11 months old!

Norelle is very talkative and loves to say mamama, no!no!no!, goong goong and broom broom. She pulls up to be on her feet whenever she can but is still very cuddly and loving. I can not believe she is almost one but she just keeps getting better and better!

Believe it or not, it is also the one year anniversary of the day we met Tasha. We were active in "the book" on June 18 2007, met with Tasha on Dec 18 and Nori was born Jan 18, 2008. So, I only had a seven month paper pregnancy to the day, hence my killer bod. It's weird to remember that someone else gave birth to her because she is a huge part of me, there just is no difference. I am sad that I didn't really grow her, despite my best efforts to convince her I did (like I when I reenact her birth panting and screaming "someone get me an epidural" or "boil some water"). She actually was born via C-section so no one had an epidural, except in my version of the story. Of course she has connections to her birth family in Duluth who care about her and blessed us with their decision to choose adoption and choose us. We are her parents, her mom and dad, her family who will love and adore her forever!

How cold is it?

Those of you who have been to my house in the winter know that we have some, um, heating issues. As in it is tropical upstairs (think shorts and a t-shirt with the window cracked) and icy downstairs (numb feet and snowman in the kitchen). See for yourself...

-12 degrees = frozen pipes in bathroom

EVOO is now a solid

My hideous ski coat from 1996 keeps me warm

Nori's pajamas (kidding!)

Whale Wars

Japanese harpoon ship

Have you seen this show? Whale Wars is about volunteer animal rights activists who raise money from rich people, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to go on missions to Antarctica and track Japanese whalers who they believe have violated whale quotas. It is really like Star Wars because they out in the middle of this great vastness tracking ships with the exact same radar used in Spaceballs the movie. There is a Japanese spy ship which tracks the activists (who call themselves The Sea Shepards) aboard their vessel, The Steve Irwin. Following? In last night's episode, The Sea Shepards were trying to lose the spy ship so they navigated into a field of icebergs and turned off their engines so they appeared just like an iceberg to the spy ship's radar, thus losing them. If the SS do come upon the Japanese harpoon ships, or better yet, the main processing vessel like in last night's ep, they turn into pirates and board the ship to serve a warrant citing some international whaling treaty. Because all of this happens in the frigid, empty international waters, no governments enforce the rules so these sea vigilantes are the only ones to do it. It is really quite fascinating, you must watch!

I need a coffee IV, stat!

Do they make those? Mondays are like meanest thing ever. Yet, at the same time, a relief as I can finally sit down and stop chasing a little crawler who loves to nibble on cords and shoes. Had a lazy weekend, maybe even too lazy? I blame Casey who didn't deliver the next seasons of Entourage and Dexter until late last night. Just think of how productive we could have been watching all those eps!! I did get ALL my presents wrapped courtesy of Santa's little elves at Kelly's Workshop (read about it here, here and here). I made Navy bean & ham soup which T.McB loves so I guess I am not a total bum.

I am in sort of in a bad mood. Probs because of my Grandma's passing, my ongoing cold and being tired. Also, my dog ate a whole plate of Christmas cookies so I'm not sure if I am more mad at myself for leaving them out, all that baking wasted or now having to deal with her Dorthorhea. Poor Jake finally went to in Urgent Care last night after 5 weeks of illness and was diagnosed with a sinus and ear infection. I made him tea so he would feel better. Actually, he made it for himself but it was my good idea.

After my coffee IV is hooked up, I expect to be feeling much more energetic!

Happy 22nd Charlie!

Grandma Audrey

Audrey Jean (Prenatt) Hengel

Dec. 2, 1930 — Dec. 11, 2008

Audrey Jean (Prenatt) Hengel, 78, of Winona, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008, at her home surrounded by her family.

Audrey was born Dec. 2, 1930, in Independence, Wis., to Otis and Luvina (Winsand) Briggs. She married LeRoy Prenatt in 1951. They had a son and later divorced. In 1971, she met and married Michael Hengel and gained four daughters.

Audrey worked as a hairstylist and manager at Spurgeon’s, Winona, and Magic Mirror, La Crosse, Wis. She also was employed at Picadilly Gallery, Winona. She was a member of the Red Hat Ladies, an avid bridge player and an accomplished seamstress. She made several wedding dresses and quilts for all of her children and grandchildren. Audrey loved football and was a Vikings fan to the end.

She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Michael; five children, Jeffrey Lee (Pamela) Prenatt, Winona; Holly Palbicki, Winona; Jill (Dale) Lindman, Shoreview, Minn.; Tracy Hengel, St. Paul; and Wendy (Randy) Winegar, Apple Valley, Minn.; five grandchildren, Jennifer Lee Prenatt, Megan (Jake) Seltz, Casey Palbicki, Michael Anderson and Abigail Anderson; one great granddaughter, Norelle Seltz; a brother James (Millie) Briggs, Caledonia, Minn.; and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Sandra Wyman, and brother, Vilas Briggs.

Services to remember Audrey will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home, Winona, with Pastor Thomas Schoen, officiating. A spring interment will take place at Holy Trinity Cemetery, Rollingstone, Minn.

Visitation will be 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home prior to the service.

A special thank you to the Winona Area Hospice for their loving care of Audrey.

Services entrusted to Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Winona. Words of sympathy or remembrance may be left at www.fawcett-junkerfuneralhome.com

Many blessings!

It's a sad time for my family right now as my Grandma Audrey's health continues to decline and she requires around the clock care. It's hard to see someone you love slip away and suffer. Unfortunately, we have had a series of chronic illnesses throughout the past years staring with my Great Grandma Dorothy having a stroke and slowly passing away, then Grandma Barb fighting terminal throat cancer for several years, my mom's lymphoma, hospitalization and resulting disabilities and now my Grandma Audrey's pancreatic cancer and my Papa's Michael's health issues. The cumulative effect is difficult and taking a toll on everyone.

Despite the stress and grief, we have so much to be thankful for. I am really pleased to say I have caught the holiday spirit this year! Having a new baby in the house really helps me get outside myself and look at the world through new eyes. I never knew how much a little one could change my life for the better! I am thankful the simple things I can share with her: picking a tree as family, putting up decorations, baking cookies, shopping, going to church and holiday music. And I am so excited for Kelly's Santa's Workshop party where we can bring gifts to wrap and she will provide all the paper, bows, etc. How awesome is that? Another huge blessing is that we had our house appraised and it actually went up in value (huh?!!) so we can refinance to make this our home for a long, long time. We have jobs, enough food to eat and each other so I give thanks!

God is with us all the time and shows his love in big and small ways every day.