Over The River & Through The Woods

My Little Gus

2008-04-27T22:40:00.001-07:00

Here's a photo I took of Gus this weekend. I love him. He's such a cute baby.

New Mounts...

2008-04-27T22:34:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again...the fall deer mounts are completed and up on the wall.....2 are new...but one is Tim's so my living room walls will only be home to 3 of these bucks. They won't be this close together normally. One of them is super naughty and sneaks up on the couch just like Gus.

Winter Weekend

2008-04-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were hit hard with another snow storm. We really really thought we were on our way to Spring when we recieved 8" of snow from Friday night-Saturday night. We woke up Saturday morning just CRABBY because of the snow. We are so sick of it, and were really looking foward to a weekend of yardwork and planting. Maybe next weekend. Sean and his friend Dean went canoeing down the river and Gus decided he wasn't going to listen to me calling him home and instead followed the boys down the river. They hauled him into the canoe and it wasn't too long until Gus jumped around too much and tipped the canoe. Luckily for the guys, the river is only ankle to waist deep the whole way. After Gus dumped them in, they decided because of his bad behavior, he would have to swim the rest of the way...needless to say, he slept well when he got home. Sean and I went bowling last night too. I love bowling and showed off my PineRiver Leauge skills by beating him 2 of the 3 games. I even got a TURKEY! The last game Sean beat me when he bowled 4 strikes in a row. It was a fun date :) Today it was 60 degrees and sunny and Sean was in a archery tournament in Walker. He said he had a great time and can't wait for the next one. I photographed a senior in Pequot Lakes, and was really pleased with the outcome, despite (or maybe becasue of) the fast melting snow.

Have a great week everyone!

Maybe Spring will really arrive this week!

Our Driveway....8" of snow of April 26, 2008

Maggie LOVES the snow!

Robbin Hood

2008-04-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

The other morning, before Sean started work, he was outside shooting his bow. He ran inside and said, "Goosey! Get your camera!" I couldn't imagine what was so important that I needed to start shooting at 7:30 am! I ran outside to see what he had done, and it turns out, he shot his 2nd "Robbin Hood". A robbin hood is when the arrow you're shooting hits the arrow already in the target and splits it down the middle!

Global Warming?

2008-04-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

April 6, 2008

Funny how Al Gore isn't ranting and raving about Global Warming when the upper midwest is hammered with a snow storm in early April! I think it would be safe to say that Pine River received 24" of snow in the past 10 days... On April 5th I photographed my first wedding of 2008 shooting most of the photos outside on a lovely 55 degree day, and then 18 hours later, bam! 12" of snow! It's beautiful, especially since the river is open now, and the snow looks so fresh and picturesque! Needless to say, we are ready for spring, ready for our road to dry up, and ready to turn off the base board heater!

Shhhh!! Don't tell my dad!

2008-04-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

On March 31st I turned 2 years old! I heard my parent's talking the other night about how they are going to get through the "Terrible Two's"... I don't want to be naughty..I just can't help it! Remote Controls are my favorite thing to eat! Sometimes at night, when my parents are sleeping, I hop up on the couch and catch my Zzzzzzz's. My mom knows I do it but my dad is snoring and doesn't hear me! hee hee hee! During the day when my mom's inside with me and my sister Maggie, she pretends she doesn't see me on the couch! She just keep's telling me I'm so cute! Happy Birthday to Me!

April Yardwork!

2008-04-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe my eyes on Wednesday when I looked out my office window and saw a blizzard of snowflakes the size of quarters! It only last a few hours and gave us a slushy coating, but it was a set back in the "drying-out" that has been taking place on our property. Last weekend, Sean fixed our lawn mower, and even bought a brand new seat. We were so excited about our new wheels that we rode it around the yard!

Puerto Vallarta!

