Showing posts with label Kathy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kathy. Show all posts
Thursday, June 14, 2012
A very important announcement...
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
A memorable Memorial weekend
It was worth all the planning to be able to get together again with the Bytnar & Landmark families at Lake Hendricks. In typical Memorial weekend fashion, the weather sometimes was fabulous and sometimes not so much. However, the 6 adults along with our 6 children, made the most of the precious time we had together.
Of course, the primary focus for Sherri, Kathy and me was to catch up on our napkin lists. Our napkin lists are vitally important because the lists allow us to really listen to each other without forgetting to share our "need to know" information. I think the napkin lists are how we stay close together even though we live far apart!
We are doubly blessed in that our husbands work pretty hard to make sure we get the girlfriend time we
need. Much of the meal prep and kid entertainment can be credited to them!
One of my favorite moments was when Ryan came into the house after fishing most of the day and exclaimed with wonder, "You guys are STILL talking!?!"
Yup, that is how we roll, a gab-fest, 24/7!!
Lake fun was had by the kids and the men. Two boats were going and 9 lines were constantly being monitored. I believe the competition was on, but I have to be honest and admit, I didn't pay much attention to the details. I just looked at the smiling faces and constant chatter and teasing going on and knew everyone was living the moment.
There was one competition that I did pay attention to and that was the Scavenger Hunt that the kids teamed up on. Abby & Rachel surprised everyone with their first place finish. The surprise is that they happen to be the slowest of the 6, yet pulled off the WIN. Kippy and Drake came in 2nd with Darian and Ryan a close third. It was fun that the kids all kept their sense of adventure and really got into it.
And to continue tradition, we had a photo shoot of the RAD pack (Rachel, Ryan, Abby, Angelique, Drake & Darian). Love those kids to pieces!
And when the girls got tired of fishing, we all got busy crafting. Several types of fabric flowers were creatively made along with some necklaces. Pssst... I think the guys were secretly wanting to join in with us!
Of course, the primary focus for Sherri, Kathy and me was to catch up on our napkin lists. Our napkin lists are vitally important because the lists allow us to really listen to each other without forgetting to share our "need to know" information. I think the napkin lists are how we stay close together even though we live far apart!
need. Much of the meal prep and kid entertainment can be credited to them!
One of my favorite moments was when Ryan came into the house after fishing most of the day and exclaimed with wonder, "You guys are STILL talking!?!"
Yup, that is how we roll, a gab-fest, 24/7!!
Thanks so much for the fun at your Lake, Tom, Sherri, Rachel & Ryan!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
18 hrs with my bestie!
So grateful for the time I got to squeeze in with my Kathy while she was at a business conference in Minneapolis. I arrived downtown about mid afternoon on Saturday, September 17th, just as she was finishing up her last meeting.
We did some shopping, ate lunch and walked around downtown.
Then we had a slumber party in Kathy's fabulous hotel room complete with grapes, brie, crackers and wine. Of course, we stayed up late talking and catching up since we hadn't seen each since last October (nearly a YEAR!). So much to share and so little time.
We were up early Sunday morning and I got Kathy off to the airport in time so she could get back to her family. It was so hard to say good-bye after such a short time, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. We only had 18 hrs together, but it was as important as breathing to me.
I love MY Kathy!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The birthday boots
I got these awesome boots while shopping with two of my besties at Kohl's in Sioux Falls on my birthday (Oct 15th)... with birthday money from my MIL... so they are officially my "birthday boots". Little did I know what adventures I would end up having with my birthday boots just one week later on October 21. Here is how that went down (literally).
I chose to wear my new birthday boots for the first time on our way to Greeley, CO on Thursday, October 21st. We actually departed from Sioux Falls by 6:00 AM, where we had spent the night with one of my oldest friends from college and her three kids. Needless to say, by the time we reached Greeley 10 hours later, we all had a serious case of seat-butt. As soon as we pulled into the Bytnar's driveway at 3:00 PM, Kippy, Abby & I hopped into Kathy's vehicle to go pick up Darian from school as a surprise. By then, my boots had been in 3 states in one day... SD, NE & CO, yet I hadn't even walked more than one block in total in them. The surprise pick-up of Darian was a success and we went back to the Bytnar household.
Kathy asked if I wanted to go for a walk before supper and of course, I was all up for that... 1. I would get some visiting time in with MYKathy. 2. The prospect of moving after sitting for so long sounded blissful.
