I GOT A JOB!! YAY!!

Hey everybody! Just thought I'd write a quick blog (actually, it was Kim's idea...I sometimes forget about the blog thing) to say that I accepted a job offer. Both places that I interviewed at offered me jobs, so for the past few days I have been going over budgets, pros, and cons of each place! I finally decided on Clearwater Veterinary Clinic in Gonvick, Minnesota. Gonvick is only a few miles outside of Clearbrook so I won't be too far away from Kim and Scott. Actually, until I find an apartment, which is my next step, I will be staying at their house, hopefully!

This clinic is both large animal and small animal so it should be a bit of a challenge! Actually, the owner said it was about 90% large to 10% small. I will be learning a TON I'm sure and I'm sure I will be telling you all stories which you will gladly sit and nod your head as if you are actually listening! Talk to you later!

Oh..my pictures....we had to serve coffee and cupcakes last Sunday at church, well, I messed up on a couple of the cupcakes and made them too small. Our friend Jen was up this past weekend (along with her sister Jes and our friend Gretchen) to celebrate three of us graduating. Anyway (just pulled a Mom there..sorry), Jen and I decided to take two of the cupcakes to make a cake out of them! Cute isn't it?? I forgot to take a picture of it before I started eating it which is the reason why there is a picture of it half eaten!

Kendall :)

How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck?

Who needs to tree a squirrel or a raccoon when you can tree a woodchuck. That's what we found in our tree yesterday morning with Ellie standing at the roots barking up a storm! She was so extremely proud of her accomplishment and she was letting us hear it all morning. Kendall and I didn't know for sure what it was as it was hidden by leaves from our view out the living room window. However, when we finally went outside and got a better view we decided it had to be a woodchuck and Scott confirmed our conclusion! I had to take some pictures and show everybody. It spent most of the morning in the tree and finally disappeared after we let Ellie inside for the afternoon.

Bears, Interviews, Cows, and a Brother-In-Law

Hey everybody! Hope all is going well! I figured since I've been here a week I should write a little something telling everybody what I've been up to. Now I know Kim posted something about me taking long naps, however, that is not true. I will admit that on Thursday I did take an extremely long nap, but that has been the only one!

This week I've been driving around nonstop it seems. Monday night I headed towards Thief River Falls to eat dinner with my cousin Stephanie, Teresa, Aunt Karen, Savanna and Daniel, and some of Stephanie's friends (including my friend Gretchen). It was pretty dark when I started heading back to the Anderson's and on one of the roads I had something run out in front of me. Now, I am not 100% sure, but I am almost positive that it was a bear and a cub! I could see it's eyes and they were close to the ground and completely black behind them and it was a little lighter in the face in front of the eyes. It could have been a dog I suppose, but, with the way it was running I just don't think that is what it wasy. And, it makes for a better story to say it was a bear for sure! Anyway, Tuesday afternoon I had an interivew in East Grand Forks with the veterinary clinic I did an internship with last summer. Kim, Jacob, and I ventured that way and I went to my interview and then we all went shopping afterwards. Wednesday morning I had another interview with the veterinary clinic around Kim's area. Then, that night I drove to Grygla, which is about 45 minutes away, to my friend Gretchen's house to visit and see their new house. I wasn't planning on staying the night there, but they had a cow down and were having the vet. come out so I was all game to watch what was going on. The vet. gave the cow IV fluids, a shot, and then stomach tubed her and gave her about 7 gallons of water (which isn't a lot for a cow). We all helped out and struggled keeping her quiet through it all and then at the end, the cow didn't make it. So we were out there for a couple hours I suppose and didn't get back in till around midnight. All of that brings me to my LONG nap on Thursday!

Anyway, here's a couple pictures of Kim's calander. I had written the things I had going on during the week and then Scott decided to add one of his own! Hope you can read our writing, if not, just ask!

The Trade Was Made

As most of you know, last weekend Ben and Kori moved Kendall up to Minnesota! However, they didn't leave empty-handed. I guess you could say we traded our dog, Leah, for Kendall. We're not quite sure who got the better deal. Now, instead of dog hair, our garage is full of furniture and boxes, most of which are labeled "Odds-n-Ends". Instead of feeding a dog, we're feeding a Kendall (still not as bad as feeding a Kori though). Instead of checking to make sure the dog hasn't run away, we have to make sure Kendall is still alive while she's enjoying her very common three to four hour naps. Jacob is enjoying having Aunt Kendall around. She doesn't care for his screaming and spoils him even more rotten by running to his rescue whenever he's decided he's had enough.
We hear things have changed for Leah too. She now has encountered a cat for the first time. She has been shaved completely, except for her tail (Kori said she looks like a poodle now). And, she's befriended the ever-so-famous, Fred (Kori's basset hound). I'm sure the two will entertain us with many interesting adventures!
Here's a few pictures of Leah all ready for her trip to Indiana and Kendall comforting Jacob!

