Lilia Mae

So glad that she isn't struggling to breathe any more, but so hard and sad to imagine Aunt Lilia not with us. We were supposed to have a surprise birthday party for her in Arizona, but it was not to be. Instead family and friends gathered to celebrate the life of the one-of-a-kind Lilia Mae. What a wonderful tribute that so many people stood up and shared their fun stories and favorite memories of this extraordinary woman. 

Neat to think that she's the reason the Peterson family exists as it is. Aunt Lilia and Uncle Ed met in Virginia Beach, VA. They married and moved to Virginia, MN. When Ginia-mom went to visit her sister Lilia on the Iron Range, that's when she met Papa Stan. Ta-da! The Peterson Family!

Peterson Family

Brekke Family

Aunt Lilia had the warmest, most welcoming personality and she kept us all on our toes with her jokes and pranks.  A couple stories that stick in my memory...

• I had the opportunity to go stay for a week with Aunt Lilia & Uncle Ed as I was going into the seventh grade. It was a BIG deal for this country girl to go stay in to the Big City. Lilia took me shopping (I was totally overwhelmed), I got to eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast (never got to have sugary cereal at home), and Grant/Dede took me to Valley Fair. One night, when I asked what we were having for dinner, Lilia told me it was opossum. Saying something like they are common around here & Ed caught it. She was very serious & stuck to her story even when I questioned her a bit. Growing up vegetarian, I was kind of clueless when it came to meat, so I just ate it. It was good - tasted like chicken - which looking back, I'm sure it was. 
•  When I was pregnant with Campbell, Gabe and I went on a Babymoon to Arizona. We stopped to see Lilia for a couple days. She was excited for me and told me 'there's nothing like your first' (baby). At the time, I thought it was kind of strange, but now I know what she meant that I have a couple of kids of my own. Going through pregnancy, labor/delivery, newborn parenting for the very first time....it's something you just have to experience!
• When Campbell & I went to visit this past January, she hid around the corner, jumped out and scared the daylights out of Campbell. Even though she was hooked up to her oxygen, she didn't let that stop her from playing a good prank.

Aunt Lilia was an amazing person and forever young at heart. A wonderful role model with her fun loving spirit and great personality. She is sorely missed.

Obituary Published in Star Tribune on October 19, 2011

Lilia Mae (Sherrill) Brekke

Brekke, Lilia Mae (Sherrill) Died September 14, 2011, in Scottsdale, Arizona. At her request, no service will be held but a celebration of Lilia's life will be held on October 29, 2011 in Rio Verde, Arizona. Lilia was born November 2, 1925, in Andrews, North Carolina, to Edward & Florence Sherrill. She would be very upset with her kids knowing that we just gave away her actual age (a fact she held close to her heart) as she claimed to be only 29 for most of her life. During World War II, Lilia worked as a civilian employee for the Women's Army Corps and played for the WAC's basketball team in Virginia Beach, Virginia. While there, she met and eventually married Edward Brekke from Virginia, Minnesota. Ed and Lilia lived for 34 years in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area and 11 years in Orchard Park, New York. In 1989 they moved to Rio Verde, Arizona for their retirement. Lilia was an avid golfer and excellent Bridge player. She was very competitive in all her sporting endeavours and excelled in all of them. Lilia was the 6th born into a family of 8 kids and is now survived by two of her sisters, Jane Fuson and Virginia Peterson; 3 sons, Edward (Lourdes), Gary (Laura), Grant (Dede) and her daughter, Sherrill (Tom Bugbee). She is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She had many other relatives and good friends of all ages scattered around the country who will miss her kindness and warmth. Donations, in Lilia's name, may be sent to American Lung Association .

Blake-isms

A couple random ones from Blake:

• Calling out after I put him to bed: "Ma! You cover me? I not cozy yet Ma, I not cozy yet! You cover my toes?"
• I have flashes of what he's going to sound like as a teenager when he says:  'Ok Ma!' or 'Ok, ok, ok, Ma!' when I'm telling him to do something. 
• As he's procrastinating bedtime, he said: 'I weally miss my friend. He name Lane.'

Moving

Moving in!

Bringing in the TV. Grant & Dede brought a truck load of stuff from their house.

Here comes the moving van & thank goodness for movers! And for Deb & Paul who came down for the weekend to help out.

Toy room! Kids super excited to see these toys again because they've been packed in storage for a long time.

  

Unpacking kitchen, 1st priority!

  

 

Top 3 signs that we don't live in the city anymore:
     3) Smells like manure when the wind blows right.
     2) Followed a huge tractor on the highway.
     1) Literally just heard a cow 'moo'.

Closing up the Cabin

We paneled and closed up the cabin for the winter. I'm amazed at how much we got done this year.

