Summer Livin' & Lovin' - in pictures

Here's the photo gallery  from yesterday's post:

the fire of '14

An attempt at capturing the severity of the heat...my brother Jonny's bedroom ceiling melted away.

Just the beginning of tearing this beautiful home apart.  Sheetrock, studs, cabinetry, the newly completed fireplace (except the brick)- all gone, food for a massive dumpster.

Alas, new rafters!  The beginning of the glorious end.

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The 4 year fete of little Gg.

Happy 4th year to this theatrical little lady!

Stooges in hats.

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Steve + Emma = 1

Not a great picture, but a great moment- Mr. & Mrs. Johnson!

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the BIG 3-0

My brother-in-law had training in Red Wing, so their fam was renting an old mansion-turned-condo down there.  Strangest purple situation ever, fully furnished with a few sections from a sectional, monkey end tables, fireplaces in every room, and hats.  Of course, it makes sense.

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Winnie Bob

Umm, yeah, my head is in the 97th percentile.  Jealous?

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Garage/estate/thrift sales & flea markets

Purchased on separate occasions, two wrongs make...

...one right!  
Combining a $5 lamp and a $3 lamp (and replacing the frayed cord), puts this beauty at the top of my favorite lamps in my collection.  That marble table and bamboo-like aged brass?  Mm good.  

From the van, I saw this painting in the yard of an estate sale.  Andrew was going to scope it out, so I told him check on that painting!  He picked it up and the lady said, $3 and it's yours.  SOLD.  I love that '60s frame on the Dragon's Breath wall.

These lockers.  Game changer.  The upper 3 are designated as pantry/message center, the lowers are maxed out housing the outdoor gear of Oliver, Georgi, and Marg.

New painting in our bedroom- a splurge at $9.

A new drawing, too.

This family of elephants is carved from stone, and was picked up at the Wadena flea market.  

Bamboo side table also found in Wadena- $5 I think.

And a piece to complete Winston's crib wall.

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Meeting Vivi Jean

Girlfriend, Mommy's blankie, Sakatah Colors knot hat, and one dimple.  Perfection.

Glowing Grandma.  Seriously, is my mother not gorgeous?!

The posse.

The whole family!...and Winston.

Two of the prettiest people I know.

Daph meeting the new girl.

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Caitlyin Smith

"Now she knows my name!"

Summer Livin' & Lovin' - in words

I know it's not classy to start every post with a 'sorry I haven't blogged in pert near a decade..'  Unfortunately it's usually appropriate.

Here's a list of major life events since last I wrote:

