Biker Babes

Well... the truth is we have no BABES anymore at the Thomberg House!

No Babes last year on three wheels!

(I couldn't find a picture of the year before, when they were BABES, when we pushed them on the trike with the Steer & Stroll handle at the townhome!)

No BABES this year on TWO wheels....

Well, actually, that's TWO wheels and TWO trainers!

And that's the Twosome in two helmets!

Making two silly faces!

...And cruising off into the sunset!

**A special Thanks to my co-worker Jenny for passing on her daughter's bike to Marly. We got it early this spring. The kids each toyed with it. In the past two weeks, both kids "get it" so we were off to Toys 'R Us on Saturday morning to get Dean his own ride. Saturday, after seeing Shreck, the kids took a cruise up the street. As you can see by the dusky light, we are clearly pushing the bedtime limits on a summer night!

Weekend Updates

The last two weekends have been pretty low key for the Thomberg's. We have been sticking close to home as a foursome. Last Saturday we visited the Mpls Farmer's Market (between rain showers) and this Saturday we took the kids to 3D Shrek 3 (between rain showers). Yup - These two are buddies, most of the time. I didn't tell them to pose like this. They do it on their own.

This is their second movie ever. They love the popcorn, (but don't know about pop yet). Bottled water is a treat to them.

The past two Sunday's have been about family suppers. Last Sunday Dad and Chris came for pork chops. We ate on the patio (between rain showers). This Sunday we headed to Brett and Rachel's on the lake. No swimming for us (because of the chill in the air from the rain showers), but we did get a boat ride after supper.

Last Sunday Dad and Chris also attended the Edina Art Fair and picked up fun capes for Marly and Dean!

Wednesday Night OUT!

Monday Gretchen called, "Can we stay at your house Wednesday night? Dan's birthday is next week and we have tickets to some Scandinavian, female, acoustic, indie-rock singers or something that Dan found on U-Tube, who is playing somewhere or another in Minneapolis"

SURE!

Tuesday I left a VM, "Hey... Can Mark and I meet you for a drink or something before. Maybe I can get my dad to babysit?"

Response VM, "Hey... I guess we aren't staying with you, but yah... dinner would be great!"

Fortunately my Dad called me back on Wednesday morning and yes he could watch the kids...

So Mark came from home, I came from work, and the Huwe's came from Dan's parents where they dropped off their kiddos, and we united at the Lohring Pasta Bar in Dinky Town for drinks and a great meal.

The time to dine outside in Minnesota is fleeting, and this was the perfect June evening. The four of us enjoyed every single minute of side walk dining, people watching, and friendship talking on our mid-week outing...so much that Dan and Gretch were surely late to the show at the Cedar Cultural Center!

What a fantastic break from the usual routine.

The New Look

Alrighty Readers! I finally have my own header. I am so very excited. I owe it all to my friend Mary Ray McCarthy. She read my post about going the the MN Bloggers event, and e mailed me offering to MAKE ME A HEADER! I couldn't believe it.

I am probably one of the few individuals who call Ms. Mary "Mary Ray McCarthy". You see Ray is her maiden name (not her first or middle name), but it has flow. Mary Ray McCarthy is so catchy. I know Mary because I lived with her one summer in our sorority house in St. Cloud. Mary was not a Delta Zeta. She wasn't even a regular SCSU student, but she did take a few summer courses there and was living with her friend Tammy, who was a DZ. Anyway, there were only a few of us around the house that summer. Mary moved away to Colorado, and she moved back. Some where in there she got married to her long time sweetheart, Tim McCarthy. I got to be her personnel attendant at her wedding.

The years have passed and I RARELY see Mary. I remember when my mom died and I came one day to visit her (10 years ago). At the time, she had just one baby boy, and an on line clothe diapering business. I visited and she let me take a nap at her house. I know it is weird, but fresh grief is exhausting, and sleep can be elusive. I will never forget that day or that nap. Mary is now a good wife and mom to FIVE boys. I admire her faith and devotion to her religion. I admire her spirit. I admire MARY.

Social media has it's ins and its outs, but I know I wouldn't still be connected to Mary with out my computer and the Internet. I feel blessed for knowing her, on line and off.