I told Kathy I would quick go change into my tennie-shoes. I grabbed some bags and headed downstairs to the guest bedroom, but not before Kathy said, "Let me help you with those bags." I refused because I felt I had it under control and both hands were equally balanced, so no help needed, right? I quickly headed down the steps and made it to the first landing, turned and started down the remaining steps. Since my hands were full of bags, I wasn't using the railing and I was still wearing my birthday boots. This is where things get a little fuzzy. I believe I was about 3 or 4 steps from the bottom and the heel of my left boot caught on the carpet. It just caused a slight tug, but it was enough to throw my balance off and with the downward momentum I basically launched off the stairs. I landed with a jarring splat onto the cork flooring at the base of the steps. Kathy heard the sound and at first thought I had dropped one of my bags. I heard her call out, "Renae, are you ok?" but my breath was knocked out of me and I couldn't answer. In fact, I didn't feel like I could even move at all. I was face down and my left cheek and jaw were on fire. My first thought was my teeth. I moved my tongue around and thankfully didn't feel any fragments. My second thought was my cheek bone. While still laying face down, I brought my right hand to feel my left cheek. It felt ok, but my hand was full of blood and I didn't have any idea where it was coming from. Kathy was now beside me and Abby was right behind her. Kathy told Abby to go get Steve, who was out on the patio with Reno. I was responding as best as I could to Kathy's questions. She moved the bags out of the way. I could feel a warm pool of blood under the left side of my face, which began to make me very dizzy with tunnel vision. Steve quickly came to help out and when he had me lift my head he said, "We need to get her to the ER." I still wasn't sure what was bleeding and I felt so very light headed. I saw Abby's face and her eyes were big with fear. I told her I was fine and it didn't hurt. Steve said it was my chin that was bleeding. Steve & Kathy worked quickly to clean me up enough to sit up without letting me see too much of the red stuff.
The game plan was hatched. Kathy would be the one to take me to Urgent care since she knew the way. I told Steve to stay with the kids because one helper was enough. Steve kindly took this picture just before we departed to the ER.
Together, we waited at Urgent Care. We messed around taking pictures and basically tried to keep me distracted. Things were going pretty smooth, until the nurse asked to see the wound. I moved the washcloth/icepack combo for her to look at it. She checked it out and then very seriously told me, "I have to tell you not to drink anything because you have a hole and it will go right through." I turned and looked at Kathy, with my eyes wide in fear. Then the nurse patted my leg and said she was just kidding. NOT the best joke I have ever heard.
Once I filled out the appropriate paperwork and waited until it was my turn, I was directed to an exam room. Kathy was busy texting between Reno and Steve (Rupe) on the progress. The guys and kids were taking bets on how many stitches I would get. Truly I had a lot of laughs during this process. I think the nurse and Dr. both wanted to come hang out with us.
Can't believe that I was only in the Bytnar's house for 5 minutes after a nearly 900 mile trip and did this to myself. One thing for certain is that I was very glad it was me and not anyone else. I am sure my heart would have stopped beating if I would have come upon someone laying at the bottom of the stairs in a pool of blood. Just saying.
The Dr. was really very nice. When she found out there were bets on the number of stitches, she asked us not to tell her the number so that she wouldn't be biased. I will have to admit my chin didn't hurt at all until the Novocaine shots were administered. Then I became very, very aware of my chin. IT BURNED LIKE FIRE! This was my first injury requiring stitches. I have had stitches for 4 different moles I have had removed, but I don't remember the Novocaine burning in the same way. Of course, I had stitches post-childbirth, but my memory of that is really fuzzy too. My first thought was about Kippy. She was 5 when she had cut the back of her head and gotten 2 stitches. I felt bad that I wasn't sympathetic enough when she had the Novocaine shots. {Sorry, Kippy!}
The total number of stitches was 7. Steve had guessed 5, so he was the closest in the betting pool. I told the Dr. it would be really fun if she would just throw her hands up in the air after tying the last knot, like at the rodeo when cowboys finish tying the calf's legs. Yup - I think random things during traumatizing events.
Kathy & I never did get to go on a walk. I do want to credit Kathy for staying calm thus keeping me calm. I came close, but never fainted, so that is an improvement for me. Poor Kathy, this is the second time we have gotten together this year and the second time she has had to deal with my blood aversion this year as well.
Everything in my body hurt much worse the next morning. Bruises showed up on my elbows, right rib cage and on my left hand. There must have been all kinds of flailing going on when I fell. I kind of wish I could see what happened on a hidden camera or something. The best I can piece together for a lesson learned is DO NOT WEAR YOUR BOOTS IN SOMEONE'S HOUSE. I really don't know why I hadn't taken those boots off right when I came in the door. I think it was because I was thinking that they were new and not dirty and I was in a hurry to change my shoes and so excited to be there after the drive, basically I wasn't even thinking straight.
2 days post injury... swelling had gone down more. The big joke was that I looked like the lunch lady with my 14 black whiskers sticking out of my chin because all you could see is the stitches from under my chin.
5 days post injury and right after having the stitches removed by my girl HH.
Who would have thought these birthday boots would be the cause of so much chaos? I am sure my scar will last much longer than the fabled boots.
