Camping

Camping seems to be the reclaimed summer fun family activity.  I know some have always camped, but I seem to hear a lot more people (even some with very young children) talking about family camping trips lately.  And liking it.
I wish it sounded like fun.
I really do.
I blame my parents.
Camping for us was a Super 8.  A luxurious camping experience included an indoor pool.
The closest I want to get to camping right now is what we had near Duluth last summer--a 2 bedroom apartment with no air conditioning.
As is usual in such circumstances, as I was trying to forget about my hot, sticky misery and wondering what to do with three energetic kids in a small space, David made the comment that living--yes, living--in such conditions wouldn't be so bad.  Oh, husband of mine!  I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if I was the one working 12-hour days OUTSIDE our imagined hot, cramped apartment.  But, I digress.
So what do I have against camping?
I have about a 5 degree outside temperature comfort zone and about the same tolerance for wind speed.  I like to be clean at the end of the day and have my kids be clean, too.  If I am on vacation, I do not want to cook.  If we had a camper, I wouldn't want another "house" to keep clean and free of mice.  We can roast marshmallows right here in our yard at home--and I can go inside when the mosquitoes start to bite! 
When it comes down to it, if I am going to have the same responsibilities that I do at home only in a much smaller (and probably less comfortable) space, I would rather just stay home and wait for the next vacation opportunity to arise.
A hotel next to the mall?
Now that's quality family bonding time!

Paper Plate Creatures

As we began another day in the Land of Extreme Temperatures, it was clear we needed something new to do around here.  I found a stack of paper plates and a vinyl tablecloth (bought on clearance) in the closet, dug out some old craft supplies, and had the kids come out to the kitchen for some fun.

 My original intent was to make windsocks, but they had more fun making creatures instead.

 That worked for me!

Teresa did decide to put the tails on her project. 

Landen had the idea of using the pipe cleaners (I guess the correct term now is "chenille stems") to make a grassland diorama. 

We will see if that takes shape.  I'll keep you posted!

Just a Monday

It took me awhile to find my groove this morning.
Our family had a FANTABULOUS time at the Aquatic Center yesterday.  We hadn't been there for 3 years and at that time, little T was not to impressed with the water.  That was not the case this time!  We all enjoyed the cool water with the temps reaching almost 100 degrees.
But . . . today I just wasn't feeling it.  I felt anxious and couldn't shake it.
So, I did something I haven't done in . . . well . . . probably 8 or so weeks now.  I hit the treadmill.  After a couple of miles, I felt my mood lifting.  Now that I feel like doing more than just surviving the day, I NEED to get back in the habit of exercise.  My pregnancy weight gain has been minimal, but my body and soul just need to get moving.
Then I mowed for a little while while Landen took his water break.  I don't care how hot it is outside, mowing the lawn is therapeutic to me. 
Now as I approach the end of the day, there was plenty of good about it.  A few scrapbook pages got finished (even with three kids in the house), I had whipping cream for our mashed potatoes tonight, and the deer fly bites I got today didn't swell to the size of Texas (thanks to my miracle bug cream). 
It's time to get the kiddos to bed.  Good night!

Snow Cones

When I was a little girl, there was one thing I wanted every year when the JCPenney Christmas Catalog appeared in our mailbox.  Yes, it was this--the classic Snoopy Snow Cone machine. 

Even when I outgrew my want for this machine, I still gave my mom a hard time about not fulfilling that one dream I had early in life.

One day in my sophomore year of college, she surprised me with my very own Party Penguin Snow Cone machine.  He sat proudly on my dorm room shelf--a childhood dream fulfilled. 

My kids experienced snow cones at our friends' house earlier this week.  They have an electric machine, which really is the way to go if you are mass producing snow cones.  They even had an array of syrups to choose from.  My kids were in snow cone heaven.

I told them that we had a snow cone machine at home, too, but that it wasn't electric. 

Finally, after days of begging, I let them try it out tonight.  It really is not as labor intensive as Nathan makes it out to be. :o)

 After they worked to shave their three ice cubes into snow, they decided they didn't want to eat it, but to make a snowball to throw outside instead.

May all your childhood dreams come true!

A Sister in My History

This Saturday the Presentation Sisters will formally celebrate 125 years in Aberdeen SD.  There will be activities, tours, and historical presentations throughout the day on the convent grounds.  Point of Grace will perform an outdoor concert in the afternoon. 

I always love visiting Presentation Heights, where the sisters reside, during the half-day retreats they host twice a year.  Their hospitality is like nowhere else and it is always to joy to visit with them. 

The Presentation Sisters have long been active in education and medical care in Aberdeen.  They opened their first school in Aberdeen 1886 and St. Luke's Hospital, which is currently our major regional medical center, was begun by the sisters in 1901. 

 

Although there have been other nuns and at least one priest in our family, I believe Sister Leona Kallas (above) is the only Presentation Sister in my family history.  According to the Presentation website:

Sister Leona (Clara) Kallas was born July 21, 1903 in Leola, SD. She entered the convent Feb 10, 1926 and professed July 16, 1928. She entered nurses training at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles city and graduated in 1931 with a nursing diploma.  She died Sept. 5, 1997. 

Coincidentally, this is the same day Mother Teresa died.  She served as a registered nurse in Aberdeen for 45 years.

Here she is on a Black Hills vacation with her sister, Sister Anicetus (Frances) Kallas, who was a Dominican Sister. 
I did have a chance to meet Sister Leona at least once while I was growing up.  She took me on my one and only trip over the Aberdeen traffic through the brick walkway that connects St. Luke's with Lourdes Hall across the street.  I had always wanted to do that! 
I wish now that I had gotten a chance to know her better.
And, so, that is your Kallas family history lesson for the day.
Happy Anniversary, Presentation Sisters!