Ryan and Emily's Wedding

 After 2 years of planning, and talking about it, Ryan and Emily's wedding has come and gone. It was a really fun weekend, but it was so busy and went by so quickly. 

It all started on Friday evening, when we headed to Minnesota. We stopped in Redwood Falls at the Scicily Boutique to pick up the suits for the boys. We ran into an interesting problem there. Elliott's pants ended up not fitting very well. They were way too tight in the hips and too short. He ended up gaining two inches in the hips and he grew an inch. So, we had a problem. Luckily, Bonnie called in an overnight order and John and Elliott just had to drive to Granite Falls the next morning. It was a sucky problem, but at least we had a solution. 

There were a couple of other problems before the wedding as well. Michelle and Adam had their baby two days before the weeding, so they couldn't come to the wedding or be in the wedding. So, everyone was a little bummed about that. And Alex (the best man) almost didn't make it back from Canada. So, things were happening and there was some stress. 

After we figured out the suits, we headed to the farm. The kids played around on mom's new e-bike (and no one got injured, thank goodness). At 5:00 pm we headed to Gibbon for the rehearsal. We walked through the wedding ceremony and practiced walking in and out. It was a good practice and took care of some of the nerves. 

After practice, we headed to Ryan's for supper. We had pulled pork, brisket, a pasta salad, cheesy potatoes, and bars. And drinks. It was a nice little celebration, and Michelle and Adam even stopped by with their new baby girl. We all enjoyed the party, but we had to call it an early night. The girls all had to be in New Ulm by 7:00 am the next morning, so it was time to go to mom and dad's house and get ready for bed. 

Saturday was a very long, very fun day. We got up at 5:30 am so we could get ready, packed up, and get to New Ulm by 7:00 am. We did pretty well. Emma even got up without too much problem, and we had time for some coffees and a hot cocoa before we arrived at The Hive. 

The Hive was a really cute little place to rent for getting ready for a wedding, or baby showers. It was adorable. Emily had a hairdresser and a makeup artist come in, and we all got our hair and makeup done. It took awhile, and we barely all got done on time. It was very close (good thing we were down a bridesmaid). I really loved how my hair and makeup turned out, I even tried fake lashes, and those went pretty well. Emma got her hair done and she looked so pretty. We decided that makeup for her would be a little overkill, so I just put some makeup on Emma, and just a touch of makeup looked pretty good on her. We also enjoyed some mimosas and muffins during the getting ready time. Then, of course, we got our dresses, and accessories on. And we helped Emily get ready as well. She made such a beautiful bride!

We left the Hive around 10:45 to get to the church for photos. We were running a little behind, but overall doing well on time. Photos went really well and pretty quickly. We did the bridal party photos outside, and then the family photos inside the church. The kids handled the photos really well. First, I should talk about how good they looked. Emma was absolutely gorgeous. She honestly looked 5 years older with her hair and makeup, and then a formal dress. She liked being a part of the wedding and being included with everything. She had a great day, she did really well with the photos and walking down the isle, and being patient. I was super proud. Elliott also did very well. He looked so handsome in his suit, and he also did really well with the other boys, the photos, the waiting, and the pants-not-fitting fiasco. I was also so proud of Elliott. 

After photos, we had some time to chill in the basement of the church. We ate a little lunch, had bathroom breaks (and helped the bride) and then before we knew it, it was time for the ceremony. The kids got a little nervous at this point, but they did really well. The ceremony went well. It started on time, everyone filled their roles well, everyone said their vows and exchanged rings. There were a couple hiccups. Ryan and Emily had a little trouble with their unity candle. It did not want to light. The priest had to like whittle around the wick so it would finally light. Luckily, there was a long soloist song during this time, so they had some time to make it work. And they got it lit in the end. And then when they exchanged rings, Emily accidentally almost put the ring on Ryan's right hand, but they corrected it in time. But the congregation chuckled a little. 

But the silly moments aside, it was a beautiful ceremony and it was special to be a part of it. Both Ryan and Emily got emotional a couple of times, and that was sweet. After the wedding, we got on the party bus (no kids allowed) and headed to the reception. We stopped at DJs in Gibbon, and then the Sleepy Eye Brewery in Sleepy Eye. And we had some drinks along the way. We were all feeling good and having a good time at this point. 

