A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!

Tim and I took off early Friday morning for a weekend up north!

This is where we stayed!!

This is what we woke up to each morning!

And this!!!

These are the friends we were with!

It was the most perfect weather. Little wind,

60- 70 degree temperature's and no clouds!

Foothills State Forest and Spider Lake Recreational Area have

got some of the best trails. And camp sites. There is no charge

for camping here. (First come, first serve.)

AND there also are NO facilities! That's right.

No showers or toilets......hey, there's the lake and lots of trees!!

Our whole group camped on this beach. With two campers,

two tents, three trailers, eight 4-wheelers, and four vehicle's.

It was getting full, but we did keep room for......

....this!!!

Our nightly bon-fire! They were the perfect way to end our days.

We're looking forward to at least one more

weekend of 4-wheelin' this fall!!

Unity Version!!

Just had to share my Unity Stamp Co. version(on the left) of one of the cards I made at ScrapFest. The one the right is the 'make-n-take'. While making it I knew I had Unity stamps that would work! Voila!! The flower is from their 'Flower Parade' kit and the leaves from the 'Amazing Me' kit. Just a little 'scrapjacking'!

I went to the MOA Friday with my friend Susan! It was ScrapFest '08 put on by Archiver's! Lots of vendors showing their new products and then you get to do 'make and takes'. So we were able to bring home a few cards. It was nice to be able to try some of the tools before you would consider buying them. Also seeing the new papers and some new glues....and then some things really haven't changed that much.

It was such a nice day away.!! Lunch at Famous Dave's. Long Islands! We needed some time to just sit and get away from the crowds.

And while we were waiting in line for one of the 'make and takes' we were right by the Gap so I quickly ran to the clearance rack not knowing what I was looking for. Then I found two pants, tried them on, wooohooo!!! they fit, paid for them and got back to Susan just in time for our turn. $32.98, and one pair is wool!! I think that was the fastest purchase I have ever made. Multitasking is important!! I should have brought knitting with. There was a woman in a m-'n-t line knitting a pair of socks!

Well any way, it was fun and Susan has a more detailed account of our day on her blog!! Check it out here!! One thing she didn't say was that our two hour trip home turned into a three hour one. Twin Cities traffic!!!!! We both prefer the quieter mid-west Minnesotat roads!

Last weekend Tim and I went to Nick and Randi's to help with a few things around their house. First on the list was to paint Eli's room. Nick had picked out the color, a great steel-blue. (The wall color is darker in real life than it shows in the picture.) So Randi and I tackled that room while the guys did a little 'man mall' shopping and installed a few light fixtures.

Here's a picture of the dinning room with its new light fixture. I should have had a before picture, it had the original fixture from 1951, what a great change. The bedrooms, kitchen, hallway and entry all got new fixtures too!! Now it really feels like their home!!

And Randi finally let me take a few 'tummy' pictures!

Her and Nick are so happy, and so are the Grandparents and Auntie Megan too!

Messes are being made...

.....as I was working on laundry and packing away some summer clothes I finally finished this LO. I am going to take more time to do things I enjoy.....after I get more organized! LOL It is coming along though. I'm getting rid of things I haven't wore or used for a while and it really feels good. Hope everyone is having a good week, feels like fall is here!!! And I do love fall!!

Weekend Away!

Tim and I are headed to the cities this morning to see our DD, Randi and her DH Nick. The girls are going to paint Eli's room and the boys are going to hang a few light fixtures! Randi said she bought 7. Randi also called last night and asked her dad to bring the chainsaw....the guys must need a little power tool activity too. And then tomorrow I hope to do a little shopping!!! They're only about a mile from one of the 'dale's'.

AND.... below is a shot of little Eli from this past week! Notice he is giving us the thumbs-up!!!! Yep, Eli!! We're ready for you!! Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and so will you!!

TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS, WE MUST NOT ONLY ACT, BUT ALSO DREAM; NOT ONLY PLAN, BUT ALSO BELIEVE! Anatole France

I just love the little magazine 'Prevention'! It is loaded with so much information about our health and well being! Last month it had this reflection on 'Guidelines for Life':

IT'S OKAY to be who you are. You only need to compete with yourself to improve and become a better person.

TREAT yourself with care: You are your best friend.

THROW away resentments you hold for others and laugh more often.

TOUCH others by being a good listener and appreciating their thoughts and opinions.

SAY no to risky behavior.

FORGIVE yourself for not being perfect.

EAT well, exercise, and take your vitamins. Your body is you temple.

REALIZE how much you family loves you.

REGULARLY re-evaluate your life to keep a clear focus on where you are going.

REMEMBER to appreciate nature, look for what is new each and every day, and hold the Earth and its people close to your heart.


Life is precious, and we need to treasure it as a rare jewel. Our experiences can help polish off rough spots and make our lives shine. What you make of your life is up to you.

Harley Babes Update!

I forgot to give a peek of the back pocket on the dolls.

For a little added 'cuteness' I used a tag from our t-shirts!

And I also made tags for them! I used Unity stamps and a HD stamp.

I dropped the babes off at Hope Pregnancey and was able to see some of the other dolls....take a look!

They are amazing!! All so different and unique!

The fund raiser is October 9th, at 6PM, dinner at 6:30 at the Holiday Inn in Willmar, MN. Silent auction bidding from 6PM- 7:45PM. Reservations are needed. Go on line to http://www.hopepcwillmar.org/ and click on "2008 Celebration". (no cost to attend)

Summers Last Hoorah!!

Tim and I spent the day at my older sister Ruth's new lake house. Her and her DH bought a place 7 lots down from an other sister, Julie'. Her and her DH have been there for over 20 years. They are on Norway Lake, only about 15 minutes from our house. Now we have lots of family and friends with lake places. We should have some where to go most weekends during the summer. (wink)

I didn't take a lot of pictures today, to busy working on Randy and Megan and visiting with family! But I just had to share this picture of my sweet nephew John! The kids were just floating the afternoon away and this is John's style!! He is such a fun kid!

I didn't want to miss a chance to enjoy one of our last warm Minnesota summer days so I took the 0pportunity to give my three nieces(they are all sisters) their first paddle boat ride!

















This is Heather!! The doll my sister Deanna redressed for the Hope Pregnancy fund raiser!

Note the bunny slippers and hand embroidered quilt!















And here are Randy and Megan......


My little Harley babes!!
















Did a little photo shoot at the lake! (Easy subjects to work with!)














They are gorgeous dolls. I hope they bring lots of money for the fund raiser in October. My sister and I plan to go to the dinner and auction, I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for looking....