Is that freedom rock man? Well, turn it up, man!

Lastnight my friend Kate was in town from Chicago, so I went out with her and a few other friends. Our plan was to meet in downtown Minneapolis for some drinks, then go see Scott Munns. Our friend Res had seen him before, supposedly it was just him and a guitar.

So we had the drinks and then walked down the block to The Lodge Bar for the music. The atmosphere was a little different than I was expecting. The throngs of 21-year-olds gyrating to the pumping dance music of Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, etc. did not fit the mindset I was in...how did a one-man acoustic show blend in with this??

As it turns out, the one-man show was actually a 2-man show with full drum kit and electric guitar, and that night they functioned as a cover band, playing mostly classics from the 70s and 80s, with a few whimsical renditions of current hits (Timberlake's "Sexy Back" was a highlight). Aside from the fact we were about 10 years older than 80% of the crowd, it was pretty entertaining, including:

Guy: Hi, I'm Pat.
Me: Hi.
Guy: And your name is?
Me: Linda.
Guy: It's my birthday.
Me: Well, happy birthday!
Guy: Aren't you going to ask what birthday?
Me: OK, what birthday?
Guy: Guess.
Me: [sigh] 24?
Guy: Hey, thanks!
Me: Older or younger?
Guy: Why would I thank you if it was older? 26. [winces] I'm old.
Me: Why is that old?
Guy: Because I'm like, 4 years from 30.
Me: I'm 30.
Guy: No way! That's cool. How did you handle that?
Me: No big deal. 30s are a fun time.
Guy: I don't know, it's like every year is closer to death.
Me: [supressing severe urge to roll eyes] Don't take it so seriously. [pats him dismissively on shoulder] Happy Birthday then.
Guy: Uh, ok. See you. Have a nice night.

My other observation from the night is this...as I sat there watching people born in 1985 get all excited and pack the dance floor for "Sweet Home Alabama" ca. 1974, and "You Shook Me All Night Long" ca. 1980, I am thinking "how do they know these songs?" But then again, how do I know these songs? For the first I wasn't even born yet (and I've never even been to Alabama), for the second I was only 4 years old and I seriously doubt I was into AC/DC. Yet I still rock out to both.

These songs have transcended decades and found an entirely new audience. They just don't make them like that anymore. Where are all those classic guitar riffs? But I did catch myself with a pang of jealousy when I heard all these young-uns shouting their drunken hearts out to Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name" ca 1986. Hey, that's one of MY songs! (Come on, you know you're singing it, 'Shot through the heart, and you're to blame...")

The power of music. But will kids in 2026 will be dancing and screaming to Britney Spears, All America Rejects, Beyonce, Eminem?? These songs have their place, but are they destined to be classics? Will music change to an all-techno format? Or will my kids still bob their heads and mouth that classic line"turn it up..." when they hear Sweet Home Alabama? Will that song even be played anymore in 20 years? It remains to be seen.

Author's Note: I just relayed this story to Husband, and he responded by chuckling and giving me a resounding "You're getting OLD!!"

Ode to Dyson

I have the day off today and spent a little time vacuuming. And to fully understand why I chose to vacuum on my holiday, I need to tell you that before Christmas I made a very big purchase. I marched into Target Saturday morning and bought myself a Dyson DC14 Drive vacuum cleaner.

Impulse buy, you ask? Hardly. I've been coveting this vac for months now. A different model was on our wedding registry, but we didn't receive it. We did receive a boatload of Target giftcards though - and I had clearance from Husband to fork them over for the Dyson. We spent a little on other things, but there was plenty left to cover most of the cost of this spendy sucker.

Easy decision then, right? Not for someone like me! I researched, I waited for a free gift card promotion, I hemmed and hawed. I wasn't sure if this was the best use of our "money."But after several nudges from Husband and a lot of "you haven't bought that vacuum yet?" from other family members, I finally got in the car armed with the bulging envelope of gift cards and the intent to buy the darn thing (a $50 gift card promotion helped my cause).

I walked back to the vac aisle with my cart, reached for the box...and paused. Was this the right thing to do? This is an investment, am I choosing the right model? Should I be spending our wedding gift cards on this? And then a little voice said, "Jess, just buy the damn vacuum!"

So I did, and walked out of the store feeling slightly giddy and slightly sick. I got it in the house and Husband and Brandon put it together. I vacuumed a 3x3 foot area, and my first thought was...

Gross, what is that green fuzz and dust already in the canister?! Followed closely by Why did I wait so long to buy this thing?! I never thought it possible that I would be this excited about a household appliance, and one used for cleaning no less. I had a great time vacuuming the entire house, and got great satisfaction from seeing the canister fill up and emptying it out. All of that crap the old vacuum missed. I could even vac the stairs without any complicated attachments, and I didn't have to haul it up to reach all of the stairs - the hose is long enough to reach them all!

So you see why I spent part of my day off using this beautiful machine (aside from the fact there were some remnants of Christmas on the carpet). If this is a sign of me becoming a "housewife," then I guess I'm on board!

Merry Christmas!

First off let me just say Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate it. I hope you had a wonderful holiday filled with all the people and things you love.

It started to feel a little more like the Christmas season for me this past Thursday, when we finally got some snow. It looked really pretty coming down, and even though it was pretty heavy and slushy, it left a beautiful wake (see a pic of our backyard below). It's funny what a little wintertime precipitation can do for my holiday mood. I left work feeling very festive and ready to tackle the holiday head on.

The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity. Friday I worked, but our whole group (about 14 of us) was treated to a holiday lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. We sat at the hibachi table, which is where they cook your food right in front of you. The chef does a lot of cool stuff with his utensils and the food and it was all very fun and impressive. Sushi is not really my thing, but I tried some and then really enjoyed the meal prepared for me on the hibachi. I was able to leave work a little early that day to finish up some shopping, and then headed home.

Friday night and all day Saturday we worked to get the house in order and food prepared for Husband's family to come over for their holiday celebration. Our place is perfectly suited to host Christmas, as the carpet on our main floor is a delightful (can you smell the sarcasm?) green color. But preparing the place for 20 people to come over is no small task, and by the time 4:00 rolled around and people started to arrive, I was already pretty tired. But it was a great time. Husband's family is pretty casual and easy to please, so we just had a buffet of sandwiches and appetizers to which everyone contributed. We had A LOT of food. Our niece Hayley and cousin Mason also opened gifts, and that is a treat for everyone. Christmas is great fun with kids around!

On that subject, this holiday season we fielded several inquiries and innuendos about status of our family's potential growth...

