Where were we?...

When October came around Matt and my life did not slow down. God has blessed us with some awesome friends here in Minot. It may have took a bit of time to find them all but now we are able to stay busy and enjoy the days with great people.
The first weekend in October was Military Day at Norsk Hostfest. The Norsk Hostfest is North America's largest Scandinavian festival and happens every year in Minot! It is a festival to celebrate and partake in the culture and entertainment of the Scandinavian people. We went to the festival again this year with our friends, Matt and Katherine.


Most of the vendors and events were the same as the past years but it is fun to go see my ancestors lived and all the artwork.
Since getting back from our vacation in Vegas Matt and I have tried to find ways to spend time with friends without spending any money (Norsk Hostfest was free because of military appreciation day!). We are grateful that most of our friends are either in the same boat or are understanding. So, the following week we spent a few nights having dinner with the Moores, playing games and enjoying each others company. Our friendship has grown by leaps and bounds since the summer and we now try to spent at least one day a week together making a dinner together and playing games as it doesn't cost anymore money for us to feed 4 then it does two. The only true difference is no leftovers!
Mid-October Katherine's family came to visit Minot and they had a BBQ for all their friends to meet the family. We were fortunate to be in the middle of "Indian Summer" and spent the evening playing ladderball, getting to know Katherine's family, and chatting the night away.

A few days later we went to a free Wine Tasting event in town hosted by Marketplace, a grocery store in town. We went to the event with the McPhersons and were overwhelmed by at how large the event was! There was over 80 different types of wine available to try and each was paired with a food. Matt and I do not like dry wines so we did not try all of the wines as well as wines we have had before. It was a great time for Matt and I to try wines that we wouldn't otherwise and we left with a few new types of wines on our "like list". The rest of our evening was spent over at the Moores, relaxing with good friends.
Since we began spending more time with the Moores, I have given the spouses group a "second chance" and went another meeting that next day with Natalie. We had cupcakes and cookies and talked about the 42nd Holiday Party which we have volunteered to be in charge of the prizes so we are making baskets filled with many different things. I am in charge of the coffee basket, of course and couldn't be more excited to get everything to make it. :)
The weekend of the 16th and 17th we spent it with the Moores again. Natalie's 25th was the 17th and we spent it going to church, lunch out, shopping (part of my gift was a mini shopping spree!), dinner, and a movie at their house. A long full day that tired little Elizabeth out quickly (she is one).
During that next week we went out to a local pumpkin patch with the McPhersons and got some little white pumpkins and squash for our house. The night of the 21st after a 4 hour delay which Matt stay with me to whole time even though he had an alert the next day, I jumped on the amtrak to Minneapolis to see Christine and Nate. I was originally scheduled to get into the station at 730am but came in at 1130am. Once I arrived and a big hug was shared with between Christine and I, we were on the road to Cottage Grove for lunch at Applebee's across from our hotel with Nate's Parents and sister, Cassie and brother-in-law, Kyle. Though I should have taken a long nap to get ready for a long night at an Evans' Family wedding. I hung out in the hotel with sick Christine, showered and got ready for the wedding. It was a wonderful fall day in the high 60s, thank God as the wedding was outside by the lake. A beautiful location but they truly lucked out for October in Minnesota!


The reception was inside the country club and the Evan's wedding party began. Christine and I danced the night away! It was a great night and I am so thankful that Nate's Cousin, Brandon allowed me to come to his wedding!


The following day Nate drove the three of us to the Mall of America. Nate had never been to the MOA so it was quite an experience for him! We ate at Bubba Gumps and I had much missed, seafood. After going around looking at through many of the shops we stopped at the Amazing Mirror Maze. It was crazy how confusing and fun the maze was. I had never done it before and was a blast with such great friends as we made fools out of ourselves almost walking into mirrors!


After the MOA, we went over the IKEA.... Oh, how I love that store. Later we went back to the hotel and had salad and pizza delivered before I jumped back on the amtrak to Minot. I had a fantastic time in Minnesota with Christine and Nate. Matt and I are truly blessed to have them in our lives. I am so glad that Christine is my best friend! We missed them like crazy, as they are part of our family.
October 26th, was not only Minot's first snow... it was a blizzard! Snowing for only 36 hours with 60+ winds. With the ground still warm it was slush with snow on top so we had to shovel for the first time this year also. Once the winds calmed down the weather got better and since then it has gotten back up tot he 50s and it has began to melt.
The blizzard however won't be the biggest event of the month we will remember, it is our long awaited Halloween party we had on the 28th (which is also my pops birthday!). But I will leave that for our next blog! Happy Halloween!
.mandy.

The long awaited leave

When September rolls around Matt and I usually get a bit sad as it means cooler weather is to comes and we are one step closer to the long winter. However, this year when September came we were ecstatic as we were on the road with our girls headed to Iowa.
My aunt, uncle, and "baby" cousins came up to see us over the labor day weekend. It was great to see them again as it had been over a year. This visit was an awaking for me to realized my "baby" cousins were young ladies now: a High Schooler and College Student! When they left to go back to Kansas City we headed to my grandparents to say goodbye to Sam for the week. Sallie stayed at home and was taken care of by the neighbors.

On Labor Day, my parents and us jumped on a plane for a week in LAS VEGAS! This trip was a different Vegas trip then I was use to as we met up with several of our old friends: Dan & Danielle, Keith, Louis, and Shea & Lindsay. Our first night we met Shea and Lindsay at Margaritaville for dinner and went to Caesar's Palace where a tried on an $8000 runaway dress by Emilio Pucci, thanks to my dad! Not a bad way to start the Vegas trip, eh?!?
The first couple days, family was the main focus. We took my parents to Nellis AFB where we met up with Joel, Kelly, Louis, and Anna. Our timing couldn't have been more perfect as we got to be there when Joel pinned on Major. After the ceremony we went to the Thunderbird museum and were able to go into the hanger. We then went back to Joel and Kelly's house on base, had lunch, and spend many hours catching up with them.

