Lily's New Room

This is a post about Lily's "New" Room.

It begins, however, with Andrew's "Old" Room.

Andrew bodily moved out of this room almost TWO years ago...

and now...

it was time for all his "stuff"

to follow.

Time.

As in NOW.

As in... Tim took Lily, Timmy and Andrew to Mankato, so I was left alone....

with two kids...

which feels like alone pretty much....

These are the letters I bought for Andrew when he was little.

Awww.

OK...they have flowers and I didn't buy the right alternating colors...

but I was TIRED then.

Very very tired.

And he didn't mind.

So I boxed up his trophies,

I boxed his awards...

I moved his lego collection

to my bedroom...

where it cannot stay...

All his treasures...

out the door!

And into the basement where treasures all go.

Because Lily is ready for a room WITHOUT arrowheads, and giant stuffed buffalos and large Star Wars Lego Blasters.  She is ready to sleep without fear.

Just so you understand what you are about to witness....

this bedspread was our "inspiration piece."

And this was MY "Commitment Point."...

my TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW moment!

So HERE we go!

I had a little help.

Briefly...

Till her arm got tired and her television show came on.

Still...I am grateful.

The lilac went on the best, the green was the worst....

The blue was my personal favorite!

And the orange...

I cannot talk about the orange...

I despise orange...

Orange is my enemy.

Anyway...

Here's the final result!

I couldn't wait to show Lily!

I knew she'd LOVE IT.

And, UNFORTUNATELY, I wasn't home when she got home and she SAW IT WITHOUT ME THERE TO TAKE PICTURES! 

Don't they KNOW that I BLOG?

Other than that...it was a success.

She is very proud of her "New" room.

And that makes all the hard work worth it.

Lily Graduates

"The Sober Moment of Reflection on the Future Picture"

(Which would be Kindergarten...)

 Hum the music: Dum dum da Dum Dum Dum

"The Found My Parents in the Crowd Picture"

 In case you are wondering, the name of her preschool was Lake Area Discovery Center Preschool (whew!)

If the kids can pronounce the whole name...they are automatically graduated!

"The Diploma Pose Picture"

"The Special Friend Picture"

"The Teacher Hug Picture"....

(NO..that's not me.)

You might think it was by the way Lily is grabbing her arm in such a desperate hug.

She usually reserves those for me!

But no, sadly, I didn't get a huge makeover, lose 15 pounds and reverse my age appearance by 15 years.

Although I have been using Oil of Olay lately, and I think it's helping....

Anyway, Miss Emily was amazing.

Still is...probably.

 And last but not least..."The Girlfriends Graduating Picture"

(p.s...Lily is making the peace sign.  Lily has absolutely NO IDEA what holding up two fingers means.  Peer pressure.  Now the girl in the pink flouncy dress next to Lily...she looks like she might know!)

I am not sure the world is ready.

World...are you ready?

Happy Birthday All!

During my recent blogging hiatus, we, the Lindquist family, have had a few birthdays!

First, in March was Katie's 14th!!!!

We had a couple of parties for her...three to be exact, so if the pictures don't seem to all be of the same event, it is because they aren't!

Lots of candles on that cake...spread out widely...but she got them all!

Way to go Katie!

But here at our immediate family celebration...

...a different story....

She  thought this was very funny.

I don't ask questions anymore. 

I just go cut cake.

Saving the candle that wouldn't blow out.

It's good to know he's out there somewhere, I guess...even if she hasn't met him yet!

Then, Lily turned FIVE in April!

The Home Party....

The Private Cousin Party...

And...drumroll PLEASE>>>>>

the midnight creation of...

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!!!

Oh yeah.

THEN!

ANDREW AND TIMMY turned 17 and 11!!!!

Twinsies we call them!

Or Swedish Twins...

I just made that up.

The kids sat outside...

..they were a little squirrly...

Oh please, Aunt Suzanne, don't ever make us sit with the big kids again!

We're afraid.

Well, there was no room inside with us, that's for sure!

We had the Beck family with us and Alyse!

It was a PARTY!

The Cake...for posterity...

My boys.  Happy Birthday boys!

Now you need to know...

that in the Lindquist family...

 after each and every present...

everyone even loosely associated with the giving of that present...

gets a hug and a kiss.

You cannot escape.

It is not optional.

It happens.

In fact....

We just all kiss.

Why not?

Hugs and Kisses all around!!!

They aren't Lindquists.

They are normal.

From Europe.

But normal.

We are just a touchy feely sort of family...

I was just sayin'....

The Dude...

and

the Man.

"Man Up" now gets said at least 25 times a day in these parts.

It's a very useful phrase.

Lily doesn't want to finish her Cookie Crisp?  Man UP!

Timmy can't find his private protective gear for LaCrosse because Molly chewed it?  Man UP!

Too tired to vacuum?.....See what I mean!?

He's thinking of all the times he's going to use the "Man Up" phrase.

They're just thinking we're strange.

And truthfully....

.....we are.