House Progress

I've gotten many questions about how the building process is going for us and I can truthfully say it's going great!

We're building a home in Stewartville, MN with Radcliffe Homes, a local Stewartville business.  Bob, our project manager, has been great to work with.  Even when we have run into little snags (and I truly mean little), he's quick to answer our questions and talk us through the process.

Brent and I have been doing a lot more shopping for interior finishes for the house and I'm so grateful we work so well together.  These appointments could be long, drawn out, crabby, and overwhelming, but instead they are fun and we have rarely had a hard time coming to a mutual decision!  We've worked with wonderful consultants at several local businesses who have been so helpful and I recommend them all.

• Ferguson Plumbing - Tracy is awesome
• Hutchinson Cabinets -  Kyle and his team make the cabinets right on site in their small shop
• Tile Superstore and More - Wanda was SO helpful in weeding through the MANY choices
• Northern Lights and Furnishings - We had the pleasure of working with Greg, the owner, and he was wonderful.  He even got us a bid within 24 hours!

Currently, everything that goes on behind the walls is being installed: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, sliding doors.  Then comes insulation to keep a Minnesota home nice and toasty:)

 

Without further adieu, pictures from last weekend...

Roof and windows installed and concrete
poured in the basement, garage, and front stoop
(the driveway and sidewalk will be poured in spring)
Luke's window is in front

View of the great room from the front door

View from front door down the stairs
 (yes, there will be railing:))

View of entrance and stairs to basement (right of door)
 from great room

Basement living room is the first three windows,
the last window will be a bedroom

Another view of the long, basement living room
The door on the left is to the utility/storage room

View from the back:
Top left: Nora's Room
Top middle 2: Living/Dining with door to future deck
Top right: Master
Bottom left: Bedroom
Bottom other 3: Living Room

We don't have an official move in date yet, but Bob is telling us late February/March 1.  It's really hard to believe this will actually be our home, but I'm sure we'll settle in with no problem once it's ready:)  

In the mean time, Brent's parents have welcomed us into their home and I think I can safely say that we've all adjusted to our "new normal".  

They're all enjoying their time together:)

"You Are Me, And More"

As I mentioned in a previous post, Nora and I saw The Good Dinosaur.  It was an adorable movie and I highly recommend it.

One of the quotes from the movie has stuck with me and actually tied into a post I was wanting to write.  In a conversation between Poppa dinosaur and Arlo (the young dinosaur and main character), Poppa was trying to encourage his son in finding a way to leave his mark on the world.  The dinosaurs were farmers (stick with me...I know this sounds strange) and each member of the family of five was working to "leave their mark" by doing something big for something bigger than themselves.  Arlo was feeling inadequate because he wasn't gifted in the same ways as his parents and siblings.  Poppa told him "you are me, and more".  I love this beautiful and simple statement.

This quote ties in perfectly with my thoughts on how quickly things change between generations in a family.  For instance, in terms of just education, there have been many changes since my grandparents' generations.  My maternal grandma was only able to finish school through eighth grade due to her family's circumstances.  My mom, her daughter, was able to attend technical school.  My sister and I were both able to finish college.  Big changes in just seventy years. Another thing I think about is overall opportunity.  My paternal grandparents were married young, had three kids pretty quickly, and lived with my grandma's uncle so they could all support each other farming.  I've heard that my grandma always wanted to be a teacher. But, opportunities for a young wife and mother in rural Minnesota to become a teacher were scarce if not nonexistent in the late 1940s.  In rural Minnesota, most post high school plans involved continuing to farm or enlisting in the military.  Farming was what they knew, it was a necessary livelihood for their family and the community, and there weren't many other opportunities.



This quote also makes me think of personality traits.  I can see many traits in myself that I learned or inherited from my parents and grandparents, but I also see where I have new-to-our-family traits that don't seem to link to my family.  Then of course there are physical attributes. I love looking at Luke and seeing how he is Brent's mini-me in so many ways, but that he is also his own unique person.

My wish for my own children is that they will take what we teach/leave/give them and do/be more.  I don't mean this as a pressure to our children to achieve, rather I look at their future with hopeful anticipation.  It's fun to think of who they will be and become and how they will be a part of continuing life, family, opportunity, education, and the list goes on!

And, just for fun, some pics to go with all of the family talk.

My mom's parents and brothers

My maternal grandparents with their granddaughters

My paternal grandparents with their first baby, Ruth
They look like babies themselves!