2008-03-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

We had the greatest time on our Honeymoon to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The weather was in the mid 70's low 80's everyday. Molly extended our trip by one day on each side, so the 1st night and last night of our trip we stayed downtown, and the week in between we stayed in a condo in the more 'touristy' part of town. We spent time on the beach everyday, and ate our almost every night. I was a bit of a baby, and whined about all the Mexican food! We tried to go to an Italian restaurant one night but Sean wasn't wearing any pants....I mean, he was only wearing shorts, so we were asked to leave :0) We both agreed that one our favorite parts of the trip was the ADVENTURE TOUR we took. It's an excursion were to take an Army Vehicle out of town and into the mountains, then ride mules up to the top of the mountains, then take zip lines from plat-form to plat-form. Mix in a little free-falling, and waterfall repelling and you have yourself one heck of an adventure! I wanted to buy a few photos at the end so I could prove that I did repell down a waterfall but the photos were blurry and $17 bucks each. Not very impressive to a photographer. After the adventure, we were taken back to our hotel in a boat and skimmed across the ocean faster than I've ever been, except maybe in Uncle John's boat. We also went on a Dune Buggy ride compliments of Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa George. We had a fun time on that tour too. The other days we spent laying around on the beach and striking deals with the beach vendors. We had a fantastic time, but there is no place like Minnesota!

This is the view from our 7th floor condo

On our way to our Adventure Tour

Getting ready to leave on the dune buggy ride. It was super dusty!

Sean shouldn't be allowed to drive a dune buggy. Everytime we were going to drive through at river he sped up so I would be soaked.

Sean Para-Sailing....he said it was one of the coolest things he has ever done!

Pina Colada #87

Here's Sean, freeing Grandma and Grandpa from the hotel they were locked inside of.

Here, we're on the bus, and I'm very excited about our trip to a Mexican Wal-Mart

Tubing at Buck Hill

2008-02-10T12:02:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Christmas with Molly, Kaitlin, Aaron, Brian and Beth by going tubing at Buck Hill again this year, then exchanging presents and feasting on Prime Rib. I also got to meet Rocky, Kaitlin and Aaron's vizsla. Oooh! I think he's such a cutie pie! I so love getting together with everyone in Eden Prairie. Living away from our family makes us love coming home so much more!

A Good 'Ol Fashioned Snowstorm

2008-01-28T19:42:00.000-08:00

We woke up in Burnsville the day after Christmas to a winter wonderland. This made me miss my days growing up in Burnsville....I have so many great memories of snow days from school, sledding down our the hill in our big back yard, and shoveling neighbors driveways....These photos are taken in Burnsville on December 26th, 2007....about 8 inches of snow

Christmas in Burnsville

2008-01-28T19:15:00.001-08:00

It's almost February, and I am finally getting around to posting our Christmas festivities! Sean and I spent our first 'married' Christmas, very busy and traveling far! We ventured to Eden Prairie, Menomonie, Red Wing and Burnsville. We enjoyed each and every celebration!

This photo is the same every year....a beautiful tree, a warm house, and gifts galore.

This year we also did 'white elephant' gifts. My mom's suggestion surely started a new tradition. Trading your own crap for others! How fun! In the above photo, Troy shows off his white elepant gift....a purple elephant!

Annie & Troy's Wedding 12.08.07

2008-01-25T14:50:00.000-08:00

Annie and Troy were married in Hartford, South Dakota on Saturday December 8th, 2008.
Everything was perfect, beautiful, and memorable...

Rehersal Dinner...

2007-12-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

The Rehersal Dinner/Groom's Dinner was so fun! Annie and Troy hosted a Pizza & Root Beer Float Party for their families at the Humboldt Community Center.

Rehersal...

2007-12-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

We were glad we got the chance to reherse! Who knew a wedding ceremony could be so confusing :)

Ingredients for a Wedding Reception..

2007-12-27T11:09:00.000-08:00

We spent Friday setting up the Humboldt Community Center for about 250 party goers.

The centerpiece for their tables was authentic South Dakota Wheat. Annie found jars from family member and antique shops to display on each table. Our brother Josh made 100 bread boards to serve the loaves of bread at each table too. It was BEAUTIFUL!

We found a great way of dispersing the chairs....Rather than carry them to each table, why not push them across the room?!

Only 1/2 the fun...

2007-12-27T10:57:00.000-08:00

Annie and Troy's wedding and reception was only 1/2 the fun. Much of our family arrived days ahead of time to help get everything ready for the big day. It was so fun spending so much time together. There were a lot of laughs and lots of memories made.

This is Troy, saying his prayers before marrying my sister...
Sean and Maggie spent a great deal of time pheasant hunting while we were in South Dakota.

Annie made 2 cakes for their rehersal dinner.

A running shoe and a tractor!

The rollers that became stuck in Mackenzie's hair!

Bride's Night Out!

