tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518543308357307702024-03-14T06:39:46.833-04:00AnderblogKirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.comBlogger227125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-83636876844000078032014-01-17T21:43:00.000-05:002014-01-17T21:44:26.220-05:00New Fun Bonanza Amusement Awesomeness Land!Great news, everyone!
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I am starting an amusement park in my own house, and everyone will love it! It is called:<p />
<H1>TINKERTOWN!!!!!!!</H1>
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Doesn't that sound fun? It makes me sad that the <blink> tag is deprecated, because I really think it's appropriate here. Anyway, TINKERTOWN is perfect for the whole family, with exciting activities for all ages! If you love taking things apart and jiggling handles and doing strange things to power cords with painter's tape just to make appliances continue to work properly, TINKERTOWN is the place for you!
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First, dive into Dishwasher Depths! When a dishwasher has two filters that need to be cleaned regularly, it makes perfect sense to make them as inaccessible as possible, so we need YOU, intrepid explorer, to navigate through several levels of increasingly difficult panel removal! Beware: this is the only time in your life you will ever need a Torx screwdriver*, so get ready for a detour to the hardware store if you're caught unprepared. You will also be faced with a critical choice: do you wear gloves and risk dropping tiny screws in ridiculous crevices, or do you forgo hand protection and let all that gross stuff touch your actual skin? When you finally reach the final stage, race to remove all the variously textured substances before the urge to barf overtakes you! Participants are allowed to pause the adventure twice during the final battle -- first to start a blog post, and then to wash their hands fifty times and think about how no one appreciates what they do. Before you reassemble all the panels, make sure you find the toothpick in the food grinder! There is always a toothpick in there!
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The excitement continues as you venture into the icy realm of Freezer Fantasia! First, it's a heart-pumping physical challenge as you go down to the circuit breaker in the basement, turn off what you think is the switch for the refrigerator based on what someone wrote on the box illegibly in pencil fifty years ago, run back upstairs, find out that was the wrong switch, run back downstairs, and try again! Then, exercise those Tetris skills as you try to fit everything that's in the freezer into a tiny cooler! Is the fun over? No! Now, it's a race against the clock as you get out your trusty hair dryer and try to melt the ice dam in the drain hole beneath the bottom panel of this supposedly modern, frost-free appliance before the stuff that wouldn't fit in the cooler hits the Food Temperature Danger Zone! Finally, put everything back in the freezer and go down to the basement to turn the circuit breaker back on. Just make sure you don't remember to relabel the circuits! It would ruin the fun three months from now when water starts dripping into the fridge and it's time to do it all again!
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Visitors young and old will love the mini-games scattered throughout the park:
<ul>
<li>Reset the Modem
<li>Jiggle the Toilet Handle
<li>Turn the Power Adapter Plug Back and Forth Just the Right Way in the Jack to Get it Working Again Because Someone Bumped It Earlier
<li>Reach Into the Toilet Tank and Put the Flapper Back on its Stupid Useless Hinge Nubs
<li>Google the Error Code
</ul>
<p />(Unfortunately, our Seattle location, unlike our previous Rhode Island facility, does not offer Hotwire the Boiler)
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Come on down to TINKERTOWN! Admission will be super cheap! Make your reservations now!
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*You will actually need two Torx screwdrivers.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-32754745258250455782013-07-06T14:06:00.001-04:002013-07-06T14:07:15.439-04:00Tossing & TurningReasons I haven't gotten enough sleep over the past few nights:
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1) I had a dream that I went to Archie McPhee with Soren, and he found a little plastic knick-knack that he liked a lot, but since it was the last one in the bin, that meant it was popular and the price had been increased to five thousand dollars. I spent a lot of time arguing with the management over this policy. Woke up irritated.
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2) People and their STUPID FIREWORKS making my neighbor's dog bark ALL NIGHT LONG.
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3) I could NOT think of that one actor's name. It was really bugging me. It definitely had an L in it, and five or six syllables. Finally had to get up at 3:30 to look it up on the internets. Kenneth Branagh.
Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-36193696790291348442012-04-06T12:20:00.004-04:002012-04-06T12:41:50.079-04:00Soren's New DocumentaryWhile I was watching the pictures upload from Soren's camera, flashing by at high speed, it occurred to me that a movie might be the best way to present his work. So, complete with soundtrack, here is his latest slice-of-life film!<br /><br />Oh, and we live in Seattle now. Good. Now the blog is totally up to date, and I don't have to feel like I need to fill you in on a million things before I post again.<br /><br />And now, our feature presentation:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxqGun1rrpF7a_XXaYhQLvMYThzG00sGSdcdsXv_x9K_RXmXaklQNV_3V9vry6mo039T7C708WvXl6JxfObSw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-9224221935901306362011-09-07T11:31:00.003-04:002011-09-07T11:34:39.573-04:00The Start of a New CareerI only cried a tiny bit after they drove away.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/6123681009/" title="First day of Kindergarten by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6123681009_f13b2f94d3.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="First day of Kindergarten"></a><br /><br />I know he's done the preschool thing for a couple years, but this... is REAL school. He's so excited. And I'm excited for him. I loved school, especially elementary school, and I can't wait to see how he thrives in this new phase of his life.<br /><br />I'm proud of you, Soren!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/6124221028/" title="First day of Kindergarten by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6124221028_d76ec546cb.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="First day of Kindergarten"></a>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-7847348573133489802011-09-01T20:02:00.003-04:002011-09-01T20:20:01.163-04:00Anderblog UnpluggedSo, as everyone already knows because I whine about it three times a day on Facebook, the hurricane knocked our power out on Sunday. While a sparking power line in the middle of the yard would usually be considered a bad thing, it would be preferable to what we have, which is a dead power line in the middle of our yard. It's hanging off our house, which means it isn't going to kill anyone and National Grid won't be interested in it until September 5th.
