Ohio road trip, part 1: Simple Pleasures.

As promised, photos from our first big road trip. It was a success, and the destination was Dayton, Ohio, a do-able 2-day drive to see our best friends, The Derenzos.

 

We did little, which, if you know any of us, is how we like to do things. I mean, for starters, getting 6 children and 4 adults dressed and fed and somewhat regularly cleaned, is quite a feat. So we stuck with simple: parks, backyard, each other.

 

We first decided to corrupt their children with the filthy-eating of cherries. See the next several photos for how filthy our children were with a simple bowl of cherries.

 

Since we last visited, a natural playground had been built right across the street, and also, stone steps leading to a shallow creek. The kids talked and talked about what shoes they could wear there so they could wade in the creek. Highlight of the week.

 Nets were provided. Crayfish were caught. And released.

"Creek portraits" were taken.

Little ones were left at the playground to amuse themselves with woodchips and sand. Luckily for me, one little person sat pretty much still for her picture. Her brother, well, you'll have to wait for another day to see his mug.

They headed home happy. All their plans had definitely worked out.

 

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Since my hard drive is mysteriously un-connected today, I am going with a traditional Ten on Tuesday post instead of the hoped for snapshots of The Derenzos from our Ohio trip. Thankfully Dropbox has my iphone pics from the last few days so here we go.

2. On Saturday we dropped the kids off with Nana and Pappi for a date afternoon/evening. They were thrilled! They walked the dog! Caught a frog! Swam!

3. We headed down to Lake Couhoun for a nice long bike ride ride, dinner, and a movie. We are so adventurous!

 4. When we picked them up Sunday we headed to Elm Creek Park for a picnic. It was hot, but what a cool park!

 5. There were lots of thank yous in our bedtime prayers that night, most notably from Fisher who was thankful "for us be abling to go to a surprise place with Mommy and Daddy."

 6. That was the beginning of the heatwave, although last night at soccer it really wasn't too darn bad. Fisher had a special guest, the nurse from his preschool, with whom he is very tight. She brought part of her family for us to meet, too. We are going to miss you next year, Lucinda!

 

7. Today, however, is another story. It is extremely very very scorching hot. We hit up the splash pad before 10am, when the thermometer had already passed 80 degrees. Whew! 

 

8. The newest breakfast craze around here is egg in the hole. Kids are loving it.

 

9. The newest game craze around here is mancala. Kids are loving it.

 

10. It's been awhile but I'm actually reading a good book right now and would recommend it, though I'm only a third of the way through it. Check out Looking For Me.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. We are just back from a lovely road trip to Dayton, Ohio to see our dear friends The Derenzos.

2. The kids did awesome in the car, especially considering they hadn't really ever taken a road trip longer than 3 hours.

3. At one point Fisher asked me what could we do [in the car] and that made me panic just a little, but we all settled in with snacks and scenery and audio books.

4. Audio books! Our family is no stranger to them, but holy cow are they essential on a road trip. I highly recommend listening to The BFG and Gregor the Overlander. Both awesome.

5. My lovely mother reminded me when we got back that they are taking the kids for a night this weekend so Ron and I can have date night! Also awesome.

6. After visiting the Madison, Wisconsin Farmer's Market this weekend with their four long city blocks of produce and plants and meat and honey and really anything you can imagine a market might have, I was delighted to see that our own market had much more produce today than 2 weeks ago when last we were there. Fisher was excited to see the purple string beans, although we walked out with plain old green. We also got pea pods and zucchini, one cucumber and, for one dollar, one perfect pink peony.

7. I love soccer nights. I love sitting there amongst friends watching our kids run around and have fun. It is the essence of summer.

8. Alla and I get to pick up our wedding dresses tomorrow!

9. While traveling back to Minnesota we stopped in Indianapolis and surprised the kids that their Aunt Renee was there visiting her fiancé, their Uncle Will! That was fun.

10. Alla is taking a two-part art class starting Thursday at our library (free!) with local artist Michael Birawer. Last Christmas I bought Ron a canvas of his, and now I'm wondering if Ron thinks that after two sessions with the guy, she'll be able to come home and duplicate it?

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Whew! Swimming is OVER, and we're enjoying a relaxing week, which means the kids sleep past 8, Fisher usually past 9. Both kids passed their levels. Alla's front crawl is something to be seen.

2. I love my kiddos home all day around me in the summer.

3. Maybe now we can make some progress on our summer list, like strawberry picking and Tamarack and Minnehaha Falls.

4. The rains of last weekend have left our garden utterly swamp-like, and my tomato plant is looking peckish - just hanging there looking parched, which is exactly the opposite of the truth - that the poor thing is sitting in mud and can't seem to dry out.

