Mother's Day 2015

I can't believe this is my sixth Mother's Day. Ben & Maddie are growing up so fast!

In this next picture, they are holding the "medallions" they made for me in kindergarten.

Maddie singing her Z, Y X's

Santa 2014

Ben & Maddie had their annual visit with Santa today. Maddie wants a Nintendo DS (hand-held video game system) and Barbie clothes. Ben wants a LEGO police station. 

Maddie was worried about being too nervous so she read Santa her request.

Here comes the bride!

Ben & Maddie decided that today they were going to get married -- to each other. So I thought you might like to watch the video. And there's a little surprise at the end. Enjoy!

Halloween 2014

This year it was Elsa -- of course -- and Superman. Ben had originally planned to go as a Ninja, but somehow changed his mind to Superman.

Trick-or-treating was interesting because Ben refused to wear anything warm. He only had a short-sleeve t-shirt and shorts under his costume. Needless to say, he was the first one begging to go home!

Fall is magical

My byline returns to USA Today!

My byline is back in USA Today for the first time in nearly 10 years! A project I've been working on since I returned in June published online today and will be in the print edition tomorrow, Oct 1.

This is the first part of a four-part series called "Where the Jobs are." I did all the reporting/writing for part 1 and am currently working on part 3, which is scheduled to publish at end of October. Parts 2 and 4 are being done by other reporters at the paper.

You'll notice that there's a big print story, plus tons of videos and an interactive database. I had a hand in every little piece, one way or another. It was a lot of work!

Enjoy!

They're off to kindergarten!

Happy day in our house....

On the trampoline at the MN State Fair

Last day of daycare!

Wow, the last two years have flown by! It was such a great decision to put our kids at the Northwestern College child development center. They've enjoyed every minute of it and learned so much. I'm pretty certain I can count on one hand the number of days one or both of them did NOT want to go to daycare.

Today is their last day at the center. Then they get a long vacation at the cabin. Then next Tuesday it's off to kindergarten!

I snapped a few pictures this morning when I dropped them off....

Here's Maddie's favorite teacher, Karrie. 

This is Maddie with a castle the kids have been making recently.

Signing in. Today they had to put their names on ribbons (the theme this week is State Fair)

This is my favorite....our morning ritual. They wait by the playground door and I wave to them, and blow kisses, from the sidewalk outside before I head back to my car.