Pictures from Brainerd

Picture #1 is our greenhouse in the garage.  Has grow lights and regular bulbs for heat
controlled with a thermostat.  One bulb visible on the left.  One squash, 4 bell peppers,
and 4 mini bell peppers plus 4 different varieties of tomatoes.  Will plant outside when
danger of frost is over.  The garden already has one row of early red potatoes and one
row of Superior white potatoes and one row of bush beans, 3/4 row of beets, some
carrots and a small amount of lettuce, some Swiss chard, some cukes and some giant
sunflower already planted.  Another area has some sick looking asparagus, couple of
rhubarb plants and Polano raspberries.

The next picture was taken in the bathroom to show the other side of bouquet in the
mirror.  Ten red roses for our 10 children and 46 daisies for 46 years of marriage and
both are celebrated on Sunday, May 9th.  Isä will bring them to the hospital on Wed. as
no use leaving them in the car on Tuesday until I get transferred to my room.  Surgery is
scheduled for 11:30 unless they come up with a different time on Monday when they
call.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday, dear Jen,
Happy Birthday to you!

Hoping your day was a happy one!!

Lots of love your way from the Alaska crew!

Pictures of life on the 'range

Rob and Amy came over with the girls. Shawn was discussing house plans with them, so the girls and I headed outside with Heidi. The girls were so funny. Olivia didn't mind that we ate ham for dinner, she just didn't want the sow to hear that we had eaten its baby :)

I was attempting to put a bunch of other pictures on here but it didn't work, so maybe next week. I have a client coming in soon.

Where is everybody?

How is everyone doing? Any updates on life? Enjoying spring?

We are enjoying the beautiful and early spring! The grass is already full of dandelions and it is only mid April! I don't remember that happening before. Nor do I remember pulling out shorts and flip flops in April before. With warm weather, green grass, and no bugs, we are getting some fresh air. Tennis is the latest thing at our house. There is a court near the elementary school that is usually empty, so we can play our amateur ball without worry of annoying other players :).

School is still in full swing, both for the kids and for me. Genetics is fascinating, but continuing to give me a good mental workout! Hopefully twenty years from now I will be able to say it was the toughest course I have ever taken.     ...One last push and the end of the semester will be here. My last final is May 15. It would be nice to go through the summer too, but there is enough action around here that I will probably wait until fall to hit it again.

Hope to hear from everyone soon. Happy Spring!
-b

Happy Birthday Charlie

Happy Birthday!  On Frans' birthday I mentioned a few things that accident prone son
has done.  You are not exactly accident free!  I brought you to Dr. Bol the chiropractor
for injuries from falling out of a tree but found out years later that you had been bull
riding in our pasture!        Then you fell asleep at the wheel, hit a guard rail and flipped
the car onto it's roof.  They say seat belts save lives but in this case not wearing one
probably saved yours as you were thrown into the back seat and the front compressed so if you had been belted in perhaps history would have been written differently.  Then
last but not least your flip off your bike at Elko and airlifted to Robbinsdale. 

That's enough Charlie.  No more accidents.  Happy Birthday and enjoy being Healthy.
Love, Mom and Isä

Happy Birthday Frans

Wishing you a Happy Birthday and a good 38th year.  Last night at Haps we were talking accident prone sons.  Gladys Ruonavaara had a picture on her cell phone of
her son Jasons leg bone poking through his skin.  She had many more stories of their
Jason.  Then I had to add stories of Frans: aiming at deer (without a gun) from on top
of a load of bales at Takalas with Shawn driving the tractor and Frans ended up with a
broken leg (good thing he was able to manuver or would have landed on his head); trapping and having to get recasted several times because the cast got wet (and stinky),
getting pushed 300 yards by a train and working on firewood when David hollered that
a tree was coming down and you glanced back to see where Ivan was and the tree
glanced off your head and did a permanent dent into the tractor steering wheel.  Then
when the doctor gave you a list of things to watch for in head injuries and you told the
doctor you have several of those sheets at home!  It's been quite a life.  Perhaps more
things are happening in Arizona of which we aren't aware and probably better for my
blood pressure!  Happy Birthday from Ma and Pa.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

happy birthday to you, 
happy birthday to you, 
happy birthday dear.. 
Mom, Frans, and Charlie...
happy birthday to you! =]

well a few days late for mom but i told her on the day so that counts right? :)
I just love the month of April!

