So anyway.....

....we are still alive and kicking, just haven't felt the blogging bug. So for the select few who care, here is a condensed version of what we have been up to lately.

Courtney's 34th birthday! We went to the Wagon Wheel Cafe for breakfast and stepped back in time about 20 years. We then wandered and explored the Red Jacket Trail for a while and for dinner (or supper for you locals) we tried the Kaiserhoff in New Ulm. Oh, how we love you spaetzle. We then had our own little birthday party at home with bowling, ring toss and zebra cakes. We love Courtney!

We also explored a little park in the middle of nowhere called the Rush River Valley Park. It was so pretty with this little river and sandy warm banks. The kids loved the sand and all of the random logs to crawl on. There were also tons of ladybugs. They swarmed us and the car. We took about 5 home with us.

We were so lucky to have my mom come and visit us!! We loved having her here even though the kids gave her their colds. I just realized we didn't take any pictures while she was here. She was also nice enough to stay with the kids for a few days while Court and I went to visit
James and Wynn in Portland, ME. We could have stayed forever visiting all of the bakery's, cool restaurants, bookstores, beaches, lighthouses, state parks, ect, ect. I think we would go and live with them for a while if they would let us. (how about it guys? we could all fit!) We then drove up through New Hampshire to Montpelier, Vt were Court met his old BYU professors for some consulting work. Vermont was so quaint and the towns were tiny, but we might go live in Burlington too.



We then were blessed with more visitors because Dennis and Linda made the drive out in their new sporty car. I guess they wanted to see how it would handle an 18 hr. drive. It was so nice to have them here and we had fun exploring Mankato a little. We also had a tasty thanksgiving dinner with them before they had to leave. Court made us some scrumptious pies.



The Friday after thanksgiving we found a tree farm and cut ourselves a little Christmas tree. It is by far the best looking tree we have ever had. It looks fake it is so perfect. We had fun looking for it in the great big forest....or a field on the flat prairie.

So anyway that is our life so far. We had our first real snow the other day accompanied by freezing cold air. I walked Avery to the bus stop last week at 5 degrees and it hasn't broken 25 all week. Oh well, we knew it had to happen sometime.

Here are also some random pictures of Wilson. He seems to get the most camera time these days. Or should I say "woo-woo" as he calls himself. Lately he discovered the backpack Avery used to love when she was little, markers, and my mascara. We still think he is so sweet.

Its us in cartoon

Happy Happy

This a happy happy post. One happy for happy Halloween and one for Happy 2nd birthday to our Wilson boy. The girls and I were Spanish Dancers with real dresses from Spain (thanks to Nana and Pop-pop), and Wilson was a Choo-choo driver. I knew he wouldn't wear any real costume, so I found some hand me down stripped overalls and a red bandanna and called it good. He was pretty amazed at all of the candy and has been crying for it ever since. He even said 'no mo candy' to me the other day when I picked some sticky piece off the floor. I guess he has heard that phrase a lot lately.
Wilson had a very exciting birthday with a brand new dump truck and little truck trailer. He also really wanted a dump truck cake, but with Court being out of town until sunday night, there wasn't much time to make one. I liked the one that Court made, but he will be very angry when he sees I posted a picture of it. He just didn't have enough time to make it what he wanted it to be. We had a little family party with pin the tail on the donkey and musical pillows. The girls thought it was the greatest. Wilson just played with his new trucks most of the time. This birthday definitely felt different. We are so used to birthday's being major family affairs and we missed all of you, but we did enjoy our little home grown party.

MEA Weekend

I'm sorry that this blog is turning into the Stewart Minnesota travel log. I will try to post some pictures of our daily life. We did have a fun couple days off for our MEA break. It was rainy most days, but we did see some blessed SUN on Saturday. On friday we hit the Minnesota Children's Museum which was really good. A worker guy told us it was really crowded, but we thought it was just right. I guess we are just used to the crazy children's muesum in SLC. They had lots of fun rooms and our favorite was the earth room with the beaver, ant and woodchuck tunnels. Wilson got scared of the big ants in the tunnels and refused to go in any dark spots after that. A funny kid who loves to be tough, but can also scare easy. On the way up to the cities, we stopped at Jim's apple and candy stand. I have never seen so much candy in one spot in my life. The kids were in heaven and it took them forever to pick one thing to buy. I really wanted the candy cigarettes, (anyone else love those as a kid?) but settled for the black licorice flavored mentos. They were very interesting. Court got a chewy apple taffy with salty peanut butter in the middle. Another interesting choice. We had a good time.
The beaver family


On saturday, we went to the Rapidan State park along the Blue Earth River. It was so pretty with the last colored leaves hanging on the trees. We also visited the 'Dam Store' by the Rapidan Dam. It lived up to its reputation and really had the best 'dam' pie. We heard the malts are good too. If you come and visit us we will take you there.

Kasota Prairie

So, it has been raining here for the past week. It will stop for a little while in the morning and then, wham....rain again. It is strange for me to hear thunder all day long. We did have one nice day last week and so we discovered the Kasota Prairie Reserve. We are used to trees, ravines and corn/soybean fields and so it was cool to see a real prairie. We had a good time throwing rocks in the lake and eating our picnic dinner.






And here is one of Wilson looking so old. His new favorite phrases are "O-tay" when ever you ask him to do something and "Hey-eeeee" when ever something happens he doesn't like. He still keeps us on our toes all day long.



Had to put this in too. Hilarious Halloween Video we made of our family.

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Macey's First

Macey also had her first day of preschool last week. We did a neighborhood preschool last year, but this was her first day of real, out of the house school. She was so excited and as she rushed into the room I had to plead with her to come and tell me good-bye. Macey is pretty fear-less and has loved every day so far. It was a little strange to be with just Wilson for a whole two and half hours (well, he sleeps for good part of it), but very nice. He is so sweet these days and talking up a storm.


