happy valentine's day 2013!

In case you are wondering, taking care of twin two year olds and a 14 week old puppy isn't easy. Yesterday was one of the worst days so far.... I felt like I was in a bad sitcom with way too many crazy things happening all at once and one right after the other. It was absolutely ex. haus. ting. It was all typical stuff...peeing and pooping puppy (two feet of snow outside makes it VERRRY DIFFICULT to potty train a wee pup!!!!), screaming and whining babies, a crying and frustrated little girl after school, and all day -- ALL DAY -- cleaning up mess after mess...after mess....after mess.....now with added chewed up toys, boots, hats, mittens to the mix of toys...not to mention all the pee and poops everywhere -- on the floor, in the diapers....and more diapers.....

And, to add to the craziness....I made these for Soren and Anna Clara's valentines and Anna Clara's class party:

lollipops for the valentines and cream-filled cookies for the class party

Very surprising to me, Mr. Incredible sent me a dozen roses, 4 balloons for the kiddos and chocolates. That's a first. Maybe he misses me in Chicago. Almost as much as I miss him.

The kiddos requested the lollipop valentines again. They came home very proud that they were the only ones with homemade valentines. What? Remember when EVERYONE made homemade valentines??

The boys enjoyed the leftovers.

When putting the kidlings to bed last night I asked them each what she/he was looking forward to most about Valentine's Day. 

Anna Clara said, "the treats."

Soren said, "the day after I get to see Daddy."

He's a heartbreaker and a love of my, and daddy's, life.

He worked into the dark evening hours to build a fort and a snowman. A boy after my own heart!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! 

storm nemo

Such a funny name for a storm...but the Blizzard of 2013 was worthy of a name.

Friday, February 8th at 10am

Saturday, February 9th at 10am (and more coming!)

Friday, February 8th at 10am

Saturday, February 9th at 10am (and still snowing)

This is just after 24 hours of Blizzard 2013.

Soren building a fort in the driveway.

Niels is helping.

Anders hates the cold. This is his reaction after only 5 minutes outside. As Jim said, "His Viking ancestors would be disappointed."

The snow at our garage opening just before I discovered our snowblower was broken...again...but I broke it this time. Oops.

The stairs made a great sledding hill and the snow made it difficult to swing on the swings.

I love Soren's arm around AC in this pic.

My kind and thoughtful neighborly neighbors came over, without my asking, to clear my driveway and path. It made my day. I love my kind and thoughtful neighbors!!!!

My two favorite baby girls.

Anna Clara has got herself another playmate.

The cookies I made for my kind and thoughtful neighbors.

Exhausted after playing in the snow.

Oh yes. The pup. The day before the storm I drove an hour and a half to MA to the place where I bought JoiVie to pick up this lil 14 week old puppy. I couldn't handle the hole left in our home. And, coincidentally enough, when I called to find out if they had any pups, they had only one female Golden Retriever available -- on the very day I let JoiVie go. I picked her up the next day and I'm so very glad I did. She has helped keep my mind off the huge hole in my heart. She is  mellow, sweet, smart, loving and about as gorgeous as a pup can get (I love how red she is!). I told Jim he could name her since he hated the name JoiVie (too unmanly for him), so he chose "Lambeau" and the children approved. In case you don't know, Lambeau is from "Curly" Lambeau of Packer fame and the name of the Packers stadium. I love that it has the word "beau" in it -- French for "beautiful"-- in keeping with JoiVie's name origin (not that I'm French or have any French ancestry, but it truly is a beautiful language, and I kinda have a love for foreign languages). Just don't tell my manly Cheesehead hubby that.... *wink*

my joy

13 years ago I needed a dog. I mean I reeeeeally needed a dog. I was going through the toughest time in my life, so far, dealing with so many things on my own. Totally on my own. So I got a dog so I wouldn't be completely alone. I named her "JoiVie" from "Joie de Vivre" -- "Joy of Life". I needed some joy. She brought me more joy than I ever thought possible from a four-legged friend. She lived up to her name in every way, for every single one of those 13 years of her life.

This was taken on her first birthday in my office.

The earliest photos I have access to right now.

I don't have any digital pictures of her as a puppy (and I packed all my photo prints) because she came into my life before digital photos and cameras, Snapfish, blogs, iPhones, iPads, Facebook, Instagram; before Mr. Incredible, four bundles of joy, and the two most important roles of my life -- that of a wife and mother. She was my very first baby, she was totally and completely MY baby...she rarely left my side as she went to work with me, traveled to NYC with me, went on vacations with me...yes, I am one of "those" kind of dog lovers. I considered her to be a kindred spirit, a best friend, the love and joy of my life. To non-dog owners, this sounds a bit much. I don't care. To be able to have such a connection with another species besides a human is a gift and something as difficult to explain as love itself.

She was a part of me and has been, and always will be, a huge part of my heart. My last act of love to her was to put her to sleep upon discovering she had bone cancer -- before it became too painful. She was 13 and a half and had lived a full, healthy, happy life...no need to end it in unnecessary pain. It was an excruciatingly difficult decision to make, but there wasn't a doubt in my mind it needed to be done for her sake. I couldn't bear to have her be in pain when I knew I could give her a chance to die peacefully. And with our sweet connection, I knew she loved me for it...and for that I am oh so grateful.

My first two babies with my babe of a husband.

Soren, 1 year old; JoiVie, 4 years old

Anna Clara, 1 year old; JoiVie, 6 years old

One of my very favorite pictures of my first three babies -- who always played so nicely together.

Anna Clara was ALWAYS playing with her and for her. She called her "BA-bm"...how she came up with that name, I will never know...

She was never far from the action.

She loooved playing with rocks!!!

The most patient pup in the entire world.

And the most loving.

She loved "reading" to her pup.

She was as crazy about snow as her momma.

Four-legged Packer Backer.

She was by my side throughout every pregnancy.

 

He sat with her and cried the day after we discovered her cancer.

She sat with her as well...but saved her tears for the day she passed, when she couldn't stop crying.

It snowed on her last day so she could enjoy it for the last time.

And she enjoyed every minute of it.

Her all-time favorite pastime -- catching snowballs.

Saying goodbye before getting on the bus. She watched them get on the bus every day.

 JoiVie
08/16/99 - 02/06/13

"The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life."

I am grateful to have had her to love as much and as long as I did.