Happy New Year

And, without further ado, here are our Christmas Eve pictures. Sigh.

Here is Rose #2, as a Heavenly Host. When asked what a heavenly host was, all I could come up with was Angel!! Doesn't she look like one?


And here are Roses #1 and #2 together. Rose #1 was a little shepherd. I LOVE her headdress.
And here is the group of family that came to the pageant on Christmas Eve. Left to right: H, me, Poppy, Aunt Boo, Uncle Eli, Aunt Brenna. Second row: Rose #2, Guppy, Rose #1, and in the very front, Rose #3 (who is looking forward to being a CHERUB next year).

Holidazzle and Face Paints

We went to a firm marketing event on Friday night, and they had a SERIOUS face painter there! Here is Rose #3. It is hard to see but her design was a pony. She was VERY shy at the event (snort!). Actually, she has not a shy bone in her body. She is constantly introducting herself to everyone, hugging random people, and smiling like crazy. Maybe she needs to learn a few inhibitions? Anyway, here she is in her face painted glory:

Rose #2 was obviously a butterfly. Today when I was cooking she was sitting across the table from me and reading everything in sight. She read from a ketchup bottle: "Only the best tomatoes for only the best ketchup." All by herself! Great job Rose #2!

And Rose #1...wait for it...Darth Maul! Yeah!

It Is -15 Wind Chill...Let's Go Swimming!

This is a note I found when I was cleaning up random stacks of paper in the dining room:

It's Time To Go To The Swimming Pool [At] 1:00. [Can] We Go Too (sic) The Swimming Pool Plees (sic)? Love, [Rose #2]

Well, after such a heartfelt plea and an earnest note, wouldn't you go?

What Are You Waiting For?

That was the title of our sermon on Sunday. Sunday was a rare occasion where I am permitted the opportunity to go to service with Rose #1. Normally, often, I am teaching Rose #3's Sunday School class. (Montessori style teaching through stories and play for 3- and 4-year-olds!) But I was not on the teaching calendar, so I got to attend service.

Rose #1 needs to learn to sit still better. Just sayin'.

Anyway, after singing the older kids out to their Sunday School lessons, we listened to the sermon. The message - I think - was that we as liberal religious people need to move beyond a theoretical and academic interest in causes. Our minister said that we are great at advocacy, but terrible at being with people in need. That we need to redefine the bottom line - in this country, in our lives. The bottom line needs to be human compassion. Education. Community.

Oh, how I believe it. Most people would. So why is the world so unlike what we dream and wish it could be? Why is the message in church the same each week, and nothing changes? Why am I thinking about these things, musing about them, when a few months ago I would have barely had time to stop to even listen to the sermon?

Phew. I Did It.

This is the last day of Nablopomo - 30 posts in 30 days. Did it! Actually did 31 posts in 30 days because one day I had too many cute pictures to post. Posting every day is a good lesson in just showing up - to write or to blog or to do anything creative. Showing up is a part of the battle, because if you don't show up, there is ZERO chance that you will ever write/create/post something interesting. If you do show up, hopefully there is at least a slightly larger chance that you will.

Anyway. A propos of nothing, here is a photo of the Roses and three of their cousins. This picture was taken more than two years ago at Uncle Eli and Aunt Brenna's wedding. A few observations follow.1. Last time Rose #1 wore a dress. Wasn't she DARLING in it? I wish she would wear dresses more often. So cute.
2. Rose #2 looks so much younger to me in this picture than today. I guess it was nearly half her lifetime ago. Crazy thought.
3. Rose #3 looks nearly the same to me, although she has lost some of the baby roundness in her face. I love how she is so excited to be in the group.

Signing off. 30 posts in 30 days is hard work!

My Niece and Nephew

Maddie with her hamster, Jack Severson:

And Sam with his uncle, Jack Severson:

Just kidding, of course. That's Uncle Eli.

