Aurora Borealis

I got an email from my dad that made me miss Alaska. I heard talk on our local news channel last night of people being able to see the Northern Lights from here if you drove out of town far enough, but I didn't believe it. Then I got this from my Dad:

We drove out to see the northern lights last night and what a display! Everyone was going up to flattop so we went the other direction to upper O’Malley and found a place to park with our lights off. That’s actually hard to do because there has been so much snow the roads are pretty narrow with high berms on either side. The moon was full and almost blinding though. Karin was on facebook seeing how good the lights were in Birchwood, Eagle River and different parts of town as comments came in from all over. However, about midnight, patience proved to be the winner. We had a display better than the fireworks finale at the fourth of July. They would grow or diminish in intensity while moving at different speeds all over the sky. It was like the heavens were shimmering and lines of light leaping in different directions. Though I have seen red in the past, these were florescent green with tips of pink on the ends. It was the most amazing lights I have ever seen.

Hope you don't mind, Dad, but I stole your email. Love you!


A local photographer took this last night. Wow, sometimes I really do miss home.
To see more of his pictures, click here.

Not-So-Mini-Van

Alas, it was time. We outgrew our fun little 4 wheel drive, 5 person Ford Escape, grew up and traded it in for a minivan. We still "fit" in the Escape- Hailey's carseat base was strapped in the middle of Ethan's booster seat and Chase's mondo seat, but I had to heave the poor girl in between the seats and Ethan couldn't get his belt on and off because the base was in the way. So I guess it was time to upgrade-- we found this baby on Craigslist and sold ours after it was listed on craigslist for less than a day. Worked out great! I'm gonna miss my little SUV and I feel like I'm driving no less than a boat, but I'll freely admit that I love our van! It's red, it's got leather seats (you read that right!)-- makes for much easier cleanup with kiddos- and it's got DVD players. No joke. We had been shopping around for one since Christmas, we knew we wanted a Town and Country because they have the stow and go seating, and we finally found a steal online. Horray for roomy vans and my kids being able to get themselves in and out!

Good bye Escape

Hello minivan! Aka The swagger wagon (have you seen that YouTube video? )

Now we just need some help naming the new van, something that goes with the red color... The only thing that comes to my mind is Maureen cause its a name that sounds like maroon. Any ideas?

HI AGAIN, WORLD!!!

Surprise! We are alive!! No, really...

I really thought I was ok giving up blogging. After months (or years...) of guilt about not posting, I decided once and for all to give it up. But I couldn't, so here I am. These are the years I want to remember, we are in Med school, away from family, and my kids are young and hilarious and I want to document the things they do and say. So I have a goal to post once a week, even if it's just a cute picture of my little Hailey or a random quote from Chase or Ethan. Right now they are playing in the playroom, jumping off a chair yelling Boom-Shaka-Laka! Who wouldn't want to remember that?? I will slowly post pictures of the last year and a half of absence but if I felt like I had to catch up all at once it would never happen. So here's my favorite moment from yesterday:

Back story--I got an iPhone for my birthday and I love it because I can speak into it and Siri talks back, so I can send texts and messages just by talking. When I'm done, Siri gives me a confirmation that my message has been sent. Ethan's been begging every day for 2 weeks not to go to preschool even though he loves it when he gets there. I take it as confirmation he's having too much fun at home to want to leave :) So after Ethan got on the bus for preschool yesterday, I spoke Eric a text telling him Ethan was still having a hard time, and after I got done it beeped, and Chase- who had been staring at me while I spoke- said "Ok, I will send your message." I about died laughing, he said it exactly the same as Siri usually does. What a funny kid.

Right now Eric is on his way to San Antonio for a Podiatry conference until Saturday so feel free to call or stop by (if you are in Iowa) because I will be in some need of adult conversation after 4 days of kiddos. Can you believe I have 3?? I still can't.

Just a quick update, things are going really well here, Ethan is 4 and can't wait to turn 5, Chase is a tall 2 year old--everyone assumes he's at least 3, and Hailey is a smiling and cute 3.5 month old who was born 11/11/11 at 11:22 am, weighing 8 lbs 14 oz and was 21.5 inches. She is an active girl, and I can't set her down on her back without her rolling over to her tummy! Eric is in the last few months of his second year of podiatry school, and he takes his first set of boards this summer! After that he has 2 years of clinical rotations and then we are off to residency :) I am just busy with kids, loving having a girl and trying to work off the baby weight and balance life in general. We still love Iowa, its so family friendly and we just moved (in October) to a new apartment with tons of room and a (gasp!) 2 car garage! And its cheaper than where we were before! We are so blessed.

Here's us:

Playing outside in a little snow...with beach toys :)

Happy girl!

Ethan strung a whole cup full of multi-grain cheerios onto a string :)

I dyed my hair dark!
Entertaining Hailey

Eric and his little girl :)