The past week

Once every year (until we have kids anyways) I would like to go on a trip with Aaron. This year, the first plan was to go to Colorado. And then it changed locations to a place a bit closer - Wyoming. And then it changed again to the Twin Cities. I've come to realize, that even though it would be awesome to go somewhere new, just getting away from home with your other half is nice.

The Twin Cities - we spent the night at my sister's the first night, went to Valley Fair with her and Kate the next day, walked around the Mall of America for a bit the third day, and ended our trip with a Twins Game. Most surprising thing about our trip? I actually really enjoyed the Twins Game! I wasn't really thinking I would, mainly because baseball doesn't really interest me. I told my mom before we left, "I'm not real excited about the Twins Game, but I think it's something you should attend/do once in your lifetime." (attend a major league baseball game) The weather was perfect, the food was typical yummy baseball food, and learning about how the game of baseball works in the outside stadium with sky scrapers in the background as the sun goes down...it was a great night. As we drove back to our hotel, Aaron mentioned, "now I want to go to a Vikings game". I do too! So a Vikings game may be in store for this winter.

After our cities trip, we fought some awful traffic heading back to the lake. We should have known though, being it was the fourth of July weekend. Not being used to bad traffic, it was a bit frustrating.

 At the lake we pontooned out to the sandbar, and en route saw there was a live band performing on the lake. We'd never seen that before! We also brought the paddle boards and attempted to float on those. Aaron gets the award for the most persistent - he would fall off and then hop (literally hop) back on. Then I tried to get on the paddle board with him, and then Elizabeth got on too. It's safe to say the paddle board was completely submerged with the three of us trying to balance!

 

On Saturday we got a sad call that Aaron's grandma had had a massive stroke, and was responding very little. So shortly after meeting on Sunday, we headed back to Jamestown to be with Aaron's family. I plan on blogging a separate post about grandma Eileen in the next few days, but for now I'll just end this post with the sunset picture I took on July 2nd. What a comforting thought knowing Eileen is headed to somewhere much, much better. It is so hard to see her, and it was so hard to see my grandpa too, their last few days on earth, in the state that they're in. I'm thankful I got to know Eileen these past 6 years Aaron and I have been together. 

Valentine's Day

One of my most favorite traditions growing up happened on Valentine's Day. Every February 14th, my mom would shut the dining room doors and when they would be opened, the table would be transformed into a beautiful Valentine's Day display. Candles would be lit with the lights off, Yanni would be playing on the Bose in the corner, Fine China dinnerware was set with Meier's sparkling duck in fancy glasses, and little Valentine's gifts would be sitting on our chairs. The meal was delicious. Everything was beautiful. 

The picture above is from one of mom's Valentine's meals. 

I've decided to carry on that tradition, although our meal this year wasn't quite as fancy. We don't have china place settings or fancy drinking glasses (yet!), and we don't have tall beautiful candles (another, yet!), but we ate by candlelight anyways! Our candle was a fat chunky candle from bath and body works and our music came from Pandora on my computer. Our meal for this first year of carrying on the tradition was steak, creamed corn, and apple slices.

Thanks, mom, for a wonderful and beautiful tradition in the bleak and cold month of February!

(The picture below is the last candlelight supper in our "Lisbon" house - my senior year of high school. This was four days after I broke my leg on the ice.)

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!

Today is my middlest sister's birthday!

 Where do I start? Let's see...growing up she had an awesome farm set she would set up after the first snow fall. She was a goose whisperer to five Canadian geese she got in the mail. I loved going to grandma and grandpa I's during Christmas with her. And whenever we're together we can't help but start laughing over something. Honestly, whenever I leave after spending time with her, my stomach muscles and smiling muscles feel like they've had a nice workout!

Elizabeth, there are just so many memories I could mention that I'm thankful for, but for now I'll just mention how much I'm looking forward to the next 60 years with you, and with Kristin, and the memories that will be made! 

(South Carolina in June, in particular...!)

Happy Birthday! 

Monday

On Monday...

Ruger had an accident in the house. It rained all evening which equaled putting up the porch railing in the rain, in the dark. My math lesson was a flop. A student of mine got the stomach flu. My cough is lingering. I stubbed my toe really, really bad on the bed.

...and then my sister texted me. 

A co-worker of hers and mother of three was killed by a drunk driver in the middle of the afternoon on Saturday.

What was I complaining about now?

Happy Birthday, Kristin!

I know everyone probably thinks this with siblings, but I think the bond my sisters and I have is kind of rare. I remember my grandma saying, "I've never seen you girls fight! Don't you just want to get mad and hit something?" I'm not sure if she said it in those words, but the fact is we got (and get) a long really great. Maybe it was the 5 year age difference between us,  maybe it was just personalities, maybe it was really good parenting, or maybe we just all grew really close when our dad died. Although, I honestly think we would still be really close if dad wouldn't have gotten cancer.

It is one of my sister's birthdays today - happy birthday Kristin! One of my favorite memories is when you brought me along on your road trip with you through North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho! I remember feeling pretty special that you chose to include me and I loved the sight seeing! That was probably my first taste of loving being in the mountains! (I even don't mind that I got bed bugs in Glacier Nat'l Park!) ;)

Zane and baby are so lucky to have you as a mom and I am so lucky to have you as an elder sister! Have an excellent day!

