Monthly Archives: March 2009

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Hard Drive

I blew out my hard drive.  Alright, I didn’t actually, but it is currently caput.  You may have noticed that I take alot of pictures.  Well, Matt installed a second internal hard drive on my computer a few months ago so that I could stop cramming my original hard drive full of pictures and not have any room to run other programs.  Except that I didn’t use it.  Yesterday, my computer completely froze because the hard drive was full (less than 1% free space) and it didn’t have any room left to do much of anything.

Time to actually make use of the second hard drive Matt installed!  He moved 3 years worth of photos to my second hard drive to free up some space, and now my computer is defragmenting.  So I’m using Matt’s computer until the process is finished.  This only makes me realize that his giant monitor is way cooler than my dinky one!  I take this as a personal compliment… he works REALLY hard at his job and when he got his 5 year review and a lovely raise, I suggested that I wanted to buy him a new monitor (there is so much irony in that statement… I want to buy him a new monitor with his money from his job and his raise…)  While ironic, it is true!  I wanted to make sure he spent some of his bonus on himself.  His new monitor arrived and now that I’m using his computer, I can congratulate myself that it is quite fabulous and I did a good job of “buying” it for him. 🙂

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7 years of the Poulson’s

This is a bit late in the writing, but this past Wednesday, March 25, marked the 7th anniversary of Jaime and I as a couple!  It’s hard to believe that our dating relationship started 7 years ago — in so many ways, it does seem like it was such a short time ago when we were going out to Espresso Royale and getting to know one another.  Last year, Jaime chronicled my sneaky attempts to get her interested in me.   And while I can neither confirm nor deny my intentions in that instance, I can certainly attest that our trip to Canada falls firmly into the realm of pursuing more than a friendship 🙂

The story is really pretty simple.   Jaime was finishing her degree in Speech Pathology, and the final semester involved student teaching in a classroom in Danville.   Unfortunately, Spring Break for this school didn’t line up with the U of I’s spring break, so any lengthy trips for either break were out of the question.  Jaime mentioned to a group of us that she was looking for something to do over the few days she did have (Wednesday evening thru Sunday), and somehow it came up that she’d never been to Canada.  Coming from Northern Minnesota, I jumped at the chance to make a trip to Canada happen for her!

Of course, Jaime wasn’t quite ready to travel 600 miles with just me, so she invited Alyssa M, Nina C, and Sean B to come too.  In the end, Nina and Alyssa had to back out, so Jaime, Sean and I packed our things into Jaime’s little red Nissan and left for our first stop:  My parent’s house in Proctor, MN, just outside of Duluth.  That’s right, I suckered her into meeting my parents before we even started dating!

As a bit of background, I should probably mention that at this point, Jaime and I had been hanging out as friends for a while, gradually spending more and more time together and getting to know each other.  We’d already had a conversation earlier that month in which Jaime had shared with me that she needed time to sort things out from her past relationship, and didn’t want to hurt me or have me just be a rebound guy or something, and I was totally on board with that.  No need to rush things.  So I didn’t rush things.  But I was definitely getting more and more interested in this amazing friend named Jaime…

We arrived late Wednesday night, so on Thursday we took it easy, and took a break from driving.  Apparently, while I was showering that morning, Jaime was grilling my parents in the other room about all the minute details of my childhood and their marriage.  I think she learned more details about my childhood and parents in those 20 minutes than I could recall from my own memory now!  We spent time that day eating lunch with my Grandpa and his friend Jeanie, hanging out with my parents, touring my undergrad alma mater, and playing games with some of my old college friends.  In other words, the trip so far was one big episode of “This Is Your Life” starring me — all according to plan…

Friday was all about fulfilling that humble dream that prompted the trip in the first place — getting Jaime to Canada, eh?  We hopped in the car and headed up the North Shore of Lake Superior towards the booming metropolis of Thunder Bay, Ontario, just across the Canadian border, more than a 4 hour drive away.  Other than an urgent restroom emergency along an almost completely deserted stretch of highway, we made it to Thunder Bay without incident.  We ate some quality Finnish cuisine at The Hoito Restaurant, had custom Canada t-shirts made at a local mall to commemorate our trip, and visited frozen Kakabeka Falls.

