End of an Era

2 Tickets ALDS Twins vs. Yankees Game 3 - $164.00

Parking next to the Dome - $25.00

Dome Dogs and other - $30.00

Gas to Dome and back - $64.00

Seeing the last Twins game in the Dome with my Son - $Priceless

Removing Home Plate to take to the new Target Field Twins Stadium

Parade Time

Sioux Valley had their homecoming already this week and ended the week with a parade and football game tonight. This was the first year Julia was alone on the side lines which meant no more candy collection competition from Abbie...except that Julia brought a friend along anyway and the candy collection was still good.

You know you are in small town school when your teacher drives her John Deere tractor to school to drive their parade float. And Abbie's first grade class all held onto a fire hose working to put out the fire from the Garetson Dragons.

Happy Birthday, Mom

As you may have noticed, I am about 3 months and 30 thoughts behind in keeping with this blog. My mom's birthday was last Tuesday so I thought I'd dedicate this one to her. No, I'm not late in wishing her a 'happy birthday', just late in letting you know about it.

As you may not know Mom has always liked music. She would always play the piano for us kids and make up songs with our names inserted as if they were written just for us and all of us brothers learned to play an instrument or two.

Growing up in the 70s, people liked to buy electronics combined with furniture and they were so heavy, they could not be moved unless absolutely necessary. Our home was no different as we had the 'living room stereo/picture frame holder hutch" It was about 6 feet long, 3 feet tall, and seemed to weigh 800lbs. It was terrible if you lost a toy behind it for it was not readily retrievable without multiple brother help. This magnificent piece of acoustical furniture featured a state of the art 4 button, 8-track player with 6 tape storage, in the middle was a large vertical radio with a 3 inch dial to smoothly run the arm up and down the dial, and on the right was the record player.

We had many fun times with that old stereo. I can remember having many records with the likes of: Eternal Echoes, BJ Thomas, Elvis, Tom Jones, Grease soundtrack, Star Wars-Empire Strikes Back Soundtrack, Statler Brothers, ABBA, Lowell Lundstrum, Johny Cash, Burrel Ives, and Anne Murray. Ooohhh...Anne Murray...any time that smooth, alto voice would grace the halls of our house, Mom would be heard singing along. It was remarkable at how much mom would sound just like Anne Murray.

So here's to you, Mom. Anne Murray from 1973. Thanks for the memories and Happy Birthday..last week.

Your #1 Son.

What a Summer!

Tennis Lessons, Bible School, 40th Anniversary Celebration, Black Hills vacation, fireworks, fun on the lake, weddings, birthday celebrations, four-wheeler rides, jet skiing, lemonade stands, fishing at the river, golf, swimming pool, play time with friends, camp fires, horse rides, s'mores, corn on the cob, visits with cousins, bike rides, baseball games, lawn mowing, overnight guests, ice cream cones, lazy mornings, laughter, story telling, hard sleeping, and some nights of tucking kids in a little too late, but what sweet memories.......

It's Looking to be a Great Start to Summer!

Number 9

Jake turned 9 today. Mom made a delicious, 1 millionth scale, replica Twins Metrodome cake. (Don't check my math...it sounds good and it's close enough) And with Jake turning 9, we had a convenient candle for every player position. He had some friends over after school to play Wii, baseball, eat pizza, and of course cake. To end his baseball party, we gave him two tickets to this Friday night's Twins game against Seattle. So if you aren't doing anything this Friday night, you can tune into FSN and watch for Jake and I as we'll be 20 rows up behind home plate. Not sure if we'll get back again this summer so we'll be taking this one a little slower as this is the last year with the Twins playing in the Metrodome. A lot of good memories, over the years, attending games and two world series in that place.

Jacob's also been playing Spring soccer. Every game so far, Monday's and Saturday's, has been blistering windy cold...and it's Spring! His Fall games last year were warmer than this Spring. The girls have been trying to tough it out watching from the sidelines under blankets and coats but sometimes don't make it and head back to the car with mom. Dad, of course, can wait it out and then has to defrost, when it's over, back home. His soccer ability seems to be taking after me a little bit in that his finesse sometimes involves blasting the other kid to the ground while trying to clear the ball out to the other end of the field. He got a little worried because the ref gave him a pre-warning, warning that if he knocked a kid down again he was going to get a warning. I told him that was alright because you gave that kid a pre-warning, warning too and next time he may back off of you. He seemed fine with my logic.

Baseball practice starts next week....here we go!!

Grand Prix

Jake had his AWANA Grand Prix event this evening. He took 5th out of 12 in the racing and won a Best Overall Design Award.

Wonder Boyle

You may have recently heard about Susan Boyle, the singing wonder from Scotland who appeared on Britain's Got Talent show and shocked every one. If you have not seen the video, click here.

The amazing thing to watch is the first impressions of the crowd and all 3 judges toward her. She walked out on stage a simple, common everyday person and was shunned as someone who had no business being there. She walked off the stage with the crowd and judges clamoring to reach the roof in applause for her...partly in shock of what they had just heard and partly in shame for their preconceived judgement of her.

There is a must read article on Susan's life. Please read it here.

How many times have I done this..failing to see others the way Christ sees them...and just simply judging someone who doesn't measure up to the world standards.

Lord, help me to see others the way you see them. Let me instill in my children the value of character and goodness in others. Thank you for this reminder. Please help me Lord.

Easter

Do you know him?

Julia Birthday Update

Julia had her party today with friends. She had a popcorn party! She's daddy's girl alright. Mom built a 4 layer cake into a big tub of popcorn and Julia was in heaven! Needless to say...there is leftover cake!

4 is bigger

My baby girl turned 4 yesterday. For months I have been kidding her to 'stay little for daddy' and she wants nothing to do with that. It has been fun to see what her come backs are when I ask her to stay little. For awhile she was proclaiming that when she turns 4 she will be bigger. Then later on she said to me, "don't you like cake"? To which I said "yes". And then she replied, "then I have to get bigger so you can have cake!" But the most recent and precious comment she said to me was "God is making me this way" To which I just melt and give her a big hug.

Happy Birthday little one.

SPRING IS....

Spring is....

dusting off bikes and scooters,

the return of grilling season,

giggles on the swingset,

shooting hoops and one-on-one with dad,

jump ropes and sidewalk chalk,

counting robins,

eating on the back deck,

and mud on shoes, fingers, and clothes!

Good-bye Winter - Welcome Spring!