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<br />On the bright side, it isn't so bad in our case because our neighbors all have power. Not only do I get to fill up my daily jealousy quota super fast, I also get to daisy-chain a bunch of heavy-duty extension cords from an outlet in our SUPER AWESOME neighbors' basement through one of our first floor windows. So we get to power one to three things at a time, depending on the draw. Right now, it's the interwebs, a laptop with a busted battery, and a desk lamp. Later on, it will be the TV and a floor lamp and maybe the Wii. At bedtime, I'll plug the fridge back in. I'm a little sad because I want to use the toaster oven to bake some of the cookie dough I made this afternoon, but I won't be able to watch TV while the oven's going. So if I don't answer the phone tomorrow, it's because I contracted a horrible salmonella infection from eating raw cookie dough. Or I'm screening my calls and I don't like you.
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<br />Any Agricola fans out there? No? Oh well. You can stop reading now. Anyway, the extension cord situation totally reminds me of Agricola. I can choose to Check Email, After Bake Cookies also Eat Cookies, or Chill Perishables, but I can't do them all at once. I clearly should have chosen the Bake Cookies action earlier in the day, but I needed to Regain Sanity and/or Stop the Kids From Fighting, so I plugged the TV in instead. And now that the Feeding phase has begun, I'm screwed. I only hope that the Major Improvement I'm waiting for comes before the 5th.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-48537298893932196042011-06-30T15:37:00.005-04:002011-06-30T16:05:00.614-04:00The Gracious 5-Year-Old: By Way of ExplanationDear Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Anderson,<br /><br />Sorry this thank-you note is so late. Soren actually made it about 5 minutes after he opened your card, so the lateness is completely my fault. I've been putting off writing the explanatory note which I feel should accompany the card.<br /><br />When Soren opened your birthday card and found a $100 bill inside, he was deliriously happy. I am thrilled to say that his second response (after "WOW! A HUNDRED DOLLARS!" was to try to figure out how to show his appreciation. First, he asked me if I had a hundred dollars, and when I replied in the affirmative, he suggested I send it to you. <br /><br />I told him that you'd probably be even happier with a really nice thank-you card, especially if he made it himself. He thought that was a great idea, and set to work right away. Within minutes, he was ready to show off his masterpiece.<br /><br />The interior featured his trademark card decoration: a whole bunch of hearts. He's a very loving boy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDrdRssxFFrP5UukPDdiQe9KGrqTK-F1vSD0NyFWGYfUH0ejhEktrKGrDllShwgrOACM6gH8-wHn4xUlPbcy6l9TFUeFaBd2aodgOwZQNWYgJ-sKik9HDC2UlD30Xx6bhyXsXwoC1ePk/s1600/IMG_1825.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDrdRssxFFrP5UukPDdiQe9KGrqTK-F1vSD0NyFWGYfUH0ejhEktrKGrDllShwgrOACM6gH8-wHn4xUlPbcy6l9TFUeFaBd2aodgOwZQNWYgJ-sKik9HDC2UlD30Xx6bhyXsXwoC1ePk/s320/IMG_1825.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624103337208394642" /></a><br /><br />The front of the card... well, he used the card you sent as inspiration. As you recall, you sent this one:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXIvBJNi6-FDXTmbp0zxoZJnizHBkqnrR0uANPLdG8N2o3txKMhLaUpx5GlTnt8q_GZHrUOHFnqZ2qaWALPXawFnQuVteGK6jda_kFeBUuJJcP-9KesW94mYgZP449K-AvPOEEGnGfWU/s1600/1PGC1261_XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXIvBJNi6-FDXTmbp0zxoZJnizHBkqnrR0uANPLdG8N2o3txKMhLaUpx5GlTnt8q_GZHrUOHFnqZ2qaWALPXawFnQuVteGK6jda_kFeBUuJJcP-9KesW94mYgZP449K-AvPOEEGnGfWU/s320/1PGC1261_XL.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624100282035470018" /></a><br /><br />So, riffing off the "Five Years Fun" motif, he... wrote this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXb7bjH4tb96pgr7Hbnp5xCFyMG8slbsaUlxql3Nv6h4gj2CeBN0VoZep6qOwPawnoiYhUzF91IGeAhKchnhSc5OjQCWmlyPXKUHZIDVePL3RN28-N1OwRB5PzLeGn4gu9qB6_H6YY50/s1600/IMG_1824.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXb7bjH4tb96pgr7Hbnp5xCFyMG8slbsaUlxql3Nv6h4gj2CeBN0VoZep6qOwPawnoiYhUzF91IGeAhKchnhSc5OjQCWmlyPXKUHZIDVePL3RN28-N1OwRB5PzLeGn4gu9qB6_H6YY50/s320/IMG_1824.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624103339763972386" /></a><br /><br />After stifling some laughter and mild horror, I managed to ask him why he decided to write that on the front of your card. He replied "Because their card said they wanted me to have 5 years of fun, and they sent me a hundred dollars, so I want them to have a HUNDRED years of fun!"<br /><br />Anyway, I decided to send his card along, just with a little note of explanation so you knew what exactly he was getting at. It really isn't that he thinks you're a hundred years old. Although I guess that might not be a big deal to you at this point. I don't really know. <br /><br />So, thank you again for the very generous birthday gift! Soren is going to use it to buy a scooter. I talked him out of using it to get 100 one-dollar Matchbox cars.<br /><br />Love,<br />Kirsten (and Soren)Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-69742645518069582472011-03-22T21:16:00.015-04:002011-03-22T22:06:41.265-04:00I have a Fisher-Price Cam-er-a, I Like to Take Pho-to-graphsAnsel showed us his unique perspective on Yosemite with his Korona, and Soren is showing us his unique perspective with his Fisher-Price digital camera. Signed prints of his 640x480 images are available for purchase in sizes between 24"x36" to billboard size (3" pixels). <br /><br />Offerings are available in several categories:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Favorite Remote Controls</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5548463904/" title="IMG_0583 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/5548463904_ce67cb8c92_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_0583" /></a><br />Title: Samsung and Wii<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5548463482/" title="IMG_0551 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5065/5548463482_fa015e4344.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0551" /></a><br />Title: In Soviet Russia, Remote Control Car Control You!