Girls trip: Seattle edition

A few months ago, me and my sister decided it was time for another girls trip! The main event of this one was a Bon Jovi concert in Seattle!!! Yay!!

(For those who don't know, it so happens that we are BIG fans of Jon. And yes, we are now on a first name basis. We not only met him, and took pictures with him, but we also rode in an elevator with him - of which HE invited US into. Yes, you read that right. We also got pictures with Richie and Tico, the drummer. It is a fabulous story that deserves its very own post and no details will be spared. I will post all about it as soon as I get all the pictures together from all of our cameras.)

...But for the time being, here is what we did when we were not being professional stalkers of Jon. My mom and sister spent the week prior at my house and, of course, me and Kim did a little scrapbooking while laughing to old Friends episodes. Seriously, that was the best show ever.

But the weather was so nice outside, that we spent much of the time playing at the park, and outside with the kids. Oh, how Caiden and Paige love having company!!

Then it was time for our girls weekend! My sister-in-law, Rebecca, drove over on Thursday and on Friday we left for Seattle. We stopped in North Bend at the outlet malls and I forgot just how pretty North Bend is!! Love the mountains and the trees!! (And I just have to say how awesome my husband is for understanding - or maybe tolerating is a better word - our incessant need to Go! Go! Go! and pretty much just an inability to sit still. I'm sorry, it just can't be done.)

We stayed at the Hilton (compliments of my brother who, again, let us redeem his points for a nights stay. Thanks!)

That night was the concert and we were more than ready! Like the shirts?

Now here's a funny story...Take a look a the man next to me. When he went to sit down, he didn't exactly fit in the seat and was at first sitting on the arm rests -on my arm rest. I didn't quite know what to do, but after some careful manuevering (all the while mumbling obscenities) he managed to squeeze inbetween the armrests, but still he was a bit flopped over into my seat. I had to pretty much lean into my sister! Luckily I spent almost the whole time standing up and dancing and rocking out! (and he couldn't stand up because he was stuck)....

This is the view from our seats. We kinda had nosebleed tickets, but the screens are so big and it's so loud, that honestly it doesn't matter where you sit. Although that front row wouldn't be bad......

They performed almost all my favorite songs, including Jon's version of "Hallelujah". SO GOOD!

Isn't he great???

Ok, so the next day we shopped. We really picked the best weekend to go to Seattle. The weather was BEAUTIFUL! Not a cloud in the sky and about 60 degrees! So we spent the next day exploring downtown, did a little shopping, and went to the Space Needle - a first for me.

The views were beautiful.....

....and what do you know? I spotted Jon's tour buses at the Key Arena and couldn't resist taking a picture!

We also went to Pike's market and watched them throw fish. And we ate at yummy P.F. Chang's. I love that place! And there was this really good pizza place across the street, Mod Pizza, and they even had ding dongs (dong dongs according to Rebecca) for dessert! That may sound weird, but they are my favorite and truly my weakness.

Stay tuned for the pictures of Jon and Richie and Tico and just how we managed to find out where they were staying and discreetly stalk them! It was great!

Who dat!

I pledge allegiance to da Saints and da great city of New Orleans, and to da Super Bowl, for which we'll win, one city, below sea level, under God, with Mardi Gras and king cakes for all.

Happy Birthday....

....to me,

Happy Birthday to me,

Happy Birthday to me-eeee,

Happy Birthday to me!

Yes, I'm getting all grown up. After 28 years I have a husband of 7 1/2 years, a six year old, a three year old, wish I could say I had a college degree (does an Associates count???), a house, and a minivan (wahoo!) to show for it. I feel very lucky and blessed indeed.

Caiden told me I didn't look any bigger. I guess I should take that as a compliment. I've been trying not to pack on the pounds! Not an easy thing with all the Christmas candy lying around the house. I did run/walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes today and thought I was going to DIE! I'm not sure I'll ever be a fan of that machine. Although, I would sure welcome a few inches in height, but let's get real, I haven't grown in 16 years. My dream of being 5'8 is one I let go of a long time ago.... Anyway, I think I got off track. My sweet husband is going to take me to dinner and movie. It's been a long time since we've done BOTH a dinner and a movie in one night. I hope we're up for it, ha!

A recent conversation with Paige....

....went like this:

Paige: (thoughtful) "Mom?"

Me: "Yes?"

Paige: "Um....I'm....I'm just....I'm....I'm just real happy.....and I just....really like you."

Me: (heart melts)

For the record, I'm real happy too and I really, really, really, really LOVE my little Paigey.

Leah's baptism....and a Happy New Year!

A few days after Christmas, me and the kids drove over to Montana to be at their cousin, Leah's, baptism. I am glad they invited us to this special event....

I love how Paige has moved on from the silly-face pose to the pinching-her-own-cheek pose now in every picture....

We drove home on New Years Eve and had planned to hang out with friends that night, but Caiden decided to throw up all the way home. (That was real fun). I'm not sure if it was car sickness (which he has gotten on occasion) or what Paige had. Either way, no one really wanted to hang out with us with a possibly sick child. Understandably so. However, they were adament that they wanted to stay up till midnight to scream "Happy New Year" but after a long drive (with the wonderful aroma of throw up) and 2 fighting children, I was D.O.N.E. So at 8 pm I convinced the kids that it was midnight and they stood on the front porch and screamed "Happy New Year" to the neighborhood and then I put them to bed and enjoyed a quiet evening with my husband. Yes, that may have been cruel, but it may be the last time I can take advantage of them not knowing how to tell time AND it is better that we ring in the new year without me strangling my 2 children, right? I think so too.