I chose to wear my new birthday boots for the first time on our way to Greeley, CO on Thursday, October 21st. We actually departed from Sioux Falls by 6:00 AM, where we had spent the night with one of my oldest friends from college and her three kids. Needless to say, by the time we reached Greeley 10 hours later, we all had a serious case of seat-butt. As soon as we pulled into the Bytnar's driveway at 3:00 PM, Kippy, Abby & I hopped into Kathy's vehicle to go pick up Darian from school as a surprise. By then, my boots had been in 3 states in one day... SD, NE & CO, yet I hadn't even walked more than one block in total in them. The surprise pick-up of Darian was a success and we went back to the Bytnar household.Kathy asked if I wanted to go for a walk before supper and of course, I was all up for that... 1. I would get some visiting time in with MYKathy. 2. The prospect of moving after sitting for so long sounded blissful.
I told Kathy I would quick go change into my tennie-shoes. I grabbed some bags and headed downstairs to the guest bedroom, but not before Kathy said, "Let me help you with those bags." I refused because I felt I had it under control and both hands were equally balanced, so no help needed, right? I quickly headed down the steps and made it to the first landing, turned and started down the remaining steps. Since my hands were full of bags, I wasn't using the railing and I was still wearing my birthday boots. This is where things get a little fuzzy. I believe I was about 3 or 4 steps from the bottom and the heel of my left boot caught on the carpet. It just caused a slight tug, but it was enough to throw my balance off and with the downward momentum I basically launched off the stairs. I landed with a jarring splat onto the cork flooring at the base of the steps. Kathy heard the sound and at first thought I had dropped one of my bags. I heard her call out, "Renae, are you ok?" but my breath was knocked out of me and I couldn't answer. In fact, I didn't feel like I could even move at all. I was face down and my left cheek and jaw were on fire. My first thought was my teeth. I moved my tongue around and thankfully didn't feel any fragments. My second thought was my cheek bone. While still laying face down, I brought my right hand to feel my left cheek. It felt ok, but my hand was full of blood and I didn't have any idea where it was coming from. Kathy was now beside me and Abby was right behind her. Kathy told Abby to go get Steve, who was out on the patio with Reno. I was responding as best as I could to Kathy's questions. She moved the bags out of the way. I could feel a warm pool of blood under the left side of my face, which began to make me very dizzy with tunnel vision. Steve quickly came to help out and when he had me lift my head he said, "We need to get her to the ER." I still wasn't sure what was bleeding and I felt so very light headed. I saw Abby's face and her eyes were big with fear. I told her I was fine and it didn't hurt. Steve said it was my chin that was bleeding. Steve & Kathy worked quickly to clean me up enough to sit up without letting me see too much of the red stuff.
The game plan was hatched. Kathy would be the one to take me to Urgent care since she knew the way. I told Steve to stay with the kids because one helper was enough. Steve kindly took this picture just before we departed to the ER.
Together, we waited at Urgent Care. We messed around taking pictures and basically tried to keep me distracted. Things were going pretty smooth, until the nurse asked to see the wound. I moved the washcloth/icepack combo for her to look at it. She checked it out and then very seriously told me, "I have to tell you not to drink anything because you have a hole and it will go right through." I turned and looked at Kathy, with my eyes wide in fear. Then the nurse patted my leg and said she was just kidding. NOT the best joke I have ever heard.
Once I filled out the appropriate paperwork and waited until it was my turn, I was directed to an exam room. Kathy was busy texting between Reno and Steve (Rupe) on the progress. The guys and kids were taking bets on how many stitches I would get. Truly I had a lot of laughs during this process. I think the nurse and Dr. both wanted to come hang out with us.Can't believe that I was only in the Bytnar's house for 5 minutes after a nearly 900 mile trip and did this to myself. One thing for certain is that I was very glad it was me and not anyone else. I am sure my heart would have stopped beating if I would have come upon someone laying at the bottom of the stairs in a pool of blood. Just saying.
The Dr. was really very nice. When she found out there were bets on the number of stitches, she asked us not to tell her the number so that she wouldn't be biased. I will have to admit my chin didn't hurt at all until the Novocaine shots were administered. Then I became very, very aware of my chin. IT BURNED LIKE FIRE! This was my first injury requiring stitches. I have had stitches for 4 different moles I have had removed, but I don't remember the Novocaine burning in the same way. Of course, I had stitches post-childbirth, but my memory of that is really fuzzy too. My first thought was about Kippy. She was 5 when she had cut the back of her head and gotten 2 stitches. I felt bad that I wasn't sympathetic enough when she had the Novocaine shots. {Sorry, Kippy!}
The total number of stitches was 7. Steve had guessed 5, so he was the closest in the betting pool. I told the Dr. it would be really fun if she would just throw her hands up in the air after tying the last knot, like at the rodeo when cowboys finish tying the calf's legs. Yup - I think random things during traumatizing events.Kathy & I never did get to go on a walk. I do want to credit Kathy for staying calm thus keeping me calm. I came close, but never fainted, so that is an improvement for me. Poor Kathy, this is the second time we have gotten together this year and the second time she has had to deal with my blood aversion this year as well.
