Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy New Year's Eve and all the best in the New Year!

Keep it safe!

December on the 'Range

Hope everyone's December has gone well.

Here are some pictures from our month....

The wreath Mother and Isa brought for us....

We were joined for Christmas by Isa,

Laurie and Tristan

Mother

And Randy

Oh yeah, Shawn was home too :)

and here is Tristan...

Saturday, following Christmas one of my goats gave birth:

With triplets, I wondered how we would do for survival. Sadly the little brown one on the right didn't make it. It was so small when it was born....

Here's the one male... the other 2 were female

A glimpse of winter!

Wishing everyone the best in the New Year!

Hatcher Pass with Jen

We enjoyed a tad bit of sightseeing yesterday. Jen should have gotten just a few snow covered mountain pictures. :) From the comfort of the truck we were able to appreciate the stamina of those who were climbing mountains ... only to come down at break neck speed on snowboards or something else. Christmas was wonderful. All are healthy, getting fatter from all the goodies and still sassy!

Christmas preparations in the north

At the moment Blogger is not my friend.

I cannot upload pictures to share with you all. Maybe some other time in the next few days.

Cookies and pulla are baked. Anything that isn't done at this point is just not going to get done!

Gifts are wrapped and under the tree. Hoping that everyone is a tad bit pleased.

We've been busy with shindigs ... others we've skipped. Friday evening we went to an adult Christmas party. Delicious food ... wonderful laughs. Saturday evening we celebrated Tia's turning 12! Where on earth has time gone?! Saw Mom's comment on another post about how big the girls have grown. Just for fun ... imagine this: we left Arizona 13 months ago and Tia was wearing size 7 capris. Today she is wearing some size 2 juniors jeans. Yikers!! Sunday evening we enjoyed a beautiful Sunday School program. Tried sharing pictures ... no go tonite.

Braved WalMart this evening. Ugh. I drove around their parking lot on Sunday and left. Was not about to battle the crowd for the couple things I was in need of that day. Tonite it was not an option. I work in the morning and dinners need to be prepared. Had to just bite the bullet and hit the store. I hope I remembered everything. Shoot!! Forgot cranberries. Will have to do without them I guess. Tomorrow Jen arrives!! Can't wait for her to be here sharing the holiday with us. I work and hopefully it won't be too late. The earlier I'm off the better. The plan is to have home made pizza for dinner. Frans probably remembers my pizza making ... I think it is better these days. If not ... I'll serve plenty of salad to boot! I've also decided that Santa needs a bit of a reprieve. We are opening all of our gifts on Christmas Eve. Santa can save those muscles of his for the little ones ... and just fill our stockings in the night. I've been wanting to do that for YEARS! Christmas Day we will be joined by Ryan, Amber & Nolan. Altho' my tastebuds beg for seafood ... turkey it will be this year. If you're interested in joining us ... strawberry rhubarb pie, apple pie, blueberry pie .... do we really need a turkey??

Work calls bright and early. Enjoy your Christmas .. we will try making phone calls and chatting sometime in the next few days. We miss all of you and wish you a Blessed Holiday. May the New Year bring you all good fortune.

Oh ... and by the way ... we had a beautiful 4 inches of white dusting today. It looks gorgeous out there!

christmas is coming..!

Hello everyone! This blog sure has been quiet lately, but I guess I am just as guilty as the next guy! I can't believe Christmas will be here in 3 days! It just doesn't seem real, for some reason this year, it does not feel like Christmas yet! I planned to spend today grocery shopping this morning, and baking this afternoon, but ended up doing nothing! Lindsey is sick with Strep throat, so didn't want to start hauling her (and all the other kids) around, and I don't have all the ingredients to do my baking....so that hasn't happened either! Oh well...at least I am getting some cleaning done:) I think I am pretty much ready as far as gift buying/wrapping goes, how is everone else doing?

This last few weeks have been busy busy busy!!! Here are a few pictures to show what we have been doing....I have not taken very many, and I lost the card that has pictures of us setting up the tree and decorating....so that's a bummer! I hope it shows up here one of these days!

