Memorial Weekend

I realize I'm falling behind on the blog posts lately and I do apologize! Life has been so busy lately in a good way, that I haven't sat down at the computer to upload photos and share stories in a while! We had a busy weekend, but full of fun. Gavin's Auntie Kristin was in town and spent a whole day at our house helping with projects and spending some quality R&R time with us as well as letting us tag along on her other visits and plans while she was here! On Thursday, Gavin came into Momma & Daddy's work for a little visit! Everyone was excited to see him and amazed at how much he has grown and changed since he was here to visit in December, when he was just about three weeks old! After the visit at work, we celebrated our friend Carrie R's birthday with dinner at Sarna's and a cool night out on her patio afterward. It was a later night than Gavin is used to, but he happily napped in my lap while we all sat around enjoying the summer weather.

We went in to see Dr. Rita for Gavin's 6 month well baby check on Friday morning and she says he's doing great! He weighs 18 1/2 lbs and is 27" long/tall, which puts him in the 75%ile for his age on both height and weight. He gained almost 3 lbs and 2 whole inches since his last visit two months ago. He also got three more shots and one oral vaccination, which he was not happy about, but he did really well and only cried for a minute and then was giggling again.

We made up for the tough morning with a fun afternoon at my sister Kathy's house. Gavin and I picked up Kristin and Grandma and headed out to Kathy & Terry's house for a visit. We didn't get too much done while we were there, but enjoyed the company, weeded the kids' gardens, and walked around the farm visiting the chickens, horses, and cattle. Gavin happily napped in the stroller while we worked and played outside. It was a beautiful day. Kristin spent Saturday at our house, which was a real treat! Gavin got to have a sleepover in his room with his Daddy so that Auntie Kristin and I could have our own sleepover. In the morning, Cliff brought me and Kristin french toast, bacon, hash browns, fruit, and coffee and we enjoyed our breakfast in bed with the sun shining in and Gavin playing on the bed with us. What a morning! After Gavin's bath, Cliff took him for a walk and Kristin and I headed out to the garden to start planting. We got all of the main garden area planted with Bibb Lettuce, Spinach, Green Beans, Swiss Chard, Beets, Carrots, Green Peppers, Sweet Banana Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, seven different kinds of Heirloom Tomatoes... and the Sugar Snap Peas that I had planted a couple of weeks ago. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that ONE of the 25 sweet potatoes I had planted (the night before the freeze) actually survived and has new green leaves. I have 20 more plants in the mail to me right now, so I'll have sweet potatoes in the end afterall! We still have to plant cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and squash, but need to burn our brush pile first so that there is room to plant them on the edge of the field. Of course, we couldn't burn the brush because we haven't had any rain and the fire danger is too high to burn anything. Saturday night Cliff and Gavin hung out at home together so Kristin and I could go out for a late dinner at Green Mill. Kristin loves Green Mill's Spinach Tortelloni and doesn't have a Green Mill where she lives, so this was a fun little treat.

Sunday was another nice day and we celebrated my friend Katie's graduation from The College of St. Catherine and then celebrated my family's May birthdays. The sun was bright and warm and the parties were fabulously beautiful. We didn't think we would make it to both parties, but Gavin was a real trooper and we had a nice time at both places. We got some great pictures of him in Auntie Joanne's yard that I'll try to share later this week! He also experienced his first bonfire that night, although he slept through most of it! Memorial day was our day to unwind from all of the festivities and we did just that. Cliff and Gavin made a trip to Menard's while I (FINALLY) moved a bunch of pictures from our camera on to our computer, we did a bit of housework, a bit more planting (finally planted all of the flowers I'd bought for my pots!), and then headed over to Jeremy & Rita's for a little visit. We went for a walk around their property with the kids and then shared delicious grilled kebabs and home made biscuits and rhubarb dessert. What a treat. Like I said, it was a fabulously fun filled weekend, but busy, busy, busy!

Since the weather was nice, when we didn't have to be some place, I jumped at the opportunity to get outside and finally rescue my wilting plants from their plastic nursery pots and get them into what should be cool, moist, soil. Unfortunately, we haven't had rain in weeks and our soil is taking on a desert sand appearance! But, praise God, it rained last night. Supposedly we got 4/10", which may just be enough to save our striving crops of corn and beans and was surely enough to give our grass that fresh green coloring again! It's amazing what a rain can do. Particularly a nice, gentle, slow rain like that one! We need more rain - that wasn't enough, but it did help.

