Coming home. It's been literally years since I last posted on here. in fact, I wasn't sure if I even remembered the name of my webpage, my password, or anything....but, it looks like things are still intact and the #jag7 is still in the cyber abyss.  So, you will have to bear with me as I re-learn how to blog, how to fix my beautiful homepage ;) and spend time on this again when it allows. But most importantly, writing and getting back to something along this avenue has been calling to me. And don't worry, if you followed me before, you can unfollow me if you aren't feeling the same calling to read anything I write, lol!

I've loved journaling since I was a kid, and I still love looking back and reading things and remembering how far life has changed, but also stayed the same. I love remembering the people who were in my life back then, now and seeing how lives have turned out so far. Blogging then became that next outlet for me, and it was perfect with the stories of our young family and our adoption process and meeting some amazing other people through it. Then facebook came and took on a life of its own and with the five kids, I think that became a quicker bandaid and solution...although, you will find many of my Facebook and Instagram posts are pretty longwinded, lol! I find myself scrolling through the timeline on FB to see when things happened because I have the worst memory and I just miss the order and neatness of this.

I guess I also feel like this is a point in my life that I have more that I want to share too. I have always felt that when I am open and authentic, it helps others and  I want to share and be open with the good and the bad of my autoimmune diseases constantly try and weigh me down. Sometimes they get the best of me, and sometimes they don't....I've mentioned in a previous post about my #alopecia . Some smaller, but annoying IBS gut stuff and Raynauds, and then the big mother fucker, Multiple Sclerosis, which I was diagnosed with a handful of years ago I think officially, but I haven't accepted it until the recent years (off and on).

*sidenote:Yep. I swore. Yes, I still believe in Jesus. I don't swear often but when I do, it's for effect or it means something big, but not all the time. I tried to teach my kids that there are so many words out there that they don't need to use the ugly ones, the ones that offend many and are considered swear words unless they really are needed in that part of the sentence. Why even use them? But my kids are now 14-20, so they have their own minds now and I can't control how they talk when I'm not around or even when I am, ugh.  So...there's my long sidetone,  I believe I needed it there for more than one reason*

So....this blog will be about this new season of life. 45years old now. 3 kids still at home with us. 2 off at college. Shop owner for me Flicka. Pastor for Daron at Alive Covenant Church. Multiple Sclerosis trying to kick my butt, but I am not letting it.  I will catch you all up in the next one, but many of my symptoms have gotten better after eating better and trying to eat as clean, organic, and GMO free as I can. There is lots more....but I need to get to work and I had to start somewhere!

A Month in Review

Well, I have gotten very bad at keeping up here, but there is still so much that I want to document, so that when I look back at these blog posts, I can remember all that we did as a family.

At the beginning of February, we celebrated the Jag 7 two year anniversary! It was two years ago, on February 6, that my mom and I brought Fia and Kwame home from Ghana to join our family forever.  The time went quickly and at the same time it feels like they have always been a part of our lives. We are so fortunate to have them in our lives and all our kids are such blessings individually and together.  They LOVE each other so much, and I am proud of that. To celebrate this year, we had a Super Bowl Party! ;) I felt bad at first that it was the same day, but then I realized that there is nothing more that our family would like than to hang out with friends and family! So, it actually was really fun and special.  We also asked Fia and Kwame what they would like for a special breakfast and they chose Swedish pancakes (too bad I don't have any Ghanaian pancake recipes!).  We also gave them each a soccer ball that we had been saving from when we were in Ghana.  They were so excited to have their own and they couldn't wait to go and play with them.  



 

Love the slogans on all things 'Ghana'!

Later in the month, Mary and Maynad (Grandma and Grandpa Farm) came to visit from MN.  It is always a highlight for our family to have them come and visit.  This time they stayed at a hotel for the first couple nights for the kids to be able to take turns sleeping over, use the pool, and take part in the extravagent buffets that they have at this casino/hotel.  The kids loved it (and so did we)! We also got to take them to Greta's soccer game, Justus's basketball game, marimba practice, a OneStepIn project for church, and take part in a romantic(haha) Valentine's Day dinner(king crab legs) at our house.  One highlight for me was that they took us to a chinese restaurant.  I don't know the last time that I had been to chinese and I don't think the kids ever had, so it was so much fun for us all to practice eating with the chopsticks together, as well as try out some great new food.  Basically, they spoiled us with things we don't always get to do, so I was thankful.  Daron and Maynard also took care of some of our odds and end projects that needed to be done, so the house looks SO much better with the upgrades.



Looks like they had fun at the movies!



How lucky to have both sets of grandparents together in one place!



Ella, pretending she is a OLD! :) Cracks me up!



 These wonderful ladies came one morning, instead of us doing our Bible study, to help me clean out my garage.  It was AMAZING how fast we got it organized and straightened up so I could (for the FIRST in 4 years)get our car in the garage.  Very impressive! And, I have to say that three weeks later, the car is still in the garage! :)

 Last week, I took Greta for her bi-yearly check-up into the Children's Hospital to see how her growth plate was healing in her elbow area. Well, we had GREAT news.  They said that it looks totally normal now and we don't have to come back any longer.  When this happened, two years ago, they said she would have to come back every 6 months until she stopped growning and then she would need surgery.  Well, it's HEALED and we are thrilled.  The only problem...Greta and I were liking our guilt free trips that we had to go into the city for...we might have to keep it going to celebrate.

 We also got to throw a surprise party for my niece's birthday.  The cousins had so much fun and I think she was excited after the initial bewilderment of the surprise.  She didn't realize that all the questions about her favorite food and dessert were for this.  Super fun! And no, the adults didn't eat the mac n cheese, we got some delicious sliders that Brad made(right Dad?)!

