On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!!!

Our loyal fans were with to cheer us on...
Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of Nolan's race...those camera batteries go dead at all the wrong times. At least you can see his number in this picture.

Mike took 15th place overall with a time of 20:26

I placed 71st overall with a time of 24:17

Denell ran with Jenny (their daycare provider)...Way to go ladies!!!

What a beautiful night for a run. Both Mike and I, along with approximately 350 other participants ran the Mayor's 5K run in Sartell this evening. It was fun to see so many people we knew and compete on a course we're very familiar with. Nolan proudly earned his third medal tonight. He did an awesome job and continues to get stronger every time he races. After the race we all enjoyed pizza, pop, and music in the park.

All Smiles

There is nothing to this Lilly...just look how cool I am!

I can continue pretending to be a princess with my pearly whites.

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to the dentist we go...this marks our first field trip of the summer. Both Nolan and Lilly had dentist appointments today, and for Lilly it was her first. So, it was a little like a field trip for her. She not only got to see where Grandma Cindy works, but had the opportunity to sit in the big dentist chair and see how all the tools worked.

Both kids did remarkably well. Nolan proudly showed Lilly how it was done by going first. (He even knew to tell the dentist that he only had 19 teeth when she came in to count them.) Lilly bravely followed her big brother and grinned the entire time she sat in the chair. She felt very grown up and was very excited to pick out prizes from the treat basket at the end of the appointment. They were all smiles from the minute we walked in until the minute we left. This of course made me smile too...not to mention the fact that neither of them had cavities. :)

Raspberry Ridge 2009

Raspberry Ridge was the perfect place to start my summer vacation. Fifteen of my lady friends headed north for a two day scrapbooking getaway. After a crazy spring and the end of another school year, I was ready to relax and be creative. I managed to create 26 pages while I was there. It isn't a record breaking amount, but I also took time to relax so I wouldn't go home completely exhausted. We all had a wonderful time.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Up! Up! and Away!

The kids had a "high-flying" time today! Celina and I took the kids to see UP! in 3D. It was fun to see them react to the special effects and laugh at the funny parts. They enjoyed their treats and spending time together.

It's Official

Faith is not believing that God can...

It is knowing God will.

God provides...Faith is what it took to get this house. I had to believe that things would work out the way they were intended to. God has a plan for our family. Evidently, building on the property we purchased close to four years ago was not part of the plan. When I look at the path God is leading us down, I can see that this is going to be perfect for our family.

It's official... this house on 21st Ave. N. in Sartell will become the Houghton Household on July 31, 2009. From the moment I drove by it, my heart knew. The process of owning it took a little longer than my nerves could stand, but with lots of praying and faith I knew that in the end it would work out they way it was suppose to.

The kids are excited about the thought of having their own bedrooms. Mike is excited about having a recreational basement, and I am excited about everything. We put in our vacancy notice and plan to move the first weekend in August. We plan to do a little painting, carpet cleaning, and various other small projects before the "big" move.

We've visited with several of the neighbors already and were delighted to hear there are eight boys all starting kindergarten within the neighborhood. Nolan already knows several of them and is excited about making new friends. One of Lilly's little preschool friends also lives nearby, along with several other girls her age. Mike ran into a running buddy and was told there is a running group that meets for workouts, and I was warmly welcomed into a neighborhood book club.

There is no doubt in my mind that we are going to be happy here. It is clear that God loves us!

Too Cute

These pictures of Lilly make me smile. Last year I couldn't get her to wear a dress, and now...that's all she'll wear. When she put this one on, she got up on my bed and twirled in front of the mirror. Her eyes began to sparkle and a smile spread across her face signifying just how pretty she felt. She looked so cute that I had to take her outside and get a few photos. Too cute!

Outwit, Outlast, Outplay

We are "Survivors" of another school year! Our staff gathered at Great River Bowl for a night of fun on Thursday. Many of the grade level teams came dressed in spirit wear to bid another year good-bye. The "Survivor" theme was perfect for our grade level... by the end of May, most of us can say that we're exhausted and ready for summer vacation. I love my job, don't get me wrong...it's just that June, July, and August make me love it even more. Our team did not score the most points, but I think we were in the running for having the most fun. I feel so lucky to be working with such wonderful teachers and friends!

I Remember

I remember family traditions and homemade bouja.

I remember you whispering in my ear that I was special every time you hugged me.

