Dad's Away so Mom and the kids will play and go visit Papas farm

Charlie and JT entertaining Jackson

Papa giving Jackson a tractor ride.  Jackson loves tractors, but does NOT like the loud noise.

what I love about the farm, just letting the little ones go....NO need to hold a hand!!

Kate holding Orangey

Charlie driving the kid tractor

Jackson loving the gator

Why is this thing not working!

Nora

Charlie and Jackson

Me and my mom

flowers from my grandmas garden

Another tractor

Nora and J

Pajama time

butt to butt, who's taller?

Sullivan trying to pull all the kids

Making rock piles out on the sidewalk

Matt was out of town for work so I went to the farm and visited my parents and then I helped my sister with daycare since her daycare was closed for Monday!  I love going to the farm, it means letting my kids ROAM and yes I will say it, NOT watching their every move.  I love that they can go out to the shed and find the kitties or they can go outside and see Lucy the puppy!  They love being their and there is WAY less tantrums and rage when we are out at the farm enjoying the fresh air.  I also love that small churches find ways to raise money by things like 'a corn feed'.  We were able to go to a corn feed that had AWESOME local sweet corn and great food.  My parents were watching the Ulstad children so Nora and Jackson got to hang out with their cousins at the farm and then the Gravens in Marshall.  It was a fun trip and it was nice to have some help while Matt was gone. 

First Bonfire for Nora and Jackson

Matt got a firepit as a hand-me-down from his father.  It has SAT in our garage for 3 years, it has NOT been used for 3 years.  Matt loves fire, wants to have a bonfire all the time but with kids, it is hard to stay up late enough to have a bonfire.  Well, as you can tell by the photos, we waited until it was slightly dark and then started the fire up.  The kids LOVED the fire, momma was terrified of Nora's hair starting on fire, Daddy loved having the fire!  The kids LOVED LOVED LOVED smores, did I say LOVE!  My kids have my sweet tooth, so can I really blame Jackson that he just wants to eat smores and marshmallows for supper?

Jackson's 15 month Well Check

Jackson's 15 months old.  Wow, where did the time go.  Jackson still has hours of fits where he just CRIES.  Then he has moments where he just melts into your arms wanting to be loved and give you love.  We are hoping he grows out of this.  He has a few words but really doesn't say too much.  He says Mama, Dada, Up, Puppy, Cookie.

Stats for 15 months:

Height:    32"            75%

Weight  24lbs 2 oz           50%

Head 47-1/2cm               65%

He is such a happy boy for others and loves being OUT of the house.  Loves animals.  Loves following his sister around and doing whatever she is doing.  Loves playing ponies with her or playing barbies or dolls.  But he also loves being a boy and loves getting dirty and messy and playing with cars (we cannot have enough cars for this little man!)

Canterbury Park

I have lived in Minnesota for my whole 30 years of life and NEVER have been to Canterbury Park.  My dad sells hay to a horse racer from Texas who brought his horses up here while the tracks down in HOT HOT Texas were closed.  My dad called one day and asked if I wanted to go see the racing so I went and got to see the behind the scenes of the park.  It was so fun and we even won a little money, thanks to Ray's expertise of teaching us how to bet!!

Carver County Fair 2012

We have a princess on our hands.  Nora LOVES Disney Princesses.  LOVES THEM.  She saw this HUGE blowup of princesses while at the Fair and needed to take a picture with the princesses---this was for a talent agency booth (guess what Matt put the wrong phone number so we will NEVER know if they wanted our beautiful little lady for a part!)

If Nora is a girly girl.....Jack is a Man's Man!  He loves tractors and trucks and animals and boy stuff!

  We had a fun time at the Carver County Fair, although we did leave in a fit of RAGE as Jackson had hit a wall and decided to LET everyone else in the fair know he was ANGRY.  Jackson did love seeing the animals and wanted to touch them all.  Nora loved LOOKING at the animals and wanted to see them from a distance.  This is the difference between our children, 1 is hands on and 1 is more timid!  The fair was great, we ate pronto pups and gyros and mini donuts and ice cream.

Lunch With Uncle Tanner

My brother Tanner was in town working at a food show in St. Cloud.  We dropped him off at the airport and took him out to lunch beforehand.  Nora didn't really know what to think of him, but thought he was OK if he was across the table and arms length away.  It was fun to hang out with him and for the kids to see their uncle!

California - Matt and I

Venice Beach Pier

The bride and groom on the night we flew in.

Matt wanted to see the Hollywood walk of fame

Matt and I at an awesome crab place in Santa Barbara

a 9 lb crab

Solvang, CA  --BEAUTIFUL

the group that went on the wine tour

Matt at Curtis Winery (the winery by the Bachelor Andrew Firestone!!!!)

Groom, Tom and Matt

I went shopping while Matt did wedding stuff, the whole town is beautiful and quaint with windmills and cobblestone everywhere

Bride and groom getting married

Matt and Brian, high school friends

All decked out---Mommy and Daddy look HOTT!

After Party at the local brewery

Matt was blessed to be asked to be best man for his high school friend, Tom.  Tom and Candace live in Los Angeles but got married in a small town that is known for vineyards called Solvang.  The wedding was Saturday but we flew in Wednesday and mett the bride and groom out for supper.  Thursday we went to LETS MAKE A DEAL, yes the TV show that was SUPER cool back in the 70s.  Its back and is hosted by Wayne Brady and Matt and I got tickets and dressed up as 'Salt & Pepper'.  We did NOT get to win a prize BUT we were on TV throughout the WHOLE tv show which is still pretty cool.  After the taping of the show, which took forever - like 5 hours, we leisurely drove up the coast to get to Solvang.  Friday morning, we went on a vineyard tour of 3 winerys.  It was so much fun learning about the wines and getting to know Tom & Candaces friends.  The wedding was beautiful and the bride and groom got married overlooking the hills and vineyard.  Matt and I were so blessed to have my sister and Kyle watch the kids while we were gone.  It was nice to be away from the kids and reconnect with Matt but we both missed Nora and Jackson. It was the best sound driving into our garage and hearing their little excited voices waiting to see us.