ryans apartment cleaned....check, vikes win....check!

yep! good day in vikes land! vikes pulled off a win today...which is awesome....what's not so awesome? having to listen to it on KFAN because you forgot to tivo it before leaving the house....it is the most frusterating thing to listen to a football game in the radio!! oh, and we only lost about half of our players today due to some type of injury...hopefully they are all at 100% by our game we're going to next Sunday!!

so we went to paynesville and got ryan's apartment all cleaned out...it took all of 20 minutes, not cuz he's clean...cuz it's a tiny apartment...it's more like a hotel room turned apartment. anyways it's clean now, and the owner called on our way there and said she has someone to rent it from December to April which is just perfect because, first...ryan doesn't have to pay decembers rent then...and second...when ryan starts working in april again it should be open and she said to give her a call, hopefully she can get him back in! definitely beats paying for a hotel room everynight...plus he gets an oven/stove and a refrigerator!

now he heads up north for the next couple weeks (hopefully only a couple)...which he's bummed cuz he doesn't get to sleep in anymore (sleeping in to him is 5:30)...poor thing...see, i find it hard to have sympathy because i have to be up at 5am...and he'll be off in a couple weeks which he won't even know what an alarm is anymore! so see, no sympathy...haha.

we also swung by the grocery store to grab a few things....start of healthy eating number 924...haha. hopefully i'm in it! it's so hard when all you want is crap food! so hopefully the healthy eating stays! i'm going to try eating just small healthy meals...not necessarily counting calories and worrying about that...and i need to get my buttowski movin! so here goes nothin!

XOXO,

Erinn

lay off season is upon us!!

hear me out! i know this isn't normally something people get excited for...however my husband and i spend months apart (okay, technically it's just the weeks, he's home on weekends) during the "road construction" season in minnesota. well...we are going from road construction season right into winter! it took ryan over an hour to get his equipment started yesterday morning...he was NOT a happy camper!

well ryan found out today after work that they are done.....in paynesville. he was in celebration mode! he was super-duper excited....then he turns around to see his foreman, who wants him in virginia on monday morning....cheese and rice!!! 

so in the morning we will get up, get ready, and go clean his apartment...he's been renting an apartment there for the summer (waaay cheaper than a  hotel room), anyways, he has everything mostly packed besides the tv, his blow-up bed, and a table....and we need to bring the vaccuum and tidy it up a bit. hopefully we won't have to pay decembers rent!! that'd be a nice treat!

so...now he's in virginia....who knows how long (cuz you know...no one can give warning of any kind...i mean they found out today at 5pm they were done for the year, this happens every year). ryan's hope is he'll be back on his hoe....oh, how he's missed his hoe this year! remember, no pre-planning though...so he won't know what he's running until monday...at 6:45am, that's how they roll...

so, this was the day ryan was almost layed off (which i understand most people fear the thought of this, and respect this completely...however this has been the norm for us for the past 7 years already...we wait for lay off, then we wait for work to start...it's the cycle! we've learned exactly how much money to put away...and have passed our goal this year! we've NEVER been savers, but when you get all your money in the summer, and don't work in the winter...it only takes one year for you to learn what you need to have saved!!) sorry, off on a tangent there...

again, this was the day ryan was almost layed off....but here we go again! haha! hopefully only a week or two more!

XOXO,

Erinn

the crazies....

yesterday was a great thanksgiving! my dad, brothers, sister, ryans sister (and boyfriend), and us all together....it was fun! the girls had a blast!

we attempted (and succeeded) at frying our first turkey! well ryan (with dad and joes help) did the frying....with about an hour of trying to get the oil temp just right...

notice pot of oil (right) is not on the burner (left)...we had to make some
temperature adjustments creatively.

we just gave up after a little bit and decided to just throw the bird in and let it cook....here was her before pic, wasn't she a beaute?

ignore giant mess in background!

here's her close-up!

notice joe's holding the turkey and the pot is still off in the snow bank,
not sure what ryan's job is in this shot....

poor birds gettin all cold, here ryan actually looks busy!

turkey's in!

this was by far the best turkey we've ever had! it took a total of 55 minutes once we got it in the oil....that's not including our hour of trying to figure out what the heck we were doing! we injected the bird with some buttah, rubbed her with some rotisserie (sp) chicken spices (hence the red bird in the previous pics), and plopped her in the peanut oil. they say the important thing is to make sure the turkey is done in deep fryers....however ours was measuring well over temp. wise and was still the juiciest (not greasy at all) turkey evah!! here's the after pics...

