The Peanut Gallery

Summer Update

2011-07-08T21:43:00.009-05:00

The last few months have flown by. These warmer months always seem to do that, probably because we are enjoying being OUTSIDE in the sunshine. We also took a trip last month to see our families in California, and all of the preparation and excitement involved in that venture made it seem as though June just disappeared.

Before leaving, we went on a hike near Minnehaha Falls, which are about a mile from our house. We all love little hikes like this, and this was a perfect early summer afternoon.

Our time in California was lovely, and very exciting for the kids, as they always love the time with their grandparents and cousins.

They were thrilled to swim in the ocean.
So much sand to explore.
Papa did a good job of keeping them safe in the waves.

We had a big 6th birthday party for Jack while we were there, graciously hosted by my brother and sister in law. This amazing cake was made by Joel's sister, Faith, and our cousin, Lori. They worked so hard on it, and Jack loved it! His Uncle Charles also spent a lot of time making the amazing lego creations for the cake. Jack was feeling very special, to say the least.
The cousin round up.
The Darth Vader pinata.
Jack takes a swing.
The Yoda Soda was a hit. We had a great time, and it was a wonderful excuse to get the whole family together for an afternoon.

While at Grandma Greer and Grandad's house, Corrie spent a lot of time with Beatrice the Basset, and actually trained her to shake hands.

The kids had a great time attending "Adventure Week" at their cousins' church. As you can see from the photo, they really enjoyed themselves.

Cousins

We also ventured up to Santa Barbara for a day to see Joel's grandma and some of the rest of his family. Grandma took us out to lunch on the SB pier. We had such a good visit with her.

The kids loved this whale at Moby Dick, a restaurant that Joel's family has frequented and enjoyed for many years.

It was hard to say goodbye to everyone, but we were so thankful for such a full and wonderful trip. Upon returning, we had a bout of fevers and coughs that kept us home for a solid week or so. It's never fun to be sick, but it provided a good chance to rest after all of the activities in California. We are now back in the Minnesota summer swing of things, with swim lessons and trips to the lake being at the top of our agenda.

Grandma & Grandad Time

2011-04-21T20:20:00.005-05:00

We had a visit last week from Joel's parents. Despite the cold almost-winter-not-really-springish-at-all kind of weather we've been experiencing, we had a good time with them, and even braved the brutal wind at the park a couple of times. The kids are now insisting on playing outside, no matter how cold it is. They will not be denied any longer.

But, back to our visitors. The kids always love a visit from the grandparents, and this was no exception. They played games on Grandad's ipad, talked and snuggled with Grandma, and enjoyed a break from our normal routine. They also loved being able to involve them in our world by having them come to our church, and to our co-op and swim lessons.

We went on a fun outing to a locally well-known ice cream place. Yum.

We also visited the fabulous and free Minneapolis Institute of Art. Every time we go there, I am amazed by how much our kids enjoy it. Other than drying Jack's tears after he got a stern lecture from a docent for stepping on a platform marked "do not touch", we had a great time.

Good times at Smashburger. Our first time there . . . we enjoyed the food, but were puzzled by a steady shower of styrofoam landing on our table as it drifted down from the ceiling. The manager looked puzzled, too. Definitely don't need indoor snow effects in Minnesota.

As usual, Grandma and Grandad were generous with the kiddos -- Corrie is here sporting her new favorite shirt.

We also stopped by Target Field to buy some Twins tickets. Joel and I are planning a baseball date for when my parents visit -- next week. Hoping it won't be as cold as it was when we took that picture. Stay tuned for my whining if it is.

Thanks to Grandma and Grandad for making the trip, and for loads of fun memories.

Expert Day

2011-04-15T15:42:00.004-05:00

This week brought "Expert Day" at our home school co-op. The kids each have to become an expert on something, prepare a display and report, and then give that report to small groups of their fellow students.

Corrie's chose the topic of gladiators.

A bit gory . . . perhaps not the most feminine of topics, but the kids seemed to enjoy her report, and she did a terrific job.

Jack was proud of his big sis.

Lutsen - Part 2

2011-04-06T16:47:00.009-05:00

After our pool time and lunch back in our condo, we decided to head out on a snowy hike. I must admit that I was less than thrilled about packing all of our snow paraphernalia, but I was glad I did when it enabled us to go on a hike and see a tiny bit of the famous Superior Hiking Trail. It was beautiful and amazingly silent in the woods (if you don't count my less-than-silent kids). The kids loved looking for the blue marks on the trees that confirmed we were still on the right path, and, of course, they loved just playing in the snow along the way.

By the end of the hike, the boys were tired, but still had a burning desire to go throw rocks into the biggest freshwater lake in the world.

That night, Corrie and I made a point to go out on our porch to see the stars over the lake. It was truly one of the most amazing sights I can remember. The darkness of the huge lake contrasted with the bright stars was incredible.

We awoke the next morning to some pancakes prepared by Daddy.

After breakfast, we went back to the pool, where we enjoyed having the whole facility to ourselves. These are the benefits of traveling in the middle of the week in the off season.

We then packed everyone into the van and drove about 30 minutes north, to the town of Grand Marais. We'd heard a lot about this area, and we could definitely see how charming it must be in the summer and fall. We had a good lunch at the Minnesota-famous Sven and Ole's, where Joel and I shared pizza made with (you guessed it) wild rice. Then, we took a walk along the shore and out toward the Grand Marais light house. Finally, we stopped off at the Java Moose for some tasty coffee beverages before heading back to Lutsen.

After some down time back at the condo, we split up for one last adventure. Joel took Corrie on a longer hike up a mountain overlooking the lake, while the boys and I walked along the rocky shoreline and collected some more Lake Superior rocks.

That night we experienced a small tragedy, in that Corrie and I had raved about our star viewing to the boys and encouraged them to stay up to see them. Unfortunately, clouds came in that evening, and there wasn't a star to be seen. Our very tired boys cried and cried when they hopefully ran outside and were completely disappointed. One would think I would have already learned the lesson of not promoting such things until I know with certainty that they are going to happen. Oh well, we now have an excuse to go star gazing again this summer.

The following morning we set off from home with snowflakes falling. Thankfully, it wasn't a terrible storm, and it actually made for quite the beautiful drive.

Now we are home, and eagerly awaiting the arrival of warmer days. Today it was 57! And I actually saw a 70 in our forecast! Dare we hope???

Lutsen - Part 1

2011-04-04T14:00:00.007-05:00

We had the fantastic opportunity last week to take a four day trip to Lutsen, a town about 4 hours drive north of Minneapolis, on the shore of Lake Superior. Despite the still-winterish-not-really-spring-yet weather, we had a great time. I especially enjoyed spending time with Joel and the kids away from home, and without any agenda. As a homeschooling mom, I often feel like my interactions with the kids are centered around prodding them on toward accomplishing some task. Last week, we had the chance to just *be* together -- playing games, throwing rocks in the lake, hiking, and having fun.

We drove up on a beautiful, clear day, and our first stop was Pizza Luce in Duluth. The pizza was fantastic, as usual, and the kids enjoyed getting to watch the pizza dough being flung into the air.

We also got to see a number of deer on the drive north (we are still Southern Californians at heart, and are excited easily by the viewing of critters in the wild).

The next morning, we had breakfast at the Lutsen Lodge, where the kids enjoyed pancakes shaped like little bears, I had eggs, and Joel went with the wild rice pancakes. An endearing Minnesota North Shore tradition is to somehow incorporate wild rice into every recipe. I must admit, the pancakes were *very* good.

After breakfast, we began exploring the Lake Superior shoreline.

But, seeing as the temperature was a bit on the chilly side, we decided to head for the indoor pool and spa for some morning recreation.

Nothing says vacation like chocolate milk, poolside. I think we all felt like the trip was off to a good start.

Craft Time

2011-03-27T18:31:00.003-06:00

I am a horrible mom. It is a rare day that I do crafts with my kids, even though they love them and would craft away each day if allowed to do so. Why? Because I am lazy. There you have it. True confessions.

Every once in a while, though, I get inspired. Inspiration this weekend came in the form of a "Bead Pets" kit sent by Auntie Lori and Uncle Jeremy for Corrie's birthday. How could I refuse when the kids were so excited to get started?? So, I read the directions, enlisted Joel for help, and, lo and behold, we have pets made of beads!!

Thank you, Jeremy and Lori, for enhancing the lives of my craft deprived children. They loved it!

Swim Lessons!

2011-03-26T09:20:00.004-06:00

In an attempt to beat the late winter doldrums, we decided to sign the kids up for some swim lessons. After a few attempts at taking lessons at the community pool, and not seeing much progress, we decided to pay a bit more and sign up for lessons at the local fancy pants swim school. With the abundance of lakes around here, the kids want to be able to swim in them all summer long, and so our goal for this summer is to really get them swimming well.

Our first lesson was last night, and I'm impressed so far. Corrie only has three kids in her class, and Jack only has four. The teachers seemed to do a great job of quickly assessing their skill level, and then got right to working hard with them. By the end of the lesson, Corrie was picking up rings from the bottom of the pool!

Before the lesson . . . ready to go!

Looking good in the pink goggles.

Benefit of fancy pants swim school: glass enclosed room to contain/entertain the Wes man.

The Long, Long Winter

2011-03-22T18:17:00.004-06:00

Well, to say that this post is overdue is more than an understatement, but I've decided to not give up completely on the ol' blog (yet). This year has been the busiest since we moved to Minnesota. Jack joined Corrie as an official student enrolled in the Bascom Homeschool Experiment. Keeping both of them learning, thinking, and reading (while keeping Wesley from dismantling our house) has kept me fairly occupied this year. We are also now involved in two co-ops -- one is a small gathering of moms and kids from our church, and another is a larger, more established group that provides field trips, testing, social gatherings, etc. Both groups have been a blessing, but meeting with the other ladies from our church has been a really wonderful thing for me and the kids this year. I have made some good friends, and so have the kids. My extroverted children are thrilled, and I'm exceedingly thankful.

Here is a photographic run down of the past several months:

In the fall, ready to kick off a new school year.

It was a typically beautiful fall in Minnesota.

We enjoyed it thoroughly . . . the kids loved picking apples and visiting the pumpkin patch.

The snow started in November, and there is still some on the ground today. In fact, we are expecting snow and sleet tonight. It has been a looooong winter. Spring, come soon. Please.
We took a break from the snow in January with a trip to California to see our families. Here's Corrie at the beach with little cousin Katie.

We all got to meet my brother's new baby girl, Emily. She was only two weeks old when we arrived.

We all love her.

The kids loved all the good cousin time.
But, soon enough we were back to this.
And this.
And this. Thankfully, the kids can't get enough of playing in it. Corrie told me this week that snow is the best thing about Minnesota. Gotta love that positive attitude.
I have to admit that my attitude is reflected pretty accurately by Wes in this picture. I love the snow at Christmas time . . . but by late March, I am officially ready for green.

