Love to the Kings

I just found out my college friend Kim's sister in law just passed away due to complications from cystic fibrosis. Her name was Dana and she had a daughter, Abby (3), through the blessing of adoption. I went to UNI with both Dana and her brother Josh who married Kim. Please keep Dana's family in your prayers!

on vacation...

Merry Christmas!

We survived the storm (oh and the weather, too) in Winona! We came home to 2 feet of icy snow in the driveway which took Jake 3 hours to clear but everyone is safe and warm now. Nor didn't sleep very well this weekend so she just had a bath, put on her new ballerina pjs and is now in bed crying for "Mommy Bobby!!!". Jake & I are making a pizza and super excited start Season 3 of Dexter and commence 9 days off (me at least) of leisure and relaxing at home,- do not disturb!

How were your holidays? Here's a recap of my baby's 2nd Christmas...

Nori's diet this weekend mirrored mine, only consuming chocolate dipped pretzels and biscotti

After a day of playing in the snow which later turned to slush and snacking on home baked goods ( fruit was outlawed this year), on Christmas Eve we went to church to celebrate Jesus's birth and play with raccoon stickers. We enjoyed a delicious spoon roast, garlic mashed potatoes, and Parker House rolls made by Liz ( one of many meals she made this weekend, she must be ex.haust.ed!). Norelle receive great gifts from the Seltz family like from Auntie Elle who got her a barn set, the only non-fair-trade gift she bought this year and Funcle Char who hit a home run with the Dora lunch box & DVD combo. Not that Christmas is about the presents, but really, it's slightly about the presents. Nori had fun preparing for Santa who found us in Winona, thankfully!

Just showing how nice she really was

testing the snacks for Santa & the reindeer

She enjoyed "hiding" in this box

Christmas Day was at my Papa's house (actually, my mom lives there too but I still call it Papa's) with a traditional Hengel big brunch made up of 14 egg dishes, one per person. Many more gifts were exchanged (hello awesome long down coat and Mr. Potato Head), a family nap was taken, and pot roast was eaten for dinner. Also, a world record was set for loudest television volume at a family event.

Awesome Princess tent now the inspiration piece for my new living decor

Thank you to everyone who came to be together, generously gave gifts, baked, cleaned, washed dishes, hosted, tolerated, mostly avoided offensive comments, and otherwise gave of yourselves over this holiday time. We are lucky to have all of our family members and we love you all (except you, you know why).

Love,
T.McB & family

Snowed in!

My yoga buddy, Nasty Boy Charlie

Jake Seltz, CFA, let him handle your money today!

TootBear is the snow eating queen!

Snowman #1

Which picture is more embarssing for Ellen? This one?

Or this one?

A Christmas Miracle! The author of HIOB is back!

Er-Bear is having a baby!

Congratulations to Erin & Andrew as they prepare for the birth of their little boy this spring!! Tonight we celebrated with a surprise baby shower...thanks Jill for hosting!

remodel

We've made some changes in our kitchen. It's part kitchen, part laundry room and part mini-mart. All we need is a slurpee machine. What can we get you?

a Palbicki Christmas (and other odd things)

Her future is so bright...

Jake had a 3 day weekend with us but it went by in a blink. Friday night we had dinner with our new friends, Tim, Amber and little Katie (2), who we met at Bloom. They live just three blocks away from us in an adorable carriage house, adjacent to Tim's parents' house. The little girls played, we met Sondra their student from Rwanda, enjoyed chicken parm, and just got to know them.

Say diamond!

Aunt Jill, who is best known to Nori for 3 things : yums yums, marching, and goofball, came by to visit on Saturday. My daughter let Jill tickle her pits, just like old days when she used to do it to me (last year)

Good dog

Then we celebrated Christmas with my family. It was so joyful to see Nori's excitement and watch her spin and dance while we played Rock Band. She makes life so wonderful! We ate too much sushi, steak, and pie but oh well, it was fun!

In case you wonder what 8- year-olds like, Ed Hardy and Project Runway

Casey and his new gf, Jaimie ( we like her!)

Nana & Papa pose

For me?

The kick is back

She played on EASY

Uncle Joe sleeps like a princess

Buster gets his feet washed (he's not doing so hot)

Congratulations Sarah & Francisco!

Happy wedding day!!

Stink.Stank.Stunk.

crazing me out!

First post typed on our brand new shiny laptop. LAPTOP! Hello 2004! I don't know all the tricks and this flat keyboard is not doing me any favors. But it's so shiny!

Dorothy is sick and when she is sick her brain literally stops working and she starts ravenously snarfing up any object in her path, she tried to swallow my pink mitten whole. WHOLE!