a little scarey looking i know...believe me i was scared to
cut into this baby...that it'd be nothing but crisp, but it was far
from it...moist and juicy! Delish!

i'd have to say it turned out to be a super delicious (not at all healthy) meal. although i am trying to eat healthier and feed my kids healthier i'd have to say i probably used more butter in this meal than i have all year! it was yummy though!



none of the alcohol in the background was consumed

during the preparation of this turkey dinner!





homemade taters (not even outta a box!)



pre-baked green bean casserole

(we are in minnesota)

i had it in my head to snap pics of the meal before we ate...however after messing with the oil forever and then almost forgetting the gravy (you don't get drippings from a deep fried turkey...so i had to cheat!) i completely forgot the after pics! so all you get is a couple before pics...the rest was already in the oven...and i wasn't stickin my camera in the oven!

all in all it was a wonderful day. great family, great food. i have to say i was a little nervous as it was my first thanksgiving with my parents divorced. it's been very hard on me as it is the rest of my family i'm sure...especially my dad. so i wasn't sure how it'd go. but it was a blast! we had fun!

today i went shopping with by friend/daycare lady (and the rest of all the crazies!)...she's a riot! i just love her! she's had the girls since they were both born and i'm pretty sure i'd flip out if she decided to quit before they are out of daycare stage (2 years, 4 months, and 22 days....just kidding...i don't really have a countdown).

it was a blast though. we just kept it completely casual and meandered through all the stores....notice the girls adorable flannel jammers:

aren't they jes the cutest girls in the world...
i think so...messy hair and cups in face and all!

found a couple good deals...missed my hubby though! i've been spoiled with always having him be able to come with. soon enough we'll be able to take a little shopping trip...just him and i!

it's been a great thanksgiving week! i'm so thankful for my great family God has blessed me with. i'm so thankful for all the wonderful things in life!

happy friday!

XOXO,

Erinn

white thanksgiving??

apparently it's going to be a white thanksgiving!! :) what is it about this weather that makes me want a cup a joe from here:

yum-yum in my tum-tum!

i have a soft spot for the 'bou! i don't really have anything blog-worthy today...unlike my other most important blogging days...haha! i wish everyone a very happy thanksgiving!! we'll be just spending it here with the fam! the girls are spending the night at my mom's tonight...ryan's on his way home now (in this nasty weather...i imagine he's going about 30mph which is probably driving his lead-foot crazy!!). he will have to head back up friday morning. poor guy!! my sis is gonna babysit the girl-i-o's and i'm gonna head out with my friend/daycare lady! yippee! it'll be a ladies day!

oh, and for tomorrow...we'll be attempting to deep fry our first turkey evah! (i know, super healthy huh!) hopefully we don't blow up anything!! that's our goal (to NOT blow anything up!). and i was thinking about maybe taking the girls to "tangled" this weekend cuz it looks super cute!:

plus i love me a good disney movie! i had most the disney dvd's before the girls were born...shhh!

happy thanksgiving all!



XOXO,

Erinn

"thankful thanksgiving week"

me: what are you thankful for brooke?
brooke: i dunno
me: you dunno? your not thankful for anything?
brooke: uh, no, i'm thankful for a lots of stuff.
me: oh like what?
brooke: i dunno
me: how bout mommy?
brooke: uh, no, just a lots of stuff
me: oh! okay then! well mommy's thankful for you!
brooke: me too.

oh kids! i tell ya! top my list of thankfullness every year!! they make ya smile, laugh, cry...they make you happy and frustrated....yet they are the love of my life!!

i'm so thankful for my beautiful, healthy, wonderful family! i'm so thankful that they put up with me when i have my minor melt-downs lately! (which are getting better by the way...maybe a little retail therapy on friday will help huh?) i'm thankful that i have a God that loves me and my family...and protects us and i'm thankful that i can live in a country to raise my children to serve Him. i'm so thankful that we live in a place where we can be free and have the rights we do, where we don't have to fear leaders as other countries do...i am thankful to be an american and thankful for those who serve and protect us! i'm thankful that ryan and i both are able to have great jobs and great benefits...of course i would love to be a stay at home mom but know in my heart that we can not afford that! therefore i am thankful to have great jobs that allow us to have resources to do great family things together! i am thankful to own a house, it may not be new, or huge, or beatiful...or clean all the time....but it's ours, and it's home! i'm also thankful to have such great family and friends! it really is a great life! it's so easy to get caught up in the negativity...but i'm trying look at everything with the mindset of will it still be there next week? will i care about this next week? if not...let it go!! that's my new motto! life's way too short... and my kids are way too precious to waste time being negative. it's hard to do when you come from a life raised in negativity...but i'm trying to move past! i've got a ton to be thankful for!!

