Elsa is SIX!

Someone has done a lot of growing at our house this year. All of Elsa's pants and skirts are too short, but perhaps more significant than her physical growth are all the other ways she has grown this year.

Elsa has successfully completed kindergarten and is on her way to becoming a first grader. A lot of changes to be sure, she thrived in this new environment. I'm fairly sure I was more nervous than she was as she took it all in stride. From wearing a uniform to riding bikes to reading books solo, it has been a big year.

But through it all, some things haven't changed, including Elsa's love of all things birthday. May 10th is the most important day of the year in Elsa's book. On an "unrelated" note, her favorite number is 10...

Elsa's birthday fell on a Friday this year, so we crammed all the birthday fun into one day. For the first time, we hosted her party on her actual birthday, which meant the entire day was full of festivities. As usual, most of our celebrations are centered on food. For breakfast, Elsa had to settle for peanut butter toast since my scrambled eggs are sub-par (not to worry--Jon made her some the following morning), but I think I made up for it when Lena and I surprised her at lunch with Panera, one of her favorites.

It wouldn't be a birthday without the sheep

In between all the eating, we squeezed in the traditional sheep photo shoot and a birthday phone call from Grandma before school because yes, there was still learning to be done. There was also still work to be done; after lunch, Lena and I hurried home so I could frost Elsa's cake.

Apparently I didn't do too bad on last year's butterfly cake because this year, the birthday girl took it up a notch and requested a fairy cake...which was really just a variation of the butterfly cake. Not everyone got my vision (I'm looking at you, Jon), but Elsa approved, which is all that matters. My favorite part was that when Jon felt he needed to explain to all of the party-goers that the cake was a fairy cake, one of Elsa's friends immediately quipped, "Yeah...we know."

Fairy cake...sponsored by Mattel?

Speaking of the party, the plan was to host one of our low-key bashes at the park across the street. I even gave it an alliterative name: "Pizza at the Park." Well, Mother Nature had other plans, and the afternoon turned rainy and cool. So, on to plan B: party at the house. Honestly, we didn't mind, but between family friends and school friends, things got a bit loud and chaotic. But the kids had fun and nobody lost any appendages, so I'm declaring it a success. As a bonus, the weather cleared enough for some brave souls to hit the playground after pizza and cake.

The birthday girl closed out her special day by opening gifts (thank you, family!) and reading cards. Everyone was equally exhausted, so we all headed to bed shortly thereafter--there was an entire birthday weekend in front of us, after all.

Needless to say, it was a day to remember. Happy Birthday, Elsa!

A Decade of Love

It is very indicative of our pace of life that I have neglected to write about our 10th wedding anniversary anniversaries, and here we are smack in the middle of our 11th.

We commemorated both occasions, but between work and school and kids, we barely had a moment to reflect on what a milestone ten years actually is. Maybe it's because we anticipate many more decade celebrations...sorry, Jon, you're stuck with me.

At any rate, I'll not put it off any longer and briefly recount what ten years looks like for us:

10 years
3 moves
2 states
7(ish) jobs
2 kids

...and a partridge in a pear tree

It all sounds so cliché to say that the time has flown by, I wouldn't trade it for anything, I'm more in love than ever...blah, blah, blah. All of those statements are true, but I would be remiss if I didn't also point out that none of this marriage business has been easy and it's rarely glamorous. But I feel so #blessed to be married to my best friend. Barf.

And now I'm done with triteness for the duration of the blog post.

If you've known us for a while, you know that we have two official wedding anniversaries. Since we like to make life more complicated than it needs to be, we chose to get married twice: once at the courthouse in Kansas City to take care of the legal business and then again several months later in a church in Bamberg, Germany.

We celebrate both occasions but count the Germany anniversary as the "real" one. The way we celebrated this past year was a good reflection of that.

For our "First" 10th Anniversary (don't worry...it's only going to get more confusing) on November 3rd, we utilized our babysitting co-op to get all gussied up for a nice dinner out.

