Great-Grandma

We try and visit the farm as often as we can because we want you and Lucy to know, to remember, to feel the love that exists there. Great-grandma Judy's love is so special and permeates every inch of the farm. Her love for the asparagus and rubarb and swings and porches. For traditions and pictures and stories. For AMC movies and pie or cake. And coffee. For beautiful dishes and fancy roast dinners. For card games any time of day and even late into the night. For cooking together and doing dishes the old fashioned way. For fresh laundry hanging on the line. For a love so deep and rich we yearn for it the moment we drive away.

How incredible a life and yet how simple. There is always work and chores to be done but nothing so pressing that we can't take our time and enjoy the pace of a place so peaceful and fullfilling. You, Nora have known great-grandma since you were two weeks old and she came to welcome you into this world. But for Lucy, she was 10 months when she first was able to know the love great-grandma has to give. So while you ran around at the farm comfortable in a love you have known for three years, Lucy was taking her time, allowing great-grandma to hold and comfort her. Making up for 10 months of missed time.

Sometimes when life here becomes so overwhelmingly hectic and we are all on edge, I like to look at pictures of the farm to remind me of the calm and beauty that thrives there.

 

Being Cousins

So it's just been that kind of day. I had an entire post already written and just deleted it b/c I'm an idiot. UGGGGGHHHH.

Ahem.

One of the best parts of our Wisconsin farm trip was the time we were able to spend with Thisbe (and her parents). The two of you were insanely adorable / cute/ playful and sometimes you both were irritable/ whiny/ grabby/ tattling little monsters. It was quite exhausting and fun (most of the time). The two nights / three days was just enough quality time. I think as the two of you get older the "I want what she has just because she has it" syndrome will subside. Every toy, book, food, drink, experience had to be done two-fold for both you and Thisbe. God forbid one of you get something the other did not have. Big Nora had it right when she made you a quilt for your baby dolls and then gave Thisbe one exactly like it! Genius for your toddler minds!

If you look at the pictures one would think you and Thisbe had a jolly time chilling out together, walking, reading, planting flowers with great-grandma, and hugging. If you watch the videos, you will think how did their parents survive their time together? Oh the screeching! The non-stop movement! The craziness!

I wish we lived closer to Thisbe (and her parents). However, even with the time and distance between seeing Thisbe, somehow it only strengthens your relationship with her. Each visit the two of you grow closer, more fun, more like actual friends. It is heart-warming to watch. You are one lucky girl to have a cousin who is so close in age. I know the two of you will be life-long friends.

For now I will hold onto the memories of you and Thisbe as 2 and 3 year olds running around the farm in the sunshine squealing and laughing, exuding pure joy and love for life. What a great way it was to welcome in summer.

Saying goodbye in front of Uff Da Mart in Westby after a delicious Borgens lunch!



These are the quilts Big Nora made you two

Syttende Mai

Or in English, the 17th of May. Otherwise known as Norwegian Independence Day. Westby, WI, the town next to great-grandma's farm always has a celebration. Apparently they like to celebrate with cardboard head cut-outs. My favorite is the one of you and Thisbe as Ole and Lena, two factious, infamous Norwegian Americans. It is also the name of delicious cafe in Westby.

You and Daddy had to make a stop at the Lefse House for some sausage wrapped in a lefse called polse. Lefse is a type of potato pancake which you usually eat with butter and sugar. Some of us who are not of Norwegian descent found this polse to be rather gross but I couldn't complain because it was only a dollar! And in what other town in America are you going to find a little shack called the Lefse House?!?! 

We had good times roaming the streets of Westby looking at all the Norwegian crafts and poking in the stores and learning about rommegrot and eating it too! It was pretty yummy for the first three bites!!! This was my first celebration of Syttende Mai and I would recommend it for anyone's bucket list.  

Lisa who is a cousin or more like aunt of your father has a bakery in LaCrosse, WI. She makes the most delicious cakes imaginable. Seriously, the left over red velvet cake she brought to the farm was incredible! And it was adorably decorated with a gnome and the word UffDa! which is a Norwegian term of exasperation. The last picture is the type of Rosemaling from the region in Norway where the Jothen family came from. Rosemaling is a decorative painting style from Norway.  

