Summer Weekend Warriors 6/29: Roses and Friends

This weekend Lucy and I made a trip to the Lyndale Park Rose Garden in Minneapolis. It was a completely gorgeous day and we very much enjoyed strolling through the gardens to see and smell the flowers, soak in the sunshine, and make new friends (like a florist setting up for a wedding, and a Deerhound named Babe). I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Sunday evening, our friends Jacquie and Erik came over for dinner. It was a wonderful evening of catching up, and a perfect night to sit on the deck. Lucy and Erik were best buds, and he even read her a book in Spanish (Erik is a Spanish teacher). They are wonderful friends who have been through a rough few months with such grace, and we were so happy to spend this evening with them.

This last photo taken through Lucy's Lens. :)

We crossed something off the Summer List! Rose Garden

Summer Weekend Warriors 8/29: Hazy (Part 2)

Part 2 of our Labor Day weekend is a little hazy, and here's why:

Labor Day weekend libations.

Sunday Lucy and I left Des Moines and made the long drive even longer by continuing on to the northwest suburbs, where Husband's family was gathered for a little barbecue. First, I have to say, when I stepped out of the car I was amazed at how cool it felt outside. After a week or more of high heat and humidity, the 70-degree weather felt AWESOME. Before I knew it, I was sitting in a patio chair with the big orange glass on the left in my hand...and as you can see, others also had big glasses in their hands. It got a little nutty. Someone may or may not have walked into a closed patio screen door. Someone may or may not have spilled their drink all over the patio. I'm not saying who. All I'll say is that damn Vodka is a sneaky beotch.

Since I was enjoying myself so thoroughly, my dear Husband took our daughter home about 8PM and left me at the mercy of his sisters. Let's just say what happens at the Pawlak House, stays at the Pawlak House...and that includes my car, which had a sleepover in the street while I got a ride home with my sister- and brother-in-law and slept in my own bed. Which consequently, I occupied until about 10AM the next morning. It's been a LONG time, folks. No hangover...but tired, so tired. I don't have to tell you what we did on Monday. I'll give you a hint...

Not much.

Happy (?) end of summer!

Lucy, Mom, and Dad Day

Husband and I spent the whole day today with Lucy, to celebrate her birthday. We had grand plans to take her to Build-A-Bear, but when we got to the mall that morning, we found out the store was closed! Boy, did I feel stupid...but it was seriously there a month ago when I was at the mall. I never expected it would have gone out of business. Luckily, we didn't tell her that's what we were doing, so she was none the wiser. She was happy with Husband's Jamba Juice, but we still owed her a gift, so it was off to Toys R Us.

We had a fun time looking around, and Lucy had to try out every car in the lot. Eventually she ended up choosing a toy with some much more manageable cars (and at a much more manageable price)...a racetrack and a box of special Matchbox cars!

After the toy store, we headed off to Chuck E. Cheese. This was our first trip there as a family, and I was a little skeptical, but we had a ball! You certainly don't go for the quality of the food, but Lucy was enthralled with all of the games and rides, and I have to say Husband and I enjoyed ourselves too. We even got to meet Mr. Cheese himself, although Lucy wasn't too sure about him. She was obsessed with the fact that he was silent, and kept asking "why is he alive, but he can't talk?"

After lunch we came home and picked some flowers, and then played with the new racetrack. Later we took a trip to Costco to buy items for the birthday party tomorrow. It was a wonderful family day!

John Denver: A Rocky Mountain High Concert

First off, let me just say that this post in general runs the risk of making me sound like a total dork. To which I say...whatever. Been there, done that.

This past Sunday night I had the pleasure of attending "John Denver: A Rocky Mountain High Concert" at the State Theater in downtown Minneapolis. Husband gifted me with two tickets for Christmas, with the caveat that he was NOT going to attend. So, logically, I invited my mom!

We made an evening of it and ate dinner downtown before the show. I took her to Solera, described as "an upscale tapas place" (tapas are Spanish appetizers). We had wine and enjoyed bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese (SO GOOD), prawns (for Mom), lamb stew (which we didn't care for ), and special paella croquetas (yum). At one point Mom said, "your dad wouldn't survive in a place like this." Which, I reminded her, was exactly the reason we were there together. :) The only disappointment besides the lamb stew was that my stomach was acting up a bit, so I couldn't enjoy the food as much as I was hoping. But still, good food, and definitely good company and conversation.

