Chicago

I've started my countdown, only 3 more weeks from yesterday, until Jessie comes home!!!! I'm so ready to see her. I wanted to post a few pictures from our trip to Chicago. Such a neat city, and after my accident and spending the last day and half in our room... well, I told Robert we have to go back, because there was so much I didn't get to do.


Chicago skyline

Waiting on the bus, after we got off the train, on route to our hotel.

Everyone's taking pictures of our hotel - we were on the 25th floor of the Affinia.

The oldest Ferris Wheel in the U.S. - It's huge!

Absolutely THE BEST PIZZA I have ever eaten - Giordano's - a MUST if you're ever in Chicago!

The Field Museum where I hurt my knee in the FIRST exihibit! That was the end of my fun (and for the most part Robert's too)

The Doobie Brothers sang the National Anthem at the opening of the game - Chicago White Sox vs NY Yankees.

Robert took this pic for Jeffrey - it's Derek Jeter at bat.

Cool Summer

Literally! We have been having such cool temps this summer that I forget it's summer. It's been more like fall here. Hope that doesn't mean we'll be getting our summer weather come fall.

The week prior to the 4th of July, Robert was off and every day we got up and ventured out finding places we had not been yet, but were close enough to do in a day. Robert found several different resale shops and he's always a happy man if he can find records and/or radios. He found a listing of some places around doing 3-day antique sales and we decided to check out Buffalo, MN. They had LOTS of shops open, in fact, we never made it to all of them, so decided we would have to make another trip again. Buffalo is a really pretty, quaint little town and it also has a big lake that is gorgeous. They had painted buffalo statues sporadically around town - I had to take a picture of this one because it was so unique. I guess because of the lake, it is a 'buffalo fish'?

When we moved to Minnesota about 5 1/2 years ago (YES, it has been that long), my Aunt Zoma had given me this cactus to bring along. It has survived not only the cold Minnesota winters, but also survived alot of negligence on my part. I'm always afraid that overwatering it will kill it, so I'm sure I go to the extreme the other direction. I'd told Zoma that I still had it, but that is was tall and skinny, unlike her's that are short, but big in circumference. She said she'd like to see it, so I really took this picture for her. I've recently repoted it and tried setting it outside this summer. Until now, it has been a houseplant, just hope it survives the summer outside and I'll bring it back in.

Robert and I love to work in the yard and keep our yard looking nice (as do all our neighbors) and so I just thought I'd post a few pics of some of our flowers we have around the house.

I have a big black witches pot in our driveway between the garages and I love to plant pansies in it - they always look so pretty.

After we moved in the guy that did our landscaping put three hydrangeas along the front of the house. We have replaced them every summer, because they don't seem to do very well there (they are on the north side of the house). Last year when we digging them up and putting new ones in AGAIN, Robert said we weren't doing it again. This is a picture of one of the three - the other two are green, but have no blooms on them. This one however, looks half-way decent, but still isn't very big.

This is a white hydrangea that we planted ourselves last year in the back of our house. Robert has always said he thought the white ones would do better and maybe he's right, because this is the first year we've had this one and the blooms are huge - the one is about as big as a basketball.

In the front back in the corner between the house and garage, we have a Dwarf Korean Lilac bush/tree. I love to open the window that is stands in front of in the spring when it's all bloomed out, because it smells so good. Every year we've had birds build their nest in that tree - not sure if they like it because of it's location or what, but this year we had a Robin build her nest there. Once she'd laid her eggs, we couldn't even go out front without her and the daddy getting nervous. IN fact, Robert was carrying water from the back to the front to water stuff, because the tree is right beside the faucet in the front and he didn't want to scare her away from her nest. Once they hatched we could watch them from the window by the tree and it was neat to see her feeding them and their little heads poking out, etc. We were outside when we noticed one of the babies pirched on the retaining wall along the side of the house and another one in the side yard. Robert also found one inside the garage and the other 'under' the next door neighbors truck! Robert got a towel and brought the one out of the garage and also retrieved the one under the neighbors truck. He tried to put them back in their nest, but only one stayed. I guess mom was trying to teach them to fly, but she and the dad we're flying around crazy the whole time we were outside. I wish she could have understood that we weren't trying to hurt them and we're only trying to help her gather her children back together.

This is either the mom or dad (you tell me?), but she/he was letting me know I was getting close enough to their baby! I could totally understand :o)

Next weekend is our trip to Chicago to meet the girls for Emily's birthday. We are both getting excited and I'm hoping the weather in Chicago is as nice as it has been here in Minnesota.

