The Last Days Before Winter Break

Once the piano recital was complete, all we had between us and twelve days of Winter Break was Mike's birthday, a couple days of school, and the first two days at my new job!

Saturday afternoon, after hockey was over, the girls had a Secret Santa party with a few of their friends. This meant we didn't see them for most of the day - and Mike and I got two-on-one Declan time. The dude wasn't too sure about it at first, but once he realized that he got to dictate the agenda of the evening ... well, he was all in. We ended up going sledding in the old neighborhood (and stopped by to say hello to a few of our favorites!). Then we picked up Arby's on the way home and made a movie night of it. Pro tip: watch Luca. It's super sweet.

Then we celebrated Mike's birthday a day early on Sunday because we had plans to go to the Team USA v Team Canada women's hockey game on his actual birthday. Quinn's whole hockey team was going and even Fiona was excited to watch the game. We made a special birthday dinner [both Mike and I can remember was good ... but neither of us can remember what it was. Because when you blog a month later, you forget things!] and I proved to the kids that I can, in fact, make cheesecake. Everyone was a fan of the dessert! 

We do remember that Mike didn't get to use his new birthday present for his birthday. We combined our birthday money and his holiday bonus from work and bought a Traeger grill. I joke that it's his present - but let's be honest. Anytime I don't have to cook dinner on my own, it's a gift to me too. We didn't get to test it out until January, but so far, we are very pleased!

Unfortunately, six hours before game time, the hockey game was canceled out of covid caution. While we understand, it also felt like a very late and arbitrary decision. Quinn (and her teammates) were so disappointed. In order to patch some bruised hearts, we went out to eat at a local cafe for Mike's birthday proper. It opened during The Covid Times and the kids have asked repeated to try it out. We were the only ones in the restaurant, which was lovely - but we also felt terrible for the business. As we were leaving, a few more customers arrived. Whew. Then Mike and the kids played out on the rink until I ruined lives and called them in for bed. While not the birthday we had planned, it was still a fun day! [I declined the rink time and nursed a migraine instead. The first day at a new job is exhausting!]

We also fit in some time to watch Mike's favorite Christmas movie - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Quinn cracks me up more than the movie does (which is saying something!) because she honestly does.not.laugh the entire movie. She claims she likes it, but her face says otherwise.

The kids and I made it through two days of school/work (seriously, two days of work and then twelve days off is not a bad deal!) and used Wednesday to pack for our trek north. We loved how Christmas in the new house felt (yay for new, taller tree and stockings hung by the fireplace!), but we were so ready to get out of town. Christmas up north is our favorite and we couldn't wait!

Year Eleven

October started out a little rough for the September birthday girl. In what we think was a combo triple punch of allergies, flu mist reaction, and a cold, she missed several days of school and is now, two weeks later, still dealing with a bit of a cough (there were multiple negative covid tests involved). Thankfully her sparkle is back, which was distinctly absent for those first days of October.

Eleven and 5th grade have brought about an interesting shift in confidence and maturity. Fiona's now one of the big dogs at school and seems to feel both more confident in her social position and in her own skin. It's been really fun to watch her believe in herself more and be proud of who she is. 

That confidence is also coming through in her school work. It's early and probably still more review than new concepts - but homework is much more pleasant and less painful/tearful than it has ever been. We will be thankful for that as long as it lasts. [It is not lost on us that both Q and Dec having homework helps too. She can't complain that she's the only one with homework.] 

As for maturity, she has been stepping up around the house and proactively offering to help out. We see her engaging more in her meds routine and remembering what she needs when. In general, Fiona is taking responsibility more seriously and is showing that we can trust her with things. She's still young - and there are opportunities to get better. But big steps forward in growing up!

The move to the new house was also great for F's social life. While she very much misses her sweet friend E from the old neighborhood, E was the only person she had to play with. Now, she has several friends in the area and is learning more and more where other friends' houses are. It's so fun to see new faces come to the door and ask "can Fiona come play?" and I will never tire of her smile when a friend shows up. Fiona is incredibly friendly, but has struggled to find her group. Some of that could be that she didn't live near anyone - and she is more introverted like me. So the proximity factor is game-changing for her.

Fiona is still our avid reader. She decided to try Harry Potter in the spring and read all seven books by end of summer. She started re-reading them and is midway through Book 7. As much as I love her loving them, I've told her that we will not be starting a third time through right now. There are so many other books to love. Both Fiona and Declan are also obsessed with the I Survived books. So if you are ever on the Titanic or in the Hindenberg and need survival tips, you know your brain trust!

Fiona's passions remain horses, theater, music, and books. She is doing horseback riding through the Y again this fall and loves it. And I signed her up for a theatre academy at a local theater this winter. She'll go every Saturday morning for a couple months and I suspect she will love it. She's also back to piano lessons and is thrilled that she has moved up a book level!

Besides a neighborhood of friends, Fiona's favorite thing about the move is her.own.room. When we first moved in, it felt like we would go days without seeing her. She'd camp out in her room, door closed, until Mike or I forced her to join the family. Now that the newness has worn off, it's a much better balance of alone time in her room (where she is likely drawing at her new desk [her bday present from us], reading on her window seat, or playing Barbies) and time in the main living area with the rest of us. We love that she loves her own space ... but it's nice to have her back as part of the family! 

Friends with middle schoolers tell me that next fall will bring requests for cell phones and sleepovers and other such middle school drama. I'm in no rush for that business. So we will all just enjoy Year Eleven and not think about The Middle School Years [shudder].