And, to bring you completely up to date, we celebrated Corrie's 8th birthday this week. I'm ever so grateful for her. She fills the house with enthusiasm and make believe, she loves her little brothers somethin' fierce, and she gives me reasons to laugh every day.

Summer Milestone

2010-08-06T11:00:00.003-05:00

First ever treats from the ice cream truck. None of them were able to finish before massive melting occurred.

Busy Summer

2010-07-20T09:08:00.007-05:00

Summer is flying by, and we are doing our best to soak up every warm second of it. We've had an exceptionally busy summer, with Corrie playing soccer and continuing violin lessons, Corrie and Jack taking swim lessons, and visits from our families. Thrown into the mix has been some work related travel for Joel, along with an unexpected trip to California for the funeral of his grandfather. I am looking forward to the second half of summer having a slower pace . . . especially since I still need to sort and organize curriculum for the fall!

Here are some pictures of our latest excitement:

Jack turned 5 in June -- my parents came for a visit, and we had a fun celebration.

In honor of the big birthday, we went to the Children's Museum in Saint Paul. Jack is trying on the scarecrow's hat from the Wizard of Oz exhibit.

Joel's sister and her family came for a visit!

Lots of fun cousin time . . .

. . . including some nice swim time in the local lakes.

Corrie LOVED playing soccer this summer.

She was on a team with a very sweet group of little girls, and she wept bitter tears when the season ended.

Wes has spent most of the summer doing something like this.

I can't believe he will be 3 in a few weeks!

Chicago

2010-05-25T20:16:00.004-05:00

We arrived home yesterday from a road trip to Chicago, and are feeling very thankful for our time back on our old stomping grounds. We piled the kids in the car on Wednesday morning, and enjoyed the beautiful drive across Wisconsin and down into the northern 'burbs of Chicago. The kids did quite well on the drive, and were delighted with our hotel and the wondrous murphy bed upon which Corrie and Jack were privileged to sleep. Thankfully, no one was smashed or maimed as a result of their fascination with that bed.

Our first day in Chicagoland involved taking the train into the city, where we went to the Shedd Aquarium, Buckingham Fountain and Michigan Avenue. The kids had a great time, and the boys were especially enamored with the train ride. Our second day was dedicated to returning to our home in Evanston, where Corrie was born and lived the first year of her life. It was great, and so nostalgic for Joel and I. The next day we went into the city again, this time by car, and visited the fantastic Lincoln Park Zoo, and saw a concert in the same neighborhood by our friends, The Spares. Love, love, love their music!

Finally, we were able to attend a church that was recently established by some good friends from our Chicago days, and then were hosted for lunch by some friends who made up our small group at that time. We haven't seen many of them for years, but it was great to make connections again, and to see how our families have grown. We were all young married couples with no kids in those days, and now there was quite the gang of little ones running around.

All in all, a great trip . . . and a gift to have Joel away from work and all to ourselves for a few days!

On the Train!

Aquarium

Getting ready for the 3D Movie. She hated it, by the way.

Wes & Daddy

That is one big fountain

At the front door of our old apartment

Best giant cinnamon chip scones ever.

We stopped at a lot of playgrounds

Hey look, it's a polar bear

Thankful Mama

2010-05-09T21:41:00.002-05:00

Lowry Nature Center

2010-05-06T09:47:00.003-05:00

We took a family field trip this week to one of the nature centers / park reserves in our area. It was a beautiful, HUGE place with great walking trails. The kids absolutely love these places, and are more than happy to spend the morning being "nature explorers." This particular nature center included a great nature themed playground, complete with otter slides, a beaver dam, and lily pads. We are having an amazing early spring in Minnesota, and it feels so great to get out an enjoy it.

Some pictures . . .

The Latest News

2010-04-11T21:21:00.004-05:00

We've had a great couple of weeks here in Minneapolis. Spring has arrived early (for this part of the world), and we have been enjoying beautiful days. Daffodils and tulips are coming up, trees are blossoming, and I am LOVING the general greenness all around.

We had a great visit with my parents, who were here for a week and spent Easter with us. Trips to the zoo and to the park were highlights for the kids, and I especially enjoyed our fantastic Easter feast together. Here are some pictures of our times enjoying the sun . . . and a short video of Corrie's very first attempt at riding her bike without training wheels. I think she's got the hang of it, and she's looking forward to a lot of riding this summer.

My handsome guy, on a stroll.

The Easter 2010 shot

Grandma and Jack at the zoo

Cheeeeeeese!

Violin Recital Time

2010-03-25T19:57:00.005-06:00

Here is the video from Corrie's violin recital, which took place this evening. It was our fourth recital of this school year, and was a little bit more challenging for Corrie than others have been. She was upset because a couple of girls teased her by telling her there was a spider in her hair right before the recital started. Being deathly afraid of spiders, she did not take this joke very well. Then, she was frustrated because the accompanist played her piece too slowly. But, all in all, she survived and made it through the song. Oh, and you'll be happy to know that the teasing girls apologized to her during the post-recital cookie and punch time, so all is right with the world.

Here is a link to our usual poor quality video. Someday, I shall purchase a new camera . . .

Corrie's Performance

Kansas City

2010-03-21T20:19:00.004-06:00

We arrived home yesterday from a short trip to Kansas City, MO. Joel's parents were there in order to cheer on our ol' alma mater, Biola, at the national basketball tournament. So, we made plans to meet up and spend a few days together. The kids did amazingly well with the driving portion of the trip. As long as we kept their favorite CD's playing, and the snacks coming, they were quite content. Wes had a couple of minor meltdowns when he just couldn't take it anymore, but other than that, the 7 hour drive went smoothly.

Upon arrival in Kansas City, we settled into the Residence Inn, where we shared a nice, spacious suite with Joel's parents. It was perfect for our family. It was perfect for the adults because the children could be enclosed in their own room, and we didn't all have to go to bed at 8 o'clock. It was perfect for the children because of the free breakfast buffet that was included with the room price. I don't know about other kiddos, but mine can (and do) eat a serious quantity of food at breakfast time. Perhaps this is because they are often less than thrilled with my attempt-at-healthy dinner offerings, and therefore hold out until the good stuff comes out at breakfast. In any event, our kids felt that this breakfast buffet was truly nirvana, because they could eat, and eat, and eat cereal and yogurt and oatmeal and fruit until stuffed. Every morning.

The kids also enjoyed our trips to the art museum, the zoo, and the Crayola Cafe, where we celebrated Corrie's 7th birthday. She was thrilled with the special day, and capped it off by attending the Biola basketball game that evening. I was not with her, as I stayed back at the hotel to put the boys to bed, but Joel reported that she loved her first basketball game and cheered with exceeding loudness for Biola throughout the entire game.

The excitement for the adults mostly centered around food. Kansas City is known for it's barbecue, and massive quantities of it were ingested within a three day period. I think I'll eat salads forever from now on. Joel and I also had the rare opportunity to go out on a date, and we had a great time exploring the city a bit.

Unfortunately, the trip was very short, but it was great to get some bonus Grandma and Grandad time.

A sort of strange looking picture taken at the Albert Lea, MN gas station/gift shop/McDonalds. Jack, pull your shirt down, please.Running toward the giant shuttlecocks at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.

Me 'n' Joel

Awwww. Aren't they cute?We left our stroller at home. Not good with a rambunctious two year old in tow. Thank goodness for those stroller rentals at the zoo. Love this kid.Corrie and her Grandad.With Grandma on the big birthday.Wes and Corrie.

And, the big birthday celebration. She did share this with her brothers, after exclaiming, "Oh, I couldn't POSSIBLY manage it all!" Good times.

Posted on my Basement Wall

2010-03-12T15:21:00.003-06:00

Upon further investigation, I determined that they were looking for a shirt for one of their stuffed animals. Because they were playing house, and they "don't want naked children."

Co-Op Day

2010-03-11T06:50:00.002-06:00

Today is a busy day in our little world. Homeschool co-op, library, group violin lesson, dentist appointment. Listing all of this reminds me that I need to stop for gas in our van. But . . . anyhow . . . the kids love days like this, especially because it is a "co-op day." Our little co-op has been a great thing in our lives since moving here and beginning homeschooling. It meets right down the street (we could walk if I was inspired to walk through the sort-of-spring-melting-slush). Jack goes to a preschool class, and Corrie goes to art, PE, and science classes. They have a great time hanging out with the other kids and they get to learn all kinds of fascinating things that I would never cover at home. For example, Jack gets to use a lot of glitter, glue, and other mess-making craft stuff that I avoid like the plague. A highlight (or was it a lowlight?) for Corrie recently was learning about the anatomy of a fish in science class, by watching the teacher gut a fish right before her concerned eyes.

I am currently the "room mom" helper in Corrie's PE class. Though here in the frozen north they call it Phy Ed. Weird. They also call duck-duck-goose, "duck-duck-grey duck." Double weird. But the mild mannered Scandinavians will fight you to the death if you tell them that these names are wrong. Just a warning. What was I saying? Oh, yes, I am working in Corrie's Phy Ed class and am having a great time watching her learn the important things of which she is deprived while homeschooling, like how to play kickball and dodge ball.

Meanwhile, when I'm not helping out in some way or another, I get some time to sit and talk with the other moms. This has been a great resource for me, as a non-native to the area, because I hear about all kinds of fun ideas for family outings, lessons, activities, etc.

Now, we'll work on being just as thankful for the dentist.

Bedhead

2010-03-09T07:35:00.002-06:00

Weekend Excitement

2010-03-06T18:56:00.006-06:00

We kicked off this weekend with fresh haircuts. This picture pretty much captures the attitudes of our children regarding this activity:

On Friday (day 1 of Joel's weekend) we decided to explore a bit of Minnesota that we haven't yet seen. We drove for about an hour down the Minnesota River to the town of St. Peter. It was a pretty drive, even across the snow covered landscape, and we had a good time spotting farm animals and bald eagles circling overhead. St. Peter was a cute little town, and is home to Gustavus Adolphus college. I enjoyed the trip, though I was sorely disappointed that we were unable to locate the cheesy tourist attraction of "St. Peter's Pearly Gates." The city's website declares that authentic appearance of the gates will actually make you pinch yourself in order to confirm that you haven't reached the great beyond. Perhaps next time.

Ballet

2010-03-03T20:15:00.002-06:00

For months, or perhaps years, Corrie has been asking to take a ballet class. She loves to dance at home, and would earnestly tell me, "Mom, I just really, really admire people who do ballet." We were hesitant, however, to pursue this interest because of the time and money involved. I had always heard that dance classes were very expensive, especially when considering the cost of costumes for performances. I looked into our local park and recreation options, but they only offered classes for wee little preschoolers. Finally, I happened upon a great option. A local dance studio started offering ballet classes during the daytime for home schoolers. The price was reasonable, there are no formal performances, just an hour per week to dance, dance, dance with a great teacher and a few other little girls. Since Corrie's birthday is coming up this month, it became her birthday present, and she is overjoyed.

Her first class was this week, and it was pretty fun to watch her having such a great time. I truly don't think she ever stopped smiling.