Post-dinner photo with the beautiful flowers Jon gave me

For our "Second" 10th Anniversary on March 4th, we upped our game a bit. The night prior, we actually hired a babysitter so we could stay out longer. We went downtown for drinks, dinner, and dessert (alliteration unintentional). Needless to say, I am glad that my eight-week fitness program that required me to keep a food journal ended that morning. Quite providential.

Ready for a night on the town [photo credit: Elsa]

That was all Jon thought we were doing for our anniversary, but I had other plans. We were married in a Catholic church in Germany, so I thought it would be cool to have a vow renewal in our Lutheran church. Our pastor was totally on board and helped with the secret plans to make it a special day.

On our actual anniversary--March 4th--we went to church on Sunday as usual. At the conclusion of the service, the pastor asked Jon to come forward. He was pretty confused until he saw me then join him at the front of the church with a bouquet of flowers. It was at this moment that I slipped my new wedding band to Elsa to hand to Jon.

I had lost my original wedding band at my grandmother's house the previous Christmas. I was pretty devastated about it and was avoiding replacing it. But I figured that our tenth anniversary would be an okay time to get a new one. I opted for an identical ring but engraved with our wedding day: 4 March 2008 (written German-style, of course).

Jon knew I had ordered a new ring, but he didn't know that it had arrived. He realized instantly what it was when Elsa handed him the ring box. If I had to get a new ring, having it placed on my finger during a wedding vow renewal was the best way to do it.

After some pretty touching words, we then celebrated like all good Lutherans do after any service by having coffee and treats in the fellowship hall. The rest of the day was spent with family, and we ended it by watching our wedding video as we do every year. All in all, it was a lovely celebration, and we look forward to many more.

Our vow renewal was a family affair

Cheers to 10 years! 

Lena is THREE!

When Elsa turned three, I wrote in this very blog that we now had a "threenager." I don't think I really understood that term until now. Like her sister did before her, Lena experiences all the mood swings that are a part of learning how to navigate all her big feelings, but she also has perfected the crossed-arms-huff-and-pout I wasn't expecting for at least another decade.

Lena has always been a girl who knows what she wants and needs. I believe the nice term for this stubbornness is "strong-willed." I have heard that this trait results in confident and competent young adults, so I'll continue to look forward to that pay-off in the future. In the meantime, we will weather the tantrums and enjoy the individual style and personality of Lena-bo-bena.

And what style she has! Lena has been choosing her own attire for a while now, and it is always interesting to see what outfits she comes up with it. I have started dubbing her look "bag lady chic." How else to describe a dress layered over a tank top and leggings with a tutu and sweater on top? Add the ever-present hand to her hip, and you have one sassy lady.

This has been a fun and busy year for Lena. She has continued at her same preschool two days a week and still accompanies me to my class at the adult education center and to Stroller Strides work-outs. There have been some changes, however. We transitioned out of Kindermusik classes last spring in anticipation of ballet, and our weekly playgroup ended when all of the older siblings started school full-time this fall. But we've still managed to have lots of fun with our friends and are very thankful for all of our little communities.

Speaking of ballet, Lena began classes of her very own this winter. The expression of pure joy on her face when we told her she would get to join Big Sis at the studio made it very clear that this was the perfect gift for our little twinkle toes. Not even a broken collarbone can keep her down.

That's right, Lena has a broken collarbone...again. I have failed to mention a very notable event of the past year. Last spring, Lena slipped while on a canoeing adventure and fractured her collarbone. First ER visit and first broken bone all at once. We were understandably worried about how she would handle her injury, but Lena took it like a champ. If she hadn't been wearing a sling, no one would have even known she was hurt. And a few short weeks later, she was good as new. Let's hope her recovery is just as quick this second time.

Fortunately, Lena made it through her birthday unscathed (the repeat broken collarbone just happened last week). She had been looking forward to January 19th for some time; as soon as the calendar turned over to January, Lena was convinced it was her birthday. 19 days is a long time for a little one to wait, so I think it was okay that the celebrations began early with mini-parties at school and Stroller Strides. It will not surprise anyone to know that Lena wore a jeweled crown at both.

