Happy 7th Birthday, Avrie!

 Cooking her requested birthday breakfast!  Ham, mushroom, cheddar omelet.

 Our Relentless Lizzy Loophole

 She requested a "surprise" for the day.  We went mini-golfing at a place we drive by often.

Pure joy!

A few recent Avrie-isms:

"I need lip balm.  My lips are sooo crispy."

(Observing a picture of the Pope's visit to Brazil with millions flocking him)-

"Why do they all want to see him?  It's not like he's God.  Not even close."

"Mom and Dad, you're my best birthday present ever.  And I got you right away when I came out of Mom's belly."

"Why does cantaloupe always smell like garbage?"

Best Seat in the House.

Do we ever outgrow the love of sitting on counters? Not I!  They truly follow by example!

They sure are handy when you smile.....

Springy Summer Stuff

Quite a few weeks ago now, the husband and I took a weekend trip to Duluth.  It was lovely despite the weather.  We biked, ate at Amazing Grace, hiked Gooseberry Falls, toured Split Rock, checked out the famed Betty's Pies, hit an estate sale, toured the Glensheen Mansion and lazed around our cozy cabin.

Happy Summer!

"Cole, do you like ants on a log?"  "Yes!"  Well, minus the log, apparently.

While Avrie tends to be pretty self-centered, she does feel when I need a boost.  This was taped on the back of our bedroom door one day.

Wee-man and I on one of our last mornings together.  We do sorta resemble each other!

Lizzy Loophole finally lost a tooth! She has three more ready...no corn on the cob this summer!

Sigh.  This picture makes me swoon.

Mama said there'd be days like this.  Mama said.

Can't have a beach day in MN '13 without a fat storm cloud overhead!

A favorite reading spot.  

My children hate photos.  A lot.  It's very drama-filled.  So it's always a miracle when I can capture one that looks like them.

I mean, this here - THIS is Nolan, age 9.

Look at him.  All grown up.  Using gigantic words from all the gigantic books he lives in.  I love this kid.  We have great conversations these days.

The Anderson family June 2013

Found.

Avrie and Cole are either worst enemies or the best of friends.  Up or down.  Down or up.  Today happened to be a good 'play house' day.

Bye Bye, Baby.

 We have 2 weeks left of "Cole & Mom" time.  Then he's off to kindergarten this fall.  How will I justify secret ice cream trips?

 The training wheels are long gone.  No more afternoon stroller naps.

 I will miss our grubby fingered JJ's at the park.

 No more lazy afternoon book-reading marathons in the backyard.

 I was taking a short break from reading the 6th Bernstein Bear of the afternoon:

Me:  You're cute.

Cole:  Thank you.

Me:  Was your mommy a bunny?

Cole:  No!  Arggh!

Me:  Was your daddy a bunny?

Cole:  Yes!!  Now READ!

 Eek.  

 He hated his preschool graduation performance with every fiber of his being.  All those people looking at him!  Hear ye, baby!  Hear ye.  Regarding the Gummy Bear dance:  "All of the friends were singing it loud and it was soo annoying.  I just sat on my star [on the rug] and be'd annoyed."

I can still see my baby in there.  He's not so far gone yet.  Glad we can ease into this big-boy thing.  I don't think my heart could take it otherwise.

Hallelujah!

spring is ear-splitting.  and it's beautiful.

help can't come much cheaper, cuter, more eager.

tuesday morning school run.  it has been 'pretty' so many times this year that i couldn't muster up the enthusiasm to make the kids look out the window.

requisite picture of trixie belden.

Spring Break, Day 1

All three of the kids are Potterheads.  But this one.  This one is on his second round through the books.  He reread the first two in 6 days.  Today was the first day of Spring Break 2013.  What better way to start it off than to read the 3rd book for 11 hours.  11 hours.  11 hours of reading today.  Today.  Hey, I'm not complaining.  He was my cozy couch buddy for a bit this afternoon.  I rather like him.  Just, you know, worry about his muscle tone now and then.  

