We just wrapped up "Two Elevenses" around here (Hobbit term, anyone? Technically, it's supposed to be tea-time. For purposes here, it's just a significant number of our recent happenings). And 11:11 is my and Trev's "number", and thus below is the usual random for-the-record-account.
First Elevenses - 11 Years of Marriage:
My parents gifted us early with our first night away from both kids - I don't know who had the most fun (well, probably Karis, because that's just who she is). Judah waved as they drove away and Trev and I settled in easily to a Saturday to ourselves. I think we made the most of it, and it was a special day that I want to remember . . . in the afternoon (nap time, of course) I watched Railway Man and was completely riveted - perfect to pull me back to a place of perspective after what was an intense internal week. I do love intense movies, and this true story was superb. Trev got stuff done (which he loves) and we came together at 3 to meander around until our dinner res at 5. We enjoyed a slow stroll around Loring Park (oh, Trev is always trying to get me to just stroll) and then a climb up Gold Medal Park.
We looked out over the river and I realized that so many years ago we would find a spot to look out over the Missouri River - what different landscape we're gazing at now.
Bar La Grasa did not disappoint, it was a special spot to split a well prepared meal - including ramps! Which might sound funny, but to me was significant because this wild onion was a fab feature on one of our fave shows, A Chef's Life. The meal ended with a bite of chocolate and limoncello, and I even left with a souvenir - when we got to the car I was clutching a cloth napkin.
And since we didn't have to get home, we hit Spyhouse - and in true make-our-day-way ran into a former high school classmate. Crazy. Trev's dessert request was pb oreos, so to Cub we went and then home to enjoy them (and for Trev a pipe) on the deck. Oh, and Trev exercised some of his ND roots and set a live trap hoping for some raccoons. We watched the 100 Foot Journey and called it a very good day.
Backing up, the day began early in the morning reading a reflection about "seeking Treasure" - which was meaningful to me because of the long and funny history of "Treasure Trevor". I had hoped we would just have some light hearted fun, and we really did. In fact, I felt SO light hearted, I wonder how I can bring that spirit into the dailyness?
Sunday I still woke up early (not by choice, body clock is pretty routine and stubborn). The house was so quiet . . . . so, we went for second breakfast (Hobbits, people) to Milton's before heading to church. Where, another random run-in - a gal walked into the bathroom and we had that awkward "I know you from somewhere" minute before realizing she used to work with Trev.
We soaked in the hands free time and then hit the road, grabbing some grub from Whole Foods on the way. Listened to podcasts and rested while driving to the lake - and had a sweet reunion with our fam and a wonderful night catching up with my parents. Grateful for all.
Second Elevenses - 11 Days out of town but at home still:
The next week Karis wrapped up her ballet session, we caught up with a former youth grouper of mine, and packed the and hit the road (sounds so easy, right? It wasn't. Judah has a sensor for when stuff has to get done and was a melty mess). First stop, Park Rapids for the yearly DeKrey reunion (which to Karis translates: weekend playing with cousin Isabel!). They made the most of the time, including a "make up pajama private fashion show", going to town with their grandma's for some window shopping, and just general togetherness. Trev and I (with Judah) stuck close to the cabin to mingle and meander and rest. We do so love the tradition of that weekend together with so much fabulous family.
The kids and I made the trek to Bismarck on Sunday (with Cassie's company until Fargo, phew), and loved a stop at Heidi's house to see her and her baby belly, some Wendy's, some Steele, and collapsed in "BIS-A-MAAARCK" (for which Judah screamed many times along the way - and when we went over the big hill, the scream turned to delight and he seemed to really understand we'd arrived. We later realized that he thinks my parents' home is Bis-a-marck. We hunkered in for a week of many things and I love thinking about it all, a sweet way to kick off the summer:
- Park Rapids reunion, so grand. As I expected, I barely saw Karis (off with sweet cousin Isabel), I stayed within 50 feet of our cabin the entire time, and we had a sweet time of connecting with lots of fam. The big bummer is that Grandpa Warren wasn't feeling well to be there, he and Eileen and Aunt Karen were so very missed.