Since her actual birthday fell on a Saturday this year, we filled the day with as much fun as we could.  Lena kicked off the festivities with ballet class after a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, her favorite.

Scrambled eggs in style

After ballet, some friends came over for a party complete with the "cupcakes with pink frosting" she requested. I'm so glad I didn't stress over the perfect birthday outfit because the guest of honor changed clothes at least seven times. You never know when you might need to wear a fancy dress-up gown for twirling, or exercise clothes for jumping on the couch cushions, or a swimsuit for "swimming lessons" in the living room, or a new dress and birthday headband for blowing out the candles on a cake. If someone running around in her underwear is the sign of a good party, then it was definitely a good party.

After settling down from all the birthday excitement, Lena got to open some special gifts from family far away (thank you!) and participate in the requisite sheep photo shoot.

Poor abused sheep

Per the birthday girl's request, we then went out for tacos. I'm pretty sure she just wanted to eat the chips that came out before the meal, but special occasion rules were strictly enforced and no one seemed to mind. The birthday girl book-ended her day with phone/FaceTime calls with family and went to bed a very exhausted, yet satisfied, three-year-old.

Happy Birthday, Lena! Let the adventure continue!
 

Weekend in the Big Easy

When Jon asked at the beginning of December if the girls and I would like to join him on a work trip down to New Orleans, I immediately said yes. Never mind that mid-December is a totally impractical time to travel, what with all of the last-minute holiday events and preparations to attend to. But regardless of the less-than-ideal timing, it was so good to have a family getaway.

Jon has been putting in a lot of hours at work lately. Between his day job as an engineer and all of his extra military duties, the girls and I don't get to see him as often as any of us would like. Since he is in a command position with the Reserves, the majority of his weekend drills take him out of town. So, when Jon learned that he was to be honored for his civilian work at a breakfast in New Orleans, we decided to turn it into a mini family vacation.

Friday night after work, we loaded up the car and started the six-hour journey to Louisiana. I'm not going to lie--it was a struggle to stay awake at the end of a long week, but Jon was a champ and did the bulk of the driving to get us safely to our hotel in downtown New Orleans in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

The breakfast meeting was early, so Jon didn't get much sleep, but thankfully the girls slept in and were cuddled up in the giant hotel bed watching cartoons when he got back. We enjoyed the complimentary hotel breakfast and then headed out on our adventure.

Living the high life

With only one full day in New Orleans, we were limited by what we could do but decided to check out the Audubon Aquarium. It was a rainy day, so ironically, the aquarium was a great spot to stay dry. We got to see lots of animals like penguins and otters, but I think Lena's favorite part was running around the kids' area.

This was Elsa's favorite spot

Lena the Mermaid

Elsa the...Worm?

 

Our aquarium tickets also admitted us to a 3-D IMAX movie. I think we were all equally impressed.

After the aquarium, we took the streetcar to the French Quarter for some requisite beignets at Cafe du Monde. We wisely got them to go and hung out near Jackson Square to eat them/people watch. 

 

Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral in the background

Possibly against our better judgment, we took our two tired and hungry girls to Saturday Mass at St. Louis Cathedral. Fortunately no one seemed too bothered when Lena asked in a dramatic stage whisper, "Are we EVER going to eat again?"

We did eat again, of course, because the food is one of the best parts about New Orleans. We had to have Cajun food, so what better place to go than Mulate's, which bills itself as "the original Cajun restaurant"? Bonus that they had live zydeco music. Anyone who knows our girls will not be surprised to hear that they could not wait to hit the dance floor.

After some delicious food and lively dancing, we were all exhausted after a long, but very fun, day. Sadly, we had to head home shortly after breakfast on Sunday, so it was back on the road for the 6-hour return trek to Memphis. Even though it was a quick trip, it was very much needed, and we were all thankful for the opportunity to spend some time together.

90 Years Young

This past May, my dear maternal grandmother turned 90 years young. To celebrate this milestone, my family gathered in Brainard, Nebraska for a party over Memorial Day weekend. I know my mom was stressed about the details, but we pulled off the surprise, and the guest of honor was visibly moved. In fact, when she saw her children, grandchildren, and (most of) her great-grandchildren all gathered in one place, Grandma said that if felt like she'd "died and gone to heaven."

