Dyer Importance...

Pergola Love...

2011-08-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

I have an obsession...

Beautiful Pergolas.

Love them.

Especially rustic ones.

These pictures are a few that I found when we were in Austin.

Beautiful porches too...

This is the best one ever and I think it might be in our backyard before we know it.

It is at the Salt Lick BBQ in Texas.

I LOVE everything about it.

LOVE.

Color...

2011-07-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

I am the first to admit that most of my cleaver ideas for fun things to do with my kids come from Family Fun Magazine, blogs, curriculum's, or other mommies who more than amazing! I did have ONE original idea recently...and I thought I would share it with anyone who wanted to give it a go. It originated when I was working on my Three's Sunday School lesson, "God Made Color." We used it that Sunday and it was a success, so I tried it at home with my kids.

Sometimes it is warm outside, but not quite hot enough to fully submerge ones self in a kiddie pool that has just been filled with FREEZING cold hose water. Other days, like today - the humidity is so thick that your camera lens fogs up! Any day you choose, this is a fun wet and colorful activity for the kiddos.

I started by taking out all of those oversize snack containers that I held on to. I dropped one colored bath fizzy into each container and let the boys fill them to the top with pool water. Without my prompting, they were excited to see which color would appear as the water was added.

These are my favorite tub colors. They are under $5 at Target and you get 100 tablets per container. They are much cheaper than the crayola ones, and you get the same affect. I imagine you could just use regular food coloring too, but I have yet to try that. The tablets are so easy and go a long way. There are three colors in each container.

I use the primary colors in our water buckets and ask the boys to mix me up concoctions of various colors! I provide them with various small containers, droppers, turkey basters, and squirt bottles - and they go to town! We have had HOURS of fun and entertainment...literally - HOURS, which is a huge accomplishment in our home!

As the main color buckets begin to empty - I just remind the kids to add another bucket full of water.

There are two challenges with this activity:

1) Mommy does not like to get wet and the boys like to pour their creations on her and

2) You have to try to keep the kids from dumping out the three main buckets.

These are some of the "medicines" my little doctors cooked up for me.

I hope you get a chance to try this activity with your little ones...It is a great way to get a little wet, learn about primary colors and color mixing, do some fun science, and enjoy the beauty of all the unique colors God created! Enjoy!

Cousins...

2011-07-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

Our boys love their cousins.

It is so fun to see how they interact as Jude and Maddie get older.

Mitch often asks me, "Maddie humming over?"

He also often requests to see "Dude's" pictures hanging in our cupboard.

Maddie is all smiles when she gets to play with the boys,

and Jack is very gentle to her.

Jude can keep up with my busy boys...

and even give the roughness right back.

I grew up with a lot of cousins and I loved it.

I love that these little ones are making lots of memories together.

Get Aways...

2011-07-08T06:11:00.000-07:00

Did you have a happy 4th of July?

We did. Mostly because we just got away and had fun.

This is my mom...doesn't she look patriotic?

We spent Saturday with her - swimming, golfing, and watching a parade.

On Sunday we headed up to our favorite destination - Lake Superior!!!

We were able to spend some time with my sister and her family.

Can you believe we all fit on one surrey?

Throwing rocks...of course!

Even the daddies had a little competition to see who could throw them the farthest.

I forgot who won...

I took some time soaking up the sun...or being a ham...I forget which one.

I am pretty good at both.

Jude gets me...

These two cousins are so cute.
They took turns throwing in rocks...

Watch out...

The Dyers

The Bodens

Cousins having tons of fun...waiting for fireworks.

We decided to watch them from our hotel balcony this year.

It was great because the kids could play and be silly...

plus we had delicious Pizza Luce while we waited.

BOOM!

Mitch was a little afraid of the fireworks.

He wanted to turn the lights back on.

He kept asking, "Can the fireworks see me?"

And saying, "The fireworks are going to get me!"

So, he decided to just go play.

It was a great weekend away - enjoying time with family.

We be Jammin'...

2011-06-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho...it's off to the Strawberry Patch we go...

Well, that is after two wrong turns and an extra 30 minutes in the car!

But nonetheless...to the strawberry fields forever

...or at least until we picked ten pounds of berries.

As soon as we got settled into our row, the boys got down to business,

picking and eating YUMMY strawberries!

"Mom, we should do this every year!"

It went very well...I think we might.

The strawberries were soooo good straight from the field.

Pink looks good on them!

And now for the best treat of all (according to the boys),

powdered sugar covered strawberry donuts...YUM!

And tonight, Jack and I set to making our jars of freezer jam.

I had never made it before...and neither had Jack.

My grandma made it every year - a treat we always looked forward to enjoying.

It was NOT as hard as I thought it would be.

We had a great time making the jam from start to finish.

And I am sure we are going to have a great time enjoying all seven jars of jam from start to finish too!

YUM!

Big Boy Bed...

2011-06-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

Guess who is moving up in the world?

Mitch has graduated...gradually...finally...to a

BIG BOY BED!

And he was so excited that he did lots of tricks,

Yea Mitch!!

ps...did you notice the bed-rails? We were not going to go without those again. For some fun memories...read about Jack's first night in a big boy bed and Mitch's night in the crib: Transition

Monkey Nose...

2011-06-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

Jack had three cavities.

I am embarrassed to admit that. Really I am.

We brush his teeth twice a day, limit juice, etc...but nonetheless - three.

As we prepared to go to the dentist, we read the Little Critter book, Just Going to the Dentist.

I love Little Critter books, but this one is NOT a good choice for kids going to get a cavity filled. Hindsight...

I also thought that if I brought a million distraction items, it would help him transition to the drill better.

Jack, want to watch a movie?

How about a dinosaur?

Would you cooperate if we gave you some floss???

I love floss, mom...but I won't comply.

Ok, fine...I will try on the "Monkey Nose," but only so that you can snap a picture of me to send to dad - and really it is ONLY because you just promised me that we could go right to Target to get a skateboard.

This does smell like bubble gum.

And these sunglasses are pretty neat too.

Finally the nitrous oxide took affect.

Does anyone know if they sell this at Target???

Jack became quite engaged in conversation with Dr. Greg...and then told me:

"Mom, I love going to the dentist..."

Finally (after 45 minutes of coercing and a 15 minute procedure) one side of the mouth fixed -

one cavity filled and sealants of the rest of his molars.

It turns out that all of the distractions I planned just made the process longer and him even more apprehensive. The book was awful. It made him fearful of a shot and a drill. He thought that our dentist was going to harm him and not bring him good. I should have just left it in the hands of the experts.

This was apparent at our second visit - for the other side of the mouth. Jack was completely non-compliant. He was truly scared and I was truly frustrated. It was an appointment we had to reschedule.

For the re-scheduled appointment - I tried a new approach.

1. I talked with Jack about his fears...a drill, Dr. Greg, the monkey nose

2. I explained to him what would happen at the appointment and our expectations for his behavior

3. We talked about how Dr. Greg was really nice and he would not hurt him. He was there to help.

4. We reviewed the rewards for a successful appointment and the consequences for disobedience.

(roller blades/clean teeth/good day vs. decay in mouth/no treats until it was fixed)

5. I left the procedure to the experts. They did all the coercing and I sat back and watch!

SUCCESS

We see a pediatric dentist - and they truly know just how to work with kids. Dr. Greg walked Jack through the whole procedure. He told him all about the tools he was using (like his tooth tickler, flashlight, sweeper, Mr. Thirsty, etc.) and never caused him any pain. He was kind and patient. In all of this I learned that I just need to let the expert do their job and to better prepare my child.

At least this has all been memorable...

Running Mad...

2011-06-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

In exactly 11 minutes Jeremy will begin running his 8th marathon!

