Extreme Home Makeover Edition

I am sure that you all know by now that Extreme Home Makeover Edition came to Superior, WI!! Well actually...South Range...but close enough!

Ashlee and Lexi had fun stalking Ty and the bus and following the bus out to the house the morning that they did the "door knock"! Ashlee also volunteered a few days...Lexi was not old enough to volunteer but she is old enough to stalk Ty Pennington...LOL!!! Ashlee and her friend Cassie had the opportunity to film a scene in the back yard with Paige and Eduardo and it is suppose to be on the show which is set to air September 27, 2009. This show has been chosen as their 2 Hour Season Premiere! So be sure and watch EHME on September 27th and look for Ashlee!!!!

Ashlee and Lexi's recent visit to see their Uncle Gene!

Here are a couple of new pics that I just got from my mom. These were recently taken when Ashlee and Lexi went to visit my brother Gene. He looks great and I am so glad that my kids get the chance to go and visit with him.

Trinity

I just received these pics in the mail from my sister Kelly and I could not pass up this opportunity to blog about them. This is my beautiful niece...Trinity!! She is just so beautiful...I could stare at her pics all day long!!

Ron E. Turnipseed, Jr

My uncle Ron passed away Monday, August 17, 2009. He passed in his home surrounded by loved ones due to heart failure. He was not only my uncle but he was both mine and my brother Gene's godfather as well as Ashlee's godfather. He is finally at peace and no longer in pain. Ron and Vern were very good friends...like brothers and I know they are now together again. He will truly be missed!

My 25 Year High School Reunion...

Butch and I decided to go to my 25 year high school reunion this year. I think he was more excited about it than I was. He is not from Superior and is "older" than me and so he does not know anyone that I went to school with...well except for Cys! He was excited to meet the people I had went to school with!

Friday during the day, Terry Johnson drove Cys, Cindy and myself to Hayward and we went shopping and out to lunch at Angler's!! We had so much fun...I was so glad I was able to go. On the way home from Hayward we stopped in at CJ's in Solon Springs for a couple of drinks! Then we went to Cys' camper and had the tour. While we were in Solon, Terry found out that Julie...his girlfriend was on her way here trying to surprise him. He thought he was going to pick her up at the airport and that her flight had been delayed but she in fact had landed in Mpls. the night before and was driving to Hayward. She had just missed us there. She was too far past Solon to turn around so she stopped at Presidents in Superior and we left and met her there. When we got there I called Butch and he also met up with us there. From there we went to Cys' house to get changed and Butch drove all of us to Aces on 29th! It was so nice to see people that I have not seen in years or even since high school. We really had fun! Oh...and Ashlee was our waitress all night...so she got to attend my 25 year high school reunion as well...how cool is that? I, of course, was introducing her to everyone...I'm a proud mom!!!!!

Needless to say...I am not 20 years old anymore and so an afternoon and evening of drinking brought me down a bit. I spent Saturday all day in bed. I did manage to get up and get myself ready and we were at the Elk's Club at 5 PM. There were people there on Saturday night that we didn't see or get a chance to talk to on Friday night. We had our class pic taken and had a nice dinner. We sat and visited until around midnight when everyone decided they were going to party at Aces on 29th. I could not stay out any longer and so we said good-bye and headed home.

We had a fabulous weekend and I am so glad that I got reacquainted with Terry and met Julie. We really like them and I think we will all be great friends for life!!!

More on the Cancer Walk...

I just received this pic of the group that we walked with for the Relay for Life Cancer Walk in July. This is the United Healthcare Team #1.

Texting Cousins!!

I had to blog about this and post this pic. Lexi and Sammy only get to see each other once a month. They make the most of their time together when they see each other and try to catch up on what the other one has been doing. In this pic they are laying on my couch texting each other...priceless!!!!

Relay for Life Cancer Walk

This year Lexi and I walked in the Cancer Walk with my mom, Sammy and Shana. The event was held at St. Scholastica and we were on the United Health Care Team #1. Not only was it the coldest day but it was rainy and windy.

This year we took a "Staycation" rather than a "Vacation"...

