Hanging with the H-we's

We love to hang with the H-we's... but it has been a long while. (Was our last overnight in July!?). The crew came to visit last Saturday.

After playing for a bit the kids had chicken nuggets and tator tots for supper.

Then, we celebrated Gretchen's birthday a few days early with a Costco pumpkin cheesecake and candles.

Next we set the kids up with a movie, while I made Red Currant Glazed Chicken with Spinach from Real Simple for the adult dinner.

We dined (and enjoyed every bite), put the troops to bed...
(below is the movie watching, not bed!)

and finally enjoyed the pumpkin cheesecake we initially cut earlier for the kids....

and talked, and talked, and talked. (Okay...it was only 11:20 pm, but we were tired and went to bed. That's how we role at age 35 or so.)

It's so good just to hang out, laugh and be. The kids had a fantastic time too!

Orange and Black Day

MARLY! Please stand up straight!

MARLY! Stop eating that cracker! DEAN! Open your eyes!

DEAN! Seriously, stop squinting when you smile!

KIDS! Both of you. Look at Mom!

I GIVE UP!

Westwood Nature Center Fall Fest

Compare LAST YEAR to this past Friday.... Go Fish and Games!

Facepaint!

Group photo!

Tired kiddos!

God Bless the Kids in Haiti

Mark and I say prayers nightly with the kids. I lead the prayer.

We start with the modern version of "Now I lay me down to sleep". Death has been omitted these days.

Next I say, "God Bless Marly and Dean". At this point we cross their heads.

From here we move on to blessing family members, and those we know who are sick.

Then, prior to blessing the dear little friends in Marly and Dean's lives....I have been saying since the earthquake,
"God Bless the Kids in Haiti!"

I figure those kids still need our prayers, so I have continued even as the months have long passed since the initial natural disaster. Also, Dean alerts me if I omit them.

Last night I changed it up a bit. I said,
"God bless the kids in Haiti, especially those with cholera."

When we were all done, Marly said to me,
"Mommy, who is Ka-lee-ah girl in Haiti????"

Jazzing it Up - Fall and Halloween

It's fall, with Halloween just a week away. Of course it's the perfect time to mix things up around the house and 'Jazz It Up' for the fun holiday ahead.In the past few weeks, I have been thrifting and spray painting (two of my favorite things). The now golden yellow bowl above contains Honey Crisp apples on my kitchen table.

*Confession - After the first coat of yellow paint, I dropped the bowl and had to super glue it back together*

The tin above and candlesticks are brushed nickel today. The tin hold a bunch of kids books in my living room...

The $3 candle sticks found homes on the buffet and our photos shelves. The squirrel & acorn bowl is thrifted too. Mark thinks it's ugly. I love it.

Oh... and of course I was shopping on Etsy. I got these tags made to hang on our wire tree. My total bill from the seller with shipping was $1.75. I couldn't buy the card stock for that price!!! I was thrilled by the perfect edition.

These Halloween silhouette prints are from Etsy seller Faux Prints . I added them to Target frames.....

And of course... my obsession for throw pillow continues. I changed out the covers on my couch (but forgot to take a photo).

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!

Friends at the Orchard

This Saturday, the Thomberg's made a return trip to the apple orchard to play with our friend's the Lyon's. We missed last year, but the Lyon's and Thomberg's have made a ritual of heading to Aamodt's Apple Orchard for a picnic in October. Aamodt's might better be known as the St. Criox Valley Vineyard. In case you were curious, Aamodt's is the only orchard in MN with a vineyard (and tastings) on site.

We had a wonderful time. Jenny and I tasted the wine, purchased a few bottles, and let the kids play!

Friends!

Dean... What's that on the sign next to you!

Not pictured - The adults sipping wine from small Caribou cups, and baby Ian in his stroller. Both the kids and adults had a lovely day.

Behind the scenes at the Guthrie!

