This boy and his dirt pile. Back in late April we were out in the woods scoping out some potential photo spots when he spotted the "BIG Dirt Pile." This post needs no further introduction the photos do plenty of talking.
Showing posts with label Dirt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dirt. Show all posts
Excavation
Sunday, May 31, 2015
For the last 10 years we have lived in our house the east side street of our home has needed to be repaved. Again, it didn't make the cut for 2015 and I am definitely not holding my breathe for 2016.
However we have some major, major drainage issues every single time it rains. We have called the city several times. They come out and blame this or that on why the water just sits in the street and because stagnant. Last year we have a terrible bout of these weird bugs all over the boulevard that I am pretty sure hatched out of the left over rain water. Anyways I am sure I have grossed you out by now...but we are top of this, this year and I bound and determined the to stay on top of this EVER happening again.
And yes, our city owns a street cleaner, in fact I believe they own several but not one has swept the east side of house this spring.
Today the water had finally drained out enough to begin sweeping and cleaning the street. However, the road deteriorated immensely over the past winter. We now have a pot hole (aka sink hole) at the end of driveway that is about 2 feet wide and varies in depth from 2-5 1/2 inches deep. The rest of the street is almost just as bad.
I may have not enjoyed this dirt removal, but this guy sure did.
However we have some major, major drainage issues every single time it rains. We have called the city several times. They come out and blame this or that on why the water just sits in the street and because stagnant. Last year we have a terrible bout of these weird bugs all over the boulevard that I am pretty sure hatched out of the left over rain water. Anyways I am sure I have grossed you out by now...but we are top of this, this year and I bound and determined the to stay on top of this EVER happening again.
And yes, our city owns a street cleaner, in fact I believe they own several but not one has swept the east side of house this spring.
Today the water had finally drained out enough to begin sweeping and cleaning the street. However, the road deteriorated immensely over the past winter. We now have a pot hole (aka sink hole) at the end of driveway that is about 2 feet wide and varies in depth from 2-5 1/2 inches deep. The rest of the street is almost just as bad.
I may have not enjoyed this dirt removal, but this guy sure did.
Playing.... "Catch up."
Monday, June 2, 2014
I am so bad at blogging these days...but I am sure I don't need to make a formal announcement, it's pretty apparent on my lack of entries. Staying at home with Harrison 2 days a week and 3 with Miles... it's a struggle to keep up on EVERYTHING. I am busier home with these two than I was working a full time job with photography on the side.
We have done so much in the past couple of months and plan to do so much this summer. Lets pedal backwards to early May when we started digging up our yard and actually do updating of our landscaping that hasn't been touched in at least 4-5 years (we will call that the pre-kids era). Hey, kids are a good excuse to use if you didn't get something done or just plain are procrastinating doing something because it's a lot of work! Guilty here.
This year is yard renovation. We took out a large part of mulch and retaining brick in what we consider the "front yard." By taking out the mulch and stone, it's not only safer playing for the kids, but it almost increased our small yard's size by 25%. That's huge considering what we have... but honestly having a HUGE or even BIG yard isn't on our "next home," list. We are pretty content with a small yard, even in the city. I grew up in small rural town with a population of about 500 and I have to say I love our location downtown... Our current home is a couple blocks from a gas station, grocery store, parks, fire station (this is huge for the kids, they love it), movie theater, local pubs and exactly 1 mile from Target:). I am a small country girl, turned small city girl. Despite loving our current location I hope to one day own a home with a yard that is fenced in. This would be great for letting the kids play while dinner is cooking and a place for the dog to roam around... but for now this is what we call home. So back to the "year" of yard work. A great bunch of sod went in about 5 weeks ago and the best news? We haven't killed it yet! :) It's looking pretty amazing out there. We have a few regular spots in the yard we are still attempting to seed and we have several plants to replace. Our more mature shrubs perennials had a hard winter and we have lost about 5 plants along with some of our flowering plants. Seeding has always been a struggle for us because the very mature hedges that line a large portion of our home suck up every bit of moisture...This is our conclusion after 9 years. We have also spent countless hours moving retaining brick and patio stones as well as reconstructing the screen on our front porch...We are making steady progress, but it's been a little slower than our initial, "getter done mode." The porch needed another coat of paint as it about 75% painted and as of the other day the screening was complete. We have the neighbor side of home left to sod. We are just waiting a bit longer to see how the sod in the front handles for the next few weeks. For now it's been a giant construction site for the boys. Who needs sand when you have mud?
