Just call me "mom"

Most infants, toddlers even, probably start off with the "mamamamamamama."

Most probably don't go directly from that to "mom."

Plain old "mom."

I've explained to Heidi that at the tender age of 11 months, I'd prefer her to call me "mama" or "mommy." But no dice. "Mom" it is.

I'll take it.

New friends are the best!

Thanks to a wonderful parenting/naming message board that I'm on, Heidi and I got to meet a bunch of new friends a few weeks ago when we all met up at the Vilas Zoo. We had such a great time and Heidi made one particular friend in Carter. He's just a couple months younger than her (though my giant kid next to Carter the peanut makes it look like more) and had some smooth moves.

All the cutie pie kiddos: Felicity, Lydia, Heidi, Carter, Owen, and Ben

Heidi's new friend, Erica

A meeting of the minds between Heidi and Carter. Yes, she got the long legs gene.

We can't wait to see our new friends again soon!

That's right, we walked all night

Doing things in Keagen's name helps me feel close to him. I think the rest of my family feels the same. That's why we all turned out to walk in his memory at the Relay for Life. It was our first time relaying, so we didn't create any fancy schedule. We didn't time who would sleep when, mostly because I didn't plan on sleeping and neither did many of the rest of us. We just stayed up all night and kept someone walking. We were practically the only team that really did have someone walking all night. Other than the two drunk guys.

Here's Laura, Grams, and I, in between laps. Grams was hardcore and walked all night!

Em, Jordan, Shay, and Mo playing dice

The Sturtz's chillin' with Keags


Me, my 3 beautiful sisters, and Jordan, too

Me and Keagen

We are so honored to have been able to raise money for the American Cancer Society in Keagen's name.

Watching over us...

Last night we walked in the Relay for Life in memory of Keagen. We were so proud to come together again as a family and be able to raise money in Keagen's name for the American Cancer Society. We talked to Keagen a lot over the course of the night, every time we'd walk by one of his luminary bags. We talked a lot about him, too.

Driving home this morning, after the sun had come up on another beautiful day, a rainbow shone in the distance. With no rain in sight.

I just know it was Keagen saying thanks. That he is watching over us.

Toys! I don't need no stinkin' toys!

A photo diary of Heidi's favorite toys...

Half an Easter egg

Paper of any kind, newspaper is particularly enjoyable

Miniature soap bottles (notice neglected toys on the tub)


Diaper changing basket

Blanket tent

Computer cords

Cardboard box

Camera case

Good thing we spent all that money on toys...

The great up North

We have a family tradition of spending at least one weekend up North in Ely, Minnesota each spring where we have a travel trailer on the lake, spend the days canoeing and fishing and cooking out over the fire, and usually travel into Ely to shop and wander. Our summer has filled up so quickly this year, but luckily, we were able to squeeze the annual trip in this weekend. It was just perfect that it fell on Father's Day weekend, since it's pretty much Josh's favorite place in the world.

We set off on Thursday night after work. Heidi was in a great mood for the trip, as she loves having Grandma and Papa in the backseat with her.


She especially loved the stop at McDonalds where she had her first apple juice (mixed with water by mean mama). She liked it a little too much, chugged her juice, and got herself a tummy ache. [sidenote: notice she has finally mastered the sippy cup!]


We arrived at the trailer on Friday morning after spending the night in Superior. Heidi began exploring the trailer and approved. Although she wanted to climb off of the couch constantly. She did not succeed.

Mostly because Daddy had his eagle eye on her...

This year Grandma and Papa got a new tent and Heidi liked to explore that as well. It was so nice and roomy that Mommy and Daddy decided to sleep in there with Heidi and her pack-n-play. The first night was perfect, Heidi slept in the P-n-P until 4:30ish and then came into bed with mom and dad. The second night she decided she'd rather just start off in the bed. Hey, she slept until 7:45 so we went complain.

Heidi was successful in crawling off of the air mattress. This was a super-fun game. Heidi actually stood up independently for the first time right after this. Even with slippery footed jammies on and in a slippery tent on a slippery blanket.

Finally Saturday afternoon we took Heidi down to explore the water. She loves water and immediately walked right in. She wanted to sit down, but Daddy said no.

Then we went out onto the canoe. Heidi didn't mind the canoe, but hated the life jacket. Can't say I really blame her.

So when we got back to shore, I let her sit in the water like she wanted. Her butt was wet anyway from sitting in the bottom of the canoe.

If I had to pick Heidi's favorite thing of the trip, it was climbing onto and standing up on this plastic white chair. [as you can see, under Daddy's watchful eye]

And on the way home, she's still smiling despite many many bug bites. I would say this was probably close to a perfect weekend for Heidi since she loves the outdoors and got to spend lots of time with Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Papa. Next year we'll have to put a fishing pole in her hand...