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Intimate Spaces</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5547878231/" title="IMG_0272 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5547878231_6ae714512a_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_0272" /></a><br />Title: Civil Disobedience: Time-out with a Transcendentalist [1]<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5547878101/" title="IMG_0264 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5021/5547878101_02e7c06274_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_0264" /></a><br />Title: The Scullery Maid's Contempt<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Portraits of the Artist</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5547881761/" title="IMG_0608 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5252/5547881761_80d4d498cc_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_0608" /></a><br />Title: Contentment with Pillowy<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5547879103/" title="IMG_0318 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5293/5547879103_2709e945a5_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_0318" /></a><br />Title: Curious Quiet<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Professional Models</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5548463274/" title="IMG_0415 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/5548463274_fb41e065bc_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_0415" /></a><br />Title: Don't Hate Me for Being Under Thirty Pounds [2]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Other</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503537@N08/5547881677/" title="IMG_0593 by soren.patrick, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5547881677_c538962a23_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_0593" /></a><br />Title: Puppy with a Chance of Meatballs<br /><br />[1] The picture on the wall is a portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Maybe Mommy and Daddy should find a naughty spot without a view of Thoreau's inspiration.<br /><br />[2] If a parent is behind the camera, Sigrid runs toward the photographer so she can look at the picture of herself, often before a picture is taken; only Soren can get these poses.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091485178651051949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-40511349818935718742011-02-02T21:34:00.014-05:002011-02-03T22:30:17.315-05:00SoStoWriMo<span style="font-weight:bold;">A Story<br />by Soren</span>[1]<br /><br />Me and Pillowy were in the wagon. I saw a [illegible]. I said, "Watch out! We [will] crash!" I said, "We are going to hurt ourselves!"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5414938832/" title="IMG_0773 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/5414938832_8040100ec7.jpg" width="467" height="500" alt="IMG_0773" /></a><br />[Illustration: Residual from previous creative session.]<br /><br />CRASH! Me and Pillowy came down into a cave. I said, "Where are we?" Pillowy said, "E!"[2] which means, "We are in a cave." I said, "Why are we in a cave? Please can we get out of this cave?"[3] We went out of the cave.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5414939374/" title="IMG_0774 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/5414939374_73dd069fd4.jpg" width="378" height="500" alt="IMG_0774" /></a><br />[Illustration: Pillowy (top) and Soren (middle) flying out of the wagon (bottom center), after it hits a rock (bottom left).]<br /><br />Outside, the world was not right at all because the world was having bats and<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5414939852/" title="IMG_0775 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5414939852_44c6b58a6f.jpg" width="376" height="500" alt="IMG_0775" /></a><br />[Illustration: Stellaluna.]<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5414328241/" title="Stellaluna by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5414328241_4d166f34d0.jpg" width="383" height="500" alt="Stellaluna" /></a><br />[Illustration: Stellaluna.]<br /><br /><br />I saw Stellaluna[4] alone. I said, "I will come with you, okay, Stellaluna? Oh, Hi Stellaluna's mom."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5414940268/" title="IMG_0776 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5251/5414940268_103202e022.jpg" width="358" height="500" alt="IMG_0776" /></a><br />[Illustration: Stellaluna?]<br /><br />THE END.<br /><br />[1] Written and illustrated entirely by Soren, who requested help only in spelling parts of words (e.g., "Daddy, how do you spell 'cha'?"). Additional spelling corrections supplied for your reading enjoyment.<br /><br />[2] This is Pillowy's only phoneme. In this instance, the author has provided a handy translation. Competing interpretations of other instances support vigorous debate among scholars; the first issue of the academic journal E! will be published Spring 2012.<br /><br />[3] This plot element is loosely based on a recent episode of Peep in the Big Wide World.<br /><br />[4] <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stellaluna-Janell-Cannon/dp/0152802177"> More on Stellaluna.</a>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091485178651051949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-22228962425054311522011-01-04T22:55:00.006-05:002011-01-07T21:52:04.613-05:00I Love You. Let's Play UNO, Please.First, he seduces you with this sweet message:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5270116936/" title="Soren's writings by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5007/5270116936_ee41115605.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Soren's writings" /></a><br /><br />Then, he makes you Draw Four!<br /><br />(Seriously, he's pretty good, and a pretty good sport.)Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091485178651051949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-64073037968874019302011-01-04T22:22:00.006-05:002011-01-05T22:00:00.657-05:00SantaphobiaOne rainy day shortly before Christmas, we went to the holiday event at the Botanic Center. Santa came to talk to the kids, and he set up shop on a bench in the tropical garden (naturally). <br /><br />Soren was the first to go. He was mainly interested in the candy cane Santa gave him, and sat silently for some time when Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas. When gently asked again, he replied, "I'm thinking." Eventually, he decided he wanted some new toy cars, to the surprise of all.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5269494959/" title="Santa at the Botanic Center by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5269494959_55192f51b8.