Because Two People Fell in Love...

My oldest sister, Tori, loves the saying - "Because Two People Fell in Love" - so I thought I'd post these pictures just for her and her 40something birthday today.

All because Mom and Dad fell in love we have:
Tori, Roxy, Marci and RJ

And because Tori and Glenn fell in love:
Ashleigh, Griffin, Brooklyn, Ben
And because Roxy and Don fell in love:
Katie, Kyle, Kylie, Charlie, Evie, Jesse, Betsy, Nate
And because Marci and Dave fell in love:
Sophie, Lucy, John
And because RJ and Katie fell in love:
Gabbie, Gavin, Gracie

What a wonderful family - thanks Mom and Dad!

Happy October - Photo of the Month

One finished project, one unfinished...

I managed to complete the Halloween quilt (begun in September 2007) in August - and it now has a place of its own on the living room wall. I'm rather pleased with it - but at the same time happy that it purposefully has a "thrown-together" look so my haphazard quilting style almost looks as though it was meant to be.

The following quilt, a baby gift for Abby Fay, was begun this summer - long before we knew if Abby was a boy or a girl. It was meant to be a "Take to the Hospital" present for Bridget and J.R.'s baby but instead I have a feeling it'll be a "Happy 1st Birthday" present for sweet Abby.

The part on the left has been somewhat stitched together but I've gotten hung up on the corner piecing and am already worrying about quilting in the ditch and Dakota seems to think the pieces on the bottom are for her to take off the design board and chew on. But really - all that's just plain silly - I just need to sit down and get the darn thing done. After all, winter's coming!

Dakota's Secret Garden

When we got Dakota I promised Dave we'd train her to go "potty" in one certain spot - and I have - even though two weeks into the process Dave switched her potty spot on us. He originally wanted her to go at the far corner of 817's lot but when we realized we'd be tilling up the yard and planting grass and making a big old muddy mess, we thought it best to find a new spot for her.

That's how she got her own secret garden. It's a wonderful space between our old yellow garage and the neighbor's old green garage. Technically it's their space but it was generally unused and upon our asking and promising we'd keep it clean they were gracious and let us (I mean Dakota) use it. It's been a hit ever since.

I only wish we'd discovered it before we got Dakota - it would have made a great Secret Garden getaway for our kids... but now I guess it'll have to wait for grandkids... and that's yeeeeaaaaarrrrrsssss down the road.

Goofy Glasses, Goofy Kids

First Day of School

"All was fine on Belmont Road until the kids went back to school..."

This reflects a semi-calm moment following our whirlwind summer.

We saw the tagging of a Cooper's hawk in the alley behind our house. The kids, and sometimes the adults, bounced on the new trampoline. John and I built a cardboard pirate ship while the girls went north to the cabin with their dad and Papa. Sophie accomplished a back walkover. Dave and our trusty handyman, Mike, completed a paving stone patio at 817. I co-facilitated a four day RRVWP workshop in July. Sophie and Lucy performed in The Velveteen Rabbit in Cando. The kids can swim. For part of the summer I had budding playwrights on my hands, as Sophie and her pal, Juliet, led the charge to write a play based on a Magic Tree House book. Dave grew grass next door! Lucy taught all her stuffed animals how to read. John attended hockey camp--a true North Dakotan--he is on the ice, even in July. The kids had a picnic lunch under the largest tree in North Dakota and they helped their cousins build a treehouse all in the same day. Dave was home most of the summer for the first time in seven years. I walked the dog and picked up poop by the bagful. Dave and I had front row seats at a Twins game as part of our bi-annual Suite Night Event. (Thanks St. Peter!) And for the first time in years, I was up at 6 am most days reading the newspaper and drinking my coffee on the back patio, enjoying that quiet time of the day.