Jaime and Sean gaze out from the North Shore of Lake Superior Eggbert the penguin enjoys a steamy bowl of Hoito's finest Viili Frozen Kakabeka Falls

It was around this time that we did not go bowling in Canada.  Jaime suggested it, but Sean and I decided it was getting too late.  This was the only mistake in an otherwise perfect first trip to Canada — not because people should bowl in Canada, but because Hallmark saw fit to print a greeting card a year or two later that said, “Let’s go bowling in Canada. That way when we are old, we can say, ‘Remember that time we went bowling in Canada?'”  Thank you, Hallmark — because of you, I will never live that down…

Now by the drive home that night, I think Jaime and I were both secretly thinking that we were great as a couple, and that we should start dating.  But both of us were also acutely aware that on this trip we were not just a couple — poor Sean was dragged around with us two unrequited-lovebirds trying to play it cool and not make him feel left out of anything.  That night, after a whole day of holding back so we wouldn’t make Sean feel out-of-place, Jaime found a quiet moment to squeeze my hand, letting me know that she was becoming more than a friend.

Saturday morning, we said our farewells to my parents and left for the Twin Cities.  We had a blast running around the Megamall and the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul, and we crashed at (strangely enough) my ex-girlfriend’s parent’s house for the evening.  The Anderson’s were generous hosts, and even brought us to church the next morning, before we began the long journey back to Urbana.  Jaime and I both did a lot of thinking during that drive; by the time we got back, we were all exhausted.  We ended back at my place, at which point Sean hightailed it out of there to escape us as quickly as possible.  With Sean gone, Jaime and I both said we had something to say to each other.  I let Jaime go first, and she just told me that I didn’t have to worry about her being ready anymore.   I was thrilled that I let her go first,  ’cause I was gonna say that it was too hard being this close without dating, and I was gonna need us to back off a bit if it still wasn’t time!

I think instead I just told her that we’d talk tomorrow, and on that next day, March 25, 2002, we made it official.  Our friends quickly started calling us the Poulson’s (our combined last names), and we’ve been a happy couple since.  Seven beautiful years together, getting degrees, getting engaged, getting jobs, getting married, getting a dog, getting a house, and most recently, getting two beautiful children.  I can’t even imagine what amazing things the next seven years will hold!

Happy belated dating anniversary to us!

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Stacking the Odds

Our kids make us laugh all the time.  They know it.  We know it.  You all know it.  If they need to make someone smile, we are incredibly easy targets.  But when you really want to impress someone with how hilarious you are and ensure an uncontrollable giggle from the audience, you stack the odds.

Our delicious daughter has been guilty of the following hilarity in the past week:

  • Throwing something to Hoochie that she knows he shouldn’t have so that as soon as he licks it, she can shake a finger at him and say, “No, no, no!”
  • Hiding an item and shrugging with hands up in the air as she announces, “Oh no!”  The look of concern immediately switches to a look of triumph as she uncovers the hidden item and loudly announces some incomprehensible utterance that we believe to mean “I found it!”
  • Throwing a ball straight up and then appearing concerned that it “disappeared.”  The adorable shrugging and look of concern, then the pell-mell running to chase down the ball wherever it bounced and to lob it again.  Repeat.

