Halloween

We had a fun, light-hearted and relaxing Halloween at our place. Last minute costumes (Ian was a lion; Nina a ballerina), friends and their kids over for pizza, some Halloween cupcakes, and a healthy dose of trick-or-treating. We only ventured down the block, so our candy stash isn’t quite so breathtaking... but I like it that way. Sweets for this sweet tooth are nothing short of deadly! I was amused to hear how many of my parent friends fessed up to consuming much of their household’s pile of Halloween candy. Apparently this holiday isn’t just for kids!!

Grandpa Bruce Visits!!

How sad we are to see Grandpa Bruce (or “Bruce,” as Ian has begun calling him) leave! He left some apple pie with us to soften the blow however (thanks, Dad!). He can’t forego his autumn jaunt to Minnesota to feast on orchard apples, or the quickly-becoming-a-tradition trip to the Water Park of America! Grandpa Bruce was feeding his inner child and Ian giggled himself hoarse! At least until next year when we can repeat our happy cycle!

Also thanks to Jeff Schlukebier for joining the fun!!

Click here for more photos.

Garden Harvest

This is the last harvest from my 2009 garden. I had so much fun planting, picking, and yes... maybe even weeding! There is something so rewarding about putting an insignificant little seed into good ground and watching it change every day. It is no exaggeration to say that each day I stepped outside to check my garden, I had something new awaiting. My favorite vegetable was the cherry tomatoes. They are a perfect little snack and oh-so-yummy!

Road Trip to Green Bay

This week was so fun! Nina and I, and my college friend Michelle, drove to Green Bay to visit our other college friend Stephanie, who is living with her family and going to school for nursing. Her family are gracious hosts and very entertaining, so it was an ideal arrangement! We visited Steph at work, checked out her young adults ministry, got lots of quality time with her family, and met her new dog Emmett (a German shepherd/sheepdog mix). Nina was the center of attention, much to her delight, and spent much of the week dodging Emmett and their other dog Toby (a large mutt). It was so refreshing to have a girls weekend together!

Ian Turns 4

We had so much fun at Ian’s birthday party. He loves car and much of that was reflected in the events, including the cake and many of the presents he received! What a blessing he is!!!!

Sparkle and Women of Faith Conferences

I just had to blog about River Valley’s first ever women’s conference, Sparkle! I am actually blogging about it a few weeks later, and recalling how much I liked it. I just returned from another conference this weekend, the Women of Faith conference in St. Paul. Perhaps it is unfair to compare the two, because they were so different, but it is advantageous for me to see which situations are the most beneficial for me, I think. At Women of Faith, I was struck with the sheer magnitude of the event. The production crew, quality of the speakers, etc. was very impressive! It was amazing to see the Xcel Energy Center (the same venue that houses those crazy Minnesota Wild fans) full of women seeking God and His presence. I love worshipping in large settings such as these, because they are the closest glimpse to heaven that I think we have! I enjoyed Sparkle so much too. The worship was intimate and full of enthusiasm, and the speakers challenged me on a very personal level. I am looking forward to next fall very much!

It was fun to have my high school friend Kyla and her friend Mary join me for Women of Faith. They drove all the way from Mitchell, SD, and I’m so glad they came! We are stopping for a cup of joe prior to the conference (see photo). Look for more photos in the Sparkle Conference photo album on this website!

Our New Couch

In our efforts to promptly furnish our home when we moved in in March, I admit to having made some hasty decisions...most notably, in buying a white couch. Let me re-phrase that. A light as snow, unblemished and undeniably WHITE couch. True, we have no pets upstairs to worry about. Those inhabiting our Dylan Drive dwelling are even more destructive - children!! After one too many rounds of cleaning spaghetti fingerprints or the misplaced goop of chocolate chip cookie on our once stark white couch, we decided to welcome ourselves into the inviting existence of leather furniture. Since this existence often carries a hefty price tag, we opted for used. Labor Day was a perfect opportunity to load up the kids, the trailor, our GPS, and the optimistic hope of leather in our living area. Our second stop proved an irresistible deal. The original offer for the leather couch was for $375. Tom, being the effortless bargainer that he is, offered $300. The owner, an elderly gentleman, paused momentarily and then spoke. “How about $250?” We were dumbfounded! He explained that we could use the extra $50 to buy the kids “something nice.” What a blessing! That “something nice” turned out to be a contribution for mattresses in Ian’s room and the guest room. Practicality wins out everytime! :)