Sunday Apple Picking

 

The weather in Minnesota has been amazing. It almost like summer with the kids playing outside until bath time and the windows open. I remember cutting down our Christmas tree in sweatshirts on Thanksgiving weekend last year…..here’s hoping we continue with this amazing warmth well into November!

Due to the Vikings having a bye this past weekend and the Budachs being up and showered on Sundays due to church, we decided to trek to Faribault and do some apple picking. Both kids had birthday parties this weekend so we didn’t have a ton of time, but we were bound to make it work as I have wanted to get an orchard for the past three weekends.

 

The trees in southern MN haven’t quite peaked but there was some awesome color where we were.

 

 

 

The kids flew down the path to the trees they allow people to pick their own at. There aren’t very many trees to pick from, but I am just glad they still allow us to do it. Many place don’t. I can see why with all the apples on the ground wasted, but it so fun to pick your own.

 

 

 

 

I soaked up every last minute of this trip as I could. Noah is already not wanting to do this tradition so I know my years of him doing these kinds of things are limited. He had fun once we got there and didn’t complain, but it was kind-of sad that he is already too old to want to do these kinds of things! He asked for a cell phone today?! And so it begins…..

Noah’s birthday money was burning a hole in his pocket. After trading mom and dad his gift cards for actual money he was able to pool together enough money for a very nice Lego set. It’s a Harry Potter castle one and it’s pretty amazing. Lots of detail and moving parts.

He set up shop on a long table downstairs so he could work and not have to worry about parts all over the floor and being in the way. It will be fun to see it completed. (Stacey, here is a indoor shot that I hate! I hate the washed out color and odd light. Help me make these look better!! I tried tweaking in PS but just couldn’t get it warm.)

This week we are SOOO looking forward to the Twins starting the play-offs. We have to beat the Yankees, especially after what happened last year and how terrible they have been talking about the Twins in all the papers. Wednesday and Thursday can’t come soon enough! GO TWINS!

Saturday I will go celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday and it’s Connor’s last weekend of football. No Vikings until Monday night so who knows what Sunday will bring!

Peace,

LB

 

Noah Michael is 11!

 

I can’t believe 11 years have gone so quickly. How do I have a child almost out of elementary school? It’s crazy to think about and yet, I SO enjoy what each new year brings so there is no sadness in this post!

 

 

11 THINGS ABOUT NOAH:

1. He loves McDonalds. He still only orders a happy meal (not even the mighty kids meal) and he doesn’t always finish it (how is that possible?) but he loves the cheeseburger and fries meal.  For years he ordered the chicken nuggets, but now it’s all about the cheeseburger.

 

 

2. He has mad computer skills. It’s the reason we put him in the “technology” classroom, so he could have his own computer and continue to learn more about using them. I see a LARGE purchase coming when this laptop has to be returned at the end of the year.

 

 

3. He is charming. You can’t teach that and he certainly doesn’t get it from me.

 

 

 

 

4. He loves to duel using Yu-Gi-Oh cards. The neighborhood boys all love to set up shop on our garage floor on a big piece of cardboard and duel. They aren’t as cheap as matchbox cars, but a fairly inexpensive hobby. I figure he can use them to wallpaper his dorm room in 7 years.

 

 

5. He discovered Harry Potter and has been enjoying reading the series. I think he likes the books better than the movies (we have only watched one as he’s only finished one) because he still doesn’t like things that are scary. The movies can be kinda scary. I hear #3 is the worst.

 

 

6. He likes broccoli and hates cauliflower.

 

 

7. When stopping for a treat at a gas station, he makes a bee line for the glazed doughnuts. In fact, it’s what he brought for his birthday treat this year to school.

 

 

8. His favorite singing group is Maroon Five and we got him the CD for his birthday.

 

 

 

 

9. He smacks his lips in his sleep. He is a light sleeper, he tosses and turns destroying his bed, doesn’t sleep much past 7, and loves to sleep with mom when dad is gone. All of the aforementioned make sleeping with Noah hard on the mom! Noah comes from Hebrew origin and means “rest and peace”. Kind of ironic because he doesn’t sleep restfully and this mother gets NO PEACE when I sleep with him!

 

 

10. He has never thrown “a fit”. In his whole life he has never thrown himself on the floor, never screamed and yelled, never gone limp, never flung onto the floor in the grocery store and refused to get up….none of that. (in fact neither of my kids has…ever!). I am kind-of proud of that. I think it says something about Mike and I as parents. I just haven’t figured out exactly what yet.

