Although, it does make Mommy a little sad to see you growing up so fast!)

18 months!

2011-09-20T14:33:00.000-05:00

Already 18 months!?! Believe me...I know! It doesn't seem possible that just a year and a half ago that tiny little bundle was born. Remember when she was only 5lbs and ate out of a syringe...crazy! They say "time flies...", but I didn't really understand until now! In honor of Delaney's half birthday (yesterday...actually), I thought it would be fun to do a little bullet list all about her...

Stats from our 18 month check up with the pediatrician today: 29lbs 15 oz (97 percentile), 33.25 inches tall (90 percentile), I don't remember the actual head circumference off the top of my head, but it's big... head size (90th percentile). Basically, she's a big girl all around! She's proportionate across the board, and she's thriving! I was a little worried that we'd have to start restricting her diet or something, but so far so good as we are still on the charts!
Clothes/Diapers...She is just starting the transition from 18 month cloths to 2T. The 18 month stuff is getting a little snug and short, and doesn't look the best sometimes. It's nice that this is happening with the change of the seasons, as she was going to need a new wardrobe for fall/winter anyway! (We also scored some super cute hand-me-downs from Miss Julia Bright last week that helps with this transition!) She is still wearing size 4 diapers, which I think will be our size for a while yet. Her little feet have been growing lately too. She's wearing Toddler size 5s right now, but even a few of them are a little snug on her fat little feet! The kids loves her shoes, and I couldn't be happier that there seems to be something she finally got from me!
Eating & Drinking...She only drinks milk & water by her choice alone (not that we are complaining) out of her sippy cups. She is also mastering her fork and spoon more every day! She actually eats better with her silverware versus the "caveman" method with her fingers. As far as what she eats, it changes on a daily basis. There are really very few things she actually doesn't like, but there are many things that she chooses not to eat when she doesn't feel like it. It's always "fun" to try to figure out what she's in the mood for! We do know this girl has a sweet tooth, and will share a sweet treat with Mommy (or Daddy if she's quick) anytime! Her favorite foods that she will always eat are spaghetti, mac & cheese, pizza, chicken nuggets, peas, green beans, and Nila Wafers...not all the healthiest options, but there is always fruit and/or veggies with all of that I promise! She also loves to snack, which is probably a bad habit we've started; however, that kid will run around with her little snack cup filled with crackers all day every day if we let her. She'll even go to the little cabinet where we keep all that kind of stuff and help herself. We might need to re-locate that cabinet soon!
Teeth...She has a new obsession with brushing her teeth. She will go into the bathroom, open the drawer, get out her toothbrush, take the cover off it, and start brushing multiple times a day if we aren't paying attention. We typically brush her teeth while she takes her nightly bath and before we leave for Holly's every morning. She is slowly working on getting her 1 year molars in...no fun! Delaney hasn't always been the "best" teether, so these are especially tough. She just doesn't seem to get them in very fast, so they hurt for a long time!
Talking...it seems like Delaney learns a new word almost every day. Her two latest that I find exceptionally cute are "Amen" & "Hot Pink". She also can no refer to herself as "Miss D", the pet-name Holly gave her when she was just a wee little peanut! The kid can repeat almost anything, but still refuses to even attempt "please" or "thank you". She could totally say those things if she wanted do, but again like everything else she'll do it when she's good and ready! She can name all her friends at Holly's house as well as most of her cousins. We are working on the other family members, and hope to debut some of those names soon! We are also working on animals and animal sounds. She definitely has the Moo! down for cows, but we have room for improvement with the others.
Books...she is addicted to books! That kid isn't happy unless there is a book in her hand and several at her feet. She loves her books. She turns the pages on her own. She is even starting to point out things like balls, ducks, and pretties (hairbows) as we read. First thing in the morning and last thing at night, that girl is at her bookshelf. She has even woken up hysterically in the middle of the night and as soon as we get her out of her crib, she wants down and goes straight for the books! She's nuts! I've actually had to take books away on a few occassions...Mom of the year right here! Her favorites right now are Snuggle Puppy (Sandra Boynton), The Very Hungary Caterpillar (Eric Carle), and Hoppity Hop Bunny (A flip tab book I picked up for her Easter Basket at Sams).
Playing...She would play outside all day every day if we let her. She loves to run and kick balls. She loves sidewalk chalk. She loves going for walks in the new wagon her daddy bought her. She loves to ride on her tricycle (with Daddy's help). She is infatuated with the bumble bees that love our flowers. She loves to climb up on the front porch and dance around. She loves her swing, and prefers to go up her slide. She's even better at fetch than Izzy (although fetch has never been one of Izzy's favorite tricks!) She can find dirt or mud without trying, and skinned knees and falls don't hardly slow her down. Inside, if she's not into her books she is running around climbing on everything...coffee tables, kitchen tables, bathroom counters, toilets, chairs, dog kennels, etc. She's a little monkey! She also really enjoys running the carpet sweeper around, and she'd love a crack at our Dyson (but it's a little big for her to manage). I'm thinking of dressing her up as a little French Maid for Halloween since she's into "cleaning", but I'm not sure how appropriate that is!?! She has also recently decided coloring was a pretty fun activity too, which I think is quite fun!
Dancing & Swimming...Delaney loves to dance. If we aren't entertaining her enough, she go over to the stereo, grab the remote, and turn it on herself just to boogie down. Let me be the first to warn you, Beyonce better look out because our little "single lady" has "moves like Jagger". I could watch her dance all day long! I can't wait to get her into dance lessons...birthday gift idea Grandmas, hint, hint! She is still going strong in her swimming lessons with Miss Jessica at Lifestrokes. She's still learning so much, and getting so much better all the time. She can hold her breath better than most of the kids in her class. Miss Jessica says she has amazing breath control for someone her age! Our little fishy makes us so proud!
Attitude...Delaney definitely has a little diva 'tude she displays on a regular basis. She's stubborn, independent, and has a serious temper. Last night after her bath, we had a glimpse of a actual throw-yourself-down temper tantrum. It didn't last long, but I can only imagine what these will evolve into soon! Oy-ve! She throws things, hits, kicks, and screams! She lets everyone know when she's not happy. She starts running in place and screaming when she gets told "no" on a regular basis. I guess my only saving grace is that I know this is all a stage. It is making me a little nervous for her teenage years though...I can feel the gray hairs already!

