Where'd the year go?

Wow.... can't believe I've neglected my blog for almost a whole year. I don't really know how to sum up the past year, other than to say it's been AWESOME! I've had so many blessings that I can't even count them all! I have had good health, strength, and lots of laughs! My family is healthy and strong too, so what more can a lady ask for?! Here are some of the fun images from our year in review:

Memorable Moments

Noah loves playing hockey with Matt, Ed, and Ben. He didn't learn to skate too well this winter, but just getting out on the ice and having fun was what it was all about!

It was a family affair... clearing the snow off the ice, playing around, and just plain ol' having fun!!! It was cold, but fun nonetheless.

Ben hits the puck off the boards, and skates around the snow, when he should have been shoveling it off. haha. Fun before work, that's our motto.

Noah got more enjoyment out of the new hunting blind that Ed and Ben put up in the middle of the livingroom, than the bigger boys did. ha. But I'm sure the bigger boys will enjoy it more when it's fall, hunting season, and the deer are stalking around it.

Noah loves wearing the hat/wig that he confiscated from one of his brothers... he's quite a jammin' little man with the long braids on. LOOKIN' COOL NOAH!!!

Picking Pumpkins!!

On this great fall evening, Ben, Noah, and I ventured out to

the rural home of some friends of ours, the Whiteheads.

Jim and Veronica were so kind as to let us have

our pick of pumpkins in their home-grown pumpkin patch.

Ben helped Noah pick out one that was just perfect for him.

Noah posed with his perfect little pumpkin,

and soon realized how fun it was to be

perched atop this monster orange pumpkin.

The boys couldn't believe their eyes at

all the pumpkins that surrounded them.

Small ones, big ones, warty ones, smooth ones...

it was fun to see all the variations of the growth in this one patch of produce.

Perch a two year old on a giant pumpkin, and you're sure to get a goofy smile out of him. ha. It was a fun evening outing, even though the mosquitoes were outrageous! Who woulda thought that in October, there could be 80 degree temps and swarms of mosquitoes to eat us alive?
It was even hard to sit still long enough to pose the boys for this fun snapshot. Ben swatted the bugs during every shot, so why not capture the natural effect of the moment? ha

Random October Images

The evenings lately have been SO nice, that it's hard to NOT spend time

outside playing with Noah and Molly the puppy.

I know we're going to miss these great fall moments,

when (in the not-so-distant-future) the snow starts to fly

and it's -30 degrees outside.

Noah and Molly hide and crawl under the play structure, and sometimes they stay under there together...
and sometimes Molly makes a run for it,
and escapes the "fun" of her brother. ha


It's always fun to put on the big brother's hat
and wear his baseball medal too...
oh the joy of watching how one brother looks up to another brother.
Such admiration to wear someone else's prized possessions.


"Cheese"...

Noah poses by the edge of the deck for a quick pause in his playtime. My heart overflows during moments like this!
How have I gotten so lucky to be this blessed?

Autumn trip to Minneapolis

Although "shopping" isn't usually thought of as a photo-op, going to the Mall of America with Matt and Noah was sure fun!
Noah IS two, which means he is excited to explore and test the limits! ha. Matt carried Noah on his shoulders as much as he could, but there had to be some hat-trying-on as well. Noah stuck close to his big brother for the most part, but did make a dash for it at one point... that was when we were done in that store. haha.

It wasn't long before Noah had fallen fast asleep, despite the lights, sounds, and smells that surrounded him. I guess the activities that preceded his nap were more tiring than I'd realized.

Grandma Karen helped Noah carve a pumpkin. Noah was NOT interested in sticking his hand in the ooey, gooey insides of the pumpkin, but that didn't stop him from wanting to see what was going on. I bet Noah will have more fun with digging out the pumpkin guts next year.

Noah hams it up for the camera, while we listen to a wildlife presentation (see the guy in the background with an owl on his arm?). It wasn't quite animated or action-packed enough to hold Noah's attention, but he behaved fairly well, and it was a brief rest from the walking around at the Sever's Corn Maze in Shakopee, MN.

What a great idea.... use the corn that you harvest to make a corn maze, to fill this "pool" of corn! The kids jumped and frolicked in the corn, as if it was a pool of water! HOW FUN!!! I will tell you though, that there were corn kernels EVERYWHERE (pockets, sleeves, socks, diaper... nuff said). ha

Matt stayed nearby for safety sake, as Noah got a ride on a pony! FUN times in Minnesota in the first weekend of October!! It was a great weekend with family, and it was SOOOO great to visit Matt in the Twin Cities! We miss you Matt!!!

Ben's Fall Football - Freshman in High School

Ben's football season has been going pretty well... he plays on the JV as a freshman, but he also has been getting some pretty decent amount of playing time on the varsity team. Being in a small town, the JV team always dresses for all the varsity games anyway. His greatest amount of playing time, was their varsity homecoming game when we were winning against our opponents - 66-6. So it wasn't too risky to let the JV get some game experience against some larger players.
Here Ben chases down the opponents, trying to zig zag back to their line of scrimmage.

Ben pushed in there for a piece of the action (#81), trying to hit before being hit (good philosophy if you ask me).

