Happy Thanksgiving

Wednesday we cleaned house and finished getting ready for Thanksgiving, then picked up Breanna in the evening.  The girls made birthday cards for grandma and grandpa and then helped me make the frosting for the apple cake.

Thursday morning Claire crawled in bed with daddy and farted in his face, then said, "dada, you like that smell?",  It was so funny.  She was even so serious when she asked him.  Then I made the pumpkin pies and John made us a nice big brunch.  Then we were off to my parents house to celebrate turkey day, and my mom and dad's birthdays.  There was so much delicious food, lots of fun, and family.  After dinner we played bingo and a new clue game.  I forgot my camera, but did use my dads, so the picutres will be posted later.  Breanna was such a big help with getting all of the food ready, I was so proud of her.  She really enjoyed helping too!  I think that Claire must have changed clothes 3 or 4 times and for a while was even running around in just underwear.  I can't seem to keep clothes on her for very long.  One of the dresses she put on was a dress that was my moms when she was a little girl. (I did get pictures of her wearing it too)  I can't believe how fast the day went, but it was a great one.  I always love getting together with the family for the holidays.  Now we can start getting ready for Christmas.

Friday I tried the Black Friday shopping.  I went to wal mart in Mankato and had plans to head to target and mendards.  Wal mart was a disaster.  I was there before 5am, when the doors opened, and there was not one spot left in the parking lot.  I had to park at Arbys and walk.  Then there was not a cart left in the store.  By the time I got in the store everything was already tore open and people were crazy.  I could not even move enough to find the items that I wanted.  I was able to get the barbie for Claire that I wanted and that was it.  Luckily my sister was at another wal mart and was able to get the other things that I had wanted.  Then I stood in line for over an hour with my one barbie for $5.  I really didn't feel like it was worth it, but after getting up and parking far away and finding my way through the croud, there was no way I was leaving empty handed.  I know my sister is the best too, because she went to menards and target, and got everythinhg else that I had on my list.  So I am just about done wtih Christmas shopping now.  Friday night me and Claire cuddled and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade.  I am always busy making my pies thanksgiving morning so I record the parade and watch the next day.  Claire loved the parade and said wow when she saw the big balloons.  She got up and danced when the bands played, and she said that she liked Cyndi Lauper (which is neat, because I loved Cyndi Lauper when I was a little girl).  I think her favorite was Yo Gabba Gabba. 

This morning I woke up with a head cold, which is not fun, but glad that it waited until after Thanksgiving.  I am cleaning house today to get ready to set up the tree tomorrow.  I think that the bathtub and the bubbles are calling my name!!

it has been a while...

Friday we went to Faribault to have lunch with Lesa and Tim.  It was a nice surprise to have Grandpa Friesz come and have lunch with us too.  We spent the afternoon with Aunt Lesa, and then picked up Breanna.  Friday night John took Bre out to the deer shack for hunting again.  Me and Claire just enjoyed our quiet night at home.

Saturday Bre and John went hunting up in Chaska, and did not see anything.  They stayed the night in the deer shack again on Saturday night.  I was doing some cleaning up around the house and tripped on the wheel of Claire's little 3 wheeler Barbie bike.  I flew and hit my face into the bathroom door frame.  Mt glasses scraped my face and it hurt so bad that I thought I carcked my head open.  It was really sore to wear my glasses, so I iced my face right away.  Then me and Claire just relaxed and watched movies.  Other than that we had a pretty good day.

Sunday morning Bre came home early, I think she had enough of the hunting for the weekend.  John went back out for the morning.  Me and Claire went to church with my mom and dad.  It was a great service.  Everyone that went to Ecuador for the mission trip talked about something that touched them there.  I don't think there was a dry eye in the whole church.  After service, there was a big Thanksgiving lunch put on by the church.  Claire went off with papa, and after we had finished eating went to papa and asked him where Claire was.  He said that she was right next to him, and Claire was gone.  We ran around the church looking for Claire, and Uncle Tim found her just wondering around.  She was just fine in her own little world checking out the place.  John said that it takes at least two eyes to watch Claire and grandpa only has one.

