tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45169743333895600272024-03-05T18:08:16.261-06:00Little Olsena little bit of life with the OlsensAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.comBlogger491125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-91995340323360707602014-01-02T20:49:00.000-06:002014-01-02T20:49:26.312-06:00Our New Blog Is Up!<br />
It's true! The new blog - <a href="http://themangomemoirs.com/">The Mango Memoirs</a> - has launched! I'm incredibly excited to share it with you. Simply click on over to <a href="http://themangomemoirs.com/">themangomemoirs.com</a> to continue following us on our journey to Africa. <br />
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See you there!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-41444350188028347002013-12-31T11:36:00.002-06:002013-12-31T11:36:42.168-06:00Farewell to 2013<br />
Happy New Year's Eve! I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating, however you like to celebrate it best. I've rung in the new year so many different ways. When I was in junior high, I would spend it babysitting my cousins. In high school, we were usually at someone's house watching movies or snowshoeing. To ring in 2000, the big Y2K year, I was attending a wedding at midnight! I've spent many years quietly journaling alone, which I completely enjoy. This year I'm beyond excited to get to celebrate it with my man <i>not</i> at the hospital. The first two years of Pete's residency, I went to be with him <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2011/12/happy-new-years-eve.html">at the hospital while he was on call</a>. (perk: he got to deliver the New Year's babies!) Last year we almost got to be together, but he was called in for an emergency 20 minutes before midnight. Twenty minutes! So close!<br />
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This year, there will be no call. We thought there would be no babysitter, but my amazing sister offered to throw a little New Year's slumber party for her kids and ours, so Pete and I actually get to celebrate in style! I am so excited. Yesterday I bought new make up and tried a few new styles on my hair. Today I had my nails done and bought false lashes. Yes, it's that serious, people. At midnight I plan to be locking lips with my man in a crowded martini bar downtown. It's going to be like the movies. And even if it's not, it will be perfect because I'll be with the handsomest guy ever as 2014 rings in. I can't think of any place I'd rather be.<br />
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A few days ago, I discovered <a href="http://flipagram.com/">Flipagram</a>, a fun app for creating slideshows<a href="http://flipagram.com/"></a>. The slideshow for the first half of the year was my first project, which is why it is in a backward order and has no music. Sorry. I would go back and make it again, but I'm going to spend the time cuddling on the couch with my Ella instead while dreaming of the year to come.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-59384085767112733542013-12-30T23:28:00.000-06:002013-12-30T23:37:45.214-06:00Christmas at Home<br />
One week ago right now I was preparing dinner for our Christmas Eve feast. We hosted, and I wanted to try something new, which I did and it just happened to turn out beautifully. But those details will be posted soon. That's right, Christmas dinner gets her very own post, she was that special. That was one week ago, and I feel like I'm sitting comfortably in solitude for the first time since that night. It may not be actual truth, but it feels like it. I do love the holidays, but it's amazing how busy things can get.<br />
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The Sunday before Christmas, we took our sweet Ella to her
very first live stage production. I was wiping away tears as the
curtain rose and Ella watched the dancers of The Minnesota Ballet's <i>The Nutcracker </i>began
to dance across the stage. I couldn't believe that I was really
attending a live show with my very own daughter. It was a complete
surprise to her, which looking back, was maybe not the best idea on my
part. Immediately following the first piece, Ella excitedly turned to me
and asked, "Mama! Is it my turn? When can I dance on the stage?" Oh. I
hadn't thought ahead that it would have been a good idea to explain that
this was a performance we were watching, not participating in. My
darling just couldn't understand why she wasn't allowed on stage. Can I
blame her? It's in our blood! I love being on stage and always have.
Pete and I gently explained between <i>every single</i> dance piece that
we were only going to watch. She did, however, make it through the
entire show, which made us very proud. As the curtain went down, though,
big tears started to flow. The show was finished? There would be no
more dancing?! Poor Ella cried all the way to the car. Next time I'll
make sure to explain the entire process of watching a performance before
we attend. She did love it, though!<br />
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I love sending out our annual Christmas card and letter. I so enjoy watching a Christmas movie while writing all
the addresses on the envelopes and then carefully putting each one
together in a little assembly line. This year didn't go quite that
smoothly, though. The primary problem was that I forgot to actually
order the cards until somewhere around December 10, when we had already
accumulated a decent stack of cards from friends who were far more on
top of it than I. So there I sat, anxiously waiting for Scott, our mail
carrier, to deliver our box of cards on Monday. Yup, last Monday. Like
the day before Christmas Eve. My plan was to write them all and send
them off that same day by 5pm. Oh, friends, I tried! There's just
something about taking care of two wee children at the same time. It
nearly happened, but in the end, I didn't quite make it. Due to the hubbub of preparing to host on Christmas Eve, the cards finally made it
to the post office the day <i>after</i> Christmas. Most of them, anyway.
There are still some in transit. Sorry if yours is late this year.
Doesn't Christmas technically last until Epiphany on January 6? <br />
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The morning of Christmas Eve we were prepared for our guests, all of the Scott family. Ella just couldn't wait for her cousins to arrive. She stacked her gifts for them and waited as patiently as she could.<br />
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After our Christmas meal at noon, the kids finally got the okay to share their presents. Wyatt was very excited to give Sam a gift he had helped pick out.<br />
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Miss Maira discovered princess Jelly Belly's in one of her packages.<br />
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Boxes are the best!<br />
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Sammy loves getting time with his aunties & uncles.<br />
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After a late round of cookies and pie, we all packed up to attend one of the Christmas Eve services at our church. It was a very cozy, traditional service. A couple of the worship leaders shared their stories of "coming home," we sang carols, and one of the pastors gave a beautiful message. Ella and her cousins even had a birthday party for Jesus in children's church! I love being a part of an incredible church family, especially at Christmas. <br />
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After church, we all headed back to our house and stayed up late talking before everyone left to get home before Santa. It was the perfect end to my favorite Christmas Eve in a long time.<br />
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The last few years, Pete and I have developed some of our own Christmas traditions. We somehow managed to be alone as a family on Christmas day every year through residency. After three years, we've adopted that as one of our favorite new traditions. We wake, peek in stockings, eat kringle (a Danish pastry Pete grew up with every Christmas), put on new jammies, and very slowly open presents throughout the day. <br />
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Ella got a sled from Santa! (I suppose this is where I insert my extreme gratitude to Walgreen's for having such a sled on Christmas Eve. That very morning I realized Santa had not yet actually picked up gifts for the two Olsen children. Santa jumped in the sleigh and sped to Walgreen's just before the Christmas Eve service and, after sending an employee out to the storage shed for the last available sled, purchased this beauty along with a musical toy for the wee lad of the family. All was right in the end. Thank you, Walgreen's and/or Santa!)<br />
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We've always kept our gifts to the kids very simple. Part of the reason is that we know they get things from most other family members, so we don't need to overload them with more things. The other more important reason for us is that we want them to appreciate what they receive. This year we got them each a gift and then one gift to share. The wood blocks is the gift the shared. They've already played with them for hours! <br />
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We hope you had a very happy Christmas! <br />
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<i> I have now seen the final draft of the new blog! I'm continuing to work with a designer and a tech person to get it polish and posted so we can launch. It really could be any moment. I cannot wait to share it with you!!</i><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-55012154330880007972013-12-20T07:00:00.000-06:002013-12-20T07:00:07.482-06:00Photo Friday<br />
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<i>* a little glimpse at the week that has passed *</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VibYFKECqu4jNV6sP_Jqibo-CBWeOo2UnwG6Hi6UwG09DYGzmgGScu_ERF6DIgoIcpARaCMEKW8RolAay7KXhJolGlcrWRa28szsibzIHfm6H8QHu_kftqkl_yMJF9FUuwQuHIGeWRmI/s1600/Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VibYFKECqu4jNV6sP_Jqibo-CBWeOo2UnwG6Hi6UwG09DYGzmgGScu_ERF6DIgoIcpARaCMEKW8RolAay7KXhJolGlcrWRa28szsibzIHfm6H8QHu_kftqkl_yMJF9FUuwQuHIGeWRmI/s640/Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-62625494295579228662013-12-15T08:00:00.000-06:002013-12-15T08:00:00.751-06:00Photo Sunday<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-52877507515393564932013-12-13T21:14:00.000-06:002013-12-13T21:42:56.994-06:00A Very Family Thanksgiving<br />
For months before Thanksgiving this year, we had planned that we would spend a quiet day with turkey & cranberries at home because of Pete's work schedule. However, just a few days before the day actually arrived, Pete's schedule got a bit busier, so I decided to take the kids to see the families! It meant a lot of time in the car, but that was excused by all the cuddles and play time with aunts & uncles. I'm so very glad we got to soak in the holiday!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfdir2m7eP11vh4TJ0c_IPLOuGr-QAPkogtnaxT8icyn9wWkxakEhqOHkl5JCSl3cDzPx9DdyuSQ6iTs0elu077uJOlMNkZ3KdCkU8m9XJ_Xvzlqd7UXLE2NssxdD59DiIEfIYoUqHXOv/s1600/IMG_8741.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfdir2m7eP11vh4TJ0c_IPLOuGr-QAPkogtnaxT8icyn9wWkxakEhqOHkl5JCSl3cDzPx9DdyuSQ6iTs0elu077uJOlMNkZ3KdCkU8m9XJ_Xvzlqd7UXLE2NssxdD59DiIEfIYoUqHXOv/s400/IMG_8741.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div>
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On Wednesday afternoon, we drove to the middle of Wisconsin to visit Pete's parents and sisters. The trip has great potential to take just four hours, but it somehow stretches to nearly five when the kids are along! We used to be able to make it through with one short stop at the halfway point, but such is no longer the case. It's partly my fault, I admit. If I simply made one stop at a fast food place, we could probably get going a lot faster. Instead, I tend to stop at a big store where we end up buying things we forgot and walking down isles looking at things we don't need. This time, however, we had cash registers malfunction, a diaper overflow, and to top it off, a snide comment from a woman on our way out of the bathroom. With Sam in one arm, a bag tucked under the other and Ella's hand in mine, I wanted to sit on a bench and cry. Instead, we made it to the car, buckled in, flipped on a movie for Ella and public radio for me, and we were headed once again down the highway. Eight minutes later, just as I was settling into the flow of the road and sipping a coffee, the gas light turned on. Ugh. We did eventually make it, though, and Sam was ready for his Papa time.<br />
