Ted drove us to indiana – he worked while we got to spend time with my relatives. Our kids favorite place to be is with their cousins. Together they fish, swim, jet ski, wake surf, tube, play ball, play games, ride bikes, laugh, sing, tell stories, eat, visit shipshewana, golf, go to dinner/lunch by boat, and spend time with grandparents. They’ve made some of their most cherished childhood memories side-by-side and I’m so grateful.
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Here’s what happened:
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The boys went wake surfing…
ClarkGeorgeLuke
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And fishing…
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Tubing…
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And boating…
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They played lots of games…
The kids played lots of games
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And ate yummy food …
The Chief has GOOD ice creamRise-n-Roll sells the world’s best donuts
They went golfing…
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And relaxed…
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They spent time with grandparents and great grandparents…
We celebrated Mom’s birthdayMy dad’s sailboat – we tried to take it out but the wind wouldn’t cooperate
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They obliged their moms and grandma by re-creating photos …
2020-20222015 – 2017
And made the best memories together!
I’m thankful for our family who opens their homes and shares their toys and food with our large crew!
This book is outstanding! I listened to the audio book (SO GOOD) but now I want to get the hard copy and re-read it, underline, highlight, and take notes!
Dr. Perry discusses the effects of trauma on the brain. The book is filled with real-life stories of how a person’s childhood effects who they and how they act, as well as how people recover from trauma. I even discovered new things about myself and why I act or react in certain ways.
The book encourages us to stop asking “What’s wrong with you?” and start asking, “What happened to you?”
“What happened to you?” is not a faith-based book, but I love how Dr. Perry highlights the power of ‘faith’ and being a part of a ‘faith-community’ as one important step in recovering from all kinds of trauma.
I highly recommend this book to every teacher, counselor, law enforcement officer, nurse, and pastor.
The 20th anniversary of 9-11 got me thinking about the lives of those who were greatly impacted by that terrible event. I ordered this book last September and it’s been on my shelf for almost 10 months. I finally opened it up and read the ENTIRE book in ONE day.
The story is written by Lisa Beamer, the wife of Todd Beamer. Todd died on 9-11 when his plane went down in a field as he and a few others fought back against their plane’s hijackers.
As I read about Todd’s early life, he reminded me of my son Clark – and their mutual love for athletics and sales. I enjoyed getting to know what kind of man Todd was before 9-11, and what his wife’s life was like in the year after he died. I’d really love for her to write a follow up book about her life since writing this book. I wonder how she survived as a widow and single mom. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in 9-11.
I had really high expectations for this book since Ann Voskamp’s first book, One Thousand Gifts, was my favorite of 2018. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with this new one in the same way. In Waymaker, Ann shares the story of her marriage, her health, and about the adoption of their daughter. The stories aren’t told sequentially and she jumps around a lot. So that, plus her poetic-style of writing, made it hard for me to follow along and stay engaged.
In spite of that, there were some really powerful quotes in the book. Here are a few of my favorites:
Detours are the way dreams and destinies actually come true.
God delights in you, smiles over you, seeks to be with you, revives you with his kiss of Grace and can’t stop singing love songs because of you.
Even when I don’t feel it, I am Father-held, His everlasting arms around all my needs.
Lament can be tears that water new life.
God signs his inconspicuous signature everywhere: everything is a sign post that points to his love.
The purpose of reading scripture is not to become good, but to be with Goodness Himself. Not to get God to love you, but to fall in love with God.
There is a reason why God is called The Way. He makes roads you wouldn’t have dreamed of, miracles happen exactly where you never would have imagined.
Marriages are fragile things, not an accomplishment to be proud of, but a miracle to give thanks for.
This is a biography of William Booth, the man who started the Salvation Army. William was born in England in the 1800s. He had to quit school at age 13 to help provide for his poor family. As he grew older, he had a strong desire to teach people about God. His heart was for the poorest of the poor. First he began meeting their spiritual needs, but also found ways to meet their physical needs.
William Booth opened factories to give work to the unemployed. Government leaders toured his facilities and created laws for ‘safer working conditions’ once they saw how well his factory was run compared to others. Booth published articles, books, and traveled the world to teach and inspire others to help the poor.
Thousands of people throughout the world, became part of the “Salvation Army” whose mission was to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the poor. Some of his work still continues to this day.
