Chip throwing champ!

I just got back from two days at Farmfest.
Two highlights were:
•I was part of the media panel asking questions of U.S. Senate candidates. Interesting debate and several hundred filled the forum tent where the questioning took place.
•And I was on the media team for the Department of Natural Resources Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest! I mentioned this is in a previous e-mail.

Well. the media team won!!! I have to admit, though, that my forte wasn't throwing the chips for distance. Yep, threw like a girl! But when it came to accuracy, I carried the team! Got both chips in the tub! The guys were the ones that threw like girls in that event!

So we got a nice framed certificate and a medal! I hope someone is impressed because Ijust kept getting razzed around here! People just don't have respect for good chip throwers!

My bro and sis, Byron and Karen, came to Farmfest today too but they missed the chip throwing contest. As I was explaining to them about the event, my brother reminded me that our mom would often walk with our uncles and aunt through their pastures picking up cow chips or cow pies that were used for fuel. Can you imagine burning that stuff? But, any source of fuel, I guess. That's the true bio fuel!

Opportunity drive NOT an opportunity after Vikings Training Camp trip

Doug and Andy had great plans on Monday when they decided to go to Vikings Training camp.
They were going to take my car BUT I had arranged to get a much needed oil change for my dear Mitzu that now tops more than 340,000 miles (think Mitzubishi will give me a discount on a new one?)

Well, they admitted they had not informed me in time of their plans so they decided to take Andy's Taurus. The Taurus is a used vehicle we got from my bro Byron and has been a great little runner for Andy since he got his license in May.

I called them at training camp and they were having a blast. They got to see many of the players, experienced training camp (Andy getting some professional football training camp views before he starts training with the Hillcrest crew) plus buying some stuff like a Vikings football for Breiden.

From there they decided to make a day of it and went to the Twin Cities for the Minnesota Twins first series game against the White Sox. Basking in the glory of a Twins win and the Twins moving up in the standings of the division race, they started for home.

All was going well until they hit St. Cloud when the car decided it had had enough. They managed to go off on Opportunity Drive by St. Cloud near where a highway patrolman was parked. He gave them a ride to a convenience store and they tried to call me - twice but between the fan and deep rem sleep, I never heard a thing!

They finally reached Wayne (Wayne and Nancy had just returned at 10 p.m. that night from their week and a half on the east coast - yes, they had the kid with them too on their travels) Wayne had to get JP's car and went to get them. It was about 5 a.m. by the time Doug woke me up as he was getting into bed to sleep! I was then getting up!

What a night. Quite memorable with all their activities. And they call that bonding time? Definitely, though, the time at training camp and the Twins game is the winner of the day. That car stuff is just, well, the stuff of the day!

Meet me at Farmfest!

I just got word that I will be covering Farmfest for Agri News Aug. 5 and 6, the Tuesday and Wednesday of the event.
I've been asked to be part of the media panel questioning the senate candidates including Norm Coleman and Al Franken on Tuesday at 10:30 and will cover the most eligible male and female farmers that afternoon. (Can this job get any better?!)
AND...I am Soooo excited about this one...on Wed. at noon, I will be at the DNR, again part of another media group, participating in the DNR's buffalo chip throwing contest!!!! Can't wait!!! Honestly, I really can't. I covered it last year as a reporter and it was a blast to watch but now I have to practice my throwing skills.

I was a pretty mean thrower at the Agri News staff picinic's ladder golf event this spring so now I have to get some extra practice in for the chips. Of course, unlike ladder golf, the chips have a way of falling apart in mid-air!

Yep. I've been known to throw some bull around in my day and now I'll actually be doing it with the real thing!

So, hope to see ya there at Farmfest!

A badly needed update

It's been brought to my attention that our blog is in need of an update. So here it is...

It's been a very busy summer, as summers usually are...Andy spends Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at Hillcrest in weight training. Tuesday and Thursday morning he's at Athletic Republic, a new training facility that's part of the hospital complex here in Fergus but it is geared to help athletes better their stamina and performance skills. This is something special for Andy who is morning challenged at the best of times. But he makes it up every morning and is committed to the morning long sessions. 

Andy is also working at Take 5, the convenience store that has now employed four Stenders! And he just returned from a week long basketball camp in Wisconsin. 

During his absence, his Playstation 3 quit working - with a rented game in it! He was not happy at that news. It is now on its way to Sony headquarters to hopefully get fixed! 