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Auntie Kristin was there and so was Auntie Kat. Kat flew in all the way from the East Coast, so I'm especially glad we were able to make it for Thanksgiving.</div>
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Ella performed a little interpretive ballet for everyone.<br />
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The kids adore visiting Nana & Papa "without the puppies" as Ella calls them. I love visiting, too. The kids get lots of play time with their aunties and cuddles with their grandparents. I even get to sleep in, which is absolutely dreamy.<br />
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Friday afternoon we packed in the car and headed back to Duluth. Guess what? It took us just four hours with only one short stop at a gas station. Happens every time when we're headed home. Pete was working over night, but we all met for breakfast in the morning before the kids and I drove to central Minnesota to my parents' house. The entire family was there!</div>
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Sam got some cuddle time with Uncle Jake...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLq5b96pB3Tb61P2TeqmipD-rlcBcBwh4G3TJLNS06bunAkNUzd72W_a-7ivsD0esQoMTqF0MeIdIW9QpIGzUprjkjjupZhdazJAviyCXnCcJVXVWNNSXGJldA4yzoStReX86JtCxF2i3q/s1600/IMG_6759.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLq5b96pB3Tb61P2TeqmipD-rlcBcBwh4G3TJLNS06bunAkNUzd72W_a-7ivsD0esQoMTqF0MeIdIW9QpIGzUprjkjjupZhdazJAviyCXnCcJVXVWNNSXGJldA4yzoStReX86JtCxF2i3q/s640/IMG_6759.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and Wyatt...<br />
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...and Maira! The boy is fairly irresistible. <br />
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Then he was ready to eat!<br />
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So were the little girls at the kids' table. Good thing Great Grandma was there to keep and eye on all their shenanigans. </div>
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Happy Thanksgiving, Malena!<br />
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Maira eventually ditched the kids' table to catch dessert with the adults.<br />
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My beautiful sister, Jenny, and her sweet Wyatt. I love these two!<br />
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Meet Adam, Becky's new boyfriend. He seemed to fit in well with our crazy family antics. We really like him!<br />
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Jenny's boyfriend, Jason, also braved the wild Scott holiday. My brother Mike's girlfiend, Cara, was also in attendance, but I somehow didn't catch their picture. It was a full house, which felt quite perfect! <br />
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After dinner, Uncle Mike pulled out balloons and recruited our dad to make a few balloon animals for the kiddos. Remember I recently mentioned my dad used to be a professional clown?<br />
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We still occasionally beg him to bust out his skills for a few jokes or balloon critters. How many families can say that?!<br />
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Silly boy. </div>
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I just love this family! </div>
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I know we're well into the Christmas season, but after an entire <i>month</i> without posting, I had to get these up. We'll now be moving into the wintery loveliness! <br />
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Speaking of posting, we're getting really close to being ready to launch the new blog! I've taken the last month to slow things down a bit because once the new blog is up, I'll be writing multiple times each week. I just saw the first draft of the new design and am super excited to share it with you. It will be up before the New Year, so be sure to check back!<br />
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I leave you with this - Pete's beard from <a href="http://www.no-shavenovember.com/#!what-is-no-shave/cjg9">No Shave November</a>. He grew it out for the entire month, which is a unique way raise cancer awareness. I don't know about you, but I prefer the beard. Pete thinks it's more professional to shave for work, though. I just love that mountain man look!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-77518863253127418732013-11-15T16:02:00.006-06:002013-11-16T00:17:17.576-06:00Photo Friday<br />
Every Saturday morning, we take Ella to her creative movement class at The Minnesota Ballet downtown. I love walking into the building to be surrounded by all of its art and artists. The Ballet is located in a few studio rooms in the basement while the stage is on the main level. I once did a show there with one of Duluth's theatre companies, The Duluth Playhouse, while I was in college. Such good memories. Now, being there with Ella, make my heart sing. <br />
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After ballet, Ella and I went on a date. We began at the public library. How great are these books painted on an enormous pillar outside the building? <br />
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Cuddles with Daddy after a morning of playing at church. <br />
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Shortly after church, we went to lunch with my sister & her girls. Sam was sporting his new shirt from the <a href="http://ndss.org/">National Down Syndrome Society</a>. It was designed by Kelle Hampton, the mama I wrote about in <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2013/10/welcome-to-holland-beautiful-story.html">this post</a> a couple weeks ago.<br />
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This is what happens when you're off playing and fill your diaper, which then also covers your clothes and mama doesn't have extras. Nakedness! </div>
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Ella's new school picture! Isn't she beautiful?!</div>
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Ella didn't have school Thursday or Friday this week, so she accompanied us to Sam's OT and PT appointments. She is such a good big sister.</div>
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It's getting chilly here! Winter is certainly on its way.</div>
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This last one is a picture I posted on Instagram this week while shopping. I shared some real feelings when I posted it, so I'll copy what I wrote with the photo since it's something I'm working on daily.</div>
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<i>I went to buy a needed pair of jeans today & was not impressed with the experience. I've struggle to get back in pre-Sammy, healthy shape, but I'm taking steps to change that. I realized, standing in the fitting room, that I was able to make a choice. I'm so happy to say that I chose to be confident & happy, even if I have a fitness journey ahead. I'm incredibly thankful for other mamas who have set a strong example of real beauty & to be the a child of a King who adores me. </i></div>
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Have a wonderful weekend, friends.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-8198638703438578622013-11-14T08:30:00.000-06:002013-11-14T08:30:02.340-06:00Easter for Halloween?<div style="text-align: left;">
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Oh, my dear bloggy friends, I have not left you. I greatly apologize for
my absence. Life has been a'movin! </div>
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Not long ago, I mentioned that I am working
on two big projects this fall. I revealed one in our last post - <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2013/10/hello-beatrice-beginnings-of-vintage.html">a vintage camper makeover.</a> I'm happy to share that yesterday she was taken
away to begin work on her roof, the first step in her
winter-long transformation. Next will be all new outside lights and a
paint job. I can't wait for the painting to begin! Then we'll see real
changes. Anyway, that's project number one.</div>
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Project
number two is a biggie and will surely be noticed by all of you. I am
so exctied to let you in on my little secret: Amazing blog changes are
just around the corner! I'm currently working with a deigner to create a
completely new <i>everything</i> for the blog. We will soon be
celebrating Little Olsen's fifth (yes, fifth!) blogaversary, which will
be the perfect time for more than just a makeover. With a new look,
there will be a new commitment on my part to posting. Twice a week
you'll be able to ckeck in for written updates or simple musings. Two other days each week will feature photos or guest posts.
You'll be able to click to our blog and know which days you can find
what and know that it will always be fresh and new. I want to tell you
so much more, but I'll try to contain myself for now. Just know that
there is much more to come. And soon. I hope to have everything rolled
out by the start of the new year. It's going to be great!</div>
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Now let us catch up a bit. A couple weeks ago, we had Halloween with our
annual trick-or-treating with the cousins at the university dorms. Such
a genius idea to do this in the dorms since then we don't have to cover
cute little costumes with big, bulky jackets and snow pants. You know
how it can be here in Northern Minnesota. I remember many years
trick-or-treating with a costume pulled on tightly over my pink snowsuit
and boots. Do you know how hard it is to unwrap those tiny Tootsie
Rolls while wearing plushy mittens? I'm so thankful to stay indoors for
the festivities with our little ones. </div>
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Our dear Ella told me in September that she wanted to be a bunny for
the holiday this year. I brainstormed how to make that happen. By
brainstorming, I really mean I just logged onto <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/olsen_angela/">Pinterest</a> and searched
for ideas. Why re-invent the wheel, right? I'm certainly not the first
mama to create a bunny costume. After finding beautiful, elaborate
toddler-sized costumes, I decided we were going to keep this as simple
as possible. Then it occurred to me that I could probably convince Ella
to be a ballerina bunny and go with most of what we already had. Let's
be real, friends. Do you think I actually needed to <i>convince</i> her to be
anything related to a ballerina? She was sold in an instant. I ordered
cheap ears on Amazon (easier than gathering materials and making them
from scratch) and we were set. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb-ArCJh3QNWByx3H7IfRvWYMIb59YQUTAwpi94ysMWYRd8xFPt0goDFQyzk3KSCWcYjU2aSvQkxNl4KS5r363S3Fsa9xK_nrNbzrlmZDwP4YBrSWM_6dsnEvU8l201v5FkA9x44jloQx/s1600/H8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="640" id="blogsy-1384410963387.024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb-ArCJh3QNWByx3H7IfRvWYMIb59YQUTAwpi94ysMWYRd8xFPt0goDFQyzk3KSCWcYjU2aSvQkxNl4KS5r363S3Fsa9xK_nrNbzrlmZDwP4YBrSWM_6dsnEvU8l201v5FkA9x44jloQx/s640/H8.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Just before heading out the door, I decided to give Ella a little
pink-painted nose with black whiskers. Do bunnies even have whiskers? If
you're trying to find out, don't Google "bunny costume." You can guess
what I came up with. I still have no idea if the little furry critters
have whiskers, but I did end up putting little black dots on Ella's
cheeks with eyeliner, just in case. That way I didn't have to fully
commit. Smart mama, huh? I think the makeup along with the legwarmers just put her right over the top with cuteness.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLJkN7kcd5T-v8l4CZq_ApdWjpmWPTpqzM0qhbECz5AN_nSZTd9OLHf1yu9JOFDHv9sL9kImNTnApqCA3h978N6mTy0MyVQo5cHVzwFiysgVR-jZJoN_uv0Sz7w4EcDtoDIvb2lVv9SpU/s1600/H7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="640" id="blogsy-1384410963342.3403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLJkN7kcd5T-v8l4CZq_ApdWjpmWPTpqzM0qhbECz5AN_nSZTd9OLHf1yu9JOFDHv9sL9kImNTnApqCA3h978N6mTy0MyVQo5cHVzwFiysgVR-jZJoN_uv0Sz7w4EcDtoDIvb2lVv9SpU/s640/H7.jpg" width="426" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhph4ADBGVALP7hspiWzH38fwrhMPAF4znBOYZWpVMhsY_Ct_128ix0l6rv3om-mLPA-dtE3XufZDMTiFp6iRnl2Jn6674hQ9N4DhLRFXUAIvfdYuH43gPfXNOzOrgX8qfrUPHBXTrlgPu/s1600/H4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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I eventually realized that part of the reason Ella wanted to be a bunny