Just a few years later with their first three kids
They had three more children later

Early December Highlights

We've had a full and fun schedule to kick off December!

Saturday, December 5

• We met Bob (our builder...I know, "Bob the Builder"';)) for a walk through of the kitchen layout.  It's always fun to check out the details in person and to be able to ask Bob any questions we come up with.  Something has been clicking in my brain recently about the reality of actually living in this house we're building (I know, I can be slow sometimes).  I'm starting to day dream about what it will look like, how we'll use it daily, etc.  It's probably becoming more real to me as we pick out more finishes and the house layout comes to life in the process.
• Luke had two basketball games, one of which was tied in a buzzer beater to go to overtime and ultimately won in overtime.  It was a very exciting game and the boys played their little hearts out:)
• My parents, the kids, and I attempted to check out the Oxbow Zoodazzle.  But, when we saw the line of cars waiting to get in, we bailed and decided to check out the lights in downtown Rochester.  It was a beautiful night to walk around with the kids and we even ran into my mom's friend and former coworker with her husband, daughter and grandkids. 

Taking in the lights downtown

Sunday, December 6

I headed to visit my dear friend, Liz, for lunch and some shopping. We explored the adorable Afton, MN with lunch at Sail Away Cafe and shopping in some cute shops: Eye Candy REfind and 3:17 Vintage Furniture and Home Decor.  I'm so glad Liz suggested it!  I'll definitely have fun doing some shopping in both places once we're moved into our new place.

Monday, December 7

• I'm currently participating in a clinical study at Mayo Clinic and I had a day full of tests so I took the day off work.  The huge perk was that all of the tests were done in one place and I got to hang out and relax all day in the same bed while watching movies and dozing on and off:)  They even fed me lunch after everything was done (I was fasting for the tests).  Call me crazy, but being a patient (thankfully a healthy patient) was pretty relaxing.  Even the pokes weren't bad:)
• Since I was incapacitated for the day, Brent took the day off to be parent on duty for the regular stuff (like getting Luke to school, etc) and to just hang out with Nora for the day.  Nora loved having his undivided attention for the day!
• Monday evening, Nora and I went to a PAIIR Movie Night to see Curious George 3 in the Hoover Elementary School gym.  She and I have been to two movie nights with PAIIR and it's always a good time:)

Wednesday, December 9

I surprised Brent and Luke with tickets to the Timberwolves vs Lakers game.  Brent has been a big fan of Kobe Bryant since he was drafted into the NBA from high school in 1996.  Brent's seen him play once before, but I wanted him and Luke to experience a game together during Kobe's last season in the NBA (he's retiring).  They had a fun night out, but the Lakers aren't great this year, so they lost in overtime.


Thursday,  December 10

A typical Thursday night with Brent's city league basketball game.  I've always loved watching him play and it's fun to watch him as a family.  After basketball it was my turn to head out to bunco!  I'm in a league that plays once a month.  It's always a fun night out with good treats, catching up with friends, and rolling dice:)

Friday,  December 11

• Our super responsible boy had an orthodontic check after three months of living without braces and with a retainer.  I had the appointment on the calendar, but he was the one that remembered he needed to bring his retainer to the appointment.  I'm telling you, this boy is a gem!  Also, he had a great check up and wears his retainer regularly (again, his doing, we don't even remind him).
• Nora and I had a Friday with nothing planned...that VERY rarely happens.  We had a voucher to see The Good Dinosaur, and Nora loved it!  I needed a potty break during the movie and she said "Hurry, we're missing my favorite movie!"  Something about dinosaurs have been very interesting to her recently:)

Saturday, December 12

• A friend asked if I wanted to help with their holiday baking day so I joined in the fun:)  It was especially fun to see the recipes she had planned.  I especially loved the Vanilla Bean Angel Pillows and will need to make more!
• Twas a Saturday, therefore Luke had two basketball games.  It's a busy time of year with basketball, but definitely fun too:)
• Brent and I had an appointment at the Tile Superstore and More to check out flooring and countertop options.  If you've never been, this store is huge!  We were very grateful for Wanda's help in narrowing down our choices, answering many questions, and guiding us through the process.  We landed on a laminate wood floor (main living space), granite counter top (kitchen), and tile (mudroom/laundry and bathrooms).  We're still waiting on the bid to make final decisions, but we really liked what we picked.  Brent and I have both enjoyed working together on picking finishes for the new house, but I think getting this behind us was the biggest relief for me.  I feel like now that we have these large decisions, it will help guide other decisions (like coordinating colors, etc).  Again, we're so very grateful for Wanda!
• My parents, sister, and neice decided to head to Sibley Park in Mankato to check out the Kiwanis Holiday Lights Saturday evening and they invited Nora along.  It looked like a very fun outing from the pictures Bridget took and it was a warm night for exploring the park.  Nora loved it!
• Brent and Luke spent the evening watching MMA fights at Troy's house.

