She is such a trooper...just goes with the flow no matter what we're doing!
(Nick thinks she looks like a human checker board!)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Something to smile about...
Stella received a package from Grandma Karen the other day. It is an outfit that she thinks belonged to Stella's cousin, Courtney. Even though it wasn't quite the right size and definitely the wrong season...we tried it on anyway.
She is such a trooper...just goes with the flow no matter what we're doing!
(Nick thinks she looks like a human checker board!)
She is such a trooper...just goes with the flow no matter what we're doing!
(Nick thinks she looks like a human checker board!)
Monday, May 21, 2007
Not the "welcome home" that we were looking for
A little head's up to any of you who tend to keep valuables in your car...DON'T!
This morning, while I was finishing breakfast, our friend Josh showed up at the front door. He looked pretty serious and as I waved him in, he said, "I think your car was broken into last night." I wasn't quite sure what to think, but immediately headed outside, puzzled as to why this happened and if it really did. Well, both questions were answered rather quickly. Yes, it really did happen...the driver's side window had been smashed in and glass was all over the street. And, after talking with the police (once they arrived), we learned that we weren't the only car hit last night. Apparently we were the 4th call they had received in about 20 minutes with similar complaints. Our neighborhood "thief" is looking for easy grab electronic gear. As you know, we just got back from our road trip and all day yesterday our navigation system was up on our dashboard. Well, in the evening, Nick finished cleaning out my car and moved some things into the house and a few things into his car. It was obvious that they were looking for the navigation system as the center console was wide open. They didn't get anything of any value from us and a broken window isn't all that terrible. Things certainly could have been worse. We're just thankful that is all that happened.
Please take our experience and learn from it and be cautious about what you leave out, visible in your car.
This morning, while I was finishing breakfast, our friend Josh showed up at the front door. He looked pretty serious and as I waved him in, he said, "I think your car was broken into last night." I wasn't quite sure what to think, but immediately headed outside, puzzled as to why this happened and if it really did. Well, both questions were answered rather quickly. Yes, it really did happen...the driver's side window had been smashed in and glass was all over the street. And, after talking with the police (once they arrived), we learned that we weren't the only car hit last night. Apparently we were the 4th call they had received in about 20 minutes with similar complaints. Our neighborhood "thief" is looking for easy grab electronic gear. As you know, we just got back from our road trip and all day yesterday our navigation system was up on our dashboard. Well, in the evening, Nick finished cleaning out my car and moved some things into the house and a few things into his car. It was obvious that they were looking for the navigation system as the center console was wide open. They didn't get anything of any value from us and a broken window isn't all that terrible. Things certainly could have been worse. We're just thankful that is all that happened.
Please take our experience and learn from it and be cautious about what you leave out, visible in your car.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
3 year anniversary!
Three years…WOW, does time fly when you're having fun! Liz and I were fortunate to be back in Minneapolis, MN and celebrate an anniversary back in the town where we said our “I do’s.” We got a wonderful anniversary present from Liz’s parents…free baby sitters and treating us to an anniversary dinner!
With so many restaurants to choose from in the Twin Cities we decided on an old MN standby that Liz hadn’t been to in years called “Jax Café.” Cool spot. They had matchbooks waiting at our table with “Nick & Liz, 3 Great Years” printed on them. Although it was a bit chilly that night, we got to sit outside with the help of a few very large heaters. In the patio area where we were sitting runs a man-made stream with live trout that customers can catch for dinner. We got to see three people go over with a net and “fish out” their dinner. The waiter even took a Polaroid of them with their fish for a souvenir!
Looking forward to many, many more wonderful years ahead.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Recap...
Are you ready for this!? We were on the road with an 11 week old infant from May 9th through the 19th! Where better to start than the beginning?
On May 9, we packed up the car and headed to Nashville, TN (yes we know that is not "on the way to MN"). Nick had a conference there and what better way to bond than to have a family road trip!? Plus it was a good excuse to see our friends, Rob and Tamie...or so we thought. The day that we were arriving, they were leaving town. :( Even though they were going to be gone, they were extremely generous and allowed us to stay in their home while they vacationed in sunny California. So, we spent a couple of sweltering hot days in the "south" and enjoyed walks in their neighborhood and a delicious Southern meal at Barbara's Home Cookin'. This restaurant is a location that we would recommend to anyone visiting Nashville. We sat outside, laid Stella on a blanket in the grass while we dined on a fantastic meal.