was because Sam was going to be a chick. How cute is that? I think we
have a book with a bunny and a chick, which might actually be an Easter
book. Was this Easter or Halloween? I might dress them up in these very
same outfits for our annual Easter egg hunt in the Spring! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjXSL90lxx5fOzdfvV2ynf-aya0jOJTgl-Dx1q8nxc2QKU9Nset2kDqNC6QtyRdor8p_VPZ1jFa0i9nmm2c81WnoeFQrMtDcnQ2vLMkS4WoXzpXzBG4-fdDkFJeYDyEk1KTS-xmHdLE0n/s1600/H5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="426" id="blogsy-1384410963328.2085" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjXSL90lxx5fOzdfvV2ynf-aya0jOJTgl-Dx1q8nxc2QKU9Nset2kDqNC6QtyRdor8p_VPZ1jFa0i9nmm2c81WnoeFQrMtDcnQ2vLMkS4WoXzpXzBG4-fdDkFJeYDyEk1KTS-xmHdLE0n/s640/H5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's our little chick. Remember <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2010/11/our-chic-chick.html">when Ella wore this costume</a>? Cutest. Thing. Ever. Sam didn't seem to mind it at all while I wheeled him up and down the dorm halls. He wasn't a bit interested in candy, though. Maybe I shouldn't say that. He wasn't a bit interested in candy <i>wrappers</i>. I didn't really want him to get candy on that sweet chicky fluff. I gave him a cookie when we got home, though,. I am a pretty nice mom, after all. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rQNzwjl0cgRi82WlPWCItYzFdCxyrOLU4qz-UkmOBNd2KnP-yOa5YKTqaKj6yHP6_iMVUHzNLriEkzGJ8YupZfrHWudb56VJQ7Z8id3M9hKKyzkUCQfuxiZPdaoJICJutfD0cAoASRU1/s1600/H9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="640" id="blogsy-1384410963359.0728" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rQNzwjl0cgRi82WlPWCItYzFdCxyrOLU4qz-UkmOBNd2KnP-yOa5YKTqaKj6yHP6_iMVUHzNLriEkzGJ8YupZfrHWudb56VJQ7Z8id3M9hKKyzkUCQfuxiZPdaoJICJutfD0cAoASRU1/s640/H9.jpg" width="426" /></a> </div>
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Little mister seemed pretty cozy in his stroller.</div>
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Another fun part of going to the university is that the dorm advisors organize all kinds of fun games and treats for the kids.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4RJpwxUjWf8BXASlEwh_lDAz4pJn44IJ9yZnmMoRmrlERHSRXvGR_7ivzUn0FRRd5AD79GJ3j0RIJYmC6Cz6a-qrv8aMsr6oP3iV2usjgTQV6ylGAOAem6DuDwtz_Jsm7aaqMlVBw4kh/s1600/H3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="426" id="blogsy-1384410963349.751" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4RJpwxUjWf8BXASlEwh_lDAz4pJn44IJ9yZnmMoRmrlERHSRXvGR_7ivzUn0FRRd5AD79GJ3j0RIJYmC6Cz6a-qrv8aMsr6oP3iV2usjgTQV6ylGAOAem6DuDwtz_Jsm7aaqMlVBw4kh/s640/H3.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb-ArCJh3QNWByx3H7IfRvWYMIb59YQUTAwpi94ysMWYRd8xFPt0goDFQyzk3KSCWcYjU2aSvQkxNl4KS5r363S3Fsa9xK_nrNbzrlmZDwP4YBrSWM_6dsnEvU8l201v5FkA9x44jloQx/s1600/H8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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Overall, we had a pretty great time this year. Cute costumes, no puffy snowsuits, and just enough candy to last a day or two. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TvO6NJx__EwXkVifMSHsMZsLodIwufJxr9bcJYazcF7Vs8-uLucQe6_5gustK_99xbU0z8VlnlWefHFyVM7NN1JJ9rBPfO5yc_qQVzDtNjh2Gh7PhpftkdD_sjB4EkdxgOrHCEbWiPxQ/s1600/H1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="640" id="blogsy-1384410963402.0315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TvO6NJx__EwXkVifMSHsMZsLodIwufJxr9bcJYazcF7Vs8-uLucQe6_5gustK_99xbU0z8VlnlWefHFyVM7NN1JJ9rBPfO5yc_qQVzDtNjh2Gh7PhpftkdD_sjB4EkdxgOrHCEbWiPxQ/s640/H1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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We'll be back next year!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://instagram.com/p/gMM3jbGdzx/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="500" id="blogsy-1384410963387.921" src="http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/384597e2434e11e38aa822000a1fd52c_8.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">goodbye glasses!<u><br /></u></td></tr>
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The day after Halloween I went under the laser and had corrective eye surgery. Such a dream. Well, not the actual procedure. That part was pretty uncomfortable. It was a procedure similar to Lasik called PRK, which works to correct astigmatism as well as far-sightedness. I had both. Apparently, PRK is more painful and takes a bit longer to heal than Lasik because of how they do it. I was just thankful for darkness, Tylenol, and public radio podcasts while I healed. Pete was with the kids all weekend while I kept my eyes closed as much as possible. Then my mom came for two nights when Pete went back to work. Oh, how I love having my mom stay with me. She did after Sam arrived and after my appendix ruptured a year ago. I might consider being sick more often if it meant my mom could come take care of me every time. By the end of her couple days with us, I was feeling good. My sight is still adjusting, but I'm told that in two or three more weeks I'll be seeing very well and in about six months my sight will be nearly perfect. I started wearing glasses when I was 10, so I'm still getting used to not having htem. Such a treat to be free. It really, really is. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y3jYPy5D6ZsVO1sSbem5A8hF5e19r1VJ0ypyAkyaksxfBWNmjvM24BHS83JYHzcnhmr9LfUxInR1siLGESKP83CyofgDdrOdCaMyq6n1LMVfLFgiRVd6TKhvFsWMHTPpUpZSx14fgdW1/s1600/IMG_4655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y3jYPy5D6ZsVO1sSbem5A8hF5e19r1VJ0ypyAkyaksxfBWNmjvM24BHS83JYHzcnhmr9LfUxInR1siLGESKP83CyofgDdrOdCaMyq6n1LMVfLFgiRVd6TKhvFsWMHTPpUpZSx14fgdW1/s400/IMG_4655.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Back in the early days of my glasses. Like my side pony & jumper? I adored the outfit. This was a promo shoot with my dad and, yes, he was a clown. A really good clown. Very professional. He even went to clown school! </i></div>
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<a href="http://instagram.com/p/gMM3jbGdzx/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br /></a><a href="http://instagram.com/p/gENmPNmd5L/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-24652795982026713702013-10-28T09:31:00.001-05:002013-10-28T23:39:32.754-05:00Hello, Beatrice! {the beginnings of a vintage camper adventure}<br />
Ladies and gentlemen, new adventures are about to begin.<br />
<br />
Meet Beatrice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM76pixnD25rOBx8Ph_TwIUwR19Qwr3pnp5xmcyF8KmcyyDSvyxuLga58jrLw9_yBiXI1CCd-2rVVIGlD4JJ4x52ZPjlCj-2KL7zHUjqF3WTsthiYxL-tRI8EsbQyD9MqZ6ISHjRBMT-td/s1600/IMG_6828+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="" height="478" id="blogsy-1382926113304.042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM76pixnD25rOBx8Ph_TwIUwR19Qwr3pnp5xmcyF8KmcyyDSvyxuLga58jrLw9_yBiXI1CCd-2rVVIGlD4JJ4x52ZPjlCj-2KL7zHUjqF3WTsthiYxL-tRI8EsbQyD9MqZ6ISHjRBMT-td/s640/IMG_6828+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, Beatrice. Or Bea. Miss Bea is a 'vintage' travel trailer from some time in the late-ish 1970s. (Some may say she's just old. It's all in the wording, and she deserves the title <i>vintage</i>.) Isn't she just beautiful?!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha80nwKJhIxNAO7bw4Cjd46LV2HryJdwA53oywajcFpc1jgngNVnb93eL231r6YawzKSdudxXgIXx-xohnhksC5NLtnpLvHXu_Geq7_ZU48BwNSQbwmTDcAMfjsLNqYVXOk8k-ICM3z5ww/s1600/IMG_6374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target=""><img alt="" class="" height="426" id="blogsy-1382926113283.6934" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha80nwKJhIxNAO7bw4Cjd46LV2HryJdwA53oywajcFpc1jgngNVnb93eL231r6YawzKSdudxXgIXx-xohnhksC5NLtnpLvHXu_Geq7_ZU48BwNSQbwmTDcAMfjsLNqYVXOk8k-ICM3z5ww/s640/IMG_6374.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Alright, I understand if you don't think she's particularly gorgeous, but think about all her incredible potential! It's endless, my friends. Endless.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp2YH69R4lyoxgRJoNB-TrFuA9v33FlzQtMtK1ZddntTaYy5wCHEjqjTdXmWOg910VjMW3uy0VuNOIq0SnW0BZv2lniaoYU3qCovnqDM2c5HS9jC4aVMdKN0PjdEAmn3lagbIQdYurY54/s1600/IMG_6375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="640" id="blogsy-1382926113312.811" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp2YH69R4lyoxgRJoNB-TrFuA9v33FlzQtMtK1ZddntTaYy5wCHEjqjTdXmWOg910VjMW3uy0VuNOIq0SnW0BZv2lniaoYU3qCovnqDM2c5HS9jC4aVMdKN0PjdEAmn3lagbIQdYurY54/s640/IMG_6375.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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You may be wondering why on earth we would decide to add a camper to the mix. It's a pretty simple answer, really. We want more time away together as a family. I grew up camping. Tents, pop-up campers, travel trailers. I have some really great memories playing tag in the woods with my siblings and swimming with other kids who were camping around us. I want our family to have that while we're still here in the States. I adore the idea of tossing our stuff in the camper, hitching it up to the Jeep, and heading up the shore for a weekend. No distractions like house chores or work calls. Just the fam & the camper in the great outdoors. Yes, please.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsHqiDG0neGd48uPDsigeF7n0Q9OyF_Y_QpDceK3z_LoUJs0UjNcwFBQQC6Y2SHA85AfQNoJt4OPOXMZl0ghd-Y5SPzrxl_87pFboFdhE35kldiWJYsyhLzI9Ryyisr4NTVP3ypcJdm0b/s1600/IMG_6379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="" height="426" id="blogsy-1382926113285.9463" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsHqiDG0neGd48uPDsigeF7n0Q9OyF_Y_QpDceK3z_LoUJs0UjNcwFBQQC6Y2SHA85AfQNoJt4OPOXMZl0ghd-Y5SPzrxl_87pFboFdhE35kldiWJYsyhLzI9Ryyisr4NTVP3ypcJdm0b/s640/IMG_6379.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pete & I cautiously approached a delicate topic a few months ago that eventually led to the purchase of this beauty. I'm not kidding when I say delicate, either. We started to tip toe around the idea of...<i>deep breath</i>...selling our motorcycles. I know, I know. It wasn't easy for us to even whisper the words.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW1aj7D1aGWIYaT6XdM0c_FeavsIE0qGw-9W_K7n2gFCu4yQ_NJcJG8r-P-sXeGJntCQGFi3PXUvI2ySuxGlakBwky5DIWU-lT4lXQY4_szQwiqZ9gqbDfAX4T8x8Xk6v2c3x4ZrR6zya/s1600/298_700410090540_4015_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW1aj7D1aGWIYaT6XdM0c_FeavsIE0qGw-9W_K7n2gFCu4yQ_NJcJG8r-P-sXeGJntCQGFi3PXUvI2ySuxGlakBwky5DIWU-lT4lXQY4_szQwiqZ9gqbDfAX4T8x8Xk6v2c3x4ZrR6zya/s640/298_700410090540_4015_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with my beautiful bike in Bayfield on our 1 year anniversary - 2008</td></tr>
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How many times have I ridden my bike in the last two summers? Two. Yes, two. It's just hard to make it happen with the kids. How many places do I go without them? And now that Pete is working further away, he can't ride his to the hospital. He's too tired to have the necessary focus to ride home after a shift. Thinking ahead, we'll be selling nearly everything in two or three years when we pack up for Africa. Bikes included.<br />
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After praying and talking and letting some time go by, we decided that we would be okay selling the bikes. Then we started exploring an idea. I had been dreaming of someday buying an old camper and fixing it up a bit. We asked why it had to be <i>someday</i> and started looking on Craigs List for a camper with a little potential.<br />
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It wasn't long before we came across an ad for our Beatrice. A couple simple pictures were included with the ad, which looked exactly like what we were looking for, so Pete called the owner for a negotiating chat.<br />
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The ad didn't list a price but mentioned he would be interested in trading for it. What did we have to trade? Our bikes. That was about it, so Pete mentioned one. The seller wasn't interested in a motorcycle but asked if we had guns for a swap. Well, no. No guns. Cash? How much cash would he want for it?<br />
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You won't believe how much he wanted. Apparently he had inherited this little camper but already had a really nice fifth wheel camper, so he just wanted to be rid of it. A thousand bucks. <i>A thousand bucks? </i>Done. We'll take it.<br />
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Two days later we were planning to drive to my parents' house, and the camper was on the way. We swung through to take a look, crossing our fingers and praying she would be right for us.<br />