Year Eleven Facts about Fiona:

    Height: 54.75" (25 percentile) ... you guys. TWENTY FIVE! She grew almost five inches this year!
    Weight: 22 percentile
    Favorite color: any shade of blue
    Favorite friend: Lauren
    Favorite show: Jessie
    Favorite book: Harry Potter series
    Favorite movie: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkahban
    Favorite song: I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness
    Favorite food: Mac and cheese
    Favorite thing to do: Play outside with friends
    Be when you grow up: Fashion designer 

Fiona's Movie Night Birthday

Here it is - the finale of the annual Summer of Birthdays. You know, where we birthday for four months in a row and then take a break until Mike's. I will tell you that I grew up thinking summer birthdays are the worst and Mike grew up thinking that a Christmas birthday is the worst. And now, we are willing to consider that a birthday two weeks after the start of school may actually take the top prize. Everyone is tired and busy and trying to get into a routine ... so finding a date that works to have your friends over is near impossible. 

Fiona's actual birthday was a Monday, so we celebrated the weekend before. We spent most of Saturday making her birthday cake. She decided on a chocolate dulce de leche cake - and it did not disappoint. The grocery store failed me and didn't have any dulce de leche in stock. So the entire cake, down to the dulce de leche, was homemade. We got sweetened condensed milk from the store instead and then conducted a science experiment in my pressure cooker. The experiment turned out quite delicious!

The final product was a chocolate fudge cake layer cake, with dulce de leche and dulce de leche frosting in the middle (plus some heath bits because why not), then frosted with chocolate cream cheese icing, edged with more dulce de leche frosting, and drizzled with dulce de leche. If it sounds intense, it was. It was, friends. But it was also delicious and she was delighted.

After dinner, Fiona's friend Lo came over - and the girls (plus Quinn) got the run of the basement for a movie night. They decided to watch The Princess Diaries (the choice was heavily influenced by yours truly - but all three loved it. As I knew they would). I brought them down a ton of junk food (popcorn, cheetos, reeses peanut butter cups ...) and mostly stayed out of their way.

Meanwhile, Dec got Mike and me to himself and he wasn't sure what he thought about that. He didn't want to watch the princess movie with the girls ... until we told him that he wasn't invited. Then he wanted nothing more than to go downstairs. The three of us were sitting upstairs watching Dec's movie when there were several shrieks from the basement. Mike said "what on Earth?!?!" and I started laughing. I told him that I suspected they were at the kiss part. A quick trip downstairs confirmed that there had, in fact, been a kiss.

After the movie, the girls did facials and sat around giggling ... and eating more junk food. Once I helped them clean up their faces, we walked Lo back to her house. As we walked home, Fiona excitedly told me that it was a great birthday party. I was so glad since a couple other friends were unable to make it because of scheduling issues. Instead, it turned out to be low-key and fun - which is just the perfect celebration in Fiona's mind.

Quinn is Nine!

Quinn started the week by heading to school with a rug-burn scrape on her face and a bruised eye. Why? Because as she was body surfing on her dad’s back down the stairs (naturally), little bro got a bit excited, jumped on the body boarding duo, threw off everyone’s balance, and Q ended up somersaulting down a couple stairs at the expense of her right eye. And what was she maddest about in this story? That I put a hard stop to stair body surfing for the rest of the day.

Monday night, Quinn had evaluations for next summer’s AAA hockey team. It’s a team that she is pretty sure she doesn’t want to play for – but if she doesn’t eval now, she doesn’t get a choice later. Since Q is typically 0 or 100 (and no speed in-between), we were more than slightly concerned about self-sabotage in this endeavor. All we could do was hope that the driven, competitive part of her was louder. According to Coach Dad (who found it strange to watch from off ice!), girlfriend brought it. She played hard and was completely exhausted when she got home. We'll see how next summer shakes out (we have time) - but we are so glad she left her options open.

One of the first new neighbors we met when we moved in live just two doors away. They have the sweetest little four-year-old girl, Isa, who adores Fiona and Quinn. F, Q, and all their girlfriends loved to play with Isa and her little brother Luke this summer. Quinn probably spent more time at their house than our house. Well, now not only are the big girls gone during the day, but they have after school activities and homework and reasonable(ish) bedtimes. Isa is not here for it! Every time she sees me, I hear "where Quinn?" So tonight after dinner, there was much joy in a giant bouncy ball game in the driveway because they finally got to see each other ... and so much sadness when I walked over to bring the girls home. Quinn has such a sweet relationship with those two littles. 

It's not entirely surprising that Quinn has no time to play now that life is ramping back up. Her summer AAA hockey will end in a couple weeks - just in time for regular season pre-skates to start. She's also back in the gym for gymnastics classes. She started up again this summer and adamantly wanted to keep going. Q is constantly flipping and cartwheeling and using the living room furniture as gym equipment. She also decided that rec soccer is no longer for her - and tried out for the competitive travel team. She made the B team with lots of her friends, but decided not to play this fall. So spring will be our first foray into competitive soccer life. And last but not least, she's joined her brother and sister and is part of the piano lesson shuffle on Tuesday nights. She's only had a couple lessons but seems to like it so far.

The best part about Quinn at nine is that she is truly growing into herself. She knows what she likes (and doesn't like) and who she is. She is developing her confidence, she is fiercely loyal, and she is driven. There is nothing Quinn can't do once she sets her sights on it. She loves a good competition and she is at her best when she's being pushed. Quinn is beyond competent in the kitchen and several times this summer when I was working from home, a homemade egg sandwich was delivered down to my desk. 

Quinn is the most likely to comfort you if you're sad and the most likely to stab you if you cross her. She's responsible and terrifying. Funny and frustrating. Quinn has always been (and continues to be) our child of paradox. She's a blend of Mike and my most opposite personality traits and is a stunningly wonderful and unique human because of it. Year nine will be her year!