Official Laabs Family Statement:
Yes, we would like to have kid(s). No, there are no immediate plans. God willing, the time will come and things will not be complicated for us when we do decide to try. For now we are just enjoying being married and spending time with Brandon.

Speaking of that rapidly growing redhead (I swear he'll be taller than me soon), Brandon also opened gifts and one in particular sparked my attention...a box full of dollar bills! Genius gift for a teenager, in my opinion...

The party ended about 10:30PM on Saturday, and after cleaning up we decided to do gifts with our little family. I was thrilled to see that Brandon loved his gifts, and we all had a particularly good time with the "Deal or No Deal" game and the farting/belching/dancing/etc. robot he received. We had some good laughs and stayed up way too late...

Sunday morning came early, and after some final preparations we dropped Brandon off and headed down to Storm Lake. It was a long drive as Husband and I were both pretty tired, and we had to go straight to Grandma's house. After a few minutes to change clothes and stretch, we had a great time. All of the cousins were there, which doesn't happen very often, and we had two new additions this year, so it was nice to have babies in the house again. Grandma's house on Christmas Eve is a long-standing and cherished tradition in my family, and I am grateful to my husband for honoring that this year when everyone was home.

After another late night, we headed back to Mom and Dad's and stayed up for awhile chatting. We all got up this morning and had breakfast and opened gifts and it was just really nice for us all to be home...but we missed my sister-in-law Abbey, and hope she can be with us next time. Everyone was heading off to other celebrations by noon, and Husband and I left shortly after.


Now it's almost 9PM, and Husband is downstairs watching football, and I am upstairs blogging and watching "Deal or No Deal". Order is restored to the universe! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Two Movies in One Day!

Not much new to report here. I just got home from a nice night out with my friend Jacquie. We chatted over dinner and then went to see "The Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith and his completely adorable real-life son Jaden. It was a very inspirational story and also very heartwrenching to get a glimpse into the life of someone really scraping to get by, with a happy ending of course.

Today we also had a family date to see the movie "Eragon." Both Husband and I have read the book and really loved it. The movie was pretty good but skipped a lot of parts of the book, of course. The visual effects were pretty amazing, but then again we come to expect that sort of thing in movies these days. The main thing is that Brandon liked the movie and is now interested in reading the book also.

Other than that it's been fairly quiet around here. We're getting ready for Christmas, which I can't believe is only a little over a week away. It certainly doesn't feel like it with no snow on the ground!

Stressed Out?

This is guaranteed to make you laugh. click here

Is it Friday Yet?

I have to preface this post by saying it has been one of those weeks. I have One Main Thing I need to get done at work, and yet all day long I am interrupted by a bunch of little things that are important, but with all the juggling I have been unable to finish the One Main Thing, and the deadline is fast approaching. Not to mention being behind on the One Main Thing has put me behind on some other things that need to get done.

So I have been attempting to budget my time and spend it wisely. Tonight I had hockey tickets, our first game of the year. But Husband went without me and took his dad, because I felt I needed an evening to work late, get some things done, and most of all print out a bunch of stuff for a holiday party tomorrow night for which I have been the principle event planner. All the files were ready, just needed to print and I was going to have an a-ok evening and go to bed knowing I am prepared.

I got home around 8:30 after working and running a few errands. I go downstairs to start printing. I use Husband's computer because it's already on. Get everything all set, and discover Husband's computer is not hooked up to the printer. OK. I cannot use my laptop, so I switch chairs and boot up Brandon's computer. I go to retrieve my file, and alas, discover the keyboard is not working. I can't type anything. I check the connections, look good. I reboot the computer. Still nothing. I try another keyboard, because there happens to be two spare keyboards underneath the desk (I'm not kidding about this). I know one of them is good, so I try it. Still nothing. I bang on the keys in frustration. That doesn't work either. Like any self-respecting 21st century female, I go upstairs and google "keyboard doesn't work" on my laptop. They tell me to do the things I've already tried, and if that doesn't work, they tell me to do some computer gobbledeegook that I don't understand.

So here I am. We have 3 functioning computers in this house, and I currently cannot use any of them to do one simple task. The universe is telling me something, but I'm not sure what.

It's kind of how I felt when I opened the mailbox yesterday. This weekend I addressed my Christmas cards. I did not order return address labels in time, so I hand wrote all of the return addresses. Yesterday the free holiday address labels from our insurance company came in the mail. I guess everything is just meant to take me twice as long these days.

It will be a late night, because I have to wait until Husband gets home all happy with a head full of hockey to fix the keyboard. Hope everyone else enjoys their sleep.

Six Months of Wedded Bliss

Today I have been married for six months, half a year. It has really flow by – sometimes it seems like just yesterday that we were having the wedding, other times it seems like so long ago already.
For as completely AWESOME as our wedding day was, and all the fun we had on the honeymoon, I knew that what followed would be a difficult road. If anyone ever tells you that marriage is easy, THEY ARE LYING. It’s such a huge adjustment, especially if you have never lived together. I also think when you are a little older when you get married, it’s even more difficult, because you have been doing things a certain way for so long. And you’re doing it that way because you think it’s the best way. Then someone else comes along and has the gall to suggest that it’s not. Geez. :)

There’s also someone there 24/7, calling you out and making you accountable for every emotion, action and reaction. Sometimes I don’t know how I feel, or why I feel that way. I just do. And that must be incredibly frustrating for Husband. I can relate because when he’s in a mood, I want to know why, I want to know how I can help. But sometimes the best thing is to just leave him alone, and that’s hard.

So I’m learning. But I do know that at the end of the day, it’s a wonderful feeling knowing that someone is always there for you, no matter what. And sometimes that person knows exactly what you need, even when you don’t have a clue.

Love you, B. Happy 6 months.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

When was the last time you felt stupid?

For me, this afternoon. I put delicious food in the crockpot this morning, something we put together at one of those meal assembly places. I had a crappy day at work and one consolation was that dinner would be done when I got home, and it was going to be good, after simmering all day. I imagined walking in the door to delectable smells...

Husband called at 4:00 and told me the crockpot was not plugged in.

Beef. Out. All. Day. Ruined.

Grrrrr...I am a spaz.

I'm Still Full...

We had a great Thanksgiving in Iowa. It was nice to spend a few days and see a lot of family, most of whom we hadn't seen since our wedding. It was also great to just hang out at Mom and Dad's. We drove in Wednesday night, and I stayed up late talking with Dad about some family history things I had recently found. A little after 1AM my newly-turned 21 lil' bro got home from a night out with friends, so he provided some entertainment as well. Thursday was a big day, as we celebrated with my entire extended family on my dad's side. We are a huge family, so we need to rent out a space to have our holiday gatherings. This year we numbered 57 strong! It was a really nice time, with LOTS of food. Friday we spent the day hanging out at the house, and getting ready to have Mom's side of the family over for dinner that night. So more good food, good conversation, and a few laughs along the way.

