Sugar Rush!

Check out this pumpkin we grew!
Mike threw a few seeds into the ground and this beauty sprouted.




Then these three cuties sprouted!

My tasty little Candycorns.

We had a really great day.
It was fun having Halloween on a Saturday when Mike was home and we could party from daylight to dusk. At one point, while trick-or-treating our street, Mae asked me to hold her candy jack-o-lantern. It was just too laden down with Halloween treats, her tiny 2 year old arms couldn't take the weight! :)

p.s. Happy Birthday to my dear brother C! Hope you had a spook-tacular b-day!

Winter Strikes

On Friday October 23rd, Minnesota was hit by winter. Three inches of it. We passed through it unphased and, with 50 degree weather the next day, we are now enjoying a wonderful spring.

In retrospect, this winter wasn't half bad!

Boundary Waters 1

From 9/3-9/8 I went to the Boundary Waters (along the US/Canadian border) with Ralph Whitesides, C Whitesides, Dave Lund, Dad (that'd be Dave Johnson) and Kurtis Tucker (the other counselor in our ward young men's presidency). The trip was great. Here are a few pictures.


We camped the first night on the shores of a quiet lake just outside of Ely, MN.

This was taken from the short of the campsite on Knife Lake where we spent most of our time. The weather was clear and warm with some beautiful sunsets.

And sunrises, here on Moose Lake as we paddled out on our last morning.

Here's a shot of our campsite on the night before we paddled out (more to follow).

Boundary Waters 2

Ralph showing proof that the load was shared over our 5 portages.

And Dave, wondering why there's so much walking on a canoe trip.

And Dad making sure that we don't go hungry (fishing poles) and make it out alive (first aid kit).

We all had a chance to carry the canoe on our shoulders. Here's C doing it in style.

Boundary Waters 3

Kurtis walking the trail.

Dad with photographic proof that fish were caught...

and fried, in a very dramatic fashion, by C. If you look close you could see the hairs on his forearms curling.

And some very fancy-looking food was dished out, garnished with "backwoods lobster".