Thursday, December 27, 2012
2012 Update
This is a quick review of our year. For more wit please revisit the blog in a few days. Thank you for your patience.
2012 Recap
January: Zac began the year by winning the PineWood Derby for the 2nd year in a row. Jared and Hillary are grateful for a year off this year. Next year Owen is excited to be able to officially participate.
March: DisneyWorld Vacation which also included plenty of frozen butterbeer and wands for the boys to practice cursing each other with.
May: Jared hiked with his siblings and Father from the South rim of the Grand Canyon to the North Rim.
July: Hillary went to Girls Camp so Jared took the boys on a Mid-west Man-trip. They loved it. Fast food, car factory tours and of course fishing.
August: 5 days in Montreal with Jared's mother. We are now a little addicted to Cirque du Soleil.
October: We took a week of school and work off and journeyed to South Dakota to marvel at Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the badlands.
The boys love to play their sports of the season: Winter- tennis(inside tennis bubble), Spring- Soccer, Baseball, Summer-Tennis, swimming & Golf, Fall-Tackle football (Zac), Soccer (Owen). Both are also doing with their piano skills and Zachary has picked up Percussion. He loves to go to the basement-which we should have soundproofed- and play on Jared's drum set.
Jared an Hillary continue to slowly hone their golfing skills. The big project for the year was completing our new home. Hillary is glad to be back to having one full-time job as a mother and Jared was happy to resign his position of 3-D modeler. Pictures don't really do it justice. The best way to see it is to stop by and see us if you are ever driving I-80 through Iowa. We promise a comfortable bed, yummy meal and pleasant conversation(Well, mostly pleasant).
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Thursday, December 22, 2011
Nielsen Holiday Update 2011
A truly warm welcome from a snow-less Iowa. The grass is green with balmy upper 40 degree breezes. Holiday cheer abounds--only to be interrupted by the incessant phone calls from various political hopefuls campaigning for the upcoming caucus. This is the time every 4 years where we Iowans exercise our first right to choose our nation’s supreme executive. Lord help us....
Owen, now 6, is enjoying first grade. He has been working on a first novel entitled, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid of the Lost Tooth.” For those of you in the publishing industry looking for a new author this is a fascinating spin-off which is inspired by Owen’s first brush with dental maturity. The cheese touch returns again and hilarity ensues. Owen should be available for book tours after school gets out but only until the state fair begins. For certain his biggest accomplishment this last year was mastering both the original and double finger slaps several weeks before his older brother. Owen’s favorite event of the year was zip-lining in Costa Rica.
Zachary, now 10, has recently learned that in Iowa kids begin driving when they are 14. He has made his future car preferences known. Sounds like a lawn mowing business is in order. Z played his first season of tackle football, and it only took him 12 weeks of the 14 week season to figure out 2 things. First that he was bigger than all the other kids. Second that you can legally hit and tackle your opponents. Zachary’s biggest accomplishment was getting his first save in his first appearance as a little league pitcher this summer. His favorite event was, surprise, zip-lining.
Hillary, still 28, is in the throes of building a new home. This year the project has evolved from its existence as a hypothetical idea, to an idea that offended the future neighbors, to a moderately deforested mud hole, and to its present state as a giant mud hole with stones and boards. Hillary may have set our family record for travel this last year with trips to: England, France, and Iceland, followed by separate trips to Costa Rica and Panama in August. She still suffers from volunteeritis. If you have a cause and need a volunteer just ask Hillary, she probably cannot say no. Hillary’s biggest accomplishment, wining the freezing glacial water endurance test in Iceland. Her favorite event was our ski trip to Utah.
Jared, is very close to 40--and quite frankly it shows. First was his obsession with weight loss. Then he barely survives a small backpacking trip in the Uintas. Upon returning he had a nice encounter with his own renal calculus. (That’s a kidney stone for the rest of us.) The not so young doctor apparently has an unnatural fear of other doctors and all things medical. Fortunately he was able to have general anesthesia for the procedure where they use sound waves to pulverize the stone into “passable” chunks. As an anti-horder Jared is hopeful that we can simply throw away most of our possessions rather than have them moved to our new home when/if it is completed. His biggest accomplishment: boring academic stuff--papers and presentations that are so uninteresting to non-vitreoretinal surgeons that most people would rather scratch out their eyes than be subjected to them. Favorite event: watching people eat freshly deep fried sticks of butter at the fair.