what are you thankful for?? i really think next year with the girls i want to start a "give thanks" jar. i want to get a cutsey glass jar and little note cards and then the girls, ryan, and i will take each day to write something we are thankful for...and then on thanksgiving we can go through them...i think it's just a cute little way to bring some more meaning to the holiday time!

i don't know about you but i can't wait for thanksgiving! yummo - turkey!! one more day of work (big thanks!!). in minnesota we are supposed to get some nasty weather the next 2 days....bring it on i guess huh!? we're minnesotans! we're tough!

happy thanksgiving week!!

XOXO,

Erinn

bye-bye apple pie!

ryan and i had our big game yesterday! vikes vs packs!

it started off with nasty, slippery roads! we were running late...ryan was worried we were going to miss kick off! cars were going so slow...which was good...except for once we got down toward 35w the roads were just fine! not a bit slippery! that is until we got to the parking...we had to run the 5 blocks to the dome...good exercise i guess huh!? except i thought i had made it over the slippery bridge ( you honestly could have worn ice skates!). and so we were bookin it.....and down i went....hard! my knee is now a gorgeous red/blue/purple...and i'm pretty sure i have whiplash...i've had a nasty migraine ever since last night and can barely move my neck...was it worth it?? ummm....yeah!

it was a depressing day in the vikes world though!! i've never been sooo annoyed by pack fans in my life!! i can say that...i was born in wisconsin...so shush! the game started out good! we got the ball...got 3 pts...then sacked GB twice right away all within the first quarter.

it.was.all.down.hill.from.there.

let me just say it resulted in the firing of mr chilly today...

oh! I did bring our camera, however when we got there i realized that i left the memory card in the laptop...no good pics...one fuzzy cam-phone pic though:

my mom watched the girls that day. she being the packers fan she is (wisconsin born and raised) was sending random annoying texts throughout the day. we had previously put some pie on the line of this game....if the packs won...i'd bake mom an apple pie...if the vikes won...she'd bake me a strawberry rhubarb pie....the ending score was 31-3....the clobbered us! guess who doesn't get pie!

these are the pics she sent me (along with a nanananabooboo attached to the last pic....haha)

 

ryan is already looking at vikes vs bills tickets....he's thinking we have a better chance against them...haha!

happy monday!

XOXO,

Erinn

da blues....

so saying i've been a "negative nellie" lately would be an understatement.

i'm in a state of feeling a little sorry for myself.  i'm overly hard on myself about my weight lately, i've always been hard on myself...i'm not sure if that comes from being the oldest??  i can't even look in the mirror without being way over-the-top critical of myself. i wanted to be on a better track by now, being this close to our vacation...but of course i can't stop eating crap! nor do i want to work out...ever! i wake up so early in the morning only to be rushed by getting everything for myself and the girls ready for the day....it seems like the mornings are all one huge argument of getting them to cooperate..... then i go to work for 10 hours to work with families who are way worse off than i am...you'd think that'd make me appreciate what i have, but it's not really that i don't appreciate what i have...it's just i'm so burnt out in the regular routine right now. after 10 long hours at work (11.5 after lunch and driving) i go pick the girls up only to hear them arguing the whole way home...as soon as we walk in the door it's the rush of dinner, homework, baths, animals fed, bedtime, getting stuff ready for the next day and do it all over again....it exhausts me just thinking about it! i'd do about anything to be a stay at home mom and have my time with them be sooo much more enjoyable....but there is no possible way one can afford that these days! ryan and i are both very blessed to have good jobs with wonderful benefits. but it's seems like all i do lately is pray for energy and patience! i know that it has been a long season this year with ryan being out of town since May...i haven't had to deal with that for awhile...so some of it is just being burnt out. but i just wish i was able to deal with the whole thing better....instead of feeling like i was on the verge of a melt down all the time! i know it's a little worse now also because it's colder, darker, and the days are shorter....but i will beat this!

don't get me wrong! i am very thankful for everything God has given us! we are extremely blessed...i am just in a funk...and need to work my way out. i think it may be God's way of letting me know i need some more prayer....i tend to want to do EVERYTHING...and i think he may want me to rely on him a little more, which i know i need to do.

so that is my goal. my goal is to be more patient, understanding...and not try to hold so much on my shoulders. i will have more conversation this week with God...for he is the only one who truely knows the true plan of our lives anyway...i suppose i could trust Him to help guide me huh??

