test garvin wordpress

We sailed Lake Minnetonka on a very windy Memorial Day with my brother captain Josh. It was extremely fun for the boys and a little stressful for their Papa. They had on life vests, though and it was safe enough. Josh's boat actually has an area you can call 'below deck', complete with three beds (one's actually a double), a little sink and bucket to relieve yourself. We only put up one of the two sails and still, at one point, we had to move to one side of the boat since it was leaning so far over. Right after we left the dock both boys said with foolhardy certainty they wanted to jump in the water. As the loving and kind Papa I am I wouldn't allow this. Although we did dip them overboard waste high and they immediately became panicky and scampered up the ladder. The water was really really cold. Icy cold. But refreshing! We stopped on an Island in the middle of the lake, played in the sand and then explored an old burned down house some abandoned structures. And ...

Okay, so these girls are just so adorable and cute. I can barely stand it! But I must admit it took me until just the last couple months to come to terms with their mutual cuteness and how to dress them appropriately for it. You see, I had this idea from the beginning that I should just give each girl her own style of clothes to help distinguish them to the rest of the world. I really did NOT want to do the matching outfits or in any way treat them as a unit. I somehow decided that Netta's name and face begged more muted, Hippie-dippy clothes and Bailey more saturated colors and more preppy stuff. Turns out I liked the muted, Hippie-dippy clothes best and so Netta always looked cuter to me. Then one day, after Ben tried to convince me of this imbalance I decided to dress them both in the floral-muted-dress-over-pants cuteness and see what happened. It was eye-opening. I had been cheating Bailey of cuteness all that time! Ever since that day I have decided to dress them in a ...

A couple weeks ago Art and I somehow got on the subject of either Reading Rainbow or something we saw LeVar Burton do or say and he said, "LeVar is a special person, right Momma?" Of course I agreed! "Oh, yes. He's very special to be on that T.V. show for so long and share all those adventures with us!" Art wished we could call LeVar and tell him how we felt. I suggested we could write him a letter. What a great opportunity to use an ancient form of communication before it becomes completely obsolete! Anyway, I helped Art with basic form for a personal letter. Here is what he came up with: Dear LeVar, I watch you on T.V. and I even saw the one "Seashore Surprises".  I wanted to write you a letter because I like you.  I am Arthur and my other name is Arthur James and Art and Artie.  You can call me any name. If you're ever in Minneapolis tell us where you are so can see you and come play with you.   Your friend, ("Well, not his friend y...

Today my brother Josh took me and the boys sailing on his fancy new. It was fun, especially for Art and Lew who had about as much fun as you might expect two little boys who've never been sailing to. More photos tomorrow hopefully.

Today we had a scare. Lewis' fingers were smushed in our backdoor (accidentally by his big brother). He had a tiny little bone fracture at the top of his middle finger (along with some scary looking blood oozing out of his fingernail). A really tiny frature, the doctor wasn't concerned and didn't do much beyond a bandaid, but of course it was plenty painful. They gave us a print of the xray which we have hanging Lewis-eye-level on our back door. When Ashley came over tonight he asked her, "Do you want to see a picture of mine bones??" Immediately after it happened Art knew it was bad and felt bad, too. I joked on our way to urgent care that Lewis should smush his fingers in doors more often because Arthur becomes so nice to him. But then Arthur smartly corrected this bad idea saying how that could really hurt all his fingers. Art had a good time telling each nurse and the doctor about this funny notion. Anyway, Lewis was so brave. The nurses were so impressed with...

Just barely a week after she left for Arkansas my mother drove the 12-hours up again and is staying indefinitely with us. It's such a wonderful gift having her around to help and take care of our children and house. It's a hard time for us as a family, but having my mother around makes it so much easier. And, most importantly, she's made it possible for Jessica to spend a great deal more time with her mother. Thank you, Mama. Thanks so much!

I just downloaded a bunch of photos and videos off my phone, many of which I either forgot about or deemed unpostworthy. But no more! Here's a collection of some random stuff from the past couple months: Netta eating the camera: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGs5ivGfCq8?rel=0] A letter left for Arthur and Lewis left on our dining room table from the Easter Bunny (who clearly has horrible hand writing): transcribed: Thanks for those beautiful eggs. I hid them in your yard. Take a look, it won't be hard. And if you're lucky you'll find something chocolatey. And maybe something sticky to put in your pockety. Thanks for the carrots, gotta run! I mean hop. Bye,  -Easter Bunny Full house. Art and Lewis look out over downtown St. Paul from up high in the Pioneer Press building. A story idea for the paper. Who does this? Lewis and I had lunch the other day at Keys Cafe on Raymond in St. Paul, a half block from University Ave where there are miles and miles of diggers...

Emily, Jessica's sister, took this photo on her cell phone this morning during their daily visit with Bubbe at the hospice.