- The drive back to Bis was smooth, with a stop at Heidi's house and Wendy's and Steele. Judah tantrumed for "BIS-A-MARCK!" much of the way. And then fell asleep for a bit and all was well. For the first time he fully joined in the rejoicing when we went over the big hill and could see the city
- Park play, walks to "Eagle Ridge" (where Karis loves to visit a toy that is perched on an evergreen), delicious homemade delights from Nancy, lots of grandpa around, evenings on the deck watching the prairie sky, pheasant peering. These things accented our days.
- Memorable to Monday was Karis getting quite sick just as we entered Great Grandma Eileen's home. Picture puke everywhere, Karis crying (poor girl!), Judah yelping "Uppa mommy!" while I tried to manage the situation. One of those moments that is so ridiculous that it's actually memorable in the moment it's happening
- Connecting with a high school and college friend, pizza party with cousins, hanging with Gma Carole . . . Karis got to go to an eye appt. with her grandmas - and then Space Aliens and a manicure (while I sprawled out in front of cable tv while Judah slept)
- A stroll down memory lane for me after a haircut with some Cafe Aroma and a drive by the river
- Visiting April's house (and Kitty!) with Bearcat donuts (all such bliss for Judah)
- The amusement park and KFC (huge highlight for all)
- A delightful day on the prairie with the Popes with tractor rides and nap strikes and Little House on the Prairie and piano music
- Trev arrived late Friday night . . .Saturday we visited cousin Sarah at her new home and very redemptively got to meet her 6 ducklings (our dear Donut Duck disappeared on the reunion weekend)
- Wedding date! Trev and I went to Jenny Storslee's wedding while the kids played the afternoon and night away with my folks. Good for all
- Reconnecting as a fam of four: we stopped off in Alexandria for a night and enjoyed some park play, Zorbaz, and I watched Trev watch The Great Outdoors for the very first time. Hilarious from many angles.
And not to be neglected for history's sake is Trev's side of the week's story: work really hard at our rental, get pretty sick and stay in bed for a couple days, work really hard at work, work really hard at the rental, meet friends at Pizza Luce, pack, drive to Bismarck and pull in really late and meet best friend for Perkins and pipes. Oh that guy, I'm grateful.
And for the record, hindsight 20/20, I wish I could fully relax, let the kids be wild, take Judah to quiet whenever he needed it (but then again - how to instill that "you're not the center of the universe" value? The balancing act leaves me wobbly at times). A friend reminded me that "I'm the mom", and that maybe letting loose entirely just isn't my job right now.
2nd Anniversary (kind of like second breakfast, very Hobbit-ish):
And like a book end to this, our "real" anniversary was yesterday and it felt surprisingly special - I don't know HOW people remember this day, but we received some touching texts and cards, which I don't take for granted and reminds me that our journey is so very strengthened by our loved ones.
The day began early with what I knew would quickly be a memorable story - 3:30am, I hear Trev getting his graham crackers and milk . . . then I hear him going into Karis's room. So I got up to see what the deal was, and he was in her rocking chair eating his snack. I guess he's been doing that for years, but seeing it for the first time was a little odd. We laughed in the morning (not at 3:30am). The day continued to be memorable by smoking Karis's lunch in the microwave (uff da). Later the kids had a blast with the neighbor girls (and even had an artistic greeting for us, picture below) while we savored some Pig Ate My Pizza (such a great place). Low key, wonderful. For the record, I don't know if we usually get gifts, but this year Trev got sweatpants and I got coffee. It's so good to learn and grow together. Watched The Grand Budapest Hotel (totally Trev's humor). Why not celebrate, right? I'm so grateful.
Quotables:
From Rilla of Ingleside (so very delightful, this book):
(Rilla writing in her diary) "I like to write a few personal things in this blessed old book that might not be exactly what I'd want my children to read. I feel that I shall be a far greater stickler for propriety in regard to them than I am for myself!". . .