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL??

did i tell you that i have a date this weekend with my boyfriend....?

did i also tell you that he is a pro football player....?

that's right, he's so friends with brett favre, sidney rice, pat williams...

you see, ryan thinks we are going for our anniversary present....so silly....

see ya sunday jared!

he's the one in stripes in the background...see him...bahaha...JUST KIDDING!

skol vikes!! 

Two months and counting.....

in two months we will be here.....



yet do you think I have been religiously following my diet and exercise routine (no). do you think i have shopped for summer attire (no). do you think i have started tanning because I am the approximate color of a marshmallow (no).

am i excited?? (heck yes)

do i need this vacation?? (double heck yes)

am i in a bit of denial that this is only two months away (ummm, yeah)

time to get your act together erinn!

Pablo

there once was a fat cat named pablo...
he wanted to follow every place I'd go...
he'd panic when his food dish was half empty...
we thought it'd be cute to teach him to say please...
now it's all i hear as i reach for my keys...
every morning is a begging routine...
did i tell you how many lbs he weighs...EIGHTEEN!!!



Ignore this nasty white lynoleum that is now completely
ripped from our house! (old pic) Just enjoy cute fat cat!



Workin Man!

well ryan found out he might have to work the friday and saturday after thanksgiving....BOO! i am one of those craaaaaazy people that wakes up at the crack of dawn (okay there's no dawn that early....) just to be ran over, ran into, breathed on, ticked off, etc.
i don't know why we do it every year...ever since ryan has been working out of town it's been our little retreat where we have a babysitter spend the night (usually my sweet mama or sista), wake up early, get some great deals...but also get to spend the day together just my and my honey....we get some lunch and have the luxury of going in and out of whichever store we please without worrying about who's crabby, who's hungry, who has to pee...you get the idea...!

we try to get some christmas shopping done, but it's my time to just let myself get in the christmas spirit! (plus we always score AWESOME deals for ourselves!!) it's fun to go into the stores all decorated up for christmas and hear the music........but........rumor is ryan will have to work.

this is the thing though....rumors fly at ryan's work like they are a bunch of women! (it's okay, i can say that, i'm a woman...i know we spread rumors....it happens). so here is the problem, i'm going no matter what...however, i won't know if my date will be coming with me until probably next wednesday (that's right....NEXT wednesday, his work also doesn't know how to plan ahead). sometimes i hate the road construction business...it's been oh-so good to us through the years....but man the schedule just sucks!
so....what has come to become our crazy tradition over the years might have to be without one very important person this year! **tear**
hannah did graciously offer to come with me....how sweet of her...but i think not!!! i love you to the moon child, but this is my day! whether i go by myself or not! plus...you will not peek at your christmas presents...but nice try!

also, apparently they have decided that they will be working until december 21st....another crazy silly rumor i'm sure. I do know they are expected to work later this year which is great...but december 21st KGM....if you're gonna start a rumor, please make it a little more believable (like not a tuesday). i mean, who works until tuesday? you could at least really get at people and say christmas eve....

ooo....wanna see what my hubby gets to run? here's some of his play toys....



this one is his baby...i mean it....pretty sure he'd choose it over me if made to choose!



he loves what he does....how many people can say that...he truely loves running this equipment! but hates being away from us (i mean, can you blame him...heehee).

hopefully soon he can get a job someplace where he can be home every night! but he definitely does what he needs to for his family!! my man is a workin man, he makes me happy! :)

well wish me luck on the shopping bit! hopefully he has it off and it's just a silly man-rumor....but we'll just have to wait and see! tis the life of a road construction man's wife!





Dear Santa.....

Okay....so even though it has officially snowed once here in Minnesota, doesn't mean it's christmas, although many people think so...it always amazes me how people go from halloween right on over to christmas decorating! I suppose you don't really decorate for thanksgiving and in all reality it's probably a smart thing to do if you have a million-bajillion lights to put up on the eaves, however I absolutely refuse to set up any decorations (even though brooklyn asks about every day how many sleeps til we can set up our tree), listen to christmas music, do any christmas shopping, or even LOOK at the christmas aisle in Tar-jay before Thanksgiving (I glance from a distance though, and it is pretty!)....however...we have been working with the girls on making their christmas lists...not so much to give us ideas, but other family members (grandmas, grandpas, jenni's, etc....). We have decided that we are not giving toys this year. (yeah, yeah...mean mom...I know!) The girls have plenty of toys...in fact, they have approximately 9,000 too many toys (I see some weeding out in our near future). We decided that we will get them one fun thing each, but otherwise we are going to get them "mini bedroom makeovers" complete with new sheets, quilts, curtains...that's what we will be doing over christmas this year! Turning their bedrooms into little princess palaces! I've had my eye on some cute bedding at Pottery Barn...but Ryan was quick to put me in my place...how perfect would this be!!!

