Minnesota

We have had a busy summer and were away for most of July so here's an update for you. We were really lucky and got to visit home! Chris had to return earlier than me for work. Aww, the joys of having the summer off. Here are some of the highlights from our trip home.

1. Valley Family Cabin

Well, I think we have officially out grown the 2 bedroom 1 bath place with 8 adults and two dogs, it was still fun. It may be one of out last over night trips to the cabin. Chris and I talked about what next summer will look like and we have no idea how baby girl and all her things would fit in the cabin on a busy weekend. If there's a will, there is a way. Who knows...I'm sure we could make something work.

Other highlights of the cabin include a trip to the St. Joe's Meat Market, St. Joe's Carnival, visits from James, Pam, Mimi, and Grandma, Reese's smores, and the mosquitoes didn't eat me alive.

No luck with the Ring Toss this year.

Action shot of enjoy mini donuts

Chris' Aunt Mimi stopped by to say hi. It was great to see her and get an update on her daughters.

Chris and his Grandma. She quilted a beautiful quilt for our little lady.

Grandma Carlin and all of her Valley grandkids 

2. BBQ

My sister and her family were in town from CT. Her in-laws invited us over for a delicious BBQ. (They seriously are the best cooks!)  We got to spend some time with our niece and nephews.

Teaching them how to use silly string

It's blurry, but look at how much fun he is having!

Uncle Chris help A get me.  Thanks! She is so proud.

O and Chris have a lot in common like playing video games. They were very happy playing together.

This little man was sick. :( All he wanted to do was cuddle! Poor guy.

First photo of Sladky Cousins! (kind of)

3. Couples Shower

My parents and my sister threw us an amazing couples shower at Chris' parents' house. It was so much fun. It was also very humid! Sadly, I was too busy talking to take photos. I really wish I had a photo of my sister and me.  We were both wearing practically matching outfits plus we have been told a few times that we look a like. It was so great to see so many of our friends! We miss them so much.  Baby Valley was spoiled and is loved by many.  Thank you!

My sister made these cookies while on vacation with 3 kids. Oh and one of those kids was really sick.  She is super mom and wonder sister!  Thank you Claire! Not to mention they tasted so good!

Thanks Mom and Dad for bringing all the WI beer to the shower.  Even MN natives will admit that WI makes some pretty good beer. I can't wait to have a Spotted Cow! :)

4. Lots of visits with friends :)

- Happy Hours

- Supper Trucks with Movies

- Kickball

- Ladies Night at Pig Ate My Pizza - An absolute blast! 

- Walk around Lake Nokomis

- Lunch dates

- Pedicures

- Coffee dates
- Valley Cousins visit

You all kept me/us busy! I really need to learn to take more photos.  I don't have a single photo from all of these fun events. The photos I do have are thanks to my friends taking photos. I feel so lucky to have so many great friends. We miss you all so much!

Lauren - Thanks for taking photos! One of my most favorite dogs, Marty! 

Miss you!

Sweet little lady! This was taken second before a massive blowout diaper. 

Valley Cousin Photo - I promise the next time we get these two girls together the photo will be way cuter.

Valley Cousins- Chris and Nick are about 10 month apart - Our girls will be closer in age than these two about 4 months apart.

5. Juernes (jueves + viernes = juernes) and MTKA friends Shower

I have written about my Juernes friends before aka other white girls that speak Spanish too. We all taught together and started the Spanish Immersion Program in our district. We made a really great support group for work issues and for life.  Juernes has changed a lot over the years. I think there are almost as many babies now as adults. 3 of us have moved away too. We have been there for each other through good times and bad. I feel truly blessed to have these ladies as friends and colleagues too.  Thank you for an amazing shower! Next time we have to play Mexican Dominoes.

¡Gracias guapas!

6. Visits with students

I stopped by to see the family I babysat for last summer.  We had a great time hanging out! The 3 year old was obsessed with my tummy. She kept asking if they baby was still there and what would happen if the baby came out right now. Ha!

I also went to a big play date at a park with a bunch of my former students from over the past 5 years. It was amazing to see so many of them.  I loved having conversations in Spanish with the older kids.  They have learned so much since first grade!  I got so many hugs, even from the boys! It was great to see their families too. I taught so many siblings that I felt like I really knew their family after the 2nd or 3rd child. 

