traveling weekend... more traveling...

Happy Tuesday family & friends! I usually like to have pictures for my blog... but just didn't take anything worthy of sharing (nor did any of the kids... wink wink).

  So here is a photo a friend took while we share coffee and the word together (almost) every week.  I do love time spent with friends as we talk about God's Word, life as Christian women and moms... I need that extra challenge in my life to keep me on track!

Friday Thor and I headed east and south with friends from the Bantam hockey team to Sioux Center, Iowa.  We shared the roads of Iowa with some stellar company -- seeing stickers on other people from political rallies not far off in Sioux City -- Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton and the Donald.  I haven't been that close to "famous" for quite some time.  Just have to say I'm pretty happy to NOT be living in Iowa this week.  (just saying... it's going to be a LONG political season before the next election).

We had a fabulous trip even if the hockey games were not so amazing (in our favor).  But we had good refs and the boys played really, really hard -- getting better at passing and controlling the puck every week.  Thor didn't feel so great after the first game -- and it showed during his 2nd game.  He actually missed school today, but I think whatever "bug' was in his system is totally gone now.

Dirk stayed home with the 3 younger kiddos and even invited the Montiel cousins for a sleepover Friday night complete with Pizza and make-shift beds in the downstairs TV room.  Saturday Lars managed to call me via FaceTime at least 3 times to let me know he missed me. :)

Sunday night I should have been packing up school lunches and a care package for Dirk... but I was just too sleepy ... ended up falling asleep for a good hour or more.  Dirk got himself all packed for ND for the week...

Monday morning Dirk started a new adventure, traveling to Watford City to work for the Franz customer in their new shop in WC.  He is settled in again at a hotel, Monday-Thursday nights.. home Friday-Sunday nights.  Now that we know his specific accommodations we can pack better for him to have meals from home, etc.  WC isn't so much of a "town" as a blip on the map... but definitely grew bigger after the past few years of "oil boom."  Things have cooled down for the oil industry  - as most of you notice much lower gas prices all over the nation.  But there is still work and we are blessed he has had plenty to keep him busy even in seasons of corporate "lulls."

We don't have any idea how long he will be in WC - he is thinking at least 3 weeks.  For now we will take it one week at a time.  This weekend we look forward to Dirk being home, a duo of hockey games against Brookings and the SUPERBOWL (I'm planning my menu as we speak!).  

Jedi in training?

I found these photos on my phone... and wondered if we found a new Jedi in training?  

He is pretty sneaky and seems to find my phone even when I cannot...

Oh.  Nope.  It's just Lars.... 

Taking selfies is like his favorite thing in the world.  

Yep... he gets bored.  He takes selfies.  I guess I can understand for a 5 yr old.  Not sure why there are so many grown ups with selfies (on Facebook).  

So I decided to try my hand at it.  Because I don't usually have photos of myself.  

But I liked my "new do" so I thought I would share.  :)  

 Here is a good shot of Thor out on the ice -- Tournament weekend with Oahe.  Lost both games -- but the boys played TOUGH and kept it tied up... lost in the last 30 seconds... :(

 A good shot of Anika before church this morning -- taken by Lars!  (His 2nd favorite thing to do when he is bored...)

And last but not least... this awesome shot of Lars with cutie-pie Drew, from our church.  The look in Lars eyes says it all!!!!

life is back to "normal"

January has snapped us back into shape quickly returning to our normal routines of school, hockey, staff meetings and traveling for field service (Dirk).  Thor is experiencing his first true set of "Finals" at Stevens this week -- then gets a long weekend (Thursday 10am through Monday off).  Anika has an early out Friday -- and all of us (except Dirk) will have Monday off for the MLK Jr. Holiday.  I have always thought that I should plan ahead a little better and make use of some of these 3 day weekends... once upon a time we used to try skiing or tubing... but with hockey we just don't have the time and funds... too many "fun" weekends traveling now!  :)   I guess Monday we will enjoy sleeping in and staying in our PJs... maybe watch the 3rd Hobbit together?  

I couldn't resist sharing this picture from kids church... you can see me with... Darth Herod aka DJM. :).  He was a hit with the kids -- and really helped them put into perspective how horrible and ruthless King Herod of the NT really was.  :( 

Thor loves this pic of Lars -- sporting two of his favorite things -- GBPackers and R2D2.  :) 

These pics are some of the evening fun Dirk has been having with Lars -- on the cool racetrack Dirk made from Thor's hockey stick box.  It is now a Rescue Bot track and works just great.  Don't they always say the box is more fun that what came in it, for the kids away??  

happy NEW year!

Happy New Year!
I've been waiting patiently to post these photos of our family -- but wanted to wait until most all some of the Christmas cards had a chance to arrive where they were going.... and since I was a super normal but bad procrastinator.... they got mailed Dec 30th.

