friday, friday, fri-DAY

We got your Moo Jr.s right here--nothing better.

Here are a couple guys doing tricks on the swings.

And sharing the ear buds to the game. John was here using his dad's tools to work on his car, and brought the kids to play. The morning went by fast.

I asked t.c. if he felt like smiling, and this was the answer:

Kirsten had the day off work and was here, and after John finished his car, she and John and I sat on the patio for a long time, talking, laughing, passing p.j. back and forth, taking it easy.

Later t.c. was jumping in the air when he heard we were all meeting up at the cabin in the evening.

And then he was wailing away because m.c. got to stay and play with Kari and then ride up with us. Ah life, when you have an older cousin who is older and gets privileges.

Anyway, it was a fine Friday, as Fridays tend to be. love, Val

last thursday, hot and dusty

Yes, it was. Here is the morning, already hot. This guy is still in pajamas.

Here's a little school work happening.



And here's a Moo Jr. happening.



Oh yes, the wild game begins:








Jump up--

raspberries--

shrieking--




He turns around to begin again:

She likes it.

Okay, Julia took this picture.

Not sure who took these:





I took these of the kids playing in the sprinkler.



She demanded the patio, right now, and crawled all over it, putting leaves in her mouth. The good part is they don't taste like much, so she takes them out again. It's hard to watch a precious baby get dirty, but they all demand it at some point.

Oh, here we go--working on Columbus packets, yes indeed.

And this guy eating cereal from the container and helping Maria with some post-run stretches.

It's been a strange weather week, so hot and windy. The temperature doesn't jive with the lack of light. The dark evenings should be cool, not hot and windy. It seemed strange kicking through leaves today on the way back and forth from the beach.

But it's okay. Whatever. Onward. October lures us forward. love always, Val

19 years ago today

This is a picture of my niece. For a minute I considered cropping this picture, but then thought, oh no. Let's include Heidi's hyper face, the gaudy linoleum, the old laminate counter tops all cracked and terrible.

The girl in the blue print shirt is Lori's little girl. She's in all the birthday party pictures.

About my niece-- When she was little, she didn't like to talk to people, not even me. Sometimes when I'd talk to her, she'd actually turn her head away. Pam insisted she really did like me, that she was just shy.

When Little Jay was a baby, we called him Baby Jay. Well, my niece had a big doll she called Baby Jay. She took care of him just the way I took care of Jay. Pam pointed out how she even said the same things to her baby that I said to mine. And hers started crawling just about the same time Jay did.

Here she'd been quietly watching everything the whole time.

This is a picture of her from a couple years ago-- all grown up, all of us cooking hot dogs in the campfire on a summer night. She's the tall one in the pink t-shirt. Hey, honey!

So nineteen years ago today, when she was three, her mother happened to leave her and her older brother here to be babysat. While she was here that day, she stuck right by my side, even sat on the stool next to the sink with her cupcake while I loaded the dishwasher.

Later in the afternoon, we sprawled crosswise on my bed, chins propped on our hands, and watched the leaves falling off the maple tree. It was sunny and they were illuminated orange and yellow, dusting down every which way in the breeze, just a gorgeous afternoon.

And she talked. She went on and on about their trip to the apple orchard, the wagon ride, the apples, and I was almost afraid to even ask any questions in case she'd get shy again.


Anyway, you. Thanks for making October 6 a magic day I won't ever forget. love, Aunt Val

miss seventeen

Ah, yes. It's Maria.

Many characters were here for supper tonight, to celebrate.





Here's James working on an insane school assignment. He'll get it done, wade through the b.s. and yet why, but this isn't even a teacher-assigned bit of work. It's some government standard. Yeah, let's not talk about it.

Here they're laughing because Dan's dog jumped up and snatched food right out of John's hand when he wasn't looking. Dan said he shouldn't be dangling it down by the dog. John denied any dangling said the dog is a thief. Oh dear.

Oh, the gifts, which were mostly clothes, which she loves.

Here's a cute guy in my room.

And another cute one in Tim's room.


Here's m.c. still in her school uniform, looking sharp.

And there's b.g. helping Maria with her gifts. He actually was found in the office in the basement at one point. The lights were off in the stairway, but he wasn't scared.

I suppose he could see the lights on in the office, though Dan says dark doesn't scare this child.

He was standing on Grandpa's desk chair at the desk, looking around at all the papers and trinkets and junk. He had a lot to say when we found him. The giant bottle of aspirin on the desk has a child proof cap, so that's good.

(Grandpa lives on aspirin, no joke. He pops aspirin like some people do Vitamin C. But he hurts, and Vitamin C does nothing for his neck.)

Maria, Maria, you spectacular girl. As you informed me, yes, you are old enough to read Seventeen magazine now.

(I was appalled by some of the articles! How to kiss to turn your boyfriend on more? He does NOT need to be turned on MORE, believe me. Heroin overdoses? Aaaagh! Anyway. Maria laughed at me, said I was nuts.)

Sigh. Okay. But still.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart. We have loved you since you were tiny and toothless, and we still absolutely adore you now. This whole darn family is lucky for you. Thanks for being our girl.

love you always, Mom and Dad

joe's birthday

These are pictures of the first birthday we celebrated of Joe's.


It was 2005, six years ago. Look what a baby he was.

He and Tim are still friends.

I think they are, anyway.

Tim socks him. He puts Tim in a headlock.

They pound on each other.

I think it's affection.


He and Heidi met at college, and the romantic story of their meeting is this: Heidi thought he was cute, so she pinched his butt at a party.

Heidi?

Pinched a boy in the butt?

(Good Lor-ED.)


By the time this birthday was celebrated, they'd been together almost a year, and it was obvious he loved Heidi. It's still obvious. He isn't possessive or jealous, but he appreciates the Heidi-ness of her.


This is partly why I appreciate the Joe-ness of him.

Plus, if we need him?

There he is.


This is funny too. His mother and I went to the same high school. We weren't buddies, but we knew each other. She was a nice kid, is still a nice person. She owns a resort up in Wisconsin. And these two kids of ours met in college in Wisconsin?

And his mother is someone I know??

When I heard who she was, I laughed, knowing Heidi wasn't going to have any in-law problems.

heidi's mother in law

Joe,

Thank you for everything you bring to this family, for the fine person you are, and for the love you show p.j. and Heidi every day.


This whole family is better because you're in it. Lucky little old us. Happy Birthday! love, Val and Jay and all the kids

julia and joe on christmas