Happy Easter

The coming of Spring, albeit a bit early here in Minnesota, also brings Easter. The holiday that is third behind Christmas and Halloween in the kids minds because of the candy and other goodies 'that rabbit" brings.

The kids were all amped up from the card ride home and could not settle down, we finally got the to bed at 10:30. This was not to bad we thought, as they would sleep in the following day, not so. At 6:00 sharp they were in our room wondering if the "rabbit" came? We managed to to get them to rest until 7:00 and then we were up and at em, so to speak.

The Easter bunny left them a note which they were enthralled by and could not understand how the Easter bunny knew to put the candy and eggs downstairs and how each kids had their eggs in one room? That is a wise old Rabbit. The kids had a grand time collecting the Easter eggs, candy and the presents left by the "rabbit". This year the 'rabbit" seemed to be into outdoor activities and Jimmy got a basketball, Kay a cool water sprinkler and Bill is the proud owner of a Light'n McQueen slip and slide, awesome!.

We spent the rest of the day unpacking, going for a walk getting a workout and quiet family things. We were still tired from the trip and keep the day low key. We made a ham, and scalloped potatoes and our friend the Manderfield's came over for a quiet family dinner.

The night ended with baths and this time an earlier bedtime of 9:00. All in all a nice quiet Easter. We wish everyone a very Happy Easter!

MS150 - It begins again:)

It's that time again....Weather in the 60's, my bike is out of the shop, our St Pat's day party was a success, they kids had a great Spring Break ~ all signs that its time for me to start training for the MS150!

This year the ride is a week later (a hopefully a bit warmer for our camping in Duluth) June 11-13th. The newest news on the ride is that Clay Walker (the country singer) will be riding with us. It turns out, he has MS and has formed a group called Band Against MS (BAMS). They travel the country riding in the MS rides. He's going to kick off the morning on Saturday with the National Anthem and a mass start. Should be really inspirational (and a bit scary with 3000+ people all starting at the same time). My fundraising goal stays the same: $1000. Last year, you all were incredibly generous and helped me raise my goal. This year, while I know times are tough, I am hoping that you'll set aside some extra $ for this cause.

As a reminder, I ride for my Uncle Alan and all the people living with and affected by MS. I am not alone, last year over 3,000 people biked and there were 1,000+ volunteers: everyone united in raising money to find a cure for MS and to help people lead productive lives. (Plus its just a whole bunch of fun!!)

I'll be riding with my long time friend Wendy again AND a new/old group of friends from Target. I think this will be our 16th year riding but I am getting old and starting to lose count. If you want to join us, let me know! I'll get you set up:)

If you want to donate, feel free to check out www.ms150.com - ePledge and look for my name, the ride is 6/11-6/13. Or, you can just make out a check to MS Society and I'll be sure to hand it in for you. If you don't want to donate, no worries, just send thoughts of low 60's, slightly cloudy, a backwind and downhill the whole way:)

Keep an eye out for my training/fundraising emails, feel free to pass this blog along and enjoy Spring!

Over the Hills and through the traffic

To Grandma and Grandpa Hickeys we go!

PSA: Anyone travelling east on 94 watch out when you reach Toma, WI there is a traffic delay and it took us 1.5 hours to go 6 miles.

The trip down to South Carolina was actually quick & nice. We ended up in Bloomington, IL around 10:00 Friday night after leaving the school around 1:45 or so. The kids were enthralled with the story about Simon and the Shadow Forrest, a 6.5 hour book on DVD and let me tell you it was way cool. We had to listen to it twice that is how cool it is.

Saturday morning we left for Gaitlinburg, TN and then over the Smokey Mountains to Salem, SC. Tracy received a couple of loaner gifts from her work friends one the aforementioned DVD and another was a Garmin, you know the directional device you put on your dash, that repetitively tells you to make a u-turn you are going the wrong way. In our case the device was adamant that we take 65 south through Louisville, which prompted the u-turn incident.

The day was nice and sunny and we made it into Gaitlinburg around 7:00 just in time for rush hour, seriously it took forever to drive the 7 mile strip, we finally stopped at a smoke house for dinner. Leave it to Kay to eat a salad at a BBQ joint, I had to make up with the deluxe pulled pork combo, awesome. We pulled into Grandma and Grandpa's around mid-night and woke the entire complex up, there is a reason the blog is named what it is named!

