Yea, visitors!

Maybe you remember this post? I guess it paid off and was not done in vain!

Over MEA (Minnesota Education Association) weekend we had some family visit. My mom (Nanny), Aunt Leigh and Uncle Ricky flew up from Alabama and stayed a few days. While they were here we did lots of Minnesota things: Mall of America, Apple Orchard, Dinner with Adrian and Joann, park, etc... We enjoyed lots of food and made apple crisp!

I am a little disappointed in the lack of pictures I have to show. My mom wasn't feeling well so didn't want to be in many pictures. But, I also was just a little on the busy side and kinda forgot to capture all of the Kodak moments we were having.

We took a little walk down to the park and I decided to play around with some settings on my camera. Here's the outcome:

Apples anyone?

Of course, while visitors were here, we had to see a Minnesota apple orchard in the fall. So, the family piled in the van for some apple picking and berry picking.

Mom wanted baking apples and I wanted sweeter apples (I have young kids!). Honeygold apples were slim pickins, but Connel Red, Braeburn, and Harrelson were lookin' good.

We picked three bags full. I think everyone was able to bring some home.

Gentlemen, start your engines

Arthur and Ricky did the NASCAR simulation experience. It was pretty neat to watch and not nearly as expensive as I thought it might be. First they pick their skill level, then car, then a brief lesson, then the wheel. Arthur had one major spill but still managed to place quite well.

It was interesting watching from the sidelines. I could see their cars and see their cars on the opponents computer screens. I may have to give it a try also!

Shop til ya drop...

Of course we hit the Mall of America while the family was up. Even Ricky joined us for a time. He and Arthur left a bit before the women. McKenna and Ella were troopers, well right up until the end. We ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, of course.

The pictures you see are of us mostly waiting on Leigh to finish up in a store. I spent $13.00. She probably had 13 bags!!! next time she comes. I will send her to the mall when it opens and get a sitter for half the day and then pretend that I can keep up with her shopping abilities. She did grab some good finds. Especially at the Tiffany store.

In honor of the upcoming election....

I am polling my readers! Vote in the side bar question. You may select more than one answer.

Let's play Tag

For the lefse experience, scroll down!

Okay, I was tagged in a game of Blog Tag! Check out Just Me and My Boys to read the original tag and rules. I like these sorts of things. You know those annoying emails you get that ask 25 crazy questions about where you have lived or what flavor ice cream you like? Yeah, I like those too. So, I wasn't bothered at all to be tagged. Only thing....I don't know too many bloggers and the ones I do know were tagged with me. I am not sure that I can tag 7 people. So....

...it goes against all of the rule abiding, people pleasing, type A behaving tendancies....but...I am going to use my poetic license and change the rules a bit! Yep, I am changing the rules to better fit my needs. Haven't done that before! Have you?

My new rules:
1. Link the original tagger.
2. Give 10 random facts about yourself.
3. Do not blog tag back. Tag as many new bloggers as you can.


Alrighty, then!

1. I like things parallel and even, especially when scrap booking or decorating. K.H., can you relate?
2. I rarely use deodorant. (Okay, maybe that was too much info?) I also, rarely sweat much beyond a glow. =)
3. Blogging is becoming one of my favorite things to do.
4. I hate bowling even more than I hate ironing.
5. I rarely wear makeup (supposedly Arthur prefers this).
6. I do not like to be touched on my tummy or neck.
7. I occasionally listen to Christmas music in the Summertime. I put my tree up Thanksgiving night because I can! My mom would NEVER do that. And, from that point on I pretty much listen to Christmas music only, until New Year's Day.
8. If someone offered me money to take a nap, I am not sure that I could.
9. I am good at acting, so I could act like I am napping and still get paid!
10. I am not a big reader and always feel guilty about that.

Okay, I gotchya! Tag. Now you are it!

S for Sophie

Arvold Kids

The Blosh

American Mum

Faith and Family

Are you ready to roll lefse?

Just call us the Lefse Ladies. Yes, I learned the Norwegian art of rolling lefse. Lefse is a type of tortilla. There's potato lefse and flour lefse. I had asked Aunt Virginia to teach me about lefse. Shari opened up her kitchen and we rolled away. It's tricky, rolling such a small amount of dough into a large, round, flat circle. Aunt Virginia could roll about 3 or 4 in the time that it took me to roll one. I had a hard time using enough flour each time I flipped. I am excited to roll again so I can remember everything that I learned.