Our scrumptious son has been guilty of the following hilarity in the past week:

  • Calling every single yellow item in a book or on a sign a “mooo.”  Especially if it is the sun — the sun is ALWAYS the moon.  Surprisingly, if actually pointing to the moon, he hesitates before naming it correctly.  You know, because it doesn’t look like a sun.
  • Seeing the snow falling and getting excited to point out the “bah-bos”(bubbles) to anyone who will listen.  Actually, Zach was the only one in central Illinois excited to see the snow this week!
  • Throwing all of his blankets out of his crib so that he has plenty of room to do the worm (try to visualize him laying flat in his crib, using only his head and his heels to worm down the mattress, then back again).  This is typically followed by frustration that he doesn’t have his special blanket when he is finally ready to nap.

Both:

  • Touching a “no touch” so that when we say “no touch!” they can repeat “no tuss” and keep doing it.  (This one reminds me of Sam standing in front of the plants, stroking them lovingly, while quietly repeating the mantra his parents hoped to instill in him:  “No touch the plants, Sam.  Sam, no plants.  No plants, Sam.”)
  • Picking up a dirty diaper, announcing “duh-tee” (dirty), then tossing it back where they got it in disgust.  You know, because whenever they pick up a dirty diaper, we say “Dirty!  No touch!”  So they just say it for us.

How did you do?  Did they get you?  Are you convinced that they are hilarious?  Yeah, don’t feel too badly, we’re suckers too.

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Indoor playgrounds are great for cold days

Our time with the bunnies this morning went very well.  The bunnies were calm, our kids were absolutely THRILLED about the bunnies, and Brandy captured some amazing moments.  It couldn’t have gone any better!  Matt and I are both allergic to bunnies so we had to fight our urges to go snuggle those little furballs with our kids, but we did it!  We didn’t bring in the stroller, so while we selected our portraits, Brandy had the genius idea to get a shopping cart, sit both of them in there with calculators and let them play.  It worked really well!

Zach and Rissa really wanted to be with those bunnies! We had to corral them in the cart to keep them from running back and peering into the cage to watch the bunnies drink from their water bottle. It was hard to say "bye-bye" to the bunnies, but we managed to do it.

On Wednesday, March 25, at 9:30am, it occurred to me that we desperately needed something to do.  We were dressed, fed, diapered (only 2 of us in this category), and antsy.  It was too cold to go to a park… what could we do to get out of the house?  I searched my brain and realized that we could stroll around the mall and see new things and maybe see some new puppies at the pet shop.  I called Maria on our way out of the driveway and it turned out that they were having work done on their house right then and needed to go somewhere too!  I said, “Wanna come to the mall with us?”  Maria said, “Wanna go to the indoor play area in front of JCPenney’s?”

The indoor play area at the mall, of course!  We’d been avoiding it because I wanted my kids to be steady on their feet before I let them loose in there to be run over by bigger, faster kids.  But now they are big and steady and it was a great idea.  She and Will promised to join us there in a few minutes.

It was extremely great!  We had to establish a few ground rules:  1)  When Mommy moves the stroller out of the way and over to the side, she isn’t leaving and you don’t have to freak out, 2)  When you discover the one exit/entrance and run pell-mell toward it and out into the general mall area, Mommy WILL chase you down, drag you back in, and instruct you that you can’t cross the carpeted line again, 3)  while at the play area, Mommy pretends that germs don’t exist because otherwise it would be extremely devasting when Zach gives a famously sloppy kiss to one of the pieces of equipment, and 4) while at the play area, every mom is responsible for every kid.  Once we had those in place, we had a blast!  Maria and Will arrived a few minutes after us.  Will had the expertise of being older and wiser and was gracious enough to show Zach and Rissa how to do things.  Maria and I kept our eyes peeled for all 3 kids and giggled our way through the morning.  I’m glad we waited to try the play area until it could be a smashing success, because it was!

Oh wow!!! The play area at the mall! Where the heck am I? (the play area at the mall)

Initial shock wears off and the twin fun begins! Zach is determined to go UP! ... and manages to get there with a little help from Auntie Maria.

Zach finds the stairs while Rissa finds the tunnel. Will shows them how it is done. Rissa is determined to get onto that slide!

This slide is a slippery climb... plastic shoes and a twin in your way does not make it any easier! Two little cotton balls.

