The best source for information on Meier Family news! This is your 24 hour news network for our crew. Stop by any time to see updated photo's of the kids, read about our latest happenings, talk about your favorite sport or to post a message. We'd love to hear from you and stay in touch.
"If you spend the majority of your days in the company of babies, toddlers, tweens or teens, then your happiness will be directly proportional to your ability to laugh often and enjoy the chaos. The child-rearing years, in particular, are meant to be hectic, playful, and fun!" -Rachel Campos-Duffy
We hosted our 2nd annual driveway movie. This year we had a twist it was sponsored. Yes, it was sponsored by Kleenex Hand Towels via Houseparty.com. This is the 3rd Houseparty.com event we have hosted. Check them out, if you haven't, and let them know I sent you. So, everyone in attendance received free boxes of Kleenex Hand Towels. These are dry and toss hand towels. Very cool :) We watched the 1st Toy Story and enjoyed refreshments. The driveway furniture was in the mix, too :-D
At 7 months Clara Lillian weighs 16 lbs 7 ounces. She started crawling like crazy and pulling her self up on things a couple of weeks ago. Last night she started walking a bit along furniture and crawled up the basement flight of stairs. It was crazy because it was her 1st attempt at doing it and she made it all the way up. She says Dada dada dada like crazy. And, says mama, mama when she is tired or wants me to come and get her. We had to put up our stair gate and lower her crib this month. We love our "Belle" to pieces :-D
What an emotionally draining week. Thanks for all your prayers, messages, cards, plants and flowers. My Grandpa lived a very full life. Sometimes I think I've taken for granted how truly remarkable it is to have been blessed with Grandparents through my adult life. I was even able to know and have memories of three of my Great-Grandparents and my children have been blessed by the same.
I am so thankful that God has blessed us with a very close extended family. I love each of my aunts, uncles and cousins very much. I couldn't imagine going through this ordeal in any other way. I have so, so many memories of playing downstairs at Grandpa and Grandma Feine's house while they adults were upstairs. My Grandpa was a pack rat and there were many treasures to explore in that basement. Not to mention my Grandpa was an over the road truck driver and later a school bus driver. He would allow us to play in his sleeper truck cab and school bus. How fun is that! I will forever remember saying goodbye to Grandpa before the service embraced with 3 of my cousins.
Here are the memories I shared with my Grandma:
I love that Grandpa always got choked up at our special events (he did at every and anything us kids did). It wasn't until I was a parent that I understood why--It's because each of us is made up of a piece of him. We all represent the family Grandpa and you created. I have a great memory of Ross and I getting to ride in Grandpa's truck and hiding back in the sleeper. What a thrill! Getting to ride on Grandpa's school bus route and having all the kids tell me, "You'll be in my class." (I didn't have the heart to explain that we were just riding the bus with our Grandpa for fun) is an extra special memory, too. Having Grandpa in our lives has been a blessing and a privilege.
When I was really little we lived for a short time on the original family farm. At the visitation so many of my mom's cousins and my Grandpa's siblings could pick me out from those days. How fun to hear those stories. They all loved the fact that there is a little Clara in the family, too. We also learned that Braeden plays hockey with a boy whose Grandpa use to drive Semi with my Grandpa. Small world.
It was a new experience going through everything with the kids. Braeden never says much, but you can always tell when things weigh heavy on his heart. I think Brad and I did a pretty good job of explaining what they would see and what the emotions of the two days would be like. Preston had questions about why Grandpa's body stays behind and Laken asked Brad questions about the burial. Preston was very sensitive to the fact that we will need to visit Grandma Feine more often now.
Grandpa's funeral service was beautiful. I had the honor of being a pallbearer, along with 5 of my cousins (something I've never done) and helped carry Grandpa to his final resting place. Again, my cousins and I were all embraced during this moment. I am so thankful for living all my life near my extended family. I can't imagine growing up any other way. Sharing holidays, baptisms, confirmations, graduations, showers and weddings. I have so many wonderful memories with every single one of them. I wouldn't have it any other way and truly feel blessed because of it. When we got home I received a gift from heaven from Grandpa. The Serenity Prayer was read at his funeral and in a mailing we received from Food from the Poor (We are on there mailing list because when Sheila Meixner's Dad died we donated to them) was the Serenity Prayer engraved on a cross key chain.
Died: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, in St. Charles, Minn.