Well, I could go on about my little love bug all day, but I'm sure you're all beyond bored by now! We started a new adventure this week with Craig's new job, so we are all adjusting to that! This has great potential for all of us, so we are excited to finally get it started. So far so good...

Where were you?

2011-09-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ten years ago today, Craig and I were Seniors at Tekamah-Herman High School. It was just like any other day. I first heard the news of the attacks as I was in-between first and second period. First period, I had Band, and since it was football season we were out on the playground practicing for Friday's upcoming halftime performance, so I didn't hear the news initially. Craig (along with the rest of the football players in band) was excused from Band class to go to Student Center. Student Center was a glorified study hall for "honor" students, that had no supervising teacher and a pop machine, so he heard about the attacks a few minutes before I did. As I headed up to my locker after Band, the word was spreading throughout the halls. Ironically, I (and Craig) had Government class second period.

As soon as we walked into the classroom, the TV was on, and we could see the towers burning. It was the quietest that classroom ever was...nobody knew what to say. That classroom was typically always a class discussion of some sort with a laid-back, open sort of feel, not that day. We all just watched in silence. We watched the towers fall. We all knew this was big & horrible, but I know I didn't have any concept of exactly what all this meant for our country. The entire rest of the day, we moved from class to class, one TV to another. We had one lone teacher that felt that we didn't need to watch the coverage, and we should go about our normal coursework like any other day. (I can still attest, that we didn't learn anything in that class that day.)

We were scheduled to play a volleyball match in West Point that night. The Seniors always traveled to the games a little later than the Freshman & JV teams. We road in a van driving by Coach Andrew. Normally, he would have 99.9 (KGOR) on with his Blues Brothers sunglasses, grooving to the oldies on the way. All us girls would be chatting up a storm, driving him crazy. That day the van was silent except for the talk radio station Coach had tuned in. We were all still sucked in by the media coverage. Any other day, we would have protested talk radio, but not that day. We arrived in West Point, and it was so surreal. We dressed, we warmed up, we sang the National Anthem, we had a moment of silence. We were all there going through the motions, but nobody in the gym was thinking about Class C-1 High School Volleyball. If I remember right, we lost...it didn't matter. Nothing mattered that night.

The coming days are somewhat of a blur. I remember the school guidance counselor speaking to our Government class as a pseudo-grief counselor. I didn't really understand why. Like I said, I knew it was bad, but I didn't have any idea what it all meant. We had another moment of silence Friday night before the football game. We distributed yellow ribbons before the game. Everyone went through the motions.

