Where we live

Our dandy little neighborhood is called "CTC." I've mentioned before that we are a minority here. So, just in case you didn't catch it, I'll repeat: WE (as Americans) ARE A MINORITY. Just the other day Dave was joking as he always does and said, "Hey, I know what CTC stands for! China Town Cooperative."

When I did some laundry today, I was pretty tickled when I saw this on the door to the laundry room:

No English necessary. That's funny, huh? I thought so.

While on the topic of where we live, you'll never guess what I found in my bathroom a couple weeks ago:

Ha ha!! When we moved in I was so devastated that there was literally NO WHERE to put ANYTHING. Then, a couple weeks ago I was in the bathroom and I heard my neighbors in their bathroom on the other side of the wall. When I heard their mirror close, a gigantic light bulb went off in my head and I yanked on the mirror and BEHOLD!! Four shelves, 2 inches deep a piece! I was like, "You've got to be kidding me" and laughed a whole bunch. We haven't really moved anything there because we had already bought our storage solutions from IKEA. However, it is nice that Dave doesn't have to put his glasses on the old, gross, used toothbrush holder in the wall there. Win, win, win. Go China Town Cooperative!

More Fall, before she leaves forever

This has been a b-e-a-utiful fall. It's fading. Two days ago it was 30, windy and raining. And now it's 50. Tell you what, that 30 degrees felt cold. We've lived in a lot of cold weather in our time, but I have a feeling that we are going to be shocked with how cold it will get and how cold it will feel. Oh well, what can you do? We live in Minnesota now.

So, to remember this beautiful fall, here are more fall pictures from a few weeks ago when it was 80. That was a fun day-- strolling down Summit into St. Paul in the nice, but a little too warm weather, loving the feeling of fall. Mmmm.

Until next year... adios, fall. Hello 50's.

Stockholm

We went to Stockholm. Stockholm, WI. That's Wisconsin. It was one of the super small towns along the Mississippi where it's Minnesota on the West bank and Wisconsin on the East bank. The idea was to go out for a drive, enjoy fall weather and fall colors, and eat some supposedly great food in Pepin, WI. Successful on all accounts but the last. We did eat the food, but it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Great bread. Too pricey for what you get. Not worth the calories.

Stockholm was cool, though. It was settled by Swedish immigrants, hence it's town name. It had some cool shops with Scandinavian goods for sale-- lots of the goods made in Sweden or other Scandinavian countries and shipped to where else than Stockholm, WI? Seeing it all brought back some memories or Scandinavian places and people.

I'd have to say the coolest spot was a shop called "The Pallet." It had really awesome kitchen gadgets and an especially awesome kitchen in the back of the store where a little old lady was baking gingersnap cookies.

Miles knows how to take a bite, eh? They were real good and made me think of my mom. She would have liked that store. Especially the fridge in that kitchen.

The cookie chewing.

And last, but not least, many attempts for a decent picture. A couple are decent at best, and then there's the rest.

To Amsterdam!

Miles, you win

I've been noticing the last few days that Miles is 2. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every stage of his life. I was never anxious for him to get a little bigger or do a little more. I just enjoyed him how he was. I think it's just my personality type. But lately, I've been feeling like he's getting too big. Too old. I'm starting to miss the little-er stages. Maybe I'm baby hungry, or maybe I just really hate that he can take his diaper off now. Or, since I'm in Young Womens at church, maybe I'm acutely aware that he's going to freakin grow up and be a teenager some day. It seems so impossible right now. I love this kid.

He seems smart and quick to me, though I don't have anything to compare it to and I'm his biggest fan. He's known colors and shapes for a long time, but since we moved here he's learned the alphabet and to count to 10. He can't talk worth beans, though he tries all day long. He can say lots of words and phrases that I can understand, but he wants to talk in sentences. Somewhere between his brain and his mouth it gets all jumbled and comes out as some sounds I absolutely cannot decipher even though he repeats himself 10,000 times.

He's been naughty about taking naps lately, and he trumps every discipline effort I have by being ridiculously funny or compliant about it. One day I was taking toys away in an effort to make him understand that naps are non-negotiable around here. I would ask him, "what else?" He would look around and say "aaahhhhhhhuuuuuuum... no balls? Aaahhhhhhuuuuuuum... no wooey eh buzz?" Happy all the while.

At the grocery store I told him he was in trouble for not taking a nap and that he couldn't have anything (he typically wants me to hand him everything I put in the cart and whines and asks for things). What did he do? Sat there perfectly quiet the whole trip. Like a doll.

Just the other day I made him put his face in the corner for taking his diaper off. Face in the corner was born in the last couple of weeks because of the non-naps. He hated it and cried harder than I've ever heard him cry. We felt really bad cause he hated it so much and consequently were using it only when it was serious business. Anyway, this last time, I had already decided to do away with the corner, but this taking off the diaper business has been ticking me off big time, so I had him do it for about 30 seconds. When I touched his arm and told him he could come out, he looked at me with his watery eyes and a confused look on his red face, turned around and put his nose back in the corner. What? Does this kid actually have some concept of time? It was like he knew that 30 seconds was short and he was supposed to have more time. Poor Miles.

Anyway, I've been all racked in my guilt for being so mean/strict to such a sweat and well behaved child. So, if he takes a nap he takes a nap. If he doesn't, at least he still goes in his bed for a couple hours. And he's not that hard to handle for the remaining hours of the day.

After all, he is 2. He's getting big and I'll miss these days just like I'm missing days past. I don't want it to be a blur of discipline when it doesn't have to be. I was just as sad as he was that he had to go to bed without books or songs-- that's a serious bonding time for us. I love that time. It's the best possible end to my day of motherhood. I missed it.

So, I guess you pick your battles. Miles, we fought, but you win. You're so good and I love you so much. You are such a joy and such a blessing. Take a nap if you want, but get out of my face for at least 2 hours every day and don't take off your diaper anymore. Or else. Right? Love, mom.

The outing cures all

It was just one of those days, you know? Dave and I were having major schedule communication issues in the morning; I dropped not one, but two eggs-- on one my walmart spark tile floor and the other on my rug; and I was PMSing hard. So, needless to say, it was a rough start to the day. Thank heaven we decided to go out anyway.

There is a zoo and conservatory real close to our place. I would definitely call myself a conservative, but it's been pretty awesome being poor in a liberal place. Free, free, free. It's great because we can go for 30 minutes before nap time and be just as rich as we were when we left. No obligation to get the bang out of your buck.

The conservatory was surprisingly cool. We'd only done the zoo, but I'm glad we went, despite the obnoxious morning.

There she is.

Dave and Miles, obviously having a fantastic time.

A fat ol' snake. Yuck.

Some stingrays. They had lots of other things-- turtles, fish... a tarantula. It was pretty cool.

And of course, lots of pretty foliage and flowers:

The koi pond. Miles really wanted to splash in there, but I wouldn't let him, so he stood there like that instead.

I love this video of Miles in the not that impressive Japanese gardens (Manito Park in Spokane, WA is way better) by the conservatory. It's SO Miles.

Milo from DAM FAM on Vimeo.

Fall

Fall is our favorite.