Chance Is Here Today

2006-09-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

This is where we called home for three days. A cool little campsite on the West Shores of Lynx Lake

2006-09-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Notice who loaded her kayak and got out in the water first!!!!

2006-09-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

My hero...

2006-09-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

So this is what life is like with no kids!

2006-09-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

Actually it was this big! David caught this fish, but Craig had to get the hook out of its mouth

2006-09-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

I think the fish was this big!

Boundry Waters Trip

2006-09-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Well, we just got back from our 3rd Annual trip into the BWCA. And, since Craig is the writer in the group, I think I will let his newspaper article tell part of the story.

Outdoors for 8/30/06
Another trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has come to a close and again I’m overwhelmed with the snapshots in my mind. Any trip to this pristine wilderness area leaves an impact on the traveler. It is one of the reasons that most go back time after time to search out the quiet of the wilderness and find out something about ourselves. There is a certain amount of challenge to the mind as well as muscle when you travel needing to carry all supplies on your back for at least portions of the trip. There are high points and low points, but ironically as we discussed past trips while we traveled this time, it is often the struggles you remember the most. Still fresh in my mind are the last two portages I did earlier today, they were by no means the longest of the day but they were struggles. The last was only 40 rods, but it climbs steeply from the Little Indian Sioux river to the parking area and I recall how the sweat ran off my brow with each step. We all made two trips up that last hill and it felt good to lay the gear down for the last time, but also a disappointment we were leaving so soon.
I’ve also come to the conclusion that coming out is always tougher then going in. The trip in you have the hopes and anticipations of beautiful sights, great food, and maybe even a trophy fish to catch. Coming back out it is the reality you are leaving a slice of heaven behind and returning to the world of phones, e-mail, news, and schedules to keep. In the Boundary Waters things slow down to the pace of nature. The sun rises and the birds and animals go about their day hunting and gathering and you in turn do very similar things. There are fish to try and catch, water to filter, firewood to gather, and meals to make. Often for me the trip boils down to one moment when you know you have had a special experience, one that will be staying in the corners of your mind for many years to come.
This trip was my annual kayak excursion with my good friends Colleen and Dave, marking our third year in a row we explored a different part of the Boundary Waters. This trip also included Jennifer, whom I introduced the wilderness to earlier this summer. (And yes she was sufficiently hooked and was eager to be getting back as well) We entered in the Little Indian Sioux River and paddled and portaged our way over 5 lakes and one river to the Shell, Heritage Lakes area. While this is a popular area we found a quiet little campsite on the west shore of Lynx lake that we ended up staying at for all three nights of our trip. Originally we talked of possibly moving about in this area of lakes, but we were so pleased with our camp we decided to stay there and venture out for day trips. It was at the campsite that my special Boundary Waters moment showed up. We were gathered around the campsite on Saturday evening watching the pieces of cedar we fed to the fire turn to ash. The sky was awash in stars that I’m convinced only shine this bright in the Boundary Waters when a different sound echoed through the night sky. The howling of wolves. Drifting across Lynx lake from somewhere off to the east the sounds kept coming in bursts. As quickly as they would start they would end as if all the animals knew their cue on when to be quiet. As these somewhat haunting sounds came across the lake and mixed with the starry night and crackling fire I had my special moment. That night slipping into sleep still half listening for the cries of the pack, I knew I was at a high point for the trip.
While listening to the howls of wolves can be somewhat disturbing for many people, the howls were heard were from at least one to two lakes away. Which provided a bit of a comfort for many of us. It was the next morning at six when the wolves began howling, yelping and yowling just across the bay from our campsite that caught a bit more of our attention. What was far away the night before was now just in our backyard and made our eyes pop open a little quicker then normal. But again as quickly as they started they stopped and we never heard from the pack again for the reminder of our trip. While we only heard the wolves we saw plenty of wildlife and even fried a few fish for dinner one night. All in all a wonderful trip with good friends, made even better by that one special moment.

I have to agree with Craig about the wolves. Even thought it is a sound I have been hearing out my bedroom window all summer, there is something about being sound asleep in a tent and hearing them just behind you.

I am happy because this was not out last trip in this summer. David and I are going to take Chance on his first Boundry Waters trip on the 16th. I got a permit for us to go in Entry Point #6 into Slim lake and camp for one nite. I think it will be fun and I hope that he enjoys it. There are lots of places for us to paddle and I guess the lake is really nice.

Unfortunately I came out of the Boundry Waters to a very sick little girl. She had a cold when I went in, but by the time I got out it had moved into something worse. Dr. Baldwin gave her Amoxicillen for an ear infection on Monday, but by Wednesday she was so lethargic that she could not stay awake. Her eyes would just roll back in her head and she had a fever of 101.5.

I spent Wednesday evening at the Clinic. Dr. Decker could not find out what was the matter with her and so he called the Pediatrician Dr. Cassingham. They did blood tests and chest xrays and everything came out fine so the pulled her off of the antibiotic. Thursday morning Dr. Baldwin called and said the Dr. Decker came and talked to her about Jordyn and that she wanted to see her. I took her in Thursday and Dr. Baldwin said she figured it was a Virus. She had a rash on her belly and Dr. Baldwin said that once the rash comes out the child starts getting better in about 24 hours. She was right. My little girl is on the mend.

This is all new to me. Chance has never been sick a day in his life. He will be 5 this spring and has never been on an antibiotic. It is scary having a sick child. Especially when the Dr. doesn't know what is wrong.

Subway

2006-08-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

OK, so I go to Subway in Duluth last weekend and I order my usual, 6" Monterey Cheddar Turkey Breast & Roast Beef no cheese. And, the girl behind the counter says to me, "I will have to charge you more for that sandwhich because we don't make it." At first I just stared blankly at her because I thought it was a joke. Then I realized she was serious and so I kind of shook my head and said, "fine, give me a Club (for those of you who are not connoisseurs (SP) of fine food that is my sandwhich with ham too) and I will just take the ham off!

