Grace

Kaj and his buddy Cade had a sleepover on Saturday night.  It was Cade's first and he did a great job.  He can come over any time.  Cade and Kaj were eating their supper of spaghetti.  Cade said we need to say grace and Kaj said you don't have to.  Cade said we don't have to either if we forget but if we remember then I always have to say it.  I told Cade he could go ahead and do grace and he did come lord jesus.  Then he and Kaj started talking about what Grace was and all the things they were thankful for and then about Adam and Eve and how woman was created, from Adam's rib, and Kaj was saying they just came up from the dirt(that part got a little deep for them pretty quick so they went back to grace and making up their own graces).  They were thankful for their food and homes and families and going to the bathroom and their nuts and their buts (and then my wonderful child adds at the end of that) assholes.  It really was a great conversation and there was lots of giggling but I just wanted to crawl under the table.  Even Cade was like "Kaj!"  Fun little minds at work.  I wander if parents still listen in when their children are 36 and if they find it as amusing?!

Grandma S.

Grandma is all tucked in in Duluth!  Auntie Karen and Uncle Bob drove all the way across the US with her and made it last Thursday.  So Friday we moved her all in and then moved out half the stuff because there wasn't room for it or she wasn't going to need it.  At least we don't think she will.  I am so glad that she has made it up and the Edgewood is a wonderful place.  Her roommate is super nice and a lot like her so they are getting along great right now.  Hopefully that will continue.  Kaj was busy helping Dad and Uncle Bob move stuff (or riding the cart).  Kaj and I spent most of the weekend down there so we could hang out with the rellies.  All in all a good weekend.  Kaj is still going good in school.  Wednesdays he has wednesday school and choir.  I can't wait to see them sing in church on the 24th! 
Skinner has been offered the county job, again sort of, I just wish he would try it.  But he is an independent thinker so we will just have to let him figure it out.

Things I love about Grand Marais

So on this beautiful fall day Gert came up to the house for the afternoon.  We had lunch and then later we had the old school afternoon coffee break with fresh apple crisp.  It just made me feel like I was living 40 years ago when people used to do that every day.  Then I brought Gert home and on the way we stopped and my friends Kent and Lyndsey's house.  The have created quite the farm of animals they have rehabbed.  First there is the dogs Wallace and Agnes.  The cats Elsie and Effie.  Clem the cow that was born way to early and lived in the house with them for a long time until he got to big but he still thinks he is a dog and most recently they have a chicken that lives in the living room, snuggles in bed with them, eats breakfast with them and also thinks he is a dog.  He got injured at the dairy when he was a chick so they took her in and she lays and egg every day for them.  I can't wait to see what other animals they will end up with over the course of our life time!
So I love Kent and Lyndsey.  Did i mention the chicken rides to town with them and goes into the gas station?  The cow used to ride to town with them too.  He is a little big for that now.

The other thing about GM I love is that there is a big sign outside the Recycling Center store that says Please don't leave items unless the store is open.  And there is always a big pile of items that have been left right in front of the sign. Cracks me up.

Another thing about GM that I love is that when you get older or if you can't open containers like juice bottles, the clerk at the grocery store will do it for you.

Free cookies at the bank on Fridays bring in customers who have no bank business but just want to get a cookie or there are some that will sit around like it is a coffee house.  Again with no banking business to actually do.

And then Kaj says...

Skinner is out cutting wood with the chainsaw and Kaj is giving direction.  Kaj says "I am going to roll these logs down so you can cut them"  Skinner says " You be careful so you don't roll them on top of you"  And then Kaj says" I am more worried about you than me"  Skinner says "Why because I am old and slow"  Kaj says " Yea, remember the last time you rolled the logs down and got your foot stuck."!

Also yesterday the 22nd of September Kaj got to shoot the beebee gun for the first time.  That is quite a bit of fun for him.  He can't cock the gun though so he still needs help and we don't want him shooting by himself anyway.  He did mention that Grandpa doesn't like him doing things that aren't safe.  Another cool thing about the gun is that was Grandma Gert's old gun.  So it has some years on it because I think she said that it was her Dad's.

6 years

My boy is six.  So far so good!  The big party is this weekend so hopefully I will get my act together and post more pictures then.  And stories of course.

