My Summer Vacation

I know it has been some time since I have put a post or pictures on this darn blog, but that is all about to change, cause I am going to try and get caught up!

The last week of August I took my week off. I like to do it before Bret gets back to school. We of course did not have any major plans, we just headed off to the farm for a few days.

It is nice to just be away!

Swinging Fun

No Madi...that is not how we swing!


Too cute!

She just looks like she is really having a good time in this picture.

I think I have got it now!

Yes the girls have matching dresses, this is something I really enjoy doing. I know they are going to hate me someday for it! All three kids had there pictures taken this day.....pictures to be posted later! The girls really love the swings Papa put up, fyi he also put a slide off of the deck. They all love that too...I am not sure how Mom feels about it though.

Apple Picking
Papa planted a couple apple trees this year....well the each gave one apple, so the girls each got to pick one....Bret went across the road to get many more from Aunt Terri's tree.

Madi was quite gentle getting her apple off...

Kacy really punished the tree when she ripped hers off.

Oh hope it recovers by next year.

Papa and his girls with their apples.

Flower Girls

Kacy helped Nana plant these midget sunflowers when the girls spent a week at the farm in early June. They look awesome as they line her garden.

Nana's garden has lots of flowers, the kids really love to spend time in the garden with her, and it makes for some awesome pictures!

You do not even see the weeds!

Flowers were always the part of gardening I enjoyed to most.

To this day I have no desire to have the big garden my Mom has.

I really did not like hoeing!



Pool Fun
Monday afternoon we spent the day at the pool at Northern Bay with Liana and her girls.

The girls do such a good job keeping track of my girls in the water that I did not have to worry.

Kacy, my Goddaughter Macey and Bret .

The whole crew!

Madi, Hannah, Kinsey, Kacy, Macey and Bret

Bret always loves a pool!


Farm Friends

The kids all really love the animals at the farm. This Heather's dog Fuzz. He is really one of the grandchildren as well...an will always be Uncle Dan's first born!

This the one of the sweet little kittens we could catch over at Greg and Terri's.

This was the sweetest kitten, it just let those girls carry it around!

We all want to bring it home, but Dad says no! He always says no to our pet begging!

I guess we will just have to go and visit them.



And Puddles

I know... what else would they do with a bunch of puddles.

I actually did encourage this, just to get them out of the house.

And no they did not need much!

Here are Grandma's helpers.

They were helping her make tacos for lunch this day. Bret made he apron in Face class.

Wild Mountain Here We Come!

Today we made our annual trek to Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls. Bret likes to this every year for his birthday, so he invites a friend and they head over there for a day of fun. The day started out sunny, then we had some rain, and then on to some wind. This did not stop anyone from getting wet however. I had never seen that place so busy. The boys had to do some waiting in line to ride the Alpine Slide and Go Carts, the girls did not have to wait to splash in in the pools.

John and Bret playing it up for the Camera.

I do not have many pictures of the boys, they were off doing their own thing for most of the day. They did come back however to eat!

Bret on the Lazy River.

Madi at the kids area enjoying the dancing water.

Kacy thought it was fun to run through the dancing water.

And this is a close-up......It makes me laugh!

Dad and his girls in the little pool!

Madi getting a face full of water herself.

Oh Mom, another picture! You can see it is sunny at this point in the day.

Kacy down the big frog tongue!

I just love this picture!

Yeah, Brothers Home!

Bret got back last night after spending a week out at Yellowstone with Mark's Uncle, Tom Rust. This was an amazing opportunity for Bret and we are so thankful Tom asked him to go. Mark took the same trip so many, many, many years ago! I can't wait to see pictures. Bret had a lot of fun, he did however get sick of eating out.....who knew. I am sure up until this point in his life that is something he never thought would ever happen!

The girls really missed him. One day Kacy asked if she could go wake Bret up, I am not sure how many days she was going to let him sleep. And every time the door would open at night Madi would look towards it and say "Bet."

Bret really enjoyed his vacation and the opportunity to see so many new things, he also enjoyed shopping for everyone. I am so jealous, I have never been there and I cannot wait to go!

Bret will have to be our tour guide!

Rust Family Fun!

