Bad Blogger

I was doing so well when I started this. Anybody reading my blog has probably given up on me by now. Just an update, in case anyone checks, the Baby Girl is doing well. I'm 29-plus weeks and the baby is growing as expected and very active. I'm feeling good. Just spent the weekend in La Crosse with my dad's family and had a great time catching up. I've got to get some pictures converted from my camera to the computer, but I've been so busy trying to get the house ready to make room for baby...I'm no where near ready. But, the baby doesn't care, so neither will I.

POLITICAL AD

With one week to go before our national and local elections, I urge you to VOTE. I also suggest that if you have children, take them with you to the polling stations. Children of voting parents are more likely to grow up and be voters themselves.

Take this next week and learn what you can about your candidates. Check out local TV and radio stations' websites for more information. Check out websites of various candidates. Do not rely on the media portrayals of the candidates. Many candidates have taken a vicious and nasty turn on their competetitors and they are not held accountable for their lies. But frankly, negative TV ads work...so find out for yourself and pick the best candidate that matches your values.

VOTE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4!

I AM SO BEHIND ON MY BLOG! OMG! So much has happened. A few pictures below illustrate a few of the events recently. Highlights:
1. Faith and Gracia started Kindergarten Sept. 4, all day, everyday, and love it. They are also continuing their violin and dance studies.
2. We went to Chicago for fall break when the kids had a few days off school. We had 3 full museum days. We hit Hancock and Sears, Navy Pier, Chicago River boat ride, Chicago Children's Museum, The Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, Science and Industry, and American Girl Store. We had a great time...all of us. It was a great get away.
3. Baby Girl Heille is growing great. We've made it to 23 weeks, and she is active and healthy as far as we know.

The girls were hard to harnass for pictures at museums...Mom's trying to get Gracia in the picture with the old-timey airplane at the M. of Science and Industry.

Museum of Science & Industry--Faith and Gracia made their own toy--a fancy "Gravitron" top with the help of automation.

Gracia in the kid's exploration area at the Field Museum

John took this picture of Mommy...he thought Sue over my shoulder, like she was out to get me looked cool.

Sue the Dinosaur at the Field Museum in Chicago.
We read a book from the library about her, so we had to go meet her!

Navy Pier, Chicago

"Can I see my house from here?" (This is Gracia-Hancock building)

Faith and the self-guided tour in the John Hancock building.

Gracia listening to the self-guided tour at the John Hancock building in Chicago mid-October for fall break. What a view!

Gracia and Faith at a Jack O'Lantern carving party with Dad's college friends.
Mommy couldn't make it because she was at her first Vikings game that day.

A final hug for Daddy before the school day begins. Gracia in pink jacket. Faith in purple jacket.

Meeting their friend, Brooke, at school on the first day of Kindergarten.

First day of Kindergarten. Gracia in red dress. Faith in denim skirt.

Gracia's Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Torke.

Faith and her Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Fryer.

This is our baby girl at 19 weeks. Due mid-February!

Go TWINS!

Faith, Gracia, and Daddy

We joined John's parents for our annual visit to the Metrodome for a Twins game. It was a great game and the Twins won in the last inning. The girls aren't quite interested in watching the game, and would rather eat the entire game. It's a bit rough on the wallet. They were only allowed Dome dogs, 1 pop to share, and they each got a bag of cotton candy which they devoured ("devour" is Faith's new favorite word, by the way). I always run into someone I know there, and in the picture of John and the girls, there's a guy with grey t-shirt and cap and behind him is my friend Maren (chin in hand) from St. Olaf...we were nursing majors together. I spotted her in the 5th inning! That's always fun.

Two and a half weeks until Kindergarten starts! The girls can hardly wait!

Gracia with her cotton candy

Faith and her cotton candy

Violin Lessons

Faith and Gracia started violin lessons this summer with Paula, a Suzuki instructor. The girls love going to Paula's house for lessons, and love learning about the violin, although they sometimes have a hard time containing all their energy and focusing. Fortunately, Paula is wonderfully patient. Here are a few snapshots of our lesson today. Faith is wearing a blue t-shirt and Gracia is in a red dress.