• FIRE.  My parents had a very serious house fire that started in or near the chimney (a hot topic between insurance companies, pun totally intended).  My dad is a think-on-his-feet kinda guy, so as soon as one of my brothers came down from his bedroom asking why it smelled like someone was roasting marshmallows, Dad was up there with both guns blazin'..uhh, I mean fire extinguishers extinguishing.  Thankfully the fire department (a small town volunteer crew) arrived quickly on the scene and working brilliantly, despite the wild west wind, settled the flames.  Praise Jesus my little brothers were not in their beds, as the chimney runs up the wall between their rooms-- so thankful to have them both I can't find enough words of gratitude and relief and joy and relief...  The house did not fair so well after 4 inches of smoke water poured through it.  And now- the process of rebuilding after tearing apart is finally underway!  My dad and many other talented family members had put so much thought and work into this house in the first place, and it was nearly done!... so if we dwell on the fact that they're starting over, it gets pretty discouraging.  Instead we lift our heads and our hearts to Jesus, thanking him for the safety of our family and a chance to redesign the house. ;)
• GEORGIANNA.  This sweet pea turned 4 in May.  Holy buckets!  In honor of that, one of my all time favorite G quotes/questions to ponder: "Mom, do bad guys brush their teeth?"  Deep.  And no, I didn't know what to say.  A tender-hearted little person, with more facial expressions and poses for the camera than a circus, this girl has me smiling and scratching my head on the daily.  She sings and dances and changes dresses and brushes her teeth in the morning and pretends to read her Bible and rides her bike and draws and loves food...sounds a lot like me.
• WEDDING.  Earlier this summer I did the flowers for another beautiful bride.  We arranged flowers right at Market Flowers, a part of the Farmer's Market in Minneapolis.  It was such a fantastic experience, and through it I was able to book another wedding for this fall (my sister was my PR department, scribbling my contact info on a bunch of post-it notes and handing them out to curious passers-by.  Overhead?  None.).  I also had the privilege of spending the wedding morning with the bridal party as they primped and prepped and I did hair.  God is so good to bring these opportunities my way.  I love to push beauty to its full potential, and flower arranging and hair doing are just that- as if God gives me a canvas that he has created and says, 'Here, let's finish this together.'      
• THIRTY.  The number I turned on my birthday this year.  Waw.  Andrew had a day trip planned- when I got out to Goldie, under my seat were the clues for the day.  A crossword book (meaning we'd be in the car a while), a box of hot tamales (yumm), and a flea market magazine!  We were headed to a flea market in Wadena.  The day was a dream, bumming with my besties (Andrew, Oliver, G, Marg, and Winner), then ending in Red Wing for cupcakes with my parents and majority of my sibs.  And now I have gray hair.
• WINSTON.  Little homey had his half birthday last month!  He's such a noodle.  Jumps nearly to the moon in his Johnny Jump Up, loves rice cereal (or as my dad calls it 'pablum'.  Is that even a thing?), has 2 teeth, and aside from some teething sadness, is a pretty jolly little dude.  With rosy cheeks and a round tummy.  Like living with Santa.  What a blessing.
• GARAGE SALES.  You guys.  I have hit a couple of home runs this summer.  Lamps, art, furniture.  There will be a post with pictures soon ('soon' is a relative term here at MHM, meaning sometime within this season...or next).
• GENEVIEVE JEAN.  Or as the kids call her, 'Peanut'.  Vivi was born to Anna and Luke on July 9th.  She is beautiful.  Her skin is like a night on the sea.  She screams like a girl and loves to eat.  Again, sounds like me.  
• CAITLYN SMITH.  Anna and Luke are related to this lovely and talented country singer that swept us all up at a backyard concert last week (formally dubbed #potluckshow).  Her voice is amazing and her personality rivals it.  Georgi was so enthralled at the chance to meet her afterward, that on the way home she said (with a glint in her voice), "Now she knows my name!" 

The next installment will include photos- promise!

Spring things

Long time no blog, eh?  Here's a peek into this spring with the Toftnesses:

Here is my beautiful sister, Anna G.  Last month Winnie and I flew to Utah to visit her and her family- our wings were so tired when we got there (angel wings, obv).  Two pieces of good news regarding the sweet Gaalswyks: they're having a BABY GIRL IN JULY.  Also, two weeks after my trip out there, they found out Anna's husband Luke could voluntarily leave the Air Force early (now vs. August), and they're back in Minnie after 7 years away-- just like that!  So much to celebrate!

Andrew & co. (aka Traditional Cabinetry), have been busy building the cabinets for a lake cabin.  This is the kitchen after install, before appliances and clean up.  Hopefully we will get on the ball and put some finished photos up on the website (we're tech-savvy-nots).  There are also a couple of sweet benches and bath vanities to photograph.

A little look at what's going on in Winston's nursery.  It's not complete, but dear little Pooh is still in his mini crib in the LR, so he doesn't even know he has a bedroom all his own.  Shhhh.

Most of the treasures in his hutch are found items from around the farm.  An airplane hood ornament from a car, a pile of play cars, a mini pipe (was Almonzo smoking, or what?!  Farmer boys, sheesh.), a wooden spool, marbles, tiny dishes, horseshoes...a sound machine.  J/k, I found that at Bed Bath and Beyond.

The art is a duet painting Oliver and George did for baby brother before he was born. 

The 4 horsemen today.  

Oliver took these pictures of Win this morning- I can't get over how lovely the light was!