Update

Wow – I haven’t blogged in quite some time.  But we’ve been busy, you see.  In fact the past three weeks have been a whirlwind of activities, end of school stuff, influenza, quarantine, plane rides,  and such.  Instead of boring you with all the snotty details…. I share just a few pictures.

Campbelle at a community celebration/bike feast.  I wasn’t with them when she got her face painted …. but woke up from a nap with her – like this – pretending to be a stealth, crouching tiger climbing up the foot of my bed.  Seriously gave me a fright!

Campbelle finished up her first year of school.  Unfortunately due to the same above mentioned illness – wasn’t able to attend all the final school activities.  But her treat was going to see her cousins instead… and frankly, we all thought that was way better than field day and blimy burgers at a school cookout. 

After a few tough days and some uncertain health conditions – we did in fact board a plane to Minneapolis – equipped with Motrin, kleenex and hand sanitizer. 

And although I don’t have a ton of pictures (why is it so hard for me to remember my camera while on vacation) I do have a few.  You can check Tammy’s blog for some more shots (but give her a few weeks, she’s been a pretty slow blogger lately :-)

We started our vacation with Relay for Life in Eureka.  It was a huge success with that small community of 1000 people raising over $42,000.  Marva did such a great job organizing our team “Karen and Carolyn’s Team” – and we were so glad to be able to be a part of it.

  Cousin Jordan, Gina and Beckett making a lap.  It was such a beautiful day and the track field has a gorgeous view along Lake Eureka.

Maddie, Cousin Mitch and Christian at our team’s camp site.

Our team’s American Idol performance…. Linda Ronstadt and back up singers with the presidents of the 80s.

My Dad. 

After our weekend in Eureka, SD – it was back to the Gallagher house in MN.

I don’t think my words could accurately describe the love and affection my kids feel for their cousins.  They had sooo much fun just hanging out with them and playing.  They hung on their every word, and studied their hand-jive routines…. watched carefully at their swim team practice and were in awe at their biking/scootering abilities.  Yesterday on the airplane ride home, my sweet-hearted little Christian would occasionally break into tears at the thought of not waking to them everyday, and even telling him that we would see them in 7 weeks when they drove out here was just too long for his heart to take. 

Christian was in Will Lego heaven; Campbelle got her Barbie fix;  Beckett got loved up and down a whole bunch more; and I enjoyed some great sister time and soaking in all the love.

Silent Online Auction

There is a Silent Online Auction taking place for the next couple days at the following site:

http://auctionforcarol.blogspot.com/

100% of the proceeds go towards a family who have been dealt a tragic hand.  Carol Decker (from Seattle area) went to the hospital to have a baby, but left blind and as a triple amputee.  Her incredibly heart wrenching story has been on our local news.  Find out more from their blog here:  http://www.sccsdecker.blogspot.com/

 

And remember to check out the auction site and help a family.  All the money raised from the auction is going toward inpatient therapy (which their insurance won’t cover).

Letterboxing

Where have I been all my life that I’m just now discovering a long time adventure quest called Letterboxing.  Here’s what it is:

Letterboxing is an intriguing pastime combining artistic ability with "treasure-hunts" in parks, forests, and cities around the world. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by cracking codes and following clues. The prize: a miniature piece of art known as a rubber stamp—usually a unique, hand-carved creation.

Letterboxers stamp their discoveries in a personal journal, then use their own rubber stamp, called a signature stamp, by stamping it into the logbook found with the letterbox, perhaps writing a note about the weather or their adventures in finding the letterbox

We did our first letterbox hunt this weekend and the kids could not be more excited to do more.

Here they are looking for the stamp.

Each kid has their own little notebook, stamp, and ink pad.  Campbelle’s signature stamp is a little fairy and Christian’s is a frog.  We didn’t get one for Beckett, but used his toe instead.  The kids left their stamps in the letterbox and placed the letterbox stamp into their notebook.  The one we did yesterday was called Pixie Hollow and this is the stamp that was there.

It was so much fun.  Check out this great site to see advetures close to you:

http://www.atlasquest.com/

We’ve already looked up some in Minnesota and even one in Norway in Vigeland park. Looks like we’ll be backing our stamps this summer!

 

The kids also got some other nature guides to use while we hike this summer.  Campbelle looked up just about every flower she passed by.