5. That said, the tomato plant on the deck is doing splendid. So, I'm thinking I'll either have to find another location for a garden, or just go with deck pots. Our backyard gets terrific sunlight but just doesn't drain well.

6. I finished Anne and have moved onto Ivan. Not sure what's next!

7. I've got some peaches ripening on my counter in the hopes of making some cobbler tomorrow. I learned within a few years of living here that peaches don't travel well, and don't ripen well enough for eating here in the North, so if you've got a hankering it's either frozen or you bake 'em.

8. I am SUPER excited for the Phone Photography Project coming up next week! What perfect timing. We're settled into summer and I could use a creativity push.

9. Has anyone figured out summer dinners yet? I mean, getting it ready and getting everyone fed before you head out to evening sports? The best I have come up with is a big pot of beans on Monday that we can eat in a few different ways throughout the week.

10. Best news ever - next week I get to see CATIE!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. So far, on this, the second day of the first full week of summer, I have to say I'm exhausted! I signed the kids up for a two-week swim class that starts at 9am, which is an earlier start than our school year. Each morning when we've gotten out the door and we're on our way, I count down the number of days left of this.

2. On the positive side, Fisher loves his class and Alla somehow lucked out with a private lesson, which is resulting in moving her through the level and onto the next because of all the one on one attention!

3. I've been catching up on Grey's Anatomy and saw on old friend on an episode last from February. Danielle and I graduated from Cal State Fullerton together - she a Musical Theatre major and me, Dance. What a fun discovery! And, sadly, I had seen her on two shows that I watch, 90210 and Private Practice, and not known it was her!

4. Fisher filled my bucket this evening with this: "You do a nice job on carrot-shucking and you do a well job on making dinner, Mommy." Wow, thanks, buddy.

5. For the record, both carrots and corn get shucked in this house.

6. We hit up the first day of the Farmer's Market today, and were pleasantly surprised to see lots of new vendors, including gluten-free bread (though maybe not diabetic-friendly, as there was no carb count), an ice cream truck and a food truck! The produce will follow; it's early here in Minnesota and so far there's only rhubarb, green onions, lettuce, and radishes.

7. I ran into a friend there who told me all about using rhubarb for crisp. I'm all about crisp.

8. Another new vendor was selling plants of all sorts, including raspberry bushes! I have since been dreaming about finding a sunny spot in the yard for it. Think I can clear out a patch of grass before next Tuesday so I can bring home one of my very own?

9. My lovely daughter and I finished planting our garden today! Now or never, I guess. Fingers crossed: marigolds, rudbeckia, cucumber, tomatoes, cosmos, peas, green beans, and some wildflowers! Hopeful might be an understatement.

10. While out there planting, we got probably 20 mosquito bites between us. Holy cow are they hungry. Going to be a great year for 'em.

Ten.

1. We're in the home stretch here, with Fisher having finished preschool last Thursday and Alla's last day of second grade tomorrow. I am kind of giddy at the realization that we have no place to go on Friday.

2. One of the many year-end activities this week was a 1-mile Fun Run at Alla's school. I was immensely proud of her for running that, without stopping.

3. Yesterday was another year-end activity - the 2nd grade zoo field trip. Along with every other grade from every other school in the state, it seemed. Miracle of miracles, though, I did not lose a single child.

4. The soccer season has begun as well, with Fisher and Alla each having had one practice. Alla should have had two, but we're apparently now living in the rainforest where it never stops raining, so one of hers got cancelled.

5. Fisher is so obsessed with Legos (have I said this before?) that he just goes right to them when we walk in the house, when he has a free minute, he is always on the floor with his bag of Legos building, telling stories, I love it!

6. I am currently reading Anne of Green Gables, which I sadly never read as a child. I have almost given up on borrowing library books, as it seems I am in a phase of life where I cannot get through a book in three weeks.

7. For all of you Okee Dokee fans, I have to recommend their buddy, Paul Spring, who is on repeat in our car. Fun!

8. Since summer is so rapidly approaching, I think that means it's time to make a summer schedule. I know, that sounds so, well, anti-summer, but I've found that we actually end up doing all the fun stuff (and less fun stuff) we want to do if we actually plan for it. Actually.

9. Brrr. Mid-50s isn't warm.

10. I got nothing for dinner. Eggs? What do you eat for dinner in the summer, like every single day?

My mom turns 60.

The weekend before last was my mom's 60th birthday, which we thought out and planned for at least a year, since it involved my brother and his family traveling out here to Minnesota for a long weekend, and also since her 60th was the day after my newphew's 2nd!

