A Day In The Life

New Cousin arrives

2012-01-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

"I am no longer the youngest- time to grow up!"
Welcome baby cousin Jacob- I love you already

My Precious

2012-01-26T10:20:00.001-08:00

So much cuteness....I can't stand it!!!

One of the days her daddy dressed her....Can you tell?

Tooth #2 gone

2012-01-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

#2 Gone

Winter Get Together with the Tribe

2012-01-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

We don't get together nearly enough- but we do have fun when we do. We, the Lindells, got together for our winter celebration mid January. We have grown out of any home known to man and are now renting a venue to be in. We had a great turnout and lots of laughs.

Thanks Grandma Adeline for making us the family we are!!

Skiing and New Years

2012-01-26T08:47:00.000-08:00

Logan tried skiing for the first time this year and loved it- Too bad the amount of snow this year has been dismal for keeping up the sport

All the grandkids in order of height but not necessarily by age

New years fun with the cousins. Everyone made it to midnight...except Sydney

Jahnke Family Christmas

2012-01-26T08:43:00.000-08:00

we spent Christmas Day at Duey's Dad's home.
the kids had a great time playing the Wii and dancing dancing dancing

The grandkids with Grandpa

The girls and grandpa making bracelets

A couple of days after Christmas the Texas Jahnkes arrived for a visit. We had everybody over and was able to get a picture of all of us together.

And the silly us

Christmas Morning

2012-01-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

The kids were anxiously awaiting my say-so to check out what santa brought in their stockings.

The stockings that I made this year. Not to shabby if I do say so myself.

My sweet little elf

Christmas Program at Church

2012-01-26T08:39:00.000-08:00

Chesney and Logan participated in the church Christmas Program and it was very lovely. Chesney was part of the choir

And Logan was a Shepherd

So very cute

Christmas time is here again

2012-01-26T08:38:00.000-08:00

I am so bad about posting as things come up- I seem to cluster post every couple of months. My New Years Resolution this year is to get more organized- within that umbrella posting more regularily is a good way to rid myself of some stress of "things to do". Dare I say I will try to post weekly? I dare say.

We will start with Christmas. We had many celebrations with family. Our first one was at my parents house in Lanesboro. We had a wonderful time- there wasn't enough snow to go sledding in but the kids had fun singing kareoke and running around.

Santa made an appearance and the kids were delighted

This year we also realized that Santa needs a new beard before next Christmas

Sydney slept peacefully in Santas arms

Merry Christmas

Chesney's Birthday Party

2011-11-19T09:13:00.000-08:00

Chesney had a few friends over for her 9th birthday party
They had a great time. Chesney decorated the cupcakes.

Here's all the girls

The girls all made bracelets out of some beads I have. They all turned out fabulously, don't you think?

Sydney's Baptism Day

2011-11-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we gathered the family together to celebrate Sydney being Baptized. It was a lovely day for it.

Sydney looked angelic in the family baptism gown- this gown was first warn in our family in 1868.

Isn't it beautiful

Sydney's baptism ring given to her by her Great Grandma Adeline

At the church beforehand

The Baptism

Taking a stroll around the church to introduce Sydney to everyone

With the grandparents

Four Generations

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

Halloween time has come and gone- as has most of the candy from the trick or treating fun.
We have a great neighborhood for heading out and collecting candy. We even have a neighbor that has a firepit on their driveway and hands out hot cider to the parents. It was a beautiful evening for walking around the neighborhood and in no time we were home again marveling at our haul.

Here are some pumpkins we grew in our garden that Duey and the kids carved

Nick, Abby and Anna came over for pizza and to trick or treat with us. They all look great in their costumes

Sydney did pretty awesome with all the candy she got. She just had to display it all.

Afterwards she was a little giddy from all the candy I ate that went through my milk.

Oh well, it was good anyway

Hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween this year.

Up North Fun

2011-11-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Sydney and I had a fabulous weekend the last weekend in October hanging out at my aunties cabins Up North near Nisawa. It was a weekend full of Family, food, games, movies, talking and lots of laughter.

Back row- Bonnie, Margene, Michelle, Martha, Val
Middle row- Bekki and Gus, Kelly and Sydney, Angie and Miles
Front row- Casey, Michelle, Patty, Katie

Love you all- thanks for the good time

Happy Birthday to my oldest baby

2011-11-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

Our Chesney turned 9 years old this October. It is amazing how fast your children grow up. I Remember the day that tiny little baby was born and all the wonderful milestones we experienced with her. Now we will have the privilege of experiencing what the next 9 years will bring us. We love you so Miss Chesney Adeline.

Chesney wanted to decorate her own cake this year. I think she did an amazing job, don't you?

Autumn means apples

2011-11-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

I love apples- especially locally grown apples. This year we went to an apple orchard Chesneys teacher owns. They have a ton of varieties and we had a blast picking the apples ourselves. Our favorites- harilson, honeycrisp and the new yet to be named B51.

We made a bunch of pies and crisps and stocked our freezer for the long cold winter.

Go and get yourself some apples from the growers while you still can.

Are you ready for some football?

2011-11-01T16:12:00.000-07:00

How many of you sang the Hank Williams Jr song to the title? I did as I was typing. It is indeed football season in the USA, and even though our own MN Vikings have been a disappointment. Logans team only lost one game in his peewee flag football. He loved the game, had tons of fun and is excited to play again next year

Who's who?

2011-09-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Our little addition has added so much joy.

2011-09-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

We would like to formally introduce you to our new little one. Sydney Ann was born on Sept 19 at 3:32 in the afternoon. She is such a beautiful, peaceful little girl.

Chesney has taken to her and loves her so much

Logans another story

The c-section went very well, no surprises and healing has gone very well. Better than the recovery for Chesney or Logan.

One of Sydney's first visitors after arriving home. Anna thought Syd was pretty sweet.

Great Aunt Val brought Sydney a beautiful quilt she made of Australian Aboriginal fabrics. We are blown away by the gift. it was such a special gift to remember such a special place to us.

Although Logan hasn't completely warmed up to Sydney- he did agree to pose in a picture with her (alright- we promised him he could play the Wii if he posed for the pic)

Chesney has no problem wanting to cuddle with Sydney- She is such a big helper.

Who says infants don't smile- Syd does it all the time

I just love baby feet

Sydney has been such a good baby- she has taking to breast feeding very well- it was a slow start but with the help of a Lactation Consultant we managed to get things working for us. She had her one week check up last monday and is gaining weight and doing great.

We just love finally having her here.

The Birthday Boys

2011-09-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

Duey and his father, Roland celebrate back to back birthdays- Roland on the 16th and Duey on the 17th of September.
We took Roland out to eat a couple of weeks back along with Dueys brother and family. Roland looks pretty good for someone who turned 70.
Happy Birthday Roland!
We love ya!