We started off the month by celebrating Toni's 5th birthday....is she 5 already!!?!?! Trina must have thought that this was her party or something....she was not happy!

This was our 2nd year going to the Light parade....We didn't enjoy it as much as we did last year, because we were in such a crowded area, and were about 4 rows back...but the kids still had fun I think...Trina at the light parade....Had to be held, otherwise she was off and running, and I was constantly chasing after her! Little rascal!We set up our tree/decorations the Saturday after Thanksgiving....Trina is always trying to sneak an ornament off of it!
I love all the christmas decorations!There was a Christmas program at the church where the 'choir' sang, and Phil Huhta wrote a Christmas story. I love this program, and it seems it gets better every year! Frans was one of the singers. Lindsey also had several lines in the story that she read, it was really cute.
Our sunday school program was last night at the church....here is our little (and growing) family!
Toni was so excited to be an angel....I was so busy videoing when her class was up, that I didn't get a picture of her singing...(This is for you Jari).

Kierstyn, Lindsey and Toni all ready for the program to start...


Kierstyn saying her piece...she was the loudest singer in her class! (last year she was too....not nervous at all!)

Lindsey (with cousin Shaya) saying her piece. she wasn't nervous at all either....these girls definately take after their father!

We hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season!!

Merry Christmas!!

the AZ Kuoppala's

Poetry Time with Anita :)

... I see the moon, and the moon sees me ...

I enjoy photos, I occasionally enjoy the challenge of taking some, but this one is really cool. The moon was absolutely brilliant last night. I knew that I had read somewhere, on someone's blog, what to set the camera at for taking moon pics. After trying a few last night (we've had the tripod loose around the house for Christmas pictures), I found the blog entry in cyberspace and gave it a whirl. Just wanted to share it with you all.

.... the stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nick would soon be there ....


(St Nick may be here sooner that Blogger will let me post the photo of all the stockings hanging together. They are all hung in the dining room. Years worth of work is finally done and ready to fill this Christmas!)

JUST CHECKING IN

New job is going great, a bit on overload these days. So much to learn plus have been going to old job to continue with the training there. Should be done with old job "stuff" end of January as I am still doing the year end taxes and W-2's etc. New girl is not confident to handle those tasks.
Watched a video at the FAA about the Challenger Aircraft explosion, very interesting. It was basically an event that led to the new "safety standards" for air transportation. I will have to share some of the highlights next time we are together.
Busy with all of the holiday events, shopping, baking...etc. I love this time of year but I vow to start with the planning and shopping much earlier next year as I am WAY behind!
Taner is loving his job at Buckhill and I am loving my job at the FAA. People are all so nice and it is certainly a whole different world working for the governement. I have been in training mode since I started, then I get to do hands on, then more training, then hands on and so on....I am catching on but everything is a darn acronym, no one speaks in sentences and that is the hardest to absorb....not quite sure what everyone is talking about so I go to my acronym cheat sheet (yes they really do have one) and look everything up so I can understand the lingo. Of course they all tease me that I will be talking the same way a year from now.
Hope everyone is doing good, eating great, and dodging the flu!!!
Take care all!
Love ya!
Farmington Jo

Mom, see comment on post about Jody's new job. Follow directions and then click on publish post if you get to it.

Howdy

Amanda wanted her senior picture taken of her on a dirtbike... Here's what she ended up with.

Brian and Joyce Kallinen's adoption

They adopted a girl in China. If you want to see pictures of her go on www.caringbridge.org
and type in babykallinen with no spaces. She is cute. Tanner went with them and the little
girl just loves him. Kids usually get along well with other kids. dk

Question for Jody

Just thinking of you and wondering how the first days of your new job has been going for you! Congratulations, again, for getting it!
~jen~

