being the fun aunt and the little sister

My sister had her 15 year reunion at St. Olaf this weekend, so I got to have her girls for two nights. It was awesome and also reminded me once again how hard it has been to transition from Aunt Bec with no kids to Aunt Bec with kids of my own. This is a warning to all of you readers who are aunties without kids of your own yet: LIVE IT UP! Before I had kids of my own, I was able to be all things to my nieces (especially my sister's kids...we lived in Montana for a season with them, and I made TONS of trips to visit even when we lived a 22 hour train ride away.)

The moment I had my own kids my ability to be all thing to these little girls shifted, and I'm still adjusting. I think they are too. Instead of being Super-Fun Aunt Bec, I have to do all sorts of things that tend to my own kids. Which makes me Not-Quite-As-Fun Aunt Bec.

This is just a shift I'm still trying to come to grips with. But again, if you are an auntie without kids of your own, savor this time. And know that things change a bit when you have your own.

This is unrelated, but a funny thing to recognize. My sister was with her college friends all weekend. And I adore her college friends. They're great people who I have gotten to know through weddings and parties and stories. And at age 33, I realized I totally fell into the little sister role again, pining for stories from Annika when she got back, asking for updates.

It's just funny to still be the little sister. Made me laugh a bit. I've been pining for stories and updates about Annika's friends since she was in the 5th grade. Wanting to know what they were doing, what they were talking about, what they're interested in etc..

Hilarious. I will always be the little sister. And I will always try super hard to be Super Fun Aunt Bec.

summertime things to do at home

A part of the summer packet we were given at ecfe was a list of things to do at home during the long days of summer. I actually much prefer staying home during the summer. It's finally time to be outside, and we've got plenty to do.

-Paint on the driveway with big paint brushes and a bucket of water
-Wash things with a bucket of water and soap (the stroller, the cars, toys from the sand box)
-Get out the sprinkler and baby pools. Make an obstacle course.
-Make up plays, dances: Oak Tree Theater.
-Set up a tent and pretend camp.
-Pick flowers, make dandelion necklaces and crowns.
-Blow Bubbles: make huge bubbles with hoola hoops and kid swimming pools.
-Decorate bikes for a neighborhood parade.
-Use sidewalk chalk. Make race tracks, hopscotch, big art.
-Catch bugs in a jar.
-Make a terrarium.
-Wash the car.
-Paint the house with water buckets.
-Have a water balloon toss.
-Go fishing (for real or pretend over a sheet with clothespins attached)
-Go bird watching with a bird book.
-Build a fort over a clothesline. (my personal favorite)
-Have lunch over a campfire: hotdogs and smores.
-Make a frisbee golf course.
-Play croquet, bocce ball or badmitton.
-Target practice with water guns.
-Slide into a baby pool.
-Make forts out of big appliance boxes.
-Have a lemonade stand.
-Put a blanket down under the trees with a big bin of books and read.
-Have a picnic in a new location in your yard each week.
-Make cookies.
-Play in the rain with rain boots and umbrellas.
-Play board games outside on picnic table.
-Make a collage out of nature objects.
-Make cards for relatives.
-Have an indoor picnic on a rainy day.
-Give the kids the water hose in the sandbox.
-Fly a kite.
-Make paper airplanes and fly them.
-Throw a "very merry unbirthday" party.

And one of my very favorite websites to get lost in (careful, you'll be sucked in for hours!) is: Modern Parents Messy Kids. You'll find all sorts of fun ideas on this site like ideas for outdoor play spaces or this list of outdoor playtime ideas.

summertime things to do

I'm not sure what I mark as the official start of summer. Is it Memorial Day, June first, or the last day of school (ecfe)? Or is it the first picnic, the first popsicle, first boat ride, first ripe watermelon? I'm just not sure. But whatever it is that officially marks the start of summer, I believe it is here! Which is a little confusing because our peonies have yet to bloom, but based on all I listed above, SUMMER IS HERE!

My ecfe teacher made a gigantic list of things to do with kids during the summer. The list is awesome and at first I was going to make it into my summer bucket list. But then I typed it out below and decided this can be my "at some point while the kids are under 18 we'll do these things..." list. Because it's pretty huge.

I thought I'd share it as an awesome resource for those of you in the twin cities/south metro looking for something to do this summer. And Sunday afternoon as the kids napped for three hours (!!!) I spent some time creating some links for the list. Happy Summertime!