So somebody help me out here. Wasn't the whole idea of Subway that you can get the sandwhich you want made fresh while you wait? Why would she have to charge me more to NOT put the ham on my sandwhich? Interesting!!!

Our Blessing

2006-08-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

Our Bleassing
Day before yesterday David and I came home from Duluth and there was a message on our answering machine from Brian Redshaw. Neither David or I could place the name and had no idea what it was about. Since it was 10:00pm we called the number he left and found out it was the City of Hibbing. With all of the building we are doing and inspections that have been done, we thought it maybe had something to do with that.David returned Brian's call yesterday morning. Brian said that he and his wife breed Dautsen's (Weiner dog's) and that they wanted to give my sister a puppy from the litter that was born last Thursday. David called me and so I called Sandy. I wasn't sure how it was going to go over, I was hoping she would accept the puppy, but was afraid she would feel like she was trying to replace Buddy. I told her what Brian had to say and she started to cry. She said that she had been praying the past couple of days for a dog, but she told the Lord that she only wanted a Dautsen. She said that she figured there was no way because Dautsen's are very expensive and there is no way she could aford one. I gave her Brian's number and when she called me back she said she had to leave him three messages because she kept starting to cry and had to hang up and start over.Brian called her back and said that the puppy's were born on Thursday and they are in Indiana. He is going to email her a picture of the puppies and she can choose. I guess there are different kinds of Dautsens. Buddy was a red, and I guess there are a couple of different kinds in the litter. It will have all of it's shots and papers and he will get it here from Indiana when the time comes. I don't think that Brian and his wife will ever understand how wonderful this was to my sister. She lives alone and Buddy was a great companion. I am so thankful that there are people out there like Brian and his wife that listen to the Holy Spirit!I will post pictures of the puppies when I get them.

Happy Birthday My Little Girl!!

2006-07-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well, our little Jordyn Alexia is 1 year old today. I can not believe how fast time flies when you are watching it in kid years!!

It seems like just yesterday I found out we were having another baby and hoped against hope that it was a boy!

God has his ways of proving to us that we don't know whats best for us doesn't he!

I have to say, I love me litter girl and I wouldn't change her for anything in the world.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOO!!!

Wolf Update

2006-07-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

Well, two down and I don't know how many to go. Abraham was here on Monday morning to check his traps. Rumor had it there was a wolf in one of them. Kenny's cousin road his 4-Wheeler down the logging road and saw it caught in the trap. Anyway we made Abraham promise that he would let us see it.

He brought it back about two hours later. Not a pretty sight. Apparently it had gotten caught shortly after he had checked the traps on Saturday and fought hard to get itself out. But, in the 90 degree heat, it didn't last long. By the time we seen it on Monday it was not pretty and very, very stinky.

It was another male, (hmmmm...I wonder why all the males are getting caught in the traps??? Abraham said, "Typical, just like humans, send the guy out to do all the work and sacrifice his life!") It had been a very beautiful animal, big, Abraham said it would have weighed in at about 100 lbs. This was not the wolf that got Buddy, this wolf was dark, lots of browns and blacks.

He has since checked his traps yesterday and there wasn't anything in them. He says that he will probably have to pull his traps this weekend, he will have to see what his boss says. We are hoping he gets a female or two before then.

Just a little trivia for you in case you are on Jeapordy or something like that. I asked Abraham what they bait the wolf traps with and he showed me a bunch of sticky bottles of all kinds of smelly things. Most of the bottles didn't smell bad, they smelt like spices of sorts. But there was one jar that he kept saying you guys don't want to smell this one and then he opened it up anyway. Kenny and I both tentitively put our noses towards it. Kenny was up wind, and I, unfortunately, was down wind and got a pretty good smell. It was ground up Bobcat! Abraham said that during Bobcat season trappers that get Bobcats have to turn the hide in to the DNR. They in turn take the hide and grind it up for traps. He says that he actually catches alot of Bobcats in the traps. Isn't that Cannibalism?

2006-07-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

2006-07-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

Somehow I just don't think Mist is as happy as Jordyn about this situation!

2006-07-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

2006-07-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

Wolf Update #2

2006-07-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

When David and Kenny went out last Saturday they didn't find any signs of wolves, but they did see bear tracks. My brother-in-law mentioned that he hadn't seen a bear track that big ever.
Friday morning Abraham Wolf came out and he said that the bear stepped pretty close to the trap and that he couldn't believe how huge the print was. They figure the bear will dress out around 400 lbs. So when does bear season start? Jenny tell Larry we got a big one for him!

Anyway, Abraham came out yesterday to check the traps and found that he had caught the male wolf! He said he was a huge animal, but that he had mange which made him skinny. The wolf that took Buddy did not have mange (I have no idea what that is, but I get the idea that it means they are loosing their hair for some reason), so they figure that was the female that took Buddy.

He caught the male in traps that he had set a ways behind our house on Bunker Road (it runs parallel to Anderson and it is the road that John Holman lives on whose calves were killed by the wolf). I guess he got the male and then left there to come check these traps and then went back there. While Abraham was over here, John saw the female go across the road when he went out to get his mail so she is still hanging around the area. No sign of the pups though.

Hopefully all will be well soon!

Wolf Update

2006-07-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

Buddy was never found. We walked the woods and searched with 4 wheelers Saturday, but never seen any sign of him or any blood. He was wearing a collar with a tag with mine and Sandy's phone numbers on it so it will be interesting to see if some day someone finds the collar in the woods and calls.

Sandy is doing OK, just missing her little friend.

Day before yesterday Dan Bergan came out and interviewed the family. He was going to run the story in yesterday's paper, but tried all afternoon to get ahold of the DNR to get their side of the story and no one ever returned his call so the story ran this morning.