Brandon and my dad, as usual, were two peas in a pod. I am forever grateful to my parents for their open arms and their patience. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving spending time with you!

Brandon concentrating on beating my dad at Battleship

Husband and I after Friday night dinner

Cousins showing off their spoon skills

Thankful

We are departing for Iowa in a couple of hours...leaving work early today felt delicious! I need the break, and I'm looking forward to heading for the homestead and seeing the parentals. It's been awhile. The next few days will be filled with family, food, more family, more food, and good times all around.

To all my friends and family out there, Happy Thanksgiving. I'm thankful that each and every one of you are in my life. Be safe and happy this holiday, and stuff your bellies and souls full.

Dear Iowa Hawkeyes,

Needless to say, it's been a rough season. The first half looked promising, the last half was a joke. Ohio State, I can understand. Michigan. But Indiana? Northwestern? And the final stab wound...your last game of the season.

I wore my Hawkeye shirt with pride, and my brother and sister-in-law drove up from Iowa for the game. We endured the cold to get just the perfect tickets. Hawkeye support was strong in "Kinnick North." This game was in the bag. You were going to end the season strong and head into your bowl game with a new attitude. You were going to prevent Minnesota from being bowl-eligible, give me some bragging rights over my Gopher-loving friends and family.

The first half wasn't bad. But there were too many gaps in the defense. Missed tackles. And that ill-fated interception at the very end of the half, when you were 1 yard away from taking the lead. Boy, what a different game it could have been.

Why must you torment us? Your fans, generations of good Iowa folks, some who don't even live there anymore, but still remain faithful. Why make use hear, repeatedly:

"And that's another Gollllllden Gopherrrrrr...FIRST DOWN!"

That got annoying.

Minnesota fans grew louder. "We hate Iowa" was chanted repeatedly. And we left the Dome shaking our heads.

Did you even want to play? How bad did you want it? You were tentative when you should have been tenacious. Minnesota wanted it more. They played better. They deserved to win.

The thing is - I still love you, Hawkeyes. You disappointed me, and I might be mad for awhile. I only lecture because I care. Please, get your act together before your Bowl game. I'll be watching.

Regards,
Minnesota Transplant, Hawk Fan for Life

TV Tunes

Tonight is TV night for Husband and I. It's pretty much the only night we sit down and watch together, because we typically like entirely different shows. But Wednesdays we usually watch Lost, and before/after Lost, I tolerate his incessant channel-flipping. I do this because it's just nice to sit in the same room and enjoy each other's company, instead of being on different floors of our abode.

So the one show we can cling to happens to be on hiatus until February, which I find completely stupid. We'll probably lose interest in Lost by then (OK, probably not, because we have to know if they escape from "the others.") Who ever heard of a fall finale? Good grief. Now what to watch?

Tonight we stumbled across a show called Bones. Husband had seen in before, but this was my first time. It was pretty good, and they showed 2 episodes in a row, so we could spend a couple of mindless - but together - hours. Anyway, toward the end of one of the episodes I heard a familiar voice singing in the background. A voice I was introduced to by my friend Jacquie, a voice we have listened to several times at a tiny place called the 400 Bar here in Minneapolis. A voice I have sang with in the car on roadtrips. I was delighted to hear Tim Easton singing Next to You. It's a very sweet song, and he's a great singer/songwriter. Check him out!

The Postman is My New Best Friend

This has to be some kind of world record - today I got nothing but good mail. REALLY good mail.

1) A belated wedding gift from my cousin Kayla, who lives in Sitka, Alaska. She got us some very cool and thoughtful Alaska-made merchandise, and wrote a nice card telling us, among other things, that SHE'S GETTING MARRIED IN JULY! I'm so excited for her. It was great to hear from her, it's been a long time.

2) Some genealogy info on my Koch ancestors from a woman I was put in contact with through a co-worker. She's from St. Louis and did this for me as a favor, having never met me. The info she found is fantastic, and solves some mysteries I haven't been able to crack or confirm. I won't bore you non-genealogy freaks with the details, but Dad, you're going to be very excited!

Not a credit card offer in sight. It's the little things in life, people, the little things. Rock on.

Please Vote Today!

Your vote counts. Minnesotans, please remember to VOTE YES for the constitutional amendment to direct all motor vehicle sales tax revenue where it belongs...to transportation!

small wonders

To celebrate the good weather this weekend, and because my husband took the initiative to ask, I took a walk with my boys on Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful fall afternoon, the sun was shining, and the bare trees let us see all the bird nests in the trees, and all of the critters crunching around in the fallen leaves. The boys were playing catch with a football along the path, and I caught the occasional errant pass and tossed it back to Brandon. I was promptly told, by my husband, that I threw like a girl. I remember a time when that would have offended me, but hey, I AM a girl. I do admit that when he showed me the "right" way to throw, it was much improved. So I learned a little something.

Sunday I was hoping to repeat the experience, but the boys were distracted by indoor activities so I went alone. I strolled along, listening to the chicka-dee-dee-dees and all the other bird noises and looking up at the treetops to see what I could see, and something caught my eye. A snow-white squirrel.

This was toward the end of my loop and near home, so I hustled back to grab the cam and get a photo. I have to admit, I was a little excited (and I know you're all thinking - what's with this woman and squirrels?) I told Husband and he chuckled, non-impressed. Apparently this is nothing new to him, this albino squirrel thing. Which of course, deflated me like a popped balloon. It's the little things, babe, the little things...these small wonders keep me going. Every once in awhile I like to get back to my tree huggin', John Denver-lovin' self and just look around. It's such a simple way to derive joy in everyday life.

I think he realized the husbandly mistake and tried to act interested, but by that time I was over it and decided if this phenomenon was new to me, it may be new to some of you too. So I walked back, and it was still sitting there, pretty thing.

Anyway, here it is...for those of you who've never seen one, let me know I'm not alone!

Kids These Days

Yesterday Brandon came into the livingroom while I was watching the Hawkeye game. He watched for a bit and then asked "Is it a penalty when you call a fair catch and then don't go after the ball?"

My first inclination was to look for my husband, the walking encyclopedia of sports trivia. With him nowhere in sight, I considered the question and applied my minimal football knowledge and some common sense. "I would think so," I said, proud of myself. Here's me, bonding with my 13-year-old stepson.

"I thought so," he said. "That's why I keep getting penalties when I play. I call it but then I don't try for the ball."

