A Refuge adventure

Sunday was such a beautiful spring day, we decided that we all needed to get outside in the great outdoors. So we headed for one of the many hiking trails available to us at the Sherburne County Wildlife Refuge. We loaded up the puppies and the boy's and we were off to explore!

As I look at this picture, it only now occurs to me that everyone in this household is a male except for me! I don't think that I like that too much! :)

While on our hour and a half hike, the puppies were in heaven, with so many things to smell!

We happened upon a lot of different things in the woods while out, obviously something got to this bird. Or what's left of this bird.

We also stumbled onto this skull, not quite sure what it is...

There was also a smaller version that Andrew had to bring home much to Brett's delight!

We also had our own Crocodile Hunter adventure, obviously not with crocks, but we did stumble upon quite a few snakes which of course all my guy's had to chase after!

Aside from all of the wildlife we saw, they were quite a few obstacles in our path that we all had to climb up and over our maneuver under.
It was really fun to see the puppies exploring, as well as Brett and the Boy's!

At the end of our adventure, we had two pooped puppies!
We came home and the kid's played some baseball with the neighbors...
Mom and dad enjoyed the fire...

And we finished the evening with one of our beautiful country sunsets!

I am so happy that Spring is here!!!

Pneumonia update

So here is another pneumonia update on Brandon. It is a little late, but we usually are right? :)

Last Tuesday Brett felt that Brandon was ready to go back to school. With both of the boy's being home from school the previous Friday for a snow day, and then all weekend long, plus Monday, Dad was more than ready to have his house back alone during the weekdays. So, with Andrew already off to school, Brandon and I started getting ready, him for school, me for work.


With Brandon dressed and waiting for the bus, I watched how winded and out of breath he was just from walking from the living room to the bathroom. As a mother, I was not ready to let my child go to school and have to worry all day long weather or not he was breathing OK. I tried to wake Brett as he had just got home from work at 6:30 am that morning, and he was already deep in sleep, not waking for the three times I tried. So I made the executive decision that Brandon had to stay home again and go to the doctor.


When we got to the doctor, which was not the same one he had seen on Friday as she was off for the day, she was really kind of panicked at how bad Brandon still sounded. In fact, she was wondering if he was worse than on Friday. I told her that he was definitely not worse, but still not as good as I felt he should be after finishing his antibiotics and his steroids. ( The kind to reduce inflammation, not the kind that wrestlers use to bulk up )


To make a long story short, ( a little late for that now I know, bare with me ) she put pulled Brandon out of school for the rest of the week out of gym and recess when he does return to school the next week, and she put him on more antibiotics and more steroids and more asthma medication's that he had not had to take in over a year. He has to be rechecked again on Wednesday the 23rd.


Andrew in the meantime, not to be left out or outdone developed an icky sty in his eye...

I love my sick children!!!

More with the sickness

So now it's just a short time after I finished the last blog update and I've suddenly got another sick child. Andrew out of nowhere, now has a 101.2 temperature! Thankfully, he has no problems breathing, just achy and cold and hot. I certainly should not be surprised, this is the way that it usually happens at our house, no one can be sick all by themselves! I like to share with my family, but come on!!!

An important blog update for Grandma Judy

So, Grandma Judy called to check in on all of us last night. She wanted to know what was new and exciting. I told her that I had something new, but not so exciting. Brandon has pneumonia. Poor kid, he was lucky enough to have a snow day on Friday, and he was almost admitted to the hospital. Both of my boy's have problems with breathing and asthma, but I have never been so scared that my child was actually going to be admitted to the hospital! Had Brett and I bypassed the doctor appointment and just went to the emergency room instead, I gurrantee that he would have been admitted to the hospital and he would probably still be there today!

