We went to Iowa, and all I got was...

A COOL NEW BICYCLE!

You are looking at one happy and excited 5 year old boy! We drove to Decorah today and came home with a radical new bike. Now all we need is some bike riding weather.

These Irish eyes are smilin'!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Making St. Patrick's Day Mud Balls

First, you start with one crazy Mamma -- one that thinks baking with a 3 year old and 5 year old is a good idea. One you've found a crazy Mamma, allow the 5 year old crack ALL THREE eggs. After each egg is cracked, spend the next 10 minutes trying to coax out all the shells. One you've recovered all egg shells, spend the next 5 minutes fighting over who gets to stir.

Next, you repeat 100 times: "Not too much! There's raw egg in there!"

Then, you sit back and smile about how cute and happy they look. (This only lasts a moment before rushing them to the sink as you intercept a crash landing on the couch.)

After stirring a baked and frosted cake with a little milk mixed in (seriously) you roll the globby cake into cute little balls and sprinkle them with green sugar. Mud Balls seemed like the perfect Kindergarten treat for Finnian's "special day" at school today. With a name like Finnian Falvey, it seems only right to celebrate St. Patrick's Day - even if it is a couple days early.

My niece is ONE!

My sweet, precious, adorable, smart, irresistible, funny, (did I say smart?) niece turned ONE year old on Tuesday. I sulked at home with a sore throat but was able to watch the party on Skype. As you can see by her crown, she is definitely the princess of the household - and quite deserving of that role.

My sister, my brother-in-law and my ONE YEAR old niece on her birthday!

Waiting for Sunday brunch

The first waffle was just about ready to exit the waffle maker when Henry decided to take his seat at the counter. You can see by the look on his face that he isn't leaving anytime soon and would really prefer 2 dallops of whipped cream, syrup on the side (and something for his bunny friend.) Whenever we'd say something to him he'd look away - as if to tell us he was simply invisible.

An alternative theory

Adalia is studying dinosaurs this week in school. She brought home a picture she made with ink stamps and was excited to show Finnian:

A: "Look at my dinosaurs, Finnian!"

F: "Oh! Let me see!"

A: "They got too stinky."

F: "What? They got too stinky?"

A: "Yeah, they all died because they got too stinky."

F: "Adalia! (giggle) They didn't get stinky. They got extinct."

A: "Oh, yeah. Extinct."

I don't know... I think she may be onto something.

Valentines Day

Beginning a blog on Valentines Day seemed sweet and enticing to me (it's a day for sweet and enticing, right?). So, I'll give it a try.

We had a perfect night. I couldn't ask for anything better.

Homeade pizza and smiles from our kids. (I think the smiles were all about the rootbeer!)

Happy Valentines Day.