Happy Birthday Sally!

My mother in law turned 60 on Saturday and little did she know that her kids and Jerry had been plotting for awhile to surprise her :)
On Saturday morning Ben and I took Marley over to grandmas house for a quick visit. She told us all about how Jer had planned a great dinner and night out at the comedy club. She was very excited. We asked all about it and told her how fun it would be and then left and laughed about how surprised she would be when all of us showed up.
We dropped Marley off at my good friend Stacy's house where I'm told she had a ball. (Her frist time being watched by someone other than a grandma or an auntie and she did great. What a little trooper we have.) And then headed off to MPLS. We got there early which allowed Ben and I to have some alone time and a few drinks which was really nice. Dinner was coming soon so we were seated and soon I saw Sara and Blake walk in with Sally and Jerry following. Ben didnt see it but the look on Sally's face was pretty funny. She had thought that it was total freak accident that sara and blake showed up the same night at the comedy club. She figured it out when she saw us :) Pretty soon everyone was there and we had a great dinner, drinks and saw a fabulous show. It was a fun night out spent with family and with lots of laughs. Can't wait to do it again soon.

A Sutter Thanksgiving

This year Marley Lou, Ben and I celebrated Thanksgiving with the Sutters on Bens side. I was VERY excited to get Marley into her brown baby legs and 'I'm Stuffed' onsie (even though I failed to get a good pick of them) and happy just to have my little family together for the Holiday. Thursday morning I got up with Marley and started getting ready to go. My grandma is having surgery today, the Monday after Thanskgiving, so I told her I'd just double the things that I was bringing to the Sutters and bring them up to her. SO while Marley napped and after my very nice husband helped me make pretty much everything I jumped in the car to drop off the food and wish my Nana and Papa a happy Thanksgiving. I got home in time to change, feed the babes and get her dressed and off we went. I was worried Marley wouldnt nap well at Grandma Pegs and I was right. BUT even without her second nap she was just as happy as could be. We had a wonderful day spent with wonderful family and are so blessed to have so many awesome people in our lives.
Here are some of our pics from the day.

Mar and I in the car on our way. Marley is looking for Daddy.

Bella

I'm not sure what I said to Brandi right before this shot but she doesnt look happy with me! hahaha

Today I am thankful for.

This little beauty who takes my pans out of the cupboard and then climbs in.

My husband and our puppies because even though I yell at all three of them (haha) I love them so much. I don't know how I would get through some days without Bens humor. He makes me laugh and smile so much and I'm so lucky to have a husband who can carry me through the rough times.


My mom because when I go a day without talking to her I feel like a little something is missing. Because she makes fun of me and tells me to knock it off when I'm being a brat. Because even now, at 29 years old, when she leaves to go on a trip I pretty much always cry. And because when I look at myself, Hannah and Marley I see my mom and that makes me think of my grandma and I love that we're all meshed together even though one of us is no longer here.

(I could go on and on about the rest of my family and in laws because they are all so wonderful) but we'll let it be that I'm so thankful and blessed to have the rest of my family in our life.

For that fact that even though the roof over our head is small, it's still a roof. It's still ours and underneath it is our wonderful little family. Our fridge is full of food and we're warm and safe inside. And I love that feeling.

More pictures of thanksgiving later on. I get to spend Marley's first thanksgiving with Bens family. Who I, of course, am also thankful for. They are wonderful and loud and funny and I'm so excited to see them all and share the day with them.

No, my 8 month old doesn't sleep through the night

And no, I don't care what you think about it ...

OK it took me a LONG time to realize that my baby is just not the baby who will sleep through the night at an early age. I had hopes of nights filled with sleep by 4 weeks old. Yah right. I have used a few sleep training methods (and I use that term lightly) in the last few months and really she's sleeping from 10pm to 5 or 6am more often than not. BUT until about 7 months old she was still waking up 2 to 4 times per night. My fault? Maybe? But I've decided that I don't care. To the women who told my mother it was 'her mothers fault' that my baby wasn't sleeping through the night because she had a 6 week old who does sleep through the night. F you. Yeah F you. If you've never experienced a child who does not sleep through the night you have no idea how hard it is.  I hate to rip you off your high horse ... welll actually I kind of want to .... but it's not because you are some awesome parent that your 6 week old is sleeping that much. You just happen to be lucky.
So yes, sometimes Marley still gets up once a night. And once a night I will go in and feed her without complaint. I don't care what you think about it. And unless I ask I really don't want your opinion.

Cassies favorite things

Ok I'm stealing this from Mandy's blog. I loved it and I'm taking it. hahaha. Some of the things that I'm loving right now. Here we go.

-Reading Marley's lullabye book to her every night before we go to bed.

-Hot apple cidar K cups. Ben yells at me everytime I get them. In fact he told me last night that I'm no longer allowed to go to the store by myself. hahah. But I don't care. They are delish.

-The fact that I have a 'replacement husband' every time Ben goes out of town. Our big dog Mack dutifully takes Bens spot in bed (he even sleeps with his head on the pillow) and lets me snuggle up to him. This has happened the last 2 weekends in a row as Ben has gone up to the cabin to get ready for hunting.

-The fact that the Holidays are upon us. Not only does that mean that we get to see more family than usual but also means that I get to eat more than not. (unhealthy choice you say? I dont care) It means that I get to dress Marley up in 'My first Christmas' and 'My first Thanksgiving' attire. It means that I get to hear my Papa read the story of Jesus' birth from the bible (by far my favorite part of christmas). It means that I get to enjoy the food of my people! Lefsa and krumkaka cookies abound. Yahhhhh!

-TV. Yes I love TV. I am addicted to my 'shows' and I don't feel bad about it. I don't know what I'd do without TiVo as I litterally record probably 15 tv shows a season. Right now? Teen Mom 2, Modern Family, Real Housewives of Miami and Beverly Hills, Supernatural, Pretty Little Liars, 90210, Heart of Dixie and Duck Dynesty...and thats not even all of them. hahaha.

-WEN shampoo (like from the infomercial). I've been hooked on it for a few years now. I have psorisis on my scalp and its the ONLY product I've found that doesnt leave me in serious pain after washing my hair. AND my hair grows faster. Gotta love that.

-My Clarisonic. My mom got this little gadget for me a few years ago and I LOVE it. I stopped using it for about six months and after using it again today I don't know how I ever stopped. It makes me face look and feel so much better.

-Comfy sweater, cute leggings and furry boots. Oh the wardrobe of winter is upon us and I love it.

SO there are a few of my favorite things. Mandy...we might have to make this a semi annual thing...

Halloween

Marley's first Halloween was a success. We only went to the grandmas houses but it was still fun to see her all dressed up in her little owl outfit. She looked super cute but didn't know she was dressed up at all. Her little owl top was stuffed and it didn't seem to bother her one bit. haha.

She got lots of love from Great Grandma

The the little stinker even got ice cream because Nana though she deserved a 'treat'.

And by the end of the night she was happy to play in her room and show off her 'pumpkin butt'.