That is Riley and Joe's name for ice hockey. "Are you going to play hockey skates, Dad?" Freakin' adorable. Oh, and when I play soccer, the game is called, "soccer balls." Saturdays I go play "soccer balls" at 6 am, and then Dave goes to hockey after, because play is a priority, you know. This past Saturday the temperature was above 10 degrees for the first time in a while so when I got home from soccer balls, we put the kids in snowsuits and all went to the park to see the hockey skates in action.
It was so fun to watch, in between sledding with Riley/pulling children out of crusty snow drifts. I almost wanted to play myself, but then I remembered that I suck at skating. Maybe if we are here next winter...
Dave and his winter sports! He never lets winter get the best of him!
Of course, after 45 minutes of wading up hills to sled, in a snowfall, the babies were ready to go. Get donuts.
Cutest little donut-eater I've ever seen. Dave did give her a hair cut and I think it's rockin', although a little nappy here from her hat. Dave says her new 'do makes her look like this girl:
He's not wrong. Rebel Wilson rocks too.
From today:
Well, I'd rather it be a picnic on a summer's day, but Riley and Co. did have a smashing tea party this afternoon. Right after Joe cleaned up the toy room using kitchen tongs. (He picked up one or two things, while I worked swiftly behind him).
I love parenting.
That is all.
*Except, this; if you want all the inspiration of an Olympic pep talk delivered by world's cutest kid! Original here.
We are a long ways from home but we are celebrating with you today!
I am so glad that the two most influential people in my life share a birthday - it is really convenient of you. :) I hope you have a fabulous day and know how much you are loved, admired, looked up to, and thought of today.
Dave sends his love and regards as well, but he's off, you know, MBA'ing.
Helloooo! Has it been so long? Since I last wrote 2 weeks ago, we have been to the St. Paul Model Railroad Museum, Children's Museum, several parties, played lots of soccer (me) and hockey (Dave - in below zero wind chill, brr), Riley's gymnastics, story time at the Humane Society and library, visited the St. Paul Cathedral with long lost family, went to a re-upholstery class at church (prepare to see projects soon), and enjoyed a lovely Valentines day weekend, a mushy post from which you were spared this year because I. Was. Beat. That and we've been devoting our evenings to watching Lost on Netflix. Darn you, Netflix, I have things to do!
Anyways, the last two weeks in picture, here we go:
Model Train Museum - the kids went nuts for this place! Highly recommend.
Beautiful St. Paul Cathedral
Impromtu visit with Uncle Doug, Andrew and Shawnee. Reminded me how great it would be to live near family!
Joe helping on laundry day. Just because you needed a laugh :)
If it's above 10 degrees we can go to the playground. Oh summer where art thou?
Humane Society story time:
We also did a craft and took a tour.
The puppies asked us to take them home and my heart broke a little.
The Children's Museum was hoppin' - I think there were a gazillion school groups there. But we still had a great time. Joe was on fire at the "shipping and packing" station, helping this kindergarten class load bricks onto conveyor belts. Then this precocious little girl gave him a note and he was well pleased! I didn't burst his bubble and tell him she just wanted him to stop taking their bricks. Haha!
He might have gotten the message though because then he got some pencils instead and his own conveyor belt and meticulously sent those up several times.
You know that little boy has started to call me by my first name? Just when he wants to get my attention. But it's weird to hear my little boy say, "Hi-wee! Sit next to me, Hi-wee!"
Valentine's Day we had a raucous party with nine little people. They were astonishingly well-behaved though, here you see how they all came and sat around the tables. Tip: if you use a cookie-cutter on pb&j's, they will eat their body weight in sandwiches. We went through two loaves of bread! Oh, and Dave got them silly straws so there was also serious water drinking going on.
They also made valentine's and chocolate strawberries, watched Charlie Brown Valentine's Day, tore the balloons off the ceiling and beat each other with them, and exchanged valentines.
Riley and Gracie had their traditional (every play date, these girls) sleepover and there was much giggling.
It was a blast, and of course it makes your day when you make a blissful day for your child. When Dave started hanging up the streamers and balloons, Riley and Joe started bouncing off the walls they were so stoked! And Dave and I have fun teaming up for these sorts of things together - we should probably start a toddler party planning business or something.
Furthermore:
This sweet video of real-life, seasoned, love, sweet love.
Made these sugar cookies this week for an RS activity - loved the almond/vanilla flavor.
Me, blogging elsewhere, and a darn good place to live if you go to University of Minnesota.
To read: recommended from 3 different sources before I finally read it, The Razorland Trilogy is a good one to curl up with on these winter nights.
Overheard:
Phone conversation this evening, Riley to Grandpa McClure:
"Mom is going to paint my nails pink but her's are red. And Dad gave her a ring on her finger. When they got married, he gave her a boo-tiful ring...
"Yeah...
"But we were not at the temple. Because I wasn't born yet. Because I was still in my Mommy's tummy...
"But I better go get my nails painted now...
"Yeah...
"Pink...
"Bye Grandpa. I love you.
Now buckle up! It's time for...
Heidi's Top Picks of Dave's China Pictures
(Because, man, I just think it's so cool)
The Great Wall
The Temple of Heaven, in Beijing
The Forbidden City, Beijing, where the emperors lived.
Outer wall of the Forbidden City. The moat was completely frozen.
The Old Town, in Suzhou, the "Venice" of China
Exhibit in the Humble Administrators Garden. The lilies on the left are embroidery. The one on the right is a wood carving.
That's not pencil. It's embroidery. Crazy!
The Humble Administrators Garden
And this one.
Same. What a gorgeous place.
Shanghai
The gorgeous sculpture is in Shanghai Museum and is made of Jade.
Looks kind of science-fictiony doesn't it? I wanna go!
We missed him terribly but I'm glad he got to do this trip! How awesome! I do think if he ends up traveling a lot for work someday, we'll get him a better camera phone. Although these are definitely not too shabby.
After weeks of skyping and missing eachother, he got home late one Saturday night after the kids were asleep, but Riley woke up and I heard her gasp, "Daddy's back!" before she ran to give him a hug and kiss and then calmly back to her own bed. So cute. Joe was equally thrilled when he woke in the morning to find Daddy home. DAve passed out gifts for and everyone was just giddy with being together again. And presents, of course. Silky outfits and sweet sneakers and pearls and "gold dabloons" (Chinese coins but Joe doesn't care).
Ok, I don't want to crash the blog, but what's a few more pictures. Sunday best, take us out!
In case you think Joe was just walking during this picture, no, that was his chosen pose. Maybe he was going for mannequin, or like a robot or something?
PS: today we were all sporting thrift store finds. GoooOOOO thrift stores!
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