How a Minnesota Kid Eats Breakfast

2010-03-01T22:07:00.001-06:00

Goodbye, Olympics

2010-02-28T20:42:00.003-06:00

Olympic Fever has overtaken our household for the past two weeks. The kids have loved catching some of the action every night. They love to chant U-S-A at annoyingly loud decibel levels. Even Wes gets in on the action. When walking into the room and seeing the Olympics on TV, he immediately looks at Joel or I and asks "This guy USA?" If we say no, he walks away as if he can't be bothered. Corrie was troubled by the absence of team USA from some of the sports, and so set about making a list of the countries she deemed worthy of support. In true Corrie fashion, she decided on each country based on whether or not it has spawned one of her favorite composers or literary characters.

We also have a new appreciation for winter sports because we live in the land of snow and ice. Joel was nearly mowed down, while walking through our neighborhood last week, by cross country skiers coming out of their driveway. People ski, snow shoe, ice fish, go tubing, and play hockey here like crazy. Rather than retreat from the insane cold, everyone just gets out in it and has fun. Someday, perhaps, we will join their ranks. Joel is eager to take Corrie for a cross country skiing lesson. Watch out world.

And so, we are sad to see the Olympics go. But not sad to see the commercials go. We had to cover the kids eyes umpteen million times to avoid nightmare inducing ads for 'Shutter Island' and 'Clash of the Titans.' If we had seen one more P&G "up with moms" ad, I would have had to cover Joel's eyes as well. "You'll neeeeever waaallk aloooooone."

Mouse Trap

2010-02-26T17:01:00.004-06:00

What to do on Daddy's weekend, when we all have disgusting colds and its freezing outside?? Play Mouse Trap, of course. Here is a video of Jack's special technique for rolling dice. I like his form.

A New Violin

2010-02-25T19:57:00.003-06:00

After almost two years of playing violin, Corrie finally grew enough to move up to a larger sized instrument. As of today, she is now the proud owner of a 1/8 violin, versus the 1/10 she had before. It is a big improvement in terms of the sound of the instrument. This excites me greatly, as I am privileged to be her practice coach at home. In other words, I get to listed to a whole lotta 6 year old style violin playin', and I'm thrilled that it will now sound a bit better.

The violin shop has a great statue of 'Concerto Charlie Brown' out front, and seeing him is always a highlight for Corrie.

In spite of all the work involved for both of us, we are definitely seeing the benefits of studying an instrument. Corrie has had to learn a lot of discipline and has really had to stretch herself to master each piece. She is less than thrilled with practicing, but she loves to perform, and she loves to play with other kids. We were just at a group lesson today where she performed a Bach minuet with four other little girls. It actually sounded quite good! As with most everything in life, it is amazing to see the progress that happens from steady, daily work.

Welcome to the family, Jesse the Violin and Louise the Bow (yes, she names them). Farewell, Judy and Betty. We'll never forget you.

Back to Blogging

2010-02-24T19:57:00.004-06:00

I'm going to make an effort to return to regular blogging. I thought that the new blog design would give me inspiration. I'm still not sure if I like it, or if it hurts my eyes. I think that I am also in desperate need of some color in my life because of the frozen white landscape that has surrounded me for the past 3 months. As we approach March, the longing for spring is definitely kicking in. I am struck by just how different our life is in the winter as compared to the summer. I look at pictures from the State Fair, below, and can hardly believe that we are living in the same city. All of the pictures we take now look like this:

I will admit, though, that the kids love the snow. Soon, they will be old enough to completely dress themselves for the outdoor experience. Soon, they will also be able to shovel the sidewalks.

Sate Fair Fun

2009-08-27T20:10:00.008-05:00

Today we made our annual sojourn to the Minnesota State Fair. We soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed a quantity of tasty fair food, all within about 4-5 hours, by which time Wes was officially sick and tired of being strapped into a stroller. Corrie and Jack love the "Little Farm Hands" exhibit every year, as well as the "Miracle of Birth" center, where they get to touch and admire baby farm animals. Wes was very excited by the various animal barns, and used the opportunity to rehearse all of his animal noises. This year was the first time that we attended on the fair's opening day, and so that led to a few interesting sightings as exhibitors were still moving their animals into their proper places. In fact, we were caught in a minor pig stampede in the swine barn, as some poor souls were trying to herd their pigs into the proper pens while observers with giant strollers (like us) stood in their way.

My favorite fair food continues to be the very tasty and very fresh Sweet Martha's chocolate chip cookies. The kids continued to love the best bargain at the fair -- all-you-can-drink-for-$1-milk. As an added bonus, our very own Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar served the milk to Joel. What more could we ask for, really? Though, then again, we got to witness Al Franken kissing babies last year. We'll have to contemplate which one ranks highest on our scale of political excitement.

It was a good day.

Cow Crossing

Daddy and Daughter

Can't believe I have to wait another year for these . .

Wes looking less than thrilled about the Swine Barn

Corrie looks a bit crazed in this picture . . . maybe it's the excitement!

Hotdish on a stick. With gravy for dipping.

Tattoos

Having Fun

Farm Girl

Sportin' the John Deere Hat

Little Farm Hands

Excitement Abounds

2009-08-26T22:12:00.001-05:00

The curriculum has arrived.

The Bascom Children Recommend . . .

2009-08-24T14:49:00.004-05:00

1. The Music Man

I grew up with plenty of exposure to this classic, thanks to my mom's family and their over-the-top obsession with this film. As an adult, however, it had been many years since I'd seen it until I stumbled across it whilst perusing the instant viewing options on Netflix. I played it for the kiddos on family movie night, and the rest is history. They *love* this movie. They sing the songs (loudly) all of the time - and I do mean *all* of the time, including the times that we are trying to pick up toothpaste and note cards at Target. I did get a few strange looks as Jack was belting out the line " . . . I have my standards where men are concerned . . ."

2. The Adventures of Robin Hood

Starring Errol Flynn, this old version of Robin Hood is perfect for Corrie and Jack. The plot is easy to follow, and there are a lot of fight scenes and corny laughs. It has inspired a lot of Robin Hood and Maid Marion play around the house, along with Corrie's new burning desire to become an Olympic archer. Watch out world.

I Know

2009-08-22T21:32:00.006-05:00

I know, I know, I know, I know, I *know*. I haven't blogged for 5 months, and therefore am the biggest blog slacker that every blogged. I also know that this means that no one even checks this site for updates anymore, except for maybe my parents (hi mom and dad!). Here is the Reader's Digest version of the last months: we had several wonderful visits with family and friends, Jack turned 4 (in June), Wes turned 2 (this week), and life is good. The kids are growing, eating a lot, learning, enjoying summer, and generally thriving.

We are now gearing up for the homeschool year with Corrie entering 1st grade, and Jack starting to learn some of the basics. I have placed giant orders for curriculum, and am eagerly awaiting the beautiful rumbly sound of the UPS truck. Joel has been promoted and will be opening a new store, which means we will probably not see much of him until after the holiday season. This is obviously a bummer for the short-term, but a great thing for him (and all of us) for the long term. To top it all off, we have enjoyed a beautiful, cooler-than-usual summer, with a lot of time spent outside and around various lakes. We are thankful. Here are a few snapshots of our days, in no particular order:

6 Years Old - How Did That Happen?

2009-03-20T12:59:00.004-06:00

The First Violin Recital

2009-03-16T10:16:00.004-06:00

On March 10, Corrie participated in her first violin recital. She was beyond excited and couldn't wait to get on the stage. My only fear was that she would drop her violin on the way up to the platform, because she was such a bundle of crazy energy. As it turns out, everything went well. The violin was not dropped or harmed in any way, and she did a great job on her piece. The only thing that she forgot was her post-performance bow, which is a shame, because bowing is her specialty. Here is the video of the big moment . . . I apologize for the poor quality, but you can get the general idea.

All of the students with their brave teacher.

Corrie enjoying the post-recital refreshments.

Yes. Definitely.

2009-01-29T22:30:00.001-06:00

Corrie: "Mom, if I was thrown in the fiery furnace, would you call the fire department?"

SoCal in January

2009-01-23T23:23:00.004-06:00

It was almost impossible for me to wrap my mind around the fact that Wes was wandering the backyard at my parent's house in *January* dressed like this. Yes, I grew up in Southern California, but the 100 degree temperature difference between our new home and old home was unbelievable.

9 Things to Love About Joel (on our 9th anniversary)

2009-01-07T21:40:00.004-06:00

Drumroll, please . . . . .

9. He makes me laugh. Hard. Regularly.

8. He comes home from work singing disco songs that he hears all day on the 70's satelite radio station. (This invariably leads back to #9)

7. He is always complimenting my appearance, even when I have the most horrid case of bed head, and am wearing clothes that have been soiled or stained by one of our offspring.

6. He makes a really good batch of nachos. Nachos are important in a marriage.

5. He listens to me. One reality of life for a stay-at-home (not to mention homeschooling) mom, is that there can be a distinct lack of adult interaction in one's day. Joel comes home from work, where he has been talking and listening all day, and never fails to listen to me blather on about the kids, politics, theology, or whatever is rattling around in my head at the moment.

4. He is a great source of information on everything from the Old Testament to good wine. Very handy for a gal like me.

3. He is a great daddy to our little ones. He is always willing to take care of the kids in any way, whether that be by changing a diaper, supervising bedtime, or helping with a math lesson.

2. He encourages me to try new things, and to break out of my habits (OK, ruts). Without Joel, I would be deprived of so many things I now enjoy . . . like foreign films, Indian food, and any number of vegetables.

1. He is committed to Christ and His Kingdom, and is my brother in Christ, as well as my husband and dearest friend.

Cold

2008-12-16T12:32:00.003-06:00

Really. Truly. Cold.

Here are the facts:

Bitter cold this morning with 8 A.M. temperatures around -9 below (wind-chill -23 below) then 0 degrees (wind-chill -11 below) at noon and +4 degrees (wind-chill -9 below) at sunset (4:33 P.M.). Winds today will be from the East-Southeast at 5 to 10 mph.

We encountered our first ever frozen pipe today, which was thankfully thawed by my hair dryer. I bundled up in my coat-that-looks-like-I'm-wearing-a-down-comforter and headed off for a hair cut this morning. The traction control system on the van was working overtime, and I saw a car that had obviously skidded off the road and right into the side of our local library. I also saw kids jumping up and down to warm themselves as they waited for the school bus. I recalled being "cold" in Southern California when it would sometimes be in the 40's as I waited for the bus in high school. Little did I know what it means to be *cold.*

Mercies, Great and Small

2008-12-05T20:14:00.003-06:00

Today we are drowning in used Kleenex, children's Tylenol, and (adult) Benadryl. A nasty cold has descended upon us. I am the only member of the household who remains unaffected, which is a tremendous blessing considering the fact that I spent the entire day with a screaming one year old glued to my hip. We were forced to ask our small group from church to relocate tonight's meeting (normally held in our home), as Wes seemed destined for a trip to urgent care. As it turns out, though, he improved quite a bit this evening and calmed down enough to play a bit and pad around the house in his Christmas jammies. I was grateful for this small mercy, and we were all happy to see the snow falling beautifully outside just before we tucked the kids in for the night.

