'Nilla Wafer Head

After being sucked on just enough to get it sticky Gabe applied his vanilla wafer to his head. It sort of looks like a mini beret. He is so Euro stylish... What a cool baby!

Goofing Off

Here is some video of Gabe goofing around tonight after we got home from work. He was in such a happy mood == he's always happy, but he was especially happy tonight!

Gabe's Minnesota Antics

Gabe and I made another trip up to Minnesota for Holly's shower. Gabriel was spoiled by his aunties, uncles, gramma & grampa

He dressed up in a wrestling singlet for the first time. He liked wearing it and walked around like a champ.

He's practicing raising his arm in victory and wearing a medal. He has a lot to live up to!!

And he got a special treat from grampa after all of his hard work!

Hanging out with Uncle Jon

Maplelag

Utilizing some wonderful babysitters (Grampa Flatau & Uncle Mike) I took advantage of some fantastic skiing at Maplelag near Detroit Lakes, MN.

This dog was my constant companion on the trails. I think she was 'herding' me the whole time!

Here are my tools of the trade: skate skis, poles, warm mittens, and fancy new boots

And a stunning self portrait out on the trail. This was taken on the 'Skater's Waltz Extension'

Gabe Computing

Gabe likes to watch me work on the computer... Sometimes

Little Lutheran

Here are some pictures of Gabe from a few days ago. He was happily walking around and playing!

"I'm going to mail a letter!"

Poached Egg

For some reason I often have a memory of my mom making poached eggs when I was a kid. I don't necessarily remember eating them - but I remember the process of her making them.

Gabe was napping this evening so I decided to make poached eggs for my supper. I did some quick research on the 'net to be sure I knew what I was doing.... And before you know it I was making poached eggs.


I'm not sure why I was taking pictures of the process.... but since I had them I thought I would share them (the process not the eggs).


1 slice of toast cut into quarters, a little salt, freshly ground pepper, margarine....


and voila! A wonderful meal of petite poached egg sandwiches.

Iowa Caucus

Curiosity got the best of me... so being the good Iowan I am ... I caucused.

The republican caucus for Humboldt County was held at the courthouse in Dakota City. We arrived at about 6:30 (it started at 7) and by the time we made it up the stairs the line was out the door.

Pictured here is one of our parishioners, Kay Kollmorgan.


This is the line as we started to head up the stairs.


Here is the courtroom (where they thought everyone would fit) a few minutes after we got in there. The guy in the lower left of the picture is the other pastor at our church (Pastor Raether).


Here are 2 of the ladies I went with to the caucus. My friend Marla and her daughter Morgan. She is only 13 (Morgan not Marla) but is very interested in politics. They stayed after to help count votes and Morgan will probably be a junior delegate.


Here is a picture of the courtroom as we 'voted'. Voting consisted of writing down the candidate of your choice and your precinct on a piece of paper. They had WAY more people turn out than they expected so as soon as we voted we left the courtroom so others could filter in and cast their vote.


This is the hallway just outside the courtroom as we tried to get back downstairs. As we left there were still people waiting outside to get in to caucus.
It was an interesting event and I'm glad I went.

From one ball to the next!

Here is a video of Gabe walking around tonight. He's getting quite good at walking and is improving daily!

Mullet-B-Gone

Unfortunately Gabriel was growing a "natural" mullet. Something had to be done about the situation and I made a promise to Dan & Holly that Gabe's mullet would be gone before their wedding.

Here's a picture of the mullet on Christmas Eve.

Tonight I used the trimmer and with Aaron's help we successfully gave Gabe his first haircut.

He tolerated it fairly well and it looks much better!!

Here are the remnants of Gabe's first mullet.

When in Minnesota....

We were able to spend a few days in Minnesota after Christmas with Aaron's family and my sister and niece, Sydney. Here are some pictures from our trip!

Gabriel went sledding for the 1st time. Aaron pulled us in the sled behind the 4-wheeler. He really liked it!

We did have a great time decorating some of the cookies left over from my ladies night out party. The 'strange' one in the middle was done by Emily.... Although we were all lacking in our cookie decorating skills!

Gabe must've eaten a million crackers in Minnesota. He prefers to eat with one cracker in each hand and about 30 dropped on the floor.

This picture is a photograph of many emotions... The saddest of all is Gabriel's face. This is pictorial evidence of how low he can drop his lip when sad.

We were blessed with about 3 or 4 days of this fantastic frost on the trees! It was so beautiful and just what we crave to see after many years in 'warmer' climates. This picture was taken in the driveway of Aaron's Aunt Cindy's house.

Here's auntie Emily showing off her sweet skiing skills.

Cindy, Amy, Emily and I on the trail near Fergus Falls, MN... The place was called Spidahls Ski Gard and it was beautiful!

Here's me speeding down a hill. Actually I was snow-plowing until I realized Aaron was taking a picture so then I tucked my poles, bent my knees, and acted like a 'real' skiier.

Gabe's first Christmas!

Here is our little family on Gabriel's first Christmas Eve

He liked holding the wrapped presents but got upset with the sound of paper ripping (it scared him)! But after the presents were opened he enjoyed his new toys and books...

Cheerios!

There are some advantages to having a runny nose.... It makes the cheerios stick!

Ladies Night Out

I had my first "ladies night out" group from the church last night. We decorated sugar cookies and ate snacks and visited. It was very fun (although nothing like the LNO from Stuttgart)!! There was a contest for the best and worst decorated cookies. The winners each received a prize -- one was a nice platter with a snowman on it (for the best cookie) and the other was a wind up penguin that poops out candy as it walks (for the worst cookie)!