He amazes me.

----

We had a fun family running weekend!

It all started Friday afternoon - with the Whipper Snapper races for the kiddos...

Both boys got numbers, but only one boy raced...

This was his practice run. He was determined to win.

He said he was going to, and I think his mind was set on winning the race...

This is serious business.

Emotions were high, it was about nap time after all.

And then the race started...

The next part we are still figuring out the true details of.

All we know is that one boy was NOT in first place, he turned around and daddy tripped over him.

Tears. Lots of tears.

But they continued on...

...and they did finish what they started...

...even though someone was sad about not winning.

----

Later that day we had a yummy spaghetti dinner and mommy ran her 5K.

Best time ever...just under ten minute miles!

30:43
You don't want to see pictures. It looked painful.

Maybe that was from the spaghetti burps throughout the race...

----

Starting very early on Saturday morning Daddy ran his 8th Marathon!!

We were up bright and early, ready to cheer him on.

Our favorite spot along the course is mile 12.

A church close to the course does a little fundraiser...

Parking, flush toilets, donuts and COFFEE!

What could be better???

Especially so early in the morning!!

Jack was a great spectator. We were intrigued by all the fun colors of shoes.

Mitch only sat this still until the chocolate frosting was off the donut...

A kind lady offered to take a picture of the three of us cheering for daddy...

Wasn't that sweet?

Daddy at mile 12...Looking very good.

At mile 19, Jack creatively made his own fireman's pole while he waited for daddy to run by.

Daddy at mile 19...still looking awesome!

He did great! His best marathon time ever.

3:16:43

531 out of 6,337 participants!

Charging...

2011-06-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

From the point where life begins, a child is connected to his mother, physically and emotionally.

There is something about this connection that brings comfort, reassurance, connection.

My boys still need this connection - sort of like a phone charging. From the first snuggle of the morning to the last hug and kiss at night. Every once in a while though, that just isn't enough.

Last night both of my boys needed a re-charge while they slept. First it was Mitch. He was fussing, so I went in to comfort him and rest with him in his new big boy bed. He was restless and whiny until I put my arm underneath him. Sudden calmness. He began to soothe and fall asleep. As sweet as that was, my arm began to fall asleep too. As I gently removed my arm and rolled over the other way, fussing began again - until I placed my hand on the small of my back. Again, calmness, sleep.

I somehow made it back into my bed only to be greeted by Jack. He was eager to go outside to ride his four-wheeler...although it was still too early for anyone to be up. Instead he crawled up into our bed to fall back asleep until he could go outside for a ride. Slowly but surely the charging began. First it was his hand on me, then his head on me, then his feet on me. For every moment that he was in my bed he was connected to me the entire time.

I am happy to be their charge source for now. It comes with a great deal of responsibility and reliance on a power source that is more brilliant than any other.

Blessed be the LORD!

For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

The LORD is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to him.

The LORD is the strength of his people;

he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

- Psalm 28:6-9

Pee-Pee in the Potty...

2011-06-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

Mitch had his first potty in the potty chair today!

He took off his diaper and told me that he had to go. So, we went with it.

We went into the bathroom and he stood at the potty just like a big boy…trying so diligently to go. He couldn’t do it…stage fright, maybe! So, Jack went. I went too. Then Jack and I left the bathroom only to hear that all too familiar tinkle sound. Yes! He did it!! Pee-pee in the potty…and all over the wall and floor too. Nonetheless, we celebrated with song, dance and M&M’s! Mitch emptied the potty pot into the toilet all by himself and flushed the toilet. He then put the cleaned up potty pot on his head, a way of celebrating I guess…

Now Mitch is refusing to wear any underwear or clothing today because he wants to keep going potty!!

UPDATE:
After our celebration, Mitch tried to go potty again.
He could not figure out why his potty was not coming out anymore.
He kept saying, "Broken!"
Not to worry though...before the end of the day I cleaned up three "oops, I pee'd on the floor" moments!
Potty training will begin this summer, I am sure...just not quite yet. We need more evidence of readiness.

Farm Style...

2011-04-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there are no words.

I'm Back...

2011-04-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

Have you had a chance to meet my big sister?

She is simply amazing.

I love her.

She moved home for the winter.

I have heard that other people read my blog from time to time,

but I mainly write for her.

To keep her up to date on the happenings of my circus.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately (although I hope not),

she has been deeply embedded in my crazy this winter.

Thus, the need to blog seemed unnecessary.

But alas, she has moved back to the beautiful state of Oregon as of last night at 6:00pm.

BOO.

So, I blog.

Let the creative juices flow.

Introducing Maddie...

2010-11-28T02:57:00.000-08:00

Our very first niece...

Madeline Marie

November 23, 2010

10 pounds 15 ounces

21 inches long

Two Little Monkeys Sitting in a Zoo...

2010-11-28T02:40:00.000-08:00

Where are our bananas???

Or should we say Boo?

Peek-A-Boo and Trick-or-Treat...

Here are two of the cutest little monkeys I have ever seen, Jude and Mitch!

We started a Halloween tradition last year...Trick-or-Treating cousins.

All the boys pile into the wagon (or some sort of riding toy) and embark upon our neighborhood insearch of sugary goodness. It would be great if the houses were closer together - but this nearly three mile trek certainly helps in earning chocolately rewards for both the little boys and their daddys.

TWO Suckers - at one time!

Only one day a year...

Of course, we also celebrated the season at school with harvest parties for both of the boys...

Miss Marlissa's Class

And this little monkey had lots of fun at his party too...which included frosting and eating cookies. I think I washed his costume between every event because it was covered in some sort of stickiness.

Playing Pass the Pumpkin

Of course, Thing One and Thing Two made an appearance at the Zoo Boo and the church Harvest Festival...

And this Monster Truck made several appearances too. It has been smashed and crashed and loved.

Happy Halloween!

Stressed...

2010-10-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Seven Marathons Completed - Check.

Three Stress Fractures - Triple CHECK!

Yes folks, he has done it again!!

My poor husband has his third diagnosed stress fracture.

This time, however, it is not his femur. Nope. This time it is his patella.

Official diagnosis: Right Patellar Stress Fracture.

How is it that you can put a tiny crack in your knee cap from running? I guess maybe the two marathons in a row... Anyhow, Jeremy has been sentenced to physical therapy focused on strength training, cross training, and six weeks away from running.

The good new is that this fractured runner will still be able to fully train in time for Grandma's this spring!

Two Things...

2010-10-25T00:29:00.000-07:00

I promised, so here you are...pictures of both Things!

(special thanks to the mommy of Thing 2 for sharing these)

Even these Things need a rest...

And a snack...

But don't you worry...they will be bouncing right back!

On the Shore...

2010-10-25T00:12:00.000-07:00

Lake Superior

.could just be our favorite place in the whole world.

On the hunt...

2010-10-25T00:06:00.000-07:00

...for the perfect pumpkin!

Tea Time...

2010-10-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Tea for Two? Wait, what was that? Twenty-Two?

Yes, tea for twenty-two!

My fabulous Jeannie-Mom (because she is so much more wonderful than just a mother-in-law) and I were able to work together to host a tea party baby shower for my sweet sister-in-law Julie (again, so much sweeter than just an in-law).

I love tea. I love high tea. I love fancy tea cups. I love all of the little things that go along with tea - so it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate welcoming a little blessing.

Here are some pictures from our day:

Margie (front row in the double strand of pearls) and her girls (clockwise from her left) Cindy, Kathy, Debbie and Jeannie all in their fancy tea hats.

The Mommy-to-be and all of her guests...

