Puddle Jumping with Katie

We finally had a nice, warm, drizzly day for Katie to try out all of her rain gear!

Katie in her slicker and umbrella.

Fun jumping in puddles!

More Puddle Jumping.

Froggy Boots.

Kenzie's 12th Birthday

Kenzie turned 12 at the end of August and celebrated her birthday (one of her parties) at our friend's cabin over Labor Day Weekend.


Her other party was a water war with her friends who are here enjoying a more docile moment of her party!

I spent a good part of my time at the party filling water balloons. Kenzie's friends were kind enough not to bomb their ammunition supplier!

Water Bazooka Birthday Girl!
"Hanna," one of Kenzie's well mannered friends!
Katie.

Prayer needed....

A friend of mine from high school and her family could really use your prayers right now. Here is a link to their blog. http://thebrokeringfamily.blogspot.com Thank you.

Pine Tree Apple Orchard

Last Saturday, I decided it was time for Katie and I to spend some FUN time together. We spend most days together, but usually stick to our routine. I thought it might be fun for both of us to visit the apple orchard since I hadn't been to one since the last field trip I helped chaperone (maybe Kenzie's 1st grade trip). It was Katie's first visit. Because of my lack of experience, I didn't realize that apple orchards can be very busy on Saturdays! The lines for everything, including the shop, were VERY long! Long lines and three year olds don't usually mix very well. I asked her if she would rather go on a wagon ride or get a snack (since the line for both was long). She chose the wagon ride. Of course AFTER the wagon ride, she was ready for the snack. Because I was tired of holding her through the first long line, I asked her if she would like to wait in the LONG line for a snack (emphasizing the word long), or get a snack with Mommy on the way home. Fortunately, she chose the non-line option. We stopped at Cub and picked out donuts that were definitely not the yummy apple cinnamon ones we would have found at the apple orchard, but there were also no lines at the Cub bakery! At least SHE didn't realize the treat we were missing.

Katie's first day of preschool

Katie showing off her "cubby".


















Cousin Teagan and Katie building birthday cakes at preschool.

Please pray for our friends Dave and Lea Nyberg and their son Johnathan. Here is a link to their blog so you can read about their family. http://www.dandlkids.blogspot.com Johnathan is having a hard time bouncing back after his most recent heart surgery and needs a lot of prayer.

MLS Game: Chicago Fire v. D.C. United

My brother-in-law, Aaron Grenz, my nephew Karsten and I took a quick weekend trip to Chicago for my first MLS Soccer game at Toyota Park, home of the Chicago Fire. I have been a fan of D.C. United since the beginning of the MLS, so this was a good chance to visit the Fire's new, soccer only stadium. D.C. United won the game 1-0.

Aaron and Karsten outside of Toyota Park.
Toyota Park is a 20,000 seat soccer only stadium built in 2006. The stadium was simple but quite beutiful, with great views of the Chicago skyline to the north and every seat with a great view of the game. Here was our view (at kick off) from the second level where we caught all of the action from mid-field.
The Chicago skyline to the north of the stadium.
Here is a picture of the only goal that was scored off of a corner kick. It is hard to see the ball, but the player who scored (he goes simply by the name of "Fred") is in the blue jersey in the bottom right hand of the picture.

Aaron and Karsten after the game.

Anniversary Trip to Cabin

Natasha and I spent a quiet and relaxing anniversary weekend at our friends, Greg and Pam Deckert's cabin near Perham, Minnesota. Here are some pictures of the cabin and Lake Boedigheimer. The Deckert Cabin.
Again, more pictures of hot women at the lake!
That is one white dude. I wasn't even able to give me a tan by playing with the lighting and color! Too much time at the office and not enough time at the lake!

Another babe shot on the lake. Natasha accompanied me to golf at Thumper Pond golf course in Otter Tail, Minnesota. Natasha enjoyed sitting in the sun and riding along in the cart and offering up encouraging comments like, "Nice shot, you didn't hit that one in the woods!"

When I wasn't hitting out of the woods, I was hitting out of the sand. Here is a video of me hitting from one of the sand traps setting myself up for a par put. It's ugly, but effective. If you are a golf purist, I strongly urge you NOT to watch this video.

Lake Elmo Camping

The first week of August always means our annual camping trip to the Lake Elmo Park Reserve with friends from our church. This was Katie's first camping trip. Katie was excited to sleep in a sleeping bag in the tent. Here she is at about 9:00 p.m.
Here is Katie at 4:00 a.m. after I calmed her down after a 20 minute meltdown when she woke up and didn't know where she was! Kenzie and Jake sleeping in.Saturday is always a day at the beach which is at a man-made, filtered water lake. Here is Kenzie and here friend, Katie Peterson being a mermaid.

I can't help myself from taking pictures of hot women at the beach.


Katie chilling out after a long day swimming.
Cool Kenzie.

Duluth, Minnesota

We went to Duluth the first week of August where I attended a Solo/Small Law Firm Convention put on by MinnCLE. Unlike many other legal seminars/conferences, this convention was "family friendly" with activities for spouses and children during the seminars, family luncheons etc. The conference and offered seminars ranging from technology, quality of life, office management and more specific legal seminars. Here are some pictures of our time in Duluth.
We were able to catch the tail end of the "Tall Ship" convention where, I guess, pirates and buccaneers share the tricks of the trade.Jake, Kenzie, and especially Katie, enjoyed the tour of the tall ship.

Pirates run a disciplined ship. Sailors who get out of line are tied to the deck. We told Katie to stay off the Brass Monkey!

Natasha and Katie by Lake Superior.

No trip to Duluth is complete without pictures of the Lift Bridge. Here is a picture of Jake and Kenzie during a late night lake walk.

There is not the typical beach scene on Lake Superior, but there are still hot women there!

Family bike ride. Supposedly all four people can pedal this thing.......Katie loved waving at everybody we saw, which came as a relief to me as people were not laughing at me chugging my family around on a 4-seater bike!

Katie, Mom and Dad on a scenic train ride along Lake Superior.

Near Ace

Here is where my tee shot landed from a 149 yard Par 3 at Sawmill Golf Club. You can see my divot mark at the upper right corner of the picture.