Just when I'm about to put on my compassionate yet authoritative parent voice and talk to him about why he doesn't try for the ball, something clicks. He's not talking about actually playing a game of football, as in outside with other kids...he's talking about playing a video game.

How times have changed. Yet another realization in the life of a new stepmom.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Here's the pumpkin salvage...

Jack-O-Feast

Last weekend Brandon and I each carved a pumpkin. I set them outside this week, but quickly realized that the squirrels liked pumpkins too...to eat. I've been pretty amused by this, and have been keeping track of the gradual degradation. It actually makes the pumpkins look scarier with all the nibble marks on them!














Brandon's pumpkin must have been pretty tasty, because it was getting eaten up fast. So I brought it inside so he'd still have a pumpkin when he got here this weekend. It's been inside for a couple of days and getting a little soft, so I put it back outside this morning so it would be fresh for when Brandon got here today.



I put it outside around 8:30AM. At 9:15, Brett says from the kitchen:




"Uh...Brandon's pumpkin no longer has a face." He wasn't kidding.


Here's the tail-less culprit this morning. He's eatin' good in this neighborhood!

Smells Like Leafy Underbrush...?

Tonight my friends Jacquie, Mary and I attended an Intro to Wine Class that was put on by a local liquor store. We sampled 7 wines total, a split of white and red. We sniffed, we swirled, we sipped. Considering my introduction to the world of wine began with a bottle of Boone's Farm (Strawberry Hill) back in 1995, I was feeling pretty high class.

Don't worry, I'm not becoming a wine snot. I don't even aspire to be one. As the instructor talked about what wine would be good with walleye, I was thinking "Miller Lite. Honey Weiss." I just find wine interesting, and while I do like drinking it, I also find the history and nuances of it intriguing. Like the instructor pointed out, wine is not like Coca Cola. Coca Cola prides themselves on making Coke taste the exact same no matter where in the world you buy it. Wine producers, on the other hand, pride themselves on making something a little different than everyone else, and different grapes are grown in different parts of the world. So the allure of wine is trying a little bit of everything and finding what you like. And I have to admit, it can be pretty darn fun if you don't take it too seriously. So while I appreciate a nice tasting wine, I'll take it with a sense of humor.

The three of us had a hard time "experiencing" some of the smells that were supposed to waft out as we stuffed our noses in our glasses. For instance, I did not get the aroma of "fresh mowed grass, green peppers, Kiwi fruit covered with lime zest" (seriously, who comes up with this stuff?) I got: grapefruit. That's pretty much it. I did not get "a changing parade of flavors ranging from leather to earthy dried mushroom to wood smoke to leafy underbrush." I did get the wood smoke, but I guess my sniffer wasn't up to snuff on the leafy underbrush. I'm not sure I want it to be. At one time we were even asked "Does anyone get the taste of licking a wet rock?" Uh...no. But I haven't licked a rock lately, let alone a wet one, so I'll take your word for it.

But I guess this is typical. The instructor made an interesting point. People have different smell or taste references based on their life experiences. For example (and a very simplistic one), a person who grew up in the city and maybe had more access to a wide variety of ethnic foods and flavors may have a completely different impression of a wine than someone who grew up in a more rural area, who may have been exposed to less of a variety.

Farmer Ted: This wine has a bacon fat aroma with just a hint of cow poo.

City Sandy: Really? I smell more of a Spanish tapas bar infused with a slight scent of smog.

OK, so that was taking it a little too far. But we had fun with this. Mary swore she smelled a little koala in an Australian wine we tried. And seriously, some of these wine descriptions do read like a personal ad:

"Most Cabs as they mature take on interesting flavors like cigar-box cedar woodiness, mint leaf, dried tobacco leaf and roasted cocoa bean. Savory beef steak or venison needs a big wine taste and Cabernets will meet the challenge." Boy, that beef steak is one lucky fellow!

It really was an interesting class, and we did learn a bit about wine and got to taste some wines that we might otherwise be too cheap to buy - though they did keep the choices within a pretty reasonable price range. We also learned that screw caps are becoming en vogue, so don't be afraid to diss the corks. By wine #7, we were all feeling warm and sassy and were having quite a bit of fun with it. I think Jacquie summed it up: "I'm starting a wine club. Members: 1." If you find the wine that smells like fresh mowed grass, Jacquie, let me know!

Chasing Hayley

Another pretty laidback weekend under our belts. Saturday night our niece Hayley stayed overnight, so that brought some excitement! We watched Disney movies, played Barbies, read books, played Connect 4 (which involved her just putting the pieces wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted), baked cookies...it was a lot of fun.

Thought this pic was kind of cool, with her reflection in the fish tank.

Cozy with Cousin Brandon. Nine years apart, and these two can still make each other giggle uncontrollably.

Busy Weekend

Well, this was a fun weekend all around. Friday morning, my cousin Emily gave birth to her first child, a little girl named Allison. We are all very excited for Emily and her husband Chuck! There are some pics of the new family in our cousin Kristi's blog if you want to check them out. Grandma's house will be chock full this Christmas Eve - it will be fun to have babies around again. Congrats to the Palmers!

Brett and I had this whole weekend to ourselves, as it was Brandon's weekend to be at his mom's. We had a light supper and then cruised the new SuperTarget that just got built nearby. It's BIG. While there Brett bought the new DVD that came out of the Disney classic The Fox and the Hound. Apparently this was one of Brandon's favorites when he was little, therefore one of Brett's favorites too. I had never really seen it before, but we watched it when we got home and it's really cute! It also features some well-known actors as the voices - such as Kurt Russell, Mickey Rooney, and a very young Corey Feldman. I don't think I'll spoil anything when I say that the fox in the movie starts out as an orphan. This got us thinking - what is it with Disney movies and orphaned kids? Think about it:
Cinderella - orphan
Lion King - father dies
Finding Nemo - mother dies
Snow White - who were her parents?
Jungle Book - orphan boy raised in the jungle
Bambi - mother dies
Little Mermaid - no mother
Dumbo - no father?

And the list goes on. Things that make you go hmmm...

Saturday morning was spent on laundry and putzing around, but at noon we went to Simply to the Table. This is a business that is run by two women friends that I used to work with. They have a set menu each month, and you choose a number of meals from the menu based on the package you purchased. Everything is set out for you with very clear instructions - and the best part is, you don't have to clean up! You package everything for storage in the freezer, and you are given a label with instructions for preparation. We both had fun doing it, and now we have 8 meals in the freezer. This is our first time, but I have a feeling we'll be back.

