Happy Birthday Jen!

Happy Birthday Week, Jen!!
I hope you have a great week and a FANTASTIC day on Wednesday!
We love you and miss you!

Favorite things!

We've been having some massive issues with all the pictures on our computer, thus the lack in blogging. Therefore, I decided to not only update the look of the blog (something new, I guess), I decided to do a Favorite Things post. Here goes!

Current Favorite Breakfast Food



I was watching Food Network's Giada At Home where she made this breakfast. I decided to try the ricotta cheese/yogurt mix, and to my delight I LOVE IT! I've been eating it for breakfast along with some fresh fruit and yogurt - delish!



Skype
I got to talk to my sister when she got to Ireland this week -and hopefully we'll be able to talk periodically while she's gone. Enough said about that!


Favorite Quick Unhealthy Snack:
A couple tablespoons of peanut butter chips and dark chocolate chips in a tiny dish or in my palm. Or sprinkled on ice cream. YUM!



Infant Tylenol
This is currently one of my favorites, as Matea is getting several teeth in right now. Why don't they sell Tylenol in bigger bottles?

I'm digging this band...
Need to Breathe
We currently have both of their albums (The Heat and Daylight). Their music seems to be a perfect mix of upbeat, mellow, rock, alternative, melodic, rhythmic...I don't know. I like them.








And this song....
Mat Kearney's Closer to Love. Here's the video!

happenings

One year ago today we met Matea for the very first time!! I can't believe how fast that went.

Today is our last full day with Jen before she heads out to become a missionary. We're at mom and dad's getting ready to have a party with family and friends. Tomorrow we go to a Twins game (and hope Matea lasts longer than 3 innings!).

My plan is to become a really good blogger while Jen's gone. :-) That way if we miss each other online she can know what's going on by checking the blog. So if anyone is still reading this blog...well...theoretically there'll be a lot more to read over the next 11 months or so. Ha!

So here's to blogging, Matea, and Jen!

the Great Urban Race

Last weekend was girls weekend with my mom, sister, and grandma. On Saturday Jen, mom, and I did The Great Urban Race, which is basically a giant scavenger hunt in Minneapolis. We walked over 9 miles in 4 hours, 45 minutes before we finished. We were the last official team to finish - however, ten teams did not finish, and 3 teams had penalties which put their time after ours. It was really fun - except for the last hour and a half when we were tired and ready to be done. :-)

We had to figure out the clues, and then find the location in Minneapolis.

We had to take pictures to prove that we found what we were looking for - in this clue, we figured out that we were supposed to go to First Ave and find the Black Eyed Peas star.

This clue we were supposed to make a pyramid in front of the upside down pyramid
sculpture on Nicolette Ave.
We decided if we did it again we would get a few teams together and race against each other since we know we'd never win!! The winning team finished in 1:47!!

a-b-c

Matea (17 months) has been able to say her ABCs (mostly) for several weeks, and I FINALLY got it on video. So, enjoy. I've got a couple more funny Matea videos to post later. And we'll also focus on other aspects of life later too. :-)

one child

PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO!


Please sponsor a child.

sandwich

We FINALLY figured out that she has been saying "sandwich!" Jen and I thought this was pretty funny. :-)