Archive for June, 2008

26
Jun

An Ode To Zeyah

By Sarah 0 Comments
Categories: Family & Friends

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(Kiera and Isaiah’s favorite place to hang out, the backyard.)

It’s been two years since a boy named Isaiah and his mom Kara moved in next door to us.

During those two years Kiera gained a buddy, an older brother of sorts. An instant connection was made and has been fostered ever since.

During those two years Kiera went from a chubby, non mobile 6 month old to a talkative, crazy 2 year old.

During those two years Isaiah went from a “that kid next door” 12 year old to a “staple at our home” 14 year old.

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(Sleeping or not?)

During those two years we learned that Isaiah likes salt and vinegar chips, sprite, McDonald’s fries with extra salt, cheese burgers with bar-b-que sauce, and a shake instead of the drink, hummus (but only the homemade kind), Mike and Ike candies, Reece’s pieces, Sammmy’s Pizza, kettle corn, video games, soccer, and bike wheelies. He is a genuinely “good kid”. Kids of his caliber are hard to come by these days. Isaiah is the kind of kid that could walk in the door and I could walk out without giving him any directions for watching Kiera. He knows all her likes and dislikes. He knows how to calm her, how to make her laugh, and how to engage her in any type of activity (squirt gun fights, pillow fights, andmock WWF wrestling tournaments).

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(Kiera after Isaiah babysat her… all tuckered out.)

During those two years he learned what gluten, lentils, and rice flour was. He tried at least one bite of any crazy food creation I placed in front of him and didn’t let our plants get dehydrated during our 6 week Central America trip. He tolerated Kiera wearing crazy outfits (or nothing at all for that matter!), listening to lots of reggae music, the smell of incense, and a few emotionally vulnerable moments on my part.

During those two years his rock star mom completed her first two years of medical school like a pro, spent the first year and a half commuting to the cities for work, studied, and studied, and yes, studied some more, and managed to play mom to Isaiah and train for a half marathon. She brings a new definition to the words persistence and dedication. Yeah, she is a strong woman to say the least.

Thank you friends for moving in next to us, teaching us a few lessons along the way, and for just being some good people in this world!

We will miss as you depart on your new journeys. May your readjustment be smooth and simple and your hearts be light and free.

Peace, blessings, life, and love-

Martin, Sarah, and Kiera Rae Sawinski

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26
Jun

Flying scorpions, soup pizza, and Morocco

By Sarah 0 Comments
Categories: Sawinski News and U.S. travels

Chicago and Indianapolis.

Brought to you by:

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But we usually don’t look so tough….

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(Yeah, that is more like it.)

After packing up Kiera with her Dora backpack and 3 neatly dressed bears (to her all stuffed animals are “bears”), Martin and I said farewell to our Rae Rae and headed south (or east? I know for sure it wasn’t west or north, maybe it was southeast?)

After a handful of driving hours under our belts (well, belt- Martin was the P.M. driving champ) we savored the hospitality of a posh Wisconsin rest area, brought to you by our “new” CR-V. Upon sunrise we rummaged around the once clean car to find our tooth brushes and the next best thing to a shower, wet wipes and deodorant, and took off among the amber waves of grain.

We arrived in Chicago around 9am, admired the vast city-scape, and called our friend Carlos (who we promptly woke up- oops. Who can blame him? After all, what crazy childless guy would be awake before noon on a Sunday anyways? So sorry Carlos!)

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Sunday consisted of amazing queso fresco, lime tortilla chips, a Chicago architecture tour via a river boat, a lazy meander down Magnificent Mile, and some Chicago style pizza. I mean, pizza that should be eaten with a spoon, large pile of napkins, and a bib. $40.00 later and 2 really full bellies, we decided that Chicago style pizza was probably something we would only eat once in our lives.

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Monday was more tourist mumbo jumbo… cultural center, the big bean, fruit smoothies, and yet another train ride to and from the city to the magnificent couches we were calling home for two days. (Who would have thought that two kids from Duluth could maneuver on Chicago public transportation like pros- well, maybe semi pros, I was being generous). Did I mention the “all you could eat” sushi bar? Oh yeah… roll after roll after roll, Martin, Carlos, Angelique, and I stuffed our faces with rice, shrimp tempura, cream cheese, wasabi, soy suace, the list goes on and on. The great night ended with some pretty cheesy fortunes, a cheers to friendship, and a little Sake on the side.

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Our friends Carlos and Ang

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Tuesday we left at 7am, headed for Indianapolis to complete our original task, picking up a skiff for the Duluth Superior Sailing Club. Before this trip I didn’t think GPS’ were necessary. After all, what beats a good ‘ole paper map? GPS is where it is at! “Thank the Lord almighty!”, said with a southern Indiana accent. From detours to unmarked exits, I was praising that little NavMan!

With the skiff on our tail, we headed home on our 12 hour tour.

20 hours later, crazy rush hour, a burning vehicles in the “sane lane”, un-timed lights on highway 41and a sleeping Kiera after picking her up from the Grandparents, we arrived home, all smiles (almost) and happy to be back at our humble abode.

You know those math skills you never learned in grade school but should have, well I didn’t learn them either. So for those math challenged individuals I spelled out our trip with some simple numbers. Here it goes.

On Martin and Sarah’s grand adventure we had…

- ONE near accident (that really should be read NEAR, truly that close)

- ONE speeding ticket (No, just kidding. I was just reminiscing of our Costa Rica road trip.)

- ONE run red light (Martin’s comment “I was wondering why the big semi was merging into my lane if I had the right of way”.)

- ONE trip to McDonalds (Hey, don’t judge, it happens to the best of us- P.S. food shouldn’t smell like that.)

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- ONE all- you-can eat sushi bar (definitely what food should smell like)

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- ONE visit to Morocco, Lebanon, and Frankfurt… Indiana that is, briefly from the freeway.

All in all it was a successful trip. The Duluth Superior Sailing Club has a “new” skiff, Martin can check off “a visit Chicago” from his to-do list, and I can say I slogged through 3 (wasn’t it longer?) hours of Chicago rush hour with a manual vehicle towing a boat.

Thanks to Carlos and Angelique for a comfy couch, great “tour-on” information, and pleasant company. You both always have a place to stay in Minnesota (come in winter because the flying scorpions aren’t so rabid then.)

26
Jun

“Kiera ‘Winki’ mas silly”

By Sarah 0 Comments
Categories: Kiera Rae

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Kiera started digging by our bulk food storage bin, insisting on moving the big recycling bucket (all by her self) and climbing onto of the bucket (all by her self). She laid down on the bucket and reached into the corner by the floor. Out she came with the blue whip cream top (which I had been looking for for ages and ages). “Find it!” she exclaimed. She then opened the fridge door (all by herself), rummaged around to find the whip cream and placed the top on it (all by herself). I then tried to give her a hug and thanks for finding the cap, which led to her running away from me. She ran into the living room, giggling with glee and jumped on the mattress doing a crash landing of sorts (anybody ever seen WWF?). She laughed, screamed, and giggled. I again tried to give her a hug and she looked me straight in the eyes, pointed at me, and said “no now hug momma, kiera need the mas silly.”