Birthday Costume Party

We had a lovely get-together for Rachel’s 25th birthday. We each dressed as a character from a book! Mom was Fannie Farmer, Dad was a cowboy (I can’t recall from which book...help!), Grandma Pearl threw a Santa hat on and called it done, AJ and Rachel were James Herriot and his wife (what’s her name, Rachel?), Erin was Meg March from “Little Women,” Moriah was Arwen from “Lord of the Rings,” Tom and I were Dr. Zhivago and his lady (played by Julie Christie in the movie), Ian was the cheshire cat from “Alice in Wonderland,” and Nina was Madeline from the children’s books. Such fun!

And just for the record, I didn’t really like the movie Dr. Zhivago, have never read the book, and love wearing fur coats!

Christmas With the Poch's

Here are some snapshots from our celebration with Tom’s side of the family. I was honored to host this year (excitement all around, it being our first Christmas in our new home), although I received bountiful assistance from everyone! Much collaboration brings about a delectable meal. We had prime rib, asparagus and hollandaise, Grandma Patty’s wild rice salad, shrimp scampi, and Yorkshire pudding. Dessert was chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons and chocolate turtle cake. As you can see, I appreciated the help in preparing THAT menu! And now to celebrate with the McFarland’s... Christmas celebration round #2!!

A Visit From My Two Beautiful Piirto Aunts

Here is a photo of a spontaneous, wonderful visit from my mother’s two sisters, Aunt Jane and Aunt Rebecca (unfortunately you can barely see Jane behind the dog’s furry head!). They bring life and humor wherever they go, and even brought Jane’s adorable dog Maija. Initially, the kids didn’t know what to think about having a dog in the house. But Ian warmed up to her quickly and before long, was playing and laughing with her. Our cat Rupert wasn’t in agreement. I love having family visit and hope to see them again soon!!

Christmas Cookie Madness!!

I love having people over to bake absurd amounts of Christmas cookies. But I like to pretend that I enjoy the lovely company and actually baking the sugary concoctions more than eating them. I attempt to spread most of the festive results to unsuspecting neighbors, co-workers and unassuming victims. So in this particular instance, my comrades Cerah and Chandra were helping me out. I would like to identify here each specific bar, cookie or baked product that we made, but the fact is that I cannot recall what was attempted but most importantly, what resulted! But no matter. They were all delightfully GOOD!

P.S. My favorite is when my artistic husband makes visual art from them.

New Computer

My apologies for my lapse in blogging, but I do have a legitimate excuse! Our old computer was on its last leg and we found a delightfully affordable replacement in a used Mac that a friend of ours, who was previously employed at the Apple store, sold us. It is wonderful to have a nice, relatively new computer, but even better to not pay full price!

Evergreen Showcase

My mother-in-law Carol came over this week and helped me make the most gorgeous addition to our front porch. Being a new homeowner and all, I am unlearned in the routines of proper home maintenance and decorating. Tom and I are continually learning! So naturally, I was at a loss as to what to do with my sparse and empty-looking urn once the summer bliss had wilted. It was doomed to detract from the house’s charm as it just wasted away on our front step, inviting sympathetic stares at every glance. Enter Carol, my landscape fairy!! I was astonished at how simple the process really was. You basically stick evergreen branches into the pot full of soil and VOILA!! But even more importantly, the kids and I were able to spend a lovely day with Carol, eating lunch and making Christmas cookies. I count myself truly fortunate to have married into such a wonderful family!!

Ian's First Piano Recital

We had a great time bringing Ian to participate in his first piano recital and really his first performance of any kind in front of an audience. When preparing at home and dialoging with him about the recital, I think he hadn’t quite grasped the reality of what a recital was! And understandably. Once at the recital, he didn’t show any tangible signs of stage fright... oh, except for his tongue hanging out of his mouth during the entire duration of his performance. HA! His solo piano piece was only five notes total, and he played it very well. Here he is pictured with his classmates, singing their group song, and also with his teacher Miss Briana. We are quite proud!!

Halloween

We had a fun, light-hearted and relaxing Halloween at our place. Last minute costumes (Ian was a lion; Nina a ballerina), friends and their kids over for pizza, some Halloween cupcakes, and a healthy dose of trick-or-treating. We only ventured down the block, so our candy stash isn’t quite so breathtaking... but I like it that way. Sweets for this sweet tooth are nothing short of deadly! I was amused to hear how many of my parent friends fessed up to consuming much of their household’s pile of Halloween candy. Apparently this holiday isn’t just for kids!!

Grandpa Bruce Visits!!

How sad we are to see Grandpa Bruce (or “Bruce,” as Ian has begun calling him) leave! He left some apple pie with us to soften the blow however (thanks, Dad!). He can’t forego his autumn jaunt to Minnesota to feast on orchard apples, or the quickly-becoming-a-tradition trip to the Water Park of America! Grandpa Bruce was feeding his inner child and Ian giggled himself hoarse! At least until next year when we can repeat our happy cycle!

