The Mattila's

Basswood...

2010-06-08T10:28:00.003-05:00

Nick got to go camping with Uncle Bobby this past weekend on Basswood. The boy was so excited. The momma, if I am being honest, was a little nervous and sad to let her baby go. Nick had a blast with Bobby & BJ. Thanks so much guys for taking him. They caught fish, had a fish fry, saw a turtle laying eggs, saw a bear swimming (this is why I don't camp!!), and had fun playing around with Gage.

Be warned Bobby, you have now got Nick hooked on fishing and camping with you!!

Nick and Gage showing off the days catch!!

Adventures with Papa...

2010-06-07T18:42:00.002-05:00

Eric and Ty took off on an adventure to try their luck at fishing on Lucky Boy with Papa this weekend.

Papa is a brave soul to take 2 boys and 3 dogs out on a wheeler adventure.

No fish were caught that were big enough to keep. Ty said they were all baby fish. But, they did get to meet a horse and a really big dog. I didn't quite understand the entire story behind meeting these two creatures, but apparently the dogs were quite surprised by the horse.

School may be out, but the learning never ends...

2010-06-07T06:28:00.000-05:00

Today is the start of "summer school" in the Mattila household. I posted about these books last year around this time and had to shout my praises of them again this year.

I love these books!! The boys each have one and they are so easy to do. The book is broken down into 3 sections, one for each month of summer vacation. The nice part about this series is that the boys don't really even feel like they are doing a ton of work because it breaks down into one page per day (not on weekends). The books also come with flashcards that we will do twice per week as well. The beginning of the series is a review of what they have learned this past year in school. The end of the series starts applying new material that they will learn next year at school. Each month comes with a contract that we all sign with a reward at the end for completing that month's worksheets. It makes for a nice incentive to finish your work without complaining to mom. I can't recommend this learning tool enough. If you have kids/grandkids check out the Summerbridge link that I have on the left.

Also this summer we are journaling about our day. Each night the boys and I (yes, I am doing it too) will write (draw in Tyler's case) a quick journal entry titled... "My favorite thing I did today was..." Nothing to long or time consuming, but it keeps the older boys writing all summer and it will be a fun way to look back at the end of summer vacation to see what we did.

So there you go, the summer learning begins today. Will keep you posted on some of the more interesting journal entries.

Perfection...

2010-06-06T18:21:00.002-05:00

The perfect fire...

For the perfect roasting...

For the perfect marshmallow...

For the perfect summertime treat!!

life lessons - remembering, honoring, respecting...

2010-05-31T20:28:00.003-05:00

Today I decided to take the boys to the local Memorial Day ceremony in town. I really enjoy going to this and it always gets me choked up to see all of the flags flying at the grave sites of all the people who served our country. The laying of the wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier, taps and the 21 gun salute give me the chills. It is so humbling for me to think about all of those young men and women who generously go into battle to keep total strangers safe.

So, being that the weather was nice I decided that this would be a good learning opportunity for the boys. We stood in the crowd and listened to the speeches honoring all the veterans who keep up safe. At one point during a song played by the band (I think it was the Marines' hymn) the older couple in front of us began to hold hands as the gentleman teared up. I thought to myself, what this man must have gone through, seen and heard all in the name of keeping our country safe so that my boys have a wonderful place to live. It is very humbling to think about.

After the ceremony the boys and I walked around the cemetery and I showed them where various family members and friends were buried. They got to see pictures of their great-great grandparents which they thought was pretty cool. Our final stop was at their Grandpa Ricky and Grandma Ada's graves. I had put flowers there the night before with my mom. We stopped and talked about how Grandpa Ricky had fought in a war and helped to keep us safe and even though we never met him that he was watching over us. Then we remembered stories of Grandma Ada - how she always bought the boys chocolate milk and came over every Christmas morning with homemade pancake mix for breakfast. It was so nice to take time to remember those little moments that make such lasting memories for the boys.

On the way home I answered lots of questions about soldiers and how they help us. I really think the boys learned alot by going to the ceremony and taking the time to honor and remember those that have gone before us. This will definitely become a new tradition for us - to attend the Memorial Day Celebration and remember, honor and show our respect to all those brave souls who contributed to making this world a better place.

Track and Field...

2010-05-29T10:45:00.005-05:00

Nick and Eric had track and field this past week so we spent the better part of Wednesday out at the track. It is so much fun to see the kids cheering and chanting names of classmates while they are competing.

Nick competed in the 440 run (1 lap around the track), 440 relay, long jump & tennis ball throw. Eric competed in the 440 run (1 lap around the track), 440 relay, long jump & basketball throw. They both love running around the entire track rather than the short races and both took 1st.

Nick coming hard into the finish line of the 440 race.

Eric setting the pass halfway through the 440 race.

Nick's long jump - he jumped 10 feet 4 inches!!

Eric's basket ball throw - he took second place, maybe we have a basketball player rather than a hockey player?!

Nick with his ribbons

Eric with his ribbons

Happy Days Graduation...

2010-05-28T10:25:00.002-05:00

Well, we officially have no more preschoolers in our house anymore. Ty "graduated" from Happy Days Preschool this past week and is now officially on summer vacation. I'm not so sure he is happy about this. He loved school and asked when it is going to start again.

Ty and Mrs. Lah.

Ty loved his teacher and we are excited at the possibility that he might have her again next year. She was hired as the new Kindergarten teacher!!

Ty and Mrs. Nelson.

Always with a smile on her face and a bubbly personality Mrs. Nelson made the year full of fun and laughter. She also taught the kids sign language which Tyler really took an interest in.
Having some ice cream after the program.

So another chapter in our life has closed. Next year all three boys will be in school full time. What is the mama to do??? They are growing up way too fast.

The dog days of summer...

2010-05-27T06:44:00.000-05:00

Oh, to have the life of a dog. To lay around in the sun all day and just generally enjoying life.

While that is the life of most dogs - that's not so when Raven comes to "meme's summer camp". When Raven comes to the lake she puts herself to work as the self proclaimed beach cleaner.

First she stands on the shore scanning the beach for rocks. When she finds one she jumps in the water and the work begins.

She locates the rock by running her front paws along the bottom. At first I thought she was digging holes in the lake bottom.
Once the rock is located it's time to dive under to get it. The triumphant Raven then brings the rock to shore and drops it on the lawn. (sorry meme - watch out with the lawn mower!!)

This process will go on all day long with her unless she can find a willing human to throw a stick or ball off of the dock. I'm just waiting for the day when she dives for a fish - now that would be exciting.

Thanks Raven for keeping our beach rock free!!

Wordless Wednesday...

2010-05-26T08:54:00.001-05:00

Practicing our karate moves on an unsuspecting purple whale...

Take me out to the ball game...

2010-05-26T06:36:00.000-05:00

Nick and Eric had their first Little League baseball game. The Bears did a great job vs. the Braves!!

Nick ready and waiting to knock it out of the park

sliding safely into second

Eric about to connect with the ball. Love the sunglasses!!

Running on to second base

Here fishy fishy fishy...

2010-05-25T10:24:00.003-05:00

With 80 degree temps this past weekend we hit the lake and "meme's summer camp" officially opened.

Kurt and Nick fished in a fishing contest to raise money for cystic fibrosis on Saturday and Nick came in 3rd!! He was so excited. He won 3rd place with a 1# fish.

Sunday the boys and I hung out at the lake and fished off of the dock. The boys were on the hunt for the fish that live under the dock and it kept them busy for most of the day. Luckily everyone caught one. The "pet" fish were kept in a cooler until it was time to go home for the night.

Eric proving he isn't afraid to stick his fingers in a fish mouth

Ty was so excited to catch his first fish of the season

Nick, the fishing pro.

Catch up...

2010-05-13T10:28:00.002-05:00

Life has gotten busy here in the Mattila household and I logged on today only to realize that it's been 2 months since I posted anything. I thought that once hockey was done life would slow down, but I should have known better with three boys.

Everyone has been busy, busy, busy here. And luckily I got a new camera for my Birthday so new pictures will be coming soon. (Thanks mom and dad!!) So here is a quick update for you on everyone...

Nick - Is playing little league baseball this summer and practices have started this week. He is also in "fort building mode" and is in constant need of having a friend over. He has grown just as obsessed with the "mid life crisis truck" (I'll explain later) as Kurt has. He is also into taking apart bikes and rebuilding them so it seems like I am constantly picking up bike parts and tools off of the front lawn.

Eric - Is also playing little league baseball this summer and is on Nick's team. (the momma is happy about this because it reduces scheduling!!) Eric had his first communion at church and looked so handsome in his suit (pictures coming). He has decided to go to art camp again this year and I can't wait. The Greenstone art group in town does a fantastic job with this camp. He is also starting to think about new idea's for the cardboard boat regatta coming up in August.

Ty - Ty is just his busy, cute, smiling self. He is going to join t-ball this year with his friends. He is also super excited about kindergarten next year and can't wait to go to the same school as his brothers. Bike riding and playing with anyone and everyone are his main objectives right now.

Kurt - Since hockey ended Kurt has been working on what I am calling the "midlife crisis truck". Thankfully the project is done now as it totally consumed him. He restored the 1978 ford truck he had in highschool to it's original condition. He fixes other peoples vehicles all the time, but never did one of his own. I made the mistake of telling him to go for it and it has become all the man thinks about. But, the finished product looks amazing and he is happily cruising it around. (pictures coming)

I am hopefully going back to school this Fall as daycare is not what I want to do the rest of my life especially since all my boys will be in school full time. Looking into some online schooling that I can do in addition to daycare and my boys. Will fill you in more once I have more info.

So, that's whats been happening here. Like I said - now that I have a camera there will be an updated picture post coming.

The end is near...

2010-03-05T17:03:00.002-06:00

I have mixed emotions right now about our hockey season ending... Nick and Eric had their last tournaments of the year last weekend. Ty has his last tournament this weekend. The ice has melted off of the arena, there is no more open hockey and Kurt is actually home at night... And frankly, I think I am going through withdrawls!! This past week I have actually found myself panicking thinking that we needed to be somewhere at night only to look at the calendar and see that it is blank.

