Northern Railroad Roundhouse

Rex the Train Conductor
The best part
Minnesota Transportation Museum
Riding a real caboose
Train to Hogwarts
Snow plow for the train tracks


When Will had saturday off he thought that he was going to spend it putting the bunk beds together. Not so, we needed to get out of the house asap. Minnesota has several train museums around town and we chose to go to the Northern Railroad Roundhouse this past weekend. I could see that there were plenty of cool artifacts, pictures, and information booths to learn about the history and the trains. Not gonna happen. With two curious toddlers to look after we were just trying to keep them from falling into the train tracks below or from jumping up and down on a 100 yr old passenger bed.

We are the Laurie Berkner BandI purchased this CD/dvd for my kids for Easter and they love it. This is by far the best children's music cd that I have come across. We have stopped listening to Raffi since I discoverd the Laurie Berkner Band. The songs are really fun and they even make me want to dance. I have only seen it at Walmart and not Target. I'm sure it is out there at other stores. It is definately a must have!

Allergies Anyone?We have food allergies that run in the family so I have to be careful about giving Ella peanut butter before the age of three. A couple of years ago someone gave me this bird nest recipe that had some substitute ingredients to use instead of peanut butter. This time I used a 12oz. bag of chocolate chips and 1 tb of shortening instead of marshmellow creme and peanut butter. I also used whopper robin eggs instead of peanut M&M's. Surprisingly it turned out to be really good. Just an idea if you have friends or family members with peanut allergies.

Wet and Wild Wet? Absolutely! Wild? Not exactly. Today is the first day of spring break and this is what it looks like outside. Rex's preschool teacher is in Hawaii right now, need I say more?

Easter Fun

Buddies

Easter Sunday

My two bunnies

Ella getting into the easter spirit

Could not get enough of egg sugar cookies


Notice that there is no Will to be found. He was taking in-house (not our house-the hospital) call for a day and a half before easter. We had awesome members in our ward that took good care of myself and the kids. Thankfully Will was able to come home towards the end of the weekend and we were able to spend some time with him.

Insane In The Membrane

WHO YOU TRYIN' TO GET CRAZY WITH ESE? DON'T YOU KNOW I'M LOCO?


It took me FIVE attempts over the course of 2 months to get this thing. Here is all the drama.....(thankfully I had a sitter each time)

1. I wait in line and the person at the counter tells me that I can only pay with cash or check and that I need my marriage license.
2. I bring the paperwork and take the test. I missed 7 questions = I failed!
3. I passed the test. Worker behind the counter tells me that my marriage license is not good enough.....I need a marriage certificate.
4. All set to go with a babysitter at my home and then I realize my current license is in Will's wallet. Dang it!
5. $23.00 later, I have the marriage certificate mailed to me from AZ (btw, it looks just like a marriage license) and I have a freaky 80's hairdo going on and my picture is taken and I finally have a license.

It's Spring!

Today is the offical first day of spring. Not sure what that means for Minnesota, but I know that it means the rest of the country can wear flip flops. It is going to snow tonight but I don't care because for the very FIRST time since I have lived here the snow will melt the next day. Yes! I love it when it is above 32 degrees....awesome! It snowed on Thanksgiving day and the snow did not melt until last week.....crazy!

Arizona

We went to Arizona recently for my Grandpa's funeral. Will was able to come with me because the funeral was during his vacation time. I made a mad dash to the store to find sandals and short sleeved shirts at a moments notice. I was glad to have the much needed help and we were all looking forward to seeing family again.

This is the only Grandpa that I knew. He was the funniest grandpa that anybody could ask for. I spoke with him a few weeks before he died and he was still trying to pull my leg and make me think that I had dialed the wrong number. He was at every important event in my life. He baptized me, he was our sealer when we were married in the temple (still trying to make jokes during this time too), he held each of my children as they were blessed. For years he would call my brother on the telephone and pretend that he was Joe Montana and talk to my brother about the football game. He would hide our dinner plates as he asked us to look another direction quickly. He told all of his grandchildren that he had no hair because Grandma had gotten mad at him and pulled it all out. I am going to miss him dearly. It was painful to say goodbye but I know that I will see him again.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL here are some fun facts about Will.
-He is always willing to pull over and change a flat tire for a stranger on the side of the road.
-At the age of 3 he went to the Phoenix Zoo and a wolf jumped up and took a bite from his index finger. He has the scar to prove it! He still remembers details from the experience.
-He has Barry White on his iPod. Ooh yeah.
-While camping as a young boy, he set the forrest on fire!
-While eating from a bag of chips he will look at each chip and will only choose a chip with the most "stuff" on it. If the chip does not have enough cheddar on it, then it goes back to the bag it came from.
-He is super great at helping with laundry/folding. I don't even have to ask, he will just pitch in.....can't say the same for cleaning toilets.
-He really admired his father and often talks about how he wants to be like him.

Happy Birthday to Dad, Traci, Jett, Adam, and me. We celebrated 6 birthdays in the 1 week that we were in AZ. That is what happens when your ENTIRE (almost) family lives there.





I know that toes are ugly...but don't look at the toes...look at the cool nail polish!