Springtime/Early Summer 2014

Time keeps flying by, but here's some highlights!

Landscaping and cleaning up the yard... they did get some work done in addition to wheelbarrow rides!

Take your kids to work day... they had so much fun they want to come to work with me all the time!

Sofia's Kindergarten class performance

Samantha's Art Walk

A spring time visit to the zoo.

MondoFest with friends... another great show!

Mother's Day... motherhood is really having your heart live outside of yourself.  I'm blessed!

A joyous and busy visit!  Thanks for coming to the show Antie and Uncie!  We miss you!

Husky Hustle 2013

Fundraising for the girl's school is getting donations for a 5K walk/run.  All of us did it last year and this year Ely came too.  I walked and ran with Sofia and her friend Zella while Daddy was with Samantha and Allie. It rained at the end which is why you see Ely soaked afterwards.  He was worn out!

First Day of School (Sofia's off to Kindergarten!)

Sofia went on the bus today with Samantha to her first day of Kindergarten!  I'm filled with emotion and pride thinking about her waving from the bus.  Yes, everyone is right when they say our children grow up too fast.  I understand it's one of those "Circle of Life" things and it's not that I want her to stay young forever.  I consider it one of the greatest privileges to watch my children grow and I love the fact that I truly enjoy the people my kids are.  They are going out into the world equipped with as much wisdom as we can give them and are both incredible girls.

Daddy and I are so lucky!

Samantha's final days in 2nd grade

Last week I went to school to see Samantha's class perform a play to thank all the volunteers from the year.  Her friend got to play me with the Art Adventure program, which was hilarious!  Samantha played Mrs. Braun which was a surprise to no one, I'm sure.  Another volunteer asked if I was her mom and when I said yes, he stated that Samantha is in control of her environment.  I laughed and nodded.  I hear so many positive comments from adults who know her. 

Yes, I think this kid is extraordinary.

There was a school picnic, the final chess club tournament and the bags of schoolwork that made their way home.  I'm proud that Samantha got through ALL of it so it's one less thing to do when summer is over.

April 2013

In addition to Mom and Dad's trip to Hawaii, there were some other adventures in April!

The girls finished their session of ice skating lessons.  It helped so much during the winter to be able to get them out to go skating.  They had fun learning and practicing too!  On a personal note, it's awesome to have something active for us to do outdoors!

We went to Samantha's school carnival and got goofy!

I took Samantha and a friend to the Mall of America for window shopping and rides.  Best of all, Samantha paid for part of it to get me to do it.  Have I mentioned how proud am I of her for being willing to learn the lesson that the parental bank isn't always open?

Nana and Grammy went to watch Samantha's class play.  She was a narrator and was one of the few who memorized her lines perfectly!


Grammy helped out when Daddy was traveling and stayed to watch a movie with us.  Sofia loved cuddling with her!

A few months ago Samantha wrote a letter to the President of the United States suggesting more searches for dinosaur fossils and flags to mark the places they are found.  (I opted to be supportive and sent her letter.)  She was ecstatic when she got her letter and showed it to everyone!

We finally got to feel some spring warmth in April!  I took Samantha and a friend to a park to play while I walked Ely.  It resulted in a funny picture!

We went to Minnehaha Falls to enjoy the good weather and got to eat at Sea Salt.  The food was awesome and the time as a family was even better!

Girls Engineering Day

Samantha's school hosted a Saturday event focused on engineering.  There were career presentations by women and plenty of activities, including sessions on building different things.  Samantha chose to join me where I volunteered to help build catapults.  Most of the girls hadn't worked with any power tools, so I taught them how to use the drill.  Their faces lit up when they did it.  It seemed that the girls were expecting me to do the drilling for them, so when I handed them the drill I saw fear at first, then the excitement of doing it on your own.  The whole experience was fantastic for everyone!

Here's Samantha about to launch another volley with her catapult!

Update on Samantha

 From parent/teacher conferences (which was another great conference)...

To crafting with dad...

Samantha is described as "a mother to all".  She is a leader and supporter to all.  This year she is learning that not every kid wants to be mothered and it's not a personal insult to her.  Samantha is also a friend to all, navigating life with enthusiasm which is beautiful to see.  Daddy and I are very proud of her!  She is easy to love!

Samantha's 2nd Grade Winter Program

Samantha gave 2 performances today for her school's 2nd grade winter program.  The afternoon performance was attended by me and all her grandparents.  I recorded it and got to see Samantha's extra part.  Sofia and Daddy went to the evening show.  Samantha did a wonderful job and we are so proud of her!

While I don't have any still pictures from the day, I do have this recent shot of her trying on shoes... I respect her taste even though I don't share it.  :)  She walks better in heels than I do!

November 2012

We began the month with conferences at Samantha's school.  Daddy made it home just in time.  It's obvious to everyone that Samantha loves school and is doing very well!

Happy Birthday to Bill!  We hope you liked your video song from the girls!

Grammy stayed late to be a character in a play that Samantha needed performers for.  As Samantha was explaining the plot, she looked me in the eyes and affirmed that she was in charge.  Thankfully she wasn't mean about it, it was very sweet!  I recorded some video that showcases her directing ability that we've been watching over and over again.  It's a great memory!