Unexpectedly fun Saturday

Started off inauspiciously - a trip to Target with Rose #3 being removed bodily because she was misbehaving. Removed bodily by her father, that is - not security guards or anything like that! But we had a lovely lunch with Guppy and Poppy, and then Rose #2 discovered the telephone. She was invited to a classmate's birthday party and made a playdate, all on one day. Not to be outdone, Rose #1 also made a playdate. Turns out that both friends were just lurking around, driving their mothers crazy, and the mothers could not have been happier to accept a playdate invitation.

So we had a house full of kids this afternoon, and Rose #3 woke up from her nap with a MASSIVE bloody nose. Blood everywhere. After we staunched the bleeding and put her in the bathtub, the moms were here to pick up their kids. We snacked on cranberry scones and then Rose #2 worked her puzzle, Rose #1 played legos, and Rose #3 hung out with her daddy. Now I just finished folding laundry and we will all get ready for bed.

Friday, Friday, Wherefore Art Thou Friday

Today I snuck to work for the morning. Tonight I snuck out to get a cut & color from Aunt Boo. Thanks Aunt Boo. The Roses hung with daddy today. I have it on good authority that Rose #1 played some chess; she also did some homework. Rose #2 read three Bob books to me. She paused in the middle of one and said, "Hey! There's a reader in the house!" (meaning herself of course). And Rose #3 woke up from her nap mad, as usual, and screamed that she hated me. Sigh. H remarked that she sure wakes up hard. True.

Nablopomo is ALMOST over. Whew. It has been good to keep up more here, but sometimes (like today - can you tell) I have just been grasping to post something; anything. I guess that's the first rule of writing - just get pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

Off to change sheets. Did you ever notice how quickly time goes by vis a vis changing sheets?

Happy Thanksgiving

This morning we went to the Mall of America for the Walk to End Hunger. Here is Rose #3 hoofing it with her water bottle:
And sweet Maddie coming up the escalator:

And here is me, Rose #3, Guppy, and Rose. I really like the Mall of America when the stores are closed and we can just walk around the perimeter:

And finally Rose #1 and her cousin Sam. Sam is younger than Rose #1 (by just a few months) but he is very tall and can give his cousin a piggyback ride!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all (four) of you! I hope you have a great day.

I Am Truly Thankful

For three healthy kids. They are beautiful, funny, annoying (sometimes), high energy, smart, but today I am really thankful they are healthy.

For lots of family members who are very close. Today Guppy and Poppy picked up Rose #1 from school because our nanny (who is also a family member!) was out of town. They kept her for 3 hours until I could get there! Thanks.

For my husband, who for reasons that are sometimes a mystery, loves me and wanted to make this crazy family together.

For good books. And also not-so-well-written-but-tell-a-good-story-anyway books. Oh, I love to read. If there was a job where you just read for a living and decide how much you enjoy the book, that would be my job. Also, if there was a job where you could color pictures for a living (regardless of your actual artistic ability), I would like that job as well.

For good friends and neighbors.

For good food. I am a picky eater - yes, I admit it. But when I like something to eat, I really like it. Fresh tomatoes. Roasted potatoes. Stir fried chicken with garlic. Bagels with cream cheese. Yum.

I love Thanksgiving.

Our Little Princess

Random Musings

I have the CUTEST picture of Rose #3 at post-Thanksgiving MND. But you can't see it, because it is on my phone, which is not currently sending emails. Anywhere. Or receiving emails. Something is not right about my telecommunication karma.

Good news: Roses #2 and #3 unexpectedly got into backup daycare for Wednesday, meaning that I can work a full day and H doesn't have to miss work. That's a blessing.

We are going to do the Walk to End Hunger at MOA on Thanksgiving morning. Several good things about this - 1) raise money (obviously) to end hunger in the Twin Cities; 2) get out and get some exercise on Thanksgiving Day; 3) do something fun with a group of people and not watch TV.

Am getting v. tired. 1o p.m. is practically like 2:00 a.m. used to be in college.

BECHAMP Thanksgiving

Wow, did we eat! Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing (not my personal favorite but lots of people like), green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, three kinds of bread, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, and five pies with homemade whipped cream. Oh my goodness, am I ever FULL!

The kids had a great time. They ate, but not a ton, and then ran around. Including outside - a lot - with H playing football. Or hunters and animals, as I heard Rose #1 call it. Here is Rose #1 with her cousin Sam.