Year Nine Facts about Quinn:

    Height: 52" (43 percentile)
    Weight: 23 percentile
    Favorite color: Yellow (not orange!!)
    Favorite friend: Charlotte and Tenley
    Favorite show: Kids Baking Championship
    Favorite book: Karen's Worst Day (a babysitter's club book)
    Favorite movie: Princess Diaries
    Favorite song: Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
    Favorite food: Pizza
    Favorite thing to do: Gymnastics on the trampoline
    Be when you grow up: a Baker  

Celebrating Quinn

To recap, we had a fantastic family vacation weekend over Q's birthday ... but the actual birthday celebration was overshadowed by the vacation and deemed insufficient. Do not worry, readers. We got our act together the following weekend and the 9th birthday was declared "Amazing." We have a lot of talents - but celebrating birthdays is definitely in the top 5!

In between birthday proper and the following weekend, Q's birthday present from us showed up. A cake pop kit! She was delighted. Also in between her birthday and the weekend was Uncle Brad's birthday. If she (and that means me because girlfriend was in no hurry to be born) had waited two more days, she and Uncle Brad would have shared a birthday and I don't think the world could have handled that. They are already each other's favorite person. 

Two birthdays plus having our house passable for hosting meant that we had the Ps over the following weekend to celebrate Q and Uncle Brad - and so that Auntie Cheryl could finally see the new house. We made Q's birthday dinner choice (grilled seasoned salt chicken and seasoned salt potatoes) and served the birthday cake that she made mostly by herself. 

Now - let's talk about the cake. I spent literally the entire Saturday in the kitchen because Q had a vision for this cake. Friday night, we had homemade lemon curd (for the first time). We probably should have let it thicken a bit more - but it was delicious! Then Saturday, we made vanilla cake and homemade lemon American buttercream frosting. We put the curd in-between the layers of the cake ... and then dealt was some definite layer sliding. Quinn may be on to something in her campaign for a blast chiller! I managed to stabilize the layers and marble the yellow and orange frosting to cover the lemon curd that was leaking out the side. We have some notes for what to do next time. But overall, Quinn was very happy with her cake.

We also made gluten-free cake pops so that Auntie Cheryl (and the rest of us) could eat [more] cake using Q's new kit. We made 60 cake balls from one box of cake mix!!! But it was so much fun. The kids loved dipping them into the melted chocolate and adding sprinkles. Oh my goodness, it was so incredibly messy and fun. I think my kitchen may finally have not be covered in chocolate from this experiment! But these were also delicious!

My favorite part of the baking day was when everyone tried Q's cake after dinner. Brad took a bite and said, "oh my gosh, this is so good. Are you kidding me that Quinn made it?" We were not and Quinn was sufficiently proud of herself. There is no greater compliment than her beloved Uncle B loving her cake!

Uncle Brad showed up with a "family gift" (it was clearly mostly for Q) of street hockey goalie pads (no one is getting the memo that I don't want to be a goalie mom! Such flagrant disregard for the simple "no goalies" rule that has been in place since Fiona was born!). So after the kids same in our pool, ran around our backyard, and stuffed themselves with cake, we ended the evening with chalk drawing and a driveway street hockey game. Such a fun night celebrating our August birthdays!

Then the next day, Quinn's two besties - who now live really close to us! - came over for a swimming party. They swam, they jumped in the trampoline, they ran around the yard, and they helped finish off the cake pops! It was the right kind of party for Quinn to enjoy herself fully. Two friends  so it wasn't overwhelming for her - just having fun together for a couple hours. Simple and fun - it's all Quinn needs.

One final birthday note ... when Quinn, Fiona, and I went on our girl date before school and were at the mall, I [somewhat] jokingly asked Quinn if she wanted to get her ears pierced when we walked by Claires. She thought about it while we were in Old Navy and decided to go for it. So the rest of her birthday present is that she now has two new holes in her ears. She was incredibly brave and has been very responsible taking care of her ears each day. She's very excited that in three more weeks, she can change out her studs to new earrings. I've promised her another shopping trip to pick some out.

[In case you are wondering, yes, I did give Fiona the option to pierce her ears too. She politely declined and tried to not puke while being in the vicinity of Q getting hers done. F would love to have her ears pierced and is trying to figure out how to manage that without actually going through the piercing process ... she makes me smile. I told her whenever she is ready (whether that is now, at 40, or never), I will take her and I will pay. Stay tuned.]

So there you go. It may have been a belated and extended birthday celebration. But you can see how we nonetheless achieved a high rating on our ultimate celebration! Happy birthday, sweet Q!

Taylors Falls Weekend: Hiking

After a great day at the waterslides, we woke up the next morning and had donuts for breakfast to celebrate Miss Quinn's 9th birthday! We packed up, loaded the car, and then explored the trails in the woods behind the cabin before we left. It was a beautiful morning and the kids had a blast climbing up trees and balancing on fallen trunks.

We planned to explore Interstate State Park on the way home. Our first stop was the main entrance to the park because Mike was excited to explore the glacial potholes. Since it was a beautiful summer Sunday, there were quite a few people there. We found a route to the potholes that was off the beaten path and the kids were suitably impressed. We also enjoyed the beautiful views of the St. Croix River. And maybe climbed a few rocks along the way ...

We wanted to explore more of the park - but decided to go to the south entrance in hopes that it would be less crowded. Our plan to grab a quick lunch in Taylors Falls on the way was quickly dashed. Not only were there no places to park, we probably would have waited over an hour for food anywhere we went. So instead, we headed down to the south part of the park, I dug through the leftover food we had from the cabin, and handed out a healthy lunch of granola bars, cheese slices, chex mix, and fruit snacks. We marketed the granola and cheese as food that real hikers would have. I'm not sure the kids bought it, but they ate it!

I had scoped out the park map and picked the Sandstone Bluffs trail for us to hike. What I failed to mention in the pre-hike team meeting were the 200+ steps and multiple switchbacks. There were rumblings of mutiny along the 1 mile loop (don't be too fooled by the dramatic picture of the girls. There were also plenty of smiles!) We survived the hike and the threat of family coup and called it a successful day at the park. 

