November 14, 2008

* a few cells firing in that idiotic brain of the dog's and his finding his own way home
* Ryann being able to see Little Red Riding Hood up close
* computer games

November 13, 2008

* David Fulmer
* getting out of the house to run some errands by myself
* chapstick

November 12, 2008

* laptops
* computer games
* dvd's

November 11, 2008

* a really, really good day with Nick
* playdough
* running 3 miles straight

November 10, 2008

* waking up without an alarm clock
* hanging out at Doug's all afternoon
* breakfast for dinner

November 9, 2008

* my Bugly
* Georgia running around after finding out that Jonah would be coming over
* Georgia disappearing after opening her first gifts

November 8, 2008

* Davenid
* Doug bringing the girls to a movie
* school

November 7, 2008

* blankets
* puzzles for the girls
* tv

November 6, 2008

* beautiful weather in November
* Nora's excitement over hot lunch
* Ryann's "crazy" hair

November 5, 2008

* an end to the madness
* no line for voting
* being able to witness history in my lifetime and not read about it in a book

November 4, 2008

* Dave coming home in time for dinner so I could have a break
* 70s in November
* the girls playing outside

November 3, 2008

* finding a pair of jeans that actually fit
* getting almost half of the leaves burned before the police came
* beautiful weather in November

November 2, 2008

* getting the whole house picked up in two hours
* happy church
* God's faithfulness

November 1, 2008

* great trick or treating weather
* super cute costumes from grandpa and grandma
* sugar holiday

October 31, 2008

* being able to buy Georgia's birthday presents right in front of her
* Michael Scott
* all birthday presents being wrapped more than a week ahead of time

October 30, 2008

* Georgia falling asleep on my lap
* letting it all out
* pumpkin seeds

October 29, 2008

* birthday shopping with Georgia
* not having bronchitis
* Nora being able to play with Nolan for the afternoon

October 28, 2008

* all of my vacation laundry = done
* catching Georgia showing off for mirror Georgia
* annual pumpkin carving time

October 27, 2008

* getting the house back in order and the girls back to normal world
* Georgia's entertainment at dinner
* dinner with the Fulmer's

October 26, 2008

* seeing the girls
* having fun with Dave during the juice course
* my pillow

October 25, 2008

* a whole day at the pool doing nothing
* teasing the lizards like we tease the Woof
* Dave understanding why I needed to leave dinner early

October 24, 2008

* seeing the arch, Lover's Beach, and the seals
* watching the sunrise
* a really fun dinner with great people

October 23, 2008

* having fun haggling in town
* The Shrimp Factory
* the end of a dismal, boring dinner

October 22, 2008

* private surfing lessons
* riding the waves
* both of us being in great shape and being able to surf

October 21, 2008

* walking all of Cabo San Lucas in one evening
* dinner on the beach
* sitting on the beach at night

October 20, 2008

* finding our lost bag (with all of our money)
* a new room with a clean, non-leaking toilet
* meeting Kevin & J. Twidd

October 19, 2008

* the girls getting outside to play with the boys
* my mother-in-law being willing to come for the week
* being packed and ready to go before church

October 18, 2008

* a movie that didn't put me to sleep
* getting all laundry washed, put away and ironed
* tv shows on the internet

October 17, 2008

* doing errands with Georgia and Ryann
* Georgia finally agreeing to get her hair cut
* Nora being able to get the dog back without my help

October 16, 2008

* Doug calling at exactly the right time
* Dave's hard work
* being in agreement over turning off the debate

October 15, 2008

* a new puzzle
* watching a movie in the afternoon while the girls are at school
* catalogs

October 14, 2008

* nice enough weather for the girls to play outside on their day off
* having no agenda
* the last soccer game of the season

October 13, 2008

* Dave bringing the girls downstairs so I could sleep until 9am
* an afternoon at Doug's and the girls didn't whine once
* Georgia falling asleep and taking a nap on my lap

October 12, 2008

* a really nice client appreciation event (and cheap, too!)
* the girls not getting stung
* a super fun night with the Karner's

October 11, 2008

* beautiful, unexpected flowers
* dinner out as a whole family
* the same weather we had on our wedding day

October 10, 2008

* 10 years
* Davenid
* getting my basement picked up

October 9, 2008

* ironing lessons from Gram
* getting home early from the christmas party meeting
* a really good, easy day with Nick

October 8, 2008

* coffee with Dave and Georgia at his office
* getting summer/winter clothes switched out
* Dave helping me pick up the house before the debate

October 7, 2008

* the other two J's
* fewer mosquitos at the soccer game
* a productive day

October 6, 2008

* playing soccer with my nephews
* playing softball as a whole family
* a SUPER fun birthday picnic

October 5, 2008

* being able to find all of the exact same clothes
* knowing where gram's iron was
* a night out with Mike & Cara

October 4, 2008

* 3 hours without questions
* the three girls loving each other
* my new workout routine

October 3, 2008

* getting away from the girls for the night
* Dave not being in the shower when Nick came
* Georgia not getting a smaller cut than she could have gotten

October 2, 2008

* getting out of the house with the girls
* sitting around and talking
* Chicago baseball in October

October 1, 2008

* the White Sox winning their first playoff game
* the first family dinner in a long time
* a chance to play with Lily for an afternoon

