Thursday, September 26, 2013

For Sale



We have had our house for sale for some time now.  We found a house that everyone liked and that would be easy up keep.  It is a new house and quite a bit out of our price range unless we can sell our house that is paid for.   We had Bill come out and put our house up for sale the summer of 2011.  I had everything quite planned out, but fall is here and the kids keep moving the signs to other peoples houses or put them in the back of their classmates trucks... so the sign came down.  The summer of 2012 we decided to try to sell it ourselves.  Several lookers with each...
no buyers.
The spring of 2013 I put the signs out one last time and prayed.
The little guy came to stay with us this summer.  Here he is sitting by the sign, waiting for Missy to come and pick him up for the baseball game.
And as I think,
the sign will come down and I will be satisfied with all the good things I have been given in life.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

memories of three



It comes to me often...
this beautiful memory of three.
I remember the shirt I wore that night. My mom had made it for me and it was a soft rose with a high color, worn with wine colored pants.  Mascara and lipstick...
and he said "you three ladies are the prettiest ones here" as he pulled me close and kissed me at midnight.
We were all pregnant and it was New Years eve 1987.
The three couples went out to celebrate - no alcohol as
the three ladies were pregnant.
One was born in March, then May, then June.
the three baby girls all in a year.
Now 26 years later they all have babies of their own.
The snow from that night years ago
softly flows on the green grass surrounding the new memories of three.

Happy 1st Jack Charles!

Evelyn Regan who turned one in January, 2013
Brittany and Dylan had us all over to their house for Jack's first birthday.
It seems time has gone so fast...
just last year Robin, Carol and I were in Mankato to celebrate my 52nd birthday.
The call came that Brittany was in labor and at the hospital.
We took Robin there to stay and Carol and I just stopped by to give them our love...
and on July 7, 2012 the little guy came in to the world.
Happy first birthday sweet child!

Nola Jean at Jacks 1st birthday

a little lunch to celebrate!

Add caption
Jack Charles opening presents
Jack Charles turns one year old with family and friends to celebrate
Brittany, Dylan and Jack... thanks for the fun!



Happy 4th Addison Alliese

It seems this summer we got to spend some good times out on the "farm"
These pictures are from Carol and Du's farm in Lafyette, Mn.
This particular day it was cold out...
but, as people arrived for the birthday party...
it seemed to warm up.
Hot dogs, hamburgers, pork, chips, bars...
sidewalk chalk...
and a pinata.
What a grand party for our little Addison Alliese who is now 4 years old!
Happy birthday sweet child!









The birthday girl in her party dress! Happy 4th!!



The food wagon

Jaci's tea party!
Jordyn Noel and her "food wagon"

stopping by
We went to Emily and Chris's on Thursday August,28th, 2013.  Emily had open house at school so we went to be with the kids during the day.  I took Jaci and Conner up to the school at 1:00 to have their pictures taken.  It has been a hot week and the school was feeling the repercussions of the heat index!
Pictures taken.
We come home and pick up laundry for the mat.  The three of us wash all the laundry and the kids played at a table with all the stuff I had found in the car.  We were there for almost three hours, I do believe I found a great place to entertain children while getting some work done!!
Chris  picked up Jaci first and they went to see her class room and meet with her teacher.
Jaci came home along with Emma and Sydney.  They will be spending the night together, having tea parties and painting nails.
Now Conner goes with Chris to the school to meet his teacher and see his class room.
Everyone returns to the Harren household and we have some great beef that Chris made for supper.
Kids ready for bed Chris and Emily entertain with some story telling...
we are laughing!!
Sleep is at hand now...
next morning we wake up and finish up all the things started on Thursday.
When I was cleaning things up I noticed a piano wagon with little fish crackers and cookies in it by the back door.  It wasn't in the way so I didn't think any more about it...
until I saw her with the girls...
following each step they made -
joining in their tea party,
painting nails,
playing hide and go seek.
Then she takes the handle and starts carting around the wagon with the food...
once in awhile she would stop to take a bite,
always so polite...
"would you like a snack?"
It made us laugh as we watched little Jordyn Noel pull the "FOOD WAGON".
I have a picture of this that I will add as soon as Lindsey comes to help me download my pictures once again from my camera!
Love you guys!
May your wagon always be full!

