Dan's 75th Birthday

 

(Dana's brother, sister and brother in law came all the way from Des Moines for the party!  It was great to meet some of her family finally)

Dan had a big birthday this year and we're celebrating big!  In fairness we would have done something big for his 70th, but Sept 2020 was a strange time...so...we're pulling out all the stops for 75.  We hosted a semi-surprise party for him the weekend after his birthday.  We planned it in coordination with Dana and even though it POURED rain during the party, everyone assures me they had a good time.  Luckily Ryan decided we needed a big circus tent for the day because he was right...we needed more covered space and more tables/chairs.  I'll say it again, just for the record - he was right.  :)

A big huge backyard family party might be Ryan's favorite thing in all the land.  I joke (but really mean it) that my favorite thing in all the land is "plop time" at the end of a day...and going to bed.  Ryan's is having all of his friends and family here and being the hostess with the mostest.  

The rain had me feeling upset but the kids loved it.  I mean...how can you resist a giant puddle in the driveway?

Aw!  My favorite people!

(Dana's son, Jon and his partner)

The hit of the party!?  The surprise ice cream truck.  If I had it all to do over again I'd have had it come 30 minutes sooner, but I think the rain messed up the timeline slightly.  A good number of people left once the rain cleared but I couldn't predict any of that when we booked it.

I LOVE this photo of us!

Devil's Lake Tri

 

We lucked out with a beautiful warm weekend at the Devil's Lake Tri this year - warm enough that the kids could jump off the jumping rocks.  This year the Brackemyers joined us and I know that the girls were happy to have some kid friends along to keep them company.  Somehow I took zero photos of the actual race, or of anyone else on the trip with us...not even one of the dogs.  But, I've got these two (thanks Jamie!) and one of the stick bugs.  LOL!

Leading up to the race Ryan was feeling like he didn't get enough exercise in and he was worried that the race would be rough, but he actually finished with one of his fastest times at this race.  The weekend was hot and humid bur on race day it was overcast which kept the temps down and I know he was thankful the weather cooperated.  I don't have the exact numbers in front of me but he finished in under an hour and 45 mins and placed in the top 15% of the overall race and similarly (ish) in his age group.  I'm always impressed at how he just pulls off a 2 hour race, with no training and that he does it really quite ell.  I would NOT have the same results.  

We are already signed up for next years race and the campsites are already booked!  And just like that, we're filling up the calendar for summer 2026.  

1 Family x 12 (September)

 

I nearly didn't post these because my hair looks so crazy - but the point of taking the monthly family photos isn't that there are 12 beautiful photos of me at the end of the year....the point is documenting our lives just as we're living them...and on this day, this is how my hair looked.  I should have looked in the mirror I think - LOL!

Another September family photo taken at the Devil's Lake Tri.  

First Day of School

 

You guys - I can't even.  5th and 8th grade.  It's going too fast.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I was ready for school to be back in session.  After 10 weeks of these two cuties being home with me every single day this summer, I was glad for some peace and quiet during my work day.  But, come on!  I'm 5 years away from Abby being in COLLEGE!  I'm 3 years away from her having her drivers license.  It's going very very fast.  

We had an amazing summer and I think we "summered" as much as we possibly could have...and you know fall is my most favorite time of year.  I'm excited for routine, and more structure and for cool weather...but I'm also not ready for the daily grind of lunches and alarms and homework.  

I'm so proud of these two girls.  They are amazing humans and I can't wait to share them with the world.  I can't wait to see who they'll become and I can't wait to brag about them to anyone who will listen.  Ryan and I are lucky parents...we ended up with some good ones!

Summer Crafts (the time of year when I'm cranking out less)

(May 8th)

(June 5th)

I started this knit blanket back in mid-September and here we are, 10 months later and I've finally finished it!  These blankets are a marathon, not a sprint but honestly, that's what I love about them.  I need zero more blankets, but I always need a project on my needles and blankets keep me busy for many many months.

This  pattern is pretty cool - you knit with two different colored yarns in each section which means that the blanket as a different color depending on which side you are looking at.  You can kind of see it in the photo above.  

I love these little labels I had made awhile back - they are the perfect, subtle way to label them.

I also put the finishing touches on this blanket for Anthony and Brittany's wedding shower in about a month from now.  I didn't know who I was making this one for when I started it but they'd announced their engagement I knew this would be the one I'd gift them.  It's honestly one of my favorite quilts of all time.  Its so pretty and such a cool pattern.  I might make this again if the website I bought it from comes out with another quilt kit.  Westwood Acres is one of my favorite online quilt shops and her fabric choices never disappoint.

(June 14)

And, with the finish of one knitted blanket, I must then cast on a new one.  I've got a sampler up next and I'm excited to knit this one.  The yarn comes on a giant cone, so there are no ends to tie in...you just knit and knit and knit until the pattern runs out.  I haven't knit a sampler since I first started knitting and I'm excited for the chance to switch up the pattern every few inches.  I've been making good progress on this one - roughly 1.5 months in and I'm into the third pattern section of the pattern.

(July 30)

Last but not least - this beautiful quilt I finished for my cousin Alex Tischendorf's wedding.  I started this quilt over the winter, not knowing exactly where it was headed, but when we got the invite for Alex (and Sarah's) wedding, I knew I had the perfect quilt already lined up.

I hope this fits their style.  It's a little more "moody" than my normal quilts with the black boarders etc but I love how it makes the colors pop.  I love quilting with this linen fabric - I've used linens before and they are a little finicky to work with, but it's hard to decide which is better, the look of linen or the softness of the fabric.  So, I continue to work with it and the quilts the come out of it are some of my favoites.

So - here we are in early September so I think it's time for me to finish up my "Summer crafts" post and start collecting for my "Fall crafts" edition.