Not for the easily embarrassed

Kaj: Daddy has big nuts, I have little nuts, Did you know they feel like balls.  What are those things?
Mommy:  Those are your testicles. 
K: What are those for?
M:  That is where seaman is made and then you get older and have a wife and you want to have a baby the seaman will come out your penis and go into your wife and you will make a baby.
K: I don't get it....I am going to pee on my wife that doesn't make any sense!

Later
K: I am glad I don't have to have babies.  And I can pee standing up.  I am glad that I am a boy.  I don't want to have any babies
M:  You have to have babies so that I can be a Grandma.
K: You don't want to be a Grandma they are old and you don't want to be old do you. 
M:  I am going to get old anyway so I want to be a Grandma when I am old.
K: (Laughing)

On the more adult side of things Brandi had a great weekend and is becoming such a young lady.  She got to go on an archealogical dig in Grand Portage and the people that she was digging with asked if she would go to Isle Royale with them next summer for a week for a dig out there.  She is very excited about it.  I hope it all works out. 

One more thing

So Kaj comes home from the first day of school and I ask him how it went.  He said he couldn't tell me it was a secreat.  I asked why was it a secreat and it is because I am a girl he couldn't tell me.  I literally had to get school information from Skinner!  I hope this is a short phase.

Jobs

My Dad always wanted me to make a list of the jobs that I have had.  I haven't done it but I thought I would get Kaj and Brandi started.  To be honest I am not very sure for Brandi.  Kaj and Brandi both have picked up mail for the neighbors and have made a few dollars doing that. Brandi has worked at the Farmer's Market with her Papa and she has worked spreading seed for her Dad.  Kaj went in last week and asked my boss at the bank for a job.  So he was the candyman for 3 days and made 90 cents.  He also did the recycling, stuffed notices and got things organized at the bank.  He orginally asked for a job.  I can't remember if I have put this story on here or not.  So I will just tell it from the start.  Kaj said he wanted a job with big money.  I said he should ask my boss.  So he came into work with me one day and asked Mike for a job.  Mike said he could be the candy man so Kaj filled the candies, recycled boxes and then we went to deliver them to the recycling center.  Kaj forgot to ask for the big money part so he had to go back to Mike and say "I forgot to ask to get paid for the job"  Mike asked how much he wanted and Kaj said "90 dollars".  Mike laughed and said "how about 90 cents" Kaj said sure.  So he worked the next day and he went in to ask to get paid and Mike said tomorrow was pay day.  So Kaj had to go in for a 3rd day to make his 90 cents.  The grocery store offered to pay him 3 times what Mike was paying but Kaj only wants to work at the bank. 

Oh Brandi did watch Kaj a bit this summer so that was another job that she started this summer.  Brandi also just started volleyball this fall.  I am so excited for her but I am trying not to pressure her even though I think she could make one smokin volleyball player!

Lucky

 

Meet Lucky!  He was born last night sometime so we are calling his birthday today the 27th.  He is friendly and Mama Tara is letting us get close to him so that is nice too. 

2013 Block Party

We had our annual block party this last weekend.  It was a really nice night with everyone that came.  Leslie was in top form and wore a tiara most of the night.  The boys came over which is always fun to have a little young blood around.  And most of the neighbors were there.  The night before we got to have my step sister and her husband over with their 21 month old so we could show him the horses and take him for a cart ride.  There were just so many cool things he didn't want to go.  He and Kaj had had a great day canoeing with Gramma and Granpa.  Apparently Ty was trying to do everything that Kaj was doing.  At one point Kaj was climbing on a log and turns and says to Ty " You don't ever want to do this.  It is very dangerous"  Glad he knew he was being watched at least and warned Ty not to do it even if he isn't the most mothering type of child.  He is a bit more of the roll your eyes at someone wanting to copy everything you do.  But he can do alright and gets some practice at daycare with helping the little ones.  It is just one more week and Brandi goes back to her Mom's and it is just two more weeks before the kids go back to school.  I can't believe it.  It just dawned on me that Friday is the day that we find out what class he will be in.  I am so excited.  Probably more than Kaj even!

Beware a Penis Story!

Kaj: Mom you know what.
Mom: No what
Kaj: Yesterday my penis just went verrrt out the side of my underwear
Mom: Why did it do that
Kaj: It got scared
Mom: Why did it get scared
Kaj: Because it is dark in my underwear so it just went verrrt out the side!