Then, today a nice young (good looking for you young girls) guy showed up from the USDA. His name approprately enough, was Abraham Wolf! He went out back behind our house and all around the trails and fire roads back there with his 4-Wheeler. He came back saying there were a pair of wolves and pups back in there and that they had had a den in one of the gravel pits. I guess wolves are not in dens this time of year, they just wander. He said that although wolves taking family pets is not uncommon, this was. He said that usually a wolf will attack a dog for territorial reasons and those dogs are usually Labs or big dogs. Buddy was a weiner dog, I don't think that fits. He also said that sometimes it is because it is an easy prey. However if that was the case here, he would have grabbed Buddy and headed right into the woods to eat. This one walked a 1/4 mile down the middle of the road. So, he said that left him to the conclusion that Buddy was taken back to feed the pups.

After finding out where the wolves are and where there den was, he said he had to call his boss. He said there are many rules that have to be fulfilled before they can set traps. Usually the wolves have to be on the property of the person that is missing the pet (it is not) and the den has to be within so many miles of the occurance. He never told me what that was. But anyway, he got off the phone and said he had permission to trap them.

So he set out with traps in the back of his 4-Wheeler. I guess he set the traps along the road that the wolves had walked earlier today and he will come back tomorrow to see if there is anything in them. Timberwolves do not relocate well, so they have to kill any they trap. He will trap the parents and can not kill the pups if it is before August 27th. I have no clue why, my guess is that they probably will not survive on there own before that date, but after that date, they can kill them.

The whole thing is very sad. On one hand I feel bad about killing such beautiful creatures, and leaving pups to fend for themselves, but on the other hand, we can't have them stealing the family pets.

Last night Lilly Ann just about drove me nuts. There were dogs or brush wolves or coyotes out in the yard last night and I didn't dare let her out so she growled, wined and scratched on the doors until 2:00am.

Hopefully all will be back to normal (whatever that is) on Anderson Road.

Here is the question of the day, if there are so many Timberwolves, coyotes, brush wolves and Mt. Lions around here, how did Bill's body lay there for 15 months without being disturbed at all???? HMMMMM

God's Protection on My Family!

2006-07-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

God's protection on my family was made very apparent to me today. David and I took Chance down to Minneapolis to go to Valley Fair and the Children's Museum. We left Friday morning so my sister came over early Friday morning to watch Jordyn for the weekend. We had a blast at Valley Fair, Chance loved it. Anyway this morning my sister walked out the french doors down on the lower level of the house to walk over to my sister Sharon's house. Meanwhile my mom let our dog Lilly Ann and my sister's Weiner dog Buddy out the front door. My sister Sandy turned around just in time to see a huge Timberwolf who had been standing between the driveway and the front door grab ahold of Buddy and head down the driveway. Sandy set Jordyn down and my sister Sharon who had been standing by her back door and heard Sandy scream ran to get Jordyn while Sandy went running down the road after the wolf. He never ran, he just trotted down the middle of the road while my sister and Lilly Ann were running after him. A couple of times he set Buddy down and Buddy would try to get away while he looked back at Sandy and then he would pick the dog up and go some more. My poor sister ran and screamed until he finally ran into the woods with the dog about a 1/4 mile from the house and then she just colapsed. My mom rushed her to the Dr. because we were afraid of a stroke. Thank God she was just in severe shock. All she can do is cry because she says she just keeps hearing Buddy screaming and she keeps thinking it could have been Jordyn.

David and I left the cities right away and headed home. By the way there is a great room at the Sheaton Bloomington for tonight that is already paid for if anyone wants it!

I can't even count the times I have brought Jordyn out the front door and sat her down on the grass in the same spot the wolf was waiting while I ran into the garage or the house. Or the times I have told Chance to go play in the woods or down by the river. I am so thankful for the times that God watches over us when we don't even know we need it. I had seen the Timberwolf standing in the middle of the road down by where he went into the woods a month or so ago, and my brother-in-law seen him last week. Kenny says he has never seen one that big. The thing that scares me is that he is not afraid. To come into the yard in broad daylight with people going in and out all morning and take a dog especially when there are chickens in the yard by where he went into the woods.

We called the DNR and they, I'm paraphazing now, said, "well, they are protected so you can't shoot them, if they kill a calf or a cow or a child you can call us within 24 hours so we can come out and prove that it was a timberwolf. Then they can be killed." Well, guess what, my bother-in-law and David are out following the trail that we think he took into the woods right now with guns!

If you think of it, say a prayer for my sister, it was a very sad thing for her, I can't even imagine.

Goodbye Rastus

2006-07-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

The Dunham/McCormack Family is down to 4 cats. We said Goodbye to our boy today. Rastus was somewhere between 24 & 26 years old. The hardest part about the whole situation was that there was nothing wrong with him. He was not sick and he had no physical problems. But, he was starting to not use the Litter Box. We made the decision that it was time.

It makes me the most sad because my dad loved him more than anything and I can still see the two of them sitting in the rocking chair watching TV. I don't know if animals go to heaven, but if they do, Rastus say hi to daddy!

2006-07-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the Parade to start.

2006-07-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

The smile says it all!!

2006-07-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

2006-07-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

This camping is really hard work!

A Day of Firsts

2006-07-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a day of First's for Chance.

Saturday morning we headed for Howard Street for the "Fit City Run" which I wish they would have just left as the First Avenue Mile but anyway. Chance, David, Jordyn and I ran (well Jordyn got to ride in the jogging stroller). I was so proud of Chance, he actually ran 3/4 of the Mile which at almost 2 strides to our 1 is a really big accomplishment. I am hoping to get him interested in running so he and I can do some races together in the future.

After running we came home to clean up and get the camera and then we went to the Lincoln Field for a Helicopter Ride. Chance wasn't to sure, but by the time we got there, he was really excited. Thanks to my sister Sandy who came and held Jordyn so both David and I could go with him. He got to sit in front with the pilot and David and I sat in the back seats. We all got to wear headsets with microphones and so we could talk back and forth. He had a blast and I am so thankful that we were able to take him. That is one of the joys of having children, is watching them experience things.