The place settings for this tea were rather special. It was comprised of three unique sets of fine china from great grandma Hall, my grandma Sally Houle, and from my own wedding set. We had several tea cups that were given to my by my grandma Angie Schneider, and we used Swanky Swigs from the collections of Great-Rose Minar and myself. It was an eclectic table with a rich history.

We played a game where our guests had to guess what baby had to eat by examining the contents of many tiny pink diapers...this baby really like chocolate candy bars.

We enjoyed our morning together and with the help from so many wonderful women, all of the dishes were washed and put away until the next tea time.

Kamikaze...

2010-10-09T02:03:00.000-07:00

We have all heard of a kamikaze pop mix, right?

This is where you mix all the different kinds of pop to make one disgusting drink.

Jack had fun doing that with his cereal the other morning.

He requested every kind of cereal we had in the house.

Since we only had a tiny bit in each box (how this happens I wish I knew), I obliged him!

Mitch didn't get in on the cereal mixing, but he is getting so good at feeding himself - and playing with his food!

Change...

2010-10-09T01:51:00.000-07:00

Fall is refreshing to me.

I like the change of things.

.colors.schedule.clothes.air.shoes.church.pace.school.attitude.

I especially like all the fun we have in the great outdoors with the boys. It seems to be the time of year that is perfect for being outside to enjoy this beautiful change the Lord has blessed us with.

No. 7...

2010-10-09T01:38:00.000-07:00

I didn't get any pictures of Jeremy actually running Marathon No. 7.

We went to see him run the Twin Cities Marathon, for the third time.

I felt like a pro. I knew right where to park - each stop a short distance from the course. Easy in, easy out. This was especially helpful since I was all alone with the kiddos.

Usually we cheer from three stops - miles 5, 14, and 24.

This year we decided to simplify things. No mile 5.

We got to mile 14 and watched for so long...but we actually missed him!

We were there at the right time, but we didn't spot him...Bummer!! So, no picture of him. Just one of these super cute fans:

At mile 24 - two of us had to go potty...

so we rushed to take care of business, then hustled to the race course.

We were surprised to see Jeremy run by within a few minutes of sitting down!!

I didn't know which pace group he would be with for a number of reasons (no text updates to give me his stats, didn't see him at mile 14, he had just run a marathon two weeks prior - which could mean he was doing awesome because he was fully trained and recovered OR that he was nursing an injury from pushing too hard) so I was glad to see him doing so well!

Anyhow, we didn't get any pictures, but here are his stats:

2010 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon - Marathon

JEREMY DYER

Time: 3:19:30

Pace: 7:37 per mile

Overall Place: 693 out of 8212

Gender Place: 611 out of 4818 Males

Age Group Place: 121 out of 775 in the Males 30-34 Age Group

One Thing...

2010-10-09T01:18:00.000-07:00

Guess what Jack gets to be for Halloween?

Well, there are two costumes for the many occasions that a three year old gets to get dressed up for.

(seriously - at least five separate occasions that come to mind now)

Two things. And I call them

Thing One and Thing Two.

These Things will not bite you.

They want to have fun.

Then out of the box came Thing Two and Thing One!

Thing Two's mommy and I had this plan,

as these costumes were perfect for each little man.

More pictures will come of both of our Things.

As the season moves forward and opportunity brings.

---

(the rhyming will end now)

---

And for costume choice number two...

Super Fast Driver Jack

and his Monster Truck (which is yet to be completed)...

---

And sweet Mitch, what about him?

Something quite fitting for this cute little guy,

A monkey is what works for this sweet honey pie!

(sorry, I couldn't help the rhyming...)

Happy Costuming!

A Picture is Worth...

2010-09-29T04:05:00.000-07:00

...a thousand words - or maybe a thousand blog posts!

It has been a while. Sorry about that. Usually I blog when I can't sleep - and the good news is that I have been sleeping well. The bad news, no blog updates!

So, since we have missed a few months...I will update you in pictures - a thousand pictures...as it may seem.

National Night Out

With help from two other neighbors, we organized a National Night Out party for our neighborhood. Complete with a fun bouncy house, visit from the firetruck, root beer floats, and pinata! It was a great time to connect with our neighbors during a busy summer season.

Washington County Fair

We took part in our annual tradition - a few visits to the county fair. This time Jack got involved in the action of taking care of the cows. Mitch loved visiting with the calves. The boys also loved the garden tractor pull.

Baltic Sea Cruise

Jeremy and I left the kids behind and celebrated another great year at ADP. This time they treated us to a few days in Stockholm Sweden, then several more aboard a cruise ship in the Baltic Sea and to various countries surrounding the Baltic.

Jeremy & our friend, Greg

Enjoying a speed boat ride in the Swedish Archipelago

Jeremy accepting his award for another top performance this year!

Summer at Nelson's Ice Cream Shop

We have a favorite spot in the summer...Nelson's. They are known for giving generous helpings of ice cream at very affordable prices. It seems to be a regular stop for us!

Art

While spending the weekend in Hayward, I went to see some local artists at work. One particular artist, Sara Balbin, taught us a bit about her craft - metalwork. She showed us how to pound copper into necklaces and a bracelet. It was a wonderful afternoon with my mother-in-law Jeannie and Great Rose.

How to REALLY Lick a Bowl Clean

Jack, Mitch and I decided to bake some cupcakes to celebrate the start of the football season. Making any kind of batter usually means cleaning the bowl with our tongues. YUM. Here Jack demonstrates the right way to do that...all in!!

The First Day of Preschool

Thirty-ONEderful

This year I turned thirty-one. I think this one was harder to swallow than just plain thirty. A friend at church told me that I am actually thirty-ONEderful. I like it.

Appleton Marathon

We travelled to Appleton, Wisconsin for Jeremy's sixth marathon. Family gathered to cheer for him in our own way.

Jeannie - with several "Jeremy-on-a-Sticks" that she and Paul worked to create!

The boys had their very own noise makers and signs!

Grandpa Paul had his noise maker too...

Here is Jeremy at mile 13

And mile 25...

He finished well! Here are his stats:

Time: 3:17:48

Pace of 7:33 miles

72nd out of 900 Runners Overall

10th out of 65 Runners in his Division

66th out of 537 Men Running the Race

Playtime - Rain or Shine

Regardless of the weather, we spend a lot of time outside. Most of the time we get so dirty that we go through a few outfits during the day. The boys seem to get better at playing together each day.

Bike-A-Thon

Jack and his friend Noah were able to race their bikes around for their preschool's bike-a-thon. They had a wonderful morning playing together and riding bikes.

Jeremy even took his turn...

So, there you have it...a few pictures of the last few months.

Does anyone know where the end of summer went? I seemed to have blinked and it was gone!

Now are are embracing fall and all of the wonder that comes with it.

Crisp cool air, bonfires, apple orchards, cooking in the oven, costumes, football, school, falling leaves, long sleeve shirts, closed toed shoes...

Kung Pow...

2010-08-04T01:14:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to our dear friends, Mike & Amanda.

They have been living in China for the past few years, teaching English.

And, they have secretly become masters of Chinese cuisine.

Luckily, they were willing to share their delicious secrets with us!

They demonstrated making five dishes,

as friends watched and waited...

...to sample the delicious fare.

They were delicious!

I wish I could tell you the names of them,

but I cannot remember nor can I pronounce them!

I can assure you that they were good!

What is worse than 30?

2010-07-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

31!

Ok, so maybe it isn't worse...I actually don't know yet.

But the years do just keep on coming don't they?

Jeremy turned 31 this month.

I think it looks good on him! But then again, I think everything looks good on him...

I admit, I am a biased judge!!

We found out at age 31, that Jeremy is suddenly lactose intolerant.

See, maybe 31 is worse!

