Poodles.

Mom, can we get a poodle?

I really want a poodle.

Tamarack Nature Center

Barred owl time!

Girl scout activity.

Inside the owl pellet. 

Mouse skull.

A 'rescue' that was brought into the Raptor Center after it was hit by a car.

Unfortunately he lost an eye, but he loves his mousey treats!

Mmmmmm.

Winter!

Dog Man

Zoe got this book from Rob and Kristen and read it cover to cover yesterday. Then Roman read it. Tonight they spent some time drawing the characters and having fun with elements of the story, and with the author's other protagonist, Captain Underpants. 

So glad they love to read and create!

Lunch date at Big Bowl

Two days in a row at a mall. We hit the Build a bear with gift cards in tow...Zoe wanted the 2 reindeer. And my more adventurous eater and I were able to enjoy some Asian cuisine. She loved this place.

American Girl

She saved her money....and we made a trip to Mall of America to get her very own American Girl doll.
Mom has an aversion to these (just look at the offerings and the prices). But...it's a thing. And she saved and was very excited. So, it's what we do.

Good job, Mom

If I do say so myself.
Gifted each kid a journal that has a question a day with entries for three years.

Christmas Eve

Meowy Christmas

 A selection of names from the first ballot. We had about 15 on our whiteboard and each picked 3 of our favorites.

Zoe found a small stray black cat outside our door in early December. We had him in our house for about a week, when we determined we'd surrender him to the Humane Society.

It took Mike less than a day to look in earnest for a 2nd kitty for our house. Or 'catty' as cousin Audrey likes to say.

We landed on a name.

Mike was looking for an easy going and affectionate cat. 

To complement our outdoor hunter cat, Finn.

Who likes to bite our toes if he doesn't go outside.

Go outside, Finn.

I think we found one in Cooper.