regional champions!

The River Falls blue team in the Western Wisconsin Baseball League champions. What an exciting time for the team!

friends who have been playing together since t-ball in 2006

the team just after the championship

close up

proud momma

look what happened while Mom was away...

Yep. He's a bike rider! Still needs some strong practice on braking, but he is now maneuvering the world on a two wheeler.

homemade wine

Last night, a group of math people sat in the lobby and enjoyed wine made by one of the leaders of our grant. It was fun and a great community building opportunity!

escape room

Last night our math grant group went to an escape room in Banbury Place here in Eau Claire. Our task was to escape a room in an hour. It was super interesting and fun!

Before our escape room, we went out to dinner with the charismatic Smith family at a Thai restaurant and touring the Banbury Place--an abandoned tire factory that has been transferred into a community meeting place. A dance studio, gymnastics club, mixed martial arts club, mural art gallery. The urban renewal here in Eau Claire is invigorating!

blues guitarist

I'm in Eau Claire this week for my math grant workshop. My friend Maggie and I are staying in a beautiful new hotel and went out for dinner/stroll/blues in the park last night. We heard and amazing musician named Charlie Parr. I have a new favorite musician--not my ultimate favorite, but one of mine.

magical whiffle ball game

On Sunday night, I was home to help with my family. After spending much of the day in Mountain Lake, Kim and Kyle invited us out to their place for pizza. Kyle's family of 5--missing Liana, Cory's family of 5, our family of 5 and Mom and Dad enjoyed yummy pizza and then Kurt drove up in his cool little cart that he won in a drawing.

The elder Blomgrens and Katie took on the young Blomgren boys. It was so much fun to watch them all giving it their all. We ended the evening with picking apples from their trees and then driving home. Our kids had one of the best times of their summer in those golden hours of whiffle ball.

Trenton, Osten, Katie
Thomas, Ryan, Anders, Adam
Brad, Kyle, Evan, Cory, Kurt

amazing game

The River Falls Wildcats Blue team played the New Richmond Tigers grey team on July 25. Blue was down 2-5 in the top of the 7th. The team rallied and our amazing 15 year old drove in the tying run with 2 outs. His buddy struck out to end the inning and the Wildcats held the Tigers in the bottom of the 7th.

Into extra innings where Joey started out on 2nd. The Wildcats proceeded to score 5 runs in the top of extra innings. The Tigers started with their last hitter on 2nd. First batter hit into a double play and then Carter H. struck out the 2nd batter.

HOW exciting and the joy on the team's face was priceless. I was also impressed with the sportsmanship of both teams. It didn't seem like their was any gloating or pouting.

AMAZING GAME.

snow white

Last night was the production of Snow White. The fawn was lovely and the prince dashing. Thanks to Prairie Fire Theater and the kids and families of River Falls!

full cast

curtain call

the forest creatures

the prince and Snow White

after the show

Snow White, the Prince and Fawn

Ms. Rassmussen and the prince in 2008

Ms. Rassmussen with her former first grader--8 years later

 

mr. Joe is 10!

The third of the 2006 gang has turned 10 in the past week! Happy birthday Joe. We love you!

tiffany lamp shade

It's the little things in life that make me smile. A few weeks ago, my handsome husband and I were on a little shopping trip to our new favorite second hand store, the ReStore in River Falls which benefits Habitat for Humanity. I've been shopping for a lamp shade to replace the dingy one on our living room lamp. Up pops this interesting beauty...and it's made for a Tiffany lamp. I snagged it for $3.

another actor?

This morning our 6 year old went to an acting class. He was a total ham. I think we have another actor in the family.

heat wave

We rushed home to attend O's t-ball game on Wednesday night and it was toooooo hot. The game was cancelled. So we stayed home and watched the Lion King. Great call!

packing up up up

Mom and Dad Blomgren are in the midst of packing up their home of 23 years for a new adventure in an apartment in St. James. O and I headed home on Tuesday morning to help pack and clean and move. We had a fun adventure driving down. We arrived and immediately took a load over to St. James. Dad and I went and got several boxes, two ceiling fans and two company chairs into the apartment. It looks very nice and I'm sure they will make it home in no time.


