middle names

Often times when I am disappointed in my kids, or am correcting them severely, I will use their middle names.

"Jack Austin Lindner come here right now!"
"Cassidy Anne pick up your coat!"

You know, things like that,

Well it seems that my almost 3 year old realized he really hadn't been acting very two-ish for the last year so he had better make up for it before he turns three.  In other words... be a stinker and test my limits.

So I have been using his middle name more frequently.

Well, Isaac noticed the trend.

We were getting ready for a nap, which he was so not into.  I was trying my hardest to get him to settle down next to me, but he wasn't having it.


"Mom John Lindner. NO."

My middle name is not John.

Can you guess whose is??

successful hunt

After weeks of seeing doe after doe, Daddy came home with this nice buck opening morning!

Junk Bonanza

How I let that folder of pictures labeled 'junk bonanza' sit untouched on my laptop for so long is kinda blowing my mind right now.  My life has been pretty crazy lately, and my plate full, so I guess I will chalk it up to that. I guess when you leave your family behind for an incredible long weekend it takes this long to catch back up and get a moment to blog about it!

The last weekend in September my bestie Marta and I headed west to Shakopee and the surrounding Minneapolis area.  Our main event: Junk Bonanza! This is how we felt just before we finally hit the road:

and yes I was screaming in that one picture because this trip has been so anticipated!

We took off early on a Thursday and after a short detour in Wausau for a few essentials, we made a bee-line for Woodbury and the outlets!  We tried on expensive boots and looked at adult clothing... as in clothing for us and not our kids!  Then we enjoyed a quiet, delicious dinner at Osaka- a restaurant we discovered last year. After dinner we continued on down the highway to the Mall of America for a quick stop before hitting one last outlet mall.  We each made a few smaller purchases but were saving  most of our funds for the main attraction!

We woke up early the next day to a beautiful fall morning and after a energizing breakfast pretty much floated in glee over to Junk Bonanza.  We were there an hour early and got in line behind only a few other ladies.  As we stood there we watched the line continue to lengthen and felt the anticipation growing.

 Neither of us had anything we were particularly looking for and I think it was better that way.  We got enjoy and take it all in instead of looking for just one particular item.

The feeling when you walk into that first expo hall is one of bliss (if you are me or Marta or a fellow junker).  Your senses are bombarded:  your eyes don't know where to look there is so much to take in; your ears hear the happy banter between friends, and your nose smells that familiar vintage-inspired smell.

The only plans we had were to stop at River Street Traders first.  It just happens to be the booth where I found my blue trunk last year... and another smaller trunk this year. (teehee! A girl can never have too many wooden trunks. Or wooden bowls. Or wire baskets.... ) 

We took our time and soaked each and every booth up.  Everywhere we turned creativity was at work.  Grain sacks repurposed into purses; window frames turned into picture frames; junk used to spell out words; furniture created from old boxes; chairs reupholstered in vintage cloth.  My eyes soaked up all the chippy paint and rusted metal.  I realize the 'junk style' is not for everyone, but for me it is everything I love.

Marta and I both felt that JB was just the place to cure us of the creative funk we have been in.  Everywhere you turned there was creativity flowing.  Ideas and inspiration surrounded us!  Just being there made us want to craft and make things!

We each made a few purchases, mourned a favorite piece that 'got away' from Marta, and bought a few items we plan on turning into something else.  I went there looking for unique ways to display pictures since I have so many!  I am making an industrial - inspired piece from an old wheel and oil can that will spin to allow the viewer to see the pictures on each side.  Hard to explain but I will post a picture once it is made!

Oh and did I mention I won? Twice?  It was my lucky day! I won two $25 gift certificates to use at JB.  They did not go to waste. Trust me. ;)

 This sign spoke to me.  It totally reminded me of home.  There are days when I believe this to be true...

After a few passes through each of the expos, we found ourselves ready to go!  Since it was only about 3;30, we decided to head over to our next stops early.  We hit up the Jordan Junker (kinda a bust for us this year) and then went to the largest candy store in the state of Minnesota. 

 That's all candy. They had everything you can imagine.... things from your childhood you haven't seen in years, things you don't want to see...