No milk. No butter. No cheese. No ice cream.

BOO!

Well, we are definitely trying to find other things to enjoy.

For instance, instead of Jeremy's favorite cake with butter cream frosting, we opted for a cake made out of his favorite wafer cookies! YUM!

And he got to go to the Twin's Game...

So, maybe 31 isn't so bad...

We'll let you know in another year!

Hippity Hoppity...

2010-07-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

If you have read my blog at all, you know that we are no stranger to frogs and toads here at the Dyer home.

We have a basement window well, and from time to time a poor critter will find its way over the edge and down into the rocks. Its life is pretty much over at that point. There is no way out but through the house.

Recently Jack and I looked into the window and we counted ten toads hopping around in the well.

TEN!!

1-0

So, I thought to myself...I could have these toads live out their final days in this well and cause great stink upon death, or I could send my three year old into the well with a charge to collect all of them.

Guess what Jack picked???

Did you count them?? TEN! He caught every one.

Then we took the old can with a small hole in the top outside for a release party.

Guess who didn't want to participate?

Jack!

He wanted to keep them forever.

Unfortunately for him, but very fortunate for the toads we come across - we have a rule in our house.

All critters must be released by the end of the day so that they can go home to their mommy's!

I had to talk him into releasing the toads.

We dumped them out into the back of his toy truck and watched them hop out.

The Great Escape!!

FREEDOM!

The release didn't last long.

As soon as the toads hopped out,

Jack scooped them right back up and returned them to the can.

Superior...

2010-06-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful weekend to be on the North Shore.

Perfect weather for a nice little 26.2 mile jog from Two Harbors to Duluth, right?

Jeremy had his morning coffee just before leaving for the starting line.

He has a whole marathon morning routine.

This was a new race for me to spectate with two little ones in tow.

I was a little nervous, but I had a plan!

We stayed just a few miles from the start, so Jeremy just got on a shuttle while we slept in.

We got our first peek at him at mile three.

Then it was on to mile twelve, where I left my camera with the stroller on the other side of the road...so I have no picture. It would have been a good one though. I am sure!

Next to mile nineteen.

Aren't these the cutest spectators you have ever seen???

We didn't make it to Canal Park to watch at the finish line.

That would be too much for us.

As you can see, three stops were plenty for this cheering crew.

Jeremy did finish, and I would say he finished well.

He told us that he was going to be pacing at a 3:40 finish time.

This is a lot slower than he had hoped, but he has only trained for six weeks trained since his stress fracture.

I was surprised to see him pacing about 12 minutes faster through the whole race.

Here are his stats:

Time 3:28:13

Overall Place 548/5597
Division Place 214/1344
Sex Place 467/3456

Done.

It was easier than I thought to get to viewing spots along the marathon route.

That is mostly because Jeremy runs faster than the majority of marathon runners.

The boys and I are at a viewing spot in time to see some of the most elite runners in the world. Not too far after we get to see Jeremy run by. We were leaving our viewing spots about the time the large crowds were gathering. That made it a whole lot easier to manage two small children!

We had a great time celebrating the successful completion of Jeremy's 5th marathon, enjoying a beautiful weekend on the Shore, and celebrating Father's Day.

It was certainly a superior weekend!

Rain, Rain Go Away...

2010-06-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

...or not!

We are having too much fun inside!

God Made Me...

2010-06-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Our boys went to an event at our church called,

God Made the World & God Made Me

It was wonderful.
Perfect for our preschool kiddos.

They learned that God seperated the light from the darkness.

They were able to jump into a big fluffy cloud as they learned that God seperated the water from the sky,

They learned that God created the land and the sea.

They learned that He made trees - and that these trees produce yummy fruit for us to eat!

They learned that God made the birds of the air and fish of the sea.

He made all of the animals.

And they were good.

They also learned that God made them, and He said that was very good.

They also learned that on the seventh day, the Lord rested.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Genesis 1-2:2

Good Enough to Eat...

2010-06-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one out there who has this interesting hobby?

I like to take pictures of foods I made that I am particularly proud of.

Above is dinner.

I made the focaccia bread the other night to go with our spaghetti and meatballs. I had a half of the round left, so I decided to make Italian sandwiches with it for dinner tonight.

Just waiting for Jeremy to come home so I can heat them in the oven and enjoy!

Auntie Shawn...

2010-06-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

I love when my big sister comes into town.

My boys especially love it.

She is so sweet to spend large amounts of time with us and all of our energy. She takes time out to connect with both of them and helps them learn new things.

I adore her and how she cares for them.

Eat Dirt...

2010-06-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

...or sand - You pick!

Running Update...

2010-06-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

Jeremy seems to be recovering well from his stress fracture. We are so thankful!! Praise the Lord!

He has been very careful for the past six weeks - trying not to put too much pressure on his femur, but continuing to train as well. How? The wonderful elliptical. It has allowed him to keep his body moving without putting stress on the tiny crack.

He has healed so well that last weekend he was able to run the Stillwater 20 Mile. He did a great job. Slower, of course, than his normal pace...but a successful run!

He is still planning on running Grandma's Marathon in Duluth in a few more weeks. Not at a Boston qualifying pace - but running it no less! We are excited to cheer him on!!

A Beautiful Picture...

2010-05-20T04:28:00.000-07:00

May 19, 2010

As the morning ended and the afternoon advanced, one of the greatest men I have ever known gasped for his last breaths.

All of his children surrounded him, their spouses too. Close friends nearby. His wife cradled next to him in bed, holding his hand. He tried with everything that was in him to tell her a final time that he loved her. She whispered in his ear, "I love you."

Within moments, he breathed his last breath and we watched as the life of this world left his earthly dwelling.

This beautiful picture of love will forever play over and over again in my mind.

Today...

2010-05-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

May 18th is an interesting day.

I always remember this day.

I usually make several phone calls on this day. One to each of my sisters, one to my uncle.

Sometimes I plant flowers on this day with my sister Stephanie.

Twelve years ago on this day, Jeremy and I went to my senior prom. That was a good day.

Fourteen years ago on this day, my dad died tragically. That was a hard day.

Today is a hard day.

I wish it wasn't, but it is.

It is hard because it is clear that my uncle will not be with us much longer. He is now at home with hospice care. It is very difficult for my family to watch the strong patriarch of our family in such a weak state.

It is hard to see this cancer that he has been waging an all out war against, winning.

This morning, my sister posted this picture on facebook.

I love it.

It is a picture of my uncle (in front) and my dad. Two boys. It reminds me of my two boys. Especially since one of my boys looks just like my dad.

Today is hard...but there will be better days.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

You turn your back for one second...

2010-05-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Ah, isn't he cute?

So sweet and innocent, right?

Just don't turn your back...

Yesterday I left this cute, unsuspecting boy eating a snack while I grabbed something off of my desk in the other room. When I came back, he was...well, I will show you:

It starts with a little stretching in the high chair.

and a little balancing on the counter top.

Suddenly you are standing and things look good from this altitude!

And delicious too...YUM, a fruit basket!

A couple more steps up, and suddenly...

you have arrived!

Perseverance rewarded by apples...

Well, at least he shares!

And his most amazing feat?

Jeremy witnessed him crawl up onto this step stool, unto the chair, and finally onto the island!

Power Tools...

2010-05-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

At what age do you think boys start to develop a love for power tools?

Any time Jeremy pulls out even the simplest tool, the boys are right there to be a part of the action. This weekend we spent some time on the farm with Grandpa Jim.

Grandpa Jim taught Power Tools 101: The POWER Sander

And Power Tools 102: The Leaf Blower

Got to love young men learning to work hard...

Hello, My Name is MUD...

2010-05-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived!

