Happy 10 Month Birthday, Kaden!

I know this picture is a bit over-used, but I just love it - he looks SO simply adorable here! I can't believe this little guy is already 10 months old! He is such a blessing to our family. I'm proud to be his aunt! I love you, Kaden!

Native American Day/Fall Break

I had such a wonderful time with Julie during my break from school a couple of weekends ago! There's nothing like time with sisters... Friday after the pumpkin patch excursion, Jules had to stay at Kiddie Kollege till her work day was over. I stayed for awhile to help get all the kiddos down for nap time, but left soon after to do some napping of my own. After being up since 3am, I was ready for a good 2 hour nap which I got and then some! haha! When Jules got home I had to totally remake myself after sleeping so hard - haha! ewe...and then we went out for coffee w/Beth and some other friends of Julie's from her college days at Maranatha. Left to Right: Kim, Esther, Beth, Lindsay and Jules. These girls had me cracking up quite a bit over the course of the night. I never attended Maranatha, but I attended a Christian college and lived in a girl's dorm, and therefore could relate to most of their stories.... We were at the coffee shop till closing and then stood outside talking and shivering convulsively for another hour or so. :)

BREAKING NEWS (for real!) I JUST got a phone call that Beth Deiss (the tall gorgeous girl in the middle) got ENGAGED yesterday! Congratulations, Beth, I'm SO excited for you guys! and what a sweet story! :)

Saturday morning Jules and I got up bright and early for a day of shopping in Milwaukee. Okay, it wasn't that early...we got up in time to get ready at a relaxing pace and start our shopping day with lunch. I had never been to the Cheescake Factory, so we went right at 11, opening time, so we wouldn't have to stand in line. Julie said it gets really busy, and sure enough as we were sitting there eating it started filling up quite a bit! I love the big beautiful double-door entrance! And INSIDE is even more elaborate! I don't know that I've ever eaten anywhere that looked SO fancy! It was fun!Here we are outside of the Cheesecake Factory ready to walk off all our lunch and cheesecake as we shopped the malls. I say mall-s because we shopped through the entire Milwaukee mall with no luck since it was EXTREMELY GHETTO! haha! So we went to another mall nearby that was more up our alley ;) We each found something there! :)We did get our nails done at the Ghetto mall, though, and they actually turned out the best either of us have ever had over anywhere else! It's our sister tradition to get our nails done whenever we go shopping together. :)We shopped till we dropped and then headed to Watertown for supper with Doug at Noodles and Co. and then got to hang out with him for the rest of the evening! Notice I'm in the middle, that's cause I'm their chaperon - J/K! I'm just their babysitter...heehee! ;) Miss you, Doug!Sunday we went to church at Calvary where I got to see Doug's parents again (they're so sweet!) and meet his youngest brother, Ben and his girlfriend, Jill. So I have finally met his whole family :) The Pastor preached from I John 4 about "Love."

Jules and I went to Applebees afterward for lunch. We got an appetizer along with a full size meal. We both enjoyed the appetizer so much that we hardly got to make a dent in anything else. It was disappointing to not get to eat my favorite "plate" there, but we both thoroughly enjoyed the artichoke/spinach dip w/chips (mmmmm!!) appetizer. We thought our big spread of food looked pretty pathetic, so we took a picture.We went to a park with a crazy name - one of those Wisonconsin-Indian names :) - to walk off our food. We had a nice stroll through the path in the woods to the lake, and then along the lake where we spent time lying on a deck over the lake. It was a beatiful day!I took a picture - Julie wasn't ready...There we go! There's me in my ruffle shirt. I got a shirt at Forever 21 (how fitting!) cause it looked so cute on the hanger (the dressing room line was over 10 people long and the workers there weren't too motivated to keep things moving) and it was WAY cheap, so I just got it! Turns out when I put it on Sunday afternoon, the ruffles were a bit overwhelming. O well...I wore it anyway, and then made myself wear it Wednesday, too. It's got to be worn for what it's worth, so I figure if I wear it one more time that ought to do it ;) Haha! I call it my Jabot.Here's Julie soaking in the view. It really was beautiful out that day! 87 degrees and sunshiny!