Everything in my body hurt much worse the next morning. Bruises showed up on my elbows, right rib cage and on my left hand. There must have been all kinds of flailing going on when I fell. I kind of wish I could see what happened on a hidden camera or something. The best I can piece together for a lesson learned is DO NOT WEAR YOUR BOOTS IN SOMEONE'S HOUSE. I really don't know why I hadn't taken those boots off right when I came in the door. I think it was because I was thinking that they were new and not dirty and I was in a hurry to change my shoes and so excited to be there after the drive, basically I wasn't even thinking straight.
2 days post injury... swelling had gone down more. The big joke was that I looked like the lunch lady with my 14 black whiskers sticking out of my chin because all you could see is the stitches from under my chin.
5 days post injury and right after having the stitches removed by my girl HH.Who would have thought these birthday boots would be the cause of so much chaos? I am sure my scar will last much longer than the fabled boots.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Colorado Trip Highlights {Part 3}
Saturday, October 23rd, was a perfect mix of something-for-everyone day. Kathy and I were the early birds on Saturday morning and took that opportunity to go for an enjoyable 4 mile jaunt in the cool 35 degree mountain air. Kathy kept me challenged because we talked the entire time we were running and I think the higher altitude added to me being a heavy-breather the whole way. My dream would be to have Kathy as my running partner EVERY day, but I'll take whatever time I can get. In addition to the company, another beautiful thing about being in Greeley this time of year is their trees were in full Fall color, while back in Fergus, we only had naked, bare trees. I got to extend my most favorite season on this vacation - lucky me!
By the time we got back, our hubbies were awake, while the kids were still snoozing. The four of us headed out to have breakfast at Starbucks. Can you say Pumpkin Spice Latte? Oh, my, what a perfect treat, plus you have to remember, there isn't a Starbucks within 50 miles of Fergus {GASP}! We returned from our caffeine-high just in time for Kathy to whip up a big breakfast for the kids.
We squeezed in some card-playing-time before lunch by playing Golf. Drake opted out, but I think after hearing the 7 of us laughing and carrying on, he secretly wished he would have played with us. Right, Drake?
I had to get a few pics in of these 4 fantastic kids together. They're all growing up WAY too fast {sniff, sniff}.
They are wonderful friends and for that, I am so grateful. The relationship these 4 have is truly a major reason we chose to spend our MEA weekend with the Bytnar Family.
After lunch, it was guys-only time. They loaded up in Stella, to take a drive up into the mountains to enjoy the scenery, but mostly to rev-up Stella through the hairpin switchbacks. Can you say testosterone? Vroom-vroom...
While the guys were doing their thing, we were getting in some quality girl-time in Loveland.
We kept the girls in suspense on the destination until we got to the movie theater, where we went to the movie Secretariat. We were nearly late, but the bonus was that we didn't have to sit through any boring previews. We had perfect seats for a heartwarming and wonderful movie. Seriously, my high for the day was being in that moment, sitting right where I was in the theater at Loveland. It wouldn't have mattered if the movie totally tanked (which it didn't). I turned and looked to my left and watched Abby, Darian & Kippy thoroughly engrossed in the movie and then turned to my right to see my Kathy. There I was sitting right beside my best friend, who I treasure so much. Talk about a blessing.
We did a little shopping after the movie... nothing like a little retail therapy to end a perfectly wonderful girls-only afternoon!
We switched from a girls-only and guys-only afternoon, to double-date night. The kids got to enjoy pizza, movies and hot-tub time at home, while the adults fancied up for an evening out.
In hindsight, I feel like we failed at taking pictures because !SNAP! - we looked good. The issue was cocktail hour at the Bytnar Tavern went a little too long and we had to rush like crazy in the end to get to our dinner reservation. I really wish I would have taken my camera along with that night just to document the moment. However, the important thing was we were there together and I did get this one pic of Kathy & I dressed up, so it is all good.
I wanted to stay up all night just to make our time together last longer, but the mean-old-sleep-monster put an end to that bright idea. We got up at the butt-crack of dawn and were on the road back to Fergus by 5:00 AM on Sunday.
The kids quickly settled back to sleep, while Steve & I had a chance to reflect on our time in Greeley.
I always have such a very hard time with goodbyes, but Kathy knows this. My girls know this and of course Steve knows it too. The tears seem to just flow and flow and have a life of their own. I am grateful for the time we do have together, really I am. I just get so emotional about when that time ends. I am so very appreciative for Steve driving us over 1700 in those 4 days. It was a wonderful vacation for sure with a lifetime of memories packed into it.
My Kathy...she is special to me, but the thing is she is special to Abby, Angelique and Steve, too. So I always call her MYKathy... just so my family knows I got special dibs on her.
I'm already mentally planning our next get-together in 2011, when we jointly celebrate our 20th anniversary with the Landmarks.
Thank you Bytnar family and a special thank you to Kathy, the events planner. IT WAS A 10!!