The next few days were full of fun and sun. We went to church on Sunday morning and followed up with basketball and swimming. Jimmy and Grandpa Jim were way into the basketball tournament and talking sports. Grandma and Kay were coloring and drawing up a storm while old Bill was catching up on some needed reading. Tom and Tracy got to work out and enjoy some quiet time. Sunday night we had Gary and Lynn over for cocktails and appy's before sitting down to a slow cooked roast dinner with all the fixing. We all must have enjoyed being there because no one got up on any given day before 10:00 in the morning.

Monday Tom and Grandpa Jim played a round of golf while Tracy and Grandma took the kids to the Leisure trail for roller blading and swimming. Tom was able to keep his score under 100 and only loose one ball, pretty good, Jim shot another 81! We went to the pool again and attempted to wear the kids out, which only worked to wear out the adults. Grandpa and Grandma volunteer at Clemson and Jimmy had to see the place, he is 8 and already scouting which college he wants to attend. The campus was great and the baseball stadium is one if not the best in college. We did of course make it over to watch the football practice. The highlight for me was the awesome ice cream shoppe the school has!Dinner was another grand affair and of course more basketball.

Tuesday Tracy and Grandma went to " book club" while Grandpa and Tom took the kids to the batting cage and to play put-put golf. Dinner was a Hickey family tradition, Chapulas, always a favorite. Instead of watching basketball we played a few games of dirty dog, a family fun card game the Millers taught us. It can be quite competitive , we played four hands and Kay won each one, an amazing feat!.

Thursday we pack up the cars and headed into the mountains for a picnic lunch before the Loudamericans headed back to Gaitlingurg. We found a great park and let the kids run around while the adults visited before saying goodbye.The loudamericans arrived in Gaitlinburg ready to tackle the sites! We each chose which place we wanted to go. Jimmy pick the Gusiness Book of records Museum and tourist trap. It was full of many of the facts he already knows from reading those ever so important record books. Daddy choose more BBQ and instead of eating the all you can eat ribs he went for the Mountain Man Special and by-pass surgery platter! Mommy rounded out the evening with a round of mini-golf complete with Kay hitting her ball over the fence, Billy hitting his somewhere, it is still lost and Jimmy getting a hole in one along with pitching several fits, it was however a good time.

Friday morning was Kay's choice and she took us to the Aquarium and proceeded to engage in being tour guide and event planner until her and Billy got lost and Daddy took over the role. The Aquarium was pretty cool and the kids enjoyed the two plus hours we were there. Billy ended the morning with a trip to the Dinosaurs Museum and Trinket Shop. The kids loved it and it was just the right amount of time and then it was off to lunch. I am unsure why however our kids will devour the Chinese Buffet and we found one. Several trips later and a bathroom break we were on the road again and being told to make a u-turn and head towards 65....

The trip was great and seeing the Grandparents is always fun. The kids made it from Bloomington, IL, home in under 7 hours with only two stops, which is a record. They were motivated because the next day was Easter and that rabbit was coming....

Spring Fever

I must say that the kids and the dog and even Mom and Dad have been bit by Spring Fever. The kids have decided that they are going to roller blade and for the past few days all we do after school is strap on our blades, grab Nikki and go blading.

Nikki for her part has to spend as much time as she can on the back deck laying in the sun and being a dog, I mean she chases her Kong around the deck, chews on stray pieces of wood, and the other night we were on the deck attempting to solve some of the worlds problems when a police car roared by siren going off and Nikki starting howling like crazy, Spring Fever.

The snow is all gone but not the ice on the lakes, the days are getting longer and the nights shorterand where are Mom and Dad? they are packing to go to:

"Carolina

Can't you see the sunshine

Can't you just feel the moonshine

Maybe just like a friend of mine

it hit me from behind

Yes I am going to Carolina"

In my Honda Pilot....

The Loudamericans true to form are of once again on an extended road trip this time to visit Tracy's parents in South Carolina and not just "in our minds!"

More to come on this upcoming adventure and while we are gone a Happy Easter to all!

Just a typical weekend

Well not really. Several events have occurred around the home of the Loudamericans so I will try and relate them in order of occurrence.

