where I left off

A lot happens in the span of three months. That's how long it's been since I recorded anything on this blog! It's so hard to find the time and I've avoided spending extra time on the computer since it steals time away from the kids. So, I've got a lot of material to cover in this post...And since it seems crazy to try to catch up, I'll just give you some "best of" material.

In October, Ella had a school trip to a pumpkin farm. The photo below is of her and her closest school buddy, Makenzie. They are a super cute pair but sometimes I'm flabbergasted at the drama that occurs with girls in KINDERGARTEN! Seriously, sometimes it seems like seventh grade stuff.

Makenzie and Ella

Later in the month, around my birthday, we visited Mimi in Edina. We had a great hike at Thousand Hills State Park and enjoyed visiting the petroglyphs. Simon loved being out in the wide open space and he mentioned the hike again to me just this past week. We'll be visiting this spot again for sure in the spring when it's warmer.

Simon on the run amidst the trees

I finally got him to sit still long enough to snap this shot! This boy is known for his boots!

In that same trip, we spent lots of time at various parks. Mom's apartment is pretty small so we're always looking for ways to get the wiggles out. The above shot is Simon playing guitar with a stick at the old Rutledge school playground I mentioned in a post long ago. And below is Ella looking sweet at the same park.

For Halloween, we kept things simple. We trick or treated just along our street for a couple of blocks and then went to a party at some friends' place. Ella was Elastigirl from The Incredibles, Simon was Spiderman, and Josie was a daisy. There were so many stinkin' cute photos, but I just don't have the room to share them all!

This costume was amazingly cute but didn't stay on very long. Babies and head gear don't mix.

Spidey and Elastigirl

In November, I (and a handful of amazing girlfriends) painted the cherry red kitchen a more subdued bluish gray. (Enter *sigh of relief* here.) The paint job also included a chalkboard wall by the fridge that I use for my menu planning as well as for keeping track of tasks and weekly events. It has also come in handy for the kids art fix. Simon has drawn me some interesting works. The below images come from his "Garden of Eden" depiction. Simon is particularly interested in this Bible story, in fact, when we read it last time, I asked him why Adam and Eve had to leave the garden. His answer was, "Cause there was a SNAKE in there!!!"

This Garden features three snakes that say. "P P P" instead of hissing.

Detail of snake's face

And we'll end this "best of" with a shot of Josie. Man has she grown. But I'll give the low down on that in a post all her own. Hopefully. If I can find a free moment.

nostalgia (part 2) and thrifting treasure!

The kids and I had a great time in Edina with Mimi. I find time in northeast Missouri incredibly relaxing...the pace is just so darn SLOW! I dig it. I need to go slow sometimes.

Mom relished the time with the kids and spent lots of cuddle time with Josie. I know she'd kill me for posting this photo of her since it was first thing in the morning, but I thought it was too sweet.

She's so silly with the kids. They just love spending time with her and Ella giggles more with her than anybody!

You see why they love her? She's a goof!

Anyhoo, we took several trips to the Edina park I mentioned in the last post. I took lots of photos of the kids on the playground equipment just because it tickles me that they love the park that I spent so much time at growing up.

On the "covered wagon" at the Edina Park

Our time with my Uncle Steve and Aunt Elaine was really nice. Elaine let the kids make our lunch and they had a blast doctoring up ham sandwiches and pimento cheese and then cutting them out into heart or flower shapes. And then Elaine had them put their creations on a lovely platter with a doily underneath and the table looked so pretty with candles lit. It felt like a special tea party just for them. They were very good to my kids even though they DID bang on the grand piano.

Uncle Steve holding Josie

I spent some time uptown where I took this shot. I've always liked the side of this building. There used to be a restaurant/bar through this door in the basement called "The Blue Room." I used to love eating hamburgers here with my grandma and parents and they had amazingly greasy onion rings. We played Tron and pool in the back of the restaurant and always stayed away from the end of the room where the bar was since it was so dark and smoky. As a kid, this place held mystery and charm. I have a feeling I would find it dark and disturbing now...but I choose to remember it fondly.

Mom was kind enough to hang with the kids to give me some time to scour the two thrift shops uptown. I just LOVE going into small town thrift stores because people in rural communities think the stuff that I like is just old junk. I like finding treasure in the discarded! And it's all so much cheaper in smaller communities. I have to share what I found!

