A new project

I'm helping my friend, Jonel, with a fundraiser for a 13 year-old boy with brain cancer, he lives nearby and attends the Waldorf school, which is also nearby. There is going to be a big fundraiser in August (date still TBD) and Jonel wants me to help with the auction.

You can learn more about him here:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/cameron

A Beautiful Day

Today the temps were perfect. Seby, Zane & I did some zipping around town in the convertible and I forgot the sunscreen - ops.

Here they are having popsicles after lunch, sitting on this year's newest yard water toy.



The trim painting is slowly getting finished, today they did the dormers - which have needed painting since we bought this place three years ago! June 16, 2005 - that is when we closed on Blaisdell - seems impossible to think we've been here that long.



This afternoon I noticed the ONE peony on our new plant. Brad got it last year for me from a yard he was demolishing - why he didn't bring more of them I'll never know. Hopefully next year it will yield more than one flower.



This evening after dinner it has opened up more.

The Wall

Here is the wall it is current phase - needing the limestone caps and the fencing in between the columns. We are putting fencing in because we are also fencing the whole yard. I have a photo of the back yard from the mid-30's and there is a brick wall (now there is only the remains of one column) with columns and white picket fencing in between. I like the look so we are doing it in the front.



This is taken from the front door, the circle is where a fountain will go - we have one in the back and it helps to break up the city noises.



A walk-way to the driveway



The beginning of where a patio will go and the electric for a lamp post.



Aren't the workmen nice? They moved my Obama sign to keep it safe and still in sight.

The window trim painting has been painfully slow and I had to make a few phones calls to yell at people today. Amazing now there are three guys here and they are supposed to be finished by tomorrow afternoon.

Seby's Playing Soccer

Seby is in the middle



Seby started to play soccer for the first time! Well first time on a team. He is super excited about it. Cody, Graham & Isaac (a friend from Illinois) are at a soccer camp this week and we had some shopping to do to get them ready - cleats, shin guards, soccer balls, soccer clothing, etc. So yesterday when I realized that Seby also needed cleats, shin guards, and a soccer ball he was very excited about going and getting his own stuff. None of Cody & Graham's older soccer shoes fit him and I think he was thrilled about that.

So here he is playing soccer and loving it. I was really surprised how quickly and often he would get in there to get the ball. He is off at a practice today and Thursday with games every Monday and Wednesday evenings. Next week he will also do a full week of practice with another buddy.

Of course now Zane wants to play, but all the teams are full. We will see if he maintains an interest for next summer.



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Birthday Cake for Graham & Santiago!

We had birthday cake tonight for Santiago & Graham.



It was our last meal together and I had Santiago pick of where to go out to dinner, or to order out for pizza. He picked getting pizza delivered.

Late this afternoon, Isaac arrived from Illinois - an 11 hour drive for Paul (Isaac's dad), who after a tour of the house and 4 espresso shots at the nearby Starbuck's - got right back on the rode. This drive usually takes 5-6 hours, but most of 94 between Minny and Chicago is shut down due to flooding. We hope he makes better time in his return trip.

Just before dinner Oliver arrived, a friend from school.

So Seby & Zane are finally fast asleep, but all the bigger boys are still up playing video games. I'm about to pull the plug and make them go to bed. Early tomorrow morning we drive Santiago to the airport. We are all so sad he will be returning. There were be some adjustments to him not being here. It was a great experience and I think we will be interested in doing more of them.

Graham Graduating

Here is Graham getting his certificate for graduation at Lake Country School. I just had to post it because he looks so cute in his seersucker suit, and the way he just hops up on stage.

More video!

I'm so excited that the video is working! I will try not to go crazy adding more and more videos - but it is fun!

This is the LCS staff singing "Child of Mine" to the graduates.

Video

Here is a video thru youtube that we posted from the graduation. This is of Graham being honored by three of the students. First speaking is Jonah B, in the pink shirt is Charlie, and then Santiago speaks.

Graudation & Happy Birthday Juliana

Graham and Santiago had their graduation today.

And it was cousin/niece Juliana's birthday today. She was born two days after Graham. Happy Birthday Juliana!

The graduation was a lovely event. Last year we had Cody's so knew what to expect. We had better seats because we got there earlier this year. We sat right next to where the grads sat and it was fun to watch them during the ceremony. What a fun loving group of kids.



Here is Zane before it started. He lost the bow tie and the jacket before the one hour ceremony was over. He also laid out on two chairs with his head in my lap for most of the ceremony. Sebastian went back and forth between a seat on each side of Slade. These boys were moving around a lot!