Kiwanis Holiday Lights

Sunday,  December 13

• After a morning at church, I met my friend, Laura, for an afternoon out.  We started with lunch at Nupa, one of my local favs, then took in a show at the Rochester Civic Theatre.  We saw It's A Wonderful Life and it was great!  Such a lovely story at Christmas time:)

High Five for Friday

#1: Nora the Night Owl

Since day one, Nora has needed less sleep than Luke.  She's also proven as a toddler to be quite a night owl.  We used to put her to bed earlier than Luke, but decided about a year ago that she may as well go to bed at the same time since she was never asleep by the time we put Luke to bed.  So, she and Luke go to bed around 9pm.  Luke is usually sleeping by 9:30pm, but Nora sits in bed reading books, singing songs, and chattering until 10:30/11pm regularly.  Recently we started thinking we needed to shorten her naps to help her fall asleep earlier.  But then we got another idea:  limit the number of books she can have in bed so she's not as distracted by the large pile of books next to/in her bed.  The other night, I told her she could only bring three books to bed.  Her response: "Really?  Thanks Mommy!"  She didn't even realize it was a restriction:)

#2:  Kobe Game

Brent and I do not give each other gifts regularly (like holidays or birthdays).  We figure being married to each other is gift enough;)  Not exactly...but we do surprise each other every once in a while with something special.  This week I got one of those special ideas for Brent!  Kobe Bryant, a professional basketball player for the LA Lakers, announced that he will be retiring after this season.  Brent has been a fan of Kobe from the beginning: 1996 when he was drafted by from High School into the NBA. He has seen him play once in person...until this coming week:)  I got Brent and Luke tickets to the Timberwolves/Lakers game on December 9 at the Target Center.  I am SO excited for them to go!

#3:  Starting a Bible Reading Accountability Group

I am so grateful for my friend, Laura, for many reasons.  This past week, she asked myself and a few other friends if we wanted to start a Bible reading accountability group.  We follow a reading plan for the month and check in daily online with our thoughts about the passage.  It's such a great way to keep me on track with reading and studying the Word.  I'm loving the routine and accountability already!

#4:  Luke's Haircut

Our boy has been growing his hair since fall 2014.  He had a couple trims throughout the year, but he always wanted to keep the length.  Thanksgiving weekend Brent and Luke talked about cutting the sides and back shorter and Luke agreed!  We all love the cut, including Luke:)

Check out the difference a year made:

Third Grade - Fall 2014

Fourth Grade - Fall 2015

Before and after his haircut last weekend:

 #5:  Date Night

We don't do it often, but oh how sweet it is when we do:)  Dinner at Five West to share my favorite nachos and a free night stay at a local hotel.  What a nice retreat.  Sometimes in the midst of life, I forget how much I enjoy talking to my husband:)

High Five for Friday

#1: Thanksgiving

We were blessed with the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with my cousin, Jamie, and her husband, Matt, who traveled from California for the long weekend.  We only get to see each other every year or two so it's always special to see them.

I also got to congratulate my grandparents on their 6th wedding anniversary last week:)

All in all, Thanksgiving is just a lovely day in my mind.  Love the time with family, good food, and time to intentionally reflect on the many blessings in our lives.

More pics on Facebook.

My loves

Awww!

#2: A Life Intercepted

I finished reading A Life Intercepted, by Charles Martin.  He's one of my favorite authors.   This wasn't one of my favorite books of his, but still a good read.  The author's note at the end of the book warmed my heart though.  Charles wrote the book as a way to share with his high school aged son that football is not what defines you as a person or your value.  I am not big on football, but I appreciate this perspective as a parent and spouse of a player.

Here are some quotes that I appreciated from the book.  All were referring to football, but I think they have very good implications for life in general.

