It has been almost a year and a half since my mom died. We are still working on getting her house ready to sell. Not a big incentive to get it finished with the low selling prices of late, so we have been working at a snail's pace. We do see an end in sight, mostly consisting of painting, carpeting and repairing windows upstairs before the final coat on the downstairs hardwood floors and re-installation of the woodwork. Then just a spiffing up of the yard and kitchen and we are good to go. So I guess another year and a half- LOL. Finally Bob went up there this week to paint. When he started sanding a couple of peeling places on the kitchen ceiling to prepare for painting,the entire ceiling paint started coming off in sheets! It was probably humidity damage from the "flood" last summer that we didn't notice until now.Bob was discouraged, to put it mildly...
Bob went up there again today to work. When he came home, he said to me,"Your mom feels sorry for me." When I asked why he said that, he told me he went to get his snack from the fridge, and found a dime under the vegetable drawer! Holy cow! REALLY!
We feel guilty when we think of how much you would've loved the improvements we are making to the house now when it is too late for you to enjoy them. So thanks Ma for the support. Keep it coming!
P.S. You are getting more creative in the places you put the dimes for us to find. I am half expecting to pull one out of my ear some morning when I wake!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
My Own Little All-Star
As always, the pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.
The No.St. Paul Athletic Association "South All-Star" team. Nathan is 2nd from the right. This is the 2nd year he has been voted in by his team.
The excited chatter before the big game.
A small contingent of the Team Nate cheering squad. There were more than 20 people yelling for him, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Nathan tried his hand at pitching, center field, and short stop to help his team.
The field was chalked with a star and the 2011 All-Star logo especially for this game. The bases were replaced with a red/white/and blue set.
Nate is all business. That is the look of pure concentration that greets opposing players.
On Deck.
In the Box.
A solid hit!
Ready. Set. Go.
Safe.
Safely home. I can breathe again. For now.
The No.St. Paul Athletic Association "South All-Star" team. Nathan is 2nd from the right. This is the 2nd year he has been voted in by his team.
The excited chatter before the big game.
A small contingent of the Team Nate cheering squad. There were more than 20 people yelling for him, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Nathan tried his hand at pitching, center field, and short stop to help his team.
The field was chalked with a star and the 2011 All-Star logo especially for this game. The bases were replaced with a red/white/and blue set.
Nate is all business. That is the look of pure concentration that greets opposing players.
On Deck.
In the Box.
A solid hit!
Ready. Set. Go.
Safe.
Safely home. I can breathe again. For now.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Two Weeks
It's been 2 weeks since Darling Daughter came home from Mexico. Time is flying by way too fast for me. We started with a party for family the day after she flew in- hosting a red-white-and blue BBQ at our house. It seemed the best way for everyone to get a chance to reconnect with Emily without wearing her to a frazzle. On the 4th of July we went to a party at my dad's and Twylla's house,having a quieter, more intimate chance to catch up. We also went to Nate's birthday party at Molly's, spending another day outside with family.
We went to dine out a few times with the family, including Danielle and Diane. We had an impromptu spaghetti feast here last night with friends of Emily's- Anna and Caitlin. Emily claimed she gained 2 lbs. in 2 weeks from eating out, but I think it's the lack of exercise. After all, she isn't walking everywhere she needs to go, has only managed one run once even though she bragged on the first day how she will be all over it since she dropped 7000 feet in altitude since flying here, and hasn't gone her usual 7 days a week of Salsa.
She babysat the Murrays all week, going to the zoo with Sophie and Luke, and also took them to the playground. But we got rained out of our plans for Duluth, berry picking, Stillwater and Danielle's cabin with them. She also babysat the Audette's, giving her a chance to build bonds with Nate, Jake and Max, and giving Jeff and Molly a break. She has taken jobs dog-sitting for Danielle and Mark, and window washing for Twylla. She is desperately trying to earn money to bring back to Guanajuato to live on for the first 3 months.
Bob took Emily to a Twin's Game, but we still need to make time to see the little guys play ball. I want to take family pictures, for the first time in 5 years, and we have some shopping to do. We still have places to go, people to see and things to do before we run out of time. Hopefully the next two weeks before we go to the cabin will drag by.
We went to dine out a few times with the family, including Danielle and Diane. We had an impromptu spaghetti feast here last night with friends of Emily's- Anna and Caitlin. Emily claimed she gained 2 lbs. in 2 weeks from eating out, but I think it's the lack of exercise. After all, she isn't walking everywhere she needs to go, has only managed one run once even though she bragged on the first day how she will be all over it since she dropped 7000 feet in altitude since flying here, and hasn't gone her usual 7 days a week of Salsa.
She babysat the Murrays all week, going to the zoo with Sophie and Luke, and also took them to the playground. But we got rained out of our plans for Duluth, berry picking, Stillwater and Danielle's cabin with them. She also babysat the Audette's, giving her a chance to build bonds with Nate, Jake and Max, and giving Jeff and Molly a break. She has taken jobs dog-sitting for Danielle and Mark, and window washing for Twylla. She is desperately trying to earn money to bring back to Guanajuato to live on for the first 3 months.
Bob took Emily to a Twin's Game, but we still need to make time to see the little guys play ball. I want to take family pictures, for the first time in 5 years, and we have some shopping to do. We still have places to go, people to see and things to do before we run out of time. Hopefully the next two weeks before we go to the cabin will drag by.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHAN!
Happy Birthday to my favorite 10-year-old in the whole wide world.
I will tell you the story about the first time I met him, exactly as I have always told it to Nathan, ever since he was a toddler:
"Your Auntie Mel and I were waiting in the hospital room to see you. Finally, your dad came down the hall carrying you in his arms, with you wailing like a siren. I said to your dad, "Hand him to me." You stopped crying and looked me in the eyes. I said,"Hi Nathan, I am your Grandma. And you'll never have to cry again!"
Nathan always smiles when he hears that story. And so do I.
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