Catching the waves

This picture was such a glimpse into the future to see Gunnar holding a "boogie board", looking at the waves...covered with a long sleeve shirt by a mother that refused to let them get burnt. Gunnar was determined to ride the waves with this borrowed boogie board.....that is....until...HE FELT THE WATER. He touched it....squealed with glee at the frigid temps and said "NO WAY JOSE!!" and spent the rest of the time making sand castles.

"Life-Saver"

AS most of you know...Anders is a "dare devil" to say the least. He has more scrapes, more bumps, scars, old wounds, new wounds, and with each he cries almost not at all. My sister Jill reassured me this last week that he would begin to know some sense of mortality around the age of four ....but in the meanwhile we thought this should suffice!

Baywatch Girls....eat your hearts out!

Katherine (8), Audra (soon to be 8) Gulf Shores, AL, Lifeguard audition!!! They'll be appearing in a LIFETIME movie network premiere entitled.... (?) hhhmmmmm I couldn't think of anything catchy there. Must be sleep deprivation?!

Not surprisingly...our kids could have played 8 hours/day on the beach. THeir skin could only take a couple of hours...but we stretched it and had itchy, scabby dry skin but it was all worth it for a few fun hours on the beach!!!!!!

Back from Gulf Shores...

We just spent a week in Gulf Shores, Alabama! We did it...our first trip with four children!! We had a great time!! It's a good day's trip through the swamps of Louisiana, through the tiny bit of Mississippi until you reach the white sandy beaches..just west of Pensacola, FL where we stayed. WE got to be with Chris' parents and his sister's family and it was a restful, beach filled, relaxing time. Our kids are full of sand and itchy skin but loved!!

THe Youngest

Most days Dane sits watches the chaos around him from the comfort of his "easy chair". He gets bumped and usually one of the his siblings stops to give him a really "close" hug and offer their germs before running out the back door or upstairs. His head moves from side to side learning from this mysterious group of little people about this new thing called "life". He may be wondering..."how do i fit in to this thing called family!" and then at last he coos to say.... I'm hungry or tired!

Backyard afternoons...

Audra waiting her turn to blast the ball into the neighbors yard...
Anders hasn't quite figured out the rules (or chooses to ignore them) and hits and and runs all around the yard until he finds home plate, mindless of the fact he's been hit by the ball squealing the whole time!
Anders "best friend" Emily
Many an afternoon we'll end up with one of the Skeeter girls if not all either at our house or their's after school and one of their favorite things to do is kickball. Last week on a beautiful afternoon we played kick ball with the three Skeeter girls Kate, Francie and Emily (all our kids ages) and enjoyed our new (daddy made) swing set!! IT was a moment when you breath deep and appreciate the simply things in childhood... like your mother throwing you a ball so you can run as fast as you can!

GO TEXAN DAY!

After living in Texas for almost 12 years I am starting to realize that my kids (although Scandinavian through and through are also.....native Texans!) Every February a huge trail ride crosses Texas. Cowboys and Cowgirls riding horses, covered wagons with families, sleeping under the stars and on the last Friday in February they ride into Houston to mark the beginning of the biggest rodeo in the world!!! Friday night and Saturday they have an official chili and BBQ cookoff (this year feeding over 200,000!!) THe rodeo will last three weeks with each night's activities ending in a Star performing. And on that Friday school kids, employees, everyone is encouraged to dress Texan!!! Here is Audra and Gunnar's attempt at "Go Texan Day" 2009
**Boots courtesy of "Franks" in Windom!!