HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

....Our Holiday Joy!

Celebrating Annette!!

October 27 we celebrated this

beautiful woman's 53rd Birthday!

Her family and friends threw her a surprise party!

And surprised she was!

We first met Dan and Annette when our oldest children

were friends in school!
I had taken this picture of Dan and Annette the summer of 2008
and thought it would be fun to frame it for her B-day gift!
The quote is so perfect. We need to celebrate
all the important people in our lives because
each day is a precious gift.

Earlier this year Annette found out she had cancer.


Last night I received a call...
she had passed away...
I'm so thankful I was able to know this
classy lady!
Love and prayers to her family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELI!!

And happy it was!

From the minute he got up Sunday morning Eli was in 'party' mode!

He enjoyed his cake....

...just dug right in....


...his first real taste of sugar!!



It was a 'barnyard bash' with his friends and family!
After food, cake and a tractor pinata Eli opened a mega pile of gifts!



Just hangin' out in the barn!
What a great first birthday!
Nana and Papa.....
the joy of being grandparents!!

OH HOW HE HAS GROWN!

I stole these pictures from my dd Randi's blog!

I just can't get enough of this precious little one......

....'snaggle' tooth and all!!

PINK RIBBON

In Honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and my dear Aunt Dorie (a breast cancer survivor)!
I came across this story here: http://javascrapper.blogspot.com/


A handsome, middle~aged man walked quietly into the Cafe and sat down.

Before he ordered, he couldn't help but notice a group of younger men at the table next to him.

It was obvious they were making fun of something about him, and it wasn't until he remembered he was wearing a small pink ribbon on the lapel of his suit that he became aware of what the joke was all about.

The man brushed off the reaction as ignorance, but the smirks began to get to him.

He looked one of the rude men square in the eye, placed his hand beneath the ribbon and asked, quizzically,

'This?

With that the men all began to laugh out loud.

The man he addressed said, as he fought back laughter,
'Hey, sorry man, but we were just commenting on how pretty your pink ribbon looks against your blue jacket!'

The middle aged man calmly motioned for the joker to come over to his table and invited him to sit down.

The guy obliged, not really sure why. In a soft voice, the middle aged man said,
'I wear this ribbon to bring awareness about breast cancer. I wear it in my mother's honour.'

'Oh, sorry dude. She died of breast cancer?'

'No, she didn't. She's alive and well. But her breasts nourished me as an infant and were a soft resting place for my head when I was scared or lonely as a little boy.
I'm very grateful for my mother's breasts and her health.'

'Umm,' the stranger replied, 'Yeah.'

'And I wear this ribbon to honour my wife', the middle aged man went on.

'And she's okay, too?' the other guy asked.

'Oh, yes. She's fine. Her breasts have been a great source of loving pleasure for both of us and with them she nurtured and nourished our beautiful daughter 23 years ago. I am grateful for my wife's breasts, and for her health.'

'Uh huh. And I guess you wear it to honour your daughter, also?'

'It's too late to honour my daughter by wearing it now.
My daughter died of breast cancer one month ago.
She thought she was too young to have breast cancer, so when she accidentally noticed a small lump, she ignored it. She thought that since it wasn't painful, it must not be anything to worry about.'

Shaken and ashamed, the now sober stranger said, 'Oh, man, I'm so sorry mister.'

'So, in my daughter's memory, too, I proudly wear this little ribbon, which allows me the opportunity to enlighten others.
Now, go home and talk to your wife and your daughters, your mother and your friends. And here,'

the middle-aged man reached in his pocket and handed the other man a little pink ribbon.

The guy looked at it, slowly raised his head and asked, 'Can ya help me put it on?'

This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Do regular breast self-exams and encourage those women you love to do the same.

I AM......

I always see these lists throughout 'blog land' and thought I would see how I am thinking today!



