Saying goodbye to Heathcote...

We currently live in an idyllic neighborhood and I mean one that rivals Mayberry. We know every neighbor by their first name. We know their kids and the schools they attend. We know which dogs belong to whom. It is a neighborhood where both doors and hearts are wide open and everyone seems to find the time to simply connect. Often, Jay and I will be on a walk when a neighbor will push their front door wide open just to say, "hello!"

Needless to say, it is not going to be easy to say, "Goodbye".

This realization hit me a few weeks ago as our eldest daugther, Emmie (20), packed up her room at the end of her winter break. As Emmie placed her belongings into boxes, the memories of her childhood rushed to greet her. It is no surprise that there would be tears...Leaving something so special behind is hard.

Jay and I were waiting to bring her to the airport and heard her as she walked down the same stairs she had run down so many times as child, a teenager and now a young woman. I heard the familiar sound of her steps and then a big pause. She took a deep breath and as she turned the corner, the tears came. Jay and I wrapped our arms around her, in tears ourselves and tried to comfort her with the only words we could find, "we know sweetie, we know."

We have raised four children in this wonderful neighborhood full of families we love. Within seconds of opening the back door, Emmie could be eating pancakes with Katie at the Friedlander's kitchen counter or building a fort made out of sticks in their back yard. If she wasn't at the Fried's house, you could find her sitting by the fire at the Holden's, indulging in Ellie's home baked goods with Abbey. (And let's not forget her first kiss in the woods, otherwise known by the kids as "the village.”)

It won't be long before Jack (18), Miles (15) and Ruby (13) have to say their goodbyes, and Ruby has been pointing out an abundance of "lasts" for quite some time now; Mom, that was the last time I will walk over to Josie's house." I couldn't help but picture the thousands of times Ruby has walked or pedaled her way over to the Lacombe's.

For Jack and Miles it will be good-bye to our yard that served as a make-shift battle field for a pretend army, as well as a great snow mobile trail! They will miss the memories they created with Jack Holden, like the makeshift yard sale they held out of their red flyer wagon, halloween nights with Emmett and the rest of the neighborhood boys. The countless dips in the Holden's pool. They will all remember lunch bunch, bike rides on the trail, swimming at the Wyer's and night games with the entire neighborhood.

Needless to say, there was never a dull moment for any of the kids growing up, TOGETHER on Heathcote!

And, of all the things to miss, Jack will surely miss our driveway most of all!  Asphalt?  Yes! But, to a kid growing up loving the game of hockey, that driveway has served as the ice during the final game of the Stanley cup - with roaring crowds cheering him on as he scores the winning goal!

So many beautiful moments in our children's lives—I am so full of gratitude.  Next week, the rest of us will say our goodbyes and I'm sure there will be tears. But for now, I want to embrace the memories, the love and the affection we have had for this neighborhood and its families.

I want to say, THANK YOU, HEATHCOTE!!

Sixteen years ago, we arrived as a couple of twenty-somethings with then a small family. We were enamored with the 4th of July parades, the ice-cream socials and the 100% participation of the street lined Christmas luminaries. We found comfort in the daily sights and sounds of the neighborhood; dogs barking, kids biking, swinging, laughing. We were the youngest couple in the hood and you, our neighbors, unconditionally invited us, one by one, into your book club, ornament exchanges, tool exchanges (remember those?)...Your homes and your hearts. You showed us what good parenting looked like. You taught us how to "keep" a home and the true meaning of "neighbor!"

We have fallen madly in love with the beautiful families of Heathcote...And for this, we will be forever grateful. Thank You.

14 years ago, we built a white picket fence that spans the whole yard to keep our kids safe. Every year since, I have taken pictures of the kids in front of this fence...I'd say "get in front of the fence," and they would all moan and groan. Thankfully, they appeased their mom just one last time.

Wait! We bought a new house!?!?

Before we could sign on the dotted line, I needed to know what Jon Monson of Landschute thought of the home. I had so many questions to ask him; Could this home be restored or would he consider it a teardown? Was this a property that he would even be willing to take on? Could we get a new driveway that led right up to the front door?

Jon smiled—assuring me that this was a magnificent piece of property, and that it could absolutely be restored, and brought back to life! He acknowledged that the garage was going to be tricky, but I could see the wheels turning in his head, and trusted that he was the man for the job!

So, with Jon on board, Jay and I closed on Mona Bina with total confidence that it could and would be brought back to life!

The day of the closing was one of those rare Minnesota Spring days where temps reach into the 70′s. As soon as we got the keys, we headed straight to our new lake home. At every red light, grinning from ear to ear, we’d look at each other and say, “wait, did we just buy a new house?” I think we were still very much in shock! We pulled into the lot and eagerly walked up to the front door.

Jay put the key in and said, “ready?”

As we entered our new home, we were beckoned by the sun and the water to the best part of the house, the backyard. The water on Lake was calm and the Yacht club had the afternoon sailing team in full swing. The sailors drifted by in their 420′s and we could hear the kids giggling out on the lake—drifting across the water, it was sweet and songlike.

You know that feeling when you haven’t felt the sun in awhile? The way you lift your chin, and the warmth envelopes you? That’s what that day felt like. Joyful and warm, like the best dream you have ever had.

It’s a day I’ll never forget.

The House I Wasn't Looking For...

First, I love my current house! My neighborhood, my firends. I promised we’d live there forever.

I had no plans to EVER leave it. But just when I wasn't looking, I stumbled upon Mona Bina (Home For All.) Our friend,, Jennifer called to tell us about an historic lake home that had just gone on the market.

The details were that it had been bank owned for a few years, and needed A LOT of love. Being the curious houes lover I am, I convinced my husband that we should at least “take a look”.

When we pulled into the driveway, I was innediatley intrigued. The house reminded me of the home in the movie, "Father Of The Bride." Classic and charming—A favorite of mine.

As I turned the front door knob,I felt a feeling I will never forget. I had instant visions of myself turning that knob hundreds of thousands of times and shouting, "I'm home." I could even picture the groceries that I would carry in, and the table I’d set my keys on. It was surreal.

Once inside, I realized that this was a MAJOR renovation project, and I wasn't entirely sure I was up for the challenge..Until we stepped into the back yard.

Just like the visions I had at the front door, the backyard brought me to tears.I pictured my daughter, Emmie getting married, grandkids running around, and the quiet moments I’d share with Jay staring out at the lake.I kid you not—I saw it all. Crytal clear and real.

I looked up at Jay, and could tell that he knew— I was enamored with Mona Bina.

So, with very little warning, and completely trusting our instincts, we made an offer on a house we weren't even looking for.