"Whitey." One of at least TWO albino grey squirrels in our neighborhood.
Tulip "spears" in the front yard!
Muffin head.
Smiling Nato
Happy girls by receding lake ice.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Happy, Happy!
This post is all about sharing some smile-inducing moments from the last week. Enjoy!
"Whitey." One of at least TWO albino grey squirrels in our neighborhood.
Tulip "spears" in the front yard!
Muffin head.
Smiling Nato
Happy girls by receding lake ice.
"Whitey." One of at least TWO albino grey squirrels in our neighborhood.
Tulip "spears" in the front yard!
Muffin head.
Smiling Nato
Happy girls by receding lake ice.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Girlie Things
In the past couple of weeks there have been some significantly "girlie" things happening. And by "significantly" I mean that Leah and I have actually done *something* remotely associated with taking advantage of our extra x-chromosome.
Two weeks ago, I got to be kid-free for a wonderfully long morning and afternoon to celebrate the soon-to-be (and now current!) birth of a little one that a couple we know and love is adopting. After stuffing my face at a breakfast out, five of us wimmings took over a bank of fancy-schmancy pedicure chairs for some royal toe treatment. It was wonderful and over much too soon. Before we all scattered, I snapped this pic of our pedigree piggies:
Just this past weekend, Leah had her first manicure in the company of her auntie Kira and Grandma Jan. She held very still, and was even tearless and scream-free as the manicurist brushed Leah's snarly hair into a ponytail so she'd look better in the photos.
Now that she's been introduced to the whole procedure, I'm sure we'll have to visit the salon at least once a month, don't you think?
This past month, we also had the chance to get together with Natalie's closest cousin in age. When the two of them realized that they both had a "Woof Woof" it was just a "Woof Woof" weekend from then out. Here they are snuggled in Ellie's big girl bed with their pups at hand:
Taking this picture reminded both Sarah and me that we have a small but special collection of photos of these two monkeys from very early on. Separated by only 16 days, we have a sneaking suspicion that, left to their own devices, these two could get into a lot of mischief together.
About 7 months:
About 2 months:
Just a few days for Ellie:
Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not a very girlie girl. But with these two, I might just change my ways.
Two weeks ago, I got to be kid-free for a wonderfully long morning and afternoon to celebrate the soon-to-be (and now current!) birth of a little one that a couple we know and love is adopting. After stuffing my face at a breakfast out, five of us wimmings took over a bank of fancy-schmancy pedicure chairs for some royal toe treatment. It was wonderful and over much too soon. Before we all scattered, I snapped this pic of our pedigree piggies:
Just this past weekend, Leah had her first manicure in the company of her auntie Kira and Grandma Jan. She held very still, and was even tearless and scream-free as the manicurist brushed Leah's snarly hair into a ponytail so she'd look better in the photos.
Now that she's been introduced to the whole procedure, I'm sure we'll have to visit the salon at least once a month, don't you think?
This past month, we also had the chance to get together with Natalie's closest cousin in age. When the two of them realized that they both had a "Woof Woof" it was just a "Woof Woof" weekend from then out. Here they are snuggled in Ellie's big girl bed with their pups at hand:
Taking this picture reminded both Sarah and me that we have a small but special collection of photos of these two monkeys from very early on. Separated by only 16 days, we have a sneaking suspicion that, left to their own devices, these two could get into a lot of mischief together.
About 7 months:
About 2 months:
Just a few days for Ellie:
Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not a very girlie girl. But with these two, I might just change my ways.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Piles o' White Stuff
When assembling the photos for this post, I couldn't help but think of the Showcase Showdown on the Price is Right and the themed collections of "fabulous prizes!" So this blog post features "prizes" that all include piles of some sort of white, fluffy stuff.
Knowing we live in the the arctic state of Minnesota, it's easy to predict that the first set of piles are comprised of white, fully snow. We've had snow that has stuck around since early December and most of it has fallen in relatively easy-to-shovel increments. Our last batch measured just over a foot within 48 hours. I'm always grateful for any balmy blue-sky days after a load of snow like this. Makes all the sweat and back ache from shoveling well worth it. And for the record, nearly every inch of this was cleared, lifted, hoisted, scraped, scooped, etc. without the use of a snowblower. If we get another storm like this one, that fact may change.
