#57 Minnesota Recap Part 2

365 Blog Challenge: Post #57

As promised, more highlights from the trip home:

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law's beautiful new house in Victoria , Minnesota

Tyler, Dani and Zoe, together at last.

Zoe dancing to Aladdin.  What a superstar.

Dani can't wait til she can do such fun stuff!

Tyler trying to catch "butterflies" from his elephant trunk.  So cute.

Three of my favorite people in the world.

Grandma Karen and Dani dancing.  Dani loves her Grandma!

I sure love this little girl (and her mama, not pictured)!

#56 Minnesota Recap Part 1

365 Blog Challenge: Post #56

I enjoyed a lovely weekend in Minnesota and returned to New York today.  Here are some highlights:

Feeding Dani (aka Toots) solid food.  Here are some carrots though she prefers sweet stuff like her Auntie Lo.

This is Dani's way of kissing we've been decided.  Really, she's teething and will latch onto anything she can get her mouth around including cheeks and noses.  It's so cute though we call them kisses.  And look at that girl's grip!  My cheek was being ripped off!

Yep. There's a bunch of Dani-spit up my nose.

Toots gets a tubby.

Randomly in town the same weekend as Jamie so she joined my family for dinner and became semi-addicted to Angry Birds.

Playing Angry Birds with Toots.  She just likes to get her fingers all over my iPad mostly.

Jamie looks like a natural!

Accidental Mickey Mouse pancake courtesy of my dad.

More highlights to come!

#53 Once upon a time...

365 Blog Challenge: Post #53

Tonight I had dinner with my in-laws at Scott's parents' house.  Tyler, my almost three-year-old, nephew made my night.  As my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and I sat on the floor in Scott's old bedroom, Tyler sat on the bed with a guitar in his lap that is bigger than he is.  "Once upon a time," he began, "there was a girl named Cinderella..." and then filled the air with interlude music.  So maybe he's only three and doesn't know any chords or notes and can't even hold the guitar up correctly.  But it was adorable, and I felt like crying I was so happy to see Tyler in his element.   After his solo, my mother-in-law and niece, Zoe, joined him for a jam session of songs on impromptu drums (Thomas the Tank Engine book) and xylophone.  What a fun night.  Love the creativity bursting from Tyler and Zoe's cute little heads.

Grandma Judy, Tyler and Zoe

#52 MN- Good morning, good morning!

365 Blog Challenge: Post #52

Look at the cutie I woke up to this morning!

That'll put you in a good mood!  Happy Friday from Minnesota!

#47 Things to look forward to...

365 Blog Challenge: Post #47

After a dull, dreary and snowy winter, I can not wait for the snow (some of which just fell last night) to melt and the trees to bud and the sun to shine on us in NY.  I know winters around the country have been terrible.  If this is the new trend for winters, I think I'm gonna need a sun lamp and a bigger travel budget because this has been the worst NY winter in my 5 years here.  Between many snow storms, colder than average temperatures (no, not as cold as Mn but I've become a wuss), and lots of overcast days, I need some sun!

Luckily, Scott and I have lots to look forward to this spring!

First stop for me is Minnesota this weekend where I look forward to seeing my family (in-laws included!), reminding Dani who her favorite Auntie is, and seeing my sister-in-law's new house in Victoria, Mn.  We have gotten a skype tour but not quite as good as the real thing.  Going home is usually a good stress reliever for me.  Just being able to get places door to door by car is a treat!  I leave this Thursday and am hoping the weather allows me to get to Mn on time. Maybe not so tropical but fun nonetheless.

Next month, as mentioned before, Scott and I are going on a Caribbean cruise!  Yes, I am a little nervous about being in the middle of the ocean and not being able to see any land.  But from everything I hear, you're in your own little community on the ship so it's not so scary.  And the ship appears to be amazing!  Scott and I have challenged each other to climb the rock wall.  And we plan to go into the rain forest in Panama.