We had planned to go to the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells...we go every year...and then at the last minute we had to change our plans. I decided that I needed to make some changes with my daycare and let some people go and until I knew those spots were full again, we decided to save the money on a big expensive vacation and opted for the staycation. We were very glad we did though. First of all, we had super nice weather the entire week. We went to the 4th of July parade and then went to a BBQ that night at Aida & Wade's for their 20th anniversary. We took a few day trips and went up the North Shore making stops along the way at little gift shops and antique shops. We stopped at Betty's Pies for lunch...a first for us and it was totally worth the drive. Then we went up to Split Rock Lighthouse and did the whole tour deal. Another day we went down to Canal Park and it was kind of breezy and cold that night but we were lucky and were down there when there was a boat coming in and then we went to Red Lobster for dinner. We did things around the house...outdoor yard work, redid a couple of the retaining walls, stained the fence, etc. Had a couple of days where we just stayed home and we all did whatever which is always nice. All in all, it was a great staycation.

Click on this link to see pics from our "Staycation."

http://www.slide.com/r/yJPhcQLw1T_cYmt7OzEgcPHZUfutXPUx?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Update on Matt...

Matt finished up his Tech School in San Angelo, TX the end of May. He is now stationed at Beale AFB in California. He is an Imagry Analysis Specialist. He seems to love what he is doing and from the sounds of it loves Cali!!! If you need his contact info...just email me or call me!

Ashlee & Lexi's Dance Recitals...

We attended the annual dance recitals at the DECC. Madill Performing Arts Center always puts on a wonderful show. We attended both shows this year as Lexi performed on Saturday and Ashlee performed on Sunday.

Lexi's Music Recital!!!

Lexi and her teacher Peggy

Well Lexi has been taking voice lessons this year and she loves it!! She wants to be a singer when she grows up and she says that her goal is to audition for American Idol when she is 16!! She sang "Over the Rainbow" and "Part of Your World." Now anyone that knows Lexi, knows that she is very quiet and shy. She just belted out those songs and nobody could believe where it even came from. She was awesome. Lexi will be continuing her music lessons this year and adding piano lessons as well. Peggy will teach her both!

Rocky has become a regular around here...

Here are some pics of our friendly raccoon who visits our yard on a daily basis. And yes...we named him "Rocky." This is the first time he was in the yard and he was trying to get up at that bird feeder but couldn't so he gave up and is just content eating the bird food off of the ground.

Our new Bird Feeder from the Vern Collection...

My mom and Vern gave us this bird feeder from the Vern Collection for Christmas! In April the weather finally warmed up and the ground was soft enough to put it up in the back yard. Here it is...

The Surprise Birthday Party that didn't happen...

My 43rd birthday was on February 6th...the night before Vern's Memorial Service. The original plans for my birthday was that Butch and I were suppose to be going out to a Mystery Dinner Theater with Gary & Lisa and Patty & Eddie. Well with everything that had happened, I just did not feel like going out. Everyone, including my mom kept telling me all week that I should still go. I just was not up to it. So I of course called Lisa and cancelled. Well we all celebrated on my birthday anyway with all of the relatives that we had in town for Vern's Memorial Service and my mom got a cake and I opened gifts. After I was done opening my gifts, Ashlee handed me an envelope and said this was suppose to be part of your gift and it was a surprise...It was the invitation that Ashlee had made and had sent out to a TON of people. She was having a surprise birthday party for me at Aces on 29th and that is where we would have ended up instead of the Mystery Dinner Theater. At that moment I knew why everyone wanted me to go out that night. Ashlee went to a lot of work to plan that and then have to cancel it and contact everyone and I am so proud of her for all of her work. I just wasn't up for going out and I was right where I wanted to be that night anyway.

Welcome Ailey Jo Harstad!!

Ashlee's best friend...Ashley had her baby on February 8, 2009. She named her Ailey Jo. She is so cute. We met Ailey Jo for the first time on February 12th.

Just A Memory Away...

Well Vern went home from the hospital on Tuesday, January 27th. Hospice came out to the house on Wednesday and signed him up for their program. On Friday, January 30th Lexi and I packed a suitcase and went to my mom's house and stayed. Dean and Melanie and their kids were also in town staying at my mom's house. Butch and Ashlee went back and forth in between their work schedules. We knew it would not be long and so we all just did what we could to make Vern as comfortable as possible. In the meantime, Hospice never showed up. We finally called them on Saturday and they sent a nurse out on Sunday. Monday morning he was finally transported by ambulance to the place that he had wanted to be at all week...Solvay Hospice House in Duluth, MN. Vern sadly passed away about 20 minutes after they got him settled into his room. Well, needless to say...Lexi and I stayed at my mom's until February 8th. Vern's Memorial Service and Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, February 7, 2009. He will be forever missed but he is Just A Memory Away...