And Happy Birthday to Duey who turned 42 this year. Man you are old.
Love you!

First day of school

2011-09-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well, the first day of school went off without a hitch. Both kids love their teachers and are thrilled to be back hanging with their friends again. Chesney is learning that being in 3rd grade means needing to be more independent and responsible about her homework and belongings at school. And Logan will now have weekly spelling tests as a big 1st grader. I think we are going to have a great year.

Logan the fisherman

2011-09-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Logan recieved a fishing pole for his birthday this year from Justin and Mandy. So being the good mom I am, I loaded him and a bucket of worms and headed down to lanesboro to fish in the trout pond. Logan had a great time- really caught on to casting but unfortunately he didn't catch anything- turns out mom doesn't really know what type of things to put on a line to catch trout. The next fishing trip out turned out to be better.

Fifi and Charlotte

2011-08-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

We have added a couple of members to our family this summer. After much debate over getting a dog. we decided to go with a smaller, less maintainance animal for Chesney and Logan. And guinea pigs are what we decided on. The kids love to play with them, take them on walks (in a stroller) and are very good about taking care of their needs and cleaning up after them.

Fifi is the long hair and Charlotte is the short hair

Chesney likes to make costumes for them to wear- here are some paper bows she made for around their neck. Don't they look thrilled to have them on?

They love to play outside in the yard

These are great pets for kids because they are not quick on their feet so they won't get away from the kids when outside or on the floor in the house and they are just the right size for the kids to cuddle with them.

Trip to South Dakota

2011-08-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

Early July we packed up the family truckster and headed out to good old Black Hills, South Dakota. We had a great time and the kids became junior rangers of three national parks. Did you know that your kids can become rangers of all 380 something National Parks in the USA. So get moving.

We stopped at Mount Rushmore and the kids really loved it. they tried to get all the names correct on the Monument but Roosevelt and Jackson seem to always be forgotten.

We hung out during the day

And then we went back in the evening for the lighting ceremony. Very lovely and
moving.

And of course, we took a drive through Custer State Park to see the Bison. And we were not disappointed. They were everywhere, the kids were mesmorized.

We went to Jewel Cave for a tour but when we got there the tours were cancelled due to an electrical storm knocking out the elevators so they offered us the historic lantern tour. We thought what the heck, the only requirement was to be at least 6 years old. We hung around and waited for that tour to begin and starting into the cave with our fire lit old-fashioned lanterns. They maybe should have mentioned that we would be winding our way down and down and down through holes in the rocks and sucking it in to get through narrow passages. A couple of times I barely fit with my belly. But we made it and had a fantastic time in the process. we were told no cameras due to possibly losing it, but we wish we had brought it now to have the photos of the adventure.

Of course, you cannot go to the Black Hills without stoping at Wall and visiting Walldrug stores. And that is exactly what we did.

As cheesy as that place is- it is a must stop while out there.

And The Badlands. So unique and beautiful. Lots of little walks to do with the kids. Such a great day we had there.

Now Where did that pesky prairie dog go?

There he is. Isn't he adorable?

So pack up the car and take a little trip to our neighbor on the West and enjoy what she has to offer.

My Favorite Thing

2011-05-31T19:35:00.000-07:00

My oh my, it has been way to long since I have posted anything on this here blog. I figured I better get caught up before the baby arrives in three weeks. Did I mention we are having a baby? My new goal will be to post at least one time a week. This will hopefully be a realistic goal given what chaos is coming to our home. Maybe I should just teach Chesney and Logan how to blog and they can take over. Maybe not.

Starting things up again is a photo of my favorite thing in my house. This little figurine sits on my window sill above my kitchen sink. I recieved this sweet thing from one of my favorite people in the world, my aunt/godmother Margene. I don't remember the occassion- birthday or christmas, but it has been sitting there above my sink for almost 10 years.

And I smile everytime I look at her.
Thanks Auntie Margene for always brightening my day.

Happy 6th Birthday, Little Man!

2011-05-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

My baby turned 6 on May 28th. It is such a bittersweet feeling to have your children growing up. Even though Logan still loves to hang (cling) with his mama, he has grown so much this year. He is nearly finished with kindergarten and it is amazing to look through his work over the year and see so much progress. The fact that he reads and writes still amazes me.
You may be growing up, big boy- but you will always be my favorite little guy.

Logan's birthday meal request was raw carrots, chicken on the bone, and mac and cheese. yummy!

On Logan's birthday our niece Anna stayed with us for the weekend. It was fun to have her with us to celebrate Logans day.

She did have a hard time keeping her chair under her. Of course, I had to snap a picture before rescuing her.

What a great kid!

Did we get em"?

2011-05-31T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our little unwanted guest. We have a striped gopher that has been living in our yard. Actually I think we have a few, but whose counting. How do you get rid of them? we tried to smoke them out, droped a little smoke bomb down the holes. We haven't seen them since- but that doesn't mean they aren't still there.

Everything is blooming

2011-05-31T19:31:00.000-07:00

Spring is lovely, isn't it. everything is turning green and blooms are popping up everywhere. We can go outside and run around in the grass without shoes on.

My tulips did not disappoint me this spring, they came up beautifully, don't you think?

Our cherry tree is coming along nicely

And provided the birds don't get them again this year- we should have lots of apples in the Autumn

All my Lily plants are doing well and in about a month those should be in full bloom also.

Let the best man win

2011-05-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

"It's all tied up at fun to fun" Well thats not really how it went down but I love that line from "How I Met Your Mother"

Chesney's soccer team played My neice, Abby's team on what will be remembered as the "coldest and wettest, most awful day to watch soccer" But it was fun anyway. Chesney is in the orange with the striped hat and Abby is in the purple shirt with the purple track pants in.

The girls played great but in the end the orange team squeaked out a victory that week.

Logan's Spring Concert

2011-05-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

The kindergarten held a Spring music concert and boy was it adorable, and emotional. They sang lots of songs and then had a slide show of that they have done over the year. I was in tears by the end.

These are all the kids in Logan's class- there are 4 kindie classes at the school

Mother's Day

2011-05-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

It now seems like Mother's Day was so very long ago but I wanted to share Chesney's poem with you. Friday before mothers day I went to babysit for one of my nieces and when I pulled into the garage afterwards I found this on the chalkboard in the garage.

It says:

Look at this mom!

My poem

When I'm sleeping in my bed, I rest my sleepy head.

When my mom comes home, my mouth just never roams.

If my mom went away, I would never stay.

So very sweet

Then Sunday, after a nice breakfast in bed, We flew some kites. Chesney and Dueys was really far up in the sky. They had to attach more line to the kite to get it higher.

And there it is- just a speck in the sky. took them forever to get it back

I love being a mom!

