a vivid glimpse

Our very own six pound bundle of joy

2012-02-03T14:51:00.007-06:00

Ever since Mallory's arrival, we've been subjected to an overwhelming amount of love and joy. Family and friends have showered us with cards and gifts and an abundance of food. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Today I dropped into the girls' school for a special parent lunch to cap off Catholic School's Week. Jo and CoCo proudly presented their new baby to countless schoolmates and teachers and parents. Each and every person who gazed at her tiny peaceful face (nestled in her carseat) had the same joyful reaction.

Heartfelt smiles appeared and spread around the room instantaneously.
This baby has an infectious influence you wouldn't believe.

Lately CoCo has been asking what makes people happy. She learned from a Veggie Tales movie (Madame Blueberry) that happiness can't be bought at a store. She also figured out that getting good sleep makes Mommy happy.

Yesterday Cokes spent all day in her PJs. She read books and painted in the sunroom and helped me bake a batch of cookies. While she patiently waited for me to finish nursing Mallory, CoCo declared,

Babies make people happy!

We are so blessed.

MJ's First Outing

2012-01-30T14:18:00.000-06:00

On Saturday Mallory was 11 days old.
The sun was shining and Auntie Leah was awake before noon.
We seized the day and ventured to Red Arrow Park.

Considering it was 2 years ago the last time Jo was on skates, she did remarkably well.

CoCo, on the other hand, had trouble keeping her feet underneath her.

Dad and Auntie Leah tried to assist Cokes.

Mom and MJ were rink-side spectators.

After skating we headed over to Great Grandpa1i's and Grandma Jo's house. Mallory met her great-grandparents and we all feasted on pizza and cheesey bread.
(Sorry about the sideways photo - blogger is having an issue with photo uploads.)

Welcome Home, Mallory Joan!

2012-01-22T16:24:00.000-06:00

Mallory Joan made her debut at 7:01pm on Jan. 17th. She weighed in at 6lbs. 3oz, measured 18.5 inches long. All the medical staff commented that she has a perfectly round head.

A very proud Dad holds mintues old MJ. Under that cap she's hiding plenty of dark hair (just like Dad).

The sisters' first meeting at the hospital. Do you think Jo is happy? CoCo wants us all to leave the hospital already and come home.

Home Sweet Home - Sunday morning bonding with the Glafcke sisters.

Introducing "Motor Teresa"

2012-01-03T18:27:00.004-06:00

A few weeks ago Jo came home with a binder from school. Inside we found "Motor Teresa" (pictured above with Jo), information about the parish's Salt & Light program, along with pictures and reflections from other 5k families.

Salt and Light is part of the school parish's faith formation which encourages families to embark on community service projects. The projects promote Catholic Stewardship, or living out a commitment to be Christ-centered rather than self-centered.

One of the service projects suggested in the binder was: attend mass at a parish with a different ethnic background than our own. Motor Teresa would come with us as we learned how children in another community praise and worship.

Since Uncle Adam has special ties to St. Patrick's and Our Lady of Guadalupe parishes in the Walker's Point neighborhood of Milwaukee (he was their youth minister a few years back), we emailed him. Uncle Adam suggested we attend one of the Spanish language masses with a children's mandolin choir. We planned to attend the Sunday evening mass at St. Patrick's on New Year's Day.

Sunday evening we picked up Uncle Adam on our way downtown. The five of us slipped into a pew near the back of church, among several other families with young children. Fr. Jose Moreno presided over the mass in Spanish and an enthusiastic children's choir led the congregation in song.

Jo could hear the children playing maracas, tambourine, guitar and keyboard. CoCo said she wanted to sing with "the little ones up front." Matt joined in reciting some of the prayers in Spanish, remembering them from his days in the Dominican Republic.

After mass we talked about the decorations inside the church. Jo noticed the designs painted on the ceiling. We explained that a long time ago immigrants from Ireland lived in this neighborhood. They named the church St. Patrick and decorated it with Irish designs. Now, immigrants from Mexico and Puerto Rico live in the neighborhood. These people speak Spanish, which is why the Sunday evening mass is in Spanish.

Since we were in the neighborhood, we made a stop at El Rey supermarket. Because January 1st is the Feast of Mary, the bakery didn't make any churros. Still, we had fun picking out fresh apples, strawberries, jicama, tortillas, pineapple juice and cream of coconut. Uncle Adam explained to the girls about veladoras, the special prayer candles with pictures of Jesus, Mary and saints.

Monday morning we sat at the kitchen table to write up a report about our experience to add to the Motor Teresa binder. Jo recounted going to mass with Uncle Adam, hearing people speak in Spanish, talking to Fr. Jose after mass and seeing the Irish designs painted inside the church. Both girls said they want to go back to St. Patrick's. Only this time, they want to sit up front near the children's choir.

A very Christmas weekend

2011-12-28T14:36:00.003-06:00

It was a Christmas without any snow, but plenty of Christmas cheer.

Friday we went to Little Gram and Pop Pop TG's house to decorate their tree, play with Uncle Andrew and enjoy a cozy Christmas dinner.

Coryn couldn't wait to try out her new scooter. Saturday morning she and Jo made a few laps around the basement. That evening we went to Great Grandpa and Grandma Jo's house for Christmas Eve dinner with Grammy BB, Pop Pop TM and Uncle Adam.

Christmas morning Dad woke early with Jo and Cokes and got them dressed in their Christmas dresses. The girls opened gifts to each other first. Jo gave CoCo a "sisters" necklace and CoCo gave Jo wood beaded bracelets. The girls gave us ornaments they had made at school.

The remainder of Christmas day was at GG's house. The girls had a ball playing with cousins and new dolls. Those who brought walking shoes, bundled up after dinner for a walk down to the lakefront.

And last but not least, we may have discovered the best reward for keeping thumbs out of the mouth - Leapsters! The girls each received their own, but are only allowed to play with it after keeping their thumbs out overnight.

Christmas caroling

2011-12-28T14:09:00.002-06:00

All the practicing paid off.

Jo sang religious songs with her class at the evening school Christmas concert,
"Anam Cara, Come Jesus"
(anam cara is Gaelic for soul friend.)

On the last day before Christmas break, both girls listened and watched the older students put on Las Posadas, a re-enactment of Joseph and Mary looking for a place to spend the night in Bethlehem. Then Coryn's class sang Christmas songs, corralled their parents to do The Reindeer Pokey and shared cookies and hot cocoa.

That same afternoon I volunteered to supervise Jo's 5k class for a couple hours so her teacher could enjoy a special Christmas party for faculty. During that time, Jo's class ate lunch, went out for recess, decorated Christmas cookies and watched a Berenstain Bears video. Let's just say I was in dire need of a nap when my time in charge was up. The experience certainly gave me a greater appreciation for kindergarten teachers.

Gooooo Marquette!

2011-12-17T16:27:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Uncle Adam, Jo got a free ticket to the Marquette basketball game. She and Matt had a special outing this afternoon to cheer on our favorite team. Something tells me today is just the tip of the iceberg for many Daddy-Daughter outings to come.

CoCo and I stayed home. We're resting up to fend off sniffles and sore throats. Ice cream is helping.

Dear Baby, We are ready when you are

2011-12-14T22:13:00.004-06:00

House is decorated for Christmas.
Fudge and cookies have been made.
Newborn clothing, burp cloths, and baby blankets are clean.
Cradle is set up.
Infant car seat and baby swing are waiting in the wings.
Pantry is fully stocked.
Hospital bag is packed.

So Baby, when are you going to show up?

Deck the Halls

2011-12-14T21:07:00.002-06:00

Last Monday night the girls set out their slippers by the fireplace for St. Nick. Tuesday morning they found them filled with sparkly headbands, vanilla lip smackers and hershey kisses (aka "rain drop candy" according to Cokes). St. Nick made the mistake of leaving fruit snacks as well, which were promptly turned over to Dad because they were "too hard and chewy."

Saturday afternoon we took Matt's truck a mile up the road to pick out our Christmas tree. Boots and beads were worn for the occasion.

We put the tree up in the sunroom and the girls hung the ornaments on the branches. Matt helped CoCo place the angel on top.

Sunday morning the girls were slightly disappointed that there were not any presents under the tree. But that didn't last long.

Jo decided they would pretend they were living in the forest. They packed up backpacks with their favorite toys and spread blankets and pillows to make beds.

Who needs cartoons when you can camp out in a magical Christmas forest?

Back to the drawing board

2011-12-02T10:04:00.003-06:00

Nearly three weeks ago CoCo stopped stucking her thumb. Cold turkey.

Truth be told, I bribed her.
Knowing Uncle Andrew was coming to town for Thanksgiving, I told the girls Uncle Andrew wanted to take them to see a movie at the theater. The catch was, they could only go if they quit sucking their thumbs.

As soon as I spelled out the deal, Coryn quit. No more popping in the thumb on a car ride, when she was upset or even to fall asleep at nap and bedtime. Sure, she was a bit more irritable and whiney because she didn't have her automatic soothe reflex to fall back on, but at least she was holding fast to keeping her thumb out.

Jo, on the other hand, was trying to quit, but having trouble. More often than not, I'd catch Jo with a thumb in her mouth and have to remind her about the movie deal. CoCo would chastise her big sister saying, "I don't suck my thumb anymore. That's for babies."

While Uncle Andrew was in town for Thanksgiving we went to see the new Muppet movie at Mayfair. The girls aren't really familiar with the Muppet characters, but the song and dance routines quickly won them over.

We brought Jo along for the movie, even though she hadn't completely quit. I didn't have the heart to take CoCo and not Jo (I know that was bad on my part).

Uncle Andrew came up with the idea of making a star chart for Jo. Pop Pop TG helped her draw ten boxes on a piece of paper. She could fill one box for every whole day and night she kept her thumb out. Once she had 10 stars Jo could pick a special outing of her own. That was last weekend. So far she has two stars.

This week, out of the blue CoCo started up again with sucking her thumb. In the car, to fall asleep or when she wasn't getting her way. I was utterly shocked. It had been two solid weeks of no thumb sucking for Cokes. I thought we had conquered the beast.

Me: Why are you sucking your thumb?!?!
Coryn: Mom, we already saw the movie with Uncle Andrew.

counting our blessings

2011-11-28T08:54:00.002-06:00

We are coming up on our first anniversary in this house and all I keep thinking is how blessed we are.

Somehow we found this incredible 'diamond in the rough' house and in one year's time we've transformed it into our very own home.

There are the obvious physical changes (like fresh paint, new roof, HWFs, and the landscaping), but when I look at our family, I see how much we've grown in the past year as well.

Josephine and Coryn have such wild imaginations. They set up forts and play make believe and get along like best friends. Even when one gets upset, the other slides in and knows just what to do to calm her sister down. CoCo is rambunctious and goofy. Jo is sensitive and always has an idea of how she can help someone. And now they are riding the bus to school together. They have kind-hearted teachers who answer all their why? why? why's? and plenty of new playmates.

Matt's painting business had a record summer, with both new and old customers showering compliments about his professional work ethic and personalized service. We've made the bonus room into Matt's private painting studio - aka Man Cave - where he can create to his heart's content.

And then there's me. Officially a full-time homemaker. Digging in the dirt, trying new recipes and organizing closets. Oh, and growing a baby. Another girl.

Honestly, life these days isn't too crazy. Its peaceful and joy-filled. It feels like home.

"My Albuquerque Turkey" - by Cokes

2011-11-25T12:28:00.000-06:00

Video camera found!

Thanksgiving from the mouth of 3-yr-old Coryn

2011-11-23T10:06:00.001-06:00

Unfortunately, we've misplaced our video camera. This means I wasn't able to get CoCo singing her Thanksgiving songs with her class on Monday. She is still singing them at home, but I have yet to find our video camera. Sending prayers to St. Anthony.

CoCo came home with a Thankful wreath and book she made in school. In her Thankful Book Coryn says she is thankful for Mommy, Daddy, JoJo and the new baby.

She told her teacher what she likes to eat on Thanksgiving:
bananas, apples, pears, grapes
(Cokes is a fruit monster. No surprise there.)

Coryn also told her teacher how to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving:

Bake the turkey in the oven for 40 minutes.
The oven is hot.
At 5 or 16 put salt and pepper on it.
And sprinkles and sugar.
Then we eat it.

Considering the only meat Cokes touches is bacon, it will be a shock if she does feast on turkey tomorrow. Maybe we just need to add sprinkles to it?

Nothing dampers our Little Goofer's spirits - not even a trip to the ER

2011-11-17T18:11:00.010-06:00

Last Wednesday, just as I was sitting down to eat lunch my phone rang. Taking note of the Caller ID, I saw that it was indeed a real call from the girls' school rather than the three-times-a-day misdial for Wal-Mart Pharmacy. I answered and the school secretary began relaying a bathroom mishap.

Coryn is in 3k all day MWF and has yet to have an potty-related accident at school. Nevertheless, all the kids keep a change of clothes at school, just in case.

Quickly, I learned that this was not the typical preschool bathroom accident.

CoCo was perched on a step stool to wash her hands when she slipped and fell. Somehow she hit the back of her head on a sharp edge of the sink. She was bleeding and the principal thought she may need stitches. I said I would come right away.

As I was driving to school I called my mom (who happens to be my go-to medical professional since she's not just a mother of four, but an RN). Luckily she was off from work that day and answered her phone. Within minutes she had calmed my worried nerves. She figured CoCo was probably upset from the fall and the teacher/secretary/principal weren't able to console her. She also recommended I call our pediatrician's office to talk to the triage nurse about possibly coming in for stitches.

I dialed the ped's office and spoke with a triage nurse. She told me to find out if CoCo had lost consciousness or thrown up. And, once I was able to look at the cut myself, she could help me decide whether she would need stitches.

