Andi and Colin's Wedding

We had a great weekend celebrating the marriage of my dear and longtime friend Andi and her new husband Colin.  Between bridal shower, bachelorette party and a pre-wedding picnic, and the wedding itself, I was able to learn at least a half dozen new names and get to know a little bit about my friend's friends.  Always interesting.  Lovely people.

Heading into the picnic

Food

Liz's contribution to the picnic.  In case you can't read them, these three iced teas are labeled 'The Proposal' 'The Ceremony' and 'The Honeymoon'

Chatting 

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The receiving line.  In the background you can see a bit of the silo and the rooftop of the barn where  Andi and Colin got married.   

Charlotte, Nova, and Ariadne got to join other young children (generally under 10) as fairies during the wedding.  

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Solomon enjoyed chasing his sisters.

While we awaited dinner, the kids worked on postcards to Andi and Colin.  All guests were encouraged to write a note.  Where is Solomon, some of you might ask?  Happily sitting at the next table, getting to know some of Andi's relatives who happen to be boys his own age.  He said it was one of the best parts of the wedding. 

Father Daughter Dance

And Mother Daughter Dance.  When we went to swing dance classes back in high school,  Andi got to learn lead.  

Ariadne loving the lawn games.  Actually everybody loved the lawn games.  Behind her wedding guests lob heart shaped bean bags at Vermont and Minnesota.

Nova, dancing with the bride.

Ariadne was not to be left out.  

Charles and the kids left with the setting sun.  I stayed on and ended up going to the after party with my good friend Liz.  Liz, Andi and I have been friends since 10th grade.  I did not get a picture of the three of us, but I know the photographer did.  Andi and I actually go back even further--1993.  There is nothing like knowing someone over the long haul.  Somewhere around year seven or eight, or maybe life transition three or four, you are no longer a friend from swim team or choir or high school.  You are no longer the one who is good at music, history, or chemistry.  Not the flashy one or the quiet one.  Not the career girl or the one on the mommy track.  Seeing a friend through so many aspects of life you see them as themselves.  Wonderful complex people, and they see you that way too.  I know Andi and Colin will get that and much more as the years progress. Cheers guys!
 

To Canada! Part Two

Charles and Grandpa Midwinter, also known as GG Al

The next day we were off to Brandon to see the Midwinter side of the family.  We met Parker (Charles' cousin) and GG Al at the Royal Oak Inn for lunch.  Parker happily entertained Solomon's hypothetical questions about mythical and fictional people/creatures and games (Q: What imaginary creature would you use to create an army? A: Dragons (Parker),  centicores (Solomon).  In fact it lead to an interesting conversation about gravity, space exploration, and if I remember correctly, battery technology.

Nova, Solomon, and Parker

We had hoped to see Uncle Brian and Aunt Carol as well, but Carol was quite sick and they were unable to come.  They kindly covered our hotel room, in liue of us staying at their apartment, which was the orginal plan.  

After lunch, GG Al visited in our hotel room and at the pool. Ariadne kept bringing him shoes.  The game evolved in to a tickle-tickle one.  They hit it off quite well!  As we headed for the pool, GG Al quietly slipped me a bag of candy for the kids, so that I could distribute it at an opportune time.  While the kids and I swam, Charles and GG Al got a chance to talk one on one.    

Ariadne and GG Al

The next day it was time to go home.  We passed the Half Way Tree (landmark from the Midwinter kids' childhood) on the way from Brandon to Winnipeg.  I had never been to Manitoba in the Spring, and while everything was greening up, I missed the colorful crops of Summer.  While Minnesota seems to have only corn and soybeans Manitoba has beautiful blue flax, bright yellow canola, and tall sunflowers that follow the sun each day.  

The Half Way Tree

Near the U.S.-Canadian border we passed a number of large wind farms.  Though I know these exist in Minnesota too, they were quite a spectacle.

Wind Farm

Our trip back we had a much happier baby.  The secret?  Let her play with objects that aren't baby toys! (but are still safe of course).  This included cardboard drink carriers, the silicon lid to my reusable coffee cup, shoes, and empty bottles.  

We relied on books on CD and music to entertain the rest of us.  'Lefty and Tighty' by the Okee Dokee Brothers became the anthem of the trip, much as Raffi's 'The More We Get Together' had been the only thing that could keep us going when we went to Oklahoma when Solomon was fifteen months old ('Rafi Song!' he would request again and again and again).  We also enjoyed the Okee Dokee Borthers song about alien neighbors, 'The Extraterrestrials'.  Around St Cloud Chuck broke down and bought a CD with some grown up music.  Diary of a Whimpy Kid, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, The 100 Dresses, and half of The Extrodinary Education of Nicholas Bennedict were the books we listened to.  Who knew driving 30 hours in a three day weekend could be so painless?  (Yes, family who makes this trip more regularly, it would not have taken you 30 hours, but that was as fast as we could go).  All in all we had a wonderful trip!

To Canada! Part One

Charles and his Grandma McKitrick, GG Lois to our kids. 

