Very happy dorks

We went to Mexico! I can't wait to post more pics, plus more pics from the kids' March double-fantasy-madness birthdays. But we haven't really finished unpacking, and we got back a week ago. So it's gonna take a while. Here we are on Xpu-ha beach in the so-called Mayan Riviera. We had a fantastic time. Photo courtesy of our travel buddy, The Ferocious Reader, also known as Tia Margarita.

 

Marsha Marsha Marsha!

But what about the other one? What's his name--Bert? Sven? You mean Ben? Oh, Ben's great. More later on his love of elephants and all things Brown Bear, Brown Bear. For now, here's a picture of him with chest hair, enjoying a little ice cream.

No digging, because there's a fish.

Well, Anneke had her first Death, and thank God it was a fish. Betta, also known as "Fishy," joined our household circa...spring, 2012? And left us on MLK Day, 2013. He died of accidental causes, specifically: cousin shenanigans, as perpetrated while parents blithely/delusionally allowed four small children to run wild upstairs while the grown-ups had their fun. There were tears. There were denials and confessions. There was a blue Betta fish, quietly panting at the bottom of his bowl until he panted no more. Fish pant, right? I can't believe how sad I was about a damn betta fish. Really, it was so hard to see how sad Anneke was about said damn Betta. But Betta went out in style. Anneke requested he be placed in a plastic bag, so he wouldn't get dirty, and then in a box.

Anneke dug Betta's grave. 

She made a sign that said, "No digging, because there's a fish," with a picture of a fish.

Laurie, the manager for our remodel, is lovely.  She dug out an extra glass tile for the grave--beautiful pale blue.  We talked about Fishy, and we sang a song.  Anneke cried a lot. Laurie said something about the fishy going back to the universe.  This lead to many, many questions.  My priest friend Phil sent along some helpful theological support for fishy being in Heaven. More questions.  We finished up with hot tea and cocoa on the good china, as dictated in this book.  For a few days after she visited Fishy's grave.  Now she has an air plant, given to her by Laurie, and she wants a red betta. Big sigh.  Glad it was just a damn fish.

Princess then and now

I snapped these pics with my phone the other day of my big, almost-five-year-old girl.  Just found out the date of preschool graduation! What? I guess it would be ridiculous for her to stay there another year, right? Right? Here she is, finally with enough hair to braid and pin up: Anneke's hairstylist used to live in Holland, and I think she loves making Anneke look as much the part of the little Dutch girl as she can.

And here she is in same dress, almost exactly three years ago.  I don't know what to say--I'm so glad she still loves dress-up! I'm so glad my big girl is still little! My heart hurts in a good way just thinking about it.

Mamas, don't letcher babies grow up to be wedding singers

Our guy, getting ready to sing the heck out of some "Panis Angelicus."

A Remodling Milestone - Hosting Thankgiving!

After starting in late June, moving temporarily into an apartment, moving back temporarily into the basement, and after watching hopeful completion date after after hopeful completion date pass us by, we finally negotiated a "its done enough" date with our builder and finally slept in our own beds on Sunday night. After four days of moving boxes and cleaning later, we hosted Thanksgiving for our local family at 2:00 p.m. today.

We have lots for which to be thankful. We are lucky to be able to improve our house like this, and we have to keep reminding ourselves of this as the schedule keeps slipping.

After moving in and cooking like mad for Thanksgiving, it is now quite apparent that we do indeed have a kick ass kitchen.

Pictures below of some highlights.

Result of missing a stud while homeowner tried to hang pot rack himself.

Let the expert do it.

One use for the built in iPad dock

First meal cooked in the new kitchen - Pancakes!

Attempting to keep turkey breast cool while warming dark meat to room temperature.

Thanksgiving 2012

Tarchia is Enormous!

Tarchia is Enormous! by Anneke and Daddy.

Not sure what a Tarchia is?