Riverview Health 5k Crookston, MN

On Saturday April 18,2009 I ran with my friend Danell in our very first ever race. We ran the 5k which is 3.14 miles. Neither one of us knew exactly how we would do and we weren't out to set any sort of records, we were just excited for the experience and to say that we ran a 5k.

Here I am talking rather than listening to the directions that would probably prove to be important!
Getting ready for the gun; on your mark...get set...go...
That morning it was 36 degrees outside, we ran through freezing rain and snow, but...28 minutes later,

We are still standing, still smiling!
It was a blast!

A Relaxed Easter...

It wasn't that I wasn't prepared for Easter, I was, I just was too laid back about it this year. Normally, I am too wound up and ready to take dozens of pictures and then I have grumpy kids for the Sun Rise Service. Well, this year Rob took the two older kids to the early service and Creed and I stayed home in hopes of him catching a nap before the regular service. So, before I could get the kids in the Easter best, they were out the door and I was left with only one child ready to pose. So this is all I got of that Sunday best.

Creed is only a smaller version of Micah. They wore the same that day. They sure looked handsome with their ties.

E wanted a close up with her new smile.
She looks so grown up!

I didn't even get a picture of Micah with his Sunday best on! This was all I could get from him; he hates his picture taken. I wish it wan't so, he is so handsome and photogenic.

Aren't they precious! She adores him and he loves, loves his big sis (he can now say her name, so cute to hear).

I have no idea what has his attention, but this is so darn cute.




We hope you all had a blessed Resurrection Morning.

The ToothFairy Makes Another Visit...

...but this time she visited Emma. E finally got her first wiggly tooth Thursday. I was wondering how she was going to react to this because she is so dramatic. She was pretty darn excited; and then she became very protective and by the end she had received a gold badge of courage. You see she does not have a high tolerance for pain; but I was impressed. She didn't force it out, she waited till it was ready and then with the camera in hand and everyone there for support she did it. She did it all on her own. We are so proud of her.

Emma's new smile.

"THAT"

The stories of Creed are about to begin.
We were at the supper table last night; we were all enjoying each other and the conversations were flowing. Creed was done with his meal and just kinda kickin back, when we made this grunt noise so I asked him what he wanted and without hesitation a point of his finger and his eyes fixed upon my glass of wine he says "THAT!" We all howled with laughter and he thought he was pretty funny himself.

15 months

He is getting so big! His newest thing has been sitting at the table like his brother and sister. Creed is 1 going on 5! He really tries to get in on all that M and E can do. So much for me wanting to "baby" my baby ;) He wont have any of that mushy stuff.

He is talking so much, saying phrases like:

"was that"

"holy cow"

"O wow"

"lets go"

"NO! No!"

He always seems to have a song in his heart. He absolutely loves music. He will even start us at the supper table with the table grace.

He is wearing "real" shoes now. One day we were outside for like an hour and he ran around the house so many times he wore a hole right thru his soft soles. He has made the adjustment just fine.

There really isn't anything he hasn't tried in the food category. He loves fruit, and will have cream of wheat and bananas every morning for breakfast. He will fit right in to the kids with there ever favorite breakfast-M's pb&j with milk and E's oatmeal (not kidding every single morning for like 4 years!) I am the one that needs the break from making it, so occasionally they will have cold cereal or eggs, and I take weekends off :)

He doesn't take very good afternoon naps; I am sure it is because we are always on the run and hasn't had the opportunity to master that nap. He naps very well in the morning and I am not thinking of ending that one for the very reason that we have busy afternoons. His bed time is right around 7 tho and sleeps til about 7 in the am.

He has been such a joy and I am so glad I have him around in the day.

I'm A Big Kid Now...

At 15 months old, Creed is very experienced. He attends "school" once a week,

Where he finger paints with pudding,
he plays outside with the "doggie"

he mows the lawn on his John Deere,

Runs around the house...literally,

gets a ride in the trailer while his sis does the hard work ;)

enjoys being outside with his brother and sister.

Skiing at Buenavista

Yup, that is my girl! As with everything she does, she tries it out, gets her feet wet and once she has gotten over the initial fears she is an expert!

Sunday was the most beautiful day we have had all year so far and we took advantage of it.

We went to Buenavista ski resort in Bemidiji. This was E's first time and M's second.
It was my first in like 7 years.

We all had a ball!

going up the "duck" hill

By the end of this wonderful day we were all skiing down the black diamond. Remember this is Bemidiji, MN :) It was the tallest, steepest HILL of the resort. The real accomplishment was getting on and off the lifts :)

Emma Jump Rope for Heart

Emma practiced her little heart out for the Jump for Heart fundraiser they had at their school for National Lutherans week. She is quite the jumper now! Oh, and let me explain the outfit...the whole week they dressed up in a theme and that day was "wild and crazy, mad scientist day."

