The Griffins: Minot

Yesterday James got off early so we decided to go on an adventure to Minot. Its about 2 hours from where we live. By the time we got ready and loaded up it was a little after 3. We got on the road and Turkey fell fast asleep. Sleeping in the car use to be a breeze when she had her car seat. It reclined back just a little and had sides for her to rest her head on. Well in James jeep she rides in a booster. As everyone knows boosters don't have sides. She tipped over but kept on sleeping. We took off our coats and I made a pile under her so she wouldn't wake up completely kinked. It was super cute! The road to Minot is long! We do go through some hilly areas that were pretty. Along the way you see lots of oil rigs and James pointed out ones he had worked on and what everything was. By every oil rig there is a pipe that is on fire. It is the natural gas getting burned. It gets to pressurized when they pump out the oil so they put a pipe in and release it and since it is not something you want to just release into the air they burn it off. Apparently that is a better idea.

When we first moved up here James told me about a gas that is in the country and if I smell it to keep driving and not stop. Well I now understand what it smells like and a little bit more about it. It smells like rotten eggs. The gas that gets released from the rigs can kill you if it is too concentrated. It is the gas that they are burning off. We drive faster if we smell rotten eggs. It made me very nervous when we were first here. Turkey and I have not adventured to far outside of town because of it. Maybe in the spring we will get more daring. I am not as nervous about it as I was.

Turkey woke up just outside of Minot and was super excited to get there. We went to the mall (which is bigger then the one back home) and wandered about. They have all sorts of fun little shops and some huge ones too! I love all the booths in the middle of the mall that come out this time of year. There is a certain energy in the mall that I love. Everyone is was running about getting Christmas things. It was fun. As we were walking around Turkey saw Santa. Oh my gosh! She was so funny! If you ever have seen the movie Elf where Will Ferrel chases down Santa yelling at him and going on about how he knows him, well that was Turkey. She kept yelling "Santa! Santa!" It was super funny. We decided we best go see him while we were there. We waited in line and chatted about if she was good or not and all those things getting ready to talk to Santa. We were next in line and Santa's little helper girl came up to ask if we wanted photos. While we were looking at them she asked Turkey what she wanted for Christmas. Turkey responded an iPad. She thinks that is the worlds coolest thing. She played with my brothers when he has visited and she played with one our friend had. Well anyways, the women looks at Turkey and proceeds to tell her, "Santa's elves aren't going to make you one, those aren't things that Santa will make. Maybe you should ask Santa for something else." She wasn't even nice about it. I was shocked! Turkey looked a little disappointed. Lets just crush hopes and dreams of a 3 year old. We are not planning on getting Turkey an iPad. She doesn't need to know she isn't getting one. But she can still ask Santa and tell him the other more reasonable things she wants like the watch she saw at Walmart or a new doll or whatever else her little brain comes up with. I told the women we didn't want photos and walked over to see Santa. I was so bugged!

In past years Turkey usually screams bloody murder when we get anywhere near Santa. Last year we went and saw Santa almost everyday. We would get a little closer each day until we were able to sit down next to him. This year there was no screaming, no freak out. She walked up then decided I needed to be the buffer. I sat next to Santa and then she sat next to me. She chatted with him for a minute and told him after he reached for her hand "Santa don't touch me, I like your white gloves but don't touch me"

Luckily we didn't pay for pictures because she wasn't gonna have it. Maybe next year we will have her picture taken with Santa. She told me on the way home that on Christmas she will be nice to Santa and give him a love, but only on Christmas.

After we left Santa we finished walking the mall and then drove around Minot to see what else was there. It was a lot of fun to be out and about. They have some good stores so we will be back another day.

The way home seemed different then the way we came. It was dark out and all you could see were the flames for the rigs. They looked like tiny cities. You know when you are driving in the country and get closer to the city and how it glows? That's what is was like but there were hundreds of them. It was cool to see. Some were right next to the highway and those ones reminded me of homeless people crowded around a barrel on fire. I don't know why but that is what I thought of. We made it home around 9 and we were all exhausted. We all climbed into bed and crashed!

Today Turkey and me went to church. Last week Turkey lit the first Advent candle and was so excited about it all week. We were running a little late today so we got to church just before it began. The preacher came up and asked Turkey if she wanted to light the candle again. She said yes and told me to stay where I was and she held his hand and they went up and she lit the second candle of Advent. She helped in church with everything today. There is a 12 year old girl who goes that Turkey just adores. She was the helper in church so Turkey went with her. Today was the first day we have made it through church without having to walk out to have a chat about being quiet or not running around. It was a lot of fun to watch her be helpful and excited to be at church. I asked the girls mother if her daughter ever babysits and if she would be willing to watch Turkey on a Saturday so I could finish up some Christmas shopping. So I now have a babysitter Saturday afternoon! It will be the first time I will leave Turkey with someone up here who isn't James. I trust this girl and her family, they are good people. Hopefully I can get everything I need done.