Then it was off to the concert. I'm sure you are thinking - what the hell? John Denver is dead. Why yes, he is. But it was really cool how they pulled this off. All of the songs performed, with the exception of maybe three, were indeed performed by John himself via video, accompanied by a live band. The musicians on stage were people who had actually played with John. In fact, in many of the videos we saw those band members 10-15 years ago, and then there they were standing on the stage (looking a bit older). Surreal! They told stories about John and it really was a delightful experience. The first notes of each song brought smiles of recognition and fond memories. After Annie's Song my mom said, "were you thinking of your wedding?" Why yes I was, and she was too. I just love me some John Denver. It was so wonderful, yet bittersweet to see him in video like that. It was almost like he was actually there. What a marvelous voice, and what a tragic loss.  I've had the pleasure of seeing him twice in concert, and would have loved to have seen him again - but this was the next best thing. It was lovely to sit there next to my mom and enjoy such a unique experience.

Thanks, Mom!

Ladies Spa Weekend

Friday morning I left for Grandview Lodge in Nisswa, MN. A group of ladies I know goes up there for a weekend every year to enjoy the fabulous spa services and cut loose a little bit.  I went two years ago and decided to join them again this year. The mix of ladies is a little different every time, so there is the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and the chance to meet some new ones.  Ten in all.

Some of us had appointments Friday at the spa (I had a massage), but then on Saturday we tried something different - a spa cabin, only for our group. It's a cabin all set up with a relaxation/lounge area, and separate rooms set up for the services. We had a "concierge" of sorts available to us all day, offering warm neck wraps. :) There was even a hot tub on the deck!

It was at our disposal all day, so we lounged and snacked and chatted and slept and...ahhhhhh. It was so nice! Sprinkled in there, of course, were some wonderful services. I had a very relaxing facial. Who couldn't relax in this beautiful cabin?

Most of the girls went out on Friday night, but I stayed in with another woman because my back was bothering me, and frankly I was ready to hang out in my stretchy pants! We had a nice time chatting and having a couple glasses of wine while everyone else went out and danced their butts off. Saturday night, we went to Iven's on the Bay for dinner and a few of these babies:

Everyone was pretty tired so we went back to our main cabin and watched a movie, then headed to bed. We needed to rest up, because overnight the world turned white! A few inches of snow came down and was still falling in the morning. If possible, snow makes the lodge even prettier.

It was just too bad it came as we were leaving. I'm sure a little bit of our relaxed state was disrupted in our respective white-knuckle drives home! Over a foot fell in many parts of the state, including the metro. It took awhile to get home, but I made it unscathed and was warmly welcomed by my loves. It's nice to get away once in awhile, but it's also nice to be home!

State Fair

This year Husband said early in the summer that he'd like to go to the State Fair.

What's that you say?

Ordinarily, my dearly betrothed has a significant disdain for anything involving large crowds. So I was surprised when he wanted to go to the fair, but completely up for it. Lucy and I had gone two years ago, when she was too little to remember it. This was precisely why Husband wanted to go; to see our girl enjoy herself.

A bonus was that Brandon also came with us, so it was a true family event. We went the Sunday before Labor Day, or the day before the fair ended. It turned out to be a lovely day, and not too crowded by State Fair standards (yet). We left early in the morning and arrived just before 8AM. We hit the high points and a few attractions - Little Farmhands, food, butterfly house, sky ride, Midway games.

This Little Farmhand was grumpy to start...but soon turned the frown upside down!

Mmm...Sweet Martha's Cookies.

Somebody was pretty jazzed about the SkyRide.

Brandon was the big winner at Midway games...although I beat him at Whack-A-Mole!

Best malts are from the Dairy Building.

My favorites were riding the SkyRide with Lucy (she was SO excited!) and seeing my husband light up when we hit the Midway...and Brandon  picking up on it, too. We were out by just a little past noon, right when it was really starting to get crowded and hot. All in all, a perfect day.

Summer, Summer, Summer...