 Overall, we had a fantastic month, full of family and fun.  Coming up this month....Alive Covenant Church is celebrating our 5th anniversary this Sunday! I am so excited.  If you live in the area and have ever wanted to check it out, this is the Sunday to do it.  4:56pm at the Sons of Norway!

Post-Bedtime Snowextravaganza

Let me start out this post reminding you all that we live in the Pacific Northwest, so when snow comes, it is usually gone the next day, so you have got to take advantage of it if you want to play in it.

The other thing about living in the Pacific Northwest, is that you realize that many people freak out about snow here. Like *go stock up on groceries if 1 inch of snow is in the forecast* kind of freak out. Not everyone does that, my friends are tough! :) Well, to add to the everyday freak-outers, the news has been having a heyday with this storm prediction for the last couple of days. They said snow would come today around 4pm and then rain in the morning with 40degree temps. Well, 4pm came and went and no snow(even though many school districts had already cancelled all after school events)!

We ended up putting the kids to bed and then POW!, it was crazy snowing within the hour. So, after I was done cleaning up the kitchen and it looked like at least 2 inches outside, I said to Daron that we should wake the kids up and go for a walk and play in the snow. He agreed and we surprised the kids. All but Justus thought it was a great idea. Justus was confused and said he was tired. Ha! He just kept saying, "I don't get it... why?" I told him I thought it would be a fun memory and the snow might be gone by morning. He finally agreed! :)

The kids loved it! We spent about 30 minutes sledding on the hill(road-haha!) near us, then went back and made a gigantic snowman! The kids loved it and kept saying thank you. It was so cute! Hopefully we will still have snow in the morning, but if not, they got to enjoy this time together....and, they may have part of a snowman to show for it in the morning!

The Farm: Summer Roadtrip Part 3

A very special time of our trip was going to the farm in Minnesota where Daron grew up and his parents still live. This farm has been in the family for over a century and now his sister, Sarah, is starting to work alongside her father to take over the farm eventually. I am truly amazed by her and it was so fun to go and be there with all of them for a week!

This picture cracked me up. As soon as we almost got to the farm, the little ones started plugging their noses! Unfortunately, a large pig farm opened up near the Jag farm, so depending on the wind and the heat, you get a pretty awful stench. It literally stinks, because all you want to do on the farm as a kid is be outside and now the pigs have moved in! Luckily, after a day or so, you get used to it.

There are four girl grandchildren on this side and four boys so far. Granted, five are our kids, but who's counting(except for me)? The littlest one is cousin Ida and she is Sarah and Brooks' daughter. She is such a sweetheart and the kids all LOVED playing together. It won't be long though until her brother and sister arrives and she will have a permanent playmate on the farm.

It can't be all play on the farm, so there was definitely work involved, and the kids loved hanging out with Grandpa and Grandma while they worked in the barn or the garden. Justus even got to drive the tractor by himself for the first time. He is getting so big!

Three generations of Jag men in the barn working...

The other kids all loved getting to help grandma in the garden. They LOVED it!


Isn't Ida just so precious?? I kept trying to get her to warm up to me, but she was more interested in the kids for sure! I love this little girl!

We also got a special treat in having one of my besties come and visit us at the farm. She hadn't met Fia and Kwame yet, so it was really special to me to have her come and spend time with them and us. She is the best. Love you Kristina!

With all of the 10,000 lakes in MN, we only made it to two this trip. The kids loved their time at the water either kayaking, swimming, tubing, and Daron even got to water ski. It was a fantastic and the weather was fabulous for being outside.

Greta couldn't help but love on her cousin every chance she could get!

Ella loved getting any special time with Sarah. She also got her to go play volleyball with her a bit and give her some pointers, as that is what Ella says she wants to do next in the sports world.

We had two celebrations at the farm when we were there. One was Mary and Maynard's anniversary, and the kids and grandkids treated them to a 'fancy' surf and turf dinner of shrimp scampi and steaks. The kids served them with handmade place mats and menus. They did an adorable job and I think Grandpa and Grandma liked it too.

The other celebration we had was for Justus's birthday, so we had all the second cousins in the area come over too. The kids had a great time and Justus got his favorite, a dirt cake, for his dessert.

Another fun thing we got to do was spend time with Grandma B., Mary's mom. She only lives a few minutes away, so we got to play some games of UNO Moo and SkipBo. Can you believe Ella in the picture below?? What nerve to do that to your sweet and unsuspecting great grandma!! ;)

All the boys on the farm got to go to the Twins game in the cities one day. They had a blast together and it was one of the highlights for Daron and Justus to go to the new stadium.

Justus, Grandpa, Uncle Brooks, Uncle Mark, and Daron: we really lucked out with these Uncles for our kids-they truly love our kids and are great role models (most of the time-I don't want them to get too big a head if they read this).

The rest of the trip, we just played with our favorite Doctor, Aunt Kathy, and continued to have more water fun. It was such an amazing time and special for the kids to spend so much time at the farm and with most of the Jagodzinske family that is around. Thanks also to Aunt Char for opening up their home to us too-we loved every minute we got to spend with her family too.

Viking Fest!!

Awww....Viking Fest! I love you, but you always leave me tired! V-Fest is always such a fun-filled, jam-packed weekend that has us running around watching Norwegian dancing & marimba performances, parades, races, and if the kids are lucky, going on the rides. This weekend was no exception and it has taken me a full week to recover to write about it-ha! Anyway....here are some(scratch that) ALOT of our favorite moments in pictures.

....AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!