Tilly (Matilda Louise) Connolly

Christmas Eve and Day with Tilly | 12.25.11

2011-12-26T21:11:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve and Day at our house, with Uncle Phil and Aunt Amanda celebrating with us. Tilly got a lot of cool stuff, including a gigantic stuffed dog and a fantastic modern dollhouse. Evel Knievel stopped by the last night to say goodbye til next year. It was a beautiful Christmas season...for once, it didn't really feel like it went too fast. I am sad it's gone but I think Evel Knievel there with us each day helped me be really conscious of the magic this year.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 24 | 12.24.11

2011-12-24T22:56:00.001-06:00

EK took a hot air balloon ride with some lady friends last night. Christmas Eve morning was the last mischief he'll find... Tomorrow, he'll be here with Santa's gift for Tilly to be sure she gets it and then he'll be back to the North Pole for another 11 months and 7 days. He's a good elf. He's been good to (and for) Tilly.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 23 | 12.23.11

2011-12-23T17:16:00.000-06:00

EK wrapped all my gifts for me. He left a mess, but he didn't cut off any fingers or toes or anything.

Downtown Skating and Lights with Tillybird | 12.22.11

2011-12-22T23:22:00.001-06:00

I took my little Minnesota girl skating tonight. She's much improved over February. The skates are almost too small already, too.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 22 | 12.22.11

2011-12-22T22:02:00.002-06:00

Surprisingly, what was set out at 2 am as ice on which EK was skating upon using his candy cane ice skates...had melted by 8 am. I guess we have a few more days to redeem this one.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 21 | 12.21.11

2011-12-22T06:32:00.001-06:00

EK vandalized a bunch of family photos using dry erase markers. Three more days til Santa arrives.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 20 | 12.20.11

2011-12-20T22:21:00.002-06:00

EK is brushing Barbie's hair.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 19 | 12.19.11

2011-12-19T21:50:00.003-06:00

EK was doing some repelling and climbing up and down the chimney in the kitchen.

Connolly Cousin Christmas | 12.18.11

2011-12-19T21:50:00.001-06:00

Tilly got to spend time with Kate, Helen, Jameson and several doting aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, second cousins or first cousins once removed or whatever. It was a fun day. She got her firs Barbie doll, a little tart with a Christmas themed skirt.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 18 | 12.18.11

2011-12-19T21:45:00.001-06:00

Yawn. An off-day for EK, but Tilly still enjoyed it.

A Day In My Life With Tilly | 12.17.11

2011-12-19T21:44:00.001-06:00

We started at Afro Cafe on Riverside near the U of M. We had Chicken Fantastic, and it was. Then we went to the American Swedish Institute...I had been telling Tilly we'd go see the castle, and she immediately made the leap in her mind that it was the castle where Thumbelina and Cornelius live. So, we looked for them, but we kept having near misses...we saw them run down the stairs, saw the ballroom where they dance, saw where T-lina eats breakfast, dinner, plays piano, etc.

Tilly got more and more visibly annoyed that they weren't making themselves be seen for us. Maybe next year we'll see them.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 17 | 12.17.11

2011-12-19T21:27:00.001-06:00

EK was trying to do some decorating in the foyer with several strings of burned-out lights. Tilly was royally pissed off that he had the gall to use her baby high chair. Photo # 5 here displays her displeasure. You don't want to find yourself on the wrong side of that stare.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 16 | 12.16.11

2011-12-16T17:22:00.000-06:00

EK left a whole box of cherry-flavored candy canes on the tree last night, insuring Tilly will have a nearly endless supply of pure sugar for the next few weeks. Thanks, Evel Knievel!

Elf on a Shelf, Day 15 | 12.15.11

2011-12-16T17:20:00.000-06:00

The night before, Tilly bought and donated a couple toys to the Toys For Tots box at Menards (not necessarily willingly, but you have to start somewhere).

Evel said he was hanging out in the freezer because he missed the North Pole.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 14 | 12.14.11

2011-12-14T20:48:00.001-06:00

Elf on a Shelf, Days 12 and 13

2011-12-13T22:35:00.002-06:00

Evel Knievel's handlers are getting a bit sapped of bright ideas for his exploits. But these two made Tilly happy, so what else matters, eh?