"...turns me upside down..." (Magic, The Cars, 1984)

So here we are, past "mid" July, practically staring down the barrel of August…with the undeniable feeling that we are on the back slope of summer. I know this time of year I feel an urgency to cram all that I can into the remaining days and weeks.

As I was putting together this blog and lamenting the things we HAVEN'T done yet; I went through the photos and thought - hey, we've done plenty! And it occurred to me that the best summer moments are not always "planned," like these:

Finding a mud puddle, and getting washed with a garden hose.

Getting an unexpected shoulder ride.

Eating ice cream on the deck.

Feeding ducklings.

Bouncing and sliding!

Picking flowers at Grandma's house.

Once again, a valuable lesson comes through the eyes of a two-year-old.

Lucy Says "I Love You"

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ladies Weekend

Last weekend I had the pleasure of being invited to a ladies weekend at Grandview Lodge in Nisswa, MN. It's only about 2 1/2 hours north of "The Cities," and yet felt like a step into another world. I can't remember another time I have been away for a whole weekend since Lucy was born.

What a beautiful place. It was like walking around in a snow globe. The main lodge is a historic building, and I was charmed from the moment I walked in. The guest cabins are amazing, and we got quite a deal through a special winter weekend package.

Oh, and did I mention there is a spa on the premises? Glacial Waters Spa is an Aveda spa, and I spent almost the whole day Saturday there. I had my first facial and after a few minutes of, "OK, I'm paying a lady to rub stuff on my face..." it was actually very relaxing - I even fell asleep for a little bit! My skin felt amazing afterward, too. It's too bad I can't afford all the products in that 8-step process to beautiful glowing skin! After the facial I was able to sit in the Relaxation Room and finish a book, and then headed into my 60-minute deep tissue massage. Just writing that now makes my back ache for another one! It's a crazy feeling getting up from the massage table...I call it a "massage hangover." Your hair is all messed up, you've got marks on your face from laying face down on the table, and you're groggy from being so relaxed. I was able to take a shower and relax for a bit more before heading back to the cabin to rejoin my group.

Another thing I was able to do on this weekend retreat was go out. Not that I never go out, but in this case I didn't have to drive myself anywhere, and I didn't have to worry about having to wake up at 6AM and put on my mommy hat. We drank beer out of pitchers at a townie bar and danced to a bunch of new music we didn't know, and cleared the floor of anyone but us when we requested tunes from the early '90s. We felt a little old at times but we also felt mighty awesome. It could've been the 3.2 beer but I'm sure it was more about some ladies cutting loose!

All in all this weekend reminded me that I'm a much better mom, wife, co-worker when I give myself a break. Even in packing for the weekend I realized I haven't bought myself any new clothes in a long time, and I don't have any good clothes that aren't for work or aren't for knocking around the house chasing around a toddler and doing laundry. And that reminded me that I work and I'm a mom, but there's also a little bit of me in between the two. That woman needs some time too.

I'll be heading back next year. :)

Reuniting With an Old Friend

A couple of weeks ago I took a road trip, and beforehand I asked Husband to burn me a CD. I didn’t care what was on it, I wanted him to surprise me - the present day version of a mixed tape. A little something to break up the monotony of highway pavement between here and Okoboji, Iowa.

He did well, serving up some standby favorites and some tunes I hadn’t heard in a long while. One of these was a Garth Brooks ditty called Lonesome Dove, a song that tells a story about a town on the Texas border, and inspired by a book of the same name which happens to be one of my all-time favorites. The Wild West tugs at something in me, it always has…and damn, I love that book.

This led me to start thinking (another hazard of long road trips) about the last book I read cover to cover, and I am ashamed to say I’m not sure what it was. I haven’t done much reading lately, and I can tell you pretty much exactly when my somewhat voracious reading habit stopped. It was around May 2009.

Which some of you may recall, coincides with the birth of my daughter.

Before she was born I was reading Ines of My Soul, by Isabelle Allende. I know this because I am one of those nerds who keeps a spreadsheet of the books I read. I had not finished the book by the time the book club meeting came around in mid-May, but I continued and was determined to finish. However, as some of you know, when you’re toting around a bowling ball encased in a bag of water, it can make you pretty tired. This didn’t leave a lot of time for reading anyway, and then the bowling ball decided to come almost 2 weeks early. I never did finish that book.

