Dear Santa (and anyone else it may concern)...

This is from Madison, I told her that I'm not sure it actually works this way...

Just a bit complicated!

We had a guy come out to calibrate our projector. It took him about 3 hours with a remote that had about 78 buttons...WOW!

But, we are now thoroughly enjoying our home theater! I guess technically, our first movie was "Finding Nemo" since we finished watching it after the "calibration-guy" used it for the bright colors. We then had a "mini" LOTR marathon...just couldn't stay awake for the last one. We've watched several movies since, and every time, Bill looks like a little kid on Christmas morning!

It was a Star Wars Halloween...

Halloween greetings from Darth Maul and Queen Amidala.

Actually this is what I've been informed: She's not really Queen Amidala. She is the queen's hand-maiden who disguises herself as the queen to allow the real queen to scope out Tatooeen and the Jedi knights. And,in case you were not aware, Darth Maul does NOT bite...despite his sharp, yellow teeth. (duh...)

Joining the Star Wars gang is the real Queen Amidala (disquised as a hand-maiden and aka Gracia) and a storm trooper (aka Danyan)

The Culhane's from across the street. Madison felt it was VERY important NOT to smile on any of the pictures. She is very serious...and it might ruin the effect of the red lip.

Pumpkin Carving

Mother-Son Halloween Dance

Will and I went to a Mother-Son Halloween Dance Friday night. We had a great time playing games, dancing and looking at all the cool costumes. The most memorable part for me was watching the "mini-Darth Maul" do the robot dance. Where is a camera when you really need it?

Cub Scout Hayride

Pack 541's hayride in Hanover

This excerpt was sent to me by my sister Jill, who received it from her dear friend Kelly Bates-Felany, who lost her mom last January to ovarian cancer. It is from “Saving Graces” by Elizabeth Edwards. They are comforting and inspiring words to many of us who have lost a parent.

Pg 119

I wrote to Steve, who was so disconsolate over the death of his mother that he could not even summon anticipation for the upcoming birth of his first child.

Thank you for talking about your mother. My son died in April. I ask God daily to take me instead of taking my boy. I often think of what he would feel if God granted my wish and Wade lived and I died. He would, I think, be much like you, disoriented and lonely. I speak to you now as I would speak to Wade if he stood in your place.

You are my precious son. In the months I had you inside me and the years I had you beside me, I imagined for you every happiness. As you were my firstborn Child, I had to learn to be a mother. I learned the names of trees so I could teach them to you. I would finish the books I read to you even after you fell asleep, with the same cadence and inflection listening in the pauses to your deep breath. I would hunt for old lullabies to sing to you, picking out the tune on the piano until I had made the song my own, your own. And later I stayed up all night typing your papers as you dictated. I searched the stores for the special box for your first corsage. And I bored you with parables so that you would know instinctively the way to be a good man. You never failed me.

There was never a point in my parenting you when I would have chosen to hurt you the way you hurt now. And I grieve to think that in death I have caused you this pain, that I have made you feel even that the birth of your child will be insufficient joy. I meant to give you life. And when I died, knowing I had done all I knew to do to give you that joy, I died satisfied. My most important work was done. And now my death undoes that, unwraps my work, and leaves you with the tethers to character and strength and compassion that I worked so hard, so lovingly, to tie.

But son, the best of me did not die. I gave the best of me to you. All I valued and all I cherished, all I knew and all I dreamed, I gave to you. It can die, of course, if you let it. Or it can live the full and magnificent life I hoped for you. And you can teach that baby all I taught you about living well, and I will live on again. My legacy – my life’s work – is in your hands. Take hold of life, son. It is all I really hoped for in life or in death.

A Day at the Apple Orchard

We met Jan & Bill and Brian, Nicole and Finn at Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard in Jordan on Saturday. It was a gorgeous autumn day and we had a great time!

We took a tractor/wagon ride out to the apple orchard to pick some apples. They were delicious!

We tried to get a nice "Christmas Card Picture"...but most of them turned out like this! Am I the only one prepared, or what???

Will and Madison outside the corn maze.

Madison, Will and Finn stopping for a rest during our walk through the corn maze. It was really cool...I think you really could get lost!

Nicole and Finn nearing the exit...at last!

