Chilly Ethiopian

Malkam Genna 2012!

2012-01-26T07:00:00.003-06:00

I can't believe I forgot to blog this day! A couple weekends ago, we celebrated Ethiopian Christmas called Genna at the annual Ethiopian Kids Community party. We all dress up in Ethiopian clothing, eat Ethiopian food, peruse the Ethiopian goods for sale, do crafts and play, and top it all off with dance performances by the kids. Raina and Fantaye performed in different groups this year because of their ages. Raina proudly showed off the new dress that we bought her as her gown from ET was showing considerable wear. These dresses are created here in the Ethiopian style, but out of a much more durable fabric. The girls did a fantastic job of dancing and we were so proud of them. Raina seemed to have overcome her shyness and really started to get in the groove. Fantaye was one of the older girls in her group and she was a good leader. We are so thankful that we have a community of people to gather with to celebrate the Ethiopian culture and to share memories and moments with. What a blessing!

Malkum Genna!

Julie

Twists!

2012-01-25T09:03:00.004-06:00

Fantaye has extremely tight and kinky hair. It has been a challenge for us to work with and a challenge for her because combing it out and getting it braided is painful for her and she basically cries for two hours. It is has been a humbling experience for us as parents because we are out of our element with her hair and not at all adept at working with it. We have gotten a lot better, but she still cries in pain when we take her to her Ethiopian stylist for new braids every 4-6 weeks. Her stylist says that she has a sensitive head, but also that her hair is harder to work with than most. Relaxing her hair is not an option until she is much older, so at her last appointment we decided to explore an alternative style. Twist dreadlocks. Her hair is twisted in little corkscrews and after a few weeks, we will put in a locking creme that will keep them like that for 3-4 years. I think they are totally adorable and she is excited because now she can put in barrettes and clips and do girly styles like a ponytail or pigtails. I can't wait to see how this style plays out over the next few years... The upkeep is easy, we can still wash it and we can retwist the ends to keep them from fraying too much, but that is essentially it. Wish us luck!

Julie

Sea Life!

2012-01-24T09:53:00.006-06:00

On Monday the girls had off of school, so I decided to treat them to a fun afternoon at the Mall of America's Sea Life underwater adventure. Raina is obsessed with Orca whales right now and really loves dolphins and manta rays too. She says she wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up, ideally working at Sea World in Florida with the Orcas. Well, there aren't any whales or dolphins at this place, but lots of other undersea creatures including a big ray tank where all three of us enjoyed hanging out for a long time. The girls loved touching the starfish in the discovery center and got a kick out of the sharks and rays that swam right over our heads in the tunnels. We timed it right and were able to see a feeding of the sea horses- very cute, but my personal favorites were the jellyfish. They showcased a variety of jellyfish species in glowing tubular cases in a completely dark room. They would float, all lit up in different colors, like creatures from another world and I found them fascinatingly beautiful and hard to pull myself away from. "COME ON, MOM"... We went through the entire exhibit one time and got dumped into the gift shop where the girls bought Manta Ray stuffed animals and Fantaye bought a watch (all with their own money). After that, we went out into the mall itself for a quick peak through the American Girl Doll store and to get some ice cream. Then, we went back down for round two of the exhibit. All in all, we spent about three hours enjoying the wonders beneath the ocean and we had a lot of fun. The girls were happy and friendly with others, they had good manners and were a delight to be with. Days like that are so awesome!

Julie

If only we could all be like dogs...

2012-01-18T11:57:00.003-06:00

Last week, my 4 pound Toy Fox Terrier and I had an accident. The sidewalk outside was slippery and I was carrying Scooby outside to go to the bathroom because at 14 years old, he can't go up and down the stairs anymore. I thought to myself, "It looks slippery, be careful" and yet I still ended up flying through the air and practically body-slamming poor Scooby down onto the ground as we fell. It was horrifying to hear his yelp of pain and to know that I caused it. I quickly snatched him up to cuddle him and realized that he had no use of his back legs. When I set him down, he crumpled and fell over and I didn't know if I broke his legs or his hips, or his back... I panicked and ran inside to call the vet. They could get me in right away so I wasted no time bundling him up in a blanket and rushing off to get help.

At the vet, they took X-rays and listened to his heart and lungs. He wasn't getting deep breaths and his heart was beating irregularly. They came back with the x-rays and told me that they couldn't see any significant breaks and that his lungs had not been punctured. The shallow breathing could have been due to the shock and trauma and they wondered if his heart had been bruised during the fall or if he'd had a heart murmur for some time. They concluded that without more tests (EKG, etc.) that there wasn't anything they could do for him. I decided to take him home, to shower him with TLC and give him time to heal. I was so grateful and so relieved because part of me had thought that he would never see home again.

That was a week ago yesterday. Since that time, he has slept a lot, but is now walking on his own and is his usual, feisty self. He is one tough little bugger. He doesn't whine, he doesn't complain. He doesn't hold a grudge over me almost killing him, but still follows me around adoringly, wanting only to be on my lap. He is forgiving and loyal and loves without conditions. He is happy and makes the most of every minute he has with me.

If only we could all be like dogs...

PS- yesterday I got a call from the vet. The radiologist confirmed that he had two fractured ribs. Poor baby. You can't keep a good dog down.

Julie

Her First Belt

2012-01-17T10:42:00.002-06:00

Fantaye is loving karate and last week she earned her first belt- the white belt (starter belt). She is excited to continue classes and she can go up to four times a week. It will be a big commitment for her, but she is up for the challenge!!!

Julie

New Years Day Tradition

2012-01-07T07:00:00.003-06:00

We started on New Years Day what we hope will be a new tradition, if we can remember to do it next year... We sat down as a family and perused through all of our photo albums. Many of them are photo books of vacations and a few of them are scrapbooks of the kids, us, Ethiopia, etc. We had a half hour before football started and that was about all the kids had patience for anyway. We thought that this would be a nice way to start the New Year- by remembering the years that have passed and the fun times we have had. It was fun while it lasted and really, you take all that time to make those books, it only makes sense to look at them once in awhile! Having said that, I am STILL working on the photobook of my 40th birthday trip to Orlando last summer. Sigh. It'll get done.... sometime...

Julie

Looking Like A Ninja

2012-01-06T13:30:00.005-06:00

Last night we had an introductory consultation at a local karate studio for Fantaye. We are hoping that it will help her develop her body control and balance, listening skills and respect for authority. I was very impressed by the program, (her instructor sent her home with "homework"- she needs to do chores and act respectively to her parents in order to earn our signatures so that she can break boards in class) and we think her instructor was impressed by her. She has a lot of power and flexibility, she's a quick learner and the facial expressions and vocal commands come naturally to her. We can't wait to see how her new classes may improve her attitude and behavior at home (which is good, but can always be better). In addition, we have altered her diet so that she is getting more protein and less empty, sugary carbs to provide the necessary energy that busy kid needs! 2012 is starting out great for Taye!

Julie

Happy 2012!

2012-01-04T16:14:00.003-06:00

I felt like I had to clarify that this was apple juice, just in case someone thought the worst of us.

We rang in the New Year as we have done for the last few years- with the neighbors! Not only are they some of our favorite people, but that way, no one had to risk their life by driving on New Years Eve! We all brought appetizers and lots of kids and it was foody and noisy! We ended the evening with a jaunt out to the big tree (the second largest in MN). It was cold and windy and a great way to stretch our legs and wake us all up. Hope everyone had a safe and fun New Years and good luck with the upcoming year!

Julie

Christmas with Dad and Pat

2011-12-30T10:54:00.005-06:00

Last, but not least- we celebrated with my Dad and Pat on the 29th and had a very relaxing and peaceful evening separated from the stress of the holidays by a few days. It was nice to snack and play games, chase the puppy, and take it easy. We had a yummy ham dinner with cheesy potatoes and then opened presents. We always have a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's and the girls got quite a few unusual and fun presents that I know will be a big hit for weeks to come when they get them home and set up. Thanks for a great night guys!

Julie

Raina showing Grandma her glam fashion designs.

Suki chewing on Raina's hair. Ouch.

Fantaye opening up her stocking and saying, "I think it's an orange" !

