My baby...

Hard to believe, right? Six years ago he came screaming into this world and boy has he already left his mark. Remember the song from Sound of Music, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" Well my song for Christian is, "How Do You Leash a Child Like Christian?"

So energetic, I hate to use the word "Leash," but I tell ya, there's just no telling with this not so little one. His spirit is an overabundance of positive energy that sometimes gets mistaken for the term "naughty." And don't get me wrong...he can certainly show us his "rowdy" side by getting carried away and out of control, but really for the most part, this child of ours is a keeper!

Our laugh for the day on his birthday (July 26th) : he woke up to a loving sister, showering him with birthday wishes. I made them pancakes with mini-chocolate chips and he sat down to eat his food, sprung off of his stool and said, "Hey mom, I gotta use your bathroom." I knew he already did his morning duty, so I asked him why. "I have to see if I weigh anymore since I am a year older!" Off he ran down the hall. (needless to say, he was a little let down.)

Once you go to Minocqua...you'll always go back

We had an ablsolutely wonderful time in Minocqua camping with Brian & Lynnell Lichtenberg July 10-12. Dan didn't get to fish as much as he would have like to, and when he did, didn't catch much. Other than that...no complaints, only compliments.

We relaxed, swam, played cards, went to the lumberjack show, and went to the petting zoo. As usual, not much time for details, and there are photos aplenty (as always with me!!)/too many to post.

I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine
and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon
a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets. It has given me
blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern
day. It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful.
Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and benumbs my
brain, I seek relief in the trail; and when I hear the coyote wailing to the
yellow dawn, my cares fall from me - I am happy. ~Hamlin Garland,
McClure's, February 1899

Dance like nobody's watching...

Mallory's Recital...so I'm a bit late in getting this out there, but I keep thinking I need to get it done, so here it is! (Above: Haley Kooiman, Mallory, and Shayane Anderson, below: Mal and Ms. Cindy) Dance is a passion of Mallory's. If she is having a bad day, it is nothing a loud song and free expression of dance can't solve. Watching her , you can just feel the energy radiate off of her.
I cannot believe she is already 8 and in just over a month, my first baby girl is going to be 9. Mallory continues to amaze me with her patience, her understanding, and her maturity. If there in one thing in life here on Earth that Mallory loves (besides dogs), it is DANCING. I am so proud of her and not a day goes by that I don't look at her in awe for all that she has already become!

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." ~Mark Twain

PS: Thanks to Hannah Hinrichs, Shelli Roedl (& Parker), Lisa Roedl, Grandpa & Grandma Topel, Great-Grandma Vitense, Grandma La La, Haley, & Shayane for making the recital day an unforgettable one!

Happy Father's Day!

As I said in an earlier post, we went to Chula Vista Resort on Father's Day weekend for the Annual Towing Convention. The kids and I were very excited, because we were surprising Dan on Sunday morning. We made a video that informed him he was leaving on Monday for a 5 day trip to Florida to visit our friend, Tim and go Deep-Sea Fishing.
From the looks and sounds of it, it was a great trip and low and behold...Tim had a surprise of his own for us. When I picked Dan up from the airport on Friday night, I was almost sure that Tim would be there with him. Nope, he was alone. He put his bags in the car and we took off.
On down the baggage claim area, Dan almost hit a guy walking in the cross-walk, talking on his phone--the guy was TIM!! DORKS!! So Tim left the next day to surprise his dad in Rock Falls, Illinois for a few days. He will begin his Liver Damage Tour today, Thursday in Fox Lake with a bunch of his buddies from there! Town & Country Days is this weekend, so the tour will continue, I'm sure--given the amount of over-abundance of fun on any given night!!

More about lost time...or is it gained?!

So...as I was saying...our trip to Texas. Lots of roadside picnics:

After our package delivery and a pit stop in South Houston for Dan to check out his International Scout, we made it to Galveston, Texas for a day at the Gulf:

Dan actually spent much of the day back in South Houston loading up the Scout. We had a blast and have the peeling sunburn to show for it! On to the Rainforest Cafe for some din din and souvenirs...

After our meal, we headed over to a park where there was a real submarine and battleship. Very cool tour and whew...tuckered us right out.

Back on the road again, heading up to Arkansas to see Steve and Amy in Bella Vista. Not without a typical Topel incident, though! Dan and I started hearing a noise coming from the shifter area and discovered that it sounded like a bearing. After our last trip to Florida and our 6 hour tow back home, we decided to be a bit more proactive this time...checked the transmission fluid and found it was VERY low. No external leaks though...hmmm...so the noise got better after we filled it and a few hour set-back: we were on our way.

Made our way up to their house and visited with them and their 4 dogs, 4 cats, and bird!! Dan is pictured with Big Boy, one of two Great Dane's. Amy works at the Animal Shelter!

Spent the night there, then on to visit Karl's in Cedar Rapids. Had dinner and visited with them. Always great seeing them and the girls. The flooding was just starting to get bad when we arrived in Iowa, but got way worse after we left. Not too sure how we got from Cedar Rapids home, as both Dan and I were wiped OUT!

Oh yeah...The mystery of the transmission fluid was soon solved en route home. The fluid was actually leaking into the transfer case (which became way overfull). Good thing we own a repair shop!

Trip summary: Kids proved they can co-exist in a very small area for long periods of time and get along wonderfully. Had some great family time and confirmed that Tara cannot stand sleeping in hot trucks all night long! Also noted that preventative vehicle care has advantages! (check Arkansas off of the Cracker Barrel visited state list).

Making up for lost time...

I remember this time not long ago. A time when Wisconsin got dumped on with snow and our business got dumped on with work. Sleep was a luxury and our home was a pit. The phone didn't stop ringing and we didn't stop for meals. Yes, we were blessed with assistance all around, from employees to friends and of course family (which is both).

It would seem with about as much spontenaeity as it took for that to happen that our family has been blessed once again with what would almost seem a "reward" of mini-vacations galore!

It started on May 30th on the kids last day of school. We headed 'em up and moved 'em out to Montello at Wilderness Campground. The whole fam damily...even Brady.

Our home for the weekend...a 1969 trailer from Dan's cousin, Trent & Pam.

Other than the ants, it was a nice cozy little place to sleep!

Mallory made a friend, McKennzie.

Christian made a friend, Katie.

The kids played awesome together all weekend. We relaxed, played games, went paddle boating, went fishing, and even had a visit from Brian & Lynnell from down the "road" in Princeton!!

Though the time was a bit short (Dan had to head out early to go go-kart racing at Sugar River Raceway-it was pretty much worth it, as his team came in 2nd.), it felt like we were gone for a week. Before we left, Dan had a call from someone in Texas who bought a car through Hemming's Motor News from a guy in Jefferson who wanted it delivered.

Wouldn't ya know it, we got back, barely unpacked, then repacked for a Topel Family Trip to Texas. National Lampoon's ain't got nothin' on us...

The darker car on the right is the '41 Cadillac Limo we took down in the enclosed trailer. This is after we dropped it off in New Waverly, Texas. Stay tuned for more...the work is piling up as I write...

Heather & Matt's Wedding