Mother's Day

I just came across these lovely posts from last year, written by seven of my favorite women in the world in honor of Mother's Day. If you're new to the blog, be sure to go back and read the wisdom written by seven hard-working, honorable mom's.

For the intro post, click here.
For the final post, click here.

And click on the names for the following words of wisdom from:
My mom, Margaret Harrington
My sister-in-law, Stephanie Morris
My sister-in-law, Lisa Groves
My mother-in-law, Marlene Groves
My sister, Annika Larson
My sister-in-law, Sara Groves
My grandma, Velma Bredberg

the princess of whales

While with my nieces this weekend, I was explaining to Sonna, the three year old, that there was a girl who was going to marry a prince and that after the wedding she would become a real life princess. Sonna, who is very much in to all things pink, jewelery, dresses and princesses asked with big eyes, "Who is she?"

I told her her name was Kate and since my sister was listening I added, "and she is just a common girl, like you and like me." Annika groaned/laughed.

And then I asked Annika what she thought Katherine would be called. Will she be the Princess of Whales?

Sonna confidently blurted out, "Oh, I already know that princess. It's Ariel."

Get it? Whales? Under the Sea? That's funny stuff and a pretty clever and concrete three year old.

Triple L Farm

"I remember a time when families all lived together/
four generations in one house/
and the table was filled with good food and friends and neighbors..."

This is a lyric to one of my favorite Sara Groves songs all about friendship. We got to live this lyric out this weekend and it was perfect. We spent the weekend at the Triple L Farm, my brother-in-law Jedd's family farm. His sister Sara wrote about the weekend here.

It was one of those awesome weekends where you are always aware and so grateful that God created us for community. There were 25 people, many working outside painting, scraping, raking, cleaning and using chainsaws. Some were inside getting the next meal prepared or washing the dishes from the previous meal. Others were watching various combinations of the five kids under age five. The farm was filled with energy and joy. As Sara wrote so beautifully, we experienced the power and pleasure in the act of being connected to land and place, friends and family.

The farm is on the South Dakota border, a pretty windy part of the state and a perfect place to fly a kite. At one point this kite got stuck in the very, very top of a huge tree and Sonna (3yrs) recommended that Grandpa Paul just find a big, big stick to get it out. Thankfully the wind got the kite out for us.It was so good to have sister time. And I haven't seen Jedd look so happy in a long, long time.
The babies were especially sweet, interested in each others toes and socks and taking turns sucking on various toys. I can't believe these little cousins are already half a year old!

more homemade granola bars

Last year I made Starbucks granola bars to take to camp for a healthy staff breakfast. I have been thinking about them a lot lately because I eat a granola bar every day. A hearty granola bar hits the spot for this nursing mom. But my guess is that it isn't really the healthiest habit, especially when I really don't know what is in the store-bought granola bars.

So I looked for another recipe and hit the jackpot. I filled it with all good things, cut the sugar and they are divine. So good that the pan is almost gone (next goal: moderation). These things are so satisfying. I love peanut butter and honey and oatmeal and raisons, so really it would be hard to go wrong with a recipe like this. I made mine with raw almonds, raw walnuts and raisons and they turned out superb.

I found my recipe here, at a food blog called Smitten Kitchen. Yum. I'll be working on variations of this recipe for a long, long time. I'd actually like to try to add in a lot of the starbucks healthy grains (wheat germ, wheat bran and flax seed) to this new recipe. And today I purchased Agave Syrup to try to replace the sugar and honey. I'll keep you posted as I search for the *perfect* granola bar.

six months

What in the world. You are half a year old today, Ivar Nicholas. It just doesn't seem possible that it has already been half a year since we all met in that hospital room.

Strangely, all you’ve really known of the world is that it’s really cold outside. We’ve had a really long winter that set in the week you were born and today on May 1st, we had snow flurries! But stay patient, because I really think you’re going to enjoy the next six months of Minnesota weather.

You are learning a few new skills that will be helpful as we soak up the sun together. Just this week you mastered the art of sitting up on your own. Pillows are still helpful in propping you up as you tend to tip over if there is a toy too far out of your reach. But once face planted, you are good at pushing yourself up a bit and deciding to investigate the carpet you’re on, just as long as you’re down there anyway. I can’t wait to walk you to Lake Harriet, sit you up on a blanket in the shade and watch the boats, squirrels, runners and ducks.

This month you started eating rice cereal, carrots and sweet potatoes. You love your high chair and get very worried if the food doesn’t come to you quick enough. The first time I fed you with a spoon you already were trying to grab the spoon to get it to your mouth faster. It means that we cannot feed you without a complete mess on our hands… and your hands, and our sleeves, your sleeves, your face, neck folds and bib. It’s quite the production.

We still consider you to be the happiest baby on the planet. You are pure joy. You smile and everyone, laugh with your belly and have an ability to charm the socks off of any soul who makes eye contact. You are also a very agreeable baby, who rarely fusses and usually with good reason.
Best of all is how much love you are able to give back to me and your dad. You light up when you see us, laugh out loud when we come back into your presence after having been gone for while. There is no greater feeling than the one you give us every single day: that we are loved and that we are adored. I hope you know the feeling is very mutual.