Our Kids Find Their True Identity

Isabelle and Espen have become quite the little cowgirl and cowboy during our stay here. They live in their cowboy boots and hats. Espen has actually insisted on sleeping with his cowboy boots on, and both are excitedly looking forward to showing off their new duds to all their friends in Minnesota.

In the meantime, Scott has started applying for jobs and has one interview coming up. There are several jobs he's interested in, ranging all the way from Chattanooga to Puyallup, and we're up for any of them. But the surprise to all of us has been a company in Sparta, WI of all places. Just north of Westby, where I have spent 95% of my Fourth of July's, at our family reunions. The place is called McPherson's and Scott's head over heels over their product. This is the company he actually has an interview with, as soon as we get back to Minnesota.

And that will be in about 2 and half weeks. We'll arrive in Duluth, unload our U-haul full of all the things we've managed to accrue here, while simplifying, turn right around and head back towards the Twin Cities, then to Sparta!

3 more weeks to go!

Scott is coming down the final stretch of school and attempting to finish 4 instruments before the end of January. He's building an acoustic, an electric bass, a mandolin, and an electric upright bass. He's been going full steam ahead for 4 and half months, attending school 6 to 7 days a week. I don't know how he does it, but it's so exciting to see his instruments take shape.

We spent Christmas and New Years in Billings, Montana and were thoroughly spoiled. All this traveling is getting to my head, and I woke up several mornings wondering if I was in Duluth, Phoenix, or Billings? We made a day trip to Logan, Montana to check out a mandolin builder, as well as spend some time in Bozeman. We went to Museum of the Rockies and saw real dinosaur fossils inside and real snow outside. It was incredible.

Then we came back to Phoenix last week and went swimming.

And finally, yesterday we went to the Phoenix Zoo. Just in time for the temperature to drop into the upper 40's with a stiff wind from the north. But, being from Minnesota, we threw on a sweatshirt and laughed at all the people in winter jackets. Until our lips started turning blue. Downright embarassing how fast our blood thinned out. All it took was 4 and half straight months of temps averaging in the mid 80's (minus the 4 days my parents were here).