Ten minutes later I was at school. CoCo was with the secretary, who was holding an ice pack to the back of her head. I expected Coryn to be red-faced and crying. Astonishingly, she looked a lot like this:

The secretary said CoCo had been her normal cheerful self. She hadn't lost consciousness or vomited. She didn't even shed a single tear. But, the cut on her head was deep and still bleeding.

CoCo stayed with the secretary while I ran downstairs to grab CoCo's jacket, backpack and snatch Jo out of class. I told Jo what happened and asked her if she could help her sister be brave. Jo has always been squeamish around blood. As soon as she heard CoCo was bleeding, Jo was anxious and scared. She was worried the stitches were going to hurt REALLY BAD. Jo was on the verge of crying and she hadn't even seen her sister yet. Sorry Jo, but I have serious doubts about you entering the medical field.

With the girls buckled in Debbie, I called the ped's office and talked to the triage nurse again. She asked where I was and said it was best for us to go straight to the nearest ER. Considering Jo was a basket-case, still fretting over CoCo getting stitches, I opted to drop her off at home with Matt on the way to the hospital.

CoCo and I parked close to the Emergency entrance and went in. This was the first time I had been to an ER. I expected there to be lots of noise and chaos and blood - something like an episode of ER. Much to my surprise, the ER was quiet and nearly empty. I walked up to the lady at the front desk and explained how my daughter fell at school, cut her head, and likely needed stitches. She took down her name and told us to take a seat in the waiting area. I pulled some coloring books and crayons out of my purse.

Two-and-a-half hours later, CoCo had two staples and a regular band-aid stuck on the back of her head.

Coryn had been cooperative, unruffled and unafraid. The doctor said she was his best patient that day.

We had just enough time to swing back home, pick up Matt and Jo, and head over to Nino's Bakery in The Falls for the Wednesday Night Spaghetti Dinner. We were meeting my parents and Grandma Jo there to celebrate my Dad's birthday.

Today (while Jo was at school) Coryn and I went to the pediatrician's office. Nurse Lisa asked CoCo a few questions and gave her a high five for answering all the questions herself and for acting so grown-up. Doctor Darcy came in, had CoCo lay down on her belly and look at a book. They talked about their favorite animals to see at the zoo. As Dr. Darcy pulled out the staples, Coryn chatted about elephants and didn't flinch. The doctor had Cokes pick out three stickers for being so brave.

When we got home I asked to take a picture of CoCo on the day her broken head healed. And our Little Goofer posed, making her best silly face.

Jesus is coming, open your heart

2011-11-08T20:39:00.002-06:00

Advent is nearly 3 weeks away, but already Christmas is on my mind.

I stopped by the mall this weekend and was bombarded with corny Christmas songs, glitzy decorations and the troubling Photo With Santa stage, complete with screaming children.

Go ahead and call me Scrooge or even un-American. Its infuriating and appalling to see how commercialized and consumer driven Christmas is today. Yuck.

And then, Jo comes home from school this afternoon and starts singing and hand motioning:

I have a secret, what can it be?
Someone is coming, wait and see!
Come, let's get ready, hurry, let's start!
Jesus is coming, open your heart!
Sing, Hosanna! Jesus is coming!
Time to get ready, open your heart!

No wonder sending our girls to catholic school is a no-brainer for us.
Christ is the reason for the season. Let's try to remember that.

oh yeah, its Halloween

2011-10-31T21:40:00.003-05:00

I nearly forgot today is Halloween. Then again, I can't say I've ever gotten into celebrating the spooky holiday.

Nevertheless, the girls have assembled quite the collection of pumpkins. A couple that were hauled out of the pumpkin patch and hollowed-out by Matt, others that were painted or colored or decorated. These pumpkins along with a half dozen Halloween greeting cards (which Jo and CoCo arranged on the mantle) are the extent of our Halloween decorations.

This year Jo and CoCo decided to dress up as Disney Princesses - Cinderella and Belle. Last year the girls received Disney Princess dress-up clothes as a birthday gift. And lucky for me, they were more than happy to use the dress-up outfits we already had for their Halloween costumes. They wore their costumes to school, paraded around the classrooms and played a few games at the carnival.

Wednesday afternoon the girls had a half-day at school, with no school Thursday or Friday. We decided to take up the grandparents on their offer for an extended sleepover (FOUR NIGHTS!) so Matt and I could enjoy a long weekend, just the two of us.

I booked the cheapest room I could find that included a king bed, whirlpool tub, mini fridge and microwave. We did venture out to bike on the 400 Trail and hike around Mirror Lake, but more importantly it was four serene days of uninterrupted rest and relaxation. Catching up on sleep and HGTV and frivolous reading.

And as soon as we are reunited with our girls it appears they've grown leaps and bounds in the few days we've been apart. They look somehow different, slightly older, like grown-up children. But its hearing their voices that get us everytime. They are bubbling over with detailed stories about the things they did while we were gone. They sound cosmopolitan and more advanced than their 3 and 5 years.

Spontaneously, Jo tries to recite our phone number, but gets stuck after the first six digits.
Without a moment's hesitation, Cokes grins and trumpets: 4-6-9-9!

Together our girls are quite the dynamic duo.

Loving our new school, just not a fan of begging

2011-10-19T13:02:00.011-05:00

We have been absolutely thrilled with our girls' catholic school experience thus far. They are learning prayers and collecting food for the local food pantry. Jo is truly reading and is learning to write words.
Even with Jo on crutches for her first 6 weeks of 5k, her new school transition was more or less smooth sailing.

On the other hand, CoCo was more challenging. The first week of school she was so excited to be riding the bus and going to school just like Big Sister! But there was one little hitch: our mini night warden was still in full force, making the early morning wake-ups rough on everyone.

We had registered CoCo for 3k Mon/Wed/Fri, mornings. There is no mid-day bus because nearly all the 3/4/5 yr olds stay at school all day. This meant I would pick up CoCo from school before lunch. We'd go home, eat lunch, read a couple books together and then she would happily go down for a nap.

The problem was I couldn't decide if I should set a timer and wake Cokes or just let her sleep. She was new at the whole school thing and also fighting a cold. More often than not I would let her sleep the whole afternoon. As in, CoCo would still be sleeping when Jo got off the bus at 3:45pm.

Hence, Coryn was not even close to being ready for bed by 8pm. Night after night Jo would slump into bed around 7:30, exhausted from a full day of school. While CoCo would be wide-eyed and alert and fidgety and noisy and not wanting to stay in bed.

8:30 - Cokes comes out of her room asking for a drink.
9pm - Cokes comes out of her room asking for a book to look at.
9:30pm - Cokes tells us to turn out the lights and go to bed and be absolutely silent - SHHH, No Talking!
10pm - Cokes declares, I don't like my room! I can't close my eyes!

And then, I heard from a school mom how her 3yr old twin boys (who share a bedroom) had magically become the world's easiest kids to put to bed at night. Before starting school she had the same bedtime battles as us. But now that her boys were in school all day, they were going to bed before 8pm, falling asleep right away and staying asleep all night.

I'm not one to blindly follow the crowd. Just because 95% of the preschoolers stayed all day didn't automatically make it right for my child to do the same.

The thing was we had paid for the girls to ride the bus, but 3 or 4 mornings a week we weren't ready in time. Which meant I ended up driving them. And, as soon as I pulled up to school CoCo would get clingy and say she didn't want to go to school. And then Jo would say that she didn't want to go to school either. We needed to try something.

I talked to CoCo's teacher, asking if she'd be willing to let CoCo try staying for a full day on a trial basis. She gave us the green light. That was two weeks ago.

Since CoCo started staying all day at school, three things changed immediately:
1. BOTH Jo and CoCo are asleep in their beds by 7:30pm and stay in bed until I wake them at 6:45am.
2. CoCo insisted she is a Big Girl and didn't need to wear a diaper overnight anymore. She quit cold turkey and hasn't wet the bed.
3. No more sleeping in, even on the weekends. I don't set our school alarm for Saturday or Sunday, nevertheless the girls are awake and ready to play at 7am.

So, I have to say things with catholic school are grand. At least for the moment.

Well, there is one exception. We are two months into the the school year and yesterday Jo came home with their second all-school fundraiser. I'm praying this is not a regularly scheduled monthly affair.

In September Jo was supposed to sell magazine subscriptions. She was on crutches and the school was so brand new to us that I felt weird going around the neighborhood asking for people to buy magazines. Luckily, Jo was blabbing about prizes for selling subscriptions at the neighbor's house. So the neighbor actually came knocking on our door, saying she was meaning to renew a few subscriptions anyway and was happy to do it through our fundraiser. Thanks to our neighbor we weren't a complete failure on that one.

Now we have to sell cookie dough. I know, who doesn't love fresh out of the oven ooey-gooey cookies? But honestly, I'm not a fan of begging. It feels wrong to be constantly asking other people to buy something so a couple bucks are taken off our girls' tuition.

If there was a money tree growing in our backyard I would gladly write out a big fat check to the school with a sticky note attached: Please excuse The Glafcke's from all future fundraising campaigns.

Savoring that Summertime Feeling

2011-10-10T22:32:00.001-05:00

It was an unexpected gift. An entire week chock-full of flawless sunshine and unseasonably warm temps for October in Wisconsin. We did our best to soak up those warm sun rays while getting in a few "lasts" of the season. A backyard cookout on the Weber, a boatride on the Milwaukee River, plucking tomatoes off the shriveled stalks, hanging out bed linens on the clothesline, extra long, leisurely bike rides and plenty of romping around outside, clad in shorts, t-shirts and sandals. We are awfully thankful.

After a week of wet and gloom, a SUNSHINE-filled weekend

2011-10-03T12:01:00.012-05:00

This past week a grey cloud was suspended over us. Literally. We whiled away the gloomy, rainy days building fires in the fireplace, roasting marshmallows, playing boardgames, putting together puzzles and watching our share of Netflix movies (Veggie Tales, Pippi Longstocking and The Flintstones).

On Saturday the sun came out. I took the girls over to the Village Park while Matt scoured the house with the broom and wash bucket. It just so happened that our neighbor was riding over to the park aboard his Simplicity mower, towing his 6 yr old son and three model airplanes in a trailer. The girls and I followed them to an open field and then took a seat in the sunshine.

We watched father and son set up a wind sock, unravel flying lines and fuel up gas powered planes. One at a time, each plane was started, took off into the wind and began flying its circular path until the fuel ran out. Soon more members of the model plane club arrived and the line of planes awaiting departure grew.

It was nearing lunchtime so we headed home to pack up a picnic. I pulled down the wicker picnic basket that was a wedding gift and loaded it with clementines, nuts, string cheese, pita chips, humus and caramel pudding cups. Matt suggested we check out a nearby park, Stoney C Halquist Park. I was skeptical because the park is located right on Lisbon Rd, where cars and trucks are buzzing by at 50 mph. But we were pleasantly surprised. The parking lot is close to the road, but the park is set back and nestled in a quiet a neighborhood.

We walked across the baseball diamond to the picnic tables and playground. We unpacked our lunch and ate in the sunshine. Jo spotted only a single whisper of cloud in the otherwise crystal clear blue sky. After licking the last of the pudding off their spoons, the girls scampered off to explore the new playground. Matt and I stretched out in the grass and soaked up the sun's warm rays.

On Sunday I was bound and determined to go apple picking. Before leaving for church I tossed extra shoes and jackets in Debbie's trunk and printed out directions to The Elegant Farmer. As a kid I remember the autumn ritual of apple picking at this orchard with our cousins. I also had a new apple bread recipe I wanted to try.

Straight from mass we headed south toward the orchard. Matt wasn't thrilled because his beloved Chicago Bears were playing, so he tuned into the game on Debbie's radio. The girls pulled out their notebooks, pencils and markers and drew pictures while we drove. I acted as navigator, making sure we didn't get lost. Forty minutes later we pulled up to the familiar smiley-face yellow barn.

Unlike last weekend, this Sunday was sunny and 60 degrees. The Packers and Brewers were playing later in the afternoon. So, of course, there were SWARMS of people. We found a parking space, put on our farm shoes and took our place at the end of the Disney World-esque line. While we waited I gave away our pink slip of paper that identified the different varieties of apples to another family. I like to taste the apples before I decide what we'll bring home; the name doesn't mean much to me. Ninety minutes later we had our bushel basket and our handstamps. It was finally our turn to ride the hay wagon out to the orchard.

It was nearly 70 degrees, so we shed our jackets and set to picking and tasting the apples. I prefer firm apples that are only slightly sweet. No one else seemed to have a preference. I think CoCo devoured at least 6 entire apples as we picked. Matt helped the girls climb the trees to reach the larger apples near the top. Steadily we filled our bushel basket.

Then we got back in line to ride the hay wagon back to the parking lot. While waiting for the hay wagon, CoCo made a new friend, a little girl named Lily. They swapped apples from each others baskets, spilt a donut and held hands. Jo was a tiny bit jealous and quite overprotective.

We paid for our apples and loaded them into Debbie's trunk. Then we made our way home. Visions of apple bread, apple pie, apple pancakes, and apple crisp filled my head. Once home, we ate a much belated lunch before ushering the girls into bed for a late afternoon rest.

While the girls were down, Matt searched online for apple recipes. He found this one: Paula Deen's Apple Fried Pies. We were too tired to try it last night, but Matt wanted to give it a go this morning.

With both girls off at school I ran to the grocery store to pick up the necessary can of refrigerated flaky biscuit dough. Matt peeled, cut and cooked the apple filling, then set to rolling out the biscuits. When the oil was ready, he plopped the apple pies into the pan for just a minute. My job was sprinkling powdered sugar on top of the warm pies. Matt pulled out ice cream to make it apple pie a-la-mode. But we did not even use any. We feasted and it was Mighty Delicious.

