Indeed, we are crazy.

Exhibit A:
Mia enthusiastically gets buckled into her "tonga" (i.e., stroller)
by Greg & his massive arm veins Saturday

Exhibit B: Mia & I spend the day at the beach Tuesday loving the sun
(and maybe not so much the sand)

After 2 blissful days outside this past week (see exhibits a & b) I too am beginning to doubt myself for planning a trip to Minnesota at the end of February. But as I just reasoned to Greg in an IM, we have our reasons:

"1) nate & jenna 2) no spring break fares 3) mia flies free"

Nate & Jenna are my bro & sis-in-law who just bought their first home just outside the Twin Cities.  We haven't seen them in over a year now and we are really looking forward to spending time with them.  

By flying at the end of February, we were hoping to avoid the coldest of temps (although "the coldest of temps" is certainly a relative term -- most Floridians would shudder to know we will be in the teens and the 20s during our stay and that's not even the coldest!) a Minnesota winter might present.  We/I also know that flying later in the winter/early spring is sure to drive the price up as spring break is in full effect in Minnesota in March & April.  

And of course, the misers in us want to take advantage of Mia's flying free under 2 as much as we can, which really only affords us two more months.  

So February it was.

So while I'm getting ripped to shreds on coming to the great state of Minnesota in late winter---"Minnesota--really kickin' butt on this list"---let me remind you Matt Lauer said these words last summer! ... let me just say, we can't wait to see you all, and don't mind me while I reapply ALOE VERA to the sunburn I just received from hanging out at the BEACH all day. ;)

Hugs & Kisses,

"Meganesota" (my longtime nickname)

Blog Awards: MVC (Most Valuable Commenter)

Greg & I have had this blog since June 2009, just a couple months after our ever-growing Mia was born.

Since then, we've had a growing audience, thanks to the internet, Twitter, Facebook and family connections.  And yet, our most valuable commenter award (and this is way overdue, in my opinion), goes to:

Rose Burns McGee

of Lexington, KY, for frequently checking in on the site and making appropriate well-thought out comments, always with a hint of encouragement.

ROSE -- you are a GEM if there ever was one.  And a flower!

Props to you!

Photo Credit: http://www.cs.uic.edu/~drmark/assets/images/award.gif

MVC Award 2010 Recipient - Rose Burns McGee

Here's Rose receiving her award preemptively in July 2009:

Congratulations Rose!  Keep up the good work!

Walk down memory lane

I oft get nostalgic; I guess it's just part of me bones.  Greg recently updated my Mac ("thank ye kindly") so now I can reload all my photos from the last 5+ years and use my laptop without having it plugged in all the time!

After the couple hours (or so it seemed) it took for my computer to upload all the photos, I came across these gems (click on the link below the photo):

While We're Young & Beautiful

Some of my friends may have killed me for posting them, but as I was explaining to my girl Lyds, I just have fond memories of those times.  We all have our awkward stages or awkward friends, but happy times are just that, happy times.  :D

And speaking of happy times & awkward friends (wink!!), finally had a partial reunion with JG @ La Gallina Pequena referred heretofore in this post.  We also quickly reunited with LEH, but unfortunately I do not have photos of that time.  

It's been a fun and already quite busy first part of the year and both Greg & I have now celebrated our birthdays.  One year older that's for sure, and hopefully one year the wiser.  

at any given moment...

...our kitchen might look like this:

I try to keep it clean, but about everyday around this time, the dishwasher's unloading, dinner's started/ing (what's for dinner? trying this tonight w/ beef), and a little one's up from her nap, and there is a lot of kitchen commotion.  I'm oft discouraged by this point, thinking it will never be clean again.


Does anyone's kitchen ever just feel like a revolving mess?  I guess 'tis a blessing in disguise.

Trying to "enjoy the small things" on a muggy Wednesday afternoon (73°F).

And speaking of small things, I got an iPhone (welcome to the 2000s!!!) last week and it's been occupying much of my time.  For a while, I even forgot I had a blog (seriously).

Photo Credit

I feel so cool.

Words with Friends, anyone?  "Meganesota"