Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Joe Mav Turns One

Joseph is 1! Actually, he is one plus a week and a half, because that is how the blogging goes these days. But he is the most delightful 1 year-week-and-a-half old you could ask for and we all - including Riley, especially Riley - adore the living daylights out of him.
 
Joining the Clean Plate Club.
Joe had a good birthday. We didn't even make him get in the car and go anywhere (we have driven over 5,000 miles this month and let's just say, the car is not his favorite ...). He got chocolate mint torte cake, because he loves mint, and some new toys. Riley even let him play with them in brief fifteen-second rotations. I believe he felt celebrated. I hope so - he is a joy and I cannot imagine our home without his happy, inquisitive, sensitive, silly, emphatic self.
This is where he sits while waiting for me to make his breakfast - Grandma D always gets a smile and a cuddle first thing.
Joseph and Riley partying in the camper during 4th of July fireworks. Bear in mind, it was too dark to see what they were up too, so we just pointed the camera toward the giggling and these are what the flash revealed.

The last one before I rescued Riley:
So we have Joe stealing her binky, smacking her across the chest, and pulling her hair. Good thing sister has a sense of humor!  (She clearly was having a blast.)
Joe's favorite perch at the cabin was quite wobbly, and he fell off more than once. Likes his fun with a side of danger I guess.
And one of those cool indoor sunglasses guys!
Joe Mav, you have our hearts.

The silly videos of him walking will have to keep for another day cause it's past this girl's bedtime. But once we get settled - we are moving into our dreamy vintage apartment in St. Paul soon we hope - then I will show you a guy who knows how to fall a LOT, and get right back up again.
And you'll love it whether you like it or not. 

Goodnight Neverlaaaaaaaaand!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Minnesoooooota!

Well we did it - we up and moved to Minnesota! And it has been a crazy few weeks, let me tell you! We have lived in five different places, with different family in the Midwest, camping, and fishing and boating, and partying, and, as house hunting all the while. School starts in a few weeks and we have yet to find our roomy, safe, non-ghetto, decently priced home...and here I am, babbling on with the few minutes I have on reliable internet (that and cell phone coverage is in short supply here). I have been pretty short on time, plus the right side of our keyboard is messed up so, I will just share a bunch of the best part of blogging anyways: pictures. Worth a thousand words, right? Here are about 17,000 words. A lot of them with the weird filters from instagram.
Moving day!
Downtown Minneapolis

Juicey Lucy's - cheese stuffed hamburgers from the famous 5*8 Club
At the family reunion in Rochester, MN: Joe giving one of his juicy kisses. Don is a good Grandpa.
Boating with Jake
Riley and Dave asleep in "the Estate," what we called the camper we slept in on fourth of July week.

Snuggling in the hammock.

This was the fulfillment of a life-long dream of mine (ever since I saw "10 Things I Hate About You.") Riley, not so much.
We also went skiing and wake-boarding. Even Dave's phone gave it a try! That's ok, though - it was old and tired and ready to retire.
Fishing with babies is not for the faint of heart.
We caught a couple bass but...nobody wants to gut fish, so we tossed them back.
Family tubbing! Riley kept trying to dive off for a swim. So we did.
Turtle races in Nisswa. Yep.
We are currently in Iowa at Grandma and Grandpa Davidson's house.



Angie and Tim are here and we are having a lovely time. Grandma has a devoted acolade in Riley (which might have something to do with the cookies and cake that she is constantly giving her) and it might be the cutest thing in the universe to see them bake together or get their hair cut together... but more on that later - I have to dash. Joe's first birthday is today and I have a cake to make!

PS: Mom, Riley LOVES her new dress! She insisted on wearing it today, just around the house. She is so classy!