Fargo Favorites #52 LAST ONE!

I can NOT believe a whole year has come and gone! I started my journey of "Fargo Favorites" in order to save me from the Winter Blues of this frozen tundra called Fargo. I did it to force me to always be on the lookout for things to be grateful for. I can't say it totally kept the blues away but I can say it saved me in a way. Wow! Isn't it amazing how keeping your eyes open to the world around you- can make you aware of things you never would have noticed? It will always be a treasure to look back and see all the wonderful things to be found here in Fargo. I will miss adding to this list. In a way this post is bitter sweet. But all good things come to an end and there are always new doors to open. (Stay tuned for what's in store for the coming year)
So in honor of my LAST Fargo Favorites post, I proudly present the

Top 10 List of Favorite

Things about living in Fargo:

10. My Blog

OK, so maybe this is not really a Fargo thing but for me it is. Fargo is where I first had a few gentle nudges (or a couple really hard shoves) to start a blog. Now 2 years later, I blog almost every day. Thanks Fargo ladies for making me into the freaky Blog-ahloic I am today! I will never forget you! Literally... you are permanently branded onto the cyber world and my heart FOREVER!

9. White Beauty

Here in Fargo I have learned to appreciate the color white! Let's just say that it is pretty hard to miss at least for most of the year. There's snow, outdoor ice skating rinks, snow drifts, snow, albino buffalos, snow, flocked trees, snow, labyrinths, snow glitter, igloos, and did I mention- SNOW!? LOL

8. The Language

It's not a foreiegn language, it isn't exotic or romantic or southern-y but FarrrgOO, Nor'Dakoda definitely has it's own way of saying things, dontchaknow? Oh yaaaah and here in Fargo you pooot your groceries in a beg! And you're definitely from Fargo if you understand ALL the uses of the word "Uff-Da"! LOL

7. Four Seasons

This might seem to be an oxymoron considering this IS Fargo but regardless of how short each season may be (or how long one in particular may be. LOL), we do enjoy a little of all 5 of them. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Construction. And we appreciate every one of them! (at least for the first few weeks)
Funny saying I found:
If your kids trip over Christmas lights and Halloween bags while searching for Easter Eggs . . .

If during the brief Fall you proudly rake the whole yard to get a bag or two of leaves before the wind does.. . . . . then you must be from North Dakota.

6. Travel Time

Not sure I will ever survive anywhere that requires more than 15 minutes to get to... well, anywhere! We are so spoiled here. Everything is close and rush hour traffic is when cars on the freeway slow down by 5 MPH. ARRRGGG! It still frustrates me!
5. The Clouds

I can't get enough of the clouds here in Fargo. I actually should have added them to the "White Beauty" list. ;) With no mountains or tall building or towering trees to block the view, you can see them across the entire sky. So beautiful!

4. Agriculture
Agriculture is the largest industry in North Dakota. I love driving to Bismarck or just outside of town and seeing all the different kinds of fields. My favorites are the corn fields, the sunflower fields and all the big hay bales. We also love to see the wild turkeys roaming the fields in the Fall. And who can forget our very own apple tree? We love that thing!

3. Midwest Hospitality
Fargonians are the best people around. They are kind, thoughtful, hard-working, trustworthy and pull together when it really counts. I will always look back fondly on the Fargo Flood Fight of 2009, the Minot Flood of 2011 and all the middle of the continent Hurricane Cleanup. Fargonians sure know how to stick together when the going get's tough!

2. Bragging RightsIf you live in Fargo, ND for at least 12 months- you earn BRAGGING RIGHTS for the rest of your life. Anyone that can survive the harshness of the below (way, way, way below) freakin' freezin' Winter weather here, the low serotonin levels and still come out smiling & polite deserves a great big gold STAR on their forehead! Believe me, if I survive this next Winter, I'm making me a T-shirt! {I SURVIVED a Fargo Winter! 6 times} LOL!
1. Friends
My all time favorite part of living in Fargo (besides being here with my cute Fam) is my amazing, awesome, beautiful friends! I can't even begin to describe what it's like here. You just have to experience it yourself to understand. Wanna join us? (We'll even throw in a free T-shirt. LOL!) It's like having 25 or more BEST friends on any given day! We laugh together, we cry together, we survive together, we play together, we craft together, we GNO together, we grow together! BEST friends ever!!! I luv you ladies!

