Molly and Lily

Our dog Molly puts up with a lot!

For starters, we make her live in Minnesota.  And we don't even bring her with us on spring break.  It's a long winter for Molly!  But don't let this picture fool you...she loves the snow, doesn't seem to mind the cold and would rather be outside than inside most of the time!

Maybe that is because when she is inside, she has to sit on her mat.

She doesn't really want to sit on her mat...

she'd rather terrorize the cat, chew socks and shed profusely all over my entire house.

Which is why she has to sit on the mat.

Sometimes we take pity on her and let her try to sleep with Timmy...

but she is so obnoxious that it has never lasted more than 15 minutes...

...back to the mat!

I don't know what she has to complain about though...

we always have her best interests at heart...

...Lily is happy to share her hair accessories...

...but Molly just doesn't seem to appreciate fashion...

....unless it's chewable fashion...

"Can you believe what I put up with?"

"HELP me!  Rescue me!  Here comes Lily again to play...

...DOCTOR!!!"

Every thing gets examined!

Molly looks so patient in this picture.

She's not really.

But attention IS attention...

There's something to be said for attention...

which is something Molly has an insatiable need for...

But still...some kinds of attention are preferable to others...

..and...

... reindeer antlers transplant is way down on Molly's list!

"Smile for the camera Molly!"

"I'll smile alright!  I could ....

No worries...Molly was just trying to see if she could reach the antlers with her teeth.

She couldn't.

So she just resigned herself to Lily's will.

Lily gets that a lot.

Alpha child.

A frequent topic of conversation for Lily is whether Molly is her big sister or  her little sister.  It makes her burst into tears that Molly advances seven years at every birthday while Lily only gets to add one.  So Lily takes every opportunity to boss Molly around.  Just to show her who's boss.  Better Molly than the rest of us!

"Ugly Sweater Day"

I thought I'd share a laugh with you all...

It was "Ugly Sweater" day at the high school a few weeks back.

Andrew and Zach went to the Goodwill Store and got theirs for $3.00.

That was $3.00 for both!

Katie just went to my closet!

Actually, the sweater Katie is wearing is precious to me.

I don't find it ugly at all, either...but it was the only authentic '80's sweater I still have.

Why? 

Well, first of all, I like it.

Yes I do!

But more than that, it was the last Christmas present my Grandma Ola gave me before I went off to college.

After that, she and Grandpa just gave me money.

There's something to be said for a hand picked gift...

although I certainly appreciated the money in college.

But the money's gone....

..And the sweater is still  here!

I'm keeping it forever!

The Goodwill sweaters were gone to charity by the next week.

(They weren't handpicked by Grandma.)

Strangely, though...I liked the way my kids looked.

Took me back to high school!
Those were the days....

Garland Gone Gorrilla

So here's something that my closest friends and family know about me.  Once I decide I'm into something, I have a tendancy to go a bit overboard. 

...to "go gorrilla."

It's genetic.

We'll leave it at that.

This year was the Year of the Garland.

It started during an innocent stroll through Sam's Club after Thanksgiving.

They had lovely, feathery holiday garland...all wrapped up for taking home...for turning any home into...

a winter wonderland/pine jungle....

...so I did!

One evening after the garland had been sitting in my trunk for a week,

I began the delicate task of putting it all up...

...just as if I had a plan for how I was going to do it...

...make it all look premeditated was my goal...

...so Tim would help me with the high parts.

I was halfway through when Tim came on the scene...

...the perfect stage for getting help!

Tim said very little as he helped me  hang and twist and drape...

...of course I knew what he was thinking...

..."She just can't help  herself!"

Even Molly couldn't believe her eyes....

"No more!  No more!"

Next year "we" decided that we won't do garland.

Maybe.

Seafood Medley

First...the backstory.

The week before the event I'm about to describe, Zachary called home on his cell asking if he could get dinner at Taco Bell.

(He usually calls and asks me this AS he is standing in line at Taco Bell.)

"No," I said, "I have dinner ready."

"What are we having?"  (He always likes to know his options.)

"Vegetable Medley," I replied.

"I'll be right home!" Zach said.

I was a bit surprised that he didn't put up a fight, but "Hey!" I thought..."maybe he's finally grown up and into an appreciation for the finer cuisine...like roasted turnips and fennel, and brussel sprouts!"  It could happen!

Imagine Zach's dismay when he bounded through the door five minutes later, looked at the table and said, "Where's the SEAFOOD MEDLEY?!"

"I said VEGETABLE MEDLEY."

"We're NOT having SEAFOOD MEDLEY?  There's NO seafood medley?  Nooooo!  Who ever heard of vegetable medley?  Can I go back to Taco Bell?"

