Tag Archives: St. Louis

Happy Friday

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This week was so exhausting, but in the best way exhausting can be. I am happiest in mild weather with the sunshine coming down, surrounded by my boys outdoors. And that’s mostly what the past week held, save for a missing partner who is coming home today, just in time for the weekend. But at night, as soon as I put those rascals to bed, I immediately got to work on the kitchen. It’s coming along, slowly but surely. And perhaps the best part about the slowness of it is that I can take time to reflect on the best way to change it rather than rushing into something just to get it done.

Next week we have all sorts of family coming into town for Andrew’s grandmother’s funeral. It will be a celebration of life, and surely a lot of craziness with somewhere around 14 children under the age of 9… half of whom will be in our house! I’m so excited to host and even more excited to see everyone, share memories, and play with cousins who we don’t get to see as often as we’d like.

But this weekend… we are going to chill out and maybe hit the farmer’s market on Saturday if it doesn’t storm all morning! The calm before the storm! Have a wonderful weekend.

Happy Friday

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DSC_0017DSC_0024This week flew by, thanks in large part to beautiful weather, lots of outside time, and a wonderful visit from our friend Noah (who tolerated all three of our boys jumping on him at once and at all times with a wide smile on his face). We have also been thoroughly enjoying the bounty of our local farmshare, which we are splitting with a neighbor. The above is this week’s takeaway: farm fresh eggs, fresh pea shoots (which are amazing on top of a salad with baby greens and a vinaigrette), tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, Ozark Mountain mushrooms, fresh cilantro, and yogurt from a local creamery… oh, and chocolate. Yes, chocolate.

It feels amazing to walk with the boys and the big double stroller to the church where the CSA distributes the food every other week, watch as Milo and Oliver help set up (they take tremendous pride in carrying or pushing coolers on wheels into the main room and passing them off to the adults), collect our share, and walk back, stopping by our neighbor’s house to drop off their half of the food. And then, it feels even more amazing to cook with all the goodies we have, knowing that it all came from good farms that are close-by, knowing that we are supporting the smaller family-owned farms that otherwise would not be able to compete against the bigger guys. DSC_0013I hope you have a fantastic weekend. We are in for a lot of rain, rain, rain, but after that, we’re gettin’ busy in the garden/mud!

Weekend Shenanigans

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As promised, this weekend was full of plans and fun and ridiculousness, as well as a lot of work (mostly in the garden– but more on that tomorrow). We walked to Washington University for their annual Thurteen Carnival (see last year’s pictures here, and the year before here). The weather was beautiful, sunny, and cool, and we ran into plenty of friends (who turned out to be much more courageous than me when it came to riding those rides!).DSC_0062DSC_0006DSC_0074DSC_0045DSC_0027Oliver ran into his soulmate, Estella, and no, I do not use that word lightly. Those two are crazy in love.DSC_0023DSC_0086DSC_0082We also shared the traditional funnel cake, covered in powdered sugar and grimy hands. It was gone in less than 2 minutes. I timed us.DSC_0079DSC_0094DSC_0096DSC_0095DSC_0018

Emil’s first ride! He loved it.

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Poop ^

The rest of the weekend was solid. We rested Saturday afternoon, then put the boys to bed early so that we could go out with some friends to see Josh Ritter play (here are a few of my favorite songs) and stayed out way past our bedtime getting into all sorts of mischief. It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time, and laughed so hard my sides hurt yesterday. Not like this:DSC_0139DSC_0143

That’s better.

Have I mentioned that Emil is a complete papa’s boy? It’s all Papa this and Papa that all day long with that one.

But onto the fun! We nabbed this picture on our way into the show:DSC_0150

And did not take any after shots because we were too… um… silly to do so. There may have been a serious ping-pong game using our hands instead of paddles. Which, if you were wondering, is strangely effective and hilarious.

Milo got a new magnetic body puzzle which is absolutely amazing and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Find one here if you’re interested! (Plus, you can hang it on the wall. It’s so cool.)DSC_0003DSC_0037And just one last shot from our weekend, when the boys had gathered all of the red items they could find and placed them on the step as an offering to the monster they heard upstairs (who only drinks blood: and having no blood to offer, they thought he would be happy with red things). Those boys.

Hope you had a great weekend. Man, life is good.

P.S.- Today Andrew and I celebrate 6 years of marriage! I couldn’t be a luckier gal. Love you, darlin’!