School Days

2011-09-23T21:48:00.003-05:00

We missed the bus this morning. Despite the fact we are almost a month into the school year, we are not quite in the new school days rhythm. Being jarred awake by an alarm, getting everyone fed, properly dressed and out the door by 7:20am is a real challenge. Especially because our little night warden has been in full force these past few weeks.

One of the novel things Jo reported about her new school was the fact that they pray. They pray in the morning before reciting the pledge of allegiance. They pray before snack and before lunch. Second semester Jo will be paired up with a middle-school buddy to sit next to for Monday morning mass.

When Matt dropped off the girls at school this morning he heard Principal Patterson on the loud speaker. He told the students about Padre Pio because today is his feast day. Then all the students joined in the Our Father. Jo was in the hallway outside her classroom, hanging up her backpack and vest while simultaneously trying to say all the right words for the prayer.

Jo will finally get her cast off on Wednesday. I hear she hasn't let her broken leg and crutches slow her down at all. Her teacher tells me she is cheerful and bubbly and a pleasure to have in class. At recess Jo plays coyote with her new friends. She tells me there is a whole coyote family and she's the baby coyote and they all crawl around and HOWL and pretend to eat grass. Nevertheless, she has no qualms with having her bus driver, teacher, school secretary, principal or other able-bodied person ferry her up and down the stairs inside school.

CoCo, on the other hand, is supposedly the quiet one in class. Her classmates still are not accustomed to hearing CoCo's husky voice. When she does speak up heads turn to see who's talking. According to her teacher, CoCo is more of an observer (like her mother) but LOVES to sing (like her father). Head Shoulders Knees And Toes is her most favorite song to sing. They sing it real s-l-o-w and then super fast. CoCo cracks up. She thinks its the funniest thing in the world.

it smells like cows

2011-09-10T11:05:00.004-05:00

I have an urge to go apple picking.
It has been our favorite autumn weather all week - cool and crisp and sunny. Now that our landscaping is finished, we've gotten into the habit of leaving the windows open. Last night, the breeze carried a definite cow-manure smell into our house. The funny thing is, it didn't bother me. It made me smile.

I've never been one for city living with the noise and traffic and diesel fumes. When I was at Marquette I would try to escape the city as often as I could by running. I would race eastward on Wells St., then bound down the slope at Juneau Park and cross Lincoln Memorial Dr. to get to the lakefront. I wouldn't stop until I reached O'Donnell Point, a small peninsula that juts out into Lake Michigan. Then I'd stretch my legs and just sit and breathe deeply. The water and the wind always calmed and refreshed me. It felt like my own private oasis.

Since moving to our home there has been a new peacefulness in my life. Its true the girls are independent enough to take care of their own basic needs and imaginative enough to play on their own. And then there's the fact that I no longer have a work cell phone ringing with prospective renters or complaints from a current tenant.

But more than that, we have somehow landed in this serene neighborhood. With the windows open, the only sounds we hear are the chattering of chipmunks and the chirping of birds. When Matt has the weekend off, we don't make any plans. He pulls out his bow and arrows and teaches our girls archery. Right in our very own backyard.

Ups and Downs

2011-08-27T12:09:00.003-05:00

This week Matt and his dad have been hard at work painting a Ukranian Catholic Church. All the ornate detailing is challenging to paint around, but laboring inside a church is a peaceful place to be.

Wednesday evening Jo, Coryn and I went to hang at the neighbor's house for a change of scenery and to bask in the cool central air. Neighbor girl is big into gymnastics so all three girls dressed up in gymnastic outfits and started tumbling. All of a sudden I hear Jo crying. She was practicing cartwheels, fell backwards and smacked her foot into a dresser. Since Jo was able to wiggle all her toes and tends to be a drama queen when it comes to any kind of boo-boo (she sheds tears over the slightest bumps/scrapes), I didn't think it was a serious injury. We put ice on her foot and walked across the street back home.
Thursday was her birthday and we went to the beach. She was limping, but wasn't complaining or whining.

When Jo woke up Friday morning with a swollen, black and blue foot I decided to take her to the doctor. We spent the better part of the day at the pediatrician's office for an exam, x-rays and fitting for a temporary splint. She fractured her fifth metatarsal right along the growth plate. Back at home Ryan taught Jo how to use her crutches and Sophia was taking her first solo steps.

Monday we're headed to see a foot-doctor for a cast, then to the catholic school to drop off the copious amounts of school supplies and meet the girls' 3k and 5k teachers. Jo's two-wheeler practice is on an indefinite hold.

Josephine, Age 5

2011-08-25T22:31:00.001-05:00

My Oh My - Jo is 5!

This morning she requested a giant bowl of Lucky Charms - not pancakes or waffles or even a poptart. We packed a picnic and spent the beautiful sunshiney blue sky 80 degree day at Fox Brook Beach. The swimming area was closed because there were no lifeguards on duty (a sure sign of the end of summer). The girls had a ball on the beach anyway - building a sand castle and a moat for the imaginary Bubba the Alligator.

Now that Jo is FIVE, she's decided on showers-only. No more bubble baths.

She loves to sing. She loves to dance. But only if there is an attentive audience.

She is constantly offering to help. Can I wash the dishes? Can I sweep the floor? Can I water the flowers?

Sometimes Jo surprises me by doing things without me even asking - making her bed, setting the table, putting away clean clothes.

She's getting better at writing each of the letters of the alphabet. When CoCo is napping we work together on writing letters to her penpal or practice her special learning to read books.

Next week she'll be wearing her school uniform to her first full day of kindergarden. She's excited about packing a lunch.

We still have a month to keep practicing on her two-wheel bike (without training wheels). That's when ballet class starts at the community center down the road. Jo tells me she's too big for the bike stroller and plans to ride her own bike to her Wednesday evening ballet class. Let's make a wish and see if it comes true.

Baby Fever

2011-08-23T21:44:00.000-05:00

This is long overdue, but here's our official annoucement:

Glafcke Baby Three is due to arrive on/around Jan. 23rd.

In other news, our summer is winding down. The evenings are cool. School supplies are labeled and packed. Jo and Coryn are SUPER excited to ride the bus together to school. I will soon have three mornings a week all to myself. I have to admit that I'm a tad excited about that, too.

And then there's little Sophia Rae. She and her parents showed up at our house a few weeks ago. They are our temporary house guests until they close on their first home.

Sophia is 10.5 months old. She is SO close to walking on her own, but for the time being, prefers walking while pushing objects across the floor, creeping while holding onto large furniture or clenching and pulling someone's hand while she explores the world from this new vertical perspective. She is the most adventurous eater I've ever met and is forever wanting to join in to play with Jo and CoCo. They dress her up as an angel with "wings" (scarfs tucked into the back of her top), show her how to construct a tent clubhouse using the kitchen chairs and some blankets, and have crawling races down the hall.

Let's just say having Sophia's smiling face scooting around the house is a welcome addition.

Happy 3rd Birthday Coryn!

2011-08-07T07:25:00.000-05:00

Our annual trip to State Fair on CoCo's Birthday - made complete with special companions: Grammy BB, Dad, Mom, Jo, Auntie Leah, Beth, Ryan and Sophia Rae. Highlights included- hot fudge sundae, race down the Giant Slide and a leisurely ride on the Sky Glide.

Thank you Grammy for a fun day at the Fair!

Time to open birthday presents. Shinguards from Jo, and a new dress and book from Mom & Dad.

Carefully Examining Polo's Runaway Book

Big Sis reminds Cokes to smile, make a wish and be careful blowing out her candle.

Where is Mary Magdalene?

2011-07-26T21:12:00.001-05:00

Right before Labor Day Jo and CoCo will be starting at our local Catholic school, Queen of Apostles. Unfortunately our parish (St. James) no longer has a school. So when we stopped by Queen of Apostles Church today, it was Jo and CoCo's first time inside.

Jo and CoCo looked up at pictures etched in the glass windows and pointed out Mother Mary and Baby Jesus.

Jo: Who are all those boys sitting around Mary and Jesus?
I explained they are Jesus' closest friends, the 12 Apostles.

Without missing a beat Jo asked:
But where's Mary Magdalene?

She stumped me on that one.
I told her she'll have to ask Uncle Adam or Uncle Marc why Mary Magdalene (or any other women) aren't one of the 12.

campout at Red Rock Pond

2011-07-23T10:16:00.000-05:00

Last weekend the girls and I packed up Debbie with our camping gear and headed up to Red Rock Pond in the UP. CoCo and I were content wading in the cool water, but Jo insisted on running off the pier and cannon-balling into the pond again and again...

and AGAIN!

Two happy campers on a mission to rescue the canoe that drifted away.

Pop Pop TM marks CoCo's and Jo's heights inside the pole barn doorway and Jo estimates how tall she'll be next summer.

our little patch of green

2011-07-12T11:17:00.001-05:00

Jo found a baby toad!

We came, We saw, We conquered

2011-07-12T10:37:00.001-05:00

October 2010 - close on our first home

April 2011 - concrete walls and stairs removed, then trees and bushes

July 2011 - fresh paint and excavation station

on the shores of Clam Lake

2011-07-01T06:33:00.000-05:00

the contents of our freezer

2011-06-28T21:04:00.001-05:00

Half-gallon of Kopp's Turtle Sundae (best flavor on the planet) frozen custard
1.5 quart Bunny Tracks ice cream
1.5 quart Carmel Caribou ice cream
5 carmel drumsticks (ice cream cones dipped in chocolate & peanuts)
9 fudgsicles
7 ice cream sandwiches
32 popsicles
2 loaves of sandwich bread
1 family size bag of fish sticks
1/2 bag of shrimp
1 bag of peas
1 lb. ground turkey
5 italian sausages
1 bag of corn
random assortment of ice packs

Guess who's in charge of the grocery shopping...

unforgettable exclamations

2011-06-26T22:32:00.008-05:00

The house is sublimely quiet this week.
Little Gram and PopPop TG woke the girls before sunrise, loaded them in the car and started the trek northward. Jo and CoCo are on part 1 (of 2) of their special northwoods vacation with grandparents.

This afternoon we called to make sure they arrived safely. When Jo got on the line, Matt passed the phone to me.

Hi Jo, how's the cabin?, I ask.

There is a long pause.

Jo?

Suddenly, Jo gushes, Mom, I'm speechless.

(Another dramatic pause.)

Everything is just! so! BEAUTIFUL!

Matt says the girl is destined for the theater.
His comment reminds me of a memorable dinnertime conversation with CoCo a few nights ago.

We were at Grammy BB and PopPop TM's house. 5-yr-old neighbor girl Rosa had joined us for our cheese pizza dinner. Rosa begins blowing bubbles in her cup and Jo and CoCo quickly set to imitating her. Before things get out of hand, PopPop poses a question,

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Immediately the bubble-blowing ceases.

I want to be a lifeguard, says Rosa.

I want to be a bike racer, blurts Jo.

Without missing a beat, Cokes thrusts her arms in the air and proclaims:
I want to be a butterfly!

I choke on my food.

My infatuation with horses

2011-06-17T17:11:00.005-05:00

Maybe because there was a horse farm in my backyard when I was growing up. Maybe because my mom and grandma kept adding to my collection of Saddle Club books (which I devoured). Maybe it was those sunny July afternoons spent watching the horses practice pulling wagons along the lakefront for The Great Circus Parade. Maybe it was that summer when I was 13 and I used my babysitting money to pay for horseback riding lessons. Maybe because I liked imagining myself as a pioneer gal on the western prairie (strongly influenced by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman). Whatever the case, I was drawn to horses since a young age.

I think its their smell.

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not what you would consider an animal lover. I'm allergic to cats and I have a serious aversion to almost all dogs. I do NOT think hamsters, ferrets, guinea pigs are cute or cuddly or desirable in any way. I certainly don't want to have a bird or turtle or snake or frog in my house. When it comes down to it, my home is for people, not animals. When someone asks when we're going to get a pet, my standard response is, as soon as the girls are old enough to take care of one. And when that happens, it will probably be a couple of fish in a bowl or a rabbit (that will reside outside).

But, Matt and I have this secret dream. When we retire we want to have a pair of horses, so we can go off trail riding together.

Summer Vacation Day 1: Rainy & 54 degrees

2011-06-10T18:13:00.013-05:00

Not that I'm a huge fan of sticky 90 degree days, but I was miffed to wake up to thunderstorms and 50s on Jo's first day of summer vacation. Still, we managed to have a pretty good day.

The girls got on their rain boots and grabbed their umbrellas. I loaded them in Debbie Dodge (our minivan) and verbalized my mental list of errands:

Ok, girls we need to stop at the hardware store, make a deposit at the bank, and then I have a coupon for Kohl's.

I'm not one to drag my kids around on all-day intensive errand running. That would be torturous for all parties involved. When I've got one or both of my girls with me, I do my best to keep it short (under an hour) and let them know what we'll be tackling (not more than 3 chore-like stops).

Let me back up.

On Saturday, during one of our sticky 90 degree days, we were roasting in our non-air conditioned house. It was nearing dusk and a breeze was starting to pick up. I turned the latch on our kitchen window to unlock it. Instantaneously the top window panel comes crashing down, shattering the glass.

Sunday morning, Matt and I work together to remove all the broken glass and take out the frame for the top panel. I bring the empty window frame to our local hardware store and explain what happened. The kitchen window, along with nearly all the windows in our house are original - from 1964. Apparently the spring mechanism in the window track (which is supposed to keep the window from falling) is failing.

Since installing brand new (insanely expensive) windows is not at the top of our To-Do List, I propose plexiglass as our cost-effective replacement. The hardware store guy assures me that the plexiglass will be just as clear as regular glass and will not break if the window falls. I leave the frame with him and he tells me it will be ready to pick up in 2 hours.

