Follow Art

Down under.

2012-01-30T09:04:00.000-06:00

Every once in a while we'll find Netta and Bailey both tucked under our buffet in the dining room. Sometimes we'll have to pluck a stuck baby out, but often they'll stay tucked under there for a quite some time, banging instruments or just enjoying feeling a little squeezed and secret. Who wouldn't?

Snowmen.

2012-01-29T21:07:00.001-06:00

Beautifully lit twins.

2012-01-28T22:17:00.000-06:00

I was home alone with Netta and Bailey, a rare thing as of late (Jessica had taken boys somewhere). After their nap I walked in (as they were chattering together, something that is really endearing and fun) and immediately ran downstairs to grab my camera. The light! I took way too many photos and am posting the first of a few here. Don't they look identical? I think they very well could be, and I say this in part cause it makes me feel less bad when i can't tell them apart. Which I can't lately. It's so difficult for me. Art is even better--I had to ask him the other day who I was holding.

Bailey.

Netta.

Netta, left, and Bailey.

A visit to Papa's work.

2012-01-28T22:13:00.002-06:00

Jessica brought the children over to St. Paul today to visit their Papa but also to see the tail end of a Winter Carnival parade and see some pretty spectacular ice sculptures.

An ice machine of some sort. Hard to see here but super detailed.

Art goes a little 'Guantanamo' on Netta during dinner at Subway.

Running around the newsroom. Arthur and Lewis crawled under many desks.

Bailey tries to file a story.

Netta meets fellow photographer friend and colleague (and mama of two) Sherri.

Willow piggies.

2012-01-27T14:30:00.003-06:00

Some photos from Lewis' preschool Willow. From top left clockwise: Anika, Oscar, Lewis and Anthony.

Hello, sister.

2012-01-24T21:46:00.001-06:00

Netta, left, and Bailey at the kids' museum.

Nanna's recent visit.

2012-01-24T21:45:00.000-06:00

My mother was in town last week. She drove up from Arkansas and even brought a birthday cake (hummingbird) she made for Jessica's birthday. She told me about it on the phone before coming and cried a little and about Jessica's mother not being able to make a cake for her. It was really thoughtful and loving gesture, thanks Ma.

The boys decorated the cake (clearly), and Lewis asked for a piece with lots of sprinkles.

Nanna brought up a bunch of clay from a studio she makes pots in in Arkansas. The boys had real fun making little coil pots and, as seen here, experimenting with textures.

Mama and Lewis work on a puzzle together.

I accidentally dropped a stick of butter in the kitchen and then plucked it from Netta's hands in the living room. Yes, those are her two little teethmarks.

2012-01-24T20:06:00.000-06:00

Si came over today and brought his foosball game, everyone played.

2012-01-21T22:16:00.002-06:00

Video discovery.

2012-01-20T20:12:00.001-06:00

In going through some stuff at work I found this video from our vacation to New Smyrna Beach in Florida a couple years ago.

Loungy babies.

2012-01-19T22:00:00.000-06:00

Art and Netta, crawling along.

2012-01-19T11:51:00.002-06:00

Photo credit: Aunt Emily

Crashed Ice coverage.

2012-01-19T11:47:00.002-06:00

For work recently I photographed a weird event called Crashed Ice in St. Paul. Not really a sport, mostly and advertising thing for Red Bull. But that said, it was pretty spectacular and fun. Basically it was a steep, winding ice sheet for skaters. Many were injured and someone backed out after realizing how scary the thing was.

I took a number of videos and photos, including these aerial photographs that received a great deal of attention (local media writer David Brauer interviewed me about it). As soon as I landed I tweeted my favorite photo and it blew up from there. I admit the photos were pretty cool, but in some ways it's too bad I got so much attention for images that we more a product of planning and execution than true journalism. But that's just the way these things happen and I'll certainly soak up the limelight while it's on me!

Shocking.

2012-01-17T13:39:00.001-06:00

I just watched, my mouth agape with disbelief, as Netta walkedinto the kitchen with a Kleenex in her hand, opened the trash cabinet and dropped the tissue in.

--
Jessica

MLK Day at Powderhorn Park

2012-01-16T22:02:00.000-06:00

We took everyone over to our favorite park today for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. And it was just that. A real celebration, a community event filled with good feeling and expression.

Captive audience.

Hip hop dancers, Jessica favorite part.

An expressive and superfun young gospel choir.

Jessica and Lewis, African drumming.

Walking around one minute....

2012-01-16T22:01:00.001-06:00

Jessica kicks Art's ass in arm wrestling.

2012-01-16T22:00:00.001-06:00

Art's cutting board marble roll.