My nearly finished kitchen

2011-05-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

After adding and changing a few things in our kitchen it is nearly complete and I am really loving it. My new island in the middle filled the space nicely and gave me another work surface to use. You like?

Duey built me this island. Oh how I love it. I asked for it 9 years ago and voila- here it is. Made of solid hickory wood and topped with granite. It definitely completed the space.

And here is the new backsplash we installed. it is a combination of glass and stone tiles and really made it a bit more interesting than the boring beige the wall was before.

Just need to replace the appliances with stainless steel after these konk out and it will look great.

I really enjoy being in there now and hope the rest of our projects are finished before the September arrival of our little bub.

It's a Girl

2011-04-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that we are expecting a baby girl in September. And by "we" I mean Duey, Chesney and myself. Logan on the other hand stated "not fair". I am sure he will enjoy playing with his little sister as much as he enjoys playing with his big sister. Everything has been going well for us and my only complaint is that I have had no interested in coffee and I did so enjoy my cup each morning.
Here are a couple of pictures from my ultrasound we had yesterday.
We look forward to you all meeting her.

Happy Easter everyone!!

2011-04-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

Although we have enjoyed the non-traditional Easters that we have had these past five years- it was nice to have an Easter with family again. The kids searched the house for their treats at home in the morning

then an egg hunt at my parents house in the afternoon

It was a beautiful day compared to what we have had lately and we were greatfull for that.

A few of the rif raf

A sweet moment between Sophie, Annabelle and Chesney

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebration with family and friends

Let's decorate some Easter eggs

2011-04-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

The week before Easter the kids and I decorated some eggs- I have to say it is much easier to dye eggs that are white vs the brown eggs in Australia- much less dye needed.

the kids got some great colors and some great poses with the eggs also

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2011-04-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my brother-in-law and his awesome connections My dad and I joined my sister and brother-in-law for a game is one sweet suite for the second home game of the season. It was fun being in a suite stocked with food and drinks and heaters overhead for the game. I don't think I can ever go back to a regular seat again.

Here's my dad, Bob, from our seats

The old time logo

a big ad from Dueys favorite drink

and the Ausie player from Perth who joined the Twins this year.

Thanks for the invite to the game- we had a great time!

Chesney's first soccer game

2011-04-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Chesney started soccer this spring and is loving it. The weather hasn't been the greatest with snow and rain cancellations but as the weather is getting better we are seeing more field time. Chesney is on the orange team "Orange Crush" and although they lost that game by one goal they had a fun time playing the game.

School Carnival

2011-04-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

Chesney, Logan and I attended the school carnival at the beginning of April. Much different from the carnivals in Australia- these are silly games and prizes not a sporting event.

Chesney tried her and at the TP toss into the toilet for her prize

then the kids did an obstacle course

Chesney rocked at the limbo

And as much as Logan tried- he just couldn't get a cake in the cake walk

We had a blast and we learned a few new things- we learned what a cake walk actually is and I indulged in my first walking taco- I have to say a very cleaver idea.

Chesney's Artwork

2011-02-28T19:12:00.000-08:00

As part of a traveling art show for the Zumbro Education District Pine Island chose 10 students artwork from K-12 grades. Chesney was one of the students who's artwork was chosen for this honor. The artwork will travel to the seven schools in the ZED to be displayed. We are so proud of her and are happy for her to be recognized for something she truly loves to do.

Snow Tubing at Afton Alps

2011-02-28T17:47:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we headed up to Afton Alps for some fun in the snow- snow tubing.

We had such a blast with some friends of ours. The hills were slow going at first due to the snow falling but soon enough the tracks became packed and the slopes were icy and fast.

Logan. are you in there?

Goggles make a huge difference when zooming down the hills

Getting back up the hill was a breeze with this moving sidewalk to bring us all the way back up.

The group- Chensey, Duey, Logan, Kelly, Ted, Wendy, and Will

We will definitely be out again

Chesney's Valentines Craft Party

2011-02-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

The weekend before Valentines day, Chesney had some friends over to do some valentines crafts. The girls had a great time and at the end decorated some sugar laced cupcakes.

Lindell Winter Get Together

2011-02-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

As a family we love to spend time together and since we are growing out of the space of any home, this year our get together was held at a hall we rented. It worked perfectly- Plenty of room for all to sit, room for the kids to run around and it was great to see so many people there- 63 of the 81 of us made it.

Too much food as always

The reasons we are all here- Martha, Bonnie, Mark, Margene, Merlyn, Val Rae, Rob and The Tribe Leader- Adeline in the front

There was a fishing game for the kids and lots of prizes for all

Love you all!

Logan skating at hockey practice

2011-01-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

Logan is loving doing hockey this year. Check him out

he's the speed demon on the ice. Number 21

Christmas at my house

2010-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

Well, better late than never, I have pictures from the Norstad family Christmas, ie, My family.

We got together at our home on Boxing day and had a really nice day together.

It was such a beautiful day to wake up to- foggy and frosty outside.

Here are the kids singing their hearts out so Santa hears them and comes to the party.

It worked. Santa showed up with a few presents for the little kids and a few big kids

Here we are huddled in our family groups to open presents. Gone are the days when we took turns, each opening one present at a time. We muscled our way through the ribbons and packaging and left a mess all throughout the house.

Logan was very excited to get a Darth Vadar action figure from movie VI. (ask him- he knows ) And Chesney was thrilled with all the Monster High Dolls she recieved.

After gift opening and clean up- the Adults went upstairs to play some cards when Chesney came up and said "Come downstairs, We have a play to do for you" I got a little teary-eyed remembering 30 years ago my sister and cousins doing the exact same thing for our parents.

And sweet little Annabelle is cute as always trying to keep up with her older cousins

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday season and has a wonderful 2011!

Christmas day with the Jahnke's

2010-12-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas day at Duey's Dad's house with Duey's brother and family. We had a nice quite day playing games and the kids playing in the snow.

Chesney recieved some Monster High dolls for Christmas and was excited to share them with her cousin, Livia

Logan and Evan had a good time hanging out

Grandpa Roland and the kids

The kids took turns trying on Rolands old glasses and we came up with some interesting looks
Darren took on the look of someone that still lives in his parents basement.

Chesney attempted the sophisticated look

And Logan- Well, he is just the cute nerd

We had a great time hanging out and are looking forward to Dueys other brother and family arriving this week from Texas for a visit.

Christmas is here!!!

2010-12-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas has finally arrived- after much baking, decorating, snow shovelling and present shaking, we can finally celebrate the day.

We spent Christmas Eve at home and had a nice quiet evening, we went to Church for the candlelight service, opened a few presents and roasted a duck.
it was an enjoyably, quiet night

We made some food for the reindeer and sprinkled it on the snow. It is a mixture of oatmeal and red and green colored sugar.