Our walk back to the car undid all our relaxation. It was a long, steep, and steady incline...but I'm sure it was good for us. Haha! We then drove back to Watertown to visit Mrs. O'Neil! I didn't think to take any pictures of her :( but we had a sweet time visiting with her. It brought back fond memories of the days her and Mr. O'Neil used to live in Blue Earth when we were little kids. I miss those days! After the evening service we went out for Custard at Culvers and then back to Donna's where we got ready for bed and got all cozy and watched a movie (a chick flick, of course)! Monday morning I got to watch Julie teach (she is an excellent teacher!) and I got to see Bryce and Bryan again - such cutie little boys! Jules and I had lunch at Subway and then had to say goodbye :( It's always difficult to say goodbye, but it helped to know I would get to see her the very next weekend at MY house! Yay! I made it back to MN without ever feeling drowsy (amazing!), but I think the trick was all my stops at different outlets birthday shopping for the 2 boys in our family :)

Happy 26th Birthday, Jordan! Heehee!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip!

Last Friday I got up at 3:30 in the morning so I could travel to Jefferson, WI in time for Julie's preschool class field trip to the pumpkin patch! Thankfully I made it and was able to go along. Each adult was assigned afew kids to keep an eye on because there were so many kids! I got to take care of Gregory (all the way to the left) and two adorable little twin boys: Bryce and Bryan. Poor Bryce doesn't look too thrilled in this picture - at the end of the afternoon he ended up with a fever and strep throat - poor little guy! Here is a picture of both of them in Kiddie Kollege when Bryce was feeling good. Aren't they just a couple of the cutest little boys ever!? They've got cute little 'all boy' personalities to match!

Anyway, when we first got there we went into a neat little building for a story about Gophers and a Golden Retriever. Then we got to walk through a tunnel decorated to look like one of their underground holes! It was pretty neat! We also made a gopher craft. After the craft we took a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch. There were a couple "patch's" - but this is the one our group got to choose from. It's kind of picturesque, isn't it? Very fall-y ;)The kids were each told they could choose any pumpkin they wanted to as long as they could lift it AND carry it. They loved it and searched till they found the perfect one they wanted. I don't know how many pumpkins I cleaned off for Bryan so he could hold it without getting his clothes dirty and then he would change his mind. I think he just liked watching me wipe the mud off. haha! Bryce, on the other hand, picked the first pumpkin he came to - he didn't feel well, so I think he was just going through the motions...poor guy!

Here's Miss Julie and her class! Such a fun group of kids she's got! (for the most part, right, Jules? heehee!) Not all of them are looking at the camera because the sun was too bright. Oh well. I had such a fun time hanging out with your class, Jules! and loved watching you be "Miss Julie" - I could tell all those kids just love you!

Laura Visit!

Last weekend was aboslutely wonderful! Andrew and Laura finally came back to MN to visit for the first time since they got married in June. It seemed much longer ago that they had been here - but then once I saw Laura again, it suddenly seemed like it hadn't been that long ago since I'd seen her. When you're that close to someone it's very easy to just pick up where you left off. Saturday morning I headed to the Swenson's house, picked up Laura and then we headed off for some girl time in Mankato...the best town in our area for shopping and such...Our first stop was Target (because it had the closest parking places - Laura is so wonderful to shop with, because she likes driving around for close parking places just as much as me! and the only person I know who does! Heehee!) We found some funny coats we wanted to try on, but were having a hard time getting a picture in them. Self portraits are too close to get the whole look, but the mirror thing obviously wasn't working out for us either. We would have asked that employee to take a picture for us, but she was already doing us a favor by letting us take pictures in the first place - you're not supposed to take pictures in most stores, especially with their merchandise. I haven't much of a clue as to why, but I've been told plenty of times in about every store not to do it...but I always "forget" ;)We found these cool reading glasses in Contents. (It's a really cute crafty store). We decided that when we get old and need reading glasses, we will get fun ones like these. Then you can have a wild moment when you write a check or read a mall directory, or whatever....I don't know why I tried on a pair with a tag on it...We saw these super comfy slipper boots in Herbergers and HAD to try them on! We were laughing when we first saw them because they looked so hideous, but once we tried them on we both wanted to get them! SOOO COMFY! but also....expensive.Laurala and her boot slippersMe and my boot slippers

