Bad Day

After four Christmases we were looking forward to sleeping in and having a lazy day around the house, but no. We got a lovely call this morning at 6:30am from our hog barn. It was the alarm saying that sensor 2 was at 20 degrees (really weird since it's supposed to call before it gets to 50 degrees) so Joe got up and raced back to check on it and thought that the water line broke and was spraying water on the temperature sensor. But once he got in the office he realized that we had a bigger problem on our hands. He opened the door to the west room and saw that the roof had collapsed. Not just the tin roof inside, but the whole ceiling, insulation, rafters and roof. About a 100 foot section in the center of the roof had fallen in on top of our pigs. Luckily we have been marketing pigs (they are 280lbs) for the last few weeks so the barn was about half empty and a few of the pens were empty where the roof fell. So thankfully Joe's parents were able to come over right away and Tim helped Joe and I move pigs to the east side and Ruth watched Ashlyn. We were able to get almost all of the pigs out but a few (5 or less) are still trapped. It's so sad, I feel bad for them. So much for a restful Sunday!

View from the highway

What the barn should look like.... East Room

West Room

The lights still worked but the water and gas lines were obviously snapped off.

View along the outside wall

Elmo Riding Shotgun

Ashlyn got a huge Elmo from the Beraneks at Christmas on Sunday and it was love at first sight! Here she's crusing with Elmo riding shotgun.

let it snow....

I took Ashlyn out for her first sled ride today. She LOVED it! I pulled her around the yard and down the ditch. There were little snowflakes sticking to her eyelashes that were so cute. She didn't want to go back in the house and cried when I finally had to pick her up and carry her in.

Tongue sticking out trying to taste the snow flakes

First Christmas of 2009

We had our first Christmas get together of the season yesterday at my moms in New Ulm. It was a nice relaxing afternoon. The kids had fun playing together and were excited to open gifts. Ashlyn is really into this year and it's fun to see her face light up when she tears the paper off.

Jared found one of the cats that usually try to hide when the kids come around. He actually got it to sleep on his lap for a little bit!

Ashlyn, Jared and Chole

Helping hand out gifts

Playing on the baby grand piano

Go Vikes!

Joe and I got to go the Vikings game on Sunday. It was a good game and we had really good seats.... thanks for letting us use your tickets Tim & Ruth!! Ashlyn spent the day with G&G Loula and had lots of fun playing with cousin Connor.

Ashlyn and I with our Favre jerseys

Joe and I having a good time :)

Connor and Ashlyn having a bubble bath

Visitors

Jeffery and his mommy Jenny stopped by yesterday afternoon. The kids had fun playing in the cardboard fort and we even got them to sit for a few seconds so we could take a picture... Of course we had to bribe them with Goldfish crackers :)

Fort

I made a fort for Ashlyn last week. I cut some holes in it for windows and two doors. Nothing too spectacular but she thinks it's pretty cool so that's all that matters!

"Mommy's not allowed" look....

Peek-a-boo!!!

Running out the "front" door

Quack-Quack

We went to say goodnight to our puppy last week and Ashlyn figured out how to make his duck quack. It's nice that he lets her play with his toys since she (or should I say mommy) doesn't let him play with hers!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Piggy Potty

Ashlyn was playing in the bathroom this afternoon and when I went to check on her, this is what I found....

I know pigs need to go potty, but do they really need that much toilet paper?

Babies

Ashlyn snuggling with her babies at Grandma's house

H1N1

Ashlyn FINALLY was able to get her H1N1 shot yesterday. MSU was holding a flu shot clinic at Mankato East High School. Joe heard about it on the radio when he was in the combine. We've been waiting and waiting for our clinic to get it.... I'm glad she finally got her first shot. She'll have to go back and get her second dose in a month. Hopefully her regular Dr. will have it by then :)

Squirrel Chasing

We went to the park today and Ashlyn saw a few squirrels running around and she just had to check it out. She chased after about five of them, it was so cute!

(the squirrel is behind the 2nd picnic table on the left)

Original Video

Mr. Squirrel

Our Friendly Goose

Ashlyn loves to go out to the shop and play with all of Joe's goose decoys and she didn't want to leave them behind when I was trying to get her outside to help me put up some Christmas lights. So we took the decoy with us and she carried it around, pet it and she tried to ride it. I think the neighbors driving by wonder if we have a new pet... Here's just a quick clip of her and the goose that doesn't fight back :)

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Serious Model

Ashlyn got to hang out with Grandma Ruth last week and she was giving grandma a hard time. She didn't want to smile for the camera but once the camera was not in use she was all smiles - go figure! I'm guessing she wanted to get a few shots of her serious side :)

Two Little Monkeys

Ashlyn and cousin Connor hanging out at G&G Loula's. Monkey see monkey do!

169 Holiday Celebration

We went downtown St Peter for the "Holiday Celebration". Hwy 169 is supposed to be opening next week... FINALLY! It has been a huge pain in the butt to get around town since July, with new detours weekly. If any of you have had to try to get through town recently you know how frustrating it can be. So we thought we'd go and check it out. Many of the stores were decorated for Christmas and we signed up for a few door prizes. There were horse drawn carriage rides, reindeer petting and pictures with Santa. Ashlyn did not want to go near Santa so it will be interesting to see what the picture turn out like! Hopefully she gets over her fear by Christmas :) After the Santa incident, we watched the horses and checked out a few shops. Then she got to pet the reindeer... she stuck her fingers in its nose too!

Pointing to the big excavator working on a side street by Ace Hardware

The view from the center of the street

Horses!!! She gets so excited when she see horses, they even had Santa hats on :)

Tunnel

Ashlyn having fun playing with her tent and tunnel.

Peek-a-boo!

Halloween

Well, we made the rounds again this year! Starting out in New Ulm at Great Grandma Lappe's, then to see Grandpa Frank, then Grandma Deb and our last stop was Bryan & Christy's in North Mankato to help hand out candy and hang out with cousin Connor and Grandma and Grandpa Loula. It was a perfect evening. Ashlyn liked wearing her bumble bee outfit and it was super cute! Ashlyn and Connor changed into their matching jack 0'lantern t-shirts to be more comfortable later on. They had fun playing together and running to the door to see the trick or treaters. They even got into the candy bowl and got some candy... and they loved it!

She wasn't so sure about Grandma Deb.... she didn't recognize her!!

Checking out who's at the door

What a cute bumble bee butt!

Yummm.... chocolate!

Having fun rocking on the alligator

Connor had fun pushing Ashlyn back and forth

and she loved every minute!