12-12-12

Recently had 12 inches of snow. It's been gorgeous to look at and I've loved it! Despite that, I'm finding it would be nice to be someplace sunny...

Arkansas 4 - Nice Weather for Walking

It was great to experience a second fall.  The weather was great for walking (or biking for Abby, scooting for Xander, and strolling for Emma).

Arkansas 3 - Abby, Xander, and the Toy Car

It was a joy watching Xander drive Abby around in this oversized toy car. 

Arkansas 2 - Pete's Place in Jacksonville

It was fun to stay with Pete in Jacksonville. His house had ample space for hosting Mom, Dale, and me.

Arkansas 1 - The Kids

The weather was pleasant in Jacksonville allowing us to spend some time outside. Here Abby, Xander, and Emma play with sidewalk chalk on the driveway.

Thanksgiving 2012 Part 4

Thanksgiving dinner was delicious.

Thanksgiving 2012 Part 3

Thanksgiving Day was beautiful. Arkansas seems to be about a month behind Minneapolis in terms of the season. Dale and I both felt so lucky that we get a second chance at fall.

Thanksgiving 2012 Part 2

Photos of the Little Rock skyline.

Thanksgiving 2012 Part 1

Thanksgiving in Arkansas with Pete and his family. We flew out of Minneapolis and into Memphis where we rented a car to drive to Jacksonville, AR where Pete lives. Jacksonville is only about 20 minutes outside of Little Rock.

Top photo: Holiday decoration at the MSP airport.
Bottom photo: Landing at the Memphis airport.

Iron Mountain 2012 - Leaving Iron Mountain

I've come to really like this place of Iron Mountain, Michigan. It really has a likable small town feel and a beautiful spirit about it. Here, I found my great-great grandma and grandpa who came to this country from French Canada along with a sense of connection to them and a very slight glimpse of what their lives may have been like. I don't know much about what they were like as people but what I do know is that they took a chance by leaving their home country to start over in a new place. They raised a family here and were buried in a place far away from the families with whom they grew up. I am not sure why they came here but my assumption is that it was for economic opportunity. Obviously, I am here because they were willing to start over in a new place. I couldn't be more grateful. Many thanks to Joseph and Olive who are my French-Canadian ancestors.

Iron Mountain 2012 - Cocktails

Iron Mountain 2012 - The Chapin Mine

Site of the Chapin Mine

Site of the Chapin Mine

My great-great-grandfather worked in the iron mines for a while. I believe it was an open air mine. Now it is filled with water.

Iron Mountain 2012 - Pasties for Lunch Part 2

The pasties were delicious.

Iron Mountain 2012 - Pasties for Lunch Part 1

Found a little pasties shop. Dale bought  a couple and we then took them to the park for a picnic.

Iron Mountain 2012 - Cemetery Park

Dale and Ispent about an hour looking through the cemetery to find my ancestor's grave markers. It took a while but it was worth the effort.

Iron Mountain 2012 - A Family House

Stopped at the Dickinson County Courthouse this morning to get death certificates for my ancestors. We then stopped at the library to look in the old city directories and look up obituaries. The city directories were easy enough to find. We had to look at old newspapers on microfilm to find the obituaries and find them we did! Now the house the family had for many years is no longer standing but the house where my great-grandfather was when he died is pictured above. The house belonged to his daughter's family.

Iron Mountain 2012 - Gorgeous Evening

An old part of Iron Mountain. 

Iron Mountain 2012 - More Dickinson County Courthouse

Dickinson County Courthouse

Iron Mountain 2012 - Dickinson County Courthouse

Earlier this week I called the court house to see if they had records of my ancestors. They said they did. Dale and I went to find it so we will know exactly where we are going tomorrow. I rather like the building.

Iron Mountain 2012 - Carpenter Avenue

Dale and I found the site of where my ancestors used to live. Sadly, the house is no more.

Iron Mountain Trip 2012 - Spiro's

Dale and I made it to Iron Mountain, Michigan around 4:30 p.m. Explored for a little while and then had dinner at a place called Spiro's. Very tasty.

Iron Mountain Trip 2012 - Smokey the Bear

Stopped for gas in Wisconsin. Our destination is Iron Mountain, Michigan where I will be doing some genealogy work.

Leavenworth Trip 2012 - Leaving Des Moines

Left Des Moines this moring. Mom, Dale, and I were on the road by 8:15. Hyatt Place is a very nice place to stay.

Top photo: View from our hotel room.
Bottom: Barilla facility. Photo taken from the car in Iowa.

Leavenworth Trip 2012 - More Children's Farmstead

1. (Top)  Calf
2. Teepee
3. Covered Wagon
4. Shops
5. The horses that pulled the hayride wagon.

Leavenworth Trip 2012 - Children's Farmstead

Today we all went to the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas.

Walking Around Leavenworth In Sunday Morning

And, yes, even more leavenworth

Sunset in Leavenworth at 8:19 p.m.

Even more leavenworth

We stopped by the outlet mall to get some lunch.

The Carnegie Arts Center is an old Carnegie library. This is only about a block from Sam and Becky's house.

More leavenworth

This is the Moon Marble Company in Bonner Springs, Kansas. We took the boys here to see how real glass marbles are made. My understanding is that this is one of the, if not THE, last place in the U.S. to actually hand make glass marbles. The place has a wonderful toy store which we more than had time to see!

Leavenworth

In Platte City waiting to cross the bridge into Leavenworth, Kansas.