Monday I cooked up the pumpkin and got it ready for the pumpkin pie.  Then me and Claire had to go back to the dentist to have our fillings polished.  Claire wanted me to go first.  She did awesome with letting them do her teeth, and asked for a toothbrush after they were done.  She got a foam tic tac toe game with smiley faces insted of a toothbrush.  It was really funny, when the dentist was doing my teeth I heard Claire say that she farted, and the dentist asked her what she had said and she told him again that she farted.  The dentist said that she must feel comfortable there now.  After lunch we made mini pumpkin muffins and Claire really liked them. 

Today we made an apple cake for Thanksgiving and turkey hand cookies, that Claire has been so excited to make.  They ended up taking me much longer than I thought they would, but turned out really cute.  I also cut Claire's bangs today, and surprisingly they look really good.  John was out hunting again in Chaska today and did not see anything again.    Yesterday was his last day of work for the season, so he will be out there every day trying to get one.

Here is how the turkey hand cookies turned out, Claire had her own idea of how to make some of them.

Crafty Thursday

Claire started out the morning with a pice of pumpkin cake that she frosted and sprinkled herself.  Then we painted a scooby doo picture together.  For her lessons we are working on Dd.  Claire did really well with printing her Dd's, then we read a poem about donkeys and made a paper craft donkey.  We also decided to make a Thanksgiving craft too.  All the crafts must have tired her right out, because after lunch she took a good nap.  Claire got the H1N1 vaccine yesterday afternoon and did really well.  She was crying quite a bit, then when the nurse brought her in 2 stickers, the tears just stopped instantly.  She was so proud of her butterfly and big bird stickers.  I started cleaning up in Claire's room yesterday, is it gettting close to being done.  She found toys in there that she must have forgotten she had, and was busy with them.  She was taking her gun and pretending to shoot her dads deer that are on the wall.  I didn't get a picture, but it was really cute.  We were having a tickle fight and Claire laughed so hard that she peed in her pants a little bit.  I guess that we had a pretty fun filled day.

Claire frosting her pumpkin cake,

and this is after she put on the sprinkles.

The scooby doo picture that we painted

This is the corn boc craft that we made for Thanksgiving.  Claire had so much fun rolling the cotton balls, glueing them on, and painting them.  She was very proud to hang them up on the wall when they were dry.

The Dentist

Yesterday I got some house cleaning done, and cut up one of the pie pumpkins.  Me and Lesa went to pick up my dad from the airport last night.  He was in Ecuador for a week for missions.  He was helping build orphanages.  Lesa made a big sign that said 'Welcome home dad'.  He said that when he saw it, his got teary.  The way home he was telling us all about his trip, and how they have such a different culture there.  You always have to carry your own toilet paper with you everywhere.  He brought me back a really pretty bracelet. 

This morning Claire was busy playing dress up as usual.  Then we had dentist appointments after lunch.  Claire did not want to sit in the chair.  I had to hold her down a bit and do some bribing.  Once we were able to get the gas on her, she was great.  She was laughing and joking with the dentist and she told him that he was silly.  The dr said that since she was so good they would do all 3 cavities and then be done with them.  They did really good with her there.  After we were done Claire was more than excited to go pick something out from the store.  She chose a set of pots, pans, and utensils for her kitchen set.  Me and Claire made a pumpkin cake from the pumpkin that we cut up yesterday.  Time to watch a movie and relax, the numbness has just went away too...yay.

My princess playing dress up, she always picks out what pretty dress she wants to wear.

Claire holding her baby Maya, just before we left for the dentist.

Claire loves that they have this keyboard at the dentist.  She looks for the 'puter' every time we are there.

Claire laying in the dentist chair, just after her fillings were finished.

My little princess with the funny gas nose on.

Claire looking at all her dishes for her kitchen set that she got for being so good at the dentist.  I was so proud of her!!

Our week and my hunting weekend

On Wednesday me and Claire made some herb crackers with my cookie press.  After supper we watched the GMAC music awards.  My mom was having bad stomach pain and went to the ER.  She was admitted for a crohns flare up and a partial blockage. 

On Thursday morning me and Claire went up to the hospital with Lesa to spend the day with my mom.  The hospital did not want to let Claire go up to see mom, because of the H1N1 spread.  Lesa went up and talked to the nurses on the floor mom was staying, and they said that it was okay for Claire to come up.  Claire enjoyed spending the day with Grandma and colored her a picture to make her feel better.  Claire put a Barbie girl bandaid on Grandma's arm where she had the IV, painted grandmas nails, and put make up on her.  I was so happy that they let Claire visit my mom. 