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Just look at her! We couldn't resist her captivating beauty and incredible price. Yes, there are a few things that will need to be addressed, but we can handle that. We'll be using the money from the sale of our bikes to cover the remodeling. That's the part I can't wait to do. I have so many ideas!<br />
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Basically, we'll begin with fixing the roof and outside lights at a local camper shop. Then we'll have the ouside painted. We're thinking a powder blue with a white stripe, perhaps. Then, we'll move inside. The walls will be panted a very pale yellow (which is also the color throughout most of our house), the cushions will all be recovered in red, and we may go with new curtains in teal or a really pretty blue. We're basically going for a 1950s or 1960s feel.<br />
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I'm so looking forward to hitting up a few antique stores to decorate. I want vintage postcards around the beds, an old map or two of Lake Superior, cozy quilts, little salt and pepper shakers, and durable plates and cups. I won't go overboard and make it feel cluttered, since that's not our style anyway, but I do want to make it cute. </div>
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Can you see my vision? It's going to be adorable! And completely campable, of course. We're already making camping plans with my parents and many friends for next summer. I plan to be in this baby as much as possible, even if it's just parked in the driveway. Ella already thinks of Beatrice as her very own playhouse. She's going to be great!</div>
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Oh, you're probably wondering how we came up with the name Beatrice. Pete thought of it! Ella & I agreed that it sounded just right. We plan to have her name scrawled across the back, like you see on the back of sail boats. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Beatrice</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Duluth, Minnesota</span></i></b></span></div>
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How grand.</div>
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Oh Ella, I feel the same way, my love. So many camping (and redecorating!) adventures await.</div>
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<i>Did you go camping growing up? Did you use a tent or a camper? Do you have any memories that really stand out? I'd love to hear in the comment section below!</i><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-31633178361628663502013-10-18T07:00:00.000-05:002013-10-18T08:06:53.294-05:00Welcome to Holland {a beautiful story}<br />
I don't want to go through Down Syndrome Awareness Month without sharing a story that has beautifully touched us on our journey since Sam was born. The story was read to me after we met our little man, and I've never forgotten it. We've been given the opportunity a number of times in the last 16 months to visit families in the hospital who have just had a child born with Down syndrome, and Pete always reads this story with them. It really is beautiful. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Holland</span></div>
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by Emily Perl Kingsley</div>
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I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a
disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique
experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like
this...<br />
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When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous
vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your
wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in
Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very
exciting.<br />
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After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack
your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The
stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."<br />
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"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for
Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to
Italy."<br />
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But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.<br />
<br />
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible,
disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's
just a different place.<br />
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So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a
whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you
would never have met.<br />
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It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less
flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch
your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland
has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.<br />
<br />
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and
they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for
the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed
to go. That's what I had planned."<br />
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And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.<br />
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But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get
to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very
lovely things ... about Holland.<br />
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**********</div>
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About a year and a half before Sam was born, I was scrolling through Facebook and came across an adorable photo of a little girl in a tutu and clicked to read the caption. In that moment, I was directed to a beautiful blog. <a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/">Enjoying the Small Things</a> is written by Kelle Hampton, a mama in Southern Florida who, at the time I began reading, had two daughters. One was about four and the other was two. I was captivated by her photos and everything she was able to capture in them. Beautiful colors, artistic settings, unique angles. An abundance of life was depicted in those photos. One more thing drew me in, though; her younger daughter, Nella, had Down syndrome. </div>
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<a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJKm2Ne1hAD2Ee3UPWH3HQqhpzjHJGTJ3eS0WocQXzZ9z-ObGusmnIiqG0YXlNfOwVuNLBSKYMgrRcOfoo-wNEszxJNulUzRcRuvid2ehfX94aguv8VplMwMUGt5eGxiAY7ODhAReRg5_/s200/2013-10-17+04.51.35+pm.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Fast forward to the night I met my baby boy. I had been following Kelle's blog for more than a year because of the beauty in her photos and the depth and humor of her words. Clearly, God had directed me to her blog as a way to prepare my heart for what He had in store for me. As I held Samuel in his first few days, I was able to dream of all the incredible things we would do together. I'll admit that before seeing Kelle's blog, it was hard for me to imagine life with a child with special needs. I know that reading her blog opened me to the realization that life can be full and vibrant and adventurous, which is what I needed for the moment the path of our lives changed just a bit. I am so thankful that I stumbled upon her blog. In time, I hope to be an encouragement like she was for parents of children with special needs.</div>
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Kelle also released a book just before Sam was born called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bloom-Finding-Beauty-Unexpected--A-Memoir/dp/0062045040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382058878&sr=8-1&keywords=bloom+hampton">Bloom</a>. I had considered buying it before his birth, but didn't get a chance, so I ran right out for it while he was staying in the NICU. I read most of it while nursing or rocking my baby, sometimes in the middle of the night. I cried and I laughed, and sometimes I had to put it down because my heart just wasn't ready to read more. But in the end, it was very good for my start in the community of Down syndrome. It was like having another mama nearby, gently telling me her story. </div>
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<i>Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for the content in the post. All opinions are my own.</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-58360020897120922712013-10-08T17:35:00.001-05:002013-10-08T21:51:45.881-05:00My Little Man Sam<br />
When people ask how my life has changed since we met our little Samuel 16 months ago, I tend to get a bit teary. I don't know how exactly to put words to the emotions I have for what we have experienced. There have certainly been ups and downs and a few unknowns. I wrote about some of the emotions tied to that in a post about <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2012/07/learning-to-trust.html">learning to trust</a> when Sam was just a couple months old. Many more months have passed, and we are still learning to trust every single day, but things feel smoother now. We're more comfortable with the unkowns, and I have no doubt that Samuel is the one teaching us how to trust through those moments.<br />
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We don't dismiss the things that make our Samuel a unique, beautiful little boy. He has Down syndrome. That is simply a part of who he is. But it's not all he is, and that's what we focus on each and every day. There was a time when I wondered if I would look into his eyes and not think, "My son has Down syndrome." I don't know when I reached that time, but it has happened. I now look into his big, bright, blue eyes and see so much potential. I see his joy. I see a boy who wants to learn and grow and experience the world as he is meant to experience it. <br />
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Who says we're all supposed to experience the world a specific way, anyway? We're each so incredibly unique. I'm excited to see how Sam gets to see the world. I want him to teach me how he experiences each moment. He's already been doing that in so many ways. I'm learning to slow down, to not be so set on a standard timeline of achievement, and to enjoy the process of reaching goals. And then, when the goal is accomplished, to really celebrate. To share with everyone that we've accomplished something spectacular. Something that most of the world may see as ordinary, but to us, through the eyes of my Samuel, it is something truly amazing.<br />
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And who wouldn't want to experience the world that way? I <i>want</i> to see beauty in simple things. I <i>want</i> to celebrate little moments rather than only making a big deal over the big stuff.<br />
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Recently, we've had a lot to celebrate. A few weeks ago, Sam started sitting on his own. He is such a strong boy, but his tummy muscles needed a little more practice with staying up. He gets so excited to sit up and play with toys now, especially when Ella is playing along with him. He is also waving with both hands and clapping. He loves to stand with a little assistance and is getting really good at holding onto objects to stand on his own. He works very hard at physical therapy each week and is doing so well with occupational therapy (his fine motor skills) that he only has to go every few weeks now instead of every week. Soon we'll begin speech therapy, too.<br />
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Can I tell you the REALLY exciting thing?! He has said his first word! The greatest thing is <i>what</i> the actual word is. ELLA. Yes, Ella! The first time we heard it, she had just left the room where the two of them were playing. He yelled after her, which sounded like her name, but we weren't sure until he said it a couple more times. Now he says it quite often. Earlier today, Pete got home with Ella after preschool and I said to Sam, "Ella's home!" Right away, he yelled, "ELLA!" It's adorable. I'm still trying to catch it on video. When I do, I'll be sure to post it. <br />
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We've been blessed in a way we never imagined. That's exactly why we are really celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness this month. If you'd like to learn more about Down syndrome, check out the <a href="http://www.ndss.org/Resources/#">National Down Syndrome Society resource page</a>. Also, I'll soon be posting links to other blogs and FAQ pages with lots of information on Down syndrome. <br />