Of course Saturday afternoon was the big parade. I am happy to say that my son is not greedy. He was sitting in his lawn chair, bag in hand, and we had to push him to get up and get candy. Sandy was teasing him that nobody was going to come up and put it in his lap. But then along came the WTBX/WNMT van and Craig and his daughter Bre. And, somebody put candy right in his lap!

Thanks to Brooke for taking such good care of my children. She goes down in the baby books as their fist babysitter. Thank you Brooke!!!!!!

Happy Mines and Pines Everybody!!!

20 Years Older, 20 Pounds Lighter, & 20 Gray Hairs

2006-07-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to me that so much time can go by so fast and you can experience so much happiness and sadness and be such a different person and yet walk into a room and be instantly transported back in time 20 years.

Yep, it was Class Reunion time for me. Obviously the 20 Year Reunion. I will save you all the math, that makes me a whopping 38 years old!

What a blast. It was so much fun to go to the Classmates only night Friday night. We all met at the Algonquin Club (yep it exists and it is a door on Howard Street) at 7:00pm. It was so much fun to walk around the room talking to people that I see often and some I haven't seen since walking across the stage on June 6th, 1986. Some people were hardly recognizable and some I swear hadn't changed and some looked a whole lot better.

One of the girls in my class has a 24 year old child (yep, she got pregnant when she was 14, talk about a scandle in 1982) and one of them has a 2 month old!. Nothing like being spread across the spectrum hey. I was pretty much in the lower end, most of my classmates have kids in the 10-15 year old area.

Saturday night was Classmates and Spouses or Significant Others I should say since two of my male Classmates are very openly Gay! David and I had fun visiting, seeing who was married to who and eating. Then everyone kind of came and went walking down Howard Street for the evening festivities. My husband was amazed that they would actually have the Class Reunion and then give you wrist bands so that you could come and go as you please. He just couldn't believe that. To me it wasn't odd because Hibbing always has their Reunions in conjunction with Mines and Pines for that reason. He is from Michigan (sorry Jenny) so that explains it.

Reunion time gives you a time to sit back and reflect on who you are, where you are and what you have accomplished. The gave us a sheet to fill out with questions on it about where we are now, how we feel we have changed, and what we hope to accomplish by our 30 year Reunion. Then they put them in book form and gave one to each of us. It was great to read about everybody. I think I have changed greatly since High School and I am definitely happy with where I am at. As far as my goals before the 30 year, I simply put "to raise my children to be a man and women of God and to accomplish what the Lord has for their lives. I think that is success!!!

Happy 20th to the Class of 1986, see you in 10 Years!!!!

2006-07-01T17:37:00.000-07:00

My little, big girl starting out on her own!

2006-07-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

My Big Girl

Jordyn took her first steps today!!! I can't believe how fast time has gone. I am almost certain that it was just yesterday I was walking across the Duluth Clinic parking lot calling David from my cell phone telling him the baby was coming and he had to get to the hospital now!

And here she is starting out on her own! I don't know if I like it, but I guess I have no choice hey!

2006-06-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

Jordyn seems to enjoy soccer!

2006-06-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

Very proud moment in my life! All the other children are out on the field playing soccer and then there is my son doing cartwheels!!!

2006-06-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

My poor husband. He is finally nearing the end of one very long shutdown. These past couple of weeks he has been getting up at 4:30am and getting to the plant by 5:30am. He doesn't get home until between 7:00 & 8:00pm and he has done this 7 days a week!

My Little Escape Artist

2006-06-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, Jordyn is definitely growing up and I think she is going to be a hard one. I don't know if it is that mom and daughter thing starting up already, but boy do I notice that she is stubborn and persistent.

Day before yesterday mom and I were sitting at the dining room table just talking and I realized that I hadn't heard from her for awhile so I went looking for her. The back door hadn't latched shut and so she had pushed the door open, crawled out, down the stairs on the deck and was sitting on the sidewalk in the rain splashing in the puddles!

Yesterday she crawled down the basement stairs, through the old part, through the new part which is all dirty cement and was pounding on the French Doors. Somehow I get the feeling that my 11 month old already wants to run away from home!

Chance is growing too and always manages to say something to me to make me laugh. The other day he was riding his bike down the drive way and he said: "mom, sunglasses are for emergencies and bad hair days!" I am not sure where that came from!

Graduation??!!

2006-06-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

Well today was a first of many I hope. Chance and his friend Dominic graduated from Safetytown. It was really cute. They had all of the kids line up in front of the gym and different groups of kids would demonstrate different lessons they had learned at Safetytown. Such as a few kids demonstrated riding their bikes and stopping at the "stopsign" and looking both ways before crossing the street. Another few demonstrated wearing life jackets in a "boat".

At the beginning the one teacher said that she had been teaching Safetytown for quite a few years and this was the first year that she had a few kids that were to shy to go out in front and demonstrate. I figured for sure Chance was one of them, but I was pleasantly surprised when he did it.

Whether he learned something is a different story. Each day when it was over I would ask him what he learned. Sometimes I would get a "I don't remember." And other times I would get, "mom it is a long story!"

I of course, being the mom of the year, forgot my camera. Can you believe it, no pictures to recored Safetytown in history!!

2006-06-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

What is up with this one? I think this is supposed to be a smile or maybe he is posing for Little Men's Muscle & Fitness!!

2006-06-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Please smile Chance.

2006-06-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

This is what you get when you ask a 4 year old boy to smile!

2006-06-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

My little girl loves to climb!

2006-06-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Hanging out with Dad.

2006-06-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

Dad & Chance enjoying the cold, 60 ft. deep water.

2006-06-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Warming up after a swim.

First Camping Trip & First Boat Outing of the Season

2006-06-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

And what an adventure it was. David had to work on Friday so mom and I were left to get the Motorhome ready to go. First trip of the season means there is alot more work than normal. While mom was getting the domestic stuff done, I was getting the rest of the stuff ready, making sure we had all the hoses and cords that we need along with packing all of my, Chances and Jordyn's clothing. All of this going on while Chance is saying every 5 minutes, "mom, are we ready to go, mom, I just want to go camping, mom are you almost done..." Finally about 10:30 we were ready to go. So, in the camper we hop. We were going to McKinley Park Campground in Soudan. After a stop at Walmart for a tube to pull behind the boat and a stop at Thrifty Bread Store for buns we were off. Finally Chance fell asleep so we had some peace and quite.

