Nan and Jess had a fun time climbing the "mountains" at the pumpkin patch. It was a pretty hilly pumpkin patch! At the end we all got to eat caramel apples! Brennon and I thought they were soooo good. Savannah didn't like them, Jess said they were OK and Zach thought they were too sticky! Brennon and I thought it was great! We got them all to ourselves!!

Zach the corn collector!

Zach had a great time running around the corn maze collecting corn that was laying on the ground...until he discovered that he wasn't allowed to eat it. Then he decided he didn't want it anymore.

Pumpkin Patch

Mayo had a family day at the pumpkin patch so of course we had to go. I love going to the pumpkin patch and going through corn mazes! We had sooo much fun! There were two corn mazes and we didn't get terribly lost in either for too long! The kids were good leaders!

First Day Of School

The first day of school is always fun! Savannah got to start first grade a few days before Jessi got to go to Kindergarten. Savannah's teacher this year is Mrs. Maloney and she is loving her! Jessica's teacher is Mrs. Carlson and she is loving her!! Jessica thought it took too long for the bus to get there!!!

Long time no write....

Well, we are WAY behind on our blog...big surprise there! Life has gotten busy...instead of just juggling 2 busy schedules, we are now juggling 4 1/2 (Zach's isn't busy by itself, only because everyone else is...so he only counts as a 1/2). The girls are loving school and enjoying tap, ballet, and piano lessons! Here are some pictures we wanted to post.....

Zach and Savannah got to ride horses too...Zach still tells us how he got on and started saying "Yah, Yah" and the horse started to go...He thought that was pretty cool! Savannah liked it too! Aren't they growing up fast??





Zach liked playing pirate at the family reunion. He even had a pretend sword. I think he's giving us a big pirate ARGHHH...!!! Everyone got to ride on the four wheeler too while they were out in Utah. Another big fun thing to do!

Family Reunion

Jessi had one request for her trip to Utah. She really, really, really wanted to ride a horse! Grandpa made it happen and boy was she one happy girl!!

Rochesterfest

This week was Rochesterfest. We had a great time! It is always such a wonderful start to the summer. We went to Family Fun Night downtown and got treats and made crafts. Jessica and Zach got to go to the parade with their Aunt Brantly. They caught lots of candy and enjoyed waving to all the people in the parade.

Then finally on Saturday we went to the highlight of year...breakfast on the farm. I think their personalities are best described by the conversation we had on the way home...

Mom: Savannah, what was your favorite part of breakfast on the farm?

Savannah: I liked the hayrides...we got to go on every wagon, even the fancy one!

Mom: How about you Jessi?

Jessi: I liked the cyclops cow head in a jar. That was cool!

Mom: How about you Zachy?

Zach: BUS! (We got to ride a school bus there!).

We had a great time. We caught almost all the pancakes that were tossed to us and we enjoyed the breakfast, the cows, and the hayrides! Next year everyone should come out for Rochesterfest...it really is a great time!

First Sticks completed...and no passing out!

Ta-Da! Today I did my first sticks! I did 14 sticks total and was successful at 13. So, I was pretty happy! And I didn't even pass out! There was way too much going on to even have time to think about passing out! First you have to ID the patient, then you have to put your tech code on all the tube labels, then you have to put the tourniqet on and get out your "3 whites" (presssure bandage roll, gauze pad, and alcohol wipes!), find the vein, assemble your needle, and then finally you get to the sticking part! Then you insert your tubes in the proper drawing order and then finally loosen the tourniqet, pick up your gauze, pull out the needle put the safety on, dispose of needle and wrap arm, and label the tubes before the patient even leaves, invert the tubes the proper number of times, enter it into the computer and send it to central processing...so see...way too much to worry about! But I was glad to get through the first ones! None of my patients fainted either...though one of the other students patient's did! Tomorrow I get to practice more...I have to have 120 sticks completed by next Friday...so I'd better get cracking!

Jessi lost her FIRST tooth!

Jessi lost her FIRST tooth...she is really excited to put her tooth under her pillow and have the tooth fairy come and visit. She woke up this morning and her tooth was really wiggly. Every time it moved her mouth would be bleed, so Daddy pulled it out and guess what?? "It didn't even hurt!" she said. Now she has a nice big window in her mouth! Congratulations Jessi!

Help, I'm being Mayo-ized...

Wow! What a long, boring week this has been! I have been in orientation ALL week long at Mayo. There are a lot of speakers! Though they do a REALLY good job of making you feel excited to work for Mayo and lucky to be joining such a wonderful team! They have some amazing benefits! They have a whole "gym" complete with two pools, a running track, aerobics classes, and equipment etc. for employees and their spouses only (actually there are 3 of them...but they are consolidating down to 2). Brennon and I have decided to join! They have sick child care...so if your child gets sick and you are supposed to work, you can take your child to R&R, which is staffed with doctors and RNs to take care of your sick one! They will pay for your cab ride home if you have to work late and miss your bus. They pay for your bus passes to and from work! The list goes on and on! Unfortunately, they have to have a whole speaker to spend at least twenty minutes on each topic!! Today I finally got to make it back to my lab area! I am excited to get started in my lab next week! Then the following week I start my phlebotomy training!

Thanks to everyone who has posted comments! It is sooo much more fun to do this when I know that people are actually looking at it and keeping up with our family! If anyone else starts a blog, let us know...we'd love to keep up with your family too!

