An Eventful Day

Whew! Yesterday was super busy at the Wagoner house. We started the day bright and early by meeting with a potential landscaper. Then the power company crew came to turn off our electricity because a large tree in our backyard was getting taken out. Next came a guy to fix the broken window and just as he arrived about six tree guys showed up.

We packed up the food from the refrigerator and took it to our neighbor Joy's house and then came home to settle in for the tree show. Unfortunately, this is the second tree we have had to remove but it was exciting for the boys none the less.

Noah ran to his room to get ready for the day. The hardhat Uncle Darren gave him was a must.

Joy came over to watch all the action too.

When it was all said and done we were left with this giant pile of wood chips...

and a couple of little boys eager to dig in.

Window

Noah: "Mom I scratched the window."

Me: "How did you scratch the window?"

Noah: "Come look."

Me: "Noah, that is not a scratch. The window is broken. How did that happen?"

Noah: "I threw my pirate ship at it"

So that's that. Our first broken window. I have a feeling there may be more in our future. Noah was most worried about the chance of rain and thunder coming in the window but Shawn solved that problem with a little packing tape. Our windows are original to the house (they don't come out) so now I am on the task of finding someone to come in and replace it.

Ice Cream

Micah is now benefitting from the family ice cream trips.

Noah and the girls

Noah's best friends, Eva and Stella, live across the street from us. We are SO lucky to have them as neighbors. They also have a baby sister, Brielle, but she is not moving around yet so she is not in the friend category quite yet. Between the two families our kids are 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0. Anyhow, we went to the park at the end of our street and they were already there playing, then another neighbor with two little girls came. The 'big' kids all walked home together holding hands - they even got in order of age...the perfect stair step. :) I LOVE summer.

Popsicles

We have finally had some really hot days here. It is summer so I say bring on the the heat! I made the boys some frozen treats using the Ikea popsicle mold (I love that thing). It was actually raining and cool when I took these photos but they enjoyed them nonetheless. An extra bonus for me was that they didn't even notice the flax meal I added.

Dad

We hit the lotto when it comes to husbands/dads, fortunate beyond words. We sure do love this guy. Happy Father's Day!

Noah and I started the celebration by making cinnamon rolls on Friday afternoon. It has been a really lovely weekend. Saturday the whole family headed to Lowe's for a much needed kitchen faucet. Then we picked up sandwiches for a picnic lunch and let the boys play at a park. After naps, Shawn took Noah to Choo Choo Bob's for a little one on one time. Choo Choo Bob's is a boy's heaven, a train store with six train tables and every imaginable engine.

This morning we went to church and came home long enough to fill up the pool and apply sunscreen then took the boys to another park. I have a feeling the weekend will end with a trip to the ice cream shop.

He can be handy in the kitchen.

Here he comes.

That was so fun they want to get back up there ASAP.

Seriously, this child has no fear. He is barely over 1 and was really to go down this huge slide himself.

I said no way.

Toy Store

We have had a week filled with play dates with friends. Early in the week it was rainy so we kept our activities indoors. On Tuesday, we meet my friend Julie and her boys, Jack and Tyler at a toy store and then went to lunch. Noah and Jack played remarkably well together and the little boys kept us on our toes running all around the toy store and getting into everything. Lunch went well but we stayed about 10 minutes too long and everyone started to melt down. As we were walking to the car Noah said, "Mom, I'm really tired just like Jack is." Then on the ride home he told me, "I asked Jack if he wanted to go to Big Bowl for lunch." I laughed as I pictured them negotiating lunch plans. By the way, we did not end up at Big Bowl.

Micah liked this fun mirror

and trying on hats.

After Dinner Hoops

I love that it stays light so late these days, especially when we have dinner ready and eat in time to play outside before bedtime. Here are a few photos from our family hoops session this week.

Lunch Buddies

Here's a glimpse of lunch time at our place. They sure are better lunch dates than my old work days when I ate at my desk. I could do with a little less mess on the floor though.

Como

On Saturday we went to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul. It is donation only and a really fabulous spot for families - minus the smokers who insist on lighting up among the thousands of kids while strolling by the no smoking signs, argh. It was a cool morning so we had high hopes that the animals would be out and active and they were. Noah wanted to see the tiger first. We saw all the cats, zebras, giraffes, ostriches, a sea lion show, primates (Micah loves monkeys) and then it started to rain so we headed in for some lunch.

Here is a photo of the boys looking at the tiger.

After lunch we headed to an exploration area for kids.