But, poor guy, this is how he spends his afternoons when Avery gets home from school and the girls go into their room to play. They run down the hall screaming and then shut the door. He then throws himself on the ground and cries "sis-see" over and over. Poor buddy and so after a while I make them let him in. He just loves to be with them and loves to take their hands to go to his room and play "choo-choos". I am glad they oblige him once in a while.

Yeah for 1st grade

Avery started 1st grade this Thursday. I am not sure why we started so late in the week, but it is nice to have her home again so soon. I guess this now gives us the weekend to gear up for a full week ahead. She did great and really liked her teacher and classroom. She was nervous about being the new kid, but her teacher told us that there were 6 other new kids too. I was kind of a mom stalker and hid in the hallway after I dropped her off and watched for a little while. I am mourning some for the good old days of hanging around and not having anything to do. A routine is welcome, but it was just so nice for us all to be together all day long. I am just having to grow up a little here. It is the all day that seems so long and I really miss her. Macey had a rough two days and just moped around the house and complained about not having anything to do. She said she didn't want to play with Wilson because he is a boy and only wants to play with trucks. So instead of playing they just wrestle and scream all day long. I am hoping they will work it out and learn to play. Macey used to play great on her own, but just hasn't had to for a while because Avery refused to let her. I am sure we will all get used to having our sweet first grader gone all day.






We also visited Mineopa falls (more like a trickle) labor day weekend.

We had a good time walking to the bottom and throwing rocks in the stagnant water. I am sure this spring it should flow a little faster. Nice to see a little elevation around here.

Fun on a Stick

This last week we just had to visit the Minnesota State fair. It was all it was rumored to be and more. We were amazed at all of the people, tractors and many, many different foods (all deep fried and put on a stick). A small sample of the smorgasbord that could be had-- mac-n-cheese on stick, pickle on a stick, foot long corn dogs, elephant ears(huge scone type things), spaghetti on a stick, bucket of cookies, bucket of fried cheese curds, roasted corn, fried turkey legs on a stick......the list could go on and on. Court and I just kept singing the smorgasbord song from Charlotte's Web over and over because that was exactly what it felt like. Of course we had to sample a few. We tried some corn dogs and the 'worlds best french fries' (good but not the best). We also had roasted corn, my favorite and a fried milky way on a stick which was Court's favorite. The kids loved all of the food, animals and tractors too. We were having a good time but then Court found the 'all you could drink milk for a dollar stand' and it may have turned into his best day ever. He just couldn't get enough of that chocolate milk and it made us wish we had bought the $14 bucket of fresh cookies. I guess there has to be something for next year. It was pretty crowded but a successful trip up to the cities. (The cool way to say Minneapolis and St. Paul)


--click to enlarge and get the full effect--

exploring

I am finally done with running new move-in errands (at least for now). We have been itching to explore our new town a little and finally did this last week. We walked the Rasmussen woods trail and found lots of little frogs, saw the animals at Sibley park and walked part of the Red Jacket Trail. There are tons of trails around here and it is so pretty and green everywhere. The weather has been perfect, 70 or so and sunny, and so were are trying to take advantage of it. Court loves the freezing weather at night and I can't believe I am sleeping with two blankets already. Hopefully it will warm up a bit before the real winter weather sets in. please.



An attempted family picture





Check out Mt. Kato in the background. I can't wait to tackle those black diamonds this winter.

Beautiful Blue Earth River Valley

Sorry so many pictures again. I really need to figure out how to make a collage.

WE MADE IT!!!

We are actually here in Mankato and have been for about two weeks. Things have been good so far. I just pretty much forgot how to be with my kids on my own because we just played and played with everyone else so much this summer. It has been nice to get to know them again. We are slowing setting up shop around here. We have been to target about a zillion times, lowes even more and filled up the cart at both ikea and costco. We will be on a serious money fast from here on out. Court and I painted the whole house yellow while the kids were still in utah and it looks so much better than the dark brown and grey it was before. It was a pretty color, but much too dark for me and for the long cold winters i will be trapped inside. We are loving the neighborhood, the really nice neighbors and ward, and the big fenced in back yard. The kids feels like it is christmas everyday when i open up a new box of toys.

Our HUGE truck all loaded up and passing over the Minnesota state line. Notice the flat background





Our cute little houseThe back yard and patio

Wilson with his favorite Barbie car loaded with trucks and cars and screwdrivers

And lastly to the man who made it all possible. I am so proud of Courtney and all of his hard work and dedication. He did such an amazing job at BYU and I know he will be just as great here at MSU. YEAH DAD!
We miss our friends and family. I actually just feel like I will see you this weekend, but I know that is not true. We are doing great though and are excited for the future.
ps i don't know why it underlined and turned purple. oh well, it is late and i am too tired to fix it.

Home Sweet Home?

So we have moved from our favorite house in Provo and are here living with the in-laws. We are doing well here in the basement and are trying to keep our stuff from burning up in the garage next door. We have been busy trying to squeeze every last party out of Utah before we make the journey east. Here is a sample of our latest adventures.
* Avery's 6th birthday party and fancy jewelry cake
* Snowbird sleepovers complete with hikes and rides up and down the mountain
* Bear Lake Cabin and beach fun
* Lots and lots of playing with cousins
* Lots and lots of swimming in Grandma's Pool
* Hiking up to Timpanogos Caves
* A Picnic at Silver Lake
* lots of other fun stuff I can't remember.......
It has been a whirlwind but we are glad we have been here for most of the summer.
One more week until we go. I am still not exactly sure how I feel about it. A nice mix of anticipation, nerves, melancholy at leaving, and other feelings I cannot describe with out getting a little teary.