Market 101

Snow Dancing

Today I was on my way to Amberfield Apts.  Cassie Grace is in Arlington and I am going down to grandma D's to stay with her while her mom takes Jeff Christmas shopping.
My thoughts are Heaven bound as I am thinking how blessed I am.
I came up to the T-road and put my blinkers on to turn left...
I looked to my right to check for cars...
and there she was...
this little girl with long curly hair and winter attire.
The snow flakes were falling big and wet around her,
and she was twirling in the snow.
First to the right and then to the left.
The smile on her face would have lit up the sanctuary on a silent night.
I smiled at her, and she stopped.  As I turned the car to the left, our little snow dancer continued with her dance in my review mirror.  She was smiling at me, as the gentle arms of Jesus surrounded the whole area.  I continued on the drive, and thought of the Snow Dance all day, and smiled.

Cassie Grace showing her dance moves

Jordyn Noel and Jeff dancing

Cassie Grace doing the side step

Nola Jean dream dancing

His favorite

His favorite!

It was a beautiful Sunday in Foley.  Grams, Jeff, Lila and I had spent the week-end, and this morning gathered up and headed to New Life church.   JaciAnna and Jordyn went to Sunday school and Conner stayed in church with us and listened to their wonderful worship team, then a Spirit lead sermon called "Keep Swinging". 
When we left the sanctuary, I saw him.  A man who belongs to their church...
I don't know his name,
but, every Sunday he has a bag, he stands in the foyer and hands candy out to everyone.
On this beautiful Sunday filled with the spirit of God - he was there.
He was graciously handing out treats from his bag and he looked at me and said...
"do you see that girl right there?" (he pointed to Jaci Anna)
I said "yes, that is my grand daughter"
he said "SHE IS MY FAVORITE"...
it was said with this strong voice and beautiful smile, and as Jaci Anna took her piece of candy, she smiled.
We left church and went back home.
Jaci Anna went straight to  the big ole recliner and was processing something in her mind, something that made her smile a Kingdom like smile...
she said "mom, you know that man that hands out candy at church? He told me that I was his favorite!"
In that instant I felt the power behind our words in a way that I never had.  This man had no idea that this is exactly what this little girl needed to hear in a human voice.
There is no doubt in my mind that it was God using this man to reach out to her.
I will forever be thank-ful for this day in the Foley church, for this moment of God's voice reaching through another human to touch the heart of a child...
and He whispered...
SHE'S MY FAVORITE.

Nola turns 4

Nola celebrated her 4th year of life in Foley with her friends and family.
There was food, gifts, friends, love
and a pinata.
Jordyn and Nola played the day away as friends gathered around and enjoyed
the beautiful day - there was rain.
Chris hung the pinata in the garage, and the kids took turns until it busted and
sprayed candy on the floor...
The busted up pinata made for a great pair of shoes for the girls to wear out in the
wet yard.
pictures were taken by Nola's daddy and will be added soon.

Conner turns 7

This year again, Conner and Nola celebrated thier birthdays together in Foley.
It was a wonderful time together with our family and friends.
The big surprise was his bike and batting gloves.
Many gifts and cupcakes,
a pinata hanging in the garage.
A daddy grilling and a pot luck.
It was a very fine 7 year old day!
Pictures to be added.
June 21, 2014

TRICKY HORSE

It was time to walk Chloe and Nola wanted to come along.
Today her choice of walking would be to use her red tricycle.
She got it for Christmas from her Gramma Doris and Jeffrey when she was 2 years old, she is now 4.
Well, who am I to say she can't ride her trike? She is peddling with the best of them, keeping up with me and Chloe, taking her turns with ease.
We went a long ways our little Nola and me
Smelling the fresh breeze on our cheeks as Chloe smells the fire hydrants...
That night when she laid down to sleep, she slept well.
However, in the morning she told her mom that she had a
"tricky horse".
With those little legs moving the way they were, I have no doubt that the horse was tricky!
One week later she brought her pink bike that she got from "Bubcha and Jadeck".  It has training wheels and a colorful pinwheel on the handles.  This bike is very much her size and she takes the corners with the sense of a well seasoned biker.  Walking Chloe for many blocks, her little sunflower dress waving in the breeze.
The next morning there was no trickey horse!