After getting to the campground we got our spot and proceeded to level the camper. No matter what I did I was a bubble off (no comments please) both front to back and side to side. So after the 5th time of changing the boards around and backing on and off them, we decided that a bubble off wasn't so bad!When getting me and the kids ready I went to each room, picked out what I wanted to bring for each of us to wear and put it on their beds. My plan was to go with the laundry basket to each room and pick up the stuff and carry it out to the camper. Well, mine and Jordyn's stuff made it into the camper, but not Chances. So, all my son had to wear the whole weekend was the swimming trunks and underwear that he had on and a pair of underwear and a tee-shirt that he had packed himself! Luckily my son doesn't like to wear clothes so none of this bothered him in the least.

Now it was time to start dinner! Or so we thought. But after a few attempts to light the hot water heater and start the burners we found out that we had absolutely no propane! Luckily we had an extra tank (that is what the shower stall is for) and the camp stove so we didn't starve. Then we realized that I had forgotten Jordyn's Pak N Play so we didn't have anywear for her to sleep.

David finally arrived at the campground with the new boat (well, new to us boat). But after setting up the camp stove, eating, and running to the store to get night time diapers for Chance, it was getting late. So we took a short 10 minute ride in the boat and went to bed.

The next morning after Jordyn woke all of us but mom up at 5:00am and we had a good breakfast and some playing in the water it was time for a boat ride. But, right at that time, my son cut is foot on a rock and freaked out. This is the child who can cut himself to the point of almost having stitches and it wouldn't phase him. The only thing I could figure out was that he was so tired. So I took him back to the camper, fixed the cut and put him to bed. David came up to the camper with Jordyn who was also asleep. So I offered to stay home with the kids while mom and David we off on a boat ride. They came back about two hours later from visiting my cousin who lives on Everett Bay. We ate some dinner and then I was ready for my first official boat ride, or so I thought!!!

Chance didn't want to go so he stayed with Grandma and David, Jordyn and I headed out. David had made the comment during dinner that the boat was kind of hard to start at Lisa's house but he thought that since it hadn't been run at all last year that maybe the gas was old. So we decided to head right for Aronson's (where the boat had been on consignment when we bought it) and gas it up. We gassed the boat up and were going to head out but the boat never started. So, I sat the next three hours at Aronson's in the boat with Jordyn. First they spent the first hour trying to get it started, waiting to see if it was flooded etc. Finally we decided to try calling the guy who owned it before. We hadn't had possession of the boat for 24 hours and were quickly deciding that we didn't want it. We couldn't get ahold of Jeff so someone from Aronson's drove David back to the campground to get the truck and trailer. Then we had to paddle the boat around the boat garage and load it onto the trailer. David pulled it up and parked it where we first found it and proceeded to try and get the trailer unhitched. But, the trailer had really never been used because the boat had never been off of Vermillion so the hitch was rusty. Finally after 15 minutes of trying and prying with a screwdriver we finally get it unhitched and move the truck out of the way. David was unloading the boat and I was hauling things to the truck when David said, "What's that noise?" I went over and looked at the truck and there was antifreeze pouring out of the truck and it was overheating. By this time I just shut the truck off and started laughing. It was the only thing I could do. It was 6:00pm and everybody was getting ready to leave Aronson's and I think they all felt so sorry for us. Finally after 3 hours we headed back to the campground without our new boat.

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful after that! We finally got ahold of Jeff (the previous owner). Apparently he had been in Texes all weekend and didn't get our call. When he couldn't get ahold of us on Sunday night he called Aronson's Monday morning and told them to fix the boat. I think Aronson's felt so sorry for us they didn't charge any labor. So, anyway, the boat is fixed, I guess it was a temperature problem. When the boat got hot it would shut the gas off or something like that. Now we have our boat back and we took it out Sunday evening for a successful ride on Sturgeon and Side Lakes!

Blessings

2006-05-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

Throughout my life God has chose to bless me in so many ways, from giving me the parents that I had, the husband that I have, the children that I have, my husband's job, the house we are building etc. But today I was reminded so vividly how blessed I am. Thanks to blessings from the Lord and a very smart and hard working husband, I was able to register my child in Christian school. I don't know why that hit me so hard. I left the school and just sat in the van and cried. I am so thankful for the Lord's hand upon our family's life and never cease to be amazed at all of the wonderful things he has done for us

Updates (boring hey!)

2006-04-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

Well, nothing new on Bill. The Police pulled up steaks on Friday and have not been back. All the yellow police tape is still there blowing in the breeze. I don't suppose they have to tell us what they find out, but I sure hope that they do. If so, I will keep you posted.

I took my little girl into the Dr. today. Turns out instead of a diaper rash on her bottom for the past month, she has had a really bad yeast infection. Boy do I feel terrible. I can't believe that I didn't catch on to that more quickly. Not only is it on her bottom now, but on her hands and in her mouth. Yuck hey.

On a lighter note, she is now 16lbs 2 oz and 26 inches long. She is in the 12 percentile for both height and weight. Who would have thought that I would have a little girl! Other wise she is doing beautifully.

2006-04-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

On another note, here is our kitchen being taped and mudded. David and I caved. When we originally did this thing we were going to do it all ourselves. Then we decided to bite the bullet and hire out the rocking, mudding & taping in the living room and our bedroom. And we were going to do the kitchen because there wasn't that much of it. Then when it came time to do the kitchen it ended up being more than we thought and Paul did such a good job that we decided to call him back.

2006-04-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

The saga continues. Bill was found 3 days ago and since then they have had a police watch on the house 24 hours a day. Yesterday the motorhome showed up and it is from the Bemidji Crime Scene. Today there is 14 cars lined up on the road and the have 4-wheelers and all kinds of metal detectors and people searching the yard. I guess we are not the only ones that think Bill didn't just die in his yard.