I send Matt and CoCo to pick up the window from the hardware store so I can take a shower before we head to a family graduation party. Matt comes home with a new window pane that is smudged all over and with glazing that needs to dry for a day. He pops the window back in place and we head out to the party.

The next day Matt wipes off the smudges on the new pane only to discover scratches all across it. You could say I'm feeling a tad discouraged. We have a string of severely hot tropical days, end up ignoring the scratches on the top window pane and put in a window air conditioning unit in our kitchen window.

Today it drops 40 degrees, so I gingerly ask Matt if he can help me pull out the bulky air conditioner in the kitchen window so I can take the top window panel back to the hardware store. He does.

So now we're back - Stop #1 on our first day of summer vacation morning errands. Juggling the 20x36 window and both girls' hands, we cross the parking lot and into the hardware store. I ask to speak to the manager, with my 5-day-old receipt at the ready. I explain the whole situation to the manager and he says he'll be happy to re-do the job himself at no cost. I give him my cell number and he promises to call as soon as our window is ready for pick up. On the way out the clerk at the counter indiscreetly asks if the girls can have suckers. I say ok (how could I say no) and the girls shriek with joy. They pick out yellow and purple freebie suckers and are utterly elated.

Just up the road is Matt's bank. We use the drive-thru to deposit a few checks into his business account. THANK GOD for drive-thru. Just as we finish our second errand of the day the girls chomp down their suckers. Its 10am.

Stop #3 - Kohls Dept Store. Usually I avoid shopping in a large store with my children. Because, I have this fear that once inside they are suddenly bombarded by the zillion and one flashy brand new things that we don't have and I'm certain my girls will think they absolutely NEED IT RIGHT NOW. But, since we are more or less beyond the realm of tantrums and terrible two's and not being able to reason with a toddler, I decide to give it a try.

I pull into a parking space, turn off the car and turn around to face my girls. I clearly and concisely say:

We are going in to buy X item. We are only buying X item.

I ask my girls, What are we buying at the store today?

In unison they dutifully echo, X item.

Then I propose, What happens if you see something else that you want?

Jo replies, We are not buying anything else today. Only X item.

And CoCo repeats her sister like a little parrot.

We walk into the department store and go directly to the section with X item. I find the right size, take the girls with me to the dressing room, make sure it fits and then make a bee-line to the checkout. As we get in line I see CoCo clenching a bright teal satiny push-up bra.

I want this for me, CoCo chirps.

Jo jumps in and reminds CoCo, We are not shopping for that today.

Jo takes CoCo's hand and together they navigate through the racks of clothes and find the right place to hang up the bra.

Without whining or tears we make it thru the checkout and back in Debbie. We are homebound, all three errands accomplished, virtually pain-free.

Although the rain has stopped, its cloudy and cool and everything outside is sopping wet and muddy. Jo and CoCo pull out their trike and scooter and make laps around the basement. After lunch Jo asks if we can set up our family room like The Rosebud (a movie theater with plush chairs and sofas) to watch a movie, everyone all together. We move the couch in front of Matt's widescreen computer monitor, snuggle with blankets, watch a couple episodes of Dinosaur Train and munch on popcorn. Then we read four library books and without me even asking, the girls head to their bedroom for a late afternoon rest.

Conveniently while they are napping, the Garage Door Guy comes and I am able to have an un-interrupted, fully-adult conversation with him for 45 minutes, discussing and taking detailed notes on ALL our options. Because having a functioning garage door is at the top of our To-Do List.

Now, all I need is to ask Matt to pick up a gallon of milk on his way home (that was one critical errand I forgot about).

Our Day at Glacier Rock Farm

2011-06-01T17:58:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I joined Jo on her end of the school year field trip to Glacier Rock Farm. Jo was excited about packing a brown bag lunch for the special day-long outing. It was sunny, breezy and 75 degrees - the perfect spring day for tromping around a farm.

Miss Lori was our guide and her two full-size and extremely docile golden retrievers tagged along with us. Jo stuck out from the crowd of bright yellow 4-5 yr olds because she decided to wear a blue tee instead of her yellow school shirt (that's 3 sizes too enormous).

We picked up hens, touched ostrich and emu eggs, fed sweet grain to goats, sheep and llamas. Jo and each one of her classmates got to try her/his hand at milking Dottie the Dairy Cow.

The kiddos had a pony ride and then played duck-duck-goose while the adults took turns on Misty the Horse. Donny drove the tractor that pulled the hay wagon - fully loaded with 20 kids, 16 adults and the two golden retrievers. We all sat in the grass and passed around bunnies, chicks, ducklings, a chinchilla, hedgehog and two-week old kittens. Then we checked out the pot-belly pigs.

Jo was thrilled to carry our lunch and drinks in the patch-clad Mescher Jansport backpack.

We closed out the day with a second round of pony rides and another hay ride. Before boarding the bus we used the port-a-potty and washed up in the outdoor trough-style sink. And much to my surprise, Jo realized how happy all these animals were on the farm and made no mention of trying to smuggle one home with us.

See how our garden grows

2011-05-25T23:21:00.004-05:00

Jo reminds me that all this rain is making the flowers grow in our Mary garden.

Sunshine makes us smile

Jo took this one to show off our green grass and our GIANT bonfire pit

Taking cues from her BFF, Jo strikes a pose

What to do on a cold and rainy March-like day?
Dress up and put on an impromtu dance recital!

Presenting: Neighbor Girl, aka, Jo's new bestest friend

CoCo is a ready and willing solo performer

The curtains close after the final all-company bow

K.I.S.S.

2011-05-21T21:08:00.007-05:00

The crab apple trees are in full bloom and the lilacs are budding out. Jo has eleven days of 4k remaining. Summer is just around the corner.

While I had hoped to sign up Jo for swimming lessons over the summer, she doesn't make the minimum age requirement (she won't be five until the end of August). We tossed around the idea of soccer or dance or some other pre-school age Rec. Dept. activity for the girls, but decided against it. Aside from a handful of family functions, our June-July-August are surprisingly wide open.

One of my Dad's motto's is: Keep It Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.)
We plan to adopt that this summer.

Running through the sprinkler. Practice sessions up and down the driveway for Jo on her two-wheeler and CoCo on a scooter. Hopscotch on the back patio. Picnics and kite flying at the park. Afternoons at the beach building sandcastles. Bonfires and s'more making in our backyard. Maybe an overnight camping trip.

Here's hoping for plenty of sunshiney summer days.

moving forward

2011-05-18T17:07:00.002-05:00

I set an alarm last night for the first time in ages. We all had to be up, dressed, fed and out the door by 7:20am to meet our landscape guy at the quarry. I can honestly say that our usual lazy morning (wake up when we naturally wake up, lounge in pjs, eat a couple bowls of cereal or make pancakes/french toast/eggs) is one perk of being a SAHM with two little ones I absolutely relish.

Despite construction and detours we pulled in just ahead of our landscape guy! One thing that really gets to me is making other people wait and wait, like my time is more important than theirs. So being on-time was a victory.

We tromped around the quarry to look at stones, an essential component for Operation Fix Our Front Yard. The first batch I wasn't too fond of - more or less blah battleship gray stuff. I explained we wanted a little more variation, more color. The quarry man steered us to another spot. And that's when we found beauties like this:

These are rather large (3-4 ton range) boulders, which is precisely what Matt had in mind when we wanted to get rid of the 7ft. concrete retaining wall holding back the hill and re-create a more natural landscape around our raised ranch.

For all practical purposes, we need stone to build steps and a series of tiered walls. With full knowledge of Matt's artist background, our landscape guy is real excited to work with us. He wants to create a one-of-a-kind natural stone mosaic with a smattering of these large boulders along with smaller pieces. Sure the cheaper and easier method would be to slap up the lego-like manufactured concrete block, but having our front yard look like the side of a highway isn't quite what we're going for.

Our tenacious little Night Warden

2011-05-16T00:00:00.006-05:00

Tonight the house is quiet.
We spent most of the day outdoors trying to get the yard in order. Cutting out the dead branches in the pine trees. Hauling and stacking all the 47 tons of freshly cut firewood. Re-purposing the tops of the old concrete walls to make a niche for our Mother Mary garden. Jo and Coryn eagerly offered their helping hands to rake and pick up sticks. Little Gram and Pop Pop came for the afternoon, too.

8pm rolled around. The girls changed into their pjs, brushed their teeth and picked out two books each. Matt and I read the stories, tucked them in bed. We haven't heard a peep since. This is a rarity.

On a normal night, its an all out battle to round up the girls and get them in bed. More often than not, CoCo's loud and never-ending singing keeps Jo up. If Jo is really irritated she'll move to another room and pass out there for the night. If Jo is extra tired she'll fall asleep in her own bed, despite being inches away from her non-stop chatterbox Little Sister.

More recently there's been a new development in the night time routine. Roughly 20 minutes after tucking her in bed, Night Warden Coryn emerges from her room, looking for Matt and I. Upon finding us (in the family room catching up on the latest episode of Modern Family) she points out the window and decrees, "Its dark outside. Its night time now. Go to bed and sleep."

She takes our hands and leads us to our bedroom. All the lights must be out. She's even come back to scold Matt and I if we are talking (in total darkness). She returns to our room and commands, "No talking. Go to sleep."

The girl is not even three and she thinks she has as much authority as the Pope.

The day I reclaimed my favorite room in the house

2011-05-10T19:30:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a girl who dreamed of having a sunroom. In her dream the room had a comfy reading chair and an assortment of plants growing year round. It was lined with tall windows and bathed in warm afternoon sunlight. Not too long ago this girl's dream came true.

But, it was winter. And I caved. The room is fairly spacious (16'x20') so I figured I could share. More and more and more of the girls' toys and playthings migrated into the sunroom. Kitchen set, train set, legos, coloring books, puzzles, dolls and doll clothes, dress-up clothes and accessories, books and books and books. And then it happened. My beloved sunroom had become "The Playroom."

I swear, this was not (consciously) premeditated, but yesterday I reclaimed my favorite room in the house.

CoCo was extra whiney in the morning and thankfully fell asleep in the bikestroller during a bikeride. But, when she woke and realized she slept through our usual stop at a playground she threw a screaming fit. (We had to get back in time for Jo's bus.) When Jo came home from school, things only got worse. Both girls rejected my repeated calls for lunchtime ("I'm not hungry yet") and refused to share the coveted toy/crayon/princess Ariel dress.

I was tired of begging and playing sibling referee, so I ate lunch solo, caught up on a few loads of laundry and decided it was due time to clean the bathrooms. I armed myself with cleaning supplies and got to it. As I'm elbow deep in the bathtub (and I despise scrubbing the tub), I hear giggling and water running.

I find the girls in the kitchen with the faucet on. They dragged a kitchen chair up to the kitchen sink and are filling bowls of water. There's a trail (pools) of water thru the kitchen to the sunroom. Jo can read the annoyance on my face, looks down at her feet to whimper, "We're playing kitty cat and the kitties are thirsty."

I turn off the faucet and give the girls old towels to mop up the floor. I figure its only water (could be worse) and they can handle cleaning it up. I return to finish cleaning the bathrooms. When I emerge fresh from toilet brush duty six minutes later I find the girls in the sunroom.

CoCo is slapping around a soaking wet towel. Jo is shrieking, "Stop splashing me!" And the worse part is this: Not only is there somehow boatloads MORE water all over, I can scarcely see the green tile floor because a tornado known as my children has pulled out every single toy and trinket and thinga-ma-bob and has strewn it all across the sunroom.

I lost it. I sent them directly to their room - kicking and screaming.
Then I picked up and packed up ALL THE TOYS and shipped them to Siberia.

Well not quite Siberia, but almost. I stashed them in the bonus room, which has recently become "Dad's Private Painting Studio" - meaning no children allowed.

Jo ended up falling asleep in her room during her timeout and slept straight on thru until this morning. During breakfast Jo says, "Mom, we were just packing everything to go to Africa."

Today the sun came out and it was oh-so-WARM! Eighty-seven degrees warm! CoCo and I went to the local greenhouse this morning to pick up tomato plants and a flat of impatients.

When Jo came home, the three of us planted the flowers and put the tomato plants in pots for the back patio. CoCo pulled out the soccer ball and started kicking it around the back yard. Jo found the sprinkler and asked to put her swimsuit on. The girls pretended they were showering. CoCo kept calling for shampoo and mock-washing her face. They spread their towels on the grass and laid down in the sun to dry. The neighbors came over and they all cut thru our backyard to play at the park.

And that's when I realized. All those toys I stashed away might not be missed. That is, as long as the weather holds out.

In other news...

2011-05-03T14:37:00.005-05:00

CoCo has a new friend, of the imaginary variety.
With Jo gone 5 mornings a week at 4k, Isabella is CoCo's substitute playmate. CoCo calls Isabella on the phone and arranges playdates. They play with the train set and have tea parties together. They also enjoy putting four pairs of sunglasses on at once.

And, when Jo comes home, they create a secret hideout shelter in the pantry. Jo explains, "Indians were shooting arrows everywhere!" and they had to find the best spot to hide themselves and everything else. Looks like they'll be staying for a while, since they purposefully brought the night light from their bedroom.

Amazing Grace, Star Wars, Mary Poppins, Mozart and Glee

2011-05-03T13:58:00.008-05:00

A few weeks ago, Jo asked to listen to Jesus Christ Superstar music. So I opened up my slacker radio account, typed in "Jesus Christ Superstar" and a few clicks later, we have a new most beloved station.

If I could send a great big THANK YOU to the creator of the secret slacker formula for customizable radio stations, I would. Because, this time they really nailed it.