Day 12, December 12

Day 13, December 13...talking to the reindeer.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 11 | 12.11.11

2011-12-11T14:09:00.001-06:00

Evel Kneivel had to relax a bit after a strenuous night of tp-ing the Christmas Tree. He chilled in front of the fire on the porch.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 10 | 12.10.11

2011-12-10T13:50:00.001-06:00

Evel Knievel TP-ed the Christmas tree.

Dinner with Santa and Mrs Claus | 12.09.11

2011-12-09T20:28:00.002-06:00

This winter escapade was followed an hour later at home by a complete and utter 2 year old melt down.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 9 | 12.09.11

2011-12-09T20:22:00.001-06:00

Day 9. Ziplining across the kitchen. Enough said.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 8 | 12.08.11

2011-12-08T20:48:00.001-06:00

Tilly's First Christmas Pageant | 12.08.11

2011-12-08T20:44:00.001-06:00

The Tree is Made Over | 12.06.11

2011-12-07T23:16:00.001-06:00

Elf on a Shelf, Day 7 | 12.07.11

2011-12-07T22:45:00.001-06:00

I would love to have been here to hear what she's thinking. This photo set is compliments of Mrs. Connolly.

The following series of three photos manifest visually how f*cked I am when Tilly hits the teenage years.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 6 | 12.06.11

2011-12-07T22:41:00.001-06:00

In this scene, our hero/protagonist is giving Tilly's baby dolls pedicures. In the first photo, he's attending to the superficial podiatric needs of Roger, a baby doll that her Uncle Philip got from a garage somewhere. The other babies are named Baby, Baby, (Roger), and Amy.

Here Tilly is holding Baby Emma. I think she was pleased that she got to keep the nail polish.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 5 | 12.05.11

2011-12-07T22:38:00.001-06:00

Evel Kneivel hijacked Tilly's scooby van and went joy riding with a moose, Dora the Explorer I believe, and I think some religious figurine.

The skid marks are Vegemite, FYI.

Elf on a Shelf, Day 4 | 12.04.11

2011-12-04T15:49:00.001-06:00

Evel Kneivel had a marshmallow snowball fight with Dora the Explorer and an orange, plastic cow. Not sure who won, but Tilly was devouring the marshmallows.

By the look on her face here it appears as though that could be Bailey's Irish Cream in Tilly's cup, but I promise it wasn't.

Shop Home for the Holidays | 12.03.11

2011-12-04T00:02:00.001-06:00

Elf on a Shelf, Day 3 | 12.03.11

2011-12-03T23:24:00.001-06:00

The mischievous Evel Kneivel struck again last night, while we slept.

Christmas Tree, 2011

2011-12-03T23:20:00.001-06:00

Picking out a Christmas tree is magical. I love this photo of Tilly.

Elf on a Shelf, Day Two

2011-12-02T22:31:00.003-06:00

Day Two: Evel Kneivel turned the milk green (Tilly's not sure how, but she says the milk tastes the same).

She isn't supposed to touch him or he loses some of his magical powers. She thought licking didn't count as touching. With that logic she's headed toward law school or politics.

Elf on a Shelf Arrives

2011-12-01T08:52:00.003-06:00

Tilly christened her Elf on a Shelf (hereafter, EOAS) Evel Kneivel. He flew in this morning from the North Pole after stopping in Sydney, NSW, Australia. He's here as an emissary from Santa Claus, keeping tabs on Tilly's behavior, relaying messages and requests from Tilly back to Santa (and vice versa).

He'll be living here with us every day up until Christmas Eve. He goes back to the North Pole each night to tell Santa how Tilly has been behaving, whether she's been nice to Annie, whether she's listening to her parents, etc.

Welcome to our house, Evel Kneivel!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T13:52:00.007-06:00

We went to Belle Plaine to spend Thanksgiving with Tilly's cousins, aunts and uncles. She was playing with her cousin Jameson's grandma Deb. Tilly refers to her as 'Grandma-dub'. Pretty funny. The food was great, the pies were phenomenal, and it was a nice day to go play in the park and take a walk after eating too much. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Faces of Tilly, Continued

2011-11-26T13:42:00.002-06:00

Again, frightened.

Some of the Faces of Tilly

2011-11-26T13:39:00.002-06:00

This last one scares the shite out of me.

