Thank you all for your kind words about my last post. I have a million more memories to share, but really there is only so much time in a day. One of my favorites that I neglected to mention is when we would walk every morning in the summer to a little bakery in the Walgreens plaza in Mhd. It was called Sugar and Spice. We each got a doughnut and a water. I would snarf mine down in seconds. Steph, like always, ate her good nice and slowly. I was always amazed that she could even keep her Easter candy more than a day.
Well as I got to thinking of her birthday and the date, it hit me now that today is another important date in my life. Sixteen years ago today, my super duper special Grandma Ada passed away. Now, if you really know me (or if you are a student of mine), you would know that my Grandma Ada was "up there with Jesus and Santa Claus" as my dad likes to say.
She died a week before my senior year was over. She died six weeks after my Grandma Irene died unexpectedly. She died three weeks after my classmate Todd died. She died one week after my sister was married. Of all those events, hers was the most expected. We didn't expect her to live past Easter. But she did.
My grandma was one of the few people who never seemed annoyed by me as a child. The word on the street was that I was a little $hi& growing up. Someone was always mad at me, or so I thought...not that it prevented me from being who I was. Anyway she loved me. I never once doubted that.
We looked almost identical when you compared our pictures. I considered that an honor. My Grandma was the epitome of class. She was humble, never spoke unkindly, never lost her temper, always acted excited when I called her or stopped by (much like my dad does now with my kids), played word games and cards with me, and my favorite, smoked like a chimney but never inhaled. Man was she great.
Every now and then I still dream about her. I dreamed about her a week or so after she died. She told me she was okay. It put me at ease. I still miss her a lot. I would love for her to see my kids. I think she would be proud, because I grew up to be a rather nice person I think.
I think this Memorial weekend would be a good time to visit her grave.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Happy Birthday to a dear friend
To date, I haven't written about one of my all time favorite people. She was easily the person I spent a majority of my childhood life with, and a person to this day I am so proud to call my friend. Her name is Stephanie. We leave around the block from each other. We didn't discover that we were neighbors until the end of 3rd grade. We could even each stand in a certain spot in our homes and see each other while talking on the phone. (cool huh?)
Stephanie and I instantly bonded over the best childhood activity ever: Barbies. I can't tell you how many hours we invested in Barbie Dolls. We built homes, made up great story lines, and just enjoyed our shared love for Barbie. But it wasn't just dolls that united us.
We loved to laugh. We slept at one another's house all.the.time. We watched movies together. Our favorites were the Psycho movies (Psycho II and III were our favorites). I bumped into Psycho III on TV last summer. I was shocked at how horrible it was. But I can't tell you how much I laughed and became nostalgic. We also watched many, many moves together: Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and all the other John Hughes movies. We saw La Bamba, Dirty Dancing, Karate Kid II, and many more movies together in the theater. She even came with me to my first "movie with a boy" in the sixth grade...the movie was She's Having a Baby. It was horrible.
I knew her family, she knew my family. We ate at our houses. Because of her, I learned to eat soup. That girl has a knack for eating every possible soup out there. She spent some time with me at my grandma's house in Stephen, MN. I went with her to see her grandpa in a Fergus Falls nursing home.
By junior high, it's fair to say that we both grew in different directions, but at the same time, we spent time together...just not as much. We still rented movies and got Giovanni's pizza. (Pepperoni, green, and black olives) She was truly the best friend ever.
Even in high school when we both ran with other groups, Stephanie and I were always still close friends. It was unspoken but known. Every now and then we would hang out. By our senior year, our groups came together sometimes too. As juniors or seniors, we both had a job at the Tastee Freez. We dealt with her boyfriend, laughed at work, and just enjoyed each other. Steph was always the calm one. I was the spaz. I was so not private. She was more modest. I never spared her any of my gross bodily functions. I swear she was always a lady around me.