This is summertime...

And it is sticky...

Little tender foot

So, a few summers ago Josh and I played sand volleyball with some of my college friends at this little bar in the middle of nowhere (yeah, me playing sand volleyball is a whole 'nother blog). As you know, for sand volleyball, bare feet are nearly a requirement. The first day comes and I swear to you, Josh flinched even walking into the sand with his oh-so-sensitive feet. The first time that a ball got past him and rolled out into the parking lot for him to retrieve, the whole team got to see the spectacle that is Josh's soft and sensitive feet. From that day on, Josh was crowned "tender foot."

Fast forward a few years and one kid. Heidi and I are outside wandering around while Josh is cleaning his truck. She's shoeless and playing in her little house when we decide to walk over to where daddy is across the grass (and by walk, I mean I'm holding her fingers while she walks).

Seeing Heidi crinkle her toes and tentatively step through the grass and I could see another thing she inherited from her daddy.

Tender Foot Junior.

What is this life?

I have a couple of great blogs in the works, but I have to put pictures on the computer first so you can really appreciate them (hint: they may or may not involve Heidi's "toys" and smores).

Instead, I sit here on a Monday night, drinking a glass of wine, watching the Brewers and just feeling...like an island. I lead a very blessed life. I haven't always, but that only makes me appreciate all the more the life that I somehow wound up with. I have more in my life than I ever thought I'd have. Or ever deserved to have, for that matter. Many people would take my life just to have one of the wonderful things I have: a terrific job that I love, a husband who adores me despite my many faults, a daughter who is a dream come true. There are more days than not that I sit here and think to myself, "why me? what did I do to deserve this life?"

All around me, are people with so much pain, so much heartbreak, so much struggle, so many tears. People that have lost babies, or children, or jobs, or houses, or parents. People that are dealing with an illness, or have children that are. That have been laid off or "let go."

Why has life dealt me such a good hand, but not spared all those around me? How does God choose who gets what cards? Is it really based on who can handle the cards? Then He must know that I am weak. Just thinking of going through the storm and struggles my friends, my family have gone through makes me hurt. I could not do it.

And so, I count my blessings every night. Maybe I was given this life because He knew that I would appreciate it. I do. I've never taken for granted all that I've been given. I have been blessed. Many times over.

Girls' Vacation!

Since my last planned vacation had to be canceled and Josh has his own manly "vacation" AKA: Elk hunting trip, planned for the fall, I was so thrilled when the opportunity came up to take a girls' vacation with two of my best girlfriends! My friend Casey had some timeshare points that just had to be used up before July 31st (a hardship, we know), so the some how or other the idea of taking a girls' vacation came up.

Casey is my friend from work, and she became friends with my best friend, my cousin Emily, through me and random game nights. So the three of us, plus possibly Casey's sister Aletha, are heading down to St. Augustine, Florida for 3 days in July (a mini-vacay, but the first time I'll ever be away from Heidi overnight!).

How did we come upon St. Augustine? Well, funny you should ask. We really wanted to go to Myrtle Beach, SC. There were I think 4 or 5 different time share possibilities in Myrtle Beach, so Casey calls up, gives her fancy number, her name, her address, her blood type and asks about availability for two of the Myrtle Beach places that looked the best. No availability. Hangs up. Calls again, asks about any of the Myrtle Beach places. A couple of them have one or two days but none of them have three. None of them have three days anytime during that entire week for that matter.

So we decide on an alternate date, waaaaay at the end of August. Hurrah, one of them has 3 consecutive days available in Myrtle Beach. "Book!" We say. Oh, I'm sorry your points can't be used for this location because it's not a "red" week, says the evil Bluegreen lady. Criminy.

We look at the map of possible locations. Must have beach. Florida, it is. We call up, and list off 5 of the Florida locations that appear to be on the shoreline (very scientific method of choosing). No availability. Seriously.

I tell Casey to call back and just see if any of them have 3 days of availability any time during the week in July we're looking at. Any of them. 56 some locations to choose from. The first guy puts on a stink about having to look at all of them, so we reel off a few other ideas, one of them, one in Orlando has 3 days available. Ugh. Orlando. Hang up. Call again. Get a super-nice lady who in fact will check ALL 56 locations for us. 5 hits. Seriously for an entire week of options, just need three days in a row and maybe 5 hits. Two of them in Orlando. We settle on the St. Augustine golf resort. Golf resort-hehe. It turns out to be meant to be because not only do they have availability during the week we were looking at, but they have the weekend, which means I can leave my girl with her daddy instead of a babysitter.