Friday morning mom was able to go home, so Tim came with me and Claire to bring mom home from the hospital.  Tim just carried Claire and ran past the desk where you are supposed to check in.   Mom looked better and seemed very happy to be going home.  Me and Claire stayed the night with my mom. 

Saturday morning after Claire woke up, she went and crawled in bed with Grandma.  They watched cartoons for a bit and then Claire talked Grandma into painting.  Not sure how much rest Grandma actually got with Claire there.  Lesa and Tim came to get Claire and I was off for hunting.  Me and John went out in sat in the blind until after dark and did not see anything.  John got a call from his brother that he got a nice buck.  We went out to get pictures and help him drag the deer out of the woods.  I have to say that I was very jelouse of his deer.  We stayed over night in the deer shack and watched a movie, and shared some stories.

John took a picture of me out in the woods where we were hunting.

Gary with his buck,

and another one with his buck

Sunday John got me up at 5am and ready to head back out to the blind.  Around 8am we saw 7 doe, all within 35 feet from us.  One of them was just standing there and eating for like 20 minutes, it was so awesome.  We also saw an owl, that found and ate a mouse.  We went back out to the deer shack for lunch and then did a drive through the woods.  Then me and John went back to the blind to sit until dark.  No luck with any more deer, which was disappointing, but still had a great time and it was so neat so see the deer all around us, and so close.

Monday me and Claire did some house cleaning and rested.  I was really sore and tired from all the hunting.  Claire was tired from a busy weekend with Aunt Lesa and Uncle Tim.  They took her up to MOA to lego land, and did some shopping.  Claire came home with lots of new princess stuff.

Hunting Opener Weekend

John and Breanna were out hunting all weekend.  Bre saw one deer Sunday morning when it was still dark, but that is it.  John said that there was still too much corn in yet.   They both had a great time, but came home tired.  I went over to my sisters house, so I was not able to get any pictures, but John got a few of Bre.

Breanna playing her DS in the hunting blind, while waiting for a deer.

Breanna in the blind...still waiting for a deer.

On Saturday evening me and Claire went to stay over at Lesa's house.  The big bummer is that I forgot to put the memory card into my camera before we left, it was still in the computer at home.  So I did get cute pictures of Claire, but will have to wait until I get a usb cable to get them off.   Anyway, Saturday night we went to visit a friend.  Our friend is sewing purses and wanted to show me the ones that she has done.  I am wanting to sew purses now. 

Sunday Lesa, Tim, me and Claire took their dogs to the new dog park that they have in Faribault.  Claire had so much fun running around with the dogs.  She really wanted to pet a little chihuahua, but every time she got near, he barked.  But there was so many other dogs that just loved the attention.  There was a big pond in the middle for the dogs to play in, and then a trail all the way around.  It was nice to be outside and enjoying the fresh air while watching Claire and the dogs have so much fun.  Tim and Lesa went out to the dog park on Saturday and some one from the Faribault Daily News was there and interviewed Tim.

Monday it was back to school for Bre, work for John, me and Claire had house cleaning to do.  I had the rest of my tomatoes ready so I canned them up.  Claire was busy playing with her new Barbie girl, and wearing her play dresses most of the day.

Tuesday was mostly a lazy day for us.  I did get a few clothes ready for the Epilepsy Foundation, but that is about it.  Then in the evening we went to my SIL's for my neices birthday, and Grandma Mary was in town for a few days.  Claire was very excited to hold her new cousin.  Lots of hugs went to Grandma Mary, we do not get to see her very much. 

Claire holding her newest baby cousin, Samuel

She did not want to take her eyes off of him

TGIF

Today was a busy day too.  I finished up making the curtains for the deer shack, and they look great.  I made rice krispies treats for John to take out hunting this weekend.  Had to wash the clothes with scent free stuff, and get them ready for Bre.  Then we were off to Faribault to pick up Bre and get a few things at wal mart.  We stopped in to visit Aunt Lesa at work, and she had a surprise for Claire.  It was a pretty dress with wings and then a crown, wand, earrings, ring, and necklace.  Claire said that she was a princess.  When we went to wal mart Claire got to pick out a Barbie girl, and just could not wait to get home and open it.  I think that was the longest 45 minutes of her life....or so it seemed.  Now John and Breanna are off to a weekend of hunting.  I hope that Breanna gets a deer, she is so excited.  Me and Claire are just getting ready to watch a movie.  It will be just me and Claire for the rest of the weekend.  I think we will head out to the deer shack tomarrow with apple pie, and get some pictures of John and Bre.