September 30, 2008

* Nora scoring her first soccer goal
* Michelle taking the kids to the car so they wouldn't get eaten
* positive outlooks

September 29, 2008

* breakfast with the buglypicklefish
* the leaf pile for the kids to jump in
* having time to hang out with Doug before the Bears game

September 28, 2008

* a nice day so the girls could stay outside and my house could stay clean
* an afternoon at the dogpark and the Trantina Farm park
* finally going to church after several weekends away

September 27, 2008

* getting my costumes and other stuff listed on ebay
* getting my house picked up
* the debate

September 26, 2008

* being smart enough to wear long pants and long sleeves to the soccer game
* puzzles
* Dave

September 25, 2008

* getting my ironing done and my room picked up
* the boys across the way chasing the dog home
* totally easy and happy Nick

September 24, 2008

* my sister - very thankful
* my newly cleaned garage
* lots of time for the girls to play with the boys after school

September 23, 2008

* Mrs. Burns
* a summer day
* Georgia finally taking a nap

September 22, 2008

* Sunday morning coffee and newpaper on the patio
* friends with whom we can invite ourselves over for the afternoon
* being invited to Hailey's party and having the chance to catch up with cousins from both sides of the country

September 21, 2008

* getting my Mexico wardrobe in less than an hour and for only $55
* friends who know EXACTLY what we are going through
* dreams and people who are living mine;)

September 20, 2008

* overhearing Ryann and Georgia playing in the basement

* watching Georgia be joyful in the backyard

* Nora's excitement over her spelling test

September 19, 2008

* puzzles
* Ryann enjoying soccer
* our treadmill

September 18, 2008

* the opportunity to be at home with my kids all day
* a long phone call with Kim
* a good run

September 17, 2008

* the girls being good while shopping
* Woof not getting attacked by the fighting raccoons
* Georgia going to sleep without her pacifier

September 16, 2008

* braids
* pigtails
* Nora not having to sound words out

September 15, 2008

* lazy Sunday mornings
* a nice day with the in-laws
* the rain finally ending

September 14, 2008

* 60 years of marriage to celebrate
* a chance to talk to the Dykstra cousins
* getting home early enough to put the girls to bed and still have time together

September 13, 2008

* window shopping for wedding dresses with Ryann and Georgia
* talking over a puzzle with Nora
* Dave coming home

September 12, 2008

* time to watch Charlotte eat her dinner
* seeing Ryann save a goal
* the girls going to bed

September 11, 2008

* Georgia screaming at Brady for no apparent reason
* the joy the girls have while playing together
* Ryann's excitement over show-n-tell

September 10, 2008

* getting my workout in even though I slept in
* watching Charlotte build her web
* nice weather so the girls could play with the boys

September 9, 2008

* rain
* a roof
* Nora's teamate's parents not wanting to bring their kids to a 7:30pm game, either

September 8, 2008

* a good breakfast with Nora

* grocery shopping with Ryann

* Dave being right next to me when I had a nightmare

September 7, 2008

* Doug
* a pizza picnic in the park
* listening to the last 7 innings of a 15 inning game on the radio

September 6, 2008

* the fun the girls are having with each other
* encouragement from Ed
* Nora getting a perfect score on her first spelling test

September 5, 2008

* our treadmill
* having a baby in the house a few days a week
* reading

September 4, 2008

* an entire summer's worth of FFFFSN's
* a good day of babysitting
* going to sleep at 10pm

September 3, 2008

* the girls not realizing that the tv was gone until late in the afternoon
* Mrs. Burns
* Jenny coming to babysit

September 2, 2008

* breakfast overlooking the lake
* the girls getting to spend time with my grandparents
* sleeping in my own bed

August 30, 2008

* coffee with Carissa
* Dave coming home early and helping me with my list
* mom and dad watching the girls so we could go out for dinner

September 1, 2008

* biscuits and gravy
* two naps in one afternoon
* fishing with Dave and Nora on the boat

August 31, 2008

* a morning with Grandma VW talking about her memories
* some time with Jennifer and Glenn and their kids
* Dave finally catching a really big fish

August 29, 2008

* being able to remove the couch cushion covers and wash them after someone peed all over them
* the wisdom and foresight of my dad when he ordered extra cushions
* not having to go to the soccer game

August 28, 2008

* catalogs
* an easy baby to babysit
* the sandbox

August 27, 2008

* relaxed days
* books
* going to the library with Ryann and Georgia

April 26, 2008

* Nora's excitement about the first day of school
* a great first day of babysitting Nick
* how awesome Nora is at soccer

August 25, 2008

* one final summer day for the girls to play with the boys
* it only being my earphones on my shoulder and not the giant bug I thought it was
* being able to keep my house picked up

August 24, 2008

* Nathan
* Dave taking the girls fishing for the afternoon so I could have the house to myself and finish my book and pick up the house
* happy church

August 23, 2008

* the boys next door finally coming home so they could play with the girls
* family dinner
* getting Nora's school supplies labeled

August 22, 2008

* cute, fast haircuts
* Nate and Ryann on the same soccer team
* my new running website

August 21, 2008

* remarkable improvement in my running
* spontaneous dinner with Dave's mom, sister, Greg & Tessa
* cousins having a really good time together

August 20, 2008

* only one minor accident in the morning
* lots and lots of cherry tomatos
* that there really wasn't any poop in my bedroom