I have finally been able to see my husband for more than 15 minutes at a time for the first time since August 15th when football started. I didn't realize how much I missed our silly conversations that were taken away when he started coaching. Don't get me wrong, I love that he coaches, but honestly I think I have been in survival mode all winter and part of the fall just trying to manage schedules, kids and life in general.

We have actually sat down at the table as a full family and had dinner this week!! The last time we did that was probably Christmas dinner.

So even though I hate to see the hockey season end, I am also very grateful for this much needed break and ready to get my family back on track again.

Our boys have already pulled out the rubber boots and the boot driers are going on full speed to try and keep up with the muddy/wet mess that they are bringing in from the quickly melting snow. The washer and dryer are also running constantly and YES, I have made all three of them strip down on the outside porch already because they were so wet and muddy. Spring is in the air and soon there will be bike riding, waterskipping & fort building!!

Check back early next week for final hockey season pictures and a season wrap up.

Oh, and you may have noticed that I haven't been posting the gratitude journal every day like before - yes, I have given up on my new year's resolution already. Or at least I have given up documenting it on paper/blog. Instead, I have come up with an even better gratitude journal. Each night before bed the boys and I sit and talk about our days. We all share one special thing from the day with each other. Kurt thinks it's a waste of time, but I think it's a great way to get the boys to talk so we are sticking with it.

Again, check back next week for pictures... until then hope you are enjoying the warm weather

Nick...

2010-02-08T11:27:00.003-06:00

Nick
*aspiring golden gopher hockey player*
*deep thinker*
*natural born leader*
*wears his emotions on his sleeve*

I got the pleasure of having an entire mom/son weekend with Nick a couple of weekends ago. We went to his hockey Tournament in Greenway Fri-Sun and what an exciting weekend we had including the squirt team's first win.

The big celebration following their first win.

He loves the pool just like his mom. And I loved to smell the chlorine on him!!

Team meeting in the hot tub to discuss game strategy. I look at this picture and can fast forward in my mind to when these boys are 16 and sitting around a hot tub talking hockey and girls.

Nick studying the game.

He is always so serious when it comes to his hockey. He studies game tapes, wakes up and picks up his stick to play before eating breakfast and his stick is the last thing he puts down before going to bed at night. As annoying as the continuous hockey antics are - it amazes me how passionate he is for this game. Eats, sleeps and breaths it.

As I was looking at these pictures I felt kind of sad at how grown up he seemed. But, then I remember the daily hugs and kisses he gives me along with the special cuddles and I know that my little boy is still in there somewhere and I still catch a glimpse of him every now and then when he isn't trying to be the tough hockey player.

Love you Nick!!

Snowmen...

2010-02-08T11:22:00.003-06:00

For those of you who didn't get to see our hockey snowmen in the Ely Echo - here they are.

Sunday Gratitude Journal...

2010-02-07T20:10:00.000-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. Eric's team winning their first hockey game.

2. Eric's hat trick

3. Ty winning a raffle prize at the Mesabi East Tournament. Although I have no clue what we are going to do with 4 rounds of golf.

Saturday Gratitude Journal...

2010-02-06T19:17:00.001-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. Alone time with Eric. (boy he sure can talk. never stopped all the way to virginia and back)

2. Finding great savings at Target

3. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Friday Gratitude Journal...

2010-02-06T07:48:00.002-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. Clear roads to Mesabi East.

2. Hat Tricks

3. Taco in a bag.

Thursday Gratitude Journal...

2010-02-04T20:57:00.000-06:00

Today I am thankful for...

1. ABOVE ZERO TEMPERATURES!!

2. Raven learning to pull the boys in a sled with a dog harness.

3. Not having to pay in for tax returns!!

Wednesday Gratitude Journal...

2010-02-04T08:55:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for...

1. A REAL dinner. I was so sick of quick easy meals that I basically made Thanksgiving dinner last night. Nick told me that I should cook like that all the time. Sure - in my spare time I'll get right on that.

2. Getting caught up with laundry.

3. A clean house - even though it seems to only last until the kids get home.

Tuesday Gratitude Journal...

2010-02-02T19:44:00.002-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. Chocolate (no other explanation needed)

2. kraftfoods.com If you have never tried their site I highly recommend it. You can type in 3 ingredients that you want to use and it gives you tons of recipes to chose from. I use this site on a weekly basis.

3. A husband that is staying home tonight. It's doesn't happen too often lately that everyone in our house is home and hanging out together by 8pm.

Off to go and cuddle with my men!!

Monday's Gratitude Journal...

2010-02-01T22:24:00.001-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. Waking up in my own bed instead of the crazy hotel hide-a-bed.

2. Naps

3. The day finally coming to an end.

Weekend gratitude journal...

2010-02-01T09:03:00.001-06:00

I didn't get to post my gratitude journal until now. I was out of town for a hockey tournament with Nick so I am lumping it into one post rather than daily posts for the weekend.

This past weekend I was grateful for...

1. A weekend alone with Nick. It doesn't happen very often in this house that I get an extended amount of alone time with only one child. Nick is growing up so fast and it was nice to have 3 days with him.

2. Coming home to two boys who were very happy to see there Mama!! I loved the hugs and snuggle time with Ty and Eric!!

3. A win for the squirt white team!!! The boys were so excited - they finally won a game. The parents were pretty excited too!! Way to go boys.

4. Spending time with friends and acting crazy. It was so nice to share a weekend with two great friends and their boys. Had lots of laughs and some tears!!
5. Fantastic report cards from Eric and Nick. They have been working super hard and it shows.

Weekend gratitude journal...

2010-02-01T09:03:00.000-06:00

Wednesday Gratitude Journal...

2010-01-27T19:50:00.002-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. Below zero temperatures and biting wind. (not really, just trying to find the positive aspect of the current weather)

2. The O'clock hour with Pam from the paper. The boys are super excited that Pam stopped by and took their pictures with the snowmen we made for the paper this week.

3. The dogs didn't eat the bread today!! Yeah!!!!!! We are on a two day streak that Raven hasn't got the bread off of the counter and eaten the entire loaf. Knock on wood our luck continues - I think the grocery stores are starting to wonder what in the world I do with so much bread since I buy a loaf a day because of the dog.

Tuesday Gratitude Journal...

2010-01-27T08:04:00.002-06:00

Yes, I'm late again, but I have a good excuse - we didn't get home from the hockey game until late last night.

Today (Tuesday) I am grateful for the following...

1. Getting "pressured" into doing the score book and announcing the high school game. Yes, I know that one of my resolutions was to start saying no this year, but actually once I got over the fear of hearing my voice over the arena speakers it was fun.

2. My mom and the crazy funny things she comes up with. Always makes me smile.

3. Being helping parent for Ty's school. So much fun with a classroom full of 4 year olds.

Monday Gratitude Journal...

2010-01-25T21:20:00.002-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. No branches breaking off of our birch tree and landing on our vehicles due to the heavy snow.

2. The large snow fall so that my plowing obsessed husband got to plow snow all day. Ahh the simple pleasures...

3. Getting to have an adult conversation on the phone without interruptions for 5 minutes.

Sunday Gratitude Journal...

2010-01-24T22:29:00.000-06:00

Today I am grateful for...

1. Snowy days. Finally we got more snow and it's still coming.

2. Fresh trout and watching my husband try to clean it. He NEVER cleans fish, hates to do and usually leaves the fish knowing that either Nick or I (yes my 9 year old can clean a fish better than his daddy can) will come along and clean it. But, he did it all on his own (well with some help from Eric and a call to Papa.) And, I won't embarrass him and tell you how long it took him to clean this one fish (although it was almost a full cycle of the minute hand on the clock!!)

I could have stepped in and helped at any time but what's the fun in that?!

3. Boys squealing as Raven the dog pulled them in the new snow with her harness.

Saturday Gratitude Journal...

2010-01-24T10:26:00.002-06:00

Today (Saturday) I am greatful for the following...

1. Cancelled hockey games.

2. Generous afmily/community who donated HUNDREDS of sets of used football equipment to Kurt's football team. Hopefully next year we will be able to have youth football in our school!!

3. Giggles from boys that come straight from their bellies they are laughing so hard. (LOVE THAT SOUND!!)

Friday Gratitude Journal...

2010-01-23T09:32:00.002-06:00

Yes, I know a day late again....

Today, (Friday) I am grateful for the following...

1. Being brave enough to drive across the ice road after school to bring my boys out to the fish house. (more on this in a later post)

2. Eric's quick whit. He always knows how to make me laugh.

3. Bubble baths. (ok everyone who has to use the bathroom do it now! mom is going to take a bath and this door is not opening for 1 hour) ahhh got to love the quiet of the bathroom with a bubble bath. Well ok, in our house it's not quiet - it's kids yelling through the bathroom door asking for help with this or that and me saying "where is your daddy?? ask him to help. no, I am not getting out of the tub to pour you some juice. tell him to say he's sorry, no Ty - nick will always be your brother, I'm sorry you think your heart is breaking into tiny pieces." And finally succumbing to the chaos outside the door and leaving the sanctuary of the bathtub to deal with the drama happening outside the door.

Thursday - Gratitude Journal

2010-01-22T08:47:00.003-06:00

I know I am late, but we got home from hockey late last night and I forgot.

Thursday, Jan. 21st

Today, I am grateful for...

1. pink eye - it was nice to have some alone time with Eric in the afternoon since he couldn't go to school with goopy eyes.

2. The high school hockey team winning their game. Very exciting, close game. Good job boys.

3. Peanut butter - without it Tyler would have nothing to eat since the child is living off of it right now. Has it on everything!!

New Years resolutions...

2010-01-21T11:01:00.002-06:00

Yes I realize that it's almost the end of January, but I figure it's not too late to make my new years resolutions now. And too help me stick to them I am posting them for all to see.

1. Get organized. Not sure if this can truly happen, but I am going to attempt to get better organized. I think my kids would appreciate this especially after this week when I brought the wrong boy to hockey practice!!