2006-04-07T12:09:00.000-07:00

Finding Bill!!

2006-04-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

Well, our neighbor Bill has been found! A year ago last February I noticed that our neighbor across the street hadn't been around. He was kind of odd, and kept to himself alot. He never came out in the day time very much, but did alot at night. Bill had lots of issues, I think he had been in Vietnam and of course there was that whole Meth Lab that they busted over there about 6 years ago!. I guess very often he called the police worried that aliens were in his back yard. And he was thoroughly convinced that mom was video taping him because of the red light on her sewing machine.

Anyway, there had been no tracks in his driveway and we hadn't seen him in awhile. My sisters and I walked over there and the house was open and everything was right there like he should have been there. We thought it was very odd and so we called the Police. They came out and walked the yard and looked but said they couldn't go in the house. Various times last summer we would walk over there and check on things and wonder, "What happened to Bill?" We called his son but he said that they had a falling out and he wanted nothing to do with his father.

Anyway, Bill has been found. My brother in law walked over there this morning to pick out the cans that were lying in the yard and found what was left of Bill lying by the garage. So, as I type this the forensics team is over there and have been all day.

I think it is so sad that he simply dissappeared more than a year ago and nobody except some neighbors cared. I am happy that he has been found though, it is closure on a very sad life!

2006-04-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

Jordyn & Lilly Ann

2006-04-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

2006-04-04T05:37:00.000-07:00

2006-04-04T05:26:00.000-07:00

My two guys!

Major Milestones and Accomplishments

2006-03-27T05:43:00.000-08:00

My kids are growing up! This past weekend was a time for major milestones in the McCormack household.

Friday Jordyn's first tooth poked its way thru. Which was a relief, I was beginning to thing my wonderful happy little girl had been replaced by something not so wonderful and not so happy. Congratulations Jordyn on your first tooth!

Also, Chance had a really super big milestone. Last night was the first night he slept in big boy underwear. He has been asking for the past few nights and I have been putting him off. He has been insisting that he will be ok, but I was sure he didn't understand. Last night he asked again and I gave in. David came out and said, "Did you tell him it was ok to sleep with out a diaper?" I said I had and that it was probably going to be a disaster, but we had to start somewhere. Well, he woke up this morning dry as can be! I am so proud of him. It is amazing what that turning 4 can do.

2006-03-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

This is what two days at the Mall of America and the Grand Rios waterpark get you, one tired little boy!

2006-03-24T17:03:00.000-08:00

The second day at the Mall Chance finally got Daddy on some rides!

2006-03-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

My little bathing beauty!

2006-03-24T16:58:00.000-08:00

Chance thought it was pretty cool to be able to hit people with the car.

2006-03-24T16:55:00.000-08:00

The cool thing about having a little kid is that you get to be one again too!

2006-03-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

The McCormack Family at the Mall

2006-03-24T16:49:00.000-08:00

Riding the Carousal at the Mall of America

2006-03-24T16:46:00.000-08:00

Chance's Birthday present from Aunti Terti

2006-03-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

Chance's friend Isaac

2006-03-24T16:42:00.000-08:00

All dressed up for brother's Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Chance

2006-03-09T15:46:00.000-08:00

Well yesterday was my little boy's 4th birthday. I can't believe how fast time flies when you are having fun. Each day it gets more fun and more fun. As I type this I am listening to Chance try and convince his 83 year old Grandma to get on the skateboard. She actually did too!! Happy 4th Birthday my little man!

Grandma Patti bought Chance two cartridges for his V-Smile. Scooby Doo and Dora. Big hit at the McCormack household. Thanks Grandma Patti. We will officially celebrate his birthday on Saturday at 1:00pm. Come if you can, call for directions!!!

We are kind of doing the low key thing because next weekend it is off to the cities to the Grand Rios hotel for waterpark fun. When I asked Chance what he wanted to do for his birthday he said that he wanted to ride a rollercoaster. So I thought we would "kill two birds with one stone." We can do the waterpark thing and then go to the Mall of America and ride the as of yet unnamed rollercoaster.

I think a bike is in order, but the bummer is that he will get it but won't be able to ride if for so long.

2006-03-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

Classic position for my son to fall asleep in!

Some Explaining To Do!

2006-03-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought I better post before I put the pictures in so that I could explain my beautiful 7 month old little girl with a black eye.

I hestitated putting the picture on the blog at all, but we did take her into the Dr. and no it wasn't child abuse!

I had Jordyn sitting on the counter in front of me and I was holding her legs. I reached to my right to get something from the sink just as she reached to her right to get a pile of mail on the counter. The pile of mail slid off the counter and she went with it. I got ahold of her jammys, but that wasn't enough. The next thing I knew she was on the floor screaming. I was so upset. I watched her for the next hour and kept feeling the back of her head to see if there was any bumps. Poor Chance was standing right there when she fell. He went running into his bedroom and didn't come up for quite a while.

By the time David came home her eye started turning purple and swelling up. So, we took her to the Dr. Dr. Woods was on call and I am not so impressed with him. I think he is a little dramatic. He said that he felt that she was fine but suggested that we might want to take her to the hospital and have a CAT Scan done to ease our minds. Given the fact that David has had EMT Training (Ski Patrol) we felt confident that we would know if there was a need to take her in. He assured us that if there was any damage to the skull it would be fine if we waited until Saturday (the next day). Anyway, after the eye started to swell up I realized that she had reached for the mail, it slipped and so did she. Her head went down and hit the countertop and then she fell off onto the floor. When Dr. Woods walked in the room he said, "OK, so who is more upset, mom or baby!" Obviously it was me, I was the one crying! Wow did I feel horrible! Thank the Lord that in his wisdom he made little children so resiliant!

Well, my countertops are in!!!! I can't believe it. Thanks Lisa for being so patient and letting me go first! They look so wonderful. We have a few more drawer and door fronts to go on and then the floor can go in. Well, actually the floor can go in at any time now.

