Monarch's

When we lived in Buffalo (MN, not NY lol) the Monarch's would migrate through our backyard each year. There was a clearing between a row of shrubs/trees and the creek... you could stand there and actually HEAR them :) Well, it's been a lot of years since I've been able to experience anything quite like that.

Today, Tim came back in the house before leaving for work and said, "I left the three big milkweed next to the shed because I was told Monarch's like them. I looked at them this morning and didn't think they looked like they were doing too well." Two of them were completely STRIPPED of their leaves, and the other was well on it's way. Apparently Tim heard right... Monarch's do like milkweed (or at least they do in the caterpillar form!)

Update: Before posting this to my blog I took Chase out to look at the caterpillar's and now we could only find 3... don't know where the other went?!

The North Woods

My parents have a small shack in the woods up near Two Harbors. It's falling down and there is no electricity or running water... They did "upgrade" the outhouse a few years ago :)

It was the perfect place for Tim and I to get away a couple of weeks ago. Grandma Joan had the two older boys and Grandpa and Grandma Osell took the two little ones... my first time away from Levi for more than a few hours! The kids had a lot of fun, and even Levi survived ;)

Imagine taking a deep breath, letting it out, and being able to hang on to that relaxed, peaceful feeling for TWO WHOLE DAYS! That's exactly the result we had... Thank you God for your beautiful creation!