2007-12-23T09:52:00.000-08:00

Annie's bachelorette party was a fun night for a bunch of cousins and friends. We started the celebration at Stacie's house with gifts and lasanga then pushed onto some small town bars in Hastings, Prescott and Red Wing... Supposedly the movie, "High School Musical" is super hot right now, and a character's name happens to be Troy, so we showered Annie with "I LOVE TROY" paraphanalia!

Annie's Shower...

2007-12-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

We had a nice shower for Annie is mid-November at Stacie's house. Hors Devours and gifts is a nice way to shower a bride to be. We enjoyed an afternoon party then broke out the real fun and games later that evening with her Bachelorette Party...

So Many Reasons to Give Thanks...

2007-11-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

This is what I have to be thankful for this year:

- My new husband, who I still consider the greatest blessing in my life. I look forward to seeing him everyday, just as I did when we first met. I ignore the nay-sayers who say, "you're newly weds....it'll change." I adore him and love every moment.

-Maggie & Gus, the little critters who fill my life with as much joy as they do frusteration. I feel blessed that just by switching their dog food back to a name brand, their little ailments and aches have subsided. Thank you IAMS.

-Our home. The little fixer-uper, that we're still fixing up. Sometimes when I'm sitting on the couch or putting away groceries, or making the bed, I still can't believe we own this place. Paying a mortage gives us a great sense of pride. We so love a phrase that our pastor said...."You must live like no one else now, so later you can live like no one else." We don't mind living in a tiny place with icky mice, and no storage, and little heat. We don't mind not keeping up with the Jones' because maybe later, the Jones' will wish they lived like us.

-Our families. The biggest fans of this silly little blog. We love our parents and siblings and grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins beyond words. Our families are big and our hearts are just full becasue of them.

-Our Jobs. Truly one of the greatest blessings of my year is the fact that my business has provided me with the realization that I can be a full time photographer. The dream of working from home became a reality and I have savored every single moment, knowing that this kind of lifestyle is not available to everyone. I feel so fortunate and I know this is becasue of my customers. Without them there would be no business. I am proud of Sean for all that he did to make AMI's first year a success as well. We are definitely on the right track. The best is yet to be.

-Our Friends. Since moving north about 18 month ago, we have missed our friends so badly. Seeing so many at the wedding reminded us of how truly blessed we are to have so many friends who have stayed near and dear to us. We enjoy getting together when our trips home allow. We also are finding pals in the northwoods too. I joined a bowling leauge, and am looking foward to joining Yoga after the holidays. We have great neighbors and feel like lucky to have people to wave to on our road.

A few other things we are thankful for:

-a freezer full of venison

-my sister's December 8th wedding

-the plan of attack for my dad's health

-well running vehicles

-a flawless wedding

-a winter honeymoon!

-living in a place where everyone vacations to

-Having grandparents so close by

-An outside garage office that stays warm

-working out at the gym again...it's all about will power

-Customers

Hunting Season 2007

2007-11-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

2007 was another successful hunting season for Sean and Tim. They both enjoyed a trip to Grand Marais last weekend and came home with these impressive bucks. Last night Sean and I packaged 13 pounds of ground venison and we are just getting started. The boys had a GREAT time and can't wait to go back next year.

Good To Be Home...

2007-11-02T10:08:00.001-07:00

Sean and Maggie were phesant hunting in North Dakota last week. Gus, who never likes to be alone, spent the 4 days as an 'only child' looking for his sister, Maggie. Finally when they arrived home on Halloween night, Gus was content.

Happy Halloween!

2007-11-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!
Boo!

Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza 2007

2007-11-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

We had our annual Pumpkin Carving Holiday in Red Wing last Sunday. In addition to carving, we emptied out Grandma's basement of items that had been there for YEARS! We enjoyed our time together and luckily the weather was perfecto`.

Bowling with the cousins....

2007-10-28T19:50:00.001-07:00

I rolled into town yesterday for our annual pumpkin carving extravaganza at Grandma's. On Pumpkin Eve, we got together with Erin, Mike, and Garrett at Burnsville Bowl. A good time was had by all! I expected to be intimidating now that I am on a real bowling leauge, but my skills were not up to par.... gutter ball, gutter ball, gutter ball....

Sean is in North Dakota this week on a phesant hunting trip. I miss him a lot, but I know he's having a great time. Next weekend is deer opener..... This is his favorite time of year!

