Grand Rapids - It's in Minnesota's Nature

That is the new slogan of the City of Grand Rapids, my response: Burr! I'd rather be somewhere warmer just about right now. Shoveling snow late at night in a blizzard challenges the inner nature...

SnoDog

A spot in the sun...

The Groundhog Said What?

Gets kind of chilly now when June is only a month away. Seems like we are going to skip spring all-together and leap into summer. Snoopy wouldn't mind...

Annual Children's Fair

The day had come. We were so looking forward to the day of the Children's Fair, and now it was finally here! The day started off a little shaky with the cold blowing wind and snow of late April, and Karis did not want to get into the car. She usually wants to go somewhere, but today, she was just not in the mood to travel. We normally would have walked to the Civic Center where the event was held, but because of the snow drifts, we decided that delicious smell of breakfast. Pancakes, sausage and taking the nice warm car was better. Orange juice awaited us. We practically took up a whole table with just our family. After arriving, we were invited in by the warm and and people who know us and saw the table were overcome with laughter. We ate and chatted about which tables we would go to first and how we were going to get the two seated stroller down the flight of stairs intact. Finally, everyone was finished with their meal, so we headed towards the staircase. We took Karis out so I (Rebecca) could go in front and carry the stroller and Trond could carry the back. Kobe and Kian were supposed to guide their sister down the stairs behind us. Well...Karis did not want her brothers holding her hand, so she screamed. At the point we were wondering what to do, a kind stranger came and picked her up, and carefully carried her down the stairs for us. She was totally stunned at that point so she did not put up a fuss.
homemade playdoh to picking out We headed for the first area where all the "give away" stuff was. Every table was filled with goodies and treasures for children. They got everything fromfree books to new bicycle helmets. Stickers galore and candy were also readily available. Kobe especially loved the Boy Scouts area. They were making pirate hats and hand hooks, so he and Kian both plunged full and pretend to drive and pick out some new books. After bumping into everything in the sea of throttle into the art projects. They both vowed to join when they were old enough. Another fun thing was the children were allowed to color on a white van that would drive through town. They also could crawl inside people, we managed to finish the first round.
We next entered the second area where there were games, real fire trucks, police cars, etc. We first took the boys to where the big cars were so they could sit in them. Suddenly, I looked down at the stroller, and my purse was not there. At first I felt numb, remembering everything that was in it and how I would never see it again. However, after that I realized that it was what it was and I couldn't do anything more about it except report it and pray that someone had turned it in. Just as I was about to go and tell someone, we discovered that Kian was not near us either. I quickly scanned the area for any sign of that curious boy, and found him in the fire truck, wearing a helmet and pretending to drive. Of all the things I could've lost that day, I'm glad my purse was the only thing. We kept going, getting more souvenirs and seeing more things, when finally I decided to go and report my purse missing. I went to the lost and found and by all miracles, there it was. God had heard my prayer.
The children had to play five games in order to pick a prize. Kobe played ten games and got two prizes and Kian played the required five. They also had games for toddlers and babies. However towards the end of the games, it was past lunchtime and the children were getting tired. When we decided to go, Karis did not want to go. So again we heard screaming. We hauled all of the children out in the wintry blizzard uphill to our van. Fire fighter hats were blowing, balloons were sailing away, and four children from the Knudegaard family were crying. All Trond and I could do was laugh. We were so exhausted ourselves, but all the uproar just made our sense of humor come out in full force. We finally got into the van with everyone buckled in, and drove to get some lunch.

It was a wonderful day,with many happy memories and many funny stories to share for weeks to come. Like Trond said, it will be another 365 days until the next children's fair. We can hardly wait.

Oh No! More Snow!!!

Need I say more?

Yet More Snow

For the third time in 24 hours we have cleared our driveways. The city made sure that our job was as enjoyable as possible when they plowed the streets: the snowbanks to get to the road was maybe 3 feet high and at least as wide with heavy clumpy snow. Only took us about an hour-and-a-half to get through the removal of the frosty flurries again...

Frosty the Trond Man

After shoveling the snow for the second time in one day, this is what the DOG drug in.

Power Outage

The power went out on us twice tonight. The first time lasted over an hour, while the second only thirty-five minutes. Not enjoyable in this weather, or when you want to publish blogs before midnight! They say it might be caused by trees falling on power lines because of the heavy snowfall, creating a chain reaction that blacks out most of the city...

Snoopy Snow Fun

Our golden retriever enjoys the mighty snowfall, even though it reaches him to his head. He keeps on jumping through the great snow dunes chasing imaginary creatures and digging for buried treasure. It does come with a cost, though. Imported snowballs that melt throughout the house...

Winter Wonderland

We have been battling the heavy snowfall all day, and given it our all to shovel the snow away from our two driveways. Kobe and daddy used the time when the other kids were sleeping to clear as much snow as possible We did it! With ten minutes to spare before Kian and Karis woke up from their naps...

Church is Canceled

Just before the time we had planned to leave for church, we received a phone call telling us it has been canceled because of the snow. I'm glad I did not shovel the driveway yet. Chances are we would not have made it anyway because the roads have not been plowed. I guess the city and the highway departments have packed away their winter equipment...

Let It Snow - Part II

Woke up this morning and it was more white than ever. Believed it was April first, not the sixth. Snoopy jumped around outside with snow up to his waist. Seems like it is going to be an interesting day...

Let it Snow!

I was letting Snoopy out for his late night potty break, when I noticed the ground looking wet. Opening up the gate to the backyard I realized that it was snow. The white stuff covered the ground and made the neighbors car look like it would already need a shoveling. Spring tricked us again!