I only have seven first cousins. However, since my dad was an only child and my mom only has one brother, that means that all seven are siblings. I have so many fond memories of playing with "the cousins" on holidays and in the summer. Even though we didn't get to see each other often, when we did get together, it was as if no time had passed.

The same is true today. Everyone has grown up and scattered a bit (me most of all, I suppose), meaning that it is rare that we are all in the same place at the same time. In fact, I can't remember the last time all ten of us were together. So, it was very special that we all were able to be present to celebrate Grandma.

Jon, the girls, and I arrived in Nebraska the night before. We told Grandma we were coming to town because Jon had an Army course in the Midwest. This was true, but we didn't tell her that the real reason we were there was her party. It only required a small amount of sneaking around to get the cake and roses to the cafe the following day and a bit more coaxing to get Grandma there for lunch. But we did, and what a special moment it was to join the chorus of "Happy Birthday!"

It was a relatively laid-back affair, but prior to our buffet of broasted chicken (still not totally sure what that means), all of the great-grandchildren in attendance presented the Birthday Girl with a rose. The result was a beautiful bouquet...and admittedly a few tears.

When you're 90, you get two cakes

The rest of the afternoon was spent eating, drinking, playing (lots of shuffleboard), and catching up. Probably my favorite moment was when the cousins skipped out to re-create the infamous "stair photo" that hangs, appropriately enough, above the stairs in Grandma's house. The last time we took one of these pictures featuring the ten of us lined up according to age was 1995, so needless to say, some things had changed.   

Obviously that was not the only photo taken throughout the day. Jon was the unofficial group photographer and snapped lots of great shots. We even managed to get a giant group photo, which was no small feat. As we were organizing this photo, someone made the comment to Grandma that she was responsible for every person surrounding her: kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. What a legacy. Happy 90th Birthday, Grandma! We love you!

Elsa is FIVE!

Five...there is just something so significant about that age. Perhaps it is the fact that when asked how old she is, Elsa can now proudly display her entire hand. More likely, however, is that five means that kindergarten now beckons from the not-so-distant future. Whatever the reason, there was great excitement from everyone surrounding this birthday.

Elsa spent the past year in pretty much the same fashion as the year before with school, ballet, and playdates rounding out her schedule. That said, she has grown up tremendously...but in a sneaky way. It wasn't until I looked at pictures from a year ago that I realized Toddler/Preschooler Elsa has morphed into a full-on kid, right before our very eyes. Her hair is longer, yes, and she is taller of course, but she has also added some impressive skills to her repertoire, including sounding out words and riding a bike without training wheels, both of which she does with an endearing confidence.

Some things haven't changed, however, one of those being her love for all things birthday. For months, Elsa had been planning the festivities. This year's stipulations included a pink and purple butterfly cake for a butterfly birthday party. Fortunately, my homemade version of the cake was acceptable, and wearing butterfly wings with a butterfly shirt and skirt combo was enough to fulfill the theme.

A labor of love...just don't look too closely

Due to our schedules, we planned to have the requisite birthday party at the park the Sunday prior to Elsa's actual birthday. This was fine...except we spent the evening before in the ER with Lena, who had broken her collarbone on a canoe trip. (Side note: we made it almost five years without a visit to the ER, which is not too shabby.) Needless to say, it was a late night/early morning making final party preparations, but everything went off without a hitch, and the birthday girl (and her bandaged little sister) had a great time.

We had a few days to recover before the official day, and we did our best to celebrate with all of the Birthday Girl's favorites. May 10th fell on a Thursday this year, which meant that the festivities began early. Jon had to travel in the afternoon, so he took the morning off of work and was there to wake up Elsa, and more importantly, make her scrambled eggs for breakfast.

