I went Curling!

This school year one of my placements has been at a high school.  This has been my first time working with that age of kiddos.  In addition to that being new, I also provide therapy for the Developmental Cognitive Delay-Moderate to Severe Classroom.  This has been a new population for me to work with as well, and it's been a really fun and challenging setting.   I've enjoyed the kids and staff in the classroom, so when they told me they were taking the kids on a field trip to go Curling...I had to go!

I think Curling is a hilarious sport, and I always like watching it in the Olympics.  The St. Paul Curling club is actually a couple of miles from our apartment, and I've wanted to go in there, but haven't had the opportunity.  

I kind of figured that this would be true, but it was definitely a lot more challenging that I expected! 

Thank you to my coworkers for documenting this for me! I had to prove that I actually did this.

                We all used the balance-aid thing (in my right hand) to keep us from falling over!

 The first time I let go of the stone, I used the stick attached to the handle of the stone instead of squatting down.

 This is after I let go of the stone and almost fall over.  Figuring out where to put your weight was really difficult.

Here we are sweeping...trying to yell out some random words like they do in the real thing.

                                       I would definitely go again if I'm given the opportunity.  

Life In An Icebox

Disclaimer!!! I am no expert, but this is just some stuff I've learned since living here.

This post is only for people that are curious about our frigid temps.  Back a couple of weeks ago, my mom called to ask if I could call my Great Aunt Loyce to tell her about our weather up here.  Apparently Loyce had been watching the news and was hearing all the talk about the Polar Vortex and the cold temperatures up here and she was very curious.  So, in case anyone else is wondering what it's like...here ya go.


Let's start with our past Winters here.  Our first one was the "mildest" one in recent years.  Everyone we met and talked to since we lived here told us they couldn't believe how mild it was...yada yada.

The second Winter here was...snowy...to say the least.  I think we ended up with 80-something inches last year. I believe for 6 weeks through March and April we had a 3-5 inch "clipper" every week.  Things had started to settle down then we got 17 inches on May 5th.  The good thing was that it melted fast, so we were able to put that behind us.

Now we've come to this Winter.  It started to get cold the first few days of January.  The Governor of Minnesota actually closed school throughout the state because of the temperatures on January 6th.  The Wind Chill in the morning was -40 with a temperature of -25.  We had 3 other days that were closed due to the temperatures.  I can not imagine sending my child to stand out and wait for the school bus in those temperatures.  Even though it was a big inconvenience for everyone, I think they made the right call.  I had to go to work that day, but I wore my wool socks, snow boots, and layers on top with my parka, scarf, hat, and mittens.

Some questions that I've been asked before...

"Why are you wearing snow boots when you're not going to be outside?"

Answer:  It's all about being prepared, if I have car trouble I would have to be on the side of the road and if I didn't have wool socks or snow boots on and it's -25 outside, I could get frost bite.  One of my kids at the High School got frost bite on his thumb because he was outside for 30 minutes without gloves (in December).   I have a blanket, kitty litter, shovel, snow brush, bottled water, and AAA.

"Do your cars do okay in that weather?"

Answer:  We all went out at lunch and started our cars and let them run for 15-20 minutes.  And yes, we all bundled up to walked 20 feet to start out cars.  You don't mess around.  You do have to let your car warm up before you drive it or it will scream at you.  My car dashboard actually said, "Put in Park!!"  when I tried to drive home from work before it was warm enough.  I did have to fill up my tires after those really really cold days.  My coworker could only drive 20 mph to get to work because something froze in her engine and it couldn't move properly.

"Do people get out and about in that weather?"

Answer:  Yes, although when we were having the major "polar vortex" temperatures a lot of small business, gift shops, grocery stores, etc. closed early so that people would not be out driving to run errands and their workers could get home and stay home.  The roads were very very slick because any moisture that had been on the road was immediately frozen into it including the exhaust from cars in front of you.

"What does it feel like when it's that cold?"

Answer:  It slaps you in the face.  Your nose hairs freeze, so your nostrils slam shut.  Your eyes start to water, and then you have icicles on your face.  If there's a part of your skin exposed, you will know it immediately.  It's amazing what clothing can do!!  It's not bad unless the wind is blowing directly at you.


All that to say, even though it takes time and effort to get out and about, and you're ready for it to warm up, it's not that bad.

Brooklyn Weekend

I haven't posted any updates on here lately, but I thought it might be about time for another post.  I haven't posted anything about our Holidays, but we had a great time being with both of our families for a week each.

The exciting news in our family over Christmas was that of Rachel and Nick moving to Brooklyn.  They had about a month's notice that they would be moving, so they were busy getting all of the stuff done that goes along that with.  They moved up there the 2nd week of January, and I was able to join them after they had been there 2 weeks.

