A beautiful weekend in MN

Sometimes I wonder why I live in Minnesota.

Icy roads, snowstorms, gray days....

This weekend was Not one of those times.

The weather was postcard perfect.

And there were so many fun things to do.

It's like the whole state came to life after the

long hard winter.

 Jesse, Ben, Ethan and Andrew

Scott, Ami, Everleigh and Briggs met

at our camper on Saturday for a picnic lunch 

and some fun. Above, Ev tries out 

Grandpa's swing for the inaugural ride this season.

 Ethan tries out a little fishing with help from

his dad while Everleigh looks on.

 Briggs and I try out the fishing as well.

 Lunch time and it looks like Andrew is flying

over the picnic table.

 Gma, Gpa (no ages given)and the four little ones:

Ethan (2), Briggs (2 1/2), Andrew (4) and Everleigh (4 1/2)

Sunday, Greg and I took our first motorcycle ride

of the year....just out and about around the backroads

of Wisconsin.  We headed out from our camper

about 10 and returned about 3.  The day was

perfect.  Not too hot, not too cold, not too windy....

Summer is off to a great start.

 Monday we attended Maverick's Super-Hero 2nd birthday party

at my sister, Sue's lake home.  Here are the 8 oldest

MN cousins in their Super Gear.

Andrew, Brody, Max, Everleigh, Ethan, Claire, Briggs, Maverick

 Cape-side

The littlest super hero, Mara (20 months)

 Batman, SpiderMan and Super Grandma Bunny

 Our four little Super Heroes

Andrew(Batman) Ethan (Spiderman) Everleigh (Princess Batgirl) Briggs (Spiderman)

 Fun in the water

 Time to eat

And then a Batman Pinata

Birdcam

I usually devote this space to stories and pictures of

grandkids but this week it finally feels like spring.

And some old friends have returned.....

Indigo Buntings

We gave Andrew a window bird feeder for his birthday

last week.  Just in time for the return of finches. 

Ben mounted it on a basement window near some

bushes and the kids are very interested

in watching who is in the feeder.

So far there have been lots of gold finches,

chickadees, purple finches, and

nuthatches.  Everleigh and Briggs

also have a suet feeder on their deck which

has attracted a lot of red wing blackbirds.

Even though these are all common birds, each

visitor is cause for excitement....and they

remind each other to "be quiet" so the

bird doesn't fly away.

We also put up some feeders at our camper

this weekend and already have lots of

orioles, hummingbirds and finches.

A welcome sign of spring here.

4 years old

Jesse & Ben's first born, Andrew Paul Swenson,

was four years old on May 7.

Four years went by so fast.....

 new born

 one year

 Mr. Basketball

 A boy's work is never done.

 Rock on!

(with Everleigh)

 so sweet

 catchin' any?

 Off to pre-school

(Sept. '13)

 Andrew, Brody, Ethan, Max, Everleigh, Maverick, Claire, Briggs and Mara

Easter '14

 Birthday party #4 with little brother Ethan

 A picture can tell a story.

Who is Andrew?

He's curious.

He likes tomato soup and grilled cheese.

He likes pirates, Lightning Mcqueen, his brother

Wild Kratts (wild life show), his treehouse

and his mom and dad.

He makes stuff...cookies, art projects,

banana bread and noise.

He goes to the library.

He's patient with his little brother (most of the time).

He loves to play with Cousin Everleigh.

He's man enough to dress up as a princess.

He's got a big imagination.

But mostly, he's his daddy's big boy

and his mommy's little boy

and his grandma and grandpa's joy.

Happy 4th Birthday Andrew Paul!

Princesses and Pirates

Winter has not wanted to release its grip on us

so we're still mostly playing indoors.  Lots of days

of "dressing up". 

 Above, Andrew is dressed as Princess Anna 

and Everleigh is Queen Elsa from "Frozen" .

Note the mittens on Everleigh's hands.

 Another day and Everleigh is Rapunsel

and Andrew is Aurora.  Honestly,

he only dresses like this when he

plays with Everleigh.

 The next week they are all Jake and the

Neverland pirates.  Here Briggs is Capt. Hook.

Andrew is Jake, Everleigh is Izzy and Ethan

is Cubby.  The collapsible tent/pirate ship was a

birthday present.

 Then, down to the basement for a game of

3 little pigs and the big bad wolf...in this case, Briggs.

He seems to like playing the villain, although he's

really too sweet to be a bad guy.

 And then Briggs is an elephant...

And Ethan is a chicken.

So..we try to stay amused.  But this week it looks

like the weather may actually be turning to spring.

Let's hope.

Although any day can be fun if you have an imagination.