I know this to be true because I have collected evidence. Lots of it. Dust pans full of it, as a matter of fact.

Exhibit A: MUD

Yes, ooey, gooey mud.

By the handfuls...

Just add water!

Exhibit B: WORMS

That's right, worms.

They have been collected,

given tricycle rides,

and even kept neatly in a plastic container that goes everywhere with us. I really mean everywhere - the car, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

These worms didn't have a very long existance,

but they sure were loved!

Twin's Train...

2010-05-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

We recently had a fun day riding the light rail from the Mall of America to Target Field.

A ton of fun for only $1.75!

We walked all around the Twin's new stadium,

then had a picnic lunch right by the golden glove.

The boys enjoyed their train ride.

They especially enjoyed exploring the train during our wait for a new conductor.

Marathon Update...

2010-04-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

Jeremy has been in training for Grandma's marathon since the beginning of the new year.

In the past month he has discovered that he has another stress fracture. He had one two years ago at this time as well. It caused him to be unable to run Grandma's Marathon then.

This time, Jeremy continues his training - as much as he can, but this time on an elliptical. It takes a lot of the pressure off of his femur but allows him to continue cardio training.

Hopefully he will be healed enough to do a gentle run at Grandma's in June, and fully healed so he can run the Twin Cities marathon at his full ability in October.

This Little Piggy...

2010-04-27T02:35:00.000-07:00

..went to the zoo!

We had a fun day at the zoo with Jack's pal Noah.

There was an activity this week at Jack's early childhood class where he had to sort out which animals we see at the zoo and which animals we see at the farm. A little confusing given the fact that we just went to the zoo to see farm animals - but I think we got it sorted out.

Sisters...

2010-04-27T02:26:00.000-07:00

I grew up with sisters.

It is a lot different than being in a house full of boys.

My big sister, Shawn, surprised us and came into town a few weeks ago.

Since all four of us sisters were in the same room,

we decided to take a picture to savor the moment.

It started out really great.

Then the demands started.

"Make sure everyone can see my pedometer in the picture."

"I don't want to have a double chin."

"Wait, I wasn't looking..."

"Which camera are we looking at?"

"Does my hair look ok?"

"Can we just take the picture?"

Next comes the silliness...

"Lets all get out our 'Tyra' eyes"

(you know, from American's Next Top Model)

And finally, we are all laughing and somehow Jeremy made it into the picture...

(his eyes are under my arm)

It is fun to have sisters!

April Showers...

2010-04-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

Jack is a pretty independent boy at times. He is very good at getting into the shower and getting sudsy.

This morning he was getting started in the shower while Mitch and I threw a load of laundry in. Suddenly Jack appeared in the hall - soaked and in his birthday suit. He was excited to let me know that he needed his goggles! He carefully dripped all the way down to his Easter basket to retrieve said goggles.

I ushered him back into the shower and helped him to get the goggles on.

Before I could blink, Mitch snuck by me and crawled right into the shower fully clothed.

Did I mention that Mitch LOVES the shower?

I think it is his favorite place to be. Fully naked and fully wet!

If he hears the shower turn on - it is like a switch flips. He stops everything he is doing and goes directly to the shower and lets us know that the only thing he wants to do is get in!

This time he didn't mind having clothes on!

My Little Walker...

2010-03-31T12:48:00.000-07:00

...has turned into my little crasher!

Within the past 32 hours, Mitch has had three huge crashes.

He is starting to get used to the ice pack.

He crashed into the bench at the back door,

resulting in a scuffed up nose and a black eye.

He crashed into the corner of the kitchen island,

leaving a vertical line on one side of his forehead.

He also crashed into the porch door,

leaving a second vertical line in the middle of his forehead.

I am quite surprised we have not had to go to the emergency room yet.

I am really glad we had his one-year photo shoot earlier this month!

Nonetheless, he is relentless and continues his efforts to master walking,

and sometimes with sandwich crust in tow.

North Shore...

2010-03-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

We had a family weekend away on the North Shore this past weekend.

We encountered a Moose

Learned about Locks & Dams

Colored Easter Eggs

Enjoyed the beauty of the "Big Lake"

Went Hiking

And of course, found the perfect rocks to throw into the lake.

We Have LIFT-OFF!!

2010-03-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Mitch has officially taken his first steps!

We were at our favorite spot on the North Shore this weekend. Something must be inspiring about this place because it is where he decided to learn how to climb the stairs too.

He started with one step, then two. More and more as he kept on gaining confidence. Now, today - he is taking about ten in a row!

I felt like I was crying wolf all weekend...Jeremy would be in the other room or outside with Jack and Mitch would take a step or two. I would tell Jeremy, try to get Mitch to replicate the step - and of course NOTHING! Finally, by Saturday Jeremy was able to catch a glimpse!

We are very proud of our little walker.

We have video of his first steps, but I am not sure how to post it.

This picture of him checking out a turtle will have to do!

The Littlest Pet Shoppe...

2010-03-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

Over this past month Jack has reminded us over and over that he is ready for a pet.

I think he really wants one.

He wanted to take home Ivan's dog, Angus. He loves my uncle's three dogs. He always wants to go visit grandpa Jim's dog and he even shared a "fun dip" candy with my sister's dog.

Consistently Jack asks us if we can get a dog, but this month he has been asking for more than just a dog. He has also asked for the following:

A Dog

A Turtle

A Goose

A Mouse

A Snail

A Bunny Rabbit

And, even a CAT!

Jeremy vetoed the cat, reminding Jack that he is allergic. He said, "Jack, if you get a cat, then I will have to move out." To which Jack replied, "Dad, when you move out, then I will get a cat!" Hummm...

Maybe it is time to try a pet fish again???

Keeping the list going...
4/6/10 - "Hey MOM!!! I want to have a pet giraffe. I want to have all different kinds of amnimals."
4/7/10 - "Sometimes I want a pet monkey." Later (keep in mind that we had the Today Show on and there was a segment on exotic animals), "I want a pet fox and a tapir. I want to have all kinds of different amnimals."
5/1/10 - "Mom, someday I want to have a pet koala bear."

A Happy St. Patrick's Day...

2010-03-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

...Starts with Green Eggs & Ham!

Happy Birthday Mitch!

2010-03-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny that when you give a child a gift,

They would much rather just play with the box it came in?

This particular box made an excellent slide, ramp, race track, climbing hill and hideout for the boys this week.

Of course, the box certainly doesn't last as long as the gift will.

So, there is hope for this play kitchen - right?

Mitch's favorite game to play is catch.

He loves to play catch with any ball, any person, any time.

Nonetheless, a ball cake was the perfect fit.

YUM!

Happy Birthday Dear Mitchell!

Confusion...

2010-03-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

This past week we had two days of 60+ degree temperatures.

It was beautiful and we were so fortunate to be able to go outside to play!

Over the two days, we did six miles of biking and walking. The boys loved it.

Jack threw anything he could find into the ponds in our neighborhood.

We guessed which things would sink and which would float.

We even found a caterpillar.

Mitch tried to squish it.

It is funny how the roles change so quickly.

Last year it was Jack who was doing the squishing!

We even managed to clean up the neighborhood a bit.

Each time we went out we brought a plastic bag with us to fill up with litter.

Jack loved finding the trash and putting it in the bag.

I love that he is taking care of our neighborhood.

Mitch even got into the outside fun.

He crawled all over the place, finding new and exciting things.

I even found him eating the rocks!

Confusion came when the temperature went back to 30 degrees.

Jack could not understand why we couldn't take our bikes down to the pond.

All he wanted to do was go outside!!

Mulcanos...

2010-03-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Jack: Mama, can we make a mulcano?

Mama: Yes, we can make a volcano.