We got to the reception around 6:00pm. We did our silly walk-in when they announced the couple. Emma gave Elliott a piggyback ride in, and then ended up tripping on her dress and they both went down. Nobody was hurt, and it was pretty funny. John and I did the twist, which was pretty dorky. Then, we got to enjoy a nice meal of pork chop, roast beef, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and a bun. And they had cupcakes and cookies for dessert. It was delicious, and I was starving by then. And needed something in my stomach. Next up was toasts, tears, and kisses. 

After all that, we finally checked into our hotel room and hauled our bags into the room. And then it was time for the dance. The kids were dancing machines. Emma couldn't wait to change out of her dress, and then she danced the night away. She even did the worm. And of course Elliott was dancing all night. He was leading line dances and break dancing in front of everyone. And he had Cody and Kyle to hang out with, so he was a happy little boy. 

We all danced a lot, drank a lot, and overall had a really fun time. We all stayed until the end of the dance (Emma left a little early and went to bed). It was really hard to believe how fast the weekend flew by. I felt like I was surrounded by family and friends all day, but barely spent any time with them because the whole day was so busy. But, I am so happy for Ryan and Emily, and it was a really fun day. 

Congrats to the newlyweds!!

Rehearsal supper 

Beautiful wedding hair 

Emma's hair 

So pretty!

The bride!

The dads 

They got their names up there!

Reception time 

Diamond Lake August 2024

 We decided to make one more trip up to Diamond Lake this summer. So, two weekends ago, we headed to the lake. We left Friday afternoon, and enjoyed some burgers, cucumber salad, coleslaw, and hash browns for supper. It was a beautiful evening, and a great meal. After eating, Elliott and I went on a bike ride and then we enjoyed a campfire and some visiting around the fire. 

On Saturday, we ate breakfast, and then loaded up the bikes to bring them on the nicer bike trial that is around 5 miles away from the campground. It was a beautiful morning for a bike ride, and we all enjoyed ourselves. We went biking for about 6 miles. On the way back, Elliott's pedal broke, so we had to get dad's truck and then find where they were on the bike trail, and pick them up. We found them, rescued them, and then headed back to the campground. 

After all the biking, it got warm enough out that we decided to take the kids tubing. We borrowed the Super Mable tube from Jim and Barb, so the kids (and adults) got to ride on that. We all had a lot of fun on the tube and really enjoyed ourselves. Dad also brought the knee board along, and the kids were really interested in trying to knee board. Neither kid really got the hang of it, but they did really well for their first try. I decided to try to show them how it's done, and I ended up getting right up. I wasn't sure how it would go, but I popped right up and enjoyed it. 

After a couple hours of tubing, knee boarding, and swimming, it was time to head back to shore. We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon, and then headed to Zorbaz in Spicer. We got some pizza, nachos, and beer. Then, dad's cousins from Austria stopped by to visit and say hi. I didn't even know we had relatives in Austria, but it was really cool to meet them and learn about where they live. 

On Sunday, I had to leave around 9:00 am to head to Fairfax for a benefit for Claire Van Eps (Dani Jo's daughter). I was asked to help with it from some of my high school friends, so I went and helped with drinks and food, and then the silent auction. Eventually, all of the family made it to the benefit. We ate lunch, bid on (and won ) some baskets, and visited with friends and family. Then, we headed home. 

Lake Time 

Breakfast 

Ice Cream 

Tubing with grandma 

Emma's sand art 

Last night of softball for the year 

St. Paul Music Festival/July updates

 Right after Emma's Dakota Dreams camp, John and I headed to St. Paul for the MN Yacht Club Music Festival. Emma and Elliott went with Jim and Barb to Gary, SD to camp all weekend and go to a family reunion. They had a great weekend and played with their distant cousins and didn't miss us at all. 

On Friday morning, John and I headed to St. Paul. We left plenty early so we could take our time. We stopped in Lakeville, MN and found a really good brewery. They had really good food and beer, and it was a real winner. We made it to St. Paul around 2:00pm, and got checked into our hotel. There was a major software malfunction that affected flights across the nation, and many computer systems. Our hotel was no different, and they had to check people in the old fashioned way with a ledger book and pen. So, check-in took quite a while. Finally, we were checked in, settled, and then we headed to the music festival. 

