Crazy Last Few Days

As promised, when the birthday celebrations were over, there will be pictures. Last night was the final celebration for Ty's birthday. I thought I would also bring everyone up to speed with what our last few crazy days looked like....

It all began on Friday with our supposedly lovely weekend in the Cities...

Friday Ty was planning this little get away for our birthdays in the cities. We found a great deal on a hotel and made reservations at a nice restaurant. Ty was working half days all week at Dove and just filling in, but Friday was different...He was there until almost 3:30 pm. Our reservations weren't until 5:45 so we thought would could still make it there a little early even. But we didn't plan for....THE SNOW! Apparently the cities was covered in snow and then we hit traffic...RUSH HOUR! So we thought we would call the restaurant and let them know we would be a little late...WRONG AGAIN! We ended up lost and never made it to the restaurant and just went to the hotel instead.  Then we walked through the skyway to  Applebee's and ate dinner there. 

Saturday we thought would be a great day to do most of the activities since we wouldn't be quite so tired...WRONG AGAIN! We were planning to go to a movie and do a little shopping, but Ty had been not feeling well all night and neither one of us slept well, so we decided after walking around Nicollette Mall we would head back to Eau Claire. We were supposed to go to a restaurant for Ty's birthday have cake and celebrate. We still did that, but the place we were supposed to go was...CLOSED....AGAIN (the same one we were supposed to go to For Leslie's birthday in Nov.)! After eating at Famous Dave's instead, we had a normal night and drifted off to sleep a little early.

Sunday was a day like any other. Besides being a little sleepy still, it seemed normal. We had a good lunch with friends and I picked up a shift at the Rutledge. Things seemed to be looking up. Then I remembered...I have to turn in my application to Teacher Education. I decided that I would go over to River Falls and drop it off. My friend Hannah had the day off for MLK day. That should have been a hint for the things to come...   

Monday morning I woke up and got ready. As I was in the shower I saw the website for the school in my head and remebered something on the schedule that said classes were canceled for MLK day. I figured, "The building has to at least be open and I can probably still put my application in someone's mailbox...WRONG yet AGAIN! Hannah and I got all the way there, trudged through the snow, only to find that all the buildings were closed... GREAT! So we did what any smart woman would do when she was down. Grabbed a coffee went shopping (at Goodwill) and drowned our sorrows in Chipotle. After returning to Goodwill and grabbing one last thing, we headed for home. I made a cake at my parents house and homemade pizza for Ty's birthday and we had a wonderful night playing ticket to ride. 

And today... I have to go to River Falls and try it all over again...here goes nothin!

And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the pictures you have been so patiently waiting for....

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Aunque no fuera perfecto, fuera una semana buena por que dios lo hizp

Translation: Although it wasn't a perfect week, it was a good week because God made it

Duh Duh Duh Happy Birtday

Birthdays in my family were always a big deal. We would get out of chores, get a special pretty glass at supper time, and we were able to have pop(something that was not usually allowed) for supper. But not only did we get to choose a special drink for our Special glass, we got to decide if any of our sisters could have some. Oh the power! Most of the time we would share, but it was the power that we loved to hold over our sisters heads. Today is Tyler's birthday, and I am so happy to get to celebrate it with him. Ty, you mean the world to me and I hope you have a very special birthday. I am so excited to spend it with you. Who knows what we will do, but we will do whatever you want, and I might even have to find you a special glass ;) In the words of Gus from Cinderella, "Duh Duh Duh Happy Birtday!" (Yes, this is another tradition) 

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Espero que tengas cumpleaños buenos

Translation: I hope you have a great birthday 

Brithday Week

This is always a very busy week of the year. On the 7th is my birthday and on the 13th is Tyler's.. On Friday last week (the 7th) we went to the Cities to have dinner at the Spaghetti Factory. Taylor(my sister) is in Mankato which is about an hour and a half drive, and came to meet us. Right in the middle, it was the perfect place to meet! We had so much fun! My parents and Tay brought my presents and the waitress sung happy birthday to me...Oh the embarrassment of that! After our tummies were full, it was time to walk it off. We went to the Guthrie Theater a few blocks away and walked around. There are so many beautiful views from the many windows. After the Guthrie, we parted ways and made the drive back home. Ty slept most of the way home (haha had to add that).