We wish you a safe and sane 2012. Please feel free to drop in when you are in the vicinity. If not come visit.
Merry Christmas,
The Nielsen’s
Jared, Hillary, Zachary, and Owen
Owen, now 6, is enjoying first grade. He has been working on a first novel entitled, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid of the Lost Tooth.” For those of you in the publishing industry looking for a new author this is a fascinating spin-off which is inspired by Owen’s first brush with dental maturity. The cheese touch returns again and hilarity ensues. Owen should be available for book tours after school gets out but only until the state fair begins. For certain his biggest accomplishment this last year was mastering both the original and double finger slaps several weeks before his older brother. Owen’s favorite event of the year was zip-lining in Costa Rica.
Zachary, now 10, has recently learned that in Iowa kids begin driving when they are 14. He has made his future car preferences known. Sounds like a lawn mowing business is in order. Z played his first season of tackle football, and it only took him 12 weeks of the 14 week season to figure out 2 things. First that he was bigger than all the other kids. Second that you can legally hit and tackle your opponents. Zachary’s biggest accomplishment was getting his first save in his first appearance as a little league pitcher this summer. His favorite event was, surprise, zip-lining.
Hillary, still 28, is in the throes of building a new home. This year the project has evolved from its existence as a hypothetical idea, to an idea that offended the future neighbors, to a moderately deforested mud hole, and to its present state as a giant mud hole with stones and boards. Hillary may have set our family record for travel this last year with trips to: England, France, and Iceland, followed by separate trips to Costa Rica and Panama in August. She still suffers from volunteeritis. If you have a cause and need a volunteer just ask Hillary, she probably cannot say no. Hillary’s biggest accomplishment, wining the freezing glacial water endurance test in Iceland. Her favorite event was our ski trip to Utah.
Jared, is very close to 40--and quite frankly it shows. First was his obsession with weight loss. Then he barely survives a small backpacking trip in the Uintas. Upon returning he had a nice encounter with his own renal calculus. (That’s a kidney stone for the rest of us.) The not so young doctor apparently has an unnatural fear of other doctors and all things medical. Fortunately he was able to have general anesthesia for the procedure where they use sound waves to pulverize the stone into “passable” chunks. As an anti-horder Jared is hopeful that we can simply throw away most of our possessions rather than have them moved to our new home when/if it is completed. His biggest accomplishment: boring academic stuff--papers and presentations that are so uninteresting to non-vitreoretinal surgeons that most people would rather scratch out their eyes than be subjected to them. Favorite event: watching people eat freshly deep fried sticks of butter at the fair.
We wish you a safe and sane 2012. Please feel free to drop in when you are in the vicinity. If not come visit.
Merry Christmas,
The Nielsen’s
Jared, Hillary, Zachary, and Owen
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Happy 2011!
Owen (5): AKA “Muchacho” is still the adorable family baby/mascot. He absolutely loves kindergarten and is excited to be a grader next school year. Owen loves to draw and color and is now also playing the piano. He had a great soccer season even though he spent most of the season running away from the ball. Except for his very picky eating habits Owen is probably the most normal member of our family
Zachary (9): His most favorite moment of the year was catching the only walleye on our boundary waters trip. He incessantly reminds everyone, including strangers, about this feat. While playing in one of Iowa’s pure clean rivers Zachary contracted E coli gastroenteritis and ended up spending the weekend in the hospital with bloody diarrhea. Almost a week later Zachary claimed he wasn’t feeling well enough to play in his baseball game. Jared assumed he was feigning illness to stay home and play with his visiting cousins. So, the good doctor ordered a full tank of Gatorade and, in overbearing parent mode, told Z in stern language to buck up and play ball. However Zachary wasn’t feeling well because he was severely anemic (Hgb <6), with low platelets and in renal failure. (That’s hemolytic uremic syndrome for the medically inclined.). He wound up in the hospital for another weekend avoiding dialysis but requiring blood transfusions. Fortunately there appears to be no permanent sequelae, except for a permanent ban on Iowa river swimming.