 

So first we celebrated the two-year-old with a piñata!

And lots of presents and cake pops (my sister in law is an expert cake pop maker!). Hard to resist a fire chief-in-training.

That evening we had a double celebration at the Twins game with a birthday suite, which was super amazing. I actually can't recommend it because there's just nothing like it, and no hundred degree game in cramped, hard seats can really compare to your own room inside and cushy seats outside from which to watch the game (even if they lose, it's still so sweet!).

It was really an enjoyable way for the kids to experience the game. My nephews are 2 and 3, and mine are 5 and 8; all of them liked being able to get up, walk around, eat lots of snacks, switch laps, etc.

The birthday girl and my stepdad enjoying the game from the suite!

The birthday girl and the birthday boy, my two year old nephew Declan! That's my beautiful sister in law back there with my brother. Her parents came out from California for the birthday weekend, too, so it was like a party with twelve of us for all these fun festivities.

 

The next day we had a lovely brunch together and then Bob grilled one  steaks in the pouring rain. We had a slide show for her, and gifts of course, including all of the letters all of her friends and family had sent to surprise her. I wish I could thank each and every one who took the time to send memories and pictures. She got a stack of pink envelopes with all these wonderful things inside!

There might be nothing more beautiful than a face lit up by candlelight, especially on such a special birthday surrounded by people who love you.

One last special one of my mom and my daughter. Awwww. We love you, Mom!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Just a week ago we were at 98 degrees and today we're in the 50s. My hands are freezing typing this - in the house!

2. Because of our delayed spring we have been delayed in getting our garden up and growing. We have peas and radishes in there now, but I'm afraid the crazy rain of the last week has made for pure mud out there. If we don't get some sunshine soon, I don't see how we'll be growing anything. That garden needs to dry out. We may be a completely containered garden this year.

3. All that rain has made for nearly fluorescent colors everywhere, which would be amazing, if it would ever stop raining long enough to go outside and appreciate it. Pink trees! Neon grass! Purple lilacs!

4. Fisher has 4 days of school left, and Alla has 10. Sure wish it felt like summer around here!

5. Had an amazing weekend celebrating my mom and nephew's birthdays! So much awesomeness deserves its own post, but here are the two birthday loves.

6. In case you thought maybe Los Angeles or New York or San Francisco had the highest gas prices in the nation, nope, Minnesota is #2, behind only Hawaii.

7. After checking Fisher last night for the second time at 2:15, I couldn't go back to sleep for a good two hours, so I got up, had some cheese and crackers, read a gardening book, made a list of plants to grow, and started this ToT post!

8. This was taken last week at a ceremony honoring second graders for reading lots of minutes each month. I think that might be on their medals, "You read lots of minutes! Way to go!" Anyway, she wanted a special picture with her teacher, Mrs. Carlson, who has been so wonderful to have this year.

 

9. So far, no robins. Boo. But I did mistake a toad for a rock yesterday and that freaked me out, because you don't expect a rock to move. The kids are looking forward to the grass drying out enough for a first mow this weekend, not only because it's like a jungle out there, but because there most certainly are more toads hiding.

10. Today over at the photography blog, I'm sharing a personal photo project that every single one of you can start today!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. We are looking forward to a very fun, busy weekend celebrating my mom's 60th birthday this weekend!

2. As part of that weekend my brother and his family are coming out, and we are so excited for that, too! The cousins will get lots of quality time together.

3. The whole clan will be hitting up the Twins game on Saturday night.

4. It is going to hit 90 degrees today, people, I can feel it. The popsicles are freezing in the, well, freezer.

5. Warmer weather means Big Ginger time. Sometimes it's just too hot for a glass of wine.

6. Yesterday Minnesota became the 12th state to legalize same-sex marriage. I am very proud to live here.

7. As soon as the weather warms a bit, I get really antsy about planting stuff. Currently we have peas in the garden, and radishes that have already sprouted. I've never done radishes before, and I don't love them but I like them. I was drawn to their 22-days-to-harvest claims.

8. Good thing we got our bike/run in this morning because the sun is out now and it's HOT!

9. I have to go dig the shorts out now, and put my wool sweaters away.

10. Does anyone think I should do the same for my husband, leaving him only 7 pairs of pants and 7 shirts in our closet so you could actually walk in there? Is that a raised hand. Me, too.

Mother's Day 2013.

What is it about Mother's Day that makes us feel more appreciated, more appreciative, more joyful, more thankful, more loving, more at peace with what it all just is?

Here's hoping this year I'll learn to bottle up all that happiness for the days that aren't so happy, so I can sprinkle just enough on the doldrums to pull us through.