Saturday afternoon I baked an apple pie! This is only the second one I've ever baked, and the first one for Brett. I told him I felt like baking, so he could pick anything and I would try it. He of course picked his favorite. So I got Mom's recipe and gave it a shot. It didn't turn out quite like hers, but it actually tasted alright. I'm still kind of in baking mode, so I may try something else this weekend.

Saturday night we went out to dinner with some friends, Jay and Dawn, and to the movie Man of the Year. This is the new Robin Williams flick, and we really enjoyed it. There's a lot of great political humor in it that is so relevant to the present. It also raised some interesting thoughts, such as the fact that the general public is increasingly going to comedic news programs such as the Daily Show with John Stuart for their news. Speaking of politics, is anyone sick of all the campaign commercials yet?

We had a leisurely Sunday morning and spent the afternoon lounging and chatting with Brett's family. Overall it was a really great weekend!

K-Mart and Danny DeVito?

OK, so I know I'm a posting fiend lately, but I had to share this in hopes of providing some humor to my 3 readers. I had a series of really weird dreams this morning...vignettes if you will...in between the time Brett left for work and I got up (and a couple of snooze buttons in between).

These are in no particular order, and I know there is more that I cannot remember...but I think these hit the main points.

#1 - I am standing outside of a house, checking out the bathroom window to see if I can squeeze through it. I decide I cannot, and just go to the front door and ring the doorbell. Why I didn't go to the front door in the first place, I don't know.

#2 - I am talking to my brother Justin on the phone. He hands the phone to his girlfriend Kriston. She is talking with a Chinese accent. I am thinking "what the hell?" She is not Chinese.

#3 - I am somewhere that looks like a sporting event, except everyone is outside at a happy-hour type thing before we go in the stadium. I see a guy I used to work with. I go over to shake his hand, and immediately notice that this typical manly man is wearing a very tight pink V-neck spandex T-shirt, and his chest hairs are sticking out. He is talking to me about a job, and all I can do is try not to stare at the chest hairs.

#4 - I drive into the parking lot of a K-Mart store. I go inside and pick up some kind of seeds to plant. While walking down another aisle, a friend and her kids are shouting my name and running to catch up with me. I tell them I am there to buy fish food.

#5 - I am in Galena, IL with some of my friends from Minneapolis. We are walking through this mall-type thing that looks nothing like Galena, and there is some music festival going on. We go into a crowded bar, and I see this guy across the room. I tell my friends, "hey, I have met that guy before, that's Charlie, he knows my cousin Kristi, she used to work with him at a clothing store." I go over to say hello, and Charlie is Danny DeVito. (FYI Charlie does exist and from what I remember, looks nothing like DD).

So, this morning I recalled all of this in the shower and busted out laughing. Where did it come from? I have no idea. But I think it means I need more sleep.

IT'S SNOWING!!!

Wallets Made of Duct Tape?

I did a whole lot of nothing this weekend, and it was beautiful! Brett and Brandon left around noon on Saturday to go on a fishing trip until Sunday morning, so I had the house to myself. The weather was gorgeous and warm, so I enjoyed a walk on Saturday afternoon. I also went to a party on Saturday night with my friend Jacquie. Our friends Lowell and Bobbie had a "Harvest Moon" party at their house. We enjoyed getting to know our friends' family members...it's always so interesting to see if they look alike, or how they interact with each other. We even met a guy who had made his entire wallet out of duct tape...who would've thought? Apparently there are entire websites dedicated to this sort of thing. I also learned what a church key is (it's not the obvious key to your local religious institution). Apparently it's a type of metal bottle opener. So he carried around a church key at all times - in the duct tape wallet - just in case he needed to crack open a beer. Interesting characters all around. Lowell and Bobbie have done a great job with their house and it was all decorated for the fall season. And the harvest moon was beautiful. We had a good time!

Happy Birthday, Bud

Today the littlest Overmohle has a birthday...my little bro Justin is turning 21. Can you believe it? I hardly can. I don't think he reads my blog (much more important things to do, you know), so I feel free to post a photo of when he was a little. Even if he does read it, I'm just pulling rank as a big sister! Happy Birthday, Justin!

Meet my Nemesis

Totally disgusting centipedes. Creepy, crawly, long legged, icky, tickly little buggers. Hiding out until the nighttime, when they crawl out of cracks and crevices and look for tiny bugs to eat and big humans to torment. I swear they know I hate them...but they don't care.

TWINS WIN THE DIVISION!!

It was a happy day in the great north today, as the Minnesota Twins clinched their division and earned the right to start the playoffs at home in the Metrodome. I love this team - they are all so young and excited and playing SO GREAT right now. It's going to be fun to watch!

Iowa Bound

This weekend I headed down to Dubuque, IA to to visit my cousin Kristi. I arrived Friday night, and we headed up to a local tap to hang out with her boyfriend Chad and some of their friends. It was a delightful night of cheap beer, good conversation and a rockin' jukebox (by cheap I mean REALLY cheap at $1 a glass...you don't see that in the Cities!)

Saturday Kristi gave me a little driving tour of Dubuque. It's really a pretty interesting river city with a lot of history. They are doing a lot of renovating and updating of the downtown area, and it will be interesting to see how different things are the next time I visit. After the local tour, we drove across the border to Galena, IL to have lunch and do some shopping. Galena is a charming historic town with reknowned boutique shopping that covers everything from home decor to clothing to knitting and beyond. We found some really cool stuff, but it was more about looking and not buying. The best part of the day was just sitting in a coffee shop and catching up. We don't get the chance to do that very often!

We returned to Dubuque and that evening went to a local bar to watch the Iowa vs. Ohio State game. Unfortunately the Hawkeyes lost, but it was nice to be in my home state with so many Hawkeye fans in one place.

Today I was able to make it back to spend a little time with Brandon before Brett took him back to his mom's. We kept close tabs on the baseball scores and got the see the Twins celebrate their division win, which was exciting! Now it's typical Sunday evening activity...I'm upstairs watching TV and putzing on my laptop, and Brett is downstairs watching the football game!

Friends in Foreign Countries

Not much new going on here, but I wanted to share something very special with my "readers" (and I realize there are probably only a couple of you!) My friends Gina and Eric are currently in Vietnam adopting their SECOND set of twins. They adopted Jack and Anna a few years ago, and are now adopting 2-year-old twin boys to add to their family. I think it is so wonderful that this family has opened their hearts and home to these kids, and I couldn't be more happy for them! Anyway, Gina is keeping a blog while they are in Vietnam. They have taken Jack and Anna with them for the first part of the trip, so they are getting to experience the country in which they were born and meet their new brothers. Please check out Gina's blog (Buss Twins link at right) and read about their amazing journey!

