Christmas in the City

Gunnar is in Austinaires this year and so he's singing all month. The day after Thanksgiving is Christmas in the City kickoff and he was there with the rest singing in the cold. It wasn't as cold as it has been in the past, so it was quite enjoyable to watch and listen to. This Thursday Gunnar has four concerts scheduled to sing at. December is a busy month for him.

Most of the businesses downtown had displays and hot drinks available to all those in the cold. The lights downtown were turned on by Santa and Mrs. Santa at the end of the parade to the stage. Lots of fun in a small town.

Black Friday

Today at 2:45 am I was up and on my way to pick up Meredith. We ran to Walmart and got in line for an item I wanted. We were first(for that item) and the store started to fill in around us at 3:30. The 12 lap tops were claimed by 2:30am thank heaven I didn't want one of those. We got what we needed and talked to lots of people in the process. The check out line was crazy, but we then turned around and went to four other stores and then breakfast at Perkins. Bonnie and Connett family were not well this year and we missed them. David commented that he may want to go next year(will wonders ever cease). Good day, three items I wanted were gone, but rain checks were available. YEAH!!!! Amanda did snap photos so I will check for them on facebook. Merry Christmas one and all.

School Conferences

Monday was a whirl wind of appts. First piano for Zeke then the dentist for me, Zeke, Cenny and JT. Then off for dinner or at least make it for the kids because at 5 was Cenny's conference then Zeke then JT. We dropped Cenny at home (her teacher wanted her to come along) off to Ellis to see all of Qatar's teachers then to the HS for Gunnar's. We were done at 8:45pm. Then off to the grocery store for a turkey in case Vanessa's family is ill(they were) so home at 9:30 to get to bed so we could get up the next day early for a trip to the cities. Whew 5 conferences is tough to get through in one day. A few of the kids will be grounded in the afternoon to be sure they improve on getting their homework done and turned in.

Underwater World

Yes, Oregon was cool, but this place is not bad. The kids all enjoyed the experience. We touched sea creatures and then we watched them swim all around us. Sharks and rays and many other fish. The Minnesota display was fascinating, I never knew what some of our native fish looked like off of a plate. A diver was feeding the Minnesota tank while we were walking through. I took several shots of him, but they were too dark.

We had a fun day full of food at IKEA and some Christmas shopping. We bought an advent calender at Lego land. It is really fun to open a new mini set every day until Christmas.

(I love the photo of David and Cenny reflected in the glass. I'm not really that short, the kids are standing on a block in the family shot.)

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Our family takes a trip up to the cities most every year about this time. The kids have the week off so we have to do something not to go crazy. Here Cenneidigh posed with the Mary Tyler Moore statue outside of Macy's, we then saw the display and got cookies in the basement and then we walked back to our parking place in the Target Center. I took some photos of the new Twins field at Target Field for Gunnar. He had Austinaire practice so he wasn't able to come with us, but Paige was visiting so she came with us instead. We got home about 9pm and I am still tired.

Have a great Thanksgiving. We are doing our own this year because of illness that is going around again. We are really trying to stay healthy and it is getting difficult. Wish us luck.

Macy's Christmas Land

Macy's Christmas display was beautiful this year. The day in the life of an Elf. JT was not impressed. He did not understand why they would want to fool kids. He knew none of it was real and he was sure that Santa did not have time to be there to see kids when he was busy at the North Pole getting ready to deliver toys in a month. He was a bit difficult to say the least.

Everyone else seemed to enjoy it and then we went down the escalators to the basement for cookies and JT was again a pain. He did not want a cookie he wanted potato chips so he got potato chips instead.

We were Hobbits, we had second breakfast at IKEA and then cookies at Macy's(third breakfast) then back for dinner at IKEA. Tuesdays are half off after 4pm, the 4.99 dinner deal. It was very tasty and so cheap.

David and the no shave November

He has had a bead most of the month, but it was very itchy and he started to shave yesterday. Here is the result. Scary! Gunnar had to shave because of his job at Hyvee.

Qatar the police man.

Qatar was home sick during tryouts for Annie and so they gave him the part of one of the police officers when he got back. He had been at practice everyday after school for several weeks and I think he tries to never take the bus. He did a great job.

My poor children

Sometimes I think they are little science projects, dinner etc. OH well they are still all alive. I don't plan on telling you what I did this time, but be assured everyone is fine. Persecution and Prosecution worry me. Have a good day and remember, it can always be worse. Trust me on that one. Children are a joy? Maybe comic relief at times, I'm still waiting for the joy part.

I'm going to miss someone very much!!!!

She told me last night she would miss me, but that she might forget who I am if I don't come to visit. Here I come Abby, I hope we can see you so you don't forget me. I love you!!! I will miss you and your family. Promise you won't forget me, we can use SKYPE, OKAY?

