Jaunt with Jim 2010 (Part IV)

After arriving in La Crescent on the third day and showering and setting up our tents (in the rain), many of us took a bus across the river to La Crosse, Wis., where we went for a two-hour river cruise on the La Crosse Queen riverboat.


This just HAD to be one of the rowdier tables on the riverboat cruise. We ate pizza, drank pop or beer, and played a wild card game called "Golf." John cheated. ;-)


Julie and John.














A great view downriver from the stern of the La Crosse Queen. We went upriver beneath the I-90 bridge to the lock and dam near there, then turned around and went back down to La Crosse.






On our day off in La Crescent, a bunch of us decided to get in some extra miles and rode across the river into La Crosse again. We climbed Bliss Road some 590 feet to get to the top of Grandad Bluff, where we got a great view of the surrounding area. Here are Bob, Steve, Tim, Rich, Suzanne and Curt.

Jaunt with Jim 2010 (Part V)

Trying to dry out our tents and belongings proved to be quite a challenge during the first half of the ride. Here, Mary threatens to use Rich's water bottle to drench all of his stuff again.


Our fourth day of riding had us climb north out of La Crescent to an old rail station that a man named Joe Ready had hauled to the top of the bluffs. Here's the view: In the distance are the small town of Dresbach, Minn., and the Mississippi River, nearly 1,000 feet below. It was really fun racing down the hill back to the river afterward.


Jenna and Steve in the paceline from Dresbach to Winona. A few of us saw a squashed rattlesnake on the side of the road!










This is one of the many churches in beautiful Winona, Minn., where we finally got some serious sunshine and dried out all of our tents and belongings.








Rhonda always dresses to the nines for our final dinner together as a group, and this year was no exception!

All six of us visited the Bowstring Cabin last weekend. The boys spent most of their time on the lake fishing off the paddleboat. Sarah and Grandma G arranged a tea party on Saturday, including table settings and special hats!


Even Lucas got in on the tea party!

We went to a spring social for Sarah's preschool system a while back ... there was a fire truck there, and it was perfect, since Sarah's been saying for a while that she wants to be a firefighter when she grows up. She even got a fire helmet to keep!

It was a hot day! We almost had to use the fire hose to put out Sarah's cheeks!


Gettin' a free tattoo at the spring social.

Sarah's first trip to the dentist

Sarah went to the dentist with her twin brothers a couple weeks back. It was her first trip to the dentist, and she did great! (She wanted the "free" stuff the dentist would give her, like new toothbrush and toothpaste.)


The chair goes back...


Sarah got to wear some sunglasses to keep the bright light out of her eyes.


She was so relaxed, she even had her legs crossed!

Sarah's last day of preschool

Sarah finished her first year of preschool on Monday. "Where did the time go?" she says.









Playin' with the birthday cakes during the last parent-child play session of the year.
















Sarah and her classmate Alexis played in the sandbox.








"Look, dad! This baby can drink two bottles at once!"

















Sarah and dad. She'll be attending another year of preschool starting next fall at the same school ... two afternoons per week.

Sarah's last day of preschool, Part II

Gathering for the final circle time of the year.














The two Miss Lisas get silly during a song about the sun.









There were lots of extra parents and grand- parents at class to watch the kids "graduate."








Our four teachers this past year ... Miss Lisa and Miss Lisa in front, and Miss Debbie and Miss Wendy (the parents' teacher) in the back. Thanks, ladies!














Sarah receives her preschool 3-4 certificate from her teachers.

Shakopee Shakedown

Rich and Sarah were invited to go on a 33-mile bike ride from our friend Laura's house in Shakopee this past Saturday. Here are Al, Curt and Suzanne (on their tandem) getting ready to get started.


Sarah got to ride in her Trek Go-Bug trailer behind daddy!
















Sippin' on some juice during our first rest break.
















"Are we there yet, Dad?"














John, Curt, Suzanne, Al and Laura chilling out at a McDonald's in Jordan. We had to wait there for 90 minutes while thunder, lightning and a pouring rain pelted the area. Sarah got to play in the kids' play area inside and got all sweaty!

Shakopee Shakedown, Part II

Mary, Sarah and Rich ... still waiting out the storm.










This picture is supposed to show the mud that got kicked up onto the trailer (and some on Sarah) after the rain passed through. Sarah was a real trooper and hardly complained at all during the 33-mile ride.


The gang poses at Laura's house after we finished hosing off our muddy legs, bicycles and trailer.





Laura prepared us homemade pizzas with pasta salad and other fixin's after the ride. YUM! Thanks, Laura! Your 1850s house ROCKS, too.


After the ride, Sarah got to hang out with older brother Noah, who was visiting from Moorhead for the weekend.

Erin's birthday!

Today was Erin's 29th birthday (again). We all went out to eat supper at Famous Dave's BBQ, except for Caleb, who apparently had things to do.


Cheeeese!


The free birthday ice cream came with a sparkler on top!


Don't get TOO close, Sarah!


Hurry up and take the picture! We want to eat ice cream!

Sarah's dance recital

Last Saturday, Sarah and her classmates had her first dance recital at Osseo High School! Here she is on the way to the recital.














Mommy helps Sarah put on her tap shoes before heading into the dressing room.










Awwww! It was a special day for Erin, who said she has waited for YEARS to do girly stuff like this with a child of hers.
















"So am I cute, or what?"




















Grandma and Grandpa Gordon were able to attend the recital as well. We missed Grandma and Grandpa Wynne, who had to stay in Jamestown ... but we send lots of love with these pictures, and we promise to share the DVD of the recital that we ordered, so you'll be able to see all the dance numbers. :-)

Sarah's dance recital, Part II

After the recital, Sarah received a bouquet of flowers that her family bought for her. She's wearing her ballet dress in this picture ... she and her classmates got to perform two different dances during the two-hour recital, which included dancers of many levels and age groups.








Sarah and her proud papa.














Cheeeese!



















And cheese again! By the way, we tried to get Caleb and Lucas to come with us to the recital, but they wanted NOTHING to do with it! :-)