The homestead from the road:
View from the front door:
Looking from the front porch out to the street:
The next white fluffy stuff is edible even when in shades of yellow. I made a batch of vanilla meringues, let Natalie sprinkle some red sugar on top, and dipped each into a bit of melted chocolate chips. They make the perfect little sugary treat sometimes, and they look pretty cute too.
The final white, fluffy stuff is in the kitchen sink. Following in her big sister's footsteps, Natalie volunteered to wash a few dishes after I had done the bigger ones. She still had a bit of a stretch even with the help of the step stool, but she was fully engrossed with scooping, pouring, and scrubbing for a good twenty minutes.
Sorry, there's no trip to Exciting Las Vegas and no one will win a mid-size sedan with California Emission, but there's no need to guess the price since this package is... well,... priceless. *cheese*
Knowing we live in the the arctic state of Minnesota, it's easy to predict that the first set of piles are comprised of white, fully snow. We've had snow that has stuck around since early December and most of it has fallen in relatively easy-to-shovel increments. Our last batch measured just over a foot within 48 hours. I'm always grateful for any balmy blue-sky days after a load of snow like this. Makes all the sweat and back ache from shoveling well worth it. And for the record, nearly every inch of this was cleared, lifted, hoisted, scraped, scooped, etc. without the use of a snowblower. If we get another storm like this one, that fact may change.
The homestead from the road:
View from the front door:
Looking from the front porch out to the street:
The next white fluffy stuff is edible even when in shades of yellow. I made a batch of vanilla meringues, let Natalie sprinkle some red sugar on top, and dipped each into a bit of melted chocolate chips. They make the perfect little sugary treat sometimes, and they look pretty cute too.
The final white, fluffy stuff is in the kitchen sink. Following in her big sister's footsteps, Natalie volunteered to wash a few dishes after I had done the bigger ones. She still had a bit of a stretch even with the help of the step stool, but she was fully engrossed with scooping, pouring, and scrubbing for a good twenty minutes.
Sorry, there's no trip to Exciting Las Vegas and no one will win a mid-size sedan with California Emission, but there's no need to guess the price since this package is... well,... priceless. *cheese*
Friday, January 22, 2010
Big, Honkin' Craft-acular News!
It's official!
My cards are now for sale at the Museum of Modern Art's Retail store in New York!
It's completely awesome sauce and a bag o' chips.
You can catch the full story on my shop blog here.
On the immediate to-do list: dance around the house and play some wicked air guitar.
My cards are now for sale at the Museum of Modern Art's Retail store in New York!
It's completely awesome sauce and a bag o' chips.
You can catch the full story on my shop blog here.
On the immediate to-do list: dance around the house and play some wicked air guitar.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Dee-lish!
Along with so many other awesome goodies, my lovely folks gave us a big ol' bag of pecans and some locally sourced and produced maple syrup. Not long after our return from the holiday trip, I put those two magical ingredients to work with the help of a recipe I was itchin' to try for Cinnamon Maple Pecans.
*** Please take a moment to wipe the drool from the corners of your mouth. ***
I found the recipe on the Craft zine blog and immediately bookmarked it. I love the simplicity of ingredients, the fact that it's not terribly sinful as a snack, the aromas that escape the oven as the pecans roast, and the amazing taste -- a bit like kettle corn with with balance of salty and sweet. So good, I just had to share.
This treat does have one major drawback -- they simply don't last long in our house. We all grab a little handful whenever the stash is out, and within a day or two, they are long gone and I'm prepping a new double batch for the oven. Give it a whirl, and let me know if any of you come up with some fun variations.
*** Please take a moment to wipe the drool from the corners of your mouth. ***
I found the recipe on the Craft zine blog and immediately bookmarked it. I love the simplicity of ingredients, the fact that it's not terribly sinful as a snack, the aromas that escape the oven as the pecans roast, and the amazing taste -- a bit like kettle corn with with balance of salty and sweet. So good, I just had to share.
This treat does have one major drawback -- they simply don't last long in our house. We all grab a little handful whenever the stash is out, and within a day or two, they are long gone and I'm prepping a new double batch for the oven. Give it a whirl, and let me know if any of you come up with some fun variations.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Little Traditions, Little Changes
Happy New Year!
