Fountain

On our way home from the cabin, we made a side trip to Chippewa Falls to visit two of my college friends who are married. I had the chance to meet the newest addition to their family- four month old Lily, and the boys LOVED playing with her older sister Maddie, and all her toys. Nick and Shalyn suggested that we take the kids to this fountain and have a picnic, before I drove back home. The kids loved it!

Up-North Vacation

Curtis holding one of his many fish!

Johnny getting a little excited!

The boys swimming.

Johnny holding a big tadpole that cousin Callan caught for him!

Granny and the boys on a boat ride!

Curtis loving the paddle boat!

This is my FAVORITE picture- Johnny and his frog Ava! SO JOHNNY!

Curtis wearing his "rain hat" during a little sprinkle!

This past week, I took the boys up-north to spend five days with my parents and my sister Megan and her husband Kyle. We had a great time and I'm SO glad I did the long trip! Before I had kids, I would go up-north and read, lay in the sun, and swim. This trip was a REAL eye opener for me. We fished, and fished, and fished some more! The boys couldn't get enough of fishing, catching tadpoles and crayfish. By the end of the week, I was a pro at taking the fish off the hook. (Where's Daddy when we need him!) The boys were loving every minute of the cabin, and Curtis even cried when it was time to go. (Wonder who he gets that from?) We can't wait for next year so Erik can join us!

Erik is still in the Netherlands, and will be for a few more weeks. He now has the movers scheduled to come next week, and then will clean and check out of the apartment. After making sure all of his work is done at the office, he'll fly back for good! We can't wait to see him! It's been a long summer without him.

Mall Rats

The boys are loving MN, especially the Mall of America's newest theme park. Everyday there are characters there, on the half hour in the afternoons. So, Friday, we took the day and went up to see them. The boys had a great time...but with the crowd at the mall being worse than around Christmas time, I think this is my last trip up until after summer vacation is over!

Curtis with his favorite- Sponge Bob!
Johnny with his ALL TIME favorite- Diego!

How Life Changes...

Grandpa "Buck-9" and the boys with Curtis' first catch!
Curtis, "The Chicken," watching his fish being taken off the line and Johnny shaking it's fin!

It was less than three weeks ago that I was dreading saying my goodbyes, and heading back to Holland on an airplane until next Spring. Then, we got the good news, that we were staying in the States. As if life couldn't get any better...my sister Megan and her husband Kyle, bought a house 1.6miles from my house in MN! They close at the end of the month, if all goes well. Curtis will be sad to see them move out, as he just wants them to move in across the street! He thinks 1.6 miles is TOO FAR away! Funny, how we were suppose to be over 4,000 miles away.

Last week Erik was home on vacation for a week, and then headed back to Holland for five more weeks. Sometime near the end of August he'll be home for GOOD! I can't wait! We had a great week going to the Zoo, a small water park, the Mall of America, ect. We have a lot to take care of regarding the move....OK who am I kidding- ERIK has a lot to take care of. He did cross off a few items last week- one was buying a new/used car for himself. So, at least now he'll be able to get to work when he moves home!

One funny story from last week was our trip to the Minnesota Zoo. This was NOT funny at the time. The boys have been dying to get to the Zoo to see the new Grizzly Bear Exhibit. So, we headed up and got subs for lunch. We went outside to eat on a picnic table and there were dark clouds and thunder in the distance. Erik immediately looks at me and says, "It's far away, don't worry. Just sit and eat, and when it gets closer, we'll move in."

So, of course, I just shoved the sub down my throat as fast as I could to get back inside. We went inside near the dolphin exhibits to wait out the storm. After a while, the sky got unbelievably dark. The wind started whipping- garbage cans were blowing over, and planted plants were blowing by too. I started to get really nervous and tried calling my sister to see if there were any warnings out. (NO RECEPTION- OF COURSE!) I was like a mad woman trying to keep the kids near me- with hundreds of people around. Then, came the news- "They were evacuating the Zoo and everyone had to get to the underground tunnels because there was a tornado warning.

Now HUNDREDS of people are all pushing, in line, and trying to get to the shelter. I of course, wanted to get down in the tunnels INSTANTLY! Erik had other ideas. ("Mr. Laid Back") He said there was no way we were going in the tunnels with all those people and it being so hot and humid out. So, we started having a small argument. I was SURE if we didn't get to the tunnels, we would DIE. Erik said, he was NOT going with his pregnant wife and kids into the tunnels. So, we compromised and went into a brick theater in the inner part of the zoo and waited out the storm. Needless to say, we didn't die and survived the storm. We decided to leave the Zoo when we heard after the storm they had to make sure the exhibits were secure and were not putting animals back in. So, we headed home, and looked at the leaves, branches, and trees down from the storm. We'll have to head back another day when a tornado doesn't touch down in Dakota County! Welcome back to Minnesota!

Oh I Wish.....

Nothing is more American than seeing the Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile. The boys and I stopped by and had a free lunch! Gotta love the good ole' USA!

Celebration!!!!!!!

This year, we will have a very exciting reason to celebrate July 4th......Drum Roll PLEASE.....We are going to be US Citizen's again! That's right- WE ARE MOVING BACK HOME! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOO excited! It happened very quickly and very unexpectedly. Erik got notice of a nice opportunity for him in his Minneapolis office to start in the next month. He called, they wanted him, and he accepted. All within two days! I'm BURSTING with excitement! I don't think I've stopped smiling in two days, since I've known this could be a possibility!

I'll miss Holland, especially my good friend Lynne, but the US is the best place for me for where I'm at in my life. I couldn't be more happy to deliver the baby in New Prague, and feel much more relaxed about it now. The boys are very excited to be back. Erik is excited too, but will miss the work atmosphere and his co-workers in Holland quite a bit. He loved everything about it...but a nice opportunity came up and he took it!

So, come next Friday, my flag will be flying a little higher and with more pride than ever. My Dutch residence card, and drivers License will be put away in order to start a new chapter in our lives back in MN, with baby number three on the way!

Still Having Fun!

Had some pictures taken at Target's Portrait Studio one afternoon at the last minute! They did a great job!
We are still having a great time in the US! The past few days, we made the rounds to see all of the kids grandparents! It's been great! On Monday, my mom kept the boys over night, and my Dad and I went to Milwaukee to visit MY Grandparents! They were quite surprised when we showed up. It was nice to have a few hours to visit with each of them, and NO kids to chase around! My time here is over half done... and going too fast. Now it's back to MN to enjoy some time there, and pack up. Then, it's back to La Crosse for the 4th of July and Riverfest, before we fly back on the 8th! My how fast a month zips by!