MY FIRST POST, HOPEFULLY!!!!!

Okay, the girls and their significant others gave me a digital camera for ThanksChristmas, I think in the hopes that I will contribute pictures to their blog! I'm not real sure this was their plan, but when they gave me a camera dock and have since asked me why I haven't posted any pictures, I'm thinking that was the whole purpose of the digital camera! I now have about a hundred pictures on my camera (most aren't real good) and I don't know how many pictures I have that Kori and Kendall took of themselves!! I watch my grandkids and even Jacob, at 11 months, knows to go look at the camera after the flash has gone off to see what he looks like!! Amazing!! I'll do my best to not bore you with not-so-good pictures and to space them out so you'll not be wishing those girls didn't give me that camera!

Yay!!!! I did it but I won't tell you how long it takes to get a picture posted from my dial-up computer!!!

Here and There

Thought I would post some pictures from what all is going on up here these days. Mom and Mark came over to my apartment Thursday night and helped me hang up some decorations, and changed a lightbulb for me that I could not get off. So now my apartment is all beautiful and bright for other guests to see it, like Kori and Ben who got up here today!! YAY!!! They made it to Kim's right before we were heading off to Bemidji so Kori came with us and away we went. Jacob didn't do his normal screaming bit in the car, probably because Kori and I were back there entertaining him and he loved that! But, really, he was good entertainment for us too! Three hours laters we're back at home and I am ready for a nap, but I made the mistake of giving Ben my apartment key so he could unload the truck and now he is out hunting with the key nowhere in sight at Kim and Scott's. When will I learn?? Anyhoo...hope you enjoy the pictures!!

Love ya!

Kendall

My New Digital Camera!!

I finally got a digital camera!! I had received two Target gift cards and decided I was going to purchase a camera for myself. The decision was VERY stressful being that I always get stressed out when making big purchases and also I kept thinking about how many clothes I could buy with the two gift cards. I kept telling Kim that maybe I would just buy clothes, but she told me I had enough. Then I told her that I needed new clothes so maybe I could get a date, and she said that that would not help, you get a date by your personality. And I then mentioned to her that I did not have personality so that's why I needed clothes! Needless to say, I got the camera!! So, I guess I can say at least I have some "personality" which Kim is sure will get me a date, which means I now get to blame her for no dates!

Anyway, just thought I'd post some pictures I took with my camera! YAY!!

My Little Charlie Brown

I'm going to try this again..last time it took me like two hours to get this post done and then when it was all said and done the darn thing STILL wouldn't work! I was frustrated and tired so I left and went home. So anyway, here is my little tree all dressed up and cute!! The first picture is of my tree at the "spa" aka my bathtub because it needed to defrost. It had been outside at Kim and Scott's for about two weeks in the snow so we needed to melt some of that off! Oh, and what would Christmas be without my kitty sleeping under the tree. She thinks she's the perfect gift for me, I beg to differ. And the snowman on top of the tree is actually a candle holder, but I didn't have anything else to put on top of it so the little guy made it's home on top my tree!!

Anyhoo, have a Merry Christmas everybody! Love you and miss you all!!

*Kendall*

These are a few of my favorite things!!

Fred and Ben taking an afternoon nap together!

My first new appliance ever!!! I am in love!!

My favorite thing about the fridge is the soda can holder!

I can actually see everything in my freezer!

And my Percy the Puny Pointsettia! Remember the record Grandma Rankin had? It had the song about the lonely plant that nobody bought!

I would also like to say that other people need to blog some pictures!

It has been a whole month since anyone blogged on this site so Kendall,

Karen and Mom, step up to the plate!!!!! Merry Christmas!

It's a bird, it's a plane, NO it's a crane!!!

