New additions...

On Saturday, Shawn and I went to an auction to add to our collection of animals to fit the theme : "ol' Shawn Lindula had a farm"...We have 7 ducks - all different types....

Shawn really wanted the mallard pair and we got them...

4 more geese - we are now up to 6! These ones are different with the big bumps on their heads. Our other goose is laying eggs, so we can only hope these ones do as well. Would be fun to have baby geese..... (okay, I know... gosling)

I may take credit for some of the others, but this is all Shawn's doing. He bought Highlanders. Here are the 2 young ones. Will have to get pictures of the other ones on here.....

They are so ugly, they are kind of cute!!!!

More to folllow, but my battery had died and I couldn't get the rest of the pictures. Will have to post again later!

Glimpse of Easter

Easter snuck up quickly this year. Not only is there snow on the ground still, but Easter morning brought fresh snow. ...I guess that's ok. The white blanket is beautiful.

Hope you all enjoyed the day.

More of T

Here's a couple more of T....instead of sitting on the sit and spin he dips into Daddy's "extreme" genes and decides it's more interesting to "stand and spin!"

First time skating.......He did well.

Goggles just being goofy....does stuff like that all the time. Dipping into Mommy's genes on that one!??

And Debbie (i think) or Denise maybe took this beautiful picture of Shelby! Need to paint that one!! ; ) Have a great Tuesday evening! : )

: )

Catching up with T

Well here we go! Finally. But only 15 minutes of break, so gotta hurry and formatting may be a little goofy! T is growing by leaps and bounds and learning so much so quickly! : )

The pirate pictures was from an event in Duluth called "Pirates and Princesses" put on by a group called the Ladies of the Nile.....(something like Jobs daughters, etc.) He made his own pirate hat and treasure map! Loved the stickers and the treasure map!

He always puts on my winter hats and goes barrelling around the house. I do manage to stop him and get a cute picture every once and awhile. : )

And he is licky the chocolate chip cookie dough off the mixer things AFTER we were done mixing of course! He loves helping mom with cooking and baking! : )

I have TONS more pictures and hope to pay Frans and Jenny to make one of those nifty CDs sometime soon! : ) Have a GREAT weekend! : )

...

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Anita,
Happy Birthday to youuuuu!!!!
Cha cha Cha!

We miss you, and wish we could be there to have cake with you!!!!
Hope your day is as wonderful as you are:)

Much love from the AZ Kuoppala's

Hiking with my honey

Just a few proof of exercise pictures! I think I must have said at least 10 times .. "I am not a mountain goat". What a dreamy view. This is where I would have loved to build a house. There were a few flatter areas than this hillside, but the property has one very big problem. The road at the top is going to be rerouted ... may be 1 year and it may be 10 ... and I'd have yellow stripes going through the middle of my kitchen and living room ... suburus and trucks going back and forth on either side. Might make for some uncomfortable living!

Iditarod Restart in Willow last weekend

Sorry for taking so long to get these pictures on here Laurie!
For those of you who aren't in the Bebo Land ... the kids and I went to the Restart of the Iditarod in Willow last weekend. We took a shuttle from a high school ... the way to go. :) Although next year I think it would be fun to go out on snow machines. There were even small planes landing on a runway on the ice! We got there early enough that we could have gone to see dogs and teams, but didn't. I'm use to Phoenix crowds where you get your spot and don't wiggle out of it lest you lose it. We were halfway down the line and I couldn't hear anything the announcer was saying so headed up to the Start Line. I think we may have stayed through about 20 some teams leaving .. there were 97 I believe. The day was beautiful and sunny. The bus driver was warning us about sunburn on the way out there. "Face your backs to the sun ..." Alyx and I looked at each other like "are you nuts??? ....bring it on!" It was a fun day ... next year I know where to catch the start of the Junior Iditarod as well. This lake is not the place it has always been. It used to leave from Wasilla, but I think with traffic .. and this years ice and open water ... the Junior one left from this same place. Learn something new all the time! I also have a tip as where to go in Anchorage for awesome viewing ... so welcome next year and we'll do both days!

Some of what we saw or did

Trip to AZ went well. Drove through Sedona but didn't stop as street re-construction all the way
through town. Stopped at Matazuma Castle; took pictures; spoke to a couple who lived in Hibbing while he was teaching and now retired to our neighboring town of Crosy! Their
daughter is married to Tom & Jare Klabchek's son but not the one Anita used to baby sit.
No parking places in close proximity to art galaries so didn't stop. Night at Diane Barber's in
Prescott.

Seniors' Camp was the largest to date, about 90. Interesting presentations.

Spent AZ time at Frans and Jennys. The 5 girls are so cute. Trina is too young to be shy and
she loves to smile and talk. On President's Day we drove to Lake Havasu City to see the London
bridge that I had seen in London in 1957. Toni and Alanys were at a sitters.

I was sick during most of Winter Services. Urgent Care on Sat. Pneumonia! One 400 mg.
pill really perked me up so went to church Sat. evening and Sunday.

Monday we left AZ. Frans gave a tip to drive in the carpool lane so we did good time. It went
right on to I-10. In Midland, TX, we toured the childhood home of Pres. George W. Bush.

The MN Twins went fishing on the Sabine but water was so muddy from recent rains that they
didn't have any luck fishing. Didn't have to clean fish :). Elsie did her usual of cooking up a
storm and haven't dared to step on a scale yet!

On the way home we stopped at the Dealy Plaza in Dallas. Last time there was in 1976. They
have a beautiful display now on the 6th floor of the School Book Depository but no pictures
allowed. Next to Oklahoma City. We hadn't taken time to go into the museum last time we
were through. We had thoroughly enjoyed the outside display but we missed lots by not going
into the museum. A tear jerker. No pictures allowed.

Drove through some very heavy rain leaving Oklahoma City. One 18 wheeler on it's side.

Home happy, tired, lots to catch up on but it will get done. dk