Oktoberfest 2008

Every September my sister's in-laws host an Oktoberfest on their farm near my home-town. They bless us with an invitation and it is a blast! They make the best German food and usually have live entertainment too. It is loads of fun and I look forward to it every year. My brother Tom was such a great help to me over the weekend with the kids. It is always nice to have an extra set of hands and Olivia and Joseph just love him. Thanks so much, Tom!

Enjoying my favorite part of Oktoberfest...the meal!

My sister, Beth, and her husband Ryan. Aren't they cute? Ryan's getting ready to run his first marathon.....Good luck Ryan!

Demolition Expert

"Demolition Expert" is what my Dad appropriately calls Joseph. Rich often says we should have named him Dennis and call him, "Dennis the Menace". Why? He is one busy boy! I don't think Olivia was ever quite this busy - or maybe a person just forgets. Anyway, he is into everything - opening drawers and cupboards, pulling things apart, trying to climb up the stairs, putting everything and anything in his mouth....and the list goes on and on. He is just so cute though and we love him anyway!

A Great Hand-Me-Down!

Our friends' kids out-grew this battery operated car (thank you Wade's) and gave it to Olivia and Joseph! What a nice hand-me-down! Rich and I have been wanting to buy one of these for the kids but couldn't justify spending the money. Olivia is having so much fun driving it all around the yard. Actually it is the second car given to us this month. Our friends Monica and Alexis (Thanks you two) gave us Alexis' old Barbie Jeep except Olivia can't drive it yet as it needs a new battery and the Gator battery is not compatible with it. We will have to buy one that works for the Barbie Jeep. Talk about a lucky girl! Two cars! I would have loved to have had something like this as a child....

David Update

Many of my blogging friends have asked for an update on my nephew, David. I am happy to report that he is making huge gains every day! He has to relearn most everything from walking to talking to even swallowing again but he is determined to regain his full self back and is working very hard to get there. On Monday he was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital, Emanual, that specializes in working with children with problems like his. We are happy he is there and getting the physical, occupational, and speech therapy he needs. It is difficult for all of us mid-westerners in the family to be so far away. I wish he was closer so that we could visit. As for now, we are tentatively hoping for a trip out there next summer and have to be thankful for the daily updates we get from my brother and his wife. Thanks again for all that have been praying. God is faithful!

Olivia's First Day of Pre-School

Olivia had her first day of preschool today. She is going up to Blackduck with me two days a week to an all day preschool a few blocks from my school. After some tears last night about going and a few more this morning when she first woke up, she got dressed and put her new Barbie backpack on and was then eager to be off. When dropping Joey off at day-care she sounded just like me as she told Joey that he 'd be OK and that we'd pick him up at the end of the day. At the end of her day, Olivia's teacher said, "Olivia was a tiny bit reserved - just taking in all the new kids and activities - but seemed to enjoy everything we did. She worked hard, followed directions, and played with many of the kids." That was so good to hear and it was nice to see her at the end of the day with a big smile on her face and ready to go back in two more days. Uff dah, but all these "firsts" are such big milestones in her life..... and in our lives!

David Update

Thanks to all who prayed for our nephew, David, these past few days. We cannot tell you how much it has meant to us. After a long day of surgery, yesterday, we learned late last night that the tumor was larger than initially anticipated and it was benign. (Which, surprisingly, was not what the doctors were hoping for. They said that a malignant tumor would be easier to treat, it could be zapped and taken care of with chemo and radiation, where a benign one would likely grow back eventually.) After closing up his skull they found that he was hemorrhaging in another part of the brain and had to go back into surgery to sodderize that. I guess it was touch and go last night whether he would pull through all this but he seems to be doing much better today. He has been semi awake at times and can follow simple commands even. Praise the Lord! He is by no means out of the woods yet but we at least have a glimmer of hope that we will have the old David back soon. Thanks again for the prayers and support!

Prayer Request

My brother Rick's oldest son, David, age 11, was diagnosed on Tuesday with a tumor the size of a tennis ball on his brain. Doctors are operating Thursday (a 15 hour surgery) to remove the tumor. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. They live in Eugene, Oregon, but are in Portland at the hospital for surgery.

A Fun Sunday

We met some friends at the State Park on Sunday for a picnic and tubing. Here are just a couple of pictures of our day.
Joseph made a new friend...she's as dark as he is fair! Both are beautiful though...

Taylor looks like she has bathed in the sand....which she did!

Our Anniversary

Rich and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on Saturday. After spending the day together as a family Rich took me to Dorset and my favorite restaurant, Companero's, for supper. As usual, it was excellent and I enjoyed every bite!Joseph and Olivia enjoyed sitting on the donkey outside of the restaurant while we waited to be seated.

The day ended with a view of this beautiful sunset. The colors in God's creation are breathtaking!

Happy Birthday, Judy!

Happy Birthday to my sister, Judy. I have fond memories of sharing your birthday month with you! Wish we were together to celebrate....maybe next year.

Oh how we love summer!