Jose just completed traveling team soccer. He did quite well and met many new friends. Good friends of ours from our Trinity Church days also have a son on the team so it was great to connect and share rides. The downside of the traveling soccer team was the travel. The games to Alexandria were one thing but the three hour ride to Thief River Falls was another. It was especially frustrating when they had a game in Bemidji -another three hour trek - and it rained very hard all the way up and back. We were afraid the game would be called when we'd arrived but the sky cleared long enough for them to complete the game - a tie - and for us to grab something to eat.

Today I took Jose and a friend to the West Otter Tail County fair here in Fergus Falls. I received a season pass from the fair board and received two extra free passes from a business in town. I'd also purchased two fair ride arm bands since I know Jose enjoyed the bumper cars last year. Because I still had stories and cutlines to finish for work, I dropped Jose and his friend, Theo, at the back gate entrance armed with my cell phone to call home when they were ready to be picked up. 

They called just two hours later. After I picked them up, I started to ask questions about their trip to the fair but the two were VERY quiet. Dear Theo, a very nice, polite young man, grunted short answers to my questions but Jose minced no words at the cause for their behavior. 

"We don't feel good," Jose said. 

They'd enjoyed a fair meal of hamburgers and sno cones followed by rides on the bumper cars and several trips on whirly, twirly rides. Theo got sick on the fair grounds and Jose made it home only to be sick a short while later. 

Jose then vowed he did NOT want to go with the church youth group to Valleyfair this month. This once brave carnival ride kid has sworn off the whirly twirly things! 

Julie planned a fantastic surprise party for JP last weekend. JP has graduated from Phoenix University with a bachelors degree in business with a finanace emphasis. He is an associate with Thrivant for Lutherans but couldn't make the trip to Phoenix for his college graduation. Julie worked hard to keep the event quiet and JP said he had no idea she had planned the party for him. 

Wayne has been busy heading recruiting trips for Hillcrest and Bible camp experiences plus working concessions for Doug Hansen. Nancy was able to work with Wayne at the Cass county (Barnesville) fair. Andy even took part in that one. Nancy is also babysitter for a friend. With their two and the little one, it's a busy day for her. 

At JP's surprise party, Breiden enjoyed playing with the balloons and, as he would bat the balloons in the air, he'd say, "watch this." some might dispute his baby phrases but we really heard him say that! And of course, he's one of the smartest one-year-olds around. And we're not biased. 

Doug continues to drive bus for the Alexandria Beetles. IT's a crazy schedule with him on the road for a few days then home for a couple more. 

And me? I'm still trying to figure out where the first half of the summer went and how I can schedule in some painting days here to finish some of the room painting. 

B was here!

Grandpa and Grandma got B for two and a half days! An overnighter! What fun. Well, at least for us. 

Wayne and Nancy participated in their good friends' wedding on Saturday so B came Friday mid-afternoon. On Saturday, Doug was on the road with the Beetles and I was home with Andy, Jose and B when the tornado sirens went off in the late afternoon. I knew we were in a thunderstorm watch but found out, after a quick listen to the radio, that we were in a tornado warning. IT was also summerfest weekend in Fergus Falls and the parade was starting soon. 

The sirens quit and the radio announced that the sirens went off to get people out of downtown. The parade was postponed. I told the boys that the next time the sirens went off, we were going to the basement. Jose was in charge of the flashlight and Andy, the blankets. 

So the sirens went off and when I hollared the boys, they gave a muffled answer. Both seemed to have beamed directly to the basement! I didn't hear them go past the kitchen. Can't get them to go anywhere, the usually plod along but tell them get thee to the basement because a tornado is coming and ZOOMMMMMM. Lickety split! 

And here I was with Breiden and my radio! WE all got to the basement, the three dogs were put in the kennel and we laid a blanket on the floor then put a blanket over our heads. I had the radio station on and in mid report, it went to just static. Not a good sign. Breiden started to whimper. For some strange reason he didn't appreciate the blanket! No peek a boo! Jose gave him the flashlight and suddenly he had a pretty neat toy! 

We could hear the wind but soon the sirens ended and, when we got up, the sun was shining! We just had big winds and rain when the worst of the storm passed overhead. Lots of branches down around the city but no tornado touchdown. It had been spotted just miles west of Fergus Falls. 

And through this experience I learned how fast we can prepare for severe weather in our house AND how fast the boys can move when they so desire! 