The next morning we dove into our stockings

The kids noticed Santa nibbled on his cookie a bit

Snow, Snow and More Snow

2010-12-27T19:09:00.000-08:00

I do believe we have shovelled enough snow now. The banks on each side of the driveway are now taller than Duey. Bringing it a couple of feet higher then in the picture below. It has become quite the effort to hoist the snow over our shoulders and on top of the bank.

The drifts are high and mighty in places

Keep working it, Du- I need to get to the market

But the kids are sure enjoying it, so can I really complain all that much?

Ornaments I love

2010-12-10T16:46:00.000-08:00

I probably overdo it with the ornaments on my tree, but I love it- and so many of them have a special place in my heart or are attached to a special memory

This ornament has a flower painted on it called the Waratah flower. This flower is the state flower of New South Wales and I saw many of them while on my hike in Tasmania.

My Aunt Deb, working for Inga Glas, makes my Christmas every year with a special one of these blown glass, German made little lovelies

I love them so

I don't know how but after Justin and Mandy's wedding I ended up taking about 25 of these home with me. So if you didn't get one for your tree, tough- they were everywhere, you had your chance. They look fab on my tree.

Awesome trip to a great place

Isn't he cute?

and lovable little me!

A Christmas tour

2010-12-10T16:41:00.000-08:00

I do so love Christmas and decorating my house. We never did get lights on the outside before it got to cold and snowy- but I do enjoy the decorations in my house. Take a look:

Cookie Time

2010-12-10T16:40:00.000-08:00

Oh the joy of making christmas cookies

It is the best!

Oh, Christmas Tree

2010-12-10T16:39:00.000-08:00

We put up our tree on Sunday and it was so wonderful to open my tree decor box and see them all again. And the joy of having a 8 foot tall real tree again is so nice.

The only thing I am still missing is my star tree topper. I had a straw one that I absolutely loved but it was taken by customs when we moved to Tasmania nearly 6 years ago for being an organic substance. It only cost me about $10 so paying $150 to have it sprayed so I could have kept it didn't seem worth it. Now that I can't find anything even remotely like it, I wish I had forked over the dough to have it done. So I still search and my tree still bares no topper.

Lovin' the snow!

2010-12-10T16:38:00.000-08:00

The first of many fun times playing in the snow

This was last week. We are now in the middle of a blizzard and there will be no going out in this one- brrrrr its cold outside

Lefse and Rosettes with My Auntie

2010-12-10T16:33:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday my two sister-in-laws and I went to my Aunt Debs house and she showed us how to make Lefse and Rosettes. We had a great day of rolling, flipping, deep frying and drinking. And even came home with some good eats!

Here is Sara, Mandy and Deb just before we started. Deb made us these cute "lefse friends" aprons to wear.

What you keep the lefse in to keep warm after done

Some of the delicious finished product

Some of the not so nice finished product- Mandy made these.

And the rosettes- very time consuming- but totally worth it

Look at these beauties!

What do you do with the excess batter after you have made 150 rosettes?
you play in the hot oil, of course!

Thanks for the fun time girls, looking forward to next year!

Hockey season is here!

2010-11-29T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hockey season is here, and like many good red blooded Minnesotans, Logan has joined this great club. With four weeks of training under his belt- he is cruising across the rink, picking himself up after a fall and enjoying himself greatly. The Minnesota Wild will have a great player in their hands in another 20 years.

out with friends

2010-11-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday night we left all the kids with people we somewhat trusted and headed out on the town.
Our mission? to hang with my friends I have known the longest. i have been friends with these girls since I was in 6th grade. and lucky for us- our husbands slid right into group like a well worn glove. We laughed and drank and talked about anything and everything- and I do mean EVERYTHING. these girls know all my secrets- I know- hard to believe with my mouth that I have secrets- well I do. Like a little incident with 9 people, a '79 Ford LTD and a cornfield. ( I am just going to leave it at that). Its great to have these girls in my life again- Love you.

Travis and Melissa

Heather and Chad

Julie and Chuck

Halloween

2010-11-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

We were able to celebrate Halloween they way all good Americans do- with cheap pumpkins to carve (in australia a carving pumpkin was $35)

Lots of candy

and a cold dark night for trick or treating.

our neighborhood is great for trick or treating, up the street, down the cul de sac and back again and the candy bucket is full. Lots of people out and about- neighbors passing out hot apple cider. It was really fun for the kids to be a part of again

Here we are Halloween morning carving the pumpkins

Dressed and ready to get some candy

Logan went as Darth Vader, Chesney was a Native American and Duey worn his PJs

Hope you all had a great halloween and are looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving feast that awaits us.

Halloween Birthday Party

2010-10-31T06:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, we did have fun yesterday. Lots of costumes, food, and laughter.

Chesney's halloween birthday party was a success.

Here she is as a native american blowing out her candles

Bob and Martha decided to clean house ane bring us our lettermans jackets. So the four of us broke out in our high school song. And we all knew the words, sad really.

Lots of costumes were worn-

Here is Ryan, Dawn and Sophie as Hip hop artist, pumpkin and gogo girl

The Queen of Hearts with her funky hair and her loyal servant

The Flinstone Family came and made it a yubbadubbado great time.
Justin will have to let us know how long it takes him to get his white blonde hair back to normal.

Phantom bride, supermom and a cheerio were there

Witches came out

As did Helga- the Vikings biggest fan

The best candy/peanut mix came out, yum

Darth vader Logan, cute witch Livia, native american Chesney and
hardy pirate Evan

The cupcakes were a hoot to make- pun intended.

Chesney wanted warewolves but they didn't quite work out (lets just say snouts and ears were falling off all over- it was not pretty) So I had to switch our plan and come up with these cute owls with the pumpkins.

Jeff and Justin

the Queen of Hearts henchman and Fred

I didn't get everyone's picture, but there were also

A Baby

Spaceman

Woody

The Devil

More Witches

And an injured Brett Farve

(he still wasn't sure if he would play or not)

After the party we had accumulated many new things- I would like to thank Justin and Mandy for the sweet card table and chairs we now have, Jeff for his costume (how did you get home?), Roland for the camera, Darren for the nice fleece, Martha for the cute photos of your grandkids and somebody for the can coolies. We appreciate it.

Thanks everyone for making the party a Blast- Can't wait to see what you all wear next year!

Happy Halloween

2010-10-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

With Halloween upon us, I thought I would take a moment to remember Halloweens past.

Ah, Logans first Halloween. He went as Charlie Brown and Chesney was Cinderella

That same year Duey went as Me- pregnant.

He is NOT a pretty girl!

Say all you want about me, this is funny. And what did I know- I had only been a mother for 10 days. Chesney has since forgiven me.

Hope you all have a fantastic and safe Halloween.

