Ode to My Shark Steam Mop

Oh, my new Shark Steam Mop

Once I started cleaning I didn't want to stop

You use only water

which is so much healthier for my son and daughter

You sanitize my floors

which makes me happy to do my "chores"

My kitchen feels so clean

Its nicer than I've ever seen

You are safe on wood floors

I wonder if you can be used on doors

You cleaned up all the grime

that just appears all the time

Dog prints, hand prints, foot prints and all

You even cleaned the food that does fall

Oh, I have never been more glad

even when my floor needs cleaning bad(ly)

you are the best spent $50 I have ever spent

I think you were heaven-sent!

Ok, way too cheesy, but I couldn't help myself!

Alissa

Too Busy...again!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I most certainly did NOT procrastinate developing a 2 hour presentation for a local hospital for TOMORROW! That is absolutely NOT what I am doing right now (well, RIGHT now I am writing this post...)! I am always prepared for everything I teach WAY ahead of time.

I also did NOT let my 6-year-old take a (edited to correct the nap length!!) 3+ (NOT 6+) hour nap on Saturday (until after 6 p.m.) because I just couldn't bear to wake her up! This also did NOT result in her staying up to watch Soul Surfer with me until 11 p.m. (when bedtime is normally no later than 8!). I always love having my kids around and would never relish the time they are sleeping so I have some quiet time...I also am always a stickler about bed times and would never deviate from that!

And last but not least...I most certainly did NOT oversleep until after 8:00 this morning! (when we should have been out the door before then). We are always on time for everything (including work and school!!). During this time I was NOT groggily getting ready quickly while my dear husband jump started his truck, and fixed a flat tire on my car!

So...what have you NOT done this week??

Alissa ;)

Our Furry Family Members

We weren't animal people

Then we got a puppy for our kids
and we are head-over-heels for her

Miley Marie

We REALLY weren't cat people

Then we got two kittens
to catch mice in Mike's shed
and we think they are about
the sweetest things ever

Smokey

CeCe

Our family wouldn't be complete
without them now

Did I mention...?

This past weekend my dear husband and I got to spend a couple days away from home while his parents held down the fort. We had a conference in the Twin Cities on Saturday, so decided to take the opportunity to stay overnight and have some fun while we were there.

The conference (Beyond Consequences, Live) was really good. It was on parenting kids who have experienced "trauma". I had been to one before, but this was the first for Mike. I don't have the brain power right now to do a post on the conference and this parenting "philosophy", but I will try to do that in the near future. It has been revolutionary for our family since I was first exposed to it about a year ago!

After the conference, we spent some time at….IKEA!! Love that store! Not that it is all my style, but for some reason, it just makes me happy. What better than a chance to browse through a huge store of unique furniture, home goods, and other fun things while people-watching! Mike was better at the people-watching during this most recent trip than I was. When we got back to the car after our time there he started commenting on some of the different people he had noticed and I hadn't noticed any of them!

After IKEA, we checked into our hotel and I got to take a nap (I LOVE naps, so this was just heavenly!). Our hotel was fine (meaning I was glad I had only paid $35/night for it on priceline.com).

Next we went to Buca di Beppo (also just heavenly!) with my cousin and her husband. Fantastic Italian food served family-style…yum! There really is nothing like sharing a meal (in this case, literally) to connect with people. Then we enjoyed a fire in their backyard later that evening (see my previous post about Sister-cousins).

Slept late in the morning (again...heavenly!) and then went to one of my favorite places! Mudd Lake Furniture is a wonderful place West of the Twin Cities that is a furniture/antique/home decorating store that was started by a former NFL football player! It is truly one of the most unique places I have ever been. Check out their website (and no, I am not being compensated for this plug, I just truly love the place!). On their website check out the "models" in pictures 1 and 3 of their slideshow…yep, we are famous there! (ok, we happened to be there for an event a couple years ago when some of the pictures for their site were taken.)

My treasures of the day for our screen porch!

Did I mention that I love this place?

Did I mention that it was a wonderful weekend?

Did I mention that it was wonderful to get home to 2 kids, 1 puppy, 2 kittens and 2 grandparents that were very happy to see us?

