Minnesota Memories

I meant to post this when we got back from our trip last month, but never got around to it! So here are our pictures from our time in the twin cities.

Here's Clark with cutie pie Bry!





Here we are at a lake (yes, they do have a few of them in Minnesota)

Welcome!

My kids are no longer the only kids in their generation anymore (on my side of the family) My cousin Susie has a new baby, who is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! Welcome to Jack, my sweet new cousin!

Scary Stuff!

Well, the computer containing our photo website has been down for a few weeks. But thanks to our computer genius Clark, things are working better than ever!

So here are our Halloween photos--better late than never!

When we carved pumpkins this year, we had each of the kids draw the face they wanted on their pumpkin, and then Clark carved them.

Here's Paul's drawing:




The finished product:


Clark hard at work:

Sam's drawing:

Sam's finished pumpkin:


And the scary vampire and little brother bat:



Heading out to trick-or-treat:


Totally don't know what was going on here, but the picture is priceless! (especially Paul's lip)


CANDY!

How to party like a first grader....

Sam had a school dance tonight, sponsored by the PTO. (gotta put the plug in for the PTO anywhere I can now that I'm the secretary, lol! http://www.chavezschool.com/bus_board.php)

Anyway, they had the same DJ as last year, which meant lots of fun for the kids, and lots of laughs for the parents.

There were a few of the same dances as last year, including The Macarena (would everyone please just let this song die!!!!!), The YMCA (a classic, I must admit), and a large quantity of disco, including "Stayin' Alive".



There was also The Chicken Dance, because after all, a dance just wouldn't be a dance if you didn't get to act like a chicken at some point.

Here is Sam doing the chicken dance with one of his best buds, Jeremiah.






Then there was a new one--to a song called "Party Like A Rock Star". The DJ showed the kids how to wave their hands in the air like rock stars do (Sam didn't quite get this, and was making the sign language sign for "I love you" instead of the "fist of rock", but oh well)


Here's Sam's version of the "rock star" move:



Then he showed them how to cross their arms across their chests and nod their heads up and down, like cool rappers. Here's Sam trying out this move.




There was also a nice guest appearance by the one and only Bucky Badger (who is a heck of a disco dancer, by the way)






The DJ also had all of the kids get into a big circle for several songs, and had the kids raise their hands if they wanted to come out into the middle of the circle, one at a time, and show off their cool dance moves. Sam (aka Sam the Ham) ended up out in the center of the circle over a half a dozen times! The kid is fearless, even with all of his friends, and "big kid" 4th and 5th graders (who I wouldn't want to dance in front of, lol!) watching.

All in all, it was night Sam (and his mommy) will never forget!

How many times.....

can you hear "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" played at about 150 decibels* on the kazoo before you lose your mind?

Hmm, I wish I didn't have the answer to that question today!

*140 decibels is as loud as a jet engine takeoff

When mom and dad are away.....

The kids have lots of fun with Mok and Pa! Last weekend Mok and Pa took the kids for 4 days so Mommy and Daddy could have a weekend away in the twin cities. The kids got to:
go to a corn maze
have a treasure hunt
go to a halloween arts and crafts thing
roast marshmallows in the fireplace
bake and decorate cakes
play hide and go seek outside in the dark
and last but not least.....learn the joys of silly string! (which Sam called me on my cell phone to tell me all about--"Mommy, we got to use this stuff called Silly String! It's in a can, and it looks sort of like string, but it's kind of like shampoo, but it squirts out. It's really cool!")

The parents got to:
stay in a quiet hotel
sleep in late
go out to eat (at restaurants that don't serve corn dogs)
go to an art museum and wander around leisurely looking at paintings without anyone complaining of boredom
spend some quality time with Sandy and Steve and finally meet Bry (cutest baby born in the past 3 years in the whole world)

All in all, it was a great weekend!!