Gaga for...Lessons Learned

OK, so everyone knows I'm gaga about two things in life: Themes and Kids.  Put them together for a themed-kid event and I'm in heaven!  This last week I had two such instances that seriously, left my brain happy, my heart full,  and my soul smiley.  I even learned a thing or two!

1ST THEMED EVENT WITH KIDDOS: 

A lovely  woman-who I swear is on her way to sainthood-and her 3 littles, joined me for a lovely walk at Fontenelle Forest.  A super cool forest within the city that reminds you to connect with nature.  Check out the link for more details: http://www.fontenelleforest.org/ 

It just so happened that the forest had a large dinosaur exhibit that left the littles freaking out if they were real or not and when it was finally decided they weren't real, they named them.  Like Jeff and Jasmine.  

Two things happened on this trek through the woods that made me ponder. One, the trees are dying.  Because of the drought, the leaves are brittle and brown.  It was more like fall than the middle of summer.  It made me kinda sad so, I told the littles that the reason for the leaves falling was that the treetop faeries were dancing to hard which made me happy.  The biggest of the littles thought I was insane, *sigh.  The second thing that made me think was the sheer excitement that came across the bunch when we came upon a little man-made creek.  And what do you do when you come across a man-made creek bed?  You take of your shoes and dip your feet into the cool water, feel the slippery stones beneath you as you teeter across, and splash.  I found myself telling a little part of me to never lose the ability to get excited over the simple things and ALWAYS make time for a "good feet soak."

2ND THEMED EVENT WITH KIDDOS: 

I was invited to a barn yard tea party (no, it was not redneck) for one of last years students.  Her family is absolutely delightful and funny as all get out so, of course I went.   It was a small party and yet lively despite the 100 degree weather.  Little ones were armed with spray bottles and the hipster moms and aunts were more than happy to let them be.  There was a hay rack ride, a trip to a pirate ship, some gawking at very large smelly hogs, and tea cup shaped sandwiches. No joke.  The food was seriously cut out in these cute little tea cup shapes and the cake was Oreo flavored to "look like a cow" when you bit into it. 

I learned three very valuable lessons: 

1.It's OK to go over the top for your kids-just not in a barn whose air conditioner is broke.

2. I need to take lessons on how to be a cool hipster mom/aunt.

3.  Just because I'm an adult, it doesn't mean I should stop having fun.  Who cares if I looked like a sweaty kindergartner at the end of the day? Why not climb the pirate ship or go on the hay rack ride? Why not take off my shoes and do a rain dance in the middle of the forest? 

Why not?

Better Together

Okay, Nick and I did the unthinkable.  We got matching shirts. 

(imagine me covering my eyes, peeking at the words I just wrote through splayed fingers, and giggling)

The shirts are for a wonderful idea-Better Together-supporting non-profits working TOGETHER to make a difference in this city.  It is up to us to work together to make this a better City for the families that call it home.

I'm also basking in post-anniversary love so, I want to write about the other reason we love these matching shirts.  We believe that married couples are truly "Better Together."  With the divorce rate so rampant, we have decided to take a stand against broken families and marriages. It makes our hearts sick when we hear of another friend or family member choosing to break their promise.  I want to ask, do you not know how many are affected by the choice they are making?  How their marriage is another stat for an unsuccessful union?  How much this choice is going to affect their children for the rest of their lives?  I could go on and on about this and don't even think about getting Nico started!

Just know this, if you are married, ask God to be at the forefront of your marriage making a way when it seems like there is none.  Hold tight to the one you love.  Remember what brought you together in the first place. Pray for your spouse-daily!  And last but not least, when the going gets tough, remember, YOUR BETTER TOGETHER!

9 Years Too Soon

This is what I would like to say to all the naysayers who said we wouldn't last or the ugly people who thought ugly things about us or the individuals who second-guessed our age,  guess what?  We're still going strong after 9 years of marriage.  Boo-Yah!  However, that's most un-christian like and I have standards. (insert giggle as I sip my second cup of cheap coffee)  Yet, it feels good to get it off my chest each and every year July 12th comes around.

