Where have we been!?

We have been around since last I posted--Up North, back to the Cities, Up North, up to Duluth, and back to the Cities, Up North, to eastern Wisconsin, and now we are in the U.P. of Michigan! On the Road!!

Back Up North--Mitch made his famous venison summer sausage and did some cooking for the groom's dinner he catered in Duluth.











Mitch and his sous chef , Carol "Sue", who was a great help, and she let us use her kitchen for a week of cooking!











We decided that Big Sandy Lake is perfect for pontooning and when you have as big a "family and friends" as we do at the lake, we purchased a beautiful, fun pontoon for us all to use.










Then back to the Cities where Mitch cooked a filet mignon dinner for the Mitchell family. Granny came up from Iowa, Dan and Cari and all their kids (Mitzi and Greg, Mindi, Gunnar, and kids Masayda, Cassian, and Joakim), Deb and Mike, and of course Bryan and Stacy and Shayne, Sarah, Addy and Macy (thanks Shayne and Sarah for letting us use your kitchen and house for two days!)









Addy ( 27 months)















Macy (8 months)









Addy and Macy listen intently to a story Granny is telling them.














Then off to Wisconsin where our friends, Don and Janelle, hosted a mini-rally. Actually Don built the new desk and cabinets for us and also made some for Wally and Zona. We just happened to get them installed at the same time so we made a party of it!













Mitch--cooking again! Shrimp to die for!













Wally and Zona













Not to be left out, Audry and Gerry joined us for the fun and festivities.

A Couple of Brayden Shots

Yes, he is two and a half and shaving already!


















Brayden and cousin Kole (nine months). Doesn't he look like he'd be a good big brother!

Back to the "Cities"

So we're back in the Twin Cities area after coming back from the Ohio Rally for more fun at the girls' house. Addy and Macy are a good time! We played on the swingset...Addy would say "Gramma go hold Macy, Grampa will play with Addy on the swingset!" I think she likes her Grampa. One day we went to the pool did some serious splashing.

One of her good lines..."It's tough being two!"




Macy had changed in the week and a half we were gone, more hair, bigger smiles. She rolls from side to side and has even made it all the way over a few times. She's getting so big. She is a little sweetie!









We watched the girls one night so Shayne and Sarah could have a night out, and Bryan and Stacy came to play with the girls and have dinner after they went to bed. It was a gorgeous night and dinner was served al fresco!









We made a date for ourselves about two months ago to spend an evening with Bob and Jo. It was a great evening with wonderful food and an opportunity to do a lot of chatting and laughing.










Pat and Bennie had cleared their schedule to join us that night. We hadn't seen them in a few years and they are always good for many, many laughs.

Where have we been?

Besides being busy, we have had poor internet service, but we've had a good time.

It started up north at the beginning of the month, making my famous 72 hour Chocolate Chip Cookies. But my chef burned the motor of my mixer and Cari just happened to have an extra in her coach that she said I could have. Do you recognize this, Mom, the Rival slate blue mixer still in the box from your Winnebago!




The weather was fine, and the full moon at the cabin was beautiful.












With the holiday, everyone was there, including all the dogs who loved to dive in from the end of the dock to retrieve frisbees and balls!











Addy found she could whip up a mean bowl of "dirt soup" for the dog. She spent hours carrying one spoonful of dirt at a time to create just the right consistency.

She also liked to make "salad" for the dogs.













Soups done and she calls out, "Here Kaiser, come and eat your dirt soup, Buddy!"
















I finally told Sarah to just put Addy's swimsuit on first thing in the morning. We couldn't keep her out of the water once she got close to the edge!











Macy loves the outdoor action too!













We went to Springfield, Ohio for the Monaco International Rally for a week. We had lots of fun, saw lots of people, and worked a little too.

Here we are at the gate for three full days checking coaches in. The weather was beautiful. Here's the leftover moon in a bright blue sky.







How many guys does it take to jump start a car?

Monaco North Central Rally--Rochester, MN

This weekend in the MNC Rally and we are enjoying ourselves in southern Minnesota with about 20 other Monaco coaches and all our friends. It's great to see some of them again.

We did a tour of the Mayowood Mansion (of Mayo Clinic fame), 32,000 square feet of home with original furnishings. Amazing!






We also went to the "Toaster Shed", a private museum of personally collected toasters (no two are alike and all dating before 1950). Walls full of toasters filled a specially built display building. The almost retired carpenter who loved his toasters was a hoot and it was a great little tour--didn't know toasters could be so fascinating!!

June

We're back "Up North" and Addy is checking out the robin's nest. What does she see?












Yup, one egg. The next day she wanted to see again and when I lifted her up she said "Two eggs!". I looked in and sure enough, two eggs. Now we are impatiently waiting for them to hatch.









We had just finished breakfast and Addy announced to all, "Addy is all done...on earth as it is in heaven!"

I loved her after breakfast garb--pajamas and her rubber boots. The mosquitoes don't bother as much and she can get her feet wet...












Yes, she still has her boots on and she's as happy as can be. When I can I'll put on the video because she in singing every song she knows!











Even Macy is enjoying the great outdoors.













I went back to the kid's house to help out with the girls for a few days and get my real baby fix. Had a great time. Addy is great fun (and funny too--even Macy thinks so)! She has the best lines. When she runs into something or falls she says, "That'll be a mark!", after lunch one day she had Sarah and me laughing and she said, "Addy tells funny jokes!". One of my favorites usually comes when there's a tear or two, after a fall, or when something doesn't go her way and she says, "It's tough being two!"



Back "Up North" Bryan and Stacy (and Harvey) spent a night so we did dinner with s'mores and pudgy pies for dessert and did a little boating and fishing to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Macy's Baptism

We spent a nice weekend with the kids and celebrated Macy's baptism on Sunday. The girls were all dressed in their finery and looked as cute as could be.