Barn Bluffs

 All this 60+ degree weather this October makes me want to get out and enjoy it. You never know what the winter will hold. As much as "hiking" pains some of the children, we got out and enjoyed the views of the Mississippi from Barn Bluffs in Red Wing yesterday.

6! But likely not a high-heel cupcake

What a complete joy and privilege to celebrate Aliya's birthday with seven cousins, five aunts and uncles and three grandparents! The only doubtful factor is, do these cupcakes really look like a high-heel shoe? I didn't think so either, but we went with it!

 Following a delightful tea party with fabulous stories (both fiction and non-fiction) about the tea cups, the cousins headed out on an treasure hunt adventure. A series of five clues led them to the hidden clues and lastly, they literally dug up buried treasure. Fun, but clearly, with no food in the treasure box, this auntie failed. Note taken and next time there will be golden chocolate coins.

"Call me Elsa, not Aliya!"

How do you make a birthday extra special when daddy's gone and the party's not for a week? I think our neighbors helped us pull it off by the looks of that smile.

Grandma Barb and Grandpa Verlyn stopped to give their birthday wishes and treat the birthday girl to dinner a day early. She was so excited to open her presents early: Elsa dress! Could a girl ask for more?

 It had to be crepes for breakfast! What else could there be? After church, we decorated the cake and invited neighbor friends over to help us eat it. It was scrumptalicious!

Better is a neighbor who is near

    than a brother who is far away. Proverbs 27:10b

On a side note…
Christmas money + fair premium check=American Girl Doll of the Year; Isabelle

And my baby's off!

5th grade, 4th grade and Kindergarten.

There have been no tears shed, just joy and afternoon snuggles. Day 1 completed, she flew into my arms and said, "Everything was awesome!" Need I say more?

2 County Fairs down…14 to go?

 We had lots of cousins visit us at the fair! Priceless!

While sisters were busy finishing fair projects all week long, Aliya made a colorful lunch. 

The little red wagon was needed to haul in all the projects. The girls' judging took from 10am to 2:30pm!

The wait was worth it! Three Reserve Champions and five Awards of Excellence!

Communication Arts and Performing Arts on Monday.
Fashion Revue on Tuesday...

Swine Show on Friday.

We are delighted in another successful year at the Dakota County Fair and are so thankful to family who make it possible and more fun to take in when they join us! With Aliya beginning as  Cloverbud next year, that means we have 14 more county fairs to go (that doesn't include the State Fair). How did my parents do it?

Summer fun

 I love it that when Derrick asked Aliya to grab a library book to read, the older two immediately snuggled next to them to read along as he read an Arthur book. Madi & Bre have read OVER 2014 pages this summer already. They love reading! I couldn't ask for more!

So much of summer revolves around Madison & Breanne's schedule, so I am so happy to see Aliya have her special things too: T-ball (with Dad as a coach) and violin lessons with Ms. Renee.

What an awesome 1st Base Coach!

One gorgeous summer evening, while picking peas by myself in the garden, I thought, This is dumb. Peas don't really matter. I'll go ask the girls if we can go on a bike ride or something instead. Rounding the front corner of the house, I found this. While they were rollerblading, Breanne had checked the mail and in no time, they were each glued to their Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines. The roller-blading can wait!

How many times when the girls ask to do my hair, has Derrick said, "You can do my hair?" As if! And I'll tell them, "Once my cousins did Daddy's hair…but I can't find that picture." Got it!Enjoy it girls!