Ava during her first egg hunt -- 4/11/2009
Ava and her eggs
Connor with his eggs
Val, Ava and Connor with their baskets
The kids after dying eggs for 2 minutes.
It’s been a busy but fun winter. We spent Christmas here with Grandma Gail and the Standley’s. Finn was fun to play with. The kids and I went to Minneapolis over spring break and stayed with Grandma Gail and Leah and Harold. Leah is due with a girl in August! We spent time with Mel and her boys, Tami and her boys, and Christine. For Easter, we stayed at home and I made ham and mom’s creamy cheesy hashbrowns. Doug wanted a pecan pie and the kids wanted too much of their Easter candy.
I arranged for an impromptu egg hunt, and it was nice to have all the neighbors together–everyone saying how it’s weird that we don’t know each other very well! Maybe this summer I can plan a barbeque.
I’ve been teaching BodyFlow and BodyStep at a new gym, Racquet Club. We all love it. Connor and Val took swimming lessons there this winter, and Ava has made some little girl friends in the junior gym. I love that the kids get exercise when we’re there.
Dawn is being induced tomorrow — we’ll soon have a new niece or nephew! 
It’s been a nice weekend with Doug and the kids. We ate a turkey dinner on Thursday for lunch, and today basically finished all the leftovers. Connor is my little Norwegian, being the only child to eat his lefse and lingonberries. We sorted toys to make room for Christmas presents, brought some clothes to the city mission, and I got to spend today bumming around by myself in the Haymarket (the new bookstore is awesome!), Burlington Antiques, and Scout.
Val and I have been reading his first chapter book together, “Star Wars, the Clone Wars.” It’s fun to have him sit and read with me again, as he seemed to lose interest there for awhile. He likes to follow along with his finger. Ava and Connor still like to read the kiddie books, so it’s nice to have this new pasttime with Val.
Tomorrow, I’ll teach BodyFlow and try to get the Christmas stuff up. I wanted to send out Christmas Cards to get them out of the way, but I don’t feel like addressing all the envelopes this weekend. Maybe next? We’ll see.
Here are some new pictures from the photo shoot in October.
Connor (4) and Val (6)
Ava (2)
It’s finally fall break. It’s my favorite break because I’m not bogged down with Christmas prep and I can enjoy my favorite season. The trees are so gorgeous right now. I love looking out my big front window to see the yellow Concord grape leaves and my maple tree turning every color from orange to red.
We took the little bike and scooter on a quick walk today. Even though the thermometer said it was 55 degrees, the gusty wind made it very cold. So, we made it to the corner (about two blocks) and turned back. Ava was “so cold, too cold,” or so she kept repeating as I carried her snuggled into my shoulder. The boys loved racing way ahead, though, and when we turned around, Val said it was the “boringest walk ever.”
I went to the Antique show at the Fairgrounds today. I wish I could just drop $1000 on cool things like old railroad china and cool vases and chests and things. Plus all the great jewelry! There were some ruby rings to die for!
I finally get to teach some BodyStep tomorrow at the Racquet Club. I hope I don’t mess up, as it’s been two months since I’ve taught it at Gold’s. That seems like eons ago. Connor really likes the Racquet Club because they have this huge kid land. He never wants to leave. (Nor do I, as they have all my favorite classes!)
The kids got their pictures taken a few weeks ago. Sweet Ava Leah would not pose with her brothers for the second year in a row. So, it will be another year before we have that coveted professional photo of all three at once. Last year for our family one we had to photo shop a head in where she wasn’t bawling.
Well, I’m sure this week and this season will fly by! Surely I’ll post again at Christmas?!
… but between cleaning up constantly after the kids and trying to just plain spend time with them, I never seem to have the time to actually post here. I need to make it a habit.
Ava said the cutest thing the other day. I was trying on a new outfit for Doug, and she pointed at the tag and told me to “take the wrapper off!” It sounded like “Mommy, take the wapper off.”
Val had his last T-Ball game yesterday. It was literally 106 degrees before the heat index. He did really well. He concentrates better than back in June, and actually is ready to catch the ball when it is thrown to him. (Unlike his mother.)
Connor is riding his training bike all over tarnation. He is really good at it, so I hope he will always like biking. Doug and I want to get bikes for all of us next summer, and put Ava on the back.
We all went to Southpointe Mall last weekend to shop and have lunch at Famous Daves. Val thought it was the best food ever because they had Kraft Mac and Cheese. I got some clothes at Talbots and Banana Republic, Val got tennies, and the kids all got toy guns and books from Daddy. Priorities!
Tomorrow I am meeting Johnna and Emily and their kids at the indoor playpark, and then I have a Jewelry party. I made brownies and had to make two pans because Ava got her hands in one when I wasn’t watching her.
Oh well!
Here’s some new pictures.
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Ava’s first pony ride at the Zoo
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How cute is my ConMan?
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Check out his head!
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My sweet peas
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On an Adventure!
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Herb Garden at Pioneers Park
Lincoln Children\
- Connor\
- Ava and Baby Finn
- ICE CREAM MAN!!!!!!!!
- Facepainting
- Watch out for the snake!
- Jammie Painting at 6 a.m. on a summer morn!
