Happy Valentine's Day

I'll start by saying that yes, I am fully aware that today is not Valentine's Day, but at the Quast household, it is (and only because I made it that way).  Let's back up a little . . . for those of you who know me (and even better yet, for those of you who know my parents because after all they are the people who taught me the "correct" ways of doing things), you'll know that keeping a clean house is a top priority for me.  Well, as of late, I've been having some trouble keeping things the way I like them, namely, the floors!  I feel like all I do is sweep, swiffer, and vacuum all day, and the floors (carpet, wood, and tile) still look like crap (or possibly just substandard, but you have to remember, I grew up in a house where you could visibly see the vacuum cleaner lines at least twice a week - we call this, "high" standards).  Anyway, back to my problem.  So the floors were crappy, our white socks were looking dingy, and I just wasn't happy so I started to wonder what could be the problem.  The broom was "old-ish", but still worked.  The swiffer was a little beat up, but could still swiffer, and the vacuum still left the "vacuum lines", but didn't really do any actual vacuuming (we're talking no suction power).  That's when I made an executive decision that it was time to update some of my cleaning tools.  With my decision made, I hit up the Internet during nap time and read up on all kinds of upright vacuums and after an exhaustive search, I had two in my sights . . . an Electrolux (didn't even know they made vacuums until a few days ago), and an Eureka (was rated as a "consumer best buy" by consumer reports in 2011).  But, what I didn't expect to find was a sneaky little thing called a "stick vacuum."  I'm guessing there are some people out there reading this and saying, "what century does this girl live in", but I'm telling you, I've never heard of these "stick vacuums" until the Internet, and once I read about them, I was in love!    The description almost seemed like it was written just for me . . . "quick jobs, light and easy to maneuver, hard floors, if you have kids or pets this is a must" - seriously, I've dreamt about a "tool" like this for years, and now here it is, oh my gosh I'm so excited!  So I made a decision last night that now I was not only going to buy a "regular" vacuum, but also a "stick vacuum" so all of my problems would be solved (at this time, Trav doesn't know I purchased not 1, but 2 vacuums, but once he gets home and see the results, he'll be very happy I did - at least I hope he will).  Fast forward to today . . . Ryan and Lauren at school, I can hardly contain my excitement as I pack Ellie and Colton into the van to visit Walmart and make two purchase that will make all my dreams come true - my heart was beating so fast with excitement.  When we got to Walmart, I was bummed to see that the Electrolux (one of my top two picks) wasn't in stock, so left with just one option, I picked up my Eureka (my "regular" vacuum), and moved aisles to scope out my "stick vacuum."  Luckily the one I had read about online was in stock, so I grabbed two (upon telling Aaron and Ann about these this morning, they requested that I pick one up for them as well), and raced out of the store in order to get home and try out my new "toys."  Let's just say I wasn't disappointed!  I used the stick vacuum first on the kitchen floor and entryway and other than being completely disgusted with the amount of dust, food, and other crap on the floors, I was more than impressed with my new best friend.  He (not sure why, but I call it a him), sucked up crap that my old big vacuum couldn't even handle.  The floors (and area rugs too, yes, he can take care of those as well) look amazing!  There are no crumbs, no little balls of dust dancing across the floor, and most importantly, no fine dust (you know, the kind that only shows up when the sun hits the floor just right) at all, it was just clean!  After all that excitement, I wasn't sure I could handle anymore vacuuming, but I had to push through and get the big guy out for a try.  After some simple assembly, I put the "big guy" to work, and again, I was not disappointed!  The carpets look a hundred times better then before, and the big "wow" happened when I vacuumed the living room (which I had just done yesterday with our other vacuum) and almost completely filled the container (once again, I was happy, but also disgusted by the sheer volume of crap was that was in my "clean" carpet).  So there you have it, my "Valentine's Day" gift from Travis is (or will be), my two new vacuums!  I know it's not real romantic, and some might not even consider a vacuum an actual "gift", but I'm happy, and the floors are clean so that is all that matters!

I'll leave with a couple of pictures of the girls from last night.  Lauren wanted to "dress up" to surprise Daddy. And as usual, when Lauren dresses up, Ellie wants in on the action.  Here is what they came up with . . .