Uncle Dixon

I've said it before, I'll say it again! We love visitors! Uncle Dixon had a work thing to do in Grand Forks this week. We got lucky enough to have him come spend an evening with us before he headed home! We shared some Qdoba with him for dinner. Yummy! Then Brett and the kids played games and took him on the Go-Kart while I had to run to my Cake Decorating Class. (I'll discuss that when I finish the class) But then we all met for DQ ice cream after! Double yum! It even got a bit chilly in his honor. Gotta love Fargo! Nothing like freezin' your hiney off in September. LOL! With it being a school night, we had to get the kids to bed but not before they gave Uncle Dixon like a million hugs! Thanks Dixon for coming to see us. Hug your Fam for us and tell them we love them!

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The Seamons got a PET!

Now before your jaw drops to the floor (For those who know we are NOT animal people)...
It is NOT a dog or a cat or a hamster or a bird! Basically it's nothing that our kids had in mind. LOL!

But for today the Seamons got a pet! Brett spent a great deal of time putting a collar on our new buddy. He is very cute and tiny! He is very good at doing tricks like sitting patiently, rolling over, and playing dead. The kids even took turns taking him on a walk. When they finally decided to take him for a walk outside..... he flew away. Unfortunately for him, it was right into a spider web! But fortunately for him, Justice came to his rescue. Afterall, he is part of the family! LOL Good job Justice for keeping him safe! Now, I know you are dying to see what pet the Seamons could possibly handle so....

Introducing....

XTreme Makeover Classes

This year's Stake RS Women's Conference was so good it was like our very own Time Out for Women! Our theme was Extreme Makeover and all the speakers based their class around a TV Show title. It was so fabulous and exactly what I needed to hear. Here's a few of the amazing things I learned. (Heads up- I was a little long winded on my notes! LOL)

The Mentalist- Carrie Wrigley

Carrie Wrigley was our guest speaker that came from UT to be with us this weekend!
The Mentalist is a show about a young man with some extra special gifts that goes around solving mysteries and helping people. Well, two thousand years ago, another Young Man with super-natural powers provided a way to solve ALL mysteries and problems. Carrie talked about CHRIST Centered Healing. She specifically focused on healing depression.
John 16:33- These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have ^eovercome the world.
In this world, we WILL have tribulation. That is a certainty. But how we look at it, handle it and react to it is the question.
D&C 122:5- "If thou art called to pass through tribulation..." Have you ever thought of tribulation as a calling? Tribulation does have many commonalities to a calling like it is for a certain period of time, there are a set number of lessons we can learn from it, there will be growth if you do it well, and God will give you strength to do it!
There are three main ineffective approaches to dealing with the tribulations of life.
1. Assessment-only therapy
2. Medication only
3. Misguided spirituality- If I pray hard enough or serve more or have more faith, God will make everything better.
The reason these 3 approaches alone are ineffective is because they all require someone else to fix it.
God rarely takes away our problems but He will:
1. Visit us Mosiah 24:14
2. Support us Alma 36:3, 27
3. Lead us 2 Nephi 4:20
4. Nourish, strengthen us 1 Nephi 17:3
Healing is NOT a passive process!!! It requires work on our part!
Carrie taught us about IRA.
IDENTIFY- What is your problem? (We got a chuckle at this because I don't think she ever said "What is your problem?" but that's what she meant. So now a couple of us- when we see each other sad are gonna ask each other- "What's your problem?" LOL!
REPLACE- replace the problem with something else. This is not a magic wand. It requires a conscious effort.
ASSIMILATE- make the new thing apart of you!
The Diamond- represents
1. Relationships- Most TRIGGERS (things that send us in a downward spiral) have to do with some kind of relationship. Grief>Transition>Conflict>Lack of Interpersonal skills>abuse>loss>disappointment
Question is- "A Trigger for What?" Are you gonna spiral up or down?
2. Thoughts- Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns
Common Cognitive Distortions
a. All or Nothing -"On and Off Switch"
b. Self Blame "It's all my fault"