Quotes:

If you want to succeed out there, you've got to risk failure. ... A lot of players equate losing with failure. ... But losing and failing are not the same thing.  Play this game long enough, and you will lose. ... Every time you step on to any field, you have a fifty-fifty shot at losing or winning.  So get over the numbers, they are not the measure of your value. ... Don't buy into the lie that says you don't count if you don't win.


I couldn't change my circumstances, but I had a lot to say about who I was in the midst of them.  And who I became.


The only thing you have control over is how hard you work, so if it's in your heart to be good at this, don't let anyone out work you.  And when somebody beats you -- because they will -- well...good for them.  Tell them. ...  Your performance on Friday night is not the measure of you value as a man come Saturday through Thursday.


Forgiveness offered -- especially when so undeserved -- cuts chains off the human heart that no other power in the universe anywhere can rattle much less break.  Love does what hatred could not and never will.


The wonder and majesty that is football is not what you accomplish in solitary feats of greatness,  but who you get to play it with.  The heart of football is found in the huddle -- not the highlight reel.

#3: Five Day Weekend

I really like my job, but I also like a break from the routine.  This week I had off Wednesday through Sunday for the holiday.  It's been lovely staying up late, waking without an alarm, freedom in schedule to do what we like when we like.  Brent even took a four day weekend to join us:)

#4:  The House

As of today, we have a shingled roof!  According to Brent, next the steps are completing the electrical and plumbing in the basement, then pouring the concrete in the basement, then windows.  I'm excited for windows:)  I like to see the obvious progress;)

#5:  Ladies' Morning

Last weekend, my aunt and cousin came to do some shopping at the Mayo Clinic Employee Craft Show and have lunch with my mom, sister and I.  It's always so nice to have excuses to get together:)

High Five for Friday!

#1: Work Family

I am so very blessed to have a wonderful work family.  This week we said goodbye to one of our family members as she transferred to a new role at Mayo.  We celebrated with a potluck and many laughs. I'm telling you, nurses have the greatest stories:)  We also celebrated one nurse completing her BSN and another receiving her official certification as a CNRN.

Office-Mates = Work Family

#2: Back to the Gym

With the weather getting colder and the days getting shorter, I knew I needed to make a change in plans to keep exercising for the winter.  This week was my first week back at the gym and it couldn't have worked better!  On the days that Luke gets a ride home from school via carpool, I'm able to head straight to the gym after work.  This week I was able to make three trips.  I'm not a huge fan of being a gym member, but I do appreciate the options it avails.  This week I ran on the track, did a water work out ("Fluid Motion" class that uses the water as extra resistance in a cardio workout), and walked on the treadmill.  I'm so very grateful I was able to work this into my schedule and that I can be a member at DAHLC since I'm a Mayo employee.

#3: Report Card Time

Luke got his first quarter report card which included several nice comments from his teacher.  Luke's very adaptable in terms of teachers and he's seen several different personalities in his 5 years of school, but I feel like this year he's connected with his teacher the best so far.  They just seem to get each other:)

#4: Hearts at Home

Last weekend was the annual Hearts at Home Conference in Rochester.  This huge conference just happens to hold one of its three annual conferences in Rochester and this year I was very excited to see two of the main speakers: Dr. Gary Chapman and Lysa Terkeurst.  They did not disappoint and neither did the workshop speakers I heard.  It was a great weekend of time with friends, learning, and rejuvenating as a mom and wife.

#5: A Day with the Girls

Today, I got to spend the morning with Nora and our niece, Piper.  After dropping Luke at school, we walked around the Christmas decoration at Menards then made a trip to the mall play area.  The girls had a blast playing:)

Starting the morning off with
smiles at Papa and Gma's

Peaking through the tunnel

Let the season of "hat hair" begin!

Queen of the castle!

Playing together

Sweethearts:)

Quick House Update:

Last weekend all of us were able to walk through the house as a family.  Nora and Luke each got to see their rooms, which was sweet:)  This week, despite cold, rain, and wind, all of the roof trusses were set.  Not sure what progress will be made next week with the holiday, but it's fun to see it all come together!

Nora in her room

Luke in his room

Roof trusses!