What's in the bucket? Grandpa's favorite method of wrapping.

Grandma Pat jumping up and down with excitement over Raina's gift to her- a kitchen sponge. She's a good grandma..

Fantaye's computerized game. Daddy wants at it!

Suki tired out and sleeping under the tree.

A racetrack! Right up her alley. Pun intended.

Sweet! Designer Nail polish!

Girls in the Hood!

My gift to Pat- homemade cards.

One of Tony's favorite gifts- a book of races for the upcoming year.

Dad and Pat's travel log- a map of the world made by yours truly. They can put push pins into all the places they've been...

Nothing better than warm chocolate chip cookie pie with ice cream~

Happy Holidays!

Christmas with Tony's Dad's side on the 26th.

2011-12-29T07:00:00.001-06:00

On the 26th, it was Tony's Dad's turn for Christmas and the kids were looking forward to seeing their cousins again (having just said goodbye to them the night before). We enjoyed appetizers and cocktails while the kids played games inside and played on the ice outside. Again, it was warm enough for there to be a sheen of water on the ice and we saw some ice houses coming OFF the lake. We didn't bring their skates so they just scooted on boots and played with a sail trying to catch the wind. Some of the boys shot the puck around and it was good to get some energy out of their systems! Later, we had an Italian dinner and our present opening. Heaven help us, the kids got a cotton candy machine! Maybe we'll break it out at our neighbors house on New Years! :) Before leaving town, we had to see the much-talked-about light display and we were not disappointed! It was spectacular!

Julie

The kids present opening.

Grandpa John and Grandma Jenny

We learned something new and disturbing about Raina, she is double-jointed in her toes. Gross!

Mama's new scarf and gloves.

Taye's new outfit. She insists on putting everything on right away...

Me and my girl.

Cotton Candy!

The adult present opening via the dice game.

Chrstmas Day 2011

2011-12-28T07:00:00.002-06:00

Christmas morning is a magical time for kids even if they have stopped believing in Santa. They still race down the stairs and barrel down the hallway, eager to see what is waiting for them by the hearth. They always have fun exclaiming over their stocking goodies and they smile, smile, smile. After we all empty our stockings, checking twice to make sure one last trinket isn't stuck in the toe, we head to the kitchen for our annual Birthday Breakfast with Jesus. We set out the Birthday plate at Jesus' spot at the head of the table and we serve cinnamon rolls and bacon, fruit and juice. We say a prayer and sing Happy Birthday and I think it is one of the girls' favorite things about Christmas. After breakfast, we cleaned up and packed the car for Rochester for Christmas with Tony's mom and siblings. The weather was unbelievable. Clear, sunny, no snow and 40's. Crazy for Minnesota. After opening gifts, the kids went outside to play. Raina got new jump ropes and the girls played that while the boys played bean bags. Not often we can do that kind of thing on Christmas!

Thanks Matt and Suzy for a great time!

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-27T08:27:00.010-06:00

On Christmas Eve day we relaxed at home and finished last minute gift details until it was time to leave for church. Apparently, there were many other families who thought the 2:00 service would be good timing in order to get home for dinner because it was a packed sanctuary! We met the Grandmas Dar and Violet and took pictures of the girls in their dresses again. Before we left the parking lot, we quickly found a geocache which just happened to be nearby, so Tony could log a cache on the 24th (having never found one on Christmas Eve before). Once at home we gave the girls their new Christmas Eve pajamas so they could get comfy and we got ready for our Christmas Eve fondue. We had a beef fondue and a cheese fondue and it was a festive, fun and yummy dinner for all of us! After that was the gift opening and the kids could hardly wait. Half the fun is watching them itch to open and making them wait until after we do the dishes, pour our wine, let the dogs out, etc. etc.

Merry Christmas Eve Service.

Cutie pies!

A Taye in the manger...

Finding a geocache literally out the back door of the church. Talk about convenient...

Raina and Fantaye sharing a toast in their new jammies.

Mom and Dad cooking together. Not a sight you see very often.

Fondue!!! It's all about the sauces!

Fantaye and Doots (Short for Scooby- 14 years old).

The doggies and their annual Christmas Eve chewies...

Raina reading the story of the birth of Christ out of her bible.

Ethiopian skirts!

Fantaye and her new Ethiopian doll, Rahel.

Looking at Fantaye's gift to me- a recipe book made at school.

Raina with her BIG present- a new guitar!!!

Fantaye and her BIG present- a snowboard. Fantaye is devastated that there is no snow....

Me and Sanny (short for Roxanne- 11 years old).

Daddy being silly with Fantaye's new hat.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Julie

A visit with Santa Claus

2011-12-24T07:00:00.002-06:00

Raina and Fantaye were playing around this morning (23rd) and it was hysterical! Raina put on her red jacket, stuffed it to make herself look jolly, put on a black belt and a hat and assumed Santa's voice, demeanor and greeting chair. Here is their cute conversation...

"Ho Ho Ho, Merrrrrry Christmas"! "What would you like for Christmas this year little girl"?

"A kitty cat".

"Will you take care of it"?

"Yes".

"Well, that's what I will get you then"!

Then they posed for pictures for me as if it were a real photo op with Santa. Silly little girls.

I also had to snap a couple pictures of Scooby playing around under the tree and of Raina, the puppy lover.

Julie

Tony's 41st Birthday!

2011-12-23T15:48:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was Tony's birthday and the kids pampered him with breakfast in bed with a side of presents. Later that evening, the kids went to Grandma's for a sleepover and Tony and I headed to dinner with a mystery couple at Mozza Mia at 50th and France. He had no idea where he was going or who he was meeting and it was fun to keep him guessing. In our house, it's generally not a birthday unless there's some kind of surprise involved. We love that! Tony was delighted to see Mark and Kris walk in the restaurant and I appreciate that they were so willing to join us last minute during the crazy holiday season! We had a leisurely four hour dinner and talked our heads off. It was a low-key, really fun night. Happy Birthday Honey!

Julie

Third Annual Tour of Lights

2011-12-22T12:40:00.007-06:00

One of the things that make the holiday special are Christmas lights and we enjoy taking a tour as a family to go check out some of the more elaborate displays around the Twin Cities. In years past, we have stopped at DQ for a post-tour treat, but this year we went there first for dinner and an early blast of sugar for sleepy Fantaye. Most of the displays we saw had synchronized music because apparently you aren't something special unless you do that. They are fun to watch and we are always impressed by the amount of time and monetary investment it must take to pull it off (not to mention electrical cords-see last pic). I am sure our neighbors would hate us if we did something like that as it would turn our quiet street into a traffic jam... Tony's favorite house was the electric blue one because of the massive quantities of light strands up and down the siding. Amazing. Raina and I liked the peaceful blue/green one with the Happy Birthday Jesus sign. I am not sure which one was Fantaye's favorite, but she liked playing "ISpy" at the second to last house with all of their holiday icons in their yard. And I want to meet the people with the martini glass above their garage- I bet they would be fun to hang out with!

Julie

Christmas # 2 2011

2011-12-22T07:00:00.003-06:00

On Sunday we hosted Christmas at our house for my dad's side of the family. Twenty-two people for dinner and for once in a long time, we had all of the "original" parents and children present. We always have so much fun when we get together and the best part is watching the little kids run around and giggle and open their presents. My sister helped me cook and serve and that was lovely, because it is a lot of prep work, etc. We always set out appetizers and then have dinner a couple hours later which was cabernet braised short ribs and Swedish meatballs. After dinner, the kids set up a Kids Club upstairs where they offered pampering massages and spa treatments. I took them up on the foot rub as I had been on my feet all day and they were killing me. Great tradition! We like to end the night with a "year in review" of each family's year and a group picture. My favorite is generally the silly picture. What a bunch of goofballs!

Merry Christmas!

Julie

First Christmas of 2011

2011-12-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

My sister is visiting from Vegas so we are taking advantage of her presence by celebrating an early Christmas. Saturday the 17th, marked the beginning of our holiday gift gatherings with my mom and Grandma. We dined on BBQ ribs and cheesy potatoes, ummm yummy! The girls ripped into their presents excitedly, having stored up a year of Christmas energy. It was a lovely get-together and it is so nice to have my sister home!

