Hayward Getaway

We try to take an annual trip with my family and this year we decided on a fall trip so Miss Piper could join us (my new niece born in August).  My sister, Bridget, learned of a nice rental from a friend, so we rented it for MEA weekend (a long weekend each fall in Minnesota school districts).  None of us had ever been to Hayward, WI so it was exciting try out a new town and surrounding area.

We arrived at our rental Thursday at lunch and it was gorgeous both inside and out!  (The rental is part of a large four-plex and the unit we stayed in is actually for sale.)  There was a huge deck overlooking Lac Courte Oreilles (the lake) perfect for sunsets and inside we had the perfect amount of space for our families (my parents, Bridget, Ross, and Piper, and our family of four).

View from the deck

Family pic

We headed to town for lunch and groceries.  We had lunch at the Gridiron because it was close to where we parked and it turned out to be very good bar and grill food.  We spent the rest of the evening exploring the area on a walk and grilling out for dinner and sitting by a bonfire.  The colors of the changing trees were incredible as well as the view of the sunset from our deck.

Walking near our rental

More beauty

Friday turned out to be a drizzly, cloudy day so we decided to head back into Hayward to check out some shops.  We especially liked Gliks, a men's and women's clothing store and I also found a cute shirt in another shop, I think it was called Ahlgrens.  Later that night we had dinner at The Waterfront which was only a mile away from our rental on another lake.  It was a cute, local place with good food and a relaxed atmosphere.

Family selfie at The Waterfront

Saturday was our last full day in Hayward and the weather was sunny again so we found a county park to do some hiking.  We found Hatchery Park which had some great cross country skiing trails that worked great for us since we were pushing a jogging stroller.  After our hike, we decided it was time for some treats in town.  Some had ice cream at West's Dairy and others had candy from Tremblay's Sweet Shop.  Our last night at the rental included more grilling out and playing cards.

Hiking (Piper in the carrier on Ross)

HUGE ice cream cones at West's Dairy

Sharing with Papa

Incredible sunset

Same sunset, a little later

Sunday, we were on the road by late morning and decided to take a different route home through Menomonie, WI and Wabasha, MN (on the way we drove through Red Wing, MN).  We stopped for a late lunch in Menomonie and all had great meals at Log Jam Bar and Eatery.  We especially loved their wild rice soup and I had a really good caprese grilled cheese sandwich.  On our way home from Menomonie, Brent, the kids, and I stopped in Alma, WI which you can read more about at this post.  The Beckmans and Moyers made a short stop in Wabasha for SeptOberfest.  We had hoped to join them too, but we ran out of energy and headed home after Alma.

We had a great get away together, as always, and Piper was a wonderful addition this year:)  We all loved Hayward and agreed we'd like to check it out in the summer some time so we can enjoy some swimming and fishing in the lake.  Though, I have to say, I really love the fall colors and appreciated the lack of mosquitoes:)

I also have to tell a funny story from Luke.  He knew the rental was for sale and asked if we could move there.  I said I wasn't sure where Daddy and I would work in Hayward since it was a small town.  He said we could work at Tremblay's Sweet Shop:)  Oh the dreams of an 8 year old:)

A few of my favorite pics from the trip:

Grandma and my grands

Piper post-bath

Nora post-bath

Precious cousin time

Sweet little lady

Snuggles 

Shoreline

Luke saying goodbye to the lake

As I'm sure you expected, I took lots of pictures;)  Check them out on Shutterfly.

Twelve Years

Twelve years ago this weekend, Brent came to visit me at University of Wisconsin River Falls for my birthday.  On a chilly, fall day, he brought me to Buena Vista Park in Alma, WI.  He knew I loved the overlook of the Mississippi River, especially with the changing seasons.  While on a hike, he surprised me with an engagement ring.

October 2002

Today, we visited Buena Vista Park with our kiddos on our way home from a trip to Hayward, WI with my family.  Life has changed a lot in twelve years, but I can say with certainty that I made one of the best decisions of my life that day.

October 2014

Listening to You and Me by Dave Matthews Band on the drive there was the perfect back ground music:)

Distinguished Alumni Award

Tonight we celebrated a very special lady: Ruth Picker

Ruth has taught at Crossroads College (formerly Minnesota Bible College) for 28 years and she is also an alumna herself.  Throughout these years of service, she has sustained her marriage and home, raising three boys, marrying them off, and welcomed seven grandchildren to her heart and home.

This year Ruth was honored by the Alumni Association as a Distinguished Alumni and I could not agree more.  

She was introduced by a former student who clearly adores and admires her.  She taught her three sons and myself while we were students at Crossroads.  And, she has no doubt touched many, many lives through her work and the ripple effect of her work.

She works tirelessly and in good spirits semester in and semester out in spite of many physical struggles that try to stop her.  She is a devoted, intelligent, courageous, and gentle woman who we are blessed to call mom, mother-in-law, and grandma.

Thank you, Ruth, for your years of service thus far and the years to come.

You deserve a day in the spotlight:)

Ruth and Kerry with their boys and families

Can you find her?  We added Velma (Ruth's mom)

Receiving her honor from
former student, Chris Brooks

Third Grade

Third grade looks good on him.

High Five for Friday

#1

I don't get craft often, but occasionally I get a vision that I can actually run with.  Luke and I made this Fall Welcome banner (hard to read in the pic) out of foam leaves.

#2

A B-E-A-utiful fall week!  It was sunny and in the 50s all week. Perfect for walking to and from work and I even got walks in during lunch.  

