Do you think she's still sleeping?

We have visitors! Jon, Rachel & their darling 11 month old daughter, Eleanor arrived yesterday. We spent the day keeping Jon & Rachel awake and admiring little Nelly. The boys are in love with their cousin and are patiently waiting for her to wake up this morning. We are in Nelly heaven over here!

So I better get another post from our time at home in as there are some exciting events happening and photos to be shared between our visitors and the upcoming Vikings game being played here in England next weekend!

In between our amazing time up at camp and Camp Grandma & Grandpa, we also enjoyed a day at the U.P. State Fair...where this 95% veggie enjoyed a corn dog! We had a wonderful time with Auntie Kindi visiting! And perhaps the highlight of my time at home, Owen learned how to waterski! It was certainly a proud mommy moment that I won't forget. After his first time skiing, he and I took a sauna together and talked and talked about how exciting it was for him to get up and how great it felt.

The last catch of our trip - a small mouth bass.

The water fairy house by Grandma & Walter. 

Just missing Jer.

Flashback Friday!

Today's pick is from May 2008. Walter was 11 months and rocking out in the bath, while Owen was in his first t-ball league. My darling boys...

I just can't wait for school to start!

Walter has said this since we ended school in July. He is a bit excited about starting 1st grade in the elementary program. Tomorrow, his wait is over as we all go back to school and get into a routine again. Exciting times!

I figure I have at least two more posts about our trip home, possibly three or four. Today's is more about camp as our time there wasn't spend only building the fort. I think Owen could easily live up there, he absolutely loved it. It is about 30 miles from my parents house and is surrounded by nothing but trees for miles and miles. You really see no one when you are there. Easily tied in excitement level to the fort was driving the four-wheelers. The boys found excuses to make deliveries and fetch supplies whenever possible...on the four-wheeler. We enjoyed many campfires, a couple sauna's followed by running to the river, Yahtzee!, and blueberry & raspberry picking.

driving in to camp

running from the sauna to the river

Yahtzee! on the grass

All New! Flashback Fridays!

I purchased this amazing new computer when we were home (thank you Grandma!) and we've been enjoying it thoroughly. It has a beautiful 27" screen and sure makes all the photos I've taken over the years really pop! We've all been loving looking at old photos and reminiscing...which inspired me to start a new tradition on the blog...Flashback Fridays.

Today's flashback is from September 2008, Owen is nearly 4 and Walter is a fresh 1. We were at Augsburg's homecoming game and enjoying a beautiful fall day where we met.

You can't shoot me, I don't have a gun.

Oh, the things you think you will never hear out of your children's mouths...and then nerf guns come into your home one day and its all over...

Our house got struck by lightning on Sunday! Crazy, crazy. Lindsay told me it is good luck and to go buy a lottery ticket. Nothing major happened, the boys were both quite startled and it zapped our router which meant cuddling in bed that night and no internet until today. It happened 10 minutes before the Vikings opening game which was really frustrating for Jer as we stream the game online, but we eventually found a way to watch using our neighbor's wireless and still managed to enjoy chili, chips & salsa, and some sweets.

A little break in the US trip recap to give you a peak into some of the summer fun we've been having here. There has been lots of creating going on - legos, the sewing machine and forts for nerf gun battles have pretty much consumed our home life. (Well, a few nerf battles have snuck in as well...)

Double decker tree house, complete with parking garage for 2 four wheelers...wonder where the inspiration came from?!

Homemade monsters, monsters & more monsters!

Some see nerf forts, I see a sea of brown, beige and white...awe rental furnishings!

Did I mention the climbing of the walls???

We've also enjoyed some summer fun in Brighton, below are some highlights from a maze that was set up on the lawns of the Brighton Pavilion. We went through it together once, and then I sat and soaked up the sunshine while they ran through it about 15 times more. They were sweating and parched by the time we left.

It's the best photo we've ever had with him!

While at my parents house a huge dream of the boys came true...a real fort/tree house of their own. My parents have a camp an hour away from their house and that is where it all went down. Here is an evolution of the build over 4 days time...

The 'foundation'.

Measuring for the walls.

Up goes the first wall!

Four walls and some siding.

Clean up crew. 

Nailing in the hard to reach spots.

A fort with finished inside walls? Pretty posh.

Kid-size door...watch your noggin Gramps.

"It's the best photo we've ever had with him!"

In those four days they managed to get all four walls up, 2/3 of the roof on and 80% of the inside finished. There are plans for stairs up to the top of this level and then building another layer on top that wraps around a few of the trees. They also want some sort of rope ladder or pole to slide/climb between the floors. Between now and the time they get to work on it again I'm sure they will come up with many elaborate ideas and plans...be warned, Dad!

As we said good-bye to the fort, we took one last photo op and Griffin was willing to join in. I captured the last photo posted and the boys love it! They really connected with Griffy over our time there and it was really difficult to say good-bye to him when the time came. Owen and Walter look at this picture quite a bit and always comment "It's the best photo we've ever had with him!" They love that they are all looking into the camera. x