SWEEP!

The Cubs swept the Brewers in a four game series! Hurray! My dad has his own "W" flag to post when they win, but it looks even better with the broom! For those of you who don't know, at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs play, the fly a big "W" flag after the Cubs win. Go Cubs Go!!!

Go Cubs!

This morning Sammy decided that he wanted to try on the Cubs bandana that Mama made for him this past weekend. Just in time to watch the Cubs kick some Brewer butt!

Sweet Baby Anna

Today we went to visit baby Anna, the newest addition to Uncas's sister's family. As promised, I took lots of pictures. Abbie and Mike, the proud parents are doing great. Michael and Morgan seemed to be pretty happy about their new sister, although they liked hanging outside with the dogs today.

Precious Baby Anna

Look at all of her hair.

Aunt Sally, Uncle Uncas and Anna

Anna holding on to her uncle's finger

Happy Mama!

Proud Uncle!

Anna wrapped in a blanket made by new Grandma Nimz!

Proud Parents!

Very excited Grandma!

Grandma and Uncle counting Anna's fingers - they are all there!

Welcome to the World . . .

Anna Abbie!!!

Uncas's sister had her baby early this morning! She weighs 6 lbs 7 oz and I am sure she is super cute! We are planning to go up to Duluth to visit them this weekend. I will be sure to take lots of pictures. Uncas is very excited to be an uncle - Uncle Uncas! It even sounds good!!!

Meeting the Cousins!

Today was a big day for Sammy. We met up with Derek, Jeanna and their two dogs, who also happen to be dachshunds. My parents didn't want to miss out on the meeting (or a chance to see their children), so they came along too. We met at a state park in Minnesota, which is about the halfway point for all of us.

In preparation of the big day - I made dessert last night. What could be better than a big dachshund meeting, then dachshund cut-out cookies! Thanks to Lisa for my awesome birthday present - the cookie cutters worked perfectly!!

The meeting went very well. We had warm sunny weather and the picnic area was very secluded, so we had our own little area. Sammy definitely was the puppy. He wanted to play, play, play! Derek and Jeanna loved meeting Sammy and had plenty of time to hold and pet and get kisses from him. Tina and Snoopy also like Sammy, although Sammy did steal Tina's raw hide. And Sammy wanted to play and he would let them know it. Snoopy taught Sammy the finer points of digging holes. And Tina and Snoopy showed Sammy how to get all tangled up over and over again.

It was such a fun day. We haven't seen Derek and Jeanna since December. Jeanna is due with their first baby on August 20. I am thinking the baby is going to make an appearance before then. We were glad that they could come out and meet Sammy. He is looking forward to playing at their house in a couple of weeks (as long as the baby doesn't show up first!)

Now I have a pooped little puppy on the couch. Check out some pictures and videos of the weekend.

I also have some pictures that my mom took from today. I hope she doesn't mind that I am going to post them too! Mom's pictures

Busy July Weekend!

I had a very busy weekend. I am really tired, but there a lot of pictures, so I thought I should get them posted. Friday after work I drove up to Duluth. Saturday was the baby shower for Uncas's sister Abbie. She is due to have her baby at the beginning of August. The shower was a lot of fun. She received lots of wonderful and cute presents. You can see pictures of the shower here.

I drove back from Duluth on Saturday afternoon so I could attend a party for my co-worker, Jenn and her husband Shane. They were married in May at the courthouse, so her aunts threw a party for them. I have to admit I was really tired from the day, but Uncas and I went and took Sammy too and we had a lot of fun. Jenn's family was so nice and everyone loved Sammy.

Sunday was work around the house. Uncas spent some time working on his boat. It's nearly ready for launching. I spent time weeding outside and then cleaning inside. Uncas also hung a picture over the couch (we decided later it's a little high and needs to be moved over slightly - we'll do that some other day), hung the microwave over the oven, and hung up our security system sign. Those three things have been on our to do list for a couple of months! He also installed a new air conditioner in our bedroom. It is so awesome! Check out all of his handy work. Thank you Uncas for all your hard work!

Another little "project" that we tackled last week was "building" steps for Sammy to get up on our couch. It's just too high for his little legs, but he loves being up here. So, I constructed some steps out of cushions. You can check them out and some more pictures of my cute little puppy here.

And finally here is a picture that Uncas took and requested that I post.

"Go into your Kennel Sally, Go!"