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I am currently working on a couple really big projects that I can't wait to share with all of you! They both make me so giddy that I wish I could just tell you everything right now, but I don't feel I would do them justice if I did that. One will be revealed very soon, so check back! The other will take a couple months, but it's going to be BIG.<br />
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And no, for all you who are just so curious, neither project includes anything having to do with a baby. (That comment is mostly for you, Mom.)<br />
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I hope you're enjoying the fall as much as we are!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-37963286428748738572013-10-03T16:56:00.001-05:002013-10-03T16:56:21.307-05:00Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk 2013<br />
For the second year in a row, Sammy's Superheroes made a rollicking appearance at the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk in Duluth! What a time we had! Clark Kent, Spider Man, Captain America, and The Incredibles were all in attendance along with many other caped and masked crusaders. <br />
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This year we were sure to arrive early enough to stake out a table in the convention center to create a sort of home base for the day. Being our second time attending the walk, we were better equipped and knew what to expect. That also happened to mean I provided nourishment to all our superheroes in the form of ... cupcakes. What else were you expecting?<br />
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I wouldn't want these two getting hungry. <br />
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Bring on the buttercream frosting! We gotta keep those muscles fueled! <br />
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My entire family was in attendance for the walk this year, including my little sister, Jenny, and her kiddos. Malena the Superhero successfully photo bombed the family pic. Probably the cutest photo bomb you can find! <br />
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Pete & Papa Scott, both sporting their capes. <br />
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After taking in the bouncy houses and dancing, we headed outside for a few photos before the actual walk began. Sam & Caleb have <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2012/10/sammys-superheroes.html">a very similar photo from last year</a>. They are so much bigger now! </div>
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Apparently they needed to discuss a little superhero business. <br />
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Super Daddy's & their boys. This is Sam's little buddy, Cody. Cody is four months old and has Down syndrome, too. Aren't they beyond cute?! It's going to be fun to watch them grow together over the next couple years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpg7OKw8htvTiS6bNc_rip7Q3XZcbr2Uo-IcZ4hyphenhyphenmQVTvlCTNOHe4SktXGQZ53gYYeaI8CO3wzGtOEHPxHViMWb4WiBaAxt961kt8CfRx5s6mP50ZVj7U4OUtvXYNv7ZLm3jAS8RiVpSnu/s1600/IMG_6316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpg7OKw8htvTiS6bNc_rip7Q3XZcbr2Uo-IcZ4hyphenhyphenmQVTvlCTNOHe4SktXGQZ53gYYeaI8CO3wzGtOEHPxHViMWb4WiBaAxt961kt8CfRx5s6mP50ZVj7U4OUtvXYNv7ZLm3jAS8RiVpSnu/s640/IMG_6316.jpg" width="426" /></a> </div>
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A little sibling superhero action. <br />
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After photos, it was time to hit the pavement. The walk isn't long, but it gets the attention of a whole lot of people in Canal Park and offers an opportunity for us to see how incredible the Down syndrome community is in Duluth. The weather was absolutely perfect! <br />
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The strength of these superheroes is incredible. There they are, lifting the bridge. Amazing. <br />
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Wonder Woman Amber & her superhero sidekick!</div>
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Auntie Becky and our favorite little superhero.</div>
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Oh that Nana. She's so silly.</div>
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Pete with Malena at the end of the canal. <br />
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Auntie Jenny and Sammy baby. <br />
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And Uncle Jake. <br />
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It was exciting to have a ship pass through the canal while we were all out walking, but I think Sam was beginning to long for a nap. <br />
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Not Caleb, though! He was contemplating his next superhero strategies. <br />
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What a day it was. So many people along the shore following the walk to celebrate the gorgeous fall weather, being together, and most of all, the incredible ways our lives have all been touched by Down syndrome. I still say it was nothing I ever thought would be such an enormous part of my life, but I am so blessed to belong to the community of families and friends who love someone with a beautiful extra chromosome. </div>
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Papa and Sammy had one last superhero chat before the end of the day. No doubt planning their next crime-fighting rendezvous. <br />
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We want to say a very heart-felt thank you to everyone who participated on Sammy's team this year for the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk. It's not possible to appropriately express through this simple writing how grateful we are to have friends who care so much about our Samuel and the life he gets to live. Many of you gave financially, others attended the walk, donated items to the yard sale, or sent good wishes and prayers for the walk. Each and every gesture is noticed and deeply appreciated. Together we were able to raise $1,033 for our team, exceeding our goal of $1,000. Thank you for being on this journey with us.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-59886215360117469852013-10-01T23:25:00.001-05:002013-10-01T23:25:08.683-05:00October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month<br />
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. To kick it off, here's a look back at the video I made for World Down Syndrome Day back in March. <br />
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To celebrate this month and all the beauty it represents, I'll be focusing multiple posts on Down syndrome, beginning with the Sammy's Superheroes and the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk that happened on Sunday. How beautiful it was! You won't want to miss the upcoming posts!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-78754067264293380402013-09-27T22:22:00.001-05:002013-09-28T00:10:45.166-05:00Making News!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This morning we had a little excitement in the house! The local news station WDIO Channel 10/13 sent a reporter & cameraman out to the house for a little interview as a part of their coverage of the <a href="http://www.dsamn.org/events/stepup/duluthwalk/">Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk</a> coming up this Sunday.<br />
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After we explained exactly what was going on and how things worked, Ella was thrilled to be a part of it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjVWtu8WLL2hynNq7TFiAdZIyXSh7TWcFjMmGUX4w9lwrTi4W6SS7mJojz7S_3NkPWE6WLx3eMZsOhIBrpcduBTBzCcw6mHTPtntREMgjBife-WxAiCs6hNib55NEH0g7x5fpYQfXWGHs/s1600/IMG_6095.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjVWtu8WLL2hynNq7TFiAdZIyXSh7TWcFjMmGUX4w9lwrTi4W6SS7mJojz7S_3NkPWE6WLx3eMZsOhIBrpcduBTBzCcw6mHTPtntREMgjBife-WxAiCs6hNib55NEH0g7x5fpYQfXWGHs/s640/IMG_6095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We gathered in the living room to talk on camera about who we are, what we're doing as a family, and how our Sammy has changed our lives. We're always happy to talk about the amazing <a href="http://downupnorth.com/">Down syndrome community here in Duluth</a> and all the support we've received from other families and our <a href="http://duluthvineyard.org/">church</a> in the last 16 months.<br />
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Being in the spotlight can certainly tire a little guy out.<br />
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By the end of the interview, Ella had taken over. <br />
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You can click <a href="http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S3174542.shtml?cat=10335">HERE</a> to see the story on the WDIO website. When you get to the website, click the play button to start the video.<br />
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Sammy's 2nd Annual Superhero Yard Sale was a success! We held it on our front lawn last Saturday and were able to collect $458 for Sammy's team. Wohoo! If you weren't able to make it to the sale and would still like to donate, <a href="http://dsamn.donorpages.com/StepUpWalkDuluth2013/SammysSuperheroes/">click here</a>. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at olsen.angela {at} gmail.com.<br />
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The night before the sale, the place looked a little, well, messy. But what's a mama to do when nothing can actually go out till morning? We had three other families donate to the sale, so we had a whole lot of treasures to prepare.<br />
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Bright and early Saturday morning, Pete & I started setting up, Ella began pulling out toys that were meant to be for sale, and our dear babysitter, Hannah arrived to keep the kids company so the sale could actually happen. <br />
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We filled the yard with lots & lots of stuff. (And you know what we didn't do before the sale? Mow the lawn! Oops! We completely forgot. Oh well. People still wanted to buy our goods, even if we did have crazy grass.)<br />
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It was chilly when we first started the sale, which worried us a bit since only a few shoppers decided to check us out. An hour after the sale began, though, the sun started to peek out and so did the shoppers. <br />
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Who can resist a little girl selling cookies?! Ella took her sales role very seriously and exclaimed each time a car stopped in front of our house, "Someone is here to buy cookies!" Never mind the treasures in the yard. She was determined to sell her treats.<br />
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A little hot chocolate break.<br />
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This guy was amazing during the sale. He completely took over the money table and made the sale very enjoyable for me. Like his money belt? Fashion statement, y'all.<br />
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While he manned the money table, I got to keep things organized. The plan was to lure in shoppers with an attractive front display table. I think it worked. <br />
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Nearing the end of the sale, we simplified our displays and even cleared a few tables completely. It was a great sale. Glad we only did it for one day this year. I have big plans for the sale next year. We'll see what happens. <br />
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If you're in the area, I hope you can join us for the big walk on Sunday! Everything is happening down at the DECC at 12:30. See you there!!<br />
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<i>Sammy Superhero party goodies were purchased <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/152087177?ref=fb2_tnx_title">here </a></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-1194315359316917612013-09-16T17:49:00.005-05:002013-09-18T20:35:25.026-05:00Bayfield Vacation<br />
Today I write from a little hotel in Bayfield, Wisconsin. I was almost afraid to pull out my computer when we got here. The last time I was sitting in <a href="http://www.winfieldinn.com/">this very place</a>, I was writing and writing and writing, but the content was far different than this. It was here, all the way back in April, that I spent four consecutive days working on my grad thesis. This visit is far different.<br />
