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While on our little getaway last week, my parents and I took the boys to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. It was their first Metra ride, Ethan's first cab ride and by the end of the day it was difficult to tell what excited them more: the museum or the train ride to and from the city! The museum was fantastic and all the better for us since due to a snowstorm we practically had it to ourselves. Imgagine your very own tour of the coal mine--thanks Miner John! The boys especially liked the farming area, the baby chicks, and of course, the immense train layout. They already can't wait to go back. Colin had heard about the giant heart, our own Mr. Science, and since it is under construction we'll definitely plan a trip back this summer!

great grandma smith

We spent a lovely morning with Great Grandma Smith earlier this month.

who would've thought

The kiddos: Colin, Ethan, Cooper, Helen and Maeve.... Grady was feeling a little shy!

Back in the late '80s I found two forever friends in Colleen and Kristen... we went to school together and shared those lovely adolescent days together... and while I don't think we imagined our lives exactly as they've turned out now... what fun it is to be able to share the joy (and frustration) that comes along with mothering. Between us we have six children under the age of 5... recently, we were able to spend a long winter afternoon at Kristen's. It is amazing to see our children play together.

How adorable is Cooper?

Colin LOVED this guitar and the perfect sized chair!

These adorable girlies had to show off all of their dance moves... Helen even demontrated all of the ballet positions for me!

The girls LOVE to pose for the camera!

How cute are we?

Sledding Fun

The Dugans LOVE winter! Well, the snow removal can be a drag, but the playing outside kind of stuff is fantastic. A week or so ago we were in St. Charles to let Mike have some solo time at home to prepare for his upcoming semester. We started the week by heading to one of the oldest sledding hills in the area--one we went to constantly growing up. Ethan was content to just walk up and down and then play on the playground... while Colin would STILL be sledding if we'd let him stay. It was a great morning, and we were fortunate to get some outdoor time in before the latest uber-cold snap!

We love playing with our family!

A few weeks ago we were in St. Charles for a quick visit... and as usual the boys decided they needed to dance and run around... cue music! Bubba and Steve headed to the basement and came up with some good ole' vinyl: ABBA, BeeGees, Michael Jackson... you get the picture. We all laughed hysterically and had a great time.

E and his Uncle Steve!

Help Small Businesses & Those Crafters Too!

Sometimes the best ideas, just aren't well executed. The purpose and the goal behind them may be full of idealism and yet when brought to reality--trouble ensues. This is what seems to be happening with the upcoming CPSIA... you may have already heard of this, but just in case you've missed it, here's some information from Cool Mom Picks:

We're all for strengthening the safety standards of mass-produced toys, clothes, and accessories made in China, and banning toxins like phthalates and lead. But this year, congress passed the ill-conceived Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, a law which goes into effect in two months and will absolutely decimate the small toy manufacturers, independent artisans, and crafters who have already earned the public trust. The very same ones that we often feature here and in our yearly special edition gift guides.

With this act going into effect February 10 2009 so many people we love will be affected: Moms who sew beautiful handmade waldorf dolls out of home, artists who have spent decades hand-carving trucks and cars out of natural woods, that guy at the craft show who sold you the cute handmade puzzle--even larger US companies who employ local workers and have not once had any sort of safety issue will no longer be able to sell their goods. Not without investing tens of thousands of dollars into third-party testing and labeling, just to prove that toys that never had a single toxic chemical in them still don't have a single toxic chemical in them.




PLEASE click on the button above and vote for this small change... and if nothing else, tell someone about this. Actions speak louder than words!

We love our Mimaw!

Living in Wisconsin, we're now closer than ever to my Grandma Bette aka Mimaw. (Colin began calling her this years ago). We had a wonderful visit today with her in DeForest... complete with me losing two straight games of cards. The boys were absolutely enamored with Tiffin--Mimaw's cat. They spent the bulk of the visit watching Tiffin, chasing Tiffin, and trying to find Tiffin's latest hiding spot.

Christmas 2008!

Our Christmas was a whirlwind--but oh so fun. It is nothing but joy filled when you have little ones who are to the brim with the magic of it all. Mike played the Nutcracker with the Madison Ballet this year, and so we really kicked off the festivities with Grammie and Pop (arriving from Cincinnati on the 23rd) treating us to a performance of the Nutcracker. It was Ethan's first major theater experience and both boys were wonderful audience members... better than some adults I might add. (Side note: must you wear your silly cell phone ear piece, blinking like a satellite on Christmas Eve afternoon while at the ballet? How do you clearly hear the musicians?) We went out for pizza in Madison after the show, drove near the lake to see Christmas lights and were home in time for the boys to open their one gift--yes, Star Wars light sabers for both of them! The next morning, we held off our early riser Ethan to 6:30am--he'd been up for an hour at that point--and then the boys got down to Santa business. Colin was overjoyed that he got the Leapster, and Ethan's scream about his "big Hot Wheels city toy" must've been heard down the block. Mike and I were shocked when we opened a Wii... especially since I've always sworn we'd never be a video game household! But, oh how we love to bowl, and play tennis. And I'm saving my pennies for Rock Band 2... just give me that microphone now! After our Christmas here in Wisconsin, we headed south to St. Charles for a few days. We were able to see some dear friends and celebrate with the Smiths--lots of game playing of course. Farkle anyone? No pictures from that leg since Steve and my Dad have the fancy cameras! All in all, a wonderful celebration.

Old Man Winter has arrived...

Can you tell Ethan has learned how to use those eyes?

You'd think after years of living in Minnesota we'd be used to snow... but up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes we had the bitter bitter cold--snow too--but much more of the below zero type of weather. Well, in America's Dairyland, it seems snow is the mainstay. We're at 44 inches this season already with more predicted. Here are a few shots of us enjoying the nutty weather (with one of the VW 1/2 way dug out so you can see some of our inches of accumulation)!

Oh, and of course, now that we have a new snowblower (THANK YOU MOM & DAD) we haven't seen a flake. Figures!

The littlest performers...

Every Christmas the boys make small gifts for their grandparents... Grammie & Pop and Mimi & Bubba. This year, they decided to try a new adventure and they created and performed the "Colin and Ethan Show". After selecting costumes, determining where mommy should "video us", and deciding to just wing a few acts--they were off and running. I got to try out my very rudimentary editing skills and using a regular digital camera (since we don't own video), was also a challenge. In the end, however, the boys were in love with the product and I think their grandparents were pleased too. We can't share the entire performance with you, but here are two clips. Watch for the matching cosutmes, cameo appearances by Charlie, and the randomness that comes from just being silly kids. Oh, and you'll see Ethan just likes to wander off--he hasn't got the "stay in the shot" thing down yet.