J: Mama, real mulcanos are hot. Mulcanos erupt hot wava. Can we make our mulcano wava hot?

M: Sure. How do we do that?

J: We just put it in the microwave. Or we could put it in the oven.

Holey, Holey, Holey...

2010-03-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

...All the jeans are holey.

My two boys are on the all fours

Which wears away the knee.

Holey, Holey, Holey.

We thought we would save mon-ey.

Turns out we can't cause

They wear out their jeans.

(to the tune of Holy, Holy, Holy)

Where the Wild Things Are...

2010-03-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

I love Mitch's snow suit!

I especially love the tassels...

Isn't it so adorable?

Can you tell Mitch was ready for a nap?

Jack loves it too!

A few days ago he decided to put it on...and I have to say, it reminded me of "Max" from Where the Wild Things Are.

If only he had some big monsters to befriend.

Mooch...

2010-03-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Mooch, Moocher, Moo Moos, Mitchy Moo, Meetch...just a few of the endurements we have given to Mitch.

He turns one on Tuesday. I can hardly believe my sweet baby is already going to be one!

He loves to discover new things and how they work.

Pointing at things is big right now!

He is a bit of a scavenger.

I didn't get to cleaning up after messy lunch right away - so he took care of it for me.

He climbed underneath his high chair and ate all the food that had fallen to the ground!

"No problem mom, I got this!"

He loves to discover new things and see how things work.

Opening and closing cupboards, pulling things out, and trying to get in are just the beginning!

He is good at finding new and creative ways of doing things.

He just loves discovering new things!

And we love you Mooch!!!

Interesting Moments with Boys...

2010-03-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

I try to keep Jeremy updated on the boys while he is at work during the day. I often send him emails with little clips of our day. I thought I would share some of them with you:

3/9/10 - Jack: “No Mitch! You are pushing my luck!” As Jack redecorates the house and Mitch tries to help out!

3/9/10 - Mitch LOVES loves LOVES peanut butter!!

2/9/10 - Jack: “Mama, is Quincy chocolately brown?” (Quincy is one of the Little Einsteins)

2-23-10 - Mitch has two teeth now!!

1/25/10 - So, Jack has to sit on the couch and read stories for his quiet time today. He is reading aloud. It is hilarious. He knows parts of the stories…and says them – but adds “poopy” as an adjective. Like, “the poopy moon” or “the poopy dog” etc.

1/21/10 - While I was gathering things together for the boys at MDA today – Mitch found his way all the way up the stairs and into our bathroom. I had to go hunting for him. He is so not satisfied by a bucket of toys he can empty now.

1-20-10 - So, Jack was looking at my shirt this morning. There is a man and a woman running in the apple. He asked me if this was daddy and this was mommy, pointing to the man, then the woman. I said yes. He said, “You are running together. I want to run with you too some day.”

1/13/10 - We had a very interesting conversation about Jesus and where he is right now. We talked about how the Bible tells us that he will come on the clouds. Jack asked if he was going to go in the clouds with Jesus. I told him that if he loved Jesus very much he would be able to. They he started telling me how he is going to take a rocket just like the Little Einsteins to get to heaven.

1-8-10 - Jack has two of his four two-year molars.

1-7-10 - Jack was in his car seat on the way to MDA this morning. He noticed a smooshed oreo on his chair from the icecream you had the other night. He said, “This is a cookie. Well, actually, it is poop!” We laughed about how it looked like poop!

Eruption...

2010-02-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

A fun play-date with the Bradbury Bunch, Muramatsu Minis, & Dyer Delights...

LOVE this face!!

These are the kind of engaged students I like!!!

Motor Trend...

2010-02-20T02:58:00.000-08:00

So, if you were newly three and had to be in the waiting room for your first dental visit - you would pick "Motor Trend" to read too, right?

Jack was a little bit apprehensive in going to the dentist.

Part of the problem was that I told him that the dentist might

tell him he should eat less candy.

He didn't like that.

He did not want to hear that.

He said, "I will tell my dentist, 'No! I can eat candy!'"

Jack takes a bit longer to welcome change and new experience.

We did convince him to go for a ride of the big dentist's chair though...

He doesn't look convinced that this is the right place to be.

So, I asked him what the dentist was going to check?

"My teeth! But I don't want a cavity."

We had been reading the Little Critter book, "Just Going to the Dentist" in preparation for the visit.

Little Critter had a cavity. Jack did not want a cavity.

At our dentist's office, they have televisions on the ceiling.

Jack thought that was neat, for about three seconds.

This little face...

On to the actual appointment...

Jack didn't want to wear his bib.

He did not want Miss Holly to wear her mask.

She was a good sport!

I left Jack and Miss Holly in the room for his first attempt at a cleaning.

She counted his teeth with her special counter...first on his fingers, then on his teeth.

She showed him her amazing spinning tooth brush, and was even able to tickle one of his teeth!

She introduced him to, "Mr. Thirsty."

You know, the sucking straw.

He did not like "Mr. Thirsty."

Then, suddenly, it was all over.

He refused any more service.

She came to get me in the waiting room.

I went back into the room and tried to convince Jack to have a few more of his teeth tickled.

Nope. He was done.

Then our dentist, Dr. Lori, came in.

She checked on his teeth and bite.

She said that he did really great for his first appointment.

Miss Holly agreed.

Really?

I guess the biggest point in a first appointment isn't to clean all of the teeth.

It is just to get the kiddos familiar with going to the dentist.

Jack got to pick a prize and take home a bag with his very own "Lightning McQueen" tooth brush.

And we will be back in six months.

Maybe they will be able to tickle two of his teeth!

Rub-a-dub-a-dub...

2010-02-11T01:40:00.000-08:00

...two little guys in the tub!

Balancing Act...

2010-02-11T01:31:00.000-08:00

Mitch is beginning to stand on his own!

He gets even more daring with each new day. First it was just a few seconds building up to about fifteen seconds or so. Now he is trying to stand on his own in the bath tub!

I think walking might be just around the corner...

Yea for Mitch!

Three...

2010-02-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

Could anyone tell me where time goes??

Jack is three on Monday! Three!!!

We celebrated with a very special "Little Einsten's" cake.

I had a lot of fun researching different homemade "Rocket" cakes and came up with this design of my own.

We made pizza faces for lunch!

We got together a few of Jack's pals...

This was Jack's favorite moment of the day...eating Skittles right out of a bucket - by the spoonful!

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

Two Dollars...

2010-02-06T01:31:00.000-08:00

Can you think of the best two dollars you have spent lately?

Mine - two dollars spent on two foam swords from the beloved dollar section at Target.

Yes, I purchased these for my fun loving, active son - Jack!

I thought he might like to play sword fight with his daddy.

Turns out, his daddy really likes the swords.

I mean really likes them.

Sure, he played with Jack...

And even kept Mitch competely engaged with his swordsmanship...

But I think more than anything, this two dollars engaged his inner child!

Cleanliness is next to...

2010-01-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

This picture doesn't even do justice to the dishes in the sink. I am fortunate to have two - really, really deep kitchen sinks. So this picture literally only scratches the surface.

A full sink can give you quite a glimpse into a person's day...or days in my case - depending on the week.

An afternoon activity of making Jello Jigglers with Jack pulled out my batter bowl, a cake pan, a large measuring cup, kid's scissors, and several spoons (you know he licks one after another - so I have to use a lot).

I am not sure why, but for dinner I decided to try a peanut chicken recipe that I think used every single pot, pan, and lid I own. It was alright - certainly not worth the amount of dishes I used...

Then we rushed off to a preschool round-up open house. Once we came home we took out ALL the cookie cutters to make oodles of jiggly jigglers. Once we gobbled up a few jigglers we wiggled up the stairs to bed.

