Riding the Graeve Train

Evelyn's 2 Loves

2012-01-19T04:33:00.000-08:00

Boat Making

2011-11-10T06:19:00.000-08:00

Owen and Evelyn have been having lots of fun making boats and pirate ships in the basement. These are only two of the many versions of the past few days. Despite Evelyn's frightened look, she loves anything Owen creates for her to be a part of.

Pumpkins!

2011-10-30T12:23:00.001-07:00

We had lots of fun carving pumpkins today. I will have to post the results later-Owen made a pirate and Nora a witch brewing her potions. Ken had a hand in the fancy pumpkins. I'm lucky to carve a face! Evelyn has been having lots of fun scaring the other two lately. This is her "roar" face. Nora and Owen find she comes in handy for all sorts of games (this week she has been deemed the wolf).

Trip to Council Bluffs without Mom

2011-10-30T12:17:00.001-07:00

The kids and Ken got to take a trip to see family in Council Bluffs last weekend. They were SO happy to ride in the same van as their cousins. Owen had the task of caring for the preschool "share bear" (aka 'germ bear') for the weekend. They did get to take a nice hike with the Bear. Nora got to sleep over with her cousin Mary and had a blast. I hear they were dressed up all weekend. Evelyn seemed to have a great time to, especially climbing out of her fake crib during nap time to jump on an unsuspecting sleeping Dad.

Pajama Switch

2011-08-07T04:48:00.000-07:00

Nora was really into this last week - "okay, Owen, how about you where my pajamas and I wear yours?" Owen liked it for awhile too, but after a few nights he seemed to get a bit self conscious of the lacy nightgown.

Ramsey County Fair

2011-07-16T17:37:00.001-07:00

Ken was thrilled to discover I had to work at the Fair...and that he could bring the kids to do all the petting zoo time he liked, without my watchful eye. They enjoyed the animals, milking the fake cow, and eating corn dogs.

Soccer Buds!

2011-07-16T17:36:00.000-07:00

Rainy Days

2011-07-16T17:27:00.000-07:00

We had a couple of rainy days this past week. We made our first ever trip to the Mall of America with cousins, and I am amazed to report how much fun it was. The kids really enjoyed watching the rides.
They have also been thrilled to be "dog-sitting" for Grandma and Grandpa. This little doggie has had many, many walks in the rain.

Evelyn's Gymnast Pose

2011-07-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

The New Compost Bin

2011-07-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

4th of July

2011-07-10T16:47:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed visiting, fishing, swimming, and tubing with our good friends. Nora and Ben (their 5 year old) were tubing behind the boat for awhile, until I said "now if you fall off the boat, it's no big deal". Oops. Note to self, just shut up! Evelyn really enjoyed the fish the kids were catching, and Owen just loved his goggles.

Good help.

2011-07-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

Compost builders, painters, and sky gazers.

June Trip to Council Bluffs

2011-07-08T18:11:00.001-07:00

A great trip to Council Bluffs over Father's Day. The plan was to work on the floor. You can see what the kids found to do instead!

June?!!!

2011-07-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

This one is for you, Grandpa Roger. This was taken in June. Yes, there is a sweater AND boots on this happy girl. It probably wasn't too much warmer in tropical Iowa.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Owen is OLD

2011-04-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

Although it's been over a month since Owen
turned '4', he's still VERY excited to be so old. A few days ago when Ken and I were out of the room we heard him talking to himself while sharpening pencils, "You just never know....you just NEVER know when you are going to get taller and bigger."

Three kids in a tub and Fun with Cardboard Boxes

2011-03-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

I think this is about the last time we get all the kids in the tub together (Evelyn would be SO pleased to hear me say that...she likes her space!)
We found a new source for cardboard fridge boxes, and might be making another addition soon.

Long Winter Days...

2011-02-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

2010-12-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

Looks a bit like a Graeve Christmas. A gathering of some college friends and many offspring!

2010-12-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

Snow, lots of snow! And again. Ken might get to ski to work again, and our snow mountains are growing.

2010-12-20T19:50:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more fall pictures. Fun in the leaves (Evelyn was quite helpful with raking, the others with jumping), a plant collecting walk, Owen ready for trick of treating, and the girls riding around the house in whatever they have decided that basket is that day. Lots of fun!

2010-12-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Nora told me that I needed to get some pictures on the blog, and she's right! She and one of her Kindergarten friends had a nice little chat about pictures on facebook and blogs. "is your mom going to put that picture on facebook? no, i think on 'the blog'." Anyhow, as the five year olds know, I better get to work!
Evelyn in the wagon is from when Ken was bringing plants in for the winter, and the happy smile from watching Owen do something crazy.