Daddy turned THIRTY THREE!
Cinco de Mayo marked another year closer to 40 for this guy. Only 7 more years until your 30s are a distant memory... I only say this because I have a certain milestone coming up in 11 days (but who's really counting anyways) and a certain daddy/husband has routinely reminded me just how OLD I am going to be. I am starting to think this is all an illusion because there is no way I will turn ___ ___this year... NO WAY. So back tracking to Daddy's birthday Harrison surprised him with his very own monster truck and Captain America tee along with some essential summer gear and new radio for the boat. We celebrated 3-3 with Hay Day cake. If you don't know what Hay Day is, TRUST ME, you are not missing a thing! Remember Farmville on Facebook? It's basically "Farmville" on steroids. So as much as I tease Doug about this game and how much I think it's a waste of time etc. etc. I went against everything and purchased this cake.
May also meant "Mom's day." We spent the day at the Minnesota Zoo (mom's got in free that day :) Harrison very much wanted to see the seals and giraffes in which I forgot this zoo didn't have seals and the giraffes were no where to be seen (and they are pretty hard to just miss). As much as he had disappointment in not seeing the animals on his "wish list" the farm and ice cream pretty much equaled seals and giraffes. Next time we will visit COMO Zoo and check those animals off the list. I'm a little sad or even a lot sad that my memory card was having formatting issues so this post will have to go on, photo-less. :(
As much as both of kids don't enjoy the "picture thing" we took these for me on our way home from the zoo (yeah memory card working again).
And you see that photo of the three of us one your right? That 4 year old to left captured that. Yes, for real! He even tried posing me for individual portraits. It's defiantly one of my favorite shots, despite the wind blown hair and sweaty, dirty clothes. Moments like this are real. Love this.
May = digging = birthday = zoo = mothers day = march for babies.
March for babies was another success for our small Winona Community. We raised over 20,000 for the continued research for prematurity, birth defects and creating an overall healthy pregnancy for every single woman.
This our team took a little nose dive in numbers. Well to be honest it's taken a nose dive since we started walking back in 2010. Every year we lose some team members, but gain some new ones, but this year we didn't gain anyone new and lost even more members than our 2014 team put together. Part of the loss of team members was just other commitments the same weekend (since the walk wasn't held until May 17th this year) and others, I'm not sure why. To join the walk and register, it's completely FREE. Most other area walks and organizations are at a cost to even sign up and that event, cause, doesn't effect every single family. I am not saying one organization is better than another, I am just saying March of Dimes effects every single person because every single person knows someone that is pregnant, had a child etc...and every single one of those pregnancies and children have been effected by this organization. Just because you had a full term, healthy child, doesn't exempt you from what the March of Dimes has provided. This organization spends millions of dollars a year researching pregnancy and advising and creating new forms to provide the healthiest pregnancies for EVERY. SINGLE. PREGNANCY. So, with this said, the March of Dimes is a part of your life...Please find a way to give back. We all spend so much of our lives taking and not giving.
Since joining the March for Babies in 2010 and then becoming a committee member back in 2011 as well as a new team committee chair in 2012; I know I am helping more than just one person, one family, or even one community... I am saving a baby. Even if it feels like I am walking alone sometimes in this fight, it doesn't matter, I would keep fighting, even if I was on a one man team. This is where I decided on the quote for this year's walk as it applies to so much about Match for Babies, the fight for life and everyday challenges we face personally and world wide.
