Mom is best

Could my mom be any cuter?  Look at her smile.  She brightens up any place she goes, and that's just what she did the week she was at our home in Detroit.  She came with that smile and spent a whole week making us happy as clams.  The only thing that is great about living far away is that when we do get to see each other, we get to really spend quality time together.  At home, my mom is one busy woman and everyone wants her attention, but at my house, we get her all to ourselves.  We felt really spoiled.  She brought one of our first warm days with her and we spent it outside raking, riding bikes and playing tennis in the front yard.  By the late afternoon, some of us even took our coats off for a while.  The next day was snowing again, but we made the most of the sunshine!

 

  

 Joren and Eirik picked up bike riding right where we left off in the fall and they rode like champs. 

 Paul suggested that we go back to Belle Isle. It's been about 4 years since we first explored there and we thought my mom might like it.  The aquarium was open this time.  The ceiling made of green glass tile was gorgeous.  There were some really awesome animals there, and lots of tanks filled with artistic displays made my local artists.  

 The conservatory opened in 1904.  It has hundreds of orchids and amazing tropicals.  It was fun to see my mom get excited about the cacti and succulents, which I really love too.  Paul and I love the century plants.  Joren got a little wild and Paul took him to the corner to do push ups.  Teig thought there were real tigers in the roped off area of the tropical room.  We all growled and played along and Teig talked about the tigers for the rest of the day.  Eirik liked getting the brochures and then complained that we never get to do what he wants to do.

  

 For lunch Paul took us to a small Coney Island where we all got Greek food and Coney Island hot dogs.  Is this the greatest group of people ever?  I am such a lucky girl.  Juni is up there in the car seat.  On the way back to the car we stopped at a cute little bakery and all got St. Patrick's day cookies.  Paul gets the award for the best Sat. event planner.  It was such a fun day.

 Besides a few small errands and trips to the grocery store, the rest of the week, we spent out of the snow, in the warm house playing with boys and snuggling little Juni.  I commandeered my moms help on a bunch of projects like tying one of Juni's quilts.  We did little starburst patterns every 5" in different colored floss.  It turned out looking pretty vintage.  I will have to photograph the front which has a gorgeous flower pattern I have been drooling over for years. 

 For St. Patricks day my mom bought corned beef which we made with cabbage and potatoes.  Paul made us all crack up with his Irish accent and Eirik taught us all about Ireland which he's been studying about at school.  Then we watched some step dancing on Paul's phone and we all tried it out, which quickly transformed into a full out Aanderud dance party.
The next day we made rainbow fruit skewers and rainbow pancakes.  Surprisingly, my kids devour fruit when it is served like this.  Otherwise.. not so much.  Skewers also make great battle weapons.  Ah, the unexpected outcome of simple fruit kabobs.

 My mom said that it is tradition for grandmas to make sugar cookies with their grandkids, so she carried it on.  She let the kids cut out the shapes and then we all had fun decorating them.  There was a day when I used to spend hours decorating sugar cookies.  I have had a big enough dose of reality that this time I limited my boys to two colors and sprinkles. 

They were just fine with that.

My mom also brought egg dye and helped the boys dye eggs.  Yay!  I did not have to do it this year.  Not that i don't love it, I just get way too carried away and loose my focus on the essential simplicity of dying eggs with little ones.  My mom is awesome.
When we took her to the airport I could not help but feel like I was getting an arm cut off.  I miss her and can't wait to see her again.