Friday the 12th was education reinforcement day. Billy entered into the Meadowbrook puplic school officially by participating in Kindergarten round up. This is a symbolic rite of passage moving young William into what is referred to as "the system". Paper work must be presented detailing everything from shots, entrance exam, family birth order and proof of the birth of the child, specifically age. There can be no ringers in the "system" and a birth certificate seems to the check and balance. Billy went on a bus ride, "all aboard, were going on a bus ride, going here and there, going EVERYWHERE" Doodlebop. The kids then had a tour of their new prison, I mean school and met the kindergarten teachers. Bill is ready now all we have to do is wait 5 months for school to start!

Education is important a life long journey. Tom graduated from High School in 1979 and on Friday he needed to pass a CLEP test to finish his degree. Studying several help guides, on-line tutorials he was more confused on the subject matter than before he started studying. The test was centered on Social Sciences and History. In one of the study guides this question was actually there:

Which of the following Presidents was associated with Monica Lewinski?

1. William Clinton

2. John F. Kennedy

3. George Bush

4. Ronald Regan

5. Richard Nixon

Answer: Richard Nixon

See what I mean. I know full well that if Nixon was involved the dress would have been shredded, hidden and 'end of story'. So I chose the next best study method to learn about American History, the School House Rock DVD, they taught a whole generation that Knowledge is Power, if it worked for a generation, it would work for me. Wait I am part of that generation so maybe I did not need to study after all! The Preamble, The shot Heard Around the World, I'm Just a Bill and the ever needed, Conjunction Junction, I had to pass.

The test is a timed event, 90 minuets, man against machine. The room was hot and stuffy probably not used since interrogations during the Cold War. I step in with my lucky cross made by Kay and a picture of Tracy and the Kids, I mean after all one of the main reasons I was doing this was for them. The timer in the upper left hand corner added to the stress along with what at several times appeared to be questions in Greek. 82 minutes into the test I was done. I hit the submit button only to be asked " Are you sure want to do this?" What? I have been waiting 49 years to get to this point what kind of question is that? I clicked on Yes and the screen went blank, I waited. The studying and research I had done told me that I needed to have 61 of the 120 questions correct. I waited some more. The results of this test would net me 6 credits to offset the 3.28 I was short, there is no rounding up in "the system".

Short aside. ...In 1976 I turned 16 and was ready to take and pass my driving test. Unknown to me the night of the test my Parents had planned a surprise 16th birthday party for me and there was a dance at the school that night and they had arranged for me to drive the guests to the dance.

"I failed the driving test", this is what was going through my mind when I saw the number 54 on the screen. I made a rather loud moaning sound and the instructor asked what was wrong and I replied it appears that I did not pass. She asked what number was on the screen, I said 54 she said great you passed all you needed was a 50. A 50% which does equal 61 out of 120. Thank god I didnt take the math test. Boy did my outlook change! I was ecstatic and happy and to excited to sleep. I passed!

Saturday the 13th was full of Basketball and the annual St. Patrick's Day parade. Jimmy and the Sooners were playing their final game. Jim had decided that the team needed more motivation and encouragement and what says that more then Cheerleaders. He had conducted a sign up and offered the cheerleaders training and more importantly, uniforms. This was all done at school and not known to the coaches, Tom and John, nor the parents. On Friday night I received a phone call form one of the "potential" cheerleaders Dad asking me about the whole cheer leading opportunity. I was unaware of the details and upon learning them we both had a laugh. Well as it turns out two cheerleaders came to the game and get this, got to sit on the bench! It was a hard fought game the Sooners were down by 8 points at the start of the third period and by the start of the final 8 minuets the game was tied. The boys battled under the boards, in open court, guarded the lane and came up short. They had a blast and being a coach, I just happen to believe the boys would have won this game had they paid more attention to the game than the cheerleaders, but boys will be boys. Jimmy railed the troops saying who are we "the Sooners" louder, " the Sooners", Jimmy's parting words to the team, ' We'll get next year, who brought the treats today" Go SOONERS!

The parade was far and away the largest turnout yet. There was around 125 kids, adults, pets and an untold amount of fun. The kids were able to invite classmates so there was an added level of people & school families. The day held out and there was no rain. The party moved in and out off the house as did the kids and the mud. This we believe was the 9th Annual so next year

will mark a decade so mark your calenders!

Just Last Week

Things are progressing nicely here at the home of the Loudamericans and we along with the rest of Minnesota are not so patiently waiting for Spring. The arrival of the annual Blue and Gold banquet however is the current topic of discussion.