My little princess

Busy Days

Wednesday morning I baked 4 loafs of apple bread.  Claire said that she had to get pretty for the "concert".  Not sure what concert she was talking about, but it was cute.  Then she wanted to skate around the house in her strawberry dress.  We made some Thanksgiving crafts and Claire played some really pretty music on her piano. 

This morning we went to the dentist, and Claire would not sit in the chair for anything.  She watched me get my filling and was having fun whith the assistant.  The dentist asked Claire if mom should get astrawberry filling or a monkey booger filling, good thing Claire picked strawberry for her mom.  After the dentist, we met my parents in Le Center and went to Mankato together.  Claire liked riding in Grandpa's truck.  Claire got to pick out some make up and crafts at the store.  We had a busy, but great day...I am very tired.

Claire with her skates in the kitchen,

and in the living room,

and skating around the house with her barbie skates that she got for her birthday.

Claire playing me pretty music on the piano.  She was playing twinkle twinkle little star, and singing it to me.

Here are the Thanksgiving crafts that Claire made.  The turkey is with her feet and hands.  The scarecrow she drew the face on.  It was cute, she was supposed to make a face on it, and she made a whole person.

The Dentist

Me and Claire went to the dentist yesterday, Tuesday.  It was Claire's first cleaning.  I am so proud of her, she did so well.  I was not in the room with her, I was getting my teeth cleaned same time as she was.  She has 3 cavities that need to be filled.  We are going back to do them tomarrow.  She is having hers done first, so I will be able to take a picture of her in the dentist chair.  She was very happy about getting a new toothbrush, and brushed her teeth very good last night with her new brush.  Not sure what the plans are for today yet, she is playing dress up for a "concert".

Another Great Day

Sunday John took me and Breanna out to his uncles to practice shooting slugs for deer hunting.  Breanna did better than I did.  I really do not feel very confident about going out in 2 weeks.  My shoulder is a little sore too.  Breanna is going out hunting first weekend, and me the seond.  After we got home, me and Breanna played games for a while, and had a great time.  We snacked on so many goodies from halloween that neither of us were very hungry for dinner. 

Today Grandma Friesz came over to help me can tomatoes.  We got 4 nice size jars from the tomaotes that I planted.  My mom helped me so it was really easy.  While the jars were cooking, Claire and Grandma played play doh, and I made some banana muffins with chocolate chips.  Claire helped do the dishes too.  It was really cute to see her washing the dishes.  She is relaxing and watching a movie now, I am thinking she may even fall asleep.

Claire washing the dishes in Grandma's apron

Claire and Grandma playing play doh.  Claire had to wear a pretty dress.  I dressed her in a turtle neck and pants and she told me that shirt would not be good for grandma.  She had to have on her Dora shirt, then it got all wet when she did the dishes, so she had to have on a dress.

Here is my canned tomaotes.  Can't wait to be able to use tomatoes that I planted and canned myself.  Next year John is making me a bigger garden, I am so excited.

Just as I am finishing this up Claire is asleep. 

Happy Halloween

Fiday Claire was busy playing dress up and putting on lots of pretty make up.  After lunch we went to pick up Bre.  On our way I saw a black lab by the side of the road.  I looked at her and she came closer to the road.  I had to stop and see where she lived.  As I was pulled over the man from the pound stopped and said that he had the dog there about a month ago and that she is very sweet.  I said that I would stay with the dog, that I had just called the owners.  It was so windy and cold and I was worried that the dog was going to get hit, so I decided to just bring her home.  Claire was very excited when I put Snoopy in the car.  She was not far from home and her owner was very happy that we brought her home. 

We had supper at Grandma Friesz's house and then we went home so Bre could carve her pumpkin.  She made a really neat jack 'o lantern.  Then we started making a chocolate cookie gingerbread castle.  Breanna did most of it by herself.