So very lucky to hold my children and snuggle my mom for a few photos. It's so important.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. It is spring here. It might rain tomorrow or the next and dip into the 50s (or 30s - overnight), but it is officially spring. No more snow, no more ice, no more footies, no more fires. We're onto bonfires, dining al fresco, the transition of spring boxes, the stowing of snow boots, and the craziness of the month of May. And we're welcoming it.

 

2. On the other hand, and there's always another hand, I'm not my best in spring, and by that I mean I'm a snotty sniffling mess. But, I'm not scratching my eyes out, as in years past, so there's that.

 

3. Alla got her face glitter-fied last weekend. I just love this picture of her! 

 

4. Biked to and from Alla's school today, needless to say there is one little boy who is wiped out and was asleep as soon as we turned the light off. Eight-plus miles of bike riding, and all of the other activities a little boy does in a day (soccer, tennis, some sort of red rover game), really does a kid in.

5. Oh, and allergies or no, we don't just sit around inside sniffling (we sniffle outside). We also drove down to the Mississippi today, which was worth it not only for the gorgeous sky and breeze, but for this: "The Mississippi IS cool, right?" Oh, yeah, buddy, it totally is.

6. What did we ever do before iPhones? However would I have gotten those two shots!

7. Started a very intriguing read, Zero Waste Home, not because I thought we'd completely eliminate our household waste, but because I am completely astounded at this woman's ability to do just that. When I told Ron that the author suggested plucking your leg hairs (each one) as a waste-free alternative to shaving, that was the last straw for him. He declared her completely loopy.

8. Any moms of Lego lovers want to weigh in on this storage bag before I purchase?

9. Our Cinco de Mayo fiesta was just about perfect, thanks to Rick Bayless' flawless margarita and guacamole recipes. Perfecto!

10. If you're local, I've got a special post just for you today over on the photography blog.

Alla is 8.

Somehow we let this little girl turn eight, but I'm drawing the line at ten.

She sure is an amazing girl, confident, outspoken, determined, spunky, and so smart. Gosh we are proud she's our daughter.

She wished and wished for a beautiful day, which she hadn't had since she was TWO. The day of her birthday the sun came out and warmed us up and we were happy. 

She really is the best girl a mama could ask for...Happy Birthday again, angel, we LOVE you!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Our oven is broken, and being the cheap piece of junk that came with the house, it seems a good time to replace it. That said, I'm going to be without an oven for a week (oh poor me, I know), and suddenly it seems as though I've forgotten any other way to cook.

2. We've had glorious weather since Friday, in the 70s and sunny everyday, and we've absolutely spent as much of it as possible outside.

3. It felt so good to dig last year's roots, leaves, and dead marigold stalks out of the garden this morning.

4. It's a good thing we got in the garden this morning, because the 40s are supposed to return tomorrow and last through the weekend.

5. Weather be darned, we are going to have ourselves a Cinco de Mayo fiesta this weekend!

6. We also got to bike to Alla's school this morning and are about to turn around and head back soon.

7. One of my better Pinterest finds was an article about why your kids should memorize poetry. Being the type of person who doesn't read directions, I skipped the 'why' portion and went right to the 'how to' section, and have since had a poem up on the fridge for them. The February and March ones were each 8 lines, and just having them up there, reading them a couple times, got them memorized. I was astounded. The April poem is only 4 lines, and we are looking forward to working on a new one tomorrow.

8. My daughter, animal lover that she is, tried to pick up a mouse over the weekend, presumably to play with it or cuddle it or just hold it, and got bit. Thankfully the doctor checked it out and her thumb won't be falling off.

9. Sadly, I've only made it through 11 pages of The Runaway King, and it's due back to the library tomorrow. The book drew me in from the first line, and started doing a good job reminding me of what happened in The False Prince, which I adored, but I've been too busy to read more than just at bedtime, which is typically when I fall asleep with the book on my face.

10. Hopefully you heard the good news! After 7 years of being a very casual photographer, I finally have a website! I hope you'll check it out and tell all your friends.

Before we move on.

The weather is (is!) going to turn here soon, we will (will!) flip a switch and get buds and green and feel the warmth of the sun, if only for a few days before a cold front comes in, though hopefully that cold won't be nearly the cold and the snow of the past month.

 

So before we move on to the possibilities associated with spring glory, I thought I would jot a few things down, just to remember.

 

First, Fisher's orange fleece.

 

Second, his new birthday watch and how we can catch him checking the time many times a day, and even willing it to slow so he can tell us the precise second it is right now.

 

Third, binoculars. Both kids got them for Christmas, and they are almost always around their necks.