Our new station plays our favorite movie soundtracks (JCS, Mary Poppins, Star Wars, Hook), soothing orchestral Mozart, forgotten treasures like Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, covers by the Glee cast and a dash of traditional celtic music. Jo, our budding musician, calls out the instrument she hears - drums! violin! flute! trumpet! tuba!
And, more often than not, we all break out in song and dance.

p.s. Thankyouverymuch Uncle Adam! We are thoroughly enjoying our month of slacker radio plus - commercial free and unlimited skips (farewell, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion).

A late night quip

2011-05-01T22:42:00.002-05:00

CoCo got out of bed at 10:30pm with an urgent message:
Mom, can we save food for the poor people?

Yes, I said.

OK, good. Sharing is caring.

Today was a good day

2011-04-29T18:00:00.015-05:00

I got to sleep in until 8am this morning.

Matt fed the girls breakfast (at the crack of dawn, because they were STARVING) and got them (appropriately) dressed.

Blue sky and SUNSHINE.

Open windows let in a gentle 60 degree breeze and birdsong.

Thermal winter wear collected and stashed in the basement.

Weeded out the tops and bottoms that are getting too snug/short on the girls and put them in labeled storage bins in the basement.

Packed a picnic lunch, rode the bugline trail to the end and spread our picnic blanket on the lush green grass at the fireman's park.

Jo and CoCo climbed, darted and squealed with delight as they played freeze tag, hide-n-seek and explored this new-to-us playground with a dozen other "new friends."

On the return bike ride we made a couple stops: Fed horses handfuls of long green grass. Used the pit toilets at another park. Counted two friendly goats and four not-so-friendly llamas at a farm.

Slurped on red, purple and orange Popsicles in our backyard.

A neighbor interrupted Matt painting our house to say, "Thank You for all the good work you are doing."

And, because of three people who love me, I have these to look at all day:

Jesus is the light of the world

2011-04-25T09:51:00.020-05:00

Knowing that our vivacious and charismatic pastor is retiring in June, we opted to try taking the girls with us to Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday night. According to Fr. Art, the Easter Vigil is, "where it all happens."

Saturday morning we met up with cousin Allie for a couple hours at the zoo. It was a special Easter-theme day at the zoo, but we didn't end up taking part in any of the special activities (we have an aversion to crowds doing papery crafts). And, for some unknown reason Jo can't stand the thought of having her face painted. So we made a beeline to the Oceans of Fun outdoor theater for the sea lion show instead.

The highlight of the zoo trip was at monkey island: a 2 yr old girl named Trinity held out her hand to CoCo and they were instantly BFFs for the next 20 minutes. They went up and down steps and played Ring Around the Rosie, never letting go of the other's hand. Just too cute.

By 1130am we had already plowed through the granola bars and pretzels and our tummies were rumbling. The sun had come out for the first time in days (weeks?) and there were suddenly swarms of people in every direction (yes, i'm exaggerating). We managed to get in the obligatory carousel ride before heading back to our car. We treated ourselves to burgers/fries/custard at Kopps (thanks for the giftcard Uncle Andrew) and then headed back home.

Miraculously, both girls took naps on Saturday afternoon. Matt stayed home with them and I got to go for a stroller-free run (perhaps even more miraculous).

7pm rolled around. We got dressed in our Easter best and arrived at church 15 minutes early (that NEVER happens). At the church entrance we picked up small white candles. The church was dark and we took a seat in a second-row-pew. I've found if we sit close enough for the girls to actually see what's going on, they are more likely to pay attention to the prayers/readings/songs and less likely to mis-behave. In theory, anyway.

However, CoCo has been in a loud, non-stop motor-mouth mode for the past week or so. And, now we were sitting in a dark church and holding candles. They weren't lit yet, but that didn't stop CoCo from clamoring, "Can I blow out my candle now?" 562 times. I used the downtime before mass to explain (in hushed tones) the dangers of fire - its hot and it burns. I told the girls how imporant it is to keep a lit candle straight upright and away from your face.

For the beginning of mass, we all gathered outside. Fr. Art lit a roaring fire, blessed it and then lit the new Easter Candle. In my head I was praying that we wouldn't start lighting all our individual candles and then process back into church. I had visions of hot wax spilling on skin and hair/clothes getting set ablaze (because my stubborn and highly independent girls insist on holding their candles all by themselves). Someone else must have thought of that, because Fr. Art instructed us return to our seats inside the church, still holding our unlit candles.

We sat in near darkness (only the Easter Candle was lit) as we listened to the first 3 or 4 readings. By that time, CoCo had snapped her candle in two from pulling it out and pushing it back into the plastic candle holder. I gave her mine.

Then, the lighting ceremony began. First, one small candle was lit from the Easter Candle, which in turn lit other individual candles, subsequently spreading the candlelight throughout the whole church.

As soon as CoCo's candle was lit she wanted to blow it out. I let her. But then, she realized everyone else still had their candles lit. Jo offered her candle so we could re-light CoCo's. Thankfully, it did not turn into a game of lighting and blowing out candles. Instead, CoCo stood still, carefully held her candle straight up, away from her face, and declared:

"Jesus is the light of the world."

A Double Decker Anniversary Cake

2011-04-20T18:40:00.004-05:00

Turns out I can bake a double decker cake (frosting included) all from scratch. Its my very first attempt, and I have only sampled the cream cheese frosting (which was spread on a not quite completely cool cake), but I'd say it looks like a success.
My Papa always said chocolate cake should age, so I baked it a day ahead of schedule.
Tomorrow is our fifth wedding anniversary. If you'd like to try a slice of the Double Decker Chocolate Anniversary Cake, come on over.

Bake Bake Bake

2011-04-19T21:42:00.005-05:00

Winter has returned with a vengeance this week.
Grey Skies. Frigid Wind. Sleet. Snow.
Bah-Hum-Bug.

Rather than wallow in self-pity for the apparent abduction of Spring, I replenished our butter/sugar/flour/choc. chips supplies and set to work baking. Cherry choc. chip banana bread. Toffee turtle bars. Fun-fetti cupcakes with pink frosting. Cinnamon coffee cake.

Despite the abundance of freshly baked goods, I had to resort to a long soak in hot bath and a steaming cup of cocoa to take the damp chill out of my body. (Thank goodness for Veggie Tales)

Come on out Mr. Golden Sun. Pretty PLEASE! We miss you.

Before & After Jo's 4k Spring Concert

2011-04-16T08:51:00.016-05:00

Yesterday was an event-filled day.
At 7:30am a crew of dump trucks and diggers arrived to take down the cracked, falling and unsightly concrete retaining walls in front of our house.
See "Before Pictures" below:

Then, GG, G&GM, Pop Pop, Auntie Leah, Matt, Cokes and myself met at Jo's school for her Spring "Music & Muffins" show. Watch Jo in action below:

And by 2pm, the work crew had taken down the walls, steps and walkway to the front door, hauled all the debris away, created a more manageable slope, and swept the driveway clean. I can't even begin to tell you what a dramatic difference it has made:

Tuesday a Tree Guy is coming to remove several problem trees (including the two large trees in the photos above.) We'll be making up a plan of tiered flower beds, new steps and walkway to the front door with the help of a local landscape architect. I'm happy to report that my free time will be spent paging through perennial catalogs.

excuse me

2011-04-14T11:52:00.005-05:00

As we sat down to lunch today Coryn told me,
"I miss our little brick house. Can we go back there?"

I tried to explain that this is our new home and there is a new family who lives at our old house. That didn't phase her.

"We go over there and say, excuse me, it's our turn now."

Coryn clownin around

2011-04-12T20:16:00.004-05:00

Auntie Leah taught Cokes how to do the happy/sad face trick during our Florida vacation. I'm not sure why it took until tonight to get it on video, but you can see what a proud little clown she is.

i HEART the Bugline

2011-04-11T22:27:00.006-05:00

Sunday was sunny! AND 85 degrees!
The perfect day to get my bike off the stationary converter stand and hitch it up to the bike trailer. We wore hats and sunglasses, shorts and t-shirts.
I'd been telling Jo and CoCo about the bike trail by our new house and Sunday was the day to take our first bikeride on The Bugline.

The Bugline used to be an old railroad line, but is now a 14 mile off-road, gravel recreational trail. Mile 8 of the trail is just about a stone's throw from our house.

Jo decided we should head northeast, following a creek and over a railroad to Menomonee Park. Despite my indoor "spring training," pulling both the girls in the trailer over the rolling hills was quite the workout. All three of us were sweaty and parched when we arrived at the 16-acre quarry lake nestled in the middle of the 470 acre county park.

Before the girls started digging in the sand, we re-hydrated ourselves and nibbled on some crackers. "Eagle Eye" Jo spotted a loon (she knew it was a loon and not a duck or some other bird) and two geese wading and diving for fish.

I failed to pack the sand toys, but Jo found a yellow shovel that had been left behind by a previous beach-goer. The girls dug in the sand, collected pebbles, formed wet sand into cakes and ice cream sundaes.

We could have stayed all afternoon, IF the bathrooms were open. But they were not. And maybe that's why we had the whole entire beach to ourselves on a sunny and unseasonably hot April Sunday.

Did I mention I'm an eager beaver when it comes to spending time outdoors?

Watching The Huxtables is my guilty pleasure

2011-04-04T20:58:00.012-05:00

Good news on the homefront: I've gotten back into a regular (almost daily!) exercise routine. Making time for exercise has been a serious challenge for me since becoming a mom. Most days are a success if I manage to take a shower.

When I do make time to fit in a workout, I always feel refreshed, less stressed and so gratified afterward. The problem is I'm just not a gym girl.

I love being in the outdoors - walking, hiking, jogging, biking, heck even raking leaves! But alas, I live in Wisconsin where its frigid and icy and windy 5 months of the year. Which means I take on a bear persona in the winter, staying inside and hibernating. Any freetime for myself is spent idly, sipping cocoa and reading novels in front of a crackling fire.

But now its April! Spring is in the air! I'm an eager beaver, ready to mulch the yard and prep for planting a vegetable garden. And then it rains and hails and storms for days on end. I'm stuck inside.

So, time for plan B. As much as I dislike exercising inside (so boring), at least it gets my blood moving. So, for the past 10 days I've been working up a sweat riding my bike (set up on a stationary converter) for 45+ min, and I've got Bill Cosby to thank.

When I was a kid, The Cosby Show was one of my favorite tv programs. Dr. Huxtable always made me laugh - especially with his outrageous antics with his kids.

Not long ago I was browsing on Netflix and noticed that ALL EIGHT seasons of The Cosby Show are available on instant-watch. I'm only half-way thru the first season and I'm already hooked.

The family dynamics are laugh-out-loud-funny, but also relatable.
What to do when Rudy's goldfish dies? - hold a family funeral! How to deal with bad dreams, sibling strife, homework, dating, music lessons, family vacations - The Huxtables are up to the challenge. For me, Cliff and Claire Huxtable are model parents, working together to raise their five children. They set boundaries, build trust, foster responsibility and mutual respect, but always magnified thru love and of course, humor.

And yes, I realize its a sit-com, with completely fabricated episodes and just-too-perfect-endings. But, it lifts my spirits AND makes working out indoors a breeze.
How's that for a guilty pleasure?

Quotes by Cokes (Post #400!)

2011-03-30T13:16:00.008-05:00

To commemorate our 400th post, I'll share some of CoCo's quotable quotes:

What do you like, mom? (waitress Cokes taking my food and drink order)

Just a minute, I'm texting on my ipod. (she's one popular two yr. old pretending a refrigerator magnet is an ipod)

I have boy voice. (reminds me of a certain auntie who had a husky childhood voice)

My eyes won't close. (#1 excuse for not going to bed)

I dream about Jerry Lewis. He too funny. (maybe we should cut back on watching this.)

This is my sassy dress. (thanks Aunt Peggy!)

Cracking down on one very bad habit

2011-03-28T13:34:00.014-05:00

I'm in the doghouse.

Last Thursday Jo had a dental appointment. Not only was the dentist baffled when she read Jo's chart and saw it had been 19 months since her last visit (oops), she was appalled AND outraged that Jo is still sucking her thumb. The dentist harshly reminded me that sucking thumbs/fingers/pacifers should cease at age two. (YIKES!)

Jo is four-and-a-half.

The dentist went on to show me how Jo's teeth don't meet when she bites down. Her upper teeth are pushed out so there is a plainly visible gap. In addition to corrective orthodontics, Jo could also face speech problems from "tongue thrusting."

I left the dentist office feeling like a negligent mother. I resolved to crack down on breaking the thumb sucking habit in our house.

I'm not sure why this came as such a surprise and shock. If I saw a 4 yr old sucking on a pacifier I would pass judgement on the parents. Pacifiers are for infants! Stop babying your kid!

And now, I wish my girls had used pacifiers. Because, then I could simply take it away and be done. That's right, I've got avid thumb sucker, times TWO.

Unlike pacifiers, thumb-sucking presents a different challenge, as they are always readily available and are an essential appendage to the human body.

Both girls suck their thumbs to fall asleep, which was already common knowlege. But now that we are enforcing the Thumbs Out Policy, I've realized that they pop their thumb in when they are bored/pouty/thirsty/sad/angry/riding in the car/trying to stay quiet + still at church.

This means I'm barking, "Thumb Out!" every 5 seconds.
Not really, but it feels like it.

During the day its not so bad. I've become the master of distraction, offering some kind of activity that keeps their hands busy. Hold the book and help me turn the page! Let's cut paper! Let's bake! Let's dance! Let's color! Let's fold and put away the laundry!

But sometimes we are all worn out.
And Jo whines, "I can't do it, Mom! My mouth is BEGGING for my thumb!!!"