After our few days in TN were up, we headed to Indianapolis (on very short notice) and crashed at Adam, Katie and Avery's home. It was so wonderful to see them and to introduce our daughter's to each other. I think they have the potential to be great friends...
After a quick stay...about 13 hours, we packed up again and made our way to Wilmette, Illinois to stay with my Aunt Margaret and cousins, Bill and Megan. Before we reached our destination we stopped off to visit Kyle, a friend and former co-worker of Nick's. At Aunt Marg's we had a ball introducing Stella to everyone and catching up on old times.
Finally, on Saturday the 12th, we arrived at our final destination...Minnesota!
--visiting Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Christianson
4 generations together!!
--celebrating my first Mother's Day with my mom, Grandmother and daughter...as well as my husband, father, grandfather, aunts, uncles and cousins!
--introducing Stella to half of the residents of the Twin Cities metro area (or so it seemed)
--catching up with some old EHS friends
--Nick golfing at Interlachen for the first time!
--celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary and getting a night out while Grandma and Grandpa baby-sat
--continuing to marvel at Stella, no matter what she was doing
On the 17th, it was time to make our trip home to Cincinnati...we were sad to go, but looked forward to the visits we would have on the way back.
First stop, Rochester, MN to stay with Aunt Ann and Uncle Jeff at the Hilltop House! We were treated to a couple of wonderful meals, great conversation and fantastic company. What fun to have some extra time with them! I think they enjoyed every extra moment with Stella too! We certainly had a great visit!
After Rochester we geared up for the "long haul!" 7 hours to Zionsville, Indiana! There, we stayed with Tim, Emily and Henry. This time Stella was the older of the two kids. What fun to see them together...only 5 weeks apart and so many differences!
Purdue Alumni and future alums!? ;)
Henry does not seem too sure about his new girlfriend ???
It appears as if Stella is enjoying herself though!
Thanks Emily for the fun visit! Now it's time to go home!
On May 9, we packed up the car and headed to Nashville, TN (yes we know that is not "on the way to MN"). Nick had a conference there and what better way to bond than to have a family road trip!? Plus it was a good excuse to see our friends, Rob and Tamie...or so we thought. The day that we were arriving, they were leaving town. :( Even though they were going to be gone, they were extremely generous and allowed us to stay in their home while they vacationed in sunny California. So, we spent a couple of sweltering hot days in the "south" and enjoyed walks in their neighborhood and a delicious Southern meal at Barbara's Home Cookin'. This restaurant is a location that we would recommend to anyone visiting Nashville. We sat outside, laid Stella on a blanket in the grass while we dined on a fantastic meal.
After our few days in TN were up, we headed to Indianapolis (on very short notice) and crashed at Adam, Katie and Avery's home. It was so wonderful to see them and to introduce our daughter's to each other. I think they have the potential to be great friends...
Finally, on Saturday the 12th, we arrived at our final destination...Minnesota!
(I promise I won't give a moment by moment synopsis of our trip...just the highlights:)
--being able to unpack (it gets really old, really fast living out of a suitcase)--visiting Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Christianson
4 generations together!!--celebrating my first Mother's Day with my mom, Grandmother and daughter...as well as my husband, father, grandfather, aunts, uncles and cousins!
--introducing Stella to half of the residents of the Twin Cities metro area (or so it seemed)
--catching up with some old EHS friends
--Nick golfing at Interlachen for the first time!
--celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary and getting a night out while Grandma and Grandpa baby-sat
--continuing to marvel at Stella, no matter what she was doing
On the 17th, it was time to make our trip home to Cincinnati...we were sad to go, but looked forward to the visits we would have on the way back.First stop, Rochester, MN to stay with Aunt Ann and Uncle Jeff at the Hilltop House! We were treated to a couple of wonderful meals, great conversation and fantastic company. What fun to have some extra time with them! I think they enjoyed every extra moment with Stella too! We certainly had a great visit!