Christmas 2009

Another Merry Christmas for the Gubler family....We spent this year at home with Casey's family and had a merry ole' time. Christmas Eve was spent with Grandma and Grandpa Gubler at their home where we read several Christmas stories. I always let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve and so it is the only time I think I've ever heard them ask to leave. Once home, they opened their one present and what a tease that was. "Just one more, can't we open just one more? Pleeeeease??????" Then off to bed as we read the Christmas story from the bible. Caiden could not contain his excitement! I told him he couldn't wake us up till it was light outside, but the next morning it was so cloudy that it never appeared to be light. Casey and I woke up at 7 am and wondered where in the heck they were. Poor kids were just laying in bed awake waiting and waiting for the sun to rise! Caiden knew instantly from the shape of the box the double sided Star Wars light saber and ripped it open. "This is just what I wanted!!!!" Then Paige opens her first present, holds up the box and says "this is just what I wanted!!!!" I had to explain to her that the present was inside the box, not the box itself. Too cute...
One of her favorites was the princess costumes....

....and for Caiden his Millenium Falcon....

I totally thought I got a picture with the kids by the Christmas tree, but I was getting annoyed with Jasper constantly wanting to climb the tree that I took it down in a hurry before I realized I had forgot. Argh!

Ok, I know the standard treat for Rudolph is carrots, but I blew it and forgot to buy some, so we figured maybe they'd like some celery sticks. It's kinda the same thing, right?

And this is how we spent the day after Christmas....Paige repeatedly throwing up all morning long. I'm not sure if it was the flu or the amount pure junk she ate on Christmas day. All in all, I am grateful for how blessed we are in our lives and for the wonderful Christmas we had with each other!

Caiden's creations...and more

Oh, how Caiden loves his legos and oh, how I love his creations. Meet Crabby, the crab, Octo, the octopus, and Turd, the turtle. (For the record, I helped build the crab and octopus, but the turtle was all Caiden, and the naming too, of course).

"Mom, check out my turtle. He has a "A-B pattern" on his shell...gray,brown,gray,brown,gray,brown,gray,brown. His name is Turd."

Then later, I overhear this conversation between him and Paige that just about kills me with laughter:

P: "Caiden come here!"

C: "No."

P: "Caiden come HERE!"

C: "No."

P: "CAIDEN come HERE!"

C: "NO! I don't want to play with you! I just want to play with my little Turd!"

(Thankfully, I had already met these creations and knew just what he was talking about. Otherwise, I think I might have been really frightened and worried about his mental state.) Moving on....

Gingerbread wars....girls vs. boys....Personally, I think the girls won, but I might be a little bias.

....and one last thing....JASPER'S BACK! YAY! We (me, Caiden and Paige) are excited to have Jasper over the holidays. I'm sure he will love all the wrapping paper Christmas morning. He already loves the tree. I found him nearly sleeping inside the tree, just relaxing about 3 ft up on the branches. Let's just pray he doesn't knock the tree over....

Ode to my husband

Today is Casey's 31st birthday and therefore deserves a post dedicated to just him. I'm sure this is not at the top of his list, but being married to a blogging girl, he gets it anyway. Today we planned to go skiing but instead he had to go into work and so that has been delayed a few days. So I had the bright idea to wake up before him and make him breakfast, something he rarely gets from me....actually never gets from me. (I know, I'm a terrible wife. But let's face it, he didn't exactly marry me for my gourmet cooking skills or my cheery morning attitude.) However, I feared I would not wake up in time, and so I had to let him know last night "I love you so much that I'm going to get up and make you breakfast before work, but please, if you could, wake me." And to my complete astonishment, I woke up all by myself! Yay for me! So here's to wishing my awesome, hardworking, tolerant, and very patient husband a very happy birthday!

Maybe I should stay in bed....

So today I was feeling really proud of myself because I was up and showered and ready for the day before I even took Caiden to school. Now that might be a normal thing for most moms, but NOT ME. This is a huge accomplishment. No, not huge, more like colossal. I had to volunteer in his class and run a ton of errands which I knew I wouldn't get done after school because I was busy all afternoon, so I made the goal to get it all done before I was due in his class at 10 am. And guess what? I did it. And I was on time too. So after a pleasant visit to Caiden's kindergarten class and feeling like I was Supermom, we head to a friend's who was watching Paige and this is what I find out. "Um...Paige didn't have underwear on today, just her pants." Whoops....maybe I shouldn't get up so early.

NEVERTHELESS, I have redeemed myself (if you can do such a thing after forgetting to put underwear on your child) and caught up on my blogging. Wahoo! The next FIVE, count them...FIVE, posts are new. And now, I'm going to bed....

Are we ready for this?

Well, this has been the first snowfall to stick to the ground and at first I was excited. It feels a lot more like Christmas when the ground is covered in snow. But then the kids went out and played in it and came inside and trampled snow all over the house with their big annoying snow boots and snow clothes, and then I was totally over it and would like for it to leave thank you. And by the looks of it Caiden might be over it too. He went out to jump on the snow covered trampoline and then decided he was freezing, so freezing, in fact, that he couldn't jump off of it (which I know he can because he launches himself off it everyday). And being the mean mom that I am, I would not go get him, (because it was freezing) and so he cried until finally he jumped off and we haven't been outside since. Happy winter.