Spring Break

Dave has worked really hard this semester and after midterms it was a relief to start spring break last week! We stuck pretty close to home but as spring breaks go, this one was altogether lovely. Here's a faithful narrative of all my dealings with...spring break. ha.

Snuffy's Malt Shop. Finally!

Peanut. Butter. Bacon. Burger. Whaaaa???

Burlington's grand opening. Good thing we have been watching for it obsessively for months - face painting is Riley's favorite! And we are 90% sure this is the same artist who did Riley's princess face in Denver last summer. Hmm...

zoo trip: cold and windy outside, but visiting polar bears is always a good idea

Free ice cream cone day at DQ. Answer me this: you never really crave one, but on "free day," would you still seek one out, saving a total of about 3 bucks, never mind the mess or the fact that it's only 40 degrees outside? I'll forever be a sucker for free stuff. And Riley and Joe aren't complaining either.

Taylor Falls: only an hour from Minneapolis, Taylor falls is the sight of a bunch of glacial potholes, waterfalls, the St. Croix river, and scenic hiking trails and cliffs rigged for rock-climbing. The day we went was cold and rainy but I kind of like a little rain. When Dave first told me about glacial potholes I was a tad confused. "Aren't those just called lakes?" Um...no.

"The meltwater of a vast icefield 5,000 feet thick and the size of the state of Minnesota began to flow south past this point. That incredible current was the source of Interstate Park’s famous potholes and rock formations. Giant eddies swirled silt and rocks into the rock in a scouring motion that drilled holes as large as twenty feet in diameter and sixty feet in depth. Riverside cliffs, known as the Dalles of the St. Croix, also owe their shape to the glacial torrent." Source here.

 10 foot glacial pothole and 10 inch glacial pothole. There was a deep one with a stairwell in it but we don't know how deep it goes as it is currently filled with slushy ice.

Quaint little church overlooking the frozen lake. Wish I'd had my camera for a quality picture!

 I have really missed hiking. When there are no mountains around, one has to do a bit more research on where to go for hikes (you can't just point and say 'let's scale that one'). And who wants to hike in the winter anyway. But there are some very pretty places in Minnesota/Wisconsin to get into nature. This was an awesome one.

We also went to the Great River Water Park - always a good time, did some shopping, visited the library, caught up on our Red Box-watching, went to a primary activity for Riley about family history, rode bikes, played at the park...And then yesterday Spring officially started and this happened:

Happy spring, ya filthy animals.

Another first: Bike!

It was not a raging success - she won't let Dave put the seat up high enough to make pedaling easy! Haha! Baby steps.

Riley's first gymnastics performance

This year Riley has been attending Tumblebee's Gymnastics with her long-time friend (when you are only 3, a 2-year friendship is long) and over the past couple months they have learned some pretty good tricks! There has been much toe-pointing and straddling and vaulting in this house of late.

Due to a certain Grandma's special request, I filmed a little of Ri at each of her stations yesterday to share so you can be a fly on the wall with me. Really I should have filmed us flies as well - we parents were mushy, giggling heaps over watching our little girls shine and be silly, and then perform solo at the end. The whole scene - the parents, the students, their sweet teachers - was ridiculously adorable.

Enjoy:

Unfortunately, my camera started wigging out in the end and I didn't get her forward roll, but be assured it was fabulous. And you saw her do that (a double, no less) earlier in the film anyway.

In the end they all sprinted over to the sidelines to show us their certificates ("You're a star!") and get hugs and congratulations. Riley told me she was proud of me. Haha, that girl.

So excited!

Joe was proud too. He wanted to get a picture with sister. It kind of evolved into a "get off of me" situation, but still giggling, naturally.

Then we went out for a celebratory dinner at La Cucaracha's in St. Paul. Delicious, as well as a great place to go on St. Patty's day - no wait and few fellow dinners to disturb with toddler shinanigans.