High Five for Friday

#1: Get Away

Last weekend, we had the chance to visit Brent's older brother, Greg, and his family in Rosemount, MN.  It was a short trip, but great to get away and to spend time with them.  We got to their place late afternoon, just in time for the Michigan vs. Rutgers and we hung out at their place for the evening.  The kids all slept together in one room, which resulted in them all being awake before 6:00 a.m. Yikes!  I love how they love each other, but sleep is fun too, right???;)  Sunday, Cally and I did a little shopping and had lunch on Grand Avenue in St Paul then stopped at a few stores at the Eagan Outlet Mall.  While we were out and about, Greg and Brent brought the kids to the Minnesota Zoo and watched some NFL games.

Playing puzzles with Mommy
 and Cousin Annalise

#2: Nachos

Last weekend, I went to lunch with my mom and a few of her friends from work.  We went to a new restaurant in Rochester: Five West.  We'd been for a happy hour and dinner once, but I had the most AMAZING nachos last Saturday.  I'm not kidding, I have thought of them every day since I ate them.  They may very well have ruined all other nachos for me.  If I haven't hyped them enough, we can chat more;)  They're called Herb Roasted Chicken Nachos.  So, if you ever want to try them, give me a call and we'll share a plate with a couple sangrias:)

#3: Basketball

Luke started his RCYBA Youth Basketball.  This is his first season playing with this organization, but he gets to have a coach he's had in the past for baseball and football and knows quite a few kids on his team.  Brent's also assistant coaching this season.  I'm looking forward to watching him play this season!

#4: Vocabulary

I love listening to Nora talk, tell stories, and to hear her sense of humor.  Yesterday she used the word mystery appropriately without it ever coming up earlier in the conversation.  It's so incredible how kids pick up words and vocabulary.

#5: Brent

Today is my man's birthday.  He doesn't like celebrating or receiving attention for his birthday, so I take it easy on him.  (Actually, neither of us are much about our birthdays.)  Regardless, I am grateful for him, his life, and the opportunity to share life with him.  Love you, babe.

Love this guy

High Five for Friday

It's been a l-o-n-g time since I've posted a High Five for Friday (an entire year!), but I have missed the opportunity to blog about everyday life so we remember it in years to come.  Check out my original High Five here.

#1: Our sweet, growing boy

This week Luke discovered Ramen Noodles.  We never buy or eat them so he discovered them through a friend at school who brought them for lunch.  Luke was fascinated:)  He asked me to get some next time I grocery shopped, but then Brent mentioned that there were multiple flavors.  Change of plans: he had to come grocery shopping to check out the selection:)  So, Thursday night Luke joined me on my biweekly grocery shopping trip.  It was a great time for the two of us to bond (which we don't get very often these days), to practice his math skills as we compared prices, and, most importantly, to introduce him to the world of Ramen.  Once he chose his variety, then he requested a thermos to use for his school lunch.  Supplies in hand, Luke was ready to learn how to make Ramen this morning so he could take it for lunch.  It was a sweet time talking through the steps in the process, teaching him details about the stove, and what can and cannot go in the microwave.  This all probably sounds so very simplistic, but I'm telling you, this boy takes such pride in learning skills that give him more independence.  These are precious memories:)

#2 Halloween

We had a wonderful day  last Saturday celebrating Halloween.  Nora was Sofia the First and Luke was a football player.  We started the morning with story time at ABC and Toy Zone, with stories and songs lead by Peter, Nora's favorite!  Then we went to BooFest at the Creek, an indoor carnival put on by the Rochester Public School Foundation with the Blue Papa and Gma.  After Nora's nap, we had dinner at Culver's with the Brown Papa and Gma and met Troy, Audra, Annie, Ethan, and Alaina for some trick or treating.  Nora blew us away.  She kept up with the big kids, ran from door to door, and loved every minute.  We even had to stop at a few houses in Brent's parent's neighborhood before finishing up trick or treating for the year.  The only down side to the day was dressing and undressing Nora in her costume.  She is currently very sensitive about anything going over her head and fearing she will get stuck.  The Sofia dress was puffy and intimidating in her three year old mind.  She survived and enjoyed wearing it once it was on:)

Halloween 2015

 #3  Volunteering

I love being able to volunteer at Luke's school and was able to have my first time for the school year today.  There is something about seeing the kids in their "natural habitat" that I just love:)  It was Book Fair week, which Luke and I also love, so I got to help four classes make their purchases today:)  After helping at the Book Fair, I was able to spend some time in Luke's class working one on one with a few kids on their reading.  I am very impressed with his fourth grade teacher: how she interacts with the class and how the kids clearly respect her.  The atmosphere of the class was simply more grown up than his classes in the past...guess they've got to get ready for middle school in just a couple years...yikes!!!

