Happy Mother's Day!

My Mother's Day was great this year. It was low-key, but very nice.

We got up and ate the remainder of the lefse as well as fried eggs (Leif's favorite) and Little Smokies (Skadi's favorite courtesy of Bompa). The kids gave me cards as their gift wasn't complete yet from Artsy Fartsy - I can't wait! Leif wrote "Happy Mother's Day" on the card for me all by himself! He learned this at school and was terribly bummed that his teachers would only let him write one card. I made enough of a fuss about it to him that apparently he wanted to do another and one for grandma too.

We released our butterflies (see below) and then hung around the house. Friends came over for a playdate with the kids. Then for dinner AB made filets - which were fabulous and we opened a nice bottle of wine.

See how unsuspecting they are. They have no idea I am taking their pictures. This is about the only way I can get photos anymore...

Because as soon as they find out I have the camera... THIS happens:

It used to be just Leif that would act silly... he has pulled his sister in on the antics.

This *could* go on for hours.

Me and the kids - ignore Skadi's short dress. I was going to try on all her summer clothes (that were found) from last year but we started with this dress and stopped with it too. Something about my daughter putting it on and saying, "I a princess now!" Oh and that she would NOT take it off. I will wash it and put it away after today. *Sigh*

Loving my front yard right now. Check out the Japanese maple and the blooming rhododendrons. Hope they are still blooming when my mom gets here.

Another unsuspecting photo - AB has the waterfall running. The kids are a touch obsessed with it.

Love this one - just ignore the ketchup on the face.

2nd Annual Butterfly Release

So the weather has sucked and so we didn't get around to releasing the butterflies as soon as we should have. Not all of them flew off as the kids expected. Some of them just layed there...

Leif is retrieving the butterflies:


Leif showing off his butterfly:

AB "said" he was going to help with this...

Ok, ok, Skadi needed help...

Oops, flew off her hand and onto her dress!

Then it flew onto the ground!

Then you *might* be able to guess what Skadi turned around and did...

Next butterfly please!



AB is saying, "no squishing this one!"

It crawls onto her tummy - she is terribly pleased with this!

Note Leif off in the background - this is where I was yelling, "don't fall in the waterfall Leif!" (He has once already.)

Then it flew to the rhododendron:

Recent pictures

I like this picture. AB and I were busy around the house and I happened to walk by and see Skadi by the tree. She was so quiet and peaceful sitting there examining the presents.



Then she quickly figured out the presents weren't just for decorations. You could open them. This ended the pretty photo shoot pretty quickly and made me glad I happened upon her before ALL the presents were unwrapped.

Making cookies.

The trip to see the most unfriendly Santa ever. Maybe if he had shown some interest in the kids Skadi wouldn't have melted down? Just maybe...

Leif and C at the Polar Express reading. Our kids were SO good. They were quiet, paid attention and when Hank was handing out bells they politely waited their turn instead of rushing up with their hands outstretched.



How to top a 9' tall tree...



Why does my little boy not look so little here?

The leaves

Our trees are finally mature enough to warrant actually raking the leaves instead of feigning ignorance and just letting them drift away in the "breezes".



Here is some fun from the weekend:

And one of Winny-dog. Poor abused dog, I so rarely get pictures of her anymore. I really like this one.