Now we are only a few days away from Ty's Birthday! Since our birthdays are so close together, we thought we would do a special trip to the cities. We were able to get a great deal on a hotel and are going to be staying near the Nicolette Mall area. That has kind of become our place because on our first date we actually went and walked around down there. Once we get back there will be more pictures and more blogging.  

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Gracias por todos los cumpleaños desea y regalos

Translation: Thank you for all the birthday wishes and presents

To Infinity and Beyond...or maybe just Milwaukee

Well, the last 24 hours has been very busy.  Instead of my parents making the trip to Milwaukee and going to work tired Monday morning, I said I would take Lyss back and make a sister trip of it. We headed out around 3pm and arrived around 6:30pm to get Britt. Since my birthday is not far away, we thought we would celebrate it while we were all together. We tried a new restaurant called Ethiopian Cottage. It was excellent. Alyssa had wanted to try it. We were able to experience the food from another country which just happens to be close to our hearts (our niece Annie was adopted from Ethiopia). 

After a taste of Ethiopia, it was time for a reminder of dorm life. It was interesting to come back and try it again. I watched a movie while Alyssa finished some homework then, we drifted off to the sound of the fan diffusing the hall noise. In the morning, Alyssa had class at 8am. So she walked me to the library where I waited for Brittany to come and get me for coffee. 

I sat for about 20 minutes looking like a homeless person with my sleeping bag, pillow, and backpack in tow. When Britt arrived, we stopped off at Alterra Coffee to get a special gift for Matt and Brooke and then Britt showed me around town and where the house they had bought was. Then, it was off to her apartment where we made scones and chatted while drinking coffee. 

After an hour or so it was time to make the dreaded trip back. Four hours  in the car ALONE!!!!! Ok, so maybe it wasn't all bad, I did stop and do a little shopping at the outlet mall on the way home. Hey, a girl's gotta stretch her legs doesn't she!?  Finally, almost exactly 24 hours after leaving for Milwaukee, I was home. It was a long trip, I felt like I had been to infinity and beyond, but it was worth the trip! Love you sisters. Thanks for a great 24 hours!

Spanish Phrase of the Day

¡A infinito y más allá!

Translation: To infinity and beyond

(for all you Toy Story Fans out there)

Girls Night and New Years

Well, as usual, I waited to post until life slowed down...its been a crazy busy week with family-filled fun! Tuesday was a night of games with my family and Alyssa's friend from school. We ate dinner and watched the Vikings win on "Tuesday Night Football." Wednesday was errand running and sledding with the boys. Ty went, and I stayed home. Thursday was another trip to the Mall of America with Brooke, Annie and Leslie. We had a good time. When we returned more fun! It was girls night!

Hannah and Heather and I went to listen to Anna and Julia Johnson play at the Living Room Coffee shop in Eau Claire, WI. Anna has been a friend since I was in 4th grade and comes home from Nashville (where she is pursuing a music career) and plays a few shows. All the girls got together to hear her sing and then we all went to Hannah's house for food and girl talk time.

 

If you want to know more about her music you can always go to her website by clicking on this linkAnna Johnson Music

New Years Eve brought more excitement playing games at Brooke(Ty's sister) and Matt's  house. We played a new game that we were given for Christmas. Brittany and Eric are all about the strategy games and thought we would like a new one called Ticket to Ride Europe. That took a little more than an hour and then we played to rounds of Mad Gab...Hilarious! With icy roads we decided to head home a little early and get some rest. 

New Years Day, we were off to Minneapolis to meet my parents and Taylor and Alyssa for a last hoorah before the break was over for mom and Alyssa!  We went the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. After spending an hour listening to grumbling tummies, it was time to find food. We drove over to Dinky Town and ate at Annie's Parlor. My parents had eaten at when they were in college. Since Tay was leaving from there to Mankato, we decided to get one more sister Picture...It took a little while to get a good one...

Finally!

After driving home, we had to play ONE MORE game of Ticket to Ride Europe with my parents and Alyssa. What a great time...Ty and Lyss were so close, but Ty won. Overall it has been a busy week, but the next few will be incredibly boring, so I guess it was nice to be busy for a little while. Now I am off to Milwaukee to take Alyssa to school. Then we'll have a little sister party with Brittany and a sleep over in Alyssa's dorm! 

