Topless?

Which aunt is topless??

WWAT: Summertime

What? I am sure you are asking! What is WWAT?



Well, it's Wordless Wednesday with a Twist. You can checkout my new blog friend American Mum (she's actually one of Sara's college roomies) to learn more. Basically you follow a theme and post photos on a Wednesday according to that theme. My blog friend MckMama does her own Wordless Wednesday. I am not sure of the rules, exactly. These photos are from last summer but I thought they were too cute. Probably, the photos should be more recent...but hey...I'm new to WWAT! Also, I noticed that some others used software to create fun images or play with color. Maybe next time!

So, here's my first ever attempt!

Crab hunting cousins!

The big daddy and the big sea!

The prettiest beach baby!

Cousins, hand in hand! (It looks great in b/w also!)

Beauty Shop Sisters

The girls and I played beauty shop the other night. I think Ella had a clown in mind and I think McKenna had a wedding in mind.

Independence Day (late)!

On the 4th of July we had two families over to help us celebrate the USA's birthday! There were 6 adults and 7 kids! We were outnumbered.

The festivities started around 4pm and people and food kept on coming. We grilled, played in the sand box, swam in the pool, ate, ate some more, made smoothies, walked to the park to watch the city's fireworks presentation.

aren't you sitting at the edge of your swivel computer chair...

...scratching your head wondering, when is Jessica going to post something new? I bet you are thinking, I know that Kjelshus family has gone on several adventures...where are the pictures?

It's been busy. Arthur has been on the computer a lot working on a prerequisite class for the MBA program he will be starting. And, I of course, am always out and about. I watch the neighbor girls on Mondays and Wednesdays. We go to the beach on Tuesdays. Then there's soccer and playdates and grocery shopping...and well I am not sure where sleeping fits in, but somehow it gets done.

I will start with this posting. As many of you know, Ella always has an animal friend with her, tucked under her arm. If you need reminding-click here or here or here. On this day she lined up her most commonly used animal friends and told me their names and ages. Here's what she said (from left to right): Kasey (6yrs), Sara (13 yrs), Rosie's Honor (10yrs), Bluey and Pinky (8 yrs), Hongo (8 yrs), Ming Ming (30 yrs), Magenta (18yrs), Allison (8 yrs), Papa the Bunny (18 yrs), Mammy the Pig (3yrs), Cute Little Puppy (2 yrs)

Need to express yourself?

If so, feel free to leave a comment about the controversial video I have decided to add as a page element to the blog. Thanks to my sister for the political 411 in the upcoming election!

a blog by any other name is still a blog

Also titled: What's in a name?
Also titled: For my nonbloggy friends...

I have gotten a few responses/questions from people about blogs. Things like, "What's a blog?" or "Can you back it up, save it for your kids to see?"

Most of the information below should explain blogs. This blog is mainly a diary or scrapbook of sorts about our family. As long as the Internet exists, the blog will exist and my children will be able to access it from any computer at any time.

As for security, it's up to you. You can have a blog that is by invitation only. You can block or moderate comments. There are many options. You can also attach a sitemeter to your blog/website and track the url's of your visitors! There are lots of levels of security.

I choose to blog so that family and friends can be in the know when it comes to our family. Out of state friends and family can feel up to date on the adventures of my kids. I only have to type it once and everyone can see it! It's a win/win for everyone. Every blogger i know LOVES to get comments. So, when I visit blogs I try to periodically leave a comment.
Why do you blog? Do you keep up with other blogs? Is this the first blog you have ever followed. Leave your comment! It's easy to leave a comment. You don't have to sign up or anything. Just be sure to leave your name so that I know who you are!

From Wikipedia:

A blog (an abridgment of the term web log) is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

The personal blog, an on-going diary or commentary by an individual, is the traditional, most common blog. Personal bloggers usually take pride in their blog posts, even if their blog is never read by anyone but them. Blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art. Blogging can have a sentimental quality. Few personal blogs rise to fame and the mainstream, but some personal blogs quickly garner an extensive following.