A Great Fall Hike!

2010-10-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

The colors are beautiful around here. We enjoyed a nice fall hike, the river was flooding so we could see lots of underwater trees. Evelyn spent lots of time putting leaves on the dog, while Nora and Owen played "house" in an old tree and scared all the hikers above with their roaring. Ken and I hid.

1st days of school!

2010-10-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

Nora started Kindergarten and is already trying to break the uniform rules (can I wear a sparkly headband?) Owen is very happy about preschool and bringing his (empty) backpack with him everyday. And as you can see, Evelyn seems ecstatic to have them gone for a few hours!

2010-10-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

Ken and Evelyn give us good reasons for cake!
Evelyn learned how to smile after the word "cheese" just in time for all the pictures. She loved her baby! Nora also likes to help her with her babies in her new "resting room".

August activities:jelly making, deck staining, basement painting, outside playing, and babies for the baby

2010-09-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

some fun summer gatherings

2010-08-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

Progress

2010-07-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

The deck is coming along...and turns out puddle walking is the thing to do when it rains on your building project. The rain has also helped Ken's boulevard prairie planting...much to the dismay of the neighbor across the street with the sprinkler system for his.

Swimming

2010-07-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

The kids had fun swimming last night, Evelyn enjoyed the sand...and lotion is not quite the same as mayo. Ken was pretty excited to get the picture (and yes, we do pay attention to our children).

2010-07-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

Owen with his new mitt for T-ball, and Nora and Owen practicing up in the back yard.

Dessert--a bowl of fruit and a big carrot. What did they eat the most of? The carrots. I wonder if we can pull off giving them broccoli for dessert next time?

Evelyn (9 months)

2010-06-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots of Evelyn. She is thrilled to have the quick crawl under her belt, which is especially helpful for catching up to her best friend, the dog. She thought it might be a good way to get away from her siblings, but as you can see it has just added her to the list of moving jungle gyms.

why does Owen always get hurt?

2010-06-27T09:38:00.001-07:00

One Man's Trash....

2010-06-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

is anothers treasure! Although at first Nora wasn't sure about being a superhero instead of a princess, she was quickly stopping everything to rescue cats out of trees and dogs that ran after the cats as well. I guess garage sales can be pretty fun!
I also had to include the dog with the chickens on his back. Yes, there are still 3 chickens...it's still hard to tell whether he wants to protect them or eat them. Let's hope we don't really find out. We also got to take another trip to a lake, and the kids were pretty thrilled with their friends water squirters...as you can see by the duck hunting stance which ensued for the next while. Finally, we got to make a trip to see friends and grandparents...and Dad got to read his beloved Bill Peet.

Memorial Day Weekend Fun

2010-06-04T12:45:00.001-07:00

Nora really enjoyed sharing the chickens with her cousins and grandparents. What I didn't get captured on camera was her bringing each one to grandma and grandpa to hold so that the chickens could "get used to them". I'm not sure they enjoyed it, but they sure were good sports. We also had much appreciated help beginning our deck, and thanks to Grandpa Roger and Uncle Chad, Owen may forever be "digging up Chinamen". Although it may have been the deck builders who deserved a swim, the kids took care of that for them.

2010-05-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

Owen "climbing" our apple tree which he usually finds a way to get stuck in even though it's only three feet off of the ground. Nora with her favorite chick "digger" (which began as Owen's chick, but he won't touch it) She also 'graduated' from preschool (pretty ridiculous) I guess Nora thought so too because she still remains one of the only kids who stands there watching everyone else sing with her lips shut tightly. And finally, Owen taking Evelyn for a ride. Who knows where they will end up.

Nora is SO much taller today!

2010-05-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Nora really enjoyed her 5th Birthday today! She was excited to have some friends and family come to play and the weather was perfect. As you can see, we not only ate cake but also dug for worms and rode tractors. Nora has told us many times today if we remember yesterday, when she was 4, how short she was. She then compares it to today, being 5, how tall she is.

The Chickens are Here

2010-05-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

New pets! We picked up three baby chickens from the feed store on Tuesday. Nora and Ken are probably the most excited and are really enjoying digging up worms to watch them eat. There have been lots of chicken questions, our favorite of which was "what does a chicken fart sound like?" The kids each named a chick: Rose, Digger, and Bah (I bet you can figure out whose is whose). Let the fun begin. Personally, I'm a little nervous that the pets are beginning to outnumber us.