After that we came home and headed to Windom in search of a fun activity for our charming 6 year old. Grandpa thought he would really love to go to a trailer of shelled corn. When we arrived, the place was swarming with families, so we headed to McDonalds and enjoyed a yummy dinner there. We headed home and watched a little of the Republican National Convention. I just kept hearing Chris Christie bashing Hillary.

riding the Blomgren family rocking horse

doing the lookalike face

home again

We got back to River Falls and just started right in to laundry and getting ready for the week at hand. The older two auditioned for parts in the Prairie Fire Theater production of Snow White. Our 15 year old is the prince and our 10 year old will play the part of the Fawn.

Shows are Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm. Looking forward to the shows!

wedding bells are ringing!

Brad's dear friend Gerard married on Saturday to a very sweet woman named Jaimie. Brad was the reader, I was one of the communion servers and the boys traveled with us to Sun Prairie while we left Katie with cousins to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

The ceremony was short and sweet. In between the ceremony and reception/dance we headed downtown to see the capitol building and eat some really yummy cheese near the capitol.

We then headed to the reception at the KC hall where we visited with Paul and his girlfriend Autumn. The boys and I headed back to the hotel while Brad hung out with friends. It was a lovely day and I got to spend some QT with the boys ;).

Gerard and Jaimie Potvin

The Potvin family

Congratulations and all the best in your future!

no skunk in 2016

The 2015 fishing trip was a bit disappointing. The 2016 did not disappoint. Brad was the only adult with A, K, Isaiah, Joe and Henry and together they caught 7 fish--3 king salmon and 2 rainbow trout.

3 of the 4 2006 kids

Henry

the lone female pulling one into the boat

go Joe!

reeling it in...

rainbow caught

sorry buddy!

happy boy!

you go girl!

nice catch

door county thursday evening

On Thursday evening many of the cousins/friends arrived and the kids were in heaven. Ibby, Joe, Henry, Dehlia, Bruce, Julie, Isaiah, Grandma Betty, Grandpa Bud, Jen, Jerry, Jillian and Julia. We enjoyed a yummy dinner and then turned in early. K and Henry slept in the tent, Brad and I had the camper to ourselves, O had a sleepover with Dehlia and A had a sleepover with Joe and Isaiah.

Jillian, K and I hanging out in the truck

Henry, K, Joe, A, Jillian, O, Isaiah, Julia and Dehlia at dinner

Jennifer, Bruce, Brad and Ibby enjoying dinner

at the playground

the dunes of Whitefish dunes

On Thursday, our family packed up and headed to our favorite spot in Door County...Whitefish Dunes State Park. Lake Michigan is very high right now so the beach was a little small and the water was VERY cold but we managed to build some sand castles, brave the cold water and enjoy a beautiful beach day.

alternate route to the dunes because of high water

walking the trail...thimble berries on the left of the path

15 year old braving the water

finishing touches on one of the sand castles

door county 2016

On Wednesday, our family packed up again and headed to Sturgeon Bay for camping round 2 of 2. It was a long and interesting drive as we listened to music from the Seussical Jr. and books on tape about Shiloh. We pulled into the campground and set up the camper pretty quickly. It was rather warm and we had the option of sleeping in Uncle Bruce's cabin so the kids and I slept there and Brad slept in the camper.

smm

We had a very small window of time at home last week between camping trips. Brad went to Chicago and the kids and I drove a rental home. The two youngest went to a day of bible school and the three of us went to the Science Museum of Minnesota on Tuesday. On our anniversary, I went out with work friends to a fun restaurant in Hudson.

reporting at the SMM

cute little Luisa out to dinner on the 11th

18 years thank you dearest BCO!

18 years ago my dear husband became my life partner. Thank you for making my life complete!

toasting 18 years at New Glaurus brewery

little bit of heaven

On Saturday, the 9th, our families traveled to New Glaurus, Wisconsin to tour the New Glaurus brewery. I have never visited Europe, but I would imagine it would look much like that region in either Switzerland or Germany.

We ate lunch at a yummy pizza restaurant and then went to the brewery. It was beautiful...no expense spared in the making of that place!

brewery

another beautiful view of the brewery

Jen and Jerry toasting with the yummy beer

goof ball A

the yummy pizza place