Hillary: Now that Hillary has both boys in school she has used up all her free time volunteering. Hillary simply can’t say no. The severity of the volunteeritis steps way beyond the reasonable bounds of this seasonal update. Hopefully there is some cure in sight. She has taken to joining the ladies for golf more regularly and will probably be besting Jared on the course soon--forcing him to take up another hobby. Her favorite moment of the year was a journey with some close friends to Hong Kong. Yes, Jared finally takes Hillary on a trip (sans children) to one of the most romantic cities in Asia only to make her stay in the YMCA. (Sadly, I am not making this up.) Other trips included: Florida Keys, Canadian Rockies, Boundary Waters, Utah, San Diego, DC, and a couple trips back to sweet home Chicago.
Jared: Had sort of a mid-life crisis when he realized that he was almost 200 lbs. This triggered some sort of a primal awakening to become a lesser man and he set out to lose his “freshman 15”. Actually he dropped both the 15 from undergrad and the 15 med school in about 6 weeks using his austere 3rd world diet. You don’t really want to know what the diet consisted of but he assures us that it did not require parasites. Professionally things are going very well. In fact he has become busy enough to take on another retina partner. He is fortunate to belong to a great group and is looking forward to another year of poking people in the eye.
Jared, Hillary, Zachary & Owen
Zachary (9): His most favorite moment of the year was catching the only walleye on our boundary waters trip. He incessantly reminds everyone, including strangers, about this feat. While playing in one of Iowa’s pure clean rivers Zachary contracted E coli gastroenteritis and ended up spending the weekend in the hospital with bloody diarrhea. Almost a week later Zachary claimed he wasn’t feeling well enough to play in his baseball game. Jared assumed he was feigning illness to stay home and play with his visiting cousins. So, the good doctor ordered a full tank of Gatorade and, in overbearing parent mode, told Z in stern language to buck up and play ball. However Zachary wasn’t feeling well because he was severely anemic (Hgb <6), with low platelets and in renal failure. (That’s hemolytic uremic syndrome for the medically inclined.). He wound up in the hospital for another weekend avoiding dialysis but requiring blood transfusions. Fortunately there appears to be no permanent sequelae, except for a permanent ban on Iowa river swimming.
Hillary: Now that Hillary has both boys in school she has used up all her free time volunteering. Hillary simply can’t say no. The severity of the volunteeritis steps way beyond the reasonable bounds of this seasonal update. Hopefully there is some cure in sight. She has taken to joining the ladies for golf more regularly and will probably be besting Jared on the course soon--forcing him to take up another hobby. Her favorite moment of the year was a journey with some close friends to Hong Kong. Yes, Jared finally takes Hillary on a trip (sans children) to one of the most romantic cities in Asia only to make her stay in the YMCA. (Sadly, I am not making this up.) Other trips included: Florida Keys, Canadian Rockies, Boundary Waters, Utah, San Diego, DC, and a couple trips back to sweet home Chicago.
Jared: Had sort of a mid-life crisis when he realized that he was almost 200 lbs. This triggered some sort of a primal awakening to become a lesser man and he set out to lose his “freshman 15”. Actually he dropped both the 15 from undergrad and the 15 med school in about 6 weeks using his austere 3rd world diet. You don’t really want to know what the diet consisted of but he assures us that it did not require parasites. Professionally things are going very well. In fact he has become busy enough to take on another retina partner. He is fortunate to belong to a great group and is looking forward to another year of poking people in the eye.
Jared, Hillary, Zachary & Owen
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Electronic greetings this year from Iowa. We figured that we could save a few trees and some paper folding by putting out an eUpdate blogstyle. I am penning this just a few days after the worst blizzard in 35 years yet we are still planning to stay. Actually if we tried to leave it would take a few months to dig out. For all of you that bet that our stay in the Hawkeye State would be limited it may be time to realize that you may lose your wager. We have another great year to report and hope that this update finds you surrounded by peace and love.
Owen, 4, relishes his post as the family baby. His quiet charm and wit continue to grow, but Owen still remains on the lower percentiles of the growth curve. Lucky for all of us he has reduced the use of his world famous paralyzing shriek. Owen began using his skills on piano and soccer this year, very adorable. He has also become quite the little singer. Perhaps we can loan him out to Broadway, or the circus if he stays petite. Hero: Indiana Jones (He renamed Hillary’s old cabbage patch doll Harrison).