The Aunts

Last weekend Kaj got another special treat of spending the weekend with the Aunts all by himself.  It is my understanding they were a bit nervous about driving Kaj from Silver Bay to Zim wondering what they were going to talk about.  But not to worry with Kaj.  He can go on forever joining all the stories and sentences together with "and you know what".  They were to go to the St. Louis county fair but it rained off and on all week so they ended up staying home and Kaj did a 150 piece puzzle.  He was really racing doing it he told me and finished his before Auntie Doris finished her big one.  He had a great time and it looking forward to going back.  Hopefully we can squeeze something in with Brandi before she has to go back for school. 
This weekend now Cousin Reese is here for a couple of days by herself with Gramma Becca and Granpa Jim.  So she and Kaj are running them ragged.  They had to bring extra rocks to the beach to throw in the lake!  Cousin Gus will be coming with his mom and dad today and Kaj has told me that he will be in charge of Gus.  We will see how that goes.  I think we will put camp couselor Brandi it charge of all the little ones and we will give the adults a break.  That reminds me that Brandi comes back today after having a couple of weeks with her Mom.  Don't tell her but we got her a snorkle and goggles and a sleeping bag for her birthday.  I would have to say that it has been a pretty good summer so far.  The kiddos have certainly enjoyed themselves.

Best Special Day Ever

Auntie Karen and Uncle Bob have finally arrived and the kids have been hanging with them.  Cousin Bailey was here for a week before and a wonderful time.  Kaj and Brandi spent the first night at the cabin with Karen and Bob and then Brandi had to leave on a 4 day camping trip.  Kaj spent Sunday night at the cabin and that night he said he wasn't feeling well.  His throat hurt.  He went back to bed and then Bailey checked on him and he was crying and said he was lonely so Bailey and Uncle Bob climbed in bed with him and Uncle Bob kept falling asleep.  Monday was raining so they went to town and Auntie Karen bought him a cap rifle and they went to lunch at the Crooked Spoon where he got to drink Mountain Dew.  He said at lunch it was the best special day ever!  It was a special day because the cap rifle was his early birthday present.  Last night we had steak on the grill.  Uncle Bob has been fishing off the dock at the cabin and catching quite a few fish.  Kaj even caught a little bass.  It has been a very relaxing vacation for them and even for me though I have to work.  I love that Kaj is getting to spend so much time with them.  Brandi will be back on Thursday and I imagine spending her last two nights here at the cabin.  I hope she is having a wonderful time on her canoe trip.

Project

I was working on building some raised beds for the garden.  I needed some screws.  Skinner was gone and where he told me there were screws there were not so I went to ask Kaj if he had any on his work bench.  I asked him"Do you have any screws?" "Yeah, what size do you need" "I need some about this long" "What are you going to use it for?  We better just go take a look" This is exactly how it goes when I ask his father for something.  I am going to have to go and get my own shop.  In the end he didn't have the right size screws either.

Last Day!

Last Day of Kindergarten!  Kaj was not impressed.  He wants to go to Kindergarten forever and not go to 1st Grade.  But then on Monday he got to start Explorer's Club so that worked out good.  He slept very well after the first day and he was doing it again today so hopefully it will be two nights of good sleep.  We ordered him a new back pack last night and this morning he asked when it was going to be here.  Last night was also the first night of T-ball.  They just had practice but I went and got a blizzard for him to have right after.  He got in the truck after practice, I handed him the blizzard and he says just giddy "Mom you are too cool!"  I hope I get to hear that again in my life time but that was definately worth it.  Pretty much guaranteed him getting a blizzard after every game!

The above picture was from my birthday.  Gramma Becca made the most amazing Strawberry Shortcake to date!  The boys are trying to give me a kiss.  Or I was trying to get kisses(something Kaj is not fond of doing) and Kaj decided to like me instead. 



Worst Day of Kaj's Life

The other day Kaj came home from school.  I asked him how his day was and he responded "It was the worst day of my life!"  I asked why and he said "Because Mrs. Brandt(his teacher)was gone all day"  I later talked with Mrs. Brandt's husband because I had emailed the story to her and he and seen it.  He said it was the worst day of his life too because Mrs. Brandt was home sick all day!

Yesterday the kindergarten class took a field trip around town.  He was sooooo worn out when he got home.  He fell asleep for 10 min. and then Grandma and Grandpa showed up with homemade Strawberry Shortcake for my birthday and he was right back at it again.  He didn't fall asleep until 11 and then he woke me up at quarter to 7 this morning.  Something he never does.  He is more of the sleep in guy unless it is the weekend and then he just jumps right out of bed. 

