First Snow

We have had two snow falls in the past week. You will notice pictures from both this morning and last week. The first one didn't last much more than a few hours. This morning's snow may be on a the ground a bit! Of course, the girls and I got out in the snow. I looked around at my suit case that needed to be unpacked, 4 loads of laundry to be put away, dishes to be done, paperwork to complete....will all of those things matter in 15 years? No, not really. But creating a memory with my daughters before completing my tasks will matter in 15 years. So, out we went.

Time with Ella

Arthur was able to be home from work on Veterans day. McKenna still had to go to school, though. We decided to spend a little one on one time with Ella. We jetted to the Children's Museum while McKenna was at school. I think Ella really enjoyed herself.

Ella really enjoyed planting the flowers.

Water play is fun.

Ahh, for me?

Talk about cute!

Face painting. She painted her very own rainbow!

Foreign Objects

Yes, it happened...a trip to the doctor because a foreign object entered the nose. Here's the story:

Daddy had just left for work on this particular Monday morning. The rest of us were in our pajamas and hadn't eaten breakfast yet. I had just gotten in the night before from a weekend away.

At about 7:15 am Ella approached me with a small, clear, round, plastic bead (from a princess necklace, no doubt!), "Mom, I found a bead."

"Okay, Ella. A necklace broke last week. Please put the bead on the table and I will throw it away in a minute." (Our trash can has a safety lock, so she cannot throw something away without me opening it.)

"Otay Mom."

Ella hasn't conquered the phonetical "k" yet, hence the word "Otay."

I watched Ella turn around and walk towards the table. She took a few steps and then froze. Whines and whimpers were heard, then she turned around and looked at me with an expression of panic and fright. She was completely quiet.

"Ella? Where's the bead?"

Nothing!

"ELLA. Where is the bead? Did you put it on the table?"

I heard her mumble softly, "I don't know." (Apparently, I need to talk about truth and fiction with her, as well.)

At that point, I was quickly approaching her. "Ella. What did you do with the bead?"

She moved her hand towards her nose and stared at me.

"Ella. Is the bead in your nose?"

"Mommy, get it out."

At this point, she began to cry.

I looked in her nose and could barely see it. From the outside there was a small bump. She managed to push that little thing up there fairly high. I was pretty sure that I could not handle this on my own. I certainly didn't want to make matters worse.

She's so brave! I calmed her down and told her that I needed to call someone and ask for help. She was breathing fine. I could tell this was not life or death. I called my aunt, aka: my personal triage nurse and got no answer. I also called a doctor friend from church. Again, no answer. At this point she was growing impatient but still remaining calm. If I tried to touch it, she cried out in pain. I knew she was uncomfortable.

So, I called the clinic. It wasn't open but I knew someone could connect me to a triage nurse. Once that happened she told me I needed to come in. Thankfully, there was already a doctor there and I didn't have to go to the E.R.

Once we were in the room, the doctor pulled it out within seconds. She used some rubbery, triple length tweezers (that's my description of the tool, at least). Ella was still and brave and hardly cried.

Then we got "the talk" about small objects being kept out of reach, yada, yada, yada.

Here's a picture of Ella eating a poptart. We grabbed the easiest thing before we left the house.

McKenna and Ella played well in the waiting room. You'd never know that there was a foreign object stuck in her nose!

Hearts at Home

This past weekend I attended a women's conference in Rochester, MN. Hearts at Home, by name, has recharged me! It is a conference that focuses on equipping, professionalizing and recharging women in the areas of motherhood and wifedom! A large group (about 20) of women from church went. We stayed at the La Quinta Inn and ate at TGIF and Victoria's Italian Restaurant. We also enjoyed a little shopping!

My hotel roomies walking to the car. The fourth roomie is taking the picture.

The schedule was something like this:



Friday Night: Meet for dinner. We ate at TGIF and they managed to sit all 20 of us together at one LONG table. The waitress stood at one end and tried to take every one's orders for that place at the end of the LONG table. After shouting my beverage choice (Dr. Pepper) across all 20 women, I thought (along with those around me) that she should come down to our end of the table to take orders. She eventually did.


After dinner, we headed to the Mayo Convention Center for a large group session of praise and worship and skits and speakers. Cheri Keaggy and Go Fish were the musical guests for the weekend.



Once the session was over we headed back to the hotel. Some of us showered and put on pajamas. Most everyone congregated in one particular hotel room and found a chair, bed corner, or floor space. We chatted....for a long time. Men, have you been wondering what we women do in a hotel room until 1:00am? Well, here it is! Proof. Yes, we just sit around in a circle and talk. For a majority of the time we actually went around the circle and took turns talking. Topics included: politics, funny stories, something we admired/appreciated about our husband, our kids, favorite restaurants, alternate life/profession of choice (I mentioned that I would be the next Diane Sawyer in a different life. I think someone else mentioned a Rockette.) purchases from the conference, etc...



Here are some pictures from the hotel rooms...

Here everyone is laughing because somehow the bed broke. Yes, the support beam just gave way and the mattress and box spring fell.
Lisa is investigating!



Saturday:

The main session started a bit earlier than we would have liked. But, such is life. So, we headed to the main auditorium to sing praises, listen to a few brief speakers then went to our breakout sessions. The breakout sessions are my favorite part of the conference. I have been to Women of Faith and it was alright. It's hard to sit in the same chair for 8-10 hours. The breakout sessions allow for movement and a more personal/intimate setting. Also, you can pick topics that you are interested in learning about. My sessions? Chocolate Kisses for Couples, Education as a Way of Life, Family Fun Time

Saturday night we ate at Victoria's Italian Restaurant. Super yummy! I hope to return there! I had the Chicken Parmesan. Excellent! Then of course we all gathered in the hotel room and chatted some more!

Sunday was a slower paced day. We browsed the mall for a about 2 hours then headed home. I returned home to a loving husband and happy kids. I am grateful for my in-laws and my husband for taking care of the girls while I was gone. And, thanks to Carey for bringing a cute green purse stocked with gum!

Funny Story: Saturday we found a wasp in our room. Yes, a wasp. No, we didn't have our window open. We trapped the wasp under a glass. Then we all squealed a bit and summoned Lisa to our rescue. She came in and quickly grabbed the wasp in a paper towel (I think). she squished it so well....I heard its teeny bones crackle and its buggy insides explode. YUK!! That makes my skin crawl!

I walked away from the conference with 1 or 2 fresh ideas. Mostly, I was refueled and excited about my role in my family/home. I was reminded about the importance of being an intentional wife and an intentional parent. I was reminded about being intentional with words while I am doing an activity. I will probably organize a few of my notes and post them (probably to this post!).

Leave a comment! What did you walk away with!???

For another perspective click here or here.

Fall Leaves!

We have had some fun raking up the leaves in the yard! Though, if you were to look at our yard, I am not sure that you could tell we have been raking. For each leaf that we rake, 2 more fall in its place! The girls love it though.

That's a lot of leaves to rake!

Roly, poly! Tumble, bumble!

Look, a leaf angel!

I can do it!

Mommy, it's getting cold!

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