Nolan's First Day on the Ice

Nolan started ice skating lessons today. He spent a lot of time on the ice (and not on his feet), but I can see it will only take him a little time to get used to the skates and he will be on his way.

That's Nolan's friend Ryan on the left that he goes to daycare and school with. Ryan's mom has been generous enough to take Nolan with them to skating too.

Nolan spent a lot of "one-on-one" time with his teacher (whether she wanted to or not). However, by the end of the half hour, Nolan was getting up from the ice on his own and doing some independent standing as well.

On a side note...Nolan passed his swimming lessons tonight. Some of the teacher's comments were "Super student" and "Awesome kicker". Puddle Jumpers 2, here we come.

Thanks for the Cupcakes Amy

I think their faces say it all!

Thanks Amy!!

The Corn Maze

A couple of weekends ago, Heather took Nolan and Logan to the Corn Maze in Shakopee. Here are a few pictures from their adventure.

Best Buddies

Nothing runs like a John Deere (built for 2)

Hey...is swimming around in corn really that safe?

Birthday Fun and a Bon Voyage

On Saturday we celebrated Birthday's and said Bon Voyage to Chris and Amy as they left for England on Sunday.

Dad relaxing and having some coffee before he rips into his gifts. Looking mighty thin Dad...you look great!

Well Shirley, it's no surprise that it's your Birthday too!

While they may look cute and happy, I know half of them was extremely nervous about the trip. We should hear something in the next day or two about how it all went.

We had a busy day on Sunday too. We stopped by Chris and Amy's to pick up some stuff, then headed to Bloomington to get Nolan some ice skates (he starts lessons this week). Then we went to Burnsville to have dinner with Mom & Dad H. and Jon, Heather, Logan and Luke. It really felt like winter yesterday, so it was nice to get home to a warm house and relax for the rest of the evening.

Chris in England...Chapter 2

Here is part 2 from my brother Chris in England (dated 9-27-08):

"So, last Saturday I took the bus down to Shrewsbury town center. Shrewsbury is the largest city near my village, and has roots going all the way back to mid-evil times. The town center was bustling with people, and now is home to a lot of shops, restaurants, and hotels. It’s also the birthplace of Charles Darwin. There’s a great big, beautiful park there called The Quarry, and in the middle of the park is a garden named The Dingle (oh grow up!). The weather was perfect, and as I walked around the city I took a few pictures. I also snapped a few of Hillcrest, the house I’m living in."

Darwin

The Dingle

Welcome to Hillcrest

The backyard

Chris's pet...he named him "Kitty"

Pumpkin Scouting

Sunday was the perfect day to get our pumpkins for the season. The weather was great and the pumpkins were in perfect condition.

Are they plotting something? Because it looks to me like they are!

Mom...I'm not sure this is the perfect one. It feels a little lopsided to me!

Just like her big brother.

We had to get a few little ones too.

Not Meant to Offend

Seriously, this is not meant to offend anyone, but thought it was humorous.

Jamie's Birthday Party at the Farm

Jamie turned 17 on the 2nd and we celebrated her Birthday out at the farm on Sunday.

I don't know where this came from, but here is Tori on Jon's 4-wheeler looking adorable. Yes, she was totally posing for the picture.

Nolan and Tori pretending to ride.

Talented Torrance

So, do you think I should enroll Tori into dance or gymnastics? Here she is imitating Nolan and showing off her "moves"!

A Sister's Weekend in Litchfield

Dianne, Shelly, Me

So every fall around our Birthday's my sisters and I get together to enjoy some sisterly bonding. This year, we decided to take over Dad's house while he and Shirley were out of town, and "live it up" in Litchfield. We never really need big plans, just time to hang out and do the things we enjoy. We spent some time shopping downtown, watching some great movies, and eating lots of food!

We did have another reason for choosing Litchfield this year. Aunt Bev and Aunt MaryAnn plan a day in the spring to put the flowers up at the Litchfield cemetery, and then again in the fall to take down. Saturday was the day to take down, so we met them for lunch at The Tea Room and then headed out to the cemetery after. There was quite a group of us, and it was nice to see those we don't get to see very often anymore.

Here is the majority of us that got together. My Aunts are the ones in red in the center (MaryAnn is next to me and Bev is next to her).

Nolan Starts Swimming Lessons

Nolan started swimming lessons last week at Safari Island in Waconia. He is in a class with 3 little girls, and is having a blast. He seems to be a bit more brave than when he went in for his evaluation. Last night he even put his head in the water several times!

And of course we have to make time for the play area after. Here he is playing in the ball pit.

A Night Out with the Ex's

Peggy, Ann, Sara, Leslie, Me

(not pictured: Missy - who coincidentally still works at ShopNBC)

No, no, it's not what you think. The "Ex's" refers to a few of us that no longer work at ShopNBC, but still like to get together to reminisce about old times. Sara graciously hosted at her house, where we enjoyed food, drinks (of which I did not partake, but they looked delicious) and lots of laughter. It's funny how you tend to forget about particular people or events, but they seem so incredibly funny when you look back at them.

Seriously ladies...we are not waiting another 2 years to do this again. I'd like to not be pregnant for once when we get together!

In Search of Good Music

So, I just got done listening to my ipod, and realized my music selection is very lacking. I can borrow some tracks from Tom, but we don't always see eye-to-eye when it comes to music. Therefore, I am on a search for good tunes and am calling on my friends and family to make suggestions. They by no means need to be new selections...a blast from the past is always welcome. What are some of your favorites? I like all types (except for jazz), so don't leave anything out. Can't wait to see what you come up with for me!

Where's Our Computer?

The Geek Squad called...our computer is with them safe and sound. They just wanted to let us know. I don't really care...just get it back to me already!