January and February are particularly messy at our house. Tight work deadlines and challenging projects for Greg and me, ambitious curriculum in school and a jam-packed schedule of activities, sports and responsibilities.

Time to play a little!

Weekend lessons:

1. Road trips rock

Especially when you have fresh licorice (Greg + kids prefer chocolate; I love cherry ropes). And the best conversations happen on the road.

Love taking that last turn in the road to see MN's 4th largest city: Duluth!

2. Get to the “W” side

The boys played beautifully in our Friday evening game, beating Chaska – Chan to move over to the Winner’s side of the bracket. We also got to play in the very nice Sill Arena at Duluth’s Heritage Sport Center. Great start to a well-run tourney.

Our #5, making a living minding the blue line.

3. Do your part

Yet again, I’m reminded that team sports are one of the most valuable things kids do. They learn how to work with others, handle challenging personalities, take direction from other adults–and enjoy victories together. That’s pretty much life, guys.

That's Matt L with the clipboard, still out with a concussion. They boys were SO excited he made the tourney trip, and he inspired them from his spot on the bench!

Goalie Blake had a great tourney -- with a little help from his 'mates.

A few of the siblings found a nice perch (the broadcast booth). Julia, Talia, Avery, Nicole, Meghan, Caroline.

4. Sleep is overrated

Who needs rest when there’s hockey to play, water parks and arcades to explore?! Our second game was 8:30 on Saturday morning.

The sunrise over Lake Superior was gorgeous from our hotel room.

Back at the rink, we were all ready to go.

Well-said. (And there's Clyde's, a great bar/restaurant, next door for the parents' "joy of sport." Delish Bloody Mary bar.

Good morning, Colton, Gus and Jason.

Yo, Alicia. The ultimate hockey mom (she's also a goalie mom, bless her heart) with the siblings--awake and ready to cheer!

The boys won game #2, too–and a guaranteed trip to either the Championship or Third Place matchup on Sunday afternoon.

But first: Saturday afternoon game.

5. No language barrier in sports

Matt and good buddy Nick have cooked up some trash talk gems. My fave: “So, you’re the only girl on this team, huh?” 2nd place: “If you could skate, you wouldn’t need to swear.” So there.

Speak (fairly) nicely and carry a big stick.

Speaking of sticks, Matt and his brand-new weapon did some sin bin time.

The boys did get treated to a little Canadian accent in our Saturday afternoon game when we played the team from Thunder Bay. We lost, but our boys hung in there.

6. Just add water

My proven parent tactic for grouchy kids (which = testy parents) : fresh air. Plan B: water. Works every time!

Hey, Little Caroline!

Our 'other' daughter, Meghan (smart, feisty and so fun!) with our Julia

Nick and Matt in action, mowing down teammates.

7. When in Rome…

What’s a visit to Duluth without a visit to Grandma’s? Our whole huge group enjoyed a great evening down at Canal Park.

Matt, Nick, Billy ready for more air hockey in the arcade.

 8. Somebody’s gotta lose

"USA! USA! USA!"

The boys played pretty well Sunday afternoon — they took on another Canada team, this one from Sioux Lookout, Ontario. They grow big, strong hockey player up there! Our boys collected their hardware, then one-by-one, they shook hands and congratulated the Sioux Lookout players as they were awarded their trophies. Priceless sportsmanship.

To me, we all won big time. After all, we created fabulous memories. And that’s worth a mess. Every. Single. Time.

That’s Jesus’ buddy Matthew. Our Matthew and his buddies did a stint at Feed My Starving Children in Eagan. I got to join them. Even though we were prepping meals to feed God’s children, our spirits that were fed, too. Just like Luke says:  ”Give and it will be given to you.”

When I scheduled my ACL (knee) surgery last month, my first call was to my mom. I suppose I called husband Greg at some point, too. But knowing I wouldn’t be driving or walking for a few weeks, she stepped right up. She spent many days and nights here keeping the house going, walking our dogs, running kids (and me) all over and keeping my spirits up.

Cheers! to my mom. And all moms.

See? You’re never too old to need your mom.

Mistletoe?! Our family Christmas photo outtakes are, ahem, interesting.

(almost) all the Hansen cousins pyramided up during Christmas in North Dakota.

In mid-December, our holiday baking peaked with 18 dozen cutout cookies. I baked, Julia and her friends decorated! (I'm still finding decor on the floor.)

Julia and her awesome friends. They also went caroling (sorry, neighbors.)

Kind family cousins at Seasons Christmas dinner theatre, compliments of my tradition-loving dad. We've been there 14 straight years. Thanks, Grandpa Jerry!

