Brian's family tradition....

It is a Thanksgiving tradition in Brian's family to make LEFSA....Kelly LOVES this Norwegian food!!! Brian doesn't think it would be Thanksgiving without lefsa...and Kelly agrees!

Brian took the girls down to his parents to make lefsa Sunday afternoon.....Molly wasn't as interested in making it as Kelly. I believe this is the third year Kelly has made it with Grandma Pat and Daddy! She looks forward to it!

Kelly loves having fun in the kitchen!

Grandma Pat & Kelly rolling out the lefsa!

TWINS

Sophia has been Kelly's BEST FRIEND for almost 4 years now....I just checked the Kindergarten website at school....and this is what I found! There were a lot of pictures of the Kindergartners on the new playground equipment at school. I guess Sophia and Kelly were dressed EXACTLY alike on this day! Yes, all the kids wear a uniform...but they can have red, gold, or white polo shirts....and khaki pants, skirts, shorts, or jumpers. They can also wear school colored sweaters or school fleeces or sweatshirts. Well...

They are both wearing the same jumper, white polos, and white sweaters!

TOO CUTE!!!

A FUN place to rest!!!!

Yesterday, I got Molly's tunnel & tent out....as she found it in the closet. We had it out all winter last year and took it down once the weather started to get nice. Winter is coming....and the girls had fun playing in the tent last night.

Molly has been playing in it all day today too!

This is what I saw as I came into the living room this afternoon.....

A very sleepy Molly....sleeping in her tent!

Too CUTE!

Nov.9 = First Snowman = WRONG!

Kelly was all excited to make a snowman after school today!!!

(Yes, on NOVEMBER 9!!!)

As you can see in the background.....we still have beautiful yellow leaves on our trees in our front yard! This is TOO EARLY for winter to start!

The girls are proud of there little snowman!

It's TOO EARLY....

for SNOW!!!!

We woke up this morning to SNOW....on November 9.....YUCK!!!! It is TOO EARLY!

If you remember....Molly HATED snow last year...and wouldn't even walk in it with her boots on. This morning, after taking Kelly to school, Molly decided she wanted to put her boots on. That only lasted about 15 minutes and then she wanted to go outside. She walked around and played on the deck for about 30 minutes and then was ready to come back in. This looks to be a fun winter in the snow for BOTH my girls!

Molly with a "SNOWBALL"

Walking around the deck

Molly has grown up so much in a year! She is almost THREE!!!

My birthday....a BIG number!

I was ACTUALLY able to celebrate my birthday with my family this year!!!!

(The last few years my birthday has been during state week or on one of the state meet days)

I didn't want Brian and the girls to buy me anything this year....I told them I would rather the girls SMILE for a family picture (since it's been a year since we have taken a family picture).

The picture is good...not amazing...but when you only spend $9.95 for the package....what can you expect!

After pictures we went to TEXAS ROADHOUSE (it just recently opened in Dubuque). I have been waiting to be able to go there!!!! It was really yummy!!! My mom and Michael joined us...and even picked up the tab! THANKS A LOT!!!

We then went to my moms house where she had cupcakes waiting for the girls to help decorate. During that time.....I was able to read the paper and relax after a busy weekend! It was AMAZING!

My adorable girls with me on my birthday!

My helpers!

These are DEFINITELY........

MY FAVORITE THINGS!!!

(Brian and I bought these shirts for the girls over a year ago when we went to the Dells for our 5 year anniversary. They were too big for them then...and are still a little big now! My brothers kids just got Thing 1, 2, & 3 shirts......so we took a picture of just my girls....and he is going to take one of his three boys too!)

STATE 2011

I finished my 13th season as the head coach at Wahlert with a successful state meet 11/4 & 11/5.

I took 10 girls to state...

2 Senior Divers that will be greatly missed!

1 Junior

3 Sophomores

4 Freshmen

It was great experience for a lot of younger girls that will continue to be successful for many years!

STATE TEAM at Wahlert after our prayer service

Traditional Marshalltown sign picture!

My 8 swimmers with me after warm-ups

My FASTEST ever 200 M.R. in my 13 years of coaching!!!

Emily (Back), Madelaine (Breast), Lauren (Fly), and Sean (Free)

***Junior, Soph, Soph, Freshmen***

---Next year they will be even faster!!!

State Team before the Parade of Teams to start the swimming portion of the meet on Saturday.