And this morning as I struggled to roll out of bed and wiped the snot off my youngest's nose I thought of what an old woman I am and how happy I am as an old woman with my old man and children.  I am also very excited about the new Costco!  Woohoo!

Katie

I woke up this morning at 4:30 a.m. and could not for the life of me go back to sleep.  I am now sitting downstairs listening to Christmas music (yes it is too early -- but it is a guilty pleasure) and enjoying the silence of the house before the Dobbs men awake.  Little Rebekah has been kicking non-stop all morning, so we are having some girl time. 

I have been chasing the boys' runny noses all weekend and sure enough I woke up this morning with a sore throat.  I don't think there is anyway to avoid toddler germs so you might as well just put on a brave front and await your doom.  However, I wish I could just take it all from them.  Those little snot nose faces and coughing babies make me want to spoil them just so they feel a little better.

Well, that's all for now.  Time to make some tea and nurse this cold.

Mommy 

Goodbye twenties. You were a fun decade full of firsts: first apartment, first boyfriend, first house, marriage, kids, my fellowship, etc, etc, etc. I can't complain!

It looks like my thirties have a lot to live up to after looking back on my twenties! Bring it on :-)

Looking forward to a fun filled week at home with my boys and the Burks and possibly even a guest appearance from my parents. Hmm..now what should we do?? Maybe the zoo, the childrens museum, Chucky Cheese??? I can already tell this vacation is going to be exhausting but lots of fun. I better get the coffee brewing!

Love,

Mama

I will always remember my Grandma Karius and am glad for the many years I was blessed to have known her. She was a wonderful woman and will be missed.

OBITUARY
Agnes A. Karius, age 76, of Miltona, formerly of Brooklyn Center, died Saturday, April 24, 2010, at her home.

Memorial services will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, April 29, 2010, at Faith Lutheran Church in Miltona with Rev. Kari van Wakeren officiating. Music will be provided by organist, Kevin Lee and vocalist, Jim Dahl. Burial will take place at Marshall Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday at Lind Family Funeral Home in Miltona and continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Arrangements are by Lind Family Funeral & Cremation Service with chapels in Miltona and Parkers Prairie, www.lindfamilfh.com.

Agnes Aileen Nielsen was born May 11, 1933, to Raymond and Mildred (Steffes) Nielsen on the family farm in Lakeville, Minnesota. She graduated from Marshall High School in 1951. She met and was united in marriage to Robert Whittet in 1952. She worked as a car hop in Marshall, nurses aide in Granite Falls and at Warner Manufacturing in Sacred Heart. In 1968, they moved to the cities where she worked at Univac/Sperry/Unisys. She was united in marriage to Kenneth Karius at Hope Lutheran Church in Minneapolis in 1979. Following their marriage they lived in Brooklyn Center before moving to their home on Lake Miltona in August of 1994. She continued working at Univac/Sperry/Unisys by commuting until she retired in December of 1994. She worked for a short time at a laundry mat and Pete’s County Market in Alexandria until her health problems started in 1997. She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Miltona where she was very active. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, sewing, quilting, flower gardening and making decorative eggs. She and her husband, Ken enjoyed traveling throughout the United States visiting family and friends. She loved spending time with family and friends and will be dearly missed by those that loved her.

Agnes is survived by her husband, Kenneth; two sons, Steven (Lois) Whittet of Cedar, Minnesota and Bradley (Diane) Whittet of Las Vegas, Nevada; two daughters, Cheryl (David) Anderson and Gail Whittet both of Cedar, Minnesota; two step-sons, Dennis (Jan) Karius of Chaska and Larry Karius of Sandstone; a brother, Lawrence (Bethe) Nielsen of Farmington; a sister, Evelyn (Leon) Dawson of Placentia, California; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; along with several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and grandson, Jordan Whittet.

I am SO SO SO proud of my boys. David has been sleeping all night for the last few nights. Today he slept until after 6 a.m. What a good boy.

I had to give Adam a bath this morning and while we were waiting for the tub water he wanted to sit on his potty that we had brought up from the basement. He kept sitting and then getting up to check and see if anything was in the potty. Later, before his nap I asked him if he wanted to go to the potty and he went upstairs and sat on the potty. He played with his bath toys for 20 minutes and kept checking to see if there was anything in the potty. There wasn't so I finally convinced him that was enough for one sitting and it was naptime. He wanted to stay (just like his daddy). Then we went to dinner and when we came home I asked him if he wanted to use the potty. He went straight upstairs to the bathroom. He sat on the potty and checked and there was nothing. He got up and shut the bathroom door, sat down and started going potty!!! I was SO PROUD! I called Mike and he told Adam how proud he was. We were so excited and Adam started smiling and clapping. He got some M&Ms and called his grandparents to tell them about his accomplishment.

I know we're nowhere near potty trained, but I was just so excited that he understood the concept. He's not my little baby anymore. Thank goodness I have cute and cuddly little David who is full of smiles and coos to give me my baby fix and Adam is teaching us new things every day.

I love my boys.

Mama