Great weekend!

So, the weekend started out with a thud as I got some sort of stomach bug and ended up delaying the family trip back to Sun Prairie for Thanksgiving. Instead of heading back on Wednesday after school/work, the sick one (me) slept as much as possible; then we headed out around 8am so we could watch almost all of the Packer game.

They won. The Packers, that is. It was nice to watch the game with my dad. We enjoyed watching the team go to 11-0 on the year. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing my fantasy combo of Romo and Robinson do some damage on Thanksgiving and help me secure some points. Dinner was great - as usual. Mom prepared a great meal with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and a great homemade apple pie :)

My wife and mom hit the stores at midnight and got some great deals. Friday, we did some relaxing (and some additional shopping). And my brother and his family came home later that night.

Saturday was a pretty special day, then. My son and I enjoyed the Badgers thumping the Nittany Lions (and securing a spot in the innaugural Big Ten Championship Game). It rained, but we were warm and loved seeing Montee Ball up his TD total to 34. Once I told my son about his total, he kept track and told me the number as Ball scored his 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th TDs of the day.

That night, we surprised my mom and dad on their 40th anniversary. More than 50 of their family and friends got together at a local restaurant, and we relaxed and enjoyed time together and some after-dinner snacks and drinks. My mom and dad had ZERO clue. But they enjoyed the night - as we all did.

Happy Anniversary (a day late), Mom and Dad!

You are great role models - and 40 years says so much to all of us. Wishing you many more!

Happy 40th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Snow, snow, snow.

It was a nice weekend in Charlotte. Loved watching Katie and Michael get married and seeing all the family. Traveling went really well. The kids had fun. The only bad part was coming home from 60's and sunny to 19 degrees and snow on the ground. Wasn't here when we left! Oh well. We do live in Minnesota, after all. Happy Thanksgiving, early, everyone!

Braces ... gone!

Well, my top ones are completely off as of Tuesday morning. They glued staple-looking devices (really small) behind my four top-fronts and they left the six bottom-front brackets on for a week - until they can glue my permanent wire behind my bottom teeth. But it does feel good! I can crunch on carrots (done!), and I can chew gum (also done!) without worry about breaking something in the back or getting stuff stuck all over the place. The best thing is that my bite feels great. Plus, I think my smile looks pretty good, if I do say so myself :)

I touched the axe!

Yes. That is right. Sat seventh row, 45 yard line in some Gopher season ticket seats at TCF Stadium here in Minneapolis, MN. Watched the University of Wisconsin throttle the University of Minnesota footbal team. Then, after most of the fair-weather Gopher fans had left, I waited and watched as the Badger players carried Paul Bunyan's Axe to both goal posts and "chopped" them down. They then proceded to parade the axe around the walls of the stadium - and let fans touch it. I almost didn't get to touch it, as one Badger decided to detour back over to the visiting sideline. Thank goodness for Chris Borland - who stepped in, stole the axe, and made sure those of us hanging over the wall behind the Gopher bench got our own chance to touch the rivalry's most famous item. Having won the Border Battle in football eight consecutive times, and having personally watched it the last two (one in Madison, one in Minnesota), I can honestly say it never gets old.

On Wisconsin!
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Thank you to ALL veterans!

Especially this one. And my other grandfather.
Both World War II veterans whom I remember today.
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"Protecting our children must be everyone's top priority."

- Jennifer M. Granholm

Reminder of why we do this ...

L - O - V - E - !

Monday ... I'm on fire ...

Okay, so I'm not really on fire. However, having figured out that my chat sessions on Monday nights are pretty much a complete waste of my time, I have figured out a way to multi-task to the n-th degree. So, really ... I. Am. On. Fire. Got more research and more of my annotated bibliography done tonight while listening to a library 'specialist' show me how to ... do ... research. :)

Wisconsin, the West Coast, and Weddings ...

The Badgers rolled up Purdue on Saturday. That was fun. Went over to our Wisconsin friends' house on the lake and watched the game with Jack while our sons played. That was after my son's basketball practice. Had to clean the house, too. See, we're having some more Wisconsin friends (who actually live in Madison) up for next weekend's Border Battle for the Axe. And my wife is headed to San Francisco for the week. Apparently, she doesn't trust me to clean the house by myself (just kidding - she was a bit nervous, but wanted to feel like she did her part, so we cleaned before she left for Cali).

Anyway, it WAS a nice weekend. Even got to watch the new(er?) Phineas & Ferb movie with the kiddos on Friday night. But the week ahead will be an anxious one - waiting for everyone to come to our house this Friday/Saturday/Sunday. Did I mention that my folks are coming up Saturday, too? Yeah! Unfortunately my high school alma mater lost it's state quarterfinal game, so they won't be playing next Saturday. Thankfully, that means my dad will not need to keep stats for them ... and my parents can come up to enjoy the weekend with us and my dad can go to the Badgers-Gophers game as well.

Our neighbors are moving sometime this next week, too. So we're thowing a going away party for them on Sunday afternoon - next week, Sunday. If this all sounds like it's a lot to do during a weekend, then you'd understand why my wife was a bit nervous before she left and wanted to help with the house cleaning :)

All this might seem like it's plenty to be going on in the near future. But ... that's not all! With your full weekend, you also get: a 2nd grade basketball game on Saturday, a orthodontist appointment on Monday (for my son's braces and expander to be put on), and a short week to prep for a trip to North Carolina for a Wedding!

We are SO excited to be able to travel to Katie and Michael's wedding! We cannot wait!

This week may be a bit hectic, though. So, forgive me if I miss posting some pictures of gymnastics, swimming or other general fall photos of the kids.

Just know that I'll be anxiously awaiting having so much fun NEXT weekend - sitting 50-yd-line at the football game, spending time with our great friends from Madison, enjoying the weekend with my parents as well, and throwing the going-away party for our neighbors.

Have a good week, all! ... and ... On Wisconsin!

Need a hug? :)