North Dakota July 8th, 2014

A couple of years ago Carol had mentioned Medora, North Dakota.  Her and Du had went on a trip touring all the national parks and she remembers this as her favorite.  She tells us she knows Curt will like it and that it will be a wonderful relaxing vacation...
So, the wheels got turning and we saved up money and Duey did the planning.  One of the best parts was the 10 hour drive there and home!  We had our cheeto's, a car DVD player that Carol found, magazines, and sunflower seeds.
The motel we stayed at was a great place and Carol brought 4 matching folding red chairs that we set outside on the "veranda" - this is where we gathered in the morning and in the evening - taking in the beautiful sites of rolling hills, rocks, mustard grass, clouds and beautiful weather.
I am trying to think if there could have been any better way to spend our 35th anniversary...
and there just isn't...
it was perfect!!
Driving through the Roosevelt National park, we dodged wild horses and buffalo and searched out wild flowers.   The sunset was breathtaking and the sunrise beautiful...
we ate stake fondu, and pizza...
we built on our relationship with each other and with our friends.
The whole trip went off without a hitch and I am so thank-ful to Duey for planning and to God our creator for letting us see this magical place here on earth.

NIMROD 2014

The whole gang

best buddies

The path to the river

Jeff and Jordyn at the dance

Doug and his new friend Jordyn

Chris meets up with an old Roseau friend

Jordyn loving on her wiwwy wiewd gwampa

JaciAnna and grandma Schmidt are great pals

Jordyn Noel and me!

Emi sent out a TXT quite awhile ago ... her plans were to go to the cabin for Labor Day week-end before school starts.  We have not been up there sense Jordyn was 10 months old.  It seems the week-end takes us to other places the last two years, we have spent it organizing for the upcoming school year.  With Emily being a teacher and 3 kids - I just think it is to hard...
well, who matters what I think!??!!?
We are heading to Nimrod for the 2014 JUBILEE days.

  Curt left and went up on Friday night... he worked, got ready, and stopped and talked along the way - arriving about 12:00 midnight - so, we will still call it Friday.

Lindsey came to my work on Friday and picked up Gramma Dorius.  They will be heading to South Dakota.  Curtis's son Jordan got married and they are having a reception at their new farm site in Colton, SD.  Lindsey has a friend who is getting married in _____________, SD and it is only a few hours from Clark.  About 12:00 noon they take off for their adventure.  They meet up with Shirley and George.  Grams goes with them and Lindsey heads on to her wedding making it at 6:00 just in time for the grooms dinner.  Have fun everyone!!

Lacey and family will be staying in Mpls.  It is time for her to "organize" and spend some time at home.  K has some work and is offered overtime, they will do a little "park" hopping and family adventure.  Have fun everyone!!

Jeff, Lila and I head up on Saturday morning - we leave approximately 9:30.  I decide we will take the Foley way and we stop in and have dinner with Chris at the store.  He has to work and will come up on Sunday afternoon for the horseshoe tournament (he has won it every year he has gone!)
When we arrive we walk uptown find Emi and the kids.  There are many events going on... Nimrod being a small town (to say the least) - we find them right away!  There was a dance at the community center that Emi, Lila, Jeff, JaciAnna, Jordyn go to.  Conner is at the cabin with grandpa.  We mainly have supper at Jubilee days and then head back to the cabin and meet up with everyone else.  Doug starts a fire and we all sit down to enjoy our family time.  The long time neighbors come over to join in conversation around the camp fire.  About 8:30, Jeff, Conner, Lila and myself head off to stay the night in the Motley motel!  Jeff has a twin bed, Lila and I on the double and I have made Conner a nice sleeper on the floor.  Tickling his legs and arms for about 30 seconds, the little guy falls fast asleep.  We all sleep well and get up, showering, loading the car and off at 11:00.  Well, lets stop at the dollar store to get things for smore's and then to McDonald's in Staples to eat, arriving at the cabin about 1:00 and walk up to meet with Chris, Emi, Jordyn, and JaciAnna.  They are up watching the horseshoes, and now it is time for the "girls" to head up to the citizens center and play bingo.  Grandma Schmidt and JaciAnna have bonded quite well as Jaci talks with her openly.  I am so happy about that!  All of us head back to the cabin and make supper - bbq's, pork chops, brats, salad, tomatoes... well, just name your favorite food it was probably there.  Doug and Conner start another fire... it seems they have bonded well also! Jordyn wewlly likes her "great gwandpa  that is kind of wewrd" and after she cleans up she asks her grandpa Curt " Gwanpa, is gween your flavorite color?" To have a tape recorder and just talk this all out - would be perfect,
it was such a wiwwly  perfecct week-end...

Next year the weddings in South Dakota and the organizing in Mpls will have to wait - as we are all heading out again to the Great North woods in Nimrod, Minnesota!!

