Camelback Ranch

On Saturday February 28th we had the opportunity to go and check out what has been keeping Brian so busy for the past few months. he has been working out in Glendale on the new spring training facility for the Chicago White Sox and LA Dodgers, Camelback Ranch. On Saturday they invited the families of the people who had worked so hard to make this project happen to check it out and help them do a mock opening. It was a lot of fun and a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful day, as it was 80 and sunny.

While we were there they were putting on the finishing touches. painting the foul lines, and checking to make sure everything was ready for the big opening game on Sunday. The park looked great and we got enjoy free food and check out thing that the public will probably never see like the Chicago White Sox suite at the park.

Josie enjoyed being able to run around and be outside since she had been so sick for the past couple of weeks that she had been in the house for a long time. The fresh air did us all good.

Ellie found a fun place to play on top of a portable beer stand. She hung on to those taps and danced and danced. She was so cute that someone from the Dodgers who was taking video for the website stopped and got her on camera. She can now bee seen on Dodgers.com!

You can check Ellie out here:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200902283963761

She doesn't appear until about the 3 min. mark and then again at the very end, but if you watch the whole thing you can get a good view of the park!

7 Falls and Gopher Hockey - Colorado Springs Part 2

On Saturday before the game we needed to find something to do. Since this is our first family vacation we wanted to get in as much as possible. (by vacation I mean trip somewhere other than to Minnesota) We debated to go Pike's Peak since the Grant family has something weird about going to the top of tall things. Mom vetoed that idea after we found out it was another 2+ hours in the car with girls who did not need more time in the car. So it sticking with the idea of tall things we went to 7 Falls.

This is a view of the water fall from an observation deck about 1/2 as tall as the falls. We got to the top by riding in an elevator that is inside of the mountain and Josie thought that was so cool, until we got to the top. Josie is not a big fan of being at the top of tall things, I guess she gets that from me. I am not afraid of heights, I just don't have the desire to go to the top of tall things. Josie on the other had is afraid of heights. She wanted nothing to do with going near the rail of the observation deck and was not really a fan of being held close to the edge either.

Once we got back down to the bottom of the falls Josie enjoyed the snow and ice and really got a kick out of seeing the fish under the ice.

Later that evening it was time for hockey! This was Ellie's first gopher hockey game, and Josie first game in enemy territory. Being as we had children with us we were saved from the ridicule I am sure we have endured had we been on our own. The only questionable comments I received was from some guy in a UND jersey. I know what you are thinking, a UND jersey at a CC/Gopher game?!?! What can I say he was a UND fan, he was probably so drunk he was lost and didn't know where he was!

Ellie loved the hockey game. She cheered and clapped along with the crowd. Now we just have to teach her who the good guys are! Josie much prefers being at the game to watching it on TV as well. (I guess maybe she is my kid after all!) We were not lucky enough to see our team win a game, but we did see some good hockey so all in all it was worth the trip.



Our little hockey fans!!

Garden of the Gods

This February we made a trip to Colorado Springs to catch some gopher hockey before the end of the season. We bravely packed up the girls and climbed into the mini-van for a mini-vacation. Which as most of you know was well deserved for everyone after the hours that Brian had been putting in at work for the last two months! The car ride went surprisingly well, Mom was very nervous to have two little girls in the car for 12+ hours in a day. So we loaded up the car and got on the road about 2am so we could get as much of the driving under our belt while the kids slept as we could. We stopped to eat and a couple of extras including a emergency breathing treatment for Josie after a little too much running around at the rest stop. We got to Colorado around 6pm and settled in for a fun weekend. While we were in Colorado we got to take in a few sights and had lots of family fun!


Our first stop was at The Garden of the Gods, beautiful, natural red rock formations.

Josie is very adventurous and was having so much fun jumping off any rock that she could climb. We had a couple of minor bumps and bruises when we were done, but nothing we couldn't handle.

Josie was very impressed by her Daddy climbing a big rock, but was a little nervous watching him try to get down, we all were a little nervous I should say!

Even Ellie got in on the rock climbing fun. It was a little chilly for her liking but she was a trooper and had a lot of fun.

