These sweet dolls are going to go through

some changes very quickly. With in the

next week they will have a new look. My DS

Deanna learned of a silent auction fund

raiser for HOPE Pregnancy here in Willmar

and of course thought of me. They need to

have different clothes and maybe a theme. I

sort of have a plan....not totally sure of all

the details. So it's time to get crackin'!!!

Wish me Luck!!!







Aren't they adorable!!

New Unity Stamps!!

I stopped by Unity the other day to see Angela and get some more Unity Stamps. This little butterfly and sentiment is from her July kit of the month. I thought this would make a cute book marker for someone I know who just found out she has breast cancer. Day by day, it's the little things that keep us going.

1st HO*ME!

Finally finished a SB page!! I had the HO*ME bingo card from Jenni Bowlin for a while and thought it would be fun on a LO for Randi and Nicks new home. And of course I had to use a few of my friend Angela's stamps. Just love those Unity Stamps.

Randi and Nick are painting the inside of their home and doing lots of yard work. Next they are having new cement put in for the side walks. Will be good for next year when their little one is walking.

Fourth of July!!

On Friday I walked the Spicer, MN 4th of July parade for the Spicer Legion Auxiliary handing out patriotic items. Then after the parade Tim and I went out to our friends cabin on George Lake and participated in their 2nd annual boat parade and then a potluck dinner at a neighbors cabin. To finish things off Mary and I took a 'Big Mable' ride back to their cabin Happy 4th!!

Tim and little Kyle!!

DH's blurry pic!! Mary, me and Mable!

Colorado Rocky Mountain High!!

We always have enjoyed traveling to Colorado.....this one turn out to be a very relaxing one.

Every day was very laid back... no time lines to keep, coffee on the deck in the morning looking at amazing mountains then off for a ride!!! (and shopping) Our hosts, Clint and Lynnette made us feel very welcome in their Colorado cabin, '6-ta Heaven'! It was heaven. Great location just west of Loveland.

Lynnette and Clint

Our first morning in the mountains we decided to hike up Palisade Mountain, four of us were up for the challenge. With walking sticks in hand we took off. It was a little tough for us flatlander's. Thin high altitude air can give you quite a workout.

With an easy pace and a few breaks.........

we made it to the top....what a view!!

I'm ready for that hike again!!!

This is Palisade Mountain, we walked up Clint and Lynnette's back

yard. Note the light speck at the middle bottom of this picture, that is

their cabana that Tim and I slept in on their deck. And the high point of

the mountain is where we climbed. Rocky side on the way up, tree side on

the way down..... what a thrill!!

The Baker's, us and the Sixta's in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Cabin.








The cabana.






After 7 days with Clint and Lynnette, Tim and I headed for Fort Collins for a McLaughlin family reunion. (this is Tim's parents, siblings, nieces and nephews(minus 3).






Friday night's gathering centered around the evening meal, a crawdad boil.... a first for many of us. These little urchins flew in last Wednesday(Yes, they are alive! They were a little cold so they
didn't move much.)









A little seasoning, sweetcorn, sausage, chicken and potatoes.....

.........oh, and don't forget the little crawdads themselves....

It did make for a tasty meal, just had to be prepared for a little brow sweat.


There were around 75 McLaughlin's at the KOA in Fort Collins. The two days mainly consisted of a lot of reminiscing. Four of the brothers of the original 13 children of Alfred and Vetleen were telling stories and answering questions about growing up in southwest North Dakota. It's really a testament to the bond of this family when you can get many of the 75 to come hundreds of miles for a quick reunion. This all happens every two years....and we all look forward to the next.

What did you do with your 'stimulus' check?

I decided to get new carpet for our bedroom with mine!!
It was getting 'old'! As we were tearing it out dh said, 'this
is in good shape!' I was thinking 'ewwwwe'!


So, last weekend we moved all the bedroom furniture into the kitchen, I didn't want it in the living room, (we have wood floors
in there and didn't want to scratch/dent them.)

Then we tore out the old carpet and took it to the landfill.

Next was a trip to Home Depot for paint.....I let dh pick it out,
he picked Gulf Winds....works for me!!

So I got every thing cleaned and painted on Sunday and
the new carpet was laid on Monday morning....and we had all
the furniture back in the room by evening.

During the week, as I found time, I have been hanging things

and I finally settled on a light fixture, a chandlette! Dh wasn't

real impressed, I just told him I knew what I was doing and

it'll look great. I also put the 'Upper Case Living' words, For

Ever & Ever above our bed! Again dh didn't get it. He had a

puzzled look on his face, I said, 'Us, for ever and ever!' I think
I heard him mumble something like 'maybe not'!?! LOL Men.

I can't believe how nice it is to have every thing fresh

and new... Should have done this sooner.

Now I only need to get a new throw pillow and

blinds!!

STORMS!@#$?*&#

Got home from work about 7:30 last night with plans to scrap and relax. First I checked out every one's blogs and Splitcoast. Then I set up to scrap(with a glass of wine, Cristi Snow gave me that idea.) Thought things were going good till the Minnesota weather took over. The wind came up and then the sirens went off. Started listening to the radio, yeah, we had to go downstairs. Turned on the TV and then... the power went out...dang. Flashlights out. Weather starts to calm down. 10PM. May as well go to bed. Listened to the radio for a while. ZZZZZZZZZZ....... This is what I left on the counter....may get to it later today...or maybe tomorrow.