Comes a time in the life of every Cub Scout when the next patch becomes acknowledged and the movement toward the real goal of becoming a Boy Scout drives all behavior good and bad. Yes the wolf patch is now ready for all worthy recipients and what says "here is your Patch" better than a banquet complete with chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and 100 screaming cub scouts. I mean, I thought the den leader was supposed to teach these kids manners and respect for the elders, otherwise what is the sense of cub scouts and the whole honor the pledge thing? I digress.

Aunt Sue made another trip over from Green Bay to visit and catch up after her recent stint in Costa Rica. She arrived in time to attend the aforementioned banquet. The Loudamericans plus Sue showed up at the venue and we found our way to the main floor with a view of the stage, for later in the evening Young James would be on that stage receiving his Wolf badge. The whole ceremony was dedicated to Scouts old and young. There is a member of the Scout Leaders whom received the highest award for a Scout, the National Heroism Award, which was quite awesome.

The "regular" scouts had dinner and were then called onto stage to receive their individual awards. It was quite the site and "herding cats" comes to mind. The final ceremony of the evening is called the Arrow of Light ceremony and no photography is allowed. However, due to the shortage of scouts able to do this ceremony we were in a holding pattern so the MC of the evening made his first mistake. He thought it would be a good idea to allow the scouts to come on stage, take the mic and tell jokes. This does not even work in theory and it came to pass that many of the kids have stage fright, not the case with Jimmy " give me the mic"Murphy. He had a little repertoire and finished with the favorite " On Valentines Day what did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus?" " Want to hold my hand, hand ,hand,hand?" The lighting ceremony was over and we headed out with Wolfe badge in hand and hope to be invited back next year.

Saturday was all about Sooners Basketball. Jimmy's team is somewhere in the middle of the rankings, you will have to ask him the standings, and Sue was there to cheer him on. The team had only 7 of the 9 members present and half way through the first period 2 of the Sooners were on injured reserve, the game was well fought however the Sooners were soon winded. The coaches, taking advantage of the 2 time outs, tried to get he boys the needed rest however the opponents were relentless in their pursuit of victory. Much to the dismay of the Sooners the scoreboard was shut off, the boys continued to volunteer to sit out not realizing we had no subs. The team pulled together and put on an awesome display of determination and defense keeping the opponents under 50 points. Jimmy is now rallying the rest of his 2ND grade class to come "cheer them on" for their last game. He even has a cheerleader sign up sheet in class. So far he has 5 takers. He also gets them "fired up" leading the Sooners in pre-game chants before the jump shot. Go Sooners Go!

Sunday we celebrated Nikki's gotcha day. Hard to believe not only have we been back in the States for a year we have had Nikki for a year as well. Unlike the kids Gotcha Days which includes cupcakes and a trip to Mirror of Korea, Nikki received a bath and some new chew bones, it is unclear whether she realized it was her day or not!

In the mean time Jimmy has not abandoned his real and first love, FOOTBALL. He has been walking around the house as an offensive coordinator complete with head phones and a clip board, dark glasses and the offensive coordinator attitude, God help us this fall!

Thanks to Sue for coming over and hanging out and once again watching the kids so Mom and Dad could have a date night!

Worlds Most Injured People

You would think that with all the travelling, school events, sports, gymnastics and music lessons the kids would run out of energy, well not the 3 loudest Americans.



It seems that the kids have been watching a little to much TV lately and have developed what many say may be the next greatest Reality Series yet, Worlds Most Injured People.



The first video features the brainstorming session with Jimmy and Billy laying the ground work for the show. Pay close attention to the busswords and remember do not try this at home.

1st one -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVzNoQoYG_4



In the second installment the injuries seem to be more based on trail and error. Jimmy has somehow taken on the role as commentator and not participant, coincidence, we do not think so.


2nd one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv9arxvCCtk



In the third installment Jimmy has added another contestant, Kay. It seems that to be a contestant you need to submit a form stating your favorite way to be injured and Jimmy will acknowledge that in the show. Remember the kids are highly supervised, and do not try this at home.



3rd one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlqlOzLBAgU



The content of the videos in no way represents the views of the parents. The content of these videos remain the property of the Loudamericans,LLc and are copyrighted under any applicable laws both domestic and international.



No children or animals were hurt in the filming.



Those wishing to become participants in The Worlds Most Injured People are encouraged to call your local crisis center or 911.



More to come.

As Luck would have it.....