Here's a list of Blogger jargon! You can click on the text that is colored and you'll be redirected to a more detailed explanation of that word.

Splog
A term used to refer to a 'spam blog', made popular in 2005 by Mark Cuban

Blogsnob
A person who refuses to respond to comments on their blog from people outside their circle of friends.

Bloglet
A small blog entry, usually one or two sentences long.

Blogoneer
A portmanteau of "blog" and "pioneer", meaning a person who blogs with an expert or pioneering attitude.

Blogorrhea
A portmanteau of "blog" and "logorrhea", meaning excessive and/or incoherent talkativeness in a weblog.

Blogosphere
All blogs, or the blogging community. Also called blogistan or, more rarely, blogspace.

Blogroll
A list of blogs. A blogger features a list of their favorite blogs in the sidebar of their blog. Derived, it would seem, as a pun on "Logrolling."

Blogstipation
The state of being unable to think of any topic to blog about, leading to irregular, strained blog entries. A rush of interesting events can clear the block; this is sometimes known as a blenema.

Storyblog
Also written as "slog". A term used to describe blogs used primarily to publish written stories and poetry used for practice usually by aspiring writers.

Blooger
A blogger who exhibits adolescent tendencies and lacks basic social graces or good manners. A portmanteau of "blog" and "booger."

Boreblogging
Writing about personal matters that are barely interesting even to the writer -- preferably in a slightly bent fashion so as to make it fun to read in spite of the subject matter.

Bugblogging
Blogging about insects.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday to my mom! She's a mentor, confidont, and prayer partner!

This photo is about 2 years old, as you can tell by looking at Ella! I hope you have a great day mom. What are your plans?

It's a splash zone out there!

Today we met friend Sophie at Battlecreek Waterworks. The girls had a lot of fun splashing around. McKenna enjoyed going down the different water slides. Ella was a bit more hesitant to avoid the play structure in the middle of the 18 inch deep pool. She wasn't fond of getting splashed in the face. She stayed closer to me. Though, she still enjoyed the smaller dancing fountains and getting in and out of the pool. We also played in the sand area they had. The girls enjoyed themselves and I am sure that we'll be back again.

Bamboo Zoo

It was a Monday. Within a millisecond of opening the door, I was covered in sweat! But, we decided to go to the Birmingham Zoo anyways! Heat Index? I knew not the words! 103 didn't scare me!

Yes, while in AL we went to the nearest zoo with Cioci Lynda, Uncle James, Cousin Max, and Nanny! The B'ham Zoo has tons of Bamboo, something that my girls only see on Dora and Diego. They were fascinated by it. We had a hard time progressing past any trail that had bamboo. Their high interest level was mimicked by Max.

There was a small tunnel the kids could go through in Kangaroo Country. The tunnel was designed to look like a mine. There were even miner hats for the kids to put on their horrifically sweaty heads and then drop back in the box for someone else to wear! Though, at this point McKenna and Ella needed a break from the sun (as if you couldn't tell by their faces).

There was a dancing water fountain, that I didn't know about. The not knowing part explains the absence of swim suits. McKenna had a blast dancing around in her clothes in the fountain. Ella wanted so badly to join in. She couldn't grasp the thought of getting her sundress wet, however. I explained that it would dry. I explained that I actually had a change of clothes for her too. I offered to go in the fountains with her. Everyone else tried to explain things to her. She understood...she just didn't care! Ella wanted desperately to get wet but refused to get wet without a swimsuit. I changed her into her shorts thinking maybe she'd get those wet. Nope!

After swimming everyone enjoyed an ice cream treat!

most kids want candy...

or chocolate, or lollipops, or (if they are a bit older) cash. Sometimes they want to go to the park or the zoo or the toy store. Not Ella!

This morning (around 6:00 a.m.) Ella was sitting quietly on my lap sucking her thumb, as usual. It's our morning routine. It's how she wakes up.

Ella: Mommy?

Me: Yea...

Ella: I want to be back in your tummy.