2012-01-16T09:17:00.002-06:00

Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day

2012-01-16T08:29:00.000-06:00

Apparently there was some discussion about Martin Luther King, Jr in Art's kindergarten class. He explained to me that MLK changed a lot of things. "Right?" His explaination of one of the things King changed went something like this:

"Well, you know how people who are black have to sit in the front of the bus and people who are white sit in the back of the bus? Well, it didn't always used to be like that. It used to be that people who were black had to sit in the back of the bus and people who were white had to sit in the front of the bus. Now people can sit wherever they want... But I always sit in the front of the bus."

Apparently all these people were riding school buses.

Our poor babies are sick.

2012-01-12T22:09:00.001-06:00

They're hot and sniffly and unhappy. I'm downstairs and just got this email from Jessica on her iPad upstairs as she lays with Bailey:

"I have a baby wrapped around my neck. I feel like i'm wearing a breathing neckbrace."

Dress up.

2012-01-09T21:01:00.000-06:00

Tonight as I was getting the kids into their pajamas Bailey came over holding a pair of underwear, "Eh? eh? eh?" she'd say, which has become both babies general sound for need and/or want. It was clear to me, she wanted to wear Lewis' underwear. And then the socks. And then a shirt. "eh eh?" She was playing dress up! In this photo she came holding ANOTHER pair of underwear, which I was happy to put on.

And then Lewis started jumping for the hell of it, something he does often. "Take a picture of me jumping, Papa!"

Lewis' thought about Bubbe.

2012-01-09T20:58:00.000-06:00

Bubbe died about six months ago. It's been along time ago, about 20% of Lewis' life actually. I often wonder how much he'll remember her, or if he will. But tonight, as we were playing in the basement he saw Emmit walk by, Bubbe's cat. He remembered how much she loved him and then said thoughtfully, "Papa, what if Bubbe could transform back into real life?" That would be really great, Lewis.

2012-01-09T20:50:00.002-06:00

Something Art left on the floor.

2012-01-09T20:48:00.001-06:00

Make your own damn breakfast.

2012-01-09T20:45:00.002-06:00

Jessica wanted me to let everyone know she unplugged the toaster...

Playing racquetball with Uncle Josh.

2012-01-09T20:44:00.000-06:00

A couple days ago Arthur suddenly realized he really wanted to play racquetball with Josh, something he had done once before a year ago. So he called Josh and left him a message. And then sat around for a few hours periodically wondering if Josh had heard the message yet. And then eventally, yes! He called and took Art off to play. And then today, a day after playing, Art sat down and wrote Josh this email:

hi josh
kan i pla racetbul ugan?art

Netta, enlarged.

2012-01-06T16:24:00.001-06:00

Once upon a time...

2012-01-04T20:40:00.000-06:00

Here is a story Lewis told to me today. I took it down word for word.

"Once upon a time there was a dragon and then he became a knight and then he found a feather and then he became a dragon again and then he made some soup and then the soup became an Arthur and then the Arthur became a dragon and then he rided a scooter and then he wanted to be a mountain climber and then he really was mountain climber and then he wanted LUNCH. And then he goed back in his cave and he saw his mother and his dad and his babies. And then he wanted to stand on something with wheels. And then he taked a sword and a shield and then he put it in the toilet and then he flushed it and then he got all of the strings off the shield and then the strings became ice cream and then I didn't know any more to say."

This story was told in the dining room where Lewis could see the girls' ride-on scooter, a couple of dragon/knight books, some peg boards with rubber bands stretched on them and his brother.

Newsflash!

2012-01-04T11:29:00.001-06:00

Netta just gave Bailey a kiss and Bailey giggled and gave her a hug.

--
Jessica

I had a wonderful dream last week.

2012-01-03T10:55:00.001-06:00

I woke up and turned to Jessica, “I just had an extraordinary dream.”

I was on a rocky cliff at the ocean’s edge. It was dusk. I was with friends and family and strangers. There was a growing sense of danger, a feeling that we were all going to die. Then, on the horizon, we saw a huge train speeding across the ocean at us. And with it, a tsunami. There was going to be a massive catastrophe and death was inescapable.

I was somehow aware our experience was being collectively broadcast and felt by people around the world. There was international television coverage and everyone was tuned in. They, too, knew their death was moments away. The tsunami perhaps, or something else would kill us all. There wasn't just a fear of death--there was a certainty of it.

On the rocky cliff I watched in horror as the train plummeted towards us. The rocks were sharp and slippery, it was impossible to run. A split second before the train and tsunami hit I hurled myself into the water in an attempt to escape. As I surfaced to see what happened the tsunami had disappeared and the train had stopped nearby, gently floating. It looked like a huge toy. I could see fake animals and silly creatures in the windows. I realized I had been fooled.

