Halloween Fairy

Looky what was in the mailbox for me when I checked today....

Some of my FAVORITE things. There's even PUMPKIN! I am one of those people that when this time of year comes around I am all about the pumpkin. There's the pumpkin spice latte's at Caribou Coffee (yum!) and an ever growing assortment of Pumpkin goodies. And now, a first for me, a Pumpkin soap. Huzzah!

This time I also received a lip balm. I opened that up and tried it right away - LOVE IT!

I am so Thankful for this pick me up - I am truly blessed.

It WAS a good week until...

Blizzard Warning,  Winter Storm Warning, Winter Weather Advisory

This is the headline of our local "gazette". Seriously???

I think I had better get on the stick with Spring Cleaning, maybe that will get Mother Nature in gear for crying out loud.

So, moving on to more pleasant things...

Ang and I took the boys to the local Barber Shop for a haircut. It was little Rowan's first time for a full cut. Milo is an old pro already (at 8!).

Rowan before, look at all that hair!

Milo before, he is getting SO big!

It was fun for all of us and then when we were heading out an older gentleman that had been watching all of the festivities (the paparazzi and all) wanted to give me money to take the boys out to lunch to continue the celebration. How sweet is that? So, we headed down the block to a little place that serves smoothies and had a grand old time there as well. It was nice to take a couple hours off work and spend with them.

Rowan after, he looks so serious - and OLDER!

Ang and Milo had pictures yesterday for TaeKwonDo and Kumdo so I can't wait to see how those turned out.

I got a care package in the mail yesterday from Crystal - My monthly fun sock!

And today ANOTHER care package from a fellow blogger - I am so blessed

The soaps smell heavenly and that card that she MADE is just too cute. So pffft on the weather - LIFE IS GOOD!

Taekwondo Kid

Milo's first Taekwondo tournament was Saturday. He was a bit overwhelmed but he did really well. He got 1st place in his pattern test! He had just belt tested so it was a new pattern that he hadn't gotten much time to practice but he nailed it. He was disappointed in the break test but, again, a new one he hadn't done before - run and side kick. He broke it on that one but didn't on the straight down kick but he wasn't alone.

We stayed for almost all of it but left just before the sparring competition. Frank and I both had been on the bleachers too long and it was leave then or be permanently stuck to that bench. We chose to go and enjoy the pictures and videos that Mike and Ang would share with us.

In other news, we got the car!! I'm still kind of in shock. I love it and am getting used to the bells and whistles and it has a lot of both. It's our first BRAND NEW car!

So two good things and one terrible - my work partner suffered a stroke Saturday morning. I got the call from a mutual friend that they had airlifted him to Fargo and that it didn't look good. It was on my mind all day but I had the tournament to keep my mind on better things. Sunday morning I got the call that he had improved significantly overnight. He could talk again but his speech is still slurred. He hasn't been up walking yet. I called him Sunday afternoon and he called me this morning. He was sure they would let him go home today - he was pretty miffed.

I'm hoping and praying for continued improvement...

Snow again

Got up this morning to snow showers - what? So, Cooper and I trudged out and put some wood in the stove. Looks like an inside day today.

We went to the memorial service for Clyde on Friday night. They gave him a fireman's final call, that was a tearjerker but very touching. There was a good turnout and the family seemed to be handling it pretty good. They knew it was coming and his quality of life was pretty diminished. His Alzheimer's was so bad they kept him heavily medicated and he didn't come out of his room anymore. It's so sad, he's definitely in a better place and the family can move on. There's nothing worse than seeing the people you love fade away slowly. 

Picture of the week: 

P.S. They won

Spring time blues

So much to do outside but last Wednesday I pulled some muscles in my lower back - again. Seems like this is becoming an annual event. There's tons  of stuff to do outside this time of year and I wasn't even close to being done!

Mike, Ang, and kids went on a day trip to Mike's sisters place in Coon Rapids. They found a doggie day care for Hugo in Blaine so he could enjoy some R&R while they visited and did an Easter egg hunt with the kiddos.

Thursday Roscoe went over the Rainbow bridge, he's been failing for some time and now he can be in peace and pain free. RIP Roscoe.

Thursday a good friend passed away, Clyde Zirkle, he and his wife (Jean) are Angie's Godparents. It was time though, he's had a rough road for a few years now. Friday will be the memorial service and they are having a fireman's send off since he was on the fire department for quite some time. He was a good and gently man and will be missed. RIP Clyde.

Dale and Crystal are headed to Rapid City for the Easter holiday with Dale's family. We are just here, we're not doing anything special this weekend.

We let the woodstove go out for the year so we'll have to switch over the water heater back to electric and turn the gas furnace back on for chilly nights. My back set the date, normally we would have let it go for a couple weeks yet.

Picture of the week:

P.S. WE won!

Getting older

We have a friend, Dale, that stops over for coffee and chat and, like the rest of us, isn't getting any younger. He has breathing issues similar to Frank, years of welding and smoking takes it's toll. He was over a week or so ago and he didn't look good. He's been having issues all winter. Well today his nephew checked on him and he was unresponsive on the bathroom floor so they got him to the hospital but we haven't heard anything tonight about his condition. We will check on it tomorrow but in the meantime we will be thinking of him and hoping for a good turnout...

Update: We got word today 3/16/17 that Dale was airlifted to Fargo. Word is he has an infection in his blood, doesn't sound good.