I AM.....at peace.
I KEEP.....going.
I WISH I COULD.....keep on top of all my daily tasks.
I LOVE.....life!
I DANCE.....in my heart.
I SING.....badly but with soul!
I THINK.....creatively!
I REALLY.....am proud of my girls!
I NEED.....little!
I SHOULD.....sleep more!
I CAN.....if I put my mind to it.
I LIKE.....my morning coffee!
I MAKE.....homemade buns!! ha
I ALWAYS.....hope for the best!

A Perfect Mix.....Sunshine and Family!

Another beautiful fall day in Minnesota....finally! HA

We were so glad we could spend it with Randi, Nick and Eli!

(We just need to get Auntie Megan to join us!)

Their plans were to go to HAPP-E-HILL at Nesbitts Nursery by Prescott, Wisconsin! (About 45 minutes from their home!)

Nick's sister Kelly and her husband Derek had a surprise for them....

...they hired this photographer to take pictures of the three of them!

We went on a wagon ride into the orchard....

....where they picked out Eli's first pumpkin....29 lbs.....it weighed more than Eli!

And they had lots of pictures taken there...and other spots at the nursery!

Eli was a perfect subject!

Afterwards we checked out the 'petting zoo', had some cider and a bite to eat!

Also had a piece of fresh made apple pie with a scoop of Izzy's ice cream! Mmmmm...

(And I always have to check out the metal art! Might be something I could get my dad to make!)




Hope all of you had a sun shiny Sunday!!

Enjoy your week!

Fall in Minnesota!

Friday morning Tim and I headed to Marshall to celebrate the life of Fred Braakman. Fred passed away this past week at the age of 88 and his funeral was Friday morning. Fred's wife Vi asked Tim to be a pallbearer. They are good family friends and their son Barry, was a good friend of Tim's. (he was in our wedding 30 years ago) It's been 19 years since Barry was killed in a snowmobile accident. So hard to believe.....

On our way to Marshall be stopped in Green Valley at Tim's parents house.....when we pulled up their driveway was covered in green leaves....a tree had dropped it's leaves and with no wind they covered the ground like carpet!

Great fall photo op!! ;)




Today we are staying in!!




"cause we woke to this....!"




Arghhhhh!

Randi's old toys, The Nook, and Aamodt's Apple Farm!

We had a great weekend with

this cute little guy(and his parents)!

Our Minnesota weather has

been more than fabulous this fall!

I have been purging at home and

brought Randi her childhood toys.

Eli really enjoyed playing with them!

Saturday we headed to The Nook

in St. Paul for lunch!

Eli and I had never been there

before and I had been asking to go!

The Nook has been featured on

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

on the food channel!

The Nook is so small that you

get your name on a waiting

list....the wait wasn't bad!

When we were done eating

Eli started flirting with this

cutie who was waiting for a table!

Already picking up chicks in a bar!

Sunday we headed to

Aamodt's Apple Farm

near Stillwater, MN.

They also had St. Croix wine and

these grapes were very tasty!

Eli also had a chance to see

and pet farm animals....

Took a chance for a few pics

in the orchard!

We thought Eli was giving

his mommy some love here!

Right after this picture he

decided to bite! HA

Teething babes!

I hope all of you had a beautiful

autumn weekend too!

Now....back to work!

Have a great week!

Labor Day Weekend!!

Dear, dear daughter's!!

Sign says: 'Swimsuits optional beyond this point'!!

Nicest dock on Norway Lake!

Autumn beauty in Minnesota!

(Sunset cruise on the pontoon!)

Beach Baby!!

Birthday Bras! (9.1.09)

Happy Birthday Dear Sister!
(The bras showed up again for Labor Day weekend!)

Grandma's joy!

Boy at play!

'Gpa, I don't like my hood up!'

'GPA.......

.......get me outta' here!'

Four Generations!

Labor Day weekend we spent the days out at my sister Julie's cabin on Norway Lake!(Only 15 minutes from our house!) Randi and Eli came home (Nick had a softball tournament in Rochester) for a couple of days!

What fun, family time we had!