Julie

Krumkake and Piano

2011-12-20T07:00:00.003-06:00

Last Thursday was my second annual Krumkake baking day with my neighbor gals. We had a blast working in teams of two to produce 9 dozen traditional Norwegian cookies for our families and friends. In addition, we had a little gift exchange and enjoyed a lunch of vegetarian chili and a yummy champagne cocktail that I brought. In case you are looking for a fun, colorful, drink for a holiday gathering, this would be a good one. Recipe is as follows:

"Poinsettia"

Dash of Triple Sec

1/2 cranberry juice

1/2 champagne ( I used a Spumante)

serve in a champagne glass

When I got home from baking, I opened my front door to a BIG surprise- a piano had mysteriously appeared in my living room! Tony surprised all of us girls with a new piano for Christmas and then he proceeded to play it non-stop for the next couple of days. Apparently, we are destined to become a musical family despite our lack of musical ability. He taught himself a whole song in a matter of minutes with the help of his trusty Ipad app. It is quite cool and I know we will have lots of fun with it!

Julie

Raina Quips

2011-12-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

Tony and I were discussing our fantasy football teams in the car and Raina says,

"You two are talking the language of BORING". "Can you teach me that language? No, wait, then I will be boring too. Never mind."

Tree Trimming

2011-12-15T07:00:00.006-06:00

Sunday afternoon after the Christmas program, we headed out West to cut down our Christmas tree. We look forward to this tradition every year, but sometimes Mother Nature puts up stumbling blocks like the blizzard she gave us last year. This year was chilly and windy, but not much snow. We found the tree we eventually took home in the first few minutes, but had to look at EVERY one, just to make sure. By the time we cut it down and we all loaded back into the wagon for the trip out of the field and back to the pay shack, we were ready for some salty peanuts and hot apple cider! What was unique about this year is that the tree farm only takes cash and we had a limited amount on us- an amount not enough for 80% of the trees in the field. We could have zipped into town to a cash machine, but we decided we were not only up for the challenge of finding a tree that would work for us, (we like choosing imperfect trees anyway) but that it would be a good lesson for all of us to make the best of it! Tony did have to do some scrounging in his truck for change to come up with the tax. Pretty funny. Once home, the girls couldn't wait to dig into their ornament boxes and start decorating. Tony helps us with the lights and the angel and then he graciously bows out to let the girls organize to their hearts content! And no matter the tree whether it is gangly or squat or missing chunky sections, (ours is very tall and skinny) it always looks beautiful once it is lighted and decorated and that is the magic of Christmas!

Julie

PS- A Raina Quip

You know your kids are too old for Santa when... told that Santa and Mrs. Claus would not be available at the tree farm this year as in years past, Raina said, "That's fine! It's kinda creepy sitting on some old guy's lap that I don't know anyway- and Mrs. Claus is weird too. All I care about is the cider"!

Prayerful Children

2011-12-14T12:25:00.002-06:00

On a morning when I was frustrated with behavioral issues with Fantaye, I was given a very beautiful and very heartwarming gift. One of our neighbors (who is pregnant) has a mother in the hospital with an unexpected, mysterious and extremely dire illness. The doctors have no clue what it is and it doesn't look good. I went out to talk to my neighbor this morning as I saw her walking back from the bus stop (she has two kids) and she said this to me and another neighbor standing there:

"You guys have the most amazing kids. Raina went up to my daughter and said, 'We are praying for you and your grandma and your mom' and then all the kids held hands and started saying a group prayer".

I didn't see this happen, she just told me about it, but in that moment I knew that whatever behavioral things we are working on, the good things are getting through to them. What a beautiful thing- that my kids (and the other kids) are offering comfort and love and had the courage to say a prayer together on the street. Thank you Lord for leading me and Tony and helping these kids to be good people- because they are.

Julie

Christmas Program

2011-12-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

On Sunday the girls had their Sunday School Christmas program which we look forward to every year. It is so fun to see all the kids dressed up and singing their hearts out. Fantaye was a big fan of the bell ringing and poor Raina, now in third grade, got to move up the risers, but was almost too short to be seen... (She's behind the boy in the blue shirt and tie). What little cuties.

Julie

Third annual Christmas cookie baking day with Grandmas.

2011-12-13T07:00:00.002-06:00

On Saturday, we had our third annual Christmas cookie baking day with my mom and Tony's mom and special guest, my grandma. It is an event that we all look forward to and it is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. This year we made all kinds of off-beat cookies and realized that we didn't do anything particularly traditional. We like trying new recipes, but next year, we are going to be more careful to have something standard in our repertoire. It seemed like many of the things we made required melting baking chocolate for dipping and barking- kind of a hassle. Either a double boiler or a microwave, neither are 100% perfect all the time... We made a couple of different kinds of bark, pretzels filled with white chocolate and either red or green M & M's, pretzels with a melted Rolo and pecans, Oreo balls, ginger balls, white chocolate and cherry cookies and the wacky one- chocolate chunk with a hint of ginger and topped with candied, cayenne bacon! The girls were good little cookers for the most part and even better taste testers. Raina had a stomach ache later because of all her sampling... What a fun day and thanks Grandmas!!!

Julie

Christmas Play and Party

2011-12-12T08:14:00.002-06:00

Friday night was a busy night as the four of us attended the play, "White Christmas". My errror was in assuming that the 1940's play would hold Fantaye's attention... Needless to say, we left at intermission which worked out fine seeing as how we also had our favorite annual Christmas party to attend and weren't sure how we were going to fit it all in. The girls were happy to greet Santa at the party and generally, run around like banshees. For the second year in a row, Raina was enthralled by the guitarists and just sat there listening to them for most of the night. Good thing she is getting a guitar for Christmas. We went as a family to get it last week, but she can't have it until Christmas Eve.

Julie

Girl Scout Christmas Boutique

2011-12-08T07:00:00.002-06:00

This is the second year that Raina and I have participated in the local Girl Scout Christmas craft boutique. Our troop was responsible for making and selling crafts at our own table and we also were in charge of the bake sale table. It is a fun event for kids to buy presents for their parents, siblings, friends, etc. because all items are $3.00 or less and we gift wrap them on the spot so parents don't know what they are getting. I am always amazed with the creativity of Girl Scouts and what they can create and sell for less than $3! It is a day that I look forward to and a day that I can't wait to be finished with because it is a crazy, hectic day (especially at the bake sale table) and my co-leader and I work on craft ideas and pre-crafting for hours and hours before our craft day where we finally make everything with the girls. Whew! But it was a rousing success and fun was had by all!

You can see some of the items that we made and sold: snowman ornaments, beaded necklaces, button rings, bath snowballs, mugs painted with chalkboard paint, find-it jars for kids, Angry Birds slingshot game (made with pom poms and rubber bands- these sold out right away), candy jars, Date with Daddy popocorn and sweet treats, tic tac toe car game and photo cubes.

Julie

Wax Museum

2011-12-07T10:36:00.005-06:00

Last week at Raina's school the third graders put on a "Wax Museum" where each student was an important person (living or dead). Of course, there were your Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelts and people like Bill Gates and Lance Armstrong, but there were also less heard of people like Raina's character, Linda Alvarado. Linda is currently living and is the founder/owner of one of the largest construction firms in the country and also the owner of the Colorado Rockies baseball team. She is a hero because she was a pioneer for Latin American women in business and sports. Raina did an excellent job portraying her and had her little speech memorized which she imparted automatically with the push of a button on her sheet. Parents and students from other classrooms wandered through, learning about famous and not-so famous people and the impact they have had on our country. It was a great exhibit, lots of fun and lots of learning!

Julie

Happy First Day of Advent!

2011-12-01T09:14:00.003-06:00

Raina and her Advent Christmas tree with glass ornaments.

Fantaye and her Advent castle with little wooden soldiers.

The girls look forward to doing these every year and couldn't wait for this morning to start the count-up!

Dollar Day

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

For the last few years, I have been taking the girls to the Dollar Store and given them free reign to purchase presents for their grandparents, cousins, friends, me and Tony, and each other. I am always amazed with what they come up with because they put a lot of thought into their simple dollar gifts. Raina is extremely creative and she often purchases something only to embellish it, turn it into something else, etc. I love watching their generous spirits and creative minds in action and it is so fun!