By the time we got back, our hubbies were awake, while the kids were still snoozing. The four of us headed out to have breakfast at Starbucks. Can you say Pumpkin Spice Latte? Oh, my, what a perfect treat, plus you have to remember, there isn't a Starbucks within 50 miles of Fergus {GASP}! We returned from our caffeine-high just in time for Kathy to whip up a big breakfast for the kids.
We squeezed in some card-playing-time before lunch by playing Golf. Drake opted out, but I think after hearing the 7 of us laughing and carrying on, he secretly wished he would have played with us. Right, Drake?
I had to get a few pics in of these 4 fantastic kids together. They're all growing up WAY too fast {sniff, sniff}.
They are wonderful friends and for that, I am so grateful. The relationship these 4 have is truly a major reason we chose to spend our MEA weekend with the Bytnar Family.
After lunch, it was guys-only time. They loaded up in Stella, to take a drive up into the mountains to enjoy the scenery, but mostly to rev-up Stella through the hairpin switchbacks. Can you say testosterone? Vroom-vroom...
While the guys were doing their thing, we were getting in some quality girl-time in Loveland.
We kept the girls in suspense on the destination until we got to the movie theater, where we went to the movie Secretariat. We were nearly late, but the bonus was that we didn't have to sit through any boring previews. We had perfect seats for a heartwarming and wonderful movie. Seriously, my high for the day was being in that moment, sitting right where I was in the theater at Loveland. It wouldn't have mattered if the movie totally tanked (which it didn't). I turned and looked to my left and watched Abby, Darian & Kippy thoroughly engrossed in the movie and then turned to my right to see my Kathy. There I was sitting right beside my best friend, who I treasure so much. Talk about a blessing.We did a little shopping after the movie... nothing like a little retail therapy to end a perfectly wonderful girls-only afternoon!
We switched from a girls-only and guys-only afternoon, to double-date night. The kids got to enjoy pizza, movies and hot-tub time at home, while the adults fancied up for an evening out.
In hindsight, I feel like we failed at taking pictures because !SNAP! - we looked good. The issue was cocktail hour at the Bytnar Tavern went a little too long and we had to rush like crazy in the end to get to our dinner reservation. I really wish I would have taken my camera along with that night just to document the moment. However, the important thing was we were there together and I did get this one pic of Kathy & I dressed up, so it is all good.I wanted to stay up all night just to make our time together last longer, but the mean-old-sleep-monster put an end to that bright idea. We got up at the butt-crack of dawn and were on the road back to Fergus by 5:00 AM on Sunday.
The kids quickly settled back to sleep, while Steve & I had a chance to reflect on our time in Greeley.
I always have such a very hard time with goodbyes, but Kathy knows this. My girls know this and of course Steve knows it too. The tears seem to just flow and flow and have a life of their own. I am grateful for the time we do have together, really I am. I just get so emotional about when that time ends. I am so very appreciative for Steve driving us over 1700 in those 4 days. It was a wonderful vacation for sure with a lifetime of memories packed into it.
My Kathy...she is special to me, but the thing is she is special to Abby, Angelique and Steve, too. So I always call her MYKathy... just so my family knows I got special dibs on her.I'm already mentally planning our next get-together in 2011, when we jointly celebrate our 20th anniversary with the Landmarks.
Thank you Bytnar family and a special thank you to Kathy, the events planner. IT WAS A 10!!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Colorado Trip Highlights {Part 2}
After ziplining & CornMaze-hiking, our event planner {a.k.a. Kathy} still had more in store for us and surprises for the kids. Friday evening was an official FNO {Family Night Out}. Once Drake & Darian got home from school, we were told to "fancy-it-up".
Which of course, requires pictures before departing for phase 1...
The four Lindgrens
{celebrating a wonderful 19 year friendship}
{Darian & I were surprised as how similar our "fancy" outfits were, including black bedazzled tops and black boots.}
of the evening...supper at the Rio Grande in downtown Greeley. The authentic Mexican fare and wonderful old-world atmosphere were fantastic. The time flew by as we shared our adventures as well as listened to what happened during the day for Drake, Darian and Steve, who weren't able to join us. In the Bytnar tradition, we circled the table and had each person individually tell his/her "High, Low, Learn & how-you-Helped-someone" for the day, which always brings up something unique.
From supper we departed for phase 2 of the FNO and walked over to the Union Colony Theater. My heart seriously swells with happiness watching these 4 kids enjoy one another's company, although night-time photography using a little point-n-shoot, leaves a lot to be desired.
Presenting... The Comedy Pet Theater starring Popovich! The show was a surprise for Abby & Angelique. It was a HUGE hit & so darn entertaining. The theater balcony seats were fabulous. Cats, dogs, geese, parrots and even some rats performed tricks as well as some amazing juggling sequences by Popovich himself.
The finale of the evening was the adults-only hot tub time back at Casa de Bytnar. Can't think of a better way to cap off such a great FNO than relaxing with friends at the end of a fun filled day.
