Weekend! Basketball!

Well, the weekend is here!YEAH!
Yesterday Paula came over for some fellowship. It is so neat, how we can instantly connect with people because the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us...isn't it?
We are planning to attend Ely's Gospel Tabernacle church on Sunday, we are trying it out and this coming Sunday they have a special service. Paula and her husband and their two kids are going to be visiting there as well. I think we are going to go out for lunch or get together afterwards.
Today, we are going to check out the Bear Center Museum in town.
We might window shop and than we have to get back in time for BASKETBALL! Two very important games toinght :)!
I have been in constant prayer over our house to sell this weekend...So, if you think of us, pray for our house to sell. I know God has a purpose for waiting, and He knows best.

Long Week

It has been a long week for me. I think because the weather is cold and we have been cooped up inside!
Yesterday we went outside for a walk and were popsicles when we got back! But, it was funny to see the kids just soaking up the outdoors!
We went to the library to pick up books mid-week and today the kids are listening to story time. This afternoon I am doing my first "hostessing"...a lady I met at church, mops groups is coming over for some "girl chat". I am excited!
Alli is crawling all over the place and getting into mischief! She bounces in her bed in the morning and is starting a stuborn/fiesty streak (wonder where she got that?) :)
Carter got his haircut by me the 2nd time...it looks good!
Sydney is ready to have playdates and meet more kids her age.
I am reading a couple of good books that I would highly recommend..."Excellent Wife" and "The Power of a Praying Wife"...I am learning so much through the Bible and these great books. Something I especially learned...I try to change Mark/others sometimes. But, if I truly believe God answers prayers...why don't I ask God about it? Instead of power of my words to change, why don't I sit back and ask God to use his powers to do any changing? Interesting?
Anyways...this weekend I think we are going to explore the museums in Ely. Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday Mark!

Mark is now officially 32 years young! We celebrated Saturday night by heading down to his parents and by grilling and indulging in a DQ cake!
We were able to spend time with Great Grandma Olson, auntie Janet and Heidi.
The kids colored eggs with grandma and grandpa and had an easter egg hunt! :) they loved it...what a fun set of grandparents!
Sunday morning we went to First Baptist for their musical, and one word to describe that.... WOW! It really set the mood for celebrating Easter.
We pretty much headed back to Ely afterwards, but took the scenic route. We saw at least 15 deer grazing on the side of the road. Oh nature is so neat.
Mark and I got back about 7ish and ordered some food in.
Checked the basketball scores...and Carter and I are tied at 25 games, Mark at 24 games, and Sydney trailing at 16 games.
Tonight we are at his work hanging out and than we will go to DQ for dinner.
Tomorrow we have an appointment in the morning...Its colder and winder...hoping for Spring soon!
Please keep praying that our house sells quickly. No news on scheduling that 2nd showing yet!

Praise!

I am excited to report, that the people who looked at our house last night....requested a second showing! They want their parents to see it before they leave for Texas on Monday...and our house was #1 on their list of houses they liked! Praise! Praise!!!
So, please pray they submit and offer while we are down for the weekend. I think it would make our "paperwork" so much easier!!! Please pray with us, that our house will sell this weekend!
Today was a great day. Went to MOPS...we learned 3 dessert recipes from the cook of the YMCA camp up here. He was great. It was so fun to fellowship with other moms, and get great tips. The kids had fun mingling with other children as well.
BASKETBALL has started and we just returned our books at the library and are going back for our "appetizers" and to watch the games!
Have a great weekend everyone!

Cont...

So, Sunday we visited "Berean Baptist Church". It was a lot like Bunker Lake Baptist. It was small, looked like a one room school house from the outside. It was beautiful, huge windows to view nature. The people weren't as friendly as the other church, but they were very cordial. Sydney, Carter and Alli ended up in the nursery for Sunday morning service, the don't have any preschoolers so, she didn't have any classes to go to. Attendance was about 50, half being kids, which was cool to see, but most were school-age. I ran into 2 moms I had met at my MOPS movie night. They were nice. One invited me to her home for a little play, but her kids are older so I don't think it's quite a match. I ended up seeing the other mom Monday at the dr office (she is a family practice dr) b/c I was struggling with my coughing and breathing again. I really appreciated her thoroughness. She had me get a chest x-ray and some lab work done to see if she could pin point what was going on. She did notice a small spot on my lungs, but is thinking it was just the way my blood vessels are in my lungs. Also, my white count was high for an allergic reaction. I get asmtha spazams when I am exposed to mold. And am wondering if this apartment we are at, has a huge problem? So, Mark and I will be looking to move here by June 1st.
Tuesday was fun. We went to ECFE, the kids had a blast and so did I. I recognized almost everyone there, and they were so friendly. I think we are going to join the ECFE program. I am checking into Happy Days preschool for Sydney, which she would attend while I take the other 2 to ECFE. Mark hosted his FIRST EVER ANNUAL MEETING for his CREDIT UNION last night!!!! He said it went well. They are good financial, and the people were receptive to him.
Today we had dr appointments for Alli (now weighing 20 pounds) and Carter (at 30 pounds). Tonight we are going to do our basketball brackets for MARCH MADNESS...and we are going to head to the GEL for a night of family swimming.
The weather here is really nice. It's in the 30's...and we are walking everywhere!
IF you get a chance. Call or come up!
Coming back for a quick visit to the cities for Mark's 32nd birthday and Easter...Hope to hear from you soon!

Busy!