The entire crew escorted Elsa to school, where her class serenaded her with "Happy Birthday." Special occasion rules dictated that we pick her up early, and the guest of honor selected Railgarten for lunch. For those outside of Memphis, Railgarten is a restaurant/bar/ice cream parlor/playground/concert venue within walking distance from our house. It's awesome, and we promise to take you there if when you come visit. Elsa was more interested in swinging and climbing trees than eating, but when it's your birthday, you can do what you want.

Hot and sweaty, we returned home to open presents (Elsa), take a nap (Lena), and pack (Jon). After dropping Jon off at the airport, Elsa participated in the mandatory sheep photo shoot. I swear, that thing keeps shrinking; it gets smaller and smaller every year.

Yes, I know this is a more zoomed in photo, but still!

As the Birthday Girl and her sister were too busy playing at lunch, their left-overs provided dinner, which we ate picnic-style while watching a movie, per request. We rounded out the evening with more cake and a final rendition of "Happy Birthday." 

Elsa received many books for her birthday--thank you, family!--but the one we chose to read before bed was Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!, the final selection from Books from Birth. Quite possibly the best thing about Tennessee is that every child is eligible to receive one book per month through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. As this was the last book, there was a brief note from Dolly to the "graduate." As I read it, I was surprised at how emotional I got. Up until that moment, I was completely wrapped up in the excitement of all things birthday, but then I suddenly got choked up at the realization that my baby is FIVE (again, not sure why that is such a big deal...but it is!).

No doubt the year ahead will be an adventure, but for now, we'll continue to bask in the birthday glow. Happy 5th Birthday, Elsa!

    

Lena is TWO!

Once again, we have a two-year-old in the house...and Lena is every bit of two. Her vocabulary grows by the day, yet as Jon has astutely observed on multiple occasions, she still has "more feelings than words." It's difficult to not catch her contagious exuberance, and it's nearly as challenging not to laugh when she throws herself on the floor in frustration.

Lena has continued to grow by leaps and bounds--physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. You'd think we'd know what to expect, but Lena often surprises us with her new words, incredible balance, and yes, even funny jokes. She worships her big sister, but can also hold her own whenever Elsa tries to take advantage of her older sibling status. Since the day she was born, Lena has always been a lady who knows what she wants.

This year, she even knew what she wanted for her birthday: cupcakes. She has quickly picked up the excitement surrounding birthdays at our house, even breaking into her own version of "Happy Birthday to You" any time someone lights a candle. She got to hear multiple renditions of the song on her birthday and broke out into a huge grin each time.

Lena's birthday--January 19th--fell on a Friday this year, so the festivities began early as Big Sis still had to go to school. Sleepy as she was, the birthday girl still enjoyed her birthday decorations and the scrambled eggs she got to have for breakfast. Mom doesn't make scrambled eggs, so it was quite the treat.

Dressed in her sparkly birthday skirt and headband--and paired with R2-D2 socks--Lena helped drop Elsa off at school before accompanying me at Stroller Strides, the mommy-and-me exercise class we've attended pretty much since her birth. After class, we celebrated with a little party with our exercise friends.

We picked up Elsa at school and headed to a lunch meeting, which we followed with a much-needed nap. (Thank goodness because I still hadn't frosted the aforementioned requested cupcakes.) We had just enough time between the nap and dinner with Dad to have a requisite photo shoot with Mike the Sheep (Elsa finally gave him a name).

Birthday "Silly Face"

We knew it was a futile effort to ask Lena where she wanted to eat dinner, but we tried anyway. Once we figured out that she would say (an uncharacteristic) "yes" to every suggestion, we gave her the option to have either Jon's favorite restaurant--pizza--or Elsa's favorite--hamburgers. Lena chose pizza and "hot cheese," so we had a yummy dinner and then came home for cupcakes and presents (thank you, family!).

We continued the festivities the next morning by hosting a birthday brunch with a few friends.

Birthday Brunch Monkey Bread

Both kids and adults had a lovely time, leaving us all with that warm, fuzzy feeling that only community with others can bring. Overall, we had a fun, laid-back, satisfying birthday celebration.

Happy Birthday, Little One! Bring on the "Terrific Twos"!