And other weekend of Winter events in Wisconsin.

We packed up the family truckster and headed off with the Millers for a weekend winter get away in Danbury Wisconsin. We planned for skiing, snowmobiling, sledding and a Winter festival in the town of Luck. The Milers have an Aunt that owns a great cabin in the woods and we all met there Friday evening. The Loudamericans however had to stop off for a Friday Fish Fry, Wisconsin style and the fish was great.

Saturday we woke to the smell of fresh coffee, bacon and pancakes, what a great way to start the day! Then it was off to Luck for the festival, which featured a Ice Castle, snowmobile racing and an event that never before entered the mind of the author, a pile of saw dust. I kid you not there was actually a pile of saw dust that had a few quarters in it for the kids to dig around and find, really... What a mess. Angela and I were to meet Wade, Tracy and the kids at the "pile" and when Angela and I got there the others were no where to be found, we were puzzled as they left before us? Angela, in all seriousness said " There can not be two sawdust piles in Luck can there"? Finally the others arrived and we opted for trying to get the kids to play bingo instead of looking for quarters in a wet pile of sawdust. It was off to the races as bingo had no draw for the outdoors persons within us all.... whatever, as Billy would say. The races were well... lame and we headed off to the Senior Citizens Center for over priced sloppy Joe's and pie.

Later back at the ranch, or cabin, it was outside to sled and learn to snowboard. Jimmy was amazed at himself and his ability to learn how to snowboard in one day. Kay and Billy were sliding like champs, Wyatt was getting into everything, except his nap and Caden was building a bonfire (not by himself.... Kay helped) We had chilli and mac and cheese followed by s'mores around the bonfire and the kids finally had enough. Finally!! Because now the real fun begins, Christopher Guest movies, YES! Saturday night featured the classic Best in Show which continues to entertain.

Sunday was again a great breakfast and hanging around the cabin day. Snowboarding, sliding, bonfire, snowmobiling and the like. Tracy and Angela went for a "walk" around 10:00 and did not return until almost noon. Tom was using this as an excuse to go look for them and drive the snowmobile and with Kay and Billy... drove all over until he spotted them. Poor Jimmy got sick and was sidelined for most of the afternoon and evening. Meanwhile the rest of us had a great dinner and after the kids hit the hay, more Christopher Guest, this time Waiting for Guffman, yes another classic.

Monday was clean up and off to Wild Mountain for skiing and snow tubing. Tom and Jimmy had skiing equipment and headed to the ski area while the rest of the crew entertained themselves with snow tubing, and sure enough no one was hurt. Jimmy was on the slope for about 20 minutes when he had the whole skiing thing figured out. At one point I was trying to get him off the bunny hill and onto a chairlift, however it was not going to happen. He is quoted as saying ' You know what Dad? No what Jimmy? This is like a black diamond bunny hill!

Kay, Billy, Caden, Tracy & Wade hit the tubing hills. Have you ever tubed? Its crazy fun. Sort of water park speed/excitement int he winter. Wyatt even got into it on the baby hill. Too fun!

Stars of the Week

This week at school both Jimmy and Kay will be the "Stars of the Week" in their classrooms. Every kid gets their week to be showcased and its a very proud moment for the kids (and very stressful as parents because it comes with a poster, favorite items and basically the infinite indecision of what to bring to school to "show off").

We thought it might be fun to share what the kids wrote about themselves. The kids were super excited to fill out their forms and we needed to add some translation for Kay hense the ( answer).

Jimmy:

I am ... Jimmy Murphy 8 years old
My Birthday is August 22, 2001
Favorite things :
Color - Red
Food - Hot dog
Animal - Dog
Book - The boy who burped too much

Sport - Baseball
In school - Reading
At home - Reading
Holiday - Season
Toys - Skateboard

Super Cool Facts

1) I don't like soccer

2) I'm Smart

3) Me and Ben are second cousins

I show others I care by ....Helping
My teacher is Mr.Davis
When I grow up I will be MLB player
Items they are bringing to school:
Skateboard
Baby picture at 9 months
3 photos of family & 1 of friends
Vikings helmet

Kay:
I am Kay Murphy 6 years old
My Birthday is July 10, 2003
Favorite things:
Color - Purple
Food - Nachos
Animal - Nikki
Book - Numbers
Sport - Fishin
In school- Morkbord ( markerboard)
Holiday - Cricemece (Christmas)
Season - Sprg ( Spring)
Toys - Balsben ( balance beam)
TV Show - Hive Five ( Hi 5)
Ice cream - Mint Chocolate chip
Pizza topping - Vegs ( veggies)

My teacher is Mrs. VanBatavia
I wish To be a dog and my name would be nikki
I am happiest when its Summer
When I grow up I will be Face Painter
Items they are bringing to school:
Beary the bear
Baby picture at 7 months
2 photos of family
My little pony

The Pinewood Derby

Gentlemen start your engines... or in this case grease your axles, use only dry lubricant and no filing the tires.

