World Championship Duck Calling Contest

Stuttgart is the Duck Capital of the World. Ike learned how to do a proper duck call from an award winner. Downtown is a sea of camouflage and hunting dogs. Duck call memorabelia is readily available.

Here are the 4 and 5 year olds practicing the three basic duck calls. We forgot what they are.

Tractor Rides from Grandpa

Grandpa gave the kids tractor rides on his new John Deer. They loved it, and probably could have riden all day!

The Clinton Library

Tuesday we ventured to Little Rock. Grandpa and Grandma took the kids for a long walk while Andy and I toured the Clinton Library. It was very neat, not to mention that it was even better because we were childless for a couple hours!!!

The Library is the cool building behind G & G's heads

Joey and Grandpa

Just outside the library. The Arkansas River is in the background.

Andy in the Oval Office

This is a fountain outside the library. Andy got the best angle on it!

Reading with Grandpa, Puzzles with Grandma

Over the hills and through the rice fields to Grandmother's house we go!

Dancing with Grandpa while Grandma plays the piano

At Arkansas Post

This one's for Uncle Kyle.....can you see the 3 white tail deer in the woods???

Checking out the beaver

And we're off!

Walking around Arkansas Post checking out the bayou.

The first place they headed was out to Grandpa's tractor!

Beautiful Arkansas

The first WalMart

Last Thursday we started our long drive to Arkansas! The drive went amazingly well and we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house by early Friday afternoon. When we were about an hour from their house Ike said "it is a very long ways to Grandpa's, Mom"! He isn't kidding, but it is totally worth it!! The kids have been having a blast with G & G (so have Andy and I)! Here's some pics from our visit so far....sorry they aren't in order, but I'm on a different computer and the cut/paste doesn't work the same...oh well!

Hey there all you bloggers. No pictures with this post because I haven't taken any in the past 2 weeks. The kids and I were alone (ie without Dad) for 10 days while he was out west visiting with churches. Suprisingly we did okay (well, except for the time when my little angel of a daughter poured juice all over the family room while I was showering). We even ventured up north to good old FF with my mom to spend the weekend with my cousins and uncle. We had a blast there (I forgot my camera, though)! Thanks for a great weekend, H's!

So, now Andy is home (and so is the computer), and we are about to take the longest car ride that we have ever had as a family. We are headed down to AR to visit his parents for a couple weeks. The kids are SUPER excited, though I don't think they realize just how long we'll be in the car. Ike told me on the way home from FF that it was a LONG drive to visit Amy and Katie, and that was only a 3 hour drive. Well, Ike, this is going to be even longer!

Hopefully we'll have more pictures in a couple days when we reach our destination. We can't wait to see you Grandma and Grandpa....and we're looking forward to the warmer temps, too!!!

Tryg's wedding

A couple weeks ago we went to my cousin's wedding in Wisconsin. Congratulations guys! The reception was lots of fun and the kids had a blast dancing! Joey had so much fun that he would walk up to people and pull them out onto the dance floor. Thanks especially to Analise for dancing with Joe-Joe all night!!!

Halloween 2008

Finally some Halloween pics.....

Joe and his pumpkin

Elle and her pumpkin

Ike and his goofy pumpkin

The three Batmans...I, Uncle K, and Q (he has a Batman sweater that Grandma K made him)

Batman Ike, Pumpkin Joe, Ghost K, Ghost Uncle T, and Princess N

Wisconsin

A week ago we were in Wisconsin for my cousin's wedding. On the way home we stopped in the Dells and I just had to get a picture in front of this mouse. Somewhere in storage I have a picture of me and my siblings in front of the same mouse.

Visiting the H's

After visiting Uncle M's house we headed off to visit my cousins, Amy and Katie. The kids and I spent Sunday with them, then we all invaded their house for the evening and "helped" them get ready for school the next morning.

Spending time with cousins

Last week we got to spend some time with Uncle Mark and cousins C and R. The kids loved "Uncle Mark's park" and playing with their cousins. Uncle M even got almost all the kids to sit still for story time!

A trip to the MN Zoo

Over MEA Auntie Kim had a couple days off, so we loaded the kids in the car and headed to the zoo. The kids had a blast! Ike had so much fun that he and Auntie K are going back next week!

Fall

A day with the Berges

Monday we headed to the Berge's house to spend the day with them. We had a great time catching up! It was so great to not have to worry about the kids in their nearly completely child-proofed house. There were 7 kids playing together and it really wasn't all that chaotic...crazy and lots of fun! Thanks for the great day!

Andy and I got to meet our godson for the first time!

Luke and Joe-Joe.....Luke is the sweetest kid!!

The dad's and the kids

The 7 kids

Noelle and her godmother. We think that Elle must get her curls from Andrea.

Tim and Ike giving Joey tips on playing basketball

The Joe-Joe's

Our Joe-Joe "helping" their Joe-Joe (or baby as Elle calls him)

Some things never change...notice Elle trying to help her dad by tackling Adam, Ike and Tim wrestling next to their dads, and Josiah watching closely to get tips for the future.