 

Ruger

As I was scrolling through my newsfeed on facebook, a friend had shared an article that made me go "ah really?" in a disappointed voice. In our neighboring town a man camp is going up because of a new Urea Fertilizer Plant being built. At it's peak this new plant will need 750 workers. I wonder how this will effect the small towns in the area...? I'm not optimistic.
Now more than ever I am thankful for this 75 pound guy living in our backyard.

the piano

This piano was given to my parents, by my grandparents, who bought it from my great uncle Dick.

It has now made its home in our living room and I love how it adds a cozy touch to our home.

That being said, I wish this piano had a log. A log that documented how many songs have been played and how many hours have been spent on it. My sisters and I all took piano lessons starting in kindergarten on up to our senior years...so you can imagine how much it was played on!

Joplin was played, along with Mozart and Brahms - Lorie Line occasionally and Melody Bober. Many songs were played by ear and a few were even composed by my middle sister Elizabeth.
I think it's safe to say every type of music came from this piano's strings - from allegro to largo, from fortissimo to pianissimo, from modern to classical to christmas to hymns...

I love this piano and the years that it has "lived".

a visit from mom

Mom came and visited us!

She brought with her the piano, a bread maker, and helped get us on track for meals this coming week. (The lasagna and beef/rice casserole will taste wonderful after full days of work.)

She also helped quench the missing-my-family feeling!

Thank you, mom!

a wedding gift

I am terrible {absolutely terrible} at names. I have noticed this about myself when we moved to a new community. Granted, not knowing anyone can be a bit overwhelming. After a year I still find myself describing people when I talk about them so Aaron knows who I'm talking about. {My hubby is excellent at names I might add.}

But it's kinda funny, I can look around our house at all the shower gifts and wedding gifts we received last year and know exactly who gave it to us and what they wrote on their card. It's kind of nice, you know, being able to think about Sharon when I use the ove-gloves or Raelynn when I use the tupperware or Nancy and Jenna when I use the nesting bowls or mom when I use the knives or Annie and Jeremy when we use our glasses, or Don and Eileen when I use a coaster in our living room...I could continue but I won't! But what I will say is I honestly appreciated every gift we received.

This post is about a drawing we got from my sisters and it left me drooling over all of this artists' drawings. Karmel Timmons draws horses and the way she gets every detail is amazing. The drawing started off in our living room, but then I decided to move it into our bedroom above our bed. It just seemed more intimate there. {p.s. the rustic frame was built by my brother-in-law, Blair.}

This drawing is called True Romance.

I am excited to announce that as of today I now own two of her drawings. The wedding gift from Elizabeth and Kristin sparked a love so deep for these drawings that I decided to start collecting them. They are beautiful, much like horses are. So folks, here is the newest Karmel Timmons drawing to take up residence in our home. {I decided to splurge a little bit from my summer school earnings!} 

This is a lithograph print and it's called Sisters.

To see more of her artwork click here. You'll love them!

Life Lately

Garage Floor: CHECK

I like to be involved in the house projects with my husband - it's such a great feeling knowing we achieved something together.

I must admit, though, I did not help much with this project. So a big thanks to my father-in-law and brothers-in-law! They have been such a huge help - I don't think this house moving/remodeling/basement building/garage adding endeavor could have been possible without them. (Or at the very least, it would have been pretty difficult!)

Here, folks, is the future home to: 

Felix the G6 and....

well, one of Aaron's pickups!

Characters in this photo: Myron, Aaron, neighbor Ed

Grandma Cay

grandpa and grandma

My grandma lives with my parents and I have had the opportunity to head to Minnesota to stay with her a couple times this spring. This gives my parents time to get away from home for a bit.
At the end of the seven days or five days or however many days it may be, I am always anxious to get back to the hustle and bustle of life with my husband, our new house, and the projects that always seem to pop up.

But, I am so thankful for these times with my grandma. We have the same conversations about every two minutes and she is always so surprised when she comes out of her room for dinner and supper and finds that it is just us two eating.
"Just the two of us?!" She'll ask with surprise. "Where is everybody?"

After dinner she'll either be in one of two places - the red chair in the living room, reading the newspaper (and whispering aloud as she reads), or her bedroom, doing a crossword. No matter where she is, she is content. And that is something I admire about her.
I also admire her patience. Growing up, whether it be playing with my sisters and I on the swing set, painting rocks found from the field, or watercoloring, she was always so good with us. It was always such a treat to head to grandma and grandpa's and for that I am thankful.

So as I sit at the table with grandma, and the conversation repeats itself again and again...and again, I smile and just appreciate the time spent with my 95 year old grandma.
Before I know it, these times will be gone.

Mother's Day

I know a lot of wonderful mothers out there.

There are two in particular I would like to recognize.

The one on the left - my mother. I have learned so much from her throughout my 24 years of life. Thank you, mom! I love you!

The one on the right - my mother-in-law. One of the first things that attracted me to Aaron was his personality and how funny he is. I soon learned he in part got that from his mom! I can honestly say I feel so lucky to have a mother-in-law that I love to be around.Thank you, Nancy!