'Because' is not an answer.

I've said it before, but Owen often asks some difficult questions that often make me think. I guess sometimes I will say 'because' before I start a reply as I'm trying to think through how to explain things. The other day as I had given this answer with a pause, Owen quickly told me this.

Owen had Young Architect camp this past week at MCAD. Everyday, Walter & I wanted to stay as it looked like such fun. On Friday we were invited to their art exhibition and finally got to see the tree houses and the low-reliefs. Owen's tree house was inspired by nature and his favorite color, while his low-relief was inspired by urban Japanese architecture. My heart is beaming.

On Saturday we hit up Canterbury Park to watch a few horse races. Walter picked the 3 horse to win every race and was pretty sad when it never did. The horses made up for it though by letting him and his brother pet them.

We had a wonderful, warm 4th of July. We went to the Richfield parade and loaded up on tootsie rolls then went to Grandma Donna's for a delicious barbeque and lots of fireworks. Unfortunately my camera battery was dead, so I missed some great shots of two excited boys enjoying the show their dad put on for us all.

I want to see a rhinoceros.

We are going to the zoo tomorrow and this is Walter's goal...too bad there aren't any rhino's at the MN zoo, though...at least not that I remember.

Our sweet Walter is officially 3. We celebrated with some friends on Tuesday and his requested Lighting McQueen birthday cake. For the past 4 months every time we'd pass the bakery at a grocery store, he'd ask to order his birthday cake, so it was long awaited and he was quite proud of that cake.

My mom came down yesterday and Jer left for his fishing trip. She is here to help celebrate my sister's birthday, which was yesterday, and bid my aunt farewell, as she is moving to New Mexico to work with my uncle Kurt. It is always nice to have her around to help with the kids. They love getting goofy with Grandma, that's for sure!

Popsicle course.

We were playing at a park recently with some friends and the older kids started making up an obstacle course. Walter quickly joined in with his own version...a popsicle course!

We had a wonderful summer time week this week. It really felt like summer break with trips to parks, pools and even the arboretum with friends. My personal highlight was an entire day with Lydia and Lindsay - it was great to spend a day with my freshman year roomie and her sweet little girl!

The Walter celebrations started yesterday as Jer graciously shared his special day with Walter and a family birthday party. He was showered with monster trucks, including a create your own monster truck kit, which the boys enjoyed doing while I cleaned up. Tomorrow is the real big day when Mr. 2 1/2 becomes Mr. 3!

I need a band-aid!

Walter loves band-aids. Any scrape or bump (which happens often to a nearly 3 year old in summer) and he comes running to me and declares this, often with an excited smile.

We kicked off summer with a trip to my parents house. It was a wonderful, relaxing time for me and wonderful, exciting time for the boys. I did a lot of sleeping and got two massages. The boys biked, built sail boats, fished, played games, did play dough, and pretty much anything they could think of doing, Grandma & Grandpa did with them.

Another bonus of being gone was taking a break from the construction. We are now without a kitchen sink and trying to patiently wait for the new one. The floor is now in and the cabinets are nearly all installed. Tomorrow the new appliances are coming and Tuesday they are coming to measure for the countertops!

We got back from my mom & dad's on Thursday and on Friday I went away for the weekend with my college girlfriends. We rented a cabin in Lake City and had a lovely weekend laughing and enjoying one another's company.

It's official...

Owen is now a kindergartner. How did that happen?

And, Walter is a preschooler.

Thankfully we have the whole summer to enjoy and get prepped for it.

Justin Beaver

Don't let my husband's Wilco shirts fool you, he is a teenie-bopper at heart. He loves KDWB and all the pop stars and music. Thanks to his father, Owen can sing along to many of the songs on KDWB and the other day he told me he knew who sang Eenie Meenie. When I asked who, he said "Justin Beaver." He said he and a friend at school were discussing the song and his friend told him who the artist was. (In case you aren't pop savvy, the 16 year old heart throb artist is Justin Bieber.)

We had a fabulous Memorial weekend together. If you ask Owen his highlight, it was tubing at his buddy's cabin without any adults! Here are a few photos from the day.

As I was cleaning up I found this drawing and couldn't just toss it. Too cute. Owen is quite fond of dragon's these days.

I keep getting distracted by freeze tag.

Owen was complaining about not getting a swing at school and when I asked him why he never got one, this was his reply.

If there is a phrase to describe our weekend, it is Happy Birthday. Owen has been to three parties this weekend and there is one more this afternoon. Its been a great weekend for him! Yesterday we realized he didn't eat lunch, just two helpings of cake and ice cream.

We went out to Lake Nokomis for the fishing opener last weekend and Walter caught his first fish. He actually caught 3 before deciding digging in the sand was more enjoyable.

On Monday we celebrated Great Grandma Donna's 85th birthday. She and Bruce are 85 and no one ever knows where they are still as they are always jet setting around the globe! It was an extra special night as cousin Isabelle was in town to help celebrate.

You are one silly Mommy, Mom.

Oh sweet, sweet Walter...

And oh, sweet, sweet progress! The Muffin Man has torn out the wall separating our existing kitchen and addition and put in the header that will offer support instead of a wall. Every time I walk into that room I feel like we've moved to the burbs! It just feels so huge!

We got to see my cousin from Colorado this weekend, and a few other close by cousins, too. We met at the MOA and watched the kids smile and laugh on rides. Owen is an adventurous man and loves the crazy rides, thankfully Jer is willing to go on with him, as I, am not.

Ta-tay-moes

This is how Walter says potatoes. Cute, huh?!

It was an exciting day in the construction department here...we have a new patio door! I thought I should share some progressive photos. Don't let the adorable kids in the first photo trick you, the room was not cute and will be much more functional when its all said and done!

(free babysitting...well, kind of!)

Can we go to the tile shop after the doctor?

Walter asked me this yesterday. This question pretty much sums up my life over the past few weeks...tile shops and doctor visits!

We had a lovely weekend together celebrating May Day. Saturday the boys and I made May Day baskets at Bachmann's and then went around the neighborhood delivering them. Sunday we went to the May Day parade at Powderhorn Park. Its a big peace love party and is so fun to people watch at!