5 Years ago.....

Happy Anniversary today - hard to believe it has already been 5 years!

We love you and wish you many, many more!

Mom, Dad & Morgan

All Caught Up

There....I want those of you who have been critical of my pathetic blogging attempts as of late to know that I am offically all caught up now!!

Broken foot, berries & blogging

Now that my foot is feeling a little better I have had more energy in the evenings after a full day at work. For a while it was all I could do just to get through the day so I could come home and take something for the pain. Thankfully those days have passed! I did find out yesterday that I need to wear my lovely "shoe" for a total of 4 - 6 weeks. I can then try to stand/walk without it for support. Tomorrow it will be 4 weeks since I broke my foot.

Our raspberries were late in coming this year. We are enjoying a nice little "crop" this past week. Hopefully they will continue to produce for a while yet. Morgan has been so diligent to pick them for me when the ground is muddy. (I don't want to get my "shoe" too dirty because I have to wear it both inside & outside.) Last night I deemed the soil dry enough and I did the picking. I got a huge bowl full - the best picking so far (approx. 7 cups). While the ground was dry I think that the activity was a bit much for my poor foot. I barely slept a wink all night. I foolishly thought that maybe I could mow the grass if I did small areas at a time. After the night I had last night I have changed my mind.

Morgan has been attending an "Elements of Acting" class the past 2 weeks out at the college. It is part of the "Summer Arts Academy". She has been busy every night learning her lines for a performance that they will have for parents/etc. on Friday at noon. She seems to have one of the main parts & had to be "off book" (everything memorized) by today. I am thankful that the performance is scheduled during the noon hour - very thoughtful of Sommer at the academy!

Earlier this month Paul spent 2 weeks here in Fergus doing some projects, buying burial plots, driving the boat for hours of tubing fun on Hoot Lake, and taking a little "vacation" from farm work & trucking. It was a good break for him. (Thanks, Paul, for sanding & leveling my patio block sidewalk - no more tripping on the corners of the blocks for us & it looks great!) Unfortunately Paul's "good time" was over the moment he arrived back at the farm. Lightening had struck and took out 2 phases of the 3 phase electricity. The stench was overwhelming when he got to the house. There was only a "trickle" of electricity coming into the house - not even enough to fully light a lightbulb. The refridgerator & freezer were NASTY!! The fridge was so bad (things growing all over the walls, etc.) that they just hauled it out. (It was that same old gold colored one from probably the 70's.) He has replaced the fridge but I believe that he had/has to clean up the chest freezer in the garage. Poor Paul!

Catching Up #3

Morgan & Emily were in the "Adventures of Robin Hood" community theatre production the past 2 weekends. The cast put in many hours of rehearsal & the performance was really entertaining. (It was a comedy.)

Since I was not able to use flash photography any photos that had action/motion turned out fuzzy. I hope that the photos I have chosen to post give you a glipse of the quality of the costuming and a taste of the flavor of the play.

The Wife and 7 daughters of Alfred the Saxon - Morgan was "Alice" & Emily was "Alberta"

The family is poor because the Sheriff of Nottingham has taxed them time and time again and have taken everything that they had

The family attending the fair at Nottinham Castle

Alfred and his daughters - the apple of his eye (more like the bushel)

Reading the decree from King Richard - Long live King Richard!

Grandma Kay & Grandma Pat were special guests at one of the performances the first weekend. Grandma Pat made a special trip just for the occasion (she stayed only 20 hours before returning to Baron to spend the day at a Brewer's game with cousin Andrew).

Robin Hood hearing the plight of this poor family

Robin, his Merry Men & the gals from the Bluebell Inn in disguise waiting to be taxed by the Sheriff

Marilyn & Steig drove to Fergus to attend the final performance. Thank you for making the trip even after a long & tiring weekend at Sonshine!

Mom & Dad with their beautiful actress

Catching Up #2

Here are a couple pics from this summer.....

Abby, Emily & Morgan sacked out in the tv room graduation weekend.

