Riding the Polar Express

On December 20, we rode the Polar Express to the North Pole. It is originally the Charlie Russell Choo Chew during the summer, but during the winter they take kids (and adults) to the North Pole and pick up Santa Clause, then ride back home. Poppy Steve and Grandma Rosie bought all the kids and grandkids tickets to ride, so off we went. Lyla had alot of fun and got to see Santa Clause in person for the first time. She gave him a High Five!! My camera batteries went dead just when Santa was getting to her, so I will have to post pics later that Poppy Steve took.

Foundation of our new house

On December 8, 9, 10 we worked really hard to get the foundation formed up and poured before the weather got really cold that Friday (and ohhhhh did it!!). We poured on the 10th, so now we have a foundation for when we get our house sold in Belgrade. Then we can start. We had lots of help to get all of this done. Lea, Jen, Dave (Lea's friend from Belgrade), Papa Kent, Poppy Steve worked on the foundation and Grandma Janet watched Lyla at the house so we could get something done. We are very happy to have gotten this far since winter was rapidly setting in.

Cutting the 2008 Christmas Tree!!

On December 7 we went and cut Christmas trees with Ridgeway's, Hoenisch's and Fielder's. Lyla sure had a fun time as she could actually participate this year. She also assisted with the measuring tape when it came to putting up the tree in the house! We sure are looking forward to Christmas this year and Lyla is too--She knows about Santa (though we haven't went to see him yet).

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas!!

New Pics-It's been a month!!

It's been a month already since I last posted pictures. Not a whole lot has changed.

We are using insulated concrete forms (blocks) for the foundation for our house, and we now have 3 rows up (out of 7). The wind blew so hard Monday that it acutally blew some of the top row off. So now we have more work to do.

The pictures below are of Lyla riding the MiniX with Lea, Lyla helping Mommy oil boots, and the latest story hour where Lyla made a snowman out of a sock.

Happy Halloween!!

Lyla playing in the first snowfall of the year!

Lyla always has "COOL" hair when she wakes up in the morning!!

Eating a cookie while Aunt Me Me was watching her while we poured the concrete pad for our house.

The pump truck we used for pouring our concrete pad.

This was the drilling rig from Lewistown drilling our well. We now have water & power. We got 15 GPM at 100'.

Lyla was a butterfly for Halloween and her friend Landon Nicholls was a giraffe.

Aunt Me Me made Lyla a Halloween bucket to put her candy in.

Our Caged Monkey!

Busy Mitchell's

Things have been going real good here. We have been so busy with the business and getting our own house started. Pictures are of Lyla helping vaccinate and move cows, helping daddy (sort of) move gravel...when she was awake, and pouring the first batch of concrete for the frost wall for our house. And of course the last is Lyla with her favorite pop, PEPSI!!!

Breaking Ground On Our New House!!!

This is the land before the project has even started. The CAT in the background is the approximate location.

Starting to dig the foundation. Dad (Kent Ridgeway) ran the CAT and pushed the dirt into piles, Mikey Lee (our friend) ran the excavator, and Lea ran the grade stick. The dogs, kiddo and I mostly just watched!!

This is the completely dug foundation. There will be a full walkout basement.

Lyla with Uncle Mikey riding on the excavator. He even let her drive it (she went in circles and lifted the bucket up and down). She sure had a lot of fun!!