Tag: food

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I’m 29 again!

Today began with the sound of the boys running and giggling downstairs as I laid in my nice warm bed upstairs.  Jake is off all week, so we were able to have breakfast as a family before heading out on an adventure.  I had been telling the boys we were doing something fun for my birthday and they were anxious to hear what I had planned.  We loaded into the truck and headed to Ft. Snelling.  As we drove south, we saw the light rail trains going up and down the track.  We told the kids we were going to take the train downtown.  After purchasing tickets, we waited for the next train to arrive.  Once on board, we played musical seats until we found a place to sit & hold on to the stroller.  As we rode along, the boys enjoyed looking out the windows & watching the buildings pass by.

We unloaded downtown and walked briskly to our destination…Macy’s.  Once there, we found the elevator bank and headed up to the 8th floor.  The 3 littles were famished, so they gobbled down cereal bars before heading in to see what A Day in the Life of an Elf looks like.  We visited the display on the perfect day…no lines & people were casually strolling through.  We didn’t feel pressured to rush and weren’t bumped around by strangers.

When given the choice between visiting Santa and going to lunch, the boys chose the later.  They’ve gotta be the only two kids I know who would rather eat than share their Christmas wish lists with Old St. Nick.  So off we went to find something to eat.  (Well, with a brief stop at my old office on the way.  It was fun to see some of my old co-workers from my years working downtown.)  We ended up at D’Amico for lunch and afterward I grabbed a peppermint mocha from Caribou before we departed from downtown.

On our way back home, we made a brief stop at Minnehaha Falls.  The weather warmed up to about 50 degrees today.  We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day at the end of November.  The boys and I looked down at the falls and then made our way down a snowy staircase to take a look at them from below.  We snapped a few photos and then headed back to the truck.

 

Later in the evening, we hosted a group of family & friends for cake & ice cream.  My friend, Michelle, made the most amazing pumpkin torte!  Only one word to describe it – YUM!

To top off the night, my parents surprised me by showing up to join in the celebration.  They had been out of town and we didn’t expect them back until tomorrow.  But as it turns out, they kept their early return home a secret so they could wish me happy birthday in person.  It made my night!

Today was such a fun day; I think I might turn 29 again next year.  🙂

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Apple Delicious

Tonight I made a butternut squash & apple recipe that has been a crowd pleaser in our house in the past.  Tonight was no exception.  When Lincoln asked for seconds, he asked for another serving of the “Apple Delicious.”  I think my recipe just got a new name.

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Lunch request

Lincoln’s order for lunch today:  “Mommy, for lunch can I have peanut butter & jelly with no crust and cut into 3 pieces?”

Ummm. Could you be a little more specific?  🙂

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One money

My cousin, Jared, was in town today to watch the Huskers cream the Gophers.  He was kind enough to share an extra ticket with Jake.  (He went knowing the Maroon & Gold really didn’t have much of a chance, but at least he got to check out the new stadium.)  After the game, we met the guys & my parents for dinner.  Once everyone was finished eating, the boys had to show Papa the gumball machine in the lobby of the restaurant.  They both came back with gumballs.  When asked how much they cost, Lincoln said, “they cost one money!”

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9th Anniversary

9 years.

A lot happens in 1 year.  Multiply that by 9 years and add in 3 kids and holy moly, you’ve got good, bad, high, low, awesome, not so awesome & super awesome.  What really matters at the end of each day though is that you stick it out, love lots, forgive even more, and do your best to help the person God placed in your life to share the ups and downs, grow in faith and love.

Tonight, my sister-in-law, Larissa, came to watch the kids so Jake and I could go out to dinner.  We ate at Kafe 421 – great food, quaint atmosphere, and did I say great food?!?  After we ate, I opened the card Jake picked out for me.  It’s crazy how card companies can write things that just seem to fit so perfectly.  It’s almost like they’ve been following you around and know what you’ve been through together.

9 years…here’s to another 9 and more!

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Kemps…it’s not just the cows

Tonight’s bedtime conversation with Lincoln went like this:

“Mommy, did you know that cows make milk for people to drink?”  To which I responded, “Yes, I did.”

“Mommy, did you know that Joe Mauer helps make the milk?”  Ummmm….thank you, Kemps, for the brilliant marketing. 🙂

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1st Day of School 2011

The boys are going to preschool in the afternoon this year.  Nolan will go every day and Lincoln on Mondays & Wednesdays.  I’m still trying to get my head around what that is going to be like.  My house has been full of noise and hustle & bustle for so many years that it really will be strange to have complete quiet for 2 1/2 hours, 2 days a week.  (Little miss will be napping while her brothers are at school.)