Medical Missionary speaks to No. MN Retirees Thurs.

I thought the beater she is holding looks like the one Anita got from Martta's stash.  They roll it between their hands as shown and it can beat up eggs or whatever faster than an electric mixer.  Though she has gone to other 3rd world countries she thinks
Tanzania is the poorest of the poor. She is an RN who helps medical doctors.  They pay their own way, costing her about $3500 + for each trip.  A hyena had ripped out the side of a man's face.  He wanted something done so the food wouldn't fall out of his
mouth.  After 3 surgeries by a plastic surgeon he was able to keep food in his mouth.
She and other staff members wash their hands, first in soapy water, clear water to rinse
out soap and then in a chlorine water.  None of the staff has gotten sick.  They eat only
fruit with a hard peel, so no apples or tomatoes.  Operating rooms have dirt floors, poor lighting.  They bring more medical supplies each time they go.  She has a grand
daughter saving money so she can go on one of grandma's trips.  Very interesting.  dk

I know that MN and AZ have been warm lately ...

we haven't made it there quite yet in AK.

We do have rhubarb waking up tho'.

Daylight is not just creeping up on us anymore, it is coming by leaps and bounds. Love it!! The lights are no longer on lighting the driveway. The day has sprung when the kids hit the bus at 6:35 a.m. The sun is peaking at the peak of the mountain when I'm driving to work at nearly 8 a.m. And the sun is warm. Love the warmth of the sun!

Daylight is lasting longer as well. At it's darkest, I leave work in the dark at 4:30 pm. Now, if you look at the horizons as 9 and 3 on the clock, the sun is at about 1:30ish in the sky when I leave. Soon there will be setting in the west, no rising in the east. It will just spin circles and dip in the north. It is truly amazing. This passing of time. This passing of seasons. This coming of yet another spring and summer.

Then there are the jokes that nature plays on us. This morning our world is sprinkled white again. I love to watch the surprise on a face. Tia was mid brush stroke with the toothbrush when she noticed there was snow. Immediate pause. Anna was on her way out the door to the bus and did the pull up short and "whoa!" thing. It'll be gone this morning. There isn't much of it. It'll water the rhubarb and the strawberry plants.

Happy Spring!

Howdy!

Hi all!  Hope everyone is enjoying spring!  I sure am at work, we go for walks almost every day.  Yesterday I took my two youngest to the Como Zoo with my sister and her two girls she watches.  My two oldest girls are in DC with their mom.  I bet they are having a blast!  The mom just closed on a project out there to build apartments/studios for dancers, so the girls are going to get to see the site and what their mom has been working on so hard for the last 3 years!  At home I have been planning out my gardens and impatiently waiting for planting time.

Ivan has been working hard on the house, as always!  He has installed the hardwood flooring in the kitchen and dining room.  Of course, inorder to get the flooring down we had to move the cupboards.  Now the sink is in the middle of the kitchen (not working), the oven is in the living room (not working), and the fridge is in the laundry room (working :-)).  I started sanding/staining/varnishing the flooring where the sink cupboard belong, and Ivan started building the sink cupboard.  Did anyone know that he is very particular?  We want to be able to stain the cupboards the color we want, but the unfinished cupboards at HomeDepot and Menards are not up to his standards, so he gets to make them!  This weekend he hopes to get the cupboard finished, put into place and the sink hooked back up.  I can't wait!

And I can't forget Duchess!  She is still adorible and fun.  She was spayed three weeks ago, and I am still waiting for her to mellow out!  She loves to chew on my feet and shoelaces.  We found out she loves to go into the front porch and smell the fresh air until a noisy truck goes by, then she runs back into the house.

Well, got to go.  Have a great spring!

~MISSI~ and Ivan

P.S.  Anyone who is Ivan's friend on Facebook, I should probably tell you it is not him.  It is me.  I created his account so I could make him a farm on Farmville and send myself the gifts I need/want!  So don't expect him to comment, because he told me he wouldn't.

