Today I...

...added mustard to my serving of mac and cheese in an attempt to add flavor. It was strange, and I was desperate.

...went to the mall. I hate the mall. But it was all worth it when I bought two packs of kids socks for $2.06. The sock gods are finally smiling on me.

...rocked W1's world when I told him of the existence of The Empire Strikes Back. I'll tell him about The Return of the Jedi at a future time of my choosing. But those other 3 movies? We'll try to repress those as long as possible.

...had to remind myself not to watch or read anything creepy while R1 is out of town. You'd think I knew better.

...watched W1 teach H1 how to say "button".

...was reminded, again, that if I don't record all the crazy, weird, funny, sweet things that go on around here, people will think I'm lying when I recount them 20 years from now.

how we know it is actually, finally spring.

It's when the magnolia trees are in bloom that we allow ourselves to believe that warmer weather is here to stay.


We take our annual trip to Highland park, to our favorite high-magnolia-tree-density spot.


It's just past where, in a little while, the lilacs will be blooming, begging us to come back.


After such a long, cold, dark winter, I feel like we deserve so much beauty, don't you?

Mendon Ponds on a gorgeous spring day.

We believe in life long learning. Our Saturday outing to Mendon ponds taught us a few new things:

1. Giving H1 a gogurt to eat in the car is not the brightest thing we have ever done.

2. A 1 mile hike with kids = a 10 mile hike without them.



3. Keep an eye on H1. She might not recognize where the land ends and the water begins.

4. Don't snicker at the strangers calling the geese ducks. That may have been us when we first moved here.



5. Idyllic days don't come around too often. Seize them. You won't regret it.

evidence that all traditions were upheld

Easter egg hunt. We participated in 3 this year. By the end, H1 was a master, filling her bag lickety-split.


Easter egg dyeing. 10 stress-filled minutes and only one spill.


Sugar overload and sticky fingers, face, hair, pillow, chair...


We did an Easter treasure hunt for the kids (in true Larson tradition). W1 received a microscope, and has been conducting daily science experiments ever since.

We failed tradition in only one aspect. Our Easter dinner consisted of grilled steak and roasted potatoes. We'll try to do better next year.

To the Buffalo region

While my parents were in town, we took the thruway to Buffalo for a day of sightseeing. The main purpose for our visit was a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House Complex.

This house stood vacant for years before finally being purchased and restored. Imagine!

Frank Lloyd Wright, while his morals were less than stellar, was a genius. Were he still alive, and were I a billionaire, I would hire him to design a house for me.

We drove through downtown Buffalo and then down south a bit to:

The original Kazoo factory.

Where we bought the monkeys some kazoos.

And listened to them all the way home. Good times.

Because we love kitsch as much as we love Jello

While my parents were in town, paid a visit to LeRoy, NY, the birthplace of Jello.


We spend some time in the tiny museum, learning that more lime Jello is consumed in Salt Lake City than any other city in the U.S. (not surprising!), and that when you hook a bowl of Jello up to an EEG machine it emits brainwaves identical to those of adult men and women (surprising!).


In the basement of the museum there is a transportation exhibit, with a couple sleighs, wagons, buggies, and an old plow that has recently been knocked over by a certain 3-year-old (see above photo).

A good way to spend a windy, rainy morning. So head on down if the weather turns against you, and your children are begging to learn more about 20th century consumerism.

Sunshine + Dirt path + Water + Rocks = Happiness

Add in a visiting Grandma and Grandpa, and you have bliss.

Thanks to Mom and Dad for bringing us a little sunshine from California.