1. he bakes bread… makes dough, and has fully embraced his role as family baker.
2. he sings- even if he only knows a couple of lines of the song.
3. he’d rather watch MegaMovers or Mythbusters, but he isn’t afraid of an episode of Downton Abbey
4. he is willing to change plans to be with me… for a doctor’s appointment, a work event or when I need a ride to work.
5. he’s game for window shopping, brunch, walks and naps.
The holidays were a whirlwind. Lots of time in the car, a wedding, new beginnings and old traditions. Thank you to our friends for keeping us sane. I’m grateful for a new year. Our first anniversary is approaching and I’m looking forward to celebrating with Kevin.
Want to see more?
I was the mastermind who engineered Thanksgiving 2011. I talked my mom into taking us to her very dearest friend, Deb’s home in Boston. With my dad gone and things changing so fast, I really wanted to return to some kind of normalcy. Deb’s family has always been our Thanksgiving tradition. My mom’s family was in Kentucky and Colorado; her parents died young. We spent Christmas with my dad’s family.
So we traveled Kevin and I from Minneapolis and Mom from Indiana to visit our dear Deb. We visited the Boston Public Library, shopped on Newbury Street, paid homage at the JFK Museum and Presidential Library, saw Christian Marclay’s video installation “The Clock” at the Museum of Fine Arts, admired the view and the cuisine at Legal Seafood Harborside and ate noodles at Wagamama. We reconnected with friends- old and new, and I am grateful for that.
Once upon a time, I was a babysitter. I babysat most weekends from my 13th through my 18th birthdays. It was good money. My parents never got cable, and I got to watch a lot of Nick at Nite. As an only child, I wasn’t great with resolving sibling arguments, but the kids were usually fun and well-behaved with me.
So when our dear friends asked if we could babysit their darling five year old for a weekend, I thought, no problem. In fact, this will be fun and easy. I know Nate well. He’s a good kid- polite and sweet. The truth is I underestimated the whole situation. I didn’t anticipate he’d be homesick, have an accident, or be up before it was light out. We are wiped out! I still love Nate and will gladly take care of him again, but it was a good reminder that parenting is not easy. (TRUTH: Any success we owe to our friend Brooke who hosted the WORLD’S BEST PLAYDATE and propped me up.) Here are the weekend highlights:
Thank you to our friends for trusting us with your most prized possession. (We’re still anxious to be parents.)
I needed to laugh tonight. K. makes me laugh frequently, but a little Awkward Family Photos or Cake Wrecks will usually do the trick. Here’s to another 100 posts on my sweetest find. More great family photos and cakes too.
I love you, Kev.
Stuff we have enjoyed together recently:
Meal- Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells from Country Living Magazine
Book – The Grace of Silence by Michele Norris
Movie- The Way
Exhibit- Conversations in Wood
TV Series- Firefly
Seasonal Ritual- Apple Pie
Event- Kevin’s Birthday and Catholic Memorial High School Reunion
There have been UFO sightings in Maple Grove. Not of the Roswell variety, but Kevin finds them equally jarring and mysterious. UFO stands for UnFinished Object. He has learned that his wife is incredibly adept at starting projects (or making objects), but less interested or less talented in finishing them. Kevin calls this multiple project syndrome; I consider it following my passions and energy. To his credit, my man gets things done. So I am working more on a blanket that I no longer want people to consider a beautiful placemat. I hope someday it will cover both of us.
Kevin’s family (John, Janet, and Grandma) hosted a beautiful party for us today. About sixty people joined us for a picnic. A few of the guests were with us for the wedding, but most had not been able to join us in Minneapolis. We are near the sixth month mark, and I loved sharing wedding photos and talking about the wedding. We had a beautiful celebration in January. It was fun to reminisce.
People asked, “How is married life?” I want to shout “AWESOME!” Kevin is more sober- we’ve been through a lot. It’s true. We haven’t just learned to share a home, prepare meals, sleep in the same bed (we both snore), or decide what to do with free time. My dad’s decline, death, and memorial service were major events in our first six months. We’ve crammed so much of the ups and downs, I’m looking forward to some quieter days.
Still it is fun to look back….
Kevin is strutting around the kitchen with his chest puffed out, “I made BREAD! I made food that sustains life.” He did. My husband made a beautiful loaf of crusty artisan bread with yet another Mark Bittman idea. It is stunning and tasty. And, as my dad used to say, the perfect vehicle for butter.
We just had a fantastic evening at Bacchanal, an outdoor kitchen/wine bar. Great live music, fantastic conversations, even the rain didn’t stop us from relishing in it all. Now damp and in our dry lovely hotel, I finally feel like we’re on vacation.