And here are a few older pictures I found on my camera.  On this particular day, I decided that it was time to start "time-outs" with both Ellie and Colton.  The main reason . . . they are constantly throwing food on the floor during lunch.  The first picture is when Ellie joined Colton in the corner.  As you can tell, "time-out" was actually fun for them - clearly it didn't work.

And by the end of lunch, Lauren actually decided to join them.  After that day, I came up with two different time-out spots, one for Ellie, and one for Colton.  Since the "new" time-outs, let's just say we've had more tears and less smiles (not sure if that was the end result I was going for either, but I'll take it for now).

Back to reality

So we just got back (ok, not "just", we actually returned home on Wednesday, but I've been too busy getting back into reality to sit down and type) form our trip to Mexico, and let me tell you, adjusting back to reality has been hard!  Our days in Mexico went something like this . . . wake up (I was up by 7am most of the time so I headed down to the beach to do some reading), have breakfast (once Trav got up), meet Brent and Katie at the pool/beach around 10am, have a few morning cocktails, grab some lunch, have some afternoon cocktails while laying by the beach/pool, go to our rooms and shower up for the night, order some room service (chips, guacamole, and salsa were a favorite!), have some early evening cocktails and play cards, go to a late dinner, then bum around the rest of the night until we got bored and headed to bed just to do it all over again the next day, and the next day, and you get the idea - it was heaven!  The resort was gorgeous, the food was great, and the company was even better!  Although the trip was a blast, we were all smiles on Wednesday morning when we had to pack up and head home to see our kiddies (it also helped that it was raining that day which made leaving paradise a little easier).  Here are some pictures of the trip.  The first one is my absolute favorite . . . not every man can pull off a speedo, but with a little liquid confidence and a well planned out idea, Trav was able to "grace" the other beach patrons with his new favorite swim gear . . . enjoy!

And just so everyone out there knows, this whole speedo thing was bought to be a joke for our travel mates, Brent and Katie, and although Trav only broke it out once during the trip, I fully expect to this "navy guy" to make many more appearances at the Loken pool and the Quast family cabin this summer - can't wait!  And here are the rest of the "normal" pictures from the trip.  It was great to get home and see the kids, but just 3 short days later, here I am already missing our Mexico lifestyle . . . until next time, and yes, there will be a next time!

One week

I sat down tonight at my computer and took a look at the blog and noticed it has been one week since my last entry.  To say that I've been a little "lax" on the entries lately would be dead on.  I have lots of reasons though . . . kids, housework, or to put it simply, LIFE!  Since the start of the remodel (which was way back on Dec 9th), I feel like our life has been crazy - crazy busy, crazy good, just plain crazy!  I can't think of the last weekend where we didn't have something to do (well actually I can, it was last weekend, but even that turned into a busy weekend once it got started).  Thinking back to December 9th and through today, here are a list of things that have happened . . . remodel bathroom and closet, paint master bedroom, the flu 3 times (once for me, and twice for Lauren), three Christmas celebrations, a viral infection (Ellie - think lots of nasty diapers), an ear infection (poor Lauren got this too, but if any of our kids can handle it, she can, she is such a tough little lady), New Year's Eve with the Quast side of the family (also served as the third and final Christmas celebration), a girl's weekend (for me, not Trav), Uncle Mike came back home for 5 weeks (unfortunately he leaves to go back to CA tomorrow and we only got to see him a couple of times when he was here, but he's a popular guy so that's to be expected), Aaron and Ann set up TWO cribs in their new "bejeweled" nursery (Lauren of course loves it because the walls are painted purple and the light in the middle of the room has, "real live jewels on it" - I'm guessing Aaron had little to no input on the room), Mom and Dad seem busier than ever trying to get Grandma's house ready to be sold (anyone looking for a nice home in Waseca, give me a call - the craftsmanship and the labor are of the highest quality), and Grandma and Grandpa Quast are busy as usual; Grandpa with work out in Chicago, and Grandma with the move to the lake home and all that goes with it.  So there you have it, not only are we busy, but all the people we usually sit around and do nothing with are also busy.  That's why Wednesday morning will be such a treat for us.  Why you ask . . . MEXICO!!  The day is almost here and we are more than ready!  With the help of all the people mentioned above (even though I just wrote about how busy they are with their own lives), Trav and I get to jet off and spend a whole week together - no kids, no cleaning, no job, just fun - and know that the kids will be well taken care of.  So thanks in advance to everyone who will be "raising" our kids for the next week - clearly the old saying, "it takes a village to raise a kid" was dead on.  As I wrap up this post, I'm going to bet that there won't be another one until after the vacation.  Tomorrow will be full of last minute cleaning, preparing, and packing (I like to "pre-pack" just to make sure I don't have any surprises come Tuesday night), and Tuesday will be spent doing pretty much the same, but with some extra quality time with the kids before we leave.  I don't know that I've been so excited to go on a trip in a long time.  That makes me think that this "go, go, go lifestyle" has taken a toll on this old woman (oh yeah, forgot to mention that I also celebrated my 33rd birthday on the 18th - clearly birthdays don't have the same "fun factor" attached to them once you get past 21).  I'm signing off now.  Until the vacay wraps, this blog is "on vacation!"