Happy Easter

Hoping everyone has a wonderful Easter!

Birthday wishes!

Won't be on a computer until next week, so thought I would send some birthday wishes out a day early! Becky and Shawn may your day be filled with sunshine! Wishing you both a wonderful and happy birthday!
love,
jen

life in AZ

I am finally able to upload picture to this blog....I don't know what was going on before!  They are not in order, but oh well...

We are finally starting to feel like life is getting back to "normal" around here again!  After three different hospital stays with Taryn in the last month and a half, we are glad that she is finally well!!  It was not easy juggling between home and the hospital.

It has rained so much here this winter and now the desert is so green and beautiful!!  Frans' sinuses don't like it tho!  We have started hiking a few times a week, and the girls like it too!  I'm just bummed that we didn't start this a long time ago....now it is going to start getting really hot, and that's going to be miserable hiking in the heat!

Went to the Zoo yesterday for the grandma orangutan's 50th birthday (Duchess)  They are my favorite zoo animal!  Duchess is the one on the right in the picture.  We had the perfect weather for the zoo too....about 75 and windy.

In other news, Frans went to PV college and took some placement tests on Friday.  Now he's just got to meet with somebody and find out what classes he should be taking!  Hoping to start with summer classes....exciting!

anyways, I'm rambling...hope everyone is doing good!

Jenny

A glimpse of Seattle trip

We had a great time in Seattle and Longview. After flying in, we met Eric, Rosie and kids downtown Seattle and piled into their car for a night tour of the city. Amazing how quickly Eric has learned the city! Friday the guys went shooting while Rosie, the kids and I hung out. Visited at Tricia and Blaine's that night. Saturday we went to Longview for Kayla and Mitch's wedding - very special to be there. We spent the evening and night visiting at Phil and Sarah's. Slept a bit before time to head to church. After church we headed back to Seattle. Hiked in the Paradise Valley Nature Conservation Area before church that evening. Monday the guys went shooting again for a bit, then we headed home. Super fun to be there, but always good to come home.

The moss bus stop hut is one of many pictures I got of the "greenery" there :). While on our way to west Seattle, we got out of the rain and saw a beautiful rainbow over the city. Had to shoot it quick out the car window through a bridge tressel, going 70 mph, but I think it worked.

Heidi visits in Brainerd while Dad is at an exotic auction

                                                            Heidi finds some Knäckebröd (hard tack)

                                   in grandma's cupboard.  She thought it
                                   was pretty good

                                  in fact, good enough to feed to grandma

                                  and grandpa too.  Have to make sure it stays 
                                  in his mouth!                     

Grandma and Grandpa with AZ Kuoppala grandchildren

Aloha!  We had just returned from our week stay in Oahu.  Got our 50th state capitol
picture.  Center is open to the sky and around the opening it is meant to look like a
volcano.  The pillars in front and back represent all the Hawai'ian islands.  Next day to
the Arizona Memorial, a consecrated site.  Those who were on shore leave on the day
"that will live in infamy", if they so desire, when they pass away they can be cremated and entombed on the Arizona.  There is still a drop of oil coming to the surface every once in awhile,  referred to as tears of those there entombed.

Went to the North Shore but the waves weren't as high as they are "in Winter" though there were many body surfing.  Stopped at the Polynesian Culture Center.  First thing we came to was a picture opportunity in a grass skirt!  We did not stay for the evening
preformance and we never did see a luau!

Walked the beach of Waikiki but on the sidewalk!  Lots of people sunbathing.  The
beautiful park like grounds next to the beach is home to many, many homeless.  We went on a 2 1/2 hr. whale watch lunch cruise.  Did get whale pictures but not with their tail up, just rolling over.  We had been warned to dress warmly when I made the reservations but it was not too cold on deck for us Minnesotans.

It seemed as though we were in a foreign country.  Yes, English spoken but other
languages we didn't understand.  Rode the buses but the street names were also like a
foreign country:  Kaiulani, Uluniu, Kealohilani, and our hotel the Royal Garden was located on Olohana, just a block off one of the main bus routes. 