Which of course, requires pictures before departing for phase 1... {Drake is 14 & a Freshman, Darian is 11 and a 6th grader}
The four Lindgrens
{celebrating a wonderful 19 year friendship}
{Darian & I were surprised as how similar our "fancy" outfits were, including black bedazzled tops and black boots.}
of the evening...supper at the Rio Grande in downtown Greeley. The authentic Mexican fare and wonderful old-world atmosphere were fantastic. The time flew by as we shared our adventures as well as listened to what happened during the day for Drake, Darian and Steve, who weren't able to join us. In the Bytnar tradition, we circled the table and had each person individually tell his/her "High, Low, Learn & how-you-Helped-someone" for the day, which always brings up something unique.
From supper we departed for phase 2 of the FNO and walked over to the Union Colony Theater. My heart seriously swells with happiness watching these 4 kids enjoy one another's company, although night-time photography using a little point-n-shoot, leaves a lot to be desired.
Presenting... The Comedy Pet Theater starring Popovich! The show was a surprise for Abby & Angelique. It was a HUGE hit & so darn entertaining. The theater balcony seats were fabulous. Cats, dogs, geese, parrots and even some rats performed tricks as well as some amazing juggling sequences by Popovich himself.
The finale of the evening was the adults-only hot tub time back at Casa de Bytnar. Can't think of a better way to cap off such a great FNO than relaxing with friends at the end of a fun filled day.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Colorado Trip Highlights {Part 1}
I have so much to document about our trip to Greeley, CO over MEA weekend (October 21-24), that I decided to break the trip highlights into parts. Our first official adventure began Friday morning, Oct 22nd, when our hostess & event planner, Kathy, took us to the Wild West Corn Maze in a nearby town of Hudson, CO. Kathy, always loving a surprise, kept us all in the dark on where we would be going and what we would be doing. The only info we got ahead of time was to wear comfortable shoes & dress for the 45 degree weather.
This advertisement on the side of the highway was our first glimpse of what we would be doing that day; however, knowing we were visiting a corn maze really didn't give us any insight on what eventually unfolded.
When we marched on up to the Ticket booth, we should have noticed that we were the only car in the parking lot.
However, since we were there right at opening time of 10:00 AM, we didn't give it a second thought. In fact, we were patting each other on the back because we were FIRST! Unfortunately, there was no one at the ticket booth. We could see a few pickup trucks near one of the outbuildings, so we decided since we were early, we should just as well walk on up anyway.
The closer we got, the more and more it looked like it wasn't opened. First, we were the only car in the parking area. Second, there were no employees to be found. Poor Kathy was just worried sick because this was her big surprise, but she held it together. By now, we saw Zipline sign and Kathy told us she planned for us to be able to go on it. Kippy was spastic and bouncing up and down at the thought of it. Steve boldly knocked on a door marked "Employees Only". We met, Kyle, who informed us that they didn't open until 5:00 PM, but we were more than welcome to go check out the corn maze. Kathy asked Kyle if there was anyway we could do the zipline. Kyle said we would have to wait until 5:00 PM when the rest of the staff was available. Hearts sank and Kippy whispered to me, "Does this mean we can't do the zipline?"
Kathy then confided to Kyle, "My friends came over 800 miles this weekend and I really wanted to take them on the zipline. Is there anyway you can help us out?"
Kyle said he would try to make some calls and see what he could do. Kathy gave Kyle her cellphone number and Kyle gave us maps of the maze, which turned out to be the World's Largest Corn Maze, with over 12 miles of maze to traverse. Based on the size of the maze, we decided to go back to the car to get water bottles for the adventure.
On our way back to the maze entrance, Kyle came out to meet us and asked, "Would you be able to do the zipline now?" Apparently, he made a quick call and got the help needed to man the zipline. Talk about a turn around! We went from disappointment to ULTIMATE HAPPINESS in less than 5 minutes.
The zipline was 700 feet long and began on a scissor lift 43 feet in the air. Jake was the zipline expert (and a semi-pro bull rider) who helped us to get into the harness gear and helmets. I referred to the harness as "cheek-chillers" since they perfectly outline our behinds.
We could go up on the scissor lift two at a time, so Abby & Angelique went up first. Surprisingly, Angelique started to get nervous at the last minute, so Abby ended up being the one to offer encouragement to her and had to go first on the zipline. Abby LOVED it and this helped Kippy get past her nervousness. I'll have to admit, it was unnerving for me to see both of my girls 43 feet up in the air. Next up, Kathy & me. Now, this is probably a good time to point out that my dear friend, Kathy, is teeny-tiny bit afraid of heights and was trying very, very hard not to back out on the whole adventure. As it turned out, Kathy went before me and she said that since I was calm and reassuring she was able to go. Then it was my turn, I couldn't wait. I had to do a little upside down action on my zipline to add a little more adrenalin.
Last up, was Steve and he was more than ready to take the leap off the lift. Lucky for him, he got to be the fastest across the zipline. Something to do with gravity and mass. Kyle and Jake saved the day for us and all 5 of us got to have first time Zip-Line experiences.