New York Times Article

November 22, 2008
Another Triumph for Clinton, Many Women Agree
By JODI KANTOR

Hillary Rodham Clinton, a first lady turned senator turned almost-president, is now transforming herself again, this time into the nation’s top diplomat. But she is also back to a role she cannot seem to shake: a canvas for women’s highest hopes and deepest fears about the workplace.
As she pondered this week whether to trade her hard-won independence and elected office for a job working for a more powerful man, mothers and schoolteachers and law partners mulled in tandem with her. After eight years of building her own constituency, how could Mrs. Clinton surrender it? they asked. Is secretary of state a promotion or an acknowledgment that her political prospects are now limited? And ultimately, how well will her male boss treat her?
As news spread on Friday evening that Mrs. Clinton had decided to accept the job, so did a basic consensus: the assignment was probably a triumph for Mrs. Clinton, if a costly one.
Gloria Steinem said in an interview, “Secretary of state is far superior to vice president, because it’s involved in continuously solving problems and making policy and not being on standby.”
Liz Kuoppala, a City Council member in Eveleth, Minn., said, “As a senator, you’re just 1 of 100, and she’s had to play quiet and polite.”
“I think this will allow her to blossom,” Ms. Kuoppala added. “It’s good for women everywhere.”
On pro-Clinton e-mail lists, supporters were already calling their heroine the next George Marshall, a figure who would reshape the world while President-elect Barack Obama becomes entangled in the sinking economy.
Their case for Mrs. Clinton’s decision as feminist triumph has gone something like this: Ten years ago, she was still a first lady whose hairstyles were the subject of late-night jokes; now she will be the world’s top diplomat. She may still be in a more powerful man’s shadow, but being married to a president and working for one are worlds apart. And Mrs. Clinton is such an esteemed figure, no one will see her as a mere emissary.
“If she mishandles a negotiation between two disputing nations, she can’t blame that on somebody else,” said Christine C. Quinn, the first female speaker of the New York City Council and a longtime political friend of Ms. Clinton. “She will be the one on the line, just as she is as a senator.”
And in terms of sheer impact, the imprint she leaves on the world and on history, the State Department would offer a more global platform than the Senate. “I always come back to what Hillary wants, which is to do the most important work she can do, the biggest work,” said Susie Tompkins Buell, a longtime supporter and friend of Mrs. Clinton from San Francisco.
But there are corresponding worries: that Mrs. Clinton will have to compete with Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. for influence, that Mr. Obama, just months ago her mortal rival, will not trust her fully with assignments.
Some are sad to see Mrs. Clinton, who recently made a bid to lead health care reform in the Senate but walked away empty-handed, part from her core issue.
Nancy B. White, a retired school administrator in Bloomington, Ind., who cheered Mrs. Clinton on in primary rallies last spring, wishes Ms. Clinton would have stayed on Capitol Hill.
“I would have told her to hang tough in Congress and work on health care,” Ms. White said.
Like many others interviewed, Marie C. Wilson, president of the White House Project, a women’s leadership organization, said she would like to have seen Mrs. Clinton as Senate majority leader, a situation she now knows will never happen.
“I feel real mixed about this. I think it’s better for women to be their own boss,” Ms. Wilson said, pointing out that more governors than senators had become president in recent times.
The fledgling Obama administration is a mostly male club, with figures like Rahm Emanuel, Eric H. Holder Jr. and Timothy F. Geithner filling or expected to fill top positions, and in recent days, some speculated that Mrs. Clinton was selected, at least in some small part, because she was a woman.
Throughout Mrs. Clinton’s presidential run, women across the country saw in her a mirror of their own career fortunes: when she teared up just before the New Hampshire primary that she was expected to lose, they remembered their own workplace humiliations, and when she lost the Democratic nomination, many saw it as an accumulation of all-too-familiar sexist slights. Now several of those interviewed said her selection as secretary of state — the third woman to hold the position — said nothing much about gender at all.
“The question of whether one has one’s own political power or goes to work for someone else is not only a feminist question,” Ms. Steinem pointed out.
Ms. Quinn agreed, “If she was a guy going to work for a guy, nobody would ask if it was a diminution of her voice.”
“Our country has been shunned by our allies, been rejected off of the world stage,” she continued. “The president, who has a job that you have the deepest respect for, says ‘You are our gal, put our country back on the world stage.’ Unless you are blind with ambition, how can you walk away from it? It’s a calling too great for somebody who has a deep sense of patriotism and duty.”
Reporting was contributed by Michael Barbaro, Lisa Belkin, Winter Miller, Conrad Mulcahy and Scott Shane.