Speaking of mercy, I ran across this quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and felt it should be passed along:

"A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes - and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."

Thankful, Thankful

2008-12-02T21:50:00.003-06:00

Our Thanksgiving Day was quiet and lovely. Joel has been working through the typical insanity that surrounds grocery establishments at holiday times, and so we decided to spend the day at home -- just the five of us. We started the day with some special breakfast foods and a viewing of the Macy's parade. Corrie was enthused beyond measure to see Ariel dancing around on roller skates in her fantastic bikini costume during a performance from The Little Mermaid Broadway show. Jack glanced at a couple of balloons, but otherwise entertained himself by bouncing around the room. Wes, as he typically does these days, entertained himself by trying to climb on any stationary object in the vicinity.

After the parade viewing went by the wayside, we gathered the kids and had them tell us what they are thankful for this year. We started a "Thankfulness Book" with them last year, thinking that it would be fun to look back at their responses in the future. This year, the items included Mommy, Daddy, grandparents, and birds. This reminds me . . . Corrie came back from our home school co-op last week with a thankfulness tree. On each leaf she had written something that she is thankful for. I looked over the leaves, smiling at each sweet thing she had said, until I saw a leaf with "Corrie" written on it. I asked her if she was thankful for herself, and she replied, "of course." Can't say we haven't endowed the child with a good sense of self-esteem.

After some rest, and a viewing of the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, we enjoyed a very tasty turkey and some nice side dishes, including one outstanding green bean dish with a butter and white wine sauce. The children ate very little of our exciting feast, though Corrie did eat a copious amount of cranberry sauce. We had pumpkin pie for desert, and we all watched Jack as he very meticulously ate all of the whipped cream off of his slice without tasting one bit of the pie.

We always miss being far away from our families on days like this, but it was a good time of laughing with our kids, feasting together, and pondering all that we have to be thankful for.

Corrie is currently fascinated by pilgrims.

Jack enjoying his breakfast. Or is he? And can someone please explain to me why my children cannot keep their food on the plate? Notice the runaway bacon.

Wes is happy and ready to eat.

Bring on the food.

Reformation Day / Ho-Down / Halloween

2008-11-02T07:01:00.004-06:00

We love our church. Our small OPC church plant in Saint Paul is filled with great people, of all different ages, who occasionally enjoy defying (or at least stretching) the Presbyterian and Minnesotan stereotypes. An example of this was seen on Friday night, as we held our second annual Reformation Day celebration. The event was commemorated with a dinner and square dance in the church basement. And, since Reformation Day coincides with Halloween, costumes were welcome. There was a lot of excitement out on the dance floor, demonstrating that we are not *always* the "frozen chosen." Our kids had a great time -- especially Corrie, who was a square dancing pro. She did experience one moment of terror when one of the men from the church entered the room dressed as Darth Vader, but she recovered when she realized that it was only "Henry's daddy."

Here are some pictures of our little barnyard critters, and one happy cowgirl.

Fall is Here

2008-10-11T11:29:00.005-05:00

Minneapolis is truly beautiful right now. Our backyard ash tree is dropping it's yellow leaves. All around our neighborhood, maples are turning bright red and there is a very satisfactory crunchiness to our walks. Our days have been busy, filled with good things like school time, violin lessons, trips to our newly refurbished neighborhood park, and cheering for Wesley, who is on the verge of walking. We also enjoyed a good visit from Grandma and Grandad, and are now looking forward to this week's arrival of Grandma and Papa. I am trying to soak in the last days of semi-warmth before they vanish for a *long* time.

I think he's angry with me because I don't have a picture of him standing and almost-walking.

We went to the pumpkin patch / apple orchard with Grandma and Grandad.

Not surprisingly, Jack enjoyed the wooden train.

Happy Wes.

Pumpkins!

Corrie in studious mode.

A nice walk 'round the lake.

We also visited the quaint town of Stillwater with the grandparents. The kids loved this horse and walking along the St Croix river. I, however, was wishing for a return trip without kids in order to browse the great antique stores. Double strollers and antiques do not mix.

Day of Contrasts

2008-09-19T21:26:00.003-05:00

Corrie's day began like this:

And ended like this:

She was actually fine this morning, but I think was trying to gain some sympathy and attention. I did enjoy the SOS written on the magna doodle, though. This evening, however, she was able to attend a party at her violin teacher's home, because she was one of four student winners of the "Violin Olympics." This was a competition invented by her teacher in order to motivate students to practice violin over the summer months. As I am the one who practices with her daily, I felt that I should also receive a gold medal and a fairy diary, but instead I settled for a night out with my husband and boys. We ate some fantastic food at a new Himilayan restaurant, took a drive over the new 35W bridge and went to one of our favorite local establishments to end the evening with coffee. And so, in spite of the shaky start, the day ended well for all.

First Day Fun

2008-09-01T20:12:00.003-05:00

Though we have been practicing our reading and writing over the summer, we chose today as the official kick-off to Corrie's Kindergarten year. I decided that we needed some fun and festivity to mark the occasion, and so Joel and I came up with a few ideas that we hope will become traditional first-day-of-school activities.

First, we set a nice table and made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. We also set out new lunch totes for each of the kids, with a letter from Mom and Dad about what we hope to accomplish and enjoy with them in the upcoming school year.

Next, Corrie and I sat down for some lesson time, and I had her complete a questionnaire about some of her favorite things as a 5 year old. I am planning on having her answer the same questions each year, so that we can see how she grows and changes. We also measured each of them, marking their heights on our basement wall, and took pictures on the front porch.

Finally, we decided that the first day of home school should always involve a field trip. We might as well celebrate our flexible schedule, no? And so, we headed off to the Saint Paul Cathedral, a destination that has always intrigued our little ones because of their association of the building with the cathedral in Mary Poppins. The outing did not disappoint. The building was beautiful, and we were able to hear an organ demonstration as we strolled through the church. As an added bonus, we got an up close and personal viewing of protesters and riot police surrounding the location of the Republican National Convention. The educational opportunities abounded! We also took the opportunity to have a tasty lunch at El Burrito Mercado before heading home for rest and pool play time.

All in all, an excellent first day of school for all concerned.

Interesting Injury of the Day

2008-08-26T21:51:00.001-05:00

Jack stumbles, weeping, into the dining room with blood dripping from his mouth.

Me: Oh no! Did you fall?

Jack: Noooooooo. I bumped.

Me: You bumped? Into what?

Jack: I bumped my teeth. On the TOILET! Waaaaaah!

I just don't even want to know.

A Chat in the Doctor's Office

2008-08-24T22:43:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I finally had to face facts and take myself to urgent care in order to address what turns out to be conjunctivitis in my right eye. As I was not in any serious distress, I decided to take Corrie along for the ride, in part because the girl *loves* the doctor's office. The outing did not disappoint. She read an exciting book in the waiting room, giggled with glee as the nurse took my blood pressure, and was in absolute awe when the doctor said that she could be the assistant while she administered drops and looked at my eye with a blue light. All the while, she filled her role as my chief comforter . . . holding my hand and expressing her concern over my condition throughout the experience.

My favorite part of the night, though, came when the nurse asked Corrie if she got along well with her little brothers. Her response: "Welllll, um, you know, sometimes we can be a little . . . unpeaceful, especially when we take toys away from each other."

You just have to love the honesty. It doesn't even occur to her that she could say, "Oh, yes, we get along splendidly," and no one would be the wiser. Though my throbbing eye is a literal pain and an inconvenience, I really enjoyed my rare chance to have some time alone with my funny and forthright little girl.

First Haircut

2008-08-15T20:14:00.005-05:00

Our baby boy is turning one next week. Unbelievable. It is unbelievable that a year's time has already elapsed, and it is never ceases to amaze me that a baby can change so much in such a short span of time. Can he really have gone from this helpless newborn:

To this laughing, crawling, climbing, bouncing, little guy?:

But, enough of that. The purpose of this post was to show the shearing of Wesley's little baby mullet. As one would imagine, he was less than thrilled with this plan, but hung in there like a pro, even though he was the victim of a new stylist at the ever-popular "Kid's Hair" salon. In fact, so new was this stylist, that she forgot to censor her innermost feelings and let out a loud "Oh No!" when she saw me approaching the chair with the little guy. She did gather herself, however, and we left with a satisfactory result.

Behold, the unfolding drama:

You can't run and you can't hide.

I like my mullet. Let's leave it alone. Please.

Finished product.

Look What I Found . . .

2008-07-21T21:38:00.002-05:00

. . . in my basement. 10 points will be awarded to those who can spot Wesley:

Summertime Update

2008-07-17T19:56:00.006-05:00

The summer weeks have been flying by, and I am delinquent in posting our latest news. Early this month, we took a fantastic trip to northern Minnesota, where we stayed in a house situated on one of the 10,000 lakes. It was a great time of playing games, relaxing, and watching the kids throw stick after stick and rock after rock into the water. We did have our first encounter with true mosquito country, and became quite used to the odor of bug repellent. I was happy to discover, though, that the skeeters were not the size of hummingbirds, as some had led us to believe.

After our time 'up north', we came home and enjoyed Joel's birthday. He chose to celebrate with a family trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I was not so sure about this choice with our young brood, but it ended up being a good time. The MIA is very family friendly, it turns out. First of all, it is *free*free*free*. Secondly, they have a new 'family lounge' area, complete with family restroom, nursing room, and padded play area for the kids. It was a great place to take a break when the kids were growing weary of looking at the paintings and sculptures. Corrie really enjoyed it quite a bit, especially because she got to meet the Impressionists, just like Katie in one of her favorite books.

Daddy, Corrie, and Van Gogh

We are also enjoying our quiet days at home this Summer. Corrie and Jack love to make themselves busy in the backyard, or with various pretend adventures in the house. Wes is keeping me busy with his desire to crawl, explore, and chew upon *everything*. So far, we have managed to avoid any choking incidents or topples down the stairs. Good times.

Just Had to Share

2008-06-28T19:31:00.003-05:00

Perhaps the strangest picture that I have ever taken of my children:

For the record, they climbed up there of their own accord.

He's Three

2008-06-25T21:10:00.005-05:00

Today, my little right hand man turned three years old. He is still young enough to not really understand the cultural idea that his birthday is supposed to be all about him. When I whispered a last "happy birthday" as I tucked him in to bed, he whispered back, "happy birthday, mama." He also kept checking in with his sister throughout the day to see if she was enjoying herself. Even in the midst of opening his presents, he asked, "Corrie, are you really excited?" I love his sweet little self, and can still feel his babyhood when he positions himself on my lap and lays his fuzzy head on my shoulder. But, I can also see him becoming a little boy as he seems to master new things and gain more independence daily. Just in the past couple of weeks he mastered dressing himself, reciting entire Frog and Toad stories, and learning to store water from the hose in his mouth in order to run over and spit it out on the sidewalk. A mother can't help but be proud.

