See for yourselves...
http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=344832>1=28102
Trick-or-Treat!
This year we had a scary dragon and a pretty ladybug. Troy was so excited for trick-or-treating that he had his costume on a couple days before Halloween and did not want to take it off! They even had a costume parade at school, so he was able to get another wear out of it. Emma did not quite know what was going on, but loved going to the door to give the kids candy.
The scene that took place at our house was quite the opposite of last year, when Troy wanted nothing to do with Trick-or-Treating or even putting on a costume. See pics from last year's Halloween and my how they grow!
Tag? Really Meg??
So, I am reading my sister-n-law's posts of the family and as I get down to the bottom, I see a tag to SIL Lisa. I was thinking, what is SIL? Then it dawned one me. Oh crap, that is me. I will humor you all with my answers.
1. Where is your mobile phone? Stuck in a purse pocket where I can not hear it.
2. Where is your significant other? In the basement doing something with Troy. All I hear is, "Daddy, do this!"
3. Your hair color? Dark Brown
4. Your mother? Is probably yelling at my younger brother for something...
5. Your father? Also yelling at said brother....
6. Your favorite things? Sleep, people who do their work like they are supposed to, and my kids when they jump all over their father.
7. Your dream last night? Did I dream? Probably, but don't remember.
8. Your dream/goal? To be Governor of Alaska
9. The room your in? The kitchen area
10. Your hobby? photography, scrapbooking, reading, painting, golf and shopping. :)
11. Your fear? Dying before seeing my children grow up.
12. Where do you want to be in six years? Running for Governor of Alaska.
13. Where were you last night? Same place, but working
14. What you’re not? Patient and something else, I know it!
15. One of your wish list items? housekeeper is good, for Troy to stop having accidents and the new Dolce and Gabbana perfume - wait that is three. How can you just wish for one thing?
Okay - World Peace!!
16. Where you grew up? Australia. That is not a place to can see from Alaska.
[If you have no idea what I am talking about, please search http://www.youtube.com/ for Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. It is hilarious!]
17. The last thing you did? Made some tea.
18. What are you wearing? warm clothes...it's getting cold here!
19. Your TV? Is currently not on.
20. Your pet? None
21. Your computer? What about it?
22. Your mood? Sassy.
23. Missing someone? My grandpa.
24. Your car? Chrysler Pacifica
25. Something you’re not wearing? A coat and hat.
26. Favorite store? Do you need to ask? Banana Republic.
27. Your summer? It went bye bye.
28. Love someone? I love many someones.
29. Your favorite color? Navy blue....but lately I am liking browns. It might be Autumn.
30. When is the last time you laughed? It sounds bad, but I can not recall. It was probably something Troy did, because that silly kid is always saying and doing funny things.
31. Last time you cried? Probably when I found out I have two trials in December. One has multiple clients in it. You would cry too!
I tag my Aussie friend from the West coast....Cassie!
1. Where is your mobile phone? Stuck in a purse pocket where I can not hear it.
2. Where is your significant other? In the basement doing something with Troy. All I hear is, "Daddy, do this!"
3. Your hair color? Dark Brown
4. Your mother? Is probably yelling at my younger brother for something...
5. Your father? Also yelling at said brother....
6. Your favorite things? Sleep, people who do their work like they are supposed to, and my kids when they jump all over their father.
7. Your dream last night? Did I dream? Probably, but don't remember.
8. Your dream/goal? To be Governor of Alaska
9. The room your in? The kitchen area
10. Your hobby? photography, scrapbooking, reading, painting, golf and shopping. :)
11. Your fear? Dying before seeing my children grow up.
12. Where do you want to be in six years? Running for Governor of Alaska.
13. Where were you last night? Same place, but working
14. What you’re not? Patient and something else, I know it!
15. One of your wish list items? housekeeper is good, for Troy to stop having accidents and the new Dolce and Gabbana perfume - wait that is three. How can you just wish for one thing?
Okay - World Peace!!
16. Where you grew up? Australia. That is not a place to can see from Alaska.
[If you have no idea what I am talking about, please search http://www.youtube.com/ for Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. It is hilarious!]
