Thank you!

The girls light up like Christmas trees whenever there is a package on our front steps. Often they are disappointed because it is just my medication, but this week was for real - they each got a box!


First Starshine got a box full of Grandpa M's daily workbooks. They go awesome with the summer school math packet we got last weekend from Auntie. Starshine wants to try and stay sharp on math this summer to make sure she doesn't take a step back after such progress this year.

And actually, Jr. Princess LOVES the Kindergarten math workbook. She is great at it. She is SOOOOO ready for school (albeit a year early).

Then Jr. Princess got an awesome memory book from Grandma L all about her big girl adventure back in May.

Thank you!

Thank you for the math stuff Grandpa M .

thank you

Camp Grandma and Grandpa

In case you've been wondering why we haven't posted in awhile, well we have been busy living kid free!

Last Saturday my parents drove up to pick up the kids for a week at Camp Grandma and Grandpa x2. We don't know all of the sugar-laden, multi-McDonald-trip details, but here are some pictures curtesy of Grandpa L...

They stopped at my Aunt's farm on the ride home, where both girls got to ride a donkey. They got to feed birds at the zoo...

They went on the Jelly Belly factory tour...
They then went to Grandma and Grandpa M's house where they went on the train to Chicago for a fun day trip, and got to play with one of their cousins.

Then, M&M Dad and I joined them the following weekend. I went with my parents and the girls to the 4th of July parade while M&M Dad helped prepare for Grandma and Grandpa M's big move. The girls loved the parade, especially looking for Auntie and Uncle's recycling project.

They had a great time (and so did we). Too bad it ended with Jr. Princess having a mysterious swollen eye that totally freaked me out. It did not respond to Benadryl, so she went to the doctor when we got home and she already looks better after 24 hours with an antibiotic. Now we are just crossing our fingers that she isn't allergic to this antibiotic (like the last two). The good news - at least I'm ready for potential hives with a leftover half-bottle of Benadryl.

2 Girls and a Camera

Last weekend, Jr. Princess and Starshine spent most of the afternoon playing with our old digital camera. We watched the videos today (I had no idea they took so many) and I knew I definitely had to make a montage for you guys! (You'll have to ignore the lawnmower - M&M Dad didn't realize such important filming was going on.)



We'll definitely give them the camera to play with again because:

1. It was the nicest way they have played together in months!


2. It totally made me laugh

FYI - Starshine is reluctantly allowing me to post this video. She is a bit embarrassed, but I assured her that you guys just want to see how cute they are!

Fathers Day Fun

We celebrated Fathers Day yesterday and had lots of fun. First, we let M&M Dad have some awesome alone time (a precious Dad commodity) to go on a super long bike ride. While he was gone, I took the girls to my work for a birdhouse building event. Before...

After...

Now we plan on painting them and figuring out where to put them in the backyard. The Raptor Center had some birds on display, and we got to see our favorite - the bald eagle. The poor things were far away in the parking garage because they were a little scared of all of the hammering.

Then, we took M&M Dad to the Twins game. They lost, but at least Starshine and I got to see our favorite player hit a home run. Both girls ate their weight in shelled peanuts, which we found amusing because at home, Jr. Princess usually declares "I hate peanuts!" Starshine was particularly lucky - finding at least 3 different triple peanuts.

Gobble Gobble

This morning, M&M Dad saw a turkey in the backyard. That in itself was noteable because we normally just see deer. When I came over to look I noticed she had around 15 little babies! Super adorable. They disappeared before I could get the camera, but luckily they came back...

You'll have to look closely - they are super tiny. When they walked back in the woods, you couldn't even see them in the leaves. I sure hope they stick around because that many grown up turkeys would be a sight to see!

Our Watermelon Girl

Yesterday, M&M Dad wanted to buy a watermelon at the grocery store. I almost persuaded him not to because I thought we'd never get through it all. I changed my mind when he reminded me it freezes well for smoothies. Well thank goodness because as it turns out, Jr. Princess is a watermelon eating machine! I am not exaggerating when I write that I think she has single handily eaten 1/2 of it already. She has had watermelon for 5 meals straight, including frozen watermelon cubes at the lake for our picnic today. And then, to top it off, she and M&M Dad made these awesome watermelon garnished, watermelon slush drinks for dinner - delicious!
The rest of the day was filled with bike riding, and playing outside. Ah, summer....

M&M Dad and I did dueling greens cooking for dinner tonight with the rest of our CSA vegetables. He attempted the swiss chard while I cooked the kale (both first time cooking experiences for us). I knew I had a harder taste hurdle, what with kale being a member of the cabbage family, but he totally smoked me by pulling out the bacon in his recipe. Apparently Emeril is right- pork fat does rule.

Summer is Finally Here

This weekend was the official start of summer here!

Starshine finished school this week, and spent 3 days with YCare. On Monday, she starts back at Jr. Princess's daycare for the summer and Jr. Princess is super excited about it. She asks daily, "how many more days until she comes to my school?"

We also had our first official 1/2 share delivery from our CSA (community supported agriculture). It wasn't much, but I am still impressed to get something after this cold and dry spring. The girls are totally in the spirit of trying all of the new vegetables. Jr. Princess loved the radishes and Japanese turnips in her salad, and on Sunday we are going to figure out what to do with kale??

They tried the rhubarb raw, and we all giggled at the face-puckering sourness. They liked it a lot better the next morning in this delicious coffee cake:

Then, Starshine had fun at a friends house, and Jr. Princess and Dad had a fun trip to the beach. There isn't much of a swimming area, yet, because the water is so low, but they had lots of fun looking for rocks and shells.

Jr. Princess Art

Jr. Princess was working on her latest art creation this evening...

This is Jr. Princess (in red) and mom (in pink) standing by a lake.

Summer Library Fun

It literally rained ALL day today, though we're not complaining because the yard was turning into a desert. Starshine's tennis lessons were cancelled AGAIN. (I think it is going to take 12 weeks to get through the 6 weeks of lessons with all of the make-ups). So thank goodness for the Library Summer Reading Program kickoff (outside, but under a tent) to give us something fun to do.

There was face painting, crazy hair station, make your own puzzle, and our favorite, Otis the reading dog. There was a 14 year old boy manning the crazy hair station, but he looked utterly perplexed on what to do with the pony tail holders. I stepped in to do the pony tails and let him handle the colored spray. There were even free hot dogs, but we were all disappointed because when you tell us Culvers is there as a Reading Program Sponsor, we want ice cream!
Needless to say the pillowcases at rest time were shades of purple and orange. Thank goodness it washed out tonight at bathtime because Jr. Princess is getting her portrait taken tomorrow.

Bridging to Brownies

On Monday night we went to Starshine's school to watch her girl scout troop bridge from Daisies to Brownies.

The girls were super cute, and managed to stay quite calm compared to the craziness at the beginning of troop meetings. I had some major flashbacks to my Brownie to Juniors bridging ceremony...

And the best part - cake!


Here is Jr. Princess amusing herself during the boring parts...

My favorite part was watching the older troop bridge from Juniors to Cadets. They each had to walk across the bridge and stop to tell the crowd about their favorite service project. Well, 99% of the girls were soooo quiet you literaly couldn't hear them. But there was one girl who belted out a lengthly monologue about how much she loved the Ronald McDonald house. You go girl! This is what girl scouts is all about - getting girls out in front! I am trying to predict how Starshine will do in a few years...