Weekend Shenanigans: A Feast With Friends

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DSC_0033DSC_0029DSC_0032My heart is so full as I write this… it seems that with a few good sunny warm days of working in the garden and the kitchen, and sharing good food with close friends, life is really really good. I am grateful for an abundance of beautiful local produce and the means with which to cook it and the money to buy it (and soon to grow it!). I am grateful for healthy, happy children who share space and toys and laughter with other joyful, loving children. I am grateful for the comfort and peace-of-mind that a clean and cared-for home provides. I am grateful for a partner who happily asks, “What can I do to help?” not only in the middle of the night with a screaming toddler, but also during the day with chores and childcare and everything in-between. DSC_0031DSC_0037I am grateful for friends who let me “borrow” their delicious baby girl so that I can satisfy my baby fix without… you know, going there. DSC_0052DSC_0054DSC_0002I am grateful that we found these baby bunnies before our dog did! And they are looking even cuter, if that is possible, since opening their eyes yesterday! DSC_0055DSC_0047

Don’t do it, Emil

I am grateful for good, strong immune systems. Because he did it.

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I am grateful for simple. Because roasting baby carrots in their skins with olive oil, salt, and rosemary makes for a delightful treat. DSC_0060

I am grateful for this life. I am not worthy of it, and I cherish it.

Weekend Shenanigans: Back in the Saddle

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First, thank you to those of you who reached out during my little blogging break. I was overwhelmed by your emails, comments, and phone calls checking on me- though I certainly didn’t mean to cause any alarm! You know, sometimes it’s just good to step back for a few days, take the pressure off, and make sure that blogging is still fun. And you know what? It is! DSC_0245

On Friday (the last day of Andrew’s spring break, though he didn’t get to take any time off until Friday afternoon… bummer), Andrew came home from work early so we could enjoy what was to be one nice warm day in a sea of cold rainy ones. He came home to find us with the back door wide open, music blaring, and kids playing in the mud on our back deck while I snapped some photos and basked in the sunshine.

Then we headed to Laumeier Sculpture Park to check out the outdoor exhibit, which was pretty cool. And though we respected the signs that asked us not to climb on or touch certain structures… DSC_0209DSC_0203DSC_0116DSC_0124

We took liberty in trying out the few that didn’t have signs… and then found out later that we weren’t supposed to (oops!). So if you go, don’t climb. DSC_0156DSC_0170DSC_0177DSC_0190DSC_0197DSC_0222

Which begs the question… would my kids have had fun here if we hadn’t let them touch anything? Probably not. But it sure was great to get out of the house and into the open air! DSC_0226DSC_0218DSC_0229DSC_0230DSC_0232DSC_0253DSC_0272

And this is officially “The Face of Three.”

Actually, he just banged his knee pretty hard on that rock seat. But, you know, it’s a face we have been seeing a lot of lately. Especially around bedtime.  DSC_0277DSC_0282DSC_0291Today kicks off spring break for the boys, which I am trying to pump myself up for! Around this time last year, we were already starting our garden, spending every waking hour outside, and even playing in basins of water in the back yard. We had weeks of weather in the mid-70′s and 80′s, and spring was in full-swing. But this week looks bleak. It’s snowing as I write this, and we are looking at temperatures in the 30′s and 40′s all week, plus rain. Sigh. It would be nice timing for you to show up now, spring.

Not sure what I’ll be up to with the boys while they are out of school. I am kind of up to my gills sick of indoor activities, and we have worn out all of the children’s museums around St. Louis. So… do you have any ideas???

Also, Happy Birthday to my mama today! We love you, Grandma!

Favorite Places: U City Public Library

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When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to live right across the street from our neighborhood’s public library. It was an incredibly small and cozy place where my brother and I spent hour upon hour after school. I have very fond memories of sitting cross-legged in a random aisle, absorbed in books, unable to put down one after another. I lost track of time on more than one occasion. And I remember feeling greedy about all the knowledge that was at my fingertips. Shelves of books were like gold to me.

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And you know what? Nothing has changed. I still feel that sense of awe whenever I enter a library. It’s like I’ve hit the jackpot– all these books, and I can just check them out for free?!!

My boys are exhibiting signs of the love of the public library already. We have a big blue reusable bag that is sturdy enough to accommodate more than 20 books, and it is a struggle to narrow it down to that few sometimes! But the point is, they are becoming lovers of books, and that makes me so happy.