In the morning we had a big family crepe breakfast since Jeremy has to leave on a business trip. Before we knew it - it was noon and time for yummy mac & cheese (it turns out I did have one pan and lid left...).

In addition to all of this, Mitch has continued to eat and drink...creating a very empty bottle rack.

So, here we are - about 24 hours later with more dishes in the sink and finally a quiet moment to wash them.

Why is this worth the blog space? Well, if you know me - this is a very hard and challenging for me. I am one who LOVES to have everything in its place. I like order and cleanliness. Having a sink FULL of dishes is very stretching for me. I have personal expectations of myself that are not being met as of late. But, I have to stop and remind myself what is worth my time. Is it leaving my kids to wash away - or is it taking time to read to them, race cars across the living room floor, or ride trikes in the basement - while forsaking the dishes?

Recently my mother-in-law reminded me that I am raising kids, not a clean house. So - even though it is a very hard thing for me - I am willing to take a few more dishes in my sink just to be sure that I can spend a few more minutes with my boys.

And, just in case you were wondering...there always is resolve, just not always when I want it.

Herb Garden Update...

2010-01-11T19:13:00.001-08:00

So, the Chia Herb Garden is not going so well. It turns out you are supposed to keep watering them. :) I knew this, but I put them up so high on a window ledge - and now it has become too much work to get a stool to water them. Rest in peace dried herbs.

Pomegranates...

2010-01-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

How do you pomegranate?

I usually section them and remove the delicious seeds by hand.

It is a lot of work...

But my boys think it is worth my effort!

Although, sometimes my kitchen looks like a crime scene after I am finished...

Lately...

2010-01-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

Lately, we have been playing with snow inside...

Lately, we have been waking up in our new jammies...

Lately, we have been touring the Bentlyville Lights in Bayfront Park, Duluth...

Lately, we have been learning to climb stairs...

Lately, we have been enjoying our favorite view...

Lately, we have been JUMPING

THROUGH THE AIR

into our new toy...

Lately, we have been making funny faces...

Lately, we have only wanted to eat what big brother eats...

Accomplishment...

2009-12-31T05:12:00.000-08:00

So, I was going to write about all the dirt I am finding in my house and how it is driving me nuts!!! Really, I feel like I clean and clean, but the dirt just stays.

BUT INSTEAD, I am going to focus on an accomplishment!!!

CLEAN BOTTLES!

All six of them - at the same time!!!

All clean and ready to be used!

AMAZING!!!!!

I took a picture because this accomplishment will only be lived out until Mitch wakes up this morning....then the cycle will begin again. But for now, I revel in this bitty accomplishment and find joy!

Christmas Morning

2009-12-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

I think my very best memory of yesterday morning will always be when we headed down the stairs as a family. Jack saw the tree lit up with all the presents underneath. He got very excited and proclaimed, "It's Jesus' Birthday!"

Elephant in the Room...

2009-12-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Jeremy and I participated in two white elephant gift exchanges this past weekend!! We traded a Bible Trivia game from the 1970s (which my sister picked up at a thrift store for us - I completely forgot about grabbing something from our Goodwill donations for the event) for a porcelain like bell with a cardinal as the handle. The next night we traded in our bell for a Chia Herb Garden!

Excuse me, I mean a Gourmet Chia Herb Garden.

Well, the good news is that someones misfortune in owning it became our indoor gardening activity this week! So thank you to whom ever it was that doesn't like Chia Herb Gardens...

The best part about this type of gardening is that it really isn't very messy! The dirt comes in a weird sponge-like pod that goes right into the pot once soaked in water. Looks like dirt, smells like dirt, but it certainly isn't as dirty as dirt!

Next the seeds...they give you six different herbs to choose from. We selected dill, parsley, sweet basil, and chives.

A little water for the seeds...

And a little water for this seed...

Mmmm...I was thirsty!

We put some baggies on the top for that "greenhouse-like" affect...

So, hopefully in a few weeks we will have some delicious herbs...I will keep you posted!

Sticky Situations...

2009-12-21T23:52:00.000-08:00

Looking for a last minute stocking stuffer idea?

How about a roll of tape?

I think we could fill Jack's stocking up with a variety of rolls and he would be completely amused until they ran out. He LOVES tape. His imagination goes wild with tape.

Here are just a few of the things he has come up with while playing with rolls of tape:

shoes. Yes - Shoes. He likes to put a band of tape around his feet and pretend that they are his fancy shoes.

caves. He likes to section off a doorway with tape and escape into his very own cave.

leashes. He loves to make a dog leash so that he can take his stuffed animals for walks...sometimes he even takes mama for a walk!

decorations. He sometimes just puts pieces of tape on the wall as a decoration! (painters tape is recommended for this...easily removed!)

balls. Tape is easily made into a ball for doing just about anything with!

"My Favorite Friend"

2009-12-12T04:53:00.001-08:00

Let me introduce you to Jack...

And his "favorite friend," Ivan.

Jack loves Ivan.

When we head to church, Jack always asks me if Ivan is going to be there.

He even told me that Ivan is his favorite friend.

I Scream, You Scream...

2009-12-11T05:41:00.000-08:00

We all scream for ICE CREAM!

"Yook at my Bwew Yips!" Jack told Miss Natalie (who works at Cold Stone...)

Instead of screaming for ice cream...Mitch literally ripped the cone right out of my hand!

I guess he loves brownie batter ice cream more than I do!!!

Talk about looking grown up?

All of the sudden he sprouts a moustache?

My friend Suzanne told me this would happen...I just didn't expect it so soon!

I would say he really did enjoy my, no...his "It" sized cone!

(Cold Stone now offers an "It" sized cone. A single scoop on a cone with no mix ins for just $.99)

And finally, one happy husband...with his "Strawberry Blonde!"

Ice cream that is...his wife is a chocolaty brunette!

Now you see it...

2009-12-02T06:13:00.000-08:00

Take a good look at these luscious locks my friends...

By the end of this post you will see a very dramatic change!
We went to visit Besta to get Mitch's very first hair cut!
She made two pony tails with all this gorgeous hair.

Here is the first cut...
Oh, the trauma (for me that is)!
Well, at least he has a sucker.
What do I get in exchange for watching my baby grow up right before my eyes?

And here he is! A changed boy!!!

He looks so grown up!

Pie-Ville

2009-11-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

I am delighted to present to you

my very first pecan pie!

And now, a little snap shot from our kitchen this morning.

My sous chef, Jack, and I created some delicious pies. Of course, his main job was "tasting" everything that went into the bowls.

Here you can see we are whipping up a yummy pumpkin pie. Jack loved the taste of the pumpkin and sugar, but not the ginger, cloves or cinnamon.

An empty shell, begging to be filled.

A triple berry awaiting a top crust and a turn in the oven.

A second triple berry in the oven.

A second pumpkin on deck...

And Jack's new favorite...pie crust remnant cookies!

Cooling pies and those waiting to be baked...

Did you notice the triple berry? The filling sort of ate the crust... Yikes!

It has been a delicious day!

And here is the aftermath:

I was surprised that the dishes didn't take too long to do!

NEWS FLASH...

2009-11-25T13:13:00.001-08:00

Mitch is so close to crawling...

I feel like crying. My baby is getting so big!!!

Putting on a Happy Heart...

2009-11-24T06:34:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, when our hearts aren't quite right, we remind each other to put on a happy heart. This morning I had to remind Jack to put his back on. I asked him to go into the other room and come back when it was on.

He did just that.

He left, went to the front room, and came back a few minutes later with both fists clutched.

He said that he had found his happy heart and mine too.