The Family Picture....

Well, here's the new family picture...in all its sunshiny glory...we were the "yellow" family! We will be sending one to Grandma and Grandpa soon! Doesn't Jessi remind you of Pippi Longstockings??

Emergency Room visit

Well, we got to make another trip to the emergency room. This time we accompanied Brantly to the emergency room. She was over at our house "playing" and suddenly she got pretty ill. She was throwing up and could hardly stand up. We ran her down to the emergency room. She was diagnosed with a kidney stone. They got her pain under control and sent her home. Well, tonight she was taken to the ER again. She was in constant pain again. They have now admitted her. Looks like they are contemplating putting a stint in her ureter (between her kidney and her bladder) tonight, and then removing the stone on Monday. Get well soon Brantly!

Pictures of the New Car and New basement

This is our semi-finished basement (in all its messy glory)! The walls and ceiling and carpeting are all done...we just have a bit of trim left around the windows and the sliding glass door. I'd also really, really like to get some curtains for the window and the door. So, maybe a few more hours left of work and then it will be all done! Already it feels so much warmer and comfortable just having the walls and carpeting done! It is great! We love it! Also shown is the new car! It is a Dodge Grand Caravan, we are enjoying it...but there are some things that we have to get used to as well, like looking for a blue car in the parking lot instead of a silver...and before our van was more on the "unusual" side so it was always easy to find...now we have the same van as everyone else...so I have gone to the wrong car a few times! I guess I will have to start remembering where I parked better!

Jack-O-Lantern or Dalmation??

Here's the picture that proves our statement about the Jack-O-Lantern...though I have to say that Jessica disagrees...we had a conversation that went something like this.
Aunt Brantly: Savannah see those spots on your legs (her freckles), when I was little I used to call them farkles.
Savannah: That's silly Aunt Brantly, that's not what they are called.
Aunt Brantly: Savannah tell everyone what those spots on your legs are...
Jessi: Oh that's easy...she's a dalmation!

Jessica's Dance Recital

Jessica danced to "Good Ship Lollipop". It was very cute! She had a great time and is already asking about next year's classes. Every Monday when she wakes up she says, "Don't I have ballet today?" She was very brave to go up on the stage...and she wasn't the least bit frightened...she loved the performing! I think Mommy and Daddy were more nervous than she was! This picture was taken at her dress rehearsal!

Overheard Conversations....

Savannah: Hey Jessica, you want to play superheros??

Jessica: Sure, what is your special power?

Savannah: Umm...I can fly...you want to see?

Jessica: Ok

Mommy: (thinking this doesn't sound good, I should probably go check it out...)

Savannah: (Crying) Mommmmmeeeee I hurt my foot.

And that is how we ended up at the doctor's office this week. Savannah, had a bruised heel bone, and had to stay off her foot for a few days. She missed a day of school and was driven and carried to school the next day. She got to sit in a chair at school instead of on the floor, she felt pretty special! She is healing well, feeling much better now!

Jessica is our resident daredevil. She is often found careening off the drive way at warp speed on her bike, scooter, or anything else that goes fast! She just finished preschool this week and was really sad! She really loved her teacher. I asked her what she wanted to give her teacher for a present and she said she didn't know, so I said well, what does she like? And Jessica said "Me, hey I know, how about she can come over and play with me?" We settled for a movie care kit instead! Jessica is looking forward to Kindergarten and riding the bus!

Savannah is our big Kindergartener! She LOVES school and LOVES her teacher. We like to call her our little Jack-O-Lantern, because she has sooo many teeth missing (4 and one on the way out!) right now that she really does look like a Jack-O-Lantern. She only has 8 days of Kindergarten left. She is looking forward to summer but not to the end of school. Savannah is into telling jokes lately...she likes to make them up.
Savannah: Hey Mom, why do we keep lamps on the ceiling?
Mom: I don't know why Savannah?
Savannah: Because our head is too hairy.
Mom: Oh.
Savannah: Hee-hee-hee, ha-ha, Get it mom?

What can I say...practice makes perfect? She is currently awaiting the start of the new ballet season. She saw Jessica's dance recital and is now committed to becoming a dedicated ballerina!! She is looking forward to first grade and riding the bus with her sister in the morning and getting to eat in the (drum roll please) CAFETERIA!

Zach is alot of fun! He is a busy 2 year old. His favorite pasttimes include teasing his sisters, watching movies, playing outside, and giving snuggles. He still doesn't talk much though he has a few important words such as movie, cookie, girls, mommy, and daddy. He brings a lot of excitement into our family life! He loves to wake up at 6:30 am, bound out of bed, run downstairs, burst into the girls room and wake them up (this is where the word "girls" comes in handy...we hear it very loudly every morning!). The girls think its pretty funny too...but mommy doesn't! Luckily, he usually is happy to settle down after that in front of Curious George or Clifford for a bit while mommy wakes up!

We thought we'd start this blog to keep in better contact with our friends and family who live far away! We will try to update it weekly or more as things come up and keep it up to date with current pictures and news! We hope you enjoy our family blog!

Hello, Start of our Blog

Hello Everyone,

This is the start of our family Blog. Hopefully we can keep this up so those that are interested can catch up on the latest news from Minnesota.