Duluth & Gooseberry Falls

 Near the end of August, we had a great trip up to Duluth.  My camera wasn't happy with me or the sun that day, so many of the pictures that I took, just didn't turn out well.  Here are a few that I was able to salvage:

Lucy was a fearless climber 

 Ellen's pockets were so full of rocks, we thought she would fall over.

 The mamas made it into a picture: Me, Jess & Kimber

Jer & Ellen say "See Ya"

A Day with Ellen

My day with Ellen actually starts with Lucy. This morning I got Lucy all packed up and she headed off for three days to the cabin with Grandma and the 'Big Girl' cousins. Jer drove Lucy up there today and stayed to be the boat driver, so it was just Mama and Ellen together all day today.

We started the day by heading to story time at a local book store. We were surprised to see that the main character of the book was there too. When Ellen saw Skippy John Jones, she sprinted for my lap and stayed there for the first few minutes. Then she whispered to me in her little voice "Cared Mama" (scared Mama). So we snuck to the back where Ellen waved bye bye to Skippy John and we went over to read a few books by ourselves.

After a few books and a new backpack, we headed out to do something that I knew Ellen would like. We went to eat!

She was much happier when she got to order her own lemonade.
Here she is, eating her kids veggie roll. Can you see her new backpack in the booth with her?

We headed across the hallway of the mall to the toy store and got a few stickers to put in the new backpack and made one more stop for a little dessert before we headed home.

It is rare that little Ellie and Mama get the whole day with just the two of us. We had a great time reading and snuggling together on the same side of the booth.
When we got back to the house today we just weren't ready to part yet, so we both had nap time together for some more snuggles. What a wonderful day it has been with my baby girl who is so quickly becoming more girl than baby.

The Alpine Slide

Yesterday we were up near Duluth, so we took the girls on "Timber Twister" the Alpine Coaster. For those of you who don't know, the Alpine Slide goes down Spirit Mountain and is powered by gravity. It is a cart on a track that zooms down the mountain and then is towed back up the track on a wire.

I had to buy the pictures, Ellen is so cute and little in the picture, I wanted to remember her doing this forever. Lucy went down with Jer in the cart before us. The whole time Ellen and I were going down she was shouting. "Luuucyyyy, Cooooomiiing!". Then she would give out a "Whooo hooo!"

I had the brakes on at first, so we wouldn't go too fast. Then I heard her say "Faster Mama!", so I eased up on the brake and off we went. She LOVED it!

The picture of Lucy and Jer is just priceless. Before they went, Lucy made Jer promise that he wouldn't put the brake on at all so they would go as fast as they could.

I'm thinking that I might be in trouble when these girls start driving!

Visitors

Here at Casa Kobielush, we have had a few visitors over the past few weeks. Auntie Sandy was here for a visit. She brought her usual energy and craziness with her!The girls are fierce competitors. They'll do what it takes!

Don't let the small size fool you. Ellen is in it to win it!
She means business!

Gram was here a few days ago and also brought some wet fun. Lucy and Ellen battled the heat and humidity playing hopscotch.

I have no good pictures of the girls with gram, because she was busy taking all of the pictures. Here she is showing them to Ellen.

Lucy, Come here so I can take your picture. . .

Gram also helped the girls get their eye protection on. Safety First!

These pictures really do explain a little about me and my silly girls. We loved having visitors. We hope they come back soon and stay longer next time.

Greetings From Up North!

We have had the pleasure of spending some time at the cabin this summer. Here are a few pictures to share all of the fun we have had there.

We have eaten a few s'mores.

Caught a few fish.
Had some fun on the boat.

Made some friends.

Lucy kept picking the fish out of the bin and telling them "It's okay fishie. We're gonna eat you."

Caught a few more fish.

Jer asked Lucy why she was catching so many fish and he wasn't catching as many. She quickly replied "Because I'm prettier, Daddy."

We also had some relaxing boat rides.

Back at the cabin, we had some time to read and take care of a little business.

We also got to celebrate Independence Day.

It was the perfect night for a fire by the lake.

And the perfect night to sleep in a tent.

We had plenty of time to hang around with family and be silly.

This time it was warm enough to swim.

Auntie Katie & Hans cooled off in the lake also.

Hans and Ellen took turns on the raft while Lucy did something new.

After a LOT of talking, encouraging and downright bribing. Lucy swam by herself with armbands on. She was so nervous and didn't want to let go for a long time. When she finally did it, she was so happy and she just loved it!

We are so proud of her!

I told her that if she did it, she could pick any reward she wanted. She picked Strawberry bubble gum. We got her a pack on the way home. She ate 4 pieces on the 2 hour drive.

Before we headed for home, the girls posed for a couple 4th of July pictures for me.

Here's to many more happy times Up North!

Talent Show 2011

We know some talented kids! To showcase their skills our friends, the Swenkas, hosted a Talent Show last weekend.

Here is Drew Grismore rocking 'Should I Stay or Should I Go'.

Some of the Barnhardt Girls & Katie Bell Grismore did a choreographed dance.

The Selim boys did a stand-up comedy routine.

Chloe Johnson was a beautiful ballerina.

Jack Swenka showed off his biking skills (Just like his Daddy. . .)

Josie 'Evil Kenevil' Jones.

Elizabeth wanted to be just like the big girls.

They sang along with Go Fish!

Gracie, Katie & Olivia sang and did a little giggling too. . .

They were talented and unbelievably cute!