The Bunnies are Back for a Visit {community garden}

Well, it's a week later and the bunnies came back for a visit.  They all survived!

They are still so tiny.

The kids were in love.  They got to try feeding them their bottle
and holding them to try and keep them warm.

Then they all said goodbye until next week!

a day at work with daddy

today we went to work with daddy- we traveled with him all over the southeast corner of ND
we played at a bunch of school playgrounds and went out to eat at Taco Johns- what a treat!

 

At the end of the day we went to look at a farm that had caught my interest online.  It didn't end up being "the one" due to some major water issues in the yard but look at what I found in the kitchen!  I could barely stand it!!  The house was so cute but needed a lot of work on the outside...  The price was so great though!  Way less than our current home.
Someday I will get my hobby farm- you mark my words! :)

I-800A application in the mail!! {USCIS approval}

 

This is a big deal everyone!  We got the call from our social worker at Catholic Charities that our  homestudy is officially finished and John stopped by to pick up several copies before racing home to pop one of them into this manilla envelope that was all ready and waiting to go out.
What is a homestudy?  Well, it is basically every aspect of your life in full detail typed out in a several page report(as you can imagine, it is LONG).  It normally takes 3-4 months for one to be completed but ours was done in 2 1/2 if you count some corrections and adjustments that had to be made.

When I finally got my hands on the long anticipated homestudy, the past few months of endless paperwork, phone calls, interviews, and gathering materials finally felt worth it.  I was holding something that represented a wonderful change was in the works... that our family was growing.  I smiled at the thought and then got back to work. :)

So where is this next envelope containing the I-800A application and a copy of the homestudy going?
Well, it's off to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service to begin an approval process there.  This could take awhile everyone, just to warn you.  We may be looking at 1 1/2- 2 months.  During that time we also have to go in for a second round of fingerprints... this time biometric.  And these can only be done in one specific office in each state- lucky for us North Dakota's is located in Fargo!!

Once we get approval from USCIS then it will be time to mail off our dossier- yay!
It is exciting to be moving on to the next big step.  We will keep you posted!

Viking Festival

Jeffrey's dream come true:  he spent the whole afternoon as a Blacksmith's assistant!!

They made "Thor's Hammer" and Jeffrey got to keep it as a necklace!  It's his prized possession.
We were over the moon happy for him!!

watching a Viking battle

post Viking battle!

calligraphy 

wood carving

an early birthday present for Mickey- a drinking horn!

 

stone-grinding wheat

Needless to say, we LOVE the Viking Festival!  Why have we lived here for 5 years and never been to it?  It is definitely on our list of must do activities in the summer from now on.  If you've never been and you live near here- go!!

beaches & bunnies

Today we went to Buffalo River to swim at the watering hole and play on the beach- our friends came with us and the kids had a blast.

Jeffrey does this every time we go- digs a big hole and then sits in it.
It's hilarious.

Sometimes he can get other kids to join him.

BFFs

here's the watering hole- looks brown and dirty doesn't it?  it kinda is but it's warm and the kids love it!

Then, this evening at our Community Garden, a nest of bunnies were discovered under a huge pile of straw.  They were so tiny!!  Two of them were accidentally killed before anyone realized they were there and that really broke the heart of our animal lover.  He was crying and crying and then worrying about what was going to happen to the rest of them, knowing that the mommy may abandon them after they were messed around with so much.

 

Poor little guy.  Our friend Cadence was so sweet, she sat with him and placed her hand on his arm to try and make him feel better.

they sat like that for a long time, just watching the bunnies and making sure no one stepped on them.

Jeffrey grew attached to one in particular.  A kind man from the garden offered to take them all home and nurse them for the next week.  Jeffrey felt a lot better.  We can wait to see what they look like next Thursday!  Jeffrey is pretty sure he will be bring this little guy home eventually...

 

Meet "Blaze"

so, it rained last night

 

 

it was as if God opened the sky and all the water just fell out.
why can't the weather here EVER be normal????

the pool & a police picnic

so we have family passes to the pool this summer because it came with our Courts Plus membership and we are excited to use them!
did you know you can get icees there for only 25 cents??  how great is that!

we are looking forward to tons of water fun this summer(if it stays hot that is!)

then this evening we headed to Island Park for the annual Police Picnic- free chips, ice cream, entertainment, and fun!

these drummers were from Africa- they were so talented!!
everyone was mezmorized.

MB and I got henna tattoos- she LOVED that :)

the Marines had a chin up bar station and if you could do 20 you won a tshirt.
not surprisingly Mary Beth wanted to give it a go(even though it was only grown men that we saw participating thus far!) and wouldn't you know it that little peanut did it!!  no one could believe it- except her family- of course we know how strong she is!

sadly they were out of tshirts so after all that works she just got a lanyard!  oh well.
we were all proud of her!

Jeffrey and John gave it a go then... they did great but didn't hit the 20 mark.

 

The end of the night showcased some wonderful Native American dancing but they hurried up and we kinda ran to the car because a big thunderstorm was heading in.
Can't wait to go again next year- we always have so much fun at this event!