(We each tried on a matching scarf as well to complete the look)Towards the end of our shopping trip we got stuck in the Halloween store - these aren't even all the pictures we took AND we didn't even take pictures of all we tried on! It's quite addicting and SO lifelike! We were laughing and getting creeped out at the same time! (and - confession - trying not to think about all the people who had done the same thing...I never did get sick, though, so I just see it as a time for building up my immunity - haha!)

In the above picture, Laura is the old lady on the left and I'm the bearded man on the right.Creepy old ladyHAHAHA!VERY creepy old man!One of my favorites! Laura is Curly and I'm the Family Guy. :)AND I got to see the President! ;) We got home in the late afternoon and looked through Laura's wedding pictures and chatted until other people started to come. The Swensons had a family reunion with the Kluender side of the family. It was a great time! They had a cookout out back......and had a very large selection of food layed out on a flat bed trailer :) Very country :) Heehee!Andrew, Laura and Duke
Laura and I (the only normal picture we took - we forgot to take a picture together on Sunday :( boo)

Laura and Duke.

Laura - I had SUCH a WONDERFUL time with you! Thank you for everything! I can't wait to see you again - I hope it can be soon! I miss you and love you so much!

Happy 25th Birthday, Jennifer!

Happy 25th Birthday, Jenny!

I thought it would be fun - rather than my traditional b-day posts - to put up afew pictures of us from the last few years and do some reminiscing. I would go further back - even to the beginning, but don't have any older pictures on my computer and it would be a super long post - cause u know how I can talk ;) heehee!

This is the earliest picture I have of us on here. This is in JaJu's first apartment in Sherburn - you weren't even married yet! Isn't that wierd!? I remember this was one of my favorite pix for a long time and now it's already so long ago! I'm so thankful for the relationship we 3 share as sisters - there's nothing like it! I miss you girls so much!And then, of course, there's Jason, too! ;) Haha! What would we do without him? I feel so bad for girls who don't have the privilege and blessing of an older brother. This was at your wedding rehearsal dinner. This picture cracks me up! It's one of my favorites - a typical Jason moment. I've always enjoyed observing the Jason/Jennifer dynamic. You guys very much shared the typical brother/sister relationship - you were so perfectionist and motherly and Jason loved picking on you to the point of tears and then he wouldn't leave you alone again until he had you laughing or something to that extent. It was quite a show for Jules and I. Haha! But then, I guess, Jules and I put on a good share of our own shows for you guys - it all makes for good and funny memories ;) A personal favorite: "Healing Water." Haha!Your Wedding Day.

