More Chuck E Cheese pictures

Connor enjoys the pizza
Michelle and Zachary had fun with the games

Our tables were right beside the side....Connor had fun on it.

Those four look like trouble....don't you agree?




Even Norrie got in on the action. She enjoyed some of the gentle rocking rides.

Chuck E Cheese and Birthdays!!!!

The Peters gathered at Chuck E Cheese Friday evening, Jan. 28(the new one in Rochester) to check it out and to celebrate a couple birthdays. One being Jordyn's (Jan 27) and Dakota's (Dec 28, but remember Zach had his tonsils out the day before, so Kota's birthday was put on hold). Attached are some pictures of the fun the children had. Notice in a couple of the pictures the children weren't the only ones having fun. Some of the adults got some fun it also.

Alex was getting lots of tickets and Conrad wanted tickets, so Alex being the great cousin he is, he helped Conrad get tickets also.

lazy weekend

Hi Everyone
Well, we had a lazy weekend again. Just doesn't seem like I have the ambition to get anything done anymore. In the beginning of January, I did sign up for the block a month thru Pine Tree Needles in Racine. Actually we are doing 2 blocks a month for 6 months. Pine Tree Needles is a quilt shop and I am hoping to improve my sewing alot. I thought signing up would force me to get more done. My first 2 blocks are done but boy they did not turn out like they should have. For one thing they are suppose to be 12 1/2 inches square and they are not, they will be closer to 12 when they are trimmed. I am not trimming right away. So working and not getting much done at home is what I have been up to... how about everyone else???
Sounds like we will be shoveling snow again this week and hoping to see alot of you in Bryon for Mary and Ken's anniversary party.
Ann

NO WATER

Tuesday morning I was still in bed when the phone rang, the neighbor asking if we had water. So I got up and we had no water. 45 minutes later we have water....but 45 minutes later we are back to no water. The 45 minutes with water gave me time to shower and get ready for the day.
A water main broke at the end of the street during the night. I was told by a friend that they heard the trucks about 3:30 am. When Tracy and I was out for a walk we watched them work on the problem amidst the mud and water (which made it icy) for a few minutes and talked to one of the workers. They had not yet reached the break, but he figured it would be mid day when it would be fixed and we would have running water again.
It's amazing how we miss the very simple things. And I remember a time when we didn't have running water growing up. But now we just take it for granted.
So for those of you that have running water today........enjoy it.

40 Years and Counting....

We are celebrating Mom and Dad's 40th Wedding Anniversary on Sunday, February 20th. Invites are being printed and plan to mail them this week!

Here are the details:

Sunday, February 20, 2011
Christ the King Catholic Church in Byron MN.
The open house/reception will be from 1:00-3:00pm

Cake and punch will be available for everyone to enjoy.

Please rsvp to either Michelle (pcshows@kmtel.com / 507-272-1212) or Shawn (507-634-4401)

Hope to see a lot of you in February!!!
Michelle

One more thing.......

Michelle had an informal interview with the Rocheste Women's Magazine (right?) about Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. So when anyone sees the next issue, please check it out (and let me know if the article is in there). Or Michelle knows which issue it will be in, maybe she can let us know.

Also thanks, to everyone who kept and gave me the newspaper page with Tim, Nancy & family's picture in it.

Minnesota Soldiers

Some of you may have heard that Minnesota National Guard is gearing up for deployment.......yes that would be Spencer. Michelle was telling me yesterday that Dakota has her spring dance recital May 7, Zachary has his First Communion on May 8, and Spencer will be leaving a few days after that. Yes, on the news they are saying May 22, but Spencer will have to report a few days earlier due to the job he does.
Something that I did not really realize is that Spencer will be have a one year deployment, but that does not count the time spent in Camp Ripley before he leaves. Camp Ripley training will be anywhere between 45 to 60 days, then they will ship out. So knowing that, you will know that Spencer will not be gone for a year, but like a year and 3 months. But we know what a year in the military means.......it could be longer.......like a year and a half.
When more info becomes available, we will post it.

The end of the week end...........

We went to Alex's hockey game this evening and it did not end very well. As some of you know the team is small, there are only 12 players (10 skaters and 2 goalies) rostered on the team, but it is not very often that all 10 players are skating. In fact, right now one of the players have their arm in a sling, broken collar bone a week ago. Five minutes into the 3rd period tonight, another player went down. 20 minutes later the EMT's and ambulance from West Concord arrived. The player was carried out on a back board. The rumor is that all of Rochester's ambulances were busy and out on call, so they could not respond. It is so scary to see one of the players just lay on the ice. Sometimes it makes me wonder why we go to watch the games.

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!!

Our week end started out like most every other week end, not much going on. We went to the Sat morning free movie with Michelle's family (but Connor spent most of the movie time walking the halls - he didn't want to sit thru a movie). Ken and I spent the afternoon at home, I was cleaning and sewing. Ken was working on the embroidery on some hat for Spencer's National Guard group, and working on taxes. Conrad arrived at our house (for a sleep over) about 4:30. After eating we went to Kasson to watch Alex's hockey game. Alex's team had their FIRST WIN Sat night. It was a good game to watch, the boys played very well.
Sun morning started pretty routine also, except we had Conrad. After eating breakfast (Conrad wanted waffles), we were off to church to meet Tim, Nancy and Norrie. Ken, I and Conrad got there first and were sitting down, when - this part is gross if you don't want to read it - Conrad opened his mouth and his entire breakfast came up. After doing that approx. 3 times, (it was pretty quick) I got him up and into the rest room. Tim and Nancy were just walking in the door at that time. Interesting time at church, cleaning the pew, floor and restroom!!! Conrad wanted to ride home with us, and was cheerful and talking all the way home. We got him home, gave him a bath and guess what? He was hungary. When Tim and Nancy left about 12;30 he seemed happy and fine.
This evening we will be heading back to Kasson to watch another hockey game.
The afternoon was spent doing things around the house and half way watching the football game. It really wasn't all that interesting to watch.
Guess we will see what the next couple days bring.........
Hope you all had a nice and interesting week end.