2006-03-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

OK, this is the island with countertops!

2006-03-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

The island with countertops.

2006-03-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

At least she still looks happy.

2006-03-09T14:23:00.000-08:00

My beautiful little girl with her first black eye

2006-02-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

Bonus, being dirty and no clothes!!!

2006-02-15T11:23:00.000-08:00

Rasberries MMMMM....

2006-02-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

And they are finally in!!!!

2006-02-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

Helping Daddy put in the ovens,

My Horrible Emotional Day

2006-02-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Well, today was Kindergarten Screening Day for us! I really wasn't prepared for what an emotional experience that was going to be. We got there at 9:00am and right away they took Chance to another room and sent me into the Parents room (ECFE). There I sat with about 6 other parents and it was there that I learned the whole precess was going to take about 2 hours and not the 1/2 hour that I thought it was going to take.

First of all, in the paper it said that they wanted kids to be screened as close to their 4th birthday as possible. Chance will be 4 next month so I made the appointment for this month. I believe this is the last month they do it until next fall. Anyway, all the other children were 4 1/2 and almost 5 years old!

After they were done testing Chance they called me into this room with these two ladies. One was the teacher that tested Chance and the other was some type of psychologist that was totally interested in any concerns I had. She made me very uncomfortable. We went over the test results which she was very quick to assure me that she was not testing my child's "smartness", but just looking for red flags that they needed to catch before school. It was maddening sitting there listening to what she tested him on and knowing full well that he knew how to do those things, but just didn't for some reason.

Then they sent me to see the RN. She went over his height/weight which he is in the 95% for both, and his hearing and eye sight test. I guess he can hear just fine, sometimes I am not quite sure about that, but his eye sight registered at 10/15 which she said is 20/30 for us. I guess they only test them at 10 feet instead of the 20 that they do for adults. I was concerned about that, but she said not to worry. The test isn't all that accurate and her kids were 10/15 & 10/10. After I was done meeting with her I was free to go and pick up my child.

By the time I got back to the van I felt like I had been hit by a truck. What a terrible emotional day. I felt like they were disecting something that is so important to me and not thinking he was as special as I do. Welcome to the real world hey.

The Lessons We Learn and Maybe Should Learn Again!

2006-02-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

I was reminded of this this past week as I am trying to teach my son. These past few weeks have been filled with disobediences of sort (I am sure you guys are shocked that my son disobeys!!!) and after he gets busted he says, "mom, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!" I am sure you are thinking, "What's the problem with that?" Well, I am learning that this is not a sincere statement! So this week I have been trying to teach him that sorry doesn't always fix things. Sometimes we say or do things that hurt someone and just saying sorry and not really meaning it or even meaning it sometimes doesn't make the hurt go away. I guess what I am trying to teach him and what I am learning is that it is better to think before we speak than have to say sorry afterwards!

"The McCormack's Life"

2006-01-31T05:57:00.000-08:00

What I Learned!"

I learned not to laugh at my husband's ideas because he is pretty smart! The oven cabinet weigs around 250 lbs and we wanted to get it into place. So last week I started asking David how we were going to do this. Yesterday he informed me that he was going to stop at L & M and get about 5 1/4" dowls and we were going to lay them on the floor and put the front of the cabinet on the first one and then roll the cabinet across the dowls. As the cabinet got across each dowl we would move them ahead and so on and so on. Needless to say, I laughed at him and told him that absolutely would not work especially with 1/4" dowls. That is the biggest we could use because the cabinet was 80 1/4" high and the beam separating the dining room and living room is 80 3/4" high. He said he really thought it would work. Well, it did. He moved the cabinet all by himself with me moving the dowls as needed. I guess the moral of my story is that I shouldn't laugh at an engineer hey.

2006-01-31T05:26:00.000-08:00

Hey maybe I will be able to make dinner in the oven this week!

2006-01-31T05:25:00.000-08:00

The monstrosity is in place! Thanks Honey!!!

2006-01-31T05:20:00.000-08:00

Oh oh, I think crawling is coming alot sooner than mom wants! We need flooring first!

What a Great Day!!

2006-01-28T15:17:00.000-08:00

I had the best day today. Skiing has been such a part of my life for so long starting with my once a year trips to Spirit Mountain with Pastor Mark Dean and the youth group to my college days when I went to Giants Ridge every weekend with my sister and her husband to when I met David at Giants Ridge to our Honeymoon at Whistler/Blackcombe in Vancouver British Columbia to our 6 year anniversary trip to Austria and Switzerland to ski the Alps to our different trips out West to ski Montana and Colorado and the countless hours I have spent as a Patrol wife waiting as David helped someone who was hurt or skiing with him as he closed a hill or sleeping on the cots in the Patrol room when it was 30 below and David had to Patrol and there was 10 people on the whole hill.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to ski a whole lot since Chance was born. Last year he went a couple of times, but that was high maintanance for me. Today my sister and I went up to the Ridge, David had to Patrol both day and night shift and do an event. It was one of those wonderful days up at the Ridge. The sun was shining, people were skiing in their long sleeve t-shirts and sunglasses and you see everything from Carhart to Columbia. I still didn't get to put my skiis on, but Chance had a blast boarding down the hill and I had a great time just being there. After walking up the hill, helping Chance off the "majic carpet" and carrying him to the middle of the hill, running down to the bottom with him while he boards and carrying him to the carpet to do it all over again, I told him that when he is standing on top of the medel podium just remember to say "thanks mom!" I am so looking forward to the time when David, Chance, Jordyn and I can take a ski trip in the mountains as a family. I don't know if anyone will understand, but I am so thankful that the path the Lord chose to lead me down included skiing and everything that goes with it!

2006-01-24T14:23:00.000-08:00

Daddy & his little girl!

2006-01-24T14:19:00.001-08:00

Grandma sitting in the corner thinking about what she did wrong!

2006-01-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

The sheetrock in the kitchen going up!!!!