We had an uneventful drive home, hopped in the pool for a mid-afternoon swim together (my first time in the pool!), ordered Applebee's at Q's request for dinner, and sent Mike and Quinn off to hockey practice. It was the perfect family getaway weekend.

Unfortunately, between the work trip and the weekend away, we were not terribly organized for the actual birthday proper. We didn't have a cake, the present hadn't arrived yet, and her friends were coming over to celebrate the following weekend. When I asked Quinn that night if it was a good birthday, she told me she had a really fun weekend, but the birthday was just okay. We've decided Quinn is like me when it comes to birthdays ... she doesn't need (or want) a lot of fanfare. But she does need a cake to make it feel like a celebration.

Don't worry - we stepped up our game the following weekend and celebrated her in proper form with her favorite people. And cake. There was so much cake! After the celebrations were all said and done, she told me that it was a great birthday!

Left our mark on the trail!

Seven Facts: Dec at 7

I thought I'd mark the auspicious occasion of Dec turning seven with seven fun facts about the dude ... only one month after his actual birthday. 

Fact 1: Dec's seven year well check went great. He is a completely typical Vanneste child - long and lean. Dr. H told him to continue to work on eating more veggies (he's not a fan), keep up the good work on fruit (he is a big fan), and to stay wonderfully active and healthy. He was almost 45 lbs (17th percentile) and 47.5" (42nd percentile). Of note, his feet are suddenly so big - so I really think there is an imminent growth spurt.

Fact 2: When D's final report card for 1st grade came, so did the results from his first attempt at standardized tests. Dec always tells us he's smart, which makes us laugh [apparently there is no humbleness to a third baby]. Turns out, D was right. His reading has just taken off and his test scores really showed how much he has gravitated towards books. And math has always come naturally to him. He says he likes reading better, but also seems to like the challenge of math problems. 

Due to the current Harry Potter obsession in the house, he is trying the first book again and is slowly but surely picking his way through it. He's highly motivated and enjoys it. There are just so many big words when you are seven. However, Auntie gave him Harry Potter glasses and a Gryffindor scarf for his birthday, so he can dress the part while he reads (or watches the movies). 

[Fun related fact: through very unscientific methods, we have determined that the Hogwarts House for each of the Vs ... Hufflepuff: Quinn; Ravenclaw: Fiona and me; Gryffindor: Dec and Mike. Although Auntie isn't entirely sure Q wouldn't end up in Slytherin ... ]

Fact 3: All Declan wanted for his birthday was a fish. He's quite honestly been talking about it non-stop since we had the offer accepted on this house. Today, at long last (he's been really patient while we got our bearings after the move), we went to the pet store and bought ... a tank. Apparently you need to nitrogenize the water for a few days before you put the fish in. So there is a brand new tank in his bedroom with all the special rocks he's been collecting in it. And later this week, we'll go get a few guppies to live in it.

Fact 4: If you want to know anything about any animal, ask Dec. For real. I fact-check him all the time (he has very odd facts) and he is rarely wrong. One morning, I swear he told me three dozen facts about jellyfish before I could make my coffee. Which is impressive because 1) making coffee doesn't take that long and 2) how are there THAT many facts about jellyfish!??!?! Ocean animals are particular favorites. As are things in the panther family - like cheetahs and jaguars. He's in bed right now - otherwise I'd ask him what the scientific names are. Because he knows. 

Fact 5: Declan is still our early riser. But we are starting to see a small shift. He has his own bedroom now (with blackout curtains) - and is starting to get to stay up later. So he is sleeping in more often. A couple times, he's still been asleep when the nanny arrives and we don't see him before we leave for work. This is unusual. But a year ago, it was unheard of. What he doesn't like is that when he sleeps in, Quinn beats him downstairs and gets to pick the show ... which means he's likely watching a cooking show first thing in the morning. 

Fact 6: D has a wonderfully balanced summer activity schedule. He's playing baseball two nights a week (for a couple more weeks), is currently in skate camp to keep his hockey skills sharp, has started piano lessons once a week (and loves it), and will be attending a week-long drama camp at the end of the month. He's a little nervous about drama camp as Q is too old for his level and will be joining Fiona in the bigger kid camp. But it will be good for him to go at it solo. He's used to having his own personal fixers in the hovering sisters. A little independence will be good for a guy.

Fact 7: Declan is so funny. He both enjoys jokes and is quick to find the obvious (or subtle) humor in things. Mike taught him the alternate definition of "balls" and he thinks it is so funny to make a joke about balls - and then say "not these balls, daddy" while pointing for added effect. Boys. 

He still delights in being the class or family clown and is willing to do just about anything for a laugh. We are working on the finer points of both delivery and realizing when you have crossed the line into not.funny.anymore. It's a work in progress. 

One of his favorite days in the new house is when I found the box with his joke book in it. He's always good for a great one-liner. The current favorite ... "Why are there only 25 letters in the Christmas alphabet?" Because there is Noel. 

Bonus Fact: the answers to the annual birthday questions

Favorite color: Red

Favorite friend: Andrew

Favorite show: Bluey

Favorite book: Science Comics: Coral Reefs

Favorite movie: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (but not the werewolf part)

Favorite song: Carrying the Banner

Favorite food: Corn dogs

Favorite thing to do: Play hockey

Be when you grow up: a vet

Captain America Birthday

We moved directly from moving to the end of school to closing on the old house to Declan's birthday. Thankfully, Mike's allergies stayed under control through most of that. Unfortunately they blew up on D's birthday and he spent most of the day hiding from the outside and quite miserable. We were so grateful that they didn't blow up earlier - but man, he was disappointed to feel crummy on D's day.