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While I was here, surrounded by mounds of snow in April, I chatted with the manager about why I was visiting. She mentioned it to the owner of the property who had spoken with Pete when he was here in March to study for his family medicine boards. Just before checking out, an envelope was delivered to my door with a certificate for two nights at the hotel in September. So now we're here, together, with the kids. It's a beautiful way to celebrate what we've accomplished in the last year.<br />
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We arrived in town late yesterday afternoon, just in time to fire up the grill to make burgers and yams. After the kids were tucked into bed, Pete and I stayed up late watching Netflix together, catching up on shows we haven't had a chance to see in a long time.<br />
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After a quiet morning, we headed into town to our favorite cafe here, <a href="http://www.bigwatercoffee.com/">Big Water Coffee Roasters</a>. The shop is owned by friends of ours, Danielle & Jon Ewalt. It's been fun to see the shop grow and change over the last few years. They have such a great eye for quality and have beautiful character in their space. If you're ever in Bayfield, definitely stop in!<br />
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We have countless pictures with this little guy over the last seven or eight years.<br />
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We stopped in at the used book shop. I bought Ella the first chapter book we're going to read together - Little House on the Prairie. We read the first chapter before nap time this afternoon. We'll keep working on listening to a book without pictures. I like knowing it will help develop her imagination. <br />
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Little man is so cool in Daddy's shades. He fell asleep right after this. <br />
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We love any time we can get in Bayfield. It's especially nice right now since there aren't any crowds for Apple Fest or summer visitors. Town was pretty quiet today. Such a treat.<br />
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A few weeks ago, we went to the annual Johnson Family Pig Roast. I've lost track of how many years it's been since it started. More than 15. My aunt and uncle put it on at their house every August and invite friends and family to eat & swim & sing crazy karaoke. Here are a few pictures from the afternoon.<br />
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My mom with Sammy, the little water baby<br />
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Ella with my cousin Alex <br />
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Mr Blue Eyes <br />
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Ella really loves my grandma. That makes me very happy. <br />
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Today it's in the 50s. Fall is here! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-88129317497612876912013-09-12T17:01:00.001-05:002013-09-12T17:01:19.389-05:00The Return of Sammy's Superheroes!<br />
Lady-mens & Gentlemen! Boys & girls of all ages! Please welcome back...Sammy's Superheroes!<br />
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<i>That's the way Ella announces herself on "stage," which is a small area of our living room. She's quite confident in her theatrical abilities. I love it.</i><br />
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I'm thrilled to announce that we will again be participating in the Step Up for Down Syndrome walk in Duluth on Sunday, September 29. Our little Sammy was only three months old last time but he showed he makes quite the impressive superhero. We'll all be dressing up again, which caught the attention of many at the walk last year. <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2012/10/sammys-superheroes.html">Click here for lots of great photos from last year.</a><br />
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We've been blessed tremendously by the Down syndrome community here in Duluth. Down Up North is a group of families that meets once a month for fellowship and education. Just a few weeks ago we were able to attend their summer picnic, which included a pretty fantastic puppet show and activities for the kids. Without a group like this, it would be harder to get a hold of valuable resources in the city or to find the answers to so many questions we have. That's why we want to support the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota through being a part of the walk. They are doing great things!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sammy & his buddy Caleb</td></tr>
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We'll be holding a yard & cupcake sale again this year to raise money for Sammy's Superheroes. That will be on Saturday, September 21 from 8am to 3pm in our very own yard. Mini cupcakes will be for sale for $6 a dozen. They sold like hot cakes last year, so be sure to stop by before noon if you want to score the (now fairly rare) Little Yellow Kitchen delights! If you would like the address of the sale, email me at olsen.angela {at} gmail.com. <br />
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If you are not able to make it to the yard sale and would like to donate to Sammy's team, please jump over to <b><a href="http://dsamn.donorpages.com/StepUpWalkDuluth2013/SammysSuperheroes/">OUR DONATION PAGE</a></b>. There you will find instructions on how to donate. Last year we raised $1,742. Let's see what we can do this year!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a big part of Sammy's team last year</td></tr>
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Feel free to post questions below in the comments section or email them to me at olsen.angela {at} gmail.com. We'd love to have you join us!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-12617409025450279092013-09-04T11:02:00.001-05:002013-09-04T11:08:41.646-05:00A New Beginning for Miss Ella<br />
My sweet Ella began another year of preschool yesterday. I fully admit it was nothing like it was last year, dropping her off and seeing her run into the classroom with all of her friends<span style="color: #0000ee;">,<span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: #666666;">completely familiar with the classroom and her teachers</span></span></span><span style="color: #666666;">.</span> It was old hat for her. Me too. We were both ready for it. Ella missed her friends and I think she probably missed the structure and challenge of school. The last two months have been great fun, but we've taken them as complete vacation. We both do better with structure.<br />
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Monday night we swung into Target to pick out her indoor shoes - shoes she keeps at school all year, putting them on each morning when arriving at school and leaving them behind at the end of the day. Yes, it was Monday night, the night before school, because why would I do our shopping before that? Keeping us on our toes here, people. Of course, the selected shoes happened to be pink with plenty of sparkles. I thought ballet flats would be comfy for classroom use, so I let her go with them. She was thrilled to have her photo taken in her new kicks before heading off for her first day.<br />
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Last night I couldn't resist going through photos from the <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2012/08/photo-friday-first-day-of-school.html">first day of school a year ago</a>. She was so little! My heart squeezes at the thought of all that she has experienced in the last year and the ways she has grown. An entire year of school, learning to be an incredible big sister, flying halfway around the world where I saw her bloom among new friends who may or may not have spoken her same language. She has become a compassionate, expressive four-year-old who goes out of her way to include others when playing and will do nearly anything to make a person smile. God is doing some amazing things in Ella. I am filled with joy and awe watching her grow into the little lady He has created her to be.<br />
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Another very special experience Ella had was one month ago today. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon. Pete was at work, Sam was napping. Ella came upstairs to find me picking up a few things in her room. She came in and said, "Mama, I want to have Jesus in my heart." I was caught by surprise at her request, as I didn't know what sparked it. I would have typically thought she had talked about it at church over the weekend, but I was her fill-in teacher and knew that we hadn't specifically talked about it. The two of us sat down on the stairs together and talked about what it means to have Jesus in her heart. When I asked if she wanted to pray and ask Him to be in her life forever, she enthusiastically said yes and prayed all on her own. What a moment that was.<br />
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As a mama doing my best to follow after Jesus and show my family the example of Jesus' love and compassion, I would love for my own littles to find that same path of joy and unconditional love. I had been wondering for the last few years what it would look like when and if Ella made the decision to ask Jesus in her own life. I knew I didn't want it to be something that I initiated, since I believe the Holy Spirit does that work in a person's heart. I wanted it to be completely on her own. And it was. She really does have a heart full of love and compassion, and I'm excited to see how it is further expressed in the years ahead. <br />
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This year, Miss Ella also go to play tennis! Last year when we would drive or walk past the courts just a few blocks from our house, she would say that when she was four, she could take lessons. I'm not sure where the whole "when I'm four" thing came from, but it sounded reasonable, so we went with it. For two weeks in August, we walked to the courts for a daily half-hour lesson. She was in love. Pete & I were both captains or our high school tennis teams, so it's pretty excited to see her so thrilled to play. I think we'll be doing it again next summer!<br />
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Little kids playing sports are one of the cutest things. </div>
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If your littles are back in school like Ella, I hope all is going well! I do so enjoy having quite time in the morning. I'm certainly hoping Sam holds onto these morning naps for a good while. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-91454548649902711882013-09-02T11:43:00.001-05:002013-09-02T12:03:31.450-05:00Into the Woods<br />
Before our month of vacationing and family time comes to a close today, we were able to squeeze in one last adventure away. Late Friday afternoon, after a 34-hour shift in the ER, we packed up our camping gear and headed up the shore to Tettegouche State Park. Three years ago we made <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2010/10/into-woods.html">the same journey</a> when Ella was just 15 months old. I realized that this time around, Sam is that exact age. It was a sweet few days away in a woodsy cabin, tucked in the forest along an inland lake, with meals over the fire and plenty of fresh, summer air.<br />
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We arrived at the park just after dark, but we weren't at all concerned since we'd made the trek before. Tettegouche has a set of four cabins, but a good hike in is required to reach them. On our own, the hike would be simple, but journeying with kids and the equipment they require certainly ups the load. Once we strapped on headlamps and got Sam settled in the off-road stroller, we were set. Ella led the way for a good part of the hike, taking us up and down some pretty steep hills for the 1.7 miles in to the cabin. Once we arrived, we pulled out our sleeping bags and hit the hay. <br />
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Shortly after breakfast on Saturday morning, our dear friends, the Veseleys, joined us! Having them with us made the weekend even better. Ella & Liam are just a few months apart and get along like brother and sister (loving on each other one moment & arguing the next), while Julianna & Sam are also really close in age. I've known Mike since high school and met Jen when she was in med school with Pete. We love their family! Jen & I shared my camera over the weekend, so lots of the following pics are credited to her. <br />
