Daytime visitors

Now that the days are getting longer, we get several backyard visitors around supper time!  :)

MS Walk 2013

We celebrated another year of Charlene's victory over Multiple Sclerosis this year!  Every Spring the whole family gathers to walk because we still can.  Participating in the MS Walk is always so inspiring.  There are people struggling with canes, in wheelchairs, those in extreme pain.......all walking for a common goal:  Cure MS. 

Staggering statistics like this one reminds us just how lucky we are to still have Charlene. This definitely reminds us to thank God for every minute we have with her. 

Team Bea was bigger than ever this year!  Like every year, Charlene made our team t-shirts......names on the front with bees on the back.  Aren't they adorable?

It was soooo cold this year!  I was planning to defrost some while in Texas but Mother Nature definitely had plans of her own!!  Garrett & Maci tried to conserve as much heat between them as possible.  :)

Just after the finish line is a huge banner used as a dedication for whomever you were walking for.  I love the photo at the bottom of Bea & Maci signing it.  Charlene has absolutely no idea how strong she is.  She was the first in line to sign the banner wishing other MS patients good will.  She's the reason we walk every year. 

My new car!

The lease on the Maxima ran out earlier in the year so it was time to shop for a new car. 

Guess what I'm driving now......????

I'm so excited! :)  This has been my dream car forever!!

Senior night

Have I mentioned that my baby boy is a SENIOR???  The time has just flown by.  It seems like yesterday that he was digging up worms in the backyard in his Batman costume.  :)  Oops, sorry Garrett......that might have been a secret. 

Sweet Maci showed her Senior pride as Garrett's number one fan!

Happy birthday, TT!!

March 1st was Tracey's birthday!!  Woohooooo!!! :)  This chick looks amazing.......not a day over 29. 

We made an entire weekend out of it.  The MS Walk was Saturday, March 2nd so it was terrific timing!  Charlene made her this yummy red velvet cake.  Doesn't it look like a professional made it?  I love how the candles lined up in this photo to say Happy Day (pure coincidence).  It was definitely a happy day!

Gotta give Michael an extra shout out for helping Tracey blow out her candles.  Haha! :)  Look at him in the background above.....I bet he didn't even realize he was "blowing". 

We all met at Joe's Crab Shack (that's "Crow's Jab Shack" in Denise-speak) for the celebration.  The staff created Easter Bunny ears on Tracey and had her hop around......hilarious! :)



Winter Carnival

Delanie and I had so much fun at the Winter Carnival.  We drove to Saint Paul and walked around for hours.  Kudos to us for braving the below zero weather (no joke!).  :)

An entire park was dedicated to ice sculptures and another was full of snow art.  This one was my favorite.  It's a six feet tall statue of a piano lesson.  Every detail was so clear.....even the teacher's eyelashes!

Minnesota is the home of Charles Schulz (creator of the Peanuts cartoon) so there are statues everywhere!

Tubing

Since we are supposed to get six inches of snow today - on May 1st!! - I thought I would share our tubing adventure with you.  :)

Elm Creek Park Reserve is about five minutes away from our house so we went exploring a few weeks ago.  There are tons of things to do there:  tubing, skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, etc.

Check out the video....

Can you tell that Delanie was tired of having a camera shoved in her face?  One of these days she's gonna appreciate looking back at these memories! :)

Thankfully we didn't have to trudge up the mountain after sledding down.  There was a lift that we could ride! :)

Yep, this is my husband! Sorry ladies, he's taken!! :)