Tourney Time

It's Selection Sunday, so you know what that means....time to fill out your bracket. I am usually pretty lousy at filling mine out. My m.o. is to fill it out quickly, picking the first team that comes to mind. This year I deviated a little bit. On the picks I could have gone both ways with, I had a guest picker help me out - Isabella the Sage.

I had her pick all of the play-in games (the NCAA calls this the First Round, but we all know these are just play-in games). We picked Western Kentucky, Iona, Lamar, and California. I'm not too sure about the Cal pick. They were pretty inconsistent this year. We'll see.

The next step was the main bracket. My first tough call was Iowa St. vs. UConn. Grandpa Mike will be happy to know that his granddaughter picked the Cyclones. (Truth be told, I was tending toward them as well).

We ended up with Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio State, and Kansas (Isabella picked the Jayhawks over the Tar Heels) in the Final Four. Kentucky and Ohio State (Sorry Aunt Abby and Grandma Becky) in the championship game. I then chose Kentucky to win it, while the Sage picked Ohio State.

This is arguably the best time of the year for a sports fan, and possibly the most frustrating because by the time Friday evening rolls around, my bracket is shot. At least this year I can blame someone else for my poor picks.




And by the way: Go Buffs! Go Rams! Colorado is representing in the Big Dance!

Just for Papa and Grampa

No worries. Just because we don't reside in Iowa, doesn't mean we won't bring our girls up "right". We snapped these pictures during dinner the other night! As we were eating, Isabella asked when we were going to Iowa, because she's ready to go to Iowa. I kept waiting for her to break out in the "Iowa" song!

Yep, that's a mouth full of corn! She might be small, but she's mighty!

The Rest of the Trip

Okay, just a few more stories and photos from our Iowa trip.


While Isabella was fishing with the fishing pole, I tried fishing with a net. NOT SO EASY, my friends. I kicked off my shoes and waded into the pond, stood as still as I could, net lowered in the water. But I'll tell you what! Those fish are tricky! I was determined to get one of those buggers, and was about to throw one of the pole caught fish in my net for the picture when I actually got one! Now, I have never claimed to be a great fisherman, but I thought for sure if I could catch a fish in the net, then I would have no problem with the pole. I mean, people had been catching fish all night long - even my 3 year old daughter. However, the fish eluded me yet again. Perhaps it's time I realize that I fishing is not my calling...

Summer in Iowa would be incomplete without a trip to the cornfields for a picture in the corn. My dad had scoped out the perfect spot for our picture, so off we went, ready to pose. Of course, once we got there, Isabella was less than excited about posing for her picture, and Catherine was completely enthralled with the corn and flowers all around her. But, we did get a few pictures! I'm sure the farmer loved us playing in his crops!

Thanks again, Gramma and Grampa! We had a wonderful, restful, and relaxing time. I'm sure you would describe it otherwise, and might still be recovering, but thank you for having us. We love you!

Catherine's August Activites

Catherine had a very busy August. She learned many new tricks, like, waving hi and goodbye, clapping, playing "So Big", "Patty-Cake", & "Peek-a-boo", cutting a new tooth (bringing the total up to 2), pulling up on small objects, and CRAWLING! I'll post a video of Catherine crawling next.

She is also eating lots of new foods, not to mention many other "non-food" items. She puts everything in her mouth. And I mean EVERYTHING! We have caught her with shoes, dog food, paper, hair clips, rocks, and the toilet brush. The last one, was by far, the grossest and left me wondering what to do. It's amazing because she doesn't even look at what her hand grabs, she just places it right in her mouth.

At 9 months old, Catherine is trying really hard to keep up with the big girls, which is getting easier, but when push comes to shove, running is always faster than crawling. I do think that Madalyn and Isabella are still adjusting to the newly mobile Catherine.

Again, I have a huge string of pictures, so enjoy!

Catherine sleeping in the church nursery - she would wake up and bounce and fall back asleep

Playing in the Jump Jump at Gramma's house

Laughing with Mr. Wayne

Hangin' with daddy

Drooling to prepare for the new tooth

Iowa Children's Museum

Trying to crawl

Standing instead

Showing her dissatisfaction (she really does this...often...usually while screaming)

Relaxing with Papa Paul

Fishing with Gramma Nellie

The preferred chew toy

Future Hunting Princess at Bass Pro (we were looking for a fishing hat, but she chewed the tag off of this one)

A typical meal

Looking a little mischievous

Happy Girl

Eating shoes

Eating grass

9 month appointment (still 3rd percentile for height and weight)

Pulling up on daddy

9 month car seat picture

Eating....again

Fishing at the Pond

My parents live on a little man-made pond, and their neighbors have a little fishing beach that they are more than willing to share with my parents. So, we put the fishing pole to good use and set out for the pond. Isabella was decked out in her best fishing outfit, a pink tutu and t-shirt. Don't be fooled. I wasn't using a special setting on my camera. This was my camera lens fogging over due to extreme heat and humidity.

So Isabella, Brody, and everyone else had a blast fishing in the pond!


This series of photos leads me to believe that we need to work on Isabella's "No". It appears she gave in to the sweet talk and big eyes of Brody...









Don't forget to see all of Isabella's other August activities.

Isabella's August

Isabella had a BIG August! We took a two week trip to visit my parents in Iowa, and had a wonderful time visiting family and playing. Isabella latched onto her Grampa Mike, and he became the preferred adult in her eyes!

My mom and grandpa were gracious enough to make a whirlwind trip out in order to drive the girls and I back with them. So, four generations in the car loaded up and headed east. The girls could not have been any better, and we had a great trip.

While we were in Iowa we met up with my sweet college roommate Kari and her son Lucas. We took the kids to the Iowa Children's Museum, which was great. We also visited my mom's parents and were able to see my Aunt Jana, Uncle John, and my cousin David and his little girls.

Isabella also learned that when in Iowa, one must act like an Iowan. She learned the Iowa song, shucked corn, went fishing, and sweated it out in the heat and humidity (heat index of about 115 degrees). The one thing that we didn't get to do was go to the Iowa State Fair. I really wanted to take Catherine to the fair, but it was way too hot. I guess the Butter Cow will just have to wait til next year.

There are lots of pictures, and they are not in order. But, I will do my best to describe each one to you.

Hugging Grandma Severtson

Playing catch with Grandpa Severtson

A snuggle with David and Julia

Playing on the slide with Lucas at the Iowa Children's Museum

The infamous Tinker Bell Fishing Pole!

Checking out the flowers in the Town Square

Shucking corn with Grampa Mike

Every girl's fishing attire: a pink tutu

Fishing with Grampa Mike

She got one!

It was a big one!

Hanging out with Papa Paul

Playin' around at Bass Pro Shop

Takin' a stroll with Grampa Mike

CHEESE!!!

Entertaining herself after 11 hours in the car on the way home.

3 Little Princesses - Sleeping Beauty, Tinker Bell (not technically a princess, but, anyway), and Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

A special treat after a fun trip to the outlet mall back home - guess who bought the sucker - mom or auntie???