Claire putting on her make up

she put on her sunglasses and smiled pretty

my little princess as pretty as can be

Saturday morning the girls helped me make a desert for the halloween party.  They had a lot of fun adding the fool coloring.  It turned out great and was a huge hit at the party.

top view of the delicous treat, we made it with halloween colors

side view to see the layers

We had so much fun at the party.  There was so much good food too.  This was Claire's first time trick-or-treating.  She had a great time, but had a bit of a runny nose, so she did not stay out too long.  The other kids came back with lots of treats in their bags.  My dad came dressed up as a ballerina, everyone thought it was really funny.  Tim dressed as a girl too with dress,wig, nailpolish, make up and all.  We werer the first ones there and the last ones to leave.  I guess we just can't get enough of the partying.

Aunt Lesa with the kids. Andy, Sami, Claire, Travis, and Breanna

Claire and Bre taking a picutre just before heading out to trick-or-treat

Claire is off and ready to hit the first house for goodies.

The kids all out and about trick-or-treating

Here they are at one of the houses, just getting ready to knock.

My Claire bear still having fun trick-or-treating at some of the businesses.

Friends halloween party

Wednesday morning we went to friends house for a halloween party.  Claire was so excited to get there, and did not want to leave.  The girls were pretending to cut each others hair and painted their faces with chalk.  It was really cute.  After the potluck lunch, the girls went outside to play in Hannah's house.  Claire had so much fun with Hannah and her kitten, Buttercup!  The gilrs also decided to put on tutus and dance around the living room watching Barbie nutcracker.  Claire crashed in the car before we got half way home.

Right away this morning Claire was begging to go back over to her friends house again.  We just had a slow morning and then I finished up Breanna's halloween costume.  She is going to be an orange club penguin.  It turned out really nice and I know she will love it.  I am picking her up after school tomarrow and will have her try it on when we get home.  We have the halloween party at my sisters house on Saturday, so there will be lots more halloween pictures coming.

We went to the library to pick out new books and movies, then Claire was asking to do school work.  We are still on the letter Cc so we read a little poem about a crocodile and made a paper craft about a crocodile.  Claire gave it to her daddy.

Hannah and Claire doing the chalk make up

The girls playing outside in Hannah's house

Claire with Buttercup

My little princess practicing ballet with Hannah and Barbie

Both girls doing ballet dancing with Barbie

halloween cookies...yummy

Claire was up early this morning when her dad left for work.  We just had a slow morning of relaxing after all the partying last night at school.  Of course, she did have to put on a dress and lipstick so she could be a princess.  We painted her nails all different colors too.  Then after lunch we made some cookies.  Claire picked out the cookie cutters when we went shopping a few weeks ago and had to have them.  She did a really good job with making the cookies.  She helped up until the last batch.  She also enjoyed eating them too!!

Here is Claire passed out in my chair this morning after her dad left for work.  I think she did too much partying last night!!

Claire is mixing up the cookie dough,

rolling out the dough,

and cutting out the shapes.

After they were done baking and cooling, she helped decorate them.

And here is what they turned out like, I know...very yummy!!

halloween extravaganza

Tonight we went to the elementery school in Henderson for the halloween/harvest extravaganza.  Claire had so much fun there, playing games and making crafts.  She even saw a few of her friends there and had fun running around with them.  She was so adorable in her pink cat costume.  I finished up the ears and tail this morning.  Turned out even better than I had expected :)

I took a picture of Claire just before we left the house.

Claire was trying to drop gummy worms into a cup that is inside the bucket.  Then they got a bag of gummy worms.

Claire had fun making shapes and cutting the play doh.

Halloween bowling...it was a huge hit.  They were 2 liter bottles painted like a ghost and then used a small pumpkin for the ball.  Claire did pretty good and loved  it!

Claire was throwing bean bags into the pumpkin pails.  As you can see she made it in!! 

Claire got to decorate a pumpkin cookie with candy corn, sprinkles, and chocolate chips.  Claire really loves the sprinkles.

This was really neat.  They would write the kids names on the green pumpkin stems, then blindfold the kids and have them try to put the stem on the pumpkin.  Claire did not want to be blindfolded though, but really enjoyed being able to put her name up there.

Claire spent a lot of time over at this table.  They had golf tees that you could hammer into the pumpkins.  She would hold the tee like a nail and hammer it in, it was really cute.  She said that she liked the small pumpkin better than the big one.

Besides these picutres, she also painted a gourd, squirted paint on paper to make a spider web, played with green goop, and made bats out of toilet paper rolls.  It was an awesome night and we had so much fun.