And Rose #2 with cousin Maddie. They were inventing a series of VERY elaborate secret handshakes tonight. I had to witness many of the handshakes in development.

We give thanks tonight for many things, chief among them family and good food. We are blessed.

We Went Out

H and I went out tonight for sushi. At Sakura, and it was really quite good. H ate a large quantity of raw fish, and I stuck to California rolls. I am surprised that I am full. Normally sushi isn't very filling (at least for me).

The outing was for a birthday party. Rose #1 has had a friend, Anders, who she has gone to school with ever since they were in the infant room at daycare together. Anders' mom turned 40 and a group of friends went out for dinner. We met some interesting couples. One is a neighbor of my uncle. The husband in another couple is actually a former Sunday School buddy of mine. A nice night altogether.

When we got back to Anders house, Rose #3 was completely and totally asleep. Rose #2 and #1 weren't far behind.

We should really go out more.

OK, We Saw New Moon

At a time and a theater where there were no screaming teenagers. Glad about that. Sorry about the fact that it seemed to go by so quickly! I loved it. I think I am a hopeless romantic. I know that there are many things about this move I should not like. It appears to glorify female dependence and subordination. It is a cinderella story (in unlikely wrapping). It is aimed squarely at a demographic other than my demographic.

But is there anything wrong with a little escapism? With doing something I want to do for a few hours? With relaxing and enjoying a good story?

We had kind of a rough evening. H went to get his hair cut, and his car battery died. We went to pick him up, but we could not jump start his car. So, we picked up dinner and went home to eat (around 7:30, which may be a fine dinnertime for grownups but not really for kids). Edward Cullen never had to worry about his job or his car's battery or getting food into the stomachs of his children!

Updates

Rose #1 lost her lower left incisor (B). Rose #2 wrote on a tissue with permanent marker, and ended up writing on the table in the process. Bad permanent marker karma. And Rose #3 is running around with an Italian phrasebook that I bought 18 years ago when going to Russia (had layover in Milan, thought would need phrasebook). Trying to read to a 3-year-old from an Italian phrasebook: Not Recommended.

Hey! One more day until New Moon!!

My Dancers

My dancers from Rec Center tap/ballet!

Here is Rose #2. She has a new leotard which she originally eschewed, but now she LOVES it. She loves the whole dance experience. She really waffles between liking dance and makeup and nail polish, and worrying that these things are too girly. But dance seems to have won her over.

And here is Rose #3. There was never any question that Rose #3 would want to take dance. She LOVES it too. The tap shoes, the ballet shoes, the tights, the whole shebang.
And Rose #2 and #3 together.

Again, LOVE rec center dance.

The Roses

Not a lot of comment is needed.

We were lucky - all of the Roses made it to at least 39 weeks. (And Rose #2 and #3 both hung on to 41 weeks!!) They were born healthy, breathing and eating just fine. Other moms and babies have not been as lucky, struggling through time in the NICU, and today they are blogging about it. Posts here and here - both are great blogs that I read faithfully.

A Black Squirrel

On Sunday morning we were looking out the window, and we saw a black squirrel! We're used to seeing albino squirrels, but not black ones. It was hard to get a shot from inside, so I scurried outside in my sock feet to snap a picture. You can see the squirrel at issue in the middle of the tree. He was a fast critter - I couldn't catch him while he was on the sidewalk.

The Roses thought it was pretty funny that I ran outside in my sock feet to take a picture. My attempt at wildlife photography made farce.

MND Players

Not a top quality photo, but top quality skit players! Rose #2, Gus and Beatrice performed some lively numbers at MND tonight, including a ballet dance (Beatrice and Gus) and a rendition of Barges, the famed Girl Scout number (Rose #2).
We adults always love it when the inevitable announcement is made that there will be a "show" at MND. Yay! A show! My sister pulled my niece aside tonight and gave her some hints about stage presence: the show has to be relatively short and voices have to carry. Too true - there have been many other shows that were all too long and that involved a great deal of mumbling.

