Here is the video of Kennedy running the race.  In case you are wondering, I am the complete maniac that is screaming.  I was just encouraging her, actually trying to prepare her for the loss, and then the race began.  I was jogging beside her and then I slowly realized that she was going to win.  I went balistic.  You would have thought she was going to win the Olympics.  She was awesome, all smile and focused on the finish line like she had done this a million times before.  Carter on the other hand was carried the entire time by Nancy.  :)

Our little runner!!

The day of Kennedy and Carter's Kansas birthday party, Nancy and Katie ran in a Monster Bash 5K.  They had a kids run afterwards and they got to wear their costumes. I couldn't believe it, but Kennedy won!  Here are a few pics..

So proud!!!

Kennedy so happy, Carter confused!  :)

There are the four runners!  Tony, Nathan and I were good supporters!!

Carter's first day of school! 

For those of you who don't know, I have gone back to work part-time.  Kennedy's school runs MWF all day so I had been toying with the idea.  Carter kept asking when he was going to school and I realized he probably should go somewhere for a few days.  We will see how long this lasts, but he is going the same times as Kennedy.  That way we have Tuesday and Thursday off to just hang out.

Before we left...

When we got home.

Total goof ball!!!

Here is a better picture of the deer.  Hopefully you can see them!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that....

The kids couldn't wait to go fishing.  Tony didn't have the best stuff, but they got to use their fishing poles.  And what could be better than walking out your back door, with your Dad and fishing?

Settling in...

This is a sunset in MN, prior to the snow!

New gloves and hats to get ready for the snow.

Nothing changes. I think I have this same picture of Carter in our garage in Topeka!  He loves that car!

Sassy pants herself.  Picked out this outfit for school.  She is going to be devastated when I tell her she has to wear uniforms next year!!!

Not to be outdone, little brother had to pose. (I picked out the outfit!)

Carter LOVES the lake and ducks.  He constantly says, "Look!  There is MY lake with MY ducks."

Hello from up north!!!  We are settling in nicely and have truly become a part of the MN society.  Sunday Tony bought a snowblower!!!!!!!!!!  He even put it together just in case!  :)  He started explaining it to me, as if I am ever going to use it!!!  We cleaned out our garage and it has a nice place in between our cars.

Another little treat was that on our way we saw 3 doe prancing down the sidewalk about 1/4 from our house.  Yes, the sidewalk.  I kept looking at the huge white tail and asked Tony if that was a huge dog and as we got close we realized (Tony much sooner than me, obviously) that there were 3 of them.  The kids deleted the picture of them on the sidewalk but here they are running into the woods.  I am assuming that they were running away from our house because they smelled the large buck head in our office.

You will have to make the picture better to see 2 of the deer.

Today was Kennedy's first day of school.  She told me that she had a great time and made a few new friends. Here are a few pictures..

Getting out of the car, Kennedy is beside herself she is so excited.

She is looking at the cubby for her artwork.  Behind her is her cubby for her bag and coat.

There Kennedy is with one of her teachers at the smartboard.  Yes.  They are in Pre-K and have a smartboard to check-in.  She has to find her ghost(with her name on it) and drag it in the haunted house to let everyone know she is there.  Wow.

After check-in Kennedy sat right down with a few friends to work on some puzzles. 

Just a quick update...

We went to visit Kennedy's new school today, St. Odilia's.  It was fantastic!  The school is older, but a very well oil machine! Kennedy loved it.  We went to visit her classroom and when I turned around, she was at a table with 3 other kids just cutting away some paper.  It was great. They introduced her to the other kids and she smiled (very pretty, I might add!) and gave a little wave.  It was too cute.  I think she was so excited that I thought she might burst!! Then she got to line up with the other kids and went outside for recess.  When we left, I told Kennedy how proud of her I was for not being shy and she said, "Some of the kids told me their names and some kids were a little shy-ish."   We went to Tony's office to get Carter (he got to go to work with Daddy while we visited the school) and when Tony asked Kennedy about it she said, "It was tremendous." 

She is supposed to go Monday, Wednesday, Friday-all day.  I thought I would send her half day on Wednesday just to get her use to it, but she told me, "I'll be all right all day."  Classic.

A few moving pictures......

Kennedy's last day at Christ the King,  Here she is with her teacher!

Her best friend, Nora.

WELCOME TO MINNESOTA

This is what Carter did most of the time while they were moving in boxes.

Tony trying not to move boxes.  :)

Kennedy playing in her new room!

Not a bad view, uh?



We made it!!!  I'm not sure how, but we did.  We left yesterday afternoon around 4:30, stopped for dinner, and then drove until 11:30.  We stopped and stayed the night at a less than stellar establishment, but we survived!  We got into Minneapolis around noon.  After stopping at the Gradient office and having lunch, we signed some paperwork and were officially homeowners in the state of Minnesota!  I am happy to report that the weather is gorgeous...at least for now.  The kids did fantastic!  I have slept with Carter the last 2 nights and realize that he sleeps perpendicular...not very conducive to sleeping.  They are both zonked out now.  With no naps and the exciting day, I'm not surprised!  A few highlights...

1. Tony got us lost on the way here.  Not to the house, but to Blaine.  He was on the phone and drove downtown Minneapolis instead of to Blaine.  Kennedy was so confused.  She thought our new house was in an office building.
2. Within 5 minutes of being at our house, I locked us out.  Tony had the keys on the counter and we were moving stuff in.  I closed the door and who would think that they would lock the handle?!  Anyway, I had to call our realtor to get us into the lockbox that is still on the house.  Oh, and did I mention that Tony was holding his deer head the whole time?
3. We got in the car after seeing the house and the kids going crazy inside (I'll send the video later) and carter looked at me and said, "what is this place?"

The movers come in the morning.  I'm sure I will have more to report then.  Here are a few pictures.  We miss you all and hope you will visit...wait to November though.  Then you can appreciate the "real" MN weather!  Love you!

Our new house!!!

Me, jumping for joy in my new kitchen!! (about to lock us out of the house!)

Tony's second love (after the kids and I).  They finished the bar.  We may have a ceremonial drink tomorrow night...

Out our back door.  We have a private beach the kids thought was amazing!

Feet in the cold water!!!

The view from our back yard....can we really complain?!