Arnie's obit

SERVICES: Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Faith United Lutheran Church, 8964 Highway 37, Iron. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service, and lunch will be served afterwards. Family services provided by Bauman-Cron, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Virginia. To share a personal remembrance of Arnie online, please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com.o

Arnie Lee Archambeau, 31, tragically passed away in a traffic accident south of Aurora on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. Arnie was born in Duluth, Minn., Oct. 18 1977. He grew up in Cherry and was active in Boy Scouts, baseball, football, basketball, and track. Arnie worked in both residential and commercial construction, and took great pride in any project he undertook. He worked all over the United States for lengths of time and homecoming was always a special occasion.Arnie loved spending time with his family and many friends, and was always there for anyone who needed a hand. Arnie enjoyed “playing” with his kids, biking (going unreal distances), fishing, and hunting. His special pleasure was sitting around the “backyard fire,” listening to music, laughing and talking with family and friends.

This tragic loss of life at such an early age will have lasting effects on so many lives. The hurt in our hearts may soften over time, but life will never be the same without Arnie.

Arnie is survived by his parents, Keith and Beth (Suomela) Archambeau; sister, Mary Beth Archambeau; brother, Keith Archambeau Jr.; daughter, Paige Long; son, Isaac Lubinski; niece, Lillian Hunt; grandfather, Leroy Archambeau; extended family, Jaren, Trista, Jace, Denton, Jared; and many friends.Arnie was preceded in death by his by his grandparents, Arnold Suomela, Elizabeth Suomela, Dorothy Archambeau; and his infant son Jacob Long.

Arnie Lee Archambeau

age 31 was killed in an auto accident. He crossed the center line of Trigstad Road on Thurs.
Struck an on coming car. Died at the scene. Other car occupants air lifted to Duluth. Archambeau's car burned.

I think he was in Jen's class. Right or wrong?
dk

Thanksgiving

Just to let everyone know that you are more than welcome to come to the Lindula Household on Saturday - following Thanksgiving - for a dinner.

If you plan to come, please let me know!!

Heather

Happy Early Thanksgiving to All

Just want to wish everyone a very happy and enjoyable Thanksgiving. (early) Very busy at work traning my replacement so did not want to forget to drop a note.

Alaksa is such a pretty sight with the snow. Nothing in our neck of the woods yet but the snow can wait for another week cause we are taking out the 7 evergreen trees in the backyard. Actually the power company is taking them out. The branches are hanging so low and are actually on the power lines. If they trim them up any more then they already have we will have trees with no branches, just stumps so we told them to cut them as low as they want. Charlie is going to come over and help us cut up the trees as Xcel Power company will not remove them, just cut them down and lay them in the backyard. He will use the wood to heat his shop. Good trade! My current boss is giving me trees as a going away present so we get to go pick some out next spring from his tree farm. I start my new job on December 1st. Can not wait.
Tanner started his winter job with Buck Hill Ski resort and he just loves it. He gets a free season pass with his job and he has worked every day since thy hired him. Busy boy! He snowboards every free minute he gets.
Everyone else is doing great, Dave has finally slowed down and is working a normal 40 work week. Mitchell is growing like a weed. He grew another inch! Don't think he needs to eat much on Thanksgiving (smiles) cause we seriously can not keep him in clothes!!! He is going to be thin and tall just like Dad!!! Boy I sure wish I had a couple more inches on my legs cause I always say I am not overweight, I am under tall (hahaha)!
Take care all!
Enjoy the Turkey Holiday!
Gobble-Gobble
Farmington Jo

11.18.08 at 6:58 a.m. and 3 degrees

Our winter wonderland.

Open skating on Saturday evening saw all the girls (including mom) on ice skates. Anna gives Nolan a ride around the ice. Mom only landed on her buns twice in 1/2 hour! Not bad! Need to build a little more confidence and quite worrying about hip replacements while I'm out there!

Brock and Jari started playing hockey the week before. Jari wasn't able to play on Saturday as his hand is in a brace (probably carpal tunnel), but Brock sure was. Here he is, on the right, getting in some practice before the game started. Sure has been fun!