- Val\
- Ava at the Spray Park
- Ice Cream Sundaes from Grandma
- Como Town
…at least that’s how I always feel, being a teacher and all.
We just had Grandma Gail down for 3 days to celebrate the 4th. We had a pool party with two blow-up pools, ran through the sprinklers, and went to the Woods spray park. Connor and Val loved jumping into the big pool, and Ava held up the line at the slide by gingerly slipping down and stubbornly hanging out at the bottom.
Grandma and I went to the farmer’s market for bratwursts and corn. The corn was sooo good! Even it it was almost $6 for a dozen. She spoiled the kids with sundaes and DQs and Kettle Korn, as well as homemade suckers from the market.
I have finally finished planting a weeding the yard for awhile. My only failure has been the three hanging baskets I bought. They were full of pansies and sooo cute, but they are way dead since returning from our quick trip to MN to see Leah, Harold, Finn, Grandma and Petunia. So, this week I have to paint our bedroom, as the scratched-up yellow looks dreadful. I also need to decide what colors I want for the kitchen so I can paint that the following week.
I wish I could’ve visited Dad and Grandma’s graves this weekend, but alas… they are always in my thoughts! Plus, I had German bratwurst today in honor of Dad, and Ava picked out Grandma’s favorite salmony-pink geraniums to plant in the little box on the front step.
We are having huge storms tonight. I texted Doug because he is golfing 18 holes on a course that’s right in the path of the storm. 70mph winds with hail predicted. I hope he gets home soon!
I’ve been sitting on eBay for a few minutes trying to get my skincare stuff cheaper. Now that I’m getting OLD, I have such weird skin problems! The one brand that works lately for me is Origins, but it’s pretty spendy. eBay does have it cheaper, so hopefully I’ll win some auctions.
Val and Connor ran around the yard for an hour tonight with Matthew, playing monsters with baseball bats and balloons. It was pretty amusing. I read my mommy-magazines while Ava played with Evie and Therese. I’m so glad we have nice neighbors.
We’re having a garage sale in two weeks, so I sorted through the toys today. Most of the toys I’m selling are ones I’ve gotten at garage sales myself! I also have lots of “play clothes…” with holes and stains… but someone always buys them.
Well, tomorrow I hope to finish cleaning the house, bake a rhubarb-peach crisp, and prepare for the retirement party we’re throwing at school.
It’s been a long two weeks, between Doug being in Hastings for sniper training and me being at home with the kids… but it went really well, I must say! I even got to go to the zoo with Val and his kindergarten class on Tuesday. It was one of those perfect spring days with sun, clouds, and a light breeze. I got to hold Val and Lucy’s hands as we walked from school to the park, to the zoo, and back to school. 84 kindergarteners and several parents… it was a hoot.
I brought the kids to the hardware store on Sunday morning and we picked out annuals together. Then Val and Connor helped me plant them while Ava napped. She was so excited to see flowers in the front of the house when we got her up. My tulips didn’t bloom at all this spring, so I won’t be able to get the annual tulip-with-each-child picture. Argh. Maybe my annuals will look pretty in June… or maybe my peonies. We’ll see!
It’s Memorial weekend, but we are just hanging around here. I think I will sort toys for Finn and for the garage sale. The kids do have way too much, but it’s funny how they go through stages with the toys… so you don’t always want to get rid of them too soon.
I’ll be taking my seniors to Gelato on Tuesday… my annual contribution to them sticking with French for 4 years! The gal at the coffee shop is nice and makes a bunch of flavors ahead of time.
I’ve been catching up with old friends on Facebook lately. It’s been fun to see what everyone’s been up to for 20 years! Yes, 20!!!
More later if I have time.
Well it’s been a fun day! I met Cyndy at the farmer’s market, where we froze our toes and fingers off. But, I got some fresh asparagus, some onions for Doug, and some of Krista’s goat cheese and quark. (Yum… lunch on Le Quartier pain de campagne… mmmm… I saved some for when Mom comes.)
We then “were seen” at the Mill for awhile and complained about our lazy students . After venting, I went to the Antiques Show by myself and found a lovely kitchen towel and three swanky swigs… one of which I had none! (blue tulips). I didn’t have any checks, so I am going back tomorrow to buy four more if they’re still there. If they’re not, then, as Mom says, “It wasn’t meant to be!”
Val, Connor and Ava helped me get all the leaves out of the front garden beds, and we also planted some annual wildflower seeds. I ordered about 15 plants from the “Friends of Wilderness Park” sale, so hopefully those perennials will come back! This year it looks like most of my split hostas came up, but my tulips look quite sad. I may not get that annual picture of the kids by the tulips! 
Doug and I are going to Heidelberg’s tonight to send his friend Chris off to Iraq. It will be nice to go out together. Tomorrow I will help Ann teach aerobics and then teach BodyFlow. I love starting my Sundays with that.
Next weekend is Connor’s 4th birthday! I’m trying to plan something fun for him, since he’s had quite the week. He has a double ear infection, but the only way we knew it was that he couldn’t hear us. If it doesn’t clear up by next week, he may need tubes.
Well, here are some recent pictures of us. Happy May!
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Mom and Val
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Mom and Connor
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Mom and Ava Leah
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