2. Buy products made in the USA when ever possible. I recently read something that made me stop and think about all the money I am wasting by buying products not made here and I am now making a conscious effort to read the label before putting it in my cart.

3. Coupons. This also goes hand in hand with my goal of getting organized. My mom pointed out that I should start shopping with coupons more. So in organizing life in general I am also going to try to organize the shopping.

4. Saying no. I have a very hard time with this concept. I can't say no and then get pulled in too many directions and get stressed out. So this year I am going to work on knowing that I can't help out with everything and that saying no is ok. So, if I say no to you it's not personal - just part of my life organizing goal.

5. Gratitude journal. In college I kept a gratitude journal for an entire year. It was a notebook where each night before bed I would write down 3 things that I was greatful for during that particular day. Some days the things I was greatful for were pretty silly, but just taking the time to sit and reflect on the day and be thankful for what you have it important. I found my old gratitude journal in a box in the basement yesterday and decided that I am going to start it up again. But, rather than write in a book, I am going to post them on my blog. I think it will hold me more accountable to continue doing it.

6. "Mommy Time". I am going to try to take 30 minutes of mommy time each day that is solely just for me. Not that I don't love my kids and want to be with them 24/7, but to take some personal time each day just for me is a healthy decision.

So there you go... my new years resolutions a month late. But better late than never.

I'm off to cut coupons now:)

13 Simple Rules For hockey Parents Everywhere...

2010-01-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

I got this off of an email and placed it on our local hockey website, but thought I would also put it on here as well. How true this is...

13 simple rules for hockey parents everywhere
By John Buccigross ESPN.com

“Today, kids, teenagers, adults and Sean Avery don't so much stare up to the trees, clouds, airplanes, stars and 6-foot-9 NHL linesman Mike Cvik as much as they used to; now, most stare down at their cell phones and personal digital assistants. As a result of all this "looking down," we miss so much up in the heavens. We even look down at these things during dinner, hockey games and Heisman Trophy presentations. People even look down at their PDAs while they drive. Who needs a moon roof on a clear summer night when I can play Tetris on I-95 while I soar through the E-ZPASS lane?

This is my gigantic preamble to why you should one day sign up your young son or daughter to play youth hockey at a local rink near you. If nothing else, it gets them away from electronics and teaches them a small slice of humanity that they can take forward through life, a life with more heart and less battery power. The rink's cold robs electronics of their battery power and signal reception, anyway.

So, if you are a first-time hockey parent, or dream of one day spending more than $10,000 and sacrificing weekends for a decade of glamorous youth or "minor" hockey, here are 13 important things you need to know about the youth hockey universe -- and hockey in general"

1. Under no circumstances will hockey practice ever be canceled. Ever. Even on days when school is canceled, practice is still on. A game may be canceled due to inclement weather because of travel concerns for the visiting team, but it would have to rain razor blades and boccie balls to cancel hockey practice at your local rink. It's good karma to respect the game.

2. Hockey is an emotional game and your child has the attention span of a chipmunk on NyQuil. The hockey coach will yell a bit during practice; he might even yell at your precious little Sparky. As long as there is teaching involved and not humiliation, it will be good for your child to be taught the right way, with emphasis.

3. Hockey is a very, very, very, very difficult game to play. You are probably terrible at it. It takes high skill and lots of courage, so lay off your kid. Don't berate them. Be patient and encourage them to play. Some kids need more time to learn how to ride the bike, but, in the end, everyone rides a bike about the same way.

Your kids are probably anywhere from age 4-8 when they first take up hockey. They will not get a call from Boston University coach Jack Parker or receive Christmas cards from the Colorado Avalanche's director of scouting. Don't berate them. Demand punctuality and unselfishness for practice and games. That's it. Passion is in someone, or it isn't. One can't implant passion in their child. My primary motive in letting my kids play hockey is exercise, physical fitness and the development of lower-body and core strength that will one day land them on a VH1 reality show that will pay off their student loans or my second mortgage.

4. Actually, I do demand two things from my 10-year-old Squirt, Jackson. Prior to every practice or game, as he turns down AC/DC's "Big Jack," gets out of the car and makes his way to the trunk to haul his hockey bag inside a cold, Connecticut rink, I say, "Jack, be the hardest, most creative and grittiest worker ... and be the one having the most fun." That might be four things, but you know what I mean.

5. Your kids should be dressing themselves and tying their own skates by their second year of Squirt. Jack is 67 pounds with 0 percent body fat and arms of linguine, and he can put on, take off and tie his own skates. If he can, anyone can. I don't go in the locker room anymore. Thank goodness; it stinks in there.

6. Do not fret over penalties not called during games and don't waste long-term heart power screaming at the referees. My observational research reveals the power-play percentage for every Mite hockey game ever played is .0000089 percent; for Squirts, .071 percent. I prefer referees to call zero penalties.

7. Yell like crazy during the game. Say whatever you want. Scream every kind of inane instruction you want to your kids. They can't hear you. In the car ride home, ask them if they had fun and gently promote creativity and competitiveness, but only after you take them to Denny's for a Junior Grand Slam breakfast or 7-Eleven for a Slurpee. Having a warm breakfast after an early morning weekend game will become one of your most syrupy sweet memories.

8. Whenever possible, trade in your kids' ice skates and buy used skates, especially during those growing years and even if you can afford to buy new skates every six months. Your kids don't need $180 skates and a $100 stick no matter what your tax bracket is. They will not make them better players.

9. Missing practice (like we stated above) or games is akin to an Irish Catholic missing Mass in 1942. We take attendance at hockey games very seriously. Last week, the Islanders' Brendan Witt was hit by an SUV in Philadelphia. Witt got up off the pavement and walked to Starbucks for a coffee, and then later played against the Flyers that night. Let me repeat that: BRENDAN WITT WAS HIT BY AN SUV ... AND PLAYED THAT NIGHT! Re-read that sentence 56 times a night to your child when they have a case of the sniffles and want to stay home to watch an "iCarly" marathon. By, the way Philadelphia police cited Witt for two minutes in jail for obstruction. Witt will appeal.

10. Teach your kids not to celebrate too much after a goal if your team is winning or losing by a lot. And by all means, tell them celebrate with the team. After they score, tell them not to skate away from their teammates like soccer players. Find the person who passed you the puck and tell him or her, "Great pass." We have immediate group hugs in hockey following a short, instinctive reaction from the goal scorer. I am proud of my boy for a lot of things, but I am most proud at how excited he gets when a teammate scores a goal. He is Alex Ovechkin in this regard.
11. There is no such thing as running up the score in hockey. This is understood at every level. It's very difficult to score goals and unexplainably exhilarating when one does. Now, if we get to 14-1, we may want to take our foot off the gas a tad.

12. Unless their femur is broken in 16 places, Mites or Squirts should not lie on the ice after a fall on the ice or against the boards. Attempt to get up as quickly as one can and slowly skate to the bench.

13. Do not offer cash for goals. This has no upside. Passion and love and drive cannot be taught or bought. I do believe a certain measure of toughness and grit can be slowly encouraged and eventually taught. Encourage your kid to block shots and to battle hard in the corners. It will serve them well in life.

Enjoy the rink. Keep it fun, keep it in perspective and enjoy the madness. In this digital world of electronics, you may find hockey to be the most human endeavor you partake in. Cell phones run on batteries. Hockey players run on blood. Blood is warmer. Welcome. “

Hockey, Hockey and more Hockey...

2010-01-18T10:54:00.003-06:00

9 hockey games in 3 days...

Ahhhhhhh the life of a hockey family. This past weekend was hockey central in our household between Kurt's highschool game Friday, Nick's double header Saturday and Eric and Ty's Jamboree Saturday and Sunday.

With 4 games in 3 different town's on Saturday all I can say is thank goodness for Grandpa's help and I count my blessings that Kurt didn't have a highschool game on Saturday.

Kurt got home at about 2am on Saturday morning only to have to wake up early Saturday to transport 3 squirts to Greenway for a game. While Kurt had Nick and some of his teammates in Greenway, I picked up Papa and headed for Virginia with Eric and Ty for their Jamboree. After the games in Virginia we headed for Hibbing to catch Nick's final game of the day.

Kurt drove home with Papa Saturday evening (it was trout fishing opener you know!!) and I stayed at a hotel in Virginia with my boys and Kyle. Yes, I stayed in a hotel only 1 hour from our house - but you would too if you had 4 boys with you and would have had to travel back to Virginia again at 6:30am after getting home at 9:30 that night. So, I took the easy way out and relaxed by the pool while the boys swam.

Sunday we were back at the arena for another 4 games with Eric and Ty. Ty was so excited to play in his first "real" games. He skated around with a huge grin on his face the entire time and even hit the puck a couple of times. His mini-mite games are hilarious to watch all the kids are between 4-6 years old and it seems when one of them falls down (which happens often) they all seem to crash to the ice. Very cute.

Apparently Ty must have skated really really hard during his morning game on Sunday because this is how he slept through Eric's game. Never woke up - even with me cheering. This kid can sleep anywhere!!

After re-energizing for his final game Ty got to skate up and receive his medal for the weekend. You would have thought that he won a gold medal at the Olympics for how excited he was!!
Eric had an amazing hockey weekend too. With 2 goals and 4 assists for the three games he played he was very proud. But, the most exciting thing to happen to him was his breakaway and when he shot the puck it bounced off of the goalie's forehead. Even though he didn't get the goal he thought it was cool. Eric's mite team played super hard and really work well together. Can't wait for the next game!!

So, we are home again and preparing for another busy week of hockey. 2 highschool games, 2 squirt games this coming weekend and weeknights filled with practices for all 3 boys. I am so glad that we live only 4 blocks from the arena.

GO TIMBERWOLVES!!

Make Way For Ducklings...

2009-12-17T16:39:00.002-06:00

Or also titled - try to catch one very cold duck...

So this afternoon I happened to walk by the window and notice a duck (yes I said a duck) sitting in the middle of our very busy street.

A guy in a car had given up trying to catch it and drove away. So I called the vet thinking they would help out. I was told that the duck wouldn't survive in the winter conditions on it's own and that I should catch it and bring it in to them. And how do I catch it????