We also did a quick tour of the fern and sunken gardens while Shawn went to get the car. Noah enjoyed checking out the koi pond and I loved taking in the smells and beauty of the flowers. Really this place is amazing, especially during our too long Minnesota winters.

Beanbag status

The beanbag is in the garage waiting for trash day. Every time we went into Noah's room after a nap we could smell it and it was leaking the little white filling everywhere. It really needed to go. Somehow Shawn convinced Noah of the fact and now we are all happier. Noah's PotteryBarn chair has taken the beanbags place in his room - it is a thousand times cleaner.

Threes

They say bad luck comes in threes right? I hope so because we hit numero tres today. I was playing with the boys in the backyard before dinner and a bee landed on Micah's face while he was in the swing. It stung him on the eyelid and then went down into his shirt, which I didn't realize until later when it flew out all the while he was hysterical. Of course he was, he got stung three more times. Poor little guy. After a call to the pediatric nurse we ended up in urgent care. By the time we got there the welts from the stings and a few hives were subsiding. I learned that bees can sting more than once if they don't loose their stinger. His eye on the other hand is swollen and red and just when we had gotten rid of the black eye.

In case you are wondering I consider the first stroke of bad luck my stomach virus that also landed me in urgent care and a couple of days ago I broke my toe at our neighbors...we were there because I locked us out of the house.

Okay karma, send us some good stuff.

Book Buddies

In June Noah is doing a program for preschoolers called Book Buddies. The 3 and 4 year olds go twice a week from 9am-noon. The class reads a story and the activities for the day follow the theme of the book. Today was his first day. He was very excited to go this morning, I think mainly because at the open house last week he discovered their collection of trucks and couldn't wait to get his hands on them.

Ready to go Mr. Cool.
Here he is right before I left. I was telling him some directions that obviously sounded like blah, blah, blah to him. Get out of here mom, I want to play!

Noah had a great time and is already excited to go back on Friday. When we picked him up I told him that Micah and I missed him and asked if he missed us. He said, "I was too busy having fun." Well, I guess I can live with that. :) Micah and I spent the morning running errands but it was fun to have him to myself for a while.

Reading Spot

Noah and I were headed to the library after dinner tonight and on our way to the car our neighbor, John, came running over with a bean bag in his hand. He told Noah that he could have it to watch tv in. I said he could read in it! Noah was excited about his new acquisition and was happy to cozy in and read tonight. Shawn was laughing and making purr sounds the entire time because he is certain that it was our neighbor's cat's bed. He says we are throwing it away ASAP but I have a feeling a protest will be coming.

That's a book about humvees that we read tonight. After I had my fill of humvees Noah requested his nightly story be about humvees and tanks too. Great.

Art

Yesterday was a fun day. We went to the Edina Art Fair and saw the Teddy Bear Band play. I forgot my camera which was a bummer but I didn't miss any great shots. Micah was mesmerized and Noah sat like a bump on a log watching and then couldn't stop talking about it when we got home. After the concert we visited the kid-friendly booths and Noah did a couple of art projects.

He made this crown

and these flowers in a vase.

Then we had a little picnic and I treated Noah to a vanilla cone at DQ on our walk back to the car. I could tell he was getting really worn out so I was pulling out all the stops to keep him motivated to continue moving toward the car. He said, "Don't worry mom, I'm not too tired to eat my ice cream." No surprise there.

We continued the art theme after naps by making masterpieces on the driveway.

I also have to give myself a personal high five because it is 9am and I have a loaf of bread in the oven, pasta sauce simmering on the stove and refried beans in the crockpot. I've been lacking in the productivity department lately and Shawn is at a work meeting this morning from 7am to noon - poor guy. Noah just came in and asked if it is naptime...I feel the same buddy.

Chop Chop

He was more proficient than I am with the chopsticks - albeit, using the wrong ends.

Dish Duty

No matter where he is in the house, Micah has a dog's ear for the sound of the dishwasher door opening and comes running. Is it any wonder it takes me an obscenely long time to load or unload the darn thing? I had already taken him off the door about 15 times before I snapped these - he will not be deterred!

Memorial Day

A Memorial Day salute. So grateful that my veteran is here to make this wonderful life with us and mindful of those who are not.

Noah is quick to make friends and yesterday was no exception. About halfway through the ceremony the kids could no longer be kept from the fountain.

A moment of contemplating his decision, then he was back at it.

The tomato plants are in. We are utilizing our roof deck off the master bedroom for the first time ever...it should be used for something!