Well it is that time again, time for us to go on our annual bike trip with Ruth's side of the family. I think it is kind of funny how we call it a bike trip, however Bret is the only one who manages to take a bike from our household. (Last year nobody did!) Kacy really wanted us to take the pull thing that goes behind the bike, which she and Madi ride in, but we just do not have anyway to get that all packed into our van. Again this year we headed to the Old Barn Resort near Lanesboro, MN. It is a fun filled weekend of camping, biking, golfing, eating, swimming, fun and family. We headed out Friday morning and arrived there a little over three hours later..... and then after three hours of setting up camp we could finally relax and enjoy the weekend. Can we say hotel! We are not big campers, our tent and air mattress only go up about once a year. The kids loved camping, in fact Kacy did not want to go home on Sunday. I personally never have to sleep on another air mattress as long as I live. I thought buying a new one would help this year, I was wrong. The weather was a tad chilly at night, but perfect during the day. We had rain Friday night, but we stayed dry in our tent and it did not storm, that is always a big plus in my book!

Bret, Kacy, Grandma Ruthie, Mark and Madi

Some tent it, and others have RV's, we even have a couple who do stay at the hotel, we are all pretty close together in the campground, however we generally spend most of the weekend between the two campers. Ruth, her brothers and sisters are in charge of the food. They have a great set up, bring everything and we just pay per person at the end of the weekend. I love not having to worry about what food to pack, and theirs is always so good.

I love this picture! Here is our pretty blue eyed girl.

Last year Madi either stayed put in the walker, or played on a blanket on the ground.....this year was a completely different story. She was one of three 16-18 month olds that were there. Halen and Bennet were the other two and those three were not to be contained this year. It was so nice to have so many extra eyes to help keep track of them.


Annie's boyfriend, Steve, and Bret doing a friendly battle at Bean Bag Toss.
I do know at one time Bret beat him pretty good. They look like the are having a good time.
Steve was a great sport paying with all the kids. Don and Paula brought the games, they were a great addition and provided much entertainment.

Here is another game the kids had a blast with, I know it as tailgate golf, but there are many other names for it. Madi just thought it was fun to wrap the balls around her arm.

Check out her dress, her Dad brought that home for her from Hayward. Kacy is really into dresses so he brought one for each of them. I just want to get her little glasses, wrap a scarf around her head and teach her the peace sign! She has a whole new attitude when she puts it on.

So this is how you mix the two games together!

I am not sure what we should call it now?

Here is Halen on Uncle Tom's scooter. Tom loved teaching them how to honk the horn.

Halen is 6 weeks younger than Madi.

Cousin Bennet is 5 weeks younger than Madi.

He is ready for his first dip in the big pool...which was very cold again this year!

Kacy is always ready for a dip in the pool. She and Hannah had a great time.

Hannah is 3 months younger than Kacy so the two of them had fun together.

After some persuasion we got Madi into the cold pool too.

Kristin, Madi and Bennet, sitting on the outside looking in!

Bennet loved the splashing!

Bret and Anna hung for most of the weekend.

Bryce thought Madi was pretty fun and quite possibly his own personal doll,

don't get me wrong she loved him just as much!

Her face is covered with an Oreo cookie at this point.

Halen held by Bryce, Bret, Brandon, Hannah, Madi held by Kerstin,

Anna, Kacy and Bennet

Here they all are, it really is fun to get them together every year. They seem to mesh right back to were they left off the year before. It is too bad we do not see them more than once a year,

but that is more than we would without this fun trip.

The kids do have blast together and it is fun to just see them grow.

Kerstin and Annie at the fire!

Every night at dusk we must have a bonfire. And this must include s'mores and pudgy pies.

I am not sure why we do not camp more.....this really is the life!!!

Kacy burning, I mean toasting her marshmallows!

Hannah warming hers up too!

How many kids can you fit in the pool!

Saturday afternoon we filled up a small pool and the kids went to town in it.

We will find just about anything to entertain!

This is the life Mom!

Madi and Bennet were the first ones in the pool, clothes and all.

Madi should have been napping but who would not rather have fun!

Madi never did nap that day and finally hit a wall at 9:30.

She put up a real fight however right until the end!

This is Murphy, the newest addition to the family.

I am pretty sure Nathon will not be holing him like that next year!

Hannah and Halen!

Bennet and Madi

Do you think they will always like each other this much?

Yes, I know the the answer too!

We had a good time this year and the weather was good. It was strange for it not to be so darn hot though. We did not get to get into town this year however, Lanesboro had it's Wild West Days, so it was pretty crazy with people and I was not crazy enough to tackle the shops with two little girls. It is however a very pretty area and I would love to go back in the fall!

Next year we are planning to to try a place in Osseo, Wi....it has cabins!!!!!

Yes that is pure joy and enthusiasm in my voice!