'Course, some bait on that hook wouldn't hurt either...

another concert

Jazz band this time, and the dress code is different.   'Cuz we've got nothing better to do than purchase dress shirts and ties in multiple colors.  It was a pretty cool concert though.  Looks like those jazzers have fun.

no more braces = popcorn!

Got my braces off recently, yeehaw!  After almost two years, I can finally eat popcorn again.  I did eat some no-no foods while in them, like my cinnamon fire Jolly Ranchers, since life would be pretty bleak without them.  But I was afraid of having to make an extra trip to the ortho for an emergency hull extraction.

 

My vampire fangs have been tamed.  So, yay for straight teeth, and popcorn is just delicious!  Even though it was just the cheapo microwave kind.  Chemicals and corn, nummy.

Michael had his first band concert of the year last night.  The dress code this year includes a tie, which I don't think he'd ever worn before (clip-ons as a little tike excluded).  Dad had to help.

2013 Happy Halloween!

Michael didn't go trick-or-treating this year (sniff sniff), but he went along on his skateboard so he didn't miss out on the action entirely.  Nicky is probably not PC in his get-up, but hot dang, that sombrero was 25 cents at a garage sale.

mmm mmm mmm

Looky what my hubby brought me.  The box don't look like this no more.  Abdallah candies have been added to my heaven foods wish list.

 

# pictures of your food

Red Wing 2013

Our little brood is growing up.  Every few years on our annual Red Wing trip, we hike up Barn Bluff.  It goes a lot quicker without toddlers...and when we don't accidentally take the freaky trail that's recommended for experienced hikers.

A to Zebra

2013-14 school year begins!

This year's big change is 4 kids in three different schools.  We realized it'll be that way for the next several years, which is a bit sobering 'cuz the start times, schedules, etc. all vary and will keep us on our toes. 

Here they are in the order they went out the door this morning...
Adrienne, doing one last device check -

Her 12th birthday was just over a week ago, and we managed to capture the moment she realized she got that gadget...

And headed out the door around 7 to catch the bus, looking rather too old, our seventh grader -

Next, rocking some neon rubber bands on his braces, Michael headed out for his first day as a FRESHMAN at Minnesota's 22nd largest high school - ack!

He only rode the bus for the first day today.  Tomorrow when jazz band starts, poor dad has to drive him in around 7 since there's no bussing for "zero hour."

Nicky leaves at 8 to catch the bus to 4th grade.  I'm not too happy with the current bright colored clown shoes trend.  Those gray & orange shoes will never match his clothes.  Michael's unpictured ones are an obnoxious yellow-green.

And then Zach impatiently waited for his turn.  "When is it time to go?  Am I going to miss the bus?"  Finally, it was time to head out to afternoon kindergarten.  All four kids are officially public schoolers!

Land of Lincoln

We took a short 4-day vacation to Illinois last week to check out the Lincoln sites.  We saw Lincoln's tomb & house in Springfield, and some other junk.  The kids are going to give me a complex about my cooking, 'cuz their favorite part was all the restaurant food.

Also saw the Illinois State Capitol and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.  The museum was pretty cool.  It focused on Lincoln's humble early life to his years in Springfield and then the White House, and of course the Civil War.  It all sparked some discussions with the kids.  I think they have a better understanding of how messy and painful history (and life) can be.  Not that it was all a big downer or anything, but yeah, life lessons...

summer orchestra concert

Nicky played in the GTCYS summer orchestra concert last night at the Como Lakeside Pavilion.  He'd been looking forward to it for quite some time.  Except for the steamy humidity and some mister stinky b.o. dude sitting next to us (and Zach asking "What's that SMELL?") it went really well.  Nana & Papa and Uncle Andrew & Aunt Monica and Nicky's violin teacher came out to watch.  Sitting a few rows back, we couldn't see him playing, but I snapped him coming offstage.

busy holiday weekend & baby Abigail!

This lazy blogger finally had to log on to talk about the extended 4th of July weekend.  We had a fun couple days with family in Iowa and saw the cool Clear Lake fireworks show.  Friday we headed home and then out to Waconia to meet our good friends Alesha & Nick's awesomely beautiful much longed for scrumptious new daughter Abigail Ann. 

What a blessing and a gift Miss Abbie is, and we were very honored to meet and cuddle her.  Congratulations Nick and Alesha!!