Jesus Christ Superstar, rock opera & Lenten ritual

2011-03-26T08:08:00.008-05:00

Wednesday morning, Jo woke up and asked to watch "Jesus Superstar, the one with all the girls dancing."
Several weeks back, while CoCo was in the midst of a 3-hour nap, I had shown Jo some snip-its of my favorite songs (What's the Buzz, Everything's Alright, Simon Zealotes) on youtube.

Unfortunately, we don't own this most beloved rock opera, but I tell her I'll look for it at the library. After Jo gets on the school bus, CoCo and I walk over to the library. CoCo plants herself in the children's play area and I go look for Jesus Christ Superstar. I find it and we check it out, along with a great big stack of children's books. As we walk home, Coryn points out the brown birds with the bulging red bellies waddling on the neighbor's lawn. Pregnant robins, a sure sign of spring.

YaYa comes over for lunch. It takes Jo roughly 138 minutes to finish her one-half of peanut butter sandwich. (I should sign her up for the slowest eater on the planet contest because I have no doubt she would win.) Anyway, after lunch we settle onto the couch to watch Jesus Christ Superstar. Instantly, I have flashbacks of sitting in the living room in my aunt and uncle's house and watching JCS with my siblings and cousins. It was our unofficial Lenten ritual.

Watching a movie with my girls isn't the most passive activity. In fact, its quite interactive. Jo loves singing and dancing and tries to sing along (with YaYa) and mimic the dancers. CoCo is inquisitive and keeps asking "Why?" - Why is Jesus happy/sad/mad? Why doesn't Judas like Mary?
YaYa and I do our best to answer/explain what is going on.
And then, Jo jumps in, saying, "Cokes, Jesus has to die on the cross to save the people."

Three especially special visitors

2011-03-22T20:16:00.011-05:00

Last week was extra special. Two of my friends from college came to Milwaukee. They brought their cute-as-a-button 5-month old daughter along, too. Best of all, they agreed to stay at our house. There was one small hang-up. Wednesday morning Jo immediately recognized the calliber of our guests, began mock-coughing, and tried the "I'm too sick to go to school" line. Of course I made her go.

We took advantage of the warm weather and joined our friends for an afternoon outing at the zoo. We gazed at the Big Cats (cheetah, lion, jaguar, tigers), gawked at one ENORMOUS hippo, and howled to wake up the wolves. And then, there were the giraffes. Turns out the giraffes at our zoo have trouble keeping their tongues in their mouths. We are talking about a very serious case of high-frequency licking. And for those of you who don't know, a giraffe's tongue is black (prevents sunburn), and when in use, can closely resemble a large black slug. See below:

CoCo was wearing pants when we went into the zoo. However, there was an incident in front of the prairie dogs rendering her pants un-wearable. And since I failed to bring a change of clothes, we left the zoo with a pant-less Cokes.
Documentation of such a memorable day was necessary. Notice that Sophia, perhaps due to her personal lack of hair, has a keen eye for curly locks. She tried to help herself to a fistful of Jo's.

And then there was St. Paddy's Day. Appropriately celebrated with Guinness for the adults and plenty of extra cheesey pizza for the whole gang.

B, R, & S: Thanks so much for visiting us and PRETTY PLEASE come back soon!

H-A-P-P-Y-! (exclamation point included)

2011-03-15T08:54:00.007-05:00

This week Matt taught Jo how to write her very first word (other than her name).
"Happy!"
And now I keep finding drawings and notes with HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY! all around the house.

That Florida sunshine does wonders for the soul.

Jet Lag and a healthy dose of kindness

2011-03-11T21:34:00.011-06:00

We left Florida Tuesday after dinner and drove thru the night. Theoretically, we drive at night so that the girls will sleep during a large chunk of the trip. We had been spoiled on the trip down with an uneventful and easy 18 hour drive with dry roads and no traffic.

On the trek back North the rain started in central Alabama and didn't stop until Chicago. Although the temps stayed well above 40 (no worry about freezing rain or ice), the rain was coming down in thick sheets. It took every ounce of concentration to see the road and stay in the proper lane. Fortunately we had three drivers (thank you Uncle Adam!) and were able to rotate every two hours. Still, I was dead tired when we got home mid-afternoon on Wednesday.

Fast-forward to Friday at 1:30pm. The girls and I had finished lunch and were ready to head to a 2pm music class at Mitchell Park. As I reached for the car keys, I suddenly realized we were stuck.

Matt's truck battery died while we were away and wouldn't take a charge (I guess sitting in frigid temps for two weeks drains a battery). He took Debbie Dodge (the minivan) to work Thursday and Friday. I must have had a bad case of "jet lag" because the thought of how we would get to music class without a car never even crossed my mind. Maybe I was thinking we were still at our old house in Brookfield where we could walk or bike there?

I called Matt to see if, by some miraculous stroke of luck, he was working nearby. He wasn't. But he suggested I ask a neighbor for a ride. I looked across the street and saw that a fellow stay-at-home-mom was indeed at home. However, there were three more cars parked in her driveway and I remembered her saying that her sister from Montana was coming for a visit.

I'm not usually one to spring a favor on someone at the last minute (unless they are related to me by blood or marriage), but I figured I could just ask. Worse case scenario, she would say, "No."

The girls and I walked across the street and rang the doorbell. My neighbor, Angie, answered. I explained our predicament and Angie ushered us inside. She introduced us to her family - mom, two sisters and a half dozen little nieces and nephews. Then everyone jumped up to move their cars out of the way and to get two carseats into Angie's car (her kids are carseat graduates). Eventhough they were all very nice and friendly, I was feeling uneasy for causing such a fuss.

As we drove the 8 miles to music class, Angie told me how they'd kept an eye on our house while we were on vacation. (On the morning before we left, Angie and I were outside waiting for the school bus with our kids and I had casually mentioned to her that we were going out of town.) Angie and her husband shoveled the driveway when it snowed and parked one of their cars in our driveway so it wouldn't look like no one was home. I was surprised and didn't know what to say. I managed a weak, "Thanks, Angie."

When Angie dropped us off, she offered to give us a ride back after class. I thanked Angie for her kindness and told her we'd catch a ride with one of Jo's friends from music class.

For as long as I can remember, I've been a fiercely independent person. And yes, I know I'm a bit of a control freak. But today I realized that its perfectly ok to ask for help. Tomorrow the girls and I plan to bake a special thank you treat to bring over to our neighbor's house. According to Jo, that's a kind thing to do.

We are Family

2011-03-10T10:36:00.010-06:00

In honor of Grammy's 50th birthday, we gathered as a clan on the Gulf of Mexico. This was a vacation to be remembered. Not only was there an abundance of sun and sand, but also ample love and laughter with grandparents, aunts and uncles to dote on three little ones.
We passed our days together building mammoth sand castles, collecting sea shells by the armfuls, taking bike rides to see the sunset, drinking bottomless pitchers of piña coladas, devouring homemade mole enchiladas, peeling and savoring pounds and pounds of fresh gulf shrimp, baking batches of apricot oatmeal cookies, and playing nightly rounds of Sequence.
I can't imagine a better way to celebrate mom's birthday.

Picnic on 'picnic island'

2011-03-02T15:12:00.022-06:00

Grammy packs sandwiches, apples, pretzels and icy cold water. PopPop hitches the ol Alumna-Craft boat to the Tahoe. We take a drive in-land. Matt helps PopPop launch the boat in Depot Creek.

The sky is crystal blue, the water is tea brown and smooth as glass. We help the girls secure their life jackets. Within minutes of our boatride into the bayou, PopPop points to an alligator sunning himself on a log. Nearly camouflaged by their natural habitat, we use our 'eagle eyes' to spot turtles, blue herons, and well over a dozen gators of all sizes (2 feet to 14 feet long).

Jo and Cokes eagerly try their hand at dipping the oars in the water and then take turns piloting the boat (with PopPop's oversight). Jo asks, "Can we go faster PopPop?" PopPop cranks the throttle and Matt keeps a hold on Cokes as she leans over the side of the boat to feel the water spraying up. According to PopPop's GPS, we travel 5 miles up the creek when we reach the open waters of Lake Wimico.

PopPop steers us to a tiny island right in the middle of the lake. As we pull up on the beach, a family of turtles plop into the water and a flock of black birds take flight. We spread a beach towel on the sand and unpack our lunch. We enjoy a picnic on our very own little island.

After lunch, CoCo digs for clams and pries them open with PopPop's leatherman. She pokes at the gooey creature inside the clam shells. Jo uses her finger to draw pictures in the sand. She draws a girl and assembles shells to make dangly earings for her.

Grammy calls to check in on us. Jo answers the phone (completely unprompted) saying, "Hello, Josephine's Appliance. How can I help you?" Jo tells Grammy that we are having a picnic on Picnic Island.

All I keep thinking, is how much an outing like this tops a day of simulated and artificial entertainment at a theme park. I must be a naturalist at heart. No wonder I always dreamed of being a park ranger.

Thanks PopPop, for such a memorable day together, navigating thru the Florida bayou.

Rewarding good behavior

2011-02-23T07:31:00.003-06:00

Yesterday afternoon BOTH girls took naps!
What a feat!
I get peaceful quiet time AND two little girls who are happy and fun to be around in the evening.

Truth be told, I rewarded (bribed) them.
My brother invited us to his place for dinner last night.
Just seeing their uncle is a special treat, but actually going over to his apartment is a monumental occasion.

So, before putting them down for their afternoon naps, I read them two stories (using my best character voices) and then said, "If you take a good rest, then we can go to Uncle Adam's apartment for dinner." That sealed the deal. They both slept for two hours.

Jo is on her best behavior when I offer rewards that are activities (playdate with a friend). CoCo is still trying to wrap her head around the concept of consequences, but she more dutifully behaves when there is an immediate, preferably edible reward (My Little Pony fruit snacks are a favorite).

It may come across that I'm bribing my kids to be good, but I like to think of it as Rewarding Good Behavior. And, BOY OH BOY, it sure beats yelling and screaming and fits of rage.

At the Top of my Favorite Things

2011-02-16T12:27:00.006-06:00

The maker of these cookies calls them "Chocolate Coconut Dips."
However, I would like to dub them:
Chewy Chocolatey Macaroons Sent From Heaven
There's a certain angel in my life who knows about my affinity for these cookies. She surprises me with them just when I could use a little guilty pleasure. And it doesn't get better than these:

A fascination with umbrellas

2011-02-15T21:14:00.008-06:00

It was 5 o'clock and well beyond the realm of appropriate afternoon naptime. I was on my own for dinner and bedtime duty (Matt went straight from work to a Marquette game tonight). None of us were feeling hunger pangs quite yet (filled up on Oakland Gyros, french fries, chocolate milk and decadent brownies at lunchtime - THANK YOU GG!). And I had an itch to get out of the house.

Its been "Spring-like" (meaning sunny and upper 30s) this week and I had been meaning to get the ol' bike stroller back into our regular routine. I dressed the girls in layers, plopped them in the bike stroller, piled fleece blankets on their laps and snapped the semi-water resistant cover in place.

We set off for the post office so I could mail a little birthday package to a friend in Portland. About a block from our house, I start feeling sporadic rain droplets. I push it out of my mind and imagine I'm walking thru Ireland on a misty Spring afternoon. (of course I didn't check the weather before leaving the house.)

We get to the post office in about 10 minutes. I drop my package in the blue drive-thru mailbox and suggest we circle back down Main St. and stop at the library. The girls are ELATED. Library = new movies to bring home.

As I park the bike stroller outside the library, I kinda realize the rain is picking up, but still it doesn't really register. Which means, I left the bike stroller open to the elements with the cover flipped over the back, leaving the interior (blankets included) fully exposed.

The girls literally dash into the children's section full of joy. Immediately I realize this was a very good idea. We've been to this library maybe twice since we moved, making everything seem very new and exciting to them. There is a little play nook with puppets and a puppet stage and pink legos. The walls are painted with landscape scenes with rolling green hills and a fairy tale-esque castle. Tonight they decide to forgoe the play nook and head straight to the wall of DVDs. After 10 minutes of browsing, Jo decides on My Little Pony and CoCo grabs Tinkerbell.

Now its time to look for books. (Secretly, this is MY favorite part of going to the library.) If I hadn't set a time limit, I'm fairly certain the three of us could have camped out at the library for the night, paging thru book after book after book.

But, I remember that none of us has eaten dinner and we should probably head back home before one us of becomes irritable from lack of nourishment. We exit the library as three happy ladies, with a big stack of new books to read, plus two dvds.

And then there was RAIN. As in full-on rainy rain storm. Jo (always the dramatic one) almost loses it when she sees I neglected the bike stroller and now everything is SOAKING wet - the blankets, the hats and mittens we left, the seat, the plastic "windows". And since CoCo is a little copy-cat, she is repeating the exact same things Jo is saying and is mock-upset about all the wet EVERYWHERE. And the rain shows no sign of letting up.

I am able to calm them down by reminding them that rainy days means hot cocoa drinking and movie watching. I make a deal: if they are quiet and sit still during the ride home, we can watch one of the new dvds and drink hot cocoa after dinner. Jo is almost angelic - not a peep or a wiggle the whole way home. CoCo forgets every few mintues and tries to break into song, until I remind her about our deal. I walk as briskly as I can while blinking back the icy rain drops that pelt my face. We make it home in record time. As we pull into the driveway, Jo comes to life and exclaims, "We need an umbrella! I'll get it!" Jo races inside and comes out with a giant blue umbrella.

The funny thing is, we have an odd collection (meaning more than a few) of umbrellas - a couple compact ones stashed in the cars, some tallish ones in the back of closets, and MORE hanging on hooks next to the door. And yet, I am one of the last people to actually use an umbrella. I always tell myself, its hardly drizzling, no need for an umbrella, or its a short walk to wherever i'm going inside, i'll jog to dodge the raindrops. Like its a real bother to use an umbrella.