So not only did we get to hang out with our mid-west family for a week, we also got to learn about your Norwegian heritage. And I have a lot to learn! However, I have already dubbed myself an honorary Norwegian for two main reasons: 1. I attended Syttende Mai festivities and 2. I have hosted and nourished two part-Norwegians in my body. I think both those reasons are pretty solid. I can now claim to be a teeny tiny bit Norwegian.

UFF-DA!

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Wisconsin Walking

The weather for our week in Wisconsin was beautiful, blue skies, light breeze, 70s. It was quite conducive to nightly walks after dinner. One night, we took Grandpa's stroller from the 1940s out because that's what we do here... we have each and ever summer since you were born, well last year it was during the early spring. This was Lucy's first ride. HOWEVER because I'm a lazy and  tired and didn't want to power two separate rides, we stuffed you both together into the single seater.

Our nightly strolls up and down that ridiculously steep and winding hill helped to even out the consumption of all those cheese curds. If you squint you can see us as a dot at the bottom of the hill in the picture (although that is not the bottom of the hill, it keeps going for quite awhile).  

Somehow we are never bored at the farm. There is always something to do, even if it's walking up and down the road in a vintage stroller enjoying the early evenings together. 

Our #1 reader aunt Molly is out in the wilderness for the next six weeks traveling across the U.S. camping with limited Internet access. My goal is to have a whole bunch of posts for her to catch up on when she gets home!!!

Home

It's the last week in May and this is my first update. It's been a busy month. Looking at the 2800 pictures(!!!!) and 35 videos from our travels is simply overwhelming. We left on Friday, the 11th of May in the wee hours of the morning (3:40am to be exact) by dinner time we were eating with great-grandma and Tina and Michael in Elwood, IL. We left for the farm on Sunday, Mother's Day and spent the week in WI. We left to come home on Saturday night May 19th at 8pm drove through the night and arrived at Nonni and Nonna's in time for Molly's graduation party by 1pm and her graduation ceremony on Monday.

Yes, your father and I are insane but somehow you and your sister were quite adaptable and flexible during the entire trip. During the initial 12 hour drive out to Illinois, Lucy was perfect for 11 1/2 hours and the last half hour was hell. We can't complain about that. You and Lu slept through the night as we drove back to Maryland. You both had your moments of exasperation and we had our share of meltdowns. But you also allowed our families to enjoy your presence and your spirit. Lucy was calm and you, Nora were an adorable ball of energy. You both loved to play and explore all the new places. I was generally impressed with how you both behaved and seemed to take in the experiences with curiosity and liveliness.
Yesterday we get back to Westminster and you both crumble and fall apart. Perhaps unhinged might be a better description. After traveling and meeting and playing and being tossed from this house to that one and sleeping in different places and completely off schedules. There was not one shred of normalcy. Then when we walk into our home last night at 7pm, you and Lu couldn't hold it together a minute longer.

So today was our first full day back in our own home and I thought you two would be relishing your time in your own space. But instead you both were cranky and over-tired and just plain unhappy.

Then your father came home and suddenly we were complete again. Lucy squealed in delight. You ran around jumping up and down  like an excited puppy. We had a delightful evening making dinner together and hanging out with our awesome neighbors who took care of Stan and Lazer for us. I realized for the last 10 days all of us have always been together. We need to get back into our routine again. Ms. Patti's tomorrow, library, playgroup, grocery shopping, church. It will take a few days, I'm sure.

However, you both taught me an important lesson today. Our house is a place we live, our town is a place where we experience daily activities, our yard is a place where we imagine and weed, our possessions are things that entertain us. But. BUT. Our home is anywhere and everywhere the four of us are together.

I'm glad we could take our home on the road for a few days and bring love and laughter to our families.

Here are a few pictures that make me feel happy and renewed in a way that only the farm can do. Don't worry, I will do more detailed updates very soon.