Posts

Posted on

You’re invited!

May 23 8:45 am update: It’s raining, so you may be wondering about the status of today’s party at Token Creek Park.  I’ve checked the weather, and it looks like there is a 40% chance of showers throughout the day.  We’ve reserved a shelter, so I’m giving the party a thumbs-up for going despite the less than picnic-y weather.  Hope to see you there!  11am-3pm.

I probably should have re-posted this earlier in the week, but for those of you who check my blog on Friday night or Saturday morning, this is an open invitation for you to join us at Token Creek Park Shelter #5 on Saturday, May 23 for a Carpe Diem party.  Bring the kids, bring some food, hang out on the playground or play frisbee.  We’ll be at the park from 11-3.

Seems like we missed some important people in our email invite, so if you’re reading this, please consider coming!!

Here’s directions and  a link to my earlier post.  Hoping for good weather and hoping to see you there!

Lovely flower!

Posted on

New favorite song

Every morning for the last week, I’ve been putting on a new CD as we eat breakfast and get ready in the morning.  It’s called Bottle of Sunshine by Milkshake.  My favorite song goes like this (listen to it on CDBaby):

I can’t wait for the day to begin (come on birdies start singing early)

I get dressed up and call my friends (worms wiggling, everybody’s giggling)

it’s time to get out and play…where do we go today?

I got a big bottle of sunshine

mixed it up with a bowl of daydreams

poured it into a suitcase full of laughter that I found

you won’t find me sitting around…

I especially like it when Andrew sings our songs.  It’s so cute to hear his little voice humming or singing a tune to himself!

Posted on

Sylvie’s 15-month check-up

What a stunning May day!  I am a bit sheepish to admit that we (Andrew, Terry, and I) are spending some of it indoors watching … you guessed it…Godzilla.  Mothra vs. Godzilla actually. Meanwhile Sylvie is crying in her crib instead of napping.  She’s had some troubles with her naps again, poor girl.

I love this little face

This morning Sylvie had her 15-month doctor’s appointment.  In addition to a couple vaccinations (chicken pox this time), I got an update on her vitals.  So here they are…drumroll please!

Posted on

Maryland vacation

What a lovely time we had visiting our friends in the DC area!  Pictures are in the gallery.  Last week, Heather and I were chatting about how much we missed getting to know each other’s girls as they’ve grown from babies to toddlers this past year.

IMG_5650

Heather mentioned that there were really cheap (read $100) plane tickets from Milwaukee to Baltimore, but the sale ended that night.  So Bryan and I had some quick conversations, and I found myself on a flight one week later! Continue reading “Maryland vacation”

Posted on

Welcome home!

I love the way the sun slants in the windows of my home.

This morning at 8am, Bryan picked up the kids and me from the Milwaukee airport.  It’s a stunningly beautiful spring day here in Wisconsin, and my garden and yard are looking so beautiful…a perfect welcome home.

Walking through our home, everything feels so right.  I had a wonderful time with Heather and Micahael and Evelyn.  I loved getting to visit with Grace and Tim and John.  If Bryan had been able to join us, I could have stayed in DC for quite some time.  I was also thinking it would be fun to just take off and explore the world.  Let’s go to Turkey or Russia or Bali!  But coming home feels good too.  There’s a contentment in my heart at the feeling of being home.  Continue reading “Welcome home!”

Posted on

Failure to communicate

What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.

~ Cool Hand Luke

Sylvie’s emotions run pretty fast and thick.  As she flips around in my arms in yet another sudden fit of anger, I often have the above line run through my head.

IMG_5477

I’m really hoping that this year we can work on communication a lot.  Granted, most of the time I know what she wants.  She’s great at pointing, she nods and shakes her head.  She says, “Maaa MA!” in different tones to indicate preference.  She also starting to try out different sounds sometimes.  Like, “Baabaa” meant stream or water the other day.  She was entranced by Sligo Creek and shouted “Baaabaa” whenever she saw it.  She also may have said “CraCa” for cracker last week.  And there’ve been a couple words that slip my mind that she’s tried out in the last couple days.

Continue reading “Failure to communicate”

Posted on

Whoa

It’s a quiet evening here at Heather and Michael’s house.  We stuck close to home today and made some birthday treats for Michael.  Heather made him a 6-foot-tall stuffed giant squid and a giant squid carrot cake.  Photos will be forthcoming.  Grace had the afternoon off work for her birthday (it’s birthday madness here, I tell you!), so she came over and the two of us took Sylvie and went downtown for some window-shopping and ice cream consuming.

IMG_5574

After Michael came home from work and we surprised him with his squid items, he and Heather went out for dinner.  Having me here for a week provides a good opportunity for them to get out for a birthday treat.  They asked one of their friends to come over while I put the kids to bed to help out.  Turns out that one adult for the three of these kids was a tough ratio.

Continue reading “Whoa”

Posted on

We’re in Maryland!

The kids and I flew in to Baltimore on Wednesday morning, and we’re currently all settled in at Heather’s house for the week. At the moment, Sylvie is (at long last) napping, Andrew is playing quietly on his own, Evelyn (Heather’s one-year-old) is at daycare, and Heather is at an appointment.

IMG_5441
We’re here until next Tuesday, so I’m looking forward to seeing Grace, Tim, and John and hopefully Kacy and Reutiger.
It’s summery here in Maryland. The temps yesterday felt downright hot, and another summer storm is blowing through today.
My boy is back at home, hopefully enjoying some quiet time. He’s got plans to be productive while we’re gone, but I’d be happy to have him rest and enjoy a week of calm. Bryan’s birthday is on Sunday, so feel free to drop him a note to tell him how great you think he is!
Oops, Andrew just dropped a toy on the floor, and I imagine I’ll hear a peep from Sylvie in a moment. There she goes.
OK, I’m off. Take care while we’re gone!

Posted on

Carpe Diem Party!

In honor of the tradition that Margot started, you are invited to a Carpe Diem Party

Saturday, May 23rd
11am – 3pm
At the Token Creek Park shelter #5 (directions)

Pot luck, bring your favorite dish to share.

We’ll have Frisbees, balls, and stories from the past year, pictures from Maretta and Kyle’s wedding, the engaged couple Michael and Lisa, adorable Andrew and Sylvia, and more!

Let’s get together, remember those we love who are no longer with us, and enjoy a beautiful spring day together.

Carpe Diem!!!!

tulips, beautiful tulips

Posted on

Wonderful Mother’s Day

Bryan and the kids arranged for a simply devine Mother’s Day today.  I feel so lucky to have been pampered and tended to all day long.Me and my girl

Sylvie woke up at 5:30 this morning.  I think she wanted me to watch the sun rise.  But after she spent a cranky 45 minutes, I put her back to bed and (thanks to Bryan) stayed in bed myself until almost 8.   How I do love my bed.  I don’t think I sped enough time with it these days.

Continue reading “Wonderful Mother’s Day”