We got there around 3:00pm, and enjoyed some really good music. Our favorites of the day were Joan Jett, Gwen Stefani, The Head and the Heart, and Alanis Morisette. It was really fun, but there were a lot of people, and it got really long and boring when a music group was playing that we didn't care about. But we had some good (and over-priced) Gyros and cheese curds for supper. We stayed until Alanis Morisette was almost done, and then we bolted out of there to beat the crowd. It was a solid mile walk to and from out hotel, but it was a pretty one that went right over the Mississippi. 

On Saturday, we slept in, which was glorious. I battled a pretty nasty cold the whole weekend, so it was nice to get some rest. We ate breakfast at Caribou, and then we had fun just shopping around town. We went to Costco, shopped around at Total Wine, and then we ate a really nice lunch at a Mexican Restaurant. It was wonderful. We waited until around 3:30pm to head to the festival, and we had another great day. It was a little hotter, and there were more people (they estimated 60,000 people were out at that park). But, we had a great time. We really enjoyed Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave, Hippo Campus, The Offspring, and of course The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The RHCP were the reason we went, and they were awesome. I wish they would have played a few more of their classic hits, but they were really good and really fun to watch. We stayed until the very end 10:30pm, and then finally called it a night. We walked back to the hotel, cracked a beer at the hotel and watched a little TV, and then called it a night. 

On Sunday, we slept in again, and then went to find a cute brunch place for breakfast. After breakfast, we went to Trader Joes for some shopping, and then finally we went to the Twin's Game. It was supposed to be a 12:05 start, but there was a rain delay, so we decided to hit up a couple breweries before going to the game. We went to Fulton, which was an easy walk from Target Field. It was good, and had a fun vibe. Then we also went to Modest Brewery, which was another fun brewery just a block away. Then, we finally decided to go to Target Field. 

We arrived at Target Field in the second inning. We bought standing room only tickets and had fun wandering around the stadium to watch the game. The Twins ended up losing to the Brewers which was a bummer (especially with all the Brewers' fans there). But, it was a beautiful day for baseball and we had a great time. 

On the way home, we stopped in St. Peter at 3rd Street Tavern. It was really good. They had really good BBQ, and then they had like 15 Bourbons to choose from on the menu, so John was in heaven. We also stopped at Lost Sanity Brewery in Madelia, MN. It was a fine brewery, I was just tired and over it by the time we stopped there. 

We made it home by around 9:00pm, and we were so ready to be home. We unpacked, and went to bed. Monday was a much-needed catch up day. We did laundry, cleaned, and then eventually went and got kids from the farm. Emma and I went to Deb's house and tried on our bridesmaid dresses, and they fit and looked great. So, we are ready to go with that. 

This past week has been hot and muggy. Jill was in town for a few days, so we got to see her and visit with her. Chris and Jerrice hosted a gathering at their house and the kids got to swim in their pool, while the adults visited, so that was pretty fun. 

I also took Lily and Emma to Wild Water West last Tuesday evening, and they had an absolute blast. Katie was there with some friends, so I had a good time in the lazy river and having a drink at the swim up bar. It was a really fun evening, and Emma loved being able to catch up with Lily and have some girl time. 

Our summer continues to be crazy. I had softball last night (that was hot, muggy and sweaty). But we won 1, and lost 1. Otherwise we are just gearing up for the fair and the wedding. And this coming weekend we are camping at Diamond Lake again. So, we just run, run, run. The kids went out to Jim and Barb's tonight to work on 4H projects and just have some grandparent time. 

Anyway, I will try to keep up better with the blogging, but now it's 10:00pm, and I'm ready for bed. I hope the summer slows down a little!!

Elliott's weaving 

Army Men in the camper 

Emma's Macrome 

They found a fair to go to 

Our Twin's Game 

Elliott and a friend found a hatchet 

Emma and Great-Aunt Jill 

Emma and Elliott and Great-Aunt Jill 

Swim time with friends 

Dakota Dreams Camp

 In the middle of July, Emma spent a week at SDSU for Dakota Dreams Camp. Dakota Dreams is a camp where kids entering 7th or 8th grade can go to a college that is participating in the program and learning about different majors with hands on activities. It's state funded, so it doesn't cost a thing to go. 

So, Emma got accepted into the SDSU camp which was super exciting. We brought her to campus on a Sunday, and they had a nice program for the parents and the kids to talk about the camp, the school, and what to expect. They also fed us a taco bar meal which was a nice touch. 

