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A Flip-Flop Haiku

Five days and counting

Hot Huatulco here we come

I must paint my toes

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I would like to be able to say that this is a regular sight in our house...but it's not. This is what bribery looks like. We told the kids we'd take them rollerskating but first they had a list of "chores" to complete. Cleaning up the breakfast dishes was #1 on the list....

They should really do this more often, no?

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Hannah, so proud of you today. After a year of lessons now, your teacher asked if you'd be interested in participating in a piano "contest." I have to be honest and say I was a bit surprised that you wanted to do it. You often shy away from "new" and "unknown" experiences. But you did great. You had chosen one of your most familiar pieces, Waltzing Elephants, which you call the "Plink Song" because of the staccato nature of the song. You had to walk into an unfamiliar setting, introduce yourself to the judge (whom you didn't know), present your music to her and then play for her from memory. The song is short (all of 30 second or so to play) but you played it quite well. The judge took notes, gave you some feedback and then we were on our way home. When we got home there was a message from your instructor saying how well you'd done and that you had scored a "1", the best score you could get. You'll receive a medal or ribbon of some sort at your next lesson. We're so proud of you, honey. You took a risk, tried something new and did well. Go you!

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Today we met up with friends for a bit of ice skating. Both Alex and Ethan had missed the first grade field trip last week (skating with their 8th grade buddies) so Janice and I decided to take the kids out for some skating and lunch. Both Hannah and Alex have been rollerskating before but this was their first time on the ice. And it's been years for me. They did really well for their first time and enjoyed this treat after our long week.

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Catching up. With all of the travel and arrangements he had to do connected to Dale's death, he's been feeling behind in work. Today is all about trying to get up to speed and caught up on what he's missed.

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These amazing flowers arrived for Andy today from his company. The bouquet is huge and beautiful and smells amazing (it's the lilies, I think) and you can smell them the moment you walk in the door. It's like a big burst of sunshine in our home....I love it. It's just what we all needed with all the gray around here lately. We should have fresh flowers around here more often - it's such a mood booster.

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Finally....almost home. We each had our own version of "alone time" in the car(s). Andy right in front of me the entire way, Hannah listening to stories on the iPod, me searching for something worthwhile to listen to on the radio and Alex taking a 2 hour (!) nap. As we passed the exit about 3 miles from home, he woke up and said:

"Mom, is this Madison?"

No, honey. You were sleeping when we passed Madison.

"I wasn't asleep"

You weren't? You sure looked like you were....

"That's because I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was trying and they just kept closing. 'Cause it was so bright."

Love that. (But I have a feeling we're going to be paying for the nap later tonight!)

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So glad to be heading home. We couldn't make it all the way, with the snow on the roads but at least we got a start. We saw so many cars and trucks stuck in ditches along the way. We drove only two hours or so before stopping here for the night - a hotel with a water park. What could be better than that? This particular one didn't quite do it for me but the kids enjoyed themselves. They needed a little something like this after the last few days we've had. This slide seemed to be their favorite, which I thought was funny because Alex almost needed to push himself down in certain places - not the fastest slide he's been on, for sure!

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So we're snowed in.... really hoping to be on the road and heading home but a big storm is hitting the area. So today turned into a game day. Here Hannah and Hanna are showing off their loot. The two were playing Alex and doing a bit of cheating (unbeknownst to Alex) until Daddy came along to give him some assistance.

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Dale's home. Well, his summer time home anyway. The four children met here today to discuss Dale's wishes and look through the house to see what each might want of their father's personal things. While the house will be left to Greg, the oldest child, we don't know how long it will be around. I'm sure Greg will eventually sell it as he really has no need for it. It felt strange to walk through Dale's home without him in it. I'm sure it felt even more strange for Andy. Even though it's much nicer to look at in the summertime, I'm glad I was able to capture this image for him. This is where we picture him when we think of Dale.

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Today was Dale's burial. The tiny little cemetery sits just outside a town with a population under 300 about 2 hours north of his home. He had chosen this place years ago. It was where his ancestors had settled when they came over from Sweden. Both Dale's father and his grandfather are here as well. Just the immediate family were there today. It was a bright and sunny day but frigidly cold. Andy had chosen the coffin for his dad. Everyone commented at how simple yet beautiful it was...again, just as Dale would have wanted it.

