outdoor fun

Logan had severely outgrown his old bike so Tracy took him shopping and he came home with a beautiful 20 inch, bright red, Schwinn Falcon. He was excited to point out it had both handbrakes and pedal brakes. A separately purchased bell was added to further enhance the cycling experience.



Logan loves the bike but unfortunately the training wheels we attached didn't fit the frame properly and he had trouble riding it. Enter new bike number two: a 16 inch, bright red, Quest Rocket. Logan has no trouble riding this one and is crusing up and down the street.



While Logan rides, Owen looks for worms, slugs, and bugs in the yard.



One of Owen's many vehicles.



What they say is true. It's impossible to have a bad time in a large, inflatable, donut-looking, thing-a-ma-bob.

the one and only plasmacar

Logan received an early birthday present from Grandpa and Grandma this year....a Plasmacar. This thing is really fun. There are no pedals. You drive it by moving the steering wheel back and forth, and inertia, centrifugal force, gravity, and friction do the rest. Logan immediately became an expert driver and whips around as if he's been using one for years.

day at the park

Logan, Owen, and cousin Gabriel enjoyed playing at the park during our recent trip to Appleton.

Owen takes the playground equipment for a drive...



and crawls through a tunnel.



Hanging out with Logan.



Gabriel finds something interesting in the grass.

one year ago

Mom,

Not a day goes by when we don't think about you. We remember the fun games you played with Logan and Owen and how much you enjoyed reading with them. You always took the time to listen to us and supported our dreams. Your patience and generosity were qualities that everyone wished they had themselves. You were a good teacher and friend, a caring mother, and an awesome grandma--we miss you!

t-ball game 1

Logan decided to play T-ball this year. After two practices he had his first game last night. Although a little nervous he did well and it was fun to watch. The coaches actually pitch a few to the kids and then bring out the tee if needed. Logan hit a pitch his first at bat and used the tee in the second inning. He played second base and fielded the ball once. This age group could use a smaller batting helmet...most of the kids had to hold it out of their eyes to see where they were running.

Logan waits for a pitch.



Swinging for the fences in the second inning.



Walking in from second base.

ready, set, go!

Dusted off the bike this morning to partake in National Bike-To-Work-Day. It felt nice to get a little exercise and avoid fossil fuels.

worms and the people who love them

Similar to his brother at this age, Owen is fascinated by worms. The recent rain provided multiple opportunities to observe and study these creatures in detail.

A specimen has been targeted for observation...



...and successfully captured.



These are the only flowers not eaten by the deer. Our tulips last about two days around here thanks to their nightly visits.

spring swing

The beautiful weather this afternoon prompted us to dig the swings out of the garage. Both boys enjoyed themselves immensely. Logan has improved upon the art of self-propulsion and Owen is more enthusiatic than last fall.







I was a little worried when this tough looking biker gang showed up in the driveway but there were no incidents.

two

Has it really been two years since we first met Owen? What a little boy he has become, trying to do everything big brother does, and still pretending to be mama's little baby and snugglebunny.

Sporting his new birthday crown handmade by mom.



Owen contemplates the wish he just made.



You can't even see the spinach, blueberries, and cauliflower! These cupcakes are chock full of "hidden" ingredients, making them extra delicious and surprisingly healthy.



Pieces of a dinosaur puzzle and a pile of bugs are just part of the wreakage from the "great unwrapping" of 2008.



Happy Birthday Owen! We love you!

downtown train

A mere 4.5 months after receiving a train set for Christmas, we finally picked out a table to get the track up off of the floor. Both boys were pretty excited. Owen picked out a new train with a scoop shovel on the front. Logan picked out an engine with a cattle catcher but unfortunately it was out of stock so he decided to save his money.

inspired

While there are a gazillion people out there in blogland sharing themselves and all aspects of their busy lives, there are a few that I check in on regularly. It's fun to be a passenger on their journeys, to see what they are sharing that day and to explore new ideas to incorporate into our family life. I am especially inspired, both from a parenting and from a crafty perspective, by SouleMama, and more recently, her book, The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections. Her simple approach has definitely given my creativity a much needed boost over the past year, from which we all benefit. In this house, a crafty mama is a happier mama.

