We’ve Been Doing Stuff!

Wow, we’ve been back over a week already! The time has flown by, but we’ve been doing a ton of stuff. Since we can’t post about crazy European stuff anymore, you’ll have to settle for our much more mundane US goings ons.

We got back on July 2nd and spent the 3rd just laying and unpacking. July 4th kicked off our running around with a trip up to see my family in Hancock. It was a good time. We watched the parade and went to a garage sale. We also played some bingo with my cousin. After an afternoon up there, we returned home only to get a call from one of my friends asking if we wanted to come to his place for a bonfire and fireworks.

This offer was tempting, but we didn’t have drivers licenses yet. Not being easily dissuaded, he offered to come pick us up and drive us there! We accepted and before long we were out at his parents’ farm for fire… works. See what I did there?

Another friend also came. He’s back in the area (we didn’t know that yet). We took the opportunity to hand out some presents. Poofy has never looked better.

Poofy hat

It was a good time chatting and sitting around the fire.

MJ

Fire

After fireworks, Justin and his dad launched lanterns. They’re just light paper with a burner in the bottom… basically mini hot air balloons.

Lantern

The 5th was our big errands day. We got renewed licenses and checked into tabs and all that crazy car stuff. We also unpacked more and tried to rest. We needed to get ready, because on the 6th we headed up to Watkins. We saw MJ’s family, went to St. Cloud with the little nephews, and just hung out with people in general.

One crazy thing we did though was bust out that wedding cake we saved. Our method was to freeze the fresh cake, vacuum seal it, then store it in the freezer. It’s been sitting there for over a year.

Freezer Cake

We had to chop it in two pieces before storing it though. The bags we had for vacuum sealing wouldn’t fit the entire tier. We pulled out one half and unsealed it to defrost in the refrigerator.

First Half

We let it sit in there overnight.

Fridge

So how did it come out? Well, maybe this video can answer that best:

Of if you don’t want to watch that – it came out fine. The frosting was a hair grainy, but beyond that it tasted like fresh cake. Now our only dilemma is whether to break out the second half, or wait until the 2 year anniversary and see how it tastes!

On the 9th (Saturday) we had the big family reunion with Joni’s family. Her aunt and uncle were down from Alaska, so everyone gathered at the Holiday Inn in St. Cloud for swimming, table tennis, and chatting. We even played volleyball. We were very proud of ourselves.

MJ

Or I just wanted to use that picture. It was either pride, or wanting to use that picture. One of the two.

Us

On Sunday we had lunch at Joni’s great uncle and aunt’s house. The lunch was just fantastic! It was tasty and copious, the two most important factors in a lunch. After that we toured their farm, then headed out. We got packed up at Joni’s parents’ place and came back to my parents’ place. That’s where we are now.

We’re working around here today trying to get organized, then tomorrow we’re heading to St. Cloud again because Joni has an interview there. After that we’re going to run up to Alexandria to see my aunts and uncles, then we’ll get back to Watkins. Thursday Joni has an interview in Mankato, so we’ll be running around quite a bit this coming week!

Now a question for you readers: What should this blog become now? Should we keep blogging? Should we archive this blog and start a new one that’s more oriented to what we’re doing in the States? What would you guys want to see?

One Comment

  • Varrioon wrote:

    Aww, looks like my previous post did not stick. Well my vote is that you two keep posting here as a couple’s blog. It is not only fun to stay updated well contact is limited but it can also be fun to look back on these years later to see where you were and how your family has progressed.

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