More summer happenings...

I've definitely been more absent these summer months! I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I know this always happens though. Today was the most perfect summer day ever! I enjoyed it a bit by sitting on the deck and reading book, just enjoying the warm summer sun, bright blue sky and the best part...low humidity! Thankfully, we only get bursts of humidity here in the summer. It would not make me happy to live in an area that is humid all the time.

The first day of August was one of those humid days and we spent the afternoon over at great Aunt Sherri's house with Lindsey and Sydney's second cousins. They had a lot of fun floating around the pool and trying out the slide. We were intending on getting another week's worth of private swim lessons this summer, but time just ran out. Here are a few pics from that day:







Then, later that weekend, we were invited to an Awards Celebration for the March of Dimes which included attending a Minnesota Twins game! We had the picnic right at the Dome and then proceeded to head down onto the field for a "march" around the basis. We brought Lindsey and Sydney's cousin, Chelsea, with us, as she is an AVID Minnesota Twins fan. We all had a wonderful day!
When we first arrived, we picked up our awards for Top Team and I also received an award for Top Walker (#10 for the entire state of Minnesota)! We are very proud. We work hard, all of us. I'd like to thank our team for all the efforts as well! We couldn't do it without you!

More pictures from the day:













Now, we are starting the countdown to KINDERGARTEN! Only eight more days! We had a parent meeting last Wednesday and we have Open House this Wednesday. They already know their teachers, but this will be fun to go in and see the classrooms again.

More updates soon!

Yesterday, robins! Today...

You can always count on one last snowfall in March in Minnesota. Here's hoping this is it and that it doesn't amount to much! Every now and then, you might even get one in April! It's definitely spring though, and it's supposed to be in the 40's again in a few days. The girls and I were watching the robins in our crabapple trees there in the picture yesterday. And we could hear the birds a-singing yesterday evening as well.

What better way to spend a spring day, Palm Sunday, then by coloring a few Easter eggs!







We had a nice day yesterday. After church, the Sunday school served roll, juice and coffee as a fundraiser for SS. We all signed a board that is going to be used in home that will be built for Habitat for Humanity this summer. It's a great organization that our church and Sunday school supports. The girls played outside most of the day. I had a bad headache and was able to relax for a bit and watch the NASCAR race, and then later, the Easter eggs.



Enjoy the day!

Wordless Wednesday

You can see more here and here.

OH...my aching back!

No lie! My back went out. Or I should say that I'm in some major back pain right now mostly due to a combination of things: genetics, six hours in the car on Monday and carrying my notebook around in its backpack while slung over my right shoulder. You would think I would learn since this has happened several times in the past. I can always tell. If it just wasn't for that darn hereditary stuff. It's on my mom's side. We all seem to have a problem with our hips getting out of whack, which in turn aggravates our lower backs. I'm walking very crooked and all hunched over, but thankfully, the icing and ibuprofen is keeping in check until I can get to the chiropractor. He's not open on Thursday's and I couldn't get in on Wednesday, so I am the first appointment tomorrow at 8:45 a.m. I know I will feel some HUGE relief after the appointment. I know I'll have to go for a few days after that too. Tomorrow cannot come soon enough!

And of course all this happens when I have tons of stuff to do. It's the last week off before preschool starts on Monday. I had all these plans and all kinds of stuff to do. The girls have a project to finish that their teacher brought out during their home visit and I need to have a recent picture of each of them for them to glue on the project. So, I needed to get to the store to pick those up, as well as, getting all their school supplies (mostly classroom supplies). I need to get their backpacks ready to go. I'm not sure I even have an outfit picked out. But, the girls are ready and excited!