Pumpkin Fest

2010-10-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we went to a pumpkin festival at Gertens Nursery. We had a blast with My Aunt Deb, sister-in-law and our kids. There was a haybale maze, spooky jumping castle, wagon rides, games, pumpkin painting and scarecrow making. We had a fun time making our scarecrows that we then got to bring home to set out by our front door (which by the way, freeks me out everytime I look at my front door).
Here are the kids and My Aunt stuffing one of the scarecrows.

The finished products. They look pretty good I have to say. But what a mess in the trunk getting them home

If you haven't gone yet, there is still one weekend left until next year. giddy-up.

Carving Pumpkins with Grandma

2010-10-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

At the kids school a great tradition each year for the kindergarteners is to Carve a jack-o-lantern with their grandma.
Logan and grandma had a great time
Logan drew the face on the pumpkin and grandma cut out the pattern logan drew.

cutting the pumpkin

great pumpkin carving and lots of treats to eat were had by all.
Thanks Grandma Martha, Logan had a ball.

The first frost

2010-10-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

Autumn in Minnesota

2010-10-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Minnesota in the Autumn is the most fabulous time of the year.

This state is brilliant with color from the end of September until the middle of October.

The most beautiful 3 weeks anywhere.

Need proof?

Look below

And no Autumn in Minnesota would be complete without a visit to a local pumpkin farm/apple orchard. Ahhh, pumpkin picking, carmel apples on a stick,hay rides, corn mazes. Its all a part of the fun.

This one was complete with silly mirrors

Look at My little munchkins

The month of October has been incredibly and unusually warm. It has been lovely to be outside lately. A far cry from last October when we were here visiting when it rained or snowed practically the entire time. We are enjoying the change for sure.

The Big Flood of 2010

2010-09-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

The morning Chesney and I left for the airport to head to California, we were forced to take a detour due to flooding across highway 52 north of Pine Island. The river through Pine Island was rising and flooding in the town was surely inevitable. By afternoon the river could no longer be contained and came pouring over its banks into our little town and many little towns around us. Logan was stuck at the school along with many other children when the busses could no longer get out and Duey worked his magic, looked up any road that didn't cross the Zumbro River and bada-bing 3 hours later made it to town to pick up our son (normally a 1 mile drive). It was pretty hard to be in California not being able to do anything but it all worked out. Duey picked up Logan who was at the time at his teachers home all comfy and cosy.
Duey got a few pics of the flooding

Here is the road we normally take to get into town
The water went over the banks of the river, across the road and flooded the school sports fields

Downtown Pine Island

Later that day- the water over the road to our house was gushing even more

The next day after the water had slowed down a bit you could see the edge of the road had been washed away

The sport fields, the debre was all over the fences and they were bending from the weight of it.

The bridge to our house, this picture was taken on Friday but on Thursday the water came just under the bridge, about 10 feet above the normal level.

And this poor little guy was lost. I think with the flooding this little snapping turtle got turned around and ended up under my car on Wednesday. He is huge, he's about 1 1/2 feet long and very snappy, watch your fingers. We put him in a bucket and took him down to the river and he was happy as could be to swim away to his home.

Duey and my brother, Jeff spent Saturday helping one of our neighbors tear out sheetrock and carpet from his basement after it was flooded. We, luckily had no water in our house and were happy to be able to help others instead.

Disneyland.......again

2010-09-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

Chesney and I took a little trip to California last week to visit some friends of ours visiting from Australia. It was lovely seeing them again and Chesney loved being able to hang with her best bud- Cooper. We flew out on Thursday morning, spent all day Friday at Disneyland with our friends and then flew back to MN on Saturday. It was a short trip but very enjoyable.

Chesney with Ariella

A visit to Minnie Mouse's house

Cooper and Chesney enjoying a cup of tea in Minnie's kitchen

Breaking out of Goofy's jail

Chesney, Billy, Cooper and Antonia on the teacup ride

If you haven't been to disneyland before, it truly is amazing to experience. There is no place cleaner or friendlier or more magical to visit.

Look at the flowers. They were magnificent and everywhere.

Having been our 4th time to visit Disneyland, I can offically cross it off my list of places I need to go to. But I do suggest you all meander on over for a day of fun.

School Days

2010-09-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

Chesney and Logan started at their new school last Friday. They were both really excited to begin and finally meet some new friends. Chesney is in grade 2 and in the same class as her cousin Abby- this has been a great comfort to Chesney. Logan has begun kindergarden and is loving to bring home the work he does each day and show it to me.
They are taking a bus to school each day, which is new to us, as I use to walk them to school each day and pick them up after. I have to say that is the part I miss the most. Chatting with my friends in the morning and afternoon and grabbing a coffee after drop-off.
But at least this way, I can stay in my pj's and shoo the kids out the door as the bus pulls up.
Chesney likes to have her lunches made by me since she is quite picky but Logan thinks it is quite fun to grab a tray and try the meal the school serves up each day.
Here's hoping for a great school year!

On your mark....Get set....Go!!!

2010-09-12T18:55:00.000-07:00

It was race day today.

Pine Island was host to a Duathlon this morning.

The race consisted of a 3 mile run 21 mile bike ride 3 mile run

My brother Jeff did the entire race by himself with an impressive time of 2 hours 10 minutes.

I had planned to do the race myself, but as the summer wore on and my training was not where it should be for this kind of race, I began recruting team members.
So I give you The Team
Dawn, Kelly and Ryan

Dawn ran first with a time of about 36 minutes, then she handed the timing chip off to me and I headed off for my 21 mile bike ride. Unfortunately at about mile 5 my tire burst and not having anything on me to fix it, I had to forfit my part of the race and catch a ride back with a support person. But Ryan was still able to run his leg of the race and completed the last 3 miles in about 22 minutes. Very impressive.

Ryan crossing the finish line

Jeff crossing the finish line

It was a beautiful day to be out and perfect conditions for running and biking

The Great Minnesota Get Together

2010-09-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today we headed out to St Paul to hang out with every other Minnesotan at the State Fair. This is by far the best state celebration anywhere.

And might I say, without my Ausie friends throwing daggers, even better then the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Sorry, its true.

Where else can you milk a pretend cow?

Where else can you eat an abundance of deep-fried cheese curds?

These are the kind of savory treats you fast for days to enjoy.

Where else can you not only pet baby farm animals born just days earlier, but can actually watch them being born live?

Where else can you enjoy walking with the crowds to the next food stall?

Where else can you try Australian Battered Potatoes with sour cream and sweet chili sauce?

Oh wait, i ate them all the time in Australia, and man are they goooooooooood!

Where else can Chesney go on a ride with her cousin?

Or enjoy a ride with her little bro?

Or hang out with butterflies landing all over you?

And they landed everywhere

It really is a great celebration for us to enjoy at the end of the summer. We are glad to be able to enjoy it after being away from it for 6 years.