On Memorial Day, we not only get to sleep in late (unfortunately my kids haven't learned this yet), have the day off, and go to potlucks and picnics, but more importantly we get to remember all those who are with our heavenly Father.

The kids were delighted to hear they didn't have to go to daycare today and that they got an extra day at home with mom and dad. After explaining the reason we got to stay home, Nolan was very curious...as always. We discussed those who have served and are serving in the war for our country, along with grandparents we miss dearly.

Our family had a great day. We spent the morning playing and getting caught up around the house. Great Grandma met us for lunch at Jimmy's...we took a long afternoon nap....swam with some friends before dinner...and had a yummy summer meal this evening. It was a perfect day!

It doesn't take a special day out of the year to remember my grandparents and relatives who are in heaven...it takes moments. Life is full of moments that remind me of them, and for this I am thankful. Nothing can take away the memories I have with my grandparents. They hold a very special place in my heart. I remember big events like summer vacations, sleep-overs, cooking lessons, card games, shopping, movies and popcorn ...to small details like suspenders, their laugh, high fives, their smile, mannerisms, and hugs. I remember their hands...hardworking and tender loving. Teaching hands, encouraging hands and hands that picked me up when I was down. Most importantly, I remember how much I loved them...and how much they loved me. You will never be forgotten.

Apple Duathalon

Since 1999, Mike has participated in the Apple Duathalon race here in Sartell. This race has changed a little over the years, but has remained popular for many athletes. This year's event hosted approximately 450 runners and bikers from 27 different states. Many elite athletes compete in the 5K Run-33K Bike-5K Run because it is a National qualifier for other big-wig triathalons.

This race brings back a lot of memories for Mike: racing with his two best friends from high school (Jon K. and Charlie S.), running it individually and on relay teams, winning a $1600 bike during one of the drawings, and blowing a tire in the middle of the 33K bike ride.

This was my second successful Apple Duathalon as well. Jeni Schad and I did a relay in 2005 (the year between Nolan and Lilly) and placed 2nd in the Female Relay Division. We had to tease the guys because we were awarded a "granite apple" on our first attempt. Not even sure what our time was that year, but it was pretty exhilarating.

We were both excited to participate today. The weather was near perfect. Cool, but not too cold and sunny. There was a little more wind than I think most would have liked, but we all had a stretch with it at our backs. Mike had intentions of competing alone this year, but at the last minute Jon K. and himself created a dynamite duo. Mike is a strong runner as many of you know, and Jon is a stellar biker. They had an outstanding race and ended up placing 2nd in the Male Relay Division with a time of 1:39.00 They finished 4th out of 40 relay teams and about 84th overall.

I ran on a relay team as well. One of their guys friends who is also a biker needed a runner. So, on Wednesday of last week, Mike called me and told me I was running the race too. Matt and I had a lot of fun and did pretty well too. We finished in the middle for relay teams with an overall time of 2:02. I ran my first 5k in 25:07 and my second one in 27:10.

We celebrated with the House of Pizza Fit Club after the race. Thanks Charlie and Jeni for hosting your annual BBQ. (Your BBQ is another great memory.) Congrats to all our friends who participated. And a special thank-you to my Dad and Mary for coming to help us with the kids and cheering us on.

House Hunting

Mike and I have been putting the whole house thing on hold this spring for numerous reasons. First of all, it is no surprise to anyone...the ECONOMY! Secondly, the floor plan I designed last summer is proving to cost a lot of money. No more than we expected really, but A LOT more than buying an existing home in this buyer's market. Enjoying apartment life is another reason we held off. Who wouldn't like to get out of shoveling, yard work, and constant home repairs to enjoy a pool, heated garage, community rooms and fitness center? Lastly, just because we could! There has been no pressure to do anything. We consider ourselves lucky because we are in a perfect position to just go with the flow.

About two weeks ago, Mike and I had a serious conversation about this situation. What was it we really wanted? Of course the thought of my dream home on Mike's dream land was still appealing, but after much discussion we decided it might not be the "smart" thing to do. So, we settled on keeping an open mind and scoping out houses for sale in Sartell. I warned him that I would be very picky, because I not only drew up my house plan and knew what I wanted, but because we could be. We had actually gone through about a dozen houses before moving into the apartment, just in case we could avoid apartment life all together. Obviously, we had no luck. Mike claims he could move into just about anything...and pretty much lets me choose which houses to tour.