The Pinewood Derby is one of the biggest events in a young Scouts life. The preparation, the creating of the car, the painting, the decals all leads up to the big day when the car is placed on the track to race against ones peers, Oh the tension.

The car comes in a kit, which is nothing more than a square piece of wood, four nails and tires and numbers. The Scout is assigned a number by the Scout Master and then left to his own imagination to create their very one Pinewood Derby car. Jimmy put in several hours designing the car, choosing the colors and the decals. Then after cutting the car into shape the sanding begins.

The race consists of three racing and you have to win two out of the three to advance. Then the winners race two out of three against each other until it is down to one car. There are several Scout groups so the race can be quite long and the tension needs a knife.

Jimmy won his first race and his smile was worth the entire event. He did not do well in the second and in his third and final race his car had a front axle issue, jumped the track and he was out of the running.

No matter to Jimmy, he had a can of orange soda and was back to cheering fellow scout and pack member Ben Codet. It turns out that when all the dust settled, Ben won the entire derby.

The race over Jimmy stated " Dad next year we need to make the car earlier and check the axles, OK?"

Looks like some design research is needed.

Ajay pays us a visit

We left Bangalore almost year ago and to the very day of our departure, our dear Friend Ajay made the trip to the frozen tundra of Minnesota.

Words can not express our relationship... suffice it to say we wasted three months several years ago trying to meet and when we finally did, a life long friendship and bond was formed. In the days prior to Ajay's visit we were e-mailing constantly about the weather and what would a tropical man do in such a climate? We responded with go ice fishing, skating, drive on a lake and the regular everyday Minnesota things. He was still apprehensive, but came anyway. We love his spirit of adventure.

We spent one evening catching up and reliving old stories, the kids were thrilled Ajay was here and we had a grand old time. We went to outdoor sporting goods stores, looked at ski hills and had great conversation. We were unable to capture Ajay on skates however it must be told he made it around the entire rink once with help once with less help! We stuffed him full of Chalupa's (secret family recipe) and sent him to bed exhausted.

On Saturday it was off to the Hindu Temple, in Maple Grove and Ajay commented that "suddenly I am back in India". It certainly felt that way since we got 3 different (and wrong) sets of directions and once we got there, there was a MAJOR celebration in progress. Sari's, gold, food, incense, shouting, singing, instruments, 1/2 naked priests, .. you know, major chaos. India. Of course the signs all said "no photography" and EVERY Indian there was taking pictures. Well, we were quiet the site - a white woman, 3 korean kids and an Indian man all dressed in jogging suits. We stuck out like a sore thumb. In case you wonder how we got these photos, I gave the camera to Ajay and told him to "go for it" since the rules seemed to only apply to non-Indians. After that, we went to our favorite Indian store, chinese buffet and then it was off to lake Minnetonka to ice fish.

Kay and Tom bundled up as did Ajay and were off to meet Kay's Godfather, Uncle Mike. He had a place on the lake where we were guaranteed walleye and perch, so that was the dinner plan. We were waiting for the "guide" standing on the frozen shore of the lake, snow swirling, the wind blowing, Mike in a shirt, me as well, Ajay in a sweater, hat, gloves and scarf to which he stated "Now I know I am from India" On the way home, we stopped at Lunds to get dinner as the marketing campaign for the ice fishing was mis-leading (typical MN, dont plan your dinner around what you have to catch yourself).

We had a nice quiet dinner, the kids gave huge hugs as did the parents we made plans to remain in touch and attempt to meet again "soonest".

Ajay, it was our honor to have your spirit in our home and our loves follows you where you go!

Namaste,

The Loudamericans

Minnesota in the Morning

Few things compare to beautiful Minnesota Winter morning. The peace and tranquility that is found in the view of sun glistening off the frozen trees and the sparkle of sunshine as it reflects off the snow.