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Our local library is not across the street from our house, but it may as well be. In the warmer months, we walk there with a wagon or stroller, and the children’s librarians all know us by name. They know what books Milo and Oliver are into, and make recommendations accordingly. It is one sense of community that I cherish in a world that often seems too big for my little guys.

The children’s area is upstairs, where there are not only rows and rows of books by some pretty awesome authors, but puzzles, games, stuffed animals, a few “reading bathtubs,” and a fish tank! It is a destination for us, especially on cold or rainy days.

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We start upstairs in the children’s area. The boys do puzzles and collect books, and if Emil is up for sitting still, we even get to read a few (usually cuddled up on the giant bear’s lap). After that, we go on a “walkabout” around the library, during which the boys practice their best library voices while exploring the mazes of shelves, sculptures, and interesting nooks and crannies.

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We end back downstairs, to give the city mascot a smooch or a pat, then check out our books before heading home to devour story after story. The library is a place I hope we always have access to, no matter how internet-based this world becomes.

Do you hang out at your local library? Donate to it? Enjoy it? If not, you should at least check it out. You might be pleasantly surprised!

Weekend Shenanigans

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I’m not going to lie. This past weekend was a rough one. Andrew left Friday morning and will be returning today from a trip, so I was on my own with the boys. Which of course is always a pleasure– when I am solo parenting, I try to do extra special things with them and play more with them, read more to them, and act silly and goofy since there’s no one else around to spread the attention around, and plus, it is a bonding experience– but I am wiped out, mainly from lack of sleep, but also from a certain three-year-old’s wily behavior and two nasty cases of croup at night.

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Oliver is having such a tough time right now. And the interesting thing is, he saves it all for the home front. At school, he is an absolute delight. In public, people fawn all over how cute and polite he is, squeezing his round little cheeks and complimenting him on his great dimples. But man, as soon as he is out of earshot, he really lets it go. All temper, and sometimes just really hurtful things. But he is three, which I have deemed the-worst-age-ever, and so I know his sweet, smart, caring personality is in there somewhere. You know, under all the irrational lashing out behavior. He’s just so darn angry all the time. Sigh.

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But we did have fun… I took the boys to the Science Center and the Magic House, and even out for pizza by myself (the looks I got were of pure terror, but it went really well!). But nighttime proved a real challenge. Oliver and Emil both developed what Milo coined the kazoo cough, which is croup. They were up all night Friday and Saturday barking like sea lions and crying and even vomiting from coughing so hard. But I was an attentive, if not weary, parent, of course, staying up past 2am with Oliver and throwing a load of laundry in the wash after Oliver and Emil threw up all over themselves and their beds, and reviewed this more than once because even though we’ve been through it before, croup freaks me out because it involves labored breathing and wheezing and terrible noises. Though scary and unpleasant, they were alright. I on the other hand…

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… am just utterly wiped out! Milo, feeling great and sleeping through the hellish disaster, awoke at his usual 5:30am, so I was also up and at ‘em pretty early every morning! It’s truly amazing how much energy it takes to care for, feed, calm down, and keep safe three little ones so young. They can be so needy and vulnerable and there were a couple of instances where I realized I had accidentally skipped a meal just from taking care of everyone else– wiping bottoms and cooking and consoling and cleaning up and sitting with one child or another on my lap in the bathroom with the hot water running, and changing clothes and bathing and and and… you know. This parenting thing can be tough stuff, no?

I am ever-grateful for that amazing partner of mine. Without him I would surely be off my rocker by now! They are a fun bunch, though. And I know one day I will look back fondly and laugh about the craziness, and surely miss it so much (the being needed part, not the croup!). Perspective.

Weekend Shenanigans/A Very Happy Birthday

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This weekend was so full of joy and laughter and I was completely filled to the brim with gratefulness for so many things in my life. Coming off of a wonderful night out with my friend Ingrid, we made a pact to get our families together soon… and soon ended up being this weekend! Saturday morning was spent by a warm and toasty fire, playing and building and reading with the kids before we headed over to Ingrid and Brent’s house for the afternoon and evening.

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I know I’ve talked about them before on the blog, but I really must reiterate that these two have made life in St. Louis exponentially better for us. They are the sweetest, funniest, most endearing people you will ever meet and we always leave gushing about our friends and how much we truly love them. Their kids too!