HOFF FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICE, ST. CHARLES 507-932-4100 ST. CHARLES, MINN. - Victor C. Feine, 87, of St. Charles, Minn. died on Thursday, June 18, at his home. Victor was born on June 19, 1923, in Hart Township of Fillmore County, Minn. to August and Clara (Senrick) Feine. He was raised at Hart and worked with his father on the family farm there for several years. On June 21, 1944, he married Mildred Luedtke in Wilson, Minn. He moved to the Spring Valley, Minn. area in 1950, where he worked for Ruan Trucking for 20 years. Victor then worked as an over the road truck driver until 1983. He drove school bus for the Spring Valley and Leroy-Ostrander School districts until his retirement in 1998. Victor also drove for SEMCAC for two years. Victor and his wife, Mildred moved to St. Charles in 2003. He was the Mayor of Ostrander and also served on the church council there. He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in St. Charles, the Teamsters Union for 20 years, was an AA member for 26 years, and was currently serving on the Board of the Senior Citizens Center in St. Charles. Victor enjoyed Tinkering, Lawn Mowing, and was an avid Minnesota Twins and Vikings fan. Victor is survived by his wife Mildred; seven children: Jerry (Sue) Feine of Rochester, Minn., Ronald (Marilynn) Feine of Brea, Cal., Nancy (LaVern "Lefty") Allhiser of Rochester, Peggy (Leonard) Frederick of Waseca, Minn., Cheryl (David) Hinckley of St. Charles, Sandra (Larry) Sween of Pardeeville, Wis., and Steven (Rochelle) Feine of Amelia, Ohio; 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; one brother: Vernon Feine of Rushford; and three sisters: Clarine Erdmann and Villa Holz of Winona, and Vernice Popa of Westminster, Cal. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother Louis. The funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 23, at Faith Lutheran Church in St. Charles with the Rev. Steve McGinley officiating. Burial will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Wilson, Minn. Friends may call at the church from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday and also one hour prior to the service on Monday. Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service in St. Charles is assisting the family with arrangements. Please leave a memory of Victor and sign his online guest book at www.hofffuneral.com
My Grandpa Feine went to heaven yesterday. He and my Grandma had tickets to the Thrivent Lutheran Day at the Twins game yesterday. He wasn't feeling the best and had a nebulizer treatment, but convinced my Grandma to go and my Mom took his place. They took a chartered bus up there. My Dad went to check on my Grandpa later that evening after he got done mowing lawn. He could hear the TV on and hollered for my Grandpa several times. When my Grandpa didn't respond back, he just knew something was wrong. He found my Grandpa lying in bed with his sweater and glasses on and the TV on. My Dad had to call the ambulance, funeral home and all my mom's siblings. They were able to leave my Grandpa until my Grandma and Mom returned home at 1:00 am or so. I will post funeral details later. Please keep my family in your prayers...my Mom and Grandma are going through a tremendous amount of guilt along with their grieving. The only sympathetic words I can think of is that God and Grandpa knew that this was his time and they didn't want my Grandma to be there when he passed. My aunt thinks that because my Grandpa wanted to see the new Twins stadium so badly, he knew the only way he could was through my Grandma.
My Grandpa's Visitation will be held Sunday, August 22 at Faith Lutheran Church in St. Charles from 3-5 pm.
The Funeral will be Monday August 23 at Faith Lutheran Church in St. Charles beginning at 11 am.
Riley and Calia were visiting MN and stayed with Nama and Grandpa for a week. We got to do many fun activities with our cousins including: A St. Paul Saints game.
Swimming at the Owatonna Country Club Pool.
Cousins Camp, were there was one night free of parents. There was lots of crafting and practicing for the talent show. Cousins camp has been a yearly event since 2003...it started the weekend after Pudge was born. When Nama and Grandpa took Braeden and Riley for the 1st Cousins Campout.
Bowling at South Park Lanes in Owatonna. The boys bowled and the girls socialized. Afterward Nama and Grandpa treated us to Pizza Ranch.
At 7 months Clara Lillian weighs 16 lbs 7 ounces. She started crawling like crazy and pulling her self up on things a couple of weeks ago. Last night she started walking a bit along furniture and crawled up the basement flight of stairs. It was crazy because it was her 1st attempt at doing it and she made it all the way up. She says Dada dada dada like crazy. And, says mama, mama when she is tired or wants me to come and get her. We had to put up our stair gate and lower her crib this month. We love our "Belle" to pieces :-D;)
My Grandpa Feine went to heaven yesterday. He and my Grandma had tickets to the Thrivent Lutheran Day at the Twins game yesterday. He wasn't feeling the best and had a nebulizer treatment, but convinced my Grandma to go and my Mom took his place. They took a chartered bus up there. My Dad went to check on my Grandpa later that evening after he got done mowing lawn. He could hear the TV on and hollered for my Grandpa several times. When my Grandpa didn't respond back, he just knew something was wrong. He found my Grandpa lying in bed with his sweater and glasses on and the TV on. My Dad had to call the ambulance, funeral home and all my mom's siblings. They were able to leave my Grandpa until my Grandma and Mom returned home at 1:00 am or so. I will post funeral details later. Please keep my family in your prayers...my Mom and Grandma are going through a tremendous amount of guilt along with their grieving. The only sympathetic words I can think of is that God and Grandpa knew that this was his time and they didn't want my Grandma to be there when he passed. My aunt thinks that because my Grandpa wanted to see the new Twins stadium so badly, he knew the only way he could was through my Grandma.
