Bea's Summit

So this morning I surprised Bea with this: "We're going to hike the 'M' today!" Because Bea has never done this before, under her own leg power as opposed to riding in the kiddie-pack, she was totally game. After brekkie, off we went, in windy, wet, 45 degree weather. It's a pretty intense hike - relatively short - 20 mins up - but steep.

Bea completely rocked that hike. She made it to the top with me in 25 mins and didn't even complain. We sang songs, took little breaks to look at the wildflowers and pretended to be mountain goats. Ollie sprayed urine over the entire trail just to ensure no other dogs got any ideas they might have any right to be there. (seriously, HOW can such a small dog generate so much piss?? It's ridiculous.) We all had a great time and I was so proud of Bea for summiting the M.

You'll see in the pictures that she's wearing her GU sweatshirt and Gonzaga Girl hat. We feel it important for her to have a solid understanding that she's a Bulldog, not a Griz. Thus, anytime we do anything U of M-ish, she wears GU apparel and sings: Go Gonzaga! G-O-N-Z-A-G-A! Which she did sing as she was summiting the M.

Can anyone find puggy at the very first picture? He's taking a break from marking the perimeter of the M.

Butte, America

So while I was holed up in my thousandth f*cking deposition in Butte, George & Bea got to discover Butte's "colorful" past. They ate brekkie at a Butte uptown diner; went on a tour of an old mine shaft; then hit the hot pools at Fairmont. Nice to have them along as I miss them when I have to travel for work.

Bea in "old town" Butte at the mining museum
Bea modeling in front of some old time mining equipment.

Bea in front of a really, really, really big tire.

Bea on an old mining cart.

Hangin' at the bottom of the mine shaft.

Syttende Mai

Last Saturday Donna & Paul invited us to the Sons of Norway "Syttende Mai," which is essentially a children's festival. So on a beautiful sunny Saturday we joined them at the Nordic Pines cabin for a very enjoyable afternoon.

Beatrice trying out the bungi-trampoline. Up, up, and......

.....AWAY!!! What a brave girl!

Partaking in the gunny-sack race with Daddy & Donna. Bea is in the lead!

Uh-oh. One to many Hieniken's for Donna.

(Even though she looks mad, she asked that I take this picture. I swear.)

Who would guess this woman is 2 years shy of 80??!!!

Roasting weenies with Daddy & Paul.

Trust me, nothing compares to a Nordic Pines cookout/potluck.

The Three Musketeers. Paul, Bea & Donna.Donna is doing her damn best to turn us into honorary Norweigans. We got hit up to join the Sons of Norway. Although George's father's side is Swedish, and although we are Catholic, Donna seems to have pardoned us. So we think we may join. Lots of nice families with little kids.

We've been to a few of their rippers and they are really pretty fun. They put on the Barnelopet (kid's x-c ski race); regular pancake breakfasts at the Nordic Pines (Paul makes the pancakes - to die for); Annual Christmas Party at the Nordic Pines, where Paul dresses up as the Julenissen (Santa) and the old ladies, including Donna, don their Norweigan dancing dresses; and now the Syttende Mai. I think we're signing on. Not to mention we are in good standing as we have been taken in by Donna & Paul. Those two are like the Godfathers of the Sons of Norway. I mean to tell you, we are in the "in-crowd" when we hit the Pines. We get the best seats in the house, next to Donna & Paul. Best of all, Donna knows where the Heinekins are stashed.

Mother's Day Tea

Bea invited me to a Mother's Day Tea at her pre-school, St. Paul's. We also invited Donna. It was so nice and very special. We had cucumber sandwiches, drank tea and punch and had some dessert. Bea and her pre-school friends did a little performance of "I'm a Little TeaPot" and "I am Special." Bea then gave me a beautiful wooden plaque that says "MOM" on it with wooden butterfly that she painted. Bea made me feel like a very special mom that day.

Bea all dressed up for the Tea

Isabella & Bea at the Tea

Then on actual Mother's Day, I was so lucky to be woken up and given a present from Bea & Ollie (a cell phone headset so I don't use my cell phone while driving :) Then Bea & George made breakfast while I drank coffee and read a magazine. How relaxing! We rounded out the day by doing a lot of gardening and I got to pick out a beautiful hanging plant. Ended the day with a yummy dinner of Pasta Carbonara.

Donna & Bea