#3

More shed progress!  Since Labor Day weekend when we completed assembly of our shed kit, we have worked random weeknights and weekends when we have free time (which hasn't been often this fall).  This week we're finishing up the painting and plan to start organizing the garage and moving summer items to the shed.  It's been quite the process, but Brent has been impressed how well it's all gone:)

#4

Another great week of Bible Study (mentioned last week).  So many things to learn and so many ways to grow.  

#5

Having good friends I can turn to for prayer, support, and insight when life gets hard. And, a loving husband who is a good complement to my shortcomings.

And, just because sleeping babies are cute...

Our sweetheart strangling her favorite bear while she sleeps:)

Today, We Remember

Today, I walked with my family to remember and honor my Aunt Nancy who lost her battle with diabetes in 2004.

She was the youngest of the six Beckmann kids and was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in her late teens.  She had a strong spirit, was very thoughtful and generous, and was an wonderful cook.

I vaguely remember as a kid when she lived with us for a short time and I remember many visits to Red Wing, Hager City, and Ellsworth to visit her.  I especially cherished the year I was at University Wisconsin River Falls when we were just a town apart.  We didn't see each other often, but I specifically remember one very nice lunch together and it was always comforting knowing she was nearby.  She and I also got to do some wedding planning that year since Brent and I were engaged and her son, Wylie, was a ring bearer in our wedding.

I also enjoyed our shared love of country music.  She brought me to my first country music concert, to see George Strait no less!  It was an all day music festival inside the Metrodome.  What a great memory:)

Some of my fondest memories were the Fourth of July/Cody's birthday gatherings at Scott and Nancy's house.  We stayed up late, watched lots of fireworks set off, played outside, rode four wheelers, and ate lots of yummy food.  Best of all, I learned to make frozen s'mores from my Aunt Nancy.  Still one of my favorite treats:)

Unfortunately her life was cut far too short, in her late thirties, after a twenty year battle with diabetes.

Today, we walked to help those still fighting.

Nancy's Hope Team Page

Our team walked 4.5 miles today and raised over $300 for the fight against diabetes.

Nancy's Hope Team

Bridget, Piper, Me, Nora, and Mom

Post-walk brunch at my Aunt's

High Five for Friday!

#1

Lunch with a dear friend and former coworker.  My heart just feels full after time with her:)

#2

Bunco league kick off!  I love bringing twelve ladies together to share in a night of chatting, snacks, and fun.  I especially love that these ladies come from many different times and places in my life, yet we all come together for bunco:)  Oh, and I made apple dumplings that were delicious with ice cream and caramel sauce....mmmmm....

#3

It's been quite sometime since I've been involved in a formal Bible study, so I'm excited to start the Children of the Day study on 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.

#4

Disclaimer: This is a hodge podge item, so hold on tight.  I don't mind cooking, but I'm definitely the recipe following type.  Well, this week I had some left over chicken (from this recipe) and noticed in the comments that someone used the leftovers in enchiladas.  I've never made enchiladas, but decided that the left over chicken, black beans, and corn in my fridge/freezer could easily be added to flour tortillas.  I found a recipe for Simple Chicken Enchiladas to follow some basics like temp, cook time, etc.  In the end, we had a good dinner paired with cilantro lime rice.  So, this High Five is for the internet that inspired my experiment, the fact that my experiment was edible in the end, and that I was feeling creative enough to give the experiment a shot.  This was really out of my wheelhouse, and yes, Brent was surprised by it too;)

#5

We had a lovely outing to Northwoods Orchard with friends last weekend.  It was 80 degrees, sunny, and beautiful!  (Not exactly the type of weather expected when visiting the orchard in MN at the end of September.)  Luke has always loved the corn mazes and this year Nora was very excited by all of the pumpkins and she especially liked the tractor/wagon ride.

Squinty chair pic, but Luke loves it:)

Trying to pick up a pumpkin

Cutie

Luke looks exasperated in this pic,
but they were really having fun together:)

This huge willow provided
lots of entertainment!

Love the views from the corn maze

Autumn Wonderland

All of my life, I've said that fall is my favorite season.  I do still love it, but the past few winters have been rough and so I'm haunted knowing that the beauty of fall leads to the potential for another long, difficult winter.

We really had a beautiful September and I'm expecting even more good fall-fun to come in October.  Can you tell I'm trying to keep a positive attitude?

A few of my fall favorites, every year and some specific to this year:

Brisk mornings and nights and sun-warmed days

The anticipation of Thanksgiving and baking and cooking in a warm house while it's cool outside

Finding adorable Halloween costumes for the kids

Starting to think about Christmas shopping

Burning candles (vanilla, apple, and hazelnut are my fall favs)

Pumpkins, apples, mums, orchards, corn mazes, etc, etc and my childrens' love for them too

 Colors, especially contrasting colors

Dark brown trunk with bright
yellow/orange leaves

The individual timing of the trees turning

All maples, but turning at their own pace

This picture absolutely does not do the
beauty of this street justice.
It was like it had snowed small yellow leaves.
The sidewalks were covered.  It was beautiful!

I also decided it was strange that there are not any songs about the beauty of fall.  I mean, how many songs are there about snow???  (I realize they are mostly tied to Christmas too, but still.)  So, I decided to write a few verses of my own fall parody to Winter Wonderland.  (Original lyrics so you can get the tune in your head.)

Autumn Wonderland

Under foot

leaves are crunching

On Honeycrisp

I am munching

A beautiful sight

We're happy tonight

Walking in an autumn wonderland

All around

Leaves are turning

While pumpkin candles 

Are a burning

We sing a love song

As we go along

Walking in an autumn wonderland

At the orchard apples are a plenty

We bring them home to bake them in a pie

I'll say: Are you hungry

Kids say: Yes ma'am

And we'll clean up

Before we say goodbye

I hope this post finds you enjoying the beauty of fall and not dreading the end of summer or the coming of winter.