Winter is almost over....

We are starting to see the deer again....

More Resolutions.....

resolution #3

Learn more

2009 Resolutions.....

resolution #2
pick up my guitar and play

resolution #1
Exercise, exercise, come on everybody get your exercise

Baby it's COLD outside...

It's a chilly -25 this morning in Northfield. It's so cold...how cold is it? Well, neither car wanted to start until Dave forced them to. A lovely way to start the day. As if rising at 5:30 a.m. isn't torture enough. Wish you were here!!

Happy New Year!

Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas morning - Dan, Nicole, Jackson and Parker joined us. We opened presents then had brunch. It was great.

Parker would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Doesn't she look cute in her new Christmas outfit from the O'Leary's?

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

Temps this morning of -12 (yes, MINUS 12) and howling winds. This is why we live in Minnesota - the challenge of surviving winter. Dave and his damn seasons. Bah, humbug! I should be living next door to Tim, Diane and the girls.

We flipped a coin to see who would shovel. I used the same two-headed coin I use every year. It's been 28 years and Dave has yet to complain.

The girls (chickens) don't seem to mind the cold. They laid 13 beautiful brown eggs today. Since it was Sunday and I was home, I collected them a couple times during the day. On the weekdays we don't collect until we get home from work and if it's cold they can freeze. You can tell a frozen egg because it usually has a lengthwise crack. I look closely when I first bring them inside. As they thaw, the crack closes up and you can't tell. Freezing doesn't really hurt anything, but you don't want to keep a cracked egg very long because germs, etc. It might appear cloudy when you crack it too.

Can't you just hear the piano music?

We got our tree late last week from a no kill tree shelter in Faribault. We finally got around to decorating it last night. We probably have more ornaments than ever before, but they just can't fill up all the space between branches. We think it's beautiful, especially with the room lights down low and the tree all lit up.

The week before Christmas and all through the house....

Little Miss P was sleeping and I thought she needed to borrow my glasses. We laughed, she slept through it.

We are dashing around to get things done. We picked up our tree on Sunday and it is a sad little tree. It is a Charlie Brown tree, sparse and thin. We are glad to give it a home! I will post a before (decorating) and after later. Next year we won't wait so long. Or maybe we will. We are excellent procrastinators.

Dave is fighting a nasty bout with the flu - I got to witness the projectile green vomiting. He got a flu shot, I didn't. Poor guy. Hopefully it will be short-lived.

You won't believe it!

It looks like I'm going to give it another go.......I've got lots of pictures, lots to say, and lots of time. Well, ok, pick 2 out of those 3! Anyway, watch this space for updates.

Here is a picture of the most adorable little girl in the whole wide world. Parker Rose. The picture was taken on Thanksgiving day after a large meal of milk.

Oooh, Scary!! Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Here is a picture of Jack with his pumpkins (Haunted house carved by Nicole, Scooby Doo carved by Dan). Jack is going to be trick or treating as Scooby Doo!

Our State Fair Visit

We had a great time at the MN State Fair. We decided to take a picture of everything we ate. Here it is! We started out with a breakfast quesadilla (sausage, egg, cheese, salsa and sour cream), deep fried peppers (oh so hot and good with a beer), sausage bites with cheese, chicken wings with chipotle plum sauce (oh what a great sauce), and finished with an ice cream cone.

Water and Wind and Kids!

Northfield got over 10 inches of rain in the 14 days - this after almost no rain for 2 months! Dave has not mowed the grass since the end of June. Now it is thick and dense and almost dry enough to mow.

New Richmond got a storm last week that did damage to Joe's roof, ceilings, and trees. The town was hit hard, lots of damage to homes and yards.

Illinois was hit by storms/flooding in the last few days. No damage for Ken and Rose, but plenty around them.

On a lighter note - check out the group picture from Wisconsin for Stacy's visit with her son Aidan. Stacy and Aidan live in Florida and were here for a visit. Check out the smile on proud Grandpa Dick!! Look below for the large group picture.

Megan Marie Affeldt was baptized on Sunday, August 19th. Dave and Donna are thrilled to be her Godparents. It was a wonderful service and afternoon at Russ and Sue's. The highlight for Ryan was the cake and ice cream after lunch.