We also spent today wrapping up a fantastic visit from my parents, who helped us celebrate by taking us out to a great breakfast and to the nearby Minnesota Zoo. The kids had a great time. Jack was most excited by the prairie dogs, and mastered a stellar impersonation of the little critters. It was a good third birthday. And, yes, Jack, we *all* had a happy one.

Starting the day with pancakes.

Fun at the zoo.

Prairie Dogs are awesome.What's a birthday without the hose?

A happy, chocolate cake end to the day.

It's Good to Have Time

2008-06-16T09:26:00.004-05:00

To play with the watering can:

To kick the ball:

To advertise mom's blog:

To say, "Hey, mom, come see this interesting bug . . ."

"Do you think it's a caterpillar?"

"We'll wait right here until it turns into a butterfly."

Oregon

2008-06-14T12:10:00.005-05:00

We had a great trip to Oregon, seeing Joel's family and attending the wedding of his cousin. The children handled the loooong trip better than I expected. We flew into Seattle (a 3-4 hour flight), and then were chauffeured from Seattle to Bend by Joel's parents. With the need for frequent potty stops to accommodate Jack, it took a good 7ish hours to make our way through that leg of the trip. And then we turned around and did it all over again on the way home. The most difficult part of the whole experience for Corrie came just as we were landing in Minnesota, as there was quite a bit of turbulence. She does *not* like "bumps" on the airplane, and was crying with her head tucked onto my lap. Jack, on the other hand, enjoyed the added excitement thoroughly, and laughed his little head off as we bounced up and down.

The kids had a blast playing with all of their cousins, and getting a lot of love from their grandparents, aunts, uncles, second cousins, etc. Corrie loved the wedding, and couldn't get enough of the dance floor. Joel and I had a great time, as well, getting to spend some grown-up time with siblings and cousins after the kids were down for the night.

Here are some pictures of the excitement:

Wes decided to grow four teeth and start crawling on the trip.

Corrie and Cousin Peter were inseparable.

Wes (3rd youngest of the 9(!) great grandchildren present) gets some attention from Great-Grandma and cousins Laura and Rachel.

Corrie and cousin Lelia pose for a Goldfish Crackers advertisement.

Jack

We celebrated Jack's upcoming third birthday with the fam. I think he liked the cake.

Dad Really Cracks Me Up

2008-05-29T13:00:00.003-05:00

. . . especially when he does the Cookie Monster voice . . .

Don't you just hate it when . . .

2008-05-23T21:42:00.003-05:00

. . . you schlep three small children, one box violin, one practice bow, one large chart, one backpack full of snacks and potty emergency necessaries, and yourself 1/2 hour across town to "group lessons". . . only to arrive and find that the only available parking is near the drug-dealer's playground . . . only to dodge the drug dealers and herd your brood into the school . . . only to find out that group lessons were canceled . . . and the teacher did *not* call you?

I do.

We salvaged the afternoon, however, with a trip to the lovely park near Joel's store, followed by dinner with Daddy during his lunch break. Corrie especially enjoyed the chance to chat up every mother or father or innocent bystander trying to enjoy the park. She even discussed her thumb sucking habit with one mommy. As that same mommy said to me later, "She's a talker!" Yes, oh yes, she is. But the girl had to endure the loss of her beloved group lesson this week, and so I suppose she's entitled to some consolation conversations.

Lake Minnetonka

2008-05-22T23:01:00.002-05:00

We took advantage of one of Joel's days off, and headed for Lake Minnetonka on Tuesday. It was great to see how beautiful it was in the Spring, and to reminisce about our time living in that area, when we first moved to Minnesota. Jack was crawling, Corrie was just learning how to dress herself, and we had no idea what the next years would bring. Thankfully, they have brought many blessings and much growth to us all.

Speaking of growth, Wesley had his 9 Month check up on Wednesday and was pronounced not-as-giant-as-before. He is 22 pounds 12 ounces (*only the 85th percentile*) and 30 inches long. He loves to sit and watch the world go by and be sweet. He doesn't try to stand, and the doctor said we should "work on that" so that he's pulling up by his 12 month appointment. Okey-Dokey. We'll get him in a strength training program right away. I say that he will stand up when he's good and ready and that there is *no* rush. These little ones all just seem to work at their own pace. We'll let him set his own.

Loving that lake breeze.

Happy Jack

Always moving

"Tell that doctor to leave me alone. I am busy contemplating."

Spring is Here

2008-05-10T20:59:00.007-05:00

We have been so busy enjoying the crisp and beautiful spring days, that I have neglected to post updates on our various activities. So, here are some photos to bring you up to date:

The kids have been overjoyed to play in the backyard. Grandma and Papa were in town, and furnished a tee ball set that has been greatly appreciated by the children and their father.
The warmer temperatures have also allowed for some bike rides, and Wesley's first experience in the bike trailer. He enjoyed himself, and used the opportunity to take a spring snooze.

We've also taken every opportunity to visit and explore our local lake. Corrie and Jack love to find rocks to hurl into the water, and Jack has taken to exclaiming, "Look at the beeeeaauuutiful lake!" every time we drive past. When friends and family from California send pictures from the beach, he always says, "Look! They got to go to the lake!" Spoken like a true Minnesotan.

Our visit from Grandma and Papa also included a trip to a very cool model train museum in Saint Paul. It is housed in a great old railway building, and was quite small, but thrilling for the kids. Jack was in heaven.

The littlest peanut continues to grow at an alarming pace, and continues to entertain and enchant us all. Here he has an early morning snuggle on the couch with Sister:

Speaking of the big sister girl, Corrie has started violin lessons, and practices daily with her box violin and practice bow. She is learning all about rest position, playing position, the parts of the violin, and how to make a stellar bow hand before she gets to use a real violin. She is *loving* it . . . especially the weekly group lesson where she gets to be with a bunch of other kids and observe some who have been taking lessons for a while. When the day for the real violin finally comes, she will be excited beyond words.

After such a long winter, we are thoroughly soaking in the beauty of Spring. Everything here has changed drastically just in the past week. Tulips are everywhere, the trees are the brightest green, beautiful blossoming trees are in yards and along the parkways. People are crawling all over, like ants coming out of their holes. We have had conversations with our neighbors for the first time in months. The lakes are surrounded by joggers, bicyclists, and those just out for a stroll.

I've been so excited to be outside, that I've actually been running. And not just after the children, or because I'm being chased. On my own. On purpose. Now you know how drastically amazing the Spring air must be.

Too Much TV?

2008-04-18T23:10:00.002-05:00

A conversation I had with Corrie yesterday:

"Mommy, let's pretend that you are the doctor, and I'm going to bring my son Larry the Cucumber to see you because he has a bump on his head."

"OK."

"Mommy, ask me questions like they do at the doctor's office."

"OK, how old is he?"

"Four."

"How tall is he?"

"Six or seven inches."

"I see. And, what is your phone number?"

"Oh, 1-866-IDOLS-02."

*Disclaimer: No, we do not allow her to watch American Idol, but she has caught a glimpse from time to time, and she does like to sneak into the hall and peer at the TV after her bedtime. That being said, I think I should teach her our real phone number.

Waiting for Spring

2008-04-13T22:13:00.005-05:00

It is supposed to be here already, isn't it? After all, I realized today that we have almost reached the halfway point in the month of April. Two days ago, however, sleet was pounding our windshield as we drove to dinner with the visiting grandparents. We remain hopeful, however, as rumors abound that the temperature will climb to 60+ this week. Corrie has begun to take great joy in spotting robins.

While we practice patience, we sit in the house and try on hats. Wes is unsure that this thing called "warmth" really does exist. He has seen very little of it during the span of his life thus far. Jack, however, seems confident that sunny days will indeed come.

Northfield

2008-03-30T22:58:00.003-06:00

On Saturday Morning, Mr. and myself looked at each other and realized that we had no plans for the day. Mr. quickly suggested that we hop in the van and drive to Northfield, a nearby college town about which we have heard good things. And so, after a lot of changing of clothes, escorted trips to the potty, and snack / bottle gathering, we made it out the door and loaded up the van. We were expecting an hour drive, but were surprised to find this cute little town to be only 40 minutes south. The kids enjoyed the drive, because there were farms with cows, horses, and barns to see. And, it didn't hurt that we brought all of their favorite CDs. The temperature has climbed into the 40s here in the great white north, but there was a bit of a wind chill that prevented extensive exploration. We did enjoy the historic downtown, the walk along the Cannon River, and our burgers at Rueb n Grundys. A good, spontaneous time.

Jack downtown

Ridiculous amounts of Sugar on a Stick purchased at the local candy shop.

A highlight for the kids -- a live sighting of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard from Make Way for Ducklings.

She's 5

2008-03-21T15:27:00.004-06:00

Two years ago, I started this blog. I always remember that my first post was about the 3rd birthday of our little girl. She was then, and remains, such a fun and interesting little character. It is hard to imagine life without her, and these five years have been amazing as we have watched her grow and learn. I love her feisty spirit (most of the time), her vivid (to say the least) imagination, her love for her brothers, her random use of advanced vocabulary, and her loud, open-mouthed laugh. I have a feeling that she will always keep me on my toes, and that I will always be learning new things in life, because of her curiosity and burning desire to know everything about everything. She is a gift.

We enjoyed celebrating her birthday with my parents. We had a breakfast of bagels, at her request, and then went to the Mall of America amusement park for a couple of hours. After some down time in the afternoon, we dined on hot dogs and mac-n-cheese, followed by the requested white cake. She exclaimed with glee over each of her presents, and it is safe to say that she enjoyed every moment of her special day.

Quote for the Day

2008-03-18T09:39:00.002-06:00

"Corrie, today is your Birthday Eve!"

"Hmmm. My Birthday Eve. Do you know what it will be before Jack's birthday?"

"Uh, Jack's Birthday Eve?"

"No. His Birthday Adam."

Of course.

On a Roll

2008-03-09T21:39:00.003-06:00

It may come as a shock to many of you to see a new post on this blog, but I have even better excuses than ever for my long absence. I will boil most of my whining, complaining, and excuse making down to one word: flu. Oh, how I hate it.

That being said, I will move on to other news of note from our household.

Our little baby butterball has learned to roll his massive self over, and is doing so constantly. Of course, this means that he is frequently crying in distress because of being stuck on his tummy with no hope of rectifying the situation without help. Unfortunately, Miss has decided that it is her big-sisterly duty to help the little fella, and her baby rolling technique needs a little refining. Ah well, soon enough, he will learn to roll himself the other direction and all will be right with the world. Except for the fact that he will be on his way to mobility and my life as I know it will be altered forever.

Master Jack has begun to steal my heart with his sweet "may I?" requests. "May I read this book?" "May I play downstairs with Sister?"

He has begun to stomp on my heart, however, with his insistence on rising *oh so* early, waking up his little brother who has only recently been moved into his room. He has discovered that he can stand on his box of legos or lincoln logs in order to reach the light switch, and therefore even darkness is no deterrent when the little man has decided that it is time to rise and play. And so, morning after morning, I lay in bed, hearing this all go down on the baby monitor, knowing that my sprint down the stairs and through the hall will not be accomplished in time to stop the inevitable waking of the baby once the lego box has been positioned beneath the light switch. Electricity is overrated.