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Santa at the Botanic Center" /></a><br /><br />Then it was Sigrid's turn. She was feeling pro-Santa when he came through the doors into the greenhouse, but switched to anti-Santa by the time she and Soren got to the front of the line. She refused to sit on the bench with Santa and Soren, and sat stubbornly facing away from the whole scene, so Santa decided to come down to her level and give her a candy cane. Whereas you might expect Santa to merely come hunker down in front of her and hand her a candy cane, he chose instead to lie down on the floor behind her and tap her on the shoulder. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5270105600/" title="Santa at the Botanic Center by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5203/5270105600_8c266d86a5.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Santa at the Botanic Center" /></a><br />The look of despair on her face suggests she'd been having nightmares about being stalked by Kris Kringle for weeks, and that in her dreams Rudolph was outside chewing on Blankie, which was probably happening right then.<br /><br />With some support, she did reluctantly stand up and turn around to accept the candy cane, and didn't cry or anything. Which, of course, is an important lesson in the Christmas spirit.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091485178651051949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-71599673293534439812011-01-04T21:51:00.005-05:002011-01-04T22:15:16.945-05:00Boo!I think our blog has fallen stagnant because Kirsten is waiting for me to pay homage to the awesome Halloween costumes she made for the kids.<br /><br />Soren began insisting he wanted to be "a spooooky convertible Corvette" in July. We asked him repeatedly, hoping he'd change his mind, because how would we make <span style="font-style:italic;">that</span>? It's not just a car, it's a particular model, and a spooky version at that! Soren held his ground; it was the most stable preference of his life.<br /><br />Kirsten thought hard, and came up with this classic design:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5126479442/" title="Halloween costumes by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1116/5126479442_8a4086a1ec.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Halloween costumes" /></a><br /><br />It even looks great in the driveway!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5249364825/" title="Halloween by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/5249364825_7322a02dc7.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Halloween" /></a><br /><br />Soren and I were stopped by three different fathers who specifically complimented his Corvette. One even recognized it as a '57!<br /><br />Sigrid didn't have many ideas for her costume, but the plumber who came to fix our water heater a few months ago thought she looked just like Cindy Lou Who. He was right.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5126479744/" title="Halloween costumes by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/5126479744_36f23ca74b.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Halloween costumes" /></a><br /><br />When Sigrid tired of her props, Kirsten thought she'd try them herself to see if she could get some candy honestly, rather than just stealing from the kids.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5249365283/" title="Halloween by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/5249365283_22bda483e9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Halloween" /></a><br />It didn't work, but if the The Grinch had been walking down our block, he surely would have gone running back to his cave!Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091485178651051949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-91879319726646986352010-11-15T21:22:00.005-05:002010-11-15T21:43:54.669-05:00Fleef<span style="font-weight:bold;">Fleef</span> verb \'fleef\<br /><br />1. To stroke or tickle with a corner of a plush security item, such as a pillow or blankie.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Usage</span> <br />"Pillowy is <span style="font-style:italic;">fleefing</span> you, Daddy." "Blankie <span style="font-style:italic;">fleef</span> Momma" [sic]<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Etymology</span><br />Written records of oral history reflect the term was coined by Soren in 2007. Similar secondary sources indicate newly-verbal Sigrid expanded usage to include non-pillow plush security items (specifically, "Blankie") in late 2010.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Related Words</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Fleeftown<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span> The area beneath a plush security item. Example: A Matchbox car under a blankie is in <span style="font-style:italic;">Fleeftown</span>.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091485178651051949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-46298497013834353142010-11-11T22:42:00.002-05:002010-11-11T23:26:28.070-05:00Exceeding ExpectationsI finally figured something out. I actually figured it out a few weeks ago, but pretend I just figured it out today, because that makes this post seems much more timely.<br /><br />So, and this is directed at moms in particular, you know how when a dad does something relating to the care of his own child and manages to pull it off without somehow putting the baby in the dishwasher or blinding himself with talcum powder, and this competence is witnessed by a woman, he is treated as some sort of wondrous miracle man, superior to all others in talent and capacity for caring? And then you think, <span style="font-style:italic;">Hey, I take TWO KIDS to the grocery store BY MYSELF every week and no one gives me a damn medal</span>? And then you feel all misunderstood and taken for granted and gender inequity and male-dominated hegemony and yes I did go to Brown?<br /><br />I think -- and correct me if I'm wrong, guys -- men might know how that feels. Just a little bit.<br /><br />The answer: Pilot lights. And wiper blades.<br /><br />There were several repairmen in and out of the house today responding to such fatal-sounding events such as a gas leak and a failure of our water heater and boiler to vent exhaust anywhere but back into the basement. Maybe they just all had a flair for the dramatic, but there was a gas smell and it did happen that the gas chimney was full of decroded flue tiles instead of not being full of anything, so their stories seem plausible. Anyway, when the chimney guy came, he did his thing and then asked whether I was going to call the gas company back to turn the appliances back on. Me: "No." He looks dubious. Me: "All they did was shut the gas valves and turn off the pilots. I know how to light the pilots." <br /><br />And there it was. A look, a surprised noise. He was impressed. I was a true handywoman, with skills far surpassing any other female. Because I knew how to turn the little knob and push the button on the water heater according to the instructions which are written right there on the actual water heater. And if there had been another guy there, I bet it would have ticked him off. Maybe he would think, <span style="font-style:italic;">Dude, I can light a pilot with an actual MATCH while building a playset from scrap wood and jacking up the first floor of my house.