Yo Ho Ho and Its of to UNI we go!

Tomorrow is officially our first day of UNIVERSITY! I start the morning off with a Drawing class and finish with a Math class. Jerry has a banking class a management class and Calculus. We went over to Morris again today for more Orientation and for the Student Activities Fair. We got a free supper and signed up to be in several different student organizations. I signed up for the Swimming club, running club, Saddle club and an Art club. Jerry signed up for a chemistry club (where they even make ice cream our of liquid nitrogen) and a small town club as part of Green Corps. I will have to decide between the running and swimming club cause it may be too much to keep up with both. There is a huge Rec Center on campus that has an indoor running track, swimming pools, climbing walls and everything else you need for gym. So we are so anxious to try it out. They even have water slides and Toddler events going on for kids on Saturdays! Ahh its going to be a great semester at the Uof M in Morris :)

Getting Ready for a Garage Sale....

So we are about to dive into something we have never done before.......a garage sale. Jerry and I spent the afternoon going through all our junk and hauling what we thought is 'saleable' to the front deck. We are either going to take it to the community center in town where they fill up the skating rink with everyone else stuff or we are just going to do it our here.
Its funny, I actually like scrounging for things to sell. I have so many old dusty shoes that i am very eager to part with! Its the baby clothes that are going to be the most work to price.
Tonight, Jerry got a call from one of his Buddies, Todd Ricthmeier. He was on his way back to the cities but broke down 15 mins from our house. So he went in to help him and then brought him back for Supper. It turns out that the transmission on his car is shot and it is now stuck here at our house. Jerry is driving him back to the cities as I write and will they will meet his wife half way.

Tomorrow is the first day the kids go to daycare. Bowden thinks he is such a big boy to go to Preschool! At this point, Benjamin is just happy where ever he is!:) I am a little sad but i know they will enjoy it. They are going to a family Daycare (or Chassy's house) is just up the road from our house.
So with classes starting this week and our garage sale we are going to be flat out. So I'm bracing my self for adventure! Night

Fall (I din't just say "Fall" did I?) = Baking to warm up the house

Feels like fall is on its at way. I felt like baking today so I spent the morning cleaning the kitchen and washed the floor..seems nuts but i hate cooking in a dirty kitchen. Jerry decided to make Monster Cookies and I made two huge loaves of fresh white buttermilk bread. For supper I made Shrimp Fettichini Alfredo with fresh Basil and Fresh Parsley from the Garden. It was so tasty....and somewhat healthier than the regular Alfredo's...........only because i had to use 1% milk instead of whipping cream in which my fridge was sadly missing.
Benjamin was a little grouchy today. His teeth are hurting him and he is frustrated that he can't keep up with his big Brother. Jerry Parents came down to our place tonight and will stay for tomorrow and then go home. We plan on going to the fair n town in the morning and check out all the animals and maybe hit a couple of rides. It cost $4 per person to get into our fair plus a $2 parking fee. It drives Jerry mad that it cost so much...to the point where he doesn't even want to go! As the saying goes "The best things and the best times are free."
Jerry's Parents brought down all kinds of goodies tonight. Lots of candy and stuff from Sweden. (Joni went on a trip over there a few weeks ago) and of course some more clothes and a couple of Bomber hats (Artic cat ones of course) for the boys.
Yesterday we went over to the Uof M in Morris for Orientation. We bought all our books our parking permits and checked out where all our classes are going to be. We love the campus and can't wait to start going there. Classes start next Wednesday. Wooh oo!
All for tonight.

House Renovations

Just for fun...i added this pic of what the house used to look like back before we started any remodelling.

After.....

New lights in the livingroom

The front is sided and waiting for paint. (Im going green)

No garage and before siding is on......

after siding...........

This is the west side of the house (where the garage used to be)

The back of the house. before siding and a new window. (i couldn't find a pic of what it is like now)

Summertime

Its FAIR time!

The Warran County Fair in Northern Minnesota

On a train ride with Grandma

At the park and the BEACH!

Maggie Romeo with Bowden..Jerry and Tim Veldkamp on the merry-go-round and Dana Beckler spinning them!

Maggie and Tim

Megan and Dana

Jerry and I

This is a crayfish/yabby (or as Bowden calls them.."Crabbie") down by the lake near our house.

Walks down to the lake

WATER SLIDE!!!!

helping Daddy!

Playing in the Sandbox

A trip up north, a fair and working on the house....

Its raining today so a good excuse to update.
On the 24th of June, we went to Brett (Engel)and Annamaries (Fore) wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and very entertaining. The Food was amazing. After that we drove down to Kent and Jacinda's to spent the rest of the weekend there. We went shopping at the mall and enjoyed relaxing at their house. Jacinda made the best homemade icecream with fresh raspberry sauce on Sunday. She would get rich selling that stuff! yummy!
The following weekend we had Tim Veldkamp stay with us and his Girlfriend, Maggie Romeo. Megan and Dana Bekler came down for the day On Sun too. There was Art in the Park with live music and lots of neat artsy things to look at. After that we went to a batting cage and had a few attempts at hitting a 80mph base ball. Then we ordered pizza and hit the beach for the rest of the evening. The water still hasn't warmed up much here ..I wonder if it ever will.
Last weekend we went up to Jerry's Mom and Dad's. The boys love going to Grandma and Grandpa's! on Sat we went to the Warron County Fair and spent the day eating a pile of fried stuff on sticks and dodging cow piles in the barns! The rides were the best part. (especially because I get to go on them for free!) Bowden spent tons of time on the Jumping castle and then the Choo Choo train was his next favorite. Benjamin was too little so he enjoyed watching them. On Monday, Grandma came down to spend the night and all of Tues to watch the kids. I was able to spend then entire day up on Scaffolding to help jerry put siding up on the house. We have nearly completed the siding now and are almost ready to paint!
Now we are counting down the days till we start school. We are off to the UofM in Morris Minnesota. Both of us are going full time but Jerry may still be able to get Tues and Thurs off to work. We will be staying here at our place and just driving the 50mins there and back each day. The boys will be going to day care right here in Garfield so that will be handy. Bowden will be jumping right into a preschool program at his daycare so im really excited about that.
Both the boys are doing really good. Benjamin is just about crawling....he does the army crawl or rolls to get where he want to go now. He is also pulling himself up on the side of his crib now and thinks he is a champ! he says Mamma and Dadda all the time and bub bub for his bottle. He knows the sign for more and all done and when he is hungry he smacks his fist to his mouth! He is quite the little charactor. He will be giong to day care with a little boy named cruize..he is just turning a year now so they will have lots in common!
So far we have no plans for this weekend. But we do want to go pick strawberries at the local berry patch.
later ...