Summertime Blues

By about the middle of July I was starting to wonder which end was up ... kids needed to be at about 55 different places during the same 30 minute period. Between Brendan playing baseball, Morgan in soccer and Clare in swimming I needed a nanny just to jet around with the kids!

Finally, we made it through and didn't lose anyone along the way! There is a certain amount of excitement and anticipation that comes along with a busy schedule shuffling kids from here to there and cheering them on in their various sport of choice.

For instance, Morgan in soccer. While he didn't score a single goal this year he kept up enthusiasm and met lots of new friends (and didn't keep score of who was scoring or not scoring).

Brendan's team made it all the way to first place, regardless of wanting to quit early on, he pulled through and was part of a winning team.

By next summer, I'll have all four kids in a sport, LORD HELP ME! When does Brendan get his license????? Shoot, 5 more years and we'll have another set of wheels in the family!

Future Gold Medalist

Clare had another amazing swim season, it continues to inspire me to watch her strecth herself in everyway. She is stronger and faster than she has ever been and she's only 10! I wish I could bottle up every ounce of self confidence so that she can use it in junior high when things go a little south of center for girls!

Although her hormones are starting to rage, she is as bright and witty as ever and her smile brightens everyone she encounters.

So as we prepare for Fall season, here is a quick recap of the finals in Winona in July.

Clare qualifed for 5 events, compared to the Fall/Winter season that is a huge accomplishment. Watching all the swimmers on the team improve in leaps and bounds is just so neat - as is the friendships that we're forming through the club!

Road Trips

We've been fortunate this summer to go on several 'road trip' theme vacations! My poor Acura is now reaching 85K miles and I've only had it 1 year. Our first trip of the summer was to California for the launch of the new Audi A4.

Car trip fun in the back seat with 4 monkey's and over 5,000 miles logged!

Me and the kids at the San Francisco Zoo

Auntie Kate, Liam, Morgan and Cody the morning we left Park City, UT

Getting ready to hop on the trolley from downtown San Francisco to Fisherman's Warf

What a trip, the first stop was to see Kate, Mike's sister in Park City, Utah ... 18 hours after leaving Minneapolis, we pulled into Utah. That's is a long haul! Then we were off to Lake Tahoe and then to San Francisco. I think out of all 6 of us, Liam and I were the only two that had never seen mountains - wow!

A little adventure to a peak near the Golden Gate bridge (kind of looks small from this height)

Mike and the little boys at a small cafe in San Rafael, CA before our trip to the city

The last night in San Francisco - a hole in the wall Italian restaruant with the best food ever!

The beach at Point Reyes National Sea Shore where the beach stretches over 50 miles

Poolside fun!

Our next trip was to the Serpent Lake over the 4th of July, the shortest of all the trips but certainly not lacking in fun! We spent a long weekend at the lake with friends and family. I always value the time we spend with my parents friends and their children, it never seems to be often enough.

In late July, we hit the road again. This time, just my mom and I off to Indiana. We pushed ourselves after a full day of work, we left Minneapolis at 7:30 PM and drove through the night to arrive at Francie and Tom's by 9 am the next day. Yikes! The kids always seem to do well, but Mom and I were ready to crash by about noon.

Climbing the silo at Uncle Donald's farm in Winchester, IN

Kids at the farm, in the background is a barn built in 1870



In August, our last trip, I was in Tucson Arizona for work (which in itself was both productive and fun). Touring a 2 million square foot Distribution Center and a few other Target facilities. A few trips down a crazy water slide, the lazy river and 12 holes of golf - ahh, it did indeed feel a little bit like a vacation. Then I hopped a flight to Houston for Michael Love's wedding (Mike's aunt Mary's son).






I am telling everyone, that is was the celebrity wedding of the year! Puffy Combs and Lawrence Fishburne look alikes and all!


Now that summer is ending, it is always fun to reflect back on all the memories we've made the great times that we got to spend enjoying the summer sun and life with Mike and the kids along with extended family and friends.

I LOVE TARGET

Every year at this time Target assembles leadership from every store in the company along with the more senior members of the Headquarters team for a fourth quarter RA-RA. I am continued to be amazed at the enormity of the company and what they are able to do in partnership with government, fashion design greats, celebrities and ordinary people doing awesome things for others.

In the last three years I've been able to hear a motivational speech by Colin Powell, listen to amazing pianist and vocals by the likes of Maroon 5, Tony Bennett, Michael Bouble, KD Lang, Elvis Costello and this year, Christina Aguilera and John Legend (go check his music out if you haven't).

I celebrated 9 years at Target this August, on Clare's 10th birthday and feel fortunate to have held several positions of varying responsibility and challenge. Target has provided a foundation for me to learn so much about corporate america and life in general.