Scenes From the Weekend

Hank's 7th and Elisabeth's 4th birthdays celebrated in Door County. As always, a fun and relaxing time.

Door County

We started heading up to Door County to celebrate Elisabeth and Hank's birthdays with family in 2006. I really didn't want to be home that year since it was the first anniversary of Mom's death. I wanted to be long gone in a fun, happy place focusing my my kids' birthdays.

However, what started out as a one-time escape has now turned into a tradition that everyone enjoys (especially, me, I think!). I'm finishing up cake, laundry and lists for packing this evening and, if all goes well, we'll be on the road around lunchtime tomorrow.

I can't wait!

Birthday Wrap-Up, Part Two

I didn't take many pictures this past weekend. No, actually I did, but I took them all Saturday evening while out in the lobby opening presents and eating cake. I took pictures of nothing else. Pretty lame, right?

We got to Door County Friday night a lot later than we typically do since Hank wanted to attend his last soccer practice of the season and that didn't end until 5 p.m. I think we rolled into the Landmark's parking lot around 8:30 p.m. The big kids headed over to the big pool with Grandfather while Superdad and I (well, OK, Superdad mostly) unloaded the ridiculous amount of things we'd crammed into the van.

That pretty much summed out the rest of the weekend as well. Our agenda was to simply make the kids happy, and that involved lots and lots of swimming. The entire assembled group, however, equaled about twenty people, and as you might imagine not everyone wanted to swim, so in the mid-afternoon a cutthroat game of Sheepshead began, with different players rotating in and out, paused for dinner, cake and presents and then resumed until the wee hours of the morning. Shopping, napping and running took place as well, depending on whims.

The festivities for the kids took place Saturday evening in the lobby of our building, which I can't say enough great things about. It's spacious, the views are incredible and somehow, despite the vaulted ceilings, skylights and floor to ceiling windows, also manages to feel cozy and homey. As always, we chose a condo right off the lobby, so taking cake and presents to the lobby is an easy feat and makes for a completely relaxing, enjoyable time (as does the restaurant and its pizza delivery service).

First up, pizza, salad, Jello (a special request from the birthday boy which Super Grandma obliged) and Izzes.


After pizza it was present time. We followed birthday order and since Elisabeth's birthday is two days before Hank's birthday, she goes first. Here she is with all her loot.


And here she is when asked, "How old are you, Elisabeth?"


Elisabeth was way too cute opening her presents this year. Upon opening each new package she would loudly say, "Awwwww." Here she is opening her loot. As you can see, she had quite a few helpers.


And then it was Hank's turn. Poor boy, it's hard to practice patience at your own birthday party, for Pete's sake and not be able to open your presents right away and then, when it is your turn, have your mother direct you to just sit still so she can take a few pictures. It's brutal. But he did it. He forced a smile and everything.


And finally opening his presents...


Then cake. Elisabeth first, again, with her mocha torte. In our family we have always, always put one extra candle on the birthday cake for good luck. I can't believe it, but I forgot to do it for Elisabeth this year so here she is with one candle for each year and no good luck. Bad, bad mommy. She doesn't seem to notice though.

And then it's Hank turn with a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting made by Diana. She did not forget the extra candle for good luck. Look what the punk did though. After we sang "Happy Birthday" Superdad's family-- the Ukrainian side-- always sings a Ukrainian birthday song and then "Sto Lat," a Polish birthday song (Superdad's Ukrainian grandmother spent most of her childhood living in Poland) immediately following, a fact Hank is well aware of. Apparently he just had quite enough of being patient because one second into the Ukrainian version (which I can't link because Ukrainian uses a Cyrillic alphabet) he blew out his candles. But ha ha, Hank, you missed one!

The weekend was perfect in almost every possible way. I always have a great time in Door County, but I think this may have been my favorite time yet.

We capped of our visit with a night with just the five of us and Sunday night and Monday morning we had the Landmark to ourselves, it seemed. The pool temperature had been cranked up and we just had the best time playing in the pool for a few hours, all by ourselves, Monday morning. Even Elisabeth, usually not a huge fan of swimming, was floating around and splashing and playing in the warm pool water. Leaving Monday afternoon was sad, as it always is but is the sadness is somewhat tempered with the knowledge that we'll go back again. Soon, I hope!

Birthday Wrap-Up, Part One

I survived the first half of birthday week.

Monday, a small dinner and, of course, birthday cake for the two-year-old (!) honoree (a mocha cake with penuche frosting; delicious!).


