Sunday, July 11, 2010

more exciting news!!

Joel and Alanya are not only having one baby they are having 2!!



here's a few pictures of what we've been up to these days..mostly just enjoying this beautiful weather we've been having:)
two pictures of the 4th of July at mom and dads. they had a nice get together with friends from the area:)



ok maybe not the best weather this day...lol. this was in a tornado warning. we went out to eat with a couple friends of ours and this is what the sky looked like afterwards. it actually produced nothing in the cities but there were like 25 touchdowns through-out the state that day!!













Monday, May 10, 2010

Breaking News!!

I'm gonna be an auntie again!!!!!!!! Joel and Alayna announded that they will be expecting a baby in early December:) how exciting:)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Happy Spring:)

A few weeks ago Len and I took a quick trip to Chicago. Neither of us had been there before. I didn't expect such a huge city--it really is HUGE. We stayed with our friends, Angela and Scott Swenson. Lovely home:) This is our favorite picture below. Its us sitting in a glass belcony 103 floors up in the Sears Tower (now called the Willis Tower). The only way to get on the glass is to walk backwards and not look down!!

This is a picture of the "cloud" its quite popular in Chicago! I like how it shows the city and its skyscrapers behind it!
It was raining when we first went there; its not so popular then. Later, the sun came out and we went back. Its way more popular then, as you can see in the picture above.


This is one of my new dresses and shoes. I never liked dresses till now. I guess its because I used to wear long ones, but short ones look better on me cause i'm short. I got the boots for only $10!! Good time to get boots, I guess-in the spring! I don't really like pointy boots but couldn't pass them up for the price--also they fit my calves. Its hard to find ones that do.


Spring time blooms:) Len bought these for me after i saw tulips and daffodils in a local arboretum. Its fun to watch them bloom--I don't think they will last much longer. They are open as big as they can get! This picture doesn't show how big they are now!



Friday, April 23, 2010

100 things

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyworld.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not sick.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to truly be satisfied.
38. Seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served in a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp.
67. Bounced a check. (NSF)
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Been to the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had Chicken pox.
89. Saved someone's life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Spring 2010

Valentines Day 2010 flowers from len:) i love you honey!!
heart shaped strawberry!

Mom and Dad's Anniversary..March 21st..
we took them out to eat for supper. also same day went to the science musuem of MN and saw the dead sea scrolls..ect.. fun day with family!!


I have started to oil paint! this is my second since highschool. I need some help with details and stuff...I just signed up for an oil painting class in april and may..will be fun!! i gave this to mom and dad for their anniversary.






Monday, January 11, 2010

2010 happy new year:)

Len's brother, Dustin, came to visit us while he was on Christmas break. We didn't take him many places, but we enjoyed lots of time with my family...on New Years day we took him to a ski hill..where other friends had decided to meet as well.. it was a great day to spend with friends, and he learned how to snowboard and ski downhill:) Since hes from CA he hasn't had hardly any time in the snow before..so he really soaked it in:) I had more pics of him making snowmen, and blowing snow but i couldnt' find the pics on my computer. anyways..hes back in CA and wants to move to MN and live with us after he graduates next year...we'll see..but we are hoping it works out:) :)

Backing up, we also took him ice skating. I decided it can't be too hard to skate myself if i get a sled to push around. I got so confident that I actually skated on my own for nearly 2 hours!! It was exasusting, plus the pond we were on was really bumpy...cause it had warmed up and melted it enough to make it uneven. Anyways, I was trying to figure out how to glide like others could so dustin said "go faster" so I tried that..after a few attemps I fell down, backwards. I knew not to fall that way. I felt a pain in my arm like i've never felt and got myself back up and sat on a bench holding my hurting arm. I decided not to go in to ER since it was late, so in the morning i went in. anyways, next day at dr. I found out i had a small fracture in my elbow...and had to wear a sling for 2 weeks.. I'm still in minor pain usually after using it all day at work... but its not near as bad as it used to be!




10 Goals for the New Year:

1. read more books
2. pray more often and with depth
3. eat more fruits and veggies
4. not drink so much pop
5. work out downstairs in our apt. incuded work-out room
6. go for more walks, and faster walks to tone up
7. be more money wise
8. paint more pictures
9. go through the "piles" of stuff...
10. go to bed earlier..
that was easy..making the list. now lets see how good i'm at doing it...lol:)


Thursday, December 3, 2009

Thanksgiving week in CA 2009





Len and I were spent a week in CA recently..it was really special to get to be with Len's family again! Also another special part of the trip is that we were able to spend a few nights and a day with my good friend, Sarah! I'm so thankful to have the best friend anyone could ask for and the best in-law family:)


Len's grandma loaned us her car for the week..we had to take the top down a few times;) we LOVE this car!
overlooking Los Angeles from the Griffith Park Observitory....