PARKS
Murphy's Landing in Shokopee (we love this place!)
Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater (can't wait to go here)
Antler's Park in Lakeville
Carleton College Arboretum in Northfield
St. Olaf College picnic on campus in Northfield
Centennial Lakes in Edina
Chutes and Ladders, Hyland Park Preserve in Bloomington
Lutz Railroad Garden in Eagan (3rd Sunday of the month, 1-4pm. Mark it down, Dad!)
Minihaha Falls
Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis
Zumbrota Covered Bridge, log cabin and playground (looks so fun for a day picnic)

STATE PARKS AND OUTDOOR DESTINATIONS
Afton State Park
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
Sakatah State Park in Morristown
Whitewater State Park in St. Charles
William O'Brian tate Park in Osceola
Rice Lake State Park
Fort Snelling State Park
Lake City/Lake Pepin

NATURE CENTERS
Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington
Hyland Park Nature Center in Bloomington
Woodlake Nature Center in Richfield
River Bend Nature Center in Faribault
Thorncrest Farm in Dundas
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen

MUSIC AND SPORTS AND FOOD AND ZOOS AND FAIRS
Minneapolis Outdoor Music
St. Paul Saints Game (so excited to get to a game this summer)
Twins Game
Red Barn Pizza Farm in Northfield (great pizza, sort of spendy)
Farmer's Markets
Dundas Ball Park
Minnesota Zoo
Como Zoo
County Fairs
Valley Fair

MOVIES
Minneapolis Outdoor Movies
Centennial Lakes Outdoor Music and Movies
Lakeville Theatre (free kids movies on Wednesdays)
Elko Speedway Drive In (I'm so excited about this!!!)
Outdoor Movies and Concerts at Burnsville Civic Center

SWIMMING AREAS
Outdoor pools in Kenyon and Farmington
Northfield Swimming Pool
Faribault zero entry pool, fountains, playground, slides
Crystal Beach in Burnsville
Apple Valley Water Park (Ivar talks about the AV Water Park nearly every day...)
Cascade Bay in Eagan
Lake Minnetonka Swimming Pond
Lake Harriet (trolley rides, rose garden, music, beach. My favorite place in the summertime.)
Lac Lavon Park in Brunsville

SPLASH PADS
Kelley Park in Apple Valley
Civic Center Fountain Park in Burnsville
Minnesota Zoo

BIKE TRAILS
Cannon Falls to Redwing- 20 miles
Faribault Bike Trail- starts at DQ along hwy 60, trail goes to Sakatah State Park to Mankato

INDOOR
Mill City Museum
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Wild Rumpus Bookstore in Linden Hills, Minneapolis
Science Museum and Omni Theatre (museum closed Mondays)
Gymnastics open gym in Northfield
ABC Toy Store In Burnsville
Pump it Up in Burnsville
Red Balloon Books Store on Grand Avenue in St. Paul
Serengetti indoor water park in Owattona
Skateville in Burnsville
Nerstrand Meat Locker
Brunswick Zone in Lakeville
Edinborough Park in Edina
Good Times park in Eagan
Local Library
Water Park of America in Bloomington
Bowling

So what did we miss? Any glaring omissions that I forgot?!!

this week...

+ Last Friday we planted 12 apple trees out in the far corner of our field. Rory posted a lot of pictures and all the work that was done that day here. It was a full day and my mom showed up at just the perfect moment to watch the kids so that we could plant some trees. I was so grateful for her timing!

+ We finished all of the planting this week. Ivar put the corn kernels in each hole that Rory dug with the end of a pvc pipe. Rory planted the strawberries, pumpkins, squash, melons and lettuce. Have you seen Rory's logbook of what he is planting each day? And we put a bunch of sunflowers in front of the barn. I'm really excited about the sunflowers.

+ Rory and I hung my christmas present this week in a tree that overlooks our field and apple trees. This is just another victory in my goal to have a swing of some sort hanging from every tree on our property.

+ The kittens and cats continue to show off their mousing skills. Rory and I decided we would not want to die by the hand of a kitten. They really drag it out. I think the picture above was a chip monk. And perhaps most impressively was the day Velma, the mom, carried a bat into the garage with the wings flapped around her face. Gives me the shivers.

+ I've always been against double wide running strollers for their obnoxious size. Annika gave me hers a year ago and I thought we'd just store it for a while. Well. I am eating my words this week. We pulled it out and it is my favorite. The wheels are so big I can push it through the alfalfa out to the little orchard. It is awesome. It is so easy to maneuver. There are a whole lot of words to eat once you have kids of your own reaching each milestone. Lots and lots of words to eat.

+ Other than that, we've been holding our own sort of Honey Bee School each night after the kids go to bed. We've watched lots of youtube videos, read articles and watched a few movies. More on all that next week. I have so much to excitedly pass along.

what I know about you, elsie

I know you have left the house when I hear the kitchen door slam behind you. I know you are fearless when I find you standing on top of the kitchen table. I know you are up to something when I cannot hear you at all.

I know you are happy when you are singing sweet songs. I know you are witty from your clever naa naa joke. I know you are opinionated from the outfits you determinedly pick out to wear each day. I know you adore your brother from how hard you laugh with him. I know you two are going to be close by how little personal space you give each other. I know you will both be team players by how often I tell you to "work it out" each day.

I know you're going to challenge me all summer long to keep your hat on. I know your sweet skin is going to be a top concern of mine every single day. I know your enthusiasm based on your happy "yeah!" or "no!" I know you adore our farm life and all the animals and outside time that comes with it.

I know you are tender and strong, sassy and caring. I know you are full of personality and full of sweetness. I know you love me as much as I love you. You are my favorite little girl on the planet and I am so glad you're mine. And that's what I want you to know: how thankful I am that you are mine.