17. The last thing you did? Made some tea.
18. What are you wearing? warm clothes...it's getting cold here!
19. Your TV? Is currently not on.
20. Your pet? None
21. Your computer? What about it?
22. Your mood? Sassy.
23. Missing someone? My grandpa.
24. Your car? Chrysler Pacifica
25. Something you’re not wearing? A coat and hat.
26. Favorite store? Do you need to ask? Banana Republic.
27. Your summer? It went bye bye.
28. Love someone? I love many someones.
29. Your favorite color? Navy blue....but lately I am liking browns. It might be Autumn.
30. When is the last time you laughed? It sounds bad, but I can not recall. It was probably something Troy did, because that silly kid is always saying and doing funny things.
31. Last time you cried? Probably when I found out I have two trials in December. One has multiple clients in it. You would cry too!
I tag my Aussie friend from the West coast....Cassie!
Emma - 15 Months Old
Emma turned 15 Months old this week. She is getting so big now and even fighting back with her brother. She is walking a lot now trying to catch up with Troy. She had her check-up and weighed a whopping 23 lbs, 10 oz. This was apparently in the 70th percentile. Her peanut-head has grown to 18 inches, so she is now in the 50th percentile. Her height, I am happy to say, is quite long! She is 32 inches long, which is in the 90th percentile!! So, hopefully she gets those long legs like her brother and father versus mummy's short legs. She has been babbling up a storm and loves tries to mimmick us. She is saying baby, ball, milk, mumma, dadda, banana (or nana) and something that sounds like tr-tr for troy. She loves her baby Minnie Mouse that we got at Disneyworld. She likes to cuddle with it in bed. She also likes playing with Baby Hailey (named by her brother for a baby at school that he loves playing with). Grandma Mehlbrech got Baby Hailey for Emma last Christmas, but she is just starting to enjoy her now. We even have a small band-aid on her, where she "apparently" had an accident.
Lastly, Emma's teeth have a mind of their own. She still has the four on bottom. However, she has a 1-year molar on the left side that has fully come in. Up top, she is still getting her teeth on either side of her two big ones. She also has a 1-year molar on the left side. So, we have some gaps, but a beautiful smile and one dimple come through every time.
Disney World 2008
Another year has gone by since we were last at Disney World. However, this year I had the distinct pleasure of flying with two children by myself. Matt left earlier in the week for a conference that is scheduled the same time every year. Troy, Emma and I left on Thursday morning and arrived mid-afternoon to heat! The temperatures were starting to get a little cold here in Minnesota. So, it was great to get some warmer temperatures down in Orlando. We left almost instantly on arrival to our hotel for Downtown Disney.
For those that are not familiar with the World that is Disney, Downtown Disney is the only part of Disney that is FREE to enter! They have a large legoland and many other great things to see and do. This area is more for adults, though. It holds the areas night clubs and Cirque du soleil shows. It is a lot of fun. If you want to see more photos of Downtown Disney, please see last years photos with Nanna Ann.
We were also able to go on many rides this time, because Troy was over the 40" mark. I do not think many 3 year-olds are tall enough for this, but Troy comes by it honestly. We did a lot of things that we did not do last year, so it did not seem like anything was repeated. We left Hollywood Studios for naps back at the hotel. We went to Magic Kindom after naps and stayed for the fireworks to close the park. These fireworks come a close second to the fireworks at Sydney Harbor.
We started off Saturday back at the Magic Kingdom. I had no idea, but there is actually a production before the park is opened. By that, I mean, we were greeted and sung to, to say "Good Morning!" To top it all off for Troy, the train came in with Mickey and his cast of characters. Once they sung and let off confetti, etc. the park was opened. We planned ahead of time where we were going to go. We headed for Tomorrowland, where the Buzz ride was located. There was hardly anyone on it at that time, so Troy kept wanting to go on it he liked it so much. He went on it 3 times before we persuaded him to try another ride and meet Stitch.