Some friends invited the kids and I over to their lake home yesterday for some swimming and tubing. It was a beautiful day to be out on the lake.
Olivia, Joseph, and Savannah enjoyed the tubes even when they weren't being pulled behind the boat.

What fun it is to jump off the dock!

Joseph is finally pretty brave in the water! He loved swimming yesterday. He would have dove right in and underwater if I would have let him!

Fun at the Fair

This past weekend was the Beltrami County Fair. Rich and Olivia rode a bunch of rides Wednesday night and then Olivia rode rides again Sunday afternoon. Olivia's friend's Dad works at the radio station in town and had gotten two free arm bands for the rides at the fair and they invited Olivia to go along. We also ran into my friend Anna with her daughter, Cora, so she got to go on rides with her too. It was such a treat for Olivia to ride all the rides and to do them with a few friends. Olivia is sad that we have to wait another whole year for the fair! It's a good thing they are only once a year though as they are hard on the pocketbook!

My friend Anna with her daughter, Cora, ride the "horsies". You can see Olivia in the background.

Itasca Camping Trip

We are fortunate to live within 30 miles of one of the State's most beautiful parks. It is a shame we don't take advantage of it more often. It was such a beautiful weekend that we got a lot of biking and swimming in at the park. However, it is stressful camping with a baby and having such close neighbors that can hear everything. Needless to say, Rich and I were pretty tired out by the end of the end of the weekend.Walking across the headwaters Fun at the beach

Walking across the log bridge was so much fun

Olivia poses for the camera - isn't she funny?

Our children

Enjoying the campfire and smores

Hanging out with Joseph

Flexible Joe

Wouldn't you love to be this flexible?

Before and After Four Wheeling Pictures

Joseph loves to ride on the four wheeler like Olivia does but seems to fall asleep on each and every ride!

Happy 4th Birthday, Alicia!

We are thinking of you today, Alicia, and hoping you have a great day! We are so glad you are part of our family. We love you very much!

Another Night of Fishing

We were skunked out on the lake last night. It was such a nice night we decided to try fishing the lake behind the house. Actually, Rich fished, Olivia and Joseph played, and I read a book in between taking minnows away from Joseph (he did get one in his mouth) and shooing the deer flies away from Olivia while she poured buckets of lake water over her head. Even though we didn't see any fish we did see three deer, one beaver, one bald eagle, and one blue heron.

Swimming Lessons

We enrolled Olivia in her first swimming lessons this summer. It's amazing to see the progress she has made in only three days! She is not nearly as timid in the water and only complains a little bit about the water being too cold.

Our Happy Boy

Joseph is almost always this smiley. The only time he is not is when he is cutting some new teeth. Speaking of teeth, he has seven now. I don't remember Olivia having a whole mouthful at this age...I'm a little worried about the big gap in his two front teeth. I'm hoping it closes up as more teeth come in. Is that possible?

Bathing in the Mud

Rich definitely lets Olivia do way more than I do! I glanced outside last night and saw Olivia, with Rich observing, swimming in a mud puddle in the driveway. When she came inside later on I told her that we'd have to head upstairs for a bath. Her reply was, "But I just took a bath in the mud puddle!" These pictures are of her fun in the mud. I once had a friend tell me that playing in the mud is good for a person - your body obtains some needed vitamins or something that we can get from mud.....hmmmm......

Ehlen/Storck/Zahl Family Reunion

Yesterday was the annual Ehlen/Storck/Zahl family reunion on my Dad's side of the family - mostly my Dad's cousins. It is always fun to see and visit with the extended relatives and even meet new family!

Olivia was disappointed that there weren't any kids her age to play with but she adopted a new Grandma, Del Swanson, my Dad's double second cousin. (Del's Grandpa and my Dad's Grandpa were half-brothers and their Grandma's were sisters.)

Fun at the Parade

We enjoyed Bemidji's annual 4th of July parade last Sunday. Our friends own some rental property on the parade route and invited us to sit with them - it was a perfect spot to view the parade from as it had lots of nice shade!

I invited my good friend, Iona, to sit with us. I think she had fun not only watching the parade but all the kids too!

Olivia had so much fun watching the parade with her friends and Joseph. She says her favorite thing about the parade was getting candy and being with her friends. Doesn't she look happy?

Camping

Last weekend we went camping with our good friends, Ron and Linda. (Or, Grandpa and Grandma, as Olivia calls them!) We went to my favorite place, Norway Beach. It was a beautiful few days to camp. We biked, played by the water, had a campfire, and played games. Olivia's favorite part of the weekend was the biking and going potty in the many different bathrooms! (She has a fascination with bathrooms and especially liked the tiny bathroom in Ron and Linda's RV.) Norway beach has beautiful trails to bike and you don't have to ever worry about traffic. Ron and Linda were so gracious and shared their RV with us so we didn't even have to pack the tent or sleeping bags!

Happy 4th of July!

We are having a pretty laid back 4th of July this year. Joey and I took a nap earlier while Rich watched Olivia and now Rich is napping while I watch the kids. We hope to make it into town later for a picnic supper and Bemidji's carnival and then may meet some friends for the fireworks at dusk. Have a great 4th!