long time - no updates

Well - I signed up for a Facebook account and have really let my blog slide. It's been fun to connect with old friends again.
Our fall was busy. Greta goes to preschool three days a week, Ingrid has class one day a week, Cody plays hockey two days a week. We attend storytime at the library on Tuesday nights and try to get together with school friends once or twice a week. We spent as much time as we could outdoors before it got too cold. I think I'm finally getting used to the cold weather and I've taken the girls outdoors two days in a row now. Yesterday for horse rides in the park near our house (5 degrees) and ice skating today (a balmy 29 degrees). cody and greta skate; I pull ingrid around the rink in a sled. I'm trying to think of some other things to do outside. Ingrid has trouble walking once she's all bundled up so I'm thinking maybe I can pull them around the neighborhood in the large sled.

Happy New Year to everyone!


Ingrid decorating our charlie brown tree.

Eeyore and Marie from the Aristocats.

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?"