My birthday

For my birthday we drove home from Itasca. We found a much speedier route home and all the kids were good passengers, so that made the trek more enjoyable. We stopped at SA in St. Cloud and Brad treated us all to freezies. Once home, Brad cooked dinner and baked a cake. I was gifted a Wally World gift card, so I can try saving for the ever coveted Cricut Expression. Notice my awesome Bingo shirt I won at the Itasca concert!

Itasca Photos

Lake Itasca State Park Trip

After a long drive of close to 7 hours, we made it to Itasca. This photo is the next morning eating breakfast at the camp site.






Mike showed up bright and early the next morning as we're eating breakfast. Gammy and Laken are watching his car roll in.






Lake Itasca is the start of the Mississippi River. Laken poses in front of a sign marking the start of the great river.










Our family standing in the fresh waters of the Mississippi as they make their journey 2,000 plus miles to the gulf of Mexico.








The beach was refreshing on a hot day.






Grandpa rented a pontoon. Uncle Mike and Preston wet a line, but no catches.






Laker baker enjoying on the pontoon ride.







Braeden wanted to do a paddle boat, so while the rest of us rode in the luxury of a pontoon boat, Braeden and Gammy went paddle boating!





These featured musicians played at one of the lodges. They were baby boomer, former hippies who played some great Paul Simon songs like American Pie (?). Since it was Heidi's birthday on Sunday, she was awarded a special T-shirt from the band. It says something about born to play Bingo. Heidi wasn't thrilled about camping with a 6 month old on her birthday, but she stuck it out...Gammy made a b-day cake in the Dutch oven.

Uncle Mike points out the Mississippi River on the globe at the nature center to the boys.








Baby Clara loved camping. Despite rain storms both nights, she slept well in the tent in her pack-n-play. When she was hungry, there was dirt and grass at her disposal! This photo she is eating some dirt/grass combination.

4th of July Fun!

Rain stayed away, and the 4th of July festivities were ON. Gammy and Grandpa came to town for the fireworks, little did they know they'd be put to work. Brad's Rotary Club puts on the fireworks for Owatonna each year and everyone sells flags prior to the event to raise money.

Quinceneria

On July 4th we had the honor of attending Lucero's Quinceneria. Lucero is the daughter of Jose Herrera, the owner of Plaza Morena, and Brad's DC travel buddy every year. It was a beautiful and amazing cultural experience. Gammy, Laken and I went to the church service at St. Joe's. 90% of the ceremony was, of course in Spanish. I love watching one of the Priest, who was not Mexican, but genuinely excited to part of this special ceremony. She was given a prayer book, rosary and ring during the ceremony, which was a lot like a wedding with its elements. Both her parents read biblical passages and Lucero got up and gave a thank you at the end. Then, everyone walked out to a Mariachi Band.












How beautiful is this dress? She also had all male attendants in white tuxs.










Her cake. We never did get a piece of this. They forgot to cut it :(








She had a flower girl like attendant and another girl that carried this quinceneria pillow.


She is also give her last doll. Signifying moving from childhood to womanhood. While we were there 3 different bands played. Including, a famous mexican singer who later autographed cds for people. And, Jose sang a song to Lucero that he wrote. I love the entire experience!

Clara Lily's 6 Months Stats

Clara Lillian at 6 months is 15 lb 14 oz (50th) and
27 inches (90th). She is our sweet baby girl and got her ears pierced to commemorate this milestone. She is still sporting her 3-6 month clothes. She has become quite the nature girl, a little camper and trooper. I can't imagine life without her.

MN Wild

Braeden and Preston and Brad drove over to Waseca to meet and greet some of the Wild Players and Commentators. They were totally stoked to come back home with autographed pictures and new Wild t-shirts.



Braeden gets an autograph from Tom Reid. He held it the autograph for Braeden to grab it and then, he pulled it away. Then, he said, "You must be a forward because you're slow." It apparently was pretty funny. He was totally messing with him and the ironic part is that when Braeden was baby we went to his restaurant. Then, he told us, "He looks like a hockey player."

Mum's Mum's

I think Clara is going to be our Little Miss Independent. She so wants to feed herself. So, I found these snacks (didn't have them with any of the other kiddos). She loves them and they are big enough for her hands to manage and she can bite off chunks and they instantly dissolve. Love the Baby Mum-Mums.

The California Kids

The boys returned from California at 1:00 am on June 21st. Nine glorious days in the Golden State. Braeden was very sad to leave his cousin Riley and even cried. Preston was glad to be home and couldn't wait to resume neighborhood activities and T-ball. When I figure out how to upload the pics from the camera they took, I'll have them post more about their adventures.

Butterfly release

While the boys were away, our butterflies emerged (we get them every year). It was kind of bummer that they missed out on the big release. But, Laken enjoyed watching them fly away.

Father's Day

The day started off with Pastor John using one of our favorite quotes that we both use all the time. Harmon Killebrew's (MN Twins Hall of Famer for you none sports people) dad used to tell his neighbors when he was out playing baseball in the yard with his kids, "I'm raising kids not a lawn." I have personally tweaked it to include the house, too (I'm raising kids, not a house). After church it was home for brunch and gifts. Then, Brad wanted to go hiking at Leo Rudolph's nature preserve and we found the Bob worked magic on the trails. Each of the girls even took a little catnap along the way. Later the boys called their dear ol dad to wish him Happy Father's Day from CA.

Daddy's girls help him celebrate.













At the beginning of the hike.

Along the trail.

Harry Wenger Bandfest

Owatonna held it's first annual Bandfest and Brad was part of the organizing committee. It was fabulous! I felt nostalgic watching all the high school kids march. I did flags and played the clarinet in high school. The girls did awesome! Laken loved the flag girls and Clara sat so well that the Grandma next to me commented on what a good baby she was. She even took a nap during it all. We look forward to the 2nd Annual one.

Grandpa's retired!

We took Grandpa out to Torey's Restaurant in Owatonna to celebrate his retirement. We are so excited he is a retiree! Then, later we came home and gave him a polo shirt for Father's Day. Laken entertained us by racing around the driveway. She loved the audience.

Baby's first sandbox

I love making sandboxes with oatmeal, because baby's can play with it and it's not a big deal if they put it in their mouth. They actually can eat it! We usually do this inside quite often in the winter, but I thought it would be fun for the girls to play around in one afternoon.

Girls Day Out!

With the boys away in CA. I took the girls to MOA for a Girls Day out! First stop was Ikea for lunch.

They had free banana baby food for Clara.










Laken and I decided we had to try one of these green princess cakes. It was Yummy!

Later Clara and I shopped around while Laken spent an hour in the supervised play area. I totally think more stores need a playland like Ikea's. It was heavenly.













Finally, it was off to Build-a-bear. For Laken to FINALLY use her gift cards from Christmas. Gammy and Grandpa met us there. Unfortunately, by this time I had crabby girls on my hands. The littlest one was missing a nap and just cried for Gammy. Laken had been really off with the brothers gone. She totally was missing them. She felt too shy to build it, so I had to. I think she would have been way more excited with Preston and Braeden helping her out. But, she did love picking out the clothes (Sleeping Beauty costume on a pink bear). Gammy helped her dress it. She named her Heart and even had some extra money to buy a brush and working hair dryer for Heart.

Flag Day!

Brad was able to golf in a Riverland College scholarship tourney on his birthday at the Country Club. I was later able to join him for the dinner and the program portion while we had two neighborhood girls stay with the girls. Later, we came home and Daddy opened his birthday gifts. Of course we did the traditional decorating of the yard with flags, too.