The weeks leading up to and including the recent holidays tend to dredge up family traditions that, like opening a box of tree ornaments, causes me to pause and reevaluate each one. Some traditions feel imposed and of those, a few feel uncomfortably imposed. Others seem more "optional" but tend to happen almost every year anyway. As our own family unit, we know its important to plan our activities based on more than just our own gut feelings. Sometimes, you have to hang that ugly, little ornament on the front of the tree because doing so will make someone's day, and that makes it completely worth it.
In the spirit of traditions, I bring you three comparisons of events that transpired two weeks ago as well as those of a year and two weeks ago. The traditions shown are not the "we do this because we've always done this" kind, but more of the "we do this every year because we want to" variety.
Christmas Morning '08:
Christmas Morning '09:
Bon Fire '08:
Bon Fire '09:
Cousins '08:
Cousins '09:
Blogging, not unlike writing in a diary, has proven to be a great way to look back and compare, to notice little changes in the way people look, and to admire how long a little tradition has "hung on" over the years, for better or worse. I think it will be fun to do this sort of thing again next year and for as many years after as this is possible to foster a little nostalgia or something like it anyway. Chalk up another little "tradition."
The weeks leading up to and including the recent holidays tend to dredge up family traditions that, like opening a box of tree ornaments, causes me to pause and reevaluate each one. Some traditions feel imposed and of those, a few feel uncomfortably imposed. Others seem more "optional" but tend to happen almost every year anyway. As our own family unit, we know its important to plan our activities based on more than just our own gut feelings. Sometimes, you have to hang that ugly, little ornament on the front of the tree because doing so will make someone's day, and that makes it completely worth it.
In the spirit of traditions, I bring you three comparisons of events that transpired two weeks ago as well as those of a year and two weeks ago. The traditions shown are not the "we do this because we've always done this" kind, but more of the "we do this every year because we want to" variety.
Christmas Morning '08:
Christmas Morning '09:
Bon Fire '08:
Bon Fire '09:
Cousins '08:
Cousins '09:
Blogging, not unlike writing in a diary, has proven to be a great way to look back and compare, to notice little changes in the way people look, and to admire how long a little tradition has "hung on" over the years, for better or worse. I think it will be fun to do this sort of thing again next year and for as many years after as this is possible to foster a little nostalgia or something like it anyway. Chalk up another little "tradition."
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
We Liked November Very Much!
Dear November 2009,
Thank you for being so exceptionally mild, sunny, and beautiful. After fearing that winter had won an easy battle over summer in early October, it was to our delight to find, upon opening our door, balmy temperatures, clear blue skies, and a chance to reclaim a bit of autumn for ourselves. Here's how we celebrated the opportunity:
We ate well.
I made my first batch of caramel corn. I used this recipe and doubled the amount of caramel per the overwhelming suggestions in the comments. It was a messy task and I was disappointed that the caramel didn't completely coat the popcorn, but one bite turned into handfuls and the aesthetics were soon forgotten in favor of flavor -- sinful.
Despite her innocent look, Leah was sneaking bites when I wasn't looking. Can't really blame her though, can we?
We traveled.
Matthew and a fellow rider took advantage of the late fall beauty and spent a few hours attacking over 60 miles of hills on the roads along the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers near Redwing. I've always loved that area of the state and brought the girls along to tootle around the shops, marvel at the size of the waterways, and enjoy the scenic landscapes. November, darling, you somehow convinced my girls to pose for a semi-decent photo, too! I can't thank you enough.
Leah and Natalie were excellent tourist companions. Upon returning to the pickup spot, Leah remarked that one of the lift bridges near Prescott on the Wisconsin side looked like Mickey Mouse. Too true, I thought, if in a steampunk sort of way.
We tried something new.
Due to non-weather related issues, thanks again, November, we had to relinquish our beloved minivan to the dealer for repairs. To compensate us during that time, they outfitted us with a smooth as silk '09 Accord. Natalie found it especially soothing as it got closer to her nap time. That's luxury, baby.
We fell in love.
November, one of your greatest gifts to us this year was the views. With the leaves gone from the trees, we've had sunny interiors in our home once again, twilight nights with full moon shadows, hand-painted sunsets, and even this sunrise, captured on one of the last days of the month.