Also thanks to Jeff Schlukebier for joining the fun!!

Click here for more photos.

Garden Harvest

This is the last harvest from my 2009 garden. I had so much fun planting, picking, and yes... maybe even weeding! There is something so rewarding about putting an insignificant little seed into good ground and watching it change every day. It is no exaggeration to say that each day I stepped outside to check my garden, I had something new awaiting. My favorite vegetable was the cherry tomatoes. They are a perfect little snack and oh-so-yummy!

Road Trip to Green Bay

This week was so fun! Nina and I, and my college friend Michelle, drove to Green Bay to visit our other college friend Stephanie, who is living with her family and going to school for nursing. Her family are gracious hosts and very entertaining, so it was an ideal arrangement! We visited Steph at work, checked out her young adults ministry, got lots of quality time with her family, and met her new dog Emmett (a German shepherd/sheepdog mix). Nina was the center of attention, much to her delight, and spent much of the week dodging Emmett and their other dog Toby (a large mutt). It was so refreshing to have a girls weekend together!

Ian Turns 4

We had so much fun at Ian’s birthday party. He loves car and much of that was reflected in the events, including the cake and many of the presents he received! What a blessing he is!!!!

Sparkle and Women of Faith Conferences

I just had to blog about River Valley’s first ever women’s conference, Sparkle! I am actually blogging about it a few weeks later, and recalling how much I liked it. I just returned from another conference this weekend, the Women of Faith conference in St. Paul. Perhaps it is unfair to compare the two, because they were so different, but it is advantageous for me to see which situations are the most beneficial for me, I think. At Women of Faith, I was struck with the sheer magnitude of the event. The production crew, quality of the speakers, etc. was very impressive! It was amazing to see the Xcel Energy Center (the same venue that houses those crazy Minnesota Wild fans) full of women seeking God and His presence. I love worshipping in large settings such as these, because they are the closest glimpse to heaven that I think we have! I enjoyed Sparkle so much too. The worship was intimate and full of enthusiasm, and the speakers challenged me on a very personal level. I am looking forward to next fall very much!

It was fun to have my high school friend Kyla and her friend Mary join me for Women of Faith. They drove all the way from Mitchell, SD, and I’m so glad they came! We are stopping for a cup of joe prior to the conference (see photo). Look for more photos in the Sparkle Conference photo album on this website!

Our New Couch

In our efforts to promptly furnish our home when we moved in in March, I admit to having made some hasty decisions...most notably, in buying a white couch. Let me re-phrase that. A light as snow, unblemished and undeniably WHITE couch. True, we have no pets upstairs to worry about. Those inhabiting our Dylan Drive dwelling are even more destructive - children!! After one too many rounds of cleaning spaghetti fingerprints or the misplaced goop of chocolate chip cookie on our once stark white couch, we decided to welcome ourselves into the inviting existence of leather furniture. Since this existence often carries a hefty price tag, we opted for used. Labor Day was a perfect opportunity to load up the kids, the trailor, our GPS, and the optimistic hope of leather in our living area. Our second stop proved an irresistible deal. The original offer for the leather couch was for $375. Tom, being the effortless bargainer that he is, offered $300. The owner, an elderly gentleman, paused momentarily and then spoke. “How about $250?” We were dumbfounded! He explained that we could use the extra $50 to buy the kids “something nice.” What a blessing! That “something nice” turned out to be a contribution for mattresses in Ian’s room and the guest room. Practicality wins out everytime! :)

Ian's First Music Class

Today was a momentous occasion for Ian, but probably more significantly, for me. Ian’s first class at Yamaha Music School (coincidentally, my place of employment...) was an adventure! He is not quite accustomed to a group learning environment, but he and the other 4- and 5-year-olds will grow more comfortable with that. All the kids had a palpable enthusiasm as they were introduced to their very first session of piano instruction. I could tout the Yamaha horn until I’m blue in the face, but what I love most is that the method is adapted to interest a younger age group, and I think it is sheer genius!

So of course I couldn’t resist a photo opt on our way out. Ian is most likely uncertain what journey he is embarking on, but we know he enjoyed himself in class! And thanks to Tom and Nina, for trekking to Edina with us on our adventure!

Raspberry Picking

Yes, I know... I blog on this EVERY summer. But it is such a fun tradition for our family! Ian and Nina are of wholehearted assistance in their berry picking. I appreciate their enthusiasm for the simple (but yummy!) things in life. Of course it is lovely to be able to eat as you pick, although for the kids, not much is being done besides eating. Or in their case, eating what OTHERS have picked (no elaboration necessary!). Tom and I tackled our first session of home canning and made some raspberry jam. It tastes delicious and I’m sure we’ll try it again soon!

