McFatty Monday

Holy Cow (pun intended)! I am feeling the effects of all the eating (and drinking) I did this past weekend. My diet consisted of: two Thanksgiving dinners, two left-over Thanksgiving dinners, Papa Murphy's pizza, honey buns, pumpkin dessert, mashed potatoes that was made up of one part butter, one part sour cream, to one part potatoes (delicious), french toast with peanut butter and syrup, doughnuts, muffins, two plates of nachos with Village Hot Sauce (I single-handedly ate half of a tub of it . . . John and Jessie witnessed it), ribs, stuffed pork chops, lemon cake, marble cake with ice cream, beefy cheese dip with tortilla chips, sloppy joes, potato chips, countless glasses of wine, a few pints of Blue Moon on tap, a massive plastic cup full of Coors Light (which I only paid $3 for) . . . the list goes on and on.

In efforts to make today a bit more healthy, which shouldn't be hard, I got a salad at lunch. But after eating a "chef salad" which consisted of wilting (warm) iceberg lettuce, a diced meat-like substance, and a 1/2 pound of shredded government cheese, which I then drizzled in Ranch dressing, I don't think I accomplished my goal.

Oh well, there's always tomorrow :)
Bon Appetit

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

In true holiday spirit, the minute Thanksgiving is over, we switch our mindset immediately over to Christmas. This year is no different. We even got a little extra inspiration from all the snow that came to East grand Forks on Thanksgiving day.

Behind my dad's house is quite possibly one of the best sledding hills in northwestern Minnesota (especially since that part of the state is so incredibly flat). I have had so many great memories on that hill - sledding with siblings, cousins and friends. It is so much fun watching my own kids slide down the hill as powder sprays up onto their smiling faces. You add on to the fact that the hill has doubled in size since the 1997 flood, and what you have is a snot running, jump building, snow flying, air-catching-wipe-out type of afternoon!

(check out the old wooden sled complete with metal skis on the bottom! This sled is way older than me!)

my niece Ashley getting a taste of freshly fallen snow . . . we made sure it wasn't yellow

The progression of one of the biggest wipe-outs of the day. Ella handled it like a real pro!













To our family,

Thanks for this past weekend. It felt so good to get home and hang out with the people that I love so much and see too little. John and Beth - we are so grateful that you could come home for at least a part of the big holiday season. Please know that you are loved and missed very much!

It truly was a weekend to be thankful for.

Thankful

"Okay, 1st graders. Please raise your hand if you would like to share with me what you are thankful for." I said in a teacher-like voice.
"I am thankful that all those Indians gave us all that land for free!!" said "Billy" . . .
I nodded and called on the next student as quickly as possible. I may have to talk to his teacher about their social studies conversations :)

Tis the season for being Thankful. I can't possibly list all the things I am thankful for, but I will try rattle off a short-list of some of the blessings in my life.

I am Thankful for:

Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer
leggings that cover chubby little legs
the celebrities that made Uggs fashionable . . . Minnesota women gotta love "fashion" that keeps your feet cozy and warm :)
wine of all different genres
"Village" Hot Sauce
dinner and a movie
HGTV
Coke Zero
Friday night, Saturday and Sunday
Summer Vacation
www.etsy.com (by the way - Carl is not thankful for this)
Cinnamon rolls on Sunday mornings
Blue Moon on tap
Friends you can laugh and cry with
girly movie nights
shopping by myself
pizza and wings
Coffee . . . not just the drink but the action of "going to coffee" with friends or family
clean flannel sheets
the year we lived in Colorado - it was like a year long vacation
skating outdoors
how many sick days I am given every year - with sickies like mine, I need every last one :)
blankets stuffed with down feathers
my inversion table
I would usually say my camera, but it's been pissing me off lately - on the other hand, I am still very thankful for having it at all
a family who has taught me how to love unconditionally
3 daughters who have made my life . . . everything I ever wanted

The Fairy is in Flight

This morning while eating breakfast at daycare, Ella lost her first tooth! This pesky tooth has been loose for over 3 weeks. It finally surrendered to the inevitable and came out without a struggle.

We are anxiously awaiting a visit from the Tooth Fairy tonight. Ella is bound to get top dollar for this shiny little chomper!

Ella better tidy up her bedroom tonight . . . we would hate the Tooth Fairy to get caught up in a mess on her way to retrieve the tooth . . . we wouldn't want to frustrate her before she dishes out the cash :)



I wonder what the going rate is for a tooth now-a-days? She hasn't made a visit to our house in quite sometime. When the Fairy would come for Jocie's teeth, I always thought the rate was a little inflated. I wonder if the recession hit the fairies as hard as it hit the economy?



We shall see . . .

weekend rewind

As usual, this past weekend's activities kept us on our toes. Today was Jocie's first basketball tournament of the season. All three games were held at the Buffalo High School.