So, on the Internet I went looking to see what was placed on the market since last November. To my amazement, I found eight in our price range that I thought would be worth our time. Mike contacted our trusty realtor about showing times. These are the houses we walked through:

This rambler sits on a nice lot with several full grown trees in the back yard. It had a lot of perks, but we didn't get the feeling we wanted when we toured it.

When we walked up to this house, I thought it was going to be the one. The yard and landscaping were beautiful. The open entry and kitchen were also very nice. A theater room, deck, and granite counter tops made it almost perfect...until, we walked upstairs. The bedrooms were extremely over decorated for my taste. A lot of remodeling would have been needed before moving in.

This house has nice curb appeal...but that is about it. Not impressed with the layout and odd paint colors. We pretty much walked in and out of this one.

This house sat on a corner lot with a pond in the backyard. It was brand new and that was something that attracted us to it. The inside had many unique touches that made it quite charming. Even though it was new, it needed more work. A lot of paint touch ups, closet hardware, washer/dryer, deck, sprinkler system and yard were some things we would have had to do prior to moving in. The location wasn't our favorite either.

This house was also brand new. It was on the Parade of Homes a while back, and I remembered it being a rambler and built by a well known builder. When we toured it, we were very disappointed. A lot of touch ups would have needed to be done. The floor plan was a little choppy and not quite what we were looking for.

This beautiful two story home over looked a pond. When you were on the deck, it almost felt like you were sitting out on a lake. The inside was also very charming. Many very unique characteristics made it appealing...unfortunately, a little impractical... at least for our family. There was evidence of a dog as the hardwood floors were very worn.

Loved the neighborhood and how clean this home was. It had a lot of space with the bonus room above the garage, but the floor plan wasn't quite what we were looking for either. Not sure the formal dining room would get used and the house sat on a lot that was so so.

http://www.wampach.com/Nav.aspx/Page=http://www.justsnooping.com/tours/2500470/

This final home is a story in itself. It actually began about five years ago...it was about five years ago, when Mike and I drove through this neighborhood looking for land to purchase. I was in love with the wooded lots, but Mike wasn't in love with the price. They were asking $160,000 for a single lot. When we came across the acreage we currently own for about the same price, it was a no brainer...in Mike's mind that is. Most guys dream about owning land, I on the other hand, am a city girl. The idea did grow on me as we started discussing an ideal floor plan and all that the country had to offer.

I felt it was in my best interest to drive by each of the eight homes we wanted to see prior to the showings... just to get the first impression part over with.

In all honesty, when I drove by this one, I got a very nervous, excited stomach. Here sat a house on one of the lots I wanted five years ago! I went straight home and called our realtor and told him that I thought I found our house. He chuckled at my intuition and sadly told me he wouldn't be able to get me in until our scheduled Wednesday showing. This was painful news, because it meant I would have to wait six days!!! So I surfed the Internet and viewed more pictures of homes. At that time, I came across a list of Open Houses for the weekend. Yes, you guessed it...this one was scheduled to be open on Sunday from 12:00-1:30.

I barely made it to the Open House, but managed to squeeze in five minutes before it was over. I did a quick walk through and thanked the realtor for his time. When he asked me what I thought, I told him the only thing I could find wrong with it was deciding which child would reside in which bedroom. I played it pretty cool with Mike when I got home, because he often thinks I rush on things and am easily excited. In three days, he would see it for himself.

This happened to be one of the last homes we toured on Wednesday. I was very anxious to see what Mike thought. The minute we walked in the front door, he was impressed with the white walls, wood work, windows, and open floor plan. The house was very clean and well taken care of. He was pleased with the bonus room, jetted whirlpool tub in the master bath, and heated floors in the basement. He was also happy to see a bar and rec. area in the basement. The icing on the cake was the screened in porch that overlooked a huge "wooded" backyard.

He could see us living there...just like I could. We both knew that this house was move in ready and could be made ours.
Another bonus: the price had just been reduced. It was $30,000 less than when I toured it during the open house just days before.

We worked with our realtor and placed an offer on it today. With only one counter offer, we came to an agreement. We even managed to get the hot-tub that sits out on their screened in porch and the beautiful pool table. We need to schedule the inspection and finish up with one financing piece before it's official. The bottle of champagne will sit in the fridge until it is all said and done.