We had a great time exploring their new area and all that goes with that.  We tried some of the restaurants that are closest to their apartment and walked over to where Nick will be working most of the time.  He's at the Target right next to the Barclay's Center, so I guess they'll become Nets fans.  While I was there they had some snow, but that didn't stop us.

**I was quite proud of the hats they were wearing.  I made Nick's a couple of days before going there because he needed one! I made Rachel's cable knit hat a while ago, but now she really gets to wear it!


We took the subway over to Manhattan and hung out in Soho.  Rach and Nick were very kind and took me to a yarn store that I've drooled over via their blog and website.

Purl Soho...It was just as beautiful as I had imagined it would be.

We decided to eat at Shake Shack for dinner...which as delicious.  Their burgers made me think of Frozen Delite.

 The best part about this picture is that neither of us can remember what was so funny.  Nick just happened to capture that one when we were trying to get this one:

It was a great weekend trip, and I'm looking forward to April when the whole fam will be spending a long weekend with them!

Labor Day Voyage

Last weekend David and I took advantage of the long weekend and headed North to Duluth and the North Shore.

On Friday we got to Duluth and enjoyed going in and out of the shops in Canal Park right on the shore.    We loved a new store called Fizzy Waters which had old candy from the good ole days and lots and lots of cokes (sodas) to choose from.

We were there when a few small boats were going under the bridge, so we got to see the Lift Bridge raise.  The weather was beautiful, it was really windy and almost chilly.

We ate dinner at a new brewery in Canal Park. We ate outside by the shore and then walked back to our hotel.  Saturday morning we ate breakfast down on the shore and then went into a few more stores. We loaded up the car and headed up Highway 61 which goes along the coast of Lake Superior all the way to Canada.

We drove about an hour and stopped at Split Rock Lighthouse.   Our tour guide informed us about the life of the 3 families that operated the Lighthouse back in the day.  Three men lived in their houses next to the Lighthouse by themselves in the Winter and then their wives and children would take a boat from Duluth up to Split Rock to be with their husbands for the Summer.  It was an interesting tour and unbelievable how rough of life it was.

 The building on the left is where the foghorn was housed.  You could hear the horn for 5 miles, so if the boats heard it they knew they needed to change course fast because they were too close to the shore.  The light from the lighthouse was seen 22 miles into Lake Superior and Wisconsin is 25 miles across the Lake.

These stairs are where the tram used to be when the boats would bring supplies to the lighthouse workers.

We got back in the car and kept driving for a couple hours until we got to Grand Portage, MN, which is 6 miles south of the Canadian border.  It is on an Indian Reservation and the only hotel there is the Grand Portage Casino Resort.  We stayed there that night and in the morning headed to the National Monument which is in Grand Portage.

This was a really cool part of our trip.  We enjoyed learning about Grand Portage and why it was important back in the 1700's.   I'll summarize:

The French were trying to find a way to the Pacific through the Americas and canoed through the Great Lakes to Lake Superior and landed at Grand Portage to trade goods from Europe with the Ojibwe tribe whom were bringing fur to the French.  From the 'port' in Grand Portage, the French 'Voyageurs' walked an 8 mile trail called the Grand Portage to meet Ojibwe and others to get fur from the Pacific Northwest.

David in the National Monument museum.

Grand Portage became the busiest trading post west of Montreal and the beaver fur was the most important fur the French and Europeans wanted because they made beaver felt hats (like Mr. Darcy wears) out of the beaver skin.  The French and Ojibwe had a great relationship and the place we were visiting had set up a house, kitchen, trading post, and some teepees and wigwams like it would have been back in the day.

Then of course, the American Revolution happened and the French and British could no longer come to Grand Portage on 'American Soil' so they had to make the American/Canadian border which moved 6 miles north of Grand Portage and made the Ojibwe people lose all their trading and completely took away the need for Grand Portage.  The fur trade moved 30 miles north to  Thunder Bay, Canada.

After leaving the monument we drove 6 miles North into Ontario and took a walk down to Lake Superior.

We got back in the car and stopped at the State Park in Grand Portage to see the highest waterfall in Minnesota.

We then headed back South on 61 to Grand Marais, and ate lunch at a yummy pizza place.  Then we stopped in Lutsen at the ski resort there and went down the Alpine slide.

That's Lake Superior in the background

On our way back home we stopped in Duluth for some ice cream then made it home Sunday night just in time to enjoy Labor Day by not doing a thing!

That's all!

Summer (Projects)

Our Summer is winding down here...school doesn't start til after Labor Day (it's a state law...so people can go to the State Fair...I'm not lying).  All that to say, I've been busy knitting some lightweight Summer projects for all my prego girlfriends...but first, let's rewind and I'll fill you in on David's Summer.  