Norstad/Loyning Family Reunion

2010-09-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday we attended a family reunion for my dads side of the family. We had a really nice time catching up with family we haven't seen in years.

My Aunt Deb was so wonderful to have some games for the kids.

Here they are in the egg/spoon race.

Sophie won

And here the kids are in the sack race.

Sophie won that also.

I think she cheats!

Logan and I managed to snag a victory for team Jahnke in the water balloon toss.

Here are the cousins (My dad is back row right side)

Here are the cousins offspring

Thanks for all the work to the planning committee, we had a really great time.

Family wedding fun

2010-09-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had lots to celebrate in the family.

On Saturday we celebrated my cousin, Scott and his new bride, Jessica's wedding. It was so much fun to spend with my family, and if you have ever hung out with the "Tribe of Adeline" you know what kind of fun we can be. We are a blast, a hoot, if you will.

I think it has to do with all the redheads we are producing.

Or perhaps its because we can channel Marilyn Monroe

These two are the exception

The kids sure do know how to party it up on the dance floor

My mom with my grandma- the head of the "tribe"

And believe me- She rules the Tribe with an iron fist.

The shoe to the head injury is always a big highlight

And of course, the Lovely couple- Scott and Jessica

Logan at football camp

2010-08-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Logan attended a football camp this past week. He Loved It! When we arrived we were surprised to see the high school football team in attendance. Logan was teamed up with one of the boys on the team and they worked together for the week. I seriously cannot remember his name so we will call him "number 64" The football team did a great job working with the kids and Logan even learned the secret football handshake.

Logan is excited to go to the football games on friday nights and see his "coach" on the field.

where has the time gone?

2010-08-22T14:24:00.001-07:00

We have been spending some time lately watching DVD's of the kids when they were younger. It is quite emotional to see your children when they were babies and there is a kind of a sense of loss felt. I know they are the same children only older, but there is a sadness of never getting to cuddle with that baby again. A very weird feeling goes through you. As we were watching the videos and laughing over things the kids said and hearing the sound of their voice at a particular age, I was so very grateful for having video taped as much as I did. Photos are always great to have but to see your babies talking, walking, laughing and playing is such a wonderful thing to experience again.

They sure do like it big!

2010-08-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Australia and even New Zealand like things big, Australia has even put together a book of things that are big icons around the country. We happened across some of them during our travels.

The big prawn

The big gingerbread man

The big tap

The big pineapple

The big bottle of bundy

The big fish

The big pile of fruit

The big kiwi bird

Of course, Minnesota likes things big also

Here's our Big Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox

Big sure is grand

What do you think?

2010-08-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

We are removing all the white trim on our main level of the house and replacing it with stained maple. I am really liking the new look and I think it will make things more homey and more my style. We also painted the front door. What do you think?

British Soccer Camp

2010-08-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

Chesney and Logan attended a soccer camp with coaches from Great Britian, They both had a great time and got a chance to meet some more kids they will be going to school with.

What a wild storm

2010-08-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

About 3 am during the night we were awoken by a storm, lots of lightning followed by loud thunder and then the rain came. That would have been fine by itself but then the wind came. I kid you not , the house was shaking something awful. We ended up heading down to the basement for a bit, just in case. Then logan, curled up on my lap, looked at me and sayed "Now can we move back to Australia?" poor kid, better get use to these storms.

We got a bit of water in the garage and through our front door but no damage to the house.

The playset lost its top, could be worse one neighbor's playset tipped over and completely split apart and another's trampoline is completely gone.

One of our beautiful Aspen trees is leaning from the wind

And hopefully this farmers field will bounce back, I am thinking there is a trampoline in there somewhere

Along with this cubby house

Then to top it off, while school shopping with Logan today at Target, a tornado touched down outside of Rochester and we were made to go to the back of the store for about an hour to wait for them to let us back in. Looks like more storms tonight, hopefully we can sleep through these.

On the good side- crayola crayons are 25 cents for a 24 pack at Target- can't beat that

Can you believe it has been 20 years?

2010-08-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Duey and I attended my 20 year class reunion. Where has the time gone?
It was great to see everyone and catch up with those who were able to make it.

Me and my good friend Melissa. We haven't changed a bit.

The group who made it to dinner that evening

It was a small turnout, of the 32 I graduated with 8 made it to dinner and 4 more met up with us at the pubs later on.

Buffalo Bill Days

2010-08-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we headed down to Lanesboro for Buffalo Bill Days. Now don't laugh, this is one kick ass three day party. We haven't been able to attend the festivities for the past 5 years and were glad to be back for them this year. We headed down Friday evening and went downtown to meet some dear high school friends . The street dance was a blast, the same band that has been playing for the past 25 years or so, a little older but still great. After the dance the fun continued at the campground where a lovely young girl named Lacey apparently needed the attention of her boyfriend and told him that we (meaning me, Duey, my brother and a few of my friends) locked her in a portapotty for 25 minutes. After a little scuffle, some threats to call the cops and lots of yelling, we headed on home at 4 am.

Duey and some of my friends played in a volleyball tourney Saturday and Sunday morning. They had a fun time playing, but didn't place in the tourney.

Chesney and Logan in the park at the petting zoo

All good festivals have a great parade. This one is no exception.

And no Buffalo Bill Days would be complete without a buffalo leading the parade.

My Brother, isn't he special?

Dad and Jeff entered into a beanbag tourney on Saturday, So we practiced at Mom and Dads so they could kick some ass. They held their own, but no one came home with any trophies that weekend.

Thanks to Mom and Dad for not only hosting us all at their house but for also watching 6 of their grandchildren while we went out and had a bit too much fun.

What a good looking group

2010-08-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

This past June we were lucky enough to have all of Dwaynes siblings and families back in Minnesota for holidays. This is the first time in a great many years we have all been together. It was wonderful to be able to spend time as a family and the kids all got to know each other again.

A pretty good looking group I have to say.

The siblings- Troy, Dwayne, Darren, and Lisa

And the in-laws- Kelly, Paul, Trish and Terri

One Project done.... Tick

2010-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

A project off the list....it may seem like a small project done but it is at least one off the list I don't have to think about anymore. The slide has finally been attached to the playset. Now hopefully the kids won't find it "too boring" anymore.

We had tons of apples growing on this tree a month ago- enough to make a few pies and a couple of crisps. Of course I did not take into consideration the crows that have been hanging around due to the cornfield that has been planted behind our house. Our lush apple tree is down to 1 lonely apple still hanging on for dear life. I think we will be going to the apple orchards this autumn for our pies and crisps.