Aunt Virginia's Norwegian Flour Lefse

3 cups whole milk

2 cups water

3/4 cup lard or shortening

6 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1.Bring all ingredients except flour to a boil.

2. Pour into large bowl of flour.

3. Knead/mix thoroughly.

4. Form approx. 24 balls of dough.

5. Roll with lefse rolling pin and pastry cloth. Cook on lefse grill.

When done, wrap stack with moist towel. Cut lefse into 4 sections with knife or pizza roller. Divide into stacks of 10-15 and wrap well in Saran Wrap. Freeze. Pull out only portions to be eaten that day. Will keep well in freezer for several months.

Aunt Virginia kneading dough

Rolling

Me, attempting to roll

Aunt Virginia had to repair several of mine!

Kevin even gave it a try! Notice the small amount of dough. That has to be rolled out to near the edge of the pastry cloth. Pretty thin-my friends.

Oops, another tear. Not enough flour, again!

Finally, one that isn't ripping or tearing.

Cousin Emily, flipping the lefse on the grill! She is an expert.

Big Truck Day

Our local library put on a free community event called Big Truck Day. They offered truck story times and solicited local business with big trucks to come and make their trucks available to the children. Our family went and enjoyed climbing in and out of all of the big trucks, sitting in the drivers seat, honking the horns, etc. It was really a fun idea and I think the girls had fun.

Gymnastics

When we started, our classes met on Wednesdays. No one else signed up for that time slot so we had to pick another time slot on another day. Now we meet on Tuesdays. McKenna's teacher stayed the same. Ella's teacher, however, was different. She went from a college aged girl to a college graduated man! It was a bit strange for me, too. When he walked out to collect his students, she immediately yelled in disgust. (I don't mean whined and cried.) She balled. Everyone heard her. She said, "I don't want a boy teacher. Boys aren't good. I want only girl teachers." I felt bad for him. Surely, it isn't the first time he has encountered this though. I made her go in. I told her that she would have fun and if she wanted gymnastics this was going to be how she got it. She cried a bit after I sent her in. The first thing they do is sit in a circle and stretch. She chose not to participate in any stretches. By the way, the stretches are fun songs and dances and the kids don't even realize they are stretching. Once they got started on the circuit and using the equipment she totally engaged herself and had a grand time. By the end she was giving teacher Ron hugs. He is actually very good with the kids. I was impressed.

Waiting for class to start

Ella had to pull little toys out of the bucket and set them on the balance beam without falling. She was successful!

Here, the goal was to pick up the stuffed animal with your feet and toss it in the bucket. All the while, holding your self up on the bars. Ella liked this.

McKenna is determined to conquer the hand stand.

Yeah, ok! I should look into getting her a leotard that covers all her under clothes!

She climbs this rope well. While on the rope, the kids are supposed to figure out how to swing themselves. While swinging they practice pike and straddle positions.

I am not happy about these photos....but it's worth posting so the girls can see it years from now. We have signed up for gymnastics (one year, 3 sessions) and they love it. One session was an early Christmas present. Most of the pictures are through a glass window. I really couldn't figure out the right setting. For more on the girls and their gymnastics, click here. I couldn't get many of McKenna. On this particular day the teacher had the kids doing drills on the trampoline and in the foam pit. There was just way to much movement for photos.

Ladies and Gentlemen

We now have a composer in our family. McKenna's kindergarten class goes to music once a week. She sings songs about peanut butter on her head and pizza on the floor. She also writes music. You'll notice the musical notes at the bottom.

Adventures in Babysitting

We were able to help some friends out by watching their almost 2 year old, Levi. The girls had a fun time doing it. Ella was especially eager to show Levi some toys. She picked out a few specific ones that she thought he might like.

Levi enjoyed drawing on the chalk board. A few times he explored chalk on the wall or table. McKenna was very gentle in telling him, "No, no, Levi." You'll notice her mothering hand keeping tabs on him.

Ella was so excited to show him her fishing game. She is quite good at catching those little magnetic critters. Levi? Well....he really liked using his hands to stop the wheel and catch one. He also enjoyed carrying them around for a bit.

An afternoon walk

Ella and I enjoyed God's beauty on our walk!