Zachary, 8, had another big year. The highlight was certainly his baptism in October. He still keeps busy with Tae Kwon Do, piano, and the sport of the season. He is just beginning to realize that homework will be a permanent activity cutting into his life of leisure going forward. Zachary started cubs scouts a few months ago, earned his bobcat and is eyeing the upcoming Pinewood Derby. Hero: Man Versus Wild’s Bear Grylls
Hillary has spent most of her time coordinating our touring schedule. Nielsen Family Tour 2009 included visits to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco, Boston, Utah, Iceland, Lake Powell, New York City, and a few Midwestern venues. The highlight was Jared’s retina meeting in Iceland. It was absolutely gorgeous, clean, safe and abundant in seafood. She continues volunteering at the boys’ school and in the Relief Society at church. Despite her busy schedule she has been able to add a few Tae Kwon Do belts and has become a menace to boards with her kicks. Hero: Bear Grylls, after eating reindeer, whale, and puffin Hillary has some respect for a man who will eat anything.
Jared continues to remain very busy at work. Iowa must simply be the epicenter of a massive retinal disease epidemic. (State fair mascot: the deep fried twinkie.) Some of the research that he is still working on at Northwestern has been going well. Good enough to have a podium in front of a few thousand other retina surgeons at the World Retina Congress in New York this fall. With no mountains or surf Jared’s free time usually equals golf; a bit challenging with about 2 feet of snow and 50 mph winds on the course. Jared reports that he has now enjoyed 1 year entirely free of rental car damage but managed to burn through one new car in just a few months. Hero: Captain Sully
Love and peace to you throughout 2010!
Friday, August 8, 2008
July 2008
In July Joel's company, which is targeting a fall release, moved into crunch mode and few were spared. So Jenica and the boys took off for Bear Lake and left Joel to work away. They camped on the beach with Jenica's extended Nielsen relatives. Lots of kids, sand, boat rides, and (unfortunately) mosquitoes. The showers and electrical outlets made it easy. Having lots of family around made it even easier. Hopefully the boys will remember seeing how crystal clear the water was and hearing an older cousin play "Come, Come Ye Saints" on the harmonica by the campfire just like their Great Grandfather once did.
A few days after their return Jenica and the boys left Joel again for more fun in the north country. This time they drove up to Mack's Inn in northeast Idaho and met up with Jenica's brother and family. The lodge that gave Mack's Inn its name was originally built at the beginning of the Prohibition Era just after the US highway to West Yellowstone was completed. Jenica's great grandfather - Harvey Schwendiman - bought the place in the early forties and opened a new lodge in 1948. It was a grand lodge in the old style and families would come to vacation there for a few weeks at a time during the hot of summer - like the old "hill stations" of India you might read about in a novel, but in Idaho for wealthy farmers and upscale out of staters. Jenica spent some wonderful times there as a child canoeing on the Henry's Fork and staying in "Nana's cabin". Unfortunately the Inn burnt to the ground some time ago, and a swarm of dilapidated cabins stand there now. Fortunately the river is still glassy and absolutely pristine. So they rented a raft to accommodate the 4 adults and 6 kids and paddled down the river. It's probably as close to heaven as is possible on earth.
Utah, as far as we know, is the only state where you get two fireworks holidays in July (unless Louisiana does Bastille Day). On the 4th we celebrated Brad's birthday and that night drove out to the construction lot to watch the Thanksgiving Points fireworks display. Sitting on the cement stoop under the unfinished wooden porch we actually felt quite comfortable - far from the endless line of cars we usually join along the frontage road. We could see neighborhood sparks flying up here and there. At one point a mysterious little group of men carrying a pyrotechnic (was it?) bundle walked down to the end of the cul-de-sac and down onto the river trail. To do what exactly? The night seemed full of possibilities. On the 24th we hiked up in Little Cottonwood Canyon to an abandoned mine shaft along with all of Jenica's siblings, her mom, and a host of Mortensen relations. The Motensens seem to have made a minor tradition of anchoring their family reunions to some grueling physical trial and this was the first time Joel has had the "pleasure" of attending. Hale napped and Silas was laid up with a sliced toe from some mishap at Mack's Inn, but Koen and Jonah hiked well. Jonah was even among a much whittled down ground that went all the way to Honeycomb Cliffs up above the mine. Meanwhile Koen suckered his aunts and uncle into carrying him practically the whole way back down the trail. After the hike, and a meal, and a little break, it was time for... fireworks! Traditionally Joel lights up all the fireworks in the street to our south, Jenica warns him not to catch the ailanthus tree on fire, and the kids all watch from the lawn above the little retaining wall. This year was no different but with the added excitement of having both Nielsen families over to help us test Joel's nerves by throwing pop-it's at his feet as he was setting fuses. And we ate apricot gelato made by Jenica.
