Dogs and Cats, Living Together!

Mass hysteria!

Easter 2012

Decorating Easter eggs somehow fell off my radar this year, and when I realized it was too late to do it, I rationalized my omission by assuming the kids would not miss it. Wrong. Mom-of-the-year that I am, we somehow managed to decorate eggs at 9:00 the night before. AND it was fun!



Even though they were up late, these adorable springy kids made it to the 8 am church service. Laura has graduated out of the cute flouncy Easter dresses and into silky (comfier) ones, but even though this dress didn't have any scratchy tulle, she still insisted on changing the second she got home. Our Easter guests missed out on the fanciness, but at least I got a picture.


The one time all these boys were seated at the same time. Wyatt, Damon, Justin, Karl, and Colin.


After dinner we had an Easter egg hunt outside! You don't see that every year in Minnesota!

Lundgren Houses of the Past

Today when Matt and I were driving on Highway 100 to get to St. Louis Park, we decided to stop off on Brooklyn Boulevard and look at the houses my parents lived in before they moved to beautiful Chisago County. I'm happy to report that all the neighborhoods we saw were neat and well-kept, especially on Girard and O'Henry Road.

Here is the famous "house on Girard."

Here is Grandma Roiland's House. Unfortunately, the owners are trying to paint it an unsightly green color (and are only ¾ of the way there), but otherwise it looks the same. However, the yard seems to have shrunk significantly since I was a kid!

Here is the 3606 O'Henry Road house. When we stopped to take pictures, people were in the window looking at us so I went to the door to explain that my parents lived there 40 years ago. "Were they the ones with the four boys?" It turns out the people who bought it from my parents still live there! And, yes, there still is a well in the garage!

Pippa: "I'm going to sneak up on her and swipe that tasty carmel roll!"

Yay! Matt's 37!

Turning 37 is pretty anticlimactic, especially when it happens on a Monday. Poor Matt. I didn't even get around to posting about it until April. Way back on March 26, Matt got up early for his birthday carmel rolls before going back to bed when the kids got on the bus. The two of us had a nice lunch out, and for dinner he got pizza and (blah, I can hardly bear to type it) white cake with white frosting. Luckily there were several moments throughout the day that he was able to play on his birthday iPad 3. Happy Birthday Matt!

Piano Contest? Piece of Cake

Laura participated in the Minnesota Music Teachers Association Piano Contest again this year, in which she plays in front of a judge and gets ranked on various performance areas. She was a "winner" of the first round in January, so she got to go to the finals, and this week we found out that she was a "winner" in the final round too! Now she gets to perform at an honors concert at the Minneapolis Convention Center in May. And she made it all look so easy.

Here is Laura at the University of Minnesota, waiting to check in for her finals performance last weekend.

Here is Laura waiting outside for her number to be called to play. She was the picture of calm amongst the other nervous parents and students (since Laura is always so calm, I tend to be calm too. If she's not worried, why should I worry?).

Here is Laura at Barnes and Noble celebrating the fact that she never has to play the piece "Castle Days" ever again. See that mysterious handsome man with the smoldering look in the background? Yeah, that's my husband.

After lunch that day, we went to the Walker museum to see an exhibit about everyday objects as art. I couldn't take many pictures, but I did get a shot of the giant folding table and chairs.

Way to go Laura, we are so proud of you!

Pippa, Poopa, Rub My Tummy, Meow Meow Meow

Pippa has settled very nicely into our family, and has turned out to be just the sweetest cat ever.

Matt was quickly won over when he found out she was so good at giving hugs. How adorable is this? I wish he would stop calling her "Poopa" though. She's a litterbox champ (No, I am not going to toilet-train this cat. I've learned my lesson).

A family picture on my birthday. Pippa was still a little wary of Penelope at this point.


Even though she's five, she is still very playful.


Karl is her favorite playmate, because he's as playful as she is!

Pippa and Penelope are right on the verge of becoming besties. Every day they sit closer and closer.


Laura found out that she is a cat person, and Pippa realized she loves Laura's room filled with pictures of cute animals. Obviously I love Pippa too, especially when she stretches out and wants a tummy rub! Everybody's been teasing me because I know how to speak kitty. Pippa is a little chatterbox, and how can you not answer those cute little meow meow meows?