RILEY IS "2" YEARS OLD
So its been another month since I have updated the blog. I am getting lazy or just too busy to update the blog at work. So we just got DSL internet at home so Vicki can start updating the blog on a frequent basis - so keep your eyes open for more updates in the very near future...
Well since we got back from Florida on January 29th, winter has been going on strong. We have head a couple days of warm temps but its been mostly cold. Skiing has been great and I got to teach snowboarding 3 times this year. Thats 3X over last year. Brooke went downhill skiing at Buck Hill for the first time after we returned from Florida. Riley tried downhill skiing at a local sledding hill this past Sunday.
Back to the blog. The highlight for this past month has been Riley's 2nd birthday. We celebrated Riley's 2nd birthday twice in February and once in January in Florida. The first celebration in February was on his birthday. We decided to take Riley out for his 2nd birthday pictures at JC Penney's and follow it up with a walk through Burnsville Center to Chuck E Cheese (CEC). So by the time we got done with the pix and to CEC, it was already 6 PM. The place was packed. This was not the same CEC that Marc and I grew up with. Our CEC had plenty of room, a huge restaurant section, plenty of games and a huge store to purchase useless junk with skeeball tix. Needless to say at 6 PM on Saturday night is their busy time. After getting through the front door, getting everyones hand stamped (secuiruty reasons) and standing in line to order food and then having to stand in line to get a table. (You get the drift....) We decided to bail on that idea. We told the kids that we would come back the next day and Brooke wasn't a happy camper about it. But she got over it once we went to the foot court and she ate a roast beef sandwich at Arbys. So as promised, we went to CEC on Sunday at 11 AM. We got a table near the games, had pizza and the kids had a great time. Chuck (the rat) even stopped by to give the kids hugs and high fives. They had a great time.
Grandpa Wayne and Riley reading books.
Grandma Carol was having fun with Brooke's hair!
The second celebration happened this past weekend. We had Riley's party at our house on Saturday night. Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Carol made the trip from snowy Little Chute (snowbanks in their yard were almost 4 feet tall). Scott, Angie and Ali came over along with Tammy, Joe and Mary (the bride). Brooke and Riley will be participating in Joe and Mary's wedding this summer (stay tuned for pix and a blog spot on that in early June). Our neighbors Bob and Loree also added to the festivities. Everyone ate lots of food with multiple different appetizers and followed up by ham sandwiches, cheesy potatoes and broccoli/cauliflower salad. For dessert, the birthday cake was from DQ and had dinosaurs on it. Riley opened up a ton of gifts that consisted of Diego toys, trucks/cars/bulldozers, backpack set, clothes, dinosaurs and much more. He had a great time and Brooke enjoyed opening the gifts with him.
Riley opening up one of many presents!
Scott figuring out how to take the truck out of its complicated packaging. I think he asked for a scalpal.
So many presents, paper and I know there was a card with that gift!
Dinosaurs was the theme of the party
Joe showing Riley how to play with the cars.
In the next few weeks, it will be busy around the house. We are repainting our family room (sage green), picking up a new leather recliner and book case, putting up new curtains and decorating. During the same period, I am scheduled to have Lasik surgery on my eyes. I am looking forward to no more contacts and being able to see when I wake up and going swimming in the summer up at the lake and not worrying about my contacts. If it goes well (as I expect), Vicki will get the procedure next year.
Marc and his family will be visiting on March 14th for a week. The Lil' Chute Grandparents will be back as well for Easter and see Marc and his family. I am also planning another trip to Tokyo the first week of April.
Well thats about it for now. Enjoy!
