Welcome to our Blog

Welcome to our Blog

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT)

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. THREE are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Fall is in the Air!

Could it be that Halloween is just around the corner? It seems like just yesterday, LTD were heading out the door eager to start 4th grade and here we are already. Yikes! Our fall weather has been spectacular and we have thoroughly enjoyed it to the max. The fall activities have been abundant over the last few months as we reflect back. Here is a quick recap with some photos to keep you updated on Camp Clark. As always, there are LOTS more photos so feel free to check out our Shutterfly link in the right-hand column of this blog to share in those memories.

Fall Baseball
Dylan decided he did not want to pursue tackle football this year but would rather play fall baseball since he loves the game. Our coach from spring/summer PLAY organization decided to organize his own team for 4th grade fall baseball within the MLB league and Dave stepped in as an assistant coach. Every Sunday afternoon for 5 weeks in Sep-early Oct, we had two games; noon and 4pm. It was SO much fun to watch these boys of summer improve on their game which included bigger in-fields and more rules, pitching from farther back and stealing bases which really adds excitement to the game. So fun! Next up, winter basketball, and of course, snowboarding!!!



Apple Orchard
In September, we loaded up the kids and invited our neighbors to join us for a glorious day at the local apple orchard which is an annual family favorite. We all enjoy picking fresh apples from the trees, wagon rides, savoring apple treats, live music, farm animals and taking in the sun and fresh air. Tootsie joined in on the fun too; she adores the mama sheep and other barnyard animals. We wish we had more photos but Dave's phone battery died on us and mine was accidently left at home. Bummer!






Viva Las Vegas!
In early October, six of my high school friends and I met in Las Vegas for 3 nights to celebrate our friendship and 50 years of life! We had a blast! We stayed at The Cosmopolitan right in the heart of the strip next to Bellagio and it was perfect. We lounged at the pool by day sipping on margaritas (sunny and 90 every day) and busted out at night to enjoy cocktails and delicious food, entertainment and gambling (I came home with an extra $200!). The High Roller and Cirque Du Soleil show, LaReve, were a huge hit and enjoyed by all. Mainly, we enjoyed sharing quality time together and laughing hysterically. My gut literally hurt from all the laughter which was so awesome. I cherish our genuine and long-lasting friendships and adore these wonderful women with all my heart. Next up, Hilton Head South Carolina in the next year sometime to visit Lori's home in the south. Can't wait!









MEA
For MEA in mid-October, we loaded up the troops and headed to North Dakota for family time in Fargo and Bismarck. We enjoyed sharing time with Grandpa and Grandma Clark, Uncle Ken and his girls, and Grandma Good. In Bismarck, we headed out to Papa's Pumpkin Patch, a local favorite for families, with Aunt Helen and cousins Kristyn, Eastyn and Jaylin. The kids enjoyed the mazes, hay bales, zip lines, go-kart racing, swings, sipping on hot apple cider and savoring treats. It was a GREAT day! Unfortunately, Grandpa Kemmet was in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery so that was a little heartbreaking. The kids all made him some sweet cards and we visited him and Grandma Kemmet frequently at the hospital to try to brighten his spirits and Grandma's. We are hoping he gets out of the hospital by Halloween so say an extra prayer for him please. 













Arboretum with the Moore Family
A few weeks back, we invited our neighbors, the Moore family,  to join us for a spectacular fall day at the MN Landscape Arboretum. Dave wanted to try his hand at an amateur family photo shoot for both families. Aside from the wind, it was a glorious, sunny day to be taking in God's beauty all around us. The fall colors were vibrant and absolutely breathtaking. The 7 children gave us their best faces even though all they wanted to do was play, get dirty, climb trees, play with sticks, jump in the waterfalls and streams, and play in the leaves. After all, that's what the fall is all about. Well, they did get their chance to do all that after we snuck in just a few smiles. Out of more than 300 photos, Dave and Marc managed to capture some good moments :)  Make sure to check out the Shutterfly link for lots more photos and memories. Love the Moore family - they make us smile!


