Sunday Afternoon, 11/20/11, Hanging Around

2011-11-26T13:36:00.002-06:00

Halloween, My Little Puppy Dog

2011-10-31T21:59:00.002-05:00

A beautiful night for Halloween, tricks and treats. Tilly, after leaving the third house, said, "This is a good game!"

Emma Krumbees, Part II

2011-10-27T00:47:00.003-05:00

Tilly found a keeper in the pumpkin patch, got a pony ride, and found some mischief in the gift shop.

Emma Krumbees, Part I

2011-10-27T00:44:00.002-05:00

Must be something in the genes that's leading this kids to want to kiss the goats. I suggest you avoid very windy days in sandy areas for Autumn pumpkin picking, too.

Vino in the Valley, Part II

2011-10-27T00:41:00.001-05:00

Vino in the Valley is a beautiful place. Head over there if you can.

Vino in the Valley, Part I

2011-10-27T00:39:00.001-05:00

We ventured out to Maiden Rock with some family...Mark Crystal and Dusty, and Karen Brandon and the boys. Tilly liked the spaghetti and the tractor rides.

A Night with the Broghammers

2011-10-27T00:36:00.002-05:00

Like the true Minnesotan-Australian she is, Tillybird seems to love the water. And she seems to have warm feelings for Luke, too...especially once she realized what it would be like to date a boy with a boat.

Emblem for Childhood

2011-10-27T00:35:00.002-05:00

I just particularly like this image.

Nora's Birthday Party Bouncy House

2011-10-27T00:31:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Nora (belatedly)! Thanks for letting Tilly play in the bouncy house.

One more from yesterday at the nature center...

2011-09-25T22:16:00.001-05:00

My favorite girl in the world. I never get any pics with her. So this one is nice. (Thanks Emma!)

09.24.11 Carpenter Nature Center

2011-09-25T22:10:00.002-05:00

My girls.

Some kind of hawk being released to the wild. The Raptor Center at the U of M was there Saturday releasing birds that had been injured and nursed back to health. It was pretty touching to see some of this stuff.

If I could sell that grin (or its antidote), I would retire tomorrow.

McIntosh.

Tilly didn't want to leave!

08.30.11: Amishland 2011-Day 6

2011-09-25T22:05:00.003-05:00

I think Tilly's a born geographer, like her dadda. She helped plot the day's course.

We went hiking in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. Google it and read a fascinating, tragic story of ultimate redemption. Where were standing there--eating an apple from a tree that had probably been on a family's farm 30 years ago--would have been on the bottom of a thousand acre lake had the US Army Corps of Engineer's plans gone through. Thankfully, they didn't. The land there is finally healing now.

Sassy pants.

Six beautiful days and one day of restorative rain wasn't a bad vacation. On the last day, we refamiliarized ourselves with the game Ticket to Ride. And finished up the gin, wine, scotch and whatever else we could.

We'll be back next year.

08.29.11: Amishland 2011-Day 5

2011-09-25T22:01:00.002-05:00

Real live Amish goats.

That girl was within months of being the same age as Tilly. How wonderfully similar they are now...and how different--for better and worse--they'll be a decade or two from now.

Blue is the best color for sweet stuff. Period.

More make-overs, a vacation tradition.

Momma.

08.28.11: Amishland 2011-Day 4

2011-09-25T21:54:00.004-05:00

Momma raccoons can't be far behind with two babies like this warding off the dogs. We moved on before Annie and Phisher had their faces ripped off by Mrs. Raccoon.

We made it to the top of the bluff without getting lost this time...and made our way back down too. On Day 3, Tilly and I had gone for a walk to the top of the bluffs, got turned around, and wound up coming down the wrong side of the hill. We descended through some guy's pasture, and then had to walk about 2 and a half miles to get back to the house. Oh well. Good memories.

I am biased, but I have just never seen a prettier girl anywhere.

Fresh from the Amish to your dinner table. Tilly loved it. I think we could live out there every summer.

08.27.11: Amishland 2011-Day 3

2011-09-25T21:50:00.003-05:00

Tilly's godfather Uncle Alan (and his girlfriend Jen) came out to spend the day with us. They brought Tilly a talking picnic basket. She loved it. She hardly let go of it the rest of the trip.