Rocker Girl

Last night I went to see my favorite band in concert! Crazy, since a month ago we saw Uncas's favorite band. One big difference is that most people probably can't name the band by the picture posted here. I fell in love with Jimmy Eat World (yes, that is really their name) in 2002 - back when I was in my middle 20's, single and having fun with my friends. I bought one of their albums right before a weekend that I was going to visit my parents, and I still remember how I listened to it over and over and over again when I was driving. I kept thinking - how can there be not a single bad song on this cd?! But there wasn't! I was in love with them from that weekend on.

I saw them for the first time in concert that year in August at First Ave - how lucky was I to see them in such a small venue?! They sounded just as good live, if not better. I remember laughing with my friends because the lead singer was sweating so much, his shirt changed colors over the course of the show!

The next time I saw them was when they opened for Green Day (in 2005) and they played at the Xcel Energy Center. That was the best concert of my life (Green Day totally rocked - talk about an amazing show!) I went to that show with Marcos and Uncas. Marcos also happens to be a big JEW fan too! Then last summer, almost exactly one year ago, they came to a really small venue, The Fine Line in Minneapolis. We all went to the show, and while it was not their best, in our opinion, they apparently really loved playing there. But even a not their best show for Jimmy Eat World, is still better than most other shows that I have seen!

Last night was the fourth time that I have seen them live and they were back at First Ave. I think it was the best show that I have seen them put on. I was loving every minute of it! Uncas, Marcos, and Marcos' friend, we'll call him Paco, were all there to share in the good music. It's amazing because Jimmy Eat World doesn't seem to get a lot of radio airplay (although I don't listen to the radio stations in Minnie cause they suck), but they have this hardcore base of fans that know every single word to all their songs. It's so much fun to go to their shows and see that you aren't the only one. Whenever I tell people who my favorite band is, most have never heard of them. Funny story - when I told my mom years ago about going to see them for the first time, she sent me an email a few days later saying that they do really exist because she looked them up on the internet! Up until then, she couldn't believe that there was a band named Jimmy Eat World!

And now, I imagine I will have to wait until another album before I see them again in concert. But that's ok - I have their cd's to hold me over until then!

Happy 4th of July!

It's everybody's favorite summer holiday - 4th of July! We made our annual trek to WI and celebrated with our friends Andy and Ella at Shangri-la. This was Sammy's first trip there, so you will see lots of puppy pictures. Not as much blowing up was done because Andy and Ella just purchased a boat with Ella's brother Reid and his wife Kelly. They joined us for the weekend and we had a blast! Fun times on the boat, playing with the puppy outside and plenty of good food as always.

Hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th! Enjoy our pictures.

Some Cute Pictures

Well, if you aren't a dog lover or if you are already sick of me talking about Sammy, you may not want to read my blog for a while. I have lots of pictures and stories to share about him, seeing as how he is my whole life right now (oh yeah, there is also this guy Uncas that I live with too!) Here are some cute pictures that I recently took.

The first one is of my handsome husband standing by his handy work - our new kitchen blinds. They look fabulous!

Sammy was sleeping in my lap and he had the cutest smile on his face. I think this means he is happy living with us.

I was trying to take his picture and he got curious and walked over to the camera. It makes me smile every time I look at this picture.
I found it funny that he likes to chew on his rawhide in his doggie bed, but he is falling out of it! When he does fall out of it, he just gets right back in . . .
He was sleeping in my lap, again and had his tongue sticking out - cute!!!!

Sammy's first bath!

And finally - this picture is specifically for my brother. I was eating dinner on the couch, with Sammy curled up beside me. We have yet to feed him any people food, so he had no idea what I was doing. He got bored and went to sleep!

Belated Birthday Post

With all the excitement of adding Sammy to our family, I didn't even mention that last week, well, June 19 was my birthday! I turned 31 and the day itself was just ok. It was the day before we picked up Sammy. I had to work on my b-day this year, which kind of sucked. Uncas did take me out to lunch with some of my favorite co-workers, which was very fun. I also tried to do as little work as possible :-)

Uncas had given me my birthday present back in April - the GPS for my 1/2 marathon training. So - I really didn't open any presents that day. He did get me a fabulous ice cream cake from Dairy Queen - it was Choco-Cherry Love. So yummy!!!


I shouldn't say that I didn't open any presents on my b-day. My best friend from Seattle sent me a couple of very cute and appropriate gifts.

Dachshund Earrings:

Dachshund cookie cutters:

We did actually do some celebrating on Friday night with our parents. My mom made a cake and I got some gifts from both sets of parents, so that was very fun! Thanks to everyone who sent me cards. I was impressed with all the dachshund cards that are out there!

