Now this is COLD!!

Given we lived in Michigan for so long you would think we are use to cold - and we are - but not this kind of cold!! Here is an idea of what our weather is like in january. Yes, it gets bitter. It's days like this we think maybe we should have moved to California! ha! So, yes it gets cold here but we still like living here!

Mall of America

 We live close to the Mall of America. Yes it is HUGE!! Our neighbors gave us the nicest gift at Christmas. They gave us wrist bands for our kids to use at Mall of America for unlimited rides for a day. It was so nice of them and our kids had a blast! We had fun meeting up with Matt and Camie's family.

 

 Camie and I were with the smaller kids while the older kids did the bigger scarier rides. This is one of Ethan's favorites!

We had fun meeting up with Alisa and one of her friends (Camie couldn't make it because Wyatt ended up really sick the night before!) to go bowling to celebrate Owen's birthday. It was fun and the kids loved it. Jane loved rolling the ball but had an equal amount of fun trying to cram food into Olivia's mouth!! It was funny!

Best Idea Ever

 So i found this idea on pinterest. Lucas LOVES to build and pretend to be a builder. So, I took some boxes and he nailed away at them. He loved it because he could use real nails and hammers but they went in pretty easy into the box. Kept the kids busy for a LONG LONG time!!

First Day of School!

 Well as much as some of my kids might have told me they didn't want to start school they were all very happy and excited kids on the first day of school and it has carried through the entire week! We have lucked out with good teachers all around. Yay!! And Lucas started kindergarten this year. He kept begging for me to put him in full day but I did not. I told him I'd be too sad without him!! So when he got off the bus today he said "Mom, i think you DID put me in full day kindergarten"
"Why?" I asked
"Because I was there for a full day"
"oh, did it feel long?" i asked
"Yes, it was a full day"
I thought that was pretty funny!

 Lucy - grade 4!

 Ethan Grade 3

 Lucy getting on the bus

 Ethan and his est friend sam

 Ethan getting on the bus

 Lucas - my sweet kindergartener

 Look at all these cute kids.Our street is full of kindergarteners. Her are the half day kids but several others on our street go full day. There are 8 kindergarteners total on our street!

 Lucas getting on the bus for the first time ever! He told me the bus was his favorite part of the day

 And here is my buddy for the next two years. She was really wanting to go to school today! She starts Joy School next week.

phone book anyone?

Really?! Who uses these? I wonder if it is really necessary that one of these is dropped off every 6-12 months! We had a whole pile of them when we first moved in and they continue to show up on our doorstep way too often. Andy seems to think we should hang onto them but let's be honest....when we want to look up a number do you reach for your phone book or you ipad?

Laundry done

House is clean

Kids in Bed (earlier than normal)

Backpacks ready

Clothes laid out

House is quiet

Endless paper work filled out

Chore charts hung

Ready for school to start!

look who moved to minnesota.....just for the summer!

We were happy to hear our nephew paul was coming to minnesota for the summer to work! What are the chances?!?! He was really busy with work and we hated to take away from any social time he might have so we didn't see him too often but we did manage to get him to our house for dinner several times. we loved having him here and the kids LOVED it too. Poor Paul got a work out every time he came with all the games the kids wanted to play with him.

After spending a fun weekend with my parents and Matt and Alisa's families we enjoyed having them for a couple of days in our house. What a special time it was to have them knowing it would be 3 years before our kids would see them again. Our parents made the "tour" to all 9 kids homes and yet when they were with us they made it seem as though we were the only family they were visiting. They didn't seem tired of all the traveling and in and out of different homes. They spent good quality time with the kids and with Andy and I in the evenings. It was so much fun to have them around!! And it was VERY VERY hard to hug them goodbye the morning they left. I still get a lump in my throat when I think about it. I do think I have the best parents ever (as I'm sure most feel about their own parents). They will be missed!!

 

 

 This picture cracks me up because well soemtimes (ok maybe a lot of times) my parents have computer problems. So, no fail while my dad was at our house his computer was acting funny and totally shut down. Here is Andy helping him out with his problems.

 I have to include these pictures because it seems my parents have been part of a lot of painting drama with me since I got married. When we bought our first house they were so sweet to come help paint for many days. We went back and forth to the paint store in search of the perfect color. Well as it turns out they were visiting our house several days before a painter was coming to do our main level. So, they once again got to get in on the drama of choosing the perfect color. I can't remember how many times we popped into the paint store for another sample while they were here!!

 

Grandma and Grandpa touring the country!

 Before mom and dad head to Mexico for their mission they have made the effort to visit all 9 kids and families in each of their homes. Given there are 3 of us who live in minnesota we got to spend a couple of days doing some group activities. This was our first stop - Fort Snelling! 

 

Go grandpa!! Here's dad trying to walk on stilts! Harder than it looks!

 Jane and Owen covering their ears when the soldiers were shooting guns