"I don't go about quoting Jims's speeches to all I meet. I just enshrine them in this old hotch-potch of a journal!"
"The joy of last night and today has been so great that it seemed half pain - as if our hearts weren't big enough to hold it" (read this shortly after a Proverb that I paid special attention to: "Even in laughter the heart may ache". Isn't that so true? I find that feeling to be a frequent one in parenting)
From Farmer Boy (passage read on our final stretch of drive back to Plymouth - Trev and I had a good laugh):
"Mothers always fuss about the way you eat. You can hardly eat any way that pleases them"
From Mom . . . and loving it
"[Marriage] is a huge undertaking, something we must grow into . . . "
From Proverbs (read literally hours after telling my family that I planned to increase my smiling in the coming week):
15:13 - "A happy heart makes the face cheerful"
15:30 - "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart"
And then, this song. I quite bawled the first time I listened, it just opened a well - shortly after Karis came down bawling because she hit her head, and then just after that Judah bawled because it was time for bed and the chapstick had to go night night. It was kind of a memorable moment of all just having a good cry (I don't think Trevor joined the bawl fest).
Karis-isms:
- "I think the toenail polish will stay on my toes longer because my mouth can't reach them"
- "I have an Elsa piggy bank!"
- "At the amusement park, I had a corn on the dog!"
- "Mom, I think you should turn on your windshield wipers. And your lights, all the other cars have their lights on."
- "Mom, you have a lot of pimples. And moles"
- "So, what does this sticker say? (pause) "Oh, so mom, they made this in China"
- "Mom, you have triangle head"
- "Why are you wearing those funny looking pants?"
- "Mom, Judah's talking bathroom talk"
- "Mom, don't pick all the bay-lea" (she means basil - she loves to eat it from the plant)
- "Not at all . . . of course not" (in reply to such questions as, "Do you want x/y/z" or "Do you have to go to the bathroom" or . . . oh Karis)
- "I'll have it all, in fact!"
- "Daddy, what does replaceable mean?"
- "Judah how about we play book out camp out?" (putting books in the trampoline and sitting together)
- "Mommy, I really want that white horse!" (stereotypes continue to come true)
- "Daddy, chew with your mouth closed" (Trev used the opportunity to instruct that it's not okay to say that to anyone outside our family)
- "So, Pa must be older than daddy because Pa can make things out of wood"
- "Let's make stacked pancakes!"
- "I think the magician learned his magic tricks at Disney World"
- "Judah was a reindeer in Drewie and Melanie's wedding" (HA!)
- "Can you do a downward dog?" (she means underdog)
Judah Jibes:
- "Elmo's song! Read it!"
- "Rocking chairrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" (while leading me by the hand to the rocking chair - this happens when his introverted self needs alone time. I would melt, but it usually means ending a conversation with someone . . . which is of course ok, but . . . )
- "Hold it! Stroller! Push Karis!"
- "Park! Stephanie!"
- "Heidi's house!"
- "In the train! Hold tickets!"
- "Play Cisco!" (said every single sleep time and often when he wakes up. Oh he loves his friends)
- "Bis-a-maaaaaaaarck!"
- "Play few more minutes!"
- "Take turns. Karis's turn"
- "Share. Judah's turn" (said so earnestly, nodding his head expressively as if trying to talk himself into sharing. I melt)
- "Soccer ball!"
- "Curly hair" (while pointing to his hair and addressing a random stranger at Chick-fil-A)
- "Marsh-a-mallow", "Pic-i-nic", "Duck-a-ling, "Pic-a-ture" "Choc-o-late" (everything has 3 syllables, love it)
- "Eliza, birthday party, pic-i-nic!"
- "Big wet kiss! Big hug!"
- "In the boat. Jordan's boat. Cassie's boat"
- "April, kitty! Donuts!"
- "No change diaper" (which means he needs it changed)
- "Hold tickets. Fried chicken." (reminiscing about amusement park)
- "Wave to mommy"
- "Wheels on bus!"
- "Chapstick, bed"
- "Baby Asher. Lee. Caroline. Mmmm, mmmm"
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