Kids, kids, & more kids

We have decided to eliminate calling them by their names, and we just call them the number in which they were born. It's amazing how much more accurate I am using this method. Call me crazy, but it works! And they all know which number they are too!
Pix from our Scandinavian Days adventure in Story City. Fun, fun, fun!!! Oh yes, and a big shout out of thanks to who ever likes to send our girls make up. Lovin' It!

#3

#1 & friend
#3, 2, 5, & 4
#5 with lovely make up
#3 lookin pretty good actually! Maybe she'll do Mary Kay!
#2, wow!

#5 w/o make up. Her eyes are naturally that blue.
Rocker Chick & body guard in cognito. (spelling????)

Yes, we're afloat!

We are dry & without any flooding. These few pix are of actually of just rain that we received the first week in June. Just quite a bit at once, and so by the fair grounds (4H grounds) was flooded a little. We weren't affected at all with the terrible flooding that has been in Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines. And, the flooding in Des Moines was nothing compared to the flooding north east of us in Cedar Rapids. Everyone in Cedar Rapids could use your prayers now, and for a long while while they dry up, and start the re-building process.

New Addition

We have a new addition to our family. Help us welcome the Bird Family. We love them, and have been learning quite a bit from them. Our momma bird laid 3 blue eggs, and they all hatched. When we would try to peak in, watch out, momma bird would give us an ear full! Very protective. She would fly right at us, telling us to get away from her babies. SOOOO CUTE!
I didn't know that mother birds were so protective of their young. You will see mommy & daddy staying close, yet, looking for food and with all the rain we've been having, they didn't have any problems finding good fat worms! This was my entertainment for several weeks. Just as fast as they came into our lives, they had grown up, and flown the nest! Bye Bird Family.
Come back to see us again!

This is Mama bird.
Mommy & Daddy in eyes view of their babies, but getting supper for the family!
There is one peeking it's head up.
Here comes Mama.... feed me, feed me!! Pick me, pick me!

The Happenings in Story City, Iowa

Progress is moving along nicely!! Some before and after shots for you all.

The whole ceiling is the original tin. We're keeping it (of course) and painting it

Coffee Bean Brown. (It's going to look so cool!) Also, where you see the 2x4's is where the stairs (we will put in) lead to the 2nd floor, and in the future, if this location works well for us, we will turn in into a lounge and/or party room area.

This is a picture of our front entrance as if you were leaving from your fine dining experience! On the right hand side of the door will be our "coffee bar area with a display case, etc. To the left of the front door will be the "stage" area where we will have comfortable lounge seating, as well as where the live entertainment will be preformed.

Looking from the middle of store to the front (love the carpet!) So Retro!

Notice the wall on the left hand side? (before)

Looking from the middle of the store to the front- mid-demo.
Notice the wall on the left hand side, it's gone! (after)

Looking from the front of the store to the back-before.

Looking from the front of the store to the back-after.
Awesome brick & windows that we WILL be keeping!!

Framers started in last week and will most likely finish up this week. Will post more pix soon.

If you have no clue as to what this is, or what I am talking about, read our "Starting A New" post, and it will all make since!

Cool & The Gang

Gunnner our body guard. (BEWARE!)

Rocker chick, her roadie & their crew....

Ahh... so photogenic: Courtney & Katrina

Brooke & Taylor horsing around as always!

Smiley Ashley

Daddy's Little Helper: Katrina, A.K.A. Trina*

They work as hard as we do!

Movie Review (continual)

OK, so I have come to the conclusion that if Robert & Ebert give 2 thumbs up, we don't watch it. If they give it two thumbs down, it's probably a great movie!!! If they win all sorts of awards at the Grammies, again, we probably won't like them at all. Some fine examples:

*No Country for Old Men - (DEB) terrible!!! lost brain cells and valuable time watching this senseless movie.
*There will be Blood - (DEB) same exact thing. terrible. what are people thinking when they say these movies are good, or even worse, great?? are they on drugs, or what????
*The Painted Veil - GALS
*The Game Plan - GFM

*The Bee Movie - GFM
*We Own the Night - DEB
*Evan Almighty - GFM
*Transformers - T
*I Am Legend - T

*Resurrecting the Champ - GFM (with the exception of a handful of unnecessary language)

*National Treasure 2 - GFM

*Sweeney Todd - DEB - HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!
*Untraceable - T - disturbing images though & a hand full of choice words
*The Final Season - GFM

*Moondance Alexander - GFM

Steph's Ratings:

DEB- don't even bother

GALS- good adult love story

GFM- good family movie

GREAT!!

T- tolerable

Starting A New

The time has come where I actually have some time to write and share! Amazing I know.

First news update is The Old Opera Cafe has been open now for over a year. We actually just celebrated our 1 year anniversary the last weekend in March. Time has flown by, I can't believe that it's actually been a year. We have learned so much, and have grown so much as well; in several different ways. Our store is beautiful as you will see. I know I started a page to show you all the step by step progress as we went along, but as you can tell, it was time to WORK, not type, so I wasn't able to do that. I have included some photo's though of our finished product for you to see what our place looks like. It's always a great day at The Old Opera Cafe! Hopefully you will at one time or another be able to see it in person.

Second news update: We are ready to take on another project. "Are you crazy" you might ask..... well, what exactly defines crazy? We were not seeking to open another location, but were approached about it by a resident of Story City. They said, "What will it take for you to come to Story City?" My response of course, "cash." So, we are going to open another store in Story City Iowa! It's about 20 minutes north west of Nevada where our current location is. It is going to be a full restaurant, offering a full breakfast, lunch, as well as a full dinner menu and dessert. Wine, beer, appetizers, etc. We are very excited about it, and don't have many details to share at this time. We have much paper work in the "works" that will determine when we will actually open. Definitely by fall. We have a few investors and have a few more that we are seeking out to help finance this adventure.

We are so very excited about this new journey that we are about to embark on. I'll try to keep this updated a little more frequently than I have in the past year!!! Are you laughing? I haven't written anything in the last year!! Sorry about that. I'll try my best to keep you up to date!

Thanks for checking in with the Mehmens!