I hope to post some pictures of our weekend as well as start the week by week garden update this weekend. We have another friend's birthday to celebrate this weekend as well as a work day planned at Grandma & Grandpa Sellner's house, but hope to have some downtime again on Sunday!

At the Park

Here are some photos of Gavin from today. My friend Carrie R and I took Gavin to the park and although it was pretty chilly out, the sun was warm and we enjoyed playing on the slides, picking dandelions, and taking some pictures! Here are just a few pictures of Gavin from today. As usual, I have many and will try to post some more later on.

New Word

Do you ever realize you just made up a word when there is already a word for what you mean? Here is an example... someone I know recently made up the word comfortability, when comfort would have been the correct word to use. It was used something like this, "I like the way that one looks, but I think comfortability-wise, this one is a better choice."

You get what I'm sayin'. So, Gavin and I are in the bathtub, having a splashingly fun time pouring water from one cup into another, spraying water all over the wall and the floor, kicking legs, etc. At the end of the bath, I usually give him a little 'swimming lesson'. Meaning, I lay him on his back in the water and I hold his head and neck with both hands and I let him float. He loves it. I want him to like the water, to love to be in it, to not be afraid to swim. So, this is my way of getting him to like floating and not be afraid that he might sink. He floats really well. He naturally floats. He has no problem with sinking...

So, I say, "Wow, Gavin. You're really _________."

"Floatacious!"

You're really floatacious! I meant buoyant, obviously. But I kind of like floatacious... it's a bodacious word! Not like comfortability.

Splash!

I just have to share this little story because it still cracks me up when I think about it. Last night I'm in my bedroom taking down the Pack 'n' Play that Gavin has been sleeping in since we brought him home from the hospital SIX months ago. I decided that this would be a good weekend to move him to his own bedroom - more details on this later. So, I'm in my bedroom, Gavin is in his bedroom playing in the crib, and the cat and dog are wandering the house someplace, and I hear this big "Sploosh!" The only think I can think of is that Drake just threw up somewhere in the house. It was too much of a noise to be cat throw up and Gavin could only make such a splash if he was throwing up on a hard surface while being held up high. Since I knew he was in his crib, it couldn't have been him. So, I go racing through the dimly lit house, being extra careful not to step in a big puddle of dog puke, looking for the dog and the puddle. Drake was just lifting his head as if to say, "What are you all roused up about? I'm just layin' here mindin' my own business." There is a long string of twine laying on the floor in front of him and I think, "Okay, he was chewing on twine and started choking and then threw up." But, there was no puke puddle in sight. The twine was clean and dry, so I picked it up and threw it away. Then I run in to check Gavin, thinking if it wasn't the dog, it had to be the baby. He was laying in his crib, kicking his legs, as happy as a clam. No spit up, no drool, nothing. I step out of his room right into a big wet spot on the hardwood floor and see a trail of water coming from my bedroom door through the hallway into the living room and at the end of the trail... a sopping wet cat! Moses was sitting in the living room, completely drenched, licking his legs. What a site! Gavin and I had taken a bath about 20 minutes earlier and I hadn't drained the tub since I didn't have a free hand to pull the plug. He is a slippery baby when wet and I was very careful to get both he and I out of the tub without slipping on the edge of the tub or the floor! Moses often hops into the EMPTY tub to nap and I think he hopped in and the tub was NOT empty! May I also add that the tub was pretty full, has high sides, and the sides are sloped so it would be very tough for a freaked out cat to get out of the water??? Oh my goodness! I wish I could have seen it happen!!! I think Moses might think twice about hopping in the tub next time without looking first! (and of course it's a good reminder to always drain the tub when you get out because anyone could fall in, including your kids (and cats). I should have taken a picture of that soaking wet Moses, but I think I was laughing to hard to even hold the camera!

So Kissable

Thank you to Donna "aka Miz Booshay" for her reminder to get over yourself and get in the picture! Read her wonderful post at
http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2009/05/snap-out-of-it/

In All His Nakedness

There is something pure and clean and perfect about a baby's skin. Maybe it's just that it is just that... pure, clean, and perfect. The smell of a baby fresh out of the bathtub is one of the sweetest things on earth. The sweetest is his milky baby breath. Kissable, squeezable, softest baby skin...

these soft, rosy cheeks...

this scrunched up little face...

these chubby little thighs...

and tiny ticklish toes...

