Jessica and I are approaching our ten year anniversary August 4th. It’ll be 15 years since we’ve met. I don’t want to make a post that makes everything sound so perfect and beautiful. It’s hasn’t been and we’re continually learning more about each other, learning to forgive and express our love. We’ve been to couples therapy on many occasion (something I’d recommend to everyone, even in good times–we always walk away having learned how to better communicate). But as we grow old together and get wrinkly (rather, more wrinkly[Speak for yourself! – Jess]), there’s no one I’d rather grow old with. Jessica is so beautiful and confusing and brilliant and honest and fun. She’s my best friend, my lover, my parenting mentor, my safety net, my wife. Happy almost anniversary Jessica, love you.

Yesterday we went blueberry picking with Evva and Oscar and their parents Erin and Mike. At Rush River in Wisconsin as recommended by Lewis’ preschool teacher Jen (about and hour and a half drive). It was a picturesque place with bushes bursting with blueberries. Everywhere you looked you see ripe blueberries, it was pretty spectacular. Apparently it’s been an unusually good season. The woman there said we were welcome to stuff our faces and we all did (Netta and Bailey have had some bowel movements of entertaining colors…)

Afterwards, on recommendation of the folks there, we drove two miles to swim in the spring-fed super cold Rush River. There was a muddy bank that the kids couldn’t get enough of and across the river spring water trickled down–it felt like ice water. A fun outing that I sense might become a tradition. Not cheap, though. We spend $60 on the berries.

This is the last post from our recent trip the cottage. We went for a day trip to Roche-A-Cre State Park in Wisconsin. The first half of our time there was pretty miserable as we walked along a super buggy, swampy trail in the woods with hot grouchy children. But then!

We had some food and found the trail leading to the top of Roche-A-Cre Mound there was a spectacular look out (up 303 steps). Jess and I each strapped a baby to our back and crossed our fingers the boys, or my mother :), wouldn’t whine about being tired (she has a bad knee right now). Amazingly Lewis, who often says “mine legs are tired,” flew up the steps and was the first to the top. I was fun watching him climb with such enthusiasm. Arthur however, is scared of heights and crawled at times. But he powered through and we all reached the top. The view was really spectacular.

Lewis and his amazing legs.

Arthur and unnamed sister.

Thanks, Ma, for taking the photo of us at the top. Sorry we didn’t get one of you!

Re-posting this to see the fancy view.

In case I haven’t mentioned it to you in person, the girls do have at least one secret twin word, a word they use that only exists in their personal lexicon.  I’m sure there are others bubbling up but I have only noticed this one clear word,  “Ni-noh”.  They say it when they want to trade toys.  I know if I hear it from another room that I will look in and find them swapping plates or push-toys or spoons or whatever.  I will be on the lookout for other secret words.

Last night all four of us went to see fireworks at Powderhorn park. Jessica and I have been taking advantage of my mother being in town often with multiple date nights and evenings out with the just Art and Lewis that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Thanks, Ma!

Anyway, Lewis went to bed around 7:30 but, as he requested, we woke him up a couple hours later and went to see fire works in the 90-degree heat.

We watched a parade, rode bikes in a parade and then sat around Nance and Brian’s house for about 6 hours doing nothing. We did nothing inside and outside in the 101-degree record temperatures.

Here’s a photo of my mother with Bailey (left) and Netta watching the parade. It was the first time Jessica has dressed them exactly the same, something she’s been looking forward to for weeks. They were incredibly cute. There just something about seeing them dressed the same that’s fun.

See the rest of the photos after the jump!

The carnage.

Butts and beer.

A happy Charlotte.

Watermelon heaven.

Bailey and Bob.

Lewis and his teeth.

That night all 11 of us packed in around table for six at the tasty Galactic Pizza in Minneapolis.

These are the raspberry bushes across the ally at our neighbors where we have full (invited) reign of their prolific raspberry bushes. Netta and Bailey are even getting skilled at hunting them, although many times you can see them munching on pale sour ones…