My tunneling girl is fearless! Zach follows the path through while Mommy stands at the window outside waiting for just such an expression.

Auntie Maria and Will peer through the yellow house at Rissa and our friend Olivia. Will gleams awash with yellow.

The giant teddy bear was the hit of the play area. It is good for hugging and climbing! Kissing the giant bear is a very nice gesture... Mommy and Auntie Maria try not to think about germs. Will drives the big rig.

Rissa, Zach, and Jaime Will and Maria fun at the mall!

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Last Weekend

Wow, it’s practically the weekend and I haven’t even gotten around to posting all our pictures from last weekend!  Despite Rissa being sick (she is much better now and back to her typical self), we had some new experiences!  We made pancakes for breakfast on Saturday because all 4 of us were home in the morning on a Saturday for the first time in weeks!  Then Kathie called to tell us that there was some exciting stuff happening in the yard next to hers and our kids might want to come over and check it out.  She was right!

Zach's first pancake can wait while he nibbles a delicious strawberry. Rissa's first pancake is a crowd pleaser.

Kathie called on Saturday morning to say there was something happening outside that the twins might want to see... come and look! She was right on. A crane and crew were removing a tree from the yard next door. It was like a trainwreck... the chainsaw sounds were scary and too loud but our kids couldn't peel their eyes away! It's not everyday that you see a tree floating gently through the air on it's way to the ground!

We spent the rest of Saturday hanging out and getting Rissa better.

Zach checks out Mommy's attempt at an art installation. Gramma made these body bibs for them when they were 4 months old. They were big then, but look at them now! The ankle straps sit snugly around their knees. They have grown so much! (Check out the mitten on Rissa's left foot).

Rissa removed Zach's mitten from her foot so that she could try on his crocs. She tried the croc over the mitten but it a bit bulky. She likes to wear one orange croc and one purple one and she usually gets the right and left shoes on correctly! Mommy keeps some Dr. Pepper or Vanilla Coke around for emergencies... those days when you can't survive without a little something extra. Zach LOVES to take out all of Mommy's emergency supplies and toss them around the dining room, lick each top, then cram them back in the box. As long as you don't drink one right after he was shaking them, it works out well for everyone.

On Sunday, we received a special visit.  Frank and Kathie’s niece was visiting for the weekend and she wanted to come over and meet the twins.  It was really fun!  Allison is 10 and extremely delightful.  She enjoyed making our kids smile and giggle and they enjoyed her antics to make them smile and giggle!  Zach wanted to show her around the playroom while Rissa was highly interested in Kathie’s crutches propped up against the wall.  They only had time for a short visit, but we were so excited to hang out with them!

Our kids like to be brave with new people from the comfort of a parent's lap. They loved Allison's rendition of a kissing piggy! Rissa shows off her favorite shoes to Aunt Kathie. She wants to be sure that everyone gets to experience the magic of Velcro!!!

Zach shows Allison the activity table. Rissa contemplates how she can pull down those crutches and inspect them more thoroughly. The hanging out crew! Rissa, Matt, Zach, Jaime, Kathie, Allison, and Hoochie.

Stay tuned… this weekend promises to be just as exciting.  Brandy, our Olan Mills photographer and the creative genius behind our monthly portraits, is bringing baby bunnies to the studio tomorrow and we’re going in to get pictures with them!  I just hope and pray that our work on “gentle hands, GENTLE hands” will pay off and our kids won’t squeeze those bunnies too much!  Brandy is well-regarded by all of our extended family too… she has amazing timing and can capture the one adorable smile per twoddler amidst a session of continuous running and screaming.  I don’t even know how she does it, we just let her work and try to help if possible and somehow, every month, we get amazing pictures that make the grandparents say ridiculous things like, “Wow, they hold still so nicely and smile so cutely!”  Hold still?  Ha!  It’s all the magic of Brandy.  We love her.