swim swam swum

One of the best things about summer? SWIMMING! Last weekend we were in the pool nearly all. weekend. long. Saturday we headed to a retirement party for our dear friend, Ken. He's leaving the sheriff's department to stay at home and wrangle his two kids. Sounds like an even trade to me. Tacos, swimming, sangria/margaritas/beer, and karaoke. What a fun family party! Thank you for including us in your celebration.

Less than 24 hours later, we were headed right back to the pool for Ariel's 2nd birthday party. The kids had blast in the pool, which was deep enough for cannonballs but shallow enough to touch. Plus there was a lifeguard so I think even the parents relaxed just a bit. J2 is turning into a little fish just like his big sister - so happy bobbing around. I need to get the little guy into some swim lessons.

After that birthday party, I was both hangry and exhausted. Sleep won out and everyone took naps. I think J2 slept for nearly 4 hours. While the boys were napping, Little Miss J and I headed over to the neighbor's for more swimming and snow cones. 

Both Gus and I are feeling worn out from our jam packed weekend, but summer fun is what it is all about. We can sleep in the winter. Just keep the coffee coming this morning. 

national chunglund vacation

Basically, the minute I walked work following our summer vacation, I was buried in work. I've been campaigning for a while now to work on different projects and when it rains it pours. My head is just now starting to peek above the water, and so I'm finally taking the time to blog about another amazing family vacation, which according to some might be less "vacation" and more "trip," but according to me was phenomenal. 

We left Sacramento at 7 a.m., and arrived at Lake Vermilion early evening. Everyone was happy to see Uncle David and take the first boat ride of the season. 

J2 busting out of his "boat jacket."

We celebrated the 4th of July small town style. It was the first year that Little Miss J was not in the parade and instead got to watch from the sidelines and gather a bagful of candy, which she promptly forgot about, allowing me to leave it in Minnesota. J2 felt like the parade was a little too loud and covered his ears while the Shriners and motorcycles went by. Later on, he fell asleep and slept through the post-parade activities. Little Miss J, however, was a pretty dedicated digger at the sawdust scramble. She appears to be highly motivated by the almighty quarter.

Swimming, sauna-ing (it's a noun, it's a verb, it's a sow-na!), feeding fish, catching tadpoles, Coors light, and countless games of cribbage, and playing in the fort. We spent 7 beautiful days on Lake Vermilion. 

There was an afternoon in Duluth with a bonus sighting of the Corbetts and Galbraiths at one of our favorite Duluth Restaurants, Duluth Grill. Followed by some playtime down at Canal Park.

Lunch and visit to the North American Bear Center in Ely with Papa Roger.

playing tic-tac-toe with Papa

We headed 1.5 miles underground to check out the Soudan Underground Mine.

We caught up with friends and even managed to get the Moses family out to the lake for a little R&R. In spite of the fact that Jenn and I probably wished we had a little bit more time to relax and catch up, we both enjoyed watching our kids having fun. 

Then it was time to say good-bye to Papa Roger and Grandma Amy.

Our last night in Minnesota we spent with Papa Ralph and Dianne. 

Then we headed back to Minneapolis where we managed to sneak in another couple hours with David and a few rides at the MOA before leaving on a jet plane back to California.

Vacation, trip, call it what you like. I enjoyed a full and busy week with family and friends. Until next year, Minnesota! 

Or maybe February, if we can get this girls trip scheduled, Erica, La, Kate & Jen!

throwback thursday

This is one of my favorite photos. My first post-J1 triathlon. Unfortunately, it was also my last. I keep meaning to get back to it, but it just hadn't happened. This race happened right about the time I was really getting the hang of the mom thing and was starting to be able to balance work and me time with my parental duties. If you've kept up with this blog, you know that I struggled A LOT with this in the beginning and while it has gotten easier, it is a continual challenge. This day was probably not fast and it was probably not pretty, but as I headed out on the run Gus and Little Miss J (Baby J at the time) were there smiling and waving, and that made it a great race.

father's day 2015

I can't believe I haven't blogged about our Father's Day. It was a perfectly impromptu day, which started with the most amazing southwestern benedict at Evan's Kitchen. I had already started devouring it before I remembered that I wanted to take a picture of it. The chipotle hollandaise sauce was pretty much worthy of licking the plate, but in true wannabe WASP fashion, I restrained myself.

