Ragnar Relay - 205.9 Mile Run!

Jim & I spent a weekend among friends, running from La Crosse, WI to Minneapolis, MN. What an adventure! We left Thursday afternoon, traveling to La Crosse. We got to enjoy the evening with a dinner out and drinks. We were up early Friday morning to start our running adventures! We split up in to two different vans, with each person taking 3 different legs of the relay. Some of us ran in extreme heat, some in a hard down pour of rain, but we all got to run during the middle of the night, in the peaceful, cool, star-filled sky! It took our team 29 hours, 47 minutes, and 17 seconds to run 205.9 miles. Our team averaged 8:57 minute miles. Some of us were able to run 5:30 minute miles (down hills), while others of us were struggling through the 11:00 minute miles (up hills). There are so many fun stories we shared... From runs with minimal clothing, to attempting to sleep on high school wrestling mats, to a car battery dying & needing a jump, to not using any A/C in our vehicle after a debate on catching a chill when you are done running. The fun memories could go on & on! Saturday afternoon, we crossed the finish line at Boom Island as a team. What a conclusion to all the hard work we had just accomplished. Needless to say, Jim & I were both really tired & super sore. I am more sore from this adventure than I had been after both marathons I had run. And after running on only 3 hours of sleep, Jim & I crashed hard once we returned home. Today, as we look back, we are reminiscing about the fun times we had & so thankful that we are blessed with such wonderful friends. We will always remember this experience & look forward to many more like this!!!

A Major League Player!

Lauryn gets to throw out the 1st pitch at the Twin's game!

So, after many months of practicing, the day had finally come. We went down early to the Twin's game, got to stand on the field, see the dugout, get as close as we'll ever get to a few Twin's players, and then watch Lauryn throw that first pitch.

She threw great... making it all the way to the catcher with no problems. In fact, she probably could have even stood on the pitchers mound & done just fine. She's got an arm for a 10 year old!

Then, she gets a hug from T.C., the mascot... she just LOVED that!

And to top it all off, the Twin's won today:)

Welcome Nora Ann Simones!

My sister & her family had a baby girl today!
August 15th at 7:00AM

7 lbs 14 oz

19" long

Welcomed by her family; Pat, Cori, Logan, and Cade

***We all enjoyed meeting her today. She is absolutely beautiful:)

What a Weekend!

We had a great weekend! Friday night Lauryn had a soccer game. She played great, as usual. All three kids had such a great time because they all had a friend sleep over. Then Saturday morning I woke up and did my training run; 16 miles around the lakes. It was a gorgeous morning & so much fun to run with friends. Then Saturday I worked with Lauryn all day, re-doing her bedroom. She went from having a room full of butterflies, flowers, and pink (everything she thinks is too babyish) to having a room with turquoise & lime green dots. It is super cute! We also took the time to clean out her closets & pass along tons of clothes & toys that she no longer plays with. Her room is definitely fit for a "pre-teen" girl now:) Then today was the best day ever! Jim & I got to go on our hot air balloon ride. We had the experience of a life time. First of all, we went over the St. Croix river & dipped down in to the water and got our feet wet. Thankfully (at the last minute) I did not wear my current running shoes! Then, we were also up with another balloon & the two balloons bumped in to each other (they call this "kissing"). They also told us that this does not happen all that often. The best part though, was our landing... The winds had picked up a little bit and we were moving faster than the pilots had hoped for. So we missed our landing spot, giving us another 45 minutes up in the air. But then, we had to land in White Bear Lake! Yes, THE ACTUAL LAKE! The pilots were quite stressed because we were running out of day light & fuel. Jim & I thought it was quite fun. And amazingly, all the people outside at their cabins/homes came running to help us. They were all so excited to say that they got to help a hot air balloon land. Then once we returned to the staging area, we cracked some champagne to celebrate our flight. All & all, it was such a fun adventure! Following are a couple photos...

The only picture I could get of us... up in the air!

12 Year Anniversary!

Wow! I can not believe that we have been married for 12 years today. Where does time go? It's amazing when you step back & look at everything you have done & accomplished together:) We had a wonderful Anniversary night away. We went to Stillwater and toured the town, went on the MN Zephyr, and then stayed over night. We sure enjoyed sleeping in without kids or a puppy waking us up for some reason or another. This morning we were supposed to go on a hot air balloon ride, but the weather did not cooperate. So, we are looking at doing it next weekend now. We're keeping our fingers crossed, as we were both really excited to do this! So, we'll probably just hang out as a family tonight & order in for dinner, which everyone always enjoys. The boys appreciate not having to go out & sit in a restaurant, while I appreciate not having to cook!

It's a... GIRL!

Welcome Liberty (Libby)! Yesterday, Jim & I drove to Des Moines, IA to pick up our newest member of our family. She is 7 weeks old and just about the sweetest thing there is! She did so well on our 4 hour drive home. I, of course, enjoyed every minute of holding her:) It was so cute, when we pulled in the drive way, the kids were all waiting outside to meet her. Lauryn's smile was priceless. She was grinning from ear to ear. I don't recall ever seeing her as excited for anything! Libby had a great first night. She woke up two times, went out to do her business, and then was perfectly content with going right back in the crate to sleep. Now today the kids are enjoying her and she is fitting right in. I think she has got to be the most laid back puppy ever. We are so lucky!!! These pictures don't show her true size well. She is just a tiny thing right now. I have to savor this because she'll be big in a matter of weeks! I can't wait for everyone to meet her. And for those far away, I'm sure I'll be posting updated pictures often. (As I write this, she is sleeping on my lap and I am in heaven!)

Will it ever happen?

*** Do you think that helmet will protect his nogin?***

Okay, I do not get how Sean can be FIVE years old, and still not know how to ride his bike without training wheels. It baffles me because Zach was practically on two wheels before he was walking:) But Sean is just a wee bit more cautious than Zach and just does not have that desire to roam fast & free. He is perfectly content with the training wheels. So, for now, we will keep it a work in progress...

Summer Travels

Well, I finally took the time to organize pictures! Our family (along with Jim's Mom, 3 of his siblings, & their families) just spent 2 weeks in Ireland. We pretty much traveled the whole island. It was a wonderful experience and the kids loved spending time with their cousins that they never get to see. The scenery is beautiful. Our family has unanimously agreed that the Ring of Kerry & Giants Causeway were our two favorite places to see. But then we were home for one week and off to a cabin for a week with my family. What a different change of pace from Ireland. We slept in every day... Relaxed in the sun... (unlike all the rain & cold in Ireland) Spent time on the lake... Ate way too much! Again, the kids enjoyed time with family and cousins. It sure feels good to be home now. I can't believe how much laundry I have had. I guess it is inevitable with 3 active kids.

Welcome!

Well, I finally decided it was time to start our own family blog. We are hoping to keep it up to date so that all our family & friends can share in our busy lives. There is always something new & adventuresome happening here! Enjoy:)