Someone keeps moving my chair

Greetings!

The final countdown of Dan's break has started. He resumes full-time at the school next week. We celebrated the last week with lots of day trips and time with friends and relatives. Our next doctor visits are this week for the twins and we are hopeful that all goes well.

We have set up little desks and chairs for Elsa and Jonas to focus on their work each day. Each desk has a couple of books, crayons, and a coloring book nearby. Jonas has taken to his new job and loves to sit at his desk reading the books and coloring. Elsa isn't so much into the independent work yet. She does like to move the chairs around a bit and occasionally revels in the loud crash that they make when she tips them backwards.

Jonas and Elsa were able to play with several small kids at a get together we attended this weekend. It was great to see them interacting and having a great time with our friends' kids. Elsa and Jonas were very successful at 'borrowing' the pacifier from a one year old resulting in much crying and reteaching.

It was a great week and one of the last of the year for their swimsuits (see pictures).

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Elsa & Jonas

Good Friends, Food, and Fun

Greetings!

Elsa and Jonas had another great week! In what is quickly becoming a favorite day trip, we took Jonas and Elsa to the zoo to see the budgies. As per the norm, the kids seemed a little more interest in the action of the people at the zoo than the animals but this changed once we entered the budgie cage with a feed stick. Jonas was actively trying to grab the parakeet and was nearly successful. Birds careened through the branches down towards us and Elsa seemed to enjoy them too!

We also had a chance to get together with our other most favorite December baby and let the kids play for several hours. What fun! It was sweet to see the three kids running and playing and laughing! Elsa's boyfriend loved to call out her name and she blew him kisses. We will monitor the situation. Jonas ate more than we have ever seen while over at our friends house--he just kept going and going. WOW! It was really neat to see the kids playing and learn about sharing. The three had a blast together.

During the week we had a visit from Mari's dear friend who just had a baby girl! Jonas and Elsa were quite taken by the pea pod and tried desperately to wake her during the entire visit. It was strange to realize that our kids are toddlers and not tiny babies anymore! Way to go Jonas and Elsa!

Dan has returned to a gradual work schedule leading up to the start of school. Mari is preparing for the transition to having one adult during breakfast and lunch again. Food fights may be in the future.

We have a follow-up appointment with Elsa's GI specialist to monitor her weight and we are hopeful for a good appointment.

Pictures: constructing the water table; Uncle Ron reading to the boys; Don't wake the baby; summer fun; the zoo and a mountain (in the background somewhere); Budgies!

God Bless,

Mari & Elsa & Jonas & Dan

Hot!

Greetings!

Summer has arrived again in Washington. We had some early summer heat and then it seemed like a month went by before the temps started going up again. They are back now with a vengeance...temperatures yesterday were around 100 degrees. Elsa and Jonas have a small wading pool in our backyard that they have been cooling off in. Last time we had it out, Elsa wouldn't step foot in it. Now Jonas doesn't want to go in as much and Elsa can't get enough!

Elsa and Jonas's great aunt Jane and great uncle Ralph visited from Arizona this past week. Jonas and Elsa took turns driving them around Lake Lawrence (Grandpa Paul occasionally drove too). Elsa has added to her skill set of grabbing glasses and is now also equally skilled at grabbing necklaces.

It was a great week! We are planning out the last couple weeks of our summer vacation and trying to find some really fun adventures for the kids.

Pictures: Backyard playing in new swimsuits; Jonas and the "motor-bike"; our kids love to read/throw books.

God Bless,

Dan & Mari & Elsa & Jonas

A cow says moo and a pig says oink

Greetings!

Last Friday we had mentioned that Elsa had her g-tube surgery cancelled due to her two pound gain in the last seven weeks. We had emotionally prepared for this week for a long time and it was a bit surreal to be footloose and fancy free instead of at Mary Bridge for the week. Instead of a hospital room and cafeteria food, we chose to run with the sun and take advantage of the fleeting summer.

We did receive multiple calls this week leading up to the scheduled surgery date from various departments in the surgery wing. The cancel note from our surgeon didn't make it to everyone. These calls were pleasant reminders that Elsa had done it (for this month at least:)) and wouldn't need the extra feeding help with a tube.

So what did we do? Elsa and Jonas went to a farm! They played with their good friend Joshua (our good friends' December 12th baby). Elsa now, when asked and if in the proper mood, will make the sound of a pig. She picked it up herself and just started doing it whenever we said 'pig'. Very cool! Jonas played and ran and watched the bigger kids. He really liked seeing what everyone was doing and is picking up all sorts of new skills all the time. Joshua said "Elsa" all the time at the farm and Jonas is hankering to do it too!

We had so many great calls/emails/visits/texts of celebration this past week and are thankful for all the thoughts and prayers leading up to what ended up being a week of thankfulness!

Pictures: Arriving at the farm; swings!; looking at the pig; Jonas, Elsa and Joshua at the fire hydrant--fascinating!; taco night.
Videos: Jonas dancing to Dan's 80's music in honor of Dan's high school reunion

God Bless,

Mari & Dan & Elsa & Jonas