Miss is counting down toward her big 5th birthday. She wants vanilla cake with white or pink frosting, and this is a great departure from her previous requests which always centered around chocolate. I think that she has decided that white cake is more feminine, and all things frilly and girly are of the utmost importance in her mind these days. She is constantly to be found wearing numerous beaded necklaces and plastic heels, while simultaneously attempting ballet moves and practicing her Cinderella impersonation.

Mr. and I are on the mend after our bouts with the flu. I am coming out of the fog with a desire to clean, organize, and schedule. We'll see if these feelings sustain themselves, and if we can stay healthy long enough to accomplish anything. I'm off to take some vitamins.

Weekend Adventures

2008-02-02T22:21:00.000-06:00

This weekend was an eventful one around here. On Friday, we visited Saint Paul for the annual Winter Carnival. I was a bit disappointed in the experience, as the event consisted only of ice sculptures and a hotdish tent. I was expecting something a little bit more . . . I don't know . . . carnival like. Go figure. The children loved the ice sculptures, but wouldn't touch our Tater Tot Hotdish with a ten foot pole. Go figure again.

On Friday evening, our good friends Noel and Laura came over for a fun filled night of taco eating and game playing. They put their two little kiddos to bed in our basement so that we could stay together a bit longer than usual. It was so nice to have some time with friends. We are really starting to feel that we have some good friendships established here in Minnesota, and it is good for the soul to get to spend time with like minded people.

The important highlight of our Saturday was our little baby boy's first solid food eating experience. Miss and Master were very excited about it, and we all gathered 'round to watch him try his first few bites of squash. Shockingly, his giantness was highly enthused about the food, and I dare to predict that he will continue to eat heartily.

The Nice Thing About Babies

2008-01-22T22:20:00.000-06:00

5 month old babies are pretty near the best thing in the world. Especially if they sleep well. Why, you ask? Because, all you have to do is glance at them, and they look at you like this:
And, when they look at you like this, it is *impossible* not to smile in return. All of these smile exchanges are very helpful when you want to forget that you're sick for the umpteenth time in the past few months, or that the kids are sick, or that you just found out that you have some rare disease of the eyeball (long story).

I am so glad that this little guy is a part of our life. The level of smiling and talking in high-pitched tones has soared in our home since he came around. And that is a very good thing, considering the challenges we've faced this Fall / Winter. No matter how strange things get, there is smiling around here every day. He makes sure of it.

News From the North

2008-01-13T22:23:00.001-06:00

Our activities of late have included:Trying not to freeze.

Selling the trusty old Taurus and buying a van. This car was my Grandpa's, and has been ours for four years. It has moved with us from Chicago, to LA, and to Minnesota. We brought both of our boys home from the hospital in this car. The addition of our baby, however, means three car seats. Three car seats means a van. Or a station wagon. Or some such large vehicle. And so, we bid the Taurus goodbye. Having three kids, though, has made my transportation life so difficult that I am overjoyed to own a minivan. Never thought it would come to this. But, it is so. much. easier. And . . . get this . . . there is a remote starter on this van. Yup, on those sub-zero days, I can start the van from the warmth of my house, and scoot through the cold to our garage, where I find it humming away, all heated up and ready to go. So sweet.

Celebrating our anniversary with dinner and a movie. Made possible by the visit of my parents. We also celebrated on the actual day by taking the kids for doughnuts and a trip to a local indoor park. This place was *wonderful* and will now be a winter destination for our family. Things to climb. Houses in which to bounce. Energy evaporated.

Due to the grandparental visit, we had a lot more time for relaxing and reading the paper. Sigh. Will be looking forward to the next time.

Watching the little guy grow, and wondering if he is the largest 4 month old in the world. He smiles nonstop, unless he is sleeping. He plays with his toes, makes all kinds of fun noises, and is transfixed by his sister's antics and attempts to entertain him.

8 Years

2008-01-07T21:37:00.000-06:00

On January 8, 2000, we exchanged vows in a church that looks like a giant Pizza Hut. The slip under my dress was too long, and I kept tripping on it. Mr. had a cold, and managed a well-timed cough just before the "in sickness and in health" vow. But, it was an amazing and wonderful day. And it marked the beginning of the eight amazing and wonderful years we have now spent together. A lot of changes. A lot of moves. Three fascinating little creatures who are growing, learning, and becoming before our very eyes.

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person: having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them out. Just as they are - chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away." George Eliot

Ego Deflation

2007-12-30T22:49:00.000-06:00

"Mommy, I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Mommy, I love you."

"Aaawww, I love you, too."

"Potty seat, I love you."

Reasons to Celebrate

2007-12-25T20:21:00.001-06:00

The little guy's first Christmas,

Well-loved gifts,

A *very* white Christmas,

And, most importantly . . .

Christmas Eve

2007-12-24T22:23:00.000-06:00

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

 Come, thou long expected Jesus, 
 born to set thy people free; 
 from our fears and sins release us, 
 let us find our rest in thee.  
 Israel's strength and consolation, 
 hope of all the earth thou art; 
 dear desire of every nation, 
 joy of every longing heart.

 Born thy people to deliver, 
 born a child and yet a King, 
 born to reign in us forever, 
 now thy gracious kingdom bring. 
 By thine own eternal spirit 
 rule in all our hearts alone; 
 by thine all sufficient merit, 
 raise us to thy glorious throne.

Written by Charles WESLEY

Merry Christmas, everyone.

A Very Christmasy Day

2007-12-13T23:41:00.000-06:00

Our day, in pictures:

Mom and Dad took us to Rice Park in Saint Paul to see the Christmas tree and decorations.

We ran around in order to keep ourselves from freezing.

Then we spent some time visiting our favorite Peanuts statues,

and took in the ice skaters at the outdoor rink.

Inspired by our outing in the snow, we came home and drew Frosty the Snowman,

and warmed up by reading a good story,

After lunch, we made some cookies with Daddy.

Frosting the cookies was fun.

Our brother decided to take a nap, since he's too little to bake.

After dinner and a bath, we donned our Christmas PJs for some jumping on the bed.

I love to jump.

I don't mind it, either.

Mom attempted to take our picture in front of the tree. It started like this . . .

And then turned into this . . .

And this.

We calmed down in time to put the star on the Advent Calendar.
Christmas will be here soon!

Favorite Phrases

2007-12-11T23:19:00.000-06:00

My new favorite expressions, courtesy of the the littles:

From Master (usually said while scurrying up or down the stairs): Oh, oh, oh, here comes ME!

From Miss: I am very *fond* of . . . (cookies, coloring, etc., etc.)

From Baby Boy: Aaaaaah guh.

Lovin' the Little Guy

2007-12-08T22:45:00.000-06:00

I have been amazed, lately, by how much Miss and Master adore their little brother. I expected them to like him, but I also expected them to be significantly annoyed by his interference in their daily lives. To my surprise, they have rarely been irritated by the attention he requires. Instead, they love to jump in and help with his needs. Master gets some kind of big thrill out of throwing away the little guy's diapers. Miss loves to hold him for me (though, she is starting to get tired of this because he squishes her with his tremendous girth). They both love to kiss him, hold his hands, and make him laugh.

Perhaps the love will fade when he becomes mobile and begins to threaten their toys. But, for now, all of the brotherly and sisterly affection around here is a sweet sight to see.

Notes on the Day

2007-11-25T20:43:00.000-06:00

*I had an interesting morning, corralling all three children at church by myself. Mr. was forced to depart for work after Sunday School, leaving me to handle the three peanuts throughout the remainder of the morning. Master had to be fetched, taken to the bathroom, and returned to the nursery. Miss was retrieved from Sunday School (where she learned about "the feeding of the five thousand. By Jesus. With bread and fish."), and brought into the service with me. The little fella slept through most of the experience, but I had to lug his heaviness around in the car seat carrier up and down the stairs and wherever I went. It all went surprisingly smoothly, until after the service when Master decided to tour the choir loft in the sanctuary, while Miss took off in the other direction to run around the gym with her best pal. They were eventually rounded up, though it wasn't easy. Most frustratingly, I was unable to have any real conversation with anyone the entire morning, because I was on constant kid-patrol. I did manage a few fly-by 'hi, how are yous', but that was about it.

*It is cold here. And the real cold hasn't even really started. It climbed to 48 degrees today, and we were told by the TV weatherman to enjoy it, because it won't last for more than one day. We are trying to combat my California wimpiness and keep the thermostat set at 66 in the house. I am cold. Soon, I will begin to dress like this:

Thankful

2007-11-23T19:49:00.000-06:00

Life With a Big Sister

2007-11-04T21:15:00.001-06:00

Here she comes. What is she going to do now?

Halloween At Our House

2007-10-31T14:00:00.000-06:00

One tired (and sick-with-a-nasty-cold) Mr. (who ran the store inventory overnight last night). One little ladybug. Two matching frogs. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, and Kit Kats for those who knock on our door. A trip to the church down the street for their Pumpkin Festival festivities. A lot of smiles, a good bit of candy, and a good picture.

Just Like Santa!

2007-10-27T20:28:00.000-05:00

So, I was innocently taking pictures of Mr. with the children on a recent trip to the apple orchard, when a curious onlooker approached. He watched the picture-taking, and then stepped right up to take his turn.

"I want a picture."

"With me?"

"Yeah."

"Uh . . . . OK."

He sat down, I snapped away, and he scampered off toward the play equipment. And was never heard from again. At least we have the picture and the memories.

Fun With Leaves

2007-10-25T20:17:00.000-05:00

We love fall. I am making pumpkin muffins and homemade applesauce every chance I get. The weather has been beautiful and crisp, and the kids love playing in the leaves. This morning, we attempted a major yard clean up, while allowing the kids to play to their hearts' content. Better than any toy, the leaves were great for jumping in, rolling in, wrestling in, and throwing in the air. The tree in our back yard is now completely bare, but there are many more leaves yet to fall from the giant maple in our front yard. Watching the littles having so much fun does make the chore of dealing with so many leaves quite a bit more fun.

Happy Autumn!

8 Weeks of Baby P

2007-10-20T22:31:00.000-05:00

The little fella is now 8 weeks old. He has experienced those first dreaded immunizations and lived to tell the tale. He is sweet and cute and off-the-charts gigantic. Other news of note:

* In spite of being sick, I had a great birthday thanks to the efforts of Mr. P, who ordered my favorite dinner, and bought me a dark chocolate brownie with espresso cream cheese frosting for my birthday 'cake'. Yup, I like him.

* Miss is in full-on Mary Poppins mode these days. Insists upon being called Jane. Insists that we call her brother Michael. And insists on calling me Mary Poppins, and calling Daddy, Bert. It's a Jolly Holiday at our house.