I have completed a couple of books since, mostly to satisfy my book club obligations (which is a loose statement – I’ve showed up many a time to discuss a book I had not finished or had not even read – it’s more about the wine and the company, and the wine). Other books I have started but not finished, which over my lifetime has not happened very often until now. I remember feeling relieved when we recently chose a book of short stories for book club, because I knew I could get through at least one of them. A couple of books over the past year is pretty sad for someone who had typically read a couple of books each month. Most of my reading has usually been before bed, but I just can’t do it anymore. I am so tired by the time I crawl into bed that I can barely keep my eyes open and end up re-reading the same page over and over. It takes me a week or two just to get through a magazine, let alone a novel.

All this being said, I do miss my books. Even though I think I don’t have time, on occasion I do seem to find myself messing around on Facebook or watching a repeat episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey (that show drives me crazy, why do I watch it?). That time could certainly be spent reading a book.

So for my foray back into the life of a reader, I went to my bookshelf and chose an old friend. Hello, Lonesome Dove. I’m thinking you, me, the hammock, and extended daylight hours can get this reading train moving again.

Wish me luck.

This One's For You, (Great) Grandma

Last weekend Lucy and I traveled to Storm Lake to attend my nephew's baptism. Here she is giving a little love to her great-grandma at the reception.


It's moments like this that are truly priceless. We are so blessed!

Heartwarmer

Tonight I finally got around to putting up our Christmas tree. Brandon has been sick for the past few days, but he is feeling a lot better today and offered to help me. It was nice to spend a little time with him and hear him talk about some of the ornaments. He thought it was a pretty big deal that he found an ornament from 2001, and then I pulled out my "Baby's First Christmas" ornament from 1976. Then he found one of Husbands that was marked 1971 - I was trumped!

I was lamenting that we still don't have a tree topper, and Brandon said, "hey, you know what we need? We need a tree topper that is an angel that you can put a picture in, then every year we can put Lucy's picture in it and she can always be the angel on top of our tree."

I had to pause to collect myself as I finished writing that, just as I did when he said it. What a wonderful thing for a teenage boy to say about his little sister. It warms my heart that he loves her so much...and deep inside I know that even with 16 years between them, he will always be there for her. That is one of the most comforting feelings in the world.

Weekend Fun

This weekend, my cousin Kristi made the trip up from Dubuque, IA to see us. We had such a good time...after putting Lucy down for the night on Friday, we stayed up talking, finally going to bed when we realized it was 2AM! Saturday morning we went to the Minneapolis Farmer's Market, then to a favorite local fabric shop Crafty Planet, followed by a late lunch. Lucy was such a good little girl while we were out. I carried her in the Baby Bjorn when we were at the farmer's market, which she loves, and she was awake and just looking around while we were shopping and at lunch. I think she enjoyed our girls day!

Kristi and I were able to go out to dinner that night while Husband watched Lucy, which was great. We talked and talked and drank a margarita and some beer(s)...which I have not been able to partake in for quite some time! I loved having her here, and Lucy gave her all kinds of smiles. It was such a great weekend (wish I would have taken more photos) thank you Kristi for coming!


Today was a pretty relaxing day around here, and I took advantage of the time to organize some photos from the past couple of months and get them uploaded to my Flickr account while Lucy napped with her daddy. Check them out here (or click on the photo link on the right side of this page). Best way to view is by clicking on the labeled sets on the right side of my photostream page. Enjoy!

Craziness Part 2

Here's the flip side of the recent craziness!

Along with all of the work going on recently, there has been a lot of other activity and excitement around our house, mostly centering on the arrival of our little chickadee.

On April 25th, my five best girlfriends came up from Iowa to throw me a little baby shower and spend the night. Five of my Minnesota girlfriends also joined us for the afternoon, and it was great having them all in the same place.They did an amazing job creating a "green" shower, complete with green-themed gifts and extra touches like a decoration made of chlorine-free diapers, and reuse of wrapping paper and bows, among many other things. It was very thoughtful of them, and so very "me!"

Gina did her special gender test on me...girl!

