Near Perfect

In the last eight months she's gotten lots of practice on her worried face.

 

 

I'd say she has it nearly perfected.

 

I'd also say, "At least they strapped her in first."

Waiting for Podot

May this be the only reference to Samuel Beckett this blog ever knows.

 

 

Maybe it's appropriate that the one and only reference be connected

 

to potty talk.

Sharing

We'd like to introduce on of our favorite parts of Bismarck:  Aunt Evie.  Aunt Evie is Grandma Mary's sister and she's a real treasure.  She stops by every few weeks to hang out and/or watch the kids while I run errands.  The kids LOVE her as she showers them with love and always brings something fun to do when she comes.  We don't take pictures every time she comes, but we did capture some in August as we celebrated her birthday with her.

 

 

The girls showered her with many gifts, some they created themselves, but all of which they were reallly excited to give her.

 

Then she helped Theia (or Theia helped her, I'm not sure which) feed Tikvah.

 

We also enjoyed some lunch and a bit of adult conversation, when the kids allowed it.

 

It's hard for them to want to share someone this special.  

Nature Today

There's this empty field at a major intersection near our house. 

 

 

After watching new homes and businesses in Bismarck pop up at an alarming rate, we decided to get a picture in the field, as we expect it won't be empty for long.  

 

 

As usual, I was totally clueless about what ensued while we casually stood in the field waiting to be photographed.

 

 

 

 

Never a dull moment at our house.  Never.

Dog, Cat, Mouse

We never tire of blocks at our house,

 

 

of building towers,

 

and dog, cat

 

and mouse.

Dog, cat and mouse created with generous assistance from daddy.

Unchanged

Every once in awhile God surprises me with a reconnection to a friend from the past in a very unexpected way.  In mid July a friend from my Kansas days, my single, no kids, staying up late, free wheeling days, emailed me saying she'd heard we were living in Bismarck now.  She mentioned that her grandmother lived in Bismarck and that she and her family were coming to visit her soon.  We made arrangements for them to stop by one morning.  Then one July morning, four plus years after the last time I'd seen her, she appeared on my doorstep in Bismarck, North Dakota with her TWO boys (neither of which were even born last time I'd seen her).  They came, stayed and played for several hours.  We fit in as much catch up as we could from four years of not seeing one another and her presence was like a breath of fresh air.

 

 

That reminded me that despite all the changes, somethings, like this sweet-spirited breath of fresh air pictured above, don't change.

Go Big Red

For all the Husker fans among us:

 

Adapting

We have a big driveway in Bismarck.  That's something we never had in Maryland.  The girls have had no trouble adapting.   Here's a sampling of our summer driveway art.

 

 

In case you're wondering where Tikvah is, she's being held by Joe (the tall yellow guy).  She's the tiny green speck.

Entertainment

Evenings at Grandma and Grandpa's house were reserved for Vacation Bible School.  The kids had a great time each evening enjoying the crafts, activities, games, teaching and singing.  On the last night Joey, Tikvah and I joined in the fun

 

by peeking in on their class time

 

 

and then getting to watch, and thoroughly enjoy a final performance later in the evening.

 

Just in case you're in short supply of preschool entertainment, you can share in the experience by watching the video below.  This VBS was a family affair, you'll see Uncle Ryan (with Aliyah grabbing him) singing (well, lip syncing) first in the video and you'll also see the all the girls singing next to cousins Cora, Evie and Liam. 

 

Yes, that exceptionally crazy child bouncing back and forth on stage is Aliyah. 

The Corn and The Kids

At the end of July when I'd had enough of box unpacking and home organizing, we fled Bismarck for the country life once again.  Grandma and Grandpa's church was hosting VBS and we hung out at their place, minus Joe again, for the week, exploring the farm in the day and attending VBS at night.

 

One morning when Auntie Beth, Liam, Laney and Kiyah were visiting, we made a trek down to the bridge at the end of the driveway.  The kids picked a few flowers on the way

 

 

and then once at the bridge spent time throwing rocks off the bridge

 

 

into the river water below.

 

After a bit we headed back to the house,

 

flowers in hand,

 

and stopped on the way to take a picture of the corn

 

and the kids.