Feeling bad for the duck I put on my shoes and stepped out side to see what I could do. By this time another neighbor was slowing sneaking up on the duck and got within about 2 feet before the duck flew away (it could only fly about 10 yards) So, I get the bright idea to throw a blanket over it to catch it.

Now picture this if you can (and try hard not to laugh at me)...

My neighbor and I are in the middle of Central avenue, sneaking up from opposite sides on a duck. Cars are stopped on either side of us. The neighbor has his hands out in a monster type pose and I have a lightning mcqeen blanket held out ready to throw. Tyler is standing on the corner cheering us on. After about 20 minutes we gave up.

Kurt was on his way home for lunch so I called him and asked him to bring a net home from work if they had one. (I truly think that my husband has decided that I have lost my mind now) Kurt pulls up into the yard (without a net I might add) and finds me trying to coax a duck out from underneath a pontoon boat with bread in one hand and the blanket in the other. He scared the duck who flys out from under the boat and I took a flying leap to try to capture it. All I got was a head full of snow and did my husband help me up?? No, he just laughed...

So needless to say I never did capture the duck to bring the vet. I hope he is warm and happy somewhere, but I sure feel bad that I couldn't help him out. But, at least I gave my neighbors and the cars driving buy a good laugh today.

You Know You're A Minnesota Hockey Mom When...

2009-12-16T10:58:00.003-06:00

You count the days until the temperature hits 32 degrees so you can flood your backyard to create your very own rink
You paint blue lines in your backyard
You think the Excel Energy Center is the Taj Mahal of hockey
You think the Battle Hymn of the Republic was written specifically for Gopher home series sweeps
Your kids grow up wanting to wear the "M"
Your kids have destroyed your basement/garage/doors/windows with all those hours of indoor/outdoor hockey at home
You spend more hours in hockey rinks than you do in your own home
You cheer a lengthy cycling of the puck
You cheer a successful penalty kill
You sarcastically cheer when a ref you swear is out to get your team finally calls a penalty in your team's favor
You discipline your kids with "minors," "majors" and "misconducts."
You know where the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame resides
You know where the world's largest hockey stick resides
You refuse to say "shutout" until the final horn goes off
You throw your hat onto the ice after a player on your favorite team scores his/her third goal
You think there are three periods in basketball
You may dislike Norm Coleman for a lot of things, but you'll always love him for bringing the NHL back to Minnesota
You teach your kids the signals for all penalties before you teach them the alphabet
You use a puck as a paperweight
You don't even notice the smell of a hockey locker room anymore
You keep your skates and stick in your car...just in case
You enjoy the "Mighty Ducks" movies and beem with pride when you recognize locations on the screen
You can point out all the inaccuracies of the otherwise excellent movie "Miracle"
Your kids grow their hair so it comes out the sides of their helmet
You fit your kids for skates the moment they start walking
You think hockey homework is just as important as school homework
You consider the state high school tournament days as holidays
You know the name of the person who sharpens your kids skates
Your kids play hockey year round
You take the parents vs. kids games really seriously
You scout your town's Squirts to see what your high school team will be like in five years or so
You have searched piles of snow for an errant puck at your local outdoor rink
You think there's no temperature too cold to lay hockey outside
Your kids consider the Hanson Brothers major celebrities
You can instinctively drive to any town's hockey arena
You specifically shop for boots that can withstand the temperature at the coldest ice arena in the state
You think the Zamboni is mankind's greatest invention
You can walk or job on a freshly resurfaced sheet of ice without losing balance at all
You bought a minivan or SUV for the sole reason that it can hold all your kids' hockey equipment
You know the arena in the state that serves the best hot chocolate
You don't find it the least bit ironic that your favorite sport when it's cold outside is played where it's cold inside.

Santa is in my shower...

2009-12-08T13:28:00.003-06:00

It's December and Tyler is in full Christmas mode. And that's an understatement!! Tyler has been begging to decorate for Christmas and since we didn't have a tree yet (usually I have it up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but somehow this year time has gotten away from me) I gave him two sets of lights and told him to go decorate his room. He left the living room with the lights and the outdoor plastic Santa that meme gave him.

A while later I got up to go to the bathroom and found this (I really wish my camera had been charged so that you could have had a visual of this)

My bathroom was completely decorated. Strings of lights were wrapped around the faucet, toilet, toilet paper holder, and up over the shower curtain rod.

Behind the green frog shower curtain was a bright glow. Yes - Santa was in the bathtub in all of his Christmas splendor!!

After quite some coaxing Tyler agreed with me that the bathtub was not a place for a light up Santa to stay for the holiday season. The Santa and lights were untangled from the bathroom and brought upstairs to the bedroom and our bathroom is once again free for use.

Catch Up...

2009-11-23T10:10:00.002-06:00

I finally found the usb cord for my camera!! So now it's catch up time with pictures. Hang on for a fast ride through the life of the Mattila's The Fall edition...

Isn't it amazing how fast the boys have aged since the last pictures you saw of them in August??

2009-11-23T10:10:00.001-06:00

The first day of school...

This picture was taken just seconds before Eric's meltdown of not wanting to go to school and stay with me all day. Thankfully this phase only lasted 2 weeks and he is now loving school. Although it was the longest 2 weeks of my life and I think I earned a few gray hairs from it.

The boys just got their first report cards of the year and are doing well. Both teachers say how polite, kind and respectful they are to other kids in the class and honestly that means more to me than any learning grade ever could. I am so glad that we are raising boys who can act like gentleman.

And then there's Ty. He was so excited for the first day of school. He was ready with his backpack on an hour before it was time to go. Ty loves his teachers and and school friends. If only he could go every day rather than just 2 days a week.

The Great Duck Hunt...

2009-11-23T10:10:00.000-06:00

Uncle Bobby took Nick out for Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day. Nick shot his first duck and was so excited.

Hunting with dad...

2009-11-23T10:09:00.002-06:00

On the trail of the mighty partridge

The Doo Duck...

2009-11-23T10:09:00.001-06:00

Papa shot this duck and had to bring it home for Eric because it has the same hairdoo that Eric does.

The Pumpkin Patch...

2009-11-23T10:09:00.000-06:00

I love fall. The smell in the air, the hayrides, pumpkins, the changing colors of the leaves.

Meme and I took the boys to a local pumpkin patch that had everything you could imagine - a haunted hay ride, a corn maze, petting zoo, a barn slide and of course pumpkins.

Nick being the brave first born and testing the slide out for his brothers.
Eric bracing for the bump at the end of the tunnel.
Ty - pure joy...

My strong boys...

Happy Birthday Ty Ty...

2009-11-23T10:08:00.001-06:00

My baby turned 5!! Here he is pictured with this rainbow cake that I made for his family party. Thanks for the recipe idea mckmama!!
Since Ty's birthday is October 29th we decided to have his kid party on Halloween. Everyone dressed up for the party and we had tons of fun.

The loose tooth...

2009-11-23T10:08:00.000-06:00

Ty lost his first tooth in October. And then lost a second one a week later.

He was very excited for the event until his brothers told him that if he didn't let them pull it out he would swallow it while he was sleeping and the tooth fairy would have to cut it out of his stomach!!

Needless to say Ty slept sitting upright on the couch for 3 nights until the tooth fell out on it's own.

Football - Remembering & Honoring...

2009-11-23T10:07:00.000-06:00

What an eventful football season...

Lots of life lessons learned this fall for the coaches and players. I was so proud of Kurt, John and their team for the compassion and strength they showed following the accident. The players put the girls' first initials on their helmets and had a moment of prayer before their first game following the accident.

On a happier note: Flag football
He is Eric (in the red) in the huddle deciding what next play will be. The boys had alot of fun being able to play under the lights during half-time of a real football game.

All Caught Up...

2009-11-23T10:04:00.001-06:00

So there you go. You are now all caught up via pictures of everything Mattila that has happened in the last couple of months...

Still no pictures...

2009-11-02T10:22:00.002-06:00

I keep putting off posting because I wanted to add pictures. But, I still can't find my cable that connects my camera to the computer and of course none of the other computer to equipment cords that we have will work as a substitute.

So I guess I will give you a quick update with out pictures.

~Football is done. The team ended up not going to the funeral, but they did have stickers with the girls' initials on their helmets and had a moment of prayer before the game. They all seem to be dealing well and moving on. They did get on a bus again for the first time last week for their playoff game. Kurt said it was kind of quiet for awhile, but then everyone seemed to get back in the groove of bus travel.

~Hockey has started!! I'm not quite sure how I feel about this yet. My kitchen has 3 hockey bags on the floor. I spent the morning searching for a long lost hockey skate. My mom bought these sport scent balls that I am hoping will cut down on hockey odors in the bags. You wouldn't think that three little boys could create such a stink!! The cheerleaders have been busy cleaning up an old locker room. Thanks mom for helping me paint it!! Tonight we are going to add the finishing touches to it. Since we have extra lockers in there I am going to put the boys equipment there to free up some space in our house. Or I should say that I am putting Eric and Ty's equipment in there since Nick is too cool to share with the cheerleaders and has his own locker in the Varsity locker room with the big guys.

~Ty had his 5th birthday this past week and got to have his first "kid party". Since we had his party on Halloween all of the kids came dressed in costumes. It was a fun, sugar induced day.

~The boys scored lots of candy trick or treating this year. We filled 5 ice cream buckets. Thankfully the majority of it is going to the hunting shack on Friday.

~Kurt is leaving this coming Friday for a week at the hunting shack. I am looking forward to it. While he is gone this year my plan is to switch our bedroom with the toy room, wall paper the new bedroom, paint the kitchen and who knows what other rooms I will be inspired to do while he is away.

Hopefully I will find my computer cord this week and will be able to post pictures of all the updates.

Prayers needed...

2009-10-12T10:28:00.002-05:00

I am asking anyone who reads my blog that knows us or doesn't to please pray for the Ely football team and coaches and the families of the girls who were in the accident with them on Friday evening.