I don't think I started to grasp the "big picture" of the events until a few weeks later at our first Close-Up Meeting following 9/11. (Close-Up is a program for high school students that gives schools the opportunity to take a group of students out to a "workshop" of sorts in Washington, D.C. for a in-depth look at our nation's government.) At the beginning of the year, we had over 25 students signed up to go and begun fund raising. After 9/11, over half of those students backed out. That meeting was an all-out screaming matching by parents on both sides. Some wanted the trip canceled for everyone. Some wanted us to still have the opportunity to go, but they were not allowing their child to board a plane bound for DC. Craig & I still ended up going with a handful of others as scheduled in March 2002. We experienced all the security changes of D.C. post-9/11. We were denied access to places that were always part of the normal Close-Up program. It was by far the best trip we took in High School, and we learned and saw so much; but it was definitely tainted by what happened 9/11.

As we have built up to the 10 year Anniversary, we have seen the news specials all over TV. We have watched some, recorded some. I can't get through one of them without crying. I understand now what I didn't way back then. Every time (which thankfully isn't that often) I step on an airplane...I get it. I think of all the people I know who have been serving in Iraq & Afghanistan that wouldn't have been there otherwise...I get it. That chill I get anytime I'm at an event with a fly-over as the planes are heading toward us...I get it. I didn't know it at the time, but that day 10 years ago would change everything. I know I'll never forget!

God Bless America!

On to bigger & better things...

2011-09-09T10:21:00.000-05:00

After 5+ years, Craig has decided to move on to bigger & better things. He turned in his two weeks notice last Friday, and a week from Monday he will begin a new venture working with his brother, Brent. This is a big change for all of us, but it will be good for everyone. Initially, Craig will have to commute to Omaha, but he long-term plan is to open a branch in Lincoln so it's not forever. His daily commute to the office in Omaha will be about 50 minutes one-way, so it about doubles his current drive.

This will give Craig a change of pace, opportunities for upward movement, full benefits, and hopefully more respect! He was getting more and more frustrated with his current job, so this couldn't have come at a better time. Brent & Craig have wanted to work together for years, so now it is finally happening. It will be fun to see what these two can do together!

Delaney & I are excited for him, and cautiously optimistic the commute won't take away too much of his time with us. We keep telling ourselves that it won't be forever! We have no immediate plans to move to Omaha. If anything, maybe we'll move to the other side of Lincoln in a couple years, as right now we are in the complete opposite corner from Omaha and a move to East Lincoln could cut his commute in half. We shall see...this housing market isn't conducive to us trying to sell our house anytime soon without losing some serious dough, so we'll (Craig will) have to tough it out for a while!

Last Blast of Summer

2011-08-30T21:31:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, Delaney went all summer without seeing her boyfriends, Reed & Parker. Seriously, how did this happen! So sad, but miraculously we got the whole gang together Saturday afternoon for a little fun in the backyard. It was a perfect afternoon for a little kiddie pool, sprinkler, swing set action! Watching the three little kiddos play was so much fun! The age difference between the three of them is totally gone!

We attempted a photo of the three of them...this is the best I was able to capture! They still look pretty cute even though it's not the greatest picture!

We set up the hose and the swimming pool for the kids to play in. Parker seemed a little timid with everything, but Delaney tried to help ease him into the fun! I'll tell you what though, that kid has the most extensive vocabulary I've ever heard at that age! Way to go little P Man!

Here's our little farm girl in action drinking from the hose! Reed enjoyed splashing her with it! Reed may the oldest of the group, but now he's the smallest. Don't count him out though...Hurricane Reed is a scrappy little fellow that holds his own.

Here's another shot of the three of them. As you can see, they didn't always seem to be too interested in what each other were doing. They were having fun nonetheless!

After a short battle with Delaney on the slide, here's Reed happy as a clam after achieving the "perfect" slide!

Here's the two of them in one of the best photos of Reed & Delaney to date! Don't they look so big!

The boys had fun playing with all of Delaney's "girl toys" under the "watchful" eyes of their three dads!

On Sunday as a bonus, we had a little outing at the Lincoln Children's Zoo with Parker! We had only taken Delaney do the Lincoln Zoo for "Boo at the Zoo" last year, so we were excited to take her now that she was more "into" it.

Shortly after arriving, we discovered that the zoo has a little pony named, Chip! Chip the pony even had a cute little pink heart painted on his butt!

Delaney had quite the time feeding the goats with her daddy. She didn't hesitate at all, and when right up to them with a piece of food!

I think she could have stayed at the goat feeding spot all day with those little guys! It was pretty cute!

There were some bigger goats that came right up close and personal with them. I think that overwhelmed D just a little bit!

Delaney then got to pet the super soft bunny! She was very gentle and nice with the bunny...soo sweet!

We took a tour of the Butterfly Pavilion. I couldn't believe how the butterflies would land on your hands!