Rose #3 spilled chocolate milk hugely all over her shirt, so she spent the better part of the show trying on "costumes" fashioned for her by her Uncle Andy. And Rose #1 and Sam were not interested in the show, thank you very much. They were far too busy writing "scripts" (presumably for a future show).

NEVER Go To The Children's Museum on Free Third Sunday

OMG. The Children's Museum was a crazy, crazy madhouse today. It is free on the third Sunday of each month. Which is great unless you are a member as we are.

Anyway, Rose #1 and Rose #2 really enjoyed the box exhibit. True statement: the empty box is the best toy every single time!

Rose #2 was not bleeding from the eye, or covered with chocolate (she wishes). The Children's Museum also has a face paint table. The Roses go directly to the face paint table without passing go or collecting $200. Anyway, Rose #2 also enjoyed the box exhibit.

A Perfect Day (Other Than Evil Virus)

We had a nice day today. We had a guided tour at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts with Guppy and Poppy and the cousins. Rose #3 and I had a nap together (2 hours!) and then H made dinner. Tonight we are watching Notting Hill and the girls are eating popcorn. My husband is even watching the movie with me!

(The evil virus is the cold I have had for the last 6 days. Sapping the strength. Last night I put myself to bed at 8:00 p.m.)

New Pillows

Today the Roses made new pillows. They are from fleece that you tie together. Our nanny made them with the girls:

I just realized today that our nanny will be going back to college in about 6 weeks...we are going to need a new nanny! We have been so lucky over the last year and a half since we have had family members take care of the Roses. Time to go back out to the market...

I Am Not At All Obsessed by Twilight

Do not let the fact that I have held my New Moon tickets for approximately one month change your mind. I bought them on Fandango, you see, in order to be sure that they would not sell out.

Or the fact that I laughed like a crazy woman at this post. I am shamelessly modeling my post on hers (although hers is much funnier).

Or the fact that I check the articles on imdb.com about Robert Pattinson every day. He's just so CUTE! (Of course, not as cute as my own husband, she said loyally.)

Really, I am not at all unhinged.

By the way, I realize that this blog is NOT about me. It is about my children. Rose #3 is sitting on the floor at my feet, reading a board book about Shapes. Rose #2 is waiting to go to her fall conference with her daddy. And Rose #1 is very happy that there is no school tomorrow.

Class Night

Tonight is H's class night - Heat Transfer 9,897,663. So it is girls' night here! After dance - yes, Roses #2 and #3 are in dance together - we came home for dinner. Rose #1 got some books from her cousin and I could barely tear her away from her reading to eat. And to go over her math with me. And to do her spelling words. I did have a fleeting thought about how I used to think I would look forward to the day that Rose #1 could amuse herself, and I mostly do. But I do also wish she would listen to me the first time...Anyway. here she is - cheerful and sweet, as usual.

Here is Rose #2 in her robe. Last week she came out of the shower and declined a towel, saying that "my robe is a towel." Maybe 5 minutes later she was still dripping and said, "I guess my robe isn't a towel after all." (I put it in the dryer for 10 minutes to dry it and warm it up!)

And here is Rose #3. I wish you saw her at dance class. She LOVES it. She was twirling, and grinning, and absolutely rapt listening to the teacher, Miss Amy.

LOVE rec center dance class!

My House Is Too Dirty for the Cleaners

When I arrived home from work today, I found a note from our cleaners. I know, poor us, we have cleaners. But they only come every other week, and trust me, we really need them.

But today the cleaners left a note that our house is too dirty. Technically, too messy. And really I think they were suggesting quietly that they need 5 hours rather than 4 to clean it.

I wish, wish, wish that I had time to clean my own house. I really like cleaning my house. There is a special way of cleaning your own house that no one else can get exactly right. I still like having cleaners, though. Just wish sometimes I could do it myself.

Oh well. I guess we will be that kind of family that cleans for the cleaners.

Pity Post

Pity, for me, that is. Think I caught the bug that has been flying about here. Its most recent victim has recovered, and here she is modeling her new leotard for dance class that starts on Wednesday.