And Christian has an 'Animal Scat’ guide… here he is with what we think was some bear scat.  (Calling it scat sounds so much more adventurous than poop, no??)  Don’t worry – he knows to never touch it.

And according to Christian’s Scat guide it says on the Raccoon tag “WARNING – Raccoon scat can be deadly to people”    It advices to never handle any scat… but raccoon was the only one with this specific warning.  Just a little Nature FYI!

PART 1: Master bedroom Project

After almost two years of living in our new place, we’ve finally painted the very last rooms – the Master bedroom and bath.  I’ve spent a great deal of time trying to decide what I wanted to do in this room… I like peaceful and calm, but I’m also not afraid of some pops of color.  So after several hours of scavenging design blogs (see, there is a purpose for all that time lost)  - I settled on an idea. 

Here’s the before photo:

A few weeks ago we implemented part 1 of my master plan.  I’d like to think there are only two phases to my plan – but time will tell.  Here’s what we did:

1.  Paint (neutral beige color – hard to tell from this photo)

2.  Bed Linens

3.  Reupholstered headboard

I’m pretty thrilled about it.  And I love the bird.  I freehanded it on the wall with pencil (after extensively practicing on paper first) and then filled in with paint.  It really worked brilliantly, and the pencil was easy to erase and draw again if it didn’t take shape exactly the way I wanted. 

The headboard is the old one, with a think foam piece attached and then wrapped in a green canvas cloth.  It too turned out pretty good.  Nothing that will last for years probably – but at a total cost of $35 – and the existing headboard totally intact underneath – a fun change.

 

Part 2 – which I am not sure when I’ll be implementing that part – will bring new bedside lamps.  I love these – but am on a quest to find something similar at a lower price point – preferably much lower.

 

And I’d also like a long bench or something under the three windows (off to the right of the bed).  Probably something like this, but laying horizontally and filled with wicker baskets and books, etc…

I’m also pretty crazy about these candle sconces and for some reason, I believe this white rhino is begging me to put him on that bench in front of my windows someday.  This is a fun shop – both items are there.

We’ll see how my plan all unfolds.  I’ll keep you posted.

 

 

 

Meet the newest member ….

Her name is Felicity.  She is growing up during the revolutionary times and strongly believes that the American colonies should be free – even though a great many family and friends of hers still think the King is best fit to rule.

But here at the Brenne household, her struggles are far greater than of just the Loyalists.  Here, she has to compete against a girl named Kit for the love and attention of her beloved Campbelle.

 

So far, it’s all been very amicable.

10 months old

Ah Beckett…. long gone are the days of plopping you in the middle of the floor to play while I read a book; watch tv; clean; go to the bathroom; or pretty much anything.  You are a bit of an escape artist.  Here one second – gone the next.  And so the chase begins.  As does the more thorough cleaning of my floors.

At 10 months, he loves to wave bye-bye, clap and play ‘So Big’.  He giggles like crazy at Campbelle and Christian when they jump across the room and loves to shake his head and get dizzy himself.  He’s fascinated with other babies and any article of jewelry that I wear.  Bottle only at bedtime – otherwise a sippy cup and eats pretty much the same thing we are eating.  I have no idea his height/weight – but he’s big.  Wearing 18 months clothing.

Same happiness that we’ve always seen and still very outgoing.  (No stranger anxiety yet.)

This month will see him on his first airplane ride…. just a few that we have in store for him this summer.  We are so excited to see all my family in South Dakota in a few weeks – and introduce this little man to everyone.

Crazy how fast this is first year is going.

(his knees and legs get so red from crawling on the hardwood floors.  Slightly calloused. I should look for baby knee pads. ;-)

Love this t-shirt!

Really.  I must order a few of these pronto!

http://www.fargostuff.com/

8 years

“Who knows where this path will take us, but lets go forth hand in hand and promise not to let go because it may lead us someplace vast and amazing.” – Fréya

 

8 years ago we became a family of two. now we are a family of five.

leif, if we were able to see all of this 8 years ago,  we would have been so excited and in awe. because even now, right in the middle of it, whenever i take a minute to really look around and see our life - i am amazed. i love you. i love all that we can call ours.

8 years of love, marriage, babies and millions of things in between that have made up the substance of our life together.

(Photo from the Christmas we became engaged)

The next Xbox

This is an Xbox I will gladly welcome into my home.  How cool is this…