grandma's garden party, part 1

This is me and my grandma and grandpa bredberg, standing in front of this cabin in 1987. I was six years old. Twenty four years later I am still in love with this special place, Mount Carmel, with its one mission: to pass on a living faith in Jesus to the next generation.

I am about to post a whole lot of pictures. Just fair warning. But I think they're all a really great collection of moments and happenings from our family reunion that tell of a family who love and care deeply for each other. First of all, the pictures are not my own. They are a collection of the best of the best from my cousins Karen, Dan, Sarah, Sarah, Elsa, Uncle Paul, and Aunt Louie. As you'll see in the pictures to follow, they've got skills and I am grateful that they shared their beautiful snapshots so generously.

I want to share these pictures because our week of family together time was really a powerful week for me. I think I used to think my family was perfect. But we're not. And as the week went on I started to see us as something much more beautiful: we're normal. we're human. There is a lot going on in our family right now...lots of hurts and sadness and unknowns. Diseases that are scary, relationships that are broken and hurts that have a history. But as you'll see in the pictures to follow, we've got a whole lot to celebrate. Because we are also a family that believes in a God of forgiveness, a God who heals, a God who has called us to celebrate life. And celebrate we do. We know how to have a good time.

The reunion was at Mount Carmel Family Bible Camp, my favorite place on earth. I thought in this first post I would just introduce you to this place. Mount Carmel is like another home to me, another member of our family, a place where my own faith in Jesus has always found its footing, and a place that constantly reminds me of the great heritage of which I am a part.

Mount Carmel is beautiful. But, like our family, it's also not perfect. There are ants in cabins, buildings in need of repair and gardens to be tended to. But those aren't really the point...the beauty is in the community that is created each week when new families join together to learn more of the great love the Father has lavished upon us. The people are what make Mount Carmel the most glorious...but as you'll see in the pictures below, God has also done a very nice job of creating this special piece of land and lake. It's easy to meet the Creator here.

summer lovin'

We just returned from a week of family togetherness to celebrate my Grandma Bredberg's 93rd birthday. She foot the bill for another family reunion, flying in family from Alaska, Washington, Kentucky and New York. There were just under a hundred of us gathered and it was one serious party. Since Grandma doesn't get to celebrate each holiday with her whole family throughout the year, she had the grand idea of celebrating as many holidays as we could while we were together: Sunday was her Birthday, Monday was Independence Day, Tuesday was Christmas, Wednesday was Easter and Thursday was Thanksgiving.

It was a wonderful week together... soaking up the sun and catching up with cousins.

a public service announcement

Attention. A few years ago I made a life-long resolution. I resolved to never ever, ever drive past a lemonade stand without stopping to patron the hard-working, zealous kids who sit patiently behind their card table waiting for cars to stop.

I am happy to report that I have done a pretty descent job of keeping this resolution. The key? I keep quarters in both cars, and have even put a few in the bottom basket of the stroller. I have found that if I don't have quarters on hand, I am much less likely to stop. But if the change ready, it's really no trouble to stop the car, get the kool-aid and be on my way.

A few weeks ago Ivar and I were wandering all around our neighborhood when we came upon a lemonade stand with four very excited, loud salesgirls. I was so happy to be served my glass of lemonade and then one of the younger girls asked if she could pet my baby. I looked at her sticky hands...and her grubby face...and thanked her for asking so nicely replying, "let's just look at the baby. He loves to smile at new friends."

Recenly Ivar and I were heading out to the Edina Art Fair. I stopped at two lemonade stands on the way because kids (or their parents) are smart and knew to capitalize on the increased traffic in their neighborhoods. I was all sugared up by the time I got to the art fair. I had spent 50 cents on my way and felt so good and thrifty when I saw the stand at the art fair that wanted to sell me a glass of lemonade for $3.25. Thank you kids for your reasonable prices!

When I saw the price they were charging I thought, "blog post. I need to get the word out that the key to stopping for lemonade is keeping quarters handy in the car." So readers, take a minute to scoop out some quarters out of your change bucket and stock up your car, strollers or running jacket. This ends my public service announcement.

Adorable picture found here.

rock on

Super easy, super cute. I want to make a series of these now for our garden labeling what is where. The other side has a fabric heart stuck on it with modge podge. Lots of possibilities for this project, found here.

gift #27

Number Twenty Seven: Josie Groves and how much she loves Ivar (and how much Ivar loves her.)