August 19, 2008

* progress with potty training
* the magic of cold showers
* being able to go to the Jackhammers game with everyone

August 18, 2008

* sunday morning on the patio with coffee
* Jennifer and Glenn
* Michelle having tylenol

August 17, 2008

* a somewhat successful day of potty training
* a friend right next door who doesn't mind if I come over crying out of frustration about potty training
* sushi, shopping and ice cream

August 16, 2008

* tivo
* being able to babysit so friends can go out on a date
* finally getting Nora's school info in the mail

August 15, 2008

* Kim
* new beginnings
* summer days

August 14, 2008

* my super clean refrigerator
* my friendship with Carissa
* the olympics

August 13, 2008

* my kitchen being cleaner than it has been in months (possibly years)
* Georgia finally being old enough to have her own daddy ballgame
* how excited the kids (the oldest 4) were to see photo albums of the girls as babies

August 12, 2008

* Nathan
* a quiet day of laundry and cleaning my room
* Nora's fever going down

August 11, 2008

* breakfast with Ryann
* dinner next door
* the olympics

August 10, 2008

* lunch at Baker's Square with the girls
* being invited to Luke's birthday party and how much I enjoy hanging out with his family
* Dave coming home unexpectedly

August 9, 2008

* Kim staying longer than she intended
* somehow getting my house picked up and vacuumed
* hanging out with Michelle to watch the opening ceremonies

August 8, 2008

* a second full day of Kim
* an opportunity to have Elise over for a sleepover
* talking on the phone with Cara for a really long time

August 7, 2008

* a visit from Kim and Elise
* Dave coming home in time to go to FFFS
* new running shoes

August 6, 2008

* Joseph
* getting out of the house
* Nick Swisher pinch hitting for Paulie

August 5, 2008

* all three girls sleeping in

* morning thunderstorms

* Nora not getting upset about the tornado warning

August 4, 2008

* cheap, good strawberries

* nothing to do all day, no agenda, no chores, just chillin

* our spontaneous trip to Chinatown and the girls actually eating and enjoying some of it

August 3, 2008

* the maintenance staff being able to jump our battery
* unexpectedly beautiful weather in Chicago when we got home and a gorgeous drive down Lakeshore Drive
* dinner and hanging out with the Van Dyke's after church

August 2, 2008

* a whole day with no agenda except what the girls wanted to do

* a run along the river and not getting lost

* how much more fun the waterpark was than what I anticipated

August 1, 2008

* getting out of the house on time
* time to hang out in the water park before dinner
* the amazement the girls had when walking into the lobby, the room and the waterpark

July 31, 2008

* the girls changing their minds
* cheap movies in the morning
* FFFFS and time to hang out with friends

July 30, 2008

* Nora and Nolan being such good friends
* Nora and Nolan's friendship being completely mutual
* Ryann and Nate being their own persons

July 29, 2008

* finding a way to have flowers delivered the same day

* my in-law's 35 years of marriage

* Parkview's VBS

July 28, 2008

* a really fun time at G'pa and G'ma Dykstra's
* Nolan and Nate going to VBS with Nora and Ryann
* how much fun Georgia has when she has mom and dad to herself

July 27, 2008

* a totally last minute babysitter
* VBS starting
* an afternoon alone with Ryann

July 26, 2008

* my nephew Andrew

* Kim and Natums coming for all day coffee

* impromptu swimming and dinner

July 25, 2008

* $2.50 movie + popcorn

* Diet Coke

* breakfast conversations

July 24, 2008

* Michelle taking Nora and Ryann to the zoo all day
* how excited Georgia was about playing on the McDonalds playland all by herself
* another chance to see Bling Bling before he left

July 23, 2008

* open windows and no air conditioning
* getting the lawn mowed and the garden weeded
* eating dinner outside

July 22, 2008

* chatting with Kim for the first part of the morning
* chatting with Michelle for the rest of the morning
* getting my 4 loads of laundry folded and put away

July 21, 2008

* seeing Dave make the save that saved their game in the final minutes
* soccer season being over
* summer sundays outside with the neighbors

July 20, 2008

* saving $80 on our waterpark vacation
* a suprise meeting for Dave with a prospect
* wine and cheese

July 19, 2008

* an afternoon at the park with the girls
* hearing and watching Georgia and Ryann sing No One in the backseat
* figuring out a way we can save close to $500/month

July 18, 2008

* finding my memory card and getting my memory card reader fixed
* fun at the ball games
* not getting in trouble with the fire department

July 17, 2008

* library time and seeing Jenny there
* the girls having quiet time in the afternoon and not complaining about it
* Bling Bling coming home for a week

July 16, 2008

* good coffee
* air conditioning
* silly computer games that I can play against my sister

July 15, 2008

* Nora taking an art workshop for $4
* beautiful weather for playing outside all afternoon
* the mattress my parents bought us 10 years ago

July 14, 2008

* breakfast with Bugly
* Dave getting the gate finished
* hanging outside with the neighbors

July 13, 2008

* being able to give blood
* all of the Berg girls coming to babysit and have a girls night together
* a small group social night

July 12, 2008

* Dave's appointment canceling so we could hang out at his office for lunch
* the sno cone stains coming out of the girls' dresses
* belly laughs at a really, insanely unitelligent dog