Perhaps more than the subject of the photo itself, I appreciate the fact that the photo was taken by Matthew, not me. It's not often he takes the time to notice such wonder, and to grab the camera, play with the settings, and capture it perfectly, no less. Yes, November, you've outdone yourself.
December has come and we're already missing those warmer breezes and clear, blue skies. Please consider this an open invitation to return during any year in the future. We'd be lucky to have you stay with us again.
Sincerely,
The Karger/Tift Family
Thank you for being so exceptionally mild, sunny, and beautiful. After fearing that winter had won an easy battle over summer in early October, it was to our delight to find, upon opening our door, balmy temperatures, clear blue skies, and a chance to reclaim a bit of autumn for ourselves. Here's how we celebrated the opportunity:
We ate well.
I made my first batch of caramel corn. I used this recipe and doubled the amount of caramel per the overwhelming suggestions in the comments. It was a messy task and I was disappointed that the caramel didn't completely coat the popcorn, but one bite turned into handfuls and the aesthetics were soon forgotten in favor of flavor -- sinful.
Despite her innocent look, Leah was sneaking bites when I wasn't looking. Can't really blame her though, can we?
We traveled.
Matthew and a fellow rider took advantage of the late fall beauty and spent a few hours attacking over 60 miles of hills on the roads along the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers near Redwing. I've always loved that area of the state and brought the girls along to tootle around the shops, marvel at the size of the waterways, and enjoy the scenic landscapes. November, darling, you somehow convinced my girls to pose for a semi-decent photo, too! I can't thank you enough.
Leah and Natalie were excellent tourist companions. Upon returning to the pickup spot, Leah remarked that one of the lift bridges near Prescott on the Wisconsin side looked like Mickey Mouse. Too true, I thought, if in a steampunk sort of way.
We tried something new.
Due to non-weather related issues, thanks again, November, we had to relinquish our beloved minivan to the dealer for repairs. To compensate us during that time, they outfitted us with a smooth as silk '09 Accord. Natalie found it especially soothing as it got closer to her nap time. That's luxury, baby.
We fell in love.
November, one of your greatest gifts to us this year was the views. With the leaves gone from the trees, we've had sunny interiors in our home once again, twilight nights with full moon shadows, hand-painted sunsets, and even this sunrise, captured on one of the last days of the month.
Perhaps more than the subject of the photo itself, I appreciate the fact that the photo was taken by Matthew, not me. It's not often he takes the time to notice such wonder, and to grab the camera, play with the settings, and capture it perfectly, no less. Yes, November, you've outdone yourself.
December has come and we're already missing those warmer breezes and clear, blue skies. Please consider this an open invitation to return during any year in the future. We'd be lucky to have you stay with us again.
Sincerely,
The Karger/Tift Family
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
November Novelties
O.K., so October was November, and November was October, got it? Good.
We've been relishing the warmer temps and clear, blue skies this past month -- things we missed most of the month before. I'd bet that we're enjoying it all even more because of the fact that October was so stinkin' cold and wet. Despite fewer wakeful hours, November has treated us well.
We let the back yard just get leafy this fall rather than blow the leaves into the woods and let the...ah...dirt and moss have its moment in the sun. This allowed for the girls to make a big 'ol pile of leaves at the bottom of their slide. I'm not sure it was as cushy as either of them thought it might be, but it made the slide "new" again and they spent hours out there. At one point, I coaxed them into lying in the leaves and letting me cover them up for a quick photo. Not perfect, but gosh darn cute, if I do say so myself:
Leah, in her wild animal way, loved being able to prowl around in the leaves, pretending she was camouflaged and stalking prey.
And Natalie, safe from the predators below, stuck to being adorable in the playhouse.
Last weekend, Matthew competed in his last cyclocross race of the season at the State Championships. As usual, it was a beautiful day, there was a small crowd, the course made for easy spectating, and the girls were "having none of it." Natalie was sad:
Leah was mad:
And their daddy kicked some butt and still had enough umph to smile brightly as he rounded a tight corner on the course:
What a stud! Matthew kept getting better and better all season, so we're looking forward to next fall already and the 2010 season opener. Matthew will be training on his bike; meanwhile, I'm going to put the girls through a 12-week cheerleading/anger management course. They'll be belting out obnoxious encouragement in no time.