c. Should Statements- impossible expectations
d. Mental filter- focus on the negative
Replacements
a. Continuous Thinking "The Dial" 0- all bad 10- all good, Where do you fall on the dial?
b. Blame Pie- 1 part his, 1 part mine, 1 part theirs
c. Three part Reality 1. It would be nice if... 2. But the reality is... 3. Therefore my most effective response is...
d. Gratitude Awareness- Perspective Finding Joy in Life- Richard G Scott
3. Behavior- The Brain like a heart is a physical organ. Are you eating garbage or starving it? Feed it what is recommended! exercise, sleep, eat good! The Me-O-Meter Balance what you do for other with what you do for yourself. The other magic word- NO!! LOL
4. Spirituality- Jesus Christ is the key to transform us. He can and will help us relate to others (relationships), focus our thoughts, and change our behavior. He is the Ultimate Mentalist!

True Grit- Liz Legerski
True Grit is an unfaltering courage; devotion to what is right; indomitableness; of a solid character; doing what is right regardless of the danger involved.
To me, true grit is reaching down when you’ve got nothing left and finding the way to keep going. When your body feels as if its going to explode with pain, your energy reserve are depleted and yet you still find in you a little left to give a little more and somehow keep going.
Life can throw lots at us. But we need to keep an eternal perspective while living in the here and now. How can we stick to what we know in spite of the challenges around us. Questions are answered by getting out of our ruts!
Prayer Rut

• schedule it!
• ask for help to want to pray
• count your blessings
• pray whenever you need to. Do it NOW!
• read Elder Bednar's 2008 Conference Talk on prayer
• change it up- say it out loud, only gratitude, bear your testimony, different places

Scripture Rut

• teach a class
• use a study guide
• reminders- put a scripture up everywhere
• change it up- go deep! go fast! topics, chronological, new language

Focus on what you know! Bear testimony to yourself! So I'll take a little advice from this class. Here are some things that I know:
Jesus Christ is the Savior
Families can be together forever
I was created to be JOYful
God knows me and loves me
I am a daughter of a creator and have some of his attributes
I have the ability to do great things!

Touched by an Angel- Jay Pickrel
God has provided a very real messenger (the word angel in Greek means messenger) to the earth to tell depressed and troubled people that God loves them and God hasn't forgotten them.
There are 2 forms of learning: Spiritual and Temporal. Spiritual Learning is very different from temporal learning !
Impressions- limit distractions

Patriarchal blessings- road map
Prayer journal- keep track of what God is telling you!
Other people- God answers prayers through other people sometimes
Temple Celestial Room- Close to God

Listen to the Spirit
Heed. Exercise faith
It will allow you to be able to hear the Spirit better
Strengthen faith even more.
It's a circle!

Purposes of revelation- from a talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks
1. Develop Testimony
2. Prophecy
3. Comfort
4. Uplift us
5. Inform
6. Restrain us
7. Confirm

8. Impel us to action

Minute to Win It- Brittney Sinclair

We did an exercise in small group. We were each given a puzzle to complete. Only thing was that all the pieces were messed up. We had to go searching and sharing with each other to complete it. But in the end we were all missing one piece. We learned that we can help each other for most of life's problems but Jesus Christ is the Center to the puzzle, the only way to be complete.