But don't worry. It was still a great one. Quinn and I made a red velvet chocolate chip cake that morning (after Mike had saved the day and found the box with the round cake pans!) and decorated it like Captain America's shield. We also made a batch of chocolate cupcakes - because you can't have too much cake! We were very proud of our cake decor, especially the star. It's notable because we couldn't find our icing tips, so I made a star with a basic ziploc bag. Not too shabby. Both D and Fiona were impressed. 

After a corn dog lunch, three of D's 7-year-old buddies and his favorite 17-year-old buddy came over. It was still supposed to be blazing hot, so I had only invited everyone for an hour. We had the pool out and a bunch of squirt guns. For the first fifteen minutes, it was going so well that I thought "shoot, I should have gone longer than an hour." They all started melting with about 5 minutes left, so my gut feeling for timing was the right one.

The boys had the best time squirting each other - and loved so much that there was a big boy there to play with them. They eventually ganged up on Jack - who was giggling like he was seven again. Jack is just the best and the sweetest and was having just as much fun as the little boys. We paused for cake and a discussion about our favorite superheroes. Then the boys grabbed their rollerblades (D had told me multiple times that all he wanted for his birthday was a rollerblade party and a fish) and tried out some ball hockey on the new driveway. Then D opened presents and the party was over. Easy peasy.

We even got a bonus that D's friend K's big sister is good friends with the girls. So T came with to play with the ladies during the party. We spent the rest of the day playing with D's new football, eating a delicious birthday dinner of spaghetti, eating more cake, and watching the second Harry Potter movie. 

Oh - AND the birthday boy lost yet another tooth on his birthday. Right during dinner. He bit and it hurt. He showed it to Mike and M plucked it right now. D didn't even know it was gone. In addition to party guests, the tooth fairy also visited on D's birthday.

My favorite part of the day was when D's friend Andrew asked if Jack (the 17yo friend) would come to his birthday party too. So sweet. And just my favorite that Jack, who will be a HS senior this year, has never missed a friend party of Dec's. Their friendship is the absolute best. [Although this year, J drove.his.own.car to the party and I had all the feels about that. He was D's age when I met him!]

Dec marks the first birthday celebrated in the new house. And we all agree - it was a good one.

Grammy's Birthday

We woke up Monday morning to a rather awful weather forecast for the following day (when we planned to head home). There was a winter weather advisory with blizzard conditions in the cities from 9am to 6am the next day. Usually this would mean that for the millionth year in a row, we  would bail on Grammy's birthday and head home early to beat the weather. But not this year. We had promised Grammy a celebration at the cabin and it was happening! 

After examining the forecast and the radar, Mike sighed and said "we better hit the road early tomorrow." I looked at him in shock and said "that's not what I expected you to say." I was completely prepared for him to suggest we contact the cabin owner and see if we could extend our stay an extra night. Honestly, that was all the permission Mike Vanneste needed. Within the hour, he had done just that and we were excited to spend an extra day up north (on top of the extra day we got on the front end of the trip).

We spent the morning making Grammy's birthday cake and testing out Fiona's new modeling clay. Then shortly after lunch, Auntie, Grammy, and Grampy arrived! The kids had to give the grand cabin tour first (mostly to show off their rooms and the pool table) and then out we went to the sledding hill. It has gotten colder overnight and we discovered that the snowbanks at the bottom of the hill that we had been going through the day before were now solid ice launching pads. We learned this because Grampy went sailing off of one! 

As I warned the new sledders about the various obstacles, Auntie jokingly told me that I forgot to mention the fire pit. I told her that I figured if you missed the septic tank pole and the snowmobile trailer, you'd also miss the fire pit. [Fact: I had to text Auntie the next day because the girls had crashed into the fire pit. So many obstacles. So much fun!]

When Mike had talked to the cabin owner earlier in the morning to extend our stay, she mentioned that there were sleds in their shed and to feel free to use them. She had failed to mention that there was also a toboggan! GAME ON! We had so much fun sledding, but after watching Gpa launch off the jumps, Gma decided that she didn't want to kill herself on her birthday. So while Mike hung out at the hill with kids, the original Johnson four went for a walk on the lake. It was a perfect day and a great walk. We even got a visit from Mike and Fiona on the snowmobile!

Then we were back inside to play games, shoot some pool, make animals out of clay, and enjoy the fireplace. Meanwhile, I had the important responsibility of making Grammy's birthday dinner. We couldn't take her out to eat (all indoor dining in Minnesota was paused), but we could make her dinner in a different location. Quinn helped me (we had to make several game time substitutions with what we could find the spice cupboard), but we made brown sugar baby back ribs and cheesy au gratin potatoes. My dad said the ribs were better than at the Forest Lake (which is high praise). We ate sooo much - but still managed to squeeze in birthday cake. After we sang to Grandma, that is. 

We went back outside after dinner to enjoy moonlight sledding and walking (or to work off all that dinner!) before we said good-bye to our visitors. Grandma sent messages to the kids the next that that it was one of her very best birthdays. We are all quite proud of ourselves that we made not one, but two, December birthday people feel very happy and loved.

A Good Birthday

Having a birthday five days before Christmas is not the greatest. Last year, despite our best efforts, Mike's 40th birthday was not good. So the kids and I really wanted to make this year better. His birthday was on a Sunday and we still had a couple days of school/work left, so I knew we would be in town for the big day and could do something special. 

I splurged and bought Mike a Nintendo Switch video game console - and let the kids in on the secret. I was shocked and proud that they all kept it a secret ... even Dec, who was beyond excited about the Nintendo! Mike did know that it would be good when D kept asking if we would open presents at breakfast. There was also a big box from Gma, Gpa, and Auntie that they were very curious about. I had not shared that secret with them.

We let Mike sleep in on the birthday proper and then Dec begged him to open his presents. The Switch was a big hit, although I had not realized that it didn't come with any games. So Mike got a few ordered for pick up later that day (ooops!). Dec could hardly wait to "help" test out the birthday gift. Then Mike opened the mystery box ... and found a slackline ninja warrior course. 