We have been getting tons of calls and emails from people reaching out to Kurt and his team. It is truly amazing the amount of support that comes from people in a small town and even total strangers.

Just to update you a little, Kurt and his team are doing fine physically (other than some bruised ribs and soreness) and are beginning to deal with the emotional wounds that come with this. The team is planning on attending the funeral for Emma on Thursday.

I was very impressed with the way our school handled this. Ely school staff are the best. Quick thinking, compassion for those involved and very professional. Thanks EHS staff!!

On a side note I just have to say how extremely proud I am of my husband. I've always known what an amazing person he is, but the way he selflessly helped to save the girls in the car and the time and effort he has taken to help his team through this ordeal truly leaves me speechless. Not everyone has that kind of strength and courage and I am so glad to have him in my life.

Thank you to those of you who have called, emailed, texted or talked with us on the street voicing your concern for Kurt and his team. Keep the prayers coming for the girls recovery and for our boys to have peace of mind.

Love is...

2009-09-30T11:27:00.002-05:00

Being the parent of three young children, love has taken on a whole new dimension.

Love is scaring away monsters in the middle of the night, then again at 1:00am, 2:00am, 3:00am...
Love is putting peanut butter on anything as long as they'll eat it!!
Love is knowing how to disguise vegetables 30 different ways.
Love is reading the same bedtime story for the 999th time.
Love is a hug around the knees.
Love is watching Mr. Rogers instead of All My Children.
Love is cutting off the crusts.
Love is a refrigerator covered with creative works of art.
Love is standing in line for 2 hours for Dora The Explorer Live tickets.
Love is grinning and bearing the dirtiest of diapers.
Love is trading in your little red sports car for a mini van.
Love is the magic kiss that heals all "owies".
Love is a cuddly kid in a blanket sleeper.
Love is the first kick, first smile, first laugh, first step, first anything.
Love is your child pointing to a picture of Cindy Crawford and saying "mama".
Love is a 2am feeding.
Love is having your child fall asleep on your lap and just staying there holding him rather than putting him to bed.
Love is "shoveling" the mud out of the bathtub after a hard day of play.
Love is a macaroni necklace.
Love is wearing the macaroni necklace to church with pride.
Love is a peanut butter kiss, a syrup kiss, a chocolate kiss, any kind of kiss.
Love is when Bert and Ernie replace Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson as your most admired men.
Love is not worrying about those few extra pounds cuz they just make you more cuddly.
Love is knowing how to get out amoxicillin stains.
Love is a bouquet of dandelions.
Love is the smell of a baby's neck.
Love is saying "no" at the right times when it's easier to say "yes".
Love is saying "yes" at the right times when it's easier to say "no".
Love is being able to produce a pacifier or an animal cracker at a moment's notice.
Love is forsaking an uninterrupted night of sleep, meals without spills, and getting anywhere on time.
Love is interpreting your child's babbling.
Love is the patience to "let him do it himself!"

Love is what makes it all worthwhile.

Long winded update - no pictures...

2009-09-28T13:48:00.003-05:00

So life kind of got away from me for the last month or so. While I have not posted about the happenings in our house - there has been alot going on. So sit back, relax, take out those reading glasses and enjoy this month long update.

~At the moment our house is living and breathing football. Everywhere you look there is something related to football. Kurt's team won their first game this past Friday. And I have to say, I am so proud of them - not for winning the game but for the sportsmanship that they showed the other team. They could have run away with the score, but chose not to. Even the crowd in the stands was cheering the visiting team on. After losing his first 3 games by alot I am very impressed with the way he coached his boys on Friday. A great lesson learned by all!!

Kurt and his team also started flag football for the elementary kids on Saturdays. They had over 60 kids show up to play!! Nick and Eric are both playing. Nick of course is throwing himself 110% into football. He even created a playbook to use during recess at school when the kids play ball then.

All three boys started school 3 weeks ago. Tyler LOVES school. He is ready and not patiently waiting to go at least an hour before it's time for his day to start. The other two boys had a rough start to the year, but have found their grove and are adjusting to school life again. They both had a hard time adjusting to days without mom (who knew I was so much fun to be around?!?!)

Nick went with Uncle Bobby for the youth waterfowl hunting day and shot his first duck. He actually got three. His first duck was a wood duck and we are having it mounted to commemorate the occasion. Uncle Bobby was picking Nick up at 5:30am for the hunting trip. Nick woke me up at 4:25am asking if it was time to get ready to go!!

Eric had an exciting night at the local ducks unlimited banquet with Papa and Uncle Bobby. He won himself a lifetime hunting and fishing license!! Along with the license he also won a bunch of other stuff too. He is definitely our lucky one (last year he won a gun).

I am on count down to the week that Kurt is leaving for the deer hunting shack. Yes, I know that it is over a month away yet, but I am super excited for the house projects I am doing while he is away. I already have the paint for the boys room. Once he is gone I am going to cut a closet out of the boys room, paint their room in a hockey theme, move our bedroom downstairs and turn our upstairs bedroom into a new toy room for the boys. Shhhh don't tell him!!

Today Fall finally arrived in Ely. Last week the weather was perfect and in the upper 70's. Today it is cold, windy, rainy and only 43degrees. Oh well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later.

Well, that's it for now. I will try to get the pictures of the boys first day of school off of my camera soon to post here.

Who can argue with that logic...

2009-09-01T08:23:00.002-05:00

Eric - "Mom, since it's the last Tuesday of summer vacation before school starts can we have
pizza for breakfast?"

Now - you tell me how I can argue with that logic?!

Raspberry Jelly...

2009-08-24T17:45:00.003-05:00

Is it wrong that Ty ate nothing but homemade raspberry jelly sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner today??

According to Ty, "All my belly wants to eat is meme's jelly on bread. Maybe tomorrow it will like your food again mom. But, maybe not. I want to eat your food, but my tummy says no."

Well, who can argue with that logic?!?!

Water fountains....

2009-08-20T08:58:00.004-05:00

"Look mom, I'm a statue and a fountain!!"

Eric and Ty learned the finer art of the human fountain statue on our latest beach day.

Sure am hoping that the 90 degree weather would come back again for a few days!!

And so it begins...

2009-08-19T16:46:00.002-05:00

As of Monday of this week I am officially a high school coaching widow.

Football practice started on Monday and will run through the fall and surprise, surprise will run right into Hockey practice. (there is a week break in between the two sports, but that week Kurt is taking off from work to live at the hunting shack to take a break.)

So the new schedule around the house (for the next two weeks at least) is to have dinner ready at 5 so when Kurt gets done with work he can come home, shovel food into his mouth, kiss all of us quickly and get to the football field.
Then, in two weeks time the schedule will switch again with practices ending at 6 rather than beginning at 6. So dinner time will be pushed back to the later time again.
This will remain our schedule (unless it's a game night and game nights in our house mean Subway nights. Don't quite know how that ritual started, but Kurt says it's good luck and we are sticking with it!) until the week he is gone hunting. I LOVE HUNTING WEEK!! It's a week where me and the boys can have mac and cheese and pb&j sandwiches for every meal if we want to!!
Then Hockey starts, not just for Kurt but for all three boys who will be in three different levels with three different practice times. And, at this point in the year the whole "sitting at the table family meal" goes right out the window. All I have to say is thank goodness for crockpots!!

So that is a look into how our Fall is shaping up. I will be back later tonight with pictures of Nick's 9th Birthday party. (can you believe my baby is 9?? - I can't)

Canon Ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-12T16:20:00.001-05:00

Smore Pizza...

2009-08-11T17:58:00.002-05:00

ok, ok - I know I watch way too much food network tv. But, I do get some great recipes from it including this one that never had a chance to hit the table and was eaten directly off the pizza stone by the boys.

Roll out your favorite pizza crust. Bake as directed for 1/2 the amount of time you are supposed to. Remove from oven and sprinkle mini marshmallows and 1 large Hershey's chocolate bar broken into pieces on the pizza. Bake for remaining time.

Sprinkle with crushed graham cracker crumbs.

Enjoy.

Future waterskippers

2009-08-11T14:58:00.007-05:00

Nick was gone all afternoon the other day working on a project with Kyle. I got a call from Nick to come up to Kyle's house and check out what they did. I thought they were working on bikes, but when I got there this is the project that I saw...

They stripped Kyle's kitty cat snowmobile and made it into their own watercross sled. Now do these guys take after their dads or what?? They took the seat off (because wet seats add more weight you know), tied a buoy to it (in case they sunk in deep water and needed a retriever to find it) and duct taped all the vents closed (so water didn't get in the engine or the exhaust).

Then they asked if they could take it to the lake and skip it. So me being the awesome mom that I am did this with my van...

Bet you didn't think that I could load a waterskipping sled in the back of the van did you???

After stopping off for helmets, goggles, life jackets and gas mixed 50:1 (yes, I truly knew what that meant) we headed for the lake to try to skip. After lots of revving of the engine, tweaking the track and checking that all was running well the sled was ready to hit the water.

Nick's run - notice how he had to rev it one last time before he went.

Kyle's turn - he made it farther than anyone else. Way to go Kyle!!

Eric takes his turn with Ty cheering him on.

Then in true snowmobile fanatic fashion when it was all over you must tip the sled over and drain the carbs. (I know what that one means too!!)

Even though the guys didn't make it far enough to try their hand at turning the sled on the water they had fun and I was very impressed by their ingenuity.

berries, berries, berries

2009-08-11T14:46:00.003-05:00

Ely is surrounded by berries right now. There are blueberries and raspberries everywhere!! And, they are SO GOOD.

I decided to take the boys berry picking with me. Not that I really thought that they would help fill the berry bucket. My real reason for taking them was I knew they would make so much noise that I wouldn't have to worry about any bears coming near us. (You remember my bear fear right??)

The boys seem to be diligently picking in the raspberry patch in this picture. But, for every berry they put in the bucket they ate 20. If all there berries that were picked were put in the bucket rather than someones belly we would probably have had an entire ice cream pail full. Luckily we picked enough to have fresh berries on our cereal the next morning as well as a few more to snack on.