</span> * What I didn't tell the chimney cleaner was that I not only light pilots, I also replace faulty thermopile generators, with a soldering iron and everything. And I know THAT'S badass. <br /><br />I got the same accolades a few months ago when I got some new wiper blades at Pep Boys and installed them myself in the parking lot. A random passerby told me how nice it was to see a woman installing her own wiper blades. <span style="font-style:italic;">But... they SNAP ON.</span><br /><br />So there's the symmetry I'd been missing. Men are heroes for changing a diaper instead of doing something weird with duct tape, and women are heroes for igniting pilot lights instead of paying a plumber $60 to do it. But maybe that's because most of us are nervous about doing that stuff because an entire other gender will tell us we're doing it wrong. Well, some things are almost impossible to screw up. So! Men, get out there and change those nappies! Women, learn to push that switch on the water heater! COMPETENCE HO! You can do it. And someday, just maybe, no one will be impressed. <br /><br />On the other hand, that doesn't sound like any fun.<br /><br /><br /><br />*All things that my husband has done. But not simultaneously.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-68549044595040857742010-10-23T21:20:00.007-04:002010-10-23T21:34:24.891-04:00Theseus' PlaysetOne of the great paradoxes of ancient philosophy of is that of Theseus' ship. So beloved was it by the Athenians that they preserved it, replacing planks as they decayed to keep it in excellent condition. However, the philosophers point out, at some point, no planks that sailed with Theseus remain. Is it still Theseus' ship? If someone were to find one of the discarded, decayed boards that actually sailed with Theseus and build a replica around it, would it not then have a greater claim to being Theseus' ship? Or are there now two ships of Theseus?<br /><br />While neither Soren and Sigrid--nor their cousins--have yet founded great civilizations, one of my Summer construction projects has been the restoration and updating of a family playset: a wooden play structure rivaling the fun of the $1200 playsets advertised in venerable publications such as Skymall (with much sturdier build). Designed and built by my grandfather for my cousins, the set was passed on to us a couple years ago, when my older cousin began college and my younger cousin obtained his learner's permit. It has been sitting in the corner of our yard for a while, waiting for Sigrid to get enough judgement to not hurt herself, or me to get around to trying to put it together.<br /><br />When I sorted the pieces to assess the project, I found the elevated platform and railings were still in stunning shape; a good powerwash and restaining would restore them well. However, the parts of the playset that sat on the ground were decayed; even cedar eventually rots out, apparently in less than two decades if it's stored on the ground in the shade. In addition, I wanted to add some additional playset appointments.<br /><br />Here's the final product:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5102854098/" title="backyard play set by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1373/5102854098_210610d453.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="backyard play set" /></a><br />I replaced the vertical corner supports and ground-level braces, and added a swing and steering wheel. <br /><br />Soren helped.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5045850416/" title="IMG_7150 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5045850416_54b1a2fde2.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_7150" /></a><br /><br />I purchased a slide, which is challenging because slides are expensive to ship, and most of the slides available locally are only sold in kits. The local unfinished furniture place assured me they didn't sell individual slides, unless there were "extras" from the kits. We then had a surreal conversation about a particular orphaned slide on their floor, which was clearly "extra": they felt it was important I understand they didn't sell slides, while I tried to get them to suggest a price. I walked out with a good deal. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5102853274/" title="backyard play set by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1060/5102853274_26b0895b96.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="backyard play set" /></a><br />Surprisingly, it fits in a Jetta.<br /><br />One of the orignal ladders was badly decayed, and since Sigrid won't be able to climb ladders for some time anyhow, I decided to use the old vertical corner supports as a frame for a climbing wall. There are kid-sized grips for Soren.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5102259009/" title="backyard play set by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1157/5102259009_93a22003c1.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="backyard play set" /></a><br /><br />And some steps for Sigrid to climb.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5102852448/" title="backyard play set by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1212/5102852448_20883a9591.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="backyard play set" /></a><br />It even has the hallmark of a custom playset: it is stained the same color as the shingles on the upper level of our house!<br /><br />Sound like something your child would enjoy? Fear not! I still have a few scraps and partially decayed planks from the original. I'm sure we can negotiate an appropriate price for one of these artifacts. Then you, too, can have Theseus' playset!Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14091485178651051949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-47046973065925407982010-10-04T19:55:00.004-04:002010-10-05T13:48:37.817-04:00Soren's Memoirs, ibid.Hello. I'm Soren.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4887655125/" title="Cape Cod by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4887655125_5d801e0173.