So here we go - Father’s Day is Sunday. I realize it’s late on Friday - so you are probably well on your way to starting your weekend.

But here goes the yearly question - what do you plan to do?
We usually go to the Stone Arch Festival something for everyone there - cool vintage cars, art, photography, pottery crafts, kids activities, good food and great music. I think one of my favorite views of downtown Minneapolis is from St. Anthony Main. Plus it’s fun to walk down and take a close up look at the dam.

My husband is feeling like keeping it simple and NOT manuevering a double stroller around the masses. So we’re going to skip our yearly tradition this year.

I checked out other options:

there are Weiner Dog races at Canterbury

the Parktacular celebration in St. Louis Park

Back to the 50’s Auto Show at the Fairgrounds.

just to name a few.

But just like I felt on Mother’s Day - he is feeling like he wants to split some time to himself and to spend with the family (no crowds)

One simple wish? A solo run without pushing a 70 pound double stroller.
Check! I can grant that. What else? We’re still figuring that out.

What are dad’s out there requesting - where/what will you do to celebrate?

ps: We want to say a special Happy Father’s Day and congratulations from Cribsheet to the father we wish we didn’t have to know but check in on frequently - Matt Logelin .
I’m sure many of you have heard has a book in the works. Congrats Matt! You know we’ll all be anxious to get our hands on the book as soon as it comes out.

I was reading Kim Yeager’s interview with Mrs. Meyer (of the Meyer’s Clean Day products) and had visions of a sparkling, squeaky clean house that smells all aromatherapuetic and lavender-y.

I can’t complain too much. I married Mr. Clean. He likes to decompress after a tough day by doing the dishes or wiping the counters. This makes him happy.
I will gladly oblige. In fact, he asked for a 6-pack of sponges for Father’s Day. The good scrubby kind. Okay. I can do that.

But even Mr. Clean has come to terms with this fact: when it comes to balancing priorities between a clean house and caring for two little ones. Hands down: Two little ones win.

Although both of us are working on trying to keep on top of it; we are currently residing in a sticky-floored-house-of-crumbs-and dust bunnies. Crummy-dog-hair-dust bunnies actually. They blow around like tumbleweeds underneath the furniture and we could probably fashion ourselves a litter of crummy Golden Retriever puppies if we packed them all together.

Then there is the phantom smell. I know I’ve talked about it before - but I am certain our house smells like wet dog and diapers - but it’s hard to tell. We think our nostrils are burned out and acclimated to the odor. No matter how many windows are open, no matter how many scented candles are burning - we just know there is some “busy family” scent hanging in the air.

Peter honestly asked some friends when they came over last weekend. “Does our house smell? Did you get a waft of something kinda doggish or diaper-y when you walked in the door? Seriously. ‘Cause we just can’t tell.”

They politely said. “No.” but I know they were lying. Then they told us they were certain their house smelled of litter-box and sweaty socks. (they have a cat and two boys).

When it comes to keeping house - it seems like it boils down to how much mess can you tolerate before you crack, go on a cleaning spree or call in the maids.

(But maids would stress me out too much. You have to pick up before they come.
Is that what you pay for? The incentive to clean, to pay someone to clean?)

We just reached our “I can’t stand this mess anymore meltdown cracking point.”
After working hard, Peter and I gazed at one clutter free sparkling clean room in our house last night. The living room.
Just one room reflecting order.
We marveled at it took it all in, gazed proudly upon it
and wondered how long it would stay that way…..

I know we’re not alone on this one. How do you manage some semblance of order in your busy household?

Ahhhh….summer in the cities.

It almost makes up for the long wintry days. Almost.

This is Zoe and Maya (and Marcie) relaxing after an afternoon watching free music and dance at Rice Park in St. Paul two weekends ago at the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival.

We bumped into some friends (Cribsheet regular Sherry and family) watching the local Sumunar ensemble perform. Kids playing traditional Indonesian music - drums, bells and gongs - in the middle of a giant Target logo in front of the Ordway center.