So in order to get him to eat the offending dish, I promised him a true Seafood Medley at the first opportunity...when I could afford it.  Note:  Seafood Medleys and Veggie Medleys come with differing price points.

...even when you shop at Sam's Club.

...you've been warned.

OK...so we are going to start off with a truly horrible picture of yours truly...

Why put a horrible picture of myself on here?

Because:

A.  In ten years I'll think I look wonderful in this picture.....

B.  I was the hero of this story and I want full credit.

C.   This picture should just about take care of any stalker issues....

Besides sucking a lemon.....I am filling my biggest pot with fresh cold water.

You already know what's goin' in the pot!!!!

 My prep team laid out paper towels on the island.

Lily knows something big is about to happen!

 It was incredibly EASY to get them all to the table (not always the case)...

Some high class citris beverages seemed the best choice...

...and provided something for them to argue over while I tended the stove.

 Of course it wouldn't be dinner if we didn't have to tell Zach to turn off the cell phone.

You wouldn't believe.....

 Voila!

Shrimp!

Crab Legs!

Lobster Tails!

Corn and Purple, Red and Yellow Potatoes!

All from the same pot!

 Andrew and I wanted to open up our pores...a seafood facial...

...the minerals from the ocean, you see....

 Digging in!

 Plenty for all!

 Here is Tim feeding Timmy a purple potato!

(If you've never tried a purple potato, run out and find some right now and try them.  They are downright FUN!"

In it goes....

 ...a moment's reflection....

"Hotttttttttttt!"

Sorry...

 Swallowed!  To the amazement of Lily!
He didn't die.

 Excellent work Timmy!

So that's the story of the Seafood Medley and it's rejected cousin the Vegetable Medley.

Also, Zachary got a new cell phone so he can understand my words clearly when I tell him what we are having for dinner.

We could do a Verizon commercial!

P.S....Don't plan this for crowds...unless you want to take out a second mortgage...or unless you can catch those lobsters yourself!

School Morning

It's 6:46 am. here in the Lindquist household....a busy school day ahead.  The kids are slow to move this morning after a busy 3 day weekend.  At least one has a bad cold, but since it's the first day of the new semester...no staying home sick for anybody today.  Tim is already gone.  It's pitch black outside, and it seems like the middle of the night. I hear the stirrings of a shower running, a spoon clicking on a cereal bowl....and someone is moaning....a typical school morning.  Sympathy mingles with mild frustration as I try to get the household up and running, up and walking at least.  The weeks of school until spring break string out before us, longer than they really are because so much has to happen, so much has to be decided and achieved before then....

But right now, I am just drawing a deep breath, saying a prayer for energy and wisdom, and moving ahead, one task, one day at a time, enjoying having them all here with their schedules and laundry and appetites and laughter and moaning....and  I'm making tea, steaming and sweet...a small force against the cold and dark.

Thanksgiving at Our House.

For the second time ever in 20 years of marriage...

we had Thanksgiving Dinner in our own home.

It was fun.  It was sad.  It was happy.

Sadly, we couldn't travel to Illinois this year due to basketball schedules, so we missed the chance to see my side of the family for the holidays, and now that it's January, we are really feeling the pinch. 

Miss you guys!

It was fun, though, because we got to cook our own turkey!

It was happy because we were able to host Tim's parents in our home and give back a little for the many holiday meals we've enjoyed at their house in the past!

The Turkey:

Lily is going to be a doctor.

Or a field dresser...

Or a taxidermist..

She was FASCINATED by the innards of the turkey....we had to go through them ALL!

When I prepare a turkey or chicken for roasting,

I try not to look too closely at what I'm doing exactly...

I just pull out the "stuff" and chuck it in the trash in one swift movement...

without looking...

It has always worked for me...

But this year Lily was on the beat.

Our turkey was THOROUGHLY inspected, let me tell you.

I got to pull out the old wedding china!

There it is!

See?  Good thing I have it!!!

Men's work!

The crew...minus Timmy...who took the picture...

...but here he is!!!!

Here was what all of our plates looked like after the meal...

...except Timmy's plate.

Timmy has a few issues...one of which is an inability to judge just how much food can possibly fit into his stomach. 

And then it was time.....

for the wishbone drama!

Pull Lily pull!

Ya gotta really yank it!

Oh for goodness sake!

"I think that was rigged!"

These are the feet of Tim and his dad....

post turkey.

Tim's parents were a lot of fun and made the day special.

And so did the pies.

And the banana punch!

Oh!  And Andrew WON at cards!

Which has pretty much NEVER happened before!

He made sure to clap for himself!

Happy Thanksgiving All!

And if anyone can figure out how to postdate this so that it looks like I actually wrote it on or near Thanksgiving, please let me know!

Thanks!