Skinner had his first interview ever for a job with the county today.  I hope that it went well although he has nothing to compare it too so we will just have to wait and see if he gets a job.  He is hoping for one in the fall since the phone has been ringing off the hook with people needing work done.  But pretty funny watching a 50 year old try to not be nervous about something and you know he is about jumping out of his skin with nervousness.  Maybe we should have given him one of those pills he took before he went in to be fixed!

Brandi called last night.  She has two books to read before the end of school which is the end of next week.  Of course over the long weekend she forgot her kindle at school so she did no reading and had to take a test today.  We will see how she did.  This weekend will be a lot of reading!

Performance

Last night Skinner and I drove to Duluth for Brandi's concert.  They sang a lot of popular tunes.  A Green Day Medley, Accidently in Love, Now I See(?)(from the movie Tangled).  The kids did a great job.  I can't believe all the ones that got up and did solos.  Brandi was singing along even when the 7th and 8th Graders were singing because she knew all the words.  She did a great job and what a feet by the choir teachers with at least 300 hundred if not 600 kids in the production.  I took a video and as I was doing that I noticed that Brandi was bouncing her leg to the beat.  I scanned down all the kids legs and she was the only one.  And I think that she had come up with hand motions for all the songs too but they were doing them in the program.  Maybe she will be a back up singer when she grows up!

Misc.

Kaj was out driving the Tractor this spring and I had sent a picture to some of you but not all.  Now I can't seem to get it loaded here.  Anyway Kaj was driving Skinner was holding on for dear life to his seat.  Great Grandma Jackie said she could use a good hired man around her place.

 I told Kaj last night that Grandma Jackie wanted to hire him and he said “Woohoo! I am so doing that.”   Then very seriously he says “But Daddy is going to have to go with me because I wasn’t doing the pedals so I will need him to do the pedals for me.”  Kids are hilarious. 

Brandi is having problems remembering where she put anything.  I mean at least twice this weekend she asked where something was and she was the one that had put it away.  One time it was Eino.  She asked where he was and Skinner says "You just put him outside two minutes ago"  Oh yeeeeaaaah.  I tell you what  she knew more about where everything was at and what was going on when she was 4.  Still my favorite daughter but I just hope she gets it together.

Let me start by saying Kaj is totally ok.  I have been waiting for Kaj to have an accident on the 4 wheeler and just praying that it wouldn't be bad.  His father is of the mind that you need to let kids do things and they are going to get hurt standing still so you may as well let them do things.  A far cry from my Dad who is saftey 1st...2nd...3rd.  Kaj does at least wear a helmet.  Lately he has been getting very confident on the 4 wheeler.  Looking behind him when driving.  Waving, not using any hands,  looking to the side, whipping doughnuts.  Anyway this last weekend if was looking behind him and Skinner had one of the ramps down on a trailer.  Kaj was looking behind himself and drove one of his tires up on the trailer and off and in the process he fell of the back.  He says the 4 wheeler ran over him which is much more dramatic but I didn't see any evidence of that.  Anyway he go a bruise on his hip where he landed and then slightly skinned an elbow.  Skinner doesn't usually leave ramps down but in this case it turned out a lot better than him driving into the corner of the trailer and hopefully he will be a bit more careful. 

Three musketeers

 Kaj had a special treat last week.  His cousins came to visit.  Kaj had school but was lucky enough to get to hang out with them after school for two days.  He was absolutely giddy waiting for them to come and pick him up at school.

 Here they are as Kaj is giving the tour of the school.

 Mostly they did a lot of skiing.  It seems that everyone had a great time and improved quite a bit in the two days.  Reese said she dreamed about it and got better.

The proud Gramma Becca and her ski team. 

It was great to see the cousins and we can't wait for them to come back again.

