Christmas 2000 - The Board Game

Oooh... this one is another favorite of mine. The Board Game:

And this is another one that I don't have the other side saved on the computer. Maybe I'll get it scanned in some day, but not today.

That about brings an end to our Christmas Card round-up. Vern and I had one previous Christmas card together in 1999 (the first year we were married), but it was pretty lame: We put on Santa hats and took a picture and I wrote a short poem about what we did that year. Yawn.

So, that's it. Hope you enjoyed the ride.

Christmas 2001 - The Report Card

This was done during the first year that Vernon was an elementary teacher:

Again, this was the inside, and the outside isn't really on my computer anymore (and if I wasn't so lazy I'd just scan in a copy of the actual card). But it had a list of the Class Mosts, and this is how that read:

Class Clown: Vernon
Nicest Smile: Allison
Nicest Eyes: Vernon
Class Flirt: Vernon
Most Athletic: Vernon
Biggest Giggler: Allison
Best Cook: Allison
Most Fashionable: Vernon
Best Body: Vernon
Most School Spirit: Vernon
Hairiest Nose: Vernon
Nicest Butt: Vernon
Class Brain: Allison
Most Forgetful: Vernon
Biggest Blusher: Allison
Pickiest Eater: Vernon
Best Dressed: Vernon
Worst Driver: Vernon

What I'm Thinking...

Okay. So, here's what I'm thinking...

Downtown Hopkins is adorably quaint and charming, although the city itself didn't scream, "This is it!" I was actually left wondering why I wanted a cute little downtown so badly because I don't even shop that much in the first place. I think I just liked the idea of it.

So, then I started thinking about what WAS really important, and this is what I came up with:

1. Proximity to my community in Minneapolis. Like my friend Laura said, YOU DO NOT WANT TO FEEL ISOLATED! (And I think that what I was hoping to find in the community/town that I would live in I have already found within my mothering community.)
2. A successful location for Vern's chiropractic office.
3. A good library (that we could walk to).
4. Good food sources available.

But Hopkins was nice, and I think it is actually one of the frontrunners. Northfield seems too far away to be relevant any more given the reasons that we moved back. (Haven't been to Hastings or Rosemount yet.)

The other frontrunner is probably Moorhead. Because, not only does it have a perverted-sounding name, but it is:

1. Close to my mother.
2. Has a good library. 
3. Jake and Mikala will probably be living here.
4. Lower cost of living.

My Minneapolis friends were telling me that we should live wherever we think Vern's business will be most successful... and, honestly, I think that place would be Moorhead. (Although I do feel quite certain that he will be successful wherever he is...)

So, there we sit. Trying to balance all of those things out in determining where we should be.

Let the quest continue...

Christmas 2002 - The Crossword Puzzle

This one is kind of boring. Here's the front (part of it is upside down because that's how it got folded):

And then here is the inside. Boring.

Where in the World is Goofy Mama?

Over the last couple of weeks, we went from Moab, Utah, to Colorado, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and now I'm in Moorhead, Minnesota (which is basically Fargo, ND, for those of you not in the know).

The kids and I rode back up here with my mom after Vern's graduation weekend so that, 1) We could give Vernon some time alone to work on his business plan, and 2) To check out the Moorhead area and figure out if we want to live here. Well, neither of those things really happened.

Vernon basically just rested the two days we were away from him because he wasn't feeling well, and now he might be coming up today (instead of on Thanksgiving) to avoid the snow and icy road conditions that are apparently on the way. And we really haven't gotten around much to check out Moorhead because, 1) My kids weren't feeling that great, and 2) The roads are icy.

So, there you have it.

Oh, and my mom doesn't have internet access so I have to update from the local library (which is pretty nice, by the way).