Micah's First Junior Music Festival

Micah has the best piano teacher. She is from Fertile and this is her first year of teaching, her name is Whitney Allrich and we have been so impressed with her and Micah this year. Whitney proposed in December that Micah go for the big dog and take on 4 songs to be preformed at the NDSU Fine Arts Center in Fargo at the end of February. He excitedly accepted and I agreed that this was a perfect fit for him. He worked very hard everyday (without me hassling him or reminding him to do his piano lessons) and took this very seriously. Finally the day arrived and he was as calm as I have ever seen him. He practiced a bit more that morning and was able to go over thing in his mind over the hour long drive to Fargo. His first performance was hymns; he would be the one to go first. He was brilliant, it was as if he had done this all his life. When he was finished with Amazing Grace and For the Beauty of the Earth he got up took his bow and returned to his seat with a green slip of paper displaying the mark of Superior! If he chooses to do this for the next 2 year and receives 2 more Superior marks he will receive his hard earned first awarded trophy! I can guarantee you he will be back, even though we haven't talked about it yet. He then went to perform his solos, which he had to memorize. He performed the Raven's Call and...oh, I can't remember now! Grr, I hate when that happens. Anyway, he walked away from those performances with an Excellent! How proud we are of our boy! And doesn't he look smashing!!!

Oh My Stones!

I have been cooped up in the office for the past week and half, getting things caught up and ready for taxes. I was entering some info into Quickbooks yesterday and started to not feel so well. I was in and out of the bathroom 6-7 times, before I realized that I couldn't pee! So, when I was back in the bathroom I consciencly made myself pee first, it hurt. I thought "great, I have a bladder infection". The pain was starting to get really intense so I called Rob, because I couldn't pick Creed up and he was beginning to feed off of my emotions. I was sooo uncomfortable! I called the Ask a Nurse Hotline and told her my symptoms; I was thankful that she could understand me in my blubbery mess, she told me to check into the ER immediately. My pain was getting worse by the minute, by lower stomache felt like menstrual cramps X 10 and my right lower back was on fire! We get the kids set to go over to my SIL and I am crying uncontrollably. I didn't want to frighten the children, but I had no control.
After the longest ride into Crookston ever we arrive at the ER, I couldn't get out of the car, couldn't walk and I had to pee!!!
I knew at this point that I was experiencing an attack of kidney stones; with my urine sample they were able to confirm it and with a CT scan was able to see where it was and how many there were. Praise God there was only one, but it was still traveling, but my pain has subsided (even before the meds). So we knew at this point it was a waiting game, so they discharged me, but I had to pee one last time. They of course gave me a strainer and out it came, right there in the hospital. The doc confirmed with an "it's a boy" and we all laughed. Yes, his joke was funny, but Rob and I were amazed because it was only about a 4.5 hour process for me. Poor Rob last year couldn't pass his within a week and had to go get his surgically removed. We were praising our LORD!
I think it is interesting that both Rob and I have had kidney stones. For Rob, it isn't all that incomprehensible because he was a Dew drinker and once he quit Dew became a hardcore coffee drinker. But me, I drink 8-12 glasses of water everday for the past 3-4 years, I drink mostly decaf. So, we are going to check out our vitamins to see if I am getting too much calcium because I have at least 1 glass of milk a day along with my vits. I want to find what ever may have caused this, because I never want to experience that pain again in this lifetime.

10 Year Anniversary Trip to Hawaii

Aloha! We had a wonderful time on our 10 day Celebration trip to Waikiki, Oahu and Maui. We returned home on Saturday and spent the next couple of days getting reacquainted with our youngest child who wasn't to happy with us and recovering from the 4 hour time difference. Here are some pics that I thought you might enjoy. I hope it doesn't get too long or boring, as you will tell we were just a bit obsessed with the ocean.

Snow Fun

When it finally was above zero we took the sleds out for a ride. Even tho it was 8 above it was still pretty chilly

but we were all excited to get out and go for a ride.
Even Creed

It was tough to hold on to Creed and try to steer the sled at the same time

it was waaay easier for the pro

I think Creed had a good time riding, but enjoyed watching the sleds go round and round better. We of course didn't last too long, it was just to cold, his cheeks were red and nose was running good when we came in. It was fun! It had been too long for me. Rob is talking about buying me a sled for next year, I don't think I mind; it will get used :)

Inside Fun

It has been so friggin' cold here in Minnesota so we have been in door for what feels like forever! We have been keeping busy with things like:

Making a Gingerbread house

Climbing into the bottom storage of the stove

Playing with toys

Designing paper purses

Driving somewhere warm

Having our own Super Bowl with the fantasy being that the

Vikes actually win :)

Christmas with the Tollefson's

Creed enjoying his first Christmas present

The ultimate boy gift

The annual Christmas football game

The surprised looks on Nancy and Dwain's faces when they realized we had planned a huge celebration for their 50th wedding anniversary

Buffet line

Most all the grand kids played an instrument or sang a song or re sited Scripture verses for the talent show. Micah played Away in a Manger on the piano

Stephen playing the guitar

The best surprise was this sketch drawn by Susan the eldest daughter of all the siblings and their spouses and families with N and D in the center.

A four generation picture.

Top back: Nick, Val, Rachel

Bottom: Nancy, great grand baby Josiah and Dwain

The Whole Tollefson Family.

It was a special time and the weekend was a blast with all the family home, 43 total! 50 Years, Wow! What an accomplishment!!!