Words can express how much we appreciate and are thankful those that come out with us every year to support healthy pregnancies, research for prematurity & birth defects and give families, the community and world hope for the future. A special thank you goes to: Scott, Dawson, Nina, Danica, Amanda, Diane, Eric, Cooper, Carter, Kim, Carter (and not pictured: Kara, Alessa, Gavin, Curt, Karen & Jace).
A special thank you also goes out to every single person, family who made a donation, helped, supported Team Mileson Brother in any way. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
As much as I want to take photos at events, the business of the day sneaks up on me, but here is a few keepers from this beautiful day! And for a rarity, I'm in most of them! The boys do have a mom after all! :)
And for fun, here is a peek back to 2010 when we joined March for Babies and were the ambassador family that year. Also attached is the speech that I wrote and through many tears managed to read to about 300 supporters. If you want you can still donate to March for babies at any time by following this link March for Babies and we have another great event this summer that take place August 17th at Target Field (see a Twins games and support March for Babies (it's really that easy) and this fall there is another event called, "Jail & Bail for Babies." Be sure to check those out (more information can be found on the link above). And I have also started a Winona March for Babies page on Facebook, so be sure to check that out as well!
To see the first year video click HERE
Below is the speech I wrote back in 2010. 4 years later, I still can't make it through it without some tears. I can't imagine life without kids.
Where am I? Who are all of these people? What is going on?
In labor? This can’t be happening… Wake me up, wake me up, someone please wake me up! This must definitely be a dream…No---you must have the wrong person…this kind of thing doesn’t happen to people like me.
November 28, 2009 changed our lives forever when our miracle arrived 11 weeks too soon weighing in at 3 pounds, 3 ounces and 16 inches long.
When I was a little girl I dreamt of meeting my prince charming, getting married and having lots and lots of babies! I met my prince charming in 2002 we were married on June 18, 2005. After 4 years of parenting practice with our two kitties and energetic Springer Spaniel we were elated to find out that we were going to be blessed with a baby boy.
Never did we ever expect the challenges we were about to face. Our son Harrison was expected to arrive on February 10, 2010. Life took an unexpected turn when he arrived nearly 3 months early. My husband and I were never so scared in our entire lives. The whole situation seemed so surreal.
I remember the first drive down to hospital to see our son the morning after he was born. I looked at my husband and said…this is the beginning of a very long road. As we arrived at the hospital we walked the long halls and road the elevator up to the 5 floor NICU, which would be home to our son for nearly 8 weeks.
I will always remember walking over to Harrison’s isolette for the first time and seeing this tiny baby fighting for his life. Tubes, lines and monitors covered his body. As parents we felt completely helpless. As a mother I blamed myself.
I had never been so angry at the world for what had happened…
As hours, days and weeks went by the reality of Harrison’s prematurity barreled in.…we stopped living the lives we once led. We had our life in the NICU and a life we were supposed to be living outside of those walls.
Life was a gigantic rollercoaster of emotions, struggles and gains. Set backs were inevitable and nothing could prepare you for reality of it all. We were afraid to celebrate gains because when something went well life would throw us a curve ball. I said to one of the nurses one day, “This place has made me the most un-trusting person.” Just when you think you have hit rock bottom, you are hit harder by a whirl-wind of challenges.
Harrison went from a ventilator, to c-pap to nasal prongs, and back to c-pap a half a dozen times. He underwent two blood transfusions and two rounds of drugs to help close the open valve in his heart. Next he faced issues with edema and was given several doses of diuretics to assist his breathing. Later struggles came with coordinating suck, swallow and breath during feedings and enduring countless periods of apnea and heart decelerations.
One step forward, two steps back. Despite the struggles, Harrison also made gains. As he continued to grow and mature, progress grew by leaps and bounds. Our 3 pound baby was now more than 5 pounds and feeding and breathing on his own.
Daily conversations with doctors went from when he goes home to he is going home. During the last two weeks in the NICU, the nurses used lecture Harrison and would say, “It’s time for you to go home.” It’s not that we wore out our NICU welcome…but indeed it was time to go home.
January 19, 2010 we walked the long halls and road the elevator to the 5th floor NICU for the last time. When we left the hospital that day, we left the hospital with our son.