  Best part of the season: MUSIC!

Matty's choir concert

Our angel Caroline at the church Christmas Nativity pageant.

Caroline and her singin' teacher, the amazing Ms. Jansen. She is surely one of the greatest gifts to us this year. Lucky little Cara and her classmates!

 

Our Nutcracker tradition continues....

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, our hearts sang with music from the historic organ, piano, trumpets, trombone and bells at Messiah in Fargo. Welcome to the world, indeed, Baby Jesus! 

A Vegas wedding! 

Vegas, baby. The Bellagio water show was the view from our hotel room.

They Do!

 

 

 

Dare you to not catch Christmas spirit amidst Vegas' decorations. This is my fave, the Wynn.

 Christmas in North Dakota 

Cousin Dale's restored home decked out in true style! | photo credit: Kayla Hansen

 

Dale's fireplace room. Much better with Jim's eggnog in hand.

 

Rare get-together

It’s been at least 7 years since most of Greg’s family has been together. We were close this Christmas, with only 4 there in spirit only: Newlywed Derek, Ill Mike, Workin’ in Arizona Mathew and Jon, in heaven. Kayla was not supposed to join us, but she and Adam drove over to surprise everyone on Christmas Day! Adam, you’re gonna fit in just fine to this clan.

 

Kayla even surprised her mom and dad with her Christmas Day arrival.

 

The whole Hansen clan (almost...)

 

 

Grandma and her Granddaughters | photo credit: Dave Hansen

Grandpa and his Grandsons (except Newlywed Derek, Workin' Mathew and Jon, in Heaven)

The "'89ers," recreating the photo taken the year they were born {Josh, Kayla, Michael}

 

Here are the cousins IN 1989.

 

Nothing is ‘just a game’

Outdoor hockey, indoor Just Dance dance off, board games and other competition galore. No grudges lasted too long…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the record, Jules Ruled

 

 Other memories:

- Sneaking out for breakfast with my sweetie while our kids slumbered on

- Hockey, hockey, hockey – great tournament action, hockey parent parties and teammate sleepovers

- Sickness struck the kids and I a few days before Christmas (lesson = do your elf duties early)

- Greg spent Christmas Day ill in bed; Matt came down and detailed dinner to him  

- A bittersweet funeral in Grand Forks for Greg’s buddy Todd’s beloved mom; her husband’s heartbreaking + heartwarming eulogy

- Julia in two soccer tourneys, scoring goals, playing goalie and back in action

- A photo I choose to forget (MRI of my torn up ACL and knee cartilage); surgery 1/10

- Quiet moments with all those I hold so dear

 

And, of course, the unchanged blessing of Jesus’ arrival.

 

Hope your holiday memories are joyful. Now, hello 2012. Let’s do this!

 

 

Performed by the second-graders, all three of our kids have now had their roles. That’s Julia, mangerside.

I always wonder if an ANGEL talked to me, would I follow a star like the WISE MEN? Would I have MARY’S unblinking faith? And I now know each of our children fills a different role in our family.

Dec 2011

Tonight, Caroline was an angel. She is an angel, our Caroline. Sweet, quiet, quick and witty, cuddly and yet independent. And can she sing! She doesn’t remember it, but at 4 months old, she was Baby Jesus in another pageant.

Dec 2003

Matthew was one of the three wise men. He does follow stars. He’d have been first to the manger to check it all out–and he’d be content to take a different route home. Our Matty is also smart, funny, sporty and very generous. And he does like a little bling.

Dec 2007

Julia was Mary. Amazing women, those two. Julia is brave, serenely lovely, feisty and intelligent. 

Dec 2006

Mary is my #1 mentor, and always impresses me. She gets a visit from an angel (!) who tells her she’s going to have God’s Son. And she signs on!

My favorite Bible passage in The Christmas Story is “But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke, 2:19). I love how it shows her using her memory, affection and intellect. And grace.

Everyone else is blabbing all over the countryside about the arrival of Baby Jesus. Not his mom. She’s quietly reflecting on becoming a mother (Mother of God, no less). She knows that every person’s history is first written on her or his mother’s heart. It’s a uniquely inner experience, and in a tiny way, I relate.

I often wonder if an angel approached me with a request, What would I do? Fully open my heart and truly listen? Have faith as deep as Mary and sign on?

Then I realize angels do approach me often: their names are Julia, Matt and Cara. And hopefully like Mary, I sign on with unblinking faith. I do know I ponder things in my heart.

Merry, Mary Christmas!

My dad narrated every step with his memories–many of which I’d never heard. Until now.

