What to wear?

Goodness knows I love fundraisers, the wide variety of ways to raise dollars, and what motivates people to give.

Just today I got a forwarded e-mail from my sister-in-law, alerting me to a woman she knows attempting to sell 100 skirts in 10 days to help raise funds for her husband's cancer treatment. You can bet within minutes, I was on line to her Etsy shop called Seams and Dreams determined to purchase a skirt for little Miss Marly. A cute skirt for my kid AND I can help someone locally, well who can resist?

If you know a wee one/child who would enjoy a darling skirt, check it out HERE (or above of course). Please note several of the skirts (like the photo I nabbed from Etsy) are designated to the fundraiser.

Not only do I have a passion for fundraising, I love sharing causes with others. We FUNDraisers also like to be FRIENDraisers. (Yes... I am that cheesy!)

Dancing with Dave

Last weekend Mark and I unconsciously and consciously decided to plan nothing. While commuting home on Friday I called Mark and convinced him Thomberg Family Pizza night should hit the road. We headed to Sammy Perella's near our home, and we all had a great dinner out. The kids are finally getting to a place where we can actually all have fun in a social dining setting.

Saturday was your usual, uneventful day... which is was what we had planned/or NOT planned. Our next couple of weekends are booked solid with festivities, work, and birthday hoopla too, so this past weekend was designated down time.

Anyway, Saturday as I was cooking supper upstairs, Mark turned on our favorite - Dave Matthews (anything DMB really. We are not picky.) 'Typical Situation' was playing, and I came downstairs to find a dance party underway.

Dave's lyrics move me often, and this Saturday evening was no different.



When I say the lyrics "move" me, initially I meant emotionally. If taken in the literal sense, you all know I have NO rhythm, but I will try.

It's a typical situation

In these typical times

Too many choices

Everybody's happy

Everybody's free

We'll keep the big door open

Everyone will come around....

My life is pretty 'typical', and we do have 'too many choices', but this Saturday evening, even I can recognize that 'typical' is good, and 'EVERYBODY'S HAPPY'!

FOUND!

Last night I pulled the mani/pedi tub out from under the bathroom sink so I could take off some polish... and there it was - Marly's diaper from last week! It was clean and dry, so there was no foul stench to give it away. Tricky Trickster had even wrapped the tabs tight before placing it inside the cupboard, behind the tub. Tonight after prayers I did a quick spot check on the Trickster. Darned if she didn't grin from ear to ear and start to giggle. Not sure where that diaper is. I will probably find it next month. She went potty one more time and agreed to put Dora on before settling in for the night.

The Valentine Itch got me again!

It never fails, February arrives and I get the Valentine's itch. (Before I was married, I actually use to send out Valentine's cards to many relatives and friends.) I find myself drawn to pink and red clothes or accessories. I find myself craving hearts strewn about my home (hence yesterday's post). If I had more free time, I would make Valentine's with the Twinners this Saturday...

Well... I been coveting a beanie hat for Marly for quiet a while (I hate admitting how materialist I can be). She likes accessories in her hair, and I think maybe... I could get her to wear a cute hat.

So, with the arrival of February, I could no longer resist the temptation to buy. I went on line and searched for a Valentine beanie for little Miss Marly. First I went to Briar Clair, an Etsy seller I have purchased from before. They were SOLD OUT because of a special they were running, with advertising on a HIGH traffic blog that I won't name because she has PLENTY of traffic already.

So I searched around Etsy and came across DolceVitaMia, and found what I was looking for. Like the headband with flowers I purchased at the holiday's for Miss Marly's Christmas attire, the flowers detach, can be worn alone, attached to her headbands, etc.
I desperately hope they arrive by next Friday! I won't lie... I really love the girlie girl stuff for Marly....

Be My Valentine

Anyone who knows me well, might know that I LOVE Valentine's Day (...something about a birthday!). Well growing up, I always remember my mom hanging up hearts around the house for Valentine's Day (birthday!). You know, those card stock printed paper holiday decoration you could buy for any season at like, Kmart. Do you know what I am talking about? You hung them up on the window or wall or door with Scotch tape! After the holiday, you would rip them down (marring the back where the tape had been) and save them until next year (or at least we did).

Well, it is safe to say I am not very successful at being crafty... but every once in a while I just can't help myself from pretending. So, I had this intense itch to create heart holiday garland for the banister to add some heart hoopla to our home. (I wasn't up for a trip to Kmart.) I picked up a couple of those "spool of ribbons" at Walmart and got various shades of pink and red card stock on a 2 for one deal at JoAnne Fabrics.

So, for several evenings last week (after the kids were in bed) you could find me sprawled out on the floor cutting, punching, and stringing my hearts. I enjoyed the therapeutic activity so much, the lengths of garland kept growing as I thought up more places to hang my hearts! (with out being tacky hopefully...)

It is time to dust UP high. See the cob webs in the photo above! Heart garland now graces all three of our living/dining room windows.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Disappearing Diaper

Marly and Dean are potty trained, but not night trained. Actually I have not even thought about it. Every evening we put a diaper or a pull up on the kids, then their jammies. More often then not, they now wear two piece PJ's. This is easier on mom and dad when they claim they must go potty again after they are tucked in and have said their prayers.

Yesterday morning, Marly crawled into our bed around 4:30 am. Yesterday was a VERY out of the ordinary morning for the Thomberg's. You see, Mark was home and planning to take the kids to daycare. He ended up working all weekend and decided to take a few hours for himself on Monday. Normally he is gone by 5 am every weekday.

As he was undressing Marly (an unusual change of routine), he discovered she was damp, and diaper free. Some quick investigation uncovered wet sheets and mattress pad liner in her bed. The Dora pull-up she had on when she went to bed with on Sunday was no where to be found. Hmmm....

This morning, Marly got up after me (and long after Mark had left the house). She got into our bed to watch cartoons while I got ready. When it was time to go potty and get dressed, I discovered a dry daughter, but again... with NO diaper. Again, I have no idea where the diaper she started the night in has gone. I did check under her bed, in the cabinet, etc.

Hmmm - Tricky trickster may have decided she thinks she is NIGHT potty trained. Her parents are NOT convinced.

Dean does NOT take off his diaper at night. I suppose about 80% of the time, his diaper or pull up is dry. Unfortunately though, the last two Saturday afternoons, he has taken to pooping in his pants while under his kiddy picnic table in the toy room. The smell gives the naughty boy away every time. Darn it - He did it last Sunday too (even though I had asked him just 20 minutes before to go POTTY!)

We will see what tomorrow brings...

A Thomberg Family Outing

It had been too long since the Thomberg Foursome had a fun family weekend outing.

The past couple weeks, we have enjoyed family gatherings/meals with aunts, uncles and the grandparents. But as for Foursome free time, just getting what needs to be done has been consuming Saturday and Sunday. So Saturday morning, after Mark returned from doing some work at the 'Bou, we bundled up, loaded up, headed to McDonald's for lunch, and then on to see the ice sculptures at Rice Park for the St. Paul Winter Carnival. I promised the kids we would see a dragon (I noted the photo on line), and it was nearly the first sculpture we came across.

It was finally back in the double digits in Minnesota, and the kids enjoyed being outside.

I had to discourage both Marly and Dean from trying to lick the ice.

Brrr.... getting chilly!

Dad was getting cold. Time to head home!