Life in Cannon

Charlie saw this bee hive and thought of making some honey ~ I thought I should run as fast as I can and get home to read a book. So to please the both of us, thought I would share a few pictures with you all. My library, at my tiny apartment, awaits me while Charlie is taking orders. He did ask who I thought wanted honey! Any orders? I'm leaving so he can work alone to fulfill any that he gets. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Am hoping that early next week I can post some more pictures of my apartment, so you all can see where I call home now. Before I can pick up a book, the christmas decorations have to be put up. Had gotten a huge start on it, so should really only take a couple more minutes!

~jen~

Up here in the north ...

We have snow!! Oodles of it. It is the beautiful stuff that makes driving so challenging. 25 miles on hour on the curvy road to work is a bit of a challenge, but we are thrilled.

Jari left for the slope a week ago this past Monday, planning on staying for 7 weeks. He had a problem with a swollen hand and they flew him home on Monday. Has seen a doctor, is wearing a brace and will be home until next Tuesday at least. We love having him at home.

Bronte Paski, along with his son Anthony, are here visiting. He's trucking from AZ/UT to Alaska and actually had a run that went to Anchorage. He's here for a few days ... and Jari is doing a good job on the Alaska sales pitch ... intentional or not.

Time to get spuds peeled for tomorrow nites dinner. Have a great day!

-a

Honey do list

Just wanted to drop a note and update you all on the progress @ our house project. We got the outside finished in the nick of time, it's getting too cold out to do some of the things we just finished(such as painting). All of the windows that I'm replacing are in (the porch windows are going to stay until I rebuild the porches). The old siding has been off for a while now, for those of you who don't know, the house came with two layers of siding the top one of which we removed exposing cedar lap siding underneath which we cleaned up and painted. I knew there were two layers of siding on the house prior to purchase, but I didn't know what condition it was in. Original plan was to remove both layers and install Hardi Plank siding at a cost of about 2500, for grins I redid the math for the cost of the 6" clear cedar siding that we now have, it came to 10500! Wow! Anyway, now we're going crazy on the inside trying to get it done as quickly as possible so we can insulate. We have the fireplace going burning up the scrap wood from demolition to get some free heat until I can hook up the furnace to all the rooms. Can't wait for that day. Catch you all later, will update when I can. Ivan

my deer

oops, I did not notice where you said I had to shot it first. This is the first shot (picture) I took of this deer and then they came too within 20 feet of me and I got a lot of more shots. Isa this is the hybrid (spelling?) I think, but you will have to wait until you come down to see the close up pictures because they look a lot better here than the show up on the blog.
Frans

Deer hunting

Good luck to those of you who will be hunting.

Can't wait to see pictures of the "trophy bucks" or the "is it really a buck?.... I think those are antlers" or the does, bambis..... you get the picture. Anything you shoot, shoot again with a camera :) and then post it on here!

Vote

Time to exercise our rights and get out and vote. Hope you make it to the poll :)

She's Home Again!

I don't see Amanda leaving a note here yet, so I'll beet her to the punch!! She had moved when she turned 18 to finnish her hi school eda-cation in Lake Crystal, MN... living with her mom. She has decided to finnish her eda-cation back in Randolph living at home...

Makes me all happy, excited, mushy, an all that kinda stuff :-)

Charlie

It worked

by posting a comment I can get on to make a new blog entry! Thought this would be the
quickest way to let everyone know that Darrell Vosahlo from Grand Bay, Alabama, passed
away unexpectedly Wed. at 10 p.m. They were at the Himango Reunion. Ruth's dad was
Roy Himango, Sam's son. They were in Minnesota in July on the way to a class reunion out
west but we couldn't meet them as were leaving for Cokato-Dassel High School for summer
services. Sandy and Andy Anderson did meet with them at a restaurant on 61 near I-35.
The last time we were in Grand Bay Ruth had just come home from the hospital after rectal
cancer surgery. Darrell served us some boiled shrimp. Forgot to take the bag of pecans so
Darrell came to our motel and brought the pecans. Still have some in the freezer. I remember
when they stopped at the farm, Ruth asked Elizabeth her age! Remember that?! Their son
sent a notice to everyone on Darrell's e-mail list.