 And tables full of LICORICE!!!! Pretty much any kind you could ever want (and a few I wouldn't)...

By the time we found a Mexican Restaurant for dinner that night, and we were two tired ladies.  We munched on chips and salsa and yummy mexican-ness, soaked in the hot tub, watched a little HGTV and then hit the sack.

 The next morning we slept in and awoke re-energized and ready for some more! We packed up, hit a few 'occasional shoppes' and realized that Minneapolis has a whole 'junker' population.  There were occasional shoppes ALL OVER.  Unfortunately they are occasional shoppes.  Meaning they are open occasionally.  And because of JB, many were not open that weekend.  I might feel another girls weekend coming on.  Say, when said occasional shoppes have their next sale....

Look at me! I am getting ready in peace and quiet!!

Our last stop before heading for home was the MOST amazing fabric shoppe.  I had found it on the Internet when I searched for shoppes that sold Amy Butler Fabric.  The website looked amazing, but looks can be deceiving.  I was NOT disappointed.  They carried all the designers that I love- loud colorful prints- and I made sure to pick up a few different yards for my stash.  The Lindon Tree Shop is officially added to the docket for next year.

Marta and I had an incredible time.  We are truly lucky to have such wonderful husbands and families for making this a possibility.  It sure isn't easy when there are 7 children involved between the 2 of us!  Until next year.... JUNK ON!

tummy medicines

We were making the rounds at Walmart today.  I said to Isaac, 'Next we need to find the tummy medicines (TUMS). Can you help me find them?'

Isaac begins to fake cough.

I don't respond.  He looks at me and fake coughs again,

We walk on and I ask, "Whoa you have a pretty bad cough! You okay?'

He responds with a sigh, 'My head hurts so I need to cough."

"Oh so it's your head that hurts?"

"Yeah..... and those tummy medicines will help."


The second I heard that fake cough, I knew that was going to be his angle:)

I guess that's what happens when your give you child a TUMS when you need one and he discovers they taste kinda good.

Cass-o-lantern

It had been wiggly for quite some time.  And honestly I thought it was going to turn grey and fall out years ago. It was the tooth that she knocked almost 4 years ago after she tripped and collided with Uncle Jake's knee. It was pushed pretty badly back towards the back of her mouth, but Andy worked it back out, and it hung on.  It got knocked again pretty good a few more times over the years since, and each time that front tooth endured.

But this last week, that front tooth came out.  Cassidy's first one!  We noticed what looked like an abscess on the gum above the tooth, and brought her into the office.  After an x-ray, Andy decided it should come out.  She was actually very excited initially.  (It did take some reasoning however once she was sitting in the dentist chair.)  Then when it was out she was all smiles :)

She has the cutest little lisp and the sassiest snaggle-toothed smile I ever did see.  And she sure is proud of her new gap :)

surgery

My daddy is having surgery tomorrow.  I just got off the phone with him.

It was so good to hear his voice.

He successfully completed his chemo and radiation regimen, and his body tolerated it about as well as it could have.  His doctors are happy that they were effective and now it is time to remove the remaining tumor.

We've done all we can.  It is time to use our faith and put our trust in the surgeon and the Lord. While I have been trying so hard to be strong, and have been saying prayers and know that they have been heard..... when it all boils down, I am still a little scared.  He's my daddy.

And I love my daddy so much.

He is strong and will get through this.

Cancer SUCKS.

awwww dane-it

Being the youngest of four, Isaac seems to pick up on things a lot quicker than any of the other kids. I guess it comes with the territory.  You are simply exposed to more, earlier, when there are bigger kids around that you tend to idolize.

Isaac has impeccable speech for a little boy.  He spoke very early and has a large vocabulary.  Over the last few weeks I feel like his ability to express himself has just been soaring.  He uses descriptive words like a much older child, is beginning to use slang expressions on his own, and is sometimes sarcastic.

I guess after saying all of the above, I am probably the one we have to thank for his newest choice in expressions.

It is used very appropriately and is just so dang cute when he says it.

'Awwww Daaaaang-it!' (or dane-it... depending upon how he chooses to pronounce it.)

The way he uses it varies. Sometimes when he is being tender.  Sometimes when he is being funny, and sometimes when he is a little annoyed.

