another week has passed. it is hard to believe we've been gone for this long already. typically our trips to nd are limited to 2 weeks or less, so this feels kind of strange. here is the review:
monday-- we went to the zoo. i think i posted about that last week. that evening, we watched luke play baseball. claire enjoyed her first taste of sunflower seeds--shell and all. i tried to explain that she needed to remove the shell, even offering to do it for her, but she tends to be stubborn. i guess she needs to learn somethings the hard way. several spitting moments later, she listened. amen. mya enjoyed running around, jumping up on chairs and finding treasures like rocks and sticks. luke's team won.
tuesday--babysat my nieces and nephew for the day. olivia and luke had basketball camp most of the afternoon, so i really just had my kiddos and ava. it was nice. the girls played, we attempted a nap and then hung out. i also had my phone interview with the principal in korea. that was rather interesting, since i was entertaining three children and a dog at the time. did well. in the evening, we got a babysitter for mya while the rest of us went to the musical 'annie' at an outdoor amphitheater. it was great. claire did well for being nearly three. she watched, walked around a bit, ate some popcorn, which occupied her a bit longer, then watched some more. she really liked seeing the dog. at one point she thought sandy and annie were sad. she couldn't quite understand the plot and asked with tears in her eyes, 'why is the doggie sad?' such a sensitive little animal lover.
wednesday--the girls and i left bismarck and left for my parents. it was a long drive--4 hours. they did great. we stopped once, very quickly, otherwise, i was one focused driver. spent the rest of the day with my parents, hanging out. we stopped my bff nicole's house later that evening. the kiddos played while i visited with nicole and another friend from high school. it was nice.
thursday--we relaxed and did some yard work for my mom. i kind of miss mowing the lawn, so it was a treat being able to do so again. my parents have a pretty big yard, but growing up i thought it was brutal to mow the whole thing. typically, i would mow either the front or the back and another one of my sisters would mow the other portion. as i am grown and obviously bigger, the different perspective is rather amusing. the yard isn't as big and the job is somewhat enjoyable. who would have thought? nicole and her kiddos stopped by in the afternoon and we chatted some more. i do miss her. she is such a great person.
friday--again, we just hung out. i took the kiddos to the park. claire loved everything. mya too. the park has some pretty tall slides. claire climbed up each and every one with mya not far behind. i was on my toes that day. i should have brought my camera as we were the only ones there and the girls had such fun, but of course, i didn't. isn't that the way it goes?
saturday--we went shopping in grand forks. i bought a few cute things at gordman's. love that store and wish we had one or at least they were online. i get my fix each time i am home. i also bought a few UND t-shirts. i didn't end up going to school there (long story, but chose the path less traveled), but it was the college i grew up cheering for and ironically, the one from which chris graduated. it is the one i continue to cheer for as well. anyway, can't find UND gear in MA, so i stock up when home as well.
sunday--we hung out again. claire and i weeded a bit for my mom and played catch with sophie. i dug out my sister's old tricycle for claire. she had been working on one at home for awhile, but couldn't get the pedal to go around. i am proud to say that she has actually mastered it. she can pedal like nobody's business. now onto stearing. little steps....little steps. nicole went to the lake and told me i could borrow her bike and trailer, so i ran over to her house in the morning and rode the bike back. i took the kids and sophie on 2 bike rides. they loved it. i am pleased to say that i only had one near fall experience when sophie crossed in front of me. grrr. otherwise, we all survived with only a bit of a sore tush. not too bad. the bike trailer is going on my list of wants. it is kind of a nice change to constantly walking/running.
monday--we went to minot to spend the day with my youngest sister, lauren. she is working as a cna all summer and finally has the day off. we had fun shopping and a took in visit to the zoo. the zoo was as good as i remembered for a small town zoo complete with tigers, lions, giraffes and zebras. not too bad. claire loved the big bridge and of course, the farm animals. we tried to find a hotel room so we could spend the night and do a little swimming, but every stinkin room is booked. we drove back which meant 6 long hours in the car for the day. the girls did great even without a dvd player. it was a really nice day.
monday-- we went to the zoo. i think i posted about that last week. that evening, we watched luke play baseball. claire enjoyed her first taste of sunflower seeds--shell and all. i tried to explain that she needed to remove the shell, even offering to do it for her, but she tends to be stubborn. i guess she needs to learn somethings the hard way. several spitting moments later, she listened. amen. mya enjoyed running around, jumping up on chairs and finding treasures like rocks and sticks. luke's team won.
tuesday--babysat my nieces and nephew for the day. olivia and luke had basketball camp most of the afternoon, so i really just had my kiddos and ava. it was nice. the girls played, we attempted a nap and then hung out. i also had my phone interview with the principal in korea. that was rather interesting, since i was entertaining three children and a dog at the time. did well. in the evening, we got a babysitter for mya while the rest of us went to the musical 'annie' at an outdoor amphitheater. it was great. claire did well for being nearly three. she watched, walked around a bit, ate some popcorn, which occupied her a bit longer, then watched some more. she really liked seeing the dog. at one point she thought sandy and annie were sad. she couldn't quite understand the plot and asked with tears in her eyes, 'why is the doggie sad?' such a sensitive little animal lover.
wednesday--the girls and i left bismarck and left for my parents. it was a long drive--4 hours. they did great. we stopped once, very quickly, otherwise, i was one focused driver. spent the rest of the day with my parents, hanging out. we stopped my bff nicole's house later that evening. the kiddos played while i visited with nicole and another friend from high school. it was nice.
thursday--we relaxed and did some yard work for my mom. i kind of miss mowing the lawn, so it was a treat being able to do so again. my parents have a pretty big yard, but growing up i thought it was brutal to mow the whole thing. typically, i would mow either the front or the back and another one of my sisters would mow the other portion. as i am grown and obviously bigger, the different perspective is rather amusing. the yard isn't as big and the job is somewhat enjoyable. who would have thought? nicole and her kiddos stopped by in the afternoon and we chatted some more. i do miss her. she is such a great person.
friday--again, we just hung out. i took the kiddos to the park. claire loved everything. mya too. the park has some pretty tall slides. claire climbed up each and every one with mya not far behind. i was on my toes that day. i should have brought my camera as we were the only ones there and the girls had such fun, but of course, i didn't. isn't that the way it goes?
saturday--we went shopping in grand forks. i bought a few cute things at gordman's. love that store and wish we had one or at least they were online. i get my fix each time i am home. i also bought a few UND t-shirts. i didn't end up going to school there (long story, but chose the path less traveled), but it was the college i grew up cheering for and ironically, the one from which chris graduated. it is the one i continue to cheer for as well. anyway, can't find UND gear in MA, so i stock up when home as well.
sunday--we hung out again. claire and i weeded a bit for my mom and played catch with sophie. i dug out my sister's old tricycle for claire. she had been working on one at home for awhile, but couldn't get the pedal to go around. i am proud to say that she has actually mastered it. she can pedal like nobody's business. now onto stearing. little steps....little steps. nicole went to the lake and told me i could borrow her bike and trailer, so i ran over to her house in the morning and rode the bike back. i took the kids and sophie on 2 bike rides. they loved it. i am pleased to say that i only had one near fall experience when sophie crossed in front of me. grrr. otherwise, we all survived with only a bit of a sore tush. not too bad. the bike trailer is going on my list of wants. it is kind of a nice change to constantly walking/running.
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