Rounded out the weekend with some yard work, a stop at the Elko flea market to look at old junk, and saw Man of Steel in 3D at the IMAX theater at the MN Zoo.  Don't think we'd been to the IMAX before. Wish the movie had been better.  It was 90% whirring images and deafening noise.  Relentless crashing, fighting and general destruction just doesn't trip my trigger.  Some of these new action movies have about as much plot as a fireworks display.  But for supper last night Nate and I had Cold Stone, so it all ended marvelously.

wrappin' up the school year

Saw this blog post linked to elsewhere on the web.  It's about slumming it at the end of the school year, and man, I can relate.  Except I wish I was sane enough to start letting things slide during the last month or so.  I keep those logs and planners checked and signed down to the bitter end.  I make sure the kids' assignments are all turned in, because these days you're supposed to log into the parent portal and keep on top of your kids for every bleedin' little thing.  And I'm neurotic enough to play along.  But it's almost over!  Zach has been done with preschool for a week and a half, today is Nicky's last day, and Thursday is the last day for our middle-schoolers.  Yes!!  Now if only the weather would cooperate so it would actually feel like June.  This dreary chilly holy cow what's that bright orb in the sky! stuff is beyond old now.  C'mon, 95 degrees and humid, let's go!  Yeah, yeah, but I'd rather whine that it's too hot than too cold.

end of a Camry era

We bought a car this past weekend after an annoyingly long hunt for a reasonable deal.  It's a Pontiac Vibe; a well-built, reliable car according to Consumer Reports (knock on wood).  We've driven Camrys (Camries?) for almost 14 years, so this is a departure - kinda.  The Vibe is a sister model (whatever that means exactly) of the Toyota Matrix, so we're not entirely ditching our Toyota past.

We found a way to make our teenager actually want to spend time with us, because Michael was really into the whole car buying process.  He wanted to drive through every car lot in the twin cities metro and go on every test drive.  He scoured every print-out of vehicle descriptions we had laying around, and occasionally had some helpful info inside that car-obsessed head of his.

Adrienne the artist

In Language class, Adrienne has a weekly assignment to define certain words and idioms.  They have to make a sketch of a sentence they come up with, and I've found some of her drawings kind of funny and cute.  Yeah, I know, she's my kid, so of course I believe she's special and all.  But I think she could be a cartoonist or somethin' with the way she draws facial expressions.  Maybe it's because I never really moved beyond stick people drawings myself, but her subjects even have fashion sense...

Meanwhile, in weather related news...we're hitting the 70's this weekend.  Yeah, baby!  We haven't hit 60 since November. 

April thundersnow brings May flowers?

You are now entering the weather twilight zone...the "I thought I put away the snowpants for good already, dang it!" zone.  The average is 60 now, so they say, and we're nowhere near that tropical temp.  We were woken up overnight the last two nights by loud sleet pellets smacking the house.  The snow had finally melted, and now this icky heavy white slop is all over.  Phooey.

But, anyway, Michael had a jazz concert the other night:

At home afterwards, we realized Michael is taller than Grandma Elaine.  If height correlated directly to how much you eat, though...yeah, he'd be 10 feet tall.

the many moods of a 14 year old

It was Michael's birthday yesterday.  He had a very specific wish list of things he didn't get at Christmas and hoped to score for his b-day.  At times last night, he was happy enough to produce a real smile.  Trying to get in his head here...

Sweet!  Let's do this.

This 2.5 second delay for an additional picture is unacceptable.

Yes!  Finally.

Why did my weird mom ask me to put my head by the cake?  I'm gonna look goofy then.

I'm so over this lame singing...ergh...

Happy 14th Michael!  Love you!

Waiting for real spring

Brr.  Sayonara to a crazy cold March, and here's hoping we can at least hit average temps in April.  A weird robin came to our deck a few days last week to flutter at the window and peek inside.  Drove Felix bonkers...

"Lemme in, I must have come back too $#@* early!"

I wonder if it's the bird who nested under the deck last year and didn't appreciate our photographing her babies.  I bet she wants some Hitchcock style revenge!  Thank goodness we don't have a real chimney.

Anyhoo...Happy Easter y'all!

Nicky's ninth

Nicky turned 9 this week!

I thought as the kids grew out of the baby/toddler stage it'd be easier to get them to pose for pictures.  No way José.  Teens and five-year-olds are photo saboteurs extraordinaire.

Saw this video on the news yesterday; something to rival the goat version.  No disrespect Taylor...Zach likes your song and we rock out to it in the minivan.

Habemus Papam!

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina is our new pope.  He has chosen the name Francis, or Francesco to those Italians.  Which does sound cooler, frankly.



The peace prayer of St. Francis~

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

“Preach the Gospel at all times; and when necessary, use words.”

 God bless Pope Francis!