I was fascinated by how much resistance William Booth and the Salvation Army got, mostly because it was ‘un-conventional.’ They seemed to be buffered at every turn. However, they kept moving forward, trying to find more ways to help those in need. The challenges didn’t cause them to give up, but actually made them stronger, more resilient, and even more effective.
Though William Booth started with nothing, he earned an honorary doctorate from Oxford, was lauded by Winston Churchill, and had friendships with two US presidents.
Fort Snelling is a fun and education field trip for your family in St. Paul, Minnesota. You will learn about army life, see live demonstrations, learn how they cared for the sick, explore the beautiful home of the commander, taste what they ate, watch how they made their tools, and more!
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First of all, the Minnesota Historical society annual family pass is less than $100, and grants your family (plus two guests) access into amazing spots all over Minnesota, including: the Mill City Museum, the State Capitol, the Minnesota History Center, and today’s focus: Fort Snelling!
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Upon arrival, we pulled into the gated parking lot for Fort Snelling. The parking fee is $4 for members, $6 for non-members. There’s a beautiful walking path along the Minnesota River up to the entrance of the visitor center. This area was recently remodeled. It has a small museum inside, as well as a gift shop and clean bathrooms.
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Fort Snelling Visitor Center
From there, we enjoyed a golf cart ride to the entrance of the Fort.
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The Fort is phenomenal. It was constructed 200 years ago and used until the end of WW2. It’s been restored to show visitors what life was like as a soldier living in this fort. There are characters dressed and ready to teach everyone about anything from laundry, to slavery, to fur trading, to black smithing! (Is that a word?) You can watch guns and canons being shot too, and food being made.
Some things to discover and explore:
The school house
The hospital/medical exhibit
The armory/weapons storage
Jail
Blacksmith shop
Dred Scott’s living quarters and how his time living on the base enable him to fight for his freedom from slavery.
Commander’s home
Kitchen
Archeology exhibit
Soldier’s quarters
Married quarters
Trails to the river
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Weapons demonstration Learning about the fur tradeMaking food
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My kids and I absolutely LOVED it. We learned a lot about the history of Minnesota and military life, and enjoyed the beautiful grounds. There was even a baseball game happening as we left. We hope to be a part of that during our next visit.
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Army BarracksDred Scott lived here
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Fort Snelling is very close to the Minneapolis airport, so if you have a layover – it would be worth checking out!
Locations, Hours, and Admission:
Historic Fort Snelling is open Wednesdays through Sundays from May 31 to September 4, 2022. Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
Address: 200 Tower Avenue St. Paul, MN 55111
Admission is $12 for adults, or $10 for seniors and college students with ID. Children aged 5-17 are $8.
Admission is free for Minnesota Historical Society members, military veterans and family, native Americans and families, and active military and families (walk up only.) Tickets may be purchased in advance online, through the box office at 651-259-3015, or at the visitor center.
Ted found this list on Twitter, copied it to a word document and printed it out for each of our boys. After they read it, we talked about what stood out to them. We also discussed which of these we do well, and which ones we could work on.
I thought you might enjoy reading this, and perhaps you’ll want to print it to read and discuss with your family. Feel free to share this post!
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15 “old fashioned” ways to stand out in life:
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1. Handwritten Notes:
Handwritten notes have sadly become a rarity in the digital age. Emails and texts lack personality—handwritten notes exude a raw authencity that fosters connection. Use them for: Thank yous, follow ups, letters to loved ones…AND nice penmanship is a plus!
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2. Be True to Your Word:
When you say you’re going to do something, follow through. Being true to your word builds trust and deep relationships—personally and professionally. The recipe is simple:
(1) Say what you’re going to do
(2) Do it
(3) Repeat
Your word is your bond.
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3. Be on Time (or early):
Take pride in punctuality. Being on time (or early) for your commitments is a clear show of respect to the other people involved.
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4. Good Posture:
Strong posture is a physical and mental unlock for life. It’s linked to a variety of health benefits, including healthier muscles and joints, higher energy levels, and more. It also improves self-confidence—and how others perceive us. Stand tall to stand out.
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5. Smile at Strangers:
It used to be considered common courtesy to smile and say good morning to people on the street. But somewhere along the line, it became “weird” to do so. Smile at people, say hello, give a warm head nod. It might even make them more likely to pass it on.
