Nearly a week after our return to the bitter cold, the chill leaves you chapped and achy (or never leaves you at all), I dream about our sixteen days wrapped in the warmth of Nicaragua's sunshine. Truly, I cannot imagine a more ideal event to close bittersweet 2008. Mike and I spent the last hours of the year reminiscing (and swimming) at San Juan del Sur's popular harbor beach. Amid a soccer tournament and a dog promptly urinating on the tower of a boy's finished sandcastle (I could not invent this- the boy's gasp and pout was utterly picturesque), we toasted our rum and cokes (real coca cola to Mike's infinite pleasure) to the joyous and less than joyous moments of the passing year. To Obama (goes without saying, of course). To our first year as dog owners, to Rachel. To grad school, electronic music, Orange Mighty Trio, marathons, home cooked dinners and sunny breakfasts. To a room of one's own (sorry Mike) and the brief but satisfying discovery of cabl...
Holy hooligans, it's been a while! Winter has settled in here in the Twin Cities. The sky today is perfectly white, the trees are naked but for the pines and a few stubborn maples, and the ground is brown and frozen. Get out of the city, you might mistake yourself for living in the tundra. To survive Minnesota winters requires one to mindfully nurture a special resilience and odd admiration for the bitter cold. It's a skill that I work on every year. What keeps me smiling through the winters? Mostly small things... 1. My favorite coats: big pockets, high collars, horn buttons, elegant embroidery. It sounds trite, but lovely clothes can brighten my day! A nice coat is well worth the dollar. 2. Getting outside: I try to spend at least thirty minutes outside each day. A walk with Rachel, walking to the bus stop, going running (if it's above 20 degrees), walking on my lunch break at work. Once you get moving...the cold is a little more bearable. 3. Planning dinners...
This post marks the last weekly update of the Misha Man series. From here on out, we are rolling at a month to month basis. Yet again, Misha's fourth week of life was an eventful one! The family train continued as Mike's parents arrived on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. They were ecstatic as they missed an earlier opportunity to drive northwards due to a bad cold. Misha took to his grandparents instantly. Before the grandparents arrived, I had a couple days alone with Misha while Mike was working. We went on several long walks to local coffee shops and parks. I am absolutely in love with my BOB stroller- as is Misha. It is heaven on wheels. As Mother's Day weekend approached, a rumor spread that another Vasich might make his way up to the Twin Cities. All were doubtful that Mike's youngest brother and his girlfriend would actually make the 12 hour drive from Bloomington, Indiana...all except Mike who knows t...
Baby overload! Some great shots of you guys. Looks like a wonderful weekend!!!
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