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Cape Cod" /></a><br /><br />This morning, as I do every morning, I woke up, ran into Mommy and Daddy's room, and asked Mommy whether she had remembered to keep the TV plugged in and tuned to PBS Kids. She said yes. Then I asked whether she had put my appetizer on the kitchen table. She said yes. So I went downstairs, got my appetizer (Cheerios), turned on the TV, and wedged myself behind the couch cushions to watch cartoons. Then I remembered the rest of my morning routine, and went back upstairs to tell Mommy that when she came downstairs, she should pretend not to see me, and that she shouldn't look in the couch because there are mosquitoes. So she came down, looked around and couldn't find me, and then said mosquitoes didn't scare her and sat on the couch and smushed me (but only a little). And that's my morning routine.<br /><br />I like fall because there are hay rides. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5046573407/" title="Schartner Pumpkin Express by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5046573407_6e7d8b81b1.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Schartner Pumpkin Express" /></a><br /><br />When we go places in the car, sometimes I like to rest, but I don't want to miss anything exciting. So I tell Mommy or Daddy to let me know if they see any Mustangs, Cadillacs, BMWs, Mercedes, Mini Coopers, Lincolns, or any other classic cars. Unless the cars are brown, in which case I don't want to look at them. Then I add more and more cars to the notification list until it would have been shorter to just tell Mommy or Daddy which cars I <span style="font-style:italic;">didn't</span> want to know about.<br /><br />I also like fall because there are corn mazes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5046579469/" title="Schartner Pumpkin Express by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5046579469_ccb5b9916f.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Schartner Pumpkin Express" /></a><br /><br />For Halloween, I have insisted that I want to dress as a Spooooooky convertible Corvette (said in a spooky voice). Mommy had better get cracking on that.<br /><br />I am very helpful. I put the silverware away when Mommy unloads the dishwasher, and I put my own shoes on occasionally, and I love mopping (too bad Mommy only mops three times a year). I also like to help Daddy work on various home and yard improvement projects. I excel with the socket wrench.<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5045229079/" title="IMG_7152 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5045229079_42e8627673.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_7152" /></a><br /><br />That's it for now. I'm off to run around and around and around and around for a while. Let me know if you see any Mustangs, Cadillacs, BMWs, Mercedes, Mini Coopers, Lincolns, or any other classic cars.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5045223591/" title="IMG_7048 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5045223591_31b3fbf0c9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_7048" /></a>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-68096159095343402322010-10-04T14:16:00.004-04:002010-10-04T14:37:05.868-04:00Sigrid's Memoirs, Ghostwritten by MommyHi. My name is Sigrid.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5045225635/" title="IMG_7102 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5045225635_69fdf5d140.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_7102" /></a><br /><br />Right now, I'm sitting in my crib, singing and occasionally applauding myself. I may be singing Old MacDonald. It's hard to tell.<br /><br />We went to the Topsfield Fair yesterday, and since I didn't get to go on any rides, I got an insanely expensive inflatable Sponge Bob. I love him very much and hugged him for about an hour in the car on the way home. Mom hopes he will be my favorite toy for about 20 years so that the amortized cost of Sponge Bob will seem reasonable.<br /><br />I went out to the vegetable garden the other day, picked a Serrano pepper, and took a bite out of it. I didn't cry, but I made a very amusing face. Then I went out the next day and did it again.<br /><br />I get very enthusiastic about weird things. I had a request in the early afternoon one day last week: "Take. Baf. Take. Baf." Mommy asked disbelievingly, "You want to take a bath?" to which I responded "OOHHHHH! KAAAAYYYYYY!"<br /><br />I'm in that phase of learning to take where everything comes out as a series of one-word statements. "Bunny. Ride. Car." "Bear. Swing. Whee!" "Sorry. Mess. Letters. Mommy." That last one was after my very first time-out, which happened after I dumped magnetic letters all over the floor and wouldn't help clean them up. I was told that if I didn't pick them up, I would get a time-out. I've seen Soren get lots of time-outs, so it seems like a very grown-up thing to do, and I have the proper technique memorized; I headed right for the time-out chair, sat nicely for 90 seconds, and gave the aforementioned apology. Then I did help pick up letters. It's a good thing I have a big brother to show me how to behave.<br /><br />I take reading very seriously.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5045849294/" title="IMG_7122 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5045849294_5e254f3766.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_7122" /></a><br /><br />Soren is very nice to me sometimes...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5047204938/" title="Schartner Pumpkin Express by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5047204938_8392d0961a.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Schartner Pumpkin Express" /></a><br /><br />...but sometimes I think he wants to ship me off to Abu Dhabi.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/5045847880/" title="IMG_7103 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5045847880_ffa7552305.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_7103" /></a><br /><br />He can't afford the postage, though, so I'm here to stay. And that's the end of my cutesy blog post.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4999332745/" title="Sigrid by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/4999332745_1b62040d5a.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Sigrid" /></a>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-47129243269867935862010-08-12T14:47:00.001-04:002010-08-12T20:33:10.360-04:00Everything in the Whole WorldThat's what I feel like I have to put into each post if I'm going to go so long between posts. Which makes me want to go even longer between posts, because I don't really have the patience to write about everything in the whole world. Well, and sometimes it's the opposite problem, I guess, because I often feel like I don't do anything interesting and have nothing to write about. So I really can't win.