Surreal and yet so right on a Saturday afternoon with the sun so bright it hurt your eyes. “Who knew?” asked Sherry’s husband Tom in wonder. 

If you missed it, don’t fret. There’s still a whole summer of fun stuff ahead.

Here’s Star Tribune’s interactive guide to summer festivals, free music and water parks. Also, as Kay mentioned, Free rides at Como this week and Free weekends coming up at national parks.

It’s almost like Minnesotans become a different people when the sun comes out.

A few summers ago, my parents visited from Malaysia. They spent their days pushing the stroller around the lakes, beaming each time someone stopped to coo over their Number One Precious Grandchild.

After a few days, they said to me: “Everybody says ‘Isn’t it a beautiful day?’” They looked bemused. “We tell them: ‘In Malaysia, everyday is beautiful.’”

Ah, but Minnesotans sure know how to appreciate lovely weather when it finally does arrive.

(Wouldn’t you know…the morning I post this, it’s cool and cloudy outside….)

(10:45 am update: Now it’s raining. Great timing, May.)

* My son wants to learn Spanish.

It all started with some vintage Sesame Street Treasury books I bought at a garage sale. There are a few pages of Spanish vocabulary in each book that Ben has recently become obsessed with.
blue = azul and red = rojo and dog= perro and cat = gato.
Counting uno to diez became a quick favorite.
I had a few years of Spanish in high school and college and am by no means fluent. Some basic vocabulary somehow made its way into my long term memory and can speak un poco only if it is s-l-o-w-ly and in the present tense.

But now he’s asking me what everything is in Spanish and I’m having a really hard time.

“Mama, what’s Spanish for granola bar?”
“No sé” (I don’t know)
Drinking a smoothie - “Mama, what’s Spanish for mmmmmm?”
“Well, I think mmmmm is universal, but how about delicioso!?”
“Mama, what’s Spanish for elbow?”
“Uh, no sé.”
“Mama, what’s Spanish for the inside of your nose?”
“Well, nose is nariz. But nostril? No sé!”
“No, I mean, what’s Spanish for a boogie?”

Ay yi yi! Major eye roll. He’s all boy.

This may just be a passing fancy but right now he seems to be really interested in learning the language and I’m all for it.

Strike while the iron is caliente!

So instead of me running to google translator so I can answer his many preguntas - I shall go to you.

Cribsheeters do you have any recommendations for Spanish classes for preschoolers or any good books or DVD’s?

(btw: according to google translator Spanish for “a boogie” is mocos…in case you were wondering.)

The girls, 3 and 5, have been taking dance and theater classes.

So we had two big shows to go to on Saturday: Maya’s graduation performance at the Children’s Theater in the morning and Zoe’s role in StageCoach Theater Arts’ “Wizard of Oz” in the afternoon.

I’m not sure who was more nervous - the parents or the girls. (Okay, the parents… by far.)

In the first couple of weeks, Maya was too scared to go to class. She’d cry and cling to us as we tried to leave and twice we actually took her home. Then something changed - who knows what? - she started enjoying herself and by the time Saturday rolled around, THIS is what she looked like.. (Maya is right in the middle.) 

A girl transformed.

Still, we watched, hearts in mouths, as it came time for her solo. When Zoe did the same class last year, and the dreaded solo came around, she shook her head and looked at the floor. Nothing her teacher said could coax her to change her mind, even after the other kids took their turns with elaborate free-form leaps and arm-waves.

But Maya - clearly the smallest if not the youngest in her class - didn’t hesitate…

An exuberant twirl, which threw her slightly off balance, followed by an admirable recovery, and she was ready for her bow.

At the end of the show, the audience went wild. (Wait, what do you mean they were cheering for their OWN kids??)

No sooner had we recovered from that runaway success, then it was time for Zoe’s show. (more…)