Here is a not so great shot of Santiago and Graham waiting to enter the gym.



This is a shot of Graham and those who were honoring him - Santiago, Korai and Charlie - waiting to go on stage.



Here is Santiago giving his very sweet speech to honor Graham - it is as follows:

"I want to tell you that it was fun to stay with you, and with your family. It is really fun to talk with you and play xbox, sports in the yard, or watch the Family Guy with you. It was really fun to go to the same school with you. Thanks for helping me with my English. I’m going to miss you Graham Winchester, thanks for everything."



This is a shot of Santiago & Fede being honored by the school.

The tear jerker part of the ceremony comes when all the teachers of the school sing "Child of MIne" to the graduates. I attended a graduation ceremony our first year at the school and didn't know any of the graduates and it made me cry - this year I had to control myself from starting to ball.



Here they are singing it



This pic if of Graham and some friends (and family) we have several shots and the first began with Oliver, Graham & Sam, then one by one more boys joined the pic.



This is Graham and his gal, Amara. They are quite cute together.



Here is a great family pic, but Santiago was off with some friends and couldn't join the pic.



Seby took this pic of of Santiago and Fede walking away from the school and to the restaurant nearby that all the grads had dinner at with their teachers.



It was another amazing ceremony from such an amazing school. We feel very blessed to have this community.

Happy Birthday Graham

Sunday was Graham's 14th Birthday.

You'd think I had more to say about that.

But, that is all I could get out with all that has been going on around here.

Mom, Kitty & Christina, I'm very embarrassed to tell you that we took Graham paint balling for his birthday party. But it has been so many years since we have had a party for him. His first I think for being up here in Minny. Zane and I came and watched. On the way home Zane said he didn't know that paint balling was with guns. He thought that they would throw balls at each other that were covered with paint. Too cute.

So here is a pic of the crowd that went. Slade made them pose with their "peace" sign since they looked so army-war-gun-crazy.



This first pic of Graham is him also showing off his new sweatshirt. He bought it with money from Clip Clop & Papa. We thought you'd like a pic of it. On Monday I drove Graham, Cody, Santiago and Amara (Graham's girlfriend) to Mall of America. There they met other friends and spent the time doing some shopping. Graham had his birthday money and Santiago wanted to buy his family and himself some treats to bring home. Tomorrow we will go back because Santiago needs to exchange a sweatshirt that he bought for a bigger size. And of course all the other kids want to go as well.

8th Grade Graduation

We hosted the 8th Grade sleep over and Alum breakfast again this year.

The kids started the evening out at another house for a dance party - this included 7th and 8th grade students. Around 10pm we started driving all the 8th graders up to our house where we had a late night movie - Airplane. Then the idea was for them to all go to sleep! The boys had two rooms upstairs and the girls had the living room.

I caught a group of 3 girls TWICE trying to sneak up to the boys rooms. I nabbed them every time. It took a while to get them to go to sleep and finally at 2:45am I brought the phone and the school directory and asked who's parents did I need to call first to come pick them up - silence. That did the trick and they all went to sleep.

The next morning at 8:30am we had last year's grads come over for a breakfast with this year's grads. It was a great turnout and nice to see how much all the alum's have changed.

Happy Belated Birthday Santiago!

I forgot to post that it was Santiago's birthday this past Tuesday.

He and Graham were on the bike trip with the school. I sent a card and a chocolate/caramel bar for Graham to give him on his b-day. Santiago came home raving about the bar. I must get him some for his airplane ride home. He leaves us this Sunday and we are all realizing how strange it will be to have him gone.

He has been a wonderful addition to the family these past few months and we hope we can all stay in contact in the future.

Happy Birthday Papa!!!!

I'm a bad, bad girl and didn't call to wish my Daddy a happy birthday until just now ... 11:49pm!

Happy, Happy Birthday Daddy!!!!!

The above pic of Papa was taken when he and Mom visited Cody & I in New Orleans during Cody's spring break. We were visiting the aquarium and Papa snuck away from us to climb the tree house!

Happy Birthday Daddy!
Love, Michelle

Here are some pics from spending the last three days at the Land School - it is a 160 acre farm in Wisconsin that is part of our Montessori school. It was such a joy to watch all these kids - mine being one of them!







In this pic above the kids have decided that they should pray at the grave site for a beloved sheep that passed away during the evening before our arrival.




Here we clean the wool of Gerta (the sheep that passed away), after some wool cleaning the kids were able to dye the wool and a felting project.