Next up - Funderland! Since I got the full mom treatment with my free wristband on Mother's Day, it was not only Gus's turn, but also his dad's turn. Not gonna lie, I think Gus's dad had a pretty good time. At least up until the last ride, which just went around and around in a circle, liable to give just about everyone (but Little Miss J) a tummy ache.

Gus's next stop was the Sugar Mill, which may be as close to my nirvana as any in Sacramento. First, it is a very short drive. Second, there is wine (and wine slushies!!). Third, there is a huge outdoor area for picnics and running around. One word. Trifecta. J2 took a nap, while Gus, his mom, and I went to a few tasting rooms. 

Plus there were food trucks and live music that day. Once J2 woke up from his nap, he had fun dancing and running around.

Hoping that the fathers felt properly feted. I am blessed that Gus is such an amazing dad. The kind that will explain exothermic reactions and sonic booms to the kids, will brave Costco and the mall alone with both kids in tow, and who knows the exact moment to get the kids out of my figurative hair before I lose my mind. I am also blessed for a loving father-in-law and grandfather to my kids. From helping take out garbage, to walking Carleton Rover, and playing everything from Legos to tea party to dance school, etc. with the children, he is a huge part of our daily life.

Last, but certainly not least, my own Dad, Dr. B. I called to wish him a Happy Father's Day and this is pretty much how the conversation went ...

Me: Hi, Dad! It's me. Happy Father's Day!

Dad: Oh, thank you.

Me: Are you doing anything today?

Dad: I'm getting ready to go to the dump. 

Me: Uh, OK. Is Amy there?

He can be a man of few words. Even so, I am proud to call him, Dad and I cannot wait to see him and Amy (and my brother and nieces and everyone else!) on Friday!

the great outdoors

My good friend, Jenn, who is about to embark on a camping weekend with her kids (ages 2 and 4) inspired this post about camping. Second to only sleeping (or swim lessons or babysitters) as a favorite topic on a moms message board to which I belong. Where to camp. What to bring. Camping with infants and toddlers. Car camping. Backpack camping. It's as though all the cool kids are doing it. I love the idea of camping - campfire, stars, sleeping in a tent. I grew up camping. Canada, BWCA, tents, canoe portaging, bear ropes, the whole shebang, however, then it was my dad and stepmom that did most ALL the heavy lifting. I was just along for the ride. Heck, I even backpacked through Montana in college with a crazy PhD student sleeping outside, paddling a canoe in a straight line across a lake trying to take measurements of the lake bottom, and using a piezometer to take water samples. But even then, crazy PhD student did all the work - kept me fed, safe from bears, etc.   

These days, it's a grand production just to get us all in the car and not forget the diaper bag , a change of clothes, and a couple packages of goldfish crackers. Packing up for an entire weekend (or longer) for the wilderness, where running water and a convenience store may or not may not be readily accessible is really out of the question. This is not to say that we did not try this once. Read here for the recap. The next time, we opted for the great indoors here. After which, I declared what Gus had been thinking all along, but was just indulging my desire to do things that all families appear to do, that we were not camping people. 

I do love the great outdoors and a good campfire, and I've been known to eat s'mores for breakfast. But what I love even more? Being able to retire comfortably in a cabin (or I could probably even do a yurt), or a house on a beach, sleep in a bed, and take a hot shower in the morning. There is nothing about sleeping on the ground that is particularly appealing to me these days. I do enjoy the thought of a cozy tent and a sleeping bag, but about 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning when I wake up and half to go to the bathroom, getting unzipped from both a bag and a tent and hoofing it to whatever is being used for a "bathroom," the magic is really lost for me.