Our Trip to the North Shore & Canada

2007-09-30T00:05:00.000-07:00

We left for our honeymoon on Sunday night. My parents were gracious enough to stay at our house and take care of their grand-dogs while we were away. Our first stop was the Bungalow in Emily. One of our favorite restaurants. We arrived at Teteegouche State park at midnight. The next day we drove to Grand Marais where we did a little shopping then decided to push onto Canada to see my Grandpa and Uncle who were unable to come to our wedding. We arrived at the fishing camp at 6:00 and enjoyed visiting with them for a bit. We set up our tent in the pouring rain and dined on beer and venison summer sausage by candle light....I mean flash light. Before leaving Canada we stopped at Kakabekah Falls. Back in Minnesota we decided that our luck was pretty good and played the slots at Grand Portage Casino. Gambling Sucks. we lost our 10 dollars right away. We toured the Grand Portage National Monument and headed for Temperance State Park where we camped for our last night.

Now how cool is this?

The old logging roads that take us to our fishing camp in Canada. The fall colors were amazing.

My dear Grandpa K

How romantic that Sean was willing to deface property at a provincial park to declare his love for me! He's called me Goosey forever.

Kahakebekah Falls

A little photographic fun.

Ingredients:

Night Time

Tripod

10 Second Exposure

Red Flash Light

Patience

Our Wedding Day-September 22, 2007

2007-09-29T22:43:00.001-07:00

It finally came. After 367 days of engagement, our wedding arrived. A year ago I read the farmers almanac and it stated September 2007 was going to be wetter than normal. While this was true, September 22 was the most glorious day of the month. Truly we had the best Saturday of September. Our morning started off with getting our hair done by J.Ameilas Salon and Spa Owner Joannie and her assistant Megan. The girls did a fantstic job on each of our hair "doos". After having grown my hair out for 18 months, I was glad I decided to have my hair down and curly. I jumped into my dress and was strapped in by my Annie and Maggie. They did a great job on a not so easy dress. Our PHENOMONAL photographer and I walked behind the barn where Sean would see me in my dress for the first time. After a few moments, I was greeted by our dogs, Maggie & Gus, and finally Sean. He looked amazing and I felt so pretty. We had such a fun time with our photographer, doing not so typical shots in the barn, and phesant coop. At 3:30 our guests started arriving and I watched from inside the house at all the people who drove so far to celebrate our marriage with us. At 4:00 we were ready to roll. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" began to play and I was just moments away from being a wife. Having my dad walk me down the aisle was a dream come true, as the summer we had at the Mayo Clinic was one non of us would ever want to repeat. With so much calm, he walked me past 220 people who have left indelible marks on our lives. Getting married was something I always hoped for and in earlier years doubted would happen. I felt PERFECT standing beside Sean. In all my dreams I couldn't have hoped for a more wonderful man to be with. Our ceremony was so memorable. Our pastor touched our hearts and helped guide us to a long and meaningful realationship with Christ through our sessions of counseling and during our marriage ceremony. We so enjoyed having our dogs present for our wedding as well. Playing "Home to You" during our wedding was a song that represents our life word for word. "hangin' out in our old sweatshirts, you let me complain about a hard days work, I don't know what I did to deserve to get to come home to you." With a kiss and an introduction as Mr. & Mrs. Anderson, we were married! Uncle John & Rick took us and our bridal party on a boat ride across Upper Whitefish right after our ceremony. We got a chance to take some great photos with our photographer and share a bottle of champange. Onto our party......

Every detail of our day was executed flawlessly and for that we thank our parents, family and friends who helped in countless ways. Each and every vendor did an outstanding job for us. Our jeweler, caterer, photographer, DJ, florist, baker, and hair dresser provided us with their professional services and have in us, extemely satisfied customers. Words just simply can't express the happiness our wedding day brought us. Something that perfect is larger than ourselves. We have been blessed and we hope that each and everyone who is in our life knows how much your presence at our wedding meant to us.

Making a wedding...

2007-09-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

There were so many people who worked for months to make our wedding celebration a success. There were daily phone calls and emails to our moms, there were laughs, and tears, and lists, and payments.... Here is just a glimpse of the morning of September 22nd....The list of names that we need to thank is much too long to list on our blog. So many friends and family members came 3, 4, even 5 days early to help decorate, organize, cook, clean, pick up, drop off, hang, haul, and smile with us as we counted the hours till our wedding ceremony. We can't say "thank you" enough.

