Christmas

Merry Christmas! We had a fun Christmas in our new home. This is the first time in about 8 years that we haven't traveled for Christmas. It was fun hosting Cherry's family this year and being home. We got snow on Thursday so had a white Christmas. We were beginning to wonder. All were excited and the weather was then nice over the weekend for those traveling to us.

 

 Christmas Eve and stockings

 Merry Christmas morning

 Great-Grandma Daum was able to be with us

 Ethan, our Green Bay Packer boy

 Levi, just our loveable little goof

Micah, spy gear and all

Catching up

Ok, time to do a little catching up with the Carlsons. We have had a fun filled past couple of months. Here are a few pictures of some of our happenings.....

 

 Dave was gifted 4 tickets from POET to the SDSU and NDSU football game in November. We asked our friends, Josh and Sara, to join us. It was a fun day and SDSU won!

 Cub Scouts!

 We went to Spearfish Canyon with Cherry's family for a weekend in November to celebrate her parent's anniversary and Cherry's birthday. We had a fun stop at Wall Drug on our way because you can't go to the Hills and not stop for a donut! And thank you Papa and Nana for the fun guns.

 Dinner out at Red Robin for Cherry's birthday.

 Home in Rochester for Thanksgiving. The Carlson football team.

 A little ice skating fun over Thanksgiving.

 Sugar cookie fun

 Singing in the Christmas program at church.

Ethan's first Christmas band concert. They did an awesome job!

Halloween fun

We've been having some pumpkin fun at our house. We went on Sunday to pick out pumpkins and came home to carve them. Mom gutted, Boys designed and Dad carved. Lit them up on the front step after dark. Today, Halloween, we headed out to get candy and then home for the sugar high! It was a little cold but they didn't seem to mind. Dad walked with them and Mom, sporting her broken foot, drove in the van. When they did get cold they rode for a bit and then went back on the candy search. It was a fun time and we now have enough candy to last awhile. 

New adventures

The new adventure has begun. We said goodbye to Emmetsburg and hello to Brandon. The boys started school and needed to be in Brandon before we were able to finish and close on the house and Dave's Uncle and Aunt were gracious and opened their home to us. We moved into their basement for two weeks while waiting on our house and the movers to bring our stuff. The big day finally arrived and we are now in our new home, getting boxes unpacked and settling in. All are loving being HOME!

Goodbye Emmetsburg

Last family picture at the Emmetsburg house

Our home away from home for two weeks

 Making it official!

We have the key...it's ours!

 Home Sweet Home

 The truck and our stuff arrived...now the adventure of unpacking and finding a new home for all our things.

Eclipse fun

Ok, so I'm out of order with my posts but that is ok. On August 21st we headed on a family adventure to Wilber, NE to experience the Eclipse. Dave had done some searching to find out where exactly he wanted to go. We headed to Omaha on Sunday to spend the night, we wanted Lincoln but there weren't any hotel rooms available! Monday we got up and got on the road and started the drive and what a traffic experience it was. It took us an extra hour of driving to get where we wanted to go as we were driving with everyone else who wanted to see the eclipse as well. We found a park in Wilber and waiting for the BIG moment. It started cloudy but cleared just in time for us to see it. What a cool experience! The boys had fun and said it was one of Dad's best adventures yet.

 

 Traffic right out of Omaha heading south.

 Family picnic at the park waiting for blackness

 Eclipse glasses

First day of school

The boys began a new adventure on August 23rd...school! They were all excited about their first day. Ethan is in 5th, Micah is in 3rd and Levi is in Kindergarten. Ethan gets to experience a new school alone this year as he is attending the Intermediate school. Micah and Levi are together at the Elementary school. We were able to attend both open houses before school began to meet their teachers and see their classrooms. They have settled in well and are getting use to the new school, making new friends and the new routines. 

 

 Levi in his classroom in his spot.

 Micah in his classroom at his desk.

 Levi and Micah

 Ethan



Even though the house wasn't done Mom still wanted first day pictures by the front door so we drove by the house after school to take pictures. New town, new house and new school...let the year begin!



Okaboji day fun

We headed for Lake Okaboji for a fun family get away day. We rented a boat and tube for the day and enjoyed some time on the water. The boys had fun tubing and swimming. Dad had fun driving the fast boat and Mom enjoyed relaxing and watching her boys. After we returned the boat we headed to play a game of mini golf. We stopped for burgers at a restaurant overlooking the lake and headed for home. It was a very fun day and something we wanted to do before moving from Iowa.

 Levi and Ethan

 Micah and Ethan

 Mom found a pirate friend.

 Dad with the winning hit. Mom was ahead until the last hole and he won by 3!

New friends

We got to meet and make new friends. Cherry and boys met up with an old friend from high school and got to meet her family. Thanks Martin family for taking the time to stop and see us. It was so fun to catch up and meet all of you. Hopefully we can do it again.

 

July 4th

We had fun on the 4th of July setting off our own fireworks. It was fun to be with extended family in the country so we were able to.