To The Man I Love

Ten years ago today we were the Bride and Groom.
Today we are the Husband and Wife.

It's true that God brought you to me at just the perfect time. He made me for you and you for me. I truly cannot imagine being nearly as blessed without you in my life.
So blessed, that when I try to list all of the many ways you fulfill your role as husband, I am overwhelmed by the limitless ways you faithfully do that daily.

Yes, you were my knight, my prince charming.
You came into my life when I relied most on God showing me exactly who was my perfect mate.
You were ready and so was I.

To be together was so easy and still is.
To connect, communicate and love so well hardly was believable.

After our whirlwind romance, we settled in and built a home and a family.

If the walls of this home, our home, could talk they would be able to share the joys and happiness that have filled countless days in our marriage together.

They could retell of sorrow and pain so immeasurable at times, that we could not help but be drawn closer to one another, God and our faith.

Our marriage has become unshakable.

In ten years we have ridden some amazing highs and carried each other through valleys so low our love-struck eyes could never have foreseen.

You have held my hand and walked beside me despite my many flaws.

You have always remained attentive to me and my needs and desires, most often putting all else before yourself.

With kindness and compassion, love and loyalty, patience and joy you have nurtured our love and our marriage over these years.

To daily walk beside a man filled with so much grace, strength and courage, I am humbled and honored. You still are my knight, my prince charming.

I look forward to the many years ahead together and the many ways that we will continue to grow and build upon our marriage that has been rooted over these first ten years.

I cannot imagine how many more ways God will see to it that we are blessed in our sacrament of marriage.

Thank you for the man you are, the husband and father you've become and the treasure you are to me.

I love you dearly, Reed. Happy Tenth Anniversary!

Back To School

We made it through our first day back to school! Hooray! Well, not that there was any doubt. It was more of a question HOW exactly it would all work out. It's tough to say what the days and weeks ahead hold, but we take it one school day at a time. And today was good.

I'll also have to interject that we didn't start with a full-on, all subjects kind of day either. Some courses we'll add next week with our first full week of school. Others, due to their shorter length will be added in October.

If nothing else, it will keep my students guessing. Ha! More like, it will keep us all on task and interested in our classes as we move through the year.

Remember my mention of Homeschool Tracker? Seriously, it's my new friend and we are working well together. I couldn't be happier more nerdy.


1st Grader

3rd Grader

Classroom Helper

How was your first day of school?

Summer's Last Hurrah

When the calendar turns to September, summer comes to a close. At least around here it does. Not long ago when my days were not marked by a school year, it really just meant another turning of the page.

With two school age children in our household, it's a new season. Bringing on September means gearing up for hitting the books. In ways it brings uneasiness of the daunting task of covering all that we need to for another school year, but on the other hand brings relief in the rhythm and routine of our days.

As the page turns, the final sands of the summer hourglass come to pass. It's in these final days that we bask in their glory and fill them to overflowing.

On Friday I took the kids to visit friends and their new baby boy. We also hit a local hot spot only open in the summer. I hadn't had the stomach or gumption to drive over there all summer, but now that I had both it was a top priority! Hot dog, burgers and fries fresh off the grill enjoyed outdoors at the counter with the swivel stools. We enjoyed it so much that I neglected the camera and reveled in the moment.

With shakes (Cherry-marshmallow for the boy and Banana for the girl) and Smores Cyclone (aka Blizzard knock-off) for mommy in hand, we headed to the park. Serenity and beauty awaited us as we had the place to ourselves. I couldn't help but snap a few photos of the fun. The only thing missing was daddy who was slaving away at work.









Sunday brought a crisp autumn-like day and we took advantage of the chance to meet up with my parents and grandma. We headed down the road and drove an hour to capture the fleeting beautiful blooms at the gardens, one of my favorite places. We wandered the grounds and with camera in hand I snapped away.

















Though there was an intermittent rain shower or two, we still had several hours of quality family time and that was what mattered most. We finished up at the playground and feasted on perhaps our last picnic of the season.

Today whizzed by as the whole summer has, but we made time to squeeze in all that we could. Reed took the kids fishing this morning since he had promised he would one more time this weekend. A bit nippy, but they still caught a couple and as always, enjoyed their time with daddy.