But my kids, they are completely fascinated by umbrellas. If there is a gray cloud in the sky, Jo's already dressed in her raincoat, rainboots, and oh so eager to USE AN UMBRELLA! When we are driving, Jo instantly notices when I turn the windshield wipers on, and she calls out, "Mom, we need our umbrella!" And CoCo, she'll play with an umbrella, opening it and closing it and twirling it, inside the house - no cloud cover required.

Well, needless to say, I burst Jo's bubble tonight. When she came out with the big blue umbrella, I explained that we were already home and didn't need one anymore. In my defense, it was 7pm (dark out), I was soaked to the bone, and in need of that cup of cocoa ASAP.

We went in, peeled off our wet clothes, made three cups of cocoa and toasted fresh baked italian bread for PB&J sandwiches. After dinner, the girls dutifully washed up, brushed their teeth, changed into their pjs and watched one episode of My Little Pony. I tucked them into their beds, wished them 'sweet dreams' and haven't heard a sound since.

Now that I've filled you in on our day, I'm going to snuggle into my bed with a book I'm dying to finish: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.

Parenting 101: Love & Logic

2011-02-10T06:36:00.014-06:00

A few weeks ago Jo came home with a flyer in her backpack. The local school district was offering a 3-session parenting class called Love & Logic. I signed up that night.

Last night was the first session.
The premise of the class is to teach parents how to raise loving, responsible, respectful, problem-solving children.

How?

By letting your child be. (They are more capable than you think!)
By letting him/her fail.
By assigning age-appropriate tasks.
By setting consequences for inappropriate behavior. (Find something they like and take it away)
By having them learn from their mistakes through ACTION, not by lecturing them.

And what happens when your child fails?

Immediately show empathy (I'm sorry this happened) and then follow through on the consequence. (NO LECTURE REQUIRED)
Re-assign the same task again and again, until they have mastered it.
And, above all, BE CONSISTENT!

Clearly, there are exceptions to the rule. If your child's safety is in danger, you step in as the parent and lay down the law. (IE: shorts and a t-shirt are not acceptable attire when its wintertime in Wisconsin)

As could be expected, the group of 30 or so parents were cautious at first. The instructor put us at ease by sharing tales of her stubborn demon child at age 3 - high pitched screamer in the car, wouldn't stay in her room for time out, refused to eat dinner and then would BEG for a snack before bed (just a banana or a cup a milk, come on its healthy mom!!). Pretty soon hands were being raised and people were asking how to handle their own problem children.

Speaking of problem children, did you know Coryn is a champion tantrum thrower? She's so good at trying to wiggle out of a timeout or bedtime that she's not only throwing a loud, out of control fit, she actually makes herself throw-up. Gross AND scary, I know. And this wasn't just a one time deal.

Well, I raised my hand and asked the instructor about my pukey tantrum two-and-a-half year old. Turns out her nephew did the same thing at that age. He was doing it just to get the loving reaction (hugs and back rubs) that is completely natural when your child pukes. If that's that case with CoCo, I am supposed to quickly clean up the puke, say, "I'm sorry you made yourself sick" and WALK AWAY.

Here's the catch: that may not work.
There's a chance that Coryn is working herself up so much during the tantrum that she pukes because she doesn't know how to calm herself down. If THAT'S the case I will need to teach her calming techniques, like deep breathing. The instructor told me to watch Coryn carefully while she's throwing a tantrum to see which is the case. That's my homework.

That's Amore - sung by CoCo

2011-02-07T13:10:00.002-06:00

A poke from Mr. Burke

2011-02-05T05:30:00.014-06:00

Got an email this week from the Burke Scholarship Program.
For those of you who are not familiar, Dick Burke (of Trek Bicycle) founded a scholarship program at Marquette University for students who exemplified leadership and a commitment to community service (volunteer). Somehow (HOW?!?) I was chosen. And much of my college experience was closely intertwined with relationships made and sustained through various community service projects.

Anyway, back to that email. So, the Burke program was fully funded through 2010 and is now up for renewal. What better way to ask for continued funding, by making a report that recounts memories of the scholars during their formitive college days and THEN tells all the great things the program graduates are up to now, right?

Hmmm...considering the fact that my days since graduation have largely consisted of securing housing, healthcare and food for my own little family, I was overcome with a feeling of guilt. Clearly my life has been more self-serving than serving others. Well, I decided to give it my best shot and this is what I emailed back to the program assistant:

Relationships. Building relationships with fellow Marquette students, faculty and members of the communities where I served. Those relationships are the most memorable aspect of being a Burke Scholar. I remember weekly Midnight Run meetings with the very energetic coordinating team, and weekly intercambio tutoring sessions with Fernando Luis, a Mexican immigrant who wanted to improve his English but who was seeking companionship as well. I remember meeting Sr. Maria Rosa Leggol and being introduced to her faithful passion for providing hope, love, health, education and joy to orphans in Honduras. I have always been a sucker for a good story, and Sr. Maria Rosa’s life story is simply remarkable. John Allen Jr. from the National Catholic Reporter wrote about Sr Maria’s life here:
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/sr-maria-rosa-leggol-nobody-gave-me-job-i-made-it

For the past five years I have been focused on more personal relationships, particularly with my husband and our two young children. We made a conscious decision to live simply. I have been able to stay home and raise our daughters while my husband runs his own house painting business.
This past December, we bought a home in Sussex and I quit my part-time job (of 4.5 years) as an apartment manager. Being a full-time stay-at-home-mom has its rewards and challenges. Yet, I take pride is this most important work. I marvel at my daughters’ curiosity and desire to learn and understand the world we live in. I strive to be a caring and considerate role model, as a mother, a wife, a neighbor. As my girls are growing up, I am realizing how basic and essential good parenting is for a child’s development. This personal discovery may become the start of a new career for me, a few years down the road. I find joy in raising children and would sincerely like to learn more about child development and parenting. Then, I will be prepared to reach out to parents who are struggling, teach parenting skills to others, and start building relationships again.

Hit by a BLIZZARD

2011-02-02T13:42:00.006-06:00

Its after two o'clock in the afternoon and I'm still in my pjs. My muscles are sore from shoveling the driveway yesterday. This morning I looked out the window and laughed at the 7 foot drifts. Matt made waffles, washed all the dishes, scrubbed the floor and vacuumed. The girls wanted to paint. They started out with brushes but quickly resorted to finger painting. I threw in a load of laundry...3 hours ago.
BUT, I did manage to take a couple photos of the girls in action.

Little Miss Independent

2011-02-01T18:31:00.003-06:00

Coryn's favorite anthem these days: "I'm not a baby, I'm a big girl!"
She proudly spells her name: "C-O-C-O! CoCo!" and tries very hard to write it.
She wants to sit on the regular chair at the kitchen table (no booster!).
One of her favorite activities is brushing her teeth, all by myself!
And best yet, she demands to wear underpants, use the potty and wash her hands - just like JoJo!

Our little negotiator

2011-01-30T08:54:00.008-06:00

It was Friday afternoon and we were downstairs pulling on all the girls' snow gear.

Out of the blue, Jo pleads, Mom, I wish we had a St. Bernard dog.

I calmly reply, I'm not sure that's a good idea. That's a really BIG dog. With a LOT of hair and slobber.

Without a moment's hesitation Jo declares,
Okay, I'll just have a cat instead. And she can live outside.

Twenty-seven years young

2011-01-25T21:31:00.008-06:00

Its Birthday Week times two at our house.
Today for me.
Thursday is a GOLDEN birthday for Matt.

Ever hear the one about the husband and wife who met at birth?
It goes something like this:

A devoted wife, mother of one toddler, and aspiring nurse-to-be, was 10 months pregnant (yes, I mean 10 months). She figured that baby of hers was getting a bit too comfortable inside her womb, so she and her husband went to St. Joseph's Hospital on Jan. 23rd to be induced. Unfortunately for her, there was not a single empty bed. The labor and delivery department had its hands full with women who were already in actual labor. The staff told her to come back on Jan.25 - TWO FULL DAYS later. My mother was not very happy about this. Nevertheless, she obliged, and I was able to "cook" two more days. January 25th arrived, my mother was induced and I was born: a healthy baby girl!

But the story doesn't end there.

While mother rested and baby girl got used to her new big, bright, noisy world, in the very next room there happened to be another devoted wife, mother of a toddler who had just given birth to her second son. Matt was born at St. Joseph's Hospital on Jan.27th.

A day and a half apart, Matt and I were born in the same hospital. Wheneven people ask how we met, I reply, "Oh, you know. We met in the hospital nursery."

And here we are, 27 years later. Married, raising two darling daughters in our very own home. Happy GOLDEN Birthday, to my best friend and soulmate.

did Jesus have siblings?

2011-01-20T08:13:00.003-06:00

For some unknown reason the above question popped into my head last night.
Well, maybe not so unknown. I have been trying to count my blessings this week and realized that I am so thankful my girls have each other.

I'm not saying they never fight. BUT I will say, as of this moment, they are each other's best friend. (and you do fight with your best friend, from time to time.)

When I look back on my childhood, I realize how much fun and how much easier my life was simply due to the fact that I had three siblings to play with, plan adventures with, learn from, love and be loved. To this day, I consider my sister and two brothers to be three of the most important people in my life.

So Thanks, Mom and Dad. Thank you for giving me three siblings.

MLK according to 4-yr old Jo

2011-01-17T21:17:00.007-06:00

Jo came home from 4k today with a rainbow DREAM sticker on her dress.
For a change, she was eager to tell me what she did at school.

Jo: We learned about Martin Luther King.
Me: What did you learn about him?
Jo: He was a man who wants everyone to be nice and kind and all together. Then he died and they had to bury him.
Me: Yes, you are right.

After this lesson on MLK, Jo brought out a pair of white mittens (made with two pieces of paper sewn together with yarn). She made them at school last week, but forgot to bring them home until today. Then Jo took on the character of Nicki (a boy who drops one of his snow-white mittens while playing outside) and re-told the story of The Mitten by Jan Brett, a Ukranian folktale.

Jo sang (to the tune of Farmer In the Dell):
The mitten is on the ground; the mitten is on the ground
Heigh-ho, its cold outside,
The mitten is on the ground.
The Mole snuggles in,
The Mole snuggles in,
Heigh-ho its cold outside!
The mitten is on the ground.

She sang several verses of this song (for the rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox, bear and mouse). CoCo helped pull out each of the animals right on cue and Jo snuggled them into her paper mitten. When the mouse tries to snuggle in, his whiskers tickle the bear's nose. The bear sneezes and all the animals fly out of the mitten. Then Nicki finds his mitten and proudly shows his grandma that he didn't lose his mittens in the snow.

After shoveling out the driveway (which requires tossing the snow up and over towering retaining walls), I'm ready to snuggle in for the night.

powder snow

2011-01-14T14:44:00.003-06:00

Its January.
Time to pull out those cross country skis, poles and boots we picked up at the church rummage, and head to a state park. Despite the fact that we have 4 inches of powdery snow in our backyard, I'm crossing my fingers the groomed trails are decent-ish (not too icy/bare/rocky/twiggy). According to the online condition reports that I've been obessively checking all week, the ski trails are currently rated "fair to poor." Still, I'm keeping a positive attitude because I will get to spend the afternoon in the woods with three of my favorite people. I cannot wait.

Class of 2024

2011-01-06T22:02:00.000-06:00

Tales from the school bus, vol. 1

2011-01-05T16:41:00.009-06:00

Fresh off the school bus this afternoon, Jo had quite a story to tell:

Jo: A girl on the bus was crying!
Me: Why?
Jo: She was choking on a quarter. (Jo makes mock choking motions and sounds)
Me: What happened?
Jo: She swallowed it! And was crying and crying!
Me: That's not good.
Jo: It was ok because the bus driver called her up to the front and wiped her tears. The bus driver said the quarter would come out in her poop.

When Jo was re-telling the story later, she said there was a boy involved who shoved the penny (not a quarter) into the girls mouth.

If any version of this story is remotely true, I hope it was a dime and not a quarter. I am hypersensitive to Jo's pint-size frame compared to her school bus companions, suddenly 5- to 12-year old ogres. I better start looking into that Catholic school ASAP.

Considering how animated Jo was telling this school bus tale, I am praying she is a budding novelist/actress...

Regardless, after Jo told me this story I proceeded to lecture her on how dirty money is and how one should NEVER, EVER put coins in one's mouth.
Five minutes later, I realized those gold foil wrapped coin chocolates in the pantry could present a problem. This calls for an urgent visit from a certain auntie for proper chocolate disposal.

What a champ!

2011-01-04T13:49:00.009-06:00

Yesterday was Jo's first day at her new school - 5 day a week, morning 4k.
For her first day I drove her there, walked her in to meet her teacher and helped her find her locker (goodbye cubbies, hello lockers!) I also picked her up at the end of the day.

Today, we agreed she could try taking the bus. Her teacher fastened a red label on her backpack to ensure she would make her transfer. That's right, my four year old daughter is not only riding a bus solo, but getting off one bus and transfering to a second bus!
This morning Jo woke me up 30 min early to make sure she didn't miss her school bus debut. You could say she was just a little excited:

And there she is, stepping off the school bus like this is what she was born to do. I'm amazed and SO PROUD. Then again, I am her mother.

Introducing Chuck E Cheese

2011-01-02T09:50:00.008-06:00

Thanks to a Christmas giftcard from Uncle Marc, Aunt Anne and cousin Noah, our New Years Eve was saved!
Jo has been begging to go to Chuck E Cheese for MONTHS and we decided to make a family outing to the children's playland on New Years Eve. It was Jo and CoCo's first ever Chuck E Cheese experience.
We munched on pizza (cheese and sausage) while Chuck sang and danced on stage. Then it was time to use those golden tokens:

By the end of the night, we had 120 tickets to cash in for prizes. This amounted to: 4 mini tootsie roll pops and a handful of tootsie rolls.
We returned home at 7pm, snuggled on the couch and got lost in the world of Pippi Longstocking.