All of the millions of people watching TV had the exact same experience. There was a collective realization that we had been tricked by an incredibly believable production. Tricked into believing that our death was inevitable--seconds away. But no, it was all just an illusion. Our lives were exactly as they had been before. I remember in the dream reading news coverage of far away prisoners killings themselves en masse when they thought their death was coming. But beyond that there was no outbreak of violence.

I learned that behind the ‘show’ was a brilliant director who created what was essentially a fake documentary about the end of the world. The film was designed to make people think what they were watching was live coverage of their impending doom, much like the famous War of the Worlds radio broadcast in 1938. But different in that people watching didn’t just worry something bad was happening or that they might die, the knew they would die. Millions of people felt with absolute certainty they would die within seconds, and then didn’t.

Less than an hour after the fake documentary ended its Facebook site had 52 million fans. There was a worldwide outburst of joy, unity, gratitude. I felt a deep and real appreciation of life itself. Of just being alive. And how easy to take for granted. To become absorbed by our own individual realities. I’m consumed with my job, my family, my ego. It all seems so vitally important. But is it really? In the dream it felt like we were all brought to a collective higher consciousness. Everyone around the world, at the same time, realized that just being alive is a gift.

For some reason my brother Josh had missed the show. I remember feeling bad for him, that he had missed out on one of the most historic moments in human history. How would Al Qaeda fighters react, how would truly evil people react? Would conflict between countries, between all people end? I don’t know, but it’s a thought.

Kids museum.

2012-01-03T10:49:00.002-06:00

My mother bought us a membership for Christmas and we've already gone a couple times. These are some photos from last week when we took Netta and Bailey for their first time. There's an especially fun little room designed for toddlers to crawl and explore.

Climbing the ladder.

Art was constantly transferring his sisters from different areas to show them this or that.

Bailey.

Lewis, building.

Zoo.

2012-01-02T13:36:00.000-06:00

Netta and Art watching the penguins.

Bailey crawled through many tubes and logs.

Turn you back from Netta for one minute and see this.

Look closely and you can tell she's looking not with her eyes, but with her forehead! amazing.

Netta, well spun.

2011-12-31T21:09:00.002-06:00

Brothers band together.

2011-12-30T21:46:00.000-06:00

I wish I had taken a picture today to show the scene in my bedroom all morning, but instead I will have to describe it.

In the bed was Lewis, with two gackoos (pacifiers) and an iPad and his brother, Art, slightly greenish-yellow, feeling sick. Netta and Bailey were gleefully looking through books both right side up and otherwise. Carma was on the bed snuggled next to Art, who was just watching Lewis play Agry Brids. This scene lasted for about two hours with Lewis activity variations and occasional snacks for the girls. Art had a mild stomach bug and Lewis wasn't sick at all, just wanted to stay near his brother, I guess. I used to do that, too, when my sister was sick. I would hang out in her room, watch the T.V. (that was brought up just for her sick day. Pretty easy when it's a 13" set) and just putz with barbies or whatever. It feels somehow wrong to be gaily frolicking around the house when your sibling is bedridden. Anyway, it was a sweet morning with all the little ones. Hopefully tomorrow will bring new health to Art and nothing new for Lewis, however it does seem likely he'll be the pale-yellowgreen one tomorrow...

Netta, walking.

2011-12-29T16:52:00.000-06:00

For more than two weeks my dear mother has been asking that I post a video of Netta walking on the blog. So, here it is (from about a week ago). Bailey walks, too, but only when holding onto a finger. It's a mental thing. There's no hurry I suppose and I hope Bailey doesn't feel pressure from us. I do have a feeling though that after my mother's visit (and encouragement) next week Bailey will be walking.

Christmas fire.

2011-12-29T16:23:00.004-06:00

I realize there are probably lots of good reason not to do this, but last night we had a spectacular little fire in our Weber as we burned the pine tree boughs from our Christmas piano.

Christmas day portraits on the Mississippi.

2011-12-28T15:43:00.002-06:00

Our family. (photo taken by my brother Josh)

Josh, Ashley and their three dogs (from left) Tula, Jesse and Cora.

Jessica sister Emily, Mike and their daughter Charlotte.

What I love.

2011-12-27T17:49:00.001-06:00

I was singing a song, I don't even remember what it was, and art asked me why I was singing that song. "I just love it, that's why." Lewis observed, "Momma, you like a lot of dinners that you make, you love Papa and... You love songs. You love all those things!"

Yep. That pretty much sums it up.

--
Jessica

Christmas day walk.

2011-12-26T22:12:00.002-06:00

On Christmas day we took our family and met more family down at the Mississippi dog park for a walk. We took some nice family portraits we'll post later. What beautiful day!

Art and Lewis had their new binoculars from Christmas.

Here's a spectacular owl we saw.