She used Dallin H. Oaks's talk- Focus and Priorities

Parable of the Talents- Matt 25:14-30 It isn't about how many talents you have but what you do with them that counts!
Idleness- "Because of increased life expectancies and modern time saving devices, most of us have far more discretionary time than our predecessors. We are accountable for how we use that time."
FOCUS
1. Clear Focus- There is so much info out there. Don't be like 2 Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth". We need to have a clear focus on what's the best!
2. Avoid what is Harmful- spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally
3. Our biggest need is Jesus Christ and following the promptings of the Spirit. Each of us should be careful that the current flood of information does not occupy our time so completely that we cannot focus on and hear and heed the still, small voice that is available to guide each of us with our own challenges today.
PRIORITIES
3 Nephi 13:33- Seek God 1st then all things will be added unto you!
1. Build up the Kingdom of God- Missions & Attending the Temple
2. Understand my relationship with God
3. Understand my relationship with my family- secure those relationships in the Temple
Priorities are most visible in how we spend our time! Where is my heart? How do I use my MINUTE?

How do I get my Happily Ever After?- Carrie Wrigley

Carrie sang songs and shared some information from Elder Uchtdorf's talk- Your Happily Ever After.
"Once upon a time.... All Princesses have tough times before their ... Happily ever after!" SONG- Happily ever After

1. Vision- of who we are and why we're here!
2. Trust- in the Lord with all thine heart! No matter what! When life circumstances change we need to ask ourselves- Who do I need to be NOW? Trust God most when life is the most unfair, darkest, hardest!
3. Endurance- Life WILL try our patience and faith! I was born to be a beautiful butterfly! There is change that happens in the midst of darkness! We will be a better counselor, teacher, Mother, and daughter of God not in spite of our trials but because of them! Endure it well!
4. Hope- even in the midst of darkness. HE can get us through. Be willing to learn the lesson he is giving us! SONG- Will we love him just as well? (when life is hard)
5. Service- "Feed my Sheep"- We are healed and we are fed when we serve! Serve others when your heart is breaking, feed others when your cupboards are bare!
6. Gratitude- for HIS unending love! Do you recognize that what you need is what you've already been given! You may ask, Where are you, God? He will answer- Right here! ;)

The whole Conference was Xtremely awesome! The classes were amazing! The decorations were so fun! (Good job KBro & all those that helped!- I stunk at getting pictures of them. Dang!) And of course, eating lunch with the best ladies ever! Thanks to all those who put the Conference together. I had an Xtremely great time! See you next year!

XTreme Makeover Service Project

I had the opportunity this weekend to organize the Xtreme Makeover Service Project for the Stake Relief Society Women's Conference. We (Teri Z., the Stake RS President & me) started coming up with ideas back in June or so. We had planned on doing the entire Xtreme Makeover Project in one facility. We were going to paint an accent wall, make curtains and comforters and artwork for 7 rooms AND makeover their kid room. Because of a unfortunate turn of events which left us disheartened, we were forced to look in a different direction. The Lord works in mysterious ways! ;) Teri contacted First Link {FirstLink’s is a local group whose mission is to assist people in identifying, accessing, and making effective use of community and volunteer resources.} and had them send out an email with information of what we would like to do to all their contacts. The response was overwhelming. Teri and I spent the next several months meeting with different organizations and coming up with projects we could do for them. It has been an awesome opportunity to meet, work with and serve so many amazing people and their organizations in our community. Teri figured (not including the prep time or the extra hours people went early) we were able to complete over 300 hours of service on just Friday night ! Wowzers! That's a lot of time! And what a great opportunity to be of service to our community. "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God."- Mosiah 2:17

Thank heavens it's over LOL! but what a great way to start out our Women's Conference in the right spirit!
Check out what we got to do:
American Red Cross (http://www.minnkotaredcross.org/)
Address: 2602 12th St N · Fargo, ND

Contact: Florija Ajdari, Public Affairs & Communications Manager/Regional Volunteer Resource Manager

Adopted by: Fargo III YSA Branch (with help of Fargo II ladies)
Project Manager: Samanta Kost

Project: Paint the big Purple Barney wall a nice shade of Bolero (It's a deep Red- UL100-9)

Charism Community Center McCormick Park (http://www.charism.org/index.htm)

GROUND CREW

Address: 622 23rd St South (Family Center)

Contact: Melissa Marek-Donahue, Resource Development

Adopted by: Grand Forks
Project Manager: Melanie Hepper & Heidi Castle
Project: Clean up the Community Park Grounds. Plant shrubs & add rocks to the front flower beds. As an added bonus all the neighborhood kids came out and joined them.

