It’s January 1, 2011, it was between 0 and maybe 8 degrees today (without factoring in the windchill), and I ran a 5K (the Polar Dash). Once you get running the weather really wasn’t all that bad. I opted to just wear running shoes and to not wear a jacket but I did have a goofy/warm hat, neck warmer, and gloves. I ran with my neighbor and kept her company; it was nice to get out and get some exercise. I followed that up with 90 minutes of P90X yoga later on today – bring it! Megan went outside to sled a few times today. She would sled and then drag her sled around the house and play in the front yard and then come to sled in the back again. The cold weather definitely wasn’t bothering her.
Last night Beth and I went to a Minnesota Wild hockey game for New Year’s Eve. The game started at 5:00 p.m. so we had time to hit a bar afterwards to play some pool and still get back by 9:30 to watch the NY-ball drop with the kids.
We had a great Christmas. It nice not traveling but it would also be nice to spend more time with family – can’t have it both ways though. I took the last two weeks off of work. It’s amazing how little progress I made on any of my to-do lists – grrrrrr 🙁 Oh well, I guess I’ll take care of that stuff next Christmas break.
Here are the kids on Christmas morning.
This is before the Christmas Eve service. Too bad boy’s jackets are never nice enough to be handed down, huh? 🙂
We’ve had crazy snow this year – the snowiest December on record in Minnesota. We’ve probably got a foot+ on the ground still as our base.
I still love snow and winter and shoveling. “They” predicted that two major snowstorms would hit us again this week, but both of those fizzled out. When we don’t get snow as expected it bums me out – I love getting dumped on and living the true Minnesota winters. Here’s the view off of our back porch. The snow is so high the bird feeders are almost resting on my huge mound of snow and there is no where else for me to put it – yikes.
Megan was my helper all week. The other two helped here and there but Megan likes to be right in the middle of anything that is going on. I made a lot of cookies with the kids (decorating the sugar cookies was their favorite part; eating the spritzer cookies was my favorite part).
Megan also helped me make some Scrabble cheese balls – yummy!!!
And Colleen snuck in one last dance show this year. She’s in the elite group now and they really are looking good – just like the Rockettes!
I’m convinced that the real santa came to the Eden Prairie children’s Christmas party this year. As always that party is a great time for the kids – cookie decorating, bouncy inflatible and huge slide inflatible, ornament decorating, and of course visiting and gifts from Santa. The next two weekends are adult holiday parties with the fire department.
And not to miss out on anything, here is Megan getting tested for her first belt in Kung Fu. She says she likes it so we’ll see if she sticks with it. She got her white belt and Christopher got his green belt that same day.
Ok, enough randomness for now. Happy New Year everybody!!!
And Happy New Year to you and your family.
Hard to believe Christmas is over already. We had a rather quiet Christmas and even managed to lose some weight due to the “bug” that’s been going around this part of the country. I actually was “lucky” enough to catch it twice! Also, yesterday morning at 4:30 I woke mom up as I was trying to deal with pain of what seemed to be a kidney stone attack. This was on the other (left) side though. After we were dressed and heading to go to the ER, the pain went away and hasn’t bothered me since. So..?? – not sure what’s going on, but I increased my fluid intake significantly.
Glad you had a great Christmas. Wish we were closer so we could enjoy some of the special holidays with your family. Thanks for the regular and frequent updates to your blog. Even though we can’t be there to enjoy your family in person we can at least see what you’ve been up to.
Congrats Colleen for making the elite dance group. You are so pretty in your costume. Hope you are having fun and learning a lot. Megan, I had to look twice to see if you or the person behind you are the instructor. Your form is just like hers. Keep up the good work. Christopher, I like the t-shirt you are weaing with Santa. Hope Santa was good to all of you. From the picture in front of the tree it looks like he was. If that’s not the real Santa at the party, he’s got me fooled.
Funny, as I was looking at the pictures from your last update, I assumed Megan might get to wear some of Colleen’s coats and clothes and wondered about Christopher’s. Maybe you answered my question – perhaps he wears his out so there isn’t much to pass along to another person anyway.
I know you were born in Duluth, but running around in single digit temperatures without a coat seems a little extreme. I thought your mother rasied you better that that. I hope you had a little more on than just running shoes and a hat – didn’t see you on You-Tube, so I guess you must have had a little more on. Didn’t the Polar Dash include a Polar jump in the lake? Hope not – the run would be more than enough. Reminds me too much of the unpleasant experience of Lake Superior right after the ice had left the harbor. No thanks – at our age sitting by the fire is the way we like to enjoy those cold winter days. Enjoy them while you can and the fun times with your family. It looks like you are and everyone looks happy and healthy. Keep it up and hope you all have a GREAT 2011.
Love, Dad & Grandpa T.
Ditto to everything Dad said. Your family has so much fun doing so many different things. Colleen is such a lovely young lady – growing up too fast especially when you see her in that dance outfit. Megan also looked older than her age in the picture where she was trying to get her first belt. Christopher is so cute and also growing up too fast. We definitely need to see them more often. You can keep the snow. I used to like it more when I was younger. I guess I really like it when I can stay inside and watch it and not have to go out in it. How nice that Megan likes to help you – however, that scrabble too ball doesn’t look too good!!!! This is the first year in all the 42 years we’ve been married that I didn’t bake any cookies or make that cheese ball. Guess we didn’t really need it anyway. Happy New Year.