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Ella, the fearless water bug. She's not used to actually being able to swim in a lake since Lake Superior is so cold!<br />
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Hanging out with Sammy on the dock. <br />
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Miss Julianna turns one later this month & is walking all over already! How cute is she?!<br />
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Liam! <br />
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The dads taking the older kids canoeing. <br />
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When I first met Mike like 15 years ago, he was in a punk rock band. He's passing on his ways to his son. <br />
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Rock star dads. <br />
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Cuddles with my little loves. (Sam was a little confused by the flash on my iPhone.) <br />
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Yesterday morning we packed up and hiked back out. The trip was short, but it was probably just right for the kids. Well, parents, too, since naps didn't really exist out there. How long can we go without naps? I'd rather not find out. <br />
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Carrying a pack and two four-year-olds is no big deal, especially for a guy who just completed his first Olympic-distance triathlon. Nice work, Mike. <br />
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It was a pretty quiet drive back down the shore. The kids didn't last long before they were sleeping in the cool, air-conditioning of the Jeep. We tried to make a stop for lunch at Betty's Pies (a classic place to stop along the shore) but it was far too busy for our hungry kiddos. Dairy Queen in Two Harbors offered a quick meal..and some Sammy/Daddy cuddles. <br />
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Such a perfect trip to wrap up an amazing month. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-4451784432486072042013-08-28T11:28:00.000-05:002013-08-28T11:28:04.452-05:00Olsen Family Staycation Part 1<br />
We've certainly been soaking in our share of family adventures and vacation this month. I'm writing from the front porch of our little cabin at Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, the very town where I was born. In fact, my dad worked here when I was a baby and we lived maybe a mile away. Then, when we moved back to the area when I was just about to finish junior high, we lived so close that my sister and I would bike here in the mornings to play tennis on their courts. Coming back now with the family is such a treat. We're here for just a few more hours and then head back to Duluth before a camping trip at the end of the week. I would post photos from the last few days, but that takes time and we have an ice cream date in 30 minutes, so I'm going to finish this post that I began earlier.<br />
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I do hope you're having a lovely week and are staying cool! This heat is intense!<br />
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The first week of August was the very first Olsen Family Staycation. What exactly is a "staycation," you may wonder. A staycation is a vacation that is taken in your very own town or nearby area, which we realized would be <i>perfect</i> for Duluth. After all, we have incredible numbers of people visiting our city every summer. Why not join in?!<br />
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Our staycation began on Tuesday at noon. Who was excited? This girl!<br />
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I did a lot of the planning for the week but only shared it with Pete. I adored the look on Ella's face as she discovered each new adventure! Our first was a cruise on Lake Superior. <br />
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We began in the harbor... <br />
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went under the lift bridge...<br />
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and rode out onto the lake.<br />
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Ella was tickled to be able to meet the captain of the boat at the end of our ride.</div>
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She was sure she could hold down the enormous William A Irvin as we walked through the harbor. <br />
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After dinner, we dropped Sam off with our friends, Eli & Krista, so we could take Ella to her very first movie on the big screen! Pete & I were pretty giddy about it. I was relieved to see the theater was filled with other families, meaning the pressure was (mostly) off to keep Ella quiet and still the entire movie. She did a really great job, only forgetting to whisper a couple times and was good with at least staying in our row of seats when she felt the need to move. I'd give her a strong A for her first big screen experience.<br />
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We had to get in a little game action after the movie. <br />
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Our first night we spent at a hotel in Canal Park. We decided it would be much more like a vacation if we didn't spend all our down time at our house. What happens when we end up at home? I clean, Pete works on projects, and it's like every other day. We had far more fun in a hotel! <br />
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The next morning I took Ella down to the water to throw rocks. Our hotel was right on the shore, so the boys got to take morning naps while the girls went out. <br />
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Old planes kept flying low overhead. They were fun to watch.<br />
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After a little while, Ella & I walked down to the candy shop. We also found the Canal Park fountains. <br />
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After a short time at home in the afternoon for naps, we went to our first Duluth Huskies baseball game. Eli, Krista, and Caleb joined us. It was really the perfect, summer evening outing. <br />
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That, my friends, is the first half of our family staycation. We LOVED being able to stay in our own city and play tourist!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-33270747063811771932013-08-23T23:10:00.000-05:002013-08-23T23:26:50.254-05:00Photo Friday: Miss Malena Turns 4!<br />
Earlier this month, we celebrated our niece Malena's 4th birthday. <br />
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It also happened to be her golden birthday, so my sister set the
room in lots of gold and dressed our dear Malena in a beautiful,
princessy dress to make the occasion extra special.<br />
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Sammy & Papa got some cuddles during the party.<br />
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It's fun when I'm able to make cupcakes for such special occasions.<br />
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Sammy loves his auntie & uncle! <br />
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Malena's friend Jonne arrived at the party with an extra special treat for her - two Texas donuts and a whole lotta ice cream for the middle. Let me tell you, Jonne won himself instant fame with every kid at the party. Smart man, that Jonne. Malena was thrilled.<br />
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It was a very happy birthday for Miss Malena. It was wonderful to see her having such a great time, particularly because it has not been an easy six months for her. When we were in Kenya, a tumor was discovered in Malena's brain, and just days before we returned to Minnesota, she underwent a biopsy (which I wrote about <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-beauty-of-home.html">HERE</a>). Though cancer was ruled out, they were not able to determine exactly what it was. My sister and the doctors have since been attempting to treat the symptoms of the pressure the tumor puts on her brain. She has to have her fluid intake strictly controlled. Her body is constantly telling her that she is thirsty, but when she drinks, her sodium levels get thrown, which could result in a seizure. The tumor is also effecting her metabolism and weight. My sister does what she can to keep that in check, but a lot of it is beyond her control at this point. Fortunately, Malena has been able to get in at another children's hospital for a second look. They'll be doing another biopsy next month. Please pray with us that there will be answers following this next biopsy. My dear sister, Becky, and her girls have been through a lot. Becky is an incredible mom and I'm asking Jesus to wipe this thing out and for Malena to get to be a healthy little girl. She is the absolute sweetest thing. She really is.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-34274463330032072352013-08-21T21:56:00.000-05:002013-08-22T08:57:45.476-05:00We Are Tough Mudders<br />
Can I just tell you how much I love me some summa'? (That's <i>summer</i>, for those who weren't catching my very cool, beachy vibe.) I feel like we've crammed our entire summer into the few weeks that make up the month of August. And man, oh man, are we having a good time. Since Pete finished residency, we've been adventuring as much as possible. I posted just a few of our staycation photos, but I'll soon be posting a whole lot more along with some of our other adventures from the past few weeks. And you know what? We've got an <i>entire</i> week coming up of out-of-town amazingness. Then, September 3, we all grow up. Well, at least Pete & Ella do. Pete officially begins his ER contract in Cloquet (though he's been working full-time the last two months already), and Ella heads back to Montessori. Sam & I will be left to our own shenanigans. Yay, us! No school for me, baby!<br />
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Clearly, it's been a slow blogging month. Sorry. Even though I may not have been writing in the midst of all our gallivanting, I was definitely taking pictures. Through the next couple weeks, I'll work to get everything posted. I love being able to share everything with all of you, our dear bloggy friends, but this blog also serves as our family journal of sorts. I don't want to miss documenting the fun we've during the last few weeks.<br />
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With this post, we're jumping all the way back to July 20 when Pete and I left the kids with a sitter (whom we greatly trust!) for the weekend to hit up a race we'd been looking forward to for well over a year. (Pete isn't in to <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2010/07/grandmas-marathon.html">running road races</a> with me but started gaining interest once I discovered <a href="http://littleolsen.blogspot.com/2011/08/are-you-warrior.html">The Warrior Dash</a> a few years ago.) We first discovered the <a href="http://toughmudder.com/">Tough Mudder</a> while I was pregnant with Sam, but we didn't know just when we'd be able to do it. At long last, we found a group of friends who were up for it. The team consisted of a nurse and a doc Pete worked with in Duluth and their husbands along with another friend. In all, we made seven. After a team meeting over amazingly fresh grilled fish (caught by one of the guys on the team), we decided we'd all head south to Somerset, Wisconsin for the race and stay in one of the couples' ginormous campers. <br />
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One week later, we all met up and hit the road.<br />
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We may have stopped for snacks along the way. No judging; we were carb-loading for a big race. I'm pretty sure this is exactly what they mean by proper carb-loading.<br />
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These deliciously "organic" cheese balls continued to fill us throughout the evening and the morning of the race. We don't mess around, people. <br />
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A little outdoor coffee in the morning to fuel our racing engines. <br />
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Enough messing around. We were ready to hit this thing.<br />
