House for sale!!! ANY offer will be considered!!!

Well, here we go!!!

We have decided, as mentioned before, to sell our home. We are having our first Open House on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 & 10 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. If you know of anyone who is interested, we are drastically reducing the asking price to make it INSTANT EQUITY and someone will have an incredible blessing by buying this house! I have created a slideshow tour and will post it here for viewing.

Keep us in your prayers...and help spread the word!


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BUSY Summer!!

OH MY! I just went to a friend's blog and realized that I have been falling behind...now, as I check, I see that I have fallen HORRIBLY behind!

Well, it has been a VERY BUSY SUMMER!!! We have had an out of town activity EVERY weekend since school got out and there seems to be no end until the end of AUGUST! YIKES!

Mom (yes, me) almost fell off the emotional cliff last week with all that has been happening around us. Alas, we have decided to put our dream home up for sale. Since losing my job in September, we have been limping along to just make ends meet. We are tired...we miss being able to participate in some of the "blessings" that we were so used to and also not enjoying all the energy that is being zapped just trying to keep up. Ted has been working overtime (thank the Lord He has blessed us with this option!) nearly every weekend, even missing his own annual family reunion. He was really bummed about that!

Last week, just before considering a ride to the local hospital for a "visit", I decided to call my wonderful mommy and "vent" about my stresses (you know, 6 boys and a niece living in the same house can add just a bit of stress!). Mom graciously agreed to let James come and stay with her for his own little vacation in Iowa. Ted's mom took Josh for the weekend, Josiah left Saturday for his CHIC (Covenant High In Christ) adventure in Tennessee for a week and the older boys; Joe, Brandon, Julian (and two friends) headed for Willmar, MN to the Sonshine festival in spite of the looming predicted heat advisories. Ted and I decided that this might just be a good opportunity for us to "get away" for some "alone" time. Uncle Roger and Aunt Carla were not going to be at the Lake home and graciously offered to let us have it for the weekend. What a GREAT time to have it! We hardly knew it was 100 degrees and above because we were enjoying being IN the water and airing dry in the warm breeze! Thanks Roger and Carla!!!

Now we are back, as are the Sonshine Boys (:-D) and the real world will come in again. I really appreciate ALL your prayers and encouragement during this emotional time. Selling is a tough decision, but we feel good about it. We are just praying that if this IS the direction God wants us to go, HE will sell our house without a lot of stress and time!

A new slide show...

Bear with me, I am learning by trial and error, but I have just found a really great place to create slideshows to put on different websites. I haven't figured out how to put them on here, but I CAN put the link in here.... if you want to see how things have changed over the past year, click on this link -->
http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery.php?instanceid=26019279

We're BAAAACCKK!!!

Well, yes, we are back...it was a great 10 or so days! Thank you for your support of my walk. I was blessed with the emails I got when your donations were recorded!!! Can you tell which one of us has MS??? That's because MS is an "invisible" disease, affecting each of it's victims uniquely, but she is there, and she is VERY grateful for your support as am I!

We had a GREAT time connecting with family and Brandon found his long lost father...you can really see the family resemblance (see picture below). Needless to say, Josiah and Julian were very excited to learn they had an "uncle Ronald"!


Everyone was there to join in and support the cause...we are SO proud of all of them! Maybe next year you can join us when once again, we'll be "On the trail for Bambi!"


Our journey began on Thursday morning as we ventured to Rochester, MN to meet with Ted (at work)...it was well planned out, we had even researched the GREAT indoor sk8park that the kids were going to hang out at...until we arrived. As soon as we got to town, we headed for the local mall where Zumiez put together Brandon's KEWL new sk8board...purple with green and black plaid! It was then, that we were told the sk8park had closed....by the way, did I mention that the weather had turned? It was COLD and RAINY and WINDY...but determined as they are, they went to the outdoor skatepark and had a pretty good time...albeit short! I, however, spent two LONNNNNNG days sitting in the van with a dog and cold kids...only to have Ted end up working longer and being unable to leave with us for the trip to Iowa....he had to follow later.



