Camp K

I'm in Northern Minnesota at Camp Knutson tonight for a work retreat.  It's thundering and lightening outside.  The camp itself is beautiful and the cabins are surprisingly civilized.  Aimee and the children are driving from St. Paul and meeting me in Brainerd tomorrow afternoon for our last weekend before Aimee begins her CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education). 

Gardening

We have a nice little plot in the community pea patch.  We planted a great variety of seeds and a few starts, and a week later we are seeing our garden sprout.  In addition to providing us with something fun to do (watering the garden and playing with dirt and sticks and worms), the pea patch is a sort of community gathering place - there's usually a few other people tending their gardens when we're there.  So the children always want to come when we go to the garden.


What better place for a 16-month old than a pile of dirt?

Our little homestead.

Grace on the compost heap.

Littlest Petshop Pets are Organized

I've noticed a curious tendency for our Littlest Petshop Pets to organize themselves into bands and militaristic formations. I'm not sure if I should be concerned that they appear to be organized, or that they appear to using some of Holden's trucks as troop transport vehicles.

Spring Scenes

Yesterday we had our first preview of summer - 80 degrees and a certain mugginess in the air. Reports of a thunderstorm threatening a sunny day. And Grace had a friend over to play.

Miniature Golf Chaos

While we were at the museum, we thought it might be fun to play a round of miniature golf - the golf game was designed to provide an education on river systems. Of course, we didn't learn one thing, since chaos broke out as soon as Holden saw that we had multiple small golf balls in our possession and multiple water hazards.  After a couple holes we quit keeping score, since we weren't following any of the rules normally associated with a civilized game of miniature golf.

Science Museum

For Memorial Day Grace asked if we could go to the Science Museum in Saint Paul.  A "family date," as we call it.  


Holden climbing a glacier.

In the stomach of a Brontasaurus.

Checkup!

In a Hmong outfit.

Fortunately, Holden will fall asleep when he gets tired, even if we're out doing something fun and exciting.

Spring Garden and Playtime

We had a full dose of cool spring weather this afternoon.

Holden and Aimee (who was getting ready to go study).


Holden playing in the rocks at the playground.


Grace playing in the garden, putting earthworms on leaves with her friends. (The seminary has a little community garden where we can have a plot of land to plant vegetables.)

Hot Dog!

Grace's first word was "Booty." She loved to eat veggie booty.

Holden's first word is "Hot Dog." "Holden, would you like a hot
dog?" we ask. "Da da," he answers, not quite enunciating the words,
but it's clear he's saying hot dog.

Return from Virginia

Aimee, Grace and Holden have returned safely from the wilds of Virginia.  Here are a few photos from the trip, including the happy Graduate.

To Virginia

Aimee and the kids are off to Virginia today for Bill's graduation celebration. They'll return next Monday. I'm staying since I want to save my time off for a longer vacation in August.

Here's Grace from a few nights ago, falling asleep while reading:


Here's Grace from two nights ago, quite mysteriously falling asleep inside a pillow cover:

Back from La Crosse

We just got back from a sunny weekend down in La Crescent, visiting
Aimee's relatives and watching the baptism of her cousin's baby. We
busted our diet this weekend with all the food. Jennifer, Aimee's
cousin, is staying with us for a couple days now that we're back.

First words of the day

Grace's first words of the day yesterday, after waking up: "Mom, can
ocelets climb?"

Asleep on the swing

Holden falling asleep on the swing.