I made eggs and bacon for breakfast, got Mike a couple McRibs for lunch, and made a successful (and significantly less disastrous than last year) dinner of pork chops, au gratin potatoes, and strawberry shortcake. It was a good food day for Mike! [Our grill was broken last year, which is part of why the pork chops dried out. Mike grilled the chops this year and they were much better. We had a flame up issue that we feared would ruin dinner yet again - but instead, gave the chops a perfect char.]

It was a fun and relaxing day and the kids were in great moods. Mike put up the slackline course even though he had said he wouldn't (no one believed him)! It is quite difficult and will be a good challenge for the kids. My gift was watching Mike get tangled up in the ladder on the course. We also made sugar cookies and spritz cookies to bring north for Christmas. Basically I was in the kitchen all day while everyone else played video games on the new Switch. Mario Kart and Animal Crossing were big hits!

I had one final surprise up my sleeve and enlisted the kids to help me pull it off. They were so proud and excited to be part of the plan and did a great job. We hurried to make sure showers were done and dinner was cleaned up. Quinn distracted Mike while I made a couple whiskey drinks and hid them in our mailbox. 

At exactly 7:10, we headed out the door for our walk and I yelled to the kids that they could watch "one show only" ... except they knew that this night, even though I said one, they could watch two. Because at the end of our walk, I grabbed the drinks and our two neighbor family buddies walked to the ends of their driveways to toast the birthday boy and visit across the street from each other. Mike was so surprised!

Later that night, he told me that it was the best birthday he has had in quite a while. That's exactly what the kids and I were going for! They were so happy when I told them that we made Daddy's day really special. And now I know, involve them in the plans more often. They are great helpers!

TEN!

Uff-da! We have a ten-year-old. How on earth did that happen? 

Fiona has spent the last several months torturing me with the fact that she was going to hit double digits. Then double digits actually came and she ended up feeling overwhelmed by what felt like a major transition into being "big." Everyone (including her) was making a huge deal about this milestone, but then she woke up on her birthday morning feeling both ten and like the same person she was the day before. Was it still okay to like Barbies and dolls? Could she still snuggle on my lap? How does one act big? 

She moped around most of the weekend before I was able to extract the source of the sadness. Being a "tween" is not a joke. She really does feel wedged between big and little. She and I talked about it quite a bit, validated the words I said with her aunties [I'm already losing credibility, I see], and determined that growing up remains a process, whether you are ten or not. She is still the same person as she was yesterday. As she gets bigger, she will slowly develop new interests - like she always has. But that it's totally fine to still like barbies and dolls, as well as truly enjoy the new coloring books and chapter books that she got for gifts. 

The lead-up to ten has brought about a lot of emotional - and physical - changes that we were not necessarily prepared for. But as much as I tease her to stop getting older and sometimes want to hit pause, we remind her constantly what an amazing person she is becoming and how much we love life with her as a big kid.

While sports have restarted in some form for her siblings, the activities Fiona loves are slower to get going again. She still loves drama and music so much. We were able to keep piano lessons going and are looking to potentially start up guitar lessons. Band starts next year in 5th grade and she is very excited about that. She is naturally gifted at music and it is awesome to see the concepts clicking in her brain. 

This summer, when Q and D had hockey at the same time, Fiona's favorite thing was for the two of us to snuggle up on the couch together, each reading our own book (it was one of my favorites too). She is teaching her little brother her love of reading and we often find them sharing a couch, a chair, or a section of carpet, lost in their books. 

Fiona is always game for an adventure, still has the most amazing belly laugh, is smart and curious and questioning, gets lost in her own world constantly, and can light up a room with her smile. She's thoughtful, creative, and kind. She's opinionated, stubborn, and assertive. It is a wonderful combination that will serve her well as she blazes her trail in life. 

We enter this new world of "tween" with excitement and trepidation (because apparently we have no choice. She insisted on turning ten). We'll be in no rush to leave the "little" things behind. 

As we welcome a new decade of Fiona, her answers to the annual birthday questions are:

   Favorite color: Blue

   Favorite friend: Evelyn

   Favorite show: Hannah Montana

   Favorite book: Guts

   Favorite movie: Newsies

   Favorite song: Queen of Mean
   Favorite food: Mac and cheese

   Favorite thing to do: Rollerblade or read

   Be when you grow up: Fashion designer

The Birthday Season is Also a Wrap

We have officially celebrated the fourth Vanneste birthday in four months. We've eaten all the cake and hosted all the Zoom parties ... and a certain newly 10-year-old needs to write all the thank you notes (please be patient with us. Balancing life and manners is hard). And now we will happily close the book on the birthday season.

But before that book is closed, let's talk about how we celebrated Miss Fiona's entry into the world of double digits! This baby is TEN. 

We did a whole birthday weekend celebration, starting with a co-coaching gig on Saturday morning. Coach Mike was in high demand and needed to be at Crocodiles team pictures (Dec's team) during the LA Galaxy (Quinn's team) game. So Fiona and I stepped in to coach the second half of Q's game. The girls were very sweet - especially after Q's friend Reese informed them all that "it's fine. Quinn's mom is cool." [Sidenote: I made Q play goalie and she is not sure that Quinn's mom is cool!]

Once soccer was done, Quinn let Fiona use the tools from her cake decorating set and with just a bit of assistance from me, Fiona decorated her "mermaid" birthday cake. We had a bit of a frosting shortage and ended up doing some marbling that worked out even better than expected. She was proud and delighted - as she should have been. The cake not only looked great; it was delicious!