Our picking expedition reminded me of one of my favorite books when I was little - "Blueberries for Sal". If you have never read it I highly recommend you getting it. The boys and I read it again after our berry picking trip. Ty was then very disappointed that he didn't meet a bear like Sal did in the book. I for one am very glad we didn't meet any.

Please mom - Can I eat just one more?!?!

Things that make you go HMMMMM....

2009-08-07T15:48:00.002-05:00

Eric and I just finished making our new creation ~Everything but the kitchen sink casserole~ We named it that because we made it with just about a little bit of everything "but the kitchen sink".

While we were making our amazing dish I pulled out our secret spice ingredient that I put in just about everything I make. I sprinkled a touch of the spice in and told Eric I was adding the secret ingredient to which he replied, "Oh is that the little something extra that when you take a bite it makes you go HMMMMMM what's in there?"

I think the boy watches way too much Rachael Ray with me!!

To Die For Strawberry Pie...

2009-08-03T13:12:00.003-05:00

Meme and the boys went to pick strawberries last week and since we have strawberries coming out of our ears today Eric and I decided to make a pie.

A former teacher gave me a recipe for this pie and we tried it out today.
All I can say is YUM-O!!

If you love strawberries you have got to try this out.

Crust:
Mix 1 cup flour, 1 stick butter and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Press into a pie pan and bake for 15-20minutes at 350.

Fill cooked crust with fresh berries.

In a sauce pan mix 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 4 tablespoons strawberry jello and 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and clear.

Pour mixture of the top of the berries. Refrigerate until set.

You can also use this recipe to make a raspberry pie too just change the jello flavor.

Enjoy!!

Sorry Mom...

2009-07-29T20:46:00.002-05:00

We are on vacation this week and the weather is FREEZING. So, it doesn't surprise me that we have had some cranky moments in the past couple of days. We have never really had summer yet!!

But, tonight the crankiness and fighting reached an all time high. After repeatedly telling the boys to stop, find your happy heart, be nice, etc - I had had enough and sent them upstairs to their room.

They sent Ty down to apologize and when that didn't work in getting them out of their punishment they resorted to a very inventive way of getting my attention...

The boys had been painting earlier in the day and I hadn't put away the paints yet. So, I was sitting on the couch in the living room when I hear this loud clunk on the awning over the picture window. Then out of the sky drops a paper with the words "Sorry mom we love you" painted in yellow poster paint dangling from a jump rope. It bounces around in front of the window for a few moments before being hoisted back up into the boys bedroom.

Now, I ask you - HOW CAN YOU STAY MAD AT SUCH CREATIVE BOYS?!?!

I am truly impressed by their creative way of apologizing to me for their behavior and wonder what they will think of next.

Sleepovers & unknown kids...

2009-07-22T20:48:00.003-05:00

So we are heading into our second night at the sleepover house.

The boys wanted a sleep over with Anthony last night and of course I couldn't refuse. So the fun began with a chocolate milk shake that blew the cover off of the blender early in the evening and progressed from there. Kurt woke me up at 12am to tell me that the boys were painting their toe and finger nails. Then we were woke up at 2am with the boys playing hockey in the kitchen. Eric came up at 5am to let me know that the ducks were keeping him up. And, finally the alarm woke us up at 6am to start the day.

I didn't realize that sleepovers took so much energy!! Thank you mom, for putting up with my sleepovers when I was young!!

So Anthony spent the day with us today and on the way in from the lake the boys put on their best "we are so cute that you can't say no to us" faces and begged for Anthony to sleep over again tonight. And, since I can't seem to say no this week - so begins night two of sleepover madness at the Mattila household.

Unknown Kids...
The boys were outside playing laser tag while I was doing the dishes tonight. 4 boys were running in and out of the house through the back and front doors and I wasn't really paying close attention to them. Then, all of a sudden I turned around and saw Nick and Ty run in from the back door through the house and out the front door. Following close behind them - 3 unknown children laughing up a storm. Who are these kids and where did they come from?? I have no clue, but like I have said in previous posts - our house seems to be the neighborhood's central gathering place and at least everyone was having fun. And, on the kids next pass through the house I'll try to catch their names...

Good night and sweet dreams to all...

The Cardboard Boat Regatta...

2009-07-20T15:29:00.003-05:00

I have to say that this past Saturday was one of the best days of summer so far.

My mom and Eric decided to enter the cardboard boat regatta sponsored by the local VFW. Well, somehow the little boat project turned into a big boat project and Kurt got involved. So, working each evening on the boat all last week the three boat builders built this...

"THE GENERAL LEE"
(did you really expect anything else from Eric??)

It is made totally out of cardboard, duck tape, packing tape, and paint.

The day of the event came and the boat was put in the water along with the other entry. Kurt and Eric climbed in and The General Lee immediately began to take on water in it's left pontoon. Technically Kurt was supposed the peddle the boat and Eric was supposed to steer, but once they started to take on water and sink plans changed... Those of you who know Kurt know that he will not quit and was not going to be defeated so being the super dad he is he jumped out of the boat and kicked his way to the finish line. (there is no rule against this - it only states you can have an electric/gas powered motor) Nick was standing with me on the shore and ran into the trailer, stripped down and changed into his swim suit and swam out to help. Eric stayed in the boat and enjoyed the ride!!

By this time the other boat couldn't steer very well and they were going in circles and our boat was sinking. It was so funny that I had tears in my eyes.

After a long swim the boys crossed the finish line for 1st place. They also won the "titanic" award.

I have to say that the VFW really put on a great day for the kids. The entire event was catered to the kids. Along with the boat race they had games, smores, hot dog roasting, a pinata, ice cream bars, and so much more. I huge thank you to this organization for hosting another fun family activity in Ely. We can't wait until next year!!

Ty Ty

2009-07-15T16:16:00.001-05:00

Found these two pictures of Ty and had to share.

He is always so happy!!

JUMP!!

2009-07-15T10:45:00.003-05:00

Tyler's "girl" Jessica and her family invited us to a horse show that they were all participating in on Saturday. The boys had a blast riding the horses and playing with the kids. And, of course Ty got to spend some quality time with Jessica!! Eric, rode all by himself. He did a great job, but kept getting "stuck" and had to have an adult slap the horse on the rump to get it going again.

Ty on Jessica's horse.

Even nick enjoyed this non-motorized type of transportation.

If you are in the Embarrass area on the 2nd Saturday in August or September I highly recommend checking the next horse show out.

A chip off of the old block...

2009-07-14T10:02:00.003-05:00

Nick is so much like Kurt it's almost scary. If it has a motor, is sports related or you can jump it off of something Nick is all for it!!

Kurt and the other watercross racers always skip under a local bridge on the 4th of July and then spend the rest of the day playing around on the water at the party. (yes, for those of you who are looking at this picture closely trying to figure it out - IT IS A SNOWMOBILE ON WATER!!)

Nick begged and begged to go for a ride and I finally gave in. Kurt and Nick did 3 laps before landing. Nick was on cloud 9!!

So, I guess I have another watercrosser on my hands. I can predict alot of gray hair on my part from this child as he has no fear and pushes things to the extreme - just like daddy!!

Birth Order Of Children...

2009-07-01T15:13:00.002-05:00

Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby : You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

**************************

The Layette :

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

**************************

Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

**************************

Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

***************************

Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour,whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

*****************************

Activities:

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing,Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.

*******************************

Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter,you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

*********************************

At Home:

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children

**********************************

I found this on another blog I check out often and had to pass it on to you. Pass this on to everyone you know who has children .. . .. or everyone who KNOWS someone who has had children. ...

Deep Thoughts by Ty...

2009-07-01T09:22:00.002-05:00

"If you don' t have any kleenix you can use a leaf to get the boogers out of your nose."

Never thought of that one until Ty told me and meme that at the baseball game last night complete with a leaf nose wiping demonstration. Very creative I must say.

We have a budding artist in the family...

2009-06-22T22:23:00.003-05:00

Last week Eric participated in the Ely Greenstone Public Art Camp for kids.

The three day camp ended with an art show for family and friends where he got to show off his projects.

It amazes me the amount of talent that is in our small community and how these people donate their time and effort to put on such an amazing camp for kids to explore their artistic side.

Eric's projects for the three days included: a stepping stone, a mask, fish stamp shirt, memory box, flying saucer, clay sculptures, soap stone carvings, and general paintings.

A Boy & His Dog...

2009-06-22T22:20:00.003-05:00

Nick & Raven competed in the local Dock Dogs competition a couple of weekends ago.

The two of them took dock dog training classes in the morning and then competed in the afternoon.

Raven jumped 11.4 feet!!

Hey, Hey We're The Monkeys...

2009-06-22T22:05:00.005-05:00

If there is a tree to climb you will find at least one of the boys in it.

Nick taking a break and watching the festivities from above.

Eric in his perch.

Ty swinging from the branch.

Two crazy monkeys playing in a tree!!

Life...

2009-06-22T07:41:00.001-05:00

Had to share this beautiful powerpoint presentation that I got from a friend via email.

Click here: Life

Lesson for the day...

2009-06-21T20:52:00.002-05:00

You CAN pop a bag of microwave popcorn using the auto defrost setting. It will take 17minutes and 46 seconds but comes out perfect.

The Great Duck Escape...

2009-06-17T22:28:00.003-05:00

Ok, pretty sure that I didn't mention this, but all of the baby mallard ducks have died. They were eaten by some animal at Papa's house. But, our beloved "aflack" duck named Frankie survived and even has a battle wound on his neck to prove it.

Last week Frankie came to live with us in town for awhile until he is bigger and can defend himself out at Papa's house. The boys built a small pen in the backyard for him to hang out in during the day and at night he sleeps in a tote in our back entryway.

All has been going fine with our Frankie camping out at our house until tonight. Both Kurt and I had meetings so the boys were at a neighbor's house playing with their kids for the evening. (Thanks Jen!!) Well somehow Frankie escaped out of his pen AND out of the fenced in back yard. He was wandering around our neighborhood taking in the sights when our other neighbor, Anna found him and brought him home with her.