Sunday, September 14, 2014

4th Grade - 1st Day of School

On Tuesday, September 2, LTD began the journey of 4th grade. Can you believe that? 4th Grade!!! Where did all the time go? Weren't they just Kindergartners not that long ago? Kleenex please. I still remember when Dave sent Dylan to Kindergarten one day in the middle of winter in a sweater vest........without a shirt underneath (mom was traveling for work)!  Their teacher (a friend of ours)  still laughs about it.

It's so hard to believe they are only 2 years away from middle school and then the real fun begins.  Good thing they still love school and look forward to going every day (minus the earlier bedtime and early mornings). They have amazing teachers once again and a really close-knit group of classmates that make the whole school experience positive and enjoyable. We really do love Aspen Academy! So here's to another year of possibilities and experiences. We pray God continues to keep His loving arms wrapped tightly around LTD, their friends and the entire student body, teachers, administration, board members, and volunteers to make it wonderfully rewarding, inspiring and uplifting. Class of 2023 in the making :)







Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Final Summer Recap

The smoke has settled from a crazy fun summer and the kiddos are back in school. Looking back, it was really awesome!!! We already posted a recap through the end of July, but August was a stellar month full of fun and lots of activities. Now that the kids are back in school, just maybe I will have time to keep this blog updated, more frequently. Let's hope so! So, here goes with our final summer recap. Feel free to check out our Shutterfly link on this blog for lots more photos.

Outdoor Playdates with Friends
Between pools, zoos, Valleyfair, State Fair, sleepovers, bonfires and playdates.....LTD really enjoyed sharing quality time with some of their best buddies. I loved tagging along and playing chaffeur to these sweet kids and hanging out with some pretty fun moms/dads in the process. 



















Green Bay Trip
Did I mention our kids are now Green Bay Packer fans? Yep, and Grandma Good is NOT happy about that...at all! That's because we loaded up the Griswald van in August and headed to Green Bay to visit my cousin Lynn and her family. Not only was it fantastic sharing time with Lynn, Chris, Aunt Mac and their super sweet kids, we got to hang out in their gorgeous home and pool, take a side trip to an amusement park AND...Lambeau Field, of course. WOW! What a stadium! The kids will never be Vikings fans again. It was so hard to leave there since the kids loved playing with their cousins as much as their mom loved catching up on old times with the adults. All good things must end :(
















50th Birthday Party
Birthdays are no longer celebrated in one day, especially when one turns 50. Dave hosted a party in August with close friends, neighbors and family to celebrate the big 5-0. I loved sharing time with each and every person and sincerely thank everybody from the bottom of my heart. I really am humbled and grateful to be so blessed. Dave was the official photographer so let's just say we missed way too many photos of family and friends since the camera came out pretty late. Note to self; never rely on a man to take photos when there is a pool table involved :)














Dance Camp
Lindsey and Taylor got to partake in a 3-day dance camp hosted by the Prior Lake High School Girls Dance Team. The high school girls did an amazing job with almost 200 girls, Kindergarten to 8th grade. L and T had a great time and have a renewed interest in resuming dance...Taylor has chosen Ballet, Lindsey chose gymnastics and they both chose Hip Hop/Jazz. They are really starting to shine and are super fun to watch!



Labor Day Weekend
How can one summarize such a great weekend in one paragraph and in a few photos? It's impossible. Our neighbors and good friends kindly invited us to their beautiful lake home on Ten Mile Lake near Walker, MN, for 4 days and 3 nights of crazy fun and lots of laughter. Even though the weather was not the warmest for the first few days, it didn't hold anybody back from boating, canoeing, tubing, fishing, biking, yard games, board games (Jokers!), bonfires, and taking a side trip to downtown Walker for pizza and shopping at Reed's. Julie and Marc were amazing, gracious hosts and my stomach still hurts from all the laughing. We had a great time closing out our summer with the Moore family, as did Tootsie. Check out the Shutterfly link for many more photos but below are just a few.

















AND NOW...It's time for school and fall activities