On Friday, someone from Gabe's dentist's office called and said they had a pie for him. They pick a patient they enjoy each month & give him/her a treat. We named it the 'Good Guy Pie'. Seems like perhaps they are trying to create more business from fillings?!?!

Panel, panel, panel. Jim came to help for the entire long weekend and my parents watched the kids the whole time, so we made great progress.

Paneling the main level bathroom in cedar. Amazing how much softer and thus easier cedar is to work with than the birch that is everywhere else in the cabin.

Finishing up the hallway.

The amazing shrinking pile. At the beginning of the season, this pile was chest high and about 4 times as wide. Plus huge other piles in the screen porch, dining room, and bathroom.  Gabe estimates we put up about 4000 board feet this season. That's a lot of wood! I remember thinking in May that there was no end in sight to the paneling and we'd never get it done. But, because of Jim's hard work and my parent's babysitting, we did it!

Random cute quote from Campbell. As we were driving back to the Cities with the car completely packed full of stuff, Campbell said: "There's so much stuff in the car. It's all stuffed up!"

Blake and Campbell -isms

Some things that Blake has said lately:

• Blake wanted Gabe to go get his blankie & paci for him and Gabe said 'No'. So Blake (learning from Granty Baby) tried his hand at reverse psychology by saying, 'Don't get my blankie & paci!'

• He's so considerate, which I just love! 
• Me: How's the pizza, Blake? Good? Blake: How's sandwich, Mama? Good?
• Blake kind of got his thumb stuck in the door and I was trying afterward to close the door & Blake said: Be careful, Mama! You no get thumb stuck door, Mama!

• Putting the kids to bed & Blake said: Big day! Go concert, Go park! Big day!

• Gabe was doing This Little Piggy Went to Market with Blake and Blake interrupted and said: This little piggy leave me alone!

• Often says: 'No, do it mine self!' Or "Me do it can't" or "No me can!" when he really means he 'can't do it'. Love how the language develops - so interesting!

• I was driving fine and Blake all of a sudden told me: Mama, you not great driver. Me: Who is a great driver (totally setting myself up). Blake: Daddy is.

• Driving home from ECFE, I was signing the goodbye song. Blake: No! We say goodbye at school!

• 'Here my tiger, I lookin' for this.'

• Blake was hammering and asked Campbell, 'That look like good?'

• Before bed, Blake was being Mr. Contrary. Me: Time to take a bath. Blake: No bath. Me: Time to get out of the bath. Blake: No out bath. Me: Time to get on your diaper. Blake: No diaper. Me: Time to get on your PJ's. Blake: No PJ's. Then we get into his room and he says in his sweetest voice, 'Rock me, Mama. I love you, Mama.' 

• Campbell said that she wanted a My Little Pony bed when she gets a big girl bed. Blake said, 'No, I want big pony bed.'

• I doin' great job. 

• About to leave Blake with a babysitter. Blake: I not like it you leave. You stay here a while, Mama?

•  After GG left for college Blake really missed him and kept asking questions about it like: Where GG go? What college?

• Blake playing with Superman and talking to himself: "Bad guy. Scraped house! Sword him! Is Superman helping you? Go get hero to help!"

• I put on a bathrobe before I went to get Blake in his crib, which I hadn't done in a long time. Walked into Blake's room & he said: I don't like you in that. I don't like it!

Some things that Campbell has said lately: 

• Taking to Campbell about what outfit to wear to school and after we figured it out she said, "That's school-rific!"

• Gabe and I were talking about building a house on a lake. Campbell chimes in, "We are not building a house on a lake!" Us: Why not? Campbell in all seriousness: 'Cuz it wouldn't float!

• Campbell out of the blue: After Blake is done with diapers, let's get another baby.

• Campbell: Why can God see us, but we can't see him?

• Campbell: Mama, do dreams come true? Me: Yes, they can. Campbell gets upset and asks, "Even bad ones?"

• Kids were rolling down a hill at a park & Campbell said: I'll show you the true spirit of rolling!

A mom (of 5!) who I've been in several ECFE classes with told me this one today: "You make kids with big personalities." I hadn't thought of it in that way. But interesting.

Campbell's 4 Year Stats

Campbell had her 4 year check up. Still can't believe she's 4!

Weight: 43.75 lbs /92%

Height: 43 inches/95%

A new one this time....instead of head size, they start taking blood pressure: 88/62. 

Gained almost exactly 4 pounds and 4 inches from last year....must be something about being 4!

Preschool Pro

Campbell was very excited about going back to school. Many of her friends from last year are in the class again this year. But with 20 kids this year, she'll get to make new friends too. When we got to school, she chatted it up with her friend, V, before class, while Blake was trying to chime in. Then she bolted into the room as soon as the door opened. What a difference for me this year. I was so sad and nervous to leave my baby alone, but this year it was familiar and exciting.

Strike a pose, you preschool pro! I have no idea where this posing thing came from, I swear!