We ate a super fast lunch and got the cake decorated just in time for her afternoon birthday parade. Two sweet girlfriends came over and stayed to play for a few minutes. And our neighbors lined up one more time to do a full-on honking, cheering, celebratory parade - that tickled her to the tips of her toes! So fun! Gpa V, Gma and Gpa J, and Auntie also ventured down to S-town. It felt like quite the party - to the point that at times, I think the birthday girl was a little overwhelmed. We are not used to people anymore!

We got to keep Gpa V overnight and he "surprised" them all with birthday donuts in the morning (they look forward to Grandpa donuts almost as much as they look forward to seeing Grandpa!). Birthday proper was a bit more low-key, since we were worn out from partying the day before. 

However, we managed to fit in a Zoom birthday party with the family, a few more presents, a visit from the Pilchers (with trampoline jumping), and a memorable family bike ride*. We finished the day with homemade mac and cheese and leftover cake at her request. Ten did not come quietly - and we made sure that we ended the birthday season with as much gusto as we started with. One cannot say that we did not mark six, forty, eight, and ten with style this summer!

*Oh my goodness, this bike ride was ridiculous! Fiona asked to go on a family ride, so Mike got all the bikes ready. We went on the longer route to go through some neighborhoods and down a big hill. Just as we got near the top of the big hill (at the farthest point from our house), I heard a pssssssst sound. Fiona's tire had popped. [Please note that this is the EXACT same spot Quinn got a flat tire earlier this summer.]

This time, Mike did not ride home as fast as he could to get a car to retrieve bikes and humans. Nope. He tucked F's bike under one arm and rode his own bike one-handed - while carrying her bike. Then Fiona got on Quinn's bike to ride it home. And Quinn monkeyed up on my bike, shared the seat with me, balanced her legs on the bike bars, and relaxed while I pedaled. It.was.a.sight! But we made it home. And Fiona is now highly motivated to practice on her bigger bike. 

She was a bit bummed at first that it ruined her special day. But we have convinced her that it's awesome - because now her day has a story. As all great days should!

Quinn is Eight!

Eight might be the Year of Quinn. This girl wants nothing more than to either be big - or attached in every way to my body (there may be some slight anxiety about the upcoming school year). She is excited to tackle 3rd grade, fall soccer, and 8U hockey. She's also reminding me that she misses gymnastics. I'm reminding her that there are only so many evenings in a week.

During the Summer of Feral Children, Quinn decided that she does her own showers now. I will occasionally insist on doing her hair (there is SO MUCH of it to rinse) - but for the most part, she does it all. It's a pretty great skill, since she's constantly dirty and sweaty from running around outside. Her kitchen skills are also developing quite well. She made beer bread this week, mostly by herself (including grabbing and pouring the beer). I only helped by putting it in and taking it out of the oven. 

Quinn's competitive spirit is still going strong. Ever since I reorganized the games, she has been delighting in playing games. Life has been quite popular - and I can say from experience that Q is both cutthroat and strategic while playing. She is so excited for hockey season - and actual games. She participated in a summer skate clinic (and will do a fall one too), but nothing replaces the rush of actual games for Q!

I've been calling Q my "snuggle bear" lately. She loves to be on my lap or right.next.to.me most of the time. The uncertainty of this year is a lot for my little anxious bunny to handle. She has done such a great job managing the unexpected and all the changes. She's very excited to go back to school, even though it will be different. Seeing her friends, leaving our house, and getting back to any sense of normalcy is exactly what she is craving!

At Quinn's well check last week, she was declared wonderfully healthy. Q was 50 lbs (22 percentile) and 49.5" tall (37 percentile). She's long, lean, and solid muscle! We can't wait to see how Quinn continues to develop her passions this year. She is so determined to perfect her skills in hockey and in the kitchen. Her eyes gleam when she finds something she loves - and it is wonderful to watch. As Q gains more and more independence, her skills will only grow. It will be a great year!

Finally, the answers to the annual birthday questions are:

   Favorite color: Orange

   Favorite friend: Evelyn

   Favorite show: Kids Baking Championship

   Favorite book: Magic Treehouse series

   Favorite movie: Freaky Friday (Lindsay Lohan version)

   Favorite song: Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
   Favorite food: Tacos

   Favorite thing to do: Cook

   Be when you grow up: Chef

Q's Birthday: Knives and Make Up

Turns out, whether I blog about it or not, Quinn is still turning eight. So I suppose I have to stop pretending like it didn't happen and share how we spent the best day celebrating our birthday girl!

We still are not quite ready for full-on parties, but Quinn was very happy to have a small birthday parade and cake with the neighborhood crew (plus Gpa V). Since her birthday was on a Saturday, we were able to do everything on the actual day. Such a treat! We started the morning by letting her open her presents from us -- her very own set of kitchen knives (which is a normal and appropriate gift for an eight-year-old ... right?!?!?) and a cake decorating set that included a turntable and cake leveler. She was beyond delighted!

We got ourselves ready for the day just in time for her family Zoom birthday party. Hearing Happy Birthday over Zoom is quite the collision of sound, but she delighted in seeing her people, opening a few presents, and telling them all about her new kitchen gear. She was so excited about her new make-up set from her cousins and a school room set for her American Girl doll from Auntie. 

Once the Zoom symphony was over, we headed to the kitchen to make her cake. She had requested a homemade (no cheating, mom) red velvet cake with homemade cream cheese frosting. Once the cake was cooled (girlfriend is now quite sure she needs a blast chiller and does not care for her dad saying there is no room for one), I showed her how to use her new decorating tools and she mostly decorated her own cake. She did a really great job and was incredibly proud - especially when Mike (who doesn't like cake) and Mr. Mike (our neighbor who is a chef) both said her cake was delicious!

Grandpa V arrived at our house just in time for lunch and we were both thrilled to see him and confused that there was a person in our house! The parade was a huge hit and she got to see her sweet friend C and Uncle Brad. Her special day would just not be complete without her favorite Uncle Brad (seriously, how does he rank so high on the list?!?!) Our neighbors banded together to do quite the honking parade, with signs and presents handed out the windows. 