Following the MS walk we spent a very special day with Scott and Amber in the baptism of their beautiful daughter Elizabeth Anne Marie. Ted and I were honored as Godparents once again. Then, on Sunday, Ted loaded up all the boys and took them home so that I could have a much needed retreat for the next several days. "Retreat" ..err...uh... change of battleground!

I returned home to surprise my brood on Friday afternoon. As Ted pulled up and opened the garage to park his van, a smile spread across his face to see that I had parked in HIS place! We had a couple of days together and then off he went to work at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN again...for the week.

School is out next week, then we plan on spending a fun filled summer running here and there, leaping from lake to lake (hahaha!) and enjoying our FAMILY! Our anniversary will be spent in Osakis at "the Osakis Hilton" during the 2nd week of June. Then, up to loveless lake for a girls getaway...back to Monticello for a bridal shower, then to Osakis for the annual Iverson Family Reunion, then Josiah leaves for CHIC (Covenant High in Christ) as we all load up and head for Wilmar, MN to the Sonshine Festival...a christian "Woodstock" of sorts...and on it goes!!! If you wanna catch us, you'll just have to check on the blog and just MAYBE you can catch us in between on the phones. ...anyone want to join us at Sonshine????

Well, I am off...baseball tonight...and then, to enjoy a long awaited thunderstorm!!! MMMmmmm can you smell it in the air!!! Wish you were here! Love you.

FIRE!

Well, as most of you have now heard, there was a fire last week in the Monticello Middle School.

It was quite a surprise. I was just leaving for work when my neighbor came over and said, "did you hear? There's been a fire at the middle school and the kids are coming home"...this was at only 8:00am!

Yes, a fire. It appears that there will be a change in the school schedule that has upset my Julian greatly (yeah RIGHT!). The high schoolers and middle schoolers are now "sharing" the high school building by alternating weeks. M, W, F and then T, Th...must be rough!!! I would have loved to have that "dilemma" when I was their age! Nothing exciting ever happened to US!

Today we went to pick up the contents of their school and gym lockers...MY GOSH!!! No wonder Julian never does any laundry!!! The teacher could hardly carry out the bags of his stuff, they were so full of clothes! Guess what Julian is doing on his days OFF?!


My "baby" turned 20 on Monday! Joe had his 20th birthday, I can't believe it! Finally, we cut his hair...no more black and it's back to "normal"...but, don't tell him you like it, or he will change it! (just kidding).


Julian got his long locks chopped today. He wasn't too thrilled, but I don't want him getting too used to the really long stuff! I told him that it was my mother's day gift (just like Siah did last mother's day--at church--remember?) I'll post pictures later!

We are going to IOWA this weekend to walk in the MS walk to find a cure for my sister...please consider a donation to sponsor me or my kids in the walk. You can pledge for me by clicking this link https://www.nationalmssociety.org//NTH/personal/default.asp?pa=54366020&pd=NTH0EWLK20060513DSM Thanks so much!

Photos I Want To Share

Here's a few new photos I thought you might enjoy seeing...


Easter Sunday, Gina & the kids came out. They had a blast using Justin's potato gun to shoot russetts across the pond to the fields behind our house. Joe and Justin have really grown up, haven't they?



Me and James and Josh taking a quick photo while we were all together! They all grow up so fast!

So Busy

Well, the weather has been very nice. But I have yet to get out there and enjoy it! My former boss asked me to help him do some work. Turns out, his partner (whom I always had suspicions about) has been lying, which, in turn equates to stealing in the business they were in. More detail than I really wish to put in here. Suffice it to say, we are "building a case" for the dissolution of the company/partnership that was. ~ So, I have been keeping busy.

Ted is working in Faribault this weekend for overtime. The refi that I mentioned before, turned out to be no better than what we already have, sooooo, back to the drawing board. I don't know, I kind of feel like God is getting us ready for a change...but what? He hasn't revealed that to us yet!

Nothing really exciting to share this week... same 'ol - same 'ol! We are LONGING to get away on a vacation...of course, we would love for it to be somewhere WARMER than here!