We even tried to visit Mickey at his house, but I screwed up and we ended up in the Princess tent instead. I thought we were waiting to meet Disney, Donald and Goofy only to find out that Aurora, Cinderella and Belle were waiting for us! We were invited into the main tent area to see Belle, Cinderella and Aurora standing there just waiting to visit with us! We were told to go to Aurora first. Troy was quite funny visiting with them. They were so in character! I told Aurora that I Sleeping Beauty was my favorite movie, and she replied, "Oh, thank you, your Majesty! "
We commented on how Troy's hair color was the same as hers. She said, "Oh, your hair is spun of gold, just like mine!" We then moved on to Cinderella and finally to Belle. Belle was quite taken with Emma. She gave her a kiss on the forehead that took forever to come off due to their make-up. I must say, it was worth the wait.
We headed back for naps again, and went to Epcot to finish up our Disney adventure. We traveled to see Nemo, but more specifically talk to Crush, the turtle. Troy was quite disappointed that Crush did not pick him to ask a question, but I am sure he will get another chance some other time. One of our final adventures was waiting to see Mickey and his friends. Again, it was worth the wait to see Troy run up to Mickey to give him a hug. This was the same little boy that was so scared of seeing or going up to any of the characters last year. He seemed to have a lot of fun and I think the rest of did as well. Sunday came a little too soon, but it was a lot easier getting home with Matt there. Anyway, it was a great vacation and the weather could not have been better. M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!
I am having a hard time emailing or being able to make the pictures larger, so let me know if you would like a particular photo emailed to you.
For those that are not familiar with the World that is Disney, Downtown Disney is the only part of Disney that is FREE to enter! They have a large legoland and many other great things to see and do. This area is more for adults, though. It holds the areas night clubs and Cirque du soleil shows. It is a lot of fun. If you want to see more photos of Downtown Disney, please see last years photos with Nanna Ann.
Friday was a special day, because Matt had scheduled a character breakfast for Troy. He scheduled a fantastic buffet breakfast with some of the Little Einsteins characters! We did not tell Troy, though, that anyone was joining us. The look on his face when Disney's Goliath, from Jo Jo's Circus, came out was priceless. Then, he saw Leo from across the room. I think everyone in the park heard him yell out, "Mummy! It's Leo!" He couldn't wait to see his favorite character. During the meet and greets, the characters also danced. The kids were encouraged to dance with the characters. However, Troy only wanted to dance with Leo. June and JoJo also joined the other characters. We had a great breakfast and left just in time to "walk quickly" to the Park's new ride - "Toy Story 4D." Grown men were running for this ride! Anyway, we had a lot of fun and made it on before the line got too long. As you can tell, we met a lot of characters along the way.
We were also able to go on many rides this time, because Troy was over the 40" mark. I do not think many 3 year-olds are tall enough for this, but Troy comes by it honestly. We did a lot of things that we did not do last year, so it did not seem like anything was repeated. We left Hollywood Studios for naps back at the hotel. We went to Magic Kindom after naps and stayed for the fireworks to close the park. These fireworks come a close second to the fireworks at Sydney Harbor.We started off Saturday back at the Magic Kingdom. I had no idea, but there is actually a production before the park is opened. By that, I mean, we were greeted and sung to, to say "Good Morning!" To top it all off for Troy, the train came in with Mickey and his cast of characters. Once they sung and let off confetti, etc. the park was opened. We planned ahead of time where we were going to go. We headed for Tomorrowland, where the Buzz ride was located. There was hardly anyone on it at that time, so Troy kept wanting to go on it he liked it so much. He went on it 3 times before we persuaded him to try another ride and meet Stitch.
We even tried to visit Mickey at his house, but I screwed up and we ended up in the Princess tent instead. I thought we were waiting to meet Disney, Donald and Goofy only to find out that Aurora, Cinderella and Belle were waiting for us! We were invited into the main tent area to see Belle, Cinderella and Aurora standing there just waiting to visit with us! We were told to go to Aurora first. Troy was quite funny visiting with them. They were so in character! I told Aurora that I Sleeping Beauty was my favorite movie, and she replied, "Oh, thank you, your Majesty! "
We commented on how Troy's hair color was the same as hers. She said, "Oh, your hair is spun of gold, just like mine!" We then moved on to Cinderella and finally to Belle. Belle was quite taken with Emma. She gave her a kiss on the forehead that took forever to come off due to their make-up. I must say, it was worth the wait.