Holiday Stay-cation

2010-12-30T20:51:00.002-06:00

The four of us got one nasty bug and have been holed up since Christmas. Despite the chapped cheeks, itchy throats, drippy noses and coughing fits, it hasn't been all that bad.
Of all the places one could be sick, home is at the top of my list. Preferably snuggled under blankets, drinking cup after cup of tea and wearing my pjs all day long. I did make a real effort to de-germify - new tooth brushes and freshly washed sheets. I'm hoping we are on the upswing. Maybe, just maybe, we'll ring in 2011 tomorrow night, free of sinus congestion and with plenty of good cheer.

Uncle Adam to the Family Photo Rescue....

2010-12-25T10:29:00.002-06:00

Well you can't fault us for trying - Uncle Adam did have a quick finger to catch us in action - these are us being Normal- by the by.

Christmas Elves - or Whos from Whoville.

2010-12-25T10:24:00.003-06:00

Hope everyone in Internetville has a wonderful Christmas. May it be filled with joy and remind you of all the blessings you have been given this year!

Here is a Merry Christmas photo from Whoville - Sussex.

Do you hear what I hear?

2010-12-23T19:03:00.011-06:00

Jingle bells jangling.
Sleigh bells tinkling.
Church bells clanging.

As we were baking a round of Christmas cookies this afternoon, Aunt Marta shared a story from her childhood that resonated with me.
I will do my best to recount her family's Christmas Eve tradition:

On Christmas Eve, my family would all gather at Grandma and Grandpa's house. After dinner, the children would be ushered into the kitchen to eat cookies. All at once, we would hear bells ringing. And then, we knew.

Angels had come! And left gifts!

Grandma would say, "If you look out the window, you might see an angel flying up into the night sky."

How simple. How magical. A visit from angels.

I have never been big on Santa. Even now, with two little girls at home, the thought of taking Jo and CoCo to sit on Santa's lap feels plain unnatural.

Christmas is Christ's birthday.
I've toyed around with the idea of baking a birthday cake for Jesus. We could light candles and sing "Happy Birthday, Jesus." Yet, somehow such a regular birthday custom doesn't seem fitting for Jesus Christ.

But a visit from angels? Now, that has a nice ring to it.

Finding a new rhythm

2010-12-20T23:55:00.007-06:00

Eventhough I've technically been a stay-at-home-mom since Jo was born, I'm beginning to understand and enjoy this role more and more each day.
Since moving to our new house I've been able to focus on my family. To be a better wife for Matt, and a better mom for Jo and CoCo.

A few weeks ago I turned in my master keys and leasing cell phone for the apartments that I (use to) manage.

Jo is THRILLED that I no longer have to "go work at the apartments."
My "work" was mostly from home: fielding calls from current residents, prospective residents, and setting up appointments for showings, deliveries, repairs, and inspections. Then there was the weekly cleaning of the common areas. The cleaning itself never really bothered me (full disclosure - sometimes my mop and ipod was the perfect escape from the whiney pint-sized monsters at home.) But trying to arrange a time for someone else to watch the girls so I could dash off to do the cleaning was more stressful than it should have been.

Oh, there's one more thing - I have a newfound sense of FREEDOM! The apartment manager gig was an amazing financial savings for our family (I got to stay at home with our girls these past 4.5 years, during which we never paid a dime of rent.) The catch, you ask? We were PERPETUALLY on-call, 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. Whenever we wanted to be "away" for 24 hours or more, we had to request vacation and find someone else to take over emergency contact duties. I.Do.Not.Miss.This.

Be that as it may, I am prepared to make some pretty serious new-years/new-home/new-full-time mom resolutions. I'll give you one little sneak preview: 1. I resolve to not only open up my cookbooks, but to USE them to plan home-cooked family meals, at least once a week.

we'll be home for Christmas

2010-12-17T14:47:00.011-06:00

We've been in our new house just shy of two weeks now. Almost immediately this house felt like HOME.
Last weekend, rather than attack the pile of boxes in the basement that need sorting and organizing, we brought home a full size fraser fir to decorate, hung Jo and CoCo's stockings on the mantle and strung lights all around.
This week the girls and I got started with some Christmas baking - rolling out, cutting and decorating sugar cookies with GG. Christmas music in all its forms(instrumental/oldies/pop) is a constant soundtrack these days. CoCo loves singing (shouting) her favorite songs over and over and over - Rudolph, Frosty, Jingle Bells. Everytime we hear Feliz Navidad, Jo exclaims, "This is Uncle Adam's favorite!"

My, oh my, are we feeling MERRY.

Jo is so very inquisitive these days. She asks endless questions all day long:
"Is Baby Jesus still growing in Mother Mary's tummy?"
"Can I send Santa a Christmas card?"
"What is that grandma (elderly woman) doing at the post office?"
"Who is singing this song?" (She NEEDS to know the artist of every song.)

It has taken us a few years to figure this out, but we've sent our regrets to the hosts of Christmas Day parties near and far that we will not attend.
What we are most looking forward to this Christmas is a quiet, simple Christmas morn at our very own home. Just the four of us. Pancakes may make a guest appearance.

Making our own tradition

2010-11-24T17:55:00.012-06:00

This year we are foregoing the traditional roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy Thanksgiving meal. We booked a family vacation to Tampa instead. As much as we enjoy and appreciate typical family traditions, we are ready to make our own.

Today just might be the beginning of a new Glafcke Family tradition.

YaYa came today. It was a much anticipated visit, to say the least.
(Tomorrow we leave for Tampa. Two days after we return, we are moving into our new house. The tension in our generally calm abode has elevated just a bit.)

Jo and CoCo introduce YaYa to the world of sticky bendy strings and snuggle up to watch Veggie Tales Lord of the Beans while Mom dashes off to the apartments to do a very last minute and perhaps LAST TIME EVER cleaning of the common areas.

Three and half hours later, Mom walks home as the first snowflakes of the season fall.
We bundle up the girls and pile into Betty Buick for the short ride to Kopps.
Jo and CoCo decide on chocolate (in a dish, per Mom's orders), YaYa and Mom choose pecan praline pumpkin in a cone. We feast on our frozen custard and some hot, salty french fries. Its Divinely Delicious.
We remember Dad (always hard at work), and order a chocolate malt and burger with ketchup and pickles, to go.

Back home, Mom decides its a perfect night for a fire. Jo agrees, as long as we can roast marshmallows. CoCo thinks anything is a good idea and squeals with delight. We gather kindling and small logs from our stash downstairs and have a roaring fire in no time. While we wait for the flames to lower and the coals to glow, Mom brings out baby carrots to munch on. Jo eats exactly two. CoCo would have gobbled the entire bag if Mom did not take it away. We locate the skewers (thank goodness they weren't packed and already at the new house) and carefully roast our marshmallows over the coals. CoCo prefers raw marshmallows right out the bag, but Jo and Mom like theirs golden and crispy on the outside, melty on the inside.

We make several calls to Dad to try to lure him home early, to no avail.
We wash our sticky fingers, put on our PJs. Mom tucks the girls in their beds, sings our favorite lullabys and gives goodnight kisses. Indeed, what a GOOD night.

Meet Mr. Turkey Potato

2010-11-18T08:52:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was Dad Visit at preschool.

Dads were entertained by singing 4-year olds and assisted with making the daily craft - Mr. Turkey Potato. (Now proudly displayed on our mantle.)

Jo also answered some questions about dad and drew his portrait:

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T16:56:00.007-05:00

Dressed and ready to cheer on mom running the Lakefront Discovery 15k.

Look at that cute giraffe and monkey - could they be sisters?

Wild animals on the loose - and trying to scale large marble memorials.

Jo is quite proud of her fist carved pumpkin - she named her "Eva."

Jo asked mom to pose with "Eva" and her friends from sesame street.

wheelbarrel rides

2010-10-27T22:16:00.005-05:00

turns out photos from my phone actually load on blogger in lightning speed.
(if only making dinner was this easy)
here are a few shots of the girls playing in maple leaves and on the tire swing at grammy bb & pop pop's house:

i

A Glafcke Family First - Homeownership!

2010-10-27T21:13:00.003-05:00

Its been a whirlwind these past few weeks....but we are pleased to announce, we are officially homeowners! We found the fixer-upper we were dreaming of, in a quiet neighborhood, backing up to the village park, with three bedrooms, two baths, natural fireplace and a SUNROOM! We'll be putting in hours and hours (AND HOURS!) of work to make it our own, but we have hopes to be settled in by Christmas. Until then, helping hands are always welcome and much appreciated.

Northwoods visit

2010-10-18T22:35:00.004-05:00

Hooray for Clam Lake!

Cokes is trying to sneak a treat from the infamous ghost tin.

Mom desperately trying to get a photo without CoCo's thumb in her mouth.

Out enjoying the wilderness on a sunny autumn day.

"Oh, Christmas tree, Oh, Christmas tree"

And this is what happens when mom and dad try to read a page or two of their recreational books....Jo and CoCo sprout wings to entertain themselves.

Holy Hill Romp

2010-10-03T16:12:00.011-05:00

For some unknown reason, Matt and I are drawn to Holy Hill as soon as the leaves on the trees begin to blaze golden and burgandy.

Today we took a leisurely drive through the Wisconsin countryside with two cranky girls in the backseat. Jo is afflicted by fever/congestion/cough. CoCo is extra whiney thanks to the gradual debut of her 2 yr old molars. A walk in the woods and fresh autumn air are just what the doctor ordered.

Kindly leave all whining here. Oh, Rubbish!

"Guys, where are you going?" inquires CoCo, "Wait for me!"

Let's run down the hill!

Is Coryn trying to look angelic?

Or is she catching flies?

All this woodsy hiking makes us hungry. Time for lunch.

And you thought I was kidding

2010-09-22T21:51:00.004-05:00

Dance parties with the glafcke girls entails blaring Hanson and sometimes trying to coordinate to an actual music video.

Jo showcases air guitar and CoCo shakes the tambourine.

Our very own little St. Joan

2010-09-21T19:40:00.004-05:00

After a professional hair stylist did her best with CoCo's (lack of) hair, she now bears a strong resemblance to St. Joan of Arc.

All she needs is a suit of armor and a sword. Something tells me Dad will gladly help with that.

Jo's little people party

2010-09-20T22:46:00.003-05:00

Here are a few belated photos from Jo's friend party (way back on August. 25)

On Josephine's actual birthday, she had 5 friends come to the house for cheese pizza and cupcakes (per her request).

The pint-sized gang got a kick out of decorating their cupcakes and playing duck duck goose, not to mention cracking each other up with nonsensical knock-knock jokes that only preschoolers appreciate.

Remember when Big Sister thought it was a good idea to give Little Sister a haircut...

2010-09-20T16:07:00.006-05:00

Not sure if Jo is practicing to be a hair stylist or a mischevious little rascal, but when mom went to check on the two little girlies who promised to take a nap together, she found a fistful of golden locks on the rug and a mini Bon Jovi look-a-like.

We're talking ultra-short bangs, mullet-like layers framing the face and some major trimage around the back for good measure.

How did Jo smuggle the kitchen shears into their bedroom?

I keep telling myself, hair always grows back, right?

Birthday Picnic at Mitchell Park

2010-08-28T14:36:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Grammy BB for FANCY Mickey/Minnie and Elmo/Big Bird cakes.

Yes, this would be CoCo's 3rd birthday cake within a matter of days. Its no wonder that one of her favorite songs to sing is "Happy Birthday" and of course, afterward, pretending to blow out candles.

Jo blows out her candles like a pro.

Jo has a Scooby Doo fetish. Auntie Leah read every word of the card -- even using Scooby's voice.

Jo is commanding her captive audience to close their eyes until she has completely unwrapped her present - "no peeking Tessa!"

Escape to Crystal Falls!

2010-08-09T15:47:00.003-05:00

Grammy BB and Pop Pop take Jo and CoCo up to magical Crystal Falls for a long weekend.

Girls race to jump in Red Rock Pond. (Pier was off kilter due to heavy rainfall)

Jo says its quite a hike to get to the outhouse. Pop Pop replies, let's take the tractor there.

Girls have a ball jumping, splashing and kicking in the water, hour after hour and day after day

Come in Grammy, the water's nice and warm!

Birthday Cake, Take 2

2010-08-05T21:32:00.005-05:00

We managed to get the birthday girl to eat a wee bit of bread and watermelon,
before she spotted her CAKE! Homemade caramel carrot cake - team effort by mom and dad. Here Coryn tries to blow out her candles.

Big sister to the rescue! Birthday wish is sisterly team effort.

Don't worry girl, by the looks of the leftovers, we'll be eating birthday cake for at least a week.

Quick to try on presents - CoCo LOVES her new cowgirl boots.

Cake Monster Cokes!

2010-08-05T21:24:00.003-05:00

Coryn Mae turned 2 years old on August 4th!
For the first time ever, she said, "Good Morning." What a perfect birthday greeting :)

Dad wakes to find CoCo celebrating her birthday a bit early - chocolate cake for breakfast?!?

See dad, you just dig in like this

And gobble it right up. Yum!

Grammy BB taught mom how to get photos off her phone..

2010-07-30T13:38:00.004-05:00

Sharing the saddle on mr. pony

Sunny summer day in Grammy and Pop Pop's back yard.

Carosel ride at the zoo -- Coco was NOT nearly as happy

Saturday morning at Brookfield Farmer's market

My little easter bunnies

Tio feeling the niece love.

Father's Day weekend at the lakefront

2010-07-02T10:37:00.002-05:00