Birthdays in Minnesota

For the last several years I've had my birthday in Minnesota. I'm usually shuffling children and usually without my husband. That was the case this year so I decided to take matters into my own hands! My kids got up early so I rallied my mom and Joey to drive the half hour to Keys Bakery in St. Paul. Why drive 30 minutes with four kids in tow? Believe me...the rolls are worth it. So is the old time feel of the place. I had to get directions via Boston from my brother Dana and we had so much fun it was worth every mile!
Waiting outside for Mor Mor to pay (thanks mom!)
I followed this high calories feast with lunch out with my family. Sisters and moms (my sister in law Colette and mother in law were here for our CArlson family reunion!) Perfect timing!! We had a wonderful lunch an Italian rest!! Some times a gal's got to make her birthday happen!! So much fun!!!!!

Times have changed?!

One of the first things the kids got to do when we arrived in MN was to go see a movie with their older cousins! My sisters and I watched as Joey drove the boys away in my vehicle and Tyra drove away with the girls! My niece and nephew driving my kids to a movie!!!!! (well at lease 3 of my kids!!) aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh the wrinkles on my forehead aren't a mirage. I am that old that this scenario is a possibility!! so cute

It's that time...

You can set your watch by this picture. It's that time of year. After spending a hearty four weeks in Minnesota chalk full of graduations (Joey's!!), lazy days on the lake, tractor rides, Carlson reunions, time with family.... we're back! Here they are after two days of hard travel...if only the internet had smell!! You could smell the glory of 2 days in a car with four kids!!!

Bryan..."the farm"

Cousins....hot, sweaty, dirty and having a blast. We spent Memorial Day weekend with Lee's family in Bryan. The kids absolutely love spending time on the "farm" and sleeping in the cabin up in the loft. It's only two hours away and every time I think "why don't we go here more?". Summer is officially here and we are ready with sunscreen and mosquito spray in hand!


100 degrees and humid. Summer.....welcome back!
Katherine loves to play with the boys.....they returned from this "expedition" in which I overheard them stating they were "hunting for food" full of bloody scrapes that they couldn't have been more proud of. Comparing the length of scrapes and redness of the blood.
Gunnar's first real experience with fishing and he caught some bottom dwelling catfish! He loved it!

Audra has always been the one in our family tender towards animals. A day doesn't pass without her asking "now when are we getting a dog again?" The answer is usually something like "when mommy gets some sleep and she has a change of heart!!!"

Last day of school (well really it's Friday!)

Last Day of school 2009

Last Day of School 2010!!!

Please notice Anders cereal (woke up late & magazine he carried to school because it had a baseball player on it!)

When I was Audra's age (finishing 3rd grade) my oldest sister Jann was graduating from HIgh School! That puts things in perspective for me. They all look so big to me!!

The last days before summer...

In true Anders form he climbed to the top of this very high "work out" thingy at the park only to say "MOM LOOK AT ME!!!!! Yes.....this is truly Anders.
It's never too early to start with abs!:)
It was only a few short years (feels like months) that this was Gunnar and Anders. And now it's Dane and Anders playing at the park! Anders is a good big brother but has his moments of wanting to "help" to rough!! When school ends this week ....gunnar will be home, and Dane will be left in the dust as the two big brothers play every possible adventure they can conjure up!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Am I too late? Did I miss it? Happy Mother's Day...
thank you for every dirty diaper, every bath, every packed lunch, every time you drove us somewhere, every time you gave us medicine or made a doctor's appt and kept it!, thank you for every time you sat through a concert, took us to church and VBS and church camp, and took us to a lesson, and helped us with homework, for every prayer at night, every prayer for us that we didn't know about, every time you took us on a trip and paid for our food, listening to stories, for coming to our sports and and and.....this all makes sense to us now. Thank you mom L and mom C!!

Love Chris and Amy:)

**I think Dane looks like Oskar here?