Eleanor Sophia

I'm an aunty all over again! Jon & Rachel's third baby was born yesterday, Eleanor Sophia Hipps...now if only they lived in Jersey instead of New Jersey I'd be getting some serious baby fix in! Welcome Eleanor!

We continue to enjoy the company of Jer's grandparents. Yesterday we drove up to Devil's Dyke and, though it was foggy, it was still quite lovely. After school, they came with to pick up the boys and then joined us at the skatepark where Owen worked on the half pipe. He can now do hop turn as he goes around it...I'm sure there is some technical term for this, but hop turn is going to have to do for now! Walter did some scootering, followed by some playing on the playground...while I enjoyed playing with my new lens! (it's amazing!)

the 'hop turn'

Mom, your hood is on backwards.

This is what Walter told me today as we walked out the door. I was wearing a cowl neck sweater.

Round 6 of guests arrived Saturday! Jeremy's grandparents, Donna and Bruce are here after an emergency root canal for Donna had us wondering if they would make it. Thankfully, it went well and she was still able to travel the day after her surgery.

Yesterday we took them into the Lanes of Brighton and they asked the boys to choose their favorite restaurant to go to. We ended up at Donatello's and both boys cleaned their plates and ate dessert. (Jer & I might have, too!)

They were kind enough to bring a few things from home for us, and their muscles were built up from all the weight. Jer had a new driver delivered, we both have been missing our VitaMix terribly, and I had a new lens (!) delivered to them...all of which they carried over here for us! We need to buy a massive transformer to make our VitaMix work here, but it will be so worth it to start our day with green smoothies once again. Jer is itching to get out to the range and test his driver. I have been playing with my new lens and am so happy to be taking a photography class beginning this January because this lens is definitely more advanced than I am when it comes to taking photos. I feel like I used to be pretty good at taking photos and since I've put that new amazing lens on...my skill has gone way, way, WAY down. In time, in time...

Swimming, swimming, swimming

If you ask the boys their favorite part of our trip, this will be their response. They may have grown gills.

Here is the last set of photos from our trip. It is so fun to look back at these. We kind of stumbled upon the Algarve - toying with the idea of going back to Capri, then thinking Majorca, then Gran Canaria. After looking at flights and some terrible flight times, we fell upon southern Portugal and could not have been more impressed. I can assure you I will be looking back at these photos in the grey days of winter people warn me of that are ahead...though today is a beautiful sunny day!

228!

Our legs got a great workout every day in the Algarve; particularly the day we went to Praia do Camilo...which was 228 steps down and 228 steps up!

Here are a few more gorgeous photos from our trip to the Algarve:

Praia da Rocha 

Cathedral Cave - Ponta da Piedade

Boat ride along the Ponta da Piedade

Steps down to Praia do Camilo

Tunnel from one beach to another.

My favorite W picture from the trip...how could he make a face like that on a beautiful beach like this?

Proof that the crankiness didn't last long!

Kung Fu fightin'

Can I see my new stamp?!

We returned yesterday from our 10 year anniversary trip to the Algarve, Portugal. It was simply amazing, so incredibly beautiful and such a great family vacation. We stayed in a beautiful resort with 6 different pools, in a gorgeous 2 bedroom townhome. We did exactly what we wanted, which included primarily swimming in the pools, followed by a trip to a beach surrounded by limestone cliffs for some swimming in the ocean, followed by a nightcap swim in the pools again. We've all agreed we'd love to go back again.

This was our first trip onto the continent and we are already planning our next! (OK, I am already planning our next!) One of my favorite things was seeing how excited the boys were to get their stamps in their passports. Owen eagerly asked "Can I see my new stamp?" immediately after we passed through customs both times. There is a boy after my heart, for sure!

Ready for your breathe to be taken away???

Exploring Praia do Carvoeiro just after we landed.

O - poolside at 'personal pool'

Close up of the limestone cliffs from the Jurassic period...yes, we were looking for dinosaur bones! 

W relaxing on Praia de Vale Centeanes 

Peaking over at the Algar Seco

W at Algar Seco

10.11.12...10 years of wedded bliss!

Not so successful self timer at Ferragudo.

More to come...

Ten years and counting!

Ten years ago today Jer & I were married! Its been a pretty great ten years and I look forward to many more decades together. Here are a few photos from previous anniversary celebrations...I'll add ones from our 10 year anniversary celebration when we get home. (Which we are celebrating in the Algarve, Portugal!) I love you, Jer!

Dinner at Jax - 2007

Visiting Nicollet Island - 2008

Visiting Nicollet Island - 2009

Visiting Nicollet Island - 2010

The big 6-0!

Happy Birthday Mom! We love you so much & wish we could be with you to help celebrate...actually, I think we'd rather have you here with us to celebrate...we are in Portugal! :)

If we could be with you, I'm thinking the boys might reenact these shenanigans...

We love you and miss you, Mom/Grandma! May your day be wonderful and your new decade spectacular! xx

Wow, so our grandpa was named after him?!

On the way to school Friday, Walter was asking me about my childhood. He asked if Jer and I lived together as kids. I reminded him who we both grew up with and then he was asking me about my grandpa's. He is lucky enough to remember my Grandpa Armstrong and knew him right away when I mentioned him. I then told him about my Grandpa Harala, who he never got to meet. Right away he said "Wow, so our grandpa was named after him?!" (They call my dad Grandpa Harala, just like I called mine.) Pretty sweet.

Owen has been patiently waiting for a trip to the skate park with his pal, Cassius. They talk with one another about their trick scooters and riding at the skate park all the time. Two weeks ago we planned on going bright and early on a Saturday morning, only to get rained out. Last weekend, he was out of town, so when we woke up to a beautiful sunny day yesterday, we knew what we were doing. We loaded up the car with scooters, skate boards, pads, helmets and my camera to capture the momentous event. When we got down there and settled in, I immediately pulled out my camera and realized my battery was dead. Luckily, I had my phone and took a few videos instead...now let's see if I can share them with you successfully. (We were due for a video anyway, right?!)

Scooter dude O is here.

Skater dude W is here.

What does our house look like in Minnesota?

Walter asked me this yesterday. He couldn't remember the animal wallpaper on his bedroom walls until Owen & I reminded him...he couldn't remember our (beautiful) kitchen until Owen & I reminded him of a few elements...crazy how that little mind works.

Speaking of Walter, I never shared photos of his first day of school. He is a kindergartner now! Such a big boy. (Thankfully he still loves to cuddle his mom!) School has been going great for him. He's been making some great new friends and his teachers continue to remark "It feels like he's been here for years!" It's such a comfort knowing he is happy at school. He's been busy working on action cards with his pal, excuse me, mate, Rudy. Together they read, draw and act out different verbs and it seems to be quite the popular work at the moment. I've also heard of work with teens, maps and flags and I'm sure there is plenty more I don't hear about.