Last Monday, my dear friend Jenny posted this on Facebook -

"Jennifer Betlach Lyons -its my lucky day! Found out this morning that I won 2 tickets from KARE 11 to see Master Butcher Singing Club at the Guthrie on Wed night! That's one of my favorite books, so I'm SUPER excited! We even have 2 VIP passes to go back stage after the show for a reception with the cast!"

Later that day I noticed Jenny had left me a VM. Could it be???? Could she be calling to ask if I could join her. YES!

Tuesday was Jenny's birthday, and Wednesday I got in on quite the celebration! We met for dinner at Brenda Langston's Spoonriver across the street from the Guthrie, then headed in to the show. The Master Butcher's Singing Club was a book club selection for Jenny and I several years back. We both thoroughly enjoyed the production! At the intimate post-reception with the cast, we nibbled cheese, sipped wine, and got to chat with the whole crew. There were 4 other pairs who had also won tickets with KARE 11. Evidently, Jenny and I were the most enamored though. We were busy talking...later looked around, and realized we were the only guests left. When we departed the theater, we walked out with the cast!

THANKS for a FANTASTIC night Jenny and Happy 35th Birthday to you!

Apple Orchard - Fall 2010

We made our annual trip to the apple orchard this past Sunday. Auntie Kelly joined us at Pine Tree Apple Orchard in White Bear Lake. Year 4 of photos in coordinating Twinner attire at age 3 1/2!

Click Here to see 2007. (Gymboree silly monkey outfits)

Click Here to see 2008. (Pottery Barn sweaters)

Click Here and Here to see last year. (Gymboree brown outfits)

We posed for photos....

We let the kids pick apples the weren't suppose to...

We ate the apples we weren't suppose to pick...

We checked out the corn maze....

We took more cute pictures....

and then some more....

We rode the tractor wagon, then bought tickets for a pony ride....

Next we bribed Dean with McDonald's to leave, since we probably would have waited nearly an hour for the 2 minute pony rides I paid $5 for. The place was overrun with suburbanites out in the great weather. Dean was a tough sell. Marly was willing to forego the pony for a cookie. I consider our un-used pony ride tickets payments for the 5 apples we stole earlier.

We left without buying apples. We couldn't get into the sales barn. The building was beyond fire capacity!

Backyard Fire on Riverview Lane - Fall 2010

After raking leaves and spending the day at home, a beautiful fall Saturday ended with a backyard fire....

I was thrilled to get rid of a bag and a 1/2 of the leaves.

The kids were thrilled with the sparklers I remembered were in the garage, unused for the 4th of July! (and marshmellows of course)

Mark was thrilled with his camera.

Happy Fall Ya'all!

Fall 2010 on Riverview Lane

This is our second fall on Riverview Lane, and our second year of raking. Last year the Twinners discovered the fun in running and jumping into the crisp pile of leaves. This year Dean would go back, back, way back... and dash for the pile with real vigore. Mostly though, they enjoyed burying themselves this past Saturday. Last year required jackets. This year we had on shorts!

(For a glimpse at the Twinners Fall 2008 - Click Here)





Mark raked and I bagged up perhaps 10 lawn and garden compost bags. I lost count because we burned some later, and I think I dumped 6 bags in the nieghbor's ravine on the river across the street. Two more bags worth are left at the bottom of the kid's slide... but I think we are done with the heavy duty part.

WARNING! The entire weekend was picture perfect with near record high temperatures in the '80's. Actually, we took so many pictures, I am sorting things into multiple posts. Stay tuned for our adventures.

Happy Birthday Brett

About a week before Brett's birthday I called my brother. "Hey... when are we going out for your birthday? I can't wait for RED MEAT!"

Perhaps I have mentioned before, my Dad (and Chris of course) takes us out to dinner wherever we want for a family birthday meal. I think Brett, Rachel, Mark and I have all come to look forward to each person's special restaurant experience.

Anyway...true to Brett form, since the Birthday Dinner was instituted, Brett always picks one of the Twin Cities finest steak houses. The past three years you can find us at a table for 6 at Manny's in the Hotel W. Can I tell you Brett's Birthday Dinner out is worth every single penny we invest in our babysitter (and then some....)!