Chesterwoods camping weekend

2010-08-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we packed up everything but the kitchen sink and headed out to Chesterwoods State Park for some good old camping. We met my brother Justin and his wife Mandy and soaked up the sun and had a few cocktails in the process. You will see from these photos that I am becoming horible with my remembering to pull my camera out and only took a few on the first night.
Chesney wanted to tell spooky stories around the campfire that evening, so thats what we did:

By midday on Saturday Chesney and Logan were over it and wanting to go home. Luckily for them grandma and grandpa were coming up with Anna for dinner and they got the brilliant idea that they would leave with them and sleep over at their house. So then there were four. I have to say, it was a much more relaxed and laid-back evening around the campfire after that point.

And thanks to Mandy I have discovered a new drink- sweet tea vodka, lemonade and sprite- its a winner. I look forward to camping with the family again. Although Chesney and Logan hope next time it will be in a camper- with a tv- good luck with that kids.

A little trip to Ohio

2010-08-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we took a little trip down to Ohio for my wonderful brother-in-laws 50th birthday party. It was a really nice time staying with Dwayne's sister and family and spending some quality time catching up. The kids got to play with cousins they didn't know very well and left there having had a great time with their four cousins. We spent the Sunday at Paul's birthday party and meeting Pauls friends and family and finding a few pictures of Paul that put a little smile on my face.

Oh, that cake was gooooood!

Roland impressing the kids with a card trip

Back in the day for Paul

I am glad I know him now .........

to tease him about then.....

Love you Paul- Glad we were able to help you celebrate your turning 50!!

Our never ending project summer

2010-07-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what two unemployed bums could possibly find to do day in and day out all summer long.

Well, I think I will show you.

Completing the framing and door to my laundry shoot

Completing the railing

finding the perfect counter and sink for the laundry room

removing all the white painted trim and doors on our main level

and replacing it with stained maple

grouting inbetween the stone on the fireplace and adding a ledge

sanding, staining and varnishing all the windows due to water damage and getting window treatments for them

Completing the basement so I have a playroom for all the toys

ripping up the floorboards of the deck and replacing it due to to cracking and splitting

Completing landscaping projects

Getting the slide put on the swing set so the kids don't find it

so "boring" they just can't play on it

Completing the tiling and grouting of the downstairs bathroom and cabinet work

I am exhausted just thinking about it. Anyone want to help?

My Expressive Boy

2010-07-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

He makes me smile!

Our Campervan

2010-07-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

During our trip around New Zealand, Duey drew a picture in the dust of the back window in each lower corner to show the mood of Chesney and Logan at that moment.

Chesney- angry, Logan- happy.

And it just took off from there, each day a new picture was added to the back window until it was covered. I wonder how many people traveling around NZ will remember

"the campervan of many faces"

Just a bit more New Zealand

2010-07-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

On our way back to Christchurch at the end of our trip we stopped at a beach called Birdling Flats. It was a unique beach because there was no sand but instead rocks and semiprecious stones covering the beach- they were beautiful- I think we went over our weight limit at the airport bringing bags of them back. Definitely not a swimming beach- you would die in the surf. But the sounds of the waves was wonderfully relaxing and we spent hours there.

We dug deep into the stones and found some beautiful ones to bring back with us

If you like to skip rocks- you won't find any as flat and smooth to skip as you will here.

They may look like they are running well but you sank into the rocks and pebbles, definitely worked the leg muscles. And don't even try it with flip-flops on.

Look out, Logan!

Run!

He barely avoided certain death that day.

What a wonderful place!

amazing video

2010-06-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

The sister of my sister-in-law, Teri, knows the family in the following video. They took it during the tornadoes that hit near Albert Lea. This man is such the typical Minnesota Norwegian and so calm in his commentary. It really makes you feel you are there. They made it out without a scratch but unfortunately they lost everything on their farm, including the house they were in. the video is about 9 minutes long, but worth every minute to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8EYYEI0Jbo

Toadstools

2010-06-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

While walking in Hamner Springs we found toadstools growing beneath the birch trees. So we thought we would take a picture of one, which turned into two, then three....... well lets just say I left a lot of them out of this post.

Hamner Springs, NZ

2010-06-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this look like a wonderful path to walk?

Duey and Chesney thought so.

And what about this fabulous creek to cross?

All part of the fabulous trail we walked in Hamner Springs.

I love taking photos of nature. Its natural beauty needs nothing more then the sunshine from above to create the perfect picture

Sunsets and Vineyards

2010-06-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

I love a good sunset. Don't you? New Zealand gave us some of the most incredible ones we have ever seen. This first picture is amazing- I can't remember where in New Zealand we were and I swear I did no editing of this photo. The camera just did it all itself and we say "Thank you camera."

And who loves a good vineyard? oh, oh- pick me!

especially when it is autumn and the colors are changing.

So lovely.

This sunset is in Kaikora, we hung out for a good hour to capture the clouds as the sun went down behind the mountains.

They just kept getting more and more brilliant as the sun went down further.

Then we turned around for a moment and captured this shot

And back to the brilliant sky one last time.

What to do?

2010-06-05T09:31:00.001-07:00

Should I sit my kids down to teach them the dangers of playing in the cornfield that has been planted behind our house or just pop in a DVD of "Children of the Corn" and have that take care of it for me?

My favorite places

2010-06-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

We arrived in the town of Motueka on the NorthWest coast to this brilliance in the sky.

We were in awe.

The next morning we headed off to the town of Kaiteritei for a boat ride up the northwest coast to take in the stunning coastline.

The seals did not disappoint.

And the waters couldn't have been any more blue

The boat then dropped us off at Bark Bay and we hiked 7.5 KM on a beautiful trail to Torrent Bay where the boat then picked us back up.

Some views from the trail

Ever wonder where your kiwi comes from? the northwest coast of the South Island is most likely. Here is a Kiwi orchard chockers full of delicious kiwi, yummy.

The next day we headed further west to the fairwell Spit to walk along the shore.

We then hapened upon a beautifully rustic campground near Wharariki Beach and stayed there for the night. We walked the 20 minute hike to the beach and were not disappointed. This was the most stunning place we have been to.

Look at that reflection in the wet sand, the sun was perfectly situated for it.

There were sea lions wandering around and playing in the pools just feet from up.

It was amazing.

We sat down a bit to wait for the sunset.

And then it came.

The next morning at the campground the kids thought it would be cool to eat breakfast at the log table situated near our camper. I think the chickens that wandered around the campground were use to people and a bit aggressive. They jumped on the table and started eating our food as soon as we sat down. Thus ending our outdoor eating experience.

The expansive sand dunes at Wharariki Beach

We are settling to our home now. Our belongings have arrives and are almost all unpacked and household projects are in full swing and being checked off our multiple-page list. I have to say we are probably the busiest unemployed people in the world right now.

New Zealand Continued

2010-05-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Ah, The Blue Pools

Ain't it purdy?

Roaring Billy Falls, one of many beautiful waterfalls in NZ

West Coast South Island- on the Ship Creek Walk

Very seriously watching the surf

They didn't build this one- but isn't it impressive?