The mermaid towel

Sometimes when your momma goes to the thrift store...
she can find you amazing things!
A little of this and a little of that...
a towel to wrap in with a mermaid hat!
A wish and a wash and hay from a bale...
there you have it, a mermaid tale!!

TuTu's

Cassie in her pink tutu

Jordyn in her blue tutu

Precious little baby bodies all snuggled up with ruffles...
water on a hot summer day.
Little girl toes on the wet ground
never stopping with their play.
A brother, sister and little hands to hold
 Blessings on all...

to God are told.
It is summer, you hear all the soft sounds of children
Gather them up for winter and remember all the places you've been.
Be blessed my babies and sleep tight
All the Tutu's are hung up for the night!

Triple milk cake

Lindsey and Josh had a wedding in Wisconsin...
Gramma D, Jeff, Lacey, Nola and I got to spend the week - end with Cassie!!
When these moments come along you are just not sure how to capture them...
and then you look into your heart and you see the images of love,
not to mention the cake that Lindsey made for us that is almost gone...
printed on my hips!

Friendship

Seeds

Hacker Zinnia Field September 2 2013

Seeds August 2014

When you look at a seed very carefully...
can it be possible to realize its full potential?
I think of when we met back in 1974, who could have known that the time invested back then would lead us to a 40 plus year friendship!?  Time has taken us through rough valleys and mountain top experiences... it has taken us  through the fields of Lafyette right into the rock garden of Arlington.
The seeds harvested have bloomed this year and it makes me think of all that God has given us if we just take the time, if we understand God's Grace to get us through the growing period there will be a time when the flowers that bloom are an incredible display of God's unconditional love for us.
I am thankful this night for God's unconditional love, His Grace, His hand upon our lives...
friendship,
and for a simple zinnia seed.

Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine...

It was a surprise visit when I got home from work.
Lacey, K, and Nola Jean are here just for a short time.
Well, Grandma D is at the hospital park for their Ice Cream Social benefit and it looks like a few good things for Nola to do.  I will take Nola Jean.  Lila and Lacey will go and listen to music.
It ends up to be a wonderful time in the park, the weather is hot and humid, the music sifts over the gentle breeze adding to the pleasure of community gathered together in one spot.
Gramma is there and Nola Jean gets to go up behind her and "surprise"!
Gramma comes and sits by us and we listen to music and catch up on things that went on in RockPort, things that have gone on during the week.
We catch up on each others life with the love of relationship clinging onto the vines of hope.
The drawing is over,
I guess we missed it.
I watch as Gram's walks over the not so even grass to meet up with her friends.  She is the youngest coming in at 80.
And I think to myself...
I don't want to live life without this lady in it.
She has meant so much to my life... laughing, crying,gathering,  and mostly talking.
She is my friend
my mother
and then the blossoms start to bloom as I realize I don't have to live life without her...
she is right there in front of me..
walking through the grass...

July 2014 in Monticello

August

clinging to the vine...
and the relationship that we have built together will lead us in to the promised land.
It may not be at the same time,
but then
that is the beautiful thing about vines...

SILVER SHIRT

When Emi Jo was a teen ager I gave her and her friends rides to the Waconia Ball Room.
They would go to listen to "Chopper".    He preformed at the fair and many other places... where ever "Chopper" was the kids were not far behind!
During this same period of time Emi had a silver shirt in which she was particularly fond of.  She wore the shirt every week-end when she went out with friends (and during the week if she could)
Each week many of her clothes would be hanging in the closet, clean...
but,
silver shirt was always in the laundry.
Being a "mom" - well, lets just say I got tired of always seeing the silver shirt.
So
I hid it somewhere far away.
I never did tell anyone about it and then when Emi got to be Emily... I told her of my escapade with the silver shirt.
Thank goodness she was old enough she didn't get mad.
This year Emily and her kids came to Arlington for the fair on Wednesday August 3rd.  The ride tickets were only $1.00 a piece so we planned on going out to the fair with the kids after I got home from work.
While at work I received this TXT...
"MOM, PLEASE STOP AT KMART AND GET ME A SILVER SHIRT, CHOPPER IS AT THE FAIR TONIGHT!".
I laughed for a long time,
in fact it still makes me smile...
and when we were at the fair,
there were Emi Jo's three children -
partying with CHOPPER - just like she used to do!

The human

Nola's etch a sketch human

Nola and her drawing of a "human"

Notice the legs, arms, eyes and hair...

Nola is an artist like her mom and dad!

Nola was very busy this day experimenting with her artistic abilities.  You will note her first attempt at "drawing a human" which we soon took pictures of and sent to daddy.
This little artist doesn't fall far from the brush!!