July 11, 2008

* tball/baseball being cancelled
* the rain not starting until 30 minutes before the game
* devotions on the patio

July 10, 2008

* less humid running weather
* going to Jake's swim meet and seeing all of his relatives
* cheap towels at Walmart when I forgot the girls' swim towels

July 9, 2008

* all of the kids feeling bad about killing the baby birds, strike that - Nora & Nolan feeling bad about killing the baby birds
* honesty
* swim lessons breaking up our day

July 8, 2008

* a short nap outside
* the girls playing quietly and nicely together inside all day without fighting, whining or crying
* pork chops

July 7, 2008

* finding out that we've been pretty close to the budget we put together at the beginning of the year
* Dave building the new gate
* getting the yard weeded

July 6, 2008

* the girls not waking us up when they got up before 7am

* Dave being all cute about planning a surprise date

* Dave's thoughtfulness in getting all of my favorite foods for our picnic

July 5, 2008

* hanging out with friends at their country club
* a diving board and a deep end
* the girls watching fireworks in the round with us on the roof

July 4, 2008

* cheap swim suits for the girls
* a fun day with the high schoolers in the city
* having changed into something warmer than I originally had on

July 3, 2008

* Fulmer Family Fun Night
* frozen grapes
* AJ hitting a walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10th

July 2, 2008

* being able to watch Ryann get more and more comfortable in the pool at swim lessons
* the neighbor's landscaper showing the kids a baby bunny nest
* the girls playing games together

July 1, 2008

* hanging out with Michelle on the deck for a couple of hours
* having gotten most of the laundry done on Sunday
* Dave coming home earlier than expected

June 30, 2008

* my mom coming for 4 days so we could go away without the girls
* a white sox sweep
* a relaxing day with the girls

June 29, 2008

* getting myself out to run
* the many compliments received from Dave
* dave's team winning the EJ tricycle race

June 28, 2008

* dave being able to run with me
* feeling comfortable at the regional
* realizing that we were both miscommunicating

June 27, 2008

* finally being able to get off the highway to go to the bathroom
* feeling comfortable at the regional
* spending the night just hanging out with Dave

June 26, 2008

* getting almost everything done
* my dad taking me to dinner
* looking at my gas gauge before running out of gas

June 25, 2008

* good news
* getting much of my stuff done
* Dave being committed to taking the girls on their one on one dates

June 24, 2008

* Brady getting a haircut

* the girls enjoying swim lessons

* a pedicure and manicure

June 23, 2008

* Dave not imploding when the Sox got swept by the Cubs
* another full rainbow over our house in the morning - and only I saw it
* getting the backyard, the garden and the side of the house weeded

June 22, 2008

* blueberries and strawberries from the farmers market
* a fun afternoon with some of Dave's clients
* a night of hanging out with dave's cousins

June 21, 2008

* a night out alone with Nora
* a full rainbow - full half circle
* fun with the girls at the farmers market

June 20, 2008

* David loading up my ipod with running music
* both girls having tball and baseball on the same night
* Dave finally catching our stupid idiot dog

June 19, 2008

* my marriage
* finding shoes at the first store I visited
* being able to get to Doug & Jenny's in time to hang out for a while

June 18, 2008

* chatting with Michelle
* a last minute date with Dave and a new dress & acessories
* a break from the girls

June 17, 2008

* meeting Nicholas
* getting my workout in
* sunshine

June 16, 2008

* Dave being able to play goalie after injuring himself (again)
* scoring 3 tbone steaks for $6, a NY strip for $2.50, 7 pork chops for less than $2
* watching a good movie

June 15, 2008

* the perfect summer day
* dinner with Dave, Doug & David
* the guy who parked in the handicapped spot (and was clearly not handicapped) not coming out of Cold Stone to the wrath of Doug

June 14, 2008

* finally talking to Doug & figuring out the plane situation
* Kim's multiple phone calls breaking up my day
* getting my laundry folded at 11:30pm

June 13, 2008

* Michelle having a healthy baby
* not needing a new air conditioner
* Dave folding the laundry without me asking

June 12, 2008

* Dave being able to meet us at the park for lunch
* the other two j's
* stories shared

June 11, 2008

* clear, blue skies
* the girls having neighbors to play with all summer
* getting my family room dusted

June 10, 2008

* a new puzzle
* $5 dresses from Target
* dress up clothes

June 9, 2008

* my mom
* a nice day after the storm
* John making us ribs & steak

June 8, 2008

* never having mowed a lawn before yesterday
* cold water
* strawberries from the farmers market

June 7, 2008

* baseball season
* reading outside
* wind

June 6, 2008

* juice boxes
* m&m's
* a successful day of potty training

June 5, 2008

* new summer rules
* Dave helping me pick up the toys
* artificial excitement about potty training

June 4, 2008

* Dave playing catch with the girls
* finally being able to put away the long sleeve shirts
* rain for the garden

June 3, 2008

* water balloons
* my new blog templates
* everyone feeling better

June 2, 2008

* shorts
* a nice day to sit on the patio and read
* Ryann's chicken pox being almost gone already

June 1, 2008

* being able to get Georgia in to see the doctor right away
* Dave being willing to stay home while I went out for the night
* laughter

