North Shore 2011

Hey! We had a great trip to the North Shore last week/weekend. I wouldn't say it was relaxing but we had a good time and Ella had lots of new adventures. We went swimming in the (as Ella will say) "biiiiiiiiiiiiig pool!", we went rock hunting along Superior's shores in Grand Marais and Lutsen, and we went hiking as a family for the first time (it was so fun!) Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Ella taking in the view at our home away from home on Lutsen Mountain


View from our place on the mountain


Our first family hike - a spur trail for the Superior Hiking Trail at Temperance River State Park


Waving to Jay while hiking. Ella did so great in the carrier. And it was fun to hear her ramblings along the way. At one point she was singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (random!) and she pointed out the big rocks and waterfalls along the way.


This picture was SUPPOSED to be a family hike picture.


Jay took Ella in the pack for a short bit since he was still recovering from another back injury (our chiropractor is practically on speed dial!)


Ella in her adorable swim coverup. She looks so grown up here!


First time in a big pool!


She had a lot of fun


Ella's expression is hilarious in this picture, but she is enjoying the most delicious donut you will ever eat from World's Best Donuts in Grand Marais. I'm serious. You should go there. RIGHT NOW. Best ever. We don't have any pictures of us enjoying the donuts. I think I inhaled mine, there wouldn't have been time to snap a picture.

FOGGY Friday & Ella's first trip to Lake Superior






She thought it was pretty sweet to sit on the big rocks.















Oh, if we could only go back tomorrow for another trip.
We love the North Shore!

Oh where, oh where, have we been?!?

Oh my gosh! Where have I been? I can't believe just about a month has past since my last post. So sorry. I don't really have any pictures of significance but here are some things going down (and for me to add to Ella's book):

- Ella has become obsessed with singing. At random times. All kinds of songs. Recent favs: Jesus Loves me and the "ABCD" song. Every time she belts out Jesus Loves Me I just smile. It's darn adorable. And isn't it funny that she calls it hte "ABCD" song...I don't get why the "D" got added in there. :) She is often singing songs while carting around stores, so if you hear a young child singing Jesus Loves Me in a high-pitched tune, check, b/c it might be us!

- Ella is really picking up words/phrases we say. For example, last week, we were lounging and Ella had her milk cup, and somehow she spilled some milk on the couch. Me: "ugh" Ella: "Ohmygosh" She says Oh my gosh! I couldn't help but laugh. And when Ella says this phrase, all the words run together and she says it really fast. I think I say this phrase more than I realized.

- The other night on the way upstairs for bed, Ella said goodnight to normal things/people, and then said "Goodnight table....sleep tight table.....see you tomorrow" HA! It was funny. She was dead serious.

- If Ella fake cries, which is happening more and more now that we're in 2's, she insists on being given a kleenex, when there usually is no need for one. She'll wipe her nose and then tell me "so better"

- Ella's favorite meal of late is a cheeseburger, fries & ketchup, which is how she requests it - all three things together. Eating out recently, the waitress came and asked if we were ready to order, but Jay & I weren't yet, but Ella sure was - she looked at the waitress and said "Cheeseburger, Fries & Ketchup!" HA! The waitress sort of looked at her like, wow!

- Again, eating out this week with Grandma Jolyn, we were done and were handling the bill, but Ella was antsy, so we got up and were getting her stuff ready to go, and Ella looked at Jolyn and said "Come on Grandma....let's go..." And she repeated this about 5 times while we were getting ready to leave. It was so cute!

We had a fun time this past weekend with Kaila & Chase up to visit us. Ella & Chase had a great time - so fun they were just running around & giggling all the time. Cute. Of course, I didn't get any pictures of them together. And I forgot my camera for our trip to the Dakota County Fair on Saturday, but I did grab these pictures on my phone:


Checking out the chickens.


Another picture from the Chicken barn! This was a highlight of Ella's trip. She loved hearing the roosters.

And since I was transferring pictures from my phone, here are a couple I don't think I ever posted:


CHEESE!


Ella in Jay's trucker hat (I'm SO glad it happens to be an alcohol endorsed hat) but she still looks cute. The picture quality, however, is terrible!

More next week (or next weekend more likely) Big 6 year anniversary on 8/27. Trip to the North Shore. You know it!

Twins Game 2011

Hey, we took a picture at the Best Buy photo booth at the Twins game on Friday night, so I thought I'd share.


There we are in all our sweaty glory!

Post Mania #3 (Warrior Dash)

OMG people! Jay & I completed (survived) the Warrior Dash today. Above - yes, that is fire. Yes, we jumped over that like bad-*ss people that we are. You recall, this was 3.02 hellish miles of crazy insane obstacles. The part they leave out in the description of the course is that there are A MILLION HILLS. I'm talking, let's climb Mt. Everest-like hills (okay, well that's what it seemed like at times). Conveniently, there was no mention of that in the course description. There was only mention of muddy madness - not hilly you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me madness. But, as I said, we survived. I've never done any sort of course or race before, so I was freaking out this morning. Lots of nerves. Then I got there and pinned on the bib (which is the paper that has your racing number on it) and felt like I was official! It was a fun time and I think Jay & I rocked it like only true Warriors could!

Pre-Warrior Dash: getting the warrior paint on.

BEFORE: warriors ready for battle


Again, before the battle. Before knowledge of any hills.


Jay was confused about what a warrior does - here he's thinking about Egyptians and not warriors. Get your head in the game Abbas!

Annie & Debbie repeat performance of the Muddy Beavers (they have completed a Muddy Buddy race last year under this team name!) BEFORE & AFTER!

All done Annie. Good job!

Finally...the hat!

And the beer (I do not drink beer - however, today it was like a requirement or something!)

And I saved the best picture for last. We were standing around in our muddy stinky clothes, drinking beer and reminiscing about the crazy stuff we just did, when Jay goes - "oh, look what I found" and pulls out of his shorts pocket, a LOAD of mud. A load of mud was found in each of his pockets and likely elsewhere. Yes, it was a muddy mess of a day, but we did it!

Post Mania #2 (Surprise Party for Annie)

On Saturday there was a surprise 30th birthday party for Annie (hosted at Paul & Jolyn's). I didn't get as many pictures as I'd planned to take. Ella decided to take a nap on the couch right after lunch, so I felt I should stay inside to make sure she didn't fall off!

But I did get this picture of her before Annie arrived (she was obsessed with playing with the balloons!)

And this picture is hilarious: Annie is blindfolded, yet still put her sunglasses on over! HA!

Saturday night my mom & Randy came up so we hung out and then this morning they watched Ella when we headed to the Warrior Dash (See Post Mania #3)!

Post Mania #1 (Twins Game)

Jay & I went to the Twins vs. Tigers game Friday night. It was hot and they didn't play well. I hate to complain, considering the games on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday that people went to with heat indexes of 110+ degrees. But still - it wasn't very fun to have swass. Although, it was fun to be at a night game!

There wasn't any handshaking during the game....

Can you believe this picture? Gross! I was NOT trying to get this picture.

And this, my friends, is my FAVORITE concession stand person. I've seen him at previous Vikings games and I think we even saw him last year at the Twins game. Anyway, I don't know his name, but in my head I think he's a "Keith." "Keith" talks like Kip from Napoleon Dynomite. If you don't know how that voice sounds, then what is wrong with you?!?! You must see Napoleon Dynomite.