Fox Glacier

The ice at the opening had just collapsed a couple of hours before we were there.

Franz Josef Glacier

Sun Setting in Graymouth

Shantytown

A built recreation of an 1800's Goldmine town
the kids loved it

Recreating goldmine times

Panning for gold

It may not be a life changing amount of gold, but....

The kids had fun panning for it

And there were no shortage of photo ops
like this:

and this:

The next 4 days are my favorite.....stay tuned

New Zealand- from the beginning

2010-05-10T14:18:00.001-07:00

Three weeks in New Zealand requires nothing less than a 6 berth Campervan. This thing was wonderful to travel around in (mostly because it was a manual and I couldn't drive it) but also because we could stop anywhere and have a meal, snacks were always on hand and it came with a TV/DVD player for the kids.
New Zealand is perfectly set up for tourist traveling this way. All the holiday parks have showers, laundry facilities, and kitchens for you to cook and eat in.
And it is incredibly beautiful to tour.

Our first night we spent near Mount Cook at a holiday park on Lake Pukaki. The lake is stunningly blue with glacial water

Mount Cook

A stop along the way to Queenstown.

Milford Sound is in The Fiordlands in Southwestern New Zealand, it is amazing to see. The mountains go straight up from the waters edge and drop hundreds of feet below.

A waterfall in the Milford Sound, the captain brought the boat directly under the falls and we were all drenched, it was very cool and is suppose to bring good luck and fortune....we'll see.

Not to bad for a self portrait

Looking out over the water in the sound

We took a hike out to Diamond lake- we never reached Diamond lake (next pic will show why). It was a lovely walk along a creek. I always marveled at how clear the water is in New Zealand, no matter where we were we could see perfectly to the bottom. There was a sign at the beginning of the trail for fishermen- limit one per day. You certainly are not going to feed the family on that.

After this picture was taken hiking rule #1 was established
"Never follow Logan"

Logan was not paying attention to where he was going and missed this bridge. Heading into the mud below he did go.
Happy he was not.

The Mountains surrounding Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu

Not too bad of a teepee they built

Our campsite in Queenstown

In Wanaka we headed to Puzzling World- a very cool place of illusion rooms, puzzle rooms and a giant maze.
How did the kids get so big and Duey so small? Magic? No- it's an illusion- didn't I just tell you there were illusion rooms

This was the entrance to the bathrooms- A replica of a roman toilet room.
If you look to the left of the picture you can see where the real seats end and drawing begins.

At the top of Mount Iron- we hiked to the top with the kids. In the back is Lake Wanaka and Mount Aspiring National Park

It was during this hike that hiking rule #2 was established
"Never follow daddy's shortcuts"
Duey decided he and Chesney would take a shortcut down the mountain and beat Logan and I to the Camper- His shortcut took him to the other side of the mountain and he and Chesney had to hike back up and come down the proper trail. Good thing the mountain wasn't too big.

The clear nights led to some incredible star gazing.

That was week one of our trip in New Zealand- of course there are about 500 more pictures to show but you have to stop somewhere. Week two will be coming up shortly.

A little preview of New Zealand

2010-04-13T01:30:00.001-07:00

Some Pictures that have made us go "WOW"

New Zealand is such a fabulous place, we have never seen such beauty anywhere we have been. I highly recommend it.

We will have more pictures and more detail when we get back to MN at the beginning of May.

The Sunshine Coast

2010-04-13T00:59:00.000-07:00

Our home away from home for the month of March- Thanks to friends of ours lending us their condo on the beach, we were able to enjoy the sunshine Coast and its beaches. And it was fabulous.
What do you think of Duey's beachwear?

A blue bottle jelly fish- they may be little but they pack a punch. Not the deadly kind but it hurts. I got one wrapped around my ankle, Duey offered to pee on it for me but I opt for a cold shower instead.

A little fun in the sun jumping down the sand hills

And beaching is never complete without a giant turtle or a croc

We are now enjoying a fantastic time in New Zealand, pictures will be coming soon for this trip.

Holiday within a Holiday #2

2010-03-29T03:18:00.000-07:00

Lady Musgrave Island- The southernmost point in the Great Barrier Reef- It was spectacular. The weather was fabulous and we were able to snorkel, scuba dive and swim with the fishes. The only hairy part was getting there, the seas were angry that day, folks. The waves were brutal and we were glad we took our motion sickness pills, well at least Duey and I did. We didn't think to give some to the kids and they, along with half the people on the boat, had a very bad time for the 1 1/2 hour trip out to the reef. Lots of barf bags being used that day. But once there, the lagoon was calm and it was wonderful. Lady Musgrave Island is tiny- just 400m by 700m and made entirely out of coral from the reef. Check it out:

Can you believe how blue the water is? I swear we are not in a swimming pool. It was a spur of the moment trip and one we are glad we took.

Hanging out in Paradise

2010-03-14T04:14:00.001-07:00

Here we are hanging out on Hamilton Island and I am thinking to myself- I could stay here forever. This place is a tropical paradise, but alas, we must leave in two days to continue our holiday. Maybe I failed to mention, Hamilton Island is actually our "holiday within our holiday". I will post pics of our "plain holiday" later. Right now I will focus on our "holiday within the holiday".
We are currently staying on Hamilton Island- part of the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. Stunning island resorts. We had booked a garden view room and I was regretting not requesting a coral sea view room, so much to my surprise, when we walked into our room at the hotel we were greeted with this:

And this:

Then the kids got comfy like this:

And Logan started swimming like this:

And I relaxed like this:

And we could see our hotel from the awesome pool with the swim up bar, like this:

And Chesney and Logan thanked me saying "this is the best holiday ever" like this:

And I have to agree.

Good-Bye/Hello

2010-02-26T16:48:00.001-08:00

The decision has been made- we are heading back to Minnesota to stay. I would be lying if I said we weren't sad to be leaving Australia and all that it has offered us over the past 5 years. It has been a great adventure and one we will treasure for the rest of our lives.
So we bid a fond farewell to our home away from home.

Good-bye beautiful Opera House and Harbour Bridge

Good-bye lovely dolphins swimming in the ocean

Good-bye beaches we love to spend time as a family at.

Good-bye cockatoos with your beautiful feathers but god-awful squawk

Good-bye parakeets with your brilliant colors

Good-bye kookaburra- we shall miss your wake up call each morning with your wonderful laughter

Good-bye orb spiders who come out every autumn- oh wait, never mind- we really won't miss you all that much

Good-bye wonderful friends I have made here

But......Hello to the snow that Chesney loves

but Logan has always hated.....sorry mate, you'll get use to it.

But most of all, Hello to our family, whom we have missed so much and are looking forward to seeing again.

We will try to keep up posting during our travels over the next two months.
Until then, we will see you all in May!