Uninvited Birthday Party Guest

Jackson's birthday party at Big Moon on Saturday had an uninvited guest. This big guy made a cameo appearance.

Jackson loves Star Wars, so that was the theme for the day. He was so cute opening his gifts, getting so excited and exclaiming "Oh My Gosh" over almost every gift. Charli was his eager assistant during gift opening.

Even a 4 year old loves cash!

and a hug for Great Grandma who gave him the money. Notice he has the cash in hand!

Four candles are a lot to try to blow out all at once.

Milli was enjoying the day too.

Wynni snuggled into the sling, she didn't care much about the party.

Summer's almost over and we didn't have any fun!

A famous quote from LeAnna a few year's ago, I think on the 4th of July. So, here we are speeding towards the 4th and 6 months from Christmas and...is summer almost over?

I hope not.

Sweet cutie pie Anders.

Anders and Lora came to Rice Lake this week for an overnight visit. Anders is changing so fast, just since I was there a week ago, he has learned so much. One really nice addition to his antics is this snort face. Or, perhaps he's part of the swine flu fundemic!

Starting the scrunch.

Full Snort!

This morning the rabbit "Jack" who lives in my backyard really had the cats upset. He had hopped up pretty close to the house. The cats were racing from the bedroom window to the deck door and back again.

Good thing they are here to protect me from bunnies!

Mrs. Oriole stopped by this morning too, she needed a little cherry cocktail I guess.

She didn't stay long, but it reminded me that 2 of the feeders needed cleaned and refilled, so tomorrow her cocktail will be fresher.

Glenn has been busy at his Lake Cottage, adding some nice steps to the water. Dad and Ev should easily be able to maneuver down to the dock now for pontoon boat rides.

I keep thinking I'm going to get a photo of the loons on that lake, not sure why I keep trying.

I'm Boycotting

UNFAIR to daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles. We always celebrate Mothers and Fathers, how about the rest of us...guess I'll send an email to Hallmark and see if we can't get that straightened out!

Thought I'd share a few photos of my great nieces and nephews from this afternoon at Big Moon Lake.

Wynni's first Father's Day

Milli is such a cutie pie, can you squat like that?

Charli is quite the ham sometimes.

Jackson was so sweet holding Wynni.

I feel badly that I missed getting a photo of Alyxis. It was very nice that Andy called Glenn (from Iraq) to wish him Happy Father's Day and then Alyxis got to talk to her Dad on Father's Day. It was a nice day and I am thankful to be invited to join the family so often.


This goldfinch Daddy & Mommy visited the geraniums in the back yard this morning

Harvest!

I pulled about 7 nice sized radishes out of the garden on Thursday evening. Yum!

I wasn't thinking when I planted the radishes, too close together to really even thin the patch, Dad even called it "a mess". I'll be smarter when I replant. These 7 were tasty tho!

Another Wally Johansen project completed

Before

Dad and I finished the porch railing project on my house, what a good improvement. Dad does all the planning and tricky stuff. I do the purchasing of supplies and the non technical work. It works pretty good, and now I have a much nicer side entrance to the house. All that is left to do is power wash and seal it, that I can handle.

After

I love baseball

Most of you know that I love baseball. I had season tickets to the Colorado Rockies for about 10 years and loved it. Living in Rice Lake, it is hard to see the major league games in person, but Eau Claire has a great substitute. The Eau Claire Express is part of the Northern League. The players are NCAA from big universities and play in the Northern league in their college off season. Many have gone on to play in the majors. Ryan Spilborghs who currently plays for the Colorado Rockies played in this league.

On Monday evening, I met Kris, Lora and Anders for the Express game against the LaCrosse Loggers. It was a nice night and fun game, although Eau Claire lost the game. Anders sat well for 6 innings of the game, and even then was doing fine, but had very tired eyes.

Sunny Sunday

Today, Sunday, was the nicest day of summer so far. We went to Glenn & Kathy's Lake Cottage on Big Moon for a Not Father's Day gathering. Michelle & Alyxis, Dana, Erin, Jackson & Jake, Dad and Ev, Gus and Lois, Glenn & Kathy and me...fun.

Michelle

I love these wonderful women my nephews married.

Erin

Jake had fun with his Grandma Kathy on the pontoon ride.

Jake made the rounds, Grandpa Glenn and he had some serious conversation.

Dad and Ev got out for a pontoon boat ride.

Kathy made a birthday cake for Ev - 1 day early.

Alyxis caught a fish...I'm not sure if she really liked it tho.

Jake snuggled up with Great Grandpa.

Jackson loves riding on the pontoon, and then later he beat me at cribbage (Go Fish).

A great sunset on the way back to Rice Lake.

The business of being an Aunt

Anders has such a happy disposition.

I had a good visit with my little buddy Anders on Thursday.

On the way home from Durand on Friday, I stopped at the Vanasse ranch for a visit with Charli, Milli and new baby Wynni.

Charli is the big sister to the 2 little girls now, big job!

It is quite confusing to Charli that I am Aunt to her cousins. Of course at 3, this concept is probably pretty foggy anyway.

Milli has new glasses. It's quite a challenge to eat pizza and not grease up those lenses!

New baby Wynni is in the sleep, eat, poop mode. She's a beauty and I think she takes after me with the size of her feet!

Laundromat Road

Who knows, some stuff just tickles me. Dad & Ev and I were driving back from Shell Lake and took some country roads instead of Hwy 53. We ran across this intersection and the road name gave me a chuckle.

I thought we should have gone to find Sandy's Reel Em In to have a cold beverage, but we didn't. Next time...

A little Gus

A busy little week around here. Had a trip to Shell Lake yesterday to have coffee with the Rydberg's, cousins on my Mom's side. It was a fun chat with the yummiest blue berry pie!

Today, Dad and Ev & I went to Luck. We picked up Kentucky Grilled Chicken and brought for lunch at Gus and Lois's. Gus is doing much better! Thought you might enjoy this photo of him as a wee little one with Mom & Dad.

Tomorrow I'm headed to Durand for a visit with Anders, I'll babysit in the afternoon. On Friday the plan is to stop at Kaija's to see the new baby Wynni!!

All You Can Eat

I harvested 3 nice radishes from the garden yesterday, so 1 each for dinner.

Getting back into a normal routine here

Big news today is that Gus is coming home from the hospital. That will help his family get back into their normal routines and I am sure he'll feel better being at home.
I'm getting back into my Wisconsin routine as well. I am enjoying seeing the garden grow and will report later on my potatoe project, which right now, looks to be quite successful.

Home in Rice Lake

I came back from Colorado early as my oldest brother, Ralph - Gus to most folks, was taken to the hospital on Tuesday morning with a serious pulmonary embolism. The blood clot is a large one and from what the doctors have said, we are quite lucky that it was not a fatal situation.

Gus is in ICU @ Regions Hospital in St. Paul. The doctors have inserted a catheter into the lung to facilitate using a clot buster medication. I stopped to see him yesterday afternoon.
I got home here to Rice Lake in the evening. It was good to get home.

I enjoyed my Colorado visit and will add a few more blog items once I get caught up around here.

Red Rocks

On my way down the hill on Tuesday morning, after a very nice lunch with Dave & Suzi, I thought the rocks were really pretty.

Number Twenty!

I am a Great Aunt for the twentieth time today! I've been waiting for this news and am happy to say that baby and Mom are doing fine.

Mike and Kaija Vanasse are proud parents of a baby girl born 12:02 a.m. on June 1, 2009.
She was 8 lbs 6 oz & 21 inches.

Her name is Wynlynn Ann Vanasse and they plan to call her "Wynni"