Distance

 I feel like fall is in the air already and I don't like it! I hope it warms back up quickly I want some more swimming days! I guess it's good for running and biking though. Thank goodness this cool weather was definitely not the case while on vacation with this girl! I am so blessed to have her in my life! We had tons of sun and lots of swimming! I feel like God made it sunny and hot just for us:) So Blessed! Here are some snapshots from our week together, on our much needed vacation from our insane spring and beginning to summer! Our vacation opened up with a bang of a Fourth of July party as seen here.

 The best of friends no matter the distance! 

 We spent one of our evenings out, sipping martinis and going to one of my favorite theatres! 

 We spent many hours out on the deck soaking up the sun, talking, reading our verily magazines, laughing, laughing some more, and sipping cocktails and delicious iced tea! 

 The morning she TRIED to blog. Check out that beautiful ring! WOW 

 This is how we pick green beans! Summer shandy and tunes! ha ha My Dad said we have to pick green beans, I'll grab us a beer and we'll get it done! I love him:)

Pizza on the grill one of my favorite summer meals!

Then suddenly it was our last morning sipping latte's in the screen porch! How did this happen? Time always goes by much too quickly!

 Good bye until next time...

There is nothing like a long relaxing rejuvenating week especially when you get to spend it with your best friend! I miss her! Thank you so much for coming Maggie! Why do we live so dang far apart? It's not fair!!! I will be on my way to see her in just over a week though, to make some more amazing memories in Green Lake! I am SO excited!

  ~ Rachel

Small towns have all the fun, my weekend shenanigans

This past weekend was so much fun! We celebrated my nieces birthday and I ran the Stacyville IA annual Brat Trot! Started by my cousin and now managed by her younger sister! It's a 4.2 mile run, 2 laps around the town. I cannot believe I even had a thought not to go when I woke up Saturday morning! (It was cold and my bed was warm) It was such a fun morning, and it's always great to see family and meet new people!

Here's how the morning went down. 

Registration started at 7AM on a really cold day in July. It's like this story just got really old or something... I had to run in my sweatshirt, what the heck MN?

All of the previous Brat Trot t-shirts! 16 years of trotting!

4.2 miles 30:40 min:sec. Next years goal...less than 30 min!

~ Cousins ~
I look like I'm 10!

Yes that's right people I took an extra lap around the town as a Brat! Some random Stacyvillian snapped the picture below on her bike and my cousin found it on Instagram!  HA 

Breakfast Brats! 

A weiner eating a weiner!

Then we headed to my Aunt and Uncles house where all of this happened!

Vintage Trouble, check them out!

Making my niece a friendship bracelet for her birthday!

Conjoined cousins!

I am so glad I forced myself out of bed or I would have missed all of THIS!

L o V e

~ Rachel

Sunday Currently vol {14}

It has been a week full of birthdays and parties! I love summer! 

Currently I am outside enjoying our fall like weather we are having in July! Ugh could you get it together Minnesota? I had a much needed quick nap out in the sun, power naps can be so rejuvenating!

Reading: Verily magazine! It is a unique magazine with a real life perspective, not gossip, no anorexic models they are normal people, amd no advertisements clogging the pages, with a good variety of topics they discuss! I have never been one to read magazines but I read this one cover to cover!

Rejoicing: In this wonderful week we just had celebrating birthdays! 

Thinking: How great it would be if I only had to work every other week! Especially in the summer! That would be so nice!

Feeling: Incredibly Blessed with such a wonderful family! I don't know what I would do without them! 

It's a party every time we get together too! I love it!

Eating: Lots of fresh veggies yum! I've been trying to do more green drinks as well. They are actually not bad and I feel so much better when I start my day off so healthy!  

Listening: To the breeze! 

Smelling: the fresh cool air. Is it bad I kinda liked the cool weather? It's July though we should still be swimming!!!

Anticipating: My long weekend in Wisconsin with my best girl at the lake house! Only a couple more weeks!!!!

Enjoying the beautiful day!

Until next time! 

Linked up with Lauren and the sunday currently

Rachel 

Independence Day {2}

We really celebrated Independence day on the Saturday after the fourth with our annual Fourth of July party! Maggie arrived the night before in time for our party! I was so happy she could be there for it! We spent the day swimming, shooting, storytelling, holding sweet babies, drinking delicious sangria, eating yummy food, making new friends, playing bean bags, a little late night four wheeler ride;), fireworks of course thanks to one of the guys who came, and of course our traditional Cranium into the wee hours of the morning! It was an amazing and fun day with family and friends!     

MAGGIE and my niece! So sweet!

Hannah's waiting to get in the pool!

 I think we went through about six gallons of sangria!!! Wow I think it's safe to say that everyone liked it! 

Some of the cute little girls!

SURPRISE!

My cousin Molly came! She initially said that she wasn't going to be able to make it, but fortunately her plans changed and she surprised everyone and showed up! In style of course in her sweet Brat Trot mascot costume!

The guys in their element shooting! My cousin and I even hit a couple clay pigeons too! 

My nephew and Uncle gunman! As we have nicknamed him! Look at him standing there all CUTE with his hands on his hips, what a HAM!

Watching the fireworks!

I'm eating chips!

My beautiful Mom and cousin! It was deep late night conversation!

I think she likes babies=) 

Cousin love!

I can't wait for next year=)

God Bless America!

~Rachel

Happy Independence Day {1}

It feels as if I was in another time zone this past week, even though I didn't leave Minnesota! My sweet best friend for LIFE Maggie came to Minnesota for the week! I can hardly believe that it was her third year coming for a summer visit! I love traditions, especially when they are this fun! More to come on her visit later=)

First things first!

Independence day! Here are some shots from the day!

 My sisters delicious chicken quesadillas!

 My parents backyard is paradise in the summer! That's right a little piece of paradise in a small town most people have never heard of!

   God Bless America!
~Rachel