Some cold days in May...

2010-05-10T14:27:00.001-07:00

It's been cold here! We have found time to do a few things other than witness chicken coop construction-Owen built a zoo at the neighbors tree, Nora made a flower shop, Evelyn got to pick a book at the library, and we all got to have a fire.

Evelyn's playmate

2010-05-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

Well, Evelyn thought she should get a turn having a friend over...and well, we hope she gets nicer as she gets older! The kids had fun having Madeline (Kate and Jeremy's babe) over to play. And, a day in our house could not be complete lately without Nora in a leotard. She started dance class last week, and despite having never done a hand motion in public in her life LOVES to tap dance for all to see.

2010-05-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

I guess we never realized how much fun a
bundle of charmin was...I think this was day #3 of finding random objects around the house and rolling them down the rolls of teepee. Do you think we need to get out more?

Well, we did. Here's some pictures of a "fire in the woods". the kids looked for fire and bears, and of course, Ken scoped out the vegetation.

Earth Day, Construction Watching, Child Labor, and the 1st Ice Cream Cones

2010-04-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Mighty Mouse

2010-04-22T04:17:00.000-07:00

The kids enjoyed last weekend in Council Bluffs, especially playing with their grandparents and cousins. They spent a lot of time running up and down the sidewalk, which with Owen dressed as Mighty Mouse I could have watched for days. That costume did not come off all weekend. I think every 3-yr old boy should wear mini-shorts and a tail.

Outer Space and Evelyn's Bedtime Routine

2010-04-16T06:06:00.001-07:00

I arrived home in the midst of Ken's usual bedtime routine with Evelyn last night. And since I'm not always home for this, I was enlightened to see how it works. I guess I was under the assumption he put her pajamas on quietly to calm her down...but no, there is instead a tickle fest and then a fascinating book about bugs.

Nora has been learning about outer space at preschool. I guess when I became a parent I never thought of how to explain outer space to a 2 and 4 year old. Any suggestions?
Ken flew on a small plane for work the other day and was excited to tell Nora about it. She kept asking how high he went and was painfully unimpressed with the trip when she learned he didn't make it to outer space. It was almost as disappointing for Ken as when he couldn't get the kite in the air at the park.

Rocks, trees, and millipedes

2010-04-11T19:06:00.001-07:00

Spring has sprung complete with a pink tree in our yard! We love it! And Owen is in the background putting rocks, chalk, leaves, and any other (hopefully) nonliving object down the gutter. The joys. And don't think that Nora doesn't play too.

Later on in the day...a picnic in the woods. Lots of running, hide and seek while in direct line of vision, and leaf eating(for Evelyn). Ken says it's what babies should do. Our friend Chris says its how babies learn their tree species. I say pick her up.

On our second picnic of the weekend, just as we were just finishing supper Nora screamed "I SEE BUGS!!!! She and Owen then proceeded to overturn at least 15 logs to see what they could see. Nora especially enjoyed holding the millipedes.

Easter

2010-04-11T18:46:00.001-07:00

Easter morning is no exception to the baby's arm being almost pulled out of socket. And from the look on her face, well, she's used to it! It was a beautiful morning.
Nora thought she and Evelyn looked like fairies. Magic fairies, that is.

The Easter Bunny found us at the Kath's house and scandalous as it may be...it was the night before Easter! It was quite the hunt, and we hope there are no eggs left in the gutters for the animals.

Pictures we should put on a blog

2010-04-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

Maybe the first picture on our blog shoudn't be a nude one of our son...but, oh well. Here it is. This is a picture from a few months ago that I thought would be fun to put on a blog (but we didn't have one. So I'm adding it to the "pictures we should put on a blog" location to get us a bit caught up. This is coloring at its best.

Here is where I found Evelyn one afternoon, baking bread with Ken. This is a couple of months ago as well, so maybe it is safe? If she falls off the counter, at least she's had some wheat germ beforehand.

Do people in other states ride bikes in the snow? Builds character if you ask me. I guess Nora thinks if her dad can do it...why can't she? Let's hope she doesn't remember that when it comes to dead animals and team sports.

Here we go...

2010-04-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been thinking about doing this for awhile....so here goes! I have no idea what I'm doing, but I thought it would be fun to create a little spot for pictures and stories of the kids and what they are up to for friends and family that are close in our hearts-but not by the map. And since my little brother Dave was always the cutest in our family, the best finder in the house (great trick for the youngest to have everything found for you), and the best writer, I thought I'd ask him for a title. Everyone seems to like it, so welcome to 'Riding the Graeve Train'....