Fourth, me in the picture with the kids! What! Hardly ever happens, unless I stage it, or we run across a lovely mirrored sculpture, like this one at Silverwood Park. But this counts, I'm here with them.

Now that we have that out of the way, Spring, feel free to make your grand entrance. We welcome you!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Let's start this off by getting some things down for posterity. Today is Tuesday, April 23, 2013, and this morning we woke up to a winter wonderland - snow covered trees, crisp sunshine and blue skies, the stuff you dream about in the actual winter, because it was beautiful and warm enough to enjoy it.

2. In Alla's second grade class they are learning how to read a few paragraphs in such a way that they are pulling out the critical information. So, reader, go back to #1 and pull out the critical information. Can't see it? No? OK, I'll tell you: Today is Tuesday, April 23, 2013.

3. I wish I could tell you those were gorgeous flower buds on our tree. But look closer. It's snow.

4. At least I had my little shoveler out there. I refused. Not.shoveling.any.more.

5. Fisher almost always gets a cold this week, right before Alla's birthday. I have memories of Alla's fifth birthday party, rainbow-themed, and my dear friend Jody holding him the whole time, and every single picture of him has those weepy tired eyes and red nose. Oh, please let him be all better before the big birthday weekend. And please let her be spared.

6. One birthday in my childhood my parents were taking me and my best friend Jennifer to Disneyland for my birthday, but that morning I was too sick to go. Even though I have no idea how old I was turning, I remember how very sad I was, and where I was sitting when I had to call her with the bad news.

7. We have a big birthday weekend planned with dinner out, tea with Nana, and rides on Sunday (oh yes the weather is forecasted to be in the upper 70s just FIVE DAYS FROM NOW!). Hence my concerns with #5 and #6.

8. That little boy went to bed super early tonight, so Alla and I got in some quality reading of Despereaux, of which we are nearing the end. Gosh you have to love Kate DiCamillo and everything she has ever written.

9. And, about that little boy, we were busy in March traveling to North Carolina for a Great Killins Family Vacation, but while we were there, he turned FIVE. So, he's five. Five.

10. And, with this post, I have, for the first time ever, crossed off the final thing on my to-do list. For today.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Made the most delicious rice side dish ever - Mexican Sour Cream Rice. So glad we have a third night of leftovers because I'm not quite done with that yet.

2. To go with that yummy rice, or rather, the main course to that rice, was the most amazing carnitas ever. Which I'm also looking forward to, for the third night in a row.

3. After that I will have to resort to the old stand-by, Black Bean Soup.

4. Winter is truly holding on here, with 4-8 inches of snow predicted by Thursday. It's getting out of hand, even for Minnesota. I'm hoping to grow wings and fly south for a bit.

5. Fisher is upstairs having quiet time, telling a story with various Lego creations. Legos are just about the only toy played with these days.

6. I have 308 pictures from our trip in March through this past week that I simply must find the time to go through.

7. Do you ever feel like you could sit at your computer for an entire day and still not get everything done?

8. Alla got new shoes this weekend - honest to goodness running shoes - and she asked to go for a run when she got home yesterday. So we did. Then she asked Daddy if we could find a "running race" to sign up for, but could she skate in it. She is crazy fast on rollerblades, but still. We mentioned the whole definition of "running race."

9. I went through an entire expanding file folder of saved recipes-to-try this morning. Creating this folder was, for whatever reason, one of my to-do items when during the nesting stage of my pregnancy with Alla. It is very organized and labeled, however, I don't think I've done anything but file magazine pages in there, and in fact I ended up purging 90% of it. Honestly, the recipes I wanted to try in 2005 are very different from those I can try in 2013. Anything with flour, nuts, flax, and sesame were tossed, and the rest of the 90% were way too complicated for a mom. The things you learn in almost 8 years as a mother.

10. I am still on the hunt for the perfect, not-eighty-dollar-sweatshirt. Been looking since last summer. So far no luck. It's out there. The one I'm wearing today is not it!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Now that Spring Break, current round of spring colds, and a lovely boy's 5th birthday are done, I think we can get back to normal around here. Until a lovely girl turns 8 at the end of the month. 5 and 8? Really?

2. That lovely boy is going to be a Ringbearer this summer, and, as you would expect, he is looking forward to wearing a BEAR SUIT for the occasion. What, this isn't the traditional garb for a Ringbearer? Well, it is for a "RingBEAR." We might have to notify the bride.

3. There is still loads of snow on the ground, but we've had a few days here and there with more spring like temperatures. We are looking for robin who might want to nest here, watching the trees for buds to shoot out, and, my favorite sign of spring, smiling at honking geese as they come back from their long winter break.

