To start off November, my parents came to Billings for five days. The weather continued to be amazing and we managed to play a few rounds of golf.
Where were the kids? Tiny one stayed home with Oma and the toddler slept in the golf cart basket!
We checked out the new Scheels at Billings and rode the ferris wheel.
Grace and Papa.
In the photo below, my dad is pointing out my little sister Cydney's former college teammate Amy Anderson who is now in the LPGA and sponsored by Scheels.
Photo scene opps.
New sherrif in town. Shopping at Shipton's Big R. The black hat could be a new look for you dad.
MINNESOTA
On November 6th, Papa, Oma, myself, and the girls ventured east to Minnesota, stopping a night at a water park hotel in Bismarck. Tuff stayed back for work purposes and joined us the following Friday. First stop back in Staples was Tower Pizza of course followed by the coffee shop the next day where we met up with my sister Dana and baby Milo, Liza's one month elder cousin.
Keller (my parent's neighbor) and Grace. They spent a few days together. Keller is so good with Grace!
Of course there was more cousin bonding.
That Saturday (Nov 8th), my University of Montana golf teammates/fellow Minnesota golfers came to Staples to hang out.
Brittany, Krista, Mary.
Brittany's daughter Kelly came along and so proudly pointed out that she made a funny face for the photo, but not too funny. Haha.
That evening Uncle Joe scored a nice 10 point buck (whitetail) for opening weekend of deer hunting. They brought it by the house for Grace to see and she thought he was beautiful.
Krista spent the night and the next day we went out for a brisk walk; brisk because it was cold! So long to the glorious fall weather.
We stopped to see more than a hundred trumpeter swans gathered on the river. Yes I took amazing footage as they flew into the air only to find out my camera wasn't rolling!
Here is what was left:(
Cold enough for the pond to start freezing.
That same afternoon as the cold was moving in, my sister Heather arranged for a sister photo shoot with my cousin Angela Goff as the photographer (Ever After Photography).
My neice Bo snapped this photo of Angela in action. The remainder of photos are Angela's.
Representing college letterman jackets. Top left going clockwise is Heather (Purdue University), Cydney (North Dakota State University), Mary (University of Montana) and Dana (Bemidji State University).
Birth order. My dad refers to us as daughter number 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The very next day snowpocalypse hit.
Sheer joy for Grace and her "dog" Muffin.
Tuff was in Billings and experienced very cold weather.
On Tuesday (Nov 11th) I met up with my dear high school friend Rachel in Perham. We enjoyed lunch at an adorable coffee shop, the Gathering Grounds and of course great conversation too.
While I was gone Grace did lots of hanging out with Papa.
Friday (Nov 14th) came our anticipated event; Debora, our foreign exchange student in 2001-2002 from Brazil came to visit with her husband Fernando! I consider Debora my Brazilian sister and it was so special to experience my senior year in high school with her.
Rachel and I picked them up at the Minneapolis airport and drove all of 1 mile to the Mall of America.
We drove across the street from the Mall of America to Ikea, which Brazil does not have. Our good friend Sofie, who was a foreign exchang student from Sweden, told us about this place before Minnesota even had one.
The picture below is in one of the living room set ups at Ikea.
This one is for you Sofie! We missed you terribly this trip.
Saturday (Nov 16th) we all gathered at the Stomping Grounds coffee shop. This did not exist when Deb was here but came the following year, as a senior project from a group of high school students.
Dr. Sarah and Milo. Dr. Sarah was getting her luggage at the Minneapolis airport after a trip to Spain when she received the call that my sister dana was in labor. She made it back to Staples in time to deliver the little man!
Grandma Rach, to our kids, Super Oma, holding Liza for the first time.
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We stopped by our high school. Go Cardinals!
Brazil does not have Dr. Pepper and its something Deb fell in love with while in the States.
In the background of the photo below are pictures of this years deer hunting. While we were dining, a youth hunter brought in a fresh whitetail kill to be weighed just outside. 210 pounds.
Deb was really hoping for snow. See the Facebook conversation from October 23rd:
So in honor of Deb's excitement about the snow we went for a stroll, dressed in blaze orange of course since it was hunting season.
Ran into our neighbors Dave and Joan also out on a walk.
Yes Luna made the trip and gladly played with the neighbor's dog Peanut while we visited.
On Sunday (Nov 16th) my parents invited the neighborhood and freinds over for a celebration of Deb and Nando visiting.
Nando is a surgical dentist in Brazil and was teaching little Avery about her teeth.
During the party the cousins went sledding.
Grace and Bo Bo.
Peggy made Luna the most adorable 4-legged dog sweater to keep her warm in the winter months!
She really liked it.
Cydney, auntie extraordinare wanted to take a picture since all her nephews and neices were present.
Best result. Haha.
Sunday night (Nov 16th) we dropped by Bruce and Eva's, our long time family freinds. They are both enjoying retirement and Eva makes jewelry now that she sells at craft shows and online (Fuse Me Glass). She let us girls pick out a jewelry set.
Here I am wearing my new Fuse Me Glass pieces. Love them! Thank you Eva.
Our goodbye picture before Deb and Nando headed back to Minneapolis airport. Rachel headed back to Red Lake Fall, MN and we drove the full distance back to Billings, MT.
What else is going on?
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