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Team shot. We needed one to compare to our muddy craziness that was inevitable by the end of the Mudder.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lqI9IHG68tK5Xl92PJhShNU3IIwtcOKjiHySl36wc_OnHVInE4y1Cro7YzwQSjBTIWeWvixAlBuKqIsUsaiu0VUnP22r3AlM98qVT4cfmysohMdQmalvHMr4M_mhnHFGpaNACa9PRywA/s1600/IMG_5737.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lqI9IHG68tK5Xl92PJhShNU3IIwtcOKjiHySl36wc_OnHVInE4y1Cro7YzwQSjBTIWeWvixAlBuKqIsUsaiu0VUnP22r3AlM98qVT4cfmysohMdQmalvHMr4M_mhnHFGpaNACa9PRywA/s1600/IMG_5737.JPG" width="456" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ijOdLHbAPTij5UwDZ1SPgbdOUAOgVUfNQffxmxMiPZEQDU_UV2gFpq_Yvi3pfhsiy8bAodrOYherUUunWF-nexhS4r3Q5dbvYsZrbgJ7aYz7-gA7CcVFmW2PVzCoP028htehGiMRaPxf/s1600/IMG_5736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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If you aren't familiar with Tough Mudder, you can get a pretty good idea of it by checking out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwXTfWxCTM">video over on YouTube</a>. It's an event that travels around the world. It was first designed by British Special Forces. Each race consists of 10-12 miles of running/walking/hill climbing and 18-25 intense obstacles. Lots of the obstacles involve mud, a few have electricity, and nearly all require team work to complete. I was really excited when we first learned about it, but when the race came around and I wasn't quite in the physical shape I had hoped to be, I nearly backed out. In fact, a couple weeks beforehand, I told Pete I had decided I wasn't going to do it. After thinking about it for another night, though, I decided to give it what I could and see if I could get through it. I am SO glad I did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv3H40yWvKVpB_ruMCwX-K-im06KDJx11SY2hcnCVRx1QwXVJbE3kVMYmV64PCKwpF2mMJ8JsLHPPqJbo2wSZh_VUG2OsRnG-2VTwrrRdd6336HDClZiqnmQosLp8wnnlp6CjAx8Xma27/s1600/IMG_5738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv3H40yWvKVpB_ruMCwX-K-im06KDJx11SY2hcnCVRx1QwXVJbE3kVMYmV64PCKwpF2mMJ8JsLHPPqJbo2wSZh_VUG2OsRnG-2VTwrrRdd6336HDClZiqnmQosLp8wnnlp6CjAx8Xma27/s1600/IMG_5738.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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At the end of most races, finishers get a medal and a t-shirt. We got a t-shirt, but the big reward for finishing a Tough Mudder is the orange headband. One other reward? Tough Mudder tattoos. Too bad all the artists were booked by the time we got through.<br />
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This race wasn't easy. Mentally, I knew I could get through. Physically, I wasn't sure my body was ready. That's not a normal feeling for me, but I've struggled a bit with it since Sam was born. Now that school is finished and Pete's schedule is smoothing out, I can really go after getting my pre-Sammy shape back. It's been tough. In the end, my team...<i>especially</i> Pete...helped me get through this race. I loved it. And yeah, we may have been covered with bruises and welts by the end, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. Actually, the team started making plans for next summer right after we crossed the finish. I can't wait.<br />
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You can click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151782881142790.1073741880.121520047789&type=3">HERE</a> for a great Facebook album from Tough Mudder Minnesota that has some sweet photos of the day we raced.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ijOdLHbAPTij5UwDZ1SPgbdOUAOgVUfNQffxmxMiPZEQDU_UV2gFpq_Yvi3pfhsiy8bAodrOYherUUunWF-nexhS4r3Q5dbvYsZrbgJ7aYz7-gA7CcVFmW2PVzCoP028htehGiMRaPxf/s1600/IMG_5736.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ijOdLHbAPTij5UwDZ1SPgbdOUAOgVUfNQffxmxMiPZEQDU_UV2gFpq_Yvi3pfhsiy8bAodrOYherUUunWF-nexhS4r3Q5dbvYsZrbgJ7aYz7-gA7CcVFmW2PVzCoP028htehGiMRaPxf/s1600/IMG_5736.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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After post-race festivities, we headed back to our campsite for showers that couldn't quite get all the dirt off, no matter how hard we tried, and relaxed the rest of the day. Sunday morning Pete and I drove back to Duluth. Another adventure in the bag. I can't wait for the next!<br />
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What's been your favorite adventure of the summer? I'd love to hear about it! Just leave a comment below!<br />
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Then, check back soon to see pictures from all our staycation fun.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-47099037878096070612013-08-09T09:54:00.000-05:002013-08-10T22:38:57.507-05:00Staycation: Wednesday <div class="mobile-photo" style="text-align: center;">
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A few highlights from our Wednesday adventures! (taken on my iPhone)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-11987563890095770792013-08-07T12:03:00.000-05:002013-08-07T15:15:05.841-05:00Staycation: Tuesday<div class="mobile-photo" style="text-align: center;">
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A quick update from my iPhone. More to come!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-33987962894839756692013-08-04T08:40:00.004-05:002013-08-04T08:44:44.666-05:00Summer Photos<br />
We've been having a great summer, but the best is still to come! Next week, we'll be enjoying a staycation in our fine city. We'll be doing all kinds of fun things around Duluth and I hope to post at least a few photos every night. Do you think I can do it? I'm certainly going to try! Check back to see daily updates!<br />
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In the meantime, here's a warm up of a few photos from recent summer days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGdGTjhEQYFpNCtwevCt68zv7LJ-F05Jc-dztskR1tH3nDFTH6vpCUaXPGmuZE7M6DFSU_dDt5oWJwND9v6Hi2OHNZod0AAkRdPSsCaWDWXcSJw0I-H2HRBlViy8SCC_UqqCEkUvop2eB/s1600/IMG_5753.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGdGTjhEQYFpNCtwevCt68zv7LJ-F05Jc-dztskR1tH3nDFTH6vpCUaXPGmuZE7M6DFSU_dDt5oWJwND9v6Hi2OHNZod0AAkRdPSsCaWDWXcSJw0I-H2HRBlViy8SCC_UqqCEkUvop2eB/s1600/IMG_5753.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, this boy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sammy watching his first whole cartoon - Backyardigans</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumM_6M44ZzAmtNE_MuVycPe0Ax_o54CT_mNoX-HpwPKgr9n3CATJGO51rOV2OdtRKrAR3blZ13ceO1xgyF2ZHNfycDIC4Wrad1rYIdxlqwvHa4y6dcS-9VtvhxlRAD22pX_m85iRfa_-t/s1600/IMG_5395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumM_6M44ZzAmtNE_MuVycPe0Ax_o54CT_mNoX-HpwPKgr9n3CATJGO51rOV2OdtRKrAR3blZ13ceO1xgyF2ZHNfycDIC4Wrad1rYIdxlqwvHa4y6dcS-9VtvhxlRAD22pX_m85iRfa_-t/s1600/IMG_5395.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first Freeze Pop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIoFp_ipTjgRe6KI30imLY-2cbVWpZrVogaleNgsZ3Nzurmc7sDIKsNTJyXARZx1OYXE7sx1LTcFwdtiq9HTsJjPoBVYq6WjjHqfvLLYS1T9-F0hGOrh8TZBlbcXuhsKphkINX_k4TNm2/s1600/IMG_5434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIoFp_ipTjgRe6KI30imLY-2cbVWpZrVogaleNgsZ3Nzurmc7sDIKsNTJyXARZx1OYXE7sx1LTcFwdtiq9HTsJjPoBVYq6WjjHqfvLLYS1T9-F0hGOrh8TZBlbcXuhsKphkINX_k4TNm2/s1600/IMG_5434.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loving being outside</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lBNxQz89CdpHMFBMrcPy3TPDU5qGH5xfBV7vjZJE-iO68_ZBqwvVq9UM2otOFeAXYfqzayqnLdez08YLR8xLnSw_-gVVP-1HsnIocNBmz8E0HaZmAD4KOcXqHi77Wy0lMVzbMYRwJaya/s1600/IMG_5550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lBNxQz89CdpHMFBMrcPy3TPDU5qGH5xfBV7vjZJE-iO68_ZBqwvVq9UM2otOFeAXYfqzayqnLdez08YLR8xLnSw_-gVVP-1HsnIocNBmz8E0HaZmAD4KOcXqHi77Wy0lMVzbMYRwJaya/s1600/IMG_5550.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that I can grow things!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwqv4Ye03P5dl5kufe4zdo54_jIV2rsKTWkf66J2ezgXjHdUBsGJLor396jeiV18TPQzjg2K2nL1G5ALUtSaS041aux5aegDwZ8n_TX3AzOcADrvvNyt2GR2MQpby4PZ_L1cKT84r4tKG/s1600/IMG_5576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwqv4Ye03P5dl5kufe4zdo54_jIV2rsKTWkf66J2ezgXjHdUBsGJLor396jeiV18TPQzjg2K2nL1G5ALUtSaS041aux5aegDwZ8n_TX3AzOcADrvvNyt2GR2MQpby4PZ_L1cKT84r4tKG/s1600/IMG_5576.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ella did great at her 4 year check up</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-I-9_blqompZi4IV-ER39oya91kzi8T8Maz-wYhXLgOatuVj3e9wNzBXg68KbKZx4xCz8BDa1d5_3HPoj4yFXqxPIUm1Yhaq1_kjR7fO6686-XYi6EmRaDdZdPx9kZEnMyl8FyxxgE1rn/s1600/IMG_5678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-I-9_blqompZi4IV-ER39oya91kzi8T8Maz-wYhXLgOatuVj3e9wNzBXg68KbKZx4xCz8BDa1d5_3HPoj4yFXqxPIUm1Yhaq1_kjR7fO6686-XYi6EmRaDdZdPx9kZEnMyl8FyxxgE1rn/s1600/IMG_5678.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hanging out with Uncle Jake while visiting Great Grandma (& my bracelet on his ankle)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-tgEEoIYPmzvIEgxcPhwbHO_Vbbw3YixAew96LMvgm7ZSb3IBD8FqkogUhLmeTxROtsu5EU-tVNRu4EsfdxpHH-YUzOBnBdzuYaORP0_4v_BSHGc5YSnCBPaZZX3y27ZnWAbEcwlwg-3/s1600/IMG_5687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-tgEEoIYPmzvIEgxcPhwbHO_Vbbw3YixAew96LMvgm7ZSb3IBD8FqkogUhLmeTxROtsu5EU-tVNRu4EsfdxpHH-YUzOBnBdzuYaORP0_4v_BSHGc5YSnCBPaZZX3y27ZnWAbEcwlwg-3/s1600/IMG_5687.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We love Great Grandma! (and Auntie Valerie on the left!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qpsVmU03oK7nPkep5vBCBlKltQN2PvVkOJUsOvzIayA7LwzlajYia8vap52WyS2tO_zhV6dotTyfarFnaDLvEdOE1DzpiVAhn5aweQBkokNmVDX9aNmZBTVahdg2tKxPZQKMdK8WzCCB/s1600/IMG_5902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qpsVmU03oK7nPkep5vBCBlKltQN2PvVkOJUsOvzIayA7LwzlajYia8vap52WyS2tO_zhV6dotTyfarFnaDLvEdOE1DzpiVAhn5aweQBkokNmVDX9aNmZBTVahdg2tKxPZQKMdK8WzCCB/s1600/IMG_5902.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">he adores his daddy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ma4vB5lxx5WGWMd0lp56oqVXip5qyLJCkUbhXedugHL97XmYBbHuvEmYuhyphenhyphenPwaB0hJqb4qm5GWT05J_4LCDDw95vOPQ36Z8NG_XdqHD21ShyQwAHBR66STvAtMREsm-44fwdpr5PYIzR/s1600/IMG_5927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ma4vB5lxx5WGWMd0lp56oqVXip5qyLJCkUbhXedugHL97XmYBbHuvEmYuhyphenhyphenPwaB0hJqb4qm5GWT05J_4LCDDw95vOPQ36Z8NG_XdqHD21ShyQwAHBR66STvAtMREsm-44fwdpr5PYIzR/s1600/IMG_5927.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cuddles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj98lthRz24Uec9cUsFeUn-ySsBvXp0YgPT_lgBZCFV4YuI_I7sqbLpZqRdxkK7FdMw6KdEgdI-pDUEpAl8OLQxdQcyMHraZfansAgb_qrNIWJSmNmls5t73x_gy-A9v30o1TEBrDLB6gq/s1600/IMG_5947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj98lthRz24Uec9cUsFeUn-ySsBvXp0YgPT_lgBZCFV4YuI_I7sqbLpZqRdxkK7FdMw6KdEgdI-pDUEpAl8OLQxdQcyMHraZfansAgb_qrNIWJSmNmls5t73x_gy-A9v30o1TEBrDLB6gq/s1600/IMG_5947.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">playing in the grass</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09378270252529290399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516974333389560027.post-53111316488353636662013-07-23T16:21:00.002-05:002013-07-23T16:21:32.747-05:00A Pequot 4th of July<br />
My dear friends, I know I haven't been great this month about posting. You know how it gets in the summer. Busy, busy, busy! And I love it. We've been out and about a whole lot this month, so I hope to get lots posted in the next few weeks.<br />
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First, here are a few photos from our fourth of July. Pete had his first ER shift in Cloquet that very day, so I took the kids to Pequot Lakes to celebrate with my parents. We hit up the parade, spent lots of time outside, and then enjoyed a nearby beach the next day. Such fun!<br />
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Ella was thrilled to have her first bus ride as we shuttled from the school parking lot to the parade route.<br />
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I was actually just as thrilled that her first ride was on a Pequot bus. <br />
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We call this 'The Store.' That's what happens when you live in a small town and a new store goes in. No need to explain which store when it's pretty much one of a kind. I left the kids with my parents to make a quick trip there, telling them I was only going to pick up one thing. Well, the store ended up being a lot bigger than I remembered. I was there an hour and left with some great finds. <br />
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Dinner on the deck of my parents' house, overlooking their beautiful 40 acres in the country. <br />
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We always take an after-dinner walk "around the block." <br />
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Being at Nana & Papa's makes a boy tired!<br />
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I caught a few fun pictures of Ella during a road side potty stop.<br />
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