All through the house

CheriGENERAL

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.   We are thrilled to have my sister and her family with us since Monday morning.  But sad to have already put our sweet Wild One back on the plane to Cincinnati.  The days with our girl flew by waaaay too fast.  It … Read More

Parent Retreat

CheriGENERAL

Last weekend friends of ours  went on a little parent retreat  to the Arizona warmth and sunshine. I’m sure they had a great time. But I like to think Mr. D and I had an  even better time with their 4 kiddos. We had our own retreat here at The Cottage. The massive winter snow storm meant … Read More

Just another work day

CheriGENERAL

I’ll tell ya, it is difficult to not enjoy a work day that includes this:  and this  and this? Yesterday was a no school day —  so I took the three kids I nanny to visit a friend who just happens to have a litter of 9 golden retriever pups hanging out at her house. … Read More

Seniors

CheriGENERAL

You might think that senioritis has kicked in with these college kids, but I am here to tell you, they are THIS crazy all the time.  Not much has changed in the last 4 years, except maybe their friendship — which has deepened.  Oh, and they are more educated too.  Or at least they should … Read More

Purple day

CheriGENERAL

Saturday was homecoming at Winona State University where our Boy and Baby Girl are seniors this year.  DIY Guy and I decided it was ’bout time we went to a WSU homecoming and celebrated with the kids. Soon after we arrived the WSU tattoo’s came out. DIY Guy refused a tat. The students went all … Read More

Phew

CheriGENERAL

THAT was another long day. In. the. car. Once again, DIY Guy is my hero.  He drove all but one hour of the 12 hour trip. I tried to drive, really I did.  It’s just that sometimes usually I am afflicted with a case of the sleepies once I get behind the wheel. We had an … Read More

22, 23, 24

CheriGENERAL

Today our Baby Girl celebrated the 22nd anniversary of the day she was born. Her daddy and I drove to Winona to celebrate with her. Her big brudder (as she says) celebrated her too. He gifted her with the apron she fancied at TJ Maxx. It matches her oven mitt. Mike baked her a confetti birthday … Read More

Random thoughts

CheriCREATIVE ENDEAVORS, FAVORITE PHOTOS, GENERAL

Our wonderful neighbors  have a large raspberry patch in their yard and they share with us! Our two young Red Star hens laid their first eggs today they were so little — smaller than a small egg   We invited some peeps over on Sunday and DIY Guy organized a double elimination bags tournament the 3 youngest … Read More

She went to bed early

CheriGENERAL

Our firstborn hit the tarmac running on Wednesday morning.  Her plane was right on time —  and I was ready to lavish a long hug on her at 8:50 a.m. at the Rochester Airport. We grabbed her pretty polka dot luggage and headed for Starbucks downtown where we planned our day — at least our … Read More

Rochester bound!

CheriGENERAL

Home is a place you grow up  wanting to leave,  and grow old wanting to get back to .   ~John Ed Pearce She’s coming home for a visit We spent a couple days with her a month ago and I visited her with her brother and sister in March but it’s not the same as being home. It’s … Read More