Allie sneaking the "chickens" off of Grandma Pat's fridge

Allie hiding the chickens on the side of the fridge so grandma can't see them

Ty in his "Very Hungry Catepillar"outfit & blanket that we gave him

Hoot Lake Boat Parade on July 4th

Oogie (a.k.a. Dunkyn) crashed after a busy day of swimming (not always by his choice but Morgan & Emily thought he needed to learn) and boating.

Ty's feet were bare & cold on this particular afternoon. Morgan's socks were laying close by so I put them on his feet to keep them warm. It was hilarious when he kicked his feet and the socks would flop all over the place. He is such a honey!!

I was all excited about the prospect of babysitting Ty while Heather & Sheila went to the Phelps Mill Festival one Saturday morning. This is what he did the entire time they were gone. (The weather wasn't too favorable so they returned after just a couple hours.)

I was able to watch him another evening when they all went to see the new Batman movie. I got to watch him for a longer period of time but all he did was sleep that night too! He is such a sweet little thing - I hope he comes back again soon so I can smooch those little cheeks!

Catching Up #1

Okay....here goes.....I cleaned off my camera and here is what I have neglected to post since May!! The pictures below are not in order by date or event.

Morgan participated in several different track events and did very well in everything (except Discus - none of the 7th grade girls were taught the proper technique - maybe next year)!

Morgan did both Long Jump & Triple Jump. She really excelled in the Triple Jump.

Sports Fans in Detroit Lakes (Emily had already run the mile & had done really well!)

Morgan's team placed in this relay. I have the results somewhere - I guess I could look up what place they got......but does it really matter 3 months later?!?!

I think this is Morgan - it was hard to tell and sometimes I got pictures of her teammates by mistake!!

Emily was one of very few who particpated in the mile run.

She was like the Energizer Bunny....she just kept going & going......

A Discus throw into the strong wind

More Discus

Morgan placed First thru Third Place in all of her Triple Jumps at the meets

Go Em!!

See the Discus....it probably landed right about there. Kind of a sad throw - it was her first try. (Sorry Morgan, you know it is the truth!)

Here is Emily with the Discus (can you see it in the pic?)

One of Morgan's best throws - but, unfortunately she exited from the front of the circle and then it didn't count. (You don't have to do that too many times before you learn your lesson!)

If you look closely you can see both Em & Morgan in this relay. Emily was almost at the end of her leg and Morgan was just getting the baton.

I am not sure if this was the 400 m run or if she is carrying a baton. (I should have enlarged the photo before I uploaded it....oh well!)

It was a fun track season but there were only 3 meets (1 was cancelled because of the weather). Next year the girls will know a little more about the different events and sign up early for the events they want to participate in the most.

Oh yeah, we squeaked in a Spring Band Concert before the end of the school year too. I guess I don't have any good pictures of her playing - she always ends up right behind the Director and I can't see her once they start to play.

Morgan & Emily auditioned for & were selected to play in the Middle School Honors Band next year. The band is comprised of 52 musicians out of a possible 136 band students in the 7th & 8th grades.

Yeah Girls!!

(Side note - Emily was in Honors Band in 7th grade too.)

At the end of the school year they had an awards day for the entire Middle School. Morgan was presented an "Art Award" for Special Achievement in Art. (This perplexed Morgan - her instructor often used her artword as an "example" to show other students in her class but never gave her any indication that her work was especially outstanding by any means. Artistic creativity doesn't come naturally to Morgan. (She gets that trait from her Mom! - well, Dad doesn't score too high in that area either!)

Another award that Morgan was presented was truely an honor. It was presented to only four 7th grade students (2 boys & 2 girls). There were approx. 240 students in her grade.

I should have taken a picture - here is what it says:

Fergus Falls Middle School

Positively Awesome Character AWARD

is hereby granted to:

Morgan Fylling

As an acknowledgement of Outstanding Personal Characteristics

(Ambitious, Considerate, Cooperative, Fair, Honest, Patient, Punctual, Reliable, Respectful, Responsible)

By Parent Advisory Council (P.A.C.)

Morgan truely has all of the personal characteristics that they listed. Way to go, Morgan...we are so proud of you!!

25 Years

Happy 25th Anniversary Sheila & Wes!

Updates

Emily told me I need to update my blog......she is right!