Speaking of apricots... we had such a cool, wet spring that the apricot tree waited until the very end of July to ripen. We will dearly miss our tree (and the gelato) next year. It's like the 7th member of our family - *sniff* - the closest thing to a pet we'll ever have. *Whhaaaaaa*
Hale update: he's started walking for real this month and by the end of the month he was driving Jenica crazy climbing up on the kitchen table and every other flat surface he can reach.
Overheard at 517 N Center St.:
K: "King Link is going out on a date to fight his evil enemies."
Jenica Joel Jonah Si Koen Hale
In July Joel's company, which is targeting a fall release, moved into crunch mode and few were spared. So Jenica and the boys took off for Bear Lake and left Joel to work away. They camped on the beach with Jenica's extended Nielsen relatives. Lots of kids, sand, boat rides, and (unfortunately) mosquitoes. The showers and electrical outlets made it easy. Having lots of family around made it even easier. Hopefully the boys will remember seeing how crystal clear the water was and hearing an older cousin play "Come, Come Ye Saints" on the harmonica by the campfire just like their Great Grandfather once did.
A few days after their return Jenica and the boys left Joel again for more fun in the north country. This time they drove up to Mack's Inn in northeast Idaho and met up with Jenica's brother and family. The lodge that gave Mack's Inn its name was originally built at the beginning of the Prohibition Era just after the US highway to West Yellowstone was completed. Jenica's great grandfather - Harvey Schwendiman - bought the place in the early forties and opened a new lodge in 1948. It was a grand lodge in the old style and families would come to vacation there for a few weeks at a time during the hot of summer - like the old "hill stations" of India you might read about in a novel, but in Idaho for wealthy farmers and upscale out of staters. Jenica spent some wonderful times there as a child canoeing on the Henry's Fork and staying in "Nana's cabin". Unfortunately the Inn burnt to the ground some time ago, and a swarm of dilapidated cabins stand there now. Fortunately the river is still glassy and absolutely pristine. So they rented a raft to accommodate the 4 adults and 6 kids and paddled down the river. It's probably as close to heaven as is possible on earth.
Utah, as far as we know, is the only state where you get two fireworks holidays in July (unless Louisiana does Bastille Day). On the 4th we celebrated Brad's birthday and that night drove out to the construction lot to watch the Thanksgiving Points fireworks display. Sitting on the cement stoop under the unfinished wooden porch we actually felt quite comfortable - far from the endless line of cars we usually join along the frontage road. We could see neighborhood sparks flying up here and there. At one point a mysterious little group of men carrying a pyrotechnic (was it?) bundle walked down to the end of the cul-de-sac and down onto the river trail. To do what exactly? The night seemed full of possibilities. On the 24th we hiked up in Little Cottonwood Canyon to an abandoned mine shaft along with all of Jenica's siblings, her mom, and a host of Mortensen relations. The Motensens seem to have made a minor tradition of anchoring their family reunions to some grueling physical trial and this was the first time Joel has had the "pleasure" of attending. Hale napped and Silas was laid up with a sliced toe from some mishap at Mack's Inn, but Koen and Jonah hiked well. Jonah was even among a much whittled down ground that went all the way to Honeycomb Cliffs up above the mine. Meanwhile Koen suckered his aunts and uncle into carrying him practically the whole way back down the trail. After the hike, and a meal, and a little break, it was time for... fireworks! Traditionally Joel lights up all the fireworks in the street to our south, Jenica warns him not to catch the ailanthus tree on fire, and the kids all watch from the lawn above the little retaining wall. This year was no different but with the added excitement of having both Nielsen families over to help us test Joel's nerves by throwing pop-it's at his feet as he was setting fuses. And we ate apricot gelato made by Jenica.
Speaking of apricots... we had such a cool, wet spring that the apricot tree waited until the very end of July to ripen. We will dearly miss our tree (and the gelato) next year. It's like the 7th member of our family - *sniff* - the closest thing to a pet we'll ever have. *Whhaaaaaa*
Hale update: he's started walking for real this month and by the end of the month he was driving Jenica crazy climbing up on the kitchen table and every other flat surface he can reach.
Overheard at 517 N Center St.:
K: "King Link is going out on a date to fight his evil enemies."
