What a wonderful time with had with our friends from Vienna, Austria who arrived to the states July 27 and just left to go back home August 15. You met Nora, the youngest in my Live Online Paper Crafting Class on August 2nd.

And then Laia, the oldest and their mom, Cristina joined me the following week in my next Live on August 9th.

But today I thought I’d share some photos of some of the fun we had together.

This photo was taken the second day they were with us as we were heading out to Anoka County Fair.

One of the highlights of the visit was a long weekend up north at my mom and dad’s cabin.

It’s a picturesque place to be.

But the hospitality and the food is also amazing. My parents really know how to make things feel like a home away from home.

The weather was perfect pretty much their whole time here in Minnesota. So spending time on the lake was a plus while we were at the cabin.

Cristina made homemade vegetarian lasagna in both a regular and a gluten-free version one evening. It was to die for!

I love this photo. Here are the kids all jammed into the truck ready to head into the small town of Marcell to shop and play at the park a bit.

And this photo I took the day we left. We were so sad to go.

Phil, Cristina, Laia and Nora also met my sister Renee one night when we all attended the Barbie movie. (Renee’s outfit was amazing, right?!)

Phil and I met in high school and reconnected on Facebook years ago. When I went to Vienna last November, I stayed with his family and I talked them into taking their summer vacation here in Minnesota so Phil could show his kids his old stomping grounds.

We met up with friends from our high school days at Rocky Rococo’s one evening.

And Phil, Cris, Laia and Nora took time to visit other friends and family as well.

One day we went to the Mall of America to shop, eat, and ride the amusement park rides at Nickelodeon Universe in the center of the MOA.

But we also got to see a couple other friends that met us there…Jamie and Blake.

America likes big things…big stores, big servings, and of course big vehicles. This photo was taken in front of a big truck on display at the Anoka County Fair.

Much of the fun of their stay was chatting about all the comparisons and taking pictures of all the “bigness.”

Speaking of bigness, here are the girls showing how they compared to Nick. This photo was taken the day the kids all went to Bunker Beach for the day.

Spending all these days with them pushed us to see things we either had never been to or hadn’t seen in a long time like The Red Barn, an amazing gift store just blocks from our house…

…and the outside walls of First Avenue, a night club where the performer/musician Prince used to secretly watched up-and-coming artists from a VIP spot overlooking the stage.

We really saw the sights of Minneapolis (and a bit of St. Paul) on the last two full days of their stay. Here is Phil sharing his exaggerated excitement at the Mill City Farmer’s Market.

On the last day we went to Minnehaha Falls.

Phil brought his camera and professional skills as a photographer and took photos of Nick who will be a senior this school year.

We ended our last evening enjoying the food and atmosphere at the Market of Malcolm Yards.

We miss them, but are looking ahead to see when we can visit them in Vienna some day. Yay!

After they departed we did all the laundry, cleaned up the house a bit, and prepared for our next guest. I will share more about Pyeonggang, our exchange student soon. He arrived Thursday evening.

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TIME TO REDEEM BONUS DAYS COUPONS!
It’s time to redeem those Bonus Days coupons you earned in July. Be sure to redeem them on an order between August 1 – 31! Click here for more details. Click here to shop online.

KITS SALE!!
All kits in the Kits Collection line are now on sale up to 30% off through the month of August. Click here for more details. Click this link to shop and save!

KITS COLLECTION: FESTIVE TAGS KIT ADDED
’Tis the season to start your holiday crafting! It’s so simple with this all-inclusive kit. Adhere the die cuts and embellishments, then tie the tag to a gift with a twine bow. You’ll have handmade tags in minutes! This new kit is part of the Kits Collection and is now available. Click here and scroll down for more details.

A PEEK AT SEPTEMBER’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT
The With Love & Gratitude Paper Pumpkin Kit offers the perfect way to give thanks to the special people in your life. The kit design is an elegant representation of the blessings of autumn and the gratitude that comes along with the season. Inspired by Shelli Gardner, the combination of graceful pumpkin designs and elegant colors, plus specialty gold foil embellishments make this kit a stand-out offering! The kit includes eight treat packages (3-1/2″ x 5″ x 2″) and eight miniature note cards (3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″) with matching envelopes. Whether you’re needing a hostess gift, a sweet surprise for dinner guests, or have another reason to give love and thanks, this kit has you covered. Plus, don’t miss the Thoughts of Thanks Journal sold separately (item #163270 available 8/11/23 while supplies last)! It matches both the design and intent of the kit, giving you an even more personal way to document and express your gratitude.
Coordinating Stampin’ Up! colors: Copper Clay, Crumb Cake, gold foil, Lost Lagoon (ink color), Mossy Meadow, Pebbled Path
If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by September 10th for this next kit.

ALL STAR VIDEO CLASSES
I’m a designer with the All Stars, a group of globally recognized Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. And we are excited to share exclusively with our customers, paper crafting friends & team members our August 2023 Bright & Beautiful Suite Video Class Bundle which is now available. CLICK HERE for more information. Click here to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to see others that have been offered. The next one featuring the Zoo Crew Suite from the 2023-24 Annual Catalog will be available September 1st.

US BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALES TAX HOLIDAY
Thirteen states and Puerto Rico are offering a sales tax holiday for school supplies during the months of July, August, or September. Products that are eligible according to the statute include “items normally used by students in a standard classroom for educational purposes.” To see the names of participating states, products exempted from tax, and sales tax holiday dates 2023 Tax Holiday spreadsheet here. If you want to get in on the tax holiday, you must place your order with Stampin’ Up! during the tax holiday period in order to receive these items tax-free (which is midnight on the first day to midnight on the last day of the tax holiday). Also, keep in mind that this is a state sales tax holiday; the state statute may not apply to county, city, and special jurisdiction taxes.