Just the six of us...

My Brother Randy #3 had a great idea....

A few weeks back Randy asked us siblings (4 of us) if we could all get together with

 Mom and Dad, to share a meal and just be together...just the six of us like the old days. 

We figured it had been at least 38 years since our nuclear family had sat down together for a meal, 

no spouses, no grandkids, just us. 

Our parents are in their 80's, still living in the same house us kids were raised in. 

So no time like the present to spend a Sunday afternoon with them!

Us kids brought the food....foods we reme.mber having on the table at home growing up.

Tater-tot hot dish, goulash, corn pudding, beans and my dads essential... Bread & Butter.

We had a fun time reminiscing, which brought laughter and lots of joking around.

Cleaning up

We joked about whose turn it was to do the dishes and feed the dog, ha ha!

We had a lot of great laughs, bringing up childhood memories.

After lunch we sat down together and talked

 My Brother praise my dad, as he did such a good job of investing his money and 

taking care of his family. We went over mom & dad's will, 

who's the power of attorney and most importantly.... who's gonna shovel the snow this winter.

 My Dad...taking it all in.

 My mom... the one who held the house together. She had a big job!

While we were together we celebrated mom's Birthday a few days early

Happy Birthday TODAY, mom!

A selfie with poor clarity, but here we are.

The photo is not the best quality, but I tell you what...

It's very clear to me we are a family who loves each other and very much enjoyed this day. 

We put aside the "things to do list", took time away from our family units and just enjoyed each other. It was fun to be together again with our Mom & Dad.....just the six of us.

It finally happened... we got mom & dad to the cabin.

We have had our cabin for three full summers now. 

Rick's mom and dad were able to come 2 years ago,

 

Rick enjoying the evening sunset with his mom & dad

I'm so thankful as now his mom is in a 

nursing home with Dementia and suffering the effects of a recent stroke.

Our parents are in their 80's, not an easy season of life to pack a suitcase and leave 

the comforts and familiarity of your own home.

With conflicting schedules, health issues and just life, 

it's taken a bit to get my mom & dad to the cabin. 

I was determined that it would happen this year and it did! 

  A few weekends ago we enjoyed a 2 night stay at the cabin with mom & dad.

We managed to put a puzzle together, I told mom they couldn't leave until it was finished, ha

My dad likes to fish so we took him out so he could... show us how it's done!

An evening on the lake to troll for whatever was biting

I did have a small bass at one point... as I was reeling it up to the boat Rick announced,

"I have the net in the garage for repairs", ha ha

We did get a look at my Bass before it shook its self off the lure.

 I took this photo as I noticed Dad quietly bringing a fish in. 

I witnessed much patience as he took his time and said nothing. 

Unlike his daughter who squealed "I GOT ONE" and proceeded to reel it in like a maniac.

 I also noticed that the fish gave no fight,  it just quietly came along as dad reeled it in

I think my dad is the "fish whisperer"...for real!

I think Mom and Dad enjoyed their time with us at the cabin.

I know we did!

Randomness

Life can be random, cant it?

I usually post with a topic in mind or about an event. 

But today I have nothing but randomness.

Who likes Rhubarb?

I have 3 plants at the cabin and love to make rhubarb desserts, 

before the cabin I had never touched rhubarb. It's just so yummy.

We had a bit of a storm the other night with some strong winds, leaves were scattered 

all over the  driveway. As the leaves blew away a day or so later this is what was left behind... 

 Driveway art

 My son and DIL send me frequent photo's of these two sweeties, 

I'm so grateful for the pictures! They sustains me until the next visit.

 My Mom & Dad celebrated their 60th anniversary on Friday

 Flowers from their 4 children/families.

 My dad, and oldest son Brice on a recent fishing trip to Northern Minnesota.

This make my heart glad!

Last week while Carson was at my house we had a hail storm. 

He thought it was fun to collect the hail and put it in a cup.

 My two boys were on a little camping trip last week at Tettegouche state park

 on the North shore of Lake Superior.

They love to make me crazy by sending me photo's like this.

Gavin climbing on a very high railing over-looking the falls.

Our Audrey (center, holding the paddle) on a class trip to the nature center here in Rochester.

