City cowgirl

Special thanks to Grandma Gordon for sharing this photo she took of Sarah this past summer at great-aunt Marie's horse farm near Kelliher, MN.

Helping a buddy

Last week's 10-inch rainfall in southern Minnesota hit hard in Owatonna, where Rich's bicycling friend Steve lives with his wife, Chris. When we found out Steve's basement filled up with four feet of water, four of us drove down on Sunday to see if we could help out. When we arrived, Steve had already been hard at work dragging soaked furniture and materials out into his driveway. County bulldozers and dump trucks were going house to house to clear away the debris.


Suzanne, Julie, Steve and Rich take a break from cleaning out the basement.








The Straight River, behind Steve's house, rose 10 feet in four hours early last Thursday morning. When we were there, it had returned to its banks.


If you look close, you can see how high the water went on Steve's house. The waterline is just below the white siding.

This house is three doors down from Steve's house, and as you can see, the river punched right through the foundation of the house.






A few days ago, these four would have been under water!






Julie was stylin' in her 30-year-old moon boots!








I'm not sure just what I was thinking here.

Twins clinch A.L. Central

Rich took Noah to his first Twins game at Target Field on Tuesday night. It was a 6-4 victory for the Twins over Cleveland, and we got to see the Twins' Jim Thome hit his 589th career home run AND Twins manager Ron Gardenhire's 800th career victory. The fact that the Twins later clinched their division (and a playoff spot) only made it sweeter. Go TWINS!

Back to preschool

Sarah started her second year of preschool on Monday! She's in the Discovery 4's program this year with about 12 other children, including Sammi, a little girl who was in her class last year. Here's Sarah in the car on the way to her first day.






The traditional picture in front of the school before the first day.














It's DRESS-UP TIME!

Summer weekend

Rich went up to Bowstring last Friday to get the Grand Prix repaired at Grandpa's shop in Effie, and also to spend some time with Maddie, Ella, Grandpa, Grandma and Sarah before heading back home. We spent Sunday in Duluth and had a lot of fun. Here's Sarah on the Duluth breakwater.


Captain Sarah visits the Duluth Maritime Museum on the harbor.












We got to see the James R. Barker come into Duluth Harbor while we were visiting. This happens to be the same ship we saw enter the harbor last summer when we were there.




Grandpa, Sarah and Maddie in front of the Barker as it goes past.












Sarah sitting on an old ship propeller.

Summer weekend, part II

Ella, Maddie and Sarah had fun throwing rocks into Lake Superior while we were visiting Duluth.






Grandma and Grandpa rented us a bicycle built for SIX while we were in Duluth. It was a good thing Maddie and Uncle Rich were in shape!




We rode the big bicycle out onto the breakwater and checked out the lighthouse.










On the way to Park Rapids to pick up Caleb, Sarah and daddy stopped in Akeley to visit the big statue of Paul Bunyan. He even held Sarah in the pslm of his hand!








Caleb spent 12 days visiting Grandma and Grandpa Wynne and Aunt Libby in Jamestown, N.D. They drove over to Park Rapids to drop him off with Sarah and Rich. Thanks, Kathy, Lloyd and Libby! :-)

Nanny's 90th in Minot

All six of us traveled to Minot, N.D., last weekend to celebrate the 90th birthday of Erin's grandmother, Myrtle. Here we are filling up Lloyd and Kathy's hotel room and chatting.




Zane showed us the blue tongue he got from eating some candy.












Erin works at pinning a corsage on her grandma Myrt. We finally got to see her new apartment in Minot after she moved a year or two ago.








Myrtle and her sister, Betty, before we headed downstairs for the big party in the dining room of Mytle's apartment building.

Nanny's birthday party

Zane, Brian, Libby and Peyton snagged a table at the birthday party. Check out the matching blue dresses on Libby and Peyton!








Sarah and her cousin Peyton. They enjoyed eating cake and cookies!










Sarah kept Aunt Betty entertained for quite a while by showing her how Erin's iPhone works.






Myrtle is flanked by her daughters Becky (from New Jersey) and Kathy, as well as two cousins, if I recall correctly.






This is Noah's cat Bella.

Gordon reunion 2010

All six of us attended the Gordon family reunion last weekend at Dick and Mary Ellen's place on Broken Bow Lake in northern Wisconsin. There was even a garter snake in attendance.


Lucas plays "Chubby Bunny," the game where you stick as many marshmallows in your mouth as you can, then try to say "chubby bunny."








Noan and cousin Alex playing "Chubby Bunny." I believe Noah won the kids' competition with 8 marshallows in his mouth.




Rich trying to get an extra marshmallow up his nose while playing the game.






Arthur and Florence's clan from Indiana. They had the longest distance to travel this year, as they do in two out of every three reunions.

Gordon reunion 2010, part II

Roger and Gloria's clan, from Minnesota and Oregon. We had everyone in attendance this year!






Dick and Mary Ellen's clan, from Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas and Illinois.








Roger and Gloria taking advantage of a rare moment of quiet during the reunion.








Ellaina took advance of Gordy and Sonja's offer to baptize Ella.








Sarah fell in love with Brissa's kitten.

Sarah's first soccer game

Sarah's soccer team, the Patriots, played their first game today against the Rays.





The Patriots took a 2-0 lead early on, then gave up four goals in a row and lost 4-2. Of course, it's not all about winning and losing!


Sarah comes off the pitch to have a quick water break with mom and dad.












"Watch out, Rays! We're ready for ya!"