Month-by-month

The gallery uses a literal month-by-month account, starting in January, to chronicle this watershed year. The first exhibit features one key event from each month, and my dad, who has an amazing memory, led me through: “Ah, April 4th. They killed Martin Luther King.” There was sadness and wisdom as he shook his head. “June 8th, right after midnight. Bobby was shot.” Those dates were not on the exhibit boards, mind you. Just the months. It was a sign that this year did make an indelible impression–even now, my dad recalled the exact details.

C.h.a.n.g.e.

Every single American experienced change in 1968, as the exhibit aptly illustrates. Ditto for my dad. Just the year before, he graduated from college, got married to my mom, started his teaching career and began preparing to be a parent (my parents’ first-born, I was due in July 1968; born on June 25.)

Nice davenport

If you had avocado green and gold home decor in 1968, you were “in.” My dad explained the decor of our home while we sat on the davenport and watched Walter Cronkite narrate the evening news on a console TV:

Notice the Vietnam “news” coverage. My dad said there was a “ticker” at the bottom, chronicling the day’s casualties. Sobering.

Of course much of the display centers on Vietnam.

An actual Huey - the cockpit features a series of haunting videos narrated by those involved in the Vietnam War. Just "normal" people who served in an ever-escalating, ever-confusing, senseless conflict. When it comes to war, aren't they all?

The draft

My dad did not go to Vietnam. But he still remembers the full name of the draft board lady in St. Cloud, and related his visits there. I’d never heard the stories, and I was captivated. The final thing she said to him, “Well, you shouldn’t have signed that teaching contract. Now you can’t go. We need you here to teach.” And the U.S. military said I needed him here to parent me : ) !

Revolution

The youngsters spoke up strongly in 1968, whether about the war, peace, music, style and of course human rights.

Part of the impressive collection of 1968 memorabilia: clever anti-draft/war poster.

 What could have been?

One of the exhibit’s several succinct but beautiful videos chronicles Martin Luther King, Jr., his impact and his too-soon death. As you look into his eyes as he gives his last speech, “I’ve been to the mountaintop,” you somehow know… that he knew. 

Colorful funeral florals for a man who tried to teach us color just doesn't matter. It doesn't, Mr. King. It doesn't.

The actual note to the President, advising him NOT to come to Memphis for Dr. King's funeral. What. A. Year.

MN connections

My dad and I proudly noticed several Minnesota connections throughout the 1968 exhibit, including:

The Packers ruled the NFL in 1968, too. Damn.

Time for some laughs

We laughed at clips from 1968 TV shows. There were some goodies!

"Won't you be my neighbor?"

"The thrill of victory ... the agony of defeat." Remember what happens to the skiier?

Speaking of sports, remember the Olympians (1968 Games were in Mexico City) who were stripped of their medals for this anti-racism statement on the podium?

The sounds of sixty-eight

My musical genius dad talked us through the iconic sounds of the year!

Then there was Chicago

All this change, all this joy and horror and revolution. And it was only August. Time for the Democratic convention in my 2nd fav U.S. city. Who could’ve anticipated those events? Actually, who thought it would be “just another convention?” In the exhibit’s video, you see and hear a very young, very spirited Dan Rather being jostled around on the convention floor, just trying to do a report. Things were much rougher outside the convention walls.

Ads = barometer

Of course I was very intrigued by the advertisements of the year. How long has it been since we’ve seen tobacco in ads?

So how do you end a year like this?

Typical American style: Shoot for the moon. On Christmas Eve 1968, we launched three astronauts into space who became the very first humans to orbit the moon.

What. A. Day./Year./Dad!

At one point, I asked my dad if he realized–at the time–what monumental shifts were underway. “Not really,” he said. “You’re going along, in your life, trying to leave your mark and make the world a better place.”

You did, dad. And you do. Thanks for making my day and my world a better place.

In the Brig

Happy Veterans Day. Thank you, thank you, thank you, men and women of our armed services. We owe you….well, absolutely everything. Today has me harkening back to our day aboard an aircraft carrier, the USS Midway. Especially the veteran I met who served during the Fall of Saigon and shared some incredibly bittersweet memories with incredible pride in his voice. Thank you for the indelible memory, sir.

Flight training

War room deliberations

"...for those in peril on the sea."

Brownie recipe in the galley, including 3 1/3 lbs. (lbs!) prune puree

If you’re in the area, this is a great tour. Allow at least 3 hours, and don’t miss this view, which is the shared wish of every single American for every single serviceperson:

25-foot version of "Times Square Kiss" - fitting larger-than-life tribute to larger-than-life Veterans

ADDENDUM:

Docked nearby is the USS Carl Vinson, site of the college basketball game later today (and the carrier that held Osama bin Laden’s body earlier this year). More on that in this great article.

photo credit: LA Times

The kids had Friday off school for the end of 1st quarter. We loaded up the SUV with friends and went to Sky Zone.