Jenica Joel Jonah Si Koen Hale
Monday, July 14, 2008
Normal Weather?
We moved to Iowa from Chicago 11 months ago. Honestly, we didn’t expect a huge change in weather. Chicago is only a 5-hour drive away. However, since our move Iowa we have experienced the following weather phenomena’s: the wettest August on record, 6 months of sustained temperatures below 50 degrees with more snow & ice fall than any of the local folks can remember in a long time, and the most severe spring including several tornados and of course the Floods of ’08. Luckily we have a nice home that has protected us well from the elements. We have really only been affected by the heating bills, and now the record mosquito population resulting from the floods. Everyone keeps telling us that this is not normal weather, but after 11 months of abnormal weather, we don’t really believe them anymore.
Summer is off to a good start. Thankfully we have been having fabulous weather. Not too hot or muggy. I am still waiting for our schedule to slow down a bit, but I suppose that’s not really ever going to happen. Zak has had a day camp at Living History Farms where he had fun. Both of the boys went through two weeks of swimming lessons and showed significant improvement afterwards. Zak had a golf camp and proved his new skills to Jared on the course last Saturday.
We enjoyed a great July 4th Carnival complete with rides, temporary tattoos, cotton candy and a great Fireworks display. Owen danced for about 90 minutes on the dance floor. Yes, he is a dancing fool. As we were walking to the car we were the first to come upon a man who had just fallen down. Jared started CPR and with the help of a few other physicians saved the man’s life. Others quickly spread this news around the office so someone made up a superman body graphic with Jared’s head on it. I will try to get a hold of the file and post it later. It’s pretty amusing as you can imagine. Grandpa Steve has been to visit twice and Grandma Hatt stayed with us for 10 days so we have been blessed with some great Grandparent time. We entertained them both by making trips to the farmer’s market which is always fun. Grandma joined us for an Iowa Cubs game and our 4th of July Carnival.
We are all doing well and anxious to see many of you next week. If you have some time, we have some new movies posted on our gallery at gallery.mac.com/jarednielsen and pictures at homepage.mac.com/jarednielsen
Sunday, July 6, 2008
May and June 2008
May 2008
With Mother's Day, a wedding anniversary, and two birthdays our May was overstuffed from the start. So the marriage turned 13, which is spooooky because Hale turned 1 and Koen turned 3 (okay 4, but it's close). But perhaps the more exciting milestones this month were that we put our house up for sale and they finished framing our new house. At last we were able to look at the river through our real live window holes, a view we'd spent a fair amount of time trying to prefigure. Verdict? Joel: not bad. Jenica: as good as we could have hoped for.
Readers may recall the chilly baseball game from last month's report. It had been on the last day of April and on May Day we awoke to a dusting of snow on the lawn. Evening games continued through the month and temperatures gradually rose. Si and Koen were just as excited about going to the games as Jonah was (maybe more so, since they didn't have to worry about getting hit by a pitch). They mostly hung around the playground but spent enough time on the bleachers for Koen to decide that it's bad manners to cheer for players on Jonah's team if you don't know their name.
On Mother's Day we went to church with Jenica's grandmother, Bonnie, who is in an Alzheimer's facility in Sandy. Even though she didn't recognize the boys she was excited to see them. They sang the songs they'd practiced for our ward. Afterward we had strawberry shortcake together in a dinning room at the facility. On the way home we stopped by the newly built office building for Jenica's mom's company, where - with no one there to bother - the boys had unusually free reign.
Hale and Koen had a combined family birthday party this year and Koen also had a party for friends. Despite his previous exclusive rules about whom to invite he ended up with 10 guests. He told Jenica he wanted a dinosaur / golf / picnic party and she went all supermom and delivered across the board! The pizza man was less super, arriving 30 minutes late (apparently Papa John's online ordering doesn't relay the city name) but the kids all had fun golfing, playing with bubbles, and wearing dinosaur birthday hats. Koen really enjoyed being the host.
On top of all other busy-ness, May was the month of the Grand 2nd Biannual Family Reunion on Isle of Palm in South Carolina. The weather was great, our house was right on the beach, the cousins seemed to get along well, and we had a great time seeing everyone and crushing them at Crosswords. Thanks to Mom and Dad Barber for making it possible.