We laid Brett's grandma Mabel to rest yesterday... she lived 92 years with lots of love and laughter. We are so honored and blessed to have shared our wedding day with her in June. We miss her, but know she's playing cards with all her new friends in heaven!

North Woods Camping

Brett and I both took last Friday off and pulled the boat up to Lake Vermilion to do some fishing and camping. Our friends Bobbie and Lowell also pulled their boat up to camp with us. We took our time driving up, and arrived at a boat launch on the east side of the lake (not far from Tower, MN) later in the afternoon. We loaded everything up in the boat, because you see folks, we were camping on an island!














Brett and Lowell have been coming up here for years, and last year Brett and I camped on what they call "the big island." It's really not that big, maybe 3/4 of an acre. This year the big island was occupied (first come, first served) so we headed to "the little island" which is slightly smaller but can still easily fit 3-4 tents. We only had 2, so it was perfect.

As you might guess, this is a more primitive campsite, but there is a fire pit and some rough "tables" constructed between trees. There is also a um...latrine...and I use that word loosely. Bobbie actually brough toilet seat covers to put on it!



But you can't beat the view at Lake Vermilion. It is just a beautiful lake, and the leaves are starting to turn up there, so every once in awhile we'd see a burst of bright orange, red or yellow along the shoreline. There are lots of birds - we saw 3 mature bald eagles and one youngster. One of the adults flew right over the boat. You can't beat the view of that stark white head and tail against the bright blue sky! But of course my favorite by far are the loons. They are wonderful birds with a unique call that can be heard echoing across the water. I especially love the sound of them at night. Speaking of sounds - in the later afternoon/early evening we heard a wolf! We heard one last year too, and went to the International Wolf Center in Ely to confirm what we heard. Such a eerie, but cool sound. Of course one of the benefits of camping on an island is that you don't have to worry too much about bears, wolves, and other wildlife that are lurking along the forested shores.

The other critters we were coveting were of course, the fish. We took Brett's boat out for awhile on Saturday morning/early afternoon, and didn't have much luck except for a smallmouth bass. He did teach me some different methods of fishing, like drifting and trolling. I also baited my first leech. We came back to camp and took a little nap, snacked and went back out around 4:30. Brett caught another smallmouth, but we really didn't have good luck until around 7:30, close to sunset. I was trolling and got something on the line - my first walleye! I was pretty excited. Shortly after that I caught a good-sized perch. Brett wasn't fishing at this time, so that's why I got all the glory - of course I couldn't do it without him, because he nets the fish and takes it off the hook! I tried again but got caught on some rocks and lost our last Shad Rap. The fish didn't like the other lures so well. It was getting dark so we went in. We photo-documented my walleye before turning the fish loose. Not enough of a catch to really go to the trouble of preparing them to eat. Bobbie and Lowell caught a few, but no keepers for them either.

We had a nice, relaxing time and enjoyed some good conversation around the campfire. All in all it was a good trip, but a little chilly! It got cold out on the water at times, but in the sun it wasn't too bad. Nighttime was the worst - it was in the 30s! - but we came prepared with sleeping bags and a lot of blankets. Good times, and we'll definitely be back!



Remembering 9/11

After returning from Lake Vermilion last Sunday, I turned around and left early Monday morning for a work trip to Chicago (talk about a change of scenery)! It was, quite frankly, a little weird flying on 9/11, at the same time of day the terrorist attacks occurred exactly 5 years ago.

So how is flying different these days? I flew to Washington DC about 3 weeks before the actual 9/11 events, and I have flown on average 2-3 times a year since. It's probably changed in a lot of ways we don't necessary see (i.e. they say there are many more air marshalls engaged now than there were then). But there are also obvious changes. Five years ago a loved one or friend could also greet me as I stepped off the plane. Now I catch up with them in baggage claim or the outdoor pick-up area. And of course now there are greater restrictions on what we can and cannot carry on a plane. Five years ago I could carry scissors, nail clippers, etc. Not so now. Five years ago I didn't always have to take my shoes off before going through security. Now I'm required to take them off every time. Five years ago I could carry on a single bag for an overnight work trip. Now I have to check that bag because it contains hair gel, lotion, and other products that are considered a potential threat because they could house bomb-making materials.

I'm not complaining. Granted, it is a bit of a pain to not have some of those items on the plane, and there is more of a chance of my luggage getting lost now, but checking and picking up a bag only takes a few minutes. I haven't really encountered any long lines for security - airports have staffed up and it doesn't take too long. But there's always that chance of a long line tugging in the back of my mind, so I'm often at the airport plenty early (which actually, I like to be anyway).

Consequently, I made it to Chicago and back again safely. But it is true that the way we travel is changed forever. We will always be reacting to the next event and attempting to avoid such a tragedy again. As I walked out on Navy Pier in Chicago with a group of people on Monday night, I looked back at the Chicago skyline and saw a tall office building lit up with an American flag and the date "9/11." We remember, and we won't be forgetting anytime soon.

I can't believe it's Labor Day! Holy cow. Where did the summer go?

This weekend we went camping at Sakatah Lake State Park with our friends Amy and Broc (and their dog Gus), who drove up from Iowa. This trip had been planned for awhile, and it was our first camping trip with them, so we were pretty excited. We drove down later Friday night (about 14 miles west of Faribault, MN) and set up the tent in the near-dark. Amy and Broc arrived shorty after us, and we enjoyed a beautiful, cool evening by the campfire. It was perfect camping weather! The campground is pretty nice too - shady camping spots, and the restrooms are modern and clean. The weatherman had threatened thunderstorms that evening, so as we headed for the tents, we braced ourselves for a potential storm. But it stayed cool and clear all night, and the next morning was beautiful as well. We cooked breakfast and made a quick trip into nearby Waterville (the self-proclaimed Bullhead Capital of the WORLD), population about 1,800. The guys and Gus explored the lake, which turned out to be a 6-foot deep, green algae mess. But they got a good little hike out of it. We cooked brats over the fire for lunch.

Amy cooking wieners













Gus wanted some too!


We looked forward to an afternoon of checking out the park, maybe finding a good fishing spot, grilling our big meal that evening, and making s'mores and sitting around the fire that night.

But that all ended around 2:00 in the afternoon.

It started thundering in the distance, and we started putting things away. The rain came and we headed to the tents, thinking there would be a nice shower that would be over by the time we took a little nap.

3:00PM - Still raining. Tried to go back to sleep.

4:00PM - Yep, still raining. Busted out the cards and played a couple of games of Solitaire, and some War.

