We are now Minnesotans....

yes, we are here, got here Monday, and we are loving this place! Everytime we told people we were moving to Minnesota, they would usually respond with one of two things; one, the people are so nice, and two, isn't that colder than Rexburg...

all I can say is yes, the people are so nice, everywhere... seriously... everywhere.

and as for the cold, having come in January for Cory's interview, yes, it was colder than Rexburg, but when we were moving in, it was a hundred and hades degrees with a hundred million percent humidity! NO KIDDING!!!! and the entire city is out of air-conditioning units. Again, not kidding....

But we are pretty well settled and when I get around to it, I will post pictures, maybe tomorrow... that is a good Sabbath day activity! Until then... peace out!!!

why no pictures you ask?

Yes friends, I have tragically lost yet another camera. My dearest daughter thought it should go swimming. Thankfully, my parents got the accidental death insurance policy for the said camera, and it will either be fixed or replaced in the next 4-6 weeks. So where does that leave us? Without a camera of course. So things that will have no documentation from me... going to the Blue Angels yesterday (really fun), Kate going to nursury for the first time today (she did great), me getting old(er), and the big move...

What is the big move all about you ask? Wow, you are full of questions, I may just start calling you Tanner...

Just kidding, we are moving to Minneapolis in a few weeks for grad school. Cory got in yay! He actually got in back in February, but anyway, we are excited! he is going to the University of Minnesota for 2 years and will come out with a Masters of Healthcare Administration. We will be out there by Sam and Alisha, and we couldn't be happier about that! So now we are packing and living in a mess... oh well...

We hope you all have a lovely day and someday I will post pictures again!

Vegas and the zoo... and a bit extra...

So this past weekend, my mom and I ventured down to Vegas to help Ali pack her life up into a million boxes. On the way down, we stopped in St. George and saw Tarzan at the Tuacahn Theatre. It was cool. Ali brought the girls up and met us there. Morgan enjoyed the show and was way better than my kids would have been! (This is before the show, she is watching Hidalgo... random show for a kid, I know!)

Here is the stage, it was cool, they flooded the stage in the beginning when the parents are in the storm. Driving in, Ali and I decided we felt like we were in The Host. (it's a book.)

Morgan meeting Tarzan's ape mom...

Morgan wanted a princess dress made out of curtains... I think of it as Mulan meets Sound of Music...

We had dinner at the zoo for my mom's annual Rotarty Family Picnic. It was fun because they would bring random animals out for the kids to see. This is a penguin. Oh, you knew? Sorry!

This was Kate's reaction to everything at the zoo... she would say "yook"...

Kate on a chicken...

Tanner and Morgan on the airplane ride...

Kate loving the carousel... she cried when we got off, so we went again!!!

Here is the bit extra...

Kate going at Tanner's mega lollypop from Disneyland...

Some of you may know that my family loves to ski. Cory and I even met on a chairlift. But this kinda explains my brother and his friends need to ski. Apparently they are having withdrawls because they built this in my parent's backyard. It kept us all entertained, kids included, for quite a while!

and while I was typing this post, Shannon's sweet mother, Miss Annie, from Alabama knocked on my door! It was a wonderful surprise! Tanner was missing Isaac terribly yesterday and it was fun to see his Grammy today!

M-I-C-K-E-Y...

We did it kids... we met the Mickey Mouse! Thursday night we left to go to Disneyland. Needless to say, it was a good time. (Ali has the pictures of us actually meeting him...sorry!)

We spent 2 days at Disneyland, doing everything we could possibly squeeze in. We ran into Buzz first, and Tanner was a little nervous, so I had to hold him and stand between them, but Morgan had no fear of any of the characters. She was able to meet pretty much every princess in the park. It surprised us how excited she was about meeting Tiana. The girl even looked exactly like her, it was impressive!
We rode the Mickey Mouse Ferris Wheel (Spelling? That way just makes me think of Ferris Bueller, so I will leave it) We rode the carts that swing around... it was fun... a little nauseating, but fun... If you asked Tanner who he wanted to see, he would tell you Donald Duck and Gluto (that is what he calls him). We lucked out when the parade came past us and Donald and Woody were on the float right in front of us. Then Pluto came by and he was happy. He didn't want to meet them, he only wanted to see them. Easy enough right?
Tanner and Morgan hanging out in a tea cup... Morgan cracks me up with her poses.
They were trying to navigate in the Mr. Toady mobile...
Tanner was really excited to meet Lightening McQueen, Mater was just to the left.
Cory and Tanner watching the awesome World of Color water show...
Here is a little clip for you to enjoy... it was really cool, they show scenes from the movies on the mist... they did a collage of a lot of movies and the last one was Pirates of the Carribean and they had flames shooting out of the water... it was enjoyable... I would watch it again...

