Happy Birthday Gabryelle!

Yesterday my little girl turned 10 years old. She’s my third child and the one with my sense of humor. She’s my thoughtful child and the one least likely to get into trouble or not deviate from the laws of MOM. She’s my little bookworm and straight A student. She could care less about sports as long as she’s got a good book in her hands.

She’s the one that wouldn’t stay with the babysitter unless the sitter had my nightgown over her shoulder when she was a baby. She cried for her mommy.

And when she got to be five years old, she laid in my bed one night and said, “Let’s talk mom.” I said, “What do you want to talk about Gabby?” She said so calmly I might add, “Let’s talk about sex mom.”

Yes, this is THAT child.

When I was pregnant with her, I thought for sure she was a boy. I had the same kind of pregnancy with her as I did with Erik. I was so for sure she was all male…until the Ultrasound Technician told me she was a girl. It’s a good thing I was laying down already, or I would have passed out and fallen over. We knew then that she wouldn’t look like the other two kids. She would look like her daddy. She would be a miniature Tom for sure.

So as I was reading the V.C. Andrews books (the Ruby Series), I came up with her name. Since I didn’t like the spelling of Gabrielle, I changed it up a bit and put the Y back in it like the Y instead of I rule in English. Jeanie is her grandmother’s middle name and the name her grandma preferred to be called. I was always going to call her Ellie…for short. Lord knows I still don’t like Gabby for a nickname, but that’s what everyone calls her. And if she’s in trouble…she’s Jeanie. Although, if you’re Monique, you call her Ga. Gabryelle likes that though…she’s kind of fond of her little sister.

She truly is a one of a kind child. I’m lucky and fortunate to have her.
I love you Gabryelle Jeanie!

Love,
Mom

Sunday~MOA

Sunday...We woke up to fixing the Serpentine belt that came off the night before. On our way back from Buck Hill my battery light came on so we headed back to the hotel for the night and checked it out on Sunday morning at the suggestion of Tom (who I did phone right away). Turns out, the belt was still there and intact and fell off because some snow got up in there.

IMAGINE THAT!

So we checked out of the hotel at 11 a.m. and headed to...where else...HOOTERS! We decided to have lunch there and watch part of the game...until the Vikings scored again and the waitress ran through the restaurant with the Vikings Flag again....Tiff had had enough...so off we ventured to the Mall of America.

We parked close to Macy's on the West Side and went in to Macy's in search of...you got it...POLO! {Do you think we LOVE that smell?}

We hit a couple other stores and then Tiffany said to me..."I don't have anything Minnesota." Alrighty then, we'll just fix that! We headed to the MN Store..and a sports store...and hooked her up with some MN gear...Gophers, Vikings, and UFF DA'S! She is now officially a Minnesota girl! We also found something really cute for our Bride and Groom too!! {You'll get that for Christmas}

Me, posing for Victoria's Secret!

Then around 3 p.m. I took Tiffany to the MSP Airport. We said our goodbyes and she went into the airport with a promise to text and call when she got to the gates and landed the planes. Little did we know...that was just the beginning of the adventure for her!

She made it to Charlotte without incident. Once in Charlotte though, she learned they had cancelled her flight due to maintenance issues....go figure! So they flew her into Hilton Head and taxi cabbed her to Savannah from there. She had to get back for her surgery this morning...no excuses...and no room for errors either! She made it to Savannah...she called me in a panic because she couldn't find her vehicle...she made it home at 1 a.m.

And that was our weekend...in 3 posts!

Happy Monday ya'll!
Love,
TT

Saturday Night~Joe's Crab Shacked!

Saturday brought us a hell of a snow storm and it was just what Tiffany wanted too! We left the hotel at 2 p.m. to head to Joe's Crab Shack to meet Bruce, Irene, and Lorraine. Well, it only took us an hour and a half to get to Maple Grove from Burnsville so we were there at 3:30 p.m.

Of course, I asked for Joey...our FAVORITE WAITER! Take it all off Joey!! {He's such a great sport about it too!} He was tickled that we were there...once again. He's the one we always ask for...and the one we always photograph the most too! He always treats us so special when we are there and just caters to our every whim! When we asked for a dance...this is what they gave us!

Joey and Irene dancing!! Nice buns you two!!
Group picture at Joe's Crab Shack...Me, Joey, Irene, Bruce, Lorraine and Tiffany!
Princess Snow Angel...with a Georgia Bulldog Thong!
I was asked to produce a Snow Angel...here she is...as requested...just for you Chip! {Ya Nut!} The guy that was staying next door to us watched us do all this, and then wanted to make sure that we had seen snow before....what a weirdo he was! I thanked him for his concern and for watching our little show....can you say DORK?? The snow storm in full effect on Saturday afternoon. We had went to Faribault that morning and it was starting to get bad and iced over...we were glad to be back to the hotel! This is the snapshot from the balcony of the hotel room...visibility was down to 2 miles or less...it was fun though! We even did a 360 coming home from Joe's while pulling into the road to the hotel!
Lyndale Tunnel...on our way to Joe's...South of downtown Minneapolis...and MY favorite tunnel EVER!!
ZANE Avenue Bridge...just for you Zane!! We thought of you everytime we passed under the damn thing too!! {4 times at least!}
At the end of our day...around 8:00 p.m. or so...we were going to Buck Hill to go tubing...only to get there and discover that the tubing hill wasn't even open. Oh well, next time!

Friday Night~Hooter-ized!

Friday after I picked up Tiffany at the airport, we went to the hotel and checked in and hauled all of our stuff upstairs to room 226 at the Red Roof Inn....Next to none other than...HOOTERS!

We spent the day driving around the greater northern Minneapolis area as I was taking Tiffany on a tour of the cities. We ended up at the Polo Outlet Store in Albertville in search of none other than POLO splash on cologne. {They didn't have it either!}

We made our way to HOOTERS by 4:01 p.m....just like we promised! Little did we know...The next 6 hours would be the funnest! Here are some pictures....as promised.

Tracy, our fun waitress! She was a HOOT!! She stood up on this chair to take the group picture of us and I caught her on it after I got Mack Daddy back!
Lorraine...Irene's sister and Godmother...and a HOOT herself! She had 4 of them Tequila Sunrise's...and got sober at Shooters...so she thought!! Little did she know...she was with us at HOOTERS!! We love you Lorraine!!
3 Mile Island Wings...That Chip recommended! They were very good...but I could only eat 5 out of the 10 I ordered (we had pizza at 1 p.m. so I wasn't all that hungry anyway)...I brought the rest home...and as a matter of fact...I'm going to eat the rest tonight for supper after I post this blog~Thanks Chip for that recommendation!! P really is for Princess!
MMMmmmmmm....M&M's that Kelly sent for us to snack on! The leftovers will be going with me to work for my dispenser there! Thanks Kelly...I picked up the package from the Post Office before I picked up Tiffany!! We love you honey!!
HOOTERS!!!! I got HOOTERIZED proper! I Love Hooters Stickers all over my HOOTERS! I kept telling Tracy our waitress that I could work there...cause my HOOTERS were as big as hers...and I could fill out them shorts too!! HOOTERS HOOTERIZED!!!
Our Group picture! Lorraine, Tiffany, Irene, and me with Bruce in the back! Bruce said he'd meet us at Hooters just in case we didn't get to meet at Joe's Crab Shack on Saturday night. When Bruce walked in and introduced Lorraine as Irene's sister, I knew Irene was hiding around the corner! SHE WAS TOO!! She surprised both Tiffany and I and brought our birthday presents too! We had such a blast with you all, we just can't wait until April to do it again!! We love you!!