#4 House

We walked on the main floor of our new house this week!  That means we have basement walls, main floor trusses, main floor sub-flooring, and exterior walls!  I can't remember what, if any detail I've gotten into about the house, but we're building a rambler with three bedrooms on the main floor.  We'll only finish the living room in the basement to begin with, but there will be space for two additional bedrooms and one bathroom in the basement as well.  We love seeing the progress and especially appreciate our friends (who live next to our lot) for sharing progress pictures with us so often:)

View from front yard
Right to Left: Luke's bedroom window then front door
The rest will have the garage in front of it

View from backyard
Main Floor Left to Right: Nora's bedroom window,
living room, dining room, and master
Basement Left to Right: Bedroom, living room is the rest

View from the entrance into open living space
(missing interior walls)

#5 Settling

We moved out of our house on October 21, so we've been living with Brent's parents for a couple weeks now.  I feel like we've fallen into a new normal and all is going well with our daily schedules and the additional driving (Luke will finish the school year at our old neighborhood school).  We've also been able to work out some carpooling with some family friends which is wonderful.

Fall Fun

As an added bonus, it was a beautiful fall week.  The final trees were turning, the weather was warm, and I came to my parent's after work two days in a row to find my parents, Piper, and Nora outside playing in the leaves.  It was perfect:)

Soldiers Field Memorial

Nora and Piper in the oak leaves:) 

More Soldiers Field

Blessed

This week has been full of blessings, but today I'm particularly thinking of our boy, Luke.

We had his first school conference for fourth grade and really enjoyed chatting with his teacher and hearing about Luke's strengths and all he's been learning.  But, most importantly we heard about his character.  His teacher described him as a "quiet leader", one who leads by example.  We were grinning ear to ear.

Today, Luke finished his third year of football.  It was an exciting game where he got to play wide receiver, running back, corner back, and tight end.  Luke caught some passes and scored a touch down, but he dropped a couple too.  The score ended in our favor and each player got a trophy and lots of treats after the game.  But, again, what did I love most about the day?  Hearing one of the sweet, fourth grade boys saying over and over to each teammate, "It was fun playing with you this season."  And, hugging the coach and hearing him say "it's always great having Luke on the team."  My heart was warmed on an otherwise chilly morning.

We are beyond blessed by this boy:)

What a Day

Today was a pretty typical Friday, but I had some very proud and sentimental moments I want to remember.

Luke

Luke started wearing braces last winter (see post).  After about nine months wearing them, his teeth had aligned as needed to make room for his adult canine teeth to come in when they're ready.  In September, Luke had his braces removal appointment and learned all he needed to know about life with a retainer.  Our wonderful orthodontist, Collins Orthodontist, included Brent and I in the appointment so we'd also know the retainer routine and care.  This was about three weeks ago.  Since then, Luke has been incredible at wearing, cleaning, and keeping track of his retainer that he wore 24/7 other than eating.  We were so very proud of the responsibility he took without us even reminding him!  Today, he had his first follow up appointment, everything was looking great, and Luke got the go ahead to only wear his retainer at night.  We are so proud of our boy:)

Nora

Nora and I have been going to a PAIIR (Parents Are Important In Rochester) class a few times a month since last January.  It's a great class for us because we get to spend half of it together playing and doing crafts, but we also separate for the second half of the class which allows Nora to get practice in a classroom setting without me.  Nora caught on to the separation part of class pretty fast and has a hard time with me leaving.  Thankfully there are wonderful teachers in her class that handle the kids' separate anxiety with ease.  On our way to class today, I talked with Nora a lot about going to class and how she could have fun when I go to the "mommy class" and that I always come back for her.  Well, today was the day that we made it through the transition to the separation time without Nora crying!  I was so very proud of our girl!  (She is currently sitting on Brent's lap telling him all about the song she sang in class:))

The House

As part of our moving process, Brent and I have decided to sell a lot of things we haven't used in a while or simply don't want/need to move.  Today, I sold the jumperoo that Luke and Nora used when they were babies to a soon-to-be dad.  In some ways it's sad to say goodbye to items that have memories attached, but it was also very touching to talk with this dad who was expecting his first baby in December.  Such a fun, exciting stage of life they are beginning:)

Luke in the jumperoo

Tonight we also got to meet and chat with the couple who is buying our house.  Again, there are a lot of things we'll miss about our home of 11+ years, but it was so heartwarming to hear how very excited this family is to make it their home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot, 

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mind,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.  

