What'd You do Over Summer?

Here's the final recap of a wonderful summer. . . I had a difficult diet to work with but it actually made me feel really good. I managed to find lots of new delicious ways to eat. We saw Cirque du Soleil in St. Paul. It was a magnificent show about the benefit of dreaming big! It made me cry. A quick trip to Utah was made to go through the Temple with Maddy (and family). DID WE MENTION THAT MADDY'S GOING TO ROSARIO ARGENTINA!! It was a bit ugly at times but we got the job done. The following week was State Fair time and another blue ribbon this year for Gluten Free cookies. A sweep through our favorite food booths and the animal barns completed the "great minnesota get-together".

We spent Labor Day weekend in Milwaukee at niece, Emily's, wedding. We love visiting the family and plan to go back for Thanksgiving. They had a theme of travel for their reception and asked Bob to make a centerpiece for the wedding party table. He made a beautiful model airplane along with a runway. I made a banner which hung from the back of the plane and read, "just married, Emily and Jimmie". They were happy with it and the whole event was great. The final effort was the garage sale a two day event resulting in the elimination of numerous heavy objects! It was a full circle summer, beginning with the move into our apartment on the hill and ending in the distribution of unneeded goods from that move and many great memories in between.

On September 11th we remember together our dear brother and son, uncle and father - Jerry

Love to all!

County Fair

Henry joined us at the St. Croix County Fair. I saw lots of familiar faces and places, enjoyed a hot beef dinner, a honey cookie, crafts, sheep, chicken and rabbits. The rodeo was exciting and the tractor pull was LOUD. It was great fun and nostalgic for me. I had everyone there with me in my heart.

Updates

This week Maxwell turns 24 (July 22nd). We're bringing him Cafe Latte Turtle Cake to celebrate. We've been working on the bathroom again and put in new lights and an awesome sink. Here's the photos, let us know what you think! 

Enjoy the 50th Birthday golf outing photo too. 

Happy Day Max!!

Good News!

Congratulations to Beau on getting accepted at Corcoran College of Art + Design and for getting a $6000 scholarship!! It will be a great challenge and experience for Beau. 

Congratulations to Maddy too on getting her Mission Papers turned in. In a few weeks we should have more good news to report about her location to serve. 

Henry has his computer posted on craigslist, only hecklers have responded so far. Last Friday night we went to the Mississippi River to skip rocks. We actually never got to the river's bank but had a hoot watching Henry run down not one but two super steep hills simultaneously. I've never seen two legs move so fast then skid to a stop at the bottom. 

June Wedding

What a wonderful month! We weren't all able to be at the wedding in St. George, Utah for Perris and Ali - so here's our take on it! 

We made 200 carrot cupcakes and stayed at Elder Dallin Nelson's home in Provo. The Friday night reception was hosted in a beautiful home and we had the chance to visit Ali's family and enjoyed stories especially from her Grandpa. The Temple is pristine white against the red dirt and rocks of Southern Utah. Perris and Ali were calm and happy with family and friends surrounding them and were very much in love. 

We discovered a small fence surrounding the highest bluff which was built to keep the TURTLE'S safe.

Maxwell took a tour of Western America with college friends. Meanwhile, back in Wisconsin, Nicole visited with Maddy and made her debut in farm country by falling off a cow statue and injuring herself. The reception in River Falls was well attended and it was crowned with a double rainbow. During the midwestern visit we cleaned a dirty basement, walked the banks of the St. Croix river in the rain, drove through the streets of the great Minnesota State Fairgrounds and enjoyed each other's company very much. 

Blake graduated from Prescott High School and will be off to South Dakota for college in the Fall. Father's day was pretty quiet but a delicious steak for dinner was a nice touch. 

Last but not least was Susan's 50th birthday. Thoughtful gifts and calls from everyone and many friends made it especially memorable. Starting out with a strawberry rhubarb pie from Grandma then an introductory game of golf, not soon to be forgotten. Bob's practically got me in a circuit already! 

We're still plugging away on the house and enjoying life along the way. It is a beautiful time of year and there's no better place in the world to be than right here in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We're all looking forward to the Family Meeting coming up July 6th! 

May Days

This has been a busy month! First, Mother's Day with Bonny (a.k.a. Kate) and Laurie in Hastings. We ate Strawberry Rhubarb Tart and blew out a candle for Bob's birthday on May 11th.
Henry joined us for a birthday dinner of Pork roast and mashed potatoes with a specially requested dessert, orange custard with pistachio/almond cardamom ice cream.
On the 23rd Maxwell graduated from Hamline University after 6 years of hard work (in and out of school). It was wonderful to see his smile as he crossed the stage! We celebrated with Max and Henry in the evening at Cafe Latte. We're still working on the new apartment but making good progress and looking forward to a visit from Maddy, Perris and his new wife, Ali in June.

May Day

For May Day we planted small gardens (lettuces, herbs, flowers) in the porch planters. We're making progress on the apartment . . . painting is slow with detailed mouldings! Bob is concocting a way to move the radiator so he can tile the floor in the bathroom. 

Poem by Francis Quarles:

My soul, sit thou a patient looker-on;

Judge not the play before the play is done:

Her plot hath many changes; every day

Speaks a new scene; the last act crowns the play.