Our day at the park

We found a new park by our house this week that has baby swings for Ellie. I was very excited because this at least give Ellie a chance to get out of the stroller and do something when we go to the park! Ellie loved swinging and playing in the grass. She tired her best to keep up with her big sister, but Josie still ran circles around her, literally. Josie loved the new playground too, it was more her size and she could use all of the equipment by herself without any help from Mom. I think that was her favorite part. Ellie got her first taste of sand a grass, it was going to happen eventually, right?!?! I got a feel for crawling in the grass and rolling down hills. Good times were had by all!






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Catching up

I feel like I am always playing catch up these days. Keeping up with the girls, sending out thank you notes for Josie's birthday (I know it's sad) and keeping the house clean. I feel like I am always at least one step behind where I would like to be so why should my blog be any different? I have been meaning to post and update about Ellie for a while so here we go. One more thing off my long to-do list.

Ellie is going to be 9 months old next week! Wow, where does the time go? She now has two teeth and the third will make an appearance any day now, one little corner is poking through. She has become quite a trouble maker, more so than Josie was especially at this age. I am not sure if it is because of my not being on top of things or because now I have Josie around who leaves more little things around, but Ellie finds every scrap of paper or anything else she shouldn't have and sticks it directly in her mouth! I know very typical behavior, but I constantly have my finger in her mouth trying to dig something out!

Ellie loves to get into the movies...

The cupboard used to have a child lock on it, but that broke and Brian hasn't had 10 seconds to himself let alone to fix the lock since we got back from Christmas break. He is working all the time. He has however found some time to teach Ellie another trick..

Yep, that's right she's a cruiser! She got this shopping cart for Christmas and shortly after decided that life on two legs was much better than crawling. It's rare to see her not standing up anymore. She finds her way around very well. She does think she's bigger and better balanced than she is. Sometimes she lets go and is shocked when she falls to the floor. This new fun has also landed the kitchen on top of her at least 3 times to date. Luckily it is very light weight and she is a tough little girl, she doesn't mind much as long as you get there quickly!!

Ellie knows who her Dada is and gets very excited when he gets home in the evening and will even say his name. She can get Mama out but not as often as Dada. We started working on Papa and Jojo. Papa will be glad that she will have that one down any day, now we just have to put the face to the name. Jojo is a little harder, but Josie swears she hears it. Hopefully soon it will come out for real!

Josie and Ellie are very excited that very soon they will have a new little cousin. Josie insists that Daddy's birthday is first, I am sure that's not at all what her Auntie 'Chelle wants to hear at all!

Josie has been brain washed!

A quick funny story about Josie and her dad.

Josie often tells her dad that he is stinky, lots of times when he comes home from work or hockey and it turned into a joke that we used quite often. Well, last night when we were at Target Josie and I were walking out to the car and Josie "we have have to wait for Daddy!" I said no, we don't have to wait for him, Daddy is stinky. To which Josie quickly replied "No him is not, him is just perfect!"

Josie is 3 !!

It has been three years since my little girl was born. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in others it feels like a lifetime has passed. I still remember all the excitement and happiness of her arrival like it was yesterday, but when I think of all the amazing things that she has accomplished it seems like that was all so long ago.


We celebrated Josie's birthday at home, in Minnesota. Now that she's three it is more fun she is more involved in picking things out, like the biggest Abby Cadabby balloon I have ever seen! I wish I had a picture.

This is Josie's Abby cake, if you are not familiar with Abby she is a fairy-in-training, her mom is Cinderella's fairy godmother, and they live on Sesame Street. Josie loves Abby, she is all pink and purple and very cute.

Josie did a great job blowing out her candle, with countdown help from Grandma Nini, I think if we would have waited for her to blow it out on her own we could have been there all day!

Josie loved all of her gifts, and had lots of fun with all of her friends who came to celebrate with her. Above is (L to R) Anya, Josie, Taylor, Daddy and Wyatt.

Josie was a little shy getting her picture taken after her nap, but Daddy finally got her out of her shell, now the problem is getting her back in!! This is Josie's beautiful party dress that she picked out for her special day.


Josie has had a lot of fun this year. She has become a big sister, started swimming lessons, and learned so many things I couldn't even begin to list them all. I am so proud of my beautiful little girl I can't wait to see what this next year brings!!