I loved gymnastics when I was a little girl and it was a blast seeing Riley accomplish learn and dance and rejoice and be silly with her friends. At that age, you aren't worrying about competing or messing up, you give it your best shot and enjoy the movement and mastering new skills and being with people your size and just having fun! It is inspiring, that's what it is. Thanks Tumblebee's, for a great class! And thanks, Riley for your happy, exciting spirit!

The evening was golden.

Meanwhile back at the Ranch

While I was in VA, Dave had classes of course, and we had to bring in the big guns to make sure everyone was taken care of. Grandpa Don to the rescue! Riley and Joe looked forward to his coming weeks ahead of time and they had wonderful time together. In Dave's words, Don "did an awesome job" caring for the babies, and it was such a relief to know they were well looked after while we were gone.

Here are a few pictures I poached from Dave's camera and Don's instagram (thanks for posting, Don, I loved seeing your day-to-day activities and knowing they were having so much fun!)

Train Museum

 Oh the magic!

Nickelodeon Theme Park:

bahaha! This ride is the first thing Riley mentioned when I got off the plane - she loved the rush.

Best day of Joe's life?? Because that's what it looks like.



Crafting, eating, playing:

Grandpa introduced them to the magic of lunchables

Such chums! (And Riley's senior picture?)

 Thank you to Don for being there for us, Dave for burning both ends of the candle, and friends who either babysat or offered assistance so I could go gallivanting off to Virginia! Riley and Joe have some great memories of that week and I knew they felt loved and safe, which made my week too!

Visiting Aurora

I'm at the airport, waiting to go back to MN and the dears that I have missed there this week! Now seems like a good time for documenting my time in the Rip Van Winkle house! It has been such a lovely week, but I swear, a new-born just emanates her own different environment and her own time scale. It has been a peaceful, sleepy kind of week.

Lora and I spent our days rocking and snuggling little Ari, giggling over her coos and funny faces, eating nutritiously and deliciously whenever it struck us, 4, maybe 5 times a day, catching up, going to bed early and getting up with the sun (+nighttime feedings for Lora)...We hardly stirred outdoors! I went for walks when it was nice, but Lora has a home gym so...no need to leave the house. I didn't even communicate much with the outside world because my phone was broken, so nightly skype sessions with Dave and co. was about the extent of that.

Thinking back I'm not sure how I wasn't stir crazy. I attribute it to that new born aura. Very strange how hours passed in what I thought must have been just, you know, 30 minutes.

And now I'm re-entering normal life. Roanoke airport is a very good transition place - small...low-key...there are baskets of hard candy at the gate check ins...I like it.

Here are some pictures (posted with momma's permission) of our sleepy week. Baby Aurora is a whole two weeks now (one more week and she will reach her due date!) and gets cuter by the day.

Baby yawns

She loves a warm bath in the sun. Who wouldn't.

She studies Lora like she is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen.

The doting grandparents.

Aunt Angie came for a visit too.

She is a very willing gaming buddy and has slept many comfortable hours in the crook of Darren's arm.

It was a  blessed week! I wish we lived closer but I'll be grateful for what I get. Baby Ari is lucky to be part of a home so full of love, and we are all lucky to have her in our lives!

Happy Birthday, Dave!

Today our main man turned 34. "Like me," says Riley. "No, you're 3, Riley." But, like Riley, Dave is as fun-loving as ever. He can always make me laugh, and Riley and Joe know that when Dad comes home, so does the party.

Not sure which one of these got to make the wish, but my money's on Joe. He has the spit advantage...

Because I left for VA today, we celebrated over the weekend instead. We shopped the Mall of 'Merica, "Happy Birthday'd" each other a lot (Riley and Joe like to include every single person), ate out, had birthday cake and birthday waffles, and Riley finally got to present Dave with the shoes that she already told him about weeks ago...it was a fun weekend.

Dave, we love you. 33 was a great year; second year of your MBA, summer job in Denver, the 5,000 mile road trip June-August, you went to China, Riley declared you the "Best. Dad. Eva." several times...I think 34 is going to be even better. At least if karma has anything to say about it - the world has been so blessed by your presence! You are exceptional.