The Farm Show!

Everyone at our house was feeling much better on Thursday morning so we were able to go to the farm show. That was a good thing because if anyone would have had to stay home, there would have been tears. It is so fun for the kids to work in the milk wagon. It's kid of like playing store. Getting the milk out of the fridge and opening the cash drawer were the most favorite tasks of the kids. Of course, with several four and five year olds helping, it wasn't always service with a smile. Occasionally, there was a little arguing over whose turn it was to get the milk or open the cash drawer. All the kids did really well during our 2.5 hours of volunteering. Ella even earned a fifty cent tip for her hard work. And, with so many helpers, we were able to take breaks and enjoy the sights at the farm show.

Walking through the farm show....they only walked like this for a short time.

Happy James

Hanging out by a tractor tire.

Posing on a tractor.
James' turn!

Eager milk wagon workers!

Ella with her friend Sierra and cousin Trenton

Baby Chicks!

Gently petting a baby chick.

First Trip to the Park!!!

Ella has been begging for a trip to the park and James has been chiming in with his own requests. This past Saturday, with a tiny hint of spring in the air, we bundled up and took a trek to the neighborhood park. Mark pulled the kids in their wagon and it was pretty smooth sailing until we made it to the park entrance. The path to the park was still pretty drifted over, but we made it through and had the park all to ourselves. Ella headed straight for the swings and the puddles. James went down the slide all by himself just to show how much he has grown over the winter.

Ella swinging away!

Puddle fun!

Mommy and James

Down the slide with a smile.

James fancy mud boots!

James enjoyed tromping around in some shiny pink mud boots. Ella decided that her old boots would fit her brother just fine and once she showed them to him, he was very excited to put them on. Mark was a little less than thrilled with his son wearing pink boots...I thought it was pretty funny!

It is a good thing that we had some fun this weekend. We are not having much fun in our house right now. Ella started Tuesday just fine, but ended it feeling miserable. Thankfully, our clinic was open late and I was able to get her in for a strep test last night. She tested positive and we are waiting for the antibiotics to kick in. She has been miserable with a fever as high as 104 and an upset tummy. Hopefully a good night of rest will do her wonders! And...we hope no one else in the house gets sick as we are expecting a crowd on Saturday. Those of us who are feeling well tomorrow will be going to the Agri-News farm show to serve milk out of the Dairy Association Milk Wagon. I am hoping Ella is better or she is going to be really bummed out! She thinks it is fun to sell milk and she really likes to take money from people and put it in the cash drawer. She also has her outfit all planned out. She intends to wear one of her crowns so "people will think she is a dairy princess". James has been looking forward to the farm show all week. I know he will be excited to see all the tractors!

Finally...A Post!

I am the one to give my friends a hard time about not posting on their blogs frequently... Now, I am the one who has not posted a thing in over twenty days! Honestly, I don't know where the days have gone. Suddenly it's March...except we don't seem to be having March weather. I am getting so anxious for the snow to melt and the flowers to bloom!

I am typing right now on our new laptop. We decided it was time to invest in our own laptop since Mark had to give back his other one when he switched jobs. I am told that this computer is mainly for me. Mark seems to monopolize our desktop, so a computer for me is a good thing. Now with this nifty thing, we can both compute at the same time! So I can post, but I don't have access to my pictures on the other computer just yet. We have some networking issues to figure out. Then, maybe I'll become a more regular blogger again?

Here's a brief update on our recent adventures. After Valentine's Day, we managed a night away with the kids in Minneapolis at a fun hotel with a small water park. We stayed at the The Depot which was once a functioning train depot. The water park had a large train that the kids could crawl through and slide down. This was a huge hit for James and Ella. Mark seemed to enjoy himself too!

Ella finished her first month of gymnastics in February and liked it so much that we are back for the March session. James finished his swimming lessons and today he had his first parent/tot gymnastics class. I didn't get to take him as I had to attend a half day staff training session. I think Mark had fun taking James to the class and I know James was anxious to have his own class. He has been so patient waiting and watching during Ella's gym classes.

James is talking more and more everyday. He and Ella recently discovered how to argue. I think they think it is fun. James will identify something to Ella. For example, he might point out a school bus while we are driving in the car. Ella will then say that it's not a school bus and then James will counter with a very firm, "Is". And, suddenly, we are in the midst of an is/is not showdown. I really am not all that amused by it...so I am hoping that this phase will pass soon!

So many funny things come out of the kids mouths and I just have to share Ella's random comment from tonight. While I was driving Ella to church for our choir practices, she said out of the blue, "Mom, I'm thinking Arby's tonight. " Clearly their marketing campaign works!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

The Gymnast

It is safe to say that Ella loved her first gymnastic lesson. She was the only one in the class last week so she had a lot of one on one attention from her instructor. Her instructor also complimented Ella on her listening and was pleased Ella attempted everything she was asked to do. The lesson was a complete success and Ella is already anxious for it to be Tuesday again! Sitting in the foam pit.

Feeling secure on the lower beam.

Being brave on the high beam!

When Grandma's too busy....

...Grandpa has to babysit!

Lately, my mom has been overbooked for her babysitting services. My brothers and I are fortunate that our mom is able to babysit so much, but sometimes Grandma double books. When that happens, Grandma sends Grandpa Jim over to babysit our kids while she watches Ella and James' cousins at the farm. Ella and James love this and my dad seems to enjoy it as well. As an added bonus, Grandpa gets to watch cable T.V. while the kids nap. This is a treat as they don't get cable on the farm.

Grandpa babysat yesterday and when Mark came home, he took this picture. Both kids were enjoying some cuddle time with Grandpa. This past week has been hard on James. He had a lingering cold, is getting some new teeth and to top it all off, he got the stomach flu. He's still recovering and not eating or sleeping well. Lucky for James, Grandpa Jim was happy to snuggle with him for a while!

Gymnastics!

I've enrolled Ella in some gymnastics classes. She loves to do somersaults and headstands and much to our horror even perfected a flip from the couch onto the couch cushions piled on the floor. (Mark and I put a stop to that new routine after she showed off her new skill!) Ella has been very excited for gymnastics to begin and tomorrow morning is the big day. Tonight, however, she is a little anxious about the first day of class tomorrow. At bedtime she told Mark in a very matter-of-fact little voice, "Daddy, sometimes when you do something new you get a little nervous." When I was tucking her in, after we agreed on what she would wear to the class (Ella is insisting on a leotard because "that's what gymnastic people wear") she gave me a little insight into why she might be feeling a little nervous. She asked me where her number would go. I guess in her little mind she was preparing to be in a gymnastic competition, just like she has seen on T.V. No wonder she was feeling a little nervous! I would be too!