"Table for One"

"The Diner" (a.k.a Chipotelle)

We had lunch at our favorite "dive" with Greta after church on Sunday. I said "welcome to our Saturday night ritual Greta" to which she responded... "it's Sunday". Well....you get the idea. These two are stuck to her like glue!

Gunnar's girl guests...

These were Gunnar's girl guests at his party...
Cousin Katherine, Sister Audra and Cousin Greta from MN!

Gunnar turns a whopping 4 years old!

Yes four years ago today I gave birth to Gunnar Storm Carlson. After holding him in on my birthday (yesterday....) I went into the hospital around 11am and a little after 4pm I pushed him out in two pushes. He was an easy pregnancy, easy delivery, easy baby and now a delightful four year old. He is loyal to his toys, often in his "own head" and loves loves to hug! The little boy to his right is Carson, his best buddy, and the two other boys are Carson's older brothers (Christian and Colin). They were there today when we celebrated Gunnar's day-of-birth at (please don't make me say it) Chuck-e-Cheese!!!!!!

Recongnize any of these characters?

A Carlson? or not a Carlson?
Which one of these is a "guest star"?

Siblings

Audra and Gunnar. Brother and sister.....they remind me many days of me and Dana growing up only Audra is the dominant older sister and Gunnar is following along, learning, watching, and finally wrestling his sister if he gets a spurt of energy. Here they were Sunday morning going to church. This pictures says it all...

VBS (or as Gunnar called it...PBS!)

Last week we were awash in Vacation Bible School Monday-Friday! There were over 600 kids this year in our medium sized church.... I must confess volunteering for VBS does not come "naturally" to me. Strange since my mother is the QUEEN of VBS! But I helped in Audra's class and we really did have fun. Some things are very different then when I was a kid... t-shirts, DVD's to instruct the kids on the moves and words to the "theme songs", the first day there was the mascot from the Houston Championship Soccer team (The Dynamos!). and dad's volunteering to teach classes! But some things are the same.....crafts, rec and snack. There was the offering for a "good cause" (which really was, called Manna Worldwide....very interesting) and storytime. There was a DVD about missionaries which I suppose replaces the flannel graph? All in all....these precious children were loved on, fed, worn out for their parents and taught that Jesus does indeed love them.
Here's to another year of Vacation Bible School and all of the thousands of people that help each year!
(the little girl to Audra's right is her friend Alyssa that she invited!:)

He's got a future...

If Anders decides to do NOTHING else he has a future in mowing. I helped Chris with lawn this weekend (doesn't happen often) and Anders followed me with his "mini-mower" every single step of the way. He has started doing this with Chris and if I don't let him go outside he runs from window to window watching Chris yelling "Daddy...Out! Daddy OUT!" So in 100 F heat he makes his way to the back and "mows" his way behind "DADDY!" Let me just say I do wish he was getting paid cause we'd send him up and down the street to make some cash to pay for his broken items!
(men please don't comment on the random pattern I am doing with the mower)

Couldn't find a sitter!

What's a mom to do when she can't find a sitter?

A night full of drama

In Texas, an ant is not an innocent bug that carries away food at a picnic. No these beasts will devour your leg in less than a minute. See above photo. Please picture this scenario with me...I (Amy) went to Target to get precious Audra some medicated lotion for her now painful eczema (resulting from last week's swimming lessons). Chris was in the backyard with all three kids, pulling up weeds and laying down new mulch! He apparently went to the garage to look for a tool where the music was playing loudly... in the meanwhile Audra was pushing Anders on the swing while she inadvertently stepped into an ant pile! Chris said he came around the corner and she was screaming like she was being beaten alive while Anders & Gunnar looked on with their mouths to their knees. I got a call at Target of a very distraught Audra! Can you blame her... her ankle was so swollen last night we couldn't even see the bites themselves but today they turn into white heads.....still swollen!!
**Please note that this is after Chris had already spread the "once/year ant killer!"

Who dat?

These two are quite a pair!! Lucy and Anders were going wild with each other!! I wish I could put the sound track of Anders squealing with delight every time Lucy stuck her face up to the window.

"Ten Gallon Hat"

That's right folks, I live in Texas and my crib sticker reads "Don't mess with Texas!" (and these are my sister's birthday crocs I am sportin')

"The Artist"

One can argue about what "real art is?" I mean really....is it personal preference? is there such thing as "real art". Audra has been "abstract" since day one. Her art has always been more symbolic than "exact representation" and her latest creation is no different. She stenciled some butterflies, then created a tree that she said the butterflies brought nectar to. The blue line across the top is of course the "sky" but notice that the clouds actually dangle from the sky as though they're attached. And what's with the miniature rainbow? Is it only an afterthought?
Comments anyone?

Happy Birthday T & G

Cousins (my sweet nieces) Greta & Tyra celebrated birthdays this last week. Greta turned a whopping 11 last Saturday and Tyra turns 14 this very first day of June! I lived with Tyra her entire first year before I married Chris.... have we really been married almost 13 years! We can't wait to see you this summer girls.....HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

"Swimming Lessons"

This week the shooting for each episode took place "in the pool". Audra had her third year of swimming lessons while Gunnar had his first. The first day was a wash....it rained like a TROPICAL STORM! But the rest of the week was sunny and swimmy! Audra moves through the water like a fish.... Gunnar moves through the water like a "running man!" Literally he looks like he's trying to run with his face in the water. They loved it and aren't afraid of the water....worth the money!