We survived the frozen tundra

I think no matter how many scarves you pack, you cant be totally prepared for North Dakota weather. It is about a 13 hour drive to Jamestown ND...and that is only if no one wants to eat or use the restroom along the way. We stopped in Sioux City, IA and stayed the night. That was a nice, relaxing stay. We got there about 8pm so Madi had time to swim in the pool and we (those of us that didnt have to make weight the following morning) walked over to Culver's for dinner and ice cream. The girls that were trying to make weight were working out and making steam rooms in their bathrooms so they weren't out socializing much, but the rest of us had fun. The girls weighed in at 7am the next morning and then we were free to eat and be merry. Spirits were up more now so people were a lot more talkative and happy on the bus. We drove on to Jamestown and ate dinner and settled in to our hotel room there. We all walked (yes, it was very cold) over for frozen yogurt and hung out at the hotel. Carl had a coaches meeting at the college and Madi went to play charades with some of the wrestlers in their rooms while I hung out in my room relaxing and playing Sims on the laptop. The next day Carl and the girls left for the tournament around 7am....Madi and I stayed in bed and watched TV until 11. We took a bus (which Madi hated) to the college for wrestling until 4pm. This was a VERY long day. Right after the tournament ended we drove an hour to Fargo and had dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings (yum) and then headed south. We made it all the way to Sioux Falls SD before stopping for the night....then up REALLY early the next morning and off for the 9 hour drive home. Needless to say, we're exhausted. Madi is sick now...I think this trip just sucked the health out of her. She is home today from school to recuperate and will hopefully be all well and good by Thursday!

Heading North

There is a wrestling tournament in Jamestown North Dakota tomorrow and I am the assistant bus driver for the trip. Carl's assistant coach couldnt make it so Madi and I are on our way to the frozen north. After much deliberation we made the decision to allow Megan and Ellen to stay home alone for the next few days. Megan is 17 now and Ellen is a very responsible 13 ...not to mention that they have several viscious dogs there to protect them (and keep parties from happening).
The temperature in Jamestown over the next few days is supposed to be FREEZING COLD so we packed plenty of layers to wear. The girls will only be wrestling for one day...but it will be a long day so Madi and I may try to brave the weather and walk somewhere. There will be breakfast with Santa at the hospital ... about a block away from the tournament ... and there is an art museum and some shops we could browse through. Of course it may be so cold that we decide to just watch wrestling.

Caesar

Julius Caesar was a big success. Megan and I had seats near the center about 12 rows back. It was perfect! This was the first time I had ever seen a baroque (long O sound....not pronounced like our new President) opera before so I must admit I was a little shocked when Caesar started singing...it was all I could do not to snicker a little (Meg says I did). Most popular operas that are performed now were written in the 1800's & 1900's but this one is from the mid 1700's and back then all masculine male roles were sung in very high pitched voices. Once again...it would have been nice if I had known this in advance. Overall, it was a great performance....great opera.... and Megan and I both had a wonderful time and really like it a lot!

Julius Caesar -- the opera

Meg and I are off to the opera...just the two of us! Meg is studying Julius Caesar in her English 2 class and I found out that Julius Caesar the opera is being performed tonight at the Lyric Opera of KC so off we go! Carl and Madi both have wrestling practice so they cant go...and Ellen cant put her book down for 5 minutes so shes not going either. It will be nice to be able to spend a fun evening with just me and Megan. It has been a while since we have been able to do that. Im sure this will be a great opera anyway...its all about desire, seduction & power...what could go wrong?!?

Back to Quilting

Ive started working on my quilt again over the weekend and this morning. I had quit working on it for almost all of October because I was busy with halloween costumes and other things. I must say it is nice to feel like Im making progress toward the quilt again, but I am hating the pinwheels. What used to be so much fun and exciting is now a tedious downer. They are really pretty and cool to look at, as long as someone else is making them. Kathy gave me a wonderful guide to an easier way of making them...THANKS KATHY!....but I still dont enjoy them nearly as much as I used to. The pattern that I am using calls for 90 pinwheels and after making 12 this morning, I now have 70 done. I know...most people would say "Wow, your almost there, why not just bust them out and get it over with?"...and I would say "why dont you come over and bust them out for me...Im tired of them." So now I am going to piece some blocks together and cut squares and maybe Ill feel like doing more pinwheels in a day or two.
P.S.
I was going to take a picture of the blocks but one of my lovely daughters has used my camera and didnt put it back where it belongs...so now we will have to wait until they get home from school and return it.

Our New President

Broc Obama

Election day was a lot of fun for us. I was really excited to go and cast my vote on Nov. 4 2008. Carl and I generally always go together and this time was no exception. We talked all morning about the issues that would be on the ballot and looked things up online so that we would be educated voters this time. Not that we normally arent, but there always seems to be something on the ballot that I didnt remember reading about or dont know much about ... so this time we went in prepared.

The girls came home from school all abuzz about who their classmates voted for and who won at their school...Obama won at both Bueker Middle School and the High School. Ellen said that Bueker has picked the president for as far back as any of the teachers can remember so I became a little worried. Madi and Ellen both voted for McCain...Ellen had been campaigning around the house for Obama for weeks and changed her mind at the last minute. Madi never waivered in her choice. She told me back in April or May that she was picking McCain. She had learned that he has a lot of pets...16 or 17...and thought that if he could manage that many pets, he could manage our country. Shes very wise for a 10 year old. Megan, on the other hand, chose Obama. I think she just liked him because everyone in her school was saying that McCain was an old fart and Obama was younger so he would be a better president. They didnt really have any facts...typical for teenagers, if you ask me....and this is my blog so my opinion is the only one that matters. hahaha

Anyway...we attended an Election Extravaganza at the college library that evening. There was folk music, cookie voting contest, funny masks for everyone to wear of their favorite candidate, door prizes (I won a calendar), and of course we all watched the progress of the election on TV. It was a lot of fun...but all good things must come to an end. We came home and continued to be glued to the news/internet watching the results....Obama wins....congratulations Megan...she is the sole winner in our house!

Happy Birthday Meg!

My sweet little girl turned 17 today.

We spent the day at Worlds of Fun yesterday

for Meg's birthday and she took her best friend Christy with us.

Every time we go to amusement parks Meg has always refused to ride anything that

goes upside down. She loves roller coasters, as long as they stay upright.

This drives me crazy because I know she will like them if she would just try it...

but NOOOOOOO...she wont even try....until yesterday.

Yesterday Christy convinced her to try the Patriot, and guess what?!?

Yep! She loved it!

She then went and tried the Boomerang and loved that one too.

I was so proud and we all had a lot of fun!

She's growing up!