Louie's Birthday

Louie celebrated his 4th birthday in August. We started the day with his breakfast of choice....oatmeal with a candle in it.

Then, we opened a present from the Florida Jansen's....2 Leapster games: Finding Nemo and Batman! So exciting.

His birthday party was over at Wabun park again this year, it was a great day! Topped off with this masterpiece:

Louie loved his cake and all of the awesome presents that he received from family and friends. In typical 4 year old fashion, he's already planning for his next birthday....or at least Santa's upcoming visit in December.

4 years ago today.....

it was horribly hot and humid and I was 3 days from my due date with Louie.....



Unbelievably, this is one of three photos that I have of me pregnant, all three of the pictures, I was pregnant with Louie. Sadly, I don't have one picture of me prego with Emily. I thought we had plenty of time to take fat prego pictures later on....unfortunately, with Emily, there wasn't any "later on."
But, I remember this picture. Our friend, Audrey encouraged me to take a shot before we headed to the hospital in the next couple of days. So, I posed, a sort of irritated, disgusted pose.
I never enjoyed being pregnant, it was not a beautiful time in my life. But, getting two beautiful kids out of it was totally worth it!

Evolution of a photo...

2007 - in front of the otter tank at the Great Lakes Aquarium

2010 - in front of the same otter tank at the Great Lakes Aquarium

Not only did our kids grow up, but I also learned how to actually take a photo with my camera! Thank goodness! I hate looking back at the dark photos with a big flash glaring from them.

Keeping it Green!

and the boring details. We contracted a new garbage company in the last month. After we were getting nickle and dimed by the mega giant, BFI, I contacted Veolia. They didn't have a fuel surcharge and were't nickle and diming us for our trash collection.
Well, in the last year, we've had a ridiculous increase in the quarterly cost of collecting our trash. Ramsey County was one of the culprits, charging a huge tax, but when I took a closer look the fuel surcharge went from 0 to 65 in 8 short months. We were getting ripped off!
So, along comes the Garbage Man, door to door. Guaranteed ZERO fuel surcharge and minimal collection fees $22/month! Same size barrel, for what were were paying $39/month with Veolia. Sign me up!
This morning, I saw first hand why they don't have a fuel surcharge, their truck is just a little bigger than our mini-van sitting in the driveway.
(and bonus, they don't charge for that extra junk that you might try to sneak in once in a while!)

Target Field

We went to the Twins game the Friday night before the Fourth of July. Our kids have never stayed up for fireworks, so that night was a big treat! We arrived late and there was no line to sit in the big glove.

Target Field is beautiful at night.

Emily had her ears plugged, in anticipation of the fireworks. She really doesn't like loud noises.



It was a really fun night and a great time with the kids. They loved their first time watching fireworks.

Macalester Nursery School circa 1971-72

one of my facebook friends asked me a couple of months ago if I by chance went to Macalaster Preschool back in 1971. She thought that one of the girls in the picture looked like me....or at least like Emily.
She was right! I can't even believe how much Emily looks like I did at the same age.
There's a couple other kids in the class that I continued on to Highland Catholic with, Bruce Masters, Bridget Maher and Nancy Oswald. I would love to know who all the other kids in the picture are......

Target Field Fireworks

Two Years

Seems like a long time, but it has gone by in the blink of an eye....



Thinking back to two years ago, here and here..... +
I miss my Dad.

More Sibling LOVE!

A shot last night from around the campfire....I love my 50mm/f1.2 lens! Couldn't have gotten this shot without it!
on a side note, me and my three siblings are rarely together, ever....last night we were.

Sibling Love