Getting His Way

He's been up to magic in the highchair for some time now.  He used to use his magic to get out, now he uses it to get in.

 

 

He's very proud of himself, isn't he?

 

His magic has worked wonders because he's also no longer using the highchair for mealtimes.  I guess that means he got out again.
 That's really what he's always wanted, isn't it?  Some kids always get their way.

Ordinary Moments

Here are two ordinary, yet special, shots from life in our house on the weekend. 

 

Sunday night popcorn and

 

 

Saturday morning breakfast.

 

The Kabosh

Joe's sister, Bethany, used to have a small red oak tree in her backyard.  The main trunk died and they were looking to get rid of the small seedling that had sprouted from the root system about the time we were moving to Bismarck from the Fargo area.  They dug up the seedling, put it in a pot and Joe's dad hauled it to Bismarck in the moving truck with a bunch of our other odds and ends. 

 

After arriving in Bismarck, the leaves on the tree promptly shriveled up and died.  The seemingly dead tree sat in our driveway for several weeks, getting occasional water from Farmer Joe.  Just as we'd given up hope and were sure that the tree was really dead, new leaves sprouted.  We were so overcome with surprise and joy that we decided to plant the tree before the leaves could fall off again.

 

 

So one Sunday, Joe and I selected a spot in the yard and he began digging.

 

This reminds me...have I ever mentioned that the weekend we bought the above pictured shovel Joe dug and six foot by one foot hole in our backyard in Maryland?  He dug the hole, while he was SUPPOSED to be raking millions of leaves from the yard with his lovely, grumbling, pregnant wife.  After digging the hole he filled it with leaves and then covered the leaves back up with dirt.  He said he felt he just needed to use that shiny new shovel for something. 

 

Yes. He's a strange, strange man.  It's part of why I like him.  He's unpredictable, but most people would never guess it.  For the record, though, I'd like him to be a bit more predictable when millions of leaves are on the line in the backyard and I myself have got a rake in my hands.

 

 

Every good hole digger, even one with lots of experience, and tree planter needs a crew. 

Joey provided safety patrol,

 

Theia and Xandra supervised

 

and Aliyah watered.

 

She did, in fact, water everything but the tree,

 

 

including Joey.

 

 

Despite all the help the tree got planted.  We were so pleased with the results that I forgot to take a picture of the finished result.  This is a real shame since the following day someone happening by our struggling tree stripped the tree of every tiny green leaf.  It was pretty demoralizing.

 

The good news is that a few weeks later the leaves came back again.  To our surprise they have also stayed intact and are now changing color and falling off the tree for a third time, in a very natural, not dead, not plucked off sort of way.  The bad news is we looked a little strange after the first day, as though we planted two twigs in our yard with nary a leaf to be found on or around the tree.  I can only imagine what the neighbors who walk by our house everyday must have thought. 

 

I suppose it's just one of the many reasons the neighbors have to be concerned about the East Coasters next door.  That image isn't helped by the fact that our potty training son frequently runs out of the house with just his underwear on and sometimes no underwear on at all, sits on his bike and rides around the sidewalk chasing other children before we even realize he's left the house.  I suppose that's one good thing about a long North Dakota winter.  It puts the kabosh on stripping:  leaves and toddlers alike.  Let's just hope it doesn't put the kabosh on our tiny, little tree.

At Home

By mid July these guys were feeling more at home in Bismarck

 

 

and these little guys were too.

 

 

Parting Shots

 

When you love someone this much



From Left to Right:  Theia, Xandra, Beth and Tikvah, Aliyah, Joey

 

parting really is sorrowful.

One More

After spending almost ten days in North Dakota it was time to say goodbye to Beth.  We were just  piling out of the car at the airport when the airline called to report that her flight had been delayed.  We happily piled back in the car, with Beth in tow, and headed to McDowell Dam for the afternoon while Beth's parents and the airlines sorted out a new itinerary for her.  While we played in the water,

 

 

watched some fisherman on the docks,

 

played at the playground,

 

and then ate our lunch, they decided that the best arrangement was for her to stay an additional day.  Their disappointment in not getting to see her that day was our joy in getting to enjoy her for one more day.  We celebrated the good news with ice cream and headed home to enjoy one more day with our good friend Beth.