Let the good times roll...

So I took a week and went on a little solo road trip to visit my good friends down in Texas. It was wonderful catching up and just having the time to relax and properly visit. I brough along a old digital camera and the LCD was busted so I only took 6 pictures on my trip.

The valet at some restaurant in Downtown Fort Worth.
Michele driving us around...
Jamie Kay, Jenny and I in Austin.
Jamie Kay, Emily and I in Fort Worth. Since this photo was taken Emily and Jason welcomed Baby Brody. Go team Littlejohn!

4x4

So we celebrated Greta's birthday four times over the month of August. Three small family gatherings and then one big party at the pool with all her friends. It's hard to get all our families together for one big party - so we broke it up into little gatherings.

Pool party with friends...
The big day - August 4th. Cody is REALLY excited!
Celebrating with the Kotniks al fresco.
Celebrating with the Swees and Seutters. The legs in this photo belong to my brother and his sweet girlfriend Angela.

Ingrid's big party

We had a family party for Ingrid at Grandma Shirley's house...

The shirt says it all...
Here's everyone at the party...
Let there be cake...

Birthday girl

The four of us celebrated Ingrid's first birthday at home.

Birthday dinner at Thanh Do - our favorite Thai restaurant....
Greta holding the doll we picked out for Ingrid.
Ingrid and Cody enjoying a cupcake.

Freedom...

from the usual 9pm bedtime. And how did I spend my first late night out in almost a year (okay - I did spend one late night in the ER with Greta because she had a mild concussion) I went out with my friends Ali and Jill to the George Michael concert. Ali is a huge fan and could sing along to all the songs while I knew about 75 percent. It was a really good show and it only took me a week to catch up on my missed sleep. Golly I'm getting old and out of practice!

For my good friend Jenny Johnson

So my friend Jenny inspired me to start a blog. She does a great job of keeping us all up to date on her life. She is one of those people that has a million friends and yet you always feel like you are a top priority for her.

Anyway - Jenny is Swedish and proud of her heritage. I've been visiting the American Swedish Institute more frequently lately and I always think of Jenny when I go. Currently they have an exhibition of Queen Silvia's Nobel Prize Gowns. Since Greta wants to be a princess (and a robot, and a ballerina and a superhero) when she grows up I thought we should go and see the exhibit.

This picture was taken right before we got in trouble for taking pictures of the dresses. We took about 30 before they finally stopped us. I must admit I did look for a "no pictures" sign and I didn't see one.
Ingrid and I liked this blue dress.

Playing on the steps outside the "castle."

Greta has a sudden interest in castles, princesses and Paris. Everytime we drive by the Catholic Basillica in Minneapolis Greta always says "Are we in Paris now?"

Hair-apy

Greta has the sweetest hair. It's so blond and soft and fine. However - I'm used to my dark, think, corse hair and I cannot figure out how to style hers. I need to take some community ed class or something because I am not making good hair decisions on her part.

These pigtails are okay - but they always look lopsided to me.

This comb-out was a bad idea. I wouldn't last a day on those reality salon shows!

Generations

So I think this is one of my favorite pictures of the year. We have a few variations of it - but this one is just the best.

We say it's your birthday and I don't have a picture of it!

We also celebrated with Grandma Shirley but I can't find a picture so here's us on Mother's Day instead...

You say it's your birthday...

So we've had a lot of fun celebrating birthdays this year. Here are a few recaps...

Derek's 30th in March. This was Ingrid's and Greta's first bowling party. Grandpa Seutter's 92 in January...

Great Grandpa Swee

Zak turned 30 as well this year.
June 22 - Great Grandma Swee

Faces

These are some of my favorite pics over the last few months

Ingrid eating...

Greta jumping on her bed...

Ingrid outside...

Vacation

Greta loved the beach. She made sand castles, flew her kite and played in the water.

Going Back

We've had a busy spring. Here are some pictures and updates.

Trip to Hatteras Island:

On the beach

I'm so excited

because Grandma Vi and Grandpa Fran brought us this duck that sings and dances.
because mom is doing a Welsh rugby yell she learned in college (Jamie Kay can do it better - come visit us so the girls can hear it first hand!)

because I just ate a whole bowl of frosting.

In the hood...

If you look closely at the last photo you can see Ingrid's first two teeth.

To have and to hold

Greta is really into holding Ingrid right now. However - Ingrid is really into rolling, perfecting her downward facing dog Yoga move and trying to master the army and/or regular crawl. These moments make for delightful photo opps. No injuries sustained yet...just the cutest photos ever!

Greta is really into holding Ingrid right now. However - Ingrid is really into rolling, perfecting her downward facing dog Yoga move and trying to master the army and/or regular crawl. These moments make for delightful photo opps. No injuries sustained yet...just the cutest photos ever!

I wear my sunglasses at night

Greta has really hit her stride as a three year old. She can do so many things by herself now. She helps with dishes, sets the table, washes her own hands, picks up her toys, sorts laundry. She's making Cody and I look like slackers. One night she wanted to get ready for bed on her own - NO HELP. This is the final look. It's actually quite coordinated. Safari type hat with a leopard print pajama. Sunglasses and flip flops. Kind of a cool safari theme. (Sorry I don't know how to rotate the image. I'm sure Greta will master the technique and teach us next week.)

Six month photos

Here are pictures of both Greta and Ingrid around six months...