Growing up!

Jack fixed supper for him and Ava tonight (ramen noodles) and they both got themselves ready for bed.  After a busy day of being out, I sat on the couch and didn't even have to get up to help.   I'm a little afraid that I liked it too much!  

More visits!

We had a fun time with Nancy here this past weekend and then Matt's parents on Sunday and Monday.  We went to the water park and out to eat and to a few shops before they had to head back.  We also were able to enjoy the threshing show at Heritage Acres and got to see inside the buildings which include a one-room schoolhouse, a farmhouse, and a church besides and old town and train depot, granary, and tons of farm equipment.  We loved that!  We appreciate all of our visitors taking time to come to Fairmont this summer!  It's so good to see you all and spend some time with you.  We are looking forward to a few short visits to the cities coming in August and September.  So it will be our turn to be visitors, I guess!  Here's a few pictures of the weekend including one of Jack with a big breakfast platter and one of him at the train station at Heritage Acres.  

Jack's room

Jack's room is sort of a work in progress since I am trying to add more nautical touches. Of course painting will help a lot with that too once we own the house.  But here are a few accessories I came across or moved from another area in the house.  Still a ways to go, but it's nice that I finally feel a freedom to play.  It's starting to feel less like a stranger's house and more like ours.  

I usually let him play with most anything I use to decorate, but I told him the blue glass jars are off limits unless he asks and I will help him.  Of course that's what he wanted to play with.  Just like the Garden of Eden!  Ha.  So here are he and Ava playing with the shells and sand that I put in one of them. 

Name frames

I was able to join the Martin County for sale group and sell my islands.  So that was a relief! The lady we sold them to needed us to deliver them and I was going to charge more because it was not in town, and she offered me a name frame. What's a name frame?  She takes pictures of things  around Minnesota that are shaped like letters and then you can make your name from them.  What a treat!  I love ours.  Here it is.  

Skol Vikings!

We had a blast at the Vikings game last night!  We took a few vehicles of 21 people from our church and other than climbing 6 flights of stairs in the wrong parking garage at the end, everything went great!  It was so much fun to spend the evening with such wonderful people from our church.  And a bonus was we got to go without the kids!  Of course, I loved being in the city and seeing the familiar places again, but we do not miss Minneapolis traffic and some of the crazies downtown.  Even though he has lived there his whole life, Matt is a small town guy at heart.  We ate cheese curds (which were not as good as the state fair) and a Dome Dog which is now called a Quarterback Dog for some reason.  It was fun to be able to go to the Metrodome one last time before they tear it down next year.   It was also fun running into one of Jack's classmates from kindergarten, Sammy.  So here we go...football season is here!

This week....

Ava has dressed herself in her pajamas!  Progress!  She's also doing ok without the pacifier although she's a little emotional overall. It's fun to hear her say her whole name now and full sentences.  I can tell we are close to the end of babyhood.  

This weekend we are looking forward to a Vikings game and more visitors!  And next week is the Martin County Fair.  We love fairs so are very excited.  I finally was able to figure out what to do with my laundry room (besides do laundry) this past weekend so that was fun. Here's the result.  

Vikings training camp and some visitors

We were so excited to go to Vikings training camp one day this week.  We were able to see a practice and Christian Ponder and Adrian Peterson up close, so that made it even more fun.  There was so much for the kids to do.  Jack was able to do an obstacle course and loved it!  Then Rebekah came a few days this week and spent some time with us, and that was great!  And then this weekend we had a blast seeing Josh, Libby, Levi, and Lexi.  Jack waited outside for a few hours with his picture of him and Lexi set up.  I think he was excited!  They even sang during church and were a blessing!  Now back to just us!  We won't know how to function with normal life after all of these special times. We are looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer.  Still a month before school starts, and we fully intend to enjoy it and pretend that fall/winter is not right around the corner!