Zachary visited Mayo One today!

Zachary's Cub Scout Den visited Mayo One's helicopter pad this evening. Unfortunately, Mayo One was called out right before the boys arrived for the tour. It was totally neat to see the hanger and everything else. While we were there, we did get to see another helicopter land, unload a patient, and take back off again. The boys thought that was neat to see.

Eagles Cancer Telethon

In the first photo - they are wearing their pink cowgirl hats...Dakota is right in the middle - 4th one from the left. She loved dancing on stage! Second picture is Dakota's group practicing before taking the stage this past weekend for the Eagles Cancer Telethon.

ANNOUNCING........

On December 27 Carter Evan was welcomed into the family with a great deal of excitement and open arms. Carter weighed a whooping 7 pounds and 6 ounces, measuring 20 1/2 inches. He is a cutie......as are all my grandchildren.:) As the picture shows, Dylan and Savannah are quite pleased with their little brother.

Angie is finally feeling better after having a harder surgery than expected, losing more blood than expected, and being anemic and quite fatigued.....so we know that everyone will understand why this was not posted sooner.

Congratulations Emersons!

Dennis Smith

I just heard about this and wanted to make sure everyone was aware of it........


October 13, 1955 - January 10, 2011
Dateline: McKenzie, TN Funeral Mass for Dennis Thomas Smith, 55, will be held Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 10:00 am at the Holy Family Catholic Mission in Huntingdon with the Reverend Father Joey Kaump officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in McKenzie. The family will receive friends at McKenzie Funeral Home on Friday January 14, 2011, from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm for a Christian Wake and a Rosary beginning at 8:00 pm. Mr. Smith, a Production Supervisor at CSI in McKenzie, died Monday, January 10, 2011 at his residence. He was born on October 13, 1955 in Ottumwa, Iowa to Tom and Louise Ollendick Smith. He was a Communicant at Holy Family Catholic Mission in Huntingdon. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife of 36 years Patti Quinn Smith of McKenzie; three daughters: Kim (Fred) Barfield of Ottumwa, IA, Julie (Ben) Sodey of St. Louis, MO, Amy Winchester of McKenzie; one son: Patrick Smith of McKenzie; two sisters: Mary Barker of Ottumwa, IA, Ginger Smith of Rochester, MN; four brothers: Stephen Smith of Cedar Rapids, IA, David Smith of Des Moines, IA, Don Smith of Montrose, IA, Mike Smith of Ottumwa, IA; four grandsons: Jakob Winchester, Landon Winchester, Tanner Smith, and Holden Sodey.

Dakota's Upcoming Dance Shows

Here is Dakota's upcoming dance schedule if anyone wants to come and see her dance:

Sunday, January 16 - Mayo Civic Center...she needs to report at 1:00...perform at 2:00ish.

Saturday, February 19 - Fairview Nursing Home...report at 1:30...perform at 2:00

Saturday, Mary 26 Dodge County Business Expo at Triton Elementary Gym...report at 11:00...perform at 11:30

Saturday, May 7 Spring Show at Kasson Mantorville High School Gym...perform at 5:00...doors open at 4:15.

Some of these will cost to get in to see the performances. I know the last one - Spring Show is all of the Just For Kix age groups - it's like $5 /adult to get in and it's a mad house when the door opens at 4:15. I'm not 100% sure on the other performances as far as how many groups are performing and if there is a cost to get in to watch.

January Birthdays!!!!!

Happy Birthday to all

Jan 4..........Logan
Jan 6..........Virginia
Jan 12........Kimberly
Jan 13........Sharon
Jan 14........Austin
Jan 16.......Brian
Jan 20......David
Jan 22......Gavin
Jan 27......Dean
Jan 27......Jordyn

Thank You Grandma!

Dakota filled up that cute little box that Grandma Mary gave her....with lip chalk (chap stick). Dakota has called chap stick lip chalk for as long as anyone can remember. Not sure how she ever came up with that name, but she LOVES her lip chalk!

Zachary....brotherly love and hockey

Zach's the one wearing the white helmet and the puck on this stick. He's a supermite this year and actually plays a couple games a month. He's loving the hockey season so far.

The photo of Zach and Connor looking at each other was taken on Dec 13 - Zach's birthday and first hockey game!

Connor....

He is such a happy little boy! These were taken at Thanksgiving - at Mom and Dad's house. Mom and Connor are having a serious conversation about something before we started to eat that day! Other than that serious talk, he was all laughs and giggles!

Dancing Dakota

Last year Dakota got interested in dancing. This is her first full year of dancing and she's loving it! Her group is scheduled to dance at the Eagle's Cancer Telethon on January 16th about 2:00pm that afternoon. Spencer and I will be traveling in two directions that day. Zach is suppose to be at his pine wood derby that day for scouts and Dakota is dancing! In the group photo - she's the one with the white wrap on her hand...easy to find :)

Dakota's hand

I'm catching up with the happenings in the Stevens' household in December....Dakota was getting down from a chair at daycare one afternoon and landed on a metal cookie cutter that they were using to play with play-doh! She needed 11 stitches :(

OUCH.... needless to say, she missed the Christmas Pageant that she was supposed to be in that evening. The trip to the ER was much longer than was needed if she would have cooperated more. She's doing great now! Stitches are out and she's got a nice scar and bubble on her hand :)

2011 Blessings

Blessings

2010 and all it brought with it

2011 and the opportunities it holds

God's grace in both of the above