Baby Lindula

Had my 20 week ultrasound today. I don't have my camera with me so can't take pictures of the pictures to post on here.

After taking the measurements, etc. we are right on track. Due date continues to be March 15th. Baby is at 14oz which seems so little, but is almost the weight of a loaf of bread. Seems bigger that way :) Baby is going to be a gymist and well behaved. The person doing the ultrasound said she had never had a baby cooperate so well with the first few pictures she took. However, after doing so well, baby decided it was time to move and decided to practice his/her gymist skills: front flips, back flips, covering the face, sucking the thumb..... What a miracle though, at only 20 weeks, there are 2 little hands with fingers, 2 little legs with toes, rib cage, stomach with fluid (proving baby can swallow), heart pumping at 150 just like it's supposed to and all the other little miniature versions of the human anatomy. Not sure of baby's gender - don't want to know and the lady was kind enough to ensure not to tell me and kind enough not to give me a picture that would provide any clue. I'm sure she knows as baby didn't have any problem just laying it all out there for a full frontal view. She hid it from me - what a nice lady :) Now to remind the over enthusiastic nurse and doctor that I DON'T WANT TO KNOW! Shawn and I decided we would really like the surprise.

One of my co-workers said you can't have a baby shower if you don't know the gender of the baby. I informed her that in the past no one knew the gender of the child and they still had baby showers. Informed her that I'm a bit old fashioned in that: 1. I don't want to know the gender - I am eager about the "You have a ......" 2. I like the idea of a baby shower prior to baby being born. The whole - fat, sticking out a mile, swollen ankles.... See, a little old fashioned, but both Shawn and I want it that way :)

What do you do at 5:30 in the morning?

Have been having a lot of fun working on digital scrapping A Year in Alaska. Am finally done with the month of July!! This is sort of taking a while but I'm afraid that photos will sit on discs and never be viewed if I don't do something with them. Still need to work on moving thru January, and then August 'til now. Another month makes it a year that we've been here. Hard to believe it!

grandma's getting senial (sp?)

The other day I went up to a local Christian bookstore and saw a "Honk if you love Jesus" bumper sticker. I was feeling particularly sassy that day, because I had just come from a thrilling choir practice followed by a powerful prayer meeting, so I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper.
I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection just lost in thought about the Lord and how good He is, and I didn't notice that the light had changed. It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus; because if he hadn't honked, I'd never have noticed. I found that LOTS of people love Jesus. Why, while I was sitting there, the nice man behind started honkin like crazy, and he leaned out of his window and screamed, "for the love of God, GO! GO!" What an exuberant cheerleader he was for the Lord!
Everyone started honking then! I just leaned out of my window and started waving and smiling at all these loving people. I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love.
There must have been a man from Florida back there, because I heard him yelling something about a sunny beach. I saw another man waving in a funny way with only his middle finger stuck up in the air. When I asked my teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant, he said that it was an Hawaiian good luck sign or something.
Well, I've never met anyone from Hawaii, so I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign back. My grandson burst out laughing; why, even he was enjoying this religious experience.
A couple of the people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towards me. I bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended, but this is when I noticed the light had changed. So I waved to all my sisters and brothers, smiled at them all, and drove on through the intersection. I noticed I was the only car that got through the intersection before the light changed again, and I felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared, so I slowed the car down, leaned out of the window, and gave them all the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time as I drove away.
Praise the Lord for such wonderful folks!

College.

Well, It's the time to start looking.
I was thinking DCTC to be an RN,
and doing that for a few years, and
then after a few years, go to UMD, or
NDSU to be a pediatrician. :)
I don't know how to apply for a Votec school, though.
any suggestions?
-amanda

PER JENNY'S REQUEST

The generations picture! Isa 70, Jody 50, Charlie 40, Jennifer 30, Denise 20, Mitchell and Susan 10, baby Randall 0

Have been wanting to post this for quite some time. You can call me slow Jo....(smiles)


Mitchell's new toy

Mitchell, Tristan and Gary

Tanners Senior Proofs

Tanner as we all know and love him-The Skateboarder (he straightened his hair)

Parents of a teen-ager...we seem to be doing OK!!!