Needless to say, I drove away in tears. I felt so loved and missed all of them so much. I had it so so good - great school, excellent community, involved parents, and sweet students. I started teaching at that school when I was 22 years old! Talk about landing a great job right out of college!  ( Don't get me wrong, I really like my current school too. It's just still new and I'm still the new teacher.) 

I actually have lots of photos of this play date, but I don't want to post any photos of students without parental approval.

7.  Maternity Photo Shoot

One of my AZD sorority sisters lives in the Twins Cities area and is also a very talented photographer.  She was renting a cool lens for the weekend and asked to take photos of me. I said of course. It was great to see her and catch up with her. I loved watching her smile behind the camera.  Here are a few of my favorites. The only thing I would change about the photos would be to add Chris.

If you're in the Twin Cities and need a photographer, check her out at https://www.facebook.com/RebeccahParksPhotography. 

8. Connie's Wedding!

My coworker, mentor, and close friend, Connie, got married! And I was there to celebrate it!  She was at our wedding 5 years ago. She means so much to me and has done so much for me.  Sadly, Chris couldn't stay in MN long enough for her wedding, he had to go back to work. I'm so very happy for Connie and her new hubby Kurt! 

Sealed with a kiss! Congrats! 

Another amazing coworker, mentor, and close friend, Janelle!  I've learned so much from her. :) Miss her!

I got this great photo with the beautiful bride!  

Next stop Wisconsin!

It's a ...

 We had the ultrasound tech put a photo with the gender labeled in an envelope. Chris wanted to wait to open it, and I couldn't stand to wait any longer.  So we opened up the envelope the two of us later that same night and it said...

It's a Bucky Badger Baby!!  

Thanks Hank the Tank for the sweet cozy lamb.

Ok maybe it didn't say that, but it is clear that this baby will love Bucky just like Mom and Dad.  Also this kiddo is going to love sports (Fantasy Football) too, we hope.  And Baby Valley may even like dolls and pink.  Yep that's right. Many of you didn't think it was possible, but it is.  Baby Valley is a

XX ~ Girl

For the record her mom and dad bought her flowers first not someone that will dump her someday.

I was convinced she was a he.  We are both happy and would have been just as happy if we were having a boy.  Once we learned we are having a daughter, I think that brought on a new set of worries. (mean girls, periods, birth control, me as a teenager, dating, etc)  The same thing but different worries would have hit us as well for a boy. Luckily, we don't have to worry about these things just yet.

Everything looked good on the ultrasound. We will hear more tomorrow after we meet with our doctor. (Fingers crossed for the ok to travel!!)  They tried to get a 3D photo of her face, but she wasn't cooperating with her position. They had to push on her a bunch and she just pushed back without changing her position.  It was also a struggle to get Baby Valley to uncross her legs to show her lady parts.  To me this already shows us that she will be as stubborn or more so than both Chris and I, and she is clearly a lady by crossing her legs. 

Here she is!

Baby Valley at 21 weeks - Hi Cute!

When I called my sister her she was over the moon, but her oldest son, Olin, was upset.  Her daughter, Aurelia, was so excited to have another girl in the family.

Showing off their Big Cousin t shirts

Other side notes:

- I'm sick of people telling me I look small.  I have a long torso and I'm tall. I workout 5 times a week still. What do you expect? 

- I now have the power to get crazy freakish hungry.  It is scary to see.  Sadly Chris has observed this twice already in one week, and is pro at handling me in this horrible state. (I'm sorry!)

- We had a great visit with the Valleys! Can't wait for them to come down and visit us again.

Here we are strolling down Canyon Road in Santa Fe.

Chris captured this beautiful adobe style shop with pretty flowers on Canyon Road . 

La gringa

I have a funny little story to share with you.  I had to stop at Walgreens this past week during my prep period so I was trying to rush a little.  I overheard a couple speaking in Spanish and I continued on with what I was doing. No big deal, I will just keep on shopping and eavesdrop on their conversation. I'm not trying to be rude, just practice my comprehension and listening in Spanish. (Yes, I know this is a bad habit.)

The Spanish speaking couple went up to a clerk at Walgreens that appeared to be Hispanic.  They asked if this person spoke Spanish. Unfortunately, this employee didn't speak Spanish.  Another employee that appeared to be Hispanic walked by and asked they other employee why they weren't helping the couple. The first employee explained the language barrier. So the 2nd employee then started to guess what the Spanish speaking couple wanted or needed.  This was hilarious and I enjoyed listening to this greatly!

