Endorphin Bliss

We packed it up and drove to Minnehaha Falls on Saturday morning.
Me to run the Get in Gear 10K, and the rest to cheer me on.
From the Playland at McDonalds.
Ten miles away.
It was raining.
It's kind of fun to run in the rain, but no fun at all to stand and watch in the rain.
Although I do appreciate the people who did.
Especially cowbell lady and crazy kazoo guy, who cowbelled and kazooed like mad at mile one, then cut across the route to cowbell and kazoo with even more enthusiasm at mile five.
Thank you.
3600 runners.
By far, the biggest crowd I've ever run with.
At first, a bit frustrating that it took you five minutes of walking just to get to the start line, and that you can't ever run at your pace because you're forever trying to dodge other people.
Gradually, more fun.
One giant surge of natural opiod Zen.

Please, God, let cowbell lady and kazoo guy be at the half marathon in August.
I'll really, really need them.

Here's me:  number 800-something out of 2000-something women.
That's a lot of chicks in Nikes.

I Know You Rider: Episode Two - He Gets it, He Wipes Out

No, it's not easy to balance your kid on a bike and make a cell phone video at the same time. Keep your comments about my cinematography skills to yourself.

Also, if you want to see
:: Episode One - The Day The Training Wheels Came Off
:: Episode Three - Bring It, Wipe Out
click the links.

Episode Four - He Loves It, He Has Stopped Freaking Out, is still in production.

Opening Weekend

It was opening weekend at the toddler park in the St. Croix Valley last weekend.  So exclusive it's not even open year round.  It was kind of a big deal [read: ZOO of suburban families].

The mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie showed up - also kind of a big deal.  Noah, who has not read this book, was no less star struck by the mouse, following him everywhere.  He had to be dragged away when the tail pulling started.

Greta was much more timid. Seen here covering her ears. Because mice are known to be quite loud and frightening.

And finally she gives up any attempt at being courageous. Giant mice are freaky.

Rock Babies

Our Earth Child.

Greta finds some abandoned "babies" on a nature hike.  She loves them and cuddles them and cares for them until she sees a shiny object in the distance.  We only hope their mother will come back for them.

HAPPY EARTH DAY

The Chocolate Cupcake Series

Greta should definitely take some lessons in ladylike cupcake eating from Ava.

She loves her cupcake so much that she applied it as makeup and hand cream.

Birthday Boy

I think he had a pretty good one this year.

Roared His Terrible Roar

This is the costume I made for Greta last Halloween.  Max, King of the Wild Things.  It was way too big on her.

I like this shot because I think Noah looks kind of babyish in it.  Not like a four-year-old at all.

Golden Slumbers

 Dear Greta, thank you for sleeping.  Peacefully.  Quietly.  I love you, but girl, you are L-O-U-D when you are awake.  Do you even have an inside voice?

Dear Noah, you can't fool me.  People are telling me that you're going to give up your nap soon, and you sometimes try.  Please stop.  Don't listen to them.  They don't know how angelic you are when you wake up after your three-hour afternoon coma.  Or how ugly dinner time is when you skip it.  Dream on.

Dragon vs Skunk

This is a suuuuper long video, but I can't figure out how to edit it.

Noah started telling a story during lunch, which is a pretty new thing for him.  I credit Kevin.  I missed taping the beginning - an introduction to the characters:  a sister dragon, a big brother dragon, a big, big mommy dragon, and a big, big, BIG daddy dragon.

The story starts to fizzle after the first 90 seconds, but his dramatization is awesome.  Good luck following this stream of consciousness.





Yes, he is wearing knee and elbow pads. The training wheels are off the bike.

Exactly As Planned

There is something to be said for family planning.  But sometimes you just get lucky.  Eighteen months apart was really only painful for maybe the first year.  Gradually it started to get easier.  Then one day we packed for a trip home and realized we had room in the car for, like, seven extra people because we no longer had to travel with strollers, Pack 'N Plays, booster seats, bottles and diapers.

Greta has started to refer to her brother as "My Noah" in public - you've probably heard her calling for him at the playground when she's lost sight of him.  Noah won't go into the dark basement without first making sure he has his sister's hand, so he can "protect her" (OK, fine - he's more scared of the dark than she is).  She is found sneaking into his room after bedtime at least one night a week.

I can only hope this will translate to a forever friendship for them.  One that can survive stealing of each others toys and fighting over who gets the blue toothbrush.  Keep your fingers crossed for them.

Retro Red

Greta can ride.  Don't make fun of her helmet - there is no such thing as overkill when it comes to protecting the melon.  Plus, she thinks it's cool and sometimes wears it just to play in the yard.

Remember Snow?

Greta has two loves:  hikes through powdery snow and paparazzi to capture it on film.

All of My Friends

From Valentine's Day. Greta has a tea party with some of her friends, but gets distracted by the camera.

A Short Video

If I could bottle this giggle.

Boom

Grandpa's Good Friday fireworks show.
The kids really like it.

Marbleworks

Thank goodness, again, for Mom and Dad's camera.  Wonder who the photographer of the two is?

The tots most anticipated game to pull from the toy box the moment they arrive at Grandma & Grandpa's:  Marbleworks.  Tubes, spirals, funnels, marbles and noise for days.  Mom will likely have found the last missing marble by May.

One Gutsy Racer

We are the kind of parents who will pay too much for a toy that is no longer available in stores and can only be ordered online from a very few retailers.  Just because our kid really, really wanted it.

Kind of surprising to me - I didn't think I'd be like that.  Always a pushover.

But he does love The King, and brings it everywhere, and shows it to everyone who comes over (the exterminator was especially appreciative).

Rocking the Red Heels

Greta found my shoes in January.  I don't have a lot of shoes, really.  Now even fewer as they slowly emigrate from my closet to her dress up box.

At the Domes

To make up for yesterday's photo, and since it is Mom's birthday, I should probably post a happier-times-with-Grandma shot.

Here are the tots and Mom at the Mitchell Park Domes, sometime in January, going bananas over the train exhibit.

 :: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! ::

Rain Rain Rain Came Down Down Down

Theme for today.

A Thousand Words

Don't hate me for loving this picture.  So much emotion!

Context:  Mom and Dad came to hang with the kids for a weekend while we were far north doing something else.  At the end of the weekend, we had a photo session with kids and grandparents, hoping for one good shot.

As seen here:
 :: Noah loses patience.  His inability to control and perfect the situation overwhelms him.
 :: Dad looks on disapprovingly, as if to say, "Don't you think it's time you put the camera away now?"
 :: Mom remains the eternal optimist, determined that Noah's tantrum can be reversed and the shot can be saved.
 :: Greta has sneakily disappeared from the scene and is likely in the kitchen scavenging for Goldfish Crackers.

In the Pew

Waiting for church to start.  Has anyone seen a pair of toddler size eight cow girl boots?

UPDATE:  Boots have been found.  In her suitcase, of all places.

Super Subtle

It has been suggested that maybe I'm not keeping up as well as some would like.   Ahem, Grandma.
No new nice pictures to post until the camera is fixed, but here's one from the phone.
Tea party with Grandma and Aunt Lindsey.  Drink fast or she'll empty your cup into someone else's,  then someone else's,  then back to the tea pot.

Obviously, I should have included this video the first time around. My mistake.