Can we say for certain that our son would be here today without the help of March of Dimes?
No, we can’t. March of Dimes impacted the life of our son and family is so many ways.
Within minutes of birth Harrison was given surfactant. Surfactant keeps the air sacs in the lungs from collapsing making breathing easier in premature babies. The lungs are often underdeveloped and lack the production of surfactant. Receiving this treatment saves thousands of babies every year. Before the use of surfactant 10,000 babies died of respiratory distress syndrome each year. With the use of surfactant less the 1,000 babies die today. March of Dimes funded the research for this therapy.
The folic acid in prenatal vitamins has led to a decrease in birth defects, which is another contribution from the March of Dimes. New born screening tests including a hearing test have been made possible by the March of Dimes.
March of Dimes Advocacy for Preemies helps experts continue research for prevention for pre-term labor...so that more babies can be born at full term.
What can we do as individuals and families? Walk in support of this great organization. Spread the word---tell everyone about what March of Dimes has done. Ask for donations they won’t come to you, you have to go to them the worse somebody can say is no.
One day every baby will be born healthy.
Thank you March of Dimes!
Thank you, thank you again for supporting our team & March for Babies over these past 4 years!
We have done so much in the past couple of months and plan to do so much this summer. Lets pedal backwards to early May when we started digging up our yard and actually do updating of our landscaping that hasn't been touched in at least 4-5 years (we will call that the pre-kids era). Hey, kids are a good excuse to use if you didn't get something done or just plain are procrastinating doing something because it's a lot of work! Guilty here.
This year is yard renovation. We took out a large part of mulch and retaining brick in what we consider the "front yard." By taking out the mulch and stone, it's not only safer playing for the kids, but it almost increased our small yard's size by 25%. That's huge considering what we have... but honestly having a HUGE or even BIG yard isn't on our "next home," list. We are pretty content with a small yard, even in the city. I grew up in small rural town with a population of about 500 and I have to say I love our location downtown... Our current home is a couple blocks from a gas station, grocery store, parks, fire station (this is huge for the kids, they love it), movie theater, local pubs and exactly 1 mile from Target:). I am a small country girl, turned small city girl. Despite loving our current location I hope to one day own a home with a yard that is fenced in. This would be great for letting the kids play while dinner is cooking and a place for the dog to roam around... but for now this is what we call home. So back to the "year" of yard work. A great bunch of sod went in about 5 weeks ago and the best news? We haven't killed it yet! :) It's looking pretty amazing out there. We have a few regular spots in the yard we are still attempting to seed and we have several plants to replace. Our more mature shrubs perennials had a hard winter and we have lost about 5 plants along with some of our flowering plants. Seeding has always been a struggle for us because the very mature hedges that line a large portion of our home suck up every bit of moisture...This is our conclusion after 9 years. We have also spent countless hours moving retaining brick and patio stones as well as reconstructing the screen on our front porch...We are making steady progress, but it's been a little slower than our initial, "getter done mode." The porch needed another coat of paint as it about 75% painted and as of the other day the screening was complete. We have the neighbor side of home left to sod. We are just waiting a bit longer to see how the sod in the front handles for the next few weeks. For now it's been a giant construction site for the boys. Who needs sand when you have mud?
Daddy turned THIRTY THREE!
Cinco de Mayo marked another year closer to 40 for this guy. Only 7 more years until your 30s are a distant memory... I only say this because I have a certain milestone coming up in 11 days (but who's really counting anyways) and a certain daddy/husband has routinely reminded me just how OLD I am going to be. I am starting to think this is all an illusion because there is no way I will turn ___ ___this year... NO WAY. So back tracking to Daddy's birthday Harrison surprised him with his very own monster truck and Captain America tee along with some essential summer gear and new radio for the boat. We celebrated 3-3 with Hay Day cake. If you don't know what Hay Day is, TRUST ME, you are not missing a thing! Remember Farmville on Facebook? It's basically "Farmville" on steroids. So as much as I tease Doug about this game and how much I think it's a waste of time etc. etc. I went against everything and purchased this cake.