God and Robbers

Last week when Skinner, Bruce and Kaj were moving equipment out of the woods.  Bruce and Kaj were in the truck while Skinner was in the Hahn or something.  Kaj asks Bruce " Bruce why did God make robbers?"  Bruce said "That is a good question and I don't really know the answer to that."  Kaj said "I think God was mad when he made robbers"

Easter 2013

We had a wonderful Easter.  The Easter Bunny left jellybeans all over the house for the kids to find.  Which they did and then they ate them.  We got to Easter breakfast late at the church so there wasn't much there.  Brandi was an acolyte for the service.  Something that she has never done before and she did great.  She carried the cross and then helped serve communion by collecting the used wine glasses.  She seemed to have a really good time.  Afterward we went to Grandpa Jim and Gramma Becca's for Beer Butt Chicken, which was wonderful.  Skinner and I bailed and went home to set up a tent in the shop for painting my car in and the kids stayed behind to play a bit more with Grandpa and Gramma.  They played Monopoly, had an Easter Egg Hunt and who knows what else.  Fun was had by all.  Now Kaj is looking forward to cousins Reese and Will coming up to visit.  Brandi is not really looking forward to going back to school but the next time we pick her up we will be picking out our plugs at a greenhouse in Two Harbors.  Spring will be here sometime!

White hair

A couple of weeks ago I was heading to work.  Just as I was getting in the truck Skinner (from 8 ft away) yells "Stop what have you got in your hair!"  I didn't know so he came over and inspected.  He goes that is white hair!  I have been noticing more and more the hair color changing.  I do have on the side of my head almost something like a streak.  It isn't quite a streak yet but it is working on it.  Is it Kaj, Brandi or Skinner that I should blame for so many white hairs?!

Boyfriend!

Well Brandi texted on Friday that she had a boyfriend and then I asked for details of how it went down and here is the text I received, typos and all for the sake of history. " theres not many details. here goes. we always pass notes in science so after the dance he has been saying i likes me and I said it too so he gave me the ring(she had sent a text a couple of days before of a really nice ring he had given her) then i had some my friends volunteer to take a note to him so they did then after about ten times of passing the note he asked to want to out with me   yes   no i said yes so ya i have a boyfriend now yay!"
How sweet is that.  I am not sure what they do now that they are boyfriend and girlfriend in 6th grade.  I will have to text her tonight and find out.

Not there yet

The sun is just a little brighter and I know soon it is going to be melting all over and soon it is going to be smelling like spring.  Already though I could start grilling.  We actually did grill a couple of weeks ago.  I think it was a year ago on the 12th that we grilled outside and there was no snow.  Crazy.  We still have snow currently and it still mostly feels like winter. 
Kaj's favorite movie, and one of mine too, is the Robin Hood but it is a cartoon done with animals.  He laughs to the point of crying everything time he sees the chase after the archery contest.

Brandi's favorite movie right now is any movie.   She is such a teenager.  I think she would forget her head if it wasn't attached.  But she is still a sweety.  She was on a spring break of sorts about a week ago and she got to ski every day of it with Gramma Becca.  It is pretty much her favorite thing to do.  Really anything with Gramma Becca is her favorite thing to do!

Catching up

So a few things to get caught up on.  We got a new puppy Eino (Ano).  He is growing like a weed and I am hoping will be very smart.  Anssi and Kaj are really the ones that are playing with him the most. 
Grandpa Bill died on February 1, 2013.  He was 95 and he and Gert had been married for 51 years.  We had a nice funeral and it was a first for both of the kids.  Kaj was really excited to go and Brandi was being "cool" about it.  After all was said and done Kaj said that night that his first funeral was boring.  But when he was back at school the next day he told his class it was really fun.  I would say everyone is really happy for Bill being able to rest.  The funeral had a much bigger attendence then any of us thought, it was really touching.
Brandi danced with a boy for the first time at the school dance last Friday.  Apparently he is a very nice boy but just a friend.  She doesn't want me to tell anyone so don't tell her I told you.  I wanted to write down the occasion so in many years she can look back and the blog and see we recorded some of her milestones.  I think she would be ok with it when she is like 40 but not so much a week after the big moment.  I think his name was Riley just for the record. 
Kaj had a Valentine's Party this week.  We were a little short on Valentine's that you pick up at the store and hand out so we had to make some.  Kaj insisted on making rectangle or triangle shapes instead of hearts.  Then he wondered where all the presents were.  He didn't get that the candy was the present.  We did not do presents.  Finally we just ran out of time so we could only do the gummy bracelets.
Next week is Skinner's 50th birthday!