So, I hereby proclaim, that unless we lose our minds we will probably not be tent camping anytime in the near future. I would definitely do a camper or a pop-up camper, but as it were we don't seem to actually really enjoy camping enough to warrant the preparation or the cost of purchasing a camper. We are just not very good campers. I accept that. I am good at many things, but sleeping on the ground is not one of them. Although, if anyone is offering to take us on a camping trip, plan meals, pitch the tent, etc. I could be convinced. We'll provide the beer.

the one and only time this giant tent
has been used.

the little miss j show

The one and only Little Miss J had quite the weekend. Friday night she graduated from preschool! How cute is the little cap and gown?

After the ceremony, she requested mac & cheese. On our way to the restaurant, Little Miss J proclaimed she was "hungry, thirsty, and tired," which sounded like the perfect storm for a meltdown. Fortunately, Gus and I managed to inhale our food and get outta there before any real physical or emotional damage had been done. Both kids passed out in the car on the way home, which made for a quiet rest of the evening.

Then Saturday it was her dance recital.

Saturday evening we got an impromptu last minute invite for a swim and dinner. Fun catching up with some friends we hadn't seen in awhile. A perfect summer evening.

And this little guy, he was just along for the ride on the Little Miss J show.

But don't worry, he got plenty of drowning swimming, Cheeto eating, play-doh playing, beer swiping in -

This summer is off to a very good start!

more than one less than two

My dearest J2,

You have gotten less than regular update letters, and for that I apologize. I have a little file in my brain that collects the things that I would write in a letter to you, if, in fact, I ever sat down to do it. So that should most definitely count for something. But let's knock this out before this blog becomes an explosion of posts dedicated to all the summer fun that I plan on having.

I am sorry to report that your approval rate in the public mommy opinion poll has slipped in recent months. Your smile could win absolutely anyone over, but you are so hard. So very very hard. You love to run away, play with your food, climb on the table, open up cupboards, and put dog food in places where it shouldn't be. Your dad and I are simultaneously looking forward to and dreading vacation as it means a 3+ hour plane ride with you.

You do quite a bit of talking, which is often overshadowed by Little Miss J who is a talker extraordinaire. Most of your talking is in Korean, and thankfully your sister is pretty helpful as my interpreter. In my defense, my Korean is actually gotten good enough that I probably have the vocabulary equivalent to that of a two year old. My pronunciation, however, continues to leave something (or everything) to be desired.

You watch Gangnam Style ad nauseam, and once your dad was so tired in the middle of the night that when you asked for it, he actually obliged by letting you watch is iPhone. You love to dance. You love to play kitchen. This morning as I left for work, both you and your sister were in the living room stirring balls in the All Clad saucepans.  You are particular about your clothes and will tell me "other one," if I pick a shirt that you do not feel like wearing that day. You can identify most body parts, in Korean of course. You will, without fail, put just about everything in your mouth, but if it isn't rice, you will more often than not simply chew it up and spit it out all. over. the. house. Carl can be found trailing right behind you literally (not figuratively) picking up the pieces.

Your independence is a force to be reckoned with. I try to prevent you from falling off the carousel horse and you push my arms away. I keep you safe in the pool and you struggle to be free and drown yourself. I watch you feed yourself all the while trying to hold my Type A personality at bay as food gets on the floor, in your hair, on your clothes, etc. I hope you like wearing a life jacket because between the lake and the myriad of fish ponds at the cabin, I have a feeling you will be wearing it 24/7.

You are the apple of my eye. If you would let me, I would scoop you up and kiss your little face all the time. You run with reckless abandon wherever you go, as I watch anticipating the face plant that may not happen today or tomorrow, but will inevitably happen. You are stubborn. You are sweet. You idolize your big sister, and you are always doing something. Leaving for work each morning is not as bad, when you blow kisses at me from the window. When I come home from work, you greet me at the window and then follow me to my bedroom, where you climb into bed, get under the covers, and immediately demand an iPhone. Every day I look forward to seeing your smile and hearing your little voice.

You are my happy, sweet, funny, stubborn little buddy and I love you to pieces.

Love,

Umma