I've been looking for a small lamp to use at my computer station. My keyboard is on a slide-out tray and if it's evening or nighttime, I can never see the keys. My computer is in an IKEA cabinet and is narrow, only slightly wider than my monitor, so finding a mini light that isn't stupid looking has been a challenge. But all hope is not lost! I discovered the cutest little lamp that seems almost as if it was made for the little spot by my computer! And it was only five bucks!

Isn't he the cutest little thing?

And this afghan was only three dollars. You couldn't even buy the yarn for that price! The colors (teal and yellow trim) match my living room perfectly, it shows no sign of ever being used and I love that some little old lady made it. It's unique!

Then we have a couple of small framed pieces. I spotted a cheap framed paint by number. I know it's kitsch, but I like it anyway.

And the embroidered mattes in these two frames charmed me. I love that someone took the time to embellish them and I imagine doctoring up the frames and hanging them in the girls' room.

Did your grandma stitch these?

Finally, the pièce de résistance. I finally found a nightstand for Bryan's side of the bed. I've been looking off and on for a few years. And this baby was under twenty bucks! I love the little legs and small drawer.

Ain't she a beaut?

 

 

 

 

I won't bore you with the little cups I bought. But they're sweet and only a dime each. Edina is on it's way out, I think. But I still like visiting. And so do the kids. Thanks Mimi for the fun!

nostalgia

School starts in a couple of weeks and we're squeezing in some pretty intensive travel before getting away becomes increasingly difficult. We're visiting Mimi (my mom) in Edina, Missouri for a few days right now. I drove up with the kids without the husband...it takes about three hours and they did so well on the drive. We didn't have to stop a single time for little bladders or nursing baby! Wowie! That's definitely a first.

The trip has a special sweetness this time around. Ella has really been interested in hearing stories about me when I was a little girl. I remember feeling the same way about my own mother and grandmother. Something about learning more about their childhood gives us a sense of who we are and where our roots are. And there's a sense of magic and mystery about imagining what your own mother was like when she was little like you. So this trip has a bit of that mixed in. Recently, Ella has been asking for lots of stories about me as a girl, you might remember me referencing this curiosity in an earlier post.

One of the stories I've told her was about how my cousin Katie and I (most stories of any interest involve my cousin Katie) left our beloved Cabbage Patch dolls at the park underneath the slide and when we went to retreive them, they had vanished. We posted MISSING signs all over town and cried ourselves to sleep. The climax to that story was when our grandma Florence showed up to school the following week with them in her arms as the local sheriff had seen them as he closed up the park that night and claimed them for lost and found. Today I took my kids to that park and they slid down the slide. They also rode on the metal rocking horses that I sat on at my birthday party and got stung by a bee right on my wee little bottom. (Oh how I remember that day!)

After the park we climbed back in the car to partake of a kiddie cone in Rutledge, Missouri. My grandparents lived there when my mom was little and my grandpa Jack always kept a residence there even after my grandma Florence moved to Edina to start her beauty shop. His house still stands overlooking the pond that he dug out himself for fishing. We visited the Minnonite Store called Zimmerman's, which I always have to make time for. They have all kinds of bulk goods like organic spelt flour and rolled oats and fresh local produce. And they've been around since before it was cool to buy local. Their freshly baked breads are amazing...we bought a loaf of organinc whole wheat and it's scruptuous toasted with butter. Anyway....the ice cream there is 30 cents for a kid size cone which was perfect since I only had one dollar in my billfold! (Totally have to have cash and a check book in rural communities!)

Zimmerman's Minnonnite Store: Groceries, fabric, general store and restaurant!

After Zimmerman's, we went over a couple of blocks to the old Rutledge School. We played on the slide and teeter totters where my grandparents played. I love all the history. I think these places won't be around much longer since all the small towns I grew up around seem to be slowly dying.

The most exciting part of this trip is that we'll be visiting my Uncle Steve and Aunt Elaine. They are my cousin Katie's parents and Ella is so pumped. In her mind, Katie is like a fairy tale and she is going to see the house where Katie and I had many of our adventures. I'm so thrilled to introduce her to my aunt and uncle who have never met any of my kids. It's a pretty exciting day for me too! Hopefully they won't bang the keys on the grand piano!