Miller Time

Eli and I had some serious fun in Wisconsin last week. The Millers made it very easy for us to be very happy at their house: I mean, how can you beat having four older cousins competing to play with, feed, and take care of the one kid you brought with you. I loved getting to hang out with and talk to my sister--when she wasn't busy teaching seminary, teaching Spanish classes at the university, or driving her kids all around, of course. One week of their family's schedule boggled my mind. I don't know how she does it... Spending time with the kiddos was pretty great too. Kati and I played piano duets, while Kaelan and I played a lot of cards and games together. Gotta love that kid's competitive streak. Maina and I talked high school, Twilight, boys. And Miss Solana invited us for a school lunch date with her and all her second grade friends. When was the last time YOU ate lunch in an elementary school cafeteria? So dang fun. Eli thought he'd died and gone to heaven, all these cute girls smiling and giggling at everything he did. I wish I'd brought my camera for the recess part of lunch; just imagine about ten eight year old girls in puffy parkas flocking to a crazy toddler as he runs full speed from one playground toy to the next. Absolutely hilarious.

Don won Eli over, wrestling and throwing and tickling him to his wild little heart's content. Meeting Jana's friends for lunch in darling downtown Hudson, which sits right on the St. Croix river, was great too. Oh, and it did snow a little while we there. The ground was actually covered when we woke up Saturday, and Eli was able to throw a few snowballs and taste his first ever snow. He got a chance to watch it fall from the sky Sunday morning, just after a family of deer had come to eat breakfast with us (well, we ate inside the kitchen and watched them eat right outside the window)--needless to say, it was a big day for Eli.