 My daughter Brianna was able to chaperone and sent me this photo. 

I love the randomness of life... I love my family  :)

Memories came flooding back...

I needed to run out to Mom & Dad's today, 

to take care of some "Christmas business"

Little did I know I would be helping decorate the Christmas tree... 

Memories came flooding back as I watched Dad unwrap 

the same "old" glass ornaments that we used to hang on the tree as children. 

Mom, supervises as Dad unwraps tissues from each bulb,

 being careful not to break  them.

Mom says some of these are over 50 years old

 And then there's the star, oh that star. 

The very star we put atop our tree all the years while growing up at home. 

Amazingly it still works, at first a solids light, then after a few minutes it begins to blink. 

If you look close you can see that glitter still clings to the outer edges of the star.

Such pretty little bulb ornaments, It's hard to see the dimension in the photo, if you look close you can see that gold area in the center is indented. The paint has worn off through years of being handled.

Mom & Dad putting on the star

Sorry for the blurry photo

Dad still brings home a "real tree", he picked out another beauty this year

Our finished product... That's for the memories Mom & Dad  :)

Annual 4th of July gathering at Mom & Dad's

The 4th of July  = Family fun

It's our big summer gathering for the "Erickson" side, (my family)

This photo just cracked me up, I think it was suppose to be our "goofy" picture 

but as you can see not everyone go the memo  :)

The big space (back right) is where I was suppose to be....too late.

The young men playing croquet

Carson loves crazy uncle Brice 

But he loves his mama more..... mamma's boy, big-time 

All the girls... Look close,

 there will be 2 new babies joining us later this summer 

 My oldest nephew and his bride....expecting their first early August.

It was plenty hot enough....lingering in the shade 

The dogs, Ruby (big dog) and  Major Brigs

My mom & dad with 8 of their 9 grandkids and 2 great-grandkids

We missed our Gavin this year, he was at the Dave Matthews Concert in Wisconsin.

I might see if Brice could "photo-shop" him into the picture. 

It kind of bothers me when one is missing  :(

No photo's from Saturday night but we were invited out to Lake Zumbro where Rick's brother and wife keep their big trailer, we had a great time out on the boat. We dropped anchor and even did a little visiting in the water. It was so hot out and the water felt so good! 

We had a yummy supper followed by a walk and later some smores to top off the evening. 

Hope you all had a nice 4th of July, I'd love to hear how you spent the weekend.

The "Greats"

Both Rick and I have parents who live on the other side of town 

They have always been very involved in our kids lives

and now they love to be involved with the GREAT- grandkids.

We invited them all over to spend the evening with us on Halloween,

 so they could see the kids in costume.

Great-grandpa Erickson, holding little Carson (the giraffe)

Unfortunately I didn't capture Great-Grandpa Hemmer holding Carson :(

Great-Grandma Joanne (Hemmer) & Great-grandma Mary (Erickson) 

I had to actually steal the 2 photo's below from my daughter because this grandma totally spaced out and didnt get any good pictures of the grandkids in costume.... I know I know I failed!!!

 Carson's 1st Halloween, isn't he the sweetest thing

Audrey, I love her little "kitty face"

The front of our house, made festive for halloween.

Cousins

We had 25 kids this year, that's a good year for us!

It's therapy for me

We didn't have one of these when we were growing up at home.

About the time us three older kids left the nest, dad purchased one

~~~

Mom & Dad have a large lot (about 3/4 acre),

and yes when we were kids we took turns mowing the yard....

~~

...with a mower like this one.

It's a Good old fashion "PUSH MOWER"

the one that doesnt have the drive train on it, the only way it moves is by you pushing it.

This big ole yard seemed enormous when we we young.

and really...it still does

It was so big that we used it as the "neighborhood football field"

That flower bed in the middle wasnt there at that time.

The front yard is really the only small part about it.

Friday, while dad trimmed with the hand-held trimmer, I mowed with...

...the "push mower", yep every bit of it, just like the old days when I was a kid.

It took me two hours (it takes a lot of time to trim around all the trees, fences swing set, shop etc.) but I loved every minute of it

...it's therapy to me.