Your father tans so quickly and I just get red.  Many sites we didn't get to, one being
the Dole Plantation.       Aloha.

Fun to see a dream fulfilled

We had so much fun enjoying both the Ceremonial Start in Anchorage and the Restart in Willow ... and getting to share it with Jen for the first time.

Jen and I are dreaming of going to Nome for the finish of the Iditarod. Someone told me at work yesterday that the tickets are about $700 from Anchorage to Nome. Hmmm. Just checked, putting in dates for April for the fun of it. $473. Might have to save for that one for a while. Sure would be fun though! Especially after tracking Lance Mackey yesterday and then watching him come in to Nome .... live. Kind of managed to get into the swing of things a bit more this year. :)

-a

a couple more pictures

March 4th was "Day on the Hill" for the Minnesota
Coalition for the Homeless. I spent quality time with Liz in the days leading up to it, in helping to prepare for the big day! I can very much admit to the fact that I have not talked to so many elected officials in my life as I did in the days leading to the event! Doing data entry, calling to set up schedules for constituents to meet with their senator and representative, to whatever else Liz could think of for me to do, I did. Then the day finally arrived! Huge turnout and very informative for me! I went with this group to meet with the man that says he will forever be my Senator as long as I live in the state. (David Tomassoni, from Chisholm)

I've never actually looked around the capitol before. So when everything was done, Liz gave me a guided tour! Thank you, Elizabeth! I decided I would go back to her office while waiting to catch the plane. On the way there, the phone rings; "if you're not sick of lobbying yet, there's a hearing at the capitol." Since I had the guided tour I knew where the room was, I turned around and met her there.

Time to head for the airport! I was so exhausted, I tried to keep my eyes open to hear the stories that the lady sitting next to me was telling. And then I slept! I awoke when we landed, but I just couldn't stay awake. Asked the kind lady if she would wake me up when our row was getting out. Slept to the last minute! Amber was there to pick me up and I spent the night at her house. While Ryan was at an appointment Amber, Nolan and I went driving around and looked at some stores. Anita picked me up after work and we got some game playing in!

Saturday morning, back to Anchorage, but this time for my whole reasoning for going to Alaska. The ceremonial start of the Iditarod. And then the restart in Willow on Sunday afternoon. Ryan, Amber and Nolan were there! The breeze was a little chilly, but beautiful day for the race to start. Anita and I picked who we wanted to be in the top ten. The guy from Minnesota, the husband and wife who each have a team, the runway model turned musher, the 69yr. old man... So far, we aren't doing so good!

The thought was that I would sleep all day on Monday, while Anita was working, so I would be all caught up on my sleep. And that is exactly what I did! Once I got to the airport, Monday evening, I was informed that they had overbooked and if I was interested in giving up my seat voluntarily. I wouldn't let her finish, and immediately said I would. An extra day in Alaska and $400 voucher towards my next flight, I couldn't pass it up! Called Anita and she turned around! Now I am hoping to make it to Nome some year! Would love to be able to see the dogs come in after they just completed a 1049 mile journey across Alaska. But in the meantime I guess I will just follow them on the website! That was my week. Now tomorrow I head north and work at the shelter. ~jen~

Happy Birthday Anita!

Smiles and laughter, joy and cheer

New happiness that stays throughout the year

Hope your birthday brings all these and more

Filling life with surprise and joys galore!

Wishing you a Happy Birthday!
With love,
jen

Life

Shawn is back to work now and has many jobs beginning to line up for the summer which is great....

Miss Heidi turns 1 on Wednesday.. time has flown by......

We have 5 baby lambs born thus far and 2 more sheep to go (hopefully one will lamb soon)......

We have butchered 5 pigs and 8 more going in this week.....

I just keep on working and loving my job....

My daycare lady closes for the summer, so I'm scrambling trying to find an opening and not having any success.... a child needs to be in the infant room until 16 months old of which Heidi doesn't turn until 7/10.... one day care center will have openings in the infant room in November of 2011.... nothing like needing to make plans a bit early if you want/need your child in daycare....