Our Groom's Dinner

2007-09-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

We had our Groom's Dinner at our favorite Bar & Grill, Underdogs. We had the best Prime Rib dinner EVER and enjoyed the company of so many family and friends. Later in the evening we invited our out of town guests to come to the Bar for a pre-wedding get-together. We loved seeing so many guests a day early since we knew the wedding day would be so busy. Addie, Grace & Anna did a fantastic job entertaining us with Kareoke, and Molly and Kaitlin decorated Underdogs into a beautful restaurant. This was just the beginning of a PERFECT weekend.

Rehersing never hurt anyone...

2007-09-29T20:34:00.001-07:00

A Little Pre-Wedding Rendevous...

2007-09-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

Our parents arrived Tuesday before the wedding. We enjoyed a boat trip on Whitefish with John, Elise, Addie, Grace, and Mackenzie & Jeff. We ate at Manhatten Beach and had the greatest time. It was a perfect time!

A Circle of Life....

2007-09-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

The sunflowers that I nurtured all summer bloomed this week

Today I went to the Crow Wing County Courthouse to apply for our marriage license. While I was in line, a gentleman by the name of Nelson was in the line next to mine. After hearing me discuss my marriage license to the person at the desk, he gave me a glance, and with tears in his eyes said to me, "Sweetheart, I am here to fill out my wife's death certificate.....we were married 66 glorious years." I went about my business, raising my right hand, stating everything was true to the best of my knowledge, paid my $110.00 to the state and looked for my keys and cell phone. When I was about the leave, I saw the man sitting at a nearby table quietly crying. It was painfully obvious that the death of his wife was very recent. He said to me, "Could I have a hug?" I gave him a hug and his wish for me was a marriage as long and fun as his was....

I will never forget that man.

A few days ago, I organized a collage of engagement photos into a frame. In one opening I insterted the quote, "I can't remember a time until now that forever didn't seem long enough." Sean and I are 26 and 24. Logically we know, we will not live forever. In a few days, we will say the words, till death do us part. I wonder though, how many newly married couples ever really live like they don't have forever. Ever since I met Sean, I thought that forever with him still isn't long enough. The man at the courthouse though, reminded me that life is a journey. He walked beside his wife for "66 glorious years." I can only hope that Sean and I are that lucky. On a day that nothing could sadden me, I stood beside a man who felt like nothing could make him happy again. Everyone has a story...

Over the River and Through the Woods....

2007-09-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

Well the day finally came.....the day of a new bridge! We knew when we moved in 18 months ago, that a new bridge was in the near future. The bridge to our house is a charming little thing that never once scared me....even though it leaned, creaked, and rumbled under our tires. Our bridge being rebuilt had zero coorelation to the tragedy of the 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Our little gateway is only 2 car lengths long and one car length wide.....underneath lies 12 inches of slow moving current....Our neighbors, most of who are "weekenders" all gathered to lay the new boards...I even heard there was a ribbon cutting which I missed becase I was shopping! We all enjoyed a BBQ and bonfire afterwards. What a good job done!

Labor Day Weekend...

2007-09-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

It was a busy Holiday Weekend on our road! On Thursday, Mom and Dad, and Molly came up to finalize wedding plans and meet with the caterer...On Friday night, Annie and Troy came from South Dakota. We had a blast with them. We ventured out on 4-Wheelers on Saturday and wrapped up the day with a dip in Whitefish Lake and a boat trip out for dinner.....

Do we look like we're ready for a wedding in 20 days?!

Bride's Night Out!

2007-09-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Easily one of the most fun nights of my life! "My Girls" gave me the greatest bachelorette party a bride could ever ask for. We started with gifts and games and tacos at Stacie's house, then pushed onto Hastings, Prescott and Red Wing for some small town bar festivites...

Doug & Tom....The best sober cabs in the world

"We are family....I've got all my sister's with me!"

Ready to go home....

An Ice Cream Bridal Shower!

2007-09-05T22:04:00.001-07:00

My cosuin Stacie, and sisters, Annie and Mackenzie threw me a super fun shower a few weeks ago. Stacie hosted the shower in her home in Cannon Falls, and I enjoyed the company of many wonderful women from my family and sean's family. Thank you to everyone for your generosity and company. It was a great afternoon!

There was one boy at the shower!

My soon to be: Mother-In-Law and Sister-In-Law

A New Driveway!