VINES

Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine...
I'll taste your strawberries I'll drink your sweet wine...
A million tomorrows shall all pass away...
err I forget all the joy that is mine today.

Well, it is officially fall here in Minnesota.
The close to a wonderful summer full of memories.
I need to do a little "back blogging" in order to get a few of them on paper!

On Tuesday when I get home from work Nola Jean and I head out to the farm.
We have many things to do and are quite excited about the adventure at hand.
She walks through the grass with her little brown shoes and her new flowered dress that she wore just for gramma to see.  The beautiful landscape, the sun going down in the west, leaves us with the most perfect time of night to be outside.
She walks to the apple tree and shows me the one she would like, it is "just right", a nice little apple that she just loves for a snack! In the pail it goes.
As I am picking spaghetti squash in the garden for her momma, she brings over the weed eater and notices at the edge of the garden a whole bunch of little tomatoes. they are "just right", a nice little tomato that she just loves for a snack... goes into the pail.
She starts to help me pick tomatoes when she suddenly starts to cry and wraps her hand up in her pretty dress.
It is a loud cry with some anger steaming the tears.
I try to find out what happened and look to see what has happened.
She does not want me to talk to her at the moment and continues to stand by the tree with her head down and hand wrapped.
Should we go and show mommy what happened and tell her about it.?
She moves her head up and down telling me "yes".
We go to get in the car seat and she says "I don't want you to see my owie"
Okay I say,  I close my eyes (seeing just enough to get her buckled in the car seat).
When we are on our way in to town she says "It is not the owie I got at Jaci's house, that is getting better, my body is healing it"
"oh, okay, can you tell gramma what happened"
"no, I don't want you to see it!"
"oh, okay, we will wait, we are almost home and you can tell momma about it and show her, Okay?"
Arriving home we run to momma to tell her and I leave so they can discuss the matter at hand in private.  It turns out it was a vine that was wrapped in the tomatoes that scratched her arm.
After absolutely not wanting a bath, she spends the next hour playing in the bath tub...
cooking things with the bubbles and pouring water from one container to the next.
She puts on her flower pajamas and papa gets a band aid to put on the clean owie.
"Thank-you papa for the bandaid"
Good night to everyone as she pads up the stairs with momma close at hand...
bringing up the story for the night - "A Mother for Choco".
Good night momma
Good night Nola Jean
Sweet dreams
...and I think of the vines and remember they are both good and bad
but,
for now momma has cured the bad just by listening.
and I look up, the stars have taken over the sunset
I once again thank the Savior for all I've been given.
For little girls in flowered dresses,
for apples, tomatoes, story books and
bandaids!


Monday, September 2, 2013

Two thumbs up!

 as they say...
"the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!"

Still smiling!




Lindsey arrives in Arlington about 4:00.  We have fresh chips and salsa along with some tamale's and Dr. Pepper.  We enjoy our baby girl and while Linsey gets her ready for bed I go out to Cenex and pick out two movies.
The Big Wedding
Identity Thief - (these are the ones we have chosen for our movie night.)
Cassie goes into the pack and play and Linsey comes out to enjoy movies with us.
We watch both of them without a hitch!
(meaning, no one fell asleep)
I take Grams home and go to sleep myself thinking of the girls in the next room, dreaming of stars above our tent.
The next day we get up and go to church and then go to the Side Dish in Arlington for dinner.
We enjoy a scrumdillyicious dinner and say our good byes...
It is the end of a wonderful week...
I will have much to think about as I lay my head on my pillow...
close my eyes
and give thanks to the Lord.
I am smiling and I know He
is smiling with me!

Kamp Dels, August 24th,2013

On Saturday after our week of camp we sleep in for awhile (well, I think it was 7:30am!)
Gramma Doris makes up a delicious egg bake and we have that with some toast and milk.
Emi, JaciAnna and I go to Glencoe for a bit to some garage sales and arrive back home by 12:00... the Harren family is headed out the door by 12:30 for Kamp Dels in Waterville, Mn.
Arriving there they meet up with Lacey, K and Nola.
Shortly there after arrives Lindsey and Cassie.
All my chicks gathered together in one place with out momma hen to squawk about organization!
(Lindsey met with Starla for dinner and then met her sisters, she then comes to our house for the night. This visit will be another blog! )
They chat and swim and gather together under the hot sun, letting the cool water bathe them in its blue beauty, cleaning them, refreshing them from the record breaking heat of the week.
When the day comes to an end the Harrens go into their camper and Lacey, K and Nola go into their tent.  Opening the sides with their faces to the stars, enjoying the cool of the evening...
I picture them all snuggled in with family, tired from all the fun...
and I again
close my eyes and smile.








