We love being back in southern Minnesota, our home base.  This is where most of our family and friends live.  It is where Dave and I grew up and later met.  Because we have so many friends and family here, we keep busy!!!

We are parked at Sawmill Campground, a hop, skip and a jump from the truck stop that Jo worked at starting at age 15, for 6 years.

We’ve enjoyed hosting family and friends to the campground, throughout our time here.  Visitors included Steve and Alice, Angie and Dave, Beth and Lucas.

One Sunday we went to the parade in LeSueur to watch Cameron perform with Stix of Fury.

A few days later, we pulled up stakes temporarily, to take Jo’s granddaughters out for a night in the trailer.  The campground in Owatonna had more to offer for entertainment.

River View Campground

I think everyone had a great time.

Saturday. August 11 was a big day.  Because we got married alone, we decided to hold a wedding reception for our family and close friends.  It was a simple affair held at the American Legion in St. Peter.  Most of the guests were from southern Minnesota but we extended the invitation to other family members who live farther away.  We didn’t expect the long-distance folks to show up and knew we would miss them.

We were in for several surprises. Dave’s brother and his wife, Dean and Karen, came from Fargo, North Dakota.  Jo’s son Nate and his girlfriend Kate announced they were coming from Seattle, Washington.  Jo was in tears when she found out they would be coming.  The night of the party, we were surprised by Dave’s sister Jane, her boyfriend Tom and our friends Lanna and Joel from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Below are pictures from the night.  We were blessed to have Dave’s dad, all of our siblings, all of our children, all of our grandchildren and many of our good friends come out to help us celebrate our marriage.

Some of the pics are near duplicates and I positively hate some of the photos where I am laughing, but then, I am laughing because I am so happy!

Dave had a mole removed the day before our party.  It was just a little Mickey Mouse situation.

Our wedding cake, says it all.

Me with Dave and his brothers and sister.  Scott, Dean, Jo, Dave and Jane.

We added Dave’s Dad Les to the group.

More Petersons.  Scott’s wife Linda, Dean’s wife Karen and Jane’s boyfriend Tom joined in.

Additions this time were Dave’s daughter Beth, her husband Aaron and their son Lucas, Dave’s son Mike and his girlfriend Bridget.

Mississippi friends Lanna and Joel were added to the mix.  Lanna took the first one!

Lanna, Jo, Dave and Joel.

We love our friends!!

Jane and Dad

My brother Steve and my kids, Kate, Nate, Teresa and Angie,

Grandchildren and friend Ree.  Ree, Kyle me, Sierra, Cameron, Allison.

My brother Kent and I.

Our friend Kelly.

Friends Jim, Kelly, Randy and Julie.

The Mississippi group, Joel, Lanna, Jane and Tom.

A few days later, we helped Mike celebrate his 30th birthday.  The Twins won!

Tony Oliva taking photos with fans.

We went to the Steele County Fair to watch Cameron in Stix of Fury again.  We tried, unsuccessfully to find friends Deb and Glen in the cattle barns.  Cameron was off with friends before her performance but Dave and I were entertained by Kody and Allison.  I went on some rides with each of them.  Dave went on some additional rides with Allison.  He was the only adult in the group brave enough for some of the rides.

Jo had another (hopefully last) surgery on August 20th.  Dave came home with flowers to make me feel better, a couple of days later.

It was the two younger boys turn for an overnight in the trailer on August 30.  Because it was such a great place, we took them to Owatonna, to the same campground we had taken the girls.  To say this was a success would be putting it mildly.

We went to another Twins game, this time with Kent and Dianne.  We won again!

Jo had a girl’s night out with her daughters.  This is supposed to happen at least once a year but we have missed the last couple.  Wow, did we have fun, even though I forgot to stop and buy the Papa Murphy’s pizza!  Part of the evening was going to watch Cameron in her last performance of the year.

We replaced our wheel cover that blew away earlier this year.  I think Dave did a great job designing it!

On a Thursday evening we met my brother Galen and his wife Darlene and enjoyed an evening out.  We stopped at U4ic brewery in Blakesly for a taste of the local brew and then headed to Clancy’s in Jordan for a pizza and burgers.  I left my phone in my pocket so don’t have any pictures, but enjoyed a fun evening.

Dave’s grandson Lucas will turn one year old right after we leave.  Beth and Aaron held his birthday party a little early.

I think he liked the cake!

The wagon was a success!

The weather is getting colder and reservations have been made.  On Monday September 24, we will start heading south toward Mississippi, with some sightseeing along the way.