Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! We hope this message finds you and your loved ones well.

Considering that Kris is in the web biz, he thought it was time to stop designing a paper holiday mailing every year and try issuing our holiday card online instead. So if you got our holiday photo card in the mail and are now visiting our blog, it worked!

And this way, there's also somewhat less to write — some of the news is already here from previous entries. So please browse as time permits, and see what happened with us this year!

As for a quick summary:

• Katie is in her eighth year of working in Fairview Southdale's emergency department, and works a 60% schedule. This gives her at least two days per week as an at-home mom, and provides time to be participate in various activities at church, the Y, and with friends.


• Kris is starting his eighth year at the University of Minnesota (and his fourth year working for two of its senior vice presidents). He researches new web publishing tools and technologies, keeps over 50 University web sites up to date, and runs an annual continuing education conference for web designers.


• Sarah is in sixth grade at Anthony Middle School. She loves being able to bike to her new school, enjoys her classes, and is also in band (flute). She is also active in climbing, church choir, and soccer. This fall, her Minneapolis United team concluded the year with a second place regional tournament finish, the final game being their only loss all season.


• Grace is in third grade at Armatage Montessori School and also had a strong soccer season. When she's not playing soccer, she can be found playing the piano or at her school's On Broadway musical theater practice.


• Emma is in kindergarten at Armatage Montessori School and loves being out of preschool. Her main extracurricular focus at the moment is perfecting her downhill skiing technique.


• Anne is in day care 3 days per week, but about to start Montessori preschool in January. Anne is a whirlwind and keeps us laughing all the time...when she isn't driving us crazy, that is.

Best wishes for 2009! And if you have extra time, browse any of the earlier entries in this blog, or the gallery below of previously-sent holidays cards from years past.

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2007 Christmas Card

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2006 Christmas Card

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2005 Christmas Card

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2004 Christmas Card

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2003 Christmas Card

2008 Chicago Marathon

No, I didn't run it this year, but after seeing it I sure want to!

Katie and I were in Chicago for 4 days, primarily for me to attend a web conference. But we were pleasantly surprised that we arrived the day before the marathon, and the route went right by our hotel. We saw both the start and finish.

Twin Cities 10-Mile

I ran the Twin Cities 10-Mile, held in conjunction with the Twin Cities Marathon. It's a beautiful route, not to mention a pleasant experience to race and only need to run 10 miles! Very fun. More here.

BWCA 2008

Photos from this year's trip to the BWCA. My 8th year in a row (and 7th with my father-in-law Kent); Grace's second trip; Sarah's third.

Click on the slideshow to play, and for an enlarged version click a second time.

Undefeated Champions: MU Thunder

Warning: parental pride is imminent.

Sarah's soccer season culminated in a 3-1 win against St. Louis Park tonight, making them undefeated for the season.

And I should mention, just as an aside, that Sarah scored all three goals this evening. Hat trick.

The team had a fabulous season— it was certainly a thrill to watch them this year. And we could not thank their coaches and winter trainers enough: they did a wonderful job building a team that worked together, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Third Marathon

I finished my third marathon in 4:43:15! More here.

Home Spa

Just when you think you've seen everything, my oldest daughters have a spa evening in their bathroom.

When is my appointment?

Track & Field Day

Today was track and field day at Grace and Sarah's school. Katie and I were there at the beginning and saw he all-school parade, and watched Grace compete (Sarah was in the afternoon).

Makeover

Our house in mid-makeover, as it gets repainted. I think it would have taken me all summer to do what these painters did in two days!

Memorial Day

Remembering our departed.

Sarah and Grace were in Arizona over the holiday weekend, visiting their Grandpa Steve and Grandma Cherie. And Katie was working, so I took Emma and Anne with me to stop at cemeteries and see some of my relatives in northern MN.

Puerto Rico

The three oldest girls got to come along with Katie and I for a short trip to Puerto Rico (Katie had a 3-day medical meeting there; we arrived one day early).

Highlights included our stunning beach-front location (the InterContinental San Juan), taking a day trip to the El Yunque rainforest, and being there with one of Katie's partners who is married to a Puerto Rican. Sean and Jessica travel to PR about 5 times per year to visit family (lucky!) and, having grown up there and lived there through medical school, Jessica had a ton of helpful advice about places to see, where to eat, etc.

The two photos above are of the girls at our hotel, and at the base of a waterfall in the rainforest.

Happy Birthday Emma!

Emma turned 5 today. Amazing...her last year of preschool, and about to begin kindergarten in the fall.

Can Katie and I really have three children aged 5 and older? And Anne turns 2 in four days, too!

Photography...When You're the Subject

Our friend Jim Fuglestad, who does photography professionally (see sledding entry below), wanted to take some shots of us to promote his "Relationship Session" idea. This is aimed at couples like us, who feel like we never had cool enough pictures taken at our own weddings, and are now jealous of the creative ways that weddings are photographed by talented people like Jim.

Which is a great idea...until you actually do it!

No, seriously, Jim did a fantastic job. It's just funny, though, how fun it is to work with him when your children are involved, and how that changes and makes you so self-conscious when you are suddenly being photographed. But Jim is a master at making the experience fun and casual, and I have to admit, the photos are better than most of our wedding photos from 1994!

See more of Jim's Relationship Session photos here.

Chicken Cookies

Annie is almost two years old (April 4) and, accordingly, is learning how to assert her independence in a variety of ways. One of the many ways is to arbitrarily limit her diet. Well, it's not entirely arbitrary: basically, she eats cereal or toast in the morning, and sometimes yogurt, cheese, and grapes for other meals. And cookies, cake, or ice cream. She loves cookies and desserts, but not much else.

(and it's not for a lack of us trying)

Today while Katie was at work, I did one of my quick and embarrassing dinners of chicken patties, salad, and potato chips. No real skill involved in this meal, and not much in the way of nutrients either. But it still offers a somewhat balanced array of protein, fresh produce, and carbs. If only Anne would eat some of it.

Then I had my idea. They weren't chicken patties. They were chicken cookies.

The results speak for themselves:

Sledding

My friend Jim Fuglestad took these fabulous photos of the girls when we met for sledding about one week ago. 'Newton Hill' is a great place for this, just a few blocks away along Minnehaha Creek.






Jim does amazing work and photographs professionally. See the rest of the photos from this session here, and contact Jim if you want to work with him or know anyone needing a photographer for a wedding, graduation photos, etc.