We had to do a little reverse psychology about dance. Her cousin Maddie takes dance lessons, and her Aunt Tonya and I tried to get Rose #2 psyched up about dance. Rose #2 is not fully sold on anything that is too "girly". I guess the subtle pressure plus the new outfit did the trick. We have an arrangement to call Aunt Tonya after dance to report on how the lesson went.

We're very smart about outsmarting kindergarteners, yes?

T-Shirts Custom Made

Thanks to Aunt Tonya for forwarding this picture of Halloween t-shirts:

All the cousins are wearing them, and everyone was looking at the camera, and no one is scowling. What a cute, cute picture!

We had a good Sunday. I worked, went to the grocery store, then to church, then home to cook and fold laundry and generally putz around. Uncle Felix (remember him?) stayed for dinner, which was tasty. We made chocolate cupcakes for MND, and we had to sample them to make sure they were OK.

p.s.: they were fine! Rose #2 said that this was her dream day since she got a cupcake, peppermint bonbon ice cream and sprinkles.

65 in November!

Here in Minnesota we are having Indian summer! That's probably not the best term, but it's what I think when it is warm in November. We got a lot done. Raked, mowed (yes, mowed, we needed to do that last mowing for the year), brought everything to the compost pile, including the pumpkins.

I pictured an idyllic family day in the sun with my children frolicking happily. Ha. Rose #3 had a terrible 3-year-old type tantrum, where she was screaming at me to come inside and be with her. Ugh. Rose #2 is coughing all over the place, on everything. Rose #1 was trailing my every step begging me to play soccer.

Now we are going to try to gather the Roses while we may (ha!) to go for a walk. I remember being a kid and hating to be dragged outside. Why am I surprised then that my children don't really want to go either?

But it is SO NICE out. And in like a week it will be -50 and snowing.

Edited to add: Overheard at dinner:
Rose #3: Can I have a Halloween treat?
Me: Did you eat 3 vegetables?
Rose #3: Yes.
Me: What kinds? (We had a crudite plate.)
Rose #3: Um....cheese.
Me: Cheese is NOT a vegetable!!

Friday Night Chez Roses

Tonight is a unfortunately crazy night at our house. Rose #1 is happy, but only it is only because she is being permitted to play Club Penguin.

Rose #2 is not so very photogenic in this picture. She is feeling better, thankfully.

Rose #3 is VERY, VERY CRABBY. This is a great picture of how she feels tonight!

Signing off here. NaBloPoMo is quite an endeavor.

The Grand National

Tonight H and I went to a play, written by my former colleague and current client. It was a study of depression and how untreated mental illness can lead to despair and ultimately disaster. It was amazing to see the brainchild of someone I know brought to life on stage. If you have read my blog (and I realize I am addressing no one at this time other than perhaps my mother) you know that I hold writing, in any of its forms, in very high regard. So I was impressed, and humbled, by the efforts and accomplishments of the playwright. If the play wasn't ending on Sunday I would recommend it.

The Roses stayed home with their nanny, who worked a 13 hour day (God bless her). Rose #1 brought home a very cute crop of school pictures (unlike Rose #2's pictures, that came back displaying an unpleasant grimace on her face...). Rose #2 is - knock wood, cross fingers, cross hair, whatever - at least arguably on the mend, though I think she is going to stay home tomorrow just to be sure. Rose #3 is cheerful and begged me to read Amelia Bedelia. Anyone else out there get sort of annoyed at the number of times you are required to repeat Amelia Bedelia in any of those books? I realize that repetition is part of the charm and the appeal for kids, but sheesh.

Sick Child Central, Can We Help You?

OK, no one has been officially diagnosed with flu, but they sure have flulike symptoms. We have sick people everywhere here. I picture our house as a petri dish of virus. Poor Rose #2 - she is pretty darn sick. She has a high fever and actually asked to go to her own bed. This is NOT normal behavior for her.

Rose #3 appears to have recovered. I am being very lawyerly and couching my language. It is likely, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, that Rose #3 has recovered. Knock wood.

Rose #1 - not sick. Yet.

You should not come into our house if you have not contracted the flu virus yet this year. The pizza guy wisely stood at the threshold of the door. (Yes, we ordered pizza. On a Wednesday. My menu act leaves something to be desired this week, and poor little glassy eyed Rose #2 requested pizza. She ate some, too! And broccoli!)