This barn...it's a bar. One of the coolest things I have seen in rural Wisconsin. And I have seen a lot of cool stuff.

Tilly and Uncle Al having a picnic in said barn-bar.

Finally, after screwing this up the past 3 years, we found a Saturday evening Prime Rib night in some small town...Elroy, I think it was. Emma was pleased.

Roasting marshmallows is not as easy when the roaster is being obstreperous.

08.26.11: Amishland 2011-Day 2

2011-09-25T21:45:00.003-05:00

Obstreperous = word of the year for Tilly.

Day 2 began our quest for the Amish. The last pic with Tilly and the horse was at the "Amish Walmart".

08.25.11: Amishland 2011-Day 1

2011-09-25T21:39:00.003-05:00

We made our annual pilgrimage to the Kickapoo River Valley again, this time for the last full week in August. Having a full week away (during which I literally never checked email) was such a blessing.

Watching Tilly run around on this 600 acre farm was bittersweet for me...she got to have a glimpse of how I grew up, but it was just a glimpse.

We saw more cars go by our house the first 3 minutes we were home than we saw the full week we were there.

This year we stayed in the northeastern corner of the valley, near Hillsboro, east of Wildcat Mountain State Park and the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. We had a 4 bedroom old farm house with the land all to ourselves (including some trails to the top of the bluffs). It was very peaceful.

Sibley County Fair, 08.05.11

2011-09-25T21:36:00.003-05:00

Sorry, it's been a while. Summer was so much fun that we spent more time living in it than photo-documenting everything.

We went to the Sibley County Fair on Friday August 5 with my sister Colleen (Tilly's god-mother). It was fun and surreal having Tilly walk around in a place that I can remember visiting when I was 5 years old.

Tilly got super protective of her momma when the goat started to try to eat her (green colored) dress.

Celia's Wedding, Part 2

2011-08-04T00:12:00.002-05:00

I call this series, "You ARE going to be my friend."

Tired girl at the end of a fun day.

Tilly @ Brady and Celia's Wedding | 07.30.11

2011-08-04T00:06:00.004-05:00

Tilly bound and determined to learn how to dance from the older girls.

Cake.

Is there ever not mischief brewing?

Fascinated by the conversation on offer at the big kids' table .

Dancing with cute little cousin Dusty.

Summer Night, Take Two

2011-07-12T22:07:00.003-05:00

A Summer Evening, For Its Own Sake

2011-07-12T22:02:00.002-05:00

A millisecond pre-tantrum.

Saturday Morning, Cupcake, for the 100th Time or So

2011-07-12T22:00:00.003-05:00

That's a packet of Strawberry Jelly, by the way. Apparently, tastier than scrambled eggs with ham, leeks and parmesan.

Pre July 4, Part 2

2011-07-12T21:56:00.002-05:00

Smores, fireworks...life is good when it's this simple. We just manage to make it more complicated at our own risk.

Pre July 4 Up North (I)

2011-07-12T21:53:00.003-05:00

A girl and her dog.

Future cosmetologist (or optometrist, or botanist, or whatever she wants to be). I will be her guinea pig in whatever way I can to help her.

Burger Off VI

2011-06-26T22:44:00.003-05:00

Emma finished tied for third this year. Oh well. Tilly had a good time.

Twins Game for My Birthday

2011-06-19T23:20:00.003-05:00

It was rainy, but they played.

Prettiest girl in the world.

Clown.

Tilly's rendition of Singin' in the Rain.

She's learned the word "need". As in, 'Dad, I need that baseball.'

Another Saturday

2011-06-14T21:23:00.003-05:00

We started at Camp Tanadoona in Chanhassen with the pancakes and sausage that came with the community day. Campers need to be 5 years old, so someday so unfortunately soon Tilly be there.

Tilly's Old Cuban Man hat.

First s'more she's ever had.

We later went hiking on an abandoned railroad bed near the Renaissance Fair grounds in Shakopee. We saw a snake, and a guy fishing in the Minnesota River. Pretty good Saturday.

Grave Crawl 2011, Part 2

2011-05-29T23:31:00.002-05:00

The duck was supposed to stay in the pen in the barn.

He got out however.

These two are technically related. I think in some way, the duck is Murphy's uncle.

Tilly tried her best to feed the duck some bread, but I think he was just a little bit freaked out from being chased by two little girls and two dogs.