May 31, 2008

* being able to eat solid food
* Nolan
* energy

May 30, 2008

* antibiotics
* Dave taking me to the urgent care center
* an extra tv

May 29, 2008

* Dave coming home early so I could take Ryann to the doctor by myself
* Dr. Calvert
* cartoons

May 28, 2008

* the chicken pox note
* Georgia finally getting a nap
* playdough

May 27, 2008

* getting the stones done
* how well the girls behaved when we took them out for dinner
* getting the house picked up, laundry started and being able to sit on the couch and watch the White Sox win an extra inning game

May 26, 2008

* breakfast with Nora
* getting the hostas split and replanted
* a nice afternoon and evening celebrating Ryan's birthday with Papa and Nana

May 25, 2008

* samples of medicine from the doctor
* how well my birthday cake turned out
* El Cortez & Cold Stone

May 24, 2008

* honest assessments
* puzzles
* trampolines

May 23, 2008

* going home and getting blankets & coffee
* Ryann having a good time at tball - and staying on the field
* Nora's confidence

May 22, 2008

* hanging out with Michelle again on their deck
* the girls having neighbors to play with
* getting to Aldi before it closed

May 21, 2008

* doing a puzzle all day long
* Georgia joining me and doing her "puzshle", too
* Doug

May 20, 2008

* morning bathtime
* April and her husband retrieving all of my photos off of my old laptop
* Ryann being able to play webkinz with Nora, Nolan & Nate

May 19, 2008

* how much fun the girls had with the boys all day yesterday
* getting my garden weeded, turned over, compost added & planted
* snuggling with Georgia on the couch for an hour

May 18, 2008

* being able to go out for breakfast with Dave
* walking in to Doug's & seeing Georgia sleeping on his lap, being able to say Happy Birthday to Ryann, and hearing about how much fun they all had
* hanging out with the neighbors all night and how good the girls were even though they were very tired

May 17, 2008

* Ryann Joy Dykstra
* Doug & Jenny having the girls over night
* our tour of haunted chicago

May 16, 2008

* asking Ryann for a birthday list
* Nora being so good while birthday shopping for Ryann
* Dave mowing the lawn & doing the trim

May 15, 2008

* Nora, Ryann, Nate & Nolan all laughing and giggling together on the trampoline
* Georgia getting over the fact that she couldn't be on while they were on
* getting the furniture in my basement rearranged

May 14, 2008

* catching Nora helping Ryann on and off of the trampoline without me asking her to do so
* the girls running out to the trampoline as soon as they were finished with breakfast
* playing duck, duck, goose with Ryann & Georgia (on the trampoline)

May 13, 2008

* two hours with Kim and good coffee
* a chance to chat with Donna for a while
* jumping on the trampoline at 10pm

May 12, 2008

* breakfast with my parents
* a chance for the girls to swim & for me to chat with my mom and dad
* my parents saying that Dave is a good dad

May 11, 2008

* Dave taking Nora & Ryann to the office for the whole day
* my new Mother's Day fish
* hanging out with my mom and dad all night

May 10, 2008

* Ryann being able to go on the Tumblebus

* time to chat with Doug

* Georgia not destroying the house while Dave mowed the lawn and I ran to Blockbuster

May 9, 2008

* being able to see Nathan and David in their play
* Fiddler on the Roof being much better than last years, Evita
* the girls playing outside all afternoon and not arguing with the neighbor boys

May 8, 2008

* my last day working
* computer games on a rainy day
* Dave teaching the girls that riding a bike will mean that they get lots of "bumps and bruises"

May 7, 2008

* finding brown sandals for Nora & Ryann
* grocery shopping with Georgia
* Nora learning - quickly - how to ride her bike without training wheels and Dave's patience while teaching her and helping Ryann

May 6, 2008

* sleeping in
* pigtails
* a night to myself

May 5, 2008

* going to the old church actually being a healing experience rather than a painful one
* chatting with a few Jone's wives at the soccer game
* hanging out with Doug after small group

May 4, 2008

* everybody having quiet time
* time to read
* free dinner

May 3, 2008

* Nora going to a Star Wars birthday party
* Ryann understanding that she wouldn't get to go
* Nora eating only 5 cupcakes and not 6;)

May 2, 2008

* the pain in Georgia's ear being an abbrasion and not an ear infection
* Dr. Hottie
* Dave mowing the lawn

May 1, 2008

* the car not needing an expensive repair - just the tow

* being able to run in to buy gifts instead of going home then going back out to the store

* water

April 30, 2008

* a good night of sleep
* Dave coming home earlier than expected
* no rain

April 29, 2008

* being able to give away 11 boxes of kids clothes, 5 bags of adult clothes, 1 box of baby toys and several other misc. items
* tv and computer games while we all feel like garbage
* 3 hours of chatting with Christine and Carol

April 28, 2008

* breakfast and shopping with Ryann
* Dave not being more hurt than he was
* a big sushi order all to myself

April 27, 2008

* a day to work on the yard
* Georgia not getting into trouble while she was unattended in the house
* a chance to have dinner with Ben & Abbi

April 26, 2008

* sitting out on Michelle's back deck for the entire afternoon again
* grapefruit
* going to bed early when I was feeling like garbage

April 25, 2008

* catching Georgia and Brady looking out the back fence like hostages desperate for release
* thursday night tv
* individual bags of kettle corn