Brooke Bedroom Collection



Hannah Bedroom Collection

I mean, COME ON, they even have their names as the title of the bedding collection!! Wouldn't that be perfect?? But NO, someone says $300 per bedding set is too much to spend....geez....some people, eh, I'll forgive him this time...and I suppose that I'll have to try to find some cute stuff at a cheaper place of a certain SOMEONE'S approval...ahem... Okay...so I'm being a bit dramatic...and I really wouldn't spend that on their bedding either, I'm really perfectly happy shopping at Target, they actually have really cute little girls bedding (or Mr. Ryan, as you may know...there is now a Kohl's in Cambridge...that I may or may not have been to at least 3 times a week since they've opened, and I think they are starting to know us by name!!)....just sayin...we've got options in the bedding department since the all-to-obvious-and-perfect idea apparently has been nixed! So anywho! That's our idea for the girls this year...practical, yet something they can enjoy!

On a cuter note....here's the girls wish lists, made possible by the Walmart Toy Shoppe flyer (thanks Walmart). Some of these things I've never even heard of! We are really trying to enforce the whole "true meaning of christmas" in them....I tell ya! That's hard when you get this silly toy catalogs in the mail every other day and they get the gimmies!! Maybe we'll do some "make a wish" presents this year, I really want them to experience the true feeling of giving...and not just "give me". They are wonderful, sweet, sensitive girls and I know they would love that experience!

Okay! Nuff said about christmas...good gosh already! Now to get backpacks packed, girls scrubbed up, and pj'ed, pup and kitties fed, and give my honey a goodnight call so I can hit the hay and start all over in the morning!

Oh, did I mention I have this one thing on my christmas list? (the're kinda my weakness....)



Dear Santa....please...I could use one more!!!



XOXO,

Erinn

I'm a blogger....ahhhhh!

Okay, so I've been thinking of blogging for awhile...and I thought now that Ryan's parents have officially moved to Arizona now's probably a good time. It'll be a good way for me to write and a good way for family to see what's going on in the Shaw household. Both girls are in school today (Brooke - Kindergarten, Hannah - 4th grade) so I thought it'd be a good time to actually get out there and get my bloggin' on! Not that I don't have enough going on...with work, Ryan out of town (although these are hopefully his last few weeks...yippee!...until layoff), and kids homework....blah, blah!

I'm hoping to go get my treadmill so that I can get my fat buttowski movin' before our Hawaii trip (hey dale and carol....only 2 months!!). My goal is to start running everyday on it along with continuing beginning again to eat healthy....grrr! I was doing really well...and then this chilly weather hit, apparently that means I can eat whatever I want (to me).

Oh! We got our first snow this weekend! The girls Hannah built her first snowman of the year....my mom said it was Frosty's cousin "Leafy"....it was kind of a terrifying version of a snowman. But the girls LOVED it! They were soaked by the time they came in, it was a very WET snow! We warmed up to a nice glass of hot cocoa (I may or may not have infused Ryan's and mine with a shot of Bailey's with Caramel!...mmmm!) Here's a pic of Mr. Leafy:

Notice below...that apparently Leafy was hungry for a stick??



Ignore Ryan in the background....I have NO idea what he's up to! Notice that proud smile on Hannah's face though!

Oh! And notice the family pic at the top of my blog?? We got our pics taken this weekend also...by none other than the wonderful Lisa Timm!! She will also be creating our Christmas Cards this year! I just love her and cannot say enough good about her! Anyone in our area MUST go see her!! She makes you feel like you are the most important family in the world! She's the best! Her website is http://www.expressionsportraitdesign.com/ if you want to check it out....Hannah's pic is on there from last year too...with the old Black Beaut!

Okay...one more pic to leave you with...Here's Ryan and Fat Pablo...watching the Vikes game. Does Pablo look as annoyed as I was with their big fat loss? I think so!

Bahahahaha! Happy Monday!

Much Love,

Erinn