We put the kiddos on a big caterpillar for a quick photo-op! Not great, but not bad! It was a fun afternoon to cap off a super fun weekend! We can't go another season without getting together!

17 Months & Counting

2011-08-19T21:14:00.000-05:00

Delaney and I had a Girls Night tonight, so thought we were over due for a bath-time photo shoot. She is 17 months old today...still seems unbelievable that she's growing up so fast. She is changing every day more into a big girl and less my little baby! She's a walking, talking, sassing, stomping, giggling, tickling, snacking, screaming, playing, reading fool...that I absolutely love to pieces! Isn't she cute...the little stinker!

Thunder Run 08.13.11

2011-08-19T20:46:00.000-05:00

Well I did it! I actually finished a 5k...without walking! It wasn't easy for me. For some reason i wasn't really on my game last Saturday, but I finished. My goal was to finish without walking, and I totally achieved my goal. My time was 34:40. Not too shabby for my first time out there! The Thunder Run is sponsored by the Nebraska National Guard and held on the actually runway out at the Lincoln Airport. Craig and Delaney came out to cheer me on, and it was a beautiful morning! I really couldn't have asked for more. My fabulous running partner/work BFF accomplice, Kaitlyn was a rock star on Saturday. I swear she could have kept running and finished another 5k. She told jokes, same me songs, and even kicked on her jets for the last stretch! Such an inspiration!

Early Terrible Twos?!?

2011-08-18T12:15:00.000-05:00

My sweet little baby Delaney has morphed into a busy, load, crazy toddler! Don't get me wrong, I still love her to pieces, but she has definitely been testing my patience lately! I'm seriously fearing for my sanity when the actual "terrible twos" hit. I may have mentioned that she is a full-blown book addict, but thankfully has retreated to only during the daytime hours as we haven't had any 3 a.m. meltdowns because "it's not storytime". She also has recently discovered her ability to scream, stomp her feet, and thrown a spectacular tantrum for the most mundane reasons...no snacks right before dinner, not getting to play with Daddy's NFL birthday card whenever she wants, her milk cup being suddenly empty. We have had more time-outs in the last week, than in the last 17 months combined. I'm afraid we are entering a new phase!

However, she is still a little sweetheart even with her "mean" streak. She loves her Mama, Dada, and Izzy like nobody's business. She loves to run around crazy outside, but will also sit quietly in her room and flip through a book. She learns new words every day, and will still occasionally cuddle for a few precious moments when the mood strikes! She stands up for herself, and takes no crap from anyone. I love this now, but I'm afraid it may cause trouble later in her life! She has found her voice and her volume, now we just need to work on controlling it! She is stubborn and bull-headed, but also silly and funny! She can make me laugh and cry in the same moment, and I can't help but feel a little sad that our little baby is growing up so fast!

There have been days lately when I have felt like a "bad mom" because I didn't have the time or patience to give to her. I have lost my cool, and gotten upset, while forgetting that she is only one and doesn't understand everything yet! I need to work on this. We will figure it out together, I'm sure! I wouldn't trade a moment with her for anything! She is my little peanut, and I love her to the moon and back!

First 5k

2011-08-12T14:11:00.001-05:00

I might officially be a runner now...5k tomorrow morning! Yikes!

Happy 3rd Anniversary Craig!

2011-08-08T08:05:00.003-05:00

Oh, what a day that was!

It seems like just yesterday, yet so many things have happened since!

I can't wait to see what's next! I love you!

Just keep running...

2011-08-05T13:05:00.000-05:00

In case you all have been wondering, I am still running. After a brief hiatus last week, I was back on the trails this week with my trusty "Sweat Sister" by my side. We officially signed up for our replacement 5k, since we had to postpone last week. We will now be running the Thunder Run next Saturday at the Lincoln Airport. It's scheduled for 8a.m. Saturday morning, so we are hoping this means a calm, cooler environment for a run. We shall see!

We have now finished our 5k training, and have moved on to 10k. We still need to find a 10k to run sometime in October, but I'm sure something will come up. I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a "Runner" yet, but maybe after I actually finish the 5k I will change my mind. I am definitely proud of myself for sticking with it. I actually look forward to my runs now, which totally baffles me. If you would have told me 6 months ago I'd say that, I'd have told you to stop smoking the wacky weed! Last week when I went without running for a whole week, I definitely felt a difference. I was more stressed and crabby for sure! Running gets me out of the house doing something just for myself for a little while, which I think is something that is absolutely necessary for my mental & physical health. I haven't lost a ton of weight yet or anything, but I am in much better shape and I feel better than I did 8 weeks ago! Kaitlyn keeps telling me we are going to run the Half Marathon...I still think she's a little nuts, but we'll see! The Lincoln Marathon is in May, so that gives me a lot of time to talk myself into it!