Also, compliments to Tom and his amazing photographic ability!!

Time Well Spent

Here is a photo of what I do best...CUDDLE. I attempt to do it whenever possible and as often as I can, without intentionally making anyone uncomfortable of course. Okay... I suppose I MOSTLY cuddle with the little ones running around our place. And Tom, who started the whole thing in the first place. I might even go so far as to say I have perfected the art of cuddling (not to be mistaken for “canoodling,” which is not necessarily platonic), based on extensive research and years of honing my craft. I’ve realized that a cuddle is truly a non-verbal “I love you.” And that makes an indelible impression.... without even saying anything.

Raising Kids

It is entertaining to notice the differences between my two children. Some differences are due to gender, others from personality variations. But I have never believed the saying “No two children are alike” more passionately than I do now! I am especially enjoying having a girl. Boys are great too, and I feel like had we had another boy, the differences wouldn’t be as pronounced in the two of them. Nina is social, dramatic and enthusiastic. Ian can be enthusiastic too, but is much more even-keeled and orderly. I have always been fascinated by birth order differences and wonder if my children can be categorized in the traditional roles. Hmmm... firstborns are conscientious, reliable, sometimes perfectionistic. Youngest are charming, like to show off, sometimes manipulative, and precocious. Those aren’t entirely accurate for my children at least, but I admit that some of those qualities are “spot on!” I am cherishing their differences and enjoying every little phase of our kids’ development!

Birthday Girl

Here is our little doll on her very first birthday. She was tentative, then enthusiastic as she poked at her chocolate birthday cake. Ian was of great assistance (candle blowing, present unwrapping...) and I think wishes his own birthday was a little sooner!

It is so rewarding as a parent to experience my kids’ “firsts” with them. Somehow we seem to loose our enthusiasm over the little things in adulthood, and it is truly magical to observe and participate in the experiences of my own children!!

Pancakes With Sugar!!

Ever since Ian was a infant and embarked on the experience of eating, I have held off on serving him sugars and sweets, as I thought it would be healthy for him to avoid developing a sweet tooth as a youngster. We often gorge ourselves on fruit, however... especially in those summer months of prime berry-picking season!! Apart from that, Ian’s palate has been deprived of many sweets. So... it was with jovial curiosity that I sprinkled some powdered sugar on his pancakes this morning (which he normally eats plain). When I placed it in front of him, he eyed his plate skeptically. When he gathered the courage to take a bite, however, the sweet flavor of the sugar won him over immediately, and he finished his meal with unbridled enthusiasm. Now he’s asking for sugar on his spaghetti!!

Tom is Tiling

Another day, and more progress on the house.... thanks to my hard-working husband! He is determined to have us in our new house by next weekend. His main experience tiling, besides this current project, was our last house (kitchen and bathroom). He is becoming quite an expert!! The kids and I visit often, imagining what the place will look like at completion. Ian is helpful in reminding us about “Ian’s green room, Nina’s blue room, and mommy and daddy’s white room.” He also checks periodically to make sure we have remembered that the brown couch goes downstairs and the white couch goes upstairs. It is convenient that his memory is so sharp!

The Renovations Continue

Once assessing the state of affairs in our new place, we realized that it was time to replace and/or upgrade the flooring throughout. The previous owner had a pet that relieved itself a few places here and there, so we were sure the carpet had to go! And since we loved the wood floor that we installed in our townhome, we decided to do that again. And now that the wood floor is installed (Tom decided against installing it himself this time - it took 3 months vs. 2 days this time!), we will soon begin with the tile in the kitchen and bathroom. We also are painting every single room! Well, okay...Tom and friends are painting while I entertain the kiddos! We are anxious to move in but realize that we will be grateful we did these changes before we move in. Those of you who have lived in the midst of home renovations would agree, I’m sure! We will post more photos as the place evolves...

Closing on the New House

Here we are, jubilant at the prospect of having our own place, and what a place!! And also at an attractive interest rate :) We are so blessed to have been able to live with Tom’s parents for almost 2 years, save some money, and find such a lovely home to live in. This is a day of celebration, to be sure!

Visiting Erin's Classroom

Ian, Nina and I jaunted up to see Erin and her 5th grade classroom today. It is a bit of a drive, which is my rather sorry excuse for not visiting sooner! Although we didn’t stay even an hour, it was a wonderful event. Ian was thoroughly entertained by the concept of “school,” which he is only recently beginning to understand. Erin’s students were polite and full of enthusiasm. I was especially impressed by their interest in the kids and also their ability to play with Ian respectfully. It is clear to me that these children are learning not only academic excellence, but also the precious value of relationships. I can’t help but think my sister has much to do with that!!