Josh climbed the cliffs with the boys, a highlight for them.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T22:05:00.001-06:00

A portrait of our family drawn by Arthur.

(this is the Christmas card Jessica wrote this year)

Dear Friends and Family,

Last year I made caramels for our family Christmas gifts. Two varieties - Smoked Sea Salt and Pink Pepper Corn - mostly forged while holding two babies into the night after the boys were asleep. Oh, I’m sorry. You didn’t get any? That’s because we were too harried to follow through and get them all sent out. After watching the insanity of managing four small children while concocting bags and bags of homemade treats that were never received my mother made me promise not to make the Christmas gifts myself this year. And so I am not. But I did manage to put together this card to commemorate our year. And it was a doozy, with incredible highs and desperate lows. All the flavors of life were tasted in 2011 by the Parker Garvins, and we are grateful for everything we take into 2012.

At the beginning of 2011 it took a team of three or four adults to babysit our kids if I wasn’t around and now one person can handle it, no problem. The girls have moved from being infants, demanding a lot of holding and rocking and cajoling to girls who are teetering on two legs and opening up the bottom cupboards to pull out and open a box of crackers and start eating. Art can sound out words if forced and write them down, draw pictures that look like things (like our family portrait on this Christmas card) and ride a two-wheeler. Lewis went from saying lovely little misspeaks like “lasternight” to crafting delightful verbal experiences like, “Momma, what if paper had a head and arms and hands and feet and could draw itself?" We have come a long way.

We were able to spend time with all of Ben’s family this year which was a real treat. In October we made a trip out to North Carolina, all six of us, to see Ben’s dad, Tim, and his wife, Cynthia. The kids spent time with their cousins out there, Mira and Zach, and trick-or-treated in a suburban neighborhood that closed off the entire community after 6:30pm. The candy-crazed kids literally owned the streets. We also made a trip to see Ben’s grandmother, Peg, in Indiana. This was an important chance for Peg to meet the girls, and sadly her last. Sweet Peg died in November leaving behind her three children, Jennifer, Ken and Nan. And we saw Ben’s mom, Nan, or “Nanna” to the kids, several times including two long visits when she basically took my place at home so I could be with my mother while she was in hospice, an invaluable gift that I could never possibly repay. Thank you for every moment of that time, Nan.

Both Ben and I had professional highlights as well. Ben was honored by the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists with their inaugural “Journalist of the Year” award, above all other writers and photographers who had entered the category. That was a lovely surprise! He also outdid the competing paper at event after event, according to both of us, and shot some of his most beautiful weddings to date, according to me. Maybe him, too. As for me, my big professional highlight was finding a new profession! I followed a pipe dream and started a play-based preschool class at my local park. It started with a disparate crew of preschool newbies who came with a host of behavioral challenges yet I stuck with it and feel I’ve found a calling. I can’t wait for the next session to start in January!

But perhaps the greatest and biggest event of the year was losing Adria, my mother, this kids’ beloved Bubbe and Ben’s dear friend. She kept our family grounded and safe and loved at all times. And the children clothed. All the baby holding, buffet tidying, head kissing, puzzle doing, children outfitting, pizza eating, political ranting, objectivity supplying, spotlight-car driving, coffee drinking and so much more is so dearly cherished. She would hate me going on like this and if she believed in an afterlife she would be grimacing at me as I type. Possibly even giving me a nudge to stop while gasping, “Jessica!”

We are grateful for so much as we enter the New Year. Our health, home, and each other. We each have our siblings here in Minneapolis and extended family as well. We have working cars and jobs and a great babysitter. We feel fortunate and we hope the New Year brings good fortune to you as well.

Sincerely,

Jessica, Ben, Art, Lewis, Netta and Bailey

(That’s oldest to youngest, by the way.)

Lewis and Oscar.

2011-12-24T21:52:00.004-06:00

Art and Evva, today and yesterday.

2011-12-24T21:51:00.002-06:00

As Jessica wisely notes, it just never get old taking photos of these two together.

Our Christmas clusterfuck.

2011-12-24T21:45:00.000-06:00

Jessica coined this phrase to describe the state of our piano. She says: "This picture does not completely capture the clusterfuckness of our piano but it basically looks like we put a tree on top of the piano and flattened it with a bunch of presents."

That's our friend Oscar at right.

A Christmas eve day walk to the park.

2011-12-24T20:51:00.001-06:00

Bailey.

Art pogos for the girls.

A note to Santa.

2011-12-24T20:44:00.001-06:00

Arthur wrote this note out with the help of a teacher at school. "Santa, can I have a spy kit for Christmas?" He apparently saw something like that when out with his friend Si. Unfortunately Santa didn't get the note in time, and if he had I'm not even sure if the elves make spy kids. Jessica and I are hoping the other gifts distract him from this singular vision of his. We shall see.

