Softball season....

Softball season is here and is what we are doing almost every evening in the Cunningham household these days. Eliza is playing tee ball for the first time and Skylar is on two different teams this year. Skylar played in her first tournament last weekend and the team placed 3rd of 4 teams. I was proud of the way she hustled on the field and didn't back down from the pitcher. I was amazed that she and her teammates were not intimidated by the other teams given that most of the girls were 2 years older than Skylar.
Here are a few random pics from the games.

Digital Layout Share...

Just thought I would pop in today to share a digital scrapbook layout I put together today. The proceeds from the purchase of the digital kit go to Autism Speaks with $4 in matching dollars going to the cause as well.

http://www.songbirdavenue.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13&products_id=33

Latest pages...

Not much to report today in the Cunningham household. I have been working from home with a sick Eliza the last couple of days. Yesterday was fairly productive, but today I spent all day on conference calls, e-mailing from my Blackberry and smacking my computer. How could it work one day and not the next?!?!? ... the question of the day...Is technology supposed to make our lives easier or more stressful?...


Anyway, I thought I would share a few of my latest layouts.

Also, here are the girls' latest school pictures. Skylar's photo made me teary eyed. They are just growing up too fast! E-mail me if you want me to order you some...

Easter...and blessings...

It's been a while again since I have posted. I have, again, been very busy at work and Danny is working night and day at the lake. We are also gearing up with softball, t-ball, and dance recital around here. The spring time is really no fun for mom the taxi driver.

I have tried to take a little time and smell the roses each day, however. I have written a quote on my white board at work, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." So true....So true...I love having the little reminder in my cubicle every day.

Things to be thankful for this week:

1) Easter...the blessing of eternal life is a gift like no other, and the chance to share the day with family was wonderful.

2) A husband who loves me unconditionally and is also my best friend

3) At least it is spring and not winter now that we discovered we need a new furnace : (

4) Kids who are healthy most days (stayed home with Skylar once this week but haven't stayed home all school year until now)

5) Eliza hit her first t-ball off of a pitch...so thankful to be able to feel a mother's pride

6) Skylar is a wonder at piano...the teacher can't say enough about her talent and is happy to have her as a student. Again, so thankful to be able to feel a mother's pride.

7) Having a job that is 75% up my alley even if it kicks my butt and drains my energy certain days. Some people aren't lucky enough to know a fulfilling career let alone have a job in this economy.

8) Wonderful friends to vent to and be able to be there for them as well.

9) Blankets and slippers....did I say our furnace is broken?

10) Internet blogs,Twitter and Facebook, and Star Trek and Deadliest Catch on Tivo. These distractions help me wind down and be able to use my brain again another day. Boy, do I need these diversions.... All work and no play makes Gina a CRANKY LADY!!!!!

Thanks for listening to me ramble. Here are a few Easter photos of the girls coloring eggs. ENJOY!

Signs of Spring....

Just a quick note to say we are seeing a few signs of spring here at the Cunningham household. We are doing a little spring cleaning by purging 9 garbage bags of toys and clothes to Goodwill. Boy, did that feel good! We rearranged the girls' rooms and put together a couple of shelves too. 34 screws and 90 nails later, each girl had a new organized place to keep their stuff...now if I could just get Eliza to use her hamper.


We also started opening up some windows and letting in the fresh air.


Here are a couple of photos of the kitties enjoying the sun and breeze yesterday.

Word of the Year...

Wow! It has been 2 months since my last blogpost. I have been a little down in the dumps lately questioning how much time I spend away from friends and family and if it is really worth it. I am on a committee at work to investigate solutions for the general work/life balance problem we have at Aviva Investors as well, which is sort of ironic. I may not be the best person to solve the problem given that I have such an imbalance myself. However, thinking about the issues revealed by this committee has finally lead me to figure out what my word of the year should be:

BALANCE. Balance work and home; balance working and playing; balance time with Danny and time with the girls; balance working on the various committees and customers at work with managing people

Let's hope by the end of this year that I am more in balance. Wish me luck.

Funny Saturday photos...

Jenn and I got together Saturday to get prizes ready for our scrapbooking group's annual retreat next weekend. We took some random funny photos along the way. It's fun random moments like these that make life worth living.

Tagged...

I just got tagged from my friend Mary Perry. For the tag, simply go to the place where you keep all your photos, scroll down to the 6th folder and choose the 6th photo.Post the photo and describe it. That's it! Have fun!














Well, here it is Eliza feeling her muscles on a warm summer day out on our deck. She is wearing one of her many creative outfits and showing off doing just about everything. She begged for me to take her picture and she chose to show me her muscles as her pose of choice this day.

Happy Birthday, Danny!

Danny and I headed to Minnesota, and the girls spent a couple of days with Grandpa and Grandma Peterson the weekend of Danny's 36th birthday.

The girls had a blast playing with Grandma and Grandpa and of course the kitties. They also did a lot of decorating to greet us as we got back.

We took Benji, Danny's co-worker and friend, and his fiance, Laurie with us to the Minneapolis boat show, the Mall of America, and some time in downtown Minneapolis celebrating at the Hard Rock and a piano bar. We even ventured out to downtown on the Minnepolis light rail system. The piano bar was a blast, the time away was nice, but I just loved the light rail. I have such a fascination with public transportation lately. Don't ask me why.

Recent scrapbook layouts.

Just thought I would post a few of my latest layouts.

New kitty happenings...

Well, we have now had our new kitty, Coco for 2 weeks, and thought I would give an update.
1)She has gotten used to the house, and has not had any accidents.
2)She is cuddly and social
3)She loves to sleep under Skylar's bed(Ryobi rarely goes near Skylar or Eliza's room)
4)She still has her front claws but surprisingly hasn't used them unless playing with Danny.
5)We have been treating her for ear mites and gave her a flea bath just in case...I am happy to report that no fleas were detected but a wet cat always makes for funny photos.
6)Ryobi is still queen of the house and hisses and growls at the site of Coco...I do hope this behavior goes away soon!