Because it's spring!

"The barnyard is busy in a regular tizzy"! Can you name that musical? I have a bunch of these in my backyard!

Nathalie walks almost all the time now, with stiff legs and her arms up. And yes, I took the chalk out of her mouth right after I took this picture.

Filthy. Still can't get the chalk out, even with oxiclean.

Love those cheeks.

We got this huge box from a friend. Nathalie likes it but not when Emily's in it.

Pretty little girl.

Emily is hilarious. I told her to smell the flower with her nose and this is what I got.

Reading Binge

I've read some fabulous books lately. Ones that you should read even (read: especially) if you're stuck in a reading rut. These are in order of liking them, although I wouldn't put a book up here if I didn't really like it.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. (Fascinating, fascinating! I was so intrigued by this book that I finished it yesterday and picked it up again today to start over. The only book I've even done that with is HP 7 and (gasp!) Twilight. But don't hold that against me. Part of a trilogy but the last book doesn't come out until August, so if you don't want to wait, don't start reading!)

The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. (For those fantasy lovers out there. Highly, highly recommended.)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. (Really engaging and a fascinating view on black housemaids during the Civil Rights era. The characters are real.)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. (A cute little story about a boy who is raised by ghosts.)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. (A historical fiction read of a book club in Guernsey and how they survived German occupation in WWII).

Happy reading!

A Tribute

To All My Runner Friends, especially those with jogging strollers:

Today I threw in another 1/2 mile as part of my running. It was uphill and I was pushing the girls. I about died, but while I was running slower than a snail I was thinking to myself, "Driel can do this. Melissa can do this. Jenny H can do this. Liz can do this. Katie can do this." You, my friends, got me up that hill. I pretended you were there running next to me with your strollers urging me forward. I got Emily to shout "Go Mommy!".

And I ran all the way to the top. Without you, I wouldn't have done it.

Birthday Fun

We went to a birthday party a few days ago. Emily loved it because she got all her favorite things-- ice cream, hot dogs, chips, a coloring book, playdough and a balloon. She was one happy girl.

Nathalie loved it too. It was the first time she'd ever had chips (and she LOVED them!) and I gave her 3 chips, after which I decided to stop the addiction before it started. She also got the chance to walk around a lot, which she's doing about 50% of the time. She turns 11 months this week, can you believe it? Emily telling the birthday girl about barns.

Emily reading up on barns.

Mmmmm, ice cream.

This girl melts my heart.

"More chips, Mommy!" (Translated from Baby by Yours Truly)

"Mommy, are you eating your picnic?"

Always looking for new things to do, I suggested a picnic lunch in our backyard. We had a couple of beautiful days and all of us were making excuses to be outside. As we were getting ready I asked Emily, "What else do we need?" She said, "Don't forget the blanket!"

It was lots of fun. Emily kept telling me she was eating her picnic and asked if I was eating mine. The best part? Being excited with beautiful Emily over a simple picnic. Oh, and not having to sweep the kitchen floor after we finished.


Since I realized that pictures of me are few and far between. See our planter boxes with wheat at the side?
She was a much cleaner eater outside.
Telling me how good her juice mixed with chocolate milk is. Mmmm.....

For going outside to eat a picnic, Emily wanted was anxious to eat her meal (the old staple, mac and cheese) inside her little house. Go figure.

The spread.

Wonderlab, the park and the end of our trip

A little too small for the shovel thing.

Happy baby.

Grandparents.

"Watch me!"

She is so cute.

Emily has yet to flip over backwards on a big swing.

Some random but nice dog at the park.

Emily playing with my grandparent's bells.

Another ball track at Wonderlab.

Emily at the water table at Wonderlab.

Nathalie at Wonderlab. This little girl half-walking, half-crawling now. She's almost a year, can you believe it! She brings so much sunshine into our home.

Matt playing with a crane exhibit. "I could do this all day," he said.

Emily petting the bearded dragon. She thought it was awesome.

Nathalie looking at the chickens at my in-laws on the way home.

So there you have it. We had an wonderful, restful and joyful spring break. We had a great vacation with those we love the most. It was great! Emily is already talking about going back to Oldemor's and Oldefar's house.

Matt's birthday and some good pictures.

Matt's birthday was low-key but fun. The day before, Matt and I went out to lunch (with Nathalie) to Panera Bread for a yummy meal. On his birthday, we went to Wonderlab (pictures in the next post). We also dropped by this running store where he spoiled me and bought me a new pair of running shoes since I've had mine for, oh, 6 or 7 years. We had a quiet afternoon and went out to eat at Chinese buffet in the evening. We haven't been to one of those in a year or more. It was good! Emily liked the ice cream. So did Nathalie. She would scream if I didn't get it to her fast enough.

Oldefar while Matt is opening presents. I love my grandpa.

Matt anxious to open presents. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Oldefar feeding mac and cheese to Nathalie. It's been a long time since he's fed a baby!

My grandma has these stuffed animals. Since Emily loves Where the Wild Things Are, she carried Max around and slept with him while we were there.

So I've been lazy...

I'll finish posting about Spring Break. I admit to shirking my duties and enjoying the sunshine later in the day. I'm loving this daylight savings, but my fridge looks a little bare because I'd rather spend time outside than go to the store. And we've had beautiful weather!

Emily calls my grandparents Oldefar and Oldemor. It's Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma in Norwegian. My grandfather immigrated from Norway when he was 15, then later on, he and my grandma served a mission there. This is one of the many wonderful traditions we carry on from my Norwegian heritage. The girls loved my grandparents and my grandparents loved them right back.

Emily was upset that night and wanted Oldemor, not me.

Talking about birdfeeders.

Emily was so excited to fill the birdfeeder with Oldefar.

She was trying to "get" his buttons.

Spring Break Continued...

For Matt's Spring Break we headed to a neighboring state to visit some friends and family. We started the trip with Matt's best friend from high school, also named Matt. Matt and Matt are very similar. As my Matt put it, "We had too many things the same that we could either be worst enemies or best friends!"

Since their birthdays are only a few days apart we had a little cake and ice cream. We ate the MOST AMAZING RIBS I've ever had also. They were SO GOOD. I want to eat them again RIGHT NOW just thinking about them. My mouth is actually watering. Okay, time for some distraction from thinking about those ribs.


Nathalie (10 mo) and their baby (8 mo). They were very curious about each other.

Emily and their daughter reading together. Their daughter is a little older so she was doing the reading.
The other Matt picked the cake--French Vanilla with strawberry frosting. It was great! Instead of putting 26 candles, we wrote "Matt" with the candles.

Matt and Matt, 2002.

Matt and Matt, 2010.

On Balloons

Apparently Emily loves balloons.

Me: Emily, let's brush your teeth!
*brush brush brush*
Me: Okay, Emily. Spit!
**Emily spitting**
Emily: A beautiful balloon, Mom.

Yes, her spit did indeed have a balloon shape to it.

Let's Start At the Very Beginning.....

A few days before we went on vacation, we had an FHE where we started our garden. We started peas, green beans, lettuce, two types of tomato, squash and a few other things. It was great fun. They're already growing! At the begining of May, we will be planting them outside. What Nathalie did during FHE.

Emily loved this.

Matt pouring the seeds to give to Emily.

Emily planting.

Picture taken today.