We hit the bike trail this afternoon for a family ride. Gianna tried out my BIL's bike trailer for the first time and enjoyed it most of the ride. It was ideal weather to enjoy the sunshine, the breeze and the scenery just the five of us.





Tomorrow will bring a new season, a new school season. As tired as I am right now, I'm not sure this teacher is ready to begin homeschooling year #4. By the morning (and after some coffee) I think I'll feel differently.

Good luck to all of you tomorrow as you begin your new year, whether at home or sending your children out the door. Either way, I'm sure each of us will have stories to tell and pictures to post.

Sew Easy

Lily recently decided that she wanted to try her hand at a little sewing. I had her try a couple of buttons first just to give the needle and thread a whirl. We then ventured to the local library and found a book or two for her to peruse. We stumbled upon a simple and easy one for beginners that included a few patterns as well. It's all hand sewing, but right up her alley and ideal for her age level and just starting out.



She started with a basic pillow using some fabric and filler I had leftover at home. She'd been making her list on which future projects she wanted to advance to as well. We finally went to JoAnn's the other day to purchase the needed fabric for a hat for herself and a version for Gianna. Lily had already decided that a lightweight fleece that the pattern required probably wasn't enough for our Minnesota winter. Instead she thought it would be suitable and just right for our crisp fall weather and I agreed.

She worked hard the other day trying to perfectly space her stitches and she's been working hard on threading her needle and knots too.



Lily was quite pleased with the final product and I think it turned out quite well for her first official sewing endeavor. Note that the stitching does show on the top. If you are like my husband who quietly asked me privately later whether the hat was suppose to be that way or not...the answer is yes. The book never indicated for the student to turn it inside out so as not to show the stitching. Struck me as odd later on, but I think it's cute either way. I may try to gently guide her to maybe try it the other way for future hats.



Isn't it cute? I'm so proud of her for her diligence and patience in her first project.

I've already renewed the library book once, but may have to again. Plus, she doesn't know it yet, but I did already buy the book from Amazon for her birthday too.

We'll see what future products she can whip up and how long it holds her interest. I think it's a good skill to learn and master to some degree and I'd love to see her keep on creating.

Who knows, maybe there will be a seamstress in this household after all.

Wordless Wednesday: Grandparents Edition

Boy Wonders

The other day I overheard my son out of the blue talking to my husband about babies.

"Dad, I guess when my wife has babies I'll finally find out where babies come out. You know because you go with mommy to the hospital when she has us. So, when my wife goes to the hospital I'll finally know the answer."


Deep down, I think my husband breathed a sigh of relief that our son hadn't asked any questions and just figured out his own answer this time around.

Who cares if he's 25 before he finds his answer? He's fine with waiting.


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Yesterday, while driving in the van with my boy and my baby, we were chatting about seating arrangements in the van. I reminded him that when the new baby arrives, he or she will be in the first row with Gianna.

He excitedly asked, 'Then Lily will be in the back with me ALL the time?'

'Yup, all the time. That way the little ones will be closer to me up front.'

He then questioned, 'But when we have another baby what are we going to drive? We won't all fit in here.'

I replied with my new answer (because I've been looking in to this sort of thing), 'Ooohhh....then mommy can get a Swagger Wagon.'

He stopped and thought. Then randomly, 'How old are you?'

I told him and he thought some more.

And then, 'That's A LOT of years before you're forty! You'll still have a lot of chances to have more kids!'



Once again a new pregnancy has brought about a new batch of childhood questions and wonders. It's so fun to hear how their minds work.

And apparently a reference I made once to women being childbearing until age forty has made an indelible mark in my children's memories and they think it's a magical cut-off point.

Thankful Thursday

There are always so many wonderful things to be thankful for because we truly are abundantly blessed with so much.

But this week I'm especially thankful for Gianna who turned 6 months old yesterday! What joy and love this little girl has brought to our home. I'm so thankful for her good health and disposition, along with being able to adapt really well to whatever else is going on.

For baby girls in flowers and headbands

For taking-it-easy and relaxing baby

For sleeping beauty

For bright, blue eyed girl

For fuzzy haired, growing up too fast baby girl

We can't imagine how much we were missing before you came in to our lives. We love you Little Lady!