Most presents are bought and bagged, yes BAGGED. I called my mom and asked her to do me a big favor, I asked her to help me gets some gifts for Liz, my mother-in-law. Hol said sure so then I asked her if there was anywhere in Winona that sold edible underwear? My mom, taking me seriously, thought then remembered the adult bookstore downtown but after a minute said, "Wait, I am NOT going in there". It would have made for a memorable gift.

We had a guy come out to look at our basement and give us a bid on finishing it complete with storage, bedroom, bathroom and family room. The con$ultation took 1.5 hours and detailed board by board, major problem by major problem, all that we would need to do. Lots to weigh in this decision as we would LOVE a finished basement (and the heat that comes along with it) but we don't want to overextend ourselves financially as we want to do another adoption some day (when? I don't know...it's complicated).

Finally, in the best line from a Christmas letter ever, I quote "put some hair on her BACK and you've got a miniature version of my husband". Who said this about her one-year-old daughter?

Back on coffee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like a new man. Why did I ever try to quit?

Not to be negative...

but this cold is unbearable and I am so tired, why did I give up coffee again (day 2)? Can not wait until my freezing trek across campus is over so I can get into my cold car, drive home in traffic, and put on PJ's to hang with a "Mister Grinch" obsessed little girl and just cuddle.

Christmas Party in the USA

Who's that chick that rockin kicks?
She's gotta be from out of town
'Cuz all I see are stilettos!
Guess I never got the memo!

Thursday night: Bloom Christmas Party (thanks Aunt Jill for babysitting). Saturday: Decker Christmas Party, Grandma Liz & Grandpa Steve & Aunt Ellen here. Today: baked cookies all day... like yeah!

Lo Lo cuts out gingerbread men while Missy recites passages from" Going Rogue"

Nori realizes we need more butter!

Pat practices his backhand with his mom's old racket while Andy's legs relax

Angie broke all my kitchen utensils because she is not a good grown up

Liam, Lauren, Norelle, Makenna, Dorothy's butt & Andy's legs

Noddin my head like yeah!
Moving my hips like yeah!

Remembering Grandma Audrey

One year ago today...we miss you!

Announcement

I would just like to deny any involvement with Tiger Woods.

Uh oh!

that girl

So, I wake up this morning and put on my skinny jeans, boyfriend cardigan, Ugg boots, puffy coat, then grab my iPod, make a pitstop at Starbucks for my Vente Mocha and I am all ready for another day on campus.

This is for SIL Ellen...

Mommy Bobby

a very kind girl

Nor must be watching The Hills because she now has all of us calling each other our name-Bobby (although she says, "Boppy"). Nori Bobby loves to joke around so Daddy Bobby and I play along. We have no idea where gets her offbeat sense of humor from. Yesterday, Us-Bobbies did some Christmas shopping, put up our tree, and snuggled up to watch the classic, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.

SPOILER ALERTS: Norelle Bobby was loving it, squealing at every reindeer and elf, until the Abominable Snow Monster came on at which time she started trembling, crying, and clinging to us. We tried to calm her down but the only relief was to fast forward it until he was over, but even today, all she remembers about Rudolph is "I scared!!!!". We have a real sensitive girl, a bit of a worrier, actually. We did enjoy the classic Frosty the Snowman today (twice) but she really picked up on the emotional parts like when the rabbit, Hocus Pocus, was mad and when the little girl, Karen, was sad because her BFF melted in a greenhouse. First Nemo, now this.

My soulmates

Our tree, in color

p.s. I got a new camera, finally one with a flash!

Snow Bunny!

Don't you just love these pics of my best friend/daughter/obsession? Don't worry, it's totally healthy. I just LOVE her!

We are enjoying our only weekend in December with no plans. Ahhh! Last night we bought a Christmas tree at Menard's which was still wrapped up so we had no way of knowing what it really looked like but the price was good, so we took a leap of faith. Apparently, this tree has scoliosis as it has 4 separate bends in the trunk and is really full on the top but kinda sparse on the bottom...Jake thought maybe we had it in upside down? Today we will decorate, drink apple cider, listen to NOW That's What I Call Christmas Volume 3 CD 2 and be merry. And married.

Even though Nori seems like such a big girl much of the time, she did the cutest baby thing last night! After we got our tree, we drove over to Chipotle in Highland Park and she crashed in the car. She could not wake up even in the noisy, bright restaurant so she actually slept on the booth next to us while we ate burritos. She hasn't done anything like that since she was 6 months old but it''s likely due to the fact she won't sleep during naptime anymore. She just jumps and talks. And in case you can't hear that fact for yourself , she yells "I TALKING! I JUMPING"!! Then, when I come into her room, she quickly flops down and covers her head with her blanket pretending to be asleep.

See why I LOVE her?

What is that smell?

My mother told me there was a perfume called Norelle so today I Googled it. Guess what I found? A perfume called Norell!



Guess what else I found? A perfume called Eau De Seltz!