Its like being part of a black & white Ansel Adams picture. All shades of white, blue, black, brown....its amazing the different/varied shades of these colors.

This photo doesnt even do it justice.....Enjoy

Ants in our pants and a weekend of 1st's

Leave it to us... We were SO looking forward to a calm, peaceful, relaxing holiday at home for the 1st time in 4 years. What happens? We lasted about 10 days, got ants in our pants and then had to get out of town. The kids were literally chanting in the back seat of the car "we want a road trip, we want a road trip, we want a road trip" (as an aside, their 2nd favorite chant is "we believe in Ben, we believe in Ben" a testiment that a 8 yr old cousin is one up on us as parents in terms of speaking the "truth" in kid-dom)

I guess all the last minute weekend jaunts in India have rubbed off. We were feeling like we needed an adventure and since Hampi, Coorg, Mysore, Kerala and Pondicherry were too far to go for a long weekend, we got a map, closed our eyes, and pointed to a place on the map. Green Bay Wisconsin. Where's that you might ask? (when I related my holiday activities many many people at work said "why'd you go THERE?!?) Its due east of Minneapolis by about 5 hours.

We did our online research and went looking for adventure and "1st"'s we could do as a family. Who knew, but Green Bay (GB) is a plethura of family fun.

1st 1st? Downhill skiing. Yes, really. Have you ever tried to teach a kid how to ski? How about 2 40lb kids and 1 90 lb kid when you are working zone vs man on man defense? No easy feat. Remember the trick that kids used to pull when they were 2-3 yrs old? They'd get frustrated, pitch a fit and make their ENTIRE body go limp as a noodle? Now, add layers of winter clothes, skis, ski poles, a tow rope and other families on the mission, add the noodle trick and thats what it was like. Not fun for us as parents. Great fun for them as kids. They had our undivided attention.

The 1st 2 1/2 hours were hell. Lying on the side of the hill crying, pitching fits at the top of the hill, arguing "if you point your skis downhil YOU'LL go down hill too - dont do that until you are ready", trying to calm down (more me than the kids, they were perfectly happy to pitch a fit for all to see) and explain step by torterous step - here's how to stop, to turn, slow down, get up when you fall, hang on to the tow rope, etc...not to mention... getting stuck in the tow rope and having other people (strangers) witness my lack of parenting skills (ie "get up NOW or I am leaving you here, you are in the way and going to get run over!"). Looking at the bright side, Tom and I did get a nice core workout helping steer an extra 40-90lbs down the slopes; between or legs or with the shirt collar death grip.

We called a truce at lunch and headed in for nurioushment. The kids spent the whole lunch begging to go home. No way. Uh ah. We are here for the duration and this is going to be fun (damn it).

Well, who knew, but after lunch, something clicked. They ALL figured out how to ride the tow rope alone and at least make it down the hill without using Tom or I as a human crutch. They havent quite mastered stopping or turning but who cares?! We were all whooping and hollering and celebrating and cheering each other on. It was a blast. They skied another 2 hours none stopped and begged to stay longer. They were genuinely upset that the hill was closing early for New Years Eve. They keep begging to go again.

In reflection, Tom and I should have been more prepared for the goat rodeo it is to teach your kids to ski. But, it also goes to kids resiliance and the absolute rush they get when they learn something new. Their self confidence just blossomed. I'm glad we didnt "give in" and take them home at lunch. We all would have missed an afternoon of incredible fun, growth and bonding.

2nd 1st - Packer Hall of Fame - Those of you who follow us know that Jimmy has found a new love - Football. Specifically Brett Favre & the Vikings. While I am a die hard Packers fan, it took quite the convincing to get Jimmy to agree to go with us to the Packer Hall of Fame. The ONLY saving grace is that Brett Favre was a Packer for a long long time. His negotiation tactic with us is that he wanted to go "Viked up" - aka vikings pj pants, slippers, Brett Favre jersey and helmet. No way. Not only would I not let him out of the house in MPLS dressed like that, there is no way I am heading into enemy territory yelling taunts and jears. We settled on the Favre Vikings jersey, which got enough attention in and of itself. Our good friends: Laura, Pete, Ben and Alex, were brave enough to meet up with us for the afternoon. This says a LOT considering that as hard core Packers fans they had to drive 2 hours to meet us only to be greeted by a miniture Brett Favre Viking who was talking non-stop.

