Another year...wiser...

Doug's birthday was at the end of January and we'd all like to say 'thank you' to everyone who called or sent cards to say hello! He's been working hard...on top of working full-time and being a dad and husband, Doug is still enrolled in his MBA program at Concordia, St. Paul, so he's not only getting older, he's getting wiser with every year! (He's not sensitive about birthdays...so feel free to joke, folks!). We wanted to make his birthday special.

Collin and I started the day early, making a birthday cake for dad while he slept in. Now, "sleeping in" at our house these days, even on your birthday, means that you are up by about 8:oo am. This will give you some perspective on how early Collin and I were up to make the cake before Dad was awakened by this eager little baker....On the plus side, you can't beat freshly baked warm carrot cake and a nice cup of coffee for breakfast!

We love you, Daddy, and hope your birthday was a great one!

Winter Wonderland?

As you may have noticed, we have been absent from the Blog-world for a while...So, what have we been doing? Enjoying all the wonders that winter has to offer....some of them have truly been enjoyable memories...others simply a means to an end....like our drive on Christmas morning....

After a laid back and enjoyable Christmas Eve at our home with just the three of us, after Merry Christmas phone calls to family who live too far away for travel, our winter wonderland adventures began with a Christmas morning drive through a storm to spend the holidays with family. Snow, ice, slush and wind greeted those of us who chose to travel on the road--reminding us that we were indeed celebrating Christmas in Minnesota. After taking our time, we happily arrived at our destination and were able to spend the next few days with family.


Christmas day started in Hector, MN with Grandpa Don, Grandma Lynn and Emily. Collin is now ready to fix anything with his new Black and Decker tool bench and kit!








After enjoying a good meal and gifts in Hector, we were off to Grandma Nola's house in Fernando where the traditional annual game of dice, Bunko, kept everyone busy into the night. Check out Collin hanging with the guys...learning all sorts of things....

The following morning, the fun continued in

Fernando with breakfast and then gift opening with all the cousins...An assortment of

pajamas to party dresses fit the occasion just fine!

And, although Collin started out the day in the new hockey theme "Grandma pants" so popular with hockey players that we gave him as a gift, we soon found out that the day was to be filled with many wardrobe changes...








You guessed it, these three photos are all taken within the same hour....For Christmas he was given a variety of sports theme shirts/jerseys...A Gophers hockey jersey, a Pittsburgh Penguins shirt and a Bronco's jersey....and with each new gift opened he just had to wear it right away...at least until the next one came along!

We spent the next day visiting with my relatives on the farm. The chickens and other animals on the farm were a hit as usual. The many decorations, especially a small mountain

scene with moving skiers

was a really something special!

In addition to family, we have also been blessed to be spending time with friends. On New Year's Eve, we stayed at the Neumann's home, where Collin got to play with his friend Bryce and Doug and I enjoyed the company of Jay and Renee, our gracious hosts!

JJ Hammill stayed overnight for a playdate, and got to practice his basketball skills....proud as can be after making a shot!










The Zeleke family made the long drive from Iowa and took some time in their busy schedule to stop by. Jan and Abel have three beautiful daughters...but like their mommy they are tough girls...Collin had his work cut out for him in a wrestling match with Jasmine!








We also celebrated Christmas with the Bartsch family, Collin's Godparents. (As you can see, Collin is wearing yet another jersey....How did a nice little bookworm like me end up with an aspiring jock for a son?!? Oh yeah, that's right...that must come from Daddy...)



So, like many of you, we started out busy finishing up the Holiday season and it has continued...We hope that all of your families had a great Christmas season and that 2010 is treating you well!

Merry Christmas

SILENT NIGHT

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ, the Saviour is born

Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "

'Tis the Season

'Tis the Season for...well, everything! I realized just yesterday that we have not had a new post since Thanksgiving! My how time flies!






We have spent the last month doing the usual family holiday things...Thanksgiving celebrations with family were fun, but tiring. Collin, Cousin Avrie and Uncle John enjoying a nap together at Grandma Nola's house....








After Thanksgiving, it was time to start the Christmas season. A Christmas party for the families of 3M employees gave Collin one of his first chances to talk to Santa. Last year, Collin would not go near him, although this year he did agree to sit next to him. I don't think that his reluctance is a bad thing....Although we do have a few Santa themed trinkets around, we don't really promote the concept of Santa at home... If you ask Collin, Santa is the guy that helps parents get presents to everyone for celebrating Jesus' birthday. I am actually pretty happy that he questions the logic of sitting on the lap of some stranger in weird clothes that he's never met before....Call me scrooge if you want, I do think it is an odd tradition....




Collin also had a Christmas program at his daycare one Sunday afternoon. Check out our "Wiseman"....

We also put up our own Christmas tree and decorations at home. I am happy to say that this year we took the time to go to a tree lot to purchase a real tree instead of using artificial...No, we have not yet ventured out to cut down our own tree...maybe next year. I keep envisioning the Griswolds from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (one of the best movies, ever) and can't get myself to take that plunge.

I remember picking out the family Christmas tree every year as a child and wanted Collin to have those same memories. Although our perfectly full, pre-purchased store tree with it's themed ornaments suited Doug and I well as a couple, our family is better suited with a real tree. Our tree and our home is now adorned with an eclectic array of decorations, ranging from new gifts Collin received at daycare to ornaments I had as a child.

(A small nativity scene that my Grandma Rose had in her home and our stockings all in a row...)

We will be opening gifts here, tonight, on Christmas Eve, then heading west to visit with family for the weekend...assuming the weather allows it! It is definitely a white Christmas this year!