KC Weekend

2011-08-04T20:49:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Craig and I did something we hadn't done in almost 2 years. We left town alone together. Amazing enough, we made it home in one piece without killing each other! We headed down to KC for the Kenny Chesney concert! He came to Arrowhead on tour with Uncle Kracker, Billy Currington, & the Zac Brown Band. This was a show like we've never seen. Even if you are not a county music fan, you must see Kenny in concert! It's no wonder he's won Entertainer of the Year so many times! While in KC we also enjoyed some shopping at the Plaza and the Legends Outlet Mall, as well as some seriously good food! It was a wonderful weekend away, and Delaney was royally spoiled by Grandma Mencke back home in Lincoln!

I swear I am too short to do self photography of us, so this is the best I got! We were on the sunny side of the stadium in the 100+ degree heat! It was steamy, but so fun!

Kenny always makes a "dramatic" entrance! He rose up from a little tent hut thing set up in the middle of the field! Pretty sweet!

Craig wanted proper documentation of the shirt Kenny wore...Craig had seriously considered purchasing this same shirt earlier this morning. He must have good taste!

I thought this turned out pretty cool! Someday I'll get one of those really sweet cameras, so I can zoom in on the actual person instead of the jumbo screens...for now, this will do!

For the Encore, Kenny came back out and brought Zac Brown back out for a few songs! It was by far my favorite part of the show! It also happened to be Zac's birthday, so we all got to sing to him!

Thanks for the fun weekend away honey! Happy late 28th Birthday & early 3rd Anniversary!

Okoboji 2011

2011-07-25T22:21:00.000-05:00

We spent last week at one of my favorite places...Lake Okoboji! As always, we had a great time full of fun, food, and family time! The crazy heat and humidity dealt us some fits, so Delaney and I spent a lot of time inside. We thought Delaney had recovered from her ear infection before we left, but she rapidly became a crabby, clinging little girl. We attributed it to the heat, lack of sleep, and teething. By Wednesday she was getting progressively worse, so I decided I should have her checked out. After being turned away by two different doctor's clinics, we headed to the ER. Twenty minutes later we left with a double ear infection diagnosis and a prescription for antibiotics. She didn't make a miraculous recovery overnight, but we slowly started down the road to recovery. It was an exhausting trip, but I would go back tomorrow if I could! Thanks to my wonderful family for a fabulous family vacation...can't wait until next year!

Delaney took a couple of boat rides on Uncle Nick's boat! Nick even let her drive!

Here's the whole Bryant clan lakeside after breakfast one morning!

We took Delaney swimming one afternoon in Aunt Leah's hotel pool! It was crazy steamy in there, so this is the only picture that turned out! D had quite the time swimming with her Daddy, Papa, and cousins Jacob & Trevor! She sure is a water baby!

In our attempts to keep Delaney happy, we offered Fruit popsicles! Obviously, she enjoyed them!

Of course, we have a few Baby Chase pictures! Isn't he such a cutie?!?

He's getting so big and changing so fast!

Here's Chase and his Mommy hanging out at the Barefoot Bar!

Delaney and I had a little fun at the Barefoot too, even though she wasn't feeling the greatest! We got out of the house for a little while!

Everyone getting a little cozy (and punchy) on the couch!

We went on a Sunset Cruise with Jess and Nick Thursday night...Craig refused to take a nice picture with me...isn't this cute?

Here are Grandma & Papa with there two grandbabies! I'm sure they got home Saturday night and just collapsed after a week of helping us so much with these two!

We did an impromptu family photo before we left Saturday. It was a little steamy hence the haze in the picture, but we'll take it!

I spoke too soon...

2011-07-08T12:12:00.002-05:00

We are now dealing with another first at our house...Delaney has her first ear infection, and it's not just an ear infection...it's a double ear infection! This lovely condition was caused by all the drainage that she's had since last week...which is also the same virus that presented like pink eye, even through it was likely just part of the virus. After not sleeping through the night since Sunday, and waking up yesterday with goopy eyes, a faucet nose, and a nasty cough I decided to call the doctor. It was one of the few random days that I absolutely had to be at work and Craig couldn't get away, so I sent her to Holly's with severe apologies and guilt. Holly was very understanding!

