We're headed off into the sunset....

Hi Y'all! (Thought I'd try out my wild-west talk)

By Friday morning, we'll be headed off on our (entire) Helweg Family Vacation! :) We'll be going through North Dakota on the way down, and staying in Bowman for the night. Then, we'll be making our way down to Laramie, WY where Josh's Grandparents live! We'll have a nice long week of visiting with them! Doing all sorts of great things...Fishing, camping, visiting museums, etc! It will be so much fun! Then on the way up, we'll go through South Dakota and see all the sights there! Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower, Wind Caves, Badlands, and even get to tour a gold mine! We'll stay in Wall, SD for the night, and then return to Bemidji LATE Saturday evening. (June 2nd)

I am so excited, running around trying to remember everything to pack and bring! It will be great to go with Josh's family, too! More fun with family, always! :) I can't wait for the TRIP! I pray Leah will be good though, on our long car ride. The longest drive will be our departure on Friday, about 8 1/2 hours to Bowman from Bemidji. Yikes. But, after that it's MUCH shorter. I'm sure she'll be good, as long as she is entertained! :)

We'll miss all of you as we're gone, and look forward to seeing you all when we get back!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend! We're Goin' West Young Man!

Best Friends Already!

Here are some cute pictures of Leah and her friend Elianna Caron. They are only 4 months apart in age, and just LOVE to play with each other... or poke each other in the eyes, pull hair, etc. They're so cute to watch! For example: Mindy and I took Leah and Ella for a walk by the lake on Monday. The girls were in seperate strollers side by side, but they reached out and held each other's hands as we walked, and talked to each other! It was so precious!

It's Fun for Leah to have a best friend already!

What a Busy Week!

This past week, (or two or three!) have been so busy!

I've been helping to plan the Helweg Family Vacation to Wyoming/South Dakota/North Dakota. My mom-in-law and I have been looking at all the fun things to do in those states, and checking out costs, time to travel, etc. I am so excited to see all the places we're looking at: the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Custer Nat'l Park, and the Wind Caves! We'll leave the end of the month, so I've been really busy planning this week! It's coming up so fast! :)

Leah has mastered walking by herself and now is trying to run! She's awful clumsy though, and falls a lot! Josh says she is a lot like him (clutzy)! haha! She is growing up so fast, and really looking more like a young lady every day. We just had her one-year-old pictures taken last week, and they turned out so cute! I'll try to post one later if I can! :)

And today, Josh's brother Jonathan comes to live at our house for the summer! He is staying up in our small attic. It's big enough for a nice little "apartment" for him, and it'll be fun to have him stay with us! Jonathan will work as a carpenter with Josh at Ken Berge Construction for the summer, to give him experience for next year when he comes to Bemidji for College. (He's going for his 2 year Carpentry degree at Northwest Tech) Carpenters run in the family I guess! :) We're anxiously awaiting his arrival!

Leah and Uncle Isaac watch "Looney Tunes" together!

This has to be the funniest picture of Leah!

She loves to sit in her block box, and read her books.

I would think it's very uncomfortable! :) I love her smirk, too! Just like Joshy!

Leah enjoying her car!

Jonathan's "Apartment"

Girls Slumber Party!

I told Josh what I really wanted for my birthday this year was a hotel slumber party with my girlfriends! Saturday-Sunday was my slumber party! My friends/sisters Michelle, Hannah, Anna, and Audrey came! We watched the new Spiderman 3 movie in theatres, then went back to the hotel for Pizza, pop and snacks. We swam in the pool until LATE at night, and watched girl-y movies, played MASHO, and did our hair. We ended staying up til 4:30 in the morning talking, laughing, and having so much fun! It was so FUN to have a slumber party like we used to do, as teenagers! Great birthday present, and something to remember forever!

Fun with Facials!

Michelle, Me, Hannah and Audrey. (Anna is taking the pic)

Helweg girls enjoy the jacuzzi suite!

Hannah, Anna and Amber (Michelle's daughter) get sleepy!

Playing Outdoors!

Leah and I have been LOVING this beautiful weather! We often eat lunch or play outside, sitting on a picnic blanket, and just soaking up the sun! Leah also likes to walk around and look at the fun things in the yard... (those funny-looking leaves!) But she is so funny.... she hates the poky grass when she falls down. She makes a funny face and then quickly gets up and keeps walking! Silly girl. Here's a couple pics of us playing outside this week!