Fun With Friends & Family

Isaac and Piper love playing with a neighbor kid, W. He is going in to 7th grade this year, but still seems to like playing with my kids. He has been AWESOME!! I don't hear anything about being bored when he is around!


After playing in the yard and having a Popsicle, we headed over to Papa and Grandma Judi's house. Cousins Elizabeth and Evelyn were up from Iowa for the week. It was a great day for the pool!


Too much fun was being had for Piper to take an actual nap, but she fell asleep in my lap after swimming in the pool.

Our Last Chinooks Game

The team played in Eau Claire, so I once again packed up the kids and the car and headed south today. We made a quick pit stop to pick up my parents.
Once at the game, the kids got a treat.








Like mother, like daughter!




Being silly with Grandpa J!




Lookin' good #14!!




It was our last Chinooks game of the season. It's been quite an adventure being a baseball groupie!

All Star Break

Eddy decided that he didn't need to be at the all star game, so he left Milwaukee Sunday night after the game. He got home about 3am. The kids were really surprised to see him when they woke up!
He was here for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and left Thursday morning. One afternoon we headed over to his parents to swim.




We did a lot of errands and Eddy had some things to take care of. He also had some special time with the kids. Piper was sick again on Wednesday, so I was really grateful that Eddy was home so I could work (and not use any more time off). Poor thing said she had a headache, so put a bandaid on her forehead (and 72 hours later, it's still there!). She fell asleep sitting in a chair in the living room.




Eddy's time at home went too quickly. But luckily he'll be home for good in 18 days!! Let the countdown begin!

Fun Weekend

Piper seemed to be doing better on Saturday, so we went to the Hermantown Summerfest parade. I think the kids got enough candy to last well past Halloween!


Isaac and Papa have a really special relationship.





After the parade there were some free kids activities. Isaac got to ride a horse for the first time. He was really excited!


Piper got a crown.


And after that, we headed over to Papa and Grandma Judi's house to take a dip in their pool.


That afternoon I drove south with the kids and dropped them off with my parents for the night. I spent the night at a friend's house, but they weren't home. I got a WHOLE NIGHT to myself! I walked around the mall, ate random food for dinner, read a People magazine and went to bed. The next morning I drove to the western part of the Cities to attend a baptism. I was able to be a labor coach for a friend of mine last year. And now I get the unbelievable honor of being her Godmother. They don't live in Minnesota anymore, but this connection further cements this beautiful girl and her family in my life!





Unfortunately while I was away, Isaac got hit with the stomach flu. So instead of meeting my parents on the freeway to get the kids, I drove to the cabin. Poor kid asked to go home as soon as I got there. Bummer to end such a good weekend with a sick kid.

Sick Girl

Yesterday afternoon daycare called me at work to give me a heads up that Piper was complaining of left ear pain. I picked the kids up as usual and we headed to Isaac's last baseball game for the summer. She was fussy, but I didn't think much of it. She also didn't eat much dinner, but went to bed without incident. About 1:30 in the morning I woke up to an unusual sound. Several seconds later, the sound was closer. It turned out to be Piper throwing up next to my bed. And that began her 4 1/2 hour ordeal of throwing up and dry heaving. she finally fell asleep with me on the couch at about 5am. During this time, she continued to complain of left ear pain headache and stomachache. I called in sick to work and brought her into be seen. I was concerned about your infection and\or strep throat. Strep screen was negative but she does have an ear infection. As I'm typing this, she is sitting on my lap and finally starting to perk up. Here's to hoping for a quick recovery!

With me at about 4am this morning.


She fell asleep on the couch waiting for me as I put her puke-covered blanket in the wash.


Although I don't like to see my little girl sick, I don't mind the cuddling.

Game Two

Sunday morning after church we went out for breakfast with Jeff, one-half of Eddy's host family (wife Cindy was out of town) and his son Justin. Had to take a picture of Piper with a menu!




Then it was off to the ball park for another game!




Isaac got to participate in a on-between inning competition! Not only did he win, Daddy was at home plate and all the players lined up at the dugout to give high-fives! He was livin' the dream!








The kids enjoyed ice cream treats in the hot afternoon sun.




The team won and we got to go out on the field after the game.








It was fun seeing fans ask the team (including Eddy!) for autographs!




That night we took an opportunity to get a picture with Jeff.




The kids wanted a picture with "the girls" (aka, the three female dogs) before we headed out Monday morning.




The packing, unpacking, and 14 hour round-trip drive was exhausting, but it was so fun to watch the kids be so excited to see their dad and watch the Chinooks on their home field!

Milwaukee

On Friday the 13th, after a full day of work, I picked up the kids, got our lunch boxes packed and headed out for Milwaukee. We picked my Dad up in Spooner, and after 7 hours in the car, we were there. The kids did really well on the drive and slept for 3 hours of it.

Saturday before the game we went past the ball field on Concordia University to see Lake Michigan and the bluffs. It was really pretty--different landscape than Lake Superior.





Eddy was the head coach while we were there (long story), so it was fun seeing him in charge and coaching 3rd base!


Grandpa J bought the kids a Chinooks shirt, to commemorate watching their first home game.


Isaac was SUPER excited to have his picture taken with Gill the mascot.


The team lost, but we had a great time anyway!

Raspberries

We are fortunate to have a private raspberry patch to go to for raspberry picking. I have a great recipe for raspberry pie and my father in law makes great raspberry jam. The Morgans (us, mother and father in law and brother in law and his wife), have taken on more responsibility for picking this year. Got a call in Tuesday that berries were starting to be ripe. So after dinner the next day, I took the kids picking. They seemed to have fun.

The result of my picking for an hour (ended up with 15 cups)...


...and what the kids picked!


Of course most of what they picked ended up in their bellies! I think it's going to be a good crop this year.

More Fun At The Cabin

My sister and her husband came to the cabin on Friday night (July 6). She's 16 weeks pregnant so I was super excited to see her baby bump! We celebrated Paul's birthday Friday night and my parents had a retirement party Saturday night. In between, we were in the lake!

Isaac is a cautious swimmer, preferring to have his life jacket on...


...and Piper, not so much!





Sunday was more of the same, except Eddy came! He had the day off so he drove up. We were so excited to see him!





Sunday afternoon Lindsey and Paul had to leave. But not before getting a couple of pictures!





Sunday night we went for an evening boat ride.


And the Morgans jumped off the boat!








Eddy left about noon on Monday and the kids and I left later that day. I think their exhaustion shows in how they fell asleep last night! (Piper's been sleeping in Isaac's room for about 2 months now!).