Homemade ornaments.

2011-12-24T20:41:00.002-06:00

Lewis' at left (made at Willow) and Arthur made his at school.

Whiney babies!

2011-12-24T15:43:00.001-06:00

The girls are snotty and needy again. Another cold!?!? Anyway, they wake up from every sleep crying and cranky. I was giving them yogurt and when they finished it they cried. I nursed them and when I finally decided I needed to stop sitting there letting them pacify they cried. I gave them some sweet Italian bread and only bailey cried. Netta took her piece and started eating it. Ten she walked over to her sister, picked up the piece I had set down for Bailey and handed it to her. How wonderful!

--
Jessica

Ashley and the girls.

2011-12-23T15:50:00.000-06:00

My brother Josh and his wife Ashley came over last Sunday to watch the kids (after the girls were down they watched Finding Nemo, a hit with the boys). Jess and I went out for dinner and shopping. We had a good time walking around the mall and came home with a single pair of awesome frog pajamas for Lewis. Which I'm sure I'll post on the blog after he opens them on Christmas. They even have a hood with eyeballs!

At our dinner table last night.

2011-12-21T20:35:00.002-06:00

Bailey.

Netta eating rice and dahl.

Netta baretta. [UPDATED!]

2011-12-21T11:52:00.001-06:00

Netta wears her first hair piece.
[UPDATE--this is NOT Netta. This is Bailey baretta. Jessica corrected me, cause hell if I know.]

My book is cheap now.

2011-12-21T10:38:00.000-06:00

I have a few more copies of my book Ant Farm, Glimpses of Daily Life in Minnesota for sale. I'm selling them for $8 each or $10 to ship (less if you buy a couple). Cheap! And the book is just TOTALLY INCREDIBLE. I mean, wow, what an author! As magnum photographer Eli Reed said on book jacket, "Garvin's work celebrates the best part of being a newspaper photographer. With Ant Farm he proves that every pictures actually does tell a story. Good for him and better for the rest of us!" Jesus, what a thing to say about measly old Ben. Can you even imagine a better last minute Christmas gift? And, from author Larry Millett who wrote the foreword: "Ant Farm is a testament to the intimate and ordinary rituals of everyday life. It's also a collection of stories in miniature, told by the subjects themselves, and their words are often as poignant as Garvin's photographs..." That's just humbling, I'm so incredible. I can barely stand it. I hope you, too, are humbled by my awesomeness and let me unload some of these copies collecting dust.... I will ship the thing quick as possible!

Here are a few photographs from the book:

Art's alien.

2011-12-19T21:48:00.000-06:00

Art pulled this out of his backpack the other day, a lovely little alien he made in art class.

Impressionism.

2011-12-19T21:46:00.002-06:00

Arturo has been coming home with some wonderful things from his Art class at Barton, including this clay tile. He made the impression with his hand, made a little border, painted the whole thing and then had it fired.

Ayrie's Place

2011-12-19T21:42:00.000-06:00

We'be been sending our oldest son to a little science class on Saturday's called Ayrie's Place. If you've got a kid, age 4-6, who digs science you should look into it or ask us. $5/class which is great, too. One week the kids studied rocks, one week was trying to figure out what sinks and floats and last week they made fairy houses. Here's a snippet of the course 'syllabus': "Santa's elves really love fairy houses! These small habitats are made from pieces of nature and other interesting materials. Fairies have been known to visit them and Santa's elves are good friends with fairies." I didn't know that elves and fairies are friends--it's the sort of information that's invaluable as a parent.

Here's Art's fairy house:

Childs Labor.

2011-12-19T21:21:00.001-06:00

Marshmallow gun photos.

2011-12-16T21:42:00.000-06:00

Here are a few more photos from Arthur's birthday party last Sunday. We made 12 PVC marshmallow guns (for about $10). Cheap fun! Learn how here.

Jessica made each kid duct tape belts which ended up doubling as a holster and ammo holder.

Maura taking a shot.

Jess, with the help of the boys, made a series of targets. You can't see it here but Arthur decided how many points each hole was. The biggest was 1 point, the smallest 900.

Anthony!!! Look at that complete lack of ammo control. He's eating a bullet.

At Art's request Jessica made her first chocolate ROCKET CAKE! Yes, those are black asteroids in space.

Jessica lighting the rocket boosters.

Today Netta became a Toddler.

2011-12-14T22:08:00.001-06:00

She has been able to takes steps, sometimes many, for a few weeks now, but today she made the choice to toddle at least half the time. I consider that a milestone. Netta is now a toddler.

(Ben adds: Bailey, however, is like a periscope. She'll crawl around and then stand up to have a look around. No real steps, though. It's as if she's making a choice to just take her sweet time. She's more deliberate about things in general I think. What's the rush?)