We headed back for naps again, and went to Epcot to finish up our Disney adventure. We traveled to see Nemo, but more specifically talk to Crush, the turtle. Troy was quite disappointed that Crush did not pick him to ask a question, but I am sure he will get another chance some other time. One of our final adventures was waiting to see Mickey and his friends. Again, it was worth the wait to see Troy run up to Mickey to give him a hug. This was the same little boy that was so scared of seeing or going up to any of the characters last year. He seemed to have a lot of fun and I think the rest of did as well. Sunday came a little too soon, but it was a lot easier getting home with Matt there. Anyway, it was a great vacation and the weather could not have been better. M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!
I am having a hard time emailing or being able to make the pictures larger, so let me know if you would like a particular photo emailed to you.
The Minnesota Zoo
Last weekend we decided to take a trip to the Minnesota Zoo. Unfortunately, it was a lot colder than we anticipated. Never-the-less, Troy has been infatuated with animals lately, mainly due to the Animal Encyclopedia his Aunt Becky got him. We rode on the Monorail for the first time and looked at the sharks and sting rays up close. There was no dolphin show, however, since their main dolphin is pregnant. There was still plenty to do and see, though. We had a great time and the kids were exhausted by the time we left. Maybe next time we will take in a movie at the IMAX theatre.
Troy's First Trip To The Dentist
The time had come for Troy to get his teeth checked out and he did remarkably well. The dentist thought his teeth looked great and gave him a fluoride treatment. Now Troy wants to brush his teeth without our help. So, we made a deal that we do the first cleaning and then he gets his turn. Either way, he loves using his "Thomas The Tank" non-fluoride toothpaste. Yes, they make "Thomas the Tank" everything!
Picking Pumpkins
The Mehlbrech's have started a tradition of going to Jim's Apple Farm every fall to pick pumpkins. It is not a traditional pumpkin farm, but the price is right, $2.98 a pumpkin. The kids can get in the wagon, or pull it as Troy likes to do, and pick out pumpkins for each of us. We actually found it last year by accident, but liked it so much that we headed back again.Inside the farm house are all kinds of apples, you can try each and every one of them. They also make pies on sight! You walk in and the aroma is amazing! Last year we bought a frozen dutch apple pie for Thanksgiving and we did the same thing for this year. They also sell peach and strawberry rhubarb, amongst many others. In addition to pumpkins and pies, we buy their special apple wedge cookies and this year we added something extra - apple smoked bacon! We are saving that for a special occasion, though. If any of you are nearby, it is off Hwy 13 in Belle Plain. Go check it out for yourself!
The End of Summer
Matt has been pushing the kids to get outside and enjoy what little warm weather we have left. Troy really wants nothing to do with kicking the ball, so soccer is possibly not in his future. He has started to enjoy hitting the ball off a tee stand, so maybe teeball and baseball are in his future. I did come home one day, however, to Troy saying he wanted to go for a run. So, he and Matt ended up going for a long run. They walked a little, but ran a lot! This kid just has energy! 
Emma, on the other hand, seems to be more of a sports enthusiast. She loves to throw and pass the ball. Now that she has started walking, we may get some kicks in there just yet. Otherwise, she loves to dance. If a song comes on during a commercial, she is already bopping to the beat. It is quite entertaining. 
As you can see, the kids love to play in the sandbox. Emma is not quite sure she likes to be in something so mushy, but Troy seems to be enjoying it more and more as each summer comes and goes. Enjoy!
Emma, on the other hand, seems to be more of a sports enthusiast. She loves to throw and pass the ball. Now that she has started walking, we may get some kicks in there just yet. Otherwise, she loves to dance. If a song comes on during a commercial, she is already bopping to the beat. It is quite entertaining. 
As you can see, the kids love to play in the sandbox. Emma is not quite sure she likes to be in something so mushy, but Troy seems to be enjoying it more and more as each summer comes and goes. Enjoy!
Troy's Big Boy Room
As many of you know, Troy likes trains. We decided for his third birthday that we would update his room a little from animals to trains and the colors of the room afforded an easy change. So, I thought I would share with you Troy's new big boy room. And yes, we even found sheets with trains on them. Enjoy!
Emma - 14 Months - We are Walking!!