* Master is learning to enjoy singing *almost* as much as his sister. He delights us all with moving renditions of memory verse songs from Bible Study, and, of course, the Thomas the Tank Engine theme song.

Here are some updated photos:

Smiley face.

Skeptical face.Sister love.Brother love.

Our Last Few Days

2007-10-04T23:01:00.001-05:00

We've spent our recent days enjoying Mr.'s weekend, which included a little bit of rain, and some unseasonably warm weather. Here are some pictures to summarize our pursuits:Miss and Master thoroughly enjoyed some time running free at our local park. They love darting between the big trees.

We went on a beautiful walk by the Mississippi River and enjoyed the changing foliage.

The little guy gets bigger every day and is becoming more aware of the world around him. Thems are some kissable cheeks!

Miss has taken on her role as big sister of *two* with gusto. She loves to hold and entertain the baby for me, and she was a great assistant in cleaning our kitchen today. Must capture that enthusiasm for cleaning now. I am not deluded enough to think that it will last very long.

We now eagerly await a weekend visit from the grandparents, and my brother, sister-in-law, and little nephew. We are hoping for a trip to the local apple orchard, if the weather cooperates. In any event, seeing the family will be great fun.

Pain, Pain, Go Away

2007-09-28T20:52:00.000-05:00

Two days after giving birth to my 10ish pound little boy, I was innocently chewing some gum when a large chunk of tooth fell out of my mouth and into my lap. This startling development was even more surprising because I felt no pain, which one would expect when half of one's tooth falls out of one's head. Little did I know that plenty of pain was headed my way.

One week later, I headed to the offices of our neighborhood dentist and spent over an hour having the tooth drilled, filed, shaped and reconfigured so that a crown could be ordered to replace the broken molar. I went home and took ibuprofen and expected my jaw to be sore. And it was. For days. And then for a week. And then, it began to worsen. Gradually, the pain was getting more severe, until my entire face felt as though I had been on the losing side in a boxing match. Why, you ask, did I not call the dentist and describe this crippling pain? Because I am an IDIOT. I was busy with the kids, I was hoping that it would just go away on its own. Why I didn't catch on to the fact that this was clearly *not* going to happen, I can not tell you.

And so, I headed to the dentist three days ago, for my previously scheduled appointment to fit the crown. There, I confessed that I had now been in serious pain for a couple of weeks. The dentist could not believe that I had suffered without calling him. He inspected the tooth and pronounced it abscessed. I have no idea what that means, but I am assuming that it involves infection, because penicillin and a lovely pain killer called darvocet were immediately prescribed. The dentist further told me that any pain beyond two days after the first appointment was more than I should have experienced. Have I mentioned that I am in IDIOT?

I am happy to report that the antibiotics are having their desired effect, and the pain is now subsiding. I am starting to feel like a new woman. I have recovered from the delivery, and I am now recovering from the follow up dose of pain that was due to my own stupidity. I think that having three kids to manage will become much easier now that I am not in severe pain. Perhaps my newly cleared head will allow me to become a cooking, cleaning, breastfeeding, potty training, teaching, boo-boo fixing wonder. Perhaps.

One Month Old

2007-09-22T18:53:00.000-05:00

This is still his favorite activity.

Ah . . . Life in the Midwest

2007-09-20T23:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I had the distinct pleasure of serving Trader Joe's corn dogs, crinkle cut potatoes, and apple slices to two little people seated on the floor of our basement. Why the impromptu picnic, you ask? Because of the wailing tornado sirens and the violent thunderstorms passing through our area. I thought it best to head to the lower level when the weatherman on TV said, "Take shelter IMMEDIATELY if you hear tornado sirens." I also thought it best to evacuate to a quiet area in order to avoid a further meltdown by Miss who was growing increasingly nervous because of the melding sounds of thunder and siren.

As it turns out, our home was not leveled and we did not end up in the land of Oz. It also turns out that Mommy becomes rather cranky when she has to schlep dinner down the stairs, and then try to keep the littles seated and eating while simultaneously comforting a crying baby and keeping one ear attuned to the weather report on the radio. Mr., as you may have gathered, was working one of his night shifts this evening.

All part of the never ending weather adventure that is Minnesota. On the bright side, leaves are starting to change, and a beautiful Fall is on it's way. Let's just hope it gets here soon. I am so very *over* thunderstorm season. Can you tell?

A Few Random Remarks

2007-09-19T22:22:00.000-05:00

*None of our babies have enjoyed the pacifier. Miss tolerated it for one day and then decided that she preferred her thumb. Master did not want it at all. Baby Peanut was initially receptive to the idea, but has now decided that the thing is good for nothing and should be spat across the room.

Here he is, during those good old receptive days.

*Why, dear reader, oh why, do toddlers feel the need to play with their poop during their nap/quiet time?? Why must it be found all over the room? Embedded into the area rug? Smeared across the bed sheets? Ground into the wheels of the Tonka truck? Miss did this as well at the tender age of two. Why, oh why? Or, maybe it's just my kids.

*Cousin W mentioned one of our favorite children's books in the comments from my last entry, and so I thought that I would heartily recommend it here. We love, love, love . . .

Sweater Weather

2007-09-16T20:21:00.001-05:00

We've had an early burst of Fall weather in the Twin Cities, prompting us to dress Baby Peanut in a hoodie that first belonged to his sister, 4 and a half years ago. Each of the littles has worn it, and it will be one of those small things that I just might have to keep in a box somewhere after he has outgrown it. Someday I'll look at its tininess and remember their soft little heads and their little cheeks that I spent so much time kissing.

The rest of the family is looking pretty cute in their sweaters, too:

Yes, I Did Survive the Birth of Baby Peanut

2007-09-15T21:19:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. The child is nearly one month old and this is my first post since his birth. I *do* deserve some grace, however, due to the boy's immense size (which led to a long and draining delivery and now has resulted in long and frequent nursing sessions throughout what used to be my usual blogging times).

Speaking of which, the little guy has just begun to cry for me and must be answered.

Suffice it to say, we love him terribly and already can't imagine our family without him. We all spend quantities of time each day gazing upon him just like this:

I will be back to regular blogging . . . I promise. The entries may be short, but the pictures will be plentiful.

Saint Paul Saints

2007-07-30T07:28:00.000-05:00

We have long been wanting to attend a St. Paul Saints baseball game, and on Saturday night we had our first opportunity. The Saints are a minor league team, and we had heard that the games are very fun, in a somewhat-lame, over-the-top, minor league sort of way. They play at Midway Stadium, a colorful little spot very near our church. In fact, it was friends from our church who offered their season tickets for Saturday night, and we jumped at the chance.

All in all, we had a great time. Master was loving the whole experience. He was taken with watching the baseball, with the trains that pass just behind the outfield fence on a pretty continuous basis, and with all of the general silliness and hysteria that took place between innings. He especially loved a man with a horse head mask who would come and dance in front of our section. He danced along excitedly and then asked "Where horsey gooooo???" for quite a while after the baseball resumed.

Miss also enjoyed the game . . . though she was a bit nervous at the outset. She wasn't quite sure that she was going to enjoy the crowds or the loud music that periodically startled her as it blasted from a speaker directly behind us. As the night went on, though, she couldn't help but enjoy all that there was to see. Her favorite Saints tradition was the trotting of a *real* pig onto the field throughout the night. She loved the pig. Thought he was so cute. And, of course, is now asking repeatedly why we can't have a pet pig. Or maybe a horse. Or a cat. Or, how about a pig?

Mr. and I would love to go back and see an entire game alone (we left in the 4th inning due to squirming Master and the late hour). I would especially enjoy this when no longer super-pregnant, because of the oh-so-comfy bench seating.

Here are some pictures of the outing, for your enjoyment:

The littles wanted to wear "baseball hats" to the baseball game. Master now thinks that, if he puts his hat on, we can go back to the game.

In front of Midway Stadium. Trust me, they are more excited than they look.

This is the maneuver I had to employ most of the night to keep Master from running away and exploring *all* of Midway Stadium. Yes, those seats around us were all eventually filled.

Behold "Muddonna", the team mascot. I was unable to capture an image of the real pig, whilst performing the Master-holding maneuver illustrated above.Taking it all in.

Pregnancy Insomnia

2007-07-21T00:10:00.000-05:00

Perhaps it is the heartburn. Perhaps it is the fact that a crow bar is needed in order to roll my gigantic self over in bed. Perhaps it is all of the thoughts racing through my mind. Whatever the cause, I am having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. It is always this way for me during the final month or so of pregnancy. It is annoying and difficult, especially when the two littles will be wide awake at approximately 6:30 AM, ready to enthusiastically tackle another day. At least it does prepare one for the rigors of late night feedings once the baby arrives. It won't require much of an adjustment for me to function on very little sleep.

Thankfully, my kids are thoroughly enjoying the beautiful summer days we have been having in the Twin Cities. They happily entertain themselves in the back yard with the wading pool, the wagon, and a couple of cups in which they can collect dirt, leaves, and weeds. Master's favorite toys right now are a couple of sticks he found that look something like airplanes. It's the little things, and inevitably the cheap/free things that make all of the difference, folks. While the littles are enjoying these diversions, I am able to plop into a yard chair with a glass of iced tea and exert very little energy. Come to think of it, maybe I should get up from said chair and run a few laps around the yard with the kiddos. Maybe that would help with the sleeping. Then again, maybe I would keel over in a heap, requiring Miss to dial 911. I think I'll stay in the chair.

I can also rejoice that the children continue to be easily entertained by yours truly. This is the response I can elicit merely by crossing my eyes:

Yep. Even when I'm cranky, frumpy and frustrated by lack of sleep, they still think I'm great. I know it won't always be this way, and so I'll be thankful for it right now. And I'll be glad that it can help to sustain us all through some tiring times in our immediate future.

Happy Birthday

2007-07-11T21:55:00.001-05:00

Today is his birthday. My closest friend. The Daddy that they can't wait to meet at the front door. The hard worker who provides, daily, for our family's needs.

As Miss would say, I'm a lucky ducky.

Happy Birthday.

Catching Up Again

2007-07-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

This summer has been filled with activity and visits from family. We've had a great time, but all of the activity and the pregnancy exhaustion has led me to neglect this blog. With many apologies to those of you who bother to check in here regularly, here are some highlights from our summer thus far:

We celebrated a lovely father's day by going to church, listening to Mr. teach the adult Sunday School, and then by hanging out at Lake Minnetonka.

We celebrated Master's second birthday with my parents. We went to Como Park Zoo (a fabulous, free destination), and relaxed at home with cake and presents.

One of Master's favorite new presents has been thoroughly enjoyed in the back yard.

Just last week, Mr.'s family arrived after driving out from California. They made the trip in 3ish days with our 3 year old and 1 year old nephews in tow. A brave lot, my in-laws. We were able to enjoy much fun and frolic before they headed back west.

Today, we celebrated Mr.'s birthday a tad early with a trip to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Sawatdee Thai for dinner. Here we have the littles' favorite sculpture.

Enjoying fine art.

And finally, here we have our reflection in one of the sculptures. That's the most detailed shot you're going to get of me at this stage of pregnancy.