So St. Augustine it is. Booked! Perhaps Casey, Emily, and I will have to learn how to golf.

Nap time.

There are downsides to mobility. Don't get me wrong, I do not even for a second wish that Heidi was back to the pre-crawling days. She's so much happier now and more engaging. The floundering on the floor like a fish out of water days are not missed in this household.

Nevertheless, this increased mobility has indeed changed naptime (and bedtime for that matter) forever. For example, as I'm writing this, I can hear a certain someone upstairs in her crib, talking, playing with her one crib toy, no doubt sitting up or crawling around, or even better, standing. She's been up there for a good 20 minutes so far, I'll give her another 15-20 before she actually gives in, lays down, and takes a nap.

On the one hand, you kind of wish she'd just stay laying like she did just a mere week ago. Just lay down and go to sleep. It gets all quiet, you know she's resting and going to be rejuvenated when she wakes up. On the other hand, a 2 hour nap can now take up to 3 hours from the time she goes into the crib from the time she comes out, which means 3 hours that I have to pick up around the house, check email, scrapbook, blog, whatever thing that is hard to do when Heidi Jean is "awake."

Ask any parent and they'll agree, it's hard to find a downside to this.

Don't look away...

because if you do, she's doing something new (and probably getting into trouble while she's at it). It seems like Heidi just started crawling yesterday--granted it was only like 2 weeks ago. She has fully mastered that and is moving on to the other domains of crawling and stair climbing.

The following pictures are from Sunday our special Father's day (yes, we know, a couple of weeks early). We made a road-trip to Cabelas just for daddy and let him pick out anything he wanted. After Cabelas and lunch (at Pizza Hut, which Heidi LOOOOOVED) we went to the park so Heidi could play for a while before we took the long trip back. The park looked boring when we pulled up, just a couple of swings and this metal climbing thing. Heidi thought it was perfect for practicing her pulling up skills.

psshhh...look one hand!

Then Monday afternoon, Heidi decided the basement was boring and so she began to climb the stairs. She's only made it up one so far. And she typically gets up the stair, then can't get down and cries. It's delightful.

She also pulled up in her crib (which scared the bejesus out of me when I went in to get her up in the morning and her little head was popped over the railing). She was not thrilled when mom ran out to get the camera...

Stay tuned to see what the next few weeks bring. I *think* walking may be in our future...but then again, I thought that with crawling and good thing I didn't hold my breath ;)

Our summer plans

The countdown is winding down to under 3 days now of mandated time, plus a few odd days here and there and then we're in to full-time summer lounging mode. For the first summer in a long time we actually have a whole list of plans (well, last summer we had one big plan, of course). I wanted to keep us kind of busy so that we don't get bored being home all summer (oh what a problem to have). So here's what's on the docket:

• Every week: Swimming lessons on Tuesday nights (infant-toddler class), walking/biking with my friend Meagon and her kiddos on Wednesdays, walking with my cousin Emily on Fridays.
• Specific dates...
• June 6th: Going to Milwaukee to visit my friend Laura
• June 13th: Meet-up with some ladies from a message board I'm on (and their adorable kids where applicable)
• June 20th: Possibly going to Ely, MN to fish and lounge
• June 26th: Relay for Life in Keagen's memory
• July 3rd-8th: Camping with mom and Laura and kids
• July 18th: Witt family reunion
• July 19th: Heidi's birthday party
• August 23rd: Sturtz family reunion
• And somewhere in there: going to a Brewer game, spending lots of time at the lake and at the pool, lounging in the front yard, deep-cleaning the house and putting away the "baby" toys

And in my dreams, getting a new car.

So, we're looking forward to it all. I'm most looking forward to spending lots of time with Heidi Jean. She is such a joy these days and I know we're going to have a blast. The life of a teacher is so great for having little kids! Of course, only those who work at the school are quite this excited for summer ;)

Favorites and Not so much

The current favorites of a certain brown-eyed feisty 10.5 month old:

• My lamb that sings "Jesus Loves Me"


• The cord that hooks mommy's digital camera up to her computer


• Cheerios


• Playing outside


• Crackers


• Swinging


• Singing and dancing


• Blankies


• Giraffe on a string


• Shoes, to chew on, not to wear


• Bottles


• Baths


• Eating rocks


• Paci's


• Magazines


• Puppies


• Animals other than puppies, especially roosters when they crow

And Not so much...

• Getting the diaper changed


• Getting dressed


• Getting hair combed


• Coming in the house


• Getting out of the bathtub


• Being fed with a spoon


• Sippy cups


• Toys


• Sleeping in


• Getting buckled into the carseat


• Getting my face washed off


• Getting fingernails clipped


• Having my nose sucked out

That's the nut...in a nutshell ;)