A Grand Visit

Pretty sure when we actually do become grandparents some years down the road we'll be pushovers. I mean when our grand-pup visit and she gives us this look, we'll give her anything!

Yup. Rey (Skywalker) is visiting us from Portland, Oregon. Oh, and she brought her human parents, too! 

With their wedding just 8 days away, Casey and Emily are back in the Midwest – mainly staying at her parents in the Twin Cities, but Casey and Rey popped over for a visit to Wisconsin Rapids. It was great to see him! We grilled out and watched the pathetic Vikings game. 

And Rey was super well-behaved. She had this sidelong glance when Sylvester sneaked by her before hiding in our bathroom the rest of the evening!

Just made us more excited for the wedding next weekend. And, of course, our ill-timed kitchen remodel. Hopefully things work around our need to be out of town. 

And if I haven't mentioned the upgrade, it's only because we've been talking about it for 2 years and finally pulled the trigger and it's all hopefully coming together quickly. I even sold the "old" cabinets on Facebook in 5 minutes. And we haven't even taken them down yet. Guess I know how I'm spending the rest of the weekend!

Have a good one!

What the Hic?

I'm not sure what happened. I had a normal day of work followed by a family photo shoot. Nothing was out of the ordinary until hubby arrives home and I can't stop hiccuping. 

Thankfully it didn't happen during an important lunch meeting today or even the photo session. Who knows what they would think? But since it came on when Jim was home, I asked him for any possible cure.

He said: "Don't talk for 2 weeks."

Oh ha. Funny guy. 

So I am trying not to speak (which everyone will appreciate) but also concentrate on some photos, listening to an audio book, and reciting what state capitals I know. I know. That's a bit extreme. 

But guess what? Not only does that distraction technique work, but confirms there's a lot I have forgotten since the 4th-grade geography bee at Oak Hill Elementary. Gosh darn Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Most others, I'm happy to say I new and would make Mr. Larson proud.

Other distractions tonight included worrying about volatile weather situations on both coasts – the heat where Casey is in Portland and the flash flood warnings in Raleigh where Carter is. Thank you, Lord, for keeping us all safe tonight.

And thanks for the hiccups that distracted me from worrying.

Well Praise Be!

Even though today's rain made it pretty stinkin' cold for mid-August AND forced me to postpone a photo shoot, I KNOW we needed it.

Just so crazy that I had long sleeves on all day since the mercury barely rose out of the 50s, but...

our oldest kiddos out in Portland are dealing with record heat! I told them to stay cool like the cool kids they are!

We really did need the rain. I selfishly just need it not to rain two days this week. Wednesday for rain and Saturday for golf other than that. Soak up the earth, Mother Nature. Whatever the farmers want, grant their wishes. 

Be careful – and grateful – out there!

Non-Trad Turkey Day

It was a bit of a non-traditional Thanksgiving for us. With Jim's mom gone, we and his sister had our own small gatherings so my father-in-law wouldn't be overwhelmed with a crowd. I still made enough for food for one, of course.

We had 6 of us with both Clay and Carter and their special ladies here. I tried making my mother-in-law's dressing. It need work but I know what I have to tweak for the next holiday. Otherwise, the turkey, potatoes, corn, apple-Snicker salad, and pumpkin pies were good!

After dinner, we Zoom called Casey and Emily out in Portland.

Put them on the big TV so they were life-size. They won't make it home for the funeral. Airline tickets are crazy expensive since it's a holiday weekend. They'll be with us in spirt.

Just like they are right now as we watch the Vikings host a Thanksgiving game (also non-traditional) and try to hop back into the win column. I hope they didn't have any tryptophan-laden turkey. Lord knows I'm tired!

Too exciting of a game to sleep. Leave the room and someone scores. Hopefully the Vikes did while I blogged quick.

It would just be one more thing to be thankful for this thanksgiving. Even a bit sad, I love and appreciate the family that is still in my life. And my great support network of friends.

Hope you had plenty of blessings to count today. Happy Thanksgiving!

What Happens at The Lake...

I survived Wild Women's Weekend XXIV – that's 24 years for those of you who prefer Arabic numerals! Our top secret location this year was... on a lake Up North.

Well, more specifically a gorgeous VRBO on the west side of Long Lake just east of Sarona and Shell Lake. This one was called the Loon Lodge and it was 100 percent appropriate for us loony sisters!

Not everyone is cut out for roughing it like we are. But we managed alright. Thanks for your concern.

A few inside views...

Main floor had one master bedroom and upstairs had two bedrooms.

The well-appointed basement also had two bedrooms plus this living area and a kitchenette that we never used. Perfect if you are looking for a getaway with multiple families!! Or a longer stay than our 3 nights/4 days combo.

The weather turned out to be simply gorgeous so we could enjoy a little time on the large screened-in porch.

Or out on the deck with the nice views of the water. Most of the color was past peak or off the trees, but we still saw plenty of beauty around us.

And my beautiful sisters, too! We had to get a picture in between talking and laughing and playing games and talking and crying and talking and laughing some more! It's so freeing to feel all the feels – especially so much laughter (like red-faced can't breathe or make a sound laughter) squeezed into one weekend!

My twin and I doing our own photo shoot!

Oh we'll never grow up! Which could be said of all of us. Thank God! 

This morning's sunrise was beautiful but also a sad sign our weekend was coming to an end. Time goes too quickly. We packed up and had our group hug outside while singing happy 95th birthday to Dad in heaven. Pretty sure he heard us. Along with the other loons on the lake!

I did have a brief visit with Dad on the way up to the cabin on Thursday.

And I had lunch with Mom, too! So it was great to see 90 percent of my family over this extended weekend. 