Life in a nutshell for us... I would love to post pictures, but have learned that I'm not the most patient person and refuse to download photos on a dial up connection and not able to do so from my work computer, so will have to find another way.

Have a great week

H, S, and H.

HAIL FROM FARMINGTON

Slowly recovering from the loss of Katie. 

Did we tell you that Mitchell got a puppy for Christmas?  He named him Chance because he said he thought there would be a slim chance that Dad would ever let him get a puppy.  It took awhile to convince Dave but we finally broke him down.  Chance is still looking for Katie outside.

Tanner and I had our appointment with the Navy recruiter and next we are going to the Air Force.  Not like the past where you could get in with no problems and get your career choice.  Most jobs are full unless you want Navy Seals or Bomb Squad.  I am sure we will find the same with the Air Force.  Seems like the only branch where they really need people is the Army.  I think the economy and cost of college has a huge effect on the military and these young folks looking at the military route as an alternative.  Bottom line is Tanner can pick 5 career choices but he may not get any of them.  He still wants to join but is leaning towards the Air Force. 

I still love my job, most interesting place I have ever worked.  I have applied to go to ACE Camp in June as a chaperone for high school kids which I would get paid for.  They spend an entire week at an Air Force base and learn about aviation careers.  We fly in helicopters, planes, fly gliders, build hot air balloons, visit all facets of the airport and visit aviation museums etc.  You have to apply for the camp but I have been told that I am being considered highly for the week long duty.  The cost for kids to go to camp is around $450 but they offer scholarships to the program and you have to be a sophmore I think.  We also have a graduation ceremony following the camp.  Kinda cool.  Mitchell is going to New York with Grandpa and Grandma that week so it works out perfect and Dave will have to spend some quality time with Chance. (tee hee).

Dave went up north last week end to watch Gary at his horse clinic and said he was very impressed with Gary's talent with horses. I couldn't go because Mitchell was at a birthday party and had another event on Saturday afternoon.  He was amazed with Gary's training of horses.  I call Gary the "Horse Whisperer".  We all hope to get to Gary's next clinic.

Well, signing off for now...You all have a great week.

Sick Day!

I got a sick day today with out being sick!  Unfortunatly almost everyone else at work is.  Molly got sick on Saturday and we didn't think anything about it, until Sarah got sent home from school on Monday.  Last night I got a text from Anna's mom saying Anna got sick, and this morning Meara's mom called and Meara is sick also.  So I got Sarah (who is all better) and Molly off to school, then I got to come home.  Their mom, Heidi, isn't feeling good (surprise, surprise) so she was staying home and would be there when the girls got home from school.  I am just waiting for this weekend to get sick.  That is what always happens to me, in five years nannying, I have yet to call in sick, because it always happens on the weekend and I feel better by Monday.  Hopefully I dodged this illness!

So I got home thinking I would relax for the day, and all of a sudden I am vacuming up all of the dust that Ivan made sanding the sheetrock!  How fair is that?  Oh well.  Friday Ivan hopes to prime the loft and stairs, and paint it all this weekend.  Then the only rooms left to mud/sand are the three bedrooms and the study.  But they are going to wait because after the loft and stairs are painted we are going to start putting in the hardwood flooring on the main floor.  That is going to be interesting trying to stain and varnish the flooring while having a curious kitten roaming around. 

Well, now I have to go do laundy!  Talk to you later!

~MISSI~

thought i would post pictures off my phone just of everyday life..its stayed rather busy at my house being that mom's  in school and dad's in fargo this week. every saturday night the guys play hockey, dad has a contract and its fun to watch him, brian, and sometimes steven out on the ice..sarah decided she was brave enough to try an eagle stand! -debbie

Answer to quiz time!

Here you go! I only saw this happen several times this winter. The wind came along, making other wordly looks of the cabin roof. Good thing I caught it once. Am quite sure we'll have another dumping of snow before spring is here, but it has been quite nice ... and this snow is nearly all gone.

That's it for now ... we're off to a heated pool for a few days with three of the kids. It has been a while since we've done anything like heading out of our yard and relaxing somewhere. We'll see you on the flip side!