A video from about a year ago.

2011-12-14T20:25:00.000-06:00

Jessica and I layed in bed last night and watched this thing on my phone. And, since we have free reign to post stuff we've already posted, we're posting again in this posty post post.

Marshmallow gun party.

2011-12-12T23:02:00.000-06:00

Sunday we had Art's long overdue birthday party. Jessica had the fun idea of having a build-your-own marshmallow gun party. It was good fun. I'll post a few more photos and notes later, but here's a fun photo of everyone shooting the target at the same time.

Hard core baby bouncing video.

2011-12-09T22:38:00.001-06:00

Puffer babies.

2011-12-08T22:18:00.001-06:00

2011-12-07T22:10:00.000-06:00

The play area Arthur and Lewis made for a baby.

2011-12-07T20:08:00.001-06:00

Lewis, submerged.

2011-12-06T16:39:00.001-06:00

I JUST REALLY LOVE TAKING A BATH!

2011-12-06T16:34:00.001-06:00

Bailey, left, and Netta getting cleansed.

Devontae.

2011-12-05T22:14:00.001-06:00

Big D with Netta, left, and Bailey.

Those who've ready our blog for a while know Devontae's my little brother (through Big Brothers Big Sisters). That's how we initially met in 2003 when he was a wee little tot. Now he's a man. A 16-year-old one anyway. His life has been chaotic and unpredictable for reasons beyond his control. He's lived in a few different spots in Minneapolis and St. Paul with each parent, his grandma and now his uncle. His sisters are both having babies (not that babies are bad mind you!) and his brother is on probation. But Devontae doesn't even cuss, he makes straight A's, doesn't drink. He's got his eyes set on something way off in the distance, beyond the chaos that tries to distract him. He's always been that way, I don't get any credit. And it's been a real honor and joy to be his friend.

A few years ago.

Sledding.

2011-12-05T21:39:00.001-06:00

Sunday Josh came over with a huge tire tube as a birthday present for Art. It was real big, almost too big. The boys either had to ride on the sides or across their papa stretched over the top. But actually really fun and super thoughtful of josh to get us. Here's grainy cell phone photo he sent:

and then later Devontae came over and we all went sledding again.

Wipe out.

"Look, Papa. We have alot of legs!" -Lewis

2011-12-05T19:47:00.001-06:00

Learning to 'Shhhhhhh'

2011-12-05T19:46:00.000-06:00

LAZY COUCH BABY!

2011-12-04T20:19:00.001-06:00

Flipping through channels on the couch. "Papa, get me a beer!"

What happens when your 6-year-old leaves a bowl of blueberries on the table.

2011-12-04T20:18:00.001-06:00

Art drew a unicorn.

2011-12-03T23:15:00.001-06:00

Jessica and Art's creation.

2011-12-02T21:30:00.000-06:00

We thought the big hair perched on top of his head was quite funny! -Jessica

WAR!

2011-12-02T17:41:00.001-06:00

Jessica emailed me this grainy cell phone photo of a recent war the boys had with their new little army guys she bought them. Check out the awesome plastic-spoon-catapult.

Another thing Lewis just said.

2011-12-02T17:25:00.000-06:00

(as reported by Jessica)

"Momma, you crack the nut and I'll poop. And when the nut is open you
come and wipe mine butt."

What lewis just said with his hands raised in front of him.

2011-12-02T13:00:00.001-06:00

"Hey momma, I'm a zombie...so I will eat your brains."

"Welcome to the best toy in the world!"

2011-12-01T20:05:00.001-06:00

That's what Art said as soon as his friend Si came over yesterday for dinner. Ever since Art got a glimpse of it in some toy catalog laying on our table he said he wanted it, a maze ball. So what the hell, we got him exactly what he wanted.

I snuck this photo as he played with it into the night. He slept with it and took it to school for 'sharing day' today.

Art's birthday without my mom.

2011-11-30T22:37:00.001-06:00

(Jessica wrote this post last night. I just took some time gathering photos, new and old, to go along with it.

-ben)

"It was a sad day for me, celebrating Art's birthday without my mom. I realized just how sad I was last night as I was planning to put together The Chocolate Cake. Bubbe's Chocolate Cake. Mom loved doing it all up for birthdays - beautifully wrapped gifts that had most likely been collected over the course of several months, dinner of the Birthday Kid's choice, cake of choice... She loved making all that happen and I loved watching her do that for our kids. She really knew how to make someone feel special on their birthday and Lewis even said after Bubbe died, 'Who will make mine birthday cake?'"