Even Nancy and Wayne and JP and Julie (Julie was a personal attendant at the wedding and Wayne and Nancy read scripture) had to go to the basement of reception hall as Fargo-Moorhead also had a thunderstorm/tornado warning! They spent an hour in the basement...and everyone was just getting their food! 

Wayne and Nancy text messaged me asking if B could stay another night because it was very late when they left the reception. No problem! But when Wayne picked him up the next morning, B immediately waved good bye! Grandpa and Grandma are great but there's nothing like mom and dad! !!!!

rain rain go away

We're starting to grow gills here!

It seems we rarely have three days of pure sunshine. The sun makes brief appearances but rain is sure to pour at some time in the day.

Farmers can't get in the fields, baling the alfalfa is a challenge and the lawn is growing by leaps and bounds!

But Jose has had two soccer games!

At his team's first game, he scored several goals and had an assist as they won 4 to 1!

They just played Thief River Falls, an almost three hour drive one way, and he scored one goal and was a good defender, moving the ball and challenging the other team. The Fergus Falls Cyclones tied the score at 4 to 4. Good job, Jose!

Andy's summer is VERY busy. I was unsure how his summer would go now that he is too old for the youth rec league and he didn't sign up for any church league ball but he's earning money (yay) working at Take 5 and mowing lawn for our good friends, Brian and Elaine. Yep. The lawnmowing has kept him quite busy!

Jose is enjoying time with friends and will have to get our own lawn cut soon! Very soon!

All the kids were over on Sunday for dinner and painting. We got everything done except for a few touch ups. It sure makes the outside house appearance much more pleasing. Now we need to do some major yardwork, get the fence down and repositioned so the "girls" (the three dogs) can have some good play area. The fence all the way around the property is a bit forboding!

Then there are indoor painting projects, work indoors, etc. etc. etc. If it isn't one thing, it's the other, isn't it? Summer is such a busy time especially when we Minnesotans have about two months of it!

Doug is busy driving the Beetles baseball team around. The other night, Ottertail Coaches took as many employees as wanted to, to one of the Beetles home games. It was a fun time although it was a tad cool!

Doug and I also celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary at Bella's on Broadway. Wayne recommended the restaurant and it was great! Good food and good company...we were able to get away alone as a couple.

My summer is also busy with work. Lots of cattle shows to cover, dairy princesses to interview and fun rural places to visit. travel. travel. travel. And all of that with almost $4 gas! Yikes!

busy busy busy

Ahhhh. Summer starts and we're off to the races!

Andy is working at Take 5 for now, the convenience store that has employed just about every member of the Stender family except for Jose and me...well, I guess I did help Doug out a time or two but I DIDN'T GET PAID FOR IT! Just out of the goodness and kindness of my heart....

Jose is in a traveling youth soccer team and they have been practicing for their first game this week. Doug signed Jose up but, yesterday, before a parent's meeting I was to attend, Doug said he didn't know if the size he signed Jose up for would actually fit him. In the first place, Jose has grown. He's as tall as if not taller than me. And secondly, Doug doesn't know sizes.

When the coach handed out uniforms last night, he called Jose's name, said adult small and looked doubtful! He told Jose to put on the uniform right there so we could check the size and it fit. No, it's not skin hugging but we don't want me to wash it at all for his roughly two month season. Me, the ever loving shrinker would surely get that thing down another size or two if I tried to clean it! So I won't me washing it. Afterall, why DID they make febreeze if not for such cases?!

Okay, all you moms out there, I AM just kidding! Not by much, though.

Wayne and Nancy had a nice day out for their third anniversary! They went to Fargo to visit some coffee shops and to see their friends, Tom and Kelly. Doug and I had Breiden and Kian for the evening. What a night of joy. Kian, though, grew very tired of grandma and grandpa and wanted mom and dad...especially mom because she could feed him. We talked for quite a while and Breiden pulled all the kleenix out of a brand new box I'd just opened. Nancy gasped. I told her this way we don't have to go through all the bother of pullling the kleenix out ourselves!

They did enjoy their time together.

Wayne did a lot of the painting of our house. It looks sooo much better now. What a fresh coat of paint can do....And JP came over last night to help with some fans we want to get in the attic. Ahhh. older homes. They are a handyman's joy. At least someone is pleased with all the work!

I got the annuals planted. I figured since it is June, the chances are good it might not snow again this summer. Of course, who thought we'd have that BIG snow in April!