<br /><br />So what have we been up to? Vacations! Chris and I got to go to Paris for a week while Grammy and Grampy (Chris's parents) stayed at our house with the kids. The grandparents held up remarkably well, and fled the house much more slowly and subtly when I got back than I might have done in their position. They report that the kids were very well-behaved and they all had a great time together. Meanwhile, Chris and I were also well-behaved and had a great time together, so it was a win-win-win situation! It was my first time in Paris, visited all the major attractions (the Louvre, Versailles, Arc d'Triomphe, Notre Dame, Musee d'Orsay, Eiffel Tower), and a couple that seemed like they'd be minor that turned out to actually be major (the Orangerie Museum and St. Denis cathedral). The Orangerie seemed like a blip on the Paris museum radar before we showed up -- I'd never heard of it, so I assumed no one else had either, but there turned out to be a huge line when we got there waiting for the museum to reopen because it had apparently filled up. The main awesomenesses within were two oval rooms encircled (enovaled?) by giant Monet water lily paintings. The scale and the colors were enthralling.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4794494769/" title="IMG_6613 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4794494769_5648f5f751.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_6613" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4795126608/" title="IMG_6611 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4795126608_27420ecc85.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_6611" /></a><br /><br />The other major minor attraction, St-Denis cathedral, was my favorite. Besides being the oldest dated Gothic cathedral in France (construction began in 1136), it is the burial site of all but three of the kings who ruled France between the 10th century and the revolution. I really only appreciate history if it's really old, and this counts. Some of the stained glass is original, which is crazy if you think about windows surviving for 900 years, and all of it is gorgeous. Since the cathedral is a longish Metro ride out of the city, the tourist count was low, and we were able to experience the space in peace. That made a huge difference, I think. Notre Dame might have been really interesting, but I wouldn't know, because there were 500000 people there and I wasn't interested in sticking around for long. So I highly recommend visiting St. Denis if you happen to be in the neighborhood.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4794492805/" title="St. Denis by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4794492805_69c6d33209.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="St. Denis" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4794493287/" title="St. Denis by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4794493287_77f411b4bf.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="St. Denis" /></a><br /><br />And now the children are insisting that I pay attention to them. Au revoir.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-34914780384040188252010-07-25T15:36:00.003-04:002010-07-25T15:38:27.227-04:00ClassicScene: The classic car show at Goddard Park yesterday morning.<br /><br />Soren: Mommy, what does 'classic' mean?<br /><br />Mommy: Old. And nice. Kind of like 'antique'.<br /><br />[pause]<br /><br />Soren: Mommy, I think you're classic.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-17435003355221287592010-06-28T09:39:00.002-04:002010-06-28T09:45:29.436-04:00Soren's Rules for CarsSoren has four Rules for Cars, or so he says; I've only heard two. But here they are:<br /><br />1. The smaller, the faster.<br /><br />2. Fast is a blast; no wonder it passed.<br /><br />Good rules, I'd say.<br /><br />We were walking on Main Street the other day, and Soren pointed to a parked car and cried, "Is that a Bentley?!?!" <br /><br />A man sitting on the adjacent restaurant patio said, "How does he know that? How old is that kid?" He and his wife were very impressed (it was their car). I think Bentley owners might like being openly recognized by people who have no preconceptions about what a Bentley owner might be like.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-41835026744481934002010-06-27T19:20:00.002-04:002010-06-27T19:47:30.301-04:00Hot and BotheredSummer. Bah humbug. Too hot for typing long sentences. At least there are farmers' markets. And air conditioning. And a quart+ of blackberries ripening in the yard. And lightness at 8 PM. And kids playing in the sprinkler. And watermelon. And Zyrtec.<br /><br />I got my hair cut really super short yesterday, so now it's completely off my neck, and that helps with the heat. Plus people claim it looks cute. Also I have new glasses. I like them. And my toenails are painted silver.<br /><br />Many things have happened in June. Soren is four. There was celebrating. He wants four more parties, he says. He also claims that he is now almost five. I made a carrot cake, and a chocolate one. I did this even though it required turning on the oven. I must really love that boy.<br /><br />Oh, and sangria. Add that to the list of pros. <br /><br />Add air conditioning again. It deserves to be listed twice. <br /><br />Soren also graduated from preschool, except not really, because next year he's going to... preschool. But a different one. They sang cute songs at graduation and Soren used his diploma like a telescope. There was a slideshow of the kids in class and on various field trips. They're so cute. I got all teary. Motherhood. Seriously.<br /><br />We got a giant bubble maker and now giant patches of the lawn are dead. Worth it.<br /><br />Sigrid likes to get naked and run around the yard. I guess I can't post a picture of that because this is the internet. But it's cute. She has a narrow little butt and a giant belly and she barely bends her knees when she runs. She squirts the hose in her own face and gets all mad and then laughs. Silly.<br /><br />It's all good.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4739915297/" title="IMG_6311 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4739915297_90959f3fe4.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_6311" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4740550554/" title="IMG_6291 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4740550554_8b89f4f378.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_6291" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4740550108/" title="IMG_6283 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4740550108_91f450ac0e.