4. Speaking of looking to spring endeavors, I'm looking forward to growing sweet potatoes, partly because we love sweet potatoes, and partly because it's one of my favorite annuals to pick up for a pot on the deck or in a basket.

5. Since it is April, Minnesotans, please put away all Christmas lights, withered wreaths, and snowman decorations.

6. Television favorites in our home at the moment: Transformers Prime and Wild Kratts, still. The grown-ups loved House of Cards, and I have approximately 5 episodes of Grey's Anatomy to catch up on, since the man of the house has given it up.

7. Mmmmm, pinto beans are brewing in the crockpot with some garlic, salt, chili powder, a sliced jalapeno, and the ham bone from Easter. Cover all that with a combination of water and broth and you have an easy meal. One of our favorites.

8. Thank goodness the snow days are numbered, as my children's snowpants have seen better days and are not exactly waterproof anymore.

9. Just finished Code Name Verity which was a good read, although weeding through all the plane jargon made the reading a bit fragmented for me.

10. I am a bit obsessed with grapefruits of late. This has been revolutionary as an end of winter fruit, before we get much summer produce. Obsessed, as in looking forward to eating another one and I probably just had one.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. I wouldn't say spring is exactly in the air here, like it was last year when we had zero snow and 60 degrees in March, but regardless, the kids have one day of school and then are officially on spring break. I think the official number of school days left in the month of March for Alla is 5.

2. We are headed to the Outer Banks for Spring Break with Ron's whole family, and are just hoping it's in the 50s. Isn't that something, when you know that if it's 50 degrees you'll be warm.

3. One week from today my baby will be five. 'Nuff said.

4. This year with Easter being in March, another thing in March, I'm afraid the Easter Bunny is probably going to be a bit, shall we say, downplayed.

5. It seems Easter baskets are a bit like Christmas stockings, no?

6. Have I mentioned my favorite chocolate pudding here before? I have made it twice in the past two weeks, ok one week, and I just adore it. But Ron refuses to allow me to call it "pudding" because of the avocados.

7. I prefer to eat that delicious CHOCOLATE PUDDING in a little ramekin with a smattering of sea salt on top, but we seem to be low in the ramekin department. I believe there are a few in the freezer holding various frostings and chipotle peppers, and I may have broken one or two. I am on the lookout for a new set. Do you use ramekins?

8. I have finally finished The Twelve, and no I did not enjoy it nearly as much as The Passage, but I am looking forward (next year!) to the conclusion of the trilogy, and Justin Cronin you better end it well.

9. Now that I am done devoting a quarter of a year to the viral apocalypse, I am ready to move on. Picked up Code Name Verity at the library today.

10. When asked what he would like for his birthday dinner, while we're on vacation, Fisher mentioned a few different options. Beans top the list, and he had a hard time deciding if pintos or black beans are his favorite (so very glad for beans). He couldn't decide if Black Bean Soup or Lentil Soup is his favorite. He wants corn, too. And sweeties. And cake. Sounds like a feast to me!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Today was the Science Fair for Alla! That girl relished every minute in the spotlight, loving to demonstrate and explain her project.

2. I was overjoyed to shoot a newborn over the weekend. So teensy. You forget.

3. We are currently in the melt-freeze overnight-melt-freeze overnight weather pattern. The corners of our lawn (I'm trying to picture what that would look like if, say, I could see it) still have an easy four feet of snow piled up. It's still winter.

4. Did you happen to try my Lazy Mama Art Activity?

5. Another good one is the old baking soda in a pan, colored vinegar in muffin tins, and a dropper to get the vinegar to the baking soda causing fizzy goodness. Fisher asks for this regularly and Alla, too, if she's home; she's definitely not too old for this one.

6. I have a deep craving for a big pot of soup. Part of that is probably that it is indeed still winter, but a bigger part may just be the level of satisfaction one gets from making that pot of soup that you know will feed your family for a few days. If they like it.

7. It has also been awhile since I baked something, and I'm not sure what that next something should be. Scones? Cookies? Muffins? Granola bars? A cake?!

8. This weekend is the school carnival. My husband is cowering in fear, and I'm right behind him. 500 kids and their families packed into school hallways and classrooms lined up to play games and get their hair spray painted. Let's just say we'll be drinking Sunday night.

9. Fisher woke up this morning with Alla's stuffy nose and he is being such a male about it. It's just a stuffy nose, and I haven't heard Alla complain about it once.