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It was a rough day for Andy today. The weather was mild and very damp and foggy. Dale's service at the church was very nice. Andy says it was just what he would have wanted. I'm glad for that. I know that means a lot to him, his brothers and his sister.

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Heading north for Dale's funeral which is tomorrow. The sky was on fire tonight as we approached the state border. Bright orange-yellow sunset followed by blues, reds, pinks and purples as the sun dipped below the horizon. It just kept getting better and better. I love nights like this one. Taken from the front seat going about 70 mph (as a passenger, of course!)

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Toys. This is Gunnar's favorite "bone." Behind him sits one of his preferred toys - the tennis ball. There is also a very short length of rope hiding somewhere which he likes to toss around but the balls are usually what he goes for first. Usually he will walk around and pick many of them up at the same time. Three seems to be the limit. He tries for four but that never really works out for him. One will always slip out and then he goes back and tries again. One of his best looks is when he has this bone along with two tennis balls all in at once....it's quite a look.

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Valentine's Day. I always have grand plans for celebrating this day but after a weekend of Valentine crafting, this was about all I had left in me. The kids baked these heart "pretzels" which were really more like cookies and we all made home made heart shaped pizzas for dinner. It was enough for them though...they loved it.

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When are you gonna get out of bed already?

Apparently, now. At 7:08 am. On a Sunday. Which is way too early, if you ask me.

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Valentine making is now in full swing. Alex has decided on the heart-shaped snowflakes mounted on appropriate colors. Hannah is making Secret Message Valentines complete with Decoders. Here she's looking over her list of possible Secret Messages trying to select just the right one.

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Friday mornings around here mean Laundry Folding. Both Hannah and Alex have taken on the chore of washing the painting rags from their classrooms each week. I'm pleased that they both continue to follow through on their responsibilities this far into the school year. They bring them home, get them washed and dried the night before and all I need to do is bring them up from the dryer before I go to bed. A quick reminder when they wake up that it's waiting for them to be folded and they get themselves ready and downstairs to finish the job. Love that.

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Valentine production is just beginning. Alex came home with this decorated box today that he had created with Brianna, his 8th grade buddy. Apparently, it needed something more.

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Man, is it cold here today. No matter what I do, I just can't shake the chill in my bones. I need the sun. I need warmth...  I need winter to be gone.

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The icicles that hang of the back of the house always catch my eye, especially in the early morning sun with the warm colors of the sky behind them. With as much as I dislike winter and the frigid cold and gray skies, at least we get these bits of beauty here and there.

Andy's father passed away this morning... having to call him in Ohio to give him the news was one of the hardest things I've had to do in our 12+ years of marriage.

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Hannah's little ballet class. Her teacher's high school daughter comes once a week to give a 30 minute beginner's lesson to this small group of friends. It's nice she's able to try something new without the pressure and commitment that often comes with traditional dance lessons. She seems to enjoy it but rarely lets me see her doing her  new "moves!"

37|365

Superbowl Sunday. Unfortunately, we only had one true GB fan here. Good thing we had a willing friend to lend some support! Is it wrong that we served our children nachos and appetizers for dinner?

36|365

Hannah, Andy and I took Gunnar on a hike at the state park today. Alex had been invited to sled at a friend's house. Having been on these trails quite a few times with Laura, I decided we would be fine without a map...I knew where we were going. Well, after about 45 min we decided we'd have to double back the way we'd come. By this time Gunnar had icy paws and Hannah had had enough of hiking. Thank goodness Andy was willing to give a piggyback ride through the snow - which was quite deep in some spots!

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Hannah's class had a hoe down tonight...lots of fun to watch these kids dance. They really know what they're doing! And even more fun to join in the dancing. What a fun class to be a part of...

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So this one doesn't quite do it justice... I was trying to capture that early morning light that I love to see out my kitchen window each day. The fresh sparkly snow, the blue stripes of shade across the snowy lawn and the warm glow as the sun hits the top of the woods behind us. I love this morning light.

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Snow Day! With the brunt of "The Blizzard" behind us now, the kids were eager to get out and play in the mountains of snow left behind. Gunnar was eager to join them. They kept throwing snow on him and he was loving every bit of it. I loved hearing them laugh so much as Gunnar ran circles around them and jumped and tried to "catch" their snowballs.