Emma decided today was the day. We were all helping Troy clean up his trains. Matt picked her up and turned her around to face me. She just started walking and all of a sudden she realized it and she froze! The whole moment was quite funny and exciting for all of us, especially since today she is 14 months old!
Otherwise, she still has 6 teeth - two on top and four on bottom, however she has her eye teeth coming in on top which are causing some problems. She likes to babble a lot. She waves and says ba-bye. She says ba for ball. She knows banana very well. Nana!! Nana! She loves bananas.
She has started to eat table food much better as well. Instead of cutting things up, she likes to grab a hold of them and nibble. She is now drinking regular milk, but we are still working on the transition to the sippy cup. She is just a happy girl, except when her brother gets a little rough.
Lisa's Leave of Absence
For those of you who were wondering why the blog stayed inactive for so long, I can only tell you that I was held up at these two buildings in St. Paul, Minnesota. The beautiful lavish looking building above is the St. Paul Hotel. I created what we call at work "the war room," a place to plan our attack and defense in a trial setting. The building on the left is where we staged our attack and held our defenses. This building is known as the Ramsey County Courthouse. If a person could not find me at either of these two places, then I was usually running in between each. What started out as a possible three week trial, turned into a long week and a half experience. The experience was tiring, but well worth it.
I obviously can not go into too much detail, but wanted you all to know that my absence was accounted for and yes, my children were taken care of. In fact, Matt found out what I experience each time he travels - the life of a single parent. I found out what he goes through on the road somewhat as well. However, he did not quite understand that my work still continued on through the night, sometimes until 2:30 in the morning. Lunch and dinner were luxuries, but good times were had at the strangest hours. Anyway...that was then and this is now. I am back, still recovering, but back.
Welcome to the World - Patrick Martin Moody
Congratulations to the Moody family on your precious new arrival!Patrick Martin Moody - born September 2, 2008
Weight: 8 lbs, 7 oz.
(This picture is so adorable - I hope you don't mind me using it, Meg).
A Day Out With Thomas
We left this as a big surprise for Troy. We had gotten tickets awhile ago when we found out that Thomas the Train was coming to Minneapolis. Troy just knew it was a surprise that could not fit into mummy's secret cabinet. So, we headed down to the Lakeville railroad and airport and found a true-to-life Thomas the Tank Engine! Troy did not know what to think. There were so many little boys running around with Thomas t-shirts and conductor hats. Troy even had his picture taken with Sir Topham Hatt! We boarded Thomas and his tow carriages at 10 a.m. and it was a 25 minute ride through farm fields. They also had an area for playing trains, of course; story-telling and jumping castles. Emma even got a fake tattoo of Rosie the train. It was a fun morning.
.JPG)
Moving On...
There has definitely been a lag since our last post. Just to let everyone know, we have been very busy!! I will be updating some of the stuff since Father's Day for June, but want to move to the present and what is going on now. So, with that being said..."now on with the show!"
Happy Father's Day!!
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Here is an American Happy Father's Day to my Dad!
Happy 8th Birthday Gabi!!
Happy Birthday Gabi! We wish we could have been there to help you celebrate!Love, Uncle Matt, Auntie Lisa, Troy and Emma
A Trip to the Zoo
We are a bit behind on updates, but I wanted to put up some of our pictures from Memorial Day weekend, which is the last weekend in May. We went to the Como Zoo, which is a free zoo. However, they do ask for donations. It also has a little adventure park called, Como Town, connected to it. We did not go on any of the rides except the train, of course. We were lucky the weather held up for the weekend. 
The Accident
For those that are not aware, Matt had a car accident one week ago. He was on his way to pick up the kids from school when a kid, who just got his license, turned left right in front of him. Matt ended up T'ing the car on the passenger side, setting off both air bags. It was fortunate that no one was hurt. Matt had a slight burn mark on his hand from the air bag deploying, whiplash and a little back pain, but nothing permanent, thank goodness! We are fortunate the kids were not in the car as well. The outcome, however, for the car was not so good...
As Troy says, "Daddy's car broke!" He thinks we should get a new car like Mater, from the Pixar Cars movie. Mummy is hoping for a car more like Ramone!!