Anna fell in love with Frankie and the boys even brought him back for a visit later this evening. We now have an open invitation for Frankie to come over and visit Anna any time and if we ever need a "duck sitter" she's our gal.

Now, our dogs escape and take a tour of the neighborhood occasionally, but who ever heard of a duck doing that!!

And I swear that Frankie is more human than duck. In the couple of days that he has been at our house he has really made himself at home. He comes to me and Ty when we go near the pen, peeping away until we pet him. He loves to be held like a baby and get his belly rubbed. Every morning he peeps loudly until we let him outside for the day and promptly takes his morning bath before eating breakfast.

Hopefully tomorrow I will get some pictures of our escape artist so you can see just how cute our Frankie is.

Nick has left the country...

2009-06-14T09:54:00.002-05:00

Meme and Papa invited Nick to come with them on a trip into Canada that started on Saturday. It is so weird around the house without him here. You would think that it would be easier with one less kid, but it's not.

Yesterday just before Nick left, Eric went with a friend for the day to Ironworld to see their exhibit on Animal poop. Yes, I said animal poop - you know boys and their interest in disgusting things!! That left me with just Tyler who was very upset that he wasn't going anywhere special. So Ty and I decided to play tourist around Ely. We went to the Wolf Center, but didn't get to see much there. So we decided to hit the Bear Center. We got there just at feeding time and got to see Ted (THE 1000 POUND BEAR) eat his lunch while leaning against the window right where we were standing. Now, if you remember my fishing post where I mentioned how terrified I am of bears you can imagine how fun this was for me. But, I put on a happy face for Ty and made it through our 2 hour long visit at the center. Ty loved it!! After all the attractions Ty was hungry and wanted to eat lunch on the deck of the Grand Ely Lodge so off we headed for a mommy and me lunch. It was a blast to spend the day with just Ty. It happens so rarely to get one on one time with him and he never stopped talking the entire time.

Eric came home later that evening and Kurt decided that we should bike down to Dairy Queen for ice cream. At this point it was 9pm, but what the heck right?? It's summer vacation. So we took off for the other end of town. Ty peddled his bike there and back. His little legs going as fast as they could. Very cute.

So, what's on the agenda for today??
Well since it is another nice day we are headed out to clean a cabin for my brother's business then off to play mini golf and to the beach for a picnic and playtime.

WOOOHOOOO SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE!

deer, 991 & deep thoughts...

2009-06-11T11:35:00.002-05:00

I love having those long chats about nothing in particular with my boys. Most of the time these talks happen while they are in the bathtub - but last night I drove to Virginia to go grocery shopping and do a target run and took all three boys with me. A car trip is another time that the boys tend to chat about all of life's mysteries. Last night was no exception. Here is a list of some of the topics covered on last nights car chat:
-why do some people drive so slow
-bigfoot
-how worms dig holes in the ground when they don't have arms
-do baby ducks go to heaven? And, if they do will they be grandma ada's pets?
-why is mom afraid of bears

And the major topic of conversation was: dead deer and calling 911.
We were driving home late last night and came around a corner and there was a dead deer that someone hit laying right in the middle of the road. The car that hit it was gone. So I called 911 to let them know so that the sheriff could come out and move it off the road before there was an accident. This call started a whole new round of questioning about: calling 911, why didn't I get out and move the deer, what would the sheriff do if the deer was still alive but couldn't move, if we hit the deer would we take it home and eat it, did I think the deer is in heaven with the baby ducks, if the deer was with the ducks in heaven would grandma ada keep it as a pet too? - and the list went on and on and on...

I love all these innocent questions and chats we have...

School's out, but the learning never stops...

2009-06-09T14:43:00.006-05:00

School ended for the boys last week. I know it's summer vacation, but I still like to keep the boys into some type of school mode so they don't lose what they learned over the summer.

When Nick was in Kindergarten his teacher suggested the Summer Bridge Activities books.

I can't say enough good things about these books!! This year I got one for all three boys. Ty is always wanting to "do homework" with his brothers so he is excited to have his own book this year.

The great thing about the Summer Bridge books is that there is only one worksheet per day for the boys to do. You can do more if you want to, but I only do one a day and then the flashcards that come with the book. There are also extra life lessons in the back that you can do with the kids on different traits and skills. And, if you still want more learning they have a great parent's section on their website with additional resources.

The book is broken up into 3 months (sections). And you can choose to fill out the reward chart for each section if you want to. It's fun for the boys to complete their worksheet and reading book for the day and then check it of on the reward sheet. Once they complete the reward sheet for that section they get a prize that was decided on by me. We keep the prizes simple like lunch with mom without the brothers or things like that.

Check out their website for more info on this learning series!!

http://www.summerbridgeactivies.com/

Happy Summer Vacation!!

A word of advice...

2009-06-04T08:02:00.002-05:00

Before calling your husband, get him out of a meeting and make him drive half-way up the trail to the minnow traps because the 3-wheeler stalled - MAKE SURE THAT YOU DIDN'T ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE KILL SWITCH TO OFF!!

Make way for Ducklings...

2009-05-28T20:48:00.000-05:00

2 weeks ago Ty said to my dad, "Papa, I really want a baby duck." So what does my dad do? Goes and orders 12 baby ducks from the local feed store.

Last Friday the ducks arrived and Ty went with Papa to pick them up. He was so excited he could hardly stand it.

And I have to say they are extremely cute!!

The ducks are living at meme and papa's house where they can be outside during the day. We have been out to visit them almost every night.

The plan is to let them go once they are old enough so that they can live with the other ducks that hang around the lake.

I had two ducks when I was about Ty's age that I named Timothy and Susie. They followed me around the yard and eventually we let them go. But every year they always came back to visit. Now my boys insist that Timothy and Susie still come to meme and papa's, but I highly doubt that a pair of almost 30 year old ducks are still around.

So, in a few weeks we will let these ducks go and according to Nick NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO SHOOT THEM once duck season comes around.

Random Pictures...

2009-05-28T20:33:00.003-05:00

Monster Truck Madness

And the best part - it was in a hockey arena!!

The neighborhood gang

hiking the Kawishiwi Falls

Buried alive - Tyler style

Hotrod Eric

Ty always ready with a pose for the camera

Here fishy, fishy, fishy...

2009-05-28T08:06:00.006-05:00

A whole post dedicated to fish.

Fishing adventure #1

Earlier in April, when the ice was still on the lake Kurt decided to take us smelting. We used to do this all the time when we were in college and had a ball doing it so we thought we would take the boys.

So once it got dark we took off in the truck on the hunt for the mighty smelt.

After hiking through the dark woods to the river, we set up and started searching for smelt. The boys had a ball wading into the water and trying to scoop things up in the net.

Usually when you go smelting you scoop of tons of fish and get buckets full to take home. This was not the case for us. We caught ONE. Yes, I said ONE. But, the boys were excited over their catch anyway.

Nick and Eric got bored after awhile of searching for fish that just weren't there and decided that playing with flashlights was more fun.

On a side note: When we got to the smelting site and starting walking through the dark woods to the river Ty asked me if bigfoot was going to come out and get us. After telling him no there was no such thing my mind started to wander and dream up situations of bears coming out of the woods to get us. Now, if you know me well you know that I am terrified of bears!! So needless to say our little fish adventure turned into a stressful "the bear is coming" adventure for me. The boys had no clue the mom was a nervous wreck, and boy was I glad to get back in the truck!!

On to the next fishing adventure!!

Kurt and the boys trap minnows every year in lucky boy (the name of a couple of ponds close to our house). I love minnow trapping!! We pack up the 3-wheelers, kids, dogs, traps, cooler (pretty much everything but the kitchen sink) and head on up to trap some minnows.

The boys love to trap minnows - I think it's because it involves 3-wheelers, water and mud. What else could you want in life!!

Kurt has to wade out in the water to get one of the traps. I took the boys by myself to check traps last week. I was helping Ty get minnows out of one trap and I looked over and there was Eric stripped down to his underwear wading in the water for the trap. When I asked him why he was in his underwear he told me that he didn't want to get his pants wet and muddy and since I didn't have dad's waders he stripped and walked on in. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera with me on that trip.

Eric is selling minnows to a local bait store and raking in the money. He quit the shopper route with Nick because he says that there is more money in minnow trapping!!

On to the next fishing adventure!!

Now that we had the minnows - it was time to fish!! Kurt, Eric and Nick braved the snow (yes I said snow) opening day of fishing. Ty and I wisely decided to stay home and stay warm.

After the weather warmed up we all went fishing. Didn't catch much, but had alot of fun.

Kurt's mini me's...

2009-05-27T09:08:00.003-05:00

Like father like sons...

Nothing else can describe the following videos. Nick and Eric are so much like their dad it's scary!!

Eric's Wheeler 360's

Nick - a waterskipper in training

Back up and running..

2009-05-27T09:07:00.003-05:00

Ok, I know 2 weeks ago I said that I would be posting pictures from the last couple of months. Well, I was still having computer issues and haven't been able to do anything online again. But, I think it is fixed (cross your fingers, knock on wood). So get ready, here come the pictures!!

Crying, crying, crying

2009-05-18T08:47:00.002-05:00

After a long and busy wedding filled weekend, we settled the boys down to chill out and watch a movie last night. They insisted on watching Marley & Me. We have seen this movie 3 times now, once in the theater (not a dry eye in the house) and twice at home.

So, you would think that by the third time this movie would not reduce me to a blubbering mess at the end. WRONG!! Marley starts getting sick and the tears start to flow!! I love this movie, but by the end I hate watching it. I'm a sappy person by nature, but this movie I think even tops the tears shed when I watched Ghost and Patrick Swazie comes back at the end and finally says I love you instead of ditto.

Kurt came home right at the very end of the movie and stared at me like I had lost my mind. Nick was crying too and I think Kurt thought we had all gone nuts. To prove my point about the movie to him I said that we would have to watch it again some time this week, but I'm not really looking forward to it - will have to stock up on Kleenex before the next viewing.

WHERE IS SPRING??

