Art In Me

Each August our church puts on a big event called "Art in Me" at Lester Park.  Kid's and parents come to make art projects together for free.  There is also puppet shows, dancing, food and just plain fun!  Our friends brought their little girl Amelia and she is still talking about how she wants to see the puppets again.  So cute!  I love this event... I love seeing kids get creative, I love seeing parents interact with their children in such a unique way & I love how much energy all of the volunteers have just to put a smile on a kids face.  This was my fourth Art in Me (Robby's 1st!) and we organized the cookie decorating booth.  Our booth was constantly busy... i think the sugar might of had something to do with that!  

Robby made the highlight video!

Projects!

We are getting projects done little by little.  It's been super nice to move into our house and not feel like we have a lot to do.  Now that we've been here for a couple months we have a little list going.

Back in June I went to a garage sale in Fergus and found this cute old dresser for $20... it even came with super cute hardware.  I decided to paint it and us it for a changing table in our nursery.  I'm going to get a pad and sew a fun cover for it too.  While I was busy painting my cute dresser, Robby was busy painting his super manly man cave.  He got free paint at WLSD where they re-use recycled paint. Sweet deal!

Here is the finished dresser!  Surprise... I painted it to match my bianchi.  What other color is there anyways?

Last summer my dad won a bid to tear down and bury an old farmstead.  Before he tore it down we went pickin' for anything old and cool.  I got an old barn door that i'm going to use as a headboard (that project is still in the works) some old windows, a chair & some other things.  But my most prized piece is this vanity!  I was going to paint it but after many many people told me not to I decided to leave it.  I did paint the handles and polished it up a bit and got a new bench.  Cute right?  Just think how long this lovely piece was sitting in an abandoned farm... what a shame.  Karley to the rescue!  It fit's perfectly in my dressing room!

Date Night!

Friday night we had a little date.  Robby had spent the whole day fishing with a friend of his and they limited out on Walleye!  They caught 14 walleye and Robby got to keep it all.  Fish Fry for the Frey's on a Friday! Whoop whoop.

After our delicious Minnesota dinner we headed down to movies in the park.  I told Robby I didn't care what movie it was and that it would just be nice to be outside and relax watching a movie.  Ummm my idea of a lovely night relaxing to a movie was the exact opposite - it was "The Dark Night Rises." (We left early)

All I could think of was how I wished I was in Ashby enjoying "The Sound of Music" in the park.  I mean c'mon Duluth who watches movies with fighting and explosions in it anyways?  Where is the love story?  How about some Sound of Music instead?  I can imagine the crowd would be much bigger for a lovely musical. ;)

A weekend to relax!

Last weekend Robby & I headed up to the BWCA for a weekend of relaxation in the middle of nowhere.  It was amazing (as always).  It's still one of my all time favorite quick get-aways.  Robby has been dreaming of getting a lightweight Wenonah canoe for a looooonnnggg time.  It's almost like his life could not possibly go on until he was the proud owner for a Wenonah Minnesota II canoe.  We decided to wait until to fall to start shopping for an after season deal.  When we were on our way up we stopped at an outfitters and they were selling a used Wenonah that was the exact model Robby was looking for.  It was love at first sight and we bought it.

We ditched our heavy aluminum for Robby's dream Kevlar Wenonah MN II!

Here is a preview into our relaxing weekend away from our crazy busy summer.

We spent time fishing...

Reading... (No Mary, that book is not photoshopped into my hands)

Laying in the hammock...

Me cooking & Robby eating.  (Notice the perfect pancake flip!)  Our meals consisted of Alfredo with artisian bread, Gypsy Gumbo (Luther Crest style!) & pancakes... sadly no fish :(

Robby was bummed he forgot bobbers.  But when he looked up in this dead tree is saw one hanging up there.  After a few throws of this stick... he got the bobber!  Happy Robby.  If only we could have been as lucky with fishing as we were with finding a bobber!

Ahhhhhh mornings... glorious mornings of brewed coffee and sunshine. Oh AND....

Polar Bear Swimming!!! (Luther Crest style of course)

And in the evenings... Robby used his entire body weight to hang our food.  It was quite entertaining!  I like a bear proof campsite. :)

We watched these two run around our campsite.  The rabbit would hop by and then the martin would run by a few seconds later super close to us.  The last day we didn't see either or them anymore.  I was convinced they wanted to eat our snacks... but when we got home we researched the martin and it is the rabbits predator!  Poor little rabbit.

We did do a portage to Echo lake to see if we could find some walleye.  No such luck but it was a beautiful lake!

We had the best mini vacation!  Ever since we got home Robby keeps asking "when do we get to go back?"  We just might plan a falls colors paddle... stay tuned!

Boys are weird.

I went outside to find my husband like this, in our front driveway, in public.  Out neighbors are going to start avoiding us pretty soon. #scary  (that is the first time i've ever used a hashtag... wish I could have thought of something more clever)

A couple at our church just had a baby so our missional community decided to bring them dinner every night for two weeks.  We brought taco's.  Look at how well my little Pampered Chef server thingy worked!  I have a slight obsession with Pampered Chef.

We had taco's for dinner too!  Since there was only one tortilla left after giving the rest away.... Robby decided to make the largest taco you can imagine (I think there are even chips in the Taco!).  How does he eat so much??  Sometimes I feel like i'm feeding a family of six.

These days

I did it!!! I'm a jam maker!  If I can do it - anyone can. I had so much fun making it too.

Watch out you might get a jar for Christmas... or your birthday (whatever comes first).

We joined a missional community at church and I love it!   The purpose is to connect on a deeper level with our church family... we worship together, learn together & serve together.  Once a month we pick a service project to get involved with too.  It's been fun... we even had a cookie making night to give out cookies to all of our neighbors!  Last night we got together for a campfire and s'mores and kids were invited too.  Our pastors kids could not be more adorable!

Our group is just getting started but I hope we get to be a part of something as neat as this... this is a different group at our church that has been meeting together for quite some time.

I've been told to consider yourself extremely lucky if you get good neighbors.  Well we are beyond lucky because all of our neighbors are amazing!  They have been incredibly welcoming by bringing us fresh bread & inviting us over to meet other neighbors.  Today I got home form work and I found a bin of maternity clothes and baby stuff sitting at our back door.  My sweet neighbor Marissa just found out we were expecting and wanted to help us out.  I mean seriously... we've hit the jackpot of neigbors!

Cheers to new friends!

I have been praying for a running friend for a loooooongg time!  Probably ever since my friend Jen Flavin moved out of town.  I'm a much better co-runner and enjoy the company and the accountability of a running partner.  This year at the trail races I met Natalie.  We have been running together ever since the trail series finished.  Durning a trail race in late May, Natalie was talking to one of her other friends and I overheard her say she was pregnant.  I turned around and screamed and said I'm pregnant too!!  I had literally just found out the night before and she had just found out too.  We are due two days apart - i'm due January 29th and she is due January 31st.  Even better... we have the same doctor so hopefully we are not in labor at the same time. ha! So not only did I get a running friend... I made a friend entering a very exciting, scary & unknown new chapter of life at the same time as me!  God works in very cool ways and it's fun to look back and see prayers answered in ways so unexpected.

Today Natalie and I went strawberry picking at Finke's Berry Farm.  They had a great crop this year and the berries are delicous!  I plan to attempt my first time making strawberry jelly... i'll have to blog about it to let you know how it goes.  Thanks to the Pioneer Woman I will have illustrated step-by-step instructions... what could possibly go wrong?