The wedding plans are coming along - Nicole and Dan are doing all the work. We are along for the ride! The wedding is on Friday, November 30 at 6 pm. The grooms dinner is Thursday, November 29th. All out of town family who are here are invited to the groom's dinner. There are rooms reserved for Friday night (some rooms are reserved from Thursday to Sunday) at the Super 8 motel here in Northfield. The church is St. John's Lutheran church and the reception is at The Grand (a former movie theater/ballroom) both in Northfield. We will get ahold of everyone and let them know the motel arrangements so changes can be made if necessary.


Chicken news - no update would be complete without news of the chickens! They now free range on the property during the day and put themselves to bed at night in the coop. We have 13 hens (they will start laying in the next month) and 13 roosters (11 of which are going to be "processed" on September 3). The hens all answer to the name "Henny Penny" and the 2 surviving roosters are Big Roo and Gillyweed.

Thursday was Dad's 84th Birthday!!! Let's Party!!

Thursday was Dad's 84th birthday - we got the group together for dinner. Dad; Ted and Erin were in town from Florida; Dick, Kelly and Jeremiah; Sue, Ryan and Megan; Dan, Nicole and Jack; and Dave and Donna. We had fajitas (the meat was our favorite from HEB in Texas - thanks to Nicole and Dan!) and Erin made dessert, individual chocolate cake stars and apple crisp, topped off with a little homemade vanilla ice cream. Yum!

It was great to see Ted and Erin. We all wish we could get together more often. How about November 30?

The boys (Ryan and Jack) had a great time together. We all wish we had the energy.

Check out the larger picture below (way below). I'm still trying to learn the ins and outs of the blog!!

Camping at the Lake

We had a great time at the lake on Saturday and Sunday. The weather was perfect - hot and sunny. We dined on hot dogs cooked over the fire for lunch, and spent the rest of the day on the water.

Sue, Russ, Ryan (4, almost 5!) and Megan (2 months) joined us, as did Nicole, her sister Julia (12) and Jack.

The gang really enjoyed playing on a tipped-over canoe (trying to stay on like log-rollers).

Dinner was teriyaki chicken, chicken nuggets, kabobs (Sue made them - they were awesome!), baked potatoes, beans and garlic bread.

We sat around the fire until the wee hours. Caitlin lasted the longest of the kids - well after midnight!

Sunday morning we had eggs, sausage, hash browns, english muffins and donut holes. The rest of the day was spent on the water again!

We left in a late afternoon after a snack of s'mores.

Mall of America Day

After a wonderful breakfast of waffles, yogurt, and bananas, we headed off to the Mall of America. We arrived right when the mall opened at 10:00. (round trip was 80 miles).

Seana thinks we walked 80 miles, and I agree with her!

We went on rides, shopped the stores, ate lunch, rode on rides (yes, on a full stomach!), shopped some more, rode rides, shopped, and went home. We stopped for pizza on the way home. Be sure to check out the before and after pictures of Caitlin.

Seana: Favorite ride: Mighty Axe. Favorite store: Journeys or Marshalls

Caitlin: Favorite ride: Mighty Axe. Favorite store: Justice for girls

Donna: Favorite ride: Watching the girls. Favorite store: Bloomies (love the bathrooms)

Dear Grandma (and Grandpa):

Thank you for buying the wristbands (for rides) for the girls. Thanks for lunch at McDonalds, and thanks for the pizza and dessert at Papa Murphy's!!!!!

Love, Donna, Seana and Caitlin and Dave

Chicken day at the Ranch

This morning we slept in until 9. Hi Mom, Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Luke! Everyone got pooped on in the chicken coop except Caitlin. We shopped at Target after a very nutritious breakfast. The girls spent all their money at the "dollar spot" at Target. You cannot imagine how many bags it took to carry $164 worth of stuff (ha ha, not true - don't believe everything you read.) Tonight we might have a bonfire and stay up all night.

Tomorrow, we are going to the Mall of America. We hope to leave early and shop all day. On the way home we will stop in New Market at the feed store and pick up the keets (Guineas).

Caitlin says, "I love you all".

Seana says, "Miss you, but having too much fun"

Aunt Donna says, "Come on baby, and rescue me (oh, oh, oh) come on baby and rescue me"

Uncle Dave says, "I need a Harley".

Pictures of Megan!

We have pictures of Megan! What a cutie!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

3 week old chicks

The chicks are growing fast! The pen is in the garage workshop area and was covered with chicken wire last week - they can fly! They are such fun to watch!