Heard it snowed in South Dakota

I wore my flip-flops to work today since it was so nice. I'll do it again tomorrow since it'll be a little bit warmer.

Not ready to deal

Just saw the first flurry. Thad said he saw one yesterday. I wouldn't be so down-trodden if it were, say, the first week of December. I'm not mentally prepared for flurries yet!

Autumn Activities

Anja and Chi-An waiting for a bus after school.

We've also gone roller skating and attended the Homecoming Parade.

Yesterday, her class went to a Pumpkin Farm complete with a corn maze and animals that chew on fingers and slobber coats.

Senorita

Fall Fun Update

Last weekend we went to Bug Fest that was, well, pretty gross. Thad and Anja actually ate bugs! I'm not sure which ones, because my back was turned until the horrendous event was over. Then, on to Latino Fest where we practiced speaking Spanish and enjoyed ice cream in the park.

But, this is the week we remembered batteries for the camera. We went to the Fall Festival downtown and ran into tons of people we know; it still feels a little weird to live in a small town. The festival was pretty fun (check out the shots from last year too), but the pictures we're sharing with you today are from when we were just screwing around, not doing anything 'fest' affiliated.

It's all fun and games until mom falls off the branch. Ab muscles, don't fail me now!

Destruction at White Course!

When Anja and I arrived home from school today, one of the staff members at the desk said, "Don't worry, the power is back on." It turned out it wasn't a system upgrade or anything boring you might first suspect. A neighbor hit a transformer near our parking lot!

Backhoe!








Have you ever seen the inside of a transformer box? Turns out it's more fun to imagine.







She hit the transformer hard enough to uproot a pine tree about 8 feet away!






Anja correctly identified the electrician's tools thanks to a book we got from Colin, her birthday buddy. I think she said something like, "attrition" which in a way is accurate if you think of the decrease in electricity to the neighborhood. But she meant electrician.

Clowny kids

Here are Elana, Marissa and Anja being as silly as possible during the last minute of school Friday afternoon.








They happen to be climbing on the love seat, where dear volunteer, 91 year old, Grandma Norene comes in and reads stories every week. Catching that in the act-- Few things are more adorable.