We also spent some time at the beach. Tanner loved the water, I wish we had more time to spend there, darn it, I guess we will have to go back! Maybe we will take Kater this time. Yes, we left her home, but you would understand if you tried to contain her for 20 minutes, forget 4 days! Another reason to return right?

Tanner is in this picture, can you find him? (hint... he is mostly a shadow)
We had such a great time, so thanks to Shaneece for being a teenage mom for a few days, and thanks Mom and Dad for the family trip! We loved it and are completely happy that we wore ourselves out at Disneyland!

On the Road Again...

So first, Happy Birthday to Preston... (he is holding Tanner)

You are a pretty awesome uncle!

And Cory's grandpa! (he isn't holding Tanner!) They share a birthday... how fun right?

And we also went to Boise last weekend to be entertained by these people...

And see these people...

Okay, so maybe not in such an ungrateful tone, but we really did have a great time! SO thanks to Sam and Alicia for letting us stay! I am sorry my children were high maintenance-ish! They really aren't always like that! I swear! And thanks to Wendy and Pauline for letting Aubry, Alicia, and I come to your super fun family, home, personal enrichment (whatever it is called now) night!

It is crazy... I haven't seen Aubry in 2 1/2 years and it was like no time had passed! That is the mark of a true friend is it not? And Claire reminded us so much of Jeff that it was as if he was there, with us... just in a very short, feminine version! Ha ha! Just kidding, we love you Jeff and Cory was bummed our trips didn't line up better! But congrats on your difficult decision to build a house! Yay!!!

Well, during our visit, the Balukoffs and the Ricks (that's us... in case you we confused by the third person...) went to Camelback Park. Cory and Sam went biking, while Alicia and I stayed with the kiddies at the playground. The ride nearly killed their bikes (although they were man enough to handle it), Cory's axle bolt thing stripped out for his front tire on the ride the day before, and he popped the back tire (fortunately unnoticed until we made it home) ... and Sam's chain broke (fortunately again, he had a tool in his backpack to fix said problem), this left him with about 4 gears to work with. But they made it back. But just before they did, Tanner decided he needed to climb this...

I was excited to chase him up it! But impressively enough, we both made it in flip flops! One day Alicia and I went out to Sam's parents yard and cut flowers and made a few arrangements... someday I want a yard that I can do that in... I love flowers... anyway...

And this was Tanner's favorite thing...

But anyway, thanks again to everyone who made Boise such a fun trip!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

So I know, it is the end of your big day, but it is never too late! Besides, I already told you happy birthday on the phone! I hope that your day was wonderful and that you don't feel any older because you don't look any older! I think you look cute in this picture, I have no idea how old you are, maybe 5... oh just 24 short years ago! Happy Birthday!

Love, Us

Last Day of School

So sadly enough, today was Tanner's last day of school. He is pretty sad that he won't be going back to Mrs. Nikki's in the fall. I think I am going to just do a home-school preschool next year because we won't be in Minneapolis until school is starting, and I don't know anyone out there. But that is okay, I think it will be fun! So this is the treat we made for the party...

We made a lot of them...

He had so much fun, there were a couple of stations for games, look at the determination on his face during the egg walk... (she hard boiled the eggs...so smart!)

And he loved the soccer obstacle course...

I was in charge of the water balloon station with an old friend (Melissa Smith). Tanner had fun tossing the water balloons with his friends Tristan and Ethan... Tanner and Mrs. Nikki...

Thanks Mrs. Nikki, you are awesome! We will miss you!!!