Lewis, who's nearly all grown up, has been going to school with Art once or twice a week lately. He loves it, Art doesn't protest and Jessica is able to spend even more time with her mom. Their teacher Ms. Jen, who posted this photo of Lewis swinging on the school blog, reported to us that Art and Lew barely play together at school and rarely squabble. I'm happy for the both of them.

Josh took the boys fishing (and took these photos) Sunday. It was an experience both boys were anticipating with incredible enthusiasm. Catching real fish with someone they totally love being with...that's CRAZY FUN! OMFG LOOK AT THIS THING! Slimy. Waiting out the monsoons. They caught about 5 tiny catfish each, kept them in this tcage and then threw them back. Art was disappointed none were big enough to KILL and EAT. Then, as a final gift, Josh made them an extraordinary "crane-smashing sawing machine" out of Legos. I will try and get a photo or video of the machine soon.

Today Lewis and I visited Bubbe where's she's staying in St. Paul. He found some wonderful Legos and kept busy while I chatted with Adria. I love her so much.

We rode bikes to Dairy Queen and were joined by our neighbors Hailey (4th grade) and Junior (2nd grade). They are the sweetest kids you can dream up. On the way home we stopped to play at a park and get some pushes from Hailey. Growing boy.

We rode bikes to the May Day cafe this morning, rolled our grapefruit as we waited for our veggie sausage sandwich, and then fed some ducks. Baby ones, too!

Tonight we all feasted on a delicious spinach lasagna delivered by our neighbor Emily and her family. Thanks, Emily!

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Jessica Parker Garvin" Subject: Time to get the second crib To: "Garvin, Ben" Tonight whe ni put the girls into bed they immediately started to rotate themselves around to see each other.  They are enjoying each other so much that I think it is getting harder for them to focus on sleeping.  Did I tell you that I found them turned around and looking at each other this morning when i went into their room? -- Jessica

Today I nursed Netta and Bailey, sat them up in my lap and they smiled big, glorious smiles and reached for each other's heads for a big slimy kiss.  Then they grabbed each other's hands and ate them and kissed again.  More big smiles.  I'm happy for them.

Today Bob (Jessica's uncle) and Jules offered to take Art and Lewis to vehicle day. Thanks so much you two! (Jess and I took the babies to visit Bubbe at the hospice. And we also took Emmit, her wonderful cat). Besides the rain it sounds like they had a lovely time sitting in or looking at big trucks and vehicles. Bob said Lewis hopped right up into the firetruck, quickly overcoming any past fear he had of there being fire inside. They took some photos: Lewis in the firetruck. Jules and the boys ride a lift thing. Jules and boys on a bus. Boy on a bus. Apparently Si, Art's good friend, was there's too. Here's what his mother Laurel wrote: "It was such a fun surprise to run into Art and Lewis at Vehicle Day. We weren't expecting to see them, but then Si and Art climbed into the same fire truck from opposite sides at the same time, and the excitement ensued." And then, after hearing of how Lewis feared a fire truck cause there would be fire in it, she wrote ...

I have succeeded the past two nights in getting the boys to leave me alone after the last bedtime kiss - I will not return upstairs. They have everything they need and can get back in bed by themselves if they get water or need to pee. So what happens if there is a siren outside after I've left them in their beds? I hear small feet get out of bed and trudge across the room heading for my bedroom window, which looks out to the street. After the siren has passed the feet take their three-year-old owner right back to bed. -- Jessica

in an email to relatives planning to spend some time with Art and Lewis tomorrow and take them to 'vehicle day' where kids see all kinds of trucks and stuff, Jessica wrote: "When I mentioned this possible outing to the boys Lewis said that he is scared of the fire truck because it has fire in it and so he does not want to go in the fire truck.  Art tried to explain that the fire truck 'puts the fire away' and does not shoot fire.  'Because only houses are on fire and if the fire truck shooted fire at the house that would be... a LOT of fire!'"

So, with all the help from Nanna and other family and friends since my mom entered hospice care I have not been at the helm around here for a while.  I mean, first my sister and I were at the hospital for the better part of every day for most of a week, then my mom started hospice at her home and Emily and I spent each about 16 or more hours a day at her house, including each night.  Then we started to alternate half days and then whole days with each other, then that got too exhausting so we brought mom to my house which proved to be even more chaotic.  Four weeks of intense decision making, loving care giving and family juggling.  Now mom, aka Bubbe, is in a benevolent hospice home and tonight I was on my own with the four children like old times.  At first I was quite shaky with this whole parenting thing.  Really, it's been weeks since I had not given being a mother much thought , short of nursing, baby rocking and occasional book reading.  This afternoon all I wanted was for...

Bailey, left, and Netta.

Look at those well used knees!

Cousins Bailey (left) and Charlotte.