Where to go?

Joe and I have our 10 year anniversary this October. We've been talking about going somewhere for a vacation without the kids. We haven't had an overnight together without kids in over 2 years, so the idea of a whole week is rather mind-blowing. My problem now is figuring out where to go.

That leads to deciding what kind of vacation we want. Museums, hiking, lay on a beach or by a pool, stay on a boat, warm or cool, all-inclusive or house/condo rental, etc. How to narrow it down?!?

Right now, I'm really thinking about the US Virgin Island of St. John. A coworker's family goes every year and says it has a nice mix of sights and activities to relaxation and laying in the sun. Sounds good to me!

So, anyone been to St. John? Recommendations? Other vacation destination recommendations? I'm pretty sure I want relaxation and laying in the sun.

1st "real" haircut

We have meant to get Kate to a real hair salon (instead of doing the bang trim myself), but it's never a high enough priority to actually get it done. So, a couple weeks ago Kate and I were out shopping and drove by a kid's hair cut place. A quick call to Joe to say we were going to be later than planned and we turned around and went back to the salon.

It was a place called Snip-its - Haircuts for kids. The short story: Kate did great sitting there and we had a successful haircut. Long story: At each station, they had kid sized chairs, TV screens with a short movie, a "mouse" kind thing for the kids to hold on to, prizes, stylists who were engaging, and more. While Kate didn't want to have a cape put on, she did pretty well sitting still enough to not get hair all over.

Here are a couple pictures.

The picture on the mantle

Sitting on our fireplace mantle are six framed photographs. There is one of our niece, one of our nephew, one of Kate, two of Zach (had to keep his newborn picture on display), and one of Joe and I with our friend Anna. All the photos are current except the one with Anna. That particular photo is almost four years old but I can't seem to take it down.

While on maternity leave this spring, I would find myself looking at the photos while feeding Zach or when he was asleep in my arms. All of the photos have special people, but the photo with Anna is more than just a picture of a special person. The photo itself was a perfect gift to receive that Christmas 2005. It was taken a few weeks before Christmas at Joe's brother's wedding. Joe was the best man and I was a bridesmaid. Anna was almost 2 years old and I remember her not quite recognizing us initially due to our wedding attire.

So what made that photo a perfect gift? The timing and simplicity of it. Joe and I were about to start IVF and it had already been a long 2+ years of trying to expand our family beyond the two of us. Anna filled that void a little bit. Her happiness and excitement to see us when we'd visit always melted our hearts and I see that happiness in the photo. She's more like family and so the photo has remained with the other photos.

When looking at the photos on the mantle, I sometimes feel I see a journey that starts with that Anna photo. I see Kate's picture, our little miracle baby who surprised us after we moved on to adoption. Then Zach, who was just as much of a surprise as Kate. Add the pictures of our niece and nephew who are each days apart in age with Kate and Zach and we have an amazing family story.

The journey across the mantle says to me that there was a plan and we just had to be patient.

I should get an updated photo with Anna, one that has Anna, Kate, and Zach all together; but for now, the Anna photo stays. It helps remind me of our journey and each day I'm thankful for our two miracles and look forward to the fun times and frustrating times, the little moments and the monumental ones.

Oh the things a toddler says...

A couple conversations with Kate have gone as follows:

#1 a few weeks ago...
Kate: Zach's a boy.
Me: Yep.
K: Daddy's a boy.
M: Yep. And what is Kate?
(Pause)
K: Kate's a cutie!
(Insert lots of laughter)


#2 over the last weekend...
Kate: I want to go to Iowa. Not Izzy's Iowa. The other Iowa.
Joe: You mean Grandma Hagen's?
Kate: Yeah, the Grandma Hagen's. The other Iowa.
(for reference, Izzy's Iowa is referring to the Green grandparents)

Happy 6 months old!

Zach is 6 months old today. Here is a picture from Labor Day weekend. Yes, he is a huge baby, but the perspective is a little skewed due to me leaning back in the chair...keep that in mind.

I hurt...

I'm trying to get into training for the Irongirl Duathlon at the end of September. I've had a few runs, but getting into a regular training schedule has not happened yet. But, I ran last night (plan to use the Couch to 5k training for the run) and now I hurt.

It's good for me, right? Now if only I can get to a regular training regimen.

It's Goose!

Our church had Vacation Bible School last week and I helped on 2 of the days with Games. The second day was beautiful and we were able to play outside. We had some extra time and a couple of the small groups wanted to play Duck, Duck, Gray Duck. We've had the debates with native MN friends about Duck, Duck, Goose versus Duck, Duck, Gray Duck. The argument for MN's "better" Gray Duck version is that colors are used and therefore it's a better game. Instead of going around the circle with just duck, duck, duck, duck, goose it's supposed to be red duck, yellow duck, green duck, blue duck, gray duck. I suppose I can give in a little bit on that point.

However, the kids at VBS just did duck, duck, duck, gray duck and no other colors! Did their parents forget to properly instruct them on how the game is played? Do they not know color names? Should they just give in to how the rest of the world plays the game?!!? Can we teach our kids it's goose and not gray duck and not have them ridiculed? Oh the dilemma! =)

Here's the Wikipedia link to the game. Even Wikipedia recognizes Minnesota's are "different".