Buddies.

Grave Crawl 2011, Part 1

2011-05-29T23:24:00.003-05:00

FYI, a Grave Crawl is a family tradition we have started wherein we make the rounds (on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend) to bars and cemeteries in Glencoe, Arlington, Jessenland, and other areas near where some of our family roots are sunk. The group usually starts with lunch at Maggie and Dennis Nelson's house, then alternates between a bar and a cemetery, bar and a cemetery, until we've visited everyone we need to see.

This year the Grave Crawl started off with Maggie also arranging the hand off of a duck that she was purchasing. Apparently she had been waiting for the call that the duck was ready for adoption, because as we were leaving the Glencoe cemetery to head to Arlington, we had to make a detour...to the parking lot of Pamida, where a guy in a truck pulled out a big plastic tub in which was housed a full grown male duck. Of course.

Tilly at the King Pin (the first pub she ever visited).

Tilly, I wish you two could have met each other. Things would be a lot different.

Frank and Nellie, this one is for you.

A Rainy Saturday In Three Acts, Act 3: Ham

2011-05-27T00:31:00.002-05:00

Forgive the egg salad on her face. What a beautiful girl.

A Rainy Saturday In Three Acts, Act 2: Splash

2011-05-27T00:26:00.002-05:00

After the protest, coffee.

But first some splashing.

The forbidden (in our household) fruit.

A Rainy Saturday in Three Acts, Act 1: Protest

2011-05-27T00:22:00.003-05:00

The guy behind Tilly was reading a bible, so I am not sure whether we were on the correct side of the gallery in the debate on the unfathomably pathetic, transparently political, idiotic Gay Marriage Ban Amendment mess.

Not sure what Tilly was feeling about officially protesting.

Her work there is done.

Tilly Meets Sean and Ruth In Town from Ireland

2011-05-15T22:43:00.003-05:00

Sorry. No actual pics of Sean or Ruth. Trust me, they were there.

Tilly Meets the Pigs and Cows (II)

2011-05-15T22:33:00.002-05:00

Tilly Meets the Pigs and Cows (I)

2011-05-15T22:24:00.003-05:00

We went out to my cousin Beth's farm last week. Tilly got to meet the pig that we'll have in our freezer next fall. She also let a calf eat out of her hand. I was so proud of her for that. We saw Beth, Craig, Erin, Mark, Crystal and Dusty (as well as Mac the dog, tons of cats, and said pigs and cows). It is always so nice, so refreshing to get out to their farm. I have incredibly warm memories of staying of their as a kid. I hope Tilly gets a chance to experience something like that someday so she never forgets where our milk, beef, pork, etc., come from. It's hard being a farmboy dad raising a daughter in the city. I am doing my best.

Tilly and Chicago, II

2011-05-15T22:15:00.003-05:00

Tilly on Michigan Avenue.

Hunter at the American Girl Store. Buddy, this is what nearly every man feels like when backed into a situation involving shopping from which he can't extricate himself.

Tilly's first American Doll. Said doll is currently sitting outside in the yard, in the dirt (I believe).

Tilly is such a sweet kid.

Tilly and Chicago, I

2011-05-15T22:13:00.004-05:00

We spent the last weekend of April in Wisconsin Dells and Chicago. Tilly got to meet Nola for the first time (my friends Joe and Sarah's daughter). We hung out with them at their house in Lincoln Park, then spent much of Saturday with Charity, Scott and their family. Chicago always invigorates me. I think it's just about the coolest city in the US.

Easter II

2011-04-24T23:06:00.002-05:00

Easter I

2011-04-24T23:01:00.002-05:00

Tilly moved in to her Cedar Chalet today, once I finally finished building it after we got back from church.

Her beautiful Easter dress...right after she (intentionally?) drooled malted milk ball chocolate drool all down the front of it.

Birthday Party, Part 2

2011-04-17T21:45:00.002-05:00

Tilly's Second Birthday Party

2011-04-17T21:36:00.002-05:00

Act 3: Chuck E Cheese in the 763

2011-04-14T23:16:00.003-05:00

I don't blame you for feeling that way, Tilly.