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6. Hold the Door:
Holding the door for others was a simple point of good manners taught to many of us as children. Sadly, it seems like a lost art. It’s a habit worth reviving: When you go through a door, hold it for the next person—smile and say hello. Small acts go a long way.
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7. Express Gratitude:
Life gets so much better when you really lean into gratitude. Create a daily gratitude practice—write down 3 things you’re grateful for every night before bed. Tell someone how much you appreciate them. Don’t wait to show gratitude until it’s too late.
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8. Help Someone in Need:
When I was a kid, I was always taught to offer up my seat for anyone in need. The lesson extended to other areas of life. It’s easy to do—and so important. Help someone with their suitcase, walk someone across the street, buy someone a donut and coffee. (Click here to read 21 small ways to make a big difference)
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9. Listen More than You Speak:
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” — Epictetus
If you want your words and ideas to be heard, start by talking less and listening more. You’ll find more power in your words. Talk less to be heard more.
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10. Say Someone’s Name:
Calling someone by their name is an easy way to build a bond. When you meet a new person, make a point to remember their name. If it’s a difficult one, ask how to pronounce it. Say it back in conversation so it sticks.
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11. Eye Contact:
Eye contact builds trust. When you’re listening, look them in the eye. It shows presence, focus, and respect. When you’re speaking, eye contact can be organic (to avoid being intense). It’s ok to gaze off to think, but use eye contact to emphasize key points.
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12. Apologize Effectively:
When you screw something up, be accountable and own it. Admit you’re wrong and apologize. All apologies should be direct and specific—acknowledge exactly what you did, why it was incorrect, and how it will be remedied. It’s the only way to move forward.
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13. Work Hard:
Hard work stands out in a world where everyone wants to call it overrated. Take pride in working hard—show up and do what you say you’ll do. Always look for ways to work smarter, but if you’re striving for great things, you have to work hard.
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14. Confident Handshake:
Handshakes fell out of favor due to COVID—some said they would never return. I don’t believe it. If handshakes are a trust-building part of your culture, take pride in them. Look the person in the eye, smile, and deliver a confident (but not hard) grip.
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15. Be Kind:
Kindness is somehow severely underrated. It fosters relationships, reduces stress and anxiety, and improves overall happiness. When you are consistently, genuinely kind, you become a magnet for the highest-quality people.
We are so proud of George and how hard he worked to become a soccer referee.
He watched about 8 hours of ref instruction online,
went to a four-hour class,
a two-hour training, and
took an intense referee test, and …
Earned his official “Ref” status!
He was super nervous about reffing his first game – but Ted went to observe and said he did awesome. He’s reffed a bunch a games in June, and becoming better and more confident with each one.
George even got to ref one of Paul’s soccer games, which was super fun for all of us.
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Paul finished his spring soccer season in June. He played with a great group of boys and their team was UNDEFEATED all season.
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Luke and Clark are in baseball. It’s been fun spending summer nights at the baseball field watching them play. Clark made the All-Star baseball team and crushed it! He hit the ball every time he was up to bat, had several RBI’s, pitched, and started the game playing third base (which was his dad’s position).
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Field Trips Fridays
Field Trip 1: The Minnesota History Center
I joined the Minnesota Historical Society so that our family could visit a few unique places in our state. Our first stop was the Minnesota History center in St. Paul. It was a fantastic museum with hands-on exhibits to teach kids (and adults) about Minnesota’s History. George loved the WW2 airplane experience. Clark liked making sundaes at the soda shop. Paul and Luke loved the tornado experience. I enjoyed exploring this new place with my boys.
Here’s a peek into our visit:
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Field Trip #2 – Fort Snelling
Our next field trip (with our Minnesota History passes) was to Fort Snelling. This place had been on my list for awhile, and I’m so glad we finally made it happen. It was beautiful and so interesting to get to experience what an army base would have looked and felt like 200 years ago.
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Field trip #3 – Tactical Urban Combat
The family that battles together, stays together.
Our family was gifted passes to Tactical Urban Combat in exchange for a blog post. We had a so much fun choosing a nerf gun and battling it out with another group. Clark helped us win ‘capture the flag.’
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We celebrated Father’s Day for one FINE dad!
