2019 Misty Run Wildlife

We used to see so much wildlife in our backyard, but there's just not much habitat remaining sadly.  Literally 100s of houses have been built in the few square miles around our home since we moved in just six years ago.  

This year, I was only able to capture a shot of a rabbit on our doorstep, a turtle on our driveway (that had both Buster and Linds on edge), and a deer near our pond.

SKOL

Just me, S and Burnsy taking in a Vikes game...

Grand View Lodge

This year's GVL trip overlapped exactly with our good friends', the Kiesers, annual vacation tradition as well.  Same standard stops at Ski Gull, the GVL ice rink and pool, Big Axe and the Chocolate Ox... but with twice the fun!

Sporty Spice

I'm not sure how this one does it, but S finds a way to play her heart out with both rec hockey and hoops, and in just a few days will be adding travel basketball into the mix.  

Here are back to back shots of #15 and #6 playing games on the ice and court, respectively, just hours apart.

Our Xmas

Santa was kind the the Backer family again this year...

Matching ties, purses, Harry Potter and NBA bedding, books, bully sticks, gaming chairs... oh my!

(After a quick stop to the ER to put seven stitches in my Dad's hand after a box-cutter injury opening a dog toy, that is).

Xmas with G'Pa Tom

Arcade, laser tag, also too many gifts, and brews at Unmapped...

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays from our family to yours...

Xmas with Nana

Sledding, skating, NFL football, too many presents and a happy hour at Backer's Bar...

Happy 43rd

A ho-hum birthday day given the holiday hustle & bustle, but an amazing start with breakfast in bed with these three!

Play Where the Pros Play

  

E's 5-2 squad go to participate in an NBA "Play Where the Pros Play" day, playing a game on the Timberwolves court vs. Minnetonka... complete with lights out introductions, announcers, the jumbotron scoreboard, use of the T-Wolves bench, and unlimited Gatorade.

The girls were all smiles and electric with excitement.  Quite the unforgettable experience.

Afterwards, the team grabbed dinner at Rock Bottom and caught about half of the Wolves/Pelicans game before crashing hard and heading home for one final day of school before the holiday break.

Rockstar

S negotiated to make the switch from piano to guitar this year.  She won't admit to liking it, but deep down I think she's pretty proud of her skills on the strings.

Here's her performance of the Surfaris' Wipe Out at her first recital.

D.A.R.E.

E and girlfriends at their D.A.R.E. graduation.  Her pledge was video-recorded and will be played before she leaves the house every day in high school.

Chanhassen Basketball Tournament

Another trophy for E's 5-2 goofballs.  Getting better every week.

Minnetonka Holiday Classic

E's 5-2 hoops squad went 3-1, losing in the championship to a tough, tough A team from Roseville in their best game of the season.  They rallied back from a 22-6 deficit, tying the game with a baseline three by Evie with under a minute to play, ultimately losing by one after two good looks rimmed in & out in the final seconds.

Fun game.  Fun squad.

Thin ice

Buster, looking very uncomfortable with the girls' decision to test the (hardly frozen) waters of Fish Lake

Vegas

Crazy high airfare and even crazier family calendars threw a wrinkle into this year's Misty Run Men's Viking Road Trip and had us in Vegas watching from the Sports Book versus in the unfriendly confines of a road opponent.

The Vikes lost a big game to the Seahawks, and Gophs lost a bigger one to the Badgers, the temps were in uncharacteristically low (in the 40s) and the blackjack, Pai Gow and poker tables weren't terribly friendly... but we managed to find a way to have a good time!

Thanksgiving

Punch Bowl Social with Grandpa Tom, Fairmont with Nana and working off the calories at the FHS Alumni Tournament with the Team 1990s (check out the reduction in speed of the game in this photo).

First gold

E's 5-2 (B) hoops team kicked off their season with a 1st place finish at Eden Prairie's Kickoff Classic!

This team is the third year together for this squad, and their first "gold" finish.  The next weekend they "played up" in an A tournament and were within a bucket of the state's #2 5th grade A team (Chanhassen) with four minutes to play (yes, they rank teams at this age... I know).  I'm so proud of the work these girls have put it and happy to see it paying off in ways that mean something to them.

Things are really starting to click for this crew.  It's going to be a fun season!

5th & 3rd grade

School photos.  Fall 2019.  E (5th Grade) & S (3rd).

Season tip-off

The 2019 hoops season kicked off with Sawyer's rec squad.  She's got a pretty good team... but yikes, it is TOUGH to go back to rec (temporarily, that is, she can return to travel in January) after playing travel last year.  

Fun to see her showing patience, fine-tuning some basics and working on her assists game.  This said, the season may be ugly.  Game one her squad won 52-3 (in six minute, running time quarters).

Back on the ice

Hockey season returns and S couldn't be happier to be flying around the ice, and into one other, with her buddies.  

Ready, down, hut, hut, hut, hut, hut, hut, hut, hut...

Never thought I'd be playing my original favorite video game (Tecmo Bowl) against my own daughter 30 years after first falling in love with it.  S was not impressed with the graphics, play selection or speed of the game, but humored me and thought she was hysterical when stealing plays.  smh

I bet I played that game over 1000 times primarily against my brother, Adam and Jay over a two year period.  

Veteran's Day

E's North Woods Elementary choir put on a remarkably powerful Veteran's Day memorial service for loved ones past and present of the school's students and staff.  The Corcoran, MN VFW chapter provided the Color Guard and offered a few words about what being a veteran meant and were honored alongside vet parents and grandparents in attendance.  Among the names on the stars on the back wall were E & S's great grandfather Cal, grandpa Bob and Uncle Ozzie.

We're #5!

On November 9, the undefeated #17 ranked Minnesota Gophers hosted, and BEAT, the #9 Penn State Nittany Lions in what was the biggest Gopher football game of my lifetime.  The Gophs early lead and dominance slipped in the second half and the game wasn't sealed until a final minute goal line interception by Jordan Howden.  Pandemonium ensued.  Fans rushed the field. Celebrate bumped across the PA system.

A great day to be a Gopher.  Rah!

Halloween

Man, we've come a loooong way from princess-themed Halloweens.  I'm not exactly sure what this year's costumes were... something bloody, creepy, zombie and sport-oriented.  

I mean, even the dog is creeped out!