The girls both wanted to ride it again, but with the worlds largest corn maze ahead of us, we figured we had better get a move on it. This is an aerial view of the maze, which we were given maps of as well. Throughout the maze, there are 24 spots with unique hole punches to mark the map. If we could collect all 24 punches, we would be added to the coveted wall of fame & enter a drawing for a plasma TV.
After 1 1/2 hours of being lost in this gigantic maze {from Hell}; we seriously had to amend our original 24 punch goal. We ended up being very happy just to score TWO punches. I am not kidding you, this maze is extremely hard and it didn't seem to matter what we did, we just continued to get lost. The best part, was that everyone kept a great attitude and looked at it as an adventure. The kids didn't whine and we had a ton of laughs especially when we thought about how confident we were when we started out. Amateurs!
Kathy planned ahead and packed a picnic lunch for us, which we enjoyed right on top of the Kiddy Bale-Maze {in hindsight this maze would have probably been more our speed}. And in the Bytnar tradition of rating experiences on a scale of 1 to 10, when Kathy counted to three, we all revealed our rating for the day...
as she snapped a picture. Four 10's all around!
This advertisement on the side of the highway was our first glimpse of what we would be doing that day; however, knowing we were visiting a corn maze really didn't give us any insight on what eventually unfolded.
When we marched on up to the Ticket booth, we should have noticed that we were the only car in the parking lot.
However, since we were there right at opening time of 10:00 AM, we didn't give it a second thought. In fact, we were patting each other on the back because we were FIRST! Unfortunately, there was no one at the ticket booth. We could see a few pickup trucks near one of the outbuildings, so we decided since we were early, we should just as well walk on up anyway.The closer we got, the more and more it looked like it wasn't opened. First, we were the only car in the parking area. Second, there were no employees to be found. Poor Kathy was just worried sick because this was her big surprise, but she held it together. By now, we saw Zipline sign and Kathy told us she planned for us to be able to go on it. Kippy was spastic and bouncing up and down at the thought of it. Steve boldly knocked on a door marked "Employees Only". We met, Kyle, who informed us that they didn't open until 5:00 PM, but we were more than welcome to go check out the corn maze. Kathy asked Kyle if there was anyway we could do the zipline. Kyle said we would have to wait until 5:00 PM when the rest of the staff was available. Hearts sank and Kippy whispered to me, "Does this mean we can't do the zipline?"
Kathy then confided to Kyle, "My friends came over 800 miles this weekend and I really wanted to take them on the zipline. Is there anyway you can help us out?"
Kyle said he would try to make some calls and see what he could do. Kathy gave Kyle her cellphone number and Kyle gave us maps of the maze, which turned out to be the World's Largest Corn Maze, with over 12 miles of maze to traverse. Based on the size of the maze, we decided to go back to the car to get water bottles for the adventure.
On our way back to the maze entrance, Kyle came out to meet us and asked, "Would you be able to do the zipline now?" Apparently, he made a quick call and got the help needed to man the zipline. Talk about a turn around! We went from disappointment to ULTIMATE HAPPINESS in less than 5 minutes.
The zipline was 700 feet long and began on a scissor lift 43 feet in the air. Jake was the zipline expert (and a semi-pro bull rider) who helped us to get into the harness gear and helmets. I referred to the harness as "cheek-chillers" since they perfectly outline our behinds.
We could go up on the scissor lift two at a time, so Abby & Angelique went up first. Surprisingly, Angelique started to get nervous at the last minute, so Abby ended up being the one to offer encouragement to her and had to go first on the zipline. Abby LOVED it and this helped Kippy get past her nervousness. I'll have to admit, it was unnerving for me to see both of my girls 43 feet up in the air. Next up, Kathy & me. Now, this is probably a good time to point out that my dear friend, Kathy, is teeny-tiny bit afraid of heights and was trying very, very hard not to back out on the whole adventure. As it turned out, Kathy went before me and she said that since I was calm and reassuring she was able to go. Then it was my turn, I couldn't wait. I had to do a little upside down action on my zipline to add a little more adrenalin.
Last up, was Steve and he was more than ready to take the leap off the lift. Lucky for him, he got to be the fastest across the zipline. Something to do with gravity and mass. Kyle and Jake saved the day for us and all 5 of us got to have first time Zip-Line experiences.
The girls both wanted to ride it again, but with the worlds largest corn maze ahead of us, we figured we had better get a move on it. This is an aerial view of the maze, which we were given maps of as well. Throughout the maze, there are 24 spots with unique hole punches to mark the map. If we could collect all 24 punches, we would be added to the coveted wall of fame & enter a drawing for a plasma TV.
After 1 1/2 hours of being lost in this gigantic maze {from Hell}; we seriously had to amend our original 24 punch goal. We ended up being very happy just to score TWO punches. I am not kidding you, this maze is extremely hard and it didn't seem to matter what we did, we just continued to get lost. The best part, was that everyone kept a great attitude and looked at it as an adventure. The kids didn't whine and we had a ton of laughs especially when we thought about how confident we were when we started out. Amateurs!
