Kayak Therapy

On Tuesday evening Sheryl took me kayaking. It was so pretty out and just the therapy I needed--a good friend and nature!!!
We stayed til after sunset. Thanks Sheryl!

Date night was Chinese food and a full rainbow for dessert.

We drove up to Garvin Heights to see the view of Winona. This surely is a beautiful part of the country!

Tessa's Birthday No. 27

My first child is now 27--4 years younger than I was when I had her. Isaac helped with the candles and gift opening.

My garage sale high chair came in handy. It hasn't been painted yet but I'll get to it. It's only been a year and I am one of the great procrastinators.

The Pail Swim

My niece, Tara, was here and my sister decided Isaac should cool off in a pail. It does not take much to thrill a kid! My kids all loved sitting in pails. Below is Trevor all bunched down. Watching Isaac brought back good memories ;)

New floor

While we were off camping in June, Tyler and Tanner put a laminate floor in the living room. I love it--no more grungy carpet. And it was so nice to have no part in the muss and fuss--just return home and it's there and everything put back in order!

Camping

Our first camping trip was by Lake Wissota near Chippewa Falls. Matt and Tessa and Oliver came with. Oliver is a great camper! He brings his dog bed with and doesn't seem to think it's strange that we are sleeping in this moveable house and sitting outside a lot. On the last camp trip, I woke up to loud snoring in the morning and thot it was Tessa. Come to find out it was Oliver who snores like a human ;)

My sister and her husband camped with us too and brought Sophie for her first camping adventure. She did very well, but I think she thot the whole thing was really wierd. This campground even had wireless internet!

Teacher Jane

John's mom was a teacher for 31 years. Most of those years were in rural schools around here. This was the '56-'57 school year. Jane knew when she was 5 or 6 that she wanted to be a teacher. Her mother and grandmother had both been teachers. One particular teacher she had in grade school (her favorite) made her fully convinced that what she wanted to be. She remembered her as being fair and treating all the kids alike and she was a good teacher. One of her biggest challenges in the winter at one school was to clear a path to the girls' outhouse after a snowstorm. It was at the top of a hill and she would wear overshoes and push a path with her feet.
I know a huge amount of her students liked her. She was constantly running into former students who would recognize her and tell her how much they liked her. If a kid can remember what grade they were in when they had you as a teacher, that's a sign to me that she made an impression. I only remember 2 from my past and what grade I was in. Mrs. Snodgrass--2nd grade (she was BEAUTIFUL) and Mrs. Foss-6th grade. Last month when I took Jane to the clinic for her blood test, she was chatting with a gal at the desk who told me Jane had been her teacher. As we were walking away, Jane said(much too loudly), "She was pretty naughty".