Our day began with our 1st day of school breakfast…orange rolls & scrambled eggs. I’m not sure what Lincoln is doing here in the photo…

After eating, we had a few last minute (seriously, last minute) things to accomplish before the 1pm preschool start.  First stop was CVS for 1 hour prints to complete the boys’ “Spotlight on me” sheets.  While our photos were being processed, we began the great backpack search.  Lincoln requested a Transformers backpack.  We looked for one last week only to find that the entire backpack wall display at Target was empty.  I couldn’t believe it.  Completely bare.  That’ll teach me to leave backpack shopping until the week before class starts.)  This morning, Toys R Us came to the rescue.  We walked in and there it was…the last Bumblebee Transformers backpack.  And it was clearance priced!  For once, it payed to procrastinate.  With backpack in hand, we spent time wandering the store (to kill time before our photo pick-up.)  The boys had fun going up and down the aisles and trying out the toy displays.  We could have stayed in the train aisle all morning.

We picked up our 4 pictures and headed home for lunch.  Then, with full bellies, we put on new school shoes and went outside for the “1st day” pictures on the steps.

 

I love these guys so much!  They make me laugh multiple times every day.

Lincoln wanted to pose next to Ingrid before we loaded into the truck.

 

We arrived at school and took one more “1st” picture.  It’s going to be a great year!

P.S. Look how much these two have grown from last year’s 1st day!

 

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Watch what you say

My mom took the boys for the day so I could get a few things done around the house – like putting my furniture back in order after our new front window was installed last Friday.  While they were there, they captured a mouse (or shrew) that had somehow gotten into the house.  Nolan saw it first.  It wasn’t until the little thing scurried out from the corner and down the steps, that my mom caught a glimpse of it too.  The rodent managed to find its way to the “fort” room under the stairs and was essentially trapped.  The boys danced around in the doorway and sang “No, mouse, no!” to keep it from getting out of the room until my mom came back with a butterfly net to catch it.  They released the frightened animal in the backyard and had quite a story to tell Papa (my dad) and Uncle Tony when they had dinner together that night.

While Nolan was re-telling their adventures from the day, he got to the part about the mouse/shrew going downstairs and how apparently “There’s just all this crap along the wall” down there.  At that point, my brother just about lost it.  Not only did Nolan use the 4-letter word correctly in context, but he said it so nonchalantly that my mom had to ask my brother if he said what she thought he had said.

Unfortunately, I’m to blame for letting that one slip around the kids.  A few too many toys pushed me to the brink a while back and I uttered a phrase similar to the one Nolan used.  Guess he filed it away for a time such as tonight.  At least he was with family 🙂

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Hatching pickles

Lincoln takes after me.  He loves pickles.

We had great success growing cucumbers last summer and I tried making pickles for the first time.  (I made and refrigerator-canned several pints, but didn’t get to enjoy many because one of my sons decided to tinker with the basement fridge temperature knob and turned the entire thing off without us knowing…but I digress.)  They were ok, but I want to try another recipe the next time I attempt to make them again.  Anyway…Lincoln is extremely excited about the cucumbers we’re growing again this year.  He’s so anxious for them to grow that when we were in the produce section of the grocery store today, he told me, “My pickles haven’t hatched yet!”

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Happy 5th birthday, Nolan!

Dear Nolan,

Wow, 5 years!  I can’t believe how fast time has gone.  I suppose I may say that with each passing year, but it’s the truth every time.  You have grown so much this year I can hardly believe it.  You continue to grow in confidence and compassion and are such a funny and loving young boy.  I am amazed at how much you absorb throughout the day and am grateful to be able to experience life through your eyes.  I am so thankful to be your mother.

Today we began the day in the best way possible, thanking God for the gift of you at mass.  When word got out afterward that it was your birthday, you proudly told people that you were now 5!  And you held up your fingers to prove it 🙂  We stopped to pick up donuts (which has become a bit of a Sunday tradition) and a cappuccino (for me) and brought them home to share.  Then I got started with frosting your cake.  This year, I asked if you wanted a caterpillar cake (like the one we saw in a magazine) and you said yes.  While I was frosting the cake, Daddy went to the garage to get your present ready.  The look on your face when you saw your new red bike in the garage pure joy!  Lincoln helped you check out every detail of it and you hopped on to check out the size.  I think you have a great summer in store!

Our family & friends arrived around 2:30 for cake and ice cream.  After singing to you, we dug in to the tasty caterpillar and then you went outside with Lincoln and our friend, I.  A little while later, you asked if everyone could come outside to watch you open your presents.  You did a great job sharing your new things.  Your uncles helped you break in your new bat, glove & baseball and you also played a round of croquet with Nana.

I pray you always share that wonderful smile and welcoming personality with the world.  Your Daddy & I love you very much and look forward to seeing what God has in store for you this coming year.
XOXO

Mommy