4:30PM - I got so bored I got out the digital camera and starting taking photos.

5:00PM - We passed the time by watching the drops of water streak across the roof of the tent, which was a bit concerning because we did have a rain fly on, and somehow the water was getting below the fly to the actual roof. But it can't rain much longer, can it?
5:30PM - Water streaks like shooting stars across the tent roof, collecting into pools which burst and zig-zag like a roller coaster across the surface...ok, I have WAY too much time on my hands.
6:00PM - Seriously, this tent thing is getting old. The rain has not stopped. I go and talk to Amy. Broc has gone to the ranger station to get an idea of how much longer this is supposed to last. Forecast: 2 more hours of rain, a small break and then...more rain. We already have water in the tent.

We all headed to Faribault to get some dinner, since there was no way we were cooking outside in the rainy mess. After dinner we stopped to get some rain gear and extra towels, then reluctantly headed back to camp to survey the damage. Did I mention it rained the whole time?

For some reason, we decided we HAD to burn the firewood that was brought, and Broc and Brett did get one going. So there we were, all standing around the fire in our rain gear in the slow, steady rain. Amy even brought out a tarp and basically wrapped herself in it! We stood there until the fire went out, and tried to dry out the best we could before crawling into bed around 11:00 or so.

We did fall asleep (to the sound of raindrops, of course), but around 12:15AM we were jolted out of bed by a panic alarm on someone's vehicle. Turns out it was Broc's truck! It just kept going off - he had to unplug the whole system to get it to stop. Turns out he had the keychain with the panic button in the pocket of the tent, and it got wet and shorted out! After that, the night went something like this:

2:00AM - Surely this can't go all night. There's a little dampness growing at the top of the air mattress. I shift down a little bit.
3:00AM - I turn on the flashlight and survey the damage. The puddles in the tent are growing.
4:00AM - Dammit, still raining. I check the gear I had placed strategically near the bottom of the mattress, which was the driest place in the tent when we went to bed. It's getting damp. I pull it up on the end of the mattress and curl my feet up.
5:00AM - GOOD LORD. This is getting ridiculous. Every once in awhile I feel drops on my forehead. I scoot down more on the mattress. By this time I am in the fetal position and there's no room for much else. I see Brett has shifted down too. We are also losing air. He's got to be about on the ground by now.
6:00AM - I am envisioning muddy streams of water running outside our tent door. Surely we're going to float away sooner or later. I'm fighting off the urge to pee, but it's difficult with the constant pitter-patter of rain and the water surrounding the mattress...
7:00AM - WE CANNOT TAKE THIS ANYMORE. It's still raining, but we decide to cut our losses and pack it up. Brett's sleeping bag is soaked and he is basically lying on the floor of the tent, which is virtually a big puddle.

By around 8AM we had the wet, muddy mess of a tent and tarp in the back of the Jimmy and everything packed and ready to go. The weather made things tough, but what can you do? Mother Nature at her finest. At the end of the trip we were wet, but still smiling. We'll try it again sometime!


Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

Today we hosted the draft for Brett's fantasy football league. The entire Laabs family is represented, even Brandon and Betty (Brett's mom) have a team! We had about 15 people in the house - lots of guys and a few gals with magazines, clipboards and all kinds of other info to help them make the best pics. It's quite an event that they've been doing for years. Everyone brings their own food and drink and they bid on players. It took about 4 hours to get through! I didn't stick around - Candy, Hayley, Marcey and I went to the mall. Brett is in 2 leagues this year, so it's a lot of football at our house this season.

We had another full weekend, starting with Friday night. Brett picked up Brandon and brought him to URS (my place of employment) for the company's summer function, which consisted of a BBQ and a Twins game. We had some nice lower level seats for the Twins vs. White Sox game. The Twins came out victorious and we had a great time.

Saturday I left early to drive to Des Moines. I met Mom and Dad at the Iowa Gold Star Museum at Camp Dodge just outside of DM. We were hoping to find out some more military info about our Koch ancestors who served in WW1. Unfortunately, the info cards we were hoping to find were not there! The guy who was helping us said that he has pulled about 100 of these cards, and rarely does he have one that he can't find. Of course we come in, and there are 2 he can't find for us! Kind of a bummer, but we did pull a couple of other cards for some other relatives.

After the museum I met up with some friends for our annual get-together at Okoboji Bar & Grill in south DM. This is a chance for a bunch of us who went to college together to have lunch and catch up, and see how fast everyone's kids are growing! There were 8 adults and 5 kids under the age of 3 there. It was a hoot! It's always so fun to see what new things the little ones are doing. Above is my friend Laura with her little girl, Maggie. Laura is also due to deliver a little boy any day now!

Later I went to the Iowa State Fair with 2 friends (also an annual tradition). We walked around a lot to take in all the sights. The IA State Fair always has the "Butter Cow" and usually one other sculpture made of butter. This year it was a butter Superman, in honor of local actor Brandon Routh who played the role of Superman in the recent film. We also saw the biggest boar and the biggest bull (over 3,000 lbs!) Later we enjoyed The Blue Band. And naturally you can't beat the people watching at the State Fair; we saw some outstanding mullets and some very interesting outfits. Of course through it all, we ate. Corn dogs, cheese curds...it was all there.

While I was away, my boys did play...World of Warcraft, that is. They had a couple of friends over and had a blast. So our computers got a good workout this weekend!

Sunday when I returned to Mpls, we headed over to the state capitol in St. Paul to watch the closing ceremonies for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. Brett's sister Marcey and some of her friends walked it this year. It's no small endeavor either - participants walk 60 miles over 3 days, and raise a minimum of $2,200 each. As many of you know, this event is very close to my heart. I walked in the first Twin Cities 3-Day in September 2004, in memory of my grandma Rosemary Overmohle, who lost her battle with BC in December 2003. This year's event had 2,500 walkers and raised over $6.3 million for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation!

Here is our niece, Hayley, sitting on her dad's shoulders and cheering Auntie Marcey. Nice shades, Hayley!

Marcey had a few blisters and some taped up knees, but she looked pretty darn good after all that walking. Here she is with her husband Haver after the closing. Way to go, Marcey!

Monday night we had the awesome opportunity to see the preseason Vikings vs. Raiders game at the Metrodome. A friend of my friend Kristy had some tickets they couldn't use, so she thought of us and send them up from Des Moines! We had a great time seeing some of the new players and trying to guess who will get some playing time this season. Rookie Tarvaris Jackson was looking like a good back-up QB. A downer was when former Iowa standout Chad Greenway got injured in the 1st quarter. Word is he may be out for the season...BUMMER!