Ben: This is the last cake Bubbe made just after returning from the hospital, overmedicated on three opiates. We still can't believe she made it, you couldn't even carry on a conversation with her (later she got off the meds she, too, couldn't believe she had done it). Jessica and her sister joked that she must have relied on her 'muscle memory.'

Bubbe giving the birthday boy a kiss.

And here's the cake she made a year ago on Art's fifth birthday.

"It pained me to sing Happy Birthday to Netta and Bailey without my mom there and it pained me to have to make the cake that she would usually make for Art today, but it was also a way to be with her. She would have been scolding me about trying to remove the cakes from the pans too early (the first one came apart) or whatever I did wrong that made the frosting seize up during mixing would have reminded us of the time we tried to add rum to some truffles destroying our efforts. But she also would have praised the final result. It turned out pretty good! And she would have LOVED Art's reaction to the book we got him.

She always got the kids a book, carefully chosen for their current interests. I channeled her by ordering Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates for Art, a sequel to a library book he had loved. And I channeled her as I grumbled about the layers of the cake not being very high, or how it came apart here or there. She would have been very disappointed that we didn't have real candles (Ben cut strips of cardboard and lit them). She would have smirked and looked over the top of her glasses at him but been secretly delighted by his ingenuity).

My cake.

Mom love-love-loved being a Grandma and loved giving things to her daughters and her grandchildren. Art got one last present from her, a little pinball toy she had picked up on an outing with Emily a while before being hospitalized. Art got that today. I guess from now on her gifts will come more and more from me.

Art blowing out six cardboard candles.

Happy 6th birthday little boy!

2011-11-29T21:31:00.000-06:00

Today was Arthur's sixth birthday. We have a nice little post prepared about it but are too lazy to finish it tonight. Soooo, in the meantime, we'll share a wonderful photo that captured the real joy Arthur (and Lewis) experienced when he opened his present to find the book Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates. He had the earlier one, loved it and didn't even know this one existed.

A few photos from Indiana.

2011-11-29T20:40:00.000-06:00

As folks who follow this blog know my grandmother died last week. She was 89. I spent a few days in Wabash, her hometown and where my mother grew up. It was hard seeing my mother be sad but also good celebrating her long life.

Anyway, I wanted to post a few photos from our Thanksgiving in Indiana.

My mother Nan, center, with her older brother Ken and younger sister Jenny.

My cousin Hannah made some loverly pies.

Cousins James and Hannah fought hard in doubles.

There was a moment, captured here by my mum, we all laughed so hard we cried.

The photo on my mom's cell phone.

2011-11-28T14:50:00.000-06:00

Before she left recently I spent some time trying to get a decent photo with her crappy cell phone so she could be cheered by some smiling babies when she makes a call.

Medical bill.

2011-11-27T10:40:00.000-06:00

This is the amazing medical bill for the c-section my grandmother had when she gave birth to my mama. A whopping total of $166 for eight days in the hospital ($4.50/day). And of course $20 for the surgery. and $2/day for the nursery. Incredible. Notice the courteous note on the bottom: "Should this statement be in error, kindly so advise, that we may rectify it." Imagine Blue Cross saying that on the bottom of a bill.

Triple whipping.

2011-11-26T20:46:00.000-06:00

from an email I just got from Jessica:

"Lewis has been practicing his 'triple whip'. I don't know who heard
this triple whip phrase, Art or Lewis, but the both of them have been
using it all afternoon to describe any maneuver that includes
spinning. For Lewis it means he jumps and spins while he's in the air,
a tricky thing for a three year old. He even told me that "sometimes
you fall down" and that it takes practice. At one point he was triple
whipping in his room while I was in the bathroom and he fell. He came
to tell me, in a slightly whiny voice, "Momma, I was doing a triple
whip and... I didn't hit mine head on the ceiling but... I fell on
mine foot like this..." It was awful nice of him to clarify things
just in case I was worried about the head on the ceiling, eh?"

An after dinner story from Lewis.

2011-11-25T18:31:00.000-06:00

This little story is written word for word.

"Once upon a time there was a bear and he walked across a field and he
saw something orange with sharp teeth and he saw it was a fox. And
then he didn't see something. The End. "

Josh and Mama.

2011-11-24T23:11:00.000-06:00

We've been looking through some old photos here in Indiana and found this one I just love of Mama and my big brother josh.

My grandma died.

2011-11-24T19:17:00.000-06:00

Yesterday my grandma Peg Yarnelle died around 2pm. She was 89 years old and lived a long full life. Two years longer than her husband Joe Yarnelle who died at 86. It was clear she was dying a few days ago when I decided to come out and visit. I got a call from my mother a half hour before arriving that Grandma had died. I was disappointed not to be able to see her but I also realized the reason I was coming was to support and be with my mother. She lost her best friend and biggest fan and it's going to hard for her for a long time. My grandmother was a real picture and a good sport, she was always up for anything. And she gave wonderful back tickles. I will miss her.