April 24, 2008

* having my mother-in-law over for dinner
* being able to chat for just a few minutes with Grandma Dykstra
* the girls playing all day with AJ, Nunu and Nolan and Nate

April 23, 2008

* losing 5 lbs in 3 weeks
* no root canal
* strawberries = 99 cents at Aldi

April 22, 2008

* drinking coffee in the morning on the patio
* Dave totally rearranging his schedule so I could go to the dentist
* nice weather and kids who want to play outside first thing in the morning

April 21, 2008

* Dave having the opportunity to play soccer
* an afternoon of watching Dave/daddy play soccer & playing at the park
* our new firepit

April 20, 2008

* being able to donate blood & stopping to chat with Marky
* friends coming to church with us
* hanging out with Nathan after babysitting was done

April 19, 2008

* the girls playing outside in their pajamas
* morning baths
* Brady not going any further than he did

April 18, 2008

* playing outside all afternoon
* Nora's help in diassembling the picnic table
* Ryann showing her cute bum to the world on our family walk

April 17, 2008

* that the marker washed off everything pretty easily
* quitting my job
* shopping with my girls

April 16, 2008

* our taxes being done by someone else who found lots of money
* how cute Ryann looked in her costume for costume day at school
* being able to sleep in

April 15, 2008

* Dave wanting to take me to the White Sox game instead of anyone else
* soft pretzels at the ballpark
* Georgia being caught before she destroyed anything else

April 14, 2008

* a day with no agenda
* the popcorn kernal coming out without medical intervention
* conversations on the kitchen counter

April 13, 2008

* finally getting my kitchen floor washed
* a morning by myself with Georgia
* hanging out with Carissa for the night

April 12, 2008

* individual serving bags of microwave popcorn - kettle corn
* white sox vs. tigers
* tv & snuggle time after school

April 11, 2008

* Julie alerting me to the article featuring Dave
* a new office episode
* strawberries

April 10, 2008

* that vision and eyeglasses are covered by our HSA
* the amount of fun that can be had with a few couch cushions
* The Shack

April 9, 2008

* swallow cliff
* time to myself every afternoon
* Dave coming home just in time

April 8, 2008

* going to sleep early
* a fantastic run in the morning
* getting Nora & Ryann's room cleaned - not just picked up, cleaned

April 7, 2008

* my father-in-law

* grocery shopping with Georgia

* Dave taking Nora & Ryann to the park while I was home with a napping Georgia

April 6, 2008

* an afternoon spent reading
* sushi dinner & dessert with Doug & Jenny
* WWPD?

April 5, 2008

* being able to hang out with Mark & Heather
* the doctor getting Georgia in at 4:30 (I called at 3:30)
* holding Mason

April 4, 2008

* God's faithfulness & surprising provision
* Georgia's cute face with a hat on and bunny mittens on staring out through the laundry room door
* Ryann telling her teachers that she is my baby

April 3, 2008

* a trip to Trader Joe's by myself
* THE SUN!
* my sister getting a chance to go on a fantastic vacation

April 2, 2008

* the big deal that Dave made out of my birthday and buying me gifts
* having a chance to get my haircut
* all the people who wrote or called to say Happy Birthday

April 1, 2008

* motivation - finally!
* being able to freecycle my sewing machine
* my new coffee pot coming just in time for my birthday!

March 31, 2008

* getting to spend the afternoon with Mike & Cara & the boys & my parents
* long car conversations
* seeing where Brady ran to when he took off out of the house

March 30, 2008

* my parent's 35 years of marriage
* Georgia falling asleep on my lap in the rocking chair at Gram's
* a wonderful dinner and conversation at a cool restaurant

March 29, 2008

* Dave taking a full day off
* my new patio furniture and the good deal we got on it
* hanging out with Ryann at the DMV

March 28, 2008

* Ryann's special day with Jenny
* dinner with the 3 J's
* running errands with Georgia

March 27, 2008

* Dave getting angry and protective of me over the library situation
* reading books with the girls at the library and meeting daddy for lunch
* a decent drive and dinner before meeting to drop Nora off with Gpa & Gma

March 26, 2008

* how excited the girls were to have their room rearranged
* playing a game with Nora & Ryann
* my new perfume

March 25, 2008

* the girls getting along all day yesterda
* Dave playing their new dodgeball game with them after dinner
* being able to realistically dream about trip options together

March 24, 2008

* Christ's power over the grave
* how well behaved the girls were at brunch
* gigantic coloring books that have kept the girls occupied for hours without fighting

March 23, 2008

* mandatory quiet time in the afternoon for everyone
* an awesome and simple Easter message
* Behold The Man by Charles Swindoll

March 22, 2008

* Dave taking half of the day off
* super clearance sale at Sears Essentials
* beer and 30 Rock

March 21, 2008

* Nora's teacher calling it an Easter party
* Nora & Ryann sharing their candy with each other and Georgia
* the bus bringing Nora home on an early dismissal day

March 20, 2008

* Survivor on Wednesday night
* family dinner
* getting to bed early

March 19, 2008

* coffee in the afternoon
* baths in the morning
* movie in the afternoon by myself

March 18, 2008

* the snow not sticking to the groung
* a nice dinner with me and the girls
* an evening of ballroom dancing with the girls

March 17, 2008

* Dave picking up the house for Small Group
* $5 dresses at Target for the girls
* our small group