After a conversation with one of the nurses, we decided we better get D into see one of the doctors to figure out what was going on. I had to trek clear across town to get the last appointment available yesterday, but after we saw the doctor I'm so glad I did. She said that the right ear is really bad, and the left is getting there. We have 10 day of Amoxicillian ahead of us, and a re-check of her ears scheduled for next Friday since we are leaving for the lake on Saturday! If it's not better we will have to go with a stronger antibiotic and ear drops...fun stuff! Luckily, so far Delaney seems to tolerate the Amoxicillian, she apparently like the taste of it which has helped tremendously! She also has not shown any signs of allergic reaction to it...I was a little worried since she hasn't had any real (non-OTC) medication yet and her cousin is allergic to penicillin. Let's hope that the meds help, and our little girl is good as new by the time we leave for vacation! I'm tired of sickness!

Catching our breath

2011-07-06T16:31:00.003-05:00

It's been a crazy few weeks around here. This coming weekend will be the first (and last) for quite some time that we will actually be home in Lincoln without any major plans. We are all looking forward to it. We have had many fun (and some not so fun) times lately, but all the running around and traveling is starting to take a toll. We have made numerous trips up North to Tekamah for various family events and visits. Craig's grandpa has had another bout with illness, but is not doing much better and recovering in Tekamah. Delaney has held up pretty well with the constant business, but she did have a run-in with pink eye last week! Nasty stuff! We spent Thursday and Friday home doing drops trying to get un-contagious before the big weekend! I think we have successfully gotten rid of the bug, and managed to not get anyone else sick! Phew!

I have been continuing with my running program. After battling nasty shin splints for the first few weeks, I am finally starting to feel better when I'm running! I think my new shoes definitely help! I about 3 weeks away from the 5k, I'm not as scared now as when I started the program...it seems doable now! Considering how anti-running I have been more whole life, this is quite an accomplishment!

We had a great Fourth of July weekend! We started it off by celebrating a friend's recent marriage at a wedding reception in Gretna Friday night. Congratulations Grant & Maria! Delaney spent some quality time with her Uncle Brent, Auntie Buff, and crazy cousins Sydney, Jaiden, & Tyler while we went out. She had a big time!

Saturday, we headed up to the farm. We all managed to take some much-needed naps Saturday afternoon, so we were ready to take in the festivities at Northridge Saturday night. They had live music, kiddie games, and awesome fireworks! I think this is going to be a great, new tradition for Tekamah! After the fireworks in Tekamah, we headed back to the farm for Craig & Brent's show. It was actually fairly impressive! (Delaney wasn't too into the firework this year, so she went to bed before the show at the farm!)

Sunday we celebrated Chase's baptism! It was a wonderful day for everyone! I was honored to become his godmother! Craig did a fine job standing in for Nick's brother, Brandon, as godfather. Brandon is serving in the US Air Force in Afghanistan right now, so obviously he couldn't be there with us on Sunday. Everyone did get to visit with him via Skype Sunday afternoon, which was nice! Chase did wonderful throughout the ceremony. He didn't even cry when the water was poured over his head. We may have another water baby on our hands!

Monday was the annual 4th of July parade in Tekamah! As opposed to last year, Delaney was far more entertained by the parade this year. She loved the candy, people watching, and floats! She even stayed out of the street, which I consider to be a huge victory! We enjoyed a family lunch in Tekamah and then headed home to Lincoln Monday afternoon. We made it home to enjoy some dessert with our new neighbors. We also discovered we live in a neighborhood full of pyromaniacs! Our house was actually shaking with some of the fireworks! We could feel vibrations in our bed! It was a little nuts! I suppose we were annoyed because we had already done the fireworks thing twice, and were pretty much zombies by Monday night!

I hope to get some pictures posted from the weekend soon! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Family Outing at the Zoo

2011-06-20T19:27:00.005-05:00

We started Father's Day Weekend off with a bang by taking a Family Day Trip to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha! Holly was closed on Friday for a much needed day off, so Craig and I decided to treat ourselves too. We had been trying to schedule a date with Delaney's boyfriends to the zoo, but we just couldn't connect this year!
We headed out from Lincoln early Friday morning to beat the heat! We got there about 9:45 after we dropped Izzy off for a play date for a play date at the PetsHotel in Omaha. We slathered on some sunscreen, popped up the stroller, and we were off! Delaney had a ball! We weren't sure if she would really understand or enjoy it, but as long as she had a good view of the animals, she was in heaven! Her little pointer fingers got quite a workout! Being the little fish that she is, she especially loved the aquarium! Here are some pictures! Most of the animals seemed pretty happy so they were fairly active!

It was a super fun day for all of us, and completely tired little miss D out!

