Frozen Lake Fun

A Minnesota Saturday of Fun

So last Saturday was the annual Waconia Ward Breakfast ON Lake Minnewashta. This means, that everyone gathers ON Lake Minnewashta (which is of course frozen over) and we have a good old fashioned pancake breakfast. Everyone brings their lawn chairs (otherwise they'd only be used 2 weeks out of the year), and there is a bonfire ON the ice (great for warming yourself and toasting marshmellows), ice GOLF, and of course ice skating and ice fishing. The hole Olivia is standing next to is for ice fishing, and is almost 3 feet of ice thick. You may notice in the background behind the ice fishing hut, someone's RED PICKUP TRUCK. ( On some lakes, including the one nearest us, they actually put up street signs and give the huts addresses so the pizza and liquor stores can deliver. )

Spencer is enjoying a game of ice golf, and Ethan decides that a eating a black marshmellow was not the pleasurable experience he had anticipated. Jack just liked running around checking the holes for fish. We were all delighted that we had such fantastic weather, a very comfortable 22 degrees. I was a little nervous about the fire on the ice, but since the ice is so thick, and heat rises, there's only a couple inches of melting and then it's good to go.

I think there are many surprises in this life, and one of mine is the fact that an activity such as this would be part of my reality. This isn't suppose to happen to California girls....

Now and Then, out our backyard

So, this is what our back yard looks like today, and this is what it looked like in Sept. when we laid sod. I think I am going to cry. FYI: The high should be -1 tomorrow. And yes, if I were so inclined, I could plow the pond and go ice skating with the kids. We occasionally see people going across on snowmobiles.

I

Back with a big announcement!

Yes, it is February 8, 2008. Yes, my last post was October 2007. But, as we speak, I am actually downloading photos onto my computer, so I may post them! Yippeee!

So, a lot has happened since our last post. For starters, for those who don't already know, we are having Damiano baby #5!!! To prove how long it has been since our last post, I am 5 and 1/2 months along! We are having a GIRL. Once again, I was completely wrong. I was convinced it was a boy. I really have to question my spiritual intuition as a mother as I have been wrong on the gender of my children a whopping FIVE consecutive times. Does this mean I have to keep having them until I get it right?

Also, I have become a raving maniac regarding reading instruction in public schools, primarily focusing on a lack of appropriate help for children with dyslexia. This is of course brought on by the disovery that Spencer is dyslexic. (And Jared too we now know, which explains SO much!) It has been a very time consuming quest, but we have been very blessed to have some great people on our side to get Spence the help he needs. The infuriating part is we (parents, teachers and school in Chicago) have been trying to pinpoint the cause of certain issues at school with zero success because everyone was telling me "his reading is fine." (Something I never agreed with by the way...) I just knew something was not right, and that he was NOT lazy or stupid! Maybe my mother's intuition isn't as off as I thought? **Warning** this blog will likely often be used as a venting resource as I continue on my educate educators quest....

Next big thing with me, is I somehow got called to be the primary president. And somehow, the "branch" we live in, has 94 very active primary kids. (Actually, we were just made a ward in Jan) It is definitely a different experience than the 28 regularly attending kids in Chicago. (A number I might point out, reduced by 4 when we moved) It is good, but insanely busy. I have decided that no one (except the primary president of course) should worry about being in primary too long, because every week since I have been called, I have been informed that they are taking one of my teachers, music leaders, nursery leaders, scout leaders, etc. to move somewhere ELSE. SOOOO, I get to constantly find NEW teachers to fill positions. Honestly, I have had to submit names EVERY WEEK since I have been called. I could go on, but I am too tired to think about it.

Alright, my pics are downloaded, so I'm going to give this a shot. Love to hear from anyone who still bothers to check my blog!

The video is of a family sing along in the car on our way to the pinewood derby a couple weeks ago! (No primary songs for us, just songs about the end of the world...) I'm trying to find what file pics of the new house are under, then i'll post those. The ones I can find are of the house covered in snow, and I am really sick of seeing snow.