Kathy planned ahead and packed a picnic lunch for us, which we enjoyed right on top of the Kiddy Bale-Maze {in hindsight this maze would have probably been more our speed}. And in the Bytnar tradition of rating experiences on a scale of 1 to 10, when Kathy counted to three, we all revealed our rating for the day...
as she snapped a picture. Four 10's all around!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Look who's forty and FABULOUS!
Cheers to you, Kathy! You are seriously, one-in-a-million. Enjoy your special day!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Personal Journey
jour·ney (jûr
n
)
n)n. pl. jour·neys
1. a. The act of traveling from one place to another; a trip.
b. A distance to be traveled or the time required for a trip: a 2,000-mile journey to the Pacific; the three-day journey home.
2. A process or course likened to traveling; a passage: the journey of life.
Over the past 3 months I have been preparing for the Fargo Half Marathon. Thirteen-point-one miles seems very daunting; however, I am eager to challenge myself. Each week, I follow the Hal Higdon half marathon training schedule for novices. The interesting thing is that beginning on week 7, I got to accomplish a new personal record distance each week. Although, I have been running for 15 years or so, the furthest I had ever gone at one time is a 10K or 6.6 miles with my average being 3 miles at a time.
I added some new tech-y gear during my training. I now have a running watch which tracks my heart-rate as well as my distance and speed. My have logged 143 miles on it since mid-March. Wow - that has been a long journey.
Although I listen to my ipod during my runs, I keep it on a very low volume so I can hear traffic and still be aware of my surroundings. Per my dad's request, I try to run against traffic as much as possible as well for safety reasons. My thoughts really drift around during my runs. Especially my long runs, which have maxed out at 11 miles. I think about my life, my dreams, my goals, my aching knees, my kids, my husband, my friends, my family, my poor blistered toe... lots and lots of things. Mostly, I use that time to thank God for all the blessings in my life and to ask Him for strength and guidance. I do have so many, many blessings.
My BFF, Kathy, got me thinking about this journey when she sent me this beautiful Personal Journey necklace and note this week. Although I don't have a running partner, I did have Kathy as my virtual, running partner because she trained for the Ft Collin's Half Marathon during this same time period as I have been training. Kathy completed her Half Marathon this past Sunday on May 3rd. I am so proud of Kathy because she not only beat her goal, she accomplished something she never knew she could. Kathy is an inspiration to me! I'm excited to wear this necklace as a tangible reminder of not only the half marathon, but of my 18-year friendship with Kathy.
So this Saturday morning, send your positive thoughts and prayers my way, as I fulfill my personal journey of completing a half marathon in Fargo. I am most worried about wind, which unfortunately is forcast to be about 12 MPH out of the North/Northwest. Aside from that, I want to be under 2 hours. Wish me luck as I hang out with 15,000 other racers on Saturday!
Over the past 3 months I have been preparing for the Fargo Half Marathon. Thirteen-point-one miles seems very daunting; however, I am eager to challenge myself. Each week, I follow the Hal Higdon half marathon training schedule for novices. The interesting thing is that beginning on week 7, I got to accomplish a new personal record distance each week. Although, I have been running for 15 years or so, the furthest I had ever gone at one time is a 10K or 6.6 miles with my average being 3 miles at a time.
I added some new tech-y gear during my training. I now have a running watch which tracks my heart-rate as well as my distance and speed. My have logged 143 miles on it since mid-March. Wow - that has been a long journey.
Although I listen to my ipod during my runs, I keep it on a very low volume so I can hear traffic and still be aware of my surroundings. Per my dad's request, I try to run against traffic as much as possible as well for safety reasons. My thoughts really drift around during my runs. Especially my long runs, which have maxed out at 11 miles. I think about my life, my dreams, my goals, my aching knees, my kids, my husband, my friends, my family, my poor blistered toe... lots and lots of things. Mostly, I use that time to thank God for all the blessings in my life and to ask Him for strength and guidance. I do have so many, many blessings.
My BFF, Kathy, got me thinking about this journey when she sent me this beautiful Personal Journey necklace and note this week. Although I don't have a running partner, I did have Kathy as my virtual, running partner because she trained for the Ft Collin's Half Marathon during this same time period as I have been training. Kathy completed her Half Marathon this past Sunday on May 3rd. I am so proud of Kathy because she not only beat her goal, she accomplished something she never knew she could. Kathy is an inspiration to me! I'm excited to wear this necklace as a tangible reminder of not only the half marathon, but of my 18-year friendship with Kathy.
So this Saturday morning, send your positive thoughts and prayers my way, as I fulfill my personal journey of completing a half marathon in Fargo. I am most worried about wind, which unfortunately is forcast to be about 12 MPH out of the North/Northwest. Aside from that, I want to be under 2 hours. Wish me luck as I hang out with 15,000 other racers on Saturday!
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