You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2009.
It was the home opener at the Dome and Anna and I both had the opportunity to dance for the game. Me on the MVC ATeam as part of the Plaza pre-game entertainment and Anna as part of the Jr. Cheer camp for the half-time show. I always enjoy when we are both in uniform:
I love living in my small town. I love that there are activities for the families in the community to connect. I love that there are adults that want to share their time and love with children. And I love ice cream.
All of these things came together last week as everyone’s Grandpa Bill and his wife showed how to make ice cream the old fashioned way. It was yummy.
This highlight of the week was getting Anna’s ears pierced at the mall.
I treated her to ice cream to celebrate. It was tradition after all since that is exactly what I did with my Mom and Dad on the day I got my ears pierced. I was 14 years old and my family was vacationing in Seattle visiting my grandma and my uncle and aunt. I had gone to a mall with my parents and Dad left us girls to do some shopping. Mom and I noticed a sign in one of the stores that advertised ear piercing. We looked at each other and said, “are you thinking what I’m thinking?” and we were. So after we met up with Dad he thought it was a great idea. I made Mom go first. Dad treated us to ice cream to celebrate our new earrings. Grandma noticed within minutes after getting back to her house.
Anna took about half an hour in the store before she decided that “YES” she wanted to get her ears pierced. Just before the first one was done, she was squeezing the teddy bear with one hand while the other hand was squeezing my hand. She got nervous when the actual earring gun was placed next to her ear. But her worried, “I don’t know if I’m ready, I’m not sure..” quickly changed to “Hey, that didn’t hurt!” within 2 seconds of the earring being placed. The other ear was a breeze. And the photo shows her big smile after it was all over. She was happy to have her ears pierced. Now she only has to clean her earring three times a day for the next 6 weeks.
It is a special and rare occasion that Jeff and I can spend the day together ALONE. But it happened last Monday since Jeff had the day off and Ellie still had daycare. My photo of the week is the two of us as we relaxed along the river after lunch (one of those long-armed shots):
We went to Lake City and Red Wing (about 2 hours away) for a day of just being us, looking at the boats on the river, eating a fancy lunch, shopping, talking and holding hands.
Jeff laughed at me during lunch as I was taking pictures of all of our food. I was inspired by all the yummy things that gets posted on this blog (a Christian lady who runs, remodels her house, and eats great food with her hubby and friends):
So Christine this is inspired by you:
Opening day at the County Fair last Wednesday meant food, awards, animals, rides and one tired girl (well, ok three tired girls).
Since the fair opened at noon we first ate lunch. Corn dogs for the girls and walleye on a stick and corn on the cob for me. Of course there were also treats such as ice cream cones and dippin dots.
After we filled our tummys, the girls were anxious to see if they won any ribbons for their craft entries so we head to the Education building. Ellie won a 1st place ribbon and a Champion ribbon for her fish mosiac (that she made for her Daddy for Father’s Day), and a 2nd place ribbon for her lamb watercolor. Anna won a 1st place ribbon and a Champion ribbon for her gecko made out of homemade paper, 1st place for scrapbooking (Yea! second year in a row), and a 3rd place for a puple painting of jellyfish.
I won a 1st place ribbon and Reserve Champion ribbon for a photo I did as part of Jessica Sprague’s Frame Ups and Special Effects class:
One I absolutely love of Jeff and Ellie also won a 1st place ribbon:
And finally I won a 2nd place and showcase ribbons for this color floral photograph:
And you can’t go to a fair without visiting the animals. A favorite was a 2-day old calf named Charlie. Ellie also enjoyed “talking” with the sheep for almost 10 minutes, I had to literally pull her away. We also said “hi” to the llama, Mui Mui that neighbor-girl Allyson takes care of (Note: she and the llama took a Reserve Champion ribbon in obstacle Saturday at the fair).
Before the afternoon was out the girls took in a few rides. Ellie was quite proud of herself since was big enough to go down the big slide by herself. Anna has become quite daring taking in all the big rides that twirl and spin (makes a Mom dizzy just watching). Anna also jumped with bungees on a trampoline and managed to do two flips. I was content to ride along with Ellie on the carousel and with both girls on the ferris wheel.
Ellie got tired out after about 4.5 hours and let us know it. Good thing we had planned to leave within 15 minutes of that time anyway, so we made a quick exit to our car. Anna spent Saturday afternoon and evening at the fair again with her friends and got to watch them show the llamas. It was a good year at the fair. The girls are already thinking about things to make and enter next year!
(Note: the layouts all use an awesome new kit by Amanda Rockwell called FUNTIME at scrapartist.com http://www.scrapartist.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=3629&cat=0&page=1 )
Last blog update I was about to head to the county fair with the girls. Still working on layouts on our time at the fair, but here is a little peek at the highlights of the day as part of my Project 52. (I couldn’t decide on just one photograph for the week, so I made a collage. I debated about that since it is a departure from my previous 30 weekly photographs, but decided that this is my project and I can do whatever it want!)
I’ll be back soon to give you the full report on the fair.
Today “fair” is not a condition, today “fair” is a place. Because today the conditions are “GREAT” to go to the opening of the county fair. Anna and I made a trip to the fairgrounds yesterday to drop off our entries (Anna lots of crafts things, scrapbook page and photography, Ellie has her first entries and I have a few photos entered). Last year Anna won two first place ribbons for scrapbooking (that’s my girl) and seedart (making an adorable Snoopy) and one second place for photography (again, that’s my girl!). I entered a number of my photographs in the fair last year:
Third place:
Two second places:
(yep, this one is Liv that you may recongnize if you hang out at the Spraground)
This one won a 1st place and a Champion ribbon:
And this one won a 1st place and Reserve Champion ribbon:
The girls and I are off to the fair to see how we did, pet the animals, go on some rides and eat lots of unhealty but tasty food.
Conversations 