Ski Day

Nora has watched the three of us talk about, plan and then go off skiing ever since she's been a baby.  This year she asked if she could pleeeeaaaase go skiing with us.  I was hesitant about all of it but then remembered Jackson was skiing when he was four so thought maybe she might be ready?



The two big kids were really excited to get her on the hill.  But I could tell once we got there she was feeling apprehensive about the whole thing.  By the time her skiis were on she starting to get clingy and weepy and I just new it wasn't going to go well.  She still wanted to give it a try but when we got to the top of the hill she started crying (but saying it was because she didn't want to hold my hand) and yelling and well, we made it down the hill but then it was time to be done for the day (year).  Thankfully they let both of us return our skis.
 
Later we found that this was just the type of skiing she liked!  Much better.



So for the first time Grace and Jackson went off to ski on their own.  They would check in with me every hour or so letting me know which direction they were going.


{Jackson's in this picture too on the far left blending in with the trees}

And then before we left they decided to give some of the jumps a try.


{Nora and I left our games and puzzles in the warm chalet and went to watch}


{Grace comes down the hill first and the right after Jackson. Also notice how there are NO other people on the hill, we are spoiled homeschoolers!}

They had a lot of fun practicing on the various "jumps" and Jackson especially decided he wanted to spend a lot more time here next time.

Not sure there will be a next time with the weather warming up but we will see.

Strawberry Picking

When I read the forecast for today I knew we just had to go berry picking.  It was cool, in the 60's, with an overcast of clouds.  No bugs.  It was perfect berry picking weather (completely opposite of our hot day last year).  Grace and Jackson were serious about their picking, both hardly stopping to taste any as they worked to fill their baskets.  Though after an hour Jackson decided that Nora's idea of berry picking was much more appealing and he surrendered his basket and laid down in the field to join her in a berry feast.  

This past winter I managed to ween us off of out of season berries.  It was a big step for us/me.  To get our berry fix all winter I started buying (Minnesota grown) frozen berries.  We got in the habit of using them for smoothies, in yogurt, or just eating them plan.  We ended up going through a lot of frozen berries so one of my strawberry picking goals this year was to try and get us through the winter with our own hand picked berries.  So far I have froze 19 bags of berries (with piles left over to eat and make jam with).  I am feeling pretty good about that.  The farm we pick at also has late summer strawberries so we'll even get one more chance to pick.

What Else We Have Been Up To

Drying flowers


Learning letters


Writing a book


Making homemade pizza...


with the whole family


Making inventions


Painting


Putting on shows (and make up)


Going on rides at the Mall of America


Celebrating the spring equinox (by taking a hike through the snow)...


where we found a raccoon living in this tree (and now we visit it regularly)


Crochet class (Grace and I)


A date (Meritage- awesome)


And last but not least, school work

Weekend Highlights

~ Our Friday field trip with Kirsten and her kids to the science museum.  (I'm pretty sure I was never interested in dinosaurs as a kid but suddenly at 37 while learning about them with my children I am fascinated by them.)

~ While Grace and Jackson got to spend the weekend up north at Grandpa Glenn's with Daddy, Nora and I spent the weekend at Grandma Lee's.  Sometimes it's fun to have special time away with just one or two kids.

~ Friday night Katie slept over too.

~ Saturday I got to spend some time (alone!) at our house cleaning out closets.  I realize how boring this sounds but honestly I was in heaven.  I brought 5 garbage bags full of stuff to the Goodwill.

~ Going to Katie's for dinner on Saturday (and getting to hang out and talk for five hours without any interruptions).

~ Going to church on Sunday.

~ Going to Grandma Sam's to celebrate her birthday with family and her friends.

~ Coming home, getting a fire in the fireplace, things put away, kids tucked into bed, and planning a good start to my week.

Field Trip: Taylors Falls and Paddle Boat Ride

Beach Month is Here

As much as I love all of the up northing that occurs in July, I might love the nothingness that occurs in August even more.  No classes or trips planned, just full days open to whatever our hearts desire.  Which on warm sunny days almost always turns out to be the beach.



Today we spent the afternoon at one of our all time favorite places, Secret Beach.  This year, with a toddler in tow (and being that we walked in the long way) I was reminded of our very first trip here (just look at those two).  Oh how we love this beach.



 

On our way back I as I turned around to check on my troop, I had to chuckle at the line up.   Jackson- lingering far behind probably because he was captivated by something shiny on the way, and carrying a ridiculously large stick because it is "just perfect for a giant sling shot".  Grace with her cowboy hat and clam shell that she insisted on bringing home.  And of course Nora, stopping to get up close and personal with something exciting on the ground.



I do love this troop.

Strawberry Picking

This is me at age nine sitting on my Grandma's deck with my big bucket of hand picked strawberries.  Each summer when I was growing up I would be invited to spend a week- all by myself- at my Grandma's house (my sister got her own week too).  The week would always consist of several of my favorite activities, one of which was berry picking.  I have very vivid memories of the "clunk" the berries made as they hit the plastic ice cream pail interspersed with sweet strawberry juice running down my chin.  One in the bucket, one in my belly.  That pattern would continue well past the point of a tummy ache.  I remember that inevitably the bugs and/or the heat would start to get to me and a part of me would want to stop.  Yet another part of me, dreaming of the strawberry jam and other treats we would surely be making later, would relentlessly push on.



Today I took everyone strawberry picking.  We do grow our own strawberries but between the deer and the fact that they are planted in the much neglected back gardens (at least since Nora has been born anyway) means that there's not much there to pick from.  But knowing how exceptional home-grown-right-from-the-garden strawberries are has been giving us all an itch to get our hands on some.



We did our picking at this wonderful all organic berry farm (that we will be revisiting again for sure) not to far from us.



The kids were really good sports, despite the fact that it was really hot and buggy (just like I remember).  It was however, hard to keep up with all the berry eating.



To keep us motivated we talked about all the things we would make with our berries, and we were all most inspired by the idea of strawberry shortcake and strawberry pie.  Yes, tomorrow for sure.



In the end we left with 7 and a half pounds of strawberries.  Although by the time we got home I'd say it was more like 6.