Julie

Play Day!

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

We have made it a tradition every year after Thanksgiving to go to the Old Log Theatre with Grandma and the cousins to take in a children's play and to see Santa. This year the production was Cinderella and as usual, it was very entertaining. The ugly stepsisters were VERY ugly and the Fairy Godmother was delightful. The kids had a lot of fun and then afterwards, we strolled through the Kris Kringle fair. They offered handmade gifts and crafts, food, etc. Grandma bought the three girls knit hats that my girls have only taken off for bedtime. The weather was spectacular (and by that I mean it wasn't a blizzard like it was last year) and we strolled around town, darting into shops here and there to peruse (like the pet shop- "No we can NOT get a cat"). It was a very fun afternoon and it is a tradition that I have come to look forward to every year and that I hope my kids will always remember. Thanks Grandma!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T17:14:00.003-06:00

The two things we are most thankful for this year! (And every year)...

Julie

Meet Suki, Mika, Gizmo, Jerry Jr....

2011-11-23T07:00:00.001-06:00

Grandma and Grandpa got a new puppy and brought it over to introduce it to the girls the other night. They were so excited to meet the little fluffball and wouldn't leaver her alone. As of yesterday she was unnamed, so we are not sure what to call her yet, but she is definitely cute! She is half Maltese and half Shih Tzu- won't shed and won't get too big. Perfect! Congratulations to the new parents!

Caught in the act!

2011-11-22T08:55:00.001-06:00

I came downstairs yesterday while Fantaye was watching TV and was proud to see her doing one of my workout shows that I had taped. I heard her huffing and puffing and then she said to herself, "Whew, that's hard" and picked up the remote to find something else to watch. It was brief, but very cute!

Linus' Visit and Raina's First Communion

2011-11-21T13:46:00.008-06:00

This past weekend was busy with two important events. First, we had the pleasure of hosting our good friend from Sweden, Linus, for a few days and it was also Raina's First Communion on Sunday.

Linus flew in on Wednesday and we had a whirlwind of a time visiting with family and friends, shopping, and reminiscing about our high school days (he was an exchange student with Tony's family in 1988). The first picture is taken at Fasika, where we met for dinner one night to introduce him and some other family members who hadn't tried it, to Fantaye's favorite Ethiopian foods. The second-to-last picture is at Sunday brunch to celebrate Raina and as a farewell to Linus. :(

It was a great weekend because it was so special to spend some time with Linus after six years apart and we were also so proud of Raina who was so excited to take Communion and felt like such a big girl!

Julie

Scary

2011-11-17T07:00:00.002-06:00

Do not mess with this man!

And when did we start looking so OLD?

Fantaye's Hoe Down

2011-11-16T13:11:00.002-06:00

Every year, the first and second graders work on their square dancing skills and perform what they've learned at the Fall Hoe Down! Fantaye was VERY excited to participate in this and even said to me the day before, "I should take it easy today, I want to conserve my energy for the hoe down". She knew the dances well and appeared to know the words to the songs too as she sang along while she danced. It was fun to see all the kids circling round, bowing to their partners, etc. Fun Fun!

Julie

Fantaye Knock Knock Joke

2011-11-06T21:26:00.002-06:00

Fantaye: "Knock Knock"

Me: "Who's there"?

Fantaye: "God"

Me: "God Who"?

Fantaye: "What"? "You don't know who God is"?????!!!!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T09:40:00.004-05:00

Fantaye and I at her school party. She's a referee and I'm an escaped convict!

Raina was a snow queen! The girls are standing on the porch, ready to greet the neighbors coming for the big party!

The gang!

Playing bingo in the haunted dining room.

Playing a straw game...

Excited!

Ready to head out trick or treating!

Grandma handed out candy while we walked the streets with the girls.

Get some and run to the next house!

Taking a short candy break on a random driveway.

The haul...

Happy Halloween! 2011

Julie

Pumpkins and Parties

2011-10-31T11:15:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we carved our pumpkins for Halloween and we hosted an intimate haunted dinner party for six, it was a fun weekend!

On Friday, the girls had off of school for a district training day, so Grandma Dar and Great Grandma Violet came over to help us carve pumpkins. Fantaye's pumpkin was bumpy and warty and we wanted to keep that look, so we just poked holes in it all over so the light will shine through like zits that needed popping. (Gross enough for you?)

Raina had Grandma Dar's help because she likes to do elaborate scenes on hers that take a lot of patience, which I don't have a lot of. Both pumpkins ended up looking awesome!

Saturday night, two neighborhood couples came over while the kids were gone to join us for a haunted dinner party! My friend Jennifer and I poured over menu ideas and she made the appetizers, salad and dessert and I made the main meal. We had cabernet braised short ribs served over creamy mashed potatoes and she made a dessert trio that was "TO DIE FOR". We ate by candlelight and it was very spooky and yet, very relaxing! We normally have a big neighborhood Halloween Bash, but this year it just didn't work our for everyone, so we had a smaller affair instead and it was so fun!

Today, the Kids Halloween party is at our house by default (the hostesses child got sick) so I should have lots more pics to show tomorrow of Halloween in the Hood'!

Julie

Gourds and snakes

2011-10-26T12:48:00.002-05:00

So, these are the cool green gourds that we bought last weekend at the pumpkin patch. The girls turned them into scary snakes to adorn our front walk. It was such a fun project and I was regretting that I didn't buy more as they were only .99 and how cool would it have been to have had an entire snake's nest? I Love Love Love Halloween!

Julie

Raina Quips

2011-10-25T10:20:00.002-05:00

Raina has said a couple funny things lately that I thought I would share with you.

This one was last week sometime when we were driving in the car at night-

Raina: "Oh, Mom! Look at the moon, it looks so cool. All those wispy clouds and stuff. If I were a werewolf, I would totally be out tonight"!

This one was on the way to Ethiopian dance class. We were on the St. Paul campus of the University of Mn. and talking about college.

Raina: "Mom, do you choose where we go to college or do we"?

Me: "You do. Well, it depends on the cost though because college is really expensive, so I guess we kinda make the decision together. It would really help if you got a scholarship though."

Raina: "Do they give scholarships for being fashionable"?

Me: (laughing) "No".

Raina: "I'm doomed"!

Now, if you know Raina, this last statement is really funny because she doesn't care all that much about clothes and accessories. Apparently, she thinks she looks good anyway!

Julie

Pumpkin Patch with Grandma!

2011-10-21T11:51:00.005-05:00

Round two for the pumpkin patch! This week is MEA (Minnesota Education Association) so the girls are off of school Thursday and Friday, which made it the perfect time to hit one of our favorite places, Jim's Apple Farm. Along with Grandma, we searched for the perfect pumpkins and perused candy aisles for what seemed like hours! We noshed on caramel apples, drank old-fashioned black cherry and blue raspberry soda and tried a dark chocolate candy bar with bacon. We had fun perusing the gourde tables and chose some funky ones to paint later. It was a beautiful fall morning and this is one of my favorite ways to spend it!

Julie

October is orchard month!

2011-10-13T07:00:00.003-05:00

One of the things we like to do every year with the kids is go to an apple orchard to pick apples and pumpkins and to take a hayride, etc. Last Saturday, we drove to Afton Apple Orchard for an Ethiopian Kids Community gathering. Unfortunately, the place was so big and busy that we never did end up finding any friends to hang out with, but we enjoyed the amazing weather and the activities on our own. The girls liked jumping on the hay, feeding the animals and sampling cider before we took the tractor ride out to the apples and pumpkins. I think the girls inspected every pumpkin in the field before deciding which ones they wanted to take home and Tony was obsessed with getting a family picture because of the spectacular fall colors in the field. By the end of the day, we were all hot and tired and dusty and ready to head home to cool off and rehydrate. Can you believe we've had eighties all week? Ironically, the girls exchanged their dusty duds for swimsuits and ran through the sprinkler. I think that just might be a mid-October first!

We are the Champions....!