Last weekend Dad and Raylene came up for a visit so Ben and I took them to see the cranes! I think that the story is every year they stop there beofre heading south for the winter. It is a field all for them and after they stay the night they take off in the morning. Every night a new batch arrives! Ben and I went last year but only saw a few hundrend because we went to early in the day! This time we went right before sun down and were blown away! Not only were there tons of cranes but there were tons of people! Dad told me I should hide my little old digital camera because everyone had professional cameras with them! I tried to get some good pictures but they were far away and my zoom only goes so far! These are sandhill cranes and they can get up to 3 1/2 feet tall and up to 150 pounds! Yikes! I know that it does not look like there are that many cranes in my pictures but the field is huge and I chose to get a closer look instead of taking of picture of the whole field. They also say that they fly in groups of 2 -500 and that when they pick a mate they stay together for life.

Joe Cool...The Bear

Hey..just wanted to show everybody Jacob's new trick! He is one cool dude that's for sure! Love you all and can't wait to see you in a few weeks!! I felt so bad because one time he got SO excited he fell straight backwards and hit his head on the floor! Poor guy!!

*Kendall*

My New Little Hobby

I am only posting these pictures because I was trying to explain to Mom and Kendall what I was making and they needed visuals! I am not trying to be showy or anything! This past weekend I was bored to tears because Ben was working on his solar heating thing for the garage. After a few hours of sighing and complaining I decided to do an art project. I wanted a WELCOME sign for our porch so I decided to make one. After a few hours I finally got an end result and decided to make a few more to hang around the house! I know they are not perfect but they work for me and they were free!

A Nake! A Nake!

Monday afternoon Ben and I went outside to finish weeding the raspberry patch. Yes, I helped and I was not forced to. I volunteered! I am showing Ben that I do not mind working outside with him as long as it is not 95 degrees outside! I also have to say that he got a little peeved at me when I went downstairs to put 'work clothes' on which consisted of his shirt and windpants! Sorry, I could not get my own clothes dirty! Anyway we were weeding when Ben told me to look at something which resulted in me screaming that there was a snake on the ground right by his foot.

Now, even though it was just a little bitty snake I was sure it was a cobra. I have watched the Nature channel and although they do not live in this area I was still sure it was one because it had the flappy things on the side of its head. I was freaking out and Ben kept assuring me that it was only a hog snake and that I was being ridiculous. He starts poking it and I kept telling him he better stop or it was going to bite him. Even though it was not venomous I knew if it bit him it would probably not let go and just hang there off he leg! Then he would pass out because if he cannot handle shots how could he handle a snake hanging off his leg?

After, he told me that I had to much of an imagination he proceeded to move the snake into the wooded area behind the house.

But before he did I ran to the house for the camera so that I would have something to blog about! I am sorry the pictures are not so clear. I was having problems with our ancient digital camera and started pushing buttons which I am sure messed up the focus. Hopefully, you get the picture. I would also like to thank Ella for the title! If you all don't know the story she caught a caterpillar and called it a Nake! So cute!

I really am sorry the pictures are so fuzzy, they are making me go cross eyed at the moment!!!

Montana or Bust

Last weekend, our friend Jen, Scott, and I went to the great state of Montana! Our friends Dave and Ashley got married in Dave's hometown of Culbertson. Culbertson is in the North Eastern corner of Montana on US Highway 2. The land is beautiful and varies over every hill and around every turn. We were thankful to be able to spend Saturday morning with Dave as he gave us a tour of their ranch which sits along the Missouri River. It's amazing how raising cattle differs in Eastern Montana from how we raise cattle in Northern Minnesota.

The Saturday evening wedding was beautiful and the reception was a blast. Quite a few of our friends from UMC made the trip to celebrate and we had a great reunion of sorts! We danced and visited until 2:00am. Scott, Jen, and I were up and on the road by 8:00 the next morning and had a tiring trip back home. Scott, our historian, filled Jen and I with little tidbits about pretty much every lake and town along Highway 2. It was a fun and educating trip!

The rest stop we visited in Western North Dakota

This is the view of Dave's ranch as you drive over the hill

Some pictures of one of the Anderson's pastures, which is 1800 acres.

The tiny, narrow lane on top of the steep hills in the pasture.

The Missouri River, which runs through Dave's ranch

A common sight in pastures and fields; old tractors and combines.

Culbertson, MT

A few of the UMC crew

Jen's first trip to Montana!