trick or treat {halloween 2010}

Happy Halloween from Pirate Kate and Snow White Annika. Trick or treat! Smell my feet. Please give me something good to eat!

a north shore fall

Minnesota's North Shore in October is a beautiful place to be. Cool Lake Superior breezes and colorful leaves surrounded by evergreen trees. Nothing beats visiting Grandma and Grandpa Cloutier. We enjoyed every minute of our weekend getaway.

Lake Superior rock forts.

Pretending to be deer with Grandpa. What nice antlers!

Hanging out at the top of the forty acres. We love Grandma and Grandpa's swing. What a special place to make memories!

pumpkins

{happy birthday!}

I had a fabulous birthday thanks to my two little girls and my wonderful husband.

Chocolate cake.

Birthday cards from my daughters.

A sweet rendition of "Happy Birthday" by Kate and Annika.

Many phone calls and birthday messages from friends far and near.

A birthday present of new fashionable boots (to be purchased on a mommy day in the future).

Wine and snuggling by the fireplace with my hubby.

A date night at The Melting Pot fondue restaurant in downtown Minneapolis tomorrow night with friends.

I can tell that year number 33 is going to be great!

love, love, love it!

I just want to mention that I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our new blog design. A huge thank you to The Design Girl. It has definitely inspired me to keep up with the blogging. Thanks again Design Girl!

fall on the farm

Last week we had a special treat. A long weekend.

Jason, the girls and I headed home to southwest Minnesota. Fall on the farm is a special time of year. This year was no exception. Harvest was in full swing.

We had a great visit. I feel so blessed that our girls get the best of both worlds. Northern Minnesota and it's rustic wilderness where I was raised. And Southern Minnesota and it's rolling prairies where Jason grew up.

These are memories that I hope our girls will cherish for years to come.

Playing with the barn cats. Feeding Grandma Great's sheep. Exploring the hay loft. Runs across the bean fields. Tractor and combine rides with our friend Jay. Walking through the groves surrounding the farm.

It is so special for Jason to see Kate and Annika playing on the farm where he already has so many childhood memories. Thanks to Grandma Bakke and Grandma Great for a wonderful long weekend!

it's fall....I think

Who would have thought it was fall these past few days. 80 degrees and hot. Too hot for October if you ask me. I had already packed away the shorts, tank tops, flip flops and capris and exchanged them for my favorite season's wardrobe- fleece and sweaters!

Last year we had already had our first snow. This year we'll be picking out a pumpkin in our shorts and sandals. How weird!

I hate to even admit that I turned the air conditioner on this weekend. It was 84 inside our house. 84 degrees! That's crazy!

It's hard to be in the mood for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread pudding and pumpkin muffins when you're sweating. I had a whole menu planned for this weekend- it included white chicken chili and crockpot bread pudding. Needless to say, that's not what we ate. It was too hot!

Please, oh, please October will you please, pretty please arrive? It's a little strange to be racking leaves in my flip flops.

At least Kate and Annika are loving it.

Happy Fall or Summer......whatever season it is.