So here goes.  Our best photo shoot in quite a few years... well, our ONLY photo shoot in quite a few years.  :)

busy season *crazy*

Lars lots another tooth (#3).  So cute to hear his little lisp when he talks.  LOL.


This past weekend was one of the most busy *crazy* holiday weekends we have had since being married... maybe alive?!?   We enjoyed a visit from James and Wendy's family, who were in the Black Hills to attend Jacob's State Oral Interp competition in Stugis.  Thursday evening everyone arrived - Friday & Saturday (day) were the Oral Competition... Saturday evening was Thor's first Bantam B tournament game... followed by Sunday morning (early) game... followed by church... followed by Lars Christmas Program at Zion.... followed by....  frosties at Wendy's (because we were all ready to CRASH!)

Results:
Jacob - team came away with a SUPERIOR!! Congrats Jake!  (Jacob is the 2nd from the right).

Thor - made the first goal of the Game, the Season... and won the game 1-0.  2nd game he got an assist and they won 4-0.  (against Aberdeen).

post game sweaty-ness :( 

Lars - well he was there.  That is about all I can say.  I was just a LITTLE concerned with the boy standing next to him tried to boss him around and stop him from clapping his hands.  Lars did not take the suggestion very well, and started to push.... all while standing on risers.  I was about 1/2 second away from pulling him down... but he called down - maybe after seeing his mom/dad & teachers eyes all saying NO!!!  as firmly as we could?!?!  Well anyway... the teacher said its always a success as long as no one has an accident, and all stay fully dressed.  :)  I guess he is on his way to NO CAREER in show business.  :)

Lars thought the music was too loud :(

christmas tree hunting

I'm just not going to talk about the other kind of hunting (deer)  - except to say that Dirk and Anika have spent quite a few hours in the Hills -- but have not been able to fill her tag this year.  They are having a good time, and have seen some deer, it just isn't working out.

However, CHRISTMAS TREE hunting was a HUGE success for this family!!  We decided to try Bethlehem Road this year, being a little closer to the house that our usual Northern Hills tree-hunting-grounds.  Dirk thought just maybe we would find something in the spruce persuasion.  We tracked our milage on the way home and found that we found our tree about 12 miles from the house.  :)  Not too bad for an afternoon adventure!

I packed a winter-picnic lunch of chips, oreos, sliced cheese and hot cocoa - thinking we might be gone for many hours.  We headed out and found gravel and bumpy road quite quickly!  The kids thought the off-road (it really was a road) was pretty fun... and a little slippery with the new snow.  We saw LOTS of ponderosa pine but not too many spruce.  At one point there was a very tall spruce (40 ft?) off to our right -- and I suggested we stop to walk around the area just in case there was a smaller tree somewhere around it - behind it - that we couldn't see from the road.  A few yards walk, and sure enough -- there was a picture perfect tree another 50 ft from the big tree.

 Dirk did his best to eye-ball the height... Thor helped him hold while he sawed... and the tree was loaded up!

It didn't take long once we were home, and the tree was ready for decorating.  Liv had the box of lights and decorations ready before Dirk had the tree fastened in the stand!  I guess she was READY!    As you can see the tree fills our living room quite well!?!?!  We did have to trim the very top about 8-10 inches... it's one of the biggest (around) trees we have ever had.  AND one of the most perfect - even compared to the purchased trees.  Best $10 we ever spent!  :)

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

For the first time in many years we hosted Thanksgiving Day Dinner at OUR house.  :)  It was fun to dig out all our fall decor (borrow some from my mom) and put together the house for 14! 

 This was waiting for our guests as they arrived at the front door... and little drink and appetizer station.

 Anika made a "pumpkin" (shaped) cheeseball  - salsa & cheddar cheese - with crackers and veggies.

 The beverage was simple apple cider and ginger ale with apple & orange slices, pomegranate seeds, cranberries and cinnamon sticks floating.

 Downstairs (usual our living room) was our extra table set for 7 adults.

 And the upstairs table set for 7 kids (well -- if you ask Thor; 6 kids and him).  wink wink

 I almost forgot I had these fall napkins stored way back in my cupboard....

And the cute pilgrims... gotta have pilgrims.

Dinner was the usual: Turkey, two kinds of mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, home frozen sweet corn, green bean casserole, braised red cabbage with apples, onions and bacon, cranberry relish, and two kinds of bread.  I didn't make everything -- everyone brought.  Holli & girls were in charge of dessert!!  It was amazing!  Pecan pie, pumpkin pie, apple pie (warm just out of the oven); chocolate chip cookies w/oreos inside; lemon bars, cherry bars and homemade whipped cream.  Oh yeah, almost forgot the fudge.  

Thanks family for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day at home.  :)