Christa

I realized today that I completely forgot to post some photos of Christa's visit to Minnesota in August...which is silly because it was one of my most favorite weeks of the summer.  

Christa and Julio and their three children came and spent a week with us.  It's the first time that all of us were together in years.  It was the first time that our children really got to play together and fall in love with the fact that they will be friends forever.  It was not the first time I realized why Christa Desir has got to be the most fabulous friend to have.  I'm realizing though while posting the photos that I do not have a single one of Christa and I, but I have a lot of Julio and RJ.  I think you will pick up on the fact that Ruby June was absolutely smitten with Julio (but, then again, who isn't?).  

While they were here, we also celebrated Ally's birthday with a back-yard BBQ.  At one point, while laughing, I sat back and thought about the fact that nothing fills me up more than friends who I have known now for almost 1/2 of my life. Thank you Christa for being the constant in my life for the past 20 years- and thank you for bringing the whole crew to celebrate where we are in our lives now.  You know, we have to do this together again soon....and get a photos of us this time.

Ruby J and Julio at the zoo

See how she snuggles in with Julio- she would still be that way if he was here still!

Pianos on streets everywhere in Minneapolis & St. Paul

Molly, Julio, & Christa

Happy Birthday Ally!

One of my favorite photos of the summer!  

Anne- just look at that smile!

TV Stars

So, it seems we are famous (at least for a morning)!

Our dear friend and our incredible midwife, Julie Cross, asked if we would be open to an interview with the local TV station about her midwife unit. They have delivered over 22,000 babies in the pat 40 years. Wow. Now, that's pretty incredible.

We jumped at the chance to rave about our positive birth experiences at HCMC Hospital in Minneapolis. And, to be honest, we thought the kids would get a kick out of seeing themselves on the TV (They did! Ruby kept trying to kiss the television and Kai could not stop grinning). As many of you know, Julie helped to deliver both Ruby June and Kai and I can't even begin to tell you (since it would be the longest post ever) how wonderful it is to have an incredibly close friend be the one to help your catch your baby. It has been one of the greatest gifts of my motherhood to enter into this adventure with such positive experiences.

Here you can see me talk a bit about it- and you can see my beautiful kids and smashingly handsome hubbie. Oh, you could also make fun of how much I use my hands when I talk (seriously folks, do I always do that?).

It might seem that you are waiting to watch the weather when you click on the link, but just wait until the ad is over, and you'll see the link about the HCMC Midwives celebrating 40 years of service.

(Sidenote: I have been meaning for now 18 months to write about Ruby June's birth- maybe this will actually get me to do it! Stay tuned- )

HCMC Gives Expecting Moms A Choice With Midwives: Hennepin County Medical Center is celebrating 22,000 babies and counting being delivered with the help of midwives. They are honoring midwives today, who give expecting moms a choice when it comes to delivering, Jamie Yuccas reports (2:20).

Aye, Matey!

1st Day of School

Here is Kai ready for his first day of school at Sunny Hollow Montessori, just across the river in St. Paul....it's his third year in his classroom (he is 4 1/2 years old) and I'm happy to report it's the first time we haven't had tears! Yeah....this just may be getting easier.

Kai absolutely loves Sunny Hollow and so do we! The community of children and families are so incredibly kind, friendly, and committed to each other. We feel very lucky to have found such a wonderful, nurturing school and we are inspired and in awe by the way in which a montessori eduction is a perfect fit for Kai.

His teachers have really gotten to know him (the children and teachers stay together the whole time while in the children's house- from 2 1/2 years- 6 years) and gently create for him a prepared environment that inspires him to learn. Kai's favorite work right now is the continent puzzles and he is also working on math through the use of the "golden bead" materials. And, the feeling of community the children have in the classroom is mind-blowing.

Ok, yes, as you can tell...we have "drank the (Montessori) Kool-Aid" for sure. We can't wait to see how much Kai grows this year. I think it's going to be the best year yet.

Everything is better in a canoe

One of my favorite memories of the summer is when Joe, RJ, Kai, and I went on an evening canoe paddle after dinner up at the cabin in Ely. We went out to "our" island not far from the cabin to check if blueberries were ready to be picked yet (they weren't) - and we ended feeling like we were in a National Geographic TV special.

A beaver followed us the whole way, we saw a loon call right next to our canoe and then just a few minutes later 5 loons popped up to join this loon, all coming from different directions on our lake. Finally, a duck must have missed seeing us and almost hit my paddle and to top it all off, Kai looked into a tree right next to us and saw a bald eagle watching us.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Oh, and the s'mores. Enough said.