I starting thinking to myself maybe I should go help them because even though I do not appear to be Hispanic, because I'm not, I do speak Spanish.  I had to think about this for a second since I had to hurry to get back to work.  Then finally I realized I should be helpful.

I went up to the couple and told them I spoke Spanish.  The women's first reaction was to laugh.  She laughed pretty hard. I pretty sure she wasn't laughing at my Spanish. So I said "Sí la gringa* habla español/ Yes the white girl speaks Spanish." She laughed even harder and I had to join her. I explained to both employees what they needed and headed on my way.

New Mexico can really make me laugh sometimes. Everyone here thinks it is so bizarre for a white girl from the Midwest to speak Spanish. They are usually shocked or in disbelief. I don't think it is that surprising. I know lots of white people from the Midwest that speak Spanish. (see photos below - All WI or MN natives that speak Spanish.)  I even know a great number of nonhispanic kids that are learning to read and write first in Spanish in MN.  This just makes me smile and laugh a little.

Juernes (Jueves + Viernes - Thursday + Friday) @ the Reindeer Run

Juernes running Irish for a Day 5k

After an amazing game of Mexican Dominos - a Juernes must!

Juernes ladies celebrating dos bebes!

Now I am familiar with their reaction and can understand it a little more.  Most of the Spanish/Mexican/Latinos of New Mexico have been in the USA longer than my family.  Yes they have darker skin and a Hispanic last name, but many (not all) were taught long ago to assimilate to the majority culture so many don't speak Spanish. Just like the Sladky family stopped speaking Czech to blend in more.  The families that immigrated more recently speak Spanish still.

There are certain areas in ABQ where you will hear more Spanish than English.  I have visited some of those places, and they make me feel like I am in Mexico.  I love listening to La Kalle the Spanish radio station.  Something about listening to Daddy Yankee "Rompe," any Reggaeton, Sharika/JLo in Spanish, or Juanes before school wakes me up and gets me ready to teach! :) (Seriously... this music especially helps me prepare for conferences)

Where I grew up there were a ton of Polish and Irish surnames. Sladky wasn't that crazy of a last name. Here of course my names were a struggle for everyone at first, which they have all mastered now. People grow up here with a plethora of Spanish last names and can pronounce all of them perfectly, but when it comes time to say Bosque they say Basque. It hurts my ears a little, but I just have to smile.  When Chris said Basque, I correctly him as fast as I could.

I have to admit I really enjoy living in a place where there is a lot more diversity throughout the whole state not just in certain neighborhoods in the big city.

*Some people feel that gringa can have a negative or derogatory meaning. I don't feel that way. To me it means a English speaker that speaks Spanish.*

The Ox Family in New Mexico

 We just had an awesome weekend thanks to our wonderful guests.  Sara and Nick came to visit us for the weekend.  I knew I missed our Minnesota friends, but I didn't realize how much I did.  It was so great to see them and hang out with them. Here are some of the fund things we did.

1. B2B for Happy Hour: $2 local beers on tap for an hour.  Can't beat that price.  Nick and Sara were in shock with how affordable going out was in ABQ.   They also had a deal on flights.

Sara's Flight

My Flight

2. El Pinto for dinner. This is a staple New Mexican restaurant.

3. Hiking the cooler version of the Tent Rocks. It was way better than our 1st hike there.

Are we in the Canyon of the Crescent Moon or the planet of Tatooine?

Crazy NM weather of 10 minutes snowing followed by sunshine. Yes Nick rocked shorts all day!

Bird's eye view

Chris and Nick going further than Sara and I were comfortable with.

Ox Family

Valley Family

Self Timer!

4. A quick visit to Santa Fe, where the snow followed our MN friends.

5. Agricola Fun and Celebrating Nick's birthday!

6. Breakfast burritos from Blake's Lotaburger

Yes it is fast food, but their breakfast burritos are good and $3.50.

7. More Agricola fun!

I wish I would have taken more photos.  Seeing Nick and Sara makes me excited to head back to MN this summer and see more of our wonderful friends.  We are hoping to be there around the 4th of July. Their visit also made me excited for our next guests who arrive on Thursday.  Travel Safely Matt and Jessi!