I started my new job!  I keep reminding myself to be patient and that it takes energy to process change.  It's necessary that I make an effort to take some time for myself.  I got a little time with some friends and I appreciate that, even though I'm sad I missed time at the zoo with Jordan and Dylan.  Daddy took pictures though and everyone wore themselves out!

The girls and I went to a fundraiser at Samantha's school.  There was plenty of music for dancing and running around!  Everyone was exhausted by the end of the night.  This is the best shot from the night since they couldn't stand still for a decent picture!

Daddy took some time with Sofia and they hung out at an arcade with a friend of Daddy's and his 2 sons.  Sofia loved it and came home with lots of stuff from the claw game.

We had conferences at preschool for Sofia too!  She is a leader and is progressing a lot on reading.  We are so proud of her!

The photo above is Sofia holding a friend's new baby.  Mazel tov to Adam!  Daddy finally got to take both girls to see the baby.  I think they've been enjoying spending more time with Daddy lately and I'm glad to see it!

More from September

Both girls are very excited on Monday mornings because it’s school! Daddy and I love seeing them excited. They get a few extra moments of chaos since Brianna and Connor come to our house to ride the bus in the mornings, but all the kids enjoy seeing each other. The hard part has been to get them out to the bus on time because they just want to play!

Sofia especially has blossomed at her preschool so far. A lot of her friends go to the private elementary school, but when I asked her if she wanted to switch she declined. Sofia is becoming more and more articulate.

Samantha is adjusting to more demands on her to be organized. She loves seeing her friends during the day. Like most kids Samantha tends to give up effort when she’s received approval, so I push though it’s usually a gentle nudge by asking, “Is that the best you can do or is it good enough?”. I’m reassured by my messages appear to be sinking in though. Samantha is loved very much wherever she goes!

The girls and I were in a parade with their gymnastics studio.  They got to play on the float with the uneven bars while I dodged gymnasts walking.  It was a long day, but a great experience!  Thank you Papa for coming to watch! 

Samantha made Shabbat dinner herself.  She led all the cooking and didn't need too much help from Daddy and I.

We got to spend some time with Uncle Todd, Aunt Shelly, Jordan and Dylan at the zoo. It was a lot of walking, but very fun to see them!  It has been impossible to get a good picture of the kids all together!

I began the football season with a 3 ½ hour outing with the girls, looking for crafting ideas and enjoying a park.  Samantha took the picture during our "coaching session on the bar".  Did I mention that they love gymnastics?

Shana Tova! I was at a concert with a friend (which was a fun way to start the Jewish New Year), but the rest of the family had fun following the traditional meal.  Samantha also scored with her school fundraising drive!

We went to Goldzilla which is a fundraiser for RAGOM (www.ragom.org).  RAGOM is the organization we got Ely through.  There was a sea of Golden Retrievers!  It was a powerful event because everyone there loves their dogs and you could feel the positive vibe!  I can envision us getting another dog once we (the humans) are better trained!

First Day of School 2012

Sadly this is the best picture I got.  

The best part is they don't care!  Both kids were so excited for school to start!  Samantha has been talking about it for weeks and Sofia had no hesitation.  Daddy and I are very proud!

Other August Highlights

Here are some other highlights from August:

Lindsay's last day was early in the month.  They had a ball for their last week together going to the pool and beach, Mall of America and just playing.  We will miss her!

The girls got to sleep at Nana and Papa's 3 nights!  They've never done that before, but being true to form they didn't eat one vegetable (because french fries don't count)!  The girls got their fill of TV and got in some fishing too with Papa.  They came home exhausted, but happy.

I took Samantha to a playdate at her school.  The weather wasn't optimal, but Samantha had a ball with her friends and we marveled over the rainbow that we saw.

We survived a weekend trip to Ikea and managed to get everything assembled the day we got it.  Samantha loves having a chair in her room to read at and Sofia likes her new nightstand.  It's nice to be rid of so much toddler stuff!  

I finally got to take the girls to swim during my week with the girls and Nana.  It was a hectic day, but I'm glad I got to see the girls swim in water that was 12 feet deep.  This is a huge source of pride for the girls!

State Fair

Since we had house guests we weren't able to fulfill the tradition of visiting the State Fair on my birthday so we went the first weekend.  The girls and I spent time in the horse barn talking to owners and petting horses. Both girls went on the rock climbing wall.  Samantha cut her first try short after Daddy told her she was doing a good job.  She asked to do it again after I said I didn't think it was a good choice to give up because Daddy (or anyone) said, "Good Job" and that I knew she could reach the top.  I told her that encouragement doesn't mean you are done and can take it easy, but she should appreciate it and keep moving up.  If that isn't a life lesson, I don't know what is.  Not surprisingly, she made it to the top on the next attempt.  Both Daddy and I told her that we were proud of her because we are!

And of course we did the Big Carpet Slide.  This time Daddy took Sofia and Samantha went on her own.  In the video they are on the left side.

Foods we ate this year:

Falafel
Coconut macaroons
Stuffed olives
Foot long hot dogs
Big Fat Bacon
Malt
World's greatest french fries
Pickle dog
Snow cone/ ice cream cone
Buffalo shrimp
Cheese curds