cold fountain

One would expect August 19th to be a safe day to schedule a play date at Jameson Park fountain.  It was 59 degrees at 10:45am and slightly drizzling!  Oh well, they happily swam in the fountain anyway.  

These cute kiddos belong to an old friend from church.  Autumn keeps a really fun blog that is an inspiration to me and she sews and sells beautiful things in her etsy shop.  Check it out!

cousins club

Are they cute or what?

Yesterday was our inaugural "Cousins Club" day.  The goal is to meet once a month for fun and bonding with these great boys.  We had a busy play date at Cousin Ryan's new house, perusing his new digs and sharing toys and lunch like big boys.  

Can't wait for next month!

hipstamatic on the lake

My dear friend, Mugs.  A wonderful mother, who keeps focus on what is really important.

And her darling son, Jack.  Ahhhhh, love, love this picture.  

the vintage life in northern minnesota

In Remer, MN, you get to live a vintage lifestyle.  Pile all the kids into the old Ford and drive to town, sans seat belts.  Uncle Matt says they don't live by those rules in Remer.  Watch a little tv along with all the "stuffed" animals (deer, moose, bear, duck, fox) who came to the cabin long before you.  Have a campfire.  Eat smores.  Drink a few glasses of wine with Auntie Margaret.  Leave the dog unleashed and always wet.  Mildly freak out about bats swooping through the living room.  See the pictures and hear the family legends.  Sleep in 6 generation old beds.  Wake to fresh cut dinner plate dahlias on your bedside table.  Watch shooting stars on a late night lake cruise.
Soak it in.  Breathe deep.  Love your friends.  

worms?

We had our first fishing adventure at the Colby cabin in Remer, MN.  Auntie Margaret wins the award for best worm digger in the garden.  Wally was VERY unsure about the worms, but came around to it eventually.  Fritz caught the biggest fish of the day!  

We LOVE Minnesota!

How wonderful it was to visit our best friends at their home and family vacation home in Minnesota!  We had such a great time and are so, so thankful for their love and friendship.  Hooray for the Kershner Family!!

Vivian, so sweet and fun. 

Jack and Wally after a cold dip in the lake.

Shuffle board, anyone?

Irresistible raspberries in the garden.

 Wally, sort of hugging Vivian, while protecting his car.

Friends for life!

the barber shop

We have got some seriously cowlicky hair around here.  The minute Walter was born, as he was being rushed off to the NICU, the nurses couldn't stop talking about his hair.  "He has two swirls!"  Yes, he does, and they cause his hair to collide into itself on the top of his head.  It's cute, but it's going to bug him forever.  Fritz has the most outrageous light socket hair ever.  Just on the top back of his head.  The front lays down flat, but the back is what we call peacock hair.  A lady at the grocery store once asked me if I intentionally cut his hair into a "faux-hawk".  Uh, NO.

Thankfully, they do love the barber shop and the popcorn machine at the barber shop.

The barber shop is a bit of a magical place.  Something happens there, something amazing.  Both boys sit absolutely still and quiet.  They do what the ladies ask them to do.  Fritz has nearly fallen asleep in the chair with his head bobbing.  I wish this quiet moment could last all day.

  

{this moment}

{this moment} - Joining Soulemama's Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  

baseball hats?

Thanks to my friend Cynthia who took this family photo.  We love this picture and just chuckle at the boys looking so big in their baseball hats.  I need to take lessons from Cynthia, she's got skills for sure!  

dinner with dear friends

A few nights ago we had the BEST company for dinner!  Our dear friends the King-Guffey Family made the trek north to see our new home and share a meal.  Alan and Matt discussed the merits of the "Firemagic" charcoal grill while the chickens roasted on the rotisserie (gas grill has merits too!).  Cynthia is the talent behind these photos, yet again, so helpful to have friends on camera duty while entertaining.  The youngest K-G daughter, Elise, made us long for the days we lived just down the hill from them because she is turning into an extraordinary babysitter.  And we all sorely missed Elise's older sisters Callie and Hannah.  

We just LOVE these friends so much!