Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Duck Watching

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So, after the last post and Sara woke up from her nap we went for a trip to the park and then decided to tack on a ride out to the outlet mall where they have a duck pond. I happened to have the camera along and was able to snap this photo. She had a lot of fun feeding the ducks and watching everything.... Dinner afterward didn't go as well, and foreshadowed yet another Sunday of little girl illness.... she got the grocery store this time. It is looking like she has had some major viruses that just won't go away. She seems to getting more life into her this week, so we are very hopeful that she's over it now.

In other odds and ends, I was wearing a new U of MN hat this week to protect my ever more visible scalp from the sun and ended up meeting not 1, not 2, but 3 (yes 3!) people that had gone to the U! One outside some shops earlier in the day, and 2 guys at the park with their kids.... I don't think I have met another alum from the U that way before, and then 3 in one day.

I don't have any pics downloaded, but the house painting is progressing nicely. It is really starting to look good. They had to knock off early today because of a big downpour this morning that soaked everything about 2 hours after they got started, but the rest of the week looks good and it might even be done by the weekend. Will be nice to have that big 'to do' (or really, 'to have someone else do') crossed of the list.

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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Girl's First Haircut!

It been a pretty typical couple weeks since the last post. lots of work, a bit of play, and Sara was sick last weekend... seems to be catching a bunch of stomach viruses this summer (yay for us :( ).

Anyway, D. and I saw Dark Knight about a week ago... Dark is the operative word, but a very good movie. This week I turned in my tenure package and got in my annual 9 holes of golf... actually was somewhat decent, and got off the course before too many bad habits could sink in!

Otherwise, reasonably uneventful here. Work and play.... the house is being painted (exterior) next week which will be great to finally have done.... Tomorrow D. and I are headed to see a baseball game... vs. the Twins no less.

So, other than for the exciting title of this post that's about it...

Sara has increasingly been talking about going to the barber shop and getting a haircut this week. She came along the last time I got one and she had soaked it all in. So, when we got up and moving this morning we headed down to the corner and got her hair cut for the first time. We figured a barber shop would be great for the first time as fast as they can be... and it turned out great. Sara was a big girl about it, we had prepped her all week that she would have to sit still, and she did well, and listened as well as she ever does too. Just got it a little bit trimmed and got it out of her face. Regardless, it was a fun experience, went well, and looks good too. They even made out a first haircut certificate for us, which was very nice.



Getting started!



finished product, I pulled this plum out of the bag at the farmer's market and just started eating while listening to the Steel Drums



Me and Mom listening to the music

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Sunday, July 13, 2008

more July stuff

had a witty comment by Sara I was planning to relate, but alas, it has escaped me... probably the five or six switches between the bed and the crib tonight... ah well.

We have had a pretty decent weekend here... yesterday was pretty wet as was early this morning, but we got in some decent whether otherwise. I was even able to trim up the irises and a yew while Sara was napping.

Oh, here is a different little aside from Sara. So I have been trying to expand her interests when we go in the back yard to play, and have focused on throwing, kicking, catching, chasing, whatever a ball. We bring out several for variety, but often, we forget the footballs - not good, she has to have those footballs (one metallic blue and the other a small Nerf). Clearly a sign she was born in football country, hopefully we can focus her sport interests away from OSU though - we'll see.

Anyway, here are some pics:



Our re-worked flower bed






Full contact watercolor painting!



At the "other" park that Sara specifically asked for when she woke up from her nap.

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

How'd we get to July?

Okay, age old question, and an answer no one really likes....

So, things have been active here. After the ND grandparents left we had a bit over a week here, our anniversary, then more guests. Becky and Scott and their youngest were driving through to see grandma (and their eldest) and the stayed the night here. Fun to see all of them, though Sara has accidentally picked up a new trait, getting sick while people are having dinner with us. Nasty one this time, about 2 days of unpleasantness, but at least a week or more to get back to normal.

The MN grandparents arrived the next day and stayed for over a week through the 4th. That was fun to have them here, and Sara ate up all the extra attention she has gotten this summer. :) Took a day off from school with her grandparents and went to the children's garden at the Botanical Gardens, hit the park, and then we went to the swimming pool after Danette and I got home. The pool was fun, but man was she exhausted(!) after that day.

Grandpa and grandma helped us with another flower bed this year... needless to say, my Dad likes to play in the dirt (no surprise to those that know him :) ). I finally got it finished off with the mulch today after work. Will post some pics another day.

Other things, we had some ~2 year photos taken of Sara, and she has slept in her 'big girl' bed once all night in the last week or so (actually sleeping there now, but we'll see if it lasts all night). She is making that transition pretty much on her own terms.... we let her pick and she is testing out the bed now and then, which is probably a good sign. Basically she is doing pretty well, though she does quite often remind us that she is a two year old, with all that entails.

Anyway, here are a few pics:



A big fan of Mom's new boots for next winter... yes they are backwards... a neat trick.



When did she get old enough to pull this off?



Smiling at Grandma



Weekly ritual of sitting on the big rocks on the side of the road at the Farmer's Market

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