The kids liked the petting zoo - goat slime and all...

Fall Fling

Madison and her Brownie Scout troop had "Fall Fling" on Friday night. They decorated pumpkins, made crafts, played games and had snacks. As they say in my hometown, "a good time was had by all..."

Future Gophers??

When's the Premiere?

Well, we're getting closer! The chairs are in, the screen is up; now all we have left to do is get the CRT calibrated and pick the movie...

I wonder what Bill will do with all his extra time???...

Brownie Scout Hayride

Madison's brownie scout troop went on a hayride in Hanover last Sunday afternoon. It was an unseasonalbly beautiful day - over 80 degrees! It was a great day to be outside, but not roasting marshmallows over a bonfire!!! We had a great time with the girls. They spent most of the hayride playing hide & seek in the hay. I didn't know it was possible to "loose" somebody in a 18x10 foot bed of hay...but it is! I guess I have to give them a break, they're only 2nd graders:)

Fall in Minnesota

Go Knights!!

We took the kids to their first high school football game - EVER! It was also the first one Bill and I have been at in about 15 years. Just hearing the band and smelling the popcorn on a crisp, cool evening brought back great memories. It was STMA's homecoming game...the Knights took on the team from Big Lake. The kids had fun with their friends, although I'm not sure they actually watched the game. I think they're all anxious to be a little bit older so they can run loose like the big kids.

Madison with friends Maddy and Leo Peterson and Nikki Schade.

Maddy, Maddy and Will in their Knights attire.

Will thought that the coolest part of the game was the knight on horseback that lead the football team onto the field.

Cheerleaders or rappers...you decide.

Kids At Play

The neighborhood kids' latest pasttime, "500: Dead or Alive" has provided hours of entertainment. At one point there were 12 kids vying for flying discs. Don't ask me the rules...all I know is that it's serious business!

My Boy Scouts

Here are my boys in their uniforms! Will is in his second year of Cub Scouts...I guess that would make him a Wolf Cub?? ( I can never keep all of the animals straight...) He loves scouts. In fact, I sure he'd pick building a campfire, shooting a bow & arrow, or a treasure hunt in the woods over just about anything else. Bill was "coaxed" into the role of Cub Master/Unit Chairman/Pack Treasurer this year. As much as he likes to complain about it - his organized and detail-oriented personality fits the job quite well! The lady that we paid to sew (yep, that's right...I don't sew) the patches on his uniform was wondering if he was going for his Eagle Scout. We got a few good laughs out of that one...

Project: Home Theater

So, after thoroughly researching speakers, Bill took the plunge and committed to a set of Paradigm's. Now his obsession has moved on to projectors...should we keep the CRT?...floor or ceiling?...should we buy an LCD/DLP instead?...should have we just used all this money to go on a big vacation? Who knew there would be so many decisions:)

I'll have to do a little repair/patch work on the walls. We weren't able to locate the piece of paper that noted the exact location of the buried speaker wire...until after several very large holes had been drilled. The remaining speakers (yep, there are a couple more) and the 77 in. screen will probably be in next week.

We still haven't decided on the first movie. Star Wars?...Lord of the Rings?...Matrix?...The Princess Diaries?... Any suggestions?

First Day of School!

Chicago Vacation

Bill and I returned Monday from our annual Labor Day weekend anniversary trip. This year, since neither of us had been there before, we picked Chicago for our destination. We had such a great time. We saw a Cubs game at Wrigley Field (and witnessed Barry Bonds hit a home run), went to Ford's Oriental Theater to see "Wicked", toured through the Field Museum, saw a movie, took the Ferris Wheel ride at Navy Pier, and enjoyed beautiful walks along Lake Michigan.

It was fantastic...but we were definitely ready to get home to the kids again. (thanks to Grandpa Bill and Grandma Jan for watching them!) It's been a really great 11 years of marriage and we're looking forward to many more! To quote a guy at the baseball game, "hey, you beat the average..."

2nd Graders

Will and Madison start 2nd grade at BigWoods Elementary in St. Michael this year. This is a new building for them and they are so excited! Will's teacher is Mrs. Gavic and Madison's teacher is Mr. Klein. We're looking forward to a great year!!