2007-09-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

In May Sean began running Asphalt Maintenance Inc; a new sealcoating business started up by his cousin tim. The new rig was so long that they decided make our driveway warp around the garage. All the dirt was moved and trees were cut down in just one weekend in August!

Before

After

A New Sidewalk...

2007-09-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

In early august we finally poured our very first sidewalk! Wow! What a difference that makes! Our neighbor owns a masonry business and gave us his knowledge and a great deal. We love our new front walk and the new sod. We have since lined the path with rocks and solar lights. The more projects we complete around our house, the less we feel like we're camping!

So Long, Diesel....

2007-08-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

Sean sold his beloved diesel pick up last week. I loved that truck too. I joked with him that if he had picked me up for our first date in that truck, rather than his shiney, new one, I would have fallen in love with him even faster...So long, Diesel.

A day in the Life of Gus...

2007-08-09T12:00:00.001-07:00

Don't let these images fool you...He may be a crazy sleeper, but Gus is awake more often than he's not.

What's in a wink?

2007-08-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

To Sean and me, there's a lot in a wink. 2 years ago today, Sean sent me a virtual "wink" on match.com to "show interest". I didn't bother winking back...I decided to be BOLD and shoot that guy an EMAIL! We talked over email for 1 week then met in person in mid August 2005. The rest is history...

We are thankful online dating worked for us!

There's a frog in my office!

2007-08-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Look's like I won't be getting too much work done tonight because there is a frog in my office. Simply terrified, would be the best way to describe my feelings towards the bumpy creature....bye for now!

Deer Days of Summer...

2007-07-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

A few of the locals...

Porcupined?!

2007-07-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

It's only Monday, and we've had quite a week! Tonight Maggie and Gus discovered a porcupine in our yard and got a bit too close. Luckily for us, she was not badly attacked. Last year we removed hundreds of quills from Grandpa Mike's dog...they were in his nose, roof of his mouth, etc...Maggie was a good patient and Sean had the quills out in 10 minutes. Is keeping the dogs inside FOREVER, unfair?

SKUNKED?!

2007-07-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the brilliant idea of going for a "dark walk".... an activity Sean and I often did with Maggie in Minnetrista. So at 9:30, with plenty of light in the sky we left on our walk with the dogs. About 4.5 minutes into our walk, a skunk walked just feet in front of us, and sprayed our ever curious, Gus, in the face. Our walk was offically over, as that foul odor we often smell on area highways filled our yard. A swim in the river did nothing, as did the bottle of dog shampoo. Our only option left was lemon or tomato juice and that meant a trip to town. When Sean got home from town, he drenched Gus' face and we let him be outside for a bit. Moments later I hear a screaming sound outside, and Gus came to the door with a baby bunny in his mouth....Life in the woods continues......

South Dakota Bound...

2007-07-02T18:22:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I made the long trek to South Dakota to visit Annie and Troy. WE HAD A BLAST... I will remember every moment. The last time I had been out there to visit my sister was August 2005. The very week I was about to meet Sean. I remember telling her about "this guy I met online..." 2 years later, we're about to be married! Annie and I spent the weekend scrapbooking, watching movies, and going for a long walk among the fields of eastern South Dakota. One of my favorite parts was going out to the farm where Troy's family lives and seeing all the animals. I always new I was a country girl, but a farm girl? that's something else. It was so fun holding that squirmy little sheep, and feeding the cattle in the field. Annie, that was the best trip to South Dakota ever! Thanks for all the fun! Sean and I can't wait to have your at our house on Labor Day weekend!

Happy 1 year Annivesary Gus!

2007-07-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

Our little Gus celebrated 1 year in our home on June 16th. He's equal parts: weird, funny, quirky, boisterous, cuddly, sweet, and stinky...all hundred pounds of him....
Here he is in his favorite position....he'll lay on his back like this all the time.

Summer is Here!

2007-07-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

I waited patiently all spring for my big, beautiful peonies to bloom. They were here and gone all within 10 days....even still, they were gorgeous. We recieved a lot of rain during the end of may/early June, and everything looked lush and green. Now that July is here we are hoping for more rain to keep the new grass seed growing, and the tomatoes happy.

Best Friends, Cousins, AND Lumberjacks...

2007-05-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

Memorial Weekend Yard Work...