Back at the ranch, I've been working on some new things in the studio, many of which are currently in the shop. New this week is this subtle "Koi" papercut:
And the third of three sets of "Mod Ornament" cards -- this one in all white layers with silver caps:
We hope this finds you well, enjoying sunshine wherever and whenever you're able, and saving up your calorie intake for the big turkey day "hoo-ha" later this week. Dig in!
We've been relishing the warmer temps and clear, blue skies this past month -- things we missed most of the month before. I'd bet that we're enjoying it all even more because of the fact that October was so stinkin' cold and wet. Despite fewer wakeful hours, November has treated us well.
We let the back yard just get leafy this fall rather than blow the leaves into the woods and let the...ah...dirt and moss have its moment in the sun. This allowed for the girls to make a big 'ol pile of leaves at the bottom of their slide. I'm not sure it was as cushy as either of them thought it might be, but it made the slide "new" again and they spent hours out there. At one point, I coaxed them into lying in the leaves and letting me cover them up for a quick photo. Not perfect, but gosh darn cute, if I do say so myself:
Leah, in her wild animal way, loved being able to prowl around in the leaves, pretending she was camouflaged and stalking prey.
And Natalie, safe from the predators below, stuck to being adorable in the playhouse.
Last weekend, Matthew competed in his last cyclocross race of the season at the State Championships. As usual, it was a beautiful day, there was a small crowd, the course made for easy spectating, and the girls were "having none of it." Natalie was sad:
Leah was mad:
And their daddy kicked some butt and still had enough umph to smile brightly as he rounded a tight corner on the course:
What a stud! Matthew kept getting better and better all season, so we're looking forward to next fall already and the 2010 season opener. Matthew will be training on his bike; meanwhile, I'm going to put the girls through a 12-week cheerleading/anger management course. They'll be belting out obnoxious encouragement in no time.
Back at the ranch, I've been working on some new things in the studio, many of which are currently in the shop. New this week is this subtle "Koi" papercut:
And the third of three sets of "Mod Ornament" cards -- this one in all white layers with silver caps:
We hope this finds you well, enjoying sunshine wherever and whenever you're able, and saving up your calorie intake for the big turkey day "hoo-ha" later this week. Dig in!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Kids! Kids! Everywhere!
A few weekends ago, we had the pleasure of hosting nearly every member of my immediate family at our house. With a total of nine adults and all seven grandkids, it was a houseful, and it was a blast. One of the days we shared, we took everyone to the Science Center. The musical staircase provided a good photo opp. If only they came equipped with restraints -- Natalie's a blur!
The following day, most of us had a small adventure at Costco. We found a two-for-one deal on munchkins and couldn't help ourselves!
More recently our house has been quieter, so we sought noise elsewhere, finding it at Leah's school Halloween dance. Leah was content just to take it all in as a wall flower, but Natalie wanted to get out there and boogie. Look at her go!
I brought the girls with me to cheer their daddy on his latest cyclocross race. As you can see, they were a little less than enthusiastic. Ah, well.
This past week, Natalie give the fish rides a whirl at the new play area of the Minnesota Zoo. Fun little area -- and it was so nice to visit the zoo when it's not completely overrun with visitors.
There's been more going on than what these photos reveal, but these are among the cutest pieces of evidence that we've been busy lately. If you're curious, you can pop over to my shop blog and see what this is all about:
The following day, most of us had a small adventure at Costco. We found a two-for-one deal on munchkins and couldn't help ourselves!
More recently our house has been quieter, so we sought noise elsewhere, finding it at Leah's school Halloween dance. Leah was content just to take it all in as a wall flower, but Natalie wanted to get out there and boogie. Look at her go!
I brought the girls with me to cheer their daddy on his latest cyclocross race. As you can see, they were a little less than enthusiastic. Ah, well.
This past week, Natalie give the fish rides a whirl at the new play area of the Minnesota Zoo. Fun little area -- and it was so nice to visit the zoo when it's not completely overrun with visitors.
There's been more going on than what these photos reveal, but these are among the cutest pieces of evidence that we've been busy lately. If you're curious, you can pop over to my shop blog and see what this is all about:
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