Faith and Paula plucking strings

Gracia bowing a song for Paula (one she is making up)
and holding her violin in rest position.

Suzuki method teaches children to bow for their teacher or audience after playing.

Road Construction

Our street is under repair. Today was very hot and humid, so I thought I'd share some lemonade with the men at work. Gracia liked this idea and put her lawn chair out to monitor the lemonade and greet guests. It was meant to be a FREE lemonade stand, but the men were generous and dug into their pockets for change, saying "she's got to earn something for this!" Gracia was pleased. She enjoyed watching the big machines. I'm kind of enjoying it too, and I'm reminded of the earthquakes I felt living in California, feeling rumbling in the floor and the windows.

Tonight, the girls and daddy went to the Rochester Honkers game, while I chose to stay home as I'm experiencing most of my morning sickness in the evening.

Baptism Birthday

Today, Sunday, July 27, was Faith's and Gracia's 5th Baptism Birthday. We remember each year to light their baptism candles. We lit the candles at breakfast and twice at supper and they wanted to have spaghetti for supper. The girls love hearing about their baptisms and I think are a little frustrated that they don't remember that day. They were baptized at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Neenah, WI, by Pastor Cath Mode, who, along with her husband, Bill, serve as godparents, as well as Uncle Adam and Aunt Mary.

I had my first prenatal visit today. Everything is progressing well. I'm just about 10 weeks along, and the baby is measuring 3.3 cm (a little over an inch, crown to rump). Heart is beating and baby is moving. All is well. It's just one baby...sorry, Faith and Gracia (who wanted twin boys)...let some other parents have a turn with multiples! I'm happy to try my hand at a singleton! Baby's due around Feb 20, 2009.

Hiking with Cousin Paige along, in Frisco, Colorado, while visiting my cousin Elise.

Preparing to Mount: Horseback-riding in Colorado at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA. A first experience for Faith and Gracia.

Examining a Teepee at Crazy Horse in SD. Gracia can't stop calling them TPT (a term she knows for Twin Cities Public Television...with every sighting, Gracia calls out, "a TPT!")

The obligatory photo of the children in front of Mount Rushmore. The girls were less than cooperative and we really don't have a good photo of them here, despite spending 2 days exploring the monument and museum.

A few highlights of our summer vacation. Gracia and Faith pose in front of the Blue Bunny ice cream visitor center in Le Mar, Iowa

Faith stands proudly (as though she shot the bull!) at the Great Platte River Road Archway in Kearney, Nebraska.

Enjoying a Coke in the old fashioned glass bottles

Finally! We make it to Cousin Paige's house, and she is prepared for the visit with matching ladybug t-shirts. We always try to get a photo of the 3 cousins in matching outfits.

Faith enjoys cuddling with a baby bunny on a field trip with preschool. Mom got to go along and snap some pretty cute pictures. I didn't get as many pictures of Gracia on the field trip because Gracia chose to stay with her class rather than join Faith's class in order to spend the afternoon with her "boyfriend". His mom chaperoned, and evidently hand-holding and a peck on the cheek occurred.

While at preschool before the field trip, I managed to snap a few pictures of Gracia intently doing her school work. My girls love to draw and color.

Welcome to Dancing Twinkies. Well, okay, the Twinkies aren't dancing in this picture...this is actually what Gracia's face looked like in most of my pictures of our family vacation to The West this summer. Faith manages a coy smile most of the time.

This is my first honest attempt at blogging. I figure it's time to keep up with the times, and now that we are expecting a new baby in February 2009, I have a little time to learn this blogging thing.

Our family is made up of John (a.k.a. Dad; Lutheran preacher), Siri (a.k.a. Mom; nurse practitioner), Faith (Twinkie #1 born 1 minute before...), and Gracia (Twinkie #2). Faith and Gracia are 5 years old, anxious for Kindergarten this fall, excited about a new brother or sister in February 2009 (they want twin boys), and in their spare time, enjoy ballet, made a hearty attempt at T-ball this year, and have recently taken up Suzuki violin method. Our household contains 2 pets. Sable is our kitty, who was Siri's roommate before meeting her mate, and Teddy is our 1 year old American Water Spaniel.