10. Despite his stuffy nose, we did accomplish a great deal today: changed the bag in the vacuum and vacuumed the whole house, cleaned a bathroom, he read me the book Cat Days, we went to the library to pick up Batman books and Edmund Fitzgerald books, watched Wild Kratts, and he made a hide and seek game for me with 17 circles he'd punched. Speaking of which, there's a bonus art activity for you - punches. Goodness they can busy themselves for hours with a slew of punches.

Lazy mama art activity.

 Step 1: Get a large roll of white paper. Spread on table, adhering with tape.

 

Step 2: Set out markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, dot-dot daubers, and googly eyes.

 

 

Step 3: Sit down at said table and watch as you earn appreciative faces like this -

 

 

Step 4: Leave the white paper spread out on the table until there is nowhere left to draw or play tic-tac-toe. Or until the children have made it too completely filthy for you to be okay with.

 

Repeat steps 1-4.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Took my little boy bowling this morning. A great mama-son time.

2. The weather has turned freezing again, back to sub-zero windchills for a couple days. And we are all anticipating two big snowfalls, fingers crossed!

3. Exactly one month from today my son will turn five, which, if you haven't yet crossed that milestone with one of your own, is a major turning point for both child and parent. Child all of a sudden thinks they are big and grown, parent realizes the end of an era, which I will surely discuss at length when the time approaches.

4. The website I'm looking for today is a science project website. Do any of you mamas of older ones have a resource for this? I personally hated science projects when I was in school, but so far Alla loves them and has no problem coming up with her own ideas for them. So I'm not really looking for a cheater's guide to science projects, just a general guide to setting up the display. There must be a nice, streamlined method. You'd think I, a former scrapbooker, would be able to figure this out easily, but it alludes me, and every year I am sitting there matting titles and cutting out letters because the set we have is missing an I, and E and three H's. Ugh. It does help, however, that this morning Alla told me it looks beautiful. She's seven, so that's not actually true, but it's nice that she thinks so.

5. Thank you to my friend, Tara, for suggesting our next topic of research, the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. We've got three books on hold at the library and I'm sure we'll all be singing the song in a few days!

6. I mentioned on facebook last week that my children didn't seem too amused at my knowledge of Beach Boys songs. Turns out, my son loves The Beach Boys like I do, and we've listened to Surfin' USA several times a day for a week straight. Never gets old. Well, not so if you're my husband.

7. I am woefully behind on Grey's Anatomy, in part because my husband decided he couldn't watch it anymore. I am probably in it for the long haul, but I do agree with him that they could have made this the last season. Better to go out on top, rather than drag it out.

8. Not to give away anything, but a big reason I fell for Weeds years ago was the ticky-tacky song, so I'm super glad to have that back.

9. We are in desperate need of replacing a floor lamp that Fisher knocked over and cracked at the age of 8 months. It was the second floor lamp that met its demise in the presence of my son, but this one unfortunately still works. If you ever come over and wonder why I've got it stashed in a corner, it's because the side facing the corner has a big hole in it.

10. If the weather ever warms, I'm going to go pick me up a new houseplant to tide me over til spring.

The joys of a boy.

I know some families who have seen Legos take over their homes, but we are not there. Yet. We are at this great place where we own two kits, a fireboat and a fireplane, but on a daily basis I see all kinds of different creations being built and then every month or so the original kit gets rebuilt.

 I love it. He can play this for hours, and in fact this is what Quiet Time is usually about in our house.

I also love Fridays, because it's one of the few days in any given week when we rarely have someplace to be, so we get to do stuff like sit on the floor and fight Legos together.

I also love that I have a boy, without whom I would not know about fireboats, smokejumpers, C-130s, the Titanic, the world's most horriffic plane crash, or the International Ice Patrol.

The kid keeps me in the know. I certainly hope the kindergarten library will be full of books that meet his interests.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Sometimes the kids get up and dressed and eat and brush teeth and hair quick enough to play together before school. This time is their favorite, as I can tell they are both working together to make it happen before school.

2. My son seems to be the only one in his class who is covered in snow when I pick him up. Like, can't even see his hat for all the snow on it.

3. Speaking of that son of mine, here's what he says to me on the way home from school yesterday: I am always trying to be a better child. I wonder if I can tattoo that on him or something for a reminder of the many times when that's not actually true.

4. Alla and Daddy spent a good chunk of the weekend working on her science project. This year's topic: Which ball bounces the highest?

5. This was the first year in many where I thought the Grammy's were just awesome. Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, Bruno Mars with Sting, and let's not forget about the Grammy Award-winning Okee Dokee Brothers!