Eino

We got Eino (A no) this weekend.  He was born November 26, 2012 and is an australian shepard with a little border collie.  He is sweet and the kids are doing great with him.  Brandi was immediatly in love.  Kaj was letting Brandi do her thing and when she left it still took him another day and he is all in now.  Although when Eino knocked over his hot dog he was "mad at Eino and I am never going to play with him again!".  Hopefully Brandi will get to come a couple extra weekends this month and we are getting her for  a whole week so she will get to spend plenty of time with him.  Not much else to report at this time.  Skinner is logging, I am working, Kaj and Brandi are doing the school thing.  Y-ski is going well for the kids.  Brandi did skate skiing for the first time last weekend and she wasn't thrilled about it but once she does it a few times I think she will really like it.  I need to get some pictures of Eino up here so we can capture the moments when he is little since it doesn't stay like that for very long.

Chilly

I know things are chilly in Vegas and Arizon for the rellys there but today we wook up to -35 windchill.  Winter is finally here!  It doesn't seem to phase Kaj much which is good.  Hopefully the kids will get to do Y-ski this weekend.  We are really lacking in snow but they should be able to find some somewhere to enjoy. 
This morning I wanted Kaj to ride the bus because they can drop the kids off closer to the gym where they will hang out until school starts because it is so cold.  Of course he ate his waffle then he had to poop then he needed another waffle and then he got dressed.  And because it is so cold he needs to wear a lot of layers and then he needed his hat and mittens and Dad had moved them.  Some mornings it just isn't in the cards to make it to work on time.  We will have try again tomorrow.  I wasn't too late so I shouldn't really complain.

Y ski

Kaj had his first offical day of Y-ski.  He did it all last year but it was just him and Grandpa doing their own thing.  He really enjoyed it and afterword he called to ask if he could go to Grandpa's for awhile.  I said that would be fine if it was ok with Grandpa, Grandpa said it was okay with him but they had to check with Grandma.  Kaj found Grandma and said "Would you like it if I came to your house for awhile after Y-ski?"  Of course she said yes.  How could you resist being asked like that!  It is a long week in Kindergarten this week.  After so much time off a 5 day weeks seems to take forever.  This morning Kaj was sure it was the last day of school for the week because he had already gone for 4 days.  Unfortunatly for him it has only been two days so far.  Other news Skinner has moved to a new block of wood.  It is so windy today I really hope that he isn't cutting anything, just processing.  Bruce, who helps out in the winter, had his 20something son out helping the last two weeks.  Bruce was kicked out of the skidder and his son drove it.  So Bruce became the photographer.  I got to sit though 125 logging pictures the other night.  If I hadn't done logging before I would have been terribly bored, but Bruce took some really good pictures.  One day he even got a video that we posted on You Tube.  Oh and Skinner won his first auction on Ebay.  He was so pumped last night you would think he had won the lottery instead of a pair of used cowboy boots.

Christmas

Christmas was great this year.  Kaj got to spend some wonderful time with the cousins in the cities.  He and Grandpa listened to the books on tape(Hank the Cow Dog) all the way home.  Thank you Auntie Connie for those.  Kaj returned home on Christmas Eve.  He and I were hanging out listening to Hank the Cow Dog when Kaj turns to me and says "Mommy you know tonight is Christmas Eve"  I said "Yes it is" "We open our presents on Christmas Eve" "Usually we do but we are going to wait until Sissy gets here" "Well it isn't going to be a very Merry Christmas for me if I don't get to open a present"  Well that did it.  He got to open one that night and pretty much the rest the next day.

So we hung out for a few days.  Kaj went to the neighbors to work on his fastest car in the world that also cuts trees as it drives along.  He is having a great time doing erector sets with George.  They have a couple of videos on youtube now of things they have built. 

Auntie came on Thursday with Dan and Sage, so Kaj had another playmate.  Then we were supposed to pick up Brandi Friday night in Duluth but her plane was delayed so we didn't pick her up until Saturday in Beaver Bay.  Not a bad deal since it was a snow storm Friday Night. 

Saturday the Aunts and Grandpa Jim and Grandma Gert came over.  We had Ham dinner, opened presents and played the dice game.  Bette had a pretty slow year for rolling doubles but everyone still made a good haul.  Kaj got a guitar and pogo stick for Christmas both have been a big hit.  He walks around strumming his guitar and singing.  Brandi has really globbed on to the pogo stick and has gotten over 300 jumps at one time.  It was wonderful to have everyone squeezed into our little house.  The kids did also get new skis this Christmas and they have already been using those.  All in All the best part is just getting together and I look forward to the next time.