In college, we worked together. Our boyfriends were friends, so we traveled to the cities together once. That was a story. I think we had more fun before they joined us. She was in my wedding. I think by now you get the drift that we go way back.
When Ryan was a baby, she moved to San Francisco. Four years after, I didn't know where she was. It was on her birthday (today) that my dad (who adores her) called her mom to get her number. I hadn't talked to her in four years. There she was on the other end, giggling like always. We lost touch again. Thank goodness for Facebook. A year and a half ago, we found each other. I was thrilled beyond words. It just so happened that she was going to be in town that very weekend. She came over and got to see my last baby. It meant to much to me. Steph also met my other kids. Within about five minutes she declared Olivia to be a "Bonnie junior." In her words, "She's just like you. She loves to be the center of attention!"
We are still good friends to this day. Every now and then I will text her when I hear Lita Ford's "Kiss Me Deadly" on the radio. I am sure she smiles and rolls her eyes. I thank God for her friendship. It meant the world to me.
As I watch my girls with their friends, I wonder if they will still be close. I hope so. Happy Birthday Stephie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Stephanie and I instantly bonded over the best childhood activity ever: Barbies. I can't tell you how many hours we invested in Barbie Dolls. We built homes, made up great story lines, and just enjoyed our shared love for Barbie. But it wasn't just dolls that united us.
We loved to laugh. We slept at one another's house all.the.time. We watched movies together. Our favorites were the Psycho movies (Psycho II and III were our favorites). I bumped into Psycho III on TV last summer. I was shocked at how horrible it was. But I can't tell you how much I laughed and became nostalgic. We also watched many, many moves together: Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and all the other John Hughes movies. We saw La Bamba, Dirty Dancing, Karate Kid II, and many more movies together in the theater. She even came with me to my first "movie with a boy" in the sixth grade...the movie was She's Having a Baby. It was horrible.
I knew her family, she knew my family. We ate at our houses. Because of her, I learned to eat soup. That girl has a knack for eating every possible soup out there. She spent some time with me at my grandma's house in Stephen, MN. I went with her to see her grandpa in a Fergus Falls nursing home.
By junior high, it's fair to say that we both grew in different directions, but at the same time, we spent time together...just not as much. We still rented movies and got Giovanni's pizza. (Pepperoni, green, and black olives) She was truly the best friend ever.
Even in high school when we both ran with other groups, Stephanie and I were always still close friends. It was unspoken but known. Every now and then we would hang out. By our senior year, our groups came together sometimes too. As juniors or seniors, we both had a job at the Tastee Freez. We dealt with her boyfriend, laughed at work, and just enjoyed each other. Steph was always the calm one. I was the spaz. I was so not private. She was more modest. I never spared her any of my gross bodily functions. I swear she was always a lady around me.
In college, we worked together. Our boyfriends were friends, so we traveled to the cities together once. That was a story. I think we had more fun before they joined us. She was in my wedding. I think by now you get the drift that we go way back.
When Ryan was a baby, she moved to San Francisco. Four years after, I didn't know where she was. It was on her birthday (today) that my dad (who adores her) called her mom to get her number. I hadn't talked to her in four years. There she was on the other end, giggling like always. We lost touch again. Thank goodness for Facebook. A year and a half ago, we found each other. I was thrilled beyond words. It just so happened that she was going to be in town that very weekend. She came over and got to see my last baby. It meant to much to me. Steph also met my other kids. Within about five minutes she declared Olivia to be a "Bonnie junior." In her words, "She's just like you. She loves to be the center of attention!"
We are still good friends to this day. Every now and then I will text her when I hear Lita Ford's "Kiss Me Deadly" on the radio. I am sure she smiles and rolls her eyes. I thank God for her friendship. It meant the world to me.
As I watch my girls with their friends, I wonder if they will still be close. I hope so. Happy Birthday Stephie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Another Kate story
Kate amazes me. She does things that I wish I had the guts to do at her age. And, of course, there is a funny story to go along with it.