Karen,
Where's some more pictures of the girls? Didn't Anna have a birthday party?

Kori,
Pictures of the house? Pictures of Leah and Fred?

Kendall,
Pictures of...well, when you get an apartment we'll be expecting pictures!

Kelly,
Thanks for finally posting TWO pictures of your house!

The James's Have Arrived!

That's right, folks the James's have finally arrived on the blog. And it wouldn't be a Rankin blog if it didn't have girls singing on it. So I have provided you with a blast from the past with pictures of my three little "angels" singing their hearts out! Even Ella joined in although she chose to sing along with Barney upstairs while Emma and Anna sang to High School Musical downstairs. Quite a performance!

Mom's new floors

I was at Mom's yesterday for Mother's Day and thought I would snap a few pix of her nice new wood floors and carpeting so the Minnesota family members could see them! Mom and Mark love them...and they should, they're beautiful. It's amazing how new floor coverings can change the look of a room!

Farewell to Kendall!

Kendall is moving this week to Minnesota; so, a lot of the family got together Friday night in Minier for a sending-off dinner for her. Here are a few pictures from the evening!

Easter Weekend!

Here are some pictures of our Easter weekend together! Kelly might have some more to post!
You can tell which of our aunts likes to get her picture taken! :)

Me~N~Moose

Okay...I don't want to be the last person to post something and if Kori has already figured it out, I think I can too!

Nothing much is really going on in my life right now. It is my last week of school and I've been studying since 11 this morning and am taking I break, will probably take a few hours to nap and then up again to study! I love that it is the end of the year, but hate all of the stress that comes along with it!

I thought I'd post a picture of my new cat, Moose. I adopted him from the program at school and he has been quite a lot of fun! He's had a lot of learning to do though such as: no lying by my pillows (because I just can't stand that), not being rude and meowing at 5 in the morning, slowing down his eating, no biting, no begging for my food while I'm eating, and no jumping on my desk! I know none of my sisters are cat people except for Kori, but, he really is a funny cat. He loves to lay in bed with me and will just kind of flop down as if he's had such a rough day. He'll always position himself to where some part of him is touching a part of me. And when he first came to the apartment, he didn't quite get the stairs. Moose would go down them and start going SO fast that his butt end would be up with his front end and on the last few steps, all we would hear is "THUMP THUMP THUMP" from him pretty much falling down them with no grace whatsoever! He loves to play and I know he'll be a GREAT mouser someday!

So....that's all I have to say. Sorry for any spelling errors or grammatical errors, but I am tired and just trying to do this fast! Goodnight! *Kendall*

Old Barns

As I was sitting at the table practicing my Sunday ritual of cutting coupons and today, praying it would rain, I couldn't help but repeatedly gaze at the view. What is it about old barns that are so intriguing? I find them intriguing anyway! Maybe this time it was the old tractor and cultivator Scott decided to use on our garden sitting next to the antique building. I just felt like taking a picture and sharing although, the picture never seems quite the same.


















I also decided to share with you the pictures that explain why our dogs will never get round steak bones again! Ellie had to take a trip to the vet and be sedated in order to get the bone removed from her mouth!

Posted by: Kim

Funny Story........

So I decided to go out of my comfort zone and try using this blog. We all know that this is a huge step for me so hang in there. Well as most of you know Ben and I close on our house in 6 days!!!!!! We can hardly wait!!!! Fortunately this weekend Kelly came up, the helpful and giving sister that she is (your are welcome kelly!!) and helped Ben and I pack. I am very proud to say that a lot of stuff got packed today!!! All of you who have ever helped me move or pack knows that I am no good at it and never prepared. This time I will be!!!!! However, I went to grab the digital camera to post pictures and found that it had gotten packed!! I suppose that Kelly was too good at packing today!!! I finally found some online and will share them with you as long as you do not laugh at the wallpaper borders.....I could only find four, sorry!!!!

Fine, I'll post first!

If nobody else is going to post something on this blog, then I guess I'll go ahead! I found this picture of us from the pictures Kelly sent me from Jacob's baptism! It's not very often we get a good picture when we're all together! As good as our intentions always are, it seems too chaotic when we're all together and somehow gets forgotten about! I don't have a lot of time to find other photos but I'll try to keep some on here as I seem to be the blogger of the family! Kelly, I was looking forward to your blog, but it hasn't seemed to progress since you've started it. What else do you have to do with your time, come on? Kori, where's "The Machlitt's" link? Kendall, we'll get you going once you get up here! And, Karen...

Posted by: Kim