Sister-Cousins

Ok, I am trying to decide how to explain the intricacies of my family to give some insight into who my sister-cousins are in my life...
I am an identical twin (for those of you who don't know that). My sister and I are very close, and especially when we were younger, were really one unit more than 2 individuals. We did everything together, so our relationship really went beyond that of "typical" siblings.

To add to this dynamic, we grew up just over the hill from my aunt and uncle and cousins. We spent lots of time together. At least every Sunday, and often other times during the week. My cousins were like "extra" sisters. We absolutely LOVED spending time together (and still do)!! We would play together by the hour in Grandma's basement coming up with crazy outfits and playing with the wonderful things that could be found in a Grandma's basement. Someone in the family (one of the "spouses") coined the term "hyperfunctional" (as opposed to "dysfunctional") to describe my family. :) When you have 4 generations of lovely people who still enjoy getting together, I guess that is the best way to describe it!

Now the cousins are all grown up and have families of our own. We don't get to spend nearly enough time together as there are greater distances between us now than the 5 blocks of our childhood. My cousins still are my "extra" sisters, though, and our husbands (and kids) all LOVE to get together as well. It is so great. People have questioned at various times through the years "you are going WHERE?" when the answer is something like "my cousin's son's confirmation..." as generally that is not an event that would necessitate a trip out of state to spend an entire day or more. Wouldn't a card suffice?? Not if it is basically your "nephew", and it is in your ability to be there!
When we do have the chance, we get together for a "Cousins' Night Out". It is a chance for whoever is "home" to get together and reconnect. They are greatly anticipated events! Not for any specific excitement that happens, but for the reconnection with the people we love. Sometimes Cousins' Night Out means we actually go out to eat somewhere, sometimes it means we get together at one of our houses after the kids have gone to bed. ALWAYS it means we laugh, share, laugh some more, remember the past, laugh, talk about the present, laugh, and think about the potential of the future.

This past summer we spent a couple days with one of my cousin's families at their home, and had such a great time that we decided we needed to make that happen more often. Our kids had a chance to connect on a deeper level than the usual couple hours that we see them when they visit "home". We got to share meals, share bedtime and morning routines, and settle into the joy that is family.

Just this past weekend we spent an evening with another cousin and her husband (their boys are now in college!). We went out to eat, had a great meal, sat outside around a fire in their yard (in the rain, under umbrellas), and just enjoyed being together. Ahhh...







Now, I have other cousins who we love as well, and cherish all of them, but these sister-cousins have a special place in my heart.

WI Great Northern Railroad

Oh, the fun outing we took this past weekend with great friends! We went on a dinner train ride in a restored train (I think the dining car was from the 1920's).

We waited in the club car before we could board the dining car

The dining car was beautiful

Our meal was lovely...this was our salad and cheese plate. I apparently forgot to take pictures of any of the other courses. We also had a tasty soup, wonderful meal (prime rib for me!) and turtle cheesecake for dessert!

We rode on the train until it was dark outside

(This was done by sticking my head out the window and snapping ahead of us...probably not my smartest decision ever, especially since we had been told that the windows had a tendency to slam shut without warning)

I was prepared for a fun evening with friends (what evening with friends and no kids isn't fun?!?)

I was prepared for a nice dinner (the menu had sounded good at least)

I was prepared for the novelty of riding a train for the first time (at least I can't recall any other time)

What I wasn't prepared for was all the wonderful colors and textures in an old train and train station (how delightful!)

Lovely ceilings...




Wonderful doors and fasteners...

Vivid reds...

Faded greens...

It was all just absolutely delightful! I highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun, unique excursion. Thanks for joining me on our fun trip! Let me know if you find a "must do"!

Happy exploring to all of you,
Alissa

Too busy!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

As for me:

I most certainly did NOT encourage the dog to lick up the mac and cheese that had spilled on the floor (and then not clean it up myself). I am grossed out by people who let their dogs clean up things, and always keep my house spotless!

I also did NOT make my kids eat cereal for supper last night because it was too late and I was too tired to make them anything for supper. I always feed my children proper, balanced meals!

How about you?? What have you NOT done this week?

Alissa