Kate: "Mom I want to invite_______to my party tonight, because she's never been invited to a party before."
Bonnie (feeling bad): "Why is that Kate?"
Kate: "Well she's sort of crazy (totally saying this matter of factly mind you) and gets in everyone's faces, but she's my friend and I'm inviting her.
I am not sure whether to be proud or mortifyed by her comments. She wasn't exaggerating in her mind.
Bonnie: "Kate how do you know she's neve been invited to a party?"
Kate: "Because I asked her how many parties she's been invited to and she said zero."
Bonnie (feeling bad again): "What did you say?"
Kate (with a proud smile spreading on her face): "Well you're invited to mine!"
God I love this kid. And that is the story of why every year, Kate and her mom invite wayyyyy more people than we should to her parties. Two bleeding hearts in a pod.
Kate: "Mom I want to invite_______to my party tonight, because she's never been invited to a party before."
Bonnie (feeling bad): "Why is that Kate?"
Kate: "Well she's sort of crazy (totally saying this matter of factly mind you) and gets in everyone's faces, but she's my friend and I'm inviting her.
I am not sure whether to be proud or mortifyed by her comments. She wasn't exaggerating in her mind.
Bonnie: "Kate how do you know she's neve been invited to a party?"
Kate: "Because I asked her how many parties she's been invited to and she said zero."
Bonnie (feeling bad again): "What did you say?"
Kate (with a proud smile spreading on her face): "Well you're invited to mine!"
God I love this kid. And that is the story of why every year, Kate and her mom invite wayyyyy more people than we should to her parties. Two bleeding hearts in a pod.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Happy Birthday Mom!
Today is my mom's birthday. She is one of the most selfless, thoughtful, kind, generous, and loving people I know. My mother doesn't rest her mind unless she knows that everyone is happy and healthy. If something isn't right in one of our homes, my mom is right there with us in spirit.
There are many things about her that I admire. Here are a few:
--her cooking is amazing. I still have never made mashed potatoes in my life. I don't have to, because when she makes dinner, we get all the fixings. Thanksgiving is really no different from any other big dinner at her house. Her stuffing is.to.die.for.
--her thoughtfulness. She sends out hundreds of birthday and anniversary cards each year. She has a book that keeps tract of those two things as well as deaths. My mom always knows when to let someone know that she is thinking of them.
her ability to put up with my dad. Enough said.
--her ability to put up with me. She and I really can be like oil and water. I am feisty, hot tempered, mellow (for our family), and live in what I like to think of as organized chaos. She is more timid, anxious, and likes to know ahead of time what the plans are. Our tastes clash. I have told her that if she sees something she doesn't like, I probably will like it. We are just that way.
Still, I can tell her anything. I don't feel like she judges me (too much). It's hard not to judge when someone is so opposite of you.
--her unconditional love for her grandchildren. They adore her and she adores them. She will call Ryan on a Saturday morning in the winter to talk Gopher hockey. She cuts out pictures in the newspapers that she things Kate would like to see. She reads endless stories to them. My eyes get tired after two or three books. She could go for hours. I can't even begin to write enough about her on this blog.
--her ability to completely break out of her comfort zone and go to Las Vegas not once, but twice with her girls. We have bonded more in these last two trips that I can even convey. The best part is the laughing we do.
I am the same age now that my mother when she had me. I hope to have her around for a long time. Love you Mom!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Approaching twelve years
Thad and I are celebrating our TWELVE year anniversary on Saturday, May 22. I can't believe we have been together for over half my life. And, guess what? We are actually going to celebrate it this year. After debating which fancy restaurant we should go to, he took the advice of some girls at the Ortho's office. So Norman's it is. I will let you know about the food.
Some things I have learned along the way that keep us happy (most of the time):
1. We are best friends. BUT, that doesn't mean that my husband has replaced my girl friends. Girl time is important. I am pretty bad at this, but at least we keep up via email, blogging, deep conversations, and facebook.