Earlyworks; Huntsville, AL

While in Alabama we visited the local children's museum in downtown Huntsville. Cioci Lynda and cousin Max joined us. Max is about 6 months younger than Ella. The kids probably enjoyed the area of the museum called Biscuit's Backyard the most. They could play in the water or role play on a farm, in a post office, a garden, a market, etc. Ella collected all of the money from the market. McKenna managed the farm. Max played in the water quite a bit, then colored, then shopped in the market. He was all over. Cioci Lynda enjoyed Colonial clothes! (I stayed behind the camera.)

PS: Wanna know what "cioci" is? Click here.

Hey ya'll!

McKenna and Jonathan with their bugs in bottles!

Uncle Bussy and Freda!

Ella, me, Uncle Bussy, Summer and Jonathan

Cousin Max--He's a clever one!

Trista--who could resist those eyes?!

Me, Zach, Fiance Heather, Sara

Extreme Makeover: Kiddo Style

The girls enjoyed playing beauty shop with their Cioci!

FYI: Cioci (pronounced chu-chee) is Polish for aunt! Well, it is our Americanized form of the word. The actual word is Ciotka (pronounced chut-kya).

The gang!

Haley, Hayden, McKenna, Ella, Harrison

Excuse me while I throwup!

...okay, seriously! I just heard on the news that the new food item (on a stick) this year at the MN State Fair is....

deep fried, chocolate dipped....

...bacon.

Please tell me I misinterpreted something?!

Horsin' round!

McKenna and Jeremiah battle it out! Or, as she would say, "I'm gonna attackle you!"

Chuck E. Cheese, where a kid can be a kid and a grandparent can earn real brownie points!

We visited Chuck E Cheese twice while in Alabama. Once with my mom (a.k.a. Nanny) and once with my grandmother (a.k.a. Great Grandma Higgy) and cousin Trista.

The girls collected many tickets and picked out a select number of REALLY GLORIOUS AND VALUABLE TREASURES. One particular treasure was a rubber, stretchy lizard. According to a message from my Aunt Pam, Ella apparently left hers at my grandmother's house in the cat's food bowl. Seems like the cat has usurped it for good. She waltzes around the house with the lizard in her mouth, occasionally pawing at it or tossing it around. Needless to say, Ella won't be getting the lizard back.

interesting, to say the least...

Home, sweet home

Well, we're back! I have added some pictures to the posts already published and have lots more to update you on! Keep checking back for more!

Don't forget to leave your comment.

Homeward Bound

Tomorrow morning McKenna, Ella and I will be headed to the airport to begin our air adventure back to Minnesota.

I am excited to add pictures to the posts that have already been published, not to mention add more posts. So....keep clicking!

Look at this....

Can you believe how cute this picture is? I was perusing through some of my grandma's online photo albums and found this cute picture of Ella. She is 10.5 months old here.

Waddle, waddle, waddle....

While here in Alabama, we met my dad at Big Spring Park in Huntsville. We brought 2 loaves of stale bread. We walked the walking trail and strolled over the Japanese bridge. Following closely behind us were anywhere from 30-50 critters. Mallard ducks, geese, pigeons, robins, wood ducks, and ugly ducks.

They surrounded us. The girls LOVED it. Some of the ducks ate right out of our hands. The geese honked and hissed if we didn't give them bread quickly enough. Matter of fact, Sara had to run to the store to get another loaf of bread.

McKenna especially enjoyed chasing behind the geese and ducks. She would waddle and say "waddle, waddle" as she followed them. Typically, they ran in a circle until they were tired then jumped in the pond.

Ella repeatedly asked for, "a big humongous piece of bread."

We visited this park several times while in Alabama. On the last trip to the park, Ella fell in. Yuk!

The Japanese bridge given to the city of Huntsville

McKenna waddling after an ugly duck.

A duck that likes to live on the edge!

Happy Father's Day

Mom:
What's your favorite thing about Daddy? What makes him a great daddy?

Ella:
I like hugging him. And he thinks my flower outfit is pretty, because its my favorite.

McKenna:
I like playing "getchyou" and battling with daddy. I like sitting on his head and attackling him.

Daddy,
The girls miss you and we are thinking of you today while we are here in Alabama!