go hawks! 2-0

the fratellis - chelsea dagger

this is the song played at the united center every time chicago scores a goal! JR loves it!

lyndale farmers market

sweet girl

i thought this pizza luce box was so cute i had to take a picture before it was recycled.

dance class

natalie started taking dance class. they meet once a week for 30 minutes. basically it's ballet, tap and a little tumbling. we don't even have a full-length mirror at home so she is easily distracted as she checks out her moves!
doing a cartwheel

so sweet!

lake calhoun

become a HALO hero!

as many of you know, i volunteer with the non-profit organization HALO (Helping Art Liberate Orphans) in kansas city. in addition to providing orphans with food, water, shelter, clothing and education, they also provide art therapy. the HALO Foundation supports orphans in 5 countries as well as some in the united states. i want to spread the word about HALO because i believe it's an amazing grassroots organization that does incredible things. secondly, there's something you can do to help! HALO just got an awesome grant from the Woodland Charities that they will MATCH donations dollar for dollar. if 100 people commit to donating $84 a month ($1,000/year) they will match it! that would be $100,000 donated by people like me and you and then matched totaling $200,000!!!! this is a mind-blowing opportunity! furthermore, the money that Woodland contributes will go specifically to vocational training for the orphans so they have trades when they turn 18 and must go out on their own. as i learned in Half the Sky, lack of education is one of the top reasons women turn to prostitution. they have no other skill and don't know where else to go. when they're educated they also have more confidence and a higher rate of further schooling. quoting an african proverb, "you educate a girl, and you're educating an entire village." $84 a month is only a couple dinners out at a restaurant for us. or an outfit...or whatever. but it can go so much further in these other countries. so i'm asking you to please consider making this commitment for just one year! and if it's too much for just you, you could split it with a friend, your parents or other family members, your small group, sports team, etc. and it's tax deductible if that helps make your decision :) i'm happy to help with any questions you have or you can contact HALO directly: 816-472-4256 halo@haloworldwide.org
*there are over 120 million orphans in the world today
*HALO supports programs and orphanages in uganda, kenya, india, mexico, nicaragua and the united states
$84 american dollars equals about 6,525 kenyan shillings, enough to buy milk for 19 children for one month
$84 american dollars equals 177, 250 ugandan shillings, enough to buy 10 meals for an entire orphanage in uganda
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i'm revising this post to add this email i just got from Ariane de Bonvoisin:
"you don't need to wait for an earthquake to start helping others or living a life of meaning. so many people go about their daily lives imagining that when they're done working towards this or that, then they'll put their energy into something more meaningful. only when their world is shaken by a personal "earthquake" - a health diagnosis or some other life-changing event - do they suddenly see the importance of directing their focus outward, rather than on their own achievements.
don't wait for an "earthquake" to bring you a change in your perspective. today, think of one thing that you've always imagined yourself doing "when you have more time and energy" - visiting the elderly, volunteering at a shelter, helping your favorite cause and so on - and take the first step towards making it happen. the time to start filling your life with meaning and bringing joy into the lives of others is now."

BABIES - Official Trailer

saw this on mother's day and forgot to add it to my post. loved it!

giveaway!

check out amber's blog for one of her super cute necklace giveaways!

crafty lady

i love that natalie loves crafting! she loves her gwu (glue) stick but they only get a couple uses because she pushes them up all the way and then smashes it down. just like she does with chapstick :) then anytime we're out she reminds me and says, "mom, we need to buy a gwu stick."
she can also wink!

back in mn

making a sun-catcher with the minneapolis mom's playgroup.
super easy: contact paper and play-doh

fuzzy caterpillars at the park!
natalie started this many apples in one day. do you think she ate the equivalent of one total? it reminds me of ramona quimby who said the first bite of the apple is the best one.
cutting up that pineapple is on my to-do list today. if you'd like a tutorial, check out meg's blog.

this is a bridge to northeast minneapolis. there are beautiful parks and paths all along the river. it's gorgeous. JR took this picture!

this is the view from our walkway looking down on loring kitchen and bar. now that it's nice weather the patio is filled every day. and that's how often i want to go there! i love the bright turquoise and orange umbrellas. i think that's partly what's so appealing!

happy mother's day!

unfortunately JR was in minneapolis and didn't get to be with us :(
bam! i didn't intend on being so front and center but that's what you get with self-timer!
aren't they beautiful?! nana, you passed down great genes! natalie gave me this boot vase and picked out a pink, red and white flower. nana said she walked in and told the florist exactly what she wanted! i love it!

mini photo sessions

oh honey! i promise i didn't let her cry for long!

DAM (dads and moms) Club

femi, deji, jax,will, hudson, bennett, makenna, lane and natalie!
(and another nilson on the way!)

goldfish and apple juice - mmmmm!