Deer

5 deer I saw on my walk the other day.  Pretty cool!  I think they were sneaking the corn!

Merlin

The weekend we moved here there was a parade which included a group of veterans.  Jack really wanted to take a picture with them so we randomly asked these men if they would mind, and they graciously agreed and talked to us for a while.  Come to find out, the one with his arm around Jack is named Merlin Waterbury, and his grandson and family are members of our church.  We were sad to hear that he had a massive heart attack this past weekend and went to Heaven.  We have heard some wonderful things about him and his testimony and are grateful God allowed us to meet him.  

Fun busyness!

We have had a busy couple of weeks!  We were able to get back to the cities a few times for some events.  The first one was last weekend when we joined Berean in the softball tournament in Burnsville.  It was the first time we were able to spend time with our former church, and we were together all day.  So it was fun to catch up!  Also a Very Important Event is taking place!  Chick-fil-a is opening 4 new restaurants in the Twin Cities, and we were able to go to a tasting!  They gave out sandwiches and prizes.  I won a t-shirt!  It was a fun event. 

Then Matt golfed in the Central Seminary tournament, and his team got 2nd place!  So he brought home another golf trophy - he is racking up quite a few! - and a few prizes.  I had no trouble busying myself that day.  We got haircuts and had lunch with some friends.  I even got to go by Woodcrest and see mom and Bek's rooms for this year.  If we were putting Jack there, he would be starting tomorrow already.  How quickly summer flies!  We also spent some time with the families and I got to visit a few shops, so it was a very full day!  Oh and on the way home, we stopped at the World's Largest Candy Store and so there's a picture of the kids in the red phone booth from there.  In case you didn't already want to come to Fairmont, you will now!  It was pretty cool!

Then later in the week, we were able to visit one of our favorite events, the Minnesota State Fair.  I'm so glad we didn't move too far away so we can still go to the fair.  We had great food, the kids got spoiled, enjoyed pretty good weather, and were exhausted but happy at the end!

Saturday we had a SaturDay Camp at our church kicking off our Kids 4 Truth program that is beginning in about a month.  It went very well, and the kids all had a blast!  I'm including a picture of Jack's and Ava's class that learned about the armor of God from Mrs. Cushman.  She did a great job!  

This week there is a heat advisory so we don't have many plans except to stay cool.  We are planning to start school for Jack (and maybe Ava a little, too) next week so that should be interesting.  It is a new Fure family adventure so stay tuned!  Here's a picture of Matt on the state fair bus (armed with his sunscreen in his pocket) to start it off!  

Martin County Fair

We loved the Martin County Fair!  The kids were free and adults pretty cheap too.  We saw and experienced a little bit of everything - the animals and a little bit of a horse show, 4-h exhibits, vendors, the midway (the kids rode one ride), and ate a few yummy food items.  Jack also entered the kid tractor pull and pulled it 18 feet.  We had cheese curds, a footlong corn dog, spiral potatoes, a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich, and popcorn.  My walking neighbor buddy does face painting in a booth so Jack got Spider-Man and Ava got a unicorn on her arm.  So we had a great day, and it was a nice warm up for the real thing coming up in about a week!

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.