We got to keep Grandpa for the whole day (he spent the night in the camper!), so he joined us for Q's birthday dinner of grilled chicken tacos. [Side note: both Q and D picked tacos for their birthday dinner and I may retire from parenting now. I've taught them all I can.] 

We tried to kill Gpa with the peppers we grew in our garden. They pack quite a kick! I thought I had bought jalapenos. As they grew, we didn't think they looked right. Then Mike picked one, gave Dec a lick of it, and Dec proceeded to cry, almost throw up, drink a glass of milk, and eat two bananas before it stopped hurting. Obviously that meant Mike and Gpa put those peppers on their tacos! We've since determined that they are not jalapenos and are serrano peppers.

Quinn's gifts this year fit her so well and she truly loved all of them. She got American girl doll accessories, new cookbooks, a math workbook, slime, makeup, and a sewing kit. You all know this girl so well and she felt the love. The day after her birthday, she was giving me a hug and told me that it was "one of the best birthdays ever." 

Final note: the simple birthday celebrations of 2020 are completely delightful and I could get used to them!

"Old" School Birthday

I seem to do milestone birthdays with an aura of uncertainty. The 20s started out with questions of what I was going to do after college (although let's be honest ... none of us knew). The 30s started out with the fear of welcoming our first child in a couple months - plus the uncertainty of what a birth defect diagnosis meant. 40 entered in a time of global pandemic and forging of all new parenting (and life) trails. [If anyone has a crystal ball or a trail map, I'd totally take it ...]

The first year (or so) of the 20s and 30s felt really hard as I tried to wade through the uncertainty to a clearer picture. Yet somehow, through all that haze, I found and married Mike and we built our family. We made a home and a life. I'm holding on to that hope as I look toward the 40s. I keep reminding myself, the kids, Auntie, and anyone who will listen that history has proven that pandemics do not last forever. They may feel like it. But they don't. We will wade through this uncertainty too - and I am excited to see what life in the 40s (the decade my cousin B assures me is the best one) brings!

So, after all that waxing poetic, I bet you think that I did something really mature and philosophical to celebrate this milestone. And you would be wrong. Mike and I invited our two neighborhood bubble families over to drink Boone's Farm (college throwback) and listen to 90s music on the driveway! The party was supposed to start after the kids' bedtime - but the neighbors had other plans. Katie and Alice dressed up like old ladies and brought me a sign that said "Welcome to the Club." And they all showed up right after dinner (as Mike and I were getting home from our walk). It was ridiculous and hilarious and so much fun.

So, while the six adults polished off five bottles of Boone's (which tastes exactly the same as it did twenty years ago. Oh, Snow Creek Berry, you are delicious!), the kids ran around between our three yards living their best lives. The party ended about 9pm (this is 40) because we all had kids to put to bed. It was low-key and fun - with great people. Just the perfect way to celebrate a birthday!

One final thought on turning 40: I am quite pleased to be old enough to buy good alcohol. Boone's Farm is good as a gag - but hooray for better beverage choices!

One, Two ... SIX

As we led up to the the big birthday last week, we looked back at a couple of our favorite videos of Almost Two Declan. We wanted to see 2yo D sing Happy Birthday to himself ... but we also found a gem of him counting "one, two, six ... SIX." And you guys, that's exactly how it happened. He's so suddenly - and loudly - six!

It's crazy to think that our baby is six. Six feels SO BIG! But it is amazing to see what a kid he is becoming. Dec is growing more independent and responsible. He is helpful around the house, especially when it comes to cooking. He mostly wants to be a big kid - until we want him to do something he doesn't want to. Then he'll happy play that Baby card to see if one of us will snuggle him ... and do it for him. It still works on occasion, but the girls and I are getting better at making him do it.

Kindergarten was amazing for him. He was developing such a sense of bravery and confidence. When we watch him play with the neighbor kids now, he is easily just one of the gang - whereas last summer, he was still working hard to keep up! Dec is never happier than when he is with his boys. He has the sweetest little group of buddies and is a really great friend. Life at home has been hard on D. He misses his boys, he misses being wild, and he's tired of playing family, babies, and barbies. It was clear when he saw his friends at his birthday parade that he both misses them so very much and has completely forgotten how to interact with them. We are confident he will quickly readjust to social interactions!

Declan really enjoyed hockey this winter and has turned into quite the sporty guy! He loves soccer right now and is disappointed that soccer and summer hockey seasons collided - leaving no room for baseball. So baseball in the back yard continues, along with pick-up soccer games, driveway hockey, and some lacrosse thrown in for good measure.

Some things remain constant year after year. He still gets up at the crack of dawn and I usually find him snuggled in a blanket on the couch as soon as he is allowed to leave his room at 7am. From morning to bedtime, he sings and talks constantly. There is always a story to be told - or a song stuck in his head! Fruit remains his very favorite food, but steak is moving up the list. We are also slowly finding a few vegetables that he will eat. Raw cucumbers and cooked bell peppers and onions are new options. He's quite intrigued by the spaghetti squash growing in our garden.

D and I headed to his well check (in masks) on Monday morning. He's 44.5inches tall (32%) and weighs 39.9 pounds (15%). His height percentile is exactly the same as last year, but he's doubled his weight percentile. Overall, he's super healthy and growing just as Dr. H would hope!

To officially mark the entry into Six, here are his answers to the annual birthday questions:

   Favorite color: Red

   Favorite friend: Jonah

   Favorite show: PAW Patrol

   Favorite book: any dinosaur book

   Favorite movie: Mulan

   Favorite song: Man Out of You (from Mulan)
   Favorite food: Corn dogs

   Favorite thing to do: Build Legos

   Be when you grow up: Hockey player