This weekend we stayed in town. It was pretty relaxing, although watching a new puppy takes up a lot of time. Friday night Uncas played poker and then Saturday morning he went to a shooting range with his friend. I stayed at home and Ella came over to hang out with me and Sammy. We planned our annual "Last Year at the Cabin Weekend" - which is 4th of July weekend. We are going to Shangri-La again and we can't wait.

Saturday afternoon Uncas and I took Sammy to our old neighborhood. We introduced him to our old neighbors and then walked part way around Lake Harriet (about an 1/8 of it.) Today we hung around the house and actually got some things done. Lawn was mowed, blinds were hung in the kitchen, cd's and movies were put away. I am feeling pretty good that we got a few more house things done. Tonight we took Sammy for a walk around the neighborhood. He did incredibly well, once we got him out of the yard. He kept up with us, didn't bite the leash or put up a fight when I put on his harness. We are very proud of him! It's fun to see how far he has come in just one week. And on that note, I am signing off to get ready for the coming week!

Sammy Update

It's been a busy week adjusting our household with the new addition. Sammy seems to like his new home well enough. We haven't let him go upstairs or down to the basement yet, but he doesn't seem very interested in those places either. He doesn't love his kennel, but hopefully he will come around. He has enjoyed meeting the neighbors, and they all seem to think he is pretty fun - especially our 5 year old neighbor Cindy!

Here are a few new pictures:

Mama and Sammy sleeping.

Sammy sleeping while Daddy is on the computer.

Posing sweetly for the camera!

Sammy got a new toy today!

And finally - totally unrelated to Sammy - We had to clean out our gutters last night. Actually Uncas did all the work. Here's why:

Sammy Time!

 

Introducing Sammy Sacnu, the newest member of our family! He is a red, male, smooth dachshund, we think he will be just slightly larger than a mini dachshund when he is full grown. He was born in Superior, WI nine weeks ago and we picked him up on Friday afternoon. He spent the weekend in Duluth meeting both sets of Grandmas and Grandpas because my parents came up to visit Uncas's parents this weekend. He also met his "Auntie Sophie" who is an English Springer Spaniel belonging to Uncas's parents and cousin Bake, a husky belonging to Uncas's sister. We had a fun BBQ on Saturday where Sammy met Uncle Marcos and Auntie Ella and Uncle Andy. Everybody loved him and though he was super cute (cause he is!!!) We drove back from Duluth Sunday afternoon and introduced Sammy to his new house and yard. He loves his dog bed and is sleeping in it as I type this entry.

I have been waiting an awfully long time to get a puppy and the timing was finally right (a house with a big yard helps)! We love him so much and he has been a great puppy so far. He doesn't cry in the car, loves to be held and petted, already has a favorite blanket and responds to his name. You will see many, many pictures and videos in the near future.

Welcome home Sammy!!!

The Countdown is On!!!!

Check back this weekend to see what the countdown is for . . . :-)

15th Annual Nel-Roys Walleye Classic

This weekend our friends Annual Fishing Tournament up at Mille Lacs Lake. Last year was the first time Uncas and I went to it, although we didn't actually part take in the fishing. This year Uncas decided to fish in the tournament. His partner was our friend Matt (who's family co-hosts the actual tournament). Uncas was really excited to fish, especially since he hasn't had a chance to fish since we moved. After a slow start on Friday, we finally made it up to Mille Lacs. Matt and Janis had set up our tent for us, so we didn't have to do that in the dark. The wind was blowing pretty hard that night, and by the morning, it hadn't calmed down too much. I got up with Uncas and helped fix his lunch and off went Matt and him. I went back to bed and basically relaxed and hung out with people while they were finishing. Janis also went fishing for part of the day (you fish with partners and Janis and her sister-in-law split the time with Matt's dad - their father-in-law). Word had it that no one was catching much during the day. The boats started coming back at 3 pm. Here is a picture of Matt and Uncas.

As you can see, they caught 3 fish - which was great. Out of 21 boats, they tied for 6th place. Next year they are hoping to do even better! Here is a picture of their fish.

They contributed their walleye for the appetizers that night. They deep fry fresh walleye - yum!

Here is a picture of the tee-shirt from the tournament.
Here is a picture of all the fishermen.