Example.  We are snuggling and giggling together, he looks at me and tenderly says 'Awwww dane-it, Mom,' and gives me a hug.

So I guess it's my fault.

I say 'dang-it' all the time.  I do.

I guess it could be worse. Like when he says 'butt- crack'.  But I swear he didn't hear that from me.

sleepover

Friday night we had 4 additional 9 and 10 year old boys over at our house for a sleepover.

I know what you are thinking.... WHAT were YOU thinking?

Well, we wanted to do something nice for Jack.  He has some pretty nice friends and it can be difficult to invite friends over all the time when you have four children of your own. We wanted to be able to include everyone and we wanted it to be special, so we opted for a one night she-bang.

Reese, Jack, Lucas, Brendan and Brady

They brought along their Nerf guns and enough artillery for (in their words) an EPIC battle.  The girls and Isaac got in on the action and they all had a blast.

I can not even tell you how many times Isaac chuckled as he walked over to me with a gun in his outstretched arm, 'You need to cowwk it again, Mom'.  At least a billion.

The boys ate pizza, played board games and Minecraft, hung out outside for a campfire and some smores, and then spent the night in our tent.  In the basement, of course. (It was in the 20's overnight!)  The next morning they were up bright and early at 7:30, enjoyed some muffins and were outside playing some more before it was time to go.

There was a whole lotta 10 year old boy streaming through this house, but a good time was had by all!

again and again and again

The other day I got a message on my photography page on Facebook.  It was from someone I did not know, so I thought it was an inquiry about my photography services. Instead I found this:

     "My daughter is friends with Cassidy in Mrs Belanger's class. I went with them to CAVOC and had a chance to sit and visit with her...we were talking about leaves and she said, "My mom is a photographer, and she takes pictures of the leaves again and again and again!" I thought it was the cutest thing and had to share. :) You have a beautiful family!"

That simple statement just made my entire day.  

The fact that this busy mom made the effort to take a moment... simply to make my day a little brighter... is such an example to me.  I am really going to try to 'take a moment' more often to do this for others :).

there's no place like home

 It was spirit week last week at school.  Monday was 'Wizard of Oz' day and try as I might to get Cassidy to be a Lollipop kid, she thought they were too weird.  Instead she wanted to be Dorothy. We put together a Dorothy costume using all things we had at home.

The junker in me got a kick out of spray-adhesiveing some glitter to her old white shoes to create her very own ruby slippers!  She loved this project too:) We have another junker at heart in the family!

And she was happy to get braids complete with little gingham ribbons from my craft stash.

Shortly after these pictures, she clicked her heals together, and off she went!

the most wonderful time of the year

It came quickly and early this year, but boy was it gorgeous.  Fall time that is.

In fact, here is is only October 4th and the leaves are past prime.  And I missed it (because I got to sleep in until 7:35!) but it snowed early this morning.  Thankfully it was all melted by the time I got up.

One of my favorite places to be this time of year is out at the hunting land.  So sometimes in the evening when Andy is out checking cameras, the kids and I tag along.  Those beautiful acres just come alive when the trees are in color. To make things even better, it is located right next to a farmer's field, so when you visit just before sunset, an amazing golden glow intensifies its magnificent beauty,

I feel so blessed to live in the breathtaking part of our country.  I feel so alive and inspired when I am surrounded by such beauty.

  As does Cassidy :).

(But come February I will be glad to have these pictures to remind me of that fact!)

All About Cassidy

Today was Cassidy's All About Me at school.  She was so excited to participate in this event.

She invited Grandma and Grandpa, and Daddy was able to get off of work to come too.  Typically Lucy would join us too, but Florida was a bit far to travel for this ;) Jack tried to talk us into getting him out of class but he is at a different school this year, so no such luck.

She got to tell the class about her poster and I think they got to see a different side of Cassidy that they typically don't see at school.  She is typically quite reserved, and today she was being the Cass I know: her spunky little self- 'running the show' quite literally.  Her teacher even commented that they hadn't seen this side of Cass yet:)

She loved showing her special objects and telling about them.  She just makes me so proud:)

I am so glad that they do this at Pelican.  I know each of my kids have just loved having the spotlight for one special day.