It has become Mark and my tradition to leave early enough to have a cocktail in the bar before our meal. Like Manny's meat extravagance, the bar does not disappoint. The people watching is fabulous. For a few minutes, Mark and I pretend to be hip. Last Friday I had an interesting chat with a woman dining alone at the bar. She had a bottle of Italian water and a bottle of red wine in front of her. She explained in just a few days she was travelling to Belize for a 4 week vacation with her boyfriend who plays major league baseball in Milwaukee. She appeared the most typical of Minnesotan's, (she even showed us her MN Twin's tattoo on her bikini line, then explained she was also Ron Gardenhire's niece). She alerted us she was sparing no expense on one of her last meals out in our fine state.

Anyway, everyone arrived and we had an amazing and fun evening. We all get dressed up. Of course, neither Brett nor I had our camera. Rachel was a total hottie in a black dress and heels. My Dad wore his initial cuff links. (I wore a BP Factory Outlet teal sleeveless dress with a ruffle down the front, black footless tights, quilted black flats, and a flee market brass beaded necklace.) Like past years, we went up to the Prohibition Bar on the 37th floor of the Foshay for a nightcap.

My birthday gift for Brett on his 33 birthday on 10-10-10??? - A sizable bottle of Hendrick's Gin purchased at Morelli's on Payne on my way home from work Friday! I am sure I got a good deal. (Oh.. and I picked up one of their homemade frozen pizza's for the kid's supper too.)

Love you Brett! Happy Birthday! Love you Dad for our birthday meals, and everything more!

The Return of Mickey

When I told my co-workers the story of the catch and release of Mickey Mouse in our home last week, I was warned. He would return... or send friends.

Indeed, this is true. Around 6:20 am this morning, Ramona the Cat found her playmate. But, before I even knew there was a mouse in the house, Mark had AGAIN caught the little pest in Pyrex!

I told Mark this time we needed to KILL the pest. Mark began to put on running pants and shirt to go outside. He started laughing, kind of like a neverous teenager. When Mark starts to laugh like this, it means he knows he's doing something he shouldn't, but he is going to do it anyway, and pretend something else.

Translation - Mark really had no idea how to kill the little pest either, and was going to release Mickey (or his friend) again, because he couldn't or wouldn't squash Mickey!

So, my husband got in the car, drove to the park by the river, and dumped Mickey. He appeared half dead. We hope this is the end to our rodent problem, but we fear it is NOT. We think Mickey may have told all the little mousies out there about the feast on the Thomberg's kitchen floor because Mrs. Thomberg doesn't sweep often enough.....

We do have traps out, and poison, and such.

Renaissance Festival 2010

Sunday Dad and Chris took Marly, Dean and me to the Renaissance Festival on a picture perfect fall afternoon. Marly and Dean were dolled up in costumes courtesy of Nana Chris. They will also be playing the role of a Fairy Princess and King for Halloween.

After eating a cupcake right inside the entrance, we checked out two men fencing. (Fun Fact - while studying abroad in England at the Alnwick Castle, I took a class on the sport for a P.E. credit from an English woman named Margery. She also taught British history. She wore her VERY long hair in a braid wrapped around her head. She unwrapped her long braid to put on her fencing gear!)

Next we headed off to find more nourishment in the form of a giant turkey leg and a pork chop on a stick.

Here we are on a camel ride!

This might have been one of my favorite moments of the day. How often do you get to ride on a camel with your Dad and your children?

The Twinners went on to ride the ponies...

and butterflies...(while I got to sip on a belinni!)

Honestly, M&D were ALL smiles, ALL day long (and so was I).

The adventure was complete when Grandpa took the Twinner's back for an elephant ride before departing.

Seeing your Dad on an elephant with his precious grandkids - PRICELESS.

(Well... and my dad also paid for all the animal rides - But it was STILL priceless!