A few days after we return from the cruise, we have a couple special visitors coming- Heather (my sister-in-law) and Zoe (our 5-year-old-niece).  Scott has been trying to get those 2 out here for as long as I can remember and we can't wait to spoil our niece a little bit in a NY way.  We're going to see Mary Poppins and definitely will make a stop at Dylan's Candy Bar.

Last, as summer approaches (still seems so far away!), Scott's parents are going to come stay with us for a few days.  Speaking of being spoiled, they are always gracious enough to take us to a show or two while they're in town and this time we're seeing The Book of Mormon, a musical by the creators of South Park, as well as possibly War Horse in which one of Scott's former Temple classmates, Austin Durant, is making his Broadway debut.

So God, just get me through these next few dreary days (can't complain too much, no work!) and then we'll have some exciting stories and photos to share.  Hang in there troops. Spring is just around the corner!

#16 Oh Knollwood...

365 Blog Challenge: Post #16

As a native Minnesotan, I continue to receive Star Tribune morning update emails in my inbox and occasionally even have time to read them.  Today, a headline caught my eye, and I somehow instinctively knew where this took place.  The article, Chlorine Leak at Swim School Sickens Dozens, is reporting a leak that took place at Foss Swim School at Knollwood Mall in St. Louis Park, minutes from my parents house.  While I've never taken lessons there (I believe it was established years after my lessons with Martha Burns, of which I have forgotten every swim technique ever taught), I am very familiar with the mall itself. Knollwood has to be one of the strangest, most depressing malls ever.  While I frequent their Kohls often while I'm home (affordable Vera Wang?? How could I pass that up?), the mall has an eery, empty feeling to it, at least once you pass Kohls and the swim school which appears to be a popular place.  When you venture into the middle section of the mall, you see a dollar store, a Christian book store and a random mobile phone shop, maybe a Dress Barn.  In fact, unless you're at one of their food establishments (Panera or Applebees), I may think you're a ghost going into that haunting middle section.  Despite all this, Knollwood perks up at it's other end with at TJ Maxx, and outside an Old Navy, DSW and Caribou Coffee.  I find it quite funny that they advertise on their website as "Premier Shopping, Dining and Entertaining".  Basically, it's kind of a dump with a couple good shops and apparently, a good swim school that has a chlorine leaks.  I hope for their sakes that the little kiddies are alright.  And if you plan to visit Knollwood, stay out of that middle section.

August in Minnesota

While In Minnesota for the first 2.5 weeks of August, I spent about 5 busy days with Scott doing wedding stuff before he returned to New York. The rest of the time, I laid around, watched Heroes on DVD, read 1.5 books, laid out at a couple pools and caught up with some friends. Those friends not pictured include Jodie Murray (aka Flaherty), Lauren Anderson, Kim Roszell, Geoff Wilson, Jack Tillman (and the future Mrs. Tillman, Laura) and Lindsey Streamer.  And it was so lovely to see those people and to see how people REALLY don't change. Just circumstances it seems.

For those I did see, I have some wonderful pictures that I'd like to share with all of you!

Scott and I at my Dad's b-day get together

My first shot as a drummer playing Rock Band at Emily and Stan's. Good times!

Erin and I hanging out at Jon Snover's lovely new apartment in Uptown

Jon and Kate's wonder dog, Bianca

Jon and I were both missing our significant others and had to pretend to be out with each other instead.

The bro-in-law, Steve and Erin out in uptown with Jon and I

Steve, Erin and I at Pittsburgh Blue in Maple Grove

If someone had told me we were taking family pics at Pittsburgh Blue, maybe I would have showered after being at the pool all day.

Erin and her sugar daddy....no, not Steve...the drink

You mess with the bull (at Pittsburgh Blue), you get the horns!

Dad couldn't give the bull bunny ears so he had to settled for an interesting facial expression instead.

The ladies of Ann Lane!  Anne and Kaye Cain Nielsen, Erin Baker, Meredith Cain-Nielsen and meee. Minus the bronze one in the middle, we could all be mistaken as sisters...I mean..the ones who actually aren't sisters....nevermind.