Over Memorial Day weekend we took the opportunity to go to Canada.  We met Charles at a playground near his work (no need for him to drive through rush hour twice), all piled in the van and headed north.  We pulled over to sooth a crying baby and found ourselves in front of Charlie's Cafe.  We stopped for dinner and headed on.  The first night took us to Fargo, ND.

Crossing at Pembina, we entered Canada.  By afternoon we were visiting with GG Lois, Great Aunt Kathy, Great Great Aunt Jean, Great Great Aunt Joan, and Great Great Uncle Glen.  We enjoyed lunch and dinner together, all orchestrated by Kathy.

Pat-a-Cake with GG Lois, photo courtesy of Kathy

Ariadne and GG Lois had a rousing game of Pat-a-Cake.  Charles caught a bit of it on video (I will do my best to upload it soon).  The older kids (and we grown-ups too) learned about the Arctic diamond mines where Chuck's cousin Tom works.  The kids enjoyed their gifts--puzzles, magnetic paper dolls, blocks, and books about Canada.

Kathy and GG Lois brought an interesting rock from the farm their family lived on for so many years.  It was round and resembled a geode.  Kathy split it open to see what was inside.  Here everyone is standing around to look.

Sisters Jean, Lois, and Joan

Solomon, Glen, Charles, Joan, Jean,
Nova, Lois, Maria, Ariadne, Charlotte (and Kathy was behind  the camera)

We visited, mulling over gardens, health, jobs, what other family was up to.  

Toward the end of our visit, GG Lois brought out watches for each of the older kids and jewelry for the girls.  Charles and I were given a beautiful wooden container Charles' grandfather had made.

Joan and Glen hosted us for the night.  We had a nice visit in the evening.  The next day I realized I hadn't taken any pictures at Joan and Glen's.  Wishing I had, I made some notes about the previous day instead.  Looking at them a month later I wish I'd done more writing during the trip.  It is just hard to remember that level of detail.

When we finally arrived at GG Lois' Aunt Kathy and GG Lois were there with the party/activity room all set up for lunch.  Gifts for the kids we set like place settings at a small table.  In the middle rested pussy willows.  One of Solomon's gifts was a book entitled Canada From Above.  In it was a photo of Diavik Diamond Mine, where Charles' cousin Tom works.  The mine was on a man made island in the middle of a vast lake in the arctic.  It descended into the earth in concentric circles.  Kathy had more pictures showing the mine in winter, dug deeper, and finally filled back in with water.

GG Lois showed Ariadne pat-a-cake and they had a grand time!  Before long Ariadne gripped GG Lois' fingers with her little hands and made them clap herself. 

"She's doing it. I'm not moving them at all" Lois said. 

Again and again Ariadne played pat-a-cake with her G.G., all smiles and loving the part where you 'toss it in the oven.'  

After our visit with GG Lois, Kathy, Jean, Joan and Glen, we followed Joan and Glen to their house to spend the night.  They were wonderful hosts.  Joan is a collector of antiques, and they are arranged in thoughtful groupings through out  the house.  Ariadne noticed the little cradle with dolls right away and Joan let her pick out one to play with.  The one she chose looked something like a cupie doll with molded swirling hair.  Solomon asked about a large wooden bowl with an unusual wooden paddle.  Joan explained that it was a butter bowl.  She lifted the lid from the butter churn near by to show the kids the turn dash, telling the kids how one would use it to shake the cream till it turned to butter, and then transfer it to the butter bowl and work the last of the liquid out of it.  Next to the butter bowl and churn were two butter molds, a small one with a star and a large one with a sheaf of wheat.  Joan told the kids that if you were wealthy and had company coming, you would use the little butter mold to give each person a little pat of butter.  
"What do you think this is?" she asked Solomon, holding up a sheet of interlocking metal circles on a metal handle.  "Chain mail." Solomon answered.  
"I've seen chain mail before and it looks like that.  But I guess you couldn't wear that."  

"It is for scrubbing pots." Joan supplied the answer. "Could you imagine getting potatoes out of the bottom by scrubbing with that?"

Upstairs Charlotte and Ariadne spotted the children's table in the kitchen.  Joan brought out a little tea set, and Charlotte played tea with first one sister, then the other.  In the living room we looked at some of Glen's carvings.  
"How did you get the whiskers in?" Nova asked, looking at a sleek and happy otter on the table.  
"They are paint brush bristles.  I made little holes and stuck them in." Glen told her.  
Across the room Charles and Solomon admired the fine feather work on a carving of a wood duck.  Glen used to carve with Charles' Grandpa McKitrick.  We all chatted a bit longer, looking at pictures of the Wheelers five children and their families.  Glen got Ariadne to laugh and hold her arms out wide.  The  older kids excused themselves to go down to bed, and fearing the little ones were about to 'melt' we went down not long after and got everyone to bed.  There was a fuss about each sister staying on her half of the bed, while Solomon found a rare moment to enjoy being the only boy.

At night, Charles and I lay awake, talking about the day and our lives.