2. Just because we agreed to be together for life doesn't mean that we have to be together nonstop. We both wind down differently at night. Usually that means we aren't even in the same room. We make an effort, but for the first seven years of marriage, I was alone most nights, so we respect one anothers' routines.
3. We each have our separate hobbies that keep us individually happy. He loves to golf. I love to....go to Target & workout at Healthpros.
4. I am more outgoing than Thad, but overall, Thad is more social (if that makes any sense). He enjoys going out, staying out late, having adult beverages with friends, and pretty much any social scene. I am the early to leave type. Just because it works for him and it's not my thing doesn't mean that he gets angry if I choose to stay home or he chooses to stay out late.
5. We are who we are and after years of struggling with this, neither one of us is going to change. I used to hold him back from going out sometimes. Now, unless we have a vomiting kid, I really don't care. (Well I care if he has been working a lot, is coaching nonstop, and is gone a lot) Otherwise, it's fine by me.
6. He accepts my quirks thankfully.
7. We don't get up at the same time on the weekends. He sleeps in. I get up early. Later I nap if I want. It's a non issue, because we are both getting what we want in some way.
8. We laugh a lot and use sarcasm too often.
9. Although I nag more, I would say that it's evened out more over time. He thinks I leave messes (okay I do). I think he doesn't clean as well as he picks up.
10. When one if us is short with the kids, the other is incredibly calm. This is more of a "as luck would have it" but you get my drift.
11. Although he thinks my travel planning obsession is odd, he doesn't complain too often anymore.
12. Sundays between September and February are sacred. Only Ryan's hockey games interfere with the Vikings. I never even realized his obsession until we were married. If they lose, it's going to be a long day with Thad.
Some things we need to work on:
1. Putting "us" before the kids more often. We don't go out enough. Let's be real though. Paying a sitter to watch four children is expensive. I maybe should go out more to these shin digs, but after a long week of work, I get energized by relaxing, not partying.
2. I still get snippity more than I should.
3. Evening out our roles during hockey season. Coaching two teams last year was a bit trying.
4. Finding more than one show to enjoy together....Modern Family. If you haven't watched it, you MUST. I wish we had more tv shows to watch together.
Are we perfect? Hardly. I am likely forgetting some big white elephant that sometimes becomes an issue, but overall, I am pretty excited to celebrate on Saturday. Happy Anniversary Thad!
Some things I have learned along the way that keep us happy (most of the time):
1. We are best friends. BUT, that doesn't mean that my husband has replaced my girl friends. Girl time is important. I am pretty bad at this, but at least we keep up via email, blogging, deep conversations, and facebook.
2. Just because we agreed to be together for life doesn't mean that we have to be together nonstop. We both wind down differently at night. Usually that means we aren't even in the same room. We make an effort, but for the first seven years of marriage, I was alone most nights, so we respect one anothers' routines.
3. We each have our separate hobbies that keep us individually happy. He loves to golf. I love to....go to Target & workout at Healthpros.
4. I am more outgoing than Thad, but overall, Thad is more social (if that makes any sense). He enjoys going out, staying out late, having adult beverages with friends, and pretty much any social scene. I am the early to leave type. Just because it works for him and it's not my thing doesn't mean that he gets angry if I choose to stay home or he chooses to stay out late.
5. We are who we are and after years of struggling with this, neither one of us is going to change. I used to hold him back from going out sometimes. Now, unless we have a vomiting kid, I really don't care. (Well I care if he has been working a lot, is coaching nonstop, and is gone a lot) Otherwise, it's fine by me.
6. He accepts my quirks thankfully.
7. We don't get up at the same time on the weekends. He sleeps in. I get up early. Later I nap if I want. It's a non issue, because we are both getting what we want in some way.
8. We laugh a lot and use sarcasm too often.
9. Although I nag more, I would say that it's evened out more over time. He thinks I leave messes (okay I do). I think he doesn't clean as well as he picks up.