Ed and Noah walk the sidelines during a timeout of Ben's football game. Noah is pretty good about sticking by us, and gets into cheering for the guys. He especially likes when he can tell which player is Ben (which is usually only when we really point him out to Noah, as he doesn't know his numbers quite yet). ha.

Even though Ben is stinky after a game, Noah was proud to stand next to his big brother football player for a quick picture.

Summer Sunday Evening

At the close of a fun, relaxing weekend at home, we played outside with Noah, Ben, and the puppy. Ed and Noah played ball; kicking the soccer ball, and tossing the football around. Noah hadn't declared his favorite sport yet, but instead seems to love them all.

Noah kicked the soccer ball the whole length of the yard, as he ran along. How many 2 yr olds can do that? It seemed pretty amazing to me, but what do I know about soccer (not much). I was impressed anyway, and I had a vision of spending many sunny (and some rainy and some cold) afternoons and weekends at area soccer fields in the years to come.

What a speed racer Noah is!
He can run SO fast, and really puts all his energy into
whatever activity he's doing.

Ben hadn't been home at first, during out evening fun in the back yard.

He was at baseball practice, so was starving when he got home...

it didn't take him any time at all to devour some BBQ spare ribs that Ed had prepared.

A growing boy... can't believe Ben's going to be a freshman in high school this year.

Noah and Molly, our new puppy, played with the twigs.

Our new little Molly is a mix of Lhasa Apsu & Jack Russel Terrier...

we love her to pieces! Noah's really good with her too,

and can outrun her when she wants to nibble on his ankles.
Noah, I agree with you! It was a great weekend!

Thumbs up to SUMMERTIME!!

4th of July, Weekend at the Lake

4th of July weekend we went to Ed's brother, Dean's cabin.

The guys played bean-bag toss, and apparently there's a new element of the game that I never knew about... something regarding laying on the ground laughing??? Only Ben knows for sure.
Noah enjoyed spending another fun summer weekend with his cousin, Devon,
as they laughed and played with the cool Jeep in the yard by the cabins.

Noah has a knack for screaming his sentiments...

whether it's happiness, silliness, frustration, anger,

or something unidentifiable (as is often the case with a two-year-old).

Noah's exuberance even makes the vein

on the side of his neck stick out...

I guess he lives with GUSTO like someone else I know. ;-)

Birth of the "typical guy"

Not that I'm trying to stereotype ALL guys,

or anything like that, but I gotta say......

Noah sure figured out how to become a "male" just like his daddy and brothers.

That is to say, he can tune me out if he's watching a movie,

just like the rest of the males in my home. ha

He loves to watch his Disney movies over and over (and OVER) again

on the portable DVD player.

Summer's First Lake Visit

Our first weekend at the lake was Memorial Weekend...

and Noah had so much fun playing with his cousin Devon.

They are only two months apart, Noah being younger.

The silly boys laughed, and had u s laughing as well, all weekend long.

They loved their star-sunglasses and giggled endlessly,

seeing each other in them.

Noah and Devon loved chasing Ben, trying to get him wet.
How is it that little kids know when a teenager isn't wearing his swim trunks?
Ben was a good sport, and was able to stay dry (for the most part).

Back and forth along the beach, the boys ran and splashed!
It really was a great weekend! Nice and warm, and relaxing for the adults too!

Daddy helped Noah get the sand off his legs... "Thanks Daddy!"

"I think that water gun is a little big for you still, buddy!"

But I tell you what, when he DOES figure out how to work it,

watch out, Brother Ben! ha

Spring vacation in Wisconsin

Before starting a new job at UND, I decided to take a week of vacation in Wisconsin, and our first stop was with my sister in Hazlehurst... Noah loved the lakeside cabin, and walking through the woods. He admired the stacked rocks, and it was all he could do to avoid kicking them over.

Noah checks out Grandma Sharon's collection of garden frogs when we headed up to Door County to visit my folks. He was a little uncertain of that big green one, but once he saw Grandma petting it, he realized it was ok to approach it with her.
"Maybe if I squat down close enough, and hold real still, it'll come to life"...
surely that's what Noah must have been thinking.
He was really curious about the frogs in Grandma's gardens,
and he was cautious at the same time...
they sure don't make frogs that big back in North Dakota.

Grandpa Clink follows Noah down the driveway,

so they could go along the garden paths toward the sitting rock.

What a great place for a little boy to explore

and discover the beauty of the Wisconsin wilderness!

"CHEESE"... Noah was all smiles once he realized what the sitting rock was for... it's the perfect photo-op spot at Grandpa Clink & Grandma Sharon's house!! Plus, how could he help but smile when he's surrounded by so much love, not to mention watching the squirrels in the trees. ha.This picture sums up the fun we had on vacation...

~silly~relaxing~joyful~awesome~

there's nothing better than the tranquillity and peace of a week's vacation,

with such a fun little toddler!

Noah really is a blessing in my life!!

Thanks, God, for including this amazing little boy in your plan for my life!

May you all have blessings as rich as I find myself surrounded by!

Cherish the simple things...

put on a fake nose, and laugh until your belly hurts!!