Act Two-Children's Museum and Eagle's Nest

2011-04-14T23:13:00.001-05:00

Tilly's Birthday in Three Acts

2011-04-14T23:05:00.004-05:00

Tilly's birthday was actually yesterday, but I had some meetings at work that I could not skip. So today was the day I took off work and we celebrated.

We actually started at the dog park (me, Annie, and Tilly), where the brisk wind didn't prevent the egrets, owls, geese, ducks, squirrels and blackbirds from entertaining us. We returned home and Tilly fell asleep right as we were getting on to 280 off of 94.

So once she finally woke up, the whole family started the day at Cupcake. We had some really tasty soup, sandwiches, coffee and cupcakes. It was Tilly's second Cup of Mud cupcake in 16 hours. It took the sugar about 10 minutes to kick in.

We went to the Children's Museum from Cupcake...Tilly seemed disappointed that she couldn't get her face painted like a kitty cat, but she survived. We played with the bubbles, the legos, and whatever else Tilly was interested in.

From there we made our way to Shoreview/Mounds View to the Eagle's Nest, a big indoor playground. Again, as we were about to arrive, Tilly fell asleep so Emma and I drove around for about 45 minutes til she woke up.

From there (after Tilly played in the ball pits, climbed in the tubes, slid down slides, etc) we ended the day at Chuck E Cheese's in Blaine. Tilly seemed to have a simultaneous fear and fascination with the big mouse.

We then came home. It was a good, long day.

Happy Birthday darling girl. I love you.

Choo Choo Bob's

2011-03-27T08:44:00.003-05:00

Choo Choo Bob's is a train store on Marshall Ave near Cleveland in St Paul. Tilly loved playing with the wooden train sets, and watching the electric trains in the window. She also was doing some modeling of her new shirt.

Politics

2011-03-27T08:39:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Tilly and I ate breakfast (at Cupcake, of course) and then headed to the Candidate Forum for the special election to replace Ellen Anderson in the 66th Senate District. Tilly was more compelled by the free mini-muffins and the name tags than the candidates, unfortunately, so we weren't there very long.

Aunt Colleen, 37 Is Just A Start

2011-03-20T20:56:00.000-05:00

Saturday Morning, Cupcake, A Recurring Theme

2011-03-20T20:50:00.000-05:00

She was just born mischievous.

St Pat's, Part II

2011-03-20T20:47:00.000-05:00

Mayor Coleman.

Tilly befriending the cops. Smart girl.

Invisible dogs are always a bit creepy.

St Patrick's Day Parade, Part I

2011-03-20T20:43:00.000-05:00

Tilly and Emma ventured downtown on St Pat's Day to meet up with Auntie Colleen and Maggie. Looks like a good time was had by all. Emma said that people were stopping to take photos of Tilly, with her red hair and green jacket.

Saturday, A Day Like Many Others

2011-03-08T21:54:00.001-06:00

Dog park in pajamas, cookies for lunch, visits to neighbors with broken ankles to deliver crutches, etc. All in a weekend's work when mom's out of town.

Random Saturday at the Dog Park

2011-03-08T21:45:00.000-06:00

My happy daughters. I am so blessed.

Again--The Most Beautiful Girl on the Planet...

2011-02-28T23:00:00.001-06:00

...hands down.

Random Saturday on the Back End of Winter

2011-02-28T22:54:00.000-06:00

Another blessed Saturday...having time to spend with Tilly (instead of shooting a wedding or whatever can become of a random winter weekend.

Bliss: starting the day at Cupcake, and ending it with some lamb chops. Tilly loved the rack of lamb, as could only be expected of a little growing Aussie.

Unexpected Snow Day

2011-02-22T20:43:00.000-06:00

At LSS we got the day off Monday because of the blizzard. After some shoveling and errands in the morning, I ran out to Menards and got a sled for Tilly. Here are some pics, and an essay I wrote about the day.

The morning of my marginal Monday started with a re-clearing of the driveway and parking area in back of our house. Whenever the weather gods make it feasible and necessary, I do one round of shoveling at night and another the next morning to move my body more than once (and to stay ahead of the snow, too.)

Once I could leave the house, I took back streets through the Midway to Menards (to avoid University Avenue and the surreal commencement of LRT construction in the middle of a blizzard on a Federal holiday) and purchased a $9.98 molded plastic toddler sled. We've been wanting one for Tilly all winter and they had about 6 left in stock.