2007-05-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

We had a busy holiday weekend here. On Sunday Molly and I went into town and bought flowers for our gardens. This year I'm attempting perennials. (I know it's probably not tough, and they come back automatically, but it's new to me!) Petunias are always a safe bet, plus planted some pumpkin seeds behind the garage, and hope to see 6 foot sun flowers by fall. Meanwhile, the boys were cutting down trees...

A Makeover or Makeup Consultation?

2007-05-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

The day after the shower, my mom and I went to the mall and learned how to do our makeup the day of the wedding :) I joked that we were were getting makeovers, but when I left looking amazingly similar to when I arrived, I knew what I had just experienced was a makeup consultation....

A Beautiful Bridal Shower...

2007-05-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

On May 20th I enjoyed a bridal shower given by Sean's great aunt Ginger, and great uncle Jack in Roseville. It was an afternoon I'll always remember. I enjoyed introducing the many women in Sean's family to my mom, sister, best friend, and grandmother. The theme of the shower was "Around the Clock" and I received gifts that would keep me busy all day long! A waffle maker, gardening supplies, kitchen utensils, wine glasses, games, pajamas, among other things. From the first day I met each member of sean's family, I felt instantly welcome, and I felt that way once again in the company of 20+ amazing women.

Our Sweet Kids...

2007-05-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day Weekend

2007-05-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Mother's Day with Molly on Saturday. We went go-karting in Burnsville then out for dinner in Minnetonka. On Sunday I picked up my mom and we joined Jeannie, Rhea, Ellie and Erin for the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure at the Mall of America. It was a wonderful weekend spent with our 2 favorite moms!

Almost 1 year...

2007-04-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

This week we celebrate our first year in a new town... April 28, 2006 we moved to Pine River, Minnesota. We agree that this has been the FASTEST year of our lives.

This is the year I learned about the real world. About bills, mortgages, the responsibility of pets, and cooking (kinda). A few people have commented on how brave, or courageous I was to move here, not having ever been to the area or being so far away from the city and all that was familiar to me. It certainly has been a change, but nothing I have ever regreted...plus I knew right away that I would go anywhere with Sean. It may not be a place of glamour, but we have a beautiful piece of property and a home we feel fortunate to own. We are proud of what we have created here alone, but our parents have come to our rescue often, thoroughly, and with great generosity. Infact, I don't think I could have moved up here with the attitude that I did had it not been for my OWN parents enthusiasm and support....We have learned that it's easier to be happy when you have a cheering squad.

A lot happens in 365 days....My hair is 4 inches longer, the mice are (mostly) gone, our selection of television channels have quadrupled, our businesses have a solid foundation, another dog became a member of our family and his behavior and spirit have kept us on our toes, our house has seen a new coat of paint, I am thrilled to work at a dealership in town that fulfills my need to be creative, and quite possibly, the most exciting change of all, we are engaged to be married on 9.22.07 in a ceremony that is sure to be another highlight of our lives.

Particularly our greatest debt of gratitude goes to Sean's family that lives in Pine River. Grandpa Mike, and Grandma Mary, John and Elise, and Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa George. These 6 people have helped us in countless ways. They have supported our businesses by hiring us and spreading the word, they have borrowed tools, machines, and vehicles to us in order to make our latest project a bit more easy. They have invited us to dinners and gatherings, and introduced us to their friends in order to broaden our own circle. We have been so generously splashed with love and it overwhelms us.

We loved the visitors we had this year....friends and family that saw first hand the bridge we cross every day to reach our humble abode...Please know, you are welcome here anytime. Our door is always open.

Our very own storage unit!!

2007-04-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever said to yourself "There is no storage room in this house!!!" We've said that from the day we moved in, but NO LONGER!!! Last weekend, Sean and I layed 8 sheets of chipboard across the beams of the garage and a few days later he built a stair case for easy access. We are excited to do some 'real' spring cleaning and get the lower level of our home ready for construction or maybe just a little more organized!

Happy Easter from our little bunnies....

2007-04-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Sean and I enjoyed a wonderful Easter Service with my mom on Sunday morning, then it was off to Red Wing where we enjoyed the company of 20+ relatives. Maggie and Gus were in good hands back in Burnsville.

Let's Try This Again...

2007-04-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new blog.....

Our reason for the switch? less junk e-mail & spam, and fewer crazy visitors claming to be our " online buddies" weird huh?!

We hope this new site is a place you can go to find out the latest events going on in our neck of the woods even if the latest is a newly fallen tree, or more photos of the cutest dogs in the world.

Happy trails....chelsie & sean