Hope the MN weather is nice while we are gone!

Indoor concert

The kids and I ventured out in the bitter cold on Thursday to check out the "Okee Dokee Brothers" up in Edina. This was my first experience going to one of these Thursday kid's concerts with Lauren, Ellie, and Colton and minus a few meltdowns towards the end, it was fun!  We meet up with the neighbor kids and their nanny, had an indoor picnic, then took our places in the second row to get the best view, and access to the dance area so the kids could burn off some energy.  Here is a recap of the day in pictures . . . Lauren and Colton danced, Ellie danced like crazy during lunch, but once the actual concert started, she got shy and assumed her position (sucking thumb and twirling her hair) next to me for almost the entire show.  It wasn't until the final two songs that she finally got her groove back and did some serious booty shaking (by this time I of course had put my camera away for the day, oh well).

After the show, we packed up and headed home.  About five minutes into the drive, all three of the kids were out.  And lucky for me, I was able to move them all into their beds/cribs when we got home and they all stayed sleeping - the perfect ending to a fun morning!

After naps, the girls got out some of their dress-up clothes and because Colton is the only boy and is too young to know the difference, he dressed up right along with them (with Lauren's help of course).  Here is her first creation . . . it is called, "babies in hats."

And once she was done dressing up the babes, she moved onto the dog - he looks less than thrilled, but was a good sport for the almost five minutes it took to get that hat to stay on Scrappy's head.  Watch out world, we've got a mini-fashionista on our hands - who knows what she'll come up with next!

Aside from our fun Thursday, I also got a chance to have a little fun of my own.  This past weekend we had a "girls weekend" with all the old gals from high school.  It is amazing to me that we all still get together, and even more amazing that we are still able to keep finding interesting things to talk about for two straight days.  Thanks for the fun ladies . . . see you all in June!  And I guess I should throw in a shout out to Trav for being "Super Dad" for the weekend.  The kids were all fed, bathed, and well-rested when I returned home.  And in addition to these basic things, he also took all of the kids out to the Y to swim and even managed to get everyone up and dressed for church and Sunday School today - like I said, "Super Dad!"

A tall, skinny birthday!

Today is Grandma Donna's birthday so right after breakfast this morning we gave her a call at work to wish her a "Happy Birthday."  Lauren, being the oldest (Ryan was already off to school), got to talk first.  After saying "happy birthday" to Grandma, she then proceeded to ask Grandma, "are you taller and skinnier than my mom now?"  At the time, I just gave her a weird look and told her to pass the phone to Ellie who was getting antsy waiting for her turn to "talk" to Grandma.  While Ellie was "talking", it dawned on me why Lauren would ask Grandma is she is getting taller and skinner as she gets older . . . lately whenever I talk about the kids, I'm always saying, "you guys are getting too old, too tall, and too skinny, you have to stop growing!"  I of course do this because it is true, the kids are growing like weeds, and the taller they get, the skinnier they get, and the more difficult it is to find pants that stay up on them.  Well, as with most stuff I say, Lauren listens and repeats.  So with Grandma having a birthday today, it just seems obvious that she would be getting taller and skinnier too.  If only that were true (maybe not the getting taller all the time, but the skinnier part would be a treat!).  So Happy 25th Birthday Grandma, we love you and your tall, skinny self!