Charism Community Center (http://www.charism.org/index.htm)

LIBRARY CREW

Address: 622 23rd St South (Family Center)
Contact: Melissa Marek-Donahue, Resource Development
Adopted by: DL Branch
Project Manager: Rebecca Thomas
Project: Clean, fix and organize the community Library inside the Community Center building.

Churches United for the Homeless (http://churches-united.org/Churches_United_web_site/Contacts_%26_Member_Churches.html)

Address: 1901 1st Ave N. Moorhead, MN 56560

Contact: Steve Anderson, Volunteer & Donations Coordinator
Adopted by: Clearbrook & Jamestown
Project Manager: Jodie Osmonson
Project: Make and hang 9 panels of curtains in three of the Family rooms. Also make and hang curtains in Steve's office window.

Nokomis Child Care Center (http://www.thevillagefamily.org/nokomis)
Address:1620 16th Ave. S., Fargo, 701-232-0426
Contact: Jane Greminger, Program Director
Adopted by: Fargo II Ward
Project Manager: Sharon Finlinson, Barbara Taylor, Lindsey Zufelt
Project: Paint the infant room at the Nokomis II Center

Ronald McDonald House (http://rmhcfargo.org/)

Address: 1234 Broadway N Fargo, ND 58103

Contact: Marty Edwards, North Campus Manager

Adopted by: Bemidji
Project Manager: April Westlund
Project: Clean and put together 2 rooms that have recently been remodeled. Any other cleaning projects on their list of things to get done!

Churches United for the Homeless (http://churches-united.org/Churches_United_web_site/Contacts_%26_Member_Churches.html)

Address: 1901 1st Ave N. Moorhead, MN 56560

Contact: Steve Anderson, Volunteer & Donations Coordinator
Adopted by: Wahpeton
Project Manager: LeAnn Ulvestad, Shay Seamons (with help from Katie Gill aka Sister Serger)
Project: Convert 120 flat sheets into fitted sheets for their 60 twin beds in the Shelter

YWCA (http://ywcacassclay.org/)
Address: 3000 University Dr S · Fargo, ND
Contact: Amber Dahl, Volunteer & Donations Coordinator
Adopted by: Fargo I Ward
Project Manager: Angie Kallmeyer, Lorrie LaDuke, Shelly Carlson
Project: Paint, make artwork and make & hang valances in the Family Room. Paint the kid room & create a large chalkboard for the wall.
FAMILY ROOM PROJECT

KID ROOM PROJECT

An Xtremely big THANK YOU to the amazing Project Managers (and their assistants ;) from each Ward/Branch! You and your ladies did an amazing job at each site! We couldn't have done it without you!

Fargo Favorites #51

1. Qdoba
It's not Cafe Rio but it'll do. We love Qdoba here in Fargo! Not much money for some awesome, big, yummy burritos! It's our "go-to" place on dates & anytime our Fam wants something fast & good to eat!

2. Playgroup Lunch

Fall is here in Fargo! With school back in and the days turning cold, Playgroup at the Church is back in full swing. We have had huge turnout this year. Yeah! Everyone pitches in and brings something to make playgroup lunch AMAZING! We all take turns bringing the main dish and then others bring all sorts of good stuff to go with it. I can NOT even tell you how much I love, love, love Playgroup lunch! To die for! Best Lunch of the week by far!!! So yummmmmy!

Oh.... the visiting and letting the kids play is cool too! ;)










PS We even get to celebrate special days with our friends. Happy Birthday Buddy!

3. My Go-To Girls

Thank you, thank you to all my girlfriends that pitched in this week to save me at the last minute for the Stake Women's Conference Service Project! Thanks to my cutters Jill & McKenzie. Sister Serger- you are amazing! Heidi- thank you for the curtains. and to all those that listened to me vent! You are lifesavers. The best of the best! Cream of the crop! The icing on the cake! Luv ya!