And, although I will not taint the actual day of Christmas with anything that could be considered "political", since today is December 24, I just cannot resist sharing one "greeting" of the season that I received via e-mail recently...

To All My Liberal Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or explicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

To My Conservative Friends: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thank you, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family.

Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows,

for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness.

Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives.

Thank you for friends, for health and for grace.

May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us.

From "The Catholic Prayer Book," compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley

A fabulous fall season

Fall 2009

Fall has always been my favorite season. I enjoy the colors of the leaves and the crisp air. Doug, Collin and I have enjoyed a lot about the autumn season every year, and fall 2009 has been no exception.

Ironically it felt as though we skipped fall all together and moved straight to winter when we built the first snowman of the year long before Halloween. Although the afternoon of snowball fights, snow angels and snowmen was fun, we were perfectly content when it melted the following day and fall was here after all!

Once fall was back, we celebrated at a festival held by the church attended by Collin's godparents, Katie and Darin Bartsch. Pumpkin painting, face painting, pumpkin basketball and of course pumpkin golf were enjoyed by everyone, despite the soggy/windy day.

In Collin's world (and Doug's) any day with golf is a good day....

To prepare for Halloween, we took a family field trip to a local pumpkin farm in Andover. Complete with hayrides, a corn maze, a potbelly pig that greets you, and the largest pumpkin patches I've ever seen, it was a great afternoon. We were able to leave with a large pumpkin that later decorated our front step. Collin also had his first taste of homemade pumpkin seeds baked in the oven, made from the "pumpkin guts" that he helped to scoop.


Don't let the picture fool you, this was a very big 25lbs pumpkin!

The weekend before Halloween, Doug was in Ohio. So, Collin and I spent some time with the Butcher cousins Riley, Kalie and Avrie Butcher at "Zoo Boo,"an evening event held at Como Zoo in St. Paul where the employees wear costumes and hand out candy to kids as they stroll through the grounds of the zoo.

"Trick or Treat"...Collin, Riley and Kalie hiding in Charlie Brown's pumpkin patch at Como...

Then, of course, it actually was Halloween. This year we took advantage of some of the props we already had at home and Collin trick-or-treated as a "doctor". Thanks to Doug's Aunt Shirley Dummer who is a fabulous seamstress, we were able to avoid the scratchy and thin Doctor's scrubs that came with the white lab coat in favor of these hand crafted comfy, soft and thick blue ones just right for a brisk Halloween night.

Dr. Collin inspecting his gear before a grueling night of trick or treating.

We hit the town at dusk and collected a lot of candy, also stopping at the community Halloween party hosted by the church associated with Collin's daycare, Elim Christian Learning Center. Each year they hold a "warm up" station and free hotdogs, cocoa and games for the kids.

November has been spent enjoying the unseasonably warm fall weather. With not a snowflake in sight, we enjoyed time at Grandpa Don's new house just outside of Hector, MN. The tire swing is a favorite.

And, of course, Daddy had to check out the 10-point buck that Grandpa Don brought home after a hunting trip. Never a fan of hunting myself, this appears to be one of those things that Collin has gotten from Daddy's gene pool. He was not a bit scared of the buck and happy to help out where he could!

And, despite all the fun we had enjoying the fall weather, there is one thing that the autumn season is not known for...good swimming weather. So, this past weekend we were able to spend some time at an indoor swimming pool at the Mystic Lake hotel for the weekend with Grandma Nola. Collin made ample use of the pool and took advantage of the time to practice the skills he learned in swimming lessons this summer. It takes a lot to wear out a 3 year old and by the end of the weekend this mission was accomplished!

Time to relax!

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, just one of the many things we are thankful for is the wonderful time spent with family and friends this fall!

Honey, will you....

I am going out on a limb and assuming that most married couples have at some time or another been introduced to a variation of the "Honey, do..." list.


You know, the little (or long) list of tasks that you are hoping your spouse can accomplish for the benefit of your family or home...and, admit it, to make your to do list smaller.


Those of you that know me well know that I really appreciate a good list. It is such a nice, concrete way to organize your thoughts and ensure that you are making progress toward your end goal. As I have been blessed with a pretty handy husband, I have really learned to appreciate a good "Honey, do...." list.


Typically Doug is pretty laid back about humoring my requests. He too likes things pretty clean, organized and in good repair at home so, although sometimes my style is more concrete than his, he can at least see my point and is willing to accommodate. I do try to not get too ridiculous with the requests either, and there are plenty of things assigned for me to do on those lists as well.

To make lemons out of lemonade we've strung together a pretty great "Honey, do..." list for his official period of unemployment. The job market is tough these days, and it is important to be realistic.


Now, imagine my surprise when he called me on Tuesday afternoon to tell me that he would be starting his new job on Wednesday!


Timing could not have been better. We were told about the closing of his previous company, Exel, in mid September and were expecting his last day to be early October. That position was extended until mid-October as it took longer to tie up loose ends than expected. He was then immediately offered a temporary opportunity by Exel (who knew they were loosing a good employee, if I dare to brag a little about my guy!) in Ohio to fill an executive position for the last two weeks of October. He was gone from October 19 to October 30. After enjoying Halloween weekend as a reunited family, Doug had 2 official days of unemployment-- Monday 11/2 and Tuesday 11/3, then had his first day at his new job today, 11/4.


We are excited and grateful for this job. Doug is now the Logistics Manager at US Water Services in Cambridge, MN. The commute is 30 minutes with no traffic to speak of, the pay and benefits are good, the hours are typical business hours, and so far the job description seems like a very good fit for his interests and skills.


Guess that "Honey, do..." list will have to wait after all!