April Showers Bring May Flowers

Here are some pictures of the snow we got this past weekend. These are the pictures my aunt and uncle took....I didn't make it in time before it started melting. There is still quite a bit of snow, but not covering the trees like you can see in these pictures. Perhaps spring will come in May!My aunt Char measuring the snow on their picnic table that had been completely clear before. Don't the trees look pretty behind her?

20 inches-there ended up being a total accumulation of 22 inches!

MMMMMinnesota!

"April showers bring May flowers"....or so we thought. Here in Bemidji we apparently like to have winter as long as possible. Today we received 20 inches of brand new snow--and it's STILL coming down! I'll take pictures of it in the daylight tomorrow. It's quite the sight. Merry Christmas!

Chicago (Part 2)

Finally!  More Chicago pictures!  To make sure credit is given where due, these are all from Leah's camera.  If she's in the picture, that means someone else took it, but still with her very schnazy (made up word) new camera.  :)  Here we go!  (I'll explain along the way.)

This was at a fun little coffee shop (Peet's) somewhere downtown.  Super good coffee.

Dinner party!  We made a nice dinner with Pam's roommates and a couple other friends one night.  Going around the table (starting with me and going left):  me, Robin, Jenna, Chelsie, Rebekah, Laurie, Carolyn, Pam.

Sunday afternoon we just walked along Michigan Ave. and looked at all the fun shops.  We found it interesting watching people as well!  :)

Walking.

Rebekah and I playing in those circular spinning doorways.

Leah being artistic.  Cool, eh?  I thought she captured the busyness of the city pretty well.

This was around the Water Tower Place as well...a park area with fun lights.  A little blury, but still cool.

We took this while waiting for the train....it was right next to the tracks area.

Here is Pam's cute little house...she lives on the second level.  It was such a cool apartment.  

YouTube

If you haven't discovered YouTube yet you should really check it out.  Don't get too into it and start wasting time, which I confess I have been guilty of on occasion.  There is really a video for just about everything....songs, how-to videos, speeches, and so much more.  I'm going to include a link for two very funny ones some friends just shared with me.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9yAkBSrMk0&NR=1 -"Blood"

Apparently it won't let me attach the link of the second video but you can look it up with the title "Charlie bit my finger-again!"  

CHICAGO! (Part 1)

This past week I made a trip to CHICAGO!  My friend Pam (in the pink coat) is a senior at North Park University so Leah, Rebekah, and I decided to visit her!  The four of us worked at Bluewater Covenant Bible Camp this past summer and built some deep friendships...they are such a huge blessing.  As I stated in the title, this is only part one of the pictures.  I was a horrible photographer throughout the trip...meaning I took hardly any pictures.  Leah had just gotten a new camera and so she took tons.  As soon as I get pictures from her I will post some more.  For now, this is what I've got.  :)  The first picture is the four of us: me, Leah, Pam, Rebekah.
This is Laurie!  Laurie is one of Pam's roommates and is quite hilarious!  She came with us on a few of our adventures and since we stayed in her house we got to know her pretty well.  She's a really cool girl.  
Here's miss Rebekah on the "L."  We took this to get down town mostly, otherwise we just drove Pam's car.  It was a fun experience.  
One afternoon we walked down Michigan Avenue and saw all the big stores.  I just had to take this picture for Madison--the American Girl Place!  We could see up in the windows, little girls eating lunch/supper with their American dolls at little tables all dressed up.  It was pretty cute.  
Many of my friends from CBC (Covenant Bible College-Ecuador) also go to North Park and so I was able to see a few of them as well!  Here is Hannah, Holly, me, Molly, and Mandy.  I was able to see a few others as well but forgot to take pictures.  Oh, and I also got to see Lorraine Helgeson!  Seeing these friends was another huge blessing.
You can't go to Chicago without having Chicago style PIZZA!  I'm not sure if you can really tell how huge, deep, grande this pizza is, but it was!  The next picture is also trying to show you how deep it is.  It was SO delicious!  I loved that the sauce was on top.  

The girls again:  me, Leah, Pam (saying something), and Rebekah.
Here we are with our friend Carolyn!: me, Carolyn, Pam, Rebekah

A Home Away From Home

This past weekend I made a quick trip to Bluewater!  Chad and Penny had the Covenant Annual Meeting and some camp promoting to do, so I stayed with the kids.  Sunday was such a beautiful snowy day!  We had lots of fun sledding, playing on some snow mounds, and even a little snow-shoeing!  Here are some pictures from the day and a video at the end of Myranda and I sledding down "Mt. Sinai." The boys' new thing is Star Wars.  They've watched all of them except number 3 (because of it's rating and some content) with Chad.  While Chad explained the movies to Cameron and Dawson, as they were watching them, they clearly remembered everything he told them!  If you need to know anything about Star Wars, just give the boys a jingle!
Meet Mason!  Mason became a part of their family, I think around December.  He is such a nice dog and a very beautiful copperish color.  He loved playing with us in the snow, too, as you'll see in the video.

Myranda and I did a little nail painting as well.  It's always good to have a little girl time!  :)

p.s.  Here's a little F.Y.I.  Myranda is 11, Cameron 8, and Dawson 6. 

Cold Gear

This post is mostly for my friend Natalie.  We were talking last night and she just couldn't really fathom the -30 I was experiencing, and a couple weeks ago -50.  I told her I'd show her a picture of what I look like when I am walking to classes, etc.  However, the last couple of days I didn't wear a hat and suffered the consequences-frostbite on my ears.  I should have learned by now as it was the 3rd time it's happened to me this winter.  Anyway, here you go Natalie.  I hope you're enjoying your sunny and 70 degree weather, loser.  (just kidding....she lives in California)  Happy Friday!

P.S.  I'm pointing to the 'Polaris' embroidery on my coat....remember when I told you I've only had Polaris winter coats?  Here's proof.....and I'm 20!  (Okay, I think I started wearing them when I was around fiveish or so, but still, 15 years of Polaradise?!)  I'm not complaining.  They're warm.