Lily Graduates

"The Sober Moment of Reflection on the Future Picture"

(Which would be Kindergarten...)

 Hum the music: Dum dum da Dum Dum Dum

"The Found My Parents in the Crowd Picture"

 In case you are wondering, the name of her preschool was Lake Area Discovery Center Preschool (whew!)

If the kids can pronounce the whole name...they are automatically graduated!

"The Diploma Pose Picture"

"The Special Friend Picture"

"The Teacher Hug Picture"....

(NO..that's not me.)

You might think it was by the way Lily is grabbing her arm in such a desperate hug.

She usually reserves those for me!

But no, sadly, I didn't get a huge makeover, lose 15 pounds and reverse my age appearance by 15 years.

Although I have been using Oil of Olay lately, and I think it's helping....

Anyway, Miss Emily was amazing.

Still is...probably.

 And last but not least..."The Girlfriends Graduating Picture"

(p.s...Lily is making the peace sign.  Lily has absolutely NO IDEA what holding up two fingers means.  Peer pressure.  Now the girl in the pink flouncy dress next to Lily...she looks like she might know!)

I am not sure the world is ready.

World...are you ready?

Happy Birthday All!

During my recent blogging hiatus, we, the Lindquist family, have had a few birthdays!

First, in March was Katie's 14th!!!!

We had a couple of parties for her...three to be exact, so if the pictures don't seem to all be of the same event, it is because they aren't!

Lots of candles on that cake...spread out widely...but she got them all!

Way to go Katie!

But here at our immediate family celebration...

...a different story....

She  thought this was very funny.

I don't ask questions anymore. 

I just go cut cake.

Saving the candle that wouldn't blow out.

It's good to know he's out there somewhere, I guess...even if she hasn't met him yet!

Then, Lily turned FIVE in April!

The Home Party....

The Private Cousin Party...

And...drumroll PLEASE>>>>>

the midnight creation of...

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!!!

Oh yeah.

THEN!

ANDREW AND TIMMY turned 17 and 11!!!!

Twinsies we call them!

Or Swedish Twins...

I just made that up.

The kids sat outside...

..they were a little squirrly...

Oh please, Aunt Suzanne, don't ever make us sit with the big kids again!

We're afraid.

Well, there was no room inside with us, that's for sure!

We had the Beck family with us and Alyse!

It was a PARTY!

The Cake...for posterity...

My boys.  Happy Birthday boys!

Now you need to know...

that in the Lindquist family...

 after each and every present...

everyone even loosely associated with the giving of that present...

gets a hug and a kiss.

You cannot escape.

It is not optional.

It happens.

In fact....

We just all kiss.

Why not?

Hugs and Kisses all around!!!

They aren't Lindquists.

They are normal.

From Europe.

But normal.

We are just a touchy feely sort of family...

I was just sayin'....

The Dude...

and

the Man.

"Man Up" now gets said at least 25 times a day in these parts.

It's a very useful phrase.

Lily doesn't want to finish her Cookie Crisp?  Man UP!

Timmy can't find his private protective gear for LaCrosse because Molly chewed it?  Man UP!

Too tired to vacuum?.....See what I mean!?

He's thinking of all the times he's going to use the "Man Up" phrase.

They're just thinking we're strange.

And truthfully....

.....we are.

Disney for Dinner

Our last Disney experience was an "Eat Around the World" at Epcot.  We'd been bringing in pb&j's all week...but this was our time to dine.

Blood Orange Pudding at Norway...very good...

Here is Lily rocking the "Scandanavian Waif" look.  She does it well ..since she is one....

Germany...toffee...

Did I mention we came hungry?

...a moment's reflection as the sun began to set...

...somewhere in Europe, I imagine...

Small Scandinavian Waif making a wish next to the wishing well...

Waif beginning the motion of throwing her hard-begged coin into the pool...

Waif reconsidering the wisdom of throwing good hard cash into a dumb old pool.  Frugality is very Swedish, don't ya know?

I honestly can't remember if she went for it or not.

China Sunshine

Red Bean Icecream

My idea.

Bad idea.

Gave it to Katie...Katie likes everything.

Katie's very own Oyster murder...her pearl was lovely, though....

No we didn't get to eat the oyster.

What kind of people do you think we are?

Savage carnivores?

Ah...France....or Italy....can't remember.

Chocolate Pastry...most definitely France...

Katie, Katie, Katie

It was tough work, but somebody had to do it...we closed Epcot down...with a few extra pounds perhaps, but no regrets...

Poor little waif....

The next morning...a quick dip...

...a sad goodbye at the airport....

...and the trip was over....

...and it was probably time for it to be over when you see...

...this picture....

One part exhaustion, two parts reaction to a sunscreen...

Gooodbyyyyyeee......Diiiisssssnnneeeeeyyy WWwwwwoorrrllldddd....