We moved Emma into her dorm room, which she shared with another girl attending camp. Emma was a little nervous, very excited, and couldn't wait to have a college-like experience. 

Emma loved the camp. She made friends with like 5 other girls, had a ton of fun, and got to experience 8 different majors at SDSU. They had sessions all throughout the day, and then in the evenings they got to do fun activities. They went to the Wellness center one night to swim, play basketball, and climb the rock wall. They also went to the play Cinderella another night. They also had a dance and games, and the last night they swam at the Brookings pool and had a picnic in the park. They were very busy, but having fun the whole time. 

The hands-on sessions for camp were really cool. Emma got to help deliver a simulation calf from a simulation cow. She also got to feel a uterus and help bandage a horse's leg (all simulations). The nursing one had them taking out staples, and taking a blood pressure and all kinds of things. They really got a lot of hands on experience. 

On the last day, the kids got to pick out some SDSU gear. Emma got a nice fluffy SDSU blanket, a pennet, some pencils, and a notebook. She was so happy. 

On Thursday, I ended up picking her up from camp. We took a nice tour of the campus, and then stopped at the Dairy Bar for some SDSU ice cream. We also stopped out at the Sutton Vet Clinic to pick up vaccines for Jim and Barb, and we had a nice chat with Dennis. Then, I took a very tired Emma home. She slept most of the way home. 

Emma going into her dorm room for the first time 

Dakota Dreams Camp

Emma's excited

Pie Day at work 

Fourth of July

 July is almost over and I am way behind on blogging again. I hate it when that happens. Summer just keeps flying away from me, 

At the end of June, we took an afternoon to go check out the falls and walk around downtown and do the sculpture walk. We wanted to see the falls after all the rain and flooding that happened earlier in June. It was a beautiful day to be out, and the falls were really flowing with all the extra water. We also had a lot of fun walking around downtown and looking at all the sculptures. And of course it ended with the kids playing the fountains and getting soaking wet. It was fun though. 

This year, we went to Diamond Lake again over the 4th of July. The actual day ended up being really rainy, so we ended up driving out to Mom and Dad's farm on Thursday (the 4th). Since it was raining, all of us, and Ryan and Emily went to the Sleepy Eye Brewery, and then after that we went to the Bellview Winery to have supper and some wine. It was a really fun day. We spent the night at the farm to get some good rest, and then we headed to the lake on Friday. 

Friday was a much drier day, and we got to the lake around mid-morning. It actually turned into a really nice day, so the kids begged to go tubing. So, we borrowed a tube from a friend and took the kids tubing on Diamond Lake. They had a blast and loved every minute of it. After a couple hours, it was time to go back in and relax. The kids found some other kids to play with, and the adults enjoyed some visiting and beverages. In the evening, we got to watch a nice firework show around the lake, and by 10:00pm we were putting two really tired kids to bed. Tony and Elizabeth also came out to visit with their kids, so it was nice to catch up with them. 

On Saturday, Ryan and Emily came to the lake for the day. We ate a nice lunch together, and then we decided to check out the craft fair going on in Spicer, and then we went to the Big Kahuna to mini golf. It was fun to do something different and move around a little. After golf, we got thirsty, and went to Goat Ridge Brewery for a beer. Then, it was back to the lake. Ryan and Emily headed home after supper, and then it ended up raining in the evening, so we all hung out in the camper for the night, which was a little crowded. 

On Sunday, we decided to go to the Twin's Game. The kids were begging to go, and we figured since we were already halfway there, we might as well go. It was a 1:10 pm game and we got there at around 11:00am so we could get the kids their free Joe Ryan replica jerseys. It worked out for us and they both got a free jersey. We enjoyed walking around the stadium, changing seats, watching the game, and eating good food. We stayed for the entire game, and we actually ended up seeing the Twins win with a walk off homer from Christian Vasquez. It was really fun. Then, it was time to hit the road and head home. 

It was a long drive home and we finally made it around 9:00pm. It made for a long Monday, but I was really happy we ended up going to the game, we had such a good time. Good memories. 

It was another great 4th of July weekend!

Downtown Shennanigans 

Falls Park 

Celebrated 15 Years at work 

Time to go tubing 

Goat Ridge 

Go Twins