David spent a week in Vail (over our anniversary) and his mom had the opportunity to join him there.  Since they were already in Colorado they decided to take advantage of that and road trip to the Grand Canyon.  They stopped in Moab, UT, and then headed down to the Grand Canyon and Sedona and flew out of Phoenix.  Don't worry, I was invited but had already been to the places they went to (minus Moab) thanks for good ole high school Chorus Tour and Mr. Jones!  Once David got back from that trip, Cantus began recording their next album over the next 5 days followed by a photo shoot with the new guy in Cantus (Tim Takach "retired" from Cantus after 17 years!).

We decided back in May to celebrate our anniversary by seeing Pride and Prejudice at the Guthrie since it's one of my all-time favorite stories (thanks to my sister for introducing it to me back in Jr. High).  Of course, I was even more delighted when we found out that Vincent Kartheiser (who plays Pete Campbell in Mad Men and is from Minneapolis in real life) would be playing the role of the infamous Mr. Darcy.  Don't get me wrong...he was no Colin Firth, but it was absolutely wonderful!!!  We were very happy with our decision to do that, and we both had seeing a show at the Guthrie on our list of things to do here.  David had been at the Guthrie earlier that week for the Cantus photo shoot and he had performed there earlier in June for a 50th anniversary Gala...you know, the one that Whoopi Goldberg emceed and Alexis Biedel (and fiance Vincent K.) went to, and T.R. Knight went to while I sat at home and ate ice cream...wow, I got off track...

Anyway, here's us at the Guthrie and here's the stage...

It was a great anniversary, and now on to my recent projects....

I enjoyed making all of these little hats and decided to the baby booties this time too.  They were so fun to make!  Let me know if you've got any babies you need a gift more and I'd be happy to make something for you!

 The blue hat and booties are for a 6-month old

 This hat is for a 1-year-old

 I LOVE this yarn!!!! This is a newborn size and 6 month size...love the pom-pom too!

Hope everyone is doing well.  We are going camping next weekend and then headed up to the North Shore for Labor Day.  I'll try to post about those trips later!

Mom Turns _ _ _ty

David and I were so excited to get to go home for mom's birthday.  Her birthday is on the 4th of July, and since it was on a Thursday, I didn't have to take off work.  We woke up really early and flew to Little Rock which was great because we got to Searcy before noon.

Robert and Emily were already helping dad in the kitchen get the birthday dinner ready.  Dad was making an awesome meal including leg of lamb, salmon, sausage, and steak with grilled vegetables.  He also made a Red, White, and blue dessert with homemade vanilla, strawberry, and blueberry sorbet. Dad invited some of our family friends over for dinner that night.  

On Friday we ran some errands, played games, and ate some leftovers.  Saturday we woke up and headed out to the farm with Robert's new inflatable kayak.  We did some fishing and kayaking and then got home for dinner.  My aunt and uncle from Dallas, came up to bring their daughter to Camp Tahkodah, and J.Cliff came over so we all enjoyed a yummy Indian meal that dad cooked for us.

*Please note Sammie Jo in her life jacket in this photo.  uh-mazing!

Of course, it was amazing to see my furry nephews!

J.Cliff dropped us off at the airport Sunday morning.  It's always hard to leave, but it's always so good to be home and an added bonus when JCG is there too!

Earlier This Summer

We were very excited when David's mom, Lynn, and her cousin Terry decided to make a trip up here for the Cantus Covers concert and David's birthday since they were on the same weekend.  I met Lynn and Terry along with 7 of my coworkers for dinner downtown before we all went to the concert.  Saturday morning we went to breakfast and the farmer's market and then got ready to go to the concert again that night. 

Sunday morning we went to church and then went to a amazing restaurant in downtown Minneapolis called The Butcher and the Boar.  David chose this restaurant for his birthday and it was delicious.  On Monday,  I had to go to work, but David took Lynn & Terry to Hudson, WI, since Terry only lacked Wisconsin from being in all 50 states.  I met them for dinner at the Blue Door for some yummy Juicy Lucy's and then they headed home on Tuesday morning. 

On Friday, David and I headed to the airport to pick up our good friend Jarrod Turbeville for the weekend.  We ate a quick lunch at Cafe Latte and headed back to the apartment to catch up.  We walked to the zoo and then had dinner that night.  Saturday morning we ate breakfast and went to the Mall of America.  On Sunday afternoon, David had a concert at the Lake Harriet band shell, so Jarrod and I packed a picnic lunch at went to the concert.  It was so good to see Jarrod and we were excited to have so many visitors this Summer.