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_6283" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4739913995/" title="IMG_6236 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4739913995_0348bdfe2b.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="IMG_6236" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4739915707/" title="IMG_6326 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4739915707_cfb471da8a.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_6326" /></a>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-12675660008921821142010-05-26T15:47:00.003-04:002010-05-26T15:52:33.275-04:00Bye-Bye BabyHello toddler.<br /><br />Sorry the video is so dark. On the plus side, it makes it a little harder to see the dirt all over the kids' faces.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dybxCbqMDWp4JJa36N_z_D2OJp28rfGs92MgAurEibyw1jEvWc13Bfnz0WHh3wYlvMR5FONZ9_NUvGZAyNNZA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-4770099687674090562010-05-15T13:30:00.005-04:002010-05-15T13:49:19.931-04:00Quirks of the MomentSigrid:<UL><LI>Insists on carrying a dandelion in each hand when out walking.<br /><LI>Yells "YEAH!!!!" when I come into her bedroom in the morning.<br /><LI>Says "Melmo," even though she's never seen Elmo on TV and only knows him from the picture on her diapers. Elmo is made of special baby crack.<br /><LI>Sings "Yah-Yo" when we get to the e-i-e-i-o part of Old MacDonald.<br /><LI>Adores dogs, and buries her face in their fur whenever the opportunity arises.<br /><LI>Picks up her blankie and runs for the gate at the bottom of the stairs when we say it's bedtime. She loves bedtime. Yes, I know I'm really lucky.<br /><LI>Has a particular fondness for crossing footbridges. Over and over and over.<br /><LI>Still wears size 4 shoes. How did I make such a tiny person?<br /></UL><br /><br />Soren: <UL><LI>Insists on carrying five dandelions in each hand when out walking.<br /><LI>Has finally learned to pedal his tricycle.<br /><LI>Writes me messages on his magnet board, such as "NOT U GD WA TO TOK" ("Not a good way to talk") when I scolded him for unwinding the toilet paper roll.<br /><LI>Can identify pretty much every make of automobile in the country, which you already know if you've ever spent any time with him in the past year.<br /><LI>Claims stegosaurus had spikes to protect it from creditors.<br /><LI>Likes to read "The Monster at the End of This Book" with me because he knows it's my favorite.<br /><LI>Would like a red Lincoln pickup truck.<br /><LI>Is about to turn 4. How is that possible?<br /></UL>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-43735815941000628972010-04-24T18:10:00.005-04:002010-04-24T18:15:32.060-04:00Fancy ThingsThe other day, I was dressing Soren in one of his rugby shirts, and he decided he wanted all the buttons to be done up, including the top one. I explained that the top one is generally left unbuttoned.<br /><br />Soren: Why is it a button instead of nothing?<br /><br />Me: To be fancy, I guess.<br /><br />Soren [exasperated]: Well, then why don't they just put a <span style="font-style:italic;">GOLDEN CAR</span> on there? Or a <span style="font-style:italic;">TROPHY</span>?Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-69711982865261853332010-04-11T10:33:00.003-04:002010-04-11T10:35:26.681-04:00Giving Away my SecretsI got this recipe from somewhere that I can't find now, and I'm glad I wrote it down, because it rules. And now I'm going to put it on the interwebs so others may share in my high cholesterol. Sorry, I can't give the true author credit, so just pretend it was me.<br /><br />Cinnamon rolls (makes 6 - 8 enormous rolls)<br /><br />Dough: <br />1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) instant/active dry yeast<br />1/2c warm water<br />1/3 c + 1/2 tsp granulated sugar, divided<br />1/2 c warmed milk<br />1/3 c butter, melted<br />1 tsp salt<br />1 egg, slightly beaten<br />3.5 - 4 c flour<br /><br />Filling:<br />1/2 c melted butter, divided in half<br />3/4 c + 2 tbsp granulated sugar, divided<br />1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon<br />3/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)<br />3/4 c raisins (optional)<br /><br />Glaze:<br />1/3 c melted butter<br />2 c powdered sugar<br />1 tsp vanilla<br />2-4 tbsp hot water<br /><br /><br />In a small bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/2 tsp sugar. In a large bowl, mix milk, 1/3 c sugar, butter, salt and egg. Stir well and add yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of remaining flour to make dough slightly stiff (dough will be sticky).<br /><br />Knead dough 5-10 minutes on floured board (or in stand mixer). Place in well-buttered glass or plastic bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (1 – 1 1/2 hours). When doubled, punch down dough and let rest 5 minutes. Roll out on floured surface into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle.<br /><br />Filling: spread dough with 1/4 c melted butter. Mix 3/4 cup sugar with cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with walnuts and raisins, if using.<br /><br />Roll up dough (along the long edge, to make a 15” cylinder) and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 6-8 slices. Coat bottom of 9” x 13” pan with remaining melted butter, then sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Place slices close together and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes. <br /><br />[I usually do all the preceding work, up until the beginning of the second rise, the night before and place the covered pan in the fridge, then let the pan sit on the counter while the oven heats up and bake them right away. They don’t rise in the fridge, but will still puff up in the oven]<br /><br />Bake in a 350 degree oven 25-30 minutes or until browned.<br /><br />For the glaze: Mix butter, sugar and vanilla; stir in hot water 1 tbsp at a time until it reaches spreading consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551854330835730770.post-9652461323391178442010-04-07T14:09:00.003-04:002010-04-07T14:13:38.808-04:00Breaking the LawMy Colorforms flowers (left), posted in direct violation of Soren's "No Flowers Allowed" sign (right):<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskirstensoren/4500077437/" title="IMG_5868 by kirsten.anderson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/4500077437_b1d96dee0f.jpg" width="500" height="450" alt="IMG_5868" /></a><br /><br />Easter photos to follow when I have sorted through all 6000000 of them.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377264632007264108noreply@blogger.com0