4. Comfort Zone Stretchers
I am trying to step outside my comfort zone a bit by taking a cake decorating class. You know- Domesticate myself, learn a new skill, check something off the "list". Can anyone say "STRETCH"? Baking, making icing, following directions and trying to NOT be a perfectionist! This is really tough stuff! LOL Thank goodness for being able to laugh at myself with a couple great friends. Thanks ladies! Luv ya!

5. Email
When I moved here to Fargo, I was seldom ever near a computer. Oh how times have changed. I was even way stubborn and refused to get an email FOREVER! Then while serving as the Fargo II Relief Society President, I realized it was the most effective way to be able to communicate with everyone without spending ALL day on the phone. I caved and started my own email. But I wanted to keep it separate from Church stuff so I collected the sisters emails and started a RS email (which is still in use today). Now... I can't imagine my life without being able to email out reminders, party invites, GNO details, and my cross-country communication. Thanks Hotmail!

So... What fills your basket
and keeps your blues away?

Frosty the Killer!

Garden: Part 6

I came home from dropping the kids off at school this morning and looked at my garden. WHAT??? What happened to my pumpkin plants? They are totally dead!
..........Oh yes! I remember now. I see the dots connecting. I did scrap frost off my window last night! AND I did hear that the temps dipped to a nice 20 something last night. Dang! Frosty, you killer!! He also managed to turn all the corn stalks dark and half the peppers are nice and black. So sad!

There are a couple things that may have survived. Those close to the house or fences look ok. And of course our apples are all turning red. Grow, baby, grow! They may be the only thing we really get from our garden this year. Thank goodness we aren't farmers! LOL

GNO: The Help

This was a busy week for our Fam but I managed to get away for a minute or two tonight. Yeah for GNO! We had so many ladies come out this time. So fun! We ended up with 18 ladies for dinner at Applebee's. The food was so yummy and the waitress was so fabulous to us. I love visiting and eating with these awesome Fargo ladies!

Then we headed to the movies. A few ladies had already seen it or needed to get home but we also had some other friends join us! Thanks Betsy (& her 2 friends), Robbie and Cortnee for meeting us! [This was Cortnee's 1st joining our crazy little group. Hopefully she comes back! LOL] We passed around tons of treats, we laughed, we cried, we laughed some more, and we cried some more. Then after we visited outside until we had to pee. What a great night!!

Delicious food, such a good movie, and awesome friends!

I love, love GNO!

Thanks ladies for getting out with me!

P.S. SAD Sidenote!--- KBro & I decided to take our dinners with us to the movie to finish them. We even got to-go-forks! LOL Then the movie was so good we never had time to take them out! Unfortunately, my camera was in there and in the process of swinging my bag, taking treats in & out and getting home- my Oriental Chicken Salad Dressing leaked. (Insert a humungous pouty lip here) It leaked right into and on my camera. Needless to say... my camera is DEAD! It won't turn on and the insides are filled with oily liquied. Luckily I saved the card and pulled the pictures off in the computer slot. But the camera is shot! I am so SAD! So until I get a new one.... pictures on the blog are gonna be slim! Dang!

Fargo Favorites #50

Today the things I love about Fargo are the things that my little Fam does or started here in Fargo.

1. FHE Board

I have made some very creative, fun things while living here in Fargo. One of our favorites is the time I got a bunch of ladies together to make FHE boards. They all turned out so different and all so darling! In our family we love it because it allows everyone to have a turn to do and share their favorite things. We all are in charge of something to make the Family Home Evening special.

SONG: It's fun to see which songs everyone knows. Or try to be brave and sing a new one. Also I love to see what songs become our favorites. Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam or Scripture Power are always our fallbacks! ;)

PRAYER: The person whose on the "prayer" conducts FHE so they get to decide in which order we do things for Family night. Sometimes the kids like to do it backwards. LOL! Treats first are always fun! Right, Jen N.?