I won't lie, I am a bit worried about Rose #2. I was worried about Rose #3 also, and she seems to be fine. I hope Rose #1 escapes this evil bug.

The Latest Halloween Blog Post in the Blogosphere

Rose #1: Anakin Skywalker (thanks to my colleague for the loan of the costume!). This is our front porch with all six - count them! six! - pumpkins. I actually got all six candles lit at the same time.

Rose #2: A Bat! Homemade with umbrella parts! And face paint. She asked to be a bat, and by golly, the bat HAPPENED.

And Rose #3, who was unable to trick or treat because she wasn't feeling well. She started out the night in costume, but things disintegrated from there. After the trick-or-treaters got home, she rallied for the great post-event candy debrief.

Here is the Halloween gathering at Guppy's. We had bat (Rose #2), Commander Rex (Sam), Cheerleader (Maddie), Anakin (Rose #1), Princess (Rose #2), Cat (Bea), Grandmother (Guppy), Chicken (Kate), and Mouse (Gus).

Another great Halloween. Rose #1 and #2 may or may not have stolen Rose #3's candy bag today, however. We can't prove anything but they were remarkably willing to share with her until her bag is located...

Singing Sunday

Rose #1 is in Children's Choir at church. Yesterday was the first Singing Sunday for the choir:

She just loves it. This Sunday they sang "Turning" and "The Earth Is Our Mother." The kids are all so earnest, and cute. I wish they would stay that way...

Rose #3 is sick...think it is the flu. Poor baby. Her fever broke in the night, though, and she was sleeping soundly when I left. This is going to be a dicey week.

Day 1 of 30 and Post Halloween postmortem

No pun intended...post-Halloween postmortem. Never mind.

No pictures in this post because I cannot find where H saved the Halloween pictures onto our network. A network is like a warren of confusion and mystery and trickery, if you ask me. Just a way to find places to hide files. We took some darling pictures of Rose #1 as Anakin, Rose #2 as a homemade bat and Rose #3 as a princess. But you can't see them.

Rose #3 is still under the weather, so she and I stayed home and answered the door last night. She kept calling trick-or-treaters "customers," and she confidently grabbed handfuls of candy to dole out. We didn't get many - 50 maybe - but our house is in a strange position on our block.

We had six pumpkins on our porch! Three carved by me, three carved by Guppy. Each kid had 2! And we have a respectable sized tupperware of roasted pumpkin seeds. My theory on roasted pumpkin seeds is that they are better in concept than in reality. Kids like to know that their moms are going to ootch through the goo and pick out the seeds, then roast them, even if the kids never intended to eat the roasted seeds in the first place. Oh well, I like roasted pumpkin seeds.

TTFN. Gotta work.

Neglect, A Sad State of Affairs

I've been neglectful. But never fear, I signed up for NaB0loPoMo, so I will hopefully be posting every day in November.

The Roses are fine. Rose #1 is gearing up for Spy Day at school. She has a magnifying glass and a small notebook (for clues, you know) and she will wear a face paint mustache. Query why school is making us come up with a costume on the day before Halloween (that is different, I might add, from her actual Halloween costume). But, no one asked the parents. I guess.

Rose #2 has made several confessions to me over the past few days. One: She got in trouble in science class for talking. She had to go to the time out chair. (Kindergarten science, you understand.) Two: She has a "boyfriend." I have no idea where she came up with the concept that she has a boyfriend, and I actually shared with her that I did not have a boyfriend until college. She seemed less surprised at that news than I would have imagined. Maybe I am 100x dorkier than even I suspect, and my children are in on the secret.

Rose #3 is full of news from preschool. She sits in circle time with "listening ears." They talk about firemen and policemen during circle time. She loves her new friend Eleanore. She was running a low grade fever tonight, and of course I am worried about her. She is just so sweet and good, and plump and juicy like a fruit. I want her to be healthy and happy forever.

