weekend wrap....

Saturday morning was cold and rainy so Royce and I decided to check out Edinborough Park just down the road. It's a big indoor park with little waterfalls, trees and plants and also home to a monstrosity of an indoor kids playground (like nothing I've seen before!). It was FILLED with hundreds of kids and bewildered parents. Part of me (and by part I mean most of me) wanted to turn around and head home but as soon as the girls caught a glimpse of the playground we were stuck there......for three hours. It was fun though and I mastered my serious claustrophobia by climbing through the massive play structure not once with them but twice! Next time I'm totally showing up in heals to show those stuffy moms that not only can I master that giant slide at the top but I can run through that beast in heals like nobody's business. Lighten up ladies, have some fun! PS your kids think I'm cooler than you.

Sunday the girls and I headed to the old hood (holla, Jill!) to drop off a cd for a client, visit my Mom and spent some time with our friends, who used to be close neighbors. The girls had fun and I got my "home" fix so I'm all charged up for another week here, in my strange new place ;) Did I mention that I miss my home terribly?! I do love Richfield and the house and location but it's missing a piece of me that I'm still having a hard time saying good bye to. If I could move my best friend, my old neighbors and family here it would be my definition of paradise.

We arrived home and Royce had cleaned up the yard (looks great hun!) and the girls took a quick nap. When they awoke Royce entertained them outside and captured our Lucy escapee with our new bff Dave, aka next door neighbor. Side note: I believe Dave is seriously concerned for Lucy's well being. He appears out of no where every time she escapes and helps us capture her lol!

As I cooked dinner I saw the girls having fun and grabbed my camera for a couple pics. Just as I ventured outside Adia had discovered one of our lilac bushes for the first time. Pics below :) PS I love my kitchen window. I cook and do dishes (such a domesticated goddess, I know) and am able to watch all of the action from that window. Ironically I've been dreaming of a kitchen window for years so I could feel just like June Cleaver hollering out to the kids that dinners ready. I know what you're thinking and I don't care.

Adventure Day - MN Zoo!

My Mom and I brought the girls to the MN Zoo yesterday. To my delight it's only 15 minutes away! I hadn't been there for about 12 years and had forgotten pretty much all about it. What a great place! The girls have been to Como Zoo a couple times but now that we've been to the MN Zoo I doubt I'll ever walk through Como again!

We went early and it was chilly! We got there shortly after it opened and decided to hike up to the Farm first so the girls could see the farm babies. The baby goats were hilarious playing with each other and running and sliding across the floor. The girls loved seeing the cows, and pigs. They've always really enjoyed going to farms and love those types of animals. Adia asked that I give her one of the newborn pigs yesterday. When I told her I couldn't and that the baby would miss his mommy she sobbed crying, "please Momma! PLEASE! I want one of those babies! I want a real baby piggy!". She went on for a while and we negotiated getting her a piggy toy instead which she agreed, even though she ended up choosing a pink tiger instead! Last night at dinner again she said, "Momma I want one of those baby piggies. I want a real one!". Oyi.

Rasa loved the shark tank and the penguins the best. Adia said she loved the babies and the penguins the best. They both really enjoyed the monorail ride and being able to see the camels and bison. When Royce got home from work the girls were talking so fast about all of their favorite things he could hardly keep up.

My Mom, the girls and I always have a great time together! It makes planning stuff like this so much fun! What a difference between age two and a half and age three! I'm noticing it so much more every time we go out with the girls. It's so much more enjoyable with so few meltdowns, if any at all!

welcome back sunshine!

After I put the girls down for naps today I finished up some editing I had to get out the door, took a shower and then basked in the sun for an hour. Oh sweet sunshine where have you been hiding! I had a vitamin d test done that showed I was low (like every other resident in the state of MN!) so now I feel like it gives me a free pass to lay in the sun as much as possible ;)

This weekend went by in a blur. I've been getting lots of business which is fabulous and since my work away from home is minimal I still get to pack in weekend sessions and have lots of time with my family (yes I know how fortunate I am!). Saturday evening we brought the girls downtown to our favorite restaurant and meet up with my Besty and her family. We really enjoyed ourselves! Can't wait to do that again soon!

Unfortunately the girls and I ended up sick by the end of the weekend but it's looking like a brief cold and we're on the mend. Funny thing, our allergies have been horrendous this spring. Royce pointed out all of the mature trees packed on almost every single square foot of our street and as beautiful as they are they are torturing us!!

Have to post a video of Rasa reading her book. We still do weekly library trips and one of the books Rasa picked she memorized after me reading it to her twice! She's got a brain like her Daddy!

Everyday Things

Everyday Things

*this picture melts my heart and it reminds me why I fell in love with photography. It's the most literal everyday thing I see, rasa glued to her daddy, now frozen in time forever.

bike rides and new hood update!

The newest thing at the Steenerson house is the obsession with tricycle rides! All last fall the girls would sit on their bikes and push them (not peddle much) around in circles and then get board. A couple weeks ago Adia pulled hers out of the garage and peddled down the driveway and whipped down the street! Even after taking a major spill at the end of the driveway (it's pretty steep) she popped up with no tears, hopped on and took off bloody knee and all! Rasa saw Adia cruising down the street and took off after. Our first bike ride was a mile long!

We mostly cruise around the big block over and over a few times everyday. We got stopped on Sunday as Royce and I were walking along while the girls peddled quickly on their bikes. This older couple pulled up next to us and said they've really been enjoying watching the girls cruise on past their house everyday. So sweet.

We are so happy in our new place. Every weekend we get new neighbors stopping to say hi and welcoming us. The people around us are so warm and so friendly it's hard not to feel completely at home here.

Some of the biggest stressors we've had in our lives have passed through us over the last year and here we are, closer than ever and still intact, stronger and happier even.

We are so completely overwhelmed with gratitude for the kind souls and absolutely beautiful people in our lives. Yes, that means you too!

The best way to get the most solid footing is to have the earth shake a little below your feet.

m&m cannibalism?

The girls invaded my bed early this morning as I was laying watching the news. The crawled up, snuggled in and watched for a few minutes with me. An M&M commercial came on with the animated talking M&M characters and this convo followed:

Adia: "Look m&m's!!! We can't eat those though"

Rasa: "No, we can't cuz we eat too much candy"

Adia: "No Rasa we can't eat those they have eyes!"

Rasa: "Oh yeah they do have eyes"

Ultimate confusion followed by a moment of silence.