Love ya all!

Farmington JO

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER HERE I COME

YEAHHHH
I got the job! Just got the phone call. I now have to go through a security background check and get my clearance then I can start. Thinking it will take 2-4 weeks as the government tends to move a little slow! (smiles) I had my interview 6 weeks ago and just received the call today.
Now what ths means for my family...Insurance for one!...plus benefits that are simply amazing. 13 sick days per year and 13 vacation days per year plus 10 paid holidays (yes that is 36 days per year) and it starts on day 1. You accumulate 8 hours per pay period (every 2 weeks). Plus a retirement plan that is quite nice. Best part is not worrying about getting laid off in the winter.
I am so excited I could bust!
Dave is finally slowing up a bit at work, nothing like pushing things to the last day as they usually end their season on the 15th of November.
Tanner is counting his days till he graduates (haha). He has plans on attending Mankato State next fall and will more and likely live with my sister and her husband while attending school. At least we have that much figured out. Mitchell is growing like a weed. We measured him in the garage over the weekend and he has grown 2 inches since June. No wonder I can't keep him in pants (jeans) as he grows out of them overnight. He is going to be tall like his Daddy!
Hope everyone is doing well, snow will be here soon, looking forward to the holidays. I have a great deal of shopping done already as I hate to wait until the last minute!
Take care all!
Farmingtin Jo

Mel Isaacson died (Shawn's uncle)

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at United in Christ Lutheran Church in Eveleth. The Rev. Joel Rova-Hegener will officiate. Visitation will be one hour before the service. Inurnment will be in Eveleth Cemetery. Honorary casketbearers will be Jared and Mason Isaacson. Memorials are preferred to United in Christ Lutheran Church, 201 Station 44 Road, Eveleth MN 55734. Arrangements are entrusted to Cron-Sheehy Funeral Home, Eveleth. To sign the guest book online and to leave a memorial message, go to www.cron-sheehy.com

Melvin Isaacson, 83, of Eveleth, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, at the Virginia Regional Medical Center.He was born Jan. 22, 1925, in Eveleth to John and Anna (Backall) Isaacson. Melvin attended Eveleth Schools. He served in the Army during World War II from 1944 to 1946 in Italy with the 85th Infantry Division. After the service he lived in California from 1946 to 1952, working for various contractors in the carpentry trade. Melvin went to work for Eveleth Mines from 1969 until his retirement in 1987. He was a life member of Mesaba Range Post 1172, Veterans of Forerign Wars of Eveleth and a member of United Steelworkers Local 6860, Carpenters Local 606 and United in Christ Lutheran Church, having served on the church council. Melvin volunteered at Camp Chicagami and loved working with the children.

He is survived by his son, Mark (Jamie) Isaacson of Eveleth; grandsons, Jared and Mason Isaacson; stepchildren, Robin (Wayne) Hopke of Hibbing and Terry Schultze of Virginia; brother, John Isaacson of Grass Valley, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Helen Saari and Aileen Ogan; and brother, Arnie Isaacson.

(Jamie was a Lanyk)

Out my window ... what do I see?

Welcome to our little world. In what was about the space of a week ... the whipping winds came and removed the leaves off all but one tree around us. (We have that one stubborn thing I'm watching!) And then came the snow. It is predicted to be a wet season. Good thing. Snow machines are ready to roll ... just need more wet stuff! This was the view out the front door this past Sunday morning. What a treat to do dishes and watch the changes of nature before my eyes.