Little Fins Fall Outing

Saturday was the fall outing for Little Fins, our group for families of kids with limb differences. We went to an orchard in Delano (did I say Delano? I meant B.F.E.) which was actually worth the drive. It is a working farm! Despite the fabulous pumpkins in the picture, we did not end up buying one. Unfortunately. But Rose #1 looks cute amongst them, doesn't she?

There were many, many animals at this farm. I should mention that we had the place to ourselves, since the owner is kind enough to open the orchard to groups after regular hours. The girls loved petting the goats, holding the chickens, etc. I, on the other hand, may or may not have obsessed about removing their clothing the instant we arrived home, putting it straight into the washing machine, and scrubbing their little bodies down in the shower pronto. Which did not happen, actually, since we got home really late. Anyway, here is Rose #1 petting a goat.

And Rose #2, not to be outdone, also made friends with this goat. There were tons of baby animals, too - in October! The Roses held baby goats and chicks.

If you live in the west metro in the Twin Cities, you might want to check out this orchard. It was a fun time and our Little Fins group is simply wonderful.

Little Mermaid and t-shirt jammies

Tonight was girls' night - H is at heat transfer class. So after a marginal dinner and homework (pulling teeth! did I say pulling teeth!) we changed into jammies and watched Little Mermaid. Here are the Roses posing in the jammies they decided to wear (grownup t-shirts, one of which is from a 1997 tennis tournament that H played in. That's a 12-year-old t-shirt, people!).

Little Mermaid is one of those movies that is better in concept than reality. It is simultaneously boring and scary. How does THAT work?

The Short and Fat - 2009

That is not a comment on my physique, but rather the name of the race H rode in this weekend.

This is his second year riding in a big mountain biking race in northern Wisconsin. We stayed at the same cabin on Ghost Lake where we stayed last year. This year the weather was much, much nicer! We spent a little time down by the water - took the motorboat out and the paddleboat out. We tried fishing; not so successful.

Here is H and the Roses this morning before we left:

We really liked seeing the beginning of the race, watching H approach the finish line, watching the fish swim under the dock, throwing kidney beans in for the fish (don't ask!) and sleeping late - well - relatively late. For Rose #3 anyway. We are already talking about 2010 - H might do the long ride next year!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Right?

I have been absent. I started a new writing class. H started a new heat transfer class. (What is heat transfer, you ask? I do not know. I will never know. No matter how many times it is explained to me, I. do. not. know.) School is in full swing. I have finally arrived at a strategy for Rose #1 and her homework. The expectation for 2nd grade homework is 20 minutes per night *and* 10 minutes of reading aloud. So, we set the timer for 20 minutes and I work with her - spelling, math, whatever is on the agenda. And, then we reset the timer for 10 minutes and she reads to me. We are reading Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander. It is a good read!

This weekend we are going to the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. This is our second year at the festival. The best part (in my opinion) is that we stay at a very, very nice cabin that is owned by an acquaintance of our family. Fireplace. Lake right out the back door. This year it is going to be sunny and nice - we are going fishing! BTW, did you know that the state of Wisconsin has an extensive, I mean truly comprehensive, set of fishing regulations! I looked at the PDF online of the fishing regulations and that sucker is 72 pages!!

Rose #2 is an all day kindergartener...

OK, the first day of kindergarten pictures did not turn out well. This is the best of the bunch. The girls all look good, but the daddy's eyes are closed...sigh.

Rose #2 had a really good first day of kindergarten. She was excited at all the toys in her new room, and she went like a big girl trooper on the bus.

We now have two Roses in all day school. This means that my family is getting older, I am starting to get my body back (after having three Roses in four years, nearly to the day), and...I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the years of seriously expensive childcare! Yay!

Big Second Grader

Is this young lady not the SPITTING IMAGE of her daddy?

Today was the first day of SECOND GRADE. I remember second grade - Mrs. Duerr - and her "terrify them" approach to drug abuse resistance education. (It worked in my case, not so much in the case of others.)

Anyway, I digress. Rose #3 and I walked Rose #1 to the bus stop. Rose #2 could not be rousted out of bed. Luckily our nanny Tamara was here to hold down the fort! Anyway, here are the beautiful Roses on the first day of second grade.