SCRIPTURE: We used to have the person on the Scripture just get out the book and lead us in scripture reading. But we've changed it so that whoever is on the Scripture shares one of their favorites. It's fun to have the kids explain their favorite stories and help them find where they're located.

LESSON: Ideas for lessons are endless! I used to be a FHE Lesson Maker FREAK! I know, hard to believe! (Me a freak about anything??) But I have BOXES and BOXES and BOXES of FHE lessons. Not to mention our monthly subscriptions to the Friend and Ensign Magazines. There's never an excuse for being able to find something good to teach the family. I also love it when the kids teach us what they learned in Sunday School. They have some great memories and ideas!

ACTIVITY: This is where the true colors shine! It's really important that everyone gets a turn on the activity because we are all so different. Anything from an outing to Wii time to drawing to board games to HideNSeek. Lots of fun and a great way to support each other in things that we like! (or someone else likes and we do it because we love them! LOL)

TREAT: You gotta have a treat to make it a FHE! LOL! Yummmmy! Everyone loves to be on the treat!

Man! We have some great times together!

2. Hide N Seek

My kids were so little when we moved here that we did simple HideNSeeks back in UT but nothing like our games nowadays! We blow those days out of the water! LOL At first it was more of a "YouWho!" Game where all the kids made noise until Mom or Dad found you. But nowadays sometimes it takes forever to find everybody! They are some quiet, sneaky (perhaps in this case... smelly) hiders these days!

3. Garden Harvest

We never grew a garden as a Fam until we moved here. Now we don't claim to grow a fabulous garden but we do grow one every year! And we get so excited when we harvest stuff! Over the years we have enjoyed beets, radishes, tomatoes, peas, corn, peppers, broccoli, watermelon, pumpkins, lettuce, onions, potatoes, eggplant, rhubarb, carrots, and of course apples. It makes us so happy! Yummmy!

4. Peaches n Cream

The last several years we have spent a butt-load of cash on buying yummy, Colorado peaches. We justify it because it's a fund-raiser for the Youth for Christ Group AND they are YUMMMY! Peaches N Cream are a hit around here in September!

5. Stepping Stones

This one is a little bit metaphorical! LOL

One one hand- the kids and I have had fun making stepping stones for our flower garden in the front. It's so fun to see their creativity. And also adding new ones (kids and stones) to our family/ garden.

On the other hand- Fargo has been a huge stepping stone in our lives. I say stepping stone because we don't plan on this being our last stop along the way to... ???? (well I was gonna say something but either it sounds a bit morbid or sad so we'll just say.... in the long run of things Fargo will be a memorable stepping stone for our Family.) It's here that we have learned so many things. We have learned to step outside the comfort zone of our family circle and make some amazing friends. We've grown in every way possible- taller, wider ;0) LOL, in numbers, spiritually, socially, emotionally, as a couple, as a family and as individuals. We've also learned we really are pretty funny! What an amazing place to put your foot down in. We love you Fargo!

P.S. I've been waiting forever to publish this post but I guess I'll just have to add the new stepping stones at some point. Maybe after I get a new camera! LOL See GNO Sadnote for details!

Perspective of a Cub Scout

I forgot my camera at the Church for playgroup today. Luckily, Justice had Scouts and picked it up for me. He DID however leave me a good idea of the perspective that Cub Scouts have on their activities. LOL! Silly boys!

Labor Day Kickball

I forgot my camera at the Church for playgroup today. Luckily, Justice had Scouts and picked it up for me. He DID however leave me a good idea of the perspective that Cub Scouts have on their activities. LOL! Silly boys!

Labor Day Fishing

While Liberty & I slept in for our day off, Brett took the rest of the Fam out for a little Labor Day fishing. It was a perfect fishing day! They caught like 25 of them and brought home FIVE. Oh lucky me! LOL! They were so excited. It was quite the adventure as well, I heard. Justice decided to involuntarily do a little swimming. Dang- slippery rocks! Too funny! Thanks Brett for being such a great Dad!