March 16, 2008

* my dad
* having a ton of fun with the Teschke's
* a reason to celebrate

March 15, 2008

* sitting outside waiting for the bus
* chatting on the phone with Kim
* dumb computer games to play while watching kid movies

March 14, 2008

* warm weather and kids playing outside
* Dave helping Ryann apologize to John & Michelle
* good relationships with our neighbors

March 13, 2008

* catching Ryann before she completely destroyed my doc martens
* warmer weather so Nora can play outside after school
* tivo so I didn't have to listen to the crime against humanity that was Kristy Lee Cook's version of 8 Days A Week

March 12, 2008

* Ryann being quick to forgive

* Dave doing what he could to make last night special for Ryann, too

* Beatles night on American Idol (kind of)

March 11, 2008

* successful dinners when I just threw in a little of this and a little of that
* time to read
* Dave's appointment coming earlier so he could come home earlier

March 10, 2008

* Dave understanding that sometimes I'm just crabby - about nothing, for no reason, and I'm sorry
* getting all of my easter basket shopping done
* not having to go to church on Sunday morning so the time change didn't affect us at all

March 9, 2008

* Nora being so excited about the resurrection party that she woke up at 6:30
* Nora being excited about being able to go to church twice in one day
* dinner with Bill & Julie & Doug & Jenny

March 8, 2008

* sitting on the computer with Dave and dreaming about our (possible) trip
* brady finally getting a haircut
* Georgia's giggles when she saw him

March 7, 2008

* "Nahwa, Rya NOT. FAIR!"
* Dave's clients not showing up for their appointment so Dave could get on the phones
* Dave making me dinner

March 6, 2008

* finding the cause of the horrible odor in the girls' bathroom
* Georgia having the forsight to keep it in the bathroom and not trek it throughout the house
* everyone loving the dinner that I made

March 5, 2008

* family dinner
* getting my ironing done
* having a day off of work

March 4, 2008

* Georgia's long nap
* getting my route done super early and having a couple of days off
* Dave's big day of sales

March 3, 2008

* Sunday morning pancakes
* Georgia's goofiness in the car on the way home from the airport
* time spent chatting with Dave

March 2, 2008

* a chance for the girls to play with Jordan and Hope
* lots of laughter and fun while jumping on the furniture
* watching Planet Earth with the girls

March 1, 2008

* dinner with Jennifer
* honest conversation
* open-mindedness

February 29, 2008

* having the desire to get up early to do devotions even if I'm not working out
* Dave getting finished in time to watch LOST at the right time and not on tivo
* my clean crawl space

February 28, 2008

* Aleve
* playdough
* pineapple

February 27, 2008

* unexpectedly finishing my route without knowing it
* an unexpected pizza dinner
* sitting down and watching AI as a family

February 26, 2008

* Georgia brushing my hair
* Dave earning his bonus
* the girls' excitement about having ice cream for dessert

February 25, 2008

* breakfast with Nora
* Georgia snuggling in bed in the morning and telling us that everyone is in "big trouble"
* spending the afternoon drinking coffee and doing a puzzle with Dave

February 24, 2008

* Dave figuring out that the beer was old (01/06) before I felt obligated to drink the rest of it
* Dave and Nathan chatting for 1/2 hour when we got home
* Dave playing with the girls all afternoon while I finished cleaning the bathroom and cleaned our bedroom

February 23, 2008

* the new register for my bathroom
* a fresh coat of paint in the bathroom
* being able to fix the toilet leak myself

February 22, 2008

* figuring out that I was doing the wrong route before it was too late
* thursday night tv
* Dave giving the girls a bath

February 21, 2008

* My new mixed praise & worship CD
* Dave walking in the door right before I was going to rip my children apart limb from limb
* Nora's sincere apology

February 20, 2008

* my new puzzle
* Finding Your Purpose as a Mom, by Donna Otto
* Georgia listing her crib friends

February 19, 2008

* a relaxing day doing nothing but laundry & puzzles
* Dave coming home in the afternoon to take Nora to buy her webkinz
* Ryann's sadness over the webkin not lasting very long

February 18, 2008

* the girls not trashing the house before we left for the day
* having a chance to catch up with Jake & Megan
* the girls getting to spend the afternoon with Papa & Nana

February 17, 2008

* Dave coming home and telling me to choose an EJ trip
* good conversations with my father-in-law
* how excited Dave is that the girls love Star Wars

February 16, 2008

* getting a chance to shop for baby girl clothes that are not for me
* instant messenger
* LOST

February 15, 2008

* Dave being on the same page with me about Valentine's Day and how silly it is
* all of the support that Nora received for Jump Rope for Heart
* a fun time at Chuck E. Cheese

February 14, 2008

* a table to do our puzzle on
* beating the bus home
* email conversations with my sister

February 13, 2008

* a night to herself after the girls were in bed
* catching Georgia before she poured the ENTIRE bottle of shampoo on the carpet
* catching Georgia before she painted the ENTIRE vanity with wall patch

February 12, 2008

* doing a puzzle with Dave and finishing it
* Nora loving her voice
* Dave coming home so he could field questions instead of me

February 11, 2008

* time together with Nora working on a puzzle
* hanging out with Doug and Dave for most of the day
* getting pictures for my bathroom for $3.75

February 10, 2008

* Dave having the day off
* getting to hold baby Lily again and seeing her in the sling
* laughing with David before bringing him home