After the tournament, it's a big bbq and bonfire with plenty of tasty food and drinks. The day was really nice and the wind had died down as the day went on. After dinner we were hanging out by the fire. Cloudy skies starting appearing, but I never believe weather reports, so I figured it would miss us - boy was I wrong. All of the sudden the wind came up and had us all running to the garage. It started pouring and the wind was scary because not only it came up so fast, but it was so strong. We kept checking out our tent, which was sustaining pretty well. Then all of the sudden someone told us that our tent collapsed. Sure enough - it was completely flat! After the storm passed through, we went out and checked it out. One of our poles was completely bent, which caused our tent to collapse! Fortunately everything was pretty much dry, so we brought it into Matt's parents house and ended up crashing on the floor in their living room for the night.

Because they had a full house, we woke up pretty early and actually headed home around 8:30 in the morning. I can't remember the last time Uncas was up by 6:30 both weekend days! It was nice to get home before noon. Of course, the storm also rolled through the Cities, and we had branches down all over our yard and driveway!

It was a great weekend. I know Uncas is excited for next year already. We have a big week and weekend ahead of us! Let's hope it goes by quickly!!!!

And - Happy Father's Day to our Dad's. We are looking forward to seeing you both next weekend and celebrating then!

Long Week

It's been a long and busy week - but I guess what week hasn't been busy for us lately?! I guess I should back up to this weekend. Saturday morning I participated in a MADD 5k walk with my friend Jacqueline and her daughter Carly (see picture of them below)

A couple of years ago they were hit by a drunk driver. Fortunately no one was seriously injured. We had a beautiful morning to walk even though the weather looked a little iffy at first. It was great to see Jacqueline and catch up with her. My "busy" life pales in comparison to hers and she still makes time to have fun!

We ended up having two bbq's this weekend. Saturday night we went to one for our friend's Janis's birthday and then on Sunday we had our old neighbors over to grill out and see our new place. It was so much fun to see our neighbors. They have two adorable kids who are curious and interested in everything. They loved our big backyard and our fun climbing tree to the side of our house. Fortunately the weather held off both days and we spent much of the time outside.

This week finds us gearing up for the annual fishing tournament at Lake Mille Lacs this weekend. Uncas is actually going to fish this year in the tournament. He is pretty excited and his main goal is to not get "skunked". My main goal is to hang out by the big bonfire and eat lots of yummy food! Let's hope for clear skies, or at least no rain!

R.E.M. Concert

Last night we went to an REM show. REM is Uncas's favorite band of all time. It was my first time seeing them. We went with Uncas's sister and her fiance. Don't have much time, but here is a video from the concert. It was actually harder to get good pictures, but the video came out ok.

Squirrel

We had a little friend in our yard today. Have you ever seen an albino squirrel?

 

Happy June!

Yay - June is here already! May just flew by, but I think it helped that we just bought the house and had lots of work to do on it. It's been fun to show it off to our friends and family. Last night we had our friends Matt and Janis over. They saw the house right after we closed and basically we hadn't done a whole lot. They brought us a couple of housewarming gifts. My favorite:



Hopefully in the near future, I will had an actually dachshund. Stay tuned for more details.

Just a couple of other notes. You may have noticed that I stopped talking about my training for the half marathon. That's because I stopped training. I hate to admit defeat or announce that I am a quitter, but quite simply the house work took over training. After a lot of thought (and tears), I decided that I really wanted to focus my time and energies on the new house. We are still planning on going up to Duluth for the weekend, so it should still be fun - I just won't be so tired!

And finally - LET'S GO CUBS! They have the best record in baseball right now! Maybe this is the year?!

Hail Storm - May 31

Haven't posted much this week because we have been busy. Not too busy unpacking, but busy with just life in general. Tuesday this week my half brother from California was in town for work. I hadn't seen him in years and Uncas had never met him. It was so nice to catch up with him.

Wednesday we cleaned out our old apartment. It feels so good to finally just have one place. I was a little sad as we locked the doors for the last time. It was our first house together and we loved the location and our neighbors. But I quickly got over feel sad once we were back in our new home.

Yesterday was the most gorgeous day! We were very excited because we were having friends over to grill out. Just before they were going to come over, the sky turned dark and we had the worst hail storm ever! I couldn't believe it! We took lots of pictures and even a video. There were two rounds of hail. The first is what you would expect and what I have seen before. The second was just crazy! It looked like snow and accumulated like snow too! Our friends did make it over, and when they left later that night, there was still hail in the yard!

Here is our YouTube video debut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqCewDcYGqU

Pictures of storm.

Moving Day Pictures

I didn't take a ton of pictures on moving day - but here are a few.