Nerdy Bachnick love of KG!

The Bachnick girls and the Snover boys, minus 1. Dad filled in Marc's place.

Kate, Jon, Mom and Eric. Awwww.

And there you have it!  After all this excitement, my family and I traveled to Kansas City, Kansas for some more family excitement...pictures to come.

Introducing Jodie and Brian Murray!

On June 7th, 2008, on of my oldest friends, Jodie Flaherty, married Mr. Brian Murray at St. Joseph's Church in Hopkins, Minnesota.  She is my first close friend to get married, and it was extra special for me to be in the wedding, let alone be there in the first place despite the craziness that is my nursing program.

Jodie's wedding party included her 2 sisters, Jamie and Jill as matrons of honor, a friend from high school, Annie, a friend from pharmacy school, Emily (from whom I stole many of these photos), and myself.  Brian's twin brother was his best man, and many college and childhood friends made up the rest of the party. Not pictured above are Jodie's 2 personal attendents, Kerry and Justine who did a fabulous job and made the whole experience a super fun time!

Just look at how hot they are with those caboodles!

After the ceremony, as if Flaherty tradition, we took a trolley ride around Minneapolis while the bride and groom took some more pictures and the wedding party celebrated....mostly with beer and champagne and a few Smirnoff Ices (thankfully for yours truly...)

The beautiful bride...what a cute picture! That's a framer! She looked great all day long.

The party took place at the Sheraton in Minnetonka, Minnesota. And we all had a fabulous time!! (See below...)

Erin and Steve get lovey-dovey....

My mom and Jodie's mom, Judie, party it up!

I even got Scott to dance with me! (Much to his chagrin...)

Jodie and her lovely parents, Judie and Jim (who are like another set of parents to me. Love them.)

My parents cut a rug!!

Future brother-in-law bonding. So sweet.

Hell! Even Kent Goodroad was there! What a party!

My favorite gang: Brother-in-law Steve, sister Erin, myself and my wonderful fiance, Scott

The night was a blast, and I wish Jodie and Brian all the happiness and healthiness in the world. Love you guys!

New beginnings...

This past Wednesday, I began orientation for my nursing program at Columbia...so how am I still up at 1:30am, I don't know.  However, I felt it was important, before I go into detail about my new school, that I share a couple things with everyone that I have been to busy to blog about until now.

First, on April 29th, my future sister-in-law, Heather, gave birth to her second child, Tyler Chase, in Minnesota.  He is adorable and looks Just like his dad, Travis. Scott and I can't wait to meet him next weekend when we're home for Jodie's wedding.  Zoe, Scott's niece (who now calls me Auntie Lauren which I LOVE) is apparently handling big-sisterhood quite well.  Here are some picks of Tyler Chase in his first days:

Those are some Travis cheeks right there!

                        Heather and Tyler (Mommy time!)

 

                     The whole fam including little Miss Zoe...age 2.5

    Tyler, Heather and Travis...(like I said...the resemblance is in the cheeks)

     Welcome to the world Tyler! Can't wait to meet ya!

Second, on May 21st, my fiance, Scott, graduated from his Masters of Fine Arts program in acting at Columbia University.  I am soooo proud of him, and his parents and I even sat through 2 ceremonies that were 2+ hours each.  Yikes.  The first ceremony was outside and the sun was to the east and I got this awesomely ridiculous sunburn which hopefully will disappear in time for my bridesmaid action next weekend. Here are some pics of this event as well:

    The old library on Columbia's Morningside Heights campus where the excruciatingly long ceremony took place

Awww, what a cute grad!

                                                                           So proud!

                Stupid rolled up sleeves....this is a symbol of my dedication.

                  And that V-neck was REALLY awesome.  Good times.

Now I must go to sleep but be back soon w/ pics of some new friends from school from our orientation week boat cruise.  It's refreshing to be in a program with people who care so much about their future professions, and about people, which is what their future professions are all about....to be continued...