Arrggghhhhh!

Big weekend over here! On Friday afternoon when I got home from work, I was talking to Louie about starting to wear big boy underwear, soon!
So, he put some on and then proceeded to sit on the potty and actually PEE!!!! We were very excited. Then he announced that he didn't want to wear them again or sit on the potty anymore.
A little bit later, he decided that he would really like a pirate ship. He's totally and completely into pirates right now. The Muppet Treasure Island and the Dora Pirate Movie are his favorites! We talked about getting a pirate ship for his birthday, etc.
I had the brilliant idea, since he REALLY wants the pirate ship, we could BRIBE him to use the potty with a pirate ship!
I put three post-it notes, numbered on his door. We told him that if he went in the potty three more times, he could get a pirate ship.
and by 5pm on Saturday, with no accidents, Louie earned his pirate ship. Of course, we were at Nick's graduation party, so he had to wait until this morning.
We made a special trip to Toys R Us and got him a pirate ship. He is in love with his new pirate ship. It's the greatest thing ever!
Last night, we went to my nephew Nick's graduation party. He's graduating from St. Bernard's. The party was so much fun. Emily and Louie had a ball. They danced up a storm to all the 70's music. We were really late getting home and they slept until 9:45am! It was crazy.

Take me out to the ball game!

Emily and Louie went to their first Twins game this afternoon. It was a very exciting day for them. They got to ride the lightrail train downtown to the game too!

Louie wanted to carry his own ticket. He was so excited to give it to the lady at the gate. Here's the Twins taking the field in the first inning. We had awesome seats, second row behind the dugout!



Joe Maurer was the designated hitter and struck out each at bat.


Louie got a mini-Gardy from the AM 1500 talk box.

Joe Crede scored the only run for the Twins, they lost 3-1.

Memorial Day

We celebrated Memorial Day with a BBQ. Pat and Judy came over for some Capital Grill inspired Kona Crusted Tenderloin Steaks, Hasselbeck Potatoes and a strawberry shortcake cake.
Ted had a great day, he had someone different to throw the ball for him.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

We celebrated Grandma's birthday on Sunday with the Tapio's. I grilled Beer Can Chicken and made some Lemon and Parsley Pasta. Charlie made some delicious Chinese cole slaw in the Cuisinart, yum!
After cake, Dan built a fire. It was a fun day for everyone.

(except for Billy, he ended up in the doghouse) He crammed himself into Emily and Louie's playhouse.

Auntie Tesa, how does your garden grow?

We went to Gerten's on Saturday to pick out some plants for Tesa and Paul's garden. Gerten's is Louie and Emily's favorite place to go on the weekend

It was a family affair. Patience was plentiful when it came to showing the kids how to plant flowers.

Grandma came over to watch the kids last Friday afternoon. She took them for a nice long walk up to St. Kate's to feed the ducks. I snuck in on my way back from the store to snap a few pictures.

What more can I say?

Good morning Sunshine!

In case you're wondering, Emily is not a morning person. The other day, she told me that "the sun hurts my eyes."
I think that she might need a sleeping mask.

Bubbles and Baseballs

Last week, we went to Target in search of a T-Ball set for Louie. He had his heart set on Better, Batter, Baseball but Target didn't have that. So, we settled on just a regular toddler T-Ball. On our way around the toy department, Louie found the bubbles and really had his heart set on these bubble makers. Buzz Lightyear has gotten a workout over the last week. Emily loved the Ariel bubble blower.

Then, we tried out the T-Ball game. Louie is pretty good!

He's been practicing everyday and he is working on getting Ted to retrieve his wiffle balls.

Having it all to himself after Emily went off to school.

Hot fun in the summertime . . .

Swimming lessons were cancelled tonight, someone threw up in the pool! Louie and Emily were very disappointed and wanted to go swimming.
So, as a diversion I got out the hose to water the window boxes and all the other plants out in front. Dan was weeding the garden so he could put down the mulch. Emily and Louie were a little curious about the hose. Then the fun started.....


We took drinks from the hose.

Then Daddy started to spray the kids with the hose and they loved it.

and then, Daddy didn't know when enough was enough and someone ended up crying.

What a great way to cool after another stinking hot day!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Don

We celebrated his 70th birthday last night at the Sunshine Factory in New Hope. It was lots of fun and so nice to be together.
We'll be doing it again in a couple of weeks for Grandma Kay's 70th birthday

Oh what a beautiful morning . . . .

Oh what a beautiful day . . . (name that movie???)
Dan had baseball games this morning and was out the door early. I decided that I would take Emily and Louie to "the farm" (aka: Gerten's). They call it the farm because there's lots of tractors running everywhere and the first time we went there that they remember, there was a farm animal petting zoo. We filled out cart with flowers and herbs and then headed out to the shrubs to let the kids run!
There is a beautiful display out there that has a path, bridges and a Japanese Coi pond. Emily was talking to the "coi keeper" about the fish and how big they are. (this was after the coi keeper hollered at her brother for throwing rocks into the pond. )
When we got home and were busy working out in the backyard, this little man made an announcement "Mom, I want to wear big boy pants and sit on the potty today!"
Here we go again! We have been anxiously awaiting for him to show interest in using the potty. I guess him seeing his new train bed out in the garage has finally sunk in. We've been telling him that he gets his big boy train bed when he goes to the bathroom on the potty.

So, we went inside and put on some big boy underwear and sunscreen to protect his fair skinned legs.

We were outside for about a half hour and he said "Mommy, I have to pee!" and when I looked over at him, this is what I saw:

So, then I explained to him that the feeling that he had, when he hollered to me that he had to pee . . . that's what it feels like to have to go potty. He's a smart little kid, he said "Ok mom, I'll tell you when I have to pee again."

About an hour later, when I asked if he had to go potty, this is what I saw:

He was trying to pee right there in the middle of the yard.

What a great day! we've made progress in the right direction. Maybe this last package of diapers really will be our last pack! Yippee!

After dinner, they enjoyed ice cream sandwiches that I bought from the ice cream truck when it went by earlier (wink wink).

And let me just say, this chick is the absolute messiest eater of anyone I have come across in my life. She can make the smallest ice cream sandwich into the biggest mess ever!

The kids had lunch at the kiddie table outside before Emily went to school. Pigs in a blanket and grapes. Yummy!

Here's Emily, waiting for her school bus. She was very excited to go to school today.
After Emmy left for school, Louie was outside helping Grandpa Don and Dan build our raised vegetable beds. I'm really looking forward to have three times that garden space this year.
We've got lots of plants that we started as seeds to get in the ground this weekend.
Louie was so busy helping drill the holes. Grandpa Don was showing him how to put in the screws with the big power screw driver.
We've got one raised bed over where our garden was last year, two more were built along the garage.

Grandpa Don was showing Louie what a level is for.

and the correct way to use it.

And then, after everything was done and cleaned up, our load of 50/50 soil and organic mulch (aka: manure) was delivered, along with some western red cedar mulch for the front flower garden.

I can't wait until tomorrow afternoon, everything will be in the ground and happy!

Then, it's off to Lowe's to get soaker hoses. They are the only store that sells 10 foot soaker hoses???