We're full, Grandma. We're full.

Her world wasn't large, but it was deep.

How do you accurately describe someone, having spent 18 years living a stone's throw away, without reducing them to merely a collection of character traits?

We live in a day and age when selfishness is encouraged.  We're even made to feel guilty for being selfless.  I admit to falling into the trap, no doubt.  Sometimes I even run headlong with full purpose and intent to serve me, only me.  I have no recollection of Grandma ever, ever doing a single thing for herself.  Ever.  It wouldn't even have occurred to her.  I think today's feminists would call her "oppressed."  If that's true, she was the happiest oppressed person I've ever seen!  Grandma was always, always happy.  She had a continual smile on her face.  I only have one distinct memory of seeing her saddened with tears and it was because of someone else's plight, not her own.  Living for others was her life.  Feeding them, fretting for them, loving them.  The biggest part of Grandma died along with Grandpa.  Waking in the morning and having only herself to care for, to feed, to fret over, caused her so much distress.  She didn't have anything to do.  It was as if she was uncomfortable being with just herself.  I want to carry that part of her with me...think less, much less, of myself and focus on the needs of those around me.

I'm a bit uncomfortable with all the apologies and sympathy I've received with her passing.  It almost makes me feel guilty that I'm not as sad as everyone thinks I should be.  I'm so happy that she's home.  That she has reached the end of life's struggles and is on to eternal joy and peace!  There is the smallest bit of sorrow, but it is so interwoven with joy that it can't be measured.

Here's to living deeply and keeping rooted in what matters.  You don't have to travel far or be well-educated to leave a deep impression on those you live among.  I strive to teach that, to live that.  Grandma was truly an extraordinary person.  And she'd laugh and laugh to hear us say that!

My memories of Grandma and Grandpa can be found on the Home post and the House post.

March Twoth Burfday

 Happy 31st, Cat Hog.

 Winter Hike

Not a quiet nature hike.

Lasagna, broccoli, Swiss bread, salad, cookies'n'cream cheesecake

Lengthy January Hodgepodge

Maybe most parents would buy their kid a working camera.  But why?!  Avrie spent hours taking "pictures" and running off to color what she'd captured.  Hours.

Small picture of gorgeous cat.

After school sledding is so enjoyable now that I can sit in the van with a book.

 Extra-large picture of my baby.  Who is ready for Kindergarten this fall.

 Thrift store electric typewriter for Christmas for our budding author.

Best part - doesn't need virus protection.  High five!

Croup baby.  The fact that there are cute Disney characters on this mask did not deter him from screaming bloody murder on the floor as I tried to secure it to his face.

 Yo.

 "Oh, I forgot the "h."  It should say "chrofee." - Avrie

 Reading a lot of Steinbeck these days.  

 7 a.m.

That one there in the red?  He won an award at school for being an extra kind and courteous student.  He's very embarrassed about it.  Possibly because I'm telling everyone I know.

 Twelve years of marriage this month.  We celebrated with friends on the actual day.  Origami and Sebastian Joe's a few days prior.  I really like this guy.

Cole went through a phase of napping in his toy tubs.

Oh, so comfy.

His legs were bent beneath him here.  

I love finding notes.

Yes, I may be prone to sleeping pictures.  A lot.

They were watching the Muppets the other day.  Cole came upstairs and said "I just don't like it cuz there's a beautiful pig in it."

On a day I felt like the worst mom ever.

Isgsatly.  But not rily COME ON!!

Not really the safest thing to do.  Oh well.

Hockey has nearly taken over reading.

Our crabs at Origami.  Sigh.  So delicious.

Spent the whole day at the Science Museum yesterday.  Weaving away!

This girl has been working on listening.  We have a chart on the fridge.  It's lacking stars to say the least.  In exasperation the other day when I told her she just wasn't listening again:  "Yeah, cuz my listening is worn out.  I need to just take a break from it.  Maybe next month I can try again."

Also, a recent one that I can totally empathize with:  "Sometimes I just feel like an empty body filled with spit."