Six tips for aiming high

As with everything, I’m hoping the kids learned something from our outing amidst the sheer fun. Things like:

1. Age doesn’t matter.

If you go to Sky Zone, bring all your kids of all ages (there’s even a ‘toddler’ area for the littlest jumpers).

Sisters! That's bro in the background, scoping out his next jump moves site.

Nice air, Matt.

Shoulda seen the boys' faces when they saw this!

3. Always try new things. Always.

Try the trampolines, Dodgeball and run into the foam pit with the ‘jumping shoes’ they issue you. But also try everything barefoot. All the kids in our group preferred barefoot! 

Kate, Maddie and our Julia

Nice quad moves, ladies

4. Get a different perspective

At Sky Zone, there’s even trampolines on the walls. So go ahead, bouce off the walls. Just make sure you always land on your own two feet somewhere.

5. Anything that makes you sweat is a good thing.

Lookit these rosy-cheeked, glistening kids ~ love it!

6. Plan ahead

Sky Zone’s biggest advantage is also its biggest drawback. They only allow in a certain number of jumpers at one time, which makes it a lot more fun (and safe!). Consider pre-purchasing tickets online. We got in just fine, but they closed admissions right after we started jumping. You can also ‘like’  Sky Zone’s Facebook page to get alerts about sold out times.

Bring water bottles because you WILL get thirsty. Or bring a couple bucks for water at their cafe.

Consider wearing shorts and short sleeve shorts — they have lockers to shed the other layers.

Eat well before you go so you’re not hungry but also not too full. As mentioned, there is a cafe there, but who wants to waste time eating when you can be having fun?

Now, the only question is: When is our next day off school, mom?

We highly recommend Sky Zone — and we’ll be back.

Our neighbors had to send their beloved yellow lab to heaven this week, so our own yellow labrador, Kasey, has been on my mind. She would have been 16 this month. She was the first pet Greg and I adopted together. Long before kids. Actually, she was our first baby.

Together, we lived in 4 houses, survived the Grand Forks flood (and 2 month evacuation), welcomed in 3 kids, 3 other dogs and put on who-knows-how-many miles of walks, jogs and runs (depending on my pregnant status). 

But of all the incredible memories of time with our first little one, I realize most of all that it was Kasey who taught me how to be a good parent. It’s simple, really:

Lots of fresh air and exercise.

Good food, but not too much at once.

Lots of water.

Lots of hugs and kisses. A little discipline.

Absolute, unconditional love. No matter what.

Some nights, I still sense her sleeping on our bedroom floor. It makes me smile and gives me great comfort.

Everything she taught me, I use every day.

And I miss her every day–especially this gorgeous fall day, the sunlight beckoning me for a long walk. She’d have loved it. I like to think she is with me when I walk our current two four-legged kiddos.

Thanks for making me a better mom, Kase.  Love you puppy girl. Ready for that walk? I’ll get the leash, hon.

It's a beautiful facility, with no need for a roof -- retractable or otherwise. We, of couse, hit the Chargers shop.

Representing the great state of Minnesota

In Olympic Games style, the athletes marched in by state, with the hosts (Cali) last. Who wouldn’t have a proud, teary moment as their kid and her team proudly marched in, holding the sky-blue-waters blue MN flag?

There's our Minnesota girls!

More lump-in-your-throat moments as the Navy Seals parachuted onto the field. This just before the horrible helicopter accident in Afghanistan that killed 22 Seals, giving the entire experience a much larger meaning.

We also enjoyed great music (a few of the band members are apparently on Glee) and a hilarious Michal Jackson act.

As the sun set, Keynote Speaker Peter Vidmar, 1984 men’s gymnastics Gold Medalist. He had a great message for the kids, including: “Athletes, who drives you to the rink, the field, the arena, the gym and the court?  

Your parents?

They love you, but I have news for you. They. Have. Other. Things. To. Do.”

It made me laugh, nod with empathy, yet beam with pride.

I LOVE being a parent.

He message concluded by him sharing the video of his improbable gold-medal victory, and together, we all cheered on the beauty of hard work, determination, dedication, a bit of luck and SPIRIT!

Let the Games begin!

The torch finished its trip throughout the stadium and a neat 10-year-old athlete lit the States Games cauldron, where the bright warmth symbolized the spark to start the majestic sports to come.

Incredible evening — and now I hope our Vikings can offer up a few more good memories of Qualcomm action!