While waiting for Avamarie...

It's a very exciting time in the extended Miller family, and that would include all of you cousins, as we await the Aug. 2 return of Mary and Moriah from China with the newest Miller, little Xin, whose American name will be Avamarie. In the meantime, cousin Chris is working hard at the Strib on the whole Brett Sprick Favre thing, which must be spinning the head of cousins who are Packers fans. But we digress. As Chris works hard, Pam is goofing off with cousins Hannah and Elizabeth. They spent the past four days in Lake City doing fun things such as... ... visiting Joe and Mavis, where Elizabeth sat in Joe's boat, delighted in their house with its many interesting features and asked many questions about Joe and Mavis' great-granddaughter Maria Cook, who Elizabeth has declared the cousin she's most eager to see again soon. (Elizabeth and Maria will both turn 6 and start kindergarten in September.) ...

... visiting Aunt Anna, who was impressed with Elizabeth's writing, alphabet and number knowledge ...

... cavorting in nature, including wild mayfly chases at the Old Frontenac beach (Elizabeth collected about 1,000 mayflies -- anyone want any?), firefly capture-and-release bouts and sightings of approximately 100 white-tailed deer.

... and of course a ride on the beautiful carousel at the Lark Toy Factory in Kellogg, Minn.

Elizabeth, who seems to be very good at everything she does, picked up a hula hoop at the Toy Factory and demonstrated how to do it (Hannah took this little video). No one was seriously injured.

During a more urban adventure last week, Hannah, Elizabeth and I visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.