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!!