2011-10-12T13:25:00.005-05:00

Last week we took the girls to one of the WNBA Finals games, the Minnesota Lynx VS. the Atlanta Dream. We were excited for the girls because they both love basketball and we thought these women would be great role models for them and they would be able to relate to this sporting event more than a Vikings or Twins game, etc. They were both thrilled to be at the game and they hooped and hollered and waved their free pom poms like crazy girls. It was a nailbiter of a game and Fantaye's energy was waning by the fourth quarter, but we stuck it out for the grand finale win. It was exciting to watch the Lynx win on their home court and this game was win 2- they went on to win their next game in Atlanta, which meant they took home the big trophy! Woo Hoo, Yeah Lynx! We hope to attend even more games in the future!

Julie

Raina's Second Big Day!

2011-10-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

Must be nice to have three days of Birthday Parties! That's what it was like for Raina this weekend. Saturday was her friend party, Sunday her family party and Monday was her actual birthday. Whew! Mama needs a break!

So, her family party on Sunday was a "Sea" theme because she loves orcas and dolphins. Really, all I did was decorate the table with shells, use blue plates and napkins and put on Planet Earth's "Oceans" muted on the TV.

We had a really full house this year and a lot of kids (including some neighbors and their kids) and it was kind of crazy, but Raina had fun and that's what's important. We had tortellini for dinner (one of her favorites) and Ho Ho Pie for dessert.

Happy Birthday to our beautiful NINE YEAR OLD!

Raina's Big Day!

2011-10-04T09:25:00.004-05:00

For Raina's Ninth Birthday, her dream was to get her ears pierced! To make it even more fun, she decided that for her "friend" party she wanted a scavenger hunt at the mall with her girlfriends which ended up at Claire's for the ear piercing. That way, she'd have moral support and they would get to do something fun at the mall as well. After the ear piercing, she wanted to come home for a fun, relaxing, spa night/sleepover. Saturday morning before the party Raina and I spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen making her spa products. We made a strawberry sugar scrub (shown below) for hands, a cooling mint cream for feet and a blueberry mask for the face. We also made homemade ice cream sandwiches using store bought cookies that we took apart, added ice cream and sprinkles and put back together again. That night, the girls had a blast using the treatments, painting their nails and giving back massages. Raina thought it was the perfect day and she loves having pierced ears!

The Sugar Scrub

The Ice Cream Sandwiches

Traipsing through the mall....

The girls with one of their clues.

Nervous Nelly

No turning back now!

Yeah! Fancy girl!

The Rock Stars outside of Claire's.

A toast to Raina and a fun day!

Spa Treatments!

The massage train...

God's Beauty

2011-09-29T09:36:00.002-05:00

This picture was taken out our bedroom window. It is so spectacular this time of year! Who says corn can't be beautiful?

This picture was taken at church while the girls sat on a nearby bench scarfing down hot dogs for a fundraiser.

Savannah

2011-09-27T11:07:00.009-05:00

The meetings finished on Wednesday, so on Thursday, we took our rental car to Savannah, Georgia, to see a little more of the country. On the way, we stopped at this incredible site. The mist in the air lent an ethereal quality to the ruins and it was definitely a highlight of the trip.

We were slightly obsessed with the moss-dripping trees. Coming from Minnesota, we have nothing like them so they seem so cool!

Since we only had one day in Savannah, we decided to expedite our knowledge by taking a Segway tour of the downtown area. A quick and FUN way to introduce yourself to a new town and get your bearings. Once we learned how to operate these babies, our tour guide led us off on a two hour tour, showing us Savannah's beautiful squares and teaching us about her history. Tony was obsessed with the Segways and I bet you he has already been searching Craig's List and Ebay...

One of the historic houses we stopped at was formerly Juliette Gordon Lowe's, the founder of Girl Scouts. It is now a museum and I wanted to get some small gifts for my troop and my co-leader before closing time. Ironically, this year is the 100th anniversary of the inception of Girl Scouts, so it was the perfect time to go and made it all the more special.

The Waterfront shops.

The Harbor Bridge.

Another fun thing we did was to take a kayaking tour on the Bull River outside of Savannah. It was just the two of us and our very knowledgeable guide who pointed out all kinds of creatures and was a font of knowledge.

Hermit Crabs.

After we finished with our relaxing and peaceful kayak expedition, we drove over to nearby Tybee Island to enjoy views of the ocean. It's always fun for us landlocked midwesterners to see and smell the ocean any chance we get! First, we needed to refuel and of course, a fruity tropical drink wasn't out of order either!

This complex of buildings, including the lighthouse, is a museum, so we paid our admission, peaked into the buildings and climbed the 178 steps to the top for an amazing, breezy, 360 degree view.

Tony was mesmerized by the play of light off the lighthouse and took countless pictures of it. I think it paid off because this one is sure a beauty! After this, it was back to Charleston for one more night before we flew out in the morning. We had a great time in both cities, but Charleston is one of those towns where we felt immediately at home, as if we could live there someday. Hmmm.

Julie

Charleston!

2011-09-26T12:12:00.011-05:00

After leaving St. Louis, we continued on with our trek to Charleston, SC., where Tony had a business meeting and I got to conveniently tag along. We loved the history and charm of Charleston and our favorite thing to do was walk the streets and alleyways, admiring the architecture and coastal colors of the homes and reading about their hundreds of years of history. More often than not, a private residence and certainly most businesses, had a plaque adorning their wall conveying the building's historical significance. We got a big kick out of reading as many as we could find and we tried to soak up the amazing feeling of three hundred years of continuity.

The meetings took place across the street from our hotel in an old theatre.

Hanks Seafood Restaurant introduced us to the most amazing Southern dish ever- "Shrimp and Grits". Boy, have we been missing out! It was delicious and we had it more than once!

Dinner at Hanks with Larry and Kathy and John and Jenny

Funky cool trees.

Standing on the famous "Rainbow Row" because of the colorful houses.

The stately old, expensive, waterfront homes on the Battery.

Beautiful park. Cute guy.

Below this building is the Charleston Market sponsored by the Daughters of the Confederacy.

This restaurant was called SNOB. (Somewhere North of Broad). Tony had shrimp and grits.

At snob with our fabulous Canadian friends, Beriwan and Lucas.

After dinner, we went on one of Charleston's famous "Ghost and Graveyard" Tours. It was fun, but could have been even spookier, in our opinion.

We went on the tour with Lucas and Beriwan and hooked up with our friends from Mexico, Pablo and Valerie.

One of the cemeteries at night. It's not that creepy when you are in a big group, but alone...

We saw this alley on the tour and went back the next day to get a better look. It was designated "Duelers Alley" where former Charlestonians conducted their duels because the high walls on either side kept innocent bystanders safe. They took honor besmirching very seriously and lots of people died here. They say this alley is very haunted and that your feet will feel heavy as you walk it and it will take you a longggg time to get from one end to another. Hmmm.

Lunch at Hyman's- a local legend. I had BBQ shrimp which was delicious and the hush puppies were to die for! The other three had rich and creamy something or others... I don't even know what. Crabcakes on top of corncakes with alfredo sauce or some crazy thing like that. Don't come to Charleston if you are worried about your diet!

Tony and I rented a car and took a side tour to the Firefly Distillery in honor of our friends at home, Brian and Jennifer, who "named" their house the Firefly Ranch after this brand. We had to check it out and bring them back some fun souvenirs. We were the lucky ones because it was a beautiful drive and a fun tasting experience.

After leaving the distillery, we saw the nearby "Angel' tree. The oldest living thing East of the Mississippi. They estimate that this tree is 1500 years old! It was magnificent and you can't even see all of it in this picture!

More pictures to come tomorrow- the meetings were officially over at this point, so now, Tony and I just got to play!

Julie

Roller Skating!

2011-09-26T11:53:00.002-05:00

Last week, we flew to St. Louis to celebrate with our friends Greg and Brenda for her 40th birthday. The evening started out with roller skating at the local rink and afterwards, we went back to their house for a catered dinner and live band. We had a great time and after a few rounds on the rink, we felt like our former teenage selves. Sort of. My body sure did not feel the same afterward... Anyway, age didn't stop Tony from "shooting the duck" and time may have marched on, but that roller rink looked identical to any one I skated at in the past, it was like a time warp. Happy Birthday Brenda!