Preschool 2011-12

Glory started Preschool today! She was so excited! She wore her Dora backpack and took things to share with her buddies. We are doing a little Co-op Preschool with some friends. A little break for Mom and some learning time with friends. Perfect!

Good Luck kiddos!

Fargo Favorites #49

Can you believe it's been almost an entire year of Fargo Favorites? Holy Cow! Any suggestions on what to do for the next 52 weeks??? I want to do something weekly but maybe a little more on the doing something than just noticing things. Let me know what you think. I've only got a couple weeks to think of something. ;o)

1. Chick N Hens

A couple of years ago, my neighbor let me transfer some of these Sempervivum to my flowerbed. I have always called them Chick N Hens but actually they are officially called Hen-and-chickens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen_and_chicks. Oops! Too funny! They remind me of my Uncle Bud & Aunt Kathie's place. They used to have them growing in their flower beds when we lived there. They make me miss it there a bit! I love how they fill in to all the cracks and grow no matter what! My kinda plant! ;) We have quite a few make it to full maturity. They are actually quite pretty when they flower. Sadly, once they do that- they die! But tons more grow in their place. Just like real families. I love it!!!

2. West Fargo Grand Canyon

When I first moved here- I was shocked to find that the house we bought had NO sprinklers. Are you kidding me??? How is anything gonna grow?? [This is from a lifetime Utahn] BUT, that is one thing I totally love about Fargo. We dont need sprinklers. We are taken care of by Mother Nature herself. In fact it is now September and we have not once watered our yard or our garden. We actually are barely starting to notice the effects of a couple of weeks without a lot of rain. One of those effects is a deep crevice in our backyard. We had a cable buried this Spring from the Phone Company and due to the lack of rain it has split WIDE open. Too funny! By next Spring you won't even be able to see it but right now we are putting ourselves on the National State Parks list for the West Fargo Grand Canyon. LOL!

3. Our Jayco Popup Trailer

We have totally LOVED our camping experiences this year! We have never been campers. EVER! In 15 years of marriage I can count on my fingers the times we have gone. That's sad. I guess the idea of packing everything up, driving, pitching a tent, sleeping on the ground, possibly getting rained on- has never appealed to us! BUT when our good friends, the Babcocks moved and wanted to know if we'd like to buy their popup- Brett got very excited! I will admit, I was not fully on board. Remember our camping track record?? Why would we spend that kind of mula on something that we wouldn't even have a place to park it. It seemed a little silly to me. A Summer later and I have some repenting to do. I love it! I actually want to go camping more than Brett nowadays. It can store most everything in there. We sleep on a mattress and it has plug ins so we get music and white noise and air circulation! YEAH!! I love, love, love it! I don't dare pull it my self yet. I'm a whimp! But if anyone out there can pull a trailer, you want to go camping with me?

4. Christmas Lights in August

We have a dilemma! It's now the beginning of September and our Christmas lights are still up! Do we take them down or just leave them up??? LOL! {The funny thing is that here in Fargo- you really do normally put lights up sometime in October before it snows and don't take them down until March when it melts but this year we are pushing it a bit!} At this point, I guess we'll just continue to look a little bit redneck or something around here. It really isn't worth taking them down now!

5. Rhubarb Bars

I never tried Rhubarb until I moved to Fargo. Then my dear friend Amber started bringing them to Potluck stuff. At a Fargo Potluck there is ALWAYS way too much to ever eat everything so I would get lucky and she would send the rest home with me. I never share with my family because I always eat them ALL before anyone else has a chance to. Oops! Then she was a big meany and moved away! ;o( And believe me- they are never as good when I make them! Lucky for me, Jen M. has come to my rescue. She made some the other day for a potluck and sent me home with a big plate. I do think I shared ONE with Liberty. So see, I'm improving! LOL! I love Rhubarb bars! [I'm actually trying to grow one in my backyard.. It's not going too well but Jen did stock my freezer full of rhubarb bags so if I can just learn to make them like Amber- I'm set!!]

So... Surprise yourself,
be grateful and
find out what your life is FULL of!