Water Buds

The boys of summer and of the block, need no explanation! This is what the "dog days of summer" are about!

Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis, Minnesota
On Father's Day, the boys and I loaded up the car and took Ashish to Lake Calhoun for a relaxing day in the sun, sand and water. We had a picnic lunch, in which we ordered from The Tin Fish. We feasted on shrimp nachos, "the Lake Calhoun Lunch" and fish tacos. I stood in line for 1 hour (that's how popular it was- every apparently had the same idea). The nachos and tacos were well worth the wait. I think we'll pass on the tilapia in the future that came with the lunch. For $30, there was plenty of good food to go around. Happy Father's Day to a man that defines fatherhood. I couldn't have picked a better man to be the father of my children. Love you! And...to my Dad back in Chicago who has always loved me and taught me to respect myself and that men should respect me as well.

K's 1st Birthday!

We were invited to monkey around with a special birthday boy! Cupcakes dressed in theme (monkeys and nanners!) and a birthday boy that amazed me with his ability and sheer enjoyment of living in the moment...and wearing a hat that his Mommy picked out for him. (I could never get my kids to wear hats.) What a milestone...for all involved. K is lucky, but all of us are even more lucky for having him in our lives. We look forward to more "playdates" with them all- very soon! My friend and her friend, holding K's little brother. He reminds me so much of Tiger!
Good Cake!

K's little brother C looks on in the midst off all the excitement. Pour joys, sweet blessings... Congrats to a most deserving and loving family that we are so happy to be able to call our friends!

More Cake served up by Mommy!

Strawberry Fields Foreva!

There is something about a sun-kissed berry on a warm summer day that melts away your cares that makes your mouth happy. Though we have a small patch in our organic garden, I thought the boys would get a kick out of picking strawberries at a farm. I'm pretty sure Tiger ate more than he picked. Nishad was all about comparing the colors to find the most ripe in a deep red hue. After a short drive home, we came home to feast upon more berries...and more berries...all $5.90 worth were gone in a day. But, we did decide to make a fresh strawberry coffee cake too!

I highly recommend "Apple Jack's Farm" for an all around family fun experience. They are some much more than just apples! The three of us ate lunch in the bakery/cafe for $20.00. It was surprisingly tasty! One of the women that works there even came out to our table to see if everything was good. On a side note, the "cow train" is up and running daily as well.

WOZ Promo

Follow the yellow brick road to the Minnesota Children's Museum where you'll find that "somewhere over the rainbow" is actually in our neck of the woods! The Wizard of Oz exhibit runs from June 12th and blows out of here on September 12th. That's plenty of time for you to brush up on your lollipop guild lyrics and dust off your ruby reds.

The Kids and I were fortunate to be invited to help film a promo to be aired on PBS for the exhibit. It worked out really well because it was the perfect rainy summer day- typically, we would have headed to the Minnesota Children's Museum anyway! Even though the boys have never watched the Wizard of Oz, they enjoyed all the hands on displays and colorful atmosphere that generates energy! Some things I loved as a Mom:

1. Even though I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old there were enough varying things that they each gravitated to something- even a 30 "something" Mom was excited to play.

2. I loved the way the room was arranged. I actually could sit back and let the boys explore without worrying that I couldn't see them in my view or that I would lose one of them.

3. The exhibit down-plays the "scary" wicked witch and monkeys. Let's face it, there are scary enough things in life. The "dark side" was represented by the wicked witches castle that had low lighting on it and a spider web that older kids could climb. My 4 year old was ecstatic that he could climb to the top by the torch.

Thank You to the Minnesota Children's Museum for having a brain to get this exhibit here, the courage to let everyone freely explore without fear and a heart for sharing this with us all!

Hello, June!

It's been while-- I know! I've had to channel my love for writing into papers and research for my classes at St. Catherine's University. But, it is all worth it and what a trip it's been down this new exciting journey! And, starting out my new road down academia with a 4.0 is icing on the cake. But, enough about that! Though it's not officially summer solstice, we've already begun celebrating it in our household! We have some wonderful things planed this summer, which include some of our special friends.

The boys, like my garden, are growing, growing, growing! Nishad is quite the gymnast that loves playing soccer! He even made his first goal for his team two weeks ago! They are all so cute in their uniforms. They named their team "The Dragon's." Nishad told me the other night at bed time that he wasn't to be a doctor that is a fireman that drives a race car! My kind of kiddo! His school ended on a high note- literally. This year the kids performed songs associated to traveling our beautiful country at the end of the year program. Adorable! He was quite amazed that Mommy knew the lyrics to "Route 66," "This Land is Your Land," "Country Roads," etc. He has also become quite the social butterfly. He still has a crush on the cutest little girl in class and his best friend is still Joseph. He's writing and an emergent reader -- which is so exciting to experience when it's your kid... I've witnessed this many times before with students, but it's different when it's your baby. :) I'm so proud of him for his love of learning, which begins at home but is largely influenced at the most excellent of schools. We feel so blessed that he is enrolled at the best Montessori school around, with the best teacher who not only guides, but loves him. Nishad has one more year of pre-school, Monday thru Friday, for three hours a day, and then he will have his Kindergarten year at this school as well as a full time student, Monday thru Friday from 8:30 to 3:30p.m. He didn't need to take a pre-school screening because it's only the law if you enroll your child in public K, which we are not.

Tiger...wow, it's been 9 months since we've been out of diapers. What a blessing that is! He enjoyed his first year of school in the Toddler Community. He learned some wonderful things (he can count to 11 now and has started sounding out letters) and made some wonderful friends. Next year he will join the casa, like Nishad, but he will not be in Nishad's class as they are siblings. I think it will be a very smooth transition for him as he's already familiar with so many of the teachers, the school and children. When people ask me if he is in a "big boy bed" I have to smile. He slept on a floor bed as an infant and then a toddler bed and has been in a twin size bed for about a year now. So, I don't have any transitional stories to share as it was so smooth and natural. (Just like Nishad.) He does love his bed and his room though...and when it's bed time, he never has issues falling asleep.

Ashish is doing well-- running things for his work and inventing better ways of doing things, new projects and being an overall leader...I'm proud of him and I'm glad he can do something he really enjoys. I was contacted by someone to help out with a project, but because of school, I refereed Ashish to it, which may be even more passionate than I in this subject area. So, I know he'll do well. I can't say what it is yet, but Ashish and this person are attending some seminars and something big and wonderful is on the horizon...not just for us...but for many people...especially, children in this area! So much focus is on college in this country-- which always shocks me as 0-6 is when the brain is most absorbent. Lay the foundation NOW so that they can excel later!

I can't be a slave to the computer today! It's beautiful outside and I have two little boys itching to go explore with their Mommy! Peace!

Maple Grove by Maze

Our pals S and D turned us on to this cool, new place- the Maple Grove Library! The Architecture is beautiful and inviting. All of the children's books are at their reach complete with kid-sized tables and chairs...even interesting games, that seem more like objects of art, displayed on the walls, for a "hands on" learning experience.


After spending time at the Maple Grove Maze and enjoying a picnic style lunch, the Maple Grove Library was a pleasant short walk down a path lined with flowers and a pond. Ahhhh, summer.