He put a happy heart on each of us and went about the business of play with a changed demeanor.

This is a great reminder for Jack to be the little boy God wants him to be. And it is an even better reminder for me, especially when my son comes back with my very own happy heart to put on, that I need to be the mommy God wants me to be. That means remembering my priorities, attitude and actions.

Beyond the evidence of two changed hearts, I think the best part of this story is how Jack put on our hearts. Can you see it? He reaches his clutched fists and touches the area where our hearts are positioned...

NOPE!

He reaches those little fists right to our tummies.

Ever since Jack attended my regular prenatal check-ups from my pregnancy with Mitch he has believed that our heart is in our tummy region. Think about it. That is where the doctor would check for the baby's heart beat. I have tried to give him all the facts about where the heart is really located and why God put it there, but it doesn't click. He saw the doctor check for the heartbeat on my tummy and he even heard it with his own ears.

Isn't this even more of a reason to help our kiddos see the truth of God's word real and present in their small worlds? Deuteronomy 6:5-9 is more real to me everyday that passes.

UGGGG!

2009-11-20T09:13:00.000-08:00

WARNING: Personal Opinion Ahead, and generalizations too.

Alright, I am not a political proficient by any means. But I am certainly not dumb either.

Here is what I fear: Health care that is mandated by the government.

Why?

As we all heard this week, there is a new study that recommends that women do not get regular mammograms until they reach age 50. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091116/ap_on_he_me/us_med_mammogram_advice

Well, I also read in the paper this morning that they are making new guidelines scaling back women's pap tests too. http://www.twincities.com/ci_13828568?source=most_viewed&nclick_check=1

So, why the concern? I am assuming a lot here, but I am guessing that what the government is only be willing to cover what is recommend by studies and recommendations such as the ones mentioned above.

What about a friend of mine, who at age 31, was diagnosed with breast cancer? The screening helped her find the problem, get the help she needed and beat the cancer. I am sure anyone who reads this could think of a million other examples of people who are ALIVE because the cancer was caught early.

What about the fact that the American Cancer Society completely disagrees with the screening scale back?

I don't know a ton about the current health care debate. I am certainly not against making sure that people have health care coverage, obviously. But I do want to make sure that people can and do get the help the screenings that will potentially save their lives.

Thanksgiving Countdown...

2009-11-18T13:58:00.001-08:00

"From the mouths of babes," they say...

I asked Jack what he was thankful for and this is what he said:

Yes, that is right...his thankful tree says, "poop." He is thankful for it and it is his favorite word!

What can I say...He is all about poop right now.

For Mitch, well, I had to do a little guessing. This is what I think he is thankful for:

And me...I am thankful for my two sweet boys who keep me on my toes and my husband who sweeps me off my feet!

You know you are a mom to boys when...

2009-11-18T13:55:00.001-08:00

...the backwards hat comes out when it is time to fix something!

Wasabi!!!

2009-11-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

What is that you have?

Hot wasabi peas? Hummm...interesting choice.

And you are really eating them?

YES!!!

Tonight for dinner Jack was helping to set the table. He insisted that the hot wasabi peas be placed on the table as a side dish. Alright, why not? The peas were a gift for Jack from my father-in-law. You see, Jack liked snacking on them at his house so he bought this can especially for Jack. Anyhow...Jack did, in fact, eat them with his dinner tonight. It was sort of a funny mini-monologue/dialogue. Here is how it went:

J: Can I have some peas now?

M: Yes. Are you sure you want to have some?

J: YES!!!

(pops one in his mouth)

Ahhh. Ah, Ah, ah. Hot. Ah, ah.

Ok.

M: Do you want some water?

J: No. It's ok. I like them.

(eats another and the conversation repeats).

So far I have only been able to down one wasabi pea!

Pumpkin Time...

2009-10-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

On our way to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkins...
We like to find pumpkins that match each of us.
Daddy found a really big one, just for him.

We found just the right ones...

Carving time!

I know, I know...what are we thinking?

Here is another picture of Jack with a knife!!!

The final product...Our pumpkin family!

Being Professional...

2009-10-16T12:17:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend Education Minnesota's annual teachers conference. Goldy the Gopher was there and I happened to have my camera in my purse. So - Rebecca and I posed for a picture with him! Mostly the picture was for Jack, because he loves Goldy. But also because Rebecca and I met at the U of M in our grad program through the College of Education and Human Development - so Goldy means something to us too.

Ironically, I happen to have a picture with Goldy from the very first EM Conference I attended while I was in grad school...in 2002!!! Do I look any more professional or teacher like now? I was trying to look as teachery as I could in the Polaroid. Can you tell?

Q: How do you get your 2 year old to eat fruits and veggies?

2009-10-16T12:12:00.001-07:00

A: Give them a knife!!!

Now I know this doesn't seem like the smartest answer...especially given that Jack was just caught opening a can of Coke with a fondue fork (page down)...but he loved cutting up all his fruits and veggies, then eating them. He went through two bananas, about ten raspberries and ten blueberries. He also polished of about 6 sugar snap peas! Not bad!!! (Oh, and it was just a butter knife!)

Jack of All Trades

2009-10-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

No, I don't just let my two and a half year old have pop any time he pleases.

As a matter of fact, we spent much of the morning with this line of questioning:

J: Mama, can I have some pop?
M: No Jack. We are not having pop.

A few minutes later:

J: Mama, can I have some pop?
M: No Jack. We are not having pop.

If you know my son at all, you already know that he is very persistent...especially when he wants something.

Much to my surprise, although, I don't know why I was surprised, I found my son with this now open can of Coke in his hand. Yes, open. No, I did not open it for him. I asked him how he got that open. He said, "I will show you," and came back with the fondue fork that he used to pry the top open with.

Now, the question of the day...Do I reward him for his resourcefulness in getting said can open or do I give him a consequence for his disobedience?

Marathon Results

2009-10-11T17:38:00.001-07:00

Jeremy ran the Chicago Marathon this morning. I am amazed at what he has again, for the 4th time accomplished! Just look at his placements compared to how many people he was racing against!! I can't believe all those people ran and finished the marathon today.

Here are his results:

Dyer, Jeremy (USA)
BIB 2156
Div 30-34

Split Time
START TIME 07:31:18
05K 00:23:10
10K 00:45:07
15K 01:07:31
20K 01:30:05
HALF 01:35:02
25K 01:52:49
30K 02:15:53
35K 02:39:57
40K 03:05:36

Total
Place (total) 2196/33,475
Place (Gender) 1963/18,983
Place (Div) 367/3,120
Total (Net) 03:17:15

Evidence...

2009-10-09T19:51:00.001-07:00

What do you make of it?

Healthy Breakfast: Whole Oats, Milled Flax Seed, Triple Berry Mix

Pasta Requested for Dinner...Wednesday through Friday

A pile of evidence...lets look a bit closer at the facts:

It looks like one of those nerdy calculator watches from junior high! Water Bottle mixed with electrolyte tablets
Healthy snacks A packing list

Bandaids? Oatmeal & brown sugar? Gels...what kind of gels? A black garbage bag?

What do all these things have in common?

Did you guess yet?

This might help:

Ah, yes! It is marathon weekend!

Jeremy will run his 4th marathon in Chicago this weekend!!!

That explains all the little piles of running necessities I keep seeing all over the house...

These are the "gels" referred to on the list above. I found them tucked in the closet by my shoe bin.

Jeremy will be gone from Saturday morning until Sunday evening.

Can you believe he needs this much stuff for about a 36 hour trip?

The marathon is on Sunday. It starts at 7:30am.

You can track Jeremy online by following this link: http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/Chicago_Marathon/spectators_volunteers/index.aspx?id=510

GO Jeremy!!!