After Rochester we geared up for the "long haul!" 7 hours to Zionsville, Indiana! There, we stayed with Tim, Emily and Henry. This time Stella was the older of the two kids. What fun to see them together...only 5 weeks apart and so many differences!
Purdue Alumni and future alums!? ;)
Henry does not seem too sure about his new girlfriend ???It appears as if Stella is enjoying herself though!
Thanks Emily for the fun visit! Now it's time to go home!This trip was one that will not be easily duplicated. We got to see so many people that we care about so much. Thanks to everyone who hosted us...especially those of you who didn't exactly know when we might arrive. And in case you're wondering...Stella was an excellent traveler. Here's what our perspective was from the front seat:
That's right, she slept almost the entire way!
That's right, she slept almost the entire way!It sure is great to be home!
Monday, May 7, 2007
We're Home (for now)
Well, we just returned from another trip to FL! This time we were in Jacksonville celebrating my best friend, Amanda's baby shower!! (she's due June 20!!) Stella was a wonderful traveler once again. Not only did she sleep on the plane, but she also slept through the night the 4 nights we were there. She must have known we are back home though, because last night she got up for her usual 3am feeding. Oh well... not too bad for a 10 week old!!
Stella got to meet lots of very special people to us this past weekend. Here are some photos to prove it:
Stella with "Aunt" Amanda
Stella with Amanda and JP
and with Scotty
with Amanda, Sarah and mom at the Stevens' home
walking on the beach with Hillery and Amanda (yes Stella is there too)
Stella got to meet lots of very special people to us this past weekend. Here are some photos to prove it:
Stella with "Aunt" Amanda
Stella with Amanda and JP
and with Scotty
with Amanda, Sarah and mom at the Stevens' home
walking on the beach with Hillery and Amanda (yes Stella is there too)This was another great vacation. Stella gave us a chance to "take a break" and relax as well. Not only did she sleep wonderfully, but she behaved while Nick fished and I got a pedicure. I think her wonderful behavior was due to her great baby-sitters:
Cassie, Brooke, Beth & Serenity--thanks again for taking such great care of her!!
I know she had lots of fun!
This is Stella with her new friend, Serenity (2 years old), who was so gentle and a HUGE helper!
Oh and yes, Nick was there with us too! Here they are enjoying a ride in the car together:
Now we're home again, but only for a brief period. We're hurrying to get laundry done and things organized around the house so we can re-pack. We leave for Nashville, TN on the 9th, will be there for a couple of days before we make a stop in Chicago for a night, and then finally ending at our destination in Minnesota to celebrate Mother's Day with my side of the family. This will be Stella's first opportunity to meet her great-grandparents! How exciting for all of us!!! We will be in MN until the 17th and then will make our way back to Ohio. Please pray for our safety on the road.
***Here's hoping gas prices start to drop soon as this could be a very expensive road trip!***
If you're in one of the cities mentioned or are along the way, we'd love to try to see you. Please call our cell phones as well be away from home and will probably have limited email access.
Cassie, Brooke, Beth & Serenity--thanks again for taking such great care of her!!I know she had lots of fun!
This is Stella with her new friend, Serenity (2 years old), who was so gentle and a HUGE helper!Oh and yes, Nick was there with us too! Here they are enjoying a ride in the car together:
Now we're home again, but only for a brief period. We're hurrying to get laundry done and things organized around the house so we can re-pack. We leave for Nashville, TN on the 9th, will be there for a couple of days before we make a stop in Chicago for a night, and then finally ending at our destination in Minnesota to celebrate Mother's Day with my side of the family. This will be Stella's first opportunity to meet her great-grandparents! How exciting for all of us!!! We will be in MN until the 17th and then will make our way back to Ohio. Please pray for our safety on the road.
***Here's hoping gas prices start to drop soon as this could be a very expensive road trip!***
If you're in one of the cities mentioned or are along the way, we'd love to try to see you. Please call our cell phones as well be away from home and will probably have limited email access.
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