Two of the projects in the book are simple to make and were perfect gifts for a co-worker's baby shower last night. I used free clip art, freezer paper stencils and fabric paint to embellish the onesies and already have more ideas for the future. Logan helped with the design, layout and construction of the felt blocks and it proved to be a satisfying mother-son activity.





Last year, Logan and I collaborated on a cloth book for Owen's first birthday. All photos and captions were by Logan, with sewing by mama. It has definitely become a favorite in Owen's library. Stay tuned for more birthday craftiness later in the week...

weekend leftovers

Logan and Dad enjoy the swimming pool at the hotel.



Four boys, several cars, and one loop-the-loop race track equals fun in Golden Valley.

cloud cult avenue

So Saturday was the CD release party at First Avenue for the new Cloud Cult album entitled, "Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)". JP, Penny, Geoff, and I attended while Tracy, Rondi, and the Kids hung out at the hotel.

For those of you planning such a event, I heartily suggest you obtain visual confirmation that the concert tickets are physically in the car with you BEFORE driving 50 miles down the road. This point can not be stressed enough. Needless to say, our journey took longer than originally anticipated.

Opening bands Mason Proper and The Forms were both cool. We all enjoyed watching the lead singer from Mason Proper flailing about and generally just "going for it". Cloud Cult came out and made the world a better place for 90 minutes. I cannot even begin to describe how their songs overwhelm me.

All in all, a great night and lots of fun had by all.

oye como va

Last weekend we met Kristin, Craig, and the Boys for a trip to Como Zoo. Although the weather could have been better, most of the animals were inside so the trip was still enjoyable.

These two animals were running around loose.



Logan and Owen had never seen a Gorilla in person before. The great apes weren't exactly working it for the camera, but finally this beautiful creature provided a photo opportunity.



Prior to the trip we mentioned to Owen that the zoo would have giraffes. From the moment we stepped through the door, he kept asking where they were and couldn't wait to see them.



A big pile of spider monkeys hanging out in the primate house.

first picnic of the year

With temps in the high 60's, lunch just tastes better outside.

discoveries

The last of the snow has melted away, revealing all sorts of interesting things on our neighborhood walks. Bits of nature are just waiting to be discovered and poked by little fingers, as many as the hand can hold.

welcome to the big top

Logan and I attended the Shrine Circus last Sunday and fun was had by all. Favorite performers included the dancing elephant, the acrobats who jump on seesaws to launch themselves up on each other's shoulders, and of course the human cannon ball. Good thing we received free tickets to attend or we would not have been able to spend all of our money at intermission. Spinning light-up toys were purchased for brothers and cousins, popcorn was eaten, and Logan and I even got to ride...(drum roll, please)... the elephant pictured above. As luck would have it, we were the first in line so Logan sat right behind the ears and we could pat the beautiful animal's head as we circled around.

Owen plays with his new light-up toy.

let it grow

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But planting flowers is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it grow! Let it grow! Let it grow!

The kids love planting seeds in these little pots. This year's selection includes marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias. Gently press the seeds into the soil...



...and add water, sunlight, and love.

april showers bring may flowers

Are you kidding me? Last time I checked the calendar, I'm quite certain it said the month was April. Between the vast amounts of snow and the tremendous winds, nearly everything was closed and/or cancelled today. I didn't even have to work, unless you count the effort involved in opening the door to our house, which was drifted shut.



The unexpected family time was great and many fun projects were accomplished. One such project involved making a new batch of homemade cocoa. This stuff just tastes better in this kind of weather. Yes, it is topped with both marshmallows and whipped cream.

spring?

According to the calendar, we have been in the spring season for just over two weeks. This was our first glimpse of robins in the yard--these poor feathered friends braved the freezing rain, snow and wind to forage in the ice covered grass. Miraculously, one bird was successful in his search for worms.



And they're predicting more snow later in the week...