Reporting back

2011-06-09T11:15:00.004-05:00

Well, I successfully survived night 1 of "Beginner's Luck", the running program I started this week. I'm feeling the pain today, but it wasn't horrible. There were definitely a few moments when I thought I was in over my head, but thanks to my trusty sidekick Kaitlyn I kept going. I'm still a little overwhelmed by it all, but I'm very happy I joined. It definitely helps to do this with a good friend!

I've been trying to take various steps lately to a healthier lifestyle, so this is an excellent addition to my plan. It also helps me dedicate a little bit more time for myself, which I also think helps promote a healthy lifestyle. I'm hoping I can continue with the routine I've had for the past month or so, by getting up early at 6 and doing my run/workout before Craig leaves for work. That way my run or video (depending on the day) is done for the day before Delaney gets up and the craziness takes over. I am also notorious for finding excuses if I put it off to later in the day, so this plan works for me...especially since I don't have to sacrifice any precious time with my sweet little D.

Last night, we had an awesome speaker that provided some serious inspiration! Check out his blog when you have a chance...
http://www.bendoeslife.com.

Also, here's a video he put together of his story!
http://youtu.be/8SbXgQqbOoU

Run Forrest Run

2011-06-08T13:00:00.002-05:00

So tonight I start a journey that I absolutely never thought I'd go on. I have decided to take part in the annual Beginner's Luck Running program put on here in Lincoln by the Lincoln Running Company with my work BFF Kaitlyn! I have been jealous of "runners" for a long time, but have long considered myself not running material. Well, tonight I will find out what I'm made of. This program is 8 weeks long, with a weekly training session and a 5k run on the last night. It is designed for people just like me that have no clue what they are doing when it comes to running. They will educate us on everything running over the course of the program. I'm very excited, and a little scared! Wish me luck!

Updates

2011-06-02T12:03:00.002-05:00

FYI...our home computer is still on the fritz, so we won't have any pictures today! Boo!

In other news, Delaney is a busy as ever these days. She is a full-on walker/runner! She jabbers all the time, and is learning new actual words on a daily basis. She is still on her hunger strike, and chooses only to eat what she wants when she wants it. Every day it's something different! She seems to be looking more and more like a little kid instead of my little baby. We have a 15 month check up in a few weeks, so we will see how much she has been growing with all of this new found mobility! Delaney had her first sleepover at Me-Ma & Papa Bryant's last weekend! She apparently was a very good girl, and they had a ball spoiling her! She has a big of a split personality some days...one minute she's throwing her food and screaming, and then the next she's giving us kisses! It's adorable and exhausting all at the same time. Just this past Tuesday, she blew me a kiss as I left her at Holly's! That was one of those moments that just makes a Mom's heart hurt!

Craig has been busy with household chores lately. He has been cultivating our garden with some serious TLC. We have attempted various vegetable in the previous 2 years we've been in the house without much success, so this year he took a different approach. We had to replant the entire garden already once this year since a late-freeze killed all our little veggies. We have no replanted everything, and so far it seems to be thriving! We have also started the process of transitioning our home over to satin nickel versus polished brass hardware & light fixtures. This will probably take us several months to complete it all in stages, but it has become and we have beautiful new door knobs to prove it! Craig has also nursed the lawn back to health after a miserable summer last year that killed quite a bit of our grass. It looks so nice right now, and many of our flowers are blooming!

I am about ready to do my last day of the 30 Day Shred. It obviously took me a lot longer than 30 days to complete it, but I stuck with it and have got it done! I am also on my 5th week of Weight Watchers. So far, it has gone great! I have lost over 6 pounds, and I feel better. It is totally doable because there is nothing that I can't have I just have to account for it! It's a slow, uphill battle, but so far it's going well! Next week, I will start a different video series to give myself some variety, so we will see what that's like! Other than all of that, I'm just living the dream as a working Mom!

Chase is here!

2011-05-23T14:26:00.003-05:00

Well after a crazy week of welcoming a new nephew, battling a horrendous sinus infection, and dealing with a computer whose hard drive has apparently crashed, I'm back. Obviously, the big news is that Chase Myran Mathistad was born last Wednesday, May 18th! He weighed 6lbs 9oz and was 20 inches long! After 9 long months of secrecy surrounding the name, it's Chase! I absolutely love it, and couldn't have guessed it in a million years!

(Since our computer isn't being nice, I haven't downloaded any picture from my camera, so we will have to do with photos I've received & taken with my phone...sorry they aren't the best quality).

Here's the little guy all tuckered out after a big day of entering the crazy world!

This was my first look at his open eyes! They are a deep blue right now, we'll see what they end up being...it's a toss-up!

So far I think he is built like his mommy...long and lanky! He has a long neck like her and long limbs, fingers, and toes. However, in his face he looks like his daddy! A perfect combo!