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So this numbering thing just got more difficult!

Gunnar... just after our morning hike. He wanted to be off leash so badly while Laura and I were hiking but I just couldn't trust him so as a reward I let him run around the backyard when we got back. He loved rolling around, racing in circles and burying his head in the snow. Such a goof ball. No toys needed...just a few inches of fresh snow!

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He's back....

Grandpa's heading to California to visit my sister so Gunnar gets to come for a visit. Grandpa just left and so Gunnar's a bit down in the dumps. Misses him already. He actually whined for about 20 minutes after he drove away!

30|365

With Daddy gone skiing and a long cold day ahead of us, we decided to head out on an adventure today. I packed up the kids, a few snacks, an "I Spy" book I created, and of course my camera and took them to the Domes. Having never been there before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was really pleased by how our afternoon turned out. With no schedules, it was nice to just wander at their pace...following their lead. Giving them purpose (the I spy books) really added something to our trip. I'm sure they would have rushed through if it had not been for that. This shot was near the end of our time. Hannah was wandering around looking for things to photograph while Alex stood mesmerized by the train display. He stood there for the longest time, I thought, just watching. Eventually he came running up to me and announced that it took exactly 115 seconds for the logging train to make its way around just one time. Sweet. The sunshine and bright colors did us all some good today...

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Overheard:

"Hey Alex, wanna go in my secret room and just talk?"


Naturally, I had to sneak a peek at what they were up to. They had spread out blankets, added some pillows for comfort and a little light and were inside this tiny closet playing Pick-up Sticks. I love the snowflake jammies, purple snowman jammie bottoms and blue striped socks....she's so on top of fashion!

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Seriously? This is what happened not 30 seconds after arriving home from school today. Granted this is the work of two extra children along with my own (playdates!) but really...can't anyone put anything where it belongs? At least one child had the forethought to hang her coat on the stair post. (Unfortunately, that child was not one of mine.)

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I love that the kids don't mind winter like I do. They have no problem spending hours out there...digging, shoveling, sledding. Today after a fresh snowfall this morning, they both went out after school with the sleds. Alex had so much fun trying to jump his sled off the top of this hill. It's all of about 2 feet high so there wasn't much "air" to be had, but he definitely had fun trying!

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Bedtime stories...tonight, a story I enjoyed when I was young. And a first for me in my 365...a self-portrait.

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Hannah and Sean have chicken chores this week which means that at the end of the school day they need to round them up and put them back in the hen house for the night. Eight months in to our year with the chickens and she's still reluctant to hold them. Sean was sweet enough to hold this one for her and "make it look like' she's holding one!

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Busy day today... On the to-do list: cleaning out the chicken coop. Luckily I only had to supervise! Those third graders really did do the bulk of the work.

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Apparently last night's dinner choice was not appreciated. This is what I woke up to this morning!

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These two sure are good friends. I love when your children choose good people to be friends with...

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Freezing cold day here today. High of 5 with a windchill of -25. Can't wait till spring...

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And so it begins...life with homework.

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The kids had a really good class tonight. Both are making such great progress. H has been working for so long on getting the kick-over and today she did it all on her own. Just look how hard she's working!
I'm so proud of them both.

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One of my favorite ways to start the day. Hot latte, good mug and time to work on my photos!

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Catching big fat snowflakes on her tongue...taking a break from sledding today.

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He decided to take apart and rebuild his airplane today. I amazed by how quickly he got this done on his own. Love when he sits on his feet like that...just like Daddy/.

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Chicken chores this weekend. These ladies were hungry! Whoever had the morning chores had forgotten to come so they had gone all day without food. Poor things....

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Had some spare time before picking up the kids today so I drove around looking for inspiration. Wish I could have gotten closer to these guys. I love their winter coats...

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Nothing glamorous today. Just documenting the day. Mom and I went through almost 2 gallons of this stuff trying to get my dishes clean of hard water stains left by our lemon of a dishwasher.

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The cheer the kids do at the end of each gymnastics class. Everyone wants to be the kid in the middle!

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Fresh fallen snow today. Not much but just enough to make it fun. My little snow angel :)

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Love his look of concentration. Also love the bananas off in the background. Would love to say I planned this, but I didn't. Happy accident!