Happy Birthday Isa (a day late)

I find myself wondering...
Did I give you your due..
For all that you've done for me
Did I ever thank you?
For all of my childhood memories
For helping me deal with life's stresses
For helping me accept my defeats
And celebrate my successes?
Or for teaching me the value of hard work,
Good judgement, courage, and being true
The laughter, smiles, and quiet times we've shared
Did I ever thank you?
If I have forgotten, I'm thanking you now
You taught me right from wrong....
I hope you know how much you're loved and appreciated
I hope you, instinctively, knew it all along.
Happy Birthday, Dad

Hope your day was as special as you are!
Love,
Charlie and Jen

Walter wanted Jen to give this article to us

and I thought it was worth sharing:

Liz Kuoppala, an Eveleth city councilor since 2006, received the 2008 Women in City Government Leadership Award at the Minn. League of Cities annual conference. The award recognizes Kuoppala for her work with the council, mayor, city officials and residents as well as for her work the Eveleth Horizons and the Rural Women's Leadership Project.

Kuoppala is associate director for Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless and was appointed by the speaker of the House to the MNSCU Trustee Candidate Advisory Council in 2007. She serves on the Eveleth Parks Commission and the Virginia-Eveleth Economic Development Authority. dk

Things We Heard When We Got Back

Maxine Makela is moving to Brainerd. 5 Star motel will no longer be a motel. She will move
into that apt. When Eric Laho moves to AZ, that apt. will become a motel. Works well as that
is the smallest apt.

Ken and Pirjo Hill flew to Finland for 2 weeks. Her mom has been ill.

Lahtis bought a new Lincoln.

Jeremy and Anna Maija Lee had a girl on 9-16. Ina Maija-Leena, 6# 8 oz., 20.5 "

5,935 Miles and we are Home, Safe and Sound

We got home this afternoon. Typed this once and must have hit the wrong thing as it never got
posted. Will make a second attempt.

We got the 11 capitol pictures we were missing. Print those and we will have 48 on the wall.
Gov. Palen was against the road to nowhere but perhaps she'll put in a bridge to Juneau so we
can just drive there to get No. 49!

We also went to 4 presidential libraries or museums: Ford, FDR, Kennedy and Lincoln. The
Lincoln museum/library was opened 3 years ago. Very well done. We got the Springfield
capitol picture many years ago but as we weren't that far, decided to go into Springfield
yesterday.

We drove through 2 national parks: Acadia and Shenandoah. Abercrombies took us through
the last one. One section of road was so curvy that I got dizzy. Saw many deer and one bear.

Museums: fly-fishing, Norman Rockwell, Essex Ship Building, and the New Bedford Whaling
Museum.

Interesting towns: Bar Harbor, Annapolis, Plymouth, and Salem, Mass., the witch hunt town.
The girls who were responsible for the witch hunt would really be amazed how that brings
tourists into town.
Interesting area: Cape Cod. We drove but Paul and Alice Sorvo were our guides. Stopped to observe glass being painted at Sydenstricker and then it goes into a kiln. Bought a plate!
There is a Kennedy Memorial on the Cape and we drove past the Kennedy Compound. Oh,
in Kennebunkport, Maine, took pictures of the George H. W. Bush home.

Visited Jennifer Wasti Cragg and her husband. Their son was born Sept. 12 and had to have
surgery because the pancreas had wrapped around the intestines. They had to move organs
around so took appendix out at the same time as they might not find it later! We were
there last Tuesday and Gabe was getting out the next day. She went back to work when the
baby couldn't come home and started maternity leave again when the baby got home.

Spent 3 or 4 nights at Abercrombies. Besides driving through Shenandoah, the next day they
just drove around showing us the area. Drove past the home of Sen. John Warner, the home he
lived in when married to Elizabeth Taylor. Also the farm that was home to the race horse,
Secretariet.

Spent 7 nights with friends, 3 or 4 with relatives, the Abercrombies. Slept 2 nights in the car
and rest were in motels. Will put more details in the Newsletter. dk and rk

It's the time of year for sewing

Saturday I got a bunch of chores done, it was beautiful outside.

Sunday was not so pleasant so I dug out the scrap fabric Mother gave me, dusted off the sewing machine, and made my baby a baby blanket. (This child is going to have so many blankets.... this is the 3rd one thus far.)
Shawn thinks this is way to "girly" so I got a boys one that is almost done, but can't put a picture on here until I finish it!

Can do a few more before I run out of fabric. It's fun and easy to sew these and if I make enough, it won't matter how long they hold up, right? :)