non-stop

no sharks allowed past this rope

If there is a prize for most calories consumed in one weekend, I would win. While you were eating kale and reading scholarly journals, I was living large. Large as in my new pants size. On Thursday night we had a work function at Sally's where I cleaned house on nachos (mistake #1).  Friday our birth family was in town and we took them to Como Zoo to visit the flood escapees from their zoo in Duluth. We also met Baby Eben who is now 3 months old and has lots of cute hair. Nori was super brave -- she went the on a tea cup ride all by herself. Afterwards, we came back to our house to talk and ordered in Chinese (mistake #2). It was nice to catch up and see how well they are doing with their new addition! That evening Jake baked the best chocolate chip cookies of my life (mistakes #3-12).  On Saturday we met up with Papa Bill, Casey and Jaimie at my Dad's house for some fun in the sun. Henny showed no fear of the water as she walked right off the edge of the deck into the pool. We have to be on our toes with that one. After a quick naptime at home, we headed over to Ho's for another pool party with 5 other little girls. Little girls,little girls...I think Missy felt like Mrs. Hannigan in Annie tending so many little needs. My little girls had a blast and Nor even slept in until 7:00 a.m. which is a record. Yesterday Abby and Jill came over to babysit so Jake and I could have our first date in several months. Oh alone time, why are you so elusive? It was not exactly romantic as we took a long, sweaty bike ride in the heat but we did stop for lunch at Sea Salt (mistake #13)and once to chill in the shade and look at the river. Later, Grandma Liz, Grandpa Steve, Ellen & Mal came over and went headed out to Groveland Tap (#14) followed by cones at DQ (#15) . It's like I think I am on an episode of Man vs Food.  Megan, put down the fork!

My daughters were a real joy this weekend, so many sweet moments, long hugs, and little laughs. They are playing together more now which is so so so adorable. Every morning when I am nursing Henny, Nori comes up to kiss her and comments on how "cute" she is. This is shortly before she decides she "needs to help her get milk" and start squeezing on my boob.

Off to the gym...

diva

can I get you anything?

being one is so much fun

beer me

someone thinks the A/C is "too cold"

finally showing interest in riding her bike

chillin' with Abby

boozin' with Gramps

cuddle time with Grandma

rookie of the year

baseball glove or monkey bed?

As you know, there's nothing I love more than sports. Baseball, hockey, football, tennis, soccer, golf... you name it, as long as there is aggressive competition that drags on forever. File this under things I would never say. I do love my kids though and T-Ball is part of the plan to help them turn out better than me . At practice I keep my strict policy of "no cheering", but I smile lovingly and flash the thumbs up sign when appropriate. Last night the Orange Merriam Park Team kicked the Yellow Merriam Park Team's butt. Well, they don't keep score and everyone gets a hit so I guess it was more of a tie. At least Nori tried her best, unlike last week she laid down in the field because she was "so tired". She also doing TumbleBees again and really enjoys that as well. Jake thinks she is going to be a runner someday because she is fast, but I know she really just runs fast to get it over with.

Speaking of runners, please support my friend Missy who is running her first half marathon! Missy is running the Surly Trail to raise money for clean drinking water in Africa. $50 provides clean drinking water for one whole generation!

Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth

hitting a blooper into left field

Jake is jealous he didn't get a turn

Team Mascot Foosie Sue

staying alive

we hardly look exhausted at all

Is it Monday yet? Can't wait to sit at my computer all by myself  with a cup of coffee silently answering student emails and working on spreadsheets with no one biting my shoulder or tooting on my lap. Weekends are different now... days off are not what they used to be. The girls are particularly squirrelly this weekend needing to be entertained, fed, or cuddled constantly. My baby won't sit still and my big girl won't stop cutting "random shapes" of homemade confetti out of  miscellaneous papers around the house (you can never have enough confetti made out of Ikea magazines and Comcast bills).  I can't really recall all that we have done as it seems like we keep repeating the same patterns of eating, making big messes, and attempting to go for walks (which involve me carrying a 45 pound princess several blocks home). Jake has been trying to stain some woodwork outside and do other needed projects as I fail at being Super Nanny. At least they are cute and I totally love them.

What else? Nori was eating cheese and took a chomp out of her middle finger which was very traumatic for her. Two boxes of Band Aids later it is on its way to feeling better. Out of the blue she said, "I love Ben" and "I want to marry Ben". I did not encourage this idea rather I suggested she marry her dad instead.  She and I tell stories every night under the covers before bed but I have run out of ideas, so I now I just tell her movie plots with people we know as the main characters. So far she had heard the plots to Goonies, Ferris Bueller, Shawshank, Pretty in Pink, Star Wars, and Annie.  We will took an ill-fated trip to Target ... Henny has a new found phobia of shopping carts so we had to leave the store empty-handed. She is a total wiggle worm-- can't hold her long yet can't put her down anywhere without her wreaking major havoc. Restaurants and outdoors are very challenging. Her voracious appetite has scaled back but she is sure to get 20 servings of fruit a day.


Only two weeks until my husbo turns THIRTY-FIVE and we go to the lake for a week long family getaway. So much to pack, so little space...

Remember this? Look who is 3!

Rockin' birthday party for sweet little Anna!

peek a boo never gets olds

almost as good as playing  in the toilet...true story.

She prefers the manual method of hair restraint

must sleep under down comforter in winter PJ's no matter the temps

bonding with Daddy

Yellow Lab For Sale

Monday

Hello again!

The girls and I had a great week alone together while Jake was on a boondoggle in Chicago. I was afraid it would be a rough week on my own but they were both on their best, most adorable behavior. We enjoyed a frozen yogurt outing, T-ball with Uncle Casey, library visit, neighborhood walks, a trip to the Minnesota Zoo with Nicole & Baby Owen, "helping" Gramsie & Jill do wedding flowers, and breakfast with Papa Bill at Good Day Cafe. I even let Nori sleep with me in my bed where we snuggled "butt to butt". As she said best, "Momma can't sleep alone!". Hen is saying more words and pointing to new objects saying, "wha dat?" and she has learned to throw mini-tantrums and bite when she does not get her way. Ah, I have taught her well. We were thrilled when Jake got home on Saturday, the girls wanted to play with him and I needed to sleep (I can not sleep very well when he is gone, probably because I have to be Head Grown Up In Charge. But, the second he gets home I pass out). On Father's Day we just hung out at home, gave him his homemade video & card, a sweatshirt we got on clearance at Target and  then he cooked for us. Yeah, that's how we roll.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my girls' daddy, my Dad, and to Steve. We love you all!

1st T-Ball

quickies

 Everyone in our house has a lovey that they sleep with. See if you can match the lovey to the person?

 New hair, new horizons

One year happy



T-Ball with Uncle Casey