Oh dear, where to start this post.....9 years too soon-that's where.  I'm absolutely stunned that 9 years of my life has slipped through my fingers with the man I love.  We've come a long way, shared the usual and unusual ups and downs that come with married life, and find ourselves still dreaming of better years to come.  My heart is so full of love for this man that it's a wonder I don't randomly combust confetti and purple glitter on everyone I know. ~Kassie

Indeed, 9 years has gone by way to fast.  9 years with the same woman and she still manages to surprise me with the ideas, thoughts, and dreams she expresses each day.  Someone once asked me how could I be happy with just knowing one woman for the rest of my life. They then proceeded to compare it to having only one car for my entire life and not know the difference between luxury cars and sports cars. My response was, "She's just like your first car. You don't care what kind of car it is, or whether it has four cylinders or eight, IT'S YOUR FIRST CAR! Your just happy to be driving." So here's to my first love after 9 years. I just happy to be lov'n you.~Nick

Roadside Art-It's The Best

During one of our Minnesota excursions, we happened upon Franconia's Sculpture Park. A 20-acre venue where the love of art and the surrounding community have joined together to form a place of residence for artist and their giant sculptures. You can find out more by clicking on the following link:

www.franconia.org

Much to the boy's horror, I asked them to pull over and give me ten minute's. Now I could probably spend a couple hours looking and exploring, but ten minute's is all I would need to run through the fields snapping pictures, taking in the uniqueness that is only Franconia, and glisten until I was looking most un-ladylike.

Look at me I'm glisten-ing!

My male companions obliged and here are some of the sculptures that captured my heart:

"ART IS A GUARANTY OF SANITY"

Minnesota Road Trip

This post is going to read like one of those long slide shows your grandparents used to show you of their vacations-hopefully cooler. 

This was our traveling companion for our fourth of July trip to Minnesota. We call him "Taco" and he likes to lick.

This is a picture of Bjorn, Hubby, and I after we climbed 168 stairs to take in the view Stillwater, "The best little town in Minnesota!"

This is a toilet in an underground cave. Yes, I went to the bathroom in an underground cave. It was humid and yucky.

This is a fire roasted jalapeno with sea salt and a punch they call "cabin boy" at Smalley's Caribbean Barbecue and Pirate Bar. You know I like me some themed restaurants!

This is pool where our host allowed us to spent lazy afternoons teaching Taco how to surf and watch Nico repeatedly get stuck on the water slide.

This is the church where the final scene of Grumpy Old Men took place. No I'm not with the stares of the movie, just Brother Bjorn and his dad.

While there was one more adventure we took before this picture, I decided it needed a blog all it's own. So, Pops took us to see the river and gaze across to the "land off cheese" and then we ended the night with a family get together where we met more lovely people, shared stories, tried to play matchmaker to a poor girl we just met, and fell into a blissful rest that can only come from a wonderful road trip. 

I and Love and You

Several months ago, Nico bought us tickets for my most favoritest of bands-The Avett Brothers. I totally forgot about the concert with the craziness that's been surrounding us lately, so it was a nice surprise when he reminded me!  What made it even better was that he bought tickets for Rocket Car Creator and his wife. They are lovely people and the epitome of cool.

The night was sweaty-hot, but most enjoyable because it involved watching men rock their cello's, upright base's, banjos, drums, and guitars.  After this concert, I have come to the fact that my future children will totally be banjo-cello genius's. Get ready world.

There wasn't a bad seat in the house as the concert was held in an amphitheater. Blankets and pop up chairs were spread throughout the grounds and we had great seats with a full view of the stage. But true to my nature, I had to "be with the people" and slowly made my way front and center so I could get an up close and personal view.  I swear the temperature rose about 15 degrees and the kick drum pulsed so loudly through my body that I was afraid my heart was going to explode. I relished every minute of it.

Check out the following link to see them perform my favorite song:

http://youtu.be/OG35_Siz_iw