He is finally feeling better, still not breathing so great. I am finally sure that he no longer needs to go to the hospital anymore. Friday night was pretty touch and go, I watched him sleep all night, making sure that he was still breathing. ( I'm sure all mother's reading & even some father's too can all relate to this feeling! ) It was the first time we've had the kid's to the doctor and were able to say that they were absolutely not exposed to second hand smoke as it has been over three month's now that Brett and I have quit smoking! Only problem is every time I am stressed out ( most of the time ) or upset, I really still want one! I have not had a single cigarette since our quit day! Brett either! As I've mentioned before, neither one of us wants to be the first to give in... so we are both still fighting the feeling!

Let's see, anything else? Brandon has decided that he wants to be in the band next year. His instrument of choice: Trombone. The boy's will be able to play duet's someday! Two brass instruments that need nightly practice... What was I thinking? :)

Welcome our new additions to the family...

Please welcome Rocky and Copper to the Larsen Family household. Rocky is the one with the two black eye's, he is Brandon's dog, his 11th birthday present.

Copper is the one that look's like a hound doggie, and Andrew bought him with all of his own money!

They are rat terrier's and will only get to be 10 to 15 pounds full grown! Quite a difference from our past animal's.

Superbowl Homeboy

So the Superbowl was today. The New Engalnd Patriot's who had a perfect season 18 and 0 up till today, vs. The New York Giant's, who have the little brother of last year's superbowl winner.Me, myself, I was hoping for the Cinderella ending, with the Pat's going 19 and 0. Brett, who can't stand the cheater's was hoping that Eli would prove himself once and for all.

My ending did not come true and The New York Giant's are the new Superbowl champions!

Congrat's to Eli and The Giant's!

Here's looking forward to next year's training camp and the Viking's stepping up and proving once and for all that they are the true champions!!

On a brighter note, it's been 30 day's of no smoking for Brett and I!!!

I don't even want one anymore!!

Happy February everyone!!

On our way to 30 days

So it's been awhile since I've last updated, it's always hard for me to find the time.
Anyhow, I just wanted to update those of you who don't know...
Brett and I quit smoking and it's been 25 day's as of today!
It's a huge deal for us, I've been smoking for way too many years, I won't even say because I don't want the kid's to know how young I was when I started. It's been very hard for me, and Brett, who won't smoke again just because he does not want to be the first to give in! It does make me feel better each day I can mark off though! This weekend will be thirty big days gone by and a huge milestone, we will have to celebrate!

Andrew got his report card and is on the honor roll again! Good job Andrew!
Brandon's mid-quarter report was all A's! Keep it up kid's!

That's all for now!

Catching up

So, it's been quite a while since I last blogged. In the word's of the beauty queen "Taylor" from "Kid Nation", "Deal With It!"

No, I don't mean to be a brat, but it is very hard to keep up, so to all of you who do.... Congrat's!" Kudo's to you!

Let's see, since I last blogged, I have had a birthday ( my 34th ) and I was incredibly spoiled by my husband. Which I alway's am, but for this whole month, he has really been incredible! I am a very lucky lady!

Speaking of Birthday's, it is my mom's birthday on Tuesday! Happy Birthday Mama, you are loved more than you know!

The Viking's have not been doing very good, but I still always have faith and next week, they will show you what they are made of!!

On cool website front's, please check out http://www.americangreetings.com/, they have cool card's, background's and screen saver's. I love this site!

The boy's have their school picture's back and they are great, but due to some problem's with our scanner, I am unable to scan them at this time. If you are all really good relatives and friend's, I will either get them scanned soon, our you will receive them via US Postal Service; but I would have to be really good in order for that to happen!

We love all of our friend's and relatives, and hope that you will all keep the faith, that I will get better in regards to the blog site! But, if you all know us and love us, you will not be upset if I take a break between post's.

Tis the Season

It's that time of year, the kid's are back in school, the weather is starting to become cool and crisp. This is my favorite time of year, the cool but not cold evenings, the sound of the wind blowing through the tree's... and of yeah...

Football Season!

Which just happens to also be one of my favorite thing's! For those of you who don't know, the Vike's did win their first game of the regular season!

Tonight is another favorite Monday Night Football!

Larsen Family campout

So a few week's ago all the Larsen's went camping. Here are a few of the photo's from the trip.