I will be making a valiant attempt to return to regular blogging and keep all interested parties up to date as we anticipate the arrival of baby #3.

The Joys of Home Ownership

2007-06-12T20:53:00.000-05:00

For the most part, our almost-one-year of home ownership has been an enjoyable one. We like our house. We love our neighborhood. We enjoy having a bit more space, and we've *really* enjoyed the sense of permanence that we have here.

Unfortunately, however, we are now in the midst of our first major repair project in our little house. Our bathroom is currently destroyed, as contractors are cutting out drywall, replacing tile, and putting it all back together again for us. This project grew out of a problematic leak that damaged the drywall behind the shnazzy green plastic tile (installed by the previous owners) in our shower. As we pondered fixing this problem, we decided that it would be best to go ahead and remove all of the shnazzy green plastic tile that covered the *entire* bathroom. And so, a pretty major project was born.

Losing the use of the primary bathroom in the house (if even for a few days) is not terribly fun. Especially during the potty training days. And, especially because Miss is terrified of every bump, thump, and drilling noise that escapes the work site. Our hardworking contractors promise that the job will be done soon -- perhaps tomorrow. That would be a wonderful, wonderful thing.

In the meanwhile, I had a lovely afternoon with the littles in our backyard. They experienced the thrill of running in a sprinkler on a hot summer day for the first time. And so, even in the midst of stinkin' home repair trouble, I had reason to be grateful for our house. And for sprinklers.

Summer

2007-06-09T09:12:00.001-05:00

The Third Trimester

2007-06-05T20:57:00.000-05:00

Today marks the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy. I am feeling the desire to clean, organize, and complete various household projects before this little one arrives. I am also feeling rather . . . how does one put it? . . . LARGE.

Miss verified my largeness today, by make the following observation as we strolled about the neighborhood:

"Mom, you're walking funny. I think it's because you have baby brother in your tummy. I think that you need one of those strollers for grown-ups. You know, one of those chairs with wheels that people use who can't walk. Then I could push you. Yeah, that's what you need."

An Update . . .

2007-06-02T21:41:00.000-05:00

on the potty training, for all of you out there holding your breath in anticipation. I know, I know, you have scarcely been able to sleep as you wondered how little Master was coming along. You have been picturing him with this look on his face.

Perhaps you had also concluded that, due to the lack of follow up posting on the blog, his mother had thrown herself out of the upstairs window due to the stress of it all.

Well, I am overjoyed to say that *major* strides have been made in the realm of Master's potty usage, and his mother is (amazingly) quite calm about the whole process. The little guy is proving to be a little champ in this area, and he is quite pleased with himself. I am more than quite pleased because he is doing *so* much better than I could have wished for, only 6 days into the process. There is a lot of clapping, rejoicing, and chocolate eating going on around here, let me tell you.

Happy, happy, happy is the Peanut household. Master is the master of the bathroom. Miss continues to be happily encouraging the process. Mr. is home, home, home for the next two days. It all is enough to make Mommy very happy, indeed.

Potty Training Fun, Day 2

2007-05-29T22:17:00.001-05:00

I am pleased to say that today was a very encouraging day in the potty training realm. The little fellow is already showing much better control, and seems to be catching on to the concept. His sweet voice crying out, "I go POTTY!" and "I tell MOMMY!" does a lot to lighten the mood and remind me of what a treasure he is, even when we must face unpleasant tasks together.

While I have been concentrating on this effort with Master, Miss has had some special bonding time with Daddy. Yesterday, they went to the Children's Museum in St. Paul (one of her absolute favorite destinations) and out to lunch. Today, she provided valuable assistance with lawn mowing and flower watering before Daddy had to depart for work. She has now launched into her role of head cheerleader for her brother's potty progress, and is very sweetly hugging and kissing him whenever he is successful.

This, of course, may be due to the fact that I have allowed her to participate in Master's M&M rewards for a job well done. Hmmmmm.

California

2007-05-28T19:25:00.001-05:00

We've been back from California for over a week, and I am only now catching my breath enough to sit down and write a post. It was a fun trip, though I always feel like I need another vacation by the time we survive the plane trip back to Minneapolis. The kiddos were over-tired, and Miss was overly-nervous about every bump and jiggle on the plane. I must have said "It's okay" 500,000 times in that three hour period.

In order to add to the fun of our mundane life, I have decided to begin the potty training process with Master, so that he *might* have a clue about using the toilet before baby #3's arrival. So far, so horrible. He has no idea what I am asking him to do, and is horrified by having accidents. I loathe potty training. It will go down in my parenting memory as the worst of experiences. It must be done, but I *so* just wish that they could figure it out without my assistance. Oh well, as my grandmother used to say, "Wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which one gets full first."

Here are some pictures of happier times -- our trip to Southern Cal. We met new little cousin D, celebrated cousin L's birthday, and spent a lot of good time with our parents and siblings.

Buzzzzzz

2007-04-30T20:57:00.000-05:00

In honor of our unseasonably warm weather, guess who got a summer haircut?

Me!

Mom thinks I look pretty cute. And she thinks my hair is so sweetly soft. She keeps rubbing it, anyway. Someone tell her to stop that.

Just DON'T Do It

2007-04-26T21:47:00.000-05:00

DO NOT attempt to try on clothing at Target (yup, that's right, I'm a big spender), with two young children accompanying you to the fitting room. Master attempted to open the door, crawl under the door, and eat the plastic card indicating the number of garments taken into the room. Miss loudly exclaimed her approval or disapproval of the dresses I was trying on, much to the entertainment of the other patrons in neighboring fitting rooms. ("Oooooo, you *must* buy it. You could dance all night with the PRINCE in that dress! You must, you must!!")

Master then topped off the whole experience by pointing at me and laughing hysterically when I had my clothes off. Not good for the pregnant woman's self esteem.

I think I'll attempt to recover by making a snack . . .

Adventures in Hospital Tours

2007-04-24T20:49:00.000-05:00

Tonight we toured the hospital where Peanut #3 will be born. The tour was wonderful, because it was brief and to-the-point. The hospital looks wonderful because it has gigantic labor and delivery rooms with private bathrooms (including tubs and showers), and it has great big *private* postpartum rooms. When Master was born, we were placed in a semi-private (translation: *not* private) postpartum room. This was beyond unfortunate, because Mr. could not stay with me overnight. Is it humane to ask a woman to push out a 9 pound 4 ounce baby, and then require her to care for said baby alone, overnight? No, I say, no it is not.

And so, we were quite pleased with our evening tour. To add to the excitement in the air, we chose to bring the children along, as the brochure said that they were most assuredly welcome. And welcome they were, and welcome they apparently felt. We were the center of attention throughout the tour, starting with the waiting time in the lobby, when both of the littles decided to do their best impersonations of baby kittens. At the top of their lungs. We smiled at all of the people staring at us, and quietly urged Miss to give the kitten routine a rest. Master does not respond to such pleas at this point, and therefore was a lost cause. Then, as the tour progressed, Miss designated herself as the official director of the elevator, and bragged to the assembled throng that she is "very, very good at pushing buttons."

Miss also entertained the group by jumping up and down for joy while explaining that she is going to have *another* baby brother. She ended her speech on this point with an emphatic "Goodness, gracious, sakes alive!"

We weren't sure if everyone was laughing with us or at us for having a third baby on the way. In any event, the tour was not dull, and Miss did not want to leave the hospital at it's conclusion.

Catching Up

2007-04-20T21:59:00.000-05:00

The last weeks have been full of fun and activity around the Peanut household.

We greatly enjoyed a visit from Grandma and Grandad. Miss was especially thrilled to continue her tradition of looking through Grandma's purse at every possible opportunity. She inspects every *single* item, down to each individual card in Grandma's wallet. She requires poor, patient Grandma to tell her (for the umpteenth time) what each individual article is. Then, she places each item back into the purse, only to start this ritual over again. The unfortunate side effect of this activity is that Miss has been chastising me, since Grandma left town, about the fact that I don't have an Auto Club card. She has recommended that I remedy this perilous situation as soon as possible.

Miss also received her first bike as a birthday present from the grandparents. She was overjoyed and now just has to learn how to peddle it. Being the neglectful parents that we are, we never purchased a tricycle or anything with peddles for the poor child. And so, she has to start at square one. Unfortunately, she isn't a very patient student at this point, and will only peddle for a very brief time before exclaiming, "Give me a break!" or "It's no use!" and storming over to sit on the front porch. She really wants to be able to ride around the lakes, though, so she has some motivation to keep trying.

In addition to the purse and bike excitement, we also enjoyed a day trip to Red Wing, land of shoes and pottery, and various other jaunts around the Twin Cities. A very good time was had by all.

Spring has definitely sprung in the Twin Cities, as was evidenced by the appearance of a lone tulip in my flower bed this evening! I am hoping that more will follow, but I know that many of my bulbs have been dug up and eaten by ravenous squirrels. Annoying little rodents!

The littles are thoroughly enjoying the warm weather, and we are trying to spend a good amount of time outdoors. The simple opportunity to sit on the grass and run around the backyard is beyond exciting to them right now. We are seeing our neighbors for the first time in months, and are enjoying catching up with them. It turns out that one neighbor is pregnant and due within two weeks of my due date. Master is loving the playgrounds at the park, and is attempting all sorts of heart-stopping, death-defying feats on the various equipment. Miss is also enjoying the park, and is loathe to leave for home when the time comes. She made another mom laugh pretty hard the other day, by responding to my instructions to head for home in her usual, dramatic way.

Me: It's time to go, now. You can go down the slide one more time.

Miss: Oh, please! Please! I just can't go!!

Me: Go down the slide, and then come climb in the stroller.

Miss: (*HUGE* sigh) Very well.

Down the slide she went, and then took a sad, sad walk over to the stroller. If only play time could last forever.

A Sweet New Stage

2007-04-05T23:16:00.000-05:00

As I ran hither and thither around the house today, picking up toys and scattered objects of various kinds, I paused to appreciate the sounds in our home. Specifically, I was enjoying the sounds made by two children happily playing together. As Master's verbal and motor skills increase, he and his sister are spending increased amounts of time playing with each other.

Lately, they have begun to close themselves into Miss's bedroom, turn on a CD, and just play. They laugh, they squeal, they jump around. They look at books quietly, they play with puzzles, and then they laugh and jump around some more. Miss is the queen of all things imaginary, and she assigns roles to her brother in her various made-up worlds. She creates obstacle courses with books and toys, and they take turns running through them together. I will often open the door to check on them, only to be greeted by Miss running toward me saying "It's OK! We're OK. We just want to play!" The door is then unceremoniously shut in my face.

But, she is right. They are OK. They are having a great time. There is no adult in that room to interfere, to tell them how to play, or to try to direct their activities. Since becoming a parent, I have found myself feeling more and more convinced that unstructured play is really very important for our kids. I am thrilled to see them growing and developing the independence to pursue it. And I am thrilled that I can *gasp* sit down for a few minutes, drink some tea, and listen in from afar.