Julie

Baby Mays Baptism

2011-09-15T09:38:00.002-05:00

Last weekend in Green Bay, Tony and I had the honor and pleasure of standing up for Baby Mays as his Godparents at his Baptism. Our longtime friends, Dustin and Kim, are the proud parents and we were excited to be a part of their special day!

Julie

The Great Minnesota Get Together 2011

2011-09-12T08:15:00.007-05:00

Sunday of Labor Day Weekend we headed to the MN. State Fair with our good friends, Dustin and Kim and their sweet baby boy, Mays. Unfortunately for us, it was a record setting attendance day at the fair and we noticed it in the packed crowds and looooong lines. It was cloudy and cool, which was fine for walking in body-to-body buildings like the Food Building, but otherwise, it was a little chilly. Because it was so hard to get in and out of places, we didn't look at much other than at the food signs to figure out what to eat next. Most of the following pictures are of us pigging out. We had a good system though, order one thing, everyone has a bite or two and move on. Nobody had too much of anything and everybody got a little bit of something.

Always our first stop: the dog show!

Mini cinnamon rolls- delicious!

Lumberjack Competitition

Nachos

Deep Fried Macaroni and Cheese from Axel's

The best ooeyest, gooeyest, turtle brownie ever!

Raina showed off her new fad proudly- the feather

Fantaye showing off her new Ethiopian anklet

Chocolate covered, peanut butter stuffed Rice Krispie Bar

Chocolate Covered Bacon

Cheese on a stick-it tasted like a grilled cheese sandwich

Until next year, State Fair- hopefully we will choose a less crowded day!

Here is the obscene list of old favorites and new food items we tried this year:

1) Cinnamon rolls
2) French Vanilla mocha
3) Swedish Egg Coffee
4) Jamaican Jerk Fries
5) Puff Daddy on a stick (sausage in croissant with Thai peanut sause
6) Nachos
7) Kettle Corn
8) 2 Mac & Cheese on stick
9) Turtle Brownie
10) Ice Cold Milk
11) Summit Pale Ale
12) Nitro Ice Cream
13) Bar-B-Que Brisket
14) Dippin' Dots 2
15) Gyro
16) French Fries
17) Orange Pop
18) chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bar
19) Sour Lemon Licorice 
20) 2 "Pig Lickers" Chocolate Covered Bacon
21) Cheese-On-A-Stick
22) Lemonade
23) Chocolate Frozen Custard Cone
24) 4 Corn
25) Pronto Pup
26) Crab Fritters

First Day of School!

2011-09-06T18:10:00.004-05:00

Today the kids headed back to school; Raina to third grade and Fantaye to first grade! Fantaye was raring to go and showed very little nervousness. I am sure it helped to have her big sister and all of her neighborhood friends with her, showing their support and lending their wisdom and experience. She couldn't wait to get on that bus and start her new life!

Me, on the other hand, I had equal parts excitement for my kids and sadness for myself. I can't believe my baby is in full-time school and that I am suddenly out of my stay-at-home-mom job. Today marked the end of an era and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to be home with my children. What a blessing!

Not sure exactly where my life will take me from here, but it will be an adventure as well!

Julie

"Had a great day, Mom"!

Daddy/Daughter Shopping Trip

2011-09-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

Tony wanted to try and start a new tradition with the girls, an evening out for dinner and school shopping! Normally, I take care of all that, but he wanted to be included too and he wanted to make it special for them. In a busy family of four, it's often difficult to carve out alone time for just two people whether it's me and Tony or just him and one of the girls, so Raina was excited to learn that she had Daddy all to herself. I know she liked just being with him, talking with him, more than the actual shopping for clothes. Having said that, she came home with the cutest outfit ever and I was very proud of the job Daddy did putting it together. He has very good taste in clothes. Fantaye will get her turn soon and I know that they will have just as much fun. The kids are so great to be with one on one and I think it is really important for all of our relationships to try and find these alone times.

Julie

Cabin Weekend 2011

2011-08-31T11:23:00.015-05:00

Tony's dad has a cabin, but due to our busy summer schedule, we rarely get the opportunity to go up there. Luckily, we were able to snag a free weekend last weekend with the girls and the dogs for some R & R at the lake!

The girls were obsessed with jumping off the dock and went in and out of the water multiple times of day. They didn't care if it was a chilly early morning or a cloudy afternoon or a sunny and warm evening, they just bolted and vaulted! In this first picture, Tony is kayaking in the background.

One morning we took the girls golfing. It was Raina's first time on a course and Fantaye's second. Both of them had some good shots that surprised us and I think they could be good little golfers with some training. I learned how to golf as an adult and it's embarrassing and frustrating. I would love for them to develop some golf skills at a young age, since it is a lifetime sport. Maybe next summer...

No cabin weekend is complete without an early stop to Granny's Pantry, the local candy store. We get ice cream and a little bag of candy each to munch on throughout the weekend. It is arguably the girls' favorite thing to do... We also visited the bakery one morning and Mom and Dad love to go to the little house/boutique/coffee shop for our morning coffee. And we always go to Zorbaz on Ottertail Lake some night for dinner. Please don't think badly of our parenting choices when you see the obscene order of nachos that was our dinner. It's only one night, right?

We brought our kayak along with us and Tony went out on it a few times. One day he went for a three hour float from our lake all the way over to Ottertail. Yeah, he was a bit sore after that one...

Down time. They were trying to warm up after being in the lake for a long time so they were snuggling and playing their Ipods.

We found this old fashioned park near our coffee shop and what kid doesn't like those old time merry-go-rounds? They make me sick to watch, so I took the picture quickly.

One night we went out to dinner with relatives Mike and Kris in honor of their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary!!!

This is one of those kind of places that you pass by all the time and never go in, but this time we did and boy was it worth it! This house belonged to one of the founding fathers in town and is currently operated by the Great Grandson. The house had been passed down from generation to generation with most of the original interior decorating and furniture in tact. It was like stepping back in time. He had his mother and grandmother's hat collection, childhood toys, clothing, cameras, china, books and all kinds of things starting from 1882. We got a kick out of the old globe that named Ethiopia as Italian East Africa. The most impressive collection, however, was in the basement- the Civil War memorabilia. All I can say is "WOW"! His great grandfather was either a pack-rat or a very forward thinker because he held on to everything including money printed by the Confederacy when he was a Union soldier marching with Sherman, his Union uniform with bullet holes in both shoulders where he was shot and Lincoln's original nomination poster. The list goes on and on and I couldn't begin to post it all here. Tony and I just shook our heads with awe at the kind of first-rate pieces he had in his "family collection".

Boating! We took the girls and the two dogs out on the boat for a relaxing cruise around the lake. We made a number of stops to jump off and swim (and go to dinner) and I had fun taking pictures of the crazy jumpers (and kid thrower).

If we are out and about in the early evening, we always like to end our night searching for deer. We had contests two against two to see who could find the most and this is one little guy/gal we came across. So cute!

As usual, we had a very fun time together as a family at the cabin and it was a great way to finish off the summer and to get one more little vacation in before school starts!

Julie

Bug Lady

2011-08-31T11:01:00.004-05:00

Here is another funky caterpillar that Raina has found. Where does she find these things? Raina put him in our front stoop flower pot where he immediately began spinning a cocoon. He is still there now and we are waiting and watching for him to emerge.

Block Party!

2011-08-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

Saturday was our Fifth Annual Block Party!!! It's a great day of lawn games, awesome food and neighborhood togetherness! This year, we took advantage of the three families with meat smokers and we had the best food ever! We had smoked turkey, beef and pork for succulent pulled sandwiches and everybody brought a side to share. I wish you could have tasted it. Yummy! For the kids, we always reserve the Block Party Wagon which is loaded with tables and chairs and every lawn game and outdoor kid toys imaginable. We had kickballs, hula hoops, ladderball, bean bag toss, basketballs, bocce, the list goes on and on. We blocked off the street with barricades and cones and the kids ran around like banshees. We also put on a "Minute To Win It" competition and every family put out a challenge or two that the kids could rotate through throughout the day. Raina and her best buddy, Annika, had their own booth- a Tattoo booth (with special tattoo gel pens) and they called themselves the "Stinkerbells". They were soooo cute! My dog trainer neighbor, Lisa, put on a "Canine Carnival" where the dogs could bob for hotdogs, circulate on the cake walk for dog treats, jump the low bars, weave through cones and skim under the limbo bar. Raina and Fantaye took turns helping Roxy participate and a fun time was had by all. As evening arrived, we donned sweatshirts and jeans to avoid getting bitten and we relaxed by the bonfire while we tried to keep track of our kids by their glow jewelry. Gotta love summer!

