Playing Catch-Up – April 2013

June 21, 2013June 18, 2013 / minnesotamom / Leave a comment

Anja had spring break from school the first week of April, so Daddy took some days off and we did fun things as a family like go to the Imax for a 3D movie (both of your first). We had more snow (lots of it!), so we used the opportunity to build snowmen and snow forts and drink more tea and hot chocolate. And read books and have indoor picnics and make spring cookies and play with balloons and all sorts of other creative things to keep us from going stir-crazy. A streaker showed up at one of the indoor picnics. There was one really nice day where we flew kites, but then it snowed again.

Mama and Daddy went to Jamaica for a week, which was a super-blast. And you both were sick while we were gone…you seem to have a knack for that (poor grandparents!). Then I got really sick for four days, which extended into April. Hooray! 🙂

Markus learned to dress himself.

Helping Mama make PB Cup Brownies.

Reward!

NOT Minnesota.

When can we go outside?

Today!!

Sherman thought it looked more like Fall than Spring…

Playing Catch-Up – March 2013

June 20, 2013June 18, 2013 / minnesotamom / Leave a comment

March brought more snow, a visit to Grandma’s (to give Daddy a weekend off), more swimming lessons, and two days at Grandma and Grandpa’s, one being Easter. We started our Spring “Family Fun” list with dying eggs, and inviting people to our church for Easter service (you kids came with to help).

We also tried to make the lack of spring more bearable by playing “beach” in the house many times.

Playing Catch-Up – January 2013

June 18, 2013 / minnesotamom / Leave a comment

January is birthday month for Markus and me, so we had parties (even a surprise dinner with friends put together by my hubby!). Auntie Manda came and cooked us a Hungarian meal, we went to the St. Paul Winter Carnival to see the snow and ice sculptures (boy, was that a cold night!) and apparently we had a tea party, too.

Girls’ Weekend!

October 22, 2012October 22, 2012 / minnesotamom / 2 Comments

The last weekend of September, a few friends and I headed to the north shore of MN, near Lutsen. We had a BLAST! Food, waterfalls, nails, shopping, hiking, food, hiking, food, chick flick, wine, food, books, magazines…did I mention food? 😉

Can’t wait for the next girls’ weekend!

And some of my top recommendations of places to visit on Minnesota North Shore are:
– World’s Best Donuts (They were closed when we went on Saturday! And we seriously drove all the way back up to Grand Marais the next morning just to get them. Worth it.)
– Coho Cafe (though we were quite disappointed with their portion sizes when we ordered the food to go)
– Angry Trout Cafe
– Temperance River State Park (for hiking/scenery)

Morning Play in March

August 25, 2012August 24, 2012 / minnesotamom / Leave a comment

I just got around to editing some of my family photos from 2012, so I might be playing catch-up here for awhile. Here’s some fun photos from a morning playing in our jammies.

“This seems questionable, Sister dear.”

Took awhile to get some smiles out of him that morning, but here they come…

Laundry Room Photo Booth?

August 24, 2012 / minnesotamom / 1 Comment

Painted the laundry room floor in July, and before we moved all the appliances back in, we took advantage of the big white space for some silly photos. 🙂

February recap

February 22, 2012 / minnesotamom / 2 Comments

This winter has been a little busier work-wise than normal, so this blog, which normally sees much activity in the winter months, has languished.

I long ago gave up hopes of making regular appearances here, but I definitely miss the time I used to have for visiting others’ little spaces on the interwebs. 😦

Here are a few February highlights:

Husband and I got to attend a marriage retreat, which was fabulous and just what we needed. This is at the “dress-up night” banquet.

I’ve had that skirt since high school. It fits a little differently now, but it was nice to get another wear out of it. 🙂

Markus transitioned to a toddler bed (since he was climbing out of his crib 10-20 times a day/night anyway, we figured this just made it slightly less dangerous).

Anja and I made a bunch of valentines for her classmates. We used this printable butterfly version.

I made a spur-of-the-moment decision while the kids were napping on V-day to have a tea party as our snack. Nothing too special, but it seems special to them! The cupcake frosting had been frozen, so its texture was a bit iffy, but both kids and Daddy assured me it tasted fine.

We’ve had out the marble run a couple more times. They both enjoy it.

Anja and Daddy went to the Daddy-Daughter dance again this past weekend. She has talked about it–I kid you not–probably weekly since she went last year, describing what a good time it was, so she was stoked to go again. Her hair was too short to do any fancy up-dos this year, but I dug out my old curling iron and was pleased with the results.

Husband wearing a tie twice in one week has never happened before, I don’t think. He’s not a fan, so we appreciate him being such a sport! Markus came out the door after them and decided he needed to be in a picture, too.

She is SO hard to get decent smiles out of right now! I ask for a smile, get some sort of weird face, and then tell her just to keep her face straight. I crack a few jokes, and then I can at least get something genuine-looking, if not “perfection.”

That’s about it so far. How has your month been? I wish I had some great craft, or even some clean house photos, to post, but my crafting has been finger paints and cotton balls and glue and popcorn and rice.

Down Time

December 29, 2011 / minnesotamom / 3 Comments

This week has been nice. My hubby has the week off (for the first time since college, I believe), and we’ve been working on some projects around the house. We lounged at my mom’s house (and by that I really mean lounged…she waits on us, makes us fabulous meals, all the wonderful things moms do!) until Tuesday.

I’ve emailed some clients and announced my engagement session giveaway (if you know anyone engaged or about to be engaged in the Twin Cities area, let them know!!), I’ve read half of an e-book about quitting sugar (which my sis-in-law and I plan to do this winter). I’ve painted swatches on the freshly mudded and sanded walls of my laundry room and picked a light, creamy yellow inspired by this picture. Today we took the kids to a fun little place southwest of the cities where they jumped and ran to their hearts’ content. Hubby ran some errands this afternoon, and he brought me home some gorgeous flowers for no reason at all. LOVE.

I found some of the other pictures of my use-what-you-have wrapping and decorations from Christmas.

And our funny little gingerbread house. After years of trying and failing with graham crackers, I bought this cheap little kit at IKEA. Best gingerbread house we’ve ever had, and so easy! The icing I made stuck really well, too. Most of it went in the garbage after we got home from Mom’s, but we had fun making it. 🙂

What have you been up to this week?

My Girl

December 14, 2011December 13, 2011 / minnesotamom / 1 Comment

The other night I was carrying Markus around, singing “My Girl.” Without a second’s pause, as I got to the chorus (the part where you say “My Girl…”), he interjected, “Jesus!” Goodness, he makes me laugh.

I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day.
When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May.
I guess you’d say
What can make me feel this way?
Jesus (Jesus, Jesus)
Talkin’ ’bout Jeeeesus (Jesus!).

He’s right, of course. But I was going to sing it the way it was written…

Some photos

December 5, 2011December 1, 2011 / minnesotamom / 1 Comment

Our yard after the first raking. There were about 7 subsequent rakings, since we have so many mature trees in our neighborhood, and they all drop their leaves at different times.

A loved princess.

A “store” set up on our coffee table. This is why I am so glad I switched to keeping our coffee table free of anything earlier this year. It encourages my kids so much in their creative play.