10. When one if us is short with the kids, the other is incredibly calm. This is more of a "as luck would have it" but you get my drift.
11. Although he thinks my travel planning obsession is odd, he doesn't complain too often anymore.
12. Sundays between September and February are sacred. Only Ryan's hockey games interfere with the Vikings. I never even realized his obsession until we were married. If they lose, it's going to be a long day with Thad.
Some things we need to work on:
1. Putting "us" before the kids more often. We don't go out enough. Let's be real though. Paying a sitter to watch four children is expensive. I maybe should go out more to these shin digs, but after a long week of work, I get energized by relaxing, not partying.
2. I still get snippity more than I should.
3. Evening out our roles during hockey season. Coaching two teams last year was a bit trying.
4. Finding more than one show to enjoy together....Modern Family. If you haven't watched it, you MUST. I wish we had more tv shows to watch together.
Are we perfect? Hardly. I am likely forgetting some big white elephant that sometimes becomes an issue, but overall, I am pretty excited to celebrate on Saturday. Happy Anniversary Thad!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
A belated birthday
A belated Happy Birthday to my now FIVE year old daughter Olivia Grace. Her birthday was May 10th. I came home from my vacation that evening. I felt guilty about missing a portion of her birthday, but she could have cared less. And what a whirlwind birthday week she had!
Thad took all the kids and his mom to the cities a few hours before I flew out to Sin City. They went to stay with his sister Stacy. Thad's brother also was in the cities that weekend, and Thad hadn't seen him for five years.
They gave Olivia a party which was originally what she said she wanted to do for her birthday: have a party at Aunt Stacy's. She got her wish. Then she celebrated her bday at daycare, preschool, and we had a family/neighbor party last Wed.
To know Olivia is to love her. She is happy, charming, silly, and downright as easy going as they come. I don't think she really cared that we didn't go out until last weekend to buy her "big" gift: a new bike. It even dawned on me that we could have skipped it, and she would have stayed happy as a clam. Happy Birthday Olivia!
In other news: Ryan had his 4th grade track meet today. All the 4th graders from all the schools in Mhd were there. I went back and forth to watch, and I dragged up to 38 extra spectators (read: students) with me. For as bizarre as my time was there, I got to see him participate in all of his four events! He did the 100 meter dash, high jump, 4x4 co-ed relay, and the mile. He took 8th in the 100 meter dash, so that was fun.
His "friend" has been calling several times a day. Tonight as he was brushing his teeth, he told me they were going out. Then she called and told him that her mom said she couldn't have a boyfriend. Thank you mom! Sadly, I think he is/was a little irked. I told him that I didn't think it was necessary either. I am walking a fine line with what I say. It's so odd that he is confiding in me about this, and I don't want to push him away. Let's see if the phone stops ringing nonstop now.
Kate is Kate. She is part ditzy, part super sweet and kind, and another part diva. She is a typical girl I guess!?
Brady is still only playing with pots, pans, spatulas, and measuring cups. I am getting weirded out to be honest.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Vegas baby!
Yes I know...AWESOME photo huh?
The best part of Vegas..the sun, pool, and cocktails.
Okay I lied. The best part was spending time with my mommy...
...and my sister...
And staying at the nicest hotel EVER.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
In the last few weeks
We have had Olivia's 5 year check up/shots & Brady's 18 month check up/shots.
We had the girls' end of the year dance recitals.
Thad, Kate, Olivia, and their posse of friends & dads went to the Butterfly Ball.
Kate had her 2nd grade program "Going Buggy."
Olivia had her spring program at preschool and received her diploma.
Ryan had his 4th grade program. I can't recall the name, but it was a salute to music of the last several decades.
Kate received her first Communion.
Now....baseball has begun, Olivia and I have a Mother's Day event at her preschool on Friday, I got to Fergus on Thursday for the TAH history grant I am in, and I leave for VEGAS on Friday with my sissy poo and mother. WHO HOO!
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