My very favorite part of the weekend was just having the girls here. We had such a great time talking and laughing and catching up. There is just something about girlfriends that is so very special, and these girls and I go way back. They know me so well, and it was a recharge I definitely needed.

Last weekend Husband and I started our baby classes through the hospital where I will deliver. This was the first of two Saturday morning classes, and although Husband wasn't too excited about sitting in a "classroom" for 4 hours, I was so glad he was there. Aside from viewing some videos that made me a little queasy, and a few things that made Husband point at the book and look at me questioningly (mucous plug?), I think we both gained a better understanding of what is going down when I have to get this baby out. It was actually a nice bonding experience, especially at the end when he learned how to give me massages and help me through labor. :) I have no doubt he is going to be my rock during the labor process. Next week we learn about our pain medication options and get a tour of the hospital, which I think will really help get things set in our minds.

The nursery furniture has also arrived and is assembled in the baby's room! I still have some work to do, but it's starting to look like a little one belongs in there. A few more key items and we're as ready as we'll ever be...and I'll take a breath and enjoy this kind of craziness any day.

All is Quiet

We spent a wonderful, relaxing Easter weekend in Iowa with my family, and have now been home for a few hours. Brandon is at his mom's and Buddy is still at the kennel...it's darn quiet around here! It's been nice having a quiet weekend with Husband, but it's a little strange without "the boys" here. I have to think that we should be enjoying this quiet; that in a couple of months life is never going to be the same, never going to be quite all ours again. At the same time though, it makes me know we are ready for a hustling, bustling house filled with love and laughter (and I know some crying and screaming too). I'll take it all!

Credit Where Credit is Due

I have to take a moment and use this opportunity to thank my Husband. He has been really thoughtful lately, but the other day in particular I was especially moved by his actions.

This must be prefaced by telling you that Husband I have been making more of an effort lately to connect, to actually have a chance to talk during the day. Sometimes if I have to work late I'm so tired and he's engrossed in his computer, and we hardly say more than a few words to each other before one of us goes off to bed. So, lately Husband has been giving me a quick call during the day, just to say hi, even if he has to leave a message. I've also made a dedication to come home at normal time at least one night a week, usually Wednesday, so we can have dinner together at a decent hour.

Thursday I was having a busy day at work, something that seems to be common lately. I was going from meeting to meeting, and didn't get back to my desk until later in the afternoon. I had a message.

It was this song, followed by Husband coming on saying he just thought this would be a message I could keep and listen to when I'm having a bad day or when I need to smile, because he knows that song always makes me smile (not to mention it sticks in my head the rest of the day). I thought it was really the sweetest thing, and I called him to tell him so, and also to confirm that I was going to be working late that night.

Thursday was also the day we got several inches of snow in the Twin Cities metro. As I left work at 8:30PM, I had to navigate through bitter winds and several drifts to get to my car, one of a few left in the parking lot. A work friend of mine was stuck just outside the entrance, spinning her wheels in the snow. Her boyfriend was coming to get her. I was not feeling good about getting out of there. I called Husband for help.

He made the trek across the metro with no complaints and no attitude. He got there, pushed my car out of the parking lot, and followed me home to make sure I didn't get stuck again. I felt a little silly for calling him all the way over, but so comforted knowing I (as well as our baby) was safe. Oh, and when I walked in the house? He had put some food in the crockpot, just for me, so I would be able to eat when I got home.

There are too few days in this life to let the people you love most become passing ships. A hectic schedule can make it too easy to take people for granted. Husband picks up a lot of slack for me when I have to work late, and never makes me feel bad (because heaven knows I impose enough of that on myself). I am a lucky girl, and our little one will be lucky to have such a father. Although I know he doesn't need public recognition, I just want him to know he is my rock, and I appreciate him so much.

Mraz-Matazz

Lastnight I went with some friends to see Jason Mraz at The Myth nightclub. It was a packed and highly anticipated show.

First, let me say I love Jason Mraz. I saw him a couple of years ago with my friend Jacquie, and he is an amazing performer. He has a very unique style, is a brilliant lyricist, and can actually sing. He has a melodic voice that sounds the same in person as it does in the studio (and his range is incredible). He can rap, scat, and belt out a ballad at the drop of a hat; all with a great sense of humor. Good stuff.