One of the causes of my back issue this week I mentioned above; six hours in the car. On Monday, the girls and I chauffeured my grandma three hours north to Minong, Wisconsin to visit with her cousin who she hadn't seen in quite a few years. The trip was for for two reasons, really. One, for the two cousins to visit and two, for my genealogical purposes. This is the last living cousin of my grandma's and Norma did have some new information for us. We really had a wonderful day. We picked great-grandma up and of course, made time for a picture:




Then we were off. Honestly, I have the best travelers EVER! Each took a very short little snooze, but for the most part, they just read their books or we sang, things we normally do in the car. And not even any potty breaks, well, except for ME! I think I drank too much coffee. The girls and I had talked about what we were going to be doing there and they were just so good! I guess I wasn't surprised. They usually are, but we do have our moments. We were there about four hours and I had brought books to read, Leapsters, and markers and color books, which kept Lindsey & Sydney occupied for hours. Towards the end of our visit, we turned on the TV for a bit and of course, Sydney picked Animal Planet. The Meerkats were on!

Norma, my grandma and I visited and looked at old photographs. I read through the info that Norma had gathered, but the most fun, was just listening to her and my grandma reminisce. They were telling all sorts of stories from when they were younger, from living on the farm in Minnesota to moving to South Dakota and back again, and about their mothers (and why they hated storms) and their grandfather (which would be my great-great grandfather and how he hid hard candy in the trees for them to find when they came for a visit). I'm so glad that I was able to do this for my grandma! It's just been such a wonderful thing to be back here in my hometown and able to spend time with the family.



"You don't say..."

Anyway...it was a fabulous day, and even though I got a sore back out of it, I'd do it again! (And I probably will! I think our next little adventure will take us to South Dakota.)

Sydney's second annual heart check-up...

...and everything is fine!

Last Friday, Sydney and I ventured into Minneapolis for her annual heart follow-up appointment. As a refresher, Sydney, at one time, had a VSD (ventricular septal defect) and an ASD (atrial septal defect). After she was discharged from the NICU, we had follow ups with her pediatric cardiologist. At her one year appointment, her echocardiogram showed that the VSD had closed on it's own. We weren't surprised, as it was quite small. Her ASD, however, was still open, and quite a good size. We were told that at some point she would need to have it surgically closed, but they wanted her to get bigger first. This was the first time we were told about a device called an Amplatzer, which is a device they use to close the hole in the atriums. They said at that point, she looked like a good candidate. If we didn't want to go that route, they would have to do open heart surgery.

We had two more follow ups and in 2005, her cardiologist decided it was time to have it closed. Her echocardiogram showed that she was still a good candidate for the Amplatzer. We were amazed by this technology and felt very comfortable with the doctor performing the procedure. The Amplatzer was developed by a local company and some of the clinical trials were done right at the same hospital that Sydney would have it done at.

Two years ago, we headed off to the hospital in the early morning. I was in awe that the procedure would only require an overnight stay. Lindsey was staying two nights at her aunt and uncle's house while we were at the hospital. Sydney was a champ. I think the hardest part for me was going back with her while they put her to sleep. They had told me to just hold her face and look in her eyes, and I began to sing, "Lullaby, and goodnight...go to sleep, little baby.", a song I sang every night to her. It was a very emotional few moments and then she went out. The procedure only took about an hour. Here are some pictures from two years ago.





And back to last Friday and our appointment...first off, it was quite a lot of drama to be going to the appointment without her sister, Lindsey. Syd wasn't happy about it and cried that she'd miss her so much! Look at those watery eyes! I tried to get her to smile.

We dropped Lindsey off with dad and they did some fun things together while Sydney and I went to the appointment. She got her pressures checked collected her stickers, not without asking for some stickers for her sister. She is always SO thoughtful!

Then it was time for the echocardiogram and she followed all the directions perfectly. Next, we went to another office where we waited for Dr. Bass and two other residents/students (it's a teaching hospital/clinic). Everything looked great! Just a small, inconsequential heart murmur that she'll probably outgrow. And we made our appointment for next year. Then we were off, back to our car and off to McDonald's and then to pick up Lindsey!



Oh, and check out this cool picture of my heart!

What a fun day with mom and Blue Bear! Note Blue Bear in the picture from two years ago. She got this bear from the doctor when she was admitted to the hospital and it has been her special "Blue Bear" ever since!

Roadtripping...to Michigan!

