Texas August 2010

We are having a great time in Texas. No storms this year, the weather's been beautiful--hot but slight wind and cooler water temps (and the pool) help fool you into thinking that's it's really not bad. Bret usually gets up early (about 4:45a) every day to go fishing. The kids and I have gotten up early with him 3-4 times to go to the National Seashore. The kids have been great and we've caught several fish (whiting, redfish, sea trout, hard head catfish, gaftop catfish, and skipjacks). We're having a fried fish feast tonight with the keeper whiting, redfish and sea trout. Connor, Bret and I have caught redfish, Bret's caught the trout and we all caught a keeper whiting except Brendan. We go home on Tuesday, which we're sad about, but also ready to go. I miss my house and dog. It's been below 50 in Duluth since we've been gone, so that will be an adjustment. Enjoy the pictures below from my sister-in-law, Bridget. I've forgotten my camera connection cord to the computer, so I'll post my pics once we get home.

Bailey, my niece, and Maren
with their first sandcastle masterpiece


Me with my youngest niece (to date) Darby.
Both of sister-in-laws are expecting,
Jenny is due 8/21 and Bridget is due 11/4.


Nolan, my only nephew, and
Connor coming back in from the surf


Two of the handsome men
in my life


Connor with his "mini" fish
caught on the pier in Port Aransas


Nolan and Brendan fishing from the pier


The girls with another masterpiece


Brendan tackling Connor while Nolan
looks on and Josh (Bret's brother)
grabs Darby

Finally, interior photos!

Great room timbers looking
into the kitchen


Great room fireplace


Kitchen


Front entry


Dining room


Great room from kitchen


Mudroom


Powder room


Master bedroom


Brendan and Sadie looking into
the back yard from the master BR


Brendan in master bath


Upper stairway landing looking
into loft


Connor's bedroom


Boys shared bathroom


Brendan's bedroom


Maren's bedroom


Maren's bathroom


Media room (downstairs)


From media room into rec room


Wet bar with media room to the right


From wet bar into rec room

More new pictures

Dave and Jenny came up to visit in May.
Here's Dave and me with Brendan in the
background on the Lake Superior shore.


We met my mom at the Twins
game over Memorial Day.


The new Target field was pretty
nice.


Maren is in white (and #12
(my old number)).


Connor in red taking a penalty
kick.

My Oregon Trip

While the boys were on their boys fishing weekend, Maren and I went to Oregon to visit our friends from Rochester. Christy and I met when she was pregnant with Karyna, and Connor and Molly were 2 1/2. Connor and Molly became best friends in Rochester. Then Karyna and Maren followed. Christy and her family moved back to Oregon in 2005. The kids and I had visited there in 2006, but I hadn't met Cecilia yet. We had a great time despite the rain.
Here are some pictures.


Maren and I walking on rocks.


Maren laughing (totally captures her personality)


Maren, Karyna and Cecilia


Me with Cecilia


Maren and Karyna


Maren and me


Christy and me


Maren jumping rope


Cecilia, Molly, Maren and Cecilia

New Pictures

Brendan's preschool graduation
May 26, 2010
(Eli, Drew and Brendan)


Bret, Brendan and our new tractor


Connor and his Coho salmon


The kids at Easter


Sadie, Maren and Brendan

Exterior of House with Grass

Here are the latest pictures of the house with our new sod. It's all about 30' out from the house, a little less in some spots and more in others.
We are all enjoying it! The sod is loving all of our rain!

WE ARE IN!

We moved into the new house February 18th. That made exactly 9 months from breaking ground (May 18, 2009) to move in date. There are still a few items that need to be completed, but they are few and far between. I'm very thankful that I didn't wait to move in. I'd be really mad if I waited 2 months for the lower level bath's shower doors to go in. We've been waiting for a part for over a month. We are all loving our new house. I only have about 3 boxes left to unpack. We are already starting to think about starting landscaping. We want to pave the driveway by the house and get grass ASAP! Come visit anytime!