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.  :)