Summertime

I couldn't believe how quickly summer arrived and now, how quickly our trip to Oklahoma seems to have flown by. Summer is very bittersweet anymore, in the fact that I know it means Jessie will be leaving and yet there are always things to look forward to during this time as well. Jessie and I tried to squeeze in as much as we could on our trip down to Oklahoma and I've posted just a 'few' of the pictures I took. I spared you any of the ones with me in them, only because it seems once I drove past the Minnesota border, the heat hit me and I stayed hot the entire time. I can say that although we miss Oklahoma, we definately do not miss the heat! It was in the mid to high 90's the entire time we were there, while in contrast the temps in Minnesota never got higher than the low 80's!



Jessie and I spent our first night in Kansas City and even though we really didn't do anything too exciting, we enjoyed our 'me' time together. We were excited to get to stop at my nephew, Daniel's, on our way down and spend the night with them. Daniel and Jenni have a beautiful home and it was so good to get to spend time with Granton and see how well he is doing, as well as meet my new great-niece, Kaylynn. She is such a beautiful little girl.



Granton giving his sweet mommy a kiss.

Granton doing his 'strong man'.

Granton and Daniel outside (above) and in Daniel's classroom (below).

Granton doing his 'pirate' face - he's quite the little ham!

This is one of my new great-niece's, Kaylynn Sue. She's such a sweet little girl and quite content to let Granton have the spotlight - at least for now.

After we left Daniel and Jenni's, we stayed with one of my very best friends, Linda, in Norman, OK the next night. Linda's daughter, Elizabeth, is two years older than Jessie.

Whew! Then we finally made it to Grandma & Pa Vena's, where we/I stayed the rest of our time. This is my pretty Jessie with her pretty Grandma.

This was Jessie the morning she left to go to her dad's. I'll miss you Jessie D.!

My sister, Debra and my nephew, Jeffrey. We spent the day at Lawton getting my Jeffrey fix!

Jeffrey, Debra and Micah (another nephew).

GNO! Another pic of my pretty sister, Deb and our little sis' Sherry.

The twins had a birthday while I was down, so I got to celebrate with them. This is my niece, Jamie and my nephew, Jered, outside Jered's home. I can't believe the twins are 24!

Jordan, Micah & Jeffrey on Father's Day.

Was finally time for me to start back home. One more pic of momma & pa taking a break from mowing the yard.

I stopped at my brothers and spent the night on my way back home. This is my niece, Darbie, and my great niece, Addison, eating pickles on a hot day in Kansas!

Audrey & Rachel - sweet cousins!

Rachel is ready to go swimming.

Audrey with her grandpa.

I finally made it home and was ready to see Robert and Snickers. I had a good time with family and friends that I miss so much. I cherish the time that we have together and can't wait until the next time.

Recitals

End of school, means recitals.

Tuesday, May 26 was Jessie's choir recital at the high school. The theme was 'An American Quilt' and I always forget that my camera is able to record stuff, but remembered halfway through their performance. They sang several songs and I just randomly started recording on this one. Had I known how cute their last song, 'ol Dan Tucker, would be, I'd have recorded it as well. They really did a good job. Can you find Jessie?

Today, Sunday-May 31, was Jessie's piano recital. I'd already decided on the way that I'd just record it, so that I could share with anyone in Oklahoma who would like to see it, that can't possibly make it up here. ALTHOUGH - Everyone would certainly be welcome to come enjoy a live performance, for future reference!

Finally, I'll share a picture of Jessie after straightening her hair. She loved it, however, she has SO MUCH hair that this was a very lllllloooonnnnnggggg process, so probably won't be doing it again for quite awhile. She does look cute, but I really miss the curls.

Lots of Company

This month (May) has flown by it seems. We've had company come on two different weekends. We have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time with family & friends, but as usual, our time is over and they have all headed back home. Here are a few pics from our two fun-filled weekends.

Jane, Mattie & Ciera came up Mothers Day Weekend. We went to downtown Minneapolis on Mothers Day to Minnehaha Falls & the Stone Arch Bridge over the Mississippi River. We also visited the MOA (Mall of America) eating lunch at Bubba Gump's and then doing the 'entire' mall! It was just us girls at the mall, so we finished our day with a much needed pedicure.

Emily & Marion came to visit over Memorial Day weekend. Since it was Marion's first visit to Minneapolis, we 'had' to do the MOA again of course. We also went downtown to the Mississippi again, plus took in a Twins Game - which was great. They won! That always makes it alot more fun. We also went to the Sculpture Garden downtown.

Schools almost over, so now that our company is over for awhile, I need to get focused on planning a trip to take Jessie to Oklahoma for the summer. I never look forward to her leaving, but am looking forward to spending time with family and friends while there.