Julie

Jennifer's Birthday!

2011-08-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

Last Wednesday, Tony and I went out on the town with my good friend Jennifer and her husband Brian to belatedly celebrate her birthday. We went to Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge in NE Minneapolis and had a great time at the Tiki inspired restaurant. We enjoyed watching the boaters on the Mississippi River as we sat on the deck and sipped from our large Bowl O' Rum something... It was a fun night...!

The Wizard of Oz

2011-08-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

Raina enjoys the theatre and decided to take the summer performance class of the Wizard of Oz. All kids who sign up automatically get a part. They do try-outs on Monday, practice Tues., Wed., Thurs., morning, and Friday afternoon and perform the play on Friday night and Saturday morning. It is pretty impressive to see these directors in action. They hold a tight rein on 60 spirited children like nothing you have ever seen and produce a full length play in less than a week. Raina really wanted a speaking part this time, but was still too timid at try-outs and she ended up getting a large cast part that was actually perfect for her- a Munchkin. Anybody who knows her knows that she is petite and has a cute little Munchkiny voice. She had a fun time at rehearsals and I just like knowing that she is developing confidence and public speaking skills. Her family came out in droves to support her and gave her presents after her performance. I helped out with make-up application before the show and had a fun time "dotting" the cute Munchkins. Maybe next time her sister or cousin will do it with her...

Julie

County Fair!

2011-08-22T07:47:00.005-05:00

Every August, we relish the opportunity to go to the nearby county fair. We consider it good practice for the giant Minnesota State Fair in a couple weeks. The girls love the animal barns, the midway, the food vendors, bingo, the pig races and the dog show, but their highlight this year was the inflatable "Wowball" that they bounced in on water (in hindsight, probably not the safest). As far as the other rides go, we had Grandma Dar with us this time and she likes to go on circular rides- woo hoo and thank you! We like this fair because it has a little bit of everything, but in a compact, easy-to-get-around space and we usually see lots of people we know. It's something to look forward to every year and we will always look back fondly on the hours we have spent wandering the fairs as a family, hand and hand, trying to decide what to eat...

Julie

Remorseful Raina

2011-08-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

A few nights ago my hyper children came running into the kitchen to wash their hands before dinner not paying any attention to the lettuce in the colander in the sink. They proceeded to rinse their dirt and get plenty of soapy bubbles in the lettuce for our caesar salads. I got frustrated with them and probably blew it out of proportion as we are wont to do when we are hungry and it's the bewitching hour... Anyway, this is what I found on my pillow the next day. Sensitive Raina strikes again. That little girl is so sweet she makes sugar taste bitter. She makes me want to be a better mom every day because she deserves the best there is. She so rarely gets into trouble and when she does, it's not because she did it on purpose. She hates making me upset or disappointing us in any way and I am so blessed to have her in my life!

Happy Anniversary Dad and Pat

2011-08-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

Because I've been so bad lately about dates, I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you today. And I know today is the day, because I tried congratulating you two days ago. Ha! Double time this year. Lots of love to a great couple!

Julie

Mommy and Daughter Time

2011-08-11T07:00:00.001-05:00

One on one- there are few kids more fun to be with than Fantaye. She is always game for anything and likes to get out and do stuff. While Raina was at play practice, we took a nice long bike ride and brought with us a picnic lunch. We enjoyed the beauty of the trails for a little while before stopping at a park to eat and play. The sky was such a stunning blue and Fantaye so cute, that I snapped a lot of photos of her while she ate, just for fun. After our PB & J, we headed out again on another trail that led to... another park! Off the bikes again briefly to explore the new park that she hadn't actually played at before. I got a kick out of the ruins (an old farmhouse foundation) that the park was built next to. All too soon, our available time was coming to an end and we had to head home to get Raina. We had such a fun time together and Fantaye said, "Thanks for taking me out today, Mom. You're the Best"! Aw...

Julie

Fourth Annual Neighborhood Camping Trip

2011-08-10T13:37:00.007-05:00

Last weekend was our annual camping trip with the neighborhood at Baker Park. We had six families with a total of 14 kids ages 3-12. We stayed two nights which gave the mosquitoes plenty of time to feast. I labeled it the weekend of "muggy and buggy" because it was so hot and sticky and it made putting extra clothes on to avoid the bugs an endeavor in misery. I think all of the families went through at least 2 or 3 bottles of bug spray. We had to take showers every night just to de-deet ourselves to get into the sleeping bags. But... despite the heat and the man-eating insects, we did have a lot of fun. The kids had a blast running around like Tarzan, playing in the woods, building a shelter, bopping the balls around the open field and over the volleyball net, eating s'mores and generally acting like hooligans. Friday night was our turn to make dinner and we cooked chicken and veggies over the grill and had all the side items for awesome fajitas! On Saturday, a big group of us took a six mile bike ride which ended up at the beach and the park. Being in the water was a cool and calm relief from the aforementioned irritations! The park was fun because it had dual ziplines that the kids, (and by that I mean the daddies too) could have played on all day. By Sunday, Mama was particularly ready to head home after an entire week spent outdoors between Twilight Camp and weekend camping. I was ready for air-conditioning, anti-itch cream, a thorough shower in a clean bathroom, some TV and my bed! Having said that, I can't wait for next year! And I do mean that- we have great neighbors and we have a lot of fun with them.

Julie

Twilight Camp 2011

2011-08-09T12:01:00.005-05:00

This past week the girls and I were very busy with the Girl Scouts at Twilight Camp. It's a camp for Scouts (Raina will be a second year Brownie) and their siblings (Fantaye). It runs from 2-8 and I ran my own activity the whole day while the girls cycled through different activities with their own units. The theme of the camp was reality TV and all of the games, snacks, crafts, etc. were based off some show on TV.

The camp consisted of 5 separate sites with four activities at each site. My site was called Channel 4 and my activity was the "Biggest Loser" where we talked about eating healthy and moving your body for one minute and then for the next 29, the kids were split into two teams and they competed against each other as they ran through an obstacle course, shot hoops with basketballs through hula hoops, played musical chairs with hula hoops and sang silly songs while jump roping. Also at Channel 4 were "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" where they roasted their own hot dogs, "Trash to Treasure" where they made crafts out of recycled supplies and "Mythbusters" where they shot a variety of different balls out of a giant slingshot and calculated speed, velocity, etc. Other sites offered cupcake decorating at "Cupcake Wars", a giant climbing rockwall, Ultimate Frisbee, "Minute to Win It", salsa lessons at "So You Think You Can Dance", singing at "American Idol", shelter building at "Survivor" and kayaking at "Amazing Race" to name a few. It was an amazing four days for the girls. It was fun and eye-opening, a great learning experience and memories that will last forever. I was proud to be a part of it!

Mythbusters!

Song time!

Evening ceremony circle.

Fantaye performing her unit song in front of the whole camp.

Tennis Lessons for Fantaye

2011-08-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

As you know, Fantaye loves sports and summertime is all about having fun and trying new things, so this summer, it was tennis (Next year might be golf)! She has never met a sport she didn't like and tennis is no exception although reigning in her power is a challenge. She wants to whack it as hard as she can, like a softball. She was the only one to hit it outside of the court. Finesse might not be her thing...

Julie

Canterbury Park

2011-08-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

Last Friday night we took the girls out to Canterbury Park, a local horse track. Whether or not you like to bet is irrelevant, you can't argue that watching those horses run their hearts out isn't exciting! We love going down to the paddock before the race to get an up-close look at the contenders and to state our own opinions on who we think is going to win. It was a gorgeous night for racing and we would have stayed later had Fantaye been able to hold on... she was soooo tired and Daddy pretty much had to carry her everywhere.