Now finally able to navigate the stretches of sidewalk that certain neighbors never shovel in a timely way, we pulled Tilly in her slick, shiny blue sled up Como Ave to Speedy Market, where we turned left down Doswell and wound our way to College Park.

Tilly made her first two baby luge runs on the near side of the park, where the pitch of the bowl isn't as steep. As she quickly grew obviously bored with that kiddie hill, we took her to the far/eastern Carter Avenue side where the older kids (and their children) were bombing down what they call Suicide Hill.

I took Tilly almost all the way to the top and gently nudged her down our local Black Diamond. By the time she had rocketed to meet her mother at the bottom, she was squealing, laughing and saying "Again! Again! Again!" in her 22-month-old dialect.

After a few more trips up to the top and back down again (including Emma and I each trying an inglorious run on the $2 plastic roll up sled that Menards also had in stock) we went to Dunn Brothers for hot chocolate.

Tilly attacked her drink like she was bobbing for (non-existent) whipped-cream-and-chocolate covered apples. Once she finished inhaling all the whipped cream and chocolate that didn't stick to her face, she turned to mixing glasses of water into her cup, dumping that concoction on to the table, splatting it with her hand and watching it run over the lip of the glass table top and into the linen table cloth underneath. Finally, she began tearing the petals off the tulips in the small vase on our table, at which time we knew it was time to get back home.

But the most photogenic part of the day happened on the way home. By the time we were past Speedy Market again on the way home, Tilly had fallen asleep in the sled! She rode out the last 2-3 blocks slumped to one side, snoring (!), oblivious to the fluffy snow that was covering her bright pink mittens.

I have photos to prove all of this. I just didn't have time to get them edited and posted on line in time to share them in lieu of this novella.

A Day In The Life

2011-02-20T23:32:00.000-06:00

Just an other day.

1) Smear Vaseline all over oneself's head.

2) Sit in the 11 inches of snow and look cute.

Leopards and Tigers and Bears Oh My

2011-02-14T00:04:00.000-06:00

Tilly and I took advantage of the warm weather today to go to the Minnesota Zoo. She was annoyed that the moose weren't outside, but seemed to enjoy the rest of what we saw.

Winter Carnival: The Lighter Side

2011-01-30T21:34:00.000-06:00

There were a few lighter moments too. She seemed to enjoy just hanging out with us for a while.

Winter Carnival: The Bad Ugly or Indifferent

2011-01-30T21:30:00.001-06:00

We tried to get Tilly to ride a pony, but she wasn't having any of it.

Not exactly thrilled to be here, it would appear...

On the Vulcans' firetruck.

Time to go home.

She couldn't be bothered to actually walk in the back door on her own power. She sort of flopped down and waited for one of us to bring her in the kitchen.

Part 2: The Good Stuff

2011-01-26T00:15:00.001-06:00

Mace's Birthday Part 1

2011-01-26T00:06:00.000-06:00

The birthday boy. The big 1.

I can't picture any other kind of cake than a John Deere tractor cake.

Tilly's just checking things out.

Tilly and I went to Jameson's birthday party Saturday. She can't fully pronounce Jameson--it comes out "Mace".

He did pretty well with the presents. Tilly enjoyed playing with the girl cousins and with Mace. She got to see several aunts and uncles.

Something Tells Me We Should Get Used to This Look

2011-01-19T23:29:00.000-06:00

Tilly and Emma discussing something at the Mall. I can see this scene being repeated in the future.

Underwater Adventures. Indeed.

2011-01-19T23:23:00.000-06:00

We took Tilly, Jameson, Kate and Helen to Underwater Adventures at the Mall of America on Monday. The MOA is not a place I would like to visit again on a national holiday in the winter when a very popular Christian rock singer has clogged up the major gathering area in the mall.

The kids enjoyed it, so that's all that matters.

Capitol

2011-01-15T14:46:00.001-06:00

After we struck out at the airport, I thought I would swing by the Capitol and show Tilly where all the big decisions are going down this spring.

Yet again, she's a phenomenon. There's something about her that Japanese tourists we've run into are drawn to. I am not sure what it is, as there's a language barrier for me, but this same exact thing has happened so many times.

The Gallery.

Someday, Tilly, someday.

Ready. To. Go. Home.