He's all dressed up for his venture home! Too cute!

I drug myself out of bed finally on Saturday, so Delaney and I made a quick trip up to visit! (Craig had the unfortunate task of working on Saturday!) We were there for about 24 hours, and got in lots of Chase time! Delaney is still a little unsure of her little cousin. We definitely need to work on being gentle, and she gets quite jealous when I hold him! (Good thing we have no immediate plans for any siblings!)

Anniversary flowers!

2011-05-10T15:36:00.002-05:00

Craig spoiled me today by sending these beautiful daisies to my office! Gerberas...my favorite!

10 Years

2011-05-10T15:03:00.002-05:00

Ten years ago today Craig and I went on our first date! I can't believe that 10 years have gone by already! We were 17 and ending our junior year in high school! We went to dinner & a movie! We ate at Burger King (ha! true story) and saw Along Came a Spider. Little did we know what we were starting that night...here we are 10 years later. We have done a lot in those ten years, here are a few highlights:

Graduating high school (05.2002) We graduated number 5 & 6 in our class of 52...the order is still up for debate!
Attending & graduating college at UNL (me-5.2006, Craig-5.2007) We said "good-bye" to our little farm towns and headed for the big city of Lincoln! We had no idea this is where we would be making our home!
Both purchased our first vehicles (me-11.2006, Craig-7.2007) This was a big deal for both of us, and we are just a couple months from having them both paid off!
Entered the workforce full time (2006 & 2007) We quickly learned what the "real world" was like. We are still trying to adjust!
Got Engaged (12.12.2007) We were supposed to celebrate my 24th birthday with our friends, but before dinner Craig proposed! Everyone was hoping, but I don't think anybody thought he would ever ask! Best Birthday Ever!
Bought a house (06.26.2008) We closed on our house about 6 weeks before our wedding, but didn't move in until a week after our wedding right after our honeymoon! Almost 3 years later, we are still making it our home!
Got Married! (08.08.08) One of the happiest days of my life! Our wedding day was perfect, perfect weather, all our friends & family there to celebrate, we couldn't have asked for more!
Got a puppy (09.17.08) We saw little Izzy and instantly fell in love! She was and will always be our first-born! Our lives would be so empty with out that little fur-monster!
Got pregnant (found out 08.07.09) We were blessed and didn't have to try long, we were both a little shocked when it happened! It was a great first anniversary present!
Had Delaney Jo! (03.19.10) The happiest day of our lives! Delaney has definitely changed us, but I think for the better! Craig shows a completely different side when he's with his little girl...melt my heart!

We have traveled near & far together! We have made many new friends! We have lost others along the way! We have left our homes and moved into a home of our own! We have gone from single, to dating, to engaged, to married, to parents! We have laughed, cried, swore, and fought! We have been through a lot to say the least, and we have done it all together! We were so young and naive when we jumped into this with both feet, but I'm so thankful we did! I couldn't have picked a better partner for my life, and I can't wait to see what the next 10 years has in store for us! I love you Craig!

Road to Recovery

2011-05-05T11:50:00.002-05:00

Well, I think I can safely say that the Mencke house is on the road to recovery. We have all been back to work/day care since Tuesday, and so far so good. So far, I have miraculously remained healthy despite being a human kleenex for Delaney for over a week now! Both Craig and Delaney have lingering sniffles and coughs, but they are doing much better!

I have continued with my 30 Day Shredding this week! I started Level 2 on Monday, and I have felt it all week! My wrist is starting to get a little sore (remember last summer when I had that weird tendinitis "BlackBerry tumb" thing?), so this morning I had to do a few "alternative" moves from Level 1. I hope I can continue my workouts with this improv substitution. I am starting to feel stronger and a little more fit, so I think it's definitely helping! So continuing the effort of full accountability...after a recommendation from a close friend who is looking fabulous these days, and who will remain nameless, I have started Weight Watchers this week! So far, I think it's a perfect fit for me. I don't have to deprive myself of the things I love, but I have to account for every bite or drink of food I take and stay within my limits! My problem all along has been food, and more specifically portion control and self control, so this is a great step in the right directly for me! So far, I'm loving it, and cautiously optimistic for results!

We have a busy Mother's Day weekend planned with hopes of seeing all our mothers! We are very blessed to have our mothers and grandmothers so close that we can celebrate with them! It should be a fun weekend, and a good test for my new diet! Happy Mother's day to my mom, mother-in-law, grandma, and all the other wonderful moms in my life!

Mencke Hospital

2011-05-02T10:18:00.001-05:00

I'm home playing nurse today with two sick patients...no fun!