Me with Grandma.

My parents in the early 70's.

2011-11-24T18:33:00.001-06:00

This is an old photo of my hippie parents Tim and Nan with the VW bus. They drove it across country to California, complete with curtains my mom made.

Look at those guns!

2011-11-24T12:09:00.000-06:00

This is an old photo that I'm reposting cause I think it's funny. Jessica and my brother Josh.

Out of town.

2011-11-22T21:43:00.000-06:00

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for five days, returning Monday night. Three in Indianapolis to visit my dear grandmother who is dying, the other to Atlanta to shoot the amazing Vikings. I'm especially looking forward to being with my family in Indiana and to be near Grandma. And it's always a fun challenge for me to shoot sports on the road. But I hate to leave Jess alone with the kids for so long. I actually know she'll be fine. More than fine, really. When she's challenged like this she rises up and does CRAZY ASS SHIT. But I will miss her and the kids so much (as sleep in and order room service...).

Arthur's bear picture.

2011-11-22T21:29:00.000-06:00

Sledding at Phelps.

2011-11-21T22:29:00.000-06:00

We ran into our neighbors Hailey and Junior the other day while sledding at Phelps. (Well, not literally. Actually, I do think I ran into a kid at one point. Actually aimed for him and took his feet out, BAM!). At one point we had seven people, me and six good size kids, piled onto a single inner tube. that was so fun. I'm going to be buying one soon, just a big tire tube. It might be that it's just the first snow of the season but all the sudden Arthur is super excited about sledding. He even asked to do it tonight INSTEAD of a tv show.

Arthur and Junior head back up the hill.

Old video, reposted.

2011-11-20T21:33:00.001-06:00

from November 2007, Art was nearly 2-years-old. Fun for a parent to see and remember stuff like this.

Netta and Bailey at the egret's nest.

2011-11-20T13:00:00.000-06:00

Jessica went on a walk with the girls last week and came back with this nice photo.

Winter's here.

2011-11-19T21:05:00.000-06:00

It snowed this afternoon. The first snow of the year. In anticipation of its arrival we went on what will likely be our last 'tricycle walk' of the year this morning. Can you tell Lewis is smiling real big?

Powderhorn.

2011-11-19T21:04:00.001-06:00

[update--Jessica thought it looked like he was carrying the squirrel with his hands. He had a couple sticks...]

Last weekend the boys and I went to the May Day for breakfast and Powderhorn Park to play, likely our last time before winter. And we met a couple of kids we know from preschool and their babysitter who was real nice (pictured here carrying a tasty-looking dead squirrel). I'm forgetful with names but we all had a fun time playing and feeding ducks. We were even invtied for hot chocolate at his nearby house before riding our bikes home. People in Powderhorn are real friendly.

Art rode to the park but wanted a lift back. So I stuffed him into the bike trailer with his bike (see photo), he thought it was pretty funny. Lewis rode what he calls the 'tagawahn', the tag-a-long bike. And that was that.

Art, Si and Jessica using the iPad together.

2011-11-19T20:55:00.004-06:00

"Look, Papa, it's symmetrical."

2011-11-19T20:55:00.002-06:00

Dinner conversation.

2011-11-19T17:17:00.001-06:00

Lewis wanted to know how to draw paper. Just one of those random questions that really started out as "Momma..." with no direction until he came up with some obscure thing on the spot. So then he said, "Momma, what if paper had a head and arms and hands and feet and could draw itself?" To which Art replied, "Then it would just draw on it's belly!"

I'm sitting this meal out and eating later. Now they are calling each other stupid over and over.

Video of our photo in the doctor's office.

2011-11-18T22:42:00.000-06:00

Here's a funny video of what we intended to be a photo of our big family crammed into a little doctor's office this morning for flu vaccinations. I love watching Arthur and especially Lewis try to smile.

Jim Parker award.

2011-11-18T20:50:00.003-06:00

I don't really know what my dad exactly did as a Community Health Director for the Minnesota Dept. of Health. My sister definitely knows because she is smarter than me about that kind of stuff and because she now works in public health. A different kind of work, but she's in the field. Anyway! My dad was so good at what he did and so good at bringing people and ideas together that "they" named a leadership award after him. I know there is a national award, too, because I have attended presentations of the Jim Parker Leadership Award in San Francisco and in New York! Anyway AGAIN! Here I am with my sister on my right and my step-mom on my left standing with this year's Jim Parker Leadership Award recipient and the Commissioner of public health in Minnesota. It was the 20th anniversary. Oh my God. I probably just messed up all those titles just now, but here we all are just the same. I am very proud to be my dad's daughter.

-Jessica