May also meant "Mom's day." We spent the day at the Minnesota Zoo (mom's got in free that day :) Harrison very much wanted to see the seals and giraffes in which I forgot this zoo didn't have seals and the giraffes were no where to be seen (and they are pretty hard to just miss). As much as he had disappointment in not seeing the animals on his "wish list" the farm and ice cream pretty much equaled seals and giraffes. Next time we will visit COMO Zoo and check those animals off the list. I'm a little sad or even a lot sad that my memory card was having formatting issues so this post will have to go on, photo-less. :(
As much as both of kids don't enjoy the "picture thing" we took these for me on our way home from the zoo (yeah memory card working again).
And you see that photo of the three of us one your right? That 4 year old to left captured that. Yes, for real! He even tried posing me for individual portraits. It's defiantly one of my favorite shots, despite the wind blown hair and sweaty, dirty clothes. Moments like this are real. Love this.
May = digging = birthday = zoo = mothers day = march for babies.
March for babies was another success for our small Winona Community. We raised over 20,000 for the continued research for prematurity, birth defects and creating an overall healthy pregnancy for every single woman.
This our team took a little nose dive in numbers. Well to be honest it's taken a nose dive since we started walking back in 2010. Every year we lose some team members, but gain some new ones, but this year we didn't gain anyone new and lost even more members than our 2014 team put together. Part of the loss of team members was just other commitments the same weekend (since the walk wasn't held until May 17th this year) and others, I'm not sure why. To join the walk and register, it's completely FREE. Most other area walks and organizations are at a cost to even sign up and that event, cause, doesn't effect every single family. I am not saying one organization is better than another, I am just saying March of Dimes effects every single person because every single person knows someone that is pregnant, had a child etc...and every single one of those pregnancies and children have been effected by this organization. Just because you had a full term, healthy child, doesn't exempt you from what the March of Dimes has provided. This organization spends millions of dollars a year researching pregnancy and advising and creating new forms to provide the healthiest pregnancies for EVERY. SINGLE. PREGNANCY. So, with this said, the March of Dimes is a part of your life...Please find a way to give back. We all spend so much of our lives taking and not giving.
Since joining the March for Babies in 2010 and then becoming a committee member back in 2011 as well as a new team committee chair in 2012; I know I am helping more than just one person, one family, or even one community... I am saving a baby. Even if it feels like I am walking alone sometimes in this fight, it doesn't matter, I would keep fighting, even if I was on a one man team. This is where I decided on the quote for this year's walk as it applies to so much about Match for Babies, the fight for life and everyday challenges we face personally and world wide.
Words can express how much we appreciate and are thankful those that come out with us every year to support healthy pregnancies, research for prematurity & birth defects and give families, the community and world hope for the future. A special thank you goes to: Scott, Dawson, Nina, Danica, Amanda, Diane, Eric, Cooper, Carter, Kim, Carter (and not pictured: Kara, Alessa, Gavin, Curt, Karen & Jace).
A special thank you also goes out to every single person, family who made a donation, helped, supported Team Mileson Brother in any way. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
As much as I want to take photos at events, the business of the day sneaks up on me, but here is a few keepers from this beautiful day! And for a rarity, I'm in most of them! The boys do have a mom after all! :)
And for fun, here is a peek back to 2010 when we joined March for Babies and were the ambassador family that year. Also attached is the speech that I wrote and through many tears managed to read to about 300 supporters. If you want you can still donate to March for babies at any time by following this link March for Babies and we have another great event this summer that take place August 17th at Target Field (see a Twins games and support March for Babies (it's really that easy) and this fall there is another event called, "Jail & Bail for Babies." Be sure to check those out (more information can be found on the link above). And I have also started a Winona March for Babies page on Facebook, so be sure to check that out as well!
To see the first year video click HERE
Below is the speech I wrote back in 2010. 4 years later, I still can't make it through it without some tears. I can't imagine life without kids.
Where am I? Who are all of these people? What is going on?