I’m thankful that our boys are following in the footsteps of someone so kind, wise, strong, faithful and full of integrity.
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An Egly Boy Sleeps away
In June we sent the first #eglyboy to Lake Geneva Campground with a bunch of other kids from our church. He loved it!
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Wrigley Love
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A Walk Down Memory Lane
Baby LukeBaby PaulThis sums up the personalities of Clark and George when they were toddlers. George was so easy-going and Clark was a spit-fire!
I finished five books this month = 3 memoir/biographies + 1 fiction + 1 non-fiction. I share my reviews and recommendations below. I’d love for you to leave a comment if you’ve read something interesting lately!
Review: This book made me want to eat large bowls of pasta. I was hungry the whole way through. I started reading the hard copy, but when I saw that Stanley Tucci reads the audio version, I switched to listening to HIM read the book to ME…his voice…so good. The only reason you may want the hard copy of this book is to see the recipes. There’s a pasta/zucchini recipe that Stanley describes in the book that I’m dying to try. I think Stanley is a great actor, and LOVED him in the movie Julie and Julia, so I was looking forward to reading his book. However, it wasn’t your typical autobiography. He told more stories and details about FOOD than his actual life. He shared briefly that his first wife died of cancer and left him with three young children – but never went into any detail about this part of his life. He met his second wife (Felicity Blunt), at her sister Emily’s wedding. Overall the book was interesting, but I’d recommend his “Searching for Italy” series over the book.
Review: Another great biography about a man from history. I was fascinated by what life was like during that era. So simple, yet so challenging. I’m grateful for this glimpse into his life and how hard he worked to take care of his family, and to make America a great place to live. He died defending our country.
Review: I feel bad about this book. Nora tried to write a funny book about aging, and while there were funny parts, overall, this book left me feeling bad. If you are a Nora Ephron fan, what book would you recommend that I read that’s better than this one?
Review: A unique story of a young foster girl living in Nazi Germany through World War 2. The book is narrated by Death, who crosses her path more than once, and tells the story of her struggles as she grows from a child to a teenager. I’m looking forward to watching the movie now that I’ve read the book, I’ll post my thoughts on which is better in my next “Movie or Book” post.
This book had extremely high reviews, so I had high expectation and thought I’d love it. While there were some beautiful parts, I found it a little dry and had a hard time getting through it. A similar book that was much more enjoyable to read was “What is God Like?” by SJ Hill.
Parenting is a tough job, and for a parent with a special needs child, it comes with an extra set of challenges. When caring for a special needs child, it is not uncommon to overlook your needs. Thus, you may experience parental burnout. You cannot give your child the best care when you are physically, mentally, or emotionally drained. Therefore, it is essential to know how to spot signs of fatigue and schedule time for self-care. If you are a parent of a special needs child, read this guide for tips on diagnosing and reducing fatigue.
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Diagnosing Caregiver Fatigue
You should be able to recognize signs of fatigue to take the appropriate actions to manage them. Check the following to assess your fatigue levels:
Your and Your Child’s Sleep Quality
How is your sleep quality? Do you go to bed and stare in the dark for hours, unable to sleep, or feel like you are always sleeping? Either of these experiences indicates fatigue. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep. However, if you have a special needs child, they may interrupt your sleep. If this happens often, you will likely suffer fatigue with time.
Your Marital Satisfaction
If you are married, does your spouse help with childcare? If you have no respite or are frustrated at your spouse because they don’t help you enough, your fatigue levels are likely high.
Your Caregiving Burden
Does taking care of your child feel like a 24/7 job? Do you have time for yourself? How much physical activity outside of childcare do you get? You may have high fatigue levels if taking care of your child consumes all your time. In this case, you likely have no time for self-care, including wellness checkups when you are ill or visits to the salon.
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Managing Caregiver Fatigue
Here are some effective ways to manage fatigue among parents of special needs children.
Make Time for Your Goals
Pursuing your goals is an essential part of self-care. So if you have put your dreams aside to take care of your child, consider picking up one to work on and schedule time for it. For instance, studying for an online education degree could pave the path to your dream career and allow you time to care for your child.
Improve Your Home Environment
Did you know that introducing some changes to your home can help you reduce stress and manage fatigue? Removing clutter creates a less stressful environment, allowing you to focus on your needs. The presence of nature also reduces stress levels. So, you might want to get a houseplant.