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We left later than we should have, but earlier than anyone wanted, as usual, talking of dreams of the future, going on a family vacation together so the night doesn’t have to end, as we swept our crew out into the cold night, not a snowflake in the air…

I awoke to a brightness that I figured was just my lazy sleeping-in birthday sunshine, but it was a good deal of beautiful snow covering everything! The weekend just kept getting better and better. After a slow shower (where I actually shaved both legs) I rallied the troops to get suited up for a walk to breakfast down the road. The snow made us all giddy… there’s just nothing better!

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Emil was oohing and aahing from his carrier on my back while Milo and Oliver hitched a ride on the sled (a wonderful gift from Andrew’s stepmom Gerlyn a few years ago). Our laughter echoed through the trees and the kids’ squeals of joy filled me with happiness and love. I wondered if everyone has this much fun with their kids. We enjoy them so very very much!

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My heart is so full. Here’s to 33: the best year yet.DSC_0302DSC_0214

Favorite Places: The Purple Cow

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Many of our readers ask where we buy our kids’ thrifted or consigned clothing, so I wanted to feature one of our favorite children’s clothing stores (which also specializes in maternity resale and even children’s gear such as strollers, carriers, highchairs, and activity centers, among other things). *The Purple Cow is about a 30-minute drive from our neck of the woods, located in Sappington, MO. The drive is well worth it.

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Not only does this store carry high-end clothing and shoes for kids, but they also buy gently used clothing and allow the option to use store credit. I have bought the boys’ Halloween costumes here, Milo’s winter coat, several pairs of amazing little shoes (including the Minnetonka moccasins for Emil), and many shirts and pairs of pants that look brand new but cost at least half the price of the new stuff. I have a seriously hard time buying full-priced children’s clothing after visiting this store and seeing all they offer… plus, it’s recycling, which is good for the environment, and good for everyone!

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Don’t feel bad about bringing along your kids. The owners/salespeople are extremely friendly, accommodating, and helpful. There are also kid’s tables filled with puzzles and a drawing table to distract the little ones while their parents shop.

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 You surely know my weakness for Crewcuts by now? This incredibly soft gingham shirt was around $12.

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 I found these amazing shoes for Oliver for around $8!

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If you are not in the market for kid’s clothing, The Purple Cow also sells new toys, puzzles, art supplies, and an array of other goodies (and would be perfect for holiday gifts!).

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Their maternity selection is also located in the same store, and there are changing rooms next to this area, along with a lounge chair for the token expectant dad to rest his weary bones (just kidding!).

Here is the loot I went home with last week: DSC_0023

A few gifts for a friend’s new(ish) baby girl

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Shoes for Oliver; a shirt for Milo, a gift for a little cousin (Jack, it’s comin’ your way, buddy!), and a ridiculously awesome affordable cashmere (!) sweater for Milo!

And, if you choose to part with your kids’ clothing after they are all grown up, you can sell it to this store for cash on the spot. But good luck leaving without something amazing!

*This is not a sponsered post. We just really love The Purple Cow!*

Weekend Shenanigans

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Well, we really kicked off the holidays this weekend! We have a HUGE stack of boxes all ready to ship piled high in our kitchen, a Christmas tree wafting scents of pine throughout our living room, cranberries strung on the tree, and one great holiday party under our belts. I love this time of year!

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The boys had such a great time picking out a tree on Friday night… and Emil enjoyed having his papa within a climb’s reach while he adjusted the Christmas tree! Hey, there’s never a bad time to play “horsie!”

On Saturday we braved some stores to finish up our Christmas shopping, then got all dressed up to attend a wonderful low-key party at the house of our new friends, Elisha and JJ. The boys had a few holiday-inspired moments of brotherly love. This has been happening a lot around here! It’s so sweet to see how much they love each other and I certainly hope it lasts.

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Elisha and JJ really outdid themselves. The food was amazing, the atmosphere cozy, and the company lively and genuine. The best kind of people to meet, and I really hope to see more of them soon. I have found as an adult (and more so as a mother), it is really easy for me to meet people, but much harder to meet people who I feel a genuine connection to and whose kids I just adore and who are in similar places in their lives… or just people who I really admire and think are awesome and amazing. They are definitely some of those people. We had a fantastic time, and our boys did too!

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We were talking about the uvula here (I have no idea)… hence the pointing to the mouth. Elisha is the one holding the glass of wine– she’s one gorgeous mama, right?!

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This week is going to be jam-packed, but in a good way! Plus, I can’t wait to send out all of those packages and deliver freshly-baked chocolate chip pumpkin bread to some of our friends around St. Louis! I think I will be spending a lot of time in the post office over the next few days!