Got home this afternoon while hubby was at the golf course. Then we met for dinner at Portesi's to catch up over pizza. Jim and the boys had an amazing time at The Who concert in Portland and just hanging out together. 

We're both just feeling blessed right now. There are a lot of amazing people out there. And they're ours. 

Have a good week, everyone!

TGIF - A Tad Early

It's one thing to pretend to live every day like it's Friday. It's another to look at the calendar, see it's technically Tuesday, but know in your heart it's actually Friday! In other words, hello weekend! A tad early.

Since I'm leaving early Thursday morning in order to see my mom on the way (not really, but close enough) to sister weekend, I really need to get my stuff together Wednesday night. Since I'm going to the Book of Mormon musical Wednesday night, I'd really need to get my stuff together in that small 90-minute window after work.

So I says to myself, "Self, take the afternoon off." By noon today I says to myself, "Self, just take all of Wednesday off and call it a weekend." So I am. And so it IS Friday and I'll have my pre-weekend weekend day tomorrow to get stuff together plus run errands that aren't even related to the weekend. Yay me and myself and I! 

We make good group decisions.

If the logical side of you wonders why I couldn't just get my act together tonight. Well... I had a very necessary deep-tissue massage after work. Then...

Round 1 of volleyball playoffs, of course! Our Lady Royals defeated Rib Lake 3-0 so they're moving onto Round 2 of Regionals on Thursday. I'll be out of town so I gave an extra hug to my favorite senior! 

Now I better commence to picture editing. I know I can sleep in tomorrow but still, l have a long "to do" list, which may or may not include sneaking in one Hallmark movie while I have the house to myself. Yup hubby's Friday is today too and he's flying off tomorrow with our brown-eyed bandits to see The Who in Portland, Oregon.

In case you were wondering, yes, we old folks know how to weekend around here! TGIF!

Two Lakes, Two Kids

Our dinner at Two Lakes was special tonight not just because of the sunset, but because it was with two of the kiddos! Casey and fiance Emily flew home from Portland to Minneapolis and are in the Rapids area for the next week. 

We haven't seen them for 856 days. You know, right when the pandemic started and after visiting them out in Seattle area, I didn't go back to work? Now they're in Oregon and engaged to be married in fall of 2023.

Tonight's dinner was also special because we got to meet Emily's parents. They live in the Twin Cities and happen to like the Twins, just like me! Her dad and Jim could've talked about baseball in general all night. That was fun to see. Nice parents – just like her! They're heading back to Minnesota tomorrow but we'll see the kids a few times this week – including a trip to see their wedding venue on Tuesday. 

Lots of fun and excitement for all of us on the horizon.

 And pretty sunsets, too!

Food Adventures 2.0

Lest you think my bravery of trying new foods was one and done, I ventured forth to the wilderness today to sample beaver poop. For reals...

OK. Full disclosure. I bought this when I was out in Portland for work last fall and sort of forgot about it. It was an airport purchase of all things. And it was too much of a weird novelty to eat it right away. I mean who names something Beaver Poop?! And why??

Guess I was needing chocolate in any form tonight. Even Beaver Poop.

Turns out it's like quarter-sized triangles of Heath bars or Skor bars. Just chocolate covered toffee with nut in it. Just like the package said. Pretty tasty.

I told you this food adventure might just pay off! I hope that part's not one and done.

Bon Appétit! (Wait, beavers aren't French, are they? Well, maybe in Oregon they're close to French-Canadian?)

Western Window Seat

My quick jaunt out to the West Coast and back can be summed up in two words: Window Seat. As in pictures out the plane window, the rental van window, and seeing some amazing windows at the customer we were visiting for work.

Your window seat to my quick trip to Portland, Oregon, area...

Mount Hood to the right upon landing.

The football field length green house.

"I don't do windows." Do you?

Fall color were at peak out there. Yay!

Just gorgeous! And temps around 60. Nice!

Saw a rainbow! Well, they "made" one for us!

Candy shop on way back to hotel. Had to pose on Wednesday since it was Dad's birthday in heaven and I needed to show him the nut doesn't fall far from the tree!

Sunset at the greenhouse. Just no words. Other than: Wow. 

Took long way to airport so we could see Mount Hood again – this time from van window in Vancouver, Washington.

Definitely some photo editing here so you can see it through the haze. Darn camera phones!

And last window seat view: I think Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams. Mount Hood is just to the right off camera. I did not have the window seat. Just leaned over the guy next to me. Thank god I work with him!

Still, you get the idea. Beautiful area out there. We were about 90 minutes from the coast so no time to run out there. But it was highly productive and we had excellent video shoot so it was a worthwhile trip.

I'm not sure how I can have such jet lag, but my idea of a fun Friday night looks like getting to bed at 9 o'clock! Thanks for riding along.

Moving Forward

On behalf of Jim, Carter, and me, thanks for all the prayers and well-wishes following the accident. So appreciated. And they work!

Although feeling a little banged up today, Mr. College is doing pretty well for someone who saw his life flash before his eyes. What he could see in the fog, anyway. The joke he came up with was, "Want to see to drive? Fog-get about it!"

Too soon, I know. At least we know the Austin charm and Hedberg humor didn't get knocked out of him!

So it's back to normal for him – especially with fun midterms this week. And hubby and I are back to our daily grind. Though mine will be adventurous this week.

In about 8 hours, I'm leaving the house so I can fly out to Portland for work. Going commercial this time like "normal people" so nothing fancy. But it's with the same 5 co-workers as last time so we're becoming a solid team. And fun.

Probably won't hear from me since I'll be in a different time zone and you'll be in bed by the time my days end. I'll be back late Thursday night. Hopefully by then, like the saying says above, things will have a way of working out.

Prayers of healing and comfort still welcome, of course.

Count your blessings and hug your loved ones!