If President Grover Cleveland (whom Lori and Scott so admire that they named their first born son after him) were still alive today he probably would have enjoyed our vacation to Disney World in May, occupying as it did two uniform but non-consecutive terms. During the first term - before the family reunion - it was hot, and we stayed at Port Orleans, and went to Magic Kingdom. During the second term - after the reunion - it was hot, and we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and went to Animal Kingdom. What was the best thing about Disney World?
Hale: [the Bone Yard at Animal Kingdom]
Koen: "Riding on that 'Enjoy Sinking' thing."
Silas: "The hotel. Did we ever ride the monorail?"
Jonah: "The Laugh Floor."
Joel: "No one got lost, threw up, or wet themselves."
Jenica: "Being inside It's A Small World during a thunderstorm"
Overheard at 517 N Center St.:
Si: "Did you know if you hold your nose you can't hum?"
June 2008
June didn't really start until we got back from vacation. After the South Carolina reunion we drove south (minus Silas) and flew home out of Orlando. At the airport security checkpoint we realized we still had in our backpack a half full bottle of cherry cider we'd purchased at a little roadside shop in Georgia. If any of the other travelers in line were alarmed to see a mother pushing a baby stroller hastily throw back a large quantity of wine-colored liquid right from the bottle they gave no sign.
Arriving back in Utah on the 3rd we found it as cold and rainy as it had been at the start of May. We had a near repeat of Jonah's first icy nightgame but by the end of the month it was scorching hot and we traded our jackets and blankets for sunscreen and snow cones. The Cubs placed 8th out of 16 teams and made the tournament, much to the delight of the high-pressure parents on our team.
Silas was in Tennessee for the first part of the month, so we got a taste of life as a family of 3 kids again and also took the opportunity to indulge in every kind of dairy-filled food or dessert we could think of. Si reports that the food was good in Tennessee as well. He also describes the trip as "hot" and "fun." He felt "kind of sad" being away from his family "but not too much." He got to visit the houses of all his cousins there and says the highlight of the trip was sleeping in the secret passage at the all-boy sleepover.
Koen always seems to have something to announce when he or anyone else in the family arrives home. Sometimes he serves as town crier, passing the latest news from the home front or abroad. This usually begins "Oh, did you know". Sometimes his reports are more personal, like the day he returned from church and declared in a sing-song voice, "I'm ba-ack! And I've got a manna game." Exciting news. Then he added a bit of advice in a whisper, "And Dad, don't - eat - too - much."
Hale is really walking now - thanks to the squeaky shoes that Jenica bought for him. Before he would take a few steps now and then, but lacked the motivation that being able to squeak with each step now richly provides. He is also saying "Mama" now. It does not mean "Jenica" exactly but instead means - and I'm pretty sure this is not a first in our family - "Give me the thing that I want, PLEASE!"
The Lehi Roundup was a great time as always. This year the primary's float was Wizard of Oz themed. Koen dressed as a very convincing Tin Man. Si was a serious Professor Marvel. Jonah had his Lollipop Guild act together - right down to the screwed up expression on his face. And Jenica scared little kids up and down the parade route with her Wicked Witch of the West costume. Joel and Hale had the great pleasure of watching the whole thing from folding chairs in the shade along the park.
Overheard at 517 N Center St.:
K: "But I'm too tired"
J: "You can't keep using that excuse."
K: "Uh-huh. I just did."
With Mother's Day, a wedding anniversary, and two birthdays our May was overstuffed from the start. So the marriage turned 13, which is spooooky because Hale turned 1 and Koen turned 3 (okay 4, but it's close). But perhaps the more exciting milestones this month were that we put our house up for sale and they finished framing our new house. At last we were able to look at the river through our real live window holes, a view we'd spent a fair amount of time trying to prefigure. Verdict? Joel: not bad. Jenica: as good as we could have hoped for.
Readers may recall the chilly baseball game from last month's report. It had been on the last day of April and on May Day we awoke to a dusting of snow on the lawn. Evening games continued through the month and temperatures gradually rose. Si and Koen were just as excited about going to the games as Jonah was (maybe more so, since they didn't have to worry about getting hit by a pitch). They mostly hung around the playground but spent enough time on the bleachers for Koen to decide that it's bad manners to cheer for players on Jonah's team if you don't know their name.