The Hall of Fame has been recently re-done and is VERY cool. It covers the history of the team; which has the added benefit of basically covering the history of football. We had a guided tour of the renivated stadium and even got to walk through the Packer's tunnel out onto the field. All with the music/cheering of the fans blaring in our ears. It was really cool. It is amazing that the field looks pretty small once you are actually on it. They also have a highly interactive kids area where they can play football trivia games, kick the ball, measure how fsat they can throw, do an obsticale course around the "defense" and try on all the equipment. They can even try for a pint size Lambeau leap. We spent all afternoon there discovering new football trivia and tidbits. I even think Jimmy was impressed and has drank a bit of the green Kool Aid. (The fact that the Packers have won 3 Super Bowls and the Vikings 0 didnt hurt either). We followed up this educational day with a fish fry (yum!).

3rd 1st - Winter horse back riding - yep, as the tempatures dropped to the single digits, we though it might be a good idea to get outside and get some fresh air. We found a really cool place outside of Sturgeon Bay that does horseback riding all year long. Since we had been prepped up to go skiing, we had all our cold weather gear: long underwear, warm socks, hats, mittens, snow pants, the whole 9 yards. None the less, the coordinator of our ride felt it necessary to call us no less that 4 times to insure we knew what we were getting into and did we "understand that its 8 degrees with a windchill of -30?". Yes! we said... nothing could deter us from our adventure. I am sure he thinks we are completely nuts.

We suited up and met our furry partners for the day. After everyone was loaded up we proceeded on an incredibly beautiful and peaceful ride through the woods. The kids did a great job, kay managed her horse (Bogey) all on her own; Billy "drove" the lead horse with Mandy our guide and Jimmy promplty fell asleep on Seirra. Yep, its 8 degrees, feels like -20 and Jimmy falls asleep, on a horse, in the woods, in the freezing cold. It was hysterical. I saw his body start to droop and wondered "what's wrong?" I called gently - "Jimmy are you alright? Jimmy whats going on?" to no avail. Finally, worried that something might relaly be wrong started shouting "JIMMY! WAKE UP!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!" this roused the boy from his slumber. "I'm tired Mom". We had to keep up an endless prattle from then on to keep him from falling asleep and off his horse.

Back at the ranch (literally) we had hot apple cider, shot a couple games of pool, sat by the fire, petted a chicken & 2 dogs and played with a new best friend Billy that lives on the ranch. It really was a great time. When we left, the leader said "I have to say, this is the 1st time I've seen anyone go out in this weather and you all did great! It was fun. Be sure to send me pictures as my friends will NEVER believe it!"

Other fun weekend activities & 1st's:

~ Connie Gumper & the Pack - ok, this is an OLD VHS tape that was put together for the Packers about 15 years ago. Favre looks like a kid and it includes the Robert Brooks "Lambeau Leap" rap. The kids must have watched it a million times this weekend, peeing their pants laughing. The hostest (said Connie Gumper) dresses in all '50's Packer influenced attire and talks with a VERY strong Fargo accent "you betcha" "bet on a bannana" "San Dee AYE GOOOOO". We now have some new slang at our house (and Jimmy's drank a bit more of the green Kool Aid)

~ Old home movies - we pulled out movies of Jimmy and Kay when they were babies. It was so funny to remember their sayings and mannerisms when they were little. We had forgotten how big Kay's cheeks were and how she would suck on her 2 middle fingers instead of her thumb. We forgot about Jimmy's "little pig, little pig, let me come in..." rants and how big he was compared to other kids his size (still is). Poor Billy gets the shaft as he was only home a year before we left for India and all our home video "time" started to go into this blog. That's what he "gets" for being the youngest I guess.

~ Listening to the football game on the radio - on the drive back, there was no way to time it that didnt have us missing part of the game. I dont think Jimmy realized that you dont have to watch football on TV, you can also listen to the game on the radio. This was a totally new experience and another 1st for him. He sat in the back of the car and "called" the game/plays/penalities as he heard them. I am sure people driving by us were wondering at all the screaming and rocking our car was doing. Little did they know that the comotion all centered around the Vikings scoring points. It was pretty hysterical.

There you have it, our family weekend in a nutshell.

It just goes to show, adventure and fun are around any corner, if you are just willing to look.

Even in Green Bay (GO PACK!).