Luck O' The Irish

Happy St. Patrick's day! Well, happy St. Patrick's Day Eve???

I still love this Holiday! So low key and only what you make of it with no expectations....I know just what green shirt Collin will wear tomorrow and we will have corned beef and cabbage with some friends that are coming over for dinner to celebrate (not too much celebrating, as it is mid-week, of course....). We are a lucky family to have you all in our lives!

Enjoy the day!

It's nice on the ice

When I don't have to drive in it, I don't mind winter as much as I used to...I am getting better each year with just bundling up and taking it as it comes. Collin loves to play outdoors in all seasons, and I think that his enthusiasm is motivating for me...it is way more fun to be outside playing with your son than scraping the windshield of your car or digging yourself out of the driveway with a shovel, which is really all that winter meant to me for most of my adult years....

My new tolerance for the season of snow is probably a very good thing given the fact that I am likely to be spending a large portion of my life in upcoming years near ice, even in the summer, given Collin's apparent love for all things hockey....So, to prepare both Collin and myself, this month he started ice skating lessons at a nearby ice arena.

After 2 lessons with teachers, supplemented by a few trips to both indoor and outdoor public skating with Doug and I, he is well on his way.

Believe me, this is not something we are pushing him into...if anything, Doug and I are the downtrodden ones in this scenario (but he's so cute, we just don't care!).

At this point, he does not need to use a "walker" and can get up from the ice on his own if he does take a tumble. He does all of this with amazingly good spirits and determination.

The classes are offered through Community Education and are simply a way to get interested kids out onto the ice and give them some pointers. They play games and learn basic skills...As you can see below, the class size is very small. Collin is in the first class, Snowplow Sam I, that is for the youngest of beginners.

Our skater is the handsome guy in the black helmet and blue jacket....

Doug and I watch closely at the skating lessons from our seats in the stands...and then we practice when we take Collin to open skating sessions as neither Doug or I can ice skate either! My experience on the ice was limited to a few times at the Hutchinson rink with my High School best friend, Cindy, who was much more graceful and prepared than I ever was! Since then, the only ice time I have had has been in poorly maintained parking lots as I walk to and from my car. Doug's experience is limited too, so I am sure we are all quite the sight out there...especially since it won't be too long before our 3 year old is skating circles around us!

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