On Sunday night Len and I took a drive down to San Diago where we stayed with a couple friends for a few nights..it was nice to see them again (we spent some time with them while we were on our honeymoon last year there). They treated us to a couple very yummy breakfast's.. now if i remember how she made those eggs....hmmm.

Monday, Len and I spent at Sea World. It was quite entertaining! This show was the best part of all we saw..we didn't see many shows. we wanna go back!

I took this picture just as these Manatees were maybe..kissing? thought it was cute!

Tuesday, Len and I spent the day at Coronado Island. We sat by the beach for several hours..listening to and watching waves, watching people, soaking in the sun....It was wonderful!! We also ate lunch on the deck up by the hotel. We visited here last year for our honemoon as well but wanted to go back and more time there. We got to watch the sun go down here as well:) I like this picture of len with the waves behind him. He got me to go in about up to my knees and let the water rush back..interesting feeling! Took a little arm pulling for me to go in! maybe next time i'll try boogie boarding..i'm a little scared of the big waves! lol.

Tuesday night, Len and I headed back to LA to pick up sarah. We took her back to Len's aunt and uncle's for 1 night, and then on Wednesday we went up to Santa Barbara and spent a little bit of time there shopping in the quaint little stores. I got a few suveneirs on this trip:) Later we went up to Len's parents and got ready for meeting and enjoyed a very small wed. night meeting!

Thursday Morning I got up later in the morning with a headache. Everyone ate breakfast late (like 11:oo). I thought it would be fun to take the dogs out and go to the beach. So all the kids went with us. I think the dogs had more fun then us! It was fun to watch the dogs enjoy playing ball on the beach! They even sorta behaved for the picture!

They deep fat fried one of the turkeys this year in a homemade deep fat-frier...quite entertaining to watch that! The first attempt the turkey fell off the stick and part of it fell on the sidewalk!
Heres a picture of Len's family plus me! (Len, Me, Dustin, Melissa, Ceirra, Mike, Sherree, Megan, Calvin)
Here's a picture of all the grandkids! (Heather, Calvin, Melissa, Mark, Megan, Dustin, Ceirra, Len and Me, Nicholas, Catherine, Grandma Gloria, Travis)

Here's a pic of Len's grandma Gloria, and her kids: Ray, Sheeree, Jack, Renee.



On Friday, Sarah, Melissa, Len and I went to Solvang CA. Its a small quaint town with a lot of swedish stuff. We got to try on Wooden shoes!



I loved all the vineyards on the way to and back from Solvang..miles and miles of them. I could actually see the grapes hanging from the vines while going down the road! Later we visited a Mission close to Lompoc (where len's family lives). The Missions were where in the 1700's the french were teaching the Indian's to be Christans..ect... interesting old buildings to look at...

On Saturday after T-day, Len and I took Dustin, Melissa and Megan to Six Flags..which is near LA. They had some very crazy rides there!! First time for me taking a picture like this! lol.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Eagle Bend Convention--oct 09

Len's mom and grandma came from CA to spend some time with us at Eagle Bend convention in October. We had a nice surprize for them coming--snow!! It was a very wonderful convention..hearing so many thoughts and messages!!

nice pic of the snow and fall colors on a walk....
lens mom and grandma and us...

my family..not so flattering pic of me tho....

more spectacular fall colors.....
us again....

after it snowed lens mom made a snowman..hiding her Diet Coke in it..lol:P.....

Monday, September 28, 2009

1st Anniversary Trip

Len and I took a really fast trip over the weekend to Green Bay WI and Door County WI. Its about 5 hours from the cities here. Door county is like a finger that sticks into Lake Michigan. It takes maybe an hour or so to get to the top from Green Bay, and only a half hour across. It has a bay that cuts through a town called Sturgeon Bay all the way through, so that Door county is like an island. There is a bunch of islands around Door County that some have resorts, state parks, and lighthouses on...which you can find all inland as well. Here's a bunch of pics of our little adventure!!

First off....Lambeau Field in Green Bay..





Tour..we got to see a suite that rents out for $30,000 for 50 people.
Then saw the hall where the players run out..they turned on loud cheering on speakers while we as tourists ran down the hall as the garage door opened...fun!!
Our view from our resort room..
This is called a fish boil. They put fish (Michigan whitefish), potatoes, sweet onions in boiling water. this is where they add the diesel fuel...
And it gets so hot that the pot boils over. its to get rid of the residue and oil.

YUM YUM YUM!!! This gets 5 stars out of 5!!!!

Sunset on Lake Michigan
Cave Point. The waves splash water up 20 feet or so...






Whitefish Point State Park

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