That being said, the show was actually not the highlight of my evening. It was good, but it wasn't great. There were parts that were a little too mellow for the venue, and I felt like he lost the crowd a little bit. It definitely had its groovin', butt-shakin' moments, but overall I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10.

What made the entire evening a 10 of 10 was spending that time with my friends. We stood in the back of the venue (so as to have a little wall for back support - I know, we're old) and were able to talk a little bit throughout the night. Alex and I even attempted a conversation at venture capitalism, prompted by the outrageously priced beers. We laughed, we sang, we danced. I have not smiled that much in a long time. What capped the night for me was Jacquie and Alex dancing like nobody was watching (and like they didn't care anyway) to the very last song of the night. I laughed so hard and smiled so big that my face hurt. I am so lucky to have such great friends with whom to enjoy times like this.

So I just wanted to share the goodness, which has permeated into my day today, even though I'm tired from staying out until midnight (again, I'm old).

Lovin' the Long Weekend

Well, it's been an uneventful week. Work just seemed to drag, and I was so glad when Thursday came and I could check out for a few days. I did get a lot done that afternoon though; there were only a few of us left in the office by about 2PM.

We didn't do a whole lot for the 4th of July. We got invited to couple of parties, but this year I just kind of felt like doing some things as a family and chilling at home. Husband made a nice lunch and then the three of us walked over to the movie theater to see WallE (cute movie which also introduced some thought-provoking ideas relative to the environment and our computer-driven culture). We did a couple of things around the house in the afternoon (I think there was some Dance, Dance Revolution in there somewhere too), and grilled steaks for supper. Later on Brandon, Buddy and I walked to a nearby hill and saw what we could of the fireworks over in St. Louis Park. It wasn't quite like being there, but it was fun nonetheless, and I always like some good fireworks!

Today is errands, laundry and yard work (which I think I'm already done with, because man it's hot outside!) I did quite a bit of work in some of the backyard flower beds on Thursday night and just did a little more today. They are a tangled mess of weeds, grass, and flowers - sometimes it's hard to tell what's what. It looks like some of the lilies are about to bloom. Got to give them some room to breathe!

It feels good to get so much done, and still have another day to go. Who knows, I might even hang some things on the walls this afternoon!

Adventures of Youth

They finally made it! Two recent high school graduates of Chaska High School here in Minnesota just finished a canoe trip from Chaska all the way to Hudson Bay. 2200 miles in 49 days...yeah, do that math! They duplicated a trip taken in 1930 by Eric Sevareid and Walter Port, which was chronicled in the book Canoeing With the Cree (which I think I'm going to have to read).

It's great to read about kids (or anyone, for that matter) who are ambitious and adventurous enough to take the time to plan and execute a journey like this. Between the chilly temperatures, the dangerous rapids, potential encounters with polar bears, and an exploding can of bear spray, I'm sure this is a trip they will never forget. What an amazing story they have to tell!

Read more about them here, and visit their webpage here. Be inspired!

Home

After some long days and nights, we completed all of the major moving today and are officially in our new home! Today went really smoothly because we had been working hard this week to get things packed up and organized, and we had some great help loading and unloading. We all met at the duplex, loaded up, and had a little caravan over to the house and unloaded it all at once. It worked out great.
There are still a few random things at the duplex, and of course some cleaning to do. But I'm feeling like this house is really ours now. We can paint the colors we want and hang things on the wall, and put sweat and tears into it to make it what we want it to be. Play music or laugh hysterically or have a party without worrying about disturbing those who share a wall with us.

But most of all, it's really starting to sink in that this is a place we will likely be for a number of years. Since I left my parent's house I've never lived in a rental for more than 4 years (in most cases much less), never felt like I've been totally "settled." After Husband and I got married and moved into the duplex, I knew that my home was automatically where he was, and that it didn't matter where we lived. But quite honestly I never felt quite settled into that duplex...going in I wasn't sure how long we would stay, so there were boxes I never bothered to unpack. The walls were white and I didn't do much to add anything interesting. It wasn't mine.


Now...now we can be grounded and stay in one place for more than a year or two. Throw down some roots. This is home.

Now to unpack all those boxes!