"The McCormack's Life"

2006-01-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

The Kitchen is being worked on!!!

Whoo Hoo! I am so excited. The electrical inspector was here yesterday and David passed with flying colors. I am so proud of him!

Anyway, last night when he came home from work, the sheetrock started going up! Once the sheetrock is up, we only have to mudd and tape a small portion of it because the rest will be behind cabinets. I am going to Home Depot today to pick out the paint for the kitchen because I want to get it painted before the cabinets go up so that I won't have to be painting around all of those cabinets.

Here we go with the stress again! My mom wants pale yellow, but I don't know. I really want to go with Ralph Lauren so we will see what he has in the "yellow" department.

"The McCormack's Life"

2006-01-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

"The McCormack's Life"

2006-01-14T13:45:00.000-08:00

I just don't have a comment for this one, something about a cow comes to mind, but I am not going to go there.

2006-01-14T13:43:00.000-08:00

Look mom, no hands!

2006-01-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

Worn out from sledding, thanks dad for the shoulder.

2006-01-14T13:37:00.000-08:00

All bundled up and ready to go sledding in Grandma's sled.

2006-01-14T13:33:00.000-08:00

This is a sweater that a friend of my mom and dad's knitted me when I was Jordyn's age. I think it is so cool that my mom saved it. I didn't even know she had it until she brought it out the other day.

2006-01-14T13:31:00.000-08:00

The beauty of not caring about your floors!

2006-01-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Playing Apples to Apples

2006-01-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Sorry Holly about the Red Eyes!

Happy New Year!!

2006-01-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

OK, so I am a little late, but with to kids I am finding I am lucky if I get on here at all!!

So far 2006 has been really uneventful. We had a blast ringing in the new year at the Coffeehouse with all of our friends...Thanks guys for a great night!! Be sure to check out the pictures.

Jordyn is growing so fast already. She learned to roll over from back to tummy the week before Christmas and sometime between Christmas and New Year's learned to go from tummy to back so we got the rolling over thing down. She still has no clue what to do with a spoon, so no solid foods for her yet. I try, but the same amount comes out and went in! She loves her Johnny Jump Up, and spends hours in it during the day.

Chance is Chance...he is getting cabin fever and I am running out of things to think of to do with a almost 4 year old.

My mother is getting ready to go to Italy next week so she is busy. David flew out to Chicago yesterday morning and was supposed to fly in tonight at 10:30pm. But he called yesterday and said he had done all he needed to do and was going to try and get an earlier flight out. He just called a little while ago and said he was in the cities and was going to try to get an earlier flight into Hibbing. Hope so!

Our Kitchen is really coming along. We have lights. I know you are saying "big deal". But we have had two bare bulbs nailed to the wall now since September! David built the sofet and got that installed and the can lights nailed up into that. Next will be wiring the can lights and then building a false wall behind our island so that he can wire outlets in there for the dishwasher. Not much will get done this weekend, David has to ski patrol all day Saturday and Sunday night.

2005-12-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas From Our Home To Yours!!!

Merry Christmas!!

2005-12-23T15:55:00.000-08:00

I wanted to be able to send everyone a Christmas picture, but alas, I couldn't so I thought that I would include the picture that went on the Christmas Cards on the blog. David and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our home to yours!!!

We have been very busy here getting ready for Christmas and trying to keep one 3 going on 4 year old boy from getting any more cabin fever than he has already. The past two days that have been warm have been wonderful. Yesterday while Jordyn napped Chance and I played outside. We borrowed cousin Riley's snowboard and headed for a small hill. I warned Chance that snowboarding wasn't easy, but he assured me that it wasn't any problem, all it took was practice. So off we went. I think we have a shredder on our hands, much to the dismay for his diehard skiing dad. He was a natural and seemed to have the balance right off the bat! Watch out X Games!!!

Today while Grandma watched Jordyn, David, Chance and I headed to the "L & M" Hill to slide. We had a blast between going down the hill in various combinations, we had snowball fights and made a snowman. I am so thankful for this warm weather, we really needed to get outside and wear him out a little bit.

Christmas Eve will be spent at my nephew Aaron & Tracy's house with family. Christmas day will be spent here at the house. We shipped the turkey to my sister's house to be cooked since we haven't had a working oven since Thanksgiving. I can't wait for Christmas morning. I won't put the Christmas presents out until Christmas Eve because my little boy would not be able to leave them alone. It will be so fun to see his face when he gets up and sees the presents. I am so thankful that we have been so blessed. I am striving to teach Chance the true meaning of Christmas.

Have a wonderful Christmas!!!

2005-12-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

What a mess hey?

2005-12-05T11:29:00.000-08:00

Where could the Christmas tree go?

2005-12-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

Facing the other way. I can't wait for more countertop!

2005-12-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Our new island.

Pictures of the house

2005-12-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

Thought I better get some pictures of the house up here. As you can see David is busy getting the island in. It is kind of a pain because we are obviously putting the sink in there and so he has to run all new plumbing which I think I have heard a couple of times that he hates to do!

The other pictures are of all of our new cabinets sitting it the living room waiting to be put into place. I would really like to get them moved out of there so we can put up a Christmas tree.

I have a guy coming today to bring me samples of concrete countertops. I have been doing some research on them, and I would like to actually see them "in person." They say they can do alot with cement now days.

The heating guys finished up their work today. We now have heat in the new parts of the house (and an air conditioner, if need be). This is a good thing since our bedroom is one of those rooms and it was getting mighty cold. Good thing Jordyn is like her brother and doesn't mind being "a little cool."

Other than that, I have been trying to synchronize two kids and get a good Christmas picture, not easy!!! I don't know that I am taking comfort in the fact that Sue Williamson put on her blog the other day that it is finally getting easier to get a good Christmas Card picture. How old is Brock, how many years will it take.... I guess I should just be happy that my son has pants and a shirt on in the Christmas picture. I think it was two minutes after the "session" was done and he had his shorts and tank top back on.