 

 

11. He is responsible. I never have to worry about him in school, in sports, outside playing with friends…I know I can trust him. He’s a dang good kid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Sugar Pie! We are so happy you are ours! We are so proud of the BIG kid you are becoming and so excited for the years ahead. You have promised me that one day when you are married you won’t let your wife take you away from us. You say you won’t go to your wives for every holiday and only take our grandchildren to see your in-laws. We are holding you to that promise. Well, at least I am….because I am already worried about it. Your mother is nuts.

 

We love you!

 

Flood 2010

Owatonna experience almost 9 inches of rain in a very short amount of time over this past week. Obviously the two major rivers that run through our town had a hard time handling that and we ended up with devastation for a large part of our small community.

 

This is our power plant. It sits on a river. It’s completely unusable. Unbeknownst to me, this is where we get our secondary power, so we never lost electricity.

 

This bridge is supposed to hold foot traffic.

 

 

I did not take these pictures. In fact, I hate even looking at them. Mike Connor, a high school classmate and professional photographer, posted these on his Facebook page.

 

I don’t know what is wrong with me. I can’t stomach looking at them. It exhausts me to look at them. It makes me feel guilty looking at them.

 

There was no school yesterday and staff didn’t have to report. I spent all day catching up around home, making lesson plans, updating my grade book, updating my website for school, creating smart board lessons…….and felt guilty the whole time. I felt guilty that we don’t have water, guilty that I had all my stuff intact, guilty that I can’t do more to help. I had one friend that got some water and they caught it super early so they saved most of their stuff. I am going to call her today to see if there is anything I can help her with. Otherwise, I don’t really know anyone personally that was affected.

 

We ran to grab some supper when Mike got home from work last night. I hated even driving in the town. I knew they had asked people to not drive around if it wasn’t necessary and I hated it. Mike drove right through where that first picture was taken and I was cringing and uncomfortable the whole time. I just wanted out of there. I put the visor of the car down and looked the other direction. I know there are all kinds of people out taking pictures, documenting history, why does this make me so uncomfortable?!?

 

  Today I have to run to Wal-mart. I even feel guilty going and doing mundane tasks like that when I know others are NOT having a leisurely weekend, they are not catching up on work and household chores like I can, and they are not sending their oldest off to enjoy his birthday in the cities like I will get to do.

 

  It still feels like it’s happening somewhere else. When you look around the side of town I live on, you would never even know it’s happening. Then I watch the news and see people I know or see a business I frequent and it’s completely under water and ruined.

 

Hoping for no rain today (2/10 of an inch forecasted). It’s just gotta stop.

 

Peace out,

LB

Fall Ball

Noah has had a blast playing fall baseball. He is finally on a team where all the kids know the fundamentals, they all WANT to be there, and they all try hard every single play. Even practices are fun for him. This next weekend is the last weekend and it’s going to be sad to see it come to an end.

They were the only 5th grade team playing 6th grade teams. Think the “big kids” letting the “little kids” play. Our expectations weren’t very high but we thought it would be a great way to extend the summer ball season! They played 5 Sundays and all of the out-of-town teams came here. Plus, the earliest game played was at 11:00! No early wake-up calls! I am pretty sure a woman planned this whole thing…it was just too perfect.

Overall the season went very well! I believe we only lost 3 games all season. Husband should leave a message in the comment section if that is wrong. Or Tim, maybe you could ask Mike at work if that is right and leave a message for him! :)

The position Noah would like to play is shortstop (most kids do!). He usually gets to play it for a couple of innings each game.

 

He also did some pitching this last game. It always surprises me when he gets asked to pitch and he says yes. It also makes me very nervous. There is so much pressure on the pitcher! Some days he is really ON and some days he is not.

 

He had a pretty decent game pitching this time around.

 

We entered the season with his weakest skill definitely being batting. He had been hit by a pitch and developed a fear of the ball. This caused him to pull his head or pull out of the box and he just wasn’t getting on base.

However, after a couple of weeks, he was doing much better. In fact, I would say his fear is gone and he’s confidant at the plate now. This game he had a great line-drive down third for a triple.

 

As parents, we have enjoyed every single Sunday for the past four weeks. Two games a day and no complaints from any of us!  It’s so great to see your child completely passionate about something and find success as a result of all his hard work.

He’s been very lucky and played with a great group of kids.

Sad to see baseball be over. We just aren’t a basketball family! However, both boys still want to play so it’s time to switch gears!

Going to the Twins game Sunday! GO TWINS!!

Love.

LB