What'cha doin, Mama?

Hey Mama? I'm down here. Put down the camera and snuggle me!

Yeah, that's better. Come here and give me some snuggles.

Time for Ourselves - Wk 2

This week on my evening out, Steph (and Luke) and I went walking at DeSanctis Park in River Falls. DeSanctis is a beautifully manicured grassy city park with walking paths and a pond, as well as the relocated old Glover Station School House / Troy Town Hall. They also have a playground, which was definitely Luke's favorite part of the park. We saw a lot of people walking their dogs and got to visit with some very friendly pups! We even got to hear the interesting background of one of the dogs, straight from it's teenage owners mouth. I'll spare you the details, but it was cute.

The evening air was warm and it was great to get out for some exercise and great conversation with a friend. Luke kept us entertained with his many trips down the slide and we even got to watch another park visitor swinging and flipping herself around like a professional on the high bars at the playground. It was obvious she was a frequent visitor to the park - she had had lots of practice!

Thanks Steph and Luke for getting me out of the house for another beautiful walk!

The Happiest Baby on the Block

Never mind that he's the only baby on the block... or in the neighborhood for that matter! Either way, he is most definitely a happy baby!




"Hey Mom! I rolled over!" He's great at rolling from his belly onto his back, but not quite as good yet at rolling from his back to his belly! He can get onto his side, but doesn't usually keep going. He sure doesn't seem to mind though!

(By the way, no pun intended with the "on the block" reference to a quilt block!)

Playing in the Grass

I'm not sure if I could possibly be any happier that springtime is here. Loyal Jenning Family blog readers have surely heard enough about how much I love spring, how long I've been waiting to once again throw open the windows and let the birdsongs fill the house... how much my hands have been aching to feel the earth, to pull with all of their might at the most stubborn weeds, to take on that scratched up, stained patina that comes only from gardening, from the soil that gets under your fingernails that no soap or scrub-brush can reach, from the juice of fresh picked berries, from the golden pollen of lilies...

The first mild sunburn from the days that you don't think it's warm enough to get sunburned, but you're hot and sweaty from working, so you toss your sweatshirt aside. You don't realize you've burned until you get in the shower and the hot water stings as it splashes off your skin. ...the smell of bug spray and sunblock. ...slivers, thistles and thorns stuck in your hands and arms from berry picking, weeding, or tearing out shrubbery. ...aching back and legs from the first long days of leaning over your current project, digging out trees, planting seeds, building a mailbox post or flower boxes. Ahhhh, 'tis the season.

You may recall from my earlier post that Gavin had not yet experienced the wonderful freshness of grass. The fresh coolness of the morning grass before the sun has had a chance to warm the ground. We take grass for granted. Our kids play in the grass, we lay down for a rest on the grass, the birds build their nests in the grass, our pets romp and pounce in the grass, and yet we barely notice it. It's a bit of a surprise that a person can live for almost six months in rural Wisconsin and not have any idea what grass is. When you're born in November, I guess it's not that crazy. This weekend was our yard's big debut. For the first time, Gavin played outside without the warm snuggly comfort of his stroller. He sat in the grass with us. He sat still and quietly, absorbing all that was new and different. He carefully and gently felt the grass with his bare hands, staring down at his hands as his fingers ran across the soft cool green ground. We sat this way for a long time, Gavin listening intently to the songs of the birds, watching the flock of Cedar Waxwings swoop from the big boxelder tree down to the birdbath for a drink and a swim, then back up to the tree and down to the feeder and back to the tree again. Drake rested by our side, impatiently watching the birds, yearning to chase them, nudging us with his wet nose. Gavin took it all in. It was intriguing and exhausting at the same time.

He was soon overwhelmed with it all and closed his eyes.

Sunday was another beautiful day, even warmer than Saturday. Gavin traded in his camouflage fleece hat for a trendy little khaki sun hat and spent the day with us out by the garden. We dug out and moved a Silver Maple tree, a pink Flowering Crabapple tree, a whole plot of Irises, a dark magenta Peony, a few more Rhubarb plants, what was left of the Strawberries, a bunch of False Sunflower, and a few random Winter Onions and Chives. Gavin spent some of this time in his stroller and some of this time laying in the grass. He wasn't too happy in either spot, so he ended up going to Grandma and Grandpa's for a little nap while Mom & Dad kept working outside. It was a long day with a whole lot of back-breaking shoveling, but a very welcome sacrifice to make for the nice weather. I'll take transplanting on a sunny day over being stuck in the house on a cold wet day any time!

