Sigh...Missing the storm

I hope you take the time to look at the pics of our week with family

It was so hard to pick just a few, I'm guessing I look 500. 

Our week with the kids was full of activity, joy, fun, crazy times, naps, food, clean up and more food.

But the best is the memories that we made together, we feel so blessed to have this cabin to share with our kids and grandkids, each year brings more "firsts". 

It's just so fun watching our grandkids experience life at the lake, 

to see the joy in their faces as they play in the lake and tube behind that boat. 

Cousins playing, squeals of laughter, meal time conversation and everything in-between. 

Rick and I love watching our kids be "Parents", and I might say they are good at what they do. 

We have some pretty awesome grands! 

Gavin is a favorite among the kids... 

there's no one quite like "Uncle Gavin"

All 10 of us on the boat

These two

 Our family has always been baby tossers.... ha ha

Baby L. is loving it

Jen and Lewin enjoying the lake

 Carson just hanging in the water

 Brie and her girl

 Brice, Gavin and Lewin

 2nd year mermaid appearance....Scarlett

 Jen and her girl

 Hugs for uncle Gavin

 We love being on the lake

This girl tubed alone for the first time this year. 

playing on the beach

He is our littlest, learning to say many new word, " I do it"  

 Seemed like hours of this....

 Grandpa has a big lap for helpful drivers

 Brice trying out the new ski. 

Our kids have ski'd since they were little, It's like riding a bike, right?

This guys still got it. 

 Fist time tuber, Scar and Daddy

She loved it!!!

Carson also tuber for the first time, and then was even brave enough to tube with sis Audrey

 My boys

Lewin and I singing songs before dinner

 Grandpa's driving partner

LOVE all of this and more..........

2015... It was a good year!

Come January, I like to reflect and look back on my photo's as I

flip the page of time and begin a new chapter!

One of our favorite places to be....lake Superior

It's very hard to pick and choose the photo's that I want to display, 

there are just too many things to be thankful for

We had a great year,

 full of blessings,

 good health,

 amazing family, and 

precious grandchildren.

 

I have a truly amazing husband who  enriches my life daily! 

I cant say enough about this man and how he has helped shaped my life, 

he encourages me, and has led our marriage by example,

with Christian values as our foundation.

I am blessed to be his and I thank God everyday for this unmerited gift!

We had many little "road trips" this year as Rick and I love to explore Minnesota

 Lanesboro Dam

Grand Marias 

Milwaukee

 we even ventured into Wisconsin to visited our nieces and nephews.

We spent precious time with family throughout the year

4th of July with my family 

Christmas celebration with Rick's family

Summer time hangouts

Our kids, 

(minus Chris who was working)

We are not perfect, I'ts sometimes hard being the parents of adult children

 but we continue to love each other and grow in our relationships.

 

and then there's these 3.... 

have I ever mentioned how wonderful it is to be a grandparent... 

our hearts are bursting with love for these precious little ones.

We can hardly contain ourselves, I've said it before and I'll say it again

Grandparenting is a great gig!!!

And then there are friends...

I have me some amazing co-workers, we are pretty tight and really care deeply for each other.

We play and have fun outside of work, this year we made lefse together.

More friends....

 We go way back, friends from church...

we meet once a month to laugh, share our lives, (the good and the bad) 

and support each other as we grow old together. 

 We become empty-nesters this year, not sure I'm thrilled about it. 

  I know that it's suppose to happen.... I just don't have to like it.

Our health is good...

Just a little knee fixer-upper in July.

Oh we have aches and pains but we still try to get to the gym a few times a week, 

and hike when we can

New life....

We were blessed with 2 new Grand Nephews this year, 

Eli

Leo

We have 4 grand nieces & nephews...lucky us!

Last,  but not least we bought a cabin, the desire to be a cabin owner 

has been in Rick's head & heart for a long time, here's what I said to him one day this spring....

I said,

 "Honey, let's not be in our 60's someday and say to each other", 

"Why didn't we just do it"?

 and the rest is history.....

September 2015

For now it's ours... 

on the Lake we love in Northern Minnesota!

We know life happens in ways you don't expect sometimes, it presents itself with ups & downs.

All around us we see hurt, unexpected illness, accidents and major life changes, 

we know we are not exempt from these things, but we will live for today, and

 enjoy the many gifts we have received.

We are not perfect, so....

 we are thankful for God's grace, His love for us despite our flaws, and

 His mercies that are new everyday.

We will continue to keep God first, humbly asking for ongoing blessings of good health, a happy marriage, a loving family and many fond memories in our sweet cabin.

We are looking forward to new adventures in 2016, 

We hope you have a wonderful year as well.

God Blessings to  you and  yours!!!

Barns, playgrounds and memories...oh my

I love the country and small town America.

Last Saturday I traveled with my mom, sister and our girls (granddaughter) cross country to 

Old Concord, MN. 

Mom grew up on a farm in West concord

The corn "is up".... barely

This old barn is about to see it's last days... 

I wouldn't want to be near that silo or inside that barn on a windy day.

Mom (right) telling us about the area that she grew up, 

where her dad and grandfathers farmed the land.

Remember the old playgrounds...

I remember playing in this very park and on this same equipment when I was a little girl. 

The "Thomas" reunions were held here in the lot next to the Methodist Church.

My daughter Brie, and niece Jensen

The care-worn pony merry-go-round

My granddaughter Audrey and my niece Jensen.

Do you remember the last time you played on a teeter-totter.

There used to be three, side by side.

swing disk

My favorite ride as a kid, 

there were always a lot of kids on this one at the reunion!

My sister Jodi (left) with her daughter Jensen, and my grand Audrey.

4 generations

Remember these flat metal slides?

Ended the day getting pedicures.

Love making memories with my daughter, it's so fun to have my Granddaughter hang out with her great-grandma, to hear the stories and to experience the places of yesteryear.