The following morning (aka Kelly's birthday!) we met back up with Joel, Kelly, and the rugrats. This time without the folks but our dear friend Keith tagged along. We went to the aquarium in the Mandalay Bay. We went to lunch with the group in the hotel and then parted ways. The kids needed their naps and Joel & Kelly needed to pack for their trips.

Dan and Danielle met up with us and we started a walk down to the strip. We stopped in the M&M store and Coca-Cola store. Shea and Lindsay also met up with us at the Coca-Cola store. While we were there we go the International Coke Taste Testers. It was about 50/50 on good verses bad. Example: Guana "Sprite" vs. Ginger "Sprite". From there we walked down the strip that afternoon and early evening spending the time catching up since it had been 3 years or more since we had seen any of them.


We spent the next few days enjoying the weather and spending anytime available time when had with my folks and the friends. I pushed for Asian cuisine as much as I could as one goal for Vegas was sushi. There is two places which serve sushi here in Minot but it isn't good... And since I can't have it here, I want it all the time! Matt, Keith and I spent one night at NY NY. We went on the roller coaster and had some drinks in NY NY's downtown area just relaxing and talking the night away.
Matt's close friend Louis came out for the weekend and met up with us. Matt and I went to Cirque de Soleil Beatles Love. After the show we met up with Shea, Lindsay, Keith, and Louis at the Beatles Revolution Lounge for some drinks before heading over to Treasure Island for the outdoor show and NY NY to a bar called Nine Fine Irishmen and had a blast. There was live Irish music and the bar was mainly filled with Irish people on vacation. It was a nice getaway from the crazy Americans! The night was also our last night with half of the group. We said goodbye to Shea and Lindsay as they were leaving in the morning bright and early.

The following morning my parents booking a cabana at the Excalibur for the day so we got up early for breakfast with Keith before he headed out as well. From there we spent a few hours at the pool with the folks. Dan and Danielle swung by and we spent the afternoon walking the strip with them and we went to the Mandalay Bay pool where we saw Dave Chapelle! That night we headed to the Flamingo to see Brad Garrett's Comedy Show and had an unexpected surprise: Ray Romano! He was in town for his own show at the Mirage so for $50 dollars we got to see both guys! Ray would have cost over $150. After the show we went out to dinner and had a great night with Dan and Danielle before they headed out the next day. We were so glad that they were able to make it out to Vegas since they had never been before.

Our last few days in Vegas we spent with my parents and squeezed in as much as we could. We walked the strip to the Venetian where we did a gondola ride through "Venice."

That night we went to David Spade's show. My favorite skit was when he reenacted the housekeeping screen in Tommy Boy. However, this time a bit of it was changed since he is a single man so it ended with the housekeeper being welcomed in (The details aren't very age appropriate for some of our readers so if curiosity is getting the best of you... email me, ha).

We hit the slot machines in the Excalibur afterward only to be unlucky. I didn't even use my own money! Mom gave me a $5.
My folks did much better than we did coming out on top. Our last full day we went to the "world famous In and Out burger" next to the strip and got hamburgers Animal style. It was surprisingly good since Matt and I don't ever eat fast food we were afraid of "adverse effects". Our fast food is Subway. :)

The rest of the day we spent enjoying the strip. We joined up with our close friend, Nate who came in for business, later on that day and were able to have dinner and spend the evening with him and my folks. It was a nice low key, relaxing last day in Vegas.

When we got back to Iowa we were antsy to go back to our girls! Our last few days of leave were busy! We got pictures taken by our photographer Rick and spent a day with the grandparents.
After our long drive back to Minot we hut the ground running again it seemed. We had a dinner and game night with the McPhersons. It seemed like forever since we had played Hand and Foot! The last weekend of September we spent with the Moores. They came to base for the Fall Festival and Natalie and I continued the fall theme by making caramel apples that afternoon. The following day we went over to their house for a day of football. The last few days Matt was loaded with work so I spent a day with Katherine doing crafts and a night with the 42nd spouses at Barnes n Noble for cupcakes and coffee!
.mandy.

Updates on our busy lives..... in Minot?!?

Matt and I have been quite busy the last few months which put the blog on the back burner, sorry for that! I will try and make short and sweet but informative blogs to catch everyone up to date. This will just be of August as I need to get September and Octobers pictures uploaded and organized! :)
The last bit of our summer was full of fun in the sun to take advantage of the warm weather as we all know up here that fall comes too quick! The State Fair was in town and we went with our dear friends, the McPhersons.
Katherine and I were cute as usual and the boys were well, being boys.
The State Fair here is nothing compared to the Iowa State fair though I'm sure there isn't many that are. Like everything in life it really is the company you keep that makes life fun! We went around the small fair grounds in a short amount time, running into many friends. To end the day our friend, Jeff got the guys to race go carts so he could show off his Nascar driving skills.
The McPherson's also hosted a BBQ when Katherine's long time best bud, Jenny came to visit. We spent most of the afternoon outside playing ladderball and enjoying the day with great friends.


As August come to an end so did my summer projects! I had refinished the dining room table and chairs. It was a long, tedious project but the set has been brought back to life and looks great.
Well, I will close for now. Hopefully my update of our adventures we had in September and this October will be sooner than later!
.mandy.