One Last Ski Day!

It's not Big Sky, Montana, but Afton Alps is a nice ski outing too, on a mid-30s early spring day in Minnesota!

Spring Break 2013!

Luke went off to Big Sky Resort in Montana for a ski vacation with his friend Andrew!  It was a really long drive - 16 hours! - but it was worth it.  That's Luke on the far left, at 11,000 feet.

Meanwhile, we went to Chicago.  I had a work trip there, so Laura, Libby and her friend Kristy came along.  We stayed at a cool hotel right downtown on the river.

There weren't any taxis after the show on Navy Pier, so a limo driver took us back to the hotel!

 Is that President Obama with a french loaf... or is he just happy to see me??!

Our hotel rooms had some fun window boxes, looking down on the Chicago River.

A fun night out to see Julius Caesar at the Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier!

Crashed Ice!

The Red Bull "Crashed Ice" came to St. Paul this weekend.  The event is the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship, where skaters careen down a 400 meter course of ice, right in front of the lit-up Cathedral of St. Paul.  People came from all over the world to compete.  The highlight for us had to be the Uff Da dancers - see their photo and brief video, below!

Luke Excels!

Luke received 100% on a school project this week!  It was a presentation and display board about his current life plans to attend West Point and become a career Army officer.  He did an oral presentation with his board in front of a panel of really impressed teachers.  Even more impressed were his parents, who watched him work on this with NO help at all - doing in-depth research, writing, and creating a display that was really extensive and interesting.  Way to go, Luke!

Christmas 2012!

The Ordway Theater in St. Paul is always a beautiful place to spend time at Christmas! We saw "Elf."

 

Luke is enjoying gaming in his new chair, complete with sound.  Jack and Luke are playing FIFA 2013 (soccer).

Mike and Vern... Christmas Eve at the Gromek's.

Sunrise in Woodbury!

25th Annual Reindeer Run!

Libby, Luke and I ran the Reindeer Run 5K around Lake Harriet this morning.  It was a fund drive for the Marines' Toys for Tots program, and several thousand people showed up on a chilly but beautiful morning in Minneapolis.  We had brunch afterwards with friends who showed up to run with us.

Night Games!

Luke has hosted a couple of weekend evenings for his friends, playing "Night Games."  We have no idea, really, what they are doing running around the neighborhood, but they sure are having fun.  This weekend it was 15 boys!  Luke has lots of friends - who knew?