JaciAnna, Conner and soccer camp!

August 17th through August 23rd 2013...                                                                                                  After meeting Emily in Howard Lake we head for Arlington.
First stop -  Missy's house to visit with Hayden and Brayden.
They have a trampoline the kids jump and play, then run to catch dragon fly's in Braydens new insect cage.  Running through the grass, chasing grasshoppers, butterfly's...
Conner insists he is hungry so we go to pick apples from the tree and a few green-beans.
Everyone happy, Conner Jaci and I need to leave to have supper.
After supper we go to see the movie "TURBO".  It is a sweet little movie about a snail who dreams to be a racer.  He gets super charged by some turbo machine and ends up winning the Indy 5,000.
On Sunday we get ready for church.  Conner tells me he doesn't want to go to church, church is boring.  So I talk to him about the need to meet with other Christians once a week for one hour.  We need to praise the Lord and give thanks for all we have.  I tell him Jesus is the reason we are here and we need to let Him know continuously how much we love Him.
Conner says "Gramma how come you are always talking about Jesus?"
I continue to explain the best I can...
and off the three of us go to church.  They ride their bikes and park them in the rocks.
After church we have dinner and then head to the Gaylord Swim Park.  We meet with Victoria and Uncle Jeff comes along.  It is 2:00 and they swim until 4:30... Jeff, Conner and I head to ST.Peter to meet the staff and McDonalds.  Jeff is off to Mankato and Conner and I head back to Gaylord to pick up JaciAnna from Victoria's house.
It has been a wonderful day...
we head back to the brick ranch on 211 1st Ave N (that has been for sale for two years).  Walking in it feels very much like it did when I came home with my own kids.  I feel a good kind of tired...
lay down with the kids in Lila's room...
light on ? check
hall light on ? check
it is known that Gramma Doris will be here in the morning when they wake up ? check
little voices turn to soft night breathing? check
and I thank-you Jesus that He has given me this time here on earth with His little ones.  I can not begin to explain the love I have for them...
it is something that I haven't ever felt until I had grandchildren...
and I believe that is how He must feel when He thinks of us. Protect us and help this week to go smoothly for Your glory!
Monday I go to work and Grams meets me in Glencoe with the kids.
We get their soccer socks on, their new light blue t-shirts, tennis shoes and water bottles...
they are ready!!! We get home and ready for bed...
light on ? check
hall light on  ? check
it is known that Gramma Doris will be here in the morning when they wake up ? check
little voices turn to soft night breathing ? check
and I once again thank the Lord above all for what I have been given in this single day.
Emily, Lacey, Jordyn and Nola are here on Tuesday night when we get home from soccer camp.
Jordyn and Nola have been playing in the new garage sale $10.00 kitchen.  The fun they are having is interrupted by love from other siblings, cousins, and an excitement that fills the whole house.
The week goes smoothly with soccer camp, swimming and a visit to grandpa and grandma Schmidt s house.  It is now Friday and I meet everyone (Emily, Jordyn, Conner, JaciAnna, Gramma Doris, Papa, Chris) at the "Oscar Olson Park" where the Lutheran church that also does "Jesus Cares" ministry... are all gathered for the last night of soccer camp.  Everyone is there and Chris comes with a camper in toe for their camping trip on Saturday.  We have root beer floats and reminisce about the wonderful week.  The kids were perfect with not one problem, the camp counselors were wonderful giving care and attention where needed.  They sing and tell stories of Jesus, play "real" soccer, have snacks, and most of all just love each other.
We go home and get ready for bed...
the questions are different tonight as daddy goes upstairs with JaciAnna and Jordyn, and momma lays down with Conner.  Everyone sleeping...
I turn on the hall light...
close my eyes and smile.