In labor? This can’t be happening… Wake me up, wake me up, someone please wake me up! This must definitely be a dream…No---you must have the wrong person…this kind of thing doesn’t happen to people like me.
November 28, 2009 changed our lives forever when our miracle arrived 11 weeks too soon weighing in at 3 pounds, 3 ounces and 16 inches long.
When I was a little girl I dreamt of meeting my prince charming, getting married and having lots and lots of babies! I met my prince charming in 2002 we were married on June 18, 2005. After 4 years of parenting practice with our two kitties and energetic Springer Spaniel we were elated to find out that we were going to be blessed with a baby boy.
Never did we ever expect the challenges we were about to face. Our son Harrison was expected to arrive on February 10, 2010. Life took an unexpected turn when he arrived nearly 3 months early. My husband and I were never so scared in our entire lives. The whole situation seemed so surreal.
I remember the first drive down to hospital to see our son the morning after he was born. I looked at my husband and said…this is the beginning of a very long road. As we arrived at the hospital we walked the long halls and road the elevator up to the 5 floor NICU, which would be home to our son for nearly 8 weeks.
I will always remember walking over to Harrison’s isolette for the first time and seeing this tiny baby fighting for his life. Tubes, lines and monitors covered his body. As parents we felt completely helpless. As a mother I blamed myself.
I had never been so angry at the world for what had happened…
As hours, days and weeks went by the reality of Harrison’s prematurity barreled in.…we stopped living the lives we once led. We had our life in the NICU and a life we were supposed to be living outside of those walls.
Life was a gigantic rollercoaster of emotions, struggles and gains. Set backs were inevitable and nothing could prepare you for reality of it all. We were afraid to celebrate gains because when something went well life would throw us a curve ball. I said to one of the nurses one day, “This place has made me the most un-trusting person.” Just when you think you have hit rock bottom, you are hit harder by a whirl-wind of challenges.
Harrison went from a ventilator, to c-pap to nasal prongs, and back to c-pap a half a dozen times. He underwent two blood transfusions and two rounds of drugs to help close the open valve in his heart. Next he faced issues with edema and was given several doses of diuretics to assist his breathing. Later struggles came with coordinating suck, swallow and breath during feedings and enduring countless periods of apnea and heart decelerations.
One step forward, two steps back. Despite the struggles, Harrison also made gains. As he continued to grow and mature, progress grew by leaps and bounds. Our 3 pound baby was now more than 5 pounds and feeding and breathing on his own.
Daily conversations with doctors went from when he goes home to he is going home. During the last two weeks in the NICU, the nurses used lecture Harrison and would say, “It’s time for you to go home.” It’s not that we wore out our NICU welcome…but indeed it was time to go home.
January 19, 2010 we walked the long halls and road the elevator to the 5th floor NICU for the last time. When we left the hospital that day, we left the hospital with our son.
Can we say for certain that our son would be here today without the help of March of Dimes?
No, we can’t. March of Dimes impacted the life of our son and family is so many ways.
Within minutes of birth Harrison was given surfactant. Surfactant keeps the air sacs in the lungs from collapsing making breathing easier in premature babies. The lungs are often underdeveloped and lack the production of surfactant. Receiving this treatment saves thousands of babies every year. Before the use of surfactant 10,000 babies died of respiratory distress syndrome each year. With the use of surfactant less the 1,000 babies die today. March of Dimes funded the research for this therapy.
The folic acid in prenatal vitamins has led to a decrease in birth defects, which is another contribution from the March of Dimes. New born screening tests including a hearing test have been made possible by the March of Dimes.
March of Dimes Advocacy for Preemies helps experts continue research for prevention for pre-term labor...so that more babies can be born at full term.
What can we do as individuals and families? Walk in support of this great organization. Spread the word---tell everyone about what March of Dimes has done. Ask for donations they won’t come to you, you have to go to them the worse somebody can say is no.
One day every baby will be born healthy.
Thank you March of Dimes!
Thank you, thank you again for supporting our team & March for Babies over these past 4 years!
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