Puzzle Time with Grandma

Gabriella loves putting puzzles together with Grandma.  She sits so patiently and tries to figure out pieces.

Happy Birthday to Me.

This year we celebrated my birthday all weekend long.  Friday night we went to Pizza Pub in Pine City with family and friends.  The France's, the Kohls, the Williams', Mom and Dad, and Randy and Crystal.  20 in all and we had a great time.

Saturday we just relaxed and later played a few games of pool at Tanks while having a pizza.

Sunday, my actual birthday, Clavin grilled a great lunch for all of us.  Chicken, pork chops, zucchini on the grill, garlic mashed potatoes and salad.

Kyle making Crystal Light

Clavin standing in a snowbank at the grill.

Jerk chicken, pork chops and zucchini

Add a few garlic mashed potato's

Italian salad.

Gabriella laid down for her nap and kept waking up crying in pain so we took a little trip to Urgent Care.  Double ear infection.  An hour later and a few different medications heavier we headed home.

Gabriella and Care B at Urgent Care, Pine Medical Center Sandstone, MN.

When we got home we sang Happy Birthday and had cake and ice cream.

Yes, there are 36 candles on this cake!

Me and the cake, chocolate with peanut butter frosting.

Grandma and Jonathan dishing ice cream.

Gabriella and Daddy.

With Kyle ready for school and the baby feeling better we took off for a movie in Hinckley.  We watched Paul.  It was funny and the perfect ending to a great birthday.

Cousins

Clavin had spent some time with his cousin Sergio.  After work Gabriella and I went to pick him up and Gabriella got to see her cousin Jabarri.  Jabarri was happy to see her too.

Grandpa's Little Red Tractor

"Get on Johnny, let's go for a ride.  Kyle you too, I'm driving!"  It's always so much fun to drive Grandpa's tractor. 

I remember as a kid pretending to drive that very same tractor and then finally getting old enough to start it up while dad taught me how to drive it.  Too cool!

Maple Syrup Time

For generations and generations my family has collected sap from the Maple trees to turn into maple syrup. Each spring the sap starts to run and the trees are tapped, sap is collected and then boiled down into the sweet goodness! This year my cousin Laura and Aunt Imogene tapped trees and we helped collect the sap and started the first "boil-off" of the season.

Crystal, Linda, Laura, Imogene, Kyle

Gabriella and Jonathan

Kyle pouring the sap into the pan to be cooked down, Imogene.



Laura

 

Gabriella with her hands in her pockets, she had to keep them in her pockets all day.

Kyle and Grandma

Randy

Gabriella and Mom

Dinner with Friends

Nothing beats spending time with good friends.  Tonight we all met at Tank's Tavern in Cloverdale and had pizza, burgers and a few cold beers.  The kids (well the guys too) played pool and video games and us ladies got to relax and share quite a few laughs!

I will add the disclaimer that I gave my camera to the kids tonight and let them take the pictures.

Joe, Katelyn and Annie

Chad

Kyle

Gabriella

Marc and Clavin "See Clavin I have this four drink window when I play pool..."

Kyle, Chad, Jacob and Tony

Ella

Sarah and Clavin

Lyndie Vanek

My cousin Steve's wife Lyndie died unexpectedly and our family gathered to support Steve and the boys in their loss.

Sometimes the lighthearted nature of children are really a relief on such sad occasions.

Let's take a dip.

Too much energy and too much snow!  What's a Minnesota Mom to do?  Take the kids to the pool!

Mom!  I got a noodle!

Gabriella.

Kyle and Josh

Bedtime for Bonzos!

Most nights before bedtime I get Gabriella and Jonathan in their pajamas and let them watch cartoons.  They switch between Dora the Explorer and Diego.  On special nights they might get to watch both.  Kyle likes to sit with us too, but he always has to pretend that he isn't watching.  I hear him singing along with all the songs though... I wonder how he knows them... hmmm.

Gabriella and Jonathan

Kyle