Into the Woods

The high school's fall musical was Into the Woods. Gunnar played the narrator, the same role he had at Ellis then they did this play. The play was funny and cute. They could have used another week of practice, but for a large cast it was very good. I loved the princes Agony song, they stole the show. The giant on the projector was hilarious and when he killed Gunnar, he picked up a barbie doll except it was a blond Ken doll instead of dark haired one. Funny stuff. It's great to watch the kids grow, we saw most of these kids in the same production five years ago, the boys have really grown and the girls almost seemed to have shrunk in comparison.

Gunnar and the ACT

Gunnar received his latest score and he improved 2 points from his last test. Yeah!!!!! But alas he is not happy with the results. He wants at least a 30 and hopefully higher. BYU's average is 28 and to receive a guaranteed scholarship he needs a 34 at least. Oh well, I only got a 21 so I'm thrilled for him. I think if he works on the practice tests he has a good chance of doing much better next time, we shall see. He got 33 on the reading section, I see an English teacher or professor in the future with his love of the written word, again we shall see.

Yard work and wow we have too many trees

Too many trees in our yard is clear this time of year. We filled up our yard waste tub and then the truck bed. We still have at least five trips in the truck to go and they are still falling. Trees and leaves and lady bugs everywhere. The weather was incredible yesterday. We also made it to Target in time for 90% off Halloween. I love that sale, we ended up with filling two baskets and it was only 77 dollars(cheapest year yet). Lots of fun stuff to put in Boo's next year and maybe since Halloween is on a Sunday we will have a party on Saturday or Friday.

Last night was a benefit concert for Austin music. Gunnar performed with the Austin Aires and Zeke performed with the Banfield choir. It was held at St. Olaf's church. It was at the same time as the Blake's oldest daughter wedding reception. I dropped the two performers at the church then to the reception with the other three. I went back for the concert while David watched the kids at the reception, then I ran back to the reception missing another group of singers. I picked up the other three and ran them back to the church for the last mass choir song. David had to help with tables(moving them back to the church from the nature center where the reception was being held) so he couldn't help me. The last song was Why We Sing and it was beautiful. All the choirs did a wonderful job and I must admit that the Austin Aires were particularly good this year.(I'm not bias at all)

Book Review

I liked this book, I read it quick and now I am going over parts of it again. If you wrote a book this editor liked it would have to be a best seller. I did learn lots of very interesting things to leave out and it even answered a few questions I had that I was unsure where to ask. Now I just need to know how to write sound effects, like gunshots, bombs going off etc.

The bikes are taking over the garage.

Well at least the attic of the garage. Mine as you can see hangs by its lonesome in the back of the garage, I didn't want it mixing with all the riff raff in the attic.

David plans on learning bike mechanics and having Qatar(for sure he already likes that kind of stuff) and the rest of the kids get all the bikes in great condition and then sell some of the nicer ones to help pay for the repairs and seed money for next years auction. A few are worth over $100 each and we paid maybe 10 for them(in the condition there in now) It should be a good skill to have especially with missions coming. David was always fixing his or someone elses bike on his mission.

JT and the tree project.

Some homework for a 2nd grader becomes parent homework, I hate that kind. Well here is JT with the big tree in the back yard, we had to measure it all the way around and then find leaves and seeds to show the class. We of course waited until it looked like this, so I have no idea if we really collected the leaves from this tree or the zillion other tree leaves that are in our yard. Reading out loud every night is not bad, but this kind of stuff I hate. I graduated leave me alone!!! He does great with math, spelling, etc homework that is with lots of coaxing.

Fall birds flying south

Geese flying south for the winter. I'm sad to see them go, with them goes another year. Goodbye to my children's youth, they are all growing so fast. Zeke is now 5'1" and Cenny is 4'9", of course Gunnar is 6'3". Time needs to take a break for a few years and let them stay small. This was after 7 on Halloween, tonight after daylight savings at 7 it was pitch black outside.

JT and Flat JT

Krisit was sent JT's flat JT, so she took it around her new town and Tracker, their dog even decapitated him. JT was glad to hear that. They sent him a T-shirt and some other fun items and lots of info about Dartmouth. We are all looking forward to our trip out there this coming summer. Go Big Green. His flat JT's head is in his hand.

Halloween

Halloween this year was cold. Cenneidigh went to a friends house for a party, Qatar went out with friends, Gunnar was grounded, so it was just Zeke, JT and me. We went to the Haunted Hotel, way to cold to wait in line so long, then home to buy and cook pizza for Vanessa's. Trick or treating, lots of trick or treating. A full moon last night, or at least it looked like one.

Fall concerts starting

Qatar's fall concert was yesterday and we think we need a kid to play an instrument that sits near the front. Qatar plays the tenor sax right now and that is in the back, we never can see him. Notice photo, no Qatar. Then Gunnar plays the tuba, so we can't see him either, Zeke has chosen percussion, so the back again. It make taking their photos difficult. Qatar can play the clarinet, but right now they don't need any more clairnets. That is at least up front.