Family Time

Another update as to things we've been up to lately - spending time with family! Case and I have gotten lost of opportunities to hang out with Macey with my mom, Alisha or Brooke! Here's a couple of shots of them playing together...

Best Buds

Playing on the porch

This is what happens when Case gets dirty at Macey's, takes a bath and doesn't have any of his own clothes to change into. Case, I promise this will be the only time you'll ever wear pink leggings!

We got to spend a weekend up at Hannah's cabin with my family. We had a great time going for walks, riding bikes, sitting on the dock, playing Norwegian Golf, eating s'mores, riding the boat and just relaxing! It was fabulous! We were having so much fun I forgot to take any pictures. Oops!

The following weekend we went to a cabin in Spicer, MN with Matt's family and Ryan's girlfriend, Kari. Our first night there Ryan, Kari, Matt and I took out the resorts hydrobikes and kayaks.
The hydrobikes were hilarious and so much fun! We had a great time racing and trying to tip each other. The next day the guys went out fishing while the ladies stayed back and relaxed on the dock. That afternoon Cornie took us for a pontoon ride and that night we had a bonfire and s'mores. We weren't about to let Case become a sticky mess with marshmellows, but he enjoyed eating some graham crackers! It's been such a blessing to spend time with family and we are looking forward to celebrating Case's birthday with them this weekend! I can't believe he's turning 1!!

As of Late...

Well, I've been a bit of a slacker lately with blogging. The main reason... my new iphone! I LOVE it! I do basically all of my internet needs on there so I haven't gotten on the computer much, thus the lack of blogging. But I'm back - and I'll try to do better, beginning with taking the next few days to do some update posts.
A few weeks ago, actually more like a month now... Andrea, Ryan and Coleman came up for a twins game. The boys had tons of fun together cheering for their favorite team.

Here they are discussing the twins lineup
Celebrating a Joe Mauer hit
Andrea and I and our boys!

The twins game seemed to bring out the athlete in Case because a few days later he got a brilliant idea! Case climbed on top of this big box we had in our basement and then he pulled up a box of little toys...

He then sat on the edge of the box and proceeded to try to throw the toys into the other box of toys on the floor.
It was so funny and I'm so thankful he did it several times so I was able to get a picture of it! I will say, he didn't have too bad of an aim - he made quite a few shots!

Here he is quite proud of himself and his throwing/aiming abilities!!

Walking Man

Case has officially taken his first steps! On Saturday night Matt, Case and I were at his Uncle Ryan's house with Ryan's girlfriend, Kari to watch the Nebraska Game. Case was scooting all around and walking along the furniture when all of a sudden he let go of me and walked five whole steps on his own! I'm so glad that he did it when Matt was around and it was fun that Ryan and Kari were there too! Since then, he has taken a couple steps a day, but I have a feeling once he gets the hang of it, he will be off and running! He's also saying Mama and Dada really well lately. Yesterday we left him with Nana for about 5 minutes to run an errand and when we got back and he kept yelling in a super excited voice, "Dada!!" then giggled, yelled it again, giggled and so on while pointing to Matt. It was great! We are so thankful for him and can't believe how quickly he is growing and changing.

The Great Minnesota Get Together

I think my blog titles from this summer could all be named "Another great thing about being back in Minnesota"... Well near the top of that list would be getting to go to the Minnesota State Fair!! Now, if you are from a state that has a lame State Fair, don't think they are all like that. Minnesota's is second in the nation behind Texas (Amanda and Shari - lucky you!), and the MN State Fair is just amazing! Matt and I have gone together every year since we started dating (2003) except for last year because we were in Maryland. So this year we had to make up for our absence at last year's fair, and we got to bring Case!
Because parking is so crazy, we opted for the free park and ride. I am pretty positive that Case thought this was the best part of the day. He got to sit in the front row of a super nice bus where he could see out all the windows.
Little did he know, the fun was just beginning! So we got off the bus and paid the hefty (but well worth it) price to just get into the fair. And THEN as we do every year, we headed straight for the cheese curds and of course, they did not disappoint! Here's a list of the other food we ate: roasted corn on the cob (it's dipped in tub of melted butter), a pork chop on a stick, fresh cut fries, and we wrapped up with a bucket of sweet martha's fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies and all you can drink milk! YUM! It was all so good! We looked at a lot of things, but the best was the birthing center. We ran into one of my college roommates, Abbie Bennett who's in vet school! The birthing center is full of animals who either just gave birth, are in the process of giving birth or are a day or two away from giving birth. Abbie grabbed a baby lamb who has about 12 hours old and Case got to pet him, he has a little afraid but warmed up to him. Then he pet a little chick who was just a couple hours old. He kept saying, "ooooooooooo" over and over while petting the chick. After that he moved onto the hours old piglet and played with his ears. It was really fun to see him with all the baby animals. Unfortunately, I forgot to charge the camera, so the battery was dead by the time we got there.
It was a great day at the fair! I can't believe we have to wait another year to go again...

How old do I look?!?

On Wednesday afternoon Alisha, Macey, Case and I all headed over to Bethel's new dining center to join Brooke for lunch. The new dining center is amazing, it's unbelievable how much it's improved since we've been there. Well welcome week was just getting started, meaning that all of the new freshmen were moving in. Thursday was the official day, but Wednesday - the day we were there - was when student workers moved in. It was pretty busy in the DC. So... I'm standing in one of the food lines behind two freshmen who are twins. A couple comes up and the lady says to me, "Would you mind if we budded in line in front of you, these are my kids and I just need every last second with them that I can get!" Of course, I say it's fine for them to hop in line with their kids. So her husband and I start chit chatting, I asked if the twins are their oldest kids, he says yes and then says, "Are you here to drop off one of your kids to start college?" Uhhh, what?!? I have an 11 month old!! But I just smile and say, "Actually, no I'm just here having lunch with my sisters, I graduated from Bethel 5 years ago." He looked a bit shocked, we chatted some more and when he said bye he said, "Um, sorry I thought you were old enough to have an 18 year old child."
When did I begin to look more like the parents than the college students?!?!

PC Region Reunion

On Monday night, we had a 2009 PC Class Midwest Reunion. It was great, we had a turnout rate of 100% - both couples showed up! :) Getting together with the Leslie's was so much fun. We met up on Grand Avenue and had dinner together at Brasa (the place Matt and I went with some friends a few weeks ago, needless to say we'd recommend it to anyone!). We had a great time catching up, laughing about PC memories and of course, eating! We had dinner with the Leslie's a year ago before we headed to the PC, it's crazy what a difference a year makes. Last year, we had a great time getting to know them but this year, it was such a blast fellowshipping with great friends. After dinner, we walked across the street to Grand Ole Creamery for some ice cream and a chance to take some pictures!

Lilli and I

Jonathan and Matt!

A perfect game, ruined

I have waited five years for this. I am married to a man that is better at me than EVERYTHING! I mean, it is quite humbling, because I mean, everything!! But then it happened, I found something I can finally beat him at! Hallelujah!! (Have I mentioned, we are a bit competitive?) What is this glorious thing you ask? It's Norwegian Golf (or ladder golf, or a ton of other names I've heard it called). Basically it's a lawn game that is AWESOME!! The Eikums own a set and one day Matt and I decided to play and I beat him! Then we played again and I beat him! Then I played Matt and his brother Ryan... and I beat them! It's been an amazing run, but as usual, all good things must come to an end. We played tonight, and the final score was Matt 21, me 20. Boo... I am still in mourning. But it is a fabulous game that I would recommend to anyone.