6. Speaking of which, Fisher got to play the triangle onstage with The Okee Dokees this morning at the Mall of America.

7. Things spotted by Fisher and I on our journey to and from the Mall of America this morning: 1 grader, 2 Okee Dokee brothers, 1 Becky (their fiddle player), 2 light rail trains, 1 plane taking off right over our heads, lots of planes taking off in other directions, 3 crash tenders, 2 tower cranes, and 2 freight trains. Exciting stuff.

8. I scored a great deal on napkins at Target over the weekend. This might not be thrilling to all, but we are a strictly cloth napkin house, and we go through them at an alarming rate, so they are always getting washed, and we (ok, the kids) are hard on them, so eventually they get raggedy. The deal I found was a 4-pack for two bucks. So I grabbed whole shelf and now I think we're good for a few years.

9. Currently on the kitchen chalkboard:

10. Real Simple's February issue had a section about spicing up your average nacho, so for date night in this weekend, Ron and I had the BBQ Chicken version, which is just this: Oven to 400 or so, spread your chips on a cookie sheet, spread diced rotisserie chicken on top, cover with cheese, cook for 4 minutes or til cheese is bubbly melted. Top with as much BBQ sauce as you prefer, and a sprinkle of green onion. Add a Dark and Stormy and a movie, and you have yourself a lovely Date Night In!

Kindergarten round-up.

 

Steps are being taken to ensure my son, my baby, grows up. Just last week he went to this crazy event with Daddy, who by the way took my daughter, my firstborn baby, to the same event three years ago. The reason I know that these types of events are concrete steps on the road to growing up? Sure enough, three years later, that little daughter of mine is now a second grader, which is clearly more grown up than a four year old. See where I'm going with this?

 

I know some of you will look at this picture and think, wow, that kid looks like he's ready for kindergarten! Go Fisher! Those people will be shot.

The loving people who look at this picture and say, oh he looks just like a baby, he can't possibly be ready for kindergarten, those people are welcome to remain in my inner circle.

Stay tuned. I'm sure other steps are being taken to ensure this madness they call kindergarten actually happens in the fall.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. The kids and I finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this weekend. I am so glad that Alla is loving to read books a second time so that we can share them with Fisher. He wanted to start Harry Potter tonight, and Alla climbed right on board even though she's well into the fifth book. In our family we write our name and the date on the title page of a book that we finish, and there must be half a dozen entries on this title page of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone between Ron, me, Alla and me, Alla by herself, and multiple re-reads by each of us. It's a wonder the book is holding up!

2. We got a little tiny bit of fresh snow and the temperatures rose out of the sub-zero range so we got out for a family nature walk on the weekend, some snow play after school yesterday, and yet another nature walk this morning. Sure is nice.

3. Fisher has kindergarten round-up tonight! This is one thing I know nothing about, since Ron took Alla to hers, and will be taking Fisher as well, but from what I understand, it's kind of an intro to kindergarten night for the Class of 2026. I'll be checking my math after I stop hyperventilating.

4. I am so excited to go with Alla's class on a field trip this week for a morning of snowshoeing! This is only because I made the same field trip myself a few weeks ago for some instruction so I could get my snowshoes figured out before the big day. Whew, big relief.

5. We'll be rooting for The Okee Dokee Brothers this weekend at The Grammy's! And if you're in So Cal, you'll be kicking yourself if you don't head up to The Mint for a rare LA show. I'm sorry you won't be here next week to see them at the Mall of America with us.

6. I have a vase of alstromeria that has lasted since my birthday. If it makes it to the weekend, that will be four weeks. I'd say run to your nearest TJs and try out a bunch of your own.

7. February is a short month. Good and bad. Good, because though it may snow in March it may also  melt and we will open the windows and our kids may find buckets of melted filthy snow left in the yard on a warm (sixty degree) day to throw upon themselves. Bad, because February is a short month, followed by March, the month my baby turns FIVE, which is hard on a mama's heart. I'm guessing he wants presents for his birthday, too, and February is a short month to figure that out.

8. I am very very much enjoying these "primal fudge" circles. Around here I'm just calling them 'those fudge things,' and I may or may not have polished off the last one tonight, so I suppose I'll be making more of those fudge things this weekend. Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day, Family, more than 'those fudge things.'

9. I am happy to report that I have finished The Passage and am well into The Twelve.

10. I am wondering if any of your children have as many stuffed animals as my daughter, and if so, however do you store them? Mine wants all of them out, accessible, all of the time. They are currently in the playroom, in an overflowing basket, and she would like to remedy this by getting them into her room, by which I mean the tiny room she shares with her brother. I would love a brilliant idea for how to make her (and I) happy, but in the meantime I have told her that this weekend she and I will photograph each of them and document their stories, because, miraculously she knows the story behind each of them. Like a good mama.