We left Minnesota on Sat. 7/7, headed to the cities to pick up my friend, Sue and her kids, then we were off. We only drove half way that day. We stopped in a little town, Merrill, WI to have lunch and bopped around town, looking in shops, and antiquing for about 1.5 hours. Then back on the road to Eagle River, WI, where it was Watermelon Days. We hung in town there for the afternoon, shopping, antiquing, and then headed to Brian's brothers house where we were staying the night.

It was a HOT weekend if you remember and we got there and left right away again to the lake. The kids swam with Uncle Jim and us girls chatted. Then it was back to their house for a cook out, hot dogs and brats, and to watch all the deer. WAY cool. You have to check out those pictures. They feed them regularly and they come right in while you sit out there. We saw bucks, does, and fawns, twins even! The kids thought it was pretty cool.



The next day we headed out for our drive through the UP and across the Mackinac Bridge. We enjoyed the drive, stopping here and there. One place we stopped was at one of the National Forest areas where we had access to Lake Michigan. It was our first view and we decided it was a good place to stretch our legs.




We stayed about an hour south in Boyne Falls at Boyne Mountain Resort where our timeshare is located. We went and got a few groceries and then I got the girls to bed, while Sue & the kids took a dip in the pool.

The next day we headed up to the pool in the morning for a swim. We spent a couple hours there and then back to the unit for lunch. Claudia and her kids arrived that afternoon and we had units together. They were in a one bedroom and we were in a two bedroom, all with full kitchen/living areas. It was nice because originally we weren't supposed to be together, but the resort worked it out. We went up to Petoskey to wander around, window shopped, ate ice cream, and then drove to a neighboring town, Bay Harbor, I think, where we looked for Petoskey stones and we found a bunch of them. The kids were having a ball. Then it was back to the resort and off to the pool!

Claudia's girls were quiet at first, Antonia too, but it didn't take long for Antonia to become friends with Madison & Bailey. By the end of the week, they were exchanging email addresses! Carla & Selina are quite quiet too, but on the first night, they came over and saw L & S playing their Leapsters, so they ran back to get theirs and there was a whole lotta sharing of games going on! After we got the girls to bed, Claudia, Sue and I stayed up for a late night of chatting and drinking wine! It was a lot of fun!

The next day we spent at Deer Lake which is right on property. The kids swam and played in the sand. We went out for a paddle boat ride, just relaxed. Then back to our unit for lunch and later in the afternoon/evening, up to the pool again.


Wednesday, we spent the day on Mackinac Island. We were up and gone to catch the 11 a.m. ferry. Windy and rough waves, 4-6'. No sitting on top! It turned out to be a beautiful day though. Claudia and I and the four younger girls took a carriage ride/tour all over the island, while Antonia went with Sue and her kids on an hour & a half horse back ride. As part of our carriage tour, we visited the Wings of Mackinac, a Butterfly Conservatory. It was beautiful, all the butterflies and soft music. The girls saw one butterfly and exclaimed, "LOOK! A Blue Morpho butterfly, mom!"



Afterwards, we met for shopping, fudge and the like. We all sat up top on the ferry on the way back, but several were in the "get very wet" seats, like Claudia and family and Bailey and Madison. The waves must not have been too bad and I wish someone would've gotten a picture, but Lindsey and Sydney fell asleep in mine and Sue's arms. They were OUT COLD! We carried them to the car after we got off the ferry and I did get pics then.

We went out to dinner that evening and played in the park at another neighboring town and then it was back to pack and such. The kids were tired and sad to be leaving and for the last two weeks, all I hear are questions about Carla & Selina and when can we go to their house.



Sue & I decided to drive straight through on the way home. It ended up taking about 12.5 hours. We drove through a LOT of rain and storms and many more stops with tired kids. You can tell we were heading home because we let the kids watch several movies on the way home and eat gobs of crappy snacks; on the way there, nada...healthy snacks and no movies. LOL!

Oh, and I almost forgot! We had some fresh Pasty's too! YUM YUM!

If you'd like to view ALL our vacation photos, please check out our Michigan 2007 Set over at Flickr.

So, how about your summer vacation? Tell me about it! Where did you go? Where are you going? I love hearing about travels!