Mother's Day will be spent with family in Iowa. Scott and Amber (The little brother I always wanted ;-)) are having their new daughter Elizabeth Anne Marie dedicated/baptized on Mother's Day! How special for Amber to have her 1st mommy's day be the same day!

We will all be walking in the MS Walk as a team "On the trail for Bambi" for my sister on Saturday. If you want to donate to the cause for a cure, please visit the MS website and make a contribution to our team! Just click on this link --> https://www.nationalmssociety.org//NTH/personal/default.asp?pa=54366020&pd=NTH0EWLK20060513DSM Thanks!

Ahhh SPRING!!!

I know, it has been a LONG time since my last post... Sorry! I had my brand new computer CRASH and had to do a complete restore and recover...Anyone who has done it before knows that it takes FOREVER to get it back up and running! Took me LITERALLY 3 days on the phone with tech support, and I still have issues!

-Nuff said! IT'S SPRING!!!! How blessed we have been to have 9 days of 70 or above! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and all the windows are open sending a refreshing breeze in my stale closed up house! Albeit even windy some days, whistling through the side windows, I have enjoyed it! I am, however, ready for the spring rains and even storms!

This weekend we were able to fertilize and recharge our sprinkler system. The empty field across the street from us is like a busy ant farm. There are plows, tractors, and trailers readying the open area for new roads to weave in and out of our development. Maybe it will ease some of the frustrating stress of cars passing WAY TOO FAST! Too many times I have seen small children almost get hit!

Easter was nice. Quiet this year, and very enjoyable. Gina, Justin, Brandon & Taylor were here. The Easter bunny came and went...he's so sneaky! Marilynn & Earl were here, after having dealt with walking pneumonia, she managed to cook a complete dinner and cater it to our house! Amazing, I don't think she realized how tired and weak she would feel being so soon after being bedridden. Thank you Marilynn!

Kids are skateboarding, listening to music, and now, the plan to graffiti the room above the garage is taking shape! Brandon is moving in with Josiah for a while and they are plotting and planning the details of decor...and pretty excited!

Looks like we will finally be able to refi our house! Yeayyy! Keep praying, it's not over until the papers are signed!

Selah, our Malt-Tzu, is going to be a-sexual after tomorrow morning. Yippee! Maybe that will calm him down some more. Surgery starts at 8:30 am...The kids are having fun teasing him about the events to come...as he runs for a stuffed bear, or ape...sheesh!!!

One last beautiful day...Time to make my "To Do" list...

www.myspace.com/lovingpeopletolife

I did it, I jumped into the virtual world of My Space. WOW! What a cultural experience. I am amazed at how freely the kids talk to each other...and so disrespectful! Also surprising, is how many of the kids are actually asking ME to be their friend!

Maybe if more of us parents bond together in these places, we can help our kids to realize the danger of what they post or the damage they can do to others by posting a frivilous comment which degrades the self esteem of others and themselves.

I am totally in shock! How do you get the message of hope and encouragement to so many hurting kids? One kid at a time...I'm starting with mine and those they bring to our home!

http://www.pctattletale.com/cmd.php?af=375012

Not too long ago, I mentioned that I had set my kids up with their own online identities. I think, I also mentioned that I have a really great program that WATCHES and records everything they do! I can SEE screenshots on a video recording of everything they do. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to give their kids the freedom to go online, but has the healthy fear of what the kids may be doing (because, let’s face it, you just CAN’T sit with them every minute of the day!). I am going to post a link in the column on the side of this page that you can go to check it out. They offer a FREE TRIAL so that you can be sure that you want to keep and use that program. Just what I love, a trial BEFORE the purchase!!!

Check it out at http://www.pctattletale.com/cmd.php?af=375012 (place your mouse over this address and it becomes a link that will take you right to it). It’s only $49.95 and you can put it on TWO computers with one license! ($25 per computer is a GREAT deal if you ask me!) If you have any questions about it, ask me! It’s pretty user friendly, but I know how intimidating this stuff can be when you get started.