Address Possible Hurdles
When you often ignore your needs, you may need time to adjust to a self-care plan. Sometimes, you may go overboard and burden your support system. Other times, you may downplay your fatigue symptoms. A support group provides you with people to keep you in check.
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Prevent Caregiver Fatigue
Child care should not cost you your well-being. Follow the above tips and explore more advice on parenting without burnout.
Join AMC Stubs and get a possible free popcorn and/or drink offer on your birthday. Plus, get a $5 AMC Stubs reward to spend on concessions for every 5,000 points you spend
Join the Barnes & Noble Kids’ Club, and your child will get a free cupcake (or a treat of their choice) from the café. They will email you a coupon and you have at least a month to use it.
I’ve enjoyed taking my boys on a ‘date’ to Barnes and Nobles for their free treat, then we roam the children’s area.
Once upon a child is a kid’s resale shop. I’ve bought and sold lots of great things for my boys here. You get regular discounts when you sign up – plus $5 off a $10 purchase.
Play it again sports is a re-sale sports store. This place is great for a mom of four boys. I used my birthday discount to get new baseball pants for one of my sons.
This works at MOST locations, you may want to ask first.
It can only be redeemed on your actual birthday – not a day before or anytime after.
I spent my birthday in Vail a couple of years ago and was excited to find a Starbucks and my free drink. I walked in and saw a LONG LINE. That’s okay, it’s my birthday, it’s worth the wait for a free drink. Fifteen minutes later, it was my turn and I ordered the fanciest drink possible because it was free. It rang up to almost $10. That’s okay, it’s my birthday! I let the cashier know I’d like to use my free birthday drink and she said, “I’m sorry, we don’t give free drinks at this location.”
I was too embarrassed to cancel my order, so I just paid for my super fancy, super expensive coffee. That’s okay, it’s my birthday.
I shared that story hoping that on YOUR birthday, you will be wiser than me and ASK if the Starbucks you’ve entered gives free drinks before you order.
Have you joined Swagbucks yet? It’s a website that awards with points for using their search engine, printing coupons, taking surveys, etc. You can use your points for gifts cards to Target, Starbucks, or PayPal. You can earn 300 points just for signing up, and more free points on your birthday!
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For everyone who likes a “freebie” – it’s going to be a HAPPY birthday!!
We had a little backyard birthday for him and some of his friends.
He asked for a “Hibachi” birthday dinner. Here’s a peek into our first family hibachi experience:
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Signs of Spring
Minnesota had the LONGEST winter, but warmer days are finally here. Spring is BURSTING all around us. It THRILLS me and smells OH.SO.GOOD!
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Listen to this cardinal sing:
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Field Trips are BACK!
State Supreme Court
Minnesota House of Representatives
After more than two years, field trips are back!
I was thrilled when Paul asked if I would chaperone his fourth grade trip to the Minnesota State Capital. This place had been on our bucket list for four years.
The capitol was designed by an architect named Cass Gilbert, and built in 1905 for $4.5 million.
We had a great time exploring this beautiful building and learning about our state’s government. Paul didn’t want the day to end.
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Encountering a new season of parenthood
After all these years, we finally have a child old enough to babysit so we can sneak off and have dinner by ourselves.
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We Escaped to Florida
My amazing in-laws came to town so that I could tag-a-long on Ted’s work trip to Orlando in April. The sunshine, palm trees, and warm weather were good for my soul.
Wrigley’s been getting lots of exercise running with the neighborhood dogs:
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His two favorite things are cuddling with his family and playing catch with his favorite ball.
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Crawling up to give Ted a hug.
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It was a cold rainy day in Minnesota – this is what everyone wishes they were doing today.
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A Quick and Easy Salsa Recipe
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Taking a Walk Down Memory Lane
6 year old George holding baby Luke (Luke is now TWO YEARS older than George was when we took this picture)!
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Ted and his boys
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Luke attending his first “field trip” to BlackBerry Farm.
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This picture is our first outing with all four boys. We went to Chick-fil-A (shocking, right?). I love how Clark grabbed the centerpiece from the table because he thought the flower would be ‘pretty in the picture.’
Thanks for reading! What have you been up to? Leave me a comment!
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