He rolled out the red carpet!

We visited Uncle Larry and Aunt Marie's house tonight! What fun?!! Uncle Larry grilled burgers and dogs; there was corn on the cob, macaroni, potato salad, cole slaw, eggs, pickles, etc... Yum, yum!

He gave us rides on the golf cart. McKenna LOVED it! Ella was hesitant but she rode when I drove. He brought us to his church to take a look around. Ella enjoyed riding a battery powered motorcycle. She rode it for a long time.

He has a movie theater sized tv screen in his air conditioned garage. We watched the movie Cars. It was cute. I had never seen it before.

My favorite line (said with an extreme southern accent): "I'm happier than a tornado in a trailer park."

Alabama, day #1

Knock, knock

Who's there?

Amos.

Amos who?


A mosquito bit you!

Actually, several mosquitoes feasted on us, in particular McKenna, then me. It's my fault, in part, not getting repellent of some sort on her until it was too late. My mom lives in the middle of the woods and there are just too many creepy crawlies and bugs of sorts.

We arrived safely to Alabama and enjoyed a big family gathering at my mother's place. It was good to see everyone. The gathering was in honor of a few graduates: Eric, Caitlin, Emily, McKenna (and I like to think Arthur was being celebrated even though he wasn't there.).

McKenna and Ella enjoyed visiting with all of their great aunts and uncles. They played hide and go seek, they swam in "kiddie" pool, they read books, played with a variety of random toys that my mom has collected.

And, in spite of waking up at 4 a.m.--we were still kickin' at 8:30pm. No naps, or anything!

Here I am with my cousin, Eric and sister, Sara. Eric was one of the graduates being celebrated that day.

Emily, Eric and Caitlin: 2008 Graduates!

Kendra and baby Parker

Aunt Lynda, Haley, Grandma, Sara, me

Ella played with this toy for a LONG time. She was more skilled than I anticipated when it came to shooting the missile at her relatives. Once she got the pumping part down, there was no stopping her.

Caitlin and McKenna

Still a popular grocery store in Alabama....

a round barn?

Arthur and I visited a bed and breakfast a few times. This visit was last fall. It's a higher priced place to visit, but well worth it! I thought I would share it with you.

We visited the Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast and Bread where old fashioned American and European ambiance meet in a 3-story bracketed country manor farm home, just outside Red Wing Minnesota.

The residence is a delight. Built on a design from 1861 by architect Samuel Sloan, the use of reclaimed timbers and country antique furnishings combine to deliver the atmosphere, comforts, and charms of days gone by.

This piece was made out of timbers/trees from the property.

The homeowner, taking us on a tour of the property, demonstrated how the cows were positioned for milking. You see, the round barn was at one time a dairy farm/barn.

If you are an early bird you get to make your own bread. The baker (homeowner) shares a story about the French bakers and the concept of the copyright law. It's quite funny.

My loaf of bread is copyrighted with a "K" for Kjelshus!

This is a gardening shed, not a lodging room!

We went hiking on the property! Beautiful!

Better posted late than never.....

We spent our Memorial Day with a large group of friends from church. We reserved a pavilion and grilled and ate until...well, until our stomachs expanded. We played at the playground by the pavilion. Mckenna enjoyed playing super spies with Gabe and Ella enjoyed showing everyone her very special shell. Everyone had a blast; it's just too bad that the weather didn't cooperate as well.

I present to you...

...the Kjelshus Graduates of 2008!

McKenna recently graduated from preschool. It was very cute. Her class sang and signed The Alphabet Song, along with a few others. Each child was presented with a diploma. The teachers read something about each child (written by the parents) and shared what each child wanted to be when s/he grows up. McKenna said she wants to be a doctor.

Arthur also celebrated a graduation. As most of you know he has been steadily working on a degree in Communications while working full time at the MN Dept. of Health. Arthur now carries a B.S. in Communications with an emphasis in Business. He is an official graduate of Bethel University. We didn't make a whole lot of "pomp" about this "circumstance" because he will start working on an MBA program in the next 12 months (either in September or in January). When that is all said and done (the program he is looking at is 26 months long, 1 night a week) we will definitely make a lot of "pomp" in his honor.

Ella and I ....

...were able to spend the day together last Friday. McKenna went to a friends house after school. So, Ella and I headed to the Children's Museum. She had pure, 100%, undivided mommy attention. What a fun day?! She talked quite a bit without big sister there. She was very proud of and brave at the conquering of the ant. You'll see she is sitting on one. Sitting on, or even getting close to, the ant was/is a feat big sister hasn't accomplished yet. Over lunch we discussed shapes and crackers. That particular day her crackers were shaped like hexagons. You'll notice bunny friend, Allison, in one or two of the pictures.

May 26th--Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Uncle Dale!

Look at this...

...old picture of McKenna! Does that look like me as little girl?

A Day at Teddy Bear Park with Friends

In our backyard the other morning....