The little girls and I missed the first game due to the incredibly icy roads. Unfortunately, Jocie's team lost the first game by 3 points. But they dominated the last two games, and ended up finishing in 2nd place!

On Saturday, my friend Shannon and I took photos of Bella. Isa"bella" is the daughter of a co-worker of mine. She is super cute and full of energy! Here is just a taste of what we captured:

On Friday, Dana and Ryan came down so Dana could be Ella's "special guest" in her Classroom. Ella was so pumped to show Dana her classroom, and have her stay and help teach her classmates. Thanks, Dana! It sure meant a lot to Ella :)

Here's to a short week! True, I still have to get through conferences on Tuesday, but it will be a small price to pay to have a 4 day weekend to look forward to! John and Beth - - 4 days and counting!!

City vs. Country

If you were to ask me what type of girl I am, I would answer, "a small-town girl". If you were to ask Carl what type of girl I am, he would answer, "a city girl".

Carl grew up in Argyle, MN which has a population around 600 people. He enjoys riding horses, farming, riding snowmobiles, fishing, hunting, and anything outdoors. Clearly, he is a "Country Boy". I on the other hand, can not be labeled as easily. I grew up in East Grand Forks, MN which has a population of about 8,000 people. Most of the world would categorize E.G.F, as a small town. However, it is connected to Grand Forks, ND which has a population over 60,000 - which is (in my eyes) pretty sizable. Together, the two cities offer everything a person would need: various shopping opportunities, two public school systems, multiple private school options, a technical college, a University, a downtown full of history and character as well as many new modern developments and businesses.

The truth is, I fall somewhere in between city and country. I can appreciate both at the same time. I love the history, character, culture, fashion and hustle and bustle of an urban area. On the other hand, I also love the peacefulness, simplicity, tradition, wide open spaces, and laid back feeling of the country. I find beauty in both.

Urban Views:

Country Views:














In my eyes, there is no clear winner. They are both beautiful in very different ways.

The Hunting Holiday

Up North . . . or "Up Nort" as people think we northerners say ( . . . and I guess some of us do), hunting is not just a hobby, but more of a holiday. Since the day I met Carl, the first two weeks in November have been very sacred. It is a time where he bonds with his dad, brothers, cousins, and uncles. They dress in Blaze Orange from head to toe and all adorn faces full of scruff (because hunters need to be hairy . . .).

These guys might mean business up in the stands and out in the woods, but they sure do know how to have fun after the hunt is over! Every year, the hunters and their families get together out at the farm to celebrate a successful hunt. It doesn't matter who shot the most deer or the biggest buck, the most important man at the party is Grandpa Kuznia. He loves watching all these guys come out and hunt his land. They love him for his spirit, humor and charisma. The hunters have called themselves "Grandpa's Gang" for many years now, and that's just what they are :)

The party is stocked with freshly cooked venison which is breaded and fried with onions. Along with the fresh meat is an array of different sides, such as "hot dishes", backed beans, taco salad, Grandpa's home-made dumplings, cheesy hash browns, and of course . . . a lot of whiskey.

The best part of the party is when Grandpa Kuznia takes out his harmonica and plays for us. While he plays, everyone listens in astonishment and sometimes claps along with the beat. When he finishes, there is a roaring cheer along with a few praises yelled out in Grandpa Kuznia's native Polish language. Family parties like these are not something people in my generation come across easily. I am so glad to be apart of it.



Apart from all the hunting hoopla, I was also able to take some photos of Carl's sister Dana and her boyfriend, Ryan. I had a blast running around town with these two. We had a lot of good laughs, and ended up with quite a few good photos!

We had a jam-packed weekend of good food, good times, and family tradition. Although it was a quick trip, it was totally worth it!

Ali & Daysha

This past weekend we headed up to Argyle for hunting weekend #2. Because I was up in that neck of the woods, I decided to zip down to Grand Forks so I could give Jessie her photos and have a quick cup of coffee with my mom and sisters. We headed to my favorite coffee shop downtown called the Urban Stampede. The shop is in a charming corner brick building complete with vaulted metal ceilings and huge stained glass windows. I love this little shop . . . I wish I could live in it!

I wanted to get back to Argyle quickly so I didn't miss out on any of the "hunting" fun, so I didn't stay too long. I just stayed long enough to have a quick visit, a fabulous latte, and a photo shoot with my sister Ali, and niece Daysha.

We didn't stay outside very long because the winter nip was defiantly in the air, but we did stay out long enough (under 20 minutes) to get these shots.

More to come from the weekend. We had a great time at Grandma and Grandpa Adolphson's house, out at the hunting party, and I had a little more fun with my camera . . . Dana and Ryan were my next models :) But right now I have to go to bed.

Good Night!