Happy Birthday Nanna!!
If you see this woman, wish her a Happy Birthday! She has just turned 60 years-old! Yes, she looks like me. She should! She's my mother! Anyway, Happy Birthday Mummy Seime!!
The Day the Fairy Came
We have accumulated a lot of NUKS over the years. Troy, like his mother, loved his pacifier and found it helped soothe them when going to bed, did not feel well or for teething. Well, we have been hoping to kick his habit for quite some time, and it all happened by accident. Matt had taken me out for my birthday and on the way home, we realized that his NUK was in the dishwasher. We were not quite sure what the babysitter was going to do, but we came home and all was calm. She ended up patting his back for awhile, but it was our saving grace. From that point on, the Fairy had come and taken his NUK for a little boy who did not have one. He has found them periodically in one of our drawers, but it has been two weeks now since he has used his NUK. Since Emma does not like them, these are now going away for a lot of boys and girls that need NUKS [wink wink, nudge nudge].
Happy Birthday Grandpa Pat!!
Happy 62nd Birthday, Grandpa Pat!! We hope you had a great day! We also wanted to wish you a Happy Retirement!! We expect more visits now!!
When Daddy Sneezes...
Emma has never liked it when Matt sneezes. This particular time, Matt was trying to feed her. Her little chin started quivering and the rest was history. I don't know what it is, but she doesn't like it at all! The proof is in the crocodile tear running down her face...poor thing.
Happy Birthday Stuart!
Happy 35th Birthday, old boy!! I welcome your comments Stu, because I know you will be checking this day and night. This photo was taken back in 1996. You do the math...Emma - 10 Months
Emma is 10th months-old now and a few things have changed. She is moving around a little bit more. She is not crawling forward yet, but she can stand for a long period of time and is starting to roll a bit to get what she wants. Her favorite past times are chewing on shoes and clapping. She is eating very well. She loves bananas. I let her hold onto half a banana and she likes to gnaw on it. As you can see, she has her two bottom teeth and is working hard on cutting some more. She seems to have continual ear infections with these teeth. She currently has a right ear infection, so we are on another 10-day dose of medication.
She has also just stopped waking up for her 10 p.m. feed, but instead sleeps through the night for the most part. Now, if I could only stop working and just go to bed, I might get some sleep!
Our New Visitor
Matt picked the kids up from school the other day and all I could hear when they got home was Troy screaming out my name. He was so excited and rightfully so. As you can tell by the pictures, we had a new visitor to the neighborhood. Now, in 
addition to turkeys running down the street and deer in our backyard, we had a snapping turtle that came up the hill from the pond down the road. I did not realize how big he was until I saw the pictures Matt took. Like I always say...never a dull moment.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!
First off, I want to thank everyone for the Birthday wishes, cards and gifts. It was really nice to get that attention for such a momentous occasion. The day was great! I took the whole day off of work and I scheduled a spa package that Matt had given me for Valentine's Day. I dropped the kids off at school, ran my errands and headed over to the spa salon. I had a long massage, manicure, my hair done and make-up. It was a relaxing 3 hours!
I had enough time for a movie, so I drove across to the mall where I ended up seeing Iron Man. The movie was entertaining, but nothing to do a review about. Sorry, dad. I still had enough time to cross town and pick up the kids. I was then delighted to come home and have Matt grill me some lamb chops for dinner. Does it get any better? Oh wait, Matt had a Cold Stone Creamery Ice-cream cake waiting for me. Troy was so excited to see cake that he ruined the surprise as Matt was trying to sneak it in the house. I was not that crazy about turning 30, but the day could not have gone any better. Again, thank you everyone for making it a special day.
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day to everyone around the globe. We spent Mother's Day by hopping in the car for a crazy, whirl-wind, one-day trip to South Dakota. Matt had 3 cousins graduating that weekend.Before we left, my children gave me something I have wanted for awhile - an electric griddle! Troy was excited, because it meant I could make him pancakes, something he likes only second to cake. Anyway, it was nice to see Matt's family for the day.
Happy Birthday Bono!
Bono, I understand you can not perform for my birthday every year, but let's try again for next year, okay? Small request....NOTE: Of course Bono reads my blog!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)