THANK YOU MARY of Vocations of Motherhood!

Sewing 101

Last Thursday I attended a Sewing 101 class at JoAnne Fabrics... AND I MADE THE TOTE BELOW.
Yes sirree! I bought the fabric, thread and interfacing, cut it myself, and sewed it together with my mom's New Home sewing machine (just back from a tune up)! At the moment, I love the tote fabric so much, I just leave it hanging there on the hook as you walk in the door, for a cheery welcome!

If you were to look at it closely, you would quickly discover my seams are not very straight, but in the words of a 2 or a 3 year old, "I did it myself!"

When we move Marly and Dean downstairs, I know I could sew simple curtains. I instantly thought the tote fabric would be punchy, fun, and bold in Miss Marly's room. Mark would probably hate it, and Marly has indicated she wants butterflies.... but of course during my sewing class, my mind was whiring along with the purr of my machine!

I may sign up for a beginner's class where you make a simple skirt with a draw string waist. Could be a good next step for me.

What I Want/What I Buy

I WANTED these Welsey striped throw pillows from Crate and Barrel. On Sale, they cost $16.95 each.

Instead, I purchased 4 Wesley place mats for $3.95 each.

I hand stitched the place mats together because I was feeling intimidated by the sewing machine.

Add stuffing (purchased with a coupon at Jo Anne) and I was able to create this! Total cost of my pillows was less than $18 versus $33.90 at Crate and Barrel.

See the Crate and Barrel catalog in the corner of the photo below. I WANTED 5 of those cobalt blue glazed pots. They are no longer available on line, but they were over $35.00 each.

Instead I bought 15 inch Tera cotta pots for $8.75 , one quart of Behr paint and primer in one (yes, I choose to use a pricey paint), one spray can of Thompson's Water Seal, and two spray cans of Minwax polyurethane. I followed these instructions from the Young House Love blog to paint them.

And got THIS finished product for our front entry...

and our patio...

The overall costs of the pots was around $80.00,

versus at least $175 I would have spent at Crate and Barrel.

I am pleased with the results, of course because I didn't feel I could afford the other items, but also because I did it myself. I will tell you, as I painted and sealed the pots over MANY, MANY days, Mark was getting impatient with me to PLANT in them!

Our Long Weekend

We had a just full enough, pleasant, Memorial Day Weekend and hope you all did too. Mostly, I was on hiatus from taking pictures, so I will give you my journal review. The truth is, Mark and I often find ourselves enjoying the doing and the living when with friends and family, to jump behind the lens of the camera....

Saturday neighbor's and passers-by our home on Riverview Lane would have seen what I consider a true slice of Americana. We had a flag flying out front, and small flags adoring our potted patio plants. In the back yard, you would have seen kids running from the sprinkler, to the kiddy pool, to the swing set, squealing with delight. You would have seen their parents sitting under the giant weeping willow sipping wine and beer. You would have seen a table with white linen set out, with a lovely perspiring water pitcher on the table, and a wicker basket of towels nearby for the kids. You would have seen blue plastic paper plates piled with watermelon, potato salad, hot dogs and hamburgers. You would have seen laughter, conversation and smiles with the Lyon's and the Huwe's.

Sunday brought with it another BBQ at Brett and Rachel's. Grilled pork and delicious baked beans were a part of the menu. Mark was at work, but the kids and I enjoyed the neighbor's trampoline while others played croquet. Unfortunately, the cloudy sky and cooler temps kept the boat in the launch.

Monday dawned to be a day for a drive. After a visit to the cemetery in Hector, we stopped in at my cousin Chad and Michelle's where the kids spent more time jumping on another trampoline, got a wild wheelbarrow ride, and peddled the John Deere. Next it was on to Aunt Jan & Uncle Sheldon's for a quick hello at Lake Allie before heading back to suburbia. Once home, we had ribs, fried potatoes and green beans on the deck. After supper I actually helped to mow our lawn. Yes... it is true... this farm girl had never operated a push mower until Monday!

I also had Tuesday off, and it was a wonderful day at home.

And, we remember our veterans who have served their country and sacrificed for us too.