CABIN FEVER!

This is what happens to Team Utzig when living on the frozen tundra keeps you inside to long. Add music, a 70's wig from Halloween a few years back, and there you have it...craziness! Let's hope, for our own sanity, that Spring isn't to far away!

Packer Fan???

Grandpa U. & Great Uncle Roger - this one's for you. Sam's blood usually runs Vikings purple. He received this shirt as a gift a while ago. He decided that since the Pack is headed to the Super Bowl, it might be okay to support them. On Sam's way out the door to school he said "I can't BELIEVE I'm WEARING this!!" He did get a little ribbing at school for it. However, he's not the only one whose blood might be getting a twinge of gold & green in, if only for a couple weeks anyway!

HoliDAZE

Sam will cream me when he finds out I put the first photo up on the blog...oh well!! This was how we were when we took our Christmas tree down...perhaps one to many late nights or perhaps we're just CRAZY!

On the last day of school before Christmas vacation, Sam's 4th grade class made tied blankets for sick kids in the hospital. He told us he would like to show us how to make one. Summer heard that and wanted one too. Coach Mom decided making these would be a nice keepsake, and good time sucker project for the kids to tackle. Off to the store we went where the kids each picked two flannel fabrics. Sam picked footballs in brown tones for one, and all different sports balls for the other. Summer picked soccer balls for one and princess' for the other. Once we got home, we spread them out on the floor. Sam showed us how to cut, & then tie them together. Sam did his completely on his own...took quite a while but he stuck with it and did a good job. The kids both like their blankets, especially Summer, and are proud of the work they did. They wanted me to show them off to you.

Hope you can stay warm in these Winter days. If you need help in that department, I know two kids that will take blanket orders!

Snapshots of Christmas 2010

Team Utzig had a nice Christmas 2010. We kicked off our Christmas Eve by celebrating His birth at Celebrate Church. We love our church and are so thankful for God leading us to it! Anyway, after the service it was present time. A couple of the biggest "hits" were Summer's pillow pet - a blue dolphin. (Her favorite color is blue, favorite animal the dolphin...this thing was meant for her!) Sam loved his book for his baseball/football card collections and a new Tim Tebow poster. (Tim is a Bronco, not a Viking, yet he is a Christian & a good role model in the sea of not-so-great-ones in sports.) The kids seem to enjoy "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" & "Fan Favorite Sports" Wii games. Let's just say that by watching Summer drive her go-kart & dirt bike in this sports game we won't be handing over keys to a brand new car when she turns 16. She likes to go fast and thinks it's funny to run into things!

After presents it is time to get cozy downstairs by the fireplace. We bring a mattress out on the floor, eat lots of snacks, watch "The Polar Express" and fall asleep happy and all together.

Christmas morning we headed for G & G Utzig for more fun. We not only celebrated Christmas with them but also their 40th Wedding Anniversary. Summer and Grandma played dress-up, Sam & the guys watched football. You'll see a photo of S & S with their Great-grandparents who have been married 60 + years, and them sitting with 2 of their 4 cousins that live in the Twin Cities.

We are thankful for time to visit family, good roads for traveling, health for everyone, and most of all just time together to make memories, and remember who and what is important. Hope you liked our little peak into our holiday.

Sometimes Christmas Makes Me Cry

At my job this past week, I've wished my customer's a "Merry Christmas" when I was done with their transaction. As we are approaching Christmas Eve & Day; with excitement in the air over Christmas vacation, presents, making memories, etc. it occurred to me for many Christmas may not be so "Merry."

Is there an empty seat at your Christmas Dinner table this year? Do you have a loved one serving in the military? A strained relationship with someone? A loved one that has passed away? Someone close to you battling illness? Is it hard to sometimes find joy in the holiday?

A young (32 years old) mother, from the church we attended in Willmar, passed away from a long battle with cancer a couple days ago. She leaves behind a husband and a young son. My brother-in-law, Kevin, had his Mom pass away a few years back. I believe her funeral was on Christmas Eve.

The holidays can be about toys, togetherness, but also tears. This week as we gather together with friends and family, let's try to remember those that may be mourning, are alone, or can't shake being "down" and say a prayer for them. May God's love, peace, and joy fill up our hearts and minds as we try to focus on the birth of God's Son and having a real "Merry" Christmas.

Boy Time

Last Friday Sam had his belated 10th birthday party. In October, Sam's real birthday month, we asked him what he'd like to do with his buddies for a party...Sam picked tubing at Great Bear (a GREAT tubing/skiing area here.) Since there wasn't any snow in October we decided to wait until December. If truth be told, the snow the boys tubed on was man-made since we hadn't had any measureable snow fall yet this year. (That all changed in a day - got 8 inches on Saturday!) Anyway, after pizza, presents, and tubing til 10pm all the guys headed home. Sam had a great time and we hope the other guys did too. The coaches of Team Utzig sure enjoy these guys and it is a pleasure watching their friendships grow along with their height and shoe sizes!! Thanks for checking in!

Gingerbread House Day

Last Friday was a big day for the Kindergarten kids...Gingerbread House Day! 5 years ago I remember doing this with Sam, now it was Summer's turn. The kids were soooo excited to have a parent or grandparent at school to help with this project. There are some very creative people out there as their gingerbread houses were outstanding. Us girls just had fun being together, getting messy, and sneaking a sweet treat once and a while. Along with our finished house and Summer's photo, is a picture of Sum's best bed Grace. They are having a super Kindergarten year together and have a wonderful group of little friends...we are so thankful! Hope you liked these "sweet" photos!