Shoes

It's not often that we shop for much of anything besides groceries, diapers, laundry detergent, or home improvement supplies. If you were to look at our bank statement, aside from the gas station charges every other day, you would see the same few stores listed over and over again... County Market, Wal-Mart, Menards, Target, Produce Exchange... County Market, Wal-Mart, Menards, Target, Produce Exchange... so it's pretty exciting when we shop for anything other than those staples.

Spring is here and although we most certainly don't typically go out and buy a new wardrobe every season (or every year for that matter) we all seem to have gotten new shoes recently.

If you don't know what new shoes can do for a girl, you have a lot to learn. New shoes can cure the blues... they come in pairs, in sets of twos... you don't need a vacation, you don't need a cruise, all you need is a new pair of shoes, some people buy make-up or get new hairdos, but I'm telling you now, what you need is new shoes!

Because I'm the only girl in the house... and because I'm the one who bought everyone new shoes... I got two new pair of shoes! It makes perfect sense, of course.

I got shoes for dressing up and shoes for dressing down. Now I sound like Dr. Seuss making rhymes all over town!

I got these shoes... to wear to work and for dressing up old jeans... These are particularly awesome because the color is taupe linen. I can wear them with black, brown, tan or gray and they seem to match all four colors!

and these shoes... for walking and going to the movies (which I of course do all the time, so I need shoes for it!) ha ha! One of the greatest things about these shoes is the polka dotted inside! I know you don't see that when I'm wearing them, but I know it's there so it makes me feel special. It's sort of like lacy panties... even though no one will see them, they make me stand a bit taller and feel a little more special!

Gavin got these shoes and they're the only pair of shoes he has so they're for dressing up, laying around, going to the movies, playing, eating, and everything else he does... wait... he doesn't go to the movies. Well, they're for going to daycare, then!

Last, but not least, Cliff, who was in very desperate need of new brown shoes, moreso than either Gavin or I, got these! I don't really know if they make Cliff feel special like he feels when he wears lace panties... oh wait. Nevermind. I don't know if they make Cliff feel special like my shoes make me feel, but they're just the right shoe to wear to work with dress pants and also be able to wear with jeans to the bar for a burger.

Time for Ourselves

The Swinging Bridge at Glen Park.

As much as Cliff and I adore spending time with Gavin and miss him when we're not with him, we sometimes feel like we're always racing home after work to be with Gavin. We occasionally miss the freedom to take our time coming home from work, stopping to run errands, meeting a friend for a walk or a quick bit to eat, etc. To keep ourselves from feeling like we're so short on time, Cliff and I have each chosen an evening a week that is our night to come home late... and by late, I mean 8:00. We can do what we want that night and don't need to pick up Gavin from daycare, make dinner, or rush home for anything else.

I have chosen Monday nights and Cliff has chosen Tuesday nights. On Tuesday nights, Cliff is shooting on a clay pigeon shooting league with some friends, which goes on for about another two months. Currently, Monday isn't a great choice for me because I work until 5:30 or 6:00 that day, so I only end up having an extra hour to hour and a half, but it works for now. I haven't committed to any particular activity for my evening, but admit that I've chosen to spend my hour at Wal-mart or the grocery store once or twice since sometimes it seems like that's the only time I can get there!

A friend suggested going walking now that the weather is so nice outside. There is a small group of us interested in walking and whoever is free that night will go. I think it will work for me most nights, and when there is something else I need to do, that's okay too. No commitment needed.

Erin and Stacy out for a walk through Glen Park.

Last week Stacy and I went walking. We walked about 3 miles, from her house near West Side Elementary School to Glen Park where we crossed the Swinging Bridge over the river and then we continued down to Main Street for a beer and a bite to eat at the Main Streeter. When we left the Main Streeter it was starting to get a little darker and the air was cooling down quickly. By the time we got back to her house, we were chilled, but enjoyed the cool night and the chance to get out of the house!

As always, here are a few pictures! (this one on the left is not actually from our walk, but I thought it was a good picture of the swinging bridge so I'm including it here)

The View from the the Swinging Bridge.

Maybe I can get Cliff to take some pictures of his shooting adventures!