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Buenos propósitos de Año Nuevo

Translation: New Year's Resolution

Holiday Hiatus Happenings

With finals finished and the holidays behind us, I thought I would do a little recap on our crazy holiday. We returned home as promised on Monday night last week, and the fun began. We started by cleaning for the annual Christmas Eve Party at the Perrenoud house. While Brooke and I cleaned, Jeff took Annie to the store.  After cleaning for about 3 minutes, I broke the sink...Yes, it broke...I felt like an idiot. Who would have thought that if a jar candle fell into the sink, it would actually put a hole in it? Guess I learned a lesson...I just wish that It would not have been at my In-law's house. Luckily, Ty's Grandpa is handy and came to repair it. 

After the drama of the sink, it was an uneventful next few days...A little shopping with Brooke and Annie and a day with the McD's playing games, finishing some last minute Christmas shopping, and finally opening a few presents. Then in the morning, it was Chirstmas Eve and It was off to work for me and Ty. Ty has been picking up some shifts at Dove and I picked up at the Rutledge and had to be up at 5:15 am for work.

At 2pm work was over,  I was exhausted (I guess I forgot just how much work it is to get 15 people up and moving that have dementia). Then it was time for Church at 5pm. We got ready for church and headed off to service. After church it was time for the party to begin! We got all the food out and ready to go for the crew to come over. It was a night filled with food, friends and Family, and poker.Ty won once! It was great!

Mia was happy sitting on Ty's lap all night

Poker game in the basement

Annie enjoyed Jack's Santa hat

Once the party was over and everything had been cleaned up, we snuggled into our beds anxiously awaiting Christmas morning with all the little ones! They came in around 8:30 am excited to see the presents under the tree.

Treyton seemed more interested in the paper than the presents

After presents we went to Ty's grandparent's house where Ty won another game of Poker. When the game was done, we headed for Waseca, MN where my family was going to be celebrating Christmas this year. Taylor had to work on Christmas in Mankato only 30 mins from my grandparents house. Brittany and Eric were supposed to head back to Milwaukee and after opening presents they left. 

Britt and Eric before they had a long drive home

Playing Just Dance II was a popular past-time

Even Ty and my dad got into it

After two days we were headed for Red Wing, MN for a fun time with the Perrenoud side of the family. They were all staying over night at the hotel, but Ty and I decided we would go and sleep in our apartment in River Falls. 

With a beautiful scene, we began our hour and 45 min trip

Upon arrival to the hotel we headed right to the arcade with the boys

Treyton enjoyed watching all the lights on the machines

Carter and Ty playing Air Hockey

The hotel had a Bowling Alley and Ty and Leslie both had a great game

Jack and Mom bowling

Annie enjoying her Milk distraction while we bowled

Treyton was happy to watch

 

Now things are slowing down and we are back in Chippewa Falls. Ty has the whole week off, and we are going to try to get in as much fun as we can! Hope everyone else had a VERY happy holiday!

Spanish Phrase of the Day

el tiempo de relajarse después de una fiesta señalada ocupada

Transltion: Time to relax after a busy holiday season 

Twas the last day of finals

Twas the last day of finals, when all through River Falls
Not a student was stirring, inside of its halls.

Our bags were all packed in the Yaris with care,
In hopes that last finals soon would be there.

The students were nestled all snug in their desks,
While visions of paragraphs danced from their texts.
And Ty in his classroom, and I in my own,
Had just worked up our brains the semester had flown.

When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway I flew like a flash,
Tore open my book bag then ran out in a dash.

The sun on the crest of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to freedom below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature car, and two students with cheer.

With a little Ty driving, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment we'd be gone in a lick.
More rapid to grandma's, for shopping we go,
driving so careful through all of the snow!

"Through Ellsworth, and Prescott! then, Goodhue and Red Wing!
On, bridges! On, highways! on, blacktop, we're dri-ving!
To Country Club Manor! To the West of the town!
at long last arriving right round sundown!"

We had a great time at the Mcdaniel Celebration

It was a much needed mini vacation

But it was time to go, and we drove out of sight

"Happy Christmas to all, we'll be home Monday night!"

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Desearle la mejor esta temporada de Navidad

Translation: Wishing you the best this Christmas Season