-a

Hail from Farmington

Now don't faint...it's been awhile.

Sad news, we had to put Katie down last Thursday.  A lot of tears fell in our household as it was very hard and sad to say good-bye to her.  Mitchell heard Katie outside last Wednesday but she could not make it up the steps.  Dave carried her in to the house and we found another sore on her hind leg, another lump on her head and several lumps around her neck and we knew it was time.  These sores seemed to pop up overnight.  One day she would drag her back leg when she walked and then the next day she would prance around like nothing bothered her but near the end she slowly told us it was her time to go.  I made the appointment, picked Mitchell up from school early so he could come home before she left and we cried as we said our good-byes.  Katie layed her head in Mitchell's lap as if to say "it's ok-I am tired and ready to go".  It was very hard on Dave I know and as I told him, it's just not right that we as humans have to decide how long a dog lives, it just tears you apart having to make that decision.  I know it was a very long walk for Dave to  bring Katie up to the vet's door.  We miss her dearly as she was truly a big part of our family and a very loyal  and loving dog.

Other than the news of Katie, things are pretty much un-changed around here.  Dave has been plowing snow like crazy (dollars falling from the sky as we like to call it), Mitchell is still growing like a weed and Tanner is getting ready for the military.  We meet with Tanner's recruiter on Monday night (Air-Force) but he is also looking in to the Navy diving program as well.  Tanner got a full time job and seems to like it so that is holding him over until he enlists.

Hope all is well for everyone, Frans and Jenny sorry to hear about Taryn, hope she feels better and very soon.  You all take care....
Oh and P.S.....please don't think I ignore this blog.....I hardly email, rarely text, and get consumed with homework and school projects and being the domestic queen....at my last job I could sneak in a few emails here and there but not where I am at now....no time!

Taryn

Ambulance ride

Her favorite nurse at Scottsdale north

Well, blogger won't let me upload any pictures!  Taryn is in the hospital with bronchiolitis and pnemonia, and has been here since Monday.  They just told me about an hour ago that we are being transferred to Phoenix Childrens hospital and will be in ICU there.  She needs constant breathing treatments, and they are better equipped there to deal with her if she decides she's too tired to keep trying to breathe!  She is working pretty hard at it!  So I will keep you all updated on her progress...hopefully she makes a turn for the better!  Like the nurse said, she could get there and they will decide she doesn't need to be in ICU, but better safe than sorry.
Jenny

Another quiz for you

I wanted to snap a picture of this before and missed the opportunity.

It was back again the other day.

This is not my yard ... just in case that crossed your mind. :)

-a

Happy Valentine's Day

Alyx and I went to the Women's Health Fair at the hospital yesterday. I brought home this bookmark that I thought was really fun.

I challenge you to see how many of these you can do in the coming week. I'm off to read my book. Have a great week!!

Uh oh ... I've been snapping pictures again.

Anyone want to plan a camping trip this summer?

Maybe Valdez, Fairbanks ... where else haven't we been yet?

You're welcome to join us!

Quiz time!

Any ideas what this might be?

Thought I'd see if I could give the brain cells a wee bit of challenge. :)

-a

Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

Happy Birthday, Special Treasure

God gave a gift to the world when you were born—

a person who loves, who cares,

who sees a person’s need and fills it,

who encourages and lifts people up,

who spends energy on others

rather than herself,

someone who touches each life she enters,

and makes a difference in the world,

because ripples of kindness flow outward

as each person you have touched, touches others.

Your birthday deserves to be a national holiday,

because you are a special treasure

for all that you’ve done.

May the love you have shown to others

return to you, multiplied.

I wish you the happiest of birthdays,

and many, many more,

so that others have time to appreciate you

as much as I do.

By Joanna Fuchs

happy birthday Elizabeth! Now I don't know if I would go so far as to having a national holiday named after you, but... you are indeed a special person!

happy birthday to you...

happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Liz, happy birthday to you!!!!  Enjoy your day, and enjoy this last year of your 30's!!!!!  Eat a piece of cake for us:)
Lots of love from the AZ Kuoppala's!