Celebrating Pat!

2011-08-03T08:50:00.009-05:00

Sunday night was a special night as I took my stepmom, Pat, on a surprise "Wine Tasting" Mississippi River cruise in honor of her milestone birthday. We had beautiful weather (if not a bit warm) for our leisurely ride through Minneapolis. We commented on how fun it was to see the city from the river and how neither of us had ever done so before. River cruising is something you might do on vacation, but how many of us take advantage of it in our home town?

Minneapolis Skyline

And we're off!

Low-budget and creative boaters...

Fill 'er up!

The Guthrie and the former Gold Medal Flour Factory turned Mill City Museum.

The Guthrie Theatre

We enjoyed our white and red wine flights as we sampled surprisingly yummy appetizers and it was very relaxing (although perhaps not as much so for our tablemates as we acted like jack-in-the-boxes, continually popping up to snap photos).

Another happy group...

We were entertained by the dam and lock system built by the Army Corp of Engineers that lowered and raised our boat as we passed through. Very cool!

Locks and dams

The concrete apron over St. Anthony Falls is engineered to produce the pronouncedhydraulic jump evident in this photo.

St. Anthony Falls was the upper limit of commercial navigation on the Mississippi until two dams and a series of locks were built between 1948 and 1963 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The locks make commercial navigation possible above Minneapolis but, since the locks in Minneapolis are smaller than most of the locks on the river, the practical limit for many commercial tows is further downriver. Few barges go past St. Paul.

In 1963 the Stone Arch Bridge was altered to allow clearance for the upper lock

Completed in 1963, theupper St. Anthony Falls dam is a horseshoe-shaped hydro-electric dam 93 feet (28 m) in height. The upper pool has a normal capacity of 3,150 acre feet (3,890,000 m³) and a normal level of 799 feet (244 m) above sea level. The navigation channel required alteration of the historic Stone Arch Bridge, which now has a metal truss section to allow ships to pass below.

The pool below the lower dam has a normal level of 725 feet (221 m) above sea level.

Completed in 1956, the lower St. Anthony Falls dam is a gravity-type hydro-electric dam 60 feet (18 m) in height, consisting of a 275 foot (84 m) long concrete spillway with 4tainter gates. The lower pool (sometimes called the intermediate pool) has a normal capacity of 375 acre-feet (463,000 m³) and a normal level of 750 feet (229 m) above sea level.

The upper and lower locks are each 56 feet (17 m) wide by 400 feet (122 m) long.

The lock is closing...

More closed...

Almost there and then our boat slowly rose up to the top level...

We learned a lot about the river from our captain and it was intense seeing the new 35w bridge from the water as we recalled the horrific day the bridge collapsed (four years ago yesterday). It is a pristine, angelic, white color and it's solidity inspires confidence. We saw a cameraman filming the bridge as we passed by, probably for the next day's news report.

All done, bummer, but it was a fun night. Happy Birthday Pat!

Julie

Out and About in Branson

2011-08-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

At the entrance to Branson Landing (shops and restaurants) we had to stop and look at ducks.

Raina, eating her gummy snake from the old-fashioned candy store.

This concert area (complete with dancing water fountains) was flooded earlier in the spring, but looked fine to us when we were there.

Checking out the fish in the Bass Pro Shop.

Grandpa had a hankering for Clam chowder and this is his favorite place to get it.

My girls are fairly adventurous eaters and they ate it with him, but he may have been surprised by how they liked the...

Alligator! We get it every year at the State Fair and love it. This one was a little spicy and Fantaye couldn't get enough! I loved the sauce.

Cutie Pie!

Yeah! Entering God's Land and the magnificent Sight and Sound Theatre!

Little did we know that we would be sitting IN the ark with animals all around us. Some real, some animatronic and some fake. SOOOO cool! Fantaye still insists that the giraffes were real, (they weren't) and Raina thought the cow was fake (it wasn't). There were plenty of real goats, horses, ducks, pot belllied pigs, birds, sheep, roosters and the list goes on and on...

Ready and excited!

The Butterfly Palace at night! Shhh... the butterflies were sleeping, but the fairies were awake and dancing in the aisles with their streamers and hula hoops. The girls carried their own lanterns to hunt for snoozing butterflies and to see the glow-in-the-dark fish swimming in the pond. We explored the fluorescent forest and it made for a fun and different butterfly experience!

After visiting the butterflies the girls ran around in the mirror maze for a long time. Ran? Yes, they did... Wise? Definitely not. I warned them to go slow, but do they ever listen to their mom? No. I was not super-sympathetic when Fantaye came to me crying because she smacked hard into a mirror. "Raina told me to run" she said. Sigh...

Wow! What you can't see is how dented the car is on the left side and front!

Our favorite show: "SIX". Six brothers with amazing voices that sound like instruments. They sing acapella, with no band and you'd swear you were at a real concert! I've seen the show three times, but my dad has seen it seven times! This was the girls' first time.

Fantaye liked the show, but it wasn't enough to stop the sleep train. The compounded days of heat and activity finally took it's toll...

Chatting with Jak and Kevin.

Getting their souvenir tee shirts signed. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

"SIX" plus two

Mini- golfing for the first time- with Mama! It was very hot and sticky, but we stuck it out!

This little train chugged us to the first hole.

Reigning in Fantaye's power took some coaching. She just wanted to SMACK IT!

We finished our game as the sun was setting. Ahh, time to go home to the air conditioning and water and bed. On our way to the car, we stopped to watch these daredevils. I texted this beautiful picture to Tony with the caption, "This is NOT our kids" but it was fun to watch and a beautiful evening.

There is so much to do in Branson and it changes every year. Between relaxing at home and touring the town, we are never bored!!!

Julie

It's all about the swimming...

2011-07-28T09:26:00.007-05:00

My children are passionate about two things- swimming and snacks. If you ask them about a highlight of their trip (any trip including Orlando) they would answer with "swimming in the pool" or something that they ate. Sad. Or beautiful, depending on your point of view. They love the water. They are happy to be in it every day, all day. We are lucky because in Branson, Grandma and Grandpa belong to an association that has a nearby pool so we swam every day for free. The girls almost always had the pool to themselves and sometimes we adults would swim with them. One day we went into town and swam at the Aquatic Center where they have two water slides and a diving board. Fantaye was excited because it was the first year that she was tall enough to do these things. She pretty much just went back and forth between the two. Raina, (with her goggles on) had a blast watching people go off the diving board from her underwater vantage point. Since it was, as you can see by the first picture, EXTREMELY hot in Branson the entire time we we there, we really only had two choices: air conditioning or pool. Thank goodness for the pools!!!

Julie

These two pictures were taken just outside the pool doors. Awesome view. And the vista in the background isn't bad either... :)

Relaxin' in Branson

2011-07-28T09:02:00.005-05:00

The best thing about going to Branson is just hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa and relaxing. It is so peaceful for us because we are away from our ringing phone, the computer, and all of the day to day responsibilities and busy-ness of being at home. I love that my girls have quality together-time where they need to play with each other and not all the neighborhood kids. It is good bonding time for them and for the most part, they play really well together. We entertain ourselves with nice long walks, (where we saw the fawn) lots of game playing, snack eating, hanging out on the porch and working in Grampy's wood shop. Grandpa is helping the girls make their own little tables or bookshelves or something, I'm not sure. They loved painting and sanding with him and it kept them busy for a long time. There is a lot to see and do and Branson and that post will come next, but these are the times that we will remember the most. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for letting us come to Branson every summer. We love it!!!

Julie

Back From Branson

2011-07-24T10:56:00.010-05:00

I have a lot of fun pictures to show you from our trip to Branson, but these are all taken at Big Cedar, the resort that is right by Grandma and Grandpa's house. I go over there all the time to take in the beautiful views and to soak up the serenity of the gorgeous grounds, but the girls like the waterfalls and the ponds and feeding the fish and the turtles. We also play in the playground, get ice cream at the Truman House and visit the horses at the corral. It's cheap entertainment and a perfect, peaceful start or ending to many of our days.

Julie