February 9, 2008

* spending the morning with Carissa and Lily
* Nora enjoying the snow and building real snowmen
* hanging out with Dave on Friday nights

February 8, 2008

* my new dance music mix cd
* Thursday night television
* Nora's excitement over her 100 day party

February 7, 2008

* the lesson that Ryann learned about not hiding from mom
* another unexpected day off of work
* Ryann helping Georgia go potty on the potty (I think - I'm still not sure I believe it entirely)

February 6, 2008

* a couple of days off of work
* Dave coming home much earlier than anticipated
* ice cream

February 5, 2008

* Nora's perseverance and creativity as she built her snowman
* Nora falling asleep while cuddled up with me watching Daughtry
* a clean kitchen floor

February 4, 2008

* David Benjamin Dykstra
* Nora's new cute haircut
* a fun superbowl party

February 3, 2008

* going grocery shopping by myself
* getting my hardest route done and having a week off of work
* dinner with Dave

February 2, 2008

* a pretty fun snow day
* Dave trying sushi
* Nora having fun playing in the snow

February 1, 2008

* LOST
* my sister
* my tri tip roast turning out so good

January 31, 2008

* getting my bathroom painted
* Dave taking the girls upstairs a half an hour early and reading & playing with them so I didn't have to hear more questions/talking
* TJ's organic creamy tomato soup & oyster crackers

January 30, 2008

* Dave taking the cabinet down over the weekend so I could prime the bathroom - finally
* finding a can of primer in the house so I didn't have to go out and buy one
* Nora trusting that mom and dad will do our best to always protect her - even in a tornado

January 29, 2008

* Nora going to Spanish class
* knitting
* my new scarf that kept me warm all day

January 28, 2008

* breakfast with Ryann

* Nora feeling better and no more vomitting
* getting my scarf done

January 27, 2008

* the tigers not pouncing on us
* the opportunity to get to know Elise
* no one on the plane acknowledging that I was crying

January 26, 2008

* Kim inspiring me to knit again
* Sushi - yum!
* having a chance to meet Kim & Jer's friends

January 25, 2008

* a whole day spent talking with my BFWW
* Pei Wei
* beer floats

January 24, 2008

* the girls telling me they'll miss me
* time to read at the airport (lots of time)
* not having a panic attack on the plane

January 23, 2008

* the girls going back to school
* special chair days
* Dave giving the girls a bath so I could get some calls done in the evening

January 22, 2008

* sleepy-eyed girls coming down for breakfast
* having ingredients in the house for truffle cake so I didn't have to bring three kids to the grocery store
* a chance to see bling-bling

January 21, 2008

* enough time to read 5 chapters of our small group book
* snuggling up in my bed and watching Nature with the girls
* "No more monkeys, Mom!"

January 20, 2008

* great conversations at dinner with Nathan and Doug
* Nora and Ryann being excited to go to the dentist
* pigtail braids

January 19, 2008

* movie night with the girls
* popcorn
* Friday Night Lights

January 18, 2008

* big, huge snowflakes
* Dave's appointments getting rescheduled & juggled around so he could come home at a decent time
* baby wipes

January 17, 2008

* Dave reminding me to do my callbacks
* free time to myself in the afternoon
* being able to read

January 16, 2008

* enjoying learning
* books
* the internet

January 15, 2008

* Nora starting spanish class
* Nora getting presents from a boy
* hearing Nora and Dave practice their piano lessons

January 14, 2008

* Tessa Elizabeth Snyder

* the library

* Sunday nights

January 13, 2008

* Dave taking Georgia to the doctor so I could go grocery shopping
* Nora learning about being a servant
* the serious, deep conversations and the light-hearted, fun conversations we have with Doug & Jenny & David over dinner

January 12, 2008

* a chance to hang out with some friends I haven't seen in a while
* Dave staying up until I got home
* Dave

January 11, 2008

* Dave babying me while I've been sick
* finally talking to BFWW after the holidays
* our new evening schedule (= clean family room every night)

January 10, 2008

* Dave reworking his schedule so that I could go to the doctor
* chatting with my dad on the phone
* Nora and Georgia being ducks

January 9, 2008

* Advil Cold & Sinus
* Tea
* Advil Cold & Sinus

January 8, 2008

* Nora having such a fun birthday
* weather warm enough to play outside and visit with the neighbors
* school

January 7, 2008

* Advil cold & sinus
* a really fun weekend vacation with the girls
* finally being home to relax after getting home from St. Louis, then right back out to run errands & go to the doctor with Ryann

January 6, 2008

* Nora Grace Dykstra (6 years old today!)
* a fun day at the arch, the brewery & the zoo
* free samples at the brewery

January 5, 2008

* a safe, quick trip to St. Louis with no issues with the girls
* the girls having fun in the pool
* Bridget coming to dogsit

January 4, 2008

* my clean bedroom
* a good trip to Trader Joe's with all three girls
* the shepherd's pie I had for dinner

January 3, 2008

* my girls' babies
* Georgia standing up for herself
* our new fish tank

January 2, 2008

* Dave playing in the snow with Nora & Ryann
* playing Guesstures as a family
* floss

January 1, 2008

* coffee with a friend
* the girls FINALLY getting to play with Liv
* gorilla glue working on carpet