In other news (although along the same lines), Lauren is really on a roll when it comes to repeating more stuff that I'm saying.  The other day Colt threw an apple on the floor.  Lauren's response, "serious Colt?"  I usually say, "seriously Colt", but you get the idea.  In addition, she is now repeating (or I guess, actually taking over) the "rules" when we go somewhere with the whole crew (meaning my three kids and Colt).  As we drive I usually am reminding everyone of the rules, which include no running, hold hands, and a few other select rules depending on where we're going.  Well, now the minute I tell her where we are headed to, she buckles up, and then starts right in with . . . "now, when we get there (insert rules here), and be a good listener."  So that pretty much takes care of my job.  Clearly she is going to be one good little momma when she grows up (that is assuming she only remembers and carries on the "good" stuff she hears and not the "naughty" stuff - let's not forget the "piss" incident).

Here are a few pictures from the gorgeous day yesterday.  We went out three times during the day . . . a walk in the morning which was a little brisk, but not bad; to the park after lunch which was absolutely perfect - sun shining and blue skies; and then after naps which was near perfect at the beginning and got a little chilly right before we went inside for dinner - not a bad little January day in MN!  If only all days could be like yesterday (clearly that isn't going to happen though because today is looking nothing like yesterday!).

1 month

1 month . . . that is roughly how long our bathroom/closet remodel took from start (demo day was Dec 9th) to finish (today, Jan 8th - coincidentally, today is also Ash and Mike's one year anniversary so congrats you two lovebirds!).  Other than some final touches such as wall art and a new hamper for the closet, we are DONE!  Today we finished up by hanging the second bathroom mirror (the first was way too small for the space, the new one, courtesy of Walmart fits perfect).  And one thing I can say for sure through this whole ordeal, the first days were the worst as far as mess is concerned, and they were also the worst as far as stress and swearing is concerned.  Today wrapped up with minimal dust (from the screws for the mirrors), and just one f-bomb when Trav couldn't get the level to stay in place - not too bad and maybe, just maybe, we've learned to work together a little better (although I'd love to test out this theory, we are NOT planning any major remodels anytime soon).  Enough with the words, here are the pictures to show the old and the new . . . enjoy!

And here are a couple of before and after of the closet (it was pretty much nothing before so when you see the picture of nothing, that's it) . . .

The last picture is to show off Trav's handy work with the floor - he installed it in just 7 short hours (there were a few breaks to swear and regroup, but the end product looks great so that is all that matters!).

In other news, we had our second bonfire in the past two weeks (the first was on New Year's Eve night at the lake).  The kids were itching to get outside on Saturday so Momma got busy and put together a nice little fire to keep us cozy while the kids rode bikes and played with the neighbors (Trav was in working on the floor the majority of the time).  Hard to believe I'm writing about these activities during January in Minnesota - love it!  Unfortunately I was too busy watching the kids by the fire to take any pictures, but I did manage to get a couple of them tonight.  Ellie was left out though because she is too busy trying to "help" take pictures so she never gets in them (sounds like me).

Days 7, 8, 94, 210 . . .

So I lost count of what day we are on in the official remodel, so let's just skip the number and show the progress . . . the bathroom is DONE!  Well, at least all the "construction" type stuff, there is still plenty of decorating and finishing touches to add, but the big stuff is done and it is functional!  I absolutely LOVE the bath and apparently so do the kids - between all of us, someone has been in the bed at least 50% of the last few days.  Here is the almost finished product (still deciding on a mirror and shower curtain).

And here is a quick view of the new Elfa closet.  Once the floors get put in (hopefully this weekend - hint, hint Travis), then we'll be able to officially start using the closet.  Until then, this is what it looks like (we've more than doubled our closet space) . . .

In addition to this stuff, I also painted our bedroom this past Friday so once the floors are done and a new mirror is hung, remodeling at this house is done for a long time!