Hi! It's been pretty busy lately! Friday night we went to the ECFE family fun night. It was pretty busy. I ran into a couple of the moms I met the night before. The kids were able to dance around on the dance floor (it wasn't bump/grind trashy stuff), it was more like "if your happy and you know it" and oldies the kids just ran around and burned off some energy. I actually left sweating! It was so fun! We ended up going out to Pizza Hut for dinner.
Saturday was a fun trip to Duluth, and Sunday was visiting a new church. I will post more later, the library guy is kicking us out!

My Mops Girls Night

Well, last night, I went to the MOPS girls night out. It was so fun. We watched "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and ate appetizers at the VCC (vermillion community college).. It was relaxing and fun to watch a movie with no interruptions!
The ladies here are very inviting and friendly. I found out, that 2 of them have kids the same age as Sydney and they would be in Sydney's preschool class if we enroll her next year.
They all know someone who can connect you with whatever you are looking for, which is kind of neat.
They encouraged me to get involved in ECFE if I wanted, which was something I was going to check out myself.
Tonight is a Family Fun night with ECFE, it's pizza food and play for the kids. So, Mark and I are taking them to that!
The weather is looking great! 30 degree days.
Have a great weekend!

Pregnant

Our family has exiting news!!! We found out we are going to be auntie and uncle 2 times!
Sharon and Brandon are expecting baby #2 September 13th...she is about 13 weeks along...and...
Brenda and Kirk are expecting baby #2 November 2nd! How exiting!! She is about 6 weeks along!
YEAHOOOO!!! We love babies! Congrats to both of them.
(bet you thought we were pregnant...:) not yet!)
We had a good weekend at Carter's birthday party. He got a ton of basketballs, baseballs, etc...anything with "ball" attached to it...and he got it.
We enjoyed time with family, but its good to be back in Ely.
It's in the 30's here, so its outside for us, everyday!
Have a good week!!!

Cold in Ely

Of course...it's below zero here in Ely! We are getting another cold snap (has it ever left is what we are all wondering?)...but, I do see 30's in the forecast for next week...so we have been hibernating at home this past week.
We did take the kids swimming at the GEL (grand ely lodge) last night, which was fun! Alli was crying and whinning for the first 15 minutes, and than she loved the water! She was jumping and laughing...just took her a little bit. The kids really liked the hot tub too, so of course, I suffered and sat in the hot tub with them :)
We are going to storytime tomorrow, and packing up to come back to the BIG CITIES this weekend. It's going to be a long ride...but the outcome is worth it! SHOPPING!!! :))
Have a great weekend.

Church

What a weekend it was!
Ely had their first ever wolf-dog sled races! They raced from Ely to Tower and back...they served a lasagna dinner to celebrate before and had an award ceremony afterwards...it was cool to see the different trucks carrying the dogs and the sleds they pulled! I think their was about 6-8 teams.
Very cool!
Sunday we visited Ely Baptist Church. Wow...do I miss my old church already :)..
It was very friendly! They are searching for a pastor, so they are in "holding" mode right now. It's hard to choose a church with no pastor...Sydney enjoyed her Sunday school class. It was pretty small, her and 2 other kids were the only children.
Carter and Alli went to the nursery, b/c Mark's coworker was working it that day.
We were blessed by the music and Sunday school class...it's so different here. I wish I could describe it to you...basically almost culture shock :), but not in a bad way. We had a couple people ask us out to lunch (and they meant all 5 of us! CRAZY!)...we ended up going out to lunch with everyone at the GEL (Grand Ely Lodge)...apparently the normal "after church" gathering...
We enjoyed EBC...I think we are going to check out Berean Baptist church in a couple of weeks, just to see where the Lord wants us.
It's gotten colder here, it was in the 30's yesterday, and today its' below wind chill again! BRRRrr....no walks tonight.
I am going to just head back home and snuggle up with the fam!
I did find out about the MOPS group, and in fact a mom invited me to a "girls movie night out" next thursday I am going to do. Got to just throw myself out there...It sounds like fun!
Well...whenever you want to visit! :)

Still alive!!!

We are now living in Ely, MN! It's Mark and I and the kids. Heidi is now living with family friends. Gary and Kathi King. She was able to go back to her friends and school, which she missed. She is adjusting well...and she had her 15th birthday last week...so HAPPY BIRTHDAY again, Heidi!
Well...we came up here last Sunday night...and our new chapter has started. It is so nice up here. I hope you all can come up and visit sometime.
We live in a 1 bedroom apartment, but it is huge! It's 1200 square feet, and everything is separated, so it's more like an upstairs "duplex". We have a flower shop downstairs...so I got to keep the kids quiet during the day.
I have been busy unpacking, organizing...and oh yes...scrubbing floors...I have probably spent about 5 hours doing that so far this past week...and I am not done yet.
I have been feeling sick lately, so I finally got checked out. They diagnosed me with Whopping cough! Crazy! I was throwing up everytime I would cough...and I probably threw up 100+ times...in a 5 hour period...it was getting a little annoying! (especially in our close quarters)
I don't have the internet at home. So I am going to be coming to the library to check email and update my blog.
I can't upload pictures right now...but when I can, I will post some Ely Sites.
Today we are going to explore trails and the town/shops of Ely! It will be nice.
It's so nice being with Mark. The kids and I have really missed him! We get to see him off to work, a quick 10 minute break in the morning and than...and hour for lunch...and he is home 5ish! So, it's something to look forward too...
We started "story time" at the library on Fridays, they really have a nice library and kids program up here.
I am going to search for the mops group this week...and we are trying out a church tomorrow...
Alli started pulling herself up on things and is now using her "nnanna, mmamma" sounds! How exiting!!!
Carter is looking forward to his 2nd birthday next weekend. We will be heading back to the "Big Cities" for that...
Hope all is well with everyone.
Please pray our house sells quickly. God is in control...and I can only humbly come to him with my requests.
Keep me posted on YOU!