~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Summer of 2015

When I type Summer of 2015, I am totally singing "Summer of '69" in my head;)

I digress.  We had a wonderful summer of 2015 and my lack of blog activity can attest to how much we enjoyed being outside, being with friends and family, and simply soaking in the summer.

I did post about June, but I'm here now to reminisce on a July and August.

July

July started off with Luke spending a few days at his cousins' (Mekhi and Annalise) house, which meant Nora and I had a few days together at home while Brent worked.  Luke had a wonderful, of course:), and I was reminded what it's like to spend dedicated time with a three year old.  We did crafts, worksheets (aka "homework"), and busy work for her little hands and she loved it.

Craft Time

Wearing her new Elsa dress from her cousins

Snuggles after Luke returned from a few days away

July also brought Nora's birthday.  We spent an afternoon at Oxbow Park and Zoo with Beckmanns/Moyers and dinner out one weekend.  The next weekend we had a party at our house with the Pickers and a few friends.  Nora was SO excited for her party and had very specific expectations: balloons, cake, gifts, and party goers.  We served her favorite foods: pizza and mac n cheese and had Minnie Mouse ice cream cake.

Three Year Old!

One of mine and Brent's favorite summer event is also held in July: the Basilica Block Party.  This year, we met my cousin Steph, her husband Richie, Greg, Cally, and Mekhi on Friday night for Weezer and Nate Ruess.  Luke also joined us for the first time and enjoyed the concert, though the sell-out crowd was a little much for him.  Saturday night, Greg, Cally, Brent and I went back for more.  Brent and I watched Fitz and the Tantrums and had a GREAT time!

Luke climbed a pole
to see above the heads

Richie and Steph

My boy

Steph and I

Luke on Brent's shoulders
(all 75lbs of him!)
Mekhi & Cally

July also brought time at the pool, grilling out with friends, two baseball games a week for Luke, track and field camp for Luke, and play dates with Luke's friends.

Playing Dress Up

Pool Fun with Piper

Stole my flip flops

Luke and Piper

August

August started off with Luke leaving again!  He spent his first time away at Pine Haven Christian Assembly at youth camp.  He's been to camp twice for family camp week (where you stay with your parents and siblings in a cabin), but he was old enough for third and fourth grade camp.  The first year of camp is only Sunday to Wednesday.  We were blessed with the opportunity for Luke to ride to and from camp with a good friend and his son.  Luke had a great time and I was impressed with his responsibility in taking care of his stuff while away and sharing the spiritual topics he learned at camp.  

Luke and Eli before
leaving for camp

Family pic before Luke left

The second week of August brought vacation for the entire family.  We spent Sunday to Thursday at a cabin in Hayward, WI with Beckmanns and Moyers on La Courte Oreilles lake.  We had great weather and enjoyed a relaxing week together on the water.  Check out my album on Facebook:) 

The rest of August was more low key and we enjoyed more time at home.  We were pleasantly surprised to get a text from our friends in Florida (Kyle and Callie) telling us they would be in Minnesota for vacation.  We were blessed with the chance to have them and their kids at our place overnight and to visit them at their family's church in Mora, MN to hear Kyle share his testimony.  We only get to see them every 1-2 years so it's always great to catch up.

Landyn and Luke playing catch

Nora and Miles getting into mischief:)

Sweethearts

Landyn was enthralled by Luke:)

Bonfire fun with special friends

Cuties!

Miles and Nora

Once again, Landyn intently listening to Luke;)

Sunday after church

On the home front, we started potty training Nora the end of August.  After a rough first two days, she had a great first week in her pull ups and we're very proud of her!  We are still certainly in the "high alert" stage where we ask her often about needing to go, but she's also doing much better at telling us when she needs to.  (Update: Potty training is certainly a process and we're certainly not done.)

More August fun:

Cuteness at the park

Twins game with Brent's coworkers

Sassy pants

Bridget and Piper's birthday party

Happy cousins

Elsa and Anna:)

Biker chics

Snuggles with Brent/Daddy

That about wraps up our fun-filled summer.  Thank you to so many of you who filled our summer with wonderful memories:)