Our Sneaky Foodie

Sevi seems to have started some sneaky food habits lately. In the past month I have found items of food in various unexpected locations in the house. I wouldn't mind if it was healthy food, but he found Halloween candy and had a pile hidden behind a door, a ginger snap cookie was behind a plant and this morning I caught him on the floor hidden beside the stove with his fancy ice cream dish filled with ice cream at 6:15AM!!!!

Soren's forst tooth extraction

Soren was a champ today with his first tooth extraction. It was a broken and decayed baby tooth but he turned down gas and went with only the Novocain. Due to bacteria the dentist keeps the tooth but allowed us to take a pic to send as proof to the tooth fairy.

2014 Art Shanty's

This year the Art Shanty's were out in White Bear Lake. The boys really enjoyed all the crazy themed Shanty's and activities and we love supporting MN artists. 

  

The boys in the Music Shanty created by our good friends Paul, Jeff and Tan.

               Soren trying out Curling. 

        Randy trying out the skate bike. 

             The big polar bear bike. 

 

Randy and Soren powering the polar bear bike. 

Happy Valentines Day!

It appears that the boys and I have started a valentine tradition, as we are now on year two of doing valentine hearts tree bombing. It really is a fun project to do that brings smiles to all involved.

   Valentine Prep #1: Painting the canvas. 

      Valentine Prep #2: Cut out Hearts. 

       Valentine Prep #3: The Delivery

City of Lakes Minne-Loppet

The boys have really taken a liking to cross country skiing this winter. Today they competed in their first ski race at Lake Calhoun on a 1.5K course. Sevi was a trooper and kept up at a fast clip while Soren whizzed along. They ended the race with medals, hot chocolate and cookies.

         Soren at the start of the race. 

   Soren and Sevi about half way through.

           Sevi nearing the finish line. 

          Soren crossing the finish line. 

       On the podium with their medals. 

Skating

In the Fall of 2013 both boys took ice skating lessons at our favorite lesson spot, Minnehaha Academy Ice Arena. This was the third year for Soren and Sevi's first. 

     Skating at Centenial Lakes Ice Rink. 

Mr 7 Year Old!!!!!

Today Soren turned 7. What a year he had from his violin musical debut, to graduating from Kindergarten and loosing five teeth. It is with amazement that we watch him grow more and more independent and come into his own skin. He is strong willed and wonderfully healthy, keeping him in the 90th percentile for his height and weight, yet his favorite thing is to climb into a lap and be smothered with kisses. Our first grader is quick with numbers and loves the challenges that learning provides. He is creative in his storytelling and not a day goes by that he doesn't visually create something with his hands. His favorite words are epic and awesome, and that our dear Soren, is exactly what you are. We Love You.

This is the year of Lego's for Soren. Here he is opening a Chima Lego set.

Since this past Fall, Soren has been diving into Harry Potter and we are now on book four. He wanted a Harry Potter movie viewing for his birthday party theme. It was a perfect choice considering the temperature today was in the -20's. I booked the lecture hall in the Art Department at St Kate's University (the perks of being a faculty member) and he had a private movie showing for his guests brave enough to venture out.

In the entrance of the building we hung a "Welcome Muggles" sign.

Watching the movie "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".

The shy Soren while being sung Happy Birthday to. 

The party guests Amanda, Grayer, Max, Joey and Soren

Grayer's mom went all out and made a Gringotts bank for Soren that had shredded real money and golden coins.

Happy 2014!!!!

Winter Family Escape at the Audubon Center of the Northwoods in Minnesota

We spent the weekend away at the Audubon Center up in Sandstone, MN in their Winter Family Escape program. It is an all-inclusive four day weekend that provides loads of winter activities from horse drawn sleigh rides to XC skiing, rock climbing to snake handling. The first two days the weather was perfect to spend the whole time outdoors. The boys loved skiing, kick sledding, snowshoeing and tunnel digging in the snow. Randy and I loved all that as well, but you couldn't beat the prepared meals and no worries about meal planning for four days. The last two days turned frigid with -20 degree temps with the wind chill. Randy and I snuck out for a quick snowshoe hike while the boys did crafts and tested our limits with their constant pestering of each other. All in all it was great to get away and unplug for a few days and reconnect back with nature.

View from our room on the first night.

Soren dancing with intern Ellen during the contra dance.

The boys loved that our room had four bunk beds.

Randy and Sevi kick sledding on the lake.

Sevi taking a rest by the Sugar Shack.

Soren crossing the bridge that connected the main hall to the barn.

Soren handeling a snake during the herp class. The boys also played with a rabbit and a porcupine named Spike. We also went to a animal winter adaptation class that had an eagle, owl and American kestrel bird.

The upstairs of the barn had a climbing wall! Soren is climbing with his favorite intern Ellen.

Soren skiing.

Sevi did awesome on his first ski adventure!

Family pic after riding on the two horse open sleigh.

Sevi action shot on the sleigh ride.

Soren is testing out the hand carved wood snake that they painted during craft time and then went outdoors to see how far it slithers in the snow when thrown.

Christmas 2013

Christmas note and letters to Santa. This years wish list was filled with Harry Potter, Lego's, Playmobile and Trains.

Murrill Family

Uncle Chris reading his book gift to Sevi.

Auntie Mari came all the way from Alaska to join us this year delivering a print that Auntie Lisa found in NYC that has hand drawn cartoon figures that draws in the viewer in in a giant search and find game.

The youngest cousins (Tyler in the middle) from the Lewandowski family.

Presents, presents presents!

Sevi in his favorite present- the train engineer costume.

Christmas Jingles Jam

All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth!

Christmas Cookies

We went to Gramma Anne's for the annual gingerbread cookie baking. Uncle Alex was there as well to help with the festivities.

Decorating the gingerbread men.

This year we did a kids cookie making class at Whole Foods. I loved it because all the mess could be left behind and we walked out with a box full of homemade cookies. Here the boys are making the dough.

Rolling the dough.

Cutting out the shapes.