As always, when I'm in a crowd of people I am continually amazed at the wonders of humanity. And yes that was a sarcastic statement. To make a long story short, we encountered a teenager who wouldn't stand during the National Anthem, a mother with a very young (3 weeks maybe?) baby in the midst of one of the loudest sports arenas in football, and an older woman who gave us a very hard time (and not in a good way) for having to pass by her to get out of our row.

Stadium Solution??

We were talking about this at home, and Brett made an interesting point. If the Viking had an outdoor stadium, some of these issues would be alleviated, because these people wouldn’t come. Do you think a 80+ year-old woman with a walking issue would sit in 80 to 90 degree heat to watch the game? Would a mother bring a tiny baby in that kind of heat, or if it was 10 degrees and snowing? This was his argument for an outdoor stadium - it would weed out some of the people who are not what he would call “true” fans.

Food for thought. Though I guess the flip side of that is that the Metrodome allows a Vikings or Twins game to be accessible to a greater number of people, people that could become “true” fans as a result. But the way I see it, there will always be something. Outdoor or not, chances are you’ll end up next to “that guy.” And he’s probably got his face painted and a pair of Viking horns on his head. He bleeds purple and gold. And he can still be annoying.

Why is it I get so down on Sunday nights? Ugh. Because I have to go back to work tomorrow! It really isn't all that bad, it's just that the weather is finally nice (not so unbearably H-O-T) and I'm really unmotivated to sit in a cubicle all day. Ah well...

We had a nice weekend. Friday was Brett's 35th birthday, so I took he and Brandon out to eat at Olive Garden. Saturday Brandon had a b-day party with his mom, and Brett and I went out to Canterbury Park (horse track) for a summer event his company was putting on. We had a nice time, it was a gorgeous day, and I only ended up down $6 (though I think Brett lost a little more...) Not a bad way to spend an afternoon! I love looking at the horses before the race starts. I usually have a few names that I like, and I look at what jockeys or owners are winning - but I make a final decision on my bet after seeing the horses. It's an interesting dynamic there in the ring - you have the owners, jockeys (they're so little!) and all the horses, and there's all this anticipation in the air. And the names of the horses are a riot! Premier's Secret, Threat From Above, Magic Mischief, Dancing Rachael, Texas Martini, Sonoma Storm, and here's a good one - Iwazascruffyboy. We had a good time. We'll have to go again before the season is over.

This morning Brandon and I played tennis. He's getting better and I think he really likes to play, so that is nice. It also gets me out there again! This afternoon I took a walk with my friend Jacquie, and then went to see "Devil Wears Prada." It was good! Meryl Streep is excellent in it. I swear she can play any kind of role! It was just a nice weekend overall.

Now it's back to Monday...have a good week everyone!

Well, I've been thinking for awhile now about a good way to keep in touch with my family, and all of my girlfriends that I don't get to see nearly often enough. My "girls - " that is, my cousin and my dearest high school and college friends that know the most incriminating things about me...are all scattered in Iowa and I'm up here in Minnesota (all pictured above). There is also lots of family all over the country. It's hard to keep up now with everything going on - weddings, traveling, new jobs, babies...

So the intent of this blog is to keep you all informed about my family, but I can’t promise that I won’t embark on the occasional diatribe or thoughts on life in general. I am a thinking person (sometimes too much) and sometimes I feel the need to express myself. But mostly I’ll just try to focus on what we’re up to, and post some pics.

So what have I/we been up to so far this summer??

I Got Married!

Just 11 days shy of my 30th birthday (I swear that wasn’t planned), I married Husband, and acquired a stepson, Brandon. June 3rd was a beautiful day, and I have to say it was even better than I ever imagined it would be! We had a gorgeous outdoor ceremony, just like I always wanted. Our family and friends were amazing help, and it was all so much fun.

So I've taken on a lot of new titles lately: "newlywed," "wife," "stepmom." Not to mention the name change. I’m still getting used to it, as is everyone else. I did think about it, but it was an easy decision. I know there are some women who feel very strongly about maintaining their identity through keeping their maiden name, and I respect that. But changing my name doesn’t change who I am. I’ll still be an Overmohle until the day I die, and in the family history records that I hope someone takes an interest in after I’m gone. Having the same last name says that Husband and I are a team, and marks this change in our lives.

Here are a few more photos (non-pro):

Honeymoon

We spent the week after the wedding in WA, MT and ID. More specifically, we flew into Spokane, WA, on Sunday night, and on Monday drove across Idaho and up to Whitefish, MT, which is just west of Glacier National Park. We stayed 3 nights in a wonderful B&B called Good Medicine Lodge. This lodge is owned and run by Betsy and Woody Cox, who are the parents of Husband’s good friend Joe (a groomsman in our wedding). We had such a great stay there! Betsy and Woody really enjoy what they are doing, and their attention to detail is impeccable. It’s a lovely lodge with only 9 rooms, the largest of which was our honeymoon suite. I had a hard time leaving there, and we wish we would have stayed there at the end of the week instead of the beginning, because it was the nicest and most wonderful place we stayed. We got spoiled!

While in Whitefish, we visited Glacier National Park, went horseback riding at the Bar W Ranch, and took in some of the sites surrounding Whitefish. We left there on Thursday and drove up to the far corner of Montana, and into Idaho. We visited Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge near Bonner’s Ferry, and the next day headed down to Coeure‘d Alene. We spent the day and night there, and then spent Saturday in Spokane. We left early Sunday morning and relaxed at home Sunday afternoon and also Monday. All in all it was a GREAT vacation and a nice time to decompress from the craziness of the wedding.

WICKED

On Thursday, July 20 I went to see the Broadway musical "Wicked" at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis. If you have the chance, GO SEE THIS SHOW! It was awesome! Tickets are a bit hard to get - I could only get 1 ticket for a matinee show. If you missed it this time around, keep an eye out for it in another year or two. For those of you who aren't familiar, this show is based on the book "Wicked" by Gregory MacGuire. It's a spin on the Wizard of Oz, telling the story of how 2 young girls named Elphaba and Galinda became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch, respectively. This was a wonderful show and I especially enjoyed the performance of Kendra Kessenbaum as Galinda/Glinda.

Weddings and Birthdays

My cousin Alexis married Chris in West Point, NE on Saturday, July 22nd. They had a beautiful day, and Alexis looked lovely. I traveled to Iowa to meet up with my parents early that morning, and drove over to West Point with them for the wedding. Husband and Brandon stayed behind so Brandon could celebrate his 13th birthday that same day! We had Brett’s family over for a little party on Friday night, but they did “guy” stuff the rest of the weekend.