Lately...

We have been having a lot of fun over the past few weeks doing many different things that I have been meaning to blog about. We have made a few trips down to Rochester as Matt has been interviewing at the Mayo Clinic. I have been doing one of my favorite things there- looking at houses! We are trying to decide if we are going to buy one or not and we are still unsure at this point but I have already found one I really like. We also attended a great conference at our church on desiring God given by Pastor John. Amazing! That same weekend we also had a fun Cinco de Mayo fiesta at my sister's house with my family and some friends. My two funniest aunts came from cowtown and cracked Matt right up. We made chiles rellenos for the fiesta along with Mexican red rice, beans, tacos, guacamole and salsa. No one had ever had rellenos before and they got mixed reviews. I used the mildest chile I could find but some thought they were too hot (this is Minnesota afterall). I also attended a free lunch concert with my sister Jamie who loves music (and loves all things free!). She talked me into going with her to see Easton Corbin who I had never heard before. I don't listen to a whole lot of country but I like acoustic guitars and twang so I appreciated the show. We met him afterward as you can see in the pics. Well, that's just a few of the different things we've been up to lately. We have a busy month coming up with visits to the cabin and visitors coming up to see us from the desert. We'll also begin packing soon for our move south to Rochester which I am considering a small detour on our way to Tucson.

Spring Has Finally Sprung

Looking down my street

Spring has finally sprung up here in Minnesota and there are beautiful blooming trees and flowers everywhere.  I was ecstatic to find a lilac bush next to my garage because this is my favorite flower of all due to its wonderful aroma.  They only bloom for a few weeks each spring so you can be sure I will be picking them every day for my tabletop til they disappear. I will try and bring my camera out and about with me so I can  capture more of the beautiful Minnesota spring to share with y'all. 

Bleeding hearts- a perfect flower in the yard of a perfusionist!

A lilac bush in my yard

My favorite flower!

You Might Be A Minnesotan If...

• You consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches

   of ice and sitting there all day hoping the food will swim by.
   

• You are proud that your state makes the national news 96 nights 

  each  year because International Falls is the coldest city in the nation.
   

• You have refused to buy something because it's too "spendy."
   

• You think a basketball team consists of twelve white boys.
   

• You're a card-carrying member of both the NRA and the ACLU.
   

• Your local Dairy Queen is closed from December through February.
   

• You instinctively walk like a penguin for three months out of the year.
   

• Someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there.
   

• Your dad's sun tan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead.
   

• You have apologized to a telemarketer.
   

• You may not have actually eaten it, but you have heard of Lutefisk.
   

• You have worn shorts and a parka at the same time.
   

• You have either a pet or a child named "Kirby."
   

• Your town has an equal number of bars and churches.
   

• You have had an entire telephone conversation with someone who 

  dialed a wrong number.
   

• You know how to say Wayzata, Mahtomedi, and Shakopee.
   

• You grew up thinking rice was only for dessert.
   

• You think that ketchup is a little too spicy.
   

• Every January, from age 2 to l3, you let your older siblings talk you into

   putting your tongue on a steel post.
   

• You consider Lime Jell-O a highly versatile food: a breakfast dish when it is filled 

  with fruit, a salad when it has shredded carrots and a dab of mayonnaise, and a 

  dessert when topped with Dreamwhip.
   

• You never had to rewind any part of "Fargo" because you missed some of the dialogue.
   

• You always believed that vacation meant "going up north."
   

• Your town has an annual festival honoring a fruit, vegetable, or ethnic food.
   

• The first time you saw "Grumpy Old Men," you thought it was a documentary.
   

• You can recite, from memory, more than a half-dozen "Ole and Lena" jokes.
   

• Every time you see moonlight on a lake, you think of a dancing bear, and sing, 

  gently, "From the land of sky-blue waters...Hamm's-the beerthat's so refreshing..."
   

• Your dog dies, your spouse leaves you, you lose your job, and your car breaks 

  down, all on the same day, and your first thought is, "It could be worse."

Who Lives Here?!

Upon arriving home from church and lunch this afternoon we climbed into bed to relax for a bit on this rainy, dark day.  After laying in bed for about 10 minutes we heard the tornado sirens go off for the first time since we've lived here.  It was creepy to say the least!  We ran out to the living room and turned on the news to see if St. Paul was having tornadoes.  As it turned out it looked okay for our area but to the north and slightly west of us a number of cities were in danger and some damage had already been done.  

This is the third day this year that tornadoes have been found whirling around the skies of Minnesota.  I remember scary tornado skies from when I lived here as a child but I am not sure if I've ever actually seen a tornado.  As amazing as it would be to see one I do not want the destruction that it brings so I hope never to see one.  Last year apparently was  Minnesota's most active year for tornadoes with 48 occuring on one day in June!  I found a website detailing Minnesota's tornado history which was pretty interesting to read about.  Hopefully this year's tornado season will not make the website!

Go Twins!

Last week, in the middle of our freaky cold spring here in Minnesota, my sister Jamie took me to a Twins baseball game.  I was wearing two jackets and we lost 15 to 3 but it was still fun!  Here are a few pics from Target Field.

Baseball is about the only sport I understand in the least bit and I even think it's kind of fun to watch.  I never cease to be amazed at how fast the pitchers are able to pitch the ball and I am constantly checking the speed clock.

My sister Jamie is the biggest Twins fan in the world and the whole state of Minnesota seems to be behind the Twins. This makes baseball season up here kind of fun!