a little catch up

I have so much that I have wanted to share on this blog. Little time I guess. So here are a few of the things in my head in one very random mind dump:

+I chose this picture to begin this post for two reasons. Number one: because it's adorable. Number two: to announce that my bangs are finally long enough to pull back. Somebody shout something!! Many a bobby pin has been used to keep these bangs out my eyes and now they are officially part of the rest of my hair. Praisalluja!

+My sister is wise. She was at a conference last week and told me later, "it was good. one session was pretty basic and a waste of time but I had stationary in my bag so I wrote notes to our aunts." And then she told me that she always brings stationary to events like this just in case. What foresight!

+And she shared this with me: She has a friend who is trying to create more rhythm and routine in her life in an attempt to take better care of herself. So she decided that every day she would 1) make her bed 2) put fresh lemon in her water bottle and 3) put nice lotion on her feet, followed by thick socks before she goes to bed. And the friend reported that these three simple things really make a difference in her everyday. I liked these ideas a lot.

+I think Annika is so pretty. She looks tired in this picture, and cold, but I think she is so beautiful.

 

+ When we were on the north shore for the Harrington Family Reunion I got to hear my brother read bedtime stories to the kids. And it was awesome. He's an attorney, but the man has a real knack for reading Winnie the Pooh. He used different voices for all of the characters. He sped up and slowed down, he was loud for some voices and quiet for others. I was transfixed. And he didn't even know I was listening. He was up in the loft with the kids and I was down below. But I left totally convicted that I need to up my game for bedtime stories. It's time to bring it.

+Also. While en route to the north shore I looked back at Ivar in his footie pajamas (we set out early) and asked Rory if he had grabbed Ivar's shoes by the door before we left. He did not. I didn't either. So Ivar got to wear pink mary janes for four days of hiking on rocks. Thankfully my cousin Yang Yang and his daughter Nui Nui had brought these brand new shoes to give to Svea for her birthday. But they fit Ivar, and he really made them his own.

+And, after a few people asked: Yang Yang is my Aunt Jane's nephew. He came to the United States probably 15 years ago and I consider him a cousin...my only cousin on the Harrington side. He married Nancy and they have Nui Nui. Unfortunately Nancy couldn't make it to the reunion because she was abroad (I think in Poland) for a work conference. Thank you YY and NN for letting Ivar wear the shoes you intended for Svea all weekend!

+Finally, I will close with a picture I just came across while looking at all of these North Shore pictures. I appreciate that they included a dog in this quality photo op from Split Rock.

today she's 37

She's always known how to rock an outfit. Skinny enough to tie a bandanna around her waist. She's jazzy on the flute and has 20/40 vision. She's my sister, and today she's 37.

She's not afraid to tuck her pants into her socks and is always ready to pose for the camera. She's got thick hair to create large feathered bangs, glasses on her cheeks and teeth that are just about fully grown. Today those teeth are fully grown, because today she's 37.

She's not afraid to color block, trendy way ahead of her time. She matches her necklace to her shorts, her socks with her short sleeve sweatshirt and lets her side pony blow casually with the wind. She's my sister. And today she's 37.

I've always wanted to be just like her. Always wanted to tie my shoes on a tall fence in a birch forest. Always looked up to her, loved her with all my heart and felt blessed beyond measure that she's my big sister. Today's her birthday. She's 37.

Leave her a facebook message or drop her an email. Or leave her a little love in the comments today. I'll make sure she sees this post.  

Heh.

ivar turns two

 

My little baby boy turned two. And he is nothing but wonderful.

 

I remember thinking after his first birthday party that I wouldn't do such a huge blow out party for his second birthday. I remember at the end of that party realizing how little time I had spent with Ivar as I decorated the house, prepared the meal, organized the games... this year I was hoping to do something a little more simple.

 

So instead we had four mini parties. Because four parties sounds like way less than one party, right? Hmmm. Not really sure what I was thinking. We had cupcakes four days in a row, lit candles four days in a row, cleaned the house four days in a row. Next year: one big blow out party.

 

First, our new neighbors came on Thursday, his actual birthday. Ivar loves them so much and they love Ivar. They knew him well and got him a dump truck that dumps duplos. And a digger and a garbage truck. Ivar was thrilled.

 

The next day we had over our old (former!) neighbors, George and Katherine. Oh how we miss these guys. They loved seeing our place, and loved seeing our kids. Ivar warmed up to them right away, Elsie got some good snuggles and Katherine brought match box cars and beanie babies for Ivar.

 

Then on Saturday, we had the Harrington party. Party is probably too strong of a word. I was exhausted and my mom and sister got the meal on the table and Mara and Sonna decorated the cupcakes. Annika, Jedd and Rory all took naps at various points during the afternoon, and that maybe describes the laid back tone of the day the best. But Mara and Sonna found their own fun making a jungle gym out of the scaffolding and a teeter totter out of scrap wood.

 

And then on Sunday we had the Groves over for what turned out to be the most party-like of the parties. We fit everyone around one table in our kitchen and had taco pie, chocolate cupcakes with little john deer hats my mom had found the day before, cows, tractors and presents. It was pretty awesome.

Ivar was celebrated. He was singing the happy birthday song to himself when I put him down for his nap yesterday. Pretty sure he thinks a birthday lasts days and days.

happy halloween!

 

 

 

Our first animals at No Cow Farm: a baby chicken and a little cow.

Huge thanks to my cousin Sarah who had the chicken costume.

notes in a cookbook

So here's a super fun idea from my mom. Record when you made a certain recipe right in your cookbook. I was at my mom's on Friday and decided to make cookies with Mara, Sonna and Svea. I opened this well loved Shepherd of the Valley cookbook and found this page with our favorite oatmeal cookie recipe. And it made me laugh out loud.

First of all, I did the math and Annika and I first made these cookies over TWENTY years ago. What on earth. October 1991. I was in forth grade. Then again in 1992 and a couple times in September of 1993, once with my great life long friend, Jenny Snyder.

The best part is my own handwriting adding a bit more detail to the directions. I remember the first time I tried these on my own and I followed Genevieve's directions as they were written. Which left me quite confused as to when the eggs and butter should have been added. The dough was terrible and they didn't turn out. We were out of butter so I couldn't start over and I was so frustrated. Look at that arrow and sad face next to Genevieve's name! (She has now passed away, but man I love church cookbooks. I love that you know these people!)

Mara added our names with 2012 so that in another twenty plus years, we can come back and see what we made.

And then the girls took turns holding Baby Elsie.

My sister Annika just told me that Mara has been telling people, "My aunt was making these cookies all the way back in 1922."