You looked so beautiful and radiant on your wedding day. You are one of the most beautiful people in the whole world inside and out! Jordan is a very lucky guy (and you're quite a lucky girl to have him, too, I must say ;) ...definitely a match made in Heaven. ;)This was the first time I saw you after you got married. I was up at Nland for camp and you guys came over to the dining hall for one of your meals. It was so exciting to see your homey little apartment and spend time with you as my MARRIED sister! heehee! This was the opening activity my freshman year of college. I remember Laura and I were so excited but deep down I was so nervous, too! You and Jordan were always so nice to let us hang around with you! I was so thankful to have you there!My first artist series. Laura and I went together and we ended up sitting right next to Megan before we even had any idea she would end up being one of our best friends! :) It was so exciting during the intermission to go back and take the pictures by "the wall." Heehee! I remember thinking you and Jordan were so cute and I was so proud to be related to you! :)
You and Jordan were so good to us throughout our Nland college experience! We went down to your apartment countless times for Kampus Kids, Cuts, Parties, Overnights, Visits, Meals, Games, Halo ;) etc...And that was just on campus. You also drove us everywhere we ever went off campus for the most part (that makes us sound pretty pathetic - haha!) including church, walmart runs, out to eat, kampus kids activities, bowling, the demo derby and Norway fair, hikes by the falls and Jordan even put up with our picnics :) You guys really were like our parents and our home away from home. All the girls still ask about you all the time - we love you!What at first was one of my least favorite things I had to do while away at school, actually became something I looked forward to because you always made it into a special day. Every 3 months I had to go for what seemed to be a forever long injection of Remicade at the clinic. You always sat with me for those long at least 3 hours and kept me comany: talking, playing games with me, flipping through magazines and sharing what we found interesting, and you even made me personalized word search puzzles! (one of my favorite time killers!) heehee! I always appreciated your willingness to sit there with me cause I always had an oversized comfy hospital recliner or bed while you had a dinky little chair. Anyway, when that was over we would go to Applebees (remember the guy that wouldn't serve me mac & cheese? ...jerk! haha!) and then shopped till we dropped. Then we would stop for some Culvers ice cream on the way home. I actually even miss those days!My Nland college days were over, but I got to be up at Nland with you once again the summer I worked at camp. I was so thankful it worked out for me to be your assistant in the maintenance office during power jobs. My favorite part was our mail runs on the golf cart (especially when u let me drive it - heehee!) and our occasional dates when we had time. I always appreciated being able to share everything with you and know that you were praying for me.Here is a pic from when you and Jordan came to visit us all after camp and before college started up again. That was such a fun weekend!We got to enjoy some of your cooking!

I was always thankful (and so were the girls!) for an invitation from you and Jordan to join you for a meal when we were at Nland. The dining hall food doesn't quite cut it like home cooking does - and there's nothing like your cooking! MMMM!!! Thank you for all the special meals for kampus kids, birthday parties for me and my friends, holidays, mail packages, etc...those were the best! (and for letting us use your apartment for our thanksgiving and christmas dinners! O! AND for letting laura and I cook for you! Heehee! That was always fun!)There for my best friend's wedding.

Thank you for playing the piano, for taking all those pictures and for sharing your memories (even if it did require laura and I to perform our A-dink, A-dink handshake in front of the entire wedding party. haha!)It was so wonderful to have you and Jordan back with all of us cousins for Tim & Tiff's wedding this summer - it had been way too long! We all really missed having you guys in on our Gonigam get togethers for the past 3 years!Shopping with you this summer! Shopping with sisters is the best therapy in the midst of a busy life. :) It takes your mind off everything else and just allows for some fun girl time! Walking and talking, chatting over a wetzel pretzel, trying on things you can never afford, but that make you feel pretty........or trying on things you would never wear, but make you feel hippie. Haha!...doing things you would never do if you were all by yourself....

...being willing to take a picture 3 or more times for the sister who is having a fat day and doesn't like any of them. HAHA! Ahem! (Thank you for your patience ;)

Thank you for being there for me in the "sunshine..."
...and the "rain."
I love you SO much, Jenny! Thank you for the example you are to me. Thank you for who you are, for all you do and for all you've done! I am so thankful for all our fun memories and I look forward to all that we will get to do in the future. We still have so many fun parts of life ahead of us! I'm thankful we are still so close and that you still call me and we can talk on the phone for an hour or more and still say goodbye for at least 10 minutes. Heehee! I'm thankful we still like to laugh and have a good time, but that we also make time for heart to heart. I miss you and can't wait for you and Jordan to come visit us again! I love you, my little big sister! ;) xo