hong konged

kids dine al fresco

Dare I say we made it? Jake is en route to MN so assuming we survive until after lunch tomorrow, I can check 10 days as a single mom with two kiddos off my reverse bucket list. We did great and had lots of quality girl dates.  It helped to have family & friends to keep us busy and I was already used to being them with morning, noon, and night so it wasn't that different. The hardest thing has been my pain flare up which has been affecting my sleep and mood. I am trying everything and it's testing my patience.

Highlights of the past week include Nori starting ballet/tap dance. She looked so pretty in her pink leotard and was so careful to gracefully follow the teacher. I almost cried when Henny yelled "Ning Ning!" every single time she saw Nori through the door. Kinderflip starts this week too, so I will have a dancing gymnast on my hands along with a loyal toddling cheerleader. We read books, went to the park, played outside, and snuggled. We celebrated the September birthdays with our friends over  a pasta dinner and continued the party the next night with a pool party and fish fry. Also, I finally got my lip waxed by a guy from NE Mpls. 

meanwhile, baby chair-capades inside

at least I spelled everything correctly?

Ho Donkey,  Missy & Ang tun another year wonderful

I call her lil' Clicker, don't ask

quality time with Decko the Gecko

little sister "helping"

pretty girl

she loves to bounce and say "hop"

last hurrah in the pool until 2013

Motherhood = lifeguard duty

Wild in Winona

leaving on an airplane

 

In case you are wondering Jake made it to Hong Kong, got into a bus accident with another bus (his neck & back cracked but people on the other totaled bus were injured), rode a steep tram, rode in a Sampan boat, met our friend Ross’s brother for supper (random) but did not eat shark fin soup or emu tendons. Tomorrow (today for him) he is off to Macau the Las Vegas of Asia.

All is well in Winona! We are little light on the vegetables and a little heavy on the treats but we will remedy that soon. Hey, we feel like we are on vacation, too. Reverse vacation where I never rest but still eat whatever I want. We staying at Gramsie’s house so she is cleaning up messes and washing dishes in our wake. The girls have enjoyed playing outside in the big backyard, the farmer’s market, raspberry picking, the apple orchard, time with grandparents, and lots of love. Luh-uh-ove!

rub a dub dubby, two men in a tubby

riding bareback

early morn berry picking

berry baby

in Wisconsin y'all

wait for Foose!

The Berry Patch

apple dipped in cider

HC = honey crisp and Henley Cate

Great Grandma Sylvia has lots of candy

yum!

Dogs love Darlene

Henny sits in Papa Michael's 1st grade chair

Swing set at G& G's

just like Mommy

the week without pinneapple

Jake is going here for 10 days. We are going here for a long weekend. I got a cortisone injection here. And we are about to embark on a week without pineapple. Jake is our meticulous, precise pineapple chopper and since he will be gone, we will go without. He will be missed!

sleeping beauty

sleeping booty

this girl

... has been promoted to the Sunshine Room at preschool with her new teacher, Miss Wendy ("My Wendy?" she asked when she first heard her teacher's name. No, sorry honey. "My Wendy" is our aunt, not our teacher). She is called Norelle at school and even has her own metal locker now. There are 19 kids in her room but not all attend every day, including Nori ( just T-W-Th). She is in LOVE with Isabella (pronounced Is-ahhh-beellll-ahhhh) whom she stalks from the moment we get there until we leave. I encourage her to also include the other girls: Aden, Grace, Nora, Brynn, Weather, and Clara, but none can compare with the lure of Isabella. I advised her to stay away from Teegan who thinks she is "his girlfriend" and tries to "lock her up in jail and cut open her stomach". So far she has no idea what letters she has studied or anything else she has learned but  has decided she hates Mass.

Tea for two

labors of love

soul mates

Four days off with the family is coming to an end. We squeezed in lots of quality bonding time before Jake leaves for Hong Kong and it's true, I tried to let him "help" (or forced him, whatever) with the kids more than usual to make up for what he will "miss" next week. I had an eye-opening experience when I babysat Baby Octavio the other night. I was really looking forward to seeing how it would go with three kids. I imagined us playing on the blanket together, taking cute pictures, and make him laugh for the first time. Then, reality happened. The minute Henny saw me hold him, she burst in to tears and basically did not stop crying until I had to call Octavio's dad to come home and get him. Nori was so distraught that Henny was sobbing, she chimed which of course scared the baby and he cried some, too. No photos, no giggles, and Lord! I can only imagine trying to feed three kids or pack them up for an outing. So yeah, I still want three kids someday but I think I am content to let Henny be the baby for a lot longer before I worry about that. Grateful for my two wonderful daughters and my sanity.

Like usual, we ran around bat shit crazy going from here to there, cramming in the last of the summer fun. Our State Fair day was our best Fair experience to date. And just in case you were not clear on the chocolate waffle thing, let me clarify: they tasted like hot chocolate chip cookies, not dry waffley waffles. They were divine. I actually did not get my own but tried to mooch bites off my Dad's and Nori's, so that may also be why I am still  talking about them. Hopefully, you took my advice and gobbled one up yourself. Do I talk about food too much?  Well, I have to be descriptive and I am sure you don't want to hear about dirty diapers or scab-picking kids again.

Saturday we met up Luther friends at Minnehaha Falls for lunch and conversation. Nori had a bit of a meltdown after a long wait for friends (and what else) food, so we had to cut that visit short and get her butt to sleep. On Sunday, Jake & I went out for a breakfast date at the French Meadow Bakery in Uptown.  For the second part of our "date", we came home and cleaned the house top to bottom. It takes two adults 2+ hours non-stop to get this joint in order but it only takes two kids 3 minutes to destroy it. Aunt Ellen babysat and we got to wish her bon voyage before she leaves for Holden Village for a year. Later we went  over to Turpins' for a Labor Day BBQ with the Winona crew where we chased kids and spoke in 20 second increments to adults. On the way home Nori informed us she had to "tink" so we veered off the freeway at full speed in search of a potty which proved elusive as were near the lakes. Finally, we  found a Lund's and all crisis was avoided. I have no idea how we ended up in Uptown twice this weekend after not going there for years, but life is funny like that. Today we attempted a leisurely day at home although that really does not exist anymore so in reality we woke at the crack of dawn, watched Doc McStuffins, made breakfast, called poison control,  played Barbies and finger puppets, created art, set up a  princess tea party photo shoot with the help of Jill and her clone Abby, danced, ate lunch, wrestled on the floor, had a cuddle party on Mommy,  took micronaps and a wagon ride, and soon supper, baths, books, and bed.  I would not have it any other unrelaxing way!

Yes, I will take one of each.

Auntie Ellen is off to the wilderness yet again!

faux surrey ride

summer fun at Sea Salt

impromptu dance party

Bryn filling Henny in on her life story

the kid contingent