On Mother's Day we went to church with Jenica's grandmother, Bonnie, who is in an Alzheimer's facility in Sandy. Even though she didn't recognize the boys she was excited to see them. They sang the songs they'd practiced for our ward. Afterward we had strawberry shortcake together in a dinning room at the facility. On the way home we stopped by the newly built office building for Jenica's mom's company, where - with no one there to bother - the boys had unusually free reign.
Hale and Koen had a combined family birthday party this year and Koen also had a party for friends. Despite his previous exclusive rules about whom to invite he ended up with 10 guests. He told Jenica he wanted a dinosaur / golf / picnic party and she went all supermom and delivered across the board! The pizza man was less super, arriving 30 minutes late (apparently Papa John's online ordering doesn't relay the city name) but the kids all had fun golfing, playing with bubbles, and wearing dinosaur birthday hats. Koen really enjoyed being the host.
On top of all other busy-ness, May was the month of the Grand 2nd Biannual Family Reunion on Isle of Palm in South Carolina. The weather was great, our house was right on the beach, the cousins seemed to get along well, and we had a great time seeing everyone and crushing them at Crosswords. Thanks to Mom and Dad Barber for making it possible.
If President Grover Cleveland (whom Lori and Scott so admire that they named their first born son after him) were still alive today he probably would have enjoyed our vacation to Disney World in May, occupying as it did two uniform but non-consecutive terms. During the first term - before the family reunion - it was hot, and we stayed at Port Orleans, and went to Magic Kingdom. During the second term - after the reunion - it was hot, and we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and went to Animal Kingdom. What was the best thing about Disney World?
Hale: [the Bone Yard at Animal Kingdom]
Koen: "Riding on that 'Enjoy Sinking' thing."
Silas: "The hotel. Did we ever ride the monorail?"
Jonah: "The Laugh Floor."
Joel: "No one got lost, threw up, or wet themselves."
Jenica: "Being inside It's A Small World during a thunderstorm"
Overheard at 517 N Center St.:
Si: "Did you know if you hold your nose you can't hum?"
June 2008
June didn't really start until we got back from vacation. After the South Carolina reunion we drove south (minus Silas) and flew home out of Orlando. At the airport security checkpoint we realized we still had in our backpack a half full bottle of cherry cider we'd purchased at a little roadside shop in Georgia. If any of the other travelers in line were alarmed to see a mother pushing a baby stroller hastily throw back a large quantity of wine-colored liquid right from the bottle they gave no sign.
Arriving back in Utah on the 3rd we found it as cold and rainy as it had been at the start of May. We had a near repeat of Jonah's first icy nightgame but by the end of the month it was scorching hot and we traded our jackets and blankets for sunscreen and snow cones. The Cubs placed 8th out of 16 teams and made the tournament, much to the delight of the high-pressure parents on our team.
Silas was in Tennessee for the first part of the month, so we got a taste of life as a family of 3 kids again and also took the opportunity to indulge in every kind of dairy-filled food or dessert we could think of. Si reports that the food was good in Tennessee as well. He also describes the trip as "hot" and "fun." He felt "kind of sad" being away from his family "but not too much." He got to visit the houses of all his cousins there and says the highlight of the trip was sleeping in the secret passage at the all-boy sleepover.
Koen always seems to have something to announce when he or anyone else in the family arrives home. Sometimes he serves as town crier, passing the latest news from the home front or abroad. This usually begins "Oh, did you know". Sometimes his reports are more personal, like the day he returned from church and declared in a sing-song voice, "I'm ba-ack! And I've got a manna game." Exciting news. Then he added a bit of advice in a whisper, "And Dad, don't - eat - too - much."
Hale is really walking now - thanks to the squeaky shoes that Jenica bought for him. Before he would take a few steps now and then, but lacked the motivation that being able to squeak with each step now richly provides. He is also saying "Mama" now. It does not mean "Jenica" exactly but instead means - and I'm pretty sure this is not a first in our family - "Give me the thing that I want, PLEASE!"
The Lehi Roundup was a great time as always. This year the primary's float was Wizard of Oz themed. Koen dressed as a very convincing Tin Man. Si was a serious Professor Marvel. Jonah had his Lollipop Guild act together - right down to the screwed up expression on his face. And Jenica scared little kids up and down the parade route with her Wicked Witch of the West costume. Joel and Hale had the great pleasure of watching the whole thing from folding chairs in the shade along the park.
Overheard at 517 N Center St.:
K: "But I'm too tired"
J: "You can't keep using that excuse."
K: "Uh-huh. I just did."
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