2009-05-14T11:24:00.003-05:00

Ok, did the residents of northern MN do something to upset Mother Nature this year??

It is the middle of May and it's SNOWING!! The temp is 30degrees and did I mention it's SNOWING? The boys wore winter jackets to school today!! Yesterday when they came home from school they were only in t-shirts and it was in the upper 60's. At this rate we will have to wear wet suits to stay warm to go swimming this summer.

Please Mother Nature spare us here and finally bring us our Spring/Summer weather!! You are confusing my 4 year old who keeps asking if it's winter again!!

Ok, enough of my whining about the weather. Hope all of you warm weather dwellers are enjoying the sunshine!!

Where did the time go???

2009-05-09T18:28:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted.

Life in this house has been busy to say the least. The nice weather has given us the incentive to be outside more (the main reason I haven't updated). The boys are into bikes, MUD, baseball, MUD, fishing, MUD, MUD, MUD, MUD. The washing machine never stops now with all of the dirty clothes. And I think I need to invest in about 10 more boot driers. It amazes me how attracted they are to dirt, puddles and mud.

Fishing opener was today. Kurt took Nick and Eric out early this morning and we have yet to see them today. Tyler and I wisely decided to stay home and sleep in. When we woke up it was still in the 30's and SNOWING!! It's May 9th - come on Mother Nature can we have a break in this winter weather????

Am planning on writing another post with pictures of the past month's activities including: Nick's 1st communion, a monster truck show, our water fall hike, minnow trapping, fishing opener, and anything else that is on the camera that I have forgotten about. Be prepared for a long post coming up sometime this weekend.

Until then, I am going to go and snuggle with Ty until the older boys come home. He is in snuggle overdrive this week with lots of loves, hugs and kisses and I am soaking it all up. His new favorite game is:
Ty - "I love you mom"
Me - "I love you too"
Ty - "I love you more"
Me- "No, I love you more"
Ty - "I love you to the moon and back"
The moon is replaced by any place the suits his fancy at the time and can include: the lake, meme's house, the minnow traps, the garage, the table etc.
The game can go on for quite awhile as we try to out do each other in the crazy places we love each other to and back.
Very fun.

Eric ate the Easter Bunny...

2009-04-07T21:18:00.002-05:00

Eric and I were sitting and eating popcorn tonight when we found a piece of popcorn that looked exactly like the Easter Bunny's head. Eric thought it was super cool and decided to save it. He set it down on the table, but grabbed it and held it in his hand when Nick came into the room so that he wouldn't eat it.

A few minutes go by and then all of a sudden Eric starts screaming and crying, "I ate him, I ate him".

Yes, you guessed it - Eric ate the Easter Bunny!! (on accident of course, but no less traumatizing)

Something strange is happening!!

2009-04-06T10:43:00.002-05:00

It's Monday. Usually Mondays are not the best days in our house. The start of the week usually begins with cranky boys who don't want to get ready for school, and just pure insanity.

But, something strange is happening in our house today... This is what is going on.

The boys were up, dressed, fed and in their jackets by 7:15 am this morning. Completely ready for school 30 minutes early!!

Supper is cooked and ready for tonight in the crock pot and it was only 10:00am.

Fresh baked cookies are cooling on the rack by 10:30.

All kids are playing nicely with each other and lunch is almost ready.

And, miracles of miracles - the laundry is caught up.

Now I don't want to jinx myself by bragging about our day, but this is so unusual for a Monday that I just had to share. Knock on wood that it stays this way the rest of the week.

Happy Monday!!

Super Yummy Cookies...

2009-03-31T18:06:00.000-05:00

Since it is snowing and blowing outside today we spent the morning making volcanoes in the kitchen with the little kids. Then, once the big boys got home I asked who would like to make cookies and what kind to make.

Lesson for the day - NEVER ask 3 different kids what kind of cookies to make. Ty & Friends wanted chocolate chip, Nick & Kurt wanted Oatmeal and Eric and friends wanted peanut butter. So, I went online and found this amazing recipe that combines all three!! Easy to make and even easier to eat. And the most amazing part - every single child (including my husband) in our house during cookie making time was happy with the flavor choice!! Now that doesn't happen very often.

Here is the recipe in case you want to try it:

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add peanut butter and mix until combined. Then add eggs and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

2. In another bowl, whisk together oats, flour, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and mix until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned but still soft in the center.

Question of the day...

2009-03-31T14:04:00.001-05:00

IS WINTER EVER GOING TO END??

It is snowing again. We are under a storm warning. Even the kids aren't excited about snow anymore!!

Spring where are you?????

Winter fun in the sun

2009-03-28T15:49:00.003-05:00

How many boys can you fit on one sled?? And more importantly - how many of these boys will stay on the sled for the entire trip down the hill?

Only in Northern Minnesota could you go from freezing cold temps that keep you inside one day to sliding in your t-shirt outside the next day. The weather finally warmed up one weekend and the kids and I and a bunch of their friends went sliding at the golf course. We started out small on the "little dutch" hill (have no clue where the names came from) and then moved on to "big dutch" the grand-daddy hill of them all.

Ty still smiling even after climbing up the hill hundreds of times.

Eric posing in his pterodactyl t-shirt he made at school.

Nick carrying the fast sled (the one everyone fights over)

Just in case you can't see everyone piled/stacked/stuffed on this tube to go down the monster hill here is the list...

Nick, Eric, Kyle, Anthony, Angel, Keisha, Sydney, Deacon, Sydney's dad, & 3 other girls who I didn't know.

All that weight on the tube made it FLY down the hill!!

Ty saw them do down once, bouncing and flying off the tube and decided against riding the crazy thing down the hill.

Grab your balls we're going bowling!!

2009-03-28T15:25:00.005-05:00

Whenever I take the boys bowling the polka song "grab your balls we're going bowling" plays in my head the entire time. Now, why would I know a polka song? From Polka Pal Don of course!! Every Saturday morning from 8-12 this sweet guy plays polka music on our local radio station. And since the radio is always on in my kitchen I have become pretty familiar with the songs.

Ok, that's not what this post about. Sorry, kind of got side tracked with polka music.

The boys and I spent one FREEZING cold afternoon at the local bowling alley that finally opened up again. We brought along a couple of friends to play with too.

Kyle showing perfect bowling form!!

Eric helping Ely

Eric using the run and throw technique

Nick's windup

Ty using the throw the ball on the floor method

And, you will never believe who won!! We played two games and Ty beat everyone both times with scores of 129 & 132. Needless to say he showed up his older brothers and cousin Kyle and was very proud of himself.

Future eye specialist??

2009-03-27T14:54:00.003-05:00

Ty loves cleaning fish with Papa. Or rather dissecting fish while Papa cleans them.

Last weekend Papa and Nick caught 2 crappies. Ty wanted to help clean them. After asking Papa to find the heart (we usually do this with bigger fish. You can sprinkle salt on the cut out heart and the kids can watch it beat again. very cool!!) and not being able to get it because it was too small, Ty decided that he wanted to play with fish eyeballs instead. So he contentedly stood at the kitchen counter dissecting fish eyeballs until it was time to go home.

Maybe we have a little surgeon in the making?!

Finally got pictures off of my camera from the last month. I only did it so that I would have room to take more pictures on our mini vacation this past week. So, be prepared - a bunch of posts coming up this weekend with picture updates.

A melt your heart moment

2009-03-23T21:15:00.003-05:00

Ty came up to me tonight with his keke (blanket) and a bottle of my perfume and the following conversation occurred...

Ty: "Mom can I spray some of this stuff on my keke?"

Mom: "Why do you want to spray that on it?"

Ty: "Because I want my keke to smell like you."

How sweet is that?! So of course we sprayed the keke so it smelled like mommy.

Ty: "Now I'll sleep the bestest mom."

You gotta love those boys!!

Words every mother dreads hearing...

2009-03-19T11:48:00.003-05:00

"Mom, something happened and I didn't do it!" Yelled by a 4 year old as he runs upstairs to his room at lightening speed.

Hmmmmm, do I even want to look??

Not Me Monday!!

2009-03-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Kurt did not decide this week to officially put his application in for the head high school football coaching position for next year. I did not encourage him to do so while in my mind screaming WHY??????. Don't get me wrong, I love that he is involved with the youth programs in the community, it just gets hard at home with our three sometimes when he is off coaching so much.

Our boys got up, ate and got dressed perfectly this past week even with day light savings time. No one complained a bit. Ha ha ha!!

Ty did not ask the nurse at the clinic "Hey Lady, why do you have a screw in your head?" when he saw her eyebrow piercing.

Eric did not wow me with his neocortex this past week. (see older post from the week for a better understanding)

I was not totally overwhelmed one day last week when I had a total of 9 BOYS running like banshees around my house. Where do they get their energy?

What I learned today...

2009-03-12T16:22:00.002-05:00

If you put a giant pool of red food coloring on the top of the frosting in the bowl and turn the mixer on high it will splatter EVERYWHERE and make your kitchen look like someone got shot in it.

Red food coloring does not come off of countertops and cupboard doors very well.

Eric's Neocortex

2009-03-10T23:55:00.002-05:00

Here is a conversation that I had with Eric this evening as we were finishing up his homework:

Mom: Eric you are so smart!! Look how fast you are reading now?!

Eric: It's because I am using my neocortex

Mom: Your what??

Eric: My neocortex.

Mom: What is that? (truly I didn't know)

Eric: (pointing to his forhead) It's the part of my brain that helps me figure things out and understand things.

Mom: Wow

(Eric at this point walks away I am sure thinking that his mom does not know how to use her neocortex)

I had to go online and look it up. Never thought that you studied your neocortex in 1st grade!! Way to go Mrs. Fink!!

Hey lady......

2009-03-10T14:23:00.002-05:00

I took Ty to the doctor today and we had an interesting time with the nurse. It just amazes me what comes out of this boy's mouth some times.

The nurse was taking his pulse and Ty was studying her quietly. All of a sudden he pipes up and says to her, "Hey lady, why do you have a screw in your head?" (The nurse had a post earring in her eyebrow)

Once again, out of the mouths of babes!!