Wednesday we hosted a lot of kids for Hank's circus party: corn dogs for lunch, circus music blaring in the background and circus game after circus game (thanks to my cousin, Sixty-Five's daughter, for the idea!). It was loud. It was chaotic. And it was really, really fun.

And a really special thank you to Extraordinary Ordinary, who did such a beautiful job painting all those little faces, despite the substandard materials I provided her. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Tomorrow we leave for Door County, where we'll have a family celebration for both Elisabeth and Hank on Saturday. For me though, when I pull out of my driveway, I'll not only be leaving home, but I'll be leaving all accountability behind. While in Door County we will only eat out, the presents will have been wrapped previously and the cakes will have already been made. I already know from past birthday celebrations there, that only fun and relaxation await us. I can't wait!

Vacation, II

We're back from our too short vacation. Well, at least three of us are, anyway.

We had a fantastic time in (drum roll, please)... Door County! Really, I don't know why we all love it so much up there. I've grown so accustomed to our fall and winter birthday trips that I've fallen in love with the gorgeous views, the relaxed atmosphere and, of course, the swimming. We never have a bad time, we always seem to be successful at leaving any stressful thoughts or problems behind us when we get there and we never seem to run out of things to do.

This trip was no exception, but the only problem was I didn't really take many (or any) pictures. I'm quite certain, however, that the reverse would have been true had I had a new Nikon D40 in hand (hint, hint).

We rode horses, visited and toured a beautiful old lighthouse, swam (or course) grilled fabulously delicious bacon cheddar burgars, played a lot of cards and board games and made trips into a couple of the sweet little towns for ice cream and window shopping.

The only downers were leaving and, even more sad, dropping Madeleine and Hank off in Green Bay for a week (!) of camping with Super Grandpa, Super Grandma (Superdad's parents) and their cousins. Superdad, Elisabeth and I will join them on Friday (hopefully early Friday; again, hint, hint!)

It's good to be home though I don't quite know what I'm going to do with myself with only Elisabeth to occupy me for the week. Any ideas?

Vacation

I'm writing this in the lobby of one of my favorite places on earth; anyone have any guess where that could be...?

The Weekend

We're back. Happily, sort of, since we're home and it's always good to come home, but sad too. We had a wonderfully relaxing weekend and that smack of reality upon returning home isn't always the most welcome feeling.

Nonetheless, home are we. A bit more tired, perhaps, than before we left, but also full of more fun memories.

As always, we stayed here. In January I feel as if we're there by ourselves. The lobby with its breathtaking views of the bay was ours for the taking. The whirlpool in our building's basement was ours and ours alone no matter the time of day. And this time even the pool in the main building was desolate.

Here was the view from the condo in which Superdad, the kids and I stayed:


Most of our time was spent in the pool and whirlpool in the main building. But we also logged some serious hours in the whirlpool in our building. The kids loved this fun game (pictured below), taking their cues from hearing my sister and me talk about how we used to do it when we were kids and staying at the Landmark in January:


The whirlpool also affords a generous view of the bay and, as you see above, a walkout deck to appreciate that view. The kids made multiple runs outdoors in the freshly fallen snow in their swimsuits and then darted back into the whirlpool room to plunge into the steaming water.

And here's the birthday boy:


Happy Birthday, Dad!

Hiatus

We're off for a weekend of snow, game playing and celebrating my dad's birthday at our favorite getaway spot in Door County, Wisconsin. Hopefully I'll have anecdotes and pictures to share when we return!

Happy Birthday, Elisabeth! Happy Birthday, Hank!

Two of my children recently celebrated birthdays and I didn’t honor them here. Don’t feel too badly for them though as they were remembered and showered with love, affection and, most importantly, cake and presents in real life. Just not here. But what do they care; they can’t read.

We celebrated with family and friends in Door County, Wisconsin at the Landmark Resort the thirteenth through the fifteenth and then again on October seventeenth at our house for family unable to make the weekend festivities.

Happy Belated Birthday, Elisabeth!

Elisabeth turned one on Sunday, October fifteenth.



The extra candle seen above is a family tradition; an extra candle is added for good luck.

Elisabeth gets to try out the